Time Transcended
Swiss Cheese
Disclaimer: If Tolkien created it, it is his. If I created it, it is mine.
Authors note: Forgive the typos... twas written in haste! Review and forgive please! Trying something different as well, tell me what you think: Putting elvish and other foreign languages that is not translated in italics. Tell me if it helps or confuses. Thank you so much!
They were strolling down the small down town looking for the first shop to enter when Elrohir stepped onto a patch of ice and fell flat on his rear end. Rebecca laughed hysterically as she reached down to help him up.
"It's not that funny," he said, falling into his native tongue.
"Yes it is! That is the first time I have ever seen an elf fall!" Rebecca replied in elvish.
Not appreciating the humiliation, he pulled her down on top of him. "And now you can join me!"
She was flat on top of him laughing quite hard, for a full two minutes before she managed to get up and brush the ice off of herself. Elrohir helped himself up and brushed himself off.
"You know, it really isn't fair," Rebecca said, ending her laughter. "You fall to the ground and you look so graceful doing it. I fall and I look like a klutz."
"You didn't just then when I pulled you down," he replied.
"Really? YAY!" she cried as she began to dance down the street. The townspeople all looked at her dancing and him smiling at her and thought she was acting mad. The shopkeeper of the shop she danced into didn't mind her dancing though. She looked like a well-off American and she seemed to be accompanied by a well paid man that looked rather familiar…
"Ro!" the shop keeper suddenly exclaimed.
Elrohir smiled and said in German, "It took you long enough Peter!"
"I am sorry Ro! It has been ten years after all. You look unchanged. Time has been nice to you," Peter replied.
Rebecca asked for translations so Elrohir quickly gave them before he replied to Peter. "Yes, the last ten years have been good to me. Though I see by your eyes it has not been so bad to you either."
"A little trouble here and there with mischievous children and eggs, but on the whole business has been good. Tourism has gone up a little and all say you sent them. Therefore, I give you any one thing in the store for free," Peter offered with bright eyes.
"Peter, I couldn't ..." Elrohir was cut off.
"But you must! I would be insulted if you did not. I insist my friend!"
Elrohir was not about to offend Peter so he gave in to the charitable gesture and told Rebecca. He told her to pick out something so she wandered about while he and Peter talked a little more. In ten minutes she came back to the counter holding a wooden box with ornate carving on it. She sat it down on the counter and said, "Elro, look at this box."
Elrohir's eyes widened a little as he examined it. "Where did you get this Peter?"
"I was in Berlin for an antique auction, and I saw this box sitting there. I liked it, so I bought it. Many people have looked at this box, but no one buys it. If no one looked at this in another month or so, I was going to put it back up for auction," Peter said. "The one reason no one buys it is because no one can open it. It is too heavy to be empty and no one wanted it just for display."
Elrohir studied it closely and then he declared to Rebecca in elvish, "This was Gil-galad's knife box. He gave it to my father. Father wanted it when he sailed West, but he could not find it, so he left with out it. For centuries I have been wondering where this box went. Now I know." In German he said to Peter, "I'll take this."
"Thank you Ro! I hated the thought of parting with this box to some stranger. Take it, it is gladly given," Peter enthusiastically replied. Peter put the box in another box with plenty of packing materials, then he put that in a bag and happily sent them on their way.
"That was unexpected!" Elrohir exclaimed.
"No kidding! I can't wait 'til we get back so we can get that thing open. What do you think we'll have to do to get it unstuck?" Rebecca asked.
"It's not stuck. It's locked. I'll tell you all about it when get home."
"Why not now?"
"I like to watch you wait patiently. It's quite entertaining," he grinned.
She gave a playful scowl before she asked which shop they should enter next.
"Uuumm… This one!" Elrohir exclaimed as he grabbed her arm and pulled her in the nearest door. It was a bakery full of fresh, warm, delicious pastries. The aromatic assault on her nose almost knocked her over. Her elven-like senses were not prepared for the suddenly sweet sensations. "Doesn't it smell so much better now?" he asked in elvish.
"Oh yes!" she replied in english. She went straight for the strudel and before it was over she was carrying out enough baked goods to seriously threaten her girlish figure.
After that they settled down in a small café and sipped on coffee while eating pastries. After his second strudel and his third cookie he said, "We better go do something or we won't be able to fit into the car."
She nodded as she brushed off her hands and put a half eaten muffin back in the bag. "Let's go skating."
"What makes you think that there is somewhere near here to go ice skating?" Elrohir asked.
"Well, it is winter in Switzerland, and I just saw three boys go by with hockey skates hanging off of hockey sticks," Rebecca replied.
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Liz was busy dusting Rebecca's old bedroom, the last room to be cleaned, when the telephone began to ring. She was in no mood to bother to answer it, for she only had the last two corners to get the cobwebs from and to vacuum. She knew if she stopped now she would never finish, so she persisted. She turned on the vacuum just as the answering machine picked up and couldn't hear who called her. It didn't matter anyway, her headphones were turned up and the vacuum was even a little hard to hear. Her cleaning had been precisely timed to end when her CD did, as a result, she was met with silence at the switching off the vacuum. She put everything away and went into her small kitchen where her answering machine was. She hit the play button, expecting some telemarketer, and buried her head in the refrigerator in hunt of last nights pizza.
"Greetings Liz! This is Elladan. I guess you are not home, which is too bad because I got two tickets to see Phantom of the Opera tonight at the Fox Theater and was hoping you could come with me. Guess not. I'll drag Glorfindel along. Call me if you get this message before five, then you might still be able to go. That depends on how fast you can get ready. Good-bye!"
Liz's head slammed against the top of the refrigerator as she hastily pulled her head and ran to the phone. She had Elrohir's house on speed dial, but speed dial was too slow. In record time she dialed the number, and impatiently thrummed her fingers on the counter as she waited for Elladan to pick up. "The brat's probably waiting next to the phone so he can answer at the last ring, just to make me sweat," she mumbled to herself. Her impatient annoyance evaporated when she heard his voice on the other end give its greeting.
"Hello Liz. Do you want to eat before or after?" Elladan asked.
"Before," she answered, a little shocked at the speed the question was given her.
"Great. Is 5:30 a good time to pick you up?"
"Yeah," she replied, then instantly regretted it.
"Terrific! See you then! Bye!" Elladan said. He had been betting on the fact she would say 6, but when she agreed to half an hour earlier, he was forced to run through the house. He had been doing some work around the house and was in need of a shower. It took 15 minutes to get from Elrohir's house to her apartment. He looked at his watch and saw it was 4:47 pm. He was going to have to fly to get ready. He needed a shower, to get his suite pressed, and get his gift for her wrapped. He flew up the stairs and Glorfindel watched with a grin at the frantic look that he had seen on Elladan's face. He decided to be nice and press the lordling's suit as he showered.
Liz looked at her clock and nearly screamed when she saw she how long she had to get ready. She had to be ready early in case he came early. Her black dress needed ironing desperately, she was covered in dust and needed to bathe, her hair and makeup needed to be done, and pick what jewelry to wear. The least of her least problems to be certain, but it still had to be done.
To save time, Liz ended up brushing her teeth, in the shower, with one hand while washing her hair with the other. Elladan did not so, but wished he had until he walked out of the bathroom and saw Glorfindel holding his pressed suit.
"Do not think I shall ever do this again for you," Glorfindel said in Sindarin as he held out the suite for Elladan.
Elladan hugged Glorfindel, snatched the suit, and yelled, "Le hannon o guren!" through his door.
Liz received a knock on her door as she shoved her earring back onto the post. "That was close," she said to herself as she went to the door. She grabbed her wrap and purse as she walked by them and opened the door .
"You are ready I take it," Elladan said, judging by her presence of wrap and purse.
"Yes I am! Let's go," she cheerily said as they strode down the hall.
Translations!
Le hannon o guren! – I thank you from my heart!
Authors note: I am SO VERY SORRY I took such a dreadfully long time in posting, but I got absolutely swamped with a fine arts competition, in which I did fine, btw. I also had a miserable case of writers block, thus this chapter was soo late. Hopefully the next one shall come out in good time, but I make no promises. I shall do my very best to post quickly. I thank you all for reviewing and your amazing patience!
