Trapped In Lord of the Rings | Book 1 | (Currently Being Rewritten)

Am I A Coward?

I woke up in a soft, plush bed. The first thing I noticed was that the bandage around my arm was gone and my arm wasn't hurting. I felt completely fine. I wiggled my fingers and moved my wrist. Nothing.

"You'll find that it is no longer broken," said a voice, making me jump. At the end of the bed was the brown-haired man from earlier. "In fact, it is completely healed. I did not mean to frighten you, but I have not yet made your aquaintence. I am Lord Elrond of Rivendell. I know that you are Jenakin. But I do not know where you are from. You . . ." He trailer off, struggling to find the right words. "You are different from any Man I have seen. Your aura is different. Almost . . ." Again he struggled to find the words to say. Then he shook his head and smiled. "You are but a child. You would not understand."

He stood up and crossed to the open doors. "It is best that Gandalf explains." He left without a second glance.

I sat in confusion for all of ten seconds before pushing off the covers, slowly, and getting up. I felt something smooth brushing over my legs and looked down. I was wearing a dress.

I looked at it, wide-eyed, and was amazed at how beautiful a piece of cloth with arm holes could look. In case you didn't know, I hate dresses. But this was absolutely amazing.

I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and saw a full-bodied mirror image of me looking back at me.

My hair and also been done. It was separated like an Elf's hair would look like, and I had a small crown of flowers on my head.

"Jenakin," I heard someone breathing out gladly. I turned to see Strider, who looked relieved.

But I couldn't look at him. I turned away.

He stepped closer. "I am not mad at you for leaving, if that's what you're wondering," he said as he stepped right beside me.

I crossed my arms over my chest and continued to look away.

He sighed after a minute and turned, beginning to walk away. He stopped after a few steps and said, "Bilbo is here to see you."

I turned and sure enough, there he was. I smiled and ran into his arms, crouching to fit. He laughed as his petite arms encircled me, and I giggled uncontollably. "It's wonderful to see you again, Jenakin!" he said between laughs. I let go of him and nodded, straightening out.

"Walk with me," he said, still smiling as he ushered me outside. We walked for a little while and went into a garden of sorts, coming to sit on a stone bench. He swung his legs as he told me of his journey here. After he was finished he hummed to himself, a tune I swore I knew from somewhere.

After a few minutes I heard laughter from not very far away. I turned to see Frodo, Sam, Marry and Pippin, Frodo hugging Marry and Pip. He turned his head and saw us.

"Jenakin!" he called. "Bilbo!" He ran towards us. "Oh, Bilbo!" Bilbo had gotten up and was hugging Frodo. "Frodo, my lad!"

When he released Bilbo, Frodo encircled me in his arms. I laughed a little and hugged him back.

"I'm so glad you're safe, Jenakin!" Frodo told me. I smiled, and let him go.

I smiled again as I watched the five of them leave.

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I sat looking at my arm for a long while. I still couldn't believe how good Elvish medicine was. I forced myself to believe that it was exactly that that had healed it.

I stood up and crossed to the big painting that showed Isildor cutting off the hand of Sauron. At least, that's what it looked like.

I then turned and climbed the small set of steps to look at the statue of a person in a hooded cloak leaning over and holding what looked like a long tray. On the tray was a long piece of cloth that sat underneath a shattered sword blade.

"They are the shards of Narsil," said Strider behind me. He almost scared me. I backed away slowly down the small set of stairs and looked up at him. He watched me with a curious look about him, amused when I didn't look him in the eye.

He crossed over to me and put his rough hands on my shoulders, looking me in the eye. "I know you had a reason to leave," he told me. "And I forgive you. You were just trying to protect us. Trying to keep us safe. And I understand." He took his hands off my shoulders and walked around me, up to the statue. "I grew up listening to the legends of this blade. I grew up knowing that I was the heir of Isildor. And I ran. I ran from the burden of being king of Gondor. I became a Ranger. I became Strider."

He turned to face me. "Do you think me a coward? I ran to save the people that were rightfully mine to rule; I ran to save them. Do you think me a coward for that?"

I was shocked. I knew this had happened, but hearing him say it . . . The fact that he would tell something like that to me . . .

I shook my head no. He smiled. "See? We run for the same reason." He put his hands on my shoulders again. "But you do not have to be a hero for everyone."

I let that sink in and nodded slowly. He cupped my cheek for a second and walked over to the chair in the back of the room. I followed him and sat on the floor beside him. For a few moments we just sat. He didn't speak, and I had nothing to say.

After a while a man came in and cleared his throat quietly. "Lord Elrond has requested Miss Jenakin come immediately."

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