Love Is All in the Past

Chapter 5 (A new Friend)

Oh man I feel as if I got drunk last night. My head is pound and I feel as I can’t move anything for risk of that limb falling off. I moaned as I rolled over onto my side and curled up to just a little bit more to become comfortable on my bed. My bed? Last I remember is Arwen riding away from those wraiths with Frodo passing. And Aragorn hovering over me and trying to get me to stay awake. My heart fluttered when I played back those dark eyes looking down at me. Ah no. No way was I having these thoughts at a moment like this. I moved my head just a little and noticed that it was in fact not my bed. This room was pretty big though and the bed…well I am officially never moving from this spot. Unless I hear talking that is.

I gazed up at the sound of familiar voices. Across this spacious room that had no windows just whole walls missing and with light just pouring was Frodo. I smiled as I saw who was next to him.

Gandalf looked up as if he knew I was thinking about him and he motioned for me to come over. I hesitated considering if I could make it or if I had the energy. I took a deep breath as if bracing myself for a 3 mile run with no stop. Gandalf got up and walked over to my bed giving me his arm so he could escort my across the room. My legs felt like jell-o at the first few steps but towards the middle of the room I got my bearings. I fell onto Frodo’s bed and grabbed him into a tight hug.

“Don’t you ever do that to me again! You hear? I’m to young to have a heart attack.” I said. I just remembered that they had been talking before I woke up. “What were you two talking about anyways? I feel left out and unimportant.” I joked, but Gandalf had a look on his face that basically said what they were talking about before was something bad that had happened. “Gandalf?” I questioned, “What is it?”

He seemed to wake up from whatever planet he was on at the moment and smiled at me.

“Nothing Katelyn.” He said unconvincingly.

My head snapped up at the sound of the door slamming open and Sam dashing in. He tackled me into the bed while I started laughing. He started to blush and did the same to Frodo. Well hello to you Sam.” I chuckled as he stood by Frodo’s bedside.

“Bless you, you’re both awake.” He said pulling us into a tight embrace.

“Sam! Can’t breathe!” I choked out as he quickly let go of us. “Sorry.” He mumbled.

“S’kay.” I chuckled.

“Sam has hardly left your side.” A smiling Gandalf pointed out to us. “Aw Sam were you worried?” I asked trying to hide my grin from popping up.

“We were that worried about you, weren't we Mr. Gandalf?”

“By the skills of Lord Elrond,” Gandalf began and turned his head towards a med an walking in, “You're both beginning to mend.” The man had long brown hair and dark eyes. He looked like a male version of Arwen as a matter of fact. He was also studying me but not in a ‘she’s hot’ sort of way. Almost as if he didn’t know what I was. He then smiled at Frodo and me.

“Welcome to Rivendell Frodo Baggins and Katelyn Jennings.”

We were let go and aloud to explore Rivendell. It really was magnificent. It looked like we were in between two mountains but the sunshine was hitting the city as if they were out in the open. There was a waterfall that I was just dying to jump off of and the luscious green from the grass and trees gave this place a fairytale look. The architecture was just splendid. If I was able to remodel the apartment I would steal this idea. Oh I wish I could paint this! I glanced up and watched as the sky was turning into a gorgeous different shades of pinks, oranges, reds, and purples.

Frodo, Sam and I decided to wonder around take in the site. As we were walking Merry and Pippin ran up to us and hugged us or more my waist. Frodo paused and walked around me to see something. I turned around and saw another Hobbit, though one I’ve never seen before. He was old and sitting down on a bench reading a book and swing his feet. Frodo started to run towards the man. “Bilbo!” Oh so that’s who he is.

“Hello, Frodo my lad.” He said as he stood up and hugged Frodo who plowed into him.

I decided to leave them to their reunion and started to walk back the way we came. I was down a hallway and finally realized that I had no idea where I was going. Mother of all that is Holy! I wasn’t going to panic this time though since I knew people were around. And long behold! After a 10 minute circle I found someone. She looked strangely familiar too. A girl was watching over a balcony and gazing out over the land. She had long blond hair, slightly pale skin, with these blue eyes that seemed to have seen the world though she couldn’t be more than my age. Oh wait…she’s and elf. For all I know she could be my great times 5 grandmother. She must have heard me because she turned around and looked at me. She was beautiful that’s for sure but so were all of the other elves. I noticed that had a sword at her side with a bow and arrow on the floor next to her. Her dress was a light baby blue that showed off how petite she really was. There was a type of vine design on the hem of the dress with a silk belt around the middle. She wore a necklace that looked like a diamond in some shape and a ring that had another diamond. It wasn’t on her marriage finger though so I was guessing it was just for show or it was a gift. I wouldn’t mind the necklace though.

“Hello can you maybe help me find my way?” I asked. My voice sounded little which was a first since I’m the loud mouthed girl that always got in trouble from talking in class at school. She studied me for a moment and nodded.

“May I ask what your name is?” I asked as we walked in silence.

“Oh I’m sorry! My name Guinevere” she said seeming embarrassed that she forgot. “And yours?”

“I’m Katelyn.” I said smiling at her. She seemed nice enough.

“Nice to meet you Katelyn.” She was slightly taller than me and I had to look up to meet her eyes. We started a conversation about our lives even though we just meet each other. Fast friendships were always my specialty.

“Any siblings Katelyn?” she asked. “No I’m an only child. You?”

“Yes I believe you meet her. Arwen is my older sister.” I stopped in the middle of the hallway. “Is something the matter Katelyn?”

“No! No. It’s just you guys look nothing alike and you don’t look like Lord Elrond either.” I said as I tried putting features together from her and her sister. Nothing.

She laughed and continued to walk. What was so funny about that? “Oh Katelyn I love you already. No I don’t look them but rather my grandmother.” She smiled at me.

“Oh. Ok anyways next question.” I said as I walked besides her up a set of stairs.

“Favorite color?” she asked. “Red. Yours?”

“Dark Green. Favorite animal?”

“Wolf.”

“Why? Aren’t they mean vicious creatures?”

“Oh no! They are anything but! They are loyal to their family. Work as a team. Playful when together vicious when threatened. And very adventurous just like me. The only difference is that they a stealthy and beautiful. Your favorite animal?”

“Hawk. Favorite season?”

“Fall. You?”

“Spring.”

“Guinevere” We kept that up for about 5 more minutes before we reached my room. The door alone would make me drool. There was gold on the trim of the frame and the wood was completely smooth. Plus the size of it dwarfed me more than I already was.

“Wow.” I breathed.

Guinevere chuckled at me and opened the doors to reveal my dream bedroom. Well not exactly but damn near close. The walls were painted a deep red and the bed was bigger than a king size with red pillows and comforters. The canopy was pure white as was the see through curtains blowing in the wind at the 20 foot window. The floors were a sort of marble at I could see my reflection in and the furniture has these kind of designs on them that I can’t even begin to explain! The bathroom was almost as big as the bedroom with white tile and a bathtub that was actually a swimming pool. Hey bath party ha ha.

“Can I live her pleased?” I said as I slid down the wall and looked around me. If this was heaven who cared about going back! Ok not true but still this was my paradise. The only thing missing…

“Is there a library?” I asked as I looked over to Guinevere who had slid down next to me.

“Yes there is. Would you like to see it?” she questioned. All I could do was nod my head really fast.

“Wait! Can I get changed?”

“Yes of course! There are gowns in the dresser out in the bedroom. Oh I wonder if there as pretty on me as they are on the elves?

I ran out into the room and started shuffling through the dresser at the multicolored gowns. Which ones to pick? The blue, oh that would make me look slightly tanner. How about the green? Oh my eyes would look gorgeous in that. Maybe the red to match my room and have a romantic look it. I’ll go with the green then I guess.

I was just about to grab the green one when Guinevere behind me grabbed it and held it out to me.

“This would look fantastic on you darlin’” she grinned as I took it out of her hands. I quickly got dressed behind a sort of fold up wall like off of Pirates of the Caribbean or Mulan. After I pulled it up I noticed something. I lost weight? Not a whole bunch but a good ten pounds at least and not in my chest either unfortunately. My waist got smaller and so did my butt I guess from all the walking and lack of food. I didn’t look half bad in the dress either! Yeah! I walked out from behind the wall and Guinevere smiled this huge grin.

“You look fabulous!” she gushed and pushed me towards a chair with a vanity. She pushed me onto the chair and started to mess with my hair. I giggled as her finger tips lightly grazed my neck. It tickled and I got goose bumps on my arms. I started on the make-up which is my specialty while Guinevere started to put my hair half up half down. By the time I was done my eyes were popping out at me in a shocking shade of green because of the eyeliner I had brought. My skin was always clear and smooth so I didn’t need help with that. My eyelashes were pretty thick as it was but a little mascara never harmed anyone. And last but not least I had a bit of lip gloss on. I looked at my reflection and just stared. That was defiantly not me in the mirror. My hair was in ringlets on the bottom half while two strands of hair framed my face. The top half was in a bunch of clips and slightly pushed forward to give it a sort of hump. The dress made me look just a little bit smaller but my chest bigger since Elves apparently lack boobs. But over all I looked…good?

I got up out of the chair and looked for shoes. There was a closet that was near the bed and I opened it to reveal rows upon rows of heels with flats also! I rushed in and walked down a type of hallway in the middle. I was looking for silver heels when a pair of gold gladiator heels came into view. They were perfect! I snatched them up and ran out into the room where Guinevere was sitting on my bed. She glanced up and nodded her head in approval at my choice.

“Hey, Guinevere?” I asked as I started to slip on the heels.

“Yes Katelyn?”

“Do you have a nickname? Or a shortened version of your name?”

“Yes some people call me dragonfly. Do you have a nickname?” she said as she flopped back down onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.

“No. People try to call me Kate or Katie but I never liked those.” I said as I finished up with the last shoe. I got up and walked around to get used to being in them. Finally we headed out of the room and closed the door behind us. Guinevere grabbed a key from around her neck and gave it to me.

“What is this for?” I asked looking at it dangled in front of me.

“It’s the key to this room. You can lock it if you want for privacy and such.” She explained as we began walking in a different direction then before.

“Ok thank you.”

She just nodded her head and continued on her way.

We got up 3 flights of stairs and half way down a hallway when we bumped into Strider. I was about to fall back on my butt when he caught me around my waist.

“Easy there Miss. I’m sor…Katelyn?” he questioned as he looked me up and down. He let me go and just stared.

He turns toward Guinevere, “What did you do to her?”

She just smiled and pointed at me. He turns back at me and his mouth fell open. “What?” I asked. After a moment Strider still hadn’t moved. “Um, Strider if you don’t close your mouth flies are going to find a new home.” I chuckled as he shook his head.

“Come along Katelyn. He seemed preoccupied before we walked into him.” Guinevere said as she pulled me away from Strider.

We were down the hall and about to turn into a door when that feeling of being stared at was happening. I turn towards were Strider was before we left but he wasn’t there. I looked down the other end and still nothing. The feeling wasn’t friendly either. I imagined that eye that was on fire looking at me and I felt myself grow cold. I hated that eye and whenever that I thought of it I felt frightened. I didn’t like that feeling at all.

I shook it off before I entered the library. Oh my Mother of Cheese cake! It was huge! Bigger than my bedroom and bathroom combined! And it was filled from top to bottom with books. I ran to a shelf and started skimming the titles. I could read some of them but they were in Elvish or some other language I couldn’t pin point.

I grabbed a book titled History of Middle Earth in English I might add, though that wasn’t a problem anymore. Guinevere took her leave saying that she would be back for me in a little bit to help me get back to my room and get ready for dinner. I wasn’t paying attention and I hope she didn’t take that the hard way. I just get lost in books and don’t come out until when I’m done with them.

I read up on the history of the ring. The orcs that help Sauron and the rings he gave to the dwarfs, elves, and men. I read how Isildur took the ring instead of destroying it and how he was murdered because of it. What I didn’t get though is how I’m supposed help destroy this and get out of it alive. I know I offered but still I’m confused and apparently the only one from ‘my world’. I continued to read until long past darkness. Guinevere came back only to see me asleep with a pile of books next to me and one open and hanging out of my hand. She left and got a guard to come and get me to carry me to my room. If I was awake I would have melted at how good looking and buff this man was. If I was awake I also would have blushed that a guy was carrying me in his arms as if I was nothing my than a sheet.

Guinevere changed me out of my clothes and into a nightgown that was beautiful which I didn’t notice until I woke up. She wrote me a note and put it next to my head on the nightstand where there was no way I would miss it. She pulled the covers over me and blew out the candles that were scattered around the room. At the last one she brought over to the nightstand and put there. As an afterthought she closed the canopy and walked towards the door. She looked back at me, her new friend that she just meet, and silently closed the door behind her.

I rolled over in the bed and grabbed a pillow in between my arms. I must have noticed I wasn’t in the library chair anymore and opened my eyes. I could see just a bit because of the candle and looked at it. I was about to put it out when I saw the note. I brought the candle over and put the note near it to read what it said.

Katelyn,

Hey darlin’ I brought you back to your room after I found you asleep in the library. By the way what’s with the History class? Anyways if you need food there are guards always patrolling the halls, and all you have to do is ask. They bring it to you or you can go down to the dining hall at breakfast. I’m sorry you had to miss the visitors that have come from around Middle Earth! We are having a council meeting tomorrow to discuss the ring and so on and so forth. We are invited which shocked me since women aren’t usually aloud to sit with the men. So I’ll be at your room by about sunrise to get you ready for it. Also I changed you so don’t worry!

Your New Best Friend,

Dragonfly

P.S. You’re only allowed to call me that! See you bright and early!

I liked her handwriting. I put it back on the table and turned on my side as I yawned. I did a quick stretch and spread out on the bed. What the point of a big bed if you don’t take up all the room right? I drifted off to sleep not to long after I closed my eyes and fell into that lovely darkness.

Only problem? I was woken up just as Guinevere promised. Morning came way to fast if you asked me. Guinevere yanked to covers off of me and threw the curtains and canopy open. Sunlight was beginning to spill in and I threw the pillow at her while grabbing another and putting it over my face. She giggled and jumped onto the bed and started to jump up and down until finally I sat up. She cracked up laughing at me when she saw me.

“What?” I asked in an annoyed voice.

“Love the hair Katelyn.” She giggled as she jumped off the bed. I got up and looked in the mirror. Oh God she’s right. The pins had moved all over the place and made my hair stick you everywhere. My make-up was still on nicely which was a good thing.

Guinevere grabbed the red dress from yesterday that I was considering and handed it to me. I took it and changed. I walked back over to the mirror and took the pins out while Guinevere started to light some herbs of some sort. They smelled delicious but what are they for?

“What are you doing back there?” I asked as I readjusted the top of the dress which only gave me more cleavage. “ARGH!”

“I’m straightening your hair silly.” She laughed as I stared. Herbs can straighten my hair! Freaking plants while I depended on a flat iron and electricity. I hate this moment. Ah whatever I need to get ready.

An hour later my hair was straight though how herbs with fire can do that I don’t know. You would think it would frizz! Anyways hair was straight with my bangs pulled out of my face into clips in the back, make-up the same only no eye shadow and lip gloss on shiny as ever.

“Do I look good enough to sit in on a council deciding the world?” I asked as I posed.

“You look hot enough to start the war!” she laughed as she finished with her hair in the mirror, “What about me?” she twirled.

She looked like the person to start the war. With her pale pink dress on and hair up in and elegant bun she looked fragile but when you looked in her eyes you saw a warrior. A fighter. I was jealous but she was also my friend so looks don’t matter.

“You put me to shame.” I whispered as she grabbed my arm and pulled me out the door.

When we reached the meeting area we were out of breath from running and I was wearing the heels from yesterday so it wasn’t pleasant. Just like it wasn’t from the first time. We just reached them in time and we took our seats. Guinevere pulled me to a chair besides hers which was next to her fathers. The men were staring at us probably think we shouldn’t be there.

I was starting to get scared because some of these men were giving us these dirty looks. I tried to ignore them and it easier when Lord Elrond began to speak. I felt he air around Rivendell go still and silent for a moment.

This is going to be a very long day.