Okay, so I was looking up elvish translations for my character names and here's what I found:
Sapphire: Vindyamiriel (Vind-yah-meer-ee-el)
Lauren-Crowned with Laurel: Galasriniel (Gahl-ahs-ree-nee-ell)
Julia- Soft-haired: Findëmaxa (Finn-day-mahx-ah)
Peter-Rock: Hirgon (Lit. Rock Lord) (Hear-gone)
Tyler-Tiler: Ceredirond (Lit. Roof Maker) (Kare-eh-dear-ond)
Cool right?!
Sapphire:
I was disappointed to say the least. I reached deeper into the bag and rifled around to see if I could find something, anything. To my surprise, my fingers closed around a stiff piece of paper. I pulled out a small cream colored envelope with my name written on it in gorgeous cursive. I carefully peeled it open, not wanted to destroy the pretty writing and pulled out a slip of paper. In delicate cursive, it read:
Stay Safe.
–J.R.R. TOLKIEN
PS: I figured you would appreciate the sword.
I ogled the note, reread it, and ogled it some more. Was that who brought us here? FREAKING J.R.R. TOLKIEN HIMSELF?! And where the heck was the sword?
I peered back into the bag, looking for the missing sword, and to my surprise, a ballpoint pen labeled: Vindyamiriel appeared in the backpack right in front of my eyes. SWEET! MAGIC BACKPACK!
But why would I want a ballpoint pen? Then it clicked (haha, unexpected pun): I figured you would appreciate the sword.
He had given me Percy Jackson's sword, or at least a sword that was LIKE Percy Jackson's sword. He somehow knew I was a fan of the series, and decided to give me a replica of Riptide. NO WAY!
I uncapped the pen, and Galadriel ogled as a full sized elvish sword popped into existence.
Its razor sharp blade was entirely mithril. Its hilt was finely cured leather and its pommel was a perfectly cut sapphire almost as big as my fist. Whoa...Definitely NOT Riptide... I gave it a test swing and found that it was perfectly weighted and I swung it with ease.
"Sword and shield shall appear to protect their owners to all ends..." Galadriel murmured, "What else is inside this backpack?"
"I dunno...It's sort of magical, so I need to know what I'm looking for and then it appears," I said.
"Give me a breastplate Mr. Backpack please," I said with a silly grin. To my surprise, a chainmail shirt made from mithril like Frodo's appeared in the bottom of the backpack.
"Not exactly a breastplate, but it'll do..." I said, holding the mithril shirt up in reverence. Galadriel's eyes shone with laughter and surprise.
"The Valar are truly on your side Lady Sapphire..." she said in awe.
"Hmm...Is there such thing as mithril lined pants?" I asked Galadriel, "Because those would be neat!"
A pair of stiff and thick leather pants appeared in the bag.
"Okay, that answers that question... Geez Tolkien, you thought of everything didn't you... How about a shirt, or some bracers? Boots?"
All three of those things appeared in the backpack and I began to wonder if this thing could summon anything you asked for.
"And an ice cream sandwich?" I asked. To my dismay, nothing happened. Maybe it only summoned weapons and armor?
"A spear?" I asked. Nope...Nada... I guess it really only had a few things and I would just have to guess them...Or maybe...
"Give me everything you got..."
Instantly, the back pack was full of stuff. I saw an emerald ring that glittered a deadly green, a small brown box, several lembas, packets of my favorite underwear and bras (uh...thanks Tolkien?) among other things. I would have to take time and rifle through all of it later. Before Galadriel could see the undergarments, I quickly said, "Okay, clear it out please Mr. Backpack..."
To my relief, the backpack went empty and I scooped up the other backpacks, also empty (and magical I guess). Wow...This was so weird. It seemed almost too perfect, but I was grateful for the help. It was the least Tolkien could do if he was the one who dragged us here...
Before I left, I asked Galadriel something that had been on my mind. She laughed, and I blushed. You don't need to know what I asked, because it was quite silly. So, yeah... That pretty much wrapped up our stay in Lothlorien. I was escorted out by Haldir (on Galadriel's orders) to bring the other backpacks to my friends. Lauren was indeed here, and she was an elf. She gave me back my phone and solar charger, and I snuck a ton load of pictures of Lothlorien. That afternoon, we dined on a swan boat with Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn. Then, gifts were given, and we were on our way down the Celebrant, approaching Boromir's doom and the hobbit's kidnapping. Dread filled my heart and my legs turned to jelly whenever I thought about it. So I refused to think about it. I would spend time with the hobbits.
I was placed with Pippin and Merry! Hooray! Now, how to begin? I was wondering if I should crack a joke when Pippin asked, "What's that blue bag on your back?"
"Oh, it was my gift from Galadriel along with the elvish cloak and my sword and stuff," I said with a grin as I rowed.
"Sword?" Merry asked confused and I popped the pen out of my pocket. I had tested it in Lothlorien and to my surprise and joy, it always returned to my pocket! Just like Riptide! I was really loving J.R.R. Tolkien right now man...
I popped off the cap and my epic sword, Vindyamiriel, popped into existence. Pippin yelped and Merry gasped loudly.
"Wow! That's amazing!" Merry cried, grinning from ear to ear and as Aragorn and Frodo passed by on their boat, Aragorn called out, "Where did you get that sword Lady Sapphire?"
I held it up so everyone could see it, attempting to row with one hand. Unfortunately, I dropped it. Oh well...It would appear in my pocket in a minute or two...
Aragorn stared at the water for a millisecond and seemed to come to a conclusion. He dove out of his boat and caught the sword as it sunk. What the heck? He was not a very good swimmer, and he struggled to lift the sword out of the water to hand it to me while swimming. Frodo took the abandoned oar and helped Aragorn back into their small boat and I started to laugh as I came out of my shocked stupor.
"Alright, you didn't need to be all noble Aragorn..." I sniggered.
He looked confused and irritated, and he sniped, "Do you wish to be weaponless?"
The other two boats caught up with ours and Gimli grunted out, "What in Durin's name?! You do realize that sword is made from mithril Lady Sapphire?"
"Uh, yeah, I thought that was obvious..." I muttered embarrassedly.
"Is the pommel made of sapphire?" Boromir snorted and shook his head incredulously.
"Where on earth did you get that blade?" Legolas cried in disbelief, and I felt mighty uncomfortable with everyone's eyes on me.
"Uh..." I said, and not wishing to lie any more than I had to, I decided to tell the truth.
"It appeared with this bag in the Mirror..." I said slowly, waiting for a reaction.
"You looked in the Mirror as well?" Boromir asked quietly, and I whipped my head around.
"Say WHAT?" I cried. Boromir wasn't supposed to look in the Mirror! NO! NO NO NO! This could NOT be happening! The story was deteriorating!
"I thought only Frodo looked in the Mirror..." I mumbled, questioning Frodo with panicked eyes.
"I did...How did you know?" Frodo asked.
"Oh. Galadriel told me." I said quickly.
"Alright, don't panic, this is supposed to happen," I warned them as I recapped my pen-sword.
Everyone gasped as the sword shrunk back into a ballpoint pen, which I displayed.
"Your sword is named after you," Legolas commented.
"What?" I asked.
"Vindyamiriel means sapphire in my tongue," Legolas said with a soft smile.
"Oh, that's really cool Legolas. Thank you for telling me!" I said with a grin. Legolas returned the smile and pulled ahead of the group. I grinned evilly, "Oh no you don't. Come on Merry and Pippin! Let's catch 'em!" The cute hobbits grinned evilly, and took up their own oars with some difficulty.
"Come on Aragorn! Get Frodo to help you!" I called out merrily as we passed them, and Frodo smiled for the first time in a long while. "Let's catch them Strider!" he urged the Ranger, and Aragorn chuckled and complied, his strong arms propelling the boat faster, but not fast enough. Gimli and Legolas were hauling it, both of them being pretty strong. Boromir and Sam were trying their best, but they just couldn't catch Aragorn and Frodo. In the end, I was neck and neck with the elf and the dwarf when poor Pippin and Merry's midget arms gave out. They toppled over with exhausted giggles and fell asleep on the spot. I laughed, and slowed my rowing, my arms throbbing and my lungs burning from the exertion. It felt good though, and I was genuinely happy. I could tell that the others were as well, and Frodo was the happiest I'd seen him since the beginning of the quest. In the end, I came in third, Aragorn declaring the finish line ahead of time and Boromir and Sam attempting to catch up with me in the last few minutes. Legolas was the only one not too tired to stay awake so he offered to take first watch.
"'Night Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin," I said to the hobbits in turn and curled up in my blankets. We had made record time today, and that night we all slept like rocks, not a worry to be had. What a day...