Sorry that I waited a few days to post another one, but I was camping and
was horribly deprived of my computer, let alone the internet. Here's the
next chapter, but fair warning: I out did myself last time, putting five
chapters up in one day, so I'm gonna take it a little slower now.
Disclaimer: don't own it, don't sue, I'm not rich and will be living on the streets if you do.
As they walked, Ane whispered to herself, "I feel like I've been paged to the principal's office." "Whose office?" asked Legolas. "The principal's. It usually isn't a very good sign. It usually means you're in trouble for something." "Like what?" "Like breaking school rules, skipping classes, having a weapon, something along those lines." "School?" asked Estel. "You know, a place where you go to learn." "Oh, a study hall." "Exactly." "You would get in trouble for having a weapon?" asked Legolas incredulously. "Yeah, some kids from Columbine brought a gun to school a few years back. Killed a bunch of students, and a few teachers. People freaked out after that. They think all teenagers are emotionally unstable and shouldn't have weapons or they'll go around killing everyone. Unfortunately, they're not that far from the truth. I'm sure there are lots of people who have been itching to pull a gun on a teacher of two." "Your people sound very violent." "You've no idea." "We're here," said Estel as they came up on a building. They knew that the subject should be dropped, so they remained silent until they were inside. Elrond stood up from his high backed chair that sat behind his oak desk that had books and papers strewn over it. He greeted Estel and Legolas warmly, but remained completely professional when he greeted Ane. She noticed his distrust and her heart fell. 'He's gonna act like Thuranduil did, isn't he? Maybe I am in trouble. Or he just hates humans.' But after a few short words in elvish with Legolas and Estel he turned to her with a smile on his face. "Where do you hail from, Lady Femil?" "Er...I uh, hail from California, sir." "California?" he asked raising his eyebrows and turning to an elf that had been standing in a dark corner until she spoke. He was the first blonde elf she had seen in Rivendell, besides Legolas. He was also still in traveling clothes, so he was most likely a messenger from another elven city. The elf simply nodded at Elrond's question and remained silent. "Uh, yeah-" "Quite understandable," said Elrond as he looked her up and down. "Sir?" But he wasn't listening. "Tough, very tough. Strong. Quick...both mind and body, very useful, yes, yes, very useful. And willing, no?" he said as he circled her and turned back to the unknown elf. Again, he nodded. She was beyond confused and from the look on Estel's face, the rest were too. "Sir, sorry, but I don't understand." "Will you join us tomorrow for our counsel?" "Uh, sure, but what does that have to do-" "Wonderful. Estel? Will you be sure to show Miss Femil around Imladris? And Legolas, you as well?" They both nodded, and Legolas offered Ane his arm. They left in silence until she could no longer bare it. "Legolas, what exactly happened back there? Why was he examining me like a science project or something?" "He was doing what he felt was necessary. Lord Elrond never does anything that isn't worth his time and effort. You should be glad. He practically bit my head off for bringing you here, but he found you worthy to come to the counsel, so all is well. Do not worry about it. If it were necessary for you to understand he would have told you. Human or not, he shields no one from the truth if it is for their benefit." "Let us find a more pleasant subject. Have you seen the Falls of Imladris yet, Miss Femil?" asked Estel in order to end the discussion. "No, but I would like to. I would also like it if y'all would stop calling me miss and lady. My name is Ane. That's it." "Be estlin, Ane. To the Falls we go." The falls were beautiful. She'd never been camping or to a river before so she didn't know what it would look like in person since the only waterfall she had ever seen was in a nature book, but they always looked glossed over or something. She found that she loved the sound of the roaring falls ahead of them, and the feel of the mist that bathed them even from a distance. She looked at Legolas who also seemed to be enjoying himself. They walked along a bridge and talked as they wound their way around the city. Estel showed her important buildings and Legolas would put in his two cents every few minutes or so, but mainly let Estel do the talking. He was enjoying just walking and looking at Ane.
They had dinner at the dining hall with the sons of Elrond. Ane couldn't believe the difference in the feeling that the place had. Compared to Rivendell, Mirkwood had been downright hostile. She laughed and talked with elves that she didn't even know. Estel introduced her to some hobbits: Frodo Baggins of the Shire, Samwise Gamgee, his servant, Bilbo Baggins, his uncle, Perigrin Took, his cousin, and finally, Meriadoc Brandybuck, Pippin's servant. They were so small she accidentally mistook them for children. Merry was not pleased in the least.
"I am considered an adult to my folk, thank you very much."
But Pip was kind enough to lean over and whisper, "Don't worry, miss. Most folk think we're children the first time they see hobbits. You'll get used to it. And besides, Merry's bluffin'. He won't be an adult for a year from now." She laughed and held up her hand for a high five. Pip didn't get it.
"It's a way of saying good job when you totally prove someone wrong who deserved it, or you were thinking the same thing as the other person. It's a good thing," she added at the still confused look on his face.
She also met Arwen, Estel's lover. She was nice, and very pretty, but she couldn't help thinking that she had a very annoying and breathy voice. She found out from Legolas that she was a daughter of Elrond. She was a little more than disturbed at this piece of information, since Estel had claimed to be a son of Elrond, which would make the two lovers siblings as well. She still didn't understand the elven culture so decided to keep her mouth shut about the topic.
Another person that she met was Boromir of Gondor. 'Strapping young lad, isn't he?' she couldn't help thinking. He was definitely much older than her, yet as wizened as he was, he didn't seem to have matured at all in the last forty years of his life. He still laughed and joked the way a young child would. He reminded her of Haley's little brother who was always acting stupid and cocky just to get attention. Estel looked just as old, yet he acted his age. He was a gentleman, and Boromir, a boy. She swore she would never understand men. I know that was a short one, but I'll get the next one really, really soon, so please don't kill me yet.
Disclaimer: don't own it, don't sue, I'm not rich and will be living on the streets if you do.
As they walked, Ane whispered to herself, "I feel like I've been paged to the principal's office." "Whose office?" asked Legolas. "The principal's. It usually isn't a very good sign. It usually means you're in trouble for something." "Like what?" "Like breaking school rules, skipping classes, having a weapon, something along those lines." "School?" asked Estel. "You know, a place where you go to learn." "Oh, a study hall." "Exactly." "You would get in trouble for having a weapon?" asked Legolas incredulously. "Yeah, some kids from Columbine brought a gun to school a few years back. Killed a bunch of students, and a few teachers. People freaked out after that. They think all teenagers are emotionally unstable and shouldn't have weapons or they'll go around killing everyone. Unfortunately, they're not that far from the truth. I'm sure there are lots of people who have been itching to pull a gun on a teacher of two." "Your people sound very violent." "You've no idea." "We're here," said Estel as they came up on a building. They knew that the subject should be dropped, so they remained silent until they were inside. Elrond stood up from his high backed chair that sat behind his oak desk that had books and papers strewn over it. He greeted Estel and Legolas warmly, but remained completely professional when he greeted Ane. She noticed his distrust and her heart fell. 'He's gonna act like Thuranduil did, isn't he? Maybe I am in trouble. Or he just hates humans.' But after a few short words in elvish with Legolas and Estel he turned to her with a smile on his face. "Where do you hail from, Lady Femil?" "Er...I uh, hail from California, sir." "California?" he asked raising his eyebrows and turning to an elf that had been standing in a dark corner until she spoke. He was the first blonde elf she had seen in Rivendell, besides Legolas. He was also still in traveling clothes, so he was most likely a messenger from another elven city. The elf simply nodded at Elrond's question and remained silent. "Uh, yeah-" "Quite understandable," said Elrond as he looked her up and down. "Sir?" But he wasn't listening. "Tough, very tough. Strong. Quick...both mind and body, very useful, yes, yes, very useful. And willing, no?" he said as he circled her and turned back to the unknown elf. Again, he nodded. She was beyond confused and from the look on Estel's face, the rest were too. "Sir, sorry, but I don't understand." "Will you join us tomorrow for our counsel?" "Uh, sure, but what does that have to do-" "Wonderful. Estel? Will you be sure to show Miss Femil around Imladris? And Legolas, you as well?" They both nodded, and Legolas offered Ane his arm. They left in silence until she could no longer bare it. "Legolas, what exactly happened back there? Why was he examining me like a science project or something?" "He was doing what he felt was necessary. Lord Elrond never does anything that isn't worth his time and effort. You should be glad. He practically bit my head off for bringing you here, but he found you worthy to come to the counsel, so all is well. Do not worry about it. If it were necessary for you to understand he would have told you. Human or not, he shields no one from the truth if it is for their benefit." "Let us find a more pleasant subject. Have you seen the Falls of Imladris yet, Miss Femil?" asked Estel in order to end the discussion. "No, but I would like to. I would also like it if y'all would stop calling me miss and lady. My name is Ane. That's it." "Be estlin, Ane. To the Falls we go." The falls were beautiful. She'd never been camping or to a river before so she didn't know what it would look like in person since the only waterfall she had ever seen was in a nature book, but they always looked glossed over or something. She found that she loved the sound of the roaring falls ahead of them, and the feel of the mist that bathed them even from a distance. She looked at Legolas who also seemed to be enjoying himself. They walked along a bridge and talked as they wound their way around the city. Estel showed her important buildings and Legolas would put in his two cents every few minutes or so, but mainly let Estel do the talking. He was enjoying just walking and looking at Ane.
They had dinner at the dining hall with the sons of Elrond. Ane couldn't believe the difference in the feeling that the place had. Compared to Rivendell, Mirkwood had been downright hostile. She laughed and talked with elves that she didn't even know. Estel introduced her to some hobbits: Frodo Baggins of the Shire, Samwise Gamgee, his servant, Bilbo Baggins, his uncle, Perigrin Took, his cousin, and finally, Meriadoc Brandybuck, Pippin's servant. They were so small she accidentally mistook them for children. Merry was not pleased in the least.
"I am considered an adult to my folk, thank you very much."
But Pip was kind enough to lean over and whisper, "Don't worry, miss. Most folk think we're children the first time they see hobbits. You'll get used to it. And besides, Merry's bluffin'. He won't be an adult for a year from now." She laughed and held up her hand for a high five. Pip didn't get it.
"It's a way of saying good job when you totally prove someone wrong who deserved it, or you were thinking the same thing as the other person. It's a good thing," she added at the still confused look on his face.
She also met Arwen, Estel's lover. She was nice, and very pretty, but she couldn't help thinking that she had a very annoying and breathy voice. She found out from Legolas that she was a daughter of Elrond. She was a little more than disturbed at this piece of information, since Estel had claimed to be a son of Elrond, which would make the two lovers siblings as well. She still didn't understand the elven culture so decided to keep her mouth shut about the topic.
Another person that she met was Boromir of Gondor. 'Strapping young lad, isn't he?' she couldn't help thinking. He was definitely much older than her, yet as wizened as he was, he didn't seem to have matured at all in the last forty years of his life. He still laughed and joked the way a young child would. He reminded her of Haley's little brother who was always acting stupid and cocky just to get attention. Estel looked just as old, yet he acted his age. He was a gentleman, and Boromir, a boy. She swore she would never understand men. I know that was a short one, but I'll get the next one really, really soon, so please don't kill me yet.