Chapter 11

November 17, T.A 2940

Early Afternoon

Anariel made her way to the training grounds a little ahead of Legolas and Haldir, her guards circled around her as ordered by the king. With an enchantment in place hiding her battered cheek she made her way through the grounds a smile twitched at the corner of her lips, suppressing a laugh of disbelief. The King had let her forgo every morning lesson, Anariel was beyond surprised at the gesture even if he was just trying to make up for what he did, she was thankful nevertheless. Even though Anariel was mildly disappointed that she missed her history lesson, she could admit to having enjoyed it even Daeron wasn't all bad.

As she came to the target where they had been practicing yesterday Anariel noticed Feren off to the side training with Elros. Nibbling at the corner of her lip she decided there wasn't any better time than now to apologize, moving forward she came to a sudden stop keeping out of reach of their swords.

"Ai!" She called out remembering the greeting from yesterday, rocking back on her heels as she waited for Feren to speak with her.

"What can I do for you, Anariel?" Feren asked never ceasing nor breaking his focus, his eyes locked on Elros.

"I wanted to talk to you for a moment," she answered, her words slightly drowned out by the sounds of their swords clashing together. As such skilled fighters they chose to train with slightly dulled blades, though they could still mortally wound one if they should slip up, Anariel flinched as Elros' blade came eerily close to Feren.

"I thought," Feren paused huffing as he blocked an attack from Elros, "You were done talking to me."

"Well, I was but..." Anariel began feeling a settling of guilt in the pit of her stomach.

"But what? You're in a better mood now not feeling so angry, so now we can speak? When it suits you. Is that what I am to take from this?" Feren growled out as he disarmed Elros spinning to face her, his fist clenched his blade, knuckles turning white from his tight grip.

"Now, now Feren that is our princess," Elros smirked from the side, though his eyes showed his surprise at Feren's bluntness.

"A princess, who wanted us to stay as friends. As her friend I speak bluntly and honestly," Feren replied to Elros and Anariel before turning looking to look her dead in the eye, "Should she chose to change that I would understand."

"I... I don't." Anariel looked to him sadly, "Look, I know I should have listened to you. I should have listened from the beginning. You're right, and I'm going to try." Anariel whispered looking to him with a hopefulness that he would forgive her while ignoring Elros' comment.

Feren sighed, "That's great and all, but..."

"I get it," Anariel began, causing Feren to cock an eyebrow at her exasperatedly wondering what happened to her listening. "He told me everything everyone had said, I was wrong. I jumped too far too many assumptions, and I should have just..."

"Anariel!" Feren called out, "Will you just listen for two minutes, without interrupting. Can you do that?"

She nodded her head pushing her lips together into a thin line.

"Listen, you need to sort out everything that's troubling you. Figure out what it is you need to be doing. If you need me I am here for you, but I am here for you to speak with, to vent your heartache and troubles too. I will listen. I'll be your distraction should you need to just forget everything for a few hours, I'll find something to do that. But, I will tell you right now I will not be here for you vent your anger out on, I won't stand around and have you yell and scream at me, to push me away just to come back to me when you feel like it." Feren spoke calmly yet firmly.

Anariel dropped her eyes to the ground as he spoke, "I..."

"Legolas and Haldir are waiting for you, you should go," Feren added brandishing his sword once more preparing to stand off against Elros.

"But, I..." Anariel tried again realizing that she hadn't even apologized yet.

"Just think about what I said," Feren insisted, nodding to Elros that he was ready, "I'll see you after."

Anariel stood momentarily stunned, turning away she headed to her brother and Haldir.

"Everything okay?" Legolas asked as she came to stand between them, her guards standing away in the back.

"Uh, yeah. I think so." She turned to glance back at Feren who was far to deep in his own training now that he paid her no attention.

"Good morning, my lady," Haldir greeted her with a smirk.

Anariel groaned out, "Please don't. It's just Anariel."

Legolas laughed as he took in Haldir's slightly shocked face as she sighed rolling her eyes dramatically.

"Try not to let it surprise you mellon nin, Anariel is a ..." Legolas paused trying to think of the right word. "Lain faer."

Haldir nodded, smirking down at her with that roguish grin of his.

"Tell me," Anariel demanded, smiling to Haldir she could feel the heat in her cheeks again.

Anariel cursed the way this silver haired elf could so easily make her feel weak in the knees, made her mind go fuzzy and cheeks blush, the way she felt nervous around him, made her stomach flip in both excitement and nervousness, and all the while her heart fluttered. While she cursed him, she couldn't deny that she to loved it. Loved the distraction that he proved to be, loved the way it all made her feel, especially when he'd looked at her with those eyes and that smirk.

"It means, free spirit." Legolas interrupted her thought with a smile.

Anariel laughed, "not the wording I would have used, but thank you." The clattering of a sword dropping to the stone sounded in the background, glancing behind Anariel watched as Elros grabbed his weapon her eyes locked with Feren's he turn almost immediately away and prepared himself again. Sighing deeply Anariel pleaded to Legolas and Haldir, "Can we just forget the bloody small talk and shoot something."

The two ellyn laughed, Haldir despite himself couldn't contain a sincere smile from his lips.

"Are you and Feren okay?" Legolas asked again with concern.

"Yeah, well, I think so." Anariel stumbled over her words, in all honesty, she wasn't really sure what they were right now.

Haldir smirked down at her, quite pleased to see that she and Feren were on slightly rocky terrain, "A distraction is needed then."

Anariel nodded.

Legolas looked down at his sister, he doubted everything was fine between Feren and herself he wondered if it had anything to do with this morning. Then again glancing between herself and Haldir as he caught the smirk he sent her, he paused turning to look back at Feren he had seen the way Anariel and Feren had acted together the other day. Sighing, he figured thus to be more the problem than not, somebody was going to get their heart broken and he feared that it would Anariel. The way she laughed and blushed at Haldir made Legolas wonder if she was just a hopeless romantic or if she was truly that innocent when it came to love.

"Let us shoot and you need not think of it right now," Legolas offered as he nodded to her quiver implying she should prepare her bow. "Do you remember what we went over last time?"

Anariel nodded her head, pausing suddenly when she really began thinking about. "Well shit, okay some of it."

"Shoot, and relay the information back to me," Legolas spoke, trying not to pry on her about the language.

Anariel shot Haldir a nervous glance, he made her uneasy as he watched her with those eyes and that grin.

"Uh, something about not gripping the bow, relaxing and errr... oh fuck it."

Legolas sighed but said nothing on the matter. "Okay, so we went over Pushers and Pullers. You're a...?"

"Pusher," Anariel remember easily.

"Meaning?" Legolas coaxed for more information.

"That I push," Anariel quirked an eyebrow at him, as he sighed.

"Anariel, father is now expecting you to take this training very seriously, more than the others. If we are training for you to be out on the field lives are at risk, everyone has to everyone's back or elves die."

Legolas scolded lightly if there was one thing he did not take lightly it was the safety of their kingdom and the citizens that reside within it.

"Sorry," she sighed. "Look I remember Pullers focus on the draw and the muscles used for the release but...oh pushers are the opposite focusing on... uh," Anariel piped up suddenly remembering as she spoke it out loud waving her bow arm.

"Your bow arm, but yes that's right." Legolas shook his head as he held back a chuckle.

"My Lord Legolas," a guard called out suddenly catching everyone's attention.

"Ah, Remlos, what can I do for you?"

His eyes glanced to the princess before returning to the prince, "Something has come up in the woods, myself and the others thought we should confirm with you on what to do on the matter."

"Thank you, lead the way. Haldir, would you mind taking over until I return?" Legolas asked as he began to follow Remlos.

"I would be honored." Haldir bowed his head as Legolas took his leave, turning to Anariel. "Why don't you shoot for me?"

Nodding she nocked an arrow lining up the shot she tried to focus on her grip, drawing back the string she took a deep breath before the release with a distinctive thud it stuck into the edge of the target.

Anariel laughed out excitedly that she had struck the target on the first shot, turning she jumped to hug Legolas it having slipped her mind that he had just stepped aside momentarily. Haldir smirked as he felt her hands collided with his chest, instantly he grasped her hips firmly.

"Oh, sorry I... forgot that... and well um... got a little excited." Anariel mumbled and stumbled over her words as she was achingly aware of his hands upon her.

"Mhm, got me excited too," Haldir drawled leaning towards her.

"Just who does he think he is?" Feren snapped and growled ruthlessly as he watched from afar.

"Feeling jealous?" Elros questioned with a teasing tone.

"Look at him, his hands all over her." Feren snapped, ignoring Elros' comment while he watched Haldir spin Anariel around keeping his hands upon her, fingertips brushing up her sides as he moved to help reposition a shot. Feren went to move towards him.

"Whoa, stay out of it. She doesn't seem to mind," Elros began as he stopped him looking to the side he could see her laughing at something Haldir had said. "And, correct me if I am wrong, but didn't you to have your hands on her when you were training with her?"

"Well, that was different." Feren insisted grumpily.

"If it was your hands on her right now, would that be better." Elros inquired.

Feren growled out but didn't respond.

"So, you are jealous of Haldir."

"Fine, I'm jealous. But he's no good for her, he is loathsome, he is nothing but idle flirting and charms. It's Haldir, he doesn't love it's a game for him. He will break her heart." Feren insisted, he tried to tear his eyes away from the pair of them, as it stirred emotions in him he didn't want to feel.

"Look, not to say I disagree with you because well Haldir can be a bit of a brute but you can't tell her that, it'll come off as petty and we know how well she listens anyway when she doesn't like what someone is saying," Elros said, as he too watched the couple. He was proving to be less than helpful, or so Feren felt.

Feren sighed nevertheless, "you're right." Feren admitted, "Come let us train some more, I was trying not to think of Anariel at all this morning."

Elros chuckled nodding his head in agreement.

Legolas followed Remlos closely as the walked the trail, "what seems to be the problem?"

"A man was found wandering the woods when we approached he demanded to speak with the princess," Remlos explained as they made their way back to the other guards, who were holding the mortal they had found.

"Thank you for coming and getting me. Do we have a name? Any other information that may be relevant?" Legolas inquired, wanting all the information he could before they arrived to speak with the man in question.

"Yes, my lord his name is Alfred, other than that he came to speak to Princess Anariel we know little." Remlos relayed the information as they slowed their pace.

Legolas nodded as came to a stop held between Anarion and Colfinner was a middle aged looking exhausted and worn.

"Who are you and why have you come here?" Legolas demanded as he looked over the mortal before him.

"I have said it before, my name is Alfred and I have come seeking Anariel." The man said as he stood between the two elves, arms grip though he did not fight.

Legolas' eyes narrowed, "Where do you hail from Alfred?"

"Bree, my lord."

At this Legolas paused at this new piece of information, "Bree? What brings you all the way to our woods?"

"I have told your guards, I wish to speak with Anariel." He said again his voice picking up a tone of annoyance.

Legolas held up his hand, "It is Princess Anariel now, mortal."

Alfred stopped his growling, " P...princess?"

"That is correct, it is unwise for a mortal to just come trespassing on our lands and demand to speak with a member of the royal family," Legolas watched him carefully.

"I did not know, none of us knew why she had been forced to leave with the other elves. She has been a part of Bree for so long, she's a dear family friend. I apologize." Alfred spoke stunned that after all this time she finally found, or rather her family finally found her and now she held the title princess.

"Well, now you do. To what do you wish to speak with my sister for?" Legolas' voice stayed firm and hard but he relaxed slightly this man was obviously a good friend of Anariel's.

"Ill news I'm afraid, but if I know Anariel... uh, princess Anariel than she would have wanted to know. Please my lord." Alfred pleaded.

Legolas said nothing for a moment thinking, "Follow me, you will speak with the king first."

Haldir nodded as he watched her shot again, "Remember to keep your bow arm straight but not rigid, so you don't bend it, a straight arm is always stronger than a bent one."

Anariel nodded focusing again, though her mind began to wander, thinking of where Legolas had disappeared off to.

"Anariel," Feren called out to her as he stalked his way over. "Elros is waiting for you, he'll get a sword out for you. I need to have a quick word with Haldir." Feren sent him a glare as Anariel said goodbye turning on her heel.

Haldir smirked before shooting Feren a glare of his own, reaching forward he grasped Anariel's wrist spinning her around catching her in his arms causing her to laugh lightly. "I fear my time dwindles in Mirkwood by tomorrow morning I must return to Lothlorien. I shall miss being so graced by such a beauty as your's," Feren growled scoffing at Haldir's words, as Anariel paid him no heed, she giggled blushing at Haldir's words. "Might I see you tonight?"

"Are you not joining us for dinner again?" Anariel asked a confused look crossed her face perhaps she was wrong.

"I am, I meant afterwards, let me take you out this evening?" Haldir said, his hands still upon her.

"Surely, you don't want to spend your last night here with me?" Anariel blushed looking up to him.

"Mhm, I would." Haldir slid a hand beneath her chin before sliding upwards and cupping her cheek, his other hand slipped from her hand hooking around her lower back pulling her a little closer Haldir placed a kiss firmly on her lips, lingering long enough to hear and feel her sigh and catch Feren's distinctive growl, yet he kept it quick enough hoping to leave her wanting more.

"Anariel, you have lessons to attend to." Feren gnashed his teeth, grabbing her hand he pulled her away from Haldir. "Elros is waiting."

Anariel ripped her hand away, "What is your problem?"

"It is still my job to keep you safe and protect you while being your instructor..." Feren lied easily, trying to keep his face free of his true emotions in front of Haldir.

"I'm fine, I don't need to be protected from Haldir." Anariel snapped back angrily shaking her head.

Feren scoffed, "You barely know him, his actions are too bold he will brea-"

"I think that is for me to decide," Anariel snarled her anger growing towards Feren.

"Fine," Feren gave up throwing his hands in the air, "Just remember what I said earlier."

Anariel scoffed herself rolling her eyes, "Fine, consider it remembered. I will see you tonight, Haldir." Turning on her heels she stalked away to Elros.

"Come now, Feren you're not off to a very good start to win her over," Haldir smirked, preparing to leave the training grounds satisfied with how things were playing out.

"She's not some prize to be won," Feren snarled as he clenched his sword tighter.

"What," Haldir sneered, "Afraid that she'll choose me."

"Stay away from her," Feren warned the other Marchwarden.

"Oh, come I leave by morning, I'll be a week's ride away, I will be far enough away from her but I assure you I will not stop trying to win her over, either." Haldir smirked, "I'll be back."

"She's nothing but a prize for you, one more thing you can win at. You don't care about her!" Feren's voice rose as his anger grew.

Haldir sneered turning his back on Feren, snarling over his shoulder as he departed. "Then win her from me."