I'm really sorry that this is so short, but I have loads of homework, so I can't write too much. But I felt bad about taking so long to update, so…ta da.

Chapter Nine: Heading For Lorien

"Hey, tell me something." I said, turning to Eowyn as we headed out of the forest. "If Rivendell was safe from the spell because of Elrond's power, wouldn't Lothlorien also be?" I mean, it just makes sense, and I'm surprised no one else has thought of it.

Eowyn blinked, like this was the first time this had occurred to her. "That's…true…Arwen?"

"Don't ask me. It's just simpler to shrug and accept it."

Belgaer is nodding like this makes perfect sense. Browne and I glance at each other with dubious looks on our faces. I think we're going to get along just fine…

"So…" Browne turned to me. "Where are we going again?"

I glance at her. "Lorien."

"Nice." She sighed. "This would be so much easier with my fell beast carrying us instead of these horses."

I stare at her incredulously. "You have a fell beast!" I exclaim. The other three, who previously weren't paying attention, looked over at us in surprise.

"Well, not YET." She says, as if this is the most obvious thing in the world. "But someday…" she got a far off look in her eyes.

Meanwhile, in Gondor…

"This, lyke, so sucks!" Starr wailed, storming down the halls in a flutter of neon pink skirts.

In her great agitation (or stupidity), she nearly ran into the recently-muted Celeste. She had a look on her face that clearly said 'duh.' Not the 'oh-that-should-have-been-obvious-you-moron-duh', but the 'hey-I'm-a-brainless-idiot-duh'.

"Lyke, that spell faeire cast 2 make us sound smartt iz gone!" Starr exclaimed oh-so brilliantly.

Celeste just blinked. Slowly.

"Leggi will get suspi…supsricious…suspeicious…he'll wonder whut happned! I can't lose him!1"

Another blink.

"I'd try 2 guess who did it butt now I'm—"

"Dumber than a rock and with even less personality." came word from a breathless maid from Minas Tirith. Apparently many servants had fled, for Aragorn and Legolas had convinced themselves that someone had snuck into Starr and Celeste's rooms and clonked them over the head with a blunt object, thus giving them brain damage.

I raised my eyebrows at this. If they had brains to damage, I SUPPOSE this could be a plausible excuse.

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Browne said aloud, as the handmaiden was led away to rest after dealing with the horror that is two dignified lords weeping over the disappearance of their "luv's" intelligence that I'm pretty sure was never there to start with.

"It seems that with every location we free, a quality of theirs disappears," Belgaer said with a satisfied smirk.

"Yes, it means their charm is slowly fading." Arwen nodded, then frowned. "But it is not good that Aragorn and Legolas keep excusing these changes. The Sues hold over them is still very strong." I really am starting to admire my Ada. If he can put up with her even after she loses her so-called perfection, he is a very nice and tolerant guy, spell or no spell. You gotta give him and King Elessar credit.

"So we just work faster!" Eowyn said.

I highly doubted that was a possibility. We hadn't even left Mirkwood yet! Few steps out and this ashen-faced maid nearly barreled over us in her hurry to reach the king.