Chapter 1

I don't know how long I sat there crying. But I finally started to get exhausted. The tears stopped and I just sat there panting. I closed my eyes and tried to control my breathing. Soon I was oblivious to everything but the darkness behind my closed eyelids.

I didn't hear anyone come up behind me but the next thing I knew, strong arms lifted me up off the ground. Bewildered, I looked up into the deep green eyes of the most beautiful being I had ever seen. Human-like in appearance, he (for beautiful though he was, there was nothing feminine about him) was tall with golden hair and serene eyes you could lose yourself in. I realized that I was looking at immortality. I was looking at an elf.

Suddenly he spoke in a strange language in a rich, melodic voice that reverberated in my mind.

"Huh?" Intelligent.

He repeated what he had just said.

"I, I don't understand," I said, mesmerized by the beauty of the words that rolled off his tongue.

"Are you okay?" he said, this time in English.

"Uh, yeah, I think," I stammered. "What are you?"

"What am I?"

"I, I mean, um, who are you?"

"My name is Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood Forest. My father's the king."

"Legolas!" I breathed to myself, unable to believe it. "Where am I?" I asked him, even though I already knew what the answer would be.

"Mirkwood. You are not elven, I see. Where are you from?"

"Oh, um, Kentucky."

"Where?" He shook his head. "Never mind. Where are you staying?"

"Um, well, that's kind of the thing. I'm not staying anywhere." I started talking a mile a minute, and I doubt I was making any sense at all. "See, I didn't mean to be here, and I don't know how I got here, and I don't know how to get back, and I'm not so sure I want to get back, and—"

He stopped me. "Why don't you come with me to my father's house and you can tell me everything there."

I nodded and he started walking. I turned to follow him and looked at my surroundings. Until now I hadn't taken my eyes off of Legolas, and I hadn't noticed that I was no longer in my wooded backyard. At home, it was winter, and everything was dried and gray. Here, it appeared to be summer, and the trees were green and thick, so thick that you could hardly see the sunlight. Vines crept up the huge trees, and I had to watch my step so I wouldn't trip over them. I heard rustling in the woods several times, and I figured it must be animals. I had my preconceptions of Mirkwood, having read The Hobbit, but this was nothing like I had imagined. I expected it to be stuffy and evil-looking, but this was merely dark and thick. It also had a kind of ethereal feel to it, as if the place itself was immortal.

I was so caught up in the mystical evanescence that I was startled when his voice broke my thoughts. "What's your name?"

"Huh? Oh! Jessica. Jessica Bremen."

"Jessica," he repeated. I'm sure he was wondering why I start every sentence with the word 'um.' The disgrace of stuttering really was far below the dignity of the elves. "What does it mean?"

"Huh?"

"What does your name mean? Oh, never mind." He turned back to the trail and continued walking.

"Wealthy," I blurted.

"What?"

"Wealthy. That's what my name means."

He turned around, and a slight smile crept its way onto his face. "Herenya," he said, the word rolling off his tongue like music. "That's 'wealthy' in Elvish. It suits you." He looked me over and then proceeded down the trail.

After we had walked for some time we came to a river. It was too wide to jump, too deep to step through, and there was no bridge. Legolas began taking a rope off his belt and suddenly whistled. "What are you doing?" I asked, feeling stupid.

"Crossing the river," he answered, as if the answer were obvious.

"With a rope?" I squawked, but then I noticed another elf appearing on the other side of the river, probably in response to his whistle. Legolas tossed one end of the rope to the elf on the other side, then tied his end to a tree. He then lightly walked across the rope to the other side of the river. I was mortified.

"You expect me to be able to do that?" I yelled across the river.

He shook his head. "Forgive me. I forget that you have not the skills of our people. But you will cross." He took two more ropes and tossed one end of each of them to me and told me to tie them to a tree. "Walk on the one I crossed and hold on to the other two for balance."

"WHAT?"

"Just do it," he said, obviously amused.

"Well, okay," I said unsteadily. I took a cautious step onto the rope and gripped the other two until my knuckles were white. I tried not to look at the raging river churning below me (actually it was quite calm) and slowly made my way to the other side. When I was almost there my foot slipped and I tumbled into the water.

"Lovely day for a swim," Legolas shouted when I surfaced. I glared at him and his friend as they tried vainly to hold in their laughter. Finally they gave up trying and started howling. Legolas walked over to the bank to help me up. In a moment of decision, however, I yanked on his hand and he came tumbling head over heels into the water.

Now it was my turn to howl in laughter. He came up sputtering and glaring as I smirked at him through my laughter. He pulled himself out of the water and said, "I'm not helping you this time."

I followed him onto the bank and chuckled to myself as he regained his composure and shook out his sopping hair. I did likewise as he introduced the amused newcomer as Ralyin. I reached over and shook his hand and told him my name.

"Let's go. It'll be dark soon." Legolas said, and then once again took up the lead down the path. Ralyin and I followed him. The three of us made no conversation as we walked. I hoped Legolas wasn't the type to hold grudges. I was assured he wasn't, though, when he turned around and smiled at me, almost as if he read my thoughts.

"How far is your house, anyway?" I asked as it started to grow darker.

"Not very far. In fact…" his voice trailed off as we rounded a bend and came to a clearing. "That's it," he said, and pointed to what looked like a huge house carved into a tree. It was no mere tree house, however; it was more like a palace surrounded thickly by trees. The bottom part was like a regular house, or more like a regular mansion. The top part, however, was like the top of a massive tree, an intricate bower of branches and leaves. A network of walkways were worked into the forest-like treetops, and on the other side, where I could barely see, was a balcony-like platform. I made up my mind to see if Legolas would take me up there one day. "What a rooftop!" I whispered to myself in awe. I wondered how complicated it was to build such a bower and then marveled to realize that this was not built. This was natural.

"That's your house?" I said rhetorically.

He grinned. "My father's a king, remember?"

We walked up to the mansion and passed through the intricately carved doors into a great hall. Another elf walked up to us as I stared at the beautiful ceiling.

"King Thranduil," Ralyin said respectfully to the richly dressed elf as I watched Legolas embrace the newcomer, who was indeed his father.

"It's good to have you home, Father," Legolas said as Ralyin whispered to me that the king had been away for a few weeks and had apparently returned while we were in the woods.

I felt a pang when I realized that Legolas was doing something I had never been able to do to my father. He must have noted my uneasiness because he separated from Thranduil and took my elbow, tugging me towards the king. "Father, this is Jessica. I met up with her in the woods today."

"Where are you staying?" the king asked.

"Here," Legolas stated matter-of factly as I grinned shyly.

"Well, we'll be eating soon, so the both of you had better change into some dry clothes," Thranduil said, and Legolas and I both had to stifle a snicker when I remembered why we were both sopping.

"I'll show you to your room where you can change," Legolas offered. I fell into step behind him as he led me through the mansion.

My room was on the fourth floor, across the hall from his. After he opened the door and led me into the magnificent bedroom, he asked the question I knew was inevitable. "Why are you here?"

"I don't know."

"Where are you from? Just tell me everything."

"You're not gonna believe me," I said as I sat on the edge of the bed.

"Try me."

"Well, it's really hard to explain. I don't come from here. Well, I mean, I don't come from Middle-Earth."

He looked quizzically at me, but not skeptically like I expected.

"I come from a totally different world. Like, I don't think any amount of physical traveling would take one from Middle-Earth to my world, and vice-versa." I realized I wasn't making any sense, but he motioned for me to continue.

"See, I don't quite understand what happened. All I know is that I was in the woods in my backyard (in this totally different time and space), and I tripped and fell. The next thing I knew, you were lifting me up and I was in Middle-Earth." When I put it into words it sounded totally ridiculous, but I could at least attempt to make him believe me.

"As crazy as it sounds, Herenya, I do believe you. Maybe I'm being too trusting, but I don't think you would lie. Everything points to the fact that your words are truth. Your mannerism, your accent, your clothes—which reminds me. I'm sure you would like some dry clothes before dinner. Do you have any with you?" I shook my head, then he offered to get me some.

"Sure, but do you have anything gender-neutral? I mean, I'm not really into that whole dress thing."

"That whole dress thing?" He sort of laughed, then nodded. "You can wear some of my clothes. I'll go get them."

He left the room and I looked around at this huge bedroom. The color scheme was green and gold (as was the whole palace) with a beautiful four-poster bed with a stunning bedspread against the far wall. Near the bed was a widow looking out into the forest. Other beautiful furniture adorned the room, and a door that led out to the balcony was near the window. I was staring out the window at the beautiful view of the woods when Legolas came up behind me and put the clothes on my bed.

"Come and get me when you've changed and I'll walk you to the dining hall. You can tell me more then. I'll be in my room, which is the one right across from here."

"Okay," I said as he left. I started getting out of my drenched clothes. As I slipped the borrowed shirt over my head, I realized how totally wild this was. I was in Middle-Earth! I was about to dine with King Thranduil. I mean, I was wearing Legolas Greenleaf's clothes for Pete's sake!

After changing, I combed my fingers through my long hair trying to tame it, but eventually gave up. I was just going to have to eat with the king looking like a drowned rat. I looked into the mirror over the desk in the corner, then pulled on the borrowed boots and dashed out the door. I met the elf in the hall in between our rooms.

"Would you like to comb out your hair before we go?" he asked and I burst out laughing.

"Yes, if you don't mind," I said as he slipped back into his room and I followed. He handed me a hairbrush and I proceeded to make myself look halfway presentable.

On our way down to the dining hall, Legolas stopped what appeared to be a servant and said something in Sindarin. The other nodded and walked off. Legolas turned around and explained. "When you return to your room later this evening you should find some clothes and other necessities in your room. No dresses, though," he added quickly, smiling. I laughed as we walked trough the mansion down to the dining hall. Right before we entered he whispered, "I'm going to tell Father about your strange and sudden appearance. Maybe he has some answers."

I nodded, a little nervous now. What if the king wasn't as trusting as his son? What if he didn't believe my story? Most likely I would be taken for a liar and thrown out. Or worse, they would think I was crazy and have me put in some kind of insane asylum. I didn't voice my fears to my elven companion, instead I kept my now heightened fears to myself as I walked beside his tall form. Once at the table, he took his place at his father's right hand, and motioned for me to sit beside him. A brilliant feast was set before us, and I just now realized how hungry I was. The meat and fruit and wine couldn't compare to anything at home. I was so absorbed in the smorgasbord before me that I almost missed Legolas whisper to his father in Sindarin, unnoticed by the elven court assembled at the table. I caught my name mentioned in the dialogue, and I realized that my fate was about to be decided. The conversation ended with Thranduil looking at me with an expression that I couldn't recognize. I ate the rest of the meal in silence and uncertainly, and of course nervousness (if not fear). At the end of the meal, King Thranduil motioned for me to come with him, and Legolas followed. Once out of the dining room, I asked the question I was almost afraid to ask. "Yes, my lord?"

"My son tells me you've arrived among us in a very strange way."

"Yes, my lord." I was trembling.

"Do you not know how you arrived here?"

"No, lord.

"Then it wasn't by your doing that you arrived here?"

"No, my lord, I didn't even know I could get here."

The king sighed. "Then we have no choice but to believe you."

"You believe me?"

Thranduil chuckled at my surprise. "Yes, unless you give us a reason not to anytime soon."

"Herenya, did you think that he wouldn't believe you?" Legolas asked, the first words he had spoken in the conversation.

"You elves are far too trusting," I said, shaking my head. "Yes, I thought he wouldn't believe me. I thought you wouldn't believe me either. Heck, I'm not sure if I'd believe it myself, except that at the moment my lip is hurting from when I bit it out of nervousness! I'm sure I'd think I was dreaming!"

Legolas and his father laughed and the king said, "Well, I can assure you that you're not dreaming. In the morning Legolas can show you around the palace and take you through the woods, get you familiar with the ways of our people. I hope you are happy here, as I don't see any way for you to get back at the moment." He paused a minute, then added quickly, "But that doesn't mean you can't get back, it just means that we don't know how to send you back. Yet."

I didn't know if this was good news or bad news, but I did know that I was glad to be here at the moment, and I wasn't even sure that I wanted to go home with all that I had just found out about my dad. I felt unexpected tears well up in my eyes and quickly excused myself. I quickly rushed up to my room and sat on the bed as a tear escaped and trickled down. I wiped it away and scolded myself. "Get a grip, Jess. You're in Middle-Earth. Live it up! Forget about what you're going through at home." Easier said than done. In an attempt to distract myself I walked over to the armoire and looked inside. Among the elven clothes I saw a beautiful sword leaning against the wall of the wardrobe. I picked it up in awe and drew it out of the sheath. It rang as it came out and I brandished it, wishing I could wield it expertly. I slipped it back in the sheath and walked over to the open window, feeling the night air as I looked out upon the moonlit forest.

I walked out the door to the balcony and sat on the ledge of the window. As I looked out into the forest of Mirkwood I thought about my dad. I saw in my mind's eye Legolas embracing Thranduil earlier today and my vision blurred as tears welled up. I thought about how my dad and I could have been such good friends. I thought about all the times in my life that would have been so much easier if I had a father to share them with, and the many more to come. I thought about all the unanswered questions running through my mind, like why did he kill himself? Was he drunk? What was his life like before he killed himself? I covered my face with my hands and sobbed until I heard the door to the balcony open and felt someone sit beside me on the ledge. I looked up at Legolas and wiped away my tears, but they kept coming.

"Would you like to talk about it?" he asked softly.

"Yeah." I took a shaky breath and began to tell him everything I had learned about my broken family earlier that day. I had barely ended when my voice broke and I started crying again. He opened his arms and I fell into his comforting embrace. I sobbed into his chest as he stroked my hair.