ELF, HOBBIT, OR MAN: PT 1
CHAPTER TWO: WELCOME TO RIVENDELL
BY NAOKO HIRUMI
"Who are you, and why are you here?"
I spazzed and whirled around, my necklace nearly going around my neck. "I...well I...Woah! You're Lord Elrond!" I curtsied respectfully and smiled. "I'm sorry for intruding, but I honestly don't know how I got here. My name in Hinoluin Satkowiak, and as to why I am here, I don't know. I was just transported here after my sister pulled my music player's cable from it's...er...power source." I had read enough fanfiction to know not to speak about things from my world to Middle Earthians.
He approached me carefully, eyes studying my attire. Alright, so I wasn't exactly dressed "appropriately" for Rivendell. Not exactly my fault. "Hinoluin? You are an elf, then?"
"Not quite, sir. I'm far too short to be an elf."
"But you wear the Evanstar. You must be an elf." He studied me. "Although your hair is a strange colour for elves."
I smiled kindly. "In all due respect, I cannot be an elf. I age, I'm too short, and not nearly fair enough to be an elf. As far as the Evanstar goes, it was a gift from my Nana. Well, my grandmother, I suppose I should call her." Just then I realized what I held in my hand. "OH SWEET VALAR MY IPOD CAME WITH ME!"
Elrond stared at me as if I had just...I don't know, turned into an Orc. Or something. "Your what?"
"My music player." I calmed down, hugging my sweet mp3 player to my chest. "Um...right then. I suppose I'm in Rivendell, right? Am I holding up something?"
"Holding up?"
"Causing not to happen?"
"Oh yes. I suppose that you had best join us for the counsel meeting. Hinoluin, your name is, correct?"
I nodded fervently. "But first, do you have a restroom? Washroom? Someplace to relive myself?"
Elrond made a face that I couldn't quite read. "Yes. I shall show you to it..." And he turned with a spiffy swish of his robes and exited the meeting place. I scurried along behind him, still in awe at the beauty of the place.
After I had finished up, I skipped happily out of the washroom and smiled sweetly at Elrond. Again I curtsied. "Thank you, my Lord." Hey, I might not be an elf, but I can still call him my Lord while I was here.
He nodded and we went back to the meeting place where everyone, from Legolas and the other elves to Gimli and the other dwarves. Tiny little Frodo was sitting next to big old Gandalf (not calling him old as an insult...), looking even tinier than he was.
"Who is this?" A random dwarf piped up from his chair across the way from us.
Hamming it up, I curtsied (so not good for my bad knee) again and smiled politely. "My name is Hinoluin, master dwarf. It is a pleasure to meet you, although i know not your name." Oh yeah...the million and one times watching the movies had implanted near perfect Middle Earthian speech into my brain. And I didn't feel like him chopping my head off with that super shiny axe he had next to him.
He looked bewildered. "Yes, well then..."
Elrond motioned to the empty seat next to him. "Hinoluin, please sit so we may proceed." I sat as told. Like a puppy. And on went the elf about the quest and the Ring at once.
I spaced out for a while, spinning the pendant of my necklace over the chain. How had I gotten here? Jaylee and I had been arguing over my iPod (which I had decided to call Izzie about ten minutes ago) and she had grabbed it. I grabbed it back, and the cable had been pulled from the computer. But why had that sent me here?
Staring down at Izzie, I decided to listen to music while the men were talking about the Ring. I put in the ear buds and turned it on. If I hadn't been sitting with a bunch of other people, I would have squealed with joy at the sight of a full battery. Quickly searching through my songs, I put on Rivendell music (you know, the music played during the arrival of everyone in the movie?) and leaned back, thinking some more.
If pulling the cable out of the comp had sent me here, how was I suppose to get back? Not like I wanted to go back so soon, but still. Mom would be home, and Jaylee was probably freaking out by now. I had to find a way to get home eventually.
I thought back to the argument. I had looked ready to storm when we were talking, and I thought I heard a rumble of thunder when I grabbed Izzie back. Maybe...Maybe lightning had struck the power box outside, which sent a shock to the computer and into Izzie right as I disconnected him. Yes him. Shut up. He has feelings too, you know. That was probably what happened. But to do it again I'd need a computer, a power box, and an argument. This was not going to be easy.
I jumped a mile when Elrond touched my arm lightly. Pulling my ear buds out, I turned off Izzie and looked at everyone. Everyone looked back at me. "Huh?"
"I asked if you would kindly tell us how you got here." Elrond sounded a bit exasperated, as if he had asked me a few times. Um, oops?"
"Oh...of course." I sat up straight and fixed my skirt. "Well, my name is Hinoluin Satkowiak, and if I'm correct, then my first name means Lady with stained hair. I'm originally from Midland, which is in a place called Michigan which is in an even bigger place called the United States of America. I live in a very large house with my mother and twin sister, Jaylee. I am seventeen years old, if anybody wished to know that." I took a calming breath and continued. "My mother had just left Jaylee and I alone for the night while she went to a business dinner. Jaylee was getting ready to leave for a friend's home when she asked if she could use my music player." For emphasis I wiggled Izzie at everyone. "I told her no, but she grabbed it anyway in attempt to take it from me. I grabbed it back, right as a roll of thunder occurred. I'm thinking lightning hit the power box, which is what gives power to our lights and such, traveled into the house and through my music player's power source and into the player itself, right as I disconnected this," I showed them the cable," from the power source on accident. I'm thinking that the lightning had something to do with me getting sent here."
Wow that was long. I tried to get myself to salivate a bit, I was so thirsty.
Everyone was looking at me as if I was crazy.
"Well, the first thing we should know, aside from your story, is what are you?" Aragorn, oh mighty king of Gondor, spoke up. "Are you an elf? You wear the Evanstar, much the same as Arwen does."
"I'm sorry, I cannot be an elf. I'm too short, and I am not immortal." I smiled apologetically at him. "This Evanstar was a gift from my grandmother for my birthday naught a few months ago."
Boromir, or Mr. Pissy as I was going to now call him, had to go an add in his two cents. "Then you are a man?"
I stood up, outraged. "Do I look like a man to you?" Hand on my hips, I stuck them out to the right.
"He means are you of the race of Men?" Aragorn explained.
"Oh...I don't know. Am i tall enough to be of the race of Men?" Yeah, I was kind of short. Not tall enough to be an elf, not short enough to be a hobbit. Well...maybe a tall hobbit.
Gandalf spoke up. "Obviously you are not a hobbit. You are much too quick witted to be one." Frodo shot him a "Hey, wait a minute..." look. I tried not to giggle. "And besides, she cannot possibly be a hobbit. She has hair as black as ink, and it is straight, as well. She is too tall, besides."
"Alright then. I suppose I am of the race of Men." I curtsied to Aragorn. "My king."
He smiled and motioned at my clothes. "Now why do you wear such garments?"
I looked down at myself. "Well you see, this is perfectly acceptable attire where I'm from. Although, I know it isn't for here."
"I see."
Awkward pause...I coughed. Frodo smiled at me. I grinned back. A bird flew away. I swear I heard it crap on a building nearby. I coughed again. Gandalf looked at me. I looked back. We had a short staring contest which I won. Gimli sneezed. Legolas smirked. I tried not to turn and look at him. Elrond looked at everybody. Everybody looked at me. I smiled cutely. Mr. Pissy rolled his eyes. My stomach gurgled loudly. Frodo tried not to laugh.
"Well, what are you going to do with me, then?"
Elrond sighed. "You shall stay here in Rivendell until we find a way to send you back home." I grinned. I get to stay with the Elves, I get to stay with the Elves. I get to stay...
"But how? We will need great power to send her back." Gandalf had to go and interrupt my mental chant.
I raised my hand, dancing from foot to foot. Not surprising that I got a few looks. Gandalf nodded at me. "You could use your power to help, once the Ring is destroyed, get me home. I know you are not the most powerful of your counsel, but I trust you much more than Saruman."
"How do you know of Saruman?" The wizard leaned forward in his seat to inspect me.
"He isn't exactly unknown, now is he? I know of him in my own ways. Please don't ask me to explain everything now. I'm hungry, thirsty, and getting very tired." I blinked a few times to keep my eyes open properly. "I will explain everything to you before you leave Rivendell, if you'd like, but let me rest first, please."
Elrond nodded. "Very well. You will stay here, Gandalf, if you would kindly return to us after the quest is complete, then we will try to return you to your home."
I smiled and curtsied once again, this time my knee cracking unattractively. I winced. "Sorry. But thank you, Lord Elrond."
Frodo laughed at me. "You sound like Sam after all day in the garden on his knees."
I giggled. "Poor Sam."
He just grinned at me.
"Very well." Elrond spoke up, looking around at the members of the Fellowship. Here it comes, here it comes... "Six companions. You shall be..."
"The Fellowship of the Ring!" I finished. Elrond looked at me confusedly. I smiled cutely back at him.
Sam popped up out of nowhere, as did Merry and Pippin. They all ran to stand by Frodo. A little delayed, but they did their spiel. I mouthed Pippin's part.
"Besides, you'll need people of intelligence on this mission...quest...thing."
"Well that rules you out, Pip." I giggled.
"You are the Fellowship of the Ring! Nine companions!"
And here comes Pippin again!"
He smiled. "Great." Pause. "Where are we going?"
Everyone just stared at him. I cracked up.
-------------------------------------
Not long later, I was sitting in the dining hall, picking at some food that confused the bajebus out of me. How was I suppose to eat it? It was too thin to eat with a fork, but too thick to eat with a spoon. Oh well. They can get over it. I picked up a spoon and went at it.
I looked around at the few elves in here with me. Most of them were blonde. I saw a few brunettes, but not many. They all glanced at me every once in a while, then continued whispering to one another.
Sighing, I took a sip from my goblet thingy. Water never tasted so good to me as right now. I set my spoon down and watched as some elves got up and left, a few came in. Nobody said a word to me.
Being alone sucked when you knew nobody. I didn't mind it at school or at home because I knew so many people. But I couldn't even be at the mall alone unless I was in a store where I knew the person working. Like at Hot Topic. I didn't mind being alone because I knew this one guy, even though I didn't know his name. Being here scared me a little. I knew nobody, really. Alright, so I knew the whole Fellowship and then some, like Elrond and Arwen, but still. They weren't here to keep me company. Elrond had left me after I was given food and drink.
I heard the door open again and two elves entered. They were brunette, and they looked exactly alike. My eyes widened. They were...oh sweet Valar they were!
Scrambling from my place at the table, I hurried over and curtsied, wincing at the slight pain in my knee. "Elladan and Elrohir, my name is Hinoluin. Your father left me here quite a while ago. I suppose you don't know who I am, exactly, but..."
The one on the right smiled down at me. "You are the strange girl from another place who is to stay here until the One Ring is destroyed. Ada told us about you and to help you with anything you would need."
The other one grinned. "And I see you need new clothing."
"Wait, what? These are perfectly fine for now, thank you." I wasn't happy when somebody made fun of my clothes.
"I meant for future days." I labeled this one as Elrohir (left). "You cannot wear the same thing day after day."
"...Oh."
Elladan laughed at me. "Come, we will show you your room and send a servant to help you with clothing."
I flounced along behind the two, totally unable to see over their shoulders. "So...I'm going to take a guess here, but you're Elladan," I poked the one who was on the right, "and you're Elrohir." I poked the other one. "Right?"
"You guess correctly, miss." Elladan smiled over his shoulder at me. "How did you know?"
"I have a twin sister at home. It must be a twin gift. We can always tell identical twins apart."
Elrohir chuckled. "Does your sister look like you?"
"Not one bit." I sighed. "She's taller then me, she has blonde hair and green eyes, and glasses. Even thought I'm older than her, she treats me like I'm years younger. Hey, which one of you is older?"
"I am," Elrohir announced. "By five minutes."
"Wow...amazing." Really, it was. But I was too busy watching his bum as he walked. What? He had a nice bum.
We reached my room, I guessed, and I bumped into them and fell over. Stupid terrible equilibrium thing. I was always falling over or stumbling over nothing. Elladan helped me up while Elrohir opened the door to my room.
"This is where you will stay. We will find a servant to help you with dresses in a few minutes. Do you need anything first?" I wasn't watching them so I didn't know who was talking. I was busy looking around my room.
A large window door opened up to the gardens, I suspected, since I could see tons of flowers and trees right outside. The bed was a queen sized four poster with cream coloured hangings. Against one side of the room was a beautiful mahogany desk and chair. On the other side, by a wardrobe, was a small table with a basin, pitcher, and washcloths. I was in heaven.
"If you could bring me some parchment, quills, and ink, I would be content." It was true. I had to compose some music now after all this. "And possibly a flute, if you have an extra one somewhere." Okay, that was a bit of a strange request, but I'm sure they didn't have guitars or drums here. And hey, the flute suited Rivendell much better.
"I believe we can find everything you wish for." I think that one was Elrohir. "Please stay in here until a servant comes." And then...they left me.
I laid down on my bed and sighed. This was going to be an interesting stay. What with the sexy twins, Elrond, a flute, music, and Izzie. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Maybe.
-------------------------------------
AUTHOR'S NOTES!
Alrighty then! Chapter two, ready and going! Yeah I just posted chapter one yesterday (I think), but this is so much fun! I really hope I can get it completed before the end of my summer vacation.
So what do you think so far? I really hope you all like it and I'm terribly sorry if I messed anything up! Just send me a message and tell me what's wrong with it and I'll change it right away.
On the subject of Hinoluin's name translation, I'm not entirely sure if it's correct. A while back I asked a friend to find names for my character who, at the time, had lavender hair. And Hinoluin was one of them. I have the translation up in my room in a notepad, but I'm just too damn lazy to go get it myself. So I'll fix it later if it's wrong. Sorry about that.
Anyway, in the next chapter we'll get to see Jaylee again and how she's reacting to her sister disappearing. And Hin gets fitted for dresses! Oh what fun eh? Yeah. Well I'd best be going because my bf is waiting for me to call him. And I can't type and hold the phone at the same time.
I love you all and I hope you send me nice reviews (hint hint). Bye! -waves happily-