| Welcome to Refia. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| MST: Shadowed Past, Tale of the Last Dragon; Another dragon OC joins the Fellowship. | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 24 2008, 01:02 PM (652 Views) | |
| Caranthol | Sep 24 2008, 01:02 PM Post #1 |
|
At Journey's End
|
MST: Shadowed Past, Tale of the Last Dragon Author: Caranthol Rating: PG-13 (or something like that) Genre: Parody Text it is based on: Shadowed Past, Tale of the Last Dragon by Sylver-Star189 (of ffnet) Characters: Sporkers: Faramir, Eowyn, Pippin, Joachim Kraut (OC). Original story: The Fellowship, OC (male), Elrond etc. Summary: Deusexmachina strikes again, compelling our heroes to endure a Gary Stu story, again with a dragon main character. Warnings: None. Disclaimer: I don’t own any characters but Joachim Kraut and Deusexmachina, the others are the property of either Tolkien Estates or Sylver-Star189 of ff.net. Chapter 1 Faramir was tired after a day’s hunting on his lands. His duties as the Steward and Prince allowed him only occasionally to indulge in sports like this or any other pleasure, for that matter. But now, as he had got up in the morning he had seen that it was a glorious, sunny autumn morning, too beautiful to waste indoors. He had speedily went through the table of his study and seen that there was very little paperwork to be done, only some verdicts of judges to be signed. As the cases dealt only with minor matters, such as thefts of stray sheep, he decided that they could well wait. He had instantly changed his hunting-clothes on and headed for the stables, after informing Eowyn of his intentions. The maid of Rohan had only smiled and said, kissing him: ”Very well. Have a good time, my dear. I hope, though, that in the afternoon or evening you could accompany me in my rooms or garden.” Faramir had smilingly assented and mounted his horse. The hunting had been good, and after Faramir had felled two deers in six hours, with the aid of one of his servants, he had headed back to his house. Eowyn had already been waiting and after a delicious lunch the couple had spent the rest of the day walking in the gardens, admiring the colours of autumn and conversing of things past and present until the dinnertime. Now, after a large dinner and a glass or two of good wine, Faramir was truly content. The day had been delightful for both him and Eowyn, and now it was time to go to bed. Eowyn had already gone to their bedchamber, but Faramir still lingered in his dressing-room, wanting to finish the book he had been reading. He sat down into his chair and opened the volume. It was a treatise of the events of the War of the Ring in the North, a subject he was not very familiar with. Written in a clear style and with colourful maps and illustrations, the book had well been worth of purchasing. Eagerly turning the pages, Faramir wondered if he could persuade the King to give a gift of money to the author. But then, just as he closed the book, his head started to swirl. Everything around him went hazy and grey. At first Faramir was very startled, fearing he had a fit of some kind. But then a memory of an earlier event came to him, and he groaned: ”Oh, no, not again!” Even as he uttered the words, his vision cleared and he raised his head. He was till sitting in his chair, but not in his familiar dressing-room but in a strange room, decorated very tastefully and furnished with big easy-chairs and bookshelves. Perplexed, Faramir rose and wondered aloud: ”Where am I?” ”Just the question I wanted to put,” said a familiar voice behind him. He turned and saw Pippin standing in the doorway, a half-extinguished pipe hanging from his lips. The hobbit looked as bewildered as Faramir felt he did. For a moment they only regarded each other silently, but then Pippin spoke again, a single word coming slowly from between his teeth: ”Deusexmachina.” Faramir grimaced. ”I fear so, Master Peregrin.” As they spoke they heard hurried footsteps from the corridor and Eowyn burst into the room, her eyes wide in wonder and confusion. Not paying any heed to Pippin, she looked at Faramir and exclaimed, half-angered and half-scared: ”What is this? If this some joke, it is very bad taste!” Faramir took a step and took his wife’s hand into his own. ”This is not a joke, Eowyn. You remember that I told you of similar experience a while ago?” Eowyn answered: ”Yes, but that was only a dream, wasn’t it? Surely anything like that could not have happened.” Faramir shook his head. ”Until now, even I was not completely sure, but surely we cannot share a dream.” They fell silent, Eowyn noticing Pippin only now when she lowered her gaze. Without a word she shook the hand of the hobbit and resumed her thoughts. The hobbit was first to speak: ”Well, let us explore this place, since there is nothing else to do until Deusexmachina appears.” The others shrugged and they strode out of the door, Pippin leading the way. The corridor they entered was very long, without any windows but with many oaken doors on each side. They opened every one of them, peering into the rooms behind. All they saw, however, was snug bedrooms or studies, without a hint of other inhabitants than them. Suddenly they heard a sound, however. It was like a groan of pain, coming from behind the last door of the corridor. The trio opened the door, finding themselves in a wide courtyard surrounded by stone walls from every side. Looking around they could deduce they were in a massive castle. But soon their attention was directed to a bench near a fountain. On the bench there lay a young man, in strange clothes, including a short-sleeved shirt tucked into trousers made of blue fabric. The man held his hand on his forehead, concealing the features under the blond, short hair. He groaned in a strange language, but to their wonder the trio found they understood him: ”Damn it! Oh, shit!” were the words of the young man, who obviously suffered from a bad headache. Faramir, the quickest-witted of the three captives, told the others: ”If I remember rightly, that tongue is called German. Peregrin, do you remember the spells Deusexmachina cast on us the last time? Obviously it is the same this time.” Pippin only nodded, but Eowyn wondered: ”A spell? Deusexmachina? Could somebody tell me even something?” Faramir would have answered, but at that moment the man on the bench hauled himself upright, having obviously heard their voices. He blinked and asked, still in German: ”Hello, who are you? A terrific party we had last night, I can tell you. But where am I now? Is this some kind of mask party?” Pippin answered: ”Judging from your clothes, young master, I should say this is a masquerade. As for where we are, I know as little as you.” The man looked at the hobbit, clearly shocked and surprised at first. But then he burst into laughter: ”Oh, at first I thought you were a real hobbit! Clever costume you have, I must say. No offense, but for someone of your height it’s just perfect! All right, the joke’s over, where is the beer? I have a terrible hangover.” The trio looked at each other, and Faramir spoke: ”Young sir, this is no joke. My friend here is a halfling and there is no beer as far as we know. I have not the slightest clue of what are you talking about. Pray tell us what is your name? I am Faramir Denethorion, this is my wife Eowyn and my friend Peregrin Took.” The young man blinked once again, his laughter having died on his lips. ”All right, that’s enough! You people clearly are crazy. Just forget about the beer and show me out of here. I have an exam tomorrow and have to read.” Now Eowyn broke into the talk, insulted ny the manner of the man. ”Who are you to call us crazy? It was you who is clad in ridiculous clothes and speaks a strange gibberish! Tell us your name now, instead of hurling these insults.” The man scratched his head, shrugging indifferently. ”Oh, well, I’m sorry if I spoke hastily. My name is Joachim Kraut, if hearing that pleases you. I am a history student at Göttingen university. Now please lead me out, I really have to go.” Faramir answered: ”Master Kraut, I am afraid we can’t help you on that score. If you do not know it already, we all are trapped here by a Maia named Deusexmachina. Until he says otherwise we can’t exit.” Kraut’s eyes widened and the trio could clearly read his thoughts. Kraut’s suspicions of their sanity had only deepened. But just at that instant when he opened his mouth, a bright light flashed and a middle-aged man clad in clothes fit for a king appeared in front of them. The man waved his hand and said merrily: ”Hello, my friends! Two of you already know me and my purposes, but I guess I still must introduce myself.” He walked towards Eowyn and said, bowing: ”Fair lady, it is a pleasure to meet you! I am Deusexmachina, an acquaintance of your husband and the Maia of major plotholes and improbable situations.” Then he gracefully turned towards Joachim Kraut, who sat rigidly, staring at him. ”Ah, master Kraut! I am sorry to have interrupted your well-earned slumber, but I thought it would be amusing to bring you here, too. You are a great Tolkien fan, I have seen. Oh, don’t deny it, I have heard you murmuring things like ’I wish I was in Middle-Earth’ and such. Well, this is your great moment, seeing your present company. I guess you have already been introduced to them.” Kraut’s jaw dropped and he gasped for breath. Then, without a warning, his eyes turned so that only their whites were visible. He toppled heavily from the bench. Deusexmachina looked regretful, saying: ”Well, maybe this was too much for the poor lad, all of sudden. But he will recover. As two of you are familiar with the procedures, you can tell him about the things when he awakes. I will expect you in the library at noon. The story you will read is a bit like the last, yet different. Don’t ask, I leave you the fun of discovery. Au revoir!” He disappeared in a swirl of smoke, leaving the trio to tend poor Kraut. ------ At noon the four prisoners were in the library, seated in comfortable chairs. It had taken quite a long time to first wake Joachim Kraut up and then convince him that he was not dreaming. Only after Faramir and Pippin had explained him their previous experience with Deusexmachina did Kraut begin to believe the thing was not a practical joke. Now he was looking at the three others with curious eyes. ”My pals will never believe this!” he repeated to himself. Being indeed an old Tolkien fan and having read all his works he didn’t know if he should be alarmed or delighted. But there was no time for further wondering, since a large screen appeared on the opposite wall. Having heard what was in store for him, Kraut clenched his jaw, waiting for the horror to begin. The first words appeared: ”Sylver-Star189 proudly presents”. ------ 1 Shadowed Past, Tale of the Last Dragon… Pippin (groans): No, not AGAIN! Faramir (with a shudder, to himself): Oh no, don’t think of that, don’t think of that… Eowyn (perplexed): What? Pippin: The story we read last time was about a dragon. Eowyn: Oh. Kraut (scratching his head): The last? So this is about Smaug? (well, half-dragon anyway) Pippin (dryly): Oh, it gets even better… Kraut: A half-dragon? Even I know nothing of the kind exists, and I am not from Middle-Earth. By: Kalan Gildae Dragonson Sadaya Eowyn: But the credits said… Faramir: Forget it, my dear. It is not to expected that these stories make any sense. Kraut (clearing his throat): Excuse me, but could you say if that name means anything? Faramir: Not in any tongue I know. And I know many. Summary: The Fellowship is joined by a mysterious youth, who is more than he seems. Pippin: Of course. Eowyn: Is this those ‘dark, mysterious stranger’ stories? I was fed up of those romances already when I was young, they reminded me of Grima. Kraut: Lady, I think it’s much worse than that. Strong friendships are made. His past haunts him, Faramir: How come I am not surprised? will he be able to make the ultimate sacrifice for his friends Pippin: Hopefully. The sooner the better. (small shounen-ai) All: Huh? Kraut: What has Japanese doing with a Middle-Earth story? COMPLETE! YEAH!!! 1.1 The Council of Lord Elrond, Rivendell “I will take it!” a small voice called out over the din of the other’s arguments. “I will take the Ring to Mordor, though I do not know the way,” Frodo Baggins took the One Ring in his small hand. Pippin: Actually he didn’t until after the Council. Kraut: Oh come on, don’t be so picky about details. I thought you hobbits were jovial and good-natured. Pippin (glowers at Kraut): You weren’t there reading the last story. Gandalf the Gray turned to the halfling, his love for the hobbit shown in his eyes. “I will guide you, and help you carry this burden for as long as it is yours to bear,” Frodo nodded his thanks to his old friend. One by one, others stood to join the first two. Strider the ranger, now revealed as Aragorn son of Arathorn heir to the throne of Gondor vowed to protect Frodo. Along with Boromir, the eldest son of Denethor, Steward of Gondor was Legolas son of King Thranduil of the Mirkwood elves and Gimli son of Gloin of the dwarves. Faramir: Wow, Gimli actually got named by his proper title. Eowyn: Why shouldn’t he have, then? Faramir: Because this is a story made by a Suethor. Also joining Frodo on his quest was his friends from the Shire: Samwise, or “Sam” Gamgee, Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck, and Peregrin “Pippin” Took. Pippin: Oh no, I am again in this kind of stuff! Lord Elrond looked upon the group, a rag-tag bunch of unlikely heroes thrown together by fate. Pippin: Is this writer Saruman? The expression “rag-tag” gives him away. Eowyn: By now, I have a feeling that this will be evil enough to be his work. It was then his sensitive ears picked up a sound of flapping wings, and a familiar presence touched his mind. Eowyn (as Elrond): What is this devilry? Oh, it’s only my side personality again. Kraut (as Elrond): Time to take my pills. “Woah, hold on, I’m coming,” a voice called out, not far off. Light feet running, a gasp and groan of pain. Elrond grimaced, knowing all to well what the pain was, but he said nothing. Faramir: Well, most of us know pain, Sylver-Star. We have got a nervous system, you know. Aragorn and Boromir had drawn their swords and now held them ready. But all blinked in surprise as a young man, actually more like a teenager Pippin: Of COURSE. Eowyn: That would be a lad or a boy, not man. Kraut: Yeah, it’s strange how fifteen-year-olds think they are already grown men or women. strode into the council area. He was actually quite small for a human, no more than five and a half feet tall. Kraut: What? I am about that height and am not any midget. Faramir: True, not all can be Dunedain. Dressed in plain black pants and black leather boots that came to mid-calf. On top he wore a distinctly elven-made shirt, black with gray weaving and embroidery. Kraut: That actually is more like an SS uniform. So our friend is a Nazi. Interesting. The others: Huh? Kraut: I’ll explain later. Also he wore a long gray cloak, it seemed that it had been hastily put on because it was hanging unevenly over one shoulder and the boy was still clasping it at the neck. Eowyn: There are things called clasps for that job. Leaves your hands free, too. He had shoulder length black hair, falling in messy waves, the wind blowing it into his eyes. Pippin: Time for a visit to barber-shop. His eyes! Faramir: His ears! Eowyn: His nose! Kraut: His chin! Pippin: His… (as Faramir claps his hand over his mouth) Umph! Faramir: There is a lady present, Peregrin. Pippin: But I wasn’t going to say anything bad! Faramir: After the last time I will take no risks. Such a strange color they were – silver. (Shudders from Faramir and Pippin.) Pippin: Oh no, he is like… like… Faramir: Ornjin? Pippin: No! You said it aloud! This must be her brother! Nooo! Frodo felt like he was drowning in those eyes, Eowyn: And gasped for breath as he finally lunged to the surface of them. Kraut: I really hope this is not going to be a slash fic. I’ve never been into that stuff. (After a moment’s thought) Well, at least a dragon/hobbit pairing would be unique. he could feel a secret fire lurking just behind the cool silver. Faramir (as Gandalf): I am the servant of the Secret Fire! Go back to the Shadow! The youth blinked, breaking the spell and nodded to the other council members before turning to Elrond. “Sorry I’m late, there was a bit of trouble along the northern border.” He smiled at the elf-lord, who did the same, as if sharing a private joke. Eowyn (as Elrond): Heh-heh, trouble along the border, it’s so funny, duh-huh-huh… Or not. “I trust all is well?” Elrond asked, the other nodded. “Of course,” he said nonchalantly, then paused when Elrond gave him a strange look, “What? You have absolutely no faith in me, you know that?” Pippin: And he is wise in that. he threw his hands up in mock exasperation. Elrond laughed. “Of course I have faith in you, Kalan, I just hope you are not taking unnecessary risks,” he smiled warmly. Kalan, so the boy was called Kraut: Well, we guessed that already. Get on with it. smile in return and nodded. Elrond turned to face the counsel once more. “My friends, may I introduce Kalan Gildae1 Sadaya, Elvellon (elf- friend) of many years,” Faramir: Now that takes the cake! Peregrin, want to bet he has saved Elrond’s life once? Pippin: No, you would win. Kalan nodded to each person, his strange eyes lingering on Frodo then came to rest upon the wizard. He grinned. “Gandalf the Gray, you old charlatan! Faramir: Well, at least this is a little better than the ‘old goat’ in the last story. Still corrupting our youth, I see?” he laughed, indicating the hobbits. Gandalf smiled and strode forward to clasp arms with the lad. He then pulled him into a tight embrace. Eowyn: And stifled him to death. Pippin: The end. After a few seconds the parted, and Gandalf gave the boy a good look over. “And you, you old myth, Kraut: I wish he had stayed a myth, too. I smell something rotten… A Gary Stu, perhaps. what’s this I hear about you up north?” he asked with a sly smile. Kalan just shrugged. “The villagers were having trouble with some goblin raids, I decided to make an end of it,” Eowyn: Of the villagers or the raids? he answered, then turned away from Gandalf to look over the rest of the group. “A scraggly bunch this is,” Pippin: Well, I admit we could have been a bit more glorious to the sight. But we didn’t need a rude lad to tell it to us. he turned back to Elrond, “Slim pickings, eh, Pointy-Ears?” (All stare, then break into chuckles) Faramir: I never knew Elrond personally, but I really doubt he would like this kind of speech. Pippin: Hmm, and I thought Sam was behaving badly in the Council. he cocked on fine eyebrow at the elf-lord. Kraut (imitating loading a pistol): And fired it. Elrond jumped out of the way just in time. But before Elrond could respond, a fuming Legolas stepped forward. Eowyn: Funny, I can actually picture smoke rising from his ears. Pippin: Yeah, me too. “Speak with some respect to the Lord of Rivendell!” he said, a threatening tone in his voice. Faramir (bored): Why is he always demanding respect for someone in these fics? I’d thought he had enough to do in minding his own business. Kalan turned to him, amusement sparkling in the silvery depths of his eyes. “My friend elf, Legolas, isn’t it? I have never in my life called him ‘lord’, nor have I ever spoken to anyone with respect. But never have I ever insulted him with malice in my heart,” Kraut: And that makes it so much more proper. Legolas said nothing more, but did not move back. Elrond placed a hand on the other elf’s shoulder. “It is true, Legolas, he meant no harm, only a small jest, am I correct you annoying, dim-witted child?” Eowyn: I think that description was actually not an insult nor jest, but the plain truth. he smirked at Kalan who tried his best to cover a laugh at the look on Legolas’ face. Never had the prince heard Lord Elrond speak to someone like that. Pippin: Maybe that’s because he had hardly heard him speaking at all before the Council. Kraut: Oh, but maybe this author assumes he has hanged out at Imladris before this. Eowyn: Why should he have? Kraut (shrugs): I don’t know, my lady, you must ask from those who write such stories. But it was clear that the two were only joking with each other and that calmed his temper. He nodded and stepped back to where he previously stood. I am guessing you want me to go with them on this quest? a voice asked inside Elrond’s head. He mentally nodded. Faramir (as Elrond): Yeah, yeah, whatever. Damn I hate these voices in my head! Kraut (as Elrond): Where’s the phonebook? I seriously need to find a therapist. Yes, they need you if they are to succeed. The Ring must be destroyed, or all of Middle-earth shall be covered in a second darkness, he answered then, he ‘saw’ a frown. Kraut: This telepathy was already overdone in the films. Please, Sylver-Star, could you invent your own tricks? You know I hate darkness, a pause, then, Very well, it seems I have no other choice. Pippin: What’s this craze with the good dragons? It just doesn’t make any sense. Kraut: That’s because dragons are so kewl! Because of that they possibly can’t side with the bad guys. Eowyn: What are these writers thinking? Faramir (dryly): Probably nothing. You and Gandalf haven’t told them anything about me, have you? Eowyn: Of course not, that wouldn’t be dramatic enough. Elrond ‘shook’ his ‘head’. Good, I don’t want them knowing anything too soon, they would not understand. Pippin (quoting “Silver Wind”): Because they are only lowly ‘mortals’. I will go, I will make sure the Ring is destroyed. Then both he and Kalan turned their attentions back to the counsel. The mental conversation had only lasted a few seconds, so no one seemed to notice. “Kalan will be joining you on this quest. He is a trusted friend and beneficial ally,” declared Elrond. Faramir: A bit ex tempore decision, I should say. Kraut (as Elrond): Well, guys, you just got a new buddy. He’s rude, speaks stupidly and I won’t tell you anything about him, but he really is trustworthy. Honestly. Boromir shook his head and stepped forward. “He is naught but a boy,” he countered, “He would only get himself or all of us killed.” Eowyn: I hope only himself. Then, turning to Kalan, “Go back to your mother, child,” and turned away. Pippin: The rude!Boromir is back! All hail! Faramir (shakes his head.) But something dangerous flashed in Kalan’s silver eyes. He grabbed the man’s arm, turning him as if he were the child. Eowyn (turning to Faramir): From what you told me of Boromir, I’ll expect a violent scene. Faramir: I, for my part, hope for it. “My mother is dead, Boromir, Kraut: Oh, now comes the angst! Besides of that, his father is also dead, his brother is a drunk drag-queen and his dog has caught a cold. Makes me sad. do not speak of her to me,” he said in a low, deceptively calm voice, “And if it is my skill and experience that worries you, I have had more battles than you could have in five lifetimes,” Pippin (as Boromir): Go and tell that to the winds! he released the man and turned away. Boromir opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the lad, who did not even turn around. “Just leave it at that,” was all he said Eowyn: Before Boromir’s sword pierced his chest. “Ouch” was all he said after that. and he walked over to a winding stone pillar and leaned against it. His silver eyes were no longer sparkling, but dull and sad. “Time is against us, you shall leave tomorrow at first light,” said Elrond as he looked upon the group. Kraut: But… but I never thought Elrond was this haphazard. Master Peregrin, you waited for two months, didn’t you? Pippin: Yep. “If you are loyal and strong hearted, you will succeed. Kraut (as a Disney character, singing): Follow your heeeaaaaart, and your dreams will come truuueeee…. You shall be called the Fellowship of the Ring,” he declared. Frodo looked at the Ring he held in his hand. There were nine other people to help him surely they must succeed. Eowyn (as Frodo): I’m sure glad I have help. Ten people against hundreds of thousands of Orcs, Easterlings, Southrons and so on. Not to speak of the temptations of the Ring. A piece of cake, really. He looked up and over to the shadows where Kalan stood, he saw the boy nod then turn away, disappearing into the halls of Rivendell. That night, Lord Elrond held a feast in the Fellowship’s honor. Sam, Merry and Pippin were amazed by all the different types of food, still in awe of everything in Rivendell. Pippin (puffing on his pipe): I’d rather say we were delighted by all the different kinds of food. Aragorn spoke long with Elrond and Gandalf, but the others, Boromir, Legolas and Gimli stayed to themselves and their own kind. Frodo looked around, hoping to see Kalan at the party. Kraut: Because after that one eye-contact, he was hopelessly attracted to him. Eowyn (shudders): I hope not. I really hope so. But the youth was nowhere to be seen. Something about the dark- haired lad confused and mesmerized the hobbit. Faramir: ‘cause he was a hypnotizer. He was young, probably no older than eighteen years, yet he had said to Boromir, that he had fought more battles than the man could in five lifetimes! It just didn’t make sense. Pippin: As doesn’t this whole thing. So, Frodo, just relax. When those eyes had rested their unearthly gaze upon him, he felt a strange…something, in his heart. Eowyn: Oh, no! Kraut (as Frodo): Oh, how my chest burns! It wasn't wise to eat that cheese-burger with double fries! A great power, something old and definitely something Frodo did not wand as an enemy. Pippin: Sensible. Sauron and Saruman with their hosts were quite enough to handle, I assure you. And when Boromir mentioned the boy’s mother, that power changed, to something dark, angry and sad. Kraut: And grieving and depressed and angsty. There was more to this boy, and Frodo knew it. The feast was finally dwindling down, people left at intervals. Merry and Pippin yawned and said their good-nights. Faithful Sam was falling asleep beside Frodo, snoring softly. Pippin: Actually Sam was seated with us, quite far from Frodo. Frodo smiled and gently shook his friend. “Sam,” the other hobbit blinked his eyes open and looked at Frodo sleepily. “I’m sorry, Mr. Frodo, guess the day’s finally caught up with me,” he said sheepishly. “Why don’t you go to bed then?” offered Frodo. “Are you coming?” asked Sam. All: Uh oh… Kraut: Is it only my dirty imagination or is this author dropping subtle hints towards something improper? Faramir: Probably both, master Kraut. Frodo smiled and shook his head. “No, I want to stay up a while and look around some more,” he answered, “But you go on, I wont be long,” he added when Sam began to protest. Sam nodded and stood up. He said a polite ‘thank-you’ to Elrond and the elves then retired to his bed. Pippin: Wow, this definitely is getting a bad turn! Eowyn: I have a disgusting image in my head. Faramir: Which elves? There have been no mention of them before now. Kraut: I don’t want even know. Frodo did the same Pippin: Sam’s bed will be a bit cramped, it seems. Kraut: The more people the funnier. Eowyn (clears her throat loudly) Pippin and Kraut: Sorry, lady. Faramir (sighs): As if one dirty mind wasn’t enough… but left through a different doorway, leading to one of the may beautiful gardens that were strewn throughout Rivendell. He walked the paths for a while admiring the plants and small waterfalls. A glint of metal caught his eye off to one side, and he stepped off the path. He followed the shine to the edge of a small clearing. There, framed in moonlight, was Kalan. Eowyn: So he is a picture now? Faramir: I never knew that moonlight would make a good frame. The youth had doffed his shirt and boots, wearing only his loose trousers. Kraut (as Kalan): Time to show you some muscle, you punks! Against the backdrop of a waterfall he stood, perfectly still. Frodo wasn’t even sure he was breathing. Eowyn: He IS a picture! Pippin: Or maybe a statue. Faramir: The tables have turned. In the last story it was the dragon voyeuring Frodo. His eyes were closed and before him he held a sword, Faramir (hopefully): He is going to imitate Turin! its blade flashing in the moonlight was what had caught the hobbit’s eye. The sword was not all that big, Kraut: That’s actually a bit surprising. in fact it was quite slim and light, definitely elven-made. Kalan held the blade parallel to his body, perfectly still and silent. Eowyn: Oh, enough of this posing! Just jump on it, will you? Frodo was about to make his presence known when the silver eyes opened and the lithe body leapt into motion. The hobbit’s breath caught in his throat, never had he seen anything so beautiful and graceful as what he was watching now. Faramir: Not even when he met Gildor? Pippin: Or Elrond or Arwen or Glorfindel? Kalan leapt and spun, ducked and kicked, spinning and thrusting the sword in a ceaseless dance. Kraut (hums Hatchaturjans Sabre Dance.) The moonlight glinted off the blade, hypnotizing Frodo. Eowyn: If he’s this suggestible how on earth could he resist the Ring for so long? Kalan spun on one foot, rolling his wrist with sword in a mock parry. It was then that Frodo realized that Kalan was not dancing at all; he was fighting! Training, exercising, practicing Faramir: ..cramming, rehearsing, memorizing, learning… Pippin: “Redundancies for Writers”, page thirty-seven, footnote two. these graceful, precise movements that years of repeating had imprinted into his memory. Kraut: We already got that it was graceful. We are not idiots! He concentrated so hard, yet moved so effortlessly… Frodo shifted his weight, accidentally cracking a twig under his foot. Instantly, Kalan spun toward the noise, the blade gliding in a deadly arc toward the unprepared hobbit. The sword stopped dead still before slicing his head neatly from his shoulders. Kraut: As you all have fought with swords, is it that easy to stop the swing when it’s begun? Faramir and Eowyn: No. Kraut: I guessed as much. Frodo, too frightened to move, felt the cold steel on the skin on his throat. It neither drew blood nor drew away. Pippin: Because of Kalan’s mad skillz with the swords. Frodo looked up at the sword’s wielder. Kalan blinked his eyes, recognition flickering in their depths. The blade was drawn away from the shaken hobbit and Kalan crouched down to be closer to Frodo’s level. “Frodo Baggins, you must not sneak up on me like that, especially while I am exercising. You could have just lost your head,” the youth half- smiled and stood, turning away from Frodo. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” he looked down sheepishly, “You just mesmerized me with your sword work,” he admitted. Faramir (as Frodo, little kid’s voice): It was so cool! Can I have your autograph? Kalan looked over his shoulder at the hobbit. “It’s all right, just be careful not to repeat your mistake, it may be you last,” he said and knelt at the edge of a small pool. He bent, cupping some water in his hands and splashing it on his face. As he did this, the moonlight illuminated his tanned back. Frodo’s eyes widened, his gaze roved over a mess of criss-crossing scars that marred the skin of the boy’s back. Eowyn: Seems somebody has given him the beating he deserves. Most were very old, but two in particular, one on each shoulder blade, were fresh and livid. They looked to be about three days old. Kraut: Yep, Frodo is a doctor so he can say accurately how old the scars are. They looked like wounds that kept re- opening… Frodo blinked out of his reverie as Kalan stood, facing him once more. Frodo tried to hide the fact that he had been staring, but the sharp silver eyes caught him. Kalan frowned, then reached over and grasped his shirt, which lay to one side. He pulled this on over his head, then followed with his boots. In all this time, neither said anything; Kalan did not meet the hobbit’s gaze. It was Frodo who decided that something ought to be said. HE stepped quietly and calmly over to the rock where Kalan sat lacing up his boots. Faramir: I see no reason to emphasize it was Frodo who stepped forwards. Frodo sat down beside him, if the boy noticed this, he showed no sign. The hobbit spoke in a soft, calm voice. “What happened?” he asked. Eowyn (as Kalan): None of your business, midget! Kalan tensed, his fingers ceased their tying. Frodo felt him breathe deeply beside him. “It was a long time ago,” was all he answered and continued his task without looking at the hobbit. But Frodo was not about to give up that easily. Pippin: Oh, give it a rest, will you? If doesn’t want to tell, he doesn’t! Kraut: And in any case you will know it. Just wait for the tragic background sob-story. Eowyn (with interest): You have read this before? Kraut: Not this one, but many others. They are all the same. “I can see that, but it also seems to me that it still hurts you, inside. Kraut (as an announcer): Ladies and gentlemen, Dr. Frodo’s show begins! I saw your face when you knew I had seen them,” Frodo placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder, “I’ll listen if you want to talk –“ Pippin: So much for hobbit wariness towards strangers. Hell, Frodo was more suspicious even towards Strider, and he was not a freak like this lad! “Frodo Baggins,” he was cut off by a sharp voice, Kalan turned his silvery gaze to him, and for one instant Frodo saw a world of pain, loss, fear and anger, a child forced to grow up in a harsh world too soon. (Yawns from the audience.) Frightened and alone, lost in a sea of dispair. Kraut: Dispair? Like socks whose pair has been lost? Faramir: No, it’s only a typo in a worn clichée. But it was only for a moment, Kalan blinked and his eyes were once again cool, silver mirrors. “You have the fate of the world hanging around your neck. I suggest you forget everything you just saw, go to your bed and sleep.” Pippin (as Kalan, swinging a watch to and fro): You feel sleepy, your limbs relax… You forget everything you saw… Just close your eyes… Kalan shifted out from under his hand and stood. Frodo did the same, and they just looked at each other. Finally, Frodo nodded and turned to leave. When he reached the edge of the clearing, he turned back once more. “Kalan, I’m glad you’re coming with us. Something in my heart tells me we need you,” and with that, left. Eowyn: Speaking of ex tempore decisions… After the halfling and gone, Kalan turned to face the waterfall, just staring into it. After a few seconds a tear ran down his cheek, followed by another, than more till the boy was crying silently. Pippin: What a cry-baby! And this is supposed to be a hardened battle-veteran? A figure moved out of the shadows, coming to stand behind the boy. Elrond wrapped his arms around the slightly shaking form, holding him close. Kraut: Oh, I hate these hurt/comfort things! Pippin: How come I suddenly think of fluff and cheese? Strange. “Gildae, amin hiraetha,”(1)2 he whispered into his ear, “If I had known this would happen, I would have never summoned you here,” these words broke something in the boy, his silver mirrors shattered Eowyn: Ouch! That must have hurt. and he turned in the elf’s embrace till he was crying against his shoulder. Elrond said nothing more, just held him as he cries. The elf-lord remembered when they had been in this same position so many years ago. The boy had just been brought to Rivendell, his physical wounds healed but his heart was still bleeding. Faramir: So he was dying? Why is he then still alive? Elrond had held him just like this that day, as the child cried out his pain, loss, fear and anger. It had taken many long years for Kalan to come to terms with the pain inside, though he had never fully healed from it and never would. But through the gentleness and loving care of Elrond, the ugly wound in his heart healed till it became just a dull pain. Now and again it was surface with the ferocity of a summer storm: like now. Kalan’s sobs began to diminish, but Elrond did not yet release him. The boy coughed and sniffed. “No,” he choked out,” No, I’m glad you did. The hobbit is right,” he pushed away, looking up at the elf, “they need me,” Kraut: Well, at least his ego hasn’t suffered. Pippin: Small comfort in that. and then he lowered his head again to Elrond’s shoulder. Elrond gently eased them both down to the rock Kalan once occupied. He shifted a bit, resting Kalan’s head more comfortably on his shoulder. The boy continued, “When Boromir brought up my mother, it started, Faramir (angrily): Yeah, yeah, all is always Boromir’s fault! Of course. that’s why I did not come to the feast tonight. Then when the hobbit came and saw…that, it took all my strength not to break in front of him,” he finished. Elrond nodded, understanding. He knew how painful the thought of his mother still was, the memory of her and what happened so many years ago still haunted the boy in his dreams. “I know, and if I know you, by tomorrow you will have yourself under control and go on with them like nothing has happened, hm?” he looked down at Kalan who smiled softly. “Yes, because I have to,” he pushed away from the elf, looking solemnly into his eyes, “I swore I would see the destruction of the Ring and I will, even if it costs me my own life. I don’t mind anymore, I have already lived more that my share of lifetimes, over one and a half thousand years I think,” Kraut: So he is kind of a Peter Pan? Elrond nodded again, knowing how the youth, or youth only in appearances, felt about death. The boy had been like a son to him, much like Aragorn, though long before the Dunadain. Eowyn: So now he’s as important as Aragorn? I didn’t see that coming. He dreaded losing the boy as he dreaded losing Aragorn or any of his children. But he knew that if the Fellowship was to succeed, Kalan must go with them. And if the quest failed and Sauron got hold of the Ring once more, Kalan was the only being strong enough to challenge the Dark Lord’s power. Faramir (slaps his forehead): Who is he then? Manwë? Sylver-Star, an crying Gary Stu really isn’t the person to topple a mighty evil lord, created at the beginning of the world. Kraut: Yeah, Sauron could wipe the floor with anyone if he got the Ring back. Even I know that. Elrond reached out and drew Kalan near. Gently, he kissed his forehead, then laid the boy’s head down upon his lap. Slowly, caressing, he stroked the messy ebony waves, Pippin: He had wooden hair? Eowyn: “Purple Prose for Beginners”, page twenty-two. Pippin: Hey, you stole my idea! Eowyn (shrugs.) projecting thoughts of love to the boy who had become so close to the ancient elf’s heart. “Quel kaima,”(2)3 It was in this way that Kalan fell asleep. Faramir: And fortunately it was in this way the chapter ended. (Rises.) Kraut: Wait, there’s still something. The end notes, seemingly. -- 1 Gildae: Kalan’s Elven name, translated as “Star-Shadow” 2 1) Gildae, I’m sorry 3 2) Sleep well Pippin: In Hell. Faramir: That was lame. Pippin: But it rhymed. (All exit the library.) |
|
"Ha! Wonnige Glut! Leuchtender Glanz! Strahlend nun offen steht mir die Straße. Im Feuer mich baden!" - Siegfried, Act Three, Scene Two. | |
![]() |
|
| Caranthol | Sep 26 2008, 02:45 PM Post #2 |
|
At Journey's End
|
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Chapter 2 The Journey Begins The next morning the Fellowship gathered at the gates of Rivendell. Elrond was there to see them off, along with his children and a host of other elves. The group did not carry much, just food, clothing and camp gear. Pippin (deadpan): No, in reality we were naked and had stones in our packs. Each person also carried his weapon of choice. Kalan was the last to arrive, carrying a small pack and his sword. He nodded to Elrond then to his companions. Elrond smiled, then spoke. "Your journey is dangerous, but your hearts are strong. Be true to each other and to your own hearts, and you shall succeed." Kraut: The author clearly likes Disney. This is the second time he or she inserts these cheesy speeches. I almost expect them all to break into a song. His eyes lighted on each of them. "Nai tiruiantel ar vanovantel i Valar tielyanna nu vilya (1)," he added. Cormamin niuve tenna' ta elea lle au' a soft, deep and familiar voice said in Kalan's head. Namaarie, Gildae, (2) Tenna' Tul're, heruamin, (3) Pippin: I wish there were translations instead of this. I’ve never been strong in Sindarin. Kraut: Neither I. Without speaking, the Fellowship turned and left through the gates, out of the fair elven city. Faramir: It is a HOUSE, a h-o-u-s-e, not a city! What kind of mass delusion is this? Kraut: The Suethor syndrome? Pippin: Hey, the author forgot Bilbo’s farewell! Eowyn: Well, I bet he or she has forgotten his existence altogether. Besides, do you want the old hobbit to be sullied in a story like this? Pippin: Well, no. They would take a course west of the Misty Mountains for forty days. The second week into the journey, and not much had hindered the Fellowship. They had not much to eat, so they rationed out what they had. Eowyn (with sarcasm): No, they ate all in one sitting and then fought with knives over the crumbs. Of course they rationed the food! However, unbeknownst to the group, Kalan divided up his portion between the halflings. Faramir (to Pippin): I guess you halflings are blind in this story, then, if you don’t notice that. Pippin (shrugs): Better that than to be portrayed as little kids. The fifteenth night, Gimli noticed that the boy was not eating. Kraut: Thumbs up! Sylver-Star actually makes Gimli seem even a bit intelligent. "You should eat something, young Kalan. Eowyn (as Gimli, “fuzzy father”-voice): Eat your vegetables, and you will grow big and strong. We all need our strength in the days ahead," said the dwarf gruffly. Kalan turned to him. It just then dawned on the rest of them that Kalan had not been eating for a while. (Laughter.) Faramir: Better late than never. Pippin: Oh, boy! This author obviously doesn’t think we had much intellect. The hobbits looked down at their food, just then noticing the extra portions. Faramir: I told you, Peregrin! These versions of you are in need of eyeglasses. Aragorn stood and joined Kalan on the other side of the fire. "Kalan, we are all equal here, Kraut: Liberté, egalité, fraternité. you need nourishment to keep going," he said quietly. Kalan smiled up at the man. "That's where you are wrong. I don't. I have been doing this ever since the start of our journey. I do not need food like you do, and the hobbits need more to keep going. No one is harmed, they are helped, there is no need to worry about me, Aragorn." He answered, calmly and very neutrally. Eowyn: Oh, so very self-sacrificing and noble, isn’t he? Kraut: That’s the way Stus and Sues are, more pious than Jesus himself. "How is that possible?" the man asked, "Fourteen days without food! You should be dead!" Pippin (gloomily): He should have been that long before this fic even started. he exclaimed. Kalan smiled again, a secret smile. "Yes, and if I was like you I would be, if I was like you I should have died over one thousand years ago. But I am not like you," Faramir (as Kalan, kindergarten teacher-voice): I. Am. Not. Like. You. Now, Aragorn. Repeat that after me. I. Am. Not. Like. You. Very good. he said simply, as if that explained everything Kraut (deadpan): Yeah, now all is clear. Perfectly clear. and he turned back to the forest, piercing the darkness with his silver gaze. Aragorn opened his mouth to speak, but Kalan cut him off. "We all have our secrets, Aragorn. Eowyn: No, they haven’t. It’s only you, Kalan who’s holding things back. Kraut: How about Aragorn’s lineage then? Faramir: It was already revealed at the Council. And his betrothal with Arwen was nobody else’s business but their own. No I am not an elf, nor am I even half-elven. Pippin: Judging from the colour of his eyes, for instance, that at least has been clear from the start. My secrets are mine to keep, don't ask questions to which you do not want to know the answer," Eowyn: The perfect way to build trust, isn’t it? and that was that, his tone allowed no rebuttal. None spoke of it again, not that night, anyway. Kalan took first watch as the others slept. Out of his pocket he took a small wooden flute, ornately decorated with carved symbols and elvish designs. Kalan placed his nimble fingers over the holes along the top and brought the instrument to his lips. Kraut: Oh, he’s a skilled musician, too. Should have seen that coming. Faramir: Who wants to bet the author plays the flute or wants to? Legolas watched the boy, feigning the sleep of elves (eyes open). Pippin: Please, Sylver-Star, be a bit clumsier still. Kraut: Hey, at least there are no “walking/running boots” and such as in another story I’ve read. Eowyn: What’s its name, Master Kraut? Kraut: It is too evil an abomination to be named. Only one hint will I give. The main character is named Rosa. Compared to that, this is a smooth read. Faramir (with a slight shudder): Rosa? That name… I almost can place it. (after a moment of thought) Ah, that was what the dark voices whispered to me in my nightmares during the Siege of Gondor. A quiet, low note floated out from the flute, gently rising in crescendo. Kalan moved his fingers slowly over the holes, changing the tones, a beautiful song formed from the simple tube. Kraut (as an TV ad): Buy the latest CD: Songs by a Stu! You won’t find a collection more cheesy! Barf bags included! The music had an edge of contentment and relaxation, love and happiness. Though not jovial or excited, but more quiet and laid-back. Pippin: It’s a blessing that Sylver didn’t include the lyrics. The music began to take hold of the elf, the taut muscles in his back and legs relaxing. His neck loosened and his mind became untroubled. Faramir: The “hypno-Kalan” is back! Legolas looked over to the sleeping hobbits, huddled close together under their blankets. Sam, who normally slept fitfully and frowning, Pippin: Actually it was the exact opposite. One could have blown up a rocket an inch from his ear and he’d have only changed the pitch of his snoring. Kraut (grinning): Perhaps he’s now missing those Elves in his bed. Pippin (stroking his chin): Hmm, that’s an interesting theory. But, he still has Frodo… Eowyn (clears her throat very loudly) Pippin and Kraut: Begging your pardon, fair lady. Eowyn: That’s better. wore a peaceful expression on his face. The others were almost the same. The music changed slightly, almost imperceptibly, becoming lower then finally dropping off into oblivion on the last note. Faramir (sighs): I wish this story would do the same. Kalan took the flute from his lips, his silver eyes closed and he sighed. Opening his eyes he looked around at the group and he nodded with satisfaction, then put the flute away. Legolas stood, gracefully and walked silently around the fire, joining Kalan on the ground. For a while neither said anything, then Legolas spoke. "That was beautiful, where did you learn it?" Kraut (as Kalan): In the Rivendell Music Academy, of course. he asked in a hushed voice. Kalan turned his silver gaze to the elf beside him. "I didn't. Like the elves, I can play my feelings, and I felt like that," Eowyn: What? Even after the sea of despair and stuff in the last chapter? he said, pointing over the sleeping figures. Legolas nodded, understanding. There was a few more minutes of companionable silence, then Legolas could contain himself no more. "Kalan, what are you?" Pippin (as Kalan): Your worst nightmare! Mwa-ha-ha-ha! he asked, his keen eyes saw the boy tense, "You are not a man, for you need no food Kraut: Now I know! He’s a robot and needs only petrol! and say you are over one thousand years old. Yet you are not an elf," he reached out and brushed the dark hair back from the boy's face, revealing a small, human-like ear. Faramir: What? No pointed ears? Impossible for a Stu or a Sue! "I feel your power, strange and old, in you. I can see the fire that burns in your silver eyes," his hand moved to brush a few strands of hair out of those eyes. Pippin (snorts): Very elven-like, going and pawing perfect strangers like that! He felt Kalan flinch and shift away from his questing hand. Eowyn (breathes deeply): For a moment I had a nasty doubt. Kraut: Phew, the Stu has even some sense! Legolas let his hand drop, but his eyes remained fixed on the boy. "the other are concerned that you are something...unnatural," he said in a low voice. Faramir: Isn’t that obvious by now? Just kill him and move on! Kalan smirked, ironically, "Then they are more perceptive than I give them credit for," he said. He finally raised his gaze to look at the fair elf. "Legolas, all you need to know is hat I am here to help the Fellowship to destroy the One Ring. Who or what I am bears no precedence over this quest. Pippin: If you are Sauron’s spy, or Saruman’s, it really does bear some precedence. Eowyn: Yep. He certainly “looks fair and feels foul” enough to be one. Pippin (surprised): So you have read the whole of the Red Book? Eowyn: I may have been a shield-maiden, but that doesn’t mean I’m illiterate. But, for your comfort, I shall explain a few things," he settled back against a tree, then continued. "Before you, you see a human boy, possibly no older that eighteen years old. But my mind is older than even the elves. My mind and heart hold the memories of even before the creation of Middle-Earth." Faramir: He’s a Maia? But, but, how about the dragon-thing? Kraut (throwing his hands up): That’s it! From now on, I don’t even try to understand what’s going on! He paused watching the elf's reaction, then continued, "They are memories passed down to each generation of my race, from the oldest of my ancestors. They came to me from my father, though I never knew him," Kalan paused then as if held back by something. Kraut (suspiciously): This talk of racial memory… An SS uniform… If Kalan makes the “German salute” the thing is settled. "Kalan, are you all right?" asked the elf. Kraut (angrily): No he isn’t! He is a f***ing Nazi! When the youth did not respond, Legolas placed a hand on his shoulder, gently. Kalan blinked, as if coming out of a dream. "I'm sorry, Legolas. I've already said too much. Kraut: Definitely! Faramir: Hey, slow down, it’s only a story, after all. If you are to know about me and my kind, then the Fates will decide when to reveal all," Faramir: Actually, it’s Fate only, in singular. The Quenya word Ambar, whence the concept comes, is also in singular form, since it would be awkward to assume there’s more than one fate. Besides… Eowyn (laying her hand on Faramir’s shoulder): My love, we all already know you are wise in lore. So… just give it a rest, please. Faramir (checking himself): Sorry. You know how I am when I start lecturing. he looked back at the fire and the conversation was ended. After being thwarted from their passage south by spies of Saruman, Pippin: What, no details? How about the crebain? Or the fight with the Wargs? Not a word of them? Kraut: If I am not mistaken, you were not going to the Gap of Rohan in the first place, were you? Pippin: Oh, no! (sarcastically) Now that would have been wise, running straight into Saruman’s trap, eh? the Fellowship decided to take the pass of Caradhras through the Misty Mountains. The wind howled and chilled dramatically, it swept their cloaks about them. The sudden blizzard had caught them off-guard. Eowyn: Hmm, I think this scene would be at least a bit effective if we were even told where they exactly were and what their emotions were and so on. Faramir: Nah, that would be demanding too much from a Suethor. With Gandalf leading and Legolas with his keen elven eyes, they made their way toward the mountain. The snowstorm increased its furry Kraut: So the storm was clad in fur? Now that’s interesting. until even Legolas could only see a few feet. There was nothing to be seen around them; they couldn't even see the mountains anymore. "We should go back!" Boromir called from where he led the pony, Bill ((long live Bill!)) Pippin: “Manual of Useless Interruptions”, page one hundred and six. Kraut: The King is dead, long live the King! . "Go back and wait out the storm!" Aragorn turned to call back to him, but a faint cracking sound came to their ears, barely heard above the wind. Everyone stopped, fear growing in their eyes. Aragorn looked down at his feet, and he nudged some snow away with his foot. It was ice! And it was swiftly cracking under his weight. Faramir: They were on a lake? Eowyn: Or a glacier? "Aragorn, look out!" Frodo yelled and launched himself at the man, and just as the ice broke he shoved him away, but fell into the hole himself. Pippin: As if one martyr-like hero wasn’t enough… "Frodo!" they screamed as the small figure disappeared. The other three hobbits crowded around the hole where he had fallen. Kalan grabbed them each by the collar and pulled them back. "Lay flat, crawl to the edge!" he yelled and pointed to one side. Quickly he tore off his shirt and kicked off his boots. Kraut: Not really the best moment to show off his body, don’t you think? "But what about Frodo?" Sam screamed. Eowyn (as Kalan): Well, I’ll save him… just after you all have admired enough my muscles. But Kalan did not answer, for he dove into the frigid waters after the hobbit. "Do as he says!" cried Gandalf. Boromir had already pulled the pony in that direction and was waiting for the others. A small cave, but big enough to hold all of them, was in the side of the mountain. Pippin rushed inside, shaking from fear and cold. "What about Frodo?" he asked. Gandalf stood, and looked back out into the storm. "It's in Kalan's hands now," he said. Kalan couldn't feel his body; the freezing waters stole his warmth along with his breath. Faramir: Just after it had pickpocketed his purse. The current pulled him downward but he swam in the direction the hobbit would have gone. His sharp silver eyes searched the depths for any sign of Frodo. Suddenly, he spotted a smaller figure kicking madly toward the surface. Kalan reached out and grabbed Frodo around the waist and swam tot the surface. Kalan hit at the ice with his palm. Fortunately, he found a small pocket of air between the water and the ice. He forced Frodo's head up and pushed his face against the ice, letting him breathe. Kraut: Well, I never knew one could breathe ice. Holding the hobbit close, Kalan swung his fist at the ice. Nothing. The he swung again, a slight crack formed and with it the water turned a slight pinkish color. Kalan grunted and swung again, the crack widened and his knuckles poured blood. Eowyn: A knife would have been handier for that. Pippin: Oh, that wouldn’t have been heroic enough. Now the Stu can angst over his injuries. Frodo felt the world darkening around the edges of his vision. Faramir: Seeing the overall situation, the world was darkening elsewhere, too. Kraut: I think the author means he’s losing his consciousness. Faramir: Oh. He began to go limp. Kalan noticed and shoved him up for another breath in the pocket. He slapped Frodo, forcing him back to consciousness. Eowyn (as Kalan): Take that for your voyeuring in the last chapter! Kalan swung again his fist connecting with the ice. Overhead, he could see forms hovering over the ice. Kalan hit at the ice again, his hand now a bleeding mess. A small chuck flew out Kraut: Chuck? A new character? They are in the Middle West of the USA, it seems. Pippin: He puked? Faramir: Sylver-Star, it is a ‘chunk’, just so that you know. and Kalan pushed Frodo to the hole allowing him to breathe once more. He hit and hit at the hole until it was large enough to push the hobbit through. Waiting there was Gandalf, Aragorn, Boromir and Legolas. The wizard and Aragorn took the hobbit, who was barely conscious, his skin a bit blue. Kalan gasped, coughing up water, his arms shaking from strain and cold. He hung there on the edge for a moment and was about to haul himself out when something wrapped around his leg. Pippin (as the something): Surprise, surprise! Kalan screamed as something sharp pierced his calf through. Legolas set an arrow to his bow as Boromir reached for Kalan, but the boy was pulled back under. Eowyn: Hopefully for good. "No!" Frodo cried, just coming to in time to see Kalan disappear. Aragorn handed the shaking hobbit to his friends and also took out his bow. Kraut: Just the ideal weapon for this situation. Or not. Pippin: I’m not an expert, but a spear or a harpoon would be more logical Legolas was searching the dark waters with his elven eyes, trying to find Kalan and what had attacked him. Under the water Kalan struggled and kicked at the thing on his leg. It seemed to be like a tentacle with a large stinger at the end. Faramir: The Watcher in the Water? But they aren’t anywhere near Moria yet. His bleeding hand must have attracted some creature from the depths. Pippin: As if Kalan would really attract anyone. His air was running out and cold had numbed his entire body. Feebly, he struggled, his strength fading. I can't die here! The Ring must be destroyed, they still need me!' he thought. Kraut: Oh, no, they don’t! Suddenly, something sped past him, mere inches from his nose. The tentacle quivered and loosened its hold. Another...arrow, his dim mind faintly registered, went by. Kraut: How deep was he, anyway? That arrow must have had the speed of a rifle bullet. Faramir: Not to mention how hard it is actually to hit anything that is underwater. It struck the beast and the stinger drew out of his leg. Kalan, now free, began to swim upward, but his leg and hand were bleeding heavily and his vision was darkening. Just as he was about to pass out, a glowing rod shot into the water right in front of his face. Pippin: Now I begin to think that the people above really tried to hit Kalan, not the creature. He reached out and grasped it...the wood seemed familiar. It took the last of his strength to hold on as someone pulled him to the surface. Kalan broke through the water, gasping. Strong hands grabbed him under his arms and hauled him out of the frigid water. Eowyn: There are more words than just ‘frigid’, Sylver. How about ‘cold’, ‘chilly’ or ‘icy’. He looked up, his vision was blurry, and colors were running together. Faramir: Which means…? Kraut: Absolutely nothing. Vaguely he made out the faced of Aragorn and Legolas. He looked to the right and saw Gandalf standing there, his staff held a glow, but it was fading swiftly. Voices, someone was speaking, but he didn't know whom. He could barely make out what they were saying. "Get him...cave...quickly!" he then felt himself being lifted, he was slung over someone's shoulder. Kalan was too cold and weak to protest. Pippin: Why should he have protested in the first place? A free ride is always nice. Eowyn: But if he admits needing help, he’s not a tough guy. Suddenly, he was lying in a cave, a large fire to his right. The heat just barely penetrating his cold skin. Kraut: They set him in fire? Nice. On the other side he saw three small figures huddled around a fourth, who was shivering. One pushed a steaming mug into the shivering one's hands. Faintly, his mind registered. Faramir: Is his mind a registration office or something? This is already the second mention of that. He pushed up, not even noticing the hands on his own benumbed skin. He struggled to see. "Frodo," he managed to croak out, was that his voice? Kraut: Obviously it is, dumbass, if you just spoke. "Is Frodo all right? Tell - tell me..." his voice broke off as he began to shiver violently. Aragorn gently, but firmly, pushed him back down, placing layers of blankets and cloaks over his body. "Frodo's fine, hush now, let us care for you," he said in a quiet tone that demanded obedience. Kalan rested his head back, someone had placed a soft bundle under his head. He closed his eyes, barely feeling the hands on him through his frozen skin. Faramir: Hmm, with such cold bites I expect we’ll get an amputation scene next. "We have to get that bleeding stopped, hand me some cloth," someone was saying, a hand gently cradled his injured one. "That thing may have been poisonous," Eowyn: Not as poisonous as the Stu, in any case. the same voice. Another hand was on his leg, tearing his pants to see the wound. Fingers touched the wound. "No, no traces of an poison. But he's lost too much blood - Ow! Damn!" Pippin (as Aragorn): Damn! He will survive! Damn it all! someone cursed and the hands moved away. Kalan's eyes shot open. "No! Don't touch my blood!" his head fell back weakly, "Don't...burn you..." Eowyn: Now if that isn’t a giveaway, I don’t know what is! Even every child knows that dragon’s blood burns. Faramir: As everybody in this story is either blind or stupid, I wouldn’t count on that. his eyes closed once more. Aragorn put on his leather gloves before continuing. Kalan faded into oblivion as they worked. Kraut: Well, he’s dead. Party time! Hehe...left you with a cliffhanger, don't you just hate me! Faramir: Because of the cliffhanger, no. Because of this whole story, oh yes, we will hate you. Eowyn: Should we rather pity her? Thanks to all who reviewed, love ya all!! Kraut (snorts): Even the flamers? I bet there has been more than one of those. Hope you are liking the story, Pippin: Hell no! tis my first posting, yep I'm a newbie ![]() Faramir: As if that was an excuse. Keep up the reviews, your comments are greatly appreciated. Eowyn: Even ours? Pippin: I think not. Next chapter: learn more about Kalan's past! Kraut: I’d rather not, thank you very much. 1)Elvish farewell: "May the Valar protect you on your path under the sky," Faramir: Hey, that’s actually correct! Eowyn: Oh wonder! 2) My heart shall weep until it sees thee again. Pippin: Tough luck, seeing your heart hasn’t eyes. Farewell, Gildae," 3) Until then, my lord, Kraut: Glorious Harrison Ford. The others (slap their foreheads.) Faramir: Masters Peregrin and Kraut, you should realize you really are not poets. (All exit.) |
|
"Ha! Wonnige Glut! Leuchtender Glanz! Strahlend nun offen steht mir die Straße. Im Feuer mich baden!" - Siegfried, Act Three, Scene Two. | |
![]() |
|
| Caranthol | Sep 26 2008, 05:59 PM Post #3 |
|
At Journey's End
|
Disclaimer: See chapter 1. (All enter the library and take seats. The screen lights up.) Chapter 3 Interlude My apologies to my readers, for not updating in QUITE a while, Pippin: No reason to apologize, miss. You should rather be ashamed for writing this rubbish in the first place. all my tying was lost Faramir: And what’s that supposed to mean? and I am very busy during the weeks. Unfortunately, unless the Fates are with me, you shall not see more until at least one or two more weeks. Thanks and love you all! Silver-Kalan Kraut: I think the author identifies herself with Kalan way too much. A bit worrying, that. Frodo came to, Eowyn: To where? Pippin: To Mount Doom? Faramir: To Henneth Annûn? Kraut: To Las Vegas? listening to the crackling fire, his muscles felt stiff, but he was no longer cold. Someone had placed a pile of blankets over him as he slept. Opening his eyes the hobbit looked around. Merry and Pippin were curled together on the other side of the fire. To his right was Sam, his head nodding slowly onto his chest. Frodo smiled and tried to sit up, the slight movement startled Sam awake and he looked down at his friend. "Oh, Mr. Frodo, you're awake," he said, joyously but in a hushed tone. Sam bent over and helped his master sit up. "How do you feel?" he asked. Pippin (as Frodo): I nearly drowned and froze. How do you think I feel? "Not cold anymore, just a bit stiff," he answered, and graciously took a cup of tea that was offered to him. Faramir: Now I have heard you halflings recover fast, but that fast? "Well, I should think so, Mr. Frodo, you've been sleepin' all day and half the night," he said. Frodo was surprised but the just shook his head and sipped his tea. Then a sudden thought came to him and he grasped Sam's arms. Kraut (as Frodo): Sam, will you marry me? Pippin (as Sam): Oh, sir, I thought you’d never ask! Eowyn (hits them.) Kraut and Pippin: Ouch! Eowyn: Serves you right. Kraut (muttering): Prude. "What about Kalan Sam? Is he all right?" he asked anxiously. Faramir (as Frodo): Tell me he is dead! Please! At this Sam's face fell and he looked over his shoulder, nodding toward one side. Frodo shifted to look around him, his eyes went wide. "Oh no," Eowyn (as Frodo): He’s alive! Noooo! he breathes and crawled over the where Kalan lay, Sam close behind. He knelt beside the prone form his eyes searching the boy's face. Pippin (as Frodo): Now where did I see his face before? We must have left it somewhere. Faramir (as Frodo): Should have checked we packed all. Kalan lay still under his blankets; his face was so pale that it could have been transparent. His skin was clammy and his hair was plastered to his forehead. Kalan's breath came in ragged gasps. Eowyn: Well, just give him miruvor then! Gandalf got a flask from Elrond, didn’t he? How hard can that be? Kraut: I doubt Sylver-Star has even opened the book. Frodo's sharp eyes caught the rapid eye movement of dreams under his lids. Now and again a small moan or whimper would escape his lips, betraying the painful nature of those dreams. His gaze moved downward All: Uh oh. and he caught sight of the bandaged hand. All: Phew. Gently, the hobbit took the injured hand in his own, softly stroking the limp fingers, his eyes turned sad. "He saved me, Sam," he whispered, "he did this trying to break through the ice. Pippin (as Sam): Begging your pardon, Mr. Frodo, but I was there too. I am not blind. Eowyn: But he is. Remember the food rations? Pippin: Good point. He let me use up all the air, took none for himself. Kraut: He IS a robot! No food and no air and he still goes on and on. Pippin (frowns): But what happens when the spare parts run out? He nearly died for me," he laid the hand back down and covered it with a blanket. Sam watched his master and good friend for a moment before answering. "That he nearly did, Mr. Frodo. But Gandalf said that he should be fine with another day's rest. Surprisingly, his wounds have already healed much." Faramir: Of COURSE they have! His eyebrows rose to punctuate his words. He put an arm around Frodo's thin shoulders. Pippin: Why is Frodo described as a skinny and wimpy fellow? He was nothing of the kind. Kraut: The movies, my friend. "He'll be fin, Mr. Frodo, I'm sure of it," Frodo smiled and nodded. There was a grunt from the mouth of the cave that made the two hobbits jump. "Well, it is good to see you away, Master Baggins," Eowyn: Where is Frodo going then? Pippin: Yeah, it’s still weeks until Parth Galen. said Gimli gruffly, he sat near the entrance his axe near his hand. "That one has yet to awaken, but he will soon, I suppose." Faramir: Thanks for the information, Captain Obvious. "Gimli where are the others?" Frodo asked, just then noticing there were only six of the company in the cave. "Aragorn and that crazy elf are out looking for more food, Boromir is patrolling and no one knows where that blasted wizard is!" he said exasperated. Frodo nodded and yawned, he felt sleepy again but he was still concerned about Kalan. Kraut: ‘cause he was more important than the Ring or anything. Sam, of course, noticed and smiled. The gardener sat down against the cave wall beside the unconscious boy. "Go on and sleep, Mr. Frodo, I'll watch him," Eowyn (as Sam): If he wakes up, I’ll lull him into sleep again… with my trusty frying pan. he placed a callused hand on Kalan's forehead, smoothing back the dark hair. He looked up again at Frodo, "He asked about you, you know," he said. Frodo, who was lying back down looked back. "What?" he asked. Sam nodded. "Yes, it was the first thing he said, asking if you were all right. Like he wasn't even concerned for himself," Kraut: Again, holier than Jesus. What next, canonization and a day in the calendar? Sam looked back down at his charge, "He's genuine, almost innocent," Faramir: No, he’s not, judging from the first chapter. he mused then shook his head, smiling. "Here I am blabbering when you should be sleeping, go on, sir, all will be well," he reassured. Frodo nodded and crawled back under his blankets, promptly falling asleep. Eowyn (yawning): As I would like to do just now. Faramir: Well, you may if you want, since the chapter is at its end. Pippin: Already? Now that was short. Kraut: Thankfully. (All exit.) |
|
"Ha! Wonnige Glut! Leuchtender Glanz! Strahlend nun offen steht mir die Straße. Im Feuer mich baden!" - Siegfried, Act Three, Scene Two. | |
![]() |
|
| Caranthol | Sep 27 2008, 01:51 PM Post #4 |
|
At Journey's End
|
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Chapter 4 1 Shadows of the Past Pippin: So this is that one chapter from the Red Book? With Frodo and Gandalf talking in the Bag End? Kraut: Nah, it’s only bad plagiarizing, I guess. ((Dream sequence. Hehe, I love these…)) Eowyn: You may love, but then, others may not. I’m slapped, hard across the face, I don’t even react, I’m numb. Kraut: Dumb would be better word. Pippin: Is this supposed to be the author or Kalan who speaks? Faramir (shrugs): Who knows? It’s confusing anyway. This had been happening for …gods, Eowyn: Called also the Valar, known as ‘gods’ only among the ignorant. Faramir: Who’s lecturing now? Eowyn: It’s inevitable after living a few years with you. I don’t even remember. Days, weeks months? Pippin: Years? Faramir: Centuries? Eowyn: Millennias? Kraut: Nanoseconds? Suck down here in this cell, with only the rats for good company. Pippin: Nice to see he knows what he really is worth. Kraut: Except that even rats should shun him. The only time people come it was to gloat and beat me and…I shudder. Kraut (checks his watch): Sob-story time! Wake me up when it’s over. But today is different. The door opens and a searing light hits my face. A group of people, men, comes in; they are towering over me. My hanging form, feet just barely brushing the floor, if naked and raw. Faramir (boredly): Tough. I am small, perhaps only fifteen years old. Eowyn: In your teens you really should be able to tell your age. In fact you should have been able to know that at least from the time you were three! Instead of flinching from the light as they expected, I smile into it, the light being absorbed into my body, rejuvenating me. I was slapped again, metal rings cutting into my face. Pippin (flinches): They did it with a chain? Ouch! Kraut: With a mailed fist, more probably. The man sneered as he circled me, like a vulture. Faramir: He was flying, then? Remarkable. Behind me, his gloved hand touches my tortured back; the lacerations still seeping blood. I groan in pain, long since given up my façade of detachment. Pippin: Which wouldn’t have been very effective in any case, seeing your situation. “Well, demon, today you are going outside.” He said and hands unlock my wrists that were stretched out above my head. Without anything holding me up, I collapse to the cold stone floor. Laughter erupts. Shamed, my face burned. Eowyn: In that condition, I’d think he wouldn’t have much feelings left, let alone be ashamed of his weakness. Kraut: A Stu may be tortured and beaten, but to be laughed at is still worse. My arms tingled as feeling crept back into them. Pippin: I’d thought anything that could escape him wouldn’t want to return. “Get him up,” the man ordered. Rough hands haul me to my feet by my hair. The scene fades into darkness, then I am in a different place. Kraut: This looks too much like a theatre performance to me. Pippin (as a director): Curtains! Change of scene! Someone had put an old pair of ragged pants on me. Perhaps some kind soul helping me keep at least my dignity. Eowyn: Or perhaps he just didn’t want to see you naked. Faramir: Not the sight I would care to behold, to say the least. I was not tied, but flanked on either side by tall men in dark robes. Kraut: Jesuits? The Spanish Inquisition? Pippin: Denethor look-a-likes? I was only my last shred of pride that kept me standing unaided. In front of me is my mother. She looked like she had gained thirty years. Eowyn: If I had a Gary Stu as a son, I would also be old before my time. He dark hair had more gray in it and her face was drawn and haggard. She too had been beaten. “Whore of the demon, you will die and your demon spawn will soon follow,” said the leader. My mother raised her head a bit, pride and strength coming back into her eyes. She looked down at me, her eyes filled with love and sadness. Pippin (yawning): Such a cheerful scene. The leader raised his arm and five archers readied their bows, arrows aimed t my mother. Kraut: Idiots! Kill the damn Kalan first! Her eyes never left mine. Run, Kalan, run far from here, Faramir: No, no, just stand still, will you? The leader brought his arms down. “I love you, Kalan!” she screamed just as the five quarrels entered her body. I screamed. Outraged, I hit the men beside me with strength bond my years. I ran past my mother, past the archers and into the forest. Kraut: They must have been very slow-witted, first standing at the line of fire and then letting him go just like that. Pippin (snorts): Amateurs. I could hear orders being shouted for horses to chase me down. I didn’t stop running; the wounds in my back began to pour blood. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. My back began to hurt, but not from the cuts, this was a dull pain, like my shoulder blades were too big. PAIN! Eowyn: MISERY! Faramir: ANGUISH! Kraut: TORMENT! Pippin: ANGST!!! (coughs) Damn, my throat hurts! Sam looked down, worriedly at the whimpering boy as he jerked in the throes of a dream. He also noticed a few tears seeping from under the closed lids. Kraut: Big boys don’t cry, Kalan. Pain erupts in my back (All stare.) Pippin (scratching his head): Just whose viewpoint it is again? Faramir: I don’t know. Sam’s? Eowyn (dryly): Such a smooth transition. and two wings, leathery and silver unfold from my shoulder blades. Kraut (as Kalan): I can… fly! I shudder and look back at them, ‘What?’ Pippin: Just the question anybody would ask if they sprouted wings. Suddenly, I came upon a huge crevice and without thinking I leapt. The wings caught the air current and carried me safely across. I drop to the other side, collapsing with pain and shock. More pain! Faramir (surprised): Now it looks like he enjoys it. Eowyn: Who knows? Just remember his suicidal rescue of Frodo. I scream as the wings are drawn back into my skin, folding and shrinking then disappeared, the skin folding over them once more. Horses. I hide behind a tree and cautiously look out over the crevice. “He must have fallen, you heard that scream,” said one. The others nodded. Faramir: Yeah, and no one noticed that the damn scream came from the other side of the crevice. “Good, don’t have to worry about that demon ever again,” and they left. Kraut (with a sigh): Little they knew what would befall later. Pippin (mutters): Dumbasses. I fall into darkness, the scene changes. Kraut: It IS a theatre performance! “Passion of the Stu”? I am now surrounded in another forest, I don’t recognize where I am. I don’t know how long I have been walking, Eowyn: Well, that’s not to be wondered if he doesn’t even know his age. but I know many days and nights have passed. I was exhausted but fear kept me on my feet. I walked as if in a dream. The wounds in my back burned and my head swam. Finally, I could go no further and I collapsed. My shaking body pressed into the cool, firm earth. I heard hoof beats, my mind panicked. ‘They found me!’ All: Yes! but my body was too weak to move. The horse came nearer and stopped. A rustle of cloth and light feet hit the ground. Kraut (singing): Hit the road, Jack… There was a soft, musical voice as the footsteps nears. Faramir: I’ve never heard about musical feet. Has anyone of you? The others (shake their heads.) A language that I have never heard, but after a while, my mind began to understand the words. “Mani naa sina? Hima? Manke lle tuula?”(1)1 Kraut: It’s well that even somebody can understand that, since I definitely can’t. Pippin: Translations, damn it! Even in brackets, I don’t want constantly scroll to the end notes. After a while I no longer heard the alien words only the deep soothing voice in words that I knew. “I come seeking the strange power that I felt, Faramir (as Elrond): The power of the Suethor that I have vowed to wipe from the face of Arda. yet I only find a lost child,” the voice said, a male voice. The feet stopped beside my head. Eowyn (hopefully): And kicked him hard. “Aiya!”(2)2 A gasp and another rustle of cloth. The newcomer knelt beside me. I saw him through clouded vision, long dark hair falling past his shoulders. A fair face filled with concern bent over me. “You’ve been beaten,” he stated, Kraut: No shit, Sherlock! a long-fingered hand gently touched my torn skin, I flinch. “You are no normal boy, you blood tells me that, for it is traced with silver.” Pippin: And burns, don’t forget that. Kraut: Maybe he has asbestos gloves on. The hand gently turns me over, holding my body up so dirt would not get in the wounds. Faramir: A bit too late for that if he already has roamed for days without bandages or even a shirt. “And your eyes,” he murmurs. His hand brushes my cheek and I stare blankly at this man…no, wait. His dark hair shifts revealing a graceful pointed ear. An elf! Eowyn: A hobbit! Kraut: A dwarf! Faramir: A Man! Pippin: An orc! The elf’s eyes roved Faramir: Oh, come on, Sylver, just decide if you are writing in the present tense or not! over my face, I know how I must look. Pale, dirt and blood covered, staring up at him as if seeing a dream. He unclasps his dark green cloak with his free hand. He wraps it around my body; the cloth is sot against my tortured flesh. His eyes search my own as if reading my soul. Kraut: A most boring read, surely. I’d prefer even Jane Austen. And that’s saying much. His cool palm cups my face, his touch soothes. “I am Elrond Peredhil, (3)3 Lord of Rivendell. Pippin: Oh joy! The author at least knows Elrond’s full name. I’d never expected that. You will be safe in our city, (Frustrated groans from the audience.) I will care for you wounds,” he said softly, now speaking in the common tongue. I do not respond but he nods. He gathers me into his arms, cradling me against his chest Faramir: I would think Elrond would take a way more wary attitude towards a strange creature like Kalan, injured or not. For all he knew, Kalan could have been of some new breed of Orcs or a phantom of Sauron. and carries me over to his steed, a large brown stallion. I am lifted onto the saddle and he leaps nimbly on behind me. One arm wraps around my waist, holding me against his body, gently but firmly. The other hand grasps the reigns Eowyn: So Elrond is starting a war of conquest? I’d never had guessed he coveted a crown. Faramir (ponders for a moment): I think Sylver means ‘reins’. Eowyn: Why didn’t she then just say so? and he speaks something to the horse, the beast leapt smoothly into a fast trot. The forest flew by us; eventually I begin to relax. The smooth stride of the horse rocking me…like my mother used to. Pippin (grins): His mother was quite heavy-handed, eh? Faramir: Yes, at least I don’t remember my limbs never ached after my mother had held me in her arms. But riding does that easily. I was crying, silently, the tears streaming down my face. Elrond leaned over my shoulder, pressing his cheek to mine. Kraut (singing, dancing around the room with an imaginary partner): Cheek against cheek we glide across the floor, to glimmering heaven opens now a door, for us, for us two alone… His hand moved up to brush the tears away. “I feel you pain, but you must first rest and heal. Take refuge in my power, I will protect you, son of the ancient ones,” Eowyn (dumbstruck): Elrond knows what he is, and still…? Pippin: I think logic just died. Slowly and in agony. Kraut (puts a black mourning band on his sleeve.) he whispers into my ear, and his lips pressed against my cheek. My head fell back against his strong shoulder, darkness came again. Once again, I was in a different place. My ruined pants had been taken from me and my body had been washed. I was clothed in a soft white robe, lying in a large bed, silken sheets covering me. My wounds had been treated and no longer hurt so much. Light filled the open room; white marble and crystal walls surrounded me. Faramir (laughing): Marble? I really don’t think Elrond ordered the building materials of Imladris from Gondor. Pippin: At least I always thought the house was of granite and wood. But well, I’m not an architect. A dark hared elf sat on the bed beside me. He was dressed in a long blue and gold robe. Extravagant sleeves covered his arms. He looked down at me kindly, his keen eyes watching my face. Something familiar about him… Kraut (as Elrond): Kalan… I am your father! Pippin (as Kalan): Nooooo! Kraut (Darth Vader-voice): Join me to the dark side! Faramir: Well, he already is there. “Who are you,” I ask in a weak voice. The elf looked surprised. “I am Elrond, do you not remember me finding you in the woods?” he asked. I suddenly did remember, but he wasn’t wearing anything near as exquisite as he was now. Eowyn: What is he, two years old? I, for one, remember the faces of people regardless of the clothes they wear at the moment. I nod and he smiled. “And what may I call you, my young friend?” Kraut: How about The Most Annoying Cry-Baby For A Character? he asked and I cleared my throat. “Kalan Sadaya,” I answer and his smile widened. “That is good, at least you remember who you are. I was concerned that you would not after al you have been through,” he said solemnly. Faramir: Does anyone know if that really can happen? Kraut: As far as I know, only as a result of taking heavy doses of narcotics or in one case of about ten thousand as a result of psychological trauma. And even then, usually it takes a hit in the head, too. I remember then: what happened, the cruel men, my mother… the tears return, but this time I fight them. Pippin (takes a boxer’s stand): Come on, tears! I’ll beat you all! The elf noticed and his eyes filled with compassion. He reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair out of my face. “Oh, little frightened one, I am sorry. I saw in your mind what happened. Let it out, young Kalan, for there is no shame in crying,” Eowyn: Big boys DON’T cry. I begin to cry, his words breaking the dam and the river gushed forth. Pippin: Seems the “Purple Prose” manual has been heavily in use. Elrond shifted his position and took me in his arms; my head nestled against his shoulder. Desperately, I clutch at his soft robe as if it were my only lifeline as the sobs poured from me. The elf held me tightly, gently rocking and stroking my hair. He murmured soft, elven words into my ear, soothing my pain. Faramir: I think a dose of painkiller pills would be more effective. “Its all right, Kalan,” he said quietly. Then his voice changed, and his hand grasps my shoulder, he looks directly into my eyes. “Cuiv-de,” (4)4 he commands, his deep voice was lighter, his hand shakes me slightly. “Cuiv-de, Kalan,” he says again. Elrond’s face begins to fade. I become aware of a cold chill on my body, my hand stings and my leg throbs. “Cuiv-de, lle naa kailamar,” (5)5 I fall. Kraut: With all this falling he should be in the centre of the Earth by now. -- 1 1) What is this? A child? Where did you come from? Kraut: From Hell! 2 2) Oh! 3 3) Peredhil: Elvish for “half-elven”, applied to Elrond 4 4) Wake-up (I hope…) 5 5) Wake-up, you are dreaming (once again, I hope…) Pippin: And I’ll fetch a rope. (All exit.) |
|
"Ha! Wonnige Glut! Leuchtender Glanz! Strahlend nun offen steht mir die Straße. Im Feuer mich baden!" - Siegfried, Act Three, Scene Two. | |
![]() |
|
| Caranthol | Sep 27 2008, 06:05 PM Post #5 |
|
At Journey's End
|
Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Chapter 5 Awakening Kalan’s eyes shot open, their silver depths sparking. Legolas was bent over him, gently shaking his shoulder, looking worriedly down at the boy. He was speaking in elvish. "More’-lai," Kraut (hums): Lorelei, Lorelei, daughter of the Rhine… he said once more. Kalan blinked, becoming fully awake. He was lying in a cave, a dwindling fire to his right. He had been covered in layers of blankets and could barely move. He looked up at the fair elf above him, the stormy eyes staring into his own. Pippin: Stormy? Why was Legolas angry at him? Faramir: Eru alone knows. Kalan looked to the left. Kraut (as a sergeant-major): Left – face! Samwise sat there, beside him, also looking quite concerned. Past him lay Frodo curled under blankets, asleep. Pippin: Now what’s wrong with this picture? Hmm, maybe it’s that Sam is more concerned of some strange freak than of his master. On the other side of the fire were the other two hobbit, Merry and Pippin, also deep in slumber. At the entrance to the cave sat Gimli the dwarf with Boromir. Faramir: Isn’t it sweet how the Suethors’ usual hate figures are grouped together? Eowyn: Well, this far there hasn’t been any bad things about them. Faramir: Just wait. Kalan, confused, looked back at the elf. "Legolas, wha-what is it?" he asked, surprised at how weak his voce sounded. He saw the elf heave a sigh of relief and sat back. "You were dreaming, violently. You frightened Sam," Pippin: ‘cause all know Sam is very easily scared. Or not. he said nodding toward the hobbit. Kalan looked over at him, Sam nodded. "You were havin’ an awful fit, Kalan sir, sayin’ frightful things, groaning in pain, and cryin’…" his voice trailed off. Eowyn: And hid, ashamed it had been used in trash like this. Kalan nodded, as much as he could. "I’m sorry Sam, I should have warned you: I am notorious for night terrors," Kraut: Nah, you are a terror even at day. A terror to all who want to read about a decent original character. Kalan shifted, trying to sit up. Legolas reached out and helped him, leaning him back against the cave wall. Kalan hissed in pain when he moved his leg. Drawing aside the blankets he saw his lower leg was bandaged and some old blood staining the cloth. Eowyn (puzzled): Shouldn’t the cloth be smoking or something? His blood is acidic, after all. Kalan then brought his injured hand up to his face, made a fist then extended his fingers. Pippin: How was that possible if his knuckles had been broken? Kraut: In the Stu-land, everything is. Sam held out a mug of hot tea. Kalan look it in his uninjured hand, nodding his thanks. He sipped the drink, color slightly returning to his face. His silver eyes swept the cave and its occupants once more, coming to rest at last on Frodo. Faramir (as Kalan’s eyes): Well, time to take a nap. Pippin: Lame. Faramir: Well, then invent a better jest, Master Funny-Funny. "Sam, how is Frodo doing?" he asked, anxiety under his voice. The hobbit looked over his shoulder at his sleeping friend. "Oh, yes, he’s doing much better. Actually he was already awake for a while," when he turned back he was smiling, "and he asked the same thing about you," he said, somewhat amused. Eowyn (as Sam, stupid voice): Duh-huh, they asked about each other, it’s so funny, duh-huh-huh. A light flush crept across Kalan’s face and he looked hurriedly down at his drink. Kraut (teeny-weeny voice): Gee, he likes me! Aragorn walked into the cave, and noticing Legolas and Sam beside the now awake Kalan, he joined them. "Well, you finally decided to wake up," he said, crouching down in front of Kalan, who looked up at him, nodding. "You gave us all a good scare, you’re lucky that thing was not too hungry," he smiled softly Faramir (as Aragorn, aside): As if anything wanted eat something so poisonous. and Kalan smirked. Aragorn sobered and he looked seriously into the youth’s face. "I hope you are going to explain this to me," he held up his hand, the palm was burned, the skin red and blistered. Eowyn: I told you! How in Mordor did the cloth endure that? "This was from your blood. Your blood burned me. Now, no normal man’s blood burns the skin," Pippin: Nice that you told us, Captain Obvious. Kalan frowned and looked away, but Aragorn caught him again with his piercing eyes. "Kalan? Your blood is not my blood," Faramir: Well, when has Kalan then said he is a Dunadan, let alone of the line of Elros? he stated simply. There were a few moments of silence, Kalan took a long breath before speaking. "Only the elves and myself can touch my blood and not be burned. Kraut: Ah, one mystery solved. The elves have an asbestos skin, then. Eowyn (snorts): Nonsense. We have already established the fact that I am not like you, Aragorn, but I am sorry that I cannot explain to you why. You just need to trust me when I tell that I am with you till the end. Pippin (as Aragorn): Er… thanks for the offer, but I really need not company everywhere, like in the backhouse and such. No matter what I am, I am a part of the Fellowship." He placed his cup down and reached out to the man, "I cannot tell you anymore, unless the Fates decide that I should. Faramir: That’s a lousy excuse, Kalan. The decision is yours and yours alone. Kraut: Oh boy how these Stus and Sues love secrets! None of you are ready to hear and understand what I would say. Eowyn: Oh, come on! They are not babies or imbeciles, you know? Just out with it! I am only asking that you trust me," he looked pleadingly into Aragorn’s eyes. Aragorn paused, then took Kalan’s hand in his own. "Your loyalty and trustworthiness was never in question. Pippin: Because at least the latter is non-existent. You nearly died trying to save Frodo, I think that is proof enough," he nodded and squeezed Kalan’s hand before releasing him. They spoke no more of it that day. Frodo woke not long after and, seeing Kalan awake, leapt from his blankets and threw his small form at the boy, overjoyed. Faramir: We are exaggerating a bit, are we, Sylver? "OOF!" Kalan got the wind knocked out of him by the small flying form. The others laughed as Frodo then proceeded to squeeze the life out of Kalan, Kraut (as Frodo): You banged my head against the ice! Now you pay for that! hugging him. Kalan laughed as well, ruffling the small hobbit’s hair. Pippin (looks nervous.) The others: What? Pippin: I can see it coming, and I can’t do a thing to prevent it. Faramir (worriedly): What is it then? Pippin (clutching his hair with both hands): The little-kid!Hobbits! AAAAAHHH! Gandalf appeared then; as if out of nowhere and was also pleased to see the two of them awake. He announced that the storm had died down and that they must leave and continue through Caradhras. Eowyn: He’s a stubborn one, isn’t he? Pippin (again composed): Well, in reality one try was enough even for him. "But Kalan’s leg, he couldn’t possibly-" Legolas started, but Kalan stood disengaging Frodo’s arms from around him "No worried, Legolas. It only pains me a little. Faramir: Who you think you are you kidding, Kalan? But well, if you want to risk further injuries in order to play a tough guy, go ahead. But Gandalf in right, we have already wasted too much time. Kraut (gloomily): As have we, reading this story. I can walk, slowly, but we must go. Kraut: Show must go on. That is if you are feeling strong enough, Frodo?" he looked down at the hobbit. "I feel much better, and I don’t expect to go for another mid-winter swim anytime soon," he joked. Faramir (with bored and false laughter): Ha ha ha, so damn funny. Kalan smiled. "Good, because I will only freeze my arse off for you once," he gave the hobbit a gently shove to get his things. Thanks for the reviews, I am sorry I am going so slowly, I am a VERY bad typist. Eowyn: And not only typist. Kraut: Yep. Where do I start? The plot sucks, the OC sucks, the characterization sucks and so on. Pippin: The one and only relief is that at least there’s relatively few typos. Faramir (dryly): And that’s not saying much. Hope you all are enjoying the story, All: Hell NO! next part: see part of Kalan’s secret! (All sigh wearily and exit.) |
|
"Ha! Wonnige Glut! Leuchtender Glanz! Strahlend nun offen steht mir die Straße. Im Feuer mich baden!" - Siegfried, Act Three, Scene Two. | |
![]() |
|
| Caranthol | Sep 28 2008, 12:38 PM Post #6 |
|
At Journey's End
|
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Chapter 6 On the Mountain, Events Unfold (literally) As the company was only the mountain, All: Huh? Pippin: It’s the first bloody sentence and I already understand nothing. the storm flew up again, snow billowed and wind swept it into their eyes. Gandalf walked first widening a path for those who followed with his staff. Legolas walked with his elven agility and light feet across the top of the snow, passing the wizard. Suddenly, he stopped, listening with keen ears. "There’s a foul voice on the air," he said. Gandalf stopped and listened as well. "Its Saruman!" he cried. Faramir: And he knew it… how? Kraut: The movie. As if confirming his accusation the mountain rumbled and there was a crash. They all looked up. Rocks tumbled down toward the Fellowship. Legolas jumped out of the way, the missiles barely missing him. Gandalf stepped forward, raising his arms and staff he chanted. Pippin: Gandalf, Gandalf, you surely can find a better time to train for the opera. His deep voice mingled with that of Saruman, but the fallen wizard’s call overtook his own. Lightning cracked onto the mountain. Kalan grabbed the wizard, pulling him back. "Gather close!" he ordered and instantly they huddled close together. Eowyn: So he’s the boss now? Quite abrupt, I must say. Frodo looked up; snow and ice were bearing down upon them. Kalan stood in front of the group. His fists clenched, knuckles white, his face contorted in concentration and…pain? Eowyn: Not again! This surely is the thousandth time when it is mentioned he is in pain. Kalan cried out and large silver wings erupted from his back, tearing cloth and flesh. Pippin: Quite a show-off, isn’t he? Kraut: How many spare shirts has he, anyway? He keeps ripping them like he owned a clothing store. They were leathery, like the wings of a bat, but not quite. Faramir: Like but not like? (with sarcasm) A brilliantly clear explanation. In some strange way they were beautiful. Kraut: Indeed in a strange way. I, at least, have never found bats pretty. Kalan spread his arms, stretching the wings over the group and braced himself. Pippin: It’s a wonder that he can stand if he has wings that wide. Eowyn (laughing): He should have acted as a tent, then! The snow and ice hit Kalan’s back and wings, but he did not give. He grunted, bearing the weight, allowing it to fall off his wings. Faramir: And logic rolled in its grave. According the last chapter, he was barely able to walk, damn it! Eventually the avalanche ended the snow and ice stopped falling. Kalan gasped and dropped to his knees. Once again his face scrunched in pain, he gritted his teeth. The silver wings folded and shrunk. Kraut: Neat. (curiously) Did they have a hydraulic or electric folding mechanism? They were drawn back into Kalan’s body, hiding once more under his skin, waiting for the next time they would be needed. Kalan gasped and choked for air. Frodo moved over to him, seeing how much pain the boy was in. He placed his hands on either side of Kalan’s head, gently wiping the sweat from the boy’s brow, looking deep into the silver eyes. (Groans.) Pippin: Not again! Guys, just keep your hands off him, even for a second, will you? Eowyn: Indeed! He's not that gorgeous! "So that’s what those two scars are from," he stated in a soft voice. Kraut (as Kalan): Nah, Batman made them. Of course they are from that! Kalan looked up at the hobbit; his usually calm and cool silver eyes cracked. Eowyn: He had glass eyes, then. How was he able to see anything? Kraut (robot voice): Error code 258! Need spare parts! Frodo remember when he had seen this before, when he had interrupted Kalan’s exercises back in Rivendell. Once again he was not looking at the calm and collected young warrior with many secrets. Before him was a lost, hurt and frightened child, in pain and desperate for love. Faramir (wipes an imaginary tear away.): Sniff! Pippin: Well, Kalan, if your life is just pain, why not end it? You’d be in peace, the Fellowship would continue without interruptions, we would have not to go on reading this… Actually, everybody would be a winner! Frodo wanted to take him in his arms, hold and comfort the boy. All (slap their foreheads.) Eowyn: This is ridiculous! He was supposed to be of help, that’s why he was admitted into the Fellowship. What a pansy! Faramir: Kalan, if you already don’t know, there’s some serious business to be done. Such as saving the world. Go home, if you need a nanny so badly! Kraut: Yeah, maybe daddy buys you a new teddy bear! But before he cold act upon anything, Kalan blinked, changing back into the mirrored secretive warrior. Kraut: A screaming Stu, a complete sissy and a schizo. Nice. "I’m all right, Frodo," he said. The others behind them were just coming out of shock. The only one who did not seem surprised was Gandalf, who looked on with a strangely pleased expression on is wizened face. Pippin (as Gandalf): Now when he’s shown how helpless he is, we can dump him and go on. A growl came from Gimli’s direction and all eyes turned to him. The dwarfs dark eyes were on Kalan. "What have we brought into our midst? Eowyn (darkly): A spawn of pure evil. We trusted this thing, he is probably a spy of Mordor," Faramir: Actually I’m pleased now. Gimli is, for once, the bright one. he stood as tall as he could. "What are you demon?" Pippin: A stinking Stu, damn it! Isn’t it obvious by now? his eyes narrowed. Before anyone could think, Kalan was by Gimli holding a sharp-edged knife to the dwarf’s throat. All: Uh oh. Kraut: Well, the Suethors dislike Gimli, but this much? Something dangerous flashed in his eyes, like it had when Boromir mentioned his mother. Kraut: A bit touchy, isn’t he? But this time, there was a darkness behind the silver eyes. Eowyn: Because he now revealed his true colours. Kalan glared down at the dwarf. "Do not call me such, Gimli. Never ever call me that! Or you might find this knife very deep in your throat," his voice was low and threatening. Faramir: I must say, I wouldn’t feel very comfortable around him. I have commanded my lot of sometimes intractable and morose men, but never have I met such a psychopath. Gimli actually looked frightened, his eyes wide. Pippin (snorts): No great wonder in that! Kalan tore away, taking the knife with him and turned his back to the group. Kraut: Who had by now drawn their weapons and were ready to slaughter him. Faramir: I wish… No one spoke of this. It was Boromir who broke the silence, voice the other’s thoughts. Eowyn (as Boromir): What are we waiting for? Let’s do him in and get over with it! "We cannot continue on this course, ‘tis too dangerous," he said above the wind. All: Huh? Pippin: A neat change of subject, that one. Gandalf said noting, but Gimli stepped forward. Eowyn: And buried his axe in Kalan’s skull. "We could go through the Mines of Moria. My cousin Balin rules there, he would give us a royal welcome," he announced, proudly. (A brief silence.) Faramir: He’s… he is like nothing special had happened? Gimli, wake up! The Stu almost slit your throat! Kraut: Maybe he by now is accustomed to getting abused in these badfics. Gandalf looked solemn, but he turned to Frodo. "Let the Ringbearer decide," he said. Frodo was startled, but he thought for a moment. "We will go through the Mines," he declared. The others nodded and began to turn around. No one noticed the glance between the wizard and Kalan, a sense of foreboding passed between then. Eowyn (as Gandalf): Listen, lad, your days are numbered. It’s not wise to offend a dwarf and let him live. (aside) Not that I’d mourn you much. Well, that’s all for now, hope you enjoyed. Kraut: She obviously lives in some strange world of her own if she thinks anybody in his right mind would enjoy this crap. Faramir: She lives in Sueland? PLEASE REVIEW!! Pippin (frowning darkly): I wish I could. I tell you, I would find just the right words… Thanks to all, who already did, love you all! Next chapter: The Darkness of Moria (Ooooo…sounds scary… ![]() Eowyn: Not any scarier than what has passed until now. (All exit.) |
|
"Ha! Wonnige Glut! Leuchtender Glanz! Strahlend nun offen steht mir die Straße. Im Feuer mich baden!" - Siegfried, Act Three, Scene Two. | |
![]() |
|
| Caranthol | Sep 28 2008, 02:03 PM Post #7 |
|
At Journey's End
|
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Chapter 7 1 The Darkness of Moria The Fellowship passed the Walls of Moria, on their way to the mines. Gandalf found the Gate into Moria, its outlines, symbols and runes written in ithildin, reflecting only moonlight and starlight. The words in ancient elvish, written across the arch read: ‘The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.’ But they were all puzzled at what the password was. Pippin: Lo and behold! Half a paragraph and not a single mistake or stupidity! Faramir: Well, I have to admit that’s a relatively good shortening of the Red Book text. Even if it forgot all the details. Kraut: If it only kept that way… Gandalf tried many combinations of strange languages, spells and incantations. Finally, frustrated he repeated the word ‘edro’ which meant ‘open’, his rage rising. Then finally, he sat down on a rock, Frodo beside him, to contemplate their stalemate. Eowyn: I didn’t know they played chess. While Gandalf sat, thinking, Merry and Pippin began a game of who could throw a rock the farthest into the dark water beside them. Pippin: No! We are little kids… again! Aragorn, startled by the first splash, turned and caught Pippin’s arm in mid throw. His face was dark and wary, he spoke in a hushed voice. “Do not disturb the water,” he said. Faramir: Actually that was Frodo’s line. Suddenly, Frodo, who had been contemplating the door with Gandalf, stood. “It’s a riddle! What’s the elvish word for friend?” he asked. Eowyn: Hey! The author has got the all the lines messed up. Kraut: Well, in the films Frodo, not Merry, solved the riddle. Eowyn: I wonder how am I treated in this… film, then, if everybody else is like this? Do I change places with Eomer, then? Kraut: I assure you, lady, there was very little wrong in the portrayal of you. Eowyn (relieved): That’s good to hear. “Mellon,” said the wizard. There was a deep rumbling then a cracking sound and the great stone doors opened before them. Kalan stepped up beside the hobbit and smiled down at him. “Not bad, Frodo,” he complimented, Frodo beamed from the praise. Pippin: You know, Sylver, he was a grown man. He really wouldn’t have ‘beamed’ by some half-hearted ‘compliment’! Kraut: Maybe he has self-esteem issues. The group walked slowly into the mines and was immediately engulfed in darkness. While Gimli boasted about the great Dwarven City of Dwarrowdelf Faramir (rubs his eyes): It’s correct! Holy Valar, I thought Sylver would mess everything up. and the accomplishments of the dwarves who lived there, Gandalf set a small crystal into the top of his staff. He breathed onto it and the stone began to glow with a magical light. Boromir looked around him in horror. “This is no mine, it’s a tomb,” he whispered. The others looked around, their eyes widening in fright. All about them were decaying remains and skeletons of long dead dwarves. Pippin (dryly): So much for the hearty welcome then. Most had arrows stuck into them. Legolas stepped over to one corpse and took the back quarrel from its place, studying it. “Goblins!” he spat and threw the arrow down, drawing one of his own and setting it to his bow. Eowyn: There’s a spesific word for it. ‘Nocking’ an arrow. Savvy? Kraut: At least he didn’t ‘load’ his bow. Boromir, Aragorn and Kalan drew their swords. “We make for the Gap of Rohan, we should have never come here. Now get out, get out now!” called Boromir. The hobbits fearfully backed out through the gate. Faramir: Funny, I thought halflings were not such cowards. Suddenly, something wrapped around Frodo’s ankle, dragging him down. He screamed as he was pulled toward the dark water. “Strider! Kalan!” Sam yelled. The two turned at his call. Eowyn: While the others stood idly, ignoring him. Sam hacked at the black tentacle holding Frodo with his short sword, releasing his friend. Merry and Pippin dragged the other two back. Pippin: Hey, we actually got an active role! I thought all we would do in this fic is gloat over Kalan or provide chances for him to be heroic. Dozens more writhing arms shot from the water and knocked them away from Frodo, taking hold of the Ringbearer once more. It dragged the hobbit up into the air by his furry foot. “Frodo!” Kalan called and leapt to his aid. Kraut: Our favourite martyr is back! I wonder what injury he will get now? The hobbit was being dangled above the water, struggling and screaming. A large monster appeared, surfacing from the foul water below. It opened its great maw, revealing many sharp teeth. “HELP!” screamed Frodo. Below, Aragorn, Kalan and Boromir attacked the creature. Kalan’s sword sliced through black tentacles, trying to get Frodo. Faramir: Well, he’s definitely gone maniac. First threatening Gimli, and now he’s actually trying to kill Frodo! Legolas shot an arrow at the thing, hitting its eye. Kalan severed the arm holding Frodo and the hobbit came tumbling down into the waiting arms of Boromir. Pippin (as Kalan): Damn, I missed him! Oh, well, the next time then. “Get into the mine!” ordered Aragorn and the Fellowship retreated into Moria’s dark depths. The creature tried to follow, but its huge mass could not fit through the Gate. Kraut: Actually, as far as I have understood it, it only tried to block the gate. Pippin: Well, that makes sense. For what else purpose would it have barricaded it with the trees? It caused a great rock fall and the exit was blocked. “Well, it seems we have no choice, we must brave the great dark of Moria.” Said Gandalf, holding his staff, the magical rock casting an eerie glow about them, “We must walk swiftly, for it is a four day journey to the other side. Be on your guard, there are fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world.” Eowyn: And one of them is with you even now. They nodded and prepared to move on. Kalan stood off to one side, his silver eyes darting around the shadows. He almost looked frightened, high-strung as if something was going to jump out of the dark at him. Faramir (cringes): I fear another angst scene is brewing. Legolas noticed that the boy was not following Pippin: And felt great relief. Kraut (as Legolas): Quickly! Let’s move on and we’ll have a chance to lose him! and he turned back to him. The elf slowly came up to the youth, and upon seeing his nervous expression made sure Kalan knew he was coming. He cleared his throat and reached out to clasp Kalan’s shoulder. “Gildae?” he asked in elvish, using the name the elves gave the boy, “Mani Kraut (pidgin): Hav mani? Giv mani, me poor! naa ta?”(1)1 he asked softly. Kalan turned to him, slowly. The muscles under the elf’s hand were tense and quivering. He searched the silver eyes seeing an unnatural fear. Eowyn: As unnatural as everything else in him. “Gildae?” he asked again. “Huine,”(2)2 Kalan answered in elvish, “It feels like it is closing in around me, trying to swallow me whole,” Faramir: It would be a good riddance. a shudder ran through his body, “Darkness, it drains me, my one enemy,’ Pippin: Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t he a creature of Morgoth and thus of Darkness? Eowyn: That he is. he stared into the elf’s eyes. Legolas nodded, he to felt the strain of being enclosed in the dark. “Then stay near Gandalf’s light, it may help,” he offered, but Kalan shook his head. “No, put the hobbits up there, they are more vulnerable and cant see as well as you and I,” he answered, a slight smile on his lips. Kraut: ‘cause he was lying. He was just waiting for his chance to kill them all. Legolas nodded, understanding. The two of them hurried to catch up with the others. So sorry for not updating in so long!! Thanks for all the reviews, please keep ‘um coming! Next chapter, Kalan tells the others what he is and about his past. Kraut: The past is a foreign country, they do things otherwise there. Please read (if I ever get it up xx) “Secrets Revealed: Kalan’s Tale” -- 1 1) What is it? 2 2) The darkness Pippin: In harness. Faramir: Very well, let’s get out of here. (All exit.) |
|
"Ha! Wonnige Glut! Leuchtender Glanz! Strahlend nun offen steht mir die Straße. Im Feuer mich baden!" - Siegfried, Act Three, Scene Two. | |
![]() |
|
| Caranthol | Sep 28 2008, 08:18 PM Post #8 |
|
At Journey's End
|
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Chapter 8 In the Mines, Secrets Revealed: Kalan’s Tale Faramir: Looks as if the author couldn’t decide the name of the chapter and clumped all three options together. Eowyn (sarcastically): Smooth. “I have no memory of this place,” said Gandalf, looking between the three doorways before them. Everyone sat down, resting their legs and eating a bit of elven bread. Kraut: Sylver, they got lembas only at Lórien! Read the damn book, will you? While Frodo was up talking to Gandalf, the others said very little. Pippin: Since they haven’t said anything very sensible this far, it’s for the better. Kalan sat with Legolas, his muscles tense, and his silver eyes searched the darkness. It was plain to see that he was unnerved, but no one said anything. Kalan felt someone’s/s Faramir: What on Arda is that supposed to mean? eyes on him and he looked over to Gimli. The dwarf was glowering at him. Ever since the mountain Gimli had said very little, but had bored his eyes into Kalan’s back. Eowyn: I wish he had bored a knife through his back, instead. Kalan sighed, knowing what the dwarf was thinking. Pippin (as Kalan): Why is he so grumpy? I mean, I only threatened his life. Come on, how serious can that be? He stood and walked over toward Gimli. The dwarf turned away, looking in the opposite direction. Kalan stopped when he was beside him, he felt the others watching. He sighed and began. “Gimli, there is bad blood between us now and it is not helping our mission,” he paused. Eowyn: And who caused that, if I may ask? Gimli said nothing and he continued. “I came over here to apologize for my outburst on the mountain. You are not the first to call me such and in doing so, you dredged up old, bad memories,” Faramir: Excuses, excuses. Kalan, most of us have even some self-control. he knelt on one knee before the dwarf. Kraut (as Kalan): My liege! “Gimli, I am sorry, and I wish no ill upon you. Pippin: Kalan, you really should worry about if Gimli wishes ill upon you. Will you accept my apology?” he asked, almost pleading. There was a few moments of silence, even Gandalf and Frodo had stopped speaking and were watching them. Gimli finally turned to face the boy. The dark look in his eyes was gone, and he smiled beneath his beard. Faramir: Seriously? One lousy apology, riddled with excuses, and all is fine and dandy again? You must be kidding! Eowyn (quoting the Red Book): “Dwarves are slow to forget an injury.” “Admitting one’s faults,” he said, “and apologizing for them is the greatest strength in any being. Kraut: Only it’s of little use after the deed is done. Learning from one’s own mistakes is better. You are a strange one, lad, I’ll admit that, but you have proven your worthiness to this Fellowship. All (bang their heads to the backs of their seats.) And you have proven your strength to me,” Pippin: With a sneaky attack on an unaware opponent? (Shrugs) Well, however you want to express it… he reached out and clasped the youth’s shoulder. “Your apology is accepted, not accept mine Faramir: A-ha! Gimli is reserving a by-path for his revenge, after all. for I spoke I shock and without knowing the facts.” Eowyn: How could he have known them, if the Stu didn’t want tell anything? Kraut: Yeah, Kalan should blame himself. Kalan nodded, then started to rise but Gimli restrained him. “However, I think that now you Pippin:…must die! Mwahahaha! must tell us of yourself, fates or no, for there should be no secrets between friends,” he added softly. Kraut: Hallelujah! Sylver-Star, you have outdone yourself! It really is Gimli who is the smartest one in this story. Kalan tensed and opened his mouth to protest. “I agree, Gimli,” everyone turned to look at Gandalf, who was watching with interest. “Perhaps you should, Kalan,” he said nodding to the boy. Kalan gave the wizard a strange look, Eowyn: Thinking if he should again play with knives. but then his shoulders slumped and he gave a defeated sigh. “Well, it seems that I am outnumbered, but you might not understand,” he said then sat down with his back against a rock. “I am not quite sure how to start, I guess the best way would be to say it bluntly,” he took a big breath, then: “I am the son of a dragon.” Silence. (Silence.) “A dragon?” said Aragorn, his eyebrows raised. Kalan nodded. More silence, then: “Well, that explains a lot,” said Frodo. “The blood, no need for food or sleep, the wings. Faramir: And you Sherlocks piece it together only now! Holy Valar! But how?” he asked. Pippin: Frodo obviously doesn’t know of bees and flowers. Kalan took another big breath and began, not looking at any of his listeners. His eyes staring out as if parting the mists of time. Kraut: I wonder if Sylver-Star orders these worn clichés by mail. “Just over one and a half thousand years ago, the last of the silver dragons came out of his hibernation. Faramir and Pippin (shudder.) Faramir (painfully): Silver dragons… Ornjin… Pippin: I’m getting a bad feeling. A near millennia had past since the Dragon’s War1 Kraut: I’ve read a whole lot about Middle-Earth and never once heard of a Dragon War. Faramir: Don’t worry, none of us has, either. and the Dark Drakes had been gone from this world. Now, there was only one silver left, his common name was Kalith-Duren, Eowyn: If that’s westron, I’m an Easterling! his dragon-tongue name is to hard even for me to pronounce,” a slight chuckle. “He came upon a human woman walking home from the market. Pippin: I have a VERY bad feeling. She was the most beautiful mortal he had ever seen. Long ebony hair falling past her waist, dark eyes that held a light that brightened the nighttime. Kraut: She was more like one of the Eldar, then. A Dunadan? Her name was Aeranna, a lady of the house of Morelain. Faramir: I’ve never heard of such a house or lady. Eowyn: And high-born women don’t go to a market, at least not alone and by foot. “She was suddenly set upon my goblins, Pippin: HIS goblins? But he wasn’t even born yet! Kraut: Evil has many ways to do its work, master Peregrin. awaiting her at a bend in the road. She fought valiantly, as very few women could, but her short sword could do very little against them. Faramir: Wait a minute, let’s think about it. A ‘lady’, alone in the woods, when there are Orcs about. And she has only a shortsword. Now is there something wrong in this picture, or am I only imagining? Eowyn: Don’t even try to untangle it. I think our brains wouldn’t stand the challenge. “Kalith leapt to her aid, striking the foul creatures. Pippin: Very dragon-like indeed! Sylver-Star, knights in shining armour save ladies, dragons threaten to eat them. Haven’t you heard any fairy-tales as a child? After the last of the goblins had fled or fell, Kalith turned to the woman. Kraut: And ate her as a tasty snack. End of the story. She looked upon him without fear, unlike most who had encountered his kind. Faramir: She was so speshul. Eowyn: Or just an idiot. Pippin: Well, just look at who her son is. She smiled, thanked him and kissed his scaled cheek. Faramir (turning to Eowyn): My love, I know you are a brave woman. Would you have done that? Eowyn (with a laugh): Hell no! I would have been running a mile or two away already. It was at this time that Kalith-Duren fell in love with a mortal woman. “Unfortunately, he was coming to the end of his power and would diminish soon. Dragons do not age physically after they get to a certain growth and number of years. Pippin: Isn’t that kind of paradoxical? If he doesn’t age, then how is his power at its end? Kraut: I’d call it just plain stupid. Kalith was over 300,000 years old, not the oldest to live, but close. “Using the last of his power, he changed into a human male to be with his beloved. Kraut: Is that even possible? Faramir: No. Absolutely no. Pippin: Hey, at least they didn’t do it while he was in his dragon form. Eowyn (trying to picture that): Ewwww! They made vows of love, consummated and lived together for only six months. Before the child was born, Kalith-Duren left Middle-Earth, his spirit becoming one with the heavens. Eowyn: He went to hang with Eärendil? I thought he hates dragons. Pippin: So he does. Hopefully he thought that Dagor Dagorath had begun and killed Kalith, this time more thoroughly. “Three months after, Aeranna gave birth, a boy child. His appearance was mostly that of a normal human babe, except until he opened his eyes. The one physical feature inherited from his father: his eyes were silver.” Kraut: Don’t forget the wings. Or did he get those from his mother? “It was you!” cried Pippin, excitedly. “The baby was you!” Pippin (irritably): Hey! I’m not like that! Faramir: I fear you are, master Peregrin. Pippin (shrugs): At least, not that much. Kalan smiled and nodded. Merry shook his head, embarrassed. “You have an amazing grasp of the obvious, Pip,” he groaned. Eowyn (with a false laughter): Oh, Sylver, you are a brilliant humorist! Pippin looked hurt but settled himself back, waiting for Kalan to continue. “As Pippin just declared, yes, I was the child. The product of a love bond between dragon and human. Kraut: And as such, an unnatural abomination. My mother raised my as you would raise any youngster. And I was just as troublesome. Faramir: Nothing has changed since then, it seems. Only now you are much more troublesome. “I somehow always managed to get myself into some trouble. And when I got in over my head, she came to my rescue, helped me, scolded me and I learned from my mistakes. Eowyn: Oh, really? “When I was old enough to understand, she told me about my father. About who and what he was. Pippin (as Kalan’s mother): Your papa was an ancient, evil, murderous beast, but you should be proud of him. Yep. Seriously. But unfortunately, we weren’t the only ones who knew.” Kalan’s face darkened, and his eyes grew cold. “There was a group of fanatics in the nearby village. Kraut: Or perhaps only decent Men who hated the Darkness and thus dragons. The proclaimed that the dragons of old would return and destroy Middle-Earth. Faramir: Well, the dragons had tried hard in the First Age to do just that, so… My recruited many followers. Somehow they found out about my mother and I. Eowyn: Somehow? One glance at Kalan would have sufficed. “For years we were harassed, notes left at our door threatening death, rocks thrown through the windows. Pippin: Then why didn’t you order your servants to beat them up? Surely one rich enough to have glass windows is rich enough to hire guards. People screamed obscenities at us, calling my mother a whore of devils and me…a demon…” he whispered the last. Gimli frowned and rested his hand on the boy’s knee, offering his sympathy, apologies and strength. Kraut: After that knife episode? Sweet Jesus, not even a saint, let alone a dwarf is that forgiving. Faramir: It seems the author turned it so that Gimli has the worse in the argument. Clever. Eowyn: Only that everyone sensible understands that angsty background is no excuse for a death threat. Kalan paused, getting his emotions under control before continuing. “Then they got bold. They came with clubs, torches and swords to our home, I was only fifteen them. They broke in and took my mother, I tried to fight them but I only had a small skinning knife Pippin: Wait a minute! First his mother is a lady, then they are so poor that they own no weapons or tools save a little knife. Faramir: I must admit that by now I am hopelessly confused. Eowyn: Don’t worry, so are we all. Kraut (with a shrug): Well, let’s just go on. and they were too many, just…too many,” his eyes began to fade away, becoming clouded over. “And the fire, they destroyed our home, everything. I tried, but…I-I couldn’t,” his voice choked and he hid his face, but not before they saw a single tear fall. Pippin: Glistening as a diamond when a single, blessing shaft of light pierced it. The others: Huh? Pippin: Just showing you I can speak like a Suethor. This time it was Legolas who offered comfort, his eyes sad, understanding how it feels to be betrayed, for elves are not loved by all. Kraut: Well, I’d not be very surprised or downcast if I was hated by Orcs or dragons. They hate everything, remember? He wrapped his arms around Kalan, sharing the youngling’s grief and pain. Faramir: What’s the point of two people suffering? For Eru’s sake, just leave him alone! Eowyn: Yes, I am sick of this damned pawing and hugging! This should be a heroic story, not Aunt Annie’s Best Friends Club! Pippin: Oh, Valar, I almost can see the cheese dripping from those words. For a few moments they sat like this, no one spoke, each with their own thoughts. Finally, Kalan got himself under control and he took a large, shuddering breath. He clasped Legolas’ arm, silently thanking the elf. Legolas released him and sat beside his friend, but left one arm gently draped over Kalan’s shoulders. Kraut: I must have eaten something bad. I feel like puking. Faramir (hastily): Please don’t. Just breathe deeply and it will pass. Kraut (takes a deep breath and smiles, relieved.) “I don’t remember how long they held us, perhaps a few weeks. But during that time I saw nothing of my mother. They beat me daily, whipping with cords and leather, tearing my skin. With hands and boots. Faramir: They must have been Easterlings or Southrons. No Man of the West would treat even a spawn of Sauron like that! Pippin: But how did Elrond come to save him, then? Faramir: A good question. But they got a surprise when they touched my blood,” he smiled coldly, cynically. Aragorn nodded, understanding and flexed his healing hand. “Unfortunately, it only made them madder,” Eowyn: Obviously, you jackass. Kalan continued. “They hurt me everywhere, then when they got tired of beating me they…” Eowyn (disgusted): Does that mean what I think it means? Pippin (grimacing): I fear so. I only hope there will be no details. Kraut: They were not even Men, they must have been Orcs! he tensed, his gut spasmed. There was a deep pain in his silver eyes; Frodo felt that it reflected the pain in Kalan’s heart. “They did things I would not say in front of you,” All: Phew! Pippin: That’s good, I’d not have particularly cared for a longer description. he breathed deeply, “One day they came in and took me outside. My mother was there, tied to a stake. Faramir: I only wonder why didn’t they tie Kalan, too? He was the more hated one, in any case. “They forced me to watch as they killed her. Five arrows entered her body, but she proclaimed her love for me to the last. Kraut (bored): This has been told already. Get on with it! “Enraged, I attacked the men and ran from the village. My wings opened for the first time then and allowed me to escape them. Eowyn: How convenient. “For days I wandered aimlessly, my body and mind sundered, Pippin: I think not, since you still are alive. and my heart broken, until I collapsed. Fortunately, I was found by an elf who had felt my power and came searching. Faramir: In order to finish the job those Men had messed up. This elf was Lord Elrond himself from Rivendell. He took me to the elven city All (sigh resignedly.) and cared for me. “He helped me mend my heart and come to terms with the pain and guilt I felt inside. Kraut: ‘cause he was like Dr. Phil! “You must take the responsibility of your actions, Kalan. No one but you can help yourself.” I was afraid to get close to anyone, because I felt that I was the cause of my mother’s death. Eowyn: She brought it on herself, rather. After all, who told her to sleep with a loathsome monster? Elrond showed me my folly, and urged me to reach out to him and to others. He loved me, was like a father, a brother a friend and…sometimes more…” Pippin: Yurgh. Faramir: This. Is. Sick. I say no more. there was a certain wistful and almost loving look in his eyes. He shook his head and the look was gone. “He taught me how to feel and to love again,” he smiled. Kraut (as Elrond): And now when you see the diagram on the page fifteen, you will learn how to love properly. Questions? “At the age of eighteen or nineteen, I came into my power and ceased to age. After seeing about eighty years and still looking my young and strong self, I met a young woman named Melaina. Eowyn: Oh, no! The Stu’s line will continue! She too had lost her parents, to a plague not too long ago. She and I were married at Rivendell and she became pregnant with my child, my son. Kraut: How did you know it was a son in the first place? There weren’t those fancy hospital machines then. “But one day, I was up north helping the elves with an orc problem. She decided to go for a ride. Faramir: To countryside infested with Orcs? She’s as stupid as Kalan’s mother. I had warned her never to go alone for the land was treacherous around for one who did not know the way. But she went anyway and took a horse not well broken. Eowyn: If she wanted trouble, she was well on her way. “She was thrown, hit her head. Thankfully, she did not feel any pain; she died on impact and with her, my son. Pippin (with a false sob): Boo-hoo! How tragic! And then Kalan had only his puppy Fluffy left, and even it went and caught rabies. “I was coming home when it happened. I felt her life presence leave my consciousness along with the tiny other. Kraut: He’s telepathic? Faramir: Of course, what did you expect? I panicked, leaving the party. I found her like that, was too shocked to even cry. I brought her body back to Rivendell, where she was given a proper funeral. I felt numb, unfeeling. I said nothing, only nodding to those who offered their sympathies. I felt alone again.” ‘I am cursed, I lose everyone I get close to, everyone I love, and who loves me.’ Kraut: Please! You still have your foster-father, haven’t you? Pippin: Yeah, and he’s even more than that… Eowyn: Don’t remind me of that. Faramir: Cheese and corn are good at meals, but in stories… Strong arms enfold me, dark hair a curtain to one side. A familiar, deep, melodic voice whispers in my ear. ‘I am still here, Gildae. Amin mela lle, ar’ amin nauva n’kelaya lle2’ a kiss against my cheek. There was a long silence while Kalan faded into memory. It was Frodo who broke the silence. “Kalan?” the boy came out of his reverie, looking at the hobbit. “That’s quite a tale, and though I don’t quite comprehend half of what you said, I am sorry for you,” (Laughter.) Kraut: Frodo, you dumbass! He was a bastard of a dragon, got beaten and worse, plus his mother and wife were killed. What part of that don’t you understand? Eowyn: And this is a scholar and an Elf-friend? he rested a hand on Kalan’s knee. “Your life, almost as long as the elves, has had very few happy moments. Faramir: He just said so! No need to repeat that. I can’t say I know how you feel, because I don’t. Pippin (as Frodo): And to say the truth, I’m not even interested knowing. But I will say this, I am glad you shared this with us, Eowyn: I, for my part, am not. Faramir: Well said. for as Gimli said, there should be no secrets between friends,” he smiled softly. Kalan sighed and nodded at the hobbit. “I’m glad I did, I must say it will surely be easier on this mission not having to watch what I say or do,” the others nodded. Kraut: As if you had paid any attention to that before. “Well,” said Gandalf, slapping his hands on his knees and rising, “Now that we have that out of our system, perhaps we should continue.” Pippin: Yeah, you should, before he launches into another sob-story. “But, Gandalf, which way?” asked Frodo, the wizard blinked, then looked back at the three doorways, and remembered their predicament. “Oh,” was all he said, then made to sit back down. Faramir: Gandalf having lost his brains… Another Suethor sign. Kalan stood and walked over to the arches. He sniffed, smelling the air from each one. “That way,” he said, pointing to the left passage. The others joined him at the entrance. Merry looked up at him in awe. “How do you know?” he asked in wonder. Kalan clapped him on the shoulder, smiling. “Dragons have very keen eyesight, smell and hearing, even more so than the elves. The air is not so foul that way, which means there is an exit somewhere down there.” He grinned and winked at the hobbit. “When in doubt, always follow you nose,” he said. Eowyn (with a mock sigh): Where is our youth going? Kraut: Kids, stealing lines may seem fun at first but it may lead to serious trouble. They gathered up their belongings and made their way down into the dark. Very sorry for my HUGE gap in updating. School, work and home stuff all came into play and I also have NO typing skill, whatsoever!! Faramir: I think we have already established that. The others (nod.) I thank all who have reviewed, especially Hermione Eveningfall me close friend, Pippin: A friend reviewing and the wind blowing, they are as meaningless. thanks to you and to everyone for kicking me in the arse to get back to writing. Kraut: I would kick your arse to prevent you from writing, miss. You guys are great, hope you still like the story, I’ll update again soon…. hopefully Arigato!! -- 1 OK, here is the confusing part I need to explain: Eowyn: Which one of all the dozens of them? Dragons were once on and the same, Faramir: No, they were not. There were the Uruloki, the wingless dragons. Then there were the flying dragons such as Smaug and finally the cold-drakes. Read your history before you mess with it! but then some became more ambitious and cruel than the others Eowyn: As if that was even possible. and broke off they became the Dark Drakes, becoming black in color, Pippin: As far as I know, the lore speaks of only one black dragon, Ancalagon. leaving the silvers, the Light Dragons. There was a war between them near the beginning of Middle-Earth, Kraut: Even though nothing of their kind existed yet. and the Lights won (of course) with the help of the elves, Istari and the Valar (Silmarillion). Faramir: Somehow I can’t imagine Elves and the Valar helping dragons in anything. The Darks were destroyed (except for a few who escaped, like Smaug) Eowyn (confused): The War of Wrath? But it was nowhere near the beginning of the Middle-Earth, but tens of thousands of years after that. leaving the Lights in peace. However, they were weakened by the war and died off over the years. Kalan’s dad was the last. OK go back to the story now!! Pippin: I don’t think so. Who are you to command us, anyway? 2 I love you and I will never leave you. Kraut: And I play the didgeridoo. (All exit.) |
|
"Ha! Wonnige Glut! Leuchtender Glanz! Strahlend nun offen steht mir die Straße. Im Feuer mich baden!" - Siegfried, Act Three, Scene Two. | |
![]() |
|
| Caranthol | Sep 29 2008, 11:40 AM Post #9 |
|
At Journey's End
|
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Chapter 9 Battle in the Dark As the Fellowship walked through the darkness of Moria, Kalan lagged farther and farther behind. He was getting dizzy and stumbled along weakly. Legolas turned and saw Kalan struggling. The boy looked worse for wear, his face was pale, almost deathly and he was sweating fiercely. Pippin: I thought lizards don’t sweat. Faramir: But he’s half human, remember? Pippin: Whatever. Though he looked sick, those strange, silver darted about the shadows, watching for anything, or for nothing.. The elf called for a halt and ran back for Kalan. He took the boy's arm in hand, making him stop. "Kalan, we can stop if you need to," he offered. Kalan, his posture betraying his weakened and diminished state, shook his head. Eowyn (as Kalan): No… must… go on! Must… be… a… macho man! "No, the sooner we get out of this dark, the better," he said softly. By now, the others had joined them. Gimli grunted. Kraut (as a document narrator): See how the cavemen behave in their natural habitation… Oops, sorry, it’s only a Suethor version of a dwarf. "Afraid of the dark?" he asked gruffly, but without any malice. Kalan pinned him with his silver gaze. Pippin: And fingered his knife. Faramir: That joke is already a bit old, Peregrin. "I'm a bloody light-dragon, what do you think?" he took a breath. "Darkness is my one weakness; it drains me of my power, the Light that I give off, Eowyn: An information break: The Fire Imperishable and thus the real Light is Iluvatar’s only to give, not yours, Kalan. that keeps me alive, making me weaker." Kraut: So light keeps you alive, but makes you weaker? Err… Now that doesn’t really add up. His legs shook and he would have fallen if not for the elf holding him. Kraut (as a pre-school teacher): Kids, don’t go hiking while injured. It hurts. Legolas took Kalan's arm and placed it around his shoulders, supporting him. "We have to go on, keep going. I'll be fine once I get outside," Kalan said. They did so. They came upon a room, a stone alter in the middle, light streamed onto its surface from a hole in the roof far above. Gimli, distraught, knelt beside the alter..no, coffin. Runes were engraved onto its surface. "Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria," Pippin: I maybe could summon some emotion if the author would have explained who and what Balin was. Well, I do know it, but all may not. Kraut: Yeah, it’s lazy to expect all have read the book carefully. intoned Gandalf. "I'm sorry, Gimli," he said, sympathetically. Legolas sat Kalan beside the alter, the boy all but drinking in the light. Faramir: Kalan, this is not the right moment to begin boozing! In a few seconds, he looked almost back to normal. "Gimli, I'm sorry. I never knew him, but I feel your pain like a dagger in my heart. Eowyn: Or a knife in your throat. Pippin: I’ve never seen such a coarse exaggeration. Gimli is stupid if he believes that hypocrisy. But honor him with the success of this quest," he said softly. Gimli looked upon him with sad eyes but nodded. Gandalf found a large tome and was reading from it, his voice low and foreboding. Faramir: Add a dramatic pause… now. "We cannot get out, they have taken the bridge. Drums, drums in the deep, a shadow moves. We cannot get out. They are coming." CRASH! Everyone jumped and Gandalf turned to the source of the noise-a wide-eyed Took. Pippin (sighs): I made a single mistake and every single writer has to bring it up. Pippin stood cringing as the banging continued. It was evident that the young hobbit had knocked something into the well; he flinched each time it banged. Finally it stopped and everyone stood still in anticipation and fear. Finally, Gandalf spoke. "Fool of a Took!" he said in a harsh whisper. "Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" he turned but a sound stopped him. Boom. A deep, rumbling sound from the well. Boom. Again. All eyes turned to the well. Boom. Boom. Doom. Boom. And a screech of hellish creatures. Eowyn: Kalan has pals? "Orcs!" cried Legolas. Eowyn: Oh. Boromir ran to the door to close it. An arrow struck the wood and inch from his nose. Aragorn helped him shut the great doors, using two huge axes as bars. There was a great roar. "They have a cave troll," said Boromir, exasperated. (Snickers.) Kraut (as Boromir): Oh, a cave troll again. Call the pest control! Faramir: ‘Exasperated’ is not the word you want, Sylver. How about ‘terrified’ or ‘frightened’? Kalan got to his feet, the light returning his eyes. "Stay close to Gandalf!" he said to the hobbits and drew his sword. Aragorn and Legolas each notched an arrow to their bows and were poised to release. Boromir had his own blade ready, as did Gandalf. An axe cut through the door and Legolas shot and arrow through the hole. Kraut: Fire in the hole! An orc screeched in pain and the elf reloaded. "Here they come," cried Kalan as the door broke down. The orcs rushed in, bearing scythes, Pippin: Since when have the Orcs been into farming? Eowyn (as a country bumpkin!Orc): Ya’ll get outta from me fields dis moment! scimitars, clubs and blades. Gimli brandished his axe, screaming a battle cry. The each broke off, fighting their own group. Aragorn was backed into a corner, wielding his sword in front of him. Faramir (deadpan): Nope. In reality he kept it stuffed into his arse. One orc jumped forward only to his head severed from its body. Even Gandalf had caused the death of many orcs by his sword Glamdring. Kraut: Someone hasn’t read The Hobbit. If I remember correctly, Gandalf killed quite a few even in it. Pippin: Well, at least Sylver got the name of the sword right. The hobbits too had joined into the fray, using their long knives as swords. Kalan swung his sword around, orcs dropping like flies around him. Pippin: Kalan, an army of one man. His sword danced around his body, slicing through armor and flesh. Eowyn: His sword turned against him? But Gurthang was the only sentient sword ever. Faramir (grins): Even his weapon is fed up with this story. His concentration was interrupted by a cry from his right. Silver eyes darted to the source of the sound and saw Sam standing there, petrified. The ground shook. The wall came crashing down and the cave troll burst into the room. Standing at least ten feet high, its great mass seemed virtually unstoppable. A chain encircled his neck Kraut (as a ghetto thug): Ya see my bling? Who’s your daddy? and it wielded a huge club. "Sam! Get out of the way!" he cried, trying to break the hobbit out of his terror. Sam just stared up in shacked horror as the troll advanced on him. "SAM!" screamed Kalan. He decapitated an orc and cut the legs out from under another. The youth rushed toward the terrified hobbit. The troll raised its club to bring it smashing down on Sam. Kalan ran straight into the hobbit, pushing them both out of the way before the club struck them. Kraut (hums Richard Strauss’s The Heroic Life.) Kalan dragged the shaking hobbit to his feet by the cloak. "Are you alright?" he asked. Sam managed a nod. An orc rushed at them but Kalan's sword cut him in two. Eowyn: Wow, Kalan should really think about a career as a butcher! Faramir: Yes, he’s seemingly amazing at making cutlets. "Go, stay with Frodo!" he pushed Sam in the direction of his friend. Legolas shot an arrow at the troll from where he stood upon a ledge. It bounced harmlessly off the tough hide, but it was enough to draw its attention. Kalan turned to the elf and the oncoming troll. "Legolas! Look out, watch its chain!" whether the elf had heard him or not there was no telling. The monster advanced on the elf, angered. It swung the chain, but Legolas nimbly leapt out of the way. Pippin: This is just stupid. The troll gave up even before the fight really began. Frodo stabbed it, after all. Or is this the damn movie again? Kraut: Yeah. It swung again, hitting the stone pillar to Legolas's left but missing him entirely. Once again the chair came at him, Faramir: The troll threw furniture at him? But there were none! Eowyn: A typo. but got wrapped around a pillar. Legolas pressed his foot onto the chain, trapping it there. Then he deftly leapt across the chain like a tightrope and onto the troll's head. Pippin: Show off! He drew his bow back and shot an arrow through the troll's skull. The thing screamed in rage and pain and reached back for the elf but his leapt off before it could touch him. Kalan smirked to himself and turned back to the battle at hand. Kraut: In order to search for the next helpless hobbit to save. The troll whirled his head in rage, but it caught sight of a small figure jumping behind a pillar. Frodo was hiding behind a stone pillar, shaking, knowing the troll was around looking for him. Faramir: I would think Legolas would be the real target now, but no matter. Suddenly a huge roar erupted and the troll's ugly face appeared. He screamed and the troll reached for him. Frodo struck at it with Sting, his elven long knife, but he tripped and fell to the floor. The troll grabbed the hobbit by his leg and dragged him toward itself. "Aragorn! Someone help!" he screamed and stabbed it with Sting causing the troll to release him. Eowyn: He actually managed to do something? I still have hope that he is not just the sissy Sylver makes him look like. Kalan turned at Frodo's call from where he was fighting off more orcs. He saw the troll grabbing at the hobbit and became enraged. "Frodo!" he cried and finished off the last orc, running toward his friend. Aragorn reached Frodo first, brandishing a spear. He thrust the weapon into the troll's tough hide, but it did little damage. Kraut (as Aragorn): I knew I should have gone to gym when in Rivendell. The troll swung his great, tree-trunk like arm, swatting the man aside. Frodo struggled to get to Aragorn's side, but the troll took the fallen spear and knocked the hobbit back. Frodo watched in horror as the troll drew the spear back. "Frodo! No!" he heard Kalan scream. But the troll thrust the spear forward. Frodo gasped, his eyes wide, a pain in his chest and he couldn't get a breath. Pippin: Hey! It was an Orc captain that did all that, not a troll. "NO!!" once again hearing Kalan's outrage. Frodo's vision darkened and floor rushed up to meet him. Faramir (as the floor): Hello! Pleased to meet! Hey! Look, I live!! trying to get back into writing this fic and the sequal. All (in horror): A SEQUEL? Voice of Deusexmachina: Yep, and guess what? That’s the next thing you’ll read. All: Argh! No better way then to do some renovations! Eowyn: What this fic needs is demolition, not renovation. Paragraphs! Who would'a thunk it Pippin: If only the paragraphs were your biggest problems, Sylver… (All exit.) |
|
"Ha! Wonnige Glut! Leuchtender Glanz! Strahlend nun offen steht mir die Straße. Im Feuer mich baden!" - Siegfried, Act Three, Scene Two. | |
![]() |
|
| Caranthol | Sep 29 2008, 05:53 PM Post #10 |
|
At Journey's End
|
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Chapter 10 Changes and Losses Seeing Frodo fall, Merry and Pippin cried out in anger and leapt onto the troll's shoulders, piercing it again and again with their blades. Pippin: A nice start for this chapter, I must say. For once I am doing something heroic! They heard an unearthly scream and Gandalf turned to Kalan. The boy's wings had returned, but this time there was something different about him. A light was emanating from Kalan's skin, Kraut: Ah, so he finally got his saint’s halo! I’ve been waiting for this. causing it to look metallic; his hair took on a silvery under-hue. The sword clasped in the youth's hands glowed brightly, its edge keen as if it were new. Faramir: Sylver, a sword does not need to be new to be sharp and keen. Ever heard of whetstones? Eowyn (snorts): As if a Suethor could sharpen a sword, even if her life depended on it! Kalan opened his mouth and strange words, full of power, anger and rage flowed forth. "Kolekione, Somaru nastu vant-asta!" (Laughter.) Pippin: And simsalabim and abracadabra! Kraut: Hocus-pocus! his silver eyes flashed, "Simata carone-lan!"1 And with that, leapt at the troll, Faramir: Who was dying of laughter after all that nonsense. his wings catching the air and he soared with uncanny speed toward the enemy. Kraut (singing, in the rhythm of march): We are fighter pilots, for battle born, each enemy we shoot, in shreds is torn… The troll had Merry and Pippin in hand and cast them aside like rag dolls. The thing lifted a great foot to smash the hobbits into the floor. But it stopped as it heard Kalan's scream of rage and turned toward the boy. Kalan swung he bright sword, slicing neatly through the skin of the troll's neck. Eowyn: Well, he already seemed to be a practised cutthroat. Flying past, Kalan somersaulted, furling and unfurling his wings until he was once again facing the troll. Pippin: Kalan, come away! There’s a real fight going on, not any bloody circus! He cried out once more and dove to plunge his sword deep into the skull of the monster. The troll swayed, groaning in pain once before falling to the floor with a crash. Kraut: Of COURSE it had to be Kalan who killed the biggest baddie. Faramir: So much for his whining that darkness weakens him, then. Silence fell upon them all. Kalan turned, flying toward where Aragorn knelt over Frodo's fallen form. Sam had joined them, tears forming in his eyes. Eowyn (as a sergeant): Tears, form – up! Kalan landed lightly, his wings gently wrapping around his shoulders, almost like a silvery, leather cape. Pippin: Or more like a platoon tent for soldiers. He could cover ten people with those damn wings, right? Aragorn gently turned Frodo over and the hobbit took a lungful of air, startling everyone. Sam knelt beside his master and friend, clearly relieved. "He's alive," he said and the others nodded. Aragorn looked at Frodo in awe. "You should be dead. That spear would have skewered a wild boar," he said softly. Gandalf stepped forward, something catching his eye. Kraut: And tossing it back. "I think there is more to this hobbit than meets the eye," he murmured. Frodo looked down at himself; a shiny metal could be seen through where his shirt had been torn loose. Gimli took a look closer and gasped. "Mithril," he breathed. "You are full of surprises, Master Baggins," Eowyn: Especially since it’s not mentioned from where he got the mithril-mail. Faramir: Ah, but then the Suethor would have been compelled to write about Bilbo. He’s old and thus not cute, so he got cut out. he commented. Frodo said nothing, but looked up at his friends, his eyes halting on Kalan. The boy had changed; his wings were wrapped around him, looking like silver armor. His skin and hair holding an unearthly glow and metallic gleam. Kraut: That’s what I have told you all along. He IS a robot! Kalan's eyes, no longer holding the raging fire, met his own. "I thought you were dead," Kalan whispered. Frodo smiled, seeing the concern and love the half-dragon felt for the hobbit. Pippin: Uh oh. Let’s leave the love part out, shall we? Frodo hoped his own eyes conveyed the same feelings. Eowyn: Because he felt nothing of the kind but wanted to lie. "I'm alright, I'm not hurt," he said. Kalan nodded, then his ears pricked and he looked toward the door. "We must be going, more orcs approach," he said. Aragorn helped Frodo to his feet and they followed the half-dragon out of the room. They ran through the great hall of Moria, Faramir: Which one of them? There were many, you know. the screams and yowls of the enraged orcs assaulting their ears. Kalan stopped. "Follow Gandalf, I'll bring up the rear and hold them off!" he ordered. Pippin: First he steals Gandalf’s lines, then his role. What next, Kalan transforms to a white wizard? Groups of orcs were coming at them. Kalan raised his hand. "Tolai nas canto!"2 he called and a white flame flew from his palm, engulfing the orcs. In seconds there was nothing left of them but ashes. Kraut: Pretty efficient. But why didn’t he use that against the troll? Eowyn: That wouldn’t have been as cool as his acrobatics. Aragorn grasped the boy's collar, jerking him along, forcing him to follow the group. "Enough of your tricks, dragon, you're not sacrificing yourself today!" Faramir (as Aragorn): I’m sick of you always stealing the spotlight! I wanna be a hero, too! he growled and shoved the boy in front of him as they ran. Before they could think, the Fellowship was surrounded. Orcs growled and snarled at them, waving their weapons menacingly. Kalan put Frodo behind him, holding his sword out before him. A rumble. The orcs stopped their jabbering. Another rumble. The orcs screeched in terror and took off in all directions, fleeing. Another rumble, causing the ground to shake. Eowyn: And yet another rumble, and yet another, and yet another… "What is this new devilry" asked Boromir. Gandalf and Kalan looked at each other, each holding a look of dark foreboding. Kalan's eyes went to another end of the hall. A light filled that end. Another rumble. Frodo turned to the wizard, fear in his eyes. "Gandalf?" he asked. Gandalf turned to the hobbit. "A balrog," he said, his voice low, fearful. "This foe is beyond any of you," Pippin (as Kalan): Except me, of course! Kraut (as Gandalf): Nobody asked you anything. This is my show, and I won’t lose it for any money! he turned, "Run!" he cried and they broke into flight. There was a roar, loud, deafening, dark and malicious, but powerful. Faramir (deadpan): Since everybody knows that malice equals weakness. The Fellowship ran, following the wizard, feeling the growing heat in the hall. "Quickly! Make for the bridge of Khazad-dum!" said Gandalf, pointing down a corridor. Boromir rushed down the steps and cried out, dropping his shield over the drop off. Pippin (shaking his head): Boromir, Boromir, this is not the time for a nap! He swayed dangerously on the edge, swinging his arms, grasping for balance. Legolas rushed to his aid, grabbing the man around his waist and pulling him back from the ledge. The others gathered, the same thought on all their minds: What now? Eowyn: Simple. Jump over, you dolts! Gandalf grasped Aragorn's shoulder, turning the man to face him. "Lead them on, Aragorn. The bridge is near," he motioned into the dark; there was a dark outline of a bridge. Aragorn looked defiant and reached for his sword. Pippin: So until now he had just stood in the midst of bloodthirsty Orcs without drawing it? Gandalf shoved him roughly toward the bridge. "Do as I say!" he cried, "Swords are no use here!" Aragorn's lips set in a grim line, but he nodded. The others followed him down many flights of stairs. Kalan took the back again, glancing over his shoulder at the growing light. Another roar, the heat was growing. Kraut: Seems the air conditioning system of Moria finally broke up. He heard a cry from ahead of him. "Pippin!" Frodo screamed. His friend had slipped and was now falling through the air. Kalan dove off after the hobbit, his wings sill folded. Pippin: No! I’d rather die than be a part of your playing a hero! He grasped the smaller figure, holding him close and unfurled his wings. "Keep going!" he heard Gandalf shout. Kalan held Pippin as he glided toward the next set of stairs. The others had reached the same spot when he lightly touched down, setting the shaking hobbit on his feet. Eowyn: Since he is so damn helpless and stupid! Never mind he fought alongside the others in Moria, prevented the burning of my husband and slew a great troll. Merry quickly took charge of his younger cousin. They continued their flight, but Kalan could hear Merry softly speaking to his cousin. "Foolish Took, can't even keep your own feet under you," he admonished gently. The jest got a small, quivering smile from the little hobbit. Faramir: I really pity you, master Peregrin. This is already the second story where you get the role of a clumsy idiot. Kraut: Worse, there are hundreds and hundreds of these. Pippin (muttering): Now that’s cheering. (sigh) And I did one single mistake… Eowyn: How about the palantir, then? Pippin: All right, two. The group once again was halted for there was a gap in the stairs. Legolas gracefully jumped the gap and turned back to the rest. "Gandalf," he called and held out his arms. The wizard jumped, his feet connecting with the stone, the elf's arms steadying him. Boromir took Merry and Pippin, one hobbit under each arm and jumped across. Aragorn grabbed Sam next, under the arms and threw him across. Boromir caught him. Aragorn then turned to Gimli, but the dwarf held up a hand, staying him. "No one tosses a dwarf," he growled, and then took a flying leap across the gap. Faramir: Hey, he had grown wings, too! He nearly didn't make it, teetering dangerously on the edge. Legolas reached out and grabbed the thick beard. "Not the beard!" Gimli screamed, but the elf hauled him forward using the think hair. Eowyn: His beard has thoughts? Pippin: Well, every single hair in his beard would be more intelligent and interesting than Kalan, in any case. Back on the other side, the stone began to crumble. Kalan pulled Frodo back and Aragorn just barely jumped backward to safety as the stairs fell away before them. Kalan saw their predicament and opened his wings once more and grasped Frodo under the arms. He glided over the chasm and dropped the hobbit into Boromir's waiting arms. Then he turned back for Aragorn. The man reached out and Kalan took his hands. As Aragorn jumped, Kalan pulled and swung the heavier man across the gap and onto the other side. Kraut: I think Aragorn could have crossed all by himself. At least, in the movies he did. Kalan cried out in pain and plummeted. Kraut: The 1st Anti-Aircraft Battery of the Orcs finally scored a hit. Pippin (as a random Orc): We're getting a medal, boys! Legolas just barely got hold of the boy before he went over the edge. Eowyn: Then he finally came to his senses and released his grasp. Pippin: And all lived happily ever after. An arrow stuck out of his shoulder, the black shaft deep into his flesh. Legolas grasped the shaft to pull it out, but Kalan's own hand stopped him. Faramir: As an archer, Legolas should know that’s not the way to remove an arrow. The youth shook his head and snapped off the end, leaving the head still embedded. "Go!" he said, grunting as he was pulled to his feet. More arrows showered down upon them as they ran. The Fellowship rounded a corner and heat blasted them. Gandalf hurried them along. "Quickly! Across the bridge!" he ordered. Indeed, the Bridge of Khazad-dum was there: a narrow strip of natural stone Eowyn: As opposed to factory-made stone. crossing a great, bottomless chasm. The hobbits crossed first, followed closely by Gimli, Boromir, Aragorn and Legolas. Kalan stayed, turning back to Gandalf, waiting for him. The wizard came to him and pushed the boy toward the bridge. "Go!" he cried. Pippin (as Gandalf): Get the hell out of here! It’s my turn to play a martyr! Kalan looked at him, pleadingly. The wizard's gaze met his own and his features softened, he shook his head. "Go," he said again. Kalan ran across the bridge, joining the others on the opposite side. He turned watching Gandalf come across as well, but the Wizard stopped, midway and turned back again. The heat blasted once more and a dark figure, huge and towering, appeared before the wizard. Flames covered the dark figure, giving it the image a huge flaming mountain. Faramir: Funny, I thought the Balrog was man-shaped, not a bloody volcano. Fiery, red eyes, hot as coals gleamed in the darkness, piercing Gandalf with their gaze. "You shall not pass!" Gandalf cried, holding aloft his staff and Glamdring. "I am a servant of the secret fire, yield under the flame of Arnor," he said in a powerful voice, but the others watched in horror as the balrog raised a huge flaming sword to strike the wizard. A dome of light formed over Gandalf as he spoke. Kraut: Oh, now he’s a saint, too! It’s a fast business with these canonizations nowadays. "Go back to the shadow, flame of Undun!" the balrog brought the sword down. "NO!" Kalan cried reaching out helplessly to his friend. Eowyn: Hey Stu, why don’t you just save him with your magic wings and super powers? The sword crashed down and broke against the bright dome, also breaking the magical shield. The balrog rose up to its full height and roared, a deep rumbling outcry that shook the very ground beneath them. It took a step onto the bridge, flames shooting up from where his foot connected with the stone. Pippin: Somebody needs to be told about foot hygiene. "You shall not pass!" Gandalf declared, striking his staff upon the stone, emitting a loud crack and a bright flash. The beast reared up and took another step forward, now bearing a long whip of flame. Kalan cried out to him. "Gandalf! Let me deal with it! I can!" he made as to go to the wizard, but Legolas's hand stopped him. Faramir (as Legolas): Everyone gets to be a hero in their turn. Yours passed already. As the balrog put its full weight on the bridge the stone cracked and broke. The balrog groaned as it fell into the darkness below. Gandalf let out a long breath and lowered his staff. The rest of the Fellowship sighed in relief. The wizard turned to face them; he looked tired and worn. Eowyn (as Gandalf): I think I need a holiday. Badly. He took a step forward but a flaming rope caught his ankle and he fell, grabbing onto the stone at th last minute. "Gandalf!" Frodo cried and would have run to the wizard if Boromir had not held him back. Kalan tried to as well, but was stopped by Legolas as the elf wrapped an arm around his waist. Pippin: And all conveniently forgot that Kalan could fly and thus fetch Gandalf out of the chasm. Arrows began to fly at them from the orcs along the walls. Gandalf struggled to get up, but he had no more strength in him. He caught Frodo's eye, then Kalan's. The wizard looked at them, his eyes sad, but his voice still held authority. "Fly you fools," and then he was gone. Kraut: As are we, soon. The chapter is over. Faramir: Thank Eru. (All exit.) |
|
"Ha! Wonnige Glut! Leuchtender Glanz! Strahlend nun offen steht mir die Straße. Im Feuer mich baden!" - Siegfried, Act Three, Scene Two. | |
![]() |
|
| Caranthol | Sep 29 2008, 10:22 PM Post #11 |
|
At Journey's End
|
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Chapter 11 Losing Hope (Losing Kalan as well?) Faramir: That would be more like regaining hope. "No!" Frodo screamed and struggled against Boromir's arms. The man hefted the hobbit up and turned, yelling at the others to get out. The orcs were gathering once more, shooting their arrows down at the group. Kalan stood there, unable to move. Shock, grief and pain were all mingled on his still glowing face. Kraut: And mixed and shaken until the cocktail was ready. "Kalan! Come on we must leave!" he faintly heard Aragorn's voice come to him, though he seemed miles away. The others were already up the stair, almost outside. Kalan's face changed, anger replaced shock, hate replaced grief, but the pain remained. He reached back to draw his sword once more, but a strong hand closed over his own. Eowyn (brightening up): It was the Balrog, come back to kill him! An arm snaked around his shoulders, turning him around. Legolas's face loomed before him. Eowyn: Damn! "You cannot help him now, Kalan. We must go, the quest still remains. Do as you said to Gimli: honor him with the success of this mission," gray-green eyes searched silver ones. The elf pulled the half- dragon along with him, arrows striking the stone behind them. Pippin: The Orcs could have used some archery training if they can’t hit a glowing, immobile target. Sunlight hit them full in the face Faramir (as the sunlight): Take that, punks! as the Fellowship stumbled out of Moria. Merry and Pippin had fallen to the ground together, Merry gently holding the other as sobs wracked his small frame. Pippin (indignantly): Hey, I wasn’t that soft! Merry wept too! Sam hid his face in his hands as he, too, wept. Boromir restrained Gimli who fought to return to the mines and fight the orcs single-handed. Legolas released the youth; the elf was grieved and distressed, but not willing to cry. Eowyn: Well, well, the macho disease have spread. Kalan, too, did not weep, yet he stumbled forth upon the rocks, looking this way and that. Frodo walked on his own, away from the group, tears streaming down his cheeks. Kalan watched the hobbit, a strange look on his face. Kraut (as Kalan, with a dirty smile): Time to offer him some ‘comfort’! Eowyn: Please, let it be! He then turned to look at the others, taking in all the emotions. Suddenly, a shudder ran through his body and the glow faded from his skin and hair. His head snapped back and he cried out softly in pain. He fell forward onto hands and knees. Pippin: Like a beast he was. The wings once more folded and shrank, drawing back into the boy's body. "Legolas, get them up," Aragorn's voice carried over the wind. He walked over the Sam and set the hobbit on his feet as the elf went to Merry and Pippin. Eowyn (sarcastically): Because the halflings were toddlers in need of help to walk. Boromir turned to the ranger in anger. Faramir: Hey, that rhymes! "Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" he cried, anguish on his face. Aragorn swept his arm out, motioning to the surrounding land. "By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs," he pointed out over the rocks to the south. "We must make for the woods of Lothlorien." Indeed a dense forest could be seen in the distance. Kraut: A dense forest? And that's it? How about the golden leaves and mist and stuff? Legolas raised the other two hobbits to their feet and Aragorn went after Frodo, calling him back. Hesitantly he did so, tears still falling slowly. Legolas looked around and caught sight of Kalan, still crouched on the ground, his body quivering. The elf jogged over to him, and gasped as he neared. A large pool of blood, red with a silvery hue, was gathering under the boy. His once glowing skin was deathly pale. Faramir: Finally we are rid of him! Yes! Eowyn: I’m not so sure… Kalan shook once more as the skin closed over the wings. "Aragorn!" Legolas called over his shoulder then he knelt beside the boy. Kalan shook uncontrollably, his hand going to his wounded shoulder. Eowyn: See? Faramir: Oh, crap! Legolas gently pulled his friend onto his side and back to lean against his own chest. Aragorn and the others had joined him, Kalan quivered, his silver eyes clouded over. Kraut: Mommy said that smoking pot could do that. Good that I believed her. Pippin: Nah, you need worse than drugs to become a Stu. Aragorn and Frodo knelt on either side of him; the hobbit took one of Kalan's hands between his own. Aragorn grasped the shaft of the offending arrow protruding from Kalan's right shoulder. "This will hurt," he said softly, Kalan nodded. Legolas gently had Kalan open his mouth and placed a piece of leather between his teeth. Eowyn: So they finally got enough of his stupid comments? Nice. Then he grasped the boy around his chest, just under the wound, he felt Kalan brace himself. With one quick, deft pull, Aragorn drew the arrow out of Kalan's shoulder. All: Ouch! Faramir: So even Aragorn has no clue? Kraut: How should it be done, then? Faramir: Push it through and pull it out head first. Otherwise it leaves an ugly, gaping wound. Kalan screamed through clenched teeth and the leather. Legolas tightened his hold around him, as did Frodo with Kalan's hand, trying to ease some of the pain. Aragorn pressed against the wound, this time with a thick leather glove. He studied the arrowhead for a few seconds before he threw it away. "Damn, its poisoned," he growled. Pippin: Well, what did you expect from Orcs? Disinfected arrows and swords, huh? Kalan spit out the leather and gasped in a huge breath. "Frodo, tear off a long piece of Kalan's cloak," ordered Aragorn, Frodo released Kalan's hand to do so. "Luckily, I have some athelas to counter the poison, but you still need healing, the arrow was inside too long," he drew out two leaves from his bag and chewed them in his mouth until they were a moist paste. Eowyn (as Kalan): Is that how athelas is used? Faramir (as Aragorn): No, this is gob. I need my nicotine dose. Eowyn (as Kalan): But how about my wound? Faramir (as Aragorn): First things first, kid. He drew Kalan's tunic down, revealing the ugly, bleeding wound. He pressed the mass to into the hole, causing Kalan to jerk in pain, but Legolas held him firmly. Aragorn took the strip of cloth from Frodo and tightly bound the herbs to the wound. Pippin: With his spit. Lovely. Kraut: Seems like he’s intent on causing Kalan a blood poisoning. Not that that it would be bad, but still… Kalan began to shake again and Frodo took his hand once more. He remembered all too clearly when he had been in this state, after being stabbed on Weathertop. Eowyn: Of which incident this is precisely the first mention. Faramir: Well, this happens in the Stuland. It’s not as important as the angsting of the Stu, you know. Kalan's hand felt cold and he rubbed the limp fingers, trying to bring life back into them. "He's lost too much blood, Aragorn, changing like that didn't help either," Legolas said softly in elvish. Aragorn nodded. "The elves in Lorien can help him, but we must move quickly," he answered, returning to common. Kraut: And we are expected to care about in which tongue they talk? Kalan' eyes cleared slightly and he struggled to rise. "We must go, the orcs - coming of night," he managed to gasp out. His strength failed him and he collapsed back against the elf. Pippin: Ah, finally he is silent! "He cant even stand, how is he supposed to run," said Legolas in a strained voice. He gently smoothed the dark hair away from Kalan's face, Eowyn (boredly): For the one thousand and sixty-first time. Faramir: Kalan, have you ever thought of wearing your hair short? Or of using pins? noticing then how warm his skin was, telling of the fever burning inside. Merry and Pippin watched, helpless and frightened as their new close friend squirmed in pain and moaned. Pippin: Boromir? He’s wounded, too? Kraut: No, Kalan. Pippin: He, a friend? Oh, please! Kalan coughed and once again tried to rise. "Yes - yes I can, I must." he fell once more against Legolas, the elf tried to hush him, gently stroking his hair. Eowyn: For the one thousandth and sixty-second time. "Strap him to my back," Boromir stepped forward, "he is not too heavy, 'tis the least I can do to repay him for everything he has done." He looked down kindly at the quivering youth, Faramir (as Boromir): Now he’s at my mercy! He will pay for his disrespect in the Council! Mwahahahaha! Eowyn (as Gimli): Don’t forget that I also have a score to settle. no longer the strong half- dragon, just Kalan, hurt and exhausted. Aragorn nodded and Boromir knelt, his back facing Kalan. With the help of Legolas, Aragorn made a sort of harness out of their rope. Pippin: Actually we hadn’t one. Read the damn book, Sylver-Star! Ignoring Kalan's weak protests, they tied him into it, and then strapped him to Boromir's strong back. "You don't have to," Kalan whispered into the man's ear. Kraut (as Boromir): Now that you mention it, I really don’t. (Imitates dumping Kalan to ground.) Bye! Boromir brought Kalan's arms around his shoulders and stood as if the youth weighed next to nothing. Then he whispered back. "Yes I do, friends don't leave each other behind, Eowyn: Friends don’t threaten each other with knives, either. So what’s the problem in leaving that freak to Orcs? Kraut: That would be pretty practical, too. With the food poisoning from eating Kalan, they never could follow the Fellowship. now hush," he said as they began to walk swiftly. Kalan had little choice in the matter, for he fainted, his head lolling against Boromir's muscled shoulder. Faramir: Well, at least my brother gets some exercise. Not that he needs it much, but every little helps. (All exit.) |
|
"Ha! Wonnige Glut! Leuchtender Glanz! Strahlend nun offen steht mir die Straße. Im Feuer mich baden!" - Siegfried, Act Three, Scene Two. | |
![]() |
|
| Caranthol | Sep 30 2008, 12:56 PM Post #12 |
|
At Journey's End
|
Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Chapter 12 In Lorien: Kalan's Healing Swiftly, the Fellowship crossed a field and entered into the Golden Wood. Aragorn led, followed closely by Legolas. Beside the elf were Merry and Pippin, close together and wary. Behind them came Boromir carrying the unconscious Kalan on his back. The man shifted the weight slightly, trying not to jostle the youth too much. But even that small movement caused the boy to moan in pain. Eowyn: I have a suggestion. Knock him cold! He felt the boy's warm breath against his neck, coming in short, and shaky gasps. Boromir glanced over his shoulder at Kalan's face. He was sweating; his skin pale, he felt the smaller body shiver against his own. Gimli followed with Sam and Frodo, herding the hobbits close. Faramir (laughing): So the hobbits are now sheep? Pippin: And Gimli is the shepherd’s dog! He spoke in a low, cautious voice. "Stay close young hobbits, they say a great sorceress dwells in these woods, an elf witch, of terrible power," the dwarf hefted his great axe. "They say, any who look upon her fall under her spell," he growled. Sam glanced at Frodo who looked back at him, each a bit nervous. Gimli walked on, looking this way and that, mumbling under his breath, "Well, here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox," and stopped dead in his tracks. Kraut: Now that was fast! Did he have a heart attack or what? An arrow, no two, were mere inches from the dwarf’s nose. The others froze as well, as they found themselves in a similar situation. Eowyn: I never knew arrows could act like a freezer. Dozens of sharp arrows appeared from out of the foliage. No one moved or spoke. They were surrounded on all sides by armed elves. From behind a tree, stepped one, a tall elf with long blonde hair. He strode toward the Fellowship. "The dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark," he said softly, a hint of amusement in his voice. Faramir (as Haldir): Duh-huh, let’s joke about the dwarf. I mean, he’s so ugly, duh-huh-huh! They heard Gimli growl but he said naught. Aragorn looked up at the elf and spoke to him in elvish. "Haldir of Lorien," he said getting the elf's attention, "we have traveled far, on a quest from Rivendell. We ask for you protection." The named Haldir looked at Aragorn, but said nothing. "Aragorn," called Gimli, "these woods are perilous, we should go back," a hint of fear creeping into his voice. Kraut: Dwarves are not cowards! Haldir looked at each of the company in turn. "You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood, you cannot go back," he said in his soft voice. "We must go one, Gimli," Aragorn called back, and then turned to Haldir again. "One of our party is injured, maybe dying, he is in need of healing," he motioned to where Boromir stood with Kalan. Haldir approached the man who watched him warily. The elf reached out and the man reached for his sword, trying to protect his quivering burden. Eowyn: Hey, Boromir, if Aragorn knows him he should be all right. No need to overreact. Haldir met his gaze, looking at him calmly. "I wish no harm upon him," he said and surprisingly, Boromir relaxed. Faramir: I would have thought Boromir was more interested in if Haldir wished harm upon him, not Kalan. Haldir reached over Boromir's shoulder, gently cupping Kalan's cheek, raising the boy's head. "I know this one, he is Elvellon, elf- friend," Kraut: So he’s a celebrity? I should have known that. he gently rested Kalan's head back down. "Follow us, the Lord and Lady are waiting," then he turned to walk into the forest. The arrows left, but the group was ushered along by the other elves. Kalan moaned softly, his brow creased, pain evident on his young face. Boromir gently squeezed his arm, trying to reassure him. Pippin: Squeezing a wounded arm is more likely to hurt. Before the Fellowship, stood a tall male elf and to his left was the most beautiful elfess any of them had ever seen. All: Elfess? Eowyn: That would like be calling a woman a ‘manness’. Faramir: Sylver, there’s a nice word in Sindarin. Elleth, e-l-l-e-t-h. Her long golden hair fell past her waist; she was dressed in the purest of white lace and silk, and a golden band encircled her head. The elf beside her stood tall and proud, his piercing gaze looking at each of them. Legolas had whispered to them that they were Celeborn and Galadriel, Lord and Lady of the Lothlorien. Pippin (confused): Already? But how about the trip through Lorien, and Caras Galadhon, and…? Kraut (deadpan): This author’s knack for detail and setting a scene is amazing. "Nine there are before me, yet ten there were sent out from Rivendell," he paused, watching them. "Tell me, where is Gandalf for I much desire to speak with him," he asked. Eowyn: Sorry, Celeborn, he escaped this crappy fic already. No one answered him. Galadriel's eyes looked into Aragorn's. "He has fallen into shadow," she spoke softly. Aragorn nodded. "The quest stands upon the edge of a knife, stray but a little and it will fail, to the ruin of all," her eyes straying to Boromir, who hurriedly looked away. Kraut: I wonder when he starts to be evil. No Suethor can resist writing that. She moved on, looking upon Sam, "But hope still remains if the company is true," she smiled slightly and caused the young hobbit to blush. "You may rest here, these woods are well protected. You are weary with sorrow and much toil," she said kindly. Aragorn took a step forward. "Lady Galadriel, Lord Celeborn, one of our part is injured and in great need of healing," he said. Faramir (snorts): More like in need of euthanasy. Celeborn looked at Boromir and the shaking form he bore. "Bring him forth," he said. Boromir walked forward and with the help of Haldir and Aragorn, released Kalan from the harness. Kalan remained unconscious but groaned softly in pain as he was moved. Eowyn: Just so that he surely would be the centre of attention. He took no chances on that. Frodo winced and fidgeted, wanting desperately to go to his friend's side. Kalan was gently laid on the cool stone, his head pillowed in Haldir's lap. Both Galadriel and Celeborn knelt at his side, studying the boy before them. "I have seen this one before, he Elvellon, a dragon's son, saved by Lord Elrond of Rivendell," Kraut (as Celeborn): Now, I always have said Elrond hasn’t all bricks in his wall. said Celeborn, the elf looked up at Aragorn. "You must leave him with us tonight, we shall strive to save him," Pippin (as Celeborn): Actually, when the night comes, we’ll just toss him into the river… Oops! Did I say that aloud? the man nodded and turned away, an elf lead the Fellowship to where they could rest. Frodo remained behind, wringing his hands anxiously as he watched the elves gather around Kalan's prone form. Faramir: Oh, Frodo, come on! Stop the damn worrying and go to sleep! If they patch him up, it’s all fine and well, if they don’t, you have no reason to be depressed. Galadriel looked up at the hobbit, watching him with kind eyes. "Go and rest, Frodo Baggins, your friend will live and your fears are unfound," she smiled. Frodo looked down at Kalan once more then nodded and scampered off after his friends. Eowyn: Not very dignified word to use of the Ring-Bearer, I must say. Celeborn rested his hand against Kalan's forehead; gently smoothing back the youth's damp hair. Eowyn: For the one thousand and sixty-third time. Kraut: I guess Sylver copypastes that phrase and inserts it in random places. Galadriel had moved off to collect some things that would help heal the young half-dragon. The elf lord looked sadly into the young face. Pippin (as Celeborn): Why, oh why, am I trapped in this ridiculous ‘story’? One of the other elves had brought a bowl of cool water and a soft white cloth and placed them beside Celeborn. He dipped the cloth into the water, and then wrung it out. He used this to gently wipe Kalan's face, cleaning the sweat, blood and dirt from his skin. He opened the youth's tunic and slowly unwound the bandages around Kalan's shoulder revealing the ugly, deep wound. Faramir: Which was all the uglier and deeper from Aragorn’s bungling. Had it not been for the poison, the dragonling could have healed himself, this Celeborn knew. Also the time spent in the darkness had sapped his strength. Eowyn: Really? It did not seem so when he fried the Orcs and slew the troll. The skin around was red and hot to the touch, the strange blood still seeped from the hole. Because they were elves, their power protected them from being burnt by the dragon blood. Kraut: Or asbestos skin, rather. Celeborn took a new cloth and dampened it. Gently, he touched it to the wound, cleaning it. Kalan jerked, and squirmed to get away from the cold touch. Celeborn held him gently, but firmly, murmuring soothing words in elvish to the boy. "He is very far gone," said Haldir, upon whose lap rested Kalan's head. Faramir (as Haldir, drawing his knife): Let us help him go all the way. The elf cooled the dragonling's forehead using another cloth, trying to calm the raging fever. Celeborn did not stop his ministrations, but answered. "That he is, but not far enough that our power cannot save him," he said. Eowyn: It’s not the question of being able to, Celeborn. But do you really want to save him? Kalan winced again, his face contorted in pain; a small whimper escaped his lips. Haldir gently stroked the dark waves, soothingly. "It is hard not to think of him as young, his body is no older than that of a human youth, eighteen years at the most. Pippin: Huh? What had he been then those, well, two thousand years? An unembodied spirit? Kraut: That would make that beating of him quite a feat. Those robe-guys were obviously master exorcists. However, he has seen nearly two thousand years," he said. Celeborn smiled. "But to elves such as us, he is young. Compared to us, he is a mere child," he responded. Faramir: Wrong. Compared to some, he is. Compared to some, he isn’t. And two thousand years is respectable enough for any elf. Haldir nodded. Galadriel returned and knelt beside her husband. She held two crystal phials, one holding a clear sparkling liquid, the other a cloudy mixture. Kraut (as Galadriel): Time for a drink! Vodka or Jägermeister, honey? Celeborn looked over at her. Eowyn (as Celeborn): Vodka, and make it double. I think I need it. "You think the Light is needed?" he asked in surprise. The elfess nodded. "Not only is he grievously wounded and the dark poison in his blood, Faramir: I take it that means his parentage. but his Light has diminished. The darkness has sapped him of his strength and there is not enough natural light here to restore him," Pippin: Then wait for the dawn. Simple enough, eh? she opened the phial with the clear liquid. Upon doing this, a bright light shot forth, almost blindingly. "Earendill's light is the only Light able to save him." Eowyn: Too bad Eärendil hates dragons. She reached out and slowly dripped the liquid-light into the wound. Kraut: Wow, that’s totally a new use for the Phial of Galadriel! Kalan jerked, trying to pull away but Haldir held him still. The light was swiftly absorbed into the wound and the redness disappeared. The wound began to close, until it was only a dark scar. Almost instantly, Kalan's skin lost its pallid look and regained some of its usual glow. Faramir: The oldest trick in the book: Make the main hero grievously wounded, then heal him miraculously. Eowyn: If Galadriel can do that, why didn’t she heal hear daughter like this, too? Celebrian had a poisoned wound, too. Pippin: Never mind her daughter, it is Kalan who is important, savvy? Galadriel restopped the phial and took the other. Kraut (as Galadriel): Well, I think I’ll drink the Jägermeister now. Haldir lifted the boy's head and opened his lips. Galadriel slowly poured the mixture into Kalan's mouth, the youth swallowed reflexively. Faramir (with regret): Such a waste of good booze. After he finished off the whole thing, Haldir laid his had back down. "That will help him to sleep and work away the poison," she said. Celeborn nodded, as did the Guardian. All: Who? Eowyn: The Guardian? Haldir? Kraut: Well, at least he isn’t ‘The March-Warden’ this time. "He has an important to play, however, what his outcome will be, I cannot tell," Faramir: A complete disaster, I’ll wager. she rose, followed by Celeborn. "Take him back to his fellows, where he can rest this night," she said to Haldir, and then she and her lord turned and walked away. Haldir watched as they left, then looked down at the youthful face. Pippin: And gently wiped the dark hair from his brow. Again. The lines of pain had been smoothed away and Kalan was sleeping peacefully under the power of Earendill. Haldir rested a hand on the boy's forehead, the fever had gone and he was no longer sweating. The boy stirred under his hand, and slowly blinked his silver eyes open. He focused on the elf above him. "Legolas?" he whispered, Eowyn: He still has problems to recognize people, it seems. Faramir: To say the truth, sometimes even I have difficulty in telling Elves apart from each other. They almost all have dark hair and grey eyes, after all. the elf smiled. "No, I am Haldir of Lorien, Guardian of the Wood. Pippin: Except that there is no need for capitals. He was nobody special, at least not any boss or such. You are in Lothlorien, young Kalan," he said in a soft voice. "Oh," Kalan paused, his eyes drifting shut once more. Haldir began to think the child Kraut: What child? Come on, he is two thousand years old and has had a wife and almost a kid, too. A CHILD? had fallen asleep again, but the eyes opened once more, his brows furrowed in worry. "The others…are they alright?" he asked in a raspy voice. He tried to rise but the movement caused his body to convulse in a fit of coughing. Haldir restrained him by holding the younger one down. Faramir: Except that Haldir’s age is nowhere stated. After the fit had passed, the elf answered. "Your friends are safe, they rest not far from here, as you should. Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn were able to save your life, but just barely," he stroked the youth's head, Eowyn: I already wondered when would be the next time. trying to sooth him back to sleep. "You must sleep now, Kalan, regain your strength, you are no use to them if you are not well," Pippin: Not that he would be of great use in any case, if he’s that weak in the dark. Mordor is not exactly a sunny holiday resort. he said, mildly amused. Kalan said nothing, but his eyelids drooped and his body relaxed. He tried to say something more but Haldir hushed him with slender fingers over the boy's lips. "Hush now, don't argue," ordered the elf and passed a hand over Kalan's face. Eowyn: This sounds like he was Kalan’s lover, not his nurse. Faramir: I hope it is not so. When he removed it, the youth was deep in slumber. Haldir lifted the smaller form in his strong arms and carried him to where the Fellowship was resting. Kraut: Because for all their wisdom and lore, the Eldar hadn’t bothered to invent stretchers. The elves of Lorien had set up small couches and blankets for the Fellowship, one for each other them. Food and drink had been brought and now they rested in solemn silence with each other. In the distance, they could hear elves singing, their fair voices holding an almost unbearable sorrow. Legolas listened intently, as did Aragorn, the two being the only ones fluent in elvish. Once in a while the others picked out 'Mithrandir', which was Gandalf's name the elves gave him. "What do they say about him?" asked Merry softly to Legolas. Pippin (as Legolas): “He was a jolly old fellow, maybe he died, but it was one hell of a show.” Thus sing the Elves of Lórien now and in years to come. The elf's eyes turned to the hobbit. "I do not have the heart to tell you, for me the grief is still too near," he said sadly, and then turned away. But he quickly turned back, looking beyond the group as his keen elven hearing pricked. He quickly stood and ran. Faramir (as Legolas): Oh, no, they are bearing Kalan here! I must get out and quick! The others turned, confused, but then swiftly joined him when they saw Haldir walking toward them, Kalan in his arms. The elf shifted the youth in his arms, resting the dark head more comfortably on his shoulder. He walked over to one of the plush couches and gently laid his burden down. The Fellowship gathered around and all asked questions at once. Pippin: What is two plus two? Kraut: What is the latitude of Berlin? Eowyn: What were the years of the reign of King Helm? Faramir: Why did the chicken cross the road? The elf was overwhelmed, but Legolas came to his rescue. "Hush, all of you!" he commanded in a strong, yet quiet voice. "Lest you wake Kalan," he then nodded to Haldir. "Your friend will live, he has been healed by the power of the Lord and Lady. However, he will need this night to fully recover," he said to them. Then nodded to Aragorn and Legolas, he left them. Frodo knelt beside Kalan and gently pulled back the bloodstained tunic. Pippin: Funny, they healed him, but didn’t even bother to search for clean clothes for him. Kraut: Maybe they came to their senses. To his surprise, the wound was indeed healed, only a scar remained, but it still looked painful. Eowyn: I don’t see the point of using such fancy things if they couldn’t even heal him completely. Frodo brushed a few stray hairs from Kalan's face, Eowyn (slaps her forehead): For the one thousandth and sixty-fourth time. Faramir (exasperately): Why must everyone pet him all the time? He isn’t a kitten or a puppy. pressing his hand against his cheek and forehead. "His fever is gone!" he said jubilantly. The others smiled. "Thank the Valar," murmured Legolas, Aragorn nodded. Kalan's eyelids twitched and he stirred. Slowly blinking his eyes open he focused on Frodo's smiling face. "Oh, hi Frodo," Kraut: Wouldn’t they use a more formal greeting in Middle-Earth, or am I much mistaken? Pippin: You aren’t. “Hi” definitely doesn’t belong to our vocabulary. he said in a soft, sleepy voice. Frodo's smile widened. The others behind him murmured amongst themselves, relief in their voices. "Oh, Kalan I am so glad you're alright. We were worried that we would lose you," said the hobbit. Kalan smiled weakly. "Aw, hey. You should know it takes more than a few thousand orcs to kill a dragon, besides, where would you be with out me here, hm?" Faramir (as Frodo): Safely on our way, without the hindrance you mean to us. he said with a lopsided smile. Aragorn laughed out loud and the three other hobbits giggled. Eowyn (boredly): I am dying of laughter. What a jester you are, Kalan! "You're right, Kalan," said Frodo, but then he became serious, "But you still need to rest, Haldir said you're not completely well yet." Kalan nodded. Pippin (as Kalan): I should know that, Sherlock. It is me who is hurt, savvy? "Whatever you say, hobbit," said the youth, though he was already falling back asleep, "G'night, Frodo," he said before drifting off. Kraut (hopefully): So they did toss him into the river? Frodo smiled and brushed through Kalan's hair affectionately. (Deep breaths from the audience.) Faramir (slowly, to himself): Do. Not. Get. Angry. Do. Not. Get. Angry. Eowyn (wiping her forehead): I will not bother even to count anymore. "Good night, Kalan," he whispered and they went to their own beds. Pippin: As do I, just this instant. I need rest after this. Kraut: Me too. Only I fear I’ll get nightmares. (All exit.) |
|
"Ha! Wonnige Glut! Leuchtender Glanz! Strahlend nun offen steht mir die Straße. Im Feuer mich baden!" - Siegfried, Act Three, Scene Two. | |
![]() |
|
| Caranthol | Sep 30 2008, 07:55 PM Post #13 |
|
At Journey's End
|
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Chapter 13 The Road Forward: The Fellowship is Sundered "Here, turn your foot like this and hold your sword up higher. That's it! Now lets try it again," there was a clash of swords, not heavy like a battle, but light: someone was holding back. Kalan stirred, his eyes twitched. Sunlight speckled his face through the trees. He yawned and blinked his eyes open. 'Well, that was the best sleep I've had in a long while," he thought. By the looks of it, he was still in Lothlorien, the huge golden trees reaching up to the heavens. Pippin: Actually, we were in a tent, not under the bare sky. Faramir: Maybe the finances of Galadriel and Celeborn were so low they couldn’t afford even a tent for their guests. Hell, they didn’t have even stretchers, remember? He turned his head to the right, trying to find the source of the commotion. There, in a clearing, was Boromir; with him was Merry and Pippin. Eowyn: Sylver seems to think they are the one and same person. Kraut: It’s the Suethor disease, lady. The hobbits are all alike. The man seemed to be giving the hobbits lessons in sword fighting. By the looks of it, he was holding back a great deal, Faramir: Well, the purpose of exercise is not to kill. At least I have always seen it so. the smaller participants waving and slashing Kraut (coughs because of a fit of laughter.) The others: Huh? Kraut: Nothing. their long knives around unskillfully. They then came up with the idea to attack the man together. The halflings rushed Boromir, Pippin kicking him hard in the shin. Boromir cried out in surprise and hopped on one foot. While he was off balance, they tackled him together, pinning to the ground. "For the Shire!" they called. Then they all laughed together. Aragorn stood off to one side watching, he too chuckled at their antics. Kalan sat up, using his left arm, swinging his legs off the couch. Eowyn: And the laughter of the others died on their lips, when they realized he was still with them. Slowly and carefully he stood, stretching his neck and back. Cautiously, he probed his wounded shoulder, then stretched his arms when he was satisfied that he wouldn't do any more damage. "A! Kaime vanime moren-lai, yallume!"1 a light voice said from behind him, laughing. Kalan smiled and turned. "Legolas," he said, "Lle tela lakwenien?"2 Pippin: TRANSLATIONS! And now, not in the end of the chapter! the elf grinned and they clasped each other in warm embrace. Kraut: And kissed each other. Faramir: It definitely sounds like that. "Gildae," said Legolas softly, "Lle nessa amada. Amin nae dele ten' lle," he said, holding him tighter. Kalan flinched, a slight pain in his shoulder. Legolas felt it and immediately released him. "Gildae, amin hireatha! I forgot." he started; Kalan waved it off, playfully tugging one of the blonde braids. Eowyn (as Kalan, little kid-voice): Neener, neener, I pull your hair and you can’t do anything back! Or I tell mommy you bully me! "N'dele no'ta, mellamin. 'Tis only a little pain," he smiled. Legolas nodded. "Kalan!" was the only warning he had before a small, overjoyed bundle of laughing hobbit knocked him back onto the couch. Pippin: Because Boromir was finally fed up and threw the nearest object at Kalan. "Oof! Well, it’s good to see you, too, Frodo," Kalan laughed. The halfling hugged him fiercely, before standing again. Kraut: Newsflash: Frodo was fifty, not five! Faramir: Yes, one could expect a more restrained behaviour from a middle-aged gentleman. "Sorry, Kalan. Its just do good to see you awake and well again," he said, grinning from ear to ear. Eowyn: Obviously it made so good that Frodo relapsed into a complete retard. Kalan laughed and levered himself back to his feet. By now, the others of the Fellowship had come together. There were many smiles and arm clasps among them. Pippin: They were secret signs as to when they should mob Kalan and stab him to death. Merry and Pippin grinned and latched themselves onto the half-dragon, hugging him fiercely. Faramir: Sylver, ‘fiercely’ is not the only adverb in the English language. How about ‘enthusiastically’, ‘warmly’ or ‘tightly’? The hobbits had become quite fond of Kalan through their journey and felt no shame in showing their affection. Kalan, however, blushed an amazing shade of red and patted them both stiffly on their heads. Pippin (enraged): I swear I’ll beat this author up! Eowyn (as Kalan): Merry and Pippin, down! Good puppies! He quickly unwound their arms from around himself, and stood back, not meeting anyone's eyes. In doing so he did not see Aragon and Legolas exchange a knowing look. Kraut (as Aragorn): Now is the moment. Faramir (as Legolas): I’ll hold his arms and you’ll run him through! Agreed? "You want something to eat?" asked Legolas, causing Kalan to look up, startled. "I don't need." he started, thinking they had forgotten. "I know you don't need food," said the elf, cutting him off, "but it might help to have something in your stomach. There is plenty here in Lorien, so you don't need to worry about the rest of us having enough." He smiled, crossing his arms and tossing his long hair over his shoulder, "I don't think even dragons can go forever without food," Eowyn: Indeed they can’t. Only the Valar and Maiar can. Or why would have Smaug bothered to hunt those ponies near Erebor, for instance? he added with a devilish look in his eyes. Pippin: Seems like he was planning to play a dirty trick on Kalan, or something. Kalan sighed, defeated. "Alright, alright. You win, I'll eat something if it will stop you mother-hens from nagging me to death!" They laughed. "Gandalf's really dead, isn't he?" said Frodo. Kraut: You saw him plunge to death, you idiot! How much more proof can you possibly need? He and Kalan sat together at the edge of a small pool of water. Kalan absently munched on a bit of elven sweet bread. He looked over at his small companion, studying the hobbit's expression. He thought a moment before answering. "Gandalf was a great being, an extraordinary wizard and a faithful friend. His physical self may be gone from this world, but his spirit, Frodo," he put a hand on the hobbit's shoulder. "His spirit lives on. In what we do, in the success of this quest and in just our very living. Eowyn (with an impatient gesture): Oh, leave that tea-table philosophy be! If that is meant to be soothing, it fails. He lives on in us, Frodo, in here," Faramir: Actually, even if he really had 'died', he’d live in the Halls of Mandos or elsewhere in Valinor. Kraut: As if Sylver knows what Valinor is... he tapped Frodo's head, "and here," he placed his hand on Frodo's chest, over his heart. Pippin (snorts): Like he was talking to a three-year-old. "Don't dwell on his death, Frodo, he wouldn't want you to. Instead, think of how he was, the memories you have of him in life. The times you spent together in the Shire, its how he would want to be remembered, Frodo," he clasped his friends shoulder. Frodo looked up at Kalan, his eyes sad but no longer holding the unbearable agony of loss. He smiled slightly, and then leaned forward to be embraced by the half-dragon, his friend. Kraut: The Super-Stu struck again! First he’s like a second Jesus and an unbeatable warrior and now he’s a therapist. Please, Sylver, underestimate our intelligence still a bit more! Later that day, the Fellowship left Lorien by way of three small boats. They had said their farewells to the elves and received their respective gifts from Galadriel. Faramir: And obviously there’s no need to describe those gifts, not even the Phial given to Frodo. Eowyn: Seems Sylver-Star couldn’t make up a gift for Kalan that would have been more important than that. Kalan bowed and touched his foreheads, then his lips with his fingers in an old elven farewell and thanks. Galadriel and Celeborn both nodded a secret smile on both of their lips. The boats left the Golden Wood by a tributary. Aragorn rowing the first with Sam and Frodo, then Boromir with Merry and Pippin. Legolas worked the oar Pippin: It was a paddle, miss. There's a difference. with Kalan and Gimli in his boat. Kalan turned to Legolas. "Don't think that you are going to row the whole way," he said, warningly, "I'm well enough to do that, at least," Gimli nodded. "And I, elf," he said gruffly. Legolas smiled and nodded to them. They finally came to the Great River, the current moving them even faster. When night came, they landed the boats on the western shore and camped there. One day, and another night passed this way. It was the third day that the Fellowship passed under the Argonath of Gondor. Kraut: Nine days, Sylver, nine. Faramir: Read. The. Damn. Book. It’s not that hard, is it? "Long have I desired to look up on the kings of old," murmured Aragorn, "Isildur and Anarion, my kin." Everyone looked up in awe at the great stone giants, their arms outstretched, a warning to all intruders with evil in their hearts. The boats were rowed to the western shore once more. They were beached and their supplies were carried out. Faramir: A grammar tip: Tasks are carried out, supplies taken out. "We'll cross the lake at nightfall, hide the boats and continue on foot," said Aragorn, keeping with his role as leader. "We approach Mordor from the north," all thought this was a good idea, except Gimli, who proceeded to argue with the ranger in his choice of routes. Eowyn: This is complete crap! They hadn’t even decided yet if they should go to Minas Tirith or attempt Mordor straight away. Pippin: Plus, why on earth would Gimli gainsay Aragorn? He didn’t even know the lands around! Kraut: Suethor rule. Gimli has to be the difficult and stupid one. Kalan shook his head and ignored them knowing Aragorn would win in the end. His sharp eyes caught sight of Frodo, sitting alone, in silence. "Frodo? What is wrong? You haven't said more than a word or two since Lorien," he asked softly. Frodo looked up at him with sad eyes. Pippin: Maybe that’s because the author has entirely ignored the incidents with Gollum, the Orc archers and the Winged Messenger. Eowyn: At least Kalan didn’t get those opportunities to show off. "I am torn, Kalan. I know Boromir and some of Aragorn wants me to take the Ring to Gondor, and help them fight Sauron's armies. Faramir: Well, Boromir never put that exactly so, but… But I know in my heart that that the Ring must go to Mordor and be destroyed in Mount Doom. Eowyn: That was never questioned, Frodo, only the route was. (A pause) Do I really have to remind the main character how he should act in his own story? Pippin: No. Only, in this version Frodo is just a necessary evil. However, I fear to go there and fear for the rest of us if they come with me," he looked down again. "Well, Frodo, no one can make this decision for you. You are the Ringbearer, only you can choose what to do with the Ring. However, know this: which ever way you choose, I would follow you and so would Aragorn or anyone else here for that matter," he looked down at the hobbit kindly. Pippin: And that was precisely what troubled him. He didn’t want to endanger anybody else. What part of that don’t you understand, Sylver-Star? Frodo nodded. "I will think on this, but I wish to be alone for one hour. Then I will make my decision," he said. Kalan nodded, understanding. "Alright, but don't stray far, I will tell Aragorn of this," he stood and helped Frodo to his feet. Kalan smiled down at his small friend and watched the hobbit go off into the forest. Then he went to tell the others. Kraut: Who surely weren’t too pleased. The hour passed and then some. Kalan began to worry. Also, Boromir was now missing, this worried Kalan even more. Lately, the man had been eyeing the Ring with a hungry eye; he knew it was calling to him. He feared what the man would do if the Ring took him, how far would he go? Faramir: And that is mentioned only now? Eowyn: It’s like Sylver had forgotten the whole Ring for a while. "Its been over an hour, I am going to look for Frodo," he said to Aragorn softly, not wanting to worry the others. Unfortunately, Sam had been near enough to hear. "Mr. Frodo is missing?" he asked, his eyes wide. Before anyone could stop him, the hobbit dashed off into the forest calling Frodo's name. (A silence.) Pippin: Where do I start? First, Sam was the one to discover Boromir’s absence. Second, it was only after he had returned that they searched for Frodo. Kraut: Thirdly, this makes Sam seem a complete, panicking idiot. He discovered Frodo was gone only when Kalan said that? You must be kidding, goddamn! "Damn!" Kalan cursed. Merry and Pippin also ran in another direction, calling out for Frodo. "Double damn!" he swung his fist into a tree, cracking the bark off, cutting his knuckles. Faramir: Kalan, violence is not the answer for every situation. Eowyn: Yep, brains are better than brawn. Not that I expect you to possess any brain. "I'll go after Sam, if I find him we will look for Frodo together, meet back here," said Aragorn and went after the hobbit. It was then that Boromir reappeared. "Where have you been? Have you seen Frodo?" asked Kalan in an angry voice. "I have seen him. I tried to convince him to come with me to Gondor," he answered in a small voice, his eyes downcast. Pippin: If he wrings his hands, I’ll laugh. Kraut: A small voice? Sylver, he was a man burdened by heavy grief, not a schoolboy having caught stealing apples. "You what?" cried Kalan. "Damn you, Boromir! Your foolishness may bring about the downfall of us all!" the half-dragon grasped the man's tunic and pulled him around to face him. "You and I will go after Merry and Pippin and guard them. If anything happens to them or Frodo, by the Valar, I'll kill you myself!" and he shoved Boromir in the direction the two hobbits had gone. Faramir: Knowing my brother, I don’t think he was in the mood to let a treatment like that without resistance, guilty or not. Valar, he would have gutted Kalan where he stood! He turned to Legolas and Gimli. "Find Aragorn, guard him, Eowyn (dryly): ‘cause he’s so helpless, as all know. even if you don't find Frodo, he still has a part to play," and dashed off with Boromir. Legolas looked at Gimli who shrugged. They followed after Aragorn. "We will never be able to find them!" cried Boromir as he and Kalan ran through the forest, looking for Merry and Pippin. "Yes we will, they passed this way," he called back. Boromir knew better than to ask how he knew. Kalan ran along, swift and surefooted as any elf. He sniffed the air, following the hobbits' scent of pipeweed. Kraut: His scent, another thing that has not been even mentioned before. Isn’t it convenient how the author makes up new powers for him as the situation requires? Pippin: Yep. And I don’t think we ran with pipes in our mouths. A sudden waft of foulness met his nose and made him reel back. Boromir caught him. "What is it?" he asked. Kalan shook his head to clear it. "Orcs," he answered and ran faster. They came over a ridge and were met by a frightful sight. Hundreds of orcs milling about. Most were running toward something, Kalan followed their path with his eyes. "No!" he cried. Merry and Pippin were trapped between two parties of oncoming orcs. The small hobbits held their elven knives Faramir: Knives of Dunedain, rather. Sylver, do you really know absolutely nothing? out in front of them in quivering hands. An orc charged them with a huge battle-axe. Boromir passed Kalan and was coming in from the side. The man caught the axe as it fell, using the orc's momentum and stabbed it in the gut with the axe. Eowyn: A sword would have been more convenient, perhaps. Kalan took two knives out of his boots and threw them with great precision. They struck two orcs through their throats. Drawing his sword and joined Boromir. "Get back! Get behind me!" he cried, pushing the little ones back. Pippin: Such a great cover, if the Orcs are everywhere around. The man and half-dragon fought back the hordes of orcs, but they were sorely outnumbered. "Boromir! Your horn!" cried as he slashed off an orc's head. Kraut: I really think he would have remembered that even without reminder, Kalan. The man nodded and reached for his ivory horn, Faramir: Which actually was made of the horn of the kine of Araw, not ivory. Sylver, if you don’t know for sure, leave it unclear, or do some damned research! It won’t hurt you. raising it to his lips. It blew a piercing, clear note into the air. Not far off Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli fought their own battle with the orcs. The elf loosed many arrows, his aim true; the dwarf also had felled his share of the enemy with his axe. The elf saved Aragorn from a gruesome end by placing an arrow into the orc's back without piercing the man it held in its grasp. Faramir: Actually it’s nearly impossible to do that at so close a distance. Nobody can assess the strength of his bowshot that well. Pippin: Ah, but you forget this is the Stuland Legolas. Eowyn: Or he stabbed the Orc with the arrow. Not that would make sense, but still. Suddenly the sound of a horn came to them on the wind. "The Horn of Gondor!" exclaimed Legolas, Aragorn's eyes went wide. "Boromir!" and they took off toward the sound. 1 "Ah! Sleeping Beauty wakes up at last!" 2 "Are you finished joking?" Eowyn: Yes, we are, at least for today. (All exit.) |
|
"Ha! Wonnige Glut! Leuchtender Glanz! Strahlend nun offen steht mir die Straße. Im Feuer mich baden!" - Siegfried, Act Three, Scene Two. | |
![]() |
|
| Caranthol | Sep 30 2008, 10:22 PM Post #14 |
|
At Journey's End
|
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Chapter 14 Finale: Paths of Darkness Unknown Faramir: Ooh, spooky! Kalan and Boromir were being swarmed by the orcs. Kalan had managed to protect the hobbits but received an ugly gash from his shoulder to elbow. Eowyn: Again? By now his bloody arm should be one big scar. He also was bleeding from a crack in his head where he had taken a blow meant for Merry. Kraut (as a preschool teacher): Kids, don’t put your heads in the way of swinging blunt objects. It isn’t healthy. Boromir blew the horn once more, but was forced to put it down as an orc attacked. He was able to fight off that one; he struck it through the side. Pippin: About time! Up to now Kalan has run the show alone. There was a whistling sound and Boromir jerked, crying out in pain. Kalan turned at his cry, the man had been struck in the chest by an orc arrow. "Boromir!" Kalan called and tried to find a way to end his fight and get to him. Eowyn: Too bad the Orcs didn’t want to end the fight. Boromir blinked, still in shock but the adrenaline pumping in his veins kept the pain at bay. An orc charged him, and he swung his sword, decapitating it. Another whistle and he staggered once more. Another black arrow stuck out of his chest. He fell against a tree, looking over to his right. Merry and Pippin watched in horror, their small bodies quivering in fear. They watched him with sad but hopeful, naive eyes. Faramir: They were NOT kids! Pippin: And we did NOT have puppy eyes! Eowyn: Peregrin, didn’t Merry fight the Orcs and even cut some limbs? Pippin: Why, yes, as did I. Why do you ask? Eowyn: Just as a reminder. His little ones. Kraut: If anything, they were not Kalan’s! Pippin (shudders): Eru forbid! A surge new strength ran through him and he brought his sword up to parry an orc's blow. Faramir: Who politely had desisted from striking until now. Kalan fought on, watching Boromir out of the corner of his eye. He screamed in rage as the arrows struck. He fought all the harder against the enemy. He heard another cry and turned to see the orcs bearing down on the hobbits. "No! Merry! Pippin!" he screamed, and tried to get to them. Another cry, this one from Boromir. The man was on his knees, one more arrow, still quivering from his side. "Boromi -" something hit him across the head, as he was distracted. The world spun and the ground rushed up to meet him. Eowyn (as the ground): Hello, Kalan! How do you do? Blinking, his head throbbing, Kalan lay, dazed on the ground. An orc loomed over him a scimitar poised to strike. Suddenly, he was knocked away by one of his fellows. They growled in guttural tones that Kalan could barely understand. Pippin: That was perhaps due to the fact that they spoke in their own tongue. Don’t tell us that Kalan is a great linguist, too! The one who had saved him bent over Kalan, grasping him by the hair. He spoke in slow, halting common. "Silver eyes, you come too. To Isengaurd," he growled. Kalan's vision darkened, it felt like his head was spinning crazily. Kraut: He was in a carousel? Who’d have guessed they had amusement parks in Middle-Earth? The orc growled once more and hit Kalan hard. As darkness took him, Kalan saw Merry and Pippin being carried off by the orcs. Boromir knelt, his sword hanging loosely from his hand. His eyes locked onto Kalan's for one instant. In that time, something passed between them, an understanding, a thanks and an apology, just before Kalan fell into darkness: an omen of things to come. The orcs picked Kalan up, one draping his limp body over his shoulder. Eowyn: Like he was designed for being carried like that. They began their run back to Isenguard. Faramir (with a sigh): Sylver, if you can’t decide how to spell that name, I can give you a tip: It is Isengard, without the damn ‘u’! They had gotten what they had come for, or so they thought. Eowyn: I bet Saruman orders them to be hanged when he fully realizes what they have brought with them. Aragorn and the others had been too late to save Boromir's life, or rescue Kalan and the hobbits. In that small amount of time, Aragorn had sworn an oath to Boromir, saying that he would not let Minas Tirith fall, nor their people fail. He had closed his brother in arms' lifeless eyes, wishing him peace. Pippin: What? No details? A brief summary, and that’s all of the death of a hero like Boromir. Kraut: Well, Kalan isn’t involved, so it doesn’t deserve to told in full. And now the tree of them stood on the shore, watching solemnly as a small boat carrying the body of Boromir went over the falls. Legolas started to put the last boat into the water. "Quickly. Frodo and Sam have already reached the eastern shore," he said, eager to follow. But Aragorn didn't move. He looked out across the lake and saw the moored boat; two small figures disappeared into the foliage. Legolas watched him, and then said, "You mean not to follow them," he stated, not a question. "Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands," he said, but he didn't seem too happy about it. Gimli growled. "Then it has all been in vain, the Fellowship has failed," he said, angry and frustrated. Aragorn looked at his two companions. "Not if we hold true to each other," he clasped them each on the shoulder. "We will not abandon Merry, Pippin and Kalan to torture and death. Not while we still have strength left," he went over to his packs and took out his long knife; he sheathed it into his belt. "Leave all that can be spared, we travel light," he looked up at them, there was a rakish twinkle in his eye; a renewed fire. "Lets hunt some orc," then jogged off into the forest. Kraut: Hallelujah, so long a passage and not a single stupidity! (quenching his enthusiasm) Too bad it is almost wholly copied from the film script. Faramir: Really? I was already wondering why Sylver has compelled us to endure such pile of crap if she can write almost decently. Gimli looked at Legolas, who looked at Gimli. The dwarf smiled. "Yes!" and took off after Aragorn, followed closely by the elf. The large party of orcs ran toward Isenguard, Eowyn: I-s-e-n-g-a-r-d. herding along two smaller figures with whips. The two figures were tied at the wrists, stumbling along blindly: it was Merry and Pippin. Another orc carried a burden over his shoulder; the legs and wrists were tied with a heavy rope. No one knew how long they had been running. Kraut: Seems the Orcs have trouble counting time. Maybe they could have used a clock. Suddenly, Pippin tripped, falling headlong into the ground. The orcs came to a halt, once came over and gave him a brutal kick. Pippin cried out in pain and curled into a tight ball, whimpering. The orcs grunted and growled amongst themselves, then they made camp. Merry was brought forward and dumped unceremoniously next to his cousin. A fiery liquid was forced down their throats and then they were left alone. Merry, breathing heavily, looked over at his companion. "Hullo, Pip. So you've come on this little expedition, too," he breathed. Pippin didn't answer, but nodded. "I wonder what they'll do with us," said Merry. Pippin: And to make me completely devoid of personality, Sylver doesn’t even deign to give me a line or two. Faramir: But that would require imagination! I think you are demanding too much, Peregrin. Another orc came over to them and they cringed, awaiting the beating that they were sure was coming. Instead, there was a thump as the orc dropped a moaning burden Eowyn (dryly): Actually that’s the best description of Kalan, this far. Faramir (snickering): A nice one, Eowyn. onto the ground with them, then he left. Merry shifted and grasped the newcomer's shoulder, turning the body over. The hobbit gasped when he saw the bruised and bloody face. "Kalan!" he exclaimed. Pippin looked over. "Really?" he asked, Merry nodded. "Look," Pip struggled over. Indeed it was the young half-dragon, his dark hair was messy and matted with dried blood. Kraut (boredly): And Merry smoothed it back from his brow. No? Amazing. "Well, at least they bound his wound up," said Merry after examining his friend, seeing the crude bandaging on Kalan’s upper arm. "I wonder why they took him, too," said Pippin, Merry shrugged. Pippin (as Merry): Because the Suethor said so. Then Kalan moaned and his eyes blinked open. It took a few seconds for him to focus on the faces above him. "Merry, Pip. Are you two alright?" he asked in a weak voice. The hobbits nodded and Kalan sighed. "Good, they think one of you has the Ring. Why the brought me along, I don't know," he paused, taking a shuddering breath before continuing. "I'll try and keep them away from you, but you have to promise me one thing," he said severely. "Anything, Kalan," said Pippin, earnestly. "If you get the chance to escape, go, even if you have to leave me behind. As long as I know you're safe, I'll be alright." Faramir (as Pippin): It’s good that you think so, because we couldn’t care less for your company in the first place. Merry was shocked. "No, Kalan! We couldn't -" he cried and then shut his mouth as Kalan gave him a frightening look. Eowyn: In my opinion, it would be very hard to appear frightening if you are covered with bruises and tied up like a post packet. "You must, Merry! I'll be able to survive anything as long as I know you are safe," he coughed slightly. Pippin (as Kalan): *cough* Seriously *cough* Damn, I have never been good at lying! Merry looked down but he nodded, as did Pippin. "Good, now you should rest while you can. I don't know how they expect me to run with my legs tied, though," he said, smiling slightly, trying to lighten the mood. Kraut: And failing miserably. He was rewarded with a small smiled from the two hobbits. Faramir (as Kalan): I would have preferred cash, but no matter. "Kalan?" asked Pippin in a small voice, "What are they going to do to us?" he asked, his voice shaking. Kalan looked upon his small friend with compassion. "Not a damn thing, Pip, not if I have anything to say about it," he answered and there was a dangerous look in his silver eyes. Eowyn: Only it looks like you will have no say in it, so no point in boasting. Merry though to himself, 'I'm sure glad he is on our side.' Then with a hobbit curled on either side, Kalan rested, but did not sleep. Merry and Pippin drifted off and he watched and guarded their sleep. Kalan thought and listened to the orcs speech, and he dreaded the days to come. Finis Pippin: It ended? Kraut (Popping a champagne bottle open): Party time! Faramir: Where did you get that? Kraut: Didn’t I tell you? Deusexmachina has a wine cellar for us. Eowyn (irritated): And we hear of it only now? Kraut (tries to look innocent.) Pippin: Um, guys, I am sorry to spoil your joy, but there’s still the sequel… Faramir: After this, we will survive anything. Why, this was worse than Silver Wind, and that’s much! (All exit.) |
|
"Ha! Wonnige Glut! Leuchtender Glanz! Strahlend nun offen steht mir die Straße. Im Feuer mich baden!" - Siegfried, Act Three, Scene Two. | |
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · Lord of the Rings - MST · Next Topic » |









1:15 AM Jul 11