The fellowship (and additions) made their way out of the caves and in to the clean fresh air. (Balrog's, like dragon's, have a sulpher problem. Think about it.)

Collapsing outside on the rocky plateau, the group gave vent to their grief. Pam and Kelly sat sobbing and holding each other, Gemma sat with her arms wrapped round her knees, rocking slightly. Gimli clutched his axe and bowed his head to hide the single tear rolling down his cheek, Boromir shook his head in bewilderment and shock and the hobbits sat in a small frightened group on the floor. Legolas stared enigmatically in to the middle distance.

Rachel and Aragorn were stood slightly away from the group.

"Right. We off then?"

Everyone looked at Rachel in horror and amazement. except for Aragorn, who glared at her angrily, he had a much better line prepared.

"Let them grieve, for pity's sake!" Yelled Boromir and went to stroke Pam's hair.

"By nightfall these mountains will be swarming with orcs." said Aragorn, determined to get at least some of his dramatic lines in.

The party made its straggling descent down the mountain, still with the occaisional sniffle and sob, but Gimli finally stopped crying after Gemma called him a big girl.

After a couple of hours walking the inevitable happened, there was a horrible rumbling noise. Aragorn looked round sharply.

Rachel shrugged unapologetically, "I can't help it I'm hungry! Where are we going any way?"

Legolas stopped and pointed at the woods ahead of him, "We are going to Lothlorien, the home of the wood-elves." Gemma beamed up at him, "We're going to visit the elves? Cool!"

Boromir had stopped holding Pam's hand and tapped Rachel on the shoulder,
"It is ok to show grief."

Frodo tapped her on the...
leg and smiled up at her encouragingly. "You might feel better if you cry, look at Gimli he's been crying for hours and he feels loads better. Don't you Gimli?"

the dwarf offered a watery smile, "Oh yes lots better, I mean... I... I'm sorry."

"That's ok, Gimli, " Frodo called to the sobbing dwarf, "You cry as much as you want."

Rachel shook her head, "I'm fine. I don't need to cry I just want food."

Aragorn gave her a patronising smile, and ruffled her hair. Big mistake. Huge.

"I Do Not Need To Cry. AND DONT TOUCH MY HAIR!!!"

Rachel was advancing menacingly on Aragorn, who was wisely trying to hide behind Legolas, but was prevented from killing him by Hannah suddenly stopping dead in front of them,

"Erm Legolas, these wood-elves, friendly are they?"

"Yes of course. They are my people." said Legolas proudly, and turned to find himself nose to tip with an elf arrow, loaded in to an elf bow wielded by a less than friendly looking elf.

"Oh... well... erm..."

A tall, blonde elf stepped out from behind a tree and glared at the group. Then focused on Legolas.

"Hello Leggy, still chatting up the girls then?"
Legolas smiled icily. "At least I manage to pull the girls."

"You wouldn't if they knew that when you were younger you used to..."

Fortunately for Legolas (but unfortunately for the girls who were desperate to know his embarrassing secret) the elf was interrupted by Aragorn.

Or more accurately was rugby tackled mid-sentence by Aragorn shouting,

"Haldir! My old friend! How are you?"

The man and the elf then proceeded to engage in some manly male bonding type hugging.

The girls raised their collective eyebrows.

"Erm, not wanting to interrupt or anything, but are we going to get food at some point?"
Interrupted Rachel tactfully.

Haldir turned and surveyed Rachel coolly, then turned his attention on the other female members of the party.

"And you might be...?"

Pam, Kelly, Gemma and Hannah adopted winning smiles, while the male members of the fellowship, except Gimli (although he did have something of a soft spot for Hannah) suddenly became inexplicably interested in the ground.

"We're helping." said Pam and Boromir nodded enthusiastically behind her.

Haldir stood in silent contemplation for a moment, (well if Legolas can spend half his time doing it...)

"Alright. You may come with us. Follow me."


It was nightfall when the elegant elves led the straggling procession of humans, Hobbits and dwarf up to Lothlorien. An amazing sight greeted the weary travellers, Lothlorien was a tree kingdom, lit by a thousand tiny twinkling lights, each shining out like a welcoming beacon to the weary travellers. The effect was magical, and didn't pass without comment,

"Oh cool, fairy lights. I've got them in my room." said Gemma enthusiastically.

"Yeah, I've got them at home too!" said Hannah, and the two girls fell in to a boisterous conversation, much to the disgust of Haldir, who was trying desperately to generate an air of respect.

"You will be taken to meet Celeborn and Galadriel." said Haldir, whilst giving a re-proving glare at the girls, which was completely lost on them all.

As he finished speaking there was a faint sound in the distance, which sounded suspiciously like a theme tune...

"Sod! Not again." said Gemma. "Ow!"

She rubbed her side as Aragorn nudged her in the ribs.

The group were led by Haldir in to a stunning clearing in the fairy light filled trees, they stood apprehensively in a the silvery court yard surrounded by beautiful architecture.

The girls stood slightly back from the 'official' fellowship members, Rachel stood behind Frodo and Sam with one hand protectively on Frodo's shoulder, (She still hadn't eaten and some bird with fancy lights wasn't taking her Hobbit away from her.)

Kelly hovered behind Merry and Pippin, still holding hands with both of them. Pam and Hannah peered round Aragorn and Boromir, Gemma was lurking behind Legolas
and trying to stroke his hair.

Suddenly the clearing was filled with a light which hurt the eyes of all non-elves present.

As the girls squinted painfully up at the glowing stairs in front of them, two figures appeared at their head and began to glide down the stairs.

When they reached the bottom they glided up to the Fellowship, the light faded and the figures could be seen clearly.

"I am Galadriel," said the female figure, who was quite frankly, the most beautiful woman any of them had ever seen.

"You are most welcome here, though you bring great danger with you."

Rachel's hand tightened on Frodo's shoulder.