p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"A malice unforeseen/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I steadily took a step back. It was surprising that I did not stumble, nor did I have much doubt in my mind that I must make a stand against my sinister and vengeful adversary, for the moment I decided to turn my back and sprint, it would hunt me down in a matter of minutes and tear me to shreds with those hideous bared fangs./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"In answer, the creature emitted another short grunt of derisive pleasure from its throat and, taking a step forward, crouched down a little, as if preparing to pounce should I make the slightest of movements. It tilted its head and regarded me with a certain disdain, all the time leering at me. A stench wafted out to meet my nostrils, and despite the enormity of the peril I was in, my nose wrinkled on its own, for it smelled like putrid meat and rotting compost./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"As the creature turned its head a little, however, I caught sight of something curious. There was a wound, and a fresh one at that, that marked one side of its throat. An ugly gash that was still weeping blood. Somebody must have struck it there, but who? Or did it get into a fight with another of its own kind and incurred that injury? But even the sight of that not so significant wound gave me some hope... may be the loss of blood would considerably weaken it if I could hold on for a while longer. But in my mind I knew that it was either a head-on fight with this monster, or somehow outrunning it. Neither seemed plausible to lead to a very pleasant outcome for me. And so, I waited, almost breathless, my heart thudding like a drum and blood roaring in my ears, while my arms ached from holding up the knife and clutching it hard for so long./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Suddenly, the creature, which had been so intent on observing me with a malign, baleful pleasure in its eyes, whipped its head to one side and cocked its ears a little, as if listening to some sound that my human ears could not catch. Its eyes were much more alert now, I could see, as if it sensed danger and intrusion in its quiet meditation about my poor fate before it could gobble me up./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"This was a diversion, and one that could save my life. If the creature were to get enough distracted or disturbed as to leave me alone or retreat even a little, I could make a run for my life./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Even as this thought flashed through my mind like a lightning bolt, I perceived a small movement to my side through the corner of my eye, and turning a little, I saw (what I can now most certainly assert, but which, back then, sent a surge of relief through my veins) a most curious sight. A man stepped out from behind a very thick tree-trunk, with a very broad two-handed great sword glittering cruelly in his hands./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I would not try to describe him here... this completely unexpected (but very welcome, I daresay) eleventh hour Samaritan. For at that moment, I had not the state of mind to scrutinize his appearance. He appeared like an impossibly bright beacon of hope and life where I was sure a few more minutes of delay would have resulted in my certain death at the hands of the brute who now glared down ominously at this man instead./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I could tell that even the creature understood that such a puny thing as me, armed with nothing more than a Swiss army knife, posed no threat at all. This new opponent, however, was another matter entirely. For looking into his eyes, I saw that he held no fear for this gigantic animal which was currently baring its fangs and sat hunched upon the ground with the posture of a wild cat ready to spring upon its prey. The piercing blue eyes stared steadily and calmly ahead into the cruel, beady black ones of the slobbering, grotesque wolf, as he strode with purpose and strength, the great-sword held ready in front of him with strong, unwavering hands./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"With a roar the beast lunged, its body contorting impossibly into a whirl of grey and then flexing of its own in a deadly elegance as it leapt into the air, putting forth all its force, all its rage and cruel hatred as it landed, seemingly right on top of the man. But the man leapt back at the last moment, and almost immediately, the wolf's howl of rage turned into a wail of utter agony as the lethal sword swooped down on it, slicing clean through. An instant later, the severed head rolled away on the ground as the huge body collapsed on the ground with a dull thud./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"This whole sequence of actions took less than ten seconds to play out in front of my bewildered, disbelieving eyes. As the wolf fell, the breath whooshed out of my lungs, and only then I realized that I had been holding it for a long time./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The knife clattered to the forest floor from my numb hands as my shoulders relaxed of their own accord, and I immediately felt a great weariness come over me. But instead of allowing myself to slouch down on the ground and relieve myself for a brief while from the nightmare that I just passed through, I forced my leaden feet to take a few steps forward, to check on this stranger who had so surely saved my life./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He had stooped to retrieve his sword which had probably fallen to the ground due to the impact, and now he stood up straight, surveying the dead animal in front of him. And it was this moment that I actually had the first opportunity to observe him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He was not very tall, but very broad, with shoulders that spoke of massive strength and a very regal air about him as he stood straight as a ramrod. He has unimaginably long hair... a whole mass of raven tresses cascaded down from his bent head, with a few streaks of grey adorning them. His fingers grasped the pommel of the sword which was so long, its tip rested comfortably on the ground even though the hilt reached up to almost his breast. He wore some sort of tight-fitting tunic, and on top of that, a chain-mail ! I blinked twice to make sure I was seeing it right. Indeed, it was chain-mail with closely woven silver rings that jiggled as he moved, and it dangled down to his knees, and his breeches were lost in very high black travel-stained boots. On top of all these fine armoury, he had a very thick and seemingly warm fur cloak draped across his shoulders./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The man looked up slowly from his kill to meet my eyes. And immediately, all the details that had registered in my head about his appearance fell altogether short of the sharpness and keenness of his eyes that almost instantly had me intrigued and fretful at the same time. You see, there are some people, not many, whose eyes seem to give you the impression that you are being X-rayed by them, as if their eyes have the power to shred you of any cover and concealment whatsoever and pry out all the secrets that you ever had hidden up your sleeve. This man's eyes, mind you, were nothing of that sort. These eyes made me uncomfortable, but only for a few moments. These were eyes that not only saw, but perceived and understood, but these eyes did not try to extricate information locked away safely in my mind in some creepy, sinister, and altogether impudent way. They were very keen and penetrating, but they also had a certain calmness and composure about them, and although I could immediately tell that they were guarded and right now full of questions and curiosity, they weren't entirely unfriendly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He had a mustache and a short, cropped beard, which was black and contrasted well with his fair complexion. His face, however, bore several cuts and bruises, and some of them were quite fresh and oozed blood. His long, straight nose stood out on his face, and he jerked his head a little higher as I finally covered the distance between us slowly and stood (somewhat timidly, I admit) in front of him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""It is unwise to roam the forests alone and unarmed, especially when it is about to become dark, my lady", he said, his voice a pleasant, rumbling baritone that immediately sounded sing-song to my ears. But, my lady? Why would anyone resort to such unnecessarily elevated formality? I raked my brains, but could not find any suitable answer. Especially after such a nerve-wracking attack, I did not think one could be so blithe as to crack such a jest./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I decided it didn't matter. He was my saviour, after all. It was my duty to thank him, and then I would ask him if he knew the way to the forest lodge, after all. I had had enough of adventure for one day. Time to seek out civilization once again and rest ensconced in its arms for a bit./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You saved my life, Sir. I do not know how to thank you enough."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Goodness, why did my voice sound so small and shaky?/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Then I would be glad if you did not throw it away rashly, my lady. You should know better than to wander these lands alone. Do you not have an escort with you?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Um, okay. This was awkward. I stammered a bit, but in the end, I managed to say, "No, I am travelling alone, you see. I thought I knew my way from my map, until I came upon this ravine," and I turned around to point at the ravine, only to find that.../p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"It was gone!/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I gasped. It was right here! I frantically looked around me. All I could see were trees, and a leaf-strewn ground of soft soil gently rolling down./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Feeling like a blundering oaf, but also recognizing the paralyzing fingers of fear clutching at my madly thumping heart, I turned around to face his slightly confused stare and squeaked, "But it was right here! Where did it go?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""There are no streams or rivers in these parts, my lady. What are you talking about?" he inquired./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I am telling you, it was here. I followed its course and came upon this spot where the beast confronted me." I almost shouted, insisting upon my claim. There was no way I could have hallucinated and imagined a whole river. What the hell?/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I stomped away from him, to the spot where the ravine should have been. Panic was rising quickly in my heart, fogging my mind and threatening to engulf me. Had I lost my mind? Was this all a dream? Then why the hell did this feel so dreadfully real?/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I skipped uncertainly on the spot a bit, kicking aside the heaps of fallen leaves in the hope of finding the lost trail and the ravine, although there was little chance that dead leaves and detritus could be concealing an entire gorge underneath. There was absolutely no sign of it. What was more, the land did not look like what it had before. The soil was much darker instead of the dirty yellow that I distinctly remembered, the trees, although still clearly of the temperate kind, felt a little alien (they certainly weren't limited to pines or firs), and the whole terrain was vastly different from what it should have been. It was much colder here, and I could swear I smelled rain, as if it had rained a little while back, and the moist ground and freshly fallen wet leaves gave off the familiar, pleasantly earthy aroma./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"My mind was in a blur. It refused to work. I could see that I was in an entirely different land, possibly a different part of the world. but how could that be? Such phenomena did not occur in real life. I ran a little distance forward, my eyes now darting across the evidently alien landscape, as if somewhere deep down I still hoped I would be able to pick up the trail where I left it, or else I would wake up from this cruel nightmare and find myself peacefully resting somewhere on the slopes of the Aleutian mountains./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"My ears picked up the heavy tread of boots upon the mossy ground. "It's alright, my lady. You must have lost your way. And no wonder you are frightened. You should be. Come, let's sit on the ground and rest a bit. You have nothing to fear, now that I am here."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I paid no heed to what he said. "I am not going insane. I am not losing my wits. I have to stay calm and keep thinking," I grit my teeth and thought to myself, willing myself to be strong, for if I gave in to fear, I would never find a way out./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I wandered a few more steps forward, and the ground had begun to fall away into a shaded, tree-covered valley below. There was no sound of water down there. And in any case, the ravine was in a pretty rocky bed, whereas the soil here was much softer and clayey./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I would have tripped on a tree root in my haste and tumbled straight down into the vale below had he not stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. "Do you plan to break your neck?" he snapped, "stop running around mindlessly! Did you not listen? You are clearly lost. You must trust me. You won't find any ravine here."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""But how could I... I saw it, I swear. And I followed it all the way. How can I get back now?" my voice broke, even though I hadn't intended to sound quite so distressed. Everything that had happened that evening was just too much for me to bear, and as I closed my eyes, unwelcome, hot tears ran down my cheeks of their own accord. I did not even have the strength to lift my hands and brush them away./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He noticed that. Without another word, he gripped my shoulders in a gentle but firm grasp and guided me steadily from the edge of the slope, walking beside me with slow steps and taking care so I wouldn't fall. After a while, the cold breeze brushed across my face and I opened my eyes again, surveying him a little from beneath my lashes./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He was striking! There was no denying it. That piece of fact wouldn't have struck me so powerfully at such a moment of loss and helplessness, except that I was trying to study him as much as the surroundings, for both seemed to me to be clues as to where I truly was. And although he had saved me from the wolf, I did not truly know him, and I could not just let my guards down./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"We had reached an immense, towering tree of colossal girth, and its roots above the ground formed a dense tangle that could almost be used as a seat to rest a while. Gently, he made me sit on it, and sat a little away from me, turning towards me. My head was downcast, and for a long time, I averted his eyes and said nothing. And he did not break the silence. It was as if he waited patiently, as if letting me know he would be right there no matter how long I took to recover./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"At last, I abandoned my thoughts of despair and dread and self-pity and looked up. Again, his eyes found mine and held them there for a while. I supposed I had been weeping quietly, for when I spoke, my voice was somewhat hoarse and my nose a little runny./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Where are we?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He smiled. For the first time. It was lovely to watch. His lips quirked upward and his eyes crinkled at the corners, and it was a kindly expression as he answered, "We are on the lower slopes of the Blue Mountains. If I may ask, what is your name, my lady, and whence do you come?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"My breath hitched. I stared at him like he were stark mad. What was the fellow saying? Is this some kind of cosplay? Or may be I shall soon discover I am at the butt end of a cruel practical joke?/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Blue Mountains, like, in Middle Earth?" I almost laughed in his face, although it wasn't funny anymore. Oh no./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Yes, where else would it be?" he answered, slightly bemused, like I had lost my mind from the encounter with the wolf./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Okay, you know what? This is definitely not very amusing. Could you please give me an idea of where in Alaska we are?" I almost fumed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"His eyebrows puckered. He looked a trifle affronted at being spoken to like this, but honestly, I couldn't care less. The world could do with less weird dudes like him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I am not jesting with you. I speak the truth, and what is this Alaska you speak of?" he affirmed in clipped tones./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""That we are in an imaginary world named Middle Earth? Are you fucking kidding me?" I yelled./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Do not speak to me like that," he cut through, his voice rumbling as if the very ground was shaking with thunder./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"It was a direct order. And surprisingly, whereas I would almost never pay any heed to an order issued as arrogantly and as authoritatively as that, this however, completely quieted me down. It had a power of its own, a sheer force of will its master wielded, that could strike dumb the most outspoken of rebels upon whom the command fell./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He had not even raised his voice, I realized. His eyes had hardened, and jaws had tightened. That was all the change that my carelessly thrown challenge had brought about in his demeanour, and yet here I was, quelled and cowering before that commanding stature. Well, I wasn't exactly cowering, but I was certainly feeling less brave and sure of myself than before. For a while, neither of us spoke. I could feel his burning eyes on my head as I sat like a little child who had been thoroughly chastened for her naughtiness./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Slowly, and this time, somewhat meekly, I raised my head. "I am sorry," I muttered, "I did not mean to be rude. But these are places I only ever read about in stories, how could they be real? I was in Alaska not an hour ago, hiking, and then that wolf came, and you appeared out of nowhere, and the stream disappeared, and now the whole place seems unfamiliar, and, and..." I hid my face in my hands and groaned, unable to restrain the strangled sob of despair that escaped me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I did not know where I was, and I did not care how I arrived here, and I had no idea whether this stranger was a friend or a foe, but it was clear he would be no help in finding a way back, and I... I just wanted to go home. I was tired and my feet were sore and chafed from walking miles on end, and my head felt heavy and my eyes stung... I just wanted to cuddle up in my bed with my feather pillow and go to sleep./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"How long I sat like that, sobs wracking my body, I did not know. It did not matter, for it was already quite dark, and even if there was a way of figuring out how to go back, it would have to wait until after it was light again. As the last of the teardrops left my eyes and I knew I would not be able to cry anymore, I looked up at him with swollen and puffy eyes./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He still sat there, in that same posture, patient and unfazed, his heavily lidded eyes looking on at my prostrated form with compassion and something that was uncannily close to understanding. As if he had been in such pain before, and he silently acknowledged my grief. As my eyes found his, he again smiled a little, this time encouragingly, and said, "It is going to be dark soon, my lady. There are possibly more of those infernal wargs around. We had better go. You can stay in my halls in Ered Luin for the night. Tomorrow, we shall figure out what we have to do. Fear not - the dwarves shall receive you kindly enough."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Smiling, he stood, and extended his strong hand towards me. I took it, my small hand slipping into his large palm as he completely enveloped it with his fingers. His hand was warm, and comforting, like it was keeping all the evil nightmares at bay. I stood on somewhat shaking knees, and faltered a bit for the first few steps, but his grasp tightened to make sure I wouldn't fall./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"And so we set out in the gathering gloom of the evening, walking through the forest until the trees began to thin out after about half an hour of trudging. The woodlands fell away in gentle slopes to reveal a valley below. On the far end of the wide, bowl-shaped vale, the slope became steep once more, and spiked up in a single, lofty peak that stood silhouetted in the last, faint traces of daylight. The valley was already coming alive with twinkling lights, - the town itself was obscured in shadow, but it was easy to guess the innumerable houses and inns that dotted it. A faint murmur as of several people bustling and clamouring away from afar now filled the air. Towards the farther end of the valley, almost set against the sheer walls of the looming cliff, stood a palatial mansion that was lit brilliantly and thus visible despite the descending night. /p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"As my eyes drank in this impossible scene, my companion waited. Presently, I turned towards him, and in a voice that had inadvertently become a whisper of awe, asked him, "May I know who you are, Sir?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I am called Thorin Oakenshield, my lady", he smiled, "And you are yet to give me your name"./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I steadily took a step back. It was surprising that I did not stumble, nor did I have much doubt in my mind that I must make a stand against my sinister and vengeful adversary, for the moment I decided to turn my back and sprint, it would hunt me down in a matter of minutes and tear me to shreds with those hideous bared fangs./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"In answer, the creature emitted another short grunt of derisive pleasure from its throat and, taking a step forward, crouched down a little, as if preparing to pounce should I make the slightest of movements. It tilted its head and regarded me with a certain disdain, all the time leering at me. A stench wafted out to meet my nostrils, and despite the enormity of the peril I was in, my nose wrinkled on its own, for it smelled like putrid meat and rotting compost./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"As the creature turned its head a little, however, I caught sight of something curious. There was a wound, and a fresh one at that, that marked one side of its throat. An ugly gash that was still weeping blood. Somebody must have struck it there, but who? Or did it get into a fight with another of its own kind and incurred that injury? But even the sight of that not so significant wound gave me some hope... may be the loss of blood would considerably weaken it if I could hold on for a while longer. But in my mind I knew that it was either a head-on fight with this monster, or somehow outrunning it. Neither seemed plausible to lead to a very pleasant outcome for me. And so, I waited, almost breathless, my heart thudding like a drum and blood roaring in my ears, while my arms ached from holding up the knife and clutching it hard for so long./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Suddenly, the creature, which had been so intent on observing me with a malign, baleful pleasure in its eyes, whipped its head to one side and cocked its ears a little, as if listening to some sound that my human ears could not catch. Its eyes were much more alert now, I could see, as if it sensed danger and intrusion in its quiet meditation about my poor fate before it could gobble me up./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"This was a diversion, and one that could save my life. If the creature were to get enough distracted or disturbed as to leave me alone or retreat even a little, I could make a run for my life./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Even as this thought flashed through my mind like a lightning bolt, I perceived a small movement to my side through the corner of my eye, and turning a little, I saw (what I can now most certainly assert, but which, back then, sent a surge of relief through my veins) a most curious sight. A man stepped out from behind a very thick tree-trunk, with a very broad two-handed great sword glittering cruelly in his hands./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I would not try to describe him here... this completely unexpected (but very welcome, I daresay) eleventh hour Samaritan. For at that moment, I had not the state of mind to scrutinize his appearance. He appeared like an impossibly bright beacon of hope and life where I was sure a few more minutes of delay would have resulted in my certain death at the hands of the brute who now glared down ominously at this man instead./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I could tell that even the creature understood that such a puny thing as me, armed with nothing more than a Swiss army knife, posed no threat at all. This new opponent, however, was another matter entirely. For looking into his eyes, I saw that he held no fear for this gigantic animal which was currently baring its fangs and sat hunched upon the ground with the posture of a wild cat ready to spring upon its prey. The piercing blue eyes stared steadily and calmly ahead into the cruel, beady black ones of the slobbering, grotesque wolf, as he strode with purpose and strength, the great-sword held ready in front of him with strong, unwavering hands./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"With a roar the beast lunged, its body contorting impossibly into a whirl of grey and then flexing of its own in a deadly elegance as it leapt into the air, putting forth all its force, all its rage and cruel hatred as it landed, seemingly right on top of the man. But the man leapt back at the last moment, and almost immediately, the wolf's howl of rage turned into a wail of utter agony as the lethal sword swooped down on it, slicing clean through. An instant later, the severed head rolled away on the ground as the huge body collapsed on the ground with a dull thud./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"This whole sequence of actions took less than ten seconds to play out in front of my bewildered, disbelieving eyes. As the wolf fell, the breath whooshed out of my lungs, and only then I realized that I had been holding it for a long time./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The knife clattered to the forest floor from my numb hands as my shoulders relaxed of their own accord, and I immediately felt a great weariness come over me. But instead of allowing myself to slouch down on the ground and relieve myself for a brief while from the nightmare that I just passed through, I forced my leaden feet to take a few steps forward, to check on this stranger who had so surely saved my life./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He had stooped to retrieve his sword which had probably fallen to the ground due to the impact, and now he stood up straight, surveying the dead animal in front of him. And it was this moment that I actually had the first opportunity to observe him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He was not very tall, but very broad, with shoulders that spoke of massive strength and a very regal air about him as he stood straight as a ramrod. He has unimaginably long hair... a whole mass of raven tresses cascaded down from his bent head, with a few streaks of grey adorning them. His fingers grasped the pommel of the sword which was so long, its tip rested comfortably on the ground even though the hilt reached up to almost his breast. He wore some sort of tight-fitting tunic, and on top of that, a chain-mail ! I blinked twice to make sure I was seeing it right. Indeed, it was chain-mail with closely woven silver rings that jiggled as he moved, and it dangled down to his knees, and his breeches were lost in very high black travel-stained boots. On top of all these fine armoury, he had a very thick and seemingly warm fur cloak draped across his shoulders./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The man looked up slowly from his kill to meet my eyes. And immediately, all the details that had registered in my head about his appearance fell altogether short of the sharpness and keenness of his eyes that almost instantly had me intrigued and fretful at the same time. You see, there are some people, not many, whose eyes seem to give you the impression that you are being X-rayed by them, as if their eyes have the power to shred you of any cover and concealment whatsoever and pry out all the secrets that you ever had hidden up your sleeve. This man's eyes, mind you, were nothing of that sort. These eyes made me uncomfortable, but only for a few moments. These were eyes that not only saw, but perceived and understood, but these eyes did not try to extricate information locked away safely in my mind in some creepy, sinister, and altogether impudent way. They were very keen and penetrating, but they also had a certain calmness and composure about them, and although I could immediately tell that they were guarded and right now full of questions and curiosity, they weren't entirely unfriendly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He had a mustache and a short, cropped beard, which was black and contrasted well with his fair complexion. His face, however, bore several cuts and bruises, and some of them were quite fresh and oozed blood. His long, straight nose stood out on his face, and he jerked his head a little higher as I finally covered the distance between us slowly and stood (somewhat timidly, I admit) in front of him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""It is unwise to roam the forests alone and unarmed, especially when it is about to become dark, my lady", he said, his voice a pleasant, rumbling baritone that immediately sounded sing-song to my ears. But, my lady? Why would anyone resort to such unnecessarily elevated formality? I raked my brains, but could not find any suitable answer. Especially after such a nerve-wracking attack, I did not think one could be so blithe as to crack such a jest./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I decided it didn't matter. He was my saviour, after all. It was my duty to thank him, and then I would ask him if he knew the way to the forest lodge, after all. I had had enough of adventure for one day. Time to seek out civilization once again and rest ensconced in its arms for a bit./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You saved my life, Sir. I do not know how to thank you enough."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Goodness, why did my voice sound so small and shaky?/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Then I would be glad if you did not throw it away rashly, my lady. You should know better than to wander these lands alone. Do you not have an escort with you?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Um, okay. This was awkward. I stammered a bit, but in the end, I managed to say, "No, I am travelling alone, you see. I thought I knew my way from my map, until I came upon this ravine," and I turned around to point at the ravine, only to find that.../p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"It was gone!/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I gasped. It was right here! I frantically looked around me. All I could see were trees, and a leaf-strewn ground of soft soil gently rolling down./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Feeling like a blundering oaf, but also recognizing the paralyzing fingers of fear clutching at my madly thumping heart, I turned around to face his slightly confused stare and squeaked, "But it was right here! Where did it go?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""There are no streams or rivers in these parts, my lady. What are you talking about?" he inquired./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I am telling you, it was here. I followed its course and came upon this spot where the beast confronted me." I almost shouted, insisting upon my claim. There was no way I could have hallucinated and imagined a whole river. What the hell?/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I stomped away from him, to the spot where the ravine should have been. Panic was rising quickly in my heart, fogging my mind and threatening to engulf me. Had I lost my mind? Was this all a dream? Then why the hell did this feel so dreadfully real?/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I skipped uncertainly on the spot a bit, kicking aside the heaps of fallen leaves in the hope of finding the lost trail and the ravine, although there was little chance that dead leaves and detritus could be concealing an entire gorge underneath. There was absolutely no sign of it. What was more, the land did not look like what it had before. The soil was much darker instead of the dirty yellow that I distinctly remembered, the trees, although still clearly of the temperate kind, felt a little alien (they certainly weren't limited to pines or firs), and the whole terrain was vastly different from what it should have been. It was much colder here, and I could swear I smelled rain, as if it had rained a little while back, and the moist ground and freshly fallen wet leaves gave off the familiar, pleasantly earthy aroma./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"My mind was in a blur. It refused to work. I could see that I was in an entirely different land, possibly a different part of the world. but how could that be? Such phenomena did not occur in real life. I ran a little distance forward, my eyes now darting across the evidently alien landscape, as if somewhere deep down I still hoped I would be able to pick up the trail where I left it, or else I would wake up from this cruel nightmare and find myself peacefully resting somewhere on the slopes of the Aleutian mountains./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"My ears picked up the heavy tread of boots upon the mossy ground. "It's alright, my lady. You must have lost your way. And no wonder you are frightened. You should be. Come, let's sit on the ground and rest a bit. You have nothing to fear, now that I am here."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I paid no heed to what he said. "I am not going insane. I am not losing my wits. I have to stay calm and keep thinking," I grit my teeth and thought to myself, willing myself to be strong, for if I gave in to fear, I would never find a way out./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I wandered a few more steps forward, and the ground had begun to fall away into a shaded, tree-covered valley below. There was no sound of water down there. And in any case, the ravine was in a pretty rocky bed, whereas the soil here was much softer and clayey./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I would have tripped on a tree root in my haste and tumbled straight down into the vale below had he not stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. "Do you plan to break your neck?" he snapped, "stop running around mindlessly! Did you not listen? You are clearly lost. You must trust me. You won't find any ravine here."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""But how could I... I saw it, I swear. And I followed it all the way. How can I get back now?" my voice broke, even though I hadn't intended to sound quite so distressed. Everything that had happened that evening was just too much for me to bear, and as I closed my eyes, unwelcome, hot tears ran down my cheeks of their own accord. I did not even have the strength to lift my hands and brush them away./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He noticed that. Without another word, he gripped my shoulders in a gentle but firm grasp and guided me steadily from the edge of the slope, walking beside me with slow steps and taking care so I wouldn't fall. After a while, the cold breeze brushed across my face and I opened my eyes again, surveying him a little from beneath my lashes./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He was striking! There was no denying it. That piece of fact wouldn't have struck me so powerfully at such a moment of loss and helplessness, except that I was trying to study him as much as the surroundings, for both seemed to me to be clues as to where I truly was. And although he had saved me from the wolf, I did not truly know him, and I could not just let my guards down./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"We had reached an immense, towering tree of colossal girth, and its roots above the ground formed a dense tangle that could almost be used as a seat to rest a while. Gently, he made me sit on it, and sat a little away from me, turning towards me. My head was downcast, and for a long time, I averted his eyes and said nothing. And he did not break the silence. It was as if he waited patiently, as if letting me know he would be right there no matter how long I took to recover./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"At last, I abandoned my thoughts of despair and dread and self-pity and looked up. Again, his eyes found mine and held them there for a while. I supposed I had been weeping quietly, for when I spoke, my voice was somewhat hoarse and my nose a little runny./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Where are we?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He smiled. For the first time. It was lovely to watch. His lips quirked upward and his eyes crinkled at the corners, and it was a kindly expression as he answered, "We are on the lower slopes of the Blue Mountains. If I may ask, what is your name, my lady, and whence do you come?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"My breath hitched. I stared at him like he were stark mad. What was the fellow saying? Is this some kind of cosplay? Or may be I shall soon discover I am at the butt end of a cruel practical joke?/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Blue Mountains, like, in Middle Earth?" I almost laughed in his face, although it wasn't funny anymore. Oh no./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Yes, where else would it be?" he answered, slightly bemused, like I had lost my mind from the encounter with the wolf./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Okay, you know what? This is definitely not very amusing. Could you please give me an idea of where in Alaska we are?" I almost fumed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"His eyebrows puckered. He looked a trifle affronted at being spoken to like this, but honestly, I couldn't care less. The world could do with less weird dudes like him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I am not jesting with you. I speak the truth, and what is this Alaska you speak of?" he affirmed in clipped tones./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""That we are in an imaginary world named Middle Earth? Are you fucking kidding me?" I yelled./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Do not speak to me like that," he cut through, his voice rumbling as if the very ground was shaking with thunder./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"It was a direct order. And surprisingly, whereas I would almost never pay any heed to an order issued as arrogantly and as authoritatively as that, this however, completely quieted me down. It had a power of its own, a sheer force of will its master wielded, that could strike dumb the most outspoken of rebels upon whom the command fell./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He had not even raised his voice, I realized. His eyes had hardened, and jaws had tightened. That was all the change that my carelessly thrown challenge had brought about in his demeanour, and yet here I was, quelled and cowering before that commanding stature. Well, I wasn't exactly cowering, but I was certainly feeling less brave and sure of myself than before. For a while, neither of us spoke. I could feel his burning eyes on my head as I sat like a little child who had been thoroughly chastened for her naughtiness./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Slowly, and this time, somewhat meekly, I raised my head. "I am sorry," I muttered, "I did not mean to be rude. But these are places I only ever read about in stories, how could they be real? I was in Alaska not an hour ago, hiking, and then that wolf came, and you appeared out of nowhere, and the stream disappeared, and now the whole place seems unfamiliar, and, and..." I hid my face in my hands and groaned, unable to restrain the strangled sob of despair that escaped me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I did not know where I was, and I did not care how I arrived here, and I had no idea whether this stranger was a friend or a foe, but it was clear he would be no help in finding a way back, and I... I just wanted to go home. I was tired and my feet were sore and chafed from walking miles on end, and my head felt heavy and my eyes stung... I just wanted to cuddle up in my bed with my feather pillow and go to sleep./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"How long I sat like that, sobs wracking my body, I did not know. It did not matter, for it was already quite dark, and even if there was a way of figuring out how to go back, it would have to wait until after it was light again. As the last of the teardrops left my eyes and I knew I would not be able to cry anymore, I looked up at him with swollen and puffy eyes./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He still sat there, in that same posture, patient and unfazed, his heavily lidded eyes looking on at my prostrated form with compassion and something that was uncannily close to understanding. As if he had been in such pain before, and he silently acknowledged my grief. As my eyes found his, he again smiled a little, this time encouragingly, and said, "It is going to be dark soon, my lady. There are possibly more of those infernal wargs around. We had better go. You can stay in my halls in Ered Luin for the night. Tomorrow, we shall figure out what we have to do. Fear not - the dwarves shall receive you kindly enough."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Smiling, he stood, and extended his strong hand towards me. I took it, my small hand slipping into his large palm as he completely enveloped it with his fingers. His hand was warm, and comforting, like it was keeping all the evil nightmares at bay. I stood on somewhat shaking knees, and faltered a bit for the first few steps, but his grasp tightened to make sure I wouldn't fall./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"And so we set out in the gathering gloom of the evening, walking through the forest until the trees began to thin out after about half an hour of trudging. The woodlands fell away in gentle slopes to reveal a valley below. On the far end of the wide, bowl-shaped vale, the slope became steep once more, and spiked up in a single, lofty peak that stood silhouetted in the last, faint traces of daylight. The valley was already coming alive with twinkling lights, - the town itself was obscured in shadow, but it was easy to guess the innumerable houses and inns that dotted it. A faint murmur as of several people bustling and clamouring away from afar now filled the air. Towards the farther end of the valley, almost set against the sheer walls of the looming cliff, stood a palatial mansion that was lit brilliantly and thus visible despite the descending night. /p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"As my eyes drank in this impossible scene, my companion waited. Presently, I turned towards him, and in a voice that had inadvertently become a whisper of awe, asked him, "May I know who you are, Sir?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I am called Thorin Oakenshield, my lady", he smiled, "And you are yet to give me your name"./p