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Legolas (princegreenleaf) wrote in labyrinth_rpg,
@ 2009-03-08 15:05:00

Entry tags:

arrival, complete, day two, legolas greenleaf, robin of locksley

WHO: Legolas Greenleaf and Robin of Locksley
WHAT: The Mirkwood Prince arrives
WHEN: Day 2, mid-morning
WHERE: The center of the City of Illusions
WARNINGS: Maybe PG, but not even really that.
STATUS: Complete

Legolas was at least as easy going as the next elf. Probably moreso, to be honest. He was still very young in terms of his race, and as such, he tended not to be as serious about most things. However, even he had his limits. There was just only so much that anyone could reasonably be expected to take, and this was passing that line by a good distance. Unfortunately, his first reaction was to get rather angry about it.

He'd risen from his dreamlike reverie, the trancelike state that elves had instead of sleep, with nothing to alarm him throughout the night. Just like the first time, when he'd been taken from Middle Earth to Mirage, it had been done while he was slightly less aware of his surroundings. But as his eyes snapped back into focus, he saw something was very wrong. This was not the place he had been before, and that was all too apparent.

The prince had been reclining on a soft couch for the duration of his reverie, and he was still lying in a prone position. Luckily, he always kept his knives and bow close to hand as he rested. It just made sense, and luckily his weapons were still with him. In a second, the agile elf had sprung to his feet and was looking around, not quite frantically. He rubbed his eyes, but the scene before him stubbornly refused to change.

With the bow held with a grip that seemed deceptively loose, he looked around. It was somewhat similar to some of the human cities of Middle Earth, actually, though more during a festival time than during regular day to day life. Tents everywhere, and as his sharp eyes continued to scan, he saw some very, very odd little creatures sparring in the near distance. He frowned thoughtfully and watched them for awhile, before deciding he needn't interfere. If they were Orcs, he wasn't inclined to get in the way of them killing each other.

Really, he was more than a little annoyed, at this point. Mirage had been nice enough, but if it had changed again so rapidly, even inside his own room, he was irritated. Nothing should have been able to get into his room, his state of rest was much lighter than a human sleeping. So, what was going on? He didn't sense from the natural harmonies of the place that it was Middle Earth, or Mirage. It felt new, and more than a little strange.

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taylorwade
2009-03-09 10:03 pm UTC (link)

Robin had been doing a bit of exploring. He wanted to familiarize himself with his surroundings. There really wasn't a better way to figure out an escape route than knowing everything about one's environment. It had been a little disturbing to sleep in the room he'd been assigned to, and he still wasn't sure what he was supposed to be doing with the blank book he'd been given. But he hadn't slept badly, and that was what mattered.

He'd found that the closet in his room held an array of clothing that he liked. And he was wearing an outfit similar to the one he'd worn yesterday. Leather leggings, poet's shirt, leather vest and thick boots completed his ensemble. All in all, he was feeling pretty comfortable at the moment. As he forayed into the village, he saw a blond man lying prone on the ground. But only for a moment before his eyes snapped open and he jumped up. Robin snapped an arrow out of his quiver and slapped it into his bow, drawing back on the string and letting the arrow fly.

He didn't aim for any important body parts, just the man's long blond hair. At the most, if it struck, it would take out a chunk of hair. Chances were it would simply fly through the air harmlessly close to his face. He wasn't entirely sure why he'd done that once the arrow was gone, but his heart was beating quickly and he did have to admit that the man's sudden movement had startled him slightly.

Robin stepped out into the open, preparing to apologize. He shouldered his bow and held out both hands with a wince.

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princegreenleaf
2009-03-09 10:34 pm UTC (link)

It was a near thing, in a sense. If Robin hadn't been such a good archer, the arrow never would have come even as close to Legolas as it did. As it was, it got about halfway to him before he acted. His bow was instantly in his hand, and the arrow was nocked. Less than a second later, he drew the string back and let the arrow fly. The two collided about three feet from where the elf stood.

He'd been attacked, and the response was automatic. He pulled another arrow and nocked it. The only thing that kept Robin from being shot at was the simple fact that that he was stepping forward, his posture obviously non-threatening. So the elf held the position, ready to let the arrow fly, but he didn't shot just yet.

"Hail, friend." It might seem an odd thing to say, considering he was pointing a bow at him, but Legolas was the sort who liked to give people the benefit of the doubt. "You are a fair archer." Which, actually, might have had something to do with Legolas not attacking. He was intruiged. So few could match his skill with the bow.

"I wonder if..." A playful gleam came into his eyes, and he suddenly let the arrow fly. He aimed for a couple of inches to the side of the man's head, so he wouldn't be at risk of actually hurting him. "Can you do it, too?" The elf was honestly curious. "Can you shoot my arrow out of the air?"

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taylorwade
2009-03-11 07:16 pm UTC (link)

Robin wasn't thrilled to have an arrow pointed his direction. He was hoping to avoid an altercation, but he had released the first arrow. It was his fault. "Greetings. Sorry about that, I was startled." He quirked a half smile when the man said he was a fair archer. "Thank you." He bowed his head in acknowledgment of the compliment. But before he could think the arrow was being released from the other man's bow.

Without much thought, for Robin rarely had to focus on his craft these days, he pulled an arrow from his quiver, knocked it in the bow and loosed it on the incoming arrow. It sliced it cleanly in two and caused all three pieces to fall to the ground harmlessly. He glanced down at them and then back up at the Elf. "You're ah.. not bad yourself." Robin quirked another half smile and allowed his arm that held the bow to drop to his side.

He reached out a hand to grip the other man's arm in a shake. "I'm Robin of Locksley. Where did you learn to shoot like that?" Robin's skill came from years and years of self taught practice. If there was one thing about Robin, it was that he never did anything half assed. He either did it, or not, there was no in between. Usually, this singleminded determination ensured that he excelled in whatever he did. It was perhaps this same determination that allowed him to survive inside the Jewish prison that held him for six years.

Slinging his bow over his shoulder, Robin looked the tall man over. "By the looks of you, you've just arrived. Bad luck. And where have you come from, then?"

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princegreenleaf
2009-03-12 01:17 am UTC (link)

Legolas nodded in approval, a smile on his lips. He'd thought so. The man had exuded a sort of confidence in his weapon that made the elf think he would be able to do it. Shooting the arrow out of the air was no small task, and had taken him almost a century of life to perfect. He didn't know how a human could have done it in such a short time, but he was impressed.

When the man came over to take his arm in a warriors handclasp, Legolas returned the grip firmly, but not crushingly. "Well met, Robin of Locksley. I am Prince Legolas of Mirkwood. May the Valar smile on our meeting." He let the grip break and inclined his head to the other archer.

"I learned in my woodland home. Orcs and other foul things crept in the darkness, and the creatures of the Necromancer had to be fought. I did what I could." He raised an eyebrow. "I would ask you the same question, Lord Robin. How did you learn to shoot so well? You are not even past your first century of life." And, of course, he would never get there, but that was a fact Legolas often forgot.

As Robin put his bow away, Legolas followed suit. Some respect had been earned on both sides, he thought. Neither of them would attack again. He had honor, and he could tell Robin did, as well. "I am newly arrived, yes. I am from Middle Earth, originally, but more recently from a strange land called Mirage. Where am I now?"

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taylorwade
2009-03-12 07:41 pm UTC (link)

"Uh, yeah. What are the Valar?" Robin clasped the Elf's hand with his shaking it lightly. His grip was strong, but not overly so. He stood back after the greeting and appraised the man, noting curiously pointed ears and rather pixieish features. They suited him, but it was a foreign look. Robin could tell at once that the man was not human. And that, was a strange idea indeed. Robin was not known to meddle in the supernatural world. He'd never had reason to. The worst he'd come across were women purporting to be witches.

Robin had never heard of Mirkwood, either. Though it must be something like Sherwood forest, because the man spoke of it as a woodland home. He nodded seriously as Legolas spoke of defending his home, doing what he could against a necromancer, which Robin was pretty sure meant a wizard and not a good one, either. Robin drew his hand through his hair and crossed his arms over his chest. "My father taught me at first, but I became adept with much practice. Every spare moment as a youth and frequently as I grew older. I became a little out of practice when I was imprisoned, though."

The comment about Robin not even being past his first century of life startled him somewhat and he laughed. "No, I'm not even past the first third of my first century. And by some standards that is old. How old you must be to think me young." He mused, looking the elf over. He certainly had an appearance about him that bespoke youth, appearing even younger than Robin himself. How could it be that he was over a century old? Rather than dwell on the impossible, Robin chose to ignore it for the time being.

"Middle Earth, you say?" His brows furrowed. He had never heard of such a land, not even in the East where he'd gone to fight the crusades. He was a learned man, true enough, but there were many places he had yet to be and many things he had yet to see. It didn't surprise him overly much that he hadn't heard of this Middle Earth. Robin actually stopped in his tracks and blinked a moment when the elf spoke of Mirage, though. "You, too? You're the second person to speak of this strange land called Mirage. I have no idea where it is, myself, but there are others here from the same place."

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princegreenleaf
2009-03-13 01:18 pm UTC (link)

Legolas was getting used to this. On his world, everyone knew the Valar, though few of the humans believed in them. But no one else he'd talked to had any idea what he was talking about. He was sad for them, since it meant they didn't know their love and power, but he was always willing to explain. "The Valar are the powers, the Kings and Queens of Middle Earth, it's guardians." He smiled, pleased with the discription. The first time he'd tried, he had muddled it badly. It was hard to explain something that just was what it was, but he felt he'd done a good job this time.

He nodded thoughtfully as the man explained. "My father taught me the bow as well." His eyes widened as he understood. "Oh, I see! Yes, humans must devote every second to something to become good. But elves have more time, so they can do other things! I spent many decades with the bow, but also on dance, singing, and other things..." For someone who was going to live forever certainly needed more than one thing to fill their days.

But sympathy crossed his features when Robin spoke again. "Imprisioned... how horrible! I would soon waste away in captivity..." For that was one of the few things that could kill an elf, or at least send them to Valinor before they chose to go. So, for an elf, it was much more serious than for a human. "Oh, no. I do not think you young. I have met many humans. I just forgot for a moment that you live for such a short time." He really could lack tact at some points, but he said it all in such a cheerful way that it was hard for most to take it badly.

"There are others here?" The elf instantly perked up. "Was there a beautiful woman with hair the color of fire? She has the bearing of a princess..." He thought of Giselle first, since she was the first he had made friends with, really. "I must find these others... but I do not think it matters. Is there any way to get home from here? It was claimed there was no escape from Mirage, and yet... here we are."

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taylorwade
2009-03-15 05:51 pm UTC (link)

Although Robin didn't quite get the role of the Valar in the elf's life, he did understand the concept of Kings and Queens and their purpose in life. They ruled, guarded, kept the people save and governed. At least, the good ones. Not the pretenders. Like that damnable Sheriff of Nottingham. He nodded his understanding and liked that the elf had "blessed" their meeting, so to speak. If Robin was one thing, he was a God fearing man, and he appreciated spirituality in others, even if it wasn't exactly the same type of spirituality.

Elves? Had he heard correctly? He was sure that he had, and though he was unfamiliar with stories or tales of such creatures, he knew that the pointed ears and lanky stature of the man was otherworldly. At least there was a word for what he was now. He nodded, "I dance as well, sometimes. Singing is not something I do, though. Not really." He laughed at himself and shrugged lightly.

He shook his head. "I often felt that I would waste away, and didn't really have a lot of hope of escape, but we did. Obviously." Robin did have to laugh, though, when Legolas said that he didn't think he was young. By elvish standards, he was young, but he was middle-aged by human standards. He wasn't offended at all by the way the elf spoke. It was actually kind of refreshing.

"There are many others here. How many of them are from this place you call Mirage, I do not know. Only Gabrielle, the girl I met yesterday, has mentioned being from there." Robin dropped his head to think about the description Legolas had given him. He searched his memory of that first day for a recollection of such a woman. He had glanced around at all of them. "I think there may have been a woman such as you describe. I can't be certain, the day was rather strange and full of questions, but I believe I may have seen her."

Robin shrugged again. "Jareth, the man who calls himself the King of this land, said that there was the possibility of leaving if the labyrinth was solved. I don't know the stipulations, or if that possibility could ever be reality, but there is some hope, I suppose."

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princegreenleaf
2009-03-16 12:08 am UTC (link)

The eyes of the elf brightened up considerably, turning from a light blue to a much more brilliant shade. Whenever he was happy, or really feeling anything, his eyes made it very obvious to anyone who was paying attention. "You dance as well?" He'd met many people on Mirage who thought it was odd, the love of dance and music that he had. He was very excited to meet someone else who did it, too.

"What sort of dances do you do, my Lord Robin?" The human had his full attention now. "I learned some very interesting human dances from the Rohirrim while I was there, perhaps you know some of the same ones?" But he realized suddenly that it wasn't entirely appropriate to be talking about dance in the same conversation as being imprisoned, so he shook his head. "Later, perhaps."

"I am glad to hear of your escape, however." And he really was. He hated to think of anyone in chains. "How was this accomplished?" He glanced around thoughtfully, and then back at the archer.

"Well, I shall hope to meet others, but I do not mind having met you. We have something in common." He gestured to the bow gracefully with a charming smile. "Some day, we shall have to have a competition, and we shall see who the better archer is." He liked that idea, actually. He and the other elves of Mirkwood had often played at such things.

"I think I should find my room... do we have rooms here as well? And then I should look around." He paused thoughtfully. "It would be dangerous for me to presume this place is exactly as Mirage was. I must explore carefully."

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taylorwade
2009-03-16 07:40 pm UTC (link)

"A little, nothing fancy. Just basics, really." He was almost alarmed at the man's enthusiasm and wondered if he were going to ask him to dance. He was quickly trying to think of something to quit the man's mind from going anywhere near that. More specifically, he was trying to feign less knowledge of the art than he really had. He didn't elaborate further on the types of dances he could do, although there were many. A few versions of the Branle, then there was the Reale, the Pavan and the Ronde, to name a few. He was relieved when the elf dropped the subject and moved on to his imprisonment. Although clearly a much drearier subject.

Robin was always happy to tell a story, and the one of his escape was quite the tale. "My friend, Peter, and I were chained to the walls. Peter had been accused of stealing another man's ration of food. Peter was too noble for something like that. I knew he was innocent. But Peter was also very tired of being in prison. As he was taken to the block to have his hand cleaved from his arm, I offered to go in his place. Peter thought me mad, as did the guards. But I had a plan.

With both of us out of chains, I knelt next to the block of wood they used. The guard wrapped the leather strap around my wrist and held on so that I would not move my hand out of the way. I knew his grip was tight and when the sword came down, I yanked back, pulling the guard's hand onto the block and causing the loss of his limb. In the chaos, Peter and I were able to fight the guards and disable them for a short time. We freed all the men we could get to, including a Moor." Robin had a feeling that Legolas didn't know what a Moor was, being from a different place. "They are painted men, black in color, and Muslim in religion."

He looked down now as he continued his tale. "We escaped the prison, Azeem the Moor, Peter, and I. But as soon as we made it above ground Peter was shot through the chest with an arrow. It was a mortal wound, and even had I carried him he would not have lived. He begged me to let him distract the guards while I got away." Robin felt dreadful about this and hated recounting it, but it was part of the tale. "He gave me his ring to give to his sister, and that was the last I saw of him. Azeem and I ran through the city and eventually made it out and I returned to my homeland."

The tale was through and they moved on to a different subject. "An archery contest." He couldn't help but chuckle. He had a feeling that the elf was much better than he was, considering he'd had centuries worth of practice compared to the few decades Robin had. "That would be interesting indeed, I look forward to it." They came into the center of the village and Robin pointed to the buildings. "Yes, we have rooms here. This is the main building, I think you should probably be able to find your room information there. Those smaller buildings are the lodgings."

Robin agreed that the man should explore carefully. Robin had the same agenda, after all. Knowing the elf wanted to find his room, Robin walked toward the main building and opened the door for the blond. "After you."

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princegreenleaf
2009-03-16 09:51 pm UTC (link)

Legolas listened, his eyes going wide. Dancing, singing, it was all put out of his head. He loved a good story over pretty much anything else, and this one was fascinating. Horrific, of course, in a way that the free-spirited elf didn't quite understand. He knew this fact as well. But he couldn't stop listening to it all the same, and his usually smiling face was completely solemn.

He nodded now and then, particularly when the man explained what a Moor was. "What is a Muslim? I have not heard of such a thing..." But he settled down and listened to the rest, sighing softly when the tale was over. He stood still for a second, absorbing it all, and then spoke softly. "My friends were taken, two Hobbits..." he glanced at Robin and then returned the favor of explanation. "Little people, about the height of a human child, even when they are full grown." And then continued on. "They were taken by foul orcs, and held prisoner there. But they at least had the open air on their face."

The cheerful elf was unusually serious as he spoke, his mind far away for a moment. He had thought that Merry and Pippin had suffered a horrible fate, but this was far worse. Finally, he realized that he wasn't going to sort this all out in a couple of moments. He would think of it many nights, try to figure out how humans could do this to each other, but he couldn't possibly understand it in a few moments.

Legolas followed Robin toward the main building, still slightly quiet. But the idea of an archery contest perked him up considerably. "I hope that you do not have a problem losing, my Lord Robin, for you certainly shall." A mischievious sparkle returned to his bright eyes. That would be just the thing to help him settle into his new home, he decided. An archery contest.

"I see." He inclined his head in thanks to the man and entered the building. He glanced around, and a smile crossed his face. "Ah, yes. I know this layout. I imagine there will be a place to eat, a room with many books, and other wonders." He walked forward and then spoke suddenly. "Fell creature, appear to me." He knew that, in Mirage, the golems had often shown the way. A goblin ran up and glared up at the elf. "Where are my lodgings?" With a grumble, the thing pointed the way, and Legolas nodded. "I thank you."

Once that was done, he turned back to his friend. "I think I shall soon go to find my room, but first, I believe we should set a date for this contest." He was very excited about the idea. "In a few days, perhaps? When we have both settled in more?"

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taylorwade
2009-03-18 11:06 pm UTC (link)

Robin would have called the Muslims infidels if he were back home, but he wasn't. He was in this strange city. So, he tried to explain the best he could without being too insensitive about it. "They're a group of people who believe in a different God than the Christians. The Christians believe in Christ, of course." He knew the Elf wasn't from his Earth, so he would probably have to explain a few things. "Christ is a man who taught goodness and died so that others might have eternal glory in heaven." He'd probably have to explain heaven, too. "Heaven is the place we go to when we die, if we're deserving." Azeem had called Robin "Christian", not because it was his name, but it was because it was his religion.

Robin had seen little people. But not the kind that Legolas was describing now. But he knew about friends and imprisonment, so he didn't press for further information on the little people called Hobbits. The elf seemed to lapse into thought and Robin let him. They had plenty of time, the elf perhaps moreso than Robin himself, but that was beside the point.

Robin laughed when the elf broke out of his reverie enough to tell him he was going to lose the archery contest. "I have no problem losing to a fair winner." He returned the smile and entered the main building. It was strange to see a new arrival in the city so easily command a goblin to appear and Robin wondered if he would be able to do the same thing if he ever needed to talk to one. Not that he was sure he would be able to and not kill it. As soon as the elf had knowledge of his lodgings, he turned and requested a date for the archery contest.

Robin smiled again and shook his head lightly. He'd never get out of it now. "How about five days from now at the archery range?" That should give them plenty of time to settle in.

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princegreenleaf
2009-03-19 08:43 pm UTC (link)

Legolas listened intently. This was like nothing he'd ever heard before. Any of it. Muslims, Christ, it was all completely new to him. And by the end, though Robin had done his best to explain, he was still fairly lost. He had the general idea, though, or he thought he did. "So heaven is like Valinor, then?" He shook his head slightly, guessing that Christ was something like a Valar. But it was still fuzzy to him.

In the end, though, he shrugged slightly and let it go. He would pick it up later, if it was important. And there were more important things to talk about, of course. So he smiled and nodded his very limited understanding and changed the subject.

"Very well. So it shall be." He turned to the man and held out his hand to him once more. "I thank you for your help. But now, if it does not offend, I shall leave you." It was a little blunt, of course, but he was eager to go find his room. And maybe see if there was anyone here he knew. But the smile and cheerful tone made it hard to be offended, for most people.

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taylorwade
2009-03-23 08:25 pm UTC (link)

Robin lifted a shoulder and then nodded. "I expect that heaven is a bit like your Valinor, yes." It was far too complicated to go into very lightly and he rather wished now that he hadn't brought it up to begin with. He couldn't expect someone not of his land, or even his world, to begin to understand something of such magnitude. He didn't mind explaining, but not in such a casual way. It was a topic meant for discussion, not idle chatter.

Robin smiled and nodded. "You are very welcome. Glad I could lend some assistance." He shook the elf's hand and had to chuckle at his parting words. "No, it doesn't offend. Peace, friend. And good luck." Robin turned and left the large main building and entered the sunlight once more. He squinted against it slightly and then as his eyes adjusted, he started off toward the food tents. He was feeling a bit famished. An adrenaline rush could really make a man hungry.

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