Disclaimer: None of this is mine, nada. All belongs to Tolkien the Great except for any OCs and blunders.
Synopsis: [Middle-earth from a more sensible perspective] When you can't ride a horse or speak Westron, and realise that from your point of view, living conditions are positively medieval, the only thing on your mind is not stealing Aragorn, romancing Legolas or slaying Orcs. It's getting home where you belong.
Genre: Humour/Adventure
Written by: Myrielle
(Mis)Adventures in Middle-earth
III.
We had left Osgiliath behind but every once in a while, I couldn't help but look back at it. No wonder the city was named Citadel of the Stars. It was almost unearthly, the way the constellations seemed to cluster above it. Starlight gleamed on the white walls, turning them to pearl. Beneath the marble and stone pavements ran the dark shining waters of Anduin the Great. Within, the city was just as beautiful. Looking at the skilfully wrought pillars, buildings that were some three storeys high, the planted trees and flowers that lined the houses and roads, it was hard to imagine that Osgiliath had ever seen dark days.
My chestnut mount whickered and began picking up the pace. "Oh great," I smiled grimly, wrapping the reins around my hands once more. At least when we had made our way through Osgiliath the horses had moved at little more than a slow canter. But here on the open road, Legolas seemed to favour out and out galloping. Perhaps it was a good thing that my legs had lost almost all semblance of sensation a short while ago. At least it was a lot more comfortable than the fiery ache that had been plaguing me ever since I'd started riding the horse. "Wish I'd remembered that horseback riding requires a lot of stamina. Something that I don't have," I muttered through gritted teeth, narrowing my eyes against the wind.
Still, I forgot my discomfort as we drew nearer to Minas Tirith and I had my first glimpse of the city I had read so much about. Tolkien had described what it looked like in the waking light of dawn. What I saw was a more like a dream in the night. Mount Mindolluin was bathed in shadow and light, crowned with white snow, and carved into the side of the mountain was the city. It was lit from within by the glow of the torches, and every now and then I caught glimpses of shining silver as the light shone on the armoured soldiers that stood guard on the walls. Banners hung from tall proud towers, but none prouder than the one that was set in the highest circle of all, the Tower of Ecthelion. 'A spike of pearl and silver is right,' I thought, swallowing hard as I finally remembered to breathe. No wonder Pippin had been overwhelmed.
Legolas didn't stop as we approached the Gate which began to open for us. But I tugged on the reins of my horse, slowing it down as I passed through so that I could admire the massive structure that protected the entrance to the city. It was so high that I had to crane my head all the way back to take it in completely. Mithril gleamed, cold and forbidding yet splendid, adorned with carved figures of kings, warriors and horses that seemed almost alive. At that moment I doubted that even a Balrog could have broken through. Gimli and his people had truly outdone themselves.
When I finally turned to him, Legolas smiled, blue eyes glittering with amusement and pleasure at my reaction. As we rode through the streets and gates in a bewildering series of turns and twists, I found myself gazing almost greedily at everything I could lay my eyes on. It was all that Tolkien had described. 'And perhaps more now.' The houses were not dead; I could hear laughter and see lights lit within most. There were gardens of flowers and trees that had strange birds with long brightly-coloured plumes. "Birds that sing and trees that do not die," I murmured. Those were the very words of Legolas himself, a promise made if Aragorn ever came into his own. And he had. How he had.
My excitement and wonder turned to quiet respect as I reconsidered all that I knew, as the reality of it all sank in a second time. That long tale of valour, of friendship, of blood and sorrow and joy so deep one wept from it, all of that was real, not just a story. Every stone in Minas Tirith had been paid for in full with the lives and courage of people willing to die for something they believed in. Gondor had survived because of the immense courage of two tiny little hobbits who had walked into Mordor, which was in my opinion, the equivalent of hell on Middle-earth, on a near-impossible quest. I had never even come close to risking my life for anything or anyone. If the city was to be admired, it shouldn't be just for the craftsmanship that shaped it and the grandeur it possessed, but also for the ideals it stood for and represented.
However, all such reflections completely left my head the moment we came to the seventh gate. "Err… are we supposed to get off now?" I asked feebly. It was a stupid question since Legolas had already dismounted and was now looking at me, clearly expecting me to do the same. A quick poke confirmed that my legs were still numb, were so numb in fact that the poke barely registered. Still, I couldn't just sit there especially since the guards at the gate were beginning to look at me as though I were an idiot.
"Oh well, here goes." With painful slowness and a profound lack of grace that would have made a troll look good in comparison, I edged my feet out of the stirrups and finally managed to slide off the horse. The moment I hit the ground my legs buckled and I would have fallen flat on my face if I hadn't lashed out and caught hold of the saddle. The horse snorted and skittered sideways, with me hanging on as the guards leapt to grab its bridle. "Stay still you silly thing," I scolded through clenched teeth. As though it understood, the horse turned its head, glared balefully at me and actually attempted to rear up just as the guards seized the reins. Still clinging to the saddle for leverage, I steadied myself, felt the slow prick of pins and needles crawl up my flesh and knew that I was not going to be able to walk through that gate. Not on my two legs anyway. And since I didn't fancy crawling…
"I'll never make it," I told Legolas bluntly, pointing first at myself and the gate before shaking my head vigorously. All this while my face was flushed a royal red. The guards were trying not to grin and I knew it was funny but right now, what I was feeling was incredibly stupid. Maybe twenty years later I would have a good laugh over this. Right now, I just wanted to hide in a hobbit hole somewhere.
The Houses of Healing were rather nice actually. Now that my legs had been washed with hot water, a soothing mixture applied to them, and my stomach filled with soup, bread and cheese, I was starting to feel much better. The bed that I was lying on was incredibly soft, the pillows stuffed with feathers. By now I had more or less learned to live with the embarrassment of my little debacle at the gate. In fact, by the time Legolas had gotten me to the Houses of Healing, I was already in such pain that it hardly mattered that he had had to practically carry me there.
'First thing to do after you learn Westron,' I told myself as I looked out of the window that was just next to my bed. 'Tell them that horses are not the main mode of transport on Earth. Second thing to do after that: learn horseback riding.' My "Things to Do List" was growing by the nanosecond. Naturally though, the biggest mystery of all was Tolkien himself. And then there was the question of going home. Or more specifically, what I needed to do in order to get home.
For a moment my buoyant mood dipped and I sighed, dropping my chin onto the cool stone of the windowsill. Almost a whole day had passed already and there was no chance that Carrie had not noticed my disappearance. Knowing my friend, she would have called my family, the police and notified the National Guard by now. I was safe and warm, albeit on another world but safe and warm nonetheless, while my friends and family were probably completely panicked by now. I had to go home soon, and not just because of them. Time on Earth was slipping away and I needed to return before it was too late for me to get on with my life there.
'Well, if Tolkien got home, you should be able to. Besides, it was never reported that he disappeared for a prolonged period of time.' All I had to do was to find out how he had gotten to Middle-earth and how he had left it. That should be easy, right? "Right," I said aloud in the most reassuring tone I could muster before grabbing the thick blanket and pulling it up to my chin. I needed a good night's sleep if I was going to be able to handle tomorrow because tomorrow, I was going to start my lessons in Westron. Either I would find some hapless schoolteacher to coach me or I would pester everyone who passed my way to teach me a little at a time. Closing my eyes, I resolutely concentrated on falling asleep and tried not to remember that while in school, I had flunked all my other language subjects except English.
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A/N: Short chapter for now since RL is very busy and I am also working on my other stories. As for Jan's predicament after riding the horse, I have never experienced that for myself but I do know that horseback riding is very strenuous, especially for first timers. Toby Maguire had to learn riding and he said after a few minutes on the horse, he could hardly stand up. So I'm taking my cue from that, with some exaggeration for humour.
As always, all constructive comments are welcome. Meaningless flames will be sent to the Eye in the Sky, a.k.a. disembodied Sauron.
MANY THANKS TO:
Lolly: Well, I'm writing this story such that Tolkien actually went to ME, as opposed to having dreamt up the universe itself. I thought it would be nice for us Tolkien fans and writers to actually include him in the story. ^_^
Blue alien: Thanks for the compliment! I'm glad you find this story original. As for the challenges Jan faces, *evil grin* just wait and see what I put her through.
Sabrina: Definitely no fluff or romance in this story. I'm not against romance, am planning to write a romantic fic about Eomer and Lothiriel, but I can't see any romance here for this one.
LeaMarie F. Rocket: Here's the next chappie. Sorry it took so long!
Wen Quendalie: Two hints on what is going to happen eventually. There will be more Tolkien, an Istar and a theory I've come up with that makes the link between ME and Earth plausibly possible. I hope…^_^
Synopsis: [Middle-earth from a more sensible perspective] When you can't ride a horse or speak Westron, and realise that from your point of view, living conditions are positively medieval, the only thing on your mind is not stealing Aragorn, romancing Legolas or slaying Orcs. It's getting home where you belong.
Genre: Humour/Adventure
Written by: Myrielle
(Mis)Adventures in Middle-earth
III.
We had left Osgiliath behind but every once in a while, I couldn't help but look back at it. No wonder the city was named Citadel of the Stars. It was almost unearthly, the way the constellations seemed to cluster above it. Starlight gleamed on the white walls, turning them to pearl. Beneath the marble and stone pavements ran the dark shining waters of Anduin the Great. Within, the city was just as beautiful. Looking at the skilfully wrought pillars, buildings that were some three storeys high, the planted trees and flowers that lined the houses and roads, it was hard to imagine that Osgiliath had ever seen dark days.
My chestnut mount whickered and began picking up the pace. "Oh great," I smiled grimly, wrapping the reins around my hands once more. At least when we had made our way through Osgiliath the horses had moved at little more than a slow canter. But here on the open road, Legolas seemed to favour out and out galloping. Perhaps it was a good thing that my legs had lost almost all semblance of sensation a short while ago. At least it was a lot more comfortable than the fiery ache that had been plaguing me ever since I'd started riding the horse. "Wish I'd remembered that horseback riding requires a lot of stamina. Something that I don't have," I muttered through gritted teeth, narrowing my eyes against the wind.
Still, I forgot my discomfort as we drew nearer to Minas Tirith and I had my first glimpse of the city I had read so much about. Tolkien had described what it looked like in the waking light of dawn. What I saw was a more like a dream in the night. Mount Mindolluin was bathed in shadow and light, crowned with white snow, and carved into the side of the mountain was the city. It was lit from within by the glow of the torches, and every now and then I caught glimpses of shining silver as the light shone on the armoured soldiers that stood guard on the walls. Banners hung from tall proud towers, but none prouder than the one that was set in the highest circle of all, the Tower of Ecthelion. 'A spike of pearl and silver is right,' I thought, swallowing hard as I finally remembered to breathe. No wonder Pippin had been overwhelmed.
Legolas didn't stop as we approached the Gate which began to open for us. But I tugged on the reins of my horse, slowing it down as I passed through so that I could admire the massive structure that protected the entrance to the city. It was so high that I had to crane my head all the way back to take it in completely. Mithril gleamed, cold and forbidding yet splendid, adorned with carved figures of kings, warriors and horses that seemed almost alive. At that moment I doubted that even a Balrog could have broken through. Gimli and his people had truly outdone themselves.
When I finally turned to him, Legolas smiled, blue eyes glittering with amusement and pleasure at my reaction. As we rode through the streets and gates in a bewildering series of turns and twists, I found myself gazing almost greedily at everything I could lay my eyes on. It was all that Tolkien had described. 'And perhaps more now.' The houses were not dead; I could hear laughter and see lights lit within most. There were gardens of flowers and trees that had strange birds with long brightly-coloured plumes. "Birds that sing and trees that do not die," I murmured. Those were the very words of Legolas himself, a promise made if Aragorn ever came into his own. And he had. How he had.
My excitement and wonder turned to quiet respect as I reconsidered all that I knew, as the reality of it all sank in a second time. That long tale of valour, of friendship, of blood and sorrow and joy so deep one wept from it, all of that was real, not just a story. Every stone in Minas Tirith had been paid for in full with the lives and courage of people willing to die for something they believed in. Gondor had survived because of the immense courage of two tiny little hobbits who had walked into Mordor, which was in my opinion, the equivalent of hell on Middle-earth, on a near-impossible quest. I had never even come close to risking my life for anything or anyone. If the city was to be admired, it shouldn't be just for the craftsmanship that shaped it and the grandeur it possessed, but also for the ideals it stood for and represented.
However, all such reflections completely left my head the moment we came to the seventh gate. "Err… are we supposed to get off now?" I asked feebly. It was a stupid question since Legolas had already dismounted and was now looking at me, clearly expecting me to do the same. A quick poke confirmed that my legs were still numb, were so numb in fact that the poke barely registered. Still, I couldn't just sit there especially since the guards at the gate were beginning to look at me as though I were an idiot.
"Oh well, here goes." With painful slowness and a profound lack of grace that would have made a troll look good in comparison, I edged my feet out of the stirrups and finally managed to slide off the horse. The moment I hit the ground my legs buckled and I would have fallen flat on my face if I hadn't lashed out and caught hold of the saddle. The horse snorted and skittered sideways, with me hanging on as the guards leapt to grab its bridle. "Stay still you silly thing," I scolded through clenched teeth. As though it understood, the horse turned its head, glared balefully at me and actually attempted to rear up just as the guards seized the reins. Still clinging to the saddle for leverage, I steadied myself, felt the slow prick of pins and needles crawl up my flesh and knew that I was not going to be able to walk through that gate. Not on my two legs anyway. And since I didn't fancy crawling…
"I'll never make it," I told Legolas bluntly, pointing first at myself and the gate before shaking my head vigorously. All this while my face was flushed a royal red. The guards were trying not to grin and I knew it was funny but right now, what I was feeling was incredibly stupid. Maybe twenty years later I would have a good laugh over this. Right now, I just wanted to hide in a hobbit hole somewhere.
The Houses of Healing were rather nice actually. Now that my legs had been washed with hot water, a soothing mixture applied to them, and my stomach filled with soup, bread and cheese, I was starting to feel much better. The bed that I was lying on was incredibly soft, the pillows stuffed with feathers. By now I had more or less learned to live with the embarrassment of my little debacle at the gate. In fact, by the time Legolas had gotten me to the Houses of Healing, I was already in such pain that it hardly mattered that he had had to practically carry me there.
'First thing to do after you learn Westron,' I told myself as I looked out of the window that was just next to my bed. 'Tell them that horses are not the main mode of transport on Earth. Second thing to do after that: learn horseback riding.' My "Things to Do List" was growing by the nanosecond. Naturally though, the biggest mystery of all was Tolkien himself. And then there was the question of going home. Or more specifically, what I needed to do in order to get home.
For a moment my buoyant mood dipped and I sighed, dropping my chin onto the cool stone of the windowsill. Almost a whole day had passed already and there was no chance that Carrie had not noticed my disappearance. Knowing my friend, she would have called my family, the police and notified the National Guard by now. I was safe and warm, albeit on another world but safe and warm nonetheless, while my friends and family were probably completely panicked by now. I had to go home soon, and not just because of them. Time on Earth was slipping away and I needed to return before it was too late for me to get on with my life there.
'Well, if Tolkien got home, you should be able to. Besides, it was never reported that he disappeared for a prolonged period of time.' All I had to do was to find out how he had gotten to Middle-earth and how he had left it. That should be easy, right? "Right," I said aloud in the most reassuring tone I could muster before grabbing the thick blanket and pulling it up to my chin. I needed a good night's sleep if I was going to be able to handle tomorrow because tomorrow, I was going to start my lessons in Westron. Either I would find some hapless schoolteacher to coach me or I would pester everyone who passed my way to teach me a little at a time. Closing my eyes, I resolutely concentrated on falling asleep and tried not to remember that while in school, I had flunked all my other language subjects except English.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Short chapter for now since RL is very busy and I am also working on my other stories. As for Jan's predicament after riding the horse, I have never experienced that for myself but I do know that horseback riding is very strenuous, especially for first timers. Toby Maguire had to learn riding and he said after a few minutes on the horse, he could hardly stand up. So I'm taking my cue from that, with some exaggeration for humour.
As always, all constructive comments are welcome. Meaningless flames will be sent to the Eye in the Sky, a.k.a. disembodied Sauron.
MANY THANKS TO:
Lolly: Well, I'm writing this story such that Tolkien actually went to ME, as opposed to having dreamt up the universe itself. I thought it would be nice for us Tolkien fans and writers to actually include him in the story. ^_^
Blue alien: Thanks for the compliment! I'm glad you find this story original. As for the challenges Jan faces, *evil grin* just wait and see what I put her through.
Sabrina: Definitely no fluff or romance in this story. I'm not against romance, am planning to write a romantic fic about Eomer and Lothiriel, but I can't see any romance here for this one.
LeaMarie F. Rocket: Here's the next chappie. Sorry it took so long!
Wen Quendalie: Two hints on what is going to happen eventually. There will be more Tolkien, an Istar and a theory I've come up with that makes the link between ME and Earth plausibly possible. I hope…^_^