NOTE: Chapter 4! (dances around like a maniac) I think these "NOTE"s are getting a little pointless. But somehow I still feel like I have to write them.

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Chapter 4 : Arrows

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A week later… (from the last chapter)

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Gwynna stood alone, about a hundred paces from the target. She frowned at the bull's eye, fiddling with her bow and arrow. Fenwë had been trying to teach her how to shoot earlier, but she wasn't making much progress. After awhile, Fenwë had suggested that they take a break, but Gwynna had refused, saying that she would practice herself. The way Fenwë left (hurrying, as if he could not wait to get away) was rather discouraging, though. Not that anyone could blame him; Gwynna had almost shot him three times.

Raising her bow, she shot an arrow. It fell, most pathetically, not very far from her feet. In fact, she only had to walk about three steps to pick it up. Taking a deep breath, she raised her bow again. This time, the arrow went much further, almost on the target. Almost. Gritting her teeth, she raised her bow again. And let out a whoop of joy when the arrow finally landed on the target. Not on the bull's eye, of course. Far from it. Very far. In fact, it was as far as the arrow could be from the bull's eye, and still be on the target.

Gwynna put her bow on the ground, and sat down next to it, rubbing her aching arms. Archery was definitely not as easy as the soldiers made it look. Suddenly she had a whole lot more respect for all the men who had fought in battles. And a little less ambition to fight in one herself.

An arrow whizzed above her head, and hit the bull's eye with a resounding thwack! Gwynna looked to her left and right, but saw no one. This was strange. Where on earth had that arrow come from? Perhaps Fenwë thought it funny to play a joke on her. And it was on the bull's eye, and she didn't even know where the archer was!  Staring at her own arrow, stuck pathetically at the edge of the target, Gwynna had to fight down her indignation for being so humiliated. She stood up, and started to look around in earnest. Then she saw him.

He stood quite a distance away from her, such that she couldn't believe that he had shot the arrow. The bow in his hand and the quiver of arrows slung over his shoulder gave him away, though. He began to run towards her (at quite a speed, she had to add), and he drew close enough for her to see the grin on his face.

"Good afternoon, Gwynna," he said, coming to stand beside her. At the speed that he was running, she would have expected him to be panting, but he wasn't even perspiring in the least. Well, that was to be expected, she told herself. She had to remember that she was living with Elves.

"Good afternoon, Legolas," she replied, trying to be polite. She had to remember that she was his guest, that she was here because he had allowed her to be here. Remember. Remember. Remember. "That arrow could have killed me!" she blurted out. Oh dear, I forgot, she thought, cringing.

Legolas was not offended, though. He laughed. "If I wanted to kill you, you would be already dead," he told her with a boyish grin that could make any girl melt. "I saw you practicing, and thought that I would join you. I haven't spoken to you since your father left, and I apologise for that. I've been away, at the Glittering Caves, visiting my friend Gimli. Where is Fenwë?"

"We finished our lesson awhile ago, but I said that I wanted to practice more. Fenwë hurried off, for his own safety," Gwynna said, looking down at her bow.

"Seeing you practice, I don't blame him," Legolas joked. Seeing Gwynna turning red, he sobered and said, "But you persevere. That's good, that's the key to learning. Come, let me see you shoot. Perhaps I could help you."

Gwynna nodded, and picked up her bow and an arrow. She looked at the target. She couldn't embarrass herself now, she had to at least get it on the target.

But it didn't. It fell dismally in front of the target, and lay on the ground. Gwynna thought that she was just going to die of embarrassment.

Legolas did not laugh at her. "You aren't holding your bow very straight," he told her honestly. "Hold it up." She held it up obediently, fixing an arrow in place. Legolas looked at it for a while, then came forward and put his hands on her arms. "Hold it straight," he said, showing her how. Gwynna should have been blushing over how close he was to her, but somehow it felt… comfortable. Like she had known him for a very long time. "Now, release," he said.

The arrow flew straight and landed on the target with a thud. It landed rather close to the bull's eye as well. Gwynna could hardly believe her eyes. Legolas smiled, satisfied. "Hold your bow straight, and focus," he told her.

She nodded. "Thank you."

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"Legolas helped me with archery today," Gwynna remarked to Fenwë that evening as they ate. "He's very good."

Fenwë nodded. "He is very good at it. In fact, his skill with the bow and arrow surpasses mine. I doubt that any of us here can say that we are better than him. He never missed a target."

After they ate, Fenwë began to tell Gwynna a little more of Mirkwood, but she only listened half-heartedly. She was thinking about Legolas, and how he had so willingly helped her with archery.

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The next morning, Gwynna took her bow and arrows and went to the field, expecting to see Fenwë there waiting for her. Instead, she saw Legolas. He came to her, smiling. "Good morning."

"Where's Fenwë?" Gwynna asked. "We were supposed to have another archery lesson."

Legolas smiled. "I will be taking over your lessons from now on. In archery, anyway. I am not as good at Fenwë when it comes to talking about histories. Come, let us begin."

Legolas was a good teacher; he was very patient. Allowances had to be made since Gwynna did not have the sharp eyesights of the Elves, and thus things would have to go slower. But teacher and student put their hearts into it, and Gwynna began to improve. She even hit the bull's eye once, without any help from Legolas.

"All right, I think we can stop for today. We've been practicing for a long time now," Legolas said, sitting down on the grass.

Gwynna joined him, satisfied with her achievement. "Tell me about the War of the Ring," she said. "You promised that you would tell me the story in full."

Legolas gave her a grin. "I did say that, didn't I? All right, then, I'll tell you." He fell silent for a moment, deciding where to start. Then he nodded to himself and began to speak.

Soon Gwynna was caught in the incredible adventures, caught in the excitement. Legolas told the tale very well, and not once did she find herself daydreaming. She was lost in his voice, and the wonders that he spoke of.

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NOTE: Please, please, please review this! I feel extremely reviewer-deprived.