This is such a short chapter. I'm sorry!!!!! I've been having some serious
writer's block, so it's not very good. Sorry again!! And please, please,
ppplleeaasseee review! Thank you! :o)
***
The next couple of weeks were blithe and cheery, despite the invisible rain cloud that hung over the four time travelers and their friends. They all knew that soon the inevitable would claim them, and relished with zeal their remaining time in Rivendell. Jackie spent nearly every waking moment with Legolas. He had stopped teaching them how to swordfight, deeming them able to use a sword. They all felt much safer going on this journey being able to defend themselves. Jackie felt now that the emotional danger far outweighed the physical danger, at least for her and possibly Jenny, who was growing closer and closer to Frodo every day. They had finally become 'public' with their relationship, and could now be seen in what seemed like every corner of Imladris, giggling and holding hands. It was amusing to watch.
One day when Jackie was walking with Legolas through one of the many corridors, they were stopped by an elf-servant. Jackie wasn't exactly sure if they were servants, but they seemed to do much of the work around Rivendell.
"Lord Elrond wishes to see you in his study," he said to Legolas. He turned to Jackie. "And you as well."
They both shrugged and followed him to their destination. When they arrived, they found two men, a dwarf, a wizard, and Elrond waiting for them. Some different sized packs were lying on the floor. Jackie and Legolas greeted everyone and then waited silently, hand in hand, next to a pillar.
Jenny and Frodo walked in next, Sam and Merry in tow. They murmured their hellos before retreating to a wall. The following silence hung awkwardly in the air, making everyone a little bit uneasy.
Finally, Alex and Andrea burst in, laughing hilariously about something. Pippin was with them, and he too was overcome with a fit of laughter. Jackie saw Gandalf raise an eyebrow at them. They abruptly turned their laughs into loud coughs and quieted down.
Elrond spoke. "I have called you here today, the Fellowship of the Ring," he paused and looked at Jackie and her friends. "And the four travelers. You will all soon be setting out on your journey. Sooner than you expect, I would guess, and sooner than you or I would like. You shall leave in ten days, provided nothing happens to prevent you from leaving."
Jackie gulped and heard Jenny give a faint cry. 'Ten days?' she thought. 'We can't be leaving; we just can't be leaving yet! Not when everything is finally working out!' The members of the Fellowship looked quite taken aback also at this news. She felt Legolas' hand give her a strong, comforting squeeze, and squeezed it tightly in return.
"Do you think perhaps that this is a bit early?" the blond man asked.
"No, Boromir son of Denthor," Gandalf answered. "We must leave as soon as adequate preparations can be made. Our quest grows more perilous every day that we linger in Imladris. We cannot stay here any longer, lest we put both Rivendell and everyone that lives here in danger."
"Gandalf is right," Aragorn said. "We must leave as soon as possible."
There was silence, which was broken by Elrond. "The second key has been forged," he said, turning to the four friends. "It should be nearly identical to the one that brought you here."
He reached into a pocket of his long robes and pulled out a silver key, the identical brother of the one that they had found in their own world. Jackie took it from him and her and her friends looked at it. It was tiny and silver, nearly the exact replica of the one they had found in their world. They now recognized the inscription as Elvish, but still they could not read it.
"What does it say?" Jackie asked.
"It says," Elrond said, "Alreuthin, key to the events that have yet to take place. However, this is not the true Alreuthin, only a mere copy. Alreuthin is thought to be lost many a year ago, though no one can say for certain. The key you found, Alreuthum, brother to Alreuthin, is the key to unlock the past." He held out his hand. "I will keep it until you depart on your journey. An object such as this holds great power."
Jackie dropped the key on his open palm.
"Now then," he said, depositing the key once again into his pocket. "I have some things for each of you that I believe you will find quite useful on the journey." He gestured to the packs that lay on the floor. "Packs of food will also be sent with you. I encourage each of you to travel as lightly as possible, taking only what is necessary." He then preceded to hand each person a package.
***
When Jackie got to her room, she opened her first package. She had received two, and her friends had also. The first was no surprise; it had been long and slender. But she was still awed as she unwrapped the cloth. A sword lay there, a sword with a silver and gold handle in a gray sheath. As she took it out, she noticed it was sharp and silver, strong yet light and easy. She tried a few simple maneuvers; it swung easier and more gracefully than the swords she had practiced on. She placed it back in its sheath and turned to the larger, square package.
It resembled a book bag. If she had been back home, she would have thought it to be a book bag, just a very old looking, dull-colored one. She unfastened it and reached in to pull out some of the contents. The first thing she pulled out was a tunic. It was light and thin. Sure enough, the next thing she pulled out was a pair of pants, not unlike the ones that many of the younger elf men wore. Also in the pack were a heavier tunic, a more practical pair of shoes than the ones she wore now, and something that resembled a skirt. Judging by what the younger elf men wore, Jackie guessed that this was to go on top of the leggings.
'I'm going to look like Xena: Warrior Princess,' she thought. 'Elf-style.'
The last thing she pulled out was a small dagger. She carefully placed everything back in the knapsack the way she had found it, and then sighed.
'I wish I could stay here forever.'
***
***
The next couple of weeks were blithe and cheery, despite the invisible rain cloud that hung over the four time travelers and their friends. They all knew that soon the inevitable would claim them, and relished with zeal their remaining time in Rivendell. Jackie spent nearly every waking moment with Legolas. He had stopped teaching them how to swordfight, deeming them able to use a sword. They all felt much safer going on this journey being able to defend themselves. Jackie felt now that the emotional danger far outweighed the physical danger, at least for her and possibly Jenny, who was growing closer and closer to Frodo every day. They had finally become 'public' with their relationship, and could now be seen in what seemed like every corner of Imladris, giggling and holding hands. It was amusing to watch.
One day when Jackie was walking with Legolas through one of the many corridors, they were stopped by an elf-servant. Jackie wasn't exactly sure if they were servants, but they seemed to do much of the work around Rivendell.
"Lord Elrond wishes to see you in his study," he said to Legolas. He turned to Jackie. "And you as well."
They both shrugged and followed him to their destination. When they arrived, they found two men, a dwarf, a wizard, and Elrond waiting for them. Some different sized packs were lying on the floor. Jackie and Legolas greeted everyone and then waited silently, hand in hand, next to a pillar.
Jenny and Frodo walked in next, Sam and Merry in tow. They murmured their hellos before retreating to a wall. The following silence hung awkwardly in the air, making everyone a little bit uneasy.
Finally, Alex and Andrea burst in, laughing hilariously about something. Pippin was with them, and he too was overcome with a fit of laughter. Jackie saw Gandalf raise an eyebrow at them. They abruptly turned their laughs into loud coughs and quieted down.
Elrond spoke. "I have called you here today, the Fellowship of the Ring," he paused and looked at Jackie and her friends. "And the four travelers. You will all soon be setting out on your journey. Sooner than you expect, I would guess, and sooner than you or I would like. You shall leave in ten days, provided nothing happens to prevent you from leaving."
Jackie gulped and heard Jenny give a faint cry. 'Ten days?' she thought. 'We can't be leaving; we just can't be leaving yet! Not when everything is finally working out!' The members of the Fellowship looked quite taken aback also at this news. She felt Legolas' hand give her a strong, comforting squeeze, and squeezed it tightly in return.
"Do you think perhaps that this is a bit early?" the blond man asked.
"No, Boromir son of Denthor," Gandalf answered. "We must leave as soon as adequate preparations can be made. Our quest grows more perilous every day that we linger in Imladris. We cannot stay here any longer, lest we put both Rivendell and everyone that lives here in danger."
"Gandalf is right," Aragorn said. "We must leave as soon as possible."
There was silence, which was broken by Elrond. "The second key has been forged," he said, turning to the four friends. "It should be nearly identical to the one that brought you here."
He reached into a pocket of his long robes and pulled out a silver key, the identical brother of the one that they had found in their own world. Jackie took it from him and her and her friends looked at it. It was tiny and silver, nearly the exact replica of the one they had found in their world. They now recognized the inscription as Elvish, but still they could not read it.
"What does it say?" Jackie asked.
"It says," Elrond said, "Alreuthin, key to the events that have yet to take place. However, this is not the true Alreuthin, only a mere copy. Alreuthin is thought to be lost many a year ago, though no one can say for certain. The key you found, Alreuthum, brother to Alreuthin, is the key to unlock the past." He held out his hand. "I will keep it until you depart on your journey. An object such as this holds great power."
Jackie dropped the key on his open palm.
"Now then," he said, depositing the key once again into his pocket. "I have some things for each of you that I believe you will find quite useful on the journey." He gestured to the packs that lay on the floor. "Packs of food will also be sent with you. I encourage each of you to travel as lightly as possible, taking only what is necessary." He then preceded to hand each person a package.
***
When Jackie got to her room, she opened her first package. She had received two, and her friends had also. The first was no surprise; it had been long and slender. But she was still awed as she unwrapped the cloth. A sword lay there, a sword with a silver and gold handle in a gray sheath. As she took it out, she noticed it was sharp and silver, strong yet light and easy. She tried a few simple maneuvers; it swung easier and more gracefully than the swords she had practiced on. She placed it back in its sheath and turned to the larger, square package.
It resembled a book bag. If she had been back home, she would have thought it to be a book bag, just a very old looking, dull-colored one. She unfastened it and reached in to pull out some of the contents. The first thing she pulled out was a tunic. It was light and thin. Sure enough, the next thing she pulled out was a pair of pants, not unlike the ones that many of the younger elf men wore. Also in the pack were a heavier tunic, a more practical pair of shoes than the ones she wore now, and something that resembled a skirt. Judging by what the younger elf men wore, Jackie guessed that this was to go on top of the leggings.
'I'm going to look like Xena: Warrior Princess,' she thought. 'Elf-style.'
The last thing she pulled out was a small dagger. She carefully placed everything back in the knapsack the way she had found it, and then sighed.
'I wish I could stay here forever.'
***