When Tam woke up, she may have vowed to never, ever go out with Will again.
She had made that vow multiple times in her life, but this time...well, this time she was serious because this was definitely not her bed. If she'd had a one night stand, she was actually going to kill her best friend. Painfully.
The sound of Will muttering about light made her reassess her one night stand idea and made her sit up. Tam ignored the head rush that followed that action and looked around.
Considering the amount of beds and how...uniform they all were, she realised she couldn't be in a hotel room and was instantly relieved. Also, she was dressed, though not in clothes she would normally wear - a long, flowing, white dress which reminded her of something she would paint an elf wearing. Also, barefooted, which made her feet freeze. Her toenails, painted red with white spots, were startling.
"I see you are awake." Tam nearly screamed, but instead flailed and nearly fell off the bed. The owner of the voice merely placed a hand on her shoulder and laughed lightly. "Easy. You may need to regain your bearings."
She did. She admitted that she really did. Because when she turned her head, the person by her bed...well, he definitely was not human.
He was ethereal, almost, with dark hair and eyes, contrasting starkly with nearly paper white skin. His features were stunning in a way that Tam found unnatural, but that wasn't what surprised her. What did was the fact that his ears were pointed.
"You're an elf." Great observation there, Tam. Ten points to you. The elf's lips merely twitched. "I've gone insane, haven't I?"
"No. It may disorientating for some time, though. I am Erestor, Chief Councillor to Lord Elrond of Rivendell, although currently he has put me in charge of looking after you and your friend until you are able to meet him personally."
"Will?" Yes, she'd heard him, grumbling about the light. Hesitantly, she sat up, relieved her head wasn't spinning, and took in the room. On the bed next to her was Will, hesitantly emerging from the pillow he'd obviously shoved over his head to stop the light reaching him. "Will, get the pillow off your head."
"Tam...this isn't my room."
"I can see that." Tam commented dryly. She turned back to Erestor. "He'll come around soon - he's not good at waking up."
Despite Tam's calm outer appearance and speech, she was internally freaking out. She had a right to do so because Erestor was a fucking fictional character and this was bad. Really, really bad.
"You are remarkably calm." Erestor observed. Tam managed to not laugh hysterically.
"I'm up." Will managed to get out, moving so that he was sat on the bed, bare feet on the cold floor. He, too, was wearing different clothes - silver blue robes. He shivered. "Shoes?"
"Ah, of course."
As the councillor moved to find them shoes, Tam and Will exchanged obvious panicked looks.
'Is that and elf?' Will mouthed to her. Tam nodded. 'Oh, we are so screwed.'
As Erestor deposited the shoes at their beds, Tam hastily ran a hand through her shoulder length, curly black hair - an anxious habit which she'd probably picked up from her uncle.
"So...we're going to meet Elrond, huh?"
XoooX
It was on the way to Elrond's rooms that Tam first met Glorfindel.
She knew of him, of course, after stumbling her way through the books. The Balrog slayer, the one who actually rescued Frodo from the Nazgul and took him to Rivendell.
Tam held nothing against Arwen - she went against her father's orders and made her own choices, good for her - but the absence of Glorfindel in the films displeased her.
He was training with some other elves of Rivendell, though Tam couldn't put a name to them off the top of her head. His long, gold hair was pulled back with a red ribbon, and as he turned he paused, catching sight of them. He called out something in elvish and Erestor looked like he wanted to run. Like Glorfindel pausing training for a while was something that annoyed him immensely.
Apparently, it was just Glorfindel's presence that he wanted to run from.
"Councillor Erestor." Glorfindel smiled beautifully, all teeth and Tam may have just managed to not swoon. Erestor looked unimpressed.
"Glorfindel. You're supposed to be training." The councilor crossed his arms, eyes narrowing minutely. "I suggest you get back to it."
"Can I not talk to you and our guests?" Glorfindel hummed, offering Tam and Will a slightly less blinding smile. "Glorfindel."
"Uh...Tammith Adams? But it's just...I prefer Tam."
"Will Foster." Will, ever the flirt, returned the grin, charm turned up full. "Like your hair."
"I like you." Glorfindel decided. Erestor huffed.
"Yes, yes. Now, if you don't mind - we are to meet with Lord Elrond." Instead of looking put off, Glorfindel just perked up.
"Then I'll accompany you." The golden warrior answered, beaming. His teeth could probably blind weaker men, Tam thought idly. Erestor looked disgruntled, but resigned to his fate. He sidestepped Glorfindel and continued walking. They hurried to keep up with Erestor's brisk pace. He obviously wanted to get the whole thing over and done with as soon as possible.
Erestor came to a stop in front of a door, and Tam could hear murmured voices from inside. She couldn't make out any words, but they sounded familiar. One was Elrond, obviously. But the other...it was impossible to be who she thought it was.
When Erestor knocked, the voices went silent, and a voice called enter. They did so and, well, Tam's mum was there which...was not expected at all.
"Mum?"
"Tammith." Cat made her way over, and instead of wearing what she normally wore, Tam's mother was dressed in elven robes, her hair slightly longer, pulled out of her face.
Cat pressed a kiss to the top of Tam's head, and Tam wrinkled her nose unable to not.
"Um...Miss Adams? What's exactly going on?" Will piped up. Catherine turned, exchanging a look with Elrond. They seemed to have a conversation, consisting of only expressions.
"We might as well explain to all of them." Cat finally sighed. "Glorfindel, it has been a long time - close the door, please?" The golden elf jumped to attention, moving to do as Cat requested.
"Mum...?"
"It is a complicated story. Nothing I say shall leave this room - understood?" Her eyes stayed focused on Tam and Will, who looked hesitant. "It shall only be said if it is of dire importance.
About twenty years ago - for me, anyway - I and my brother arrived in Middle Earth without knowing how we had gotten there. I am sure that Erestor and Glorfindel remember the arrival of the company of Thorin Oakenshield about sixty years prior?" The two elves nodded.
"I believe that you were a member of that company, Miss Adams." Erestor spoke up. Tam's eyes widened dramatically, and Will gaped.
"You would be correct. After the Battle of the Five Armies, my brother and I had to leave Middle Earth, although we expected to be sent back."
"You have knowledge of the future, of how to change events that are yet to come." Elrond pointed out. "The Valar sent you to help change the future, to prevent deaths and save lives."
"But then why are we here?" Tam spoke then, hands on her hips. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Because it is your time." Glorfindel's eyes were on Cat, but now they turned to Tammith. "Your mother and your uncle have had a great effect on Middle Earth already, and I believe that this time, the effect shall be even greater. To do with the ring young Frodo carries." Cat winced. "I thought so."
"We've dealt with the ring before." Cat admitted. "It was something we...overlooked. We were preoccupied with...well, Thorin nearly dying and having to return home. Caleb thought we'd come back, he just wasn't sure when or how."
"Wait. I'm confused." Will raised his hand, like he was back in school. "So, we're here to...fuck up the plot?" Tam snorted very loudly, the elves looked vaguely confused and Cat just rolled her eyes.
"Yes Will. We're here to, as you so eloquently put it, 'fuck up the plot'." Will grinned.
"Sweet!"
XoooX
Out of everywhere Cat had been the last time she'd been here, Rivendell had always been the place that enchanted her the most.
She'd never really appreciated it when she was nineteen and on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain, but now she could walk around and actually take it in. This time, without having to face criticism from certain dwarves.
Cat had just returned from the Hall of Fire, when she first bumped into Boromir of Gondor.
She knew he was coming to Rivendell, of course, to ask about the dreams he and his brother had experienced, but Cat hadn't expected to see him until tomorrow, until the council. But here he was.
She took in his appearance - well built, with shoulder length hair and a beard. His eyes were light blue, almost grey, in colour. Her mind cast back to the lament in the books, and damn, Boromir the Fair was perfect for him. Immediately after that, she considered ramming her head repeatedly against one of the stone columns in Rivendell. No, she was not thinking those sorts of thoughts because she was on a mission to save the entirety of Middle Earth.
A small voice in the back of her head reminded her that, although she and Caleb had been on a mission of less importance, her brother had found love while travelling. She squashed it furiously.
"Sorry. I should -"
"No, it's my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going." Cat glanced up, meeting curious eyes. "You are no elf, my lady."
"That's because I'm not." Cat replied. "I'm completely human - Catherine Adams, at your service." She offered a hand. Instead of shaking it, Boromir took it and pressed a kiss to the back of her knuckles and oh, yes, that was normal here.
Cat's ears were not turning red.
"And I am Boromir, son of the Steward of Gondor." Cat resisted the temptation to say that yes, she knew that. "May I ask what brings you to Rivendell?"
"Elrond is an old friend of mine. I come with his invitation, along with my brother." Cat brushed some hair behind her ear. "What brings you here, all the way from Gondor?"
"I assume you will find out tomorrow, at the council meeting." Boromir's eyes twinkled slightly and Cat realised that this may be the only chance to see Boromir completely at ease, away from the ring's influence. There was one other time he was like this, when training with Merry and Pippin, and even then the shadow of what was to come lingered like a dark cloud over the entire Fellowship. It was a sad thought.
"You have not been to Rivendell before?" Cat assumed and, at Boromir's affirmative nod, smiled. "Then I shall show you around - the Hall of Fire, I think. Stories and songs about times gone by, before food and then I'll show you where Elrond keeps the spare rooms. You must be tired."
"It will be nice to sleep in a bed again." Boromir admitted, and he allowed Cat to lead him to the Hall of Fire.
If Glorfindel gave her a knowing look when she entered, Boromir in tow, well, Cat didn't notice it.
XoOoX
Sorry this took so long, guys.
My friend introduced me to Assassin's Creed and I got slightly addicted. But yes, update.
The Council of Elrond next, which shall be fun - a mix of book and film stuff shoved in there.
I'm feeling ill, so yeah, I've been writing and drabbling things that will never be finished for multiple fandoms. I also got into DC and bought the batman trilogy and man of steel for £20. I'm also eighteen, which is mildly terrifying.
Read, review and all that jazz! ~ Jazz xx