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Trip 1: Aragorn's-Breaking-Up-With-Arwen-Say-What?

Hallie - June 3rd - The Enchanted Book

If you must know, it started just like any other day. Liz had come over before lunch, and we sat in front of the TV, watching The Two Towers: Extended Version. I must say, the extended versions are much better than the theatrical. Liz and I laughed at the funny faces made by Aragorn in the movies, counted the number of times Legolas stared off into the distance, and cheered when Gimli beat said elf in the orc-killing competition. As soon as the credits began to roll, we shut off the DVD player- we didn't have time to watch another movie before Liz' mom came to pick her up (she wasn't sixteen yet).

When the DVD was all put away, Liz turned to me, an excited look on her face. "I totally forgot," she said, "but I have to show you something."

She reached into her backpack and pulled out her worn copy of The Lord of the Rings that had made the journey to Middle Earth in April. I remembered her being so surprised and relieved when she found it in her backpack upon our return to New York. Gandalf had thought of everything, from healing our wounds (there were no longer burns on my arms) to making sure our cell phones were charged. It was pretty cool. She opened up the book to the Appendices and found the timeline. She pushed the book over to me and placed her finger over a date marked 1425 (In Shire years, the time we'd arrived). "Look," she said.

I'd spent an awful long time poring over my own copy of The Lord of the Rings, searching for any mention of us or the Castle, but found nothing. I didn't remember 1425 ever being part of my timeline. Curious, I leaned over to see the following:

1425 - King Elessar and Queen Arwen welcome their first son in the latter months of this year.

"What in the world? A kid?" I breathed, astonished. I looked up at Liz. "When did this appear?"

"About four days ago," she replied, "I didn't tell you yet because I wasn't sure if it was just my book that had changed... or if it had changed at all." She leaned closer. "You know what? I think my Lord of the Rings might be enchanted."

I was skeptical. Maybe we'd just never noticed that particular entry before. "Are you sure?"

"It's just a guess. As soon as the timeline changes again, I'll let you know. Then we'll have proof."

"What would it mean if it was enchanted, anyway?"

"I don't know. Maybe it will be like our own Middle Earth news channel?" Liz replied. I smiled. It would be nice to know what was going on over there... it might even give us a clue as to when, if ever, we were going to return.

I shrugged. I was fine with waiting for more proof on the matter. We spent the next few minutes looking through her book, laughing at certain parts. Ever since we returned, Liz and I had shared a Lord of the Rings obsession. We could spend hours poring over the book and never get bored. "Hey, I remember this," I said, "This is when Aragorn pretty much tries to break up with Arwen. I always wanted to slug him for that."

My finger dipped down towards the page and touched the passage to which I was referring. I saw a brilliant flash of light, and when it cleared, Liz and I found ourselves in a beautiful place we instantly recognized.

"Rivendell," Liz breathed, amazed.

"Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore," I responded.

Liz - December 25th, 1418 (according to the timeline) - We're in Middle Earth?

We were in Rivendell. I looked around, completely astonished. Hallie and I were crouching behind a bush next to a small pavillion that overlooked the courtyard next to a gate. I stared at Hallie, who was grinning from ear to ear. She started to get up. "We're back! I wonder how long it's been!"

I yanked her back down. "Don't you recognize this?" I pointed down to the courtyard, where an elf I recognized as Legolas was saddling a horse. Gimli was there too, strapping one of his axes to his back. But the part that really threw me for a loop was the fact that four hobbits were wandering around next to Gimli and Legolas. It was Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin.

I looked over at Hallie, whose eyes grew wide. "The Fellowship hasn't left yet?" she whispered. "Does that mean we traveled back in time?"

"What did you do?" I hissed, half-punching her. Hallie looked taken aback.

"I just touched the passage I was talking about, the part where Aragorn almost breaks up with Arwen."

I opened my mouth to say something, but was cut off by footsteps coming close to us. Immediately and on reflex, I wrapped my arm around Hallie and became invisible. That bush wasn't anywhere near big enough to shade us from prying eyes.

Peeking out from around the bush, I saw that those footsteps belonged to Aragorn. Knowing Hallie, she'd try to call out to him, so I slapped my hand over her mouth. She glared at me. A second later, Arwen was seen walking right behind him. She put her hand on his shoulder, and he turned to look at her.

"Is this how you would take your leave?" she asked. Aragorn turned away again and began to walk towards the Fellowship. My jaw dropped and my hand slipped from around Hallie's mouth.

Arwen walked around to face him, and made him stop. "Did you think you could slip away at first light- unnoticed?"

He made his way around her. "I will not be coming back."

Arwen continued to follow him while Hallie and I watched, slack-jawed. Was this really happening? "You underestimate your skill in battle," Arwen continued. "You will come back."

Aragorn finally stopped to face her. "It is not of death in battle I speak." Arwen, Hallie, and I were completely taken aback.

"What do you speak of?" Arwen asked, placing a hand on Aragorn's arm. He looked down at her long, delicate fingers as if engraving them into his memory for the last time. Idiot, I thought. Why are you doing this to her?

"You have a chance for another life. Away from war... grief... despair." Hallie looked about ready to slap him, and I wasn't far behind. As infuriating as this scene is in the movies, it's worse to witness.

Arwen's eyes grew wide. "Why are you saying this?"

"I am mortal. You are elf-kind. It was a dream, Arwen. Nothing more." I was so entranced by the scene before me that I didn't notice Hallie picking up a small rock beside me.

"I don't believe you," Arwen said, looking angry (or as angry as elves could ever be).

Aragorn took her hand in his and placed the Evenstar into her cupped palm. "This belongs to you," he said.

If elves could have slapped someone, I suppose Arwen would have slapped him then. "It was a gift. Keep it." She closed his fingers around the Evenstar.

Too late, I noticed a rock flying through the air towards Aragorn's head. "Idiot!" Hallie shouted. I grabbed her and put my hand back over her mouth again. What was she thinking?

The rock hit Aragorn on the head with a solid thump, and he spun around to face the bush where we were hiding. Arwen was staring in our direction with a look of slight amusement on her face. Seeing nothing, Aragorn turned away, rubbing his head, and walked in the direction of the Fellowship.

A few seconds later, we heard him yelling at Merry and Pippin- something about respecting privacy and the dangers of throwing rocks at people. I chuckled.

Suddenly, I saw a bright light, and when it faded, I was staring at Hallie's television. We were back.

Hallie - June 3rd - I just hit Aragorn in the head with a rock

We were in Rivendell one moment, and sitting on my couch the next. I pulled Liz' hand off my mouth and flashed back into view. Seconds later, Liz became visible again. We sat there, staring into the distance for a second and trying to grasp what had just happened.

"Why in the world did you throw a rock at Aragorn's head?" Liz shouted, incredulous.

"He was being a complete idiot! He shouldn't break up with Arwen!" I shouted back.

"You could have changed the entire timeline of the Lord of the Rings! We could have ruined the entire book! What were you thinking?"

I rolled my eyes. "Check your timeline, then, and tell me if anything has changed."

She eyed her Lord of the Rings book. "Do you think that we'll go back if I touch it?"

"You touched the Appendices, and we didn't go anywhere."

Carefully, she picked up the book and thumbed through the War of the Ring timeline in the Appendices. After a minute, she sighed. "Nothing's changed."

"See? It wasn't that bad!" I was excited. Then my eyes grew wide. "Wait... do you think we could go back to... our time... with the book?"

Liz shook her head. "I don't know. We touched the timeline before, and it didn't work. Maybe it only works with a real story?"

I pushed her hand down onto a random year in the timeline. Nothing happened. "I guess you're right." Then I laughed. "I suppose your book really is enchanted."

She smiled. "Told you."

We stared at the book, grinning. We had a key back to Middle Earth, sitting in our hands! The only problem... it was the wrong time. I frowned. Could we talk to anyone in the Fellowship? Should we? Would it change our future in any way? I looked at Liz. She was evidently thinking the same thing.

"We probably shouldn't talk to anyone in the Fellowship," Liz said slowly.

I sighed in agreement, slightly disappointed. It was like someone handing you a candy bar and telling you not to eat it. And you knew you couldn't eat it, but wanted to anyway.

"We should have some rules," Liz continued.

"One: don't talk to anyone. Two: don't mess with the plot." I responded. "Does that work?"

"I guess so," she replied. Then she grinned. "Up for round two?"

I smiled at her.

"Ooh! There's something that I've always wanted to do." Liz picked up the book and paged through it. "Here it is!" Slowly, she moved her finger towards the page.

Where to next? Have any ideas? Do tell! Hope you like!