Disclaimer: See previous chapters.
Authors Note: Whatever you do, don't even write an original story that requires you to figure out the lunar cycles unless you're prepared for a lot of work. Because, believe me, it ain't fun! *mumbles about spending 3 hours figuring lunar cycles out and not even being finished* Ugh, I suddenly remember why I like writing FanFiction to relax...compared to the stuff you have to figure out for an original story, simple bits of research for FanFiction, like finding an accurate map of Middle-Earth, are no problem! Because the info is already there - you just have to find it. Not make it up and be sure it's actually possible...*end author's complaining here*
Anyways. This chapter was hard to start. And hard to continue. And hard to finish. And just hard to write in general. So, my apologies, it's shorter then the last few chapters - a throw-back to the length of the first couple chapters. Itit also kinda silly and strange. Not my fault! It's aaaaaaaaaaall Leonard Nemoy's fault! And the Pepsi. Yes, the Pepsi is at fault too, isn't it precious? Yes, and the fuzzies, yes, yes it is...I also blame a strange fixation on Eomer/Karl Urban due to my father bringing home 'The Two Towers' soundtrack and me putting 'The Riders of Rohan' on repeat...
------------------------------
-No Eyes Needed-
------------------------------
-Chapter XIV-
-Of Fuzziness and Decisions-
------------------------------
Over the next week, plans and preparations were made for the proposed trip to Rivendell to search for information about Elisandra's father. It was decided that an escort of around ten to fifteen men would accompany...well, whoever would be going to Rivendell. That was the one of the only things that had yet to be decided, really - who would be going on the journey.
The debate went round and round in circles as to who should go - Aragorn couldn't leave unless they called Faramir from Ithilien to watch over things while he was gone. Arwen didn't want to leave Aragorn's side (She seemed slightly paranoid at losing any time with her husband. Legolas commented to Elisandra after that particular discussion that the meaning of 'mortal' must have finally sunk into Arwen's mind - Elisandra agreed.) Arwen and Aragorn refused to let Elisandra go without them. And Legolas going alone would just be odd. But at least one of them, more likely two, had to go. So, while the preparations to leave went on, the four argued amongst themselves as to who should go. And thus, before they knew it, a week had passed, and a company of Dwarves was spotted heading towards the city.
"They move fast for creatures so short." Elisandra commented from her vantage point above the palace courtyard as the Dwarves approached the palace gate.
"That they do." Legolas said. "Surprisingly so. Though they tend to lag over long distances. Quick bursts of speed, or long, steady marches are what they are best at."
"Well, if that's what they need to survive, then that will do. But now, I think, you had best hurry if you are to reach the doors in time to greet them." Elisandra said, looking out the window again and seeing the dwarves already halfway across the courtyard.
"I have plenty of time!" Legolas said with a mischievous grin. Elisandra eyed him.
"What are you planning?" she asked suspiciously.
"Nothing." Legolas said innocently.
"I don't believe you." Elisandra stated. "But I doubt I'll be able to stop you, so whatever you're planning, do it and get it over with before suspense and curiosity lead me to ask stupid questions."
"If you say so!" Legolas said cheerfully, then jumped out the window. Elisandra's jaw dropped in shock, and she leaned out the window just in time to see Legolas gracefully land on his feet, three stories below. The party of dwarves, passing by about ten feet away, started and almost drew their weapons when they saw the motion, but relaxed when no weapon came hurtling their way. Legolas, still smiling cheerfully, looked up at Elisandra, waved, and then walked over to the Dwarf leading the party, and upon being recognized, was greeted enthusiastically. Elisandra shook her head as she watched.
"Crazy Jumping Elf." she muttered, then with a last glance out the window, shook her head again and set off to reach the palace doors the NORMAL way.
---
"Legolas!" Gimli greeted Legolas loudly as he approached, and then quickly followed the verbal greeting with a vigorous handshake - it would have been a slap on the back, but he couldn't reach any part of Legolas' back that was suitable for him to slap.
"It is wonderful to see you again, old friend!" Legolas greeted his old friend. "How was your journey?"
"Wonderful!" was Gimli's reply. "We had a bit of trouble with some stray Orc's, but we soon taught them a lesson or two." Legolas chuckled.
"I'm sure you did." he said. "But come; let us speak no more out here. Aragorn is waiting to receive you in the audience chamber, and you may tell all about your journey after that, to all who care to hear it, so you need not repeat yourself."
"Very well!" Gimli said, starting walking towards the palace doors again. "Instead, let us talk about why you decided to jump down three stories to greet me."
"It was the only way to reach you before you entered the palace." Legolas said with a shrug and a lop-sided grin.
"Is that so?" Gimli said as they entered the palace. The guards, seeing Legolas walking with the Dwarves, and already expecting said Dwarves, let them pass without a challenge. "So may I ask what occupied you so thoroughly that you were so unprepared for my arrival?" Gimli asked as they continued down the halls, Legolas taking the lead so as to guide them to the audience chamber where the king would greet them.
"It was not a what, but a who, and that is the who coming towards us right now." Legolas said as he spotted Elisandra coming towards them. Gimli arched an eyebrow as Elisandra approached, obviously wondering if there was something Legolas hadn't told him, but those thoughts disappeared when Legolas introduced Elisandra. "Gimli, this is Lady Elisandra, Aragorn's foster daughter. Elisandra, this is Gimli, son of Glóin." Elisandra gave a small curtsey, while Gimli bowed, and then they started walked again, Elisandra falling into step beside Legolas.
They walked in silence, then, Gimli and Elisandra both apparently wrapped up in their own thoughts, though Legolas could guess what both of them were thinking about - the other one. It was simple intuition and friendship that let Legolas guess where Gimli's thoughts lay, but Elisandra's subtle glances at Gimli let Legolas know who she was thinking about. Why thinking about Gimli caused Elisandra to look like she was about to burst out laughing, however, was beyond Legolas. Before he could ask her about it, however, they reached the audience chamber, and Legolas and Elisandra quickly slipped inside to stand next to Aragorn when he officially welcomed the Dwarves to Minas Tirith.
Aragorn greeted the Dwarves as quickly as was politely possible, then had all of the Dwarves but Gimli ushered off to their rooms. Gimli, it seemed, was to have the special honour of heading off with the king and Legolas to have a conversation in one of the palace gardens. But though they had intended it to be just the three of them, Elisandra, apparently, decided she wanted to be in on the conversation and tagged along. The entire way to the garden, Elisandra looked ready to burst into laughter, and finally Legolas couldn't stand it anymore, and asked why.
"May I ask what you find so amusing, Elisandra?" Legolas asked. Elisandra looked at him for a moment, tilted her head to one side in thought, and then grinned.
"I've never seen Dwarves up close before. They have very...ah, shall we say...fuzzy fëa's." she said, still grinning. A loud 'harrumph!' came from Gimli, where he was walking with Aragorn.
"Is that so?" he said gruffly. Elisandra nodded vigorously.
"It's ah - very child-friendly?" she said, still grinning. Gimli eyed her, and she giggled, then started outright laughing as Gimli became indignant. "I'm sorry, I'd better go...Dwarven fëa's are just entirely to amusing at the moment..." Elisandra said with a giggle, making as if to leave. Aragorn, however, grabbed her arm.
"Calm down before you try and go anywhere." he said dryly. "The last time you tried to walk while laughing, you walked into a wall."
"I did not!" Elisandra said defensively, calming slightly. "Ask Legolas! The last time I laughed when I walked, I didn't run into a single thing!"
"Only because I steered you away from things you could walk into." Legolas said, coughing lightly. Elisandra's jaw dropped in mock shock.
"Ooooh, now I'm definitely going!" she said when she 'recovered', pretending to be hurt, and then flashed a grin at them all before disappearing around a corner. The three stood in the hallway for a moment after she left, staring after her in surprise, then Gimli slowly turned to Aragorn.
"And I thought she was strange before I met her." he said dryly.
"You don't even know the half of it, Gimli." Legolas said, shaking his head.
"Oh?" Gimli asked, arching an eyebrow as they began to walk again.
"Yes, there's this little matter of her father..." Legolas started. And thus, Gimli was inducted into the Great Discussion of Who Would Go Find Elisandra's Father.
---
"Well, the search is for my father, so I should go! And since you and Aragorn cannot, or do not wish, to leave Minas Tirith, then I shall go without you!" Elisandra short back at Arwen. It was the next evening, and after having a relatively private supper with just Aragorn, Arwen, Legolas, Gimli and Elisandra, 'Who Should Go Find Elisandra's Father', Round Uncountable, had begun between Aragorn, Arwen and Elisandra. Gimli and Legolas were wrapped up in their own conversation, though from the glances they kept shooting at the other three occupants of the room, it was obvious they were paying at least a small amount of attention to the other conversation.
"Elisandra, you have never left Minas Tirith in your LIFE. We are not going to let you do so for the first time alone!" Arwen replied with a sigh.
"Why?" Elisandra demanded.
"Because." Elisandra sighed as the expected reply came. That's all she ever got when she wanted to know why Arwen and Aragorn insisted that at least one of them should go with her, or she shouldn't go at all. And their fëa's were no help in the matter - they swirled so heavily with so many different emotions, or stayed so calm, that Elisandra could gain no clue from them.
"Because WHY?" Elisandra asked. Aragorn and Arwen glanced at each other, and for the first time, Aragorn's swirling fëa slowed enough that Elisandra could pick out some of the emotions. It was as she suspected, really - a strong feeling of protection, fear, responsibility, and other like emotions.
"Do remember that I'm not completely blind. I can see living creature's fëa's. I would be able to spot any sort of danger before...before Legolas could if he came with me!" Elisandra tried, and Aragorn's fëa immediately began to swirl too quickly for Elisandra to pick out his emotions again.
"There are dangers out there that have no fëa's for you to see." Aragorn said smoothly.
"I think whoever went with me would be smart enough to keep me from whacking into a branch or going off a cliff." Elisandra said, rolling her eyes. Aragorn opened his mouth to object again, but a gruff voice interrupted him.
"While I should like to stay out of family matters, the lass is right, Aragorn. There's no reason why you shouldn't let her go on the search for her own father." Gimli said. "She would most likely be one of the safest members of the party, in fact, except from arrows. And any wielding arrows and wishing harm to Elisandra have long since fled south, or hidden so deep their hideouts that even they cannot find their way out again." Aragorn opened his mouth again to object, then closed it again, and looked over at Arwen. Elisandra almost cheered as she saw resignation and defeat taking over the swirling emotions of his fëa, and slowly spreading to Arwen's.
"Besides," Legolas commented, "If Gimli and I were to go with her, she would be doubly safe." Gimli spluttered at that.
"I do not recall offering to go!" the Dwarf protested.
"Ah, but I shall be going, so unless you wish to spend the rest of your stay in Minas Tirith without me, you shall have to come." Legolas replied.
"You will not get me back onto that infernal horse of yours!" Gimli shot back.
"If I can ride, so can you, fuzzy." Elisandra commented. Gimli's mouth dropped open in shock, and Elisandra smiled sweetly back. Legolas watched with amusement. Elisandra was proving to have an almost Elven dislike for the dwarf, which was thoroughly returned, though they both tried to be nice about it. It was mostly for his sake that they tried to be nice, Legolas was sure, but it more amused then bothered him, making him wonder if he had acted like that when he had first met Gimli.
"Fine then! I shall go!" Gimli grumbled finally, and Legolas smiled in response. He really hadn't wanted to go without Gimli, and so was quite glad that the dwarf had decided to come, however reluctantly.
"We have not even agreed to let Elisandra go, Legolas." Aragorn said, looking slightly annoyed, and as one, three gazes turned on him, all a mixture of pleading and reproach. Aragorn threw his hands up in the air with a cry of exasperation. "Very well! You three shall go search for Elisandra's father!"
"Thank you!" Elisandra said, reaching over a giving Aragorn a hug.
"But I expect to hear of an uneventful trip except for the finding of Elisandra's father!" Aragorn said sternly.
"We do not have much control over the matter, but we'll warn the Orcs away with the threat of your wrath." Gimli grunted, and Aragorn smiled slightly and nodded. But while Gimli wasn't observant enough, and Elisandra was to busy celebrating, to notice the look in Aragorn's eyes, Legolas noticed it. And he knew that whatever Aragorn had feared in letting Elisandra go on the trip to find her father, those fears had not been soothed in the least. He looked at the king intently, but when Aragorn noticed his gaze, he just smiled reassuringly. Then Gimli was demanding Legolas' attention for something, and with a last glance at the king, Legolas resolved to ask him about it later before turning back to his friend.
\/---Please review, it's very appreciated!---\/
Authors Note: Whatever you do, don't even write an original story that requires you to figure out the lunar cycles unless you're prepared for a lot of work. Because, believe me, it ain't fun! *mumbles about spending 3 hours figuring lunar cycles out and not even being finished* Ugh, I suddenly remember why I like writing FanFiction to relax...compared to the stuff you have to figure out for an original story, simple bits of research for FanFiction, like finding an accurate map of Middle-Earth, are no problem! Because the info is already there - you just have to find it. Not make it up and be sure it's actually possible...*end author's complaining here*
Anyways. This chapter was hard to start. And hard to continue. And hard to finish. And just hard to write in general. So, my apologies, it's shorter then the last few chapters - a throw-back to the length of the first couple chapters. Itit also kinda silly and strange. Not my fault! It's aaaaaaaaaaall Leonard Nemoy's fault! And the Pepsi. Yes, the Pepsi is at fault too, isn't it precious? Yes, and the fuzzies, yes, yes it is...I also blame a strange fixation on Eomer/Karl Urban due to my father bringing home 'The Two Towers' soundtrack and me putting 'The Riders of Rohan' on repeat...
------------------------------
-No Eyes Needed-
------------------------------
-Chapter XIV-
-Of Fuzziness and Decisions-
------------------------------
Over the next week, plans and preparations were made for the proposed trip to Rivendell to search for information about Elisandra's father. It was decided that an escort of around ten to fifteen men would accompany...well, whoever would be going to Rivendell. That was the one of the only things that had yet to be decided, really - who would be going on the journey.
The debate went round and round in circles as to who should go - Aragorn couldn't leave unless they called Faramir from Ithilien to watch over things while he was gone. Arwen didn't want to leave Aragorn's side (She seemed slightly paranoid at losing any time with her husband. Legolas commented to Elisandra after that particular discussion that the meaning of 'mortal' must have finally sunk into Arwen's mind - Elisandra agreed.) Arwen and Aragorn refused to let Elisandra go without them. And Legolas going alone would just be odd. But at least one of them, more likely two, had to go. So, while the preparations to leave went on, the four argued amongst themselves as to who should go. And thus, before they knew it, a week had passed, and a company of Dwarves was spotted heading towards the city.
"They move fast for creatures so short." Elisandra commented from her vantage point above the palace courtyard as the Dwarves approached the palace gate.
"That they do." Legolas said. "Surprisingly so. Though they tend to lag over long distances. Quick bursts of speed, or long, steady marches are what they are best at."
"Well, if that's what they need to survive, then that will do. But now, I think, you had best hurry if you are to reach the doors in time to greet them." Elisandra said, looking out the window again and seeing the dwarves already halfway across the courtyard.
"I have plenty of time!" Legolas said with a mischievous grin. Elisandra eyed him.
"What are you planning?" she asked suspiciously.
"Nothing." Legolas said innocently.
"I don't believe you." Elisandra stated. "But I doubt I'll be able to stop you, so whatever you're planning, do it and get it over with before suspense and curiosity lead me to ask stupid questions."
"If you say so!" Legolas said cheerfully, then jumped out the window. Elisandra's jaw dropped in shock, and she leaned out the window just in time to see Legolas gracefully land on his feet, three stories below. The party of dwarves, passing by about ten feet away, started and almost drew their weapons when they saw the motion, but relaxed when no weapon came hurtling their way. Legolas, still smiling cheerfully, looked up at Elisandra, waved, and then walked over to the Dwarf leading the party, and upon being recognized, was greeted enthusiastically. Elisandra shook her head as she watched.
"Crazy Jumping Elf." she muttered, then with a last glance out the window, shook her head again and set off to reach the palace doors the NORMAL way.
---
"Legolas!" Gimli greeted Legolas loudly as he approached, and then quickly followed the verbal greeting with a vigorous handshake - it would have been a slap on the back, but he couldn't reach any part of Legolas' back that was suitable for him to slap.
"It is wonderful to see you again, old friend!" Legolas greeted his old friend. "How was your journey?"
"Wonderful!" was Gimli's reply. "We had a bit of trouble with some stray Orc's, but we soon taught them a lesson or two." Legolas chuckled.
"I'm sure you did." he said. "But come; let us speak no more out here. Aragorn is waiting to receive you in the audience chamber, and you may tell all about your journey after that, to all who care to hear it, so you need not repeat yourself."
"Very well!" Gimli said, starting walking towards the palace doors again. "Instead, let us talk about why you decided to jump down three stories to greet me."
"It was the only way to reach you before you entered the palace." Legolas said with a shrug and a lop-sided grin.
"Is that so?" Gimli said as they entered the palace. The guards, seeing Legolas walking with the Dwarves, and already expecting said Dwarves, let them pass without a challenge. "So may I ask what occupied you so thoroughly that you were so unprepared for my arrival?" Gimli asked as they continued down the halls, Legolas taking the lead so as to guide them to the audience chamber where the king would greet them.
"It was not a what, but a who, and that is the who coming towards us right now." Legolas said as he spotted Elisandra coming towards them. Gimli arched an eyebrow as Elisandra approached, obviously wondering if there was something Legolas hadn't told him, but those thoughts disappeared when Legolas introduced Elisandra. "Gimli, this is Lady Elisandra, Aragorn's foster daughter. Elisandra, this is Gimli, son of Glóin." Elisandra gave a small curtsey, while Gimli bowed, and then they started walked again, Elisandra falling into step beside Legolas.
They walked in silence, then, Gimli and Elisandra both apparently wrapped up in their own thoughts, though Legolas could guess what both of them were thinking about - the other one. It was simple intuition and friendship that let Legolas guess where Gimli's thoughts lay, but Elisandra's subtle glances at Gimli let Legolas know who she was thinking about. Why thinking about Gimli caused Elisandra to look like she was about to burst out laughing, however, was beyond Legolas. Before he could ask her about it, however, they reached the audience chamber, and Legolas and Elisandra quickly slipped inside to stand next to Aragorn when he officially welcomed the Dwarves to Minas Tirith.
Aragorn greeted the Dwarves as quickly as was politely possible, then had all of the Dwarves but Gimli ushered off to their rooms. Gimli, it seemed, was to have the special honour of heading off with the king and Legolas to have a conversation in one of the palace gardens. But though they had intended it to be just the three of them, Elisandra, apparently, decided she wanted to be in on the conversation and tagged along. The entire way to the garden, Elisandra looked ready to burst into laughter, and finally Legolas couldn't stand it anymore, and asked why.
"May I ask what you find so amusing, Elisandra?" Legolas asked. Elisandra looked at him for a moment, tilted her head to one side in thought, and then grinned.
"I've never seen Dwarves up close before. They have very...ah, shall we say...fuzzy fëa's." she said, still grinning. A loud 'harrumph!' came from Gimli, where he was walking with Aragorn.
"Is that so?" he said gruffly. Elisandra nodded vigorously.
"It's ah - very child-friendly?" she said, still grinning. Gimli eyed her, and she giggled, then started outright laughing as Gimli became indignant. "I'm sorry, I'd better go...Dwarven fëa's are just entirely to amusing at the moment..." Elisandra said with a giggle, making as if to leave. Aragorn, however, grabbed her arm.
"Calm down before you try and go anywhere." he said dryly. "The last time you tried to walk while laughing, you walked into a wall."
"I did not!" Elisandra said defensively, calming slightly. "Ask Legolas! The last time I laughed when I walked, I didn't run into a single thing!"
"Only because I steered you away from things you could walk into." Legolas said, coughing lightly. Elisandra's jaw dropped in mock shock.
"Ooooh, now I'm definitely going!" she said when she 'recovered', pretending to be hurt, and then flashed a grin at them all before disappearing around a corner. The three stood in the hallway for a moment after she left, staring after her in surprise, then Gimli slowly turned to Aragorn.
"And I thought she was strange before I met her." he said dryly.
"You don't even know the half of it, Gimli." Legolas said, shaking his head.
"Oh?" Gimli asked, arching an eyebrow as they began to walk again.
"Yes, there's this little matter of her father..." Legolas started. And thus, Gimli was inducted into the Great Discussion of Who Would Go Find Elisandra's Father.
---
"Well, the search is for my father, so I should go! And since you and Aragorn cannot, or do not wish, to leave Minas Tirith, then I shall go without you!" Elisandra short back at Arwen. It was the next evening, and after having a relatively private supper with just Aragorn, Arwen, Legolas, Gimli and Elisandra, 'Who Should Go Find Elisandra's Father', Round Uncountable, had begun between Aragorn, Arwen and Elisandra. Gimli and Legolas were wrapped up in their own conversation, though from the glances they kept shooting at the other three occupants of the room, it was obvious they were paying at least a small amount of attention to the other conversation.
"Elisandra, you have never left Minas Tirith in your LIFE. We are not going to let you do so for the first time alone!" Arwen replied with a sigh.
"Why?" Elisandra demanded.
"Because." Elisandra sighed as the expected reply came. That's all she ever got when she wanted to know why Arwen and Aragorn insisted that at least one of them should go with her, or she shouldn't go at all. And their fëa's were no help in the matter - they swirled so heavily with so many different emotions, or stayed so calm, that Elisandra could gain no clue from them.
"Because WHY?" Elisandra asked. Aragorn and Arwen glanced at each other, and for the first time, Aragorn's swirling fëa slowed enough that Elisandra could pick out some of the emotions. It was as she suspected, really - a strong feeling of protection, fear, responsibility, and other like emotions.
"Do remember that I'm not completely blind. I can see living creature's fëa's. I would be able to spot any sort of danger before...before Legolas could if he came with me!" Elisandra tried, and Aragorn's fëa immediately began to swirl too quickly for Elisandra to pick out his emotions again.
"There are dangers out there that have no fëa's for you to see." Aragorn said smoothly.
"I think whoever went with me would be smart enough to keep me from whacking into a branch or going off a cliff." Elisandra said, rolling her eyes. Aragorn opened his mouth to object again, but a gruff voice interrupted him.
"While I should like to stay out of family matters, the lass is right, Aragorn. There's no reason why you shouldn't let her go on the search for her own father." Gimli said. "She would most likely be one of the safest members of the party, in fact, except from arrows. And any wielding arrows and wishing harm to Elisandra have long since fled south, or hidden so deep their hideouts that even they cannot find their way out again." Aragorn opened his mouth again to object, then closed it again, and looked over at Arwen. Elisandra almost cheered as she saw resignation and defeat taking over the swirling emotions of his fëa, and slowly spreading to Arwen's.
"Besides," Legolas commented, "If Gimli and I were to go with her, she would be doubly safe." Gimli spluttered at that.
"I do not recall offering to go!" the Dwarf protested.
"Ah, but I shall be going, so unless you wish to spend the rest of your stay in Minas Tirith without me, you shall have to come." Legolas replied.
"You will not get me back onto that infernal horse of yours!" Gimli shot back.
"If I can ride, so can you, fuzzy." Elisandra commented. Gimli's mouth dropped open in shock, and Elisandra smiled sweetly back. Legolas watched with amusement. Elisandra was proving to have an almost Elven dislike for the dwarf, which was thoroughly returned, though they both tried to be nice about it. It was mostly for his sake that they tried to be nice, Legolas was sure, but it more amused then bothered him, making him wonder if he had acted like that when he had first met Gimli.
"Fine then! I shall go!" Gimli grumbled finally, and Legolas smiled in response. He really hadn't wanted to go without Gimli, and so was quite glad that the dwarf had decided to come, however reluctantly.
"We have not even agreed to let Elisandra go, Legolas." Aragorn said, looking slightly annoyed, and as one, three gazes turned on him, all a mixture of pleading and reproach. Aragorn threw his hands up in the air with a cry of exasperation. "Very well! You three shall go search for Elisandra's father!"
"Thank you!" Elisandra said, reaching over a giving Aragorn a hug.
"But I expect to hear of an uneventful trip except for the finding of Elisandra's father!" Aragorn said sternly.
"We do not have much control over the matter, but we'll warn the Orcs away with the threat of your wrath." Gimli grunted, and Aragorn smiled slightly and nodded. But while Gimli wasn't observant enough, and Elisandra was to busy celebrating, to notice the look in Aragorn's eyes, Legolas noticed it. And he knew that whatever Aragorn had feared in letting Elisandra go on the trip to find her father, those fears had not been soothed in the least. He looked at the king intently, but when Aragorn noticed his gaze, he just smiled reassuringly. Then Gimli was demanding Legolas' attention for something, and with a last glance at the king, Legolas resolved to ask him about it later before turning back to his friend.
\/---Please review, it's very appreciated!---\/