I'm lying in my bedroll staring up at the stars. They had never been so bright back home; the big dipper was so easy to find. Wait. That's not right. The stars blur into something less recognisable. I sit up and the camp is empty. There aren't any bed rolls, a fire, or dwarves.
"Hello? Bilbo?" I call into the forest. Around me trees start to close in, and the camp is gone. I'm standing in the woods with my gun. Tom the Troll comes charging out of the dark.
One bang. Then another and he slows to a stumble. The troll shrinks in size until a familiar bald head is limping forward.
"Lass…" Dwalin falls forward. A look of betrayal forever frozen on his face.
"You killed him." Balin falls to his knees at the side of his fallen brother. He clutches Dwalin in his arms and presses their foreheads together while he cries. Muttering 'brother' brokenly over and over.
"No…" There's a dull thud as my gun hits the ground. "I didn't. I fired on the troll. I killed the troll."
"You won't let us go home will you, traitor?" Thorin spits as he appears in front of the brothers. "Spying on us for the enemy? Typical of a human, only after the gold you can put in your pocket! No matter who it destroys. We should have left you behind."
"Thorin! No, I haven't told anyone anything! Please believe me!"
"I had prayed to all the beings above that we would get to go back to the shire, together… " Bilbo materialises next to Thorin with a look I had never seen on his face before. "I don't want anything to do with you."
They ignored my pleas. I didn't know what was going on. Bilbo had never looked so resentful. The rest of the company popped up next to Thorin and Bilbo and looked at me. They all hated me too. It twisted in their faces. They shake their heads and as one turn and run into the forest.
"Wait!" I cry. "Don't leave me! Please don't leave me!" My voice breaks and suddenly my feet are following after them. I run for hours...but I can't find them.
I break the tree line and freeze. I drop to my knees as I take in the broken down city. The greenery around it wilted as an unnatural haze filled the air. The groaning of zombies rising out of the haze. A louder groaning grew from behind me. I spin around my forgotten gun appearing in my hands.
Down my sights was a rotting Bilbo. His large feet, usually well kept, were bloody and the hair knotted and missing in clumps. One dragged behind him as he shuffled forward.
"Bilbo…" Tears burn my eyes. No, he was safe! Safe with the company and in Rivendell. I wouldn't have let this happen.
My finger twitched towards the trigger without my permission. No! I didn't want to shoot Bilbo even if he was a zombie. My finger squeezed the trigger with a horrible bang Bilbo fell backward, brain matter splattering the grass behind him. His eyes dig into me, a dead stare glazed over.
I woke up crying. Curled up into a ball my face was pressed into a damp pillow. The echoes of the shots filled my head. I had to go see Bilbo and Dwalin. I felt like a startled child going to see their parents after a bad dream but… I couldn't stop myself from doing that though.
I gathered a blanket for comfort as I crept out of my room. Bilbo's room was across from mine. As silently as I could I pushed open his door. He lay dwarfed, pun intended, in the elf sized bed. I watched as his chest rose and fell with the steady rhythm of sleep.
I stood watching and listening for five minutes. With each breath my fears subside. Bilbo's alive, Bilbo's alive and probably dreaming about Bag End. I close the door softly and tread down the stairs toward where the dwarves had set up camp. I could hear their snores.
I glanced around the corner hoping they had felt safe enough to forgo a night watch. Dori sat at the table sewing away at what I could recognize as Oris jacket. He was wearing just his tunic and breeches all accessories tucked neatly in his bag by his brothers.
My bare foot slapped against the stone louder than I meant. Dori paused and looked up. I felt my cheeks flush as I stood, blanket wrapped around my shoulders, in my pajamas. There must have been a look on my face because he gestured me forwards before he patted the seat next to him.
I sat and watched Dwalin the same way I had Bilbo a few minutes before. Dori didn't say anything either because of the sleeping company or because he could tell I didn't want to talk about it. After a while my eyes grew heavy.
Hushed conversations pulled me from unconsciousness. Which is weird because I don't remember falling asleep in a place with other people.
I sat up slowly. The blanket I was tangled in is the one I'd taken from the elves last night. It was soft under my hands and thin but stifling in its heat. I let the hot blanket fall around me. My only coherent thought was 'hot' before I began to pull the wool top off, it was too hot to wear as a warm breeze blew around me. Recently when traveling I went to bed freezing but woke up sweating and this morning was no different. I felt my slick skin dampening the fluffy pajama top, thankfully I had my tank top underneath it for these mornings.
I tune back into my surroundings, having forgotten the reason I woke up in the first place, and there were a few strangled noises, some quick barks in the dwarven language, then someone else hissed.
"What in Mahal's name are you doing?!"
My eyes snap open and spot 3 dwarves looking anywhere but towards me. I mutter a quick curse realising the problem and yank the blanket back up to hopefully make them a bit more comfortable.
"So sorry," I whispered as the others were somehow still sleeping. I got up hugging my stuff to my chest. I sped past the three red dwarves. "It totally slipped my mind. I'll be going now."
I relaxed once I was away from their 'camp'. As I walked back to my room I laughed as I imagined Bilbo's reaction to finding out I had once again scandalised people with my carless disrobing.
A couple hours pass and I explore the home of the elves, well as much as I dared too. Bilbo joined me on the exploration and marveled at the buildings but we split as soon as Bilbo found what seemed to be a public library, no one kicked us out when we entered, where he decided to sit and read a few books that were in common. I was outside walking through a garden when I heard what may be a fountain. I had seen a few here and there but this sounded like a large fountain. I speed up quite intrigued as the Elves so far have stunned me with all their architecture.
I squeaked and threw my hands over my eyes. What. The. Fuck.
The dwarves were using an elven fountain as a bath. They were naked as the day they were born splashing, playing chicken, cannonballing, and just generally messing around. Who gave this a thumbs up? This was not ok! This was so disrespectful and did they have no shame?
I needed to leave. Right this second. Yes I am turning around and walking very quickly away. As I was walking away I had a thought why was this ok and me being in a tank top wasn't? Was it because of my gender or was it because this was bathing?
I decided I'd ask them at dinner surely they'd be open to talk about it now that I'd see way too much of them. No not thinking about that.
While not thinking of a certain something and covering my eyes in dramatic effect for simply myself, I ran into a chest unexpectedly. Looking up quickly my face turns red and I see Lord Elrond, he looks amused, his lips twitching with a smile he hid. The Elf next to him made a surprised noise and stopped a step later.
"I am so sorry!" I sputter
"Its quite alright, may I ask why you were walking with your hands over your eyes?" Lord Elrond's voice was definitely amused.
"Oh- uh- first let me apologise on their behalf and I do not condone it but most of my company decided to bathe in one of your fountains. I really do not recommend continuing in that direction." I point to where the bushes part and open to where the fountain was located.
Lindir looked to where the hedge opens into a path but they could not see beyond to the fountain that can clearly be heard. Horror showing but for a second on his face before it was placed with a more controlled expression. I looked at him half in apology, half I told you so.
Desperate to get away I turned to Lord Elrond.
"Lord Elrond, could I request your expertise on a …magical matter? ….Perhaps we could also involve Gandalf?" I intended to be formal with my wording but with no previous experience I fell flat… but the wording was good, except for magical. How do you even make that formal?
"Of course. Come, let us find him. Lindir perhaps you could warn citizens away from the area for a while?"
"Yes, My lord." Despite the elfs composed bow he speedly walked away.
"Do you know where Gandalf is?"
"Not around here, so we shall search elsewhere." We wander around and I get an impromptu tour of Rivendell while we search for the Manatee Missing Magic Man*. We end up finding Gandalf napping on a bench in a garden… I suppose he is an old man. Slowly we walk up to him and I gently shake his shoulder.
"Uh.. Gandalf? Are you awake?" The only indicator I had that he was asleep was the fact his hat was over his eyes.
"Huh? Oh. Razena! Lord Elrond! What can I do for you?" The man straightens his back and moves over to allow for another person to sit.
"I was hoping to talk to the both of you about a magical matter?" I answer, this may sound more fairytale than magical but eh.
"You have yet to divulge what this 'Magical Matter' is Lady Ryan." Lord Elrond looked curious and stood at a table close by. Ohh boy..
"I come from somewhere much...different." I crossed my arms and hesitated about how to describe it.
"What do you mean different? Can you elaborate my dear? Take your time." Gandalf looks weary about the topic. I decided to pull out my gun first for a bit of proof.
"I've shown you this before but this is a gun, no one in this world knows how it's built because it doesn't exist here. I'm here because I fell through some magic portal…that's my theory at least. Where I'm from we have more advanced technology and left most of our… culture and history behind- as I see it this world is in the medieval ages. None of these lands or races, besides Men, have ever been seen except in fairy tales. In my world they don't exist or at least haven't for a very very long time." I paused to observe their reactions and plan how to ask my question.
"That's not possible…not without the Valars help." Gandalf was baffled. Lord Elrond looked just as shocked as an elf could get. It almost made me laugh but the seriousness that came from the topic kept me serious, just barely.
"As curious as I am about how I got here, but I'm even more terrified of being sent back. Have you ever heard of this happening before?"
"My dear, why would you not want to return to your home? You can hardly say that all of your world is bad. There are always some bad things but there are many good ones too-" That sentence for reasons unknown to me made me angry. I harshly cut him off.
"There is nothing left of my world! Nothing good is alive there anymore…I know everything has a good or bad but the gods abandoned my world and it is falling apart now. Even with this world's brutality I prefer it to the living nightmare in my world." That is something I know is a fact."
"Lady Ryan I do not doubt you have been through a lot but this world may not be for you. You do not fully understand what this world has to take." Lord Elrond spoke carefully and with sorrow. Perhaps it was pity but I really wasn't in the mood for that.
"I can tell you for a fact that I will die a slow, agonizing death within a year of returning. Gandalf, do you know what a zombie is? Lord Elrond I know you have seen many things in your life but my world has millions of undead creatures swarming it." I pause feeling something wet hit my hand, looking down at its water.. That's when I noticed tears streaming down my face. I quickly wipe them away.
"Razena…" Gandalf sounds horrified. I heard no response from the elf lord but it was most likely similar to Gandalf's expression. "I shall do everything in my power to keep our worlds from colliding again." Gandalf vowed seriously in a way I had yet to see. Elrond looked grim.
"Some things are even beyond a wizard's power." The weight that came with the words almost seemed like a warning.
"I placed a lot on you both with this. Any answer would have been gratifying to me. Thank you." I tried to maintain a more ladylike composure in front of two ancient people, but I was slowly failing. "And I am sorry about losing my temper. It's an emotional topic and the last day and a half have been draining."
"It is nearly time for the midday meal." Lord Elrond folds his hands behind his back as he gazes up at the sun. "Lady Razena, would you care to join me? I am sure that we can convince the cooks to fix us something spectacular." He looks back to me with a soft smile.
I look at him with a blank expression then let a tiny smile fall over my lips. "That would be nice. yes … Thank you. I'm sorry, again." We start out of the gardens.
"No need, it is I who should be apologizing. My comment was unthoughtful. I did not understand the true weight of what your world had come to. I should have listened more carefully before speaking so hastily." Elrond profusely apologized.
I blinked at him, then grinned. "Apology accepted. Now you said something spectacular. How spectacular are we talking about?" Food is the way to my heart… and its a nice change of topic.
It was indeed everything that was described. The food looked so good that I almost didn't want to eat it. They had cut the strawberries in such a way that they looked like flowers. Flowers!
After I was full I thanked the cooks who had been grinning at my enjoyment the whole time. Lord Elrond gave me a tour after the meal. Halfway through I asked if he had other more important things to do than give a singular human a tour. He gave me a conspiratal smile and said not if they couldn't find him. He left me at the library with Bilbo who was seated in a corner reading a large tome. I sat down next to him and the first thing I did was tell him what I had caught the dwarves doing. His squeak of embarrassed outrage was just the reaction I had been looking for. I laughed and ignored his narrowed eyes before asking about what he was reading. We hung out until dinner where we met the rest of the company. In truth I was in a good mood and wanted to tease a little. So after I thanked the elven woman placing down my food I looked Balin in the eyes and casually asked if the fountain water had been cold. He sputtered into his cup. Wine came out of Bofur's nose. Choking came from around our table and I threw my head back and laughed. I have no idea why it was so funny.
"I can't stop!" I laughed until my belly hurt and I was out of breath. Everyone was kind of grumbly about it. I was assuming it was because they were embarrassed. What did they expect though bathing in a public fountain?
After dinner my good mood left a little bit as Thorin, Balin, Gandalf, and Bilbo left for a meeting of some sort with Lord Elrond. Thorin was grumbling under his breath but nothing more after Balin sent him a look. Bilbo glanced back confused as Gandalf led him away. Right, the quest. I had almost forgotten. It was sure to be more dangerous now or at least we were aware of the danger now.
I excused myself from the company telling them I was heading to the library. Ori perked up and said he wanted to go as well. We walked together and I asked him about his day. Turns out he had been reluctant to initially go into the fountain but their dislike of elves eventually won out and he had joined. I told him that I thought it was disrespectful to the people who were feeding us and had asked him to explain the dwarves and elves' dislike of each other. The elves were more subtle about it but I had noticed it.
In the end it seemed to boil down to a handful of incidents and betrayals and cultural differences. I asked one of the elves that seemed to have some authority in the library if I could look at some maps of Middle Earth. He showed them to me and had me promise him I'd be careful.
With Oris help I was able to see the paths before us. It seemed we had to go through the Misty Mountains and follow the river Anduin south then either go around Mirkwood or go through it. I was gonna be honest. I'd gladly tack on a little time to avoid a place called Mirkwood. With Erestors help-I'd asked his name the second time I retrieved a book- I had a pile of books about the places we were likely to pass through.
It was probably an hour and a half later when Bilbo found me curled over a book about the Misty Mountains. He sat down next to me and waited for me to finish my page. He started when I put the book down.
"Lord Elrond can read the map." He started in a whisper, although we were the only ones left in the library, as Ori had been called away by Dori fifteen minutes ago and I believe Erestor has gone to do something.
"Oh that's great. What does it say?"
"We don't know yet. It was written in moon runes. Runes that can only be read by the light of the moon they were written under." I stared at him expectantly and he continued. "Which luckily for us is in three days."
"Oh wow that's convenient. It would have been a pain for us if we had missed the moon."
He shifted nervously and I straightened up. "That's not all you want to talk about."
"Lord Elrond has offered me a place to stay here and has extended it to you." I scrunched up my face. "I've decided to continue on with the company but I wanted to let you know and let you make your own decision."
For a second I thought about staying. It was peaceful here in a different way than the Shire. I had grown to treasure peace and I wouldn't get it for a while should I continue. I had made a promise however and I intended to keep it so that we all could have a peaceful home.
"Thank you Bilbo, I appreciate that. I'll have to thank Lord Elrond too but I made a promise." We read in silence for the next hour before heading to bed.
After breakfast the next morning I found the training yard. Well I followed the loud shouts and loud noises out of curiosity and ended up in the training yard. I had not been looking specifically for it but I was glad I found it. Twenty minutes later I was back with my sword and running through the motions Dwalin taught me. I had to stop and admire the elves doing archery because wow… Their accuracy is insane. One must have noticed my gawking as he made eye contact with me while taking his next shot. Bullseye. I was so overclassed it was sad. Tearing my eyes away I went back to my own sad practice.
My arms were just beginning to shake when someone clears their throat. Looking over I saw it was the same elf from earlier holding a sword. "uh..Hi." There were so many different things to say and I chose to say that...
He took a second and looked at me over "Would you care to put your practice to the test." I blinked at him for a second before seeing him raise his sword to me. Oh he wants to spar? Or show off some more… Well, I get some practice. It would be good to work with an actual person. We stepped into a dirt ring in the courtyard. It was only then that what I had actually agreed to set in. I was about to get my ass handed to me on a fucking platinum platter.
I attacked first after a few seconds of us just staring at each other. Which sucked for me because in two moves my sword was out of my hands and I was on the ground. If this was a battle I was going to at least put up a fight and kicked at his shin then dove for my sword. Just as I was back on my feet he struck again. It was slowed, I assumed, because I actually managed to parry it. Then I was on my ass again. And like last time I was quick to get back on my feet.
After a while of being constantly beaten, frustration was beginning to settle in my gut. It could go on in two ways: tears or anger. I was on the ground when i decided to get clever and try to take my anger out. Gripping a handful of dirt I sprung to my feet, launching my hand full of dirt at his face. Then, still armed with my sword, jabbed the pommel of the hilt into his wrist. He dropped the sword, with only a moment to react I acted and dug my shoulder into his abdomen, using my weight and momentum to tackle him to the floor. I had no idea how to effectively pin another person so I held my sword above his neck.
He was smiling up at me despite the tears in the corner of his eyes. "I wondered how long you would last."
I stare at the elf with some shock. "Huh?"
"In a fight, you must fight for your life. You can't simply perform techniques you learned. You must fight your way, not how you are shown. Your far more nimble, it would be better to use your size and speed than to try and brute force every attack."
I sat back on my heels and stared at the elf indecorously. "You spent the last half hour kicking my ass just to tell me I need to fight dirty in a real fight because I suck at sword fighting? …Of course I suck I've just started learning!"
"You misunderstand. The forms you were practicing earlier were wonderful if not a little slow. Yet when you went to strike against me the form disappeared. You lack the practice to mix the forms into fighting properly. You bested me though, I had underestimated your ability to play dirty. I thought the demonstration was best."
"I'll...take that into consideration. Thank you but… fuck you." And I half meant it. The anger was melting away the moment I saw him smile. I had been trying really hard to actually use my sword as I had been instructed. I wanted to block incoming attacks instead of just running or dodging. I offered my hand to my opponent. Pulling him to his feet was oddly easier than I had been expecting. I had felt great strength from him when his blows came in contact with my blade, I expected him to weigh much more.
"I'd like to offer my continued services in your training. It would be a bit more your style, Dwarves only learn one thing" He bowed a little. "I am called Renor."
"I'd appreciate that. I'm Razena Ryan." I nodded my head and smiled at him. "Nice to meet you."
He walked with me to my room so I could grab a change of clothes and then to the baths where he said he'd be at the training grounds, same time tomorrow if I was interested in training.
Of course I went back the next day. Only Bilbo raised an eyebrow at me as I left with my sword. At least someone knew where I was going if the dwarves wanted to find me. Renor was at the training grounds as promised and while instructing me he pointed out techniques that needed improvements. As the day passed he complimented on my improvement.
During a water break I asked who he learned from? Experience? Natural talent of elves? Or just something he was passionate about. His answer? A combination of the first and third. He was a teacher of swordsmanship here in Rivendell and had been doing it for a long time. He'd get beginners like me who were used to using a sword but not in any trained style, that would be good against a lesser armed or another untrained opponent but not one that was experienced.
He hadn't had any students for a while and had been practicing his own skills when he had noticed me. Renor praised whoever had taught me, I wasn't sure if Dwalin would appreciate that or not, for taking into account my size and strength when teaching. But all that wouldn't help if I couldn't apply it in an actual fight.
Once Dwalin knew I was training with an elf in the training yard instead of with them wherever they were. The Dwarves all started coming to the training yard. The other elves there were none too happy, as much as they tried to appear otherwise, but Renor didn't seem to mind. 'More styles and different weapons to pit me against', he claimed.
One afternoon in the library, I tried to get Bilbo to join us. Claiming it would be good for him to at least try to learn the basics with that little short sword of his. He reluctantly agreed though expressed his desire to not take a life unless necessary. I introduced him to Renor who started working with him. Often during his breaks Bilbo would flinch every time I or someone else took a rough hit or landed on the ground the wrong way. There were some bruises, a split lip or two but there was also improvement. Renor told me he was impressed with my progress although didn't seem pleased when I responded that learning quickly was a requirement when growing up.
A few days before the full moon I made what might just be one of the greatest discoveries of my life. I was reading in the library with Bilbo and Ori, I was partially in disbelief to read that elves could walk on top of freshly fallen snow. No mention of snow gear, no snow shoes, so naturally I asked Bilbo. Elf magic. That was the answer I got. Which I took to mean he had no idea but still! One of the most unsatisfying answers I had ever received in my life.
So instead of walking across the library to ask the librarian I saved my question until I met up with Renor.
"How do elves walk on snow?"
"Elaborate please?"
"How do you guys walk on freshly fallen snow without snow gear and not sink?"
"Ah... elf magic."
I glare with dissatisfaction and my voice drips with it. "Noooooo. That's what Bilbo said. There's got to be something more specific you can tell me."
"Alright." I gasped excitedly as he continued. "Using magic we can change the density of our bodies."
"That's so cool!" He smiled at my enthusiasm.
"Try to move me." I pushed him and when he didn't budge, I tried throwing all my weight behind my next attempt. It was like shoving against a wall. I stepped back. "Try again." he shortly stated.
This time when I shoved him he went flying backwards.
"So how do you not get blown away."
"Elf magic." His face broke into a cheshire grin and I rolled my eyes.
End Chapter 12
I'm so so sorry for the long delay the co-editor was at boot camp. I'm also sorry for not yet updating on AO3. My username there is pretty similar the same, Every_Fandom_At_Once! I have no knowledge on fighting or swordsmanship. I'm pulling everything out of my ass please forgive me.
Co-editor finally free with time- No fear, I returned and looked it over. I also dont know anything about sword fighting. But it sounds reasonable. Manatee Missing Magic Man.* not my fault. I tried to take it out. I lost a bet.
