Disclaimer: I own nothing and make no claim to.

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Chapter 2: Walking is good exercise, right?

Walking. That seemed to be all that her life consisted of, or at the very least all that the "quest" did. She had considered herself relatively fit, but it hadn't even been a day yet and she was already tired, sore and ready for them to be done with this game.

But they, like the wilderness they were currently traveling in, showed no signs of letting up anytime soon. Even the brief chats that she had been able to have with various members of the group—mostly hobbits—hadn't broken the monotony of walking in an area devoid of all touches of human civilization. But this could have been due to the fact that just when the conversation was starting to get rolling, Gandalf would interrupt them saying, "I think you have said enough about that for now, Emily my dear."

After the fourth time it happened, Emily realized that he didn't seem to like her talking about what things were like where she was from, or anything that she knew anything at all about for that matter. Maybe he doesn't want me here either, she thought bitterly. The thought that she was traveling with people who wanted nothing to do with her was hard, even if she didn't want to be there in the first place, not being liked or even wanted made her hate being there. But she swallowed her pain for now, it wasn't like she could do anything about it anyway.

She hadn't said a word since the last time Gandalf had admonished her, but that didn't mean that the others hadn't talked to her. Merry and Pippin had been particularly friendly.

"Lord Elrond didn't want to let me come," Pippin was saying. Ever since he realized that she wasn't going to talk anymore he had begun a monologue to fill the silence. "But he was eventually persuaded to let me. I'm glad he was, but I know that some people wish he had not have been. I just wish they would accept the fact that he was."

"That's something we have in common," she said with a sad smile. "No one wants me here either. But I know that we're both here for a reason. Otherwise we wouldn't be here, right?"

Gandalf felt remorse at the desolation in her voice. He had not meant to make her feel that she was unwelcome, because she was correct in her assumption that her presence had a purpose. However, he was unsure as to what that purpose was. What he was sure of was that he needed to attempt to prevent her from telling the others thing that might result in problems for them all. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that a different approach might be more appropriate.

Boromir, too, thought a different approach might be necessary, but his complaint was not in Gandalf's handling of the addition to their group, but in her affect on the level of noise the group made. He found the incessant sounds emanating from Emily and the hobbits to be grating. He changed his pace to bring him alongside Aragorn, who nodded to acknowledge his presence.

He looked at the other man and leaned in conspiratorially before he quietly said, "here were are, on a quest that requires stealth and they treat it as it were merely a pleasure stroll." He expected that the other man would agree and commiserate with him on the frivolous nature of hobbits and she-elves. His hopes were dashed when Aragorn laughed.

"You speak as though it is a bad thing," Aragorn replied. "I, for one, find their chatter lightens my heart. And there is no harm in letting them talk."

Boromir looked at him incredulously before conceding bitterly. "Perhaps I have erred in my interpretation," he said before allowing space to come between them once more.

The younger man's sullen attitude worried Aragorn, but he assumed that it would pass. Especially as Emily remained with the company and caused them no harm. Eventually Boromir would become accustomed to her presence. They process would be expedited if she could prove useful. He dropped back to join her and the hobbits to attempt to ascertain how she could be of aid.

Once there was a brief lull in the conversation, he asked, "Emily, what skills do you possess? I apologize if I appear indecorous. I am attempting to redistribute the labors since we are now ten rather than nine and need to know what you are capable of."

"Well," she said slowly attempting to think which of the things she could do might be useful. "I know how to fish," she finally said.

"Alas, we have no time for fishing," Aragorn replied. "Is there naught else?"

"I can cook," she suggested brightly. At an indignant noise from Sam she backpedaled. "Or not."

Aragorn laughed. "Calm yourself, Master Gamgee," he said. "None will attempt to take your task from you." Sam nodded, secretly relieved. He didn't entirely trust her not to poison them all.

Thinking harder about her abilities, Emily finally gave another option from sheer desperation. "I can sew," she finally said, hoping that this skill was met with approval. For some reason, she knew it was crucial that this man approve of her.

"Ah," he said with a smile, "that is a useful skill. While we can all stitch holes, the practiced hand of a woman would be most welcome!"

She forced a smile and nodded. She hadn't said anything about "practiced." Yeah, she could sew. Simple things. Buttons, small tears, things like that. But she wasn't sure that she could be classified as a "practiced" hand here. She sincerely hoped they didn't have anything too difficult they wanted her to do.

Out of the corner of her eye she though she saw Legolas trying not to laugh at her expression, but when she turned her head to look at him properly, his face showed no sign of suppressed laughter.

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The sun was beginning to near the horizon when they reached a group of rocks jutting from the ground. Apparently it looked like a good place to make camp, since without anyone saying anything everyone stopped walking and started gathering things to make dinner and set up camp for the night. Emily was surprised that this was still going on. She figured that they would have gone home by now. For the first time, the thought crossed her mind that maybe they weren't role playing, perhaps she had actually gotten transported into their time, or dimension or wherever it was they existed.

Emily felt a little lost and useless as she watched what seemed to be a well rehearsed ritual. She couldn't see anywhere that she could help, partially because she didn't know what needed to be done. She saw Aragorn a few feet away. He had easily been the most welcoming of the group in the "adult" category so she decided to ask his advice.

"What can I do to help?" she asked. "I feel stupid just standing around watching y'all work."

He gazed at her a moment before he finally discerned what it was that she had asked. He smiled at her and then said, "Tomorrow I will find a task suited to you. For tonight allow us to ready the camp for the night."

She snorted un-daintily as she read between the lines. "So what you're basically telling me is that there is nothing I can do to help because I'm a woman?"

He seemed shocked by both her icy tone and the words themselves. While it was true that he was unsure as to what she could do to help and that she was a woman—which made him wonder why she felt she had to aid them—the two were unrelated. He was still trying to figure out how to best fit her into the work regime in a way that would not cause pandemonium if she was to disappear as suddenly as she appeared.

"If you feel the need to be of use so strongly," said a quiet voice, "you are welcome to come with me while I search for water. I would appreciate the company and help carrying the full water skins." She turned to see Legolas surveying her.

She thought about it for a moment. She wasn't sure about going off into the woods with a strange man, but she had already been traveling with him all day and no one had attempted to accost her in any way. Besides, she thought looking him over again, I would probably be able to take him in a fight. She nodded and moved over to take a few of the nearly empty water skins from him.

Once her back was to him Aragorn made eye-contact with Legolas and sent him a wordless "thank you." Give him a hoard of rampaging orcs over an angry woman any day. Not for the first time, he was glad that Arwen had been alive long enough that she tended to be more levelheaded than most mortal women. He wasn't sure what he would do if she was given to the hysterics that some women tend to experience. As he watched the pair walk into the woods, he only hoped that Legolas knew what he was doing.

Little did Aragorn know, Legolas was hoping the same thing. He had been wanting to speak with the strange woman since she had appeared that morning, but it had never seemed like the appropriate time. He wanted to know how she had come to be there, and why she had seemed so surprised to realize she was an elf. However, he remembered her reaction when Gandalf had asked the first question. Thinking she might be more willing to answer questions if they came up more naturally in conversation than if they seemed like an interrogation and knowing that Gandalf would interrupt if they stayed with the group he had offered to allow her to accompany him.

"How are you enjoying your travels so far, Lady Emily?" he asked. Though unsure of her status, he felt that since he was trying to question her it would serve him best to be polite.

"It's beautiful," she said. "But it's odd to have traveled so far and not see any sign of people other than us. And it's just Emily, there's no need to call me 'Lady'."

"Is that not how it is where you are from?" he asked genuinely curious. "Are settlements not separated from one another? And do you not use titles to address others?"

"No," she said with a wistful smile. "Or at least not where I live . . . lived? Either way, where I'm from you can go for miles and never see any land unchanged in some way by humans. Actually I don't know that I ever have. And no, in my country we don't use titles like 'lord' or 'lady'."

"That is a shame," he said. She glanced at his expression and saw the he truly meant what he said. "Humans really are rather destructive things. They have caused so much that was good in this world to be lost forever." His face was filled with sadness and she watched uncomfortably, unsure if she had caused his change in mood.

As suddenly as it had come on, his melancholy shifted back to curiosity and he asked, "If you do not use titles, how do you show respect to others when you wish to?"

Confused by his sudden mood swing, it took Emily a few moments to respond. "Generally, to show respect to a woman you either address her as 'Miss' if she is unmarried or 'Missis' if she is married. A man is usually addressed as 'mister.'"

"It feels wrong to simply call you Emily," Legolas said. "Which of those two would I use to address you?"

She laughed as she realized that he was basically asking if she was married, even if he didn't think of it that way. "'Miss' would be the appropriate choice to use for me, if you feel like you have to," she replied.

"I feel I must, Miss Emily," Legolas said. "This stream will serve our needs." He knelt down by the bank and emptied the skins of the water they contained before he rinsed them and began the refilling process. Emily crouched beside him and copied his actions.

I hope this water is safe to drink, she thought before going back to what she was doing.

After a few seconds of silence, she decided she would ask him the question that had been burning in her mind all day. "Legolas, can I ask you something?" she asked. He nodded and turned to look at her, his hands continuing their task without observation.

"Of course you may, Miss Emily," he replied.

"Earlier today you called me one of you kindred," she said. "What did you mean by that?"

"I would think it is obvious," he replied, his tone kind even if his words were not particularly. "You are of elf-kind. I have been intending to ask you why you seemed surprised by my words."

"Easy," she answered. "This morning when I woke up and headed to the Renaissance fair with my friends I was human. How am I now an elf? That's impossible."

"Impossible or not," Legolas replied slightly irritated by her doubt, "you are most assuredly an elf. I assure you that I am quite capable of recognizing one of my kin."

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AN: thank you to everyone who read this chapter. I would greatly appreciate it if you would leave your opinion on the story. Again thank you for reading it. And a special thanks to Glory Bee for reviewing and adding this story to your alerts, it was what convinced me to write this next chapter.