Chapter 2: One, Two, Three. New Faces

"One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three, very good Naomi!" Arwen complimented Naomi as she went through several stances. Beautifully carved dual long-knives rested in her gloved hands, given to her from Lord Elrond. The black blades were as long as from the tip of her middle finger to her elbow, and hooked at the handle end. The hilts had handguards that were angled into a point on one side to protect Naomi's knuckles as she gripped them. The pommel on each of the long-knives curved out slightly, and had black gems encrusted into them. Naomi loved them, they were light and felt like extensions of her arms. Which Aragorn told her was a good thing, and that her awareness of the blades was a good head start for her training. It appeared that Elrond had given her the blades worth a purpose in mind ( although that purpose remained a secret to Naomi) and a few days after she was on her feet again, she was being taught how to use them. Not only the blades, but the skill of the bow and arrow was also being taught to her.

That part of training was progressing........slowly.

"Lift the bow up more, pull the string back harder, concentrate on your target, you are not concentrati-,"

"SHUT UP! I'm trying! But you're stressing me out!" Naomi called out, trying not to lose her focus.

"But you need to concentrate or you'll hurt someone,"

"I know that Arago--AH!" The bow string twanged out of her fingers and slapped across her bare forearm, this caused Naomi to jolt, which in turn caused the arrow that was notched to go flying in the wrong direction. When a thump sounded that signified that the arrow was imbedded into something Naomi peeked open her eyes. Aragorn wore a look of surprise as he stood frozen, the arrow lodged a hand width away from his head into the tree he was leaning against. Naomi's laughter could not be contained as Aragorn's surprise melted into one of annoyance and unhappiness. Swiftly pulling the arrow out of the tree he sighed.

"Perhaps we should resume archery tomorrow," he stated rather than asked, calmly walking away from the tree to where Naomi stood.

"Awwww! No, I really wanna get this!" Naomi complained shaking the bow before hugging it tightly.

"And i'm not going until I do," She stuck out her tongue as a final statement before snatching the arrow out of Aragorn's hand.

"If it will please they lady then so be it, I shall warn all heading this way what they should very well encounter, and that they might reach the Valinor earlier than intended," Aragorn said nodding his head in a bow before walking off through the trees.

"'They might reach the Valinor earlier than intended'," Naomi mimicked before rolling her eyes and setting up her stance again. She had no idea that Aragorn seriously intended to warn people of her presence.

Walking through the halls Aragorn encountered Elrond, who was in fact looking for a report on Naomi's progress.

"Arwen has informed me that she is working well with the art of the blade, how does she in the art of the bow and arrow?"

"At this moment she is practicing, and i can assure you that no number of the enemy will be able to pass her," Aragorn said looking back the way he came from, praying that no one would get seriously injured by Naomi's practicing. Elrond having interpreted his words wrong nodded.

"Good to hear, she will need much skill if she is to survive in Middle Earth, during these dark times," Elrond muttered the last part, sorrow flashing through his brown eyes for but a moment.

TWANG

Naomi waited with her eyes closed, hoping for the sound of the arrow sinking into a tree. But like the last few hundred times there was no satisfying thump and she sighed in dismay. The sun was well past the middle of the sky and Naomi was becoming hungry, not only that but she was sweaty and dirty from constantly running off to find the arrows that missed their target. Finally deciding that she'd tried her hardest she gathered up all the arrows and placed them into the quiver strapped to her right hip and slug the bow over her shoulder before starting her trek back to her room. This trek was filled with much tripping and swearing at the dress she currently wore. It was a plain white dress with a v neck line and floaty sleeves that only reached her elbows. A blue sash with golden vine patterns running alone the edges was tied around her waist, making the dress hug her waist nicely before falling to the ground, dragging slightly behind her. But Naomi not knowing the layout of the paths well enough ended up trekking through trees and shrubs and bushes. Her hair which had been tied back nicely and plaited was pulled out and left to hang around her smudged face.

"You can gimme long hair, an elven dress, and elven bow and stick me in freakin' ELF Land and. Nothing. Changes!" Naomi growled, trying to unlatch her dress from the 27th bush it had caught in.

Yeah. She was counting.

"My fair maiden, do you require any assistance?" A deep voice with a strange timbre (that reminded her of a Canadian accent) asked. Naomi looked up to see a man with dark, strawberry, blonde hair on a chestnut horse. He had a beard and a round shield and sword, which instantly put Naomi on her guard.

"No, I am quite alright," Naomi said sarcastically, still tugging on her dress.

"Are you entirely sure?" He asked tilting his head.

"No I am not!" Naomi cried frustrated throwing her fists out to her sides. The man blinked, obviously unused to being spoken to in such a tone, before he dismounted and rushed over to her.

"Remain still and I shall have you free in but a heart beat," He said flashing her a smile before kneeling and inspecting her tangled dress. Naomi rolled her eyes.

'Everyone here speaks so formally,' she thought in mild disdain. What she would give for someone else to know the meaning of her swear words!

"So what is such beguiling lady doing in the middle of the forest may I ask?" The man question whilst he worked.

"Such a what?" Naomi asked raising an eyebrow at the man's strange vocabulary.

"Oh forgive me, are you not familiar with such literature? I presumed you to be a woman of high-class, my lady," He said with an apologetic smile.

"It's fine, but you see i'm not from around here, so I don't really know what everyone means all the time...," Naomi said trailing off as her dress came loose.

"Oh! Thanks,"

"It is drawback to my life," The man said taking Naomi's hand as he stood and gave it a kiss. Naomi flushed, unused to being treated so lady-like.

"Be that as it may, where are you journeying?"

"Well I was heading back to Lord Elrond's place and--,"

"You are an elf then?" He asked cutting her off.

"Nah, i'm human," Naomi said pulling her bow back onto her shoulder.

"Then what is your business there? If I may ask?"

"Well I became....lost recently, and he is letting me stay until i figure out where i'm off to next,"

"You travel then? By yourself?" The man asked seeming completely happy questioning everything about her. Afraid he was soon going to announce his love for her and try to sweep her away to a castle somewhere she sighed.

"Look I really have to get going-,"

"If you are headed to Rivendell I would be honored to let you ride with me," He said taking her hand again.

"Ah, well you see I don't really know you and-,"

"Oh forgive me! I have not introduce myself to ye, I am Boromir, eldest son of Denethor II, Steward of Gondor," He said bowing deeply, Naomi sighed again at him always cutting her off before doing a little curtsy.

"I am Naomi Jackson,"

"Well Lady Naomi of the Jackson, can I offer you transportation to Rivendell?"

"Oh! Well I don't want to waste your time--,"

"It is of no inconvenience, I am headed that way myself," Naomi weighed the options, if he was heading that way it would be fine.

'Besides, I don't think people in the middle ages randomly picked up women with bows and carried them of...f.....,' Naomi thought she may have to rethink her tactics. But for now this Boromir was heading the the House of Elrond, and in all honesty Naomi was sure she'd just get lost again.

"Well, if you're heading that way I might as well catch a lift with you," Naomi said with a smile. Boromir walked her to his horse before lifting her up into the saddle, due to the dress Naomi had to sit side-saddle, before he mounting up in front of her.

"I am sorry, My Lady, but there will be no time for hunting, I really must get to Rivendell,"

"That's....too...bad...," Naomi said, nearly breaking into laughter.

"Hold on," Boromir told her before he nudge the horse onwards. Naomi wrapped her arms around Boromir's chest as the horse gained speed.

By the time the two reached Rivendell it was sunset, and one of Naomi's legs had fallen asleep on her.

"Naomi! You are safe! Thank the Valor!" Arwen cried rushing down the steps to meet her as Boromir lifted her down.

"Arwen, yeah I'm all good, Boromir here gave me a li-iiiiift!" Naomi's leg promptly gave out on her and she nearly fell to the ground, if it weren't for Boromir holding her steady.

"Oh, thanks," Naomi said nodding to him before trying to rub feeling back into her leg.

"Naomi...why are you so filthy?" Arwen asked when she straightened up again.

"I-,"

"Well there is no time for that, you must go and take a bath before dinner is served!" Arwen said nudging her towards the stairs.

"Nyye, Oh! Thank-you Boromir!" Naomi called waving to him before she was ushered up the steps and into a hall. Although half way to her rooms someone ran into Arwen.

"Ah! So sorry m'lady! But I heard that Master Frodo is up!" The little man said with a bow.

"Yes he is indeed, do you know where his room is Sam?" Arwen asked gently, smiling at him as he fidgeted with a frown.

"Not quite yet...,"

"Arwen you show him! I know where my room is," Naomi said cheerfully, Arwen nodded before placing a hand on the little man's back.

"Sam, this is Lady Naomi of the Jackson, Naomi this is Samwise Gamgee, he is of the Hobbit race,"

"Nice to meet you Miss Naomi, you c'n just call me Sam though," Sam said with an awkward bow.

"Nice to meet you too, though I must be off for a bath," Naomi said about to leave, Sam flushed red and Arwen let out a chuckle. Naomi realized her error in mentioning what she was doing to a man and bowed tense manner before smiling and waving. Sighing she walked around several more corridors and corners...before smacking into someone.

"Aaaaaah! Shit, shit, sorry!" Naomi slapped a hand over her mouth when she realized what she blurted out.

"It's...no error?" The man said uncertainly. Naomi stepped back to see who she ran into and found Aragorn and the man from the garden.

"Oh wow! It's you!" Naomi said pointing a finger at him and chuckling a little at the irony.

"Ah...oh wow, it's you?" The blonde man tried imitating her way of speaking, before pointing at her as well. Naomi thinking this was adorable burst into a fit of giggles before nodding.

"Haha, cool,"

"Naomi, this is Legolas Greenleaf of the Woodland Realm," Aragorn said starting the introductions.

"Oh! I'm Naomi Jackson," Naomi said holding her hand out, meaning for a handshake, instead Legolas took her hand and kissed it gently. Naomi's face instantly heated up as he smiled at her.

"Naomi, why in Middle Earth are you that filthy?" Aragorn asked, snapping her out of her daze.

"Someone decided to let me practice archery on my own! So when it came time for me to leave I had no idea where I was going and this freakin' dress is so hard to trek in I ended up getting saved by some guy name Boromir,"

"I see," Aragorn said thoughtfully whilst chuckling.

"Oh yes, Aragorn told me about your archery skills,"

"Yeah, I bet he told you I was a killer shot," Her sarcasm was once again missed, but not by Aragorn who found this situation very amusing.

"No actually he told me you could do well with a large amount of more practice," Legolas said looking to Aragorn, who by this time was shaking his head and trying to contain his laughter.

"If you like, I could try to aid you in you lessons?" Legolas offered kindly. Naomi's heart leapt into her throat at the prospect of spending more time with this Woodland elf.

"That would be VERY much appreciated," Naomi said grinning.

"I look forward to it," Legolas said, lifting Naomi's hand a kissing it gently once more.