A/N Hellooo! Here's another update. A bit longer than my last few! (Don't worry, be happy!) Yeah, I feel like doing individual thanks to my reviews, so, hold on~
Eriaiel- Thanks for the help, actually, I agree with you on a LOT of things.
Alexeika222- Thanks for the review! Glad you liked it!
Legolas' Lover- Thanks! I really do like that line, anyway, thanks for the review!
Bulldogchik05- I'm glad you feel that way! I hope this wouldn't get flamed too badly! Thanks for the review!
Kaminari- You know how much I love you right? Thanks for all the help of this chappie.
Nandalf- Nina, that is an AWFUL racial slur. Jk. Anyway, thanks for the review, and the threatening e-mail. Much appreciated.
Deluwielxx- Wow! I really nearly made you cry? I don't know whether to be pleased or upset… jk. Thanks for the review!
Bluedolphin4612- I'm working on it. Thanks for all the help though, I really appreciate you helping with my middle-earthyness!
U-chan- Thanks! No, I'm not going to "bash" Legolas, just mess with his head. That's always fun!
Kinta (Four)
A week has passed since the dreadful news of the archery competition. Each day Sárie was up before dawn, trying to hit a single grain of sand or the smallest knot in a tree. She would go on throughout the day, never stopping for food or drink. Archery was one of the only things Sárie had to be proud of, and she was not going to let herself become pariah again over such a contest. Night fall by the time she returned back to her home, covered in a mix of dirt and sweat.
Finally came the morning of the competition. Butterflies worked their way around in her stomach, much to Sárie's discontent. She was fidgety at breakfast, and took extra care in dressing. She wore a deep green tunic with matching trousers, and a black undershirt with sleeves that ran down the arms and onto her hands, leaving only a hole for the thumb and fingers. Around her forearms were leather bindings to keep the arrows from leaving a burn if the vane brushed against the arm. Her hair wasn't in its usual long golden plait, but in a low and out of the way ponytail.
"Are you ready?" Mehtar asked softly.
"I suppose." Sárie answered, reaching into her quiver and pulling out an arrow. "Oh Elbereth," she sighed. "I doubt I will ever be truly ready." She examined the arrow carefully, before placing it gently back into the quiver.
"You will do fine. Just, try not to lose it all." Mehtar said.
"That is not very encouraging." Sarie answered curtly, folding her arms across the chest in an exasperated manner. Mehtar smiled slyly and then hugged Sárie.
"No matter what, know that I am proud of you."
"Mmm, I know." Sárie answered.
If Sárie had seemed jumpy at breakfast, she was three times that once she arrived at the field, which was the site of the competition. She bid her brother goodbye and was called over to be explained the rules of the event.
It seemed simple enough. Each Elf would have a target, and shoot an arrow at the target. If one missed the center, they would be eliminated from the round. One only had a single change to hit the center. After each round, the target would be moved. They would have to shoot in various positions, uphill, downhill, and on flat.
Sárie sighed as the group of male-Elves went off to practice. She was the only competitor of the opposite gender. Sárie slowly trudged over to the practice range. She noted that a large crowd had already gathered. She also, saw that Ailin and her group had pushed their way up to the front, and were snickering quite loudly in her direction. She unconsciously pulled her long ponytail over a shoulder and ran her fingers through it. She was not feeling very confidant.
Out of the corner of her eye, Sárie spotted Legolas. He had already begun to practice. His fair elvish face was deep in concentration, as he drew the arrow to the corner of his mouth, pressing his index finger into his cheek. After a moment of correcting his aim, he released the arrow. It shot across the field like a star would shoot across the sky, and landed with exact precision in the center of the target. Ailin's group exploded into applause and giggles as Legolas turned around.
Please, oh Elbereth, please don't let him see me! Sárie thought frantically. Over the week she had been considering (with Mehtar's strong opinion backing her up) apologizing for her rudeness toward the Elven prince. As Mehtar has been saying, it was truly not wise to get on the bad side of royalty, as well as she was not going to disgrace to her family over such a trivial argument. She knew he was right, though, she dreaded even seeing the elven prince.
"Sárie! Vedui! (Greetings)" Legolas said, a smirk on his face. Sárie sighed, and walked over to where Legolas was standing.
"Good morning, Legolas." She said as pleasantly as possible. She took a deep breath, gathering all her courage. "I'm sorry." She said quickly. Legolas looked surprised, raising one of his dark eyebrows and folding his arms. She tugged a strand of hair, staring at her feet. "I need to apologize for my rudeness. It was not appropriate, nor was my lack of attention when I… erm… when I hit you with the arrow. I hope you can accept my humblest apology." She swallowed hard, waiting for the elven prince to burst into laughter and poke fun at her, like most other elves of a high stature.
"It is alright. I know you did not intend to injure me." Legolas said. "ISárie, are you quite alright? You look pale, or could that just be nerves?"
"No! Why would you think that?" Sárie said.
"Only because I've never seen you play with your hair in such a way. It was merely an observation." Legolas said with a shrug.
Sárie blushed and tossed her hair back over her shoulder. "I am –perhaps-- a little nervous. I have never been in such a competition."
"I have a few butterflies as well. Though, you can see who will make it to the later rounds by watching them warm up. See, that, erm, fatter elf?" Legolas pointed to an Elf who looked much like an extraordinarily tall dwarf, "his stance is all wrong. He won't make it past the first few rounds. And that one," this time Legolas pointed to a younger-looking elf dressed handsomely in silks, "he has no patience, he will release too soon and miss the targets."
"You know much about archery." Sárie commented, though she was more amazed at how civil they treated each other. "Would you mind if I take a few practice shots?"
"Not at all." Legolas said.
Sárie, in one fluid motion, pulled an arrow from her quiver and nocked it into the bowstring, holding it between her index and middle fingers. She adjusted her stance, so that her front foot was directly inline with the center of the target. Sárie drew her bow, aiming at the target. Then, she pulled the arrow back to the corner of her mouth. She paused for a moment, watching the target carefully. After adjusting the arrow's course with the bowsling, she carefully released, not wanting to move the bow and knock the arrow off course. It flew effortlessly into the center of the target.
"Not bad, not bad at all." Legolas commented. A few other observers mumbled the same thing. Sárie sighed, and looked back at the crowd. Mehtar waved and Ailin had the biggest scowl on her fair face.
"I suppose this will be a close competition then?" Sárie said, turning to Legolas.
"Aye, I do believe so. Alas, I may have to cut off all my hair before the day is out." He said with a smile.
Sárie laughed. "Don't you dare spoil my fun."
Legolas smiled again, pulling an arrow from his quiver and in one swift motion, nocked and shot it with perfect accuracy. "You may want to pick out a gown. This contest is mine."
"We shall see, my prince, we shall see."
~*~
The first few rounds of the competition spun by quickly. Soon there was only Sárie, Legolas and an elf named Eruséro. Eruséso was an elf from a well-to-do family, as well as a close friend of Ailin. He was tall and fair, dressed finely and scoffing at Sárie's every move.
She did her best to ignore the looks of disdain from him, the cold stare that was nearly enough to stop even a ringwraith dead in its tracks. Sárie cringed every time she went to shoot, knowing that everyone's eyes were upon her, watching for every small mistake she might have made.
Luckily, it was Eruséro's shot, then Legolas's, and finally Sárie's. Eruséro wore a band of sweat across his brow, and he carefully nocked his arrow, running a finger across the royal-blue coloured vane. In quick, blocky movements, he raised the bow.
"He will miss." Legolas whispered. "I am certain of it."
As sure as Legolas had predicted, the arrow swerved off to the left, hitting in the fourth zone of the target.
A high pitched squeal rose from behind them, Sárie was positive that it could come from no one but Ailin. Sárie shuddered, knowing that before the end of the day, she was sure to have had an encounter with the wretched maiden, something which she feared.
Eruséro returned to where Legolas and Sárie were standing, his head down in shame. He shook Legolas's hand, bowing his head politely. Legolas smiled, and congratulated him for a job well done, before going to take his shot. He then turned, looking at Sárie, a sneer on his lips.
"You shan't go much further in the competition, mi'lady." He said softly. Sárie paled slightly, clenching her hand into a fist. "You are nothing more than a rodent, and, we will crush you. Either you blow the next shot, or Ailin will have quite an unpleasant surprise in store for you."
"I do not fear anything you or Ailin may come up with." Sárie said firmly, more to reassure herself than anything. "I will not lose on purpose because of anything you, or she has to say."
"If you that an eternity of life is unbearable now, just wait."
A/N Hope you enjoyed it. I know my Eruséro is a tad OOC for an elf, but its going to weave into the grand scheme of things, so oh well. Don't forget to flame!
