Chapter 8
"Great. We can't get hurt but our clothes can get torn!" Chelli complained loudly.
"I can't steal another set of Pip's clothes because he's already said something about them disappearing. I guess I'm going back to that skirt," Jenny groaned. "I hate that thing. It is so burdensome.
"There is no reason for you to complain. My beautiful dress had a slit up the side to my hip, and I think that this dress is going to become one of those belly prom dresses. The only dress I have clean at the moment is that expensive ball gown. Imagine trying to escape from orcs in that!" Katie giggled pulling the ball gown from the bag.
"Well, then wear a dirty one," Jennifer suggested as if it were obvious.
"Jennifer, it might be the solution for you or the others, but elves do not wear dirty clothes. Have you seen how many tunics and pants Legolas has in his pack? I might not have been an elf for long, but… What is wrong with you, Esther?" Katie asked her friend who was staring at the fellowship in dawning horror.
"Katie, why are they pointing their swords in our direction?" Paige asked.
"Paige, they're not pointing at a pointing behind us. They're pointing at us. Notice how their wyes are focused on us," Esther responded.
"Oh my! Uh…uh…Mae Govennan, Mellon," Katie welcomed while curtseying.
"We come in peace," Jenny offered with a tentative smile.
"Who are you and how did you come to appear right as Gandalf left? Was he keeping you from appearing and now you have come to get us? We will not lie down and let you kill us just because we have lost a friend. We'll fight you!" Aragorn growled.
"We've lost a friend also, Aragorn son of Arathorn! We will fight you if we must, but we are good and we are here against our own will. All but two of us have been transformed by an evil magic into what we are not. We have been forced to follow you around invisibly since that day of Elrond's council. Only Gandalf and Elrond could see us until now. We have been fending for ourselves and trying to stay out of your way. Please be kind," Katie pled instinctively making the puppy dogface.
"Fair maiden, we will consider your plea, but it does seem suspicious. WE must hold council amongst ourselves r…"Boromir began.
"Later," Aragorn finished for him. "Now we must get as far away from here as possible. Come nightfall this place will be storming with orcs. Legolas, get them up. Girls, go behind that rock and change very quickly. We can talk and run at on the way to Lothlorien."
The girls went behind the rock to change, grumbling the whole ten feet there about stupid skirts. Jennifer was just finished putting her arms through a shirt when she found herself flying over the bolder. The fellowship looked on in amazement when Boromir stopped moving, and so did she. Jennifer blushed red and finished buttoning the top of her blouse.
The girls came out from behind the rock minutes later, all but Esther and Jennifer now wearing skirts. Jennifer came running over to them and down into the middle to hid from the guys.
"My lady, I fear there is something that you have purposefully forgotten to tell us," a musical voice whispered into Katie's ear. She felt a shiver go down her spine and she pulled away. "Did I frighten you, my lady elf?" Legolas laughed. "How is it possible, you are an elf, you can hear and sense thing humans cannot?"
"As I said, Prince Legolas, all but two of us have been changed into that which we were not before. Yes, I am an elf now, but I am still adjusting to my new sense," Katie answered accidentally bumping into Jenny in her haste to stop being the object of Legolas's attention.
"My lady elf, I do not know your name, but you know mine," Legolas whispered moving closer.
"Elrond gave me the Elvin name Lasselantavanima, but my given name is Katie."
"Lasselantavanima. Beautiful-October. It fits because you are beautiful like the autumn, but your name lacks one thing."
"Pray tell my prince, what might that be?"
"Ara- you need to be Aralasselantavanima because Ara is the prefix for royalty and every single one of you girls are goddesses. Yes- Aralasselantavanima. You will always be Aralasselantavanima to me at least, and we will call you Ara for short. Aragorn was speaking of giving you names from this land so that others may not know form whence you came." Legolas paused and shifted his gaze to the little blonde hobbit beside Katie. "Does your adorable little friend have a name?"
"Prince Legolas, this is Jenny by given name and Pearl Brandybuck according to Gandalf."
Jenny smiled up at Legolas with wide blue eyes and found to her astonishment that he was looking on her like a little sister. Then Jenny found something else out – she didn't mind. Of course, Legolas was still the beautiful, irresistible, delicious creature he had always been, but Jenny realized that he and she were not meant to be. She began to wonder if maybe they were changed into what they were and connected to whom they were for a reason.
"Hello, Pearl," Legolas welcomed.
"Hello, Legolas. It's nice to finally to be able to talk to you," Jenny answered.
"Girls, Legolas! Let's go!" Aragorn yelled commandingly.
"Time to go, Blondie," Katie spoke. Jenny looked from Katie to Legolas and smiled evilly.
"Legolas, can I ride piggy back on you. You see I'm ever so short and can't run as fast as you can and Katie can. Please! Of course Katie will have to carry Pip," Jenny asked slyly.
"I most certainly will not carry Pip piggy-back, Jenny. Do not bug Legolas and go run around with Aragorn, Jennifer, Boromir, and Esther. I'm sure they would not mind carrying you all around," Katie answered as severely as she was able.
"Oh, Katie. You're only worried I'm going to tell Legolas all about your little secrets, like when you've done embarrassing things. Besides, at least one person has to stay on and play chaperone for I fear that you two will not be able to control yourselves," Jenny responded with an evil smirk. "I'm sure Legolas would find any information I want to give him valuable."
"Jenny! I said n…"
"Of course you can ride piggy back. Pippin can run along behind because I'm not sure how far out of range you can be from your…partner," Legolas said picking Jenny up and depositing her on his back.
"LET'S GO!" Aragorn yelled in frustration.
The group took off hoping to reach safety before night fell and the orcs would be out to get them. Katie ran as far away from Legolas as possible considering he was leading the group by at least one hundred feet. She finally felt sorry for Pippin as he was being dragged along much like she had been that first day and she picked him and hurried to catch up with Legolas.
"Pearl, I have a question for you. How old is Katie in human years?" Legolas asked noticing Katie and Pippin hurrying towards them.
"She's sixteen, Legolas. And before you ask, yes, she has been involved with someone, but that was at least six months ago. As far as we know, she's never even been kissed. She's intelligent and likes to read and write. She also likes the forest. Did I answer lots of the questions you were going to ask?" Jenny questioned.
"Not quite, but since she is right beside us, I'm not going to say anything else," Legolas responded. "Mae govennan Ara. Having fun?"
"I would be, my prince, if you were not so insistent in your intent to make me blush, not that making me blush is hard. Jenny, what have you been telling our elf prince?" Katie asked
"I haven't told him anything but what he would want to know" Jenny smiled.
"Ara," Pippin piped up, "have you any more to eat? Those marshmallows were very good."
"You've eaten all the marshmallows?!" Katie asked in astonishment. "They are magical and keep coming back. How is it that you've eaten them all?"
"I don't know. There are not any more left though."
"By Illuvitar! Only Jenny could have eaten as much as you did!"
"You mean the one who was talking to Legolas? The 'impish dancing hobbit who can be very ungraceful at times'. The one who fell down the stairs in Moria and whose best friend dyed Gandalf's hair pink?"
"That's me!" Jenny laughed.
They
ran on in silence for a few minutes before Legolas spoke. "I think we need to stop and let the rest
catch-up. Do you need to rest, Ara? Sit down and rest, Ara. You need not tire yourself out."
" Prince Leg…"Katie began.
"Just Legolas," Legolas commanded.
"Legolas. I'm not a child. I'm not with child. I'm not old either. I'm not weak, frail, or sick. I'm fine. Let's just rest in the trees, okay?" Katie suggested.
Legolas nodded and stopped near a tree. He set dangled one of his off the tree like a banner so the others would see where they were. He then picked Jenny up and scampered up the tree. He came back down and grabbed Pippin. Then he came back down again and started to advance on Katie.
"Legolas, no! I'm can get up the tree by myself," Katie declared.
"Not in that dress, Ara. I know you're not sick or frail or a child. I'm especially glad that you are none of the things you said you weren't, but I wouldn't want your last dress to get torn or dirty. Then, you'd have to wear some of my clothes and they are far too big for you. Now, stand still so I can pick you up," Legolas ordered, moving closer.
Katie turned and stated to run but strong hands clamped onto her waist before she could get going. Legolas turned her around, his face only inches from hers.
"I told you that you couldn't climb in that dress. If you can't run away from me, then you can't climb a tree."
Legolas picked her up and threw here over his shoulder, her legs flailing in indignation.
"Legolas, put me down! That's not a fair judgment! You run faster than I do anyway! You run faster than almost everyone does! Put me down! Put me down!" Katie yelled.
"Sorry, mellamim (princess), but I've caught you, and I always keep what I catch. Your mine now." With those words, Legolas went up the tree. He sat her on the branch with her back leaning against the trunk and her skirt dangling in heaps on either side of her legs. Legolas sat in front of her and began to laugh at the pout on Katie's face. Jenny and Pippin looked on contemplatively and Legolas began to quiz Katie about her life.
Meanwhile the rest of the fellowship were jogging and getting to know one another better. Ashley was up to a total of five smacks for Gimli, but Chelli was quickly gaining. Frodo, Michelle, Sam, and Paige were discussing the others and what they thought of them.
"Esther, uh, I mean, Morlanoume, did I just see your elf friend's skirts fly over Legolas's shoulder?" Aragorn asked in amusement?
"Oh my! I believe that was Katie in her skirts. Legolas is in trouble now," Esther giggled.
"I've never seen Legolas so friendly and um…touchy with someone before. Anyway, I want to ask you a question," Aragorn said.
Esther looked at him inquisitively, "Well ask it, Aragorn."
"Your friend, uh, the other human. Why did she come flying from behind the bolder earlier?"
"Oh. That. Well, I don't know if I should wait and tell you when everyone is here or if I should tell you and get it over with," Esther answered.
"Just tell me now. I'm pretty sure Legolas already has it figured out and if not, well, no one can resist Legolas, though it seems, um…,Ara- that's what Legolas calls her- came pretty close. Pippin will hear it from Legolas…"
"Or Jenny," Esther interjected.
"Or from Jenny." Aragorn continued. "You can go ahead and tell me then."
All right, well, we're not sure how it happened. Erika- our friend that disappeared into the darkness- and Gandalf spent quite a bit of time in Elrond's library looking for an answer. They didn't find it," Esther mumbled.
"Morlanoume, just tell me! You're stalling," Aragorn interrupted.
"Okay…okay! Well, we have to be within thirty feet of a certain person in the fellowship. I'm with you. Katie is with Legolas. Jenny-Pippin, Chelli-Merry, Ashely-Gimli, Michelle-Frodo, Paige-Sam, Jennifer-Boromir. Erika was connected to Gandalf. You can't send us away. There's no way we can leave you."
"Wow!" Aragorn whispered in amazement. "You've really had it rough. Only being able to be thirty feet away. Don't know how you survived. Wait….You've been with us the whole time? Within thirty feet of us at ever second?! What about when we went to the river to bathe?"
"Well…we turned our backs so we wouldn't see anything, well, except for Jenny. She peaked, I think. Anyway, we've only seen you decent. Well, except for when you got up from bed in only your pants. Don't tell Legolas, but Katie says he has nice abs. She knows because he wears only his pants to be too," Esther came to a halt as soon as she saw the look of dismay, anger, and humor in Aragorn's face.
"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness. This is going to be an interesting rest of the trip. Let's get going people. It looks as if Legolas and his party are already taking a break at that tree where his tunic is hanging. Let's get going before he gets on the move again!" Aragorn and the others ran to reach the tree.
When they got there, they found Legolas and Katie in the same position as they had been when the got into the tree and Pippin and Jenny eating chocolate. Frodo turned towards Michelle with a look of dismay. Michelle shrugged and smiled. Frodo had a feeling that the rest of this trip was going to be very interesting now that there were girls.
