Shinimegami: *stares at her dead readers* Man, talk about laying off
writing...
MoonlitMeowth: Yep, it's ALL your fault.
Shinimegami: Wha? What are YOU doing here?! This is MY fic, not yours!
MoonlitMeowth: Eh, it's not like you've been updating or anything.
Shinimegami: Yeah, well, neither have YOU!
MoonlitMeowth: .........oh yeah... *walks off*
Shinimegami: Okay now. Sorry, that was just my younger sister. *clears throat* Words cannot express how SORRY I am that I haven't updated for 3 months.
MoonlitMeowth: *pops out of nowhere* 5 months. *goes away*
Shinimegami: Oh, yes, right, 5 months, thank you. Anyway, if you're all so EAGER to know WHY I haven't updated, feel free to e-mail me about it. Oh, and also-
Readers: JUST START THE FREAKING CHAPTER, ALREADY!!!
Shinimegami: EEP! Uh, yeah, okay, I'll just do that, yup. Oh, but also, I can't believe what a hit this story is already! I mean, what, 31 reviews for the first chapter? Cool! But, it might also be because I haven't updated and stuff, so-
Random reader: *chucks a brick at Shinimegami's head*
Shinimegami: @_@
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Laura opened her eyes, only to find herself face-to-face with the head of an arrow and a sword.
Laura would have cried out loud, but her voice was caught in her throat. Two tall figures stood over her, their weapons pointed at her. The figure with the sword was a man dressed in black. He had shoulder-length, dark, shaggy hair. The grip on his sword was firm; he looked like an expert swordsman. His gray eyes pierced into Laura's. She gulped and turned to the second figure.
Instantly, Laura could tell that the archer was an Elf; his ears were pointed. He was clad in green and brown. Long, blonde hair covered his shoulders. He was unmoving, as if he neither breathed nor blinked. His bow and arrow didn't tremble even slightly. His blue eyes were locked on Laura, and his fair Elven face seemed to show no emotion at the moment.
"Speak your name, Silver Rider," said the man in black. Laura looked back to him.
"Silver Rider?" Laura questioned to herself. "Hmm, I like the sound of that..." The sword was lowered under her chin.
"Speak your name," repeated the man, only more demandingly. Laura swallowed nervously.
"Um, I'm Laura," she managed to say. The sword was brought back a little. The swordsman's eyes studied Laura carefully before he spoke again.
"What is your age?" he asked. "You look very young." Laura hesitated. Her mother had always told her to never reveal her age to strangers. Of course, it wasn't like anyone in California walked around carrying swords and arrows. Hmm, let's study the situation... If she told them her age, they might go easy on her, but then they might not. And if she didn't tell them...well, she'd probably get hurt anyway.
"14," said Laura finally. Both the man's and the Elf's eyes widened a little bit. The man brought back his sword; the Elf lowered his bow a little.
"You looked young, but I never expected that young," spoke the man. Another moment passed before he spoke. "Are you alone?"
"Yes," Laura answered truthfully. "The only friend I have with me is Telpë." She gestured towards the horse behind her; he still lay on the ground.
"You will not fare well by yourself here," said the man, putting his sword back into its scabbard. He took a step toward Laura.
"I suggest you come with us," he said. He extended his hand out toward Laura. She looked at it for a second before accepting it and being pulled to her feet.
"Forgive me, I haven't introduced myself," the man said. "I am Aragorn son of Arathorn." He took her hand once more and gave a light peck on the back of her palm.
Laura just stood there. Did he just say Aragorn son of Arathorn? Because if he did...oh God, was this actually true? Did she actually get flung into Middle-Earth somehow? Her thoughts were interrupted as the Elf put away his bow and stepped forward. Wait, if that man was Aragorn, then...that would mean the Elf was...
"My name is Legolas Greenleaf," spoke the Elf. Laura's hand was taken once again, and the Elf bent his head. His lips barely grazed Laura's skin in a light kiss. Laura managed to conceal an oncoming blush.
Oh. My. God. He was right in front of her. Legolas, her favorite Lord of the Rings character, was actually standing right in front of her. He noticed Laura's slight nervousness and offered a small smile. Well, that made Laura feel a *little* better. Laura's hand was released and Aragorn spoke again.
"Let us go," he said. "Get your horse, Lady." Laura turned around to face Telpë.
"Tula, Telpë," she said. ("Come, Telpë.") The silver horse obediently stood up off the ground and walked over to Laura. She took his reins in her hand and led him behind her as she followed Aragorn and Legolas.
They walked silently for some time before they spotted Aragorn and Legolas' companions next to some boulders in the meadow. Laura released a breath she didn't even know she was holding. Aragorn turned to her.
"Our companions will not harm you," he said. "I doubt you are a spy of Saruman. You have nothing to fear." Oh great. *Now* he had a feeling that she was an enemy spy.
As they walked closer to the rest of the Fellowship, Laura couldn't help but glance over at Legolas. God, he looked even better in person than on the big screen. The Elf's gaze met hers, and Laura quickly averted her eyes to the seven figures ahead of them. This was going to be a liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittle bit tough.
Laura's grip on Telpë's reins tightened as she felt the gaze of the Fellowship fall upon her. She recognized each of the members, but said nothing about it. The man she recognized as Boromir placed a hand on the handle of his sword.
"Do not draw your weapon, Boromir," said Aragorn, seeing this. "She means no harm." Boromir took another look at Laura and then nodded, moving his hand away from his sword. An uneasy silence passed. Finally, Gandalf spoke.
"And who is this you've found, Aragorn?" he asked.
"What's her name?" Laura heard Pippin ask.
"You fool, Gandalf just asked that!" Merry barked at him.
"Hey, I'm curious too, Merry!" Pippin shot back. He didn't hesitate at all and walked over to Laura. "The name's Peregrin Took, but you can call me Pippin, if you'd like." He reached out his hand and Laura took it.
"Nice to meet you, Pippin," she said quietly. "I'm Laura."
"Of...?"
"California." Aragorn raised an eyebrow.
"California? I have never heard of a place called that."
"Yes, well...it doesn't exist in this world," Laura said a little hesitantly. She didn't know how they were going to react to this.
"Now, what exactly do you mean?" Aragorn asked.
"Well, you see, I'm not from this world," Laura explained. "I'm from another world called Earth. Not Middle-Earth, just plain Earth." More silence followed. The Hobbits exchanged confused glances. Oh yeah. This was sure going well. Boromir stood.
"You claim to be from another world," he said. "How do we know this to be true? You could possibly be a spy of the enemy."
"Oh, just drop it, Boromir," Gimli spoke up from his seat on the ground. "She seems frightened enough as it is; all she needs now is to be convicted that she is a spy." Laura gave a mental sigh of relief. Thank you, *Gimli*.
"Are you really from another world?" Merry suddenly asked out of nowhere.
"Of course she isn't, Merry," said Sam, poking his friend in the back. "It isn't possible for people to do that."
"Now, now, I wouldn't be so sure of that, my dear Hobbit," Gandalf chuckled. "Magic does not always come in the form of spells [1]. It *could* be possible for her to have come from a world different from ours..."
Yep, there was that awkward silence again. Laura averted her eyes downward, suddenly taking a great interest in Telpë's hooves.
"Oh! Dear me, we have to introduce ourselves to the young lady!" said Gandalf, rising off from the rock he was sitting on. "Gandalf the Grey. It's a pleasure." He extended his hand and gently shook hers. Laura turned and saw Boromir walk to her.
"I am Boromir of Gondor," he said. "I apologize for the inconvenience earlier." With that, he took her hand and kissed it lightly.
"Gimli son of Glóin," said Gimli from where he sat still and with a wave of his hand. Merry stood up.
"Meriadoc Brandybuck, at your service!" Merry said with a small bow. "And my friends behind me are Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee." Laura looked behind Merry and saw the two familiar Hobbits, who smiled at her.
"Um, Sam's just fine, though," Sam spoke up. Laura smiled.
"And I'm Peregrin Took!" Pippin said again. "But you can call me Pi-"
"Uh, Pippin," Frodo interrupted, "you told her that already."
"Goodness, did I?" asked Pippin, scratching his head. "Oh, I'm sorry, I must be hungry. I forget things when I'm hungry."
"Then let us have dinner," said Gandalf. "The sun has already begun to set. Aragorn, help me with the fire..."
Laura stopped listening when she felt Telpë tug on his reins. She followed his gaze to Bill the pony a distance away. Laura smiled.
"Okay, Telpë, go ahead," she said quietly to him. "Just let me get my bag first." With a bit of difficulty, she untied her bag from her horse's side and took it off his saddle, allowing him to trot over to his fellow horse and greet him.
Sooooo... what to do now? The Fellowship seemed to accept her for the time being... she might as well get used to it. Laura trudged over to the pile of boulders and sat down, leaning her back against one. She looked over at the Hobbits, who were whispering to each other and glancing over at her. Aragorn was helping Gandalf prepare food, while Boromir, Gimli, and Legolas appeared to keep watch for any signs of danger.
Yup, there went that feeling again. Stupid hormones! Eh, well she *was* just a surly teen, as her father put it...
Laura opened up her bag to check over her supplies. Her manga and flute were still in there, not to mention the slightly squished sandwiches, too. And... oh yes!! Her CD player was there as well! But, when did she put *that* in her bag...? Eh, didn't matter. The point was, she had it.
"Excuse me, miss?" Laura looked up to see Frodo standing in front of her. He looked a little hesitant.
"Yes?" Frodo looked behind him at his fellow Hobbits, who made gestures as if to urge him to do something. Frodo looked back at Laura.
"Um, I don't mean to be rude by asking, but we're just curious," Frodo started. "Uh, what are those shiny things on your teeth?"
"Oh, they're called braces. See, my teeth aren't that straight, so the braces are put on my teeth to pull them closer together."
"What are they made of?" Merry asked, coming up behind Frodo.
"Metal."
"How'd you get it *in* there?" asked Sam, amazed.
"Uhh... well, it's kinda complicated."
"Does it ever hurt?" Pippin chirped.
"Well, no, not really."
"What did you say your name was, again?"
"Laura."
Annnd so it went. The four Hobbits asked her question after question after question... Laura didn't mind it that much. After all, it *did* kind of make her feel a bit more comfortable. But still, what was this, the Spanish Inquisition?
'Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!' Laura said mentally. Heh heh, Monty Python... yep...
The sun was behind the hills when Gandalf announced that dinner was ready. The Hobbits cheered and raced towards the fire to receive their portions. Laura laughed to herself; they reminded her of her sister at dinnertime... Kelly always had to be the first at the table.
Laura suddenly felt a pang of guilt. She hadn't thought of her family at all since she arrived in Middle-Earth. Did they notice she was gone? Were they worried? What were they doing now?
"Laura!" called Pippin. "Come, come, there is plenty to share!" He turned back suddenly to Merry, arguing about who would claim the largest piece of bread. Laura gave a small smile and shook her head. She felt a small tinge of content, but she couldn't eat; not now, when she thought of her home.
The Hobbits gathered about themselves and talked cheerfully while they ate. Gandalf, Gimli, and Aragorn were in a quiet conversation among themselves as well; Boromir ate while he continued to keep watch.
Laura looked up again and saw that Legolas was eyeing her with his careful gaze. Her gaze met his, and they looked at one another for a few seconds before Legolas turned his eyes away.
By now, the sun had completely set. Frodo and the others were already asleep; Laura barely held back a laugh when she saw that Pippin was practically lying on top of Merry. Everyone else appeared to be asleep... or so she thought. Laura hugged her knees to her chest; her thoughts were still on her family. She was practically on the verge of tears, when a soft voice next to her broke her thoughts.
"Malia ten' vasa?" ("Care for some food?")
Laura gasped and looked up. Legolas stood over her, holding out a piece of bread to her. The ends of his mouth were twitched up into a small smile. Laura looked at the bread in his hand, before looking back up into his eyes. She slowly reached out her hand.
"Diola lle," Laura said quietly. ("Thank you.") She took the bread into her hand, but she didn't eat it. Legolas crossed back over to where he had stood before, picked something up, and then walked back again.
"Sana sina," he said, holding out a grey blanket to her. ("Take this.") She accepted quietly.
"Diola lle."
"Lle creoso." ("You're welcome.") The Elf walked once again to his original position and seated himself gracefully. He turned to look at Laura again.
"Don't worry, things will be better for you in the morning," Legolas said, this time in English. He lay on his back, folding his hands loosely on his stomach and turning his head away from her.
Laura looked at the bread Legolas had given her for a minute before beginning to nibble on it. Those few crumbs she swallowed reminded her stomach how long it had been since she ate anything, and she practically inhaled the rest of the bread.
The wind picked up slightly, and Laura wrapped herself tightly in the blanket. Telpë and Bill grazed silently a few feet away.
Well, it was good so far. Laura was with the Fellowship, she hadn't been killed yet, and Legolas had actually *spoken* to her. She watched the Elf's motionless form until her eyelids felt heavy, and she drifted off into sleep.
Life was goooood...
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[1] I admit it. I kinda, um, "borrowed" this line from a story I read. So Star, if you're reading this, PLEASE don't kill me! The credit for this line goes to you! *bows repeatedly* Have mercy, I beg of you!!
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Shinimegami: Well, there ya go! Hope you enjoyed, and once again, I apologize for not updating for 3-
MoonlitMeowth: *pops out* 5. *disappears*
Shinimegami: -5 months. Yeah.
Iris: Shinimegami need to work on ofer stowies, too!
Shinimegami: Argh, yeah, I need to do that, too. So, my adoring fans and readers, please R&R and I promise, since it's summer vacation, I'll get a LOT more updating going! Thanks people, you're all beautiful! ^.~
Iris: Ja! ^___^
MoonlitMeowth: Yep, it's ALL your fault.
Shinimegami: Wha? What are YOU doing here?! This is MY fic, not yours!
MoonlitMeowth: Eh, it's not like you've been updating or anything.
Shinimegami: Yeah, well, neither have YOU!
MoonlitMeowth: .........oh yeah... *walks off*
Shinimegami: Okay now. Sorry, that was just my younger sister. *clears throat* Words cannot express how SORRY I am that I haven't updated for 3 months.
MoonlitMeowth: *pops out of nowhere* 5 months. *goes away*
Shinimegami: Oh, yes, right, 5 months, thank you. Anyway, if you're all so EAGER to know WHY I haven't updated, feel free to e-mail me about it. Oh, and also-
Readers: JUST START THE FREAKING CHAPTER, ALREADY!!!
Shinimegami: EEP! Uh, yeah, okay, I'll just do that, yup. Oh, but also, I can't believe what a hit this story is already! I mean, what, 31 reviews for the first chapter? Cool! But, it might also be because I haven't updated and stuff, so-
Random reader: *chucks a brick at Shinimegami's head*
Shinimegami: @_@
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Laura opened her eyes, only to find herself face-to-face with the head of an arrow and a sword.
Laura would have cried out loud, but her voice was caught in her throat. Two tall figures stood over her, their weapons pointed at her. The figure with the sword was a man dressed in black. He had shoulder-length, dark, shaggy hair. The grip on his sword was firm; he looked like an expert swordsman. His gray eyes pierced into Laura's. She gulped and turned to the second figure.
Instantly, Laura could tell that the archer was an Elf; his ears were pointed. He was clad in green and brown. Long, blonde hair covered his shoulders. He was unmoving, as if he neither breathed nor blinked. His bow and arrow didn't tremble even slightly. His blue eyes were locked on Laura, and his fair Elven face seemed to show no emotion at the moment.
"Speak your name, Silver Rider," said the man in black. Laura looked back to him.
"Silver Rider?" Laura questioned to herself. "Hmm, I like the sound of that..." The sword was lowered under her chin.
"Speak your name," repeated the man, only more demandingly. Laura swallowed nervously.
"Um, I'm Laura," she managed to say. The sword was brought back a little. The swordsman's eyes studied Laura carefully before he spoke again.
"What is your age?" he asked. "You look very young." Laura hesitated. Her mother had always told her to never reveal her age to strangers. Of course, it wasn't like anyone in California walked around carrying swords and arrows. Hmm, let's study the situation... If she told them her age, they might go easy on her, but then they might not. And if she didn't tell them...well, she'd probably get hurt anyway.
"14," said Laura finally. Both the man's and the Elf's eyes widened a little bit. The man brought back his sword; the Elf lowered his bow a little.
"You looked young, but I never expected that young," spoke the man. Another moment passed before he spoke. "Are you alone?"
"Yes," Laura answered truthfully. "The only friend I have with me is Telpë." She gestured towards the horse behind her; he still lay on the ground.
"You will not fare well by yourself here," said the man, putting his sword back into its scabbard. He took a step toward Laura.
"I suggest you come with us," he said. He extended his hand out toward Laura. She looked at it for a second before accepting it and being pulled to her feet.
"Forgive me, I haven't introduced myself," the man said. "I am Aragorn son of Arathorn." He took her hand once more and gave a light peck on the back of her palm.
Laura just stood there. Did he just say Aragorn son of Arathorn? Because if he did...oh God, was this actually true? Did she actually get flung into Middle-Earth somehow? Her thoughts were interrupted as the Elf put away his bow and stepped forward. Wait, if that man was Aragorn, then...that would mean the Elf was...
"My name is Legolas Greenleaf," spoke the Elf. Laura's hand was taken once again, and the Elf bent his head. His lips barely grazed Laura's skin in a light kiss. Laura managed to conceal an oncoming blush.
Oh. My. God. He was right in front of her. Legolas, her favorite Lord of the Rings character, was actually standing right in front of her. He noticed Laura's slight nervousness and offered a small smile. Well, that made Laura feel a *little* better. Laura's hand was released and Aragorn spoke again.
"Let us go," he said. "Get your horse, Lady." Laura turned around to face Telpë.
"Tula, Telpë," she said. ("Come, Telpë.") The silver horse obediently stood up off the ground and walked over to Laura. She took his reins in her hand and led him behind her as she followed Aragorn and Legolas.
They walked silently for some time before they spotted Aragorn and Legolas' companions next to some boulders in the meadow. Laura released a breath she didn't even know she was holding. Aragorn turned to her.
"Our companions will not harm you," he said. "I doubt you are a spy of Saruman. You have nothing to fear." Oh great. *Now* he had a feeling that she was an enemy spy.
As they walked closer to the rest of the Fellowship, Laura couldn't help but glance over at Legolas. God, he looked even better in person than on the big screen. The Elf's gaze met hers, and Laura quickly averted her eyes to the seven figures ahead of them. This was going to be a liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittle bit tough.
Laura's grip on Telpë's reins tightened as she felt the gaze of the Fellowship fall upon her. She recognized each of the members, but said nothing about it. The man she recognized as Boromir placed a hand on the handle of his sword.
"Do not draw your weapon, Boromir," said Aragorn, seeing this. "She means no harm." Boromir took another look at Laura and then nodded, moving his hand away from his sword. An uneasy silence passed. Finally, Gandalf spoke.
"And who is this you've found, Aragorn?" he asked.
"What's her name?" Laura heard Pippin ask.
"You fool, Gandalf just asked that!" Merry barked at him.
"Hey, I'm curious too, Merry!" Pippin shot back. He didn't hesitate at all and walked over to Laura. "The name's Peregrin Took, but you can call me Pippin, if you'd like." He reached out his hand and Laura took it.
"Nice to meet you, Pippin," she said quietly. "I'm Laura."
"Of...?"
"California." Aragorn raised an eyebrow.
"California? I have never heard of a place called that."
"Yes, well...it doesn't exist in this world," Laura said a little hesitantly. She didn't know how they were going to react to this.
"Now, what exactly do you mean?" Aragorn asked.
"Well, you see, I'm not from this world," Laura explained. "I'm from another world called Earth. Not Middle-Earth, just plain Earth." More silence followed. The Hobbits exchanged confused glances. Oh yeah. This was sure going well. Boromir stood.
"You claim to be from another world," he said. "How do we know this to be true? You could possibly be a spy of the enemy."
"Oh, just drop it, Boromir," Gimli spoke up from his seat on the ground. "She seems frightened enough as it is; all she needs now is to be convicted that she is a spy." Laura gave a mental sigh of relief. Thank you, *Gimli*.
"Are you really from another world?" Merry suddenly asked out of nowhere.
"Of course she isn't, Merry," said Sam, poking his friend in the back. "It isn't possible for people to do that."
"Now, now, I wouldn't be so sure of that, my dear Hobbit," Gandalf chuckled. "Magic does not always come in the form of spells [1]. It *could* be possible for her to have come from a world different from ours..."
Yep, there was that awkward silence again. Laura averted her eyes downward, suddenly taking a great interest in Telpë's hooves.
"Oh! Dear me, we have to introduce ourselves to the young lady!" said Gandalf, rising off from the rock he was sitting on. "Gandalf the Grey. It's a pleasure." He extended his hand and gently shook hers. Laura turned and saw Boromir walk to her.
"I am Boromir of Gondor," he said. "I apologize for the inconvenience earlier." With that, he took her hand and kissed it lightly.
"Gimli son of Glóin," said Gimli from where he sat still and with a wave of his hand. Merry stood up.
"Meriadoc Brandybuck, at your service!" Merry said with a small bow. "And my friends behind me are Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee." Laura looked behind Merry and saw the two familiar Hobbits, who smiled at her.
"Um, Sam's just fine, though," Sam spoke up. Laura smiled.
"And I'm Peregrin Took!" Pippin said again. "But you can call me Pi-"
"Uh, Pippin," Frodo interrupted, "you told her that already."
"Goodness, did I?" asked Pippin, scratching his head. "Oh, I'm sorry, I must be hungry. I forget things when I'm hungry."
"Then let us have dinner," said Gandalf. "The sun has already begun to set. Aragorn, help me with the fire..."
Laura stopped listening when she felt Telpë tug on his reins. She followed his gaze to Bill the pony a distance away. Laura smiled.
"Okay, Telpë, go ahead," she said quietly to him. "Just let me get my bag first." With a bit of difficulty, she untied her bag from her horse's side and took it off his saddle, allowing him to trot over to his fellow horse and greet him.
Sooooo... what to do now? The Fellowship seemed to accept her for the time being... she might as well get used to it. Laura trudged over to the pile of boulders and sat down, leaning her back against one. She looked over at the Hobbits, who were whispering to each other and glancing over at her. Aragorn was helping Gandalf prepare food, while Boromir, Gimli, and Legolas appeared to keep watch for any signs of danger.
Yup, there went that feeling again. Stupid hormones! Eh, well she *was* just a surly teen, as her father put it...
Laura opened up her bag to check over her supplies. Her manga and flute were still in there, not to mention the slightly squished sandwiches, too. And... oh yes!! Her CD player was there as well! But, when did she put *that* in her bag...? Eh, didn't matter. The point was, she had it.
"Excuse me, miss?" Laura looked up to see Frodo standing in front of her. He looked a little hesitant.
"Yes?" Frodo looked behind him at his fellow Hobbits, who made gestures as if to urge him to do something. Frodo looked back at Laura.
"Um, I don't mean to be rude by asking, but we're just curious," Frodo started. "Uh, what are those shiny things on your teeth?"
"Oh, they're called braces. See, my teeth aren't that straight, so the braces are put on my teeth to pull them closer together."
"What are they made of?" Merry asked, coming up behind Frodo.
"Metal."
"How'd you get it *in* there?" asked Sam, amazed.
"Uhh... well, it's kinda complicated."
"Does it ever hurt?" Pippin chirped.
"Well, no, not really."
"What did you say your name was, again?"
"Laura."
Annnd so it went. The four Hobbits asked her question after question after question... Laura didn't mind it that much. After all, it *did* kind of make her feel a bit more comfortable. But still, what was this, the Spanish Inquisition?
'Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!' Laura said mentally. Heh heh, Monty Python... yep...
The sun was behind the hills when Gandalf announced that dinner was ready. The Hobbits cheered and raced towards the fire to receive their portions. Laura laughed to herself; they reminded her of her sister at dinnertime... Kelly always had to be the first at the table.
Laura suddenly felt a pang of guilt. She hadn't thought of her family at all since she arrived in Middle-Earth. Did they notice she was gone? Were they worried? What were they doing now?
"Laura!" called Pippin. "Come, come, there is plenty to share!" He turned back suddenly to Merry, arguing about who would claim the largest piece of bread. Laura gave a small smile and shook her head. She felt a small tinge of content, but she couldn't eat; not now, when she thought of her home.
The Hobbits gathered about themselves and talked cheerfully while they ate. Gandalf, Gimli, and Aragorn were in a quiet conversation among themselves as well; Boromir ate while he continued to keep watch.
Laura looked up again and saw that Legolas was eyeing her with his careful gaze. Her gaze met his, and they looked at one another for a few seconds before Legolas turned his eyes away.
By now, the sun had completely set. Frodo and the others were already asleep; Laura barely held back a laugh when she saw that Pippin was practically lying on top of Merry. Everyone else appeared to be asleep... or so she thought. Laura hugged her knees to her chest; her thoughts were still on her family. She was practically on the verge of tears, when a soft voice next to her broke her thoughts.
"Malia ten' vasa?" ("Care for some food?")
Laura gasped and looked up. Legolas stood over her, holding out a piece of bread to her. The ends of his mouth were twitched up into a small smile. Laura looked at the bread in his hand, before looking back up into his eyes. She slowly reached out her hand.
"Diola lle," Laura said quietly. ("Thank you.") She took the bread into her hand, but she didn't eat it. Legolas crossed back over to where he had stood before, picked something up, and then walked back again.
"Sana sina," he said, holding out a grey blanket to her. ("Take this.") She accepted quietly.
"Diola lle."
"Lle creoso." ("You're welcome.") The Elf walked once again to his original position and seated himself gracefully. He turned to look at Laura again.
"Don't worry, things will be better for you in the morning," Legolas said, this time in English. He lay on his back, folding his hands loosely on his stomach and turning his head away from her.
Laura looked at the bread Legolas had given her for a minute before beginning to nibble on it. Those few crumbs she swallowed reminded her stomach how long it had been since she ate anything, and she practically inhaled the rest of the bread.
The wind picked up slightly, and Laura wrapped herself tightly in the blanket. Telpë and Bill grazed silently a few feet away.
Well, it was good so far. Laura was with the Fellowship, she hadn't been killed yet, and Legolas had actually *spoken* to her. She watched the Elf's motionless form until her eyelids felt heavy, and she drifted off into sleep.
Life was goooood...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[1] I admit it. I kinda, um, "borrowed" this line from a story I read. So Star, if you're reading this, PLEASE don't kill me! The credit for this line goes to you! *bows repeatedly* Have mercy, I beg of you!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shinimegami: Well, there ya go! Hope you enjoyed, and once again, I apologize for not updating for 3-
MoonlitMeowth: *pops out* 5. *disappears*
Shinimegami: -5 months. Yeah.
Iris: Shinimegami need to work on ofer stowies, too!
Shinimegami: Argh, yeah, I need to do that, too. So, my adoring fans and readers, please R&R and I promise, since it's summer vacation, I'll get a LOT more updating going! Thanks people, you're all beautiful! ^.~
Iris: Ja! ^___^
