Middle Earth: Chapter Two

Written by Brandy Camel

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings or any of the characters from that realm. They are full property of J. R. R. Tolkien (Duh). All Aura-related characters from the Brandeis saga are property of Kenneth E. Camel (me daddy). His book series has not yet been published. This fan work is made possible by my overactive imagination, my obsession for Legolas, and the wonderful people at New Line Cinema that cast that gorgeous man for that part. **grin** Enjoy!!

Author's Notes: Here's how I've connected the two worlds of Aura and Middle Earth. Clansmen of Aura are much like Elves in general, but closer related to Wood Elves. Red Orcs in Aura are related to Dwarves (Grakl dons Dwarven Chain mail and armour, and the weapon he carries is also dwarven). But Orcs in Middle Earth are related to Elves. Therefore, in this fic, Grakl bears somewhat a resemblance of what Gimli and an Orc combined would look like, hence the reason he confuses all he encounters in Middle Earth. Please keep these notes in mind as you read, as they will help you pass confusions. If there are any other questions (or requests for some chapters of the Brandeis saga), send your inquires to brandeis1@yahoo.com. ^_^ Hope you like my works!

            Legolas and Frodo could not stay asleep after their visions. Instead, they walked a few feet from the camp and sat on two adjacent rocks, discussing the similarities of their dreams.

            "When do you think they'll come? If ever, I mean…" Frodo inquired. Legolas shrugged.

            "It could very well be any time. Visions don't tend to give you time estimates…" he sighed. "But it will be interesting. I wonder why I was the only other to have this vision aside from you…?"

            "Maybe you'll play a bigger part in their arrival than you believe you would. After all, you were standing before all of the Fellowship and seemed drawn towards the three beings…" Frodo's mind began wandering in all directions, contemplating this and that, trying to make connections between him, Legolas, the visions, and the newcomers.

            "Slow down, Frodo! They have yet to arrive, and I feel that when they do come, we will learn why they have come," the elf nodded to himself, sure of his feelings.

            "Hmm, I suppose. But even so…" the young hobbit paused, trying to collect his thoughts. "Are they meant to join our journey? Or are we meant to join another journey?"

            The three friends stepped through the gate, and Brandeis felt Grakl and Essere shudder as they did. She turned her head to look at them, but the glow from the gate was too bright for her to see anything. She resisted shielding her eyes, gripping her companions' hands tightly. Then suddenly, as immediately as the blinding light had come, it diminished. Brandeis blinked her eyes open, as did Essere and Grakl, and they looked at their surroundings. The woods around them seemed no different than the woods they had left from. Although there was no difference in appearance, something in the air was not the usual.

            "It feels… so much different here…" Essere started, releasing Brandeis' hand and touching one of the trees.

            "Indeed," Grakl agreed, gripping his hammer with both hands, leaning on it.

            "I feel it too… As if we don't belong here… Yet…" Brandeis paused. "I feel drawn to something. Something is calling me…" she began to walk away from the gate and her friends, completely compelled to whatever was drawing her nearer. Grakl stopped her dead in her tracks.

            "You are not leaving without us, Chosen One. We are to guard you as you are to save Aura, and we should go back through the gate," he turned around, tugging Brandeis' arm, but stopped, jaw wide open. The gate was nowhere to be seen.

            Legolas' head snapped up from the conversation with Frodo. He sensed something had come, and by straining his elven ears, he heard quiet talking in the distance. He motioned to Frodo to remain quiet, and took up his bow, which he had carried at his side when the two had traveled from camp. Frodo unsheathed Sting, the sword Bilbo had given him, but it gave off no glow. Legolas noticed this, then motioned Frodo to follow him.

            Both stayed silent as they crept through the woods, both adept to sneaking through lands, and Legolas lead, worried of the Ring Bearer's safety. He seemed ready for anything, but truthfully, was not ready to see what lay ahead.

            As they turned around another tree trunk, Legolas stopped Frodo back, and began climbing up the tree. Being a wood elf, he was skilled at this. He peered from the lower branches at three figures in the night, and nearly tumbled from his perch when he noticed the familiarity of the creatures.

            "NOW what are we going to do?!" the short, stocky one nearly shouted to the other feminine figures. "We have no way back to the Esel, we have NO idea where we are at, or any idea of what may be lurking about us!" the creature seemed exasperated. "I can't BELIEVE this!" The figure finally sat and sighed.

            "Grakl, do not worry. I will find a way to get us back to our camp. Look, the wood does look… somewhat familiar… Let's try to the south! I've always had a knack for direction…" One of the taller figures said, trying to sound hopeful. "First of all, we must not panic!"

            "Essere is right. If we can find someone around here, whether we are in the Esel or not, then we can get assistance in perhaps finding another gate or our camp! We have to…" the third figure sighed and sat down next to the one named Grakl. During the entire conversation, Legolas sat thinking.

            'Esel… I've never heard of the Esel… But from what I've heard, it must be similar to Mirkwood. If these are the ones from the visions…' Legolas stopped short when he noticed Frodo making a move towards the creatures. He immediately leapt from his branch and landed before the somewhat startled hobbit, and all three foreign figures looked up from their discussion. The one named Essere drew her bow and immediately had it aimed, Grakl attempted to stand up and ready his hammer, and the last one sat blinking, too lost on what to think or do.

            "Who are you three, and what are you doing in Mirkwood?" Legolas questioned, almost knowing the answers, but feeling the question was appropriate for the situation. The puzzled figure stood up, calmly dusted herself off, and looked to Legolas, who had long since before drawn his own bow, and could have taken down all three in a few moments, given the chance.

            "My name is Brandeis, this is Essere, and he is Grakl. We have never heard of Mirkwood, as you call this place, and we are looking for passage to the Esel in the land of Aura. Please, sir, if you can help us, we would be indebted to you," Brandeis bowed courteously, as her father had taught her to.

            Legolas lowered his bow a bit, but not by much. "I shall disarm myself if all three of you will, as will my friend. There does not seem to be any need for hostility," At this, Essere lowered her own bow and slipped her arrow back into her quiver, as Grakl gently laid the end of his hammer to the ground. They heard the sound of Frodo sheathing Sting, and Legolas was the last lower his weapon. Brandeis spoke again.

            "You say we are in Mirkwood… A place we've never been, seen, nor heard of. Would you be kind enough to tell us more of our location?" she politely asked, and Essere and Grakl were astounded to her sudden leadership and manners.

            "All I've said is true. But from what I overheard of your predicament, I've never heard of the land you say you were from, the Esel I believe you called it," Legolas tilted his head, examining all three figures. The two taller figures appeared to be female, as they sounded, and were dressed in green. They both seemed elven in appearance, but only one of them was the common blue-eyed type. The other had deep brown eyes, the same colour as her hair, and they were clear, showing what she thought and felt. She was the one talking, the one called Brandeis. All of their names sounded quite un-elven. The third figure, shorter, but larger in width, seemed to be wearing dwarven mail and a dwarven helmet, making his face hard to see. Yet there was an air around him that was quite un-dwarven, as his name was not exactly common amongst the race.

            "Please, before we discuss more, may we know your names?" For the first time in the encounter, Brandeis smiled. It seemed like she knew exactly what she was doing.

            "I am called Legolas of Mirkwood, and my friend here is Frodo of the Shire. We are part of the Fellowship of the Ring, on an expedition to…" Legolas was promptly stopped by a shove in the side by Frodo. Legolas glared down at him, and Frodo gave the "stop while you are ahead" glare back at him.

            "Where we are headed is of no concern, especially if you are not of this land," Frodo interjected. "We will be glad to help you find your way to a nearby tavern of sorts if that's what you desire,"

            "Thank you, friend," Brandeis nodded. "That would be of much help, but have you seen any camps around these parts? We've been separated from our own group of travelers,"

            Frodo shook his head. "I am sorry, but the only camp I know of is our own. Perhaps we should head back, as well. There may be Orcs about…"

            Grakl looked up and spoke for the first time. "Orcs? Are they Red Orcs? Do you know if any of them goes by the name Grak?" He shot questions out quickly, immediately interested. Brandeis elbowed him promptly in the ribs.

            "Excuse my friend here, he is just worried for his own kind," she glared. Legolas and Frodo seemed horrified.

            "His… own kind? Is that creature an… Orc!?" Legolas seemed torn between being horrified and angered. An Orc in Mirkwood! That was unheard of!

            "I am a RED Orc, thank you very much, but please do not be alarmed. My brethren are beneath a spell and do not act with their own accordance. I apologize on their behalf," Grakl bowed courteously, but looked up to see an arrow pointed in his direction. Brandeis stepped in front of Grakl immediately, arms out in a protective stance, and Frodo and Legolas shook off the de ja vu.

            "Do not harm him! Please, if what I believe has happened is correct, Orcs in this area are much different from Red Orcs in the land we are from!" she looked Legolas dead in the eyes, and he saw that she was quite willing to take the arrow for the Orc in Dwarven clothing. Legolas lowered his bow once more and nodded.

            "I am sorry. Our enemies are mostly consisted of Orcish kins… I do not mean insult or harm,"

            "Thank you," Grakl pushed Brandeis out of the way, and the girl made a face at him. Frodo chuckled, but tried to hide his amusement at the two. Essere smiled, noting the hobbit's actions. "May we head back to the camp you spoke of before?"

            Legolas and Frodo looked at one another and nodded.

            "Gandalf will be quite intrigued with the arrival of you three," Frodo said, and motioned for the small group to follow.

End Chapter 2