Well, what can I say? When I finally got to explain it all to Lord Elrond, and explained it yet again, since he'd asked only about fourteen thousand questions . . . he didn't look so angry after what I told him. Oh, no, he looked more confused than anything else.

"Jessica," He said calmly, leaning forward a little in his hand carved chair, "you may stay here in Rivendell, but expect me to call on you later so that we may discuss this more thoroughly at a later time . . . Legolas," he said, looking to the him, "Please bring her to a room, and after she changes, Perhaps you could show her around. Would you be so kind?"

Legolas bowed slightly, giving the Elven Lord a small smile. "It would be my pleasure. But soon we need to speak of matters in Mirkwood. It is most urgent."

Jessica liked the idea of having Legolas show her around, and wanted to hear this new news, but . . . "Lord Elrond? I'm not very partial to dresses . . . do I have to wear one? I mean . . . I was really just kind of wondering if I could wear Male clothing instead. I used to wear that all the time where I come from." Jessica fumbled for the right things to say, but stopped, just listening for a reply, she mentally hit herself, repeatedly, in the head, waiting for his reaction.

Elrond blinked like water had been splashed in his eyes. Then he seemed to decide. 'God, I hope I didn't piss him off,' Jessica thought, my smile faltering slightly. He nodded.

"Very well, Lady Jessica. Now, if you will excuse me, I've other matters at hand that must be done with. I bid you a good evening."

Legolas lead me from Lord Elronds chambers, but by then, I noticed a smile tugging on his lips.

"What's funny?"

Legolas glanced to me, letting the smile come. "I think it funny that the first thing that you ask for is a pair of leggings and nothing else. Indeed, you are a strange girl."

"I'm not that-"

"And," Legolas continued, interrupting me, "you even managed to startle Lord Elrond. Not a thing easily don, I can assure you."

I smiled, amused. Yeah, I had pretty much guessed that. Of course, it was just one of those things, I supposed. Hmm, I wonder how the other Elves would react? The though of their reactions brought another smile to me.

"And why can I not wear leggings?" I asked, half tempted to tease him. "Not 'proper' enough to wear 'males' clothing? It's only cloth," I replied, shrugging. When I saw him shrug and nod, I smiled. I'd won, for now. Soon he stopped, opening a door.

I could scarcely believe my very eyes. Inside of the room, I noted as I walked in, was a huge, white bed with a large, quilted blanket with silver embroidered leaves on it, decorated lightly with gold thread and silver and green patterns that turned into leaves, and, as I learned later, seemed to make the shape of some kind of star. But it was fluffy looking and was remarkably comfortable.

Then I looked to the walls, which were expertly white but had the sense of actual space in the room, along with a faint forest background in the walls paintings, with an ornate dresser with a truly matching mirror on the top of it. Of course, when I looked to the windows, I quickly became confused . . .

My hand ran over the soft as silk blanket, as I gazed at the vines on the wall in slight confusion, and the windows.

"Aren't the vines supposed to be outside?" I asked, motioning to the vines coming through the glass and climbed the walls gracefully.

Legolas only smiled. "No, not all of them. If you look close enough, you may notice they come through the window by way of small cuts in the glass. I'll get you some clean clothes. Please stay here until I get back." With that, he turned and left.

I can't believe this place. It's so beautiful and things seem almost unreal . . .

'But they are,' I thought in wonder.

'They are real.'

Aren't they . . .?

I really could scarcely believe how beautiful that this place was. But soon enough, even I grew bored of staring at vines and went out in search of a comb. Only when I finally found a comb, did I notice my hair was still in its loose braid, just before combing it. When I finally got to comb my hair out, it shone a bit. Of course I'd had a bath the night before, but wow. My hair seemed to positively glitter, like molten gold!

In a couple of minutes, Legolas re-entered, placing the clothes that he held, down onto the bed.

"Thanks, Legolas."

He nodded, smiling lightly. "When you've finished, please come out and I will show you around Rivendell."

"Okay, cool," I said, examining the clothes he'd brought in to me.

When he left, and I got into the new clothes that I had been given, I stood in full shock in front of the mirror. At five foot four, I was surprised at how easily that I fit the clothes. Or rather, how well the clothes seemed to fit on me.

Again I looked into the mirror, and was very taken with what was seen. Even the new shoes were comfortable and warm. When I had finally come out, I found Legolas talking to a small person with curly brown hair and some very, very hairy feet. I immediately found myself repelled from the feet, but if that was the worst he had, then I could get over it. Legolas finally looked up, noticing me at last.

"Well, Jessica," he said, finally saying something. "You look very nice in your new clothes. This is Frodo. He is visiting for a while. I thought you might like to meet him."

I smiled. How thoughtful of him! It made me think better of him, that was for sure. I went forward and nodded a greeting to Frodo.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Frodo. Where are you from?"

"The Shire. It's a bit hidden away I'm afraid."

"The shire? I don't think I've ever heard of it before, aside from my friends talking about it every so often . . ."

Frodo and I talked that way for almost an hour. And while he was a very nice, and polite Hobbit, I found myself thinking to Elrond for a moment, and what he must be thinking of. Probably wondering about why on (his) Earth was there a lost girl in his forest.

Or what was more important than talking to someone that one of your subjects, or, erm, messengers, that had found some strange girl off of the boarders of Rivendell, apparently lost and from far away, to say the least. Along with no food, traveling gear, or any kind of a weapon.

Would that lead him to thinking that I had had a group nearby that had just left me there? I hoped not.

I pardoned myself, wandering away after awhile, looking around the place on my own. I had been glad that Frodo didn't seem to mind at all.

I stood by the beautifully carved pillar and watched as a pair of small children played together, and laughed inwardly. I was kind of bored already. But of course, I was used to the "modern" world. Where phones, Televisions and Computers reigned supreme. That's when I wondered what Gimli, a friend of mine, would take of this place, and laughed outwardly.

Oh . . . Gimli would SO flip out! And the fact that his name was the same as a Dwarves . . . The very thought left me almost shaking with barely contained laughter that spilled out in a soft giggle. I kept walking after that, experiencing happy thoughts, and sweet memories.

When I rounded the corner, I had to stop myself from tumbling over my very own feet in disbelief. He was short, and squat, with a graying beard and was talking impatiently to a bored looking Legolas.

'What is that?' I wondered to myself. Suddenly, Legolas looked my direction. "Ah! Jessica. You were just whom I wanted to talk to!" Legolas replied, and then hastily, "I wanted to introduce you to a . . . acquaintance of mine." He seemed wince somehow when he said it. "This is Gimli, son of Gloin. He's a Dwarf."

I nodded politely at Gimli, looking to him as I did.

"How's it going, Gimli? Is Legolas boring you with speeches?" I teased, and smiled to them both. Though inwardly I thought that this was a bad way for him to introduce me to someone he didn't like very much.

Legolas looked as though he were about to object, but seemed to figure out that I was just playing around with him. Gimli smiled wryly, and nodded. "Well then! It is good that not everyone is affected by the fact that Legolas is an Elf! T'is a pleasure to meet you, Milady."

Though I saw his eyes sweep over my clothing, he said nothing. I gave him a brownie point for being so nice and polite. Even if he looked as though he was wondering what sex I might be, or if I was insane or not.

It was this though, that I frowned at. Before I could object and slip away, Legolas hastily broke the silence by dismissing himself. I blanched lightly. He was a very rude elf, leaving his company with yet another of his company, and without an escape route.

Not that I really cared but come on! First it had been Frodo and now it was Gimli the Dwarf? Oy! Legolas gave me a light clap on my shoulder as he left saying, "Please do not worry, Lady Jessica. I will be back; I have something that I really must attend. Excuse me now . . ."

I shrugged mentally as I watched him walk away. Psh, Elves . . . I ended up looking to Gimli, and shrugged, smiling.

"Elves, eh? Well, Gimli, ya want to go anywhere and talk? Walk and talk? Or are you busy as well?" Jeez, I sounded like I was leaving an open threat. (Leave me and die! Mwahahaha!) But before I could finish what I had even been saying, he was already talking.

" . . .I am not busy. I would like to talk to one so different. I mean that in not a bad way, Lady Jessica, but as a compliment. Tell me, first though, why are you wearing male Elves clothing, if you do not mind my asking, that is."

I smirked. He was being cautious around me, and hyper, and curious . . . I think that he may have even believed that I must be insane, or at least mentally disturbed. I would have, had I been in his place, yet, I nodded and began to explain as we walked down the corridors. Of course, after that, we spent most of the afternoon talking, and once I even asked him where he though that I might be from.

He grew puzzled when I told him that, no, I was not of this world, but that I was from a world where every female and man alike wore leggings, if they felt like it, that is. And that there were even some men that chose to wear dresses. Which I merely thought was funny, but where Gimli was totally and completely, even thoroughly appalled, shocked, and surprised about it, I laughed, and he joined me, thinking it a joke. If only he knew. And then, only to weddings did the women truly think dresses were at all mandatory, aside from my mother, who had worn white jeans to her wedding.

Gimli laughed at this, saying that my family was indeed strange. I halfway agreed with him, but I only smiled and shook my head slightly. That was when I rounded a corner, and bashed right into someone . . .

```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````` ((Please review. ^_^" Lol, I thrive on them, I know. Feed me! ^_^" So, please tell me what you think! I'll be posting every day or two, don't worry, I'm usually pretty good about it. ^_~":: Winks.:: ((this chapter was updated 02-15-04-3:07a.m. ))