Authors rant's: Hey all you readers (and other authors) out there! I just
want to give my thanx to the people who have reviewed it so far. Thanx! Oh,
and from now on I promise a LOT more LOTR character involvement, I know
it's been kinda slow so far, lol. Enjoy, k?
Onward March… (to certain doom)
Chapter 3
Legolas led them swiftly though the woods, with natural grace. His blond hair was done up in a common Elven style, keeping it out of the way of branches and other things that might tangle it. He slowed his pace down just enough to keep the mortals from straggling too far back. But he felt an urge to return to camp as fast as possible and so walked as quickly as he saw fit. His acute hearing could pick up the slightest of sounds and so it was no trouble for him to overhear Alyssa talking in low voice to her friends. What they said confused him at times, they used abbreviated versions of common speech and had an odd accent that was not familiar to him.
Alyssa's friends, Connor, Loren, and Demi, (all bizarre names) did not seem to have any idea where they were. But he was confident that when he brought the rest of them to the others these problems would be settled. Although Aragorn was tired and down hearted, he would be able to help these people. Suddenly finding strangers on the outskirts of Lorien had greatly surprised them all, especially strangers who were more alien to this place than anyone in Middle Earth.
The trot to camp (because it was certainly not a walk) was dull and uninteresting. Mostly the Americans kept to themselves, muttering quietly or not at all. They did not have any idea what they were going to except for Alyssa, and felt the weight of the trees pressing in on them from all sides. Feeling completely alienated from her surroundings, Loren watched the ground go past, lost in her own emotions. She had a hard time excepting this. This reality which had been forced upon them all. One half, the smaller half of her mind was fascinated by the situation. But the other, stronger more convincing half hated what had happened to her and felt that it was all seriously unfair. Why of all the people of the world did SHE have to be caught in this madness? But the anger and resentment passed as quickly as it had come. She steered herself to considering the future, knowing that delving into things that could have been or might have been was a pathetic waste of time. Still in the back of her mind the thought "why me?" twisted like a dull knife into her subconscious.
After the short jog they came to a small clearing; the smell of smoke drifting their way. The cutie Legolas came to a stop and prancing in a light walk, motioning over his shoulder.
"We are here," he informed them and led the way. They walked into the open.
Typically, in the real world these people might have been considered a runaway renaissance congregation. Sitting together in mellow silence the men were all armed with axes and swords slumped on the ground cross-legged or otherwise. A tall man with dark hair stood up at their entrance, expectant. Curious glances studied the three new "children" as Loren and her friends stood side-by-side feeling a lot like they were in an assembly line. Sleeping on the ground a little ways to the side was Ryan. At least Loren hoped he was sleeping. Instantly she homed in on the smaller figures that were sitting grouped together. She immediately recognized them all as adults but the size difference was a hard thing to get her mind around. Loren looked back at her friends and watched Demi lean over and whisper into Connor's ear,
"Look at those kick ass weapons. From what I see, you'd think they were expecting all hell to break loose," looking skeptical she added under her breath, "What freaking fairy tale did we land in?" (Author: little does she know, heh, heh, heh) Connor just shrugged in exasperation.
"Do I look like I know?"
Demi laughed humorlessly."Not really, no." The rest of the little campfire "warriors" were standing up as well, more because of respect for the women than anything else. The tall man with definite leader presence gave them a bowing nod.
"We welcome you with troubled hearts, but please do not think that we are not enlightened to see you," He started.
Demi just waved a dismissing hand."Why would you be pleased to meet us? You don't know us do you? There's… There is nothing to be ashamed of you know." Loren coughed, which Demi must of interpreted as "shut up," because she stopped talking.
"Just smile and nod," muttered Connor. Alyssa then gave some brief introductions not bothering to explain anything. Which was how Loren preferred it in the long run, until she had a chance to talk to her friends privately.
"Well," Alyssa gave her new "companions" a look that said: I told you so. "Looks like I found my friends after all didn't I? It wasn't as hard as you all thought it would be now was it?"
Loren frowned. "You know, you're lucky we even saw that writing you left us with, it wasn't exactly obvious."
Demi went over to Ryan and squatted on her heels. "What did you do to poor old Ryan?" She inquired half-heartedly and poked him in the cheek. Poke, poke, poke. He didn't stir in the least; she gave Alyssa a rugged grin."You didn't kill him did you?"
One of the little men spoke indignantly. "Of course not!" He had light brown hair, curly and wild and the face of a mischief-maker.
"I didn't even have to touch him," Alyssa replied, "He knocked himself out." Connor raised his eyebrows. Riiiiight…We believe you, really. Then Loren asked that ever-present question to one-one in general; mostly just to the open air and speculation.
"So now what?"
Onward March… (to certain doom)
Chapter 3
Legolas led them swiftly though the woods, with natural grace. His blond hair was done up in a common Elven style, keeping it out of the way of branches and other things that might tangle it. He slowed his pace down just enough to keep the mortals from straggling too far back. But he felt an urge to return to camp as fast as possible and so walked as quickly as he saw fit. His acute hearing could pick up the slightest of sounds and so it was no trouble for him to overhear Alyssa talking in low voice to her friends. What they said confused him at times, they used abbreviated versions of common speech and had an odd accent that was not familiar to him.
Alyssa's friends, Connor, Loren, and Demi, (all bizarre names) did not seem to have any idea where they were. But he was confident that when he brought the rest of them to the others these problems would be settled. Although Aragorn was tired and down hearted, he would be able to help these people. Suddenly finding strangers on the outskirts of Lorien had greatly surprised them all, especially strangers who were more alien to this place than anyone in Middle Earth.
The trot to camp (because it was certainly not a walk) was dull and uninteresting. Mostly the Americans kept to themselves, muttering quietly or not at all. They did not have any idea what they were going to except for Alyssa, and felt the weight of the trees pressing in on them from all sides. Feeling completely alienated from her surroundings, Loren watched the ground go past, lost in her own emotions. She had a hard time excepting this. This reality which had been forced upon them all. One half, the smaller half of her mind was fascinated by the situation. But the other, stronger more convincing half hated what had happened to her and felt that it was all seriously unfair. Why of all the people of the world did SHE have to be caught in this madness? But the anger and resentment passed as quickly as it had come. She steered herself to considering the future, knowing that delving into things that could have been or might have been was a pathetic waste of time. Still in the back of her mind the thought "why me?" twisted like a dull knife into her subconscious.
After the short jog they came to a small clearing; the smell of smoke drifting their way. The cutie Legolas came to a stop and prancing in a light walk, motioning over his shoulder.
"We are here," he informed them and led the way. They walked into the open.
Typically, in the real world these people might have been considered a runaway renaissance congregation. Sitting together in mellow silence the men were all armed with axes and swords slumped on the ground cross-legged or otherwise. A tall man with dark hair stood up at their entrance, expectant. Curious glances studied the three new "children" as Loren and her friends stood side-by-side feeling a lot like they were in an assembly line. Sleeping on the ground a little ways to the side was Ryan. At least Loren hoped he was sleeping. Instantly she homed in on the smaller figures that were sitting grouped together. She immediately recognized them all as adults but the size difference was a hard thing to get her mind around. Loren looked back at her friends and watched Demi lean over and whisper into Connor's ear,
"Look at those kick ass weapons. From what I see, you'd think they were expecting all hell to break loose," looking skeptical she added under her breath, "What freaking fairy tale did we land in?" (Author: little does she know, heh, heh, heh) Connor just shrugged in exasperation.
"Do I look like I know?"
Demi laughed humorlessly."Not really, no." The rest of the little campfire "warriors" were standing up as well, more because of respect for the women than anything else. The tall man with definite leader presence gave them a bowing nod.
"We welcome you with troubled hearts, but please do not think that we are not enlightened to see you," He started.
Demi just waved a dismissing hand."Why would you be pleased to meet us? You don't know us do you? There's… There is nothing to be ashamed of you know." Loren coughed, which Demi must of interpreted as "shut up," because she stopped talking.
"Just smile and nod," muttered Connor. Alyssa then gave some brief introductions not bothering to explain anything. Which was how Loren preferred it in the long run, until she had a chance to talk to her friends privately.
"Well," Alyssa gave her new "companions" a look that said: I told you so. "Looks like I found my friends after all didn't I? It wasn't as hard as you all thought it would be now was it?"
Loren frowned. "You know, you're lucky we even saw that writing you left us with, it wasn't exactly obvious."
Demi went over to Ryan and squatted on her heels. "What did you do to poor old Ryan?" She inquired half-heartedly and poked him in the cheek. Poke, poke, poke. He didn't stir in the least; she gave Alyssa a rugged grin."You didn't kill him did you?"
One of the little men spoke indignantly. "Of course not!" He had light brown hair, curly and wild and the face of a mischief-maker.
"I didn't even have to touch him," Alyssa replied, "He knocked himself out." Connor raised his eyebrows. Riiiiight…We believe you, really. Then Loren asked that ever-present question to one-one in general; mostly just to the open air and speculation.
"So now what?"