The Fair-Haired Ones

After Veronica left Legolas at the pool of water, she continued on her trek alone. This forest wasn't that different from the jungles of the Lost World. Veronica grew up in the jungle. Her father even once told her that her veins probably contained green blood, because she was in the jungle so often. After Veronica's parents disappeared, she never lost hope that they were still alive somewhere.

Veronica wiped her eyes dry with the back of her hand and picked up a walking stick. Who did Legolas think he was pulling something like that? Who was Veronica to discard him like a piece of litter? He had only been kind to her. Did she lead him on in any way? Maybe he was wrong to share his feelings with her. Maybe Veronica was wrong to let anyone inside her secure space. She needed to speak with anyone who would listen. Maybe she wanted Legolas to come on to her. Maybe her loneliness was just too overwhelming.

What about Malone, though? How could she just abandon the one person who cared for her more than he cared for himself? He may be dead, but even so. How could Veronica give into temptation and desire. Would Legolas even know what she needed? Everything's crashing down like waves against the Earth. Veronica didn't even know what she needed, or what she wanted. She couldn't just ignore everything. How could she apologize to Legolas after how she hurt him so. She had to go back and explain.

Veronica dropped the walking stick she had been leaning on and started to turn back.. Just then, a low squawking noise rattled through Veronica's ears. Veronica knew that sound anywhere. But no, it couldn't be. Veronica turned to meet a ferocious raptor. It lifted its leg high and extened its jagged claw toward her.

"Veronica!!"

Veronica looked away from her foe to see who called her name. The raptor hissed wickedly before hurdling Veronica into a tree with its tail.

"Veronica!!"

The raptor ran toward its fallen prey with the speed of a tiger. An arrow whistled through the air and struck the beast in the neck. The raptor pulled it out with its teeth and continued toward Veronica. Another arrow followed and struck the beast in the leg; it tripped and fell onto Veronica. There was a silence then. The raptor turned over and Veronica stood slightly bruised and bloodied, revealing she had struck the raptor dead when it fell on the stick she had carried.

Veronica closed her eyes and stood against the tree. How could a raptor be here in Middle-Earth?

"Veronica," a voice called for the third time.

Veronica opened her eyes and they began to well with tears. She stepped closer and put out her hand to the man who stood before her.

"Malone?" she whispered.

His blue eyes sparkled and his fair hair blew gently in the wind. He held out his arms and embraced her tightly. She cried tears of happiness at being re-united with her lost companion. Veronica caressed Malone's face with her hands and kissed him hard, yet passionately.

"It's really you; you're really here, right?" Veronica asked.

"I am really here," he replied and hugged her again.

"How did you get here?" she wondered.

"I must have found my way through the same portal you disappeared into," he answered. "I've been here in that tree over there until you ventured here. I ran out of bullets and found myself alone with the raptor."

Veronica laid her head on his chest. "I'm just glad you are ok."

"Veronica, what were you doing here anyway?" Malone asked. "I heard life somewhere from my tree, so you must have found help somewhere. What were you doing alone here?"

Veronica stared blankly at Malone. How could she tell him what she was doing here in the forest before-hand with Legolas? Then, the thought hit her. The arrows that brought the beast down...Legolas.

Veronica held Malone's hand and looked into his eyes. "Ned, there is so much I have to tell you."


Veronica led Ned Malone to the place by the pool of water. It was a place where she could tell him of her adventures through the past three days in private. Veronica sat adjacent to Malone and rested her hands in her lap.

"I don't know where to begin," she confessed.

"From the start," he replied.

Veronica sighed and began. "When I first woke in this strange place of Middle-Earth, all I wanted was to return home to you and the others. I was confused and didn't know exactly what had happened. The last thing I remembered was you trying to defend me from the raptors."

"You rolled down the hill and vanished....the portal," Malone filled her in.

"The first people I met were these beings called hobbits. They are like men, but only waist high, and have huge hairy feet. They were very kind and let me stay and rest in their home. When I mentioned you and my home in the Lost World, the one hobbit Sam said he would take me to see the King in the city of Minas Tirith. He gave me a book about Middle-Earth. The next day we began traveling the roads to Minas Tirith, and I fell while hopping stones in the woods. This enchanting elf, Legolas, aided me. It turned out besides Sam, he was also in this book, "The Lord of the Rings.""

Malone didn't say anything, but appeared intrigued by Veronica's story.

"When we reached the castle in Minas Tirith many many days later, I met Legolas once again. He claimed to be one of King Aragorn's advisors. He gave me a room to rest in and was very kind to me."

Malone shifted uneasily. Veronica almost stuttered.

"When I met with the King and Queen, they were also very kind, but couldn't help me at all. Then, I remembered someone had said that there was some strange being roaming the forests, but everyone had been too afraid to hunt it down. That's when I decided to see for myself. I guess I really don't know why I decided to go, but felt like I was going in circles trying to go home. I thought, maybe if coming face to face with this being and losing my life was the only way to go home, I didn't care."

Veronica shed a tear as did Malone, as her story became harder to tell.

"I told Legolas that I was leaving no matter what he or anyone said. I told him to either come or get out of my way, so he came along. I was so tense and upset that I had forgotten what fun was like. We had a mud fight and he taught me to ride horses. He was just so wonderful and I forgot about everything else."

Malone rubbed his fingers across his lips and looked the other way. Veronica lowered her head as her voice cracked.

"It was here he attempted to kiss me. I must have led him on somehow, so it wasn't all his fault. I denied him and told him that I couldn't have feelings for him when I loved another. Then, I left and found you."

Veronica searched Malone's face for an expression. He gaped at her as he waited for her to say anything.