CONTENT WARNING: Rated M for: strong language and violence.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything created by Tolkein and Middle-Earth. This is for entertainment only.

A/N: I have been so motivated with seeing how many people have viewed this story so far! I'm hoping to keep updating as regularly as I have been.
Please Read & Review! I would love to know I'm on the right track with this story!


Chapter 4 - Worlds Collide
Breathe it in… Let the fear consume you
Then force it out… Remember that it's not true
"Pretend It's Home" by Beth Crowley

The ominous laughter filled the dark cave causing the working Orcs to freeze where they stood.

When has the Master ever laughed?

A large cloaked figure triumphantly emerged from the large chamber and moved to the outer region of the cave. A place even the Orcs avoided if it could be helped. The cloaked one approached another lone figure currently standing at the mouth of the cave that dropped steeply into the ravine below.

Za drau mulkurt

He spoke the black speech within the mind of the other. The lone Nazgul instantly turned to face his Master. "Zaur nulgum lat blokurz?"

The cloaked figure lowered his hood; his black eyes showing a mixture of triumph and malice.

"Thrak tul katu!"


Augustus noticed several things at once. First; when his sister releases a blood-curdling scream right next to his ear; it hurt. Secondly; why was he suddenly able to hear her heart racing while she was screaming?

Augustus shook his head to take his surroundings in again. The Eagle had departed several minutes ago; but as soon as he noticed his sister turn her head towards him; she had screamed. "What the fuck are you shouting at now?!"

Aurora stared at her brother in disbelief, "Setting aside the 'Chronicles of Narnia' moment we just experienced, what is wrong with your ears?!" She jabbed a finger upwards toward her brother's ear.

"All the better to hear you as you cause me to go deaf, my dear." He shot back as the ringing noise began to subside.

"Augs… I'm serious. Run your finger along your ear...:"

Rolling his eyes; he decided to indulge her odd request. Everyone was entitled to a mental breakdown; particularly after talking with a Godzilla-sized eagle. He quickly ran fingers along both of his ears; pointedly staring at Aurora as he did so. "There are you hap-"

He froze. He had reached the tips of his ears. And not only did he reach the tips of them; he felt the tips. His eyes shot down to meet Aurora's; terror building in his chest. "What the-" He moved closer to his sister and pulled her hair back and let out an audible gasp as he stared. His sisters ears had somehow curved at the top; similar to the feeling of his own.

Seeing his panic, Aurora quickly followed suit and ran her finger along the outside of her ear until her finger rested on the pointed top. She screamed again and lurched backward from her brother.

"What. The. FUCK is GOING ON?!" She shouted, Augustus flinching at the volume of her voice. "Why do we have Nosferatu-ears?! ... Why did a giant-ass bird just talk to us?! … Why are we suddenly in a place that I, personally, have never seen before?! … And where the fuck is my horse?!"

She began to hyperventilate. She could feel the air escaping her lungs with none to replace it. Her vision began to double and she felt lightheaded. Suddenly she felt grass between her fingers as she collapsed to the ground. She could hear Augustus talking to her; but his voice was muffled and distant. But it was accompanied by a steady rhythm that seemed to match her panic. Wait… Why did it sound like a heartbeat? Was she hearing a heartbeat that wasn't her own? What kind of Edgar Allan Poe wet-dream had she woken up in?

Then all she saw and felt was cold and darkness.

She woke up to the sound of muffled voices. They started out distant but soon became clear and very close. She placed her hand over her forehead; feeling the steady drumming that she recognized as quite a terrible headache and groaned loudly.
The voices had stopped.

She pulled herself into a sitting position; resting her head between her knees. "Augs?" She murmured. Silence. "Augustus?" She opened her eyes and looked up. Yet again; she found herself frozen in fear.

She found herself face to face with a man. But not her brother. His long dark hair cascading over his shoulders and down his back. His grey eyes focused on her in a mixture of concern and intrigue.

"Mae g'ovannen." He spoke gently, bringing one of his hands across his chest and slightly bowing his head.

She moved faster than either of them expected. After her knee made contact with whatever male anatomy this stranger had; she bolted upright and ran for the trees. She heard the man cry out in pain as he crumpled to the ground, but she heard others, too. Someone seemed to be shouting in a foreign language and the other one… Was he laughing?

"AUGUSTUS!" Aurora screamed as she ran through the trees. Where was he? Had these strange men killed him already?

Before she was able to ask any other internal questions she felt strong arms wrap around her waist; picking her up from the ground as if she were weightless. She began to thrash around kicking at anything she could find.

"Daro!" A sharp voice ordered.

"Get the fuck off of me!" Aurora screamed back, "Help!"

"Van dago suilon!" He spoke with more authority as his grip tightened around her waist. Glancing around, Aurora saw long silvery-blonde hair drape over her shoulder; hot breath on the back of her neck. Internally, Aurora sighed and resigned to the fact that she was about to have a headache until she died. After this thought she threw her head back and heard a satisfying crunch against the back of her skull.

The arms quickly released her and she was running again. She turned around another cluster of trees and collided with a solid mass. Again; arms wrapped around her and pulled her close. With a frustrated cry she began thrashing around again.

"Stop!" A new voice shouted, "Aurora stop it. We're okay."

She immediately stopped her protest as her head snapped upward. "Augustus!" Tears spilled down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him closer. "Holy fuck, Augs! What is happening?! I woke up and there were these men and I .. I thought that they-"

"I know. I know, I'm sorry." Augustus cut her off. "I should've stayed with you until you woke up. I'm sorry." He cupped his sisters face in his hands and looked her in the eyes. "I went to check on Odin and Egg just minutes before I heard you scream… I'm sorry… We're safe. I promise, Auri." He softly kissed the top of her head, "These men showed up right after you passed out, agreed to help us-"

"We are not men." A voice broke into the comforting words. Aurora whirled around hiding behind Augustus grasping his arm for protection. The silvery-blonde stranger was standing at the edge of the tree cluster. His face stained red with blood where his nose had been heavily bleeding. Aurora gave herself a mental high-five for such a great shot. "As I explained earlier, Master Augustus, we are Elves traveling back to Rivendell."

His eyes met Aurora's for the first time. They were dark and intense; but not in a way that she feared. "I apologize for the alarm we have caused you, Lady Aurora." He bowed his head slightly. "There is time to explain further; however we must rejoin the others. It will be dark soon."

They were silent as they made their way back to camp. As they stepped back into the clearing near the cave entrance they could see that a fire had been started. Aurora heard a soft nickering and looked to the side of the fire.

"Egg!" Aurora broke into a sprint as her horse lazily trotted to meet her. She wrapped her arms around his strong neck and buried her hair into his thick black mane. The horse lowered his head over her shoulder.

"That is quite a fine animal you have there, Lady Aurora."

She looked up to see the dark haired man again; he was walking towards her from where he had stood by the fire. A pang of guilt settled into her stomach as she remembered their first meeting.

I, uumm…" She stammered as she stepped towards him, "I'm sorry I hit you in the dick."

The man let out a burst of laughter; his eyes shining in the setting sun, "I appreciate the apology. However; it was my brother, Elrohir, who you attacked so viciously." He stepped aside to reveal another man still seated by the fire. They were identical. Naturally… That would be the first familiar thing she would see in this place.

Elrohir raised a hand in acknowledgement and then his eyes settled to a sight behind his brother and the strange elleth. "Although it would appear I wasn't the only one to fall to her wrath. Are you in need of healing, Marchwarden?"

"Oh fuck!" Aurora spun again realizing the other assault she had committed, "I broke your nose! I am so sorry!"

"I am fine, I assure you." The blonde elf raised his hand as he and her brother reached where the pair stood. They all walked back toward the fire where Elrohir remained seated. "If I am being honest; it was a solid strike. You are a formidable opponent."

Augustus and Aurora laughed together and then realized that he was serious. "I am no warrior." Aurora spoke, "I was simply scared and desperate for escape."

"Well," the Marchwarden sat next to Elrohir and clasped a hand on his shoulder, "For both our sake, let us hope we do not startle you again."

All around the fire laughed and fell into a comfortable silence. The strange elves, as Aurora recalled them referring to themselves as, shared their food with them. Aurora almost cried when one of them; who she now knew to be Elladan, produced a bottle of wine and shared it with her.

"I'm assuming that while I was unconscious Augs gave you the information relating to the predicament you found us in." Aurora glanced around as the Elves nodded in agreement with her, "So now it's your turn."

"What do you mean, Lady Aurora?" Elrohir asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Where the fuck are we?"

Augustus and Aurora had no idea that her simple question would lead to hours of discussion and the realization that, perhaps the stories their parents told them as kidS were not myth and fairytale.


TRANSLATIONS:

*Black Speech*

Za drau mulkurt - the light returns

Zaur nulgum lat blokurz - What will you require?

Thrak tul katu - bring them here

*Elvish*

Mae g'ovannen - You are well met

Daro - Stop!

Van dago suilon - I will not harm you