For Greater Things (An LOTR Fanfiction)

chapter 7

"Move your feet, Pippin!"

The clunking noise of wooden swords filled the clearing. I sat underneath a tree watching Aragorn train Pippin. The cool wind blew softly and played with the strands of my hair. I sat with one leg stretched out and my arm resting on the knee of the leg that was bent. Not very lady-like, I know. But then, I'm not exactly lady-like. Pippin's soft counting floated on the breeze and his small grunts could be heard. I vaguely noticed as I felt someone sit next to me.

"Can I ask you something?"

I jumped slightly at the soft voice that spoke next to me. I glanced to my right to see the one person I've been avoiding for the past two days.

"Go ahead." I turned my head quickly when he started to look at me. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a faint smile on his face.

"Why have you been avoiding me?"

"What makes you think I've been avoiding you?" I answered that way too fast. He definately knows I'm trying to hide the fact that I AM trying to avoid him.

"I'm not exactly blind. When we are in the same room, you try to leave without being noticed. Even now you aren't looking me in the eyes."

I fidgeted slightly as I felt his eyes on the side of my head. I sat up straighter and looked him in the eyes with one of my eyebrows raised. He chuckled and said, "Alright, alright. But that's not what I meant. Why are you avoiding me?"

I realized that this guy was not going to give up, unless I gave him a straight, honest answer. Sighing, I looked down and played with the hem of my lavender tunic. "Elrohir told me that you are Prince Legolas. I guess that I am just embarrassed that I nearly ran down the crowned Prince."

Soft chuckling escaped his lips. "Are you laughing at me?" I asked incredulously.

"I'm sorry, please forgive me. There is no need to be embarrassed. It could have happened to anyone." He stopped laughing and looked at me. "Why don't we start over. Gi suilon. I'm Legolas."

I smiled and said, "Andriel. It's nice to meet you, Legolas."

He smiled. I have to admit that I was slightly mesmerized by the beauty of it.

"You know, I'll never understand why they let a woman join this fellowship." I looked up to see the annoying Steward's son walking towards us. "No offense, but women do not belong on a dangerous mission like this." He stopped in front of us as the clearing went silent with his words.

"What is your name, sir?"

"Boromir, lady." He gave a small bow.

"Boromir, I do not believe in judging others before I have had the chance to know them. That includes women."

"I did not mean to insinuate anything...."

"Andriel"

"....Lady Andriel, but it is just a known fact that women are not as capable as men when it comes to hardship."

I stood gracefully from the ground and looked him in the eyes. "Yes, many women are unable to take care of themselves the way a man can." A small smile of victory started to appear on his face. "But, you forget that I am not of the race of Man." I stepped around him and started to walk towards the halls.

"Lady Andriel", he called out to me. I turned to face him. "Whether you are of the race of Man or not, women are still women."

"Would you like to test that theory?" I stepped closer to him.

He cocked his head and looked at me with interest. "What do you mean?"

"Fight me"

His face held a look of surprise. Suddenly, he started laughing. "You want me to fight you?" he said in between breaths.