Ley woke in an unfamiliar room, like she had for the past few days. She dressed, in an elvish tunic of medium green that had poofy sleeves and wood brown pants. Negolas had been kind enough to provide some decent clothing for her, from where they came from Ley wasn't going to ask either.
While in Middle-Earth she had met Negolas- a double of Legolas, was able to stay with Negolas in his extra room, and who knew what this day would bring.
She walked out of her room and saw Negolas standing in front of an open window, an open letter on the window ceil.
"Lady Ley. We have been invited to a banquet being held in Gondor. Gandalf said everyone but Gimili would be there," Negolas said as she walked into the room.
"Please don't call me Lady," Ley said looking at Negolas over her shoulder, "But what I don't get is how did Gandalf know about me?"
"Well, the invitation said I could bring a guest. Would you like to go with me? It's about ten days away on horse, and that will be when the banquet will be held."
"So we'll be fashionably late," Ley said with a grin. "Even if I don't have the slightest bit of fashion sense," Ley laughed slightly and when Negolas turned around to face her she had sat down at the table; he joined her.
"We would have to leave Fornost before next morn's sunrise."
"Morn! As in morning, uh… maybe we should just stay here in Fornost," ley's eyes widen. She hated getting up early, but if Negolas wanted to go to this banquet, she was going too. "I'll go if you go."
Negolas nodded, "You would have to know how to ride."
"Ride?"
"You don't expect us to walk to Gondor, do you? Arriving by horse would allow us to arrive sooner."
"I know how to sit on a horse. Does that count as being able to ride?" Ley had been keeping eye contact on Negolas, until now. Ley had entered a dream, which she never wanted to leave.
Negolas couldn't help but smile. "We would have to travel with speed."
"This banquet is in ten days, and you're just now getting it?"
"Indeed, yet it was delivered late. The invitation was to be sent by… someone else." His words were soft at the end of his sentence. Something was troubling him, Ley could tell.
"I have two people in mind who could be the one who should of sent it to you, but I believe more that it was Legolas that should of sent it!"
Negolas nodded and slid the letter over to her. Ley could read the elvish, she just didn't know how. The beginning of the letter was boring, only telling of the banquet and when it is to be held. When she got towards the end of it the handwriting had changed and it read:
Negolas,
Sorry to allow this reach you at such short notice but this invitation was supposed to be sent some time ago. Seem your "brother" forgot to send this. But everyone would be delighted to see you, please try to come.
Gandalf the White
P.S. – We have some new friends at the castle.
"Your 'brother', I take, would be Legolas?"
Negolas nodded, "May we please not talk about that subject any longer?"
"I understand," she told him. "Uhh… so what are we going to do about learning to ride a horse?"
"I can show you."
Ley blushed bright red.
Negolas showed Ley how to properly ride a horse from morning until dusk. When the sun had set, Ley could ride fairly well. Negolas suggested that they go to sleep so they could wake up early.
Negolas knocked on the door, not wanting to intrude, he didn't enter. Ley woke a little groggy, the window was open, and it was still dark outside. She dressed quickly, and she and Negolas left for Gondor.
The ten days passed rather quickly and before Ley knew it, they were on a Gondor hill, overlooking a beautifully lit castle.
Ley could see many figures gather around one corner and she could hear laughter, beautiful pipes, and soft strings.
"Negolas, is it formal in there?" Ley finally asked as they dismounted from their horses.
"I would believe so, it is a castle," he put out a hand for her to take, she took it, no hesitation, and blushed at the same time.
The two walked up to the entrance. The two guards standing on either side of the door crossed spears. Ley jumped, but Negolas handed them the invitation he had received. The guards nodded, lifted their spears, and then opened the doors.
It was almost as beautiful as the scenery Ley saw while traveling through Middle-Earth. The crowd that Ley had seen earlier by the corner had disappeared.
The smell of food made Ley's stomach growl slightly. Couples were dancing in the middle of the dancing floor, some people ate near one of the walls, and other people chatted along another wall.
Negolas bent down close to Ley's ear. "Would you like to meet Lord Aragorn?"
"It would be a pleasure," she replied.
He led her through the crowds, but not by the hand.
They approached a man with his back turned. His hair was a dark brown. And almost as if he knew they were behind him, he turned and faced them.
"Legolas!" he said, and then realized the two elves' expressions changed what he had said. "Negolas! I am terribly sorry. I thought you were your brother-" He was cut off by Ley's yelp of pain.
Ley was holding her arm and glaring at a young elf, who was glaring back.
"What are you doing here!" Kaysie yelled putting her hands on her hips.
"What was that for, Kaysie!" Ley yelled. "We were invited," Ley jumped behind Negolas and looked at Kaysie who had been joined by Legolas. Kaysie and Ley both shared shocked expressions.
"What's he doing here?" they said as one, Kaysie referring to Negolas and Ley referring to Legolas.
Aragorn put his arms out and separated the two bickering elves. "Come now, it seems you two know one another, why argue about anything?"
Just then, Ariel ran by when she saw the "little" situation.
"Oooh…tense moment," Ariel stopped behind Kaysie and when Ariel looked up she saw Ley, who was paying attention to whatever Aragorn was saying.
Ariel didn't pay attention to what Aragorn was saying. She was just shocked seeing Ley.
"Ley, it's you! I mean, Ley you're here!" Ariel finally exclaimed.
Ley looked down and saw Ariel! For the first time, Ley was looking down at Ariel.
"Ariel! You're a hobbit now!" Ley shook her head, then bent down and whispered in Ariel's ear, "I can't ask Kaysie, but please tell me Sarah's not here."
Ariel nodded. "She's here alright. She ands Sam went to get something to eat."
"Why do you keep looking over your shoulder over and over again?" Ley straightened up.
"It's Frodo. He wants me to dance again." Ariel looked at Negolas, then Legolas. "Wait, there are two Legolas', and they look mad," Ariel pointed out.
Kaysie and Ley both turned around, Kaysie had been smirking at Ariel. Kaysie turned to Legolas and Ashley to Negolas.
They were glowering at one another.
"Umm…maybe we should go try and find Sam and Sarah, Negolas. Pardon us, Lord Aragorn," Ley turned Negolas by the shoulder. Ley started pushing him in the back gently.
"I'm confused, I thought there was only one Legolas," Ariel said.
Kaysie just kept looking from the disappearing Negolas to Legolas, "Wait, how can? I mean two of Legolas?"
"Maybe we should ask her later," Ariel replied as Frodo walked up.
"Looks like something big happened," Frodo said finally finding where Ariel had gone to.