Hello! I have a completely new facfic! I will still be continuing "Valley of Stars", but i had this idea of a story, and just couldn't get it out of my head. So here goes nothing XD. This is before, the war of the ring, and follows the story of a lonely and abandoned elleth, who meets a girl from our world, who wakes up in Middle Earth. They both team up to find answers and meaning! Many characters from Tolkiens books, and Peter Jacksons movies will be in this! I hope everyone likes this little chapter, i did to test the waters! Enjoy! :) Also, if anyone has questions or feedback, please do leave it as a review or PM! Thank you! :)
A FOREIGNERS FRIENDSHIP
TA 3004
The young woman, must have at least been crying for an hour. The wails and sulks never once quieted down, or faded out to the sounds of sea birds speaking out to each other. Not only did she cry and cry, she moved back and forth on her bottom, with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. The wind picking up her fair hair, leaving her face vulnerable to the elleth's view.
The elleth, could only stare in shock, from afar, as she sat at the base of a tall tree, hoping to catch the peaceful music of the waves crashing against the shore, only to hear a woman, sobbing out to nothing. It did not only shock her, but frightened her, no one came to this forest anymore. No one came out this far west, besides perhaps, passing travellers or merchants. Who in the name of Eru, would want to come out all this way, just to sit and cry? The she-elf wondered to herself, before dropping one of her favourite books, well favourite stolen book, and standing cautiously with her hand at her sword hilt. She did feel a tad bit of pity for the young lady, but for all she knew, it could be a trap, bait to draw her out. Maybe a trader, she had stolen from, wanted their rightful revenge. She could not help, but let out a small chuckle at the thought, as insane as they would be to do that, traders are in fact insane, for what they do.
The young woman, wiped her forever leaking eyes and nose, she has never felt so helpless in her life. Out in the middle of nowhere, next to a brooding forest, under a hot sun, sitting in grass lands, with a crippling headache. Her hazel eyes stared up at the sky, cursing in her mind, as to why she awoke in such a situation. "Fuck!" She screeched before, standing with chunks of grass hanging from her hands, she must have been kidnapped, but how does someone get kidnapped, while awake, without knowing it. Besides she was out in public, this is all a mess. She has been here for more than two hours, for the first quarter, she profusely attempted to pinch herself wake (Well slap herself), then only to walk in circles, hoping to fall asleep, before stumbling back to the ground and letting her fear and anxiety get to her. This was all real, and she had no idea or concept of where she was, or how she was supposed to get back home. As far as she was concerned, New York was not close by to any fields of grass, and large masses of forests!
The dark headed elleth, did not know what caused the woman to speak such a way, then stand and pull furiously at the poor grass, but she also did not care to find out. To each their own, she thought in humor. As she stalked closer to the strangely dressed, seemingly human, she realized this was no trap. This fair haired, girl was truly on her own. The elf felt instantly guilty, for even thinking about scaring her off, she is obviously lost and afraid, hence the slightly annoying crying. She lifted her hand away from her weapon, and decided to casually walk over to the lady with the kindest smile she could muster. She would like to appear as harmless as a fluffy rabbit, but unfortunately, it did not seem to work.
"Don't kill me! Oh god, please! I, I have a family waiting for me! They will call the police, they will know I'm missing!" she yelled loudly, almost deafening the she-elf, causing her to wince in pain, but it did not stop the girl from screaming and kicking loose dirt and rocks at the elf.
"Stop! Ah! By Elbereth, you are loud! I am not going to kill you, I was only going to ask if you were okay!" she shouted back just as loud, whilst holding her hands in the air, hoping to reason with the crazy lady. Her light blue eyes squinted at the panicky girl, waiting for a reaction.
"Who the hell is Elbereth? And why the hell should I trust someone with a sword!" She responded in now anger, while still kicking around dirt, but now not as heatedly as before, giving them both time to identify who exactly they were arguing with. Soon there was an eerie silence, and a horrified look upon the fair lady's face. No one wears clothes like that, at least not anymore! And why are her ears pointy!
~8~
Her hazel eyes stare at me for a lingering time, before opening so wide, I fear her very eyeballs will fall to the ground. She lets out a gasp of disturbance, still keeping her eyes on me, causing me to feel self-conscious. Why on Arda, does she look at me like that? There must be something on me, the direction of her eyes seems to be sliding to the right of my face. My hand reaches up to the piercing spot where she stares, not feeling anything, I go flushed. Am I really that ugly? I suppose, I have not peeked at my reflection in a while, it is hard when there is no mirror, with only water being a helpful surface to glance into.
"Why do you stare at me so?" I ask, nervously, even after her breakdown, I am surprised at how she is treating me. A penetrating silence, and traumatic beam in her eyes as she looks at me. Her eyes meet mine for a moment, before her tensed shoulders, suddenly drop. At least I have broken her from, the strange trance.
"Sorry. I just- how do I even start? I have no idea where I am, you are wearing really weird clothes, have a freaking sword, and pointed ears. Did you know that? Or am I imagining things? For all I know you probably aren't even fucking real! Shit!" She mumbles so fast, I can barely hear her words, and odd accent. She waves her arms around in a loose manner, perhaps just as loose as the screw in her head.
"Well, I can answer one question for you. You are currently standing in the land of Minhiriath, and that over there is where I live!" I say quite proudly, of the forest I have taken rest in, for nearly my whole life. Rarely have I ever desired to leave, and never have i left.
"You live in a forest?" She scoffs at me, causing a flash of hurt to attack my pride, my pride for my home, only to realise she is lost and would not know the importance of this land. She indeed comes from another part of Eriador, but I do not recall reading anyone like her in the books I have read, even the occasional travellers have never been like her.
"Tis not any forest, this is the Eryn Vorn forest! Surely you have heard of it before? Blackwood, the westron name, must recall something in you?" I ask hopeful, to see an expression of remembrance or knowing on her face, for she must know how and why she arrived here.
"I'm sorry, but I have no idea, where this is, or what it is, but I know for certain, that I want to go home." She speaks in agitation, whilst glancing at her surroundings and hugging her arms around her chest.
"Well, that is an easy fix! Tell me where your home is, and I shall tell where you must go to get back!" I say as kindly as I can, never have I had to point someone directions to go somewhere, I rarely get the visitors to do that. Now that I think of it, I much appreciate this meeting. Finally, someone of my own gender, I can talk to. In fact, finally someone in general, I can talk to! She gives me a look of disbelief, that soon turns into a woeful smile.
"I don't think my home is here, or anywhere close to us, but thank you for asking," she speaks sadly, with slight tears forming. What does she mean by that?
"Uh, what- what is your name?" She asks me, in a startling calm voice. Although, her accent still confuses me, I'm at a loss of words. A name?
"I, I do not have a name, what is-"
"You don't have a name? Why not?" The calm voice turning into slight suspicion. I suppose it is rather odd not to have a name, but I've never been bothered by it.
"I do not know, I just never have had a name. I do not see the need for one," Her head tilts in something I couldn't miss from a mile, curiosity. I feel a smile form on my face, at her sudden interest, at least it is keeping her mind off sad things.
"Why don't you want a name? You have to have one! Your parents must have named you?" She speaks in a matter of fact tone, causing me to feel vulnerable. Parents? Parents my arse. Anger heats up my face at the thought. What parents leave their young child in the middle of nowhere, to fend for themselves?
"Why does it interest you so much? It is none of your concern." I say rather harshly, it was not meant to come across that way but it did. I look down at the ground in embarrassment, at my sudden annoyance, her footwear, are the most peculiar things I have ever seen. The brightest and cleanest white, with laces of some kind, not very protective against the environment, but what do I know? Perhaps, that is what all the people of the land, wear these days.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. My name is Ashley, in case you wanted to know. Uh- would you be able to help me? Like bring me to where you live, in the forest? Or if not, do you know anyone, that could help me. This is going to sound really weird to you, and you might not believe me, but I don't think I'm from here. Like, I don't think I'm from here, from here." She speaks unsure of her own words, her short blonde hair, falls to cover her face, as she peers down.
"Well, as confusing as your words are, I would help you, but no one besides me lives here, as far I know, at least not anymore. They left to Bree, the last time I spoke with them, and I have never left this land before. The least I can do, is give you a place to sleep, but that is all I am capable of, I apologize. I wish I could do more." She nods her head in agreement, I give her a respectful smile to let her know, that I am honest. Ashley is an unusual name, for an unusual person. I suppose it fits.
~8~
The elleth, quickly turns to the direction of her forest, letting her dark hair fall behind her, before strolling closer to the edge of the thick pinewood trees, constantly glancing back to see if the now known Ashley was following, which she was.
Ashley let out constant sighs, as the walk went further on, she would watch birds flying in the sky, even the rare surprise of a small animal, popping his head up from a shrub. This would be a memorable experience for both women. The sight of a small campfire amidst the trees, receives a welcoming smile from the elleth, and an amused smile from Ashley. A leather bed roll, laying close to the fire, with books, upon books stacked on top each other. Bits and pieces of cloth and bags lying about in random spots, herbs and flowers acting as a décor. The leaves high up above them, assisting as a roof, to protect them from the harsh sun. It was Midday, the perfect time for a swim, the elleth thought to herself.
The she-elf offered a spot for the girl to sit, before handing her, an apple and water skin, the elleth had many, she would often travel to the Brandywine river, to refill them. Ashley was quite surprised at how the strange lady in a leather coat, could manage to live like this, but she did seem content enough to continue.
"How long have you lived here?" Ashley asked in genuine interest, in between taking bites of the sweet apple, and sips of the fresh water.
"Many years, if I was to estimate, it could possibly be two hundred or more, now. I have seen this land go through much, much good and much bad, but it is a comforting home. Are you alright Ashley?" The kind she-elf questions Ashley, worried of her now colourless face.
"I call bullshit! That's impossible, you look twenty!" She yells in what appears bewilderment, mixed with playfulness, but deep down, anxiety of the land where she has awakened, and the people that live in it.
"Well it is not, I assure you. Ha! I am far from twenty, I would be but a babe. In all honesty, I have lost count of how old I am. I would say around three hundred and some odd number. I am quite young really, but I must say, it is hard to keep track. How old might you be?" Ashley gives one last shake of her head, with a vain laugh. This has to be a joke!
"If you have to know, I am turning twenty-four this October." She answers the question truthfully before, standing and watching the elleth take her sword from her sheath before placing it on a rock.
"Well, that is quite the milestone, for you humans, is it not? I wouldn't know, have never celebrated a birthday in my life." And in that moment, Ashley let her kept in stomach, out free on the poor elleths bed. A shriek of horror came from her, as she watched Ashley spew up on her only sleeping place.
"Oh shit, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" Ashley instantly voiced her regret, while holding her stomach at the sudden discomfort.
"No, no, it's fine. Honestly, that is not the first time, that has happened. I have spent, many nights drinking away my loneliness." The elleth laughed at her own unfortunate truth, that she would not have said out loud, if she knew Ashley was indeed listening to what she was saying, and not walking around, like she had taken a blow to the stomach.
"You're not human! Oh, my god! You aren't! It all makes sense! The pointy ears! The long life and the world thing! I have been abducted by freaking aliens!" She yells to herself, while walking through the forest, out of the elleths sight, but not for too long, thanks to her elvish hearing.
"Ashley! I do not know what an alien is! But I assure you, I'm not that! I am an elf! Surely, you have heard of them before, my ears are pointed for that reason, and elves are immortal, so-"
"You're an elf! Like from that movie, book thing, Lord of the rings! What's next, Galadriel is going to pop out of nowhere, or speak to me in my mind!" Ashley shouts amused at the very thought, before turning to the confused elleth.
"You know Lady Galadriel? Have you met her yourself! I have read wonderful things about the Lady of Light, and her husband Celeborn. Caras Galadhon, is one place that I would leave my home to see." The elleth speaks in excitement completely ignoring Ashleys look of dread, as she thinks back to the books about the powerful elf, born in Valinor herself!
"Hey! I-I think i- um uh I think I'm gonnah passss out …" Her speech jumbles before ending on a high note, and stopping altogether, as she hits the forest floor. The elleth gasps in fear and worry, before running to where her new-found friend lies unconscious. The elf, dragged the girl back to her home, struggling to understand why she threw up and passed out, in the first place. Was it something she did, said? Maybe it was the apple? She's allergic to apples! The elleth thought in guilt, while tapping Ashleys shoulder harshly, hoping to see any movement. She was breathing, that was for sure, she should be fine. Perhaps she just needs a long nap. The elf, thought silently, truthfully concerned for the poor girl.
Getting up, the elleth looked through the openings of leaves above her, to see the sky still bright and clear. What a perfect start to the day!