CHAPTER SEVEN - ACTIONS



Chrissie was annoyed. She'd been at Rivendell for several days now and was getting slightly pissed off at Elrond's persistence that she should not leave. It would be too dangerous he said, what if she were captured he said. He pissed her off being so damn reasonable.

A knock sounded and an elf poked his head around the door.

"Lord Elrond requests your presence mi'lady, there is news that he thinks you would like to hear."

She wondered if Frodo had woken up yet? She knew that he was going to be alright though, she'd seen the film numerous times. Taking a cloak with her, she fled down the stairs after the messenger and found Elrond sat in the library with Gandalf and another elf she didn't regonise, although he had remarkable similarities to Orlando Bloom. Perhaps he was related to him.

"Mi'lady Chrissie. May I introduce one of Lord Thranduil's messengers, Duin- shiel."

Ahh, Lord Thranduil, Legolas's father she thought. Chrissie acknowledged his presence with a nod. She was getting anxious about this news.

"Legolas sent word back of his father's decision regarding our last meeting, but upon the bottom of the note he attached these final words:

On my return journey, a woman known only as 'Fred' saved my life. She is brave and resourceful and on the date of this message is on the east borders of Mirkwood. She asked that if any other people were found that didn't seem to belong in Middle Earth to tell them about her."

Elrond paused in his discussion of the message and looked at Chrissie.

"Fred." Chrissie whispered, all her worst nightmares playing out in front of her eyes.

"Perhaps you might care to enlighten us." Elrond asked gently.

"What? Oh, she's a friend of mine back home.Mirkwood, that's east of the Misty Mountains." She focused back on Elrond. "I have to leave now. She might be in trouble."

"I do not think that is wise. There is a greater chance of you both meeting if one of you stays still. This message was written many days ago and she could be anywhere by now. Anyway, the Dark Lord's power is growing and evil roams unchecked. What if you were set upon in the dark of the night? What would you do?"

Chrissie tried to argue but just couldn't think of any arguments to give. She had not idea what she would do if she were set upon by evil in the middle of the night; probably scream and run away.

She knew he was right but she just wanted to get out of here. She'd wanted so badly all her life to get to Rivendell and meet Frodo, but now she was here she just wanted to get away. She'd managed to sneak a glance at him through a crack in the door, but that was it. He was nowhere near as cute as Elijah Wood and he was kinda old; she was quite disappointed.

She fled from the library and sat on her bed. Why did Elrond have to be so infuriatingly reasonable and right all the time? She was going to find Fred, there was no question in her mind about that. Here she was in comfort and luxury whilst Fred was off in goodness knows how much danger in Mirkwood. Why Fred hadn't even read the Hobbit, how was she supposed to fend off evils that she didn't even know about in Mirkwood?

Arwen knocked and slipped in.

"I have heard the message mellon nin and I have an idea."

***

Chrissie sat and listened in wonder as the only daughter of Elrond divulged how to deceive him. She spoke of the quickest ways out of Rivendell and went through the directions to Mirkwood. When Chrissie had looked confused, she had produced a sketchy map.

Arwen provided her with riding tunic, sword and provisions and pointed out the best horse in the stable, Kobe she said her name was. Arwen also reminded Chrissie that if the horse was to survive passage over the mountains, she must stay on the lower roads.

When all was ready, Chrissie stood at the Ford of Brunien with Arwen beside her. Arwen's plan had seemed so easy and obvious whilst sat indoors, but now outside in the chill night air it seemed dangerous.

Chrissie paused, hesitant to leave the safety of Rivendell. Arwen leaned forward and embraced Chrissie and for a moment, time slowed his weary journey as the two said farewell.

"Take this, Chrissie." Arwen said, handing her something. Chrissie opened her hand to find a bracelet, jewelled with purple and green. Chrissie looked at Arwen.

"Thankyou. I don't know what I would have done here without you."

"Probably been bored out of your mind." The two girls shared a last laugh.

Chrissie mounted on her horse, Kobe; a hazelnut mare of seventeen hands high. She was a beauty.

"Ride swift, mellon nin and don't look back."

Chrissie smiled. "Ride hard." She muttered in an Aragorn impression. It had always cracked her up in the film. She spurred her horse across the river and into the night.

Standing alone on the banks of the Brunien, Arwen laughed. If she hadn't known better she would have said Chrissie was impersonating Aragorn. Elrond appeared behind her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"She has a strong, stubborn will that one. No amount of reasoning will ever keep her from following her heart."

Elrond sighed. He'd known Arwen would aid Chrissie, but he was comforted. At least with Arwen's help Chrissie would have a greater chance of survival beyond the protection of the Elves. He wondered if she'd catch up with Duin- Shiel, he'd left maybe only an hour before her.

*** Kelly was bored, bored, bored. She'd tried chucking stones across the cell, aiming for a different patch of dirt each time but the novelty was wearing off. She tried humming the entire soundtrack to the FOTR and TTT movie, but had got annoyed after the fiftieth repeat; it was too easy. She had tried reciting all the Elvish she knew, (which had taken a while) but when her throat dried up, she was stuffed. She was just plain fed up. Why, even trying to get herself killed on the outside would be more fun than being bored to death in here. Footsteps sounded outside her cell; she might just get her chance.

She had two options; either rush the person as soon as they came in or let them speak. Since the last time she'd rushed someone she'd ended up with a split lip and a bruised jaw, she stood still while the door opened. Sure enough, the first person through had a pike. See she told herself; she had sense sometimes.

Faramir followed the guard in then dismissed him, shutting the door behind him. Kelly felt like spitting in his face.

For a moment they just stood there, sizing each other up. Kelly wondering if she could take him down, Faramir wondering if she would try. Satisfied, Faramir stopped pacing.

"You do know that the penalty for horse stealing is to lose your hands."

Kelly said nothing.

Faramir got annoyed. "Tell me how you know of my brother." He hissed.

Kelly winced mentally, what was she supposed to say? "I met him before I was captured by the orcs and brought to Mordor. We spoke of many things." Would he buy it? Things couldn't get much worse.

"He would not just spill out such things as you know to strangers. Tell me how you know of them." He almost spat out. Damn, she thought, he just had to ask that question.

Okay, Kelly thought and rached her brain for some kind of Middle Earth type explanation. When she thought of feelings, she thought of Elves. Time for the whopper lie then.

"I'm somewhat.empathetic. I have Elven blood in me." She wished. "I asked what was troubling him and he eventually told me."

Faramir raised an eyebrow. "What else did he tell you?"

Well, he believes the whopper, but now I'm gonna be uncovered by the white lies. Typical, Kelly thought.

".He told me of his dreams, how the light would shine on Imladris. He told me of Gondor, it's glory and the war with Mordor. He always spoke with great pride when speaking of Gondor." Yes, just try the sensitive area voiced Kelly's cynical conscience.

"Why do you speak of him in the past tense?" Faramir asked, puzzled.

Damn, Kelly thought, he's not dead yet. "Because I met him in the past." She winced, praying that he would believe her and not chop off her hands.

"Would you count yourself among his friends?"

Kelly gulped. "Yes. I suppose I would."

"Then I am sorry for your treatment mi'lady. Any friend of Boromir's, especially one so brave as you, is welcome in our home."

Kelly breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. He thinks I'm brave. Yay for me, she thought. I get to keep my hands, always useful.

*** Fred felt a tear run down her cheek. What was she going to do? She heard a howl to her left and instinctively ran in the opposite direction. She kept running, no longer caring where to, just away from these wolves and this forest. Why hadn't she stayed with Legolas?

Fred found herself on the banks of a river, it's water clear and deep. There was no visible way to cross it, so she wandered a long the banks a while searching. She checked her bottle, she was running low on water. She looked over into the river; it was so clear and beautiful, there couldn't possibly be anything wrong with that water. Fred opened her bottle and filled it up with river water, then took a long swig. She felt immediately better.

She carried on wandering along the banks, then caught a glimmer of torch lights in the corner of her eye. She ran towards them and tripped over a fallen log. She curled up into a ball, perhaps she would just take a little rest here, not for long, just enough so that she wasn't so tired. Just a little rest.

***** Chrissie: Well Kelly wanted to jump off the cliff because at the time she felt it was her best chance of survival. She does not like cells.

Darth-trinity: Agent Smith and Agent Jones kinda worked themselves into my story through their own devious means. I don't think Ms Warmsly hired them, they kinda got sent in by the government cos they are the government's best people.

KurleyHawk2: Thanks. And chappies are coming fast. Hope you like it.

Rebecca: I am typing my fingers to the bone.

Kat Heiman: Yeah I know, Kelly always seems to have the worst luck for some odd reason.

Tbiris: She had to do it. After watching the TTT film and Faramir just dragging Frodo and Sam to Osgiliath without hardly any questions, she figured she was probably just gonna be thrown in jail with no chance of getting out. Also she's criminally insane.

Tbiris: Well Kelly is very odd to, you should meet the person she's based on, even worse I can tell you.

Urylia: Thanks. Next chapter coming soon.

Holly: yeah I like Kelly to. I enjoy making her suffer more though.

Hobbit-eyes: Thanks. Never heard of koolies before.

Tbiris: yeah I know, but they don't really know how many there are of them that disappeared, I've dropped a few subtle hints to how many, where and who etc. but you'll have to use your imagination to work it out.

Kat Heiman: Again, Kelly has the worst luck. She just had to steal Denethor's horse, not just some peasant person's that no one would have noticed disappearing. I try to keep it light-hearted most of the time.

Coolgirlchic16: Thanks.

Chrissie: Well, since Fred hasn't actually said anything about it on the record, I'm gonna presume she's okay with it. And I would count your blessings while you still have em if you get my meaning.