Legolas: Is she here?
Frodo: Well, this is her laptop.
Legolas: Well, is she?
Janice: What do you think?
Legolas: (yelps)
Janice: One day, when I own you all…
Thank you: tomato sauce and lotrelves (it's alright to be confused, the story really hasn't taken off until this chapter) for pointing out I misspelt Rivendell, that was completely by accident. Just Me, I'm pleased to know you like the story thus far. ClumsyElf, I hope this chapter answers you question about Gwen's friends. alfalfa7 it's alright, I try to update every Sunday (explained why I didn't update yesterday at the bottom), I don't like leaving readers dead or on the edge for a long while. Matbe this summer I will update much more frequently. I update every Sunday because it's slightly slow here and I have free time during and after work, usually (I heart my job, I watch a dozen kids for 2 hours at minimum wage every Sunday during church, go Druidism!).
Shards of the Future
Chapter 4: A Job and Good Friends
"Let the good times roll and let you heart soar."—My Cousin.
"Are we there yet?" I asked Aragorn for the umpteenth time in the past two minutes. I know, annoying in a car ride, right? Yea, well travelling by foot wasn't exactly what I had expected.
"Not quite." he answered. Aragorn had tolerated me thus far; I bet Gandalf had left because he couldn't stand me, I highly doubt that, though. "Bree is a little way off to the north."
"Why didn't we take the road?" Oh yea, did I mention we ditched the road for a prairie? Well, we did. Lovely place, the prairie, lots of weeds and stuff to give me the hives. Luckily I'm not allergic or I'd be triple dead right now. "At least it was in the shade!"
"We have no time for idle luxuries."
"Well, shade's nicer than hot sun."
"Look at it this way, once we get to Bree, you'll have a nice bed to sleep in."
"Yea, a bed!" I'm being sarcastic. I honestly could care less about a bed.
"And food and water." That perked me up.
"Let's hurry, oh, Man-of-Many-Names." I've been calling him this for quite a while. I don't think he minds have one more name, as long as it states the obvious.
"Come along, Miss. Gwynovir Carney O'Hara."
"Okay, how'd you find out my full name?" He chuckled. "Seriously, Aragorn." He ran off towards the forest yards away. "Aragorn!" He disappeared into the trees. "That's not funny." When I realized how far ahead he was, I dashed after him. "Wait for me!"
To me, Bree seemed like one of those little towns in a video game, bustling with all sort of people. I recognized elves and humans right away, I thought I saw a dwarf or two. But there were shorter folk amongst them. They were treated as nice as everybody else; they were just shy of my chest in height. The Man-of-Many-Names caught me watching the peculiar beings.
"Hobbits." he said.
"Hmn?"
"Hobbits, the Little Folk."
"Oh… I read about them in Lord Elrond's library. I never thought I'd ever see one."
"They live around here and in the Shire."
"Where's the Shire?"
"To the west." He nodded into the direction.
"I'd like to go there some day."
"Maybe you eventually will."
We had walked into a building. It had a cosy feel about it, like a home. A plump man, older than Aragorn at my guess, smiled when he saw us.
"Good afternoon, Master Strider. And whose this?" the plump man asked.
"This is Gwynovir. She's an orphan from a farm near Lord Elrond's home. He asked that she be sent here to find work and a place to stay until she wishes to leave." Aragorn, or Strider as he was known here (I suppose), said introducing me.
"I'm not a— " I started, but Aragorn cut me off.
"She has quite a temper, Master Butterbur." I frowned at the Man-of-Many-Names. He was lying. Well, not truly lying.
"Pleased to be at your acquaintance, Miss. Gwynovir. I am Barliman Butterbur. You say she is needing a job, Master Strider?"
"Yes. Do you need someone to work for you? Surly a bar maiden is needed here. She has a lovely voice and she's fast at learning. One of Lord Elrond's maidservants taught her to read and speak Elvish in a day or two." That was true, I had learned to speak various Elvish tongues, but I hadn't mastered them to the point where I could have a full-fledged conversation with an elf.
"Well, Miss. Gwynovir, you learn quickly, you can entertain, and you can take care of yourself. You most certainly are hired."
"Thank you!" I said. I curtsied awkwardly. Erulissë and Arwen had tried to teach me how to curtsy, but to no avail. I'm a naturally clumsy girl with too long of legs for my short torso (it was an inch or two shorter than it should have been).
Barliman Butterbur chuckled at me. I flushed and smoothed out my skirts. I'm easily embarrassed. I was happy I could get new clothes that didn't almost kill me. I was happy I had my first job.
The Man-of-Many-Names came and went as he pleased throughout the week, which displeased me very much. Butterbur kept his room for only "Strider"'s use. Now this infuriated me. He'd show up for a pint of ale and then take off again without so much as a word.
But part of what would have been the third week of my working at "The Prancing Pony," he stayed for a few days. Butterbur explained this as normal for him. Aragorn and his life was still a mystery to me. Did he have a second life with a family? I highly doubt it, he didn't seem like the person to do that; but then again, I didn't know him all too well either, and I only travelled with him for a day or two. Gandalf had made the trip shorter somehow.
Anyway, on Aragorn's forth night here, it rained and poured.
"There shall be an unnecessary death this eve." I said aloud to the gathering customers, but mostly to Strider in his corner. He nodded.
"I hope not." Butterbur said. "It shan't be good." I chuckled to myself. In some countries, the weather can predict the future; rain often meant misfortune, death or something along the lines. Once or twice, the rain could mean forgiveness or cleaning the evil of a soul. But there was a heavy feeling to the rain and it hung in the air; many ignored it and kept jolly.
It was late in the evening when four hobbits and two larger cloaked figures walked in. Barliman Butterbur greeted them and got them their rooms.
"Miss. Gwynovir, get them a table by the hearth." Butterbur ordered in his kind voice. I smiled over at him and nodded.
Politely I asked some men to move so some cold, shivering, wet guests could warm the toes by the fire. The smiled and moved with a few snide remarks that would have gotten them a smack on the cheek each had I not been able to tolerate it.
"Gwen…?" a soft voice asked. I turned to see one of the hobbits' fellow travellers. She removed her hood, causing me to gasp. There stood a sobbing wet Sarah, her auburn hair a deep brown-red, flattened against her circular head. Her violet eyes looked at me in awe, wonder and happiness. In my travelling, I had gotten good at reading eyes, facial expressions and gestures.
"Sarah." I said as softly as she had. We quickly embraced. A few of the guests looked at us, others just nodded us off, while others completely ignored us.
"Oh, great another nerd." a bitter voice said. I looked to see a darkly tanned girl with silky raven hair that clung to the owner's head like Sarah's. Her grey eyes of pure steel bearing down at me. Ah, yes, one of the worst enemies anyone could ever have, the town whore! She also happens to be Raina's younger sister Elsa Maria Holsa.
"Elsa." I said, acknowledging her. "It's been a while."
"Yea, whatever."
I smiled at the hobbits.
"Will this do?" I asked them, showing them the table close to the hearth.
"Yes, this better than we could have asked for." said one hobbit with dark hair and stunningly blue eyes. He smiled shyly up at me.
"Guys, this is Gwynovir. She's an old friend of mine." Sarah said, wrapping a wet around my shoulders.
"Sarah Lee Ashwood, sit your patookie(1) down!" I said, practically throwing her on the wood bench. Elsa sat down next to her. "Is there anything I can get you lot?"
"Some dinner would be nice." said one of the twin-like hobbits. "Do you still serve dinner?" He seemed half starved. I chuckled.
"Of course. I'll get you the special. It'll be on me."
"Thank you." said the stunningly blue-eyed hobbit.
"No problem."
The hobbits and my friends had become a little tipsy after quite some time, for they began to sing. I ignored them, I usually ignored the singing drunk, and continued my work.
"Gwynovir," the regulars cried, "Sing, kind tender to the bar! Sing for us." Their speech was slurred and hard to understand. I didn't want to sing, for I was ashamed of my voice. It wasn't the beautiful voice of a famous singer you'd want to listen to all day, it was pleasing enough to listen to, as I was a Mezzo Soprano.
They finally persuaded me to get up and sing. I would have normally sung a song that's bouncy and lively, but today I wanted something softer, much more delicate.
In my soul I hear a voice
Whispering my name once more.
Begging me to make the choice,
Calling me back to the shore.
Come back to the ocean,
Come back to the sea.
I can hear it calling.
It's crying out for me.
Listen as it beckons you,
Lonely now it mourns.
Come back to the lonely sea.
And 'neath the ocean waves above,
Within the murky waters deep,
Voices calling out with love,
From their mystic briny sleep.
Come back to the ocean.
Come back to the sea.
Can you hear it calling ?
They're crying out for me.
Listen as the beckon you,
Lonely now they mourn.
Come back to the lonely sea!
Listen as they beckon you,
Lonely now they mourn.
Come back to the lonely sea!
Come back to the lonely
Sea!
I couldn't believe I held out that last note for sixteen counts. It's normally hard, even for someone whose sung that song a million times The pretty and flowing song had drifted softly though the air, as I and the composer had wanted it to. But the passionate parts were as they were to be. It would have sounded a lot better if I had a Soprano and an Alto to sing it with me.
I curtsied clumsily and scurried away from the centre. The listeners whooped and cheered, causing me to blush.
"Another, another!" they cried.
"Later!" I answered.
"Brava!" one of the hobbits (whose name I had learned was Merry) hollered. He and his "twin," Pippin, clapped wildly in their drunken state. I sunk down in between them. I didn't like being centre of attention.
"Where'd you learn to sing like that?" Sarah asked.
"It's natural?" I said, shrugging. She chuckled. Elsa merely snorted. I glanced over to the dark corner, over to "Stridder." He nodded an approval.
1. another word for buttocks, butt, ass, arse, whatever you call your rear-end.
The song Gwynovir sang was The Lonely Sea. It is a beautiful piece that I sung first semester with my Trebel Choir. I'm going to try and find it and post it at the story's homepage: http (semicolon backsalsh backslash) freewebs (dot) com (backslash) gwynovir (backslash). A link to it is on my direct homepage on my profile, it's called "Shards of the Future" (after the title, duh).
Janice: I'm so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so sorry that this wasn't up yesterday. I'm having trouble with my internet connections and have to use a junk of a computer to get online.
Sarah: She's actually serious.
Glenys: I can't wait to be in the story!
Pippin: I can't wait to get this story over with,
Janice: I can't wait to kill— I-I mean progress this story further! (Grins hoping no one notices)
Legolas: I can't wait to take a vacation!
Janice: Review, it inspires me write!