Chapter Three
"How did you nine come to be here?" I looked at Gandalf. "I'd like to know why I woke up this morning with an arrow in my face and a lunatic attacking my computer." I looked at Legolas and Boromir as I spoke. The Elf reddened and looked away, apologising. Boromir, however, just glowered at me. He still believed I was a witch. I, of course, was not and glowered back
"Nikki! Honestly! You two act like estranged lovers!" Becca exclaimed jokingly. I immediately broke eye contact to glare at my best friend, who just smiled at me as I reproached her, laughing at my discomfort.
Boromir cleared his throat, obviously discomfited as well, and turned to Gandalf, who was also smiling. "Back to the issue at hand , Wizard. Tell us how we came to this strange place."
The old mage schooled his face into a serious expression and cleared his throat. "Right. I'm not completely sure how he did it, as you have to have powerful magic, but, as usual, it's Pippin's fault we are here…"
Flashback…: the world fades and Balin's tomb appears before the readers:..
The Fellowship was in Moria and Gimli was mourning the loss of his cousin, Balin while Gandalf and the others searched for tomes that would reveal all that had happened under the mountain. Pippin was following Gandalf around, tugging on his robes.
"Oy, Gandalf! What can I do? Aw, come on, I want to help!" The Wizard looked down at the youngest hobbit and sighed, exasperated. The hobbit was clumsy, but he didn't like to be left out.
"If you insist on 'helping' as you call it, go look over in that pile of books, but don't break anything or do anything foolish!" Gandalf loomed over the Halfling; the warning in his voice made even clearer by the menacing glare in his eyes.
Pippin scurried away to the dark corner Gandalf indicated, muttering about not getting any respect. "Just because I'm a bit clumsy. Honestly!" He began digging through the pile of tattered books, scanning the old passages, mostly written in Dwarvish runes, a language Pippin could not understand, so he ignored those. He finally came across a book written in Elvish, which he had some proficiency in and leafed through it until he found a passage he was unable to translate. "Oy! Gandalf, what does this bit mean?"
Gandalf looked over at the hobbit and saw the Elvish characters for "Prophecies of The Wanderers" on the spine as Pippin began to read:
"I redair keluva hir i nelde manuva faroth i nori egleriuva."
"Peregrin Took! Do not read from that book!"
It was too late. The black book in Pippin's hands began to glow with an ethereal blue light that erupted into a wave that engulfed the entire Fellowship. The last thing any of them felt was an incredible fatigue and then…nothing.
End Flashback ..: readers shake their heads, clearing their minds of fuzziness:..
"And that is how we got here." Gandalf finished recounting his story and I looked around at the Fellowship, my gaze coming to rest on the youngest hobbit, Pippin. I walked across the room to the recliner, where pippin sat with merry. Watching me approach, the hobbit's eyes widened with apprehension.
Kneeling in front of Pippin, I smiled to reassure the young halfling. "Pippin, do you remember what you read?" At his negative answer, I rose. "No, I didn't think you would." Turning to Gandalf, I asked the wizard the same question.
"Of course I remember! It was...it was...I don't remember!" Looking confused the wizard gazes into the distance, trying hard to remember. I then asked if he remembered the name of the book, but received the same answer.
"I kinda figured that would happen."
Boromir raised an eyebrow. "Pray tell, young lady, why you are not surprised that neither Pippin, nor Gandalf, a very powerful Wizard, can recall the incantation." Everyone murmured in agreement.
"Well, here's my theory. I think there must have been a "forget" spell, so to speak, that was interweaved into the "transportation" spell. But, if what Pippin actually read was a prophecy, then the "transportation" spell is attached to it. Anyway, once the spell(s) is activated, the speaker (Pippin) and all those who hear the incantation (the rest of the Fellowship) were brought here, to Earth. Upon your arrival, the "forget" spell was activated. But, since the spell was spoken, it remains it Pippin's subconscious. If something triggers the memory of the spell and Pippin recites the entire thing, then everyone will be returned."
I ended my explanation there, and looked around at the confused people crowding my living room. Becca was leaning on Legolas, pretending to sleep, while the Prince of Mirkwood looked down upon her. My gaze moved on to pass over Gimli and Aragorn, resting for a moment on Boromir. He looked me in the eye and held my gaze. Not wanting the Man to think me dominated by him, I glare back.
"Very interesting, Nikki. Your theory makes sense." Gandalf broke the silence and the staring contest as he stood and walked over to me. He stopped in front of me, standing in such a way as to keep anyone else from overhearing what he said to me.
"But, I fear that if you are right, then we have brought danger to your world." The wizard's eyes were filled with...fear. What could scare Gandalf the Grey?
"Why? What's wrong? What did you bring with you?" I cried, clutching at the wizard's robes, but before he could answer me, everything went black.
"I believe she is coming to."
"Too much excitement for her."
I awoke on the floor sometime later to the sound of voices right above my head. I struggle to open my eyes, finally jerking them up to meet a pair of grey eyes. Boromir. Startled, I raise up on my elbows in order to back away, but misjudge the distance between the Man and I. Our faces collide and for an instant our lips touch. Gasping, I back away as he looks at me, startled.
Looking away, I turn to Becca, who is both relieved that I have awakened and confused about what had just happened. In fact, it's almost like I read her mind, because the first thing out of her mouth is, "Uh…what just happened there?"
"N-nothing. Nothing. Ah…how long was I out this time, Becca?"
Becca looks dubious and looks from me to Boromir, who is the same shade of red as I must have been, and then back to me before answering. "Uh…about thirty seconds, I think."
Next to Becca, Legolas tilted his head, looking totally confused as he cleared his throat, bringing him to our attention. "Uh…Nikki? Did you just…kiss Boromir?"
"NO!" Boromir and I screamed in unison. We looked at each other and immediately turned away again, leaving the Elven Prince completely confused. He was so taken aback by our loud proclamation, he looked to Gimli for aid. Which the Dwarf gave by changing the subject.
"Nikki...why did you collapse?"
Ok, safe subject. I proceed to tell them everything I know about my condition.
"I'm not sure exactly, but whenever I stand up too fast or get too excited, which is apparently what happened, my heart rate speeds up, making me faint if I don't sit down immediately. I'm fine though, it only lasts a few moments!" I reassure them that I am indeed ok.
As I stono up, slowly, so as not to keel over again, Jesse spoke up. She had been sitting on the couch the entire time, as she was used to my condition.
"Nikki, I think we have a small problem."
"What?"
"Our house. It's too small for four, but we have 12 people. We don't have room for them all to sleep or even sit."
She had a point. I turn to Becca, "Becca, could we go to your house? It's a heck of a lot bigger."
She agreed, but there's a problem there too. How do we get the Fellowship to her house across the city without anyone seeing them? My best friend seemed to read my mind, as she brought up that exact subject.
"How are we going to get them to my house inconspicuously? I mean, the hobbits wouldn't be a big deal since they're so small, and Gimli should be fine, but the others, we'll have to do something about their clothes and hair."
When Becca mentioned hair, all four tall men reached for their long locks, a terrified expression on their faces. I reassured them that we wouldn't cut their hair, as many men in our world sport long hair, at which they looked vastly relieved.
Looking at Gandalf, I thought that he was about my dad's size. Then I remembered all of my dad's old clothes.
"Hey! I have an idea! Becca, come help me." Grabbing Becca, I dragged her through the hall to my parents' room. Rummaging through my dad's chest of drawers, I stuffed clothes into Becca's hands.
"Gandalf! Aragorn! Oh…there you are…here, put these on. Wait till we are out of the room. Legolas, Boromir, come with me." I handed the Wizard and Ranger each a set of my father's clothes and walked out with the Elven Prince, Man, and everyone else in tow.
When I got to my room, I looked through my drawers and pulled out two sets of clothes, one black, and one blue and white. Looking the two men over, I gave the Elf the blue and white, and Boromir the black bundle, and left the room after giving them the same directives I had given Gandalf and Aragorn.
20 Minutes Later
Aragorn and Gandalf walked into the living room, dressed in some of Dad's clothes. The Wizard was wearing blue jeans and a tan military shirt left over from when dad was in the Air Force as well as some old tennis shoes. Behind him, Aragorn wore a set of my Dad's tan fatigues that he used for hunting along with the accompanying boots.
"How long must I wear this infernal contraption, Nikki?" The Ranger was tugging as the sleeves, which were a little too long, since dad was a bit taller than him.
"Only until we get to Becca's. Then you can put your own clothes back on."
"Good"
Just then, the other two walked in, Legolas looking extremely uncomfortable in jeans and a white band shirt from my freshman year. "Becca, do the Elves here wear this fashion?" The Elven Prince was tugging at the shirt with one hand, while holding up the baggy pants in the other, making his discomfiture very comical, unfortunately.
"Uh, Elves? Sorry to say, but you are the only Elf in our world" Becca looked vaguely disappointed at that fact.
Just then, Boromir walked out from behind Legolas, bedecked completely in black. He was wearing an outfit I had bought from Hot Topic: baggy pants and a black t-shirt emblazoned with a smart-aleck phrase in white. It was a sight, I'm telling you. Even Aragorn was staring.
"Do I really look that bad, Aragorn?"
The Ranger looked away quickly. I looked the Man up and down. He was missing something...something that would make all the difference if we expected Boromir to pull off fitting in. Actually I was just feeling very cruel and wanted to make him a little more uncomfortable.
"Accessories! That's what he needs!"
"What?" Becca was ignored as I rushed back to my room, coming back with bracelets, a chain and a belt for Legolas. When she saw what I had, my friend groaned.
I handed the belt to Legolas and showed him how to put it on, then turned to Boromir and held out the bracelets and chain. "If you're gonna dress punk and pull it off enough to fit in, ya gotta have these. Hold out your hands. Good, now lower your head. There. Perfect!"
Standing back, I surveyed my handiwork. Boromir was punk, all the way to his greasy brown hair. He looked pretty good, I had to admit. Huh? Why was I thinking this? This is the man who beat up my precious computer! I quickly averted my eyes, turning to the rest of the Fellowship and confronted Becca with the next problem.
"Well, now that the Big Folk are dressed to fit in...how are we gonna get them to your house, Becca?" The only vehicles we had were my truck and Becca's Camry. Could we get all twelve of us into those cars? Hmm.
"Let's see...I can take five…you can travel six...I guess the hobbits can share a seat...got any paper?" I handed my best bud some paper and a pen, watching as she drew out her idea.
Camry:
Becca, Legolas, Sam, Frodo, Merry, Pippin
Truck:
Nikki, Boromir, Gandalf, Gimli, Jesse, Aragorn
"And WHY are you sticking me with Boromir? Huh?" I was very irritated that she had done this to me. After all, the Man was intolerable! She seemed pretty happy with herself though. She had all the Middle-earthlings that she liked in her car while I was stuck with Boromir! But she ignored me, not surprisingly, as she turned to Sam and Frodo.
"Sam, Frodo, do you two mind sharing a seat?"
Confused as to what she was talking about, Frodo replied that he didn't mind in the least. Sam, totally confused, didn't mind either. "No, I don't mind sharing with Mister Frodo, Mistress Becca."
That settled, I emailed my parents, telling them that we were going to Becca's and they could reach me there.
And so, at 10:00 in the morning, four hours after waking up to an arrow in my face and a man of Gondor beating up the computer, my friends, new and old, Boromir, and I set off to Becca's. As I closed the door and headed to the truck, there was only one thought running through my head.
"God, what am I getting myself into?"