Disclaimer: seeing this is fanfiction there's no real need for disclaimers.
A/N: This is longer than our other chapters, and we hope you enjoy it... we had fun writing it anyways. Please tell us what you think, and suggestions are always welcome.
Saber Apricot: We are aware that Dwarves exist in many other stories, etc. but we thought it would be obvious to the girls that they were in Middle-Earth, since they love Tolkiens works so much. There is something very elf-like about Alexandra, that is why, at first glance, the Dwarves thought her to be an elf. They supposed Carey was one too as she was with Alexandra.
Thanks to all our other reviewers... please continue reading the story, we're trying not to make it too Mary Sue-ish. o.-
Alexandra saw the axe being held at Carey's neck from her upside down view as she hung from her leg in the air. This was definitely going to be trouble. Her big mouth spoke out: "I'm an elf!"
"You're pretty short to be an elf." A Dwarf commented, giving her a mocking look.
The other Dwarf, still holding the Axe to Carey's throat, smiled evilly and motioned towards her, "Then what is this?"
Alexandra gave Carey a desperate look. Come on- think of something. She thought to herself, hoping Carey would understand. Her leg was starting to hurt; she wished Carey would hurry up.
"Well, I'm definitely no elf," Carey stated giving Alexandra a worried glance, "I'm a... a... hobbit!"
Alexandra smiled at Carey and started to weave a tale, "I am a High Elf who befriended this hobbit. We were headed towards Rivendell-" Alexandra was interrupted by the red-haired Dwarf who had been looking at Carey in disbelief.
"A hobbit, puhh! Only one way to check if it's a hobbit." The two dwarves started to move closer to Carey.
"What are you going to do?" asked Carey, looking from Dwarf to Dwarf. She could pass off as a hobbit, could she not? After all, she was very short. She glanced nervously at Alexandra.
The red-haired Dwarf smiled happily at Carey's discomfort. "A Hobbit has hairy feet, lets take a look, shall we?" He looked down at her shoes, amused.
"Ummmm..." Carey thought hard and fast; what had she read about hobbits? She stumbled over her words in fright as the dwarves came nearer, "I- I don't have hairy feet."
Alexandra shot Carey a VERY frightened look and mouthed, "what are you DOING!". The dwarves had stopped their advance and looked sceptically at Carey; she felt herself going red.
" I'm a-a Fallowhide hobbit. We're taller and, um, less hairy than other hobbits. Our hair is also fairer and we love the trees and woodlands. Fallowhides are also uh- more adventurous and on friendly terms w-with elves..." Carey stammered, more or less reciting the LOTR prologue. Was that all she had read? She remembered there had been something else- "Oh! We're less numerous than the other hobbit types, and if you were to.. to trace the history of the Tooks you would find they have Fallowhide ancest-" she was cut short with the axe from earlier at her neck again.
" This one I don't like; it talks too much." said the holder of the axe.
Alexandra breathed a sigh of relieve, at least Carey read the prologues.
The newly acclaimed hobbit turned her head as much as one can when there is an axe being held against your neck. The two Dwarves were considering what she had said, they obviously knew about hobbits. Maybe Alexandra and herself would be able to leave soon...
" CAN SOMEONE PLEASE CUT ME DOWN FROM HERE!" Alexandra called them back to the present, still hanging upside down. A Dwarf (the one with the shorter, red beard) absentmindedly cut the rope she was hanging by with his axe. Alexandra fell ineptly to the ground.
"The elf isn't very graceful." commented the Dwarf with a smirk.
Alexandra glared at him with fury.
"May I inquire why an elf, and a hobbit,are wandering so near to Erebor?" queried the Dwarf with the white beard as he waved his hand in direction of a distant mountain, ignoring the hostility between Alexandra and his fellow Dwarf.
"What are two Dwarves such as yourselves doing here, near the woodlands?" asked Alexandra, recovering from her fall. "I notice that Erebor is but a small mountain in the distance." She accompanied her statement with a swoop of her arm, starting at the not-too-distant forest of Mirkwood and ending in the direction of Erebor.
The Dwarf, with the white beard, that was obviously in charge, replied, "We, too, are heading for Rivendell."
"Why are you wandering towards Erebor?" repeated the red-haired Dwarf frigidly.
" We have already told you our business." stated Alexandra huffily. She didn't like this dwarf at all. Why wasn't she back at home reading about this?
He smiled maliciously, " No, you have told us where you are headed, not why you were here."
" That is OUR concern, thank-you-very-much. " replied Alexandra.
As the Dwarves and Alexandra continued arguing Carey started to guess things from what she had heard so far. The forest near them was Mirkwood; that was obvious, the distant mountain was Erebor, or in other words, the Lonely Mountain, and this path was the Old Forest Road. Where were the Dwarfs going, Rivendell? The Council, of course! "Am I in the presence of Gloin, one of the twelve companions of the great Thorin Oakenshield, or even Gimli, son of Gloin?" She asked quickly. The argument stopped, Alexandra looked at Carey as if she was insane. But one of Dwarves the turned to her and bowed. " I am Gimli." stated the dwarf that had bowed, the red-haired one with the drawn axe Carey noted. "This is my sire, Gloin." he gestured at the Dwarf with the white beard they had guessed was in charge.
" I am honoured to be in the presence of two Dwarves such as yourselves. Aurora Took at your service and your families'!" She replied bowing. Maybe they would forget their argument if she showed good manners. After all, she was in Tolkien's world!
"Well met and welcome Aurora Took." retuned Gloin. " Now that we are at an understanding, let us continue our journey to Rivendell. You and your friend are welcome to join us, if you will."
Gimli turned with distain to Alexandra. "What might your name be elf?"
"My name is Quelebnen." Alexandra replied, while giving a disgusted look to Carey, who was avoiding her gaze. " I thank you for your kindly offer master Dwarf, but we have pressing business before we travel on to Rivendell. I offer you our gratitude." And with that Alexandra gave a very dignified bow. " Come now Aurora, let us continue OUR journey." Alexandra stalked off huffily, without waiting for Carey.
Carey bowed again to the dwarves and thanked them for their time, she then ran off after Alexandra.
"It is indeed strange times we live in, that an elf refuses to enter a forest and a female hobbit follows an elf." Said Gloin wonderingly as he watched the two friends go on their way.