~ ~ ~ Hey Amy,

      Not much happened today actually.
      Legolas and I went for a walk after breakfast and the meeting which Elrond had called after that.
      We found the gardens of Imladris most beautiful and we even stopped and sat on the bridge from the movie!
      You know, the one Aragorn and Arwen stand on during their first romantic scene together.
      And don't get any ideas because I know how you are.
      We talked for a while, mostly about the journey to come.
      Course, then something happened and we ended up getting in this huge tickle war.
      And guess what...
      I BEAT HIM!
      I found out that he is very VERY ticklish around the ribs, which came in handy.
      Course, I shot my mouth off after that and the whole thing started over again.
      That was until Aragorn and Boromir basically appeared out of nowhere and stopped us.
      We had been having so much fun too!
      *pouts*
      Course, then it was back to boring business talk as usual.
      It was all stuff I already knew so I wasn't paying much attention.
      Then Boromir said he wanted to talk to me alone.
      I wonder what that's about?
      Well, I'd better go so I can find out.

      Laters! ~ ~ ~

      "What's so urgent that you just have to talk to me about, Boromir?" Ashley asked as they strolled through the gardens of Rivendell.

      The man glanced at her, an action which was not wasted. "You and the Elf seem to be getting on rather well."

      That was an odd statement and it received an even odder reaction as Ashley stopped, looking up at the man from Gondor. "I suppose so. But then, he has been a friend to me for a while now. Why do you ask?"

      Boromir shrugged, "I wish to merely warn you." He let the silence hang in the air between them. "I have seen the way you look at him and that worries me."

      The silence returned as the woman began to acquire an eerie feeling.

      "Boromir, I..."

      "I just wish to warn you that such a relationship will only serve to devastate you in the end." The man leaned against a large elm.

      No sound penetrated their space, save for the rustling of the tree's leaves and the far off murmur of waterfalls and small rivers.

      "I appreciate your concern. However, I am quite capable of making decisions on my own." Ashley's gaze was cold as she turned, bent on leaving this situation before anything else was said.

      "Someone hurt you, did they not?"

      Boromir's voice was soft and his question disturbed her more than she cared to admit. What sort of game was he playing? What did he want from her?

      Ashley swallowed, trying to make her voice steady and emotionless.

      She failed, "I don't see what concern it is of yours but, yes."

      With that she did indeed depart. How had he known and what reason did he have for bringing it up? Distraught and confused, Ashley wandered back into the Halls of Imladris. She found herself within the Hall of Fire and, in it's silence, her mind was forced to think.

      Boromir had to have a motive, but all the woman's previous knowledge of the man did not help. Son of the Steward, corrupted by the Ring, pledges loyalty to Aragorn in the end. Nothing helped piece together this new and interesting puzzle.

      That was, until one single thought strayed into Ashley's mind...

      Love.

      Aragorn threw his pack over his horse. "I will be gone for about two months, Legolas. I am trusting you to make sure nothing happens in my absence."

      The Elf laughed, "Leaving me with such responsibility. Estel, there are plenty of Elves in Imladris and nothing could ever happen." Legolas shook his head. "I so terribly hate to inform you of this, my friend, but you are not this realm's sole protector."

      Aragorn shrugged as his brothers laughed behind him. Elladan and Elrohir had already mounted their steeds and were ready to depart.

      "If Legolas here cannot handle the responsibility, perhaps I shall have to help him." Another voice spoke up from behind the small company. Glorfindel smiled, "Though, I would hate to interfere with such trust."

      This of course caused all of them to laugh and Aragorn shook his head, "My lord, you may have to help my dear friend indeed, for he seems rather distracted as of late."

      Legolas glanced sharply at the human, "Estel!"

      But the Elf Lord held up his hands, "I know what it is which Aragorn speaks of, Legolas. In fact, every Elf in Imladris knows. 'Tis nothing to be ashamed of."

      "I... I am not ashamed but I merely know not if it is what I truly feel." The prince answered, shaking his head, "I cannot even read my own heart these days."

      Glorfindel laid a hand on the younger Elf's shoulder, "Perhaps with time, you will."

      "He shall need centuries at the rate he is going now." Elladan replied, looking at Elrohir with a smirk.

      The other twin nodded, "Indeed. I wager that when we return, he is just as confused as ever."

      Legolas rolled his eyes, "That will be quite enough of that. Besides, should you not be leaving? The hour grows late and you have many miles to ride before sundown."

      Both twins nodded, spurring their horses into action and riding off. Glorfindel bid them a fond farewell, and disappeared back into Rivendell's Halls. Aragorn however, lagged behind.

      "I am sorry. I could not resist."

      Legolas smiled, "No apology needed. It appears that I am more confused then I thought and such a confrontation of knowledge has helped more than you know."

      "Really?" Aragorn asked with a raised eyebrow. "I was sure you would hit me for it."

      A smirk rose on the prince's face. "I may yet if you do not get going."

      Aragorn bowed, "Of course, my lord." And when he mounted the horse there was a smile upon his face. "In two months time I will return. Until then, get some rest, mellon nin. Oh, and one more thing." the man laughed, winking at his friend. "Next time, let her win."

      "Estel!" Legolas cried, picking up a stick and hurling it at his friend as Aragorn quickly rode off toward the bridge.

      Legolas sighed and turned back in the direction of the Halls. He stopped however, seeing Boromir enter without Ashley in tow. The Elf had been wondering why he had wished to speak with her, but he had gotten too preoccupied with Aragorn's departure to find out.

      Quickly covering the distance between himself and the man from Gondor, Legolas fell into step beside him.

      "I'm beginning to think that Hobbits never tire of too much talk." Ashley laughed, sitting across from Merry in the Hall of Fire.

      The Brandybuck laughed, "We never tire of it! I must say that if you even get us started, we shall keep rambling on until we've talked your ears off!"

      Pippin and Sam were there as well, though noone was quite sure where Frodo had gone too. Sam suggested that he was off with Bilbo, pouring over adventures. The elder Hobbit was quite eager to get his nephew's adventure written down. This, of course, Ashley did not mind. It was "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" after all! Without the writings of Bilbo and Frodo and Sam, there would be very incomplete records of the Fellowship and the War of the Ring. Of course this brought a new idea to Ashley's mind. If there had been a portal before, and that was how Tolkien had learned of Middle-earth to begin with, had he actually found himself in Minas Tirith and it's vast archives? Perhaps that had been how...

      The woman shook her head. It was far too confusing and to just suppose that her favorite author of all time had done something which he very well might now have, was doing him a great injustice.

      "What's it like in your world?" Pippin asked suddenly.

      Ashley took a moment to think, "Well, it's much like here... kinda... sorta... not really..."

      All three Hobbits gave her confused looks.

      She sighed, "Everything's different. I mean, there are humans... that's all there are. We live in huge cities or out in the country and we're very advanced. Like this fire," the woman pointed to the great heart, "could be made by just striking a small stick against a rough surface and tossing it into a pile of logs. And instead of having fire to read by and such, we have lamps. They're like fire but they don't burn and they only go out every once in a while, in which you replace the thing that went out to begin with. We have a lot of wonderful things... like the pen for example." she smiled. "That has to be one of my favorite inventions. It's like a quill and ink all in one! There's also objects which control the temperature of your home."

      "You mean it could be cold one day inside and hot the next?" Merry asked.

      Ashley nodded, "Yep. It could be cold one minute and hot the next, at your own choosing."

      Sam leaned back into his chair, "Sounds wonderful to me."

      Merry and Pippin readily agreed.

      "But what about places. Is there any place like the Shire in your world?" Pippin asked, equally as enthusiastic as before.

      "Of course!" Ashley replied, "I would say that Scotland and Ireland are a lot like the Shire. England too."

      "Scotland?" Pippin thought for a moment.

      "Sounds a lot like Tookland." Merry replied, looking at his cousin.

      At this Ashley laughed, "True, it does. And they look much the same I would imagine." she smiled, "The man who wrote about this time, the reason why I know what happens, lived in Great Britain. That is what England and Ireland and Scotland make up."

      Sam smirked, "He picked a fine spot to live then, if it's anything like the Shire."

      With that, Ashley completely agreed.

      "Boromir!" Legolas called out, falling into step next to the man.

      His reaction was not what he had expected. The man turned his eyes to glare at the Elf for a moment before speaking.

      "What is it you want?"

      The prince was slightly taken aback. "Have I done something to offend you?"

      "No, I am just not in the mood for chatting right now. I have other things that I must see too."

      Legolas shrugged, "In that case, would you mind telling me what you and Ashley spoke of? You pulled her aside rather abruptly and I have yet to see her return."

      "She left a while ago and I do not know where she has gone, so do not ask." Boromir replied, "And, if you wish so much to know what we talked of, go find her yourself."

      The underlying anger and annoyance in the man's voice caused Legolas to harden his features. "Such rude manners for a Steward's son." He replied, about to step away from the man.

      Boromir turned to him, "And such curiosity for an Elf. It was a conversation that you need not concern yourself with. I know not where the woman has gone and right now, I do not care either. I have things to do and such and I wish to not be bothered with your tiresome questions any longer. Good day, Elf."

      The man turned, walking into Rivendell's Halls and disappearing.

      Legolas found himself standing outside, struck with shock over the man's attitude.

      "How dare he." The prince whispered to himself.

      Boromir was royalty, he should know better. Legolas too was a royal and an Elf at that, he would not be treated in such a way. Perhaps it was something Ashley had said to him.

      At this thought, the prince hoped it was not. He had already stopped Boromir once from turning one of their arguments into a fist fight, who knew if he would be around to stop a second one.

      Legolas sighed, walking into the halls as well, determined to find Ashley and to put an end to his constant worry.