Dream mares and Nightscapes

By Elirium

Chapter 1

"Meeting"

The mall was crowded as usual, but why not. It was December 19th for God's sake! The theatre had been packed, and not a seat had been empty, but that made the movie all that much more real! When the cave troll swung it's huge mallet at Frodo, just barely missing him, the audience gasped in unison; when it swung it's thrashing chain at Legolas, the audience gasped again, but none as load as the two teen girls on the front row, two brunettes sitting side by side. They were best friends, and had come all the way across town to see this movie of movies and this day of days.

After the movie had finished and the credits were rolling, and as the crowd was slowly rising from their seats, the two girls looked to one another for the first time since they had sat down. Both had looks of dumbstruck awe on their faces. Heather, the shorter one with blue eyes, spoke first.

"Oh my God, Sarah, I think I'm gonna die before next December!"

Sarah, a bit taller with brown eyes smiled as she stood. "No kidding!" She jumped up and shivered for a second. "Oh my God! Orli is sooooo sexy as Legolas!"

Heather stood. "All right, potty break!" And she made her way to the restroom, followed closely by a very excited Sarah.

***********************************************************************

After relieving themselves, the girls decided to make their way to the food court. The had gone to see a matinee showing of the movie so they'd be guaranteed to have seats, and they had been too excited to eat before going to the theatre.

As they were walking, a painting in the window of one of the shops they were passing caught Heather's eye. She stopped to look at it, and after realizing Heather had stopped, Sarah did the same. They both looked at the painting and were immediately mesmerized. It was huge and framed in wood that was carved with curving designs that wound like ivy vines. It was a landscape filled mostly with a gigantic sprawling forest with mountain, hazy on the horizon. Cutting through the forest was a smooth-flowing river. The painting was so vivid; they could almost feel themselves being whisked away to before-unseen lands.

Heather noticed the signature on the painting and looked confused. She read it out loud, just to hear it. "Vertfuille." She said.

Sarah looked at her like she'd just said gibberish. "Huh?" She asked.

"Vertfuille." Heather repeated. "It's French."

Sarah nodded. "Right, and you speak French."

Heather nodded.

"So, what does it mean?"

Heather started to chuckle. "That's the cool part. It means Green Leaf."

She and Sarah exchanged glances.

Sarah looked up to the shop's name, wondering why a French painter would share a name with their lovely Legolas. What she read caught her off-guard. There, on the sign above the double-doors, written in nondescript print was the word "Remmirath". She looked confused. "Hey, Heather, look at that." She pointed up to the sign overhead.

Heather looked and her eyes went big.

Sarah looked at her and then back at the sign. "What's that mean, Heather?"

"It's a word...from Lord of the Rings."

"Oh" Sarah said. "I don't remember it."

"It's the name of a constellation that Gandalf showed Frodo. It's the 'Netted Stars'."

They glanced at each other. Without saying, they went inside.

As soon as they stepped inside, the atmosphere changed. It took on an otherworldly feel. As they looked around they saw many carvings, mostly from wood, old-world bows were hung on racks on the walls with quivers full of arrows beneath them on the floor. On other racks were hung swords of various size ands styles.

Heather was glancing around in wide-eyed wonderment. "Who owns a place like this?"

"Me," came a voice from behind a rack. A young-looking man stepped from behind it to face them. "May I help you?"

If the girls were going to answer, they didn't show any signs of it. Their jaws were slack. Before them stood a very good-looking man. He looked about twenty-four for twenty-five with gorgeous blond hair pulled back from his thin featured face and hung down between his shoulder blades. His eyes were strikingly blue and large, and inviting friendly conversation. His smile in itself was charming. He towered over them, and it was evident that the man was over six feet in height.

After the pause and no reply, the young shop owner smiled again, a bit amused. "Surely you can speak. I heard you not a moment ago." His accent was difficult to place, and Heather didn't think she'd ever heard it before.

"Where are you from?" She asked, when she could talk.

"The tall stranger smiled. "I think we should start with introductions. I'm Marcus." He said, and he offered his hand to Heather.

She readily accepted it. "Yeah, sorry. I'm Heather. Nice to meet you."

Marcus smiled and nodded to her. "And you silent friend?"

"Oh," Said Heather, as if only just remembering Sarah's presence. "This is my friend, Sarah."

Marcus smiled fondly to Sarah and likewise offered her his hand. "It is good to meet you."

"And you," and take his hand were all Sarah could do and say. There was something hauntingly familiar about this tall, handsome stranger.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, everybody...that's the end of part 1...should I continue?? I don't know if I should or not...??

-Elirium