What they saw surprised everyone but Gandalf. There before them was a girl of maybe sixteen or seventeen, dressed in all green with a cloak pulled around her. Her hair was as black as a raven's wing and pulled back into a braid that reached down past her waist.

"I asked you a question, now are you going to answer it? Why are you trespassing on my land?"

While she said this she was glaring at each of the Fellowship's members, the only one she missed was Gandalf; he was standing behind Aragorn when they turned to see the speaker.

"Gandalf, is this the person you were hoping to meet?" asked Aragorn.

At the mention of Gandalf's name the girl pierced Aragorn with an icy look. "He is here with you?"

Gandalf then walked to the front of the group, "Yes, here I am."

What the girl then did surprised everyone. She went running to Gandalf and engulfed him in a crushing embrace. "It has been too long old friend, you promised to visit us soon," she teased.

"All I can say for myself is that I got a little, how can you say it, sidetracked. But it is good to see you again, and I do agree, it has been far too long. Oh! That reminds me," turning towards the rest of the Fellowship, "this is Aallieah, one of my old, old friends."

After all of the introductions, everyone began making camp. Only Legolas looked troubled still, noticing this Gandalf asked what was wrong.

"Well," he answered, "I still can't but help feeling a little uneasy about the way Aallieah was able to sneak up on us that easily. I should have heard her before she even got remotely close to us. I mean the only being that can sneak up on an elf is a faerie, and she isn't a faerie. Am I correct in that assumption Gandalf?" But all Gandalf did was look at him with a twinkle in his eye.

Then it dawned on Legolas, "You mean she really is a faerie?"

"Everyone can you come over here for a moment?" Gandalf called. "We need to clear up a small problem that has arisen."

When everyone was finally present Gandalf turned to Aallieah and asked, " Now would you be so kind as to remove your cloak for us?"

Aallieah just looked at him for a moment, then giving a small sigh pulled the cloak out from around her shoulders.

What the Fellowship saw astounded them. For when she pulled off the cloak she reveled two iridescent wings set in the middle of her back, and to make matters even more confusing, as soon as her wings were uncovered her hair immediately started sparkling. Because her hair was so dark to begin with, now it looked like a starry night's sky. Gandalf chuckled and Aallieah gave him an exasperated look.

Finally Boromir found his voice, "A faerie, but that is impossible; no one has seen one for ages. If they have still survived why hasn't anyone seen one for that long." He then turned to Aallieah hoping she could answer his questions.

"It is simple," she explained, "roughly three thousand years ago my ancestors discovered a way to disguise themselves. They designed a spell for our protection. Now whenever a faerie's wings are covered he or she will look like a normal human. The hair will also dull down to the base color, so in other words all it does is allows us to venture out into the world unhindered."

"What do you mean unhindered?" Frodo spoke up. "I think it would be great fun to have wings. And," he added shyly, "I think your hair is beautiful when it sparkles. Why would you want to hide it?"

At this Aallieah had a good laugh, "I thank you for the compliment, but our hair is worth more than just a decoration. A single hair, when pulled across any wound, will instantly heal it; no matter how fatal the wound may be. So now knowing this, think about how hard it is to walk down a busy street with people chasing you wanting to sheer your hair off and sell it. We merely use the spell as a self-defense."

"Okay," Frodo said, "I think I understand now, but why do you faeries never go anywhere. Are you all in this forest?"

"Why of course not! We have faeries all over Middle-earth, everywhere: Gondor, Bree, we had a few in Moria, but they couldn't handle the dark, Rohan, just to name a few. The only place we really cannot go is with the elves. That is nearly impossible, both because we can't remove our cloaks in public and because of our height. I am about average height for a faerie woman; the men are slightly taller."

It was then that the Fellowship first noticed her height. Aallieah was standing right beside Gandalf, but the top of her head only reached to Gandalf's nose. It would be nearly impossible for a faerie to pass himself off as an elf, as elves are all nearly six feet tall; even the women.

Now that she was done explaining herself, Gandalf decided they should get on with business. "Aallieah, I am glad that you found us. I wanted to ask you if you would join our group."

As he finished speaking there were cries of outrage form nearly every member; Boromir's being the most prominent. "That is impossible! She is a woman, and have you noticed she carries no weapon; even though she confronted us. Nine men at that, it just goes to show you how foolish she is."

At this Aallieah gave a loud sigh, then turned around and walked about fifty steps away from them. She turned back to look at them, shook her head slightly, then spoke. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this, but oh well. You there, Legolas, shoot me."

"What!"

"You heard me, now shoot me. Yes with your bow and arrows."

"I can't just shoot a helpless maiden."

"Okay, fine have it your way. Would it make you feel better if I came up and bloodied your nose first? That way you would have a reason for shooting me? I can always do that if that makes you feel better about this."

As she said that there were a few snickers that came from the hobbits and Gimili.

"Gandalf you aren't possibly going to let this happen!"

"Just do what she says Legolas," Gandalf said.

"Alright, where should I, ah, shoot you?"

"Preferably right in the middle of the chest, but it really makes no difference to me."

It was really amazing, all through the time that Legolas was aiming she just stood there as calm as can be.

"Are you sure I should do this?"

"Yes! Now be done with it. We all have better things to do then just standing and waiting for you all day."

"Ready?"

"YES!"

Legolas took a deep breath and let the arrow fly. Just as the arrow would have buried itself in her chest, she reached behind her pulled out two long, wicked looking daggers, cut the arrow neatly in two, and replaced the daggers from where she got them. It all happened so fast that if any of the Fellowship had blinked, they would have missed the whole event.

"There, that's done and over with," Aallieah said as she walked back to the Fellowship. She dusted her hands off, stretched a bit and then spoke again. "Now that we all realize I am not helpless, I hope we can get on with our other current affairs."

All any of them, (except Gandalf of course, he had seen this demonstration before), could do was nod their heads dumbly; that's how stunned they all were. Even Boromir couldn't find anything smart to say.