Countdown: 3 days until winter break, about 12 days until Christmas. Yeehaw!

Disclaimer: Thy shall heareth my lack of claim for another day. I hath and never shall own a parteth of Lords of the Rings.

Me: How do you like my old-English speak.

Inner Self: It's lame. Why I am cursed to this body?

Me: Would you rather be in whisper, whisper's body?

Inner Self: No! Not that!

Me: I didn't think so. Okay, moving on.

Chapter 14 Recap:

"There you are! The food was getting cold!" Haldir said.

"Sorry, just got little lost," she said. "Let's eat."

With Arwen

"There you are! I thought you had forgotten about me," Aragorn said.

"Sorry, just helping a new friend," she said. "And I could never forget about you."

They came together for a small kiss. In the back of Aragorn's mind, though, he was itching to ask,

"What new friend?"

Chapter 15:

When Abigail woke up the next morning, she was about to scream because she found herself in a different room. Luckily for Haldir in the next room, she remembered where she was in a few seconds.

"Oh, that's right. Rivendell, council, ring. "

She found a casual pale-blue dress with brown stitching. While she was brushing her hair, Haldir came in.

"Good, your awake," he said.

"Mm-hmm," she mumbled, holding a pin in her mouth. "But I've already eaten. Someone sent me a tray." She pointed to a half-eaten breakfast plate in the corner.

"I got one as well. Maybe they caught on that you aren't quite the socialite."

"I social enough," she objected. "At least I can carry on a decent conversation."

"Oh, and I cannot?" he countered.

"If you like debating about the use of oak arrows versus birch arrows, you're excellent!" she joked.

"Fine then, be that way," he just rolled his eyes. "Speaking of socializing, I hear you have plans with Lady Arwen."

"Yes, actually. I literally bumped into her before dinner."

"That works," he thought. "I have been wanting to have a talk with Elrond myself. Maybe Aragorn as well."

"He's here? Well, I should go meet this amazing Aragorn you speak so highly of," she pondered.

"You will," Haldir assured. "He's going to be at the council."

"Being the rightful ruler of a kingdom, I'm not surprised," Abigail said.

"What will be interesting is that the Steward of Gondor's son is coming, Lord Boromir."

"Really?" She raised an eyebrow. "I wonder how he will take that. Who else is coming?"

"Names you'll recognize? Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, Lord Gimli of the mines, Gandalf the gray and the ring-bearer, Frodo."

"All the races will be represented," Abigail said quietly.

Interrupting their conversation was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Abigail said.

Long, dark hair poked around the door.

"Abigail?'

"Arwen! Please come in," she said in a hurry.

Arwen stepped in all the way.

"Oh, hello Captain Haldir. How are you?"

"Fine, my lady, thank you."

"How is my grandmother?"

Haldir smile. "My lady Galadriel still speaks in mysterious words."

"I would be more worried if she made sense," Arwen laughed.

Another elf with a musical laugh, Abigail noticed.

"I will let you two Lady's enjoy the day now," he said while moving towards the door.

"Goodbye!" both girls chorused.

Abigail stood up, now satisfied with her "messy bun" hair.

"So, my lady, where will the tour start?"

"I thought we could start at the far end on the city, with the waterfall, and then move are way over," Arwen explained.

"Seems like a reasonable plan, lead the way!"

They basically talked the entire time. Abigail's second cover-up story is that her parents had died while traveling past Lorien with her when she was a child. Having no other family to stay with, and since her parents knew a few elves in Lorien; she had just stayed there. It was an odd excuse, but slightly possible (Arwen seemed to believe her in any case.)

(A/N-Seems kind of weird I would make Abigail and Arwen so chummy, considering that Abby's going to 'steal her man' or whatever. I think Arwen is a very nice character, though, and it makes sense she would help the newcomer. Sorry if you feel otherwise. Anyway, we're going to totally switch the POV now.)

With Haldir

Even thought Haldir knew he couldn't change Lord Elrond's decision, he still tried anyway. He got the same speech Abigail was given. No one could disregard what Lady Galadriel requested.

As much as he loved Abigail and admired the strength she had, he couldn't help but think that was a bit much for her. He couldn't imagine her just going in there and playing messenger. Something was going to happen. Call it an elvish 6th sense.

Currently, though, he was going to meet Aragorn in the library. Haldir found him at a small, quiet table reading a book of maps.

"Planning another adventure?" Haldir asked.

Aragorn looked up. "I certainly didn't plan the one I'm on now." He put the book now. "I never got to thank you for saving Frodo."

"My pleasure. Seeing you and taking a trip to Rivendell are just bonuses."

Aragorn smiled. "This is going to be an interesting council," he said.

Haldir snorted quietly. 'You have no idea,' he thought.

"Why the stay, though? I thought you would have rushed back to the wood in a second. I know you don't like to stay away from your post." Aragorn said.

"I'm watching over…a friend who's visiting here as well." Haldir didn't feel like explain that this friend had actually been living with him for the past seven years.

"The mortal girl? There has already been whispers throughout the city about a stranger from Lorien."

Haldir nodded. "She's with Lady Arwen now."

"Ah, so that's the 'new friend' she was talking about last night."

There was silence for a second. Haldir was waiting for him to ask why Abigail was from Lorien and why she was here. When Aragorn continued to say nothing, Haldir said,

"You're the first person not to bombard me with questions about Abigail."

"I'm assuming you mean the girl?"

Nod.

"If you are comfortable with telling me, you can. Otherwise, I'll just let it be."

"Not much of a story, really," Haldir said, hoping to put him at ease just in case. "Her parents died, and the golden wood was the best place to live. Then, not too long ago, Lady Galadriel thought it was time she got out of Lorien. She believed it would be wise to send her to Elrond for advice."

Aragorn nodded, and they both walked to the outside balcony.

Haldir didn't like lying to Aragorn. He trusted the ranger with his life. But he feared Abigail's purpose could even be a bit sensitive to him, so he went along with the lie (for now).

"Is she being married? Is that the real reason she's leaving Lorien?" Aragorn asked.

Haldir nearly choked on his spit. If anyone so much laid a hand on Abigail…

(A/n- How cute, the father figure is so protective)

"Umm, no," Haldir said, ending his (slightly murderous) thoughts. "She hasn't seen a mortal man for, well, seven years now." This fact kind of hit him by surprise. But she would see her first man in 7 years at the council.

"And," he continued. "Not many people do the matching of elves with human. Save for you and Arwen, of course. How are you two doing, by the way?"

Aragorn sighed. "I sometimes think it would much easier to end it. So many people don't approve, and if I continue to follow Frodo there is a high chance of me dying-"

"Don't talk like that. I do not think either of us will die soon."

Aragorn noticed the time and said, "Though, if I don't go meet Arwen now, she might kill me for being late again."

"Is great Lord Aragorn afraid of a woman's fury?" Haldir jested.

"I would rather face 10 orcs than see her angry face," Aragorn laughed back.

The two friends parted, and Haldir walked back to his room.

The Next Day

Abigail and Haldir went for a small ride around the woods. Abigail was as nervous as a tick, for the council was the day after tomorrow. Haldir decided to give her some calming, alone time, so he left early while she continued to ride Sagitta around the barracks for a while.

When she had been alone for about 10 minutes, she saw she had two tiny spectators. Shortly after she asked them,

"Would you like a ride?"

She thought she heard them laugh. "I don't think we would fit in the saddle, my lady."

There voices were deep, like grown men. If they were grown, why would they not fit in the saddle?

She urged Sagitta towards the fence, when she realized the problem.

"Let's see, what has the face of a man, but the height of a child?" she half asked herself.

The two looked a tad confused.

"I believe a hobbit is the word I'm looking for?"

The blonder one smiled. "So you've heard of our kind, my lady?"

"Indeed, little sir," she replied. "No formalities, please. My name is Abigail."

The one with brown hair spoke this time. "My name's Pippin and my shorter friend over here is Merry."

"Hold on there, Pip," Merry interjected. "All the Shire knows I'm the tall one." He turned to Abigail.

"He sometimes gets the illusion he's bigger, because his hair gets so fluffy in the hot air."

"Hey!" shouted Pippin. "Your hair gets just as bad!"

Abigail gave a low chuckle (at least low for a girl).

'They're like a pair of mini Authion's!' she thought.

The hobbits stop arguing long enough to hear their stomachs growling.

"Well!" Abby exclaimed. "I dare say you lads are in need of some lunch. What do you say?"

"I say you are my kind of woman!" said Pippin.

"Please, Pippin, your already married to your stomach." Merry rolled his eyes.

Abigail put Sagitta back in the stables and led them to the kitchen where the cooks gave them some food.

They are and talk for the next hour or so, mostly about each other's homes. She wanted to know everything about the Shire and they couldn't hear enough about Lorien. All three were very good at avoiding the real reasons they were here.

But Abigail already knew why they were in Rivendell.

After one final laugh, Merry decided,

"We should go find Sam. He probably thinks we've blown something up by now."

"Last time we blew something up it was you fault, Merry."

"Not again, Pip. It was your fault for not sticking the firework in the ground!"

(A/N- Yes, fond memories of Bilbo's party!)

Abigail cleared her throat. "I'll just see you two around then."

"Sure thing, Abigail! Bye!" they said together. Then they began to argue. Again.

"Goodbye," she called softly.

She gave a small yawn, and decided this would be a good time for a nap. On the way back to the room, she was trying to figure out where she had seen them before.

She knocked on Haldir's door, but opened it to find he wasn't there. She wrote a note for him, saying she would be next door.

When she went back to her own room, she curled up in a chair, rather than the bed. Just before she closed her eyes she remembered where she had seen them.

"Four hobbits were hiding on the side of the road. Merry and Pippin were in my dream!" she said to herself.

(A/N- See the beginning of chapter 13, if you need a recap of this particular dream. Abby's had a lot of them, I know, and she's gonna get more.)

This just made her think harder.

'Did I see something that actually happened? How could I? I don't get visions. There's now way I could of even guessed-"

She was so tired; she didn't even finish her train of thought. She just let the sun from the window warm her face as she fell asleep.

Slightly random way to end a chapter, but I needed to stop it somehow. I should but some cliffies back in the story. Help put you guys on the edge. I'm sorry if all of these lies/secrets confuse you. I just can't imagine Abby yelling,

"I'm here for Lord Elrond's council and I'm proud of it!"

You know what I mean?

Anyway, thanks to the following reviewers:

CelticRoseOfTheLake: I'm happy to see you're so happy.

ArwenEvenstar83: Thanks for the long review. I'm glad you liked the new "flight to ford" approach. I just wanted a more interesting way to get Haldir to Rivendell.

Samantha-Girl Scout: I hope adding the little bit with the Hobbits makes you happy. Good idea, thanks!

40's a good, round number of review. But let's see if you can make it 50 within the next week. I officially challenge you. Don't be chicken!

Merci, and enjoy reading.

-MysticNight9

(For those who don't know, Merci means thanks in French. Jeez, must I explain everything?)