The Silvan (Lord of the Rings-Legolas)[Wattys2016]

Chapter 20: Now We Are Four

"I have news," said Lainion as he dried his long black hair with a towel, watching Legolas as he prepared the evening meal.

Lainion's flet was simple but efficient, comfortable even, but there was no space left unused, and now he sat at the long table before the hearth which he used for cooking.

The smell made his mouth water and he poked his head over the rim of the earthenware pot that bubbled over the wood fire.

"Rabbit?"

"Aye, with some mushrooms I picked up. You're hungry!" said Legolas with a grin that did nothing to convince Lainion that the boy was calm and in control, as was obviously his intent; indeed it was all too clear he was bursting at the seams for the news Lainion brought from the city.

"Hungry, yes," he smiled back, "almost as much as you for the news I bring," he grinned lopsidedly as he watched the stew ooze out of the ladle and into his bowl, the aromatic steam hitting him full in the face.

"Thyme and rosemary..." said the Avari with relish, his eyes half-closed as he inhaled noisily.

"Aye Lainion!" chuckled Legolas. "You are cruel and I will die if you do not tell me... I cannot fool you."

"Peace, Silvan boy! Come sit and I will tell you. There is good news, and there is - not so good news.

Which will you have first?" he asked, before shovelling a spoonful of stew into his watering mouth, unsurprised that Legolas made no move to eat his own dinner.

"Alright. We have a new mission."

"What? Where! When do we leave!" came the frantic questions, but Lainion held up his hand for silence.

"It will surprise you..."

"Out with it!"

"Imladris. We ride to Imladris."

Legolas stared dumbly at Lainion and the lieutenant was not surprised. It did not make much sense to anyone save those that had planned it so.

"Imladris? What - why?" he asked in consternation.

"It may seem strange to you now, but this is an opportunity you should embrace, Legolas. Prince Handir travels there to study under the Noldo Councillor Erestor, of whom you may have heard. With him travels a caravan of twenty warriors. It has been decided that the best novices from their promotion may travel with the caravan, and stay in the land of the Noldo for six months, to study warfare, as a boon for their efforts ..."

Legolas sat back and Lainion knew he did not quite know how to take the news. He wondered too, for a moment, if the boy had seen the subterfuge for what it was.

"Six months? But - but are there any orcs there? Spiders? I do not wish to sit idly for so long, surely this is a mission for the home guard, more of a procession almost, than a patrol. I am a fighter, not a ceremonial guard!" he finally shouted, his hands flapping in the air as if he could somehow draw the scene that seemed to play out before him.

"Legolas. There are more than enough foul things that way for the both of us, and in answer to your queries, only the best travel with our royal family. You should be honoured."

"I am, I suppose, but - but six months!"

Lainion laughed then. Still a child, he realised, at least in some things. "Legolas, think. Six months to learn - do you not know who resides there?"

"The Noldor, aye. There will be veteran warriors there, but we have them here too, Lainion. Good warriors I could learn from. You, Turion, Hûron..."