~ ~ ~ Hey Amy,

      Man, Elves have some powerful medicines. Whatever it was the Lord Elrond made me take has zapped most of my strength, which is why it's taken me a couple days to write to you again. He said that there was some sort of chemical reaction in my body to the change of worlds caused by falling through the vortex. Gandalf was in the room when he said this and the wizard merely nodded and smiled. They share a secret about me, though I know not what it is... yet!

      I met Aragorn a couple days ago, as I said earlier, and he spoke with me the other day. I promised to walk with him as soon as I am well, and as soon as Lord Elrond lets me get out of this blasted bed! He said that I am free to move about as I will tomorrow though, but now I've developed this cough which he's a bit worried about. It seems that there were a couple side effects from traveling through the portal and it will just take time for them to dissipate.

      And, as an always lingering thought, I can't help but hope to speak with Legolas sometime soon. I have to know if he's upset.

      I worry about him...

      Laters! ~ ~ ~

      Legolas sighed as he sat on his balcony and watched the stars. He had avoided talking with anyone on the matter of Rivendell's new guest, except for Lord Elrond and Gandalf. He had been sure they both would feel the same way he had about the woman following him. However, things did not play out as he thought they would. Lord Elrond was not being forthcoming with his feelings on the matter, but Gandalf was another story.

      Legolas took in a deep breath to calm his rising anger. The wizard had actually become quite glad that this woman was around. It infuriated the Elven prince, partially because she did not belong there and partially because he knew, from what had happened before he fell to earth, that things would get very dangerous. He knew not how Ashley would fare in a fight, probably as good as the Hobbits, most likely better, but the battlefield was no place for a woman.

      "Something troubling you, Legolas?" A voice from behind asked.

      The Elf had been so distracted by his thoughts that he had failed to notice the human's soft footfalls.

      "Nay Estel, I am merely thinking and enjoying the night's cool breeze." he replied, refusing to turn around.
      The man however, walked up next to him on the balcony, "Then may I inquire into what you are thinking of? For surely the breeze could not have distracted you enough to be startled by my approach."
      Legolas winced slightly, he hated it when Aragorn was right. "I was just thinking about..." but then he found it hard to explain and turned to the man, "I was thinking of the future actually."
      "The future?" Aragorn raised a questioning eyebrow, "How so?"
      Legolas turned, "Walk with me?"

      The two began to leisurely pace through the halls of Rivendell. They took in the rather strange silence. Some of the Elves, including the Hobbit Bilbo, were in the main hall. They enjoyed song and drink and the telling of tales. But Legolas had excused himself from the festivities in order to entertain his own muddled thoughts. Now it seemed, Aragorn would share in their entertaining.

      "Has Mithrandir told you that, to me, all of this has already happened?" the Elf asked.
      Aragorn nodded, "He has." They passed one of Rivendell's lush gardens as they spoke, small lanterns lighting the halls.
      "Well, I was thinking ahead, to some of our later adventures and..." he stopped suddenly, "I have come to the conclusion that things must go differently as we set in."
      "Legolas, you can not change the future." Aragorn put in, a hand on the Elf's shoulder, "No doubt something terrible about this set path troubles you."
      "But I have to do something, Estel." he turned worried eyes to his friend, "Ashley said that..."
      "Ah! So the truth does come out."

      Legolas looked at him for a moment, his face puzzled.

      "I thought that this conversation would lead to her, one way or another."
      "Estel, you do not understand."
      Aragorn shook his head and continued walking, "It is you who do not understand, Legolas. Ashley has already told me what it is that is bothering you." He glanced back to make sure the Elf was following him, which he was, "You, my friend, are afraid of falling into the darkness of Moria."
      "Not afraid really." The Elf said, "I am merely hesitant to embark on something which I know should have killed me the first time."

      Aragorn was silent for a moment. The duo had passed back into the main halls of Rivendell and could hear from a nearby room, Hobbit commotion. Apparently, Sam and Merry were fighting about how to make the recently woken Frodo more comfortable and poor Pippin was attempting to calm down the entire situation. The man had to stop the laughter rising in him, Hobbits were some of the strangest people.

      "Then you wish to not be a part of this?"
      Legolas looked at his friend suddenly, "Nay! That is not what I mean!"
      "Then what?" he turned, "Look Legolas, you have to make up your mind. You said you were 'hesitant' to go on this journey that you are sure will happen and yet you also wish to take part. Tell me mellon nin, which is it?" ~[mellon nin - my friend]~
      The Elf stopped, leaning against one of the hallway's walls and sighed, "Did she tell you what would happen if I had not fallen?"

      Aragorn shook his head.

      Standing, Legolas continued down the hallway but he stopped after a couple of steps, realizing that Aragorn had not followed him.

      He turned, "If I had not attacked the Balrog, it would be Mithrandir to suffer the same fate I was faced with."
      The impact of that statement sent Aragorn's eyes wide and he paled slightly, "'Tis not true..."
      But Legolas just nodded, "It is. And to make matters worse, she," he pointed at the open doorway a few yards down the hall, "told me that Mithrandir MUST fall! I cannot just sit back as someone I know and love walks to their death. Unknowingly or not, it is not right!"

      Aragorn did not respond right away but walked toward the Elf. They continued on down the hallway for a moment before the Elf stopped once more. Having continued on, Aragorn turned to him from a few feet down the hall.

      "Then that is why you have acted so strangely."
      "What?"
      The man shrugged, "My brothers and I believed that you..." he looked the Elf in the eyes a moment then shook his head, "Nay, that is not important. But now I know that you have been troubled by a prophecy of death."
      "It is not a mere prophecy." came a third voice, this one from slightly down the hall.

      Emerging from Ashley's room and closing the door behind him, came Lord Elrond. Both Aragorn and Legolas were a bit taken aback by the Elf Lord's words.

      "If it were a prophecy then she would not know of the things I, right now, have been planning." Elrond glanced from face to face, "The woman you brought here has read an account of everything that has yet to transpire in this Third Age and, though she is hesitant to shed forth many details, what she has said of late has come to pass."
      Legolas shook his head, "But it does not make sense. Even when she knew who I was and explained the events in Moria I..." he trailed off as Elrond set his eyes upon him.
      The Elf Lord sighed, "She knew of you, yes. She also knew who I and Gandalf were when she awoke. Not only that, but she knew your true identity, Estel. That in itself is enough to convince me. However, earlier she spoke to Gandalf and, after my own meeting with him, we have agreed to do exactly as she has spoken."
      "But Ada, is that wise?" Aragorn asked, looking from Legolas to the Elf Lord. ~[Ada - Father]~
      "It appears to be. And it would do you both good to heed what she has to say, it may save you in days to come." Elrond sighed once more, "But, I have just come from meeting with her myself, though now she has retired to rest. She knows of things that no one does and, though you may be treating her as a mere fortune teller," his eyes rested harshly on Aragorn and the man cast his gaze to the ground, "She may be the only person able to help in this dark time."
      The ranger lifted his eyes once more, "Then you intend for her to come as you have planned?"
      "Yes, she will be present at the council and it will be held in a few days. I have sent word long ago to other members and they too she knows will come."
      "Then what will happen?" Legolas asked, "Will the ring be destroyed and if so, can Frodo destroy it?"
      Elrond shook his head, "That she will not speak of. I believe she fears to change the outcome of this war with Sauron and then her entire purpose for following you will be for naught." But the Elf Lord smiled, "Take heart however, for I believe that in the end you two will not view her as much a burden as you do now."

      As Lord Elrond left the two friends in the hallway, it was Aragorn who spoke up first.

      "Though my father tends to understand me, I do not think her a burden. True, I viewed your friend as simply a fortune teller and nothing more in the earlier times but now..." he sighed, "Now I am not so sure."
      "She is a burden, though I do not think I could say it to her face to face." Legolas said with a sigh.
      Aragorn turned to him, startled, "If she is such a burden, why then did this walk of yours lead us straight to her room?" When the man saw the prince's look he tried desperately to contain his smile, "Come to think of it. Why have you not gone to see how she fared, Legolas?"
      "I was busy."
      "A very weak response." Aragorn replied, walking toward Ashley's room, "You have not said one word to her since you both arrived, have you?"
      Legolas raised his head in defiance, "I have had other things on my mind, Estel. You yourself should know that yesterday I received a summons from my father and he wishes to speak with me of Lord Elrond's actions in the matter of the Ring. I have been preparing to ride out to Mirkwood tomorrow for just that reason."
      "A likely story." The ranger would not let this go so easily and he smiled as he stood, leaning on the doorframe to Ashley's room. "What I see here." he said, his eyes glancing at Legolas and inviting a challenge, "Is an Elf too scared to admit when he is wrong."
      "What?"
      Aragorn indicated the woman who was sleeping peacefully in the room, "She told me that you insisted on her not coming. I think you were wrong in that choice."
      "Wrong?" Legolas walked to up his friend, "How dare you think I was wrong?! I said that in her best interest and wanted no others to become involved in this burdensome and weary journey that is waiting for us all! If anyone is wrong it is you, Estel!" His voice sounded harsh in his ears and the prince knew that his hushed whisper could easily wake the woman in the room. "You do not know everything of this matter and still you make judgement upon me?!"
      The man shrugged once more, "Then perhaps you would care to enlighten me so I may make a better judgement."
      "I..." the Elf stopped, realizing that Aragorn was merely toying with him and he smirked, "Have it your way, Estel. Have it your way."

      The prince's eyes drifted from his friend and into that of the room. It was dark, no light shining save from the moon's own brightness on the balcony. But, even through the darkness, the Elven sight of Legolas could make out the form of the woman sleeping soundly in the room before them. She had a slight smile on her face and a look that all time in the chamber had stopped for her mere enjoyment.

      Aragorn noticed the look upon Legolas' face, his eyes not able to pick out the details of the woman's room. But, from the way the Elven prince's eyes flashed, the man knew something else was troubling his friend and it was not merely the task of destroying the One Ring.

      "Legolas?" he began.

      The prince turned his eyes back to Aragorn and, in that moment, the ranger could see it all to clearly.

      "Impossible..."
      Legolas was quite confused once more, "What? What is impossible."
      Sporting a look of shock and disbelief, Aragorn laughed slightly, "You could not have... No... There is no way that you would..."
      "What?!" The Elf asked again, a bit more impatiently this time.       Aragorn could barely contain his laughter now. It was joyous yet at the same time, sent a chill of sorrow to his heart. The ranger knew only because he too had fallen into such a trap and now he could see it clearly in his friend's eyes.

      "You have been taken in by her."
      Now it was Legolas' turn to laugh, "Have you gone mad, Estel?! She is a mortal and I am Elven kind! I know you and the Lady Arwen have been struck with love, but to think the same thing of me?!"
      "But it is written all over your features, mellon nin." The man added. ~[mellon nin - my friend]~
      Legolas found himself venturing back down the hall, walking quickly away from Aragorn but he turned once more, pointing a finger at the man, "Listen Estel. Whatever you may be thinking, keep those thoughts to yourself."
      "Then I am right." it was a statement, not a question.
      The Elf sighed, his eyes glancing around wildly about him. Finally, he lifted his gaze and stared directly at the ranger, "I do not deny what you are saying. However, nor can I confirm your statement either. I..." he stopped, for once at a loss for words and wanting desperately to end this conversation. Legolas took a deep breath, slowing his rapidly beating heart, "I have to think." and with that excuse, the Elf walked back down the hallway.

      Aragorn however, was awestruck. He stood in the hall for several minutes, letting everything that had happened run through his mind a few times.

      Legolas had been scared to join this supposed fellowship in fear he would fall at it's end. However, he also did not want to join because he claimed Mithrandir would die in his stead. This Aragorn could understand, he too was now having serious doubts about the entire thing. Now however, one of his dearest friends had fallen for someone. In all the years Aragorn had known Legolas, he knew that almost any Elven maid would gladly throw herself before him in an attempt to win his heart. He had known Legolas to never pay them any mind and had found himself wondering if the Elven prince would ever find someone whom he might remotely think to spend his immortal days with. But never had Aragorn ventured that Legolas would place himself in the same position as he and Arwen. Yet, from the recent conversation, his friend had said just that. Though, he claimed he could not deny or confirm Aragorn's suspicion, something told the ranger that his friend may have fallen in deeper than even he himself thought.

      With a smile, Aragorn took one last look into the woman's room, then disappeared back down the hallway.