Chapter 4

"About time you finished." Legolas grumbled, as Eldarion stuffed in the last bite of food on his plate. "Come on, let's go do some archery. My personal favorite." He grinned, and excused himself from the table.

"Wait!" Eldarion replied. He quickly wiped his mouth with the napkin and followed Legolas out the door.

"I'm not staying with you tomorrow kiddo, okay? I need some time away from you. I'm not your nurse."

"Then will you come with me the day after?"

"No. But you can drag Gimli around. Or maybe one of your twin uncles."

"I guess…but I like you more!" Eldarion managed the gloomiest face he could.

"Don't try that with me. And don't forget, just because you're a prince does not mean you can push me around. I'm a prince too."

"Oh well, who wants to hang out with you anyway?" the prince said as they entered the weaponry room. Both of them grabbed a bow and a quiver of arrows.

"You do." the elf replied slyly. He grinned. "Don't worry, you'll live. Now let's hurry up and go shoot some targets."

Eldarion didn't reply. He followed Legolas out into one of the outer courtyards, sulking and grumbling the whole way. Being a little kid, he didn't like it when he didn't get his way. And he definitely didn't this time.

"Alright kiddo, let's get on with it." And with that the elf started shooting perfect bulls-eyes.

"How come you're so good at it? I can't even get 2 bulls-eyes in a row! And you've already got ten! And you're probably bound to get a hundred more in the next hour."

"Practice. And I guess it's a little bit of talent too. But think Eldarion, I've been using a bow and arrow for almost 2,000 years. I was younger than you." he grinned.

"Well, I'm not getting any better." Eldarion complained.

Just then a messenger stopped in front of Legolas and whispered something in his ear. When the lad left, Legolas said. "Look Eldarion, you practice a little more down here. I've got to go take care of something. I'll come back to check on you in a bit."

"Okay." the prince replied. He quickly returned to scruntinizing the target.

As Legolas ran up the spiral staircase, he wondered if he should have told the boy what was happening. The messenger had told him that the queen was in labor. "Maybe I should get someone to watch Eldarion….who knows what he could do in a few minutes…." He had arrived at the royal family's chambers, where Aragorn was waiting.

"Okay, I'm here. What do I need to do?" he said. Scattered around the family room where the twin stars, Faramir, Eowyn, and many others.

"Legolas." Aragorn replied. "I need you to keep Eldarion out of trouble and out of the way. There are still many hours before the child will be born. And that's all I will ask. Though now that I think of it….that's probably the hardest task." The king smiled. "Will you help me, my friend, or will you not?"

"Could I even try to refuse?" Now both were beaming.

"Well then, off you go. I'll be here if you need me." he added. "And where is Eldarion anyway?"

"I left him last practicing archery in the courtyard, but I have a feeling he might not be there anymore." That set the two old friends laughing.

"Yes, Eldarion is the wild sort." Aragorn said with a sigh.

"I better go now."

"Wait…Did you tell him? About the baby coming…" the king asked.

"Not yet. I'll send him off to take a nap. Then if you want I'll break the new to him."

Aragorn patted the elf on the back. "I don't know where I'd be without you, Legolas."

"We'd all be in our graves if we didn't fight together in the Dark Days." He sighed. And left the room.

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