Their aunt's instructions had been simple. Get the Ring. Get home...Twin sisters Gertrude and Heidi from a different world are sent by their Aunt to retrieve the ultimate treasure. Pity neither of them actually has a clue what they are walking into...what begins as a simple snatch and run mission turns into something much much more. Possible 10th/11th walkers; not your usual. Romance – possible?
Right hello there folks; most will probably skip this but for those who won't I ask you not to judge too harshly. I have been an avid reader of LotR Fanfiction since…always basically but I have only now ventured to post my own fic dallying in JRR Tolkien's great universe. Mistakes are likely though I will try my utmost best to avoid them, I appreciate all and any feedback and would ask that you not hesitate to give me your honest opinion whether you like/ hate/ love/ abhor/ disgusted/ appalled…etc and even if I should continue this or quit while I'm ahead?
It will be a mixture of Book Verse/ Movie Verse with my own twists thrown in so that I'm not just reiterating a script back to you…:)
I of course do not own the Lord of the Rings…
Time Sailors
Chapter I
"You lied."
Heidi slid out from under the hull vents as she grinned brightly up at her twin sister; her smile white against her oil and grime smudged face. Gertrude reached a hand down to the younger twin pulling her to her feet. Gertrude fixed Heidi with a stern glance, the light catching against her wire-rimmed glasses. Heidi's grin slowly slipped from her face as she beheld her sister's unwavering glare and she shifted awkwardly on booted feet.
"I wouldn't so much as say a lie per say," Heidi began carefully.
Gertrude's eyebrows drifted to her hairline as she crossed her arms firmly. Heidi paused, sighing exasperatedly throwing her arms up in the air dramatically before she turned sharply on her heel.
Gertrude shook her head knowing only too well her twin's over dramatic behaviour. Following her determinedly Gertrude halted when Heidi went to the table she had set up of assorted tools and scraps. Picking up a cloth Heidi scrubbed at her hands viciously, propping herself up against the table.
"Gertie now…" Heidi began genially, her brazen outburst passing by like a brisk breeze, "you know I never lie…"
"No you don't," Gertrude agreed, "you omit parts of the truth though to twist it to your own liking."
Heidi's lips turned down in a sour expression as she shrugged her usual copper braid over her shoulder, sniffing as she turned her nose up indignantly. But Gertrude would not be so easily complacent this time to avoid the younger's over-exuberant displays of emotion.
As usual Heidi when she sensed she was losing an argument turned tail and fled. Gertrude shadowed her younger twin's footsteps as she stalked towards the house, humming loudly in an attempt to block out the displeasure practically radiating off Gertrude.
"Heidi!" Gertrude called sharply and Heidi halted. Usually Gertrude had immense patience; it was essentially a requirement with a twin sister such as Heidi.
Heidi turned sheepishly, her eyes round and wide as she sucked in her bottom lip. Gertrude steeled herself; she would not give in this time. This time Heidi had gone too far!
"Aunt Cynthia never gifted us anything at all, did she?" Gertrude demanded.
Heidi rubbed at a particularly dark oily blotch on her forearm as she avoided Gertrude's gaze.
"No," Heidi admitted quietly after a stretch of silence.
Gertrude sighed resignedly as she ran a weary hand over her face. She didn't like to fight with Heidi but boy did the girl make it difficult.
It all began precisely three days ago…
Gertrude was diligently copying down notes onto her anatomical diagram from the projection at the front of the room, quietly in awe and her entire blood thrumming with an excitement.
Gertrude had always loved learning and she had always wanted to be a doctor, a surgeon to be precise. Her entire room was filled to bursting with medical journals and diagrams and encyclopaedias, she even had her own little private lab, a mere trifle but Gertrude had always taken pleasure in creating things herself and taking pride in her own work which she always did to a high standard; for what was the point of doing something if not to do it to the best of one's ability.
And so it was that as Gertrude was completely engrossed, her pen flying over the paper fluidly that the door to the lecture hall was flung open, bright light streaming into the darkened room.
Cries of protest sounded around her in a displeased chorus that Gertrude was about to add her voice to when she recognised with a sinking feeling that it was no other than her twin sister Heidi who stood now in the open doorway, the sun behind her making her almost impossible to distinguish Heidi as more than a blotted opaque figure.
But Gertrude recognised the all too familiar blinding grin of her sister that rivalled the sunlight itself, and gathering up her books hastily even as the professor from the front of the classroom called for her irritably she made her way down the hall.
Murmurs of disapproval and sniggered remarks followed her but Gertrude gritted her teeth and ignored them, pushing her glasses further on up her narrow nose, adopting an expression of cool detachment.
"Gertie I have simply the most marvellous news!" Heidi began to explain, oblivious to the sniggers even as Gertrude steered her firmly from the room.
Gertrude only managed to make Heidi move a total of twenty steps from the auditorium before Heidi broke free of her hold and twirling lightly on her toes once more began in a voice so bright Gertrude found she simply couldn't refuse her.
"Gertie – it…it's quite frankly the best news you will ever hear!" Heidi's eyes were like the brightest gems, sparkling with barely contained excitement also evidenced by how the younger bounced on her toes, her grin almost impossibly wide.
"If I ever hear it at all that is – come on out with it!" Gertrude teased lightly.
Her sister's laughter was like a blast of sunlight or the chiming of silver bells.
"I'll show you!" Heidi said, suddenly seizing Gertrude's hands excitedly.
Gertrude smiled crookedly at her sister's exuberance. In truth Gertrude wouldn't have stopped Heidi's fun as Heidi dragged the more serious girl along the winding corridors across the mosaic floors – though with Heidi's determinacy it would have been impossible anyway to try.
Along corridor after corridor Heidi tugged her sister along, throwing grins over her shoulder every now and again, completely oblivious to the slightly amused stares of those she passed by, dragging her sister in tow.
After a few minutes of strange looks though from passer-bys the novelty had run its course and Gertrude tried to gently pry her hand from Heidi's – impossible, and to get Heidi to shed some light on what on earth was so exciting – equally impossible.
Heidi finally brought Gertrude outside of the university itself, clapping a hand so suddenly over her sister's eyes that Gertrude had to take a moment to steady herself.
"Heidi," Gertrude warned lowly but it was only met with another blast of laughter. Hands outstretched precariously Gertrude allowed herself to be lead blindly to Heidi's great surprise.
She could hear the gentle roar of the waves as they rushed upon the pebble beach, she could taste the salt on her lips, feel the slight bite of the wind that could only be found near the ocean and she could feel the sun warm her face. Gertrude felt another small smile spread slowly across her face; this was a place that she loved, that she felt content at.
The university that overlooked the sea; during the calm seasons Gertrude would watch mesmerised as the sun would dip below the horizon like a gold coin, the water sparkling like a thousand gems were sewn into the white foamed surf. The sky streaked with rosy pinks and soft peaches before giving way to the indigo of the evening when the stars would come out; bright lights with the pale solemn globe of the moon to keep vigil. But the sea was never calm and that was what Gertrude loved about it; the ocean was no glassy lake or swirling waters. Many nights Gertrude had been soothed to sleep by the sound of the sea in her dorm and others she had woken to the waves crashing upon the university in relentless towering roars. She would look out her small square window; see the sea like a roiling black incensed creature. But Gertrude loved the sea; it was a hopeless romance really.
Gertrude was so lost in her musings that she forgot to try and work out where Heidi was taking her and by the time her concentration returned she found she was at a lost to the labyrinth of paths Heidi was directing her down.
She could still hear Heidi giggling at odd intervals; it amazed Gertrude truly at times how enduring Heidi's enthusiasm once peaked could be. Gertrude frowned slightly as she felt the worn cobblestones beneath her boots.
She could hear the shouts, the cries of the gulls swooping from the air; was her sister taking her to the docks?
"Heidi surely I can look now," Gertrude coaxed.
"Just a little further," Heidi replied.
Gertrude felt the uneven press of the stones under her boots change to smooth creaking wood, she could smell the multitude of fish and other catch around her; so the docks it was.
Gertrude found herself hauled back swiftly when Heidi stopped suddenly without warning.
"Right now, I believe I have been kept in suspense long enough," Gertrude said, though a smile played about her lips.
Heidi laughed brightly before she took the hand from Gertrude's eyes with a flourish. Gertrude blinked a few times for her eyes to adjust, the light reflecting off the water almost blinding. Gertrude didn't know what to expect; she had found that Heidi could become as excited about the prospect of a new flower she had discovered as a pile of gold; her inconsistencies as endearing as they could be exasperating.
"Heidi…?" Gertrude began unsure; surely she couldn't mean…?
"It's all ours Gertie!" Heidi exclaimed and with one swift leap she had bounded along the gangplank to stand proudly on the deck.
Gertrude gasped sharply as she observed the fine beauty of the airship.
It was bobbing gently in the lapping waves with the current, its great 'wings' tucked against its sides as though it were a bird roosting on the surf taking respite. With wide and eager eyes Heidi traced the sweeping stern of the ship, the towering mast with a sail the colour of a burnished sunset, the hull vents seemed to be in good condition and the craftsmanship was exquisite and finally Gertrude's eyes were drawn to the looping script in flaking white inscribed upon the side; Star Gatherer.
Gertrude looked up to her younger twin then in wonderment and awe with a silent question in her eyes; how?
"It was a gift," Heidi called down, leaping up the flight of steps to get to the hull.
Gertrude finally allowed herself to giddily climb aboard; usually Gertrude was never as silly and free in her emotions as her twin Heidi but she found that in this case she was glad to make an exception.
Gertrude's grin widened as she stepped upon the rocking deck, the wind blowing against her face in a sudden gush.
"From who?" Gertrude asked breathlessly as she moved about the deck in almost awed reverence finding some new part of the ship to love with each second.
Heidi paused for longer than necessary which Gertrude under normal circumstances would have zeroed in on, as it were; it was a miracle Gertrude was able to concentrate on anything Heidi might have been saying.
"From Aunt Cynthia," Heidi called down.
However despite her delight Gertrude was not so far blinded by the extravagant gift to be completely waylaid.
Gertrude paused from her examination of the dashboard as she idly toyed with some of the controls but at the name of their estranged aunt she whipped around, eyes narrowed sceptically.
"Aunt Cynthia?" Gertrude repeated sharply.
Heidi was casually draped across the wheel, a lazy grin on her face.
"Yip – Aunt Cynthia gave us this,"
Gertrude looked at her sister, and looked hard as she went over the thought in her head.
Their Aunt Cynthia; the lonely old hag who hated them – it wasn't a personal slight by any means, she hated everyone with very little reason and with an impressive vigour that she displayed at nothing else in her life.
Gertrude adjusted some of the levers as she considered. She was more than aware that something was definitely off about it and Heidi's over casual stance was sending alarm bells ringing in her mind, but…Gertrude had fallen in love with the Star Gatherer the moment she saw her.
Smiling ruefully Gertrude nodded once to Heidi showing her consent and Heidi wasted no time leaping in the air with a yelled whoop before bounding over to catch her sister in an enthusiastic embrace.
Gertrude laughed heartily as she returned it; the goggles her sister always had draped around her neck digging into her shoulder though she barely felt it.
"Where should we go first Gertie?!" Heidi had demanded eagerly.
Gertrude had laughed breathlessly, "We can't just take off Heidi," she chided jokingly. "We need to get provisions, plan out a route…" Gertrude waved a hand around aimlessly to emphasise there was much to do.
Heidi groaned, stomping her foot though her eyes were laughing as her impatient nature shone through. "Very well!" she relented, "we must visit Aunt Cynthia first though," Heidi added almost as an afterthought.
Her tone of voice was strange though and Gertrude looked up at her sister only to find that Heidi was facing away from her, the long braid she always wore her copper hair in hanging down her back.
Once more the alarm bells were ringing; warning but Gertrude ignored them wilfully because she wanted to so badly believe that the Star Gatherer had been a gift from their Aunt Cynthia. Later she chided herself for being so purposefully ignorant; it was Heidi who was the one who was always getting into trouble – not Gertrude; the elder by two minutes, forty-four seconds she was the more sensible one.
But aboard their own airship Gertrude wilfully ignored the warning signs, basking instead in the warmth of the sun on her face.
In two days because of Heidi's impatience to be off they had gathered together what they needed. Gertrude had given in a leave of absence to the university, they had packed the ship with enough provisions to last them weeks and now all was left was to be off.
But Gertrude had forced them to wait another night as she checked the calendars and consulting her lunar markings she determined the best night for them to take off would be the next night.
She hadn't slept a wink that night, even if Heidi hadn't of been in her dorm room all night, chatting incessantly.
Moonlight had streamed through the small square window as Gertrude was buried deep in countless masses of paper, carefully going over the plan for the first voyage of their treasured Star Gatherer with painstaking detail.
"Gertie – take your nose out of the books and maps for once and come look at the actual stars!" Heidi scolded.
Gertrude had looked up at her sister fondly before relenting and going over to the window. Creaking it open the sea breeze stole into the room ruffling Gertrude's copper hair so alike her twin's though Gertrude kept her hair neat, cropped to just below her chin before it shortened in length until it reached no more than the nape of her neck at the back.
"Can you believe it Gertie; we'll be sailing through those stars this time tomorrow night," Heidi breathed in quiet reverence.
Gertrude grinned brightly as she eyed the celestial lights, her thoughts mindlessly picking out the constellations she knew with ease.
Star Gatherer; Gertrude felt a shiver race through her, but a good one. It was a full day and night's journey to their aunt's house, given the old woman was pleased to live as far away from civilisation as she could.
And lost in the gentle rhythm of the waves and happiness buzzing through her veins Gertrude began to do something they hadn't done since they were children; she began to point out the star constellations for Heidi and Heidi like she did then would immediately fill her in on their stories and legends.
Neither of them barely slept a wink but when they rose that morning one would never have known it by their bright eyes and easy grins. They both dressed swiftly and Gertrude tried to scold Heidi when she wolfed down her porridge at an inhuman speed, that really was only going to make her sick, but Gertrude found she couldn't find it in her to chide her sister that morning given she was just as eager to be off.
They dressed warmly despite it being pleasantly mild out, the sea breeze still carried a bite of chill and the altitude they would be at would mean more cold air.
Gertrude looked back at the small port town she and Heidi had learned to call home for the past four years; Dovecot. It had been an unusual town that attracted visitors from far and wide to attend its prestigious university, it had a rich plentiful market and the people were generally friendly and open.
As she paused on the gangplank though Gertrude felt a strange feeling, a heavy weighting in her heart and stomach, as though…as though she were saying goodbye? But Gertrude shook her head hastily to dislodge the ridiculous thought; the leave of absence she had given the university was for two weeks; just until they visited their aunt and then had a small trip on their new airship, maybe visit the far off isles.
But still the strange feeling settled heavily as she stepped onto the deck. Heidi already there bounded out from the cabin below, a dark cape wrapped around her shoulders tightly with lighter swirls on it and…Gertrude couldn't help but give a fond smirk when she saw the ever-present ridiculous goggles looped around Heidi's neck companionably like a comforting friend. Gertrude really had no idea on why Heidi insisted on wearing the things, the lens had to be so grime-coated by now that they could be no use, but somehow Heidi found comfort in their constant weight and Gertrude would catch her tugging at the frayed strap that held them when she was thinking over something.
"So – we ready?!" Heidi announced brightly.
That same strange feeling loomed for a moment more before slinging her bag from her shoulder, Gertrude bounded up to the wheel and the controls, giving her silent answer to an already whooping Heidi.
With easy expertise Gertrude had the underwater propellers slicing through the choppy waters in moments as she steered the ship away from harbour. In no other town but Dovecot would two young women commandeering an airship not be given a second look; Gertrude knew it was the fact that everyday brought waves of unusual folk to Dovecot's port and two such women commandeering such an airship was by far not the strangest sight many would have seen.
The boat sliced through the water like a dream and Gertrude couldn't help the huge grin that still stuck firmly on her face. When they were clear of the port Gertrude began the real work of getting the ship into the skies.
Gertrude switched something on the dashboard and there was a guttering rumble as the hull vents began to release streaming clouds of billowing smoke over the waters. A shudder ran down the entire length of the ship as the engines began to churn, the air propellers slicing through effortlessly until they were nothing more than a blur. Gertrude and Heidi felt the jolt as the ship began to take to air both of them bracing themselves. Gertrude nodded once to Heidi a wild excitement reflected in her eyes behind her spectacles, Heidi grinned by way of response. And then Gertrude pushed the lever forward, the engines roared to life as the ship shot from the water gaining height. Both girls were flattened against the deck as the atmosphere pushed down on them. Gertrude killed the switch and the water propellers tucked back in; clouds of smoke curled over the starboard side, spilling across the deck.
Gertrude could have sworn she heard Heidi's laughter over it all but she couldn't be sure with the blast of the wind almost blocking out the roar of the engines. Gertrude clutched the wheel with white knuckles, turning it accordingly when the ship tilted too far one way. They climbed further still, until the people in the docks below them were little more than tiny black ants, until the clouds were whipping through their hair and then in a split second Gertrude killed all the engines. There was a gurgled stutter and a pop as the ship continued forward for another moment before…
For a second the only feeling was one of pure weightlessness as the ship lurched, seeming to be caught for an impossible moment on some invisible axis. Gertrude felt her blood thrum it seemed with electricity itself as she held her breath, she heard Heidi gave a loud yelp. And then…then they were falling; the huge ship plummeting through the white clouds.
Gertrude closed her fingers around the cool gold of the lever and pulled, a split second later and the great wings of leather and steel unfurled catching the air like the wings of some prehistoric being. Gertrude barely managed to keep her feet as the air caught them, Heidi crashed to the ground with the force of it.
"HEIDI?!" Gertrude called, glancing wildly over to her sister.
Heidi's only response was thrilled laughter as she clung to the side and Gertrude found herself laughing along with her.
A few moments and after Gertrude had adjusted the rudder a few more times the ship was finally gliding through the sea of clouds on autopilot.
As soon as she could Gertrude ran over to her sister hauling her to her feet where they both staggered on shaky legs for a few moments sharing another bout of laughter.
"That was thrilling! Can we do it again?" Heidi exclaimed brightly.
Gertrude laughed easily as she clapped her sister on the back, "if you hadn't been holding on so tightly I would have lost you over the side!"
Heidi laughed, shaking her head resolutely as she hooked one finger around her goggles holding them up, "nah – not when I have these lucky goggles," and Heidi winked.
Gertrude rolled her eyes; not only were the useless things cumbersome and bulky but now Heidi said they were lucky but she still smiled unable to find it in her to be so cynical at that moment, "if you say so," she placated, shaking her head in fond amusement.
The Star Gatherer was a beautiful ship, Gertrude thought on numerous occasions, it glided along the skies like liquid velvet, silently cutting through the clouds like a deadly shadow. It wasn't new; she could tell though – it had seen many voyages beforehand and much more if the deep gouges, roughly sanded over in the deck were anything to go by. But all the same Gertrude loved it.
They had a picnic on the deck for lunch, a flock of birds joining them halfway through. Of course Heidi spent the better part of three hours trying to catch one then and Gertrude really felt she had reached her wits end when Heidi had secured a rope around her ankle and was about to go bungee-jumping off the side. She had thrust the gold gilded eyeglass into Heidi's hand warning her that if she wanted to get a better look at something she was to use that.
Gertrude found silently travelling though the skies absolutely wonderful but of course Heidi couldn't sit still for a moment. More than once Gertrude felt her heart leap into her throat as she saw her sister practically hanging over the edge so she could drag her hands through the clouds. In the end when Gertrude threatened to tie her to the mast did Heidi relent and adapt a calmer demeanour.
However as time passed, Gertrude felt the niggling worry again as Heidi began to get quieter and quieter. Heidi sat on the side of the ship, one leg dangling over the edge as she trailed her boot through the wispy clouds, and…she was tugging incessantly on the strap of her goggles.
Gertrude frowned and checking the controls once more wandered slowly over to Heidi. Sunset came and went the sky ablaze with red fire and golden haze for a few brief moments but it seemed to have no effect on Heidi.
And when night fell, the air becoming decidedly cooler as the stars began to wink into sight, mist swirling about the deck Heidi disappeared below without a word and so Gertrude watched the stars alone that night, worry gnawing at her for her sister.
Just a few wee quick explanations may be in order;
Gertrude and Heidi are evidently not from 'Earth' but from a different realm if you like entirely. In my head it is sort of a Steampunk kind of place; think the film Treasure Planet or game Bioshock.
Also I think maybe an explanation for the names? – I just googled 'old fashioned names' :P I didn't want to invent my own but I wanted them to still sound just that little different.
Confession; I know nothing about ships so sorry if I was talking nonsense and using boat terminology in all the wrong ways etc. My defence – these are my own invented 'airships' ;)
So…please REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!