Right Where We Belong
Jamie
Someone was calling my name. Over and over it echoed through my mind. Each call seemed to move through every shadow trying to dispel them and capture my hidden consciousness. First one name and then another passed through the airiness of my being. I did not want to be found and yet I could feel the calls coming closer. I couldn't leave though. The calls sounded like sirens consuming every bit of space with their echos. I wanted it to stop. I couldn't leave. The world was a place of darkness. The people were evil. They couldn't be trusted. Their thoughts were focused on hurting and paining. I didn't want to be near them. I didn't want to have to face that darkness ever again. It was why I had withdrawn. My sisters were the only people in the world who could protect her from the darkness. This presence, these calls were not Thea or Annie. They never would be. They could never truly hold that claim. And yet it remained slowly moving until it knew me completely.
Then I simply gave up.
The calls wrapped around me, cocooning me. I tensed, knowing that I would be pulled, abused, and tormented. It was what the world did after all. They hurt. They destroyed. I had learned that and it was a lesson that I held near and dear to my heart. It was why I didn't trust. I knew better than to trust. Trust only hurt in the end. This time would be no different her mind warned her. And yet, I felt warm and safe. It might as well have been Thea holding me. I felt the calls, like silk ribbons woven into a basket, drawing me up from the well of dreams that my mind had created for me. On the precipice between those wonderful, safe dreams and a reality she might have to face alone, I was allowed to pause. I looked back over my shoulder for a moment, longing and wishing that I could stay there.
And then I was gasping for air.
I couldn't understand the language. As I sat near Galadriel, my eyes downcast, I still didn't know what they were saying. When I had woken up, Galadriel had held my head in her lap, smiling graciously down at me. It had been all I could do not to cry and beg to be allowed to sleep again. And then she had given me a promise.
Annie was coming.
That had been all she had had to say to me. After learning that Annie was so near, I had allowed myself to be led from the glade where I had slept for close to three days and found myself stunned by the world around me. It seemed too beautiful to be real. I had never heard of any place like it before in my life and all I could do, as I was cleaned and dressed, was stare in wonder.
"They're coming," Galadriel murmured, a smile touching her lips. She turned that benevolent smile down on me and I almost squirmed. That smile called for trust and love and I was afraid to give that. I honestly didn't know if I had the ability to give what that smile asked. "They are both coming Jamie," she said. I felt my heart start to race with anticipation. "The male is hurting. Tread carefully with him."
Male?
I could feel my heart drop. I tried to speak up, but Galadriel stood and moved to the side of a tall blonde male. A small motion of her hand told me to follow. I was dazed and confused. Why was I only going to see one of my sisters? Thea was alright wasn't she? I was afraid to leave. What if the reason only Annie was coming was because Thea was dead?
Galadriel and Celeborn glowed with their own inner light. A part of my distracted mind saw that and followed them. They truly were beautiful, so majestic and other worldly as they descended the stairs before me that if I had been in my right mind, it would have been stunning! I wondered if this was what the sun and moon looked like if they came down in human form. At the foot of the stairs, there were a rather large group. My eyes flitted across the men looking desperately for Annie. Five of them I dismissed immediately. All of them were far too short.
The other four members were all of normal height. One was an elf like Celeborn, Galadriel, and their people. He stood tall and regal making me wonder: were all elves nobility or just the ones I chanced to meet? Next to him was a tall lanky man with dark hair and a strong presence. Anyone looking would name that man the leader without a thought. Next came another dark haired man stood next him. The man looked feminine and very familiar, but it was the one at the end who caught my eye and held it. He looked haunted and hunted. His hair was shoulder-length and brown. He was a warrior, a proud man, yet somehow so different and distant. Him. This had to be the man. No other would draw me like this. My breath caught in my throat. I wanted to go to him, but I couldn't move. He had to notice me first. He had to know I existed first. Then I could also go, I could ask about Annie.
Words swirled around me unheard, unheeded. They didn't matter. Only this man who had caught me. "Jamie!" The man next to my warrior cried out. All eyes became riveted on me and I met eyes with my warrior for a moment before forcing myself to look at the feminine warrior. Except it was not man.
"Annie!" I breathed before running to my sister and throwing myself into her arms. "I was alone. I can't find Thea."
Annie's eyes were determined as she smiled darkly. "We'll find her," she promised. "Won't we pretty boy?" Annie asked smiling at the blond elf who glared at her.
"You both know each other?" My warrior asked softly.
"Boromir, this is my little sister Jamie. Jamie, that's Boromir. Pretty boy is Legolas. Our fearless leader is Strider. The dwarf is Gimli and the midgets are Pippin, Merry, Frodo, and Sam."
I caught the names of the others, but I didn't bother to put those names to their proper faces yet. I was too caught up staring at my warrior, Boromir. There was something in his eyes, a spark of recognition that made me smile. "I am glad to meet you…all of you." I added as an after thought. I probably would be glad to meet them when I did, but first…first I had to speak with my warrior.
My warrior...
Then I simply gave up.
The calls wrapped around me, cocooning me. I tensed, knowing that I would be pulled, abused, and tormented. It was what the world did after all. They hurt. They destroyed. I had learned that and it was a lesson that I held near and dear to my heart. It was why I didn't trust. I knew better than to trust. Trust only hurt in the end. This time would be no different her mind warned her. And yet, I felt warm and safe. It might as well have been Thea holding me. I felt the calls, like silk ribbons woven into a basket, drawing me up from the well of dreams that my mind had created for me. On the precipice between those wonderful, safe dreams and a reality she might have to face alone, I was allowed to pause. I looked back over my shoulder for a moment, longing and wishing that I could stay there.
And then I was gasping for air.
I couldn't understand the language. As I sat near Galadriel, my eyes downcast, I still didn't know what they were saying. When I had woken up, Galadriel had held my head in her lap, smiling graciously down at me. It had been all I could do not to cry and beg to be allowed to sleep again. And then she had given me a promise.
Annie was coming.
That had been all she had had to say to me. After learning that Annie was so near, I had allowed myself to be led from the glade where I had slept for close to three days and found myself stunned by the world around me. It seemed too beautiful to be real. I had never heard of any place like it before in my life and all I could do, as I was cleaned and dressed, was stare in wonder.
"They're coming," Galadriel murmured, a smile touching her lips. She turned that benevolent smile down on me and I almost squirmed. That smile called for trust and love and I was afraid to give that. I honestly didn't know if I had the ability to give what that smile asked. "They are both coming Jamie," she said. I felt my heart start to race with anticipation. "The male is hurting. Tread carefully with him."
Male?
I could feel my heart drop. I tried to speak up, but Galadriel stood and moved to the side of a tall blonde male. A small motion of her hand told me to follow. I was dazed and confused. Why was I only going to see one of my sisters? Thea was alright wasn't she? I was afraid to leave. What if the reason only Annie was coming was because Thea was dead?
Galadriel and Celeborn glowed with their own inner light. A part of my distracted mind saw that and followed them. They truly were beautiful, so majestic and other worldly as they descended the stairs before me that if I had been in my right mind, it would have been stunning! I wondered if this was what the sun and moon looked like if they came down in human form. At the foot of the stairs, there were a rather large group. My eyes flitted across the men looking desperately for Annie. Five of them I dismissed immediately. All of them were far too short.
The other four members were all of normal height. One was an elf like Celeborn, Galadriel, and their people. He stood tall and regal making me wonder: were all elves nobility or just the ones I chanced to meet? Next to him was a tall lanky man with dark hair and a strong presence. Anyone looking would name that man the leader without a thought. Next came another dark haired man stood next him. The man looked feminine and very familiar, but it was the one at the end who caught my eye and held it. He looked haunted and hunted. His hair was shoulder-length and brown. He was a warrior, a proud man, yet somehow so different and distant. Him. This had to be the man. No other would draw me like this. My breath caught in my throat. I wanted to go to him, but I couldn't move. He had to notice me first. He had to know I existed first. Then I could also go, I could ask about Annie.
Words swirled around me unheard, unheeded. They didn't matter. Only this man who had caught me. "Jamie!" The man next to my warrior cried out. All eyes became riveted on me and I met eyes with my warrior for a moment before forcing myself to look at the feminine warrior. Except it was not man.
"Annie!" I breathed before running to my sister and throwing myself into her arms. "I was alone. I can't find Thea."
Annie's eyes were determined as she smiled darkly. "We'll find her," she promised. "Won't we pretty boy?" Annie asked smiling at the blond elf who glared at her.
"You both know each other?" My warrior asked softly.
"Boromir, this is my little sister Jamie. Jamie, that's Boromir. Pretty boy is Legolas. Our fearless leader is Strider. The dwarf is Gimli and the midgets are Pippin, Merry, Frodo, and Sam."
I caught the names of the others, but I didn't bother to put those names to their proper faces yet. I was too caught up staring at my warrior, Boromir. There was something in his eyes, a spark of recognition that made me smile. "I am glad to meet you…all of you." I added as an after thought. I probably would be glad to meet them when I did, but first…first I had to speak with my warrior.
My warrior...