Disclaimer: See Chapter 2
Notes to ReviewersEllfine – Thanks once again, sorry for the brief delay in getting the new chapter up, but I was away for the weekend.
Pink Panther – Thank you so much, I'm delighted that you're enjoying it. Regarding the Women in the Military matter. I served in the British Army for eleven years, discharged at end of service after Gulf War service in 1991 as a Staff Sergeant (one rank above Kim in the story). Kim is not me, however, just in case you were wondering! LOL. Or me as I was during service, I was a much hardier soul by the time I reached Sergeant and would never have made the mistake of falling in love with an officer. Unlike Kim I was an army marksman and proficient in military training. I do feel strongly that women in service are often misrepresented and under-represented. We're either classed as hard bitten bitches more like men than women or just there for the comfort of the male soldiers. The Ministry of Defence doesn't help when it states its doctrine that there are 'NO women in the Forward Edge of Battle Area (FEBA)'. In reality there are many British servicewomen on or very near the front line, all are armed and all are trained in the use of arms. The commander on the ground really doesn't care if a soldier is male or female; you're just another trained body to him.
I thought it would be interesting to combine the ancient ideal of male warriors with the modern female soldier in a scenario where two timelines collide with a little help from the Valar and Morgoth Baugir.
Chapter 16 – When it's dark enough you can see the stars"You have to stay in shape. My grandmother,
started walking five miles a day when she was 60.
She's 97 today and we don't know where the hell she is."
- Ellen Degeneres
"I don't want to be in the army,
I don't want to go to war.
I'd rather stay at home, around the streets to roam.
Living off the earnings of high-class lady.
I don't want a bayonet in my belly;
I don't want my bollocks shot away.
I'd rather stay in England, in merry, merry England,
and fornicate me bleeding life away."
- WW1 Trench Song
Sgt Kim Freeman wasn't sure whether to kick herself or launch a swift hard kick to Major Matthew's nice tight arse. She was having a hard job interpreting the mixed vibes that were coming off him.
They would have a nice conversation and he would have this hungry look in the back of his eyes, then he'd come over all officer-like and yell at her for speaking too loud. Even when they all discussed things, anything she said was glossed over and then they just did whatever he wanted to do anyway and expected her to meekly follow on.
Who the hell did he think he was? It wasn't like they were even in England and they'd probably never get back home at the rate they were going.
She felt angry, ashamed and rebellious all at the same time. Her feet hurt; her stomach constantly growled with hunger and her hair was a mess. She'd been shocked when she caught sight of her reflection in the river.
Perhaps that wasn't hunger she saw in his eyes then. Perhaps it was disgust, or worse, amusement. She could just imagine the type of woman he would be interested in back home. This imaginary girlfriend would have a mane of thick shining blonde hair that she would sweep across her tanned shoulders, she'd have perfectly shaped, perky breasts, a stomach like a washboard, thin waist and hips and legs right up to her neck. And a sports car or something. She'd be everything that Kim felt she wasn't.
Kim had a sudden vision of Gary locked in a passionate embrace with this imaginary woman and it felt as though someone had thrust a dagger straight through her heart. The resentment, jealousy, perceived hurt, hunger and the fear rose right up inside her like a tidal wave and refused to be quelled.
She would show them.
She would show him.
The blond man with the pointed ears was standing stock still on the other side of the river his gaze riveted on Gary. There was a look of consternation on his beautiful face.
"He seems very interested in you." Jim said quietly to Gary who nodded distractedly.
For some reason when he looked at the blond man, he felt a tug of some deep memory, but as soon as he tried to pin it down it slipped away like a will 'o the wisp.
"He looks familiar, but I don't know where from." He frowned. "One thing's for sure we can't keep standing here having a staring contest with each other. We need to talk to him. He might know where we are and how we can get back home."
"Without the weapons?" Jim enquired.
Gary dragged his gaze away from the Elf. "No. I suppose not. We don't know what damage that thing could do with them or where he's taking them. However, this guy..." He jerked a thumb at Melannen who had cocked his head on one side in a very bird-like fashion and was obviously listening. "Might be able to help us there. What do you think? We should at least try to communicate with him."
"I don't think he's human." The Chief spoke from behind them. After killing the remaining orcs he had climbed back down and now joined them at the riverbank. "Those ears don't look human to me and he has to be nigh on seven foot tall if he's an inch."
"Perhaps it's some kind of genetic mutation." Suggested Jim. "I mean the professor types are always coming up with new species. Maybe we've found some sort of throwback."
Chief gave a chuckle. "Given that beauty, I think maybe we're the ones who are the throwbacks, but I'll tell you what I think he reminds me of."
Gary lifted an eyebrow. "And that would be?"
"One of those Elves from Lord of the Rings, only a lot more…well…Elvish. After all those guys were just good-looking actors playing a part. I think this guy might be the real deal and if he is, then we have a massive language barrier difficulty to add to the problems we've already got."
Gary remembered Kim's comment about elves as she drifted back to sleep at the hospital and he glanced around intending to ask her whether she remembered and what she'd meant by it, but she wasn't standing on the other side of Jim as she had been before. Panic and worry for her welfare momentarily clutched at his stomach and there was an edge to his voice when he spoke. "Where's Kim?"
Chief pointed and Gary looked. His face grew red with the kind of annoyance a parent has when a child has worried the life out of them but been found safely. "What the fuck does she think she's doing?" He strode to the edge of the bank. "Sergeant Freeman, get back here this minute."
Kim had listened impatiently to the discussion and, fed up with the procrastination from the men, had decided to take action by herself. She had crossed the river using the slippery rocks and boulders on the river bed as stepping stones and was now standing only about a foot away from the blond man, who literally towered over her, yet not in a threatening way. Instead he had an almost tender smile on his face as he reached out and gently drew one long, slender finger down the side of her cheek. Then he placed his right hand over his heart, bowed deeply and spoke in a fluid, musical language that she had never heard before.
"Aiya! Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo hérincë." (1) Was what he actually said to her, but all she heard was the most delightful but completely unintelligible collection of musical notes.
She blushed. "I'm sorry. I don't understand your language." She said softly.
Impulsively she reached up and lightly touched his cheek with her finger, gently drawing a line through the grime, then she felt in her pocket for a tissue. His sharp and incredibly bright eyes followed her hand as it groped in the strange clothing she wore and he tensed slightly, resting lightly on the balls of his feet and prepared for action in case she withdrew something lethal. He had seen their weapons and they had not only survived attacks from Thadak and his orcs, but had prevailed in the end. They had proved themselves to be capable adversaries and Melannen was justifiably cautious.
While this interchange was happening Gary had drawn himself to his full height, which was fairly considerable and not far short of the Elf's. He started forward with an angry expression on his face. He was furious with Kim for doing something without permission and also because she could have put herself in potential danger. They didn't know who the hell this man was or what he was capable of. Despite his injuries, he looked lithe and dangerous; he could capture Kim and hold her hostage or anything. The random panicked concerns tumbled unchecked through his mind and his heart constricted at the thought of somebody hurting her.
In any case, he didn't like the way the Elf, or whatever the fuck he was, had touched Kim with that tender smile on his face and he found that he didn't like her responding in kind either, not one little bit.
You're jealous mister. An annoying part of his brain teased him.
I am not. He protested back to himself. She is under my command. Any good officer looks after his men...even if they happen to be women.
It took him a couple of seconds to realise that he was having this ridiculous argument with himself. He shook himself and took a couple more determined steps towards the fairly fast flowing river only to be prevented from going further across by Chief grabbing his arm. He gave Chief an angry glance and tried to shake his arm free, but Chief nodded at Kim and the Elf.
She had produced a tissue from her pocket and dipped it in the river then she reached up and gently wiped some of the grime away from Melannen's cheek. The Elf's light silvery laughter bubbled through the air towards the men as she did so and he bent down accommodatingly so that she didn't have to stretch so high. Kim giggled and her laughter melded with his.
Gary's stomach tightened with jealousy and he had to force it down. Why didn't she laugh like that with him?
Because you're far too busy being the perfect officer and good commander? Came the reply from his irrepressible inner voice of doom.
"Looks like Kim's having no trouble in communicating." The Chief remarked dryly. He watched Gary out of the corner of his eye and could see the muscle jumping in the Major's tightly clenched jaw. He could also see the mixed anger and jealousy in his expression. Serves you bloody right if the blond bloke steals a march on you. He thought smugly. That'll teach you to play fast and loose with the emotions of one of my staff.
"Why can't she just do as she's told for once?" Gary muttered furiously.
He stepped onto the first slippery rock, but before he could go any further the Elf held out his hand to Kim and then walked over the rocks as though he was walking on a carpet of thistledown dragging her behind him. Her progress across the rocks was a lot clumsier in comparison.
Gary sighed and stepped backwards onto the bank again. He watched jealously while the Elf handed Kim onto the riverbank with yet another graceful bow. She giggled and blushed, the Elf laughed that silvery laugh of his and Gary seethed inwardly while the Chief and Jim watched and wondered what exactly was happening here.
Melannen approached Gary and bowed. "Aiya, heru Tercáno." (2)
Chief didn't miss the respectful, almost awestruck tone in the Elf's voice. He noticed that the former orc captive was rapidly regaining his strength and marvelled at the fact. Those beatings had to have been fierce, but the bruises were practically fading by the second. Again he thought that this incredible creature was definitely nowhere near the average human, more like some kind of superhuman with fantastic abilities to heal himself without medical intervention.
Gary had a perplexed look on his face. "What did he say?"
"I think it's Elvish." Jim's voice was filled with suppressed excitement.
"How do you know that?" Chief asked.
Jim blushed. "My younger sister has been some kind of Tolkien geek ever since she saw the movies. She read the Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit and then the Silmarillion. She also belongs to some of these crazy fan groups on the Internet. Her teacher asked them to write an essay on languages and she chose one of the Elvish ones, Sindarin I think it was. Anyway she used to gabble away all of this nonsense and I suppose some of it stuck. She even writes some of that weird fanfiction stuff. I could try a simple greeting if you like."
Gary hesitated then nodded. "Try it. It's better than nothing." The truth was that the Elf's intense regard was making him feel uncomfortable. He had the strongest feeling that he shouldn't even be talking to this otherworldly creature. There was something he should be remembering. He frowned and probed his deepest thoughts but came up with nothing.
Gary's lack of response to his greeting was beginning to worry Melannen. It was becoming plain that the Herald didn't seem to understand him and the altogether disturbing thought that this might not be Eonwe drifted through his understanding. It was true that Herald did not seem as tall as he usually did somehow, although he was a perfect match in all other respects. The fact that he was also fluent in their strange sounding language didn't help. Melannen was now wondering if he was perhaps mistaken.
He stared at Gary intently while the humans talked among themselves, but couldn't find anything that differed from what he knew of Eonwe apart from the strange dress and the short hair. After a short discussion the youngest of the three men finally turned to him, placed his hand over his heart and spoke.
"Mae Govannen?" His tone was hesitant, but courteous.
The Elf's exhausted face lit up with relief. "Suilad! Le hannon." He made a wide gesture to the bank behind him where the dead orcs lay. "Le hannon." He repeated when the human who had spoken the greeting in strangely accented Sindarin looked puzzled.
Jim looked at Gary and Chief in confusion. "I'm not sure what that means. He might be returning the greeting."
"He's thanking us." Gary said abruptly. "Le hannon is 'thank you'."
Now everyone looked at him.
"And how would you be knowing that sir?" The Chief asked softly.
It was Gary's turn to look confused. "I…uh…I'm not sure, I just know. I don't know how I know."
Melannen saw the confusion and became even more sure that this was either not the Maia he knew from Aman, or something was very wrong. He impulsively reached out and took Gary by his arm. A split second later one very surprised and shocked Elf discovered that he was flat on his back with his arms held in a vice-like grip above his head and Gary's knee on his throat.
The speed of Gary's reaction wasn't lost on his speechless companions by any means. Jim's mouth dropped open and the Chief quite frankly looked stunned. It was Kim who jumped forward in distress.
"Sir, for god's sake. He wasn't going to hurt you, he was just trying to get your attention." She grasped at Gary's shoulder and he turned to look at her, still not removing his death-grip on Melannen.
Kim recoiled slightly when she saw his dark blue eyes were glittering with anger, but she bravely stood her ground. "Let him go sir, he's not the enemy. I think he thinks he knows you and we need him. You said before that we needed him."
Her voice was calm, but her insides had turned to jelly. There was an unearthly deep golden glow about Gary's smooth skin that she had never noticed before and his eyes, angry though they were, were fathomless and ancient. It was as if an entirely different persona had imprinted itself over Gary. A very scary persona. She withdrew her hand quickly but did not step away.
Melannen saw this too and realised that this was indeed the Herald of Manwe, but for some reason his memories had been tampered with or lost in some way.
Gary slowly released his hold on Melannen and stood up. Chief held out a hand to the Elf who took it with a look of gratitude and allowed the mortal to help him up. He nodded his thanks to the Chief who nodded back and smiled.
This was Eonwe, Melannen was absolutely sure of it, yet it was a very different Eonwe from the Maia he had met and conversed with many times in his father's house on the slopes of Taniquetl. The question was, how was he to deal with a Maia who had apparently lost his memory?
From the vantage point in the audience chamber where he did all of his far seeing, Manwe saw the interchange and he grimaced. Varda gripped his hand so tightly he could feel the nails digging into his flesh. "What shall we do?" She whispered. "The child Melannen more than suspects who he is. Will he not speak of it to Eonwe?"
"I think we must needs trust to Melannen's discretion. He is Ingwe's son and has been around the Valar and the Maiar long enough to know that something is amiss. We must hope that he keeps his thoughts to himself for the moment." Manwe's voice was low and filled with concern. "My feelings are that it is not so much whether Melannen recognises Eonwe in this mortal, but more a case of whether the mortal recognises him and so far he has shown no signs of it."
Varda sighed and traced her finger along the veins in the marble of the archway. "Did you see the way he reacts to the female? He is falling in love with her. Do you think that this is in Eru's great plan?"
Manwe laughed and drew her into his arms. He kissed her tenderly and then let her go. "I am quite sure that it is what Eru intended for he made no mention of the growing feelings. Eonwe has some task to perform in their age and has been sent in fleshly form. If the woman wasn't part of it I feel sure that Eru would have done something about it by now."
"I hope it is intended." Varda said firmly. "Eonwe is on his own far too much and he deserves to be happy, especially after…" Her voice trailed off uncertainly.
"After Arien? Yes you are right." Manwe mused. "That has been much on my mind of late. I have been thoughtless where that is concerned."
Varda raised an eyebrow at him. "Thoughtless? How so?"
Manwe sighed and stared out across the leagues that separated the Blessed Isle from the Hither Lands. He could see much himself, but with his wife beside him he saw much further, yet could still do nothing to ease the situation that had arisen through Morgoth's meddling. It distressed him to see Eonwe suffering, no matter what incarnation he was in.
It was a miracle that the two were being allowed to occupy the same timeline in the first place, although Eru had stressed that time would eventually run out for Gary Matthews.His presence would not be tolerated by the laws governing the dimensions beyond a certain point and he would simply cease to exist. This could have a devastating effect on that future world and indeed on the budding relationship between the young human female and the Herald. Some things that were meant to be would not be and the ramifications would be far-reaching.
If that happened then there may not be a world for the other three to return to. At least not any world that they had a place in or that they would recognise.
"Manwe? Is something amiss?"
Manwe smiled wryly at his wife. "What could possibly be amiss? We are watching a potential accident with hideous consequences looking for somewhere to happen and can do nothing to help."
"That I know." Varda said patiently. "I asked you how you were thoughtless in the matter of Eonwe and Arien."
"He sought no one out after his rejection." Manwe said sadly. "I should have brought the subject up, offered a shoulder to cry on, something…anything. But I merely dismissed it, assuming, like everyone else, that Eonwe was strong enough to withstand anything. Even the deepest hurt."
"He was never the most approachable of the Maiar my beloved." Varda put a gentle, comforting hand on his arm. "And we do not know that he sought no one out but somehow I doubt it. He might have mentioned it to Ilmare, but she would have told me and he would not have spoken of it to Olorin, they are friendly but not close. Most of the other Maiar are cautious in his company because he has your ear. No, I personally think his pride was wounded and it was easier for him to construct walls around whatever pain he may have felt and hide it from others. You could not have penetrated it, even with well-meant condolences."
Manwe looked at her and she saw a determined glint in his blue eyes. "Then all the more reason that we lend what help we can now. If the love between him and the mortal child is meant to be, then it shall be. I Manwe Sulimo, Lord of the Breath of Arda, Elder King of Middle-earth will ensure that they have their chance." He strode away down the marble hall, shedding his flesh as he went.
At the same time, a tall fair-haired Maia entered from one of the other archways and bowed deeply to his Lord who was far too distracted to acknowledge it.
Olorin stood in the middle of the audience room and gaped at the empty space that had, only seconds previously, held the fleshly form of Lord Manwe. He looked over at Varda with an expression of bemusement.
She laughed lightly and came down to stand with him. "You have done nothing wrong Olorin. He has a lot on his mind."
"I am pleased to hear it my Lady." Olorin commented cautiously. "Lady Nienna said you had need of my presence?"
She gave him a conspiratorial, even naughty, little smile and her eyes twinkled with laughter. "Indeed I do Olorin, thank you for your haste. I have a small task for you to perform for me. It will require a little journey and no one but the two of us must be privy to it."
Olorin was intrigued. "I am all ears my Lady." His blue eyes twinkled in response.
Olorin – Another name for the Istari who later on would be sent to Middle-earth in human form as Gandalf.
Aiya, elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo hérincë (Quenya) – Hail! A star shines on the hour of our meeting little lady.
Aiya heru tercáno (Quenya) – Hail, Lord Herald.