Those Who Do Not Learn
Chapter 4
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. If I did I would have a MUCH nicer car.
They'd been at sea almost a full day before anyone spoke again.
"So," Harry began, "how long will this take?"
Elrohir answered from where he sat near the bow of the ship.
"You have no idea, do you?"
"Not a damn clue."
"Haven't you done this before?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, we travel to the undying lands all the time. Fun trip." Ireth began to pace anxiously.
"I just asked." Harry's eyes again found the floor.
"It's not you're fault." Ireth began, "were all on edge right now. This is just as new to us as to you. We have never known any home but Middle Earth."
"At least you're going to be with you're people."
"Stop whining, Harry." Hermione looked across the small aisle at him. "Would you rather have stayed and been killed by that thing? Or maybe handed over to Voldemort by Dumbledore? Perhaps you want to go into be his slave?"
He just glared at her.
"That's enough." Ireth stepped between them. "Hermione stop it. You're not being fair. None of us wanted to leave. But we had to. That's all there is to it."
She seemed exhausted and took a seat next to Elrohir in the front.
They went about the mundane details of life in silence for the next several
days. The great ocean seemed to stretch on forever before them and even the
elves could see no hint of land on the horizon.
Hermione stood at the bow watching the waves break about the bow. She turned around and faced Ireth, who sat at the base of the foremast.
"I'm bored." She proclaimed.
Ireth smirked looking up at her. "And what would you wish to do to remedy that?"
She thought a moment staring at the elf. "Teach me something?"
"What would you like to learn?" Ireth stood and brushed invisible dust from her dress.
"Teach me to shoot an arrow."
"Remember, Ireth, if she kills him you answer to my father." Elrohir and Harry sat as far from the females as they could.
"Honestly Ro, you'd think I'd never taught anyone to shoot before."
"You have never taught a human to shoot before. And I fear you forget they are not naturally predisposed to the skill."
"Rubbish." She turned to Hermione, who held the bow and arrow ready to fire. "Ignore him. He's just being obnoxious. Are you ready?"
"I think so." She answered taking her aim.
"Then fire when you have your target."
Hermione stared intently at the target that was set up several yards away from her. She let loose the arrow. There was a small scream and they looked across the deck and saw the arrow a few inches from Harry's side.
"Oops."
Elrohir glared at Ireth as he helped Harry up and led him to a safer area of the ship.
"Well," She began," your form isn't bad but I believe we need to work on your aim."
They had sailed for almost three weeks before there was any sign of land. One day as they sat on the deck. Hermione was practicing her much improved archery skills and Elrohir was instructing Harry in a rudimentary knowledge of the elvish language. It seemed out of nowhere that he suddenly heard the faint sound of birds crying. His eyes shot up to meet Ireth's and the two elves scrambled for the prow of the ship. To their keen eyes a bit of land was faintly visible on the edge of the horizon. The children stood silently bewildered as the two rejoiced.
"Are you guy's ok?" Harry asked quietly.
They turned toward them. "Our journey is almost over." Elrohir answered smiling at them.
That night Ireth sat alone on the deck watching the stars pass overhead. She noticed Harry quietly making his way toward her. She smiled at him as he took a seat beside her.
"Elrohir is very excited, isn't he?"
"Yes, very excited." She looked over at the boy. His face was shaded from her. He seemed suddenly very old sitting there under the night sky.
"Why aren't you?"
She smiled to herself. "Harry, I have long believed you were not given credit for your observance." She took a long breath before she began. "Elrohir has many reasons to be happy. We have been alone in Middle Earth for almost fifteen thousand years. All that time he has been separated from his twin brother and his father. It has been even longer since he has seen his mother. He is egger to be reunited with his family.
"Unlike him, I have no family there. My relations met their end in the battles of Middle Earth. My father and older sister in the first war, another sister lost to orcs in Mirkwood, and once I was grown my mother simply faded from this life."
"You aren't looking forward to it at all?"
"No, I am. I simply am not so eagerly impatient."
"He told me a little about the first war, about Isildur and the ring. Were you there?"
"No, I had not even seen the end of my first century. I was home with my mother and newborn sister. When they returned from battle they bore my father and older sister in boxes."
"That's horrible."
"They fought valiantly. And they died with honor a death of their choosing."
"Is that how you would choose to die?"
"No, Harry, I would choose to live." She watched his reaction for a moment before speaking again. "You should get some rest, Harry. There will be much excitement when we arrive."
"How long do you think it will take?"
"Another day if the wind stays with us."
He nodded and rose. "Goodnight Ireth."
"Goodnight Harry." She answered to his retreating back.
Comments, criticisms, etc???