Untitled by Melli
Chapter Two Gandalf

Aragorn, Merry and Pippin were very surprised when they noticed the little group an even more when they heard their story. (About a big and cruel monster that suddenly had changed into a human girl when Legolas arrived as Gimli described his meeting)

“Hmm.. I just can not see anything at her that looks even a bit like what you told us she had been before” Merry said while they were sitting at the fire with a very angry monster that looked like a girl next to them.
Aragorn had to hide a little smile when he saw the astonished expression on Gimli`s face which had went red at the innocent words of the hobbit.

“You should have seen her!” he defended himself “She looked very cruel and was so strong …. That was not human any more … no human would be able to beat ..she was not too..but so strong -… that is not normal, not a danger for me of course, but.”
“Yeah, already ok, Gimli, we understand what you want to tell us”, said Aragorn who was not able to hide the grin any more. No doubt, the dwarf’s honor was really hurt by the girl.
“Legolas!! Tell them what happened!!”” Gimli shouted out.
“Aaahmmm.., well…, to be honest…she did not really look sooo cruel… maybe a bit frightening… and it was dark! Maybe this is the reason why Gimli did not see how small and…”
But Gimli interrupted him: “Pah, elves!!! Can see everything that is miles away but are not able to notice an enemy who obviously comes from Mordor when he is standing in front of them!!!”

But Aragorn was not taking notice of him any more. While Gimli had been talking he and Legolas had moved to the girl and sat down in front of her. Legolas took cautious the piece of cloth out of her mouth.
She coughed. “Thanks.”
This was the first word she did not scream out and her voice was high and deep in one as Legolas noticed. She did not sound like an old woman though not like a young girl. Legolas was astonished and impressed how melodious it was.
When he looked into her dark eyes he saw that they were some kind of blue, grey and green he had never seen before. Her nervous shaking lips were pink and red caused by the cloth he had pulled into her mouth to make her quiet. Her face and the rest of her were very dirty but he could see that she was very slim though she had some female curves. When her eyes met his it was hard to let them go and he had to frce himself to look at Aragorn who was saying something.
“I think she is only someone does really need a bath and clean clothes.”

She offered him a sarcastically look: “Thank you very much, very nice of you, I actually did not know how polite Striders are able to be!”
Aragorn smiled: “Ah, she is even able to speak our language and this even in whole sentences!”
“That is more then your dwarf can. I am able to speak a lot of languages. But who to the hell are you?” was her reply.

“I am Aragorn, Arathorn`s son, the Hobbits are Peregrin tuk, Pippin, and Meriadoc Brandibock, Merry. The dwarf is Gimli and Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, son of Thranduil, King of Mirkwood.” Aragorn said.
“Do you always have to mention this whole title thing of mine, Legolas would have been enough”, Legolas who did not like to tell everybody that he was a prince. He just wanted to be seen as normal,(as normal as possible for an elf).
“Ah, this is meant to be a dwarf! But for what reason do you have so much trust in me to tell me your names?”
“For the reason,” said Legolas “that we do hope that you will find the trust to tell us your name.”
“I do not think I have a choice…ok…, my name is GANDALF!!!”
“WHAT?!” said Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Merry and Pippin all at once.
But she did not answer.
They looked around and noticed that the wizard was coming. When he noticed the tied girl his eyes widened and he hurried to reach them.
“Of all I would have expected! You at this place?!” he said when was near them.
“Lillieyka, daughter who must not be mentioned, little princess, my favorite granddaughter or however I may have called you….. what are you doing here?” were the words Mithrandir said when he untied her and gave her a very long hug. He helped her to her feet.
“Let me take a look at you…what have you done, where have you been, what has happened to you, how did you ménage to find e here? Are this too many questions?”

He suddenly stopped his talking when he saw the scared look in her eyes that told him that she would not be able to give him the answers to all his questions while the others, who were really amazed by Gandalf’s reaction when he saw to the girl, were standing around them with such a surprised look on thei faces. And maybe she was not even able to tell him the whole truth when they were alone.
So he looked her deep in the eyes and they told him all he had wanted to know and more. She tried to hide it but could not stop a tar running down her face.
“Oh…oh, no!.. My poor girl.. I had no idea …If I just had known you were still alive..!” He hardly managed to whisper as his voice failed when he thought of the cruel things that had happened to her.

Even Gandalf, the wise wizard did not know what to do but to hold her close to make her forget just a bit of the pain she had had to dare.
“You… you know her? From where do you know this girl? What is she doing here? What are you going to do with her? Who is she?” the others just could not stop questioning.
Only Gimli did not seem as if he was interested in her and her fate.
Oh, please! Can we not talk about this over a good meal? Ok ok, You two lost each other and now are together again. Fine! The meal will burn if we do not hurry!”
“Ah, yes, you are right, Gimli.” Gandalf who still could not take his eyes of her as if he believed she could vanish when he did not leave her in his eyes agreed.

“I think you are right (and this does not happen very often!) We all need some food and I think I should explain you something you’re your mouths are full so you can not contradict!”

So they sat down at the fire and ate what the Hobbit had cooked as if they had not had anything for days (and in Lillieyka´s case this could even be possible).
Only Legolas ate not much. He was still busy thinking about the strange feeling in his belly when Lilli`s and his eyes had met. The girl had to answer a lot of questions and even Gimli seemed to get more and more interested and less hostile.
“Where do you come from?” Aragorn asked.
“Ah, this is not easy to tell. I am coming from many places. I have been traveling since I was able to walk or ride myself. Is if you wanted to know where I was born am I sorry to tell you that I have no answer for you. I just do not know it.” And she looked around still a little bit nervous. She had to smile and replied: “Yes, of course, I could have done this but the difficulty is that I just don not know who my parents are.”
“But is the first person you can remember?” Legolas said “Maybe this is your father or your mother.”
She looked at him and he had this strange feeling again when he looked in these deep, mysterious and beautiful eyes that seemed to look through him and direct into his soul.
“The first person I remember is Gandalf but he is neither my father nor my mother. I am absolutely sure. I have lived in Rivendell and Lorien when I was small but I started to travel very early. I have even lived in Isengard for some years. But I do not feel home anywhere so my home must be everywhere…” she smiled a crooked smile and Legolas noticed that he really liked it when she was smiling. She looked so cute and innocent as if nothing could harm her. But something must have done.

“Yes, ok. But what I don’t understand is” Gimli`s voice interrupted the silence “If you have been everywhere, why didn’t we hear about you before? Lilaleira or whatever you are called?”
“Because she did not travel under her real name, Gimli because I told her so. So and now I’d say it was enough questioning for one evening. So we will take her with us and because we need sleep for the long journey that lies before us.” Was the last Gandalf said before he walked away to prepare the horses for the night.
“Lilli, I think the Hobbits can give you some blankets for the night.”

Aragorn told her before he went to look for the fire. Gandalf had to smile when he saw the girl a few minutes later in a nice conversation with the Hobbits, laughing and joking.
Yeah, he thought, this was the little happy girl he knew from her birth. Things would be alright, now that so many things were going the right path.
The he recognized the tall person next to him.
“Ah, Legolas, I know elves can sleep with open eyes and I know some others who are only men or especially Hobbits who seem to be able to do the same but what there seems to be something more. What are you worrying about?”
The beautiful elf turned to him and it actually seemed as if something in his pretty head was working.
“Gandalf,” he said “maybe I am wrong and she is only an old lost friend of yours, but if I am not, I would say that you do not tell everything about her what is important. And why does this girl seem so familiar to me?”
“Greenleaf, some questions do not need to be answered too early. You will see that everything is fine. Don’t worry.” Legolas sighed deeply. “Yeah, I think you are right, as always. I will take the first part of thze guard. I do not think I am able to sleep right now.”
The wizard smiled. “This is exactly what I expected of you. Good night!” and walked away.
“Yeah, good night” Legolas whispered thoughtfully. Then he suddenly he rose his head as if he was waken up and looked around for a good place for his guard over his sleeping friends.

Replies, criticism and suggestions to junglerumble@web.de And I still do not have a title! So if you know one TELL ME ! ;ox Thanx

Continue to Chapter 3