It was almost an hour later when Frodo finally called her to the table to eat. She had offered to help several times but each time he ignored her. She was less than pleased to see that the meal was almost entirely of meat, and sat out the entire supper picking at a roll and flinging random bits here and there. Finally Frodo noticed.

"what are you doing?" He asked. "Are you sick?"

Niko coughed. "I'm a vegetarian." He gave her another of his blank looks.

"I don't eat meat."

"Oh my goodness!" He looked shocked. "I- I didn't know, I'm so sorr-"

She cut him off. "Whatever. I'll do the dishes." She got up and walked slowly into the kitchen.

Frodo sighed when she left. He didn't understand her attitude. She was so ungrateful, and rude... but he thought she could be a nice person if she tried. And the way she dressed, and talked, and even walked, was so odd. Who was this mysterious girl? He made up his mind to go talk to her when he was distracted by the door swinging open........

Niko, in the kitchen was in no mood to talk to anyone at the present. She knew what was going to happen next and she didn't want it to. "I WANT to go HOME." She muttered bitterly. Then, from the next room, she heard the unmistakable lines form a certain aged wizard who she really liked in the abstract, but in the present could happily ram his staff up his nose if it would get her home.

"Is it secret? Is it safe?"

She listened to the now familiar dialouge and waited till the point in which Gandalf was about to utter the words that were engraved on the ring.

"One ring... to rule them a-"

"Ahem. Hi." She stalked into the room and looked at him. "Would you mind reciting that limerick in a little bit? I have to talk to you."

Gandalf stopped abruptly, staring at the strange child, then turned to Frodo, who was babbling an explaination. "She... She fell out of a tree, Gandalf, and she says she's lost.... So I brought her here. What else could I do?"

Niko affected a bored, superior look, and glanced away from the blustering hobbit. "I want to go with Frodo to Rivendell." Gandalf furrowed his eyebrows. "And just how do you think this will help any involved, young lady?" She met his gaze. "Probably very little. But if I want to get home I really don't think I have a choice. I'd like to go... please." She forced the word out between gritted teeth. "I'm NOT happy about being here and I DON'T want to face being stuck here for the rest of my life. If I go by all the general rules I may have a shot at getting the hell out of here." She finished by looking at Frodo "look, I know I haven't been very nice, but I promise I'll do my best to help and protect you." She couldn't protect a fly, but did they have to know?

Gandalf looked at her for a long time, finally looking away. "Frodo? What is your opinion on this?"

Frodo grinned at Niko. "Sure! Love to have her along."

Gandalf looked at her. She gave him her most innocent and sincere look, while inwardly imagining his hat on fire. Fire... she had forgotten. The Balrog would... Don't think about it- she told herself-deal with it when it happens. The hostile look in her eyes, however, softened, and in that moment he nodded. She leaped into the air. "YEE HEE!"

The two men exchanged looks. Then Gandalf put his head in his hands and sighed audibly.

"Oh, yeah, Mister Gandalf, Sam's outside the window listening. Want to bring him in?"





There. More! UGH it's 40 degrees outside and like an oven effect in here... hot...*whimpers*