Jacqueline was still asleep, untill she felt something on her back. Her car meowed impatiently. „Yeah, yeah. I'm awake! Just get off me, you fat beast.", she growled sleeply. The Ragdoll jumped off her and looked at his mistress with couriosity. The young women stood up and glared in his big, blue eyes. „Be thankful your so cute."
The brunette went to her kitchen, where she has already been expected by her father, who hugged her. „Happy Birthday, hun! How you feeling? Slept well?", he asked cheerily.
„Yeah, I guess. Tell me something, though. Who had the great idea to celebrate my birthday, even tho' I said I don't want it?", she asket irritated and took a glas milk.
Her father looked at her surprised. „Whats's wrong with that? You get money. Food. You family comes..."
„Okay, yea. The first two are nice enough, but the rest..."
The older man rolled his eyes. „Don't be like that. After all it's not just your birthday, but your uncles too. Do it for him.", he reasoned.
„I always have to think about others before my own wishes, hm?", she muttered more to herself then her dad.
„What's that supposed to mean now?
„Nothing. Let's just get this this over with.", she sighed and started to prepare the dinningtable.
An hour leter Jacqueline's family has arrived. They talked. They ate. Drink and laugh. Exept for the birthdaygirl herself. She sat silent on the table and had a sour look on her face. „So? How is it? Being 24, Chin Chin?", her cousin asked.
„You know it. Your 5 years older then me, after all. I don't feel any different then yesterday.", she replied annoyed and ignored her father's warning looks.
„Wow, well. Aren't you a ray of sunshine today? Women problems?", her other cousin asked jokingly.
„Thankfuly not. Otherwise you would've had this cake in your face.", the brunet barked.
„Damn, girl. Eat something, hopefully it'll help.", her uncle jested.
„Do you have problems with your boyfriend, sweetie?", auntie asked worried.
„Do you really want to know what my problem is? My problem is, that your all don't seem to care about me anylonger. Ever since mother died, I hear or see nothing of you! Ya'll seemed to have completely forgot about her! Espacially you!", she addressed her shocked father. „Not even 2 years after your, so called "love of your life" was buried you had a new women at your side! And not just that, NO! Some bitch with a baby, for whom you can play daddy. You just replaced me and mom. I have no place in your life or your new "family". You all disgust me!", she shouted and tears have appeared in her green eyes. Before someone could react she ran out the apartment, slamming the door in the process. Leaving her stunned family behind.
Jacqueline ran, just ran away fron everything. Because of the tears she couldn't see where to, but frankly, she didn't care at this point. The last thing she perceived was an honk, the screeching of wheels a bang. Then. Everything went black around her.
Slowly the brunette's eyelids flattered opnen. But she was immedatly she was blended by a light. „What the...", she hissed.
„Easy, worldpasser. Take your time.", a calm female voice spoke to her.
„Where...", Jacqueline whispered but the pain in her head stopped her.
„Don't worry, mellon. Your safe here.", the voice spoke again.
Wait a second! Mellon? The women wondered. As soon as her heyes got used to the light she saw a young, darkhaired women, sitting on your bed. She looks oddly familiar. „Arwen?", she asked confused.
The elf smiled softly at her. „Your memories seem to be intact. Father will be pleased." „So, I'm dreaming about Middle - Earth again? Typically! I'm such a nerd! I can't tell anybody about this, they put me in a mental hospital.", Jacqueline grummbled.
Her voice sounded oddly unfamiliar to her. The other women laughed a little at that. „Your not dreaming, mellon. Your really in Middle – Earth. Father will explain everything. Bur first : I will led you pour a bath and find you something nice to wear."
„Uh – huh.", Jacqueline replied unbeliving.
Jacqueline looked at herself, after a nice hot bath, in the mirror. She looked completely different. Her hair used to be brown and only reached to her shoulders. Now there where raven and dobble in lenght. Her once green eyes, icy gray. I kinda look loke a female Aragorn. Arwen found her a light blue, silken dress, that flattered her curves. A grey belt and a white stole.
„Wow, my sister mentioned you beatiful, but I had no idea how beautiful.", a voice behind her said. When she turned she saw a young, darkhaired elf, casualy leaning aganist the doorframe.
The women shook her head bemused. „Elladan, I take it?"
„How do you... Who says I'm Elladan? I could be Elrohir or any other elf.", he tried to hide his surprise and play it cool.
„Lucky guess. You reaction just confirmed it. So, to what do I owe the pleasure?" She crossed her arms over her chest. An old habit she overtook in the last years. She might know the men, but she wasn't easy to trust others.
„I'm to escort you to father. My Lady?" Gallant he overed her a arm, she took it with a smile.
Once in the dinning room the two were eagarly expected by Elrond. „Ah, there you are! Thank you, ionn. You may leave.", the elf greeted.
„Ada." Elladan bowed repectfuly to his father and winked an Jacqueline before he left.
„Come, child. Have a seat and feast. You must be starving.", the wise men offered.
„Thank you, lord Elrond. Now that yu mention it, I could use something in my stomach.", she smiled and sat down opposite him. Instantly a someone served them wine. „Uhm... not for me. Just water. Thanks.", she said carefuly. She din't want to insult her host.
„Are you sure? Maybe some tea would be preferable?", Elrond asked.
„If it isn't to much to...", she started but was cut of by the nice elf.
„Nonesense. Your our guest. A special one at that."
„Well, as much I appriciate the food and lovely company, my Lord. That'y not exactaly what I was looking for." To her surprise Elrond didn't seemed to being insulted by her brushness, on the contrary! He was rather amused.
„I assume you have questions."
„Indeed. First of all : What the hell is going on? Am I dreaming? Halluzinating, 'cause of someting bad I took?" Jacqueline was losing her patience.
„Well, what is the last thing you remember?", he asked back.
The darkaired girl rolled her eyes. „Are answering with answers now? Fine. We play it your way. In short? It was my birthday. I had a huge fight with my family. Ran away... the car crash...? Shit! Am I dead? Coma?", she remembered shocked.
Elrond looked at her sympathetically. „I'm sorry, child. But you indeed died in your world."
„"My world"? What do you mean by that?", she asked fascinated. T
he elf was amazed that the young women brushed the information of her death off like that. „There a more then just the world that you know. Then I know. There a many different universes. Usually they don't interact with each other. But in your special case the Gods decided to interviene and bring you to Middle – Earth. And They only could do this through your death in your world.", he explained.
„But why? Why me? Why now?"
„Because you always meant to be here. You must realise, even Gods make mistakes."
„I'm well aware.", the girl snorted.
„Anyway. You were accidantly born in the wrong universe and They decided it's time for you to return home. Why now? Only They know.", Elrond continued.
The ravenhaired women nodded in silent and ate a grape. Conteplaiting on everything. „One thing don't makes sense to me. My world knows of this one. Tolkien wrote books of the several accurances of your history. Jackson visualised it in movies. An from what I can see, in perfect detail. Even you and your daughter look like the actors who played you.", she said after awhile.
Elrond smiled at that. „Perception is never objektiv.", he laughed.
„What I expect to see I will? Makes sense."
„And to those people... even though the universes don't interact with one another. There a some individuals who are able to "visit" the other world with their... let's call it their "spirit". They can see them in their minds. Sometimes thy even can see the future."
„Like you and Arwen?", Jacqueline interjected.
„Yes. But they can only see the future of other worlds, not their own. Opposite to us.", he confirmed.
„Okay, then there is only one question left. Wha do I look so different? Even my voice and my sight isn't the same."
„The body you grew up with is no more. It will be buried or burned soon. THIS is who you always where supposed to be. One of the last dunedain.", he answered proudly.
Jacquelines eyes widened and a grape fell out of her mouth. „Dunadain? Wow. That explains it for me. I suppose I would also still be, in some sense, attached to my old life. With the body remind me.", she speculated and stood up to take a few steps. Clear the head.
Elrond joined her. „Exactly. I see your very bright. You must forget who you were. Your life. Your past. Your loves. As hard as it might seem.", he put a hand on her shoulder in a sign of comfort.
The women snorted an that. „It's not hard at all. Believe me. And please, call me Kaléa." She turned and smiled happily. Elrond nodded on consent approval.