SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1 **WAHOOOO!!  Soooooo done!  Unless I flunked a final.  Now, it's C-Bear, B.S., B.A.  Oh yeah, baby.  Thanks for all the encouragement.  This is a short chapter, but better than nothing, I hope!


            "PIP-pin!"  Pippin stiffened guiltily at the annoyance in Merry's voice and hurried down from his perch on the balcony.  Scampering around the corner, he ran full tilt into Merry and Sam, knocking them over.  As Frodo shoved open the heavy wooden door, the odd sight of a pile of Hobbits greeted him.

            "Is everyone quite all right?"  Hoisting Sam up by the arm, Frodo caught the half amused, half resentful glare on Merry's face.  Frodo looked to Pippin, who stood with arms clasped behind him, innocently whistling to himself.

            "Do I want to know what happened?" 

Merry grinned. "Your cousin has discovered a hidden knothole that looks into the ladies' bathing room.  He has become rather enamored of the human women's—" A loud cough from a red-faced Sam drowned out Merry's words. Pippin shrugged.

            "They're a bit large, aye, but I canna imagine anythin' better then restin my head aginst a lass's—"

            "Pippin!" Sam and Merry roared. Frodo laughed and shook his finger at his wayward cousin.

            "You're going to get us all kicked out, dear Pippin.  Do you fancy walking back to the Shire on foot?"

            Pippin grinned again and sighed theatrically. "A laddie must do what a laddie must do.  Such things don' happen in the Shire!  Ye willna forbid me a wee bit o' fun, now, will ye?"   Frodo smiled helplessly and took Pippin by his shoulder, motioning Sam to grab the other side.

            "I think perhaps a nice dip might cool 'em off, eh?" said Sam, winking at Frodo.  Heaving Pippin out the door, they upended him into a large water trough.  Arod, who stood sipping delicately, eyed the new edition with distain and swiped at Pippin with his tail.

            Spluttering, Pippin glared at the other Hobbits in mock anger. "Ye'll pay for this, ye will!"  The other three merely laughed and ambled off in search of new entertainment… and perhaps elevenses.

            Within the innermost chamber of the stone keep, Lord Elrond stood by the window, wishing he could feel the soothing coolness of spring rain upon his face.  The sky was cloudy and dreary, but not a single drop had fallen in months.  Aragorn leaned against the fireplace, sipping wearily from a goblet.

            "Are you absolutely certain she is within this mountain?"  Faramir asked.  Aragorn rubbed the bridge of his nose.

            "Aye, as much as I can be.  Hundreds spoke of an Elf witch with black powers.  She has slept for an age, but has now awakened.  The peoples surrounding her mountain pay her homage and bring her gifts.  In return, she has made their lands green and ripe.  In Gondor, the people are still loyal to me, so they say, and she has forbidden the skies to rain and causes the clouds to block out the sun.  She has called the Orcs to her, and they go in massive numbers, from the darkest caves and deepest tunnels.

            There have been a number of reports of a black wolf disappearing into the mountain with something large and human-shaped on its back."

            "Or Elf-shaped," said Elrond sternly.

            Aragorn nodded.  "But it still does not tell us why.  Why did she take Arwen?"  He slammed his fist into the stone wall, not wincing when his knuckles split open.  "We must go, now, with an army.  My lord, you must call your people to come and help us."

            Elrond closed his eyes briefly, as though in pain.  "My people are gone.  Arwen made her choice when she decided to remain.  There is no one to come."  Aragorn stiffened, and turned to face Elrond.

            Though to the other Men, Elrond's face appeared quite impassive, Aragorn recognized the anger and blame he saw there.  His shoulders slumped and he turned away, unable to face his foster father.

            "I am to blame," he whispered. "It is my fault."  A long moment of silence followed.  Then Legolas moved to stand in front of Aragorn and placed his hand on Aragorn's shoulder.

            "Do not despair, my friend.  There is yet hope."   When Legolas squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, Aragorn dragged his eyes up to meet those of Legolas. "We will fight with you."  Aragorn looking into Legolas calm eyes and saw the reassurance there.  He looked down and saw Gimli, chest puffed out and hand on axe.

            "Aye," he nodded, gruffly. 

            "Aye," said a soft, clear voice. Aragorn looked over to the far window, where Eowyn stood, tall and straight. "You were willing to give everything for my people.  I could not but do the same for you."  Whatever protestations rose in Faramir were quelled as he saw the quiet determination in his wife's eyes.  She had been held back twice before; she would not be held back this time.

            "And the three pairs of ears listening at the door will no doubt wish to accompany us, as well," Elrond said, dryly.   At his motioning, Elrohir opened the heavy wooden door, admitting a waterfall of Hobbits.  Scrambling to their feet, Merry, Pippin and Sam began making excuses for their appearance, but gave up when they saw Aragorn laughing.

            "Merry!" Pippin's voice squeaked in excitement. "Go get Frodo!  We're goin on a new adventure!" As the rest of the room watched the Hobbits' excited antics, Aragorn met Elrond's eyes silently.  He had not missed the significance of Elrond's words.  There might yet be hope.

            With renewed purpose and hope, Aragorn moved to begin preparations when a thought struck him.

            "Sam," he said, turning. "I have news that could be of interest to Miranda.  Is she here?"  Unable to help himself, Sam's eyes turned toward Legolas and he (Sam) blushed.  Pippin and Merry had wasted no time in telling him what they had interrupted. Aragorn caught the not-so-surreptitious glance, but said nothing.

            "She's-" his voice broke.  Clearing his throat, he said, "She's in her chamber above, I reckon."

            "Fetch her here," Aragorn ordered.  "There is something I would discuss with her."  Turning back to the desk, Aragorn noted how Legolas watch him.  Something had indeed occurred in his absence.  Before he could ask the Elf, however, a loud knock on the door announced the return of the Hobbits with Miranda.

            After a happy greeting, Aragorn stated his reason for calling her.  "In these long months, I have spoken with many foreign peoples in my search for the Lady Arwen.  I heard mysterious stories of young women who appeared as though from the air."

Miranda stiffened in surprise.  What was he saying?

"In the mountains far to the south of these lands, I happened upon a remote people who

worship a mountain.  At the top of this mountain, they say, is a ring of stones.  Magical stones, or so they say.  For hundreds upon hundreds of years, women have appeared in this circle- strange women who spoke no language and wore garments of unnatural materials.  It is always the same.  They appear or disappear on the summer solstice."  Aragorn looked at Miranda intently.  She stared at him, dumbfounded and confused.

"Do you understand what I am telling you?" he asked, impatiently. "I believe I may have found a way to return you to your world."