Chapter One: Wow's Ow's How's and Whos
Slowly, little by little, bit by bit Naomi was able to regain her senses. First was the throbbing in the back of her head, a ringing in her ears, a tingle in her toes. Second was the awareness of being on her back, a light sheet draped over her, soft breaths in and out through her nose, the smell of wood and damp earth after rain. Third was the peaceful sound of a bird singing a morning tune, a fuzzy feeling in her mouth, the sound of water running, a cool breeze softly caressing her face, the urge to run to the toilet and pee for 20 minutes straight. Naomi's eyes flickered open and she raised an eyebrow in question. This was definitely NOT Tess' damaged apartment in the middle of a storm, or even after a storm.
So she came to the conclusion she was dead.
Until the pain of needing to pee hit her again. Then she decided she was still alive.
Slowly sitting up Naomi looked around the room, she was currently in a bed (a very SOFT bed) in a yellow cream room. A dresser and closet stood on the far wall, with a door to her left and what she presumed to be an open balcony to her right, due to the large slightly transparent curtain pulled across the gap, casting a creamy light over the room. Feeling peaceful and rather content she reach a hand to her head with a sigh, finding a bandage wrapped securely around it. She dragged a hand through the loose strand of her blonde hair that fell to her waist in straight waves.
"Well that's new," Naomi remarked, when she'd fallen unconscious her hair had only just brushed the top of her shoulders. Whilst wondering how long she'd been under for she slid to the right side of the bed and swung her legs around to the floor. She stood slowly and kept her balance by holding onto the side table, trying to stop the dull throbbing in the back of her head. Whilst waiting for the dizziness to pass she studied herself. A cream dress with the bell sleeves fitted her comfortably, the scoop neckline rounded at the top of her cleavage showing off her chest and collar bone, whilst making it looked modest. The bottom of the dress fell loosely from its place at hugging her waist. Another soft breeze flitted through the the curtain and rustled her dress slightly. Curiosity gained the better of her and she carefully shuffled over to the curtain, pulling the silk like fabric apart she found that there it was indeed a small balcony. A soft gasp left her mouth as she observed the surrounding landscape. High mountains covered in trees of greens, browns, golds and oranges, water cascaded at irregular intervals and heights, rushing through rather than around the structures. The beautiful buildings blended into the surrounding, the trees growing through them instead of chopped down. Walking out the few steps she rested her hands on the cool stone, her grey blue eyes absorbing the scenery.
"Wow...," Naomi's words were lost in another small breeze that lifted up her hair as if playing with it, the curtains behind her billowing out around her. She smiled gleefully at the sensation, closing her eyes and breathing in deeply. The wind dropped and she opened her eyes once again and looked below her at the garden, and blinked in surprise when she found someone staring up at her. A young man with a strong chin, defined cheek bones, strong looking but not overly muscular and blonde hair that reached his shoulders, the top half pulled back into a plait. What made Naomi's breath catch in her throat though was his vibrant blue eyes that bore into her own. With his bewildered expression and head tilted slightly, Naomi couldn't help but chuckle (with her hand over her mouth of course) before waving and retreating backwards with a little smile, the curtains blowing around her before hiding her from his view, as if the room wanted to keep her all for itself.
"I wonder who he was," Naomi spoke out softy before sitting back in her bed.
Legolas had been wandering the gardens since his arrival in Rivendell and had decided to take a rest in one of the western ones that overlooked the valley. The peaceful sounds filled his pointed ears and calmed his spirit.
"Wow...," A feminine voice whispered somewhere above, the sound (which, even though was said softly had been picked up by his keen hearing) intrigued him. This word had been said in the tongue of the human race, yet it had an accent he had never before heard. Tilting his head up he found it was a young woman, but this certain female seemed to glow as the curtain billowed behind her and her hair swirled like pale, liquid gold waves around her frame. Her smile was peaceful and as she opened her eyes he found that the grey blue orbs contained ease and hidden strength. Legolas found he must have been staring as she chuckled delicately before waving lightly and receding back into the curtains that seemed to engulf her. With her cheeky smile imprinted into his mind he walked onwards, a smirk of his own plastered to his face. That is how his respected friend Aragorn found him.
"And what have you found in Rivendell that is to your liking, Legolas?"
"I happened to chance upon an enchanting maiden," Legolas stated with a grin, this peaked Aragorn's interest as he had never known his friend to take an interest in many women.
"And what would this 'enchanting maiden' be known as?"
"I know not, but it would surely have to be a title like Amaion or Ruara," Legolas said, her picture brought forth to the front of his mind once again.
"You think it possible you dreamt her?" Aragorn asked, questioning the name Ruara which meant Dream Woman in elvish.
"Her language was that of yours Aragorn, but her accent was nothing i've ever heard before,"
"So then you spoke to her?"
"Nay, she said but one word from above me whilst observing the scenery, though I known not what the word meant," Legolas brought a finger to his chin in thought.
"What was this word? Do you remember the pronunciation?"
"She spoke the word 'Wow',"
Naomi woke once again, although this time feeling a lot stiffer than she had last time and the throb in the back of her head was more perceivable. As she opened her eyes to the pain she wondered if she had imagined walking to the balcony and seeing the statuesque man with blonde hair and stunning blue eyes.
"Oh, you have woken at last," A soft voice said beside her. Naomi turned her head slowly to the left and felt her eyes widen at what she saw. A staggeringly beautiful woman stood next to her bed with a tray of food in her delicate hands. Her dark brown locks fell in ripples to her waist, and her dark blue eyes pierced heavily into Naomi's so intently that Naomi had to move her gaze back to the ceiling.
'What's with everyone and blue eyes?' Naomi thought puzzled, before slowly pulling herself into a seat position, leaning back against her pillows.
"I am Arwen Undómiel, The Lady of Imladris. Though you may call me Arwen," The woman said kindly, setting the tray down on a side table before strolling over and kneeling next to the bed.
"What is your name?" She asked kindly with a small smile.
"Naomi Jackson," Naomi said tentatively, Arwen nodded happily.
"Good, now before I ask any more questions of you, would you like something to eat or drink? Lady Naomi of the Jackson?"
"Ah just Naomi is okay, and yes please," Naomi asked politely. Arwen nodded again and stood up, turning to the side table.
"You know-,"
"AAAH!!!" Arwen jumped, dropping the apple she was inspecting as Naomi screamed loudly whilst shuffling across the bed away from her.
"Lady Naomi watch out--!" Arwen was too late and Naomi fell backwards off the side of the bed, landing with a hard 'thunk' on the floor. Arwen, who was in a mild state of shock and was unsure whether to try and approach Naomi or not, frowned in confusion.
"Are you...alright?" She asked softly, trying to peek over the bed. Naomi popped back up, holding the back of her head with one hand and pointing at Arwen's head with the other.
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOUR EARS!?!?" Naomi cried vehemently as she stood up on unsteady feet.
"Arwen! I heard cries! What troubles have been found?" An older looking man with brown hair (who Naomi presumed was Arwen's father) rushed into the room, an old man in a grey cloak and a middle aged man in a navy blue tunic and pants following him.
"And there's another one! What the hell! WHERE AM I!?" Naomi hollered backing up until she was stuck against a wall, smacking into it so hard that she bumped her head again.
"Ow...,"
"Please, my lady, calm down or you may hurt yourself again!" The man in blue stated taking a few steps forward, his hands up in a sign of peace.
"Well I don't know how I hurt myself in the first pla--," Naomi froze, the memories of the storm, the lightening, the hail smashing through the glass door, the man in the hooded cloak...
"TESS!" Naomi's head snapped up as she remembered the image of her best friend's forehead bleeding, it was rushing all down her face, over Naomi's hands, onto the floor, pooling, it wouldn't stop there was too much, so much blood--
"LADY NAOMI OF JACKSON!" a rough shaking brought Naomi back to her current position, calm teal eyes were set before her and large warm hands gripped her upper arms. Which is just as well because Naomi's legs promptly gave out.
"Tess...is she here too?" Naomi sobbed, tears starting to leak out.
"I fear this 'Tess' is not here," Naomi sobbed a little harder at this new piece information.
"Then...what...h-how...when did I...?" Naomi trailed off, the questions too numerous for her to process in her upset state.
"Lady Naomi, I ask that you take a breath in, your face is going blue," The man asked calmly, though concern was laced through his words. Naomi let out a laugh which sounded more like a snort. The snort turned into a chuckle, which turned back into a hiccuped sob. No longer caring who this man was, she shoved her head into his chest and cried. She cried for her lack of knowledge, for Tess and for herself and how she managed to wind up in such a strange predicament. After some time Naomi realized she was being rocked back and forth, with large circles being rubbed around her back and a soothing feminine murmur behind her. Naomi's sobs subsided, and only a few tears escaped her eyes now.
"What is she saying?" Naomi whispered to the man rocking her.
"She is singing for your friend, for her to have a safe passage to her next destination with all the other souls, she sings in hopes of guiding her missing spirit to somewhere where you can, one day, meet her again," The man's voice rumbled through his chest and soothed Naomi. Arwen's beautiful signing put her in a state of calmness again. Soon the singing stopped and Naomi allowed herself to be pulled to her feet, before being helped back into bed.
"Here, drink this my dear," The old man in the grey clothing said with a kind smile before passing her a cup of hot liquid. Naomi blew on the substance before taking a little sip. It was tea, flavored with honey and citrus and Naomi smiled slightly as the warm substance melted down her chest to pool in her stomach.
"Now, I do believe it is time for a few proper introductions!" The man said cheerfully, Naomi trusted this man, he made her feel uplifted and safe.
"This is Master Elrond, he is the Lord of Rivendell, where we currently are, Arwen is his daughter and they are the two of many Elves that reside in Middle-Earth," The old man spoke, Naomi nodded gently, showing she was following (and only believing because she was seeing).
"This is Aragorn, or Strider as he is known by the Hobbits," The old man said gesturing to the man in Navy blue, who nodded his head with a small smile.
"And I am Gandalf the Grey, a wizard you might know my power as," He smiled again.
"Oh my dear lord...," Was all Naomi managed to say.
