Chapter Five:

At the sound of blinds opening with a great deal of force, a ray of sunlight hit Natalie's face, forcing her into waking. Groaning, she rolled over and attempted to bury her head underneath her pillow.

"Come on! Up and at 'em! Isn't that what you Americans say?" asked Miranda in her lilting Australian accent as she pulled Natalie's pillow away.

"What time is it?" Natalie muttered, sensing that the sun had not been in the sky for very long yet.

"Er…six twenty-two to be exact. Come on!" She repeated, tugging at Natalie's shoulder. "I don't know where the bathrooms are, and I'm dying for a shower!"

Swinging her legs over the side of her bed, Natalie peered up at her new friend's face.

"Omigod! You're here! I'm saved!" she shrieked finally realizing who she was talking to. Hugging Miranda, Natalie explained further when she saw how confused her friend was. "I thought I would be stuck with the guys forever! And the bathrooms are right at the end of the hall. Ours is on the left."

"Of course I'm here… I have to learn to swordfight and ride a horse! My flight got in really late last night," Miranda said, suddenly shifting into a warrior-like pose. "Today I think we're taking a helicopter ride over to some stables… at least, I am. It's a ways away, so we have to leave extra early!"

"Lily never rides a horse..." Natalie groaned and stretched. "Oh, where did I put that schedule?" She got out of bed and shuffled the alarming amount of paperwork on her desk. Upon moving into the room, Natalie had wondered at the presence of the desk – this wasn't school, it wasn't like she had papers to write – but now she realized the necessity of a table space to keep the hundred or so packets she had been handed. And it was only three days into her time in New Zealand.

Finding the schedule for the week, Natalie scanned the day's events. "I have dialect lessons until lunch, and then the other hobbits and I have a character meeting with Peter at two," she said. "So no helicopter ride for me today."

"Ach. Well, I have to get going, we leave in half an hour. See you at dinner!" Miranda left the room, and Natalie sunk into her desk chair, yawning. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Natalie dug around in her closet for something to wear. After finding something acceptable, she grabbed her bag and headed towards the main Weta building, where her first real day of preproduction would begin.

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An hour later, Natalie was yawning and stretching her arms up over her head while squirming in her chair. She seemed to have gotten the most uncomfortable chair in the room. Glancing at the clock, Natalie yawned again. It was only 7:30, and she was stuck in this room until noon.

Natalie had known that she would have to learn to speak in the Middle Earth dialect (which seemed to be fairly English-sounding to her), but she had no idea how anybody was going to go about teaching her.

So far, the speech-language pathologist had just asked the four hobbit actors questions about where they grew up and where their parents had grown up, all the while taking frantic notes. Now, she passed out a paper to each actor. "If you could all read this, please, just normally? I need to see how you form your speech naturally before I can target what areas we need to practice. Dom, when you're ready."

As Dom read a news article recapping a recent rugby game, Natalie's mind started to drift off. She had been in New Zealand for three days, but this was her first real activity involving pre-production So far there had been a lot of papers to sign, a lot of phone calls from people who said they were agents or reporters or even personal assistants... Natalie was beginning to be so overwhelmed that she hardly had time to think about missing her family and her home anymore. She didn't even know what an agent really did! And on top of all of that, Natalie had started to read the Lord of the Rings books, trying to get a glimpse into who Lily was.

"Natalie? It's your turn." Hearing her name jerked Natalie back to the present.

"Um, okay..." Natalie shuffled her papers around, accidentally dropping her news article. "Uh, sorry..." she could feel her face turning bright red as she pawed around on the ground for the piece of paper. The speech-language pathologist shot Natalie an annoyed look.

"How about we move onto Elijah while Natalie gets ready?" she asked, making Natalie go even more red. If that was even possible.

"No, it's fine. I got it now," Natalie responded, clutching her news article. Taking a deep breath she began. "As the Cricket World Cup draws to a close, the whole country takes a collective gasp as we await the first semifinal event." Natalie tried to aim for as close to the Middle Earth dialect as she could, channeling an older English lady who lived down the street from her house.

"No, no, no – what are you doing? You didn't sound like that before!" If the speech-language pathologist (Natalie was awful at remembering names) was annoyed before, now she was severely irked. "I told you to read in your normal voice. Not be an American trying to imitate a Brit."

"I'm sorry! I thought-" Natalie started, but she was cut off.

"They told me that this was your first movie, but where did they find you? Did they just pick you off the streets? You can't even follow simple instructions!" As the woman berated her, Natalie moved as far back into the uncomfortable chair as she could, wishing she could sink right through the floor.

Then she felt a hand on her arm, and looked up to see Elijah, looking down at her with sympathy, then turned to the speech-language pathologist. "Please – this is Nat's first time doing anything for a movie –" Natalie wondered what he would have said if he hadn't been cut off. That she should be given special treatment? That she wasn't cut out for this job?

The woman sighed and rolled her eyes. "It's fine – just start over. In your natural voice."

"I'm really sorry... I haven't really adjusted to the time change yet and I'm having trouble staying awake." Natalie said, and then started over. "As the Cricket World Cup draws to a close, the whole country takes a collective gasp as we await the first semifinal event..." I am going to be just fine at this job, Elijah, she thought. Just watch me.

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After a hurried lunch, Natalie and the other hobbit actors were sitting in Peter Johnson's office, ready for their character meeting. Natalie had no idea what to expect from this meeting, so she couldn't occupy her thoughts with preparing for it. Instead, she looked around the room. Pete's office was like no other office she had seen. Instead of a desk, there were several large recliner chairs forming a circle around the room. The room made her think of a den, not an office.

Peter entered the room, breaking Natalie out of her reverie. "So today my plan is to go over with each of you my impressions on how each of your characters acts," he said, sitting down next to Dom. "We'll also discuss the relationships between the four hobbits." Peter leaned to the side of his chair and pulled up four books. "Here," he said, handing one to each hobbit actor. "I know we'll be asking a lot of you guys over the next few weeks, but I'd love it if you could at least skim these." Natalie flipped the book she held over in her hand, realizing that it was the original Lord of the Rings trilogy. "Mark these up. Make any notes you think are relevant to your character. We'll be having character meetings throughout preproduction. Although I have a pretty clear vision of what I hope to film, I am completely open to any perceptions any of you may have. Always feel free to talk to me about any concerns you have."

"So—" Billy started, but was interrupted by the door flying open, banging against the wall. Natalie looked up in shock as a young, blonde woman made her way through the door on crutches.

"Sorry I'm late, Pete," she breezed, plopping down next to Elijah. "I'm still not used to these things," she said, holding out her crutches as if expecting somebody to take them from her. When nobody did, she let them fall to the ground at her feet. As if noticing Natalie for the first time, she said, "And who are you? I thought Lily was the only female hobbit in the story, Pete." The woman glared at Natalie, who shrunk back in her chair. This day was only getting worse.

"Um, Kelly? I spoke to your agent several weeks ago and we agreed that your injuries," Pete gestured at the white cast that wound up the woman's leg and disappeared beneath her skirt. "would prevent you from fullfilling your contract with Weta. We hired somebody else – Natalie – after your accident."

"Oh, that silly old thing? She never knew what she was talking about. I fired her. Now, get this no-namer out of here." Turning to Natalie, she continued, "And, honey, don't forget to give me the scripts they gave you before you leave. They're mine, not yours." Sitting back into the chair with a sneer, the woman – Kelly – looked at Peter, the look on her face saying that she fully expected her commands to be obeyed.

Peter, looking almost as aghast as Natalie felt, sighed. "Natalie, Elijah, Dom, and Billy – I'm sorry, but we're going to have to reschedule this meeting. I've got to work out these issues with Kelly…" The four hobbit actors stood up, and Natalie, almost hiding behind Dom, edged her way out of the room.

As soon as they were in the hallway, the three guys turned to her. "God, what a bitch!" Dom said. "I'm so glad we got to work with you instead of her," he continued, grabbing Natalie in a side hug.

"Not for long, it seems like," Natalie replied, her stomach sinking. She was confused at what had just happened, but also terrified at what it meant. "She's going to take the part back! You heard her!"

Billy looked wary. "Well, I think that Pete's smart enough that he would have covered all his bases before hiring you in her place. Don't worry about it! Come on, we've got a bunch of free time now, and I'm feeling like a Mario Kart rematch!" The three boys laughed and started making their way back to the living space. Natalie followed behind them, but couldn't take their advice and forget about Kelly. Natalie knew who she was – she figured everybody in America did, she was such a big-name star – and, thinking back to her stumbling read-throughs and how she had messed up that very morning in dialect lessons, knew who the better actress was.

As the group rounded the corner to their common room, Natalie felt her throat close up and tears threaten to fall out. Making her excuses to the boys, she walked down to her room, shut the door, and lay down on her bed. Sure, she missed home. But she knew she had made the right choice in coming back to New Zealand. And now, because of one stuck-up movie star, the dream she had just realized she had was about to be taken away from her.

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A few hours later, Natalie heard a knock on the door, breaking her focus from The Fellowship of the Ring. She still found the names confusing, but at least she was understanding the plot and starting to get sucked into the story.

"Come in!" she yelled, and Elijah poked his head in. "Stuart just came in to remind us about the campout tonight, and he mentioned that he saw Kelly Townsend storming out of the building earlier, yelling about how the movie was going to be a disaster without her." Elijah grinned at Natalie, opening the door all the way. "We told you that you had nothing to worry about! Oh, and Miranda wants to know if you'll go to the store with her to pick up some food for tonight."

"Tell her I'll be right out. I just have to put my shoes on," Natalie replied, smiling back at Elijah. She still had the role! Natalie kept smiling to herself, not really aware until that moment how much she felt a claim on the role. She didn't only want to be Lily, she already felt like she was. And now nobody could take that from her.

As she left her room, Natalie closed her door and ran her hand along the gold plaque reading her name. She was really going to be a movie star.

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Natalie strolled over to the tables of food set up and helped herself to the barbecue buffet spread out in front of them. To celebrate the start of pre-production, the actors were throwing a barbecue and campout behind the Weta building. Natalie had grabbed a paper plate and loaded it with a hamburger that Stuart had just flipped off the grill, along with some watermelon and a chocolate-chunk brownie. She had almost filled her plate when someone finally realized she was there.

"Natalie?" Billy asked, holding a corn cob halfway to his mouth. "Is that really you? But you're in a skirt! And… your hair… it's… different."

Blushing, Natalie nodded, trying not to draw attention to herself, but Billy's question had alerted other people to her presence.

"It is!" Elijah laughed. "She's a girl after all!"

Natalie tugged at her jean mini-skirt again; more than ever aware of how her black V-neck ribbed t-shirt made her chest look bigger and that it was the first time she had worn a skirt in front of these guys. Never mind the fact that they had always seen her hair up in a messy ponytail or bun; now it was just simply down, the sleek ends brushing along the neckline of her shirt. Or that she was without her old tennis shoes – the strappy black sandals somehow made her rather large feet look dainty and ladylike.

Natalie had always loved clothes, and had accumulated quite a few of them over the years. Even though she knew her outfit wasn't very practical for a campout, she couldn't help wanting to dress up for a change instead of wearing her preproduction uniform of a ratty tshirt and shorts.

"What they mean is that you look stunning," Stuart told Natalie, abandoning his post at the grill to lead her over to Miranda in a fatherly manner. Even if he was too young to be her father – or eighty-year-old Aragorn for that matter – she still admired his mannerisms. Natalie doubted that his performance of the ranger-turned-king would be less than Oscar-worthy, too. It just wasn't in his nature.

"Thanks," Natalie said with a smile, then sank down onto the picnic table bench next to her friend.

Elijah, sitting across form her, grinned, and then promptly took a huge bite out of his watermelon slice. Natalie returned the gesture through her side-swept bangs, thinking that she already had two good friends in the cast. Maybe her awful day was starting to get better.

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"Billy! What on Earth are you doing?" Natalie laughed. Elijah, Dom, and the other guys' antics had helped improve her mood tremendously. Now Billy was trying to roast a marshmallow in the blazing bonfire. 'Trying' the key word.

"That's Middle Earth to you, if it's all the same," Dom commented while sticking his own marshmallow into the fire.

From her perch on one of the logs circling the fire pit, Natalie laughed again as Billy pulled his marshmallow out of the fire and began to wave the flaming marshmallow in Orlando's face.

"We used to call those 'meteors' when we were little," Elijah said as he sat down next to Natalie. She scooted over a little to make more room for him before she replied.

"Who's 'we'?"

"Me and my siblings – Hannah and Zach." Natalie had just enough time to nod in response before he leapt up to squash his own marshmallow onto a stick.

"This is how you're supposed to do it," he said, showing Billy and Dom how to hold the marshmallow just above the embers. "I used to go camping all the time with my family," Elijah continued, this time looking directly at Natalie.

Then he retrieved two graham cracker pieces, chocolate, and another marshmallow. Sandwiching the now golden-brown 'mallow, he handed the warm package to Natalie, who ate it gratefully while Elijah cooked another for himself.

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As everyone finished up eating their I-lost-count-after-the-fifth s'more, Dom pulled out his acoustic guitar and strummed a chord.

"Who's up for campfire songs?" he yelled out excitedly. Natalie groaned. Things could hardly get any cheesier. Still, she joined in when she knew the lyrics.

"Oh give me a home

Where the buffalo roam"

Dom started singing the traditional lyrics when suddenly Billy burst out with his own version and overpowered Dom's voice.

"Where the beer and the cantaloupe play…"

Laughing, Natalie joined in, along with the rest of the group. This was the version she and her brothers had sung on the road trips to visit their grandparents!

"Where seldom is heard

An encouraging word,

And the skies

Are cloudy all day…

Home! Home on the range…"

The song fizzled out and everybody sat in silence for a few moments before Dom spoke. "Since we're in made-up-lyrics-to-classic-songs mode, does anyone know this one?"

He strummed a bit on his guitar until he found the right key and tempo, than with an "aha!" he began.

"This land is my land,

It isn't your land.

I got a shotgun,

And you ain't got one.

I'll blow your head off,

If you don't get off.

This land is private property!"

Remembering the many times she and her brothers had sung that one as well, Natalie joined in to sing the next verse.

Several songs later, Miranda stood up and stretched. "Well, it's getting late, and we have to get up tomorrow for more training, so I'm going to bed. Anyone else?"

"Just one more song!" Billy pleaded, and then turned to whisper something in Dom's ear. The two had already become close friends, much like their on-screen counterparts, and both possessed the streak of troublemaking often accompanying Merry and Pippin.

Suddenly, both men burst into song.

"Let's gather 'round the campfire

And sing our campfire song.

Our C-A-M-P-F-I-R-E S-O-N-G song

And if you don't' think that we can sing it faster then you're wrong

But it'll help if you just sing along…"

Then they sang the exact verse again, this time a bit faster. They went on like this for quite some time until it became too fast for Billy, who dropped out. Dom's last verse went by faster than the speed of light, the lyrics almost too fast to make out.

After a few laughs at Dom's love for the SpongeBob cartoons, everyone spread out to find their sleeping bags, ready for a night under the stars.

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It was two hours since everybody had fallen asleep, but Natalie was still awake. She had given up trying to shut her eyes and fall into a state of calmness – it just wasn't going to work.

Giving up at stargazing, or at least, blankly staring at the stars, Natalie quietly stood up and moved closer to the dying bonfire. Just a few flickers of flame remained, casting an eerie glow over the campsite.

Natalie sat in silence for a few minutes, her chin resting on her propped-up fists. She heard some noise behind her, but figured it was just one of the boys moving in their sleep and dismissed it.

Consequently, Natalie was so surprised when she felt a hand on her shoulder that she jumped.

"It's okay, it's just me," Elijah said softly as he sat next to her once again.

For a few minutes, the pair sat in silence. Then Elijah said, "I started reading the books like Pete asked us to. So far Frodo's just a love-sick guy. He's all 'Lily! Lily! Lily!'" Elijah flung his arms around Natalie and mashed his face into her cheek.

"Ew! Elijah!" Natalie pushed him off of her shoulder and wiped her cheek with the back of her hand. "You are an awful kisser. You slobbered all over me!"

Elijah giggled and then hiccupped. Grinning sheepishly, he said, "I don't know why I just did that… must have had one drink too many."

"Maybe a few too many!" Natalie replied, smiling in spite of herself at Elijah's drunkenness.

Seeming to come to himself a little bit, Elijah straightened up and asked, "Why do you think I'm such a bad kisser, eh? Had lots of boys to compare me to?" He winked.

Natalie started, not expecting that question. "Um, yeah, I guess you could say that."

"Really?" Now it was Elijah's turn to be surprised. "I was just joking, really."

"No, it's, um… pretty stupid, actually," Natalie said, hugging her legs and resting her chin on her knees. "In my hometown, there's not a whole lot to do. So we partied a lot. Or, at least, I did. I quickly realized that as soon as I had one drink in me, I lost all my inhibitions. I no longer had my shyness holding me back."

"And this relates to kissing lots of boys how?" Elijah asked.

"Well, the one side effect of drinking to lose my shyness was that I also lost any inhibitions with boys. So, yeah, my nights usually ended with a hook up," Natalie said.

"I wonder why that was?" Elijah said, looking at her.

"Want to psycho-analyze me?" Natalie replied, laughing. "Okay, let's see. I had a father who was always at work and never home and a mother who was always involved in something more important than her daughter. So why wouldn't I jump at anyone who showed me even a little bit of affection?"

Elijah stared at her. "Wow. I wasn't expecting that at all."

"Well, I've had a few years to think it over and figure it out. Um… so there's the sad story of my teenage years… now you owe me yours." She elbowed Elijah in the ribs.

"I'll tell you all about it," Elijah said, yawning. "But not tonight… I just got really tired all of a sudden."

Natalie caught his yawn and agreed with him. "Alright, but I'm holding you to that," she said as they walked back to their sleeping bags.