~ Sorry for the Delay dudes, but yes, I did die, and now I'm back!~
Alana spent the next few days in solitude. She had found a nice cozy berth in an easy to climb tree. Safely nestled in the supporting branches she could sit and think. But mainly, she could sit there and hide from Elladan.
The twin of Elrohir scared the wits out of the girl. He always seemed to look at her in a way that was not very comfortable with her. Like he knew something that she didn't. Elrond, and she was sure all the other elves, could sense her discomfort when the male elf was near. She could feel him gently probing her mind when he thought her defences were down. But she knew how to close her mind off from him, Something Elbereth had taught her.
The gods were coming to her more often these days, mainly helping her in the struggle against Elladan. For even the gods had not foreseen the power that the elf wielded, and they had no wish for him to see their plans through Alana. Several other elves, including Elessar, believed she should openly communicate with the brother. For if Elladan could read minds, then he could talk openly talk to her. But she refused right out.
Elrond and Elrohir understood, she believed. They were close to her by now. The two were always ready to help her in some way, getting what she needed, showing her which way to go when necessary. They were very kind, and it was they that she felt harsh guilt for, when she left Rivendell in the dark of night.
In one of her many visits with the gods (she had met several others by now, Manwe, husband to Elbereth, Oromë the huntsman and Melian), she was given a quest. Not far from Rivendell, a shadow was growing in the forest. A black place where the Vala's could not see what was happening. Manwe told Alana that she must got there, and see what the gods could not. In that way she might possible be a help to the god, but he doubted she could even do that.
Manwe felt that his wife has chosen very poorly when she had picked the girl. He had no feelings other than scorn for the child. He only visited her to laugh, or insult. For this reason, but not it alone, the other gods felt sympathy for her. Alana for her part could not get enough of her new acquaintances. They had musical voices that soothed her frazzled nerves and calmed her. Of all the sounds in the world, she would wish to hear them and no others even if she could hear all things. She sat down and listened to them sing, or talk of times of old. Oromë enjoyed teaching her things about the weapons he carried.
They sat in a quiet glade, shielded from the eyes and ears of the elves by the power of the gods. Melian watched from a fallen log while the god of hunting brought out his daggers to show the amazed human. Alana held the weapons in her hands, they were far too large for her, but she had borrowed an old carving knife from Elrond, and she practiced with that. If she had done well that day, he would let her hold his magical daggers. She learned at an astonishing speed, using the techinique that the god showed her.
Oromë watched her move off back toward Rivendell, twirling her carving knife adeptly. Manwe appeared suddenly, glaring openly at the other god.
"You should not be blessing her"
He growled.
"She will not last long in this world with out certain skills"
"Skills she can learn on her own, Oromë."
The other god shrugged guilty.
"She would not learn well enough in time, I merely gave her some tips."
The others glare grew.
"Tips? Every time you touch her, or any of us gods touch her, a little of our power, our skill, is given to her."
The god of hunting nodded his understanding.
"But Manwe, we all touch her; quite often from Elbereth I have noticed."
The leader of the gods growled dangerously.
"My wife will play with her new "toy" until she bores of it, then it will leave this place, though it will not be soon enough for me."
Oromë looked over and saw that Melian was still there, listening to them. He gave her a look that suggested she leave. She did so in a quick manner. Manwe paid her no heed. Oromë turned angrily to the other.
"We should be supporting her, not putting her down!"
"Do you know what this child knows!?"
The anger in Manwes voice stayed the others say.
"She has extensive knowledge of the future. Of the One ring of Sauron"
Surprise was etched on Oromë's handsome face. Manwe told his friend that he had seen deep into the girls mind, and had seen that she knew things that she should never have known, or let others know.
"That is why I gave her the knowledge to block off the twin son of Elrond. If he realizes what she knows, it could alter the future of all of Middle Earth"
Oromë stroked his chin pensively.
"Could that be why Elbereth brought her here?"
Manwe shook his head despondently; little flames from his fire red hair flew through the air.
"My wife could not be that stupid. The child is far more of a hindrance to this world then a help."
~*~
Alana stood in a grove of trees, quietly watching a stream flow by. Manwe came to her in a shower of sparks. She had heard him approach, as she heard everything the gods did.
He looked deep into her eyes.
"I need you to do something for me Alana"
The girl knew that this god didn't have a high opinion of her. She listened hard as he told her about the dark spot in the forest. She nodded her understanding and although she was scared, she was determined to impress this ethereal being. He gave her a few more details then watched as she ran off to do his bidding, Manwe was sure that he had dealt with his wife's new toy.
~*~
It was night, deep night. Alana crept from her room. She really wished that she had hearing right now. She peeked around every corner and tried to walk quietly, but that was pretty hard since she couldn't hear how loud she was. Once again she ground her teeth in frustration at her lack of senses.
On her back was a pack of the food that she had gotten quite used to over the past few days. Hunger had driven her to sample some of the food even though she still had no idea what most of it was. Some of the more particular victuals were in the bag, along with an extra blanket. Her original clothes had been placed back in her room, they had gotten quite dirty, and several pairs of elvin clothes had been tailored down to fit her. Another change of those clothes was also in her pack. If you could call it a pack. She had no idea where to find a proper pack, and only been able to see a shoulder bag that couldn't hold too much, but it was all she could get.
Moving forward and darting around a column, she leaned back against, wincing and jerking away as her knife dug into her. She had placed it in the waistband of her pants behind her, like they did in all the movies back in Earth. At the remembrance of that, she felt a pang of homesickness, and then she pushed it away by telling herself that once she did this, this quest that she had been brought here for, she could go home. The knife had been a gift from Elrond, for he was impressed by her speedy learning of the tactics with daggers. She had blushed majorly, mentally thanking Ormoë for his help.
She flitted down a flight of stairs. Zigzagging from one side to the other. Elladan watched her from a high window with a confused look on his face. What the hell was the girl doing? She looked drunk, but if she was, why had she missed all the foot holes on the path. She quickly looked around before entering the fringe of forest. He sighed in annoyance as he felt her mind was shielded. With a grumble, he moved toward stopping her.
~*~
"You look retarded"
Manwe told her disgustedly. She stopped ducking and weaving in surprise, this time, she had not heard him. He read her surprised look and rolled his eyes again.
"You made such a big deal out of not being noticed, that you were noticed!"
She looked where he had pointed, and saw that Elladan was making his way toward her. She froze. Panic seized her and she tensed. She looked desperately at Manwe, but the god told her to go anyway. He disappeared in a flash of light as she scurried away.
Elladan saw her move off, with a heavy sigh he moved to follow her. But he never got three paces before he fell down. Manwe stood over the unconscious elf, and placed the thing he had taken from Alana's room beside the bump on the males head. It was a hairbrush. He disappeared with a smirk.
~*~
Alana was past the borders of Rivendell, and was cursing herself. For one, she had never known fully where she was going. Another thing was that she had no idea where she was at all. And just to top to all off, the gods were being no help at all.
She was expecting to be stopped by the border patrols that constantly swept past the Elvin kingdom, but none had stopped her, maybe they hadn't even seen her. That was most likely the gods doing, but after that, she was on her own. And she knew it.
Moving forward stealthily, or as much as she could manage, she crept onward, in the direction she hoped she was supposed to go in. Minutes later she knew she was going the right way, as a dark feeling swept over her. A feeling of something vile and rank. She steeled herself and moved on.
Manwe watched as the girl entered the glade. He moved his hands and spun the air with magic, letting it twist and turn into his minds creation. The atmosphere shimmered and things were born of the darkness. The god smiled, and sent his new creations to "play" in the glade. They skittered off on clawed feet.