Catherine Maria – I'm trying! I'm really, really trying, but sometimes my muse goes to fast, y'know?

Flamin' June – I'm recommended on the WHAT? Could you let me know what that is, please? I'd like to check it out. And thank you SO much for your kind review.

~

Hey, look! Elves! Elves pointing sharp things at us!

Gimli mutters something about not being able to trust the prancing bastards. Legolas shoots him a glare. "We should turn back!" Gimli calls forward.

"You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood," says the creepy blonde head guy. "You cannot go back."

I continue to stand by my observations that all Elves are blond. I peer at the one in front of me. Yep, definitely blond. He gives me a distrustful look, and I give him my biggest, loopiest grin.

"I believe this one is a bit addled," he says, staring at me incredulously.

"Is that a rhetorical question?" I mutter.

Leilanni smiles at me evilly. She saw Legolas touch my face back at the Exit of Moria, and she's been nasty ever since. Yeah, this is me caring. Not at all.

"One to many blows to the head," Mitanna puts in silkily.

I smile back. I don't retort, I don't get defensive, I don't get rude. Not in public, anyway. I'll save the rude for later, when they try to corner me and kick my ass. TRY being the operative word. I do, however, raise one hand and very lightly touch my cheek.

Leilanni turns bright red and turns away.

"Come," Leader Elf Guy says imperiously, "we must go."

What the HELL is his name? This is going to bug me forever.

~

Must not look down. Must not look down. Must not look –

Looked down. New mantra.

Must not puke all over Lothlorien. Must not puke all over Lothlorien.

Aragorn touches my shoulder. "Kindly cease looking down. The speed at which you are changing colors is making me nauseous."

I blush, again. Curse my fair complexion. "Sorry."

He shakes his head. I wince as his hair doesn't really move. God, all that slime must be like superglue. "Do not be sorry. Just don't look down."

~

It's beautiful here. Absolutely beautiful. With the greenery, and the silver trees, and the incredibly scary Elf-lady descending the stairs.

Celeborn looks at us for a moment. "Where is Gandalf, for I much desire to speak with him?"

Huh. THIS Celeborn doesn't sound stoned. Amazing.

"He fell," Legolas said softly. "Into shadow and flame. A Balrog of Morgoth."

Note to self: If I ever get home, am going to read the Silmarillion from cover to cover if it kills me. Will follow that by the Unfinished Tales.

Galadriel looks around at each of us. Celeborn continues to speak, though he looks saddened.

'You were not meant to be here, little one,' says the voice in my head. And it's not one of the previous residents. And what is it with Elves calling me 'little one?'

'You are young to us, child. Remember that. And though you are not meant to be here, your work is not done. Remember that, and do not allow yourself to be distract by what pleasures you find.'

Pleasures? No, no, no! Argh! Gutter!

'Very young. And truly, you are charming when you blush.'

Hate Elves. Hate, hate, hate!

~

It is a very subdued company that goes to the little clearing place the Elves set aside for us. I lay out my blankets by Legolas and just sprawl out on my back, staring at the leaves overhead.

"What do they say?" Merry asks, and that drags me back to the present.

Legolas turns and looks at him and smiles sadly. "I have not the heart to tell you. For me, the grief is still to near."

Leilanni looks like she wants to glomp him but doesn't quite dare.

"I bet they don't sing about his fireworks," Sam says sadly, straightening one corner of his blankets. "They're worthy a verse or two." He stands, clears his throat nervously, but his voice is strong and clear. "The finest rockets ever seen. They burst in stars of blue and green. Or after thunder, silver showers. Came falling like a rain of flowers.." He frowns, and lowers his head. "Oh, that doesn't do them justice by a long road."

"It was beautiful," I find myself saying softly. I smile up at him. "He would've loved it."

"She's right, Sam," Frodo agrees, his voice quiet. But then, it almost always is.

I settle in for the night.

~

Ah, morning. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, a sweet breeze is blowing.

I am going to kill whoever woke me up, I think as I attempt to burrow deeper into my blanket.

Light Elvish laughter forces it's way through the fog around my brain. "Awaken, sleepy one. It is near to four hours past dawn. If you do not hurry, the Hobbits will have eaten all the food."

"D'nt w'nt f'd."

There's a long pause. "I beg your pardon?"

"Don't. Want. Food. Sleeep."

This is followed by an impatient sigh. "Kayli, cease this and awaken this instant."

I pull my head out from under my cloak and glare at him. The sun is making a halo of his pale hair, his skin is glowing, his eyes are lit with delight at being amongst Elf-kind once more, and he just looks so gorgeous I want to hurt him. "Legolas. Royalty or no, if you don't get the hell away from me, I'm going to have to hurt you."

In response to that, he sprawls out on his back on the ground next to me, hands folded behind his head and his eyes on the tree-canopy. "You're troubled."

I grown and bury my head in my cloak. "Damn you Elves."

Legolas laughs again. "I assume it is to do with the fair Lady Galadriel."

I sit up and attempt to smooth down my hair. Since it looks like the Elf is trying not to laugh at the shapes it's managed to knot itself into, I reach into my pack for my brush.

Legolas gently takes it from me and starts to untangle my hair. I go very still. "Why are you doing this?"

"I heard young Pippin make a very astute observation not two days past," he says, seemingly completely off-topic. Ah, but I know better. Elves never say something that doesn't have at least one meaning. If not ten or twenty. But that's only when they want to be really cryptic.

But I have no patience. "Yeah?"

"He said you could use a friend."

I jerk around to look at him, nearly ripping out about half of my hair in the process. "What?" Oh, ow. Stinking brush.

He just stares at me. "Could you not use one?"

I just frown at him. "These days? Who couldn't."

Legolas gently turns my head so that I'm facing away from him and continues to untangle my hair. "True."

There's silence for a long time.

~

I have no idea how long we've been here. I know that the noon hour has long passed, and that dinner-time is almost here. Legolas and I have been sitting with our backs against the tree for a long time, just talking.

Well, he's telling stories about the history of Middle-Earth, and I'm listening. He's good.

Someone very lightly clears their throat from a few feet away. We both look up, startled.

It's Celeborn. Surprise, surprise.

We both get up and bow.

"Prince Legolas. If you do not mind, I would like to borrow your companion for a moment," he says, deep voice quiet.

Legolas glances at me, and bows once more. "Not at all, my Lord. I should rejoin the others." I smile at him, and he leaves.

Lord Celeborn just looks at me for a long moment, then gestures towards on of the paths. "Walk with me for a moment, child."

Oooh, boy.

~

We've been walking for about twenty minutes now, in complete silence. He hasn't spoken, and I don't know what to say.

What do you say to a powerful Elf-Lord who seeks you out to walk with him?

Yeah, I don't know either.

"They'll see you dead if they can," he says suddenly.

I make a face. It was a lot more fun when less people were so interested in my fate. "I know."

"Your fate here is not decided, child. You should not be so glum."

I run a hand over my hair. Legolas braided it for me as he told me stories. Was he elected to come wake me, or what? "Yeah, but I have no idea how I'm going to survive."

He looks at me out of the corner of his eye. "You wish to save others, not merely survive. That is what makes you different than ...your companions."

"Those evil, evil wenches? Yeah." I glance at him in turn. "I guess your Lady's not the only mind reader in town?"

Celeborn actually laughs at that. "My powers are many, but that is not among them. Leilanni and Mitanna seem to think that my Lady is the only power in these woods."

We enter a small series of rooms. In the last, Lady Galadriel smiles at us and rises. I bow uncomfortably. Celeborn goes to her and tenderly kisses her hand. Aw, that's so sweet.

God, gag me with a spoon.

Galadriel gives me an amused look. I'm just as funny as hell, aren't I.

"You had come close to despair last I saw you, child, and yet now there is a lightness to your step. Why is that?" She tilts her head and narrows her eyes at me.

Celeborn coughs lightly, looking amused.

Um, hey, yeah. Am I blushing? Why, yes, yes I am. I'm sure there are tomatoes who are paler shades of red than I am currently. "Um...Time with friends?"

Celeborn suddenly becomes very, very interested in the floor. I think he's trying not to laugh. Galadriel touches his hair and smiles, leaning into his shoulder. He wraps an arm around her waist and kisses her temple. "Or perhaps is it love that brings color to your face?"

If any more blood comes into my head, I'm going to have an aneurism. "Um..."

She laughs and steps away from Celeborn, towards me. "Peace, child, I meant no offense. We have brought you here, rather as a test to see how powerful your bonds to the Fellowship."

Well...I pause to think about it. Boromir, good friend, strong and honest and loyal...Hobbits, loyal, huggable, love love love...Aragorn...Legolas...

Galadriel catches a particular thought that went with that last name and laughs.

"Argh!" I bury my face in my hands. Bad brain! Bad! Get out of the gutter this instant!

Galadriel kisses my cheek and presses something into my hand. "Do not fear. You have more strength than you know, but you cannot give up on hope."

"Yes, my Lady." It must be hard to hear my through my hands.

"Do you a need a guide, or can you find your own way back to the Fellowship?" she asks.

I look up and realize that she's looking over her shoulder at Celeborn. OK, this is the time where...I leave. Yes. Definitely. "Um, I can find my own way. Thank you, my Lord, my Lady." I bow, and turn to leave. I hear footsteps cross the floor, conversation in Elvish, and Galadriel's light laughter. I do not run to the door. I make it through the door and then I run.

~

I find my way back to the Fellowship Tree all on my own, without getting lost once.

I get there, and I collapse at the bottom, in hysterical laughter.

I look up when I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I see Boromir's concerned face looking down at me. "Are you all right, Kayli?"

I laugh and throw my arms around him, hug him as tight as I can. "We're all right, Boromir. We're really all right."

TBC...