Author's note: Well, here's the second chapter, hope you guys enjoy!

Chapter Two...

I stood in the corner of the room, bunching my hair before tying it up and repeating the process over again. The first four competitors had already gone out and the four of us left were getting extremely nervous. Not for the first time, I wished my hair was shorter, preferably above my shoulders. I had begged and begged my mother to let me cut it but she had refused to allow me, saying that all noble elves kept their hair long. But she had no idea what my hair did to my image. It was because of my hair, golden, long and thick, that I was labelled as 'girly'.

However, I still haven't reached my majority and I had to listen to her, though once I was seventy, I was definitely going to chop it all off. Fortunately, I would be of age in a few years' time. Although it felt like an eternity. I finally settled for tying it in one thick braid down my back, which I wound around my head before placing my helm over it. I had put on my helm last, knowing I would take a while to adjust my hair.

The door creaked open and I spun around to see Lidrel and another elf entering the room. Judging from the smug smile gracing Lidrel's face, it was obvious who had won. The game master's head popped in and he called, "Next!"

Two of the four of us followed him out and I found myself shaking with nerves. I was next. Slowly, the two elves began to take off their armour and I saw a small cut on Lidrel's opponent's arm. Sure, it was small, but who's to say I would be as lucky? I didn't know we were allowed to draw blood.

Spotting me standing in the corner, Lidrel strolled towards me and though I was the one in armour, I was the one who started to back slowly from him.

"We didn't manage to talk just now," he said menacingly as he continued to advance. As I was already in a corner, he didn't need to move much before I was cornered.

"You are of the House of Finwë, are you not? I thought you looked a bit like Irimë's daughter. Are you her offspring?" He folded his arms across his chest. "Why will you not answer me? Are you mute?"

Seeing that I still refused to reply him, he raised his fist. "Answer me now! I will not be disrespected thus!"

I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the blow. There was a whoosh of air and my eyes snapped open. Lidrel's opponent stood beside me, one hand on Lidrel's trembling fist and the other patting his back soothingly. He glanced back at me before turning back to Lidrel.

"Don't do this Lidrel, you will regret it. He is of Finwë's line after all," he reasoned. Lidrel seemed to see the sense in his words and lowered his arm before he spun round and stalked to the other side of the room. His opponent placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Are you all right?" he asked me, sincere concern in his eyes. I released my breath shakily, not realising I had been holding it, and nodded.

He smiled. "I'm Adrimmir, by the way. You're Laurefindel right?"

I nodded again.

"Nice to meet you," he told me politely and he was the first elf I met who really seemed to mean it.

"Nice to meet you too," I replied quietly. I winced, my voice sounded very high next to his lower one and I felt my cheeks burn. But he didn't mock me like my former friends and just smiled before walking off to the refreshment table at the other side of the room.

I felt like going over to him, no one has ever been nice to me before, but the games master's head appeared at the door with two more competitors and I forgot all about Adrimmir.

"Laurefindel, Camerdil? You're up!" he announced cheerfully. I felt my terror taking over and I fought not to faint. Stop being such a girl, Laurefindel. You have to do this. I straightened and followed Camerdil and Amdirian out, ignoring the snickers that went along with me.

As I stepped into the sparring ring, I refused to look at the crowd and concentrated only on Camerdil's face. The audience surely thought I would be beaten very easily and I heard them betting among themselves on how long it would take for me to admit defeat. I thought about surrendering before the match started, but I remembered the smile Finwë gave me and squashed the urge.

The bell sounded and Camerdil immediately took a leap at me, his sword crashing down but I brought my sword up to meet his and the clash of steel echoed around the open field. I saw a slight uncertainty in his eyes as they met mine. He didn't expect me to be strong enough to withstand that, I realised. There was a hush in the audience as we stood frozen in time, before Camerdil leaped back and attacked again.

I met him thrust for thrust. And I found that I enjoyed the competition, the thrill of swinging a sword, the sound of it cutting the air, but most of all, the stupefied look on Camerdil's face. I felt myself growing more confident and I put all the resentment and anger I had bottle up over the years, determined to show everyone that I was male enough and not to be taken lightly.

As Camerdil stumbled backwards, I couldn't help but grin, the first time I did so in ages. Suddenly I didn't care whether I lost, or embarrassed myself and my whole House, I had proven to myself and everyone else that I could do it, that I wasn't scared, that they were wrong.

I can't believe I'm doing this! I can actually do this! I felt like screaming my joy to the world.

Camerdil thrust again and I blocked. It seemed as though this match would never end, then something happened. As Camerdil tried to penetrate my defence by targeting my left side, I twisted away from his blade and towards him and rested my sword against his throat.

There was a stunned silence as every pair of eyes was trained on us. I could almost hear their thoughts. Did Laurefindel just beat someone at sword-fighting?

Then Finwë stood up and everyone turned to look at him. He broke into a grin and started…laughing. He laughed and laughed until he had to grip the armrests of his chair to keep himself steady. After a few minutes in which most thought the Noldor King to have gone mad, he chuckled, loud enough for everyone to hear. "I knew you had it in you Laurefindel. All those times when others told me I was crazy…well, look at you now!"

As if on cue, the audience stood up and applauded, amazement and surprise on their features, though I saw some looking a bit upset. I wondered how much they lost betting on me. I smiled and bowed to them before Amdirian ushered Camerdil and I out of the ring and into the room. I could still hear their clapping even when surrounded by the thick walls of the room.

I was given a five-minute break before I had to compete again and I couldn't stop smiling all the while. My soon to be competitor looked slightly nervous and kept pacing around the room. Nandrimel, I think his name was. The others were either scowling at me or trying to stay as far from me as possible. I saw Camerdil shoot me a particularly hateful look though I was too happy to bother about it.

I knew you had it in you. Finwë's words rang in my head and my smile widened. Maybe signing up wasn't such a bad idea after all.