Chapter 95: Schoolwork turned fun

"Hi Legolas."

"Hi."

"So... how are you doing with your work?"

"Its hard. I got one page done only, because the math is hard."

"One day you will be grateful to know math and how to write and spell. But now is time to learn... maybe I can help with that math. Would you like to go do your homework in the archery field? I can bring along some arrows to help you with this addition and subtracting."

"Really? That would be fun!"

"Great. Hand me your work and your quill and ink please."

Legolas did as he was told then hopped onto Haldir's back and rode with him to the throne room.

"Legolas, what are you doing with Haldir? You should be doing your school work."

"Ada, Haldiw said he'd help me do my work in da archery field."

"Is this true Haldir?"

"Yes sire. May I? I shall be aiding him as much as I can and-

"I do not wish to hear excuses Haldir, I get enough of them from my children. Go now."

Thranduil smiled as Legolas jumped off Haldir and ran to his father where he gave him a tight embrace.

"Now you stay close to Haldir, and don't wander off, or eat the berries, or get in the way of the archers. The snow has melted, but alas it is still chilly my son, so wear a cloak."

"Yes daddy."

Legolas smiled and squeezed out of his father's grasp and into Haldir's.

"Lets go now."

Legolas had much fun in Haldir's arms, pulling at Haldir's ears, hair and nose when he felt the need too.

Before leaving the palace, Haldir headed to the armoury.

"Stay there Cherub, I do not wish for you to get harmed in the armoury."

Haldir entered the armoury, and Legolas sadly obeyed and crossed his legs as he sat on the floor. When Haldir came out of the armoury, a grin fell upon his face when he saw what Haldir held: Many quivers of headless arrows, a sack filled with pieces of Mithril which had broken off of many Mithril shirts and where of no use for war, and two helms.

"Whats all at for?"

"These arrows you can use to help you add and subtract, and for multiplying there are so many loose Mithril rings that you can multiply them by many times..."

"What about da helms?"

"Well I thought if we wore them it would make things much more fun!" Haldir smiled, placing a helm on Legolas' small golden head, which fell over his eyes, and one on his own, which fit perfectly.

"Come now, let us go to the fields." Haldir smiled and took Legolas by his small little palm.

When they arrived in the archery field, Haldir sat down beneath a tree and Legolas sat beside him.

"Can you help me with number one?"

"Well let's see... five plus eleven..."

"Alright Legolas, take out five green-feathered arrows."

"Okay..."

Haldir handed Legolas a quiver of arrows. Haldir held the quiver for Legolas, as the quiver was nearly the size of Legolas, and weighed half as much as Legolas.

"One... two... four... nine...five."

"Close Legolas. One, two, three, four, five."

"Okay. One, two, three, four, five! See? Five arrows!"

"Good. Now this may be harder. Eleven red-feathered arrows now."

"One... two... three... four... five... six... seven... eight... uhh... ehhh...."

"Nine."

"Ya! Nine... ten... eleven!"

"Good. So, add both of those together."

"What do you mean?"

"Count them all in one now."

"One... two... three... four... five... six... seven... eight... nine... ten... eleven... ehhh...."

"Twelve."

"Twelve... thirteen... forteen... fifteen... sixteen!"

"Yes, that is correct. So, that means that...?"

"Sixteen is the answer. Thats a one and a six, right?"

"Yes, correct! Now try the next."

"It says five times five."

"Since that is a multiplication fact I believe it will be best to use these Mithril pieces."

"Okay."

"So take out five."

Legolas obeyed.

"Five more."

"Okay."

"Five more."

"Okay."

"Five more."

"Okay."

"And five more."

"Okay."

"Now add them together."

Legolas began to mutter numbers under his breath.

"Twenty five." Legolas said with pride.

"Great!"

---------------------------Cield----------------------------------

"Tinuviel elvanui, Elleth alfirin edhelhael..." Cield hummed quietly as his swiftly ran his small knife down the side of a piece of wood which now resembled a bow. A few more swift runs down the side with his knife and soon he began to carve the bow. With fair elven runes Cield wrote:

Legolas Thranduilion prince of Mirkwood

Of course, being in these runes, the lettering took less space and Cield carved more than just letters. Cield carved his own name into the bow, as followed:

Crafted by Cield Thranduilion, Brother of Legolas

Cield was sure to engrave this in very small writing, and tried to avoid anyone knowing he wrote this in the runes. Cield finished his carvings with some traditional carvings that had been on the Green wood bows that had been used when king Oropher ruled Green Wood.

Cield pulled the longest strand of hair from his scalp and used it to string his brother's bow. Cield asked the kind apple tree, whom records show Legolas named Georgie, for some soft twigs to craft Legolas' arrows. The apple tree gave Cield several branches, and soon Cield had crafted several arrows. To feather the arrows, Cield plucked feathers from chickens. Cield could recall Legolas eagerly running into the chicken coop one morning, and had named every chicken he saw 'Ketchup'. It was an odd name (you do know that these poor elves had no ketchup, and sadly not even Heins), but Cield chose to tell Legolas when he gave him the bow that these feathers did indeed belong to the great Ketchup Chicken!

Firelien watched as Cield did all this.

"You have stayed true to your words Cield."

"Of course I have. Legolas is but a child and to lie to him, and my father as well, would be cruel. Lying to you at the same time would be horrid. The little elfling deserves this anyways. I just fear he will hurt himself - or someone - or me - with this." Cield smiled as he was kissed on his cheek.

"I love the little guy, even if he can be annoying and make me wish to move away to Mordor. I'll miss his little self when he grows to be a great warrior."

To be Continued...

School was lots of fun, and no homework. My english teacher has a good sized Lord of the Rings (the two towers) poster in the back of the class, and the auto shop teacher looks like Figwit, he's so cool!!!