Previously on Chapter 1...
"That is why as the stranger turned around to speak with Estel, Estel unsheathed his sword and then brought it down to chop off the stranger's hand."
Chapter 2
The stranger easily deflected the move.
It was as if he had eyes behind his back and he quickly moved his hand out of the sword's edge, deflected the hand-chopping move and then he grabbed Estel's arm. In one quick, but slightly painful twist, the sword fell out of his hand and the stranger's other hand caught his blade swiftly before it touched the floor. Estel gulped. He was sure he was dead now. And now it was even worse...he was weaponless. Another thing to add to the cons he was currently having. He waited for the steel of the blade to pierce Estel's throat.
Instead, he was taken back when he heard a laugh.
The laugh was cheery, as if the figure was extremely amused...but it wasn't a taunting laugh. It was a merry laugh, the one you'd normally see in a party or in a happy occassion. Immediately, he knew that this was an elf. No man or dwarf (but this person was too tall to be a dwarf so he crossed out that option mentally in his head) could laugh so merrily after they nearly had their hand chopped off.
The stranger, still hooded faced him. His laughing had ceased and Estel found himself looking into darkness. He could see the faint rim of a face but he could see no features yet, nothing that would make him identify him. Suddenly, the archer spoke up, sounding a bit too excited.
"That would have been an excellent cut!" he exclaimed. "You wouldn't have chopped off my hand of course but it would've been terribly wounded. Dangerously large amount of blood loss. Bandages for three days. Inability to hold a weapon for two weeks. A few broken bones." The archer shrugged. "I would've been pretty screwed."
"A-Are you going to kill me?" asked Estel having summoned a little courage.
Suddenly, he was met with another laugh. "Me? Kill you? If I had ever wanted to kill you, I would've let those filths do their job back there in the forest. I just saved your life! And you've got a queer way of thanking me, it seems."
Estel suddenly blushed embarrassedly. "Sorry."
"It is no problem to me, you were mainly protecting yourself, human," said the archer, preceding to take off his hood. "After all, I do look quite eerie with this hood on. But my problem is, how would an adan boy be wandering alone in a forest, left at the orc's mercy?"
For a while, Estel forgot to answer the question as he faced the stranger, who turned out to be an elf, as he expected. He was tall and slim, his body curved like a great bow yet still cautious and alert. His hands and limbs were long and slender, with evident small muscles cracking through his armour there and there. His hair was like goldspun threat, looking as delicate as silk but his eyes...they were a bright blue hue, like the calm sea inside a glass window.
He snapped back to reality and realized he was asked a question. "Erm, I was erm, walking."
"Really?" said the elf, obviously not convinced as he came forward dumping a few bandages on Estel's hand. "Just randomly walking around the forest, bleeding from several injuries and serving as an orc beacon for all of the orcs of this forest? With that blood dripping from your knee, you are literally screaming out for orcs to tie you to a tree and roast you for dinner."
"Well," said Estel as he sat down on a nearby rock, bandaging his wounds. "What would an elf be doing alone out here in this forest? Don't you all travel in patrols?"
"And what would you know about elves, human?" replied the elf a bit too harshly.
"My father is an elf," snapped back Estel and suddenly, he cursed himself. He barely knew this elf and now he had already blurted out one of the key parts of his identity. He could be a mass murderer on the loose and about to kill him! And if he found out about him being Lord Elrond's foster son...he might be kidnapped! Oh bloody hell, bloody hell, bloody hell...now Estel was officially screwed!
The elf frowned, just as taken back as he was. "Y-Your father is an elf?"
"Erm...yes," said Estel proudly, trying to think of something. "He-erm, well...I'm a peredhil."
Despite the fact that Elrond wasn't really his father, he was probably a much better father than his original father-whoever that idiot was-would've been. Anyways, the truth was Estel had barely any idea what a peredhil was. He heard it mentioned once in a while in his history lessons with Erestor but he never paid attention to those things anyways. Besides, when Estel always asked Glorfindel about his foster father's heritage, Glorfindel always got very quiet and replied with only "peredhil" as an answer. So...if this word was used to describe his father, it shouldn't be too bad, right?
"You're a peredhil," whispered the elf, as in a half-daze. He looked up at the boy and his eyes slightly squitned, examining, although Estel had no idea why. He looked just like every common boy. With a skinny but toned frame, wavy, shoulder-length dark brown hair and gray eyes along with light skin. "And yet you chose a mortal life over an elvish one."
Estel had no idea what he was talking about but he played along, nodding in assent.
"You're one remarkable person then, peredhil," exclaimed the elf. "It requires bravery to give up such things...but then, sometimes immortality is pretty sucky. What is your name, penneth?"
"Not telling you," said Estel stubbornly, his arms crossed and his chin put up.
The elf sighed, as if he was terribly used to this kind of show of stubborness. "Would it help if I said my name?"
"Maybe," said Estel after a while, curiosity giving up on him. "But maybe it would help more if you could answer my question in the first place."
"Your-? Oh, yes. Of course. Well," stated the elf, suddenly interested in the cave ceiling, "it's kind of complicated..."
Estel glared at him. He could be pretty intimidating if he wanted to.
"Fine," the elf said with a huff. "Let's say I'm on a quest of sorts."
Now, the elf had Estel's complete attention. The young boy felt as if his eyes had dilated into the size of saucepans. He was finally going to get some adventure he truly deserved! He slowly stood up and limped closer to the elf, who had raised a small wary eyebrow. "What kind of quest?"
"Something private," he said back, obviously a bit secretive about this so called quest. And despite the fact that the elf could be lying, Estel just...knew he wasn't. He could tell that the elf wasn't the lying kind. He then sat back on his rock, knowing that this elf was probably not going to spill the beans...yet. "Now, fulfill your part of the promise. What is your name?"
He knew he had no choice and since he couldn't think of any name other than the name he already had, he sighed and said, "Estel."
Suddenly, he was met by another rain of laughter as the elf easily pulled a heavy-looking rock towards him and he sat on it, facing Estel, with a grin on his face. "Estel, truly?"
"Well," snapped Estel indignantly, feeling a vein bulging in his temple with frustration and anger. "It's not like I chose it-"
"No, no, it's actually a lovely name," said the elf, who leaned back and scratched his bare chin, as if in curious thought. "It has such a deep power and meaning. I simply wonder why they named you Estel, since it's such a widely popular name for ellyths but in truth, it is a name to be proud of, I think."
"Don't lie, it doesn't make things better," grumbled Estel looking at the ground as his feet kicked small pebbles towards the cave wall. "I wish they'd given me a cooler name...all the other elves are called badass names like elf-knight or burning flame or glorious fountain or spiky bush or something. And me? They call me a lousy, girl name...hope."
He crossed his arms even tighter and glared even harder at the elf, who found his small tantrum amusing and was now chuckling uncontrollably, clutching his toned stomach. "Do you find something...funny, elf?" he snapped at him.
"Yes, very," said the elf smiling as he calmed down. "I assure you, nobody in the elven community would ever call their child burning flame or spiky bush. However, do not feel so bad about your name, Estel. It is special in it's own way."
"How?" he snapped, then he grumbled, a bit under his breath. "Maybe it's because I'm an adan and am not worthy of a proper elven name."
The elf frowned at him, Estel almost forgot elves had hearing that was far more advanced than the normal human one. "Do not say that, Estel. I might not know your parents but I am sure that they both love you very much and that perhaps you might have misinterpreted them. I am sure that they did not mean to name you hope as an insult. After all, hope is a powerful thing. Do not think low of it."
"And what would you know?" said Estel standing up angrily from the rock he was sitting on. Who was this stranger just popping around, thinking he was such a wisecracker and offering sentimental advice. He most certainly didn't need sentimental advice...especially not from this random, way too cheery, annoying elf. "I don't even know your name anyways. It's probably one of those high and royal ones."
The elf chuckled. "It depends on what you think is royal. My name is Legolas, penneth."
"Greenleaf?" said Estel wrinkling his nose.
"Yes," said Legolas, with a small, nostalgic smile on his face. "When I was young, I was angry at my father for calling me that. I said, 'Adar, you could not have put me a more obvious name. I mean, obviously leaves are going to be green! Why didn't you give me another, grand warrior name?'"
"But there are other colored leaves, like red, yellow, orange-" Estel trailed off and Legolas shot him an annoyed look.
"Yes, I am perfectly capable of knowing that. However, I was young and I had not seen much of the world," replied Legolas.
"Oh," said Estel. "What did your father say back?"
Legolas smirked. "He called me an insolent and ungrateful little fool, spanked me in my bum until it was as red as the tomatoes in our garden and grounded me to my room for the rest of the day."
"Without dinner?" said Estel incredulously.
"Without dinner," affirmed Legolas and sighed. "Nor dessert."
"Ouch," said Estel sympathetically. Due to Elrohir's influence, the young human had taken a keen liking to desserts...and of course, ham. "And how old were you?"
"I was seven in human years, I suppose," said Legolas, as if he were making the mathematical calculations in his head. "Anyways, the point is not that I did not get dessert. It was that I should take pride in my name, no matter how obvious it was."
"Are you always so spiritual?"
"I actually hate reading...or well, anything that isn't training. But yes, I suppose my brother had some influence on me," said Legolas and then looked at Estel's knee. "But at least I have some decent logic that you should mend your knee."
"It's bandaged," pointed out Estel.
"Yes, it's bandaged, I know...do you often forget I have eyes as well?" said Legolas rolling his startling blue hues. "Anyways, you are deeply wounded. You cannot expect to be back on your legs and running. It will do you no good, I'm not a healer but even I know you need rest." Then he added, "Besides, orcs like hiding in the trees in the afternoon. Normally it would be better to travel by sun but this time, it is better at night time, because you can use the trees as refuge."
"Well, I'm sort of in a hurry but really, it's been great meeting you, Legolas," said Estel, picking up his scattered sword and putting it in his sheath as he stepped out of the cave. He was eager to go to Lórien and meet Dan and Ro. And perhaps then, he might ask them if they knew an elf called Legolas.
"Where are you going?" asked Legolas.
"Somewhere private," said Estel mimicking Legolas' previous comment but with a high-toned, annoying whine. The elf glared at him. "Anyways, good luck in your qu-"
Suddenly, Estel felt something drop on his head. Looking up and touching his thick, dark brown mane with his thin hands, he touched something liquid. Up in the sky, thundering gray clouds which he hadn't seen or heard before had clumped together and sparks of lightning crashed upon the floor. What had begun as one drop now became a million, as they crashed down unto the dry land and rained down. Already soaking wet, Estel quickly avoided getting even more wet by entering the cave again, sulking and cursing fate for being against him that day. Sighing, he looked out of the cave, at the endless rain. He knew that this was no simple breeze...it was a true rainstorm and it was going to last a while. Inwardly groaning, knowing he wouldn't be able to see Dan, Ro, Daeradar and Daernaneth as soon as he wanted, he went back and sat back on his rock.
He was met by a smugly grinning elf, who said, "Well Estel, it seems that by the Valar, you shall be stuck with me for a while more."
O-O-O
AN: YAY! LEGOLAS INTRODUCED! I'm so excited to further work with him! Anyways, I'm glad this was much shorter and less descriptive! Phew, I don't have to write those huge descriptive paragraphs. Too much haggle for me...I like stuff straight and simple! I know this chapter was sort of mild and nothing exciting happened but Estel and Legolas are actually going to get to know each other in the next one! The plot will get juicier...or well, I hope. And there are also going to be other POVs so those will be fun I reckon.
Anyways, the reviews were lovely! Everybody, thank you! I'm most definitely going to try to post these chapters as quick as I can in response to y'all's eagerness but here are the responses for the awesome reviews!
: Thank you! And now you have another reason to be more curious! ;) I mean, what do you think Legolas' mysterious quest is...?
Roy23: First of all, thanks for the compliments! I do love the other Estel meets Legolas stories and I got inspired by them. Anyways, Estel is ten years old in this fanfiction and I know that he might be too young to be such a good warrior as I depicted him on Chapter 1 but...he's got Dunedain blood in him, I suppose that sort of boosts him up to do things kids his age normally wouldn't do. The following chapters will show more of his innocence and age though.
DiamondoftheDay: Of course! I'll try to keep publishing and updating the story. There is so much schoolwork and tests coming up for the remaining weeks of school...but summer is coming! So that ought to be pretty good, shouldn't it? Anyways, for your okay? okay thing... (hey, I'm a Fault in Our Stars fan)...IT IS NOT OKAY! XD
MaskedMan2: I love how thoughtful your review was! I'm definitely going to use some of your advice and thanks so much for the compliments. Hahaha...I know my descriptions were kind of too descriptive in the first chapter. I mean, I actually hate long descriptions...I actually thought for the first chapter, I had an obligation to make it long so that the readers get what I'm going to write about. But I will definitely try not to make my descriptions so extensive!