Arial

Chapter 11

Choices

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Saruman fingered the key. He pondered the different possibilities and paths before him, each intricately woven web dependant upon the choice he would now make. He smiled widely and spoke what he knew to be the truth, "Girl! I am Saruman, a white wizard, and lord of this keep. I do not wish to harm you. I know that you are hungry and thirst. I have brought you food." He paused, expecting a reply from the other side of the door.

A raspy voice called, "You got me locked up in here! Let me out!"

"I shall, once you step away. The door was locked for your own protection. I wish you no harm." Saruman hoped she believed him. For reasons beyond her current comprehension, he did not intend to harm the young human girl. "I wish to aide you and have brought food and drink for your refreshment and nourishment."

Arial leaned back against the wall. For her entire journey, she had not trusted the right individuals and all the wrong ones. He had said he was a white wizard. Did that mean he was good? She was weak from her ordeals; the nerves in her hand screamed in agony and her back stung and ached. She knew she had no choice except to trust the owner of the voice on the other side of the door.

"Fine." She said and resigned herself to whatever fate held for her. She dropped her makeshift weapon and stumbled away from the door.

oOo

Saruman perceived that she had complied with his wishes and relief washed over him. Using the master key, he unlocked and opened the door. Light flooded the little room. Looking upon her, he did not know if the girl was normally that pale but he held the opinion that she looked ghastly and surmised that he had little time to spare. Saruman worried for the outcome of his own world and secondly hers if the precious balance of the continuum were forever unrepairable by her untimely demise on a world not of her own origin. He could almost feel each individual gritty piece of sand scraping through the narrow hourglass.

He did not understand how she had come to Middle Earth. Such an event should have been impossible. Being a Maia, Saruman knew that there were other worlds and dimensions existing at the same time. He had also seen Eru seal the doors and passageways between the various dimensions shut. Her presence here had added a foreign life form to Middle Earth. He mentally compared this catastrophe to a deadly viral infection.

Saruman entered into the small room and with a few steps, stood towering over the frail looking female. He wondered how one so small could threaten the very existence of all worlds, no matter the dimension.

oOo

Arial watched the figure in the door. She could not make out his face with the light source coming from behind him. Watching him duck in through the door, she was shocked at his height. Searching her memory, she failed to imagine anyone for comparison. Suddenly, she felt very small and insignificant. As he stood over her, she felt the need to draw circles on the floor with the toe of her shoe and wring her hands.

Feeling a moment of braveness, she chanced a glance up when a glow started to fill the room. It came from the top tip of his long slender grayish white stick. She had expected some kind of ragged looking wand and smirked. Maybe in this world, wizards had long walking sticks instead. Nothing seemed too fantastical for her to believe any more. Arial half expected Puff the magical dragon to come swooping in just any moment with a parade of purple unicorns singing and dancing. Then she heard him speak.

Deep and majestic, his voice seemed to reverberate and invade every cell in her body. She did not feel threatened, but comforted, secure and safe for the first time in her horrendous adventure. She relaxed and wanted to answer his questions.

"I'm Arial Middleton from Waverly, Kentucky."

"No, I don't remember how I got here. One second I'm at home in the bed, the next I'm here."

"Yes I met some people who said they were elves in a place called Rivendell."

oOo

AN: That is all for now. It feels good to be back. Leave a review!