Hi guys, so i am back into the groove of college so i'm not sure about frequent updates. i have future chapters and scenes mapped out, it's just finding the time to sit and fill in the gaps, which are sometimes huge. anyways, enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 11: War paint

"You're so nosy." Riley said, and stifled back the moisture in her eyes.

He didn't talk for a while, and so Riley was able to compose herself. He finally said, "So, were you?"

She sighed exasperatedly; he was very forward. "Yes, okay?"

"May I ask why?" He seemed genuinely concerned which took her by surprise.

"Well, I miss my family."

He started, but stopped, several times, having to think of several things to say, and he found that they all would sound unkind.

She had been thinking about the amount of complications that could arise, and maybe he was beginning to realize her dilemmas as well. She could be gone for quite some time, if their journey went successfully with the ring. And then if it didn't, then that could be a result of her being hurt during her travels. Along those lines, Riley was also thinking that she could also be killed if she got anywhere close to the wars and the hardships they might entail, like hordes of orcs; if she was in over her head (which she admitted she had passed that stage a long time ago); if the Wendigo and Sauron succeeded she would be finished; and if she did succeed after it all, could she go back?

"Fret not," Elrohir assured slowly, "if you take extra care, follow orders and maintain your studies, your journey will be successful. Then you will see them again."

"You are too kind, Elrohir," she said and she rolled her eyes. She couldn't find anyone with more tact than him.


Elrohir had taken it upon himself to follow through with his plan to figure out and expose more of Riley and Lana's dark secrets, and sought out his father. Obviously, he was denied there, but there was another who couldn't be less or equally as inquisitive as him than Erestor, his father's advisor.

Fortunately for Elrohir, Erestor had enough authority granted to him, and enough interest from his father for the advisor to be able to interview Riley at least, since she would be the one needed to explain her process for defeating the Wendigo. And Erestor was thoroughly excited for the experience.

Elrohir was in the midst of escorting Riley to the library the next day, just having told her of the circumstances she was about to be placed in.

Riley began by chewing Elrohir's ear off, "I was going to have to tell them anyways, you didn't have to make this a big production..."

"There will be no fanfare, I assure you." He said, ushering her through some passages.

"Welcome." Erestor said, the moment they walked in, and halted any open animosity the two bickerers had.

Riley looked inside, and saw about half a dozen elves. They held recording tools, and were set next to a table where she was meant to sit next to the advisor. She abruptly stopped and stamped back on Elrohir's foot.

"Whoa, whoa, what are all these guys doing here?" She said, backing up, but forgot her faithful servant was behind her.

"My lady, they are here to put your information to paper."

"You can't do that? There has to be more people?"

"Unfortunately, yes, I could be the one—"

"I appreciate the interest, but I didn't sign up for all these people to be here."

Everyone in the room seemed taken aback and began protesting.

Seeing no end to their insistence after two minutes of reasoning she sat down, and let the questions commence.

"Elrohir, I am pleased you asked for this opportunity to occur, however your father asked that you not be in attendance." Erestor said. Leaning around in her chair at the order, Riley quirked her brow at the elf at the door, and made a shooing motion.

"Yes, of course," Elrohir went stony, bowed curtly and left, but not before shooting Riley a look.

Her amusement was short lived when she turned back and seven diligent faces were opposite to her ready to listen.


Lana was glad they ended up having their work out the previous night because tension they'd had over keeping her on a tight chain was now gone even though nothing was said over the matter. Lana was hoping they wouldn't have to argue like they did before they crossed over, in fact Lana would consider herself to be non confrontational if it would come down to another fight, which she would do the best in her power to prevent.

Riley's question before though creeped her out when she asked about the weed. In a way, she felt protective of her, because she was so innocent and didn't want her to get into anything here. Though if you were to ask Riley about who was more protective, she felt like the mother. She wanted to remain innocent in that she never wanted bad things to happen to her, corrupting things. It would be easier for them to keep an eye on each other, yet harder because there were no strict laws against the corrupting things here.

Lana decided to start the day off of training because for the life of her she couldn't find her friend. The elves would never allow any harm to come to them though, so she figured it wouldn't be bad to not be at her side for one day.


For the fourth time already, Riley had to re-explain the phenomenon that was the Indian. She found it exhausting to explain her history in the other world, and she found it more exhausting attempting to explain herself in a world who had no idea about her people.

Or maybe they did know just not knowledgeable that where she came from they had mistreatment of people down to a science all over the world.

It was also really difficult for her to elaborate on things without including modern day technology, so she had to settle on what happened in the past. She knew quite a bit of her history for her own use, but supposed that now wasn't the perfect time to announce she was no historian.

"But why do they call you Indians?" Erestor asked twice after she shrugged in response the first time.

"Because the first people to arrive were idiots, that's why." She was suddenly starting to like this. There was no one here other than Lana who could protest anything she said or paint her in a bad light. "On their quest to make their way around the world and prove the world wasn't flat, they thought they'd made it around the world and hit India, when they actually hit the new world. That's why they called us Indians."

A round of chuckles made may through everyone.

A few more exchanges were recorded about vague descriptions from what she could recall about the settling, treaties, and wars, and then onto the more recent histories.

"If the treatment was so unfair, then why did people allow it to happen?"

"Because since the moment people set foot on the new world, there had been a severe misunderstanding between them. I don't know I'm not sure. If I could go back and talk people out of things, I would." But they wouldn't listen anyways.

"So was it sudden?" Riley assumed he was talking about the "taking over".

"Well in a way. It was like backstabbing, but with all this pretense of being allies. We were by no means perfect people, but we had certain values that prevented us from acting the same ways of the settlers. They were expansionists, and we were… pacifists to an extent."

"You fight today?"

"Well no, that's not how things are settled now. Things are not tangibly good or evil in my world. Its all very here nor there on the surface."

"On the surface?" He asked.

"Well, regular people not on reserves think the problems over. And it's not. The only difference now is that the oppressor can step back and tell us we're hurting ourselves."

Hearing herself say things out loud instead of keeping it to herself as common knowledge made her angry and ancy. Angry at the fact that this was the state of her world and life back home, and ancy because it unnerved her to become so worked up about it, it made her voice tremble when she spoke about it.

They were still conversing and taking more notes in their Sindarin language, while Riley was trying to block them out. She focused on outside and trying to stop her leg from shaking.

"Um, can I go?" She said, breaking their chatter.

They looked at her, then at Erestor. She could tell that they were eager for more, but she couldn't handle much at the moment.

"Are you alright?" Erestor asked.

She was a little irked, she didn't like it when people made questions public so she would have to say it out to everyone, but continued, and "I'm just a little tired I think I'm going to lie down."

Erestor kindly allowed her to leave, slightly concerned, but decided it might be best to let her be if he did not know how she liked to be comforted.

Riley had spent a few hours inside, and she stretched once she left that room, and ventured for her quarters.


Riley went back to nap as per usual, but her thoughts were racing so much she ended up only tossing around. She tried drawing the curtains closed, she tried removing her socks, but to no avail. Finally she lay back down and tossed a little too much and ended up on the floor.

"Ugh," she exclaimed and extracted herself from the sheets. Riley found herself facing the underside of the bed from the fall. She blinked a couple times and squinted before recognizing her backpack, gathering dust.

She pulled it out and a small smile came to her lips at the memories.

Inside there were several things other than her clothes she had left. There was a dark circle scarf, some dried orange rinds that she didn't want anyone to get suspicious about in case there weren't such thing as oranges, several wrappers from granola bars, a stick of deodorant she had forgotten about, a lip balm (she'd never even knew she packed, it was probably there in the first place), a small pair of ankle socks, her small pocket knife, and her iPhone charger.

Which reminded her: she left the phone in the front pocket and she pulled it out.

She knew it had worked the first time she'd gotten there, but she decided to give it a shot anyways. To her amazement it flickered to the bright white apple, and on.

It was the same as before she'd gotten here. But at only eighty percent she vowed not to use it until she got back. It was a flimsy promise that she was sure she would slip up against since apps were tempting, though she at least affirmed she wouldn't show anyone other than Lana.

She did wonder though. Lana had brought her phone, she was sure since she did not see it in her room.

She tried to send a text to Lana anyways, despite there being no service, and was wishing the great spirit could perform some voodoo magic to allow her service provider access to middle earth.

Riley snorted at the notion, and could picture whoever the Spirit above was shaking his head either at the absurdity or in offence. She smiled as she thought that ideas where there was magic involved in her life would have been previously laughed at, but such was her state of being there she granted herself this one small humorous wish, and maybe if she asked nicer later, the Great Spirit would humor her.

No more YouTube, no more movies, no more music, no more good food. "Wah," she whined out loud, and slumped further into the stone floor. She groaned several more times when a clearing throat stopped her short of another.

"What are you doing on the floor?" Lana said, and crouched beside her.

"Seriously, I'm lucky I have you or I would be staying and waiting out the war."

"You could you know," Lana supplied jokingly.

"But then you'd have all the fun without me." Killing orcs, watching people you might grow to care about get hurt, watching the ring get destroyed, seeing the Eye get punctured.

"Ok. But seriously, why are you here in your room? It's not even suppertime yet. I've been working out, been doing some things, and before that I was looking for you."

"I've been…" Riley didn't want to bring up anything about an arranged meeting and prompt worry, but Lana would probably be questioned anyways.

Lana waggled her finger, "Don't tell me you've been inside all day."

"Sure. That's where I've been," Riley agreed, and sat back down on her bed.

"You know we need to be in peak physical condition." Lana backed up and ran to jump and land beside her. "You can't afford to skimp on sword fighting either."

"Thank you, for pointing out my obvious flaws. But dude, I gained like five pounds of muscle and lost more in fat. I think I can afford to slack."

"We don't want those dudes thinking we're soft!" Lana exclaimed.

"They're not going to—"

"Which reminds me, I got some things together, we're gonna look sick for battle."

Completely thrown off yet again by Lana's spontaneity, she went along with this new thing, "And what would that be?"


Riley sat in front of Lana's vanity, whereon there were a multitude of palettes laid out that looked sloppy enough to be made by human, and worse, by Lana. It looked strangely familiar, but crude, and she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Now," Lana took hold of her friend's shoulders, "here we are."

"What is this?" She looked at a small bowl that had a few berries in it, and beside it a plate that had black, gray and white charcoal, and several other plates, that kind of looked like paint pigments, but she couldn't be sure.

"It is makeup, you uncultured swine." Lana said, and grinned while overlooking her arrangement.

"Yeah, okay, not like we need it, they don't even wear the stuff here. Not like the elves need it either." She tried to get up but was shoved back down.

"Well, I was thinking more along the lines about the journey." Truly perturbed, Riley allowed her to admit her idea. "You, know like war paint."

"What the hell, Lana." She said, annoyed.

"You'll like it, we're gonna look hot."

"Okay first of all, that is so wrong on so many levels," She put her face in her hands, "and second, they're going to think we're crazy."

"Crazy awesome."

Riley was considering telling her friend she was really offensive about this whole ordeal, but wasn't exactly turned off by the idea. The only other time she'd worn some sort of traditional makeup was while she danced at powwows. "Okay," She relented, "But just don't make yourself end up looking like Johnny Depp."

Only ten minutes later, they were laughing together at the creations they'd made, and along the way Riley made sure to help her friend reign it in or risk looking like Kiss.

"Oh my god, I look like a raccoon," Riley said, yet still added more of the charcoal around her eyes.

"A fierce raccoon." Lana noted. "And actually, it's pretty cool." She leaned over and looked at Riley harder. She laughed because although it was cool, it did remind her of the animal. Except it was extended across the bridge of her straight nose to the hairline below the brows, almost reminiscent of a mask, but earthier.

They laughed a little more, and decided to wash it off then try adapting the makeup on the palettes and giving each other makeovers.

"But before we wash this off, we have to show people, we look so badass." Lana suggested. Lana had been given a more clean approach, and gradual circles were dotted on her cheekbones in a red pigment.

It wasn't five steps out the door before they'd scared a poor elf, and he gave them a perplexed look before increasing him pace.

"I'll try my best smouldering look." Riley said, finally getting into it.

"Careful you don't kill anyone with that." Lana teased.

"Ha ha." She enunciated slowly, and suddenly stopped, when she realized Lana wasn't walking beside her.

She stopped just short of walking right into Elrohir.

"Ah, I was looking for you two—Oh, what have we here?" he asked, holding Riley back to observe her.

Riley suddenly felt mildly ashamed. What was funny, she now felt like a silly little girl, especially when he quirked his brow like that. She cleared her throat and straightened. "J-just a bit of fun."

"What is that?" He asked, and leaned in closer to look.

Her cheeks burned, but not their hardest yet, since incidentally, Legolas saw fit to pass by at that moment.

"Afternoon," Legolas said, but looked over long enough in order to be intrigued to stay. "What's this all about?"

"Riley has gotten charcoal all over her face." Elrohir remarked whole-humoured.

"That's quite interesting." He said genuinely.

In order to save herself for more ridicule, she decided to speak up, "It's a cultural thing. The men used it when they went off to war." She didn't mention that they didn't look half as ridiculous as she thought she looked.

They had the good graces to be embarrassed for knocking her traditions.

"So you are expecting many wars?" Elrohir asked teasingly, but Riley knew enough about his tone that he was suspicious.

"Well, the black is supposed to absorb the light so that it doesn't get into the eyes." Ah, science, Riley thought. It took them a moment to nod and concur, that that was a good point. "And I was just thinking that maybe there will be a battle or two. It adds to my intimidation factor, no?" She asked.

Lana internally thanked the lord that her friend was quick enough to divert some of the suspicions.

"Well boys, we really must be going now, get this stuff cleaned up before supper."

"Ah yes, thank you Lana for reminding me. Should I dress for a special occasion?" Legolas asked elegantly.

"No, what you got on is good. I just want us to all hang out, you know? We haven't really all sat down together. As a team." Lana said, already pulling Riley down the hall to the bathroom. She was definitely struggling to keep her laughter from bubbling over.

Riley waved at them, but was wondering at the dinner, having not heard before about this occasion. With the still fresh resentments that were in the group, she had to hand it to Lana for trying hard. Not hard enough, because she knew this could be another one of her ploys to change the company for the journey.


This is not only a journey for self-discovery for me, but i hope you guys take away a little bit between the lines, you know with accommodating yourselves with native cultures across turtle island. so to add to that you guys need to check out native appropriations dot com, this blogger is the best, she's hilarious.

in particular, check out and google her article "but why can't i wear a hipster headdress?" this article and website is especially good for those of you who like native culture but are not sure how to express it. she provides a humorous and insightful point of view that makes it easy to read. personally i think everyone should read her stuff, but hey, can't stop em all, we just do what we can to educate people.