A/N: Again I have left it for so long, but I have been planning ahead with
what I want to do so have no fear, I will continue this! Thanks to everyone
for your reviews, they're very much appreciated. They are the food I
breathe.
*ROLL EYES*
What?
IT IS THE AIR YOU BREATHE, NOT FOOD.
Did I type food? Oh. Heh heh, looks like I did . . . I'm hungry.
*SIGH*
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Title: A Place Of Her Own
Chapter: Coalescence
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Nat and Thom, brother and sister, have come to the land of Middle Earth. In their search to return back to their world, they come across many different obstacles that threaten their relationship, and hope to return to the world where they belong.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was weeks afterwards, when Nat was sitting in the garden alone. Still thinking over the revelations that Elrond's meeting had revealed to her. Nothing much had been done so far, at least from what she could see. But she heard whispers from the kitchens... patrols came in and out more frequently and there had been raids only last week.
Nat had seen only yesterday, an elf crying, clutching at her chest and heaving great, painful sobs. They had quickly ushered her away but Nat knew of her grief. That elf would have been sent to the Grey Havens by now. An elven kind of physical heaven, she had supposed when Elrond had told her of it. Over the sea and far away... Elrond had talked to her of the history of the elves. And of what happened when an elf was slain.
She did not want to think of the elves as mortal. They were too beautiful... almost like guardian angels. She hated the thought that they would leave this earth and yet, it felt right somehow. They shouldn't leave immediately, oh no... but sometime in the near future, yes. She could see the pain of this world etched on some of the faces of the elves passing above her on the walls.
She knew it was time that this world took it's own course without the guidance of their steady arm. They had done much more than what was asked of them.
A rustle behind her made her turn sharply to find the elven prince, Legolas, looking slightly embarrassed.
"I beg your pardon, I did not mean to intrude," he said, turning quickly.
"No, no. It's alright."
Legolas came around to the bench and sat down next to her. They were silent for a few moments, the wind rustled through the bushes around them. Nat was the first to break the silence.
"What's it like, living forever?"
Legolas turned and smiled slightly.
"I am not sure many mortals would understand it, least of all you. But I will try to put it in terms you can comprehend," he said, obliging her.
"For the elves, mortal lives are such as a blink of the eye, for your lives are so short. Yet we are to live for eternity, in this world we call Arda. We will not know death as you do, but we can still die."
"How does that work?" Legolas' face showed no sign of emotion yet Nat felt that she was intruding on something close to heart.
"Elves can die through mortal wounding, grief . . ."
"Grief? How do you die of that?"
"I am sure you have used the term "dying of a broken heart" before? For elves, it can be quite literal."
"How?" Nat was persistent though she could see how painful the subject was to the elven prince. She could not help it – she needed to know.
"Elves love only one person in their lives. If that love is unrequited then the grace and beauty of our lives fades as our hearts grow heavy within us."
"You lose the will to live?"
Legolas was taken aback but conceded quietly.
"Yes, something akin to that, I suppose."
The silence deepened.
"Legolas?"
"Yes, ever curious one?" Nat rolled her eyes.
"Has there been anyone else like me, from my world?" she asked him.
Legolas thought a moment before shaking his head.
"You would have to speak to Lord Elrond or perhaps Mithrandir . . ."
"Who?"
"Boromir may have spoken of him as Gandalf."
"Oh."
Abruptly, Iluvion burst into the glade.
"Nat? The patrols have found a man on the borders, calling your name," he said breathlessly, "Elrond requires you to come at once."
Nat hesitated for a moment. For a second, her brain processed a thought of the possibility of this man being her father but it was quickly shut away with all the other impossible thoughts she had once dreamt promising.
Iluvion grabbed her arm and pulled her after him in a race across the Halls to the wing she remembered only as where her brother had once been.
They slowed down to come to a room only a few doors down from her brother's old room. Deep throated screaming could be heard, swearing loudly and in pain.
Iluvion turned to Nat, cringing as he did so.
"Perhaps we will wait a moment for my Lord to exit the sickroom. It does not sound pretty." The elf grimaced as another expletive hung in the air between them.
"He was found by Elrohir on a quick scouting around the borders of our land," he briefed her as they waited, "He was found raving, bleeding from many cuts. He is of average build, blue eyes and brown hair wearing some strange clothing. Dark blue trousers of strange make, a cotton shirt and heavy leather boots. Does he sound like someone you know?"
Iluvion paused for a moment but got no reaction from Nat,
"He looks quite wild now, however. He seemingly has no knowledge of the area, as he has traces of a poisonous plant on his lips and his clothes are torn, his skin bloody."
Nat's eyes widened as an impossible possibility knocked menacingly on the doors of her mind.
At that moment, she was interrupted by several elves hurrying out followed by Lord Elrond. He closed the door to a "What the hell are you doing to me? You bloody aliens!" followed with a few profanities against the apparent extraterrestrials.
The elf lord was sweating as he looked up to find Nat.
"Ah, Nat. Would you come and identify with this man for me? Hopefully he'll calm down enough for me to treat his wounds once he sees a human face."
He pulled Nat towards the door. She felt as if she was in a dream as she was drawn inexorably forward to the man wrapped in sweaty sheets. The grimy face peered up at her.
"Nat! What the bloody hell are you doing here? Jesus Christ!" the man pushed back the covers to sit up, his face creased with pain as he strained muscles that had been tense for so long, and so fell back on to the bed, resigned to using his vocal chords to abuse Nat.
"You know this man?" Elrond asked her.
Nat couldn't let her eyes off the face she had dreamt of so often since coming to Rivendell.
There were rivulets of dried blood on his arms and face with cuts and bruises littering his body as if he had been put through some kind of machine. His eyes were bloodshot and mud and grime covered him from head to foot. She dimly registered that he was still yelling at her and calling her names.
"Can you calm him down?" whispered Elrond to her ear.
Nat nodded without letting her eyes leave her father's face.
Her father had given up yelling at her and was now struggling to get up. Quickly, Nat moved to his side and firmly, if roughly pushed him back under the covers and into bed. The sight of his naked body repulsed her and she felt on the verge of being sick.
She reeled back from her father's slap and continued to hold him down and try to talk him into calming down.
"Dad! Listen to me! You're sick! You need rest! Elrond will heal you, just calm down."
"Get your bloody hands off me, brat! And where's Thom? You've left him out there in the wilderness haven't you? Gerroff me!"
Elrond moved to the other side of the bed and put his hands on the forehead of Nat's father.
"Take your alien hands off me, bastard! I want to see my son!" Gordon Parker began to swear loudly and thrashed about.
"Stop, dad! Stop! Stop!"
Gordon Parker stopped.
Nat stepped back quickly as a concerned look crossed Elrond's face as he moved to check the pulse.
"Coma," the elf muttered. Nat hadn't realised she was holding her breath.
"Too much stress, alcohol perhaps? Maybe. Too much . . ." the elf began moving about the bed quickly, keeping his back turned to Nat so she couldn't see what his hands were doing.
"Nat?" he called over his shoulder, "On your way out, tell Iluvion to find some helpers for me. Then you can go tell your brother that we've found your father. Come back in an hour and I'll be able tell you how he is."
Nat found her feet obeying him and before she could answer him, she found herself outside the room with the door firmly closed behind her.
Seeing Iluvion, she told him to fetch the helpers and then hurried off to find Thom.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
She found Thom sitting with Boromir in the Hall. They were playing some kind of game that looked vaguely like chess.
Thom grinned as he looked up, seeing his sister with a worried face.
"What's wrong, grumble bum?" he asked her cheekily. Boromir only raised an eyebrow at her and swept the board clean of the playing pieces.
"A five year old beginner is beating me at my own game!" he exclaimed haughtily. Thom just grinned, ecstatic at his new found skill.
"Thom? Can I speak with you for a moment?" Nat asked, pointedly, "Alone, if that were possible."
Boromir shrugged and walked to the doors.
Nat knelt down to come eye to eye with the serious expression that had suddenly come over her brother's face.
He crossed his arms as she began to try to straighten his small robes. Nat sighed.
"Thom, dad's here."
"Is that it?" Thom asked. Nat nodded miserably.
"He wants to see you, if that's ok." The boy shrugged but Nat saw the fear that swept into his eyes.
"Don't worry, I'll be there with you. You don't need to say anything and you can leave anytime. Dad's very sick, you know."
"I don't want to see him!"
At that moment, Boromir stuck his head through the door.
"See who?"
"Go away!" shouted Nat angrily at the same time Thom whispered, "Dad".
Boromir withdrew immediately and disappeared back into the garden.
"Thom?" Nat asked, shaking the boy slightly, "We have to go back soon... you don't have to worry. He shouldn't even be conscious for most of it."
Iluvion came in at that moment, slightly flushed.
"Nat? Thom needs to come. Your father may die... his wishes need to be respected." Iluvion gave a slight nod before rushing off after another errand Elrond had charged him with.
Nat gave Thom a sympathetic look and took his hand, giving it a tight squeeze before leading the way back into the sickroom.
As they entered there was an eerie silence surrounding them as they watched Elrond sit by their father and take his hand.
"He will sleep long. With all hope, he may live. But you might want to stay with him for a while... just in case," Elrond turned and regarded them both with his even appraisal, "I know he was not the... best of fathers, but he is your father."
With that, they were left alone.
The figure on the bed moved. The other occupants of the room stood there, staring at the man they had hated all their life. The man groaned slightly in his pain. It was weird knowing that there was someone who directly influenced your life lying motionless while you simply stood by, watching and waiting.
Thom wanted to fidget but he couldn't tear his eyes off his father. He was overwhelmed with the strangest of emotions coursing through his body. It was his dad lying there... and for the few months or so, he had firmly followed his sister in believing this man was a monster, hating him. Now that he saw him however...
Nat was struggling inwardly too. At once she had wanted to strangle the man, the murderer but was held back by the fact that this man was her father.
She hated herself for being so weak, all those lessons and still she could not harden her heart. She narrowed her eyes at the bed and gradually turned away to look out the window, still holding her brother's hand tightly.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: Phew! Sorry it's been so long guys! But don't worry; I'll have the next chapter up soon! I promise!
*SNORTS*
I will! May giant mutated dogs ridden by mutant 10-foot cockroaches stampede me and tear me limb from limb if I don't.
VERY WELL THEN
No, wait! It was just an expression! I didn't mean it!
*LOOKS AT AMAN WHILE HOLDING LEASHES TO GIANT MUTATED DOGS*
Gyah! *opens up word and types furiously*
*ROLL EYES*
What?
IT IS THE AIR YOU BREATHE, NOT FOOD.
Did I type food? Oh. Heh heh, looks like I did . . . I'm hungry.
*SIGH*
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Title: A Place Of Her Own
Chapter: Coalescence
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Nat and Thom, brother and sister, have come to the land of Middle Earth. In their search to return back to their world, they come across many different obstacles that threaten their relationship, and hope to return to the world where they belong.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was weeks afterwards, when Nat was sitting in the garden alone. Still thinking over the revelations that Elrond's meeting had revealed to her. Nothing much had been done so far, at least from what she could see. But she heard whispers from the kitchens... patrols came in and out more frequently and there had been raids only last week.
Nat had seen only yesterday, an elf crying, clutching at her chest and heaving great, painful sobs. They had quickly ushered her away but Nat knew of her grief. That elf would have been sent to the Grey Havens by now. An elven kind of physical heaven, she had supposed when Elrond had told her of it. Over the sea and far away... Elrond had talked to her of the history of the elves. And of what happened when an elf was slain.
She did not want to think of the elves as mortal. They were too beautiful... almost like guardian angels. She hated the thought that they would leave this earth and yet, it felt right somehow. They shouldn't leave immediately, oh no... but sometime in the near future, yes. She could see the pain of this world etched on some of the faces of the elves passing above her on the walls.
She knew it was time that this world took it's own course without the guidance of their steady arm. They had done much more than what was asked of them.
A rustle behind her made her turn sharply to find the elven prince, Legolas, looking slightly embarrassed.
"I beg your pardon, I did not mean to intrude," he said, turning quickly.
"No, no. It's alright."
Legolas came around to the bench and sat down next to her. They were silent for a few moments, the wind rustled through the bushes around them. Nat was the first to break the silence.
"What's it like, living forever?"
Legolas turned and smiled slightly.
"I am not sure many mortals would understand it, least of all you. But I will try to put it in terms you can comprehend," he said, obliging her.
"For the elves, mortal lives are such as a blink of the eye, for your lives are so short. Yet we are to live for eternity, in this world we call Arda. We will not know death as you do, but we can still die."
"How does that work?" Legolas' face showed no sign of emotion yet Nat felt that she was intruding on something close to heart.
"Elves can die through mortal wounding, grief . . ."
"Grief? How do you die of that?"
"I am sure you have used the term "dying of a broken heart" before? For elves, it can be quite literal."
"How?" Nat was persistent though she could see how painful the subject was to the elven prince. She could not help it – she needed to know.
"Elves love only one person in their lives. If that love is unrequited then the grace and beauty of our lives fades as our hearts grow heavy within us."
"You lose the will to live?"
Legolas was taken aback but conceded quietly.
"Yes, something akin to that, I suppose."
The silence deepened.
"Legolas?"
"Yes, ever curious one?" Nat rolled her eyes.
"Has there been anyone else like me, from my world?" she asked him.
Legolas thought a moment before shaking his head.
"You would have to speak to Lord Elrond or perhaps Mithrandir . . ."
"Who?"
"Boromir may have spoken of him as Gandalf."
"Oh."
Abruptly, Iluvion burst into the glade.
"Nat? The patrols have found a man on the borders, calling your name," he said breathlessly, "Elrond requires you to come at once."
Nat hesitated for a moment. For a second, her brain processed a thought of the possibility of this man being her father but it was quickly shut away with all the other impossible thoughts she had once dreamt promising.
Iluvion grabbed her arm and pulled her after him in a race across the Halls to the wing she remembered only as where her brother had once been.
They slowed down to come to a room only a few doors down from her brother's old room. Deep throated screaming could be heard, swearing loudly and in pain.
Iluvion turned to Nat, cringing as he did so.
"Perhaps we will wait a moment for my Lord to exit the sickroom. It does not sound pretty." The elf grimaced as another expletive hung in the air between them.
"He was found by Elrohir on a quick scouting around the borders of our land," he briefed her as they waited, "He was found raving, bleeding from many cuts. He is of average build, blue eyes and brown hair wearing some strange clothing. Dark blue trousers of strange make, a cotton shirt and heavy leather boots. Does he sound like someone you know?"
Iluvion paused for a moment but got no reaction from Nat,
"He looks quite wild now, however. He seemingly has no knowledge of the area, as he has traces of a poisonous plant on his lips and his clothes are torn, his skin bloody."
Nat's eyes widened as an impossible possibility knocked menacingly on the doors of her mind.
At that moment, she was interrupted by several elves hurrying out followed by Lord Elrond. He closed the door to a "What the hell are you doing to me? You bloody aliens!" followed with a few profanities against the apparent extraterrestrials.
The elf lord was sweating as he looked up to find Nat.
"Ah, Nat. Would you come and identify with this man for me? Hopefully he'll calm down enough for me to treat his wounds once he sees a human face."
He pulled Nat towards the door. She felt as if she was in a dream as she was drawn inexorably forward to the man wrapped in sweaty sheets. The grimy face peered up at her.
"Nat! What the bloody hell are you doing here? Jesus Christ!" the man pushed back the covers to sit up, his face creased with pain as he strained muscles that had been tense for so long, and so fell back on to the bed, resigned to using his vocal chords to abuse Nat.
"You know this man?" Elrond asked her.
Nat couldn't let her eyes off the face she had dreamt of so often since coming to Rivendell.
There were rivulets of dried blood on his arms and face with cuts and bruises littering his body as if he had been put through some kind of machine. His eyes were bloodshot and mud and grime covered him from head to foot. She dimly registered that he was still yelling at her and calling her names.
"Can you calm him down?" whispered Elrond to her ear.
Nat nodded without letting her eyes leave her father's face.
Her father had given up yelling at her and was now struggling to get up. Quickly, Nat moved to his side and firmly, if roughly pushed him back under the covers and into bed. The sight of his naked body repulsed her and she felt on the verge of being sick.
She reeled back from her father's slap and continued to hold him down and try to talk him into calming down.
"Dad! Listen to me! You're sick! You need rest! Elrond will heal you, just calm down."
"Get your bloody hands off me, brat! And where's Thom? You've left him out there in the wilderness haven't you? Gerroff me!"
Elrond moved to the other side of the bed and put his hands on the forehead of Nat's father.
"Take your alien hands off me, bastard! I want to see my son!" Gordon Parker began to swear loudly and thrashed about.
"Stop, dad! Stop! Stop!"
Gordon Parker stopped.
Nat stepped back quickly as a concerned look crossed Elrond's face as he moved to check the pulse.
"Coma," the elf muttered. Nat hadn't realised she was holding her breath.
"Too much stress, alcohol perhaps? Maybe. Too much . . ." the elf began moving about the bed quickly, keeping his back turned to Nat so she couldn't see what his hands were doing.
"Nat?" he called over his shoulder, "On your way out, tell Iluvion to find some helpers for me. Then you can go tell your brother that we've found your father. Come back in an hour and I'll be able tell you how he is."
Nat found her feet obeying him and before she could answer him, she found herself outside the room with the door firmly closed behind her.
Seeing Iluvion, she told him to fetch the helpers and then hurried off to find Thom.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
She found Thom sitting with Boromir in the Hall. They were playing some kind of game that looked vaguely like chess.
Thom grinned as he looked up, seeing his sister with a worried face.
"What's wrong, grumble bum?" he asked her cheekily. Boromir only raised an eyebrow at her and swept the board clean of the playing pieces.
"A five year old beginner is beating me at my own game!" he exclaimed haughtily. Thom just grinned, ecstatic at his new found skill.
"Thom? Can I speak with you for a moment?" Nat asked, pointedly, "Alone, if that were possible."
Boromir shrugged and walked to the doors.
Nat knelt down to come eye to eye with the serious expression that had suddenly come over her brother's face.
He crossed his arms as she began to try to straighten his small robes. Nat sighed.
"Thom, dad's here."
"Is that it?" Thom asked. Nat nodded miserably.
"He wants to see you, if that's ok." The boy shrugged but Nat saw the fear that swept into his eyes.
"Don't worry, I'll be there with you. You don't need to say anything and you can leave anytime. Dad's very sick, you know."
"I don't want to see him!"
At that moment, Boromir stuck his head through the door.
"See who?"
"Go away!" shouted Nat angrily at the same time Thom whispered, "Dad".
Boromir withdrew immediately and disappeared back into the garden.
"Thom?" Nat asked, shaking the boy slightly, "We have to go back soon... you don't have to worry. He shouldn't even be conscious for most of it."
Iluvion came in at that moment, slightly flushed.
"Nat? Thom needs to come. Your father may die... his wishes need to be respected." Iluvion gave a slight nod before rushing off after another errand Elrond had charged him with.
Nat gave Thom a sympathetic look and took his hand, giving it a tight squeeze before leading the way back into the sickroom.
As they entered there was an eerie silence surrounding them as they watched Elrond sit by their father and take his hand.
"He will sleep long. With all hope, he may live. But you might want to stay with him for a while... just in case," Elrond turned and regarded them both with his even appraisal, "I know he was not the... best of fathers, but he is your father."
With that, they were left alone.
The figure on the bed moved. The other occupants of the room stood there, staring at the man they had hated all their life. The man groaned slightly in his pain. It was weird knowing that there was someone who directly influenced your life lying motionless while you simply stood by, watching and waiting.
Thom wanted to fidget but he couldn't tear his eyes off his father. He was overwhelmed with the strangest of emotions coursing through his body. It was his dad lying there... and for the few months or so, he had firmly followed his sister in believing this man was a monster, hating him. Now that he saw him however...
Nat was struggling inwardly too. At once she had wanted to strangle the man, the murderer but was held back by the fact that this man was her father.
She hated herself for being so weak, all those lessons and still she could not harden her heart. She narrowed her eyes at the bed and gradually turned away to look out the window, still holding her brother's hand tightly.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: Phew! Sorry it's been so long guys! But don't worry; I'll have the next chapter up soon! I promise!
*SNORTS*
I will! May giant mutated dogs ridden by mutant 10-foot cockroaches stampede me and tear me limb from limb if I don't.
VERY WELL THEN
No, wait! It was just an expression! I didn't mean it!
*LOOKS AT AMAN WHILE HOLDING LEASHES TO GIANT MUTATED DOGS*
Gyah! *opens up word and types furiously*