A.N/ I'm so so so sorry! I haven't updated even when I promised. Grammar schools are a pain in the ****, so many tests... DX I am pretty sure I failed my maths, sigh... Anyway, onwards with the next chapter! IIIIIIT'S GANDALF!

Disclaimer: We own nothing recognisable... :(

Chapter 10 – Takeaway Scrambled Eggs

Seph's POV

I woke up the morning after our encounter with Aragorn at dawn, feeling rejuvenated. I hopped out of my relatively comfortable bed, (when compared to Thor's back) and decided to get changed. I pulled a spare pair of jeans from my 'bag of everything' (despite the fact it only contained a few necessary items and perhaps quite a few not so necessary items like my English to elvish dictionary) and threw on a new t-shirt which coincidentally had 'I live in Middle Earth' written on it with a picture of the ring underneath.
"Wakey wakey!" I whispered into my friend's pointed ear. "Rise and shine!" She rolled over and tried to bat me away like I was a fly.
"Ten more minutes mum." She mumbled, shoving her head into the pillow. I rolled my eyes at her early morning behaviour. I was going to have to teach her the way to get up in the morning without moaning for a full hour afterwards because if we were planning on joining the fellowship then she had to be ready to get up at the crack of dawn. After waiting ten minutes for Kels to emerge, I took matters into my own hands.
"SAURON IS AT THE DOOR!" She leapt almost ten feet in the air and began to look frantically around the room.
"Welcome back to the world! It's time to meet the mystery old man downstairs!" She groaned but managed to haul herself up and brush through her tangled bed head.

Half leading, half dragging her down the corridor I dropped her off at a free table and ordered us both some scrambled eggs. Sitting down next to her I glanced over at the corner of the room. I almost leapt from my seat in excitement when I saw that the occupant of the seat had a long grey beard, a grey cloak, a pointed blue hat and a long staff. It was Gandalf! He noticed my gaze on him and gave me a warm, friendly smile before striding over to join us. Kels sat motionless with her mouth wide open in surprise.
"So you are the two elflings Aragorn told me about," he said chuckling to himself.
"You're Gandalf!" Kels exclaimed!
"Indeed. Aragorn informed me of your story and I most interested in the part about the book. Could you tell me a little more?" He sat down and gazed at me. It felt like he could see my soul. I had expected more of a 'hello what's your name?' but I guess Gandalf already knew about us and making small talk is just not the way istari roll. I wager that he treats everyone he meets like they are old companions. Or perhaps this is a one off situation.
"Well. There are lots of different ones. The Silmarillion is based on the Valar and the beginning of Middle Earth, The Children of Hurin is about Morgoth, The History of Middle Earth is what it says in the name, The Hobbit is about Bilbo Baggins and Smaug," Gandalf raised a bushy eyebrow at this but stayed silent, "and then you have The Lord of The Rings which is three books. It is about a time that has not yet arrived here in Middle Earth so I shall not elaborate."
"Do not tell anyone of what is to come. Do you understand?" We both nodded quickly at his forceful tone. "Fate has its own ways and when you meddle with fate it has consequences."
He smiled, the atmosphere changed almost instantly.
"Now, shall we head off?" Wow, never a dull moment with the grey wizard.

We made our way out to the back where I removed Thor from the stables and watched as Gandalf prepared a cart and hooked up my beloved horse. Suddenly Kels came running out with our forgotten scrambled egg in a paper bag.
"Takeaway!" she shouted. The world's first ever takeaway scrambled eggs - brought to you by Kelly, available at all good food stores. When I said my TV advertisement out loud I got a smack on the back of the head and a handful of scrambled egg stuffed in my mouth.
Soon we were on our way and I could feel the slight bounce as the cart went over a bump in the road.
"What are hobbits like?" Piped up Kels who was munching on our scrambled eggs.
"They are remarkable creatures. But surely you must know that already."
"Are the Sack-Ville Bagginses as grouchy as in the books?" He began to laugh and we soon joined in. The journey was silent with the exception of Kels' random questions. I took the time to sit back and think through what had happened. I still regretted leaving Fin and Di. Deep down I knew that I would never forgive myself and my hot head for getting me into that argument, and for how I dealt with it.
My fault.
I placed my head between my knees and I felt a tear slide down my cheek.
"There is nothing to regret." said Gandalf suddenly. "All is the past and there is nothing we can do to alter it now. For an elf, life is too long to hold regrets, for a man - too short. So why hold regrets when you can just be free of them?" I considered his wise words. I wished it was that easy but regrets are hard to get rid of.
"When I meet Legolas," Kelly said attempting to lighten the mood. "I'm going to make him say, they are taking the hobbits to Isengard and film it on my iPod!" I chuckled and looked up at Gandalf who had a quizzical look on his face.
"Worry not Gandalf, worry not." I thought about meeting my favourite character Legolas. Would he live up to my expectations or would he end up as one of those really annoying characters who always get on your nerves.

The rest of the day passed with no problems or delays and Gandalf promised that we would be there by the next morning.
"I wonder who we will stay with?" mused Kels. "Frodo? Sam? Pippin? Merry?"
"I know not Kels. We will have to wait and see."
"If you do not mind," said Gandalf "I would like to know a little more about your world."
"Hmmm. There are buildings that touch the sky, carts that move by themselves, lots of different foods. Women have the same rights as men and some even fight in wars. We can communicate to someone on the other side of the world at the same time. However, our world is dying. The air is tainted and the people have become corrupted. We have flying metal birds and small metal boxes called guns that shoot fire and death. I prefer this place in every way."
"Did you have a family?" I felt my throat constrict and I found myself unable to speak. Kels understood and took over.
"My family came from a country called France. We moved to Cardiff because my parents wanted to get away from France and see a foreign land. I had a younger sister and a younger brother called Mardi and Philip whom I loved but were constantly annoying me. Di, one of our sisters, is Russian but her parents had lived in Cardiff since before she was born. She had one brother called Orion. Fin, our other sister, was half Irish and half English. Since Cardiff was between England and Ireland they moved there as a compromise. She was an only child like Seph. The reason Seph does not want to talk about her family is because, well... Seph's parents died in a car, sorry cart; crash five years ago when she was nine. It was a drunken man who was driving too fast and was not watching where he was going. Seph escaped death and ended up with a broken leg and some large scars to prove it. She moved to Cardiff from Greece to live with her Aunt." Gandalf's face softened and he turned back to look at the horses.
"Sorry for touching such a sore subject young Seph. I did not mean to intrude."
"All is forgiven."
"But if you are all from different families, how are you sisters?"
"We were not born sisters but fate brought us together. We are closer than many people are with their siblings." he nodded his head knowingly and turned back to the path. We were closer than most siblings but that had not stopped the fight.
My fault.
I let out a choked sob and put my head on Kels' shoulder. She gently stroked my hair and waited for me to stop crying. I wiped my eyes on my sleeve and gave her a weak smile. Putting her arms around me she pulled me in like she did after I had a nightmare.
"It's Ok Seph. It's not your fault." I nodded gently and pulled away. I looked to the side and watched the forest move by.

Lying down on the floor of the cart, I stared up at the now dark sky. There was no man made light near to dim the stars so I could see every single one shining down onto me. I closed my eyes and smiled letting the pain slip away. It reminded me of one of the songs from the Lord of the Rings soundtrack so I took out my iPod and placed it next to me letting the music fill my ears. The song floated up and seemed to perfume the air.
'May it be, an evening star,
Shines down upon you.
May it be when darkness falls,
Your heart will be true.
You walk a lonely road,
Oh how far you are from home.

Mornie Utulie,
Believe and you will find your way.
Mornie Alantie,
A promise lives within you now.'

The song continued and the world around me dimmed. With a peaceful heart and mind I drifted off into sleep.

A.N/ Please review! This may be the last time we update in ages, cos of NaNoWriMo and all, so it all depends on the reviews! :) Again, there'll be previews for those who reviews and a choice of one of the twins as a pet! ;)