Reminder:: I don't own any Tolkien! It's all... Tolkien's!

Phew, two chapters in one day? I'm on a role! xD

So I decided to go into the undescribed lands in the far East above Mordor where wild men live and resist Sauron as best as they can. Others who live there, obviously, join the forces of Mordor and betray the race of men. But hopefully I don't make that too confusing to understand! Enjoy this next chapter, the next one is coming soon~

Chapter Three :: Camp in the East

I awoke to the sound of a trumpet. It was more like a horn, I suppose—deep and animal-like was its call. People were peering out of tents at us as we passed them, but most went about their business, not even giving us a second glance. As we walked down the lines of rag tag tents and small fires, I realized that there were no women around. And by all the leather, chain mail, and weapons I figured this was some sort of army.

But we pressed forward. Men who looked like the hills themselves started to whisper and talk freely about the 'strange maiden from the sky'. Of course, I wasn't expecting my predicament to be normal, but sheesh, I'm standing right here people.

After our small group passed the main causeway of tents, we stooped low into a white tent. This tent didn't sag as poorly as the others, but its tent poles were still lopsided and easy to rip down. Perhaps Alatar was the leader of a nomad group or something.

"I shall have clothing and bread brought before you. Please wait here a moment." Alatar nodded to the man carrying me. I was placed on a cot in the corner and they all left.

I opened my eyes—my curiosity stronger than my exhaustion for the moment—and peered around the tent. It was very small on the inside and rather crowded. Books, maps, and manuscripts were scattered helter-skelter about the place on the floor and on the table and chair. The table was in the center with a chair and I was on a moth eaten cot in the left corner with many blankets. There were a few packs and trinkets about the place, too. Just as I leaned over to fall back asleep, Alatar returned with two other men behind him—both bearing Alatar's promised items: food and clothing.

Alatar then whispered something to the first man. This was the man who carried me back. He must've been in charge. They both looked at me and the man behind them said something in a different language. It sounded old. It was rough, harsh, and masculine, but it was lovely in its own weird little way like all languages are once you get used to them.

"Here are your things as promised. Perhaps after you have rested, you will be more at ease to answer some questions." Alatar said. The first man took the basket from the second and then set both the pile of cloth before me and the small basket.

I nodded and smiled. "Thank you very much."

With that all three of them left. I heard a bit of what they were saying as they departed. The second man said something like: "She speaks Westron?"

Westron? So that's what my voice is called…

I opened the basket and peeked inside. There was a small loaf that looked like a rock, but I assumed that was the bread. It looked like the kind the pastor on Sunday would tear in two and say: "—this is my body, broken for you—". There was also something wrapped in cloth that looked like a very stingy glob of butter and a container of some sort. I decided I would give the container a look after I had gotten some clothes on. It felt like I was just wearing a really long towel.

Careful not to remove the cloak quite yet, I started pawing through the pile of fabric that the men had brought me. Of course I was going to wear it, but I was unsure how… They probably didn't have girl's clothes, but these men's clothes were close enough. I mean—there was a skirt-like dress and everything.

After laying out all the clothes how I thought they should go, I started to put them on piece by piece. Luckily, there was a sort of underwear for me to start with. The rest of the outfit took me quite awhile to piece together and experiment with and take off and try on again. When I was finally comfortable, I wore tight white pants and a long white long sleeved shirt which could only be assumed to be a tunic. Over the pants and shirt, I had put a black leather jerkin on. There was a black sash/belt that I tied about my middle that gave me more of a figure—what little flat-chested figure I already had. I then turned to the soft brown boots. Lacing them and tying them proved to be too difficult for me, I simply couldn't remember how, and I finally decided to ask about them later. After everything was done, I felt like Link from The Legend of Zelda video games—utterly ridiculous and ready for Halloween.

I then turned to the basket. Ravenous, I tore the bread in half and dabbed it in the butter. It wasn't bad, but it took some getting used to—like hotel food. I gnawed on the crust of the bread for awhile and opened the canteen. I gave the liquid a suspicious sniff before sipping it. It smelled like alcohol. It wasn't water, but I was extremely thirsty. Feeling like someone was going to yell at me later for drinking it, I took a swig and swallowed hard. It tasted horrible, but it revived my wits a bit. Shaking my head, I put the lid back on it and stood. I quickly stretched and felt awake enough to at least look outside.

I cautiously parted the flaps that kept the tent private. Rugged men were walking to and fro, talking, eating, and sharpening weapons like swords and axes. Most all of them looked over forty and were very hairy and not very tall at all. My five foot four inch stature was taller than a few of them by a good five to seven inches.

The clouds that I had awoken to only a few hours ago were now blackened by night's approach. The crimson fires were the only lights of the field where these men of war camped. A man sharpening a spear noticed me staring at him. He smiled half-heartedly and held up his hand as a hello. I warily smiled back and quickly dropped the flap of the tent.

The cot was looking better and better by the second. Although it wasn't mine, I didn't feel shy enough not to use it. I dragged myself over to it, rolled on, and passed out.

The sun shone down through the opening of the tent and onto my face. I opened my eyes and shielded them with my hand. A silhouette blocked the sunlight for a fleeting second as my eyes adjusted. I sat up and stretched and yawned. I rubbed my eyes and saw that Alatar had brought the same basket I saw before but now it was filled for breakfast. He was dressed in his same blue robes that now that I wasn't insanely drowsy—found more bizarre than before.

"Are you yourself?"

I nodded. "Yes… I'm just…" I thought for a 'proper' word, but finally said: "—confused." For the millionth time.

Alatar frowned. "What about?"

I found his question rather silly, but he seemed to find it perfectly casual. He just smiled pleasantly and acted like nothing was out of the ordinary. Mental… case…? "I really have no idea where I am."

"You are in the vast country of Rhun."

Okay, that doesn't really tell me anything. He guessed as much by the look on my face. "I'm sorry, but I have no recollection at all… Of this world. Honestly, where am I?"

His frown deepened. "Middle-Earth."

Earth? What a strange name. But why's 'middle' in front of it? That doesn't make any sense at all. What—is this world under the world Earth's surface so that it's in the 'middle' of the 'Earth'?

I shook my head. This simply wasn't loading right.

"Perhaps a map may aid you?"

Alatar rose from the chair he had taken and turned to the wall of papers and books that lined the tent's interior. He finally found a suitable scroll and checked it. He nodded to himself and brought it to the table. I got up—shaky at first—and walked slowly to the table to pour over the map.

What I saw didn't really do much for me, but it was certainly interesting. The map was browned with age and crinkled in places. Alatar held it open as I stared at it—for a good fifteen minutes at least. It didn't take Alatar much longer to realize that I couldn't read a map. He started to explain and point out what was large amounts of water and what was land and what were mountains and rivers and cities. The map didn't show the entire world, it seemed. There was water on the western border and land everywhere else. The words were way beyond my level to even think about learning.

"This encampment is right here," he pointed. "The Sea of Rhun is the closest landmark to where we are, but we are a good distance west of there. There is also a small stretch of mountains to the east. The forest of Mirkwood is far to our northwest. West lies the Brown Lands. There is nearly nothing of interest to our north until the river Celduin. Ered Lithui is three days as the bird flies to the south." The latter of which he would not say more of.

Mirkwood creeped me out for some reason. It sounded like a word I knew... I thought the entire map rather small, too. It's a Small World After All? But if not even an inch of the map took three days to 'fly' across, then this world was rather vast. And assuming that no one here could fly (well, as far as I know… this place is pretty strange, so I shouldn't be surprised) then it would take nearly five or six days to get there.

"So… What are you doing?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Let me re-phrase that." I nodded. "Why is this camp here? I mean—what's its purpose?"

The old man looked uneasy. Like he wasn't supposed to say or he wasn't sure. Hesitant. "I would like to ask more of you, if you wouldn't mind, before I made my decision to share."

I nodded. Quite understandable, I thought. I didn't see why I shouldn't trust at least him anyway—he really did rescue me and gave me food and shelter. I owed him.

"Obviously, you are not familiar with Middle-Earth at all. Unless of course you are quite an accomplished liar. But no, there is honesty and indisputable bewilderment in your eyes when you speak and listen—this I can tell. But some foul trick of the enemy? You still may be."

"Enemy?"

"Wait a moment, please. Don't be hasty."

"Sorry."

"No, no, it's quite alright. Now as I was saying… You may not be worthy of trust as of yet. Yet." He stopped the question on my tongue. I sat back and respectfully listened from there on out. "Still… Very curious you are. A lost, helpless maiden in the middle of nowhere—so conveniently near our camp, I might add. The Enemy either has schemed something more clever than what the greatest wizards could have predicted or you are genuine. Over the past few days I have done some thinking on the subject and—"

"Wait a moment! Days?" I asked, nearly choking on the words.

"Yes, Lady. You have been in the dark for three days."

Three days! I liked to sleep in, but I would never sleep in past noon! Ridiculous! I had no idea I was that tired…

"I'm sorry—it just came as quite a shock to me. You see, I had no idea… It's just… everything's so new to me." I apologized for interrupting him a second time.

Alatar simply eased himself back into the conversation from where he left off. "I have done some thinking and I have decided that you can be trusted for the most part. Of course—I shall have to keep an eye on you, but you seem rather harmless." At this he smiled.

I smiled back, feeling much calmer now. It's odd to say, but now that I had woken up without clothes, slept for three days, and spoke with an old guy dressed completely in blue in a camp full of warriors—nothing seemed strange to me about this sense of discovery and recurring amnesia. It just took some 'getting into the swing of things' attitude. I knew my amnesia wouldn't last forever, and when it was gone, I could go right back home.

To get rid of my amnesia faster, I figured I would try my best to learn about the world until something clicked. "So… who exactly are you, Alatar? I mean—" I fumbled a bit with my question before it finally came out and when it did, all my questions sort of burst from my mouth before I could stop them: "—you're certainly different from all these men here. And who are they? What are they doing? Why is this camp here? Is this an army? Did you say 'wizard' before? Do you have books? Can you teach me how to read? Do you know of anyone else in this world, or is this it? I saw swords out there; will I need to learn how to use one? Do I have to worry about my safety?"

Alatar laughed, a clear and merry sound, and held up his hands to slow me down. "Calm! One question at a time or you will get answers right in a row such as: 'yes', 'nay', 'perhaps'!"

"Okay, sorry. I'm just so confused!"

"With right to be. Yet so am I and all these men." Alatar stroked his beard for a few minutes and finally stood and walked to the 'door'. "I'm afraid that I will hold any further questions and answers until my comrade returns from the east. He should come 'round soon yet not soon enough I fear. In the meantime, stay close within the camp and rest. You are still very weak, young maiden. For now, I bid thee freedom of this tent—it is yours for now. I shall return with Pallando, but now I travel in search of him. Look for us within the fortnight."

"Wait… You're leaving? What will I do? I mean—what's a fortnight? I can't really sleep the whole time."

Alatar smiled. "Two weeks. I'm sure you'll find some way to help. There are plenty of things to be done. Enough said! Fare well, Lady. In a pleasant future may we share counsel."

And with that, the man in blue left the tent.