Hope you're all well, lovelies.
Here's chapter two, done and dusted. Fingers crossed you all approve.
So yeah, a few things I wanna address in this chapter. First off, it's my longest yet (Woohoo!) and there's a lot of info here, most of it canon but some I've put my own twist on to go with the flow of Elle's involvement. Secondly, I really do hope the entire sequence of events was believable to you all. It's what I fight for most, to make this as realistic as possible. I tend to put myself into the situation and imagine how I might react as a human in another world, and this is what I came up with. So anyway, the ball is FINALLY rolling, and we're getting somewhere.
Anywho, a massive THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed, followed and favourited Elle's journey. The support is phenomenal.
I really do hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it for you all!
With love,
- Torrance Rose -
When Elle came to, she was laying back on Radagast's cot with a cool, damp rag folded across her forehead.
She stirred, groggy and confused as she lifted herself up.
"What happened?" Elle mumbled, blinking until her eyes focused behind her glasses.
"You fainted." Radagast answered from where he was watching by a chair, "Not that I'm surprised. I would expect as much."
"B- but, you!" Elle clambered awkwardly to her feet, "You... I don't know what you did, but it was definitely not right!"
He chuckled, ending in a wheezing cough as he said, "Magic, m'dear. Get used to it, there's more where that came from."
"Magic?!" Elle was gaping like a goldfish, "This can't be happening. I've gone mad, that must be it. You... Radagast... The Fellowship... You're not real!"
"I am very real, Elle." Radagast's tone was serious as he stood, "This entire world is real. This is where you belong. Not the realm you came from, it's here you were born and here you were always meant to be."
"This is insane." She breathed, the telltale signs of hyperventilation coming on, "I'm going to wake up, and the first thing I'm doing is hauling my ass to a psychologist."
Without so much as a hint of warning, Radagast stepped forward and pinched her on the upper arm.
"Ow!" She cried out, rubbing the reddened skin, "What the hell was that for?!"
"Clearly you're not in a dream, or you wouldn't have felt that." He answered her innocently.
"No shit, Sherlock." Elle grumbled, eyeing him suspiciously.
"So..." She began after a moment of appraisal, "You... You're really Radagast the Brown?"
"I am." He answered without hesitation.
"And... We're really in Middle-Earth right now?"
"We are."
"Okay... So if you're Radagast, prove it. Turn that bowl into something." Elle pointed toward the table, her heart beating rapidly in her ears.
Radagast's moustache twitched as he quirked a small smile, his hand curling around his wooden staff as he tapped the butt end into the floor and the bowl in question began sprouting branches and leaves.
Elle stood, her mouth hanging open and eyes not even daring to blink, until all that was left in the bowl's place was a small shrub planted into the table, dotted with tiny white flowers.
"Fuck." She exhaled in a huff, limbs hanging by her sides and feeling oddly numb, tingling and disjointed as if she were floating. Her mind buzzed vaguely in response.
"Now do you believe me?" Radagast turned to her proudly, arms crossed.
"Um... Yeah, well... Maybe." Elle breathed in, finally snapping out of her daze as she locked on to his eyes, "You're very convincing."
Radagast barked a nervous laugh, "Well, we don't have a lot of time. As much as I'd love to ease you into all of this, we really must be leaving. We're losing valuable daylight by the minute."
"Leaving to go meet up with the Fellowship, right... And, um, is that far or...?"
Gods, she had no idea what she was doing. This was the most ridiculously unbelievable situation she'd ever been in. That anyone had ever been in.
She was... She was in Middle-Earth.
As much as she'd love to deny everything she'd just seen, she wasn't that kind of person. Reading as much as she did, she'd never be the type who was that blatantly ignorant. There was too much evidence suggesting that this man, honest to god Radagast, was telling the absolute truth.
She could see it in his eyes, in his voice, and in the bowl he'd just magically turned into a plant.
Go figure.
"It's a days ride from here, I made sure to never be too far. Just far enough so you wouldn't terrorise the towns at night. The hobbits have already left the Shire, so we'll meet up with them tonight." He said as he handed her one of the conjured packs, "Put that on. You'll need it."
"Right. The whole werewolf thing... Is that real too then?" Her voice was oddly high-pitched. Close to breaking.
"It is." Radagast replied offhandedly as he pulled on his own pack and cloak, "I'm afraid I don't have any change of attire for a lady here, but those should do for the while."
"That's alright," Elle drew in another shaky breath, "I'll manage."
In more ways than one, she thought, what with everything being thrown at her at once.
So she was stuck in Middle-Earth, with the eccentric Radagast the Brown, and off to Bree to meet up with Gandalf and the Fellowship. Makes sense.
But, Gandalf... He never makes it there in time. It's the Ranger, Aragorn, who leads the Ring-Bearer to Rivendell.
"Gandalf won't be there." Elle spoke up suddenly, her voice a lot firmer than it had been before.
"What do you mean, girl?" Radagast queried from the door, placing his hat upon his head.
"He won't be there. He never makes it. It's Aragorn who takes the hobbits to Rivendell." She repeated, walking forward with more confidence.
Was she really talking about Aragorn right now, as if he were an actual person?! She would kill for a stiff drink right about now.
"What- Pardon me? How do you know of this?" Radagast reminded her of a cornered rabbit when he was flustered.
"Because I've read it. I've seen it. In my world, this land and this story is a set of books and films. It's fiction. Entertainment. Why do you think I'm finding this all so hard to believe? And it's also why I recognised you." She informed him, "Gandalf is delayed, because Saruman betrays him."
If she had looked spooked before, it was nothing compared to the stunned look of terror that flittered across Radagast's face.
"N- no! Saruman would never do that to us! He's on our side." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than her.
Elle would've been smug with how the tables had turned, if the topic of conversation hadn't been such a dire one. And if Radagast hadn't been shaking like a leaf with the very idea of such a betrayal.
"Whoa, calm down," She assuaged him, "He does betray Gandalf, and imprisons him. But it's all good dude, Gandalf breaks free with the help of the eagles and meets up with everyone at Rivendell. It's for the best, what with the info from the dark side he gets."
Her attempt at reassurance only managed to get Radagast even more riled up as he began to pace, gnawing on his bottom lip like a frenzied beaver, "If Saruman betrays Gandalf, I must warn him before it's too late. I must help him!"
"You can't!" Elle stopped him before the little wizard hurried undermanned and with no plan straight into Isengard's clutches, "You'll mess up the natural order of things, or whatever. Gandalf has to be betrayed and he has to be captured. It's for the greater good, plus it totally helps with character development."
Radagast stopped pacing, taking in a shuddering breath and visibly counting to ten. Elle stood watching with raised brows, hiding her laughter behind a straight face.
"Okay," He said when he finally came to, "You're right. Natural order, of course. What the Valar has planned will come to pass in the exact way it should."
Elle nodded exaggeratedly as she steered the old wizard toward the door, "Yeah, see. No harm, no foul. Just be calm, okay? We can't have two people inebriated by panic attacks, now can we?"
"No, no. Of course not..." Radagast muttered along as she opened the door and took him outside.
Jeez, thank god she hadn't said anything about the two wizard's battle and Gandalf's injuries. The poor man might've fainted, too.
He stepped back and took a deep breath, adjusting the cloak at his neck as he said anxiously, "Books, you say? How strange... From now on Elle, it might be best if you keep your knowledge of this land to yourself. I was not at all aware that you'd be privy to that sort of information, but perhaps it is for the best. This could be the leg up we need to win this war.
"However... Mayhap don't go around advertising upcoming events unless absolutely necessary. Not everyone is as aware as I am for the need to a planned celestial order."
Elle laughed, though there was no humour in it, "Trust me, after that I will definitely pick and choose to who and what I tell."
"Wonderful." He smiled, though his eyes were still shadowed and troubled with doubt.
"So... I guess, um... Shall we?" Elle asked, a reluctant set to her features as she gestured out from the porch.
"Oh, yes! Yes, at once." Radagast snapped to it, his mind once more focused on the plan ahead as he led her down and around the side of the house.
A twisted, wooden sled sat abandoned and almost hidden within the bushes, an almost exact replica of the one from the film.
Well, Elle corrected herself, technically it's the original.
"And now comes the Rhosgobel Rabbits." She predicted, watching in wonder as Radagast let out a low whistle and the thumping of at least a dozen little paws resounded throughout the forest, growing louder until the infamous little animals bounded out into the open, twitching ears and all.
In person, they were even larger than she'd imagined with massive back feet and the most adorable yet strangely intelligent faces. She had to forcibly resist picking up the nearest one and giving it a cuddle.
"Am I ever going to get back home?" Elle asked suddenly as Radagast hefted the sled out of it's spot in the bushes.
Radagast turned back nervously, "Err, um... I don't actually know."
Elle breathed in deeply, uneasiness crawling through her veins.
"B- but, I'm sure if there is a way, the best thing to do would be to follow along for whatever reason you're here in the first place!" He assured her, turning back to his work.
So, no going back. She was stuck here, at least for now. She should have been frightened. Screaming, crying, refusing to move. For some reason, she felt oddly calm and at ease with the situation. Almost as if she wasn't all that surprised being here, which couldn't be the truth. Rationally, this was the biggest shock anyone could ever experience.
"If only the girls at the library could see me now." Elle muttered to herself, an odd sense of elation building in her chest. She hadn't expected that, but again she wasn't all that startled by the realisation.
This was a chance of a lifetime, not to mention a dream come true. It's not like she had anything going for her back home. She had had so many foster parents growing up, she didn't count anyone as actual family, coupled with a very limited selection of acquaintances and no intimate relationships whatsoever since she'd left high school. The only thing that had ever held her to that life was Angie, and it'd been almost two years since she had died.
The thought brought her back to that night, and Elle rubbed her arms through her coat for warmth as chilling realisation struck her.
It had been during one of their annual camping trips, just the usual girly stuff, and Elle had suffered from one of her episodic blackouts. It had been the first and only time it'd happened in the company of someone else, and when she'd woken up, it was to find her best friend and their tent ripped to shreds, and herself covered in blood.
At the time, Elle had screamed her head off thinking it'd been her, that she'd murdered her friend unknowingly in her sleep. But then the police had spent hours assuring her it wasn't possible, that Angie had been violated as well, and when they'd found the two dead men in the river later that day it had all made a lot more sense.
After all, they had stupidly been camping outside of the recommended zones, of which they weren't in the least bit familiar with. And Angie had been prone to late-night swims since they were kids. What had gotten everyone's attention, though, was the fact that the men had been mauled and torn apart by something much, much bigger.
Nobody had known what it was, the most likely being a pack of dingoes, but even that was so far fetched nobody had really bought it. The teeth marks were huge, the damage something a mere dingo could never surpass.
The detective said it looked to have been a wolf. The marks matched, albeit being three times the size. But this was Australia, and wolves weren't in the wild here.
Now Elle finally knew.
It felt so right, ringing true in her bones. After all this time, she finally knew the truth.
The thing that had killed those men... It had been her.
But why?
Didn't Radagast say that the wolf was supposed to be confined to this realm? How could they have possibly crossed paths?
None of it made any sense, yet Elle felt in her heart that it was the truth. Her mind reeled with that knowledge.
The wolf... Her... She had tried to protect Angie.
Was that why she'd blacked out in the first place? Was this the reason she kept waking up with no memories of what she'd done? Had some part of the wolf been crossing over to her world at night?
"Elle? Elle!" Radagast snapped her out of her reverie, a curious look in his eyes. He'd already prepared the sled, the rabbits lining up and itching to race, "Is everything okay?"
She shrugged, wiping her face with the palms of her hands in mental exhaustion, "My entire life has changed in a matter of hours. I'm dealing."
"Well hop on behind me, girl. Unfortunately we don't have a lot of room, so you'll have to just hold on to this strap." Radagast indicated a weathered piece of leather hanging from the handle bars at the front. It twisted around in a U shape with enough room for him to stand in front of it, and for her to use it as reins from behind.
"Aye, aye, Captain." Elle saluted, feeling a little silly as she clambered on behind the wizard.
I'm going on a ride with Radagast, on a sleigh pulled by bunnies through Middle-Earth, to meet up with some hobbits.
"My life is so normal." Elle grimaced, gripping the strap between damp palms and securing her booted feet shoulder-width apart in a similar fashion to Radagast.
"What was that, dear?" He called from the front as the last of the Rhosgobel Rabbits harnessed themselves onto the pulley.
"Nothing!" Elle replied, and with a crack of Radagast's whip off they went, leaving behind only a cloud of dust and kicked up clumps of grass.
So, okay. You know how in 'The Hobbit', Radagast distracts the Orcs for the dwarves to escape by acting as decoy? And the sled just seems to glide like one crazy roller-coaster, with the wizard firmly in control and in sync with each swerve and jump?
Yeah, not so much in real life.
Well, for Elle anyway. Radagast seemed to be having the time of his life up front, if the hoots and cackles of glee were any indication. Elle on the other hand was literally using all her strength and will just to hold on.
She knew these rabbits were known for their speed, but damn. They were seriously fast! Like, faster than Harley's little red Mazda Mx-5, which she'd never been allowed to drive but had ridden in once or twice.
She was struggling to keep the omelet down as they winded insanely between the trees, swerving at the very last second to avoid collision and leaping dangerously over fallen trees trunks and the occasional large root.
She had to stop looking. If she kept that up she'd definitely end up fainting again.
Staring resolutely at the back of the wizard's shabby leather hat, Elle willed her heart to slow down to a steady pace. After ten minutes of not having much luck, she decided to bring up her thoughts on the blackouts to distract her mind from the ride.
"Radagast?" Elle called out over the wind whistling past her ears, dragging the few escaped tendrils from her braid back from her face.
"Hm?" The wizard replied distractedly, obviously occupied with his own warring internal thoughts.
She felt bad for him, she really did. She shouldn't have dropped that bombshell earlier. If someone had told her that a good friend was about to be captured by the enemy, well she probably wouldn't have been as level-headed as Radagast appeared to be about it. She could practically feel him itching to rush off to the rescue.
"I was just wondering about- about the whole wolf thing..." Elle trailed off awkwardly.
Gods, she sounded stupid right now. Wolf thing? Seriously?
"It's the truth, if that's what you're wanting to know." He replied, drawing on the reins to narrowly avoid a clump of trees.
"No, I believe you. At least, I think I do." Elle sighed, "Honestly I don't have a lot of choice, do I?"
Radagast only chuckled in response.
Elle shook her head, continuing on stubbornly, "I just wanted to know... Would it be possible for the wolf to have crossed into my world from time to time?"
Radagast glanced back in surprise, "I should hardly think so! The Valar separated you two for a reason."
"Right... Well, um, I kind of think it did. Sometimes I get these blackouts at night, and wake up outside with no memories of how I got there." Elle inhaled wearily, "I used to think I was just sleepwalking as a bi-product of a genetic disorder. But... Now I think it was the wolf."
There was no way she was going to bring up Angie just yet, though. That was hers to keep.
Radagast didn't answer immediately, though she could hear him clicking his tongue in thought, his mind working furiously to decipher this new information.
"Is that... Bad?" She questioned after a moments hesitation.
"I don't have a blasted clue." Radagast offered honestly, "I'm sorry girl, I couldn't give you a correct answer even if I tried. It's... incredibly unusual."
"But is it possible?" Elle asked, "Is it possible that it was the wolf?"
"Of course it is. Anything is possible." Radagast said.
Anything is possible... And damned if she didn't know it. She was living proof.
Over three hours of riding passed in silence, Elle's legs quivering and aching to hold herself up during the maddening, bumpy ride. Man, she was out of shape.
After what felt like a lifetime, Radagast finally called a short break to stretch their legs and rehydrate.
Elle took one step and almost collapsed under the weight of her jelly-like muscles, slowly hobbling over to a large root in order to sit down somewhat comfortably.
Radagast passed her a water-skin from his pack, and she took a long and much-appreciated draw. Cool, refreshing water rushed down her dry throat, a blessing to her pounding head.
"You say this Ranger, Aragorn... He takes the hobbits to Rivendell in Gandalf's place?" Radagast asked after a couple minutes from the rock he was sitting on, chewing on a piece of apple.
"Yep." Elle said, popping her lips on the letter 'p'.
She was stretched back now, her face raised to the dark green canopy above. The forest was alive with sounds. Birds flapping and cawing through the air, the smaller animals scratching at the undergrowth, while a soft breeze lifted and ruffled through the branches of the trees. It was lovely.
"It would be best if you kept your true nature to yourself then, Elle. You will tell them that Gandalf sent you in his place, and that you must escort the hobbits to Rivendell with the Ranger. I believe you will find your answers there." He said in his pitchy, rusted voice, dusting his hands from the remnants of their scant meal.
"Wait," Elle sat up in panic, "I will tell them? Where will you be?"
"I must journey to aid Gandalf. If what you say is correct, he will need my help."
"But-" Elle sputtered for words, "You can't! We discussed this, he needs to be captured!"
"And he will be," Radagast nodded grimly with disgust, "Though it goes against my better judgement. But tell me this Elle, how do you think Gandalf will escape?"
"The eagle saves him." She responded quickly.
"Aye, the eagle. And who sends the eagle?"
"The- the moth..." Elle stammered, unsure of what he was getting at.
"Ah, I thought so!" Radagast leaned back, smiling proudly, "And it was I who sent the moth in the first place just this morning, to send a message to Gandalf. The moth shall report back the information you've already told me, and so I must call upon the eagles for their aid. They do not come willingly just for any little venture. They must be persuaded."
"So you're going to leave me?!" Elle squealed, fear creeping in.
"You will not be alone, girl." Radagast replied, his hand rubbing at his arm in agitation, "I was not expected to be your guardian forever. It was only temporary, just until you arrived."
"Are you serious?!" Elle shouted, standing up in her anger, "You guys pull me into this world, only to abandon me?! I don't know what I'm doing here, let alone how I'm supposed to survive!"
Radagast glanced about skittishly, afraid her outburst had drawn the attention of something or someone unwanted.
"Calm down, girl!" He croaked, "You will not be abandoned! The Ranger will protect you under Gandalf's name, I'm sure of it."
Fucking hell, she wasn't about to cry again was she? This day had been too long, too stressful. All Elle wanted to do was curl up in a ball, go to sleep, and never ever wake up.
"Fine! Whatever, asshole. Just like my parents, aren't you? No-one ever lasts long in my company." She growled, both hands balled into fists at her sides, "We should probably get going. Don't wanna waste any more time babysitting me, now do we?"
Radagast's jaw was hanging open in shock at her words, "That's not at all what I meant, girl! I've taken care of you all your life, but both your wolf and I knew it was not to be forever. You have a purpose in this world. To stay by my side would not only hold you from it, but waste your life away."
Elle's chest was heaving unsteadily, both hands raised to support her head. This headache was quickly turning into a migraine by the feel of it, and her eyes swam with tears at the pain.
God, what was she doing? Since when did she care about this old man and his involvement in her life? She couldn't give two shits if they went their separate ways!
So why was she crying...?
"I just don't know what I'm doing, or what I'm feeling." She said in defeat, sitting back down on her root.
Radagast stood nervously, before shuffling over and laying a tentative hand on her shoulder. He gave her two quick pats on the back before pulling away and smiling awkwardly, "It is perfectly normal, Elle. You're integrating with the wolf, who has known me all her life. It's not only your confusion, but also some semblance of her emotions you feel. Think of it as being hooked up to a live wire, everything will be amplified."
Elle looked up, her violet eyes even more pronounced under a shining layer of tears, "Seriously? She cares for you then?"
Radagast shrugged, "In her own way. The wolves of Mordor do not think or feel as we do, but I am all she knows in this world. To all accounts I am her only kin, and she has been dependant on my guidance for quite some time. It is... flattering to know that she even minds my absence at all."
Elle let out something between a huff and a sob as she let her head drop back down, "Am I going to become a crazed, hormonal wolf then?"
Radagast chuckled, "Nay, girl. You will become what you've always known you were, deep down. I'm sure for most of your existence you've felt that a piece of you were missing. That you were only half of what you were meant to be. Like an empty vessel, waiting to be filled."
She paused, bristling at the news of this intimate knowledge.
How did he...? She'd never told anyone that, not even Angie. Elle looked back up into his eyes, finding only compassion in their stormy depths.
She nodded grudgingly.
"It was your wolf calling out to you. She is as much a part of you as your very limbs, yet you could not reach each other all this time. It would have been a painful existence to even contemplate..." Radagast faltered, tugging on his beard as he went on, "And I do apologise, but it was necessary. If you'd been left to grow up here, with me, even taken from the hands of evil as you were, your nature would have been swayed toward darkness. As it were, I had a hard enough time raising the she-wolf not to kill me herself. It was only your absence that placated her urges and pushed her down a different path. She has been waiting for you."
"So..." Elle whispered into her lap, "I'm evil then?"
"No!" The wizard was quick to reassure her, "You are good. You know in your heart that you are. You've always had the potential to be good, all of your kin has, but they were raised in the pits of Mordor. It was a miracle Yavanna even managed to rescue you at all."
"Do I have a family then, in Mordor?" Elle swallowed, the thought sitting heavily in her stomach like dead weight.
"Aye, to a degree. There were other wolves, though they did not see themselves as family, and had no emotional bonds. They were mindless killers, bred to do the bidding of Morgoth himself." Radagast answered for her somewhat reluctantly, "Though they are dead now, Elle. Bred out slowly and killed into extinction. You are the last existing pure breed of your kind, that we know of. It is why Yavanna saved you, above all."
"And Yavanna, she's like... God? Mother Earth, or something? Why does she care what happens to me?"
"Yavanna cares what happens to all living things, good or evil. She draws no distinction. You, above all, had an opportunity to do good, to do great, and so you were given the chance to do so. Now we have a weapon of the enemy in our hands, one with light in her heart." Radagast said, his tone wiry and resolved. He sounded tired, like he'd contemplated these thoughts a thousand times before.
"But what if I don't?" Elle asked, "What if I turn evil?"
The wizard was chewing anxiously on his bottom lip, "That has always been a possibility."
She threw her hands up in frustration, "Then why are we even bothering? Why not just kill me now, and save the what-ifs?!"
Radagast knelt to sit beside her, "Because we have faith, girl. This is the Valar's will, and it shall be done. I have known the she-wolf all your life, and while her instinct is to do wrong, she fights to do good. You need only train yourself, and learn to control these urges. She will help you where she can, and you in turn will help her. You have a human nature now. Use it wisely."
Elle lamented silently, a part of her unquestioningly trustful of this man. Was that the wolf part, or the human part? She didn't know.
"I just don't want to be a monster." Elle whispered.
"And there's the difference." Radagast stood, his expression once more cheerful, "You're already far more advanced than you think."
He turned back to the sled, collecting the few wooden bowls he'd laid out for the rabbits to drink from.
"Come on then," Radagast called out to the shivering girl, "We must continue. The hour grows late."
Elle climbed aboard the sled, preparing herself once more for another jostling ride. This time she took off her cardigan and used it as a cushion, deciding to sit down behind him rather than stand. Elle clung to the strap in the crook of her elbows for a more comfortable hold before the Rhosgobel Rabbits raced off into the forest, dragging them behind like they weighed nothing at all.
"Am I going to turn into a wolf tonight?" She asked the wizard after a moment, her voice barely above a whisper. Somehow he heard her over the snap and crack of dry twigs and the howling rush of air going past.
"You may, but you will be aware of every second." He answered, "I've studied intensively on this subject, Elle. Preparing for your arrival. You can control it, as long as you remain calm and level-headed. If you do not wish to change, you will not."
Elle breathed a sigh of relief, a bit of the tension in her back releasing. She had no idea she'd been holding herself so tight.
"However, if you let your emotions rule your head... You will have no choice but to bend to the she-wolf's wishes." Radagast finished off, "I suggest you begin telling yourself that it is you who is in control. Showing weakness will only let her rule you."
Of course. There was always a 'but'.
Elle gritted her teeth obstinately. Some random wolf wasn't going to get the best of her, that was for sure.
"And what about after tonight? It'll disappear again until nighttime?" She asked.
Radagast shook his head as he shouted for the rabbits to move faster, and Elle felt her stomach drop.
"The haze will have lifted. Yavanna cannot hold it forever, it was only meant to prepare your arrival and keep your sanity. The wolf will always be in your mind."
"What, like another consciousness?!" Elle felt sick.
"No, no," Radagast laughed as they leapt dangerously over an alcove in the forest floor, Elle scrambling for a better hold in fear, "You are one. You'll just feel... Different. Whole, complete. You will have urges Elle, primal urges. But she will be much easier to control in daylight. It's after nightfall that you must always be on your guard, until you learn to fully accept and work together."
Elle shivered again, though it wasn't from the cold.
Urges? Gods, what was happening to her normal, boring life as a librarian? Nothing exciting had ever happened to her. Just a whole bunch of horrible shit she'd rather not think about. She'd read about adventures before, had even dreamed she might one day have one. Never did she think it's be within those books that she'd experience it.
And to think, this whole time her entire world had thought this was all a work of fiction. Elle wondered absently if J.R.R. Tolkien had come to this world once, too. It seemed plausible. How else would he have known so much about it, and so perfectly too? Of course, to know exactly what happens now it'd have to be some time in the distant, distant future here. But still.
Well, thinking about that was definitely not helping her headache. Elle clenched her jaw tight and turned her mind to the journey at hand, determined in every bone of her body to be strong.
They burst through the tree-line of the forest some time after noon, the blazing sunshine a welcome reprieve from the dank, dark cover of foliage.
They'd made incredible time, all thanks to the furry little creatures now bounding about and stretching their tiny limbs after being released from their bonds. Elle felt a similar sense of satisfaction as she stretched her cramped legs, glad to be rid of the sled. It looked a lot more fun on TV than it was in real life.
Radagast appeared to be a little flustered as he adjusted his windswept hat, nervously checking up on both their packs. They'd be parting ways soon, and he seemed to be wanting to avoid the subject.
Just in case I have another panic attack, Elle thought to herself wryly.
The mood had passed as quickly as it had come, and she found that in reality, while she was scared to be here relatively on her own, she was a grown adult and was perfectly capable of looking after herself.
Even if she was in Middle-Earth, the quaint town of Bree would hardly bite.
She tried to recall what happened next here in the film, but was finding her memories slightly blurred. She knew the hobbits arrived at night, under some sort of duress... They went to the Prancing Pony, and it was there they were found by Aragorn. But what happened after that?
It was like clutching at water, slipping through her fingers as if she was trying to remember a dream.
"Radagast?" Elle called out in alarm, turning to him, "I can't remember what happens next!"
"Excuse me?" Radagast questioned as he trotted over from the sled.
"In the story, I can't remember what happens in Bree!" She was genuinely rattled now, and her voice pitched higher, "I remembered this morning perfectly, but now... Everything feels distant, like I dreamt it all!"
Radagast wrinkled his large nose in confusion, "Are you sure anything happens at all, girl? Mayhap you don't remember because there is nothing of import to recall?"
"No, stupid. Something does happen. Something bad. I just don't know what!" She snapped, her inability to remember making her frustrated.
"Ah, well... Can you remember anything else that happens?" Radagast prodded carefully.
"I don't know," Elle keened, "My mind refuses to try."
After a couple more seconds of wracking her brain for anything at all, Elle gave up with a snarl of frustration. She dug her nails into the palms of her hands until little crescent-moons appeared, red and angry against pale skin.
"It's alright, Elle." Radagast soothed from a safe distance, palms extended outward, "Things like this are expected to happen. You must take it in good stride, don't let the anger get the best of you. Just breathe."
With these words, Elle realised she was emitting a low growling sound from the back of her throat, her eyes narrowed on the wizard. She gasped, the inhuman noise stopping instantly as she blinked at Radagast with wide, confused eyes.
She had been growling at him. Like, literally growling, as if she were some dog defending it's favourite toy or something.
"I'm so sorry!" Elle cried out, crumpling before him like a wilting flower.
Radagast's heart went out to her. So much change, in such a small amount of time. She was doing better than he could ever have hoped for. The fact that she'd even realised what she was doing was something of an anomaly, and just like that she'd snapped out of it. As if it were nothing! Yavanna had done well in choosing this one.
"Don't apologise, girl. It's your nature, and perfectly normal." He said, though she could sense that his normally quite skittish demeanour had increased tenfold.
"But I was growling at you. I thought you said nothing would happen until tonight?" Elle asked, embarrassed. So she really was turning into a wolf... Or some semblance of it, anyway. She had no idea where that had come from, but in that instant she'd felt powerful for the first time in her life.
Now all she felt was fear.
"Your wolf must be stronger than I thought. But it doesn't matter, you settled her in the end. And if that little episode told me anything, I am now more confident than ever that you will have rein over your wolf." The wizard confirmed for her, coming forward to take her arm and pat her hand gently.
It was so strange to think that just this morning she'd woken up in a cave, thinking she was about to become this old man's dinner. And now here she was, in Middle-Earth, going on a journey with him like they were old friends.
Elle couldn't really explain her trust for him. The closest she could get was knowing that he was the first and only person she knew here and without him, she was very likely to fall flat on her arse.
That and the whole wolf thing. That probably had something to do with it.
"Come on, girl. We're a good two hours early. I can use this time to escort you properly into Bree." He smiled, easing her concerns.
"It's Elle." She reminded him, taking her arm out his hold before attempting a smile back. Though, considering the circumstances, it came out as something of a grimace.
It was a short thirty minute walk from here to Bree, the town not far from the forest's edge. Elle spent the leisurely stroll constantly pestering herself and Radagast on where her memories had gone, pulling at straws in a weak bid to extract the story from her mind.
The more she thought on it, the foggier it became, until she couldn't even remember what Rivendell looked like anymore.
Radagast finally convinced her to let it go, that in time her memories might return. In any case, he'd told her, everything happens for a reason. There was probably some higher power blocking what could potentially harm the outcome of the Fellowship, until the information could do no harm.
Elle thought that that particular theory was a bunch of crap, and had proceeded to tell him so until she'd been interrupted by a wagon passing them loudly on the road.
She'd looked up, her eyes following the docile mule, only to find the imposing gate of Bree standing proudly before them. A barrage against unwanted visitors at night, but held open for all to pass through during the less-troublesome day.
"Wow." Elle hushed as they stepped through the wooden gate, "So this is Bree."
Everything suddenly felt so very real. There was a part of her this entire time that had truly doubted all that was happening, disbelieving of these extraordinary events, and thinking she'd probably wake up soon.
Now, there just wasn't any room for anything but belief.
Elle felt her stomach contract, doing flip-flops in excitement. She was really in Bree, and she was really going to see the Fellowship of the Ring. Amazing.
It looked different during the day. The houses were cramped, with barely (if any) space between them, and constructed of wood and stone. The main dirt road went straight through, a dusty brown against the coarse grey buildings.
The town was bustling with activity, carts going in and out, crowds of people shouting their wares and going about their business. The vast majority of citizens were dressed in varying shades of brown, and Elle quickly realised that she was sticking out like a sore thumb.
Dressed in the same white shirt she'd gone to work in, now dusty and in desperate need of a wash after their ride, her favourite shredded boyfriend jeans, boots and a patterned, over-sized cardigan, she might as well have been a bright pink flamingo amidst a flock of pigeons.
"Um, Radagast?" Elle spoke up as they made their way through the crowd.
"Yes, m'dear?" He answered light heartedly.
"Everyone is staring at me."
And they were. Just about every individual she passed turned to do a double-take, unsure of what exactly they were looking at. Radagast slowed down from his motoring pace, noticing the curious stares they were attracting.
"Ah." He said, "That's unfortunate."
Elle chuckled weakly, pulling the end of her cardigan out from the inquisitive fingers of a child that had strayed too close. She looked around, blinking rapidly as more people gathered to see her strange attire.
"We should move indoors." Radagast decided, before Elle stopped him with a hand to his sleeve.
"Um, maybe we should get me a change of clothes first?" She said, pointing toward a dress-shop not three feet away.
Radagast nodded, "Oh, yes! Silly me, right this way then."
The shop door tinkled as they stepped inside, a few more tenacious onlookers trailing behind to watch through the murky glass windows.
The shop was small and plain, with very few accents bar the wares hanging from wooden racks throughout the room. Elle looked to Radagast for guidance, who was looking back at her just as expectantly.
"You don't really expect me to know what the hell any of this is, do you?" She asked after he continued to stare blankly in her direction.
Radagast stammered uncomfortably, before Elle rolled her eyes in dismissal.
"Men. They're the bloody same in every dimension."
Elle approached the front of the shop slowly, one hand running over frilly undergarments she didn't understand, and thick woollen skirts that fell in heavy layers to the floor. Was this seriously what women wore in this age? Talk about restrictive.
"May I help you?" A voice called out from a door behind the counter, before a woman not much older than Elle stepped into the room with a welcoming smile. She faltered slightly when appraising her customer's foreign attire, before the smile was back in place and her eyes snapped up to meet Elle's.
"Uh, yes. I'd like an entire set of clothes, please." Elle figured that'd be a decent start, keeping one eye fixed on the whereabouts of the wizard the entire time. She had to stifle a giggle as she watched him investigate the workings of a corset, his face a mixture of distaste and puzzlement.
The woman seemed ecstatic at her revelation as she excitedly began to chatter, "An entire set? Cor, that's wonderful! You've come to the right place, miss. We've got everything you could ever need here."
Elle smiled back, "Cool, so how do we do this?"
"Cool? Shall we start with a cloak, miss? Are you under the weather?"
"Ahh, no." Elle corrected hastily, "Sorry, I meant that that sounds great. I just need an outfit that's a little more understated, yet lightweight and flexible."
The woman smiled in understanding, "Of course. Do you have a preference for colour? We have shades in grey, brown, green, blue..."
The list went on, and a half hour later Elle was decked out in her brand new gear, courtesy of Radagast. She thanked the wizard profusely, surprised he'd be so generous as to do something like that for her. Normally she'd have declined the help, but since the shop assistant had just stared at Elle as if she'd grown a second head when confronted with an Australian fifty dollar note, she didn't have much choice. In any case, Elle found the new clothing surprisingly comfortable and flattering.
The woman had fitted her into a white muslin tunic with a ruffled neckline and long, tight-fitting sleeves to her wrists. The tunic cinched in tightly at the waist, before billowing down in a threadbare skirt to her ankles. To complete the dress the woman had paired it with a thin, russet-coloured kirtle with a modest, square neckline, the lace top of the tunic skirting out along the edge and exposing a generous portion of collarbone.
The double-layered skirt was incredibly airy, much to her surprise, and the bodice not at all bulky as she would have imagined. It was laced at the back with ribbon to pull her waist in and her breasts out.
And to be honest, she looked good. Who knew she had such a tiny waist under all those baggy clothes?
Elle kept her point-toed boots as is, clipping a dark brown, hooded cloak at her neck and shouldering her pack after stuffing her normal clothes inside. She'd opted to keep her own bra and underwear on after the woman dutifully had them cleaned during Elle's fitting, not even bothering to look into the Medieval-style knickers.
The shop assistant was enthralled with the workings of her "unusual undergarments". Obviously her white, lace push-up bra and matching boy shorts wasn't the common go-to look around here, as they were in the 21st Century.
Elle could have stayed in there trying on clothes all day, had it not been for Radagast's obvious impatience and harassing to move on.
"We don't have all day, girl. It's just a darn dress, let's get on now." He ushered her out, Elle waving a cheeky goodbye to the server inside.
She pouted as they stepped back into the street, "Dude, it's not even dark yet. Frodo won't be here for ages."
"My name is not dude," The wizard scolded, "And if you want Gandalf to be rescued on time, I suggest you let me set you up at the inn and be on my way. We haven't a lot of light left."
"Right, fine. Whatever." Elle grumbled, though she didn't really mind. Each time she wondered at her irate annoyance with anything Radagast said or did in relation to his leaving, Elle mentally had to remind herself that it was normal. It wasn't her feelings, it was the wolf.
The town of Bree wasn't a particularly large place, but with its maze of winding alleys and crooked streets, it took them a few tries to locate the Prancing Pony.
In the end Elle had asked a few nicer-looking folk for directions, and they'd been more than happy to oblige.
Turned out it wasn't far from the dress-shop they'd started at, and that they must've passed it somewhere shortly after. The sun was just now beginning to set and a low, thick bank of clouds were steadily moving closer.
"This is where I leave you, girl. I don't have a lot of time, and it'll take a few days to get to the eagles. Plus a few days more to convince them of their need." Radagast explained, worried she'd throw another tantrum.
Elle smiled gently, reassuring the wizard with a stiff pat to his shoulder.
"It's okay, mate," She said, "I'll be fine. Just gotta wait for the four little people to show up, and then that's my queue."
"Precisely." Radagast beamed, appeased that he would not be leaving her in tears.
Elle was still finding it hard to believe where she was and who she was with. She'd always liked the silly old wizard from the films, and on meeting him had found she'd only grown fonder of his eccentric, awkward antics.
He turned and rummaged in his pack before offering her a small draw-string purse. It jangled as she took it, feeling with surprise the heavy weight of coins within.
"It isn't a fortune," He laughed nervously, "But it's enough to survive on for a few months."
"Wow... Thank you, Radagast." Elle felt truly moved by the gesture, and caught up in the moment she leant forward and planted a small peck on his cheek.
Radagast blushed a thousand shades of red, his eyes darting about as if he were unsure if he should smile or run away. The shock was evident.
Elle tilted her head apologetically, "Looks like you weren't quite the homeless, psycho-kidnapper I thought you to be, after all. Sorry about that."
"No harm done." The agitated wizard shrugged his weathered shoulders.
"Still... Thank you. For everything you've done for me, and the wolf. I'm sure it, uhh, appreciates the help too." Elle finished with an awkward half smile.
Radagast chuckled weakly in response, the blush on his cheeks fading to a ruddy pink. "You must remember, Elle. The haze will lift at nightfall. Please be ready, and stay in control. You will have urges, and you will feel different. Be prepared for anything."
"I know, I get it. No kicko, no fighto." Elle said in understanding, though she really wasn't sure what to expect. The thought frightened her, but she pushed it aside for later.
"Looks like rain." Radagast muttered suddenly in disapproval as he spied the unsightly black streak across the horizon.
"It is rain," Elle told him, a broad smile peeling across her face as she remembered that much, "The hobbits arrive after it hits."
"About three and a half hours, then." Radagast sniffed, holding the door to the tavern open for her.
"Three hours?! Of doing what?" She complained, actually expecting an answer as she wedged her foot in the door and turned back to him.
"Get a room, have a meal and a drink, wash up? Whatever it is you ladies do these days." Radagast offered, shouldering his pack.
Elle rolled her eyes and repeated like before, "Aye, aye, Captain."
"And, Elle?" Radagast called as she turned to go. Elle glanced back, a questioning look on her face.
"Be good, please."
Elle scoffed, waggling her eyebrows suggestively, "Oh come on, am I ever anything but?"
"Goodbye, Elle." Radagast chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.
She watched as he hurried into the dispersing crowd, disappearing down the next street with a swish of his cloak.
Elle took a deep breath and lifted her skirts to step inside, the fabric weightless and delicate in her hands. Just as she'd asked. This muslin stuff, she liked. She'd been expecting stiff, weighty fabrics of velvet and tulle. This was much better.
She was so busy looking down at her prettily gathered skirts, she didn't even notice as she walked straight in and bumped directly into someone's back.
"Oomph!" Elle cried out, losing her balance just as a strong arm caught her around the waist.
"Watch where y'goin!" Her victim yelped as he jostled forward, spilling his drink and casting her a disgruntled glance before turning back to his friend.
But Elle wasn't paying much attention.
She was staring up in shock into the amused green eyes of the Ranger, Aragorn. Aragorn, Son of Arathorn, and the rightful heir to Isildur's throne.
Oh, and he had his arms around her waist. Elle Roberts, librarian and spinster, was in the arms of the King of Gondor.
It was just her luck that she hadn't showered in two days, and probably smelt like it, too.
Oh yeah, Aragorn baby!
Our Elle is finally in the thick of things, and WHAT?! Losing her MEMORIES?! The gall! I figured it'd be annoying and boring if she knew everything that happened, plus after the Gandalf-info incident and spoiler alert fiasco, the Valar would probably wanna dull her memories of Middle-Earth. No, they're not gone, and she will recall bits and pieces and more throughout time!
Kirtle: It's a dress type thing that went over tunics for women. Just google image it if that explanation was as terrible as I think it is!
So, a bit more info on the mysterious Angie, a bit more on Wolfie-Elle.
Poor, poor Elle. Idk how I'd feel if I found out I was born to be evil. Also guys, pretty please remember to review, favourite and follow! It's like candy to us writers!
Next chapter we see what happens to Elle once the haze lifts...
Anyhow, back to writing I go!
- T
xo