Crackly leaves covered the forest floor, littering it with bright red and orange, announcing the arrival of autumn. The broad trees were filled with birds chirping and the morning sun was rising above the mountains that were surrounding the dense forest. The atmosphere was almost magical as each tree had a history that no-one knew about. Suddenly the sound of running footsteps echoed throughout, as two laughing figures rushed to the shores of a large creek that split the forest in half.

"Hurry up, Georgia!" shouted Kelsey, racing down the slopes of the creek; her short hair whipping around her laughing face. Its blue water, fresh and crispy, beckoned the two girls to jump in before it got too cold in the few months to come. As Kelsey tore off her shirt, revealing blue swimmers and diving into the still water, her best friend came bounding up to the huge rock where Kelsey had left her belongings.

"No fair, Kels. You started before I got to three," groaned Georgia, as she slipped off her shirt and dove in after her. Kelsey laughed and simply stuck out her tongue.

"Slowpoke."

The water was cold at first but as the sun rose high in the sky, it warmed up. The girls had eventually moved their belongings to a larger patch of the creek where a large rock loomed above it, the perfect jumping spot.

"So I heard that Chris is going to ask me to formal and I am planning to say yes," announced Georgia, as she glided towards Kelsey in the glistening water. A huge grin plastered itself on Kelsey's face as she clasped her hands in a prayer and silently mouthed 'thank you'. A wave of water swept over her as Georgia splashed her.

"Hey," moaned Kelsey, playfully. "You have been swooning over him for the past year and its damn time that he is finally coming to his senses."

"What about you?" she asked as she plonked herself on an underwater rock near their belongings. Kelsey gave her a questioning look. "I mean, who do you want to go with?"

"Well for starters, I don't have a boyfriend. Two, I am not attracted to any of the guys at school and three I'm too busy with schoolwork. Mum also wants me to apply to a medical course and I also have a upcoming archery and fencing competition that I need to prepare for. And anyway formal isn't until the end of year, so I'm not overly worried," explained Kelsey, which earned her a sour look from Georgia.

"Hmmmm," huffed Georgia, with a cheeky sparkle in her eyes. Kelsey knew instantly what she was in for this year.

"Don't you dare become matchmaker this year."

But before Georgia could reply, a loud shout interrupted, causing the two girls to glance up to a falling figure from the jumping rock. With an enormous splash, the figure floated there with his head in the water.

With quick thinking, Kelsey dove in after him, leaving the spooked Georgia on the dry rocks where she had quickly taken refuge. Kelsey flipped the man over and with a grunt from the heavy weight was able to swim back to shore where Georgia was waiting to help lift him, finally getting over her spooked behaviour.

"Georgia, pass the towels," said Kelsey, trying to drag the stranger in the warming sun. Her chocolate brown hair dangled in front of her green-blue eyes as she stared at the deep gashes along his arms. His long raven hair stuck to his neck and his sun-kissed skin and stubble complimented his face. Noticing a bleeding gash on his forehead, Kelsey snapped out of her trance of the attractive man and placed a fair hand on the gash, earning a groan from him signalling that he was still alive.

"Georgia, call an ambulance," Kelsey stated, wrapping the young man in towels to keep him warm. Her friend rushed over to the bags and reached for her mobile and groaned.

"I have no signal," she complained. "So don't you."

Kelsey sighed as a plan quickly formed in her head, the nursing skills that her mum taught her started to kick in. "Run back to your place, Georgia and call them there. Wait for them to arrive and rush back here."

"But what are you going to do?" she asked, about to run off. Kelsey glanced down at the unconscious man and studied the blood that had been splattered over his chest and face.

"I'm going to keep the blood from coming out of his injuries until the medics get here," she explained, urging Georgia to go. Georgia stumbled up the shore, her actions echoing loudly and disappeared from Kelsey's sight. "Please don't die on me, stranger."

Slowly and carefully, she ripped strips off her shirt, not caring about it and bandaged his injuries; that's when she noticed his clothing. It wasn't the modern clothing but more medieval. He wore several layers of clothing and a brown leather coat that covered his broad shoulders. He wore fingerless gloves and peering closer, wore the bracer and finger tab of an archer on his right hand. A short sword hung by his side whilst his bow and quiver were missing.

Who are you? She thought as she gently brushed some of his mangled hair away from his face when a shaking hand reached up and grasped her wrist lightly. Kelsey let out a small gasp when he opened his deep chocolate brown eyes. He muttered something but she couldn't quite hear.

"Orc," he said again, a bit louder this time. A growl-like laugh came up behind her, as Kelsey swung her body around to face a disgusting creature. Swinging its sword towards her, Kelsey screeched and flew backwards away from harm's way. The injured man slowly stood up and unsheathed his sword, successfully blocking the creature. But his block was weakened from his injuries; screaming out in pain, the creature overpowered him and sent him back onto the rocks, the man's sword spiralling towards me.

"I have gone insane," Kelsey muttered, as a split second decision came to her. She picked up the sword and lunged at the creature, surprising it.

The sword that she was holding clashed against the creature's weapon with such a force, Kelsey could feel the tremors going through her right arm. Because she had the element of surprise, Kelsey had the upper hand, swinging the sword around causing the creature to leap back just as ball of light appeared behind it.

Turning around, breathing heavily, Kelsey stared at the man who was staring intently back at her, a surprised expression across his face. He took in the sight of the young woman who saved him. The light from the Void enveloped around her, lighting her up like an angel, her short hair whipping around her beautiful face.

"Are you okay, sir?" Kelsey asked, helping him up.

"Kili at your service, my lady," he said, with a bow.

"My lady? Please, Kili, call me Kelsey," she claimed, a blush forming on her cheeks. "I would really like to know where you came from, because you are definitely not from here", glancing at his clothes.

"I guess not," he laughed, as he took the sword from her grasp and stood closer. "I'm from Middle Earth, a place far away from here, well wherever here is and am the nephew of the King under the Mountain."

Kelsey just stood there with her mouth wide open, acknowledging that she, not only saved a being from another world, but a royal being.

…

"So you're saying that you are another human being from a different world? I have officially gone insane," she screeched, putting her hands up to her head which was now forming a headache. Kili cocked his head to the side as he watched her frantic movement unfold.

"Human? Lady Kelsey, I am a dwarf of the Blue Mountains," announced Kili as he took a step forward towards her. Kelsey could feel her legs buckle underneath herself as she tried to take in the facts.

"But aren't dwarves meant to be small, fat and have a long beard?" she blurted out, not knowing her mistake. Kili's eyes widen as he scratched his head, calmly laughing. "Sorry, well in this world, that's how dwarves are described."

"Well I'm taller than the average dwarf and not all dwarves are fat and I'm still young to have a beard, which is by the way the proud glory of being a dwarf," explained Kili.

But before Kelsey could answer, a similar ball of light appeared beside them, beckoning Kili to go through. Her heart sunk as she realised that he had to go back to his own world.

"It looks like your world wants you back now?" she stated, a glint of sarcasm sounded in her voice. Kili grinned and grabbed her hand and placed a lingering kiss on it.

"Will I see you again?" he exclaimed before he stepped into the light. Kelsey knew instantly, after looking at his eyes, that she would see him again.

"I think we will," she said, smiling as he gave her one last smile.

"Well then, I will wait for the reunion, fair Kelsey," he stated, earning a blush to appear once again on her cheeks. Her hand missed his warmth as he disappeared through the ball of light, never to return to this world again.

Shouts could be heard as Georgia returned with paramedics. She jumped over rocks to come and stand next to Kelsey.

"Where is he, Kelsey?" she exclaimed, looking around from the injured man.

Taking one last look at the place where she last saw Kili's smiling face, Kelsey turned to Georgia with a reply.

"He's gone."