Hey! I got four reviews! Thank you Hello kitty, Karina and orlyworship!
Karina- I wanted to keep the prologue as a teaser, so just kept it short. I'm not going to say what Eledhel is going to do to Legolas just yet; next chapter is going to be good though! I wanted to give Haldir another Point of View. Its unfair what people do to him! And, in answer to your second review, it was Legolas both times.
orlyworship- see! I updated! I just had a lot of stuff to do (biting my nail in apprehension of my exam results) and a bit of writer's block. I don't know how to fix my grammar problems because my computer can't find them!
Hello Kitty- Thanks for your review! One good turn deserves another! I would never go on ff.net at school because I never get the time to!
Not much happens in this chapter, but I need to get it all out of the way. Should be a better one coming soon!
Got a new toaster, but I still don't like flames, just reviews and constructive criticism.
Chapter 5 - An Invite and a surprise
It was midnight before Eledhel got to bed, but she fell asleep the moment her head fell to the pillow and slept deeply until sunrise. She always slept peacefully, with her eyes closed when she was in her bedroom, but when she was out on patrol she always slept with her eyes open, she was told it was because her distant mortal ancestry from the elves of Rivendell but she didn't like being different from everyone else.
When the city awoke at sunrise, she did too. She dressed quickly, under things first, that included a tight corset-like undershirt, which suppressed her chest so that it was barely noticeable under armour but made her look even thinner than she already was, the Captain's tunic, close woven leggings (which were both embroidered heavily), a belt with designs in the leather and a golden leaf clasp and her standard soldier's cloak. All the Captains were supposed to make an obvious effort to impress the recruits who were fresh from training and believed rank was everything and you needed to show it. She was surprised to find that she was ready early enough to eat breakfast formally with her parents, a rare occurrence on her part as she was usually sleeping after night patrol or up as usual before sunrise for training with her patrol.
Eledhel brushed her hair back into a long plait, which trailed down her back. Every century was the same. The new recruits were invited to the great hall for instruction promptly after breakfast and their parents usually came with them despite the requests of Haldir. The recruits were just as bad they came into the hall and all stuck together in a massive, chattering crowd.
All the Wood Captains and their Seconds had to be present to observe the recruits, who were all sat down at one of the long tables. They patrolled in pairs, up and down the table to allow those seated to get a good look at the Captains and their Seconds and to ask questions. This was when Eledhel usually got most of the funny looks and heard all the whispered comments. Of course she ignored all the whispers that followed her walk, but there was always one who asked her if she was looking for someone or something along those lines. They always regretted it.
Haldir would then ask for attention and welcome them. He would then try and impress on them the seriousness and importance of today, how they would be sorted into their new patrols and even if them came top in the class in training it would mean nothing to the Captains or the rest of their patrol who were much more advanced fighters than any of them. This speech usually lasted for about thirty minutes, during which all the Captains and the accompanying Seconds continued to patrol; they had heard all it numerous times before.
Haldir would then read out several names and tell the boys whom they would be going to for instruction and would be their Captains until the next tournament. They would be taken from the hall to the Patrol clearings, where the others would be waiting to see who they had been given this time and to find out whether they were any good. It usually always went very smoothly. But things always happened and you were never sure what to expect on those strange, eventful days.
Eledhel gave the unfamiliar figure in the mirror a withering look and received one back from the stranger. She picked up her weapons, the training bows and then walked out. She made her way down the corridor, tying her sword and knives to the hooks on her belt and fixing her bow and quiver to her back. Her father was always amused to see her walking into the dining hall dressed as a Captain.
Before breakfast she had a few things to do. She brought the bows down to the training clearing and met her patrol there. She dumped the three bows in a pile by a tree and then turned to address the men. "Right . . . you all know the drill. Eat quickly and then make your way outside to observe the lads. We don't want any slip-ups, so make yourselves as inconspicuous as possible. You are all aware of how fussy the parents get about their children being watched."
"You still have no idea about who we're getting?" came a voice from the back.
"You know she doesn't. Nobody finds out until they're told." Said Beleg who had just sidled into the clearing with a bundle of arrows and three staves.
"So you remembered to get them this time."
He gave her a grin and said, "Yes I did. And the Prince is requesting that he is allowed to watch you with the lads as part of the testing . . . " his voice trailed off and his grin faded as she glared at him.
There were now excited and interested mutters among the men, but she was still glaring. "You know you weren't supposed to mention that until tomorrow."
"Mention what?" said a silver haired soldier nearer Eledhel, Himgwath, her third in command.
Eledhel couldn't keep the bitterness from her voice. "I am getting tested to judge whether I am able to lead the men to Mirkwood. If I am acceptable you all, along with a dozen from Haldir's patrol, will be travelling to Mirkwood. Your not supposed to be told this yet, because it all depends on me." She gave Beleg another glare. "Keep your mouth shut next time."
He held up his hands, gave her another grin and said, "No idea why they're testing you anyway. It's the Prince, who is doing it, isn't it? You certainly came out better in your last encounter. Don't worry, we wont be."
"Thanks, I think." A sudden thought occurred to her and she looked around at the watching faces. "How did you . . .?"
Himgwath waved away her question and then said, "I had a conversation with one of the Mirkwood elves. But it was before they knew it was you who attacked them."
Wait, thought Eledhel. Attacked? "I didn't attack them, they attacked me!"
Beleg let out a bark of laughter. "We know, we know. One last thing though, can we" he gestured to all the men in the clearing. "Watch you being tested this afternoon? I for one want to see their faces."
Eledhel caught the meaning of his words as the breakfast bell sounded in the city, signalling all soldiers and noble persons to come to breakfast. Eledhel sighed. "Well . . . I don't know, ask the prince I guess." She cleared her throat. "You all know what to do . . . so lets go."
***
Legolas woke up the next morning feeling slightly confused at first, wondering where he was, and then after realising he was in Lórien, he felt guilty. Guilty that he was here and not at home where he could help guard his city. Guilty that something might happen to his parents without him knowing. No, nothing could happen to his mother without him knowing about it.
He got up, got dressed and walked to the balcony of his room. As he looked down on the city he realised that today the new recruits, fresh out of training, would be set out into their patrols in the morning and in the afternoon he would be testing Eledhel. For some strange reason he felt a surge of sympathy for her with and undercurrent of wariness when he thought this. He might be allowed to watch her handling of the new recruits as part of him testing her. He always found that to understand a person you needed to know how they treat their inferiors, not just their equals. It almost seemed to him that she treated every person as an equal. That would be a very bad angle to treat young boys from. He always gave them his attention if they wished to know something but apart from that he never treated them as equals.
He walked out of his room and wondered if that Beleg person had remembered to ask her. He had met him soon after he had seen Eledhel the night before and he had admitted that no, he wasn't a wood captain, but Eledhel's second in command. But he had told him quickly that the reason he was seated so far up in the table because he was going to become a wood captain in a couple of months. He had assured Legolas that he would ask her if he was allowed to watch her with the recruits.
Legolas had taken his place in the large hall just before most of the patrols came in all at once. He hadn't realised that all the elves in each of the twelve patrols were allowed to dine in the hall; he thought it was only the Captains and their senior soldiers. He looked around as they all took their places in the hall, there were defiantly more here than there were last night. Beleg and a silver haired elf sidled up and took the seats opposite to him.
They made no sign of noticing him until near the end of the meal when Beleg said, "Prince Legolas?" when Legolas looked up at him he continued, "this is Himgwath, Eledhel's second. We were . . . "
But Himgwath cut him off. "I can speak for myself, Beleg, I was the one who raised objections." He turned to Legolas. "I would like to know why you feel the need to test Eledhel. She is a most capable warrior and there is no better person to lead the elves. Haldir, for all his fighting skills and popularity, does not have the same amount of integrity or respect from the men as Eledhel has. She is also cunning beyond your comprehension and is able to determine a plan of action from the most incomprehensionable circumstances. Personally I have no idea why you do not wish her to go and I request from you that you tell me why."
Legolas let his eyes slide down to his hands and his fingers tapping the table. Should he tell them or not? He raised his head to meet their steady, unwavering glances. He gave a small sigh. "I do not doubt her abilities or her damnable way of predicting what a person will choose to do."
"Then why do you still want to test her?" Beleg asked.
Legolas kept eye contact firmly. "I wish to test her because my father, the King, is not as open minded as myself, or any others in Lórien. In my fathers kingdom, women, be they young, old, married or not, have no rank. If she does not have enough spirit, he will break her. If she cannot last it is very likely that she will be forced to come back here. Only women of noble birth are exempt from his rules. And because of that they think very highly of themselves, I need to know she can cope with that. It is most likely that my father will set some kind of task for her once she arrives and he finds out she is female and I need to know that she can pass through these before I will allow her to go."
Beleg was looking at him in barely concealed amazement and interest. Himgwath frowned slightly and then gave a curt nod. "Are you sure this will happen?" he asked.
"Almost certain. The differences between our cultures are very large, that was why I was worried that the Lord and Lady would refuse help." He gave a slight smile as the bell to end the meal sounded. "Now you tell me, am I allowed to observe this morning?"
"If the patrols are permitted to observe this afternoon."
Legolas gave a nod and a smile as he stood up with everyone else. "Where should I go?" He asked as he saw Eledhel gesture to Beleg and Himgwath, Beleg told him to make his way to the clearing and then the two turned and walked to Eledhel's side. He turned and then left the hall. As he came upon the recruits, he realised that he had gone the wrong way.
***
Hope you like it!
Alwyn
xxxxxxx
Karina- I wanted to keep the prologue as a teaser, so just kept it short. I'm not going to say what Eledhel is going to do to Legolas just yet; next chapter is going to be good though! I wanted to give Haldir another Point of View. Its unfair what people do to him! And, in answer to your second review, it was Legolas both times.
orlyworship- see! I updated! I just had a lot of stuff to do (biting my nail in apprehension of my exam results) and a bit of writer's block. I don't know how to fix my grammar problems because my computer can't find them!
Hello Kitty- Thanks for your review! One good turn deserves another! I would never go on ff.net at school because I never get the time to!
Not much happens in this chapter, but I need to get it all out of the way. Should be a better one coming soon!
Got a new toaster, but I still don't like flames, just reviews and constructive criticism.
Chapter 5 - An Invite and a surprise
It was midnight before Eledhel got to bed, but she fell asleep the moment her head fell to the pillow and slept deeply until sunrise. She always slept peacefully, with her eyes closed when she was in her bedroom, but when she was out on patrol she always slept with her eyes open, she was told it was because her distant mortal ancestry from the elves of Rivendell but she didn't like being different from everyone else.
When the city awoke at sunrise, she did too. She dressed quickly, under things first, that included a tight corset-like undershirt, which suppressed her chest so that it was barely noticeable under armour but made her look even thinner than she already was, the Captain's tunic, close woven leggings (which were both embroidered heavily), a belt with designs in the leather and a golden leaf clasp and her standard soldier's cloak. All the Captains were supposed to make an obvious effort to impress the recruits who were fresh from training and believed rank was everything and you needed to show it. She was surprised to find that she was ready early enough to eat breakfast formally with her parents, a rare occurrence on her part as she was usually sleeping after night patrol or up as usual before sunrise for training with her patrol.
Eledhel brushed her hair back into a long plait, which trailed down her back. Every century was the same. The new recruits were invited to the great hall for instruction promptly after breakfast and their parents usually came with them despite the requests of Haldir. The recruits were just as bad they came into the hall and all stuck together in a massive, chattering crowd.
All the Wood Captains and their Seconds had to be present to observe the recruits, who were all sat down at one of the long tables. They patrolled in pairs, up and down the table to allow those seated to get a good look at the Captains and their Seconds and to ask questions. This was when Eledhel usually got most of the funny looks and heard all the whispered comments. Of course she ignored all the whispers that followed her walk, but there was always one who asked her if she was looking for someone or something along those lines. They always regretted it.
Haldir would then ask for attention and welcome them. He would then try and impress on them the seriousness and importance of today, how they would be sorted into their new patrols and even if them came top in the class in training it would mean nothing to the Captains or the rest of their patrol who were much more advanced fighters than any of them. This speech usually lasted for about thirty minutes, during which all the Captains and the accompanying Seconds continued to patrol; they had heard all it numerous times before.
Haldir would then read out several names and tell the boys whom they would be going to for instruction and would be their Captains until the next tournament. They would be taken from the hall to the Patrol clearings, where the others would be waiting to see who they had been given this time and to find out whether they were any good. It usually always went very smoothly. But things always happened and you were never sure what to expect on those strange, eventful days.
Eledhel gave the unfamiliar figure in the mirror a withering look and received one back from the stranger. She picked up her weapons, the training bows and then walked out. She made her way down the corridor, tying her sword and knives to the hooks on her belt and fixing her bow and quiver to her back. Her father was always amused to see her walking into the dining hall dressed as a Captain.
Before breakfast she had a few things to do. She brought the bows down to the training clearing and met her patrol there. She dumped the three bows in a pile by a tree and then turned to address the men. "Right . . . you all know the drill. Eat quickly and then make your way outside to observe the lads. We don't want any slip-ups, so make yourselves as inconspicuous as possible. You are all aware of how fussy the parents get about their children being watched."
"You still have no idea about who we're getting?" came a voice from the back.
"You know she doesn't. Nobody finds out until they're told." Said Beleg who had just sidled into the clearing with a bundle of arrows and three staves.
"So you remembered to get them this time."
He gave her a grin and said, "Yes I did. And the Prince is requesting that he is allowed to watch you with the lads as part of the testing . . . " his voice trailed off and his grin faded as she glared at him.
There were now excited and interested mutters among the men, but she was still glaring. "You know you weren't supposed to mention that until tomorrow."
"Mention what?" said a silver haired soldier nearer Eledhel, Himgwath, her third in command.
Eledhel couldn't keep the bitterness from her voice. "I am getting tested to judge whether I am able to lead the men to Mirkwood. If I am acceptable you all, along with a dozen from Haldir's patrol, will be travelling to Mirkwood. Your not supposed to be told this yet, because it all depends on me." She gave Beleg another glare. "Keep your mouth shut next time."
He held up his hands, gave her another grin and said, "No idea why they're testing you anyway. It's the Prince, who is doing it, isn't it? You certainly came out better in your last encounter. Don't worry, we wont be."
"Thanks, I think." A sudden thought occurred to her and she looked around at the watching faces. "How did you . . .?"
Himgwath waved away her question and then said, "I had a conversation with one of the Mirkwood elves. But it was before they knew it was you who attacked them."
Wait, thought Eledhel. Attacked? "I didn't attack them, they attacked me!"
Beleg let out a bark of laughter. "We know, we know. One last thing though, can we" he gestured to all the men in the clearing. "Watch you being tested this afternoon? I for one want to see their faces."
Eledhel caught the meaning of his words as the breakfast bell sounded in the city, signalling all soldiers and noble persons to come to breakfast. Eledhel sighed. "Well . . . I don't know, ask the prince I guess." She cleared her throat. "You all know what to do . . . so lets go."
***
Legolas woke up the next morning feeling slightly confused at first, wondering where he was, and then after realising he was in Lórien, he felt guilty. Guilty that he was here and not at home where he could help guard his city. Guilty that something might happen to his parents without him knowing. No, nothing could happen to his mother without him knowing about it.
He got up, got dressed and walked to the balcony of his room. As he looked down on the city he realised that today the new recruits, fresh out of training, would be set out into their patrols in the morning and in the afternoon he would be testing Eledhel. For some strange reason he felt a surge of sympathy for her with and undercurrent of wariness when he thought this. He might be allowed to watch her handling of the new recruits as part of him testing her. He always found that to understand a person you needed to know how they treat their inferiors, not just their equals. It almost seemed to him that she treated every person as an equal. That would be a very bad angle to treat young boys from. He always gave them his attention if they wished to know something but apart from that he never treated them as equals.
He walked out of his room and wondered if that Beleg person had remembered to ask her. He had met him soon after he had seen Eledhel the night before and he had admitted that no, he wasn't a wood captain, but Eledhel's second in command. But he had told him quickly that the reason he was seated so far up in the table because he was going to become a wood captain in a couple of months. He had assured Legolas that he would ask her if he was allowed to watch her with the recruits.
Legolas had taken his place in the large hall just before most of the patrols came in all at once. He hadn't realised that all the elves in each of the twelve patrols were allowed to dine in the hall; he thought it was only the Captains and their senior soldiers. He looked around as they all took their places in the hall, there were defiantly more here than there were last night. Beleg and a silver haired elf sidled up and took the seats opposite to him.
They made no sign of noticing him until near the end of the meal when Beleg said, "Prince Legolas?" when Legolas looked up at him he continued, "this is Himgwath, Eledhel's second. We were . . . "
But Himgwath cut him off. "I can speak for myself, Beleg, I was the one who raised objections." He turned to Legolas. "I would like to know why you feel the need to test Eledhel. She is a most capable warrior and there is no better person to lead the elves. Haldir, for all his fighting skills and popularity, does not have the same amount of integrity or respect from the men as Eledhel has. She is also cunning beyond your comprehension and is able to determine a plan of action from the most incomprehensionable circumstances. Personally I have no idea why you do not wish her to go and I request from you that you tell me why."
Legolas let his eyes slide down to his hands and his fingers tapping the table. Should he tell them or not? He raised his head to meet their steady, unwavering glances. He gave a small sigh. "I do not doubt her abilities or her damnable way of predicting what a person will choose to do."
"Then why do you still want to test her?" Beleg asked.
Legolas kept eye contact firmly. "I wish to test her because my father, the King, is not as open minded as myself, or any others in Lórien. In my fathers kingdom, women, be they young, old, married or not, have no rank. If she does not have enough spirit, he will break her. If she cannot last it is very likely that she will be forced to come back here. Only women of noble birth are exempt from his rules. And because of that they think very highly of themselves, I need to know she can cope with that. It is most likely that my father will set some kind of task for her once she arrives and he finds out she is female and I need to know that she can pass through these before I will allow her to go."
Beleg was looking at him in barely concealed amazement and interest. Himgwath frowned slightly and then gave a curt nod. "Are you sure this will happen?" he asked.
"Almost certain. The differences between our cultures are very large, that was why I was worried that the Lord and Lady would refuse help." He gave a slight smile as the bell to end the meal sounded. "Now you tell me, am I allowed to observe this morning?"
"If the patrols are permitted to observe this afternoon."
Legolas gave a nod and a smile as he stood up with everyone else. "Where should I go?" He asked as he saw Eledhel gesture to Beleg and Himgwath, Beleg told him to make his way to the clearing and then the two turned and walked to Eledhel's side. He turned and then left the hall. As he came upon the recruits, he realised that he had gone the wrong way.
***
Hope you like it!
Alwyn
xxxxxxx
