Chapter Two: To Be Young
The autumnal sun of late afternoon filtered through the interlacing branches of the trees as a young elf stretched languidly upon the ground, enjoying a few moments' peace. He had been practicing archery with Kirar, his teacher and swordmaster, all day and his arms were pleasantly sore. Legolas didn't mind in the slightest, however. Even Kirar had said he was very skilled with the bow for many youngsters his age and practice had gone well.
He sat up, draping his arms lazily over his knees, enjoying the warm feel of the sun on his face. His sharp eyes caught a flash of silver and he glanced back along the path towards the palace. Trotting towards him, were his two friends with their bows slung over their shoulders and green quivers strapped to their backs. The sunlight gleamed off of the buckles that held their quivers in place.
Rinniad ran up and sprawled beside his friend beneath the shade of the oak tree.
"Kirar set you free at last?" he said laughingly. Lóthmir son of Tirien of the Guard sat down a little more serenely and respectfully greeted the prince who swatted impatiently at him.
"I saw him practicing on the fields today, Lóthmir. You have some competition," Rinniad remarked. Legolas flushed with embarrassment as the other elf scoffed. Rinniad grinned at him.
"If you still think that you are the greatest archer in Mirkwood, I would dearly love to see a competition."
"You would- only because you are a swordsman and certainly no archer," Lóthmir said with an impatient wave of his hand.
"I can string a bow faster than you," Rinniad protested, fingering the saber at his side protectively. Lóthmir snorted with laughter.
"Faster than a dwarf perhaps." Rinniad rose to his feet, all traces of his former amusement quite evaporated. Legolas groaned inwardly. His friends were constantly fighting with one another and challenging each other to try some ridiculous stunt that almost always ended up getting them in trouble or nearly killed. The last stunt had involved seeing who could climb up the highest on the cliffs near the waterfall and throwing themselves off into the deep pool below. It had ended when Rinniad had broken his arm and nearly drowned in the pounding foam.
They had arrived home to meet the King- who was beside himself with fury alongside the other boys' fathers and their tearful mothers. The punishment had been worse. After that little mishap, none of them were allowed to spend their hot summer days by the waterfall anymore. His friends always had a habit of getting themselves in trouble and Legolas, who often tried to mitigate their little quarrels to little avail, was usually dragged along into it.
"If you so doubt me, mellon" Rinniad voiced with acerbic irony. "Then let us have a contest. I challenge you to an archery match- just a little friendly game is all." His green eyes glinted in the afternoon sunlight as Lóthmir grinned amusedly up at him. The other elf rose to his feet as Legolas rolled his eyes despairingly, knowing without trying that it would be useless to dissuade them.
"I accept."
"Come, Legolas. You are to be the impartial judge- or if you dare you can attempt to beat me and easily defeat bold but blockheaded Rinniad," Lóthmir invited with a cheeky smile. Rinniad's ear tips flushed red but he stalked past his friend with his head held high. Legolas sighed and acquiesced with a nod.
However, the archery grounds were off limits during other practices so the young elves turned away and saddled their horses. Legolas leapt onto Lintedal, a light-colored and swift mare. Rinniad rode a speckled grey and Lóthmir favored his father's horse- a fine-boned, coal black stallion. Together, they rode out under the canopy of dark trees.
"Come! The day is already passing!" Legolas laughed and spurred his steed on ahead of them. Grinning at the challenge, the two others raced after him.
"No fair!"
"You got a head start!"
They rode hard and had soon put the palace far behind them. They pounded over the enchanted black river and the stone bridge that forded it. They rode until they came to a secluded clearing favored for a quiet afternoon.
They tethered their horses to nearby tree so that they would not accidentally wander into the line of fire. Legolas used a sharpened stick to secure the palm-sized leaf to the tree and stepped back.
Lóthmir stepped up first and loosed his first arrow. It struck the leaf half an inch to the center. He stepped back and grinned at Rinniad. The other elf smirked back and drew his own arrow to the string. His arrow struck Lóthmir's from the tree. But according to Legolas, it was still in the same spot so neither was closer than the other. So it went. Legolas leaned against a tree, listening idly to their arguing as none could come any closer to beating the other soundly. Several of their arrows had already snapped when they struck one another.
Legolas gazed out into the dark trees, his blue eyes narrowed against the gloom. That was when he heard it. It was a soft sound, scarcely audible over the hissing of the leaves in the trees. Legolas leapt forward agilely, an arrow already drawn to his bow and tight to his ear. Rinniad and Lóthmir looked over at his movement, their quarrel forgotten mid-sentence.
"What is it?" Lóthmir asked excitedly.
Legolas bounded silently forward, hearing the soft grinding noise again. He crept forward, crouching low in the brush. He could see her in the grass, her long neck bent low. The white hind glimmered as she chewed the grass languidly, her long, velvety ears perked for any sound of predators.
The wind changed and the doe lifted her head, sensing the presence of the hunting elves. With a flash of her white tail, she leapt away into the trees but only trotted a few feet away before settling to browse again.
"Shall we pursue?" Rinniad suggested eagerly, crouching beside his friend. "Our fathers would be pleased if we brought home the evening meal." Legolas felt a smile tug the corners of his lips. He had not yet been on his first hunt. Now, was as good a time as any. He was ready and already had the deer in his sights. But Lóthmir looked unsure.
"Perhaps we should turn back. It is still a way's ride back to the palace and the hind will be here another day." Legolas blew out an exasperated breath but he knew his friend was right.
Evening had already crept in upon them unawares. It was very dark beneath the trees and even his keen eyes had difficulty discerning the dark tree limbs from the shadow shapes that skittered across the ground. But Rinniad looked indignant.
"You are just sore that you lost and now you want us to miss out on a chance for such glory! The white hind would truly make a great prize." Lóthmir shook his head exasperatedly.
"We should leave now." Rinniad drew his own bead on the doe and eased himself carefully forward.
"Rinniad-" Lóthmir cautioned. Legolas stiffened, realizing too that something was amiss. He seized Rinniad's shoulder. His aim spoiled, the elf loosened his draw and turned to his friend.
"I say, Legolas, no sabotage now!" he chided but the prince wasn't listening.
"Do you hear that?"
"It's just the wind," his friend said impatiently, eager to catch the doe before she escaped. But Legolas shook his head.
"It was not the wind." Lóthmir walked closer, realizing that something was very wrong. His eyes darted nervously around the clearing to where the horses shifted restlessly. Without their noticing, the deer had disappeared into the brush, startled into sudden flight.
"I heard it too. The wind howls with wolf voices," he said quietly. The three fledgling warriors exchanged glances, suddenly realizing that they were far farther from home than they had ever intended to come. They were no more than seven miles from the borders where dark things crept into the elven-inhabited land.
A soft, menacing growl reached their ears and they all tensed. Immediately, they faced outwards with their backs to each other. They all drew arrows to their strings and waited.
Yellow eyes gleamed at them from out of the brush, winking out here and there only to reappear- nearer and more numerous. They formed a semi-circle around the entire clearing and edged in closer. Legolas let one arrow fly and it buried itself in the neck of a wolf chieftain. The others sprang forward and arrows whined through the air like angry hornets as the other two loosed them.
Wolves crumpled heavily to the earth as the remaining others broke off their attack, circling back out of range of the arrows as they disappeared behind the trees. For a long moment, a tense silence reigned. The elves still stood with their bows ready and their eyes unceasingly roving the trees for any signs of their attackers.
"Are they gone?" Rinniad asked, tentatively lowering his bow.
Suddenly, Lóthmir staggered backwards. Legolas whirled round and felt the bottom drop out of his stomach as he saw the crude arrow lodged in his friend's chest. He whirled round as vicious laughter and high-pitched screeching reached his ears. A scattering of orcs, attracted by the hungry wolves' howls and in anticipation of a fresh kill, leered at them from the trees. Legolas and Rinniad drew their respective blades as the orcs charged in too close to use their arrows.
Rinniad drew his saber and thrust it through the stomach of an attacking orc. He tore a knife from his boot and flung it into the throat of another coming in on his heels. He ducked under the lunging attack of another of the goblins and sliced it across the ribs as it overlunged past him. Rinniad glanced around and waded through the thick of the battle to where Lóthmir was beset by three. The arrow shaft in his chest had snapped as he valiantly tried to keep them at bay with the few remaining arrows left in his quiver.
Suddenly, Legolas appeared seemingly from nowhere and sliced into the first two before they realized what was happening. His white knives flashed in a whirling attack as he clove the orcs' necks in twain. Black blood spurted from the wounds as the goblins dropped heavily to the ground.
The other orcs, seeing that their easy kill would not be so easy to kill, bolted. The wolves too had turned away from the grim-faced elves and leapt upon the wounded and dead orcs strewn around the clearing.
Legolas and Rinniad waited tensely, sweat sliding down their foreheads and sides from exertion. After several long moments, the forest was silent and still once more. Slowly, the elves relaxed and turned to their wounded companion.
Legolas and Rinniad bent down and lifted their friend to his feet. His face was very pale almost ashen and the arrow had lodged itself near his first rib and had pierced the tough leather armor that any sensible warrior wore beneath his tunic during archery practice. The wound was not deep nor vitally buried as Legolas inspected it. The shaft had been too large to actually pierce his ribs and bled only a little. Still, it was painful and it would be better that they get it taken care of sooner rather than later. It was very dark now.
"We must get back," Legolas said urgently, slinging himself beneath his friend's arm to support him. Rinniad untied the horses that had not pulled themselves free. Their eyes were so wide with fear that he could see the whites and they were sweating and shaking uncontrollably. Lóthmir's black steed, Rhûn, was dead- riddled with the slashes the wolves' fangs had opened in its sides. Two orcs lay close by, their skulls bashed in by a horse's sharp hooves.
Grunting, they managed to heave their half-conscious friend up onto Lintedal and Legolas mounted behind him. They rode as quickly as they could back towards the palace but it was a good hour before the palace edged back into their view. Rinniad looked down at Lóthmir who was still thankfully conscious. The three friends exchanged glances and laughed uneasily.
"You know we'd be in so much trouble if our fathers found out where we were," Rinniad said, his ear tips flushed pink from their impromptu fight and flight.
"Prince Legolas!" a voice hailed.
"Oh no," Legolas whispered, dismayed as Telas stalked towards him, his face a mask of rage. "Where have you been? We've all been worried sick and searching for hours-"
"I know, Telas! I know. I'm sorry! We lost track of the time," Legolas said quickly, trying to head the irate elf off before he could move into a full-blown tirade. He knew he would probably be on the receiving end of one from his father anyway.
"Your father is furious, I might add," Telas said sourly, right on cue. Then he caught sight of the semi-conscious Lóthmir and his angered expression swiftly changed to one of alarm.
"By Elbereth! What happened?" Rinniad helped his friend down from the horse.
"We were caught by wolves," he explained shortly. "You go on to the King, Legolas. I'll see that he gets to the healers." Legolas nodded glumly and trudged towards his father's chambers, Lóthmir's proud protests that he could still walk following him up to the enchanted doors.
"What were you thinking? You could have been injured! You could have been killed! Do you realize how worried you have made your mother?" Legolas had been wondering when his father would bring up his mother's condition. Thranduil gazed down at his son sternly, his arms crossed over his chest.
"You cannot go gallivanting off into the forest alone without- "
"I was not alone," Legolas interrupted indignantly. "Rinniad and Lóthmir were with me!" Thranduil, instead of looking relieved, turned livid.
"And you endangered their lives as well with your foolishness! Lóthmir, I am told, was wounded!" Thranduil took a deep breath as though to calm himself as he saw the guilt and sorrow flash across his young son's face. He walked down the dais and gently took his son by the shoulders.
"Legolas, you are responsible for your actions." The prince nodded miserably.
"I know."
"I do not wish to lose you. You are far too important to me, your mother and your people," the King said sternly, his blue eyes flashing at the errant prince who stood scuffing the ground with the toe of a well-worn boot. "I want you to stay close to the palace now- no more than a mile as the river measures." Legolas' head shot up.
"Ada, that is not fair!"
"What you did today is not fair! You were nearly killed! Does that mean nothing to you?" Thranduil insisted. "I want you close so that someone will be nearby to protect you should anything go ill. And it usually does with you," he added severely. Legolas averted his eyes, his chest tightening with anger. His father was treating him like a child! He was old enough to care for himself! They had fought off the wolves, hadn't they? And no one had been killed! Thranduil sighed deeply, massaging his temples to try to quell the throbbing ache he felt gathering between them.
"Go on," he waved a hand towards the door. "I shall see you later at dinner."
Bowing stiffly, Legolas turned on his heel and stalked out of the room. He glared at the floor bad-temperedly as he walked slowly down the hall, only bothering to look up as the soft sound of elven boots reached his ears. Rinniad walked up to his friend, his face grieved.
"I am so sorry, Legolas. It was my fault Lóthmir was hurt. I goaded you into going on." Legolas smiled slightly and clasped his friend's shoulder.
"We were all at fault, mellon-nin- none more so than the others. Lóthmir will heal and then we'll see which of you is the better archer next time. Although-" the two friends began to walk down the corridor. "you know, of course, had I partaken in the challenge that I would have won." Rinniad laughed and cuffed his friend lightly across the head.
"Only in your wildest fantasies princeling!"
"Find anything interesting?" Legolas jumped, dropping the book he had been perusing.
"Oh, Vedhir! You startled me!" He gave a sigh of relief as his uncle bent down and retrieved his book. "I- I didn't see you there."
Ainan smiled as he handed back the book. He had appeared out of the shadows between the tall, dusty shelves as they stood within the vast library.
"How are your studies going, tôrion?" Legolas accepted his book with a nod of thanks.
"They are… going well," he said, not quite meeting his uncle's eyes. He had not had much time for his books as his warrior training progressed and his father had been avoiding him of late- busying himself with the preparations for his next hunt he supposed sourly. Or maybe he was still angry with him because of his "foolishness" earlier.
He looked up at Ainan for a moment. The elf and his companions had been staying in the palace for several weeks now and this was the first that the younger elf had seen of his estranged uncle. He surely did not think that Ainan would seek him out. But, again, here he had appeared, mysteriously or so it seemed.
Ainan smiled slightly as he perched on the edge of a window ledge. It overlooked the gardens; and the high boxwood hedges gleamed with spider silk and white flowers. The sweet scent drifted up to them through the open shutters and Legolas breathed it in peacefully, feeling his troubled thoughts ease a little.
"I heard what happened yesterday," Ainan remarked casually. Legolas frowned, his momentary happiness evaporating.
"My father insists on treating me…" he trailed off, biting back a sharp answer. His uncle smiled gently at his near outburst.
"Like a child?" he finished. "Yes. He doesn't believe you can do anything without your hand being held." Legolas nodded sullenly, leaning back against the stone wall beside his uncle.
"I just wish he'd…"
"Treat you like an adult." Legolas looked up at his uncle as if he'd read his thoughts.
"Yes." Ainan smiled and clapped his nephew on the shoulder.
"You may need a little more discipline, young prince. But I believe that you are old enough now to understand the consequences of your actions and to accept the punishment those actions may incur. However, I do believe your father is wrong to treat you so childishly when you have infinitely proven yourself to be a skilled and intelligent warrior." Legolas swelled with pride.
"I have seen your skill on the archery grounds," Ainan continued. "I would be delighted to aid you in furthering your talents." Legolas looked up in a mixture of shock and delight at his uncle.
"Truly?" Ainan smiled at the child's eagerness.
"Certainly. I do have other business to attend to but in my spare time- I would be happy to instruct you." Legolas nodded fervently. His uncle's offer surprised him but it would be a nice change from stuffy Kirar and he could become more acquainted with his estranged uncle.
"I'd like that," he said. Ainan smiled then his gaze flickered down the hall. "I believe someone is expecting you, tôrion." Legolas followed the other elf's gaze. Rinniad was waiting for him at the end of the hall, motioning towards him.
"I'll see you later, Vedhir," Legolas said. Ainan smiled and gestured for the prince to go on.
"Of course you will."
The elf's silver blue eyes, so akin to his sister's, nailed themselves to the prince's back, watching him until he passed around the corner and out of sight. Yes, Legolas would do nicely.
Legolas followed Rinniad into the healers' wing. There were rows of doors stretching down a vast hall leading to rooms of healing. Many stood empty these days as attacks on the guard had subsided with the decreasing of the orcs. A healer led them down the hall and stopped at a door on the right. She opened it with a smile and allowed them to go in.
Long windows spilled bright sunlight into the room and added a sense of cheer. The orange afternoon light slanted down onto a large, comfortable-looking bed and on it lay Lóthmir, looking alert and awake and very glad to see his friends.
"At last!" he exclaimed in greeting, struggling to sit up. White bandages wrapped around his chest but he grinned at his friends as they pulled up chairs beside him.
"How are you feeling, mellon-nin?" Legolas asked, relieved to see his friend was all right. Lóthmir was still rather pale but he looked better than he had yesterday. The younger elf shrugged, wincing only slightly as he pulled at his injury.
"Fine."
"You know just because you were hurt, does not mean that you won the archery contest. Next time, I will win," Rinniad said.
A universal groan from the others met his ears and the indignant look on his face made his friends laugh. Soon he joined in and the youthful merriment echoed through the healers' ward.
