Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings. Consider it Disclaimed.
Summary: See previous chapters.
A/N – Laer4572: You are quite welcome, thanks for being one of my most constant reviewers.
Aranna Undomiel: You're half right, but I'm not going to say which half.
A/N#2 – Warning: This chapter is rated PG-15 to R for implied naughtiness at the end.
Chapter Five
Saranna's Point of View
If I didn't know that it would gain me several strange looks, I would not be adverse to dancing around the room and singing at the top of my lungs.
After the minor catastrophe of last week at the ranch Mother's family took us to, we finally have some good news to think about.
Gandalf has found a way to get through to us in this world and it should only be a few more days, maybe even less, before he manages to come into this world himself. I hope that he does not take too long, because Mother is starting to slip into her 'Queen of the Riddermark' mood after she heard about the 'Mary-Sue' creatures that have been attacking Middle Earth.
I really would not like to be in their position when she gets hold of them.
We, meaning Bella's family and Mother's, are now at a 'national park', or a fairly large space of actual country rather than the bustling city or sub-urban area that takes up most of this land. It is actually quite nice, and faintly reminiscent of the rolling hills and grasslands of our home.
My half-uncle and several of the others suddenly let out yells of surprise. Most of the older adults choke on their wine. Mother calmly sets down her glass, muttering about Cryptic wizards and being over-dramatic.
I'm not sure whom to agree with. The air starting to shimmer and having Gandalf the White step out of nowhere is probably enough to startle someone who is not used to the Istar doing such things.
Mother stands up and raises an eyebrow. I am strongly reminded of when Gandalf showed us an image of my parent's wedding. The eyebrow and the exasperated/amused look are almost identical to the one she wore when Bella interrupted them to ask how to set up my Uncles' wedding prank. Father was not so amused, and apparently had some very strong words for them the next day.
The rest of the families from this world are frozen in place as Gandalf comes forward. I suppose to them he might look like one of the homeless people your parents have always warned you away from, but Mother only smiles and steps forward.
Her words are to the point, and obviously make no sense to anyone else. "Is it time to return?" She looks closely at his face, and sorrow enters her face. "It is Bella's turn, is it not." The last is a statement more than a question, as if she has known this for a long time.
Gandalf says nothing, only nods his head. Mother gives him a sarcastic look, muttering, "You're so helpful. Keep the portal open."
She turns to the rest of us. "Bella, come here. The rest of you, make ready." Celebrian opens her mouth. Mother cuts her off. "I don't care what you are wearing, Princess. We have more immediate problems to deal with."
Bella stands and walks over to Mother. "What do you mean, it is my turn? My turn for what?"
Mother's eyes are sad. "Your turn to choose. Before, you were too young, bound only by your choice to stay with me. Now you must make a final decision. Will you return with us, or will you stay here? Whatever you choose, know that I will always love you."
She drew herself to her full height and spoke formally. "It requires a formal answer. The conditions are met, and the moment of choice is come."
For a long moment, the one I considered my older sister looked between us. Then she looked to Gandalf. "Could you make them forget that this ever happened?" The Istar inclined his head as Bella walked over to her birth family. "For good or ill, I choose to stay."
Gandalf began to recite the spell that would make the others forget as Mother walked over to Bella and gently kissed her forehead, whispering farewell.
Gandalf completed the spell just as Eldarion walked through the portal, followed by Celebrian, Gilraen, Theodwyn, Isinil, Elfwine, Theodred and Alyssia. I gave a last look behind me, then took Mother's hand and walked through the portal, back home to Middle Earth.
Well, I suppose it could have been worse.
Eldarion, Celebrian, Gilraen, Theodwyn, Isinil, the Twins, Alyssia and I had landed, quite painfully on our behinds, about ten minutes from Minas Tirith, as the Mearas runs. We were not in The Riddermark, but at least I had a landmark to go by.
Besides, at least Eldarion, Gilraen and Celebrian would be home, and maybe King Elessar and Queen Arwen would know what to do.
Mother's presence was noticeably absent, but I was fairly sure that she was somewhere in Middle Earth. Maybe she had gone to wherever father currently was.
At least, I hoped that was the case.
I rose and started dragging the others up. I wanted to get to Minas Tirith as soon as we possibly could. I wanted to change into some proper clothing and I really wanted to know what had been going on in our absence.
A ruined tower in a forest, near the borders of Rohan…
3rd Person Point of View.
Glaring into a dark orb, a young woman let out a shriek of fury, her hood falling back to expose dark hair and a beautiful face, twisted in rage. She stalked up and down the room, her voice an incoherent babble, raised to a volume that well-bred noblewomen were not meant to reach.
Her companion, also unhooded, tried to ignore her. "Stop yelling, child. We haven't lost yet."
The woman's eyes burned as she spun to face him. "Not lost yet? What do you plan to do about it? If I told my Father of your actions…"
The white-haired older cut her off sharply. "He'll do what? You played just as large a part in this as I. Even if you are his daughter, he will not hesitate to punish you as he would any who tried to betray him."
The woman stopped mid-step. She had joined him out of a desire to eliminate her rival and to gain power. Now she was trapped, and with no way out of the net she had woven herself into.
She sighed. "What must I do?"
The royal quarters, Edoras…
Eomer of the Riddermark was jolted awake by a loud thump and a stream of cursing.
Quickly throwing off the covers and drawing a dagger, he lit one of the lamps to reveal the intruder.
It turned out to be six intruders; Gandalf, a boy, a blond man and three women, two with dark hair and one with blond. Gandalf had managed to land on his feet, but the others were currently lying in a heap nearby. The brunette at the bottom of the pile pushed the others off her and stood up, giving them a glare and muttering something that was probably rude before glancing around in a frantic manner and cursing again.
Trying to hold back a curse of his own at the thought of more Mary-Sues, Eomer looked at the wizard. "Did your attempt to reach the other world succeed, or did you finally gain a following of your own?"
The brunette that had managed to stand gave him a reproving look, speaking in a hauntingly familiar voice. "Leave him alone, Eomer! Whatever he did worked, to an extent, but it seems something went wrong along the way." She directed a look at Gandalf, who seemed to shrink back slightly. "Where are the children?"
It suddenly occurred to the Istar that there were few things more dangerous than a mother protecting her young. "They have come to this world, but are in a different part of it."
The brunette gave him an all-too-familiar withering stare then turned to Eomer. "Do I not also get a greeting, love? I've been forcefully absent a lot longer than he has."
They both decided that everything else could wait.
Natasha ran to her husband's arms, burying her face in his shoulder. She could feel him, anchoring her to this place. A strong, comforting love that would protect her until the end of time.
Eomer held his wife tightly, breathing in the familiar scent of lavender and wild-flowers. She was a warm, solid presence, not the ghostly image that his mind had conjured up in the dark of night when she had been taken.
How long they stayed like that neither of them were sure, nor were they aware of how much time passed before they were interrupted by a yell of "Oi, you! Get away from her!"
The outraged voice was ignored as Eomer looked at his wife. "Why are they here? And who are the males?"
Natasha shrugged. "If I knew, they wouldn't be. You have already met my sisters, if only briefly, the boy is my half-brother that was only born ten years ago, and the man," She paused briefly,apparently trying to find the best way to put this."Well, you remember I told you that I had been in a relationship that I felt was more like a very good friendship? Eomer, meet Ryan, my ex-suitor."
The two men exchanged hostile glares, each trying to stare the other down as Natasha noticed something strange. "Eomer, why are the door and windows barricaded?"
The Lord of the Riddermark gave the door a disgusted look. "Because there is a horde of Mary-Sues camped outside the room. I've had three of them try to sneak in before I barricaded all ways in or out."
Natasha stared at him for a moment, blinked, then burst out in fits of hysterical laughter.
She recovered slightly, however, or at least long enough to un-barricade the door and push everyone else out of the room. Natasha re-bolted the door before any of the Mary-Sues could get inside, then sat on the bed. Eomer joined her, slipping an arm around her. "Do you want to hear about what has been going on now or can you wait until morning?'
Natasha smiled, looking at him with half-closed eyes as she rose to retrieve a nightgown from the closet. "I think it can wait. Probably until later than morning. We have other things to catch up on." She shivered as she pulled her dress off to change. Eomer raised an eyebrow. "Will the rest of your company not object to you undressing in front of a man they do not know?"
Natasha smirked. "Probably. Doesn't mean I'll listen. Besides, you've seen it all before." She shivered again, the night air was cold.
Eomer returned the smile, catching her hand as she picked up the nightgown. "Are you cold?"
She gave a seductive quirk of her lips. "Yes. Keep me warm?"
Outside in the corridor, the band of Mary-Sues looked at each other and tried to see who was missing from their ranks. Clearly someone had gained the target's affections. Now the only question was how to kill them off, then repeat the pattern until only one of them was left.
A/N – Chapter Five up! They are back in Middle Earth with some unwanted additions!
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Nathalia.