ELF, HOBBIT, OR MAN?
CHAPTER 4: OFF TO ROHAN...MAYBE
BY NAOKO HIRUMI
It had been hours since Aragorn had last left me. In that time, I sat down at the desk and started to compose a new song. Luckily I was efficient with the quill, since I had used them before at a camp I had gone to, so I didn't have to worry about the ink blotting. I had gotten lost in my work, and by the time I came back to reality, I was out of paper, almost out if ink, and my hand was cramping. Not to mention the furious growling of my stomach.
I looked outside, noticing how far the sun had dropped. Stretching, I stood up and walked out onto my balcony to watch as elves walked around, speaking quietly with who they were with or strolling along casually. My heart ached to be able to do that back home, only at the mall with a double mocha chocolate frappuccino in my hand and my best friend Sasha at my side. Maybe a few loaded bags on our arms. Tears pricked at my eyes again and I wiped them away quickly.
"No more crying, Hin. You'll only annoy your sinuses even more," I scolded myself.
Sighing, I laid on my back on my bed and stared at the ceiling. I wished I could be back home, sitting at my computer reading fanfiction, my cat Turtle curled up in my lap, Squeeker laying by my feet, and Jaylee nearby drawing something. Mom would be in the dining room, on the phone with a client, discussing another sale, and then the doorbell would ring with whatever take out we had ordered that night. I felt hot tears rolling down my cheeks, but this time I didn't bother wiping them away. What was Jaylee doing right now? Probably on the phone, freaking out talking to mom about my disappearance. Mom was more than likely trying to get her coat back on while juggling the phone and her purse. I hope this wouldn't ruin her business deal.
Just then I realized that I had sushi on the way. Oh, my poor food. It was going to get nasty before nightfall came around here. At least I wasn't paying for it. Giggling, I rolled onto my side and stared outside. A bird flew by, followed by its baby. I smiled.
There was a soft knock on my door and I got up, straightening my dress. Shaking my hair away from my eyes, I opened the door.
Arwen smiled down at me, and I curtsied. "Hello, Hinoluin. Ada sent me to fetch you. He and Aragorn wish to speak with you before the evening meal."
I nodded and began to follow her out. "Oh, wait...Arwen, would your father allow me to play a piece of music at the meal? I wish for everyone to hear it."
"I am sure he would not mind." She smiled and nodded. "Get what you need."
Scampering back to the desk, I grabbed the first seven pieces of parchment and the flute before returning. Together, Arwen and I left and she led me off to wherever Elrond and Aragorn were.
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"Hinoluin, we have decided that, with the twins to escort you, you may travel where you wish, as long as it is far enough away from Mordor." Aragorn stated.
I would have fallen over had I not been sitting. "Really? Oh thank you so much!" Happy tears fell and I gripped the flute tightly in my hands.
Elrond nodded, smiling slightly. "I am sure that my sons will protect you with their lives."
"Oh don't worry, my Lord. I've taken self defense courses before and can protect myself, if need be." I tried to hard not to jump up and hug him with all I was worth.
The men smiled and I tried even harder not to start dancing in my seat. I was so happy. I get to travel, I get to travel, I get to travel! The only thing that kept me from wiggling with excitement was my stomach deciding to vocalize its annoyance at being unfed. Grinning sheepishly, I giggled.
"Come, then. We shall go." Elrond stood up and strode towards the door.
"Oh, wait, Lord Elrond?" I stood up and held the parchment close. "May I play a song I composed after the meal? I wish for everyone to hear it."
He looked down at me, smiling. "Of course." And then he turned around and walked out, Aragorn following him. I pranced behind them happily.
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I fidgeted nervously as I waited for everyone to finish eating. I had been done myself for near ten minutes, and now if I didn't get up and play, the parchment was going to be confetti.
Finally, Elrond stood up and all talk ceased and all eyes were on him.
"Our guest, Lady Hinoluin, has a special surprise she wishes to present us all with. Please sit and say for a few more moments until she is finished."
I stood up to polite applause, my cheeks tinged with pink. A music stand had been set up for me in the corner and I carefully placed the parchment on it. Taking a calming breath, I raised the flute to my lips and began to play.
The notes flowed out perfectly as I played, the tune slow and sad, yet cheerful, in a way. I heard soft gasps from some of the elves, and a few mutterings from the hobbits, which could only be positive. Quickly flipping the parchment, I kept the music flowing smoothly.
Suddenly I saw an image of my family in my head, even my father. We were smiling, happy, and Dad was giving me Turtle, who was just a tiny kitten. Jaylee was in pigtails, I had a braid. Mom was laughing at my excitement. Tears began falling as I kept up the song. I would not cry here, not where everyone could see me. A note wavered, and I quickly smoothed it over with an improv note, which set everything straight. My music would not suffer because of a painful memory.
Ten minutes later I finished up, tears still falling. I was shaking, and the applause was almost too much for me to handle. Setting the flute on the stand as well, I lifted my skirts, turned, and ran off, sobbing.
I had no idea where I was going, but I didn't care. The cool night air greeted me as I exited the main building. The garden. Just where I needed to be to sort through my thoughts. Finding a secluded area of the garden, I sat down on a stone bench and sighed.
Why did I remember Dad like that? It had been almost eight years ago, I shouldn't have broken down like I had. The hurt had gone away, and yet it had come back with a vengeance. Everything was going wrong here. Just everything.
Footsteps snapped me out of my thoughts and I tried to wipe away my tears, but new ones only fell in their place.
"Lady Hin?" It was Frodo. At least it was better than Elrohir.
"Hullo, Frodo." I looked down at my lap as he sat next to me.
He looked at me worriedly. "What's the matter?"
Sighing again, I looked up at the sky. "I miss my father. A lot."
"Did you know him?"
"Yes. The best eight years of my life. He bought me my cat, taught me to ride a horse, took care of me when I was sick...Everything."
Frodo nodded solemnly. "At least you knew your father. I never knew mine."
I, of course, already knew this. His parents had died, and Bilbo had adopted him and raised him. Nodding, I stayed silent.
"But I guess it's harder when you were attached to someone when they left," Frodo continued. "It was hard for me when Bilbo left to come here. He's all the family I ever knew."
"For being a hobbit, you're sure wise." I smiled a little. "After my father died, it was just me, my sister, and Mom. And the animals. I still have Turtle, the cat he bought me, and Jaylee has Missy, her cat. I guess him dieing made the three of us stronger. We pulled through together. We grew really close." Fresh tears threatened to fall. "I miss them."
Frodo put his hand over mine. "Don't cry, Hinoluin."
I wiped my eyes. "You're right. I think I've cried enough." Smiling a little, I looked down at him. "Shall we go back inside?"
He stood up and bowed. "After you."
Laughing, we went back inside in comfortable silence.
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AUTHOR'S NOTES
Okay, i know this is a lot shorter than the other chapters, but I really had no ideas. And Hin was being uncooperative.
Hin: -shifty eyes-
Yeah, anyway. In response to a reader's request, a Mary Sue is a character who everyone just LOVES! Usually in a fanfiction like this where a girl from our world gets dropped into another and all the guys want to be with her and one falls MADLY in love with her and the chicks all like her, yadda yadda yadda and all that bullsht.
I'm hoping that I don't end up with Hin like that. I despise Mary Sues. Well so far not everybody loves her. Boromir isn't that thrilled with her. And others won't either in coming chapters.
Meanwhile...I need some ideas for chapter five. So if you have any that you want me to do, send them in a review. Or email them to me at with the subject as IDEA. Or, if you have questions that you want answered through the chapter, review or email with the subject as QUESTION. I'll try my best to work them all in.
And school starts for me in less than two weeks, so I won't be updating much when that happens. But I'll try to on weekends. So I'm outta here! Review please!