Chapter 3: Mud Fights Aren't Simply Human Affairs

By Elven Hope

Legolas crept through the bushes towards the small form he saw huddled a little way away. He had been following Aradwyn, but the sight of the small adan had distracted him. The boy turned and he darted behind a tree.

That was a close one - Legolas had forgotten that although the adan didn't have the natural heightened senses of an elf, being raised by them did help a lot, especially when two of those elves were Elladan and Elrohir (you had to always be wary of them). The elfling peeked out from behind the tree and crept forwards again. The adan was crouched down behind some bushes a little way away. All he had to do was get through the undergrowth without being noticed. Legolas darted forwards his elven grace letting him jump over low branches and briars and still manage to land with out making a sound. Then in a few seconds he was on top of the adan and ready to pounce. He moved carefully and quietly until he was right up behind the boy then...

"BOO!"

Estel jumped out of his skin in fright and fell backwards over the bush. Legolas smiled triumphantly and peered over the bush to see that the adan had landed on a thistle and was desperately trying to disentangle his leg from a briar.

"Legolas?" Estel asked more than a note of annoyance in his voice. "Help me."

"Why should I?" Legolas asked tauntingly. "You got yourself into this mess so you can get yourself out of it."

"But I didn't, you made me jump." Estel said angrily and finally managing to free his foot he lunged forwards grabbing the young elf and pulling him forwards into the briars.

"You got yourself into it," Legolas ground out as he tried to escape. "Because you don't listen properly to the world around you." Finally he got free and Estel gasped in horror at the blood which ran down the side of Legolas' neck where a thorn had broken the skin. "Ah you're bleeding! You're going to die! I didn't mean to kill you!" Legolas sighed and grabbing the boy by the scruff of the neck hoisted him out of the brambles and into a clearing.

"I'm not going to die; it's just a bit of blood." Legolas said wiping away the red substance and showing it to Estel on his hand. "See?"

"Ah!" Estel yelled again and backed away from Legolas. "Keep it away from me."

Legolas looked down at his hand, grinned evilly, and stepped forwards towards Estel. The child turned and ran, and soon the pair of them were racing around the clearing, Estel shouting for help and Legolas hot on his tail. Finally the elf gave up and wiped the blood away on his tunic.

"That wasn't nice," Estel said from where he sat panting on the floor.

"Auta miqula yrch," Legolas said in Sindarin using a phrase Rogir commonly used on him.

"Don't do that!" Estel whined the young adan could barely manage the common tongue let alone Sindarin.

Legolas smiled. "Dolle naa lost."

"Daro ha Legolas." Legolas froze, then turned slowly to see Aradwyn, Elladan, and Elrohir standing a little way behind him.

"What were you doing?" Aradwyn asked crossly.

"He... I..." Legolas stammered.

"You shouldn't do that, you know that he doesn't understand Sindarin." Aradwyn said scowling at his younger brother's immature behavior.

"Well it's the truth anyway," Legolas said. "His head is empty."

Elladan opened his mouth to warn Legolas of the on coming danger, but he was far too late, a nice big glob of mud hit Legolas in the side of the head. The twins and Aradwyn immediately burst out laughing as Legolas wiped the mud from the side of his face and turned to see Estel who was smiling triumphantly standing next to a large mud puddle at the edge of the clearing - for it had rained the night before and many areas were still a little damp.

"Stop laughing!" The young prince yelled taking the mud he had wiped from the place of impact and hurling it at Aradwyn. The Crown Prince was immediately shocked out of his laughter and glared at Legolas. He was about to grab the younger elf and take him to Thranduil, when he had to jump backwards to avoid another glob of mud. Unfortunatly for Elladan this meant that he was in the line of fire and it hit him square in the face. "Estel!" Elladan cried wiping the mud out of his eyes. "That wasn't funny."

"Oh yes it was," Elrohir answered.

"Then lets see how you like it," Elladan said crossly and wiped his muddy hand all over his brother's face.

Aradwyn took his chance then to lunge forwards and attempt to grab his younger brother. Legolas yelled and ran away over to where the mud puddle was, intending on attacking Aradwyn with its contents, but he slipped on some wet grass and went tumbling headfirst into the mud with a sort of splashy squelch sound.

Estel began to laugh, but Legolas was quick to put an end to that by grabbing the adan and pulling him in too. Now that the two younger beings were completely covered in mud they allied with each other and began to throw handfuls of mud at the older elves. Elladan and Elrohir quickly joined in, diving into the mud and trying to submerge Legolas and their brother whilst Aradwyn stood back watching disdainfully.

This didn't last for long, however, for Rogir and Admir - having heard the shouting - had come to the clearing and crept up behind the older elf now, with an almighty push they sent him flying into the mud. Aradwyn cried out in rage and grabbed his younger brother pulling him in too. Admir laughed glad that she had not been the one that was pulled in, but her smile was wiped away as Rogir hurled a handful of mud at her cheek.

She retaliated immediately scooping up a handful of the wet substance and throwing it back. Rogir grabbed her outstretched hand though and pulled her in too. Soon all of them save Aradwyn, who was being held down by Elladan and Elrohir, so that he could not escape, were enjoying themselves. That was until they heard a small annoying voice pierce their thoughts. At first Elladan thought it was his conscience - something he very rarely listened to - and then he realized that it was worse than that, it was Arwen, and behind her stood none other than Elrond and Thranduil.

Translations

Auta miqula yrch- go kiss an orc

Dolle naa lost - your head is empty

Daro ha- stop it

Please review! Thank you!