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English
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Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
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Published:
2020-11-04
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1,982
Chapters:
1/1
Kudos:
32
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7,795

Enough

Summary:

Aragorn teaches Legolas and Gimli how to get along

Work Text:

"Legolas," Aragorn called as they reached a suitable clearing. "It's
your turn to prepare food. Merry, you and Pippin gather wood. Sam,
you and Frodo help Boromir make camp for the night. Gimli, you're
with me to scout the area."

"I'll see what I can find in the woods to eat," Legolas said, putting
down his load, next to Frodo and then leaving the clearing in search
for edible food. "Don't expect meat." This was directed at Gimli.

"Don't expect food," Gimli muttered, following Aragorn. "Blasted elf
can't even cook a decent roasted rabbit or even a mole. How is a
dwarf to keep strong on rabbit food? Nuts and berries and that
tasteless bread. Bah!"

"We make do with what we have," Aragorn said.

"I'm just saying if he's so skilled, why can't he use that bow of his
to get us some decent food?" Gimli complained.

"You know elves don't like to kill animals if it's not necessary,"
Aragorn sighed. He had been over and over the subject with Gimli and
it was getting old. Whoever prepared the meal chose the food.

Gimli rolled his eyes, but kept his silence as they explored the
perimeter of their chosen camp. After two repetitions of the course,
Aragorn declared himself satisfied. Legolas was just finishing
handing the hobbits their share of the meal when Aragorn and Gimli
set foot into camp. Boromir was contentedly munching on his portion.
Looking for an open seat, Aragorn went over sat on a stump next to
Legolas.

Legolas handed Aragorn his share and then turned to Gimli and held
out his meal. Gimli took it and saw lembas, various nuts and berries
and some ground paste. Anger and revulsion vied with hunger. Gimli
wanted nothing more than to refuse it, but his empty stomach growled
reminding him that he needed food. Even tasteless, meatless food.
But that didn't keep him from complaining about it.

"Bah! No meat again!" Gimli groused. "Can't you make anything
decent? Are you trying to starve us all? A dwarf needs meat, I keep
telling you that, not food that tastes like sawdust."

Legolas drew himself up, his face haughty with displeasure. "That is
what is available. Eat it or not. It matters not to me."

"Of course, you don't care about anyone but yourself," Gimli
accused. "Just you and your nuts and berries."

"Gimli," Aragorn warned.

"No," Legolas said, disdainfully. "I leave the selfishness to you.
I've never know a dwarf that was happy unless he had something to
complain about."

"Legolas," Aragorn said, but Gimli interrupted him.

"Well, with you around," Gimli said, his nose up in the
air. "There's plenty to complain about. Trying to starve us to
death." The dwarf turned to the hobbits. They had already finished
their food and looked hopeful of more. "I bet you want meat, don't
you lads?"

"Well," Pippin said, wistfully. "It would be nice to have some more
food. I'm still hungry."

"Me too," Merry said, nodding. "Say Gimli, if you're not going to
eat that, can I have it?"

"See!" Gimli said, ignoring Merry's question. "They agree with me.
You can't cook worth anything."

"Now, just a second," Boromir interrupted. "I happen to like
Legolas' food. You might too, if you would stop complaining and
actually try tasting it."

"Why should I?" Gimli demanded. "It doesn't have any meat in it."

"It's not fair to condemn something without trying it," Boromir said,
trying to be reasonable, but feeling his temper beginning to flare.

"What can you expect of a dwarf with manners of an orcish troll?"
Legolas said condescendingly.

"ENOUGH!" Aragorn roared. "I understand everyone is missing Gandalf
so you're going to be on edge, but he isn't here to lead the
Fellowship anymore. If he can't do it, I am going to step in and
I'll do it the same way he would." Aragorn remembered the time when
Gandalf had grown tired of Pippin's mischievous antics and had
spanked the small hobbit. Perhaps the larger members of the
Fellowship could benefit from a bit of the same medicine. Aragorn
turned to Gimli. "You! Eat that food and be content with it. You
can prepare the food you want to eat when it is your turn." Aragorn
turned to the smug elf. "And you! Stop calling Gimli names. He's
your companion, he could be your friend. Treat him as such."

"Never!" Gimli exclaimed, dropping the unwanted meal on the
ground. "I can find my own food."

"Never!" Legolas swore. "No dwarf is a friend of the elves."

Aragorn saw the food on the ground and lost what little temper he had
left. He grabbed Gimli and pulled the surprised dwarf off his feet
and over his lap before Gimli knew what was happening. He pulled up
the tunic covering his backside and yanked his pants down to expose
the pale globes of Gimli's buttocks. The dwarf yelled out his
displeasure at the indignity.

"If you want to behave as a child, I will treat you as such," Aragorn
said. "You never waste food." The ranger slapped down hard, drawing
a surprised yelp from the dwarf. Gimli was wiggling, trying to get
away, but could not get purchase with his short legs. Aragorn
grabbed the flailing hands and brought them behind Gimli and pressed
them against the lower part of his back. "You eat what is given
you." He smacked down again, his big hand leaving a second red
imprint on the pale buttocks and eliciting another yell. You don't
complain about it." Still the blows rained down on the vulnerable
backside with Gimli complaining with loud yells. "You will treat
Legolas and the rest of the Fellowship with respect." Aragorn was
afraid that his arm would wear out before he finally got through to
the stubborn dwarf. The yells were changing to sobs as the once
white buttocks turned a bright red. "Do you understand?" The last
three blows were hard as a promise for more if the dwarf didn't agree.

"A-ayyee!" Gimli sobbed. "I-I understand."

"Good," Aragorn said, allowing the dwarf to regain his footing,
rearrange his clothes and wipe the tears off his face. "I'll be
happy to repeat the lesson if needed."

"There's no need," Gimli said, his face turned downward as though
ashamed to show signs of his crying. "I'm sorry I wasted the food.
I know it was wrong."

"And?" Aragorn prompted, putting his arm around the shoulders of the
dwarf.

Gimli sighed. "I'm sorry I was so rude to the elf."

"The elf has a name," Aragorn said. "And I'm sure that he would like
to hear that apology directly from you."

Gimli stiffened, obviously horrified at actually apologizing to an
elf. He looked up at Aragorn's stern face and sighed again. He
turned toward Legolas and Aragorn released the dwarf.

"I'm sorry I was rude to you about your cooking," Gimli said and
turned to look at Aragorn, who waited expectantly. "Legolas," Gimli
added.

Legolas nodded regally as if to say what could he expect from a
dwarf. Aragorn thought it was time to take the elf down a peg or
two. He was part of the argument just as much as Gimli.

"Legolas," Aragorn said.

"Yes, Aragorn?" Legolas answered, having no idea what Aragorn was
about to do.

"It's your turn," Aragorn declared.

"My turn?" Legolas asked, confused. "At what. I've already prepared
the food."

"Your turn at being punished," Aragorn said firmly.

"Punished?" Legolas repeated, astonished. "Why? What have I done?"

"Calling Gimli names, excessive pride, denying the Fellowship...shall
I go on?" Aragorn asked dryly. "There is no room in the Fellowship
for arrogance and pride. We have to depend on each other and we
can't do that if your pride gets in the way." Aragorn sat back on
the stump and gestured for Legolas to come. When the proud elf
hesitated, Aragorn added. "Would you rather me send you back to
Elrond and let him deal with you?"

That broke Legolas out of his paralysis. Aragorn knew from personal
experience that Elrond had a much heavier hand when it came to
punishments than Aragorn. And no elf would want to be sent back in
disgrace. Legolas walked the remaining steps over to Aragorn and
tried pleading in a low voice.

"Not in front of the dwarf, please, Estel," he said. "Or the little
ones."

"You saw his punishment," Aragorn said resolutely. "It's only fair."
Aragorn looked over at the hobbits, sitting together, eyes wide. His
voice got louder. "And perhaps, it will make the little ones think
twice about misbehaving if they know what they receive in
punishment." Merry and Pippin scooted closer together as if for
protection and Aragorn had to fight down a smile at the hobbits'
reactions. Frodo wasn't eating and looked sad that there was
dissension in the ranks. Sam hovered protectively over Frodo. He
turned back to Legolas, his expression uncompromising. "Now, over
my lap."

Legolas bent over the man's knees, his whole body stiff with
mortification at being spanked in front of the Fellowship. Aragorn
pulled down the thin tights that covered the elf's small buttocks.
They were even paler than Gimli's had been, but Aragorn was sure they
would be just as red when he was finished with them.

"You already know why you are being spanked," Aragorn said and began
smacking the elf, using just as much force as he had with Gimli.
Legolas had prepared himself and did not let out the smallest of
yelps when the first blow came. Aragorn knew that he wouldn't
receive the same kind of response from Legolas as he had gotten from
Gimli, but he watched for signs that would tell him that Legolas had
learned his lesson. The white globes turned first pink and then red
as Aragorn made his displeasure at the prideful actions known.
Legolas prevented any sound from escaping, but the tears that fell
were involuntary and finally a hitch in his breath forewarned silent
sobs from the elf. Aragorn hit down hard three more times and
said, "You will change your behavior, will you not?"

"Yes, Estel," Legolas gasped, his whole body limp over Aragorn's
lap. The ranger helped him up and pulled the tights carefully over
sore buttocks. "I will."

"Good," Aragorn nodded, grabbing hold of his arm in a warrior's
embrace. "Now you know what you must do."

"Yes," Legolas agreed, shamefaced. He turned toward Gimli and said
meekly, "I'm sorry that I was proud and arrogant and called you a
troll, Gimli."

"Aye," Gimli said, nodding. "After that spanking, I imagine you
are. It hurts like the dickens, doesn't it?" Gimli rubbed his own
sore butt. "The ranger has a heavy hand."

Legolas looked at Aragorn, his long acquaintance with the ranger
allowing him to recognize humor in his expression.

"Yes, he does," Legolas nodded. "He hits almost as hard as my adar."

"Aye, my da had a mean stroke as well," Gimli said. He picked up the
food he had dropped, wiping off the dirt and sat down carefully on a
stump and began eating. "I remember one time when I was just a wee
lad that I got into mischief with one of my friends..."

Aragorn watched as Gimli told his story and the elf and the dwarf
bonded. They all missed Gandalf, but Aragorn was determined that the
Fellowship would go on as long as the need was there, he had breath
and, he thought ruefully, as long as he had strength left in his arm.

The end