Disclaimer: Nope, not mine, because if they were I'd own Legolas, and to
my utter dismay, I don't. Darn.
Now, to the obligatory thank yous:
Kadama: I hate cliffhangers when I'm on the receiving end, but it really is fun to write them. LOL
Feevez: Ha ha, sounds to me like you're a P.P.C. candidate. Check out some of the stories sometime. Death to Mary Sues!
Furius: Pleased to meet you, and I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far!
Sun Queen: My loyal reviewer! (I know I have more, but you were my first) It's nice to know I can keep an audience. This chapter is dedicated to you!
D45: Hmm.we'll see about the love cycle. Maybe I should take a vote. We'll get to Legolas. Originally it was going to be a Legolas Mary Sue, but I like him too much to subject him to Meriweather.
Starbrat: Another loyal reviewer! I had a hard time deciding who to use too. Part of me wanted to just kill her off and be done with it. But that would make for a short story, wouldn't it? And I'm having fun!
S Smith: Welcome, and I'm very happy that you like what I've written so far!
Mizalaye: I enjoyed your review very much! Nice, long and specific. LOL, thank you thank you. I used to write Mary Sues before I knew what they were and I was the *worst* Mary Suer you could ever imagine. I burn my old stories when I find them. Please keep reviewing for me!
Firebird: You are a genius. I just decided to take it a step further, but without you, there would be no story. My hat is off to you!
I would like to apologize for how long this has taken me, because even I had a hard time deciding who would jump Meriweather. Trust me, it's not who you expect, but I hope you like it all the same.
TRAPPED AS A MARY SUE
Chapter Four
Katie froze in instinctual fear. In the darkness she could not make out the features of her assailant. A chilling wind knifed through her thin gown, but the glimmering arrowhead never wavered.
"What.do you want?" she managed to force out. Her hands clenched the edge of the stone bench, white-knuckled in apprehension.
"We want our home back." A soft, dangerous voice hissed behind her. She jerked to look for the source, but another deadly arrow tip pricked just below her ear. A warm drop of blood bubbled on her cold skin.
"Ever since you came to our realm using some foul magic we know naught of, our existence has been forgotten. It is you who has caused our lord to suffer entrapment within his own mind, the downfall of Estel, and all else that is amiss."
"This is not my choice," Katie choked past her tight throat. "I am as helpless and trapped as Lord Elrond. There is a power greater than all of us that dictates everything I do, *and* what Lord Elrond and the real Fellowship also does." She drew a deep shuddering breath, locking eyes on the shadow in front of her. "If my actions were my own, I would have *never* done anything except crawled into the bushes and perhaps thrown myself off a balcony the instant I had appeared in that stupid council!"
"Why should we trust you, *Katie*?"
A half-laugh escaped, though the girl tried her best to smother it. "You're free, then. Free elves that the author has overlooked." Yet free or not, they still had not lowered their weapons. Relief was premature.
"Explain yourself. What mean you by 'author?'" the attacker behind Katie demanded, digging his arrow more fiercely into her neck.
She shied away, but the second elf didn't allow her to move too far. "The magic you think controls your world, all of Middle Earth, is a fanfiction author. My life and those of the Fellowship and all else concerned are at the mercy of a preteen."
"You speak lies!" the assailant before her accused. "Do you mean to say that we are naught but words on parchment?"
On a computer screen is more like it, Katie thought to herself. Yet she was still in dire straits and had no way of proving her claims. "Just like me. I can't help what I am forced to do. But as some great author once said, 'No less than any living creature whose life is guided by some unseen hand. For are not our lives but a story, a small part written and entwined in the volumes of a Greater Tale, one that we follow and yet cannot hope to fully understand?' How do I know if my real world isn't also some story somebody thought up one day?"
This seemed to throw the two elves for a moment. The visible one recovered quickest. "Nevertheless, that is neither here nor there. Even from what little information you have furnished us, I can think of no other way. We must have our world intact. Loathe as I am to do it, it seems the only course of solution is to end your life."
The statement was so blunt that all Katie could do was blink. Time seemed to slow as she struggled to respond. She saw the arrow being drawn back, heard the tenseness fill the bowstring, felt her last breath fill her lungs.
"Elladan, hold!"
A gasp burst from the girl, and she doubled up, panting in sudden relief. The commanding voice caused the twin sons of Elrond to lower their bows. Sudden tears overwhelmed Katie, and she thoughtlessly brushed them away, so grateful was she to be able to draw one more breath, think one more thought.
"'Tis not her fault. I have spoken with Arwen."
"Father? Is it truly you?" Elladan asked, still on guard.
The elven lord stepped into the moonlight, his features sharply illuminated. His eyes were wise and alive, and a grave frown replaced his former blank expression. "Yes, and I know what haunts Meriweather."
A shudder ran through Katie's body at the mention of that name.
"Or should I amend, Katie?" Her eyes suddenly met Elrond's a wild hope shining through them. "Yes, child, I am now free of that power of which you speak. And I know of your own struggles against it." The lord of Imladris seemed to gaze sternly at Elladan and Elrohir.
The twins seemed to shame beneath that look, and came before Katie, bowing in a stately manner. "Our apologies for our rash actions."
You almost *killed* me and yet you can apologize just like that? she thought with no small amount of irony. *Elves!* "Think nothing of it," Katie replied, favoring them with an incredibly nice glare. She wiped at the blood on her neck with the sleeve of her hideous gown.
"I may have the answer to this curse upon us," Elrond began.
Her ears perked up at that, and Katie forgot all about her stupid dress, being almost murdered, and living a life worse than death. Well, almost all about it. "Please, I'll try anything. *Anything!*" Begging? Oh yes, it was not below her, not in a situation like this.
The wise elf was just opening his mouth in reply, when in a great burst of light, all shadows and vestiges of night fled. The sun had risen in the speed it would take lightning to strike. Katie fell backwards off the stone bench in surprise.
To her utter horror, Elrond and his sons had vanished. She began pounding her head against the cool rock that was at a convenient height level before bewailing her fate to the highest heavens in one long cry of "No!"
Sufficiently out of breath, and having no other recourse but to find out what in the heck had happened, the girl hauled herself to her feet. And then, with a practice common in all Mary Sue stories, Katie glanced down to see what in the name of the Valar she was wearing.
"Okay, I'll admit she could've done worse," she muttered. At least she wasn't going to be forced to wear a dress for the whole trip. Sturdy leather leggings, a warm undertunic, and an embroidered overcoat made up her traveling outfit, and even her boots could probably stand up to the harsh terrain. Katie was studying the intricate design on her coat, only to her disgust to figure out that it was a pattern of hearts, when Aragorn approached her.
She steeled herself, quickly bringing all her purple dinosaur songs to the fore.
[Beg your pardon that it took so long to finish. Life is not nice sometimes. Anyway, to make me feel better, how about a few reviews? I'm aiming for 30 total! *Nudge* ]
[Oh, and a P.S. : The quote Katie uses is taken from "The Fanfic Lounge", and I do not know who wrote it, although I highly recommend it to any and all lovers of the real Lord of the Rings canon. Sorry for interrupting your review. You *were* leaving one, right?]
Now, to the obligatory thank yous:
Kadama: I hate cliffhangers when I'm on the receiving end, but it really is fun to write them. LOL
Feevez: Ha ha, sounds to me like you're a P.P.C. candidate. Check out some of the stories sometime. Death to Mary Sues!
Furius: Pleased to meet you, and I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far!
Sun Queen: My loyal reviewer! (I know I have more, but you were my first) It's nice to know I can keep an audience. This chapter is dedicated to you!
D45: Hmm.we'll see about the love cycle. Maybe I should take a vote. We'll get to Legolas. Originally it was going to be a Legolas Mary Sue, but I like him too much to subject him to Meriweather.
Starbrat: Another loyal reviewer! I had a hard time deciding who to use too. Part of me wanted to just kill her off and be done with it. But that would make for a short story, wouldn't it? And I'm having fun!
S Smith: Welcome, and I'm very happy that you like what I've written so far!
Mizalaye: I enjoyed your review very much! Nice, long and specific. LOL, thank you thank you. I used to write Mary Sues before I knew what they were and I was the *worst* Mary Suer you could ever imagine. I burn my old stories when I find them. Please keep reviewing for me!
Firebird: You are a genius. I just decided to take it a step further, but without you, there would be no story. My hat is off to you!
I would like to apologize for how long this has taken me, because even I had a hard time deciding who would jump Meriweather. Trust me, it's not who you expect, but I hope you like it all the same.
TRAPPED AS A MARY SUE
Chapter Four
Katie froze in instinctual fear. In the darkness she could not make out the features of her assailant. A chilling wind knifed through her thin gown, but the glimmering arrowhead never wavered.
"What.do you want?" she managed to force out. Her hands clenched the edge of the stone bench, white-knuckled in apprehension.
"We want our home back." A soft, dangerous voice hissed behind her. She jerked to look for the source, but another deadly arrow tip pricked just below her ear. A warm drop of blood bubbled on her cold skin.
"Ever since you came to our realm using some foul magic we know naught of, our existence has been forgotten. It is you who has caused our lord to suffer entrapment within his own mind, the downfall of Estel, and all else that is amiss."
"This is not my choice," Katie choked past her tight throat. "I am as helpless and trapped as Lord Elrond. There is a power greater than all of us that dictates everything I do, *and* what Lord Elrond and the real Fellowship also does." She drew a deep shuddering breath, locking eyes on the shadow in front of her. "If my actions were my own, I would have *never* done anything except crawled into the bushes and perhaps thrown myself off a balcony the instant I had appeared in that stupid council!"
"Why should we trust you, *Katie*?"
A half-laugh escaped, though the girl tried her best to smother it. "You're free, then. Free elves that the author has overlooked." Yet free or not, they still had not lowered their weapons. Relief was premature.
"Explain yourself. What mean you by 'author?'" the attacker behind Katie demanded, digging his arrow more fiercely into her neck.
She shied away, but the second elf didn't allow her to move too far. "The magic you think controls your world, all of Middle Earth, is a fanfiction author. My life and those of the Fellowship and all else concerned are at the mercy of a preteen."
"You speak lies!" the assailant before her accused. "Do you mean to say that we are naught but words on parchment?"
On a computer screen is more like it, Katie thought to herself. Yet she was still in dire straits and had no way of proving her claims. "Just like me. I can't help what I am forced to do. But as some great author once said, 'No less than any living creature whose life is guided by some unseen hand. For are not our lives but a story, a small part written and entwined in the volumes of a Greater Tale, one that we follow and yet cannot hope to fully understand?' How do I know if my real world isn't also some story somebody thought up one day?"
This seemed to throw the two elves for a moment. The visible one recovered quickest. "Nevertheless, that is neither here nor there. Even from what little information you have furnished us, I can think of no other way. We must have our world intact. Loathe as I am to do it, it seems the only course of solution is to end your life."
The statement was so blunt that all Katie could do was blink. Time seemed to slow as she struggled to respond. She saw the arrow being drawn back, heard the tenseness fill the bowstring, felt her last breath fill her lungs.
"Elladan, hold!"
A gasp burst from the girl, and she doubled up, panting in sudden relief. The commanding voice caused the twin sons of Elrond to lower their bows. Sudden tears overwhelmed Katie, and she thoughtlessly brushed them away, so grateful was she to be able to draw one more breath, think one more thought.
"'Tis not her fault. I have spoken with Arwen."
"Father? Is it truly you?" Elladan asked, still on guard.
The elven lord stepped into the moonlight, his features sharply illuminated. His eyes were wise and alive, and a grave frown replaced his former blank expression. "Yes, and I know what haunts Meriweather."
A shudder ran through Katie's body at the mention of that name.
"Or should I amend, Katie?" Her eyes suddenly met Elrond's a wild hope shining through them. "Yes, child, I am now free of that power of which you speak. And I know of your own struggles against it." The lord of Imladris seemed to gaze sternly at Elladan and Elrohir.
The twins seemed to shame beneath that look, and came before Katie, bowing in a stately manner. "Our apologies for our rash actions."
You almost *killed* me and yet you can apologize just like that? she thought with no small amount of irony. *Elves!* "Think nothing of it," Katie replied, favoring them with an incredibly nice glare. She wiped at the blood on her neck with the sleeve of her hideous gown.
"I may have the answer to this curse upon us," Elrond began.
Her ears perked up at that, and Katie forgot all about her stupid dress, being almost murdered, and living a life worse than death. Well, almost all about it. "Please, I'll try anything. *Anything!*" Begging? Oh yes, it was not below her, not in a situation like this.
The wise elf was just opening his mouth in reply, when in a great burst of light, all shadows and vestiges of night fled. The sun had risen in the speed it would take lightning to strike. Katie fell backwards off the stone bench in surprise.
To her utter horror, Elrond and his sons had vanished. She began pounding her head against the cool rock that was at a convenient height level before bewailing her fate to the highest heavens in one long cry of "No!"
Sufficiently out of breath, and having no other recourse but to find out what in the heck had happened, the girl hauled herself to her feet. And then, with a practice common in all Mary Sue stories, Katie glanced down to see what in the name of the Valar she was wearing.
"Okay, I'll admit she could've done worse," she muttered. At least she wasn't going to be forced to wear a dress for the whole trip. Sturdy leather leggings, a warm undertunic, and an embroidered overcoat made up her traveling outfit, and even her boots could probably stand up to the harsh terrain. Katie was studying the intricate design on her coat, only to her disgust to figure out that it was a pattern of hearts, when Aragorn approached her.
She steeled herself, quickly bringing all her purple dinosaur songs to the fore.
[Beg your pardon that it took so long to finish. Life is not nice sometimes. Anyway, to make me feel better, how about a few reviews? I'm aiming for 30 total! *Nudge* ]
[Oh, and a P.S. : The quote Katie uses is taken from "The Fanfic Lounge", and I do not know who wrote it, although I highly recommend it to any and all lovers of the real Lord of the Rings canon. Sorry for interrupting your review. You *were* leaving one, right?]
