AN: There hasn't been much of a response to this story, so I've tried a different tactic and changed its title. To tell you the truth, I'm beginning to lose interest. I'm not sure if many people find this plot interesting… But I'll be damned if I don't finish a story that I still get at least one review per chappy for.
Anyway, as for Courtney: I love her! But if you really don't, then I will tone her silliness down—somewhat.
Chapter 3: To Rivendell
Elyssa hastily followed Courtney's foot trails and found her stumbled upon the road. Of all the dumb luck… "Stay here," she said, "I'll get the horses."
The two rode on again. Even through the thick leaves of the trees, the hot mid-day sun found its way through and baked the air around them. For some time, all that could be heard was the slight rustling of trees as creatures scurried about until Courtney finally spoke, "Elyssa?"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry," she whispered. Elyssa gave her a look. "Really. I know how stupid it was of me to lie to you… I can't even explain why… I just wanna get out of these creepy woods as soon as possible, ya know?"
Elyssa smiled. She heard the true and honest sincerity of the other girl's voice. "It's okay, Courtney. And listen… I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean to keep you in the dark about what's going on."
"What is going on?"
Elyssa looked thoughtful. "Well, Courtney," she began, "you're in Middle-Earth. It's another realm… like another world. There are a lot of things in this world that don't exist in ours. When you grabbed Haurion that night, you got transported here with him while he was trying to get home. What we're doing now is trying to find Gandalf—a great wizard—who can help us get you back home."
Courtney took this all in, carefully processing it through her mind. "And I remember Haurion saying that the reason you look like you're already twenty now is because the time at home moves more slowly. Hnh…" she looked pensive. "So you must've been here a while—to me, you've only really been gone, what, two minutes? And you already have a twenty-year-old son… so just how old are you now?"
Elyssa raised an eyebrow. So this girl could use her brain when she wanted to. "I'm fifty-three," she winked.
The other girl nearly fell off of her horse in astonishment. "That's impossible!" she blurted. Shaking her head she said, "Can I ask just one more question?"
"Shoot."
"If Legolas didn't want us to go because it was dangerous… then why are we still going? I mean, if it really is dangerous, why don't you just let him get it?"
Elyssa stiffened. So the girl had been eavesdropping on them. "Legolas didn't want us to go because we're girls. I think he needs to be taught that us girls can do more than he thinks."
"Well, that sounds like a dumb reason," Courtney muttered. Just as Elyssa had finished her sentence, the girls saw a low orange glow at the end of the path.
"It's the end of the forest!" Elyssa cried and they galloped quickly to meet the opening. The sun had begun to dip down past the horizon and night was dawning on them.
"It's about time!" Courtney murmured, "Where to now?"
Riding on in no particular direction, Elyssa shook her head. "I'm not sure. I just know that Legolas is heading for Rivendell… and I don't know where that is except that it's somewhere west."
Courtney roamed her eyes over everything she could see. To one side, she saw a vast and endless plain… to the other, she saw a vast and endless plain. Making up her mind, Courtney pointed to a random direction, "Let's go that way."
"You act like you know the terrain."
"Well," she said shrugging, "it's better than just sittin' around here doin' nothin'."
Again she's actually thinking, Elyssa thought appreciatively. "Alright, we'll go that way in the morning," she dismounted her horse. "For now… let's eat. I'm starving!"
They sat down to a delicious meal of fruits and lembas, much to the disappointment of Courtney who had, in fact, wanted Oreo cookies.
As Courtney slept soundly beside her, Elyssa lay quietly on the grass staring up at the stars above. She could hardly believe that she was going on her own quest. She remembered how Legolas had told her not to go and her anger flared up… but just as quickly as it were there, it left. Elyssa greatly missed her dear elf. This, she realized, was their first time apart—other than the four days he had spent in Rivendell for whatever reason. She had been fine the first day, she reflected, and cried mercilessly the last three. She was, after all, pregnant at the time. But now, her husband had promised her that he would be gone only two weeks at most. She chuckled. He had spoken as though two weeks were nothing. Perhaps to an immortal, they were. But she was mortal and however long it took her to age, she would die eventually…
Sighing, Elyssa turned to her side readjusting the pack under her head. She was determined now, more than ever, to get to her husband. With that last thought in mind, the tendrils of sleep pulled her into their world.
* * *
The two had an early start that morning. After a large breakfast, Elyssa insisted they leave soon and speedily. She wished for a chance to catch up to Legolas and didn't want to have to stop for lunch. Their trek was uneventful save for little Courtney's prattle. Elyssa wondered how it was possible for a girl to talk for so long and still have an endless supply of things to say. They rode on for countless hours but Elyssa's resolve was strong. As the sun had nearly finished making its way through the sky, they found themselves staring ahead at another great forest. Tall trees stretched endlessly about them. Their leaves seemed to glint a hue of gold.
"Woooow…" Courtney whispered wonderingly, "We're gonna have to go through that, aren't we?" At Elyssa's slight nod, she sighed. Another forest… But this was very unlike the Mirkwood forest. It wasn't as dark nor was it nearly as frightening. If she were able to master Mirkwood, this would be a cinch.
Elyssa urged her horse forward but Courtney beat her to it. She led their party of two through the enchanting wood and marveled at the world about her. She nor Elyssa had never seen anything of the like ever before. They were not far or very deep into the forest when Courtney stopped suddenly.
"Elyssa!" she cried, "It's Legolas! It's Legolas!"
Surprised, Elyssa lurched forward trying to chance a glimpse of her husband. Instead, she was met with an arrow pointed in her direction. A tall, blond elf held it in place.
"Omigod! Elyssa… there are two Legolases!" Courtney whispered pointing to the one with the bow and arrow and then to another that Elyssa couldn't see. "Hey, wait! There's another one…and another…! So many of 'em… I'm trippin' out here!!"
Elyssa looked about frantically. To her dismay, in every direction she faced, an elf held a bow and arrow. Who knew they'd be so unfriendly in Rivendell, she thought. The one up front spoke in a language Courtney couldn't understand. To her amazement, Elyssa replied.
Elyssa, of course, hadn't understood the elf either. She spoke in Sindarin in hopes that they would understand her. The girl had picked it up slowly during her years with the wood elves and knew the language being used was some other dialect but she needed to communicate.
"You speak the language of our northern kindred."
She was a little shaken. They spoke her language… they must've heard Courtney whisper. Why didn't they just speak in their language in the first place? "If you mean the wood elves… then yes…" Elyssa replied. Courtney, understanding the gravity of the situation, remained silent. There was a moment of pause before the man finally spoke.
"Tolo… come."
* * *
Hm… so how was it? I don't think I can ever match 'A Pleasant Surprise' but I'm trying. ^_^ Don't forget to take a look at Chatelaine's works—I'm co-authoring Interview with an Elf and Of the Wind. *Grins* And don't miss my exciting new fic coming out (hopefully) on January 31st entitled "Fate is Blind"! Ah… gratuitous self-promotion. Gotta love the whole freedom of speech thing. Thanks go out to everyone who reviewed! Keep 'em coming!