Chapter 10: Pranks
Chapter 9
"NATASHA!"
Jumping in surprise, Natasha released the arrow she'd been about to fire, sending it flying to the other end of the range, completely forgotten as she turned to face the angry bellower. Her teacher, Legolas , watched it hit the bull's eye with no small amount of satisfaction, before turning to confront the raging wizard who dared interrupt the scant time he allowed his student to share with the lesser immortals, namely one Legolas Thranduillion and one Strider. They had of course planned for such an interruption, however, every rebuke they had come up with dissolved instantly upon seeing the Istari.
Natasha 'eeped' and ducked behind Strider's broader frame, grinning from ear to ear. Gandalf stalked onto the practice field, heeding nothing and no one. Equipment and people just moved out of his way, the people smothering grins behind hands and bursting into coughing fits after he'd passed them by. Legolas and Strider took one look at him and had to turn their backs to him to keep from laughing in his face.
For the Istari now sported every color of the rainbow about his person. If it wasn't his hair and beard that was drawing attention, it was his clothing with clashed awfully with the colors of the former. He looked like a clown (sans white face and red nose) that had run into the color wagon. And he stood glowering at her in all his rainbow glory, foot tapping, impatiently waiting for an explanation.
Natasha was silently laughing behind her guardians, unable to look at Gandalf without bursting out anew.
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!" came another thundering voice.
Thranduil rounded the corner, having heard Gandalf's bellow and, thinking the worst upon seeing his subjects having fits the closer her got to the practice field, he had run to see what was happening. He stopped in shock of what he saw, and unlike the people around him, burst out laughing. Gandalf turned red with embarrassment, causing Thranduil to laugh even harder, reducing the dignified image of the monarch down to nearly nothing as the golden elf held his sides and nearly fell over. Finally, he calmed down enough to address the situation.
"My first question has been answered. Now who? Natasha?" Thranduil turned his twinkling gaze on her, who merely nodded, a slight smile on her lips though she tried to look repentant.
"Gray really isn't your color Gandalf." Natasha replied as seriously as she could, given she was still shaking with laughter.
Gandalf snorted and took another step towards her. She smiled at him but did not retreat. Sighing, Gandalf cast a dubious look down at himself and then lifted twinkling eyes back up to meet hers.
"Well, at least you've been studying." Gandalf said tonelessly as Thranduil dissolved into another fit of laughter. "Did your studies take you far enough to reverse this?"
Natasha nodded, removing the spell she'd put on him in his sleep and lifted her sword from where she'd left it many feet away just to prove she'd accomplished what he'd set for today's lesson as well.
"Levitation. Good. And control. Excellent." Gandalf stroked his beard thoughtfully, his spirits restored. "How is her weapons training coming along?"
"She's a quick study. She's rather good with the bow, and with the sword, a few more years and she'd be able to handle herself rather well against me." Strider answered immediately, beaming down at her with pride.
"Good. We leave in two days, at dawn. There is pressing business I must attend to west of the Misty Mountains and Natasha, you will need to come with me. You should learn everything you can, while you can. No more lessons until then." Gandalf strode off in his usually brusque manner, muttering to himself and ignoring the giggling elves he passed on his way inside.
'Two days?' Natasha thought incredulously. 'But I'm no where near ready for travel! What if we meet more orcs? I can't fight them! And magic will just make it so he has to carry me as baggage which would only slow him down!'
"Don't worry, Gandalf tends to travel fast. There's not much chance you'll meet up with orcs. And if you do, you'll be able to fight them. I taught you after all." Strider grinned, squeezing her shoulder.
"Oh, no conceit there, is there?" Natasha replied, gladdened by the words nonetheess. "A regular Mr. Modesty over here is what we have, eh Legolas?"
"I choose to remain silent 'lest I incriminate myself." Legolas quipped, dodging behind Natasha as Strider mock lunged at him. "Well, we have the rest of the day with nothing to do, what shall we do with it?"
"A fencing lesson and then how about a ride."
"Fine by me. Just so long as we don't go back inside for awhile. I've been cooped up so long, I'm surprised I haven't gone stir crazy." Natasha said, plucking her sword from the air and following Strider over to one of the practice circles.
Thankfully, the crowd that usually gathered around when Strider and Legolas were using the practice fields didn't come this far away from the main complex of the palace. This particular set of circles were used for contests which were usually only held during festivals. There would be none until Midsummer but by then, Natasha would be gone from Mirkwood on her travels with Gandalf.
"Good luck." Legolas called from the sidelines, making himself comfortable leaning against a tree.
"Thanks. I'm going to need it with this brute." Natasha saluted Strider who grinned ferally at her and returned the gesture.
Legolas watched in open admiration of the bodies moving before him. Truly Strider was poetry in motion and, given time, Natasha would come to match his ease with a sword. She all ready moved with agility and grace, now if they could just get her to have more confidence in her fighting stance, she'd be all set to deal with whatever dangers might happen along the road of her training as Gandalf's apprentice.
'She's beautiful.' he thought, sliding down the trunk of the tree he was leaning on until he sat cross-legged on the ground. 'They both are.'
Strider and Natasha moved around the circle, blade meeting blade in a much slower dance than the one he and Strider had just finished, but it was no less amazing to watch. Seeing every move slowed down to where it was completely visible and each turn was choreographed to perfection. Legging clad hips swayed provocatively in this violent dance, drawing the eye away from the slim shoulders and burning auburn hair to settle on waist where hands longed to be and further on to legs that were long and sleek, well-muscled.
It was well into the afternoon when they finally set out on their ride. Natasha was still learning how to keep her seat at anything faster than a walk and having a 1500lb animal between her legs didn't make her anymore comfortable. She was going to be more than just sore when Strider finally called a halt. They weren't going very far, staying well within the 'safe' area of the forest, about a mile or so radius around the Palace. Or rather the 'Glorified Cave,' as Natasha had called it on numerous occasions. Usually when she'd been cooped up in the library with Gandalf for too long.
As they rode, Strider kept falling behind as he admired the way Natasha's new muscles stretched her clothing, the way her hips shifted as she tried to move with the horse, until Legolas would finally send him a questioning look and he would urge his mount back to its place beside Legolas.
'Anna certainly has a way with clothing.' Strider had thought more than once during the ride.
Natasha had put aside her 'jeans' and 'tee-shirts' in favor of more suitable (a.k.a: more localized) clothing, on Gandalf's advice. Boots had been made for her of a supple leather coveted in many regions, and by one of the best craftsmen in the kingdom, so they would last for quite some time. Her leggings and tunics had caused quite a problem, if Strider remembered Anna's good natured griping correctly. Elven women had very little in the way of curves, instead being almost as slender as their men unless with child. Then they could be as voluptuous as any human woman he'd met in his travels. But Anna had managed as she always did.
Legolas, riding beside him silently, listening to the trees, wore his usual shades of green, though only slightly more formal than his patrol gear. His hair, as always, appeared as though none of them had been sparring earlier, kept perfectly in place by the warrior's braids at his temples.
'Valar, they're beautiful.' Strider thought more than once during the ride.
They stopped at a stream to water and rest the horses, basking in the sunlight that actually made it through the trees. Natasha dismounted with none of the ease Strider and Legolas showed, collapsing as her shaky legs gave out beneath her.
"I'll never forgive you for those jumps, Strider." she complained, lowering herself to a boulder with a groan. "They scared the hell out of me."
"Best get you used to them now while at leisure instead of having you fall off in the heat of a chase." Strider said reasonably, as Legolas jumped up into the trees.
"While that may be true, it still hurt like hell. My rump is going to be sore for a week." the horse had landed so heavily after the last, and subsequently highest, jump, that she'd been thrown forward and her teeth had been jarred into her upper skull.
Legolas watched the two banter back and forth from the branches overlooking the stream. Both of them were laughing easily, something Strider had not done in ages outside of his company and Legolas was glad for it.
'He needs to relax more. This whole 'destiny' thing is weighing down on him.' Legolas thought. 'She could do with some relaxation too..."
Leaping silently to the ground, he crept up behind Natasha. She'd been brooding after she and Strider had fallen silent, an unhealthy occupation in his opinion and he knew just how to fix that. Of course, it was probably childish, but he couldn't help wanting to cheer her up in some way. And if it worked with Strider, it should work just as well with a full human.
Unaware of his approach, Natasha stood gingerly and rubbed her aching rump when suddenly something grabbed her from behind.
'Not again!' her mind screamed, kicking into high mode as her body took over, though her powers remained strangely still. Strider and Legolas had also been teaching her hand to hand combat, and now it was being put to the test.
No sooner had her feet touched the ground than Legolas found himself flying through the air and landing squarely on his rump. Legolas stared at her in shock, only the sound of Strider's helpless mirth breaking through his astonishment. Glaring at Strider only served to heighten his amusement and said half-elf doubled over, leaning on the tree for support.
"You should have seen your face, melethron." he managed through fits of laughter and finally gave into another wave.
Legolas rolled his eyes and stalked over to Natasha, towering over her but didn't say anything. There was nothing to say. She'd reacted appropriately, and it was increasingly difficult to maintain a straight face, the half-elf's amusement becoming infectious. Natasha however, wasn't aware of this and managed to get into full angry swing before Legolas could join the half-elf in mirth.
"Don't EVER do that again! You could have been…If I hadn't been able to…Arghh!"
Unable to get her words to follow her thoughts, she turned on her heel and stalked over to a nearby boulder where she plunked herself down, one leg crossed over the other and her back as stiff as a board, staring at nothing. Legolas stared at her back in confusion.
"Oh," Strider sighed, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "The twins are never going to believe me."
"You wouldn't!" Legolas exclaimed in shock.
"Oh yes I will." Strider grinned mischievously.
"You wouldn't"
"You bet your bow I will."
"Oh no you won't." and with a growl, Legolas launched himself at the half elf, tumbling him to the ground.
The elves tussled on the grass, forgetting about Natasha completely as she watched them from the boulder. Suddenly the whole situation caught up with her and she doubled over in a gale of laughter. She didn't know how old they were, they could be anywhere from twenty to two thousand or beyond. And yet here they were, wrestling in the dirt like two adolescent boys over something silly. They reminded her so much of how she and Nigel used to be. Gods she missed him!
Legolas and Strider lay panting in the dirt, laughter still catching in their throats.
"You are not going to tell the Twins." Legolas repeated firmly for the umpteenth time.
"Mmmm," Strider replied smugly. "But what's to stop Natasha from telling them?"
"Hey leave me out of this." Natasha exclaimed indignantly, kicking him gently in the hip.
Strider smiled unrepentantly and stretched languidly before crossing his arms beneath his head and looking up at her with amusement.
"That was quite the trick you played on Gandalf, Natasha." Strider said. "I don't think I've ever seen him angrier. Not even the Twins went as far as you did today. They're going to be so jealous and try to beat you now."
"Well, he was a sourpuss all morning. And then he fell asleep on me. Of all the nerve." Natasha said with mock-indignation.
"Oh, poor thing." Legolas cooed. "Ignored all morning."
Natasha laughed and smacked his arm lightly.
"Of course you realize, Gandalf gives as good as he gets." Strider continued
"Probably." Natasha conceded, wondering just what it was the old man would retaliate with.
"And you can tell us all about it when we see you next year. Gandalf tends to come in yearly cycles. Estel will just have to make sure he's here to hear it." Legolas said brightly.
Natasha squatted on the grass between them and turned twinkling eyes on Legolas. "Strider was right…" she paused, waiting for his complete attention. "You should have seen the look on your face. It was priceless. Hmm, we have to pass through Imladris on the way to the Shire anyway…I think I might just let this one slip if I meet these Twins, eh?"
"Oh yes?" Legolas asked, and tackled her to the ground, wrestling with her as he had Strider.
Strider watched, smiling dreamily, as first Legolas was on top, then Natasha. He wondered what it would be like to tackle Natasha, or better yet be tackled by her before shaking his head vigorously to banish the thoughts. Legolas' thoughts were along much the same lines. But soon none of them were able to think much, as the wrestling match rolled overtop of Strider and included him in the melee.