After explaining why me and Shay had ended up in Rivendell to Gandalf and lord Elrond in exact detail. Lord Elrond started pacing the room with his head down and hands behind his back, Gandalf who had taken a seat next to me had a big frown across his face.
"hmm this is not very good news," Gandalf said after I finished explaining Kais ability and his power hungry plan to come here.
"I don't know exactly what he is planning but me and my siblings from the academy are all here somewhere and searching for him to stop him and get back to our time. Though I don't know how," I said sadly.
"But what I do know is that Kai is out there trying to take as much from this world as possible. I guess that you both have some kind of magic because of your knowledge, and if Kai found out where he can get it he will come. If I was him I would find the most powerful place, person or object to absorb from." I cried out hands in the air.
With my last outburst lord Elrond and Gandalf looked sharply at me and then at each other.
"Not good indeed," lord Elrond said, agreeing with Gandalf.
"We need to warn the fellowship of this new development before they start their journey," lord Elrond stated to Gandalf, not paying my confused look eny mind.
"Yes, we need to prepare for another enemy it seems," Gandalf said with his deep voice to lord Elrond.
"Another enemy? Who is the other enemy besides Kai", I asked confused.
Turning to me Gandalf looked deep into my eyes, after finding something in my eyes he approved of Gandalf nodded. "Yes I suppose you have the right to know what is at stake here." Gandalf said and started to tell me the story of the ring and its master.
"O my god! No if Kai finds out about this ring it is over, he can do as he please. Has the ring been found?" I asked with wide eyes.
"Yes the ring has been found and the faith of middle earth lays now on the shoulder of one small hobbit and the fellowship of the ring. The fellowship is set on a journey to Mordor to destroy the ring and will be leaving in less than a months time. But if what you say is true this journey has become more dangerous than what we anticipated," lord Elrond said looking at me.
"If Kai is out for the ring then I should go with you. To help stop him." I said, determined to help.
"Yes this seems to be a fine and noble idea, my dear. But are you able to accompany us? It is going to be a long and dangerous journey, much more fouler things will meet us on our way than you can imagine." Gandalf said, giving me a chance to back out of this.
"No, I need to go, I need to make this right. And with any luck I will find the rest of my family on the way."
Satisfied with my answer, Gandalf turned to lord Elrond. "I suggest we start with introducing Selena to the fellowship. But after supper of course."
—-
After being dismissed from lord Elrod's study I walked directly to Shay to see how he was doing. Entering the room I was instantly relieved when I saw Shay sitting up in bed with a tray of fruit, cheese and breed.
"You look better,'' I said with a smile.
"I feel better", he said looking up from his tray. "Want some," he said, offering me some bread.
"Yes please I'm starving,'' I said, feeling my stomach growl after not eating anything in over a day.
Had it only been one day? It was hard to understand how only one day before I was happy and excited to have Kai and my family together. Sure my family like most families had its flaws, but at the end of the day we loved each other and I knew that even though they rarely showed it to her it was true.
"So wanna explain why we got thrown into a new and improved Narnia world with elves?" I asked with my mouth full, making breadcrumbs fall out of my mouth.
"This is not another world but the world that was long before us." Shay stated. "A world full of magic..."
"Yeah I gather as much, in other words a perfect world for Kai to be in."
"I talked to lord Elrond and I think I know what Kai is going to do. He will be after an object to obtain a great amount of power." I said to Shay.
"What's the object? " Shy asked.
"A ring. A dangerous ring if it gets in the wrong hands." I answered with a frown across my face.
"Well then we need to stay close to it and find the others," Shay said as if he had read my mind.
"Yeah I know, but the people here are going on a quest to destroy the ring and I volunteered to go with them. I know Kai and I think that's what will make me an asset, and maybe I could find the others on the way" I said, worried of his reaction.
"No you can't go alone, I can't follow you in my state. The healers told me it will take weeks before I can even put pressure on my leg." He said with a raised voice.
"I need to do this Shay. if not me then who?"
Shay sighed and looked out the window. "Yeah I think you are right. but it doesn't make it any easier. I wish I could go with you."
Looking at me again. "Who is coming with you. Do they have magic as well?" Shay asked.
"I don't know yet, I am to meet them soon. But I gathered that it is a fellowship containing different races. For example elves and something that's called hobbits."
"Hobbits?" Shay asked curiously.
"Yes, lord Elrond and Gandalf told me that the ring can corrupt minds and that a hobbit volunteered to carry the ring to a place called Mordor to destroy the ring. The ring can´t be destroyed any other way. " I explained to Shay.
"And exactly why do the people here need the ring to be destroyed, can't they just hide it?" At this question I repeated the story I just learned from lord Elrond and Gandalf.
Before I could hear the response from Shay an elf cleared their throat behind me.
"Lord Elrond has requested your presence, my lady"
Looking back at Shay who had raised his eyebrows at me being referred to as a lady.
"Okay, I need to go, but I will be back soon to update you." I hurriedly told Shay.
Following the elf I soon stod in a big dining hall, and in the middle stod a gathering of men and ...children? Walking closer I could soon see that the children were in fact just short grown men with big hairy feet.
Lord Elrond and Gandalf standing on one side of the group stepped forward and greeted me.
"Hello my dear, let me introduce you to the fellowship." Gandalf said to me.
"This is Aragorn son of Arathorn", he said motioning to a tall handsome man with shoulder length dark hair and a rough stubble. The man in question did a slight bow in greeting.
"and this is Boromir son of Denethor, the steward of Gondor." The man mentioned was also tall but with ginger hair. Looking at me he raised his wine goblet in acknowledgement.
Next to be introduced was a short man named Gimli that could only be a dwarf whose only greeting was a buff up chest and an hmmp sound through his thick red beard.
"And of course this is the hobbits from the shire, Frodo Baggings, Sam Gamgee, Perigrin Took and Merry Brandybuck." At hearing their name being called they all stepped closer and looked curiously at her.
"It is nice meeting you, fair lady", one of them said with his mouth full of food.
"Don't talk with your mouth full Pippin!" The hobbit next to him called Merry said and pushed his elbow into Pippin's rips.
"ayyy" Pippin shouted, making food fall out of his mouth.
At seeing this display of playfulness I laughed and greeted them as well.
"And lastly this is Legolas son of Thranduil." At his introduction an gorgeous elf with light blond hair and blue eyes dressed in what looked to be a silk tunic in a soft green color stepped forward from the pelar he had been leaning on during the others' introductions.
Looking in my eyes he bowed his head in a formal greeting. "It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance my lady," he said in a smooth voice taking my hand to place a light kiss.
Struggling to breath at his intense gaze I could only mumble out a "likewise" in response feeling my cheeks colored.
"and this my friends is lady Selena from a faraway land. Gandalf said. "and she is as I have mentioned to you earlier to accompany us on our quest to destroy the ring."
Upon hearing this the man with ginger hair spurted out his drink, clearly not informed of this.
"A woman! No this journey is not suited for a woman. This is outrageous! This quest is to protect the ringbearer not taking care of a woman, she will only be on disability." he said in anger.
Hearing this I felt my own anger rising. "Excuse you, but you don't know anything about me. I can very well take care of myself, you sexist ass."
"Really and how is a woman going to defend herself against the enemy, you know nothing of this land and its dangers." Boromir said in disgust.
"Well then I just have to prove it to you." Said with confidence. Before Boromir could respond Gandalf interrupted us.
"Yes if you could calm yourselves I believe we have more important things to discuss. Though I agree that it would be beneficial to find out the extent of lady Selena's ability to defend herself. The same goes for the hobbits." Gandalf said.
At hearing this Boromir only scowled at me and made a sound of disapproval.
After talking over the whole Kai situation and my part in helping protect the ring from coming into his hands, the rest of the fellowship except for Boromir of course acknowledge that it was in fact a good idea for me to tag along.
"So when is the lass to show us her skill in fighting?" the dwarf said before the meeting could end.
"I would think that tomorrow at first light at the training field would be sufficient," lord Elrond said "Do you agree, lady Selena?"
I thought it over in my head. Growing up in the academy I had years of training, though not with medieval weapons, and I highly doubted that they had any kind of guns here. But I could defend myself and put on a good fight, this I was certain of.
"Yes I can do that." I answered lord Elrond
After the meeting was dismissed. I waved goodbye to the hobbits who sat back down to eat a second supper.
I walked back to Shay to update him on what had transpired in the meeting and after talking to Shay I left in search of clothes suited for training. The dress would simply not do.
Seeing Aredhel who had earlier helped me find a pair of slippers because of my own shoes being soaked I walked up to her.
"Excuse me, I was just wondering if you know where I could find some pants." I asked hesitantly.
At this she smiled politely. "Yes of course."
Making a hand gesture for me to follow she took me to a room I guessed was her own. Turning to her wardrobe she took out a pair of leggings and a tunic for me to take. "Those would suffice for you until the seamstress can make you something more suitable."
"Thank you," I said to her. Appreciate the kindness she was showing to a complete stranger. Were all elves this nice I wondered. If so Shay would have a lovely time here as I tracked through the wilderness to Mordor.
With another thanks I walked to my room. Busy taking once again in the beauty of the city I walked straight into someone's back. "Sorry,'' I said in horror. Legolas turned around and looked surprised at seeing me.
"hrmm I should really pay more attention to where I am going but I was distracted.'' I explained to him. Not knowing the costum I added "my lord" for good measure.
"It is no harm done, my lady", Legolas said with a smile. "Imladris is a beautiful place, especially in autumn."
"Ilmadrilis?"
"Yes Rivendell in Sindarin, the language of the elves," he explained. "I have to admit that I am very curious about you, Lady Selena from the future," he said and bowed his head slightly. Making me surprised at his complete acceptance of me being from the future. Magic being part of this time I had hoped that the people here would be more open minded than others would have been.
"Me and my brother are from a time long into the future from a place called Seattle." I answered, nervously fiddling with the clothes in my arms.
"To have you a part of the fellowship gives me hope that we shall succeed in our mission," he admitted to me and smiled at me warmly. To this I could only smile back nervously as I fought back a yawn.
"I believe the hour is late, shall I escort you to your champers, my lady." he asked after noticing my tired state.
"Oh, no, thank you" I said, surprised by his politeness. "And please don't call me my lady. It's just Selena." I said with an awkward smile.
"Then you shall only call me Legolas in return." He said smiling back at me, making my breath hitch.
"Good night, Selena. I will see you tomorrow" he said, taking my hand to his soft pink lips before walking away.
"Oboy" I said to myself, looking at Legolas back as he walked away and with legs turned into jello I stumbled towards my room.