A/N: Non-vocal communications will be declaimed by a single quotation mark.
Disclaimer: See Ch. 1. Don't own anything else yet....working on taking over
Ch.3
She found what was obviously Gandalf (the only male present who stood at more than 4 feet) sitting over a mug of ale and a side of ham, and a middle- aged hobbit was speaking to him jovially. One thing Celine had noted was that none of the hobbits were much to look at by her standards. Of course, by what Tolkien had said, she hadn't expected much more. Rian-Celine sat down with the wizard, who took no notice of her yet, being apparently earnestly exhorting the hobbit about something. Mischievously, the young Miss Woodlands took advantage of the situation to steal a bit of Gandalf's ham. The chewing motion was therapeutic, if not tasty. Silently, Rian- Celine observed as the hobbit tromped off to mingle with the crowd, and the wizard turned back to his food, only to see her. For a short time Gandalf stared at this beautiful newcomer, and though Celine swore his lips did not move except to form a little smile, she heard a strange yet gentle voice inside her head.
'Whence come ye, maiden fair?' Celine opened her mouth to reply, but the voice spoke again. 'You do not need your mouth to speak, my child.' Then she started thinking of all the things that had happened to her today. 'I can't hear you. Focus.' Gandalf commanded. Celine twisted her face in confusion, then tried again, this time looking straight into his eyes and willing that everything she thought be told to the wizard. Gandalf smiled and nodded, evidently listening. Celine told him of her obsession, the light, loud noise and the absence of some of her senses. Finally she asked him WHY she could not hear or taste.
'That will be revealed in time. Even the wisest do not know all things.' Really, the wizard was so fatherly looking she wanted to kiss him! But she had one last question.
'How is it that I can speak to you like this?'
'Anybody can speak like this, Rian-Celine. Only it is always so noisy, the untrained can never hear it, and so never know that they can speak it!' With that parting thought, Gandalf rose and strode off merrily towards his cart of fireworks, where many hobbit children had gathered expectantly.
With with this new information Rian-Celine was not so distressed over her plight. Her thoughts turned to happier questions. Which one is Merry? Where is Frodo? Pippin must be what, eight? Which one is he? Oh well, if I stick around long enough Bilbo will tromp away, and......good lord! There's seventeen more years before the quest! What in Middle-Earth's name will I do for seventeen years without the ability to hear?
For of course, the beautiful girl was there for the sole purpose of accompanying the nine Companions.
After Bilbo's renowned speech, which Rian-Celine could only see, the girl waited patiently outside Bag End for Gandalf to come out, knowing as she did the chronology of the story. Bilbo tromped out, followed by a couple of dwarves. At last! she thought. Oh wait. Frodo has to come in too.
Frodo ran into the hobbit hole without noticing the girl in the shadows. She waited impatiently, silently praying.
"Please come out before you go to bed. Please please please!"
After a few minutes she ran out of patience and knocked loudly on the door. Frodo opened it reluctantly. Then he stared. His mouth moved, but Rian- Celine hadn't the faintest idea what he was saying.
"I can't hear you," she told the astounded hobbit out loud. "I need to speak to Gandalf, now." Still unable to take his eyes off what was admittedly the most gorgeous person he had ever met, Frodo stuttered, covered his face and ran to get Gandalf. Rian-Celine grimaced to think what ravings he would use to get the wizard out of bed.
'Please, Gandalf, take me to Rivendell. I cannot stay here. Oh, don't misunderstand me, I love hobbits and all, but to stay here for the next seventeen years without the benefit of hearing would be unbearable!'...not to mention the fact that none of them are very cute...(Rian-Celine joked to herself). Gandalf pondered Rian-Celine's request for a while.
'Yes, I will take you to Rivendell. We leave tomorrow.' Celine was fairly sure their was nothing more relieving she could have heard at that moment. Gandalf arranged for Frodo to donate one of his many bedrooms to Rian- Celine, although only Gandalf's bed was large enough for anyone bigger than a hobbit. When Rian-Celine realized what was going on, she begged them not to trouble about it; it was nice outside and she would like to walk about the Shire tonight. Their protests-especially Frodo's-fell on deaf ears. Rian-Celine left them to sleep and walked quietly under the glittering stars all night.
Disclaimer: See Ch. 1. Don't own anything else yet....working on taking over
Ch.3
She found what was obviously Gandalf (the only male present who stood at more than 4 feet) sitting over a mug of ale and a side of ham, and a middle- aged hobbit was speaking to him jovially. One thing Celine had noted was that none of the hobbits were much to look at by her standards. Of course, by what Tolkien had said, she hadn't expected much more. Rian-Celine sat down with the wizard, who took no notice of her yet, being apparently earnestly exhorting the hobbit about something. Mischievously, the young Miss Woodlands took advantage of the situation to steal a bit of Gandalf's ham. The chewing motion was therapeutic, if not tasty. Silently, Rian- Celine observed as the hobbit tromped off to mingle with the crowd, and the wizard turned back to his food, only to see her. For a short time Gandalf stared at this beautiful newcomer, and though Celine swore his lips did not move except to form a little smile, she heard a strange yet gentle voice inside her head.
'Whence come ye, maiden fair?' Celine opened her mouth to reply, but the voice spoke again. 'You do not need your mouth to speak, my child.' Then she started thinking of all the things that had happened to her today. 'I can't hear you. Focus.' Gandalf commanded. Celine twisted her face in confusion, then tried again, this time looking straight into his eyes and willing that everything she thought be told to the wizard. Gandalf smiled and nodded, evidently listening. Celine told him of her obsession, the light, loud noise and the absence of some of her senses. Finally she asked him WHY she could not hear or taste.
'That will be revealed in time. Even the wisest do not know all things.' Really, the wizard was so fatherly looking she wanted to kiss him! But she had one last question.
'How is it that I can speak to you like this?'
'Anybody can speak like this, Rian-Celine. Only it is always so noisy, the untrained can never hear it, and so never know that they can speak it!' With that parting thought, Gandalf rose and strode off merrily towards his cart of fireworks, where many hobbit children had gathered expectantly.
With with this new information Rian-Celine was not so distressed over her plight. Her thoughts turned to happier questions. Which one is Merry? Where is Frodo? Pippin must be what, eight? Which one is he? Oh well, if I stick around long enough Bilbo will tromp away, and......good lord! There's seventeen more years before the quest! What in Middle-Earth's name will I do for seventeen years without the ability to hear?
For of course, the beautiful girl was there for the sole purpose of accompanying the nine Companions.
After Bilbo's renowned speech, which Rian-Celine could only see, the girl waited patiently outside Bag End for Gandalf to come out, knowing as she did the chronology of the story. Bilbo tromped out, followed by a couple of dwarves. At last! she thought. Oh wait. Frodo has to come in too.
Frodo ran into the hobbit hole without noticing the girl in the shadows. She waited impatiently, silently praying.
"Please come out before you go to bed. Please please please!"
After a few minutes she ran out of patience and knocked loudly on the door. Frodo opened it reluctantly. Then he stared. His mouth moved, but Rian- Celine hadn't the faintest idea what he was saying.
"I can't hear you," she told the astounded hobbit out loud. "I need to speak to Gandalf, now." Still unable to take his eyes off what was admittedly the most gorgeous person he had ever met, Frodo stuttered, covered his face and ran to get Gandalf. Rian-Celine grimaced to think what ravings he would use to get the wizard out of bed.
'Please, Gandalf, take me to Rivendell. I cannot stay here. Oh, don't misunderstand me, I love hobbits and all, but to stay here for the next seventeen years without the benefit of hearing would be unbearable!'...not to mention the fact that none of them are very cute...(Rian-Celine joked to herself). Gandalf pondered Rian-Celine's request for a while.
'Yes, I will take you to Rivendell. We leave tomorrow.' Celine was fairly sure their was nothing more relieving she could have heard at that moment. Gandalf arranged for Frodo to donate one of his many bedrooms to Rian- Celine, although only Gandalf's bed was large enough for anyone bigger than a hobbit. When Rian-Celine realized what was going on, she begged them not to trouble about it; it was nice outside and she would like to walk about the Shire tonight. Their protests-especially Frodo's-fell on deaf ears. Rian-Celine left them to sleep and walked quietly under the glittering stars all night.