Chapter 4: Old Memories and Archery

Legolas had started to train since he was six years old. He supposed they had been nice to him, with the death of his Nana and all but most Mirkwood elflings started holding weapons at age four. You had to learn fast and if you didn't-you died! It was simple and cruel...but that was life. However, despite the disadvantage that Legolas learned everything two years late, he was still one of Mirkwood's best warriors.

So obviously, he was intrigued to see the training grounds for Imladris' warriors. He hardly had to ask questions though...Elladan and Elrohir had been talking all the while.

"And this is where the warriors have to learn how to handle their knives," said Elladan. "And after they can do hand to hand combat with those knives, then they can do advanced training which pretty much involves throwing knives and other key combat positions."

"You never want to end up near that target," chuckled Elrohir. "Dan and I tried once but we almost got our heads chopped off...not the best experience you'd want to repeat."

Legolas appreciated their humor. They were fun elves and to every serious thing, they had a funny joke or counterattack to it. They were witty...and that was good for the most part. Although sometimes they talked so much, it was annoying. They talked all the time, really.

He smirked at them. "Well, you should've known better than to be at the other side of that knife."

The twins laughed while they showed Legolas the remaining centers. Although Legolas noticed that some of their methods looked a bit impractical compared to the methods in Mirkwood, he said nothing. He didn't want to insult his host. But he noticed that here in Imladris, the weapons were more varied and there were courses for many more weapons, whereas Mirkwood only trained with bows and arrows, knives and swords. At the end of the tour, Elladan, Elrohir and Legolas sat on the rocks that were near a waterfall. There were lots of waterfalls in Imladris. The crisp, golden sunlight poured on the rich waters of the waterfall, making it look like molten gold.

"So, what do you usually like to do, Legolas?" asked Elrohir after he got bored of watching the sun on the waterfall, unlike Legolas.

Legolas was taken back. In Mirkwood...let's just say you didn't have much time for freetime. There was always something for you to do or something you had to do. Besides, it wasn't for Thranduil to not scream at you if he saw you doing nothing. "Erm...well, 'do' as in freetime?"

"Well yes," said Elrohir. "You know, don't you have a hobby or something?"

"Don't be stupid Ro," smiled Dan. "They're probably too busy in Mirkwood killing stuff like spiders and orcs to have like, time. Use logic idiot!" Elladan whacked Elrohir in the head with the last word and they laughed. Legolas admired their relationship as brothers, yes...Thalos was two thousand years older than him, but they still didn't have such a good relationship as Dan and Ro did. Nor would they ever have a thousand years from now.

"So, you like killing things?" asked Elrohir casually to Legolas as if killing things were the most perfectly normal hobby in the world. The truth was, that Elrohir really couldn't believe that killing was a hobby. He was pretty shocked, but he tried not to show it.

"Well...I suppose. There isn't much else to do," replied Legolas shrugging.

"But don't you do things other than killing things?" asked Elladan. "I mean, I'm sure killing is a very satisfying hobby...but don't you like other things?"

Legolas frowned. "Erm...I do like archery. It's my ability of choice."

"Oh, that's RIGHT!" said Elladan snapping into reality. "I heard that they say you're an archer so good, you might be as good as Glorfindel, is that true?"

"So I've heard, but I haven't really tried," admitted Legolas. "Although Lord Glorfindel is probably better than me...he has more age, experience and-"

"Oh, don't be so modest," snapped Elrohir already annoyed with all these courtesies and politics. "WE MUST do an archery competition to see!"

Both twins nodded in agreement and again, Legolas was dragged off to the archery field. The twins were most certain that they'd find the great balrog slayer there, shooting his daily arrows as the light of the afternoon settled at it's place. And they were right as they found the archery field empty except for the great warrior to shoot his arrows. Most people did not dare to disturb him while Glorfindel shot bull's eyes every time.

"Good afternoon, Glorfindel!" exclaimed Elladan waving and as he shot his last arrow, he turned to them, looking at the trio curiously.

"Good afternoon Elladan and Elrohir," he said. "And good afternoon to you too, Legolas."

Legolas nodded in thanks and smiled a small grin, replying with his courtesies. In truth, Glorfindel had been a family friend to the Mirkwood elves. Since Thranduil wasn't what you would call sociable, Glorfindel had been a childhood friend of his Nana. Now that Glorfindel lived in Imladris, he rarely visited them but he was still a loyal friend to the royal family in Mirkwood.

"Look Glorfindel," said Elrohir. "Since we were hearing all these rumors about Legolas being the best archer and all-"

"You wanted to make an archery competition?" ended Glorfindel for him.

"Exactly!" the twins said.

Glorfindel shrugged. "I suppose it's not a waste of my time." He went into the archery shed and grabbed a bow and a sheath of arrows for Legolas. They were beautiful...pure and alabaster white, with gold engraved at the side. The bow was made of smooth oak and was also strong and flexible.

As Legolas shot a few arrows to practice (all landing in bull's eyes) and to accustom himself with the bow. Glorfindel nodded in approval as the arrows found it's target over and over again. The twins had somehow climbed to the ceiling of the archery shed and were now watching them practice, before the tournament started.

"You have grown, Legolas," said Glorfindel, sounding a bit impressed. After all, the last time he had seen Legolas, he was a young boy of six, who was eager but could not even shoot an arrow at the rim of the target. And now, here he was, shooting arrows as accurately as he could.

"It's been ten years, mellon-nín," grinned Legolas shooting another bull's eyes, his arrows cutting through the original ones. "Much can happen in ten years."

Glorfindel nodded. "Indeed, I remember when I first taught you how to hold a bow. I knew you had a gift for archery Legolas. Don't you remember?"

"Of course I do," whispered Legolas quietly.

[BEGIN FLASHBACK]

"You can try, Lord Glorfindel," said the servant somberly. "But death had been a great impact for him...these days he does not want to be bothered. He rarely comes out and when he does...he isn't the same ray of sunshine we knew."

Legolas sat in his bed, looking out the window. The sun was shining brightly, urging him to go out but all Legolas saw was darkness. The sun was not orange and bright yellow but a dull blood-red. The sky was not clear blue, it was black and gray and empty. He heard the servant whisper, for his ears were keen and sharp. And he knew it was all true.

The door creaked open and without looking, Legolas recognized those soft, gallant steps. They radiated greatness yet there was a note of sympathy.

The bed shifted as the weight of the great warrior slowly sat next to him and together with Legolas, he watched the sky. "It seems as if all sunshine is lost, doesn't it?"

For a while, silence reigned through the air. And finally, Legolas croaked, his throat sore from crying and from screaming, "It is an empty void of darkness, I don't know how I never saw it before."

Glorfindel sighed, changing subject. "The servants tell me you do not eat much these days. That you've gotten significantly thinner. And they were not kidding."

"Everything tastes dull," muttered Legolas back. "Meat is like rubber, water is as dry as sand, vegetables and fruits are too chewy. My appetite is obviously not going to improve with such flavors."

"We are all sad Legolas," said Glorfindel softly. "It is not only you who mourns."

Legolas finally turned to him and Glorfindel almost wanted to look horrified. It was as if Legolas had aged hundreds of years, his eyes were puffy and red, his hair not organized as it always was, but like a bird's nest. His face seemed sad, cold and cruel. Legolas' face had aged...and all because of death. "Do you not understand, Lord Glorfindel? It was my fault."

"You had nothing to do with it, Legolas," snapped Glorfindel angrily, although he didn't mean to. "None of us could have done anything."

"Yes, anybody could!" he shouted. "You could have fought all of them, you could have crushed them easily! Adar could have done so as well! And so could have Thalos! Or any of the guards! It's my fault she's dead and now everybody hates me for it!"

"Nobody hates you, Legolas...we do not judge you," said Glorfindel quietly.

"Of course you do! Adar does not even want to talk to me, it is as if looking at me pains him!" exclaimed Legolas. "Even Thalos looks at me with doubt...you're the first one who's dare to actually talk to me in weeks!"

Glorfindel reminded himself that he needed to talk to Thranduil after this...and urgently.

"He is pained Legolas, it does not mean-" started Glorfindel before Legolas interrupted him.

"YES IT DOES! YES IT DOES!" sobbed Legolas. "It shouldn't have been Nana, why did they do that to her? It should have been me! Not her...me! I should have died and not her! I should be in the Halls of Mandos right now and not her! Nobody would mourn for me anyways."

"Legolas, things happen because they are meant to happen and if you had died...your kingdom would be even worse than it is now. Of course we would have mourned you," said Glorfindel. "Think about it Legolas...what would your Nana said if she were here? Would she want you to-?"

"SHUT UP!" screamed Legolas covering his ears. "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! I'm tired of hearing that phrase, of what my Nana would have wanted. I was her son, I knew what she would have wanted! Why does everybody forget her so quickly?"

"We do not forget her," said Glorfindel. He almost felt his heart shatter as Legolas' words echoed in his mind. "She lies in our hearts Legolas. We are all in pain, but we resist because we must go on. If you stay in pain...then perhaps you may never be cured."

Another deafening silence followed before Glorfindel whispered, "What do you wish right now, Legolas?"

"I wish that our roles could be reversed," whispered Legolas. "Or that I could go into Dol Guldur and kill ALL OF THEM! Crush them into bits! Avenge Nana since nobody is!"

Glorfindel sighed. "Legolas...revenge is a strong feeling. If it is to be done well, it will require long periods of time and preparation. I am sure everybody wants revenge as much as you...but penneth, you are young and it is not time for you yet."

However, a smile grin tug at the corner of his face. "However, nobody said you could not start preparing..."

Legolas looked at him curiously. "W-What do you mean?"

"Didn't you tell me that you wanted to learn archery?"

"Yes I do...but that seemed like a thousand years ago."

"Actually, it was only a year. And of course...I always keep my promises. So why not start now? Come on Legolas, some sun and the bow in your hand will do you no harm, will they?"

Legolas thought about it. "All right."

Glorfindel had taken him to the archery range, getting some shocked stares from the servants of Mirkwood who admired Glorfindel for such feat. In the archery fields, Glorfindel had given him a bow that was designed for a young elfling. He could barely hold it right but there was a spark of eagerness inside him...something Glorfindel did not miss to see.

He shot his first arrow, with the help of Glorfindel who taught him the proper posture for an archer to have. He was patient as he tried and tried, failing most of them but finally shooting an arrow at the very rim of the target, something that was pretty good for someone who had practiced for a day. Glorfindel hoped he would whoop or even smile but Legolas looked up at him.

"Hannon-le, Lord Glorfindel...now I know this is what Nana would have wanted for me to do."

"So you guys know each other?" asked Elladan grinning goofily. "Why didn't you tell us Glorfy?"

Legolas almost snickered but kept his face solemn. He looked at the legendary warrior and balrog slayer who shot him a 'don't-you-laugh-you-little-elfling-brat!' look at Legolas as Elladan called him, 'Glorfy.'

"We have for a long time," said Glorfindel at Elladan. "And for the umpteenth time Elladan, DO NOT call me Glorfy!"

Elladan and Elrohir burst out laughing, almost falling out from the ceiling of the archery shed they were sitting in. Legolas had a small grin in between his tight frown..if anybody was to do a laughing contest, the twins would definitely be the finalists.

"O-Okay," said Elrohir clutching his stomach from laughing so hard. "Are we going to do an archery contest or not?"

"Wait!"

There was a tiny squeak in the corner and Legolas turned to see a group of children huddled in the corner, heads popping out. They smiled shyly at him and at Elladan and Elrohir. "C-Could we stay and watch?"

Elladan and Elrohir shrugged cheerfully and the children squealed in happiness as they huddled over to some nearby haystacks and sat there watching the archers intently, murmuring in excitement and betting on who'd win. Although the only thing they had to bet with were buttons.

So after Elladan and Elrohir explained the rules, and told them about the challenges they had to do, the archery competition started. Sets of targets both moving and unmoving were set in front of them to measure their abilities of speed, accuracy and even a bit of strength. However, sometimes one of them would be too careless. Glorfindel's stance would be less strong and the arrow would fly slower and not as sure. Legolas would often be less careful, shooting the arrow too fast and without measuring the speed of the wind, the arrow would wobble a bit off from the smallest circle. However, after a while of more shooting, the twins finally decided to stop everything and they decided to add all the distances the two archers had between getting the bull's eyes.

It took them a while, since as most of you could deduct, both of them weren't the most brilliant arithmetic students but after, the results were out. Glorfindel's total was zero inches and Legolas'...was four; Glorfindel had won.

The children cheered for them both as they shook hands. However, they soon got bored and thanking Dan and Ro for letting them stay there, quickly left, perhaps to tell of what they had seen to their families and other friends.

Glorfindel smiled. "Fair match, you've certainly improved."

Legolas nodded. He was actually sort of disappointed he had missed, because if he were back at Mirkwood, this would do a lot of difference between being alive and being made into an elf kebab. However, he kept polite. "Thank you."

"But still...don't worry, this isn't the last time I'll beat you," grinned Glorfindel as he carefully aimed at a target and shot at it perfectly. "Even to the end of your days, I will always outstand you in these kinds of fights...leafling."

Legolas didn't know if he should be indignant or smiling. "D-Did you just call me leafling?"

"Yes I did. Have you got a problem with that?" asked Glorfindel gesturing the archery target next to his.

"I do," said Legolas and he allowed a small genuine smile, "for now...I'll practice, but next year, I am sure going to show you what a leafling is."

"Oh, do grant me the wisdom."

The twins laughed as they both watched the great elven warrior and Legolas do a smaller round of archery for fun and for the rest of the afternoon, the two of them engaged in a small practice, although they insisted the twins did count their points. They ended in tie.

As the sun slowly came down, Glorfindel leaving the three alone as he went off, the three of them headed back to the Dining Hall, since it was nearly dinner time. Legolas felt a new sense of pride even though he had lost as Elladan and Elrohir chatted like mice, thinking about the last time he had been with Glorfindel. In a few years...perhaps he'd catch up with the legendary balrog slayer. But for now, he was good enough.

He was ready.

Arwen was day-dreaming.

She thought about the way he talked, the excitement that rushed to his adorable cheeks and how those sea blue eyes brightened so bright, that it seemed like one of those stars in Lothlorien, when she had gone to visit her grandmother. He seemed so...angelic, like the Valar had blessed him with-

"Arwen? Are you all right?"

Arwen snapped back into thought as her friend, Reelia, looked at her concerned. She noticed that Reelia must have asked her something, so she replied, "Oh...I am sorry Reelia, I must not have heard you, I was lost in thought, my apologies!"

"Ooh...lost in thought, huh? I bet you were day-dreaming about Prince Legolas!" exclaimed her other friend, Tathel.

"What?" asked Arwen. "No! I barely just saw him and he has been here only for one day! Why would I start day-dreaming about him?"

"Oh, we don't judge you, Arwen," said Vara smiling dreamily. "I mean, isn't he so very gorgeous? It is as if 'ENCHANTING' were written in his forehead and as if he was born an angel."

"And so charming and gentle!" exclaimed Reelia. "My Nana told me that she had a tray and she tripped! She almost spilled her tray all over the floor if it weren't for Prince Legolas who caught her and caught the tray before it fell-balancing it between his feet!"

"Oh, he has such skills!" exclaimed Tathel sighing. "I heard that he is the best archer in all Middle-Earth...even besting Lord Glorfindel! Admit it Arwen...you are both meant to be. Despite the fact that I personally want him for myself, didn't your Adar once tell you, you'd be a beautiful princess and live your life with a charming husband?"

Everybody nodded repeatedly. They insisted that Arwen would marry with Legolas and they'd be the perfect elven couple for many millenias! Oh, and their children would be blessed angels of Valar, with Arwen's pristine beauty and Legolas' kind personality. Arwen couldn't help but day-dream about it...perhaps she might have a teensy little adoration for Legolas, but did he share the same thoughts? They were four years in difference after all.

That feeling of uncertainty held on to Arwen even as her friends giggled and continued telling her about how they were meant to be together but she could only think. She had seen how Legolas was, she knew how he was in the outside...and yes, he was quite good-looking. If he hadn't noticed, there had been some maidens fainting over him. But as she ignored her friends' chatters for a while, she drifted off into question:

Who was Legolas, really?

O-O-O

AN: Hmm...so Arwen has a crush on Legolas? Hahaha, we all know it's not going to last because it's like a small childhood crush but still, don't say you were surprised. Besides, Arwen is too young to actually be in a relationship. Anyways, Legolas knows Glorfindel! That's pretty cool...the balrog slayer will have a big role in this story. And you will see how...oh! And a flashback! Is this the first? I do love those things...you'll find plenty of them ahead and many angsty ones too! Now, it's time to answer my badass reviews from my badass fans! In the meanwhile, think about it: who is Legolas, really?

Starstruck Whisperings: Thanks! :D First of all, thank you for your thoughtful review. I liked how analytical you were by thinking about both pros and cons of my story. Way to go! :) I love that you like the description and the plot. The organization is all messed up really, I don't have an exact plan drawn down...but it'll work out in the end! :) Anyways, to clear up your confusion: yes, you are right. Thranduil hasn't exactly been very comforting to Legolas, especially after *gulps* what happens to Legolas' mother. He wasn't there when Legolas needed him and that's why when Legolas sees the twins and Arwen being so close to their parents, he feels kind of-as you said-left out. However, it's not only that...it's longing. His family has been dysfunctional and broken for so long...seeing the love and care the royal Imladris family has makes him think about what could have happened. And also, Legolas is well liked in the outside. He's kind and funny...but in the end, nobody truly understands him. They know the Legolas OUTSIDE but what about the one that's inside him? He bears so much pain and pressure...it's almost unbearable. And he's not speaking about it to anybody else...because he doesn't want to spread that pain to others. He thinks it'll be better if he keeps to himself...but it'll eventually just make him collapse. That's why he's well-liked in the outside...but in the inside, he's just lonely. You know what they say, "The loneliest people are the kindest, The saddest people smile the brightest. The most damaged people are the wisest. All because they do not wish to see anyone else suffer the way they do."

Eraman: She does? :) Haha, I'm an only child but I'm glad you can sort of connect with this story!

Guest: Thanks and I will! :D I have like, at least 10 chapters in store already!

Guest: Thanks a lot man. :)

Guest: Thank you so much for your lovely comments and compliments! They always bring a smile on my face! :) Keep reading and thanks for being such a loyal and awesome fan of this story!