Chap4

It was finally time that Legolas could stop pretending to be in pain. Admittedly, the day before he had be walking normally but still couldn't run, however today he could run and climb and do all sorts. Balar had had another idea for how they could make pests of themselves; they would play 'duck duck goose'. (If you've never played the rules are at the bottom of the chapter.)

Soon a group of little elves was rounded up. Earelen got Mindeb, Laurevil, Nimloth and Lalaith; Aros brought Teiglin and Thalos, with Balar came Celon* and Ecthelion; and Agarwaen, Brithon and Lindon came with Legolas.

"Now," Legolas told them, "You all know what to do. If Arhivil catches you, make up some reason why you shouldn't be 'it', if that fails, catch one of the fastest of our group and they will catch Arhivil. Do you all understand?"

The rest of the group nodded and Earelen ran off to fetch Arhivil. By the time she returned the rest of the little ones had sat down in a circle leaving a space for Earelen.

"Last one to the space is 'it'!" Thalos called out as the rest of the group began to shuffle about watching happily as Arhivil ran, desperately trying not to be 'it'. However, Earelen just stood and waited for the space to come to her and sat down calmly when it came. Arhivil glowered at them but consented to be 'it'. After a whole hour of duck duck goose Arhivil was 'it'. She had caught plenty of little ones, some she had given into, other she hadn't but they had always gone for Legolas who would let them back into their space and then catch her. Now she was 'it' and had a plan.

"Duck, duck, duck, duck, duck" Arhivil kept going round till she reached Legolas then, "GOOSE!"

Arhivil ran as fast as she could but the young prince was gaining and he had the advantage, he was fresh and had an abundance of energy, whereas she was tired and low on energy but still she ran, round the circle, the space was near but-

"GOTCHYA!" Legolas cried triumphantly as he grabbed her, but the speed they were both at caused Arhivil to fall bringing Legolas with her. The whole group gasped in unison as Legolas was thrown over the top of Arhivil and rolled over five times before coming to a halt.

"Legolas!" Earelen cried out, eyes wide with real fear for her friend.

Aros and Balar were beside him in an instant. Legolas sat up slowly and reassured those present that he was OK. Arhivil was becoming suspicious about the last fall, if he wasn't hurt now how come he got hurt then. She began to question him but he interrupted her.

"Because last time my ankle twisted under me and that caused my fall. This time I was merely thrown." he explained.

Arhivil nodded but still wasn't completely sure. The children were beginning to settle back down for the next round of the game but Arhivil told them it was time to stop. Just as she finished telling them they should make their way back to their homes it began to rain.

The rain continued for two days. Legolas spent most of the time with his three closest friends making fake spiders and fake webs to go with them. They enjoyed themselves immensely but whenever someone came in the room they had to hide their work. When they did this to Dimrost, the mere sight of supposedly innocent crafts was enough to make him suspicious. 'Those four are up to something,' he thought, 'they never make anything innocent except practical things like arrows.' The master archer studied the little ones hard before he left them in peace. When the rain cleared up all the children poured outside. They all wanted fresh air and room to run about. Legolas, Aros, Balar and Earelen were no exception but they had a plan of what they would do, Spider Baiting. However, just as they set out to leave Arhivil turned up.

"Oh no you don't," Arhivil's voice came across the garden in such a command that the four of them stopped and turned, "Where exactly do you think you're going."

"Into the forest," came the innocent reply from Legolas and when he sounded innocent something was amiss.

"Not without an adult you don't."

"Will you come with us then?" Earelen asked.

"We're off for a bit of Spider Baiting." added Balar.

Aros elbowed him in the side and muttered, "Shut up. No ones supposed to know."

"Sp…spider," Arhivil gulped, "Spider Baiting?"

"Unless your coming with us can you leave us alone," Aros said exasperatedly, "It's not like we're doing anything dangerous."

"Yeah," Legolas said frowning, "Anyway, now you know we doing you should know we've done it for ages and never been bitten."

"Oh come on," Earelen said, getting impatient, "Lets go."

The four little ones marched off but Arhivil was after them in a second and much to their delight, insisted on coming. Things were going perfectly to plan. The five elves went deep into the forest, the four young ones listening intently. Thick (fake) spider webs covered the trees and on one particularly thickly cover tree they halted. After a quick look around Legolas darted up, his friends followed suit but Arhivil stayed on the ground. Earelen then began to sing, a slow creepy tune, high on the scale and the others joined in. Aros sung a slow, low part and Legolas and Balar a fast medium part. They looked at each other in excitement as they heard a spider approach (on the opposite side of the tree to Arhivil) Grinning broadly, Aros through some acorns down (they were in an oak tree) and they hit the spider square on the head. The others sung louder and also chucked acorns down, aggravating the massive arachnid. With legs a meter in length, it went quickly round the tree to find an easier place to climb. As the little elves fitted arrows into their bows (proper ones, not A.A's) they heard a scream from below. Legolas gasped in delight and with eyes wide and twinkling jumped into the lower branches of the tree to help Arhivil. All was going perfectly.

Arhivil screamed in terror, but this only angered the spider further, "HELP! SOMEONE!"

All four of the younger elves were now in the lower branches and preparing to fire. They did so, hurting the spider, but still it continued towards Arhivil, who screamed again. The spider bore down upon her baring its fangs, Legolas gasped and jumping down from the tree unsheathed his dagger and ran at the spider shouting, "Bad spider! Down boy! Down!"

And then to Arhivil's amazement, the spider backed away and reached up to its head and pulled it off revealing Teiglin. All but Arhivil burst out laughing. When they had stopped laughing Balar said, "You didn't think we really went Spider Baiting did you?"

"That would be suicide." Aros said with a smile.

Arhivil glared at them, turned around and went back to the palace muttering to herself. Teiglin also bade them farewell and returned home.

"Now for the real Spider Baiting," Legolas said with a grin, "Lets go."

A/N- Yes Legolas and his friends really do Spider Bait and they have been doing it for ages, Legolas told the truth there. The costume was so thick that the four young ones arrows didn't hurt Teiglin

Spider Baiting

You climb a tree, but one with no webs on it, and sing insulting tunes about spiders and they come. When they arrive you throw rocks or things like that at them and you can also fire A.A's to get them annoyed. You also don't use short knives, it too dangerous. You have to use long ones.

Duck Duck Goose

One person is 'it' and everyone else sits in a circle. The person who is 'it' goes round and taps everyone on the head saying 'duck' when they touch them. When they say 'goose' to a person they have to run all the way round the circle and try and get to the 'goose's' space before the 'goose' catches them.

REPLIES TO REVIEWS

JastaElf: I'm glad you liked it! Well here's more.

TreeHugger: Glad you liked it. I have to agree, they are wicked little elfling, but will they get away with it? just wait and see when Thranduil comes home. Well, elflings must stick together, but they are cute and clever in insincerity and getting out of trouble. Hope you like this chapter as much!