Hey Hey Hey! Look who's back! It's Hoshiko! ALL RIGHT!!! I'm so sorry I haven't updated on this for a long time. I was going to give it up, but so many of you e-mailed me that I was like 'what the heck, let's do it!' LOL! Well, here's your new chapter, sorry it's short, but the best I could do, you know…
~Hoshiko
P.S. I expect many reviews now! Thank you!
The Marchwarden's Apprentice
The next day, Rumil awoke to Thinthar being curled up in a little ball on the bench next to his bed. For a moment he flashed back to Haldir reaching his hand out and being bitten, but that soon subsided. Looking at his surroundings he realized he was in the healing rooms. He tried to sit up, but found his leg to be too much of a pain for him to do so, so he lay back down. After a moment Thinthar stirred, and blinked at him sleepily, before realizing he was awake.
'Rumil!' She cried, and flung herself onto him. He let out a particulary loud 'ooph!' but hugged her back.
'Thinthar!' he said, mimicking her tone, and she got off of him.
'I'm sorry, I wasn't looking at that orc, this is all my fault!' she cried, and he put up his hands to calm her.
'My dear elf, it wasn't your fault!' he said soothingly and she nodded. 'No, it wasn't. I should have been watching my own neck, not you.'
'But we work as a team-'
'And you were doing all you could as to not get yourself killed. This would have happened no matter who was with me. Any way, it's not bad, just a little sore,' he said, and took a closer look at her. 'You haven't gone home yet, have you?' Blood was still smeared on her cheek, a mixture of his own and an orc's. 'Go and wash, I daresay Haldir's worrying, eh?' he asked, and she smiled.
'You'll be all right?'
'Right as I've ever been!'
'All right…' she said, and stood. 'I'll be back later!'
'Certainly!' Rumil smiled happily and called after her as she left, 'and tell Orophin I want my good knife back, will you?' Thinthar waved behind her in response, and rushed up to her talan. Haldir wasn't there, but there was a note that told her he was eating at that point in time. She bathed quickly, and dressed in her normal simple fashion. As she pulled the dress on her shoulder her stomach turned. She hadn't eaten anything in days, and it was starting to show. As she made her way to the dining hall, she looked around the trees of Lorien.
In the distance a chorus of elves was singing laments for the dead, and the feeling of grief was strong through the trees. It was like an endless river that ran to the ocean, as if it would always be there, recycling itself over and over again. She suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. How could she feel so horrible about her own predicament when others were effected so much more greatly? She was lucky that Haldir, Rumil, and Orophin hadn't perished like the others. For years she had been convinced that this was all some big adventure. The truth was starting to set in.
As she walked she had the odd feeling that someone was watching her. Slowly she looked around, and her eyes locked with another's. They had been hiding in the tops of one of the trees, and nimbly the elf jumped down.
'Hello…' she said slowly and he smiled.
'Hello, yes, I was just wondering,' he said, looked around, 'have you seen my sister, Nerwe?' Thinthar studied him for a moment before recognizing him.
'Gelnor?' she inquired, and he nodded. Gelnor had left many years earlier as a child, accompanying his father to Mirkwood.
'Yes, I am,' he said and he turned his head a little, 'do I know you?'
'Gelnor, it is me, Thinthar!' she said, and he nodded.
'Yes! I see we've both grown up a bit haven't we?' he asked, and she nodded before remembering the last time they had seen each other. They had gotten into a fight and Thinthar had slapped him. She could hardly believe this handsome elf was that annoying, smart mouthed brat!
'So we have,' she said, and he laughed.
'Rather good-looking for spawn of Mirkwood,' all right, maybe it was not so hard to believe. She held her head up high and squared her shoulders.
'I'll have you know I'm becoming a Marchwarden for Lorien, Gelnor,' she said proudly and he put up a hand in mock fear.
'Oh, I am sorry, I will make sure to seep to myself, then!' he said, and she was about to say some choice words in Sindarin before pointing to Nerwe's quarters, 'she's in there.' She said stiffly, and walked off to the dining hall. She could hear Gelnor chuckling as he went off to Nerwe's house.
Many years past, and the borders of Lorien were well protected. There were ten tests that Thinthar had to pass, which she met successfully. Most of these tests were merely surviving battles and doing everything correctly, but she also had to beat each of her trainers (Haldir, Rumil, and Orophin, of course) at their specialty. Rumil was knife-work, while Haldir and Orophin were more skilled with the bow, and after a few tries, she beat them all.
Rumil currently was laying down on the ground, the sharp end of a knife pointing at the end of his nose. Thinthar put her knife back into its sheath in her acquired, military-type form, and put out a hand to help him up.
Orophin whooped and jumped up and down as Haldir beamed.
'You've passed your last test!' Haldir said, and Thinthar looked as if she was about to burst.
'And our shift's over!' Rumil proclaimed, 'we will tell the Lord and Lady immediately!' And with that, Rumil and Orophin locked arms, singing an elvish drinking song as they had a little cavort through the trees.
'They're both mad…' Haldir said, shaking his head and Thinthar laughed.
'It is true! They also are more happy for me than I am!' she said, and they left together for their talan. Haldir went to the throne room, where Rumil and Orophin were already waiting for him.
'You are so slow!' he said, and Haldir rolled his eyes.
'Come along, then, you two, we're wasting time,' he said, and they walked down the long carpet, Haldir leading them. When they reached the royalty, the two stood, and the brothers bowed in elvish fashion.
'Is there something you wish to tell us?' Celeborn asked, and before Haldir could speak, Orophin and Rumil could hold their joy no longer.
'Thinthar passed all the test!' they said in unison and the Lady raised her eyebrows.
'She has passed all ten of her tests? Very well, we will have her initiation tomorrow. Haldir, are you sure she is ready?' Galadriel asked, and Haldir nodded.
'Yes, Milady, she has come a long way,' he said, and the sides of Galadriel's mouth upturned.
'Very well, then she is ready,' she said, and all three bowed before leaving.
The next day Haldir woke Thinthar up in the early morning, before the sun had risen.
'What is it, Haldir?' she asked, sleepily, and Haldir smiled kindly down at her.
'You must get up, your initiation is today,' he said, and all sleep left her.
'Today?' she asked, and he laughed.
'Yes, today!' he said, and she sat up immediately, getting her uniform.
'What is going to happen?' Thinthar called through the curtain, and Haldir took her bow out of the closet.
'Basically all that happens is that the Lord cuts the apprentice emblem off your arm, and you bow, and the Lady gives you a bow of the Golden Wood,' Haldir explained, and Thinthar emerged from the other side of the curtain.
'Will I be repositioned?' she asked, and Haldir shrugged.
'I do not know, but I doubt it. You have trained with us, after all,' he said, and she nodded.
'Yes, of course,' she said, and he chuckled to himself. She looked so grown up, yet her excitement reminded him of the nine year old finding a dresser yet again.
'We shall go, then,' he said, and opened the door for her as she walked out to the throne room. There she was met by Rumil and Orophin, Rumil smiling kindly and Orophin grinning from ear to ear.
'You are to go in front of us,' Orophin said, and she nodded before hugging them.
'You're madness is the biggest help I've ever had,' she said, and Rumil laughed.
'So we're mad now?'
'Not as mad as that one over there,' Orophin said, winking and nodding in Haldir's direction.
'All right, we must get going now,' Haldir said, and Orophin stuck his tongue out at Haldir.
'You're too serious,' he said, but Haldir shoved him, and he was about to shove back when Rumil shook his head.
'Hopeless, the both of you… hopeless…' he said, and Thinthar walked through the door, and up to the Royalties. The sun had just started to show through the Lothlorien trees as she bowed, the other three behind them. A servant gave a knife to Celeborn, and he came down and in one swift movement cut the red emblem from Thinthar's left arm, letting it fall to the floor. Thinthar then put one hand on her heart and bowed her head.
'Thinthar's bow, Haldir?' Galadriel asked, and Haldir gave it to Orophin, who snapped it in two. 'This signifies the passage of apprenticeship to master. Here is your new bow, Thinthar. You must promise to always heed the word of your higher Marchwarden. Do you?'
'Yes, I do,' Thinthar said, and the Lady gave Thinthar her new bow.
'Use it well,' she said, and Thinthar bowed again.
'Thank you, Milady,' she said, and she turned, the others following behind her. When they got outside Orophin threw an arm around her shoulder.
'That's right!' he said, leaning on her, 'you have to listen to all of us now!'
'Oh no, what shall I do?' Thinthar asked, and Rumil shrugged.
'What ever we tell you,' he answered and winked.
'Calm down, you two,' Haldir said, and Orophin glanced back at Haldir.
'Uh-uh, now. You had your chance to be top-lofty, but now she must answer to us!' he said, and Thinthar giggled.
'Get off me,' she said, and Orophin let go of her.
'Certainly,' he said, and they marched themselves right to the Dining Hall.
