So this is fun...don't ask me where the idea came for this story...I guess I have always had a soft spot for Elladan.
Thank you for the follows and favorites...I am always shocked when people actually read my stuff because it isn't exactly ground breaking! So thank you too;
Rousdower: Man you are my rock! Thank yoooou for reading yet another one of my stories...this update is dedicated to you! And Digby has a playmate? Okay can I establish that said playmate is not going to eat, maim, or emotionally damage my pet? You know like the last one! *sheepishly stands in front of digby obscuring him from view*
watergoddesskasey: Again THANK YOU! Loyal readers, I am so blessed, big smiles for me today!
Teapot of Transformation: :) Hello thank you as well for reading another of my stories! I am too happy for my own good. Yup how did Elladan get there? Sea turtles maybe? Hmm wrong fandom! Anyway hope you like the update.
tadah2: Thank you for the criticism it was deserved, and I promise I am trying to work on the grammar. In lieu of a beta I have tried to improve this chapter. I hope it reads a little better and that you feel you can read more of it. In the meantime I am working on that beta :) Oh and thank you for being so helpful as I said it is often rare.
Guest: Hi! :D Awesome thank you so much...hopefully you'll still think that.
Well I made a story image at last and I think I might enjoy the silliness of this story...So I make my plea...if you like please review and tell me what you think or things you would like to see. Criticism is welcome but obviously not trash talk no-one deserves that. Also following is nice I like followers *smiles sweetly*
2. The Castaway Elf
I lean against my pine work top pushing all my weight through my forearms and keep my eyes fixed on the coopery stone floor of my pokey kitchen. I am traumatized, Ryan is traumatized, and Elladan is about ready for the nut house. Which in hindsight is where I should have sent him, and not invited him back to my home, what was I thinking? I clap my hands to my face and let out a strangled whine before hugging myself and begin rocking. My little quirky movement I do when I am freaking out, which is most definitely what I am doing now!
I guess it all started when I tried to get my stray merman into my car, I guess that was when I should have started realizing something was very wrong, and I guess it was at that precise moment I decided I was dealing with a crazy person. Elladan was most confused by my very ordinary Ford fiesta and point blank refused to get inside it with me. When I tried to explain that I was not going to kidnap him and that we simply needed the car to drive the short ten minute trip home, he got very upset and I think had a major anxiety attack. It then became apparent he had never seen a car before let alone been inside one? It basically took me a full hour to explain its purpose and a further thirty minutes to get him into the passenger side, but we eventually got there together, even though he spent the rest of the journey hyperventilating and clawing right through the upholstery. Once I pulled up at my cabin, or maybe shack is a more apt description either way it is small, he practically fell out of the car and threw up.
It was Ryan who found me crouched down by Elladan's side tentatively stroking his hair back from his face while he dry wretched into my honeysuckle shrub. Once we got him inside the house we soon discovered that something was definitely off, as in this guy cannot be from the modern world off! He jumped about a foot in the air when I turned the lights on and then proceeded to be completely captivated by my light bulbs, or really I should say he was awestruck by electricity, I was beginning to believe he really was a merman. Jazz was the only one that appeared completely un-phased by this dude's extreme strangeness, he just stayed close by his side and gave him the odd nudge or wag of the tail as if to say; 'Yea man tell me about it!'
I eventually got Elladan sat down on my sofa draped him in a duvet and left Ryan to stoke my log burner. I made tea because at this point I was still verging on the assumption that Elladan was some sort of British tourist and well British people like tea. So all four of us sat in my lounge looking awkwardly at each other, except for Jazz, Jazz was all over Elladan like a rash! This softened Ryan a little because it is a well-known fact that Jazz dislikes strangers and is overly protective of me, so clearly this guy was not that bad if Jazz was cuddling up to him like he was a long lost relative, or at least this was my hope? Ryan started conversation at some point in an attempt to fish more details from the poor guy, what we learned was so completely illogical and impossible that it left us speechless for the next half hour.
Elladan explained who he was and who his brother was, turned out Ryan was right his brother was called Elrohir, you would think alarm bells would have been going off at this point wouldn't you? Technically Elrohir was his twin, but you know that thirty minutes makes all the difference when deciding who the superior sibling is, so to Elladan he would always be his little brother. When asked where he was from he quite plainly said, 'Imladris,' and Ryan practically spewed his tea all over me and our odd guest. I am nerdy enough to know that he was talking about a fictional place in middle earth, I remember googling it once and learning it was the proper name for Rivendell, this shows you how I fill my days. He quite openly told us his Dad was Lord Elrond, or ex Lord Elrond, as it would appear he long since vacated Imladris and left it to the care of his twin boys. So long story short Elladan and his brother where leaving middle earth behind and travelling to Valinor to be with their parents at last, only there was a storm and he fell out of the boat and here he is in my living room.
The strangest part of the whole bizarre thing is that I believe him because really no other explanation would fit. At first I didn't and I was slowly inching towards my phone to call for that ambulance again only this time I wanted them to bring a strait jacket. It was actually Ryan that was the first to be convinced but it took me another hour or so to digest what I was being told. When it was all too much for me I left the room and here I am standing in my kitchen freaking out.
"Levi?" Ryan whispers and tiptoes into the small space with me he jumps up onto the counter top and fidgets with his empty mug. After a few moments of tense silence he blows out a long sigh and looks at me with a similarly baffled expression; "Lee I think he is telling the truth."
"Oh my god," I squeak and spin to face the sink pushing the lever tap forward to a full turn so the water blasts out. This is only to make noise because I feel it is rude to let someone know you are talking about them. I bang a few pots and dishes before speaking; "No Ryan it is not possible, it is just not possible and you are the biggest fool for believing it!"
"Well how else would you explain his behaviour?" Ryan diplomatically points out and gestures to the lights; "He is freaked out by everything; he thought I was a wizard because I used a lighter to start the log burner, Levi he is not from here!"
"He could just be really sheltered?" I counter and then sigh because I realise it is a moot argument, even sheltered people would know what an electric socket is. "Okay but middle earth? Ryan it is not real it is made up!" I wave my hands wildly above my head and give my best buddy a pained look to express my disbelief.
"But what if it is real?" Ryan gasps and practically leans across the counter to get right up in my space with wide awestruck eyes; "Look you know I live and breathe everything fantastical, you know how much I adore Tolkien right?"
"Ryan you are scaring me stop staring it is unnerving," I mutter but nod nonetheless.
"Well I asked him a bunch of really difficult questions, like pro fan level stuff, and Lee he just answered everything like it was a doddle. Lee his ears are pointed actual elf ears not prosthetic or surgically enhanced." Ryan tugs his ear for added effect and gives me a pleading look; "Think about it Levi how else could you describe his extreme reactions? His story fits and I am loathed to admit it but I think we are harbouring a castaway elf?"
I stare at Ryan for several minutes trying to work out if I should slap him or if I should dunk my head in my sink full of cold water? This is a dream, it has to be, I am not hearing this and I am not actually considering this to be the truth? I start to rub my temples furiously and begin pacing my tiny kitchen in soothing rhythmic motions. Ryan sits quietly and continues to fidget with the mug in his hands his face drawn into an expression of awe and contemplation, his dark brown eyes glazed over with disbelief and his mouth pulled into a lopsided grimace.
"Excuse me?"
The deep yet melodic voice makes both Ryan and I leap in the air and for a split second we just stand open mouthed staring at the castaway elf man. Elladan wearily holds onto my double doorframe like it is all that is holding him up and watches me with red rimmed exhausted eyes. I try to think of something to say but all I can do is squeak awkwardly and this obviously does not help.
"I…um…well I could not help but overhear your conversation," Elladan starts, his eyes darting around my kitchen growing ever more wider as he absorbs it all, eventually though they come to land on me; "You doubt me?" he asks suddenly but then shakes his head and tries again; "What I mean to say is…uh…I am not real to you is this correct?"
His eyes are so focused and intense that I gulp and nod slowly before realising my reaction is a bit vague so I follow it up with; "Elves don't exist here, you don't exist in reality you are a fairy-tale." Oh wow smooth Lee very smooth you called him a fairy!
It is his turn to swallow hard but he nods his head like he is grasping the situation; "What is here? I mean what is this reality?" he asks very slowly and I watch as his fingers dig further into my doorpost.
"This is earth and you are in a country called America in a place called Oregon," I reply in an equally slow tempo and bob my head in time with his, but do I stop there no I continue; "There are no elves here just humans and I realise this is very difficult for you, but if you are who you say you are then you need to know that it is really hard for me to accept that you're real. So you better not be some lunatic taking me for a ride."
His head jerks to the side at my passive aggressive tone and his brows furrow; "I am Elladan son of Elrond, I am half-elven and I swear to you there is a realm known as Arda it was my home."
I think I just stand silently for at least ten seconds before crouching down on the ground and clasping my head with my hands. I practice the calming technique of deep breathing and gentle rocking, this is quite a lot to try and fathom in one go, I think I am allowed to freak out;
"Elves are real," I finally mutter and hold my hands away from my head to observe them like they are going to confirm the statement.
"We have established that Levi," Ryan answers my statement and with quite a squeaky voice adds; "As is middle earth…or…Arda. What is considered the most political correct term Mr…ah…I mean…Lord Elladan? Would that be right? Lord, that's what you are right, cause like your Daddy is Lord Elrond very famous dude, big with Gil galad and those peeps …yea…no? Man you look a little pale?"
Elladan literally just regards Ryan with the most petrified look I have ever seen. I am not kidding this elf is about three seconds away from a stroke and who could blame him? I slowly turn around to shake my head disapprovingly at my tactless friend, is he serious? The guy is equally as freaked out as I am, it's not every day you find out that you're not the only world in the universe; well this is great my life has just turned into an episode of stargate, but instead of harbouring aliens I am stumbling across fictional characters!
"Okay I'm done!" I exclaim and straighten up out of rocking crouch. This is met by two sets of wary eyes so I force a smile for my bizarre guest; "So I have an elf in my house, awesome, well you're very welcome and I guess you must be hungry?" Elladan just about manages a nod and I swear I ramp up my deranged smile and lop to the fridge.
I rummage about trying to think of what elves would like to eat; are they vegetarian, or like vegan? Elladan looks pretty ripped so I assume he must get plenty of protein, eggs it is then, eggs are a universal food everyone can tolerate an egg! I nab the carton, some peppers, an onion and cheese, everyone loves an omelette. I start banging about the kitchen shooing Ryan out of the way, well if they are going to stare then they need to stare from a distance, I'm cooking I need space. I guess I never thought that snapping on the gas cooker and tossing about an electric whisk would have caused Elladan to faint, but it did, I guess modern appliances was just a step too far? Oopps!
xXx
"I'm really sorry," I apologize for the hundredth time and bite my lip as I press a pack of frozen peas to Elladan's temple. "That was a dumb move; I guess everything is a lot different here huh?"
"Just a little," he smirks then winces with the discomfort of his newly acquired bump. He wriggles uncomfortably in my bed, which I have so graciously let him borrow since he is now injured, and continues to stare at everything with fearful curiosity.
"If it helps the first time I had to use an industrial stove I got so flustered I hid in the pantry for the whole afternoon! I was just not ready for such modern advances in my relatively quaint life." I finish my attempt at empathizing with a goofy grin and hope he grasps that I am trying my best to make light of the rather awkward situation.
"I do not quite understand?" he starts and narrows his eyes as if trying to figure out my little tale.
"Oh well the thing I tried to cook on in the kitchen is called a stove, it is pretty average sized, but I own a bakery and it has a whole wall dedicated to a very large stove." I finish my explanation with a self-satisfied nod but my expression of delight fades when Elladan just watches me with baffled eyes.
"No I mean…I was not talking about the stove…I mean I do not understand how I am here?" He frowns and slowly scans my room again, which thankfully I have recently just redecorated and I cleaned it this morning, props for me!
"Ah well that is the million dollar question isn't it?" I chirp but am met with another confused glance, well this is difficult, am I going to have to explain everything? Aw crap I am going to have to explain everything!
"Yes it is," Elladan murmurs and his focused gaze suddenly drifts away to some memory for the briefest moment of time. As quick as his mind left the room it returns and he manages a very small and timid smile for me. He places his hand on the bag of peas and tries to yank it away but I forcefully hold it there.
"No way matey, I don't think so; you hit your head you need to keep the ice on that bump!" I scold and he actually startles at my raised voice.
"I beg your pardon but no I do not!" He replies quite firmly and attempts to remove the bag again.
I narrow my eyes at him and taunt; "Who made you the nurse…er…healer? I have the big of frozen peas I think I get the final say."
"I am a healer and I am telling you I am perfectly fine," Elladan replies with a dead pan expression and my mouth pops open involuntarily.
"Oh…um…well then I guess you are the nurse," I cringe and hand him the bag of peas with an apologetic look. To this his expressionless face suddenly cracks into an amused grin and he laughs softly, a musical sound, kind of captivating and I suddenly realise I am staring. Before I know it my mouth starts doing its own thing and I come out with; "You have a really sweet laugh."
"Really? My brother finds it aggravating," he says and cocks his head to the side completely unconcerned with the ridiculous statement I just spewed out. I would face palm myself right now if I thought it would help me take back that horrendous sentence. Elladan seems to gather my sudden awkwardness and smirks playfully; "If it helps I may have exaggerated my healer status, I studied the art but preferred playing with swords, but I still remember the basic principles."
"It helps," I say and stifle a giggle, I like him, he seems mellow. Well as mellow as one would be when they wake up in a completely different world that is vastly more technologically advanced then their own.
"Good," he sighs and then gives me a pained look; "May I ask a favour?" I nod and he drops his gaze before answering; "If I promise to ignore the laugh comment, would you be so kind as to never bring up the fainting incident?"
"I can do that!" I leap at the opportunity to sweep that incident under the metaphorical rug.
"Thank you," he cringes and glances towards the door; "Do you think your foreign mate could do the same?"
"Foreign mate?" I ask and give the elf a quizzical look.
"Ryan, the dark skinned man, he is your husband? No?"
"Oh lord NO!" I actually laugh so hard I snort; "No Ryan is my friend and business partner, he doesn't even live here. He was just being a gentleman and protecting me from the slightly manic elf man I scooped up on the beach. Also he isn't foreign, he was born in Michigan, which is here in this land too so nope he is not foreign. Though sometimes I think he comes from another world entirely…uh…that was entirely inappropriate and I am really sorry!"
I am relieved when Elladan actually laughs at the comment and shakes his head; "No it is fine I appreciate the humour and my apologies for being presumptions, your friend is very wise for I would not have allowed a young maiden to house a manic elf, for I hear they can be quite difficult."
"You are a funny elf Elladan!" I chuckle and he smiles back but he looks exhausted, he really looks like he has been to hell and back. With a breezy smile I stand to my feet and say in my most professional voice; "I think you should get some sleep and maybe tomorrow we can try and figure out how to get you back to your brother."
"I do not want to be a burden," Elladan quickly raises his hands his voice sounding concerned; "You have already done so much."
"Nonsense!" I snort and cross my arms about my chest; "besides I want to help."
"I cannot thank you enough Levi but I do not think it will be so easy," he murmurs and looks rather forlorn in my big walnut sleigh bed.
"Probably not," I nod in agreement and shrug; "but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, for now just get some rest and we'll worry about it later, agreed?"
"Agreed!"