Rumor sat in an oversized chair, waiting for Lord what's-his-face. Elrohir and Elladan sat in chairs nearby, none of them were speaking. From outside birds were chirping and sounds of talking were coming from people outside. No, not people, elves. She was stuck in a city surrounded by elves. At least that's what Elladan had explained them to be, or was it Elrohir? The twins were so much alike that Rumor did not know which twin was which. Sitting there, Rumor contemplated everything that could explain what was happening to her. A dream, she told herself, it must be a dream. It was the only logical explanation that she could come up with. She must have passed out from the pain from her wrist, and now she was dreaming.

Her wrist, she had completely forgotten about it. Looking down at it, she turned it around in circles, but felt no pain at all. Elladan noticed her movements, "My father had tended to your broken wrist while you were sleeping." Rumor looked at him questioning, "But it should take at least a month to heal a broken wrist."

Elrohir smiled at the human girl's ignorance. "That is with human medicines, Elves medicines are much stronger." He opened his mouth to continue talking, but the door opened before he could say anything. In walked a tall elf with long brown hair, and deep brown eyes. Rumor remembered those eyes very well from when she was last awake. He reminded her of an older version of the twins *He must be Lord something-or-other,* she thought. Behind him walked in Gandalf, and a strange man behind him.

The twins jumped up from their seats and started to talk to the trio in an odd gibberish type language. Rumor sat in silence, unsure of what was going on. After talking a few moments, and several glances over in her direction Rumor grew irritated. "Ok people! I'm sitting right here and I know your talking about me." Each man gave her a look of surprise. Gandalf, who was standing farthest from her, gave her a kind smile and the twinkle in his eye seemed to grow brighter.

The brown eyed elf walked over to her and crouched in front of her, "My lady, good to see you awake. If you do not remember, I am Lord Elrond. Please forgive us for being inconsiderate and rude in your presence." Rumor shook her head, *Freak*, she thought to herself. Out loud she simply said, "Whatever," earning a curious look from the men in the room. "What-ever?" Elrohir asked. "What is the meaning of what-ever?"

Rumor looked at him as if he just grew a second head, "It means forget about it. I don't care about what you were saying about me." Pity swept across the face of Lord Elrond, he could see the pain that was written in her eyes. "It's not like people haven't talked about me before." She muttered. She spoke so low and softly, that she couldn't even hear the words that came out of her own mouth. Another look of pity came from Lord Elrond, and this time it was joined by similar looks from Elladan and Elrohir, letting Rumor know that they had heard her. Sighing to herself, and cursing in her head, she had forgotten about what Elladan had said about the sensitive hearing of the elves.

For a moment there was a pregnant pause, and no one spoke. Shifting uncomfortably in the chair, Rumor spoke up, shattering the silence in the room. "Ok, so what's the deal? Elrohir said you had answers for me." Lord Elrond smiled gently at the rough manner of the young girl. "Indeed, but not many of them. First, could you tell us from where you hail, Lady Rumor?"

"First off, my name is Rumor, just Rumor. You don't need to call my 'Lady' all the time. Trust me, I am no lady." Rumor started off confidently. "And I live in Lakewood." Lord Elrond turned to the guy with messy brown hair, "Lakewood? I have not heard of such a place. Estel, have you seen or heard of this village in you travels?"

"No my lord, 'fraid not." He replied looking at the girl confused. "Perhaps she meant Mirkwood? Her mind must be confused after sun a bump." Lord Elrond nodded in agreement, but Elrohir just shook his head. "That could not be, ada, no mortals hail from Mirkwood. King Thranduil would not allow it. Perhaps we should call on Legolas, he arrived mere hours ago." Lord Elrond nodded and Elrohir was off in search for the prince.

The group sat in silence once again, waiting fro the prince of Mirkwood to arrive. Rumor shifted uncomfortably in the chair, feeling uneasy in the awkward silence. It wasn't long before there was a knock at the door, and Elrohir walked in with a blond elf trailing in behind him. Rumor looked at the arrivals and received a small, comforting smile from Elrohir, and a curious look from the blond elf. "Legolas, how do things fare with you father?' asked Lord Elrond in greeting the elf.

"He is well, my lord." Legolas responded, never taking his eyes off the young girl. Rumor shuddered involuntary under the piercing gaze of the elf's icy blue eyes. "Legolas, we wished to ask you if the elves of Mirkwood have been housing any humans as of late, particularly this one?" Lord Elrond spoke in his native tongue. Legolas shifted his calm gaze to Lord Elrond's face to look for any sign of jest, "Lord Elrond, you above anyone know of my father's dislike for mortals. He would not even dream of housing a human." Elladan interrupted impatiently, wanting the mystery of the girl to be solved. "Then where did she come from?"

"I think I can answer that," spoke a raspy voice from the corner. All in the room turned and looked at Gandalf, startled. All had forgotten he was here, he had been so quiet, and Legolas had not even seen him when he entered. "Or, at least I can answer parts of the riddle of Lady Rumor." Rumors looked over and smirked, Lady Rumor, what a load of bullshit, were the elves here deaf? Yet at the same time, she too was curious to hear what Gandalf had to say.

Cliffhanger!!!!! Read the next chapter to see what Gandalf thinks of Rumor. And now Legolas has entered the story......oOo, yummy elf.....tehehehe.