just trying to wrap their heads around this startling new discovery.
One hundred and fifty years have passed, and Charlotte along with her friends are about to get a very unexpected surprise. Charlotte went back to NĂșmenor as per the agreement, and finds that Ulmo has turned Zane Bennett before bringing him here to Arda. With this development Charlotte realizes that it is only a matter of time before Cleo is here as well. So when the half a year is over Charlotte decides that there is something that needs to be put right, and the preparations need to be made now before any more time passes.
As soon as Charlotte is back in Caras Galadhon she goes to her father, and says.
"Father who are the best jewellers in all of Middle-Earth?" Charlotte
"That would be the Dwarves of Erebor." Haldir
"Can I see a map of the rivers of Middle-Earth?" Charlotte
"Why? What's going on Charlotte?" Haldir
"I have to go there now." Charlotte
"Charlotte?!" Haldir
"There is something I have to make right, and I need their help to do it." Charlotte
Haldir sighs, takes out the correct map, and says.
"Alright you can go, but when you get back I want a full explanation. Do you understand me Charlotte?" Haldir
"Yes father." Charlotte
Charlotte and Haldir plot the correct route to get from Lothlorien to Erebor by river, and she leaves.
Charlotte swims north up the AndĂșin, and walks over land to the Forest River. At the end of the Forest River Charlotte arrives at Long Lake. Charlotte swims across the lake being careful not to get tangled up in any of the fisherman's nets. At the other side of the lake Charlotte finds a place where no one will see her, drags herself onto shore, drys herself off, and walks toward The Lonely Mountain. The guard at the gate looks at Charlotte, and says.
"Halt! State your business stranger." guard
"I have come to speak to a craftsman about a commission." Charlotte
The guard thinks about this, and says.
"Open the gates." guard
As soon as the gates are open Charlotte enters the Mountain, and is shown to the market. Charlotte asks her guide to show her to the most reputable and talented Jeweller in the mountain. As the guide is thinking about who he should refer Charlotte to the King who was taking a stroll through the market hears their conversation, and says.
"I would be happy to take whatever job this respectful young lady has in mind." Thror
"That is an excellent idea. The King is the best Jeweller in the Mountain with an outstanding reputation." guide
Charlotte takes the guides words into consideration, and says.
"You're hired." Charlotte
"Follow me to my workshop Mistress..." Thror
"My name is Charlotte pardon my bad manners." Charlotte
"It's fine something is obviously bothering you so it is easy to forget such things. I am Thror King Under the Mountain." Thror
"Good to meet you King Thror." Thror
"Likewise. Now I am very interested in hearing about this job you have hired me to do." Thror
By this part of the conversation Thror, Charlotte, and her guide have reached Thror's workshop, and Charlotte explains the job she needs done saying.
"I need you to make a locket identical to the one I'm wearing." Charlotte
"May I see the locket?" Thror
Charlotte takes off the locket, and hands it to Thror. Thror examines it thoroughly, and says.
"I can do it, but would it ok if I put a different stone in place of the sapphire?" Thror
"I have no problem with that as long that is the only thing you change about the design." Charlotte
"The design itself will be unchanged apart from what I have already mentioned. Your guide will show you to a guest room on the upper level. I want this to be my best work yet so it will take a while to complete; So if it is alright with you please stay in the city as my guest until the work is completed?" Thror
"Your kind invitation is gratefully accepted King Thror." Charlotte
"Excellent now run along I have work to do." Thror
Charlotte nods, and leaves the workshop to see what wonders the city of the Dwarves has for her to enjoy.
Charlotte settles into a guest room reserved for visiting dignitaries, and thinks on all of the fun she's had since she left the workshop. Her thoughts flow back to the reason why she is here in the first place, and Charlotte can't help but wonder if Cleo will accept her gift. Charlotte commissioned King Thror to make the locket so that she can give it to Cleo. Charlotte can't bring herself to give Cleo her Grandmother's locket, but Charlotte hopes that she will like the one that was made for her even better. Cleo is Charlotte's best friend, and therefore deserves nothing but the best, and that is why Charlotte came to Erebor to have the locket made. Charlotte hopes that Cleo understands why she can't give her Grandma's locket to her, but instead had another one made for her that matches the set exactly. It took a while for Charlotte to think up this plan, but after she did Charlotte decided that she would only do it fifty years before Cleo was due to come to Middle-Earth. Now that Ulmo has brought Zane to Middle-Earth Charlotte has a feeling that Cleo is going to be next so she came here to put her plan into action.
A Dwarf knocks on her door, and says.
"Miss Charlotte dinner is being served." page
"I'm coming presently." Charlotte
Charlotte looks over her clothes, and finds them satisfactory before following the page out the door. When Charlotte gets to dinner she takes her seat where she was instructed to, and everyone begins to enjoy themselves. The Dwarves are quite rowdy in their merriment, but are good company none-the-less. Charlotte will never forget what the Dwarves of Erebor are doing for her, and they will have her unending friendship for the great service they are doing for her. Charlotte is enjoying dinner immensely, and hopes that she will be just as happy as she is now when she sees the locket. After dinner everyone goes to bed after the fun evening that was had by all. The next morning Charlotte gets ready for the day, eats the breakfast a maid brought her, and goes out to enjoy more of the sights and sounds the city has to offer. The Dwarves that she meets are all pleasantly surprised by how respectful and genuinely kind the elf is toward a race that barely gets along with elves at best, and are bitter enemies at the very worst. The King is so impressed with Charlotte's kind and caring nature that after he has finished the locket, and received adequate payment King Thror names Charlotte DwarrowFriend. King Thror then asks her to stay in Erebor for the remainder of the year. Charlotte thinks over the idea, and says.
"I would very much enjoy an extended stay in your magnificent city, but I can only stay for six months then I must return to the sea. So if you wish me to stay for an entire year it can not be done all at once." Charlotte
"Why would you need to go to the sea? Surely you are not thinking of sailing to the Blessed Realm?" Thror
"No King Thror. I must go back into the sea after six months as per a promise made in the presence Ulmo." Charlotte
"How is that possible?" Thror
Charlotte smiles wistfully, and says.
"While I am very much an elf; I am also equally a Child of the Sea." Charlotte
King Thror thinks about what he just heard of his friend, and says.
"I had heard a rumour that speaks of Ulmo bringing a new kind of people to his realm so that he may have a people of his own to love and care for, but I had thought that it was just a rumour obviously it was not. I would like you to spend an entire year in my city, but you do not have to do it all at once. When the time comes, return to the sea as you must, but then I implore you return here for the rest of your visit." Thror
"I will gladly do so for I greatly enjoy the company of such wonderful people." Charlotte
Every Dwarf in the room blushes at the compliment that Charlotte has given them.
Charlotte can't understand why elves and Dwarves have such a hard time getting along; From what Charlotte can tell both people are quite similar. Charlotte also knows that there is no way for a single person to mend all of the misunderstandings that exists between them. All Charlotte can do is be their friend, and show them that not all elves think poorly of them. Charlotte knows that she will always be there for them when ever her friends need her help. Charlotte will keep her promise to only ever use her power to protect her friends, and never to harm them with her powers ever. Charlotte wanders around the city thinking of all the things that brought her here, and realizes that everything could have gone a whole lot worse than it did when things went bad with the girls. Charlotte tunes back into what her guide is saying so that he will not realize that she got lost in thought for a moment. Charlotte smiles as little Dwarf children toddle around her ankles asking for a story. Charlotte sits on the bench by the fire in the main hall, and says.
"Alright children gather around, and I'll tell you a story, but you have to promise not to interrupt until I'm done. Can you do that for me?" Charlotte
"Yes Miss Charlotte." children
"Alright then I'll tell you the story of the Sea Children:
Some time ago on a world called Earth in the vast ocean's live people who love the beauty and majesty of their home, but they also had lives to enjoy on land. Three of these people thought that they were the only ones in the world, because as far as they knew you had to be turned into a Sea Child. These girls are very happy with how carefree their lives can be as Sea Children, but it is only in the sea where their lives are like that. You see if the Sea Children want to walk on land they have be and stay dry as that is the only way for a Sea Child to have legs. Now the Sea Children had to be extremely careful not get wet when on land especially if there are any land people around, because if they did their legs would be replaced with fish tails. It is of the utmost importance that this is kept a secret because if the land people ever found out about the Sea Children they could be badly hurt by the land people. The Sea Children had many adventures while trying to protect their secret. The only time that the girls are truly free is when they are in the sea, and one place in particular is most special to the Sea Children. This sacred place is called Mako Island, and on this island is a volcano, but instead of hot molten rock like one would expect from a volcano there is a pool of sea water under the cone. The magic of Mako Island flows through the water of the pool when the moon is full, and anyone who swims in the moonpool when the full moon is overhead will be turned into a Sea Child.
When the three girls had been Sea Children for three years a new girl named Charlotte moves to town, and meets a really nice boy named Lewis. Lewis was courting one of the three Sea Children named Cleo, but was still willing to be friends with Charlotte. Cleo swam in the moonpool while the full moon was over head, and as a result she became much more powerful than she was before. Lewis tried his best to help Cleo, but all it ended up doing was causing her to feel crowded and stressed. The only ones who understand this are Cleo's friends, and one of her friends named Rikki suggests that she break up with him until they get their powers under control. Cleo took the suggestion because she didn't want to be responsible for Lewis getting hurt ever again. You see whenever a Sea Child looks at the full moon they get put in a trance, and it dramatically alters their personality. Fortunately this is only temporary it goes away as soon as the moon sets. On that full moon the girls had seen the moon, and swam to Mako Island. Touching water only made the affliction even worse causing them to use their new found power to create a powerful storm which blew Lewis out of the volcano's cone when Lewis had come to try and do something to help the girls while they were so afflicted. Now Lewis and Cleo are split up, and Lewis is sad for awhile. Lewis starts to take an interest in Charlotte as more than just friends. Cleo becomes very jealous that Charlotte is spending time with the man she loves even though they had broken up. While Charlotte, and Lewis are together the Cleo tries to at least be friends with Lewis even though he has moved on, and found some one else. This makes Charlotte a little bit uneasy, but she is fine with it as long as they are just friends.
Charlotte's grandmother had painted many paintings of Mako Island, and Charlotte wants to paint them like her grandmother did so Lewis agrees to take her there so she can paint this beautiful lush island. The Sea Children don't like Charlotte being on the island, and Cleo in particular decides to spy on them while they are there. They eventually leave, but not before Charlotte falls into the cavern containing the moonpool. The couple looks around the cavern for a way out, but the only way out they can find is to swim through the passageway at the other side of the moonpool. Charlotte is just glad that she left her grandmother's paintings outside when she fell into the cavern, and the two of them swim to freedom through the underwater passageway. Lewis and Charlotte collect their things, and leave on Lewis' boat.
It is discovered that Lewis still has feelings for Cleo, and a sickness begins to develop in the mind of Charlotte. Charlotte discovers that her grandmother was one of the first group of Sea Children that Mako's magic had made. When Lewis tried to deny it, and keep the truth from her the sickness in Charlotte's mind grew even worse than it already was. Charlotte discovers the secrets of Mako, and swims in the moonpool under the light of the full moon. Lewis realizes that his relationship with Charlotte was never going to workout so the next morning Lewis goes to break up with Charlotte, but Charlotte reveals to Lewis that she turned herself into a Sea Child. Charlotte befriends the other Sea Children, and for awhile their friendship keeps the sickness from Charlotte's mind bringing her happiness that she had never known before. The sickness began to return causing friction between Charlotte and her friends that she cares about very much. The more that things go wrong the farther Charlotte sinks into the depths of the madness sickening her mind. The sickness got so bad that Charlotte was hurting the very people that she cared about most.
Fortunately the Vala of the Sea of Arda had compassion for Charlotte, and completely cleared the sickness from her mind never to return with the sound of his voice. He offered her a fresh start, and a chance at a whole new life. With her newly restored sanity Charlotte realized how horrible she had been to her friends so she returned to her home to write a heart felt letter to her friends apologizing for her cruel behaviour. As soon as her dearest friend read the letter she forgave her for everything, but Charlotte still had to leave so that she could find the happiness that the Vala had promised her." Charlotte
"Miss Charlotte is that story actually true?" child 1
"Yes it is. Now I think that your parents are probably wondering where you are so you should run on home now before your folks start to worry." Charlotte
"Yes Miss Charlotte." children
The children run home as fast as they can, and Charlotte looks around the room and notices a young scribe who has just finished a book he had been working on. The scribe looks up, and smiles at Charlotte in a way that she can tell that it was her story that he just turned into a book. Charlotte is glad that their story will be remembered. Charlotte walks over and begins talking to the scribe hoping that they will become friends. Any friendships that Charlotte makes will be friendships that will last a life time and beyond. All in all Charlotte's quite enjoying the time she is spending with the Dwarves. Charlotte will not allow anything to get between her and her friends not even the rift between elves and Dwarves. Charlotte hopes that the day will come when she can introduce Balin to her other friends after they are brought to Arda. Charlotte knows that Balin and her friends will get along very well, and it will make her very glad to see all her friends getting along so well. Sometimes Charlotte wonders when she will find the happiness that Ulmo promised her.
