Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction. I do not own any of the character, places, names, or anything associated with the works of J.R.R Tolkien or the Lord of the Rings (books or movie, whatever). My characters are Anita, Leila, and Arlandria and that is all.
Chapter 2: Through Glass
There were few feelings in the world that could rival the sense of disorientation brought about by awakening from a drug induced sleep, unfortunately Anita was finding that out the hard way and she didn't like it. Not one bit. Her limbs felt very heavy, like they were filled with sand, and her mind was very foggy. The last thing that she could remember was her mother begging forgiveness from her and Leila, but forgiveness for what? For drugging them?
There was the slightest sensation of a headache that Ani could feel as she waited for the drugs to wear off and for full control of her senses to come back. She hadn't opened her eyes giving away the fact that she was awake, she could hear voices in the room and until she could identify friend or foe, she didn't want to bring on attention until she was able to control herself. Waiting for complete lucidity to come back was the hard part, there were so many questions she wanted answers to, and patience had never been one of her strongest virtues. Where was she? Who else was here? Where was Leila and was she ok? And why had she been drugged? The feeling was returning to her fingers and toes, and Ani was able to make out most of what the voices in the room were saying.
"She has a very deep anger in her, I can feel it. Be wary." That voice was familiar, not overly familiar but she had definitely heard it before. Gandalf. The old man that supposedly was going to take them to their father. Fury started to boil over in her, she really didn't like being tricked or taken advantage of.
"I do believe she is rousing." The voice she didn't know made her realize that in her fury her breathing pattern had changed, a dead giveaway that she wasn't still sleeping. The sound of fabric rustling alerted her to the fact that someone was walking her way, although she couldn't hear the footsteps. She had to think fast, what were her options? Surprise was the best thing she had going for her, so surprise it would be. When the sounds of rustling fabric had stopped, Ani knew that… whoever… was standing next to her, or rather above her since she seemed to lying on a couch of some kind. The next logical step was that the person standing there would try to shake her awake, and that was what she was betting on. She lashed out her right arm and caught hold of a wrist and twisted. She opened her eyes as she sat up fast and rolled her whole body in the direction she was twisting the wrist. Her victim let out a shout of surprise, but it was far too late. Anita had rolled completely over his body and had his arm in a chicken wing lock, totally incapacitated. While she held the man in a lock she got her first quick look at her surroundings. She was in a study of some sort; there was a large carved wooden desk and lots of books on shelves all around. But it looked like a study that might have belonged to Henry VIII of England in the 1400s. The floor and walls were stone with large tapestries hanging between the shelves of books.
After gathering information about her surroundings, she took the time to locate the other people in the room. She immediately recognized Gandalf, that beard would be hard to miss anywhere; although this time he was dressed like a monk in long grey robes. But it was the two men standing next to him that caught Ani's attention. The feeling of bile in the back of her throat. Oh God. The black hair, the brown eyes.
"My dear," Gandalf started, "that is your uncle Elrohir that you currently have hanging off your arm like a puppet, please unhand him." It was only from the shock of the word 'uncle' that she complied.
"Where is Leila?" She snapped the words out. Gandalf pointed to her right, and with a quick glance Ani confirmed that Leila was on a couch still passed out just outside her immediate line of sight.
"Anita this is your father, Elladan." Gandalf indicated the younger of the two men that she hadn't just assaulted. In her heart she knew it, even before Gandalf had said it. She had his nose, his eyes… oh and now she was feeling sick. Elladan stepped forward with his arms extended as if to give her a hug, Anita recoiled as if dodging a snake strike.
"As if,' She snarled at him, " I just woke up from what I am a pretty sure was a drug induced coma, so unless you wanna get socked right in the face I suggest you back up and explain what is going on." Elladan seemed taken aback by her harsh and crude manner of speaking and was struck speechless. She glanced at the older man that was next to her father. "Who the hell are you?"
"My name is Elrond, I am Elladan's father and by extension your grandfather." His voice was very calm and even, much like a voice you would use if speaking to a spooked dog. Ani backed herself in the direction of where her twin was still sleeping, not turning her eyes away from the men in the room. As she scooted in the direction of her sister, she took a moment to really study the people calling her family. All three of the men, her father, grandfather, and uncle all had long dark hair, as in uncommonly long hair. They were dressed in layers of robes much like Gandalf was except they were in muted autumn colors.
"Are you guys carnies? Like circus people or something?" She couldn't believe that they actually had the audacity to look offended by the question. Reaching back Ani gave her sister a rough shake to wake her up; thankfully Leila had always been a very light sleeper. It only took her a moment to rouse her twin. As Leila fought against the drug induced cloud of confusion, Ani continued to stare down the men claiming to be—no they really were related to her, you only had to look at them to know it.
"What happened?" Leila asked as she struggled to sit up.
"We were drugged."
"My dear it was for your benefit, the journey here can be an uncomfortable experience," Gandalf said quite calmly despite the glare he was receiving.
"Clearly wasn't talking to you pendejo." And Anita simply waved of his explanation. She was immediately rewarded with a vicious slap on the leg from her sister.
"Be nice," Her twin hissed from the couch, "They are family."
"Allegedly," the dark haired twin replied before taking a seat on the couch next to Leila, then with a dramatic wave of her hand in Elladan's direction introduced the man claiming to be her father, no sarcasm spared, "Leila meet the man that 'fathered' us."
In true form, Leila immediately stood up and crossed the short distance to embrace Elladan, zero hesitation. As they embraced, Leila let out sound that was a cross between a laugh and sob, which drew a disgusted snort from Anita who sat arms crossed glowering at the men in the room. There was a soft knock at the door which opened to let in a tall slim woman with long dark hair that Anita bore a particular resemblance to.
"Ah, girls this is my sister, Arwen." Elladan indicated the woman that had just entered the room.
"Your sister? Ani do you hear that? We have an aunt! And an uncle and a grandfather!"
"So it would seem." Anita remained on the couch watching her twin tightly embrace the three new found members of their family. She could feel a judgmental set of eyes watching from the other side of the room. Without turning her head Anita made eye contact with Gandalf, and they remained staring each other down until Leila's voice drew her attention.
"Ani? What's wrong?" It had been something their mother always criticized them for, the way they spoke to each other. They would have conversations like they were the only two people in the room, uncaring of what anyone else heard or if they had an opinion on it. It was no different now.
"I am not going to sit here and pretend like this is okay Lei, I won't."
"Ani…." Leila was pleading with her.
"No. Eighteen years we have been without a paternal family and come to find they have just been chilling out here? "
"Anita, my child," Elladan calling her his child actually made her dry heave," this is very complicated and I do not think you fully understand this situation."
"Then why not explain it? Hmmm? Cuz I tell you what I have been waiting years to hear this story." She made a very dramatic display of looking like she was getting comfortable on the couch. Elladan and Elrond shared a brief look before the man claiming to be her grandfather addressed her.
"Are you aware of where you are?" His question was tentative. Anita glanced out a window to see green lush trees.
"Backwoods Louisiana?" She replied and gestured to the scenery. Elrond's face fell into a deep frown and his brow furrowed.
"Oh dear, then your mother has told you nothing. Perhaps you should take a seat," And he gestured for Leila to join Anita on the couch. The twins exchanged a glance of confusion as they sat together.
"You are in Middle Earth." Elladan started to explain.
"China?" Ani asked incredulously.
"That's the middle kingdom" Leila gently corrected her twin sister. Anita mumbled something to the effect of 'same difference' under her breath as Gandalf started to address them.
"My dear this will be hard to understand." The old man's deep gravelly voice filled the room, " There is no direction you can walk from here that will lead you back to Tucson, there is no ship you could travel on, even if you were to fly on the wings of eagles they could not bear you home."
"I don't get it," Anita leaned over and whispered to her sister.
"I don't think we are in Kansas anymore Toto." Leila whispered in return. The tall dark haired woman that Elladan had identified as his sister, Arwen, gently rested her hand on Elrond's arm.
"Ada, this is perhaps a little overwhelming for them. May I suggest that we allow them to rest and become acquainted with their surroundings before we bombard any further information on them?" Elrond turned to look at his daughter, before nodding slowly. It wasn't hard to tell, even within the first few minutes of meeting them , that Elrond doted upon her, and he was wrapped around his daughters finger. Arwen gestured for the twins to follow her, Leila jumped up off the couch a little too eagerly. Anita slowly pulled herself up off the couch and followed a few paces behind her sister and aunt, taking one last glance over her shoulder of the man that would be her father.
Anita didn't pay any attention to her surroundings, keeping her eyes on the floor in front of her, although she could hear Leila and Arwen having a lively conversation about God only knew what ahead of her. Down some stairs, through a doorway, continue down a hall, a few turns, then back up a set of stairs before coming to a halt. They were in a hallway short hallway with four identical doors.
"These are your bedrooms. Your mother suggested that we allow you to remain close together. Anita this is your room, and Leila this room will be yours." Arwen pointed to two doors that were directly across the hall from each other.
"Is she here? Our mother?" Anita couldn't have cared less about their rooms, she was ninety percent sure that she was going to wake up from this bizarre dream and be back home in Arizona any second now, she just had to bide her time till this all ended.
"No your mother did not make the journey with you."
"So she drugged us and sent us off to who the hell knows where with some guy?" No way, this had to be a dream ,their mother was far too protective for that to be true.
"You are quite mistaken," Arwen sounded almost amused at Anita's question. "Your mother was very close with Gandalf, they were dear friends. If there is one person your mother would have trusted with the safety of her children, it is Gandalf."
The twins exchanged a strange look. Close friends? Their mother had never once mentioned Gandalf's name, ever. Anita was really beginning to question who her mother was, because it wasn't possible that the woman she had grown up calling mom had been spawned in a place as strange as this. They spoke the same though….if this was a dream is was really thorough. Her mother's odd way of speaking, the lack of contractions and always sounding so proper, Arwen spoke the same way. So had Elladan.
"Your mother did send a letter for each of you, I have left them in your rooms. Please get comfortable and rest, your father will be more ready to answer your questions at supper. An attendant will come and let you know when the meal is served. If you require anything, my room in simply around the corner in the next hall. Rest well." And she ghosted around the corner. That was the only word Anita could think to describe the incredibly graceful way in which Arwen seemed to float away. This place, these people, were so alien to Ani it was taking an awful lot of brain power to process what was happening around her. Reaching for the handle to the bedroom door, Anita barely spared a glance back at her twin before walking into the room designated as hers, and slammed the door behind her. Sure enough all her stuff was piled neatly next to an….armoire? Who even has armoires anymore?
She barely acknowledged that though as her eyes fixated on a small envelope that sat atop one of the pillows. Anita flounced on the bed, which was a ridiculously oversized king mattress, and snatched the letter off the overly fluffy pillow, sneering at the hideous cream color of the sheets and pillow cases.
"My precious Anita;
I am truly sorry that this is how you found out about your father. There was so much about our family, about Elladan, and about my life before I gave birth to you and your sister that I just couldn't bear to tell you. I had wanted to give you a life that was normal, where you were free to make your own decisions, and yet somehow it led you straight back to him. It will all seem very strange at first, but you need to understand that yes, it is real, and everything your father and grandfather are going to tell you about who you are, about what you are is absolutely true. Now that you see the world that your mother is from, where your father lives, I hope you can understand why I hid this from you. You were always the strong one Anita, far stronger than Leila, and I know that strength will help you transition to your temporary life in Middle Earth. Stay safe and open your heart mi pajaritos,I love you."
Mi pajaritos. My birdies. It was pet name that her mother had always used for the twins. That one simple phrase in Spanish made it all so clear to Anita then in that moment. Tearing her eyes away from the letter, her brown eyes drank in the sites around her. The ornate furniture made from pale wood, the armoire, the giant piece of polished silver that served as a mirror, the color and new textures around her. She understood now, and the realization was making her feel dizzy and nauseous.
This was for real.
Through Glass- Stone Sour