Author's Note: This story may seem like a crossover with Chronicles of Narnia, but not really. There may be a cameo with a TCON character, but otherwise this is solely a Lord of the Rings story. Furthermore, although this is a modern woman falls into Middle Earth story, it will NOT be a tenth walker story. Although I do like those kinds of stories I think that they have been overdone, and I just didn't want to write a story with such a common and perhaps tired trope. Furthermore, in this universe LOTR was not a published as a book by Tolkien, who supposedly transcribed it from the Red Book of Westmarch, and therefore my main character would not have any knowledge of the events of the War of the Ring and the story will be told mainly from her point of view, which is an stranger's POV of Middle Earth. For example, for at least the first portion of this story she won't know what hobbits are, what orcs are, or that Middle Earth and the modern world are the same place, just separated by approximately 6,000 years. Finally, I don't own Lord of the Rings and I don't have any monetary aspirations for this story. Thank you for reading, and if you like what you have read then please review!
It was a strange new day, and Roslyn Kirke found herself in a strange new place. She was in the Wood between the Worlds, something she thought only existed in fairy-tales. Despite all of the family legends that she heard, she couldn't believe she was here right now. Her grandfather was none other than Digory Kirke, who was present at the birth of Narnia. He had shared all his life experiences with her, including his adventures in Narnia with Polly Plumber. Of course, she hadn't really believed him. After all, who has the name Polly Plumber? It sounded like the name of a character out of a really bad comic book... but she did grow curious. Even when her family moved away from England and immigrated to the United States, she never lost her interest. He had told her all about the Wood between the Worlds and how it was a gate-way to other realms. It seemed fated that she would go to this place, because one day a strange package wrapped in blue paper with no return address appeared on her doorstep. Given all the horror stories of evil people putting bombs in packages, she almost didn't open it since she wasn't expecting a package and the fact that it had no sender information. However, as the package was sitting there on her doorstep and she was just staring at it dumbly she got the sudden overwhelming feeling that she just had to open the package, and to resist would be as futile as not trying to breathe. So, when she did finally open it she discovered her grandfather's old yellow and green rings in a plain wooden box. She had no idea where they came from; they were presumed lost in the train crash that claimed the lives of the supposed Seven Friends of Narnia, the crash that killed her grandfather. It was on her twenty-fifth birthday that she got those rings, and from that day on she knew somehow that the legends were true and that she was going to the Wood between the Worlds just like her grandfather did. For the next four years the thought stayed in the back of her mind, all during her enlistment in the army and going to West Point, like it was an annoying little chore she just had to do.
It was on this day that she woke in her bedroom when she was on leave from active duty and she felt the same horrible overwhelming urge to go under her bed, fish out the box the rings were in, and put on the yellow ring. The feeling was so strong there was simply no way she could resist. Before she knew it, the box was in her hand and she had opened the lid. There sat both sets of green and yellow rings. She hurried up and rushed about her cramped one bedroom apartment, packing a few things like granola bars, water, and a first aid kit into her gray military issue backpack. She would be going to another world, a place full of unknowns and a place that might be dangerous. Her military training told her to also bring her gun for self-defense. She rushed to get dressed; her outfit consisted of black cargo pants and a plain olive-green tee shirt with a black leather jacket on top. She slung her backpack on, picked up the green ring and put it in her pocket, and then touched the yellow ring.
There was a rush of color and sound and then Roslyn found herself in the Wood between the Worlds. She stepped of the pool, and then preceded to look deep into it. She saw nothing but the deep dark depths. The pool looked like it was bottomless, yet when she stepped out it seemed shallow. After a few moments of staring unto its depths she swore that she could just make out some of the features of her room, but maybe she was just imagining it. She moved on and started to explore the place. Roslyn looked up. Overhead she couldn't make out the sky, just a dense green canopy. You would think that since you couldn't see the sky that the place would be dark, but that wasn't the case. Instead the forest was bathed in a beautiful green sunlight. The very place seemed alive, and you could almost feel the trees growing. Also unlike a dark forest, the place seemed warm, and it was very quiet. You could've heard a mouse stir, it was so silent. There were so many trees and they grew close together. From what Roslyn could tell, other than the trees and the odd guinea pig running around, the place was totally uninhabited. From what her grandfather told her, the forest was a nexus, an alternate dimension that exists outside of all other worlds. It is the place where there are portals to all the different worlds of the universe.
Roslyn found that within minutes of arriving at the Wood between Worlds she had difficulty concentrating. She felt like she had literally been sucked out of energy. She wondered if somehow her weariness was linked to this place; nothing happens there so there is little energy. It wasn't as if she hadn't expect this, because her grandfather told her that he quickly got tired as well. So did everyone else that he was traveling with. They all got the feeling that if they didn't leave quickly they would fall asleep and therefore be trapped forever in the woods. Even though it was an interesting and breath-taking place which seemed so quiet and peaceful, Roslyn didn't want to spend the rest of her life sleeping there. Still wearing the yellow ring, Roslyn quickly jumped into one of the nearest pools.
After jumping in the pool there was another flash of light, and Roslyn found herself in yet another forest. She then walked down a wooded slope. She had been walking for a while, but she didn't know the exact time because she didn't have her watch. In the distance she could hear the sound of a horn being blown, in short but loud bursts. So apparently this world was inhabited. From the sound of the horn being blown she surmised that some kind of procession was heading up the road, maybe a scouting party or even an infantry of soldiers. She wondered if she was in Narnia. She thought about getting off the road and hiding herself from whatever was coming to her, but she was curious and wanted to meet whoever it was. She thought back on what her grandfather told her. From his experience and opinion the people of Narnia were good and friendly towards strangers, but Narnia had its share of bad elements like any other world. She decided to get off the road and hide in the dense foliage as a precaution.
Suddenly, almost as soon as she hid herself, she heard branches crashing, people running, and screams. Not knowing what was going on, she crouched and hid herself further into the underbrush. Whoever was running was coming straight for her. What appeared to be two children rushed past her, followed by a man with blond hair. The man kept blowing on his horn, for help apparently. Roslyn looked past them and saw something that really made her scared. There was a whole army of what looked like hairy black-skinned cavemen armed with primitive swords that had a spike at the end, and they were chasing the man and children. Roslyn had no clue what was going on, but she seriously doubted that she was in Narnia. Her grandfather never mentioned any race that resembled the soldiers in the army that she was seeing. These soldiers seemed to have long arms, thick and crooked legs, bowed backs, slanted red eyes, large meaty hands, and had a greater stature than most men that she had seen. Whatever race they were, why was an army chasing three people, especially a father and his two kids?
Fearing what could be coming next, she grabbed her gun that was holstered at her side. Soon the army caught up to the people. The man rushed towards the soldiers and began to fight them off. At first the man and the children were holding up amazingly well; the man had managed to defeat three of the enemy and both of the children ganged together and stabbed one of their attackers with their small swords. Then the man commanded his kids to run, while he fought some more of the soldiers. The two kids ignored him and instead picked up some rocks and began hurling them at the soldiers. This continued as more and more soldiers were running towards them. Then out of the corner of her eye Roslyn saw one of the archers of the army lift up his bow. In horror, Roslyn watched as the man was shot with an arrow. The two kids dropped the rocks they were throwing in shock. The man dropped to his knees for a second and then miraculously stood back up to keep fighting. He managed to stab the closest soldier with his sword, even with an arrow sticking out of him. Then the archer lifted up his bow again and mercilessly shot him again. The man collapsed yet again, but still got up and kept fighting, albeit more slower and more clumsily. Roslyn was blown away by this man's determination to protect his family. He managed to dispatch two more of his enemies before he was struck a third time. This time the man tried to stand up again and fight, but he was too weak and momentarily collapsed from his injuries. The kids looked at each other and gave a heart-rending yell as they rushed at the soldiers and tried to fight them. Unfortunately the two children were kidnapped as the soldiers merely grabbed their squirming bodies and carried them off. Meanwhile, as the army rushed past him the man managed to partially haul himself up and was left kneeling on his knees. The archer who shot him was coming to finish the job. Soon there was stillness in the clearing, with just the man and the archer facing each other. The man was still on his knees gasping for breath but Roslyn watched in amazement as the man lifted up his head to stare defiantly in the eyes of his would-be killer. The archer lifted up his bow, aimed it at the man's heart, and prepared to fire the fatal shot.
Roslyn couldn't watch anymore. She stepped away from her hiding place, holding her silver SIB Sauer M18 pistol at her side. She started walking towards the archer and then she pointed her gun at him. Soon she was right up behind him, and neither the man nor his attacker had seen her yet.
In a calm but authoritative voice, she said "Drop the weapon, or I will be forced to fire!"
The soldier whipped around, and gave her an evil glare. He took one look at her weapon and snarled. With a flourish he aimed his bow at her and prepared to fire. As an army officer, she was trained to face this situation, albeit with an enemy combatant that had more advanced weaponry, but her training still held. She quickly hit the soldier in the face with her gun, and used her free hand to wrench the bow out of the startled enemy's hands. The soldier quickly recovered his bearings and leapt at her with rage in his eyes, but she smoothly sidestepped him and then fired her gun in the air. A ear-splitting bang reverberated throughout the forest, and the soldier quickly forgot his attack on her and backed away from her quickly. She fired her gun again and this time the soldier took off in fright and fled away from her, holding his bloody nose at the same time.
A gasp turned her focus over to the man who she had just saved. By this time he had fallen unto his back against a tree, although luckily he still hadn't lost consciousness yet. She made her way over to him as he stared at her. From her initial examination, she could see that he had been hit three times. One shot was near his left shoulder, probably puncturing his left lung. The second arrow was on his left side, looking like it was near his colon and hit his left pelvic wing bone. The last arrow was in the center of his abdomen, hitting his liver most likely. He was bleeding externally somewhat from all the wounds, and there was a small trickle of blood in the corner of his mouth.
"How are you feeling?" she said, kneeling down next to him.
"Who are you?" he gasped painfully.
"I am someone that is trying to help you, now tell me how you are feeling." she said.
"Where did you come from?" he said, in a daze.
"Never mind that! How are you feeling?" she said.
"They took the little ones!" the man yelled weakly.
Roslyn ignored the man and began fishing in her medical pack for gauze. She had to bind his wounds up to stop the bleeding. Soon she found some and started working on the man's shoulder.
He put his hand on her arm to stop her. "Leave it! It is over... Go after the little ones!" he begged her.
Roslyn gently freed her arm from the man's frail grasp. "I wish I could, but I need focus on saving you right now."
"No, please! Go after them!" he said.
Roslyn looked into the man's eyes as she continued to pack and then wrap up the man's wounds. "I'm sorry." was all she said, before tearing her gaze from him.
Soon after that the man lost consciousness and she momentarily feared that he might have died. Roslyn thought back to her medical training. In every case of first aid, you had to remember your basic ABC's; or Airway, Breathing, and Circulation. First she checked his airway. Luckily nothing was blocking it and he wasn't aspirating blood. Second, she checked his breathing by placing her hand on his chest. He was breathing; but was labored, rapid, and shallow. Finally, she checked his circulation. His overall color was pale, plus his lips and fingernails had a bluish tinge. When she felt his neck, his pulse was rapid and thready. Additionally, his skin was cold and clammy, plus he was sweating profusely. She gently pried his eyes open, and they were unfocused and dilated. All her touching of him barely induced a response from him; the first time he opened his eyes briefly and stared at her, but all the other times the most he would do was moan quietly. All the signs pointed to the fact that he was going into hypovolemic shock from losing too much blood. It was clear he was in bad shape, and Roslyn had only minimal medical supplies with her- basic medical training that she learned from the army and a small first aid kit.
Suddenly she heard more broken branches. She looked and saw even more soldiers headed their way. By sheer luck, the army hadn't noticed them yet. Her training kicked in. She had to move him quickly so they wouldn't be seen. Grasping from underneath his armpits she desperately tried to drag him into the undergrowth. He was a heavy guy, and she was petite. She had barely moved him an inch and she could hear more hostiles coming. She kept trying. Finally, with a lot of adrenaline coursing through her and sweat dripping down her face, she had dragged him into some heavy undergrowth in a extreme effort. Fortunately, they were both hidden and the people rushing by didn't notice them. Sure enough, more of the army was passing by and the fierce sounds of another battle could be heard. Apparently they were chasing and killing more people. Perhaps the man and his children had come from a nearby village that the army was plundering.
Roslyn didn't have time to pay attention to what was going on. The man was quickly going into severe hypovolemic shock and needed her help. She checked his breathing again. It was worse than before; he was breathing in quick, shallow gasps where his chest barely moved. He definitely had his left lung punctured from the arrow and it was probably collapsed, diminishing his lung capacity. With him experiencing such respiratory distress coupled with the loss of blood she feared that he would go into respiratory arrest. She reached for his wrist and felt his pulse. It was barely perceptible and rapid, but steady with no signs of arrhythmia. If the bleeding continued unchecked however, his heart rhythm could quickly degrade from ventricular tachycardia into ventricular fibrillation and then into asystole, or a cardiac flatline. A quick glance told her that most of his bleeding was internal, since there was only a small amount of blood on his clothing and on the ground. Judging from his condition, he had several serious injuries like a punctured lung, lacerated liver, possible ruptured colon, broken hip and rib, and shoulder injuries. Given all these injuries, she estimated that she only had maybe ten minutes to get him some medical attention. However the it was possible that the major cause of the internal bleeding was a severed artery or vein somewhere and not just punctured organs, given the pace of his hypovolemic shock. If this was the case, he had only a few minutes. She obviously was no doctor, and could only do a few stop-gap measures to see him through during that time. She would have to get him to the Wood between Worlds, and then to her own world to save him.
Roslyn quickly put on the green ring while holding the man. In a flash they were both back at the Wood between the Worlds. A quick glance at the man confirmed he was still unconscious and therefore ignorant of where she was taking him. That was a good thing; hopefully she would be able to get him the medical attention that he needed and he would be out of it enough that she could safely transfer him back. At the very least he wouldn't have any idea about how he got to her world. Roslyn looked around at the numerous pools, trying to remember which one would take her back to her own world. Suddenly she got a warm feeling in her gut when she looked at the pool nearest to them. She got up and looked at the pool. From its deepest depths it seemed like she could make out her bedroom. So once again she dragged the wounded man and soon they both fell into the pool. Within a second they were on the floor of her room.