Daughter Of Lórien || Book 1||

Ch 26 ~ A Friend

I continue at my steady pace through the halls, letting my thoughts consume me once more as I make my way to the kitchens alone.

~~~

"Watch your back," I command, tapping the blunt of my blade to the Prince's back as he, once again, let's down his guard as we duel.

He spins to correct his stance, sword raised to parry my attack but finds my blade already at his throat. He sighs, raising his arms in surrender. I give him a playful smile, lowering my blade and stepping back.

"Your defense needs work," I say, grabbing a canteen of water from where it sits at the sidelines. Smirking, I add, "A lot of it."

His grumble warrants a chuckle from me as I toss him the canteen.

These past few weeks of training have been quite fruitless, both on his and my account. My archery has improved as much as his swordplay has, which is to say, not at all. Not that the Prince is a bad swordsman. In fact, he can be quite impressive at times. But he could be better and it seems that training with me is not improving his skills at all. Though I couldn't help but blame myself for that. Absentmindedness did not make for a great teacher. With my brothers gone, all I can think of is whether they had found mother or not. And if not... I shudder, casting that dark thought out of my mind before it can take root there and torment me for the rest of the day. I wouldn't think of that now.

I watch as the Prince downs the water and then tosses the empty canteen to the ground a moment later, raising his sword again.

"Alright," he says, flipping the blade in his hand. "Again."

I chuckle and toss my sword to the ground, sitting down on the grassy floor and folding my legs beneath me.

"Easy there, Princeling," I tease with a grin, gesturing to the grassy ground beside me. "Take a break."

He raises his brows but then relents, sticking his blade in the dirt and then dropping down to the ground beside me.

I study the intricately woven armor paneling his chest, each breath causing it to rise and fall, the metal clicking as he leans back, bracing his arms on the grass behind him.

I find the sudden urge to shift closer to him, to brush my hand against that armor and feel the thundering heartbeat beneath it-

I jolt my head, blinking away the images in my mind.

What the Valar was that?

He must sense my sudden shift in mood because he turns to me, a quizzical look on his face as humor dances in his eyes.

"Are you alright?" he teases, a smile playing on his lips. "You look like you're about to pass out."

I roll my eyes at him.

"I'm fine," I say, tucking the blonde hairs that have fallen free of my braid behind my ears.

I stuff my annoyance and confusion deep inside me before they can grab a hold of me again, and instead summon a bit of my usual bravado to the surface.

"Besides," I drawl with a sly smirk, "you should be worrying about yourself, not me. I was beating the immortality out of you in that ring."