Chapter III

Gandalf sat amid the darkness the night naturally evoked and puffed thoughtfully on the long pipe that had long been in his possession. Unknown to him, his dark eyes glowed in the small light thrown off by the fire a mere pace from him, giving him an almost sinister look. He was staring intently at the wrapped form of the sleeping woman, his mind trying to weave the labyrinth of her mysterious appearance in the pond into a properly understood explanation.

"Quite a riddle." he muttered to himself, blowing a normally shaped smoke ring out to dance across the dark air. "Most odd just being there."

After fishing the woman from the pond, Gandalf had walked until it had grown dark and then weary of walking and tired, he had made a small fire and laid his burden down wrapped nicely in his grey cloak. Her pale colour had caused him to remain awake, as he feared she might stop breathing in the night. The darkness had not allowed him to check her health thoroughly but he had already decided to rectify that at first light.

Soon the pale light given out by a few uncovered stars was replaced by a full complete darkness and Gandalf felt his eyes grow heavy with want of sleep. Finally after having sat for many long hours, the good wizard leaned back against a tree and rested.

It was early in the morning when he woke and the sun had yet to rise behind her haven behind the mountains and seas. Rising up from his position on the grass, the man stretched and sighed as he felt much better after his brief but nonetheless enjoyable rest. The small fire was now but a pile of glowing coals and due to the air being strong, Gandalf set to returning it to its former glory.

Suddenly as the fire leaped back into existence, Gandalf heard a gasp behind him. Turning, he found the woman sitting up staring at him with wide green eyes. Shock was written clearly in her face and for a moment he was not sure what to do.

"Where am I?" She demanded weakly, her manner of speaking immediately telling the wizard something about her. She had courage.

"In the middle of the wood, if I'm not mistaken." He paused as her eyes glanced around her. "A better question might be how did you arrive here?" Gandalf rose his bushy eyebrows and chuckled softly as the woman turned her questioning glare back to him.

"Very well. Then, how did I arrive here?" Her voice was almost breakable it sounded so cold and Gandalf immediately wondered who she was to have such an obviously regal aura about her.

"I was hoping you might tell me." He sat not too far from her and pulled his pipe out once more. "I pulled you from a bog not far from here. Clear water, but quite deep. Swimming were we?" The woman ignored his subtle attempt at humour.

"A bog?" Her voice had lost most of its iciness and Gandalf nodded in reply. She attempted to rise from the ground, but her strength failed her.

"Who are you?"

"I am Gandalf the Grey. A traveller you might call me for now." He pulled his pipe out of his mouth. "And your name, my lady."

"I wouldn't know what to tell you." She stammered, seemingly out of character. "This place is different."

Accustomed to people of the sadly, odd, category of people, Gandalf waited patiently for her to continue. And she did as he knew she would.

"Minerva."