There and Back Again: Edith's Story

.*.*.*.*.

Author's Note: I am extremely nervous about having this invented letter in Tolkien's perspective. I sincerely hope to keep it as Tolkienesque as I possibly can. I hope I don't put shame on Tolkien and what a brilliant person/professor/author he is and was. I am not a historian, but I did research on his writing and looked around and studied his personality through his writing. I know a few hours of studying won't come nearly as close, but I hope to do justice to Professor Tolkien. As for Azog, I am going to stick to the original storyline of the book.

A blood-curdling shriek in the distance jolted Edith out of her much-needed rest. Her blood ran cold at the sound she had just heard. Bilbo, too, had looked over, startled. She glanced over at Fili and Kili before getting up.

"What was that?" Bilbo asked.

"Orcs," Kili answered.

"Orcs?" the hobbit squeaked.

"What on earth?"

"Throat-cutters…there'll be dozens of them out there." Fili added, then glanced over at Edith who's features had paled.

"What exactly are Orcs?" she asked.

"They're our worst enemies. They come at night while everyone is sleeping and slaughter us. No screams, just lots of blood." Kili whispered, his expression darkening for a moment.

Bilbo looked like he was about to faint again. Fili and Kili snorted and laughed.

"You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?" Thorin spat, glaring at his youngest nephew.

"We didn't mean anything by it."

"Of course not, you know nothing of the world, foolish ignorant child." Thorin hissed, walking away.

Edith glared at the back of Thorin's head. How on earth was he such an arrogant prick to everyone? Edith was about to call him out on his behavior when Fili placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't," he said, softly.

"What?"

"I know that look on your face, Edith. You were about to reprimand my uncle for his behavior again." Fili continued.

She huffed in frustration and leaned back against the stone beside Fili.

"How did you know that?" she inquired.

"You always make that face when Thorin annoys you." Fili whispered, with a small smile.

Edith looked over at Balin who had been telling a story about the war with orcs and dwarves attempting to reclaim Moria. He had consoled Kili after looking rather guilty about making jokes about night raids by orcs. Most of the other dwarves had woken up to listen to the stories Balin was reliving.

"That's when I saw him. A young dwarf prince revolting against our enemy with not but an oaken branch to defend himself with. Azog the Defiler learned that day, the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. I thought to myself then, there is someone I could follow, someone whom I could call king. He rallied our people against the orcs to victory. There was no song, nor feasting that night after the battle. There had been too much bloodshed and a great loss of our people."

"What happened to Azog?" Edith asked.

"Thorin's cousin, Daín, had slaughtered him amid the battle, defending his king. Azog had been beheaded and his head placed upon a spike." Balin answered. "Bolg, his spawn had survived, but we do not know where he had hidden himself once the war ended."

A memory flashed through Edith after hearing the story from Balin about their war. She stumbled and looked on in fear, remembering the sudden moment when the Germans had attacked. Two of the soldiers beside her had been killed while making their way into the old barn. The others still living had dropped to the ground, hiding behind the thick blades of grass. For the English, base had been in that barn. German scouts were still prowling, looking for their enemies. There had been a medical station where one other doctor was there with Edith.

"Nurse Williams, I need you to help me remove the bullet from Barnsley. If we can get it out in time and operate, he may yet have a chance to live."

"What about Bottrell, sir?" Edith asked.

"It…it is too late for Bottrell." Doctor Clifton said, his jaw clenched.

A voice in the present startled her and Edith looked up in fright, jumping back, her shoulders tense and her jaw clenched.

"Edith, are you alright?" Kili asked, concern etched across his features. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I – I'll be fine." Edith answered, turning away from the dwarf.

She had gotten up and walked away from the company to sit near the trees. Edith looked on at the horizon before her, trying to focus on the beautiful stars above her rather than memories that the war had brought. Someone behind his cleared their throat. The young woman looked up and saw one Balin looking down at her.

"Are you alright, lass?" Balin asked.

He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I – I just had a memory, that's all, really." Edith said, quietly.

"Was it from one of your wars back home?"

"How did you guess?" she asked, with an incredulous laugh.

"I know that look on the face of someone who has seen war. It affects you still." Balin said, sitting beside her.

"Does it ever go away?"

"No, lass, the memories will always be there. However, you are amongst old warriors and friends. Take slowly the days ahead of you. It is wise to have someone to confide in with such things as war. We have suffered many great losses and know what it is you have witnessed. We will help you if we can. Don't be wary of asking for help should you need it." Balin continued. "I know there has been some doubt amongst us about you, lass, but you have been a pleasure to have along in this company and you have shown great courage for someone so young."

"Thank you, Balin, truly." Edith spoke, softly.

The old dwarf smiled back at her and got up.

"Will you join us there?" he asked, before leaving.

"I'll be a moment. I just need to stop thinking about it."

Balin nodded and walked back up to the company. Within a few moments, Edith got up to join the company again, releasing a shaky breath. The dwarves looked at her as she walked back. She sat back down beside Fili and Kili. Edith and Fili shared a glance. Now that she was back, some of the other dwarves went back to sleep.

"Edith, you should rest." Fili told her, quietly.

"I can't sleep – not with the memories of war on my mind." Edith whispered.

"Would you like something to help you sleep, lass?" Oin asked. "I've got some medicinal herbs for that."

"It's alright, Oin, thank you." Edith gave the healer a kind smile. "I'm used to having nights like this. I just don't like thinking about all the friends I lost…" her voice faded.

Her smile left, and Edith looked down at the ground. She felt Fili's hand on the small of her back.

"Maybe I will try to sleep the rest of the night," Edith whispered.

She used her knapsack as a pillow and laid down beside Fili, her back facing the fire. It was a delightful warmth for her. Fili unclipped his cloak and laid it on top of Edith's sleeping form. He looked down at her and carefully brushed her dark hair out of her face. Once the fire had died, Fili and Kili had switched watches with Balin and Gandalf. Fili went to lie beside Edith, though not too close. He turned his head towards her and noticed in her sleep she was facing him. She had shifted at some point. He reached his hand over to brush the same loose strands of hair behind her ear.

"Sleep well, 'ibinê," Fili murmured. "While we still can sleep…"

.*.*.*.*.

Jack sat at his desk in the library and formed a letter. He had picked up a copy of The Hobbit at the bookstore and read the first few chapters of it. He decided to write Mr. Tolkien a letter, asking questions about the mysterious world. There was no feasible way on earth that Edith could have simply vanished out of time and space to another world. But he had to know.

Dear Mr. Tolkien,

My name is Jack Clark and I was writing in communication to you about the world of Middle-earth. I had an interest in learning more of your excellent work. My fiancé Edith had found a copy of The Hobbit during the war and it has become her and my new favorite piece of literature. This may sound strange but since you are a writer, I thought that this fantastical idea may come across as a normality. It has been several months since my Edith's disappearance. I have reported this disappearance to the Scotland Yard, however, they have had no trace of her. She had not fled the country or taken any sort of transportation away from here. No one has any record of such findings.

My question for you, Mr. Tolkien is thus. Is it possible there are entrances in our world to your world of fiction that you have created? One evening after a conversation, Edith had gone through a door down the end of our corridor, only to vanish. I would have thought the door connected to the neighbour's complex, but Mr. Whittaker kindly informed me there was no door in the guest bedroom that would connect our two complexes. The entrance had been sealed off with a wall and there was just a door there. Do you think it is possible for such a thing to occur? Thank you for your time and your understanding.

Cordially,

Jack H. Clark

It seemed utterly mad, but Jack had to find out. He had to know. He sealed the letter and folded it into an enveloped and addressed it to Mr. Tolkien's home. That same day, he sent it to the post, hoping it would arrive at Mr. Tolkien's home within a decent amount of time.

The house was dreadfully quiet without Edith. The grandfather clock chimed three times as he left the house that day. He hoped dearly that he could find her soon. They hadn't even thought of a date for their wedding. Jack wondered if she missed him – or if she had forgotten entirely about him and decided to be with another man. Especially after what had happened the evening they had gone for dinner at her parent's. Edith's mother had not approved of Jack. She hadn't liked him from the start and would often look at him with a scowl on her face. Her father, on the other hand, enjoyed Jack's company. Before the dinner, they had sat in the study together, each with a glass of brandy at hand.

But now, he didn't have the heart to tell them that their only daughter had vanished out of sight. That would persuade Edith's mother plenty that Jack was no good for her daughter. She would blame him for the cause.

Jack walked down the busy streets of London, going slower than usual to avoid going home so quickly. He stopped to get a bite of fish n' chips and thanked the vendor. Edith often cooked for them, but now it wasn't much use to cook for himself. It was easier to eat elsewhere. It hadn't been just that though, he didn't really know how to cook and didn't fancy to burn anything in the house. Eventually, Jack came to his doorstep and went in. There wasn't much else to do except wait and hope.

.*.*.*.*.

England – Christmas 1950

Jack was in the kitchen listening to the outside world news on BBC Radio. There had been a lot of change in the world the years following the second great war. The letter slot had opened and shut by the door. Jack got up from the kitchen to see if there had been any written response from Mr. Tolkien. It had been several weeks since he had sent the letter. At last, there was a response! The script was elegant though very easily read.

Dear Mr. Clark,

Thank you for your kind words. I am quite thrilled that you enjoyed The Hobbit – however, I am sorry to hear of your fiancé's disappearance and I wish you the best of luck in finding Edith. However, to further answer your questions about Middle-earth and possible 'portals' as you put in your correspondence, I could not say for certain that anything like that exists. I like to believe it would be possible, nevertheless.

I, myself, have not witnessed such an occurrence. I would very much like to meet those who I have penned in person, though I know them as I would my old friends from the war and from university. Should this be true that Edith has indeed gone to Middle-earth, I would greatly like to meet and discuss her adventures to gain more knowledge on the world and people in it from a first encounter perspective. That is, if she will be open to the meeting one day.

I do not know how time works between worlds, if this is truth. I could not say how long time will pass by between here and there. Considering how long it has been since I received your letter, I don't think it to be anything like Clive's children's book about Narnia. Feel free to keep in correspondence and inform me upon Edith's return. Merry Christmas, my dear fellow, and I hope for a better new year for you and your fiancé.

With Kind Regards,

JRR Tolkien

Jack read the letter repeatedly. He was grateful…no, relieved that Mr. Tolkien had not completely dismissed the idea to be inconceivable. If only there was a way to know if such thresholds existed. Jack now hoped there was a way for Edith to come home. He needed her. He needed Edith at his side. He wanted to spend the rest of their days together. If she ever did come home, Jack decided they would move to the country. She had never seen the countryside and it would be better for her to enjoy. Come home, Edith. Jack thought as he folded the letter from Tolkien away.

"Please come home, my love," Jack whispered.