CHAPTER 9
This is a weird outcome.
I've heard and read of how people feel like they're floating in darkness when they're unconscious, but I just never thought I'd feel it. It's like you're drowning in a dark sea, but you can breathe.
I don't like it.
Wake me up! This is creepy!
A soft light started to clear from the darkness in front of me. Wait, what am I supposed to do? I forgot, what do they say in movies?! Go or no go? This would be a lot easier to decide if the horses were quieter in their trotting.
Wait, horses?!
I opened my eyes.
And closed them again, wincing; damn, that hurts! Both the side and the sun, but you can get which is more bothersome.
I clutched the plates of armor under me tighter, feeling an arm hold me closer to someone's chest.
"Calm, child, we are almost there." There where? Were they taking me to the others? Can they drop me off at a hospital or something first? Reaching the others just to die dramatically does sound fun though. Imagine their faces- HA!
God, the jostling in the saddle is not helping my wound at all. Let's hope we'll stop soon and try to stay awake. I opened my eyes again.
Wow.
I don't know where we are, but this place would make the best postcard ever. I looked around. There were cliffs and waterfalls, and the architecture of the place we were nearing was amazing! I'm so gonna explore this!
Another spasm of pain from my wound made me grind my teeth. I'll explore it, but not today. I looked up to the guy that was holding me. It was the one with the dark hair and a crown. I like him. I feel safe with him, which is weird, I don't ever really feel safe. I sat in front of him on his horse, sideways, leaning on his shoulder, one of his hands pressed to my wound and holding me to him so I don't fall off.
As we neared the magnificent palace (as I could not find any other word that would be as accurate) another horn pierced the sound of hooves hitting the ground, making me jump and wince slightly, making the guy press harder onto the wound. I know I'm bleeding out, but fuuuck that hurts!
I looked up again as we were riding across this little bridge, not wanting to see how high we were up, and saw the company.
"Oh, hey, they're here already..." I whispered, probably getting an odd glance, but I don't care.
The riders surrounded the dwarves and I held on to the man with one hand, waiving the other towards my buddies. Some of them gawked (mainly Bilbo); the others didn't really notice (mainly everyone else). I guess being surrounded by pretty men on pretty horses would do that to you.
When we stopped spinning (thank god) the one holding me started to speak.
"Gandalf!" I decided I needed attention (still slowly dying here, people! Though I guess the man did something, because I'm hardly bleeding out anymore).
"'Sup, bitches! I suppose you thought you've seen the last of me!"
"Alice!"
"We thought you were dead for sure!" They looked like they wanted to get to me, but were cautious of the pretty men. Hannah, I noticed while being let down from the horse carefully, was at the back, looking away. Bitch.
"Not dead yet, but getting there!" I pressed a hand to the side covered in blood, keeping one hand on the pretty mans forearm firmly, since I was still unsteady on my feet. The man turned to the other pretties and told them something in that song language the other pretty tried to speak to me earlier. One of the other's and the one who stood next to Gandalf took my hand, and my favorite pretty turned to me.
"Go, they will take care of your wound."
"Uhmm... Thank you, uh..."
"I am Lord Elrond, child. We shall speak later. Go now." I nodded, and waived to the others (who seemed a bit nervous about me being taken somewhere), muttering a "bye-bye" as the other pretties (wait, they have pointed ears... elves?) led me up the stairs and down a corridor to some room. They laid me down onto a bed, and when some elven women (they are elves, right?) came in, carrying a bowl of sorts (filled with water I presume), bandages and other supplies needed, they left the room, nodding at my quiet "thank you".
The lady elves helped me wash (both my side and all the filth from the road, as there was a bath in an adjoining room), dressed my wound with linen and some herbs that should help with my healing, they explained, and helped me put on clothing (a dress, but a really pretty one anyway). They wanted to braid my hair, too, but I asked them to leave it, knowing it will curl up slightly when it dries. I thanked them, and they left, smiling at me.
I laid there on the bed and thought about things. Mainly food and a nap, as I had neither slept nor eaten in roughly a day. For food I would have to leave the bed, but I'm also really sleepy. But Lord Elrond said he'd talk to me later, so I have to stay awake. But If I stay awake-
The door opened.
In walked Lord Elrond, followed by Gandalf. The Lord was no longer wearing armor, and Gandalf looked at me with a relieved, yet disapproving gaze. Ohh, he angry.
"Hi." I smiled, hoping not to get yelled at.
"Hi? HI?! What were you thinking?! You could have gotten killed!"
"But I didn't!" I chirped, cheery, smile on my face.
"Why would you ever think that staying behind to face an orc pack alone is a good idea?!"
"Calm down, Gandalf." I rolled my eyes."We needed someone to distract the orcs from the Hidden Pass or whatever you call it, and I seemed like the most logical option." He raised his eyebrows in a baffled way. Lord Elrond seemed a bit out of place, retreating further away from the bed, trying not to get involved. "First of all, the others have already jumped in, and second, I'm really the most expendable out of the whole company." He opened his mouth as if to protest, but lacked the words to do so. "See? I am neither incredibly skilled, nor do I have experience in anything that could be worth our time, nor do I have any special skill that raises me above the others. I don't have any family here, nor there would be anyone who would care that much if I died." He looked angry, and opened his mouth again, but I cut him off. "I, however, am a perfect distraction, what with the yelling and oddness and insults and occasional jabbing of a sword or arrow, you can't deny that." Gandalf seemed to deflate slightly at that.
"Oh, Alice. I will not be angry at you for doing what you thought was best, but you must understand that you have people that care for you here. What you did was very reckless, though it was indeed helpful. We would not have been able to fight the orcs in the cave very well, so you most likely saved quite a few lives. But do not keep throwing your life to the wind like that. The others thought you were dead, they were grief struck. You will have to apologize to them." I pouted.
"Fine. I'm sorry for saving your life and almost getting killed in the process, Gandalf." He huffed a little laugh.
"You might have to work on that." I smiled. Then I remembered Lord Elrond still in the room.
"Now that that's over, Lord Elrond..." I started, making him look at me. "Thank you very much for taking care of me. I hope there is some way I could repay you."
"No need, I am glad we could help, Lady Alice." He walked gracefully closer to the bed I was in, gosh, this man has to be magic, and he seems perfect in every way possible! Too bad he's too old looking for me, haha.
"None the less, I owe you. Please, if there is ever anything I could do for you, do not hesitate to ask." I smiled, trying to be as graceful as possible. If all elves are like this, then sign me up for an elf hubby, no matter how ungraceful that would make me feel like all the time! Gandalf, realizing the Lord and I barely knew who each other was, spoke.
"I think proper introductions are needed. Lord Elrond, this is Lady Alice, as you already know. She and her friend, Hannah, who you might have seen among the dwarves, have come unwillingly to Middle Earth and are trying to find a way home while traveling with the Oakenshield company. So far they have obviously been... unsuccessful." Elrond bowed his head slightly in greeting, and turned to me.
"I, as I have stated before, am Elrond, Lord of Imladris, in your tongue known as Rivendell." I'm guessing that's what this place is called.
"Nice to meet ya!" I grinned childishly. "Now, I'm interested in my wound. How long will it heal?"
"I was told that it is not very serious and should heal completely in a few weeks. You will have to rebind it from time to time, of course. But besides that and feeling weak from the lack of blood you lost you should be fit to travel, though I must insist you do not strain yourself."
"I'll try." I smiled. "Thank you again for your hospitality, Lord Elrond."
"You are our guest for as long as you stay in Rivendell, and we elves take pride in being hospitable. Now, a small feast has been called for to sate the hunger of all of the travelers, if you would like to join us, milady?"
"Yes, please!" Sleeping can wait, I'm hungry!
Soooo yeah. I hope you like it. If I wrote anything wrong, please tell me.
As you probably have already noticed, I don't update a lot. It's just something I never get around to doing. It would motivate me a lot more if you guys could review and give me ideas or just tell me what you think I could improve.
Anyway, thanks for reading!
