The next day Arwen stood at a distance and admired Tauriel's leadership skills and how she worked with the guards as the Mirkwood and Rivendell units wrapped up their joint training exercises for the afternoon. The sun shined down brightly upon the grassy training area and caused Tauriel's hair look like fire. She was wearing her green guard uniform with long jacket, even though it was fairly warm outside for the early yávië (autumn) day. Her cheeks were flushed due to the mild exertion she underwent during weapons practice with the two units.
Instead of wearing one of her usual elegant dresses, Arwen chose to wear supple suede pants along with a fitted leather vest and white silk shirt with loose sleeves tied at the wrists. When it looked like Tauriel was completely finished, Arwen made her approach towards the redhead.
Sensing the brunette's presence, Tauriel looked up and immediately smiled at the sight before her. "It looks like you are ready to go tree climbing" she said appreciatively after a long gander.
"Yes I am" Arwen smiled back. "Am I dressed appropriately?" She asked while doing a half turn to show off her outfit.
"You are, but we are going to have to tie your hair back in the front at least. I can braid it for you if you like. Promise to keep this a secret, but I am the one who puts the pretty braids in Legolas' hair for him." This earned a laugh from Arwen.
"They are very pretty braids" Arwen agreed with a half-smile.
"I found the perfect tree for you to practice on after we talked yesterday" continued the redhead. "It is in a nice private location so that we do not have to worry about any onlookers."
"That sounds perfect" Arwen said.
"Wonderful. Let me grab some things from the room that we will need and we can go" replied the redhead.
The two women walked to the guest room Tauriel was staying in. Arwen made herself at home on the edge of the bed while Tauriel busied herself packing ropes and other equipment into a nap sack. "Now to braid your hair, if you'll let me." She said to Arwen.
"Of course" Arwen replied back and Tauriel climbed onto the bed behind her and began braiding a beautifully expert and slightly complex pattern into the brunette's silky locks.
When Tauriel was finished she said "Your hair is much softer than Legolas'" in appreciation of her beautiful brown tresses and nodded in satisfaction at her own handiwork.
The two ladies made their way to the giant ancient apple tree Tauriel found in an orchard about a mile and a half's walk outside of Rivendell.
Arwen looked up at the massive apple tree with excitement and anticipation glimmering in her eyes. She watched as Tauriel expertly climbed the tree, leaping with supernatural speed from limb to limb with all of the grace of an acrobat and the power of a panther. When she reached the perfect spot on a thick branch up high, she rigged the belay device to the rope and made her way down again. She handed a leather harness to the brunette, assisting her into the apparatus and helping to secure her tightly.
"Take your time going up, don't do anything too risky. Make sure you have at least both hands and a foot or two feet and a hand supporting you on the tree at all times. I'll be down here holding the rope in case you fall. If you manage to fall off, these ropes and harness will help me support you in the air with little effort, so do not worry and just have fun," said Tauriel. She loved teaching others to climb for their very first time up and teaching Arwen was no different, actually it might have been even more pleasing helping Arwen with this than with any other.
Arwen wasted no time and began climbing almost immediately. She had a natural grace and made the task look almost effortless even though this was the first time she had ever attempted to do this as an adult. When she got just below the belay device, Tauriel asked her to stop at a thick branch, tied the rope off securely and climbed up to meet Arwen. She stood on Arwen's branch, picked two ripe red apples and handed one down to the brunette. Arwen happily took the apple and the two snacked while looking down at the earth below from their untouchable perch, in their own private world above.
They sat in peace and chatted comfortably for what seemed like only a few minutes though it was actually closer to an hour and a half, when Legolas snuck up and shouted from below "Tauriel and Arwen Sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G".
Arwen looked startled and Tauriel wasted no time in chucking an apple at Legolas' head.
"I sit in a lot of trees with a lot of people, Legolas!" she yelled back.
"Oh the scandal," he yelled and laughed from below. This of course caused Arwen to openly laugh which in turn softened Tauriel's scowl into a smile."
Thank you to therealsaturn for the comment about Arwen and Tauriel sitting in a tree (k-i-s-s-i-n-g) when I was going over plot points with her yesterday, which I borrowed for the story!