For the first time in her life, Maura could hear the birds singing in the trees, their voices were like nature's angels. She heard a soft blowing like brr-rrr-rrr-rrr, Maura turned her head and looked at Folly, he had his head turned toward her and was nickering; he knew that something was different with Maura. Because she had never been able to hear, sound was amplified to Maura's ears, it seemed as all living things had something to say.
Finally she looked at the strange, tall man who had helped her ears come alive. She tried to say the words that she had always read on people's lips," Taaannnkk yoo." Maura had taken speech therapy throughout her life, but without the ability to hear the sounds of words, speaking them was a difficult task.
"You are welcome, young one. Tell me where are you from?" asked Legolas, speaking slowly realizing she had to read his lips along with listening to the words to understand him.
"Orrrgon, Unietted states," replied Maura, speaking a little better now that she is putting together the familiar lip read words with the sounds she had been taught.
"I do not know where in Middle Earth that is," said Legolas, "Oregon, United States, sounds like a wonderful place. Middle Earth has not been united for ages."
Middle Earth, that sounds familiar. Maura thought back to the wonderful books she had read and reread throughout her life. Legolas had been her favorite character, and yet this Legolas was standing in front of her, in flesh and blood. He looked different than how Tolkien had described Legolas in the trilogy, different and yet the same. I wonder if this is just a complex hallucination I'm having because Folly and I took such a hard fall. I'm probably knocked out on a hospital table right now
"I going take Folly, go home," said Maura, struggling with the English format of speech (ASL has a different conjugation format then spoken English). Maura gathered Folly's reins and swung up on his broad, familiar back. She fitted her boots into the irons and prepared to take off.
"Where will you go?" asked Legolas, "you are unfamiliar with this land, there are dangers that you know nothing of."
"I not knoow, where," replied Maura, "but keep riding, I go hoom."
"I do not think that is a very good idea," said Legolas, "why don't we ride together and go back to my party's encampment, you will be safe surrounded by elves."
Maura wasn't too sure about this proposed idea, she just wanted to get back home and back to the real world. This was a very complex dream! After thinking it over for a moment, she nodded her head in silent agreement. Legolas swung up onto Folly's back, sitting closely behind Maura and gently took the reins from her hands. He touched Folly behind the girth with his heel and they took off at a canter down the other side of the hill where Maura came from.
The three of them traveled quickly, Folly seemed oblivious to the doubled weight on his back and moved as freely as ever. They passed through thickly forested woods that became a blur as they cantered through them. It wasn't until long when the trees appeared older and were covered thickly with large golden leaves. Legolas signaled Folly to slow down to a walk.
"We are getting close to my party," he said, "its best that we approach them at a walk, lest they think us a threat."
Maura nodded, understanding that a galloping horse would appear to be more urgent and threatening then a horse approaching at a smaller pace.
A short amount of time passed before Legolas pulled Folly to a stop and signaled Maura to dismount. Legolas followed suit, flipping Folly's reins over his head and holding the length in his left hand. He looked into the thick forest, squinting as though he could see something in the darkness that Maura could not, "Mae Govannen, Haldir o' Lorien," Legolas called into the trees. Maura could not see whom Legolas was calling to.
Before long, a strong looking elf with hair similar to Legolas's stepped silently out of the woods. He wore a silver colored leggings and a similar colored tunic fastened with a thick braided cord. The elf had a regal look to him; he wore a silver circlet that crossed his brow.
Maura didn't know quite what to do so she bobbed an off balance curtsy and greeted him as Legolas had, "Mae Govannen."
The elf raised an eyebrow at Maura's greeting. "Mae Govannen, lost child." He turned to Legolas, "I hear that you are traveling to Rivendell for a council, do the rumours hold true."
Legolas replied, speaking thoughtfully," The ring of power has been found"
Haldir started pacing back and for, walking ten feet then turning on his heal and heading back, obviously distraught at the news.
My dream is getting stranger by the minute thought MauraIf I am correct, I am in Middle Earth, before Frodo destroyed the ring of power, even before it was decided to be destroyed.
Maura's stomach rumbled, Haldir stopped pacing abruptly and looked at Maura, "I apologize for my rudeness, Let us find you a place to rest and something to calm your hunger." He gestured for them to follow. Haldir led them on an unseen path that wove deeply into the trees and stopped at the largest tree that Maura had ever seen.
The tree's bark was deep silver and the trunk was as thick as a building. Stairs wound their way up its trunk in an elegant spiral and the entire tree had an incandescent aura. Haldir started climbing the elegant stairs,
Maura untacked Folly and allowed him to roam free and graze; she knew that he would not go far without her. Maura then followed behind him and Legolas brought up the rear. It seemed they must have climbed at least a dozen stories before they reached a vast platform that held small, silver colored buildings on its surface; like an elegant tree house. There were a number of platforms, each connected by an arched walk way.
It was the most fantastic sight that Maura had ever seen! There were multitudes of elves walking among the buildings and over the arched walk ways. Maura let out a deep breath of awe…..and every elf stopped in their tracks and stared at the new party. Maura didn't think that she had even made a noise!
"Why are they staring?" she whispered to Legolas furiously.
"Well, Melanin, elves have very sensitive hearing, just as you do right now. However we were blessed by our makers and you are only sensitive because it is new to you," replied Legolas. "Plus you look different then us in your interesting boots and coat." He chuckled.
Maura stared down at her riding boots, the once shiny tops were dirty, covered with Middle Earth dust. She didn't think that she was dress strangely, but then again, horse people were their own breed.
After a moment of staring, the elves went back to their normal pattern of daily life. Maura let out a silent breath of relief: Elves can be intimidating! Even for a dream, this was getting slightly weird.
Haldir led Legolas and Maura to the largest open air building on the platform; she could see a glow being emitted from within. Maura heard a strange voice, not through her newly corrected ears, but instead a voice coming from within her mind. "Welcome lost child, no hearing is need to hear my voice, however I see that Legolas has banished the curse set upon you by Sauron. Welcome back to Middle Earth," spoke the voice.
Back to Middle Earth?