DISCLAIMER:

Tel: I know, I know. Tolkien's rolling in his grave. But really, anything truly great is bound to have a crazed fan-base.

Cel Try to deal with it.

Gwen and Robin's Flashback

With her and Robin's screams echoing in her ears, Gwen opened her eyes. The sight that greeted them would have been extremely bewildering to most people. Gwen however, was not most people.

"Oooo, sparkly!"

Sparkly was a bit of an understatement. Gwen and the still unconscious Robin were lying on the polished marble floor of a gigantic, white marble chamber with a vaulted ceiling. There was a faint mist around them and shimmering motes of white light floated upward from it. There were large reliefs cut into the walls depicting tall figures in all sorts of situations, but the most prominent seemed to be battles.

Before she could take a closer look, Robin (who had come to her senses after Gwen's statement) added an observation of her own.

"Umm, Gwen, this isn't my basement.." Gwen didn't seem to object.

"Look at this place! It's amazing" This did little to reassure Robin, who leapt up screaming,

"That's all well and good, but how did we end up here? I want some answers, DAMMIT!"

"Well, it's answers you want"

Behind them, a tall figure in a deep blue dress and cloak had materialized and was surrounded by a cloud of the same mist the girls had awoken in. As if her sudden arrival wasn't disturbing enough, the figure's impossibly fair hands seemed to give off a subtle, white glow. The hood of a dark cloak shrouded her face.

The awe of the two teens could have been expressed in countless ways. Many of them eloquent, polite and at least remotely specific to the circumstances. Of all of them, the girls decided to go with the ever-versatile "Eeeep!"

Gwen was the first to recover. "Whoa, I mean, whoa! The sparkles talk! Sweet!" Despite her companion's total lack of fear, Robin was more dubious of their safety.

Without wasting any formalities, (she had never had much patience with showoffs) Robin voiced the thought she hoped was on both teen's minds,

"Who the hell are you?!"

With a light chuckle, the glowing being replied, "Well Robin, I had hoped that you at least would recognize me."

As Robin attempted to process this thought, Gwen, who was quite oblivious to the conversation between her friend and the unearthly apparition, was talking to no one in particular:

"What? Where are we? Who are you? Why am I here? Ooo, more sparkles!"

As Gwen cheerfully danced after the motes, the being continued,

"However, I cannot say that I expected the same from the blonde one."

Although insulted on behalf of her companion, Robin choked on a retort as she witnessed Gwen's gleeful swats at the bright particles.

"Well, you have a point." After regaining her composure, Robin continued her questioning,

"Anyway, how did you know that my name was Robin?"

"Never mind that. What is important is that the two of you have somehow been brought to Arda."

At this, Gwen (who had some knowledge of Tolkien's world beyond the movies) began to pay rapt attention to the conversation.

"SWEET!" She cried, and as an afterthought "But why?"

At this, the being sighed. "Neither I nor the others of my kind know. You simply arrived. We agreed that it would be wise to explain to you what we do know. It is possible that you were brought here by our own powers, accidentally of course." Her voice now took a suspicious tone,

"However, it is equally possible that you were brought by another, an enemy of my people. He and his servants have long sought to interfere with the affairs of those living in Arda, and to corrupt the hearts of those loyal to us."

Robin now realized exactly what a perilous position they were in, and despite having no idea who this thing they were talking to was, Gwen was also becoming uneasy. Nonetheless, that would hardly stop her from defending herself and Robin from false accusations.

"Please, I don't know why we're here either, or even who you and these other people are, but we don't mean any harm."

Varda (as Robin had now identified her) leaned towards Gwen. Although she couldn't see the vala's face, Robin guessed that she might be squinting (she then mentally corrected herself, it was doubtful that the Queen of The Valar would need to squint, more or less lower herself to such a level of indignity). After a few tense moments of staring searchingly into the girl's eyes, she rose.

"You appear to be telling what you know to be the truth. Nevertheless, you both may still be instruments of our enemies, albeit unwilling ones."

Before either of the two could speak, she continued.

"Very well, you shall be spared. At this time, I have no knowledge of how to send you back to your homes. You will live in Arda until a way is discovered. While here, you shall be under the command of the Valar. You may even prove useful, there are many things we would have the people of Arda know."

Robin was in shock. She and her best friend had been transported to a world that was not supposed to exist, accused of being servants of Morgoth by one of the most powerful beings in said world, and then told she was now in the service of the accuser.

All in all, it was a bit unnerving.

The ever-irrepressible Gwen broke Robin's baffled thoughts. "All righty then, thanks Ma'am!"

Varda smiled. "You are welcome. Now, if you are indeed to serve the Valar, you must not reveal to anyone who you are or where you come from. To be sure that this will not happen, neither of you will remember any of your previous lives, or even this meeting. I may choose to reveal certain portions of this information to you, when I deem it acceptable or necessary. If this information includes your former lives, you are at no point to reveal them to any of the inhabitants of Arda unless instructed by myself or one of my kin. Do you understand?"

At Gwen's nod, Robin spoke. "We understand...er...Ma'am, but what are we supposed to tell people? What should we call ourselves, where did we supposedly come from? What's more, do we have any say in what we do?"

She said this last part rather desperately. Varda replied, "There may be few times when our interference is needed. In the end, it is you who must decide whether or not you will follow our orders. Be warned however, that we will have no choice but to remove you if you stray too far from our counsels."

Robin sat down. This was a bit much to ask of anyone, to put themselves in the hands of a completely alien force.

"I...I don't know if I could do that" she stammered. Varda frowned.

"I am sorry, these are the only conditions under which we can give you any freedom." she said firmly. Gwen came over and knelt by her friend.

"Please Robin, this is the only way right now, and I don't want to do it alone.." Robin started to shake her head, but as she met the eyes of Gwen, her best friend in any world, she hesitated. After a moment, she smiled. With a sigh, she stood. "What have I got to lose? Besides, this could be fun."

The Queen of the Valar rose. "I am glad to hear this. Go now, we will instruct you when you have need of us."

Before either of them could reply, Varda placed something in Robin's hands and a blinding white light engulfed the girls.

The last sight they beheld was the silhouette of Elbereth waving.

End flashback

Back in Middle Earth

Aragorn stretched as he stood from the cramped position he had spent most of the previous night in.

"Ahhh, well that was quite a nice napâ€except for the rain and the root in my back".

Gandalf rose as well and attempted to wring out his soaked robes.

"Quit your complaining, we've almost reached Fangorn."

The two dampened travelers quickly scattered the ashes of the previous night's failed fire and continued on their way.

One hour later:

The Ranger and the Istar had quickly arrived within the borders of the Forest, but had found no signs of their reason for being there.

"Grrrrr we still haven't even seen that loathsome creature! Bloody Orcs must've got him first" Aragorn muttered darkly.

"Yes. The Council is going to be disappointed." His companion replied tiredly.

As Aragorn continued to quietly vent his frustration, Gandalf took another look at the ancient trees surrounding them. They were all bent and gnarled, but one tree's shape caught his eye.

"What is that?" He said softly as he moved to get a better look.

Aragorn looked up and followed the wizard's eyes, "What? Where?"

Gandalf continued forward, "There, in that tree...it's two girls!"

The human finally noticed what Gandalf was looking at and added his own observations,

"Elbereth! Why would two young girls be wandering around Fangorn, of all places? I'm surprised that nothing has attacked them yet...they aren't even armed!"

"No, they aren't. But that one seems to have a book"

Gandalf replied thoughtfully.

At the word 'book', Robin's head shot up. The sudden movement caused her to drop The Silmarillion right on Gandalf's head, dislodging the famous pointed hat.

"SHIT!" She exclaimed as she watched it connect with the Gray head that had appeared below her.

Gandalf let out a small "Oof!" as the small volume as well as his headwear dropped to the ground. After a few dazed seconds, he bent down to examine the book.

"What's this?" He wondered aloud as he moved to pick it up.

Robin, having remembered vaguely that this book was to be carefully guarded (for reasons she wasn't quite sure of at the moment), reacted quickly.

"NOOOOO!" She cried as she dove downward, tackling the Istar.

She recovered quickly, snatched the book off the ground and hugged it tightly.

"Mine!" She hissed. She then noticed the slightly smushed hat and moved forward to get a better look at it.

Meanwhile, Aragorn had drawn his sword, awakening Gwen from her awkward slumber in the tree. The bright blade was the first thing she was aware of.

"Wow, look it's a real sword! I've never seen one before, this is so cool!"

Aragorn momentarily forgot his hostility in surprise.

"You've never seen a sword before?!"

Gwen replied with no apparent concern for her present situation,

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

Then, realizing she had no idea why she'd never seen a real sword,

"Well now that you mention it, it is kind of weird"

Then, realizing that this person seemed familiar, several thoughts entered her befuddled mind.

"Hey, I know you, you're Aragorn, son of Arathorn! Cool! And you're also known as"

Robin, who was just as confused as her friend, but also strangely familiar with her surroundings, interjected.

"No! If you start on his names you'll be talking all day and no one wants to listen to all of..."

She trailed off as her gaze shifted to the slightly battered wizard, who was dusting himself off moodily.

"Hey, if he's Aragorn, you must be...HOLY SHIT! You're Gandalf! I'm soooo sorry about the whole attacking you thing, really, really sorry!" She exclaimed, mortified and fascinated at the same time.

Gwen didn't seem to notice Robin's distress and was happily examining the very confused Ranger's sword.

"Hey, when the sunlight hits his sword, it looks all sparkly-like!" She said as she leaned forward to get a closer look, but sadly gravity was against her. Causing her to slid forward off the branch and onto her face with her feet dangling over her head, still caught on the branch.

With this thought expressed and her brief struggle with the laws of physics over, a recent memory surfaced.

"Sparkly...just li-"

Gwen was cut off as Robin, who felt the sudden urge to prevent talk of sparkles, grabbed Gandalf's hat, pounced on Gwen, covered her mouth and stuffed the hat over her head.

After a brief struggle, Gwen had removed Robin and was reprimanding her.

"Owww! What the hell was that for, you Meany!"

Robin, who had had a sudden revelation on the origin of the sparkles, hissed in reply

"Think back!"

Realization swept over Gwen, who let out a quiet "Oh."

Gandalf and Aragorn were completely lost.

Gwen coughed softly and removed the hat from her head as Robin sat down beside her.

Gandalf shook off his confusion and cleared his throat.

"What are your na-"

He began, but stopped as he noticed a small piece of parchment that seemed to have fallen from Robin's book during their struggle.

"Now, what have we here"

Robin had also noticed the paper, and (again, somehow) knew that it was not for the wizard's eyes.

"Don't read other peoples mail!" She snapped as she snatched it from his hand. She scanned it nervously while Gandalf backed away.

Gwen, meanwhile, had stood up and begun to brush the leaves and twigs off herself. As she did so, she was seized by a sudden inspiration.

"Well, to answer your unfinished question Master Gandalf, my name is Celiya. This is my friend, Telphanra." She said with a wave in Robin's direction.

Aragorn, who was still very confused, replied,

"Well that was one question that you've managed to answer, but you have yet to explain why you were dangling in that tree! And where are you from?"

As his glare moved from the utterly unconcerned Gwen to herself, Robin attempted to answer.

"Well um...uh...you see"

Gwen, seeing that Robin was having trouble, quickly responded with another miraculous idea.

"Well, we were being chased by someone and we ran into the forest. We hid in the tree's branches, but the attacker saw us. Then the tree started moving! It defended us! But while it was swinging at the attacker, it looks like it also knocked us unconscious. I guess it got rid of the person chasing us though. We still don't know who it was. I mean, for all we know, that person could be one of you!"

She exclaimed, glaring at the two travelers.

Robin quickly caught on. "Yeah, like she said!"

Gandalf gaped at them for a moment before answering huffily,

"I assure you that neither of us attacked you!"

Aragorn nodded in affronted agreement.

The wizard continued staring at the now rather nervous girls. After studying them intently for several seconds, he went on.

"However, you both do look rather beaten up. It's not safe for you to be here unarmed and alone, why don't you travel with us for a while? We're headed for Lothlorien."

Both girls and Aragorn blinked in surprise. Robin, obeying yet another mysterious urge, nodded slowly and Gwen, who was eager to break the tension, spoke.

"Thank you very much Master Gandalf, I think we will."

She bowed, and Robin slowly imitated her.

"Well then, let's be off. We have a long way to go." Gandalf said with a smile.

As the girls quietly fell in line behind him, Aragorn shot his elder a questioning look. Under his breath, the wizard whispered,

"Galadriel will be able to sort out who they really are."