A/N: It ain't mine, don't sue.
Still A Child
Anorwing rushed to her mother's chamber to tell her the news. Gilraen's chamber wasn't far from the Hall of Fire, so it did not take her long. Gilraen was weaving some cloth in her slow and graceful way when Anorwing found her. Anorwing always thought her mother was the loveliest when she was at this quiet work. Gilraen looked up when her brown haired daughter burst into her chamber.
"Did the twins chase you here or was it your brother?" Gilraen asked without missing a beat in her weaving.
"Oh, Mother! They haven't done that since-''
"Since before they left for this scouting trip," Gilraen interrupted with a smile, "If I remember correctly, they were using you to practice hunting for orcs."
Anorwing gave a laugh as she playfully flopped on Gilraen's bed. "You know us too well Mother. But no I wasn't chased here. I have some wonderful news to tell you!"
"Really? Other then your brother coming back alive, I can't think of any wonderful news."
Anorwing sat up before saying anything more. "That is always wonderful news, but you may soon have to be thankful for that type of news twofold."
Gilraen stopped weaving and turned to her daughter. "What do you mean?" Her voice and eyes said what her words did not.
"I was able to get Elladan and Elrohir without them knowing I was going to get them and they said they would ask Lord Elrond if I could go on the next scouting trip! Isn't that wonderful?"
"No Anorwing. It isn't." Gilraen had long known of her daughter's desire to fight and gain glory, but she never once approved of it. "What if something happened to you? What if you and Estel never came back to me? I would be alone." Gilraen's argument was true, but Anorwing brushed it off.
"That has never happened, and it won't ever happen. Estel and I know how to take care of ourselves. Lord Elrond himself taught us the arts of war. Come to think of it, he's taught us everything we know. He's practically our father! And if the father says yes, the mother must obey."
Gilraen gave Anorwing a sharp look. "Then let us pray that he never says yes." Gilraen returned to her weaving letting out her frustrations on the loom.
As Anorwing sighed and rose to leave the room Estel walked in. His eyes were grave and joyous at the same time as if he had learned some great news. Gilraen rushed to embrace her son.
"Estel, I'm so glad you're home! Are you alright?" Gilraen asked as she released her child. Anorwing frowned and wondered if her mother would be that joyous if it has been her returning and not Estel.
"I am well, Mother. In fact I don't believe I've been so well in all my life!"
"And you've has such a long life to be well." Anorwing said sarcastically.
"Oh be quiet you! Let me hug my little sister!" Estel said with a laugh. The brother and sister embraced for a moment before Estel spoke again.
"Lord Elrond asked if you would come to his chamber for a moment. He wishes to have a word with you." A twinkle was in Estel's eyes as he spoke. He to knew of his sister's fighting spirit and unlike their mother, he approved.
"Anyway, I need to have a word with Mother alone." Estel looked at Gilraen with the eyes of one whom had discovered something of someone they thought they knew totally.
Anorwing frowned. "Um, alright. I'll see you later!" Anorwing left quickly, but when she looked back she saw her mother and brother speaking in hushed voices.
"Since when did we start keeping secrets from each other," Anorwing wondered to herself as she went to Elrond's chamber.
When she arrived, Anorwing found the Lord of Imladris looking through an ancient tome. He placed it back on its shelf when he saw Anorwing.
"My brother told me that you wished for a word with me my Lord. I am here and am ready for whatever words you have for me," she said with a smile.
Elrond did not smile back. Anorwing stopped smiling and lowered her eyes. Lord Elrond was more then likely not pleased with his sons' request. It was some time before he spoke.
"Elladan and Elrohir tell me that you wish to go scouting for orcs. Is this true?" He waited for a nod from Anorwing before continuing. "They also tell me that you have proven yourself to them that you are ready for such a task. Is this not also true?" Anorwing nodded again keeping her eyes fixed on a very interesting part of the floor. "Well, you have not yet proven yourself to me."
Anorwing was crushed. How her heart burned for her sword to taste orc blood. She despised those foul creatures that had stolen her true father from her before her existence had been known. And she wasn't even to be allowed to avenge him just because she was a girl.
"But there is one way for you to do this. You have defeated Elladan, Elrohir, and Estel all in battle before. That proves you are good with a blade. But now you must defeat theirs your teacher."
Anorwing looked up speechless. That was all she had to do to prove she could fight? She couldn't have asked for a better test. Anorwing would prove to everyone that she could fight just as well as any man if she defeated her teacher.
"Meet me in the combat arena in one hour and we will see if you are truly ready to become a warrior," said Elrond.
"Thank you my Lord. Thank you!" Anorwing bowed before hurrying off to the combat arena to practice for her test.
Anorwing was still practicing when Lord Elrond arrived to fight with her. Anorwing had gone over everything she knew about fighting and what she knew about Elrond's fighting style. Only one thing made her nervous. She had fought Elrond before, but had never once beaten him.
"Are you ready Anorwing?" he asked.
"I was born ready my Lord."
Anorwing and Elrond began to fight. Anorwing kept blocking and trying to attack, but Elrond was too good. Still she did not give up. She tried tripping Elrond or knocking the sword out of his hand, but he could tell what she was going to do before she even knew. Anorwing was getting tired and it was getting late. Elrond showed no sign of weariness and seemed to be able to fight forever. Finally Anorwing's weariness betrayed her. Elrond knocked her sword out of her hands and had his own sword pointing at her throat.
"It seems you have won my Lord." Anorwing tried to conceal her disappointment, but failed miserably.
"It seems I have." Elrond lowered his sword. "But that is the best I have ever seen you fight. I congratulate you for that. But I am afraid you are still a child Anorwing and cannot go on the next scouting trip. Perhaps some other time." Elrond's eyes showed his pity, but Anorwing was in no mood for that. Being called a child had always upset her.
"I thank you for the time you took to test me Lord Elrond." With that Anorwing picked up her sword and left the combat arena for her chamber.
"Still a child," Anorwing thought bitterly. "Still a girl is more like it. Mother should be happy when she finds out. Just wait. I'm going to prove myself to be as great as any warrior elf or man."
TBC...
Still A Child
Anorwing rushed to her mother's chamber to tell her the news. Gilraen's chamber wasn't far from the Hall of Fire, so it did not take her long. Gilraen was weaving some cloth in her slow and graceful way when Anorwing found her. Anorwing always thought her mother was the loveliest when she was at this quiet work. Gilraen looked up when her brown haired daughter burst into her chamber.
"Did the twins chase you here or was it your brother?" Gilraen asked without missing a beat in her weaving.
"Oh, Mother! They haven't done that since-''
"Since before they left for this scouting trip," Gilraen interrupted with a smile, "If I remember correctly, they were using you to practice hunting for orcs."
Anorwing gave a laugh as she playfully flopped on Gilraen's bed. "You know us too well Mother. But no I wasn't chased here. I have some wonderful news to tell you!"
"Really? Other then your brother coming back alive, I can't think of any wonderful news."
Anorwing sat up before saying anything more. "That is always wonderful news, but you may soon have to be thankful for that type of news twofold."
Gilraen stopped weaving and turned to her daughter. "What do you mean?" Her voice and eyes said what her words did not.
"I was able to get Elladan and Elrohir without them knowing I was going to get them and they said they would ask Lord Elrond if I could go on the next scouting trip! Isn't that wonderful?"
"No Anorwing. It isn't." Gilraen had long known of her daughter's desire to fight and gain glory, but she never once approved of it. "What if something happened to you? What if you and Estel never came back to me? I would be alone." Gilraen's argument was true, but Anorwing brushed it off.
"That has never happened, and it won't ever happen. Estel and I know how to take care of ourselves. Lord Elrond himself taught us the arts of war. Come to think of it, he's taught us everything we know. He's practically our father! And if the father says yes, the mother must obey."
Gilraen gave Anorwing a sharp look. "Then let us pray that he never says yes." Gilraen returned to her weaving letting out her frustrations on the loom.
As Anorwing sighed and rose to leave the room Estel walked in. His eyes were grave and joyous at the same time as if he had learned some great news. Gilraen rushed to embrace her son.
"Estel, I'm so glad you're home! Are you alright?" Gilraen asked as she released her child. Anorwing frowned and wondered if her mother would be that joyous if it has been her returning and not Estel.
"I am well, Mother. In fact I don't believe I've been so well in all my life!"
"And you've has such a long life to be well." Anorwing said sarcastically.
"Oh be quiet you! Let me hug my little sister!" Estel said with a laugh. The brother and sister embraced for a moment before Estel spoke again.
"Lord Elrond asked if you would come to his chamber for a moment. He wishes to have a word with you." A twinkle was in Estel's eyes as he spoke. He to knew of his sister's fighting spirit and unlike their mother, he approved.
"Anyway, I need to have a word with Mother alone." Estel looked at Gilraen with the eyes of one whom had discovered something of someone they thought they knew totally.
Anorwing frowned. "Um, alright. I'll see you later!" Anorwing left quickly, but when she looked back she saw her mother and brother speaking in hushed voices.
"Since when did we start keeping secrets from each other," Anorwing wondered to herself as she went to Elrond's chamber.
When she arrived, Anorwing found the Lord of Imladris looking through an ancient tome. He placed it back on its shelf when he saw Anorwing.
"My brother told me that you wished for a word with me my Lord. I am here and am ready for whatever words you have for me," she said with a smile.
Elrond did not smile back. Anorwing stopped smiling and lowered her eyes. Lord Elrond was more then likely not pleased with his sons' request. It was some time before he spoke.
"Elladan and Elrohir tell me that you wish to go scouting for orcs. Is this true?" He waited for a nod from Anorwing before continuing. "They also tell me that you have proven yourself to them that you are ready for such a task. Is this not also true?" Anorwing nodded again keeping her eyes fixed on a very interesting part of the floor. "Well, you have not yet proven yourself to me."
Anorwing was crushed. How her heart burned for her sword to taste orc blood. She despised those foul creatures that had stolen her true father from her before her existence had been known. And she wasn't even to be allowed to avenge him just because she was a girl.
"But there is one way for you to do this. You have defeated Elladan, Elrohir, and Estel all in battle before. That proves you are good with a blade. But now you must defeat theirs your teacher."
Anorwing looked up speechless. That was all she had to do to prove she could fight? She couldn't have asked for a better test. Anorwing would prove to everyone that she could fight just as well as any man if she defeated her teacher.
"Meet me in the combat arena in one hour and we will see if you are truly ready to become a warrior," said Elrond.
"Thank you my Lord. Thank you!" Anorwing bowed before hurrying off to the combat arena to practice for her test.
Anorwing was still practicing when Lord Elrond arrived to fight with her. Anorwing had gone over everything she knew about fighting and what she knew about Elrond's fighting style. Only one thing made her nervous. She had fought Elrond before, but had never once beaten him.
"Are you ready Anorwing?" he asked.
"I was born ready my Lord."
Anorwing and Elrond began to fight. Anorwing kept blocking and trying to attack, but Elrond was too good. Still she did not give up. She tried tripping Elrond or knocking the sword out of his hand, but he could tell what she was going to do before she even knew. Anorwing was getting tired and it was getting late. Elrond showed no sign of weariness and seemed to be able to fight forever. Finally Anorwing's weariness betrayed her. Elrond knocked her sword out of her hands and had his own sword pointing at her throat.
"It seems you have won my Lord." Anorwing tried to conceal her disappointment, but failed miserably.
"It seems I have." Elrond lowered his sword. "But that is the best I have ever seen you fight. I congratulate you for that. But I am afraid you are still a child Anorwing and cannot go on the next scouting trip. Perhaps some other time." Elrond's eyes showed his pity, but Anorwing was in no mood for that. Being called a child had always upset her.
"I thank you for the time you took to test me Lord Elrond." With that Anorwing picked up her sword and left the combat arena for her chamber.
"Still a child," Anorwing thought bitterly. "Still a girl is more like it. Mother should be happy when she finds out. Just wait. I'm going to prove myself to be as great as any warrior elf or man."
TBC...