Elessar awoke, and looked out of the window across the sea. There, the horizon was shadowed. Yet she was safe. Quickly, she got dressed, grabbed her staff, and rushed out of the door. Arwen would know where she was. Through the plains she ran, as quick as her half-elven legs could take her. Finally, she reached the woods where she would have her lesson for the day. There Gandalf sat waiting. "Late again, Elessar!" Gandalf chuckled, puffing at his pipe. "A wizard is never later. Nor is she early. She arrives precisely when she means to!" Countered a laughing Elessar. "Yet you are not a wizard. Nor will you ever be, magic powers or no," Said her teacher, standing up and preparing to begin the day's lesson. As always, he checked her staff for new markings that shouldn't be there, obvious signs of magic which a wizard in training shouldn't have. Satisfied, Gandalf began the day's lecture. For today was not a magic day. It was a day to learn about herbs, tracking, and hunting. Usually this was done by Elessar's father Aragorn, but he was not here today. He was at another council. Again.. Oh. there were so many councils nowadays! Lost in her train of thought, Elessar did a very dangerous thing serendipitously. She interrupted a lecturing wizard. "Gandalf. What are the councils about?" The minute the words came back, Elessar cringed back, expecting the worst. But the worst never came. Though at first the angry wizard raised his staff in anger, he soon lowered it, eyes softening with some inconceivable understanding. "They never tell you.. Do they? I mean why should they. But still.. Maybe they should." Lost in thought, the wizard began lighting his pipe, and the girls coughing at the smoke jolted him out of the reverie he put himself into. Making a decision, the wizard blew out his pipe and started: "Elessar, have you ever looked out across the sea to middle earth? "Why, yes.. My bedroom window faces it." "Well then, you must know that the shadow is growing. Soon the dark lords power... You know who the dark lord is? How it all started? (Elessar nodded) Good. Well, his power will turn hungry and his arm will reach out across the sea. to here. The council wishes to make it so that we may stop him there. But the trouble is we must send someone from this generation, which has never been to Middle earth before.for Sauron must not know of our plan. He knows the feel of the older, wiser people. We need someone knew and fresh! The council has spent the last month in a heated debate over who ought go- and still, all it brought us is more confusion. "Gandalf.... Tell me about the species of middle earth. I've always wanted to know! And everyone.... They just get a strange look in their eyes and tell me to run off and play...."