Yes, that's right, this is going to be a chapter of the 'girl' stuff. Periods, that sorta stuff. If this makes you uncomfortable, don't read. If you don't have a problem, then you are safe. There is nothing vulgar about the chapter, just what we woman deal with every month. You have been warned.
~Hoshiko
To mature a Little More
Thinthar received lessons from Haldir for the next few years. After he taught her how to shoot properly, she was taught the use of her long-knife. This seemed to be the easier of the two for her, and she learned in few quick months.
Rumil was the one who taught her, since his skills laid mostly with that, too. Everyday they would draw a string across two trees, three feet above the ground, and practice on top of it. Who ever was knocked to the ground first and found the blade of the long knife in front of their face lost. In three months time she and he were closely matched in their skills.
'You, my dear, are getting very skilled with that long-knife.' Rumil commented, as she pinned him down with her foot, long-knife in his face.
'Thank you.' She said, and let him stand, Orophin and Haldir clapping.
'Now, if you could do that with your bow, I would be eternally grateful.' Haldir said, and Thinthar sighed. She was still slow on taking the arrow out of the quiver, and he would drill her everyday on it.
'One more go?' Rumil asked, putting his hand on her shoulder. She smiled, and then nodded, but Orophin jumped up suddenly.
'I would like to challenge her!' he cried, but Rumil looked hesitant. Thinthar gave her lop-sided grin, and bowed.
'Gladly.' She said, and they positioned themselves upon the rope. As they took three paces, then turned on each other, Rumil sat next to Haldir.
'You are going rather hard on her, brother.' He whispered, so only Haldir could hear.
'Nonsense, she is doing well.' Haldir said, but Rumil sighed.
'You are correct, she is, but her skills are with the long-knife more than the bow. With a bit more training, she will be ready to take the tests, but it is an unfair thing to pressure her to the bow.' Rumil said, and Haldir's emotions did not change.
'Wait a bit longer, and see if her advancements are greater with the bow. With more years they will eventually equal each other out. Even you have yet for them to match each other.' He said, and Rumil agreed silently. He was only one-hundred years Thinthar's elder. For elves that was not much time at all.
'I have yet to fight enough battles.' Rumil muttered, for there had not been many orc attacks for several years. He then clapped widely when Orophin fell onto the ground, hands in a surrendering position. Thinthar smiled happily with herself and helped him up.
'You are very skilled, Thinthar.' Orophin said, nodding. He bowed to her, and she bowed back before he shoved her lightly to the side. 'But I let you win.'
'You did not!' Thinthar exclaimed in fake disgust. 'I won, weather you like it or not.'
'Ah, well, you are right. Now.' He said, and she laughed. Haldir turned quietly to Rumil.
'The next battle marks the beginning of her testing. I would like your and Orophin's council from then on, if you don't mind,' he said, and Rumil nodded.
'Certainly, Haldir. You do know, of course, that we were going to do that even if you were not moved to ask, right?'
'Yes, I did, that's why I just invited you.' Haldir said and smiled, Rumil laughing.
'You know us too well.'
They went home that night, and ate dinner together. Thinthar wanted to go home before the other's and as she went, Haldir's eyes wondered, falling upon another elf. Out of the corner of the elf's eyes, Haldir could see him watching Thinthar leave. He looked quickly to see if Thinthar noticed, but she did not, and he eyed the elf, getting his attention. When he saw Haldir watching he turned quickly away to his friends. Orophin had caught Haldir's gaze, and he looked at the expression on his face.
'Ah, love, such a wonderful thing in such young elves.' He said, and Haldir grunted, standing.
'Too young.' He said, and Orophin looked at the ceiling in a false dreamy-passion.
'You can not stop it, dear brother.' He said, and to his surprise Haldir slammed a fist on the table, Rumil's reflexive reaction to their quarreling took over and he stood.
'Some times you do not know when to shut your mouth.' Haldir said with contempt, and turned quickly, steaming out the door. Orophin looked to Rumil who sat back down.
'He is correct, you do not some times.' Rumil said, and Orophin waved it off, eating again.
Thinthar walked quickly up to her quarters. She had wanted to leave early because she had suddenly gotten a strange pain in the bottom of her stomach. When she did arrive in her quarters, she sat on her bed and sat down, waiting for it to go away. When it finally did, she breathed in deeply and started to change into a dress. When she took her pants off, she stopped. There was a strange, red spot on her pants. Her eyes opened in horror and she put them back on quickly, running out the door, pushing past Haldir.
'Thinthar wh-' but he did not get a reaction out of her. Instead she flew over to Nerwe's slamming on the door. They had not spoken much since Thinthar became an apprentice, but something told her Haldir could not help her with this. Nerwe answered the door, surprised to see Thinthar standing there.
'Thinthar?' she asked, and Thinthar looked at her, anxiety on her face.
'Nerwe, there is something wrong with me.' She said, and Nerwe realized what was wrong.
'Come on into my washroom, I will help you.' She said and Thinthar followed her. When they got there, Nerwe got her a long strip of white cloth, and told Thinthar to rap it around her undergarments. Thinthar did so quickly while Nerwe turned around, and when she had finished, Thinthar told her to sit and settle down. It was not the end of the world, but Thinthar still burst into tears.
'Thinthar, calm yourself. It is normal.'
'Normal? Bleeding like this is normal?'
'Yes, you have come of age. This marks the reaching of maturity, and from now on you will choose when you will become fertile.' She said, and Thinthar wiped a tear from her eye.
'How do you just choose that?'
'Well, that I can not explain. You just… can.' She said, and Thinthar ceased crying, taking a deep breath. 'He has not explained anything yet, has he?'
'Explained what?'
'Intercourse.'
'No… he has not…' Thinthar said when there was a knock on the door. It was Nerwe's mother.
'What's wrong?' she asked, and Nerwe took her mother aside, explaining. When she was done Gelwe nodded.
'Ah, yes, well Haldir should be here any minute, then,' she said, and as if she had foresight, there was a knock on the door. Gelwe answered the door while Nerwe went back to Thinthar, and Haldir looked at her, concerned.
'What's wrong with Thinthar, Gelwe?' he asked, and Gelwe led him inside.
'Haldir… she has come of age.' Gelwe said quietly, and Haldir looked at her in disbelief. 'Well, do not asked so surprised, she was bound to come to it at some time. But I understand she has not had the talk with you, yet.'
'The talk?' Haldir asked, the color draining from his face. He had not been ready for anything of that kind.
'Yes, she must know at some point.' Gelwe said, and Haldir shook his head.
'All… all right, Gelwe, thank you for telling me of this.'
'You have all the right in the world to know. Good luck.' She said, and rapped on the door to her washroom. Thinthar came out minutes later, and after hugging Nerwe, she walked quietly out the door. Haldir nodded his thanks again, and followed after her. When they got to his quarters he looked nervously around.
'Thinthar…' he said, but she disappeared around her curtain immediately, and he could hear her crying. He sat in silence until he could hear her sobs no longer. He found she had cried herself to sleep, and he just put a blanket on her. She woke up a few hours later, and sat up. She was feeling better, and when she thought Haldir was asleep she tried to slip out. He surprised her, though, and said her name quietly.
'Thinthar, come here.' He said, and she sat next to him on the bed. She could tell he was uncomfortable. Slowly, and awkwardly, Haldir told her of intercourse, and decisions to do such a thing. When he had finished she stayed silent. She had no questions, and she stood, uncomfortable, too.
'I'm going to go eat now…' she muttered, and walked down to the Great Hall. Haldir stayed where he was, though, and let out his breath, which he had been holding the whole time. The bright red left from his face and he found that he was extremely tired. That had been a bit too much for him, and he could think of none other than had he done something wrong. He worried himself into a light sleep.
