The IRE of Winter

[ 7.2 ]

Lunch was fast, I tip toed up the stairs and saw Legolas's room empty. Gimli had left, so I decided to look for the elf outside. I hawked the narrow bridges, down the courtyards but there was no sign of him. I went to the long house to ask Aramis and Rod, but the two were no where to be found.

So was Gimli.

For a moment, I felt helpless and down.

Perhaps they were with someone else, with the council. I looked up the white palace and forced myself to believe that they were inside it. Defeated, I decided to go back to the courtyard. I should practice as much as I can. I ran to the courtyard as fast as I could, trying not to waste time. I was so eager to learn archery by myself, so inclined to hit the target with my own efforts, so dedicated to earn the skill, until, I saw the elf practicing with his long knives.

I hid myself behind a tall shrub, crouching, watching him secretly. He was alone. I wonder where everyone else went. He thrust, and rolled, he cut and swung his long knives side to side as if he was battling with an imaginary foe. He ducked and dodged, his moves were filled with grace and skill. His arms were strong, his body agile and there I found myself admiring him even more.

Despite his rudeness and arrogance, he is gentle and caring. Suddenly, I felt my heart sinking again, a strange feeling that makes me nervous and careless.

He threw a knife to my direction and it landed just before my face. The leaves rattled in distress as the knife was pinned to its little trunk.

'What brings you here, child?'

'You almost killed me, twice in a week. Seriously? Why do you scare me so often?' Stunned, I completely lost my balance and dropped to the ground, revealing myself.

He smirked, pulling off the knife from the plant. 'Am I scary to you? I remembered you called me puny. Does a puny elf scares you.'

He offered his hand to help me stand. Unwilling, I stood by myself and shook off the dust. 'Well,  in fact, I am scared of a great deal. I'm scared of hunger, I'm scared of drowning, I'm scared of death and a lot more. And I'm scared of you acting nicely.'

He smiled and that was the first time I saw a genuine smile on his face. 'I am sorry then. I was also afraid of you,' he admitted as he turned his back on me. Fear is a powerful weapon, and you had it on me. I was afraid I might kill you, like I did once to your kind.' He gave me one of his knife and gestured that we go on practice again. 'But I am not scared of you now. I don't think I will ever be, vaurg.'

His tone was driving me mad. He does a very nice job on making me angry.

'We'll see.' I made the first move, thrusting the knife onto him. He blocked it easily by twisting his body, avoiding it. I jabbed, but my movement was slow, I don't want to cut him afterall.

'Fear makes a person weak,' he lectured while sneaking away from my attacks. 'You see, if your intention to kill is weak, you can't possibly defeat your opponent.'

'Is that the reason why you're acting mean to me?' I swung the knife side to side but he blocked it with one hand, amused of my struggle. I pursued him, slashing and thrusting the knife. The metal clanged sharply, again and again, until it was painful to hear. 'Then keep annoying me, it might actually help.'

'You are weak, you are slow and reckless. You won't last a minute in a real fight. Humans like you must train many years to master a skill, much more than mastering a sword. You won't live long enough to master archery too.'