Chapter Three: American Pie
"These halls are filled with joy," said Legolas, looking around. "Now is a time for songs and tales, as Merry and Pippin are proving right now," he nodded his head in the direction of the table where Merry and Pippin were singing a drinking song. Jenn laughed at the two of them dancing, then went over to hear them better.
"Oh you can search far and wide,
you can drink the whole town dry,
but you'll never find a beer so brown
as the one we drink in our hometown!
You can drink your fancy ales,
You can drink them by the flagon,
But the only brew for the brave and true,
Comes from the Green Dragon!"
They touched glasses and chugged their mugs, Merry winning the competition. "Thank you, I win!" he bellowed.
The elf laughed with Jenn. Merry and Pippin hopped off the table and joined the two of them.
"The Lady has recovered!" said Merry, grinning.
"What's your name?" asked Pippin curiously.
"Jenn Evans, and you must be Merry and Pippin," she said with a smile.
"You guessed right!" they said together.
"So," asked Merry, "Do you know any songs or tales?"
"Well, I—"
All the other people around them started to cheer her on. Jenn looked around nervously; she had always been a little shy when it comes to being in the spotlight.
"What is there to be afraid of?" whispered a voice behind her. "You can do it."
She turned around to find Legolas smiling at her.
"Okay everyone! I'll do it…"
Merry and Pippin were pushing her up on the table to dance. She started to blush, her fears taking over again. But her eyes rested on Legolas' and she found her strength. There was something about those eyes, that elf just made her feel safe and calm. She smiled at him then took a deep breath, for she finally found the perfect song to sing…
"A long, long time ago I can still remember how that music used to make me smile and I knew if I had my chance that I could make those people dance and maybe they'd be happy for a while but February made me shiver with every paper I delivered, bad news on the door step, I couldn't take one more step, I can't remember if I cried when I read about his widowed bride but something touched me deep inside,"
She glanced at Legolas again. A huge grin formed on her face and she picked up her skirts and started to dance.
"the day, the music, died. So...
Bye, bye Miss American Pie drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry an them good ol' boys were drinkin whiskey and rye singin this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die.
Did you write the book of love and do you have faith in God above, if the bible tells you so, and do you believe in rock n' roll, can music save your mortal soul and can you teach me how to dance real slow? Well I know that you're in love with him cuz I saw you dancin in the gym you both kicked off your shoes and I dig those rhythm and blues. I was a lonely teenage bronkin buck with a pink carnation and a pick up truck but I knew I was out of luck, the day, the music, died. I started singin...
Now for ten years we've been on our own and moss grows fat on a rollin stone but that's not how it used to be, when the jester sang for the king and queen in a coat he borrowed from James Dean and a voice that came from you and me, oh and while the king was looking down, the jester stole his thorny crown the courtroom was adjourned, no verdict was returned, and while Lenin read a book on Marx, the quartet practiced in the park and we sang dirges in the dark, the day, the music, died. We were singin...
Helter Skelter in a summer swelter the birds flew off with a fallout shelter, eight miles high and fallin fast, its the land that falled on the grass the players tried for a forward pass with the jester on the sidelines in a cast, now the half-time air was sweet perfume while the sergeants played a marching tune we all got up to dance oh but we never got the chance oh as the players tried to take the field the marching band refused to yield do you recall what was revealed, the day, the music, died. We started singin'...
Oh and there we were all in one place, a generation lost in space with no time left to start again, so come on, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack Flash sat on a candle stick because fire is the devils only friend, oh and as I watched him on the stage, my hands were clinched in fists of rage, no angel born in hell could break that Satan's spell and as the planes climbed high into the night to light the sacrificial right I saw Satan laughing with delight, the day, the music, died. He was singin'...
I met a girl who sang the blues and I asked her for some happy news but she just smiled and turned away, I went down to the sacred store where I'd heard the music years before but the man there said the music wouldn't play and in the streets the children screamed, the lovers cried, and the poets dreamed but not a word was spoken, the church bells all were broken and the three men I admire most, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, they caught the last train for the coast, the day, the music, died, and they were singin...
They were singin... Bye, bye Miss American Pie drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry an them good ol' boys were drinkin whiskey and rye singin this will be the day that I die."
The whole hall exploded with cheers and applause and Jenn beamed. People were holding out their hands from the edges of the table for her to shake, which she did. Merry and Pippin were yelling: "WOOOO! GO JENN!", Legolas and Gandalf were clapping in the corner, even King Theoden raised his glass her way.
"Thank you!" she said to all of them. She hopped off the table.
"You were better than I thought you would be," said Legolas. "I've never heard a song like that before!"
"It's from my homeland," she replied.
"That was quite a song," said voice from behind her.
"Yes, I have to agree with Aragorn," said Gandalf.
"One question, young lady," came Gimli's voice. His look was stern, but then he broke out into a smile. "Can you teach me that?"
All of them laughed. Gandalf then called all of them over, explaining who she was and where she had come from.
"Well, that was quite a song from Lady Jennifer!" said Theoden over the crowd. "Now I suggest all of you get some sleep."
Jenn turned around and saw Éowyn coming towards her. "I'll show you where you'll sleep," she led Jenn out of the hall and down a long hall, then opening the door to the room she woke up in. Éowyn smiled at her. "Good night, and great song, by the way."
Jenn grinned back. "Thank you."
…
The great battle of the time had come… orcs were surrounding the circle of brave soldiers who were about to lose their lives if Frodo failed. Aragorn stepped forward, his sword in front of him. He turned to his friends behind him, whispering two words.
"For Frodo."
Those words seemed to strike a chord in everyone. He ran forward, and Merry and Pippin did next, yelling. Then, at the same time, everyone else did. Legolas fired an arrow, striking an orc in the throat.
Suddenly, she screamed. Not out of pain, but fear. "NOOOOOO!"
…
Her eyes opened, and she took huge gulps of air. She propped herself up on her elbows, remembering where she was. Edoras, Rohan, with the Fellowship. Okay. Now that she got her bearings straight, she just had to figure out why the heck she just had a dream like that. Was it something that was going to happen? And what was up with that scream? Was something bad going to happen? Did it mean that Frodo would fail?
She shook her head, then flung back the covers and climbed out of bed, walking to the door and out into the hallway. She looked to her right, noticing that it would lead her to the balcony. She came out onto it, immediately noticing that a tall figure in a cloak was standing to her right.
"Sir?" she called.
"Good evening, Jenn," they called back.
"Legolas? I didn't recognize you!"
He didn't reply. "Legolas?" she called again, slowly making her way over to him. Once she reached his side she studied the face of her new friend.
"What is it?"
"Something evil is coming." She looked where his eyes were, seeing Mordor. She slowly nodded. They looked at each other. "Why are you out here?" he asked.
"I… had a funny dream. I know it's pretty stupid, but—"
"Stupid? I think not, dreams hold the future, the tell us things. What was it of?"
She explained to him about the sudden fear that struck her and the battle. He was silent for a moment after she finished.
"I too sense a great battle. Jenn, when you said that this," he nodded to everything around them, "was written in a tale, did you happen to read this part?"
She shook her head sadly. "I tried but that's how I got thrown in here. I opened the book the very moment the film was released."
He sighed. "I guess we'll find out for ourselves what our fate is." He turned his head back to the East. Seconds later, Jenn heard footsteps behind them. She turned around and saw Aragorn walking toward them. He bowed his head when he saw Jenn and she smiled back.
"The stars are veiled," said Legolas suddenly. "Something stirs in the East… a sleepless malice." He and Aragorn exchanged a glance. "The eye of the enemy is moving."
"Our destiny awaits us," said Jenn.
"It lies within Frodo," said Aragorn.
Jenn could hear something in her head, more music, but it sounded forboding.
"I see you…"
"Something's happening!" she said suddenly.
"He is here," said Legolas, looking at them, eyes dark.
"Where's the palantir?" asked Jenn.
"Gandalf is keeping it safe—" said Aragorn, but he broke off as all of them looked at each other.
"Pippin," they all said together.
They ran into the hall and raced to the door of the men's quarters. Aragorn flung the door open. Jenn's eyes widened. Pippin was rolling around on the floor, his face pulled into a grotesque look. Aragorn pulled the palantir out of his hands as Merry woke Gandalf with a cry for help.
Aragorn fell to his knees and his eyes rolled up in the back of his head. Without thinking, Jenn pulled the fireball out of his grasp. Sauron didn't need to know about the man who could be the future king of men.
A dark evil voice erupted inside her head. "I see you, Jenn… your companions will die… where is the ring…?"
"No… don't listen… don't tell him anything." A new voice was sounding, stronger, gentler. Legolas? "You're stronger than him… let go… just let go…"
"WHERE IS THE RING?"
"Let go…"
She opened her eyes. She was lying in Legolas' lap.
"Are you all right?" he whispered. He looked straight into her eyes. She nodded. "What did he say to you?" his voice had become stern, and a slight frown came upon his features.
Her breathing was shallow and shaky. A few feet away from her she could hear Pippin waking up. "He asked me where the ring was, but I wouldn't tell him."
"Gandalf… forgive me…"
"Legolas, there's something else." She spoke with more force and her eyes became darker. "He said… he said all of you would die."
He was silent for a moment, and he searched her eyes, detecting for a lie, as if he thought it was some kind of sick joke.
"Don't worry about us," he said comfortingly. "Worry about Frodo. Nothing's going to happen to us. Or you. And how are you feeling?"
"Just a little shaky, other than that, perfect." She smiled.
He returned it, then gently caressed her face. "you'd best get some rest, I have a feeling tomorrow will be a long day."
He glanced to his side at where Gandalf was interrogating Pippin. He seemed to be fine as well.
"Legolas," said Gandalf, "she should sleep in here tonight. Not many know what will happen next in these dark days… it's best if we all stick together."
He nodded, then looked back down at her, a smile breaking out on his face. She was asleep. He picked her up and carried her over to a spare set of blankets. He gently laid her down and kissed her forehead.
"Lisse elei," sweet dreams he whispered.
…
My apologies if the elvish is pretty bad (I got it off an online translator) and for not updating in such a long time!