After an entire evening of peaceful rest, Legolas awoke to the smell of something cooking. Though he knew not what, his stomach and curiosity got the better of him and the Elf made up his mind to head into the rest of the house.

      Upon first glance, he noticed that his elbow had broken and was in a splint. Also, was the head wound he had discovered the night before. Keeping them in mind, Legolas pulled the covers from the bed and swung his legs over. He looked at his attire and realized that the woman from before must have put him in less torn clothes. There was a vague memory of rain and he supposed that his traveling wear had gotten soaked. The Elf now wore a long sleeved button up shirt that hung down just below the waist. His pants were very lose in the legs but the waist was tied with string and he wore nothing on his feet. Legolas noticed a mirror across the room, glass that reflected his image back at him. He walked over to it and placed a hand on his head, looking closely at the wound. It would heal, but it would remain tender for quite some time. Of course he also noticed that all of the braids in his hair had been taken out and that it fell freely upon his shoulders.

      A sound came up from the kitchen, like a great crash of pots and pans. Legolas let himself smile slightly, the woman, Ashley was her name, must have dropped something. Deciding that staying hidden in the room longer would do him no good, the Elf cautiously made his way to the hall.

      The house appeared very strange to him, already was he beginning to believe her story about another world and time. In the bedroom before, there had been a large black box with small buttons and a frame of glass sitting atop a dresser. There were large fixtures on the tables that brought forth light when they were touched. A small black oval shaped box displayed numbers and the Elf supposed it was like a sundial, only he knew not how it worked. There was also a black machine with two black boxes beside it. Buttons covered this one and sometimes things opened when they were pressed. Inside, lay a small flat circular disk with writing and a picture on it's surface. Books lined the shelves in certain places, and there was a chest of drawers and a long cabinet over which hung the mirror. An oddly shaped contraption hung from the ceiling, slowly spinning. Legolas supposed that it too would give off some form of light if he could work it properly.

      Now that he looked at the hallway, it seemed normal enough. Pictures hung on the walls, something that he had rarely seen in the Elven homes of his land but he knew of their existence through his dealings with mortals. Of course, they never looked quite as lifelike as the ones he saw now were. Legolas crept through the hall, his feet making no sound, and found at it's end was where the sound had come from.

      It was a kitchen, but like one Legolas had never seen before. There were strange circular patterns atop one of the counters and knobs and dials littered the room. Another cabinet had a handle on it, but the door to the handle appeared to be iron and it sported more dials. There were other oddly shaped creations as well, too numerous to name or even begin to name. But there, standing beside one of the counters, stood the woman and she appeared to be chopping something up.

      Legolas leaned against the kitchen's entrance, his hands folded over his chest, and watched her work for quite some time. He breathed not a word, made not a sound, but somehow she knew he was there.

      The woman turned around slowly, a knife in her hand and vegetables on the counter before her.

      "You should be in bed." She said, setting the knife down and wiping her hands on a towel, "You're not well enough and could get hurt."

      Ashley walked over to him and, though she was much shorter than he, nearly a foot so, she turned him by the arm and proceeded to push him back down the hallway.

      Of course Legolas just anchored his foot and tilted his head back to face her, "I am feeling much better now, thanks to you."

      The woman nearly blushed, Legolas could see it, but she let go and walked back into the kitchen.

      "Then maybe you should sit down then, I would feel much better knowing you weren't on your feet."

      Legolas nodded and walked to the nearest chair. It appeared to him that the kitchen and a small living area were connected. In here he found another black box with glass over it's front but this time there were two smaller boxes atop it. One had a large wide slit, the other's was smaller. Light givers, as Legolas had now deemed the strange contraptions which were lit when touched, were placed in a couple corners of the room. Overhead was another spinning light giver. There was a small couch next to the chair he chose and another chair beside it. Two tables were in the room, one between the chairs and the other in front of the sofa. Lastly, a fireplace took up much of the northern wall and to the east was a large window.

      Ashley walked over to him with a large blanket and a glass of water, "You must be hungry, could I fix you something?" she asked.
      The woman was very timid, the Elf noticed it right away as he took the glass, "You do not get very many visitors, do you?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
      "What?" her voice raised slightly, "Well, I suppose not. Why?"
      He took the glass from her and set the blanket upon his lap, "You are very shy, that is all. I was wondering if you were a hermit who lived within the mountains."
      She laughed, "No, but I do like peace and quiet."
      "Most do."
      Ashley shrugged, "Not within our big cities they don't. I like it better to myself, though I stay in very close contact with the world around me."
      Legolas took a sip of the water, it's cool refreshing taste clearing away the parched dryness of his throat, "Well, I did get you to say more words than I imagined you would."
      "I..." she stopped and looked at him for a moment, "I talk a lot, don't get me wrong. Most people don't know how to get me to shut up. I just... I mean, it's you and... well... I've always wanted to meet you. You're, well, you're like a hero to me."
      This surprised the Elf, "A hero, you say? I have done nothing heroic that mortal men know of."
      "Not yet." At this she turned and went back into the kitchen.
      "What do you mean by 'not yet'?" he asked, about to follow her but she returned.

      In her hands was a plate and on it were a couple strawberries, part of an apple and a pear, and lastly was a piece of bread and some cheese.

      "I know it's not much since you haven't eaten for four days, but dinner will be cooked soon. I'm making a stew." she answered, setting the plate on the table next to the Elf.

      She herself took a seat on the couch, her legs folded up under her as if she were slightly cold.
      Legolas took one of the strawberries and ate it, glad to have something to calm his noisy stomach.

      "Hannad le." ~[Thank you.]~ He said.

      This phrase however, Ashley had learned and nodded before standing again and walking over to the fireplace. Legolas continued to eat things from the plate while the woman places some wood into the fireplace. She turned a knob and suddenly the wood caught on fire.

      "Are you an Istari?!" He asked in astonishment, "Only the wizards can command fire to come before them with such speed and skill."
      Ashley laughed, "No, it's a gas fireplace." She noticed the blank look on his face, "I suppose I should explain. You turn this," she indicated a knob, "and gas comes out. Gas is very flammable and catches wood on fire quickly. Then, you strike this match." she held up a match and ran it quickly across the fireplace, "I don't really know how they get it to light so fast, but it has to do with friction, an object moving quickly over another. Then, you just set it in the fireplace and the fire from the match lights the gas. It then quickly consumes the wood, making a nice cozy fire."
      The Elf shook his head, "I truly am far from home."
      Ashley caught his sad expression and came to sit on the couch once more, "Don't worry, Legolas. Somehow we will find a way for you to return, I promise."

      He nodded and the woman went back to fixing supper.

      Long did Legolas sit there, trying to come to terms with his current situation but to no avail. He heard the sounds of Ashley making dinner and the soft crackling of the fireplace. Outside, his ears picked up the sweet singing of the birds, but the trees did not speak to him here as they did at home.

      Turning his head, Legolas watched the woman carefully, realizing that he did not truly know why he was there.

      "What happened?"
      The woman continued working, "I already told you."
      "That is not what I meant." Legolas countered, "How did I get here?"
      Ashley sighed and set the knife down once more, turning to him, "You must have fought the Balrog and lost. A rip in the fabric of time sucked you here, into this world."
      "But how do you know this? How do I know this is not some cruel joke of the enemy to throw me from the quest and distract my mind?" his eyes filled with suspicion.
      "If I were Saruman, I'd have killed you instead." Ashley answered, a smile on her face.

      She held up a hand before he could respond and walked back into the hallway. Legolas heard the soft unlocking of a door and not much later she reappeared in the living room with a book.

      Ashley looked at it's cover, knowing that now was as good a time as any to show him. She handed him the book.

      As Legolas took it, his eyes widened in a mixture of shock and horror. The title was "The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers" and upon it's cover, was a picture of none other than himself.

      "That is how I know." she responded, leaning against the side of his chair.
      But all the Elf could do was whisper, "Han pulu no..." ~[It can not be...]~