Disclaimer: I don't own any familiar characters, and or anything pertaining to the world of the Hobbit. All, but my ocs, are owned by J.R.R Tolkien (who probably hates us for doing this to his work).
Chapter 5
Magdalen felt her hand first, the numb sensation turned into pins and needles. The world swayed back and forth, a groan slipped from her dried-cracked lips. Her eyes fluttered behind her eyelids. Her head pulsed, the buzzing noise roared in her ears. Her chest burned and her lungs tightened as she gasped for air. Her eyes felt as if they were on fire as she tried to focus on the world around her. Magdalen drifted in between consciousness and sleep. She fought to stay awake as best she could, but sleep called her name. Her arms felt weak as she pushed herself upright.
"Shit." She mumbled to herself, her hand holding her forehead.
Her fingers brushed over a bandage. Magdalen gasped bringing her other hand to her head, she stared at her bruised and cut hands. Tears pricked her eyes; she took shallow breaths. She was closing her eyes trying to find some peace. What happened to me? She wondered trying to recall anything before she woke up. A distant dream of headlights racing toward her, a burst of wind shaking the quiet world of Mel street, and a man standing outside her apartment with golden hands and a grey suit played in her mind. Her skin got goosebumps at the strange dream. She tried to shake off the odd feeling that rested in her stomach.
Her eye's blink, squinting so they could adjust to the dimly lit room around her. It was most certainly not her room. But she wasn't in a hospital room either; her heartbeat spiked at the realization. The room around her was strange and slightly medieval. The walls were made out the smooth grey stone. Magdalen was tucked away in a small bed against one of the walls, covered by green wool blankets. A wooden cabinet rested against the wall to her right and a small bedside table to the left of her. The only light in the room came from three torches on the wall. A chilling thought crept into the back of her mind.
Magdalen threw the wool blanket off of her, pushing her back into the cold stone wall. She inhaled holding her hand against her beating against her chest. Her mind racing to figure out how she had gotten here, wherever here is. Flashes of the man in the grey suit played over in her mind; it had felt so real. Her throat tightened as panic set in. Maybe it wasn't a dream. Bile burned the back of her painfully dry throat. Had he kidnapped her?
She held a shaking hand over her mouth muffling her cries. Think Magdalen think. Placing her hand on the edge of the bed Magdalen pushed herself to her feet. Her body ached with each movement, but she bit her tongue and kept moving. She needed to find a way home; she needs to get out of this place.
Emma and Felicity are probably worried sick. Magdalen thought to herself. Well, at least Felicity would be. How long had she been out, she wondered pressing her palms against the wooden frame of the bed holding herself there for a moment. After a moment slowly Magdalen anchored herself onto the cold stone floor, her bare feet finding their balance as Magdalen grew to her full height. She stood there for a moment collecting herself, studying the room around her. There was no window to giving her indication as to where she was, or what time it was. She did, however, find a door.
Pain ignited through her body as she took a step toward the door, but she did not stop her. Magdalen's hand reached for the golden handle, she pressed her ear to the dark oak door listening to the world outside. Silence. The cool metal in her hand felt heavy. Magdalen's grip on the doorknob tightened. She had a choice, she could lay in bed and await whatever brought her here. Or she could find her way out. What was she going to do if there were people on the other side? Sure her grandfather had taught her how to defend herself. This was different. She had no idea what or who was on the other side of the door, and that scared her. She could be a prisoner for all she knew, and the door could have been locked. She gripped the handle testing it carefully, reaching not to alert whatever lay beyond the door. A click registered in her ears. A sigh of relief came from her lips as she rested her forehead against the unlocked door.
Magdalen stared at the door for what felt like hours. Her hand tracing the intricate carvings that were worked into the framework."I've never been known for my patience." Magdalen told herself before turning the knob. Click. Here goes nothing.
Light flooded through the small crack of the door. She peeked her head out of the wooden door, her heart palpitating as she listens to the loud squeak of the door. Her eyes scanned the hallway. It, like her room, was carved from the small stone. The walls held small nooks that jetted into itself. Magdalen almost let out a scream when she spotted a short man leaning against the wall. She jumped back bracing herself against the door, preparing for the man to scream at her. Holding the doorknob, she waited to squeeze her eyes tightly shut. A moment passed, but nothing came.
Magdalen exerted a deep breath leaning her against the door, once again gathering the courage to open the door. Slowly she let the door swing open filling her dark room with light. Her grey eyes cautiously studied the man a few yards from her door. Her forehead creased, the man had a stout figure. He had a long red beard cover in odd braids and beads, but it was the metal chain armor and long spear he leaned against. What freak kidnapped me? She screamed in her head. A loud snore erupted from the man.
Her eyes darted from the sleeping man to the long hallway. To her left door's similar to her own lined either side of the corridor. A scarlet and gold carpet lined it, to her right the carpet end at a balcony looking out into something her eyes could not make out. Her heart beat wildly against her ribs, she sought to either side of her; there was no one. She needed to make her move, and she needed to make it now. Magdalen shut the door behind her; she didn't want to alert the sleeping guard of her escape. Dashing from the door, she stayed along the edges of the walls listening to the echoes of snores. The clattering of metal froze her in her place. Her eyes flashing in alert as the clattering behind her, her back pressed into one of the nooks in the wall. She worried for a second that whoever was coming would hear her heart pounding.
"Milos," A low voice called out behind her. The snores abruptly stopped followed by groans and harsh tones of a foreign language that she didn't know.
"Has the girl made any trouble yet or were you too busy sleeping to notice." The voice let out a hearty laugh. They were talking about her; her heart squeezed into fear.
"Rukhsul menu, the girl hasn't made a noise. You heard Master Oin; she'll be out for days."
She heard the soft clenching of metal against metal. "You know I heard the human girl was quite lovely, why don't we find out for ourselves."
Magdalen felt her muscles tense, her palms spread out against the stone wall. Ready to make a run for it, they would surely come after her if they found her room empty.
She said a silent prayer to any god that would listen to her. "Leave it be; Master Oin would have your head if you went in there." One of the voices grunted.
"Or we could go grab some ale," The voice paused. "Like you said the girl will be out for days, the lass isn't going anywhere anytime soon."
"I suppose ye' right Milos, for once in your sad life. A few drinks won't hurt." A clap of metal came from her left, followed by the movement of the two men moving toward her. Her breath hitched as she pushed herself into the tiny space as much as she could. Her eyes bugled out of her head as she watched the two men pass her by, a thick arm of metal over the other man's shoulder blocked her from view. Time slowed as she watched the men disappeared around the corner of the open balcony.
The hallway was now devoid of any sign of life. Magdalen walked past the door she had been kept in looking down the hall, it only leads to more doors and hallway. There's only way out of this mess, she thought to herself.
She made her way back to where the two men disappeared. Magdalen was taken back by the view. Above her was stone, and golden light fell from the ceiling. She looked to be in some sort of cave city, angular buildings were carved from the stone. To either side of her led to two staircases along the side of a dark stone way. To left she could see the two guards making their way down the stairway disappearing under an archway. To her right lead up to another balcony. Guess the only ways up. She thought to herself. Turning she began pushing herself up the steep stairs. Each step was painful and shot through her leg, but she pushed on keeping the adding pain at bay. Her body pulsed screaming at her to stop her own madness, she couldn't she needed to find a way out. A way home.
Magdalen peered into the hall finding a few people milling around the large corridor paying her no mind, going about their lives. She decided it was too risky adventuring into the chamber, her clothes stood out among the medieval costumes. So she kept pushing passing many floors as she climbs her way to the top. Her lung felt on fire and her legs threatened to give out but she kept going. Tears burned her eyes, she just wanted to go home. Had Emma or Felicity come home yet? What were they doing right now? Did they even know she was gone? She shook away these thoughts as she came to a bridge. At the top of the stairs, she noticed two figures descending toward her. Magdalen had no choice she took a sharp right turn onto the bridge. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked down the long drop. Lights below looked small, and the sound of laughter echoed in the large cavern. Her shoulders tensed keeping her head held high she speeds up her walking.
"Hey, you!"A voice called out to her, but she ignored it hastily crossing the bridge before darting up the stairs it connected with.
The voice called again, she didn't look back. Whoever it was definitely noticed she didn't belong. Magdalen needed a place to hide. She reached the top balcony the looked over the stone city below, the pity of her stomach fell. Her hands gripping onto the wall. Below her was indeed a city. Windows glowing with dim lights emitted from the mountain walls. A few small bodies moved about the connected walkways far below her. Magdalen closed her eyes steadying her breathing she gripped the edge of the wall. This hall was different from the others she had passed. The entrance was wide and the carving was smooth and angular. Blue markings decorated the stone, glowing in the dim light. Blue silks hung to either side pinned to the wall by stone hands. Unlike the other halls, it seemed empty. Slowly Magdalen walked in, there were fewer doors here and when there were, they were spaced out. At the end of the hall, a beautiful wooden door covered in painted gold and blue took up much of the wall space. Behind her she heard the familiar clenching of metal, someone was approaching.
Tears pricked her eyes; she must have hit her head hard. A loud ringing sang in between her ears. A thundering headache wasn't what needed to focus on right now, getting out of wherever she was. She didn't care if she seen, Magdalen took off into a full sprint. The adrenaline pumping through her whole body. If she wasn't running for her life, she might have admired the beauty of her surroundings. But as it were the foreign writing seemingly added to her anxiety. Magdalen heard something behind her, and quickly she ducked into the nearest door. The door came together with a thud causing her heart to jump against her sore ribs. She pressed her ear to the door listening, waiting for something to happen.
A moment passed she watched as two black shadows walked passed the door Magdalen let out a breath sliding down the door. She ran her hands over her body feeling the bumps and tears in her skin. Fresh blood painted her fingertips. She inhaled feeling a sharp pain from her side, closing her eyes she focused on her breathing. Trying to push through the pain, she may be safe for the moment, but things could change. She held her head between her hands. Where was she exactly, everything around her was strange. Nothing her looked modern, or real for that matter. Why were those men dressed in chain metal? How was it possible for a city to be built in a cave.
Her eyes burned, irritated at how much she had cried. Surely she had no tears left to cry. Magdalen pressed her palms into her eyes, trying to find some release. The world around her swimming, she needed air. Magdalen looked up her eyes adjusted to the dark room, she could barely make out an oversized bed to her right, and large desk but what caught her eye was the balcony. Blue moonlight welcoming her eyes, she almost cried at the sight of it. Pushing herself off the ground, stumbling until she made her way to the glass doors. She ran her hand along the branches that were frozen into the glass. Pressing her palms into the cold steel, she flung the doors open feeling the cool fresh breezes against her skin. She sighed relishing at the moment.
Before her, the night sky shined over a small city that sat comfortably against the side of the mountain. I'm in a mountain; she figured where in the world was she. Her head once again began to pound how was she going to escape a mountain, if she did somehow manage to survive where would she go. Magdalen had a horrible feeling she was no longer in Kansas anymore. Her eyes swept over the peaceful landscape, committing the winding paths of the city to her mind. A voice cleared their throat behind her; her body felt like it was encapsulated in ice. Magdalen spun to come face to face with a blonde haired man, letting out a squeal her a fire took over her body what she did next surprised even herself. The man opened his mouth to speak, and without thinking, Magdalen connected a closed fist to the side of his rather large nose. The man howled holding his face as he fell to the floor, his cane following him.
Without a moment's hesitation, Magdalen leaped over him dashing out the door which she had entered through. The warm candlelight reveals further down the hall, from the direction she had come from, a small group of men dressed in metal armor. Who now looked to the door which she had emerged from, the echoes of the man's pained screams following her out the door. Panic exploded from her chest as the men took off in a full sprint in her direction. Magdalen felt like a madwoman, feeling her eye bulge as she galavanted down the hall searching for any way out. Halfway down the hall she heard someone cry "Follow her, do not let her escape."
With a glance over her shoulder she found three short men chasing her tail, weapons in hand. Magdalen let out a cry as the hall came to its end, she almost froze finding what the long hall had let out to. Almost. There at the end of the seemingly-never-ending emerald hall was the most beautiful structure she had ever seen. The ceiling of the open space reached into a dark void above, but below was the same emerald color that ran through the hall. Gold ascended the long paths that reach across the valley between her wall and the other side. Doing this for several feet below her, stairs and arches dotted the breathtaking architecture. Realizing she couldn't fully appreciate the beauty around her at this moment, she followed the balcony to a set of stairs. Magdalen had taken note that there weren't many people moving about the paths or stairs. Perhaps if she could lose the men she could find a way to slip out of wherever she was without being noticed.
Following her was a chorus of "stop!","Someone stop her.", and "The lass is fast; I will give her that." A new wave of pain washed over her body as air burned through her lung, tears pricked her eyes. She just wanted to go home; she wanted to curl up underneath her warm blanket and watch some tv show. But right now that seemed worlds away. Caught up in her thought she had noticed that a group of people had gathered around balconies on either side of the space watching on as a half-clothed girl was chased down the steps. She foot had caught the flat surface when she saw a hoard of similarly clothed men ascend the stairs below her. Magdalen balanced herself turning to the bridge to the right, she had noticeably slowed as she sprinted across the bridge feeling certainly less strong footed knowing in her mind there was nothing to catch her if she took one step in the wrong direction.
Taking a chance Magdalen glanced over her shoulder, she felt her face drain any color she had left as she saw the line of guards creeping too close for comfort for her liking. The world came to a sudden halt as her left temple crashed into something substantial, her entire head vibrated feeling her teeth mash together as she stumbled backward. Beneath her, the heel of her bare foot felt nothing as she had stumbled to the edge of the bridge. Magdalen felt a scream leave her lungs as she felt the air rush around her, in her mind, she prepared for the worst. Squeezing her eyes shut Magdalen prayed to every god she could think of hoping that maybe it would get her into somewhere remotely pleasant. That was until she felt a large calloused hand grip her forearm leaving her dangling over the long drop. Painfully slowly she opened her eyes to meet that of her saviors. She was met with a scowl, her 'savior' was a thick bald-headed man with odd, faded tattoos that adorned that top of his head. As he pulled her up back onto the bridge she was flanked by the men who had been chasing her. Magdalen suddenly felt very sick, she met the dark eyes of the man who shook his head as if he knew what was about to transpire. The world suddenly became a darker place, slowing as she felt her legs give out crumpling to the cold stone below her.