DISCLAIMER!: I do NOT own The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings in any way - Tolkien has that honor. I have written this purely for amusement-purposes, and I receive no credit. On that note; read on.
Tara sighed, as she woke up for the third time since arriving on Middle Earth. Her initial hopes that she would wake up in her own bed, possibly much too late as proper on her brother's birthday, were gone. This was too vivid a dream on any part.
She slowly got up from the bed, deciding that she should, probably, change out of the nightgown she had been wearing since she woke up the first time. This caused her to look properly around the room, now that she had a calm moment to really take it in. It was a simple room, with a bed, night tables and a dresser. Upon the two small tables were assortments of candles, though she didn't see the purpose of it. The room wasn't really a 'room', as the walls weren't exactly solid stone. It was like silver branches, folding amongst each other to create pillars to keep the roof up, but otherwise, it was freely accessible.
Not that Tara minded horribly – she didn't feel like having the privacy needed to think about her current situation. She was certain she'd break down as soon as that line of thought would enter her mind. She decided that, until further notice, she would treat this as if she was in one of those silly scenarios she so often invented in her head. And not until she had gotten more evidence, would she consider why she was in Rivendell.
She slowly opened the beige dresser, looking at the assortment of clothes in it. Elves apparently didn't do clothes in any shades darker than the silky blue most of their warrior capes were in, and as such, she found herself changing into yet another white dress, yet much fancier. She wasn't entirely happy at the fact that she had no bras. When she had fallen onto Middle Earth, she had, after all, been in her pajamas, and she certainly didn't sleep with that particular article on.
She wrinkled her nose.
"I don't have any shampoo, toothbrush or new undergarments with me..."
The list of everyday necessities, that didn't really occur to be important before you were lacking, was rather long. And then she also had the gruesome revelation that she couldn't have any of her entertainment either. Her PS3! Her laptop!
Well, one can be vain just to cheer oneself up, right? Tara smiled, chuckling slightly at the weird situation she was in.
"What do I need a PS for? I am in Rivendell. There has got to be something exciting to do here. I'll go and talk to Elrond about it, I should think," she said to herself, setting off to find her host.
Lord Elrond had a very clear idea of entertainment for the young Seeress. Tara began learning of Middle Earth through the finest teachers in the world – the Elves of Rivendell.
They taught her history, herbalism and astrology. They taught her mythology and meditation. They taught her the way of the sword, and how to ride the fastest steeds in all of Middle Earth.
Days turned to weeks. Weeks turned to months. And Tara discovered she had an affinity for Magic. And Gandalf, yes Frodo, Gandalf himself came to teach her.
"Seeress!" a woman called, and Tara looked up from the book she was reading. It was a sort of encyclopedia, listing all the known herbs of Middle Earth and their properties. Herbalism was, perhaps, one of her most useful subjects, but also the most tedious. How many times she had brewed a Rejuvenation potion, she couldn't count.
She sat in the library of Rivendell, a place you could be almost certain to find her. And in ran that very same Elven woman who had cared for her during her first visions. Dieena had become one of Tara's closest friends, and she was a sort of caretaker for her. Tara had visions frequently, though she didn't pass out every time they came. She mostly just became very dizzy, and needed someone to look after her. This was why Dieena spent nearly every waking minute with Tara.
"What is it, Dieena?"
Dieena had to stop once she caught sight of Tara. Every time Dieena took her eyes away from her, it would seem as though her hair was forgotten in her mind. She forgot just how wonderful a color it was, and it stunned her every time she saw it anew. Tara's pale skin, bright blue eyes and blood red hair created a contrast to the white dress Tara usually donned, and she was beautiful. The few Dunedain who travelled through Rivendell once in a while had mistaken her for an Elf on more than one occasion. It had been a rather amusing encounter.
"Dieena?"
The Elf was ripped out of her thoughts as Tara stood up, smiling. She knew exactly what went through her caretaker's head. She, personally, thought the whole incident of being mistaken for an Elf was thanks to the dresses the Elves had given her. They were beautiful, and their beauty seemed to be contagious, fooling others to think so of Tara as well. Tara would admit she was fond of her looks, they were attractive at least, but as beautiful as an Elf? She thought not.
"Ah, yes! Mithrandir has crossed the river! He will be here soon!"
She didn't have to say much more – Tara was already charging down the stairs from the library, and Dieena had to take a moment to realize she was gone. Then she gasped, turned around and charged after her.
"Tara! Wait for me!"
Tara had gotten the habit of constantly wearing one of the elves' silver cloaks with hood, because most strangers who saw her hair would space out. So as she pulled up the hood to hide her hair, she descended the stairs leading to the plaza upon which Gandalf was conversing with Elrond. She took two steps at a time, a silly smile on her face.
"Lord Elrond, I'm here."
Elrond looked up, startled at seeing her there so quickly. But when he saw Dieena behind her, he knew who had told her, and he chuckled. He put a hand on Gandalf's shoulder, making a gesture towards Tara.
"Mithrandir, this is the young woman I told you of. Tara, this is-"
"I know."
Elrond smiled, as Gandalf bowed to the woman. Tara blushed slightly, curtsying the wizard.
"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Gandalf the Grey. Meeting you in person is much different than merely seeing visions of you," she admitted. Gandalf looked at her eyes with a spark of curiosity in his own.
"Ah, yes, I had heard from Lord Elrond of these visions of yours."
Tara sent Elrond a quick glance; how much had he told Gandalf? It concerned her. Elrond had, of course, told Gandalf everything. Every. Damn. Thing.
That's why, as soon as Gandalf and Tara sat in the library alone, a series of Q&A ensued.
"Where do you come from?" "Britain."
"Is it on Middle Earth?" "I very much doubt it."
"Have you any idea how you came here?" "No."
"How much do you know of Middle Earth's future?" "A lot."
"Will you tell anyone?" "Most certainly not."
And so it continued. Tara couldn't tell how long she had answered Gandalf's endless questions, until he – finally - seemed satisfied.
And then hell began.
Of course, this was just Tara exaggerating. In reality, she loved every minute of it. Gandalf had taken it upon himself to help Tara through all the magic running through her. She began in the smalls. She learned to write runes, to speak Elvish and Dwarvish. She learned to listen to the wind, to call upon the elements. She slept like a log every night, she was so tired.
But most importantly – Gandalf was there. He helped her through her visions. Every time she got them, he was there to help her. He taught her to take them out of her head, and visualize them in the room. She once told me, that one time where she had had a vision of a dragon, it had caused a huge commotion in Rivendell, when it manifested itself in the skies above.
Apparently, this got both her and Gandalf in trouble with Elrond. She got grounded, and Gandalf was scolded for teaching her something that could disturb the peace so. Gandalf and Tara would laugh at it whenever they were alone. Then, one day, Gandalf had a surprise for her.
"We're going on a trip!?" she exclaimed with glee. Gandalf had to laugh at her excitement. Through the few weeks he had been with the human girl, he had seen one very endearing trait about her – her sense for adventure. More than once, he would see her go to the top of Lord Elrond's observatory, looking out upon the small parts of the wilderness she could see beyond the valley's walls.
She was, after all, a human. She needed to get out more often, meet people, and not just sit and revel in the knowledge she had. Gandalf had always liked people like her – active, taking initiative.
"Where are we going, Gandalf?" she asked, following him with a small skip in her step. Tara had begun to care deeply for Gandalf – far beyond the emotion of admiration she had from knowing him from the movies. He was a teacher, and a dear friend. Meeting the characters in person really was different from just watching them on a screen, or dreams for that matter. The old wizard chuckled.
"You mentioned wanting to go to Greenwood, did you not?"
Tara was about ready to swoon. Swoon. Greenwood! It meant people, new people! Her mouth began running off, to Gandalf's great dismay.
"Greenwood, Gandalf! I have wanted to see that place for so long! I want to see the Elven cities in there! Can we meet Lord Thranduil and Prince Legolas? I am so very curious about them, and I have always wondered if Thranduil is only a prick in my visions, or if he's as big an idiot near his own kin! And Radagast! Oh please, can we see Radagast!? He can even help me with the Herbalism homework! ... You're not listening at all, are you? Oh, Gandalf, you never listen to a word I say!"
Tara said this with an annoyed look on her face, and Gandalf looked at her, worried.
"Why, of course I don't! How can I listen to every word you say, when you say so many, hm?"
Tara stared at his shape, as he continued walking, whereas she had stopped in her tracks. She puffed up her cheeks, putting her hands on her haps. Incredulous old fool!
"You're insufferable!"
Gandalf chuckled once more, as Tara caught up with him.
When the duo came down the stairs towards the main plaza, they saw five Elves waiting for them. Dieena was there, of course, as was Lord Elrond and Arwen. And then there were two, unknown to Tara, who held two horses. One was Tara's favored steed, a chocolate brown stallion she had named Dawson, in remembrance of her brother. The brown color of its mane was the same as Dawson's hair. The other was a grey horse, probably the one Gandalf had arrived on.
Tara didn't wait a second before swinging herself onto the back of Dawson, and the horse reacted by shifting itself a bit, trying to get used to the extra weight. Tara petted it on the side of its neck with a smile, as she looked at the Elves looking at her.
"Be careful, Tara," Arwen said with a kind smile, and Tara giggled at the worry she could see in those grey eyes. Those Elves cared for her, a lot, and so did she care for them, but they shouldn't worry too much.
"What could happen when I'm with Gandalf, hm?" she pointed out, winking at them. They didn't seem comforted, so she smiled kindly, growing serious. "Don't worry. I'm not a helpless girl anymore, you've seen to that. I would like to see someone overcome the mighty Mithrandir and the Seeress of Rivendell."
This seemed to, at the very least, calm Elrond. He would see to it that Dieena and Arwen wouldn't be too worried while she was away. Lord Elrond approached her, reaching a sword up to her. It was a rapier, Elven made.
"Sana sina. Vara tel' Seldarine ar' Ama poldora a' lle."
Tara beamed.
"I understood that!" As she took the rapier and fastened it in the belt around her waist, Elrond laughed at her pride. Dieena was looking at Tara with sadness. This would be the first time Tara left Rivendell since she arrived; Dieena couldn't keep an eye at her. It unsettled her. Tara could see this quite clearly, and she smiled.
"Look after everything for me, will you Dieena? I'd prefer to return to a properly kept room," she teased, and Dieena couldn't help but giggle at this. She nodded, though her face was still clouded by anxiety and worry.
Tara pulled the hood on her cloak up, shielding her red hair from the sun, which played with it and created vibrant shows in its depths. She glanced around Rivendell one last time, while Gandalf promised Elrond to take care of her, and then they were off.
"Tenna' ento lye omenta."
This whisper reached her as she left her new home, and it made tears spring up in her eyes. They broke into gallop as soon as they reached the final stretch of valley, and though she felt the need to look behind her, she decided that she would delay seeing Rivendell again until she returned; as an incentive to come back. Looking back before setting out always felt final to her. And so, they were on their way.
Now, Frodo, you must understand that Tara had longed to see the rest of Middle Earth for almost a year at that time. So when Gandalf will tell you what horrible company Tara was on that journey, bear in mind that this was because she rode ahead of him, never quite being able to keep a reasonable pace.
She told me the air tasted differently in the wilderness, that she felt alive for the first time since coming to Middle Earth. She loved Rivendell, it was the closest she had to home in a strange new place, but she was a human. She couldn't just sit still in one place forever.
When they reached the Greenwood, Tara was given the lead. And the first place she went, was the residence of Radagast the Brown.
As the pair approached the strange hut in the tree, they could hear mumbling inside. Gandalf was smiling widely, obviously quite excited about Tara's reaction to his cousin. Tara herself was just as eager – she had always enjoyed Radagast's character, and meeting the actual person was going to be amusing.
"How much do you know of Radagast, Tara?" She looked at Gandalf, who halted his horse next to her, already in the process of de-mounting. Tara followed his example, as she hummed.
"Not much – he is an Istar as you, prefers the company of animals and plants, and Saruman thinks him a fool. Then again, I am not in favor of Saruman, so I might find Radagast wise none the same."
Gandalf had found himself astounded by the knowledge of the Seer. That she knew, in such detail, the workings of the world, even the most safeguarded secrets, was frightening. But she was a kind woman, and Gandalf had already implored her to keep her knowledge to herself. Something he found she had been intent on all along, even if he had not asked her to.
Before they got close enough to the hut to knock, the door was thrown open, and an elderly person in brown robes - and what smelled conspicuously like bird droppings in his hair – barged out. He fell down in front of the two, and Tara smiled.
"Radagast the Brown, I assume?" she giggled, squatting down in front of him. He slowly lifted his head, looking up at her with brown eyes. And his face was slowly broken into two by a smile, showing yellowed teeth.
"Gandalf! How long it's been! And a charming young lady to boot. Hello!"
He slowly gathered himself up from the ground, Tara helping him stand properly. He blinked at the contact, and began staring into Tara's eyes. She smiled at him, as he slowly scooted closer to Gandalf.
"She is not of this world." This was whispered, but Tara could hear it none the less. He smiled and nodded.
"Nice perception, Radagast. Or should I call you Aiwendil?"
The mention of his real name made Radagast jump, and his eyes widen. Gandalf was chuckling. The excitement! He knew he would enjoy Tara meeting his cousin. He played with the idea of introducing her to Saruman, while Radagast put Tara through almost the exact same questionnaire Gandalf had put her through. Tara was glad she didn't plan on meeting any more of the Istar, it was becoming tedious to answer so many questions.
Radagast was particularly intrigued by her mention of Elvish Herbalism, as she knew he would, when he asked what she was doing with her time on Middle Earth. He put an arm around Tara's shoulder, having warmed up to her quite quickly, and he led her into his hut. Gandalf followed, chuckling at the sight.
Radagast began teaching Tara as well, and not just about the Herbalism. He taught her to change shapes, though he stressed the dangers, and he taught her to spur growth. He taught her the ancient language of the Ents, how to recognize an Ent from a normal tree and how to cleanse dark magic. And in turn, she told her of her visions and her world. She told him of the parks and woods of Britain, and how most forest were no longer wild, but rather meticulously planned.
Gandalf and Tara spent 24 days together with Radagast, within which Tara grew very fond of the scatter-brained wizard. When it was time for them to leave, Radagast gifted her a small bracelet of blood oak with ancient runes inscribed into it. He also promised her that he would craft an amplifier for her, similar to the Istar's staves, but not identical.
Tara once told me that she looked forward to it even more than meeting me. This was, apparently, one of her greatest joys. I'm sure she'll look forward to meeting you too, Frodo. She often spoke of the future generations; she said one of her favorite Dwarves was but a child yet, but his father was somewhere amongst me and my friends. But that is for another time.
After leaving Radagast's cabin, Tara had but one more place she insisted to visit before they returned to Rivendell. She wanted to see the Elven Kingdom of Greenwood, domain of Elf King Thranduil and his son, Prince Legolas.
"They know we're here, I bet," Tara muttered under her breath, and Gandalf looked around him in a wary fashion.
"Of course they do. They must not think us hostile if they haven't chosen to attack by now." Tara giggled. She couldn't imagine the two of them seemed particularly hostile to the Elves. A young woman, clad in Elven clothes, and an aging grey man.
"Have you been to Greenwood's Elves before?"
Gandalf nodded.
"On a number of occasions, yes, but I've never stayed for too long. Thranduil prefers to keep his people out of the problems of the surrounding world, so I am never as welcome as I am in Rivendell," he commented, and Tara laughed.
"I look forward to seeing his reaction when you bring a human Seeress into his midst then," she teased, making Gandalf grumble. She could make jokes now, but the reality was that the Elven king would, probably, be far from happy about their visit. He could only hope that Tara's charm, which had swayed both Lord Elrond and Radagast, would work its magic on either Thranduil or his son.
The further into the forest the two rode, the clearer it became that they were following a road. It had been concealed in some way, and Tara could only guess that there was some kind of protection around the area. Whether this was magical in nature or not remained to be seen.
It wasn't until Dawson made a quiet sound she discovered two elves had emerged from the forest. They had grabbed the reigns to both horses and walked next to them, guiding them in the right direction. They had fair blonde hair, pointy ears, and the outfits of some sort of Guard. She assumed they were scouts, posted in the forest to keep an eye out for intruders or visitors, not necessarily always different things.
And as the Elves led their horses, it was as if the road changed entirely. From being little more than a line of downtrodden plants, it branched out, becoming a clear passage through the vegetation. She would bet all the gold in all of the seven Dwarven Kingdoms that they would never have found their way, if not the Elves had led them to the right place.
They emerged into a large clearing, illuminated by the light coming from the silver buildings in the trees. The buildings themselves were as plants, perfectly balanced amongst the trees, and as the Elf who held Dawson helped Tara down from him, she was certain she could see more than fifty pairs of fair eyes gazing down upon them from the trees. She walked forward, ignoring Gandalf's annoyed mumblings when the Elf holding his horse tried to help Gandalf himself down.
"It's beautiful," she whispered, twirling around herself. The hood fell down from her head, and her blood red hair caused a stir to go through the trees themselves. She stopped twirling when she realized someone was descending the stairs from the tree directly in front of her, and she blinked when she saw who. Two men, both beyond beautiful. She assumed that the one with the bigger crown was Thranduil, partly because she knew for a fact that the other was Legolas.
Gandalf soon joined her, standing next to her, and bowed for the Elven king. Tara also curtsied, and the two Elves also bowed, although Thranduil's gesture was more of a nod, to be true.
"Welcome to Greenwood, Mithrandir. And your companion?"
"Ah, she is-"
"Amin naa Tara, Heruanmin Thranduil. Saesa omentien lle." The King smiled graciously at her words. She had expected that she would receive at least a little respect if she spoke Elvish, rather than the common tongue.
"You speak Elvish?" he asked, sensing that Tara wasn't exactly fluent in his language.
"Lord Elrond taught me," she explained. "I am a Seeress from Rivendell."
Murmurs travelled in the treetops, and Legolas was the one to voice the concerns of his people.
"But you are a human." Tara diverted her eyes from the king, and the two met eyes. Tara's bright blue gaze was tempted to shift at the contact with the fair prince's eyes, but she was stubborn, and simply nodded.
"None the less, my residence is Rivendell, and the Elves there are my family in this world."
Thranduil raised a dark eyebrow.
"Do you mean to say you are of another world?" Gandalf shifted on the spot, and Tara put her hand on his elbow, trying to assure him she had everything under control.
"I mean to say that the Elves of Rivendell trust me, and that my home is with them. I have come here to learn more of Elven society, and Mithrandir accompanied me to ensure my safe return."
It wasn't exactly a lie, and not exactly the truth either, but it was satisfactory.
No more questions were asked, as Thranduil turned around to ascend the stairs yet again, and Tara and Gandalf quickly followed. Legolas walked behind them, after making sure to tell the Horsekeepers to tend to the visitors' steeds properly.
Tara enjoyed her visit in Greenwood very much. She had had many visions of Legolas' future endeavors, and his personality was just as she had hoped. The two became friends, and he taught her to shoot with a bow and arrow and taught her the customs of the Elvish people. She in turn told him stories of the world outside the forest, one he had rarely seen. She told him of the great white tower of Minas Tirith, of the shimmering ocean near Rivendell, of the hills and creeks of the Shire and of the magnificence found beneath the Lonely Mountain, within the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor.
She found out then, that Erebor had long since been taken by the dragon Smaug, and that she would be wise to not mention Dwarves during her visit. But you know why she did it Frodo? It was to know what was going to happen. You see, Tara had, with all her visions, not a certain idea of what happened around her. Past, future and present blended together for her, so she didn't know if the fall of Erebor was a vision of hers, or if it had already happened.
It had. And this convinced her that she didn't have much time left to study in Rivendell.
When they finally returned to the Elven home Tara loved, she was greeted like a long-lost family member by the inhabitants there. But not within a week of their return, Gandalf left. He had not even said goodbye to Tara. When the Lady Arwen told Tara this, she merely smiled and said she knew it already. She knew Gandalf had left to prepare for an adventure, and she knew it was going to happen soon.
And this, my dear Frodo, is where I come in. For as by fate, and the will of a wizard, I was to be a part of the adventure Tara had foretold. It began, as one might expect, quite simple. Once there was a hobbit in a hole...
Tenna' ento lye omenta = 'Till next we meet
Sana sina. Vara tel' Seldarine ar' Ama poldora a' lle. = Take this. Protection and Strength to you.
Amin naa Tara, Heruanmin Thranduil. Saesa omentien lle. = I am Tara, Lord Thranduil. Pleasure meeting you.
