The Last One

Chapter 4

Ruive all but sprinted to the training fields, desperate to release some pent up frustration. 'Ugh, the rumours of your beauty, I hope the rumours of your skill are true!' 

Ruive grabbed a belt full of throwing knives off the weapons rack and stood a fair distance from the targets. She removed one from its sheath and aimed it at the target all the while picturing the prince's face at the centre. The knife landed in the centre with a resounding thunk! Satisfied, she removed another an turned to the next target repeating the same movements only this time picturing a certain snot-nosed king at the centre. Once out of knives Ruive strapped a quiver to her back her picked up the bow from her father thinking some archery would help calm her anger.

Ruive began to release arrow after arrow, two per target. For each arrow that hit the target, the next would split the previous one in half. Whilst lost in her own world, Ruive had failed to notice the almost silent steps approaching from behind her. The prince watched quietly from behind as the princess that he was so intrigued by split an arrow in the dead centre of a target from 300 feet away. He waited until she had lowered her bow before making his presence known.

"Lle naa curucuar." (you are a skillfull bowman)

Ruive spun around notching an arrow in her bow aiming straight for the prince. 

"You should know it's not wise to sneak up on me, but then again not may can do that."

 Legolas' lips twitch up slightly at the princess, however Ruive remained straight faced.

"Forgive my lady it was not my intention to sneak up on you. I was merely admiring your skill as  an archer, I mean you have killed a dragon with and arrow before." 

Legolas took a few steps towards the princess. 

"And your bow is very beautiful, I have to say I am rather jealous of the craftsmanship."

Ruive's face softened slightly thinking perhaps she had been rude and harsh to an undeserving elf, after all how many elves could she name that were jealous of her father's craftsmanship. 

"Thank you my lord, I am sure my father would be pleased to know that I am not the only one who appreciates his skill as a craftsman."

Legolas smiled at the princess. 

"Please my lady you need not be formal with me, if it would please you as much as I, call me Legolas."

"It would please me if you would return me the same courtesy by calling me Ruive, for I am far from any lady." 

Ruive for the first time actually smiled at Legolas thankful he was not like other princes that would not answer to anything but my lord, or my prince.

Legolas looked down once again at Ruive's bow in awe it, this did not go unnoticed by Ruive and she did something she had never done before. 

"Would it please you to test it yourself Legolas?" 

Ruive held her bow out to him. Legolas was shocked by two things; one she had called him Legolas, and two she was offering him to use her bow that she had used to slay a dragon.

"I would be honoured, Ruive." 

Legolas gently took the bow from Ruive's outstretched hands as though it was made of ice. 

"It's so light." He wondered how a bow with such strength could be so light in hand.

"When my father made it, my mother had shown him how elves make their bows and how they are so light in hand." 

Ruive took an arrow from the quiver on her back and handed it to him. Legolas took the arrow bowing his head in acknowledgement and notched it pulling the feather tail back to his cheek. He exhaled an let the arrow fly through the air and land with the same resounding thunk! as Ruive's had done earlier.

"Lle naa curucuar, Legolas." Ruive smiled using the words as he had done earlier. 

Legolas returned her smiled and handed her bow back gently brushing hands with her as he did so. Upon their touch they both felt a warmth buzz within them neither had ever felt before which left them both wondering what it was.  

*the bow at the top is Ruive's bow that her father gave her*