**Chapter 2**
Bainanu's POV~
I looked down at the sleeping girl in front of me. At first I thought she was an elf, she had the pointed ears and was rather beautiful and seemed so full of grace. But when, I looked at her body, which was displayed by her lack of clothing, it was apparent that she was anything but elven. Her body was curvaceous with ample bosom and wide hips, and her legs were shapely. Her brown hair flowed down to her waist and had pale blonde streaks through it. She said that she only knew about Middle Earth through stories, which added to my confusion as to her race. Maybe she was an elf in her world, and just seemed different than what would be our normal elf here. Whatever the case may be, I needed to bring her to Elrond. He would know what to do with her.
The rest of the ride to Imladris wasn't very long, and we arrived about half an hour after she fell asleep. I would have told her to stay awake until we arrived, but she was barely maintaining consciousness as it was. I rode until I had neared the house of Elrond, where a stablehand met me. I handed down Deirdre to him momentarily than dismounted myself and took her back into my arms.
I walked over to a bench to lay her down, until I could find Lord Elrond, when I was approached by the Lady Arwen. I nodded my head to her as she eyed the woman in my arms.
"Who is this?" she asked me.
"Her name is Deirdre, I found her on a path during my patrol. She said that she wasn't from here and so I was going to take her to your father. She said she wanted to get home." I replied, looking back on it. That probably wasn't the best idea, after all, she was a stranger and I just brought her here without much of a reason.
Lady Arwen nodded her head and turned from me, I believe to go find her father. I sat Deirdre down on the bench and she stirred a little, but failed to awaken. Her slow breath and heart beat showed that she was still asleep.
It wasn't long until Arwen was back with Elrond. He looked at the girl who lay on the bench in sleep.
"Who is this girl exactly?" he asked.
"I know her name is Deirdre, she says that she is not from here. I knew not what to do with her, so I decided to bring her to you." I answered.
Lord Elrond nodded his head and moved toward Deirdre, picking her up from the bench that she had lain so peacefully on. Again she stirred a little, but didn't wake up.
"Thank you, Bainanu." He said, then turned and carried her to a guest room.
I nodded and turned to go and rest myself.
Deirdre's POV~
I began to regain consciousness in a warm, soft bed. I opened my eyes, thinking that I had had the strangest dream and was now lying back in my bed at home. But when I looked around me there was nothing familiar. This was really starting to bother me, waking up in places that I didn't recognize. Fortunately, this time I was in a comfortable bed, with a bunch of fluffy pillows and warm sheets. Although I was still wearing the same pajamas that I had been stuck in since I woke up in Middle Earth, it wasn't that bad of a situation compared to yesterday. However, I was even more shocked when I looked up from my bed and it was just dawn. That was really confusing, I thought to myself.
I moved to the balcony and stepped outside into the cool morning air. Looking out over Rivendell and the trees surrounding it bathed in the light of the morning sun I could finally see why people woke up in the morning, it was truly breathtaking. I stood out on the balcony for several minutes, until the sun had fully risen and the whole world was bathed in its light. Then I turned away and headed back into the room I was staying in.
I stopped in the doorway from the balcony when I saw a male elf standing in the room. He had long, dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. To be honest, he reminded me a lot of the actor who played Elrond in the movies that I watched so many times.
"Are you Lord Elrond?" I asked him, my voice quiet with nervousness.
"That I am, Deirdre." He answered me, it didn't really shock me that he knew my name. I figured that Bainanu had told him. Considering that I had been sleeping in a lovely room in Rivendell, he must have told Lord Elrond that I was here.
"It's lovely to meet you," I said as I bowed my head a little, falling back onto the manners that my parents had taught me for when I had to be proper around adults.
"Bainanu, said that you were not from here. As I guess explains your lack of clothing." He said.
"Yes. In my home, this is considered rather appropriate, although these are in fact my sleeping garments." I said.
He nodded his head and continued to look over me, it made me feel slightly uncomfortable that I was being examined in such a way. But I knew it was more because he didn't trust me than anything scandalous.
"I will leave you to get dressed then, into more appropriate clothing. A bath has been drawn for you and there is a dress in the other room waiting for you. Leave your clothing out and it will be tended to." He said, gesturing to the room connected to this one. "When you are done, we will speak of what to do with you."
I nodded my head in acknowledgement and watched as he left the room. Once he had gone, I turned and went into the other room where there was a steaming bath tempting me. I quickly stripped off my clothing and sunk into the hot water. I sighed as it soothed my muscles and warmed to the core. Looking around just outside the bath I saw soap, shampoo, and a razor. I washed away all the stress of waking in strange places and soaked in the water until my hands and feet were all pruny. Then I climbed from the bath and pulled a towel around me that had been lain next to the bath. I quickly toweled off and wrapped the towel around my mass of dripping hair. Then I examined the clothing that had been laid out before me.
I groaned as I saw it was a corset and dress. I wasn't exactly the girliest person alive, and the skirts that I wore were never longer than my knees. I also wore the occasional corset so it wasn't that big of a deal, but I always had someone fastening me in. Somehow I managed to fit myself into the corset, but I was seriously having issues with fitting it tight about my waist. But once I had fastened it, thank god for the lacings being in front, it held my body to shape nicely. I slid on the undergarments left for me and began to pull on the dress. It fell around my body gracefully, accentuating my bust and slight waist made tiny by the corset, and flowed from my hips to the ground. It wasn't the most practical thing I had worn, but it would have to do. The bodice was a shiny pale blue and the skirt and sleeves were a darker midnight blue. I unwrapped my hair from the towel and brushed through it with a brush that was on the near vanity.
After leaving my hair down, as I saw no point in really styling it when I wasn't very good at that, I looked into the mirror that was before me. For the first time since I got here, I looked at my left ear. I had to check it with the other and saw that it was exactly matching the other in its point. It pretty much looked exactly how I had imagined it would once it had been changed to match. Needless to say, I was pretty happy that I hadn't needed to get surgery done to change my ear. Glancing at my face full on I saw that my eyes had changed to a blue today, this wasn't that odd for me, 'cause my eyes decided to change colors on fairly regularly.
I left the room once I had fully prepared, including slipping on a pair of light brown leather boots. Once out in the hallway I didn't have a clue where to go. So I just picked a direction and began walking. I soon reached a beautiful garden and decided I may as well just wait here and see if anyone found me. So I sat myself down among the beautiful flowers giving off an intoxicating scent. I just sat in the gardens with my eyes shut breathing in the aroma, until I was startled by a man with dark hair and a beard that made him look pretty shaggy. Again he reminded me of the actor who played Aragorn in the movies. Maybe Peter Jackson did a really good job casting them all. So far they had been pretty perfect.
"Hello there, are you here to take me to see Elrond, Aragorn?" I asked him.
His eyes widened as soon as I said his name, apparently I had guessed right. Score one for the fantasy obsessed. It was quite laughable that my mother had said that there was no purpose in watching the movies so much.
"Uh, yes I suppose I am." He stumbled out, confused. "How did you know my name?"
"I doubt you would believe me even if I told you." I said an amused look on my face.
He just nodded his head, maintaining the confused expression on his face, and gestured for me to follow him. We walked through several hallways passing quite a few elves on the way, before reaching a big wooden door. Aragorn knocked on the door of what I assumed to be Elrond's study. After a moment, the door swung open to reveal what I assumed was Gandalf.
"Hello, Gandalf. Might I come in?" I asked the older man.
"Yes, of course, my dear." He replied and made room for me to pass.
I entered into the study and stood before Elrond who sat behind a desk, while Gandalf moved to take one of the seats in front of the desk. Elrond motioned for me to take the remaining seat, so I sat down beside Gandalf.
"Deirdre, we are going to need to know everything that you know about Middle Earth." Elrond said, making me sigh.
This was going to be a long story, I thought. Did they really want to know everything, or simply whether or not I was working for the enemy.
"Well, first would you like me to tell you everything that I know? Cause it is quite a bit about the war of the One Ring. Or would you prefer me just to tell you the main details, and leave out the things about the future?" I asked them, confused about where to start.
"How do you know it's the future?" Elrond asked me.
"Gandalf, are you Gandalf the Grey?" I asked him, to which he nodded his head. "Then I know the future."
"Alright, I'm not sure how that proves anything, but please continue. Tell us what you know will come soon." Gandalf instructed.
"Well, given that Aragorn is here that means that Frodo Baggins and the other hobbits from the Shire have arrived recently. There will be a secret council taking place in a few days, during which the fate of the one ring will be decided. Or should I say the manner which the ring will be destroyed will be determined. Attending this council will be the elves of Mirkwood, dwarves, men from Gondor, as well as Frodo, the two of you, and Aragorn son of Arathorn." I said, then continued. "Would you like me to continue?"
"No, that won't be necessary." Elrond said, then pausing for a moment began again. "How are we to know that you are not a spy of the enemy?"
"Now that is a question which I do not have the answer to. I will have to count on you believing me, because honestly there isn't a way that I can think of to prove that I am not evil." I said, rising from my seat and pacing a little as I spoke. "Lady Galadriel would be able to tell, considering the whole mind speak thing as well has her mirror. However, I don't believe we have time for that prior to the fellowship heading out."
"What do you mean 'the fellowship'?" Elrond asked me, I noticed that Gandalf was silent during most of my interrogation, undoubtedly trying to figure out if I was evil or not.
"Sorry, I guess that I shouldn't have let that one slip. In order to destroy the ring of power, a fellowship will set out from Rivendell. In all the stories back home it was 9 travelers, and the fate of all the travelers is well known where I am from." I said, then thinking maybe I should explain more. "We have books about this particular story, for in my world that is what it is, and the books have been made into really popular movies that everyone can see."
They both nodded, confused by my explanation, but not really wanting to question me or not.
"Do you know how you got here?" Gandalf asked me.
"To Middle Earth or Rivendell? To Rivendell is simple, but to Middle Earth is a little more confusing." I said.
"To middle earth." Gandalf replied.
"I was watching the movies that were based on the story of this adventure when I fell asleep. I had a dream that I walked out of my house and to the nearby forest and passed out walking in the forest. Then I awoke here in the forest near Rivendell, where I was found by Bainanu." I explained, trying to make sense of it while I went.
"Do you think that you were summoned here?" Gandalf asked me, which earned him an expressions basically saying 'really?'.
"What exactly would be the point in summoning a 17 year old girl?" I asked.
"Maybe Sauron or Saruman wanted the information of what will happen in the future that you could provide." Gandalf volunteered.
I snorted at this, it wasn't ladylike, but who said I had to be a lady. I liked my uncouth self. This whole idea that my knowledge of what was to come would help the enemy was ridiculous, I mean if I helped them then maybe they would win. But why would I ever help them?
"If that is what they wanted then obviously they messed up. Considering that I am sitting in the study of Elrond of Imladris and not in Isengard or Mordor. I don't have the slightest inclination to help either of them. However, I would like to help you all." I said rather nonchalantly as though this held absolutely no meaning for me.
Apparently, this perked the interest of both Elrond and Gandalf, who both stared at me with a look that said for me to continue.
"To be honest, I know the outcome of this war. And not only do I like the current Middle Earth, because it is truly lovely, and want good to triumph over evil. But I really would prefer to stick with the winning side, so to speak." I told them.
"So how do you suggest you help us?" Elrond asked.
"I believe you may need some guidance, make things go a little more smoothly. Ensure that everything turns out alright." I said.
"And you want to provide this guidance? As an active member in this? Or less directly giving information?" Elrond asked me, it seemed he was actually considering this.
"I would be more than willing to provide this guidance. This world is too beautiful and pure to be destroyed and tainted with evil. And I would preferably not be seen as a manipulator, but simply giving little bits of advice along the way." I replied, maintaining my casual attitude.
I really did hate the idea of this world losing its beauty. I wanted to do anything I could to maintain it. However, there was a part of me that enjoyed discord and chaos. But I also wanted to go along on the quest of the fellowship, see the world here in all its beauty.
"You don't have to agree now, but I would like to go along with the fellowship. They will need some guidance before the end." I told them both, then pausing. "Have you decided that I am not a spy of the enemy then?"
"We will trust you to some extent. However, to ensure that you do know what will happen. Can you tell us who will make up the fellowship now?" Gandalf asked.
"Frodo Baggins will be the ring bearer, he will be accompanied by his friend Samwise Gamgee, as well as two more shirelings Pippin Took and Merry Brandybuck. Gandalf will be the one advising the group as to the route, while Aragorn, Legolas of the Woodland Realm, Gimli son of Gloin, and Boromir son of Denethor will aid in the protection of the fellowship. At least, that is the group that was written about in the story in my world." I informed them.
They both nodded. Then Gandalf rose from his seat, as did Elrond from behind the desk. Elrond was the next to speak.
"The council will be a few days after Frodo has awoken. You will be allowed to attend the council, seeing as you have such knowledge." He informed me.
"Am I free to go then? I had wished to see the rest of the gardens as well as possibly meeting some of the Halflings." I said, after nodding my head to Elrond.
"Of course, there will be a bell signaling when the afternoon meal will commence. Feel free to look about the gardens." Elrond replied.
With that I nodded my head and turned, walking out of the study into the bright outside. I managed to find my way back to some of the gardens and began walking about, breathing in the scents of some of the flowers that grew there. The elves did know how to maintain beautiful gardens.
After sitting down under the shade of some of the wild rose bushes, I shut my eyes and just allowed my body to relax as lying under the bush enjoying the atmosphere. I stayed in this peaceful manner for a time, until I felt the eyes of someone on me. So I opened my eyes and looked over to where I felt the eyes upon me. Standing there were two hobbits. I was reminded of Pippin and Merry, so I figured that's who they were.
"Hey, do you want something?" I asked them a little exasperated from the disruption.
"We were just wondering who you were." One of them asked a little nervous, I didn't think I was that scary.
"I'm Deirdre." I told them, I decided that I may as well be somewhat polite. "So who are you two?"
"I'm Merry, and this is Pippin." Merry said his hair the slightest bit blonder than his friend.
"It's nice to meet the two of you." I said to them, shutting my eyes again, regaining my relaxed state. "Are you two cousins or something?"
"We actually are cousins." Pippin said, with a smile on his face.
"Have you been to Rivendell before?" I asked them, knowing that they hadn't. But hey, it's hard to make conversation when you know a lot about the other person but they know nothing about you.
"No, before now we hadn't been out of the Shire." Merry said.
It was kind of hard to tell the difference between the two of them, especially with my eyes closed. But their voices held just enough distinction that it was manageable.
"What is the Shire like?" I asked them.
I sat back and listened as they talked about their home and all the pranks that they had pulled over the years. During their stories the bell sounded signaling it was time for lunch. At this both hobbits stopped talking, and quickly stood up, excited for food. I chuckled a little and rose alongside them. We walked to the dining area together, it was a grand hall and I stayed near the hobbits. We met up with Sam, while in the dining hall.
"Hey, I'm Deirdre." I said to him.
"I'm Samwise. It's nice to meet you." Sam replied.
I ended up sitting with the hobbits during the meal. I mostly ate the fruit that they had, because I really loved fruit, however I was kind of missing steak. But considering that this was the first meal that I had had in over a day, I ate with abandon only being outdone by the hobbits.
"You sure eat a lot Deirdre." Pippin said, without really thinking.
"You're one to talk." I said laughing, while the other hobbits gave him dirty looks with the message 'you shouldn't have said that'. "To be honest, I didn't eat at all yesterday or earlier today. So I was very hungry, I don't usually eat much."
They all nodded their heads, understanding how I could be so hungry. It was odd how I hadn't noticed until now that I was hungry. It happened from time to time for me, some days I would simply forget to eat. When I finally remembered that I should be hungry I had normally missed at least two meals.
"So, Deirdre, are you an elf?" Merry asked me.
I was dumbstruck at this question, did they truly think that I was an elf. Before I could stop it, I was cracking up at the table. No one else seemed to get the joke. When I managed to calm down a little I stared at Merry.
"I'm sorry, were you serious?" I asked him.
"Wait, you mean to say you aren't?" Sam asked confused.
"But you have pointed ears." Merry said.
"I am most definitely not an elf, though that is a good joke." I said still laughing slightly.
"If you're not an elf, then why do you look like one?" Merry asked me.
"I haven't quite figured that out yet. But I am far too clumsy to be an elf." I said with a smile.
"Oh," was said by the hobbits as a group, which just made me smile more.
The meal ended rather quickly after that, I listened to the hobbits talking. Merry and Pippin were always so bright and cheerful. I'm glad that they could be, life would become rather harsh for them in the coming time.
"Do you want to come with us to go check on our friend?" Merry asked me.
I couldn't help but smile at him, it was becoming infectious being around the hobbits, having to smile all the time because I couldn't hold it in.
"I would love to." I replied, walking alongside the hobbits as we went to Frodo's room.
When we entered the room, I looked at the bed and saw the unconscious Frodo. The wound from the Nazgul blade had knocked him out. His body needed to focus solely on healing, so he wouldn't wake.
"How long has he been asleep?" I asked them, somewhat worried about him.
I knew it wasn't healthy to be unconscious for too long, the only reason that it was possible for my world was machines ensuring all the functions of the body continued.
"Since before we arrived about a week ago. He was injured pretty badly." Pippin said his cheer dropping as he worried about his friend.
"I'm sure that he will awaken soon." I replied, knowing that Frodo would survive.
"I hope that you are right." Sam said, he was the most melancholy of the group ever serious and seeing his best friend like this surely wasn't helping.
I walked over to the side of the bed and bent down pressing my lips against Frodo's forehead. It was meant to check his temperature, but also as a comfort to the sleeping hobbit who reminded me of a small child. He was still running a fever, I could tell. But it was sure to break soon, the light layer of moisture on his skin showed that.
"His fever is already breaking, it shouldn't be too long now." I said, as I smoothed Frodo's hair.
There was just something about his child like appearance that drew me to the sleeping hobbit. I mean don't get me wrong, I love children. But I wasn't normally this caring about someone who I had only just seen unconscious.
The hobbits stared at me dumbstruck. Apparently, I wasn't acting like most people here. But then again, can you really blame me?
"I think I'm going to go for a walk around the gardens." I said, somewhat uncomfortable by the way that the others were looking at me.
Without waiting for them to say or do anything I turned and left the room, choosing the solitude of the gardens over the awkward stares that I was getting for my actions. The corridors of Imladris were rather vacant, as I walked to the gardens outside. I sat down beneath a tree which cast a shadow across the ground. I relaxed under the trees, shutting my eyes and thinking about what would happen whilst I was here. And how much I missed my friends and worried about what they thought happened to me.
*****Saffron's POV*****
It had been only a day, since the body of my best friend was found in the park near her house. The paramedics and doctors gave no reason for why she was dead, simply that she was. I had heard that her body had been taken to the coroners, to have an autopsy done, anything to figure out how she died. The police had opened an investigation, cautioning off the area that she had been found in. A wake had been planned, as per Deirdre's request. Even though the old practice was completely useless, she had made me promise that when she died that we would have a massive party to remember her. Where no one would cry and instead would live their lives. It was to take place tomorrow night, but before then I needed some form of closure. So I made my decision. Once it was dark, I was going to go to where they found her. Screw the police, I wanted to see it for myself.
As the day passed, I readied myself for the walk over to the park. It was a good mile or so from my house, but I made the walk quite often. By nightfall, I was dressed in my usual black clothing, but without any ornamentation. My normal sparkly purple eyeliner had been abandoned, as I was back to my plain black. My blonde hair hung down into my face, covering one of my eyes. I knew that my mom wouldn't be checking on me tonight. So I quickly pulled the screen off of my window and crawled out. Luckily I was on the first floor, so I didn't have to worry about falling out the window.
The walk to the park was slow, but the air remained warm from the summer sun. It would be a while before it dissipated entirely. No one stopped me or bothered me in any way as I walked the streets. I hardly saw anyone on my walk. It was so dark by the time that I reached the park. I navigated my way down the paths and followed the tire impressions in the ground. I knew where they had found her body, as soon as I heard that she was dead and found in the park I raced over. So I followed the path that I had taken yesterday morning. I stayed in the shadow of the trees as soon as I came within sight of the crime scene tape. Hesitantly, I looked around the area for any police monitoring the scene or anything of the sort. I saw no one.
Mustering my courage, I ducked under the crime scene tape. In the middle of the area stood a single marker, showing where her body had lain. I approached the marker, staring at the impression in the ground. I stopped just before I reached the exact spot. Surrounding the impression in the dirt, was a circle of mushrooms. My eyes widened a little in fear, had she been murdered by a fairy ring? I knew that Deirdre believed in the Fae and the Celtic legends. She loved fantasy, we even played a role playing game where we were twins in the world of the fae. But it wasn't as real to me, I believed to some extent but wasn't as enthralled. Deirdre had always been a little out there, she made everyone think that she actually believed in the robot uprising and how they would kill everyone and trigger the zombie apocalypse.
Without hesitation, I stepped into the fairy ring. Looking down at the ground around me, this was probably the last place that she had stood before she died. Suddenly, my vision started to lose focus. The earth felt like it was rotating without me and suddenly before my eyes burned a bright light. Then nothing as I faded into unconsciousness.
**End Chapter 2**