oh, hello Elmo [rory]
I awoke sitting straight upright dazed before noticing that I hadn't really woken up, I hoped it was a dream at least. Because if this wasn't a dream then I was probably dead, which is very uncool.
I was sat in the middle of an endless field surrounded by exotic flowers, some where the size of peas and some were bigger than basketballs, and there was every colour possible almost glittering everywhere I looked. It was perfection I looked closer and realized with amazement that this garden was underwater. Whilst wondering idly how I was breathing, I stretched my hand out in front of me dragging it through the water, it felt strange, like wet but at the same time dry. It seemed much too vivid to be a dream, normally I wasn't this aware.
"Aw man." I groaned looking down at my leg. There was no blood, no arrow, not even a scar to show I'd been hurt at all.
Brilliant; I'm dead. Fan-bloody-freaking-tastic. The perfect end to one of the worst days of my life. I'd never see my family ever again. My eyes welled up at the thought of how they'd cope without me, they'd already lost too much. Life was so unfair.
I blinked hard, thinking of a film I'd seen, The Lovely Bones where something like this had happened. I bet they killed me. I thought of the two men with long hair and armour clenching my teeth hatefully, I was just starting to like them blockheads.
When I opened my eyes again I was startled by a small women sat in front of me...made of water. I recognized her instantly and I could feel my eyes widening in disbelief as I took her in. She help up her hands pleading at me, her smile never wavering. The water moved around her, she seemed more solid and together than the current that brushed gently around us.
I reminded myself that I was dead, and it really didn't matter what this lady was made from, she couldn't hurt me, I doubted I could feel less heartbroken than I did right now anyway.
I was dead wasn't I?
The girl shook her head slowly from side to side.
It's time for explaining,
I hope much will be clear,
but know this Aurora,
you have nothing to fear.
My kind husband Irma,
let me enter your sleep,
to answer some questions,
so you need no longer weep.
Her lips never moved but a voice that sounded almost like singing entered my head,
"Who are you..?" The words had flown from my lips before I could stop myself. I didn't sound frightened and her smile seemed to widen in response to my voice.
My brother is Ulmo,
he is king of the sea,
and no other Velar,
is as gentle as me.
Once I'd started talking I couldn't stop myself, desperate for questions. Desperate for anything. "You were in the cave! I saw you in the water? Why am I here? Where is here?" I looked frantically from side to side, the field suddenly felt a lot less perfect.
You are here for a purpose,
to save many a life,
you arrived here a sister,
but shall remain as a wife.
I scoffed as an image of me walking down an aisle in a veil and white dress filled my head. Never.
To save many a life...I shook my head starting to lose my temper.
"I still don't understand you? What do you mean wife? Whose life will I save?"
Much is unseen,
some I cannot tell,
for many a man,
will fall under your spell.
I couldn't help growling in frustration, I clenched my fists trying to calm myself, rising my voice.
"Look I don't understand ok? You're not explaining anything! Why won't you just tell me what's happened? Where's my family gone? Are they at home? Safe?...please." I finished lamely. Her face saddened slightly.
I am sorry you are here,
and I am sorry that you are scared,
you have much heartache ahead,
so you must be prepared.
You have all the knowledge,
and your spirit is brave,
to rise to this challenge,
for good men will you save.
The cavern at home is a portal,
between where I dwell and you,
that gateway brought you here,
you know this is true.
My brother is Ulmo,
all water is him,
his hand guided you here,
along with your kin.
In your earth my brother,
his power is less,
his mistake cost you dearly,
to this I confess.
Tobias and Thomas,
and little Minnie too,
have dwelt in middle earth,
for far longer than you.
Fear not my strong child,
you shall see them all soon,
for they arrive in Edoras,
before the next full moon.
You will captivate hearts,
from many near lands,
you will marry but one,
I lay that choice in your hands.
You're arrival will change much,
I hope all for the best,
we Valar will gift you,
for accepting this test.
Ulmo will bless you,
with his fresh waters magic,
should you encounter,
an occurrence that's tragic.
Should you need kindness,
you need look only here,
in your sleep I will comfort,
you need never fear.
No more will I tell,
until your next peaceful dream,
just remember in Rohan,
things aren't as they seem.
She started to fade slowly, I jumped out grabbing hold of her water-dress, trying to stop her. All anger had gone replaced with confusion and fear.
"Please? Stay, please explain...I still don't understand, the way you talk...you confuse me. My family are here and that's all I care about? I just want them back, please."
She pursed her lips before slowly becoming more defined again, a man appearing next to her in the water.
My heart dropped in fear at the sight of him, he towered above me clad in green armour glaring at the woman at his side. The woman I had thought looked young, but standing together they both looked ageless. His anger did not affect her at all, she remained smiling humbly down at me. The man carried a trident, like Poseidon in Greek mythology. He looked at the woman for a moment longer and his face slipped into a blank careless mask, I hadn't realized I'd been cowering in fear at his feet until a cold male voice sounded in my head. His eyes never left the woman.
Do not speak child, only listen. I am Ulmo of the Valar, I brought you here as a favour to my sister Este.
All I could think of when I heard the word Ulmo was the little red puppet off Sesame Street, I managed to repress the nervous laughter that consumed me. She has taken to speaking as she does in the last age or so, it is a hard habit to break. I will explain only briefly, I have done more than I care to do already against my better judgement. We are from different worlds you and I, though there are many places that connect our worlds. This...cavern is one of the few that I control. You spilt blood into the water within, drawing my presence. I intended to punish you for desecrating such a sacred place. You would have drowned had Este not intervened, we read many things in your mind as you entered my waters.
You possess knowledge of our world...from books and strange boxes with people inside that you should not. This angered me further. Our worlds have not intertwined since the begging of time, though from your mind it seems many know of our world as a...farfetched fairy tale.
Some of what you know is incorrect, more is true than untrue however. You have seen the past and the future of our world...I suspect this...Tolkien will trespass upon our world in the future and record much of our history returning it to your own world. It saddens Este to see the blood that will be spilt needlessly in the future.
She hopes, while I doubt that your wisdom and knowledge will save many lives in our world in the coming war. Take great care with your actions whilst staying in middle earth. You will find your family within the next few weeks I suspect should they survive their journey, for they have already left Rivendell with the Halfling bearing Sauron's trinket.
They have been here a while longer than you, it was difficult bringing so many of you into our world, my timing and directions were slightly off. I care only about your actions regarding the future of Middle Earth, do not interfere enough to disrupt the future that has been predicted.
Save lives if you can, advice as you see fit, but do not disrupt the course it has been set on.
Ulmo pursed his lips glaring down at his sister again giving off a distinct impression of disapproval. It reminded me of Toby and I, only I was the big bad king of the sea most of the time, spoiling his fun. Este finally met her brother's eyes nodding once towards Ulmo, before he turned his cold eyes on me. I shivered.
I expected you to be more resilient than you have proved to be so far. I do not agree with my sister, along with most of the Valar but it took great effort to bring you here and I hope it has not been in vain. You are weak, even for a human. You are detached, opinionated, stubborn...reckless do not let your flaws become your downfall. The water is my parting gift to you. Use it as you will, you will not see me again.
I didn't have time to think up a snide comment to throw at him before my eyes shut forcefully against my will. I felt cold rain splattering my face and a cold, heard the deafening wind roaring around me and I knew I was back in reality again.
Someone had wrapped many layers of blankets over me, I still couldn't stop my teeth from chattering from the cold. My leg was throbbing, my arm ached, they hurt less than I expected. I was unnerved by how raw my skin felt, almost like I had sore sunburn all over my body, everywhere.
I kept my eyes closed as I thought about all I'd just heard. I still wasn't sure I believed it at all, it was probably just my mind coming up with some way of explaining the mad things that had happened in the last 24 hours. What if it was real though, and if it wasn't, then what was?
The rain fell even harder if possible pulling me out of my troubled thoughts. I peeked out of one eye taking in my surroundings I was laying on a soft patch of ground, a little away from a small army of sleeping soldiers. The boy...Théodred lay closest to me sleeping soundly, untroubled by the weather. He looked even younger than he had done earlier, smiling slightly even in his sleep. A side of my lip pulled upwards at the sight of him looking so peaceful.
Théodred was definitely not this young in the books, I'm sure he was middle-aged at least, significantly older than Ḗomer.
Théodred died in the books too.
I ignored the pang of sadness that ran through me, it didn't matter, whether all this was real, pretend...my imagination, whatever. I couldn't grow attached to any of these people. They were dangerous, and I was going to find my family and get the hell out of here.
Right now. I slowly slid into a sitting position ignoring the ache I felt from moving my sore skin brushing against the ground. There were loads more men than I thought, I seemed to have been pushed to the side out of the way of people, guarded no doubt by Théodred.
There were only two men that were obviously awake standing the farthest away from me, all the way across from the sleeping men, backs turned facing a small fire, trying to keep warm.
A thought hit me hard dashing hopes of escape quickly. Could I even walk? Last time I'd looked my leg had been pretty bad. I pulled the many, many layers of blankets off from on top of me quietly, careful not to wake the sleeping men, to get a better look at my leg.
What was it with these guys and layers, I thought trying to wipe the rain off my face to see properly.
Once I'd managed to finally pull all of the bandages that had been wrapped expertly around leg I sighed in disappointment it didn't look good. I placed my hand gently next to the deep cut willing my leg to get better, watching as the rain pattered heavily bouncing off my skin.
I had to put my fist in my mouth to stop me from yelling out loud in shock or pain, it felt as though the rain were dissolving my entire leg away. I watched in repulsed fascination as the rain fell, the cut seemed less deep.
It was seriously painful, you hear mothers moaning about how painful it is to give birth, but it couldn't be any worse than how it felt as I watched my leg, flesh, skin slowly healing, stretching and growing back into one piece.
I turned away from Théodred trying not to wake him as I threw up over the pile of blankets next to me in disgust.
After checking Théodred was still asleep I inspected my leg. There was an ugly, obvious scar, bigger than the size of my hand around where the arrow had hit me. It hurt a little when I touched it, but no more than being pinched would. I stared at it in wonder for a while before a cold familiar voice rang through my head,
The water is my parting gift to you. Use it as you will.
And the woman's rhyming. What had she said? I racked my brains...she'd said...AH!
Ulmo will bless you,
with his fresh waters magic,
should you encounter,
an occurrence that's tragic.
Had I really done that, had I really used water to make my leg better again? Ok, sure I'll go along with this crazy, mad story if I get epically cool superpowers out of it.
I stuck my chest out importantly, Rory Turner: Water Girl!...no, wait Aqua-girl? Yea, I liked Aqua-girl better, I was halfway through making up a theme tune in my head before I heard a grunt next to me.
Théodred turned stirring in his sleep. I really had to stop drifting off, especially if there were orcas running around. I looked up at the rain smirking, It was probably my imagination but I suddenly felt braver, like things were starting to look up. My skin hurt less and I no longer felt pain in my arm. I lifted my hand to my cheek, it felt a little sticky but other than that I detected no cut at all.
I knew it was time to get down to business: Toby, Tommy, Minnie.
I glanced quickly around for signs of life, it was now or never.
In one swift move I'd pushed myself up, turned and sprinted away from the men, the horses, Théodred. I hurried away as fast as I could.
I couldn't hear anyone following me, all I could hear was the rain falling, and the occasional rumble of thunder from above me. The others had been here longer than me, that's what Elmo, no -Ulmo had said, we left together though so, they couldn't be that far away, they'd probably only been here a few days, I'd catch up with them easily.
Bravery left me the further I got from the camp, I couldn't help thinking of Théodred and Ḗomer, wondering if they'd try to follow me or not, If they cared what happened to me or not...
"This could only ever happen to me" I sighed sadly before walking on feeling for the first time in my life loneliness.
this is a crazy weird story, sorry if it's confusing. :)