Dawnstar and Friend

Eleanor POV
Evil, horrible dawn
Don’t get me wrong, I like mornings, but not so early and not when I’ve just woken up.
When I finally was a little more awake something registered with me and that was that there was more than one person in the clearing. Years of listening out to see if my parents were coming to check if I was doing my homework had taught me how to tell how many people were near me. They were quiet but the fact I could hear movement from at least two different parts of the campsite meant I was not alone with Ginny.
After some mental debate I opened my eyes. There were two newcomers in the clearing and they were definitely not aboriginals or park warden. Two men in Robin Hood style clothing with long green cloaks were doing something in the middle of the clearing. They both had mid back length gold hair held back with braids holding the hair back from their face.
As I was studying the two strange men the scent of cooking wafted over. Apparently they were cooking breakfast.
I rolled onto my side to see Ginny still dead to the world. Though, like me, she was not a late riser she didn’t get woken by light as easily as me. I am a very light sleeper and wake up at the slightest hint of light. This is extremely annoying.
Blondie 1 turned to me after I rolled and I gasped loudly.
Blondie 2 turns to me and I just stare at the both of them.
They both have delicate elfin features, right down to the pointy ears that I couldn’t see when their backs were turned. Their features are too similar for them not to be related.
Ginny chooses this moment to stir.
And scrabbles back when she sees the two of them
I’m too shocked for movement.
Blondie one says calmingly to us:
“Don’t be scared, we won’t harm you.”
My eyes slid down to the stranger’s hip where a sword and a dagger are attached. I look back up at him and say,
“Do you seriously expect me to believe that?”
He looks at me cynically and laughs before saying
“We’ve looked for you for too long to harm you. You’re most valuable in full health and behaving Aranel. Anyway you can’t leave this clearing for a while”
Long stare in his direction, he decides to elaborate
“I have already cast the transportation spell, this clearing is between places.”
Me, being me, I turn and stalk over to the edge of the clearing and as I put my hand out Blondie mark 2 pulls my hand back. His other arm is wrapped round my waist. The other, older blonde comes closer and throws a twig at the edge where I was about to put my hand. I’m not entirely sure what happened to that twig, it sort of fizzled and vanished.
Mark 2 leads me back to the fire and sits me down. Ginny joins us there and looks at me. Judging by her expression she can see the rising fear.
I look at the two blondes again and ask for introductions, a bit rudely
I might be on the verge of absolute terror but bloody hell; I’m not going to show it.
Blond 1 looks up at me with the hint of a smile, I don’t why I think of him as older because they both a physically about 20, replies.
“I’m known as Adindel, son of Oropher and my nephew is Legolas...”
Ginny cuts in witheringly.
“He should drink less then.”
I have to laugh at the bad joke. Ginny doesn’t usually make bad jokes like that, that’s my area of expertise. I think she’s making the crack to stop me from cracking.
Legolas glares at her and makes a comment in a different language. I, of course have to comment.
“Last time I checked it was considered polite to speak in a language everyone could understand. By the way why did you call me Aranel?”
“It means princess, it is your title. Now I know what you are but I’ve yet to have the pleasure of a proper introduction my lady.”
I look at him suspiciously before answering.
“ I‘m Eleanor and that is Ginny.”
She nods at him.
Legolas takes out some bowls and serves whatever it is they’ve cooked up to us, with tin spoons and we eat. They cannot cook, at all. Not far into the bowl I give up and pull out a pomegranate from my pack which I cut open and start picking out the seeds and eating them whilst under the scrutiny of both blonds.
Once I finished the messy fruit I pull a packet of baby wipes out of my back pack and clean my hands before taking off the sweater I wore during the night leaving only a small tank top on and use another wipe to clean off my body. I pull another top out of my pack, recently cleaned at my uncle’s house. I change into it using old school PE changing room techniques to keep my top half covered. Over the T-shirt I pull on my university music society hoodie on. It’s a dark green thing with an embroidered logo on the left side and my name on the other. There is the music society logo is on the back.
I wonder back to the fire drowsily.
Legolas apparently knows me instinctively. He comes over and wraps his arms round me.
Piece of information about me, it is a long running joke that I am a cat in the wrong body. When angry I hiss and turn my back on people or get violent (though I do try to curb this instinct). I am also a very tactile creature; I love being hugged and adore people stroking my hair. When I am content I also tend to purr.
Despite the fact that at the moment he counts under the heading of enemy I let him hug me. He then strokes my hair and I curl up against his chest.
I must have been more tired than I thought because in a not particularly period of time I have gone to sleep, purring contentedly.
Ginny's POV
When I awaken and sit up drowsily, I suddenly notice Ellie stock-still and staring like a deer in headlights at two very tall, blonde men. I also suddenly realise that, due to the Summer temperatures of the outback, I neglected to wear my pyjama top and quickly try to preserve my dignity by pulling my sleeping bag up as far as it will go.
The two guys, however, were not looking at me; their gazes were fixed upon Ellie.
One of the men tries to reassure us that he doesn't mean any harm, but I find that rather hard to believe as I notice that they are both armed to the teeth.
Blondie 1 then tells Ellie that she is very valuable and I wonder what on the earth he could mean especially when he calls her by a different name.
As I'm thinking on this I suddenly hear the phrase: "transportation spell" – WHAT???
True to her very cynical nature, Ellie immediately gets up and strides to the edge of the clearing, quickly followed by Blondie 2, with Blondie 1 bringing up the rear.
Grabbing my chance I scrabble to get covered whilst all the time watching the drama unfold – gasping as the twig fizzles and vanishes.
Blondie 2 leads Ellie back to the fire and I join them.
Ellie then asks for introductions and Blondie 1 replies, calling himself, Adindel and his nephew 'leg-las'. At which point I make a quip about his alcohol consumption as poor Ellie looks as though she is on the verge of hysteria.
Blondie 2, obviously unimpressed, makes some pointed sounding comment in another language, whereupon Ellie having recovered herself makes an equally pointed comment about good manners and language.
Blondie 1 then explains that Aranel means princess, finishing his sentence with 'my lady'...
Ellie...princess?...LADY??? What is this guy talking about? This most definitely is not the girl I know and love!
After Ellie introduces us - during which the two guys barely acknowledge my presence, Blondie 2 hands us both bowls containing some thick, greyish slop that he obviously expects us to call 'food'. Unlike Ellie and not wanting to appear rude, I tentatively eat a spoonful, trying not to spit it out.
While Ellie eats a pomegranate, I 'accidentally' knock my bowl off my lap and into the fire.
“Oh I do apologise for my clumsiness.”
I then look down and notice that, for a camping bowl, it's surprisingly beautiful with a very delicate pattern etched all over.
Okay...
I then glance up and notice that Ellie has fallen asleep in the arms of Blondie 2 who is very gently stroking her long hair...how very clichéd!
Very carefully I get up and wander over to Blondie 1 at the edge of the clearing and speak to him testily.
“Hey, you! Erm...Blondie...”
He glances over with a very offended look and hisses.
“Prince Adindel or Your Highness, to you.”
I roll my eyes
“Yeah, whatever. You owe us a bloody good explanation for all this...transportation spe...where are...and,” pointing back at Ellie still in the arms of Blondie 2 “what on the earth is she doing asleep in the arms of pretty boy over there??”
Smirking, he shrugs exaggeratedly and then, after a while, says:
“We are travelling towards Arda, you shall both receive more explanations once we have arrived.”
Both of us then watch the edge of the clearing as the trees change their shape and colour and eventually, solidify.
Blondie 2, sorry, Prince Adindel, picks up a twig and throws it through the trees. This time it does not fizzle and disappear, instead it drops to the floor, landing on a bed of moss.
With a small grin, B2 turns to me and says:
“ We're here...”