Tidbit: Insects
outnumber humans 100,000,000 to one.
Chapter four
He shouldn't have done this, there is no possible way that she will make it out of there alive. Mordor is no place for a woman, even one so brave as Buffy. And if he hadn't really understood his foreseeing, he would have gladly changed his mind and kept Buffy invulnerable and protected in Rivendell. But, as miserable as it was to admit, Buffy was trapped. She would be stubborn and not stay in Imladris, as peaceful as it was here.
Somehow word had gotten out and Sauron was fixing to search for Buffy and bring him to her. It would be his fault if she were to be found… and she would die.
Elrond opened his eyes and looked around breathlessly.
---
She didn't know where she was going, just that it was leading her somewhere. Maybe it was leading her back home, but she didn't know anything and it didn't scare her. Nothing scared her now. She was invincible and she was sure enough that this path was going to take her to somewhere special, somewhere magical that she'll never want to leave. But as the path went on, the lights faded away and the place got cold.
She suddenly stopped, the feeling of distrust washing out of her. Where was she? Why was she here all of a sudden? Too many questions filled her head and she dropped to her knees, the white dress she wore now filthy in the dark soil she was up above.
She called out, to anyone, anything who would hear her. And her response was a faded call of her name.
"Angel?" She called out, but her voice slurred and it became hoarse. "Come back!"
"Buffy…" It whispered, then faded out.
She turned her around furiously and clenched her hands to her side. That voice was taunting her! She angrily got up and walked around, even though it was dark and she couldn't see anything except the dress she wore and her arms. Buffy was no one to taunt with, that's for sure. Then she felt someone pass by her- the feeling of wind, and the sound of footsteps passing by- and she turned around to see a dark shadow stand over her, wearing a black cloak and holding a long steel staff.
When Buffy couldn't see his face, she shook her head and sighed.
"Great, the death reaper!" she exclaimed. "Just what I needed!"
"Sheerer." It spat. "Bring me the Ring."
Buffy made a face. "Ok, how about, um, no? How about a nice, juicy soul to take to hell?"
The figure before her reached out his arm. He wore a metal glove, chains hanging loose around the fingers, and it clanked together in what Buffy thought was a threat. Buffy backed away, her arms rising in defense
"Whoa, you can have what you want." Buffy said matter- of- factly. "But not without a fight."
Buffy kicked her right leg up and smacked the reaper's arm out of the way. It cried out a blood hurtling shriek and Buffy was thrown back on the ground. She hit her head on something soft and she opened her eyes widely.
"I'm telling you," she said miserably. "It was one of those real life dreams."
"Dreams are not real." muttered Legolas, walking quicker so he kept the same pace as Buffy. "What again did you say the cloaked figure was?"
Buffy sighed. "A death reaper, for the thousandth time!"
Legolas frowned and muttered something about it only being the fifth time.
"I do not think it was this death reaper you are speaking of." he finally said. "I think it might be a messenger from-"
"Buffy!" Someone cried, Pippin and Merry stepping out onto the stone pavement and blocking their path. "There you are!"
"Looking for me?" she asked, somewhat feeling better. She didn't have the heart to be cranky with a bunch of Hobbits.
"You bet," replied Pippin. "We're now the secret messengers of Lord Elrond and the Elves!"
"What were you two talking about anyway?" Merry asked reluctantly. "What dream, what messenger?"
"Never mind that," Legolas snapped. "what is this important message about?"
"Oh, that." Pippin dug through his breast pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, and Buffy caught glimpse of neat, scripted handwriting tilted her name. "Here you are Lady Buffy. From Lord Elrond and Gandalf!"
"No Pippin," Merry said with a sigh. "It's just from Elrond."
"Nuh- uh." Pippin protested. "Gandalf was the one that handed it to me, and Lord Elrond had written it."
"Yes, but-"
"No more of this, do you two have to be somewhere?" Legolas asked, annoyed.
Pippin and Merry took Legolas' stubbornness as an insult and they wished Buffy a farewell before sweeping back their new cloaks and walking away. Sighing, Legolas turned back to Buffy and saw that she was fingering the letter thoughtfully. She must have read it already.
"What does it say?" He asked.
Buffy looked up at Legolas and frowned. "It's about my dream."
"What?" Legolas reached out and Buffy handed the letter over. He read aloud, "Buffy, the dream you have witnessed last night is meant for something. Something neither Gandalf nor myself can explain just yet, but in time you will know what these dreams mean. I hope that you take them into consideration, because they hold something. Something not yet seen. Farewell, and remember. Dreams are from your subconscious, they are telling you something."
After reading this, Legolas handed the letter back to Buffy and tried to read her face.
Nothing. She was obviously trying to indeed consider this and neither one said anything as they walked side by side to the dining hall. She could distinctively hear lively voices coming from ahead, and she wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to celebrate breakfast. After all, they have a celebration for every occasion. It won't be anything she'd miss.
She stopped suddenly, making Legolas do a double take backwards.
"Aren't you coming?" asked Legolas worriedly.
Buffy nodded but looked back. "There's something I wanted to do before I stuff my face with food."
Legolas looked uneasy but nodded his head. "Do you need company?"
"No, no." she insisted, taking a few steps back. "I'll only be a little bit. Honest."
Legolas couldn't help but make a face as he nodded his head in farewell and turned towards the dinning hall alone. Buffy took a deep breath before fingering the letter in her hand, then she rushed passed a couple of Elves and darted to where she would hopefully find her answers.
As she kept her pace, she was able to recognize her where whereabouts. She didn't want to end up getting lost now that she was alone, and the big, spacious room before her gleamed bright.
Only a few candles were lit, but thanks for the sunlight she could see where she was going.
It was quiet and Buffy knew that she was alone. That is what she needed right now, and she walked around the library in silent awe. She remembered Strider telling her about this place when she welcomed her stay in Rivendell, and he had told her about the sort of books that were kept here. The history on Middle- earth, the written diaries of Lord Elrond, and the time lines of what happened in the past decade.
Yes, she remembered now. And she began to right away look for the book she wanted.
Her fingers slid across each title carefully, across a couple of paintings of an obvious war, and then on a large painting of a man standing over another man. But as Buffy looked closer she was what exactly was standing above the other.
"The death reaper from my dream!" she hissed.
All right, so this wasn't your average Giles library, but it had the morbid sense packed down pretty damn well.
But she knew it was just a painting, it could mean almost anything, but the thing standing over her in her dream was the exact thing that stood over the man in the painting.
She ran her round eyes over the man's face, terrified and triumphed at the same time. But she wasn't so sure sure about this death reaper guy in her dream; it was like battling a demon, no big deal. And she convinced herself that that was, in fact, a demon.
Then her eyes drifted over to her left. She watched him approach her cautiously, a strange look in his eyes.
"The painting draws you in as well?" he asked softly, unsure of the woman's reaction.
"Maybe." Buffy replied, then she noticed he was carrying a book. "What is that?"
He then looked over at her and smiled. "The book you were looking for."
Buffy grabbed the book from his hand and started flipping through the pages. It was! It was the history on Mordor, on the demons there and what they served purpose for. She shut the book and looked up at Boromir suspiciously. He smiled back and then laughed, nodding to the book in her arms.
"Are you satisfied-?" he asked.
"How do you know I was looking for this?" snapped Buffy.
"Because I've read your mind." Boromir said seriously, then cocked a brow. "And you dropped your letter."
Buffy looked down and Boromir reached out his arm, her letter from Elrond laying unfolded in his palm.
She took it from him quickly and put it in her back pocket. "Thanks a lot for reading it."
"Sure." He shrugged, looking back at the painting. "That was a future king you know."
Buffy looked at the reaper. "Huh? The Demon?"
"Sauron?" Boromir said curiously. "The man underneath him. He is an ancestor to someone in this house right as we speak. He destroyed Sauron and changed the world. He was a brave man."
Boromir bowed his head and touched his brow.
Buffy sighed. So Sauron was the demon? She looked back at her book and decided to go back to her room and read up on this person… or thing, whatever it was that was haunting her dreams. Legolas would understand why she didn't come to the breakfast celebration. I mean, Boromir didn't even show up, she said quietly. And that was all that it took to convince her, and with a grateful smile to Boromir she left the library and went straight for her room.
Chapter four
He shouldn't have done this, there is no possible way that she will make it out of there alive. Mordor is no place for a woman, even one so brave as Buffy. And if he hadn't really understood his foreseeing, he would have gladly changed his mind and kept Buffy invulnerable and protected in Rivendell. But, as miserable as it was to admit, Buffy was trapped. She would be stubborn and not stay in Imladris, as peaceful as it was here.
Somehow word had gotten out and Sauron was fixing to search for Buffy and bring him to her. It would be his fault if she were to be found… and she would die.
Elrond opened his eyes and looked around breathlessly.
---
She didn't know where she was going, just that it was leading her somewhere. Maybe it was leading her back home, but she didn't know anything and it didn't scare her. Nothing scared her now. She was invincible and she was sure enough that this path was going to take her to somewhere special, somewhere magical that she'll never want to leave. But as the path went on, the lights faded away and the place got cold.
She suddenly stopped, the feeling of distrust washing out of her. Where was she? Why was she here all of a sudden? Too many questions filled her head and she dropped to her knees, the white dress she wore now filthy in the dark soil she was up above.
She called out, to anyone, anything who would hear her. And her response was a faded call of her name.
"Angel?" She called out, but her voice slurred and it became hoarse. "Come back!"
"Buffy…" It whispered, then faded out.
She turned her around furiously and clenched her hands to her side. That voice was taunting her! She angrily got up and walked around, even though it was dark and she couldn't see anything except the dress she wore and her arms. Buffy was no one to taunt with, that's for sure. Then she felt someone pass by her- the feeling of wind, and the sound of footsteps passing by- and she turned around to see a dark shadow stand over her, wearing a black cloak and holding a long steel staff.
When Buffy couldn't see his face, she shook her head and sighed.
"Great, the death reaper!" she exclaimed. "Just what I needed!"
"Sheerer." It spat. "Bring me the Ring."
Buffy made a face. "Ok, how about, um, no? How about a nice, juicy soul to take to hell?"
The figure before her reached out his arm. He wore a metal glove, chains hanging loose around the fingers, and it clanked together in what Buffy thought was a threat. Buffy backed away, her arms rising in defense
"Whoa, you can have what you want." Buffy said matter- of- factly. "But not without a fight."
Buffy kicked her right leg up and smacked the reaper's arm out of the way. It cried out a blood hurtling shriek and Buffy was thrown back on the ground. She hit her head on something soft and she opened her eyes widely.
"I'm telling you," she said miserably. "It was one of those real life dreams."
"Dreams are not real." muttered Legolas, walking quicker so he kept the same pace as Buffy. "What again did you say the cloaked figure was?"
Buffy sighed. "A death reaper, for the thousandth time!"
Legolas frowned and muttered something about it only being the fifth time.
"I do not think it was this death reaper you are speaking of." he finally said. "I think it might be a messenger from-"
"Buffy!" Someone cried, Pippin and Merry stepping out onto the stone pavement and blocking their path. "There you are!"
"Looking for me?" she asked, somewhat feeling better. She didn't have the heart to be cranky with a bunch of Hobbits.
"You bet," replied Pippin. "We're now the secret messengers of Lord Elrond and the Elves!"
"What were you two talking about anyway?" Merry asked reluctantly. "What dream, what messenger?"
"Never mind that," Legolas snapped. "what is this important message about?"
"Oh, that." Pippin dug through his breast pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, and Buffy caught glimpse of neat, scripted handwriting tilted her name. "Here you are Lady Buffy. From Lord Elrond and Gandalf!"
"No Pippin," Merry said with a sigh. "It's just from Elrond."
"Nuh- uh." Pippin protested. "Gandalf was the one that handed it to me, and Lord Elrond had written it."
"Yes, but-"
"No more of this, do you two have to be somewhere?" Legolas asked, annoyed.
Pippin and Merry took Legolas' stubbornness as an insult and they wished Buffy a farewell before sweeping back their new cloaks and walking away. Sighing, Legolas turned back to Buffy and saw that she was fingering the letter thoughtfully. She must have read it already.
"What does it say?" He asked.
Buffy looked up at Legolas and frowned. "It's about my dream."
"What?" Legolas reached out and Buffy handed the letter over. He read aloud, "Buffy, the dream you have witnessed last night is meant for something. Something neither Gandalf nor myself can explain just yet, but in time you will know what these dreams mean. I hope that you take them into consideration, because they hold something. Something not yet seen. Farewell, and remember. Dreams are from your subconscious, they are telling you something."
After reading this, Legolas handed the letter back to Buffy and tried to read her face.
Nothing. She was obviously trying to indeed consider this and neither one said anything as they walked side by side to the dining hall. She could distinctively hear lively voices coming from ahead, and she wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to celebrate breakfast. After all, they have a celebration for every occasion. It won't be anything she'd miss.
She stopped suddenly, making Legolas do a double take backwards.
"Aren't you coming?" asked Legolas worriedly.
Buffy nodded but looked back. "There's something I wanted to do before I stuff my face with food."
Legolas looked uneasy but nodded his head. "Do you need company?"
"No, no." she insisted, taking a few steps back. "I'll only be a little bit. Honest."
Legolas couldn't help but make a face as he nodded his head in farewell and turned towards the dinning hall alone. Buffy took a deep breath before fingering the letter in her hand, then she rushed passed a couple of Elves and darted to where she would hopefully find her answers.
As she kept her pace, she was able to recognize her where whereabouts. She didn't want to end up getting lost now that she was alone, and the big, spacious room before her gleamed bright.
Only a few candles were lit, but thanks for the sunlight she could see where she was going.
It was quiet and Buffy knew that she was alone. That is what she needed right now, and she walked around the library in silent awe. She remembered Strider telling her about this place when she welcomed her stay in Rivendell, and he had told her about the sort of books that were kept here. The history on Middle- earth, the written diaries of Lord Elrond, and the time lines of what happened in the past decade.
Yes, she remembered now. And she began to right away look for the book she wanted.
Her fingers slid across each title carefully, across a couple of paintings of an obvious war, and then on a large painting of a man standing over another man. But as Buffy looked closer she was what exactly was standing above the other.
"The death reaper from my dream!" she hissed.
All right, so this wasn't your average Giles library, but it had the morbid sense packed down pretty damn well.
But she knew it was just a painting, it could mean almost anything, but the thing standing over her in her dream was the exact thing that stood over the man in the painting.
She ran her round eyes over the man's face, terrified and triumphed at the same time. But she wasn't so sure sure about this death reaper guy in her dream; it was like battling a demon, no big deal. And she convinced herself that that was, in fact, a demon.
Then her eyes drifted over to her left. She watched him approach her cautiously, a strange look in his eyes.
"The painting draws you in as well?" he asked softly, unsure of the woman's reaction.
"Maybe." Buffy replied, then she noticed he was carrying a book. "What is that?"
He then looked over at her and smiled. "The book you were looking for."
Buffy grabbed the book from his hand and started flipping through the pages. It was! It was the history on Mordor, on the demons there and what they served purpose for. She shut the book and looked up at Boromir suspiciously. He smiled back and then laughed, nodding to the book in her arms.
"Are you satisfied-?" he asked.
"How do you know I was looking for this?" snapped Buffy.
"Because I've read your mind." Boromir said seriously, then cocked a brow. "And you dropped your letter."
Buffy looked down and Boromir reached out his arm, her letter from Elrond laying unfolded in his palm.
She took it from him quickly and put it in her back pocket. "Thanks a lot for reading it."
"Sure." He shrugged, looking back at the painting. "That was a future king you know."
Buffy looked at the reaper. "Huh? The Demon?"
"Sauron?" Boromir said curiously. "The man underneath him. He is an ancestor to someone in this house right as we speak. He destroyed Sauron and changed the world. He was a brave man."
Boromir bowed his head and touched his brow.
Buffy sighed. So Sauron was the demon? She looked back at her book and decided to go back to her room and read up on this person… or thing, whatever it was that was haunting her dreams. Legolas would understand why she didn't come to the breakfast celebration. I mean, Boromir didn't even show up, she said quietly. And that was all that it took to convince her, and with a grateful smile to Boromir she left the library and went straight for her room.