AS BEFORE, I WILL REPLY TO REVIEWS BEFORE WE GET TO THE STORY.
Me and Not You 1001: I am really glad you like the story! Rowena just has a weird sense of humor. Pretty similar to mine, really. I plan on updating ASAP, but...I dunno when, exactly.
Yasminisfeir1: Glad you liked the chapter. I try to develop Rowena in a reasonable, in-character way and am really glad that you find her enjoyable and hilarious. I was honestly slightly nervous about this chapter because of how Saruman's voice affected her, but am really happy that you didn't mind it. As I said to Me and Not You 1001, I do plan on updating ASAP.
Jo: I am really happy you are loving my story! :)
JJAndrews: I was blown away (in a good way) by your review. I really like it when people tell me specific elements that they like about my story. As to your point about her gun; she has an Uncle and a few cousins in the military. They bought her the gun and holster as a way to protect her even if they aren't there. It never hurts to be prepared. Bad people are everywhere. I didn't know it was difficult to get a glock in Scotland. Thank you for pointing that out.
I MUST CONFESS NERVES AT POSTING THIS CHAPTER. AS YOU READ, IT WILL BECOME OBVIOUS WHY. THAT BEING SAID, I HOPE YOU ALL LIKE THIS CHAPTER!
GOD BLESS AND GOOD DAY!
~THE LUPINE SOJOURNER
We continued to ride hard into the night, stopping once the moon rose a few feet into the air. By then, we'd gotten far past the Fords of Isen, only slowing down a bit in respect for the dead. My heart had clenched for those left behind that had loved these brave Rohir before I'd forced myself to look away and focus on riding.
When we've settled for the few remaining hours of the night, I notice that Theoden's all alone and looked rather troubled. Overcome with sympathy and concern for the old man, I move toward him.
"Sire?" I ask. He has a troubled furrow to his brow that is forced to be at least less noticeable now as he turns to me. "May I join you?" He actually manages a smile and pats the ground beside him.
"Certainly, my dear." He replies. I plop wearily down, massaging my legs to loosen them up a bit. An air of familiarity falls over us and I find I quite like it. "The stars are abundantly clear tonight." He muses. I don't take the bait and talk to Theoden on his terms. I want to take control of this talk.
"They are." I reply politely. "What's wrong, my liege? I saw that troubled look before I caught your attention." I then ask tentatively. He sighs.
"A great many things, I am afraid." I can somehow read what's really at the heart of his troubles; Grima and his fall from grace, leading to a dishonorable death on the balcony of Isengard. I nudge his shoulder.
"No offense, Theoden, sire, but Grima was a diabhal fool for betraying us like that. He was never gonna come down, no matter how you pleaded and demanded it." I say genuinely. Theoden genuinely chuckles.
"I know not how you knew that, but you have, I deem, reached the heart of my troubles. Grima's was the less necessary of the two deaths in Isengard. It seems only yesterday that he was a genuinely helpful advisor. Now, I shudder to think how long the dark crept into me at his direction." I nod.
"Again, that is not on you, sire. It was all on Grima, and I daresay he paid for his mistakes." I point out with a casual shrug.
"Aye, but I had hoped that it would not come to that bitter end. I had hoped we could go back to the way it used to be." I purse my lips.
"Sire, not to seem rude, but I doubt anything will ever be the way it was." Theoden groans.
"I see that, but still..." I nod.
"You somehow hold to the hope." We both fall silent, content to let the other muse and think in silence. I then gaze up at the stars. "Doesn't mean that all change is bad, though." Theoden and I chuckle.
"You are wise beyond your years, Rowena. I can see why my nephew is attracted to you." I blush a little and smile, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Perhaps you and he will be wed afore the year ends." I flush and open and close my mouth like a fish for a moment. Fine. If that's how he wants to play it...two can play at this game, Theoden.
"Yeah, and then there'd be adopted grandchildren for you to dote on." I muse casually, smirking as I stand, brush myself off and take my leave. Theoden seems at least a bit startled at my comfort with the idea, though in reality, I am a bit nervous about the whole situation.
Luckily, Eomer seems to fair my view on relationships and we have come to an agreement regarding our boundaries, so that conversation is over already. Things are great between us, but I don't want to consider marriage just yet; I still don't know Eomer as well as I'd like, though I am learning more everyday. Speaking of, the Third Marshall is suddenly hugging me after a day of not being able to. I smile and return the hug.
"Join me for dinner?" He asks, and I can feel his smile. I nod.
"Oh, yes please." I then raise a finger. "On one condition; no apples." I tease, smirking. Eomer and I laugh as we snuggle close together, sharing a large plate of food Eomer had obviously prepared for two (devoid of apples, I note). Cheeky little devil'd known I would eat with him. I loved him for it. Once we were done, we sat back replete and content in each other's arms. I then let my head fall back and I gazed at the starlit sky, so much clearer and infinitely more cluttered than Scotland's sky, despite my home being a fair distance from any city or town. "I see the Shield and Hilda the Handmaiden." I muse idly. Eomer hums.
"I see Elfhild, Garawyn, and the First Sword." I playfully groan.
"You're so good at spotting them!" I compliment, poking his side. He chuckles, poking me back.
"You'll know them before long, I suspect. I can show you a star map when we get to Meduseld." I grin at him, snuggling closer.
"I'd love that." And before we know it, pointing out constellations is too burdensome somehow and we end up succumbing to the sweet darkness of sleep.
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I can only say this of the next several hours once we'd woken up and gotten riding again; striking up a conversation with a wizard is a great, if not confusing, time-killer.
It started when I met Gandalf's gaze as we began to move the horses back to the road. Then, I'd asked him what was wrong and he replied that he had 'puzzled it out'. On asking what he had puzzled out, he replied 'why, your presence here, of course!' and proceeded to explain his reasoning. It went a little something like this:
Arda and my world are two of many different worlds and these worlds act like the orbiting parts of an atom, swirling and spinning around some nexus point out there in the vastness of space. Our two worlds happen to be on a similar plane, nearly always aligned. However, it takes a lot of power to rip a hole- -or portal, if you will- -in the 'fabric' separating these two worlds.
The Valar, obviously, possess this power, but it isn't a good idea to repeatedly break apart the time-space continuum. That, and this portal-making was pushing against the Valar's limits. They break this barrier by using the longing people feel for someone dead in one world, but alive in another, and even then it had to be in a moment when the body was utterly ready to move on to the afterlife. Rarely ever do the Valar act on that longing, but they can. I was one of those exceptions, clearly. Gandalf guessed that the Valar- -or maybe the only power greater than them, Iluvatar- -had sensed that Gandalf would need a bit of help and had used our relation (granddaughter and grandfather) to get me here, as I was the only candidate available.
Then came the most startling revelation; I was merely a soul inhabiting a Arda native's body. The body of Gandalf's stillborn granddaughter. My mother in Arda had passed to the halls of Valinor a long time ago and Gandalf had been living without family for a long time, creating the longing needed to draw me to Arda. The connection between us was strongest when Gandalf died, and then so did I, while Iluvatar and the Valar decided whether or not to send Gandalf back. And- -duh- -if I should go too.
Obviously, they sent us both, but my soul had not come to Middle-Earth unscathed by the lightning and my body's failure.
I needed time to heal. Iluvatar had used the seed-thing he'd made for Gandalf's granddaughter for my new body while my soul healed in Valinor. Then, conveniently while the Fellowship passed by, my body was then released into the Fields of Rohan to take my place in the War Against Sauron.
Once Gandalf had finally finished explaining all this, it was past noon, and time for lunch.
"So...I am inhabiting the body of your granddaughter?" I ask, puzzled. My food was already eaten, but I made no move to rise just yet. Gandalf's face is a mask, unreadable and unmoving.
"Yes. Your Fea- -or soul, if you wish- -was, I think, placed into the body Iluvatar made for Symberen. Her Fea was too weak, having been so young, to survive after her body died and returned to being the small seed Iluvatar begins a creation with. The Valar put the two halves together when they summoned your Fea here. Though, it might not be her specific body, just the one Iluvatar made for you, although another possibility is that you inhabit the body Symberen would have had." It's quite clear this conversation pains him, but I can't help asking more questions. I hadn't gotten so much as a hint as to why I'd been chosen until now. It felt so good to finally have the answers. Even if they were a bit depressing and unsettling.
"And...and my body was found in Loch Ness back in my world? My mum and dad found...they think I...oh Dia (God)." I feel sick at the thought. If only I were able to contact them, explain everything.
Then a worse thought occurs to me. They're grieving. Hearing from me now would only hurt them all over again. It would do so much worse damage to talk to them after so long away, even if it had only been about a week. They were still raw from the loss. Maybe if I were to have come back in the first few days after arriving here, but...now…
Gandalf's hand on my shoulder helps calm me. It also reminds me that I have found a new family here. Gandalf Theoden, Eomer, Eowyn, and the Fellowship have become an amazing foster family for me, though Gandalf is apparently a literal family member of mine.
"I am sorry, Rowena. There is no going back now." Gandalf says, hand squeezing my shoulder. I nod, swallowing thickly.
"It doesn't matter; I've been here too long to do anything but hurt them if I were to return. Besides, I have Eomer and the Fellowship now. Not to mention a grandad." I shrug, but the tears in my eyes betray me.
"It is no easy task, telling you this, Henig." I take a deep breath and blink back the tears, nodding mutely.
"I really appreciate you telling me. I know it...it wasn't easy for you." I manage through a constricted throat. "And, like I said, I have a new family here. I wouldn't want to leave." I then remember something Gandalf had said a moment ago. "Henig?" I ask, cracking a small smile. "What does that mean?" Gandalf chuckles and wraps an arm around my shoulder.
"'My child' in Elvin." I smile, returning the hug.
"I like it. Can I call you 'Seanathair', then?" Gandalf laughs.
"Of course." I then stealthily wipe my tears away on his robes.
"Thanks." I tell him genuinely. "I think we'd better get a move on now, though." Gandalf stands.
"Quite right." He says and gives the order. I take a breath. Wow. That had been a lot to take in at once. I bite my lip.
Basically, I had been Frankensteined into Middle-Earth to help Gandalf fight off Sauron.
Great.
Riding through the rest of the day offered a chance to really process this. I was some weird version of the combination of my Fea and Symberen's intended body. My head is starting to hurt now trying to process it all. I shake myself. No use questioning it now, I guess. I just hoped I could actually help out in some way. To that end...I probably need to learn how to do more than ride and shoot my gun. I knew only a few year's worth of self-defense from a class I took years ago. I needed to touch up on those skills and learn new ones (sword and bow, for example) before I lost all my bullets and still had to fight.
For now, however, I am focusing on riding as fast as possible. It seems Seanathair is intent of reaching Meduseld before nightfall, though I don't really see how that it possible.
But still we ride hard and hope for the best.