*I do not own any of the LOTR characters, just Leonie and my own character, Melanie. Enjoy and always reveiw!
Chapter 1
It was a hot and humid-like day in the latter part of July when the weather was at its hottest point of the summer. 18 year-old fraternal twins sisters, Leonie, (the eldest of the two was seven minutes older) and Melanie were sitting on the steps of their two story plantation style house, trying to think of something fun and exciting to do.
Since their birth, the pair was inseparable. They could finish each other's sentences, know what and when the other was thinking as well as what the other was feeling when separated for long periods of time. The only main difference was in their looks. Leonie was the short one, standing at only 5'3" with had shoulder length raven black hair and deep blue eyes that would make one appear almost lost if caught staring long enough in them. What she had in terms of being short, she made up in her fairness of natural beauty and slenderness. Melanie on the other hand, was taller, standing at 5'6" with a very athletic body type built. She had long, deep wavy golden-copper hair that fell past her slender waist and emerald green with just a small hint of topaz colored eyes. The main feature that they both shared in fondness of was the fine chiseled high cheekbones that they inherited from both their father and mother and the lightly bronze skin that was closer to olive fair.
The two had just graduated from high school with top honors and were spending their summer at their grandparents place until each one went of their separate ways off to four year universities. Sadly to say when one is fully graduated from four years of being told what to do, etc. the twins were having a very hard time adjusting to doing absolutely nothing outside of the occasional housework and chores.
Melanie let out a very long yawn, stretching her arms over her head before falling back against the sweet smelling grass.
"I'm so damn bored!" She cried with a childish like kick of the foot. Her twin sister silently nodded while all wrapped up amid reading a book that she had thought of bringing outside. Melanie craned her head to one side to get a better look at the title. "The Fellowship of the Ring" again?" She groaned with a roll of her blue eyes. "Aren't you ever bored of reading that old book over and over again? I swear," She continued, shaking her head. "You must have read it like a million times over ever since papa gave you that book when you were old enough to read."
"And what's wrong with that, sis? Leonie innocently replied, looking momentarily up her twin sister for a brief moment over the rim of the book before returning her gaze back down to the page she was reading. "I think it's wonderful to imagine what it would be like to live in such a beautiful and exciting world where there are so many creatures of fantasy living right outside your very door."
"Minus the evil Orcs, trolls, wargs and Mr. Evil-Dark-One- himself." Melanie added as an afterthought before sitting upright. "What part you on, anyway?" She asked curiously, looking over the front. Leonie smiled brightly while turning the book around for her to see.
"I just got to the part when Frodo and the ring finally made it safely to the secret valley of Rivendell."
"Of course you'd get so hyped about that particular part."
Leonie's face fell. "It just one thing has been bothering me ever since I read the whole series and saw the movie trilogy."
"What is that, I can imagine?"
"The sons of Elrond aren't't mentioned too much in this part of the story."
"Of course they wouldn't be. They didn't have very much involvement because they were too busy hunting Orcs after their mother was ambushed and tortured by them." Melanie said before flopping herself back onto the grass. She looked up at the clear blue skies above in silence for a few moments before turning her face towards her sister who was still half absorbed in her book adventure. It would be safe to say that she and Leonie were LOTR fanatics, but Leonie more so because she often would pour a whole week once every year during the summer of watching the movies and reading all the books that Tolkien had written about the mythical world of Middle Earth and her creatures.
"Do you ever wish that their world was real, Leo?"
"Hmm? I beg your pardon?" Leonie half-acknowledged.
Melanie rolled her eyes again. It figured when her sister wasn't pay any attention to the real world sometimes. "Do you ever wish that we could be magically transported to Middle Earth if it was real?" She repeated again, rephrasing her question a little differently.
As correctly guessed, that question got her twin sister's full attention as sure as she had mentioned that grandma had cooked her favorite batch of peppermint chocolate chip cookies. Leonie immediately put her book down, eyes dreamily wide and excited as she considered the question. "That has been something that I've been dreaming about as of late know that you are speaking about it, Melanie."
"Really?" Melanie raised her eyebrows, slightly surprised by her sister's admittance. "And about what exactly?"
Leonie blushed deep red. She lowered her eyes, feeling the embarrassment getting worse. Melanie playfully shoved a fist into Leonie's upper right arm. "Come on, Leo, you know you can't hide such things from me of all people." She laughed.
"Well, it's just I sometimes dream about how life would be if we were wives to Elrond's twin sons." Leonie finally came out before abruptly grabbing her book and opening it once more. "Oh, never mind what I just said, sis. It'd just a dumb dream."
"It's not a dumb dream, Leo. I was the one who just asked the question of how you would feel if we were living in such a world." Melanie got up and sat down beside her sister, throwing her arm over Leonie's shoulder and giving her a tight hug. "I think it would be cool to be one of them." She continued casually. Leonie gave her a quick side look out of the corner of her eye.
"Really?"
"Yeah, why not?" Melanie shrugged a shoulder. "It would be way more exciting to imagine being in that magical valley, surrounded by elves, lords and other creatures than being bored daily here in our real lives."
"True."
"MELANIE AND LEONIE!" They heard the deep booming voice of their grandfather from the front door. "DINNER IS READY! COME INSIDE AND HELP SET UP THE TABLE!"
"Coming grandpa!" The twins both replied in unison as they scrambled to their feet and hurried towards the house where grandpa was shaking his head when they came in view. At five' eleven, a hundred and thirty pounds with a salt and pepper head of hair and sixty-eight years of age, he was still hale and strong. Same went with his wife who was four years older than him, but just as equally strong as himself. The girls gave him a tight hug in passing before running inside.
"Those are two hell of energetic twin granddaughters we have." He chuckled to himself as he closed the screen door behind him. "It's a small wonder how our house and their parents have remained standing after all the years of pranking and destruction that those two throw in everyone's way."
Dinner was a nice and pleasant affair with mash potatoes, green beans, creamy mac an 'cheese with moist meatloaf and fresh milk to wash everything down afterwards. Grandma of course saved the best of the meal for last when it came to dessert with her family famous Dutch apple pie with vanilla ice cream. The twins worked silently together as a team to help clear away the table, wash and dry dishes before retiring outside on the porch with a hot cup of cocoa.
"Ah, that was the best dinner ever we have had since coming back to grandma's place for the summer." Leonie sighed, sitting back on the double cushioned loveseat beside Melanie."
"You've been saying that every night since we came." Melanie corrected before gently blowing at her steam cup. "The stars are all bright tonight." She said after a while. Leonie nodded with a small smile as she watched the darkening sky. "Have any plans for tomorrow?"
"Why should I when we are supposed to be enjoying the last part of our summer being teenagers?"
"Go figure." Melanie muttered under her breath. She sat upright as a bright shooting star drifted across the heavens with all its brightness. "Hey! Look sis!" She cried, grabbing her sister's arm. "A shooting star! Make a wish before it disappears."
Both girls immediately closed their eyes and made their secret wishes. Upon opening them again, the shooting star was no longer there and all was left was the quite, twinkling stars and the bright rising moon. Leonie put down her cup on the low coffee table before them before wrapping her arms around her sister. "What did you wish for, Mel?"
"You know that if I tell you what it is my wish won't come true."
"I'll tell you mine anyway since it's just a fairy-tale wish." Leonie continued. "My wish was that our world was Middle Earth and you and I were living in the Last Homely house west of the seas. And," She held up a finger when Melanie started to laugh at her. "We were being courted by Elladan and Elrohir."
"Damn, you must have been having one hell of dreams to be making such an absurd wish."
Leonie pushed herself away and wrapped her arms around herself. "I know! It's stupid but why can't I make a childish wish one last time of my remaining teenage life?" She snapped irritably before being interrupted when grandma came out and told them it was time for bed.
"Ahh, come on, I didn't't meant it like that, Leo!" Melanie cried as she picked up their cups and followed Leonie inside. "Don't be like this again!"
Leonie stomped upstairs to her bedroom without replying. For just once in her entire life, she wished with all her heart that Melanie understood her feelings and passions behind being fascinated by such a wonderful world such as the one Tolkien created in his work.
The immortal elves, mortal man, hobbits, ents, from the eternal green hills of the undying lands with its white shores, blue oceans to the shores of middle earth with Gondor, gap of Rohan far into the vastness and richness of the blue mountains of the dwarfs and well into the forbidden city forest of Mirkwood, Lothlorien and of course, her most favorite place of all, Imladris. That place held a very special spot in both mind and heart. She wished every time she opened her most prized books that she was a part of their world, protecting it from the growing evil while living a happy life with the one of her dreams.
Often as of late since she was sixteen, Leonie had been having dreams of being held within the arms of a male elf, strong and protective as they watched the sun slowly rise from the snowy mountain peaks together. She didn't know which twin she was with, but she was sure that all she felt once she woken up from the dreams, there was always this funny warm and giddy feeling within herself that she couldn't verbally describe out loud. All of this, Leonie kept from her sister, preferring to have some sort of secrets that she could call her own for once.
"Hey sis, can I at least come in and apologize for laughing at you?" Mel's voice drifted in from the bedroom door while Leonie was getting into her pink satin nightgown.
"Come in." She sighed, getting underneath the covers. Melanie slowly opened the door, popping her head in. Leonie raised an eyebrow at her. "Aren't you going to come in at all?"
Melanie quickly took a few steps inside, closing the door behind her. She was dressed in purple PJ's. She hurried over and jumped in beside Leonie before throwing her arms around her. "I'm sorry if I had offended you, sis. You know I love you with all of my heart and I wouldn't want you to be unhappy if making such wished makes you feel good." She said apologetic. "I was just very surprised, that's all."
"That's good to hear and I totally accept your apologies a million times." Leonie smiled back. She turned out the lights and laying back on the pillows behind them. "Hey, sis?" She spoke after a short moment.
"Yeah?"
"How do you feel about going for a hike in the morning?"
"Really?" Melanie squealed happily before throwing a hand over her mouth when she realized she was being too loud. "I mean, we can go hiking for the whole day?" She asked in a small whisper.
"Yeah, why not? The day is going to be nice and sunny. May as well stay fit and get the exercise while we are at it, Mel. It would do you more good than me since I'm already naturally athletic to begin with."
"Then I'll be sure to that grandpa packs our backpacks up since he's really good at knowing what kind of stuff we might need along the way. Have any idea where we might be hiking at?"
Leonie thought for a moment. "Remember that old place in the forest nearby that you and I used to go to for a swim as kids? I just remembered that we haven't been there in years since middle school. Why not head there for lunch after a few rounds of walking and then head back home before the sunsets."
"That sounds like an absolutely wonderful idea, sis! Just be sure to tell grandma when she wakes up so she could pack us a good lunch." Melanie agreed with a sleepy yawn. She stretched her arms and laid back, bringing the covers up to her chin. "We better get our beauty sleep than if we are going to have a good hike in the morning, Leo." She suggested, eyes drifting closed. "Goodnight and don't let the bugs bite."
"Nit."
Leonie waited until she was sure that her twin was fast asleep before slowly reaching for her tiny flashlight and book from earlier. She still had to finish to at least the when the council of Elrond came together to discuss the fate of the ring of power. Her head was swimming her imagination as she resumed reading, lips curled in a smile.
If only their world was real, she was sure Mel and herself would be in cloud nine while being surrounded by elves and excellent elven cuisine. Eventually, after reaching her desired point of the chapter, she finally put down the book and clicked off her flashlight, setting on the wooden nightstand beside her before settling more comfortably under the covers.
Closing her eyes, Leonie could still picture the images that she created within her mind from the characters and many adventures. The quietness of the house itself, combined with the small chirping of the night crickets outside, Leonie was lulled into a deep slumber and dreams.
Outside, a lone owl hooted into the night as the night sky suddenly came alive with shooting stars. They rained over the quite house, falling like falling jewels before disappearing just as quickly as they appeared. For a brief moment, the world felt as if it had stilled for just a second, the air turning crisp with sudden blast of cold, the trees themselves swayed under a blowing gust of wind before still as a small sigh, almost inaudible sound to the ear, save for the owl that suddenly took sudden flight, came from the very roots of the earth itself before all went silent.
The sleeping occupants of the house didn't feel nor heard what just took place. But if they had been awake to see it, most likely all would agree that some form of magic had indeed taken place as the night sky suddenly burst forth with ribbons of pink and blue aurora flared across like wisps of smoke.
This was the beginning of a very special kind of magic and adventure that would end up changing the course of Melanie and Leonie lives forever.