Well, I promised last weekend and did I get it up on time? ::sigh:: of course not. I am soo sorry!! I was having some trouble with this chapter, but Tuesday night got it finished, and now up for you all too read I do hope you like! A little darker note than the previous chapter. Read and Review!
What We Do With It
Chapter 3
"Well?"
"Well…what sir?"
Eomer had led Crysta outside and down a small path behind the palace. Being to concerned about what was happening, Crysta didn't take the time to look around and take in the sights. Chuckling to himself Eomer asked again, "Well, what do you think of the only flower garden in all of Rohan!"
Looking up Crysta realized that Eomer had indeed led her to a flower garden. It was quite beautiful, yet not immensely large. No bigger than her own suburban back yard. Looking around Crysta was disappointed that she didn't recognize any of the flowers. Its not that she didn't know the different types of flowers, these types were just strange to her.
"I'm sorry, there not the most impressive I suppose, but we do take great pride in this garden. The climate is so harsh here it's hard to grow such delicate things as flowers, but the late queen was determined," Eomer explained hurriedly at seeing a dissatisfying look on the strange girl's face.
"OH! I'm sorry, no the gardens beautiful! I just don't recognize any of these flowers, that's all," Crysta responded.
"You're very strange in your manner of speak. As if everything will just…flow easily, and very bold for a women too might I add."
Crysta was a little upset at this remark but knew that she was in no position to fight back. "This is how I've been raised."
"Hmm, I suppose. Tell me, why are you so comfortable here? I overheard you telling my sister you believed that you had come here from another world, entirely different to this one."
"Well, I said that party because she wanted an answer and she didn't know the name of my home, and partly because I was just thinking, dreaming out loud. But I can't possibly be from another world! That's unheard of! It'd be like…going against the laws of physics or something!"
Cocking an eyebrow Eomer asked, "Than how do you explain your reasons for being here?"
"Well, I was kidnapped, so this just has to be some trick the guys are playing on me. I mean if I was in an entirely different world, what are the chances of me being able to understand the language?" 'There,' Crysta thought, 'I've got there whole plan figured out.'
"We've been speaking in the common tongue to you, not our nation's language."
"The common tongue?"
"Westron, a language developed and taught by a wizard counsel to help unite the people of Middle Earth."
"Oh, ok…" Crysta stood there nodding mindlessly. 'So there's a common language, but still, I haven't heard any of them speak anything else. They're bluffing.' But just as Crysta was about to ask about it, a peasant walked into the gardens. Seeing Eomer she muttered something, but Crysta didn't pick up on it. She did however hear Eomer loud and clear. And it wasn't in the common tongue. After Eomer finished his brief conversation with the peasant, he turned back to a very shocked and confused girl.
During those brief moments, Crysta was searching her brain for any language known to her that was remotely similar to what she had just heard. She had taken a few years of Spanish, she had a friend in French, and she heard Latin at mass every Sunday. It didn't sound German or Russian, which she had heard a little of by watching war movies. Hell, it didn't even sound Asian!
"Are you well?"
Crysta was anything but well, she realized. She was sweating slightly and her legs suddenly felt weak beneath her. As she slid to her knees, Eomer remained where he was standing, making no move to help her. "Hell, I'm not imagining things, am I?"
"This is real, of that you can be sure. The men who abducted you did just that. You are lucky I took pity on you at the time, not believing their obvious lie. However, I want to be clear that you shall not remain here as a guest. You are going to have to find a way home."
"Real…not remain…home…" these and very few words were all that Crysta really registered. She started shaking uncontrollably, not as a seizure, but where her whole body was in a tremor she could not pull it out of. 'Home,' she thought, 'Mother! My sister! What happened to them? Are they here too? Oh my God what did I do to deserve this!' Just like the time she spent with her original captors, Crysta cried, and cried hard.
Eomer looked down on her but could do nothing. On most occasions he normally did not heed Grima's advice, but this time it was different. Grima had advised him that the girl would bring ill fortune to Edoras. With his uncle constantly slipping into a darkness none could awaken him from; Eomer had taken it upon himself to secure the people's safety. This girl kneeling in the dirt before him was threat. Eomer turned to leave.
"MY GOD WHAT DID I DO?" Crysta yelled to no one. She knew no one would answer; no one would care for that matter. What had she gotten herself into? Crysta wished she could go back, a mere hour before now, when she was still in a state of denial. She didn't notice Eomer walking away or the son slowly sinking behind the never ending plains. She just sat there, thinking of what she was going to do now.
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Eowyn remained in the library far longer than she would've normally stayed. She enjoyed reading, but much preferred the open plains and fresh air. What in the world did Eomer have to say to Crysta? Eowyn decided she might as well head toward the halls for the evening meal. Perhaps the two would be there.
Walking down the halls Eowyn thought of Crysta and all her oddities. She had noticed that while she showed the young girl the fortress, her mind seemed to be constantly drifting, as if she was walking through a dream. 'Does she realize what has happened to her?' Eowyn thought of how she might react should she be taken away from all familiar to her. Just thinking about it brought her close to tears. She was snapped back to reality when she entered the main hall to see her brother sitting there awaiting the evening meal…but no Crysta.
"Ah, Eowyn, you've decided to join us."
"Where is she?"
"Hmm?"
"Crysta! Where is she?"
"Around I suppose, I left her in the gardens…"
"She'll never find her way back! You know this! Brother why are you acting this way?" Eowyn starred at her brother in disbelief. If truth must be told, she was normally the more weary and cautious of the two; Eomer was much more kind hearted toward people in desperate situations. Yet here they were, their roles reversed.
"Eowyn, think about the logic behind her tale. It makes no sense! Traveling from a world foreign to our own? It simply isn't plausible!" Eomer slammed his fist down upon the table with his last sentence. "Can't you see? No good could come from keeping her here."
"That's not true! The poor child was in such a state of shock, she thought it all to be a dream!"
"A lie is you ask me."
"Well no one asked you Grima!" Eowyn shouted in furry at the person who so rudely made himself apart of the conversation.
"Eowyn, control yourself! Listen to Grima this once!" Eomer pleaded. Time seemed to freeze and drag on for an eternity, but in reality it was only a few brief moments. Eowyn stared at her brother, as if she was staring at a stranger. Her brother listening to Grima's advice? That idea was implausible. Backing away slowly Eowyn looked her brother in the eyes. "I don't know you," she whispered. With that she turned and head out the halls and towards the gardens. Eomer sighed and slowly lowered himself onto the bench. 'What has gotten into me?'
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"Oh my," Eowyn stood towards the top of the main path in the gardens. The paths weren't intricate but still slightly confusing to one familiar to the area. Eomer had lead Crysta toward the center of the garden and that's where Eowyn had now found her.
Crysta was still kneeling in the dirt, arms limp at her sides, and head bowed slightly. Her legs were covered in dirt and who knew what else that was beaten into the ground. Her hands were pink, and the ground in front of her had a reddish taint to it. Eowyn concluded she must have banged her fists in rage. Why she didn't know.
Slowly as to not startle the already shaken girl, Eowyn walked toward Crysta, making sure that she was heard. Crysta didn't move. Eowyn picked up her pace. She then kneeled down and pushed the hair away from Crysta's face. It was covered in dirt which made the tear paths quite visible. Crysta had cried so hard there was nothing left in her, so she had just sat there and thought.
"Crysta?" There was no response.
"Crysta…Chris?" Again, there was no response.
"Please, I want to help you," Eowyn pleaded. At this Crysta turned her face toward Eowyn. Eowyn had never seen such desperation, fear, and sadness in her life as she saw in the eyes of Crysta.
"Shhh, don't speak. You shall remain here, as my guest-"
"I can't," came Crysta's weak reply.
"You can and you will, come-" But Eowyn was cut off, just has she had begun to rise and wipe the dirt off her simple gown.
"Eowyn?"
"Yes Crysta?"
Again Crysta looked up with the same sad eyes, new tears arising. "I really am in a different world." A small breeze had picked up and Crysta shivered as her damp and dirty hair clung to her neck. Crysta opened her mouth as if so say more, but closed it as if afraid to say what was on her mind.
"Yes," Eowyn gentle prompted.
"That means…I really can't go home."
TBC….......
Well, what'd you think? Again these first few chapters or so are still developing the overall story and character relationship. Théoden will appear in the next chapter, and not just as a figure sitting in the back ground.
Now, reviewers!!
lady scribe of avandell – Thank you for the review again, hopefully you liked this chapter
Isil Elensar – thank you for the review! I hade separators in but they didn't upload, so I took your advise for this chapter
flowerbee1 – thank you for pointing that out! It makes me feel so much better , so I did as you said, and ignored him.
