An Arrow of Friendship
Chapter 2
AN: Sorry this has taken so long to update. It's been written for almost a week now but I had to find some Elven translations. If anyone happens to know the Sindarian for 1 is then please let me know. Also review to let me know what you think.
*** Legolas sat with his legs crossed and eyes closed in the smallest and quietest courtyard he could find. Across from him shifting restlessly was Estel, the young man who had arrived days before with his Brothers. Legolas listened to the sounds of the wind moving through the trees in an attempt to drown out the sighs of frustration and boredom coming from the foster son of Elrond. At last he gave up.
" If your mind is at home with your brothers then perhaps your body should join it."
" My mind is not at home it just doesn't seem to find this productive. What is the point of all this meditating anyway? I thought I was supposed to be learning how to fire arrows not finding inner peace."
" To be able to fire arrows as you so put it one must first be able to focus solely on the task at hand. That young one is the point of these mental exercises. If you can't let your mind rest then you have no hope to be able to hit your target in exactly the point you wish."
Estel sighed once again in frustration and pushed himself to his feet. Legolas sat still and watched as he paced the courtyard. " Do you wish to learn Estel?" The younger of the two turned so he could look the elder in the eye.
"I do but I do not see the point to all of this."
Legolas regarded him. This was much more difficult than he had first thought. If Estel were an Elf then he would not have this problem patience was part of their natural personality. Men were much hastier. They had no time for patience. It must be a mortal thing Legolas thought as he followed the pacing mortal with only his eyes.
Legolas would have told him to stop if he had not heard the soft creeping of an Elf close by.
" Sorry to interrupt your Highness." The servant Elf said as he came into the clearing.
" No need to apologies we were just taking a short break from our work."
" Your father has requested your presence in the main hall. He says that it is a matter of great urgency."
" I will be there." Legolas said and nodded as the servant bowed then left.
" Estel I must go. Stay here but a while if I have not returned before the sun is high then go to your rooms or where you will and I shall find you."
Estel nodded his acknowledgement then turned to watch a couple of birds fly about the trees in courtship. The next time he turned he was alone.
" What am I going to do?" he whispered to himself in despair. He was alone and that was an unusual feeling to the young one. He had not really been placed in a situation where he was away from home and surrounded by strangers.
Legolas was to him but an arrogant Elf whose pride he had injured when he had told him he had skill but no real practice. To think that he would have to spend a great deal of time with the high born Elf sent shivers of disgust through his body. The fact his brothers liked the Elven prince surprised Estel greatly as he always thought his brothers had taste.
Sighing he resigned himself to once again trying the exercise that they had been attempting all morning. Sitting with his legs crossed and eyes closed he tried to free his mind of all thought. He forgot about his worries of Legolas, his fear of being alone and his anger at his father for sending him to Mirkwood and he even wiped clear the strong feelings he held for the beautiful Elf Arwen.
When all thoughts were cleared it gave him a feeling of calm and peace. It was almost as if he were floating in a dream. A dream in which nothing mattered. A dream where the songs of the birds and wind soothed all thought away into a river of calm.
" Now think of an arrow floating through the air in front of you." Came a gentle whisper from behind him. Estel resisted the urge to turn and concentrated on thinking of an arrow. " Imagine the smooth bark of the bolt. The whiteness of the fletching. The sharpness of the head. Imagine how it rotates as it flies towards the target." Estel did this, each image exactly as he was told to think of in vivid image.
" Now think of it hitting the target. It tearing through the wood, shredding the wood as it passes into the target."
Estel did this and the image he got was so strong that he was forced to open his eyes sharply.
His breathing came in short bursts and slowed as he managed to calm himself. The Elven prince moved into the youth's line of sight.
" Well done young one. We shall leave it there for the time been. We shall meet again tonight when the sun has set and carry on with the exercises."
"Can we not carry on now?" Estel asked irritated, as they were still no where near the practical part of the training yet.
" Nay I fear not. I have some things to attend to." Legolas said his voice and face dispassionate.
" Then what shall I do whilst you attend to your paperwork?" Estel snapped.
Legolas' eyes shifted until the colour was no longer the startling blue but a pale ice blue. "You shall do as you wish as long as you stay within the grounds of the house. If you require anything, as the young invariably do, there will be someone to help you. I shall attend to my paperwork uninterrupted and we shall continue tonight." Legolas brushed past the man irritated. The prince did not know what the young man had against him but if he did not keep his attitude down Legolas would either have to send him back to Elrond, which he was loathed to do, or show him just how much skill he had as a warrior. Until then he had some Orcs to hunt and take his anger out on.
*** Estel was bored. He had been at the house of Thranduil for almost two weeks now and they were still on mental exercises. Things had been tense between the foster son of Elrond and the youngest prince of Mirkwood. The Elf was always calm and showed no emotion. This lack of response angered Estel further but what angered him the most was the way the Elf kept disappearing half way through there lessons to help his Ada with something. Today was the same. Legolas had left him again to his own devices and so he wandered the grounds of the house. He stopped when he came to the outer court. He sat a time thinking of his brothers and Imladris. After a while his thoughts were interrupted though by a shout.
" Tua! Tua!" (Help! Help!)
After the cry many Elves, both on foot and horse back, rushed into the courtyard. Draped over one of the horses was the blond haired Elf who had been training him.
Estel followed the Elves who lifted Legolas off the horse and into the central house. They carried the youngest of the Royal Princes to his rooms. Before they closed the doors on him Estel slipped in quietly and stood in a corner of the room out of sight.
For some time there were many comings and goings as they saw to Legolas' injury. When the two were finally alone in the room Estel crept forwards as silently as he could towards the bed in which the golden prince was lain. He noticed the Elf's eyes were closed in an oddly mortal gesture.
Estel stood over Legolas studying him. ' How weak this Elf must be to be injured on a ride out through the forest.' Estel thought. It made matters worse in his eyes that this Elf was supposed to be teaching him to become a warrior when the weakling couldn't even go out for a ride and not escape injury.
Estel was so deep in his thoughts of disgust that he was startled somewhat when Legolas spoke.
"Havo dad Estel saes." (Sit down Estel please.) Legolas' voice was rough and Estel noticed the look of pain that flickered across the prince's face.
" Are you in pain? Do you wish me to get someone?" Estel asked more out of something to say then general concern.
"Nay Estel. Havo dad saes." Legolas croaked almost pleading.
"I will fetch someone." Estel stated and headed for the door.
"Hauta Estel!" (Stop Estel) The youth halted by the door and turned around.
"Ada has done all he can for me at the moment. Let me esta sinome. Imuva pedan lle* nin mellon-neth." (Let me rest here. I will speak to you again my young friend.) Legolas said in a voice close to a whisper. After he had finished he collapsed back onto the bed and slipped into the Elven revive.
Estel moved back to the bed and sat upon the floor cross-legged, eyes closed, practising one of the many mental exercises that he had been taught to quieten his thoughts of the weak Elf.
* The actual translation is ' I will speak to you' but I could not find the word for 'again'.
Chapter 2
AN: Sorry this has taken so long to update. It's been written for almost a week now but I had to find some Elven translations. If anyone happens to know the Sindarian for 1 is then please let me know. Also review to let me know what you think.
*** Legolas sat with his legs crossed and eyes closed in the smallest and quietest courtyard he could find. Across from him shifting restlessly was Estel, the young man who had arrived days before with his Brothers. Legolas listened to the sounds of the wind moving through the trees in an attempt to drown out the sighs of frustration and boredom coming from the foster son of Elrond. At last he gave up.
" If your mind is at home with your brothers then perhaps your body should join it."
" My mind is not at home it just doesn't seem to find this productive. What is the point of all this meditating anyway? I thought I was supposed to be learning how to fire arrows not finding inner peace."
" To be able to fire arrows as you so put it one must first be able to focus solely on the task at hand. That young one is the point of these mental exercises. If you can't let your mind rest then you have no hope to be able to hit your target in exactly the point you wish."
Estel sighed once again in frustration and pushed himself to his feet. Legolas sat still and watched as he paced the courtyard. " Do you wish to learn Estel?" The younger of the two turned so he could look the elder in the eye.
"I do but I do not see the point to all of this."
Legolas regarded him. This was much more difficult than he had first thought. If Estel were an Elf then he would not have this problem patience was part of their natural personality. Men were much hastier. They had no time for patience. It must be a mortal thing Legolas thought as he followed the pacing mortal with only his eyes.
Legolas would have told him to stop if he had not heard the soft creeping of an Elf close by.
" Sorry to interrupt your Highness." The servant Elf said as he came into the clearing.
" No need to apologies we were just taking a short break from our work."
" Your father has requested your presence in the main hall. He says that it is a matter of great urgency."
" I will be there." Legolas said and nodded as the servant bowed then left.
" Estel I must go. Stay here but a while if I have not returned before the sun is high then go to your rooms or where you will and I shall find you."
Estel nodded his acknowledgement then turned to watch a couple of birds fly about the trees in courtship. The next time he turned he was alone.
" What am I going to do?" he whispered to himself in despair. He was alone and that was an unusual feeling to the young one. He had not really been placed in a situation where he was away from home and surrounded by strangers.
Legolas was to him but an arrogant Elf whose pride he had injured when he had told him he had skill but no real practice. To think that he would have to spend a great deal of time with the high born Elf sent shivers of disgust through his body. The fact his brothers liked the Elven prince surprised Estel greatly as he always thought his brothers had taste.
Sighing he resigned himself to once again trying the exercise that they had been attempting all morning. Sitting with his legs crossed and eyes closed he tried to free his mind of all thought. He forgot about his worries of Legolas, his fear of being alone and his anger at his father for sending him to Mirkwood and he even wiped clear the strong feelings he held for the beautiful Elf Arwen.
When all thoughts were cleared it gave him a feeling of calm and peace. It was almost as if he were floating in a dream. A dream in which nothing mattered. A dream where the songs of the birds and wind soothed all thought away into a river of calm.
" Now think of an arrow floating through the air in front of you." Came a gentle whisper from behind him. Estel resisted the urge to turn and concentrated on thinking of an arrow. " Imagine the smooth bark of the bolt. The whiteness of the fletching. The sharpness of the head. Imagine how it rotates as it flies towards the target." Estel did this, each image exactly as he was told to think of in vivid image.
" Now think of it hitting the target. It tearing through the wood, shredding the wood as it passes into the target."
Estel did this and the image he got was so strong that he was forced to open his eyes sharply.
His breathing came in short bursts and slowed as he managed to calm himself. The Elven prince moved into the youth's line of sight.
" Well done young one. We shall leave it there for the time been. We shall meet again tonight when the sun has set and carry on with the exercises."
"Can we not carry on now?" Estel asked irritated, as they were still no where near the practical part of the training yet.
" Nay I fear not. I have some things to attend to." Legolas said his voice and face dispassionate.
" Then what shall I do whilst you attend to your paperwork?" Estel snapped.
Legolas' eyes shifted until the colour was no longer the startling blue but a pale ice blue. "You shall do as you wish as long as you stay within the grounds of the house. If you require anything, as the young invariably do, there will be someone to help you. I shall attend to my paperwork uninterrupted and we shall continue tonight." Legolas brushed past the man irritated. The prince did not know what the young man had against him but if he did not keep his attitude down Legolas would either have to send him back to Elrond, which he was loathed to do, or show him just how much skill he had as a warrior. Until then he had some Orcs to hunt and take his anger out on.
*** Estel was bored. He had been at the house of Thranduil for almost two weeks now and they were still on mental exercises. Things had been tense between the foster son of Elrond and the youngest prince of Mirkwood. The Elf was always calm and showed no emotion. This lack of response angered Estel further but what angered him the most was the way the Elf kept disappearing half way through there lessons to help his Ada with something. Today was the same. Legolas had left him again to his own devices and so he wandered the grounds of the house. He stopped when he came to the outer court. He sat a time thinking of his brothers and Imladris. After a while his thoughts were interrupted though by a shout.
" Tua! Tua!" (Help! Help!)
After the cry many Elves, both on foot and horse back, rushed into the courtyard. Draped over one of the horses was the blond haired Elf who had been training him.
Estel followed the Elves who lifted Legolas off the horse and into the central house. They carried the youngest of the Royal Princes to his rooms. Before they closed the doors on him Estel slipped in quietly and stood in a corner of the room out of sight.
For some time there were many comings and goings as they saw to Legolas' injury. When the two were finally alone in the room Estel crept forwards as silently as he could towards the bed in which the golden prince was lain. He noticed the Elf's eyes were closed in an oddly mortal gesture.
Estel stood over Legolas studying him. ' How weak this Elf must be to be injured on a ride out through the forest.' Estel thought. It made matters worse in his eyes that this Elf was supposed to be teaching him to become a warrior when the weakling couldn't even go out for a ride and not escape injury.
Estel was so deep in his thoughts of disgust that he was startled somewhat when Legolas spoke.
"Havo dad Estel saes." (Sit down Estel please.) Legolas' voice was rough and Estel noticed the look of pain that flickered across the prince's face.
" Are you in pain? Do you wish me to get someone?" Estel asked more out of something to say then general concern.
"Nay Estel. Havo dad saes." Legolas croaked almost pleading.
"I will fetch someone." Estel stated and headed for the door.
"Hauta Estel!" (Stop Estel) The youth halted by the door and turned around.
"Ada has done all he can for me at the moment. Let me esta sinome. Imuva pedan lle* nin mellon-neth." (Let me rest here. I will speak to you again my young friend.) Legolas said in a voice close to a whisper. After he had finished he collapsed back onto the bed and slipped into the Elven revive.
Estel moved back to the bed and sat upon the floor cross-legged, eyes closed, practising one of the many mental exercises that he had been taught to quieten his thoughts of the weak Elf.
* The actual translation is ' I will speak to you' but I could not find the word for 'again'.
