Okay, I lied. We're not gonna hit the LOTR storyline just yet. But we will soon. I promise.
"Be quick on your feet!" Húrdir shouted as he swung at Nicki, "Hold your stance!"
"I'm trying!" she growled and blocked his advance. The two were alone in a training room for one of her weekly swordplay lessons. Usually Sael and the others would be attending too, but they were all seeing Arwen and her new companion. She had returned the other day with a small boy whom she first thought was a child, but instead was another hobbit like Bilbo. In fact, he was his nephew. Nicki wanted to join them today, but something in the back of her mind told her that she would need to have as many sword lessons as she could get for something was going to happen soon. She couldn't explain it, but she felt something heavy in the air, something bad, and she wanted to be prepared for it. The others felt it too, she knew she did, but none of them wanted to say anything in fear that acknowledging it would make it real. It didn't make sense, but that's how they felt and they all just wanted to ignore it and hoped it went away.
Nicki quickly attempted to counter, but then Húrdir blocked her and knocked the weapon out of her hand. This caused him to lose his balance for a second, which Nicki took every advantage of by charging at him and tackled him to the ground. Quickly taking his sword from his hand, she pressed it against his neck, "Got you." She smirked to herself.
"That you do." He smiled up at her, "Well done, Nicki."
She laughed and lowered the sword to help him up. "Thanks, it's because I have such a great teacher."
"That you did," he smiled back at her, "I believe we can conclude the lesson for today."
"Already? Thanks!" She beamed, "I'm gonna go see how Elrond new patient is doing then. Wanna come?"
"Of course." He nodded and the two left together to visit the infirmary. "I've been curious to meet this new visitor."
"Great!" She smiled, just let me get out of these pants and into a dress, Elrond will have a fit if he catches me walking around in them again."
"Whatever you say, my lady." He laughed and she quickly left to her quarters.
It didn't take long for Nicki to comeback and the two of them to arrive at the infirmary. Surprisingly when they got there, no one, except a tall elderly old man with a long gray beard and a pointy hat, was in the room. He was sitting by the sleeping black haired hobbit, smoking out of some really long pipe. Usually the smell of smoke bothered Nicki, but the smoke coming out of his pipe smelt sweet and rather soothing, so she didn't mind. At first he didn't really seem to notice their presents, but then his eyes shifted over to them and he offered them a small kind smile, "Why, hello there." He greeted them.
"Hello." Nicki smiled back and bowed her head, "I don't think I've seen you around here before."
"Nor I you." the elderly man agreed, "I just arrived here today. I am Gandalf the Gray.
She served his outfit, "Are you like some kind of wizard?"
"Yes I am," he nodded, "And who just might you two be?"
"I am Húrdir of Lothlórien," the elf answered first, "I am currently serving as a teacher for Lord Elrond's guest."
"A teacher you say?" he chuckled, "Tell me, for which guest are you serving?"
"That would be my family and I." Nicki cut in, "We're new around these parts and needed a few pointers on how to live around here."
"Ah, I see." Gandalf leaned back in his chair, taking in another breath of smoke and eyed her curiously. She appeared human, but there was something rather odd about her and it wasn't just her speach. He could feel it. She just had this since of strength and power about her. She was a good hearted woman, that much was clear to anyone. Even the Elf with her seemed a bit smitten by her as well, not that she seemed to noticed. Still it was uncommon for Elrond to take in men in his castle, even more so that he took in a whole family. Gandalf would have to ask him about it later, "And who might you be, my dear?"
"My mane is Nicole Byrne of Los Angeles. But my friends just call me Nicki,"
"Ah, Nicki, what a beautiful name." Gandalf continued on grinning, "Can't say I have heard of one like it before, neither the name of your land."
She smirked, "Like I said, we aren't from around here."
"Indeed." He nodded in return, "So what brings you here, Nicki? Are you an acquaintance of Frodo?"
"Her family and our friends are all friends of Bilbo and Arwen." Húrdir answered. He seemed to be a tad annoyed with how much this old man was questioning Nicki. "We though perhaps we would find one of them here."
"Ah, well, as you can see, I am the only one here, sadly." Gandalf chuckled, "But you are much welcomed to stay and help me keep Frodo company."
"I think well just-" Húrdir began, but he was quickly cut off when Nicki ran forward and announced,
"We'd love to!"
He groaned, but followed her as she pulled up a chair on the other side of Frodo. Then she went on and started to ask the old gray wizard just about every under the sun; like if he knew what happened to Frodo, where he was from, where there any other wizard out there, etc. Húrdir cared for Nicki, but he hated it when she would start asking all her questions. The woman never shut up.
It was like when they first met, she just kept going on and on, asking him all about himself and his people and how well he knew how to handle a blade. It's exhausting just going through the list.
After a couple minutes, Arwen and Sophie came walking in through the door. Sophie lit up as always and ran over to her older sister, "Nic!"
"Hey there Sophie-Wofy, missed me?"
"No, I just saw you this morning." She smiled.
"Way to make me feel loved." Nicki rolled her eyes.
"How's he doing?" Arwen came up beside them. She had been keeping a very close eye on Frodo ever since they got here.
"Fine." Nicki replied, letting Sophie sit on the edge of Frodo's bed, "Still sleeping though." On one even notice the odd look Gandalf was giving the both of them.
"Do not fret Arwen," Gandalf reassured her, "I believe Frodo will be just fine under your father's care."
"I know." She nodded, "but I cannot help but be worried."
"I understand," he nodded.
"So where's everyone else?" Nicki looked up at the she-elf.
"Out horseback riding with Sael." She replied, "They should be back soon."
"That's good." She nodded.
Meanwhile on the other side of the bed, Gandalf started chatting with Sophie. She had the same feeling about her as Nicki did and it puzzled him to no end. "Hello, Little one."
The little girl beamed, "Hi!"
"What's your name, child?"
"Sophie," she smiled sweetly. Gandalf grinned. She was a kind little soul. Like Nicki, she also appeared to be quite human; beautiful, but ordinary in every way. However the aura they gave off suggested otherwise. He felt the same type of energy from her and he did from the woman. It was gentle, but strong and just flowing off the both of them. "How about you?"
"I am Gandalf the Gray." He smiled, "it is nice to meet you, young one."
"Uh-huh." She nodded and crawled over to Frodo to inspect him further.
"Sophie, be careful." Arwen warned, "He's very hurt."
"Okay." She nodded and scooted back from him bit. "He doesn't look too much bigger than me." She commented.
"No he doesn't," Húrdir nodded and smirked, "I'd say you're taller actually."
"That's not very nice, Húrdir."
"But true." He laughed, earning glares for the others.
The rest of the day went as such until the others got back and everyone left to join them for dinner. Gandalf stayed on the other hand and waited until Lord Elrond returned to check on Frodo. He walked in quietly, "Still here?" he asked Gandalf, "Don't you want anything to eat?"
"We need to talk." He replied, "That woman, Nicki, and the young one, Sophie. Who are they? Or better yet-" he paused to take a smoke from his pipe, "-What are they?"
"So you've noticed then, the energy that comes off them." Elrond sighed, "Not that I am surprised, but not many of my people have. In truth, I was starting to think it was just my imagination."
"So you don't know?"
"I do not. They are five of them, two men, two women, and the child. We found them several months ago on our lands, all unconscious and near death."
"Where are they from?"
"They claim to come from another world. And I believe them." Elrond admitted.
"Another world?"
"Yes, When they first arrived, they knew nothing of our world. They have never heard of Rivendell, Rohan, Gondor, they don't know how to read or write in-"
"Well, it isn't uncommon for the men of middle earth to not know how to read or write."
"But they can! But not in any writing that I have even seen before."
"I see." The elderly Wizard nodded. "So this is why you kept them here?"
"I kept them here, because I knew they were different." Elrond corrected him, "Besides, at the rate they were going, they would have been dead in a week."
"What do you believe they are?"
"Truthfully, I believe them to be something like yourself, Gandalf." Elrond walked over and began to quickly examine Frodo.
"You think them Wizards?" Gandalf's eyebrows practically shot up to his hairline, "I find that very hard to believe."
"They may appear human, but they are much stronger, faster, and more intelligent than any I have seen before. I don't think they even realize this themselves yet, being that they haven't met any other men yet."
"That still does not make them wizards." He reminded him.
"Perhaps not, but that doesn't change the fact that they are different."
"True enough." The wizard nodded then another male elf came rushing in.
"My lord!" He panted, "Lord Aragorn and three other halfings have arrived at our boarder, do you wish to send out the men to retrieve them?"
He nodded, "I do and I will go with them." He turned back to Gandalf, "Please my friend, go have some dinner. You won't be able to uncover the mystery of my guest by sitting alone here in this room."
Gandalf smirked, "As you wish, Lord Elrond." With that the he stood and the two men went their separate ways, Elrond to the boarder and Gandalf to the dinner table.
Well, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. :)
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