A Pale Moon Rises: Chapter 2
A/N: Thanks so much for all the reviews! I'm updating a lot quicker than my other story, because I have thought of whole new plot twists and interesting things that will happen to make it so much cooler! YAY FOR MORE ACTION!
Thank you amrawo, Lady ElfDragon, mis.mira, felicitousmomento, Akeryou, Utterclutter, and ChirikoFan! So many reviews for the first chapter!
Disclaimer: If I had less than one tenth of Tolkien's genius-ness, then I would be content. But I don't. So obviously Middle-Earth and everything in it belongs to JRRT. Elerina belongs to me though. And Erulissë and Alassiel. And Míriel. Well, the character, not the name. Also her husband, and assorted other Elves that I made up.
As Elerina slowly came to herself, she expected to see medics and nurses hovering over her in the hospital, and to feel like she'd broken every bone in her body. But instead, the girl saw blue sky and green trees, and she felt absolutely no pain, except that she was laying on some rocks. She got up and straightened her back, taking in her surroundings. The only things in site were trees, and more trees. No sign of the road, her car, or her back pack.
Elerina scratched her head, and started walking. What else was she supposed to do? If she stayed there, she might be found eventually. After she had died of starvation and dehydration.
Wherever she was, the girl noted that everything was absolutely beautiful. The trees, the grass, the sky, everything. She walked for maybe an hour, and as she started to feel the warm sun and lack of water take affect on her, she saw the trees thinning. She cautiously stepped forward, and looked out beyond where the trees broke.
In front of her was a beautiful meadow of wild flowers. There were flowers of every shade of every color imaginable. She took in a quick breath and the immense beauty of it all. It looked to her like a giant natural mosaic, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Suddenly a dark head bobbed out of the long grass. A child of about twelve was skipping in her direction with a basket overflowing with the colorful flowers. She was too far away for Elerina to see her very well, but she had long, dark hair that flowed behind her gracefully as she came towards Elerina. She was wearing a light green dress and had flowers woven into her hair. Another head popped up a short ways behind her and called out.
"Lissë, what are you doing? Come back here!"
"What's wrong, Lassi? It's just a girl," the child who had been coming towards Elerina replied. She stopped skipping and looked behind her at her companion. Elerina smiled to herself and stepped out of the trees. They were harmless little girls. Maybe she could find out where in the world she was.
"Excuse me? I'm kind of lost. Could you tell me where I am?" she called to the two girls who were conversing in hushed tones. They looked up, and the first one started again to walk towards Elerina, the other close behind.
"My name is Erulissë, and this is my sister Alassiel. We-" she was cut off by the second girl.
"What do you think you're doing? Don't give our names out to strangers, you half-wit!" the other reprimanded her sharply.
"Don't call me a half-wit, and stop bossing me around! I can do whatever I want," the first replied haughtily.
"Oh no you can't. I'm older than you, so you have to do what I say!" said the second, her hands on her hips.
"You're only older by three minutes, and Mother's not here! So what are you going to do about it?"
As the two children bickered with each other, Elerina watched on in silence. She was captured by the beauty the two possessed, while still being so young. Their hair was long and silky, their dresses of beautiful material and color, and their features fine and smooth. Elerina also noted that they were completely identical, except for their eye color and their dress color. The first one, who had said her name was Erulissë, had bright green eyes, and wore the light green dress, while the second, who Erulissë had said was Alassiel, had bright blue, and wore a light blue dress. Their eyes glared and looked surprisingly fierce as they continued bickering.
The older girl snapped to her senses and attempted to butt into the two girls' argument.
"Um, hello? I'm still here. Look, I don't know where I am, and I don't think it matters if I have your names or not. I just would like to know where I am and where the nearest gas station is." Elerina looked expectantly from girl to girl, awaiting the answer.
"Well, you're obviously not from around here, judging by your garments. What are those, anyway?" asked Alassiel. Elerina looked down at her jeans and t-shirt, and then at the two girls' gowns.
"This is what I always wear," she offered weakly.
"Well we're outside of Rivendell. And I have no idea what a gas station is. Maybe you should come with us and talk to our mother," replied Erulissë.
"Wait, wait. Rivendell? Like in Middle-Earth?" the older girl scoffed. "Okay, I really would rather you not play any games with me. I need to get to school."
"We are outside of Rivendell. And of course we're in Middle-Earth. Where else would we be?" Alassiel looked at Elerina strangely. "Lissë, I think she's been out in the sun too long. We should take her to Mother."
"I haven't been out in the sun too long," Elerina protested. "But seeing your mother might be a good thing."
Erulissë and Alassiel looked at her for a moment, and then simultaneously turned around and started walked across the field. Elerina waited a moment, then followed. After a while she was beginning to think the field was endless, when out of nowhere a beautiful stone city immerged out of the trees.
The stone looked white as it shone in the sun. There were carvings on every wall and over every arched doorway, and there were many. It was breathtaking, and Elerina paused in her walk for a moment to take it all in. It set an life-long impression on the girl, it's massive beauty and majesty. It was enormous, and looked majestic enough to be fit for high kings, yet in a way it looked small and welcoming, like how a warm fire in a humble cottage does after a long cold journey.
The two children, noticing her pause, watched her as she stood in awe and smiled proudly. Erulissë touched the older girl's arm and Elerina quickly looked down at her and continued to follow. She looked around and saw other people, all very beautiful. Everyone had long hair, including the males. The men were very handsome and had smooth, almost feminine features and wore breeches, shirts, and cloaks. The women were all very beautiful, and wore the same kind of long flowing gowns that the two children did.
They passed through arched doorway after arched doorway, and Elerina had no idea how the girls knew their way through such an immense place. They stopped in front of one of the buildings and Alassiel opened the wooden door slowly. A maid was inside, making one of the beds. The maid looked up and Alassiel opened the door wider.
"Saerwen, do you know where Mama is?" Alassiel asked. The older girl peered into the room. It was beautiful, as everything here was, with carvings along the walls and on the ceiling. There were three beds, one large and two small. Elerina guessed that this was where the twins lived, or were staying, if they didn't live here.
"You mother and father are with Lord Elrond in the east garden. Your uncle is with them as well," replied the old maid. Elerina looked at her strangely at the mention of "Lord Elrond", but said nothing.
"All right. Thank you." The girl shut the door and they continued down on of the many streets. They took many different turns and finally ended up near some kind of garden, with green paths running through the trees, bushes, flowers, and fountains.
"How can you find your way around this place?" Elerina asked, almost breathless after their quick pace.
"Practice," the two said together.
"We are here often," Erulissë added. They took the closest garden path and wove through the beautiful garden until, as they rounded another corner, they came upon four figures standing next to a fountain. One was tall, and had a lordly appearance to him. Two stood next to him, a man and a woman, both with dark hair. The man looked very much like the two children. Another, who looked a little like the woman, but not much, had golden hair. His arms were crossed and he looked around, bored.
"Mama, we found this girl in the field. Says she's lost," Alassiel chimed as they approached the group.
"Oh, really? Hello my dear. From where do you come?" asked the woman.
"I'm from Boston, which is what this place should be, because it is entirely impossible I sprouted wings and flew away to somewhere else while I was knocked out. This place is lovely, but I need to know where the nearest gas station is so I can use the phone to get to school," Elerina replied.
"We can't understand a word she says. Maybe she's been in the sun too long," Erulissë whispered. The man with the gold hair smirked and sniffed haughtily.
"You do look as if you are not from here. I know of no Boston. This is Rivendell," the dark-haired man, who she suspected to be the children's father, commented.
"Perhaps you are a spy? We can not be too careful who we let into Rivendell in this time of evil," said the tall, lordly looking man.
"A spy? For who? Look, I just need to get to a phone," Elerina said again, getting annoyed.
"The girl talks nonsense," the golden-haired man scoffed. Elerina glared at him but made no comment.
"Peace, Legolas," the lordly one said to him.
"Legolas? You all are mad! You think this is Middle-Earth!" Elerina cried.
"It is," replied the children's father.
"I think it's you who is mad, girl," put in "Legolas".
"Erulissë, Alassiel, why don't you two go and help Saerwen with her duties. Go on," their mother said to the two girls. They nodded silently and quickly left.
"Child, you must be sick. You should lay down and get some rest. Lord Elrond, is there an extra room she can stay in?" the twins' father asked.
"I am not sick. I'm tired of being messed around with. I need to get to a phone!" the girl protested.
"Míriel, why don't you take her to your room. She'll be all right after you get some rest," "Lord Elrond" said. Elerina saw the one they called Legolas smirking haughtily at her. 'I am not mad,' she thought.
"But-" she protested, but Míriel took her arm and led her away. Elerina decided to give in, for now at least. She was tired after all. As they left, she heard Elrond speaking harshly to Legolas.
"You mustn't be so haughty all the time. Strange or not, she is a guest of Rivendell. I don't want a bad reputation for this place."
Lookie! I can actually write long-ish chapters! Yay for me!
Review? Please -big grin-