DISCLAIMER: *pokes head out from under stack of papers, midterms, presentations and scripts* *furtively glances about* Well, it took a while, but I got it! *waves One Ring of Unlimited Copyright Privileges about* So now I FINALLY own- *yelps as Glorfindel rides by and steals the Ring* HEY!

I still own not. But I guess it's no less than I deserve after being AWOL for so long, hmm? I'm VERY sorry about that- university, social life, KOTOR and boyfriends have a tendency to do that. I'll make it up to you with a really good chapter this time 'round, 'mkay?

Zap: They're also my favourite characters, coincidentally enough! XD Oooooh, good idea- hadn't thought of that before, but that's a good point. Thanks!

Henxu: Thanks! I tried to make the reactions realistic for the characters- I'm glad you approve! ^^

"I saw a strange thing this evening, mellon nin," murmured Legolas as he lightly dropped to the ground between Aragorn and Sam. "Are mortals normally welcomed in Lothlorien?"

"Not normally," said Aragorn, a small frown on his face. "Do you speak of the dark-robed visitors we saw earlier?"

Legolas nodded. "They departed from Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel but a few minutes ago. They have been lodged in a talan to the south of us." The Elf glanced in the direction that the strangers had gone down.

"They aren't Elves, are they, Mr. Legolas sir?" Sam frowned, deep in thought. "They don't look much like Elves, if you get my meaning."

"I am of a like mind to Samwise," spoke up Boromir. "They looked like Men."

"I believe they are Edain," said Legolas. "Men may be inaccurate, for there was a woman in the gr-"

That got a reaction. "A woman?" protested Gimli. "There are no settlements of Men anywhere in the area until one goes north to Laketown!"

Merry shrugged. "Maybe she lives here?"

"Mortals do not live in Lothlorien, though," said Aragorn, frowning. "And Gimli is right- no Men live in Mirkwood, or any closer to us than the Beornings and the Men of Laketown."

"The roads are perilous for any to travel so far to such a hidden land," mused Boromir, stroking his beard, "even without a woman."

"And one barely out of childhood. There was another youth in that group- a male," said Legolas. "The other two are Men fully grown. They walk like warriors, all four- they look to be from Rohan or Gondor, but for their garb."

"Their clothing is strange," mused Frodo, from where he was curled up in his worn cloak, cleaning Sting's blade. "I have not ever seen anyone like them before."

"Nor have I," said Aragorn, "not even in the far reaches of Rhun or Harad."

"D'you suppose we might be seeing them again later on, Strider?" Sam frowned, not entirely sure what he thought of these new strangers (and therefore potential threats to Mr. Frodo's well-being) in Lothlorien.

"I do not know, Sam." Aragorn frowned, deep in contemplation. "I suppose we shall have to see what tomorrow's light reveals. But take heart! If they were in the Enemy's service, I do not believe they would have been brought into the heart of Lothlorien itself."

"That is a small comfort," muttered Boromir, who was still not entirely at ease in the enchanted woods.

Aragorn spared a warning look for the other Man, before settling into his pile of furs. "Many strange occurrences happen now under the light of day, in these troubled times. It may be that these strangers are merely another strange happening, or that they will have no effect upon our quest."

Nobody else believed the Ranger's words, not even himself.

The first thing he was aware of was a light, cool breeze that just ruffled his shortly-cut hair. He burrowed deeper into the thick blankets over him, trying to escape the undesired coolness.

The second thing he was aware of was a throbbing pain in his side, as his injured ribs protested the movement. He winced, breathing through his nose as he released the pain into the Force and attempted to refocus healing energies to his wounds.

The third thing he was aware of was Qui-Gon snoring nearby.

Now resigned to the fact that he certainly wouldn't be able to go back to sleep now, Obi-Wan gingerly rolled over and opened his eyes. The memories of the last few days came back to him, and he pondered the recent happenings while idly observing the fresh sunlight dancing through the large golden-hued leaves above his head. He could just hear the sound of running water, as though from a great distance, and of quiet, melodic voices. They seemed to come from all around him; he would not have been surprised if the Elvish people the Jedi had met spent most of their time in the trees. Looking through the trees surrounding the talan, he couldn't see any humanoid figures hidden amongst the leaves, although he suspected they were present nonetheless.

Carefully sitting up, the Padawan glanced to the com link he had been trying to fix last night. The device itself was in relatively good condition, for having survived a transport crash. But despite Obi-Wan's attempts,the small machine refused to pick up any com signals from passing ships.

Then again, it was a new day... Obi-Wan slipped out of his wraps and crept over to the com link, careful not to awaken Qui-Gon or Zara, the later of whom was so deeply buried under her blankets that she was nearly invisible. Master Drallig was awake, but sitting on the edge of the talan, meditating, and unresponsive to Obi-Wan's movements.

Quietly, the teenager sat beside the com and picked it up, opening the casing. The wires, as far as he could see, were intact enough for a short-range transmission. But short range isn't going to help us here... Frowning at the device, he set to work on it, and soon found himself having to release his frustration into the Force. Kriffing little...

"Language, Padawan," came a gentle reprimand. Qui-Gon knelt beside his apprentice. "Patience is a virtue."

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan quickly checked his mental shields and cursed to himself when he realized they'd slipped. "I'm sorry for waking you." He glanced about as he spoke, and realized he'd been working for longer than he'd realized. Zara was awake as well and meditating beside Master Cin.

"It is no matter. I've been awake for a while- and you've been busy for a while longer, I see." The Jedi Master took the com link and frowned at it. "It looks like it should be able to beam transmissions still..."

"Yes, but I can't get a signal. There are no ships near by, and I can't send a transmission to the Temple to ask for aid. I think it might be something wrong with the wiring- perhaps something was jolted in the crash."

"Perhaps... although everything looks relatively fine." Qui-Gon bent over the device. "Could it be-"

"Excuse me, Edain..."

Surprised, Obi-Wan looked up from the com link at the unfamiliar voice. One of the Elves- Eruvadhor, if the Padawan recalled correctly- was perched on a branch just off the talan, surveying the Jedi within rather like a large, silvery bird. Master Cin and Zara, roused from their meditations by the Elf, stood up from their kneeling positions.

"Oh, hello," said Qui-Gon in a friendly manner. "Is something wrong?"

"Nay, Master Qui-Gon," said Eruvadhor as he gracefully hopped down onto the talan. "I have been sent to bring you food and drink. It is at the foot of the tree, should you so desire."

Obi-Wan's stomach growled as if on cue. The Jedi felt the tips of his ears turning bright red as he vainly tried to silence the inner beast. He could just see Zara struggling to keep a straight face.

To his credit, Eruvadhor politely ignored Obi-Wan's embarrassment. "I have also been appointed your guide during your stay in Lothlorien. I will attempt to answer your questions about our land as best I can, though I speak only a little of your tongue."

Qui-Gon and Master Cin exchanged the briefest of glances before the older Master answered the Elf. "We would be very grateful of that, Eruvadhor. Thank you."

Eruvadhor grinned, before elegantly swinging down through the branches. Master Cin watched the Elf for a moment before shrugging. "So... Where'd that ladder get to?"

Eruvadhor was nowhere in sight by the time the still-healing Jedi had descended the ladder. However, the food he'd mentioned was set out on a thin blanket at the tree's foot. It appeared to be fairly simple fare- sweet bread, fruit, and a clear beverage that had a light, sweet taste to it. Cin decided almost immediately that it was one of the better breakfasts he'd ever had- and as a former Padawan of Yoda's, he'd learned to treasure any good meal he recieved. Judging by the angle by which the sun filtered through the leaves overhead, he guessed that it was mid morning.

The Jedi were left in relative solitude while they ate, until they heard footsteps approaching through the grass. A human man appeared from amongst the trees, pausing for a moment when he saw the Jedi, before slowly walking toward them. He was tall, easily as tall as the Elves, but with dark hair around his shoulders, grey eyes, and a thick beard. He was clad in leather and wool clothes that seemed to have endured much wear over time. He stopped a few feet away from the tree and raised a hand in greeting. "Hail, strangers from afar!"

"Greetings," said Cin, rising and bowing in the same swift motion. His first thought was that not even he, a Jedi Master, was as graceful as the Elvish people, but he tamped down the brief envy he felt. "I am Cin Drallig. This is my colleague Qui-Gon Jinn, and our apprentices- Zara Taerich and Obi-Wan Kenobi."

The man inclined his head. "Hail and well met indeed. I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn." He walked the remaining few strides to the Jedi, politely nodding to the other named Jedi. "You must be high in the Lady Galadriel's favour to have come so far into Lothlorien- few mortals, if any, pass this way."

"Oh?" Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow at Aragorn. "And why is that?"

"Many believe this place is cursed." Aragorn knelt in the grass. "They avoid it. And the more foolhardy travellers who venture this way are denied access to this land, unless the Lord and Lady will it."

"Ah." Cin nodded before curiously eyeing the human. "Are you not a citizen here?"

"Nay," answered Aragorn. "I am of close kin to the Men of Gondor, but I was raised in Rivendell. 'Tis another Elvish settlement, to the northwest of here," he clarified, upon seeing the puzzled looks of the Jedi. "Where are you from?"

"We..." Qui-Gon hesitated, trying to best frame this statement. "We are not from this planet that you call Middle-earth. We are from Coruscant, and do not know these locations that you speak of."

Aragorn frowned. "Not of Middle-earth? But mortal Men do not come from Valinor, and Numenor has long fallen under the Sundering Sea..."

The Masters exchanged another brief glance before Qui-Gon began to describe, as simply as he could, about planets, inter-system travel, the Republic and the Jedi, and the crash beside the mountain range. Aragorn, to his credit, nodded as the Jedi explained everything. "And you have no way to repair your ship?"

"I'm afraid so," said Cin. "We'll likely have to go back to it soon to see what can be salvaged from it, but..."

"I wish I could escort you back there, Master Cin," came Eruvadhor's musical voice, as he materialized from the shadows nearby, another Elf with him. "Indeed, we were supposed to aid you in returning to your ship. But Orophin has but lately returned from the border of Lothlorien, where he is a guard; a return to your ship will be nigh impossible, unless you wish to battle through legions of mountain Orcs. They have issued forth from Moria and covered the mountainside and your vessel- it is likely that even now, they are scavenging it for anything to use for their foul weapons."

Cin didn't understand exactly what was meant by Orcs or Moria, but he did understand Eruvadhor's basic message. "We cannot return?"

Eruvadhor shook his head. "I am sorry, Master Cin, but it is impossible for those who do not seek death."

The Jedi exchanged worried glances amongst each other, only just aware of Aragorn getting up to speak with the Elves. Obi-Wan voiced the question that all the Jedi were pondering: "What now?"

Cin anxiously looked to Qui-Gon. The older Jedi sadly shook his head and shrugged. "I don't know, Padawan. I don't know."

"Now what?" whispered Cin to Qui-Gon that evening, as both Jedi sat on the edge of the talan. Obi-Wan and Zara were curled up under the blankets, presumably worn out from spending the day exploring Lothlorien with Eruvadhor, although Qui-Gon suspected both teenagers were eavesdropping.

The older Master shrugged. "I'm not sure. I doubt the ship would have been repairable anyway, but I had hoped that we would be able to get something from the wreckage to boost the com signal. We're lucky we had our lightsabres with us when the Elves brought us here."

"I thought Jedi don't believe in luck?" said Cin, with a dry chuckle. The younger Knight sobered quickly. "Can you and Obi-Wan find a way to boost the com without extra material?"

"We can try, although I'm not sure how easily we'll manage that." Qui-Gon frowned, pondering some of what Eruvadhor and the other sentient beings in Lothlorien had spoke of over the day. "What do you make of this war that the Elves talked about?"

Cin frowned, contemplating a loose thread on his tunic. "I'm not sure. It certainly sounds serious, although I don't understand all of what they're talking about. I get that this Sauron is a serious threat to this world- the Force darkens even when his name is mentioned." He involuntarily glanced to the south, where a wide, dark mass in the Force lurked, spreading far over that area of the planet. "But I've a feeling we're not being told very much- there's that group of so-called mortals, of whom they said Aragorn was their leader. They're not of Lothlorien. And the Force tells me we're missing something else."

"I feel the same. But at the same time..." Qui-Gon looked up through the leaves, catching a glimpse of some stars. Was one of those silvery dots Coruscant? "... I feel as though the Force has brought us here for a reason."

"Now you sound like Master Yoda" muttered Cin. A quickly stifled snort made both Masters glance to the blankets and smile at the vibrating mounds that were their apprentices. Cin shook his head and softly laughed. "Was that yours or mine?"

"I'm not sure," said Qui-Gon, smiling at both eavesdropping Padawans before raising his voice a slight bit."While you two are awake and listening, perhaps you'd like to contribute to this conversation?"

Zara poked her head out of the blankets, red hair tousled. "I agree with Master Jinn." At the raised eyebrow her Master gave her, she went on: "I think the Force did bring us here to help with something."

"I feel that too." Obi-Wan sat up, pulling a cloak over his shoulders. "I heard Aragorn and that other human man, Boromir, talking about it- they said something about many strange things happening on this world, and how it's all pointing to this approaching war with... Sauron." The Padawan shuddered and glanced toward the south upon mentioning the name. "In any case, I think we're here for a reason- the timing with the beginnings of this war can't be a coincidence."

"Yet somehow, I don't think this is going to be a war we can negotiate out of," muttered Qui-Gon, looking back out toward the darkened forest. "From what the Elves were saying, it seems that the only way to win peace here is through battle."

"And considering they've been resisting Sauron and the other forces of evil that Eruvadhor mentioned for the last ten thousand years or so?" Zara shrugged. "I guess they'd know more about this enemy than we do."

"Just a bit, Padawan," said Cin dryly as he laid back down on a pillow. The Master softly chuckled to himself. "I do wonder what those other beings we met think of us... That Samwise seemed to think we were of the Dark Side itself!"

Qui-Gon shook his head. "Very protective of his master, that one. I wonder what their own part in this war is..."

"I think I like them!" Pippin spoke around a mouthful of bread as the Fellowship reconvened at the foot of a mallorn tree. "They seem rather nice enough."

"They do," agreed Merry, from where he was stretched out over a blanket. "Very queer folk, but nice."

"I don't know," said Sam doubtfully. "Them's still strangers, and we don't know what they're doing here, if you get my meaning."

"I don't think even they know what they're doing here, if that's any comfort." Aragorn folded his long legs underneath him. "I spoke at length with them this morning- they are fair of speech, and carry themselves like warriors. I would suppose that they would be of Gondor, or perhaps Rohan, if they were from Middle-earth."

"But how could anyone come from any realm outside of Middle-earth or Valinor?" Boromir seemed to share Sam's misgivings on the strangers. "I've never heard of Jedi before, whether in our legends or as rumours of the Enemy."

"Nor have I, and I have walked many seasons upon this earth." Legolas perched on a branch over the heads of the rest of the Fellowship. "But if Lady Galadriel has permitted them to remain in Lothlorien this long, I would suppose that they are of no threat to us."

Gimli nodded in agreement with the Elf, surprising everyone. "He's right. Besides, I daresay not many of us heard of Hobbits before recent years, and they're hardly creatures of the Enemy."

"Thank you, Gimli," said Frodo with a smile as he nibbled on an apple. "And I also agree. They do not appear foul to me- they seem pleasant enough. Besides, who of the Enemy would employ a girl?"

"Who of our side would employ a girl either?" Boromir shook his head.

Aragorn shrugged. "Qui-Gon did say that the Jedi train both boys and girls from infancy in the ways of their order. I would suppose that where they are from, this Coruscant, female Jedi are common enough."

"But to be in battle straight out of childhood?" Gimli sighed. "Who would send a child, especially a little lass like that, to fight? Our women fight as well as our men, but not as girls!"

Boromir frowned, deep in thought. "Think you still, Aragorn, that they may have no effect on our quest?"

"I cannot answer that, my friend," said Aragorn. "I would be remiss if I didn't say I think they will have some role to play yet, but I cannot see what that may be. Perhaps the Lady will speak of this to us in days to come..."

Mellon nin: My friend

My sincerest apologies for the delay in this chapter. It's seriously been sitting in My Documents for the last few months, since... before Christmas, I think... and I've not gotten around to finishing it due to a lack of muse/spare time/inspiration/yada yada yada. I swear my professors, friends, boyfriend and muse are conspiring to not let me write anything...

But yes. No guarantees on when the next chapter will be out, but I'll work on it if I get a chance. Reviews and advice much appreciated!

Thanks for reading!

Xaja