(A/N): hey everyone. I can tell no one liked my last chapter. I didn't get many reviews. I'm sorry everyone. I'm lacking content majorly. I don't know what's wrong with me.
Anyways, I AM SO SORRY for not being able to update in forever. My computer passed away and deleted this chapter and we had to buy a new computer. And so this chapter is second time written. Second time written's are never as good as the first but I hope you like it anways.
**when Gandalf said this: "All things happen for a reason*. Maybe you were not meant to go on with the life you were leading." It doesn't mean he's hinting at anything. He's just being comforting. No, she's not going to be some grand warrior that gets rid of the ring and kicks major orc ass and saves the entire universe, and then still look stunning through it all. Nu-uh. Ain't gonna happen...not in my story. =)
REVIEW! Please =)
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It was late afternoon when Bella and Gandalf finished their walk in the garden. Gandalf showed Bella to a great hall furnished with paintings and statues where they there met Novcristiel sitting on a burgundy-furnished couch reading. The fading sunlight poured through the open windows and doorways, gently filling the room with a lazy summer light. The sunlight shimmered off of Novcristiel's hair, and the gold embroidery on her dress. When Novcristiel noticed Bella and Gandalf, she put down her book and stood up, smoothing the wrinkles out of her skirt.
"Sir, Milady," Novcristiel said bowing her head to each as she spoke their name. Gandalf gave a slight nod back. Bella didn't; she didn't like Novcristiel.
"I trust you have had a pleasant afternoon walk," she said.
"Quite pleasant," smiled Gandalf. "It was a very lovely afternoon." Bella smiled in agreement. "Now, Novcristiel, would you mind escorting Bella to her chambers so that she may freshen up before her dinner tonight?"
"Of course master Gandalf, as you wish," Novcristiel said and made her way toward to door.
"I shall see you tomorrow my dear," Gandalf said bowing his head slightly towards Bella. Bella nodded her head in return and turned to follow Novcristiel.
After Bella had been led out of sight Gandalf went immediately to seek council with Lord Elrond.
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"Interesting," said Elrond when Gandalf had finished telling him about the conversation he had with Bella.
"You must agree that she is harmless. She's just a mere girl," said Gandalf.
Elrond was silent for an instant. "I believe that whatever powers she is capable of are of no use to her here in this world. It is hard to believe that she has fallen through a fracture in time; but long have I lived and many unbelievable things have I seen. And such is the state of the world today, with all the mystical happenings and strange folk going about."
"Then you agree that she is to stay here, for she knows no practices of the men of Gondor or Rohan. She would sorely stick out among them; under the guidance of the Elves she should remain. Perhaps I could watch over her from time to time myself. It's been a long time since I've had a pupil, and I could show her the land for am I not called the Gray Pilgrim?" said Gandalf.
"I consent to her staying here as long as necessary, even if necessary means her entire life, unless you have found a way for her to return to her world," said Elrond. Gandalf shook his head to say that he had found none. "As to watching her, if you want to take on the responsibility that is your own doing. You have my consent on that as well. A watchful eye such as yours shall be helpful for I care not to make her my responsibility. Now, about this "car" of hers, it must be looked on immediately."
"Of course my dear friend, I plan to take leave and investigate as soon as our council has ended," replied Gandalf.
"Very well," said Elrond. "You have my leave to go."
Gandalf bowed to him and Elrond bowed back. Gandalf turned to walk out the chamber door when Elrond spoke again to him.
"Be careful," he said.
Gandalf gave a wry smile and said, "As always." And then he was gone.
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It was dusk by the time the guard had shown Gandalf to the car. The pale blue moon was rising over the tops of the trees and a faint, cool breeze was blowing. Fireflies danced about to the tune of the cricket's song and the damp smell of the grass and dirt underfoot was pleasant. The guard lit a torch from his lantern and stuck it in the ground next to Bella's car.
Gandalf slowly walked up the large metal craft and inspected the driver's door. He grabbed the cool steel handle and hesitantly pulled on it. Seeing that it opened, he slowly pushed the rusty door all the way open and poked his head inside the car. He pulled his staff inside with him lighting the inside of the car.
Gandalf looked around the steering wheel to where Elrohir had said the key was. He placed his hand on the key and turned it to the left. That not working Gandalf slowly turned the key to the right a notch and the headlights came on and a buzz from the radio was heard.
Gandalf's stomach gave a quick jump. A noise started to beep every second and the static that filled the car hurt his ears.
"What a dreadful noise," he said annoyed. He then turned the key to the right all the way and a loud roar came from the car and it gave a light shudder and then hummed quietly. Startled by the sudden noise Gandalf backed out of the car and stared at it questioningly.
"Horrible," Gandalf said crinkling his nose as a disgusting smell came to him. He walked to the back of the humming car and out of the back, through a pipe, came a slight, dusty smoke. The smoke choked Gandalf and hurt his lungs to breath (a/n: come on, exhaust is wretched). He walked back to the front, reached in, and turned the key back to the left, shutting the car off. Gandalf pulled his head back out and noticed that the polluted air coming from the car had ceased.
Wandering around to the opposite side of the car, Gandalf opened the back passenger door. He reached and pulled out what he thought to be a roll of manuscripts. He looked at the rubber band binding the paper and tugged slightly on it. Seeing that it was flexible he pulled harder and took it off of the papers. He unrolled them letting a few drop to the ground. He set down the ones in his hand on the seat of the car and bent down to pick the fallen ones up.
He picked up the one on top and held it in front of him. On the paper was a man in dark clothing wearing a white hat leaning a woman in a white dress back and kissing her. Under the photograph was the title, in a language Gandalf did not understand, "Kissing the War Goodbye*." But what seemed strange to Gandalf was that the people on the paper looked real; far too real to be a painting. And even stranger, the people and the background were not colors of normal people. Instead they were shades of grey, white, and black.
"Is her world really as drab as she says?" thought Gandalf, his mind in a state of wonderment. "A world without color. How dreadful. Is this what the rule of mankind has to offer? And how has it come to this?"
But then Gandalf looked down and in a state of great confusion hastily picked up another poster that was on the ground. Bright, lively colors danced off the page and sang to Gandalf's eyes*.
"But what is this?" asked Gandalf aloud. "Then her world is not all grey and dreary." Gandalf quickly looked back and forth between the two posters. He then leafed through the rest of the posters. Some were colored, others black and white, and still others looked like the people themselves were sucked into the paper.
After Gandalf had finished with the posters he rolled them back up and placed them on the shelf behind the seat. He nudged around many things in which he had never seen. A hard thing with knobs and buttons was there, made out of a material he had never seen before. A long black tail protruded from the back of it.
A few familiar things Gandalf found in the car. First he found a blanket, with a pattern of four men walking across a road of some sort. Next he found a couple books scattered at the bottom and underneath the seats. Pulling them out he opened them but to his dismay he could not read the writing.
"I shall take these with me," Gandalf thought. "It may do her a comfort to see something familiar and of her own." Gandalf took three books and put them in a pocket inside of his cloak. He grabbed the blanket and draped it over his arm.
It was dark now and the smell of night was everywhere. A hint of pink lay just above the trees in the west and a nightingale sang out. Gandalf walked away from the car with his staff brightly lit casting an eerie light upon the ground. A few tire tracks were in the ground behind Bella's car, but no trees other then the one that was imbedded in the front of the car were damaged. There were no signs of her car entering through the trees – there wouldn't have been room anyhow, the trees growing so closely together. Gandalf searched the area for another quarter of an hour but saw no signs to alleviate this mystery.
Finally Gandalf walked up to the guard and spoke. "Let us away now. My business here is finished for the moment."
And off Gandalf went, following the guard into the woods back to Rivendell.
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(A/N):Okay, yay! I'm done, and it's finally posted. I've done my part, now purty please do yers….REVIEW!!!!!!!!! I'll buy you all ponies if you do!
All mean flames will go to the homeless so they can be warm!
*First picture is obviously called "Kissing the War Goodbye" and the second is "Colour Studies" by Wassily Kandinsky.
You can see both at Art.com
