Hey everyone out there in reader land. I just wanted to give a HUGE thank you and a shout out to: Hannah, Mija, and PhoenixQueen. Thank you so much for reviewing the story. And PhoenixQueen put forward a very good question: This spirit merging thing that Sydney does, other than the shields, is there some weak point in this ability? There is a weakness to the power and it will be evident in a later chapter, actually there's a few of them but we won't get into them. So here's the next chapter, hope everyone likes it and please review. *on my knees begging* Please review for me.
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Sydney woke early in the morning and grabbed her phone on the way to the kitchen. Gandalf was still in the same place as he had been the night before but now he was reading a magazine. Starting some hot water for coffee, she dialed one of her close friends and waited for him to pick up. While talking to him she wandered out to the hallway and picked up the morning paper and kicked the door shut behind her when she came back in. Finally getting off the line with her friend she called several other places to have everything arranged.
One of her friends was moving into her apartment and the lease was going to switch over to his name. She made several arrangements with the bank in regards to her account and called her friends to bid them farewell. When Patrick came by she handed him the keys to the apartment and gave him a hug good bye. He promised to take care of the apartment and the couch was always open for her whenever she came back. After he left, she disappeared into the bedroom and reappeared dressed as an elf in the dark green breeches and tunic.
In her hands were her bow and blades looking brand new as she carefully set them on the kitchen counter in front of Gandalf as she strapped on her quiver.
"Do you remember how to still use those?" he asked nodding towards the weapons.
Picking up the blades she looked at him. "These; yes." She slipped them into the scabbards.
"This?" she asked picking up the bow. "Probably not."
"Well at least you remember how to use your blades," he muttered as he stood up from the bar stool.
"Watch it Gandalf or I might just practice on you," she said with a smirk.
Gandalf gave her a look as he walked past her and out the door as she followed. Stopping in the doorway she turned and looked back to the apartment and sighed to herself. She was leaving everything behind except for a few things that she had stuffed into a dark green duffel bag that hung over her shoulder. With a final sigh she turned and closed the door behind her to follow Gandalf up to the roof. The city was just coming alive as she sat on the ledge and watched as Gandalf started the spell. A few minutes later a black hole was revealed and Sydney stood up from her seat and moved to stand next to Gandalf.
"When will you take the spell off me?" she asked reaching up to feel her 'human' ears.
"It will automatically lift when we pass into Middle-Earth. You shall have your Elf ears back soon along with all your other Elf abilities," Gandalf smiled before walking into the black portal.
Glancing around the city once more she followed after Gandalf and immediately had the sensation of falling. She didn't know how long she fell or what she passed, if anything. Her eyes were clenched shut until they snapped open when she hit the ground hard. With a mild grunt of pain she rolled over to see Gandalf standing next to her.
"Have a pleasurable trip?" he questioned with a smile as she grimaced.
"Oh yeah, always. Should have watched that last step, it was a doozie," she muttered and pushed herself off the ground.
Lifting a hand to one of her ears she brightly smiled feeling the point. Before she could grab her bag her ears picked up a sound that made her pull out her blades and spin towards the dense forest.
"What do you hear Sydney?" Gandalf asked watching her closely.
"Orcs are coming near," she replied softly eyeing the surrounding forest.
"How many?"
"A good size welcoming party. Nothing we can't handle," she said as they emerged from the trees. "I've missed a good orc battle."
Legolas motioned for the group to stop for a moment as he strained to hear deep in the forest. Elladan rode up beside him and looked curiously at the fellow Elf.
"What is it Legolas?"
"I thought I heard something but I do not hear it now. How close are we to the place Gandalf told us to meet him?"
"It should-"
Everyone's head snapped up at the orc scream that echoed through the trees. Without a word everyone galloped their horses in the direction that the scream came from and rode into a small clearing with orc bodies strewn everywhere. Scanning the clearing Legolas' eyes found Gandalf sitting on the ground with someone standing over him. The figure's back was to him but he saw the arm holding a bloodied blade raise and start to sweep towards Gandalf. Thinking quickly he pulled out an arrow and notched it before releasing the deadly arrow.
"What is this? Resting on the job again Gandalf," Sydney asked looking down at the old wizard.
"If that blasted branch hadn't tripped me I would still be standing," he said pointing to the branch at Sydney's feet.
"Always blaming it on the branch," she said, lightly fingering the blade. "I've forgotten how nice and light these blades are."
Holding up the blade and intending to swing it around her she failed to notice Gandalf suddenly pale.
"NO!"
Sydney's head snapped up at his cry and not even a second after he yelled she felt a blinding pain in her back. A cry was ripped from her lips as she stumbled forward from the impact and fell to her knees. Grimacing from the pain she slowly became aware of more Elves gathering around Gandalf and her as she braced her hands on the dirt.
"Legolas Greenleaf why did you shoot her?" Gandalf yelled as Legolas looked at who he shot and realized his error.
"I-I didn't know. It looked as if she was about to kill you Gandalf!" he stuttered looking at the she-elf on her hands and knees with one of his arrows protruding from her back.
"Gandalf…somebody…pull it out," Sydney muttered as she reached out to grab the edge of Gandalf's robes.
"Legolas hold her," Gandalf ordered kneeling next to Sydney.
Handing his bow to Elladan to hold for him Legolas knelt on the other side of the she-elf and grasped her shoulders. When Gandalf touched the arrow shaft, her hand found Legolas' forearm and she dug her nails into his flesh. The first time Gandalf jerked she hissed in pain but still felt the arrow tip inside her.
"Again Gandalf," she ground out.
He jerked again and she felt the arrow come loose and blood start to ooze from the wound. Slowly she released her grip from Legolas' forearm and bit her bottom lip in pain.
"I can't believe you fucking shot me," she muttered knowing the Elf that shot her was now the one holding her up.
"I would beg you for your forgiveness milady for it were my drastic error," he replied as another figure knelt in front of Sydney.
"Alatariel?" the figure asked and Sydney lifted her head to look at the speaker.
"I go by Sydney no Elladan. I no longer answer to my Elvish name," she said with a faint smile to her friend.
"Whatever you are called now it is still good to see you," he said with a bright smile but frowned when he saw her grimace with pain. "How bad is the wound Gandalf?"
"It's not life threatening but still very deep. It might be best to have your father look at it," he said hoping to stop the trickle of blood running down Sydney's back.
"No. Not Elrond," Sydney snapped looking up at the two.
"Sydney your wound must be tended to and Elrond is the best to do so," Gandalf said with a stern tone in his voice.
"If given the chance Elrond would have shoved the arrow in deeper in hopes of killing me. I would allow a healer but not Elrond."
"Come Sydney, we will decide when we reach Rivendell. Elrohir will be so excited to see you again," Elladan said helping Sydney to her feet.
Legolas slowly stood and moved to his horse watching as Elladan helped the she-elf onto his horse. Mounting behind her, she said something to him causing him to laugh and brightly smile at her. Riding towards Rivendell Legolas watched the she-elf and carefully sized her up. Even with her wound she held herself proudly and with an air of confidence that made even the strongest of warriors eye her warily. He saw her head turn and immediately locked gazes with her; challenging her to break the gaze first. Instead, her eyes narrowed and almost seemed to bore directly through him and left him feeling vulnerable. Her eyebrows arched up in slight amusement and a small twitch of her mouth almost seemed like she was mocking him. She broke the gaze first and pulled Elladan's head down a bit to whisper something to him. Legolas was staring forward when Elladan looked over to him before whispering a reply to Sydney.
Sydney could barely restrain the smirk on her lips as she held the gaze of the other Elf that she had sensed staring at her. Casually breaking the gaze she pulled Elladan's head down to her to speak to him without being overheard.
"Elladan who is that Elf that is staring at me and why is he staring at me?"
Lifting his head he looked to where Sydney nodded and turned back to answer.
"That is Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood and the one that shot you. Maybe he fancies you," he whispered causing her to snort.
"Well then it's totally one sided."
Sydney looked up as Rivendell came into view and felt her heart warm slightly; happy to be home. Her temporary happy moment was washed away when she moved slightly and felt her wound protest angrily. Thankfully when Gandalf yelled 'no' she had started to turn and that movement had probably saved her life. If she hadn't turned that slight bit the arrow might have pierced her heart and killed her instantly. Her first time being home for fifteen hundred years and she almost gets killed on the first day.
Elladan stopped the horse and quickly swung off to help her off as the entire group dismounted. Sydney heard footsteps nearing and hoped that it was not Elrond. She didn't think she could handle him right then.
"What is it with you Elladan? Every time you go out someone always comes back injured," the voice said and Sydney brightened.
"You should know Elrohir. It's usually you," she said looking up to the other dark haired twin.
"Ai! Alatariel Sáralondë, it has been a very long time my friend," Elrohir cried pulling her into a tight hug.
Sydney gasped in pain as his arm pressed on her wound and he quickly released her as she paled slightly.
"What's wrong?"
"He shot me with a damn arrow," she said pointing to Legolas.
"It was on accident!" Legolas yelped as Elrohir looked at him shocked.
"Yeah well that has yet to be proven," she snapped back.
"Enough Sydney! Go and see the healers now," Gandalf said tiring of their bickering.
Sydney glared at Legolas before backing down and giving into Elladan's gentle tugs on her arm. He led her up a set of stairs and disappeared, leaving Legolas and Gandalf alone.
"I do apologize for Sydney's behavior Legolas. She's normally not that hostile, at least not our in the open," Gandalf said to the Elf prince with a sigh.
"It is not your place to apologize for her actions Gandalf. She is a grown Elf, she can apologize on her own," he replied turning his back to the stair case.
