Disclaimer: I borrow characters and settings from Tolkien but they are
his, not mine. I gain only the enriched imaginative life that I assume he
intended me to gain.
Thanks to Nilmandra for beta reading this chapter.
*******
7. Novices and Masters
Two mornings later, the youngest group of novices assembled near the training fields, carrying packs with supplies to last them for the five days that the training mission was expected to last. Legolas lay in the grass next to Annael, with his head on his pack and his eyes closed, brooding on his troubles as he had done so frequently of late.
He had spent the time since he had talked to Miriwen in a haze of misery broken only by the horseback archery training which he had enjoyed intensely. To make things worse, on the previous evening, Thranduil had spoken to him gravely about having lied and saying he was going to his chamber when he had really been going to visit Miriwen. His father had imposed no punishment, but he had made it clear that the offense was not to be repeated. "I expect better of you," he had said. It seemed to Legolas that lately everyone, including Legolas himself, expected better of him than he had managed to give.
He was looking forward to this trip, however. Despite his conflicts with Maldor and the constant irritation that Galelas caused, he was as confident of his ability with weapons as he was of anything in his life right now. Facing an opponent with a blade was much simpler than facing the tangle of his emotions.
Annael prodded him, and he opened his eyes and looked around to see Maldor, Thalion, and Eilian emerging from the masters' hut. Thalion adjusted a quiver strap over his cloak as he turned and said something to Eilian. They both laughed, and Legolas was suddenly struck by the extent to which Eilian looked different, as if he belonged to the world of the novice masters rather than the private world of Legolas's family. Perhaps it was just the effect of having emerged from the hut in the company of Thalion and Maldor, but Eilian seemed to have been transformed into someone sterner and more distant.
The novices struggled to their feet, shouldering packs and gathering swords and bows, as the three warriors came to a halt in front of them. Maldor stepped forward, running his eyes over them, while the other two stood slightly behind him. Apparently satisfied by what he saw, Maldor began to speak. "This mission will use a series of exercises in armed and unarmed combat. We will be evaluating your use of weapons in simulated combat situations, but if all goes as planned, at least some of you will be disarmed in these simulations and will have to defend yourselves without your knives or bows." He paused and they stirred a little uneasily. "However," he went on, "the goal of this trip is only partly to improve your use of weapons. We will be working on organizing for battle, following orders, and performing as a unit. Without the ability to do these things, individual weapons skills are nearly useless. We are fortunate to have Eilian with us to contribute his considerable experience as a captain directing groups of warriors."
Legolas glanced at his brother, but Eilian simply stood in a relaxed posture and looked at Maldor as he listened to the unarmed combat master speak.
"After you return from this trip, Lómilad will conduct some formal classroom training on forming and following battle plans and on coordinating your actions in a fight," Maldor went on, "but the exercises we will be doing are designed to allow you to experience for yourselves the problems that warriors can face in working together. You should also be able to begin to discover some solutions to those problems. Then based on how you perform this week, Lómilad will help you to identify what you did right, what mistakes you made, and what actions to take to avoid those mistakes in the future."
Legolas was intrigued by the notion of learning through experience about the parts of being a warrior that went beyond any one person's weapons skills. But he was wary of Maldor as well, and this would be uncharted territory.
Maldor was speaking again. "Today we will walk roughly along the course of the Forest River until we reach our intended campsite. Eilian and I will lead, and Thalion will be rear guard, but we are not the only ones who should be on watch. You need to remember that this is warrior training and not a feast on the green. Keep alert for any sign of danger as we go. Watch the trees for spiders. Watch the ground for wolf prints. Listen for anything approaching that you cannot identify." He scanned the group again. "Conduct yourselves as warriors in training and all will go well." He did not say what would happen if they conducted themselves otherwise, and none of them wished to find out what that eventuality would lead to.
Maldor started toward the path that would take them northwest on the first league or two of their way. Eilian fell in behind him. Legolas hung back to let Galelas take the spot behind Eilian, with Isendir in his wake. Galelas liked being near the front, Legolas knew, and given his current desire to declare himself independent from his family, Legolas did not want to walk directly behind Eilian anyway. He, Annael, and Tonduil slid into line, with Thalion coming last.
The walk through the forest was the first chance that Legolas had had to be out among the trees in weeks. Since then, spring had spread through the woods. Leaves had erupted on the trees and bluebells had pushed their way through last year's dead leaves and now floated like a purple-blue cloud over the top of the newly green grass. The passing elves did not disturb the morning quiet, and songbirds called to one another from overhead. Although he tried to remain alert to danger, as Maldor had instructed, Legolas felt himself relaxing as his body began to attune itself to the harmony around him.
They walked for the entire day, with brief stops for rest and for food at midday. Tonduil sat next to Legolas during the midday meal. "What will Eilian be like as a master, Legolas?" he asked curiously, looking across the small clearing where they had stopped. The three masters sat talking quietly together and eating the bread and fruit they had carried with them. Tonduil had seen very little of Eilian until now, because Eilian had been away in the south for much of the time that Alfirin had been married Ithilden.
"I do not know," said Legolas. Eilian looked oddly foreign to him at the moment. "But I think that he will be more like Thalion than Maldor," he added, knowing that Tonduil was ill at ease with the unarmed combat master. Tonduil looked grateful for the information.
In the late afternoon, they reached the site that the masters had evidently chosen for their camp. It was a clearing near a raised bank of the Forest River. A path led down to the water's edge but the site was elevated a good twenty feet above the river, even swollen as it was with spring rain. The rush of the water was clearly audible from the campsite, forming a soothing murmur that blended with the song of the trees.
"Legolas and Isendir gather the firewood tonight," Maldor ordered. "Annael cooks, and Galelas and Tonduil clean up." They began setting up camp. To Legolas, going among the trees to gather firewood was pure pleasure. He chatted idly with Isendir as they went about their assigned task, for over the last few weeks, Isendir had proven to be an amusing companion when he was apart from Galelas.
"Is Annael a good cook?" he was asking now.
Legolas grinned. "Not particularly," he admitted.
Isendir made a face. "My naneth wanted to put seed cakes in my pack," he said. "I should have let her." Legolas laughed, although he also felt a pang. It was the kind of detail he always liked hearing from other young elves for it gave him a glimpse of a life that he sometimes wished he lived. Yet it also left him jealous for another reason. It would never occur to the palace cooks to try to add favorite treats to Legolas's pack.
When they returned to the campsite, they built a fire near where Annael was studying their various cooking supplies with a bemused look. "We are counting on you," Legolas joked lightly. Annael rolled his eyes but set to work willingly enough.
They ate the boiled meat and vegetable he prepared happily enough, though, knowing that they would soon depend on what they could bring down with their own bows rather than what they had brought with them. In unspoken agreement, the masters and the novices had divided themselves into two small groups and ate on the opposite sides of the campfire.
Sitting with Thalion and Maldor, Eilian glanced across the fire at Legolas. The novices all seemed to be laughing at some ridiculous story that Tonduil was telling about himself as an elfling. "I could barely reach the latch," he was saying, "and it turned out that when I tried to put the horse back in the stall, I could not refasten it. I thought that my adar would certainly realize that I had been riding the stallion, even though he had said that it was too dangerous. But, would you believe it? He concluded that the horse had learned to unfasten the stall gate itself." The story went on, eventually leaving all four of the other novices convulsed in laughter.
The sight of Legolas laughing with his friends filled Eilian with relief. It fit so much better with his sense of his even-tempered, light-hearted younger brother than did the unhappy, irritable figure who had haunted the palace in the last weeks. On the day before they had left on this trip, he had tried to ask Legolas about what had provoked his anger at Alfirin and Thranduil, but Legolas had rejected his tentative advances, and he had decided to leave well enough alone.
He became aware that Thalion and Maldor too were quietly listening to Tonduil's story. When they had finished their meal, Galelas and Tonduil began to gather the dirty dishes to take down to the river and wash. Tonduil approached the group of masters.
"You are exceptionally good with horses, Tonduil," Thalion commented when he approached. "Did you never consider becoming a horsemaster?"
Tonduil paused uncertainly. He liked Thalion; all the novices did. And it was obvious that he feared that some criticism of his choice to be a warrior lay hidden in the blade master's question. "Yes, I did," he admitted. "But it seemed much nobler to be a warrior."
Thalion smiled at him. "Nobler?" he said. "I have always thought that there was nothing nobler than working with horses. They are such fascinating beasts." Tonduil brightened and looked as if he would like to pursue the subject, but Galelas called to him from the top of the path leading down to the river, and he gathered up the last of the dishes and left to go with Galelas to wash them.
"So you are giving up on him?" murmured Maldor softly.
Thalion glanced at him. "No," he said, "not giving up, only reminding him that he has a choice. An honorable choice," he stressed.
Maldor snorted. "He is stronger than he realizes," he said, still keeping his voice low. "He can become an effective warrior."
"An effective one, I do not doubt," said Thalion. "But I do not think that he will ever be a happy one. And he could be a far more than effective horsemaster." Maldor shrugged and let the matter drop.
Eilian listened in silence, intrigued by this side of novice training. When he himself had been a novice, he would have sworn that the masters never had a thought beyond correcting his tendency to push his release when he fired a bow.
Galelas and Tonduil returned from the river, and Maldor rose to begin issuing orders for the night. All of the novices had been on numerous camping trips as younglings, and they had also all been on previous novice training trips. Thus like all Mirkwood Elves their age, they already knew how to guard a campsite at night. Maldor set four two-hour watches, matching a master with a novice for most of them, with Annael and Isendir standing the first watch, the easiest one to stay alert for. Eilian was interested to see that despite his disagreement with Thalion over Tonduil, Maldor matched the two of them and gave them the last watch, another easy one because it did not require waking in the middle of the night and then trying to return to sleep. Eilian was willing to wager that the interrupted conversation about horses would be picked up in the pre-dawn hours.
Eilian would stand the second watch with Galelas, and Maldor himself would stand the third watch with Legolas. It was clear to Eilian that his brother was not at all happy with that particular arrangement. He hoped it was not equally clear to Maldor.
Along with most of the others, Eilian rolled himself up in his blanket and lay down to sleep while he could. He felt as if he had barely dropped off when Annael gently touched his shoulder to waken him. Yawning, he got to his feet, scratching absently at his left arm and then realizing that the leather brace was between his fingernails and the itch that was annoying him. He stretched the arm out and wondered very briefly if he would ever have full use of it again. Not "if," he told himself firmly, "when."
He looked around, locating Galelas, and then moved toward him. "Let us make a circuit of the area and make sure that it is secure," he said. "You take that side of the camp and I will take this side." The two of them moved off into the trees and circled the campsite, with neither sensing any danger. Upon returning, Eilian sat down against a large oak tree that was a small distance from where the others were sleeping, and Galelas joined him.
"I saw you in the horseback archery drill the other day," Eilian said, trying to start a conversation that would make the time go faster and help them both stay alert. He did not know Galelas at all and had never heard Legolas speak of him. "You shoot well," Eilian said.
Galelas looked cautiously pleased at the compliment. "I am usually the best archer in my training group," he said. He looked sidelong at Eilian as if suddenly remembering to whom he was speaking. "Although sometimes Legolas is better than I am," he admitted grudgingly.
Eilian was willing to wager that it was more than "sometimes," but he only laughed. "Sometimes Legolas is better than I am too," he said. Galelas gaped at him, apparently startled by the cheerful admission.
"Does that not bother you?" he blurted.
Eilian shrugged. "Legolas has a gift with the bow," he said. "We all have our strengths and our weaknesses." He refrained from talking about the pride he took in his little brother's prowess, remembering his promise to Legolas not to behave like a fond brother.
Galelas may have read Eilian's tone anyway, however. He leaned back against the tree and rather grimly said, "My brother would not be pleased if he thought that I could outshoot him."
Eilian thought that Galelas was probably right. The Tinár he knew would not have been pleased with the idea that anyone could outshoot him, much less a younger brother. But since the idea would never have occurred to Tinár, Eilian thought in private amusement, the question never arose.
"We should make another round," he said, rising to his feet. "Let us trade sides this time." And they set off to check the security of the campsite once more.
***
Legolas reentered the campsite, having completed his half of the circle around it to check its security. He had been slower than he might have been in other circumstances because he was apprehensive about passing the watch in Maldor's company. What would they talk about? Or perhaps they would not talk. Perhaps Maldor would sit silent for the whole two hours. On the whole, Legolas thought that he would prefer that.
He found Maldor already back in camp, sitting on a large, flat rock about halfway between the campfire and the riverbank. Legolas hesitated briefly and then went to join him. To do otherwise would be incredibly rude. He sat down next to the master, whose expression was ever so slightly amused. Surely not, Legolas thought. Maldor was never amused at anything that Legolas could see.
"I could sense no danger," he reported, and Maldor nodded. They sat quietly for a while, and Legolas began to relax. He leaned back on his elbows and looked at the stars in dense array overhead. He loved the night, he thought. Even the song of the trees was sweeter at night.
Maldor's voice startled him. "You are fortunate in your friends, Legolas," he said.
Legolas froze. How was he to reply to that? He sat up. "What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.
"I mean that Annael and Tonduil are both loyal to you. They would choose you as this group's leader, if they could. That speaks well of you, for neither one of them is a fool." Maldor turned to look at him, his face unreadable. Legolas still had no idea what Maldor was talking about.
"I do not want to be this group's leader," he said.
"Do you not?" Maldor's question was noncommittal, but Legolas felt that there was some meaning hidden in it that he could not make out.
He hesitated, trying to find words that would explain what he meant. "I am learning the same skills that everyone else is," he finally said. "I do not believe that I am able to choose other people's actions for them yet." It was as honest an answer as he could give.
Maldor nodded. "Perhaps," he said, "although Annael and Tonduil would still choose you to follow." He shrugged. "We should make another round," he said, and they both rose.
Legolas was completely at sea as to what Maldor had been trying to tell him. As he moved off to make his half circle of the campsite, he thought that whatever dangers might lurk in the woods were far easier to face than the unarmed combat master was.
***
Legolas felt as if he had just fallen back asleep after his watch when Tonduil was shaking his shoulder to awaken him again. "Come on," he said. "You and I are supposed to fix morning meal, and if we want to bathe, we have to do it now." Reluctantly, Legolas emerged from his cocoon of blanket. Thalion was moving around the camp, waking the other novices and meting out the chores. Legolas shook himself more fully awake, found the soap in his pack, and started toward the river with Tonduil.
"The river is full and the current is fast," Thalion called as they passed. "It would be best not to swim." The two of them nodded and went on their way.
By the time they returned to camp, Galelas had built up the fire, and they set about fixing the porridge with which they would break their night's fast. They all ate quickly, and then Annael and Isendir took the dirty dishes to the river, while the other novices straightened up the campsite. The masters were conferring, seated on the rock where Legolas and Maldor had sat during their watch. Finally, Maldor called the novices to order.
"Today," he began, "we will perform the first in a series of exercises designed to show the importance of a solid command structure, of following orders, and of fighting together."
Eilian listed carefully as Maldor explained to the novices what would be required of them today. In the privacy of the masters' hut the day before, he had already heard Maldor explain the purpose of these exercises once, and despite his doubts about the unarmed combat master, Eilian was interested. The point of the exercises was to provide the novices with experiences upon which they could reflect so as to discover the lessons they taught on their own. Along with the other experienced warriors who served under him, Eilian had frequently provided instruction and training to those newly posted to the southern patrol. But he had never before taught when there was the luxury of time for the students to reflect and absorb the lesson themselves.
"Your task today is to defend yourselves against a simulated Orc attack," Maldor was telling the novices. "We masters will be the Orcs." There was a quickly quashed ripple of amusement among the novices.
"Bring your bows; it would be foolish to be without them in these woods. But you may not use them. We will all use training swords as our only weapons. By rights, we masters should be carrying blunted Orc swords, but you have not yet learned the best ways to battle those curved scimitars, so we will use Elven ones. We will make enough noise to be Orcs, though, and we will fight like them." He scanned the group. "Because we are using only swords, not bows, you must stay on the ground, not take to the trees, although that would often be the best course in a battle with Orcs."
Under Maldor's direction, the novices, like Thalion and Maldor, stored their bows on their backs. Eilian, of course, was still unable to use one and would have to rely on the marksmanship of the others should danger arise. Then they all chose training swords from the pile that Thalion had laid out.
They reassembled and Maldor gave them their last instructions. He pointed out a very tall oak that was visible through the woods. "Walk toward that tall oak," he told them. "Be alert for us. You know that we will be attacking. That should give you an advantage." He signaled to Thalion and Eilian, and they disappeared into the trees. The novices glanced at one another, and then set off in the direction of the tall oak tree.
*******
Thanks to all reviewers. Along with the kind things you say, you also say such interesting ones.
Dragon-of-the-north: If that's a short review, I hesitate to ask what a long one looks like. That was insightful about how Legolas's thinking personally showed up in the family blowup as well as in the combat training. He is having a hard time being both Legolas and Thranduil's son, with all that implies.
Cestari: I, too, want them to get back together. I have this story outlined, and at the point where the novices return from this trip, I have Miriwen's name and a little question mark. I think they've probably done too much damage to this fragile little romance for it to be rekindled, but I'm not quite ready to say so for certain. Yet.
Kay: Thranduil is a pretty good father, I think, particularly given that he probably sees less of Legolas than his friends' parents see of them. He's the king, after all. I think that's why his brothers tend to be parental toward him too.
Wild Iris: Legolas, too, is hoping to do well on this trip. But he has to suffer first, I'm afraid. :-)
Puxinette: I think things went fairly smoothly for Legolas in this chapter, so he gets a break. He should enjoy it while he can, though.
Fadesintothewest: I have been thinking about an Eilian-mance. It would be fun.
Dy: Hope you like the update. You asked for it; here it is!
TreeHugger: The whole breakup/family blowup made me squirm just writing it. And as the parent of a soon to be teen, you have my sympathy. Remember - you have to learn to love the monster child!
JEbb: I really hate the bad-father Thranduil who appears in so much fanfic. He's a good father. A very good father. The proof is surely in the son we see in LotR.
Jambaby1963: You're right. Legolas needs some help. But he doesn't seem to willing to accept it. Someone is going to have to tread carefully.
Nilmandra: Maldor is sort of like Glorfindel-as-teacher-from-hell. See? They're learning from doing things.
Muggles: We're away from the family dynamics in this chapter, except for Eilian, of course. It was just getting too angsty.
Ana: I'm glad you liked the line about the elflings. I liked it too and no one else noticed it!
Jay of Lasgalen: I could feel my own blood pressure rising as I wrote about Legolas blowing up at his family. It made me really cringe even though it was coming out of my own word processor.
Larian Elensar: See, this chapter was not so bad. No one yelled at anyone.
StrangeBlaze: Legolas certainly made sure that everyone in the family was going to be unhappy if he was. Teenagers never want to suffer alone.
JastaElf: Legolas is sometimes like Thranduil more than either one would admit. But then, maybe all of us are like that in regard to our resemblances to our parents.
Thanks to Nilmandra for beta reading this chapter.
*******
7. Novices and Masters
Two mornings later, the youngest group of novices assembled near the training fields, carrying packs with supplies to last them for the five days that the training mission was expected to last. Legolas lay in the grass next to Annael, with his head on his pack and his eyes closed, brooding on his troubles as he had done so frequently of late.
He had spent the time since he had talked to Miriwen in a haze of misery broken only by the horseback archery training which he had enjoyed intensely. To make things worse, on the previous evening, Thranduil had spoken to him gravely about having lied and saying he was going to his chamber when he had really been going to visit Miriwen. His father had imposed no punishment, but he had made it clear that the offense was not to be repeated. "I expect better of you," he had said. It seemed to Legolas that lately everyone, including Legolas himself, expected better of him than he had managed to give.
He was looking forward to this trip, however. Despite his conflicts with Maldor and the constant irritation that Galelas caused, he was as confident of his ability with weapons as he was of anything in his life right now. Facing an opponent with a blade was much simpler than facing the tangle of his emotions.
Annael prodded him, and he opened his eyes and looked around to see Maldor, Thalion, and Eilian emerging from the masters' hut. Thalion adjusted a quiver strap over his cloak as he turned and said something to Eilian. They both laughed, and Legolas was suddenly struck by the extent to which Eilian looked different, as if he belonged to the world of the novice masters rather than the private world of Legolas's family. Perhaps it was just the effect of having emerged from the hut in the company of Thalion and Maldor, but Eilian seemed to have been transformed into someone sterner and more distant.
The novices struggled to their feet, shouldering packs and gathering swords and bows, as the three warriors came to a halt in front of them. Maldor stepped forward, running his eyes over them, while the other two stood slightly behind him. Apparently satisfied by what he saw, Maldor began to speak. "This mission will use a series of exercises in armed and unarmed combat. We will be evaluating your use of weapons in simulated combat situations, but if all goes as planned, at least some of you will be disarmed in these simulations and will have to defend yourselves without your knives or bows." He paused and they stirred a little uneasily. "However," he went on, "the goal of this trip is only partly to improve your use of weapons. We will be working on organizing for battle, following orders, and performing as a unit. Without the ability to do these things, individual weapons skills are nearly useless. We are fortunate to have Eilian with us to contribute his considerable experience as a captain directing groups of warriors."
Legolas glanced at his brother, but Eilian simply stood in a relaxed posture and looked at Maldor as he listened to the unarmed combat master speak.
"After you return from this trip, Lómilad will conduct some formal classroom training on forming and following battle plans and on coordinating your actions in a fight," Maldor went on, "but the exercises we will be doing are designed to allow you to experience for yourselves the problems that warriors can face in working together. You should also be able to begin to discover some solutions to those problems. Then based on how you perform this week, Lómilad will help you to identify what you did right, what mistakes you made, and what actions to take to avoid those mistakes in the future."
Legolas was intrigued by the notion of learning through experience about the parts of being a warrior that went beyond any one person's weapons skills. But he was wary of Maldor as well, and this would be uncharted territory.
Maldor was speaking again. "Today we will walk roughly along the course of the Forest River until we reach our intended campsite. Eilian and I will lead, and Thalion will be rear guard, but we are not the only ones who should be on watch. You need to remember that this is warrior training and not a feast on the green. Keep alert for any sign of danger as we go. Watch the trees for spiders. Watch the ground for wolf prints. Listen for anything approaching that you cannot identify." He scanned the group again. "Conduct yourselves as warriors in training and all will go well." He did not say what would happen if they conducted themselves otherwise, and none of them wished to find out what that eventuality would lead to.
Maldor started toward the path that would take them northwest on the first league or two of their way. Eilian fell in behind him. Legolas hung back to let Galelas take the spot behind Eilian, with Isendir in his wake. Galelas liked being near the front, Legolas knew, and given his current desire to declare himself independent from his family, Legolas did not want to walk directly behind Eilian anyway. He, Annael, and Tonduil slid into line, with Thalion coming last.
The walk through the forest was the first chance that Legolas had had to be out among the trees in weeks. Since then, spring had spread through the woods. Leaves had erupted on the trees and bluebells had pushed their way through last year's dead leaves and now floated like a purple-blue cloud over the top of the newly green grass. The passing elves did not disturb the morning quiet, and songbirds called to one another from overhead. Although he tried to remain alert to danger, as Maldor had instructed, Legolas felt himself relaxing as his body began to attune itself to the harmony around him.
They walked for the entire day, with brief stops for rest and for food at midday. Tonduil sat next to Legolas during the midday meal. "What will Eilian be like as a master, Legolas?" he asked curiously, looking across the small clearing where they had stopped. The three masters sat talking quietly together and eating the bread and fruit they had carried with them. Tonduil had seen very little of Eilian until now, because Eilian had been away in the south for much of the time that Alfirin had been married Ithilden.
"I do not know," said Legolas. Eilian looked oddly foreign to him at the moment. "But I think that he will be more like Thalion than Maldor," he added, knowing that Tonduil was ill at ease with the unarmed combat master. Tonduil looked grateful for the information.
In the late afternoon, they reached the site that the masters had evidently chosen for their camp. It was a clearing near a raised bank of the Forest River. A path led down to the water's edge but the site was elevated a good twenty feet above the river, even swollen as it was with spring rain. The rush of the water was clearly audible from the campsite, forming a soothing murmur that blended with the song of the trees.
"Legolas and Isendir gather the firewood tonight," Maldor ordered. "Annael cooks, and Galelas and Tonduil clean up." They began setting up camp. To Legolas, going among the trees to gather firewood was pure pleasure. He chatted idly with Isendir as they went about their assigned task, for over the last few weeks, Isendir had proven to be an amusing companion when he was apart from Galelas.
"Is Annael a good cook?" he was asking now.
Legolas grinned. "Not particularly," he admitted.
Isendir made a face. "My naneth wanted to put seed cakes in my pack," he said. "I should have let her." Legolas laughed, although he also felt a pang. It was the kind of detail he always liked hearing from other young elves for it gave him a glimpse of a life that he sometimes wished he lived. Yet it also left him jealous for another reason. It would never occur to the palace cooks to try to add favorite treats to Legolas's pack.
When they returned to the campsite, they built a fire near where Annael was studying their various cooking supplies with a bemused look. "We are counting on you," Legolas joked lightly. Annael rolled his eyes but set to work willingly enough.
They ate the boiled meat and vegetable he prepared happily enough, though, knowing that they would soon depend on what they could bring down with their own bows rather than what they had brought with them. In unspoken agreement, the masters and the novices had divided themselves into two small groups and ate on the opposite sides of the campfire.
Sitting with Thalion and Maldor, Eilian glanced across the fire at Legolas. The novices all seemed to be laughing at some ridiculous story that Tonduil was telling about himself as an elfling. "I could barely reach the latch," he was saying, "and it turned out that when I tried to put the horse back in the stall, I could not refasten it. I thought that my adar would certainly realize that I had been riding the stallion, even though he had said that it was too dangerous. But, would you believe it? He concluded that the horse had learned to unfasten the stall gate itself." The story went on, eventually leaving all four of the other novices convulsed in laughter.
The sight of Legolas laughing with his friends filled Eilian with relief. It fit so much better with his sense of his even-tempered, light-hearted younger brother than did the unhappy, irritable figure who had haunted the palace in the last weeks. On the day before they had left on this trip, he had tried to ask Legolas about what had provoked his anger at Alfirin and Thranduil, but Legolas had rejected his tentative advances, and he had decided to leave well enough alone.
He became aware that Thalion and Maldor too were quietly listening to Tonduil's story. When they had finished their meal, Galelas and Tonduil began to gather the dirty dishes to take down to the river and wash. Tonduil approached the group of masters.
"You are exceptionally good with horses, Tonduil," Thalion commented when he approached. "Did you never consider becoming a horsemaster?"
Tonduil paused uncertainly. He liked Thalion; all the novices did. And it was obvious that he feared that some criticism of his choice to be a warrior lay hidden in the blade master's question. "Yes, I did," he admitted. "But it seemed much nobler to be a warrior."
Thalion smiled at him. "Nobler?" he said. "I have always thought that there was nothing nobler than working with horses. They are such fascinating beasts." Tonduil brightened and looked as if he would like to pursue the subject, but Galelas called to him from the top of the path leading down to the river, and he gathered up the last of the dishes and left to go with Galelas to wash them.
"So you are giving up on him?" murmured Maldor softly.
Thalion glanced at him. "No," he said, "not giving up, only reminding him that he has a choice. An honorable choice," he stressed.
Maldor snorted. "He is stronger than he realizes," he said, still keeping his voice low. "He can become an effective warrior."
"An effective one, I do not doubt," said Thalion. "But I do not think that he will ever be a happy one. And he could be a far more than effective horsemaster." Maldor shrugged and let the matter drop.
Eilian listened in silence, intrigued by this side of novice training. When he himself had been a novice, he would have sworn that the masters never had a thought beyond correcting his tendency to push his release when he fired a bow.
Galelas and Tonduil returned from the river, and Maldor rose to begin issuing orders for the night. All of the novices had been on numerous camping trips as younglings, and they had also all been on previous novice training trips. Thus like all Mirkwood Elves their age, they already knew how to guard a campsite at night. Maldor set four two-hour watches, matching a master with a novice for most of them, with Annael and Isendir standing the first watch, the easiest one to stay alert for. Eilian was interested to see that despite his disagreement with Thalion over Tonduil, Maldor matched the two of them and gave them the last watch, another easy one because it did not require waking in the middle of the night and then trying to return to sleep. Eilian was willing to wager that the interrupted conversation about horses would be picked up in the pre-dawn hours.
Eilian would stand the second watch with Galelas, and Maldor himself would stand the third watch with Legolas. It was clear to Eilian that his brother was not at all happy with that particular arrangement. He hoped it was not equally clear to Maldor.
Along with most of the others, Eilian rolled himself up in his blanket and lay down to sleep while he could. He felt as if he had barely dropped off when Annael gently touched his shoulder to waken him. Yawning, he got to his feet, scratching absently at his left arm and then realizing that the leather brace was between his fingernails and the itch that was annoying him. He stretched the arm out and wondered very briefly if he would ever have full use of it again. Not "if," he told himself firmly, "when."
He looked around, locating Galelas, and then moved toward him. "Let us make a circuit of the area and make sure that it is secure," he said. "You take that side of the camp and I will take this side." The two of them moved off into the trees and circled the campsite, with neither sensing any danger. Upon returning, Eilian sat down against a large oak tree that was a small distance from where the others were sleeping, and Galelas joined him.
"I saw you in the horseback archery drill the other day," Eilian said, trying to start a conversation that would make the time go faster and help them both stay alert. He did not know Galelas at all and had never heard Legolas speak of him. "You shoot well," Eilian said.
Galelas looked cautiously pleased at the compliment. "I am usually the best archer in my training group," he said. He looked sidelong at Eilian as if suddenly remembering to whom he was speaking. "Although sometimes Legolas is better than I am," he admitted grudgingly.
Eilian was willing to wager that it was more than "sometimes," but he only laughed. "Sometimes Legolas is better than I am too," he said. Galelas gaped at him, apparently startled by the cheerful admission.
"Does that not bother you?" he blurted.
Eilian shrugged. "Legolas has a gift with the bow," he said. "We all have our strengths and our weaknesses." He refrained from talking about the pride he took in his little brother's prowess, remembering his promise to Legolas not to behave like a fond brother.
Galelas may have read Eilian's tone anyway, however. He leaned back against the tree and rather grimly said, "My brother would not be pleased if he thought that I could outshoot him."
Eilian thought that Galelas was probably right. The Tinár he knew would not have been pleased with the idea that anyone could outshoot him, much less a younger brother. But since the idea would never have occurred to Tinár, Eilian thought in private amusement, the question never arose.
"We should make another round," he said, rising to his feet. "Let us trade sides this time." And they set off to check the security of the campsite once more.
***
Legolas reentered the campsite, having completed his half of the circle around it to check its security. He had been slower than he might have been in other circumstances because he was apprehensive about passing the watch in Maldor's company. What would they talk about? Or perhaps they would not talk. Perhaps Maldor would sit silent for the whole two hours. On the whole, Legolas thought that he would prefer that.
He found Maldor already back in camp, sitting on a large, flat rock about halfway between the campfire and the riverbank. Legolas hesitated briefly and then went to join him. To do otherwise would be incredibly rude. He sat down next to the master, whose expression was ever so slightly amused. Surely not, Legolas thought. Maldor was never amused at anything that Legolas could see.
"I could sense no danger," he reported, and Maldor nodded. They sat quietly for a while, and Legolas began to relax. He leaned back on his elbows and looked at the stars in dense array overhead. He loved the night, he thought. Even the song of the trees was sweeter at night.
Maldor's voice startled him. "You are fortunate in your friends, Legolas," he said.
Legolas froze. How was he to reply to that? He sat up. "What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.
"I mean that Annael and Tonduil are both loyal to you. They would choose you as this group's leader, if they could. That speaks well of you, for neither one of them is a fool." Maldor turned to look at him, his face unreadable. Legolas still had no idea what Maldor was talking about.
"I do not want to be this group's leader," he said.
"Do you not?" Maldor's question was noncommittal, but Legolas felt that there was some meaning hidden in it that he could not make out.
He hesitated, trying to find words that would explain what he meant. "I am learning the same skills that everyone else is," he finally said. "I do not believe that I am able to choose other people's actions for them yet." It was as honest an answer as he could give.
Maldor nodded. "Perhaps," he said, "although Annael and Tonduil would still choose you to follow." He shrugged. "We should make another round," he said, and they both rose.
Legolas was completely at sea as to what Maldor had been trying to tell him. As he moved off to make his half circle of the campsite, he thought that whatever dangers might lurk in the woods were far easier to face than the unarmed combat master was.
***
Legolas felt as if he had just fallen back asleep after his watch when Tonduil was shaking his shoulder to awaken him again. "Come on," he said. "You and I are supposed to fix morning meal, and if we want to bathe, we have to do it now." Reluctantly, Legolas emerged from his cocoon of blanket. Thalion was moving around the camp, waking the other novices and meting out the chores. Legolas shook himself more fully awake, found the soap in his pack, and started toward the river with Tonduil.
"The river is full and the current is fast," Thalion called as they passed. "It would be best not to swim." The two of them nodded and went on their way.
By the time they returned to camp, Galelas had built up the fire, and they set about fixing the porridge with which they would break their night's fast. They all ate quickly, and then Annael and Isendir took the dirty dishes to the river, while the other novices straightened up the campsite. The masters were conferring, seated on the rock where Legolas and Maldor had sat during their watch. Finally, Maldor called the novices to order.
"Today," he began, "we will perform the first in a series of exercises designed to show the importance of a solid command structure, of following orders, and of fighting together."
Eilian listed carefully as Maldor explained to the novices what would be required of them today. In the privacy of the masters' hut the day before, he had already heard Maldor explain the purpose of these exercises once, and despite his doubts about the unarmed combat master, Eilian was interested. The point of the exercises was to provide the novices with experiences upon which they could reflect so as to discover the lessons they taught on their own. Along with the other experienced warriors who served under him, Eilian had frequently provided instruction and training to those newly posted to the southern patrol. But he had never before taught when there was the luxury of time for the students to reflect and absorb the lesson themselves.
"Your task today is to defend yourselves against a simulated Orc attack," Maldor was telling the novices. "We masters will be the Orcs." There was a quickly quashed ripple of amusement among the novices.
"Bring your bows; it would be foolish to be without them in these woods. But you may not use them. We will all use training swords as our only weapons. By rights, we masters should be carrying blunted Orc swords, but you have not yet learned the best ways to battle those curved scimitars, so we will use Elven ones. We will make enough noise to be Orcs, though, and we will fight like them." He scanned the group. "Because we are using only swords, not bows, you must stay on the ground, not take to the trees, although that would often be the best course in a battle with Orcs."
Under Maldor's direction, the novices, like Thalion and Maldor, stored their bows on their backs. Eilian, of course, was still unable to use one and would have to rely on the marksmanship of the others should danger arise. Then they all chose training swords from the pile that Thalion had laid out.
They reassembled and Maldor gave them their last instructions. He pointed out a very tall oak that was visible through the woods. "Walk toward that tall oak," he told them. "Be alert for us. You know that we will be attacking. That should give you an advantage." He signaled to Thalion and Eilian, and they disappeared into the trees. The novices glanced at one another, and then set off in the direction of the tall oak tree.
*******
Thanks to all reviewers. Along with the kind things you say, you also say such interesting ones.
Dragon-of-the-north: If that's a short review, I hesitate to ask what a long one looks like. That was insightful about how Legolas's thinking personally showed up in the family blowup as well as in the combat training. He is having a hard time being both Legolas and Thranduil's son, with all that implies.
Cestari: I, too, want them to get back together. I have this story outlined, and at the point where the novices return from this trip, I have Miriwen's name and a little question mark. I think they've probably done too much damage to this fragile little romance for it to be rekindled, but I'm not quite ready to say so for certain. Yet.
Kay: Thranduil is a pretty good father, I think, particularly given that he probably sees less of Legolas than his friends' parents see of them. He's the king, after all. I think that's why his brothers tend to be parental toward him too.
Wild Iris: Legolas, too, is hoping to do well on this trip. But he has to suffer first, I'm afraid. :-)
Puxinette: I think things went fairly smoothly for Legolas in this chapter, so he gets a break. He should enjoy it while he can, though.
Fadesintothewest: I have been thinking about an Eilian-mance. It would be fun.
Dy: Hope you like the update. You asked for it; here it is!
TreeHugger: The whole breakup/family blowup made me squirm just writing it. And as the parent of a soon to be teen, you have my sympathy. Remember - you have to learn to love the monster child!
JEbb: I really hate the bad-father Thranduil who appears in so much fanfic. He's a good father. A very good father. The proof is surely in the son we see in LotR.
Jambaby1963: You're right. Legolas needs some help. But he doesn't seem to willing to accept it. Someone is going to have to tread carefully.
Nilmandra: Maldor is sort of like Glorfindel-as-teacher-from-hell. See? They're learning from doing things.
Muggles: We're away from the family dynamics in this chapter, except for Eilian, of course. It was just getting too angsty.
Ana: I'm glad you liked the line about the elflings. I liked it too and no one else noticed it!
Jay of Lasgalen: I could feel my own blood pressure rising as I wrote about Legolas blowing up at his family. It made me really cringe even though it was coming out of my own word processor.
Larian Elensar: See, this chapter was not so bad. No one yelled at anyone.
StrangeBlaze: Legolas certainly made sure that everyone in the family was going to be unhappy if he was. Teenagers never want to suffer alone.
JastaElf: Legolas is sometimes like Thranduil more than either one would admit. But then, maybe all of us are like that in regard to our resemblances to our parents.