Farothwen and Glorohtar kept their romance under wraps for the coming months because if word got out they would both be doomed. Glorohtar was especially worried about his father, who hated all humans. They achieved this by sneaking out at night to see each other.
Soon, the time came for Farothwen and Glorohtar's archery contest, as her training was complete. A small smattering of curious Elves turned up to see it. Farothwen and Glorohtar had offered to set up the targets while the crowd was waiting impatiently to be seated at the outdoor arena.
As they were waiting, Beleglor's friend Galadhdil turned to him and said, 'What is taking so long?'
Beleglor shrugged. 'I don't know. I will go and check. Just tell everyone to wait.'
As he walked towards the arena, he heard Glorohtar and Farothwen's voices.
'I think they are noticing us being away for so long,' Farothwen said.
Beleglor heard Glorohtar laugh. 'It doesn't matter. The more time I spend with you, the better.'
'But we spend every spare moment together anyway.'
Beleglor thought about this. Now he knew why Farothwen was going out with Rochtári at night. But why was she close to Glorohtar? He thought that he was Farothwen's only friend.
'So?' Glorohtar asked, mischief evident in his voice. 'You know I can't get enough of you, my mormír.'
'Your dark jewel?'
'Fine, my morloth.'
'Your dark flower?'
'All right, my morgil.'
'Your dark star?'
'Oh, come here, you.'
Farothwen giggled as Glorohtar pulled her close. When Beleglor finally caught sight of them, they were in a passionate embrace.
Beleglor loudly and deliberately cleared his throat. Farothwen and Glorohtar sprang apart.
'Ada!'
Beleglor carried on as if nothing had happened.
'Are you ready?'
Farothwen nodded. 'Yes, we are ready, Ada.'
The competition was actually more than archery - it also included sword fighting and knife fighting, at Beleglor's request, since he wanted his daughter to know it all.
The archery competition was first. They had just five arrows each, with targets at five different distances. They easily got the bullseye for the first three distances, but Farothwen had difficulty with the fourth distance, but she made the shot. When it came to the fifth distance, she was in trouble. She simply could not see that far, as her human eyes could not contend with Elven eyes. She just guessed where the bullseye was and fired. She just missed it. Glorohtar was leading her so far.
The next round was a sword fight. Neither of them were very confident with a sword, but they were both able. The fight ended with a stalemate, as neither could get an advantage.
Farothwen was exhausted, but she still wanted to complete the knife round. Glorohtar was still leading.
The first half of the knife round was a throwing contest. The first part consisted of stationary targets, which both did equally well in. The moving targets were a bigger challenge.
Beleglor, who acted as officiator, tossed two apples into the air. Both knives pierced the apples, but Farothwen scored an extra point because she pinned hers to a tree.
The last contest was a no-holds-barred knife duel. This is what most of the Elves present had come to see, as they heard the human was exceptional with her knives.
As they stood, ready to fight, Glorohtar noticed Farothwen looked spent, which she was, from the physical and mental exertion.
'Do you want to stop?'
'No. I want to beat you first.'
He smiled. 'Good girl.'
Beleglor gave the word and they started, the pair of knives they held clashing so furiously they were almost causing sparks. The fight went on for a long time, much to the crowd's delight. Glorohtar had a physical advantage over Farothwen was he was taller, but she was his equal in skill.
In one furious maneuver, Glorohtar knocked a knife out of Farothwen's left hand. She fought on, not daunted by the fact that she was effectively one-handed. Soon enough, she knocked the knife out of his left hand. They were now on equal terms.
Farothwen was tired, and she wanted to go home, so she decided to end the match quickly. Faster than he could anticipate, Farothwen knocked the knife out of his right hand, leaving him unarmed. She then grabbed his neck with her left hand, pushed him to his knees and held her knife to his throat. The crowd went wild as she was declared the winner.
Glorohtar smiled at her. 'Go home and rest. You deserve it, my morfaroth.' Dark hunter.
'Farothwen? Glorohtar? Can I talk to you?' Beleglor asked as the Elves filed out of the arena. Farothwen furrowed her brow.
'Yes, Ada,' Both she and Glorohtar went over to Beleglor. He spoke in a conspirital tone.
'Now, what I saw before...'
Farothwen bowed her head.
'No, my love, I am not angry with you or Glorohtar.'
'You're not, Ada?'
'No, but listen to me carefully, both of you. You are taking a huge risk, being together. These sort of relationships are unheard of, and both of you could be in danger. I do not want this to be a passing phase.' He turned to Glorohtar. 'Do you love my daughter?'
He nodded. 'More than anything.'
Beleglor turned to Farothwen. 'Do you love Glorohtar?'
'With all my heart.'
Beleglor sighed. 'I just want to know you are doing this for the right reasons. But I trust both of you, and please, be careful.' He kissed Farothwen's forehead. Beleglor turned to Glorohtar.
'I guess this makes you my son,' he grinned. He kissed Glorohtar's forehead. 'Please look after her.'
Glorohtar nodded. 'I will, Father.'
'Go on, off you both go. I daresay you both need to rest.'
'How well do you think I went, Ada?' Farothwen asked.
'My dear Farothwen,' he smiled. You truly are a hunter maiden, you did brilliantly.'
She smiled. 'Thank you, Ada.'
Soon, the time came for Farothwen and Glorohtar's archery contest, as her training was complete. A small smattering of curious Elves turned up to see it. Farothwen and Glorohtar had offered to set up the targets while the crowd was waiting impatiently to be seated at the outdoor arena.
As they were waiting, Beleglor's friend Galadhdil turned to him and said, 'What is taking so long?'
Beleglor shrugged. 'I don't know. I will go and check. Just tell everyone to wait.'
As he walked towards the arena, he heard Glorohtar and Farothwen's voices.
'I think they are noticing us being away for so long,' Farothwen said.
Beleglor heard Glorohtar laugh. 'It doesn't matter. The more time I spend with you, the better.'
'But we spend every spare moment together anyway.'
Beleglor thought about this. Now he knew why Farothwen was going out with Rochtári at night. But why was she close to Glorohtar? He thought that he was Farothwen's only friend.
'So?' Glorohtar asked, mischief evident in his voice. 'You know I can't get enough of you, my mormír.'
'Your dark jewel?'
'Fine, my morloth.'
'Your dark flower?'
'All right, my morgil.'
'Your dark star?'
'Oh, come here, you.'
Farothwen giggled as Glorohtar pulled her close. When Beleglor finally caught sight of them, they were in a passionate embrace.
Beleglor loudly and deliberately cleared his throat. Farothwen and Glorohtar sprang apart.
'Ada!'
Beleglor carried on as if nothing had happened.
'Are you ready?'
Farothwen nodded. 'Yes, we are ready, Ada.'
The competition was actually more than archery - it also included sword fighting and knife fighting, at Beleglor's request, since he wanted his daughter to know it all.
The archery competition was first. They had just five arrows each, with targets at five different distances. They easily got the bullseye for the first three distances, but Farothwen had difficulty with the fourth distance, but she made the shot. When it came to the fifth distance, she was in trouble. She simply could not see that far, as her human eyes could not contend with Elven eyes. She just guessed where the bullseye was and fired. She just missed it. Glorohtar was leading her so far.
The next round was a sword fight. Neither of them were very confident with a sword, but they were both able. The fight ended with a stalemate, as neither could get an advantage.
Farothwen was exhausted, but she still wanted to complete the knife round. Glorohtar was still leading.
The first half of the knife round was a throwing contest. The first part consisted of stationary targets, which both did equally well in. The moving targets were a bigger challenge.
Beleglor, who acted as officiator, tossed two apples into the air. Both knives pierced the apples, but Farothwen scored an extra point because she pinned hers to a tree.
The last contest was a no-holds-barred knife duel. This is what most of the Elves present had come to see, as they heard the human was exceptional with her knives.
As they stood, ready to fight, Glorohtar noticed Farothwen looked spent, which she was, from the physical and mental exertion.
'Do you want to stop?'
'No. I want to beat you first.'
He smiled. 'Good girl.'
Beleglor gave the word and they started, the pair of knives they held clashing so furiously they were almost causing sparks. The fight went on for a long time, much to the crowd's delight. Glorohtar had a physical advantage over Farothwen was he was taller, but she was his equal in skill.
In one furious maneuver, Glorohtar knocked a knife out of Farothwen's left hand. She fought on, not daunted by the fact that she was effectively one-handed. Soon enough, she knocked the knife out of his left hand. They were now on equal terms.
Farothwen was tired, and she wanted to go home, so she decided to end the match quickly. Faster than he could anticipate, Farothwen knocked the knife out of his right hand, leaving him unarmed. She then grabbed his neck with her left hand, pushed him to his knees and held her knife to his throat. The crowd went wild as she was declared the winner.
Glorohtar smiled at her. 'Go home and rest. You deserve it, my morfaroth.' Dark hunter.
'Farothwen? Glorohtar? Can I talk to you?' Beleglor asked as the Elves filed out of the arena. Farothwen furrowed her brow.
'Yes, Ada,' Both she and Glorohtar went over to Beleglor. He spoke in a conspirital tone.
'Now, what I saw before...'
Farothwen bowed her head.
'No, my love, I am not angry with you or Glorohtar.'
'You're not, Ada?'
'No, but listen to me carefully, both of you. You are taking a huge risk, being together. These sort of relationships are unheard of, and both of you could be in danger. I do not want this to be a passing phase.' He turned to Glorohtar. 'Do you love my daughter?'
He nodded. 'More than anything.'
Beleglor turned to Farothwen. 'Do you love Glorohtar?'
'With all my heart.'
Beleglor sighed. 'I just want to know you are doing this for the right reasons. But I trust both of you, and please, be careful.' He kissed Farothwen's forehead. Beleglor turned to Glorohtar.
'I guess this makes you my son,' he grinned. He kissed Glorohtar's forehead. 'Please look after her.'
Glorohtar nodded. 'I will, Father.'
'Go on, off you both go. I daresay you both need to rest.'
'How well do you think I went, Ada?' Farothwen asked.
'My dear Farothwen,' he smiled. You truly are a hunter maiden, you did brilliantly.'
She smiled. 'Thank you, Ada.'