Lord Elrond stood worriedly over Madison as he tried to heal her. None of his methods seem to help her. She just laid there like the dead, pale and cold. Her breath was shallow, and he could barely feel her heart beat. Frodo had come with Gandalf and Arwen into the room. For some reason, he felt like he needed to be near her. Lord Elrond finally admitted defeat after several hours of trying to heal her. His body had grown weary, and he was out of ideas. Rubbing his face wearily, he slumped down on the bed beside her. As soon as he made contact with the bed, Madison's eyes shot open, but she was not yet awake.
"NOO!!!" she squealed loudly.
Lord Elrond jumped back startled by her sudden outburst. Her eyes rolled back shut, and she began to fight an invisible force. Aragorn moved quickly to her bed side and tried to restrain her while Elrond tried to wake her. Madison's eyes shot open again, and she sat straight up, putting herself face to face with Aragorn.
"Easy," Lord Elrond tried to calm her by rubbing her back as she peered wildly at Aragorn. Lord Elrond looked to Aragorn and nodded his head for him to release her.
The moment Aragorn released her, she shot straight out of the bed. Finding the exit with her eyes, she made a mad dash for it. Aragorn was the only one who reached her in time. Reaching out he grabbed her arm. Turning around without hesitation, Madison slung out her hand catching him hard across the jaw. Surprised, he let go and stumbled backwards. Gandalf and Arwen reached for her, but she was able to make it out the door and close it before they could.
Holding the door closed she looked around frantically trying to find away to keep them from opening it. She spotted a gold pole. Quickly, she took it and wedge it in the door handles. She could see the door rattle, but the way she had the pole they couldn't open it.
"M'lady are you okay?" Boromir asked approaching her. He had heard the commotion and came to see what was going on.
"Umm," Madison began. Click, click! The door rattled behind her. Moving her, Boromir moved to inspect the door. "What's going on?" he asked her while trying to remove the pole.
"Stop her!" she heard Aragorn cry. His voice did not come from behind the door. She looked down the hall and saw him running towards her.
How did he? her mind questioned amusingly as she watched him run swiftly down the hall.
When Boromir heard Aragorn he reached out to grab her, but she was two steps ahead of him. Whirling past him, she took off down the hall she hoped had an exit. When it showed no promise she tried another hall. Frantically running down every hall she came to, she prayed for an exit. The last hall she ran down now came to a dead end. The dead end was a balcony peering over a raging waterfall.
"No," Madison whispered in distress.
"M'lady...please...stop," Aragorn pleaded in between breaths as he finally caught up with her.
Where am I? What's going on? Who are these people? Why are they dressed like this? I want to go home, Madison's mind reeled as she looked for a way out.
When she noticed Aragorn walking towards her, she moved closer to the rail. "STAY BACK!" she screamed at him.
"M'lady I mean you no harm," Aragorn replied sincerely as he slowly approached.
"I said stay back," she cried softly with much angst in her eyes. When he did not comply, she hoisted herself onto the rail.
"Okay, I'll stop. Please don't do this," Aragorn stopped abruptly and held his hands up in surrender.
"I just want to go home," she cried. Slowly standing up, she leaned backwards. She fell effortlessly off the balcony, as Aragorn lunged to catch her, but it was too late.
Aragorn stared in horror as she disappeared into the waterfall.
Madison hit the water like a ton of bricks. She felt like she had been broken into several pieces. The pain was unimaginable.
As the water filled her lungs, she prayed that this world was a dream, and she would wake up at home safe in her bed. If this was not a dream, she just wanted to see her friend Marcy one last time.
Oh, please let this be a dream.
The icy river filled her lungs. Her body naturally tried to refuse the entry of the intruder, but she was so tired the struggle did not last long. Once again she fell into darkness.
Marcy had been sleeping for about two hours when she heard Madison scream for her. She could also hear water running and the smell of pines filled her nostrils. Opening her eyes Marcy saw she was laying on the shore of some river.
Okay, was all that came to her mind.
Her eyes were suddenly drawn to a body floating in the water. Getting up, she approached the river. Horror filled her throat upon recognition of the body. Madison? She questioned her eyes. Marcy went to rescue her. "Wait, I can't swim," she cried looking around for an answer. Down the river bank, she spotted some men searching the water for something. "HEY!" Marcy hollered waving her arms wildly to get their attention. Boromir was the first to spot Marcy.
"Aragorn," he called out pointing towards Marcy.
When they reached Marcy, Aragorn spotted Madison. He dove into the water, while Legolas, and Boromir secured a rope around a tree to pull them back to safety. Aragorn was able to reach Madison and bring her back to the shore.
"We need to get her back to Lord Elrond,"Aragorn sputtered when he could not find her pulse.
Several Hours Later...
Madison regained her consciousness once again. Okay, need to stop with the blackouts, she thought to herself as she winced in pain. "I guess I'm not going home," she muttered to herself. Madison sat up and scanned the room. It sort of resemble the one she was in earlier. Shivering, she realized she was alone, and in her undergarments no less. Looking around she found a dress to put on. She slowly crept to the door and quietly opened it. No one was in the halls. Stepping into the halls, she heard faint voices of laughter. Moving closer to the voices, she noticed one in particular. "Okay, okay...let's see...oh, this one is my friend's favorite. It's kind of sad, but it's pretty."
Marcy! Madison thought excitedly as she quietly entered the room.
It was a big banquet hall. The people seem to be celebrating something. No one seemed to notice Madison standing in the shadows. Marcy began the first verse of the song "My Little Dancer". Madison listened with contentment.
Too bad I never got to the second verse, she thought sadly. An idea sparked in Madison's mind. Well if Marcy trust them, she thought coming out the shadows. Taking a deep breath, she readied herself for the second verse. Before Marcy could start, Madison's angelic voice rang out over the majestic hall of Rivendell.
"Twelve years have come and gone. You cleared a path and carried on. But looking back, how simple it seemed. You were a child and you had a dream.
My little dancer, I know you well. The stage is where you longed to dwell. But the life you had to lead would not permit the dream you wanted, so you left it alone, you left it alone."
Everyone turned around, surprised to see her standing strong. Marcy's eyes lit up with glee as she charged toward Madison. The two girls embraced with gleeful giggles.
"I was worried," Marcy cried as she held her friend's face between her hands.
"I was terrified," Madison replied crying fresh tears.
"There is no need," Lord Elrond replied in assurance as he approached the two girls.
The rest of the night was like a fairytale. Unusual friends were made, beautiful music was played, indescribable food was served, and prince charming's all around swept them away on the dance floor.
After Madison escaped the never-ending energy of the hobbits, she walked the halls admiring the art work of the elves. She decided to go down the hall with the balcony she jumped off of to see the view. Going to the rail, she peered over it.
This place is...she began to think when a strong hand grabbed her arm and pulled her gently away from the rail.
"Please, not again," a gentle voice pleaded with her. It was the man that called himself Aragorn.
Madison's cheeks flushed under his unyielding gaze. "I wasn't," she whispered. His eyes seem to bare into her. It made her slightly uncomfortable.
He released her arm.
"This place is beautiful," she replied softly returning to the rail.
"Yes, it is," he agreed walking over to the rail.
They stood there in silence as they took in the undeniably beautiful scenery before them.
Aragorn finally peered over at her. The moon's beams that shone down at the balcony gave her a soft blue glow. She was a simple beauty. Her hair fell in long black locks, and her skin was so smooth and pale. Her eyes were like a dark abyss.
Feeling his gaze on her, she trembled. Gathering up enough courage, she looked up at him. She expected him to break his gaze from hers, but he didn't. His eyes seemed to lock and intertwine with hers.
Finding her voice she managed to speak, "I better go to bed."
Aragorn finally looked down. After a few seconds, he looked back up and replied with a soft smile, "Goodnight, M'lady." Madison smiled back and walked back to her room. Marcy was outside their room talking to a man.
"M'lady," he politely nodded his head when he realized she was near.
"Madison this is Boromir," Marcy introduced blushingly.
"Hi, I think we met," Madison replied jokingly about earlier. Boromir chuckled and turned to Marcy and replied,
"It was a pleasure to accompany you tonight." Looking back toward Madison he bowed and gentlemanly replied, "Goodnight."
The Next Day...
Madison woke up to four sets of eyes peering at her eagerly. "Ahh!" she exclaimed falling off the bed.
"Oh, miss I'm so sorry. We didn't mean to scare ya," the chubby hobbit replied rushing to her side.
Two of the hobbits scittered out of the room when Gandalf entered the room to see what the commotion was.
"It's all right Gandalf," the one left on the bed replied. Gandalf smiled warmly and helped her up. He reminded her of her grandfather somehow.
Must be the gray hair, she thought with a smile.
"I'm Sam by the way," the chubby hobbit replied. "And I'm Frodo," the one on the bed added.
Madison smiled at them both. Gandalf held out his arm like a gentlemen and replied, "Lord Elrond, wishes you to join us." Madison took his arm and followed him.
Marcy was already there arguing with Boromir and Aragorn. "So your saying women are weak. You Prince Valiant are a...let's see how I can put this delicate to your insensitive feelings," Marcy growled at Aragorn.
Aragorn just threw his hands up at her.
"Well, exactly how I left the four of you," Gandalf laughed as he looked over at Lord Elrond, who was sitting in amazement of the language this woman was using.
"Marcy!" Madison exclaimed rushing to her friend's side to silence her.
"He started it," she replied like a child pointing at Aragorn.
Aragorn just shook his head.
"This trip is too dangerous for women," Aragorn firmly stated.
"What trip?" Madison asked.
Marcy gave her the short handed version, ring bad...long journey over unimaginable terrain...bad guys with kill on the mind...and the ring need to be destroyed in a specific volcano.
When Marcy mentioned the volcano, memories of her, she guessed were dreams came back to her. She remembered the flaming eye. For some reason, she did not remember it, until this moment. Madison kind of zoned out. Gandalf looked to Lord Elrond. Lord Elrond got up from his seat and approached her.
"Madison," he called to her.
Coming back to reality she replied, "Yeah, I'm going to have to side with them. I don't want to go."
"Maddy!" Marcy whined.
"Look if I go, he will find me!" she replied upset. She had said it without thinking. All of them exchanged a look of confusion.
"Who will find you?" Gandalf asked suspiciously.
"I...errr...I don't know," Madison replied with fresh tears crawling down her face.
She couldn't take them staring at her no more so she took off. Marcy went to chase after, but Aragorn beat her to it.
"Madison...wait...," Aragorn replied catching her arm as she entered the garden.
"Please, I just want to be alone," Madison cried softly looking down at the ground.
"Madison," Aragorn called to her gently. Taking his hand he titled her chin up so she would look at him. "Who were you talking about?" he asked with concern obvious in his eyes.
"I don't know who he is or what he is. All I could see...," she began to shake violently remembering the horrid terrain.
"Easy," Aragorn soothed pulling her to him. For the first time since she had been in this world she felt safe.
Aragorn wanted to ease her fear. He felt drawn to her. Feelings that he should not have stir deep with in him when he was near her. He had felt it strong the night before. That's not important right now, what is important is what happen to her, he reminded himself. When she had quit trembling, he led her over to a place where they could sit.
Madison finally gave in and told him everything.
"We must tell the others," Aragorn told her. Madison agreed.
"Interesting," Gandalf replied scratching his beard.
"Maybe it is best they go with us," Boromir replied.
"I don't know," Aragorn said looking around not liking where this was going.
"If we leave her, who will protect her. He would not have revealed himself to her without an ulterior motive," Gandalf faintly replied as his gaze fell upon her and Marcy in the garden.