-The honour for this chapter goes to Annem! Thank you, here it is!-

Shooting bow.

"Ada?" Legolas softly asked just before they finished breakfast.

"Aye, ion-nin?"

"When can I go and practice with my bow?"

"That is a very good question." Thranduil mused. "I shall ask Hérion when he has time for you."

"Hannon-le ada." Legolas smiled at his father.

"Oh! Can we too?" Elladan and Elrohir piped up at the exact same moment.

"How do they do that?" Thranduil asked with a frown while a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"It is a twin thing." Elrond chuckled. "Maybe if you would ask aran Thranduil nicely, he could ask if hest Hérion has time to tutor three elflings instead of one." Elrond mused aloud.

"Can we go and practice bow with Legolas?" Elladan asked, putting up his cutest face as he looked over to the king.

"Saes, would you ask for us?" Elrohir added while he copied the actions of his twin. Thranduil threw Elrond a look, which made him chuckle.

"For this once then." Thranduil said after a moment. "But you must promise me that you will listen very well to hest Hérion, if he agrees."

"We will!" Both twins shouted as grins spread over their faces.

"By the Valar, what have I done?" Thranduil sighed while he shook his head.

Thranduil walked together with Legolas to the armoury, the next day, after lunch. "Let's go and dress properly." Thranduil gently said as he picked up two leather arm protectors. He gently fastened them around Legolas' arms protectors before he did his own. Thranduil had a feeling that he would be doing more than shooting bow this afternoon so he proceeded to fasten leather protectors around his shins, and put on the other items of his armour.

"You look like a real warrior!" Legolas gazed up at the mighty posture of his father.

"Aye, almost." Thranduil smiled at his son before he strapped the belt with his sword and shed around his middle. "Do you have your bow and quiver?"

"Aye!" Legolas showed him his bow again that he had retrieved moments ago. Thranduil would not allow Legolas to keep the bow and quiver in his room, for he did not want to take the risk of Legolas accidently hurting himself.

"Very well, I think we can go and see of hest Hérion is already there." Thranduil said after he had placed his own quiver on his back, carrying the bow in his hands.

After they were properly dressed, they gathered together at the archery range.

"Hannon-le, Hérion that you are willingly to teach these troublemakers."

"You are welcome, aran-nin. I set up three targets for short range and three targets on large range, for if either you or hîr Elrond would also like to shoot." Hérion smiled at the sight of their little prince with the bow, almost dressed like a warrior.

"That is very thoughtful of you." Elrond said with a little smile. Elladan and Elrohir were chatting with among themselves before they turned to Legolas and started to ask several questions.

"You have not started without me, have you?" Glorfindel called when he jogged up to the party.

"Nay not yet." Hérion replied.

"Being late, maybe that is the key in survival of a battle?" Thranduil snorted.

"I arrive when I intend to." Glorfindel bit back another snarky remark.

"Do not bite off each other's head yet. If you would like you can practice with your swords later on, but for now I would like to teach the elflings."

"Very well, I think we can demonstrate a little sword fight." Glorfindel said with a little smirk. He would gladly show the Mirkwood king what his battle skills are.

"Very well, it is too long since I wield my sword." Thranduil agreed and handed Legolas his bow back. "Ready to show them what you already learned?"

"Aye, ada!" Legolas nodded as he quickly made it over to the line several feet away from the target.

"Now go and stand well." Thranduil instructed and Legolas stood with his back to his father, his feet parallel next to each other on both sides of the line. Thranduil notched a small arrow and guided Legolas' arms while he drew the string backwards. "Now look over the arrow and make sure it is pointed just above the middle of the mark." Legolas released the string and the arrow flew true!

"Ada! Did you see that?" Legolas quickly spun around, almost hitting Thranduil in his face with the top of his bow.

"Be careful, ion-nin." Thranduil gently said as he held the bow. "That was remarkably well!" Thranduil smiled and have Legolas a hug.

"Well, I think I have a free afternoon after all." Hérion smiled. "How about you two?"

"Shall we go and try?" Elrond asked as he guided Elladan over to the line in front of another target. Elrond instructed Elladan with a little help of Hérion.

"Very well!" Hérion cheered as Elladan managed to hit the target.

"Now it is my turn!" Elrohir said, eager to show that he also could shoot with a bow. Elladan and Elrohir switched places and he quickly drew the bow.

"Be careful." Hérion gently warned. "Take all the time you need." Elrohir let go of the string and the arrow skidded of the stones, a little after the target.

"I want to try again!" Elrohir said before anyone could say anything. This time, the arrow barely hit the target, but it did, and both Elladan and Legolas cheered.

"Good job." Hérion praised and soon enough all three elflings were shooting under the watchful eyes of two warriors, a lord and a king.

After they shot for over an hour, it was time for the big elves to show their skills. Elrond stood in the middle as Thranduil to his left and Glorfindel to his right. They all three had drawn their bows on the targets that stood on the other side of the practicing field. As well as Thranduil, Elrond and Glorfindel were more skilled with sword than with bow, so they would be a close match when competing.

"Good job ada!" Legolas cheered every time Thranduil shot and hit the target. It made Thranduil smile, yet he knew he could do better. Thranduil slightly swayed as he squinted. Why had he yet to hit the mark? He blinked a couple of times before he let his sting sing. The arrow landed yet again just below the mark. He really should go and sit down, but he was very sure Elrond would come and fuss, and he was in no mood for that, he never was. Thranduil pulled another arrow from his quiver and notched it. He drew the string again. When he was about to aim, black spots danced again in his vision. Thranduil blinked in the hope the spots would go away. He aimed and yet again hit the target, but missed the mark. Thranduil let out a small huff as he lowered his bow. He closed his eyes for just a moment, but quickly opened them again as he felt the world turning. He really hoped no one had seen him. He rubbed a hand over his face. What was going on?

"Ada?" Legolas quietly asked.

"Aye, penneth?"

"I think Glorfy is ready to fight sword with you." Thranduil looked around and noticed Elrond knelt next to his son in front of the shorter distance targets while Glorfindel was putting his bow away.

"Shall we go and see if the Balrogslayer is a match against the Mirkwood king?" Thranduil asked as he handed his bow and quiver to Hérion, or rather pushed the items in the captains hands so he did not need to bend over. Thranduil pulled his faithful sword from its shed and positioned himself in front of Glorfindel, who already had drawn his sword.

Glorfindel started slowly with attacking while Thranduil started blocking, and vice versa. "Are you warm?" He asked after a few moments.

"Aye, go ahead." Thranduil replied as he positioned himself correctly to receive the first blow. The black sports danced again in his vision when Glorfindel opened. With aloud clatter, Thranduil's sword flew from his lax fingers and landed on the floor. Glorfindel lowered his sword and frowned.

"Thranduil?" Glorfindel asked. Thranduil shook his head lightly.

"I am all right." Thranduil said and went to pick up his sword, only to lose his balance and dive face first onto the stone floor. Glorfindel threw his own sword aside when he saw Thranduil started to topple over. Glorfindel knelt next to Thranduil, for he was just too late to keep him from hitting the floor. He gently turned him over. Thranduil slowly blinked as Elrond's face appeared in his line of vision alongside that of Glorfindel.

"Thranduil? What did just happen?" Elrond gently held him down when he wanted to get up. "Stay down, I do not want for you to fall again."

"Ada?" Legolas appeared upside down in his field of vision. "Naeg?" Legolas cradled Thranduil's head again in his lap, unfortunately making Thranduil wince. He gently brushed all of the stray hairs out of his father's face.

"Aye, ion-nin." Thranduil softly said and wearily watched the elves around him. Thranduil closed his eyes when Legolas placed a kiss on his brow.

"Now all better." Legolas tried to smile.

"Hannon-le, Legolas." Thranduil said while he put up a little smile.

"Hérion, could you fetch me a damp cloth?" Elrond asked when he noticed Thranduil had managed to scrape his cheekbone in his fall. Thranduil was about to turn his face away when he felt something wet against the left side of his face.

"Keep still for a moment." Elrond softly said as he softly pressed the damp cloth against Thranduil's cheek. "Thranduil? Do you remember what happened?" Elrond gently asked as he held his other hand against Thranduil's face to keep him from turning away while he wiped the blood from his face.

"I was to spar with Glorfindel." Thranduil said as he closed his eyes. Why did the spots not go away?

"And then?"

"I was to spar with Glorfindel." Thranduil repeated again when he slowly opened his eyes again.

"Thranduil? Can you tell me how many fingers you see?"

"Tâd."

"Let's go and see if we get you back to your room." Elrond gently replied while he had to do his best not to frown. How could Thranduil miss a finger? He gently silenced Legolas when he was to object that his father had counted wrong. "Hest Hérion? Do you have a stretcher nearby?" He asked as he again pushed Thranduil back down.

"Aye." Hérion returned a moment later with a stretcher.

"You surely do not think that you..." Thranduil started to protest when the captain came into his view.

"Hold your tongue, Thranduil." Elrond snapped. "You failed once again to notify me when you were not feeling well enough. You should have thought about that before you fell."

"Hîr Elrond?" Legolas softly said.

"What is it, penneth?" Elrond gave him a little smile.

"What are you going to do with ada?" Elrond's face softened.

"I am going to bring your ada to his room, where I probably will serve him some jucky tea." Glorfindel could not help but smile at his lord. "You will go and stay with Glorfindel. He will bring you together with Elladan and Elrohir back to their naneth." Elrond gently lay Thranduil's arms over his stomach as Glorfindel took place at Thranduil's feet, and Hérion at Thranduil's middle. Legolas reluctantly let Elrond lift Thranduil's head from his lap so he could get up, and out of the way.

"Pen, tâd, nêl." Elrond counted and he and Glorfindel lifted Thranduil just enough, so That Hérion could pull the cloth of the stretcher underneath his king. Legolas quickly managed to place a small kiss on Thranduil's brow before Hérion and Elrond lifted the stretcher.

"I am not an invalid!" Thranduil weakly protested as Elrond and Hérion lifted the stretcher and they made their way to the door. Elrond simply ignored him as they made their way to Thranduil's rooms.

Dictionary

Saes - Please

Pen - One

Tâd - Two

Nêl - Three

Ada/Adar - Father

Aran-nin - My king

Ion-nin - My son

Penneth - Little one

Hannon-le - Thank you

Naeg - Pain

Hîr - Lord

Hest - Captsin