AN: Sometimes I wonder about myself! I already have some shady ideas for this story, stuff that can't happen for another few chapters at least! My ideas don't even really have anything to do with Verdi per se! I didn't even want this to be a romantic fic, but I think it's going to have to have a little romance. The trouble now is who will be with whom. I hate it when I do this to myself!
Princess-arwen gave me an idea: I am quite willing to e-mail people when I update this story, so if you want me to tell you that the story is updated, just let me know your e-mail and I'll add you to my list. Don't worry, I won't go giving your e-mail address to anyone. :)
Thanks to StarryStarryNight for her help!
Thanks to all my reviewers!

Disclaimer: If it belongs to someone else, it isn't mine.

"talking"
'thinking'
~Galadriel mind-speaking~

Verdi opened her eyes, then shut them quickly. 'Too bright, somebody close the curtains!' She shifted slightly, a rock digging into her back. 'Wait, rock! Where am I?' She sat up abruptly, wincing at the sunlight penetrating the trees. As she looked around she remembered, 'Oh yeah, I'm lost in the woods with some weird cultists.' With this thought she reached over, grabbed her backpack, and pulled out her cell phone. 'What! Still no service! This is crazy!' Then a tantalizing smell reached her nose and she accepted the offered food with a small smile as she waved around her phone, trying to get a signal, with the other hand. Nothing.

'I'm doomed! I stuck in a forest with three crazy, pointy-eared guys!' She noticed they were preparing to leave and motioning for her to get up, 'What! I just woke up! I need to brush my teeth! I need to take a shower! Why can't these guys speak English!' She grudgingly stood up and stretched, feeling stiff from her sleep on the ground. Archer dude came over and gave her some water.

"Thanks," she said, but he only smiled and started to walk away. "Wait, Aldir!" Verdi called, and he turned around.

"Haldir." Oops, 'Haldir, Aldir, same difference. Gregory has a friend named Aldir, cute little black kid, full of mischief; Greg and Aldir were always pulling pranks. Must be why I recognized the name. Anyway...' Verdi looked at Haldir for a moment, then moved her fingers in the imitation of someone walking. She did someone walking far, and then someone walking a short distance. Then she spread her hands in a questioning gesture. Haldir apparently understood, for he smiled reassuringly and moved his fingers only a little bit.

"Great! Let's get going, if I'm not home soon I might start to freak." Verdi started walking, then realized she had no clue where they were going and stopped, waiting for Haldir to lead the way. He obliged and set off at an invigorating pace, not one Verdi welcomed at, 'oh, what time is it anyway?' she looked at her watch, 'right, this is way too energetic for six in the morning, and I'm called a morning person!'

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'If this is a short walk, I can't imagine what a long walk is,' Verdi thought as they walked through the trees. 'It's been three hours and I still see no signs of civilization. What if we never get there? What if we're lost in here forever? What if the police never find me? What if these guys are kidnapping me? How do I know I can trust them? They still watch me! Their bows always ready to shoot me down! I'm going to die! Mommy!!' Verdi was becoming seriously worried, the forest wasn't supposed to be that big! 'Calm down, Verdi, don't panic. You've pulled through this long, you can keep doing it. They haven't hurt you yet, they haven't been hostile in any way. They fed you, for goodness sake!'

Verdi realized she was hungry, 'What I wouldn't give for an english muffin and peanut butter! I told Caroline I should keep a jar of peanut butter in my backpack!' She spent the next few minutes imagining she was eating some wonderful peanut butter.

~Verdi.~

'What was that?'

~Welcome to Lothlorien, Verdi Kellor.~

'Ahh, I'm hearing voices in my head! I'm going crazy!' Verdi put her hands over her ears and shook her head, trying to get the voice out. The guys looked at her strangely, 'Great, now they think I'm wacko.'

~Do not worry, there is nothing wrong with your head.~

'Who are you? And what do you want?' This was too weird.

~I am Galadriel, Lady of Light. You come from far away, yet you are welcome. Thus, I greet you.~

'Wait, I don't live that far away, I'm just a bit lost.' But Verdi got no reply. 'There is something really strange going on, nothing is as it was before. The forest is huge, the trees are huge and of a kind than I have never seen, there are weird guys, in funny outfits, who speak funny languages, some crazy lady is talking in my head...What is going on?! Why is this happening to me? What have I done?'

Verdi didn't have the chance for more thoughts as they suddenly came into view of a city of trees. There were flickering lights everywhere, houses in trees, stairs curling up the trunks, and more strangers walking around. The whole place seemed to glow, radiating a vibrant light that encompassed everything. It was like a dream, a dream that smelled of fresh water and growing plants, a dream that felt warm and welcoming, a dream that sounded like spring and happiness; Verdi was sure that if the dream could be eaten it would taste crisp and sweet.

"Wha...What is this place?" Verdi was astonished by the view before her. Haldir turned to her, and gestured to the city.

"Lothlorien." Verdi shook her head and rubbed her eyes, but the scene didn't change and soon they were walking up one of the winding stairways. She looked around her in wonder, taking in the beauty surrounding her. 'I've never heard of a place like this, how do they keep people away?' She heard birds chirping, and the soft sound of a distant waterfall. There was a slight breeze that danced across Haldir's hair, flicking it gracefully. Verdi thought she saw a firefly flittering around, but it was only one of the mysterious lights. 'What are those?'

Soon they came to a room, Haldir stopped at the doorway and motioned for Verdi to enter before him. She looked at him, then the two behind her, and decided it was best to do as ordered, the room couldn't be any worse than an arrow in her back. She stepped into a room filled with soft light and came face to face with two tall white figures. Verdi inadvertently took a step back, unsure of what to do, or say to the intimidating people infront of her. They were beautiful, ageless, and seemed to glow. Their eyes sparkled like stars and their hair, golden for the female, silver the male, had a delicate sheen.

The male said something in the same flowing tongue Haldir had spoken in, but Verdi still didn't understand.

"I don't speak your language, sorry. Is there a phone somewhere I can use? I really need to get home, my parents must be frantic."

~You cannot go home.~ Verdi turned in surprise to look a the lady.

~Yes, I am Galadriel. You are not from this world, or rather, this world is not the world you call your home.~ Verdi stared at her blankly, what did the lady mean, why couldn't she go home? She got here someway, she must be able to get back.

~This is not your Earth, this is Middle-Earth. You came through a portal somehow, from your world to ours, and there is no way, that we know of, to send you home.~ Verdi whirled around, suddenly feeling trapped, this lady was not only talking in her head, she was reading her mind!

'I wanna go home, I can't stay here! I have friends, family, what about my dog! I have to go home!'

~I'm sorry, there is nothing we can do. You may stay here for as long as you would like, though I do not know where you would go otherwise. It is not safe for a single traveler, especially a female.~

"I can take care of myself! I must go home!" The surrounding elves looked at her, not understanding her sudden outburst, but they had been with Galadriel for long enough to realize that she must be talking to the young girl. Verdi noticed their response, 'How is it you can understand me and they can't?'

~The mind has no language barriers. In time you will learn our language and know the ways of the elves.~

'Elves?'

~Yes, we are elves,~ Galadriel gestured to the others in the room. This was too much for Verdi and she did what she always thought was the worst thing to do in a stressful situation, she fainted.

Okay, that was totally not the best chapter ever, sorry. And it is totally ununique for her to faint, I know, but atleast she isn't hurt physically, mentally or spiritually! And she won't be out for more than a few seconds. My mind is having troubles, but I spent so long writing this I decided to post it anyway. Please bear with me! Also, what should I do about the language stuff. Should I let Verdi just gradually learn Elvish and/or Westron, or should Galadriel do something to her head so she can understand one or both languages? Please tell me what you think! Feel free to e-mail me comments as well as review!