Title & Chapter Number: Elencálë (The Light of the Elves) 5/?
Author(s): - Author's Index
Fandom: Middle Earth/Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Rating: NC-17 Romance/Adventure
Disclaimer:
Warnings:
Betas:
Cast: Legolas/Shu Lien
Timeline: AU - Post RotK
Spoilers: None
Summary: This story takes place about 100 years after the quest of the One Ring. Even after the fall of Sauron, the foul breath of evil can still be felt on the winds of Middle Earth. Some say it is just the nature of the world, the shadow of the light. Some say it is rising and has once again become sentient. King Elessar rules with a just and even hand, but Men throughout the land are falling into darkness, succumbing to greed, hatred and violence among themselves and against the world. The Light of the Elves departs as the Eldar continue to withdraw to the West, leaving darkness in their wake.
Notes: Elves do not close their eyes during Reverie. While I have updated the sexual culture of the Eldar to reflect more modern values (and indeed the fact that I feel that such sensual and advanced beings would revel in such a pass time and consider it natural and pure), the concept that Elves can tell if other Elves have had sex actually is Tolkien's.
Chapter 5
Legolas walked into the garden to find Shu Lien going through Katas bare-handed. She launched her body high into the air as her feet executed a lethal set of kicks in opposite directions. Landing like a cat, she looked up at him with a smile.
"Are you ready?" Legolas returned the smile feeling happy to see her this morning.
With a quick bow she grabbed up her weapon and hopped to his side. She was in a good mood. Sparring practice was very enjoyable for her, especially with the Eldar; their heightened reflexes and strength always presented a welcome challenge.
As they walked through the gardens Legolas asked, "How much do you practice each day?"
Shu Lien looked thoughtful, "Well, when I am at the monastery, we sit in meditation for about five hours a day, have several hours of chores... we train probably about ten hours, depending on the day. However when I am on the road I only get in about three or four hours in addition to my meditation." Legolas raised his eyebrows, looking slightly incredulous. "Well, we mortals get a much shorter time in this world..." She smiled wryly, batting his arm playfully, "It is hard to master anything in the time we are given!" Legolas sniffed a laugh, he had never thought about it in this way.
They walked together through the castle to the weapons room, where the guards and Elessar himself practiced. The room was actually a large courtyard whose center ceiling was open to the sky. A step up from the dirt floor in the middle was a stone walkway that circled the huge room, weapons of all kinds hung on the walls protected by the overhanging roof. Elessar, Elrohir and Gimli were already there along with a human who Shu Lien didn't know. Shu Lien bowed to the group as she approached.
"Good morning! I hope your rest was peaceful!" Elessar greeted in the Common Speech. Shu Lien nodded, watching his lead for the formality of the situation. "Let me introduce you to Dunkin, the captain of our Guard, I hope you don't mind if he looks on... he simply refused to be left out." Dunkin chuckled with his king good naturedly.
Shu Lien bowed to Dunkin and smiled back to Elessar.
"We are all hopelessly hungry for any new technique and enjoy a good spar." He continued. "Please don't feel pressure to perform. As Arwen will tell you, I take any opportunity to delve into training, even if vicariously, and I get little opportunity these days." Elessar laughed in his deep and free way. Since he had become King of Men and fulfilled his destiny, proving that he broke the weakness of his lineage, his spirit was much more open and unfettered.
Shu Lien smiled sedately. She was beginning already to still her mind in preparation and to pull away from interacting with the others. Truth be known the situation was not daunting to her in the least. She was used to teaching, having done it quite a bit among both the Amaurëa and the Mandärin in their training. Shu Lien did not think of her skill in any way outside of itself. She did not care or concern herself with what others thought of her. If anyone ever commented on her virtuosity it surprised and embarrassed her, she simply never considered herself from others' perspectives, or indeed in relation to others at all. She was completely focused on her practice and bringing herself to an ever-elusive perfection. This was the horizon which always held her gaze.
Legolas spoke amiably with those gathered as Shu Lien walked out into the arena, taking in the angle and surface of the floor, acclimating herself to the new surroundings. Legolas turned and watched her a moment and then excused himself, walking over to her as the other men continued chatting.
"So, what weapons?" Legolas asked as he approached. Shu Lien turned and he was surprised by the cool, dark, stillness of her eyes.
"Any weapon you wish. I prefer the Butterfly Sword, but I will wield whatever you choose." She answered simply.
"I also prefer to fight two-handed. I will take two short swords to your Butterfly." With that Legolas leapt up the step to the walls and chose his weapons and with a grin to his friends descended again. They walked to the middle of the room and the bantering conversation on the fringes died down as their audience settled to watch. Facing each other, each took some moments in preparation. Legolas' focus intensified and he calmed his mind and swung the swords around with quick wrist motions getting used to their weight and feel. Shu Lien stood with her sheathed blades touching her forehead, going deeper into her mind, stilling her emotions and thoughts until there was no sound, no conscious sight, no awareness beyond her breath, her body, her blade.
Legolas was finally ready, and taking a deep breath, he faced her fully, holding his blades at ready. At this change in body language, Shu Lien bowed, unsheathed her blade in a breath - tossing the scabbard to the side- and brought the sword to her center, eyes resting softly on some place between the two of them. Legolas knew he was expected to strike first, and, trying to sidestep the instinct not to hurt her, he lunged out, striking towards her side with one hand. Shu Lien had already anticipated the strike and dodged effortlessly. Somewhat bolstered by her evasion, he brought another strike to bear, first with one hand, and then the other. She spun from one side to the other blocking each blade with lightening reflexes and seamlessly continued the spin to bring her foot to heavily contact his side. Legolas then lost any hesitation he had been feeling and began his offensive in earnest. She deflected his repeated double strikes with her one blade, somehow able to anticipate each move he made. She used her body motion to pull him further and further forward in his offensive and thus slightly off balance. Launching into a high leaping spin to his side, she caught the back of his head with a kick which threw him forward so he stumbled. She landed lightly and separated her blades coming at him in offensive. Their two blades contacted over and over, the ringing echoing in the room with frighteningly quick succession.
As they fell into a rhythm with each other, the speed increased and Shu Lien began using her body more, distracting with a back flip, striking with her feet, using her movements to weaken his defense by bringing him into her own circle of movement and off his balance. Her technique was fluid, organic and pliant. He was taller and no doubt stronger, but she moved with his offense, using momentum to redirect his body, molding to the rhythm of his attacks and using them against him. Like rushing water she used flexibility and movement as strength.
Several times she brought the flat of her blade against his body in openings she had managed to create, which could have been the end, but they continued on with their spar. Each was intense, focused and completely unaware of anything but the challenge that lay before them. They were very well-matched partners in their intensity, rhythm and skill. Legolas learned quickly as she taught him wordlessly to give with his defense, not to be rigid, to use her own force against her, to use his center as the focal point for all movement. There was something that he could not grasp, however, which was a strength of energy that flowed through each of her moves. It was if she was able to focus all of her life force into a movement or direction which made it many more times potent than the physical strength behind the move.
As their blades were locked before them, Shu Lien suddenly twisted her wrists in circles around his blades in such a way that they were wrenched from his hands and went flying. As they clattered to the floor, Legolas looked up, surprised, but Shu Lien had cast her weapons off and said with a focused hiss "Continue..." while launching herself at him with a quick succession of strikes to his body and a turning kick. Legolas' Elvish reflexes deflected the blows and he used her movement to bring her into a throw which she gracefully took, rolling out of it immediately to come at him again.
So they continued with their open-handed attacks until their breaths were ragged in their chests. Finally, as Legolas came at her, she sidestepped to his side, using his momentum to create a pivot around her, then grabbing his hand, she quickly bent his arm into a vulnerable angle and pushed his movement to the ground. He could do naught but follow - or break his arm - and ended up paralyzed by the angle of the hold, face down, with his arm pinned behind him, Shu Lien's knee at his side. With a gentleness that surprised him, she brought the arm out of the hold and placed it on the ground and stood. He rolled over and smiled as she bowed to him. Reaching out a hand, she helped him to his feet and they stood looking at each other grinning, chests heaving.
Elessar clapped slowly, beaming from where he and the others were seated. Shu Lien and Legolas looked up at them, surprised; they had forgotten where they were.
"I would have paid a good sum of money to see that." Elessar said appreciatively.
"As would I. It is not often one gets to see an Elf face down in the dust!" Gimli chortled, ignoring Legolas' glare.
As he and the others made their way down to the two of them, all were talking at once, it seemed, and finally everyone withdrew to have a late breakfast and to discuss the techniques they had just witnessed.
~*~*~*~
It was afternoon when finally Arwen came to break up the group . Shu Lien had spent much time explaining her Way and it had become apparent to all that it was much more of a holistic practice than mere battle technique. To learn it would require more than simply emulating movements.
As Legolas could confirm. She had explained about her focus of life force that he had felt, or Chi as she called it. It was something that was refined by both meditation and extensive practice. Presence and attention were the cornerstones of the ancient ways, to acquire these was to achieve the ability to react in any one instant with purity and power, and thus to maximize physical skill to its fullest potential. Elessar was fascinated and teased her that if her quest had naught to do with his father-in-law, he would have her kidnapped so that he could learn more. Elrohir and Legolas were very interested to hear of the origins of some of the concepts that were present, but diluted, in modern Elvish culture.
"Don't you think you have monopolized her time enough?" Arwen teasingly scolded the group, coming to place her hands lovingly on her husband's shoulders. "I must speak with her about the provisions she needs for her journey tomorrow." She shot a kind smile to Shu Lien.
Elrohir stood, glancing at Gimli and Legolas before looking at Shu Lien. "Actually I wanted to talk to you about that. We were speaking this morning, and wondering if you wanted company on your journey. I was heading back to Rivendell at the end of the week, and could simply cut my visit short to accompany you." He walked over to give Arwen a squeeze around the shoulders, "I am sure my dear sister has already grown weary of me!" He teased, leaving his arm draped across her shoulder. "Gimli and Legolas were planning on traveling with me as far as Mirkwood and have agreed that they are game. If you can delay your departure by one day, we could be ready to ride with you."
A slow broad smile came across Shu Lien's face. "I would welcome your company." She said simply, feeling relieved to be traveling with those who knew the road of her journey. She looked over to Legolas and smiled again. Somehow she was particularly pleased that they would delay their goodbye a bit longer.
~*~*~*~
Arwen and Shu Lien spent the afternoon together. Mostly they talked in the conservatory or the gardens while they watched her children play, under the guise of making preparations for Shu Lien's journey. And indeed they did, but Shu Lien realized that the Elf wanted to talk as friends as well. Arwen loved her husband, but even though being a wife and mother took much of her time, she missed her home. The ways of Gondor were very different from those of the Eldar. Even though many Elvish touches had been added, like the gardens, the overall energy of the city was overwhelmingly human. Arwen missed her people. Shu Lien enjoyed the light flowing conversations of daily life and traditions that they shared. Arwen was a gentle spirit whose beauty brought a grounded peace and healing to Shu Lien's bruised soul. Thus with quiet words and soft laughs, the two women brought comfort to one another in the cool fading light of the afternoon sun.
~*~*~*~
The next morning Shu Lien woke before the sun as usual and sat in meditation in the cool dampness of the dew in the garden. After the sun had dried the grass about her, she rose to train. She began with stretches and slow fluid exercises and then moved to weaponless Katas. When she was finally moving to pick up her sword to continue training, the corner of her eye caught a blur of movement coming at her. Automatically she leapt out of the way, launching seamlessly into a counter attack. And so Shu Lien and Legolas began another match that would begin a tradition of training together in the mornings.
Finally, after weapons had been drawn and then put away again, the two finally collapsed on the grass, each staring up at the sky as their breaths struggled to catch up.
"Well I had brought you breakfast, but it is more like lunch now..." Legolas laughed looking over at her.
Shu Lien laughed and rolled over onto her stomach, propping her head in her hands and looking at him "Thank you, I am starving." Legolas grinned and sprang up, going to fetch the tray of bread, cheeses and juice from where he had stowed it upon his entrance. He brought it back and placed it on the grass before her, sitting cross-legged beside the tray. She grabbed a piece of bread off the tray and began munching on it happily and hungrily. Legolas chose some cheese and chewed it slowly as he watched her ravenously eat. Shu Lien often forgot to eat, but when she did finally get around to it, she thought of nothing else but enjoying her food. He liked watching her. As the demanding hunger began to subside she caught his eyes watching her and laughed, slightly chagrinned, slowing her chewing down somewhat. Legolas chuckled.
"What are you doing this afternoon?" He asked lightly.
Shu Lien pulled herself to a sitting position and drank some juice. "Arwen and I are going to the market to get some supplies." When Legolas looked a bit perplexed - usually others were sent to do these errands - Shu Lien continued, "There are several things I need to pick out myself. She has promised to help me find two of the things from home that I lost with my pack."
"What are they?" Legolas asked, curious.
"Oh, silly little luxuries. Incense for my meditation, and jasmine oil for my hair." Shu Lien said dismissing, slightly embarrassed. Legolas smiled, Arwen was very good at finding out just what made people feel comfortable. Legolas liked knowing these little details about Shu Lien.
~*~*~*~
The next morning Shu Lien woke as usual and meditated and then did a condensed version of her training. Legolas did not join her since they were preparing to depart, but she found herself still feeling disappointed. She was addicted to sparring, it seemed, she laughed to herself as she watched these thoughts parade through her mind.
Gathering the things she had packed last night, she went down to the courtyard in the front of the castle, where the horses had been prepared. Arwen had provided her with an Elvish-trained horse. Only the stable hands were there thus far, and Shu Lien walked up and took over the brushing of the horse that had been brought for her. She spoke to the animal in Quenya, gently, as she brushed and massaged its muscles - letting the animal sniff and nuzzle her, getting used to her rider.
"The sun does not shine so brightly as the light from your eyes this morning." A voice said to her in a smiling Quenya. Shu Lien turned to see Elrohir regarding her amiably.
She bowed and smiled. "Such sweet words will hang as jewels in my eyes long past the sun's theft of crystal dew from the grasses." She missed speaking Quenya. It was known in her realm that Elves in Middle Earth had abandoned it as their common tongue for Sindarin. Sindarin had been brought back several thousand years ago to the Romanórë and had slowly taken over as a very colloquial and friendly language, along with the human ethnic tongue, but Quenya was still used by Amaurëa and humans alike in many situations and was the language the Mandärin used most often because of its discipline, grace and expressiveness.
"It is wonderful to hear Quenya spoken in such a fluent, modern way. It looses its breath when it is used merely for ceremony and proclamation!" Elrohir smiled, returning to his comfortable Sindarin, as he began to ready his horse. At that moment Gimli and Legolas came down the stairs, talking casually. Legolas looked up and found Shu Lien immediately with his eyes and smiled.
"Good morning, Master Elf, Master Dwarf." Elrohir said with mock formality in Common. "Running a bit late are we?" He teased.
Gimli groaned, "You know how impossible it is to get these elves out of bed in the morning... and then you have to wait for them to braid their hair..."
"At least we don't have a beard to braid as well." Legolas snorted, continuing the banter. Legolas walked past Shu Lien and touched her arm lightly in greeting, exchanging smiles, as he went to his horse. Elrohir watched their comfortable interchange with a tender smile. Behind his somewhat jovial and debonair exterior, Elrohir was an intent observer of people. He intuited relationships easily and was fascinated by Legolas and Shu Lien's. Perhaps it was simply that he had never seen Legolas interact with another woman as a peer and with such comfort. Arwen was the closest he came to being true friends with a female, and he wondered how much the fact that she was his sister facilitated that. It wasn't that Legolas viewed himself in any way superior to females as a group. He had never allowed judgments based on stereotypes to get in the way of actually knowing a person - something that he saw in so many Elves and humans alike - he simply accepted people as they were. It was one of the more endearing qualities he had, which had made it possible for he and Gimli to becomes such good friends.
Legolas held everyone at arms length, and his lovers were no exception. Few people understood him, and therefore it was even more difficult for a female with such different experiences of the world to get close to him. He had taken only a little less than his share of lovers over the millennia, but, it was obvious to all that from the beginning, they were no more than just passing romantic interludes. Elrohir didn't know Shu Lien, but sensed that she was probably fairly similar in her reticence and distance from others. Shu Lien and Legolas were good for each other, they let each other in easily. He found himself wishing that the circumstances were different for them.
Elessar and Arwen came down to see them off, their two children frolicking in tow. Shu Lien bowed low to Elessar and embraced Arwen, before stooping to say her goodbyes to the children. Farewells were said by all and Elessar once again extended the invitation to Shu Lien of a more lengthy return visit.
The party of four made their way through the streets of the city and into the wild beyond.
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