That night, Victoria finished the "Lord of the Rings" movie at 11:30. She was tempted to watch it again, but she wouldn't finish it, and she wanted to go online. There was probably no one there, but it was a Friday! Maybe some of her friends would be there. As she moved to her study to the computer, she heard something outside. It was the rustling of leaves and grass in her backyard. It's nothing, she thought. Nothing at all…
But then her dog, Stella, began to bark, and she never barked unless someone was around. Victoria looked outside the window of the study, and saw nothing but the small trees there and darkness. Maybe Stella saw a cat or something.
She returned to her computer, but there seemed to be more movement outside. It was a pretty calm night, and there were no winds to disturb anything.
" Okay, what the hell…?" she whispered. Stella still barked like mad outside, and Victoria was getting more annoyed than scared. " Damn it, dog!" Marching out through the kitchen to go to outside to the back, she went to her dog. " Can just be quiet, for like, five seconds?!"
Stella looked at her and whined, rushing behind her legs. Okay so her dog was scared. What now?
" Look, there's nothing out here!" She went over to the lemon tree. " See, I'm okay! Now stop barking before you wake up the whole - "
A gloved hand covered her mouth, and her heart stopped beating for a couple of seconds. Holy shit, holy shit, she was going to get kidnapped, and then raped, and then killed. She shut her eyes and screamed, which was muffled. Oh damn it… if only…
" I will release you," came a man's voice. " if you will not scream."
Victoria nodded, but then would go against her word. She was scared and panicked and would scream and run as fast as she could. The hand slowly withdrew, and she opened her mouth to let out a cry, however, as though the man expected that, recovered her mouth.
" You will not be harmed. I give you my word." Victoria wondered just how good this man's word was, but if she did something against him, he just might take everything back. The man moved his hand again, and she just stood still, barely breathing.
" You need not to be frightened. Nothing you don't want will come your way." He shifted behind her, as though he was at an ease. She could hear his cloak swish and then his gentle movements as he stepped from the lemon tree.
As much as she wanted to move, she couldn't. Her legs wouldn't obey her, and not even her waist to do so much as turn around and see his face. Although, his voice… this man's voice was very familiar. She was still terrified of the situation, but it could still be placed somewhere. And it was identifying it was what she was afraid of. It was absurd, and she must be losing her mind. It was impossible. She wouldn't even blame Ryan if she teased her about it for her entire life. Her so called " love" would have gotten out of hand if she imagined his voice everywhere.
" You're quiet. Are you so frightened as to not even move?" The man was moving at the corner of her eye, and she closed them both. " I gave you my word."
Victoria listened more intently, and she knew where to place him. How? Her heart seemed to soar at his words and his movements gave her chills. But it was just not possible. Maybe she fell asleep while watching Lord of the Rings and had this scary - but very interesting - dream. She slowly pinched her wrist and hissed in pain. She opened her eyes and still faced the back of her house. Okay… maybe she hit her head on the shelf above the computer desk. She always did that.
" This is just some freaky dream that I'm having," she whispered softly. " It's nothing." She turned to her right but did not see the man. Instead, there was rustling a little more behind her. She looked at the largest tree in her yard and saw him climbing it. He was so agile, like a cat.
" Like an Elf." This man reminded Victoria of Aragorn. The description even fit him. He wore a large dark cloak, and had shoulder length black hair that always seemed wet. She smiled, remembering how her friends would always say he looked so untidy and that every scene was taken right after he got out of the shower.
The man stopped and stood at the top of the highest, secure branch and looked up at the sky, and then around. He returned to the sky, and seemed to study the stars.
This was so unreal to Victoria. There was a man who looked EXACTLY like Aragorn, and even ACTED like Aragorn. It was so unbelievable yet it felt too real. She stared at him, and felt her heart skip beats. Middle-Earth wasn't real was it? How could someone just pop out of a book or a movie and appear here, of all places, and right in front of her?
Okay, so she was losing it, but she supposed it was from hanging out with her friends. No offense, she added. Her friends were one of the blessings that came rarely in her life.
" Along with this one," she murmured, watching the stranger climb down and the jump to the ground. He looked at her and then time seemed to stop, for Victoria anyway.
He looked SO much like Aragorn; so MUCH. This was most definitely a dream. One of those rare ones that she had with Aragorn in it. But this couldn't be one of them. They did more than STARE at each other. They fought Orcs and stuff...Yeah, right.
She shook her head slowly and looked at the ground. A breeze picked up, and she shivered. Middle-Earth wasn't real… and ARAGORN, most of all, wasn't real. NONE of this was real. She just fell asleep, watching " Lord of the Rings" is all.
She heard him approaching her and looked up. He was standing clear from the trees' shadows, and the moonlight shone upon him. This man wasn't Aragorn? Whatever! He looked just like him in the movie, and even described as in the book. But in reality, she guessed, and surrendered to the thought, that he looked even better in person. His physical form etched out every detail that the camera and Tolkien seemed to have missed. This was the REAL Aragorn. The one that both worlds had worked hard to create.
Her eyes trailed from his face to his hair, and then, upon his neck, where a bright silver necklace laid. She quickly averted her gaze, not wishing to look at it any longer. As in both worlds… he belonged to only one person.
" Oh my God, this is something else." Victoria was at a loss of words. The emotions in her were real, and the sight before her was real, so then did she have no choice but to believe it? She looked up and into " Aragorn's" eyes. " What's going on?"
He glanced at their surroundings and then turned to Victoria. " May I explain this to you inside?" He seemed a bit uncertain of talking where they were. " You do not know what may be about."
Victoria was a bit hesitant and looked upon his hip. Sure enough, there was a sword, supposedly Anduril, strapped there. She met his unwavering gaze and nodded slowly. All she could do now was trust him. She turned around and walked to the door. He followed her inside, and she secured the lock.
Inhaling deeply and calming down, she said: " I must be really rude." Trying to sound casual wasn't so easy. Nervousness and doubt made her voice tremble. " You can get comfortable first before you say anything." She carefully took his hand and led him into the living room and to the main door. " Your cloak can go here." She gestured to the coat hanger. " And you can take off your boots."
The way she spoke to him was as though they were old friends. In some way, she knew it to be Aragorn, or HOPED of him to be Aragorn, and therefore treated him like someone she knew.
" I do not wish to be a burden. There is a mission at hand." Victoria looked up at him. Hell, if this man was an actor, he was a very good one.
" It's no problem. I'm sure you're tired." She smiled reassuringly. " It's nearly twelve. Don't you want to rest for a while? You seem wary." If Aragorn was here, than it was indeed, no good sign.
He nodded and then began to remove his cloak. Victoria took it and hung it on the coat hanger, slightly tiptoeing to reach the high end. His boots were removed and placed on the shoe rack. Okay, now that that was over with.
" How about a bath?" She didn't want to insult him, but he would do very good with one.
" If I may." He didn't appear hesitant as Victoria once was. She led him farther down the hall and to the bathroom. The light switch was flicked on and she stepped inside.
" I think I should adjust the water for you…" She leaned into the tub and turned on the hot and cold taps, feeling the temperature of the water every now and then. It was at a pleasant warmth, and she made it come through the spray. " I'll be right back." She left to get a towel.
When she came back, he was already in the tub, closing the dark blue sliding door. He must have figured out how to do the rest on his own. She placed the towel on top of the lidded toilet and took his clothes to toss them in the washer. " I'll be outside," she called. She carefully collected his armor to place in her room.
" Very well," came his muffled reply. " Thank you."
Victoria smiled before she closed the door. " You're welcome."
The laundry was tossed into the washer, and she patiently waited until "Aragorn" was done. Ten minutes had already passed by, and she sat on the dining table, getting more and more anxious for him to get out. But she forgot something…oh yeah! He needed extra clothes. Eek! Where was she gonna get those?
Her dad was sound asleep in his room… if only… nah, she's making a lot of noise as it is ( the washer was actually). He'd freakin' wake up, and then what? How would she explain the man in the shower?! " Oh yea, daddy, this is Aragorn from Lord of the Rings, I found him outside." He'll think she was insane and send her to the Mental Institute along with " Aragorn" for pretending that he was Aragorn.
Actually, in the spare room there were extra clothes in there. She could grab something that could hopefully fit him. Her dad was about his size anyway.
Victoria went down the hall and into the room at the far left end. She opened the dresser drawers in there and rummaged to find something for " Aragorn". She ended up taking out a pair of gray sweat pants and a dark blue T-shirt. Okay, underwear is officially a problem. Where the hell was she going to get those?
" He could go commando." She burst out in fits of repressed laughter. No. That would not do. But hey, it's just for tonight, and tomorrow, she can tell her dad everything…and… then they'll see from there what happens next.
Another ten minutes passed by and she had to get the laundry to put in the dryer. When that was done the water in the bathroom stopped altogether, and she assumed " Aragorn" to have been done. She walked into the kitchen and saw the clothes she left there. How would she give it to him? She took them and went to the bathroom door. If only they could be stuffed under the door!
" I have extra clothes, here, outside." She cleared her throat nervously. " So, I'll just leave them here, and I'll be off." They were placed on the carpet floor and she dashed off into the den. The faint sound of the bathroom door opening could be heard as he took them, and then the door's closing. Victoria played with her hands, waiting for him to come out.
More sounds could be heard, and he came out into the living room, still wiping his hair with the towel. It was drying, but becoming all the more tangled. She smiled and then averted her gaze. The V of the shirt revealed the necklace that she dreaded so.
" I wish to thank you again," began " Aragorn". " You have shown me great hospitality, and I do not even know your name." He took a seat on the recliner by the television set.
Victoria looked at him. He had stopped his movements, and his attention was fixed upon her. She fought not to break eye contact with his intense gaze. " My name is Victoria Renalls." A smile of greeting. " And, you're welcome." Unconsciously, she held her breath for his introduction.
" Victoria, I am Aragorn, Son of Arathorn, from Middle-Earth."
TBC…
A/N:::::: Okay, I know that I did NOT have a disclaimers in the first chapter, but I have one now, and I do not own ANYTHING Tolkien related. This is for ALL chapters!