An Unexpected Guest
My earliest memory is a sad one. I remember the smell of rain, riding a horse as white as an opal with someone, and I was crying… because I was leaving.
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19 Years Later
An average rainy Sunday night in a tiny city apartment. One bedroom, one bathroom, a worn tan couch and a TV. Just about every inch of wall in that tiny city apartment is covered in art. From doodles on post-it notes to colored drawings too nice to be on coffee stained printer paper.
The source of all this work is located at the back of the tiny apartment. By a large window, is an old drawing desk, and at this desk is an artist listening intently to her the apartment right next door decided to play some music.
I'm two quarters and a heart down and I don't want to forget how your voice sounds!
"Kyaaa!" She yelped at the sudden noise. She had been so focused on inking her painting. Now it had a big ugly brown smudge on it.
These words are all I have so I'll write them!
She huffed in annoyance at the wall to her right. Not again. The artist thought to herself. She uncrossed her legs and got up off the chair to get a pair of earplugs. Only to fall over from the pins and needles. Yup, typical Sunday night at, what time is it? She craned her neck to look at the clock on the nightstand, squinting her eyes to see the numbers. 11:30 it is then…
Dance dance, we're falling apart to half time!
As much as I love Fall Out Boy I wish he would at least turn the freaking volume down. She wanted to get up but found that lack of sleep made the carpet floor very comfy. She was already in her little red nightgown. Now if only she had some earplugs. She looked up at the painting on the desk beside her. It was of a elf showing a human boy how to hold a bow. It was one of her best pieces. Now the elf looked like he had mud on his face and silver hair. The artist closed her eyes and groaned. $300 down the drain, one less piece for Dragoncon. Someone pounded on the door. She groaned even louder shouting "one minute!" over the music and got up. At least I can feel my legs now.
She opened the door to a smug faced obvious junkie, wearing torn jeans, a sweat stained tank top, and had an air of entitlement covering him from greasy hair to toe.
The artist was, as usual with him, unimpressed.
"Hello Jerry, why are you bothering me?" she asked. More like yelled. The music seemed louder in the hallway.
Jerry's disgusting smirk grew and he looked down his nose at her. "Hey Ember. I got new speakers and a party at my place. Wanna little fix? Little dan-" She slammed the door before he could finish asking.
Just as Ember started to walk away she could hear him yell "Bitch! You owe me for opening the door in that hot getup!".
That. Was. It.
Ember walked to her desk and grabbed the cup of brown paint water before coming back to the door. She knew Jerry would still be there.
She calmly opened the door. Yup. Still there.
His face went from tantrum to smug in less than a second. "Hey I knew you would change your mind sweet As-Gasp! Jerry had been silenced by a splash of paint water to the face. He blinked dumbly at her as she told him sternly "Turn. The. Music. Off." and then slammed the door in his face for the second time that night. Then, oddly, it was quiet. Huh, didn't expect him to listen.
She shrugged it off and put her cup back in its place, and glanced to the clock again. 11:45.
A new painting needed to be started, but the comfy bed was calling her name. I'm going to bed early tonight. I'll fix it in the morning.
Ember lit the three candles next to the clock before turning off all the other lights and sitting at the mirrored dresser. She took a mental note to clean it up soon as she started to brush her elbow length black hair. The dresser was covered in sketches, jewelry, various colored pencils, and of course books. She even had a legit dagger there too.
Ember's thoughts wandered as she looked at her reflection and brushed. Today was like any other day, any other year, just making it since…
Her nose scrunched as she yanked at a stubborn knot. But it did not yank the feeling away. Keeping busy with painting and shows, was this living or surviving? She couldn't remember the last time she really even talked with anybody. The old maintenance man, Mr Tom. seemed to be her only friend, and she's only said hi a few times in the last month. The empty feeling in her chest grew and reached her eyes. Was this it? Was this how her life was forever going to be? Alone? Just a shell?
A familiar clump formed in her throat as the feeling began to consume her. She looked at her mess of a reflection, and the pile of tears in her brown eyes spilled over.
Most of them slid down to her chin and neck. But one didn't. One tear fell… onto her beloved copy of The Lord Of The Rings. The tap seemed to echo as the clock turned 12:00.
Then, the room was shrouded in darkness.
Ember jumped a little in fright, she had always been a little afraid of the dark. But the thing that really spooked her at the moment was that there was no reason for the candles to have gone out. The window was closed, the ac wasn't on, and there was no way her breath would have blown them out because they were on the other side of the room. She slowly put her brush down not daring to look back in the mirror fearing that she would see some creature out of an H.P. Lovecraft novel. As the brush reached the surface of the vanity, her eyes flicked up, and she froze. Because at the very corner of her eye she saw it. The reflection of a tall robed figure. Standing behind her.
Ember had to think quickly. She had set her brush down next to her antique dagger, if she can reach those two inches she'll have protection. Shaking hands slowly reached for the dagger, and upon grasping it, her unexpected guest spoke.
His voice was deep like shadow, and had a kingly command about it, almost like a lions.
"There will be no need for that, Baralineth. I come as a messenger."
She still grabbed the dagger. Then quickly turned around and stood. Taking a breath to keep from stuttering she asked
"who are you? And how did you get in here?"
Unexpectedly, he began to glow brightly. His elaborate robes were many dark blues and purples. His face was as pale as moonlight, except for his eyes that were in shadow from his hood. He spoke once more "I am Namo of the Valar. I am here to deliver a message."
Ember was speechless, and dropped her dagger in surprise. One of the Valar?! She must have fallen asleep. She did her best to regain what composure she had, this was only a dream, right?
"y-you have a message?'' she asked
He dimmed his brightness, and answered "Yes, I have come with the choice to bring you to Arda. It is the wish of Manwe that you return".
What?! Return?! Go to Adra?! What did he mean by return? "I don't understand" she said with her mind and heart racing.
He gently nodded his head. "You have a role to play in the events to come, and a great destiny ahead of you. Any more of this, I am not permitted to say."
She nodded without knowing it. He then placed a hand upon her shoulder "you will have three days to consider your decision, then on the night after the third day, if you wish it, I will come for you." his voice with each word began to sound more far away, then whispers gave way to chirping birds and sunshine.
Ember was awake.
The light blinded her through the slit in the curtains. She slowly sat up in bed. did that really happen? Did i speak with one of the Valar? Or was it my overactive imagination?
She looked around the room in a daze for some scrap of evidence that the events of the other night did happen. But, nothing, nothing was out of place. In a distracted haze she dressed, brushed her teeth, and went out for coffee.
As she sat there in the half empty coffee shop Ember stared out the window with her unsipped mocha slowly getting cold. It was just too strange a thing to ignore, yes she's had weird and fantastical dreams… but not like this. She has no skills other than with a sewing needle, It was impossible. The race of men in that world seemed all but ignored by the Valar … so why would one of them cross worlds to speak with her? And why her? and a paint bruSTOP IT!
She gave her head a thorough shake. It's not real!.
But still...she wondered..
Ember sat there… thinking through how her life has been these past few…
She was just getting by...
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Hello lovelies! this is my first ever Fanfiction! I know my oc might start off as a very typical oc, but please give her a chance. the more you read the more you will begin to find out about her mysterious past. creative criticism is welcome.
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hi hi! Ive decided to rewrite these few chapters since the new stuff for later on needs their hints and I feel I've grown as a writer. So new me, hopefully makes a juicer story. One piece of advice that has helped me is 'write the story you want to read'. I'm starting, and growing. feedback is always welcome, happy readings.
