Chapter Fourteen:
By the time the elven maiden reached the practice courts, she was pale and shaking. But she composed herself quickly when she noticed the other warriors watching her, and she pushed her recent encounter to the back of her mind. She turned to see Legolas approaching her, and she smiled in relief. Harem could not follow her with her love here to protect her.
"Are you all right?" he asked, cupping her slightly ashen face in his hand.
"Yes, I'm fine now," she returned, placing her elegant fingers over his. He smiled and lead her, still holding her hand, toward a sparring area.
Releasing her at one end of the ring, he walked to the other side and faced her. "Shall we determine what you need to work on?" he said, grinning wickedly as he drew his own sword.
Calathi stood a little confusedly for a moment before she realized what he was saying. "What?" she gasped, putting her hands before her. "Legolas, I - I can't - I won't... what if I accidentally hurt you? No. Absolutely not."
The Prince laughed. "Calathi, if you hurt me, then you are needed more than I anyway. Trust me, you won't. I think you are underestimating your own control." He gestured toward her sword, and she reluctantly drew it.
"Valar protect me," she mumbled to herself before the two got into the starting position.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Ready." Before she could blink he lunged at her, his weapon flying swiftly through the air. Numbly she blocked each strike as her body took over. Though his sword moved like a blur, hers countered it easily. Suddenly the idea of what this would look like to others made her laugh. Here was the Prince of Mirkwood, fighting against a Lady of his Court, and she had not yet fallen. She was fighting against her true love, who was battling her as though he wanted to kill her. She grinned and decided, *all right, now how about I switch to offense? *
Calathi found a gap in Legolas' pattern of strikes that she was waiting for. Quicker than he could counter her, she entered into an attack of her own. Her sword arched in a crescent toward his waist, and as soon as he blocked her she reversed the strike, aiming toward his left side. He barely managed to get his sword there in time, and he stumbled back in surprise. With a quick flick of her wrist, the tip of Methlai caught on the edge of her opponent's weapon and she pulled, yanking it from his unprepared grasp. She put her sword to his neck as he stood and waited as his dumbstruck look changed to one of comprehension and then respect. He put his hands up and surrendered.
She stepped back and bowed, sheathing Methlai, and suddenly applause broke out around them. Looking around, she saw that a crowd had gathered around the circle that she hadn't noticed during the fight. They were now all cheering loudly and clapping. She blushed and went to stand beside Legolas. He took her hand and squeezed it. "You fought wonderfully, melamin my love."
Her cheeks reddened even more. "I doubt I would have won if you hadn't tripped," she said modestly as the two walked out toward the archery field.
"Well, I can see that we do not need to work much on your swordsmanship," he remarked, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "I have not been bested in a long while. Perhaps we could try that again sometime?"
"Whatever you wish, your highness," she returned, stopping to bow. He chuckled as they continued and came to stand before a target.
"Let's see how your marksmanship is." He strung his bow and looked at the target, about seventy yards away. Then, in one fluid motion, he fitted an arrow to his string and fired. Calathi watched as the arrow flew to land in the center of the ring across the field. Legolas stepped back and allowed her to try.
She also strung her bow, and then she closed her eyes. The target was there, in her mind, as clear as day. Quickly she opened them, notched her arrow to the bowstring, and loosed. She nodded in satisfaction when it came to land a small space away from Legolas' arrow, just off the bulls- eye. She was never the best archer in her home of Ilinar; she was only average. But she was glad to see that her skills had not dulled in that area.
Legolas whistled softly. "Not bad, my Lady," he commented, mimicking Calathi's tone of formality. Then he shook his head, clicking his tongue. "It could, however be improved." Calathi gave him a gentle shove and fit another arrow to her bowstring. She closed her eyes again, taking deep, steady breaths. Still closing her eyes, she pulled the string back and shot toward the target.
When she opened them again, Legolas seemed to be covering a smile and quivering with suppressed laughter. She looked and saw that her arrow was nowhere in sight. "Well, so much for that attempt," she muttered.
"Indeed," Legolas agreed. "Let's stick to keeping your eyes open. You don't want to hurt anyone."
The Prince worked with Calathi all day on her archery, firing arrow after arrow and watching her do the same. The sun was beginning to set as the two elves were finishing up. Finally Calathi threw down her bow in frustration, after missing the center of the target for about the twentieth time. "You need to hold your bow up higher. Your left arm should be parallel with the ground," the Prince advised.
"If you're so good at this, how about you do the shooting, and I'll just stick to my sword," she suggested, stooping to pick up her now dusty bow. She scowled at her own folly and began cleaning off the grime.
Legolas shook his head and said, "Because the time may come when you're facing the enemy archer, and you know you face death at that moment. If you want to live, you had better decide quickly that your bow is what you need." He dropped his seriousness and said with a grin, "How about I show you how you're supposed to hold it?"
She laughed as he wrapped his arms around her, fitting his gentle hands over hers. He took an arrow from her quiver and set it to the string, pulling the bow up to shoot. She snuggled closer to his warmth and relaxed. "Now, now," he said with mock seriousness. "Concentrate." His head was over her shoulder, directly next to hers. Just as he prepared to release she faced him and kissed his cheek gently.
"Amin mela lle," she whispered.
Legolas loosened the bowstring and released her hand. "That's not concentrating."
"I know."
He chuckled softly. "Well, it's no use trying to practice now. I've lost my train of thought."
"That was the idea."
He spun her around to face him and kissed her forehead. "I love you too," he whispered before pulling her into another fiery kiss. When he stepped away, Calathi felt all of her energy returning. "Shall we go inside?" He offered his arm, bowing.
The other elf curtsied and accepted the offer. Then the two of them strolled toward the palace, laughing at how they used the courtesies usually given to a Prince and a Lady, even though they were beyond that. No one seemed to be around them as they approached the entranceway. Suddenly they heard hoofbeats approaching quickly, and the two elves turned around just in time to see an exhausted rider jump from his horse. "The goblins-" he gasped, opening his water flask and taking a quick swig before he continued. "Your highness, they're on the march. Their army has just entered Mirkwood."
By the time the elven maiden reached the practice courts, she was pale and shaking. But she composed herself quickly when she noticed the other warriors watching her, and she pushed her recent encounter to the back of her mind. She turned to see Legolas approaching her, and she smiled in relief. Harem could not follow her with her love here to protect her.
"Are you all right?" he asked, cupping her slightly ashen face in his hand.
"Yes, I'm fine now," she returned, placing her elegant fingers over his. He smiled and lead her, still holding her hand, toward a sparring area.
Releasing her at one end of the ring, he walked to the other side and faced her. "Shall we determine what you need to work on?" he said, grinning wickedly as he drew his own sword.
Calathi stood a little confusedly for a moment before she realized what he was saying. "What?" she gasped, putting her hands before her. "Legolas, I - I can't - I won't... what if I accidentally hurt you? No. Absolutely not."
The Prince laughed. "Calathi, if you hurt me, then you are needed more than I anyway. Trust me, you won't. I think you are underestimating your own control." He gestured toward her sword, and she reluctantly drew it.
"Valar protect me," she mumbled to herself before the two got into the starting position.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Ready." Before she could blink he lunged at her, his weapon flying swiftly through the air. Numbly she blocked each strike as her body took over. Though his sword moved like a blur, hers countered it easily. Suddenly the idea of what this would look like to others made her laugh. Here was the Prince of Mirkwood, fighting against a Lady of his Court, and she had not yet fallen. She was fighting against her true love, who was battling her as though he wanted to kill her. She grinned and decided, *all right, now how about I switch to offense? *
Calathi found a gap in Legolas' pattern of strikes that she was waiting for. Quicker than he could counter her, she entered into an attack of her own. Her sword arched in a crescent toward his waist, and as soon as he blocked her she reversed the strike, aiming toward his left side. He barely managed to get his sword there in time, and he stumbled back in surprise. With a quick flick of her wrist, the tip of Methlai caught on the edge of her opponent's weapon and she pulled, yanking it from his unprepared grasp. She put her sword to his neck as he stood and waited as his dumbstruck look changed to one of comprehension and then respect. He put his hands up and surrendered.
She stepped back and bowed, sheathing Methlai, and suddenly applause broke out around them. Looking around, she saw that a crowd had gathered around the circle that she hadn't noticed during the fight. They were now all cheering loudly and clapping. She blushed and went to stand beside Legolas. He took her hand and squeezed it. "You fought wonderfully, melamin my love."
Her cheeks reddened even more. "I doubt I would have won if you hadn't tripped," she said modestly as the two walked out toward the archery field.
"Well, I can see that we do not need to work much on your swordsmanship," he remarked, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "I have not been bested in a long while. Perhaps we could try that again sometime?"
"Whatever you wish, your highness," she returned, stopping to bow. He chuckled as they continued and came to stand before a target.
"Let's see how your marksmanship is." He strung his bow and looked at the target, about seventy yards away. Then, in one fluid motion, he fitted an arrow to his string and fired. Calathi watched as the arrow flew to land in the center of the ring across the field. Legolas stepped back and allowed her to try.
She also strung her bow, and then she closed her eyes. The target was there, in her mind, as clear as day. Quickly she opened them, notched her arrow to the bowstring, and loosed. She nodded in satisfaction when it came to land a small space away from Legolas' arrow, just off the bulls- eye. She was never the best archer in her home of Ilinar; she was only average. But she was glad to see that her skills had not dulled in that area.
Legolas whistled softly. "Not bad, my Lady," he commented, mimicking Calathi's tone of formality. Then he shook his head, clicking his tongue. "It could, however be improved." Calathi gave him a gentle shove and fit another arrow to her bowstring. She closed her eyes again, taking deep, steady breaths. Still closing her eyes, she pulled the string back and shot toward the target.
When she opened them again, Legolas seemed to be covering a smile and quivering with suppressed laughter. She looked and saw that her arrow was nowhere in sight. "Well, so much for that attempt," she muttered.
"Indeed," Legolas agreed. "Let's stick to keeping your eyes open. You don't want to hurt anyone."
The Prince worked with Calathi all day on her archery, firing arrow after arrow and watching her do the same. The sun was beginning to set as the two elves were finishing up. Finally Calathi threw down her bow in frustration, after missing the center of the target for about the twentieth time. "You need to hold your bow up higher. Your left arm should be parallel with the ground," the Prince advised.
"If you're so good at this, how about you do the shooting, and I'll just stick to my sword," she suggested, stooping to pick up her now dusty bow. She scowled at her own folly and began cleaning off the grime.
Legolas shook his head and said, "Because the time may come when you're facing the enemy archer, and you know you face death at that moment. If you want to live, you had better decide quickly that your bow is what you need." He dropped his seriousness and said with a grin, "How about I show you how you're supposed to hold it?"
She laughed as he wrapped his arms around her, fitting his gentle hands over hers. He took an arrow from her quiver and set it to the string, pulling the bow up to shoot. She snuggled closer to his warmth and relaxed. "Now, now," he said with mock seriousness. "Concentrate." His head was over her shoulder, directly next to hers. Just as he prepared to release she faced him and kissed his cheek gently.
"Amin mela lle," she whispered.
Legolas loosened the bowstring and released her hand. "That's not concentrating."
"I know."
He chuckled softly. "Well, it's no use trying to practice now. I've lost my train of thought."
"That was the idea."
He spun her around to face him and kissed her forehead. "I love you too," he whispered before pulling her into another fiery kiss. When he stepped away, Calathi felt all of her energy returning. "Shall we go inside?" He offered his arm, bowing.
The other elf curtsied and accepted the offer. Then the two of them strolled toward the palace, laughing at how they used the courtesies usually given to a Prince and a Lady, even though they were beyond that. No one seemed to be around them as they approached the entranceway. Suddenly they heard hoofbeats approaching quickly, and the two elves turned around just in time to see an exhausted rider jump from his horse. "The goblins-" he gasped, opening his water flask and taking a quick swig before he continued. "Your highness, they're on the march. Their army has just entered Mirkwood."