Revised 2/2104
See Part 1 for disclaimers and such
Chapter 8~Ripples. You are like a pebble that has been tossed into a still pond. Your presence here will create ripples, no doubt~
Erin opened her eyes slowly, surprised to find herself lying on the floor, her head cushioned by Haldir's cloak. Three pairs of elven eyes looked down at her with mixed expressions of relief and concern.
"Are you well, Erin?" Galadriel asked kindly, her voice low and soothing.
"What happened?" she asked, sitting up with Haldir's assistance, his strong hands supporting her back gently.
"You fainted," Haldir answered, his arm across her shoulders holding her steady. "I caught you before you hit the floor."
Erin shook her head, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "That's twice now. I've never fainted before in my life, and since I've been here, I've gone down twice." Her lips twisted wryly. "Must be the air."
"You said something just before you swooned," Celeborn said, looking at her keenly. "You said 'I know you'. Yet how can that be? What did you mean by that?"
She studied the faces of the Lord and Lady closely, and took a deep breath. "You both look like someone I met in my world. Not exactly the same really, but so close that it took me by surprise." Obviously, she thought with a grimace, rubbing her forehead in confusion.
"Who would that be?" Galadriel pressed gently, for the young woman's answer both puzzled and intrigued her.
Their eyes were on her and she swallowed nervously. How to explain it? It seemed so weird to her, the faint echo of resemblance in these non-human faces to the people she had not seen since she was a little girl.
"When I was growing up we moved around a lot," Erin began, her voice low and shaking slightly. "My father was in the military, and he was frequently re-stationed in different parts of the world. We spent several years in Europe, and when I was seven, we took a vacation and went to England for a week." She took another deep breath and continued. "I don't know the name of the town we stayed in, just that it had the most wonderful park I'd ever seen. The trees were what I loved the most; their colors were so bright and beautiful, and they seemed so wonderful and tall. My mother and father and I went there one afternoon and had a picnic, and I wandered off on my own to explore the woods."
Celeborn and Galadriel exchanged a brief glance, before Galadriel nodded encouragingly for her to continue.
Erin fiddled with the ends of her tunic as she tried to recall that day; it seemed so long ago, and until now, she hadn't given it much thought. "I remember my mother telling me not to get lost, or the fairies would find me and take me away." She smiled briefly at the memory. "My mother was like that, she liked to tease me. She knew I was old enough that I didn't believe in fairies anymore, but young enough to still want to." Her head was down and she didn't see Galadriel's smile of understanding.
"Did you lose your way in the woods?" the Lady asked quietly.
Erin looked up from her hands and nodded slowly. "Yes. I did." She shook her head. "I wasn't scared at first, because I didn't realize I couldn't find my way back to where my parents were. It took a while, you know, for it to really sink in that I didn't know where I was going. I kept walking, thinking that the next tree or the next bush would take me out of the woods, only I kept walking further and further into them, and farther away from my parents."
"You must have been frightened when you finally realized you were lost," Galadriel said sympathetically.
Erin gave a short laugh. "You could say that. I was crying by that point. It was getting dark, and the trees started looking kind of spooky. I was tired and scared. I finally sat underneath a tree and called for help, but I didn't think anyone would hear me."
"Someone did?" Celeborn asked, his eyebrow lifting slightly.
She nodded. "Oh yes." Her mouth curved in a slow and wistful smile. "The fairies came for me." Erin saw their startled expressions and laughed lightly. "They weren't really fairies, come to take me away, as my mother had always told me. But they were the most wondrous people I had ever seen."
~~"Child, why do you weep?" a melodious voice asked, and she looked up, wiping her tear streaked face with the back of her sleeve. A man and a woman smiled down at her. They were taller than her father, and their eyes were the color of the sky. Their faces were kind and beautiful, and Erin had never seen anyone like them in all her life.
"I'm lost," seven-year-old Erin sniffled. "I can't find my mommy and daddy."
"Shhh," the woman said, bending down to enfold the frightened little girl in her arms. "Do not fear. We will show you the way."
Erin hugged the woman tightly, so glad to have been found she felt herself shaking.
"What is your name, little one?" the man asked, his voice as melodious as the woman's. His expression was concerned, and Erin found herself smiling bravely up at him.
"My name is Erin Smith. Who are you?"
The man and the woman exchanged a quick glance, before the woman helped her to her feet, holding her hand gently with her long and graceful fingers.
"We live near these woods and go walking here every day," the woman answered with a smile. "Come, let us return you to your parents. They must be worried."~~
"They never gave me their names, and my mother and father were so glad they'd found me that I don't think they even thought to ask them," Erin said, shaking her head slightly. "I thought they were fairy folk for many years as a child, until eventually, I forgot about the whole thing." She took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. "When I saw you both standing there, it brought it all back."
"There is some meaning to this," Galadriel murmured, glancing at her husband. "Yet I do not know what it could be." She offered her hand to Erin and assisted the young woman to her feet. "You should rest now, Erin, for you are tired from your long journey. We will seek the answers to this mystery tomorrow."
"A room has been prepared for you," Celeborn added with a regal tilt of his head. "Haldir will escort you so you do not lose your way." He gave her a brief smile. "We will look forward to speaking with you after you have rested."
Haldir glanced concernedly at his companion, his hand tightening slightly on her arm as he escorted her across the talans. She looked pale and visibly shaken by her meeting with the Lord and Lady.
Erin was barely aware of her surroundings as she allowed Haldir to lead her to where her room was. Her mind was desperately trying to cope with the implications of her memory, and with meeting Galadriel and Celeborn. Was it too far fetched to think it was something beyond coincidence that the man and woman who had found her, lost in the woods of England as a child, reminded her so strongly of the Lord and Lady? It certainly wasn't any weirder than going camping in Port Angeles and waking up in Middle Earth.
Galadriel had said they would seek answers tomorrow, and Erin found it difficult to wait. Part of her was anxious and eager to find out what the Lady had in mind; perhaps she would finally find out why she was here, and if she would ever get home again. The other part of her, however, firmly refused to let her get her hopes up too high. She didn't think she could survive the disappointment if she was merely given more questions with no answers to them. She knew she definitely would have trouble if Galadriel told her she could never go home again.
Would it really be that bad, her small inner voice asked slyly, to remain in a world like this one? Honestly, she wasn't sure. She missed her parents most of all, and the few friends she had back in her world. And showers, bathrooms in general, and a few other modern conveniences she had always taken for granted. But she had to admit that a part of her wouldn't be unhappy if she had to stay. This world was magic and part of her felt as if she had finally come home.
What about the whole Dark Lord thing and the great war that is coming? She'd seen enough death and violence to last her the rest of her life. This world was dangerous and unknown. Anything could happen.
Exactly, the small voice replied. Anything.
She realized they had stopped and glanced up at Haldir, who was smiling at her bemusedly.
"What?" she asked, slightly annoyed by his expression.
"I asked, lady, if you wanted something to eat before you retired," Haldir repeated patiently. "I can have someone bring you a light supper, if you wish."
"Oh," she replied, giving him a sheepish grin. "That would be great, Haldir. Thank you."
He nodded and opened the door. "This is your room while you are with us," he said, drawing her inside.
She looked around the room with unconcealed delight, her eyes traveling over the intricately carved panels of wood that covered the walls, to the graceful arches of the open roof above her. The floor had the same detailed inlay of lighter wood that she had seen in the room where she had met the Lord and Lady, and it gleamed brightly in the light of the candles that were scattered about the room. She walked eagerly to the single window and peered out, her stomach dropping uneasily when she looked down and saw that they were still quite a ways from the ground. Stepping away from the casement, she turned to look at the furnishings and her eyes lit upon the bed with delight.
"A bed! A real bed!" she exclaimed, running her fingers over the soft quilts and pushing experimentally on the mattress. It was firm, but yielding, and comfortably sized for a good sprawl.
"I take it then that the room meets with your approval?" Haldir asked with a brief smile.
"Oh yes," Erin replied, grinning back at him. "Very much." She looked back at the bed with undisguised happiness. "I will have to remember to thank Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn when I see them again."
Haldir gave her a brief nod. "Then I will leave you to your rest, lady. Someone should be bringing your supper to you shortly. Will you require anything else before I leave you?"
Erin turned to look at him, and gave him a grateful smile. "No, Haldir. Thank you. Have a good night."
He touched his hand briefly over his heart and dipped his head slightly. "You are welcome, Erin. Sleep well." With a swish of his cloak he was gone, closing the door behind him.
Galadriel sat on the wooden bench beside the fountain, her eyes closed as she breathed the sweet morning air, her thoughts focused on the unusual woman who was sleeping in the tree above her.
Mithrandir's words did little to help her, for the wizard was no more knowledgeable than she when it came to Erin's situation. He did not know how she came to be here, or what her purpose was. He hoped that Galadriel would be able to find the answers that eluded him.
Rising gracefully, her white robes trailing softly behind her, she approached her mirror to seek her answers within its depths.
Her blue eyes focused on the smooth surface of the water, and she cleared her mind of all other distractions. Erin's face appeared before her in startling focus, and a small ripple appeared in the center of the image, as if a single drop of water had been spilled from her pitcher into the center of her mirror. Her eyes widened slightly as the ripple slowly spread, the ring of water growing larger until it reached the edge of the mirror and disappeared.
The image faded, and Galadriel raised her head, sending her mental call to Haldir to bring the woman to her.
Her room had a small bathroom adjoining it, and Erin took advantage of the opportunity to wash her face, enjoying the feel of the cool washcloth against her skin. She was sore from riding, but felt fully rested for a change. Sleeping in a bed, after all this time, was pure heaven.
Finished with her ablutions, she found a clean pair of leggings and the tunic she had worn the day before and slid them on, finding the laces a bit easier this time now that she was more familiar with their workings. The leggings chafed her a bit in places she didn't want to consider, but for the most part, she was comfortable. She eyed her dirty clothing at the bottom of her pack distastefully, mentally reminding herself to ask Galadriel where she could take them to clean them.
Closing her pack, she tossed it next to the bed and glanced at the window. The light that streamed through it told her it was probably late morning, and she was grateful that no early-rising elf had come to wake her before she was ready. She tugged the quilts into some semblance of order and made the bed as neatly as she could, and was startled by a tap on her door.
"Come in," Erin called over her shoulder, tucking the end of the quilts under the edge of the mattress.
"Good morning," Haldir greeted her politely. "I trust you are well rested?"
Erin nodded. "Yes. I am, thank you." She smiled what she was sure was a fairly foolish smile, but didn't care. "I didn't want to get up, truth told."
He smiled briefly. "Good, I am glad you slept well. The cooks saved you something for breakfast, then I am to escort you to the Lady."
"Thank you, Haldir," she replied. "I'm starving."
Haldir nodded, his smile returning, and she realized that he was quite handsome when he smiled. Not that any of the elves she had met were anything but handsome, or beautiful, for that matter. But his face seemed to light up from within when he smiled, and it suited him. He offered her his arm, and she took it, glad that she didn't have to try to find her way around by herself.
"Not that I'm not happy to see you again, Haldir, but why are you playing escort?" she asked curiously as she pulled her door closed behind them. "Don't you have other duties more important than keeping me from falling out of the tree?"
He laughed. "Only a few of the Galadhrim speak Westron, Erin. My Lady thought you would feel more comfortable with a familiar face."
"Oh," she said, nodding. "Makes sense. How's your wound?" She eyed him critically as they walked. "You seem to be moving better."
"I am almost healed," Haldir said. "I should be able to resume my regular duties within a day or so."
"That's wonderful," Erin said, shaking her head in amazement. "I did not think anyone could recover so quickly."
Haldir shrugged gracefully and gave her a small smile. "Elrohir has his father's skill in healing, for which I am thankful."
He sat across from her and spoke of general things while she ate her simple breakfast of fruit and grains, mixed with a generous portion of honey, washing the sticky yet delicious meal down with several glasses of cold, clear water. He spoke of his duties as a guardian of Lothlórien's borders, and of visiting Mirkwood and Imladris.
"What is Lord Elrond like?" Erin asked curiously, swallowing the last bite of fruit with obvious enjoyment. She remembered reading about him in the book, and remembered she had liked his character very much.
Haldir considered her question a moment before replying. "He is wise, and very respected among elves for his knowledge of things that most of us do not concern ourselves about. His half-human heritage gives him a unique perspective when it comes to matters of men, and he is trusted by both races equally."
Erin set her cup down beside her empty plate and looked at Haldir with surprise. "Half-human?" she asked softly. "I didn't know that elves could, er, have babies with humans."
He tilted his head slightly and nodded. "It happens so very rarely. To my knowledge, only Lord Elrond and his children are the only Peredhils on these shores."
Curiosity prompted her to ask, "Why is that? Why is it so rare?"
Haldir looked surprised at her question. "It is unusual for an elf and a mortal to bond, Erin. When we choose to bind ourselves to another, it is for the rest of our lives. If one of the two should pass from this world, the other will remain alone." He shook his head slowly. "A mortal's life is but a brief moment in time to us, a star that burns brightly then fades away. An elf who joins with a mortal is faced with their beloved's impending death, and the rest of their life pining for what has been lost."
"That would be terrible." Erin slid her plate away from her with a small sigh, pushing her rising sense of disappointment deep inside where she could pretend she didn't feel it. "I guess I can understand why it doesn't happen." So much for any fantasies I may have had about Legolas.
He regarded her steadily for a moment, seeing the brief flash of disappointment in her eyes before she dropped her gaze. "I am sorry, Erin."
Her laugh was forced. "Sorry? Whatever for? I'm glad you told me." She rose from the table without looking at him and gathered her dishes, taking them to the door that led to the kitchen and handing them to the elf that had the duty of cleaning them.
Haldir frowned, rising gracefully from the table and watched her return. "If you are ready, Erin, the Lady waits for you."
"Sure," she shrugged, falling in step beside the tall elf as they left the dining area for the stairs that would take them to the forest floor. She clutched the smooth railing as she descended, careful to look only at the steps in front of her and tried very hard not to think about how high up they were.
I don't know why I'm so bothered by what Haldir told me, she thought, her eyes carefully focused on the steps ahead. It's not like I'm staying here for good or anything, so why would I be so stupid as to fall in love anyway? They were nearing the bottom of the stairs and she felt a sense of relief seeing the forest floor so close. But what if you can't go home? Do you want to spend the rest of your life alone? She snorted mentally. Better alone than to open her heart up to the kind of pain that only love could bring.
Read Chapter 9
