A/N: Okay, I don't usually do this, but…C'mon! Only three reviews? You guys can do way better then that! And I'm dedicating this chapter to the three people who did review, LUNA GURLZ, Ricoch3t, and PatonxJulia. Enjoy this chapter, everybody! We meet the Sue!
The path behind the winding river was only wide enough for one person to pass through at a time. Elrohir and Elladan leapt through the spiny claws of the holly bushes gracefully, their clothes and skin unscathed; it was less agreeable for the five men and women who filed behind them, and by the time they dodged the last holly bush, their skin was scratched and nicked in a dozen places. Daphne, who was leading the way behind Elrohir and Elladan, noted with mixed sympathy and glee that Isabella went tumbling head over heels. Despite the younger girl's frosty attitude, she was still only a child, and Daphne felt some responsibility. All feelings of matronly pity popped like a soap bubble when Isabella gave a cold, sharp glare to Daphne when she tried to help her up. Inwardly growling, the spiky-haired blonde continued down the path after the two handsome elves, trying to focus on the surrounding area. Although the wood around her was full of majestic trees and a creeping green veil of moss, everything was too quiet and the colors seemed muted. There was only one yellow-breasted warbler singing in the trees, and in the dim silence it sounded frightened and sad. The path was carpeted in brown pine needles that muffled every footstep, although Maddie was still managing to make some noise because Daphne could hear her all the way up front. An overcast sky was darkening rapidly, and to the west she could see black clouds spilling across the sky like ink staining a precious document. Ribbons of lightning wove through the blackness, and miles away she could hear the faintest echo of thunder. Elrohir looked up, his dark eyes narrowing, and then his pace quickened.
Melody fingered the smooth green stone that was in her pocket. She really had no idea why the stupid elf had been carrying it around, but it felt slick and hard underneath her fingers and was quite addicting to play with. Her thieving hands had been hoping to find purchase upon money, for coinage of any kind was valuable, but instead she had this dumb rock in her pocket. Although it must be of some value if he had been carrying it around, and Melody wondered for the briefest instant if they used rocks for money. The larger the rock, the more the value? It would be awkward to carry around, Melody decided, it the rock were too large. But it would be sinfully easy to get some; all she needed was a pickaxe and a shovel, and she would have a mountain of granite in a twinkling. She flipped her bangs out of her eyes for an instant, then sighed. Her mind was running in circles; of course elves wouldn't use rocks for currency. No species that beautiful could be that primitive when it came to money. But judging by his antique clothes and swords, the elves had to have some cash on them. And Melody needed to search him a little better in order to find it. She doubled her pace and skipped past Maddie, who seemed to be trying to break the record for tripping over tree branches, then scooted around Isabella. The dark haired girl gave her a sour glance, then let her pass. Daphne, who wasn't so easy to push over, turned and gave Melody a calculating look.
"What's up?" she asked. Melody flashed her winning smile, passing her fingers through her long blonde hair and twirling a strand of it around her finger. That particular gesture always succeeded in charming every judge, jury, and male in a ten-mile radius.
"Oh, nothing, just wanted to squeeze by you real quick," Melody said sweetly, touching one finger to the corner of her mouth. Daphne's silvery green eyes narrowed, but the ruse worked because she stepped to one side with a slighted look.
"Be my guest," Daphne said, sounding only marginally put out. She liked to lead and be in front.
"Thanks!" Melody said, darting around the plump rockstar and bumping purposefully into Elrohir. She pressed against him lightly, her movements sure and feather-light. She had done this millions of times, and every time it never failed. One hand shot out as if to catch herself, and Melody kept a look of fear on her face as if she were about to fall. The other hand, mostly hidden by Elrohir's torso, went deep into his pocket and this time nearly snatched a fat leather pouch by the very tip. But Melody had forgotten one thing; however reliable this may have been on humans, she was now dealing with elvish reflexes and senses. Elrohir's hand, calloused from archery and swordfighting, seized her wrist and hauled her upright before Melody could blink. The false alarm slipped from her face and she looked confused, then plastered a smile on her lips.
"That was a close one! Thanks a ton!" she squeaked, and tried to remove her hand from his pocket before things got too awkward. Elrohir raised one eyebrow.
"Did you attempt to pick my pocket, edan?" he asked, velvet tones tumbling over his low growl. Melody opened her clear blue eyes wide with faux innocence, then shook her head.
"Oh, god, no!" she said. "No, I would never do that!" She made sure to keep a shocked note in her voice and her eyes wide. This worked. Usually. But how in the name of all saints and sins did he manage to catch her so quickly?
It was an excellent chance that Elrohir would have pinned her against the nearest tree and barked something obscene in Elvish at her, but a distant rumble of thunder broke his anger like glass. He settled for a dark glare and clamping his fist on her wrist before continuing behind his brother. "We are transporting thieves to Imaldris, brother?" he hissed in elvish, jaw clenched furiously. Elladan kept his eyes straight ahead, occasionally flicking a glance upwards to watch the oncoming rain.
"She might not have been trying to pick your pocket," Elladan reasoned. "She might have merely been making a grab for something solid to catch her before she fell."
"That is a lie worthy of only Morgoth, brother," Elrohir snapped briskly, Elvish fumbling from his lips in his anger. "I cannot believe we are inviting these..." - he gave the group a contemptuous sneer - "...fools into our homes!"
09
As the oncoming rain began to patter on the treetops in earnest, Elladan, who had been leading, stopped abruptly. "What is it, brother?" Elrohir asked curiously, and then he saw her as well. All the breath was expelled from his chest at once, and his dark eyes went very wide. Daphne elbowed her way to the front, brow furrowing as she began to diagnose the halt in their process. As a rule, Daphne wasn't a fan of rainstorms and she wanted to get to Imaldris as soon as possible. But when she was between the twins, she stopped just as suddenly and her mouth dropped open.
Ahead of them was a little glen, rimmed by lush ferns that stood out strikingly green from the rather calm, subdued colors of the rest of the forest. A carpet of thick, fuzzy moss rolled over the ground, and tiny blue flowers were clustered here and there, pouting periwinkle petals sulking in perfect symmetry. The branches had somehow grown together to form some sort of a roof over the tiny clearing, and Daphne could hear the raindrops splashing lightly on the leaves which covered them. But it wasn't the unusual forest growth that had caught their eyes; it was the stunning woman sitting on a log in the exact center of the clearing. Despite the interlaced branches and the dark skies, a beam of sunlight stroked the air and a million golden dust motes formed a golden halo around her, framing her in an angelic light. Dark curls, the color of a raven's wing or a midnight's cry, cascaded in gentle curls down her back and shoulders. Silver eyes, the exact color of the full moon - which had suddenly, inexplicably, ridiculously, and for-all-plot-purposes-uselessly appeared for a moment above them, even though it was still late afternoon and the shaft of sunlight was still on the woman. Her eyes were beautiful, full of grief and suffering too harsh and cruel for mortal man to bear. But they also contained a strength and dignity that none of them had ever seen before, and Daphne felt emotion welling up in her chest, even though she wasn't a crier as a rule. A harp was sitting on the dark-haired woman's knee, and she was strumming a hauntingly pretty melody that tinkled gently in the forest, even above the approaching rain. At the sound of their arrival, she turned her amazingly beautiful face towards them and brushed away a perfect crystalline tear.
"Oh, brothers," she said, and Daphne could hear a slight hitch in her throat. "Our poor friend Frodo Baggins lays grievously wounded. Our father would not permit me to sing to him, even though I told him my angelic singing voice has healing powers. I believe..." - Here her dulcet tones broke completely and more tears rolled down her rosy cheeks - "...I believe our father despises me!"
Elrohir and Elladan, who had only moments ago been criticizing this very woman extremely harshly, flew to her side. Daphne watched with one eyebrow raised as they petted and soothed her, speaking Elvish to her eloquently. Although the scene seemed as though it had jumped straight out of a Peter Jackson film, Daphne felt slightly off. Just a faint ripple, as if something were torn in the grand scheme of things. It might have had something to do with the weirdly goofy looks on Elrohir's and Elladan's faces, as if they each had swallowed an apple whole. "Just a second," Daphne said, interrupting their gorgeous elvish speeches. "Who are you, anyway?"
"How dare you speak to our beloved sister in such a fashion!" Elrohir growled, up on his feet in a moment. His hand darted to his hip, and a dagger was in his hands faster than blinking. "Apologize to her, human!"
Isabella had elbowed her way to the front and folded her arms, eyes narrowing as she took in the stunning woman crying in front of them. Idly, she steepled her fingers and evaluated the woman carefully. "Calm down, Elrohir," Isabella said firmly, a bite of impatience in her words. Elrohir opened his mouth to spit an angry retort when Isabella cut him off chillingly. "Daphne was just being rude, as I'm sure she is most of the time. Let's pretend she's apologized, you've forgiven her, and all that crap. Introduce your sister, and everything will be just peachy."
Elrohir opened and shut his mouth a few times, then shook himself all over as if he were a dog trying to rid water from his coat. "Yes, well, this is our adored sister, Melamin Lirima Anar Ithil Adavis Elen Artemis Raven Moonshadow, whom everybody calls Adavis. Sister, these are travelers from a distant land whom our father and Mithrandir have sent for. I believe you have heard of them?"
"Oh, yes," Melamin Lirima Anar Ithil Adavis Elen Artemis Raven Moonshadow said in a sweet, chirruping voice like a babbling brook or a cheerful sparrow. "I have come out here to wait for you and to speak to the Valar on Frodo's behalf." She eyed Daphne, running her ethereal blue eyes over her plump, rounded figure; generous breasts and hips, spiked frosted blonde hair, baby face and scowl, then curtseyed prettily. The same treatment was given to Isabella, and Melamin Lirima (Oh, forget it, we'll just call her Adavis now,) seemed less fond of Isabella's skinny figure and sneer. Melody had managed to push her way into the clearing, and Adavis smiled perfectly at her. "Oh, I adore your cloak!" she cried, fingering the rough orange jumpsuit. "How clever of you to sew your pants and tunic together like that. Although, orange does not quite suit you," she added, twisting her lips to the side. Melody, who had begun to paint a
False smile on her face, frowned, affronted, at Adavis's slighting remark.
Michael shoved his hands in his pockets and wolf-whistled, his shifty sideways grin flicking upwards. He seemed more intent on Adavis's long, shapely legs and full hourglass figure than on her face, but it managed to gain his attention shortly. "Hey," he said, jerking his chin. "Nice to meet you...Adavis." The way he said it, the way her name was quirked with his peculiar New York accent, made it seem drawn out and almost dirty, yet Adavis didn't blush in the slightest. She merely simpered and curtsied at him, throwing her long black hair over one shoulder and exposing her creamy neck. Then she got to Maddie and a horrified expression came over her face.
"Oh, darling!" she said, her elegant Elvish accent dropping from her words in her shock. "You look horrible!"
Any feelings of friendship that had been building in Daphne's chest imploded when she said this. She opened her mouth to say something, but Adavis cut her off as she began to explain exactly why Madison looked "horrible". As she continued, poor Madison blushed to the roots of her hair and ducked her chin, looking as if she were about to burst into tears at any moment. "Oh, you need to do something with your hair. It's so bushy! And it has twigs and suchlike in it; and your figure! Darling, I understand that something the Valar doesn't bless us with flawless bodies, but you couldn't you wear a tight bodice to put a little 'oomph' into your breasts and swell out your hips? Really, dear, it's very unappealing."
"Now, listen here-" Daphne began, a glint in her eyes like an angry dog. There was a flash of anger that made everything go crimson, and for an instant Daphne thought she could strike Adavis. But then it passed and Daphne settled for clenching her fists at her sides. "There's no reason to be insulting Maddie. What if I said I don't like the way your boobs are sticking out, or that I don't like the way you're flaunting your legs? Leave her alone, Mellie Adavis, or whatever the hell your name is." Her words were tripping over each other in her anger, and there was nothing but silence for a long moment. Then Adavis burst into a silvery, ringing laugh.
"There, there, there, little one," she cooed. "I'm sorry, Maddie, or whoever you are. It's just whenever I see someone not using their bodies to their full potential, I get so upset. Now, are we going to Imaldris? I so want you to meet Mithrandir. We're the best of friends!"