"My condolences."
"Thank you, Aunt Mary."
"If you ever need anything you just give me a call."
"Thank you, Uncle Brad."
The grim party shook the young girl's hand as the turned and left the cemetery. A fresh grave wasn't the only reminder the girl had of the beautiful pale body of her mother laid six feet beneath the surface, dark hair surrounding her like an celestial halo. The yellow flowers seemed to mock the life taken. It was all she could do not to scream and run away as friends of friends came to shake her hand, offer their pitiful condolences. Talisha Aubrey, a shroud of black, stared blankly at the trees around her. No one is ready for a parent to die, especially not when you are only nineteen and don't know where your father is. Her hawk landed on her shoulder, a pet from birth, and turned to the right drawing Talisha's attention to where a man stood rigid in udder grief. The man who was leaning heavily on the most intricate walking stick and long beard and in black from head to toe. She could see silent tears rolling down his red cheeks. Moved by his touching performance she walked over to where he stood in front of her mother's grave to ask him his name but as he looked up she saw mirrored back her own grief and her own soul. Grey blue eyes, mirrors full of sadness and answers, strength and grief. Talisha could say nothing, now she knew.
For hours they must of sat there on the stone bench in front of the fresh grave, both with their silence and grief.
"I loved your mother deeply." He finally said.
"I know, father." Was all Talisha could reply.
"What is your name child?" he asked.
"Talisha Aubrey Grey." He nodded.
"There are so many things I wish to say Talisha. But for once in my life I cannot find the words."
"Mother told me much. I think I understand. She loved you very much." She said as she watched a fresh batch of tears roll down the old man's face.
"She was a delightful woman, full of life and wisdom." He said, choking on his own words. "It was awful returning to my duty without her by my side."
"Why couldn't you take us with you?" Talisha asked, the hurt evident in her gray eyes.
"Humans are limited to the world they are born in. I did not wish to kill her or you by trying."
"You knew I was alive?"
"Yes."
"And you still left?"
"I had no choice. It was my duty." Talisha spat on the ground at his words. They sat again in silence for a while until the man stood up to stretch. "Would you come back with me, Talisha?"
"To middle-earth?"
"Aye. To middle-earth."
"Will it kill me?"
"No. You are half Maia." Talisha nodded her head. She had read the books after all. She probably knew more about what was to happen then her father did. But what would happen to the life she had here? Her mother's house? Her mother's objects?
"I need to tie up a few loose ends first." She said as Gandalf nodded his head in understanding. She walked off, her hawk flying after her.
--
A week later, after much crying and fusing she said goodbye to her friends, sold her house and car to some good friends and packed all the trinkets she wanted to keep in a small suitcase she held at her side and her hawk on her shoulder. She walked out her hotel and met her father where he ushered her into a taxi which took them to a small picnic area. Climbing into the woods a little so they wouldn't be seen her father took her into his arms as the world changed around them. Woods turned into a stone pavilion and large stone structure formed around her.
"Where are we, Aba?"
"We are in the city of Qanath in Tulwang." Her hawk shivered the travel off him and took to flight.
"Where? My knowledge only extends to the north-west areas of Middle-earth."
"The way far south. A safety haven far away from the growing power of Mordor."
"Right. And you expect me to just sit still here until Mordor has sunken beneath its own weight?"
"No. I expect you to stay here until I call for you."
"I am your daughter not your servant."
"I am leaving you here until you learn all these good people can teach you and then I will call for you and you can come help in the wars ahead." Talisha looked at him stupidly.
"You mean you are actually going to let me get rough and dirty?"
"Unless you wish otherwise." Talisha was stupefied.
"Wow. My mother did right to choose you." Gandalf chuckled quietly.
"Of course. I would rather you stay here until everything is over and done with since I do not know which way the ball will swing at this point." Talisha huffed and snorted.
"Of course you would. Wait. How old is Aragorn?"
"He is going to reach his fifteenth birthday this next half moon."
"Ah. I see. Well. I wouldn't want to come with you now anyways. I'll just stay here until he's about…oh…87."
"Will you now?" A very amused Gandalf asked.
"Yes."
"Good. Because there is someone here I want you to meet." They entered a large stone door Talisha had not noticed before and walked through the hallways until they came to a large open room where a middle aged man dressed in a vivid blue greeted them from behind a large desk. He got up and walked towards them with arms wide open and a large grin on his face.
"Olorin, my friend! Welcome back. I see you have brought a young beauty with you." He said as he held Talisha at arms length and then hugged her warmly.
"Alatar, Blue Wizard and my dear friend, I finally have the pleasure of introducing my daughter, Talisha Aubrey Grey."
"Didn't the blue wizards stay in the east?" The joly man laughed and Gandalf smiled at Talisha's abruptness.
"She is most definitely your daughter, Gandalf. Of that there is no question." He said chuckling still. "Yes. My brother, Pallando, and I journeyed east together but then I tuned south after he was married."
"Married? Are you married too?"
"Yes I was, curious little one, now I am a widower. It is amazing how love can just come so quickly, isn't it Olorin?"
"Too true. It hits you very unexpectedly. But I must return north."
"May we keep your daughter for a little while?" Alatar asked.
"What would you like Talisha?" asked her father. "Would you like to stay in Qanath?"
"Yes, very much."
"Then it is settled! Very good. Come I will show you and your father to your respective chambers here."
He opened up the doors and a flurry of blue and feathers tumbled in the room.
"Aie! Lorita Sophie! What are you doing listening at doors?" Alatar asked in mock anger.
"I found Talisha's familiar and I had to return her." The young women answered innocently from her position on the floor as a little fox climbed on her stomach and made himself comfortable. Talisha giggled as her hawk landed on her shoulder as the girl smiled and winked at her.
"Help me up, Aba?" She asked. Alatar stuck out his hand and helped his daughter up forcing the fox to jump off.
"Aie! What I am to do with you? Even wearing trousers like a boy, Morgan Jade is a controversial influence."
"We were ridding our horses, Aba! What was I supposed to wear? May I take Talisha to see her new rooms?"
"Aye. Go, my child, and run off that exuberance." Lorita grabbed Talisha's hand and took off, their familiars following behind.
"How did you know my name?" Talisha asked.
"Your familiar told me when I let him in the window."
--
Lorita slowed after several twists and turns. Talisha laughed at the hilarity of it all. She had already spent several months here and it was all so wonderful that she never wanted to leave. Well…except for the fact that they were about to get into severe trouble. Morgan panted as she put her hands on her knees.
"Our father is going to kill us!" Mina Khristie said as she caught up to the three in front of her.
"I am surprised you came out of your books for once Mina and joined us on a prank!" Talisha said laughing. Mina frowned.
"Maybe I aught to stay with the books. They are safer."
"Safer maybe, but never more fun, dear sister." Lorita said as she hugged her sister.
"Come on, we aren't safe yet." Morgan said, reminding them of their current predicament as they raced for the stables where they got their already prepared horses and raced out of the palace and through the city down to their favorite secret beach.
"Wow! What a thrill!" Morgan said. "Although I never want to see a man naked ever again." She made the sign of gagging.
"Especially not young Lord Keir but I have to admit that he deserved being tied to the tops of the great green tree naked after he flirted with you Lorita in such an atrociously drunk manner at last nights Gala." Mina said to her sister as her feline familiar climbed into her lap.
"Why did we have to pick that tree? I never want to climb that tree ever again. It's been ruined my his naked body…I hope the ants get to him." Lorita wined as Talisha and Morgan Jade laughed at her.
Their horses fed in the grass up by the trees as they stripped down to their bathing suits and ran into the ocean. The fox and mountain lion followed them into the water. The cat familiar looked upon their wetness with distain and went to go join the hawk in the trees.
"What do you think of their pranks?" the cat asked as he sat down next to the preening hawk.
"Which one? Lord Keir being blindfolded and strapped naked to a tree or the hairdye in Lady Luvinia's shampoo yesterday right before the gala or the new orange paint in Alatar's study or the brawdy drunkards in the bar who 'claim' the drink made them think large purple spiders were attacking them or the floating books in the library or the nonsensical speech of the Ashaturian lord during last months feast or…"
The cat smiled. "True. I get your point. I guess we can't judge when we help."
"Father is looking for us." Mina said, her eyes closed and hands raised towards the palace they had come from. "He isn't very happy."
"Come out before he senses you." Morgan Jade said, braiding her silky long black hair in anxiety. Mina lowered her hands and opened here eyes, Lorita and Talisha giggled as they dunked her.
--
As soon as they got back they did get the verbal lashing from Alatar but that wizard couldn't stay angry long and the four girls returned to their normal lessons.
"This place is better then your American El Dorado, Talisha." Talisha looked at her oriental looking friend in shock.
"Are you from middle-earth or earth, Morgan?" Morgan sat up from where they had been sun bathing on their shared balcony.
"Do you not know my story? No? Then I will tell you. For you have become as dear to me as a sister."
"You all also like a sister to me, you and Lorita and Mina." Morgan Jade nodded and started her story.
"My father is Saruman the White."
"Saruman?" Talisha asked in shocked horror. Morgan looked her deeply in the eyes and nodded in understanding.
"Yes. I see you know of his future too. My mother knew also. But I am starting at the middle. Ok. Saruman, after hearing of Gandalf's travels to other worlds decided to make a trip of his own to earth. He went to Aso, Japan where he met my grandfather and impressed him so deeply that my grandfather gave him my mother, who was at that time a Japanese Miko, a Shrine Maiden. He loved my mother, I belive, and took her back to middle earth with him.
"A human could travel worlds?"
"My okaasan was no normal human. She was a Miko, blessed by the gods and beautiful beyond words. She was also wise. Wise enough to see the greediness and obsessive traits of her husband. She left him while I was still just two months in the womb; Gandalf helped her leave and take a ship to this land where Alatar welcomed her. She died giving birth to me but left me a long letter describing not only my own world but her reasons for separating herself from my father. Saruman does not know I even exist. Alatar has raised me as one of his own daughters and has been very good to me. Probably much better then my own father."
The two half Maias' sat in silence under the hot southern sun until midday had past, their break time was over, and it was back to the study room while the hottest part of the day crept by. They studied culture, etiquette, dance, self-defense (which is a form of dance), history, cooking, tracking, healing and horse ridding. These were taught to them by the tutors of the land but Alatar himself taught them of the Valar, morals, respect, responsibility and how to use their unique gifts. Their familiars taught them how to be cunning.
--
And so time passed. One year turned into ten, which turned into twenty which quickly double upon itself again. The young ladies grew in sisterly love for each other, each becoming more beautiful in their own way as maidenhood approached. Jade was dark and intelligent, long black hair and slanted black eyes adding to her exotic beauty. A true daughter of the Miko, her mother would have been proud of her commanding presence and child-like laughter. Talisha's smirking gray eyes and tall stature resembled her to the Numenorean kings of old. Her auburn hair and tan skin reminded her daily of her mother whom she had never forgotten. And yet the happiest moments of her days in Qanath was when she could teach her new sisters a hip-hop move to a song played off her solar-paneled i-pod.
-
"What is that?" Lorita asked Talisha, Jade came over curious of the object.
"When I knew I was coming here I used most of the money I had to buy this musical device and all 10,000 songs on it. I forgot I had it until I looked through my suitcase again…"
"A musical device? Play some song for us!" Jade said as she walked to the center of the room, hiking her dress up to do a little jig she had just recently been taught. They all laughed at their half-Japanese sister's enthusiasm. Talisha started a song up and started singing.
"MOVE YOUR BODY! YEAH! EVERYBODY!"
"Mina will be sad she missed this." Lorita said, she covered her mouth to stifle a giggle at her friend's antiques.
"Not at all! She loves her books." Talisha said grinning as she showed her ROFL sisters how to do a real booty-pop.
"That is NOT how we are going to dance at our Ritu d'Obduco!!" Jade laughed so hard she started to snort.
-
Anyways…Lorita and Mina both had blond hair and bright blue eyes could almost pass as twins if it weren't for the 30 years between them. Lorita was older, of course, but didn't act it at all. In the evenings when the girls would be out on the green dancing or going for a moonlit swim Lorita would be the one helping Jade plot revenge on some pour beau or playing leap frog with Talisha while Mina would chide them for their unlady-like behavior or roll her eyes at their pranks.
Time passed quickly, as it always does when you are having fun. The friends would test their archery skills hunting the forest deer that lived by the River of Tulwang. They would haggle at the local market on every fifth day as men and women from Norjadar, Nashar, Talarud and even the northern city of Soriya passed through to sell their wears and to share their culture.
They grew up in a place without orcs, without strife (besides foolish court gossip) and without a close fear of the Dark Lord who was rising in the north.
Yet, as the years passed their hearts grew strong like a young hard maple that grows in the shadow of a protective forest. The ladies knew it was time to spread their wings when seventy-two years had passed.
--
"Adar. We wish to go north with Talisha."
"Is it time all ready my witty muse?" Alatar asked his youngest daughter.
"Aye, Adar." Mina said to her father, giving him a hug. "We four wish to leave within the month."
"Aye. Talisha and Morgan Jade have already spoken to me about it. I do not wish for you all to leave. Where with the life be with all of you gone? What will my spare time be spent doing? I shall be like an old blue bird with all his chicklings gone."
"Adar, we are not chicklings anymore!" A smiling Larita said at the door as she entered. "We were chicklings when you brought Latisha to us. But not anymore. It is time. I can feel an evil in the north that is growing stronger."
"It will try to stretch its arm south. Latisha and Jade have both spoken to me of it. They have an incredible gift of forsight." Alatar said as he hugged his daughters.
"Take care of each other. If I lose you like I lost your mother then I will have no reason to stay in Arda as I was commanded." He kissed them both on the cheek and they left to find their friends. They were all currently training with the army, as they had been for the past ten years, and would be needed on duty at evening.
--
"Dear children of mine, for children you have all felt to me, I have words to speak to you before your imminent departure. Be brave in the face of danger. Speak sparingly, for the more you speak the more you will be judged. Reflect well the image of your tutors and never leave each other in spirit.
There is another, like you, in the north. I would like at least one or two of you to seek her out when you are there. You will feel her presence and know which path to take.
Always be a guide and a stability to your sisters. Never kill a man when only a wounding is needed and always be on your guard. There are far worse things then wolves in the north. And last of all. Never loose you joy of life."
The girls, hooded and cloaked, knives at their sides, sword on their hips and bow on their back smiled sweetly to their segregate father as they wished him farewell as they and their familiars climbed on board the boat that would bare them safe passage from Qanath to the Pelican Islands to Lond Ernil in Belfalas where they would continue north to the River Greyflood and disembark.
All in all, the journey by sea took about three months. Much shorter then expected, but then again they did have four trained witches on board who were able to persuade Manwe and Ulmo to give them good wind and waters. Although, they had to admit that Ulmo's wife did help a great deal in calming down the master of the seas.
--
They were forced to disembark in the Gulf of Lhun at the Grey Havens as orcs roamed freely on the southern Enedwaith near the Greyflood where they had hoped to go. After much debate on whether they were friend or foe, Cirdan let them drop anchor.
The road was much easier for the four friends on horseback then it was, no doubt, for Frodo and company. It was now the year 3018, in the first days of October and the hobbits and Strider were on their way to Weathertop, no doubt. October the twenty fourth was when Talisha Aubrey hoped to arrive in Rivendale. If her memory of the events calendar served her correctly it would be the day Frodo wakes up. She told her friends as much as they sat around a campfire beside the Road.
"I do not believe I will go with you, Talisha Aubrey." Larita said as she stoked the fire. They looked like small Dunedain rangers with their hoods up, hiding their faces from view and their horses close to them. Talisha's hawk kept watch as they enjoyed their soldier's supper.
"And why is that, my friend?" Jade asked.
"I feel compelled to seek out our third sister, a daughter of the brown wizard Radagast."
"I know she has felt our presence." Added Mina softly, "But I believe she feels compelled to stay at home. I will come with you. Two heads are always better then one."
"And what of you Jade?" Talisha asked. Turning her head slightly to see her bosom sister.
"I will venture with you. We are not used to this land enough to separate from each other just yet. I don't know if I will enter Rivendale, this task was not my reason for coming to middle earth. But I will venture with you at least until the trollshaws. I wish to kill a few orcs before I enter into battle with them."
"Don't be frightened. You are nothing like your father. Come with me to Rivendale, they will accept you as a person, not an extension of your father. The elves see all matters of the heart or do you not remember Tutor Barthmaus' teaching?" Talisha comforted Jade, seeing past the façade at the heart of the problem. Ah the joys of being a witch.
The night passed in comfortable silence. Their familiars keeping watch over the sleeping girls. To a passerby it would have been strange to see a mountain lion, cat, hawk and fox roaming the surrounding wood.
--
They had no trouble skirting around the shire and joining the deserted Old Forest Road again, the Nazgul would have been at the Bridge of Mitheithel by now and nothing to worry about. They evaded Bree and everyother general place of inhabitence, eating off the forest and keeping each other company until they parted ways by the Loudwater River, Larita and Mina following it north across the Misty Mountains on the High Pass and then south towards the western edge of Mirkwood where Radagast was know to reside.
It wasn't a teary parting; simple hugs and the two sisters were on their way, familiars in their laps as the road next to the river.
--
Talisha Aubrey woke painfully, she couldn't breath and her sides hurt like hell.
"Oxygen!" she squeaked as she realized that the pain was from the big bear hug she was in. Jade woke up and laughed as she realized that Gandalf had found his daughter.
"It's about time you showed up. All the fun is about to start." He said as he placed his squished daughter back on her feet.
"What a wake up." Talisha said dizzily. "I prefer the sound of birds singing to a bear hug in the morning, just to inform you. I suppose we have gotten very close to Rivendale then."
"Just a day's ride." Gandalf said. "I felt your presence yesterday evening and decided to meet you on the road so you don't wonder for a week before finding the last Homely House."
"Thank you." Said Jade.
"Dear child. We have not met in so many long years. I believe I had perfectly good reason for the sound wake up! How are you doing Morgan Jade? Goodness me but you have grown up! You are looking more like your mother every day. You both have. It is good to see you looking so strong, Talisha Aubrey. Both of you seem very strong, indeed, hum hum… I wonder. But nevermind! We must have breakfast and then set out at once!"
"What day is it, Adar?" Talisha asked as Gandalf put some sausages he had brought on some wooden spikes.
"It is the 23rd of October."
"Ah. Good." Jade said, smiling as she bit into a sausage. "Right on time."
"Well of course my dear! A wizard is never late! He arrives precisely when he means to." Gandalf said, smiling at his dear daughters.
The day was spent riding, and because Gandalf was with them they were not stopped as they crossed the borders into Rivendale. The witches put a hiding spell on their familiars.
"Will elves be cheated by our spells the same as mortals?" Jade asked the wizard in front of them.
"Can you see each other's familiar when you hid them?" He asked back as his horse gave a low winy.
"No but we can see the magic surrounding them that hides them."
"The elves will see the same."
Beautiful trees with colorful leaves stretched towards the autumn sky as they rode their horses down the mountain path into the valley of the last Homely House.
A dark elf was waiting for them as the crossed the bridge.
"Lord Elrond has asked me to escort you all to you chambers so you can wash before introductions in his study."
"Ah. Thank you, Teliron. But my friends wish to room together." He said, then as he turned to his hooded guests. "It seems Elrond got my message about you two. I told him no more then that he was to expect two strangers who were close to me. See you at supper." He said as he tipped his pointed hat and walked away, pulling all three horses behind him, but not before the witches grabbed their packs and threw them over their shoulders.
Teliron smiled as he led the strangers through the maze called Rivendale and to the Guest Wing where mingling dwarfs made way for them to pass in the halls, staring at the hooded creatures before continuing on their way to the practice field, presumably.
"I've never seen outfits like that around here. Where you do suppose those lads are from?" They heard a rather loud dwarf ask as they tuned the corner.
"Here we are. If you need anything at all then just ask, my ladies." Teliron smiled and bowed to them as he left the room.
"Hum. Elves." Said Telisha.
"Can't hid your gender from them like you can from dwarves and men." Jade said and sighed as she went to fill the bath basin with warm water for them. They washed their clothes, and themselves, quick drying both with a spell. The scent of fresh lavender still hung in the air and around them, leaving them calm and prepared as they put on long evening dresses from Qanath, which was pulled tight under the bust and hung loosely from there like an English 1800's evening dress.
"It is amazing how many dresses you can fit into a pack when you are a determined witch." Talisha said as she smoothed out her over jacket, a long-sleeved floor-length soft and flower printed satin piece that tied above the bust and fit well over her grey-blue dress. She turned to smooth out Jade's burgundy dress and beige over-coat as she had done countless times before.
"Think we will embarrass your father?" Jade asked as she appraised herself in the mirror.
"Oh I do hope we do!" Talisha replied. "But not this evening."
Just as they were finishing Jade's hair, they felt Teliron's presence outside. He led them to large oak doors that were flung wide open in greeting. A tall elf, neither old nor young looking, dressed in rich elegant robes and dark hair meet them at the entrance. A glowing golden haired elf was standing behind him, the guessed him to be Glorfindel and the elf beside him to be Erestor. Altogether they were confronted by three very beautiful and mighty beings who led them to a circle of six seats where they all sat down
"Welcome to Rivendale, children of the Istari."
"Lord Elrond, Lord Glorfindel, Lord Erestor." The ladies said cursing deeply. "We apologize for intruding on your hospitality. I am Talisha Aubrey, daughter of Olorin."
"It is a pleasure to be here in Imladris, Lord Elrond, Lord Glorfindel, Lord Erestor. I am Morgan Jade, daughter of Curunir. And before you ask, yes, I do know of his latest betrayal but all the same I am here and willing to help." The tone of her voice made it quite clear that she was not pleased. Talisha watched the elf lords' faces for any sign of hatred or violence against her sister but all she found was sadness and curiosity.
"Frodo will awake tomorrow, the 24th around 10 in the morning. Boromir will arrive tomorrow night. Your council will be held soon after that." Talisha mumbled to herself, hands on her knees.
"With your permission we wish to attend." Jade said and Lord Elrond nodded in consent.
"Gandalf said you had some measure of foresight. Will you tell what you know of the times ahead?" Lord Elrond asked, the elf lords stared at the young ladies intently.
"Not if we can help it." Talisha replied with a smile. "We've spent many years trying to figure out what we should tell, what we could tell, what hints we could drop and how they would change the course of time, if we would be able to give death to those who deserve it or if we could save those who deserve life." She smiled sardonically. "We came to the decision a long time ago that the less said the better."
"I am sorry we cannot answer the questions I know you wish to ask." Jade included, her dark eyes gazing sadly at the ceiling in memory of all the elf lord has been going through as he slowly lost his daughter to a mortal man. They were silent for a long time, each lost in their own thoughts. Many questions each race wished to ask and yet couldn't quite find the words.
"How long do you intend to stay in Rivendale?" Lord Erestor broke the silence.
"Until the time comes for us to depart and then we will head south into Hollin."
"Reports have come back that even birds have fled that region." Lord Glorfindel said, looking at them intently. The ladies smiled and glanced at each other.
"We will start there at the least. We may stay here until December." Jade said.
"That long? I'm not sure I can sit still that long, sister. We must act now." The elf-lords chuckled quietly, Talisha looked at them questioningly.
"We could not see the resemblance between you and your fathers until that last comment." Lord Elrond said.
"Lady Jade, you look nothing like your father. Who was your mother? Was she from the south?" Lord Erestor asked her. "I seem to detect a southern accent in both of your speech."
"Nay. My mother was not of this earth." Was all she would say, Erestor started to ask more but Talisha gave him to warning look. The supper bell rang and the meeting broke up.
"Gandalf was meant to join us but it appears our dear friend got lost in the halls of Elrond." Lord Glorfindel said to Talisha as they walked towards the door. Talisha laughed.
"I did not get lost, I just thought that it was going relatively smoothly without me and there were no need for interruptions since I could hear perfectly well from out here."
"You, my father, were 'dropping some eaves'. I do recall you threatening a young hobbit with toad turning and gardens of snakes for doing the same to you." Talisha said wagging a finger at her father's large nose.
"My dear child, I will never get used to having you around." He said with a smile and he tucked her arm and Jade's arm under his own and they went walking down behind the Lords of Imladris towards supper.
"Jade, you look just lovely!" Gandalf said, pointedly ignoring his own daughter. Glorfindel and Erestor turned their heads and chuckled at Talisha's sour expression. "How wonderful it is to see you two looking like ladies. This is the first time I have seen either of you in a dress."
"That is because you did not stick around long enough for either of us to stop climbing trees and grow into a dress." Jade replied.
"We've never stopped climbing trees, Jade." Talisha said, watching the eavesdropping elf lords smile.
"Touche!" Gandalf replied as the girls giggled.
"You're retained too much of my mothers world. I don't think they would understand that expression here." Talisha giggled.
"Do you realize we are speaking Quenya?" Gandalf said with a small frown.
"No." The girls replied in unison. "We are?"
"Ah the joys of being a wizard!" The grey man shook his head as they turned another corner.
"I always wondered how I could understand everyone at the market even though they were from different lands! Or even you when I came. I didn't think English was spoken here. I can't believe we haven't discussed this yet in the last decade."
"No my darling. English is an entirely different language you will not find in this world." He said as they walked under the magnificent and quite open wooden doors, elves and dwarfs alike were sneaking glances at them, trying to figure out who the two girls on Mithrandir's arms are. The elves glanced a bit more artfully then the dwarfs, Jade had to concede. She was getting more stares because of her unique olive complexion and jet-black hair, especially from the suspicious Godorian men. Gandalf set them down next to the other guests of Imladris, the ones giving them obvious stares, and continued up the table to sit with Elrond.
"Malicious bastard." Talisha mumbled under her breath for only Jade to hear. Elrond stood.
"Elves of Imladris and Honored Guests, tonight we add two more to our growing number of guests. Lady Talisha Aubrey and Lady Morgan Jade would you please stand and be recognized." They stood as they had done many times when they were visiting joining cities back home. Elrond said a few more words and soon they were all eating a hearty supper of exquisite food.
"Excuse me, would you pass the rolls, my lady?" A slightly chubby little hobbit asked Jade who smiled and handed him the desired basket.
"So, where are you ladies from?" Another hobbit across from them asked. Who, while he was eating, somehow managed to talk without sounding like his mouth was as full as it really was.
"We are from a place very far away and just arrived in Imladris today but you aren't from around here either. My guess is that you are from Suza. Am I right?" Jade asked.
"You know Suza? You know the Shire?" asked a stout Hobbit that was sitting next to his inquisitive friend.
"Aye. We passed it on the way here. But what are your names, Shire-folk?"
"I'm Peregrin Took but my friends call me Pippin, or Pip for short if you like." Said the inquisitive one.
"And I'm Mariadoc Brandybuck from Buckland. We Brandybucks are one of the oldest families in the Shire, decended from the Oldbucks, really."
"Not as old as we Tooks, Marry. The head of us Tooks is the hereditary Thain of the Shire as I am sure you are well aware of. Clearly we Tooks…" and so it went on for the rest of the supper. The other races at the table continued to stare periodically but said nothing. Obviously since these ladies were able to get along with innocent, but talkative, Hobbits then they couldn't be evil.
After the superb supper of soups, potatoes and random vegetables and other dishes they couldn't recognize the ladies took a stroll to walk off the rich pheasant. Arm in arm they strolled down the steps and into the valley where beautiful waterfalls were scattered here and there. Two little invisible blue birds flew down to them and landed on their outstretched arms. The girls took their hiding spell off them.
"Why did you change forms?" Talisha asked.
"Even with our hiding spell we still felt conspicuous in this land so we changed into something small and quick. The elves were looking at us as we flew by them as if they could see us." Talisha's blue bird whispered in her ear.
"Nay they could not see you but they could see our magic surrounding you." She replied as she stroked her familiars' feathers.
"I don't believe secrets are kept very long here." Jade commented as they sat down on a beautiful wooden bench by the waterfall. They talked long into the night of everything and nothing. No call from their sisters was made, so everything must be going well on their trip over the Misty Mountains.
--
Talisha and Jade quietly walked through the halls.
"I wish Mina were here. She is so much better at this then I." Talisha said as she closed her eyes again and raised her hands, palm forward. Visualizing the corridors ahead and their final destination she lowered her hands and started to walk again. "Almost there."
They creeped into a chamber where they joined an old Hobbit in his nightly watches.
--
"Wake up, sunshine! The earth says 'Hello'!" Talisha said leaping on her half-sleeping sister who threw her against the opposite wall with a jerk of her hand. Talisha laughed, arms crossed across her chest as she bounced back up and proceeded to wake her sister up the rest of the way. "Breakfast time for lazy bozos! Get up! Get up!"
"I'm up, you rabid monkey." Jade groaned and pulled herself out of bed.
"You aren't nearly as difficult to wake when we are on the road or on watch duty." Talisha commented as she finished getting ready.
"Aye. Constant vigilance, my friend, but here I feel quite safe to sleep in." Jade said as she washed her face. Their familiars paced around the room in panther form, finally disappearing out the window as hummingbirds.
Gandalf met them outside their door and escorted them to breakfast, which seemed to be more of a social, laid-back buffet style rather then last night's five course meal. The ladies were used to just fruit and cheese for breakfast but apparently fruit was just a summer thing here.
"I am not looking forward to winter." Jade said as she took a piece of bread that had a strange white spread on top of it.
"Aye. None of us are. After being in a summer atmosphere for almost 100 years being cold will not be pleasant." Talisha whispered back, pouring herself something warm to drink. They were both in thick brown dresses with a creamy satin girdle. They sat outside on a bench under a tree.
"May I join you?" Gandalf asked.
"Of course, Adar." Talisha said. "I am sure rumors are spreading about us if the elves are half as fast as the Qanath court ladies."
"They are five times quicker and twenty times more understanding." He said laughing. "I am sure that a few have even recognized that you have been blessed with gifts by the Valar."
"What are you doing today, Adar?" Jade finished a strip of what they think was bacon.
"Aparently I will be by Frodo's side if what you say is true. Will you attend the council?"
Talisha said. "And yes, although it will bore us to tears we will be at the council." They sat and ate in perfect silence. Gandalf looking perfectly perplexed as he munched on his breakfast, finally Jade gave him a penny for his thoughts.
"Neither of you look like your fathers." Gandalf mused as he flipped the coin in his hand and handed it back to Jade.
"Good thing too! Can you imagine going through life with that nose?" Talisha asked her giggling friend as they stood up and wiped crumbs off their laps.
"Gah! Go climb a tree." Mithrandir yelled to them as they skipped away, arms linked, to do just that. The elves around them eating breakfast looked up from their light conversations and laughed at Mithrandir's exasperated command. They probably heard the nose comment too. Who can tell with elves?
-
As it neared ten o'clock the girls made their way to the Healers ward again to see Frodo wake up.
"Truly we are most blessed to witness the waking of the most blessed of Halflings." Jade whispered to Talisha. "You have been telling me stories of this Shire Hobbit since I met you." Talisha chuckled and raised her hands again to remind her of the way.
"All the stories I told you are true and very important. I told you, also, so that I wouldn't forget." Jade nodded and smiled as they entered the room. Gandalf was sitting in a large wooden chair by a bed that seemed way too big for the small Hobbit inside it.
They stood next to the wall away from Elrond, looking at the two butterflies that fluttered in from the open veranda doors across the room to land on the palms of their masters. Elrond quietly watched the excited whispers between the four as ten o'clock approached. The girls placed their butterflies on the ground as they turned into cats; Elrond raised his eyebrow as Gandalf watched the show in amusement. The cats climbed up on the other chair by the bed as the young Hobbit started to blink.
"Where am I? What time is it?" The Hobbit asked, totally oblivious to the three others in the room.
"Aye. I am here. And you are lucky to be here too. A few more hours and you would have been beyond all aid." And so they chatted until Sam ran to into the room with an exclamation of joy. The cats jumped off the chair as Sam almost sat on them.
"We were very worried, weren't we Mr. Gandalf, sir."
"By the skills of Lord Elrond you are beginning to mend." Gandalf said.
Later that day the girls floated around the books on the shelves in a Library they just chanced on finding.
"Mina would have loved to be here with all these books." Talisha giggled at the thought of her friend's face.
"Word. She would have had a heart attack at the prospect of different books from those in the library back home. I do believe she read every single one." Jade commented as her hand flitted across a history of the first age of elves. Someone chuckled behind them and the two girls twirled around to see the offender of the peace.
"Little Mina Khristie is a great reader? I am not surprised. She takes after her mother, that little one."
"She is not very little anymore, though she is the youngest of us all she is the tallest." Talisha said to her father.
"Aye. And the fairest, she has the blondest hair I have ever seen, as blond as some of these beautiful elves. Truly I have never seen creatures more beautiful."
"Their mother was an elf, an eastern elf, one of the Avari."
"Yes, we know." Jade commented. "You cannot keep secrets from sisters."
"Can you not?" Gandalf asked Jade quietly. She ignored him and went back to her reading. Gandalf and Talisha sat and talked a while by the fire, of everything and of nothing in particular.
-
"Come sister, we cannot spend all our days in Rivendale. Lets go to Hollin and hunt some werewolves!" Jade said to her sister one bright morning.
"Who is going to hunt?" Glorfindel asked as he jumped down from the tree he had been sitting in above them.
"You little sneak!" Talisha said in laughing surprise as she jumped up and poked her finger in his chest.
"I did not ask you to sit beneath my tree." He said with a smirk.
"For a dangerous elf-Lord you surely are a merry elf." Talisha said, shaking her head at him.
"You are changing the subject, Lady Talisha. As I said before, who is going hunting? "
-
"More Crebine! Everyone Hide!"
-
"What is it?" Pippin asked as he held the hot roasted chicken-like bird on his plate.
"It's a bird. I don't know quite how it will taste since this was the first time doing this but if you don't like it then don't bother. There are 700 more were it came from. We could feed an army like this! We aught to feed an army like this. Sister?" Jade looked at her sister for confirmation.
"Quite so. Take what you will…tell us if it tastes good first and then we will go feed the peoples of middle earth! HA! What a laugh! Your father would not be so happy with us, Jade." Talisha said smiling as she stood holding the clear bag open so that the fellowship could get what finely roasted crebain from dunland and fangorn that they wanted.
"What type of bird is this?" Legolas asked.
"THIS IS DELICIOUS!" Pippin silently shrieked as he took another large bite.
"What did you season it with?" Sam asked.
"Just a bit of salt." Jade said with a smirk. "We'll catch some more tomorrow. There are plenty to be had." Talisha nodded curtly to her sister giving the signal that it was time to move.
"We will see you soon. May the Valar be with you as you attempt the Redhorn Gate. We may not see you for another two or three days. Stay warm." Talisha said as her eagle companion landed beside her and she hopped on his back holding one edge of their gient bag of roasted bird.
"I have a feeling I know what we are eating." Aragorn said to Gandalf as they sat with a bird in their hand as day light failed and the stars raised to their place. "But I also see the hobbits are so glad for a hot meal that it really doesn't matter." Gandalf sighed.
"I wonder how the girls thought of roasting these evil bird-spawn. I would have thought they would have drowned them and left it at that. Truly I will never understand my own daughter." Aragorn chuckled in sympathy.
The witches spent the next two days flying from village to village as they delivered birds to every house that would take them. Most did take them, some were too weary of strangers, some were in such desperate need that they took as many as they were offered. It truly was sad to see these houses in such desperate states. What they needed was abundant farms, not charity.
-
"SISTERS!" Talisha and Jade cried as Lorita and Mina rode out of the forest on dark stallions. They jumped down off their animals and hugged their sisters, all their familiars rapidly changing shapes as they greeted one another. A bear trod behind them its head ducked as if shy.
"Sweet Eru! There are more of them!" Gimli grumbled, leaning against a rock as he warm his feet by the fire.
"Talisha Aubrey, daughter of Gandalf the White, I would like to present Sigrun Nita, daughter of Radagast the Brown." To the shock of all watching, except those of magical instruction, the big brown bear transformed into a very dark, very tall brunette who was smiling shyly at the witches in front of her.
"It's a pleasure, Sigrun Nita." Talisha said, embracing her newest sister. "I am the leader of this rabble and we're very glad to have you on our side, daughter of one of the five. This to my right is Morgan Jade, daughter of Saruman the traitor, she is my second in command and most beloved friend." Sigrun Nita's eyes widened in shock a bit but she shook her head as if she understood very well.
"I am honored to meet you both and to be under your command Talisha Aubrey, leader of the daughters of the Istari. I will fight with you for the freedom of Middle Earth, a place very dear to my heart." Talisha smiled.
"You fight as a bear? I see you have no familiar."
"I am my familiar. I was in a litter of eight, seven were little cubs and I was a little girl. I am both my mother and my father, half Istari, half bear. Thank you so much for allowing me to join you in this fight for freedom against the Dark Lord."
"Truly I do not believe you will be thanking us during the battles." Jade said as she put her arm around Sigrun Nita and lead her to the fire. "Can you sing, Sigrun Nita?" Sigrun smiled fully for the first time.
"Your sisters and I sang many times on the way here. They taught me many of your songs, Talisha." Talisha smiled briefly at her as she sat on a rock beside the uncomfortable Gimli.
"Cheer up Gimli! At least this one doesn't have a pesky squirrel as a familiar to rummage through your things. Just a bear to wake you up in the morning with a lot of slobber!" Talisha said smacking him on the back as she winked at Sigrun Nita. Legolas, Aragorn and Gandalf chuckled as Gimli tried to find an appropriate response. Unfortunely none were to be found.
"Lassie, you will be the death of me." He grumbled, making his friends laugh all the harder.