Chapter 40: Silver Pennies

Legolas fell onto the floor. Cield nearly grabbed his baby brother off the floor and nearly hurt him, but something got to his first.

Cield's pet hound, Galil, pounced on top of Legolas. At first, Legolas was scared and tears ran down his face

"Galy! Galy! OFF!"

Legolas kicked and squealed. The hound licked Legolas all over his face, and soon the elfling stopped yelling and gently began to pet the hound, ruffling the hound's ears and fur.

Cield, on the other hand, was not as pleased. He grabbed his hound by his diamond collar and tossed him aside.

"Get off him Galil you stupid dog!"

Cield usually loved his dog, Galil being the only living thing Cield ever showed affection and a good mood toward (well, sometimes Cield tried to impress She-elves but usually Cield would embarrass himself and turn red)- but Cield was also acting very moody these days so no one knew what mood he would be in next, even toward man (or elf)'s best friend.

Cield then pulled Legolas up into the air. Legolas did not detect the anger in Cield and immediately told him about the tooth and Carak.

"An' look! I got another lose one!"

Legolas wriggled another tooth.

Cield threw Legolas over his shoulder and carried him to his room. Cield withdrew from a deerskin pouch two silver pennies and gave them to Legolas, who pranced away singing thank you.

Cield caught the elfling before he ran away and began to do something in his mouth.

"Key! What are you doing?" Legolas cried to his older brother. "I'm just helping... Carak... with the tooth gathering!" Cield sniggered. Evil Cield was pulling at Legolas' other loose tooth, twisting it and turning it in every direction. Legolas was in luck though: Galil jumped onto Cield, nearly pulling the tooth out. But Legolas managed to scurry away before Cield got back onto his feet.

Legolas put his pennies in a sack with the money Tonus gave him. Then, the greatest idea ever came.

Legolas took his sack with the tooth in it from under his pillow and ran to Galion.

Legolas explained to Galion that he lost his tooth, and that Carak gave money to lost teeth. The prince never forgot to add that everyone had been giving his pennies. Galion gave the elfling four silver pennies: only because Legolas would not stop following him around mentioning how he'd love to have silver pennies.

Then Legolas took his tooth to Edvan, yet another faithful servant to the king. He told him of his tooth and pestered the servant into giving him three silver pennies.

The last person on his list (or at least, in the palace) was Laoli, a butler who often aided Galion with the barrels that flowed in from lake town, as well as aided Thranduil in getting the hyper elfling Legolas and his sister to bed.

Legolas did not even need to put on a sweet face or pester Laoli. Laoli loved children and she especially loved Legolas and gave him five silver pennies from the start.

When Legolas returned to his room, he put his tooth back under his pillow and the coins he earned with the others, now having a total of nineteen coins and very happy about it. His last target was Haldir, who had not given him any coins...

To be Continued

Uhoh Haldir has to play the role of Carak by night and Haldir-The- Broke-Because-He-Gave-Money-To-Legolas by day! Well, by request, he is not AS broke, but he'll be working at McDonald's for quite some time if ever he wants to repay Orophin for that loan he made last summer...