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curiouswombatThis is another short story, set in the Returnverse, where Legolas learns the importance of the right kind of shield. It is a response to one of the Shmoop Bingo prompts - even though I never did get around to completing them. I'll tell you the prompt at the end.
Because I am almost as anally retentive about word count as my beta (put it down to all the drabbles I write) - this is exactly 1,000 words long.
It is a companion piece to The Man in Black - timewise.
Title; The Right Kind of Shield.
Word count; 1,000
Rated PG
Characters; Legolas, Tindómë (previously known as Dawn).
The Right Kind of Shield
“The problem with any celebration in Minas Tirith”, Legolas said, “is the formal dining and the balls. I am always happy to visit Aragorn and Arwen, but the rest I would happily give up.”
Tindómë waited. She was sure that she knew exactly what he meant, but…
“You would have thought that they may have learnt, in fifty years,” he went on. “It is quite a long time for mortals. Some of the young women propelled into my path are the granddaughters of those who were so propelled by their own grandmothers.”
“Perhaps,” she answered, trying not to laugh, “they just assume that you spurned them, back in the day, because it is your destiny to fall madly in love with their granddaughter?”
“I have no wish to fall madly in love with any mortal!”
“Ah but, atheg, they’ve heard that Elves believe there is someone that they are destined to love; you have even pointed it out, on one or two occasions, yourself. So they think that your wishes have very little bearing on the matter…”
“Victim to my own bow, eh?” He smiled wryly. “But surely they realise that somewhere there is an elleth whose fëa will sing with mine? Not some aristocratic Gondorian maiden.”
Tindómë shrugged before answering. “Most of them married because it suited their parents – but they all want to believe in true love. They see their mortal king with an elven wife and so they know such a match is not impossible. You are high-ranking, good looking, and eligible. Honestly, Legolas, it’s no wonder they chase after you either for themselves, their daughters, or their granddaughters.”
He acknowledged the truth in what she said, but finished “It does not stop me thinking, quite often, that I would rather face yrch.”
“What you need,” Tindómë told him, “is the right sort of shield…”
……………………………………………..
“Obviously I wouldn’t work,” Tindómë said, “although Lithôniel would have been perfect, if Orophin wasn’t invited in his own right.”
She paused, and then continued, “Of course we could just put Galanthir in a dress... As he is always your ‘servant’ on these occasions no-one invited to all the formal stuff will ever have noticed him.”
Legolas looked as if he was considering her suggestion, seriously, but Tindómë knew that look. “Why put him in a dress? I could simply introduce him as my intended and let them think what they will.”
Tindómë now did her best to look as if she was seriously considering his suggestion. “No-o-o-o – maybe not. Gondorians are a bit, uh, stuffy about such things.”
“Perhaps you are right,” Legolas conceded, “so any plan to look at Gimli with cows’ eyes would probably not work either...”
“I’m sure he’d be relieved to know that,” Tindómë said, straight faced.
Eventually they discussed ‘the shield’ in earnest.
“It would be best if she genuinely was a single elleth,” Tindómë decided. “But she needs to have been in Ithilien long enough, or have known you long enough, to realise that you totally do mean her just to be a shield; that you aren’t really considering such a match.”
“I think, nethig, there are very few ellyth, to be honest, who currently harbour such aspirations. So who do you think would most enjoy the court of Gondor for a month? Who would most easily tolerate all those women being, oh so politely, unpleasant to her?”
Tindómë thought through the unattached ellyth for a little.
“I have it!” she decided. “Eriathwen.”
Tindómë’s former ‘housemate’ from Lothlorien had followed her to Eryn Ithil when their other friend, Boroniel, had sailed West with some of her family.
Tindómë warmed to her theme. “Although I know that Eriathwen wanted to go starlight bathing with you in the past – and might even have done so for all I know...” She glanced at Legolas, whose face remained totally impassive; ‘I’ll take that as a yes, then,’ she thought, before continuing out loud, “but she certainly doesn’t think of you seriously as a possible life partner.”
Now in full flow she continued, “And even though she lived all her life in a talan, before coming to Eryn Ithil, I don’t think she’d mind the Citadel. She’s Galadhrim – I can’t see her letting anything faze her.
“And you just know that, being Galadhrim, she’ll look down her nose perfectly at any Gondorian noblewoman who as much as looks at her sideways let alone insults her. She would so totally enjoy playing the part.”
Legolas grinned. “You are absolutely right, nethig, why did I never think of this before?”
“Because you are a male and not sufficiently devious,” Tindómë cut in, before he could say anything more.
……………………………………………..
The Elven party rode towards Minas Tirith.
“We will pause at the gates,” Legolas said, “so that Gimli and I can point out their finer points to ‘my intended’.”
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Tindómë asked, from behind him.
He considered for a moment. “It will certainly be a different game of ‘behaving as they expect’,” he answered. “As long as you do not suffer because of it,” he added, nodding towards Eriathwen riding beside him.
She had entered into the deception with enthusiasm and she really did look the part she was playing.
“Oh no, I am quite sure I will not suffer – no matter how annoyed some of the mortal women might be to find me at your side, I will look at them serenely.”
She demonstrated.
Tindómë had been right; no-one could look quite so disdainfully down their nose, whilst remaining expressionless, as one of the Galadhrim!
“Tindómë, Lithôniel, and I are going to attempt to predict who will be the most rude… we shall enjoy it,” she finished, with a fleeting grin.
Perhaps as well, Legolas thought, not to mention that the ellyn were, instead, making wagers on when he and Eriathwen might ‘be swayed by the desires of the body’...
He grinned back and, for the first time in fifty years, rode into Minas Tirith clearly bearing a shield.
Finis
Disclaimer: The characters in this story do not belong to me, but are being used for amusement only, and all rights remain with the estate of JRR Tolkien.
The Prompt? Pretending to be a couple.
Because I am almost as anally retentive about word count as my beta (put it down to all the drabbles I write) - this is exactly 1,000 words long.
It is a companion piece to The Man in Black - timewise.
Title; The Right Kind of Shield.
Word count; 1,000
Rated PG
Characters; Legolas, Tindómë (previously known as Dawn).
“The problem with any celebration in Minas Tirith”, Legolas said, “is the formal dining and the balls. I am always happy to visit Aragorn and Arwen, but the rest I would happily give up.”
Tindómë waited. She was sure that she knew exactly what he meant, but…
“You would have thought that they may have learnt, in fifty years,” he went on. “It is quite a long time for mortals. Some of the young women propelled into my path are the granddaughters of those who were so propelled by their own grandmothers.”
“Perhaps,” she answered, trying not to laugh, “they just assume that you spurned them, back in the day, because it is your destiny to fall madly in love with their granddaughter?”
“I have no wish to fall madly in love with any mortal!”
“Ah but, atheg, they’ve heard that Elves believe there is someone that they are destined to love; you have even pointed it out, on one or two occasions, yourself. So they think that your wishes have very little bearing on the matter…”
“Victim to my own bow, eh?” He smiled wryly. “But surely they realise that somewhere there is an elleth whose fëa will sing with mine? Not some aristocratic Gondorian maiden.”
Tindómë shrugged before answering. “Most of them married because it suited their parents – but they all want to believe in true love. They see their mortal king with an elven wife and so they know such a match is not impossible. You are high-ranking, good looking, and eligible. Honestly, Legolas, it’s no wonder they chase after you either for themselves, their daughters, or their granddaughters.”
He acknowledged the truth in what she said, but finished “It does not stop me thinking, quite often, that I would rather face yrch.”
“What you need,” Tindómë told him, “is the right sort of shield…”
……………………………………………..
“Obviously I wouldn’t work,” Tindómë said, “although Lithôniel would have been perfect, if Orophin wasn’t invited in his own right.”
She paused, and then continued, “Of course we could just put Galanthir in a dress... As he is always your ‘servant’ on these occasions no-one invited to all the formal stuff will ever have noticed him.”
Legolas looked as if he was considering her suggestion, seriously, but Tindómë knew that look. “Why put him in a dress? I could simply introduce him as my intended and let them think what they will.”
Tindómë now did her best to look as if she was seriously considering his suggestion. “No-o-o-o – maybe not. Gondorians are a bit, uh, stuffy about such things.”
“Perhaps you are right,” Legolas conceded, “so any plan to look at Gimli with cows’ eyes would probably not work either...”
“I’m sure he’d be relieved to know that,” Tindómë said, straight faced.
Eventually they discussed ‘the shield’ in earnest.
“It would be best if she genuinely was a single elleth,” Tindómë decided. “But she needs to have been in Ithilien long enough, or have known you long enough, to realise that you totally do mean her just to be a shield; that you aren’t really considering such a match.”
“I think, nethig, there are very few ellyth, to be honest, who currently harbour such aspirations. So who do you think would most enjoy the court of Gondor for a month? Who would most easily tolerate all those women being, oh so politely, unpleasant to her?”
Tindómë thought through the unattached ellyth for a little.
“I have it!” she decided. “Eriathwen.”
Tindómë’s former ‘housemate’ from Lothlorien had followed her to Eryn Ithil when their other friend, Boroniel, had sailed West with some of her family.
Tindómë warmed to her theme. “Although I know that Eriathwen wanted to go starlight bathing with you in the past – and might even have done so for all I know...” She glanced at Legolas, whose face remained totally impassive; ‘I’ll take that as a yes, then,’ she thought, before continuing out loud, “but she certainly doesn’t think of you seriously as a possible life partner.”
Now in full flow she continued, “And even though she lived all her life in a talan, before coming to Eryn Ithil, I don’t think she’d mind the Citadel. She’s Galadhrim – I can’t see her letting anything faze her.
“And you just know that, being Galadhrim, she’ll look down her nose perfectly at any Gondorian noblewoman who as much as looks at her sideways let alone insults her. She would so totally enjoy playing the part.”
Legolas grinned. “You are absolutely right, nethig, why did I never think of this before?”
“Because you are a male and not sufficiently devious,” Tindómë cut in, before he could say anything more.
……………………………………………..
The Elven party rode towards Minas Tirith.
“We will pause at the gates,” Legolas said, “so that Gimli and I can point out their finer points to ‘my intended’.”
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Tindómë asked, from behind him.
He considered for a moment. “It will certainly be a different game of ‘behaving as they expect’,” he answered. “As long as you do not suffer because of it,” he added, nodding towards Eriathwen riding beside him.
She had entered into the deception with enthusiasm and she really did look the part she was playing.
“Oh no, I am quite sure I will not suffer – no matter how annoyed some of the mortal women might be to find me at your side, I will look at them serenely.”
She demonstrated.
Tindómë had been right; no-one could look quite so disdainfully down their nose, whilst remaining expressionless, as one of the Galadhrim!
“Tindómë, Lithôniel, and I are going to attempt to predict who will be the most rude… we shall enjoy it,” she finished, with a fleeting grin.
Perhaps as well, Legolas thought, not to mention that the ellyn were, instead, making wagers on when he and Eriathwen might ‘be swayed by the desires of the body’...
He grinned back and, for the first time in fifty years, rode into Minas Tirith clearly bearing a shield.
Disclaimer: The characters in this story do not belong to me, but are being used for amusement only, and all rights remain with the estate of JRR Tolkien.
The Prompt? Pretending to be a couple.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 14/01/2011 06:13 pm (UTC)Because you are a male and not sufficiently devious
:-)
(I like reading about Legolas but, at the same time, it always makes me cringe!)
no subject
Date: 14/01/2011 07:04 pm (UTC)Somehow none of us ever see Legolas as devious, do we?
(I like reading about Legolas but, at the same time, it always makes me cringe!)
I cope by thinking of 'my Legolas', 'your Legolas', Azalais' Legolas (http://www.henneth-annun.net/stories/chapter.cfm?stid=100) etc. as slightly different people all in their own stories!
no subject
Date: 07/02/2011 07:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 14/01/2011 08:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 15/01/2011 04:31 am (UTC)Yes, I'm home, still crippled, stiff, and totally knackered, though I'm not sure why -- I don't think it can still be the anaesthetic. Maybe I'm just fed up with the whole thing!
[The link to Azalais' Legolas, btw, reminded me that I've had a HASA account since 2004. I went over and reactivated it and, as far as I could see, my stories were still at the 'beta' stage. So I've changed some of them to 'general'. Does that mean other people will now be able to see them? (After six effing years? I hate these 'we have to vet your stories' sites. Have your stories been reviewed? What's the big deal?)]
no subject
Date: 15/01/2011 10:37 am (UTC)As far as I can tell, you don't ever have to use Beta - it is sort of the equivalent of posting it here first so that only a few people see it and point out any mistakes for you... or something.
The 'Review' type of stories are, again, only open to members, or possible even only those members who ticked that they would review - I didn't have the foggiest what that meant when I joined, and ticked it thinking it was the same as 'comment', so I see them. Then when they get a certain number of reviews they get a shiny star by their name and are let out to the public. The ones on the home page are always 'reviewed' stories.
I guess it means you aren't likely to hit something really badly written if you just go to look and click on one of those front page stories.
Mind you the whole rules., regs., and even just getting your stories to appear in public (that habit of leaving chapters set at 'zero' until you change it...aargh!) probably means the people who write total dross can't work out how to post it there - a form of self-selection even for the 'general' stories!
Thinking about you being laid-up still, if you want something to read with a Legolas who won't clash badly with yours, try Daw's stuff at SOA (http://www.storiesofarda.com/Author.asp?AuthID=5). There is also a rather different Éowyn/Legolas one there (http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=863), if you haven't read it. Like your Éowyn, this is a strong woman who certainly didn't just knuckle down to being Faramir's dutiful wife having children and growing herbs. It seems to be the only thing she wrote - even though she clearly intended there to be more - but it stands alone very well.
Also totally recommend Jay of Lasgalen's stories (http://www.storiesofarda.com/author.asp?AuthID=12) there - mainly twin-centric but also with a Legolas that you would find doesn't clash too badly with yours. I'm guessing, though, that you might already have read all three authors...
no subject
Date: 18/01/2011 12:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 18/01/2011 08:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 18/01/2011 05:34 pm (UTC)I love it for saying that people are complicated, and emotional hurt may never completely heal, and love is WORK -- and life can still be good and happy.
no subject
Date: 18/01/2011 09:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 07/02/2011 10:56 pm (UTC)One of the best F/E fics - if not the best fics, period - in the fandom IMHO and the piece which got me into LoTR fic in the first place, more years ago than I care to think about...
no subject
Date: 08/02/2011 01:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 07/02/2011 07:19 pm (UTC)Beta is just what it says, and only visible to HASA members. Where you put stuff you're still working on and are happy for other members to comment on. (Though if you want it visible only to you, you can set that too)
General - everybody can see it; members can comment; non-members can send the author an email.
Reviewed - this is the bit that is a bit different from the usual meaning of "review", and gets some people's hackles up (each to their own; it was set up in the early days of post-movie LoTR fanfic, long before LJ, when there were very few archive sites and when the dreck-to-half-decent-fic ratio on the Pit of Voles was possibly even higher than it is now...)
- Reviewed is a stamp of "our members particularly want to recommend this to you". If you choose (it's entirely voluntary) to put a story into Review, it then gets checked out (blind - you are asked to remove all identifying info first) by nine members. (Can be any members of HASA who've chosen to be reviewers - people choose what to review, and are asked to be as objective as possible and not just approve fics they recognise by friends, nor review and automatically turn down types of fic they know they won't like). If a simple majority, five out of nine, think your story is "exceptional or outstanding" - and that's the bar, not just "it's fine" - it will be approved as Reviewed and get a shiny star next to it. If not, it can stay in General. Either way, everyone can read it. That's all it is, really.
no subject
Date: 14/01/2011 08:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 14/01/2011 08:49 pm (UTC)I've just realised that I forgot to mention that it is a companion piece to The Man in Black (http://curiouswombat.livejournal.com/251373.html#cutid1) - timewise.
no subject
Date: 14/01/2011 08:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 14/01/2011 09:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 14/01/2011 09:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 14/01/2011 10:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 14/01/2011 08:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 14/01/2011 08:52 pm (UTC)I forgot to say that it is a companion piece to The Man in Black (http://curiouswombat.livejournal.com/251373.html#cutid1)! Must go and say so.
no subject
Date: 19/01/2011 09:45 pm (UTC)Really though, those Gondorian females give me the pip. It's enough to make one a republican (small R) a;though the Roam Senate was certainly no less up its arse than any monarchy.
no subject
Date: 19/01/2011 10:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 23/01/2011 12:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 07/02/2011 07:09 pm (UTC)“But surely they realise that somewhere there is an elleth whose fëa will sing with mine? Not some aristocratic Gondorian maiden...It does not stop me thinking, quite often, that I would rather face yrch.”
- I consider myself suitably rebuked! (Though in my defence Rowanna was hardly your archetypal Gondorian aristocrat, even if technically the description might apply...)
no subject
Date: 07/02/2011 07:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 08/02/2011 09:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 08/02/2011 01:13 pm (UTC)I recognise that totally - I'm sure I have mentioned in a conversation before that that very sort of challenge was what set me off on Return of The Key. (Too many 'Buffy joins the Fellowship, saves the day, and Legolas renounces immortality because he loves her so...' stories!)
no subject
Date: 08/02/2011 03:33 pm (UTC)As if he could! (That being part of the point of Powers, of course...) And even from my very scanty knowledge of the Buffyverse I could see that Dawn was both a far more likely and a far more useful viewpoint-character than Buffy to drop through a portal into M-e...