Hello, guys, it's me again! This chapter is a bit long, but a new character appears here. In the next chapter we'll meet the Fellowship finally! Please, oh, please review, 'cause it such a support for me! See ya!

P.S. Sai is an unsharpened octagonal dagger, with two long, unsharpened projections (tsuba) attached to the handle. Elektra's weapon (coool thing).

Enjoy!

Chapter 3 "A whole new world"

The blackness faded. Now she could hear. Firstly it was like buzzing of millions of bees. Aurelia winced and opened her eyes slowly, just to close them immediately as harsh light blinded her. Some time latter she reopened her eyes and blinked a couple of times to focus on her surroundings, and tried to get up groaning. Her head felt numb, when she touched the injured place, and then it got to her. She no more was in the forests of Audox! The place was sun, covered with green lush grass, the trees all around were also green, something Aurelia had rarely seen, as most of Audox's forests were leafless. Birds were singing, while Aurelia's heart sank to the bottom of her stomach.

"Where am I? What's this place? I'm not at home. I AM NOT AT HOME!" She thought, panicking. "What was that that Milmand gave me? Oh, I want to go home…" She closed her eyes, hoping it was just a dream and opening them, she'd find herself home, back in Audox. However, she still stood in the middle of a grassy meadow, not knowing what place it was and having no idea of what to do next. She suppressed the tears that endangered to flow from her eyes. "O.K., Aurelia, come down. Don't think of anything now. Just disengage yourself from everything now. Solve the problems as they'll come to you," she tried to calm herself down. "First of all, you should find out where the hell are you!" She looked around and noticed a country road in the distance. Making up her mind, Aurelia decided to follow it.

Soon enough the road brought her to a small village. After a moment hesitation, she started to walk down the street that seemed to be the only one in the whole settlement, in search of somebody to ask questions that left her restless. As luck would have it, a women appeared out of nowhere, carrying a big bowl of some vegetables, and Aurelia, not wanting to loose her chance, sprinted to the woman, trying to look confident.

"Excuse me… would you be so kind as to answer some questions?" the woman stopped with a start, looking quizzically at Aurelia. "Well…I'm lost, I mean I just found myself here, though I don't know how…so I want to ask if you could tell me where I am?" Aurelia blurted out. Now the woman looked at her like she was crazy. Then, she sized Aurelia up and down, and her severe face lit with a small smile.

"Come down now, child. You have to be lost. You are at Frigo, that's how our village is called."

"Frigo? I've never heard of it.' Aurelia couldn't cover her nervousness.

"Sure you haven't. It's so small that most people don't know it exists. Only travelers and rangers come here, but now even they stop wandering in these places," the woman sighed. Aurelia became impatient.

"But where is it situated? Is there any large city nearby?"

"City? Well, not very near, child. Bree is several weeks from here and so is Rivendell? The city of elves."

"Elves?" Aurelia asked numbly. But there were no elves in Audox!

"In what land am I?" She asked, though already predicting the answer.

"Why, Middle Earth, of cause!" The woman seemed genuinely surprised. But Aurelia didn't really care. Everything around her went blank, only two words burning in her head: "Middle Earth".

The wizard transported me to Middle Earth! Oh, Valar, what I'm gonna do in the land where I know no one? Her Knees bended and she almost fell, if the woman didn't catch her.

"Oh, dear, you are exhausted. You need to eat something, look how thin you are! You probably traveled a lot. Go over there, to the pub," she stretched her arm in the direction of the biggest building in the whole village. "Surely, old Luis will feed you, and this is what you need most. Now, go." And the woman pushed Aurelia slightly, before walking away. Without thinking twice, Aurelia decided to follow her advice and went to the pub.

It was stuffy and smoky inside and Aurelia started to cough as she pushed her way to the bar. There were several men, drinking, and upon her entering the pub all stared at her like she was a miracle. Now, with the hood pulled down, revealing sandy curly hair, she was really pretty.

Trying to ignore meaningful stares she was receiving, Aurelia ordered something to eat and went to the far away corner of the pub. Finding a free table, she settled herself and waited for her meal to arrive.

Suddenly something caught her eye – a figure, wrapped in a black cloak, was sitting motionlessly, black material covering every part of it's body, so that Aurelia could see absolutely nothing, but a black shadow, she even wasn't sure if it was alive. Trying not to stare, she shifted her gaze to the plate of food that arrived along with a mug of water.

But at that very moment two huge and ugly-looking men of dubious appearance took a sit on both sides of her, holding mugs of something alcoholic in their hands. It was easy to see they had already hit the bottle.

"And what such a pretty girl is doing in this god-forsaken dirty hole?" The first asked smiling with his toothless mouth. Aurelia shifted uncomfortably, but decide to play precise and distant.

"Eating, why?" She replied coolly.

"Maybe you need our help, girlie?" The second put his hand on her knee. Aurelia felt sick.

"Oh, no, everything is alright," she mumbled uncertainly.

"So I think you won't mind if we keep you a company?" The first put his arms round her waist. Aurelia began to shake uncontrollably. She wanted to scream, but no sound came out. She looked around, panicking, searching for some help, but everybody didn't pay any attention. Her heart sank as she understood what was waiting for her.

"I will mind!" The silence was broken by the muffled harsh voice and the same second the black figure in the further corner of the pub rose to its full height.

"Who the hell are you? D'ya have any idea who ya run into?" The drunk men also rose, ready to beat whoever it was. Aurelia watched the scene, holding her breath. In one rapid motion, with the twist of its hand, the figure pulled out from the folds of the cloak a sai and with an imperceptible turn pointed it at the man's throat.

"Watch your tongue, sir," the figure hissed. "Any more questions?" And with the twist of its hand the figure hid the sai back into the fold of the cloak.

"Oh, no, no, we were just joking, my lord," the drunk put a hand on his almost-cut-off-throat and produced a barking, bearing no resemblance with laughter.

"Get out off here," was all, the figure said in a cold freezing voice.

"Already going," the second drunk answered, bowing deep. "Good day to you, fair lady." And with a bow to Aurelia, two drunks hurried away.

Meanwhile, the figure left some coins on the table and went out of the pub. Without further ado, Aurelia followed her strange savior.

"Wait!" Aurelia cried as she tried to catch up with the figure's fast pace. It didn't even slow down, pretending not to hear her. After a while Aurelia came up with the stranger and start talking, breathing heavily.

"Well, I am very grateful to you, for saving my life and my…virtue and…May I go with you?" The figure didn't even look at her.

"You'd better go home, before you got into much trouble," was all it said.

"But…I have nowhere to go…" Aurelia felt humbled. The Princess begging Valar know whom! But, after all, he was the only one who came to her rescue and if she will trust anyone, let it be him.

"What do I care for it?" Came a sharp reply. Aurelia's lips quivered, eyes filled with tears. No one ever spoke to her in such a way!

"Please, I'm lost… far away from home and I don't know where to go…Please…" Aurelia saw it didn't work, surely he was a tough guy, and for her sake Aurelia decided…

"I need to find Sauron!" She exclaimed loud and clear, so that everybody around heard and gave a start.

"Sauron?" The figure asked amuse if it was possible.

"Yes, he is a bad guy who stole one very precious thing from my father," Aurelia was oblivious to the fact that everyone was looking at her hostilely, thinking she was Sauron's spy or something. It became dangerous for her to stay.

"Let's get our asses out of here, before we'll be hung," ordered the black figure, grabbing her by the arm and pulling to a beautiful strong black stallion. Aurelia wanted to protest, but very soon found herself on the horse, wrapping her arms around the figures waist. The stallion neighed and galloped off, carrying them away from the village of Frigo.

They had been galloping in silence for several hours already. Aurelia began to feel drowsy because of all the events that happened and tried to stay awake. Finally she gathered the courage to speak.

"So, why did you save me?" Aurelia began quietly.

"Because," came a dry reply. They went silent again. Five minutes latter Aurelia continued.

"All the same, why?" She smiled to herself, knowing her companion was irritated.

"Wouldn't it have been better, if I had left you there?" Aurelia was insulted. How dare he to speak to her in such a way?

They galloped silently for the rest of the day and the whole night without any stop. Finally at dawn they halted and the figure built a fire. For the past several hours, even as she was sleeping, Aurelia had been wondering who her mysterious companion was. But she had no courage to ask him. But her mind pictured a young and handsome, though not very sociable Prince under that huge black cloak.

Meanwhile, the figure took a hunk of bread from the bag at the stallion's side, broke it in two pieces and threw one to Aurelia. Only then she understood how hungry she'd been. She grabbed the bread and began to eat greedily, forgetting about the figure's awful manners at once. After she was full, Aurelia was inclined to talk.

"So, who are you and where are you from?" She began, trying to sound as polite as she could.

"It's none of you business, lady." That was the last drop for Aurelia. She clenched her fists not to say something too rude. But inside she was bubbling with anger. The silence fell between them as they sat on the opposite sides of the fire.

"You said something about Sauron," finally the silence was broken; however it was not a question.

"I said that he'd stolen…"

"And what was it?" The figure interrupted. Her pride was hurt like never before.

"It's none of your business!" She parodied sarcastically.

"It had to be very important if you thing that Sauron did it," the figure wasn't hurt in the least. "So, you made such a long way here just for it?"

"How did you know it?" Aurelia exclaimed amazed. But no answer came.

"Where should I take you?" The figure seemed to be deep in thought, anyway it didn't sound pleased with a prospect of traveling with the girl.

"I've said I need to find Sauron!" Aurelia replied fiercely. To her surprise the figure laughed. It was a muffled flat sound, but it laughed anyway!

"Look, girl, you are either very stupid or you did come from a faraway land. I don't think Sauron would be interested in stealing something from you if this something has nothing to do with his plans. And all he worries about is how to become omnipotent and subdue the whole Middle Earth. And for that he needs the One Ring."

"The One Ring?" Aurelia was a little frightened but more than that she was anxious to know all she could about the Middle Earth. Reluctantly her companion told her briefly about the Great War and the Ring, and finally it did ask something Aurelia dreaded to hear.

"Who are you, girl? And what are you really looking for? But don't lie to me, as I'll know if you try to." For a minute Aurelia went silent, making a decision and then taking her chance she told everything: about her land, that she was a Princess, about the invasion and how she ended up in the Middle Earth. The figure was listening carefully without interruption and as she finished it said seriously:

"Don't tell anyone what you told me, anyone! You should be careful as dark times are coming and Sauron's spies are everywhere."

"But what should I do?" Aurelia asked in despair.

"Well…" the companion began thoughtfully. "I guess I should take you to Isengard to Saruman. If anyone can help your case I think he's the right person."

"Who's Saruman?" Aurelia asked innocently.

"He's a white wizard."

"A white wizard?" Aurelia felt stupid asking such stupid questions.

"Oh, stop questioning, woman! Let's go!" With these words the figure mounted the horse. Aurelia sighed. What did she get herself into?