My Eight-Legged Revenge
Summary: Venea played a prank on Aswen. This is what happens the next time the friends are together.
Disclaimers: I own none of The characters in this story, although I am Aswen, she is a character based on me that Venea invented for her story 'A Star Out of Reach'. All characters you recognize from 'The Lord of the Rings' belong to Tolkien, and all the characters you don't recognize belong to Venea. I only own the plot of this story.
Authors note: this story tells of the first meeting between Aswen and Venea after Venea plays a prank on Aswen. You don't actually get a full account of the original prank but just small references to it. Also it is mentioned in Venea's story 'A Star Out of Reach'.
Another authors note: just in case you get confused I'll just say a bit about the characters. I'm Aswen, my best friend is called Venea. I'm an elf living in Mirkwood and she is a human married to Prince Legolas. I am married to Eldreth, who is Legolas' cousin and we have no children. This is about 7 years after Venea and Legolas are married. If you are still confused read A Star Out of Reach.
My Eight-Legged Revenge
"Venea," I called as sweetly as I could, 'Darn,' I thought, 'she'll see right through that, better use a different tactic.'
Five minutes later I was walking towards her room, hoping this would work. I had my sword in its sheath by my side, with my bow and quiver on my back and my riding gear on.
Knock, knock. I tapped on Venea's door and waited.
"Who is it?" came the reply.
"It's Aswen" I answered, "Open the door; I have to ask you something."
"Oh, no, Aswen I'm not falling for that one again, I open the door and you attack me or throw something at me or..."
"Invite you to come on a short hunting trip to show there are no hard feelings?"
"That, I wasn't expecting."
"Oh, I would never have guessed. Anyway it wouldn't be a very good surprise if you had been expecting it."
"So no hard feelings about the itching powder in the perfume on your anniversary?"
"Of course not. Now open the door, I like talking to the trees, but not once they are three inches wide, six feet tall and have a handle."
"OK, what will I need?"
I walked into Venea's room and sat in a chair as she walked to her closet.
"Not a lot, it's only overnight. We'll be back tomorrow."
"I thought you didn't like company when you went hunting? You said 'It's the only time I get some peace and quiet to think'."
"I know. It is the only time I get any peace and quiet and I do like going alone, but..." I continued before she could interrupt me. "...Eldreth doesn't like me going out alone and I know you've been feeling a bit lonely since Legolas went on his trip with Aragorn last week, so hurry up I haven't got all day."
"OK, give me five minutes"
"You have three."
"Oh, go away, I'll meet you downstairs in five minutes."
"Four and that's my final offer."
"Four then,"
"See you soon." I replied, smiling.
Four and a half minutes later I was waiting in the courtyard for Venea. Next to me were our horses, Venea's with a saddle and bridle. They where stamping their feet in impatience.
"I know, I know." I said soothingly, "punctuality is not one of Venea's strong points."
"Hey, I heard that!" Venea shouted from behind me.
"I'm glad," I replied, "It means you're finally here. You're 47 seconds late." I said, looking to the sun.
"Oh, wow! 47 seconds, that will make such a difference." She replied sarcastically.
"It may have done if wolves had run past our path and seen us, with 47 seconds extra we could have been far away. Oh, by the way, don't be so sarcastic, it doesn't suit you, and it's my job."
"Don't say things like that Aswen," I laughed at the look of pure fear on her face.
"Oh don't worry, we'll be fine I was just joking, anyway you should stop arguing with me: we're already late."
"Arguing with you! You were arguing with me!"
"Fine, we were arguing with each other! Now let's go!" By now I had mounted my horse and was turning her towards the gates.
"Last one to the lake sets up camp!" I shouted, spurring my horse to a quick canter, then gallop.
"Aswen, wait, that's not fair! I don't know where the lake is!"
"Yes you do!" I shouted back, letting Venea gain on me slightly, "You dumped me in it about 2 years ago!"
"Oh, that lake!"
"Yes, that lake."
"I'm going to beat you this time, Aswen!" Venea shouted, drawing in front of me slightly.
"Do you want a bet?" I replied, whispering to my horse in Elvish. We were nearing the lake when my horse put on a final burst of speed and jumped from the trees at the side of the lake first.
"You have to tell me how you elves do that!" Venea shouted, almost in frustration.
"What?" I asked innocently.
"Get your horses to put on a huge burst of speed when it looks like they can't run any more!"
"Oh, I don't know." I replied.
"Yes you do, you just won't tell me because then you'll get beaten."
"Nearly there" I said, "but not quite."
"What?"
"I do know and I won't tell you but the reason is quite different."
"What is it then?"
"The reason I won't tell you is because you will use the knowledge to beat Legolas in those races the two of you have and I refuse to be locked in the dungeons because Prince Legolas has lost a bet to you and you tell him who taught you this trick."
"I won't tell him."
"That's what you said last time."
"When?"
"When I taught you the best way to sneak up on an elf and you dumped a bucket of water over his head. Then you told him that it was me who taught you as pay back for when I made you fall off your horse into the Anduin."
"Oh yes, I remember now," Venea was laughing now, "but I won't tell him this time"
"I know, because I'm not going to tell you, and that's final. No!" I said, as she started to protest. "Now I do believe you have our base camp to set up."
"Why do I have to set up camp now if we're going hunting?"
"Because we're not going hunting now."
"Why?"
"Because it's getting late, our ride took longer than I thought it would, we may have time to go out if we set up camp quickly, and I would rather walk back from a hunt in the dark than set up camp in the dark."
"OK. Will you help me so it's done more quickly?"
"Fine…"
"Do you want first shot?" I whispered quietly to Venea. We were stood in some thick trees near a stream where a large buck was having a drink.
"Yes." She replied, while placing an arrow on her bowstring.
"Hey, what are you stringing your bow for?" She asked.
"Just in case you miss," I replied. Venea just scowled.
"I won't." She said while sighting in on the buck.
"BANG!" I shouted, just as Venea was releasing her arrow. The arrow went wild and hit a tree at the other side the clearing. The arrow I had released just after shouting pierced the buck's chest and it fell to the floor, dead.
"That was unfair! You shouted and my aim went off!"
"It's not my fault you hit a tree." I replied. "What has that tree ever done to you?"
"Oh, shut up and help me get this back to camp."
"Yes, my catch must be very heavy"
"Oh shut up!"
"OK, OK stay calm."
"Grrr…"
"That really was cheating, you know."
"Was it?"
"You know it was!"
"I was stood behind you, your aim was too low, you wouldn't have got a clean kill anyway, but hit the buck in the lung."
"So you were just saving the buck from pain?"
"Yeah...that and the look on your face was hilarious."
"Aswen..." My name was growled, almost like a threat.
"Oh shut up and go to sleep, I'll take first watch."
Dawn was just brushing the treetops of Mirkwood. I hadn't woken Venea, I had been thinking. Revenge is sweet, but is it worth losing a friend? I was surprised at how well my plan had gone so far, but was I really prepared to do this to Venea? The look on her face when I shouted and her arrow went wild was nearly priceless, but not quite, it didn't make up for, among other things, convincing my husband and Prince I had fleas. On my anniversary no less! With a sigh I realized if my plan was to work I had to do it now. Oh heck, I thought, the look on her face would be funny, I just hoped Venea would see it as the prank it was.
I waited a few more moments before I heard Venea start to move as she slowly woke up. I took the small bag of tarantulas and put them under the back of her tent, It took a few moments to take effect, but when it did I couldn't help but laugh, despite my earlier reservations.
"Aaarrrggghhh!" Screamed Venea. She wasn't as over her arachnophobia than I had thought then. Just then she came running out of her tent, arms still attacking the spiders even though I had seen all five of them run into the woods.
"Are you OK Venea?" I asked cautiously. She turned to face me, lost her balance and fell backwards into the lake.
'Humans' I thought, 'always so clumsy.' I knew she could stay safely underwater for two minutes, so I waited one and a half, until the air bubbles started to slow.
"Oh dear," I sighed. Taking off my cloak I dived into the lake to find Venea with her leg caught in some underwater plants. I rolled my eyes as I untangled her foot and we kicked towards the surface together.
"Aswen, I am going to kill you for this!" Fumed a very wet Venea.
"Calm down." I said building up the fire so we could dry off quickly. "Now we are even.
"What! You did that just to get even for the itching powder thing?"
"That and the water you tipped over the heads of Eldreth and I the week before and the time you turned my hair pink and the time you..."
"OK, OK I get the picture, we're even now" she shivered slightly.
"Move closer to the fire, I do not need you getting ill, the prince would hang me."
"Stop fussing!"
"Move." I pierced her with a warning glare, the warning glare that has angels second-guessing, their actions.
"Fine," she muttered, moving closer to the fire. I smiled, that works every time.
"So, what are we going to tell Legolas?" She asked after a short silence.
"Absolutely nothing, he won't be back for at least another week and by then you will be back in the palace."
"OK." She replied, but I could see the cogs ticking.
'Oh dear' I thought.
"You know Aswen," said Venea, "it will be quite hard to keep the truth from Legolas. I may need an incentive."
"I'll teach you the trick to make horses put on a final burst of speed." We were on our way back to the palace with our catches; we had both caught one more buck each during the day, so we had plenty to take back with us.
"That will do fine." She replied, grinning from ear to ear.
About three weeks later
"ASWEN!" Shouted a very annoyed, humiliated prince. His wife had just beaten him in a horse race using an elven trick and he knew just who had taught her it.
"Yes sire?" I asked.
"Why has Venea has just beaten me in a horse race using an elven trick?"
"I have no idea sire." Behind Legolas I could just see Venea's face.
"Now we are even." She mouthed. I didn't need to speak, my eyes said it all.
'I think not.' A small grin started to creep onto my face, despite the fact my Prince was slowly turning a nasty shade of pink from shouting for too long without breathing.
'The comeback for this will have to be good.' I thought. My eyes must have shown too much because behind the now purple Prince Legolas, Venea turned and fled towards her room.
The End