-THE GAMES OF THE GODS-
-Disclaimer:-
CS: Today, we have a special guest to help me with the disclaimer - Boromir!
Boromir: Cwimson Stawwight owns nothin but Wachel and Kawi.
Glorfindel: ...
CS: OK, so he's a very YOUNG Boromir...
Boromir: Can I have a cookie now? Pwease? *makes a puppy dog face*
CS: *gives Boromir a cookie*
Boromir: Yay! ^_^
Rachel: That is disturbingly cute for something coming from someone who's going to grow up to be a water-logged pin cushion...
-15: Settling-
When I woke the next morning, I found my headscarf had wrapped itself around my eyes, and the sun high in the sky, near to noon. Groaning, I carefully pulled myself out of bed and pulled off the scarf before stretching. I was a little sore, but very rested. I was surprised I had been so tired, wondering what had happened to my Elvish constitution. Then I realized I'd been going on about three hours sleep each night for my entire journey. I smiled wryly, then after smoothing out my shift as best I could, I looked around the room and discovered a pitcher full of water and a basin - along with some soap. Cheerfully, I washed my face and hands, and was amused when the water immediately turned a dirty brown colour. Oh, what I wouldn't give for a large tub full of water and this soap, I mused as I looked in the small, cracked mirror behind the basin. Just with that simple wash, I already looked much cleaner.
A few moments later, I shook myself out of my wishing for a good bath, and went over to the closet. To my surprise, I found not only the dress from the night before, but several other of the same size. I glanced at the door - it was locked. But then, I supposed Halena or Bartholomew probably had a master key, or a copy of every room key. I was slightly worried, however, that whoever had brought the dresses in - and probably the pitcher full of water - might have seen me sleeping with my eyes open and know that I was an Elf. There was nothing for it, however, and there was no indication that anybody had seen one way or another. Flipping through the four dresses now hanging in the closet, I picked out a deep blue one that complimented my eyes.
After putting on the dress, I spotted several scarves hanging on little pegs on the back of the door of the closet, and I picked a nice one that matched my hair. I went back to the mirror to put it on, and realized suddenly how greasy and gross my hair was. I made a face, then removed the dress I'd just put on, not wanting to get it wet, and used the soap and remaining water in the pitcher to do a crude washing of my hair. Then I had the extreme fun of finger-combing my hair. Once that was done, I wrapped the scarf around my head - and my ear tips - hoping to whatever deities were listening that walking around with wet hair was acceptable in Middle-Earth. There was no such thing as a hair-dryer, though, so I had no choice.
Once I had put the blue dress back on, I contemplated the dirty water in the basin, wondering if I should do anything about it. I decided not, for fear I would make a mistake. Then I left the room and headed downstairs to the kitchen. I found that most of the rest of the Inn was up already, with only a few guests still abed. Bartholomew smiled to me as I entered the common room of the Inn, however, so I figured I couldn't be in much trouble for sleeping late.
"Good morn to ya, Rachel!" he said cheerily.
"Good morning, Master Marsanon." I said cheerfully in reply.
"Have a good sleep?" Bartholomew asked with a mischievous grin. I nodded emphatically.
"I never knew how much you could miss such a simple thing as a bed, four walls, and a roof." I said, and Bartholomew chuckled.
"Aye, most people don't until they've had t'go without." he said. "If ya go t'the kitchen, Halena will have some food waitin', and then you do whatever she tells ya until supper. Then its back t'servin'." I nodded cheerily, and then disappeared into the kitchen. There, Halena fed me, and put me to work...washing dishes. Something I hadn't done since I was a kid, and amused me greatly. Poor Jeanai and Halena must have thought I was crazy, washing dishes with an idiotic grin on my face.
Whatever they thought, I didn't stop to ask, as when I was done with the dishes, Halena wanted me to come help hang up the laundry she'd washed. That was easy, if tiring, and I got to smile serenely as Halena exclaimed over how clean my trousers and tunic had come. Elvish handiwork really was the best. The clothes were hardly showing any wear for the weeks that I'd worn them.
The rest of my day continued along those same lines - do a chore, get given another chore to do, do that chore, get given another chore to do, et cetera. Finally, suppertime rolled around, and I got to return to the kitchen, eat, and start serving. Once more, I spent the evening weaving in and out of the tables with Marli, ignoring lewd remarks and suggestions, not to mention many butt pinches. Marli seemed amused by all the attention I was getting, and when I complained about it, she told me that next time I should try and make myself look a little more dirtier and unbecoming if I wanted to avoid it.
"I'm not going to sacrifice my cleanliness just to get away from their come ons." I said with a blink. "At least, not for awhile." Marli grinned, and then we were both speeding off to serve tables again. It was around midnight again by the time the common room was finally empty, and all the patrons with rooms were in them. My Elvish constitution - which I was learning to love - had me still energetic, so I went out and looked in on Liltalen, who, besides being grumpy about being left in a stall all day, was fine. Then, much to the amusement of Gartan, I literally skipped back into the Inn, where I found Bartholomew waiting for me. Curious, I went over to him when he called to me.
"Rachel, ya've been a great help these two nights." he said gravely. "If yer up t'it, I'd be glad t'have ya stay on as more of a regular. We could use the help, and I could pay ya a few coins a week, maybe more later." I paused, considering. I was certainly having more fun then I had expected. Working at an Inn wasn't as bad as I'd thought it would be, and I would get to see a lot more of the population working here than in a shop of some sort. If I could just get used to the lewd comments from the men in the common room. I was sure I could, though.
"I really have no place else to go, and you have all been such a great help." I said with a smile.
"Wonderful!" Bartholomew said with a smile.
"I'm going to have some days free so that I can ride L - Star Dancer, though. He's going to get restless, cooped up in the stable all day." I said. Bartholomew frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
"Well, I have just the thing fer that! Old Tod on the edge of town raises horses, and he's always mentionin' how he has s'few horses 'cause he can't get a stallion. I'm sure if ya let him intr'duce yer Star Dancer t'his mares, he'd be more'n happy t'let the boy roam his pastures durin' the day." he said cheerily. I pondered that, slightly amused by the prospect, then nodded.
"I shall have to see about that. It would certainly do Star's ego some good." I said. Bartholomew chuckled.
"If ye can get up early 'nough, then, I'll 'ave Jeanai take ya t'Tod's tomorrow mornin'." he said. I smiled cheerfully.
"I'll be up and ready at the crack of dawn!" I said. Bartholomew chuckled again, apparently not believing me, then said goodnight, telling me I could sleep in the same room, and disappeared. The last one up in the Inn, I had the sudden urge to do some imitation Celtic line-dancing across the common room, which I did, humming some vaguely Celtic sounding music before heading up to my room.
Inside, I found that the basin had been emptied, and the pitcher refilled. There was also a nightshirt resting on the bed, and my tunic and trousers were folded neatly and put in the small dresser that held the basin and pitcher. My dirty headscarf, which I had left on the floor, was nowhere to be found, and I didn't mind. Still humming to myself, I changed into the nightshirt and did a quick wash of my hands and face before climbing into bed. After a brief pause, I grinned and pulled my headscarf down over my eyes like my other headscarf had been when I'd woken up that morning, and then I lay back and fell asleep, with no worries that whoever was taking care of my room might wander in and see me sleeping with my eyes open.
Indeed, the next morning, I discovered that it was Jeanai who was playing the maid to my room, as I woke up as she came in. She apologized immediately for waking me up, but I dismissed it.
"I was planning on getting up early, anyways." I said. "I need to see about getting a more suitable place for Star Dancer to spend his days than cooped up in a stall. Your father mentioned that you might be able to introduce me to Old Tod?"
"Oh, of course!" Jeanai said cheerfully. "That's just the place for him! Old Tod has a very large amount of land; Star Dancer will have plenty of room to run there." I smiled again, and then once Jeanai had left the room, I rinsed my face and hands before picking out another one of the dresses in the wardrobe and changing into it, and a new, clean shift that Jeanai had brought with her that morning. I also changed my head scarf so it matched the dress. Once that was done, I headed off down to the kitchen, where Bartholomew looked positively shocked to see me up and about.
"A little past the crack of dawn." I said with a frown as I looked out the window. "Tsk tsk. I'm a little off." Bartholomew chuckled.
"I'm just surprised t'see ya up, lass." he said. I smiled.
"You'll find I'm full of surprises." I said. Then Halena told me to sit and handed me a bowl of something that looked vaguely like oatmeal, and I ate quickly. Jeanai appeared when I was down, and announced that she was down cleaning rooms, and could take me to see Old Tod.
"Will HE be up at this hour?" I asked dubiously, looking out and seeing that the sun had still not fully risen.
"All who have to deal with a large number of horses on a regular basis are up before the dawn." Jeanai said with a smile. "He'll be up." I nodded, and then we set off. Jeanai was silent only until the Inn was out of sight.
"So have you seen any Dwarves?" she asked.
"A few, not many." I replied with a smile. It was only a half-lie...I'd seen lots of actual dwarves from home on the TV, not to mention all the fake Dwarves that one could see easily by watching the 'Lord of the Rings' movies.
"Are they really as short as the tales tell?" Jeanai asked excitedly.
"Depends on what tales you're talking about." I replied. "They are short, though. The tallest one that I've seen barely came up to my chest, and I'm not exactly tall."
"Wow. I bet you had lots of adventures coming over the mountains." Jeanai said, switching topics easily.
"If you count get my dress ripped and torn, and losing my luggage and my horse, yes, I had adventures." I said, a story forming in my mind to explain about Liltalen and my tunic and trousers if the time to explain about them ever came. It might not, but it would be better to plant the basis for the stories ahead of time, so they didn't seem like such a lie.
"Really?" Jeanai asked, very surprised.
"Yes, I was lucky I came upon that Elf that I mentioned the other night. He gave me some better clothes, and Star Dancer." I replied.
"He GAVE you his horse?" Jeanai exclaimed.
"Well, it wasn't his horse. Star Dancer was apparently a rather troublesome stallion, and he was just taking the horse between Elvish kingdoms, to see if someone else could get him to behave. When he saw that Star Dancer listened to me practically immediately, though, he decided that Star Dancer was probably better off with me. So he gave him to me." I said with a shrug.
"So...Star Dancer is an Elvish horse? That's why you called him that Elvish name! It was his name before that Elf gave him to you, wasn't it?" Jeanai asked, her eyes sparkling. I nodded.
"I still call him Liltalen most of the time, myself." I said. "Trying to get him used to being called Star Dancer."
"Old Tod's going to go into shock!" Jeanai said.
"Once he finds out, yes, but I'm not going to tell him until he agrees to let me keep Star Dancer there." I replied. Jeanai looked at me confused, but then shrugged.
"Whatever you want to do." she said. We walked in silence for a short while, and then Jeanai started chattering away about various shops and people that we passed. I listened, amused - the girl was like two entirely different people, depending on whether or not she was around her parents. Around them, she was silent and obedient, down to earth and everybody's good little girl. Away from them - she talked non stop, practically bounced as she walked, and shot flirtatious looks at just about every boy we passed.
Eventually, however, we reached the outskirts of town, and Jeanai led me to a small house that seemed to be at the edge of a large field. She knocked lightly on the door, and when there was no response, she lead me around back, where I saw a small stable, looking like it was more used for shelter than anything else, and in front of it was an elderly - though still energetic - man, inspecting at a horses hoof intently.
"Tod!" Jeanai called out to the old man, and he straightened, looking mildly surprised. He smiled, however, when he saw Jeanai.
"Ah, Jeanai! What brings you here?" he asked as we came over.
"Nothing, but Rachel here has business regarding a horse." Jeanai said cheerfully.
"Well then. Hello - Rachel, is it?" Old Tod asked, turning to me. I nodded.
"That it is, Master Tod." I said. Old Tod smiled at my politeness, then motioned for me to follow him, and lead Jeanai and I into his house.
"Tea?" he asked when we were inside and seated at the table.
"If you have the time." Jeanai replied with a smile, and Old Tod just nodded, a little ruefully, before setting about preparing tea. Once the water was on the boil, he sat down across from us and looked at me.
"Alright, Miss Rachel, you have business regarding a horse?" he asked.
"Ah, yes. I'm recently arrived here in Bree, and I've traveled by horse from east of the Misty Mountains. Now I'm looking to settle down for a bit, but I don't want to sell my horse." I replied. "Master Marsanon mentioned that you might let me keep my horse here, where he can run around."
"Well, I might, but I don't just let anyone use my pasture for free." Tod said with a slight frown.
"I figured that. Master Marsanon also mentioned, however, that you seem to be having a little trouble finding good stallions for your mares." I said, smiling innocently. Tod arched an eyebrow.
"Yer horse is a stallion?" he asked in surprise. I nodded.
"And a fine one at that." I said. "Jeanai here can attest to that." Jeanai nodded vigorously.
"Star Dancer is a beautiful horse!" she said. Tod smiled.
"Not to put down your word, Jeanai, but you're no horsewoman. I'd like to see this horse myself before I agree to anything." he said. I pondered that for a moment, and then nodded. I might have to tell him ahead of time that it was an Elven horse, or he might guess, but oh well. It was all for the good of Liltalen.
"Would you like me to bring him around later, or come back to the Inn with us and see him there?" I asked.
"How about we have our tea, and then I'll come back to the Inn with you?" Tod suggested with a smile as he got up to serve us tea. We agreed, and spent the next few minutes talking over our tea. Tod and Jeanai did most of the talking, but then Tod started asking me about where I came from, and I told him the same tale I'd told Jeanai. He was a little more curious than Jeanai about exact names, but I managed to skip around giving a precise location, and finally we were done our tea and heading out of Tod's house towards town.
Jeanai became steadily more subdued the closer we got to the Inn, and by the time we'd reached it, she was back to her silent, good-girl self. Tod, I noticed, was looking at her with amusement, and winked at me when he saw me looking equally amused. At the door of the Inn, Jeanai bid us good day, then disappeared inside. Tod shook his head when she disappeared.
"That girl is so sure she knows what her parents want of her. If she'd just open up around them, however, she'd find that they did not mind." he said as he looked at the door, and then turned his attention to me. "Now, shall we go see this stallion of yours? What was his name - Star Dancer, Jeanai said?"
"Yes, Star Dancer. Or Liltalen, if you use his Elvish name." I said.
"He has an Elvish name?" Old Tod asked in surprise.
"Oh yes." I said with a mischievous grin as we entered the stable. "Liltalen!" I called, seeing that he was hiding in his stall. Hearing my voice, the stallion's head popped over the stall door and looked at me reproachfully. "Hey boy! How ya doing?" I said cheerily as I came over to him. When I reached out to pat him on the nose, though, he snapped at me. I whacked him on the nose in return. "Hey, don't snap at me! I'm doing my best to get you out of this stall!" Liltalen nickered at me, bared his teeth, and then nuzzled my shoulder. I heard a chuckle, and looked over to see Old Tod laughing in amusement.
"An Elvish horse, eh, lass?" he asked when his mirth had calmed down. I smiled in reply.
"Yes." I said.
"Well, I won't ask how you came upon him, but I'd be more than happy to have him in my pastures. What did you say his Elvish name was?" Tod asked.
"Liltalen. And I came upon him perfectly honestly - an Elf gave him to me when I handled this supposedly 'troublesome' stallion easily." I replied.
"Yes yes, I can see you have quite the way with him." Tod replied, then motioned toward Liltalen and asked "May I?"
"Go ahead." I said, then turned to Liltalen and fixed him with a hard look. "Be nice to him." Liltalen snorted, as if to say 'Why ever wouldn't I?', and Tod chuckled again as he reached out and patted the stallion's nose. After giving Liltalen a cursory look over, Tod went into the stall with the stallion and started inspecting him more closely. Liltalen was surprisingly patient about the whole thing, and by the end of it, Tod came out of the stall grinning.
"I would be EXTREMELY pleased if you would let me host your stallion in my pastures at no cost to yourself." he said.
"I would be extremely pleased to have someplace for him other than this stall." I said with a grin.
"Deal, then." Tod said, sticking his hand out to me, and I gave it a good shake. Then, on impulse, I decided to add a small stipulation.
"There is one thing, though..." I said hesitantly. Tod looked at me curiously.
"What?" he asked.
"Tell me, have you heard of the...well, I guess you'd know them as the Rangers." I asked.
"Them?" Tod asked, wrinkling his nose. "Yes, I've heard of them. Unsavory men, they are. Wouldn't want to get messed up with them." I smiled at him ruefully.
"I'll have to differ in your opinion on that. One of them saved my life not to long back." I said. I absently mused how many more lies I was going to have to tell to get accepted. I was started to feel like a criminal. It was better than the truth, though. However the Elves might treat those they consider madwomen, the humans treatment was bound to be many times worse. Not to put down humans, but I was one, and I know it's the truth.
"Really?" Tod asked in surprise, pulling my attention back to the conversation, and I nodded.
"Yes, and he was quite the gentleman about it, as well. Which is why I would like it if you, and this probably seems a lot to ask, considering what you just told me of your opinion of the rangers, would be sure to offer any rangers that might happen to come to Bree looking for a horse any foal you might get out of Liltalen." I said tentatively. I really wasn't sure why I was doing this, but it felt like a good thing to do, and hey, Aragorn was going to need a horse with Elvish blood in it once the War of the Ring started. For a moment, though, it looked as if Tod might refuse. Eventually, however, he nodded.
"Of course. For normal price." he said.
"As long as it's normal price and not triple." I said with a smile, and Tod replied with his own smile.
"Wonderful. I'll come with you to the Inn, then, and have chat with Bartholomew. Would you mind if I took Liltalen back to my ranch with me when I return there afterwards?" Tod asked. "Or would you like to bring him yourself and see him settled?" I pondered that, looking at Liltalen, and then shook my head.
"No, he needs a good run, and it's already getting late in the day. I wouldn't be able to bring him until tomorrow. You can take him back with you when you leave." I said, and then turned to Liltalen with a stern expression. "You hear that Liltalen? You're to follow him without complaint, and you'll be able to get out of this stall!" Liltalen snorted at me, and I smiled before petting him affectionately.
"Would you like to leave your tack here, or shall I take it back with me to the ranch?" Tod asked with a smile.
"I ride bareback and without a bridle." I said with a smile. "I have no tack."
"An Elvish horse that you ride in Elvish fashion. You are quite interesting, Miss Rachel." Tod said.
"Why thank you." I said with a grin. "I'm probably wanted at the Inn, shall we go?" Tod nodded, and we set off for the Inn.
----To be continued...with 200% more Elves!----
(And 100% more Rangers!)
-Authors Note:-
Well, here it is, handy dandy chapter 15! I think I covered...uh...two days in this chapter? O.o Oh well...Next chapter covers a good year. I think. Can't remember. Covers a good amount of time. And has Elves! Ok, has AN Elf. Better than no Elf, though!
Anyways. I have a few reviews I'd like to reply to here...
Erniliel - Well, obviously, the next chapter's not going to be about Kari. And as for a chapter in the future, well, as far as I've planned, none of them will be solely about Kari, either.
elfin-soul - Yep, the Fellowship will be entering. Y'think Rachel could stand being in Middle-Earth without meeting the Fellowship at some point? They'll probably play a small part, though...except for Boromir. But you'll have to wait to find out more about that. ^_^
And welcome to all the new reviewers I seem to have aquired with chapter 14...did I hit some sort of milestone or something that suddenly got people reading this story or something? Because I think Chapter 14 has gotten double the reviews any other chapter has. O.o
Whatever the reason, thank-you to each and every one of my reviewers. You all get random Lothlorien Elves. At least until Galadriel notices they're missing, hunts me down, finds out what I did with them, and takes them back...So make use of them while you have them! :)
~Crimson Starlight
-Disclaimer:-
CS: Today, we have a special guest to help me with the disclaimer - Boromir!
Boromir: Cwimson Stawwight owns nothin but Wachel and Kawi.
Glorfindel: ...
CS: OK, so he's a very YOUNG Boromir...
Boromir: Can I have a cookie now? Pwease? *makes a puppy dog face*
CS: *gives Boromir a cookie*
Boromir: Yay! ^_^
Rachel: That is disturbingly cute for something coming from someone who's going to grow up to be a water-logged pin cushion...
-15: Settling-
When I woke the next morning, I found my headscarf had wrapped itself around my eyes, and the sun high in the sky, near to noon. Groaning, I carefully pulled myself out of bed and pulled off the scarf before stretching. I was a little sore, but very rested. I was surprised I had been so tired, wondering what had happened to my Elvish constitution. Then I realized I'd been going on about three hours sleep each night for my entire journey. I smiled wryly, then after smoothing out my shift as best I could, I looked around the room and discovered a pitcher full of water and a basin - along with some soap. Cheerfully, I washed my face and hands, and was amused when the water immediately turned a dirty brown colour. Oh, what I wouldn't give for a large tub full of water and this soap, I mused as I looked in the small, cracked mirror behind the basin. Just with that simple wash, I already looked much cleaner.
A few moments later, I shook myself out of my wishing for a good bath, and went over to the closet. To my surprise, I found not only the dress from the night before, but several other of the same size. I glanced at the door - it was locked. But then, I supposed Halena or Bartholomew probably had a master key, or a copy of every room key. I was slightly worried, however, that whoever had brought the dresses in - and probably the pitcher full of water - might have seen me sleeping with my eyes open and know that I was an Elf. There was nothing for it, however, and there was no indication that anybody had seen one way or another. Flipping through the four dresses now hanging in the closet, I picked out a deep blue one that complimented my eyes.
After putting on the dress, I spotted several scarves hanging on little pegs on the back of the door of the closet, and I picked a nice one that matched my hair. I went back to the mirror to put it on, and realized suddenly how greasy and gross my hair was. I made a face, then removed the dress I'd just put on, not wanting to get it wet, and used the soap and remaining water in the pitcher to do a crude washing of my hair. Then I had the extreme fun of finger-combing my hair. Once that was done, I wrapped the scarf around my head - and my ear tips - hoping to whatever deities were listening that walking around with wet hair was acceptable in Middle-Earth. There was no such thing as a hair-dryer, though, so I had no choice.
Once I had put the blue dress back on, I contemplated the dirty water in the basin, wondering if I should do anything about it. I decided not, for fear I would make a mistake. Then I left the room and headed downstairs to the kitchen. I found that most of the rest of the Inn was up already, with only a few guests still abed. Bartholomew smiled to me as I entered the common room of the Inn, however, so I figured I couldn't be in much trouble for sleeping late.
"Good morn to ya, Rachel!" he said cheerily.
"Good morning, Master Marsanon." I said cheerfully in reply.
"Have a good sleep?" Bartholomew asked with a mischievous grin. I nodded emphatically.
"I never knew how much you could miss such a simple thing as a bed, four walls, and a roof." I said, and Bartholomew chuckled.
"Aye, most people don't until they've had t'go without." he said. "If ya go t'the kitchen, Halena will have some food waitin', and then you do whatever she tells ya until supper. Then its back t'servin'." I nodded cheerily, and then disappeared into the kitchen. There, Halena fed me, and put me to work...washing dishes. Something I hadn't done since I was a kid, and amused me greatly. Poor Jeanai and Halena must have thought I was crazy, washing dishes with an idiotic grin on my face.
Whatever they thought, I didn't stop to ask, as when I was done with the dishes, Halena wanted me to come help hang up the laundry she'd washed. That was easy, if tiring, and I got to smile serenely as Halena exclaimed over how clean my trousers and tunic had come. Elvish handiwork really was the best. The clothes were hardly showing any wear for the weeks that I'd worn them.
The rest of my day continued along those same lines - do a chore, get given another chore to do, do that chore, get given another chore to do, et cetera. Finally, suppertime rolled around, and I got to return to the kitchen, eat, and start serving. Once more, I spent the evening weaving in and out of the tables with Marli, ignoring lewd remarks and suggestions, not to mention many butt pinches. Marli seemed amused by all the attention I was getting, and when I complained about it, she told me that next time I should try and make myself look a little more dirtier and unbecoming if I wanted to avoid it.
"I'm not going to sacrifice my cleanliness just to get away from their come ons." I said with a blink. "At least, not for awhile." Marli grinned, and then we were both speeding off to serve tables again. It was around midnight again by the time the common room was finally empty, and all the patrons with rooms were in them. My Elvish constitution - which I was learning to love - had me still energetic, so I went out and looked in on Liltalen, who, besides being grumpy about being left in a stall all day, was fine. Then, much to the amusement of Gartan, I literally skipped back into the Inn, where I found Bartholomew waiting for me. Curious, I went over to him when he called to me.
"Rachel, ya've been a great help these two nights." he said gravely. "If yer up t'it, I'd be glad t'have ya stay on as more of a regular. We could use the help, and I could pay ya a few coins a week, maybe more later." I paused, considering. I was certainly having more fun then I had expected. Working at an Inn wasn't as bad as I'd thought it would be, and I would get to see a lot more of the population working here than in a shop of some sort. If I could just get used to the lewd comments from the men in the common room. I was sure I could, though.
"I really have no place else to go, and you have all been such a great help." I said with a smile.
"Wonderful!" Bartholomew said with a smile.
"I'm going to have some days free so that I can ride L - Star Dancer, though. He's going to get restless, cooped up in the stable all day." I said. Bartholomew frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
"Well, I have just the thing fer that! Old Tod on the edge of town raises horses, and he's always mentionin' how he has s'few horses 'cause he can't get a stallion. I'm sure if ya let him intr'duce yer Star Dancer t'his mares, he'd be more'n happy t'let the boy roam his pastures durin' the day." he said cheerily. I pondered that, slightly amused by the prospect, then nodded.
"I shall have to see about that. It would certainly do Star's ego some good." I said. Bartholomew chuckled.
"If ye can get up early 'nough, then, I'll 'ave Jeanai take ya t'Tod's tomorrow mornin'." he said. I smiled cheerfully.
"I'll be up and ready at the crack of dawn!" I said. Bartholomew chuckled again, apparently not believing me, then said goodnight, telling me I could sleep in the same room, and disappeared. The last one up in the Inn, I had the sudden urge to do some imitation Celtic line-dancing across the common room, which I did, humming some vaguely Celtic sounding music before heading up to my room.
Inside, I found that the basin had been emptied, and the pitcher refilled. There was also a nightshirt resting on the bed, and my tunic and trousers were folded neatly and put in the small dresser that held the basin and pitcher. My dirty headscarf, which I had left on the floor, was nowhere to be found, and I didn't mind. Still humming to myself, I changed into the nightshirt and did a quick wash of my hands and face before climbing into bed. After a brief pause, I grinned and pulled my headscarf down over my eyes like my other headscarf had been when I'd woken up that morning, and then I lay back and fell asleep, with no worries that whoever was taking care of my room might wander in and see me sleeping with my eyes open.
Indeed, the next morning, I discovered that it was Jeanai who was playing the maid to my room, as I woke up as she came in. She apologized immediately for waking me up, but I dismissed it.
"I was planning on getting up early, anyways." I said. "I need to see about getting a more suitable place for Star Dancer to spend his days than cooped up in a stall. Your father mentioned that you might be able to introduce me to Old Tod?"
"Oh, of course!" Jeanai said cheerfully. "That's just the place for him! Old Tod has a very large amount of land; Star Dancer will have plenty of room to run there." I smiled again, and then once Jeanai had left the room, I rinsed my face and hands before picking out another one of the dresses in the wardrobe and changing into it, and a new, clean shift that Jeanai had brought with her that morning. I also changed my head scarf so it matched the dress. Once that was done, I headed off down to the kitchen, where Bartholomew looked positively shocked to see me up and about.
"A little past the crack of dawn." I said with a frown as I looked out the window. "Tsk tsk. I'm a little off." Bartholomew chuckled.
"I'm just surprised t'see ya up, lass." he said. I smiled.
"You'll find I'm full of surprises." I said. Then Halena told me to sit and handed me a bowl of something that looked vaguely like oatmeal, and I ate quickly. Jeanai appeared when I was down, and announced that she was down cleaning rooms, and could take me to see Old Tod.
"Will HE be up at this hour?" I asked dubiously, looking out and seeing that the sun had still not fully risen.
"All who have to deal with a large number of horses on a regular basis are up before the dawn." Jeanai said with a smile. "He'll be up." I nodded, and then we set off. Jeanai was silent only until the Inn was out of sight.
"So have you seen any Dwarves?" she asked.
"A few, not many." I replied with a smile. It was only a half-lie...I'd seen lots of actual dwarves from home on the TV, not to mention all the fake Dwarves that one could see easily by watching the 'Lord of the Rings' movies.
"Are they really as short as the tales tell?" Jeanai asked excitedly.
"Depends on what tales you're talking about." I replied. "They are short, though. The tallest one that I've seen barely came up to my chest, and I'm not exactly tall."
"Wow. I bet you had lots of adventures coming over the mountains." Jeanai said, switching topics easily.
"If you count get my dress ripped and torn, and losing my luggage and my horse, yes, I had adventures." I said, a story forming in my mind to explain about Liltalen and my tunic and trousers if the time to explain about them ever came. It might not, but it would be better to plant the basis for the stories ahead of time, so they didn't seem like such a lie.
"Really?" Jeanai asked, very surprised.
"Yes, I was lucky I came upon that Elf that I mentioned the other night. He gave me some better clothes, and Star Dancer." I replied.
"He GAVE you his horse?" Jeanai exclaimed.
"Well, it wasn't his horse. Star Dancer was apparently a rather troublesome stallion, and he was just taking the horse between Elvish kingdoms, to see if someone else could get him to behave. When he saw that Star Dancer listened to me practically immediately, though, he decided that Star Dancer was probably better off with me. So he gave him to me." I said with a shrug.
"So...Star Dancer is an Elvish horse? That's why you called him that Elvish name! It was his name before that Elf gave him to you, wasn't it?" Jeanai asked, her eyes sparkling. I nodded.
"I still call him Liltalen most of the time, myself." I said. "Trying to get him used to being called Star Dancer."
"Old Tod's going to go into shock!" Jeanai said.
"Once he finds out, yes, but I'm not going to tell him until he agrees to let me keep Star Dancer there." I replied. Jeanai looked at me confused, but then shrugged.
"Whatever you want to do." she said. We walked in silence for a short while, and then Jeanai started chattering away about various shops and people that we passed. I listened, amused - the girl was like two entirely different people, depending on whether or not she was around her parents. Around them, she was silent and obedient, down to earth and everybody's good little girl. Away from them - she talked non stop, practically bounced as she walked, and shot flirtatious looks at just about every boy we passed.
Eventually, however, we reached the outskirts of town, and Jeanai led me to a small house that seemed to be at the edge of a large field. She knocked lightly on the door, and when there was no response, she lead me around back, where I saw a small stable, looking like it was more used for shelter than anything else, and in front of it was an elderly - though still energetic - man, inspecting at a horses hoof intently.
"Tod!" Jeanai called out to the old man, and he straightened, looking mildly surprised. He smiled, however, when he saw Jeanai.
"Ah, Jeanai! What brings you here?" he asked as we came over.
"Nothing, but Rachel here has business regarding a horse." Jeanai said cheerfully.
"Well then. Hello - Rachel, is it?" Old Tod asked, turning to me. I nodded.
"That it is, Master Tod." I said. Old Tod smiled at my politeness, then motioned for me to follow him, and lead Jeanai and I into his house.
"Tea?" he asked when we were inside and seated at the table.
"If you have the time." Jeanai replied with a smile, and Old Tod just nodded, a little ruefully, before setting about preparing tea. Once the water was on the boil, he sat down across from us and looked at me.
"Alright, Miss Rachel, you have business regarding a horse?" he asked.
"Ah, yes. I'm recently arrived here in Bree, and I've traveled by horse from east of the Misty Mountains. Now I'm looking to settle down for a bit, but I don't want to sell my horse." I replied. "Master Marsanon mentioned that you might let me keep my horse here, where he can run around."
"Well, I might, but I don't just let anyone use my pasture for free." Tod said with a slight frown.
"I figured that. Master Marsanon also mentioned, however, that you seem to be having a little trouble finding good stallions for your mares." I said, smiling innocently. Tod arched an eyebrow.
"Yer horse is a stallion?" he asked in surprise. I nodded.
"And a fine one at that." I said. "Jeanai here can attest to that." Jeanai nodded vigorously.
"Star Dancer is a beautiful horse!" she said. Tod smiled.
"Not to put down your word, Jeanai, but you're no horsewoman. I'd like to see this horse myself before I agree to anything." he said. I pondered that for a moment, and then nodded. I might have to tell him ahead of time that it was an Elven horse, or he might guess, but oh well. It was all for the good of Liltalen.
"Would you like me to bring him around later, or come back to the Inn with us and see him there?" I asked.
"How about we have our tea, and then I'll come back to the Inn with you?" Tod suggested with a smile as he got up to serve us tea. We agreed, and spent the next few minutes talking over our tea. Tod and Jeanai did most of the talking, but then Tod started asking me about where I came from, and I told him the same tale I'd told Jeanai. He was a little more curious than Jeanai about exact names, but I managed to skip around giving a precise location, and finally we were done our tea and heading out of Tod's house towards town.
Jeanai became steadily more subdued the closer we got to the Inn, and by the time we'd reached it, she was back to her silent, good-girl self. Tod, I noticed, was looking at her with amusement, and winked at me when he saw me looking equally amused. At the door of the Inn, Jeanai bid us good day, then disappeared inside. Tod shook his head when she disappeared.
"That girl is so sure she knows what her parents want of her. If she'd just open up around them, however, she'd find that they did not mind." he said as he looked at the door, and then turned his attention to me. "Now, shall we go see this stallion of yours? What was his name - Star Dancer, Jeanai said?"
"Yes, Star Dancer. Or Liltalen, if you use his Elvish name." I said.
"He has an Elvish name?" Old Tod asked in surprise.
"Oh yes." I said with a mischievous grin as we entered the stable. "Liltalen!" I called, seeing that he was hiding in his stall. Hearing my voice, the stallion's head popped over the stall door and looked at me reproachfully. "Hey boy! How ya doing?" I said cheerily as I came over to him. When I reached out to pat him on the nose, though, he snapped at me. I whacked him on the nose in return. "Hey, don't snap at me! I'm doing my best to get you out of this stall!" Liltalen nickered at me, bared his teeth, and then nuzzled my shoulder. I heard a chuckle, and looked over to see Old Tod laughing in amusement.
"An Elvish horse, eh, lass?" he asked when his mirth had calmed down. I smiled in reply.
"Yes." I said.
"Well, I won't ask how you came upon him, but I'd be more than happy to have him in my pastures. What did you say his Elvish name was?" Tod asked.
"Liltalen. And I came upon him perfectly honestly - an Elf gave him to me when I handled this supposedly 'troublesome' stallion easily." I replied.
"Yes yes, I can see you have quite the way with him." Tod replied, then motioned toward Liltalen and asked "May I?"
"Go ahead." I said, then turned to Liltalen and fixed him with a hard look. "Be nice to him." Liltalen snorted, as if to say 'Why ever wouldn't I?', and Tod chuckled again as he reached out and patted the stallion's nose. After giving Liltalen a cursory look over, Tod went into the stall with the stallion and started inspecting him more closely. Liltalen was surprisingly patient about the whole thing, and by the end of it, Tod came out of the stall grinning.
"I would be EXTREMELY pleased if you would let me host your stallion in my pastures at no cost to yourself." he said.
"I would be extremely pleased to have someplace for him other than this stall." I said with a grin.
"Deal, then." Tod said, sticking his hand out to me, and I gave it a good shake. Then, on impulse, I decided to add a small stipulation.
"There is one thing, though..." I said hesitantly. Tod looked at me curiously.
"What?" he asked.
"Tell me, have you heard of the...well, I guess you'd know them as the Rangers." I asked.
"Them?" Tod asked, wrinkling his nose. "Yes, I've heard of them. Unsavory men, they are. Wouldn't want to get messed up with them." I smiled at him ruefully.
"I'll have to differ in your opinion on that. One of them saved my life not to long back." I said. I absently mused how many more lies I was going to have to tell to get accepted. I was started to feel like a criminal. It was better than the truth, though. However the Elves might treat those they consider madwomen, the humans treatment was bound to be many times worse. Not to put down humans, but I was one, and I know it's the truth.
"Really?" Tod asked in surprise, pulling my attention back to the conversation, and I nodded.
"Yes, and he was quite the gentleman about it, as well. Which is why I would like it if you, and this probably seems a lot to ask, considering what you just told me of your opinion of the rangers, would be sure to offer any rangers that might happen to come to Bree looking for a horse any foal you might get out of Liltalen." I said tentatively. I really wasn't sure why I was doing this, but it felt like a good thing to do, and hey, Aragorn was going to need a horse with Elvish blood in it once the War of the Ring started. For a moment, though, it looked as if Tod might refuse. Eventually, however, he nodded.
"Of course. For normal price." he said.
"As long as it's normal price and not triple." I said with a smile, and Tod replied with his own smile.
"Wonderful. I'll come with you to the Inn, then, and have chat with Bartholomew. Would you mind if I took Liltalen back to my ranch with me when I return there afterwards?" Tod asked. "Or would you like to bring him yourself and see him settled?" I pondered that, looking at Liltalen, and then shook my head.
"No, he needs a good run, and it's already getting late in the day. I wouldn't be able to bring him until tomorrow. You can take him back with you when you leave." I said, and then turned to Liltalen with a stern expression. "You hear that Liltalen? You're to follow him without complaint, and you'll be able to get out of this stall!" Liltalen snorted at me, and I smiled before petting him affectionately.
"Would you like to leave your tack here, or shall I take it back with me to the ranch?" Tod asked with a smile.
"I ride bareback and without a bridle." I said with a smile. "I have no tack."
"An Elvish horse that you ride in Elvish fashion. You are quite interesting, Miss Rachel." Tod said.
"Why thank you." I said with a grin. "I'm probably wanted at the Inn, shall we go?" Tod nodded, and we set off for the Inn.
----To be continued...with 200% more Elves!----
(And 100% more Rangers!)
-Authors Note:-
Well, here it is, handy dandy chapter 15! I think I covered...uh...two days in this chapter? O.o Oh well...Next chapter covers a good year. I think. Can't remember. Covers a good amount of time. And has Elves! Ok, has AN Elf. Better than no Elf, though!
Anyways. I have a few reviews I'd like to reply to here...
Erniliel - Well, obviously, the next chapter's not going to be about Kari. And as for a chapter in the future, well, as far as I've planned, none of them will be solely about Kari, either.
elfin-soul - Yep, the Fellowship will be entering. Y'think Rachel could stand being in Middle-Earth without meeting the Fellowship at some point? They'll probably play a small part, though...except for Boromir. But you'll have to wait to find out more about that. ^_^
And welcome to all the new reviewers I seem to have aquired with chapter 14...did I hit some sort of milestone or something that suddenly got people reading this story or something? Because I think Chapter 14 has gotten double the reviews any other chapter has. O.o
Whatever the reason, thank-you to each and every one of my reviewers. You all get random Lothlorien Elves. At least until Galadriel notices they're missing, hunts me down, finds out what I did with them, and takes them back...So make use of them while you have them! :)
~Crimson Starlight