PART ONE: ANACHRONISM
LXIX: A Very Long Run
I didn't stay long enough to see Bombur wake up from his nap. After a good twenty minutes of bickering over the importance of majesty, the dwarrows decided it was good time to take a rest, and then I Skipped away in the middle of a very important conversation with Ori about how to knit cardigans.
The Skip decided to place me on a rough, gray rock in the middle of a grassland. I sat there for a moment, thinking that the landscape looked vaguely familiar, before I realized I must be somewhere in Rohan. I got to my feet and looked around. Left. Right. Forward. Back. Up. Down. No one. I was completely alone.
"Well, that's just great." I crossed my arms and tapped my foot impatiently against the grassy ground. "Any time you want to Skip me away…"
Nothing happened.
I sat back down on the rock and stretched my legs out in front of me. The pants the innkeeper had given me were slightly too big, and I'd had to use a belt to keep them up. They were also itchy, and I could only dream of my comfortable jeans waiting in my closet back in Ohio.
I wondered how long the Senturiel would keep me here. It must have been about seven days since my father had told me he was from Bree and I'd Skipped away. Did the Senturiel just plan to keep Skipping me around Middle Earth, never letting me return home? It had to at some point, right? It couldn't just leave me in Middle Earth forever.
The thought made me pause. Could the Senturiel leave me in Middle Earth forever? Could it just decide that I no longer belonged in Ohio and keep me in this world? How would I feel about that? Honestly, I didn't know. My mom, my dad, my aunt, Bonnie, Nick…they were all in Ohio, and I didn't think it'd be easy to part with them. But what if the situation were reversed? What if one day the Senturiel decided no more Skipping to Middle Earth? Could I say goodbye to the Fellowship, the Company, my friends in Gondor and Rohan? I didn't think I could do that either. I belonged to both worlds. Even before knowing my father was from Bree, I had belonged to both, and I didn't think I could easily say goodbye to one or the other.
Maybe a year ago I would've begged the Senturiel to let me stay in Ohio, let me live a normal life, but now I didn't think that was what I wanted. Maybe for awhile, it'd be nice to live in one place, to see what it felt like to have a stable life, but I had the feeling I'd grow bored if I stayed there too long, and I'd probably end up looking for an adventure.
A bitter breeze swept through the flatland, causing the grass to ripple like the ocean. I shivered and wrapped my arms around my shoulders. Maybe sitting on the rock wasn't the brightest idea. Maybe I should movie to find shelter. But I figured the Skip had dumped me here for a reason and whoever—whatever—I was supposed to meet would come along soon enough.
Another breeze passed through, and I hoped whoever it was came sooner than soon enough.
After what felt like an age but was probably really only five minutes, I spotted three figures heading towards me. It didn't take me long to figure out that a man, an elf, and a dwarf traveling together could only be three people—Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli.
I watched them approach. They were traveling swiftly, the rucksacks on their backs seemed nearly empty and they were drawing nearer with alarming speed. Their elvish cloaks were stained from long days of travel, and exhaustion was etched into their faces. Of course, Aragorn and Legolas were running at about the same pace, while Gimli trailed behind them.
I tried to figure out what time in Middle Earth it was, but all I could figure was that it was sometime before they reunited with Gandalf and rode into Edoras.
It was Legolas who spotted me first. His eyes narrowing as he said something to his Aragorn and then to Gimli. All three of them looked at me, and I waved back.
"Ana," said Aragorn, coming to a halt when he reached me. "You are here."
"Yes?" I said. "I tend to be everywhere."
"We do not have long to talk," said Legolas, stopping beside Aragorn. Gimli was still running to catch up with them.
I glared irritably at the elf. I wanted to tell him in his elf-arrogance that if Aragorn wanted to talk to me, then they could. But then, I noticed the grim lines in two's faces and I realized that they really couldn't stay and talk.
"What's up?" I asked.
The expression confused them, and Legolas actually looked up at the sky, frowning. Aragorn, however, seemed to guess the meaning of the question, because he said, "We are in pursuit."
"A party of uruk-hai," added Legolas. "They have taken Merry and Pippin captive." A shadow crossed over his pretty-boy face as he said the hobbits' names. He seemed to have some idea of what fate awaited them if they reached Isengard, and it wasn't a good one.
I knew where I was in time now, of course. As if I could forget the two hobbits screaming Boromir's name as he knelt helplessly on the ground... But they escaped the uruk-hai into Fangorn Forest. I remember being told this story both by Éomer and Pippin. While Merry and Pippin had been fleeing into the forest, Éomer and co had slaughtered the orcs during the night. Treebeard then found Merry and Pippin, brought them to the Entmoot, and eventually they sparked the ents into war, which brought about the destruction of Saruman and Orthanc.
I stared at the three hunters in front of me. In the end, their race from Amon Hen to the borders of Fangorn Forest meant nothing, since Merry and Pippin had managed to free themselves. Still, the chase had been impressive.
"What's the rush?" I asked. "You have time to rest and chat with me." Looking at red-faced Gimli, I rather thought he needed the rest.
"'What is the rush?'" repeated Legolas, horrified that I could be so casual about this. "They are taking the hobbits to Isengard. There, Merry and Pippin will be tortured into confessing the location of the Ring."
"They're fine," I said.
"You cannot guarantee such a thing," said Legolas.
"Who do you take me for?" I asked. "I'm the frigging Skipper, traveler of time and space, yada yada. I know these things."
"Ana, you are here!" Gimli had finally reached us. The poor dwarf was out of breath, gasping, panting, and dripping sweat. "What brings…you…to Rohan?"
"I'm just passing through," I said.
Aragorn glanced over his shoulder in the direction they had been headed. There was a large rock formation jutting out of the grass landscape. Aragorn stared at them for a moment, before turning back to the rest of us.
"We must move on," said Aragorn grimly. "In all haste if we hope to catch the uruk-hai before nightfall."
"Merry and Pippin are fine," I said. The three of them gave me doubtful looks. I suppose at this point in time they weren't as assured of my ability to know the future as they would become. "I'll even come along with you—that's how certain I am that they're fine."
They gave me skeptical looks.
"What?" I asked. "When have you ever known me to volunteer when there'll be orcs involved?"
They couldn't argue with that. Legolas, who never missed a chance to make a joke at my expense, had to add, "The words 'in all haste' would exclude you."
I smiled as sweetly as I could. "Would you like some help having that stick removed from your backsi—"
"We must depart," said Aragorn, who had the sense to change the subject.
Before Legolas and I could argue any further, Aragorn led the run along the grasslands in pursuit of the uruk-hai and the two hobbits. Legolas followed, gracefully and swiftly, while Gimli and I exchanged glances before hurrying after them.
It took me a whole seven minutes before I started regretting me decision to tag along. I should've just stayed on the rock and waited for the Senturiel to Skip me somewhere else. Then again, when I had ever not gone along with the Fellowship or the Company? Of course, it usually involved more walking and less running. I was just glad that a few months ago I had started going to the gym on regular basis (or at least as regular as I could manage with all the Skipping going on). A year ago, I would have been wailing about how unfit I was and about how Aragorn and Legolas were showing off their long legs., while Gimli glowered at me and left me in the dust But now, I could at least keep pace with Gimli (though Gimli had been running for almost three days, and I had only just started).
The run seemed like a never ending race to the finish line. Aragorn and Legolas didn't know the meaning of "slow but steady" and they sped through the grasslands. The first half hour wasn't too bad. My breathing was even and I even managed a smile when I stumbled over a small rock. But when the first hour of the run drew to a close I was huffing and puffing, and my stamina had reached its limit.
"I should've stayed on the rock," I muttered.
Gimli and I were falling further and further behind Legolas and Aragorn until all we could only tell them apart by the fact that Legolas had a brilliant blond hair and Aragorn didn't.
"Curse my short legs!" I cried.
Gimli shot me an annoyed look, and I grinned sheepishly back. I probably didn't have the run to complain about my legs in his presence.
Between deep pants, Gimli said, "All day, every day, for three days, we have run. You do not know the meaning of suffering until you have run with a man and an lef.
"We can form the short legs club," I offered. "Power to the short people and all that."
Gimli scoffed. "It is not that we have short legs, but that elves and men have long legs." He glowered at his companions backs.
Up ahead, Legolas glanced over his shoulder. He saw us far behind him and waved at us to catch up. Aragorn saw us too and shouted something to egg us on. We couldn't hear him since we were so far behind.
"They're probably laughing at us," I said, gasping for breath between each word.
"We could cut off their legs," said Gimli. "Just below the knees. Then they would not be so far ahead of us."
I nodded. "It would wipe the smug smiles off their faces."
Aragorn and Legolas finally decided to take a rest, waiting for us two shorties to catch up. It was rather stupid, since Aragorn and Legolas were the ones getting the long rest, but Gimli and I were the ones who needed it. As we joined the others, both Gimli and I were covered in sweat and dust. Our faces were bright red and our breathing came in short, sharp pants. I glanced over Legolas and Aragorn and saw that they were in perfect condition, relaxing in the midday sun. Legolas hadn't even broken a sweat.
"Ana, Gimli, so you have finally decided to join us." Legolas had never looked more the snooty elf than he did in that moment. I was seriously starting to consider Gimli's idea of cutting tall people's legs at the knee.
"We cannot rest long," said Aragorn (I think he was trying to kill poor Gimli and me). "We are gaining on the uruk-hai. Merry and Pippin are not far now."
I was amazed that with my pace they were actually able to gain on anyone, but I supposed the uruk-hai were taking their time, not expecting the three remaining members of the Fellowship to be crazy enough to follow them.
"Merry and Pippin are fine," I said for the umpteenth time. "No rush. Please don't run Gimli and I to death. Please." When I heard no answer, I looked up at Aragorn. His face was unreadable as he stared off into the distance of the grasslands. Faintly, we could see a dark line, which I guessed to be the border of Fangorn Forest. Collapsing back leaning back on the ground, my arms supporting me, I asked, "What exactly would you do if you met the uruk-hai?"
Aragorn's brows rose, not missing my choice of words. "We would rescue the hobbits."
"But how?" I asked. "The orcs far outnumber you." I hadn't seen the party of uruk-hai myself (thank you, Senturiel, for that small kindness), but I'd heard the story from both Éomer and Pippin, and from what I knew, no matter how good of warriors Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli were, they couldn't take on that many orcs.
"You will find," said Legolas, "that elves are often light on their feet and can walk among slower creatures unnoticed."
I assumed by "slower creatures" he meant me, Gimli, and the orcs. My eyes narrowed as I looked up at elf. "You plan to stealth through a party of uruk-hai?"
"I have done so before," said Aragorn. "I have walked along the walls of Mordor unnoticed and made it safely through the mines of Moria."
"Really?" So Aragorn and Legolas were both tall, fast, and stealthy. I looked over at Gimli and knew that if we were tried to sneak up on the uruk-hai, we'd end up captured and beheaded in less than two minutes. Some people got all the luck.
Legolas had moved to talk to Gimli, who had taken a seat on a disfigured rock, and I could see the dwarf glowered up at him. Despite Gimli's complaints and his plans to cut off Legolas's legs, the two of them were good friends.
Aragorn was watching me curiously. Finally, he said, "I do not understand this strange gift that you possess. How is it you come by your knowledge of the future? Do you see it, or do you, as Gandalf said, walk through time?"
"It's not a gift," I said, "and I understand it as little as you do. But yes, I actually go to the future and walk around. I've met you in the future. I won't tell you when and where, but I will tell you that you're frigging crazy."
Aragorn blinked in surprise. Then, a slow smile spread across his face, and he laughed. It was deep, chuckling sounded, and I realized that it'd been a long time since I'd heard Aragorn laugh. The last time had probably been in Rivendell, when I'd talked for hours with him and Arwen, or perhaps on the road east, before we had to make the choice of crossing over the Misty Mountains or under them.
The journey had taken its toll on Aragorn, I realized. It was a long, bloody march to the throne of Gondor, and he still had a way to go yet. He reminded me faintly of Thorin, their smiles always followed by a shadow. Of course, their circumstances were very different. Aragorn had never seen the city he was supposed to rule, while Thorin had been cast out from his. Aragorn's people didn't even know he existed, while Thorin's people followed his every command. Aragorn had known little of his father, while Thorin bore the hopes and dreams of his. Still, Aragorn and Thorin had the same grim, determined air that seemed to hover around them. Their choices affected more than just themselves, and they knew it.
"You are a good king," I said. It was probably a stupid thing to say, but I wanted to do something to lighten Aragorn's burden, even if it was only a little bit.
Aragorn smiled. "I am not king yet."
"You're king to me," I said. The image of Aragorn standing over the black throne, his dark eyes fixed on the lords of Gondor, flashed before my eyes. "And you're doing a great job."
"You are doing well yourself," said Aragorn. "You have endured more than any of us thought." He leaned back and stared out at the grasslands. "I remember when you first appeared in Rivendell. You were small and loud, and we were certain you would not survive the first orc that came your way."
"Hey!" I cried indignantly. Legolas and Gimli looked over at us curiously. Of course, I couldn't deny that Aragorn's words were true. If I couldn't Skip, I would've died.
"Elladan and Elrohir insisted that you were far stronger than the rest of us gave you credit for. They even taught you how to use the Sword Breaker." Aragorn shook his head. "If I tell them that they were right about you, then they will be insufferable for days."
I grinned. "They—"
Skip.
"Damn it, I was having a nice conversation there!"
Two seconds later, when I realized where I was, I regretted shouting. Gold. I was sitting on a pile of gold. Actually, it was a less a pile of gold and more like a mountain of gold. And jewels. Lots of jewels. Intricate plates, chalices, necklaces, coins—the riches covered the floor of the vast hall. Stone pillars rose from the sea of gold to support an arching ceiling that looked as though it'd been carved from the belly of a mountain. It was a familiar sight, and with this sight, always came one name: Smaug.
I twisted around, trying to catch a glimpse of the firing-breathing dragon. There was no way the beast hadn't heard me shout, and if there was anything I knew about Smaug, it was that the dragon did not appreciate visitors. And, well, I happened to be a frequent visitor. I could probably even be considered the closest thing Smaug had to a friend with how often I visited.
However, the dragon hadn't made an appearance yet, so I figured now was a good a time as any to make my escape. Carefully, trying not to make too much noise, I started climbing down the mountain of gold.
I don't know if you've ever climbed down a mountain of gold, but I promise you that it's impossible to do so quietly. With every step of my feet, every shifting of my weight, I dislodged a plate or scepter or helm and caused a small avalanche of gold coins and gemstones. The sound of the riches clinking against each other as they fell filled the hall, echoing off the stone walls.
Oh, I was screwed. I was so screwed.
At this point, I abandoned any attempt to be stealthy and just ran for it.
My run was far from graceful. If you've ever tried to run knee-deep through gold and jewels, you'll understand that grace is impossible. Not even an elf could make running through gold look good. My legs kicked up behind me as I ran, and if stayed in one spot too long, I started sinking into the gold and it became hard to move.
It also didn't help that I was exhausted from my run with the Fellowship. I regretted volunteering to go with them. I should've just stayed on the frigging rock and waited to Skip. Now, my muscles were screaming in protest, and I felt like passing out at any moment. Today just felt like one very long run.
My right foot missed a step, and suddenly the gold coins collapsed beneath me.
With a shriek, I was tumbling down the slope. I barely had time to register what was happening when—smash—I slammed into another pile of gold. A metal helmet encrusted with red gems landed on my foot. I screamed in pain only to be whacked on the nose by a falling jewel.
"Ouch."
The jewel landed in my lap. I sat there, rubbing my aching nose (which thankfully wasn't bleeding) and glowering down at the jewel. It was a very pretty jewel, about the size of my fist. It wasn't quite white. I could see a little blue in its depths and pink. There was some dark purple too and even a faint gray. There was something about that jewel that made it almost impossible to look away. It cast a sense of ease and fulfillment over me even though I couldn't quite explain why. Time seemed unimportant next to the beauty of the jewel, and I could've stared into its depths for hours and not cared.
Self-preservation was what saved me from that fate. Tearing my eyes away from the pretty jewel, I looked around the hall. Smaug had to have heard that ruckus; there was no way he slept through that. And if he knew I was here, that meant he was coming to eat me.
I scanned the piles of treasure, trying to see some slight movement that might indicate where Smaug was hiding. But silence was my only response. This was strange. This was very strange.
"Smaug?"
Nothing.
"Come on, Smaug, just show yourself. Please? The suspense if killing me!"
Still nothing.
I glanced down at the glittering jewel in my lap and immediately couldn't look away. The colors shifting, making it look as though the light of the world came from within the gem. And maybe that was true for all I knew. What I did know was that the stone was beautiful, and it would break my heart to part with it.
Well, since the dragon hadn't tried to kill me yet, that meant he probably didn't have a problem with my presence. Which meant he wouldn't have a problem if I kept one little souvenir. I mean, Bilbo stole a frigging golden cup. If I ran into the dwarves, I'd to have something with me to prove I'd faced the dragon and I wasn't completely cowardly. Besides, what was one little rock? Smaug wouldn't miss it. He had gemstones the size of my head in his mountains of treasure.
I cupped the jewel in my right hand and started my descent again. Now that I was no longer trying to flee the wrath of Smaug as fast as I could, I was able calm down and scan the hall. I found the exit pretty easily and was able to maneuver my way through the slopes of gold to the empty pathway that curved between the mountains.
With a little laugh of relief. I looked down at the pretty jewel. Smaug wouldn't miss it…
"Ana?"
I found myself face-to-face with none other than the king of majesty himself, Thorin. My first relation was to look over my shoulder. I half expected Smaug to rise from the mountain of gold, triumph glittering in his eyes as he looked down at the dwarven king. But still, there was no Smaug in sight. My second reaction was to look for the rest of the Company, but they were missing as well. It was just Thorin and I alone in the throne room, and for some reason, I wasn't happy about it.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
Thorin's eyes narrowed, and he looked a little thrown off by my tone. "I could ask you the same question."
"I Skipped." My words were curt, and even if I intended for them to come out polite, they show how always came out sounding snappish. This was Thorin, I thought. Thorin. I was usually happy to see him. So why was this settling feeling of unease settling in my chest. "Have you defeated Smaug?"
"We are in the stages of doing so."
I did another scan of the piles of gold just in case. "He's still here?"
"He is in Laketown."
"Laketown?" There weren't many people in Laketown I would miss, but the ones that were there, I worried about. "Why?"
Thorin hesitated. "We think he mistook Bilbo for a man of Laketown and now he seeks his revenge."
"So, you're hiding in here while the people of Laketown take the brunt of Smaug's wrath?"
Thorin opened his mouth to respond when his gaze snagged on the light in my hands. He froze, taking in the pretty jewel and the colors reflected in its depths. He went very still, as if entranced, like me he was unable to tear his eyes away.
I pulled the jewel closer to me, my right hand curling against my chest. "What?"
"Where did you find that?" asked Thorin, his voice barely audible.
"It hit me on the nose."
"Do you know what that jewel is?" He was still staring at my hand.
"Do I look like I know what it is?" I snapped. I actually took a step away from him. "All I know is that it's pretty and I found it and now it's mine. End of story."
"It is mine," said Thorin, a little too forcefully for my liking. "It is an heirloom of my family. Mine to inherit before Smaug stole it."
I frowned. "What is it?"
"The Arkenstone."
I stared at Thorin and then at the jewel. The colors were dancing in the palm of my hand. Now, I'm not proud of what happened next, and I don't like what it says about me and temptation, but well… I clutched the Arkenstone to my chest, lifted my gaze back to Thorin, and said, "Finders keepers."