Kaysie was caught in pure amazement and wonder at the halls surrounding her as she walked with her fellow companions. The walls were all colored a soft cream and most were covered with rich green vines that had snuck in through the open windows. The floors were made of polished wood and the feet that fell upon them were barely heard. Also to her amazement, Kaysie saw that there was no glass anywhere, not even in the windows.
The company continued their journey through the castle until they came upon an open balcony that had stairs descending from it. They followed the stairs until they came to another balcony that was much larger than the first. In the very center stood a small table of stone shaped like a star and surrounding it were chairs forming a circle. It was the meeting place where the council of Elrond had taken place eighteen years ago.
"If you all wait here and take a seat I shall return shortly," Elrond addressed everyone.
The group broke apart as Elrond left the platform. Each member who had had a seat in the Council sat in their rightful chairs while everyone else filled the other seats. Their order went like this from left to right: Ariel, Frodo, Gandalf, Legolas, Kaysie, Negolas, Ley, Gimli, Merry, Pippin, Sarah, and Edro. There were only a few empty chairs here and there (except for between the couples) but everyone was close enough to hold a conversation.
"It has been many years since I have seen this," stated Gimli to no one in particular.
"Indeed it has," agreed Legolas. Frodo nodded and Gandalf smiled.
"So," said Kaysie to Legolas, "I assume you know what the surprise is?"
"I do," answered Legolas. When Kaysie raised her eyebrows in anger he quickly added, "As do many of us."
"I see," replied Kaysie. "Is there anything else that you know that we have not been filled in on?"
Legolas swallowed. He could see that the elf beside him was angry and he did not know how to reply. Gandalf however did and so saved Legolas from doing so.
"My dear," Gandalf answered. Kaysie looked at him. "Legolas did not keep secrets from you willingly. He was bid to do so by myself, and others. Do not hold it against him. There was a time when I feared that Legolas and a few others would break and tell all. They did not, however, and for that I am grateful."
With that Gandalf smiled knowingly and then turned to converse with Frodo and Ariel. Kaysie sighed. She felt bad for snapping at Legolas. She looked to him only to find Legolas looking back at her with a remorseful glint in his eyes.
"Legolas," Kaysie began, "I did not mean to snap at you the way I did." Legolas looked confused at her use of slang. He was not yet used to it for Kaysie had refrained from using it too much while around him. She did not want an incident to occur like the one with Merry and Pippin. "What I mean," Kaysie refrained her sentence, "Is that I did not mean to get upset with you. I just have a lot on my mind and waiting for this so-called, 'surprise' is driving me mad. Do you forgive me?"
"There is nothing to be sorry about, melamin," Legolas said, warmth returning to his eyes. "I understand."
Kaysie smiled warmly at him at his use of melamin instead of her real name. Legolas had resorted to calling her that after the night on the hill, only using her name if the matter at hand was serious. Legolas took Kaysie's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze as laughter filled the platform. Apparently Merry and Pippin were telling the others of a time when they almost got caught by Farmer Maggot after stealing some cabbages from his field. The company continued to talk and laugh merrily until Elrond came back.
"I believe you all have waited long enough," he said to everyone. "So I believe that the surprise shall now be revealed."
Elrond stepped aside from the stairway he had come from revealing a small group of five people behind him. The group consisted of three elven women and two elven men. They walked out onto the platform in plain view. Gasps came from the company.
"Ley, Sarah, and Kaysie, I bring you your birth parents," Elrond said to the three she-elves and then to Ariel he said, "I believe you know why your parents are not here?" Ariel nodded with a small smile. Elrond nodded back in response and then addressing the she-elves again said, "Will you three please stand?"
Ley, Kaysie, and Sarah stood up from their chairs on shaky legs. They had not been expecting this. Elrond motioned for them to join him next to their parents. They obeyed though with a bit of reluctance. When they were next to the Lord of Imladris (Rivendell) he put a gentle hand on Ley's shoulder.
"Ley, these are your parents," Elrond told her while her parents stepped forward. Ley's eyes widen a bit in fear as her birth parents embraced her in a tearful yet joyful hug. While this went on Elrond introduced Kaysie to her mother and Sarah to her parents. After much hugging and crying, the reunited families went off in their own directions.
The days passed swiftly in Rivendell though it only felt like a few moments to the elves. Ariel had left the day after the "surprise" to go and meet her parents in the Shire accompanied by Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and Gandalf, leaving the rest of the company in Rivendell. In that time since she left Sarah, Ley, and Kaysie grew closer to their parents. Life seemed perfect and the worries that they carried about the prophecy and the danger that it spoke of were buried deep in their minds. That is until they received the letters.
Kaysie walked into her room to lie down for a while for she was tired from the outing she had just had with her mother Celebeledh and Legolas. She went over to bed and flopped down on it. She heard a crinkling from underneath her and sat up quickly. On the bed was a folded up piece of paper. Kaysie picked it up and read it. By the time she was done reading it her heart was thumping wildly in her chest. The letter read:
My Lady Kaysie,
I am pleased to hear that you are enjoying your stay at Rivendell. The reunion with your mother went well, I hope. If it did that is well for your happiness will be short lived. I have, for years, been believed to be a faceless evil but now I am making my appearance. You and your friends are safe nowhere. No one can protect you, not even the Prince of Mirkwood. I have eyes and ears everywhere. None will escape my wrath. Be warned. I shall soon prevail and you and your friends, the ones thought able to destroy me, shall beg for mercy at my feet though you shall receive little.
Best wishes,
Beleganga
Kaysie gripped the letter in fear and then jumped from her bed and ran to find Legolas.
Later that day, everyone was gathered in Lord Elrond's study. After finding Legolas, Kaysie had showed him the letter and then together they had sought out Elrond. It hadn't been long after that that they had run into Sarah and Ley, who had each been holding similar letters in their hands. Now Elrond had all three letters in his possession and was studying them closely. The air was tense and Legolas and Negolas showed much restlessness. They were both pacing about the room, which was driving Ley and Kaysie crazy. Sarah and Edro, meanwhile, were sitting together talking quietly while the three she-elves' parents were looking at the letters with Elrond.
"I just don't get it," said Celebeledh (Kaysie's mother). "Who put the letters in their rooms?"
Elrond frowned. "I do not know. It is impossible for anyone, without my leave, to enter Rivendell much less the castle. The only…"
"It must have been someone who already had access to the castle," interrupted Legolas. He had stopped pacing and now Negolas did the same.
"I agree," he said.
"That could be," was Elrond's calm response. "But that is not the only possibility. Only one of many."
"Yes, I agree with Lord Elrond," said Sarah's mother Alda. "There are many possibilities."
"But it is the most likely," argued Negolas.
"Indeed," Elrond began but was cut off by Edro who stood up abruptly.
"Why is that the most-likely?" he demanded. "You heard Lord Elrond. There is more than just that possibility."
"Why are you so quick to rule out the possibility that we may have a traitor in our midst?" asked Legolas coldly. "Perhaps you have something to hide?"
"I have told you once before, I do not have to prove myself to some elven prince," Edro replied snidely.
"I believe," said Negolas speaking before Legolas could, "That you are avoiding the question."
Edro glanced at everyone in the room. They were all watching the scene and awaited his answer. Edro sneered and turned to Legolas.
"I hide nothing, Prince," he stressed the word prince. "But perhaps you do. After all you are quick to put blame on me."
Legolas could no longer hold his anger back. He lunged at Edro, hate etched into his features. Edro did not expect this and so when Legolas toppled into him he lost his balance and fell to the floor taking Legolas with him. Kaysie, Ley, and Sarah bolted out of their seats while Negolas and Gimli tried pulling the two ferocious elves off of each other. They did not succeed. Elrond also tried getting Edro and Legolas to stop fighting but that did not work either. Nothing could stop them as they rolled around on the floor each trying to gain an advantage on the other. Finally Legolas was able to do so and smashed Edro into a bookshelf. This angered the dark-haired elf causing him to throw a punch hitting Legolas in the mouth. Negolas and Gimli still tried to pull them apart though their attempts were feeble. Finally though guards were called in and they pulled Legolas and Edro apart and held them away from each other.
"Now that is enough," Elrond yelled at them. "This is a very serious matter. Lives are at risk here. If you cannot act civilized then leave."
Legolas and Edro stopped struggling against the guards and were released. The bruised and bloody elves returned to their seats and Elrond continued.
"We will send a messenger to the Shire to retrieve the others. We can assume that Ariel received a letter as well, therefore, it would be safest is she returned here. A messenger will also be sent to Lothlorien, Gondor, Mirkwood, and the home of the dwarves to give them tidings of these recent events. We need to start forming alliances."
"And I will send for your father," Celebeledh said to Kaysie. "Though he could not make it for your return he will surely come now."
Kaysie nodded in response. Her father was a man of Gondor. A royal guard.
"I believe this meeting is over for now," Elrond said. "You may all go and do what you wish… except for fighting or arguing of any sort. Also remember to be careful and try to stay in numbers."
Kaysie went to Legolas immediately after Elrond said this and Sarah went to Edro. They were both bruised and bloodied but got scolded by the girls anyways for fighting the way they did. After they apologized profusely Kaysie and Sarah decided to get the elves cleaned up. Kaysie took Legolas' hand and led him out of the study and then led to his room followed by Ley and Negolas while Sarah took Edro to his room. Things were not going so well.