Chapter 45
Woohoo! :D Collin's back! I freaking love that man, you know. He's only based off of one of the greatest men I've ever known: my brother. And my best friend. Heck, my brother and my guy friend are basically the exact same person, only my brother's more mature than Collin... Anyways, not like any of this really matters.
On with the chapter!
I don't own Lord of the Rings.
(James)
Collin looked almost exactly like he did the last time I saw him. Tall, bright blue eyes, an even brighter smile, and lean muscles. The only difference was that he'd cut his hair back into his old faux-hawk, again, and he had a bit of stubble on his jaw. He shifted from one foot to the other, shifting his brain for the right words.
"Now, let's see..." He rubbed the hair on his chin thoughtfully. "Well, I guess that the last time you saw me I was a dying pincushion, yes? Well, it really isn't a cool story or anything..."
"Such wounds could have killed any seasoned warrior, Collin." Aragorn somewhat laughed at our old friend, seeming to enjoy just saying 'Collin' again without having to think about death. "I suspect this to be a great story."
Collin shrugged. "Most seasoned warriors don't have elvish medicine, now do they?"
Legolas eyed him curiously. "And you did possess such healing skill?"
"Yepp!" Collin smiled. "Good ole Galadriel! Wonderful lady. Very pretty."
"Galadriel?" The lovely elf's dwarf admirer lit up at the name. "Galadriel saved you?"
Collin nodded, like it was no big deal. "Suppose so. I just woke up in Lothlorien." After noticing the blank stares that he was receiving, he explained further. "Galadriel has this mirror, you see, and I guess that it sees into the future or something. Or maybe she's just slipping you drugs. That makes sense, too. Anyways! I guess that she saw us getting ambushed, so she sent some backup. They got there a bit late, of course, but not by much. They found me and tended to my wounds as well as they could before quickly hauling me back to Lothlorien, where Galadriel stitched me up properly. Let me tell you, friends, those elves know what they're doing! It doesn't even feel like I got shot, anymore!" He exclaimed, patting his chest lightly. "Just feels like I've been punched by Chuck Norris. No, that doesn't sound right... I'd be dead..."
I shook my head, laughter shaking my entire body. "Oh, Collin! I missed you! I can hardly believe it, but I'm glad you're back."
He chuckled, embracing me in a warm hug. "You guys are reacting far better than Eomer did. Poor man about had a heart attack."
"We've had practice!" Gimli laughed, wrapping his stubby arms around Collin's waist. "Aragorn gave us a good scare yesterday."
"Oh, really?" Collin turned to Aragorn, eyebrow raised. "Care to explain?"
"I fell into a river..." Aragorn sighed, not really wanting to sound like the total bad-ass that he was.
"FROM A CLIFF!" Gimli shouted, throwing his arms into the air. "There were sharp rocks below and everything! It is a wonder he can even walk!"
Collin's eyes shot open, and his lips fell into a frown. "Jerk! That's way cooler than getting shot by arrows!"
Yeah, it kind if is, when you think about it.
"Well, how did you get here so fast?" I asked, slightly curious. He'd only been 'dead' for a little while. It's impossible for a man to just up and get on a horse after such an injury, too. I guess the elves can fix the injury, but still.
"Elves are great travelers!" He shrugged. "They know how to get around."
Makes sense. They've been alive for thousands of years. They should have this entire world figured out, by now.
Collin shifted nervously as our friends crowded him with questions and heart-felt words. Clearly, his mind was somewhere else, and I think that I know exactly what he was thinking about.
Pretty woman, about five feet tall, maybe five one. Brown hair, brown eyes. You know the one.
Sophie.
"Ahem!" I cleared my throat and cut in front of Collin. "Perhaps it's time for Collin to go find Sophie, eh?"
Our friends smiled, nodding in anticipation. There's nothing more beautiful than two best friends reuniting. Especially when one's supposed to be dead. Not like I've seen such a situation before, though. Actually, Gandalf and Collin were the first friends of mine who ever died. Yet here they are, alive!
I'm one lucky fella.
Collin gave me a grateful pat on the back. "Thanks, pal. I'll be back! ... Eventually!"
With that, he was gone.
(Sophie)
Well. We were alive. That was good. The orcs were defeated, and us women and children were finally seeing the light after being stuffed into the dimly lit caves all night. Now that the battle was over, there was only one thing on my mind.
My friends.
The men had practically torn the doors down to get to us; they even rode horses to reach us before we got too far. When we heard the news, everyone silently made haste back to the keep, praying that our loved ones would be okay.
"It was Eomer, milady!" Once soldier cried to Eowyn. "Your brother and his men saved us all!"
The woman smiled briefly, her heart overwhelmed with the emotion of seeing her once-banished brother again. Even the old women had a jump to their steps, their hearts beating fast with fresh new hope.
Finally, we reached the doors, where bright sunlight was flooding in. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I don't think that anything could have prepared me for the sight that met me. Men were hauling in the wounded and laying them on mats all around the wide room. There were limbs missing, pools of blood, and the stench was unbearable. Immediately, the women set about tending to the wounded- there would be time later to find their loved ones.
What should I do? I hardly know what to do with a paper cut, let alone major injuries. Should I even try to help? I might lose my stomach and throw up on a wound. If I learned anything from history classes, it's that sanitation is number one during times of war. Heck, in the American Civil War, a lot of casualties were due to sickness and infection.
Heck, I might even pass out. I'm feeling a bit woozy, now...
That was, until a certain voice knocked some sense into me.
"Ow! Confound it all!"
I shot around in search of Boromir, and found him sitting off to the side on a table. An older woman had set about stitching a deep wound on his shoulder, looking quite frustrated as he squirmed under her touch. He winced in pain with every needle prick, watching the woman's work closely, not entirely comfortable with the situation.
I sighed in relief. Of all people, I should have suspected Boromir to live through this. That man's too stubborn to die. One of the many reasons why I love him.
He looked up as I ran to him, a smile spreading across his lips. Before he could speak, though, I just had to take the happy opportunity to make fun of him.
"What's wrong there, lovie? You gonna let that scratch get the best of you?"
Boromir rolled his eyes, his smile never leaving his face, despite the constant wincing. "'Tis not so much the scratch as it is the needle constantly prodding it." He took in a deep breath as the old woman stuck him again.
I shook my head and tisked at my fiance. "You would think that a forty-one year old seasoned warrior would be able to handle stitches." Heck, I even had stitches, once. Of course, it was just a minor injury, compared to Boromir's bloody shoulder.
Boromir laughed through the pain like a true trooper. "I am no immortal, Sophie, but I am glad that you once thought of me so highly."
"Oh, I still think of you highly, silly man. I wouldn't want to marry you if I didn't love you."
He gave the retreating old woman a nod of gratitude before replying. "Well, then. I hope that I do not disappoint."
"You'll never disappoint me. Only mildly anger." Finally, now that the old woman was gone, I could hug him. So, that's exactly what I did. Jumped right at him and about strangled him (though I was careful with his injury). "I love you, Boromir. Please, never fight again."
Boromir sighed, running a hand through my hair as he held me with the other. "I love you, Sophie, but I doubt that the worry will soon be over. This has only just begun."
My heart sank at the thought, but I knew that there was no stopping him from fighting for this world. He's the eldest son of the Steward of Gondor... He's got obligations to fulfill, and I respect that. It just sucks to know that even after this miraculous victory, he could fall in the smallest of skirmishes. From the corner of my eye, I watched as the many women and children ran about the dead and dying. They were doing everything they could to save some, as others were too far gone to make any progress.
I had to do something to help.
God must have agreed with me, for at that moment, Eowyn came running up, breathless.
"Forgive me for intruding, friends." She sighed, looking exhausted already. "But I must ask for Sophie's help. Is that alright, Sophie?"
I nodded, slightly nervous as to what help I'd actually be giving. "I'll do what I can."
"Wonderful!" She grabbed my hand and quickly dragged me away to the other side of the room, where buckets of fresh water were being brought by young girls. "Wash your hands, first."
I did as she asked, but my panicked expression must have been obvious, for she soon set my worries to rest. "Do not worry, Sophie. You will not be doing anything too difficult. I am well aware that you've never had training in such things."
Good. I don't want to make things any worse than they already are.
Eowyn led me to another corner of the room, where one young man sat with a large, nasty gash on his side. She sat down next to him and began to stitch him up speedily, randomly asking me to retrieve things for her, such as fresh water or more thread. It wasn't so hard as I thought it would be. So far, my stomach's only turned a few times. I've yet to throw up!
Yes. Be proud of me.
"Sophie, will you go get this man a small bite to eat and a glass of water?" Eowyn asked, finishing up the last of the stitches. "He must regain his strength."
Aye aye, captain! Fortunately for us, no one ate over the course of the night. I don't think that anyone had the stomach for food, really. Can't say I blame them. Heck, I was knocked out half of the night. Not like I could have eaten if I wanted to.
Let's see... I've gotta be quick. He's lost a lot of blood. What would I want to eat?
Hey! This reminds me of those high school blood drives we used to have. After you got the red junk sucked out of you, you got to eat all you wanted! You'll d be surprised how many kids will donate their blood just to get out of class.
Good thing we don't need high school, here!
Oh, goodness. Where's all that water coming from? Maybe I can snatch a bucket from one of those little girls...
"Hello!"
I stopped in my tracks and turned to the sound of that peppy greeting.
Great, I'm dreaming again...
With a sigh, I turned away from the Collin that my mind had conjured up, yet again. Typically, it only happens in dreams, but I did get knocked out by a rock. Maybe I have severe head trauma...
As I continued to look for food and water, that hallucination just continued to stare at me, a bright smile on its fake lips.
Freaking brain. You suck, you know that?
I did my best to ignore it. He'll go away, if I act like he's not real... Because he's not. But after some time, it became unnerving.
"Go away, you!" I waved it away, refusing to look it in the eye. "I'm trying to save someone's life, here."
Go away, please. Please, please go away. I'm not in the mood for this...
But, of course, just like real-life Collin, this thing refused to go away.
"I can help!" It insisted merrily, but I shook my head rapidly.
"No! No, you can't! You're not real."
He- I mean it- raised a cocky eyebrow at me. "Oh, aren't I?"
Sigh. "No, you're not! You're a figment of my imagination."
"Oh, really?" It smiled, that same glint in its eyes that used to make me worry about the real Collin. "Can a figment of your imagination do THIS?" He burst into some poorly thought out jig. It almost made me laugh, but not quite.
"Yes! As a matter of fact, my imagination can do a lot of things." My dreams are always tripping on acid. I think that I can handle Collin doing a silly jig. "Look, I'm not in the mood for your shenanigans, make-believe Collin. Go bother someone else!"
That actually made the poor hallucination frown. "I bother you?"
Oh, goodness. I'm letting that sad face get to me. Sigh... "No, but you depress me."
"Don't you want to take advantage of a good dream, though?" He smiled, then proceeded to give me a play-seductive wink. "Come on, Sophie. I know you want me."
Great. He's just as bad as the real one. "Whenever I take advantage of good dreams, I wake up depressed! So, thanks! But no thanks. Go away, now." I turned to head back to Eowyn, but it grabbed my hand.
"Wait..."
"No, dangit! Just go!" I did my best to pull myself away, but dang! This hallucination was strong! Well played, imagination. Well played.
"Hey, hey!" It pulled me back and took my other hand. It began to squeeze my hands and rub their backs with its thumbs. Then, it gave me a smile. "Can a hallucination do this?"
That's when I about peed myself, because it pulled me close and wrapped me in a violent tickle embrace.
"Stop, stop, stop!" I cried out, flailing my arms to get away from this madman. It laughed along as I beat its arms and kicked at its legs, too strong for me to overpower.
Wait... It's touching me. He's touching me.
"Crap, crap, crap, crap!" I threw myself to the ground and jumped back up to stare wide-eyed at the not-so imaginary man in front of me. He was just as I remembered him, only his hair... It was back in its old faux-hawk. I stood slowly, completely forgetting the hungry man who was expecting his food. My hands reached out to touch his chest, which was covered in the armor of those who arrived with Eomer. His lips were parted in a gentle smile as my hand made contact with his armor.
He was real.
Tears welled up in my eyes as my hands moved to his face, which was covered in well-trimmed stubble. His own hand moved up to encase mine, and his other moved to cup my face.
"Some dream, huh?" He laughed.
I threw myself into his arms, the tears flowing freely, now. He wrapped his arms around me and let his chin rest on my head, rubbing my back as sobs shook my body.
"Sophie, where are you?" Eowyn marched in, rubbing sweat from her brow. Collin looked over my head to see the approaching woman, who stopped at the sight before her. "C-collin?"
He gave her a casual head-nod greeting from over my shoulder. "Hello there!"
The woman fell onto a crate, the breath leaving her. Her head fell back against the wall as she closed her eyes. "I don't know how many more resurrections I can take."
(Kristy)
Where the heck is Sophie?
Where is anyone, for that matter?
The second that I got out of the caves I was thrown into work. Cleaning wounds, holding things for healers, etc. So much to do, such little time. I've got no idea if any of our friends survived (asides from Boromir, who suggests that Sophie was dragged away by Eowyn). When I went to find Eowyn, she insisted that she sent Sophie off ages ago to fetch a soldier food. Now, I'm not exactly sure what's so hard about that, but Eowyn marched off to find our friend with a burning frustration.
Ohh she is gonna get it!
Whatever it is.
Then again, it seems like whatever dragged Sophie away also managed to take Eowyn, as well. It's been at least ten minutes since that woman set off to search for our friend, yet she hadn't returned!
Clearly, I'm missing something.
"Kristy..." Eomer's familiar voice came from behind me, followed by a small tap on my shoulder.
"Eomer?" I turned, a smile on my face for the return of my lost friend. Sure, I knew that he was here- it's all anyone ever talked about. Eomer was our savior on this day, as was Gandalf. Were it not for them, we would have surely been dead. Still, seeing is much more exciting than hearing. "Am I so glad to see you!"
I threw myself into the arms of my friend, not really caring that random acts of hugging were not normal to these people, especially when the one you're hugging is heir to the throne. Like I cared, really. We were alive, my friend was back from his banishment, and I was just happy to see a friendly face amid all of this chaos.
He seemed to disregard it, too, for he hugged me right back! Take that, society. Hugs are great, and should be taken advantage of.
"I am glad to see you well, Kristy." He laughed, letting me hold on for as long as I wanted. Which is good, because I love hugs. "Although, I wish that we could have met again in more happier times."
True that, man. I let out a sigh and let him go, remembering that I had work to do.
"I must thank you for saving us, Eomer. Without you, we'd all surely be goners."
The man nodded gratefully, but his face suggested something else. "I wish that I could have gotten here sooner. It hardly feels like a victory, with so many dead."
Sigh... "I know what you mean. I don't even know if my brother survived, let alone my other friends... Have you by chance seen any of them?"
Eomer gave me a comforting smile. "I cannot say that I know who your brother is, but I have seen those who traveled with Sophie, if those are the ones that you consider your friends. An elf, a dwarf, a man by the name of Aragorn, Boromir of Gondor, and a rather tall man with long, dark hair. Are these your friends?"
"Yes! The man with dark hair is my brother, James! Are they alright?" Please say yes, please say yes.
"Yes, they are quite alright! Hardly a scratch on them!"
My heart spazzed out as I went in for another hug. "Oh, thank you! Where are they?"
He pointed out the door, onto the bloody battlefield. "They are outside, milady. Only, I doubt that you would want to go out there. It is not the most pleasant of sights. Your friends are working on clearing the way and sorting out the dead. It is not an easy task, but it must be done."
"As long as they are alright, I'm fine!" I sighed, a permanent smile on my face. "I'll see them when I see them. For now, I should get back to work. I've got to go find Sophie and Eowyn- they've been gone for ages, it seems!"
Eomer laughed and shook his head. "Good luck with that, milady. Eowyn is quite good at not being found, when she wants to be. As for Sophie... Well, I have an idea as to who she might be with."
Who... Boromir? "Uh... Am I missing something? Because Boromir's right over there." I pointed over to where the mighty Gondorian was trying to convince a healer to let him go assist with the cleanup.
Eomer laughed once more, a mischievous look in his eyes. "While the person she's with is not a love interest, it should be surprising, enough."
Okay, Eomer. I am going to punch you. "Explain, please?"
"You will have to find out on your own!" With that, he turned and ran out the door.
Dang it.
Well, Eowyn said that Sophie was headed for the storage rooms. That seems like the best place to look.
What does Eomer mean by all of this? Does Sophie have some other love interest? Not likely. She's not one for relationships. It's surprising enough that she got engaged! Hey, you love who you love! Still, I can't help but wonder... What could Eomer know that I don't? I'm the best friend, here! It's my job to know things. Besides, he just got here!
This is a curious situation, indeed.
You want to know what else is curious? Hearing your best friend sobbing from the other side of the storage room door.
"Sophie?" Although I wasn't quite sure what I would see, I threw open the storage room door, ready to kick the butt of whoever made Sophie cry.
Let's just say that I about started crying, too.
Standing in the middle of a room was my best friend crying her eyes out, soaking the armor of a smiling Collin. To the side, Eowyn sat on a crate, laughing quietly to herself, like she'd lost her mind in the best way possible. It was a ridiculous scene, only made more ridiculous by my entrance.
"Oh, hello there!" Collin smiled at me from over Sophie's head. "Nice to see you again! I would hug you, but Sophie's doing such a swell job at polishing my armor!"
Sophie only cried harder at this, only this time, between fits of laughter. "You're ridiculous!" She cried, refusing to let go of her long lost friend.
I couldn't believe my eyes. "Is this real, or did I drink some bad water?"
Collin rolled his eyes. "Please, please don't go down that road with me. It took a good five minutes to convince Sophie that I was real, I don't really have the energy to do it again."
Eowyn pat on the crate she sat on, urging me to sit down. "Don't worry, my friend. You are handing this much better than I did."
I took the seat without objection, feeling a little weak in the knees, all of a sudden. "Why is this world so weird?"
"Upset that I'm alive, are you?" Collin laughed.
"Quite the opposite, actually..." I just don't get it. First, Aragorn falls of a cliff and lives. Now, my best friend who got shot with arrows in the chest is alive and well? What's the point of dying if you're just going to come back to life?
Sophie continued crying until she was spent, which wasn't long, actually. She ended up falling asleep right where she stood; in Collin's arms.
Collin gently picked her up, cradling her like a baby. He looked to Eowyn, the goofiest look on his face. "Uh... Where should I put this?"
Eowyn stood up and quickly led him through a hallway, down to where the bedrooms were. I remained where I sat, not quite ready to stand. Exhaustion was finally catching up to me, and the shock of Collin's return hadn't quite hit me, yet. I'm sure that I'll freak out in an hour or two, no big deal. Right now, I just wanted to sleep...
"Ahem..." A knock on the door brought me out of my doze, and I looked up to see a battle-worn Legolas standing in the doorway. "Am I interrupting your sleep?"
"No, no!" I yawned, shaking my head rapidly. "I was just dozing off. If anyone needs rest, it's you." Even though you're freaking perfect and never get tired. Stinking elves...
Ha! I'm starting to sound like Sophie. Oh, goodness. But really, it is pretty hardcore that he can stay up all night fighting no problem.
Legolas moved forward and sat down next to me, eyeing me curiously. "Have you slept at all?"
Oh, I wish... "No, not one bit. I was worried sick." Having almost everyone you love outside fighting hordes of orcs is enough to keep anyone awake.
"You should get some rest, then. If I am not mistaken, a few of Theoden's best men are leaving for Isengard as soon as everything is under control, here. I believe that I am to go with them, along with the rest of the former fellowship. Gandalf is making the arrangements as we speak."
Wait... what? "You mean... You guys are leaving? But... We've only just won! Isn't it a bit soon to be running into battle, again?" I mean... I'm no expert on warfare. I'm speaking from the heart, really. No part of me wants anyone to go anywhere, especially if that someone is Legolas! Or James. Or Collin. Or Sophie, but I doubt that she'll want to go anywhere.
Legolas gave me a small smile. "It must be done. Of course, I do not believe that Gandalf would so willingly take us into Isengard if he did not believe us to have the advantage. Saruman must have sent his entire army here. It is only logical to assume that there will not be much resistance upon our arrival. Our only true threat is Saruman himself."
Yeah, I know. "Collin and Sophie almost died, there. I'm just not overly fond of the place. That, and... Well... I'm not too fond of you leaving so soon." Especially after that whole kissing thing...
Apparently, he read my mind. "Yes... I want to talk to you about what happened, Kristy. Before the battle. I am sure that you know what event I am speaking of..."
My cheeks lit up in a furious blush, and I quickly tossed my hair to hide my face. "I'm pretty sure that we're on the same page." Unless, of course, I'm wrong. In which case, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.
"Kristy, my feelings for you have not changed since the fellowship left Rivendell..." Legolas began, and my heart rate went up. "In fact, they have only grown..." He reached out and pushed the hair out of my face. "I thought that you were right; that we were only infatuated. After all, we had hardly known each other. When I left, I assumed that being away from you would make me sure that there was nothing between us. Yet with every passing day, I missed you even more. It is odd for me. Not only can elves court for decades, but it could take even longer for them to get married. Now, here I am! With a woman whose face I have known for less than a year. A woman who I have come to care for a great deal. There is something about you, Kristy. I cannot quite put a finger on it..."
I let out a sigh, dying to hide the furious blush that was attacking my pale cheeks. Blasted nerves... "I understand what you're saying... I feel the same way. Still, I know what happens to elves who get involved what humans... I don't want you to mistake your feelings, Legolas."
Legolas laughed, shaking his head. "You know better than to question an elf's feelings, Kristy. It was foolish of us to question them, in the first place."
Boy, is he right. Arwen once told me that elves love differently than mortals. They've had thousands of years to figure themselves out- they know when they care for someone.
"You don't actually think that you love me, do you?" I just can't imagine it. Back in high school, I used to make fun of those kids who 'fell in love' within weeks. Sure, Legolas and I have known each other far longer than several weeks, but I feel like that doesn't necessarily make it right. Yeah, I really really really care about him, but how can you tell what your heart feels, especially when your mind has so many questions?
Legolas frowned, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Of course I do. Are your feelings not the same?"
No, no! Don't think that! "They are! I just..."
Legolas shook his head, his smile returning. "We do not have to move so quickly if that is not your wish. I understand; this is fast for me, as well. It is just that... This is a time of war. It is not customary for my people to get married in such times, but I feel as though Boromir and Sophie have the right idea. Why not make your love known, when the one you love could die at any moment? Although are friends have some miraculous ability to come back to life, it is still better to be safe than sorry, and I feel quite safe telling you that I care for you a great deal. I will not say more if you do not want me to."
Great, now it's all up to me. "I care for you a great deal, too. It's just... I'm no elf. I don't really know how to interpret my feelings, as you do. I'd feel more comfortable waiting to see how this whole 'ring' thing ends, before going any further. Besides, it's like you said. Elves don't really get married in these times, so it would be silly to go against that."
Legolas nodded. "I understand completely."
"Good!" I laughed, running a hand through my hair nervously. "So... Are we courting, now, or something?"
"I believe so, yes."
Great! I may not look like it, but that's exactly what I wanted to hear. "You know, we're both really bad at this romance thing..." I laughed.
Legolas nodded, letting out a chuckle of his own. "I know. In all of my years, I've never cared for a woman."
"Never?"
"Never."
Wow... "You must have some boring women in Mirkwood."
"No, not really." Legolas did his little elf-shrug thing. "They simply were not you."
And here comes the blushing...
(James)
"Dude, I still can't believe that you're alive!"
Collin laughed, continuing on his walk down the halls. "Dude! I still can't believe that you're saying 'dude' after marrying an elf."
Hey, old habits die hard. "Man, I'm sorry. I just don't really know how to act around you, right now." What do you do when your best friend comes back to life? What is there to say, other than, 'I love you, man?'
My old friend grimaced, sending me a pleading look. "Please don't treat me any differently. Getting shot with an arrow didn't change me, much."
"No, but the near-death experience must have. I mean, come on, man! What was it like? Did you see a light?"
"No, I did not see a light." He shrugged, struggling to navigate the confusing interior of Helms Deep. "I just thought about home, is all."
Ah... Home... "Did you think about Sophie, then?"
He sighed. "Mostly."
Ah, great. "You know... She and Boromir are engaged, now."
"I know."
... Okay... And does that not bug you? "Collin, if I ask you something, do you promise to answer truthfully?"
Collin raised his eyebrow, sending me a humored smile. "Have I ever lied to you?"
"No, but I don't want you to start now." Especially when I'm about to ask you something rather serious. "Look... This has been bugging me for years, but... Do you love Sophie? I mean, love her? Not like best friend love, but the real deal. In love."
Collin laughed, like it was a completely stupid question. "Of course!"
I stared blankly at my friend, hardly able to believe him. "And you're telling me that her engagement to Boromir doesn't bother you?" If you're lying to me, Collin, I will personally punch you in your arrow wounds.
He sighed, looking back and forth down the hall to see if anyone could overhear him. "Look, it's hard to explain, but it's better this way... Boromir's got money and status. All I've got is my incredibly hot bod and charming personality..." I punched him in the shoulder, and he laughed. "Kidding, kidding!"
"How can you joke about this?" If Maerwen ever married someone else, I'd have a cow. Two cows! Two very depressed cows. Then I'd curl up and cry for a century or two, living on nothing but depressed cow milk.
Collin leaned back against the wall and let his head rest against it. "I've got hope for the future, I guess."
"... Hope for the future? You're going to try to tear them apart?"
"Oh, heck no!" Collin shook his head, and I felt like punching him again for confusing me so. "James, if you really want to understand, I've got to go back to one of the nights we were in Lothlorien..."
Great. It'll be fun to see where this goes. "I've got all day, Collin. Go for it."
He sighed, sliding down to a sitting position. "I told you that Galadriel had some future-seeing mirror, right?" I nodded. "Well, she had me look into it one night, when the rest of you guys were asleep. It was crazy... It showed me the past, the present, and things that would happen, one day. I saw Sophie marrying Boromir as something that would have to happen. She was already in love with him, James... It would have been pointless to try to keep her for myself. There was more on that subject, but that's all I'm going to say about it. But that's not all I saw, James. I saw myself near death, I saw Aragorn becoming king... I also saw your future, James. Want to know what I saw?"
Woah. Is he serious? A chance to actually see my future... But what is there to see? "I assume you saw me dying, and Maerwen fading away?"
I was surprised when Collin shook his head, a kind smile on his lips. "You're going to live forever, James."
"Dude, I will kill you right now..."
"I'm not joking, James!" He held his hands up in defense. "Here's when things get ridiculous and begin to make no sense. Well, it's not like anything in this world makes sense, but hey. Whatever. When we got in that car crash and got sent here, something weird happen. It's like we got the choice to make new lives. Heck, that's exactly what happened! You're not an elf, James, but you're going to live forever, because that's what your heart's decided. Now, as cheesy as that sounds, that's what's gonna happen. Because you fell in love with Maerwen, who is going to live forever, so will you."
... For real? Wow... That's... Something else.
I want to live forever. I really, really do. But is Collin seeing things correctly? He did get shot a couple of times, maybe he's going crazy...
"I'm not going crazy, James." He laughed, almost reading my mind. "Let's just face it. None of this makes sense! Sauron, the ring, elves, dwarves, hobbits... It's all crazy, and so are we. The same concept goes for Sophie. Because she's marrying Boromir, who will die, she's going to die, too..." Collin frowned at this, letting out a deep sigh.
"What about you, Collin?" I asked, my curiosity rising. "Will you die for loving a mortal?"
He smiled, not helping my curiosity at all. "I guess we'll just have to find out."
"Argh! Seriously, Collin?"
"Hey, you don't believe me, anyways!" He jumped up and began to run down the hallway. "I guess we'll all just have to wait and see who dies and who doesn't."
Dang it, Collin. If I didn't miss you so much when you were dead, I'd kill you right now.
Feel free how I went about the Legolas/Kristy thing! Just please don't be mad at me about it. I know that a lot of you were wanting her to end up with Eomer, and I'm really sorry that I couldn't make that happen. I really thought about it, but I came to the conclusion that it just wouldn't make any sense. I wrote so many of the earlier chapters to set up the Legolas/Kristy relationship, and I didn't want it to go to waste. Also, you might have found the whole scene cheesy (I don't know, I'm not the best at deciding what's cheesy or not), but love means a lot to me! Besides, we all want a cute romance story for ourselves, don't we?
Oh, and on the whole James living forever concept... I don't know how original that is (I haven't read anything like that before, but it's not like I've read every fanfic out there), but like I said. The majority of this happened in a dream, as I've mentioned before. Everything works out a certain way, and I intend to write it as it happened!