~AUTHOR'S NOTE~ This is the first chapter in which I use spoken Elvish. Most of my Elvish is in Quenya (which is considered "high" Elvish) and I will put all translations at the bottom of the page. 10 reviews, too. That's cool—I like reviews.

ASTROEAL ~ Most of the second part of that chapter is a flashback Raélowen has. She sees the Mirror and is recalling the one time she looked into it. But she's lived in Lórien for about 20 years and Emeriel has lived there for however long she's been alive, which (like most Elves) is undetermined. The Mirror story took place five years before the current story.

~DISCLAIMER~ I've now introduced all of my original recurring characters: Raélowen, Emeriel, Calíme, Shamiel, and Colindor. Everyone else belongs to Tolkien. They always will.

It was a long walk to the western border. Vaguely through the dense trees, I could just see the outline of the Misty Mountain range, so I knew we were almost to the talan where Haldir and his guards were stationed. The talan was hidden up in the trees, but Em and I visited so often that we knew exactly which tree it was in.

Emeriel tapped gently on the trunk of the tree we knew they were stationed in. "Colindor!" she called softly.

Colindor leapt lightly to the ground behind us. "My lady Emeriel," he said with a grin and a deep bow. She just giggled and took his hands. That was the extent of their physical contact in public, due to Elvish custom, for which I was glad.

They started talking together and I just leaned again the tree. Watching them laughing together was boring enough, but Haldir and the other guards were no where to be seen. Usually when Emeriel called Colindor down, Haldir and all the others followed. I would talk to them while Emeriel and Colindor were together, but they didn't seem to be there.

"Uh, Colindor?" I said. They both turned to look at me. "Sorry to interrupt, but where are Haldir and the other guards?"

"Lord Celeborn sent them to the edge of the forest. They left me here to cover the watch, but the messenger didn't say why they were going."

"Oh. Thanks!" I replied, going back to boredom. I don't even know why I hung around at all, but there was nothing to do so I just waited – either for Haldir and the others to return or for Emeriel so we could go back to Lórien.

Suddenly Emeriel and Colindor stood silent, listening intently. "Someone approaches!" Colindor whispered. "Hurry! Up to the talan!"

I climbed quickly up into the tree, with Emeriel following and Colindor last. Usually I am always the first one hidden or protected, as the guards still feel responsible for me. After all, there were my original rescuers. I don't mind most of the time, like being first to hide in the trees, but occasionally I feel like reminding them that, in human terms, I am an adult.

"Who is it?" Emeriel asked. She and I were sitting towards the back of the talan while Colindor watched through the leaves.

"I cannot tell," was his reply. "There are a lot of them, though. A group of almost ten, it looks like. Haldir and the others are leading them into Lórien!" Colindor sounded surprised.

I felt strange. Whoever those people were down below the talan, they had sparked an incredibly strong feeling of curiosity in me. It was so powerful that I put a hand to my forehead in confusion. Emeriel shot me a questioning glance, but I waved her off. That feeling was telling me to jump from the talan and run after the group. It was so intense that the only reason I stayed where I was was the fact that Colindor blocked the only safe way to the ground.

There was nothing to do but wait. Emeriel and I could see nothing from where we were and I knew Colindor would not let me off of the talan until the strangers were gone and any potential danger had passed. And nothing I could say would convince him that there truly was no such danger.

I do not know how long we waited. Colindor sat, listening intently and shushing Emeriel and I if we tried to talk. Finally, he turned to us.

"The hour grows late and I believe the strangers are beyond you. You should go back to Lórien." We three climbed down from the talan. "I regret that I cannot escort you back, but I must keep guard," Colindor said apologetically.

"It is ok. Rae and I will be fine," Emeriel reassured him.

He just looked worriedly at us. "Stay together. Go straight back to Lórien and do not stray." Emeriel nodded in agreement. Colindor gently put a hand to her cheek. "Be careful, vanessenya."

He let us go after that and we obeyed his wish, heading straight back to Lórien. We didn't speak much, for I was still suffering that same strange feeling. By now, the search for my lost necklace had flown from my mind. There were much more pressing questions on my mind. I assumed Emeriel to be lost in her own thoughts as well and we walked in silence.

The forest was quiet at dusk and we headed for home. Home, which for me, held the strange group and the key to an unknown secret I was dying to discover.

* vanessenya = my beauty (Quenya)