Meeting hope
By: Eressie
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Chapter Two
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"How did you convince your father to let us all do this again?" Legolas asked as they rode away from Rivendell.
"Well, I tried to tell him that Estel needs to see the world-"
"And Trollshaw is the world?" Legolas interrupted Elrohir.
"No, of course not, but he do need to start somewhere, doesn't he?" the younger twin said with a shrug.
"Um, what about trolls?" Estel asked slowly. "Bilbo told me about them when I was a child."
Elladan chuckled. "First of all; you are still a child, Estel."
"I'm fifteen!" Estel protested.
Elladan nodded. "Yes, a child." he said. "And second of all; no one have seen a troll there for years. Elves have searched the place and found no living trolls, just stone ones. Elrohir and I have been there before too, many times. Its fine."
"Yes, so we convinced Ada that it is a safe place to take Estel to." Elrohir nodded. "He can't keep Estel protected in Rivendell all his life, even though father would want that."
The twins had decided that a camping trip outside of Rivendell was a good way to get Legolas and Estel to know each other more. Legolas had just arrived yesterday but he was eager for this camping trip as well, and he managed to leave his two 'babysitters' in Lord Elrond's house. The two of them would much rather spend time with Glorfindel and Erestor than go along on their camping trip, Legolas guessed, since it did not take much convincing. And it was a much safer place on this side of the mountains; Legolas would be fine and so would his friends.
Estel was still muttering that he was practically almost an adult and not a child. Legolas heard him and smiled. "Don't take it to heart, Estel." the blond haired elf said and rode closer to Estel. "The twins still calls me a child just because I am younger than them."
"Much younger!" Elladan called out behind them.
"We're over seven hundred years older than you, as you well know, elfling." Elrohir continued. "In our eyes you are the same age as, Estel."
Estel smiled. He was glad that someone else was treated like a youngling for once and not just him. "How old are you, 'Las?" he asked the prince who shrugged.
"He is five hundred and ten." Elladan answered when Legolas did not. "He just doesn't want to tell you because if you count his years as a human he would be about eighteen. He is still a child, really…" he ducked as an arrow flew past and hit the tree behind him. His eyes widened as he looked at Legolas; shocked.
Legolas grinned and fastened another arrow to his bow. "Who are you calling child?"
"Don't shoot deadly arrows at your elders! That's rude!" Elladan shouted and eyed the bow and arrow Legolas held in his hands.
Estel laughed. "Now who's acting like children?" he said. "I feel like I am the grown up here!"
Legolas smirked and lowered his bow and put the arrow back in its quiver. Elladan relaxed as he did so, but he still pretended to be on his guard. He knew that Legolas would never hurt him of coarse and if the blond haired elf indeed wanted to hit him with an arrow; he would not have missed.
They rode on but did not have an exact destination. They mainly wanted to just spend time together and have a good time. And they did just that, talking and joking and telling each other tales. But they were still on their guard. It is not common but orcs have been here before and one should always be careful. They brought their weapons of course; one should never leave them at home. Estel did not have the skills with bow or sword that the elves had and he was not a fully trained warrior; but he was learning and he could handle himself quite well with a sword. He had not won a training fight yet, but he was sparring with elves, and they had the upper hand. If Estel got the chance to train with a man someday, he would do well, or so he thought.
They stopped and sat up camp. Letting their horses roam free a few paces back; they would come when called.
They sat around the fire and the twins were telling Legolas of when Estel accidentally shot Erestor in the foot with an arrow two years ago.
"The curses he spoke! He could have made a dwarf blush!" Elladan said with a laugh.
Estel ducked his head. "I did not mean to. He was not supposed to be there anyway."
"And you were not supposed to shoot arrows on your own, outside of the training grounds." said Elrohir in a matter of fact. "Something far worse could have happened."
Estel nodded. "Yes, I had my fair share of scolding about that thank you very much." he said.
"And it became a good anecdote if anything." Elladan said. "It was fun hearing Erestor swear that much! I've never heard a bad word from that elf's mouth in my life until then!"
Elrohir nodded. "And he did heal quickly and forgave Estel before the healers even had the time to take the arrow out."
Legolas smiled and put his arm around Estel's shoulders. "Don't worry, Estel. That is what could happen if you are trained by Noldor elves." he said and smirked at the twins. "They know nothing about archery compared to wood elves."
"Hey, I must protest!" Elladan said and raised his hand. "We too are skilled with bow and arrow, like you, and with our training he can be as good, nay better than any man!"
Elrohir sighed deeply. "…but Legolas is far more skilled than any of us at archery, even among wood elves he is good, the best even." he admitted quietly.
"Ha!" Legolas said in triumph. "See Estel, I-"
"But!" Elrohir interrupted. "We are better with swords."
"Better than my father?" Legolas asked and tilted his head.
"…maybe just as good." the twins said.
Legolas laughed. "I am going to tell him that." he said. "He is going to want a duel with you two when you come to Mirkwood the next time."
Estel smiled and looked at Legolas. "Can you teach me?" he asked and picked up Legolas bow where it lay by his side.
"To shoot an arrow properly and actually hitting the target unlike Noldor elves?"
Estel laughed and they both ignored the twin's shouts of protest. "Yes," he said. "I can hardly learn from any better."
Legolas smiled. "It would be my pleasure."
"When do we begin?" Estel asked eagerly.
"Is tomorrow soon enough?"
Estel laughed. "Perfect!"
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You like it? Hate it? Review please!
(I know that the twins was born in 130 T.A. which make them about 1580 years older than in my story. But I always liked the idea to have Legolas quite young and his date of birth is not really known. I also wanted the twins to be closer in age to Legolas so I made them a little younger than 2816 years.)
/Eressie