Gandalf touched the grey rock wall, his worn fingers caressing the aged stone. The moon shone clear upon them highlighting the cresses of age and toil, mute tribute to long years of labor. The stone beneath them shuddered ever so slightly at the contact and swirling lines of silver, gossamer-thin radiated outwards.
They grew steadily, brightening until they shone clearly. Legolas lifted his face from the cliff wall from where he had been listening for any warning of danger. Two trees wrapped gracefully about the pillars, seven stars arched over a high helm slightly above them and an anvil beneath that. Between them glittered a many-pointed star.
Legolas opened his mouth to speak but the dwarf was before him.
"There are the emblems of Durin!" he said, the timber of his voice deep and pealing with anticipation.
"And there is the Tree of the High Elves!" said Legolas softly, for wood-elf that he was, he was yet a prince of his realm and even had some small share in that legacy.
Gandalf looked closely at the design and frowned, "And the Star of the House of Fëanor" he muttered, "I sense no evil and yet something is amiss."
He lowered his staff and touched the star with it. The moment the staff made contact a blinding light shone outwards enveloping the company completely. There was a startled bray from Bill and a shrill cry that could have been Merry, Pippin or both. And then there was silence.
The dark water lapped softly at the base of the door, which shone golden now with an unearthly radiance. A pale tentacle flicked idly at the stone, but there was naught for it to catch hold of. The men, four hobbits, a dwarf, a wizard, an Elf and a pony were gone, no trace of their passing remaining.
Somewhere else completely, nine people of varying races and a pony picked themselves up painfully from the dirt. They were laying among thickly tangled bushes and brambles at the base of a shallow ravine. The trees were showing the first signs of spring, redbuds blooming idly above their heads.
Legolas picked himself up gingerly. Thoroughly scratching himself in the process, he glared at the offending plants which for some reason refused to recognize him as an elf. He could sense no ill-intent, as a matter of fact he could sense no intent at all. They were silent to his thoughts.
He reached a hand down to Gandalf as Aragorn stumbled to his feet. Boromir muttered something under his breath as Sam and Merry blinked and sat up, from their position on his chest. The hobbits looked down worriedly and turned red when they discovered that they were pinning down the Gondorian.
"Frodo?" called Aragorn and Legolas together as they looked about wildly. There was no sight of Ringbearer.
"He was next to Pippin and I" said a slightly breathless voice from above them. Everyone looked up, Legolas' face twisted oddly, his grey eyes twinkling in the green light. Gandalf and Aragorn looked stunned and disbelieving while the hobbits began chuckling and Boromir gave an unconvincing cough.
Gimli and Merry were sitting together on a large branch about thirty feet off the ground. Merry looked dazed and unhappy while Gimli glowered murderously at the offending "weed".
"You have had your laugh" he rumbled, glaring at the hobbits and Legolas. Gandalf nodded to the Elf and he stepped back slightly before launching himself forward. There was a faint snick as his feet left the ground and he stood lightly upon and impossibly thin bough ten feet of the ground. Another snick of soft shoes and he sat next to the two unfortunates.
He glanced between them, Pippin looked rather white while Gimli's eyes merely flashed darkly.
Legolas looked at the dwarf impassively, "Pippin first" he said quietly, "You are more used to such perilous circumstances than he." a green flicker lighting his eyes with amusement for a moment. Gimli scowled but nodded as Legolas slung Pippin over his shoulder and slide down.
Gimli sat nervously waiting for his return, he had not shown his trepidation, but though not in the least afraid of heights of good solid stone having only air and some whispering branches between him and the cold ground was not a situation he enjoyed in the least. Even worse he would be relying on that spindle-legged and flighty elven youngster for his removal.
So wrapped in these dour forebodings was he that he failed to notice that return of the Elf, whose fair face appeared suddenly, startling him more than he cared to admit. Before he could protest he found the slender arms wrapped firmly about his chest and then they were both sliding downwards with terrifying swiftness to come to a gentle halt upon the ground.
Legolas smiled suddenly and Gimli felt an unexpected warmth in his heart, the Elf was certainly no weakling and he had not even laughed at Gimli's plight and he found himself smiling back while Gandalf looked knowingly at Aragorn.
Now only Frodo and Bill were missing, a problem soon remedied by Merry tripping over a soft bundle that turned out to be his cousin. Frodo stirred and opened confused brown eyes as he looked up at the Fellowship.
"Are you injured?" asked Gandalf quickly. Frodo shook his head, "Just stunned and dazed" he said somewhat groggily.
"Are you sure?" Sam pressed, looking him over for injuries, "Do you know what happened to Bill?" Frodo shook his head as Pippin's voice piped happily, "I have him, he is fine!"
Sam turned and there indeed was Pippin with a bedraggled and very dirty Bill. Everyone turned to Gandalf.
"Where are we?" asked Frodo.
Gandalf looked unhappily at the sixteen eyes fixed on him.
"I have not the slightest idea." he said.
"What!" squeaked Pippin, "You are a wizard."
Gandalf looked fixedly at the hobbit, "Even the wise cannot see all ends, or know all places, Peregrine Took." he said sternly, "I do not yet know where we are. If we make haste away from this uncomfortable wood we may find some answers."
"There is a pathway ahead" offered Legolas, "It is made of some strange dark material. Beyond it are more wood." He stopped speaking and put a finger to his lips. Everyone fell silent for a moment. Then he stirred, "There are humans walking along it" he said softly, "They are dressed strangely and many carry packs of some sort upon their shoulders. I do not feel any malice but we should not let them see us."
They moved forward silently, even Bill moving soundlessly at a whisper from the Elf. They had nearly reached the strange path when there was a sort of whistling noise and a red contraption flew past.
There was girl, in a bright blue top and a long black and white striped shirt sitting on it. She was half-way up the hill, one foot flung over each side of the metal thing. She pushed something with her hand and it stopped, she slipped off gracefully enough until her foot touched the ground. She landed wrong and fell the rest of the way, laying stunned for a moment.
The hobbits looked worried.
"She's hurt Gandalf" said Pippin, "We should help her." Gandalf looked between them for a moment, "We should not show ourselves until we are certain of their purpose" he said sadly. The girl sat up and he let out a relieved breath.
She stood awkwardly and stumbled.
Merry and Pippin looked at each other and darted forward as the rest of the Fellowship watched in a mix of worry and pride.
"I am Meriadoc Brandybuck" said Merry quickly, "This is my cousin Peregrine Took, you can call us Merry and Pippin for short. Are you alright?"
The girl looked startled for a moment and then laughed merrily enough. "You can call me Brigid" she said, "the rest of my name is to long for ordinary use. I am quite alright, I have fallen off of a bike before."
"Is that what that is called?" asked Pippin.
"You are bleeding." said Merry.
"You really are Merry and Pippin" said Brigid looking at them oddly, "Yes, that is called a bike. I am bleeding, slightly and you are not supposed to be here at all."
Merry and Pippin glanced at each other.
"Of course we're Merry and Pippin" said Pippin indignantly, "Who else would we be?"
"Frodo and Sam" said Brigid, "Only you are both too young to be Frodo."
"What do you know about our cousin?" asked Merry fiercely, vaguely hearing shocked whispers from the woods.
Brigid stood up, "This is not a good place to speak of such things, we should leave before someone else sees you. Unless…" she looked suspiciously at the two hobbits, "You are not alone are you?"
There was an audible gasp from Sam and she looked into the woods to see an arrow aimed for her chest while an angry dwarf, wizard and pony emerged onto the path. Behind them two tall men could be seen, bright swords in hand as they shielded two smaller figures from view.
"I do not serve the Enemy" she said pointedly, "But there is much to discuss, elsewhere."
Legolas and Aragorn looked at each other and then at Gandalf. He nodded, "We will follow you" he said, "Do not attempt to trick us, or we will harm you, women or not."
She lead them swiftly, up the path and two the right past a long brick building before turning to the right again and down the lip of the hill. There was a fairly flat green place at the end, nicely shrouded by trees.
"Now" said Gandalf as everyone seated themselves, save Legolas who leaned back against the tree an arrow dangling loosely between his fingers.
"Tell us what you know of us and of Frodo."
Brigid grinned, "I know your names…"
"Indeed" snorted Gimli.
"Yes, Gimli son of Gloin" Gimli glared at her his hand tightening about the axe.
"You are Aragorn also known as Strider, Boromir of Gondor, Gandalf, or Mithrandir among the elves, Legolas Thranduilion, Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, Merry, Pippin and of course Bill the Pony."
Everyone not excluding Gandalf stared at her worriedly, "Together you are known as the Nine Walkers or the Fellowship."
"You know our names" said Aragorn sternly, "What of our purpose?"
"You go to destroy the Ring" said Brigid after a moment of hesitation, glancing briefly at Boromir and Frodo's hand.
No one said anything for a moment, than in a flurry of movement Brigid found herself surrounded by nine irate members of the Fellowship.
"Who are you?" asked Gandalf menacingly, "And where have you brought us?"
I could finally resist no longer. Having hit writer's block (briefly) in my other stories, (Elladan and Elrohir are being irratating and won't tell me where they were) I have succumbed to a Fellowship in Middle Earth. How they would really react, as you can see poor Brigid has a dramatic entrance that totally enchants the entire Fellowship, of- falling off her bike like a klutz. I hope you like it while I return to writing papers. :) This was my fun break.
Shire Rose