First Milestone

Why had he looked forward to this? Experienced warriors bore them with pride; the novices gazed upon them with envy. Legolas had been no different, but as he gazed at the strange apparatus, like two spoons at the end of a pair of shears, he doubted the bragging rights would be worth the pain.

He glanced at the arrow sticking from his thigh, and when the healer inserted the device into his leg to ease the removal of the arrowhead, Legolas finally knew the cost of such badges of honor.

He hoped his first battle scar would be his last.