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Lorelome- Thanks I'm glade you think it's a nice story and the age thing is explained in the second chapter sorry for the confusion!
Part 3
Legolas waited in his room the next day for Finarato after his regular studies were over. He didn't have to wait long, as Finarato arrived only two minutes after his teacher left. "Alright Legolas shall we begin?" The elfling nodded readily, he had worked hard to pay extra attention to his teacher so he could make a good impression with his new tutor.
"I will start by asking questions from the recent text you have been studying. Are you ready?" Again Legolas nodded and Finarato started the questions. For a while Legolas was doing a very good job, getting all the answers right until they came upon one he didn't know. The prince put out the first answer that came to mind hoping it would be correct, unfortunately for him it wasn't. There was a sudden sharp pain across his now red cheek; he looked up at his tutor with questioning eyes. "That was the wrong answer." He said plainly his once soft eyes now seemed cold.
"I don't understand, why would you strike me for but one wrong answer?" the young elf was very confused but more scared then anything else. No one has ever hit him the way Finarato had just done, true he had wrestled with his friends and brother but that never intenually hit one another.
"There is still much you do not understand. You have failed to prove you can learn by regular and comfortable ways, and because of that we must resort to more uncommon and more harsh ways of teaching. You do not want to disappoint your father now do you?" He taunted with the last question. "No I do not. Should we continue the lesson?" "No I think I will cut the lesson short for today, but tomorrow come more prepared I was very easy on you for it is only the first day." Finarato smiled his eyes turning back from cold to soft. He watched the young prince leave to find his friends, before leaving himself.
"Legolas where have you been and why is your cheek red?" asked Nienna annoyed to having to wait for her friend but also concerned by the red mark. "I have private royal duties to attend after studies from now on I will no longer be able to join you afterwards straight away." "And what of the red mark?" asked Maeglin becoming suspicious. "It is nothing I have been subconsciously scratching it." His friends seem to except his answer as they began to play.
A few weeks past and the lessons with Finarato continued he became harsher each passing day. He began hitting Legolas for having the right answer but not stating it in a more advanced way; he also seemed to be asking questions that did not relate to the text making it impossible for the prince to know the answers. Also the way he punished him became harsher at first it was a simple open hand slap across the face but that soon changed, for the red mark would arouse suspicion so he would now hit the prince with a closed fist anywhere that could be hidden.
He would also didnot hesitate to kick him if he did not get off the ground fast enough. The young elfling was becoming more terrified of his knew tutor every lesson. This did not seem to be the nice good friend of his fathers that would eat dinner with them from time to time, and take Legolas to archery practice no this wasn't that elf at all.
Legolas walked to his fathers study chambers, he knew that's where he would be that's where he has been spending most of his time since the fall of king Oropher trying to come up with a impossible solution to the problems facing Greenwood. The door was slightly ajar; he leaned on the doorframe peaking in. He could see his father speaking with someone though with whom he could not tell. He turned to leave he was a fool to think about speaking with him about Finarato it would only make Thranduil more ashamed of him.
As he turned he bumped right into someone he looked up into theaccusing eyes above him. "Eavesdropping is not looked highly upon here Legolas!" Finarato started "I was not eavesdropping sir I swear, I was coming to speak with ada but looking in I could tell heis ina conversation with someone. I was just about to leave." "Speak to your father about what may I ask?" Legolas didn't answer he couldn't come up with one for this question. "You were going to ask about our lessons weren't you?" Legolas again didn't answer lowering his eyes to the floor. "Come boy it seems you also need a lesson in manners and respect." The older elf growled as he took a tight hold on the small wrist of the younger elf and dragged him to his own chambers.