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Chapter 6
Just Like Girls
The early morning peace and tranquility of the Last Homely House was shattered by a scream, the intensity and volume of which was enough to pierce the eardrums of anyone within a mile of the house.
Half asleep, Aragorn hadn't even thought to check his door for booby traps but when the bucket of ice water fell on him, it woke him quickly. All shreds of sleepiness and dignity were gone in an instant, replaced by the scream that was torn from him. Grinning like the demons they were doing their best to impersonate, the twin sons of Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir, tore passed him, their destination clearly being the door to the garden ... and safety.
On her way to the kitchen, teacup in hand, Anayah heard the scream and paused for a moment, listening. Sensing no imminent danger, other than to the twins, and then only if Aragorn was able to catch them, she continued to make her way down the hall and to the kitchen where it was her intention to enjoy a quiet breakfast.
Lord Elrond shook his head for he had always known that the pranks of the three brothers were an accident waiting to happen. As a father, an arrow in someone's foot or a fall from a cliff or a tree because of a dare was something he well understood as he had often had to tend to the wounds that resulted. The three brothers had always managed to laugh about the incident afterwards though he had warned them often enough that someday an innocent would be hurt as a result of their actions. When he heard a glass break, followed closely by multiple thumps as something or someone made its way, unplanned and painfully, down the stairs, he knew that "someday" had arrived.
"Ada! Come quickly!" Elladan's voice held a note of panic in it as he called for his father.
Elrond had been in his study writing a letter to Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. Sighing, he put down the quill and hastened to the living area to see what disaster had occurred. He saw all three of his sons gathered around someone sitting at the bottom of the stairs and when he pushed his sons gently aside, he was surprised to see that it was Anayah leaning against the wall with her eyes closed. Elladan was holding her hand from which blood was dripping and a servant was busy picking up the broken pieces of her teacup from various places on the stairs.
He knelt beside his niece and called her name and within moments her eyes opened and she looked around her in surprise. The dazed look in her eyes was quickly replaced by anger as she saw the three brothers standing over her looking concerned and guilty. She attempted to jerk her injured hand away from Elladan but was unsuccessful for the healer in him knew that he had to keep as much pressure as possible on the wound until his father could treat it.
"Anayah, look at me!"
It was not a request so Anayah turned her furious gaze from her brothers to her Uncle. When Elrond saw nothing in her eyes that would indicate she had suffered a concussion, he then asked if she had hurt herself anywhere besides her head and her hand.
"I'm fine - just let me get up!"
The fire was coming back to her eyes again and Elrond knew it would be better for all concerned if he diffused the tense situation as soon as possible and after taking her hand from Elladan, he put pressure on the deep cut and slowly helped her up. He told his sons to finish dressing then meet with him in the Healing Wing.
"Young lady, you are not all right so come with me quickly." When Anayah started to reply, he cut her off. "I will hear no argument on this matter."
She closed her mouth but swayed momentarily when she rose from the floor.
"So, you are fine, are you?" His eyes were sympathetic and held a hint of amusement in them. How alike all his children were.
"I seem to be somewhat out of practice when it comes to falling down a set of stairs." She shot her retreating brothers a look they would not soon forget before she turned and followed her Uncle to the healing wing.
Once inside, Elrond put a folded piece of linen over the cut and instructed Anayah to hold it firmly in place then he quickly got out the needle, thread and disinfecting herbs plus bandages for later. He glanced at Anayah as he worked on her hand.
"What happened?"
"I was on my way downstairs to get some breakfast when I was run into by a pack of wargs!"
"I see." Glancing at his patient, he could see that the fire was diminishing in her eyes and was being replaced by the sparkle of humor.
"Don't tell them this, but the look on their faces when I was on my behind at the bottom of the stairs more than made up for the act itself!" She chuckled at the memory. "How do you put up with them! I am surprised that your hair is not totally grey!"
Elrond also chuckled.
There was a timid knock on the door of the room and he saw his three sons looking at him with wide eyes. Elrond motioned for the three miscreants to come in. His voice was stern as he began his lecture.
"Well, what do you have to say for yourselves?"
The three shot nervous glances at Anayah who had covered her eyes as if in great pain which made it difficult for them to think of anything to say that suited the moment. Picking up the throw pillow which had been lying on the bed she threw it at her brothers then laughed.
"If the lot of you could see the look on your faces!"
"I'm so sorry!"
The twins and Aragorn spoke at the same time, each giving her their apology as they gathered around her. They were relieved that she was not seriously injured and seemed to have forgiven them.
"You're not mad at us?" Elrohir had been miserable when he had realized their prank had resulted in someone getting injured.
"No - I am not angry. At least it was not my sword hand that got hurt! I should have known better than to leave my room when I heard that woman scream!" She winked at Aragorn who had the good grace to look embarrassed.
"I do not scream like a woman!" He replied sarcastically.
The twins joined in the conversation until their father quieted them with a raised hand. It was an accepted fact that the brothers tormented one another continuously, but never before had an innocent been injured. Therefore, the act could not go unanswered.
"Have any of you ever given thought, that something like this might happen? Anayah is not seriously injured, but she very well could have been! It is one thing for you three, or four of you, when our dear Mirkwood Prince is involved, to torment one another but it is something else entirely to involve someone who has not volunteered to be a part of your pranks. See to it that this incident does not repeat itself! I will say no more on this matter - you may go."
"Yes, Ada."
The three seemed to be genuinely contrite causing Lord Elrond to wonder just how long that would last.
With an admonishment to Anayah not to do much with the hand for a few days and to come to him that evening to have the bandages changed, he considered the matter closed.
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Her hand felt much better in a few days and Anayah decided to take in some archery practice, which was something she had missed during the time her hand had been healing. The twins had joined her on the practice field where an argument was taking place about whose bow was the best and who was the better archer. Though all three used longbows, Anayah's was a little different from the longbows used by the twins. Their Grandmother, Lady Galadriel, had gifted the twins with their bows, and they were a source of great pride to the two. Anayah used what was known as a Great Longbow, which was built specifically for distance and power and who she had affectionately named "Huan," for he indeed had a bite and was slightly different in proportional length and tension.
"Look. All I am telling you is that Huan is capable of greater distance and power than your bows – I wasn't specifically insulting either your bows or either of you." She was in the process of stringing the bow and checking her arrows.
"So, you are saying that you are a better archer because you have a bigger bow?"
Elladan knew his foster sister wasn't saying anything of the sort but he could not pass up a good chance to get a friendly competition going. Both he and Elrohir had watched her practice with her flight bow and both were impressed by the speed and accuracy of her shots.
"No. That is not what I am saying. I am just saying that Huan is special. I do not need to be as close to my target as someone would who is using a regular length longbow."
Elrohir opened his mouth to continue the argument but Anayah interrupted before he had a chance to speak.
"Now listen closely, silly boys." She winked at them to show she was teasing and they, in turn, shot mock glares back at her. "In case you have not noticed, I am not as tall and muscle bound as the two of you are."
"Hey!" The twins tried to sound indignant.
"Therefore, I have to find other ways to be both effective and safe in any kind of combat situation. If the Ugly Sisters are bigger than I am and I do not want to get that close to them ... I have the option, and will use Huan. I am not really a big fan of pain, suffering and possible death, so if I can shoot at my target from a distance, I will. I would be willing to teach you how to use him ... after all, from what I've heard you need the practice since all Noldor elves shoot like girls!"
She glanced at Legolas and Aragorn then waved to them as they approached the practice field.
"Wait just one minute ..." Elladan looked at Elrohir who nodded back. "How about a friendly competition to see who the better archer is?"
Wisely, Legolas and Aragorn were staying out of the argument although the twins both glared at Legolas who had originally made the remark about Noldor elves.
Anayah agreed to the competition, but not before she placed her "bet."
"Ok. You are on. I will even let the two of you pick the distance. Now, if I win, you do not pull any pranks on either Aragorn or Legolas for a whole month."
"And what if we win?" Elrohir raised an eyebrow at her.
"If you two win, I will let you live!"
"Ooooo." Aragorn and Legolas smiled and looked at the twins who continued to glare at her.
"And, I will never again say that you two shoot like girls. Do we have a deal?"
"Deal." The twins said in unison.
"We pick the distance?"
"Yep. Whatever distance you want!"
The twins looked at each other then Elrohir picked up the target and moved it to the far end of the field. Glancing at her smugly, they noticed the total lack of expression on her face.
"You two boys go first!"
"Boys?" Elrohir bristled at the name.
"Peace, brother - she is just trying to upset us and break our concentration."
Elladan took his shot and hit the target almost dead center and within moments, Elrohir did the same. When they had finished, the young elves turned and looked at her.
"Like girls, huh? Well, it is your turn so let us see how well you can shoot. Oh, try not to trip over that big bow of yours!" The twins giggled in unison.
Anayah ignored them as she stepped up to the line and made a show of trying to set up for the shot, even going as far as to start massaging her left hand as if it was bothering her. Legolas snickered quietly and Aragorn looked at his friend, wondering if he knew something the rest of them did not. Finally, after some moments of looking uncomfortable, she turned and addressed the twins.
"This is just not going to work!" She whistled, and Elias, who had been grazing nearby, trotted up to her. "You two stay here for a minute - I will be right back."
Grabbing her quiver and bow, she jumped on her horse and rode to the opposite end of the field where she dismounted. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she made a show of yelling to them.
"That was much too close. I think I will try it from back here if you all do not mind."
Legolas and Aragorn were having a hard time of trying not to laugh out loud for the twins were now wearing identical frowns.
Quickly, Anayah set up her shot and loosed her arrow, which whistled as it flew toward the target at the opposite end of the field, where it slid neatly into place between the arrows belonging to the twins. Jumping back on Elias, she rode back to where the twins stood, silent and defeated.
"A month?" The two of them asked like rebuked elflings.
"A month!" She replied.
It didn't help matters any that both Aragorn and Legolas were now rolling on the ground, holding their sides and laughing so hard that tears ran freely down their cheeks. The twins soon joined in ... after they realized the hilarity of the incident. With arms crossed, Anayah watched as a prince, two lords, and a future king, rolled around on the ground laughing. She found herself beginning to smile.
TBC