Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings. That honour belongs to JRR Tolkien.
Summary: We've seen them against Sauron. We've seen them against Mary Sue. We've seen them against every evil fanfiction authors can think up. But how will they fare against this new danger?
Chapter Three – Choices.
I woke up the next morning to the sound of children's laughter. From the (thankfully obscure: 'bottle-nosed' could be passed off asreferring to dolphins, and 'seaweed-brained' would only make them giggle at the imagery) obscenities that a very out-of-breath human – I was not sure which one – was spouting, it seemed that the fellowship had decided to wear out the children early in the day and hope for a slightly more peaceful afternoon.
One of the Men had drawn the short straw and was playing catch. Or trying to, anyway. He didn't seem to be having much luck.
I knew it was only just past dawn and I still had at least half an hour before I would usually get up. Therefore, at Bella's shriek of "Big Natasha, help, they're trying to get us!" I kept my eyes closed and said, "Big Natasha is asleep and intends to stay that way for a while longer. You managed to defeat the tickle dragon, didn't you?"
One of the Hobbits, standing with the rest of the fellowship and making no move to help, sounded confused as he asked, "What do you mean, Tickle Dragon?" just as the human went down with a yell.
Maybe I should explain. Tickle Dragon is a game utilized when the children are being especially hyperactive and the carers want them tired enough to settle down easily. Ideally played on a hot summer day, one carer is elected as 'Tickle Dragon' and chases the children around. When a child is caught, they are tickled until they squirm free and the teacher runs after the rest of the pack.
Unfortunately, at least one child gets it into their head to 'slay' the Dragon and have the kids gang up on the carer who got landed with being the Dragon. Which is a problem, as I am ticklish. As the youngest by at least a decade, the newest employee, and the others pull rank on this sort of thing, I am also the one who gets stuck as the tickle dragon.
Back to the present, Gretal had just landed on my leg and effectively woken me up. Since I would obviously not be going back to sleep any time soon, I shook off my blankets and stood up, looking around.
Aragorn had fallen over and was trying to escape Bella and Collum, Gretal was running back to join in and the rest of the fellowship – along with a good percentage of Lothlorien – was watching and making no effort to help. Or to hide theiramusement, for that matter.
I grinned and snuck up on my charges, catching Bella around the waist and tickling her. The other two instantly abandoned Aragorn and took off after me.
I had just targeted Collum when I realized that there were suddenly a lot more than three child-sized figures running around. Looks like Lothlorien has several young elflings as well. Pity Tolkien never mentioned those. I shouldn't be surprised, as even elves can't be born fully grown, but it did give me a start.
I managed to last another five minutes before Bella decided to turn the tables. I dodged away and hid behind Legolas. I had just enough time to appreciate the expression of sheer horror on his face before we were attacked.
A few minutes, several delighted squeals of laughter and one probably accidental knee in my stomach later, Bella, Collum, Gretal and the host of elflings finally had enough and let us up.
It seemed that the Hobbits were hungry again, though this was not unusual, as some of the elves had laid out a spread of food nearby, with a basin of water and towels for washing hands not far off.
This is one of the times when I am very glad for Montessori teaching. Most children at this age would not be able to carry a container of food or drink without spilling it all over the place. Montessori, however, teaches practical skills like pouring, carrying without spilling and walking when holding things, so the worst that happened was a small amount of spilled water.
The expressions on various people's faces put me in mind of when I was five and having swimming lessons with friends.
Our mothers would meet and talk while we had lessons and maybe have coffee afterwards. Sometimes we would collect the coffee after our mothers had paid for it and carry it back to the table where they were sitting. I remember other children who had swimming lessons at the same time would sometimes do the same and coffee would be all over the floor. I remember the other parents staring at us as we walked slowly and carefully back to our tables without spilling and the whispers that followed us while we did. We always felt so proud when the parents congratulated us on doing this so wonderfully, and I feltanother stab of home-sickness.
I miss being that age again. Back then I knew that I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher and live with my twin, Sarah, and I didn't have to worry about falling into different worlds, or how I had three other lives to watch out for, or have them look to me for the answer to the problem.
I wish Sarah were here. Even if I needed to explain every second thing to her, it would be so wonderful to have someone familiar here. There is a theory that twins are one soul in two bodies. The way I feel just now, with the gaping hole caused by Sarah's absence, I think it might be correct.
I was brought out of my thoughts by Collum tugging on my skirt and asking me to help cut something up. At least they knew that non-eating knives were off-limits without adult supervision.
Things settled down after that, and the rest of the month passed in much the same fashion, although I think it will be several years before any of the fellowship so much as consider having children. I took a vow of chastity two months after I started working in childcare, but I'm only ninteen, I am allowed to balk at the thought of having my own kids, and possibly change my mind later.
I was still struggling to decide what to do. On the one hand, I could possibly help save Middle Earth, and if the Quest failed, it was only a matter of time before Sauron came to Lothlorien.
On the other hand, there is no possible way I was taking three children on a journey that would be filled with Orcs, Uruk-hai and battles. Especially when I didn't have the stamina for all-day paddling down the river, or three-day running while chasing Uruk-Hai.
It was not as though I would be unwelcome here. The elflings seemed to have grown attached to us and a day never went by without an encounter with at least one of them.
But this was not our world. If Sauron was defeated we stood a better chance of getting home in one piece. What was I to choose?
Soon enough, the Fellowship was ready to depart, and I was faced with the choice I had been trying to avoid making for the past several weeks: Would I follow, or stay?
A/N – So, What do people think?
Review and tell me.
