A/N: Disclaimers can be such a pain...I'm not making a dime on this. Everything Tolkien is his, except for my own original characters. I would also like to thank all who have reviewed. If you read a story you like, let the author know. If it needs to be fixed, say that, too. And Debussy was spelled incorrectly in the last chapter ;)
*****
Time and Space
Chapter 8
Images raced through my mind. I could see Elessar and Gimli. I could feel the coldness, see the sun turning dark. The light of Arwen was overpowered by something stronger, more hideous and malicious.
The feeling surged through me, unstoppable and very frightening. I could only liken it to be caught up in a tidal wave. Everywhere around you was water and you couldn't tell which way was up. That was how I felt, sans the water. I could only gawk, open mouthed, at Legolas.
His eyes narrowed. He, too, had felt something between us. We held that moment, neither of us moving. We barely breathed.
"What...what was..." I couldn't finish.
Legolas shook his head. "I am unsure. It is a new experience for me. And for you also, it would seem."
"Yes." Forcing myself back to reality, I bent to retrieve the fallen mug. "Let me get you another tea." I rose and found Legolas staring blankly at the spilled liquid. When he didn't respond to my calling, I gently and carefully touched his shoulder. He immediately came back. "Are you alright?" What a loaded question that was.
After a moment, he responded yes. "I was just reminded of something. Perhaps in combination with our shared experience, I was more susceptible to the memory." He smiled reassuringly. "I am quite fine."
I wanted to know what he was thinking, but held back. He would tell me when, or if, he was ready. Heading back into the kitchen, I poured another drink. "Legolas," I began as I returned, "we need to talk." Setting the mug down, I glanced up and found him wandering through the yard. He would stop to look at one plant then meander to another. He stared long and hard at the lone tree, barely beyond a sapling, lightly touching the bark. "This one is strong," he finally said. "But it will need some help." Turning, he returned to the patio. "I have been thinking." His eyes bore into mine. "You know my feelings on that hospital."
I nodded. "Very much so."
"But I am at a loss as to what to do now." He half turned, his eyes regaining their far-off look.
"You miss your friends." Silence filled the air. "Perhaps if you told me more, we might be able to determine what happened."
I had never felt the depths of despair as much as I did with the sigh that Legolas produced. His shoulders heaved then dropped, his head lowered ever so slightly. "It is difficult," he said softly. "But I will try."
_______________
'Touching moment,' he repeated the words to us again. We all turned, unsure of what to expect, but still filled with a sense of dread. I could hear Gimli growl and Arwen gasp. The image before us was beautiful, magnificent even.
But I knew its heart. And it was dead.
'I so adore watching two people who love eachother as dearly as you.' He took a step forward, forcing Gimli to raise his axe.
'You'll not take another step!' His voice was full of loathing. Even I had not heard him speak so.
'Or what, Dwarf?' the creature hissed. 'You'll strike me down with your axe?'
'Aye, if that's what it takes.'
The creature's wicked smile spurned on the Dwarf. He cried a war-cry and lunged forward. His hands wielded his axe, ready to strike a deathblow. His cry quickly turned to one of shock, for his axe no longer existed. He stood, empty-handed and thoroughly confused. 'By the Mines of Moria! What magic is this?'
Elessar drew his sword. 'Answer me. What is your purpose here?'
The creature appeared to grow, filling the room with his hatred and evil. We all stepped back, not knowing what he would do.
'You think me some fool magician, full of parlour tricks?' His bellowing voice echoed off the stone walls. 'You will bow before me, your new king and master.'
I was certain that my head would burst his words penetrated me so. All of us were in pain by his voice. Gimli could not stand the sound, dropping to his knees.
The clatter of armoured guards broke his concentration for but a moment. 'Ah, the loyal guards have finally arrived to protect their former king.'
This only fueled Elessar's ire. 'This is still my kingdom,' his strained voice called, sounding small and tiny now. 'And you will leave it.'
The smirk on that beautiful face forced a shudder through my body. I could sense something dreadful about to happen.
'Nay, it will not be me that will leave...'
The guards burst through, shouting and waving swords. They had nigh been in the room a moment when the creature raised his hand, sending the men up and into the walls. I winced...I winced listening to bones break. His lowered hand brought them down as puppets do when their strings are cut.
He returned his attention to us. 'I trust there will be no further interruptions.'
It was then that I saw his eyes. They were of ice, cold and clear. I could see no soul in them. Few times in my life had I been afraid. This was one.
'What is it you wish?' Elessar asked again. His sword remained in his hand, but hung limply. 'I would like to know the reason for such an attack on my people.'
'Aye. What manner of creature are you?' Gimli added.
'I am your death and life.' His wonderously white teeth were revealed in the most hideous smile I had seen ever. I feared my companion would soon feel this creature's wrath.
'Leave my friends,' I jumped in. 'If you wish punishment for a wrong-doing, then bestow it upon myself.' I prostrated myself before him.
'So be it.'
In the next moment, a flash brighter than the noon sun filled the room. When we could at last see, Gimli was gone. Disappeared as had his axe.
'What have you done with him?' Elessar angrily yelled. His hand now gripped the hilt tightly of Anduril. 'I would choose not to fight, but you leave little choice.'
A second flash.
He then looked upon me, his evilness filling my being. 'And now for you, tree-loving elf.'
'Please,' I begged, 'what has happened to my compatriots?' I could feel the tears threatening to fall. Gimli. Elessar. Arwen. Forgive me, I thought. I was too frightened to stop him.
'Do not apologise or beg forgiveness from them, Elf. They cannot hear you. Nor shall they ever.' He clasped his hands behind his back. 'For they have gone to a different place. I should like to say that you will join them, but alas, I cannot.'
My fear grew. He could read minds!
'And now...' His hands came forward in another flash.
____________________
He stopped, his hands shaking lightly. "I do not remember what occured then." His voice was soft and sad.
There wasn't really anything I could say. No words could comfort this man who had lost everything he held dear.
Composing himself, he turned to me. "What am I to do?" His eyes pleaded once more to help him, to give him something familiar.
"We'll figure something out." I hoped my voice didn't betray my heart's skepticism.
The hospital didn't much like me calling in to give Legolas another twenty-four hour pass. Doreen pretty much thought me mad for allowing him to get "under your skin" as she said. I could only agree.
Standing in the shower, I thought long on what could be done for Legolas. This whole business with "the creature" was unnerving. That I saw what Legolas did was even more disturbing. But the question remained: what was to be done? Returning to the hospital was out of the question. Yet, we had no idea where to go. It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where we were, resulting in a swarm of doctors to take him away. I shuddered. Mental pictures of him being poked, prodded and dissected terrified me. I would not let that happen to him. We needed to find a solution, at the very least, some place safe to go.
Pulling on some slacks, I called out, "I can only give you another twenty-four hours."
"And then?" his muted reply through my bedroom door.
"That's what we need to discuss." I opened the door, pulling a brush through my damp hair. "First thing is to find somewhere to go where they won't find us."
He only stared at me.
"Where other doctors won't find you."
He nodded grimly. "I...I cannot allow you to be part of this. I must leave on my own."
I shook my head. "It's too late for me to not be a part. You wouldn't survive out there for more than five minutes. That's how you ended up in the hospital in the first place. No. You need me." For now, I mentally added.
"But I will not lose another..."
"You won't. Now let's see what we can do." Heading to the spare room that doubled as my office, I flipped on the computer. "I was surfing around and found a couple of sites that may be of use."
His perplexed face forced a further explanation. He then nodded, I'm sure just to humour me. A few minutes later, one particular site came up. It dealt with Tolkien himself and how he was inspired or motivated to begin writing on Middle Earth. Scrolling down, a few photos appeared, mostly of him as a professor, but one caught my attention. It was of him during World War I and some members of his unit. It had caught Legolas's attention as well. His eyes widened and he touched the screen. "Elessar..." he whispered.
I blinked several times. "That's Elessar?" I asked incredulously. "You must be mistaken. It's probably only someone who just looks like him."
He disagreed. "That is Aragorn. I would know him anywhere."
"But that's impossible. This photo was taken in 1917." He only looked at me, unfazed. "Almost ninety years ago."
He stepped back. "But...how..."
I scrolled down. "It's not him. Trust me."
But even my own faith in myself was broken when I found another picture with the caption: Prof. J.R.R. Tolkien and friend, Aragorn Elessar, discussing history at Oxford's annual Historical Society Dinner, 1935.
What in hell was going on?
To be continued...
Note: I can't remember if Tolkien taught at Oxford, but he definitely was in WWI. Please let me know what you think. It keeps writers going, especially me...