Epilogue
"Estel, what do you notice about this position?"
A sarcastic voice answered him with slight difficulty. "That I can't move?"
Aragorn, Elladan, and Elrohir were alone in the sparing fields just beyond the stables, enjoying an early morning session of ground fighting. Ever since Aragorn and Elladan had agreed to and made plans for the training sessions, as soon as Elrond had allowed it the three of them had gotten together nearly every day to practice. Legolas had left for home the week before, so to distract himself Aragorn had thrown himself into the learning. Elrohir and Aragorn were the ones actually sparring this time, while Elladan stood close by, watching and instructing with a practiced critical eye.
Elrohir had Aragorn flat on his back, trapping the man to the ground with his legs on either side of the ranger's body while both the elf's hands where about Aragorn's throat in a mock choke hold. Elrohir was not trying to make him black out, but had pressed down hard enough to where it was slightly difficult for Aragorn to breathe. The man was trying to find a way out, but so far everything he tried was coming up with no results. Elrohir refused to budge. He wanted Aragorn to earn the right to throw him.
Elladan stepped closer and knelt right next to Aragorn's head, positioning himself so that he was looking right up at Elrohir from Aragorn's point of view. He smiled at the ranger.
"No Estel, look at where his weight is balanced."
After a few breathless grunts Aragorn scrutinized the twin on top of him and answered. "Closer to the front. He is leaning forward." He was right – Elrohir was not sitting back at all but allowing his body to press forward, inflicting pressure on Aragorn's neck with ease. If it had been a real fight, Elrohir could have made Aragorn black out in seconds like this. It was a dangerous position to be in.
"Correct. It is a good position, but not a foul-proof one. Elrohir," Elladan looked up at his twin with a friendly glare. "Go with me on this. Let him work through what I'm going to direct him to do, then we'll try it again and you can attempt to stop him."
Elrohir rolled his eyes. "All right..." he sighed, as though the joy of this trap-hold he had was diminishing now that a way to get out of it was going to be presented.
"Estel, something you'll always have to remember is that it is almost impossible to trap you completely in a position as this. Your arms and legs are all free to work against your opponent, and now I'm going to teach you one fun way to use them to get out of this. We'll go through it once and then you get to try it on your own."
Elladan shifted closer to Elrohir's side, demonstrating as he spoke. "He has a very stable stance like this; it's hard to throw him to either side." He playfully pushed Elrohir from side to side for good measure, electing a gentle laugh and a warning from the younger twin. "You need to help him loose that position of advantage. Since most of his weight is forward, keep it that way. You don't always have to work against the pressure; usually you can use it to your benefit. Put your hands on his hips and use your body to push his up. As you do so, pull your right knee to your chest so it's between him and you."
Aragorn did as instructed, surprised that it worked so easily. Even though Elrohir was not resisting despite the fact that he knew where this certain technique was going to end, it was smooth and simple. When Aragorn had Elrohir's body straddling on his right leg he looked over at Elladan for further instruction.
"Look at that Estel, you've already taken away much of his advantage. Now, lift your left leg straight up over his body and press it against his right side. Roll on your back! Use both your legs and your hands now and throw him to your right; his balance is under your control. Slowly... slowly Estel!" Elladan coached patiently as Aragorn worked through the motions. "All right, freeze! Look at this..." Elladan pointed out Elrohir's right foot, now trapped between Aragorn's left arm and leg. "Keep a hold on that foot with both hands. Keep your left leg straight and on top of his body, force him to the ground... there you go, just like that. Now who has the advantage? Take his foot, one hand on his heel and the other around his toes, and slowly turn the toes to the left, keep his heel stationary..." Aragorn did so until Elrohir tapped the ground, a signal that the human had twisted his foot far enough. Aragorn released the pressure, but stayed in the same position.
"Now Estel, take a look at where you are. Keeping your left leg straight on top of his body and keeping a firm grip on his foot are key factors to this technique. Of course, if you were fighting a true enemy you could twist the foot enough to break his ankle, and that would disarm him enough to give you the advantage you need." Elladan pointed out certain insights on Elrohir's position and added various attacks Aragorn could do to an enemy that he would not do at full force during practice.
"Easy enough," Aragorn said, finally releasing his brother and letting Elrohir get away from him.
"I'll warn you Estel, this isn't a foul-proof position either, but if you pull it off fast an enemy will be disarmed long enough for you to either attack again or run if the need arises, and the fact that he'll be turned away from you is enough."
Aragorn nodded. "I understand."
"Now back into position-" Elladan told them both. "Try it on your own."
They worked on that technique a few times until Aragorn could throw Elrohir off and effectively trap him. Each time Elrohir was more resistant to being thrown and did what he could to stay on top, but for Aragorn's credit the human was quick; varying motions or prolonging them until he was sure he had Elrohir under his control before throwing him. After three attempts, Aragorn could have Elrohir trapped in less than five seconds.
"The best way to execute traps like these is through surprise," Elrohir told the human once they were done. "And force. This is to disarm the other, to protect you against injury. Everything we do is half speed, practicing intensity and control. But when you get in a real fight, exchange intensity for force."
"These are worst-case scenarios Estel. But when you can, disarm and disengage. Don't stick around more than you need to."
Aragorn loved working with the twins. They were excellent teachers; patient, kind, and thorough, and he had already learned quite a lot from them, reinforcing what he had learned and gaining so much more. Weapon-less fighting had never been a big interest of his, but he found it to be useful and even enjoyable. Elladan and Elrohir taught him about everything – stances, techniques, how to aim and use any strike, where the body was the most vulnerable, and what to look for during a fight like Elrohir's positioning earlier. The twins coached him through all the basics, not only giving the ranger new ways to protect himself but helping him regain the confidence he had lost since being captured by Ralorn. The man even began to notice a difference when sparring with weapons. His body became more light and nimble, his sword swift and strong. The training the twins devoted to him helped him in more ways than one.
When Legolas returned to Rivendell over a year later, he could see a difference in his friend from the moment he entered his presence. When Aragorn ran out to greet him, the man was glowing. It was not a luminous glow akin to the race of the elves, but radiantly glowing from within, so fair and strong. He was so full of life, of light. He was free.
"Estel!" Legolas greeted the man with a large embrace before drawing back to study his friend farther. "What happened, mellon nin? You look... alive."
Aragorn could only smile. "My star of light has returned to me," he told his friend. "Right now I am who I need to be."
The End