Okay I hope you liked it. Here's chapter two. Please please review! I want to know what you think.
Chapter Two: Preparation
The girls left the council and returned to their rooms to begin preparing for their journey. The Fellowship had been informed that they would be leaving in a few months after scouts were sent out and returned.
Megan stepped into her room and closed the door behind her, staring around anxiously. With a sigh, she leaped onto her soft bed, sinking down into the puffy blankets and sheets. The comforter engulfed her body and she smiled contentedly. She lay there for a moment, taking in the relief of being off her feet.
Suddenly she sat up. 'You know what,' she thought, ' I think I need to get out of here before reality sinks in for Katie and she comes and starts bombarding me with questions.' Sighing once again she pushed herself off the bed and headed out with not true destination.
After a while of walking Megan came to an open hall that overlooked the gardens. She stopped for a moment and leaned against the rail. The sweet smell of the flowers wafted up to her and she smiled.
But the smile faded when something made her look to a path that she hadn't seen before. It led into the forest; though it was a little darker it was still full of the color of flowers and plants. Her curiosity was too much to bear so she found the nearest set of stairs and went down into the gardens. She soon found the forest path and followed it.
Beautiful blue butterflies flitted from flower to flower and danced skillfully in the air. The soft humming of bumblebees filled Megan's ears and the birds chirped their song from their perches in the trees. She walked aimlessly down the path, just enjoying the sights. She soon came upon a patch of beautiful deep blue flowers; they nearly looked like roses. As she bent down to smell one something else caught her eye. It was a small almost hidden path, no more than just a deer trail, but a path no less.
Once again her curiosity got the better of her and she followed it. The trail went so far that Megan though she could go right through the clouds with it. But it soon stopped at an archway that was nearly covered with vines. She parted them and went through. She suddenly felt like Mary Lennox from "The Secret Garden." It was a small grove, littered with delicate flowers in assorted colors and dangling vines, with a large tree that had a wooden swing hanging from it. She grinned and ran over to sit down on the swing, continuing to gape at this hidden garden. There was also a small fountain that squirted crystalline water into the air gently, and it trickled down the rocks like a waterfall and flowed into a mountain stream, that later joined the Bruinen. The whole garden seemed to have a light blue glow over it that protected it from any dangers that might come to he beautiful valley of Rivendell. Megan didn't know it but it also made the flowers bloom and kept the fountain running.
She swung her feet below her as she took in the beauty of the place. It was amazing. She had no intentions of going back when she heard something from above. "Hello!" someone called cheerfully, nearly causing her to jump out of her skin. She leaped up and was going to run but the voice called again, "Wait! Don't go I'll be down in a moment." Megan turned and looked up, and there nearly in the top of the tree was the Prince of Mirkwood, Legolas, climbing down to see her.
When he was nearly at the bottom he leaped to the ground and landed gracefully in front of her. Megan shaded her eyes and looked up into the tree once again. He had been at least twenty feet up! "How on earth did you get up there?" She exclaimed in amazement.
"I climbed. How else?" He asked laughingly.
"Well I know that." She replied, "I guess I just forgot you're from Mirkwood."
"That might have something to do with it." Legolas commented. The two stood staring at each other for a moment, both of them smiling, until Legolas spoke again, "It's beautiful isn't it? The garden I mean"
"Uh huh" Was all she could say.
"I come here sometimes just to think or to get away from it all." He said as he walked over to the stream and sat down beside it. He was silent for a moment, just staring at the water, them he looked up at her. "How did you find it?" He asked, "I thought my brother and I hidden it very well."
"You had, but I seem to have a keen eye and a sharp curiosity for things like that," she replied. "Oh," He said quietly and nodded, and then he went silent and stared at the water again. He seemed entranced and Megan thought he was until he suddenly looked up at her and asked, "I thought I would go to the archery field for a while and practice. Would you like to go with me?"
"I'd love to!" She said, and then paused, "But I don't have a bow or any arrows."
"Well, we'll just have to find you one now, won't we?" He said smiling, then stood. "I'm sure Lord Elrond has something he can spare, besides you'll need one on the journey." Megan smiled and said, "Then lead the way!" 'Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship' Megan thought as they walked from the garden.
After Legolas got his own bow, they found one in the armory that fit Megan's stature and a quiver full of practice arrows. Megan had also gotten an arm guard, remembering that at home she had always had a tendency to let the string run across her arm when she wasn't careful. After a few shots Legolas found that she was already fairly good, though there were a few things that needed tweaking.
Megan shot once more and hit the middle ring. "Very good." Legolas said, leaning on his bow slightly, "But remember, if your aim is off, your shot will be off. With orcs the slightest misstep and they won't die." Megan sighed and was about to aim when she stopped. "Why don't you have a go? Maybe if I saw an expert, I could get it right?" She suggested. The truth was she had always wanted to see him shoot, and this was as good a time as ever.
Legolas strode up to the lane and took an arrow from the quiver. He lifted the bow and took careful aim. His muscles rippled under the strength of the string. Legolas took a deep breath and shot, hitting dead center. "Wow, I knew you were good, but I didn't know you were that good," Megan complimented, wide eyed. "You made it look so easy." Legolas smiled. "That comes from two thousand years of practice," he joked.
With all the exercise Megan was starting to get a little hot, especially since she was wearing long sleeves. Her dress was maroon and white and had straight loose sleeves. Without thinking, she started to roll them up. It was then that Legolas noticed something, a scar on her arm in the shape of an "L." "Where did you get that?" He asked. It took Megan a moment to realize what he was talking about. "Oh, that?" She laughed. "I've had that for years. Lets just say, never pet a cat that's afraid of loud noises." She chuckled again at the memory.
"Oh," Legolas replied he sounded a little dissapointed. She then noticed him look up, He groaned in annoyance. "Oh no, here comes trouble." Megan furrowed her brow and turned. At first she thought she was seeing things. Two identical male elves with brown hair walked towards them. They were so similar in appearance that it was incredible!
"Hello Greenleaf! Who's your friend?" one of them called.
"Elladan, Elrohir, this is Megan, one of the Ladies who joined the Fellowship." Legolas explained.
"Ah, if it isn't the mischievous sons of Elrond. I've heard about you." Megan said. The three elves turned to her, awestruck. How could she know who they were? She looked at them with confused eyes, "What? Am I that interesting?"
One of the twins shook his head, "Lady, Your friend has been looking for you. She's waiting for you in the gardens."
"Thanks I thought she might be. I'll see you all later." With that Megan grabbed her bow, and walked back toward the city.
The first person to greet her once she reached the house was Katie. As soon as she saw her Katie leaped up and dashed over to her friend.
"There you are! I've been looking all over for you! Where've you been?" She exclaimed and before Megan could say anything she said, "Never mind just tell me something. What is this!" Katie motioned to her ear, which was pointed like Megan's.
"Er… got to go." Megan said quickly and made to leave, but Katie grabbed her arm.
"Tell me!" Katie ordered.
"Okay, okay!" Megan sighed, "Just calm down."
"Well whatever it is, it got you, too." Katie noticed and pointed to her friend's ear.
"I know. It seems like something in that portal thingy turned us into elves…or at least something with pointed ears." Megan explained.
"What do you think it was?" Katie asked. "The portal I mean. And why are we here?"
"I'm not sure. I don't want to ask Elrond or Gandalf, they might get too suspicious. But when we get to Lothlorien, if we make it, I'll ask Galadriel." Megan enlightened.
"What do you mean 'If we make it?'" Katie asked, skeptical. "We know what's going to happen." Megan shook her head, "We only think we know what's going to happen. Our being here could change everything. You have to help me make sure everything stays the same! Those who die have to die; those who live have to live. Promise me you won't change anything." "You know I won't." Her friend replied.
"Where were you earlier anyways?" Katie asked.
"Practicing." Megan said simply.
"Practicing what?"
"Archery."
"Without me?" Katie pouted.
"We could go back if you want, but I don't think we should just yet. Elladan and Elrohir are there." Katie nodded in agreement. "Why don't we see if we can find the library?" Katie suggested. "Sure." Megan agreed "Just let me take my bow to my room and I'll join you."
"I'll come with you."
After getting lost in the winding halls of the last homely house quite a few times, they finally stumbled upon their destination. They entered and gasped. Hundreds and hundreds of books lined the many shelves upon the white stone walls. The floor was of a velvety purplish carpet and in the middle was an intricately designed rug depicting an image of a forest with a beautiful Elven maiden kneeling by the stream. A few couches and tables sat around the room.
Katie noticed something on the balcony at the other side of the room. A large painting of Isildur and Sauron, and in front of it was a statue of a maiden and in front of her was a platform. "Hey Meg! Look at this!" They both ran up the stairs and halted full stop in front of the statue. Megan gasped, "Narsil!" They stepped up the stairs in front of the platform. On the table was a deep blue cloth, and a sword, a sword that was broken into many pieces.
The two girls looked at each other. "I can't believe we're actually seeing this!" Katie exclaimed. "The blade that cut the ring from Sauron's hand." Megan quoted. She then looked down over the balcony and saw another pedestal that she recognized. On it was a book, bound in red. She walked back down the stairs, Katie close on her heels. "What is it?" She asked as they approached the book.
" I'm not sure it's all in Elvish." Megan replied, and then slowly began to translate it. "All…that is gold…does not glitter." She looked up at Katie, "This is the book that talks about the next king of Gondor!" "Let me see!" Her friend exclaimed, and then read, "Not all those who wander are lost. Hey you're right!"
The girls looked at the book in wonder. "This is amazing!" Katie exclaimed, "What do you think we'll see next?" "I'm not sure, it's all so overwhelming." Megan replied.
When they finished with that book they spread out and began looking at the other ones. Here were books in every shape size and color. In the end, Megan picked one that was filled with Elven embroidery patterns and Katie picked one on the different horse breeds of Rohan. Megan plopped down on a comfy chaise and Katie sat at one of the tables.
Katie blew the dust from the old book and opened it. The binding creaked and the pages flipped noisily. She looked at an Illustration of a beautiful white horse, which seemed to be running across the page. It looked so real! She sighed and looked up at her friend. "Hey Meg?" "Yeah?" Her friend replied without looking up. "What if we never go back? To our world I mean."
"We'll go back. If we want to go bad enough we'll find the way."
"But what about Tommy and Haley? They were supposed to come with us. What if we never see them again?"
"If God wills it, we'll see them again. And if they were supposed to come here, then God will send them. We've got to trust in him we're the only ones here who do."
"I guess you're right."
"Good book?" Someone asked her. Megan looked up, startled by the sudden noise, and was met by the sapphire eyes of Legolas peering down at her from behind the chair. "Er, it's okay, but to tell you the truth I'm just looking at the pictures," she replied. "My Elvish isn't as good as it could be."
Legolas nodded and Megan looked around the room. Only then did she notice that her companion was missing. "You don't happen to know where Katie is do you?" she asked. "I think she was on her way to lunch, she told me where I could find you," Legolas explained. "You were looking for me? What for?"
"I thought you might want to take something to eat up to the garden with me. Would you like to?" He asked.
"You mean like a picnic? Sure."
Later as they walked up the trail to the hidden garden, Megan thought 'this is not how things are supposed to be. Why does he like me so much? Usually when you meet your favorite celebrity their definately not what you thought, they're jerks or drunks. But Legolas is just how I imagined him. Perfect. He even carried the picnic basket! I really must be dreaming. But if so I must have been asleep for a long time to have been here for two days.
During the next two months things seemed to simply fly by. Legolas and Megan became very close friends.
On the night before their departure the two sat by the creek in the hidden garden. They didn't speak to each other, just sat in companionable silence as the watched the stars glimmer through the trees and the fireflies dance around the flowers.
Legolas finally broke the silence. "Megan?" He began
"Hmm?" She answered, thoroughly enjoying the quiet after spending the afternoon with the twins.
"Where will you go after the journey? I mean where will you live?" He asked.
"Oh boy, I haven't really thought about it but probably here. I've never seen Lothlorien, but if it's as beautiful as they say, I might live there, but I'm really not sure. She turned to look at him, "Why do you ask?"
"Oh, no reason. Just wondering," He recovered.
"Uh-huh," Megan quirked an eyebrow, "Well I'd better go. It's getting late and we're leaving early in the morning."
"Good night" He said as she rose.
"Good night" she repeated and left. Legolas watched until her retreating for disappeared through the ivy and he moaned quietly so that only his ears could hear.
'Well done.' He thought and mentally smacked himself.
Early the next morning the Fellowship was preparing to leave. The Hobbits, except Frodo, who was nowhere to be seen, stood over Bill the pony, stroking him in silence. Gandalf and Aragorn stood discussing a plan while the other three prepared their own weapons. Megan stood at Katie's door, her quiver and pack slung over her shoulder. "Kate, hey Katie are you ready. We're late!" The door opened before Megan could knock again.
"Yeah, I'm almost ready, come on in," her friend explained. Katie walked back over to her bed and stuffed the rest of her things into the pack. She stuffed an extra tunic and breeches in and shut the top. "Before they left the room, they both decided to say a short prayer. They both asked for the saftey of ech member of the fellowship then said,
"Amen."
"Amen." Katie echoed and they both stood. "I think I can go on now." Katie said with a smile.
"Are you ready now?" Megan asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be" Katie said with a sigh, and the picked up their things and walked out the door.
Elrond and Arwen came and bade them farewell, the sorrow was clear on Arwen's face. The last goodbyes were said and everyone picked up their things, and walked across the bridge of Rivendell to begin the Adventure of the century.
