Disclaimer: As much as I would like to I do not own the Lord of the Rings. Nor will I ever.

Chapter 1

Pounding pain was the first thing I noticed. Not just in my head. Head pain I was used to, migraines have been my near constant companion for the past several years. This was different though. My whole body was sore; it felt like I'd been pounded by rocks.

With a groan I forced my eyes open. It was best to get this over with rather than dragging it out.

My eyes opened to see shadowed trees surrounding me. My body froze. I didn't recognize my surroundings.

I slowly pushed myself into a sitting position, hoping that this was just one of the crazy pranks my brothers liked to pull.

"You're awake!" A cheerful, and very feminine voice came from my side.

I turned to face her and stared.

Not the most brilliant response on my part, but hey, getting dropped into a creepy forest with a crazy cosplaying girl wasn't something that happened to me every day.

"I totally can't believe that worked!" The girl squealed. "I, like, made it to Middle Earth." She hugged me tightly before saying. "I have no idea who you are, but we are going to be BFF's from now on."

Suddenly she gasped, pulling back, before saying. "No, even better we can be sisters!"

While she was celebrating, I paled.

Middle Earth.

It explained things. Like the trees surrounding me, the… elf girl… celebrating nearby, and the strange dream I had before I woke to find myself in a supposedly fictional world.

"Oh!" The elf girl, who in truth was probably no more a true elf than I was, exclaimed. "I haven't introduced myself. I'm Araelen, daughter of Elrond."

My eyebrow raised, I wasn't a hardcore fan but that didn't mean I was completely clueless. I'd read the books, watched the movies and I was pretty sure Elrond didn't have any blonde haired, purple eyed daughters.

"And what are you doing here?" I asked, deciding not to point out the flaws in her story until I figured out just what was going on. "This doesn't look like Rivendell." It looked like Mirkwood, home of giant spiders and Dol Goldur.

"Well you see, I…" Araelen trailed off with a giggle. "I mean we… We were lost in a tragic accident and have been traveling ever since with no knowledge of our home, though we have recently recovered our memories and are journeying back to Rivendell." She leaned closer to me and whispered. "Our family thinks we're dead you know."

I blinked at her, wondering if she was serious, or sane, or either.

"What's your name?" Araelen asked me.

"Mir." I replied. Short for Amira, and hopefully it will blend in here.

"That's no good." She pouted, before suddenly brightening. "I'll think of an elf name for you!"

"I'm human." I snapped. "I don't need an elf name."

Araelen giggled before saying. "Don't be silly, you're not human any more. You're an elf."

I stared at her in shock, something that I was feeling would become a common thing for me to do anytime I was in her presence.

As Araelen began trying to come up with an 'elf name' for me I cautiously reached up and felt my ears. I suppressed a scream as I felt the points, my thoughts somewhere along the line of nononononono.

Fighting to control my breathing I began to inspect the rest of me. Scar on my palm from the kitchen knife incident, check. Skin, still sun tanned, though devoid of freckles. Hair, more or less intact, still black, but wavy and falling to my waist instead of my straight chin length bob. Clothes….

I stifled another scream. Just what was I wearing?

Now, before I continue let me say this. Dresses are fine. I have no problem with them. I just don't want to be wearing one while trapped in Mirkwood. Especially one… like this one.

The dress was gold, and heavy, and there was no way I'd be able to run in it even in the best of circumstances, and this was not the best of circumstances. And don't even get me started on the way it looked.

"Helcëhen!" Araelen exclaimed, bringing me from my panicking and back into reality.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Your name." She grinned. "Helcëhen."

Seeing my blank look she said. "It means Ice Eyes while mine means Dawn Star."

While this assured me that my pale blue eyes had not changed there was no way I was going to be referred to as Helcëhen.

"No." I said. "Mir will suit me just fine."

"But…" Araelen started.

"No." I repeated sternly before quickly asking. "Is there a reason you decided to come… here of all places?" I have nothing against this place, or those who live here. Arachnophobia does not mix with giant, people sized spiders though, and Aracnophobia just happens to be on my list of phobia.

Her eyes lit up and while I had successfully distracted her, I knew I was about to have to listen to her gush about a certain elf prince. One that just happened to live in this forest.

Luck seemed to be on my side in a weird twisted way as a band (are they Bands? Groups? Murders? What would one call a large collection of orcs anyhow?) of orcs burst into our clearing.

Araelen let out a scream of terror. I picked out some more choice curses however as I got to my feet and bolted in the opposite direction of the orcs.

As I ran, dimly hearing Araelen following me, I turned my curses to my dress. What tell me was the point of hiking and cross-country if I had to be burdened with a ridiculous dress the moment I needed to run for my life through a forest.

To my relief an elven patrol heard the orcs chasing us through the forest and ran past us to confront them.

I gasped in relief, leaning back against a tree and removing my now shredded slippers. Araelen however, collapsed on the ground, breathing hard, tears in her eyes. I felt no pity for her. What is the point of coming to a fictional world if you can't survive?

"My ladies." The elven patrol had returned and they were staring at us in confusion. I can understand why. Araelen had collapsed into tears, looking for sympathy. I was scowling at my ridiculous dress and slippers, clothes that were more suited for a formal party than traveling through Mirkwood.

I glanced at the patrol, wishing there was someone who was my size who would lend me practical clothes. No luck, they were all men, and all taller than me.

Picking out the leader Araelen threw herself at him, sobbing against his shoulder. He looked quite put out, and the others in the patrol were hiding smiles behind their hands.

Taking pity on the poor elf I walked over and yanked Araelen away from him by the back of her collar. To my surprise she continued to blubber, this time wrapping her arms around my waist, telling me how glad she was her 'twin sister' had survived.

I scowled at her before turning to the leader and saying. "Sorry about her. She's not used to being chased by orcs."

The leader nodded, clearly labeling us as crazy rich ladies who had decided to go on a walking holiday through one of the most dangerous places in arda.

"If you would follow us, I'll take you to our halls." The leader told us, and Araelen perked up, seeming to sense that she was closer to her goal.

I walked with them, Araelen and I being placed securely in the center of their group, looking forward to getting out of this ridiculous dress. Araelen had a beaming smile on her face, and I felt for poor Legolas, I really did, she didn't seem to be the type to understand 'no', or 'leave me alone'.

Time passed quickly, for me anyway. Our guides seemed less than pleased with our presence and Araelen seemed to think that this walk was taking far longer than it should.

We finally arrived, and let me tell you I almost wished to be back being chased by orcs when Araelen attached herself to my arm and squealed loudly, right in my ear. My new elven ear. That hears better than my human ears could have ever hoped to.

Ignoring Araelen as she tried to deafen me our guides led us to a very impressive throne room. I swore to myself I would never refer to this place by the word 'caves' again. It may not be a wondrous dwarven city, but 'cave' did not do it justice at all.

Thranduil swept into the room, looking appropriately regal and intimidating, followed by, yes you guessed right, Legolas, the poor elf Araelen was now drooling over.

I subtlety removed my arm from her grasp and step away, just in case the metaphorical drool became literal. She didn't notice, but our guides did, casting me sympathetic looks as I edged even closer to them.

I had to poke Araelen to get her focused on the elf king who was glaring us down. Best to let her have her fun and weave her tragic story before I had to bluntly inform everyone of reality.

Araelen reluctantly tore her eyes from Legolas and I thought I saw him sigh in relief.

Araelen swept a deep curtsy, I did not follow suit. I run, climb mountains and ride horses for fun, not act fancy. That and falling on my face in front of an intimidating elf king was not something I wanted to do.

Araelen didn't notice my not curtsying and began to weave a tale of heartbreak that brought tears to the eyes of out guides now most likely guards. Tears of laughter. I rolled my eyes several times during the telling, and had to withhold snorts of laughter often. Araelen didn't notice, I'm pretty sure everyone else did.

When she was finished Thranduil offered her a place to stay until her family was contacted. Here translated as 'until we can dump you on them and not have to deal with you any more'.

He then had someone take her to her room, after she tried to hug me to death, saying he still wanted to talk to me.

The guard was dismissed. I don't blame them. I have no doubt both Thranduil and Legolas were armed. All I had was a golden monstrosity of a dress and a pair of shredded slippers in one hand. I didn't exactly look or even feel threatening.

"Now." Thranduil focused his gaze on me after the doors closed with a deafening boom. "I would like to hear the truth."

I smothered the curses I wanted to shout. Swearing at or around an elven king was most likely not a good idea.

I let a sigh escape instead, one I'd been holding in since I first set eyes on Araelen. Looking up I met Thranduil's dark eyes and said. "I'm not from this world."

I waited for the explosion, for the disbelief, for anything.

It didn't happen.

Thranduil simply raised his eyebrows and it was clear I was supposed to elaborate.

"Last night, I went to bed in my world. About two or three hours ago I woke up in your forest…" I shuddered here. "With her." No elaborating as to who I was talking about was needed. There could only be one her I was talking about. "She proclaimed that I would be her sister, wove a ridiculous backstory, tried to change my name, and thankfully we were interrupted by orcs before she could do any further damage to me. Which led us to come here."

Thranduil continued to stare at me. I didn't know if I was supposed to keep talking. I erred on the side of caution however and kept my mouth shut to prevent rambling sentences or curses from escaping from it.

Eventually he closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them he spoke. "Your story, while unbelievable, is more believable than the one your companion told. I am inclined to believe you over her. Is she also from your world?"

"I would assume so." I replied cautiously. "As when I first woke she said something about finally coming here."

"Do you know how to return to your world? Thranduil asked.

"No." I shook my head as I responded. "I don't even know how I got here."

"We will inform Lord Elrond of her claims and your story. It is best he knows before she finds her way there." Thranduil told me before saying. "Legolas will show you to your room."

Legolas paled even as he bowed to his father. Probably worried I'd stare at him too. I bowed as well before I followed him from the room.

The leader of the patrol who found us was waiting outside the throne room. When he caught sight of Legolas's face, and me following him, he promptly started laughing.

Legolas glared at him, not bothering to respond and the patrol leader fell into step next to me as we headed down the winding halls.

"I'm Bereth." He introduced himself, a grin still spread across his face.

"Mir." I replied simply.

Bereth chatted with me as they walked through the halls, telling me about the forest I'd found myself in and the people I was now surrounded by.

I listened, not speaking. The information was not only helpful, but interesting.

"This will be your room." Legolas's voice cut through Bereth's story. I looked over to see him standing next to an open door.

"Thank you for bringing me here." I bowed slightly, there was nothing wrong with being polite. Both my companions looked at me in shock, before Legolas nodded, walking swiftly away. Bereth grinned once more before following after Legolas, leaving me along.

I took a deep breath before turning and entering the room. It was a nice sized room with a large bed. The excitement of the previous hours came crashing down on me and it was all I could do to blow out the candle before I collapsed onto the bed, letting sleep take me.