Where You Can Not Follow: The Journey

Chapter Three: It's Fate

The two walked in silence. Joan's head swimming with questions, and she wanted as many as possible to be answered.

"Where are we?" she asked first.

Gandalf looked down at her and then away, "Just outside the woods of Rivendell." He told her.

Joan was taken aback, "Elves?" she spat out, staring up at him. Elves would either be those short blokes who sold you cookies that they made by hand from their living quarters in a tree, or they were going to be beautiful, charming and flawless.

Gandalf nodded, not looking down at the young woman until Joan brought up the fact that what she was wearing, and what he had told her (not to mention anything about her past life). Gandalf stopped and let out a sigh, "Ah yes, your clothing is rather..peculiar." He mused to himself and looked her over like what she was wearing was the oddest thing that he'd ever seen in his life, and she had guessed that Gandalf had seen a lot. He coughed to clear his throat and began to mumble incoherent words. To Joan it just seemed like a bunch of whispers and random clicks that made no sense, but in the end Joan looked down to see herself dressed in a forest green dress. It was synched at the waist with a silken rope-type belt and the extra ends of the belt fell down loosely in the front. Something so simple was beautiful to her.

"Are you a wizard?" Joan was just now catching on and it caused Gandalf to chuckle and nod.

"Indeed." His gaze was turned away from her and was caught by something else. A smile slowly began to pass across his face. "Come, child." He ordered to her, "And remember: Do not speak of anything that is not of this world." It had been pretty clear to Joan by now that saying anything that would bring up where she had come from would probably cause people to begin to distrust her and think she was crazy. Joan wouldn't be spilling anything much. Her head still throbbed and she was still unsure of what exactly was happening, but what she did know was that in the end she was going to risk her life.

It felt oddly perfect to her. A needed release; something to look forwards to, but maybe her mind was just going? Maybe the air was poisoned, but she would have been dead by now.

It's fate, she thought to herself. It's fate.

There was a figure in the distance. They were striding forwards and as they got closer Joan could see that their were actually two people. One was a tall, dark man who looked like he had spent every day under the sun. He was tan and built, with shoulder length dark hair. With him was a gorgeous man who looked like he was glowing; flawless and perfect. His hair was the purest of blondes and he didn't have a scratch on him, and his ears; Joan noticed his ears almost right away: they were pointed.

The tanner man walked up to Gandalf and the two embraced in a friendly hug while the fair man shook his hand and flashed him a beautiful smile.

Gandalf stretched his hand out towards Joan, "I found her in the woods. The Darkyn were chasing her."

The brown haired man frowned very slightly, "Is she this girl your prophecy has spoken about?" he asked. Gandalf nodded.

Joan decided that maybe it would be best to introduce herself and so she began to speak, "I'm Joan."

All three men turned to look in her direction like they had just heard a mute man speak for the very first time. Gandalf let out a hearty chuckle, his eyes squinting a bit. The other two men smiled crooked smiles. "I am Aragorn," said the tan man.

"I am Legolas," the other man said.

"Well!" Gandalf exclaimed, breaking up an awkward silence before it had even commenced, "Shall we return to Rivendell?" The two men nodded. Gandalf walked a bit quicker to catch up to Aragorn and then Legolas and then Joan after him. Legolas held himself back a little, wanting to speak to this stranger.

"Where do you hail from, Joan?" he asked her.

Joan searched her mind for an answer. She really had no idea what to say. "I don't...remember," she faked not remembering and used the bump to her head as an excuse.

"Ah, well. When we get back to Rivendell we will quickly get you some help for that." Legolas offered and flashed her a smile.

Joan smiled faintly back in return. She then hesitated for a few moments, "Are you an elf?" she asked.

Legolas laughed at her question, "Yes, I am. Those Darkyns must have hit you rather hard." His pace quickened and he had caught up with the other men, leaving Joan to follow them.

Gandalf. Aragorn. Legolas. Joan wondered who she would meet next, and as they walk her thoughts drifted into her numerous questions and what she thought about the place; and then she stopped. Ahead of her was the most beautiful place she had ever seen. Every single tree was perfect, the water was clear and the waterfalls sounded like they were singing. Then there was a city that looked like it was glowing in purple and blue and white hues.

Aragorn looked back to her and she came to stand just behind him. "Welcome to Rivendell."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Not my favorite chapter, and extremly short! But I needed to introduce Aragorn as soon as I could, and Legolas is just cute so, hey. :) Once I get the basic storyline down be read for some swords and arrows flying. Don't worry, it gets better.
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