Elena Morgenstern, was not the kind of Nephilim to awake on the cold stone floor, nor, for that matter, to fall asleep on it. Laying still, she listens for any kind of threat, and hearing none, she sniffs experimentally. Nothing. Cracking her eyes open, she finds a stone roof overhead, and rolls her head, seeing it connecting to the floor.
How the Hell did I get in a cave? she wonders, before rolling her head the other way, and finding a tunnel leading upwards.
Shutting her eyes again, she takes stock of her injuries. A few broken ribs, heavy bruising, a dislocated shoulder, and a sprained ankle. Shifting slightly, she feel's the cool familiarity of her weapons, hidden in her gear, including her small stele, tucked into her boot. Judging by the arch of her back, her quiver is still strapped to her back, and with a wince, she rolls onto her stomach, and pushes herself to her knees.
When she's caught her breath again, she reaches down, and pulls a small, pencil-thin, glowing blue dagger from her boot. Lifting her arm, she sets the tip to her bare shoulder, and burns a black mark into her skin. It sits on her flesh for a moment, vivid against her ivory tone, until it sinks, leaving only a silvery scar in it's place. After drawing the rune a second time, she's healed, and she stands to her feet. Removing her quiver, she checks her arrows, making sure none are broken, and that the four with red stripes down the shaft, aren't about to explode. With a nod, she settles the quiver back on her back, before checking for any damage on her bow.
Before she can slip her bow back into the quiver, the smell of wet dog, and blood, reaches her, and her body tenses, before the less discernable scent of demon's reaches her.
Rolling her eyes, the Nephilim scales out of the cave, and up onto the giant boulder over the top of it. Grabbing an arrow, she nock's it, and pulls the string back, her piercing green eyes narrowed, as she watches giant wolves, bearing misshapen, armoured creatures, chase fifteen people. Letting her arrow fly, she grabs another shaft, two of the K9's falling from the single one, before the next arrow flies.
The fifteen gather infront of her perch, one of the men taking out his own bow, and firing.
"Where's Gandalf?!"
"He's abandoned us! Stand your ground!"
"This way, you fools!"
Elena holds her position, until the last one is in the hole, and jumps down, sliding down on her feet, just as a horn sounds above them, and she lands on her feet, slipping her bow back into the quiver.
"Thank-you for your help, miss," an old man, wearing a grey robe, and a powder blue hat, inclines his head.
"My honour," Elena nods, taking in the fourteen short men, thirteen wearing beards, one without, but with large, hairy feet.
"You wouldn't happen to be a Nephilim, would you?" the old man inquires. At her nod, he smiles warmly, "I thought so. You look quite like another, Jocelyn Fairchild, whom I met on my travels several years ago."
"My mother is dead," Elena states, her tone hard.
"You are her daughter?"
"We have no time for this," one of the short men, with grey forming at his temples, innterupts, walking further into the cave.
"I cannot see where the tunnel leads!" another calls, at the end of their current one.
"We will follow. It can't be any worse then what is above us," the obvious leader of the group states. He looks back at Elena, "Are you coming, my Lady?"
"Of course," Elena nods, and takes a step forward, before halting, something catching her eye. Walking to it, she picks up the lightly glowing golden feather, white runes seeming to shimmer across it's surface.
"What is that?" the white haired, and oldest, of the midgets's, asks, looking at it.
"The feather of an Angel... Old man, you said you met my mother, on your travels?" she asks the man, holding the feather gently in her grip.
"Yes, I did," he nods. "Jocelyn discovered, that she had fallen into another dimension. You, my dear girl, are not in your home world. You are in another one, a different one, known as Middle-Earth."
Elena looks at him, and can see nothing but truth in his words and expression. "Why did an Angel, above anything else, drop me in another dimension?"
"I do not have the answers you seek," he admits, walking after the midgets. "Come along, my dear, or you will be left behind."
Elena scowls, but after tucking the feather gently down the front of her shirt, nestled between her gear and skin, she follows the older midget, and brings up the rear. Bending forward, she asks, "No offense, sir, but what are you, and your friends?"
"We are dwarves, of Durin's line. The little one is a Hobbit. And the tall one, is a wizard. Tell me, what are you?"
"A Nephilim. A child of the Angel," she answers.
"Where does this road lead?" a nearly bald dwarf asks in frustration, after a long time of silent walking.
Elena rolls her eyes, "That's a rather useless question, seeing as none here, could know the answer."
"Perhaps our wizard know's this road's destination," the leader grumbles.
"Perhaps a song for the road?" said wizard evades the question. "My dear girl, how about a song from your world?" he suggests lightly.
Even if the mens' eyes aren't on her, she can feel their attention, and has a feeling that's what the wizard wanted. She scowls, "What makes you think I'm even a singer?"
"Everyone is a singer," a dark haired, young dwarf smiles over his shoulder at her.
Elena rolls her eyes, but having an audience, who's attention is on her, "I know one song... But, it's another language," she warns. At their approving sounds, she takes a breath, and starts singing.
Kami-sama ni koi wo shiteta koro wa,
Konna wakare ga kuru towa omottenakatta yo.
Mou nido to furerarenai nara,
Semete saigo ni mou ichido dakishimete hoshikatta yo.
It's long, long good-bye...
Sayonara, sayonara, nando datte,
Jibun ni mujou ni iikikasete,
Te wo furu nowa. Yasashisa dayo, ne?
Ima tsuyosa ga hoshii.
Anata ni deai, STAR kagayaite, atashi ga umarete.
Aisureba koso, I areba koso.
Kibou no nai kiseki wo matte dou naru no?
Namida ni nijimu hoshi no, matataki wa gone...
Wasurenai yo anata no nukumori mo,
Sono yasashisa, mo subete tsutsunde kureta ryoute mo.
It's long long good-bye...
Sayonara, sayonara, itoshii hito.
Anata ga ita kara aruite koreta.
Hitori nanka jyanakatta, yo ne?
Ima, kotae ga hoshii.
Moeru you na ryuusei tsukamaete hi wo tomoshite,
Aishiteitai, aisaretetai.
Hieta karada hitotsu de sekai wa dou naru no?
Haritsudzuketeta kyosei ga toketeku long for...
What's wrong? Why can't I stop my tears from overflowing?
Anata ni, deai STAR kagayaite, atashi ga umarete.
Aisureba koso, I areba koso.
Kibou no nai kiseki wo matte dou naru no?
Namida ni nijimu hoshi no, matataki wa gone...
Moshi umarekawatte mata meguriaeru nara,
Sono toki mo kitto atashi wo mitsukedashite,
Mou nido to hanasanaide tsukamaetete.
Hitori jyanai to sasayaite hoshii planet...
"That's beautiful," the same one who encouraged her in the first place, compliments.
"Hey! I see the end of the tunnel!" yells the dwarf at the front.
"About time!" cheer's another.
"Dear girl, we still don't know your name," the old man infront of her points out.
"Morgenstern. Elena Morgenstern," she supplies, walking out of the tunnel.
"This, my friends, is Imladris. Though it is known by another name," the wizard says, walking behind the Hobbit.
"Rivendell."
"Yes. This is the Last Homely House, West of the ocean," he explains, starting down the path.
"I will not sup with the elves," the leader snaps.
Elena rolls her eyes, but the wizard points out, that the Lord will be able to read the runes on the map. "What's so bad about elves?" she finally grumbles.
"When we were most in need, the elves abandoned us. They left us to starve, in the cold nights, and to wander aimlessly," the leader, who'd been called 'Thorin', states, his tone cold.
"Sounds familiar," Elena mutters, but the company hears her in the silence.
The group walks over a bridge, and into a stone court-yard, guarded by elegantly carved stone statues. A voice rings out, and they turn to find a young, dark haired, silken robed, elf, who clasps hands with the wizard. They talk a few moments, before the same horn from earlier sounds, followed by numerous men, all astride slim horses. Elena get's pulled into the circle of dwarves, and she looks down to find the Hobbit shrink into her side, as the horses circle them. She puts her hand on his shoulder, squeezing it comfortingly, and she feels him relax slightly.
After a moment, the horses are all still, and a richly armoured dark haired elf dismounts, greeting the wizard, and they speak in elvish.
Elena lifts her hand, and crosses her arms under her breasts, "Elves are only eight inches tall, back home. Tell me, wizard, did my mother meet these elves, while she was here?"
"Yes, my dear, she did," the wizard sighs, looking back at her. "Elrond, this is the daughter of our Nephilim friend, Jocelyn Fairchild. Her name is Elena Morgenstern. "This, my friends, is Lord Elrond."
Elrond speaks something in elvish, and one of the dwarves steps forward, "Is he offering us insult?"
"No, Bofur, he is inviting you to dinner."
The dwarves mutter in agreement, and follow Lord Elrond. Elena rolls her eyes, but falls into step behind Thorin, and grips his shoulder, seeing he's uncomfortable with the elves around.
"Elena, wouldn't you like to wash before supping?" he asks, eyeing her filthy appearance.
"I'm too hungry to wait," she shrugs, having the distinct feeling the dwarf needs the moral support.
He accepts her presence, and he himself can feel her distress in this place. He reaches up, and pats her hand, still on his shoulder.
(*****)
During the meal, the elves play somber music as the company eat's, though Elena only nibbles on her food, sitting beside Thorin.
"Change the tune, why don't ya? Feel's like I'm at a funeral," Nori complains.
"Nothing for it, then, lads," Bofur proclaims, and stands up onto a stool. He starts singing, and the elves fall quiet, while the dwarves start cheering, making a beat, and joining him at some points.
Elena can't help but smile, and claps along with them. When the song is done, Kili tosses something, and it smacks into her cheek, which is already covered in blood and dirt. She turns a frown on him, "Was that neccesary?"
"S-sorry, Elena," he dips his head.
Elena grabs a cloth, and pats her cheek. Pulling it away, she see's the mixture, and grimaces, standing up. She walks into the hall, open on one side, and she finds a young man, no older then she herself is, walking towards her. Calling out, she halts him, and he turns to face her.
"Hello, my Lady," he greets, inclining his head. "How may I help you?"
"Where can I have a bath, and find some clean clothes?" Inwardly, she's glad her cheeks are covered, as her blush is deep at just having seen his face, but when he'd spoken, her blush got darker.
He smiles, which turns her insides rather mushy, "The elves have no need for bath's. If it's alright with you, my lady, you may use mine."
"They don't bathe?" she echoes, before nodding, her cheeks hot with colour. "I would appreciate the bath," she nods. "Lead the way."
He nods, and takes her the way he was heading, and holds open a door, leading to a fine room, with obvious traces of being lived in. "Please, make yourself at home," he invites, inclining his head. "I will have the bath filled, and some clothes brought for your use." With that, he leaves, shutting the door behind him.
Elena frowns, "Any hotter, and he'd have to be illegal." Shaking herself of the direction her thoughts are heading, and unbuckles the belt's around her thigh's, letting her sheath's sway slightly, before unbuckling the belt around her hips, and dropping the numerous weapons on the floor. Pulling off her gauntlet's and bracer's, she deposits them in the pile, followed by some more daggers.
When her bath is filled with hot water, compliments of the elves, all of her weaponry is layed out on the floor. One of the women is waiting for her clothing, a dress layed out over the man's bed for her use. Stripping out of her gear, she let's it drop, and stands in only a green tank-top, tight black shorts, and a pair of socks, her boot's having been pulled off when she was removing her weapons.
When the elf leaves, carrying her gear and clothing, including her panties and bra, Elena lays the feather on the low dresser, and steps into the hot water. Letting out a sigh, she sinks up to her chin in the large tub, her loose hair flowing around her shoulders.
(*****)
After her bath, Elena climbs out of the cool water, and grabs the fluffy towel, drying her body. With the towel wrapped around her hair like a turban, Elena pads lightly to the bed, and pulls on the ivory gown. Unable to tie the laces, she sighs in relief when someone knocks on the door. At her bidding, the door opens, revealing Thorin, looking cleaner, but still in the dirty clothes.
"You look like an elf in that dress," he states.
"I'd rather be wearing pants, then a dress," she grumbles. "But, for some reason, even the men seem to be wearing gowns here."
"That's natural for the elves," he nods. "Turn around," he orders. After a moment, his calloused fingers touch her back, and the laces are tightened, and tied off at the top of the bodice. "That's a lot of weapons," he compliments, eyeing them all.
"Seraph blades, used by the Nephilim. They light up when they hear their true name, and can slay a demon far easier then any other weapon," she explains, unraveling the towel around her head, and letting her strawberry blonde curls drop over her back.
Thorin picks up the feather, "You should braid this into your hair."
"I'm not good with intricate styles, like most of your men seem to wear," she shakes her head.
Thorin grins, feeling at ease with the girl, "Sit. I will style it nicely for you."
"You style hair, now?" she teases, but sits down on a chair.
Thorin stands behind her, and gathers a small lock near the top of her head, and starts a small braid, weaving around the stem of the feather. When the braid reaches the first downy-soft hair's of the feather, he ties the braid off, before continuing it down to the end, tying it off securely. "It can be held back with the rest of your hair, and the feather will stay in place."
Elena grabs the hilt of his sword, and looks at her reflection, nothing else resembling a mirror in the room. Happy with it, she nods, and slides the blade back into the sheathe, and gets to her feet. She looks around the room, "Where are my boots?"
"They most likely think you will walk bare-footed, like them, in their peaceful halls," he snorts.
Elena sighs, "Obviously."
"Elena, would you come with us? When we leave here?"
Elena appraises him, "What are the dangers?"
"Orc's, warg's. And a dragon," he informs.
Elena nods, "Sounds better then staying in this city of gowns. Count me in," she grins, offering her hand.
Thorin takes it, feeling considerably less tense, with this warrior on his side. "Come, Balin has the waiver you must sign."
Nodding, Elena follows him, and they walk in silence, to the other dwarves, who are sitting around a fire, wearing their long underwear, their clothes drying in the sun.
"I'm guessing you've all had bath's?" Elena chuckles, walking into the court yard, and sitting on the low wall.
"Yes, we've bathed," Balin nods.
"Balin, we have another warrior. Hand her the agreement, so it can be made official," Thorin orders.
"Are you sure you want a woman accompanying us?" Dwalin asks, looking at her clean appearance.
"We need all the help we can get," Thorin nods, leaning against the railing beside her.
Balin nods, and grabs the package of parchment from his bag, and hands it to her.
Elena takes it, and opens it, reading it through in the silence. "Burnt to ashes? Maimed and killed, several different ways? You're really covering your butt's," she compliments.
"Are you frightened, missy?" Gloin asks.
Elena glances at him, "Now, why would I be scared of something that can do all of this? I've faced worse," she informs. "Give me something to write with?"
They pat themselves in search, but come up empty.
"I'll be back," Elena states, walking away. She finds the study, a desk sitting in the light, with a quill next to an ink-pot. Setting the parchment down, she takes the quill, and dips it, tapping off the excess, before signing the waiver. Sprinkling some sand over it to dry faster, she folds it up, and replaces the quill, before turning, to find the same man from earlier, standing at the door.
"What are you doing in my Father's study?"
"Signing the waiver," she says, waving the folded parchment as proof. "I'm now a member of Thorin Oakensheild's Company."
"A woman's place is at home, cooking meals, taking care of her family. Not out on adventure's, and risking their lives."
"You've never met a child of the Angel, Estel," Elrond says, sweeping into the room. "Even the weakest of the women will set out to prove you wrong."
"But, father, she is a not a woman. She is only a child, and has no right to be carrying as many weapons as she is," Estel protests.
"Lord Elrond," Elena inclines her head, before marching out of the study, her feet silent, even as she storms down the hall. Finding the dwarves again, she hands the waiver to Balin, and reclaims her seat on the railing.
"What has you upset, Elena?" Thorin asks, not the only one able to sense her mood.
"Do elf women not fight?" she asks, frowning at nothing in particular.
"Not many do, no," Gloin says, catching on. "Relax, lass, we'll be on the road, and you'll prove all of these elves wrong. Even some of us, I imagine," he chuckles.
(****)
"There's a cave, just up ahead!" Elena calls, walking cautiously back down the path towards the dwarves.
"We'll take shelter in it! Lead the way!" Thorin calls, leading his men.
They get to the cave, and Elena pulls out her witch light, lighting it up, to find any dangers, and walks as far back as she can. "The cave is empty," she informs them, walking back towards the mouth of the cave.
"Thank-you, Elena," Thorin sighs, finding a spot, and sitting down. "We'll leave at first light."
"I hope those giants aren't still moving around then," Oin grumbles, planting himself on the ground.
"Get some sleep. We'll need it," Elena states, dimming the light, and taking a seat near the mouth, keeping watch, though Bofur joins her, further inside.
Bilbo tip-toes towards the entrance of the cave, but is stopped by Bofur, and they have a whispered conversation. "I hope you have a happy life," Bofur finally says. "What's that?"
Elena turns, seeing the blue glowing off Bilbo's blade, and walks further in, straining her senses for anything. "Up! Everybody, get up!" Thorin orders. Elena follows his gaze to the floor, seeing the sand slipping through a crack in the floor.
The crack widens, increasing the sand falling, until the floor gives way with a creak, and everyone falls with a yell, though Elena's is more a shreak. To her credit, she lands in a crouch on the balls of her feet, and slides a few feet, before Bombur trips her up. They all land in a heap on a porch-like thing, and they scramble to get to their feet, as a wave of stinking goblins crash over them, taking their weapons, before tossing them uncermoniously to their feet.
When everyone's up, their lead away, across the rickety bridges, and are stopped infront of a throne, bearing a fat goblin, with a wad of veined flesh on his chin, acting like a beard.
"What's this?" he asks, one of his eyes beady, and looking them over, resting on Elena the longest. "Why does the woman still have her weapons?!"
"They would not come out," one goblin offers, tugging at the hilt of one sword. "We found them on our front porch," he chuckles after.
When he recognizes Thorin, he mock's the dwarf, and orders a tiny thing to send word to the 'pale orc', about his having Thorin, before dropping into song, and proclaiming he'll torture them for the fun of it.
After scrounging, and a few fist fights, a hot light erupts, blasting everyone off their feet, and knocking some of them out for a few seconds.
"On your feet! Pick up your weapons, let's go!" Gandalf yells.
Elena is the first on her feet, and helps the others up. She grins at Gandalf, pulling out the pair of swords from her waist, and runs ahead of him, and the dwarves, cutting through the goblins.
When they finally reach the outside, Elena steps to the side, letting the dwarves race past her down the mountain. Not seeing Bilbo, after the last is gone, she steps back inside, and feels a bump against her legs. Recognizing the invisible form, she picks the Hobbit up, and races down after the dwarves, leaving behind the tortured yell of "THEIF!"
"How are you invisible, Bilbo?" Elena asks, jumping over a fallen log.
He flashes back into existence, a golden ring in his fingers, "I found it, after I fell."
Elena slows to a stop, and crouches infront of him, "Keep it out of sight for now, Bilbo. Magic is not looked upon lightly, in either of our worlds. Come on, we have to catch up to them," she says.
At his nod, she stands up, and they sprint off together, Elena slowing her speed, so the Hobbit can keep up.
"They've left us," Thorin's voice reaches them. "He's thought of nothing else, but his soft bed and warm hearth, since he stepped out of his door.
"We're better off without them," he growls.
"Better off without who?" Elena asks, trotting into the clearing, Bilbo just slightly behind her. "Did you really think we'd leave you, when things are starting to get interesting?"
Thorin nods at her, releived, and looks at Bilbo, "Why did you come back?"
"I know you doubt me, and I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag-End. I miss my books, and my armchair, my garden. See, thats where I belong. That's home. That's why I came back, because, you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But, I will help you take it back, if I can."
Elena pats his shoulder, but a howl rips through the air. "Out of the frying pan, and into the fire," Gandalf grumbles. "Run!"
They take off at a sprint, racing as fast as they can down the steep mountain-side. The warg's reach them, and they have a mini skirmish, slaying them, before racing on. They come to a dead end- and the top of a cliff, and everyone takes to the trees.
Seeing Bilbo sprinting their way, his glowing sword in his hand, Elena grabs her electrum whip, and lashes out. The end wraps around Bilbo's waist, and she pulls in into the trees, just before a warg's jaws can grab him. The whip wraps around her arm, like a snake, with a simple flick of her wrist.
A pale, nearly white orc, riding on a white warg, rides up, and speaks in his own tongue. In answer, the riderless wargs start jumping at the trees, breaking branches, and putting pressure on the rather weak trees.
The trees start toppling over, crashing into each other, and everyone jumps from tree to tree, until they're in the last one, at the edge of the cliff. Elena whirls around, her bow out, and strings an arrow to it. Letting the shaft fly, it slices through the head's of three wargs, felling them. She keeps firing, with deadly accuracy, but the animals swarm, making it more difficult to aim. When they start jumping, it make's the tree, shake, but Elena keeps firing.
After a few strong jumps, the tree falls, aiming not for the ground, for the cliff, letting out screams, the company hangs on for dear life. The branch Elena's on breaks, making her fall forward, but she grabs another branch, the snapped twigs digging into her gloved palms, undoubtably creating bruises. Fili and Kili, who had been on either side of her, fall as well, and grab onto either of her feet.
Tightening her grip on the branch in one hand, she flicks her wrist, and the whip reaches out, and wraps securely around the trunk. The other end wrapped around her wrist, she releases the branch, dropping a few feet, earning yells from her passengers. Reaching down, she grabs the collar of one's shirt, and pulls him up.
"Grab Kili, and I want the both of you to hold onto my waist. Wrap your leg's around me as well," she adds. When they're both wrapped around her, she starts swinging, arching her entire body towards the cliff. With enough momentum, she unfurls the whip, and they land in a pile, on the cliff. Elena gets to her feet, both dwarves no longer attached to her, and she draws her katana, racing at the orcs, as they advance on Bilbo, who's standing infront of Thorin.
Elena dispatches a few wargs, and just as she advances on the pale orc, who's looking confused, a shreak splits the air, along with the sounds of wings beating the air. Looking up, she finds a large number of eagle's sweeping around them, grabbing the dwarves, and carrying them away. One grabs Thorin, and before Elena can do anything, another picks her up in it's talons, and flies away with her, after Thorin, the other's of the Company, all on eagles, following them. Seeing Gandalf sitting so familiarly on his, Elena relaxes, and climbs onto her eagles' back.
They are all settled down when the sun is rising higher in the sky, and Elena slides off, racing to Thorin, before her feet are steady on the ground. Gandalf is already there, touching the man's eyes, and murmuring something.
After a moment, Thorin opens his eyes, breathing easier, and grasping Elena's offered hand, get's to his feet. He narrows his eyes at Bilbo, and demands to know if the Hobbit had heard him say earlier he was not one of them, and never would be. But, surprising to everyone, especially the Hobbit, Thorin embraces him, "I've never been so wrong in my life."
Elena lifts her gaze, and spotting a mountain, sitting completely alone in the distance, she gazes at it.
"That is our home, Erebor," Balin informs, seeing the direction of her gaze. "That is our destination."
AN: The song is Shinkuu Diamond Crevasse - Sheryl Nome, from the anime called 'Macross Frontier'. Hope you like the first chapter :)