Chapter 2
"Quiet, do not wake her," a voice said from outside of Joey's dream world. "We don't know what this adaneth (human) is doing here." Joey's eyes flew open and she sat up. Startled by her sudden movement, the man, or to be completely correct, elf, jumped slightly. "Who are you?" Joey asked, looking around the room for a weapon of a sort, in case this stranger was not a friend. As she looked around, she realized she was no longer at home. "Where am I?" "You, adaneth, are in Mirkwood," the elf said, his sapphire eyes twinkling. "Mirkwood?" Joey said, her eyes widening. "I'm in Middle-Earth?" she asked as the elf nodded, looking at her oddly but she smiled. "I'm in Middle- Earth!" she said louder, startling the elf again. She was in the one place she had always wanted to go, but never could. "Wait," she thought, a frown coming to her face. "How is this possible?" She searched for an answer and remembered the necklace her grandmother had given her. "A place where I belonged." she thought, remembering her grandmother's words. "But how could I belong here?" she asked softly, almost inaudible even to the elf. "I am sorry milady, for I know not what you speak of," the elf said, his eyes looking slightly alarmed at the strangeness of the woman in front of him. Joey snapped back into reality and looked at the elf. "I'm sorry," Joey said, getting up from the bed. "I am forgetting myself. My name is Joey." "Joey," the elf said, saying the foreign name to himself. Such an odd name it was, to him at least. "I am Legolas Greenleaf, prince of Mirkwood," he said, as Joey gasped. "Legolas?" she said, taking in, for the first time, his facial features. She smiled as she realized just how much he looked like Orlando Bloom, or rather, Orlando Bloom looked like him. Regaining her composure, she smiled and said, "I know of you, son of Thranduil. I have heard great stories about you. Could you tell me, my lord, what year this is?" she asked as Legolas looked at her, surprised that she knew of him. "It is the 2nd year of the Fourth Age, milady," Legolas said. Joey smiled and thought, "So this is after the Fellowship has destroyed the ring, a world that knows peace." "Milady," Legolas said, placing a gentle hand on Joey's shoulder. "Perhaps you would like to change and join us for dinner?" he asked, gesturing to a beautiful deep red gown lying on a chair. "I would love to, Legolas," she said, in Sindarian, surprising Legolas again. "I have spent many years learning the languages of your people," Joey explained as her eyes twinkled and she could not help give out a small laugh. "You will correct me though, if I am wrong?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. It was Legolas' turn to laugh. "Nay, milady," Legolas said, his sapphire eyes twinkling. "I do not think I will feel the need to. You speak as if you have known the language all your life." Standing up, he said, "Now I will leave you so you can get ready for dinner, Joey. I will be seeing you soon, it seems." He bowed, turned, and left, closing the door behind him. Joey turned to take a closer look at the red gown as she heard the soft click of the door close behind her. The dress was truly beautiful, of elven style and make. It was soft under her fingers, and, while made of simple fabrics, held elegance in design and the love poured into its making. With a smile, she slipped out of her pyjamas and stepped into the gown. That finished, she went over to see if there was something she could do about her waist-length hair.
~*~
Legolas looked up from his seat at the table at the sound of footsteps and his breath caught mid-way. Joey had just walked into the dining hall in the red dress and she looked stunning. She could have passed for an elf with her height and build, but the dark hair and lack of pointy ears told otherwise. He smiled as a look of uncertainty crossed her face. He got up from his seat next to his father to greet her where she stood at the entrance of the dining hall. "Mae govannen, milady," Legolas said, taking her hand and placing it in the crook of his elbow. He escorted her to her seat as a guest, on the other side of the king. She smiled her thanks and took her seat as Legolas returned to his own seat. Elves started appearing with plates of delicious looking food and soon, the elves were starting to eat. Before she started to eat, Joey looked over at Thranduil and was greeted by a warm smile. "Good evening, my lord," Joey said in Sindarian as she bowed her head, shocking Thranduil. "It was very kind of you to welcome me so. My name is Joey." "My child," Thranduil said in Sindarian, certain now that Joey understood. "You gave us quite a scare when you were found in the forest alone. I am only glad that you were just asleep, and not injured." "Aye, my lord," Joey said. "I am well, though my home is far from here." "Where do you live, Joey?" Thranduil asked intrigued now as to how she had gotten into his forest without his knowledge. "Where is your family?" "I am an only child, my lord," Joey said, sadness passing through her eyes. "My parents died when I was young and I was raised by my grandmother. Alas, she has left me now as well. I speak your language and know of these lands well, but I am not from this world, my lord. I come from a time that is not even thought to be conceivable in this time." Thranduil looked shocked for a moment. "How did you get here then?" Thranduil asked, uncertain if what she was saying was true. "I know it is all hard to believe," Joey said, seeing the look on Thranduil's face. "I was transported into this world, I believe, by the power that resides in this," Joey said, pulling out the necklace for him to see. "That is hard to believe," Thranduil said, his face thoughtful. "But there are many powers that work in this world, and yours as well it seems. In reality, this is not that hard to believe," he said, as if weighing both sides. Legolas looked back and forth from his father and Joey as they talked, but finally, he cleared his throat. The other two stopped talking and looked at him, expecting him to add something to their conversation. "I know it is not my place, Ada," Legolas started, though his eyes showed no fear. "Perhaps it is wise for our guest to get some long needed rest. It has been a long journey for her, it seems." "Ahh," Thranduil said, his cheeks colouring slightly. "I am forgetting my manners. I am sorry, Joey, for keeping you away from rest." "It's quite alright, my lord," Joey said, standing up from her seat. "I will take my leave now, though I wish to remind the elven prince that I am not made of glass," she said, her eyes twinkling, but serious and flashing with fire at the same time. "Goodnight, my lord," she said again in the elven tongue as she bowed to Thranduil and Legolas before turning to leave. Thranduil started to laugh as he looked over at his son who was sitting with his mouth slightly open and his eyes showing slight embarrassment. "She is quite the adaneth, is she not?" Thranduil said, looking over at his shocked son. Legolas regained his composure and turned to his father. With a look of slight dismay, he shook his head, but did not smile. "Aye, father, she is. Though I do not know how far that attitude will take her before she runs into trouble." "I see no reason to think she cannot hold her tongue," Thranduil said, laughing inwardly at his son. "Though she seems to do a pretty good job of teasing you!" At this remark, Legolas turned quite red and got up to take his leave as well. As he exited the dining hall, he could still hear his father chuckling on his behalf. Legolas walked with quick strides to his room and closed the door. In his room, he heaved a sigh and fell on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, wondering how long his father will tease him for, all because of a certain edan, who, despite her comments before, had already fallen into a peaceful sleep in her own chambers.
"Quiet, do not wake her," a voice said from outside of Joey's dream world. "We don't know what this adaneth (human) is doing here." Joey's eyes flew open and she sat up. Startled by her sudden movement, the man, or to be completely correct, elf, jumped slightly. "Who are you?" Joey asked, looking around the room for a weapon of a sort, in case this stranger was not a friend. As she looked around, she realized she was no longer at home. "Where am I?" "You, adaneth, are in Mirkwood," the elf said, his sapphire eyes twinkling. "Mirkwood?" Joey said, her eyes widening. "I'm in Middle-Earth?" she asked as the elf nodded, looking at her oddly but she smiled. "I'm in Middle- Earth!" she said louder, startling the elf again. She was in the one place she had always wanted to go, but never could. "Wait," she thought, a frown coming to her face. "How is this possible?" She searched for an answer and remembered the necklace her grandmother had given her. "A place where I belonged." she thought, remembering her grandmother's words. "But how could I belong here?" she asked softly, almost inaudible even to the elf. "I am sorry milady, for I know not what you speak of," the elf said, his eyes looking slightly alarmed at the strangeness of the woman in front of him. Joey snapped back into reality and looked at the elf. "I'm sorry," Joey said, getting up from the bed. "I am forgetting myself. My name is Joey." "Joey," the elf said, saying the foreign name to himself. Such an odd name it was, to him at least. "I am Legolas Greenleaf, prince of Mirkwood," he said, as Joey gasped. "Legolas?" she said, taking in, for the first time, his facial features. She smiled as she realized just how much he looked like Orlando Bloom, or rather, Orlando Bloom looked like him. Regaining her composure, she smiled and said, "I know of you, son of Thranduil. I have heard great stories about you. Could you tell me, my lord, what year this is?" she asked as Legolas looked at her, surprised that she knew of him. "It is the 2nd year of the Fourth Age, milady," Legolas said. Joey smiled and thought, "So this is after the Fellowship has destroyed the ring, a world that knows peace." "Milady," Legolas said, placing a gentle hand on Joey's shoulder. "Perhaps you would like to change and join us for dinner?" he asked, gesturing to a beautiful deep red gown lying on a chair. "I would love to, Legolas," she said, in Sindarian, surprising Legolas again. "I have spent many years learning the languages of your people," Joey explained as her eyes twinkled and she could not help give out a small laugh. "You will correct me though, if I am wrong?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. It was Legolas' turn to laugh. "Nay, milady," Legolas said, his sapphire eyes twinkling. "I do not think I will feel the need to. You speak as if you have known the language all your life." Standing up, he said, "Now I will leave you so you can get ready for dinner, Joey. I will be seeing you soon, it seems." He bowed, turned, and left, closing the door behind him. Joey turned to take a closer look at the red gown as she heard the soft click of the door close behind her. The dress was truly beautiful, of elven style and make. It was soft under her fingers, and, while made of simple fabrics, held elegance in design and the love poured into its making. With a smile, she slipped out of her pyjamas and stepped into the gown. That finished, she went over to see if there was something she could do about her waist-length hair.
~*~
Legolas looked up from his seat at the table at the sound of footsteps and his breath caught mid-way. Joey had just walked into the dining hall in the red dress and she looked stunning. She could have passed for an elf with her height and build, but the dark hair and lack of pointy ears told otherwise. He smiled as a look of uncertainty crossed her face. He got up from his seat next to his father to greet her where she stood at the entrance of the dining hall. "Mae govannen, milady," Legolas said, taking her hand and placing it in the crook of his elbow. He escorted her to her seat as a guest, on the other side of the king. She smiled her thanks and took her seat as Legolas returned to his own seat. Elves started appearing with plates of delicious looking food and soon, the elves were starting to eat. Before she started to eat, Joey looked over at Thranduil and was greeted by a warm smile. "Good evening, my lord," Joey said in Sindarian as she bowed her head, shocking Thranduil. "It was very kind of you to welcome me so. My name is Joey." "My child," Thranduil said in Sindarian, certain now that Joey understood. "You gave us quite a scare when you were found in the forest alone. I am only glad that you were just asleep, and not injured." "Aye, my lord," Joey said. "I am well, though my home is far from here." "Where do you live, Joey?" Thranduil asked intrigued now as to how she had gotten into his forest without his knowledge. "Where is your family?" "I am an only child, my lord," Joey said, sadness passing through her eyes. "My parents died when I was young and I was raised by my grandmother. Alas, she has left me now as well. I speak your language and know of these lands well, but I am not from this world, my lord. I come from a time that is not even thought to be conceivable in this time." Thranduil looked shocked for a moment. "How did you get here then?" Thranduil asked, uncertain if what she was saying was true. "I know it is all hard to believe," Joey said, seeing the look on Thranduil's face. "I was transported into this world, I believe, by the power that resides in this," Joey said, pulling out the necklace for him to see. "That is hard to believe," Thranduil said, his face thoughtful. "But there are many powers that work in this world, and yours as well it seems. In reality, this is not that hard to believe," he said, as if weighing both sides. Legolas looked back and forth from his father and Joey as they talked, but finally, he cleared his throat. The other two stopped talking and looked at him, expecting him to add something to their conversation. "I know it is not my place, Ada," Legolas started, though his eyes showed no fear. "Perhaps it is wise for our guest to get some long needed rest. It has been a long journey for her, it seems." "Ahh," Thranduil said, his cheeks colouring slightly. "I am forgetting my manners. I am sorry, Joey, for keeping you away from rest." "It's quite alright, my lord," Joey said, standing up from her seat. "I will take my leave now, though I wish to remind the elven prince that I am not made of glass," she said, her eyes twinkling, but serious and flashing with fire at the same time. "Goodnight, my lord," she said again in the elven tongue as she bowed to Thranduil and Legolas before turning to leave. Thranduil started to laugh as he looked over at his son who was sitting with his mouth slightly open and his eyes showing slight embarrassment. "She is quite the adaneth, is she not?" Thranduil said, looking over at his shocked son. Legolas regained his composure and turned to his father. With a look of slight dismay, he shook his head, but did not smile. "Aye, father, she is. Though I do not know how far that attitude will take her before she runs into trouble." "I see no reason to think she cannot hold her tongue," Thranduil said, laughing inwardly at his son. "Though she seems to do a pretty good job of teasing you!" At this remark, Legolas turned quite red and got up to take his leave as well. As he exited the dining hall, he could still hear his father chuckling on his behalf. Legolas walked with quick strides to his room and closed the door. In his room, he heaved a sigh and fell on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, wondering how long his father will tease him for, all because of a certain edan, who, despite her comments before, had already fallen into a peaceful sleep in her own chambers.