Chapter three
Many Conversations

Elladan escorted Kira back to her rooms so she could change before dinner. Before she shut the door, he said, "I hope you do not mind, but you will be seated with my brother and me at dinner."

Kira let out a fake sigh of annoyance and rolled her eyes. "Well, you I don't mind but your brother may have some arguments about that."

"It was my brother's idea," he confessed.

Kira smiled and blushed. "Why would he request to be seated next to me, when just this afternoon I embarrassed him in front of so many peo.. Elves?"

Elladan smiled and leaned in closer so a group of passing elves hopefully wouldn't hear. "I think he wants to convince you to accept his challenge."

"Ah, I see." Kira said smiling. She felt a little uncomfortable with him standing this close. She gazed into his deep blue eyes, and soon she felt her face grow hot. "I must get ready now, Lord Elladan." She said, breaking the gaze.

"Yes, Lady Kira," he said with a bow. "I will wait here to escort you to dinner." He said the last part with a quirky half smile. Kira smiled back before shutting her door.

She leaned against the now shut door and let out a rush of air. 'I can't believe this,' she thought to herself. She slipped off the dark green and silver dress she was wearing and searched through the collection Arwen had brought her. She chose a beautiful blue and red gown and put it on. She looked into a mirror that was beside her bed and let out a moan of irritation. Her hair was absolutely awful. She set about undoing it, then searched for a brush. When she finally found one she brushed out all the knots and tangles, she decided to leave it down. Every female elf she had seen so far had worn her hair down. When she opened her door Elladan was there as promised. He looked at her with an interested look on his face. "You look good with you hair down." He said to her.

Embarrassed, Kira looked down and giggled a little. She looked up into his eyes. "Shall we go?"

He grinned and held out his arm. She took it and they headed for the dinning hall. When she got there, almost all the elves that ate in the Lord of Rivendell's company were there. She saw her brother and Anthony and gave them a smile and waved. "Do you wish to go and sit with them instead?" Elladan asked.

"No, my Lord," Kira responded "I wish to stay and get to know you better."

Kira could have sworn he blushed at that. Soon the dinner bell was rung and everyone sat down. Elrond and Arwen came in, and then the food arrived. Arwen gave her a smile from the head of the table and Kira returned it.

"So why did you not accept my challenge, Lady Kira?"

Kira turned her head and gazed into the inquisitive eyes of Elrohir. "Because, my Lord, I knew I could not match the skill of a trained elven archer." She smiled.

"Good answer," Elladan whispered in her ear from her other side. She was seated between the brothers and she was now realizing it might have been a mistake. Fortunately, the man seated across from her spoke up just then. Kira noticed he seemed to be than everyone else at the table. His chin reached maybe an inch off the table surface, which meant he was rather short. Kira did care though she smiled kindly at him as he spoke up.

"You're an archer?" he asked, looking at Kira intently.

"Uh, yes sir, I am."

"That's remarkable. I have only ever met one human that could match the elves in skill with a bow-Aragorn," the man said and he looked down the table to a man seated with Lord Elrond and Arwen. "This young lady is an archer as well. Apparently she beat an elf in skill today. Or that's what I heard," He rambled. Glancing to her left, Kira noticed Elrohir go bright red.

She decided to try to distract him from doing further damage. "My lord, what is your name, may I ask?"

"Oh, of course you may ask. You really are a polite young thing. Where did you learn all those formalities? Oh, look at me! I'm still asking you questions when you asked me one! My name is Bilbo Baggins of the Shire. The Shire is a lovely place. Have you ever been there? Oh, of course you haven't! I would have heard about it. A lovely young thing like you would have caused quit a stir." He continued to ramble on about the Shire and his life there, then moved onto some adventure he'd had with a bunch of beings he called 'dwarves'. Both Elladan and Elrohir where having trouble suppressing their laughter, and a few of the others were watching as well. ".And that's when the eagles came.." Kira smiled and nodded politely. She noticed her brother and Anthony smiling and making faces at her from where they where seated. She sighed and continued to listen politely to the man's story.

***

After dinner, Kira agreed to go on a walk through the grounds with Elladan. They walked a long while in silence before coming to a bridge. Elladan crossed first, but Kira hesitated. He looked at her with a questioning gaze. "Do you wish to head back?" he asked.

"It is not that, lord, but. that bridge, it is awfully thin," she said.

He smiled and walked back towards her. When he was close enough, he held out a hand for her. "Please call me Elladan," he said with a smile.

Kira took his hand. "Yes Lord. Elladan."

He smiled and she met his gaze. He guided her across the bridge. His hand was steady and he stopped and steadied her whenever she wobbled. They walked around the forest some more quietly before he broke the silence. "May I ask you something?" he asked.

"That depends on what it is you wish to ask." Kira answered teasingly.

"What is your home like?" he asked, curious.

She let out a sigh and looked into his eyes. "My home is a beautiful place. It is green and lush, though in a different way than this," she replied. "My house is grand, nowhere near as big or as magnificent as this, but it's home. and I miss it." She confessed. "My parents are probably worried sick about us, not to mention Anthony's parents."

"Are they good to you? Your parents, I mean." Elladan asked her.

"Yes. They want the best for me," she answered. "My mother was actually telling me to take a suitor at the party. before the fall, before this place." she motioned around her with her hands.

Elladan gave her a sympathetic smile and pulled her closer. Kira tensed up immediately, but within a few moments she relaxed and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I miss them so much," she confessed, "I miss my home and my family."

"Of course you do. Anyone in your position would." He hugged her close, then put a finger under her chin and gently lifted her face to meet his. He searched her green eyes and smiled. He leaned down and kissed her gently on the cheek, his lips barely touching her skin.

Kira felt her face grow hot and she wondered to herself how red she'd gone. She smiled and lowered her gaze for a moment. "Thank you Elladan. You are sweet. Even though I have only just met you, I count you as a true friend." She said when she had regained her composure and was once again able to look him in the eyes.

He appeared somewhat taken aback by this statement and it took him a minute to respond. "I do as well, Lady Kira. You are a friend. I now have someone who can help me take my brother down when he brags of his archery ability." He said with a smirk, breaking the emotional moment. "Come, shall we head back now?"

"I would like to walk the grounds some more, but if you wish to return you should. I can find my own way back, I think." She gave a hopeful shrug as she said the last part.

Elladan let out a doubtful laugh and held out his arm "If you wish to explore some more, I will not leave you. It is hard to find one's way back to the dwellings if you do not know the way in the daytime, let alone in the dark."

"I do not wish to trouble you."

"It is no trouble, lady."

Kira held up her hand. "If you wish me not to call you lord, then you do not get to call me 'Lady'." Kira told him with a smirk.

Elladan let out a teasing sigh "Alright, Kira. Have it your way." She smiled triumphantly, then took his offered arm and let him guide her through paths walked by few mortals.

***

Soon Kira stood outside her door and Elladan held her hand to his chest. "I would like to see you tomorrow," he said seriously. "We could go out to the archery fields and you could practice with me. I promise not to get upset if you outdo me."

Kira giggled nervously "I would like that very much."

He nodded and leaned down and kissed her gently on the forehead, then turned and walked away. Kira let out a rush of air and opened the door to her room and walked in. She leaned against the door and grinned broadly. She changed into her sleeping clothes, then threw herself onto the bed and laughed into her pillow. She rolled over and fell asleep almost immediately.

~Dream~

Kira found herself in a place she didn't recognize at all. She was in a beautiful forest-no, an absolutely magnificent forest. She wandered through the woods and soon heard a voice behind her.

"You are not from this place."

Kira felt her heart jump into her throat and she turned around quickly. Standing before her was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Kira gulped and took a few calming breaths before responding.

"No, I am not. I am from a place called Canada." Kira wanted very much to look away from the woman's gaze but it was impossible, like some unknown force held her in the woman's stare. The woman smiled. "You have courage and a spirit in you I have not seen in any mortal lady before." The woman said.

Kira was unsure of what to say to this. She felt very uneasy. "My name is Galadriel, and I am the Lady of Lothlorien."

"Oh, yes. I have heard Elladan mention Lothlorien. He said his grandmother lived there."

Galadriel smiled, "I am his grandmother."

Kira blushed, "this isn't just a 'dream,' is it?" she asked.

"No, it is not. I felt I needed to know your intentions."

"What do you mean?"

"I feel that you do not mean Middle-Earth any harm." She replied. "Something is about to happen. A fellowship will be formed to destroy a ring of power. I wish you to join this fellowship. They will guide you as far as Lothlorien. Once you are here, I will try to find a way for you to return home."

Kira looked at her in amazement. "Do you really think you can?"

"I will try," Galadriel answered. "I will leave you now to rest. When the fellowship forms, join them and they will escort you to me." She told Kira, then the dream/vision faded, leaving Kira to her slumber.

~End of dream, enter normal sleep~

***

A/N: My but that chapter was longer than I intended it to be, aw well. I know that the Galadriel dream was sort of stupid but I couldn't think of any other reason for her to join the fellowship to get to Lothlorien.

I must, again, thank the wonderful skills of twin03 my beta. Everyone should have a beta, even if you, supposedly, a great speller. You could use them to help with the plot, and to bounce ideas off of. I have almost picked out a sketch for your shrine. I have my Gryphon helping me out on it. I adopted him from somewhere (A web site), and for the life of me I can't remember where.

Disclaimer: anything you recognize is, for obvious reasons, not mine. *Ahem* Kira, Anthony and Nathan are mine however.

Namarie Aislin

P.S. Reviews are good and I love to get them. Constructive criticism is also a good thing. It helps you improve your writing; I am completely okay with CC.