Hello, again. Posting another chapter, a short chapter. I've already noticed a few mistakes in the last two chapters, so I'll get that fixed once I figure out how. I hope you all are enjoying this! I've had a couple people "favorite" my story and that completely made my day! So thank you!
I do not own The Hobbit or LOTR, nor am I making any profits from this story.
The darkness was gone when I opened my eyes next. I found myself on a bright sunny day in the middle of beautiful forest. In the distance, not too far from where I stood, I saw a gate made of twisted vine and wood. Very elegant, I thought. Huh, this wasn't too bad. No more pain than waking up from a good dream.
And of course, with my next breath, the pain started. It flared up in my chest as I inhaled, my breath caught.
"Oh, good lord!" I huffed, clenching my hand to my chest. "Freaking hell!"
I bended over in half, trying to catch my breath and not breathe at the same time, but it all ached just the same.
"What are you doing, Elleth?" A stern voice I didn't hear walk up came from somewhere above me and to my right.
I glanced up. A tall elf stood there in front of me, a face that left no room for negotiations. Do as he said or die. The hand upon the hilt of the very long sword at his hip added to the message.
Yay, my first elf, I thought. And he's going to kill me.
Hell bells, what to say again? Oh, right.
"I'm looking for Lord Elrond. Is-" A flash of icy hot pain arced through my spine and I hissed. "Is he around? Er, available?"
The elf frowned and took a step back from me. Maybe I did look pretty crazy, all hunched over, visibly in pain, yet with no outward reason as to why. I got a good look at him now that he wasn't so close. He had long golden blonde hair and dark blue eyes. Tall, but everyone was tall compared to me. He had nice broad shoulders and a slim waist. He wore a grey uniform, with a leaf clasp holding his cloak on.
He looked over at his shoulder at two more guards and gave theem a hand signal I didn't quite catch. Apparently he told them to get back to their stations because both men ran back into the trees. I guess he figured he could take on one helpless girl by himself. Er, She-elf. Whatever I am.
"Lord Elrond resides in Imladris. You stand before the gates of Lothlórien." He said slowly.
Lothlorien sparked something from memory. This is that awesome forest where the leaves are gold and trees are silver or something. Also, absolutely not where Lord Elrond lived. Celeborn, was that his name? He lived here with Lady Galadriel. Well, maybe they could help?
"Oh." I said, resting my hands on my knees. "That is most inconvenient as I'm in no condition to travel any further." My teeth clenched against my teeth. Ow, this wasn't fun.
The elf looked quite concerned now. His eyebrows rose then furrowed. Or maybe that was disgust? Who knows?
"What ails you? Are you injured?" He grabbed my arm as I started to teeter over, nearly falling into him.
"I'm not sure. No healer could give me an answer." Lies. But maybe he won't know that.
"Why would you come to Lothlorien instead of Rivendell?" He asked, bewildered. I guess that's a great question. I think there's a mountain range separating the two Elven cities, but my Middle Earth geography is a little rusty.
"I think I heard he was here." I nearly sobbed. Oh god! What was going on to my insides? What the hell did he do to me? I was on fire! Burning up from the inside out.
He said rewrite the DNA. It made it seem simple like he was going to take a pen a write each cell out, not burn out the old and sear in the new.
"You are getting worse as we speak. Come in. Perhaps one of the healers here can assist you."
He half dragged me to the gate, but I couldn't concentrate through the pain. He apparently took notice of this fact, and swept me into his arms like a sleepy child.
"I think I can walk!" I objected.
"Not for long it would seem." He grunted. "Put your arms around my neck."
"Yes, sir." He smelled like the woods, all piney and fresh air. Wonderful, really. And his hair was very soft. It tickled my arms.
Stomping feet came up fast to where we were just passing the gate. A horde of horses just arrived and in the middle of the pack, a familiar face amongst the gang of elves.
Lord Elrond, of the last Homely House in the flesh.
"Looks like you had good information after all. " The elf said to me, softly.
I nearly cried in relief of seeing him. Something was going right after all!
Maybe he could help with this pain, give me some version of elven morphine. Something.
"Lord Elrond! Well met, my friend!" My elf called out.
My elf, heh, so funny. I own an elf now. Elves are cool.
Good god, I'm losing it.
Lord Elrond also had a stern face, but I knew that already from the movies. He looked like the actor of course, but different at the same time. The being in front of me was no actor, and this was no movie set. It was all too real. He wore leather armor edged in gold. He had a circlet crown on his head and a frown on his face.
Lord Elrond jumped down from his horse with more grace than I could ever hope to accomplish.
"Well met, Lord Haldir." His frown grew deeper as he looked at me. "What ails the girl?"
I wonder what gave me away, the pain stricken face or the spams that racked my body?
But wait, he said Haldir? Don't I know a Haldir? Didn't he die at Helm's Deep? I probably should save him too. Let's put that on the list.
"She claims she was looking for you, my Lord. She seems in a great deal of pain."
"Yes." I gritted out. "Please help me. He said you would."
"Who said this?" Lord Elrond asked. He turned around without an answer to address his company. "Find accommodations and we will dine together tonight. It seems I will be busy."
He nodded to Haldir. "Show me to the healer's ward."
He asked a couple questions while we walked, but I couldn't tell you what they were about, or if I even answered. It wasn't far it seemed to the healer's ward, maybe 5 minutes to walk. The stairs were a bitch though. Haldir was light on his feet, but still any movement was agony.
By the time we got there, both Haldir and Elrond looked worried.
"How could she be deteriorating so quickly? She seemed only winded when I first saw her not an hour ago!" Haldir asked as we walked into the ward. He quickly set me down on the bed, which I noticed was a feather bed. So nice, but still I couldn't stop the pain. The room was light and airy and had a really nice smell. Lavender I think.
"Yes, I'm aware of this condition. I've seen it before. It is not catching, do not worry. Though I fear…" Lord Elrond trailed off as he noticed me watching him.
"He said I wouldn't die." I whispered, fear shooting down into my stomach.
"It appears you have been deceived, my dear. I am sorry. It is now up to you to come through the other side." He said, matter-of-factly, but not unkindly. I liked him. He gave it to me straight. He continued. "It is good you are under my care now, but this is just the beginning, I'm afraid."
"The beg- beginning?" I gasped out. What else did Tolkien lie about? I signed a damn contract! Now I'm going to die here and not even see Legolas or Aargorn or a freaking Hobbit! He betrayed me. I've been betrayed again. Am I walking around with a sign on my forehead that says, "Hey! I'm a sucker! Betray me!"? Freaking hell.
Lord Elrond dismissed Haldir then, who gave me a pitying look I did not appreciate before he left. He looked like he knew that was the last time he'd ever see me again. So rude. I wasn't dead yet.
"Transcendence." Lord Elrond said over his shoulder. He started washing up and then gathering herbs and other things I didn't recognize into a mortal and pedestal. "That is what is occurring within you. You have been chosen by the Valar to receive their Grace. Is that so?"
"I believe so." I panted out.
He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "If you make it through the trials, it behoove you to tell no one of this."
I nodded, jerkily. I knew how to not to become a freak show.
He came to the bed and began loosening my boots. After those were off he helped me take off my cloak and dress. I don't know where my pack had gone off to, but it was the least of my worries. When only the leggings and my shirt remained, he tucked me into bed like a child. He even left a cold compress on my forehead.
"Fever is the worst fear. The Grace is etching itself through your body, which releases a great deal of heat. If your body does not accept the Grace, if you reject it, your body will try to expel it from your body. If that happens, you will not survive."
"Oh." was all I could manage. My voice sounded rough. I tried to even out my breath but it hurt so badly. I closed my eyes, rallying. I could do it. I could survive.
Lord Elrond heated water over the fireplace on one side of the room. So odd to have a fireplace in a tree house. Wouldn't it burn everything down? Would it even matter in my case, the girl burning from the inside out?
The whistle blew on the kettle. Elrond picked it up and poured it over a teacup which he had put his herbal remedy in. Apparently, I was going to drink it.
"Here, sip this." I tried to sit up best I could but I couldn't keep still. I ended up drinking most of it, but a little had sloshed over the sides. "Rest, now. Keep your strength."
I tried to rest, but it hurt too much. I'd toss and turn, trying to find the least uncomfortable position but it was no use. If I were in an out of body experience, I'd probably look like I was having a seizure. I was out of my mind. I lost track of time. It felt like hours and seconds at the same time. I was hot, then I was cold, just feverish like I had the flu. I remember someone moaning and I wanted them to shut up, couldn't they see I needed to sleep? But it was just me in the room right then.
Pain. Agony. Hurt. None could properly address the searing sensation as my body changed atom by atom and the Grace of the Valar became one with my being.
I knew I hit a critical point when I felt hands holding down my arms and shoulders and another set holding my head still and holding open my mouth. Lord Elrond was pouring a tonic down my throat in between my screams.
Screams? When did I start screaming? When did I stop?
Next part I remember, I was still. So still. It was quiet. My throat had rubbed so raw no sound would come forth. Maybe I was still screaming, I don't know. My breath was shallow, erratic. My eyes were open, but unseeing.
I sense rather than heard Elrond keeping watch from a few feet away. I felt the bed dip and a soft hand grasped my sweaty one. My breath hitching was the only sign of discomfort I could give, but the agony was ever as real.
"Melathriel. Hear my words and remember your purpose. Come back into the light." It was the most beautiful voice, merely whispers in my mind. Lady Galadriel, my tired mind offered. "Indeed. Remember the light. It will guide you through the darkness."
But all I ever saw was darkness.
Such pain. So ouch. Very hurt. Wow.
Uh, yeah, so super short chapter. I think I came up with the name Melathriel on my own, but I might have read it somewhere and forgotten about it, so if I'm accidentally plagiarizing, please let me know so I can change it!