~ Hey there, sorry for the long wait. I was having problems with my internet connection and I finally won, yeah!
Kurleyhawk2: Glad you liked, hope you like the next chapter I was finally able to post.
Daydream: Yes, marshmallows please :o) And I also like cotton candy, and chocolate!
MaverickGirl: Thanks for the compliment, hope you like this chapter too
Tara: Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad this has peaked you interest so far. Please let me know what you think of how I am doing.
Disclaimer: Must I post this every chapter? Same as in the first.
As the day turned into night and came upon day again, sun rays drifted in dancing across Shantel's face. She rolled over stretching and felt the empty bed next to her. Oh, Scott must be up already, Shantel thought and opened her eyes. Instead of the white staccato ceiling of her bedroom, Shantel saw the top of a canopy, held up by post with cursive like scriptures on them. Realization came to Shantel as she remembered what happened. Sitting up fast was a mistake, giving Shantel a head rush and a massive head ache.
"Ow," Shantel said holding her head. A shadow passed over Shantel and she opened her eyes to see a girl there, No elf, Shantel corrected her thoughts seeing the ears. The elf smiled and brought over a tray of food for Shantel. Once Shantel was fed and dressed the elf left returning with a tall man with a long beard. I should know him, Shantel squinted her eyes in thought then widened her eyes thinking this was…
"I am Gandalf the Grey," He introduced himself. " Aragorn told me of how he found you at weather top, helping defend the hobbits."
"Aragorn?" Shantel questioned, her brain was still whirring from the thought that she was in Middle Earth.
"I believe you know him as Strider," Gandalf explained. At Shantel's nod, he continued. "He has also told me your name is Shantel and that you said to come from a place called Planet Earth?"
"Yes," Shantel said. "I don't know how I came to be here, but the only thing I know is that in my world there's wonderful stories of Middle Earth. The one I know best is of how you talked Bilbo Baggins to go help the dwarves with a dragon called Smaug." Gandalf sat back, nodding. Many knew about the hobbits tale and of the dragon. "There's also a movie coming out of what happens after wards, based on some books, but I haven't seen or read them yet."
"So you know nothing of what is to pass?" Gandalf questioned. Shantel shook her head no.
"All I know is that you sent a hobbit out from the Shire and that he is to go on a quest."
"So you are from another world." Gandalf quickly changed subjects.
"I believe so."
"Let me consul with Elrond."
"The lord of Rivendell!" Shantel remembered him. She always thought he was a neat character, mostly because when she was a child she was fascinated with elves. Gandalf nodded and went to the door.
"Stay in here, until I come for you." Gandalf said sternly leaving no questions. Once he saw Shantel acknowledge his words, he left closing the door behind him. Shantel walked up and heard a click of a lock, as it was pushed into place. The door was solid, and gave a thick thud as Shantel lightly hit her fist on it. 'So I'm a prisoner, that sucks.' A look at the room showed it was beautiful. Wide open doors showed a balcony, there was a closet, and the huge bed. Only one thing was missing and Shantel's eyes widened at the realization. There is no bathroom!
"Hello, someone," Shantel started to pound on the door. As she called her body seemed to understand her position and decided to rebel against her. The feeling grew and Shantel started hopping around until someone opened the door.
"Can I help you?" This man was clearly an elf and gave her a weird look as Shantel tried to stand upright, but hold her legs as close together as she could.
"Bathroom, please," Shantel begged.
"Bathroom, you want a bath?" He was bewildered.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no," Shantel said real fast. "I need to relieve myself." The elf's eyes grew at this comment and he shuffled Shantel quickly to where she could go. Refreshed and a few minutes later, the elf walked her back and started to close the door when Shantel stopped him.
"Who are you?" Shantel asked.
"Glorfindel," he replied then shut the door locking Shantel in once again. An hour went by when no one came and Shantel got bored with looking at the room. Sure it was beautiful but you could only look at it so much. Her book bag was a delight to find and Shantel took the opportunity to change shirts, and get dressed. The one shirt she pulled out was a red T-shirt which said trouble 55. Hopefully they won't think that of me. Shantel didn't know if that shirt or the orange one that said lil miss attitude was any better.
It wasn't until evening that Gandalf returned with Elrond at his side. Shantel was sitting on the bed listening to her disc-man and jumped up when she saw them. Pulling off the headset, Shantel looked at them and waited. Elrond looked almost identical to the cartoon, except he was real. Both paused at the sight of her shirt, then seemed to decide on ignoring it.
"Shantel," Elrond said in his deep, even voice. "Gandalf and I have talked and decided that since you have helped the hobbits, and we can sense no threat in you." Shantel was happy to hear this but wasn't able to say a word yet. "There will be someone watching you, only because we cannot know for sure and do not have the time to debate on you." Shantel looked down at the floor trying to think of a good reason why she didn't any one baby sitting her, per say. After going through a few idea's none came out very well. Truly thinking about it, if someone came to her door saying they came from middle earth, or any unheard of country, she would have laughed at them. She sighed, in all Shantel was pretty lucky that she wasn't thrown in a dungeon.
Gandalf and Elrond waited for a response from Shantel. "Who will be watching me?"
"Glorfindel," Elrond ushered him into the room. Glorfindel didn't look happy about being assigned this task but said nothing to Lord Elrond "Once my sons have returned they will take over". Once Gandalf and Elrond left he turned to Shantel.
"So who are you really?" Glorfindel crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame.
"Excuse me," was all Shantel could stammer.
"What you are pulling is the perfect plot," Glorfindel walked over to Shantel. "Sauron, tells you to go and help the hobbits to earn the trust of the hobbits, only to steal the ring when his back is turned to give it back to Sauron."
Shantel sat there, with her mouth gaping open at his accusations. So she did the only thing she could think of, she laughed. Glorfindel was bewildered that this girl actually had the gall to laugh at him and his face showed it. When Shantel caught a breath and looked at him again, laughter bubbled up threatening to escape again. This time she was able to suppress it and stood up. Walking up to Glorfindel, Shantel was forced to look up to see him in the face. He stood one head taller than her.
"Listen here, Glory," Shantel started trying not to laugh. "If that was the case, I wouldn't be spending my time here with you and be trying to find the hobbits instead. The only thing you are doing is taking up my time and who is Sauron and what ring are you talking about?" Glorfindel looked deep into Shantel's eyes daring her to look away. She didn't blink for a few moments, then sighed and shook her head. Turning she sat back down rubbing her neck.
"Fine don't tell me," She said. "But I'm done with this debate for now and I'm getting a kink in the neck from trying to stare you down." Glorfindel hasn't moved though his eyes followed Shantel. "And you don't even blink," Shantel observed. "What's up with that?" A knock on the door distracted both of them. When it opened, Shantel recognized the head that poked through and was relieved.
"Pippin, what are you doing here?" Shantel went over, ignoring Glorfindel.
"I just heard that you were awake and wanted to see if you wanted a snack," Pippin asked.
"That sounds great," Shantel said. Glancing over her shoulder, Glorfindel started to walk towards them. Slipping out, Shantel managed to shut the door just before Glorfindel reached it and laughed as she heard him give an irritated growl. In the kitchen, Pippin and Shantel made up a snack while Glorfindel watched from a chair. Laughing with Pippin, as he told her of tales including him and Merry from the Shire, Shantel saw that Glorfindel has not moved an inch from his spot. Motioning to Pippin to hold on a moment, Shantel grabbed a sandwich she just made and walked over to Glorfindel.
"You know with all this staring, some one might think you had a crush on me," Shantel said.
"There are orcs of far more grace than you," Glorfindel replied dryly, making Shantel wince.
"Ouch, okay I walked into that one," Shantel said. "Look, I don't want you mad at me and I don't want us to be enemies. Instead of sitting her thinking I am the scourge of all Middle Earth, take this sandwich and join us. I'm not as bad as you think." Glorfindel knotted his eyebrows looking at the sandwich then at Shantel. "I made it in front of you so you know it's not poisoned. I'm not trouble."
"But your shirt says you are," Pippin piped up. Shantel shot him a give me a break look. On the way to the kitchen, she answered his questions about her clothes as best she could with out getting too much onto technology. Glorfindel slowly took the sandwich from Shantel, gaining her attention and took a bite. He seemed about to make a mean remarked then his face changed as Glorfindel swallowed.
"For a mortal this is very good," Glorfindel said surprised. "Are you sure there's no poison."
"Positive," Shantel laughed. "Because I'm telling you if I tried to poison any one I'd probably accidentally give it to myself." This got Glorfindel to chuckle then he grew serious.
"But we are not friends," Glorfindel stated. Shantel raised her hands in surrender.
"No, no friends, just you know who I am and I know who you are," Shantel said. Glorfindel nodded and sat with them. Merry soon came in looking for Pippin.
"Figures you would be in the kitchen," Merry said to Pippin. The hobbit had a mouthful of food, only shrugged. Joining the group, Merry looked to Shantel. "Gandalf says you are from another world, but you don't know how you got here."
"That's the gist of it," Shantel said.
"What's gist?" Glorfindel asked, him and the hobbits had confused looks.
"Slang for that's all there is to tell," explained Shantel. Once the kitchen was cleaned up, Shantel turned towards the group. "So who wants to show me around Rivendell?" Both hobbits were eager to show Shantel everything. Glorfindel followed as each hobbit led Shantel by the hand pulling her this way and that. They even got Glorfindel laughing when they tried to both go the opposite way at once. All were laughing as they rounded a corner. Shantel stopped in her tracks, and was almost fell forward from Merry and Pippin pulling and was almost run over by Glorfindel. A hobbit with curly white hair, wrapped in a blanket, sat on a bench over looking a book.
"Bilbo Baggins?" Shantel breathed. She couldn't help it. Bilbo looked up and gave a friendly smile. Walking over to him, Shantel sat on her knees. The hobbits and Glorfindel only watched.
"Hello there," Bilbo welcomed her. "Gandalf has told me all about you."
"Everything?" Shantel asked. Bilbo nodded.
"Even about the movies that are to come, although I'm not sure what a movie is," Bilbo said. Shantel smiled.
"Moving pictures with sound, is the best way I can think of describing them." Shantel said.
"Growing up you were my hero. I always imagined traveling with you and the dwarves to the Lonely Mountain." Shantel said this all in one breath. Bilbo merely laughed and squeezed Shantel's shoulder lightly.
"Would you like to hear my version?"
"Oh yes," Shantel nodded enthusiastically. Merry, Pippin and Glorfindel came over with a wave of Bilbo's hand. Next to Shantel sat the hobbits while Glorfindel took a bench close by.
