A/N:
Dear Reviewers of the Previous Chapter,
Thank you, Thank you, Thank YOU, No, Yes, Maybe, and Funny-you-should-mention-that, respectively. I am glad that you enjoy my story (I kind of like it, too…) but I feel that I must state for the record that I still don't own Tolkien's genius-ness. I hinted and I hinted but all I got for my birthday was a jewelry box. (Thank you Dad!) Eh. I'm not complaining: it is shiny… it's just not the shiny…
Oh, yeah, this might still come in handy:
"English speech."
Thoughts, any language.
"Elvish speech (specifically, Sindarin)."
Chapter 7 – Interrogation
The elves of Rivendell had wept as they washed the body of their fallen brother. Not knowing who he was had not lessened the impact of seeing his unnaturally pale face and touching his cold hands. Carefully they had mended his strange black clothes and re-dressed him to be laid out in a warrior's splendor before burial. It was odd that they only found empty sheaths on him, warriors are only parted from their weapons in dire circumstances; this and knowing the condition of the elleth made the Rivendell Elves love him more. And so the weaponless stranger was being accorded full military honors for his funeral, all that was missing was the presence of his friends and family.
oOo
Arintiris gently carried Aria down the cool hallway to the room where Beriol had been laid out for the funeral that night. Amy followed with her binder, skimming the pages quickly until she found the word that she searched for and came to a dead halt. Arwen and Elrond would have bumped into her if they had not heard her small gasp and stopped as well.
"Herven nin," they heard her whisper, "my husband…" She stood there for a moment, staring at Arintiris' form moving quietly down the hallway, as the fear of the last two days and nights came back and slammed her full-force in the chest. With the gasp of someone who has just been socked in the gut, she dropped her binder and collapsed to the floor. For the first time since arriving, Amy gave in to the tears.
"Stop!" Aria said urgently, tightening her grip around Arintiris' neck, but it wasn't necessary; he had also heard the binder hit the polished floor and the sobs echoing down the corridor. Turning quickly they both saw Amy curled into a ball with Arwen kneeling behind her, gently stroking her head in comfort. Elrond saw heads poking out of various doorways and decided to get them somewhere private. Scooping her up, he ducked down a side hallway and into an empty guest room. Arwen gathered the notebook and followed with Arintiris and Aria close behind. "What happened?" Aria demanded when Elrond straightened and stepped back from the bed.
"She was looking in her book," Arwen offered, placing it on the table by the bed. Then she sat on the edge to continue consoling Amy. "She found what she was looking for, I suppose. I heard her whisper, 'Herven nin' and something like 'maehausbend', and then she collapsed. Why would that phrase give her so much grief, I wonder?" she looked pointedly at Aria who bit her lip and looked down at the bed.
"Yes, I think it is time for you to tell us about yourself and this strange friend of yours." Elrond said sternly, pulling a high-backed chair from the fireplace over to the bed and gesturing for Arintiris to put her in it. When she was settled Elrond pulled up his own chair and Arintiris sat on the foot of the bed.
"I don't know where to begin…"
"Then start with today and work your way back." Arwen offered.
"That seems reasonable. What—what is the date?"
"Why, June 22 I think."
"No, no, I mean the year, the Age!"
"3018, of the Third Age." Elrond said with some hesitation.
"Then this really is Imladris? We are still in Amar?" Aria asked, astonished.
"Still? Yes... Where else did you think you were?" he leaned forward, noting her pale features. Her eyes were quickly shifting back and forth across the wall behind him as if she were reading something he couldn't see; her mouth dropped open for a second and then she blinked before looking back at him.
"I—I had thought that they had taken us to a safe haven or even back to Valinor! But I should have known better…" Aria glanced up at Arwen and then quickly over to Amy who had finally cried herself to sleep. "I don't know of any mortals who have been allowed to walk those shores… Still, I had hoped… But to bring us so far back and leave us in this peril is worse than I ever thought them capable of!"
"Who, dear?" Arwen asked gently.
"The Valar!" Aria closed her eyes in grief and gripped the arms of her chair until her fingers turned white and her arms began to shake with the effort. Arintiris began wondering about her mental faculties being intact; Elrond patted her hand.
"I think perhaps you should start at the beginning, then, for I am as confused as you seem to be."
Aria nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek when she opened her eyes to look at his. She turned her gaze to her sleeping friend and tried to gather her thoughts. The implications of their revelations blew her mind! Time travel? How could this affect the future? Dear God! What am I allowed to say? What am I supposed to do! She looked as scattered as she felt, but she turned to meet each of their eyes before beginning her tale.
oOo
"Wake up, vile Elf!" an ugly voice spat and a blow landed on Mr. Edward Williams' face. He blinked into the bright lights of the small room and immediately felt cords biting into his limbs, anchoring him to the wooden chair. His head hurt and there was a constant fiery throb in his left side. A low moan passed his lips before he could call it back and the ugly voice laughed, "So, you are alive! Good! You will soon wish you weren't."
oOo
"My name, as you know, is Árenne and I was born in Valinor."
"You are an exile, then?" Arwen ventured.
"No." Aria stated firmly. "I was sent on a quest of sorts. There were 12 of us and we had the blessings of the Valar." She held up her pendant. "We were sent to a distant place with a mission, a task, and we are not allowed to return until it is complete."
"What kind of task?" Arintiris asked, skeptically. "Why could the Valar not see to it themselves? Why send Elves?"
"The Valar have long since sworn not to intrude again in the affairs of Ilúvatar's children in Amar." She caught Elrond's eye and he quirked an eyebrow. "They could not step foot here without severely limiting themselves and becoming vulnerable to temptation. Besides, the land we were sent to is only populated by men who have no knowledge of Elves or even the Valar. With the aid of these medallions it was easier for us to blend in than it would have been for them and they wanted to see the mission complete with as little fuss as possible."
"That still does not answer my question."
"I cannot tell you much about it. We were supposed to deliver something valuable to someone important. But the timing was not right. We have been waiting a very long time for him to return so that we could complete our task. Lately we have just been trying to keep the thing from falling into the wrong hands."
oOo
"What do you want?" Edward demanded, gritting his teeth at the pain in his side. The voice laughed somewhere behind the light.
"The crown of course! Didn't think we knew about it did you? But that's right; you Eldar," the word dragged out in a derogatory way, "are just the pawns of the stinking Valar… and we all know they are very good at keeping you in the dark, don't we?" The ugly laugh sounded again; it was beginning to get on Edward's nerves. He looked intently at the floor, trying to get his eyes accustomed to the light. The voice seemed to take this as a sign of submission and continued the speech. "We know you have it and if you would be so kind as to hand it over we will be going."
"First of all, I am in no position to hand you anything and second, I deal in books, not jewelry. You might try the pawn shop down the street if you are looking for something like that."
"Insolent Elf!" came the snarled reply and another blow landed on his face.
oOo
"Whose hands?" Elrond queried, leaning forward.
"The Dark One has always wanted what was meant for Ilúvatar. Even though the people have no knowledge of us, Ilúvatar has made Himself known to them. His promise to Remake Eä is known there and many prophets have predicted that a Promised One will come with the Eternal Flame to fulfill that promise."
Elrond glanced beyond her to the warrior sitting at the foot of the bed. They locked eyes for a moment and then turned their full attention back to Aria. "I can appreciate that you may not be allowed to speak of some things, just as I am sure that you can appreciate that I must reserve my judgment of this story until I check on a few things, but you have yet to explain your presence here. Can you tell me how she comes into this?"
oOo
Edward Williams licked his lips and tasted blood. "I don't know why you keep talking about elves… some things exist only in books." He noticed a shadow slightly to his right and stared at it until its shape began to form in his eyes and he recognized it.
"If you don't cooperate, you may be included in that list!" The voice hissed in response.
Edward sighed, "I'm listening."
"Good. We know you have the crown: give it to us."
"And then what?" he asked, a plan coming together in his mind. "I am tied up, alone, in a place I don't know. If I gave you this crown whatever-it-is, and I'm not saying I have it, mind you, what would become of me? I have no guarantee of safety from you and no reason to trust your word." His hands reached out behind the chair and grasped something thin and cold; he pulled it closer and with unperceivable movements began slicing the ropes that bound his wrists.
"I will give you something you can trust and leave you to make up your mind. I saw that girl that came to your shop at closing time. I had her followed. She went into a house on Bryant Avenue where she is alone with one other girl. It has been a long time since I have had the pleasure of entertaining such delectable guests, Elf, the choice is yours: the crown or the girls?" And suddenly it was pitch black and silent.
oOo
"For 2,000 years we have wandered over the land" an odd look came into her eyes. "Amar is larger than you would imagine. We have endured many things: wars, famines, floods, suspicions… but there was also joy; Beriol and I were married as were a few others… Around the time of the second Great War there was a man, a lover of languages, who had stumbled upon a manuscript of ancient history, but couldn't understand it because it was in our language… Since we had refused to become involved in the war itself, we had agreed to lend our skills as healers to the country where we dwelt. He, being in our care, overheard us speaking to each other in our own tongue and deciphered it for himself.
"That manuscript, that collection of historical events, he translated (with help, I think) and it was published as if it was a mere story! We wondered at the meaning of it all. Men of many countries and languages became aware once more of the old things that they had forgotten; of Elves and Dwarves and Halflings and Ents and Maiar and Valar and the Evil that caused these races to come together for war. Many read it, some learned it by heart, but few believed that it was actually true! She is one such…" Aria looked at her sleeping friend and smiled thinly. "Mortal she may have been born, but I think she is an Elf at heart. Wise beyond her years at times and always singing… We have only known each other for a short while and yet it feels like forever!" she sighed.
oOo
Edward cut quickly and then his hands were free, then his torso, then his legs. By touch alone he navigated through his storage room and silently pulled open a cabinet, revealing a light blue glow. Thank the Valar! He slipped the small knife into his boot and reached into the drawer for another weapon and another... Armed to the teeth he made his way back over to the door and, sword drawn, he waited.
Heavy feet sounded in the office. Things were being thrown around; they were actually tearing his desk apart. Finally there was a growl and the noise stilled. Heavy feet pounded their way to the door and Edward shut his eyes before the blinding lights came on again. The door swung open and the laugh sounded again.
"So, Elf—" but Edward had already jumped the figure from behind and held the blade to its throat.
"Shut the door!" he hissed, now in charge. The owner of the ugly voice did as Edward bid. "Now, sit down!" And it sat in the chair where Edward had recently been tied. Edward Williams stepped back to get a look at his former captor: a pale, heavyset man with evil eyes.
"You think you are so smart, Elf!" the ugly voice spat. "But you have only made things worse for yourself!"
"Shut up!" Edward pushed the tip of the blade into his throat. "This is my property and I will not have anyone speak to me that way. Now, take this," he kicked a roll of duct-tape over to the chair, "and tape your legs to the chair." The man glared at him and he moved the blade just enough to draw blood; the man reached for the tape and restrained his own legs. Edward directed him to restrain other body parts until all that remained free was the man's right arm, Edward taped it himself and stood over the man.
"If there was such a thing as a crown around here, no force on earth could induce me to give it to anyone but its rightful owner!" And he brought down the pommel of the sword on the man's head, knocking him out.
Sheathing the sword and snatching his greatcoat from the hook by the door, Edward climbed up to the window and out onto the ledge. Like his friend before, he crawled up onto the roof and made his way over rooftops and wires through the rain, desperate to get to a house on Bryant Avenue.
oOo
"Lately the enemy has been gathering his forces together. We think he is trying to make one last bid for power. He knows about the. . . object we carry and has been trying to capture it for himself. We are so few now… It was decided that it would be safer if everyone stayed separate. Faereb runs a business in a central location and we would all stop in from time to time, keep in touch that way.
"You have to realize that things are very different in this place. People rely heavily on machinery to do things for them. Most have never even seen a farm much less made their own clothes or hunt or things that we must do here to survive. Those who take the trouble to learn, do so as a hobby of sorts or as part of a historical re-enactment. It can get depressing for us who are used to wild spaces and growing things to be surrounded by stone and metal and glass.
"It is very hard to get a decent job without some schooling. They have no concept of apprenticeship the way we think of it. Young people must attend some sort of college where they are taught math, science, philosophy, history, geography, languages, and machinery skills in the combination that they will need for the particular job field that they wish to pursue. That is how I met Amy, we were both studying the same subjects; we've been good friends for the last three years, but I've never told her about who I really am or any of this. She knows some of the Old Histories because of the translator, stories of the beginning of things, the Silmarils, of Thingol and Melian and the lineage of the Peredhil, the Last Alliance, and she knows of the threat that grows in the east… She has even been trying to teach herself to speak Sindarin, though God alone knows why!" The sad smile melted away from Aria's face as she recalled the last things that she remembered before waking up in Imladris.
"It was night, and raining." She whispered, reliving the events in her mind. "I stopped by the bookstore on my way to Amy's birthday party. It was supposed to be a costume party and Faereb gave me the last pieces for mine… I arrived at Amy's house early; we were going to arrange each other's hair. We had just brought up some snacks to her room and found Beriol waiting for us in the closet; he was soaking wet. I had never seen him look so… desperate before. He made us pack our bags and get ready to leave. I know he wanted to get me out because I had… but we couldn't just leave Amy to face the dark ones alone… They were in the house then… Beriol blocked the door to the bedroom, but that left us no way out… He gave me back my medallion; I think I had accidentally left it with him the day before…" she blushed and looked at the floor, more tears spilling down her cheeks.
"He gave Amy his own, I don't know why; he gave us both one of his knives, too… they had already started breaking down the door. They couldn't get through, but they could shoot at us through the cracks. The only thing I could think to do was to pray for a way out. We needed to get to safety! A haven! Anywhere but there! Suddenly there was a great burst of wind and this vortex formed next to us. He shoved Amy through and was about to push me through when everything went black..."
"Is that when you awoke here?" Arwen asked. Aria nodded slowly.
"What happened with the medallion when you spoke to her then?"
"I honestly do not know. They were first given to us when we were sent on our quest; they somehow allowed us to blend in, so that the people around us would notice nothing out of the ordinary. When we swore to see the task finished our names appeared on them, just like that. If I had to guess, I would say that, somehow, Amy has taken—" Aria's voice cracked and she looked away.
"She is being held to the oath in his stead?"
"He spoke to her before—it is possible that he may have extracted an oath from her." Arintiris supplied. "Although I do not think she fully understands what that may entail."
"Thank you Árenne. I must think on this. Arwen will stay with you until I return." The ladies both nodded as the lord of Imladris rose and left the room followed closely by his captain. There was silence after the door clicked shut; Elrond was not the only one who needed time to think.
Glossary
Amar (S) what the Elves call Earth
Ilúvatar (Q) lit. "The One Father of All"; God; the Creator of the Ainur of whom some are counted Valar and some Maiar. Called Eru in Sindarin.
A/N:
So… Does that answer some of those questions? Is it still mysterious or just plain confusing? Anything that needs more clarification? Did I mention that I like reviews? I like reviewers, too. I think in honor of this chapter breaking the 2-review mark (WOW) I shall now hand out pieces of my family's famous chocolate Thing. It is easy. Chocolate + chocolate + more chocolate in various states Thing. 'S good. Bring your own gallon of milk…
Iell Eruo
A/N II:
Due to ongoing research the following change was made: Arien - Árenne.
