--3 years after--
A.N.: Yes, Reesha is now 13 years old. Oh, I added some features… I don't know if you'll like it, so please add it to your review, if ever you decide on doing it.
Disclaimer: Still don't own LOTR.
/Previously on: "In The Beginning of The End"/
"It is the custom of the Elves. Aragorn was taken care of my mother and father. That would be the same that we would do to you."
"Oh. Don't you think it's a bit early for you both to do this? I mean, you just met this afternoon, and now you both are acting as if you knew each other since birth."
'What is this?! I mean, it was a dream, yes, but a REAL DREAM?!'
"We're both here for the same reason."
"Careful, Reesha. Some people might seem trustful, but they could be the one who would betray you."
"I'll have to leave now, Ree. I'll see you after a week, okay?"
'This is going to be a loooong week…'
--
In The Beginning of The End
By Analiria
--
Chapter 5: Training
--
: 14th of June, 3009, Saturday afternoon. Halls of Rivendell :
I held his hand, stopping him from walking. "Would you please let me have your measurements?"
"I'm sorry, my dear, but I have not yet had a tailor get my measurements."
"Can you please let me do it?"
He stroked his beard, deciding, before nodding. "I believe you could."
I gave a small smile and nod.
"Then, would you please go with me to the family room?"
He gave a nod. I let go of his hand, and started to walk to the direction of the said room. Once there, I asked him to stand on a small platform, and took his measurements. I wrote down the said measures, and gave him a nod to signal the end.
"May I ask what you would be doing to my measurements?" He asked, stepping down the platform.
I only smiled at him.
"Well then, I would like it if I would be the first to know of your intentions."
I gave a nod, and he went out of the room. I reached for the sewing kit, and started my project. A few minutes later, Arwen went inside the room.
"What a surprise! You're here already?" She asked, before looking at my activity. Her eyes narrowed, suspicious. "What are you planning?"
I only smirked at her, before concentrating on my work again.
: 15th of July, Sunday Morning. Dining Room :
"What would you be doing today?" Lord Elrond asked, before finishing his tea.
I merely shrugged.
"Because Aragorn is not here in the moment, the usual would occur. See me tomorrow afternoon."
I groaned silently, and the twins snickered. I glared at them.
In the start, M-W-F would be for sword wielding, and T-TH would be for Medicine. Saturdays and Sundays would be for sewing lessons. A year after that, the schedule had changed. Mondays and Thursdays would be for sword/dagger wielding (whatever Aragorn wanted to teach), Tuesdays and Fridays would be for Archery with Elrond and Elrohir teaching me, and Wednesdays and Saturdays would be for Chemistry… I mean, Medicine.
…Which leaves me only one day for sewing. (YEY!)
But then, every time Aragorn was out of Rivendell to do his ranger work, that means Mondays and Thursdays would be free days. But then, Lord Elrond cut that out when Aragorn left for fourth time. Now, every time Aragorn would be out of the country, we'll be back to the first schedule, but with minor difference. T-Th-S would be for Archery, Sundays would be for Sewing (Still, YEY!), but M-W-F would be for Chemistry.
Ahem… I mean, Medicine. (No yey.)
It's not that Medicine is so bad… Actually, I rather like it. It's somewhat like Potions in Harry Potter, but with no big cauldrons... and Professor Snape being Lord Elrond. Of course, only on sessions.
Don't get me wrong. I love the guy, but he's just so strict… and scary. The only times that I'll see him father-like would be when Aragorn would be leaving (Of course, Arwen would be saddened by that.), and when he's healing someone in the Healing Wards.
"Is there something wrong, Elrohir and Elladan?" He asked.
"Nothing, ada." They replied at the same time. I smirked at them. They narrowed their eyes at me, before Elrohir widened his eyes and smirked.
Uh-oh. That just signifies that the said elf has an intelligent but oh-so-evil idea.
"Ada." Elrohir stated. I froze, my suspicions right. "We've taught Reesha all we know about archery. I'm sure that she can handle her bow right, and would be able to fight with a bow and arrows on a long-distance battle."
Lord Elrond raised his eyebrow, and I followed suit. Normally, the two, much especially Elladan, won't praise my works. They would intensely examine it, and state all the imperfections.
Elrohir, surprised at what his brother had said, opened his mouth to retort, but closed it as soon as Elladan looked at him. His mouth formed an "o"-shape, making me narrow my eyes. Those two are up to something.
…But what?
"Yes, Ada." Elladan agreed, making Lord Elrond's eyebrow raise higher, if that was even possible. "We've taught Reesha all we know. It's only up to her to polish her movements, which is already equivalent to a thousand years worth of elven archery training."
An invisible light bulb lightened above my head.
'If I'm already good enough in archery, as they say of course, that would mean my classes would stop, leaving me with only Chemistry and Sewing!'
Before I could retort, Lord Elrond spoke. "Have I not heard Arwen saying that Reesha missed your head only a few days ago, Elladan?"
I blushed in embarrassment.
"You would continue to train her, and if what you speak is true, then I believe that the both of you should guide her in polishing her movements." He said with finality, before standing up. "I would be in my study if any one would need me." He went outside the room.
I stuck my tongue at the both of them in triumph, glad that Arwen wasn't here.
"You know, if Arwen was here-" Elladan started, before he was cut off.
"If I was here, then what?" Arwen asked, leaning on the doorframe behind me.
I slid my tongue back on its proper place just as Arwen was able to view my front. She narrowed her eyes.
"Have you been sticking your tongue out again?" She said with her bossy tone complete with her hands at both her sides.
I violently shook my head, while both of the twins nodded theirs. She let out a sigh and took the seat at my left side, reaching for a piece of French toast.
Just two days ago, I went to the kitchen and taught the elves how to make a French toast, so that mom would have a different breakfast than the usual. She and the others had liked it, so the cooks added it to the usual set for breakfast.
"This really is good, you know." She said absent-mindedly. "It tastes good with any type of syrup."
The twins nodded their heads in agreement.
I took Elrohir's hand. "It's the best if you use chocolate syrup."
A light bulb once again lightened above my head, but suddenly went off again. 'Even if there was a cacao fruit here, I still have no idea how to turn it to cocoa.'
"What's chocolate?"
"Only the best sweet in the universe. Oh, you wouldn't know how much I miss it… Too bad you don't have it here."
Arwen simply nodded, perhaps not giving much importance having not tasted it.
Oh… They don't know how much they're missing.
: 16th of June, 3009, Monday Evening. Healing Wards :
"Reesha… You're grinding too hard." Lord Elrond said as he examined me.
I nodded, and lightened my hold on the pestle. I added a small amount of water to the grinded leaves, before mixing the two together. I added one spatula of the yellow substance to the mixture and grinded it once again. I lightened the small lamp, somewhat like an alcohol lamp. I continued the process.
The mixture ended up to be a greenish substance, just like what the book tells. I passed the mortar to Lord Elrond, and he studied it carefully.
After a minute or two, he nodded. "You are getting better, Reesha. The colour is slightly off, and it should be more condensed. Compared to your last year's performance, you are proving many."
I gave him a wide smile. Approval is rare to come by, just like Elrohir and Elladan's.
"This balm, as you have already known, is to be placed on one's wounds after it is disinfected. If properly used, the wound would heal relatively faster than the usual span of self-healing. Placing it in a wound before disinfection would trigger the opposite effect. It would not be a major problem, but it would make the wound heal a great deal longer than the normal healing, and might cause the wound to be infected. One healer was already able to make a mixture able to counter the effects of this balm if ever it was used incorrectly. Still, we make it a practice not to 'mistakenly' do it anymore." He said. "This balm is known as Dandelion Moonlight, mostly because it smells like the flower and is most responsive on the evenings, since the atmosphere would be moister and it helps with the effects of the balm."
"Note that using this balm would cause the patient a little more pain, but the pain would be worth it."
The lesson continued, until it was time to stop the session. The both of us bid goodnight, before going to our respective rooms. I continued my sewing.
: 17th of June, 3009, Tuesday Afternoon. Archery grounds. :
Stand straight. Take arrow. Position arrow. Aim. Shoot. Woosh… Bull's eye.
"Has Arwen forced you to sew something again?" Elladan asked, pointing at the tips of my fingers which started to bleed again because of the strain of holding the bows.
I shook my head, before doing the same procedure faster.
After a minute, an arrow was shot every three seconds, and the precision was beginning to falter. I tightened my hold and tried to aim better, but to no avail. I sighed.
"It's nearing six. Would you like to have the usual test now?" Elrohir asked.
I nodded my head, preparing myself.
Since this year, we started a new approach to archery since I knew and had mastered its basics. From then on, every session was ended by a game between one of the twins and me, Elrohir every Tuesdays and Elladan every Thursdays. The game will end once one of the two players' arrows would shoot outside the two inner rings, meaning the bull's eye and the one after that. The pauses in between the positioning of the arrow would be not counted, since all know that the both of them could shoot an arrow every second and a half. Still, both of them think that it would be better to monitor how long the interval would be to see how fast I would improve.
"Last time, your aim faltered after one minute and eight seconds, with an arrow being shot every three seconds. Elrohir and Reesha, on your positions."
We did as asked, and Elladan signalled the start.
Elrohir followed my pace. After a while, my aim started to falter slightly, nearing the edge of the second inner ring. I tightened my hold and straightened my body more, but an arrow of mine went outside the inner rings after ten seconds or so.
I groaned silently, before sitting in the ground in exhaustion. I turned to look at Elladan expectantly.
"Not too shabby. Aim faltered after a minute and fourteen seconds, an arrow still being shot every three seconds." Elladan said.
I nodded to him, before looking at the sunset. I stood up and waved goodbye at the twins, before rushing to my room to continue my project.
: 18th of June, 3009, Wednesday Evening. Outside the Dining room. :
I entered the room with a small package in hand and a grin on my face, and smiled widely as I looked at Dumbledore.
…I mean, Gandalf.
I took the seat beside Elrohir, and bowed slightly to Lord Elrond.
"Why are you so happy, Reesha?" Arwen asked as she took a sip of her mushroom soup.
I raised my package. Everyone paused.
"Who's it from?" Elladan asked, slightly worried.
I furrowed my eyebrows and shook my head, and poked Elrohir's left hand, as I was in his left. He opened his hand for me to be able to pass the message.
"No. I made it. It's for Gandalf."
They all nodded and relaxed, and I swear I've heard Lord Elrond release a held breath.
What are they so worried about?
"Oh, so that be the reason why you asked for my measurements?" Gandalf asked.
I nodded, handing him the package.
"So that's why Ree had bleeding fingertips these past few days!" Elladan exclaimed. I nodded at him.
"Am I allowed to open it now?" Gandalf asked, amused, complete with twinkling eyes.
I gave a nod.
"Gandalf, it would be better if you cautiously open it." Arwen said snidely. I narrowed my eyes at her.
Gandalf opened the small box and in it was a folded purple robe with gold-coloured linings. On top of it was a letter.
Dear Gandalf,
I'm sure you don't care much about clothing,
but I made you this robe because I felt like it.
It'll be alright if you don't wear it,
as long as I'd be able to see you wear this robe even only once in my life.
It would truly make me happy. I hope you like it!
With love,
Ree.
Of course, I didn't expect him to open the package in front of everyone. Gandalf simply smiled at me as he looked up after finishing the letter.
When Gandalf took the robe out of its box, all the others around me simply smiled.
I shot an "I-told-you" look to Arwen.
"This is a wonderful robe, Ree." Gandalf said in amusement. Arwen simply grinned and nodded. Lord Elrond's eyes were smiling.
"I'm glad to see that it has no blood on it." Elrohir said, smirking.
I pinched his arm.
When dinner was finished, Gandalf once again thanked me for the robe and all of us went back to our rooms, save Elladan and Elrohir. The both of them followed me to my room, the three of us collapsing on my bed.
"You know, It'd be so funny if I see Gandalf wearing that robe you gave him." Elladan said.
WHAT?!
I narrowed my eyes at him, before jumping on him to strangle him.
"You got it wrong!" He shouted in defence as I curled my hands around his neck. I ignored him and tightened my hold on his neck. Elrohir simply watched us, amused.
"It's because we haven't seen Gandalf wearing another design of clothing." Elrohir answered for Elladan, who was slowly turning blue.
My mouth formed an "o" shape before lying down the bed again, taking my hands away from Elladan.
"…and because you requested, I'm sure we'll be seeing Gandalf wearing it some day."
I nodded and smiled. I took Elladan's hand.
"You know, he makes me remember someone."
"Who, Gandalf?"
I nodded.
"Tell us about him."
"Oh, he's from a fiction book. He's a witty wizard, who loves the muggles. Muggles are non-magical folk, like me. Most pure-blooded wizards were muggle-haters, believing that they are of higher standards than muggles, and that muggles should be their slaves. Dumbledore, the one whom I say is like Gandalf, thinks otherwise, even if he is a Pure-blood. He uses both wizarding and muggle candies for his passwords."
"Candies?"
"Oh, Candies are sweets."
"Lovely."
"Would you be going back to your rooms?"
They both looked at each other. "No, we'll stay here."
…and then the battle for the domination of the bed started.
See, it has been a known fact that the twins sometimes sleep over my room, and are sometimes seen sleeping on the floor.
: 20th of June, 3009, Friday Night. Archery fields. :
Woosh…
I focused intently on the aim while keeping my pace. Another twenty seconds or so, and my aim slowly faltered. I tightened my hold, and straightened my back more.
Suddenly, I felt someone on my back, both his familiar hands on mine.
"Don't concentrate too much on what you're doing, or else you would lose focus on the things around you. If I was an enemy, you would be dead by now." The man spoke, and I relaxed on his hold. "Let go of the arrow."
I did as he told, and the arrow landed on the centre of the bull's eye. I smiled, before letting go of my bow and hugged the man behind me. I tightened my hug before finally letting go of him and stepped back. I grinned at him.
"Shouldn't you be doing Medicine with Lord Elrond?"
I looked up at him. "Yes, but he had to do something so I thought I'd practice here."
He nodded. "Let's go back to the house and eat, shall we?"
I grinned and nodded. We walked towards the 'house', arm to arm. The walk was rather quiet except for the rustling of trees and the twitting of the birds. We went inside and all seats were now occupied except four. Aragorn and I sat on our seats and I gave a questioning look to Arwen, looking at her and the two unoccupied seats at my left.
"They went out." Lord Elrond said, answering my unsaid question.
I looked at Arwen incredulously, since the twins never left the walls of Rivendell without saying it to me first. She merely shook her head.
The rest of the night was quiet.
: 21st of June, 3009, Saturday Afternoon. Entrance Gate of Rivendell. :
I paced around, biting my thumb.
"I thought you already let go of that habit." Aragorn said in a matter-of-factly way, pointing at my thumb and stopping me from my worry trip.
I raised my hands in exasperation, before pacing again.
"You do know that there are other elves with us and the attitude you're showing is making them unnerved."
I glared at him again, before plopping myself beside him on the rock he was sitting at.
You ask why I'm so worried? It's because Mom should've been here at least five hours ago, and the fact that Elladan and Elrohir left without even mentioning it to me.
A few more minutes, and the gate creaked open. I looked at it expectantly.
…But what I saw was something that I had not hoped.
Elrohir, who was bruised and dirty, was in front of them riding on Penguin the horse.
Mom was sitting in front of Elladan, the both of them sitting at Kitty the horse. Elladan looked the same as Elrohir, but Mom was in a far worse condition.
Don't ask about the horses' names.
My heart welled with panic.
I rushed towards them, and took hold of Penguin's reins, leading them towards home. Aragorn did the same with Kitty.
Once home, Elladan, Elrohir, and Mom, currently carried by Lord Elrond, were taken to the Healing Wards. Kitty and Penguin were taken to the stables by Aragorn.
Once there, Lord Elrond carried mom on a room and I was left with the twins.
"I think you should treat Elrohir first." Elladan said. "He has a rather deep and long wound on his back."
I nodded, and went over to Elrohir. I tried to take off his shirt and he stopped me, before taking off his shirt on his own. The thing was that the blood already clotted and clung on his shirt, causing it to open and bleed again. He gritted his teeth to prevent crying out from the pain.
I thwacked his hand, since it was not necessary for him to do that. Still, the blood was already dripping on his back. I took out a cloth from a nearby cabinet and started to wipe the blood surrounding the wound, careful not to touch the wound itself. After that, I placed some grinded leaves to the wound, disinfecting it. Elrohir grunted from the pain.
After that, I placed some Dandelion Moonlight balm on it, covering the wound. I soaked the cloth with water, before wiping his face and some other parts of his upper body. Covering his wound with a bandage, I gave him a smile to signal finality.
"Thank you." He said, his tone emotionless as he went out the door.
Never did Elrohir say nothing but thank you whenever I treated him, or say something emotionlessly.
I furrowed my eyebrows at him, but it was met only by Elladan. I gave him a questioning look, which he returned with the same look. I rolled my eyes and did the same with him what I did to Elrohir.
: 22nd of June, 3009, Sunday Afternoon. Lady Celebrian's Ward. :
I sat at a stool beside her, holding her hand. She slept silently, lying in her bed.
"Mom…" I whispered mutely, placing her hand on my forehead.
"Ree..?" A voice asked. I looked at the general direction of the voice, seeing Lady Celebrian's eyes half-opened. My eyes widened, and I hugged her.
"I'm sorry I wasn't able to keep your promise." She whispered again.
I only nodded, still hugging her tightly. Lord Elrond entered the room, and I straightened myself.
"Reesha, may I ask you to go out for a while? Celebrian and I would discuss something." Lord Elrond stated.
I simply turned and nodded at him, giving her hand a squeeze of reassurance before going out of the room.
"Reesha." Aragorn called. I turned towards him.
"Is she already awake?" He asked. I gave a nod.
"Expect to have a guest tomorrow." He said, before disappearing in a corner.
I furrowed my eyebrows, and waited for the door to open again.
: 23rd of June, 3009, Monday Afternoon. Lady Celebrian's Ward. :
I sat on the stool that I occupied just yesterday. Mom was still sleeping, so I took her hand in mine and silently gazed at her face.
A few minutes later, she opened her eyes.
"Ree?" She asked as she sat up and leaned on the pillows.
I smiled at her.
"How are you?"
I took the writing set from the bedside table.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that, mom?"
She only smiled.
"How is your sewing going?"
I showed her my fingertips, and grinned. "I made Gandalf a robe."
She only furrowed her eyebrows, before sighing. "Well then, I'll make sure to see it later."
Silence dominated the room, before a nagging question finally won the internal struggle within me.
"Mom, what happened?"
She sighed. "I was thinking when you'll finally ask me that. Well, the group and I were attacked by the orcs as we were going back here. I ran towards here, but I blackened out from exhaustion after more than an hour of running. Elladan and Elrohir only found me the day before yesterday, but as we were going back home, we were met by the orcs again."
"How many were they?"
"That I would not answer."
"How many fell?"
"Reesha, I don't think it's a good idea that-"
The door burst open, and an elf with blue eyes and platinum blond hair stopped just in front of us. The elf swiftly pushed me to the side as he hugged mom. I narrowed my eyes at him, nearly stumbling from my seat and making me stand.
"Lady Celebrian…" The guy whispered as he continued to hug her.
"Legolas." Mom said, before slightly pulling away from the hug to see the elf who had hugged her. She pushed a stray hair from his face. "My, you've grown so much since the last time I saw you."
"What happened?" He asked, worry dripping from his voice.
"We were simply attacked by orcs. Elladan, Elrohir, and the other elves took care of that." She replied.
"But three dozens of orcs?!" He asked.
Mom looked at me and I smiled. She rolled her eyes, and I smirked. Mom seemed to have been taken the habit from me.
Make a note to thank the elf later.
"…but I'm lying here right now, aren't I?"
He reluctantly nodded, seeming to let go of the subject. Suddenly, he turned his gaze at me sharply.
"Who is this human to wear the traditional robes?" He spat, before looking at my clothes. "Get some food for Lady Celebrian."
Erase the note. Rude much!
Currently, I was wearing the uniform that all medics were required to use, and I am to wear it every Medicine session. Since Aragorn wanted to rest for this day and Lord Elrond requested that we have a session to cover up for the missed session last week, I'm wearing the uniform for later.
I narrowed my eyes at him, and he narrowed his eyes also.
"Well?" He asked again.
Mom thwacked his arm. "Legolas!" She reprimanded him.
I smirked at him. His eyes went to slits.
"That is Reesha Lilieth Guzman. She is under mine and Lord Elrond's care."
I gave a small curtsy, before standing beside Mom's bed.
"I'll just get food for you, as this elf just pointed out. Please tell me about him later? I'll leave the two of you then."
She simply smiled and nodded, and I returned the gesture. I started to walk out of the room, before turning to give the ellon a last glare.
I opened the door and exited, meeting Elladan out of the room.
"I see you've seen Legolas then?" Elladan asked, smirking. I glared at him, taking his hand.
"The elf's a snob! So rude…"
"Oh, he's only like that towards humans, save Aragorn. I'm sure he'll warm up to you after a day or two."
"I doubt it." I spelled, before turning the other way and began walking.
A.N.: Here enters the mean Legolas. Don't worry, he's still the same elf. Let's just say something happened long before the fellowship and that triggered his hate for mankind… but of course, not all men. Legolas would still be kind to all characters, save Ree and the dwarf in the future chapters.
Yeah, I know that it's being rushed. One more rushed chapter and then a normal chapter would be posted then.
Layla: At least I'll be seen at the end of the next chapter!
Dumbledore: In case you're wondering, the robe that Reesha gave Gandalf earlier is a look-alike of my robe. The same robe that I wore on Harry's hearing, 5th book.
Harry: Analiria would like to thank the following reviewers:
Dumbledore: hands out chocolate puddings and a piece of cookie
Everyone, including Voldie (Voldemort): Watch out for the next instalment of: "In The Beginning Of The End"!!
Ginny: Analiria would like to say sorry because she hasn't updated "Leaning in On Olive Trees" up until now.
Everyone: Byebye!!
Dumbledore: As a final note, the reviewers for this chapter would get a white rose from Draco Malfoy.
Draco: HEY!