1 Chapter 4: Revelations
Gandalf walked forward and picked up some of the covers so that she could free herself. Clara jumped up and grabbed onto the bed to steady herself yet again.
"Thanks." She said to Gandalf's knees. She looked up. "Tall." She breathed as she saw Gandalf smiling at her. Shaking her head she coughed. "Hi."
"Hello." Replied Gandalf.
"Clara." Said Elrond stepping forward and she looked at him. "This is Gandalf as you may already know. He has expressed a wish to talk to you now." And Elrond smiled reassuringly.
"Oh. Talk. I can do that. I'm good at that." She muttered.
"Maybe you would like to sit down?" Said Gandalf. "I will be doing so." And he walked to the back of the room to bring a chair next to the bed.
Clara jumped back onto the bed and sat with her hands either side, nervously. Gandalf smiled at her again as he sat down. Elrond stood beside the chair.
"I asked for food to be brought while we talk." Gandalf told her "I have also asked for Master Frodo to be sent here. He found you. I'm sure you wish to know what happened before you came here."
"Would be nice." Agreed Clara.
"I hope our entering did not startle you into your fall." Asked Elrond.
"No." Said Clara quickly, not wanting to offend them. "It's just, I'm not used to the feet."
"You're not used to them?" Asked Gandalf.
"Well they were never this big."
"You've not always been a hobbit?" Asked Gandalf again.
"Are you kidding? I've gone from a size six to a size sixteen overnight. I mean I've heard of growth spurts but this takes the micheal!"
Both stared blankly at her.
"Never mind."
At the moment there was knock on the door and a dark haired elf walked in carrying a tray with food and drink. She placed it carefully on the bed.
"Thank you Penniavasien." Said Elrond.
Penniavasien smiled at Clara and she smiled back.
"Really is true about elves being so perfect." Thought Clara.
Behind Penniavasien entered another elf carrying a chair for Elrond. This was placed next to Gandalf. Elrond thanked him and they left. The door was pushed open before it could shut and Frodo walked in.
"Ah Master Frodo. I'm glad you have joined us." Said Elrond.
"I came as soon as I was told I was needed. We've been discussing it. All of us are interested in knowing what happened." Said Frodo walking to the small group.
"Join the club." Said Clara under her breath.
Frodo looked at her and grinned.
"Frodo, won't you sit down?" Asked Gandalf.
Frodo looked around and then jumped onto the bed next to Clara.
"Well now we're all here, we can begin." Said Elrond.
Clara took a deep breath.
"Clara. We want to ask you some questions. Now try to answer them as well as you can. Maybe we can find out more to this mystery." Said Elrond.
She nodded.
"What was the last thing you remember?" Asked Gandalf.
She was silent for a while as she tried to recall what had happened to her before she had woken up there.
"I was in my garden and I went to fill the water bottle up...when I tripped up and I fell over. And I hit my head on the step. Then all I can remember is waking up here." She said, pleased that she had remembered.
Gandalf smiled.
"And where do you live?" He asked.
"Essex." Said Clara proudly, her accent showing through strongly as she said it.
Gandalf and Elrond exchanged looks.
"Oh I saw that!" Cried Clara.
"Saw what?" Asked Frodo.
"That look they gave each other" Clare said to Frodo. "Look." Said to Gandalf and Elrond. "I know you guys think that I'm speakin a load of rubbish and you ain't believing a word I've said but despite what you think I'm telling the truth." And she her face was set with stubbornness.
Gandalf looked at the small hobbit sitting hunched on the bed, a cut across the left side of her forehead. She stared back at him with her blue eyes shining, pleading for them to believe her. Looking at Elrond, he nodded in agreement. He turned his look back upon Clara.
"You must understand that you claim is a hard one to believe. Here you are, a hobbit found and brought to Rivendel with what was a nasty blow to the head and when you wake you claim you are not from Middle Earth."
Clara said nothing.
"But I can see that you are telling the truth."
She let out a sigh of relief. Looking to her side she saw that Frodo was still smiling at her, though she could see he was still confused.
"We still do not know how you got here though, or how you know our names." Said Elrond.
"I dunno bout the first thing." Said Clara. "But if you do figure it out I'd love to know."
"Indeed." Said Elrond with slight amusement. "But could you tell us the second thing?"
"Well…where I come from you see…err…you're all written about in a book. Middle Earth. Rivendel. The Shire. Frodo. Merry. Pippin, Sam. You two. Everything." Clara told them.
Frodo looked at her in wonder as she said aloud the names of his friends and his home.
"A book?" Asked Gandalf.
"And a movie."
"Movie?" repeated Frodo slowly.
"Yeah. A movie. You know, of course you don't know cos there's no such thing here." Said Clara as she clicked on that Middle Earth probably didn't have cinemas.
Frodo frowned. Clara tried to explain.
"Well movies are these kinda well, pictures. And people put them altogether and the pictures move. And they tell a story. Simple really…if you could…actually…understand my explanation never mind." And she stared at the floor.
"So you say that we're part of a book and one of these movies where you come from?" Asked Elrond.
"Well not just one. Three of each. And there's lots more stuff." Said Clara.
"Such as?" Asked Elrond.
"I don't wanna confuse things even more." Replied Clara quickly, not wanting to explain anymore.
"Very well." Said Elrond.
"What are they about?" asked Frodo.
"Err…" Faltered Clara. She did want to tell the story. Something in her head was screaming at her not too. "I can't remember." She said quietly.
Gandalf studied her face quietly. "Do not worry. Maybe you can tell us another time."
Clara smiled thankfully.
They continued to talk for another hour. Gandalf, Elrond and Frodo asking questions and Clara answering them as she remember. She told them about where she lived and about what she knew. Never did she tell them the names of the story or the events she knew happened in it. Both wizard and elf listened carefully as she talked.
And then Frodo told his story. Of how he and a small group of hobbits had been on a walk through The Shire. And while they were resting Merry had gone exploring and found Clara lying unconscious in some bushes, a large gash across the left of her forehead. He called the others and together they had slowly carried her towards Rivendel where they knew she'd be cared for. Half way through the second day while they rested she had woken but was delirious and had not seemed that she was really there at all. At the end of the day she had a fever and had slipped in and out of sleep muttering to herself sometimes. At the start of the third day they had met Gandalf in the road and seeing the sick hobbit had taken her to Rivendel in his cart, which was quicker than it appeared, with the other hobbits in the back checking over her. Clara did not remember any of it but laughed when she heard of how she had arrived.
"Well talk about travelling in style." She grinned.
While they talked, Clara ate and drank and she offered some to Frodo, Elrond and Gandalf. Only Frodo agreed. Then Elrond and Gandalf gave their leave and left to the two hobbits to discuss what they had just heard. Both sat quiet for a while. Then Clara spoke.
"I don't suppose…I could meet the others do you? It's just I've heard about everyone and what you all did. Thank you for that."
Frodo looked at her.
"Of course. I know they'd like to meet you now that you're properly awake. And we could never have left you there."
"I'd never doubt that." Smiled Clara.
"I'll leave you to get changed then." Said Frodo and he jumped down from the bed. "I'll be at the bottom of the steps when you're ready." And he started towards on of the arches.
"Frodo." Called Clara and he turned. "You do believe me don't you?"
"Yes. And so does Gandalf. Do not worry yourself about it." He smiled. "I'll be waiting." And he walked out and down the steps outside.
Clara looked after him and then stirred herself from her dreaming. She carefully jumped down from the bed and walked over to the table where her clothes were placed. She'd not given much thought to it but now she realised that although she was still wearing her jeans, she had on instead a cream coloured embroidered nightshirt. Now she changed into her bright pink top and a black fishnet top over that. She was slightly annoyed when she found that some of the net had ripped where they covered her palms, which were still grazed slightly. As her jeans were so long they covered her feet completely and she decided to roll them up to three quarter lengths to avoid her tripping more than necessary. Quickly running her fingers through her hair to spike it up, she walked out down the steps to meet Frodo.
Gandalf walked forward and picked up some of the covers so that she could free herself. Clara jumped up and grabbed onto the bed to steady herself yet again.
"Thanks." She said to Gandalf's knees. She looked up. "Tall." She breathed as she saw Gandalf smiling at her. Shaking her head she coughed. "Hi."
"Hello." Replied Gandalf.
"Clara." Said Elrond stepping forward and she looked at him. "This is Gandalf as you may already know. He has expressed a wish to talk to you now." And Elrond smiled reassuringly.
"Oh. Talk. I can do that. I'm good at that." She muttered.
"Maybe you would like to sit down?" Said Gandalf. "I will be doing so." And he walked to the back of the room to bring a chair next to the bed.
Clara jumped back onto the bed and sat with her hands either side, nervously. Gandalf smiled at her again as he sat down. Elrond stood beside the chair.
"I asked for food to be brought while we talk." Gandalf told her "I have also asked for Master Frodo to be sent here. He found you. I'm sure you wish to know what happened before you came here."
"Would be nice." Agreed Clara.
"I hope our entering did not startle you into your fall." Asked Elrond.
"No." Said Clara quickly, not wanting to offend them. "It's just, I'm not used to the feet."
"You're not used to them?" Asked Gandalf.
"Well they were never this big."
"You've not always been a hobbit?" Asked Gandalf again.
"Are you kidding? I've gone from a size six to a size sixteen overnight. I mean I've heard of growth spurts but this takes the micheal!"
Both stared blankly at her.
"Never mind."
At the moment there was knock on the door and a dark haired elf walked in carrying a tray with food and drink. She placed it carefully on the bed.
"Thank you Penniavasien." Said Elrond.
Penniavasien smiled at Clara and she smiled back.
"Really is true about elves being so perfect." Thought Clara.
Behind Penniavasien entered another elf carrying a chair for Elrond. This was placed next to Gandalf. Elrond thanked him and they left. The door was pushed open before it could shut and Frodo walked in.
"Ah Master Frodo. I'm glad you have joined us." Said Elrond.
"I came as soon as I was told I was needed. We've been discussing it. All of us are interested in knowing what happened." Said Frodo walking to the small group.
"Join the club." Said Clara under her breath.
Frodo looked at her and grinned.
"Frodo, won't you sit down?" Asked Gandalf.
Frodo looked around and then jumped onto the bed next to Clara.
"Well now we're all here, we can begin." Said Elrond.
Clara took a deep breath.
"Clara. We want to ask you some questions. Now try to answer them as well as you can. Maybe we can find out more to this mystery." Said Elrond.
She nodded.
"What was the last thing you remember?" Asked Gandalf.
She was silent for a while as she tried to recall what had happened to her before she had woken up there.
"I was in my garden and I went to fill the water bottle up...when I tripped up and I fell over. And I hit my head on the step. Then all I can remember is waking up here." She said, pleased that she had remembered.
Gandalf smiled.
"And where do you live?" He asked.
"Essex." Said Clara proudly, her accent showing through strongly as she said it.
Gandalf and Elrond exchanged looks.
"Oh I saw that!" Cried Clara.
"Saw what?" Asked Frodo.
"That look they gave each other" Clare said to Frodo. "Look." Said to Gandalf and Elrond. "I know you guys think that I'm speakin a load of rubbish and you ain't believing a word I've said but despite what you think I'm telling the truth." And she her face was set with stubbornness.
Gandalf looked at the small hobbit sitting hunched on the bed, a cut across the left side of her forehead. She stared back at him with her blue eyes shining, pleading for them to believe her. Looking at Elrond, he nodded in agreement. He turned his look back upon Clara.
"You must understand that you claim is a hard one to believe. Here you are, a hobbit found and brought to Rivendel with what was a nasty blow to the head and when you wake you claim you are not from Middle Earth."
Clara said nothing.
"But I can see that you are telling the truth."
She let out a sigh of relief. Looking to her side she saw that Frodo was still smiling at her, though she could see he was still confused.
"We still do not know how you got here though, or how you know our names." Said Elrond.
"I dunno bout the first thing." Said Clara. "But if you do figure it out I'd love to know."
"Indeed." Said Elrond with slight amusement. "But could you tell us the second thing?"
"Well…where I come from you see…err…you're all written about in a book. Middle Earth. Rivendel. The Shire. Frodo. Merry. Pippin, Sam. You two. Everything." Clara told them.
Frodo looked at her in wonder as she said aloud the names of his friends and his home.
"A book?" Asked Gandalf.
"And a movie."
"Movie?" repeated Frodo slowly.
"Yeah. A movie. You know, of course you don't know cos there's no such thing here." Said Clara as she clicked on that Middle Earth probably didn't have cinemas.
Frodo frowned. Clara tried to explain.
"Well movies are these kinda well, pictures. And people put them altogether and the pictures move. And they tell a story. Simple really…if you could…actually…understand my explanation never mind." And she stared at the floor.
"So you say that we're part of a book and one of these movies where you come from?" Asked Elrond.
"Well not just one. Three of each. And there's lots more stuff." Said Clara.
"Such as?" Asked Elrond.
"I don't wanna confuse things even more." Replied Clara quickly, not wanting to explain anymore.
"Very well." Said Elrond.
"What are they about?" asked Frodo.
"Err…" Faltered Clara. She did want to tell the story. Something in her head was screaming at her not too. "I can't remember." She said quietly.
Gandalf studied her face quietly. "Do not worry. Maybe you can tell us another time."
Clara smiled thankfully.
They continued to talk for another hour. Gandalf, Elrond and Frodo asking questions and Clara answering them as she remember. She told them about where she lived and about what she knew. Never did she tell them the names of the story or the events she knew happened in it. Both wizard and elf listened carefully as she talked.
And then Frodo told his story. Of how he and a small group of hobbits had been on a walk through The Shire. And while they were resting Merry had gone exploring and found Clara lying unconscious in some bushes, a large gash across the left of her forehead. He called the others and together they had slowly carried her towards Rivendel where they knew she'd be cared for. Half way through the second day while they rested she had woken but was delirious and had not seemed that she was really there at all. At the end of the day she had a fever and had slipped in and out of sleep muttering to herself sometimes. At the start of the third day they had met Gandalf in the road and seeing the sick hobbit had taken her to Rivendel in his cart, which was quicker than it appeared, with the other hobbits in the back checking over her. Clara did not remember any of it but laughed when she heard of how she had arrived.
"Well talk about travelling in style." She grinned.
While they talked, Clara ate and drank and she offered some to Frodo, Elrond and Gandalf. Only Frodo agreed. Then Elrond and Gandalf gave their leave and left to the two hobbits to discuss what they had just heard. Both sat quiet for a while. Then Clara spoke.
"I don't suppose…I could meet the others do you? It's just I've heard about everyone and what you all did. Thank you for that."
Frodo looked at her.
"Of course. I know they'd like to meet you now that you're properly awake. And we could never have left you there."
"I'd never doubt that." Smiled Clara.
"I'll leave you to get changed then." Said Frodo and he jumped down from the bed. "I'll be at the bottom of the steps when you're ready." And he started towards on of the arches.
"Frodo." Called Clara and he turned. "You do believe me don't you?"
"Yes. And so does Gandalf. Do not worry yourself about it." He smiled. "I'll be waiting." And he walked out and down the steps outside.
Clara looked after him and then stirred herself from her dreaming. She carefully jumped down from the bed and walked over to the table where her clothes were placed. She'd not given much thought to it but now she realised that although she was still wearing her jeans, she had on instead a cream coloured embroidered nightshirt. Now she changed into her bright pink top and a black fishnet top over that. She was slightly annoyed when she found that some of the net had ripped where they covered her palms, which were still grazed slightly. As her jeans were so long they covered her feet completely and she decided to roll them up to three quarter lengths to avoid her tripping more than necessary. Quickly running her fingers through her hair to spike it up, she walked out down the steps to meet Frodo.