Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah. Do no own. Blah, blah, blah. Tolkien does own... Except for my OC's. They would probably make him turn over in his grave with their nuttiness.
Many thanks to...
LilactheDryad— (About that... Yeah. I wanted to try something that isn't done very often.)
CodenameAgentC— (Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! As for when Celebrian dies, I'm not really looking forward to that...)
Nerdy Awkwardness— (Dude! I looooovvvveeee the name! And I agree with the sugar withdrawal. It does depend on how dependent and how sensitive the person is. I know when I went through it, I was really nauseated and had several migraines. Thanks for the awesome review!)
1 fan of pj . hp . loth . con . ra— (Thanks! I have some friends that are twins, and they actually are boy-girl monozygotic twins, so I figured it be interesting to add that.)
"Aubrey? What's wrong with you?" Cassie poked my ribs.
I feel like I've been asked that question a million times since I've been here.
"I feel like I'm going to die.', I complained as I remained in my fetal position.
"Sounds serious.', she said indifferently, trying to be serious.
"Sounds pathetic you mean."
"Look, Aubrey. I know you're homesick. Heck, I am too! But you can't spend all of your time moping in your room."
"I can try.', I retorted as drew my head in further, like a turtle drawing into his shell.
"Or you can face the music and decide not to let this stand in the way of living your life.', Cassie suggested softly.
"What life? Everything I have is back home."
"You have me."
"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're with me, Cassie. But I wish we were together in our world."
"I know what you mean." Cassie fell silent for a moment, looking thoughtfully out of my open window. "Why don't you go to the music room? It might help... you know. Relieve the stress?"
"Or make it worse."
"It's worth a shot.', she encouraged.
"Fine. But you have to stay here. I need some time to think."
"Sounds good to me. But if you're not back within the next hour I'm going to come looking for you.', my friend warned.
"Deal."
I slowly opened the door to the music room, cringing as the oak door creaked. Lindir had been correct when he said that the room was often empty in the early mornings, but I checked for any occupants just in case. There were none.
The room was eerily quiet, and my feet almost froze as I walked across the stone floors to reach the table where the violin was placed.
Blast it. I forgot to wear shoes.
The violin was still in the same place as yesterday, and I hesitantly picked it up. I did a few simple warm-ups before I began to play.
"That is an interesting tune."
I blinked before slowly lowering the instrument and turning around. A pair of piercing eyes gazed back at me, studying me.
"Sorry. I didn't realize anyone else was here."
"I came when I heard the music. Not many are here in the early mornings." The elf looking back me was obviously Noldorin, judging as how he shared many of the same features Elrond possessed. "That was a rather strange piece. May I ask what it's called?"
"It's the main theme for Star Wars."
"A odd title for an odd tune.', the elf mused. "I am Erestor, my lady. And I apologize if I seem rude. Elrond often tells me that I tend to be slightly outspoken."
"Not at all. You're a whole lot less outspoken than most people I know."
"Since that is the case, perhaps you will not mind me asking a question. How did you learn to play this instrument?"
"Practice.', I mentally snorted.
"My father taught me."
It's still weird to think that my dad's an elf.
"I see." The dark grey eyes continued to watch me closely, accessing me. It was almost like Erestor was watching for something to happen, waiting for me to say something. "I have only met one person able to play that instrument, and he was its maker. I find it strange that you would also know how to play it.', he mused, giving me an odd stare that was quickly making me uncomfortable.
"Well, it was nice meeting you!', I blurted before I hurriedly exited the room, his dark eyes continuing to burn holes into my back as I made a hasty exit.
Weird. Creepy. Strange. My life in three words.
"It was... I don't know, Cassie. It was weird! Erestor looked like he knew something. Something about me..."
We were sitting in the library, curled up in two armchairs that had been tucked away into a small alcove.
"I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill. He was probably just curious.', Cassie nonchalantly suggested. "We did come from another world, after all."
I rubbed my head in frustration. "Maybe that's all it is. But if you had been there... Oh forget it! I'm probably reading too far into it!"
"You know what I'm reading too far into?', my friend smirked mischievously.
"What?"
"I think that Elladan likes you."
"He does not. And I don't like him either.', I argued as I pulled a face.
"You do too. River in Egypt, babe.', she winked.
"Whatever."
"Gah, Bree!', Cassie moaned. "Get over Colton already! We're stuck in middle earth with a bunch of hot elves and you want to dwell on your boyfriend!"
"First of all, Colton is not my boyfriend. Mark hardly let the guy get near me long enough to ask me out. And as for hot elves, I really don't see what the big deal is. I mean, sure they're a lot cuter than the people back home, but it's not like I'm going to sit and drool over them all day."
Snickering from behind a bookshelf made me narrow my eyes. Walking over to the wooden structure I efficiently removed several heavy tomes, only to find that I was looking at someone's torso rather than their face.
"A little higher, milady.', the voice teased.
"Darn it! How long have ya'll been there?', I growled as I replaced the volumes and removed another set a shelf higher.
"That sounded terribly close to a swear word." Elrohir's face poked through the empty space, grinning at me. "And what does ya'll mean?"
"it's southern for 'you all'. Now how long have you been there?"
"Only long enough to hear the comments about 'hot elves'." I breathed a sigh of relief. It could have been worse. "My brother, however, has been here longer." So much for not being worse.
I removed even more books to see Elladan's face not far from his brother's.
"Good evening!', he chirped merrily. "Who is this Colton?" I shoved the books back in place, giving an satisfied smirk as I felt the binding bump Elladan's nose rather forcefully.
"Ouch!"
"Aubrey!', Cassie laughed. "Don't take it out on his nose! Wait until you can see his face!"
"What if I don't want to see his face?', I asked airily, making my friend double up with laughter.
"From the expression my brother is wearing your insult stings more than his nose.', Elrohir chuckled. Cassie opened her mouth to make a witty reply, but I sent her a quick glare.
"Not a word.', I warned. She quickly shut her mouth, giggling as she did so.
The twins stepped around the bookshelf, coming to stand in front of us.
"Our father sent us to find you. Glorfindel has returned from his patrols, and they wish to hold a discussion about your arrival. They think that perhaps they might glean some information in order to better understand how you arrived here.', Elrohir offered as an explanation.
"I'm as clueless as they are.', Cassie shrugged. "But I'll come. Aubrey?"
"I suppose...', I conceded hesitantly.
"Elladan? What has happened to your nose? Did you and Elrohir get into another fight?', Elrond asked worriedly as he walked around his desk to examine the red part of Elladan's face.
"No. I was assaulted by a book.', his son replied, sending me a meaningful glare. Elrond's upper lipped twitched, but quickly stilled when Elladan turned his gaze back to his father.
"You're the one who spied on Cassie and me!', I defended, my voice garnering the southern twang even more then it usually did.
"We thought you had heard us."
"I may have pointy ears, but the ability to hear things like a rabbit would hasn't exactly kicked in yet!', I protested.
Glorfindel raised an eyebrow. "You could not hear them?"
"No! They were like... James Bond or something!"
"The name is Bond.', Cassie imitated as she swished her blonde hair out of her eyes. "James Bond."
"That was actually pretty accurate.', I applauded. "But next time, do not do the hair flip. That was like Bond meets Bieber."
We both shuddered. Oh the horror of those who had memories of Bieber Fever.
"Beaver?', Elrohir inquired, his nose scrunched in confusion.
"Bieber.', I corrected. "Teenage heartthrob. Don't know how, but he captured the heart of almost every girl across North America when he went viral on youtube. And before you even ask, I am not getting into what youtube is. That is a conversation that is waaaayyyy too complicated."
"I assume this Bieber captured your heart also?', Elladan teased. "Like this Colton?"
"Good grief! You two are worse than Mark! And he is almost always immature!', I groaned.
"Mark?', Elladan whispered to Cassie.
"Her twin.', she said as a way of explanation.
"Oh."
"I should think so. They are scarcely past adolescence themselves.', Glorfindel deadpanned, his eyes twinkling slightly as he watched us argue. "But I believe we were talking about your sense of hearing."
"More like lack of it.', I muttered. "How old are you two anyway?"
Elrohir quickly filled me in. "We came of age a nearly a decade ago."
"So... one-hundred and ten?', I guessed.
He nodded.
"That would be like nineteen in human years.', Cassie mused.
"I believe so."
"Hearing, little one?', Glorfindel cleared his throat.
"Oh. I can hear anything a human can hear, if that's what you're asking.', I answered.
"Strange. You should have exceptional hearing and eyesight. Unless..."
"Unless what Glorfindel?', Elrond interrupted.
"Do not take this the wrong way Elrond, but please hush!"
"Is there even a right way to take that?', the Lord of Rivendell wondered aloud.
"Just smile and wave, boys.', I grinned. "Just smile and wave."
"Have you noticed anything different?', Glorfindel directed towards me.
"No..."
"We will have to change that."
Okay... Wait. What?!
"How the heck do you expect to do that?', Cassie asked before I had the chance.
"You have a strange vocabulary, little one. I only hope that heck, dang, and darn are not curses in your world. And as to changing her senses, we will simply have to train them."
"Train them? But what if I like my hearing the way it is?', I countered. "I do not want to end up back in my own world and have bionic hearing. There would be a constant hum from the electricity flowing through the wires, and I do not want to feel like there is a bee in my head all the time."
"I do not know exactly what you're future will entail, Aubrey, but I do know that it lies in Arda. There is no going back.', Elrond murmured apologetically.
I flinched. It was definite then; I would never see my home again.
"But what about Cassie? Is there no way to send her back home?"
"Child, I looked into your futures. Your's continued, but Cassie's... vanished."
"So she went back? In your vision, I mean."
"No. She perished.', he replied gravely.
I felt like someone had just punched me in the stomach.
"Why?', I croaked.
"Before you freak out, I am still here. Remember that okay? We both knew this was going to happen.', Cassie soothed. "And honestly, I'm not surprised. I'm going to die sooner or later."
"Then I'll die with you. I'm not going to be left here all alone."
"Too bad.', she shot back merrily. "Because I already grounded you from giving up your immortality."
"Then un-ground me. I am not going to be left here alone."
"You'll be fine. I'm not going to let you throw away your life because I went off and died on you."
What the heck? How did the conversation go from my sense of hearing to losing Cassie?
"Ehem."
Cassie and I both turned to look at Elrond.
"Muriel is bringing food for a luncheon in a few moments. If you would rather dine in the hall that is understandable, but perhaps you would like to join us? We can discuss your arrival after we dine."
"That sounds good with me. Aubrey?"
"I'm not hungry." Cassie looked crestfallen, so I quickly tacked another sentence onto my answer. "But I'll stay anyway."
"Are you sure you don't want anything, Bree?', Cassie offered, holding up a tempting looking piece of chicken. I rolled my eyes before taking it from her. I went to take a bite before stopping, the food held halfway to my mouth.
"What's wrong now?', Cassie grumbled good-naturedly.
"Retainer.', I mumbled as I popped the metal and plastic out of my mouth.
Elladan was staring at the contraption in horror.
"What is that?!"
"It's a retainer. It keeps my teeth in place."
"Would your teeth fall out if you didn't wear it?"
Cassie snickered, later telling me that my facial expression was enough to make a stone-faced British soldier to crack-up.
"No!', I yowled. "I had my teeth moved and I wear this to keep them positioned correctly. I only have to wear it at night, at least until the bone grows back around my teeth properly."
"That sounds... more painful than I can imagine at the moment.', Elrohir cringed.
"Not really.', I shrugged. "My teeth moving was a gradual process, so my mouth would only be sore for small periods at a time."
"That still does not sound very pleasant."
"Sometimes it wasn't. For one, I could see up orthodontist's nose. And two, the dental hygienists long nails kept popping through the latex gloves." Seeing their confused faces, I clarified my words. "Think of it this way: an orthodontist is a healer for people whose teeth are badly crooked. A hygienist is the helper. Now can we please talk about something other than teeth?"
We finished eating before holding promised discussion, but we got no further to answering the question that had been on everyone's minds. Why were we here? And why hadn't we stayed in our own world?
An excited scream made me jolt out of bed and land on the floor the next morning. Rubbing my bleary eyes, I stumbled through the door that connected my room to Cassie's.
"What in the name of fried potatoes are you doing?', I wailed. She paused in the middle of jumping on the bed to beam at me.
"I found it! I found it! Oh thank the good Lord, I found it!"
"Found what?', I demanded tiredly. If she was going to wake me up before the crack of dawn I was going to know why.
"My phone charger!"
"Uh, Cassie? You do realize that middle earth has no electricity?"
"Yes. But it does have sunlight, and lucky for you, I have found my solar powered adapter! Ha! And you said I'd never need it!"
"I also said middle earth didn't exist.', I recalled wryly. "Yet here we are."
"Look on the bright side! I found my charger! Now we can listen to country music to our hearts content!"
"That's good, but I don't see the bright side. It's still dark outside."
Sarcasm seems to have taken control of my brain this morning. Cassie started to fire back a retort when the door flew open.
"We heard the screams. Is everyone alright?"
I glared at my friend.
"You should never scream in a household of elves!', I groaned into my hands. "Why on earth did you do that?"
"Because common sense only kicked in three seconds ago.', she said cheekily.
Muriel entered shortly after middle earth's new first responders.
Her eyes flickered from a grinning Cassie, to an upset me, to the worried twins.
"Out.', she growled, pointing to the door. I made to follow the twins out of the room, but she grabbed my arm and hauled me back inside.
"Oh no you don't, young lady. It is too early to be roaming about the halls, and you are most definitely not going to be seen like that."
I glanced down to see that I was dressed in a t-shirt and shorts. Whoops. While this may be considered conservative back home, dressing like this here was heavily frowned upon. How we were even allowed to enter Rivendell in our blue jeans and sweatshirts is a mystery to me.