Chapter five

Of the two months that Natalie has been in Lothlorien she has found her favorite quiet and thinking place. The garden area the most it is near the river and she likes to just look into the water and think and just be one with the forest. When she does get to thinking away from where she is it gets on her family and how much she misses them but she can't do anything to change that there's no knowing if she will ever be able to return again to her home; who knows what will happen will she even want to go back home.

Natalie heard someone come over to where she was and sit besides her, looking besides her she saw that it was Orophin. "What are you doing here Orophin aren't you supposed to be training or going back to guarding the woods?"

"No every three or four months new people get replaced and the ones that come back have to come back here train and other sort of warrior type things." he said to her. "The question is though what are you doing over here all alone?"

"Nothing."

He gave her a look, "It doesn't look like nothing and if I am perceptive enough which I am you are in deep thought over something quite serious." he said to her. "So tell me what is it that bothers you so?"

Natalie sighed, "Everything, we me and my friends don't really belong here we're not from this Middle-Earth sure I wished for a change and everything but I didn't think about never seeing my family again. I miss my sister and my niece's and nephews and my friends and my annoying aunt and uncles and I want to see them again even desperate enough to miss my aunt Sally." she said to him.

"Is there something the matter with her that you do not usually see her?" he asked curiously.

Natalie shrugged at that, "It depends on your point of view I guess, Sally and my mother and my mom's side of the family has never gotten along very well. She said things to me and my mother and her side of the family that made me hate her." she told him.

"What things?" he asked.

Natalie shook her head, "It doesn't matter I don't want to talk about it. I do want to know why I'm here why were we sent here; I know Gabrielle told us a few reasons but I don't think I'm meant to help in a war or change one person's life, how am I supposed to help this person if they wont tell me who it is." she said to him.

He sent her a look but nodded, "Natalie what happened with you and your friends being sent to Middle-Earth was meant to be, you are supposed to be here or else the Valar would not have brought you and your friends here. What Galadriel and Celeborn told you and your friends is what should happen and in time you will learn who it is that you are supposed to help and how you are going to help in this war even if I wish for you to have nothing to do with it."

"I know,": Natalie said to him sadly, "I just want to see them, I miss them more than anything they were my life I didn't have anyone back home except my sister and my nieces and nephews, sure my mom and step dad but I never really got along with them very well; I'm even starting to miss them." he said to her.

"Mayhap when what it is that you are supposed to do you will be able to go home." he said sadly. "Though I can tell you that myself, Haldir and Rúmil do not wish for you to leave you are stuck with us for a very long time."

That made Natalie laugh, "Yeah I've been able to tell whenever I am around Authion you all watch me like a hawk about to pounce on it's meal." she told him.

"As you and your two friends Ella and Becky do to your cousin Chris and friend Katie when they spend time alone?" he asked her smirking a bit. "I think they have taken a liking to each other."

She rolled her eyes at him, "Whatever."

"Whatever?"

"It's a way of waving something off I guess or it can mean whatever you want it to." she explained to him.

"Ahh, I see." he said.

Natalie looked at him, "Can you show me to the training grounds I need to blow of some of my sadness and anger. I can't stand just staying still and doing nothing when I am not helping with the cooking and paper work that Galadriel has me do."

"Alright come lets go and find you a sword." he told her smiling happy to do so.

"Actually," Natalie said smiling. "I already have one or so in my room, it came with me when we ended up here but I haven't had time to be able to use it and practice as of yet since I am helping in the kitchens and doing a bit of the paper work that Galadriel and Celeborn do not have time to do."

"Well then," Orophin said standing up and helping Natalie as well. "Shall we go and retrieve said sword?"

"We shall." Natalie said and began the way to where her talan was.

The two of them were finally where her talan was at, "You can come in if you like, I need to find where I put my swords at anyways and then we can head on down to the training grounds."

He looked at her, "Are you sure, I do not want to invade upon your talan if you do not wish me to come in." he said to her.

"Ah don't worry about it, it wont take long." she said to him and motioned for him to come inside. "I'll just be a minute." she said to him and headed into her room to find wherever it was that she put her swords.

As she was in her room Orophin was in her living are looking around, he noticed a big book that looked like it was leather covered but did not feel like it at all. Opening it he saw paintings of some sort inside of many people, one looked like a younger version of Natalie. He realized that this book must hold the paintings of her family and friends that she had been talking about; there was one that he saw that showed Natalie in a beautiful bit different looking bright pink dress along with another girl who was wearing a purple dress which looked like it had stars upon is. Turning a few more pages he saw a picture's of Natalie holding little babies each at a different time and looking alike but not, they must have been her nieces and nephews and there was also a picture of her kissing a young boy and smiling happily.

"What are you looking at?"

Turning from his spot Orophin saw Natalie, "Your painting book, it's as if they are real life."

"There called pictures, or photo's I guess whichever you prefer they are my family and friends. Those are all my nieces and nephews; Asia, Rory, Xander and James. I love them all, Asia is six, Rory is four, Xander is five and James is ten months old." she said to him. "Come on lets go." she said and grabbed a black thick looking stick that had designs up the whole thing in gold.

"Where is your sword?" he asked.

"This is it, it's just different than what you are used to." she told him smirking.

He nodded and they began the way to the training grounds, "You are only a few doors down from Haldir and Rúmil, I am one floor above you." he said as they were walking.

"Really that's wicked." she said and made her way down the stairs.

Orophin looked at her confused, "Wicked?"

"It means cool or um interesting or nice I guess." she told him.

He nodded in understanding and they made the rest of the way to the training grounds, which Natalie was excited for because she has never really had any opponent to fight against or help train her she just basically trained herself.

"Orophin! Natalie!"

Looking over at the archery filed there was Rúmil waving at the two of them to come over to him. Once over to where he was Rúmil smiled brightly at Natalie, "Natalie hello." he said to her.

She smiled, "Mae govannen" she said slowly sounding it out a bit, Rúmil smiled at her as if saying that she said it correct.

"Rúmil has offered to help you with your swordsmanship since you said you have only been able to teach yourself and have had no prior training." Orophin said to her which made Natalie smile happily. "I'm guessing you are glad about that?"

She nodded and grabbed both brothers into a hug, "Thank you, thank you, thank you seriously you guys are awesome." she said to them.

"I like your word awesome it is different," Orophin said to her and smirked at Rúmil who had a happy dazed smile on his face or at least he did until Orophin hit him in the side and said something and smirked to which Rúmil just glared.

Rúmil looked at Natalie and motioned for her to follow him and Orophin away from the archery fields so that there would be more room for the three to practice at; Orophin began first. "Do you know the basics of sword fighting at least?" he asked her.

That made Natalie shrug, "Don't know probably not formally but from movies- er I mean plays I have learned a bit but not that much. I usually just do what seems like I should do."

"Well we have a bit to work with but in time I think you will be able to be as good as any one else." Orophin said to her and smiled encouragingly.

Rúmil motioned for Natalie to unsheathe her sword which she did and they were both surprised to find that it was a double sword; it's covering or sheath was within the handle of each sword. "Such an odd sword, where ever did you receive it?" Orophin asked her.

"Pawn shop, or um a place where people bring things they no longer want but uh my dad bought it and he knew I've wanted it for years and gave it to me on a holiday that the people of my country celebrate and give gifts," she said to him.

"Hmm," he said to her in interest of the subject but quickly got back to the task at hand. "I want you to attack me alright with everything that you can muster up."

Natalie gave him a strange look, "Are you sure about that?" she asked. "I mean what if I accidentally hit you or something."

"Believe me you will not hurt me I have been through orc's, uruk-hai and many other sort of creatures of danger you will not do me any damage." he said to her slightly laughing.

That just made her want to try and at least put a small scratch on him to prove that she could be a bit of an adversary opponent but it doesn't mean she will be since she isn't exactly trained in weaponry. Rúmil looked at her and motioned for her to go ahead and attack Orophin; Natalie took a deep breath and looked at Orophin for a few moments as if examining him and seeing if she could tell anything from his posture of what he is about to do. Natalie attacked Orophin but he blocked her and she fell onto her bottom, glaring she got up and tried again and once again she was knocked down, she huffed a bit and glared at him and tried once more and got two more sword movements in before getting knocked down. Again.

Rúmil looked at her for a few moments before he looked at Orophin and said a few things to him and gesturing to Natalie a bit. "Rúmil says that it would be a lot easier for you if you started with just one sword instead of two of them." Orophin said translating for her as Rúmil walked over and handed her his sword. "He is going to let you use his today, but he and I both think it will be best if you used a lighter sword and not two at a time until we work up to that." he said.

Natalie took the sword from Rúmil and smiled in thanks before looking at both him and his brother, "We will be doing this regularly?" she asked curiously.

"Yes," Orophin said to her. "You need to learn to fight in case something happens and Lothlorien is invaded but also you are to take on a task that most definitely will be needing the experience of fighting so myself and Rúmil and Haldir if he wants will be helping you with this." he explained. "Now take a stance and try again."

Nodding at him and took a fighting position but before she could do anything Rúmil came over and nudged her legs farther apart and one a bit farther ahead of her and then he moved the position of her hands on the sword so that it would seem more natural and easier. He said something to her and motioned for her to continue as she was doing, now she looked at Orophin and attacked, trying as hard as she could to not land on the ground.