Disclaimer: I own only Margaret, Calin, and Sulwen. And any other OCs.
" You are done for today," said Calin with a smile.
Margaret thanked him, eagerly bounded off the chair, and out the library door. She ran to her room, dropping off any school books that she had, and washed for midday meal.
As she walked out her bedroom door, Glorfindel greeted her with a smile. Taking her hand, they walked to the dinning hall.
" Hello Penneth," said Glorfindel, " How was your lesson?"
"It was wonderful," said Margaret. Although she usually liked her lessons, this one had been boring. All she did was go over what a Balrog was like. Calin had informed her that they were made of fire, almost extinct, and hard to kill. He then had elaborated on those three things for two hours. Margaret thought it was unnecessary, but didnt want to seem ungrateful. She was, after all, lucky that she even got to go to lessons.
" Well," said Glorfindel, " Elrond is to be having company for today and tomorrow. They are messengers from Mirkwood, and will dine with us at the head table."
"Mirkwood is a place where elves live, right?" asked Margaret curiously.
" Yes," said Glorfindel. He stopped walking and looked at her.
" Margaret," said Glorfindel, kneeling down so he was eye level with her, " I want you to remember something. You must be on your best behavior and use your manners. Elves from Mirkwood are...very suspicious people. They do not usually trust anyone outside their home."
" Why?" asked Margaret.
Glorfindel paused and looked at her. She seemed intent on learning the answer, but he wasnt sure if he should tell her. He didnt want to remind her of orcs again.
" Mirkwood is not a safe place anymore. There is danger there, and being suspicious comes in part of defending your home against that danger for centuries. I just want you to be careful of what you say and do."
" Alright Glorfindel," said Margaret completely confused. She really didnt understand why they had to be suspicious of anything in Imladris. Maybe there home isnt safe, but Elronds is.
They continued to walk, and soon entered the dinning hall. It looked as it always did, with its high walls and rich carvings. The tapestries changed every once in a while, and Margaret noticed one that was different today. Instead of the beautiful waterfall that usually hung by the window, there was one of many trees and animals.
" Ah Glorfindel," said Elrond, " I was beginning to wonder if Erestor took revenge on you for stealing his scrolls. But you seem to be still intact."
Glorfindel laugh heartedly and Margaret smiled at the memory of Glorfindel being chase around Imladris by the angry advisor.
" No, I was just escorting Margaret to dinner. I also explained that messengers from Mirkwood were to dine with us."
Elrond nodded and glanced down to the center of the table. Margaret followed his gaze to meet the eyes of two strange elves. They were clad in green tunics and brown leggings. 'Theyre the visitors,' she said to herself. They stared back at her with an unreadable expression.
" Let us eat," said Elrond sitting down.
Margaret tried not to stare at the elves, but could not help it. Rivendell was the only place she had seen elves. She wondered if these Elves from Mirkwood had been to New York. They seemed to be travelers if they delivered messages. Maybe they know what a car is.
After Margaret finished her dinner, she wandered over to the trees that stood on one side of Imladris. She loved to climb their fat limbs, or race an older elf to the top of the tree (or at least as far as she could go).
Margaret walked a little ways into the grove before she decided that she would climb an oak tree. The oak tree loomed before her, its leaves rustling with the breeze. Elrond had said that he had planted this tree himself when he had founded Imladris.
Jumping to catch a branch, Margaret pulled herself onto the limb. She was shocked into falling back out to see an elf already sitting there. She landing on the ground with a hard thud. Sitting up slowly, Margaret noticed that the other elf was now in front of her.
" Mae Govannen," Margaret greeted politely. She stood up in a hurry to brush off her pink dress. The other elf said nothing, just simply stared.
" Mae Govannen," said Margaret again, thinking the elf hadnt heard her.
" You disturbed my concentration," the elf sneered at her, "Although, I believe that humans care nothing about the harmony of elves and nature."
" I am sorry," Margaret apologized.
" Sorry does not help now, human," said the elf.
" I am Margaret," she said, introducing herself.
" I care not who you are. I do not need to. You are a filthy human. Thats all I see. You do not deserve the hospitality of the elves."
Margaret looked at him, not sure she understood correctly. She had been called a filthy before. Many times, in fact, by people back in New York. She just did not understand why. She was perfectly clean right now. Margaret touched her hair and toyed with her ribbon to make sure it was straight.
" If my hair is dirty, I am sorry. I think it is because I fell out of the tree."
The elfs face grew red. Her grabbed Margaret by the arm, and jerked the hair ribbon out of its place. The braid Sulwen had put in that morning, slowly began to unwind at the bottom.
Margaret felt tears prick her eyes, " I do not understand why you are angry with me! Please give me the ribbon back! It is not mine!"
" So you are a little thief now, too? No, I shall not give it back. Go now, before I decide that you do not deserve those shoes which you wear, either."
Margaret turned and fled. She didnt see the elf of Mirkwood be joined by his companion minutes later. Nor did she hear the angry words that the other elf said to his friend about being unkind to a child, or bragging about it.
'That ribbon belongs to Sulwen,' thought Margaret frantically, ' I cannot tell her that the elf took it. She will be angry. I will tell her that I took it out and put it away because I didnt want to ruin it.'
She raced back to her room, and brushed out her hair. All day, Margaret avoided any questions that were asked about her well being. She didnt realize that Glorfindel, Sulwen, or Elrond knew something had upset her.
A/N: OK! Finally my computer decided to work! Thank you to all my reviewers! I will start replying again in the next chapter. Sorry for the wait! I already have the next chapter started and I cant wait to finish it! I also apologize for any errors in grammar or spelling( not too good with that).