A/N: Well, sorry about not updating quickly . . . I had to travel to another state.  But I'm back now, on to Chapter 2! Oh yeah, and I only own Daniel, Arianna, and Calenaphelion: Tolkein, the literary hero, owns the rest!!

Chapter 2

            A mirror . . . a pendant . . . ripples in the water . . .

            Ari's mind was slowly awakening, and she could remember only a few glimpses of earlier.  She could feel her surroundings now . . . she lay on soft grass, a pillow of some sort lay beneath her head, and a warm blanket covered her body.  Through her closed eyelids, she could see that there was no sun to behold, but a flickering light was coming from the right.

            Now she could hear . . . could hear . . . whispering . . . two men, she guessed, with voices like a warm spring breeze.

            What? . . . Where? . . . Frightened thoughts began running through her mind.  Where was she? What had happened?  Where was Daniel?

            Then she realized the pain.

            Ari groaned as she felt a pounding in her head.  She could no longer hear the two men whispering, but she didn't care.  Her head hurt too much to allow her to care.

            Suddenly, she could hear soft singing.  She couldn't hear the words, but she felt the message: comfort, warmth, happiness.  A warmth swept through her, and she relaxed as the pain in her skull faded.  She realized that a hand was holding hers, and she opened her eyes.  To her surprise, a young men knelt beside her, singing in a soft voice that soothed like the sound of water lapping up against the shore.  The man realized that she had awakened and stopped his song.

            "Ah, the fair maiden finally wakes," he said with a compassionate smile.

            Ari's vision was not yet clear, and so she could not look on the face of the young man beside her.  "Who . . . who are you?" she asked tentatively.

            The stranger laughed, a sweet melodic sound, not the harsh sound of teasing laughter.  "A fair question, I suppose.  My name is Calenaphelion, and once your vision is no longer impaired, I believe that you will recognize me."

            Ari blinked the fogginess from her eyes and looked upon the face of the stranger.  She gasped – she did recognize him!

            "Dana's Café . . . after school . . . you were the one I saw there!"

            "Precisely!" Calenaphelion exclaimed.  "At least your memory is still intact."

            "But I don't understand . . . where am I?  Why am I here?"

            "In time, m'lady," the young man said, as his smile faded to a look of worry.  "Your journey was a bit more difficult for you than we had imagined.  You need to rest to get your strength back.  Sleep for a while, and then I shall try to explain your situation."

            "I don't think I can sleep without knowing where I am or who you really are," she replied nervously.

            "Hmm . . . Perhaps it would help if you recognized someone?"

            Ari nodded fervently.  That was when the other man, the one who had been whispering with Calenaphelion, came into view.  His long light-brown hair reached down past his shoulders, but other than that there was no mistaking who he was.

            "Daniel!" Ari gasped in joy.

            "Yes, it's me," Daniel said, as his face broke into a wide grin.

            "How did your hair grow so fast?" Ari asked, confused.

            Daniel chuckled.  "All of your questions shall be answered, but you must get some sleep first!"

            "But, I don't think that I . . ."

            "Would it help if I sang to you?" Daniel asked.

            Ari smiled as she remembered how her older brother used to sing to her when she was frightened.  She could never understand the words, but the sound of his voice always soothed her mind and quieted her fears.  "Please, Danny, sing to me," she said, feeling like a small child again.

            Daniel took up her hand and began to sing.  Ari recognized the tune from one of the songs he used to sing when she was very little, but, for the first time, she could understand the words as well.  It was a description of graceful mountains and beautiful meadows, and a wish for sweet and comforting dreams.

            Ari listened to the words of the song and knew that, no matter where she was, as long as Daniel was there, she was safe.  "Thank you Danny," she murmured as she drifted off.

            "You're most welcome, dear sister," he said, leaning over to kiss her forehead.  "Sleep well."

A/N: Ok, short chappie, but I promise it'll get better!!! Don't forget to review!!!