Title & Chapter Number: The Wayward Wish 2/14
Author(s): - Author's Index
Website: Tortured Scribes
Fandom: Tolkien
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Thank you J.R.R. for the wonderful playground of Middle Earth. Thank you Peter for the wonderful playground created by your casting department. I don't own any copyrighted material in this fic, I'm just borrowing it and I promise to return it when I'm done. Did I mention I have no money?
Warnings: None
Betas: Alex and Hedda
Cast: Characters for Lord of the Rings, Original Female Character
Timeline: Lord of the Rings AU
Spoilers: Fellowship of the Ring
Summary: The realities of being a modern woman zapped back in time to Middle Earth - minus the fluff.
Notes: Elvish is Sindarin; If it looks like Tolkien and it sounds like Tolkien, it probably is. He wrote it first, he wrote it best, I'm just repeating it for storytelling purposes and make no claim that I came up with it. Everyone else has done the Modern Female in M.E., so now it's my turn. Hopefully, I've done it with a bit of style and believability.
Chapter Two: Pain and Madness
Jessy trudged along doggedly after the group, her feet protesting every step she took. She could feel the blisters forming, and her hose had shredded around her big toe. Every time she tried to stop and rest, Boromir appeared out of nowhere to grab her arm and pull her to her feet. They were traveling at night, which made it impossible to even enjoy what she supposed was actually quite beautiful surroundings. Her stomach growled, and she hoped that they would stop soon for lunch, since she had missed breakfast.
Legolas was surprised at the stamina of the girl. It was obvious that she wasn't used to this sort of travel. His sharp ears picked up the sound of her stomach rumbling. Frowning, he didn't remember her eating anything this morning. Then he realized that she wouldn't have, because she had no supplies. Cursing softly to himself, he approached Merry, who was carrying some of their food, for a piece of fruit.
Jessy tried not to think about her feet. Right about now she would kill for a Big Mac, fries and a coke. She was so lost in her fast food fantasy that she jumped as Legolas appeared beside her and handed her a piece of fruit. The damn Elf seemed adapt at materializing out of nowhere.
"Thank you", she said softly as she tried not to snatch the apple from his hands and devour it in one bite.
"You welcome, Pen'tithen"
"Pen'tithen?" she asked in between bites of the apple.
"It means Little One in my tongue." And with that, he moved forward towards the front of the pack.
"Little one," she snorted, I can't help it if I'm only 5'6".
"He meant that you are young. Legolas is probably pushing 3000 years," Boromir informed her.
Jessy decided not to encourage any more conversation with Boromir and purposefully ignored his comment. She found his presence to be a constant irritant. His involvement with the destruction of her shoes made her want to belt him. Only the fact that he was built like a brick wall prevented her from taking revenge.
Finally as dawn approached, Aragorn called a halt, much to the relief of Jessy and the Hobbits. They settled down under a group of trees, and Merry passed around cheese and some bread. They were disappointed, when Gandalf announced that they couldn't risk a fire even to ward off the morning chill.
Jessy sat miserably on the wet grass and wished in vain to be home again. She decided to assess the damage done to her feet and took off her shoes. She wished she hadn't. Her feet were covered with blisters. Most were raw, but a few were actually bleeding. She finished ripping out the toes of her hose, wincing as she pulled them off her feet as parts had stuck to the blisters.
"Gods, child, your feet are a mess," came the gruffly concerned voice of Gimli. He squatted down and examined the ruined soles of her feet. Calling softly over to Gandalf, he walked over to his pack and began rummaging through it.
Gandalf sat on a fallen log near Jessy's feet and pulled them into his lap. He winced inwardly, as he realized just how injured they were. Gimli returned with a waterskin and an old shirt.
"Here use this, I have another."
Gandalf nodded and began rendering first aid to Jessy's butchered feet.
Jessy's feet felt like someone was holding hot coals to the bottoms of her feet. She sucked in her breath and tried not to cry out. Tears stung her eyes and she closed them trying unsuccessfully to stem the tide.
Just when she thought she couldn't take any more, Gandalf finished. He handed her a small box containing some salve. "This will numb the pain and help them to heal."
Jessy thanked him and wearily settled down next to Merry, trying to ignored the wet, cold ground.
Gimli took over Legolas' watch at midday. The Elf was less affected by the cold of the day, but the dreary overcast sky dampened his spirits. He walked over to the mound of bodies under the trees. Frodo was at one end and Jessy was at the other. They resembled a knot of children, snoring lightly. Only Jessy's size distinguished her youthful appearance from that of the Hobbits. Not relishing getting too close to the One Ring, Legolas dropped down next to the girl.
After a little meal, he drew his cloak closer to his body and settled down next to Jessy. His eyes slightly open, Legolas drifted off into reverie as Jessy snuggled closer to him for warmth.
~*~*~*~
They continued to travel by night, always moving upward. Jessy found her shoes were not very effective for climbing rocks. Twice she slipped and skinned one of her knees. The hem of her skirt was half undone and the split in the side had lengthened to the point that she feared it would rip completely apart. She borrowed a leather cord and knife from Gimli and had managed to secure the side somewhat. She had long ago given up on keeping her hair in a bun, and it hung in a greasy, snarled mess about her shoulders. She had tried to cut it with a knife, but Boromir had been appalled. He took the knife from her and muttered something about being a maiden and shame. She no longer minded the smell of the cloak, for she now smelled no better then the rest of the group with the exception of Legolas. She often mused that when the Elf disappeared to scout around camp, he was actually going to Elf-only bathrooms, hidden at strategic points along the way and indulging in long, hot showers.
Finally one evening, they didn't continue their long march. Gandalf was concerned that evil forces were watching their route. He and Aragorn stayed up late into the night deciding on what to do.
Jessy and the Hobbits were relieved to get some much-needed rest. Jessy's legs and feet no longer hurt, but she was still tired to the bone. She had been suffering from strange nightmares, in which she was desperately trying to take something from Frodo. His sad eyes made her nervous, and she avoided him.
At last, morning dawned and roused the Company. Aragorn and Gandalf announced that they would make for the Redhorn Gate high above on the mountain. Boromir suggested carrying wood to defend against the possibility of freezing to death. Jessy found no comfort in his suggestion. She knew that she was not dressed for the kind of weather the mountain would offer them. She considered the possibility that she wouldn't survive to the other side.
The way was hard going and bitterly cold. The snow continued to rise as a blizzard set in. Finally they were forced to stop and Gandalf consented to a fire, which was a good thing because they needed his magic to light it. So they stood huddled around the fire all night, while the wind howled and the snow fell. Admitting defeat, the company decided to find another way around the mountain. Boromir and Aragorn began burrowing a path through the snow towards the bottom with Legolas running lightly over the snow directing them. Before long, the company moved down the slope and through a wall of snow that blocked their path. On the other side, it collapsed and there was no more thought of going up.
Jessy shivered nonstop in the bitter cold. She had long since lost feeling in her feet. The danger of frostbite swirled in her mind, and she imagined that her feet were probably black and dead from the cold.
Jessica. Jessy paused and looked around the snow-covered landscape. Boromir prodded her back, and she began to move again.
Poor Jessica. Your feet are all black you know. They will have to cut them off. Aragorn will take great delight in hacking them off with his sword. Leaving you to die in the wilderness.
Jessy tried to block image of Aragorn laughing as blood sprayed from her severed ankles.
The Hobbit has a secret, Jessica. A Ring to heal your feet but he is selfish. Take the Ring from him and your feet will be all better. You will be warm, clean, and safe once again.
Jessy turned and stared at Frodo.
Yes! Yes! Take the Ring. He is weak. It is your turn to be warm!
Jessy advanced towards Frodo with only one thought in mind. Somewhere on his person was a magical Ring that would make everything all right, and she would kill him to get it.
Boromir grabbed the girl's arm as she passed, but she wretched it free with a vicious jerk. He followed her and turned her around to face him. Her eyes were glazed over and her pupils were dilated so much that her brown eyes seemed black.
"I must have that Ring," she hissed. "It's not fair. I'm cold too. Why should he keep all that precious warmth to himself."
She thrashed her body about in an attempt to pull herself from Boromir's grasp. Shaking her, Boromir yelled for Aragorn to guard Frodo.
Screaming obscenities, Jessy turned and bit into Boromir's wrist. Caught off guard, he reacted without thinking and punched her in the face. Blood spurted from her nose and she collapsed, unconscious.
Legolas watched in horror as Jessy fell victim to the lure of the Ring. He moved to help Boromir but was to late. He watched as Jessy's head flew back and a crimson mist stained the snow on the ground. Taking her from Boromir, he laid her gently on the ground pinching her nose to stem the flow of blood.
"I just reacted. I did not mean to hurt her. She is just a child." Boromir muttered, guilt lacing his speech. He had never struck a woman before, and the feeling did not sit well with him. He turned and walked towards the front of the group, where Gandalf and the others had gathered.
Aragorn approached Legolas and Jessy, Frodo at his side. The little Hobbit looked sadly at Jessy. "Do not be angry with her, Aragorn. The Ring is hard to resist. I know this too well."
Aragorn nodded and looked at Legolas. "Take care of her. I think Boromir needs a break."
Legolas nodded curtly and scooped up the unconscious girl.
The company continued to work its way down the mountain, each member wondering if he would be able to resist the lure of the Ring.
~*~*~*~
Jessy slowly regained consciousness. Her nose throbbed, and she could barely open her eyes. She sat up and fought a wave of nausea.
"Easy, you took quite a blow to the head."
Jessy looked over and saw Frodo ringing out a bloody rag in a small bowl. Jessy winced as memories of what happened on the mountain came back to her. "Oh Frodo, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to try and attack you. It was like I was dreaming and had no control."
"It is okay, Jessy. It was the Ring, not you."
Jessy felt guilty, but Frodo's good-natured attitude soon put her at ease. Before long, the other three Hobbits had joined them, and Merry's antics had them all laughing softly.
~*~*~*~
Later that evening, the company began a debate about whether or not to take the route through Moria. Gimli seemed to be the only member of the group that actually looked forward to going there. Both Gandalf and Aragorn feared the route; their situation must have been desperate for them to argue with taking it. Boromir and Legolas were both adamant about not wanting to go. Finally, the company turned to Frodo for his input.
"I do not wish to go," he said; "but neither do I wish to refuse the advice of Gandalf. I beg that there should be no vote, until we have slept on it. Gandalf will get votes easier in the light of the morning than in this cold gloom. How the wind howls!"
Aragorn cocked his head, "That is not the wind, it is Warg howls!"
"Wargs" asked Jessy, nervously looking over at Frodo.
p "Wolves," answered Boromir instead.
The group climbed the small hill that they had been sheltering under. The top of the hill was crowned with old, gnarled trees and large boulder-sized stones. In the center of the circle of stones and trees they built a fire. They stayed awake listening to the howls of the wolves get closer as they tracked their prey. Finally sometime past midnight, glowing eyes could be seen in the darkness beyond the light from the fire. The leader of the pack circled closer then the others, boldly testing their reactions.
He growled and leaped towards Gandalf. Legolas loosed an arrow, and the wolf fell to the ground dead. Gandalf and Aragorn walked to the edge of the hill, but the entire pack had disappeared in to the night.
Jessy slowly exhaled the breath she had been holding. They had been in real danger and she realized how defenseless she really was. She could shoot a gun, but it wasn't like she could swing by the local sporting goods store and pick up a shotgun and a couple boxes of shells.
The company settled down for the night; Jessy and the hobbits making their customary mound of bodies near the fire.
The fire had burned low and the moon was setting when, Frodo jerked awake. Gandalf yelled for them to add more fuel to the fire. The wolves had gathered in a great hoard and leapt into the camp from all sides. The fire blazed up, and Jessy grabbed a burning branch and used it to hold back the wolves that came at her. All around her, swords swung and Legolas fired arrows from his bow with lightning speed. Gandalf finally uttered some strange words and the fire exploded upwards, setting the nearest tree on fire. The fire seemed to have a strange purpose as it jumped from tree to tree, until they were all ablaze. Finally, Legolas shot the wolf-chief, his arrow catching on fire before landing in its heart. The rest of the pack fled.
When morning finally came, they found no wolf bodies. All of Legolas' arrows were undamaged except for the arrowhead with nothing, but a burnt stump attached to it.
Gandalf turned to the company and said, "I feared that these were no ordinary wolves, we should go quickly."
So the company grabbed a light breakfast and began the march to Moria.
~*~*~*~
Jessy wondered at the sudden change in weather. Since she had arrived, it had been cold and overcast, the sky heavy with clouds. But, the day was bright and the sky was a clear blue, not a cloud in sight. The wind seemed to vanish, and the weather took on an eerie stillness.
Gandalf noticed the change also and urged them more quickly towards the Gates of Moria. "I fear that we will not survive another night out in the open."
The company traveled over increasingly rough terrain. Jessy had been forced to stumbling alongside Bill the pony. One eye was swollen completely shut, while the other only opened half way. Her nose throbbed and was sporting an interesting knot on the bridge. She had no doubt that it was broken. She probably looked like some kind of demented raccoon. Boromir was still doing his best to ignore her completely, other than that the rest of the company seemed to have excused her behavior of the previous day. Finally at mid-day, Gandalf called a brief halt for lunch.
Jessy felt like her bladder was going to explode. Because of the openness of the hilltop and surrounding area, she hadn't been able to have a few moments of privacy that morning. She cursed the males of the group for their lack of embarrassment. They just took turns waltzing behind a boulder.
She darted off into a small grove of bushes not far from the group. Mindfully of the wolf attack the previous night, she kept a watchful eye out. Maybe that's why she didn't notice that she had squatted in a patch of poison ivy.
The lunch break was over quicker than Jessy would have liked. She felt irritable and snapped at Merry twice. Gandalf pushed them on, until they reach a murky, black lake. They had to turn Bill the pony loose much to Sam's dismay. Finally, tired and footsore, they reach the Wall of Moria.
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