Faulkner: Thankies to all who have reviewed! Sixteen reviews and only four
chapters! That may not seem like a lot to some people, but it is to me! I
love you guys! (In the non-romantic sense, of course! Get those nasty
thoughts out of your head!)
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For the first time in months, I didn't have any dreams. My sleep was actually peaceful for a change.
I looked into Haldir's face when I woke up and saw that his eyes were glazed over and his breathing was deep. I guess he was asleep. If I was anyone else I would have been all panicky and crap, but I grew up in a nut house. I'd seen creepier stuff than someone that sleeps with their eyes open.
I watched him sleep, and I guess it was my staring that woke him up. His eyes slowly cleared up and he blinked once. Then he looked down at me.
"Usually humans are disturbed by how elves sleep." he said.
"Well, i've seen stranger things than someone sleeping with their eyes open. As a matter of fact, i've even done it a couple of times." and I grinned at him.
I got up and stretched as best I could in the cramped space. Haldir had to stoop when he stood. I would've laughed if my stomach didn't start complaining.
I looked at it and scowled. "Oh, shut up." Haldir looked at me funny, like I was crazy. Well, maybe I was just a *teeny* bit crazy. But I don't think I deserved to go to the Institute.
"Please tell me I didn't run that far from the city." I pleaded with Haldir.
"If I didn't, I would be lying. We are mearly a day and a halfs walk from where we first found you. We will need to move quickly."
I groaned and walked over to the edge of the small ledge. "Well, what are we waiting for?" and I dived into the water and proceeded to swim to the shore. I loved the water. It was the exact opposite of fire, calm and soothing. Fire tended to be unpredictable and could burn you if you weren't careful.
I resurfaced and saw that Haldir was waiting for me on the shore. I swam over and got up next to him. I shook myself a little and started after Haldir. I stopped a couple of times to make a veggie ball. He found them extremely odd and asked me about it.
"Why do you eat those?"
"Because it's better than starving and actually a little nourishing too." I answered. He just shook his head and continued on.
My legs became jelly a few hours before lunchtime and I told Haldir I had to stop.
"We have to keep moving."
"But I can't. I'm normally not a complainer, but I really need to stop." I was out of breath and out of strength. I sat down on a tree root and leaned back. My leg muscles were really complaining. 'Look on the bright side,' I thought to myself. 'At least by the time this is over you'll be in great shape.' I snorted at this thought.
Haldir was suddenly in front of me and kneeled down. He carefully felt my calves and I hissed as he touched a particularly sore spot. He sighed.
"I did not know I was pushing you so hard." He looked into my eyes.
I sighed and shifted a little. 'Kelsey said that elves were sensitive. I guess she wasn't refering to Haldir though.'
Haldir sighed again and then turned around. "Get on."
I stared at him. He wanted me to ride on his back? Maybe he was the crazy one. Well, it was either that or walking, so I carefully got on. He stood up and started off again at that same pace. Damn him and his long legs.
"Do you people ever get tired?" I asked with a sigh.
"Yes. But elves have better stamina than the other races of Middle-Earth." he explained. Figures. Good looking, pointy ears, immortal, and have nearly unending strength. Lucky little bastards.
It was a little ways past lunch by the time we reached the city again. Haldir set me down at the outskirts, saying I could walk by now. But I knew that he didn't want the other elves to know that he had a heart.
All too soon we also reached the stairs, and soon after that, the throne room where Galadriel was waiting. I gulped and started cracking my knuckles. Call it a nervous habit that would catch up to me in my old age. Haldir glared at me, and I stopped. Then started biting my nails. Oh jeez, I can't remember the last time I was this nervous.
We entered the doors this time and saw that same bright light that eventually dimmed. I made a mental note to get a pair of sunglasses before I visited Galadriel again.
This time I bowed with Haldir at Celeborn and Galadriel. I figured it was the least I could do.
"All is forgiven child." Galadriel said. My head snapped up from staring at the floor and I looked straight into her eyes.
They were bright blue, like Haldir's, only they held so much more than just wisdom and age. They showed power and..... knowing. Though her eyes were kind, they scared me. I turned to look at Celeborn, and his eyes were a dark green. They too showed wisdom and age, also a little bit of the same power that Galadriel held, but not that much. I liked his eyes better.
"We should start on how you how you got here, should we not? Surely you are curious on how you are here, and not in the place that you call Earth?"
I nodded at her words. Oh crap, my legs were getting that weak feeling again. I was gonna fall, I knew it.
As if reading my mind, "But first we must go somewhere were you can get something to eat and sit. You must be weary from your trip back." This wasn't going too bad.
I followed her and Celeborn through a door off to the side. In there, was a table with chairs and food. Oh goody, food! I wanted to hop into a chair and start piling food on my plate, but I had at least enough self control to wait until Galadriel and Celeborn sat.
I sat down and looked at the food, then to Galadriel and Celeborn.
"Go on, little one. Eat up, you surely haven't had any breakfast, or dinner." and Celeborn smiled at me as he said this. I grinned at him and started to eat my fill.
I must say for the record that I am a very fast eater. I was first to sit down at the dinner table and first to leave. That didn't necessarily mean I didn't eat a lot. I always ate my fill, and occasionally, more than enough. Some of the older folks at the Institute said I ate enough to feed the homeless of New York. Anyway, i'll have some of you know that I do have manners when eating. I closed my mouth when chewing and said please and thank you. There's nothing worse than someone getting food all over themselves when eating.
It was thoroughly disgusting.
When I was finished, I gave a happy sigh and smiled. I was now put in a really good mood since I was full and waited for Galadriel to start speaking again.
"One major factor in your coming was the very necklace that you wear." I started at this. How could my necklace do something as transport me to a completely different world?
"That's impossible! This was given to me by some old man at the Institute! And besides, something like this would have to be done by magic, which doesn't even exist!" Already one sentence into the explanation and I was confused. I scanned the room for Haldir, and found him standing next to the door.
"Magic does exist, obviously. For like you said, how else could you get here?" the Lady explained. "And your necklace is magical, and made for this very purpose." Then she went into an explanation about how it was made, which I didn't really get, but it wasn't important anyway. Yeesh, Galadriel was long-winded too.
Finally, she got to the juicy stuff. "Then Gandalf the Grey was bestowed with the necklace. He was to go to your world and give it to you. I am not quite sure how he went about and did this, but he was obviously succcessful. For here you are." and she waved a hand to indicate the room and and myself. I nodded, and tried to pay attention.
"I shall not try to tell you how, exactly, the necklace works. It ie very complicated, and involves the most oldest forms of magic available in Middle-Earth." I just nodded again, thankful that she didn't try. I barely got physics for crying out loud! I'm so pathetic... "Do you have any questions?"
"Yeah. Why me?" I asked again. She hadn't explained that so clearly.
She looked to her husband and he nodded. I guess he was taking up the explaining.
"You have an exeptionally strong spirit."
"Well, yeah, I got that part." and I rolled my eyes.
"Not many people, especially those of the race of Men, have such a will. It has been fortold that one with a 'will of stone and heart of fire with a healers touch' would be able to save us from the great evil that has been regaining strength. My wife," he gestured to Galadriel, "has been searching for the one that was spoken of. The only problem, was that you were in a completely different world, with your gifts laid to rest."
"My gifts? You mean the fire and healing abilities that Galadriel gave me?"
Galadriel spoke this time. "Not gave, awakened."
"They were better off asleep." I grumbled with a slight frown.
"Do not be mad at me, little one. They would have awakened eventually on their own. It was better off for you that you were aware of them at an early age so you could get used to them and learn how to use and control them." Galadriel smiled at me slightly.
Aw fudge. My concious was starting to gnaw at me. 'She was only trying to help. How was she going to know that you would be sent to the Institute? And hey, bonus! You get to save a world!'
Then the cynical side of me started to argue. 'HELP save a world. Besides, what'm I s'posed to do?'
I voiced this last question. "What am I s'posed to do?"
Celeborn and Galadriel both gave me wide smiles. Uh oh, I wasn't gonna like this, I knew it.
"For now, you are to learn." Galadriel stated.
"Learn what?" Oh good grief. I already went through a kind of school at the Institute. That was pure hell. I can only imagine what they were gonna teach me.
Celeborn answere this question. "You will learn weaponry, a little tracking, and other things necessary to survive in the wilds. Also some of our history so you can understand what is going on before you, and maybe how to speak elvish."
I let my mouth drop open. I was speechless. How could they expect that much of me? I was seventeen frickin' years old! Oh, for the love of - This was insane!
"How in the name of all that's holy am I supposed to learn all that crap!? I can barely do algebra, let alone track something! Have you all flipped your freaking minds!?" I burst.
The two looked at me for a few moments. I started cracking my knuckles again, but stopped. Then Celeborn finally broke the silence.
"What is algebra?" he asked with a frown.
I stared at him in disbelief. How could he not know what algebra was? Oh wait. This place was sorta like the Middle Ages, with knights and all that crap. In the Middle Ages they didn't know about algebra, but they knew about adding and subracting. Maybe a little multiplication and division too.
So I spent the next twenty minutes trying to explain algebra. Haldir had gotten me some kind of thick paper, a quill, and a small bottle of ink. I had never used a quill before, but I think I managed. I couldn't wait until I introduced them to pens. Lucky me that I had one in my hoodie. Wish I knew where my hoodie was, though.
The three elves (I had included Haldir in my little lesson) I think grasped the PURPOSE of algebra, but couldn't really do it. So I sat back in my chair and sighed, deadpanned. Elves could do all this graceful and high and mighty crap, but couldn't do math worth beans.
It was kinda funny. Haldir got annoyed when I started to chuckle.
"What do you find so humorous?" he asked with a slight edge to his voice. That just made my chuckle turn into a laugh.
It took me a while to get myself under control to explain it to them.
"Here I am, a seventeen year old girl, teaching three elves who are hundreds, probably thousands of years old, algebra. Whereas in my world, you shouldn't even exist, yet, if you did exist, you would be experts at algebra. The fact that i'm not even anywheres near a teacher just adds to the ridiculous situation. But hey, according to the people in my world, i'm crazy, so there." I shrugged my shoulders and started to grin madly.
To my complete and utter surprise, Galadriel and Celeborn started to chuckle also with grins on their faces.
'Well, this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship' I thought. Haldir looked at me and could see that he was trying his best to not laugh along with his superiors. Things were taking a change for the better in my life. How refreshing.
They sobered up after a moment and Celeborn got a serious. "Why did your people think you crazy, little one?"
I ignored the faact that she kept calling me little one and lost my grin faster than you could say 'nutty'. I carefully made sure I didn't show any emotion as I answered.
"My parents didn't understand my abilities. They thought me unsafe and sent me to a mental institution a month after Galadriel over here g-.... awoke my powers. I've been there ever since."
"A mental institution?" he carefully pronounced the unfamiliar words.
"A place where people who have unstable minds go. Nutcases, crazies, people who hear voices that aren't really there. Those kind of people." In actuality, some of the people that I knew at the Institution didn't deserve to be there. Some were just misunderstood.
Like me.
Then there were also the grade A nuts, whose condition was only made worse by the medication that they were given and different therapies that they were put through. Some of 'em made it, but most just got worse and stayed there the rest of their lives.
Pfft, life sucked.
I guess they all knew that words were being left out, but let it be. I guess I must've looked tired because Celeborn said something to Haldir and the elf directed me to the door and out to the long stairs. I felt my eyelids droop, and I didn't really notice where we were going.
He made me climb up one of those rope ladders and into a tree house. I don't think that was what they called them, but I was too tired to ask. I sat down on the bed and took off my boots.
Haldir eased me down on the bed and pulled the covers over me. I think I mumbled something because he gave me a rare smile. Then whispered something in my ear.
I fell asleep with a small smile on my face. It felt great to have life going your way for a change.
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I remember waking up sometime in the night and not knowing where I was. I got out of bed and stumbled over to the window. I saw the weird ethereal glow and got scared. I backed into a corner and started to cry and rock myself.
My back ached and the mark on my arm burned. I felt awful and just wanted to let the floor swallow me up. When I couldn't cry anymore I did the only thing that had comforted me when I had come to stay at the Institution.
I sang.
"I will dedicate and sacrifice my everything
For just a seconds worth of how my story's ending
And I wish I could know if the directions that I take
And all the choices that I make won't end up all for nothing
Show me what it's for
Make me understand it
I've been crawling in the dark
Looking for the answer
Is there something more
Than what i've been handed?
I've been crawling in the dark
Looking for the answer
Help me carry on
Assure me it's okay to
Use my heart and not my eyes
To navigate the darkness
Will the ending be ever coming suddenly?
Will I ever get to see the ending to my story?
Show me what it's for
Make me understand it
I've been crawling in the dark
Looking for the answer
Is there something more
Than what i've been handed?
I've been crawling in the dark
Looking for the answer
So when and how will I know?
How much further do I have to go?
How much longer till I finally know?
'Cause i'm looking and I just can't see what's in front of me
In front of me
Show me what it's for
Make me understand it
I've been crawling in the dark
Looking for the answer
Is there something more
Than what i've been handed?
I've been crawling in the dark
Looking for the answer."
Someone must have entered when I was singing because now I noticed someone standing near the door. I started and tried to scoot even further back into the corner. I thought it was some orderly come to tell me to shut up and give me a sound thrashing.
The orderlies never liked me much and treated me like dirt whenever they could. And that was usually most of the time.
I whimpered and kept trying to scoot back. I closed my eyes as I saw him walk towards me. I prayed to every god of every religion that I knew of that he wouldn't draw this out like he had the last few times. I always felt vulnerable during the night, even though I loved the darkness.
"Get away from me. I didn't mean to make noise. I'll go back to sleep." I pleaded in a small voice.
I heard his light footsteps falter, then continue. I shielded my head with my arms and started to rock back and forth again, waiting for the rough hands to pull me up and drag me to the isolation chamber where he would beat me.
I hated the Institution. I hated it! It was hell on earth!
"What is wrong?" he asked me.
I looked up at the face of the man. It hit me that I wasn't at the Institution anymore. I was safe, in Lothlorien with the elves.
"H-.... Haldir?" My voice shook slightly and I cursed it.
"What is wrong?" he asked again.
I couldn't answer. Relief was spreading all through me that I was safe from the boring and most times harsh life of the Institute.
Haldir walked forward and kneeled in front of me. The moonlight hit his face and I could easily see the worry in his eyes. His blond hair was almost white and his blue eyes reminded me of a clear stream. I wanted to tell him that I was all right now that someone was here, but I couldn't speak.
I swallowed and shook my head. He must have just come back from his work, his quiver was on his back along with his bow and his long knife was at his side.
Haldir reached out and picked me up.
"You should be sleeping. You are still regaining your strength from the pressing march and your attempted escape." and he set me on the bed.
As he turned to go, I grabbed his sleeve and pleaded with my eyes and voice. "Don't leave me Haldir. Please." I was scared and weak. I didn't want to be left alone again, even though I knew he was still in the same city.
He looked like he was going to argue, then thought better of it. After removing his bow, quiver, long knife, and cloak he got onto the bed and I immediatly climbed into his lap. I guess he was surprised, but he quickly got over it and wrapped his strong arms around me.
I instantly felt safe, like the world didn't matter and that nothing could touch me. He was warm and comfortable and made a good place to sleep. I then buried my face into his soft neck and inhaled his lovely scent. I didn't care that it was stick-up-the-ass. I had found out that he had compassion in him, but just didn't like to show it.
I sighed. "Thanks." I whispered, and fell asleep.
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Faulkner: Isn't Haldir a sweety???? But don't worry peeps, he's not going soft! Not by a long shot. And love? That'll sorta kinda come into the picture a little later.
Pinky: The song was Crawling In The Dark by Hoobastank. ROCK ON! ::the cute ghost holds up the rock on sign, along with Faulkner::
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For the first time in months, I didn't have any dreams. My sleep was actually peaceful for a change.
I looked into Haldir's face when I woke up and saw that his eyes were glazed over and his breathing was deep. I guess he was asleep. If I was anyone else I would have been all panicky and crap, but I grew up in a nut house. I'd seen creepier stuff than someone that sleeps with their eyes open.
I watched him sleep, and I guess it was my staring that woke him up. His eyes slowly cleared up and he blinked once. Then he looked down at me.
"Usually humans are disturbed by how elves sleep." he said.
"Well, i've seen stranger things than someone sleeping with their eyes open. As a matter of fact, i've even done it a couple of times." and I grinned at him.
I got up and stretched as best I could in the cramped space. Haldir had to stoop when he stood. I would've laughed if my stomach didn't start complaining.
I looked at it and scowled. "Oh, shut up." Haldir looked at me funny, like I was crazy. Well, maybe I was just a *teeny* bit crazy. But I don't think I deserved to go to the Institute.
"Please tell me I didn't run that far from the city." I pleaded with Haldir.
"If I didn't, I would be lying. We are mearly a day and a halfs walk from where we first found you. We will need to move quickly."
I groaned and walked over to the edge of the small ledge. "Well, what are we waiting for?" and I dived into the water and proceeded to swim to the shore. I loved the water. It was the exact opposite of fire, calm and soothing. Fire tended to be unpredictable and could burn you if you weren't careful.
I resurfaced and saw that Haldir was waiting for me on the shore. I swam over and got up next to him. I shook myself a little and started after Haldir. I stopped a couple of times to make a veggie ball. He found them extremely odd and asked me about it.
"Why do you eat those?"
"Because it's better than starving and actually a little nourishing too." I answered. He just shook his head and continued on.
My legs became jelly a few hours before lunchtime and I told Haldir I had to stop.
"We have to keep moving."
"But I can't. I'm normally not a complainer, but I really need to stop." I was out of breath and out of strength. I sat down on a tree root and leaned back. My leg muscles were really complaining. 'Look on the bright side,' I thought to myself. 'At least by the time this is over you'll be in great shape.' I snorted at this thought.
Haldir was suddenly in front of me and kneeled down. He carefully felt my calves and I hissed as he touched a particularly sore spot. He sighed.
"I did not know I was pushing you so hard." He looked into my eyes.
I sighed and shifted a little. 'Kelsey said that elves were sensitive. I guess she wasn't refering to Haldir though.'
Haldir sighed again and then turned around. "Get on."
I stared at him. He wanted me to ride on his back? Maybe he was the crazy one. Well, it was either that or walking, so I carefully got on. He stood up and started off again at that same pace. Damn him and his long legs.
"Do you people ever get tired?" I asked with a sigh.
"Yes. But elves have better stamina than the other races of Middle-Earth." he explained. Figures. Good looking, pointy ears, immortal, and have nearly unending strength. Lucky little bastards.
It was a little ways past lunch by the time we reached the city again. Haldir set me down at the outskirts, saying I could walk by now. But I knew that he didn't want the other elves to know that he had a heart.
All too soon we also reached the stairs, and soon after that, the throne room where Galadriel was waiting. I gulped and started cracking my knuckles. Call it a nervous habit that would catch up to me in my old age. Haldir glared at me, and I stopped. Then started biting my nails. Oh jeez, I can't remember the last time I was this nervous.
We entered the doors this time and saw that same bright light that eventually dimmed. I made a mental note to get a pair of sunglasses before I visited Galadriel again.
This time I bowed with Haldir at Celeborn and Galadriel. I figured it was the least I could do.
"All is forgiven child." Galadriel said. My head snapped up from staring at the floor and I looked straight into her eyes.
They were bright blue, like Haldir's, only they held so much more than just wisdom and age. They showed power and..... knowing. Though her eyes were kind, they scared me. I turned to look at Celeborn, and his eyes were a dark green. They too showed wisdom and age, also a little bit of the same power that Galadriel held, but not that much. I liked his eyes better.
"We should start on how you how you got here, should we not? Surely you are curious on how you are here, and not in the place that you call Earth?"
I nodded at her words. Oh crap, my legs were getting that weak feeling again. I was gonna fall, I knew it.
As if reading my mind, "But first we must go somewhere were you can get something to eat and sit. You must be weary from your trip back." This wasn't going too bad.
I followed her and Celeborn through a door off to the side. In there, was a table with chairs and food. Oh goody, food! I wanted to hop into a chair and start piling food on my plate, but I had at least enough self control to wait until Galadriel and Celeborn sat.
I sat down and looked at the food, then to Galadriel and Celeborn.
"Go on, little one. Eat up, you surely haven't had any breakfast, or dinner." and Celeborn smiled at me as he said this. I grinned at him and started to eat my fill.
I must say for the record that I am a very fast eater. I was first to sit down at the dinner table and first to leave. That didn't necessarily mean I didn't eat a lot. I always ate my fill, and occasionally, more than enough. Some of the older folks at the Institute said I ate enough to feed the homeless of New York. Anyway, i'll have some of you know that I do have manners when eating. I closed my mouth when chewing and said please and thank you. There's nothing worse than someone getting food all over themselves when eating.
It was thoroughly disgusting.
When I was finished, I gave a happy sigh and smiled. I was now put in a really good mood since I was full and waited for Galadriel to start speaking again.
"One major factor in your coming was the very necklace that you wear." I started at this. How could my necklace do something as transport me to a completely different world?
"That's impossible! This was given to me by some old man at the Institute! And besides, something like this would have to be done by magic, which doesn't even exist!" Already one sentence into the explanation and I was confused. I scanned the room for Haldir, and found him standing next to the door.
"Magic does exist, obviously. For like you said, how else could you get here?" the Lady explained. "And your necklace is magical, and made for this very purpose." Then she went into an explanation about how it was made, which I didn't really get, but it wasn't important anyway. Yeesh, Galadriel was long-winded too.
Finally, she got to the juicy stuff. "Then Gandalf the Grey was bestowed with the necklace. He was to go to your world and give it to you. I am not quite sure how he went about and did this, but he was obviously succcessful. For here you are." and she waved a hand to indicate the room and and myself. I nodded, and tried to pay attention.
"I shall not try to tell you how, exactly, the necklace works. It ie very complicated, and involves the most oldest forms of magic available in Middle-Earth." I just nodded again, thankful that she didn't try. I barely got physics for crying out loud! I'm so pathetic... "Do you have any questions?"
"Yeah. Why me?" I asked again. She hadn't explained that so clearly.
She looked to her husband and he nodded. I guess he was taking up the explaining.
"You have an exeptionally strong spirit."
"Well, yeah, I got that part." and I rolled my eyes.
"Not many people, especially those of the race of Men, have such a will. It has been fortold that one with a 'will of stone and heart of fire with a healers touch' would be able to save us from the great evil that has been regaining strength. My wife," he gestured to Galadriel, "has been searching for the one that was spoken of. The only problem, was that you were in a completely different world, with your gifts laid to rest."
"My gifts? You mean the fire and healing abilities that Galadriel gave me?"
Galadriel spoke this time. "Not gave, awakened."
"They were better off asleep." I grumbled with a slight frown.
"Do not be mad at me, little one. They would have awakened eventually on their own. It was better off for you that you were aware of them at an early age so you could get used to them and learn how to use and control them." Galadriel smiled at me slightly.
Aw fudge. My concious was starting to gnaw at me. 'She was only trying to help. How was she going to know that you would be sent to the Institute? And hey, bonus! You get to save a world!'
Then the cynical side of me started to argue. 'HELP save a world. Besides, what'm I s'posed to do?'
I voiced this last question. "What am I s'posed to do?"
Celeborn and Galadriel both gave me wide smiles. Uh oh, I wasn't gonna like this, I knew it.
"For now, you are to learn." Galadriel stated.
"Learn what?" Oh good grief. I already went through a kind of school at the Institute. That was pure hell. I can only imagine what they were gonna teach me.
Celeborn answere this question. "You will learn weaponry, a little tracking, and other things necessary to survive in the wilds. Also some of our history so you can understand what is going on before you, and maybe how to speak elvish."
I let my mouth drop open. I was speechless. How could they expect that much of me? I was seventeen frickin' years old! Oh, for the love of - This was insane!
"How in the name of all that's holy am I supposed to learn all that crap!? I can barely do algebra, let alone track something! Have you all flipped your freaking minds!?" I burst.
The two looked at me for a few moments. I started cracking my knuckles again, but stopped. Then Celeborn finally broke the silence.
"What is algebra?" he asked with a frown.
I stared at him in disbelief. How could he not know what algebra was? Oh wait. This place was sorta like the Middle Ages, with knights and all that crap. In the Middle Ages they didn't know about algebra, but they knew about adding and subracting. Maybe a little multiplication and division too.
So I spent the next twenty minutes trying to explain algebra. Haldir had gotten me some kind of thick paper, a quill, and a small bottle of ink. I had never used a quill before, but I think I managed. I couldn't wait until I introduced them to pens. Lucky me that I had one in my hoodie. Wish I knew where my hoodie was, though.
The three elves (I had included Haldir in my little lesson) I think grasped the PURPOSE of algebra, but couldn't really do it. So I sat back in my chair and sighed, deadpanned. Elves could do all this graceful and high and mighty crap, but couldn't do math worth beans.
It was kinda funny. Haldir got annoyed when I started to chuckle.
"What do you find so humorous?" he asked with a slight edge to his voice. That just made my chuckle turn into a laugh.
It took me a while to get myself under control to explain it to them.
"Here I am, a seventeen year old girl, teaching three elves who are hundreds, probably thousands of years old, algebra. Whereas in my world, you shouldn't even exist, yet, if you did exist, you would be experts at algebra. The fact that i'm not even anywheres near a teacher just adds to the ridiculous situation. But hey, according to the people in my world, i'm crazy, so there." I shrugged my shoulders and started to grin madly.
To my complete and utter surprise, Galadriel and Celeborn started to chuckle also with grins on their faces.
'Well, this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship' I thought. Haldir looked at me and could see that he was trying his best to not laugh along with his superiors. Things were taking a change for the better in my life. How refreshing.
They sobered up after a moment and Celeborn got a serious. "Why did your people think you crazy, little one?"
I ignored the faact that she kept calling me little one and lost my grin faster than you could say 'nutty'. I carefully made sure I didn't show any emotion as I answered.
"My parents didn't understand my abilities. They thought me unsafe and sent me to a mental institution a month after Galadriel over here g-.... awoke my powers. I've been there ever since."
"A mental institution?" he carefully pronounced the unfamiliar words.
"A place where people who have unstable minds go. Nutcases, crazies, people who hear voices that aren't really there. Those kind of people." In actuality, some of the people that I knew at the Institution didn't deserve to be there. Some were just misunderstood.
Like me.
Then there were also the grade A nuts, whose condition was only made worse by the medication that they were given and different therapies that they were put through. Some of 'em made it, but most just got worse and stayed there the rest of their lives.
Pfft, life sucked.
I guess they all knew that words were being left out, but let it be. I guess I must've looked tired because Celeborn said something to Haldir and the elf directed me to the door and out to the long stairs. I felt my eyelids droop, and I didn't really notice where we were going.
He made me climb up one of those rope ladders and into a tree house. I don't think that was what they called them, but I was too tired to ask. I sat down on the bed and took off my boots.
Haldir eased me down on the bed and pulled the covers over me. I think I mumbled something because he gave me a rare smile. Then whispered something in my ear.
I fell asleep with a small smile on my face. It felt great to have life going your way for a change.
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I remember waking up sometime in the night and not knowing where I was. I got out of bed and stumbled over to the window. I saw the weird ethereal glow and got scared. I backed into a corner and started to cry and rock myself.
My back ached and the mark on my arm burned. I felt awful and just wanted to let the floor swallow me up. When I couldn't cry anymore I did the only thing that had comforted me when I had come to stay at the Institution.
I sang.
"I will dedicate and sacrifice my everything
For just a seconds worth of how my story's ending
And I wish I could know if the directions that I take
And all the choices that I make won't end up all for nothing
Show me what it's for
Make me understand it
I've been crawling in the dark
Looking for the answer
Is there something more
Than what i've been handed?
I've been crawling in the dark
Looking for the answer
Help me carry on
Assure me it's okay to
Use my heart and not my eyes
To navigate the darkness
Will the ending be ever coming suddenly?
Will I ever get to see the ending to my story?
Show me what it's for
Make me understand it
I've been crawling in the dark
Looking for the answer
Is there something more
Than what i've been handed?
I've been crawling in the dark
Looking for the answer
So when and how will I know?
How much further do I have to go?
How much longer till I finally know?
'Cause i'm looking and I just can't see what's in front of me
In front of me
Show me what it's for
Make me understand it
I've been crawling in the dark
Looking for the answer
Is there something more
Than what i've been handed?
I've been crawling in the dark
Looking for the answer."
Someone must have entered when I was singing because now I noticed someone standing near the door. I started and tried to scoot even further back into the corner. I thought it was some orderly come to tell me to shut up and give me a sound thrashing.
The orderlies never liked me much and treated me like dirt whenever they could. And that was usually most of the time.
I whimpered and kept trying to scoot back. I closed my eyes as I saw him walk towards me. I prayed to every god of every religion that I knew of that he wouldn't draw this out like he had the last few times. I always felt vulnerable during the night, even though I loved the darkness.
"Get away from me. I didn't mean to make noise. I'll go back to sleep." I pleaded in a small voice.
I heard his light footsteps falter, then continue. I shielded my head with my arms and started to rock back and forth again, waiting for the rough hands to pull me up and drag me to the isolation chamber where he would beat me.
I hated the Institution. I hated it! It was hell on earth!
"What is wrong?" he asked me.
I looked up at the face of the man. It hit me that I wasn't at the Institution anymore. I was safe, in Lothlorien with the elves.
"H-.... Haldir?" My voice shook slightly and I cursed it.
"What is wrong?" he asked again.
I couldn't answer. Relief was spreading all through me that I was safe from the boring and most times harsh life of the Institute.
Haldir walked forward and kneeled in front of me. The moonlight hit his face and I could easily see the worry in his eyes. His blond hair was almost white and his blue eyes reminded me of a clear stream. I wanted to tell him that I was all right now that someone was here, but I couldn't speak.
I swallowed and shook my head. He must have just come back from his work, his quiver was on his back along with his bow and his long knife was at his side.
Haldir reached out and picked me up.
"You should be sleeping. You are still regaining your strength from the pressing march and your attempted escape." and he set me on the bed.
As he turned to go, I grabbed his sleeve and pleaded with my eyes and voice. "Don't leave me Haldir. Please." I was scared and weak. I didn't want to be left alone again, even though I knew he was still in the same city.
He looked like he was going to argue, then thought better of it. After removing his bow, quiver, long knife, and cloak he got onto the bed and I immediatly climbed into his lap. I guess he was surprised, but he quickly got over it and wrapped his strong arms around me.
I instantly felt safe, like the world didn't matter and that nothing could touch me. He was warm and comfortable and made a good place to sleep. I then buried my face into his soft neck and inhaled his lovely scent. I didn't care that it was stick-up-the-ass. I had found out that he had compassion in him, but just didn't like to show it.
I sighed. "Thanks." I whispered, and fell asleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Faulkner: Isn't Haldir a sweety???? But don't worry peeps, he's not going soft! Not by a long shot. And love? That'll sorta kinda come into the picture a little later.
Pinky: The song was Crawling In The Dark by Hoobastank. ROCK ON! ::the cute ghost holds up the rock on sign, along with Faulkner::