Author's note:  First of all I want to thank everyone for the reviews.  I finally got 50! Yay! I'd also like to tell everyone about a story called A Time to Relax?  By Angel Queen.  It's a "sequel" to this very story.  There are a few hints in the story about what happens at the end of this one.  Just so everyone knows, the story features the same group of friends who unluckly get sent to a desert island and meet a group of pirates.  Merry and Pippin are there too. Anyway read it.  Thanks again for the reviews.  They keep me going. *giggles at Jared's silly antics and story (Anonymous Bob is his pen name)* Ttfn!

Chapter 11

            At the top of the stairs, the group was ushered onto a platform where a group of handmaidens was waiting.  One of them stepped forward and bowed to the company.  Haldir motioned for her to continue.

            "My lady wishes me to lead the girls to her private parlor which is only twenty feet from here.  She says that there is no need for the ladies to listen to what she has to say.  If you ladies would please follow me," the handmaiden suggested with a bow.

            For a moment, no one moved.  Then all the girls began to walk forwards, all except for Jenny and Katie.  Chelli turned around and glared at Legolas and Pippin.

            "You're going to have to put them down now," Chelli commanded.

            "Oh yeah!"  Pippin said and dropped Jenny with a thump onto the ground.  She got up in a huff when she heard the tinkling of the handmaidens' laughter.

            Legolas gently lowered Katie to her feet.  They shared a smile and then she and the other girls were gone through a doorway.

            The room the girls entered was elegantly dressed in delicate Elvish decorating.  Fabric that shimmered in greens and blues framed the windows.  Comfortable chairs were plush and overstuffed with blankets thrown over their backs.  Three doorways were covered in solid green fabrics that wafted in the slight breeze from the window.  Only the doorway through which they had just entered had a door made of wood.

            "Please have a seat.   Lady Galadriel will be with you in a moment.  Help yourselves to some refreshments.  They are on the side bar to your left.  If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ring the chime by the door," the handmaiden said.  Then she and the others bowed their way from the room.

            "This room is lovely," Michelle spoke in awe while plopping herself onto the chaise lounge.  The girls nodded in agreement.

            "This food is lovely," Jenny called from the sideboard.  Chelli ran to it and clasped her hands in prayer.  "Dear heavenly father, we thank you for the food that is not chocolate or marshmallows or graham crackers.  Please allow blessings like this one to continue!" She grabbed a tart and sat down on an Elvish footstool.

            Katie sighed and walked over to a delicately carved double chair, which was covered in a satin looking green padding.  She fingered the delicate carvings on the back and sides.  A small smile played about her lips as she thought about another Elvish palace that might be decorated the same way.  She lowered herself gracefully into the chair and brushed a stray piece of auburn hair from her eyes.  'I really need to get Lady Galadriel to show me how to put my hair up in proper Elvish fashion,' she thought.  She silently checked on Frodo who said she was okay.  "I could live here forever," she sighed while smoothing her skirts.

            "I'm sure you could," Jennifer laughed, "especially if a certain blonde and very possessive, if I do say so myself, elf wanted to keep you with him!"

            Katie blushed pink again.  "I didn't say that, did I?"

            "No, but it's been implied," Chelli stated, snatching a piece of chocolate from Jenny's hand.  "Go eat a tart," she growled to her best friend.

            "I think that it's wonderful that Katie and the elf have a thing going on.  Gimli says he has much more to make fun of him for, and he is happy.  When Gimli's happy, he's not as stupid," Ashley interjected with a small smile.

            "I wonder if it will come to anything."  Esther asked thoughtfully.  "I don't believe I could stand not seeing Katie for the rest of our lives.  Who would I tell all my secrets too?"

            "Maybe if Katie stays in Middle Earth we could be able to visit anytime we want," Jenny giggled.  "I'd love to be able to see Pippin when ever I wanted to!"

            "You wouldn't necessarily be able to come back," a commanding voice said from the doorway.  "It may be that your friend would be stuck here forever if she stays."

            "Lady Galadriel!"  Esther said quickly motioning for the girls to stand.  They all curtsied in unison.

            "Mae govennan, girls.  Dear dear, what a lovely group of girls!  No wonder all the men had you on their minds! But please, have a seat," Galadriel smiled and placed herself next to Katie.  "You girls obviously know who I am, but I'm not sure who each of you are.  I'd like to guess, though."

            "The girl with the brown hair who is human is Esther, correct?"  Galadriel guessed.  Esther nodded.  "Aragorn thinks very highly of you."  Esther blushed.  "Now Boromir is connected to the blonde headed human.  Hmm…. The little blonde hobbit girl is thinking that Jennifer over here is the promiscuous one." Jennifer glared at Jenny.  "Pippin's blonde hobbit is Jenny."  Jenny stopped eating her tart long enough to giggle at Galadriel.  "Chelli must the one hiding the candy behind her back."  Chelli smiled and gave a warning glance to the thoughtful Jenny.  "Ashley is the girl dwarf beside the two other hobbits." Ashley looked at her axe and sighed.  "The two hobbits are Michelle and Paige."  They nodded.  "Last but not least- Katie, the young lady elf sitting beside me.  My future student and Legolas's …companion."

            Katie blushed.  "There is nothing going on between us, my lady."

            Galadriel smiled, "Not yet, officially, but the day will come very soon.  He was thinking of you, which I believe to be a good thing.  He will help save the world because you are in it.  He was dreading the thought of you being captured by orcs when I read his mind."  Katie blushed even harder.

            Jenny suddenly came out of her eating trance.  "How are we here?"

            "Uh…Jenny…are you becoming even more dense?"  Chelli asked.  "I knew that chocolate was harmful to your brain!"

            "No!  I mean the thirty-foot thing.  We've all shifted down to the other side of the room which is much further then we should have been able to go," Jenny moaned.

            Galadriel smiled indulgently, "They're listening at the door."

            Chelli squealed and ran to the door and opened it.  All the guys fell in except for Legolas who stayed standing because of his superb balance.  Chelli smacked Merry on the head when he rolled to her feet.

            "Hi!"  Pippin spoke cheerfully.

            "Jared!  How could you let them do this!  You know us better than to try a stunt like this!"  Esther growled.

            Jared smiled hesitantly and began to back away from the room.  "Haldir!  Help!  Take me to my room, now!"  Then he was gone.

            Lady Galadriel smiled.  "I suppose you all are tired, hungry, and in desperate need of a bath."  Chelli nodded vehemently.  "I've arranged for you to stay in tents down near the base of this tree, unless you'd rather stay in a room."

            Everyone nodded and began to shuffle out.  "Oh, and Katie, Legolas, I'd like for you two to stay here so I might speak to you for a moment," Lady Galadriel commanded. 

            Jenny and Jennifer turned and gave Katie a knowing smile before they left.  Aragorn pushed them out of the room, smiled reassuringly at Legolas, and closed the door behind him.

            "Legolas, Katie, first of all I want you to know that you'll probably be here for at least two weeks.  I will be training Katie on the use of her new powers while you are here.  I have also arranged for you both to be staying in a room near here because I know elves like to sleep in trees.  I am sorry, but you will have to share a room, so behave!  I will not have anything indecent happening in my kingdom!  I'll have my handmaiden, Alcarinquamírë, show you to your room."  Galadriel rang a bell and the girl walled into the room.  "Oh, and Katie tell the other girls to forget those names Elrond and Gandalf gave them.  My son-in-law and his friends have always been a little…eccentric."

            Legolas bowed and Katie curtsied, then they left the room.

            Alcarnqumire stopped in front of a door.  "This was my lady Galadriel's daughter's room, but you are to stay here."  She giggled when she looked at them.  "May I come to the wedding?" she asked daringly before running off giggling.

            Katie sighed and looked at Legolas.  "I don't think that was quite appropriate," she said with a glance at the handmaiden retreating form.

            "Not yet, anyway," Legolas spoke absent-mindedly before blushing.  "Umm…"

            "Nevermind, Legolas.  I'll forget you said anything if you'd like me to."

            "I really would.  Now Katie, I know that Pearl-Jenny said you have had a boyfriend, whatever that is, but I would like to ask you something.  Are you and Jared more than friends?"

            "No! OF COURSE NOT!!!!!!!"  Katie answered vehemently.  Legolas smiled a happy smile.

            "I think it is time we went to tell your friends and mine that we'll be staying up here instead of with them," Legolas said.  He held out his arm and Katie accepted.             

            "Come, Ara."