Writewraiths in Middle Earth

[Lubyla]

"Yeah, I'm scaring myself, lets go." I started to walk off, the panther at my heels.

[Fred Baggins]

And that's how we came back into camp. A warg at my heels, and a panther at Starletta's.

[Lubyla]

"Where were you two???? We need to make haste. What is that PANTHER doing here??????"

"Um...It followed me home...can I keep it?"

[Fred Baggins]

I giggled "Yea, can she keep the big huge thing which will probably try to eat us all for dinner but is very cute despite that fact?"

[zavron]

ooc: Am I still with you Guys? I don't suppose you two could slow down with this? I Go off it for aday and when I come back You've Gone twenty pages more and I get lost!:confused:

[Lubyla]

ooc: Um, you are with the large group.

ic: "Like I would want to keep another thing to worry about." I rubbed the spot on my arm.

[Fred Baggins]

I sat down and sighed. "No objections there. I don't think I could be very comfortable with a panther following us around." I took out my notebook, and jotted a couple sentences down, to remind myself of what I needed. Then I turned to Calein. "Um...can we stop in the next town. I think some of us need supplies...and I need some real clothes." I shoved the notebook back into moving some things around to get it in, and pulled something out. I looked at it and sighed, over the memory it held. I held the teddy bear up to my face and breathed deep, smeeling the smoke that never washed out of it. I gently packed the old falling apart stuffed animal back into the pack, and took a new thing out. It was a bracelet, which I wore very little anymore, for I was afraid of it falling apart. Actually it was a charm bracelet, with several little charms on it, music notes, a mickey wizards hat, a Tinkerbell charm, and several other little charms. I handled it fondly, and wrapped that up as well, and put it in a safe little spot in my pack. Then I hugged the pack close to me, put it on and stood up. "Are we ready to leave then? Or are we going to camp here, for the night, and miss the extra mile we could squeez in."

[Adrian Baggins]

I finished eating and for some reason decided to shift to wolf form. I became Alidrinan and started talking to Swift. Then I said I wanted to continue walking and agreed with Faith. I ran off a little ways playing with Swift.

[Lubyla]

"I'm serious, I think that we should let it follow. I kinda like it. I'll keep whatch on it."

In the distance, a cry of a bird was herd. It was Andodulin.

Hearing the cry, I had decided." We should move out. The dark ones are near."

[Fred Baggins]

As we walked I began to sing, a couple of my favorite folksongs.
Greensleeves
Alas, my love you do me wrong
To cast me off discourteously
And I have loved you so long
Delighting in your company

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Lady Greensleeves.

I have been ready at your hand
to grant whatever you would crave;
I have both wagered life and land
Your love and good will for to have

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Lady Greensleeves

Carrigfergus
I wish I was in Carrigfergus
Only for nights in Ballygrant
I would swim over the deepest ocean
For my love to find
But the sea is wide and I cannot cross over
And neither have I the wings to fly
I wish I could meet a handsome boatsman
To ferry me over, to my love and die

Not to long after I started another I got snapped at by Buddy. I stoped singing and kept the noise down to humming.

[Adrian Baggins]

I started singing a song but I didn't realize it till Swift called out to me, 'Quit singing and come play, or change back to wizard form.' Secretly he told Calien that I was singing the hobbit princess's orientation song , and that I would soon remember from my actions. Then I started singing a song that I had been making up for my story. It was a hobbit song so before I started singing I shifted to hobbit form then I started singing the song I entitled All is not Lost

All is not Lost

I know you are feeling sad,
But do not despaire,
I will be here,
With you always,
Soooo,

All is not lost,
You are still here,
I am beside you,
I will always be near,
Because as long as I am here,
All is not lost,

You and I we're here together,
I will be here in all weather,
I will not leave you,
I will always be here,
So remember,

All is not lost,
You are still here,
I am beside you,
I will always be near,
Because as long as I am here,
All is not lost,
All is never lost.

My brother, my friend, my family, I'll be here till the end.

I sang that over and over till I got told to stop because it was annoying.

[Lubyla]

Hearing Faith sing made me want to go home. I began to silently cry. O how I wish I had my clarinet. The panther, Illali, followed close behind, and seemed to feel my pain. What was with this panther?

[Fred Baggins]

*The warg looked up a Faith, wishing she would stop humming. Thinking how annoying this could get. But she did have a nice voice he thought. Unlike anything I've heard before. Almost like an angel. When the other one started singing he listened and began walking closer to Faith.*

When Adrian stopped singing I had an idea. I grabbed my pack and opened it rummaging through till I found an old claranet. I handed it the Starletta. "The Song, remember?" She nodded, and warmed up the claranet, getting it working after years of unuse.

Days Gone By

Days gone by
and still you play
two best friends
as though nought has happened.

The world still spins
the sun still shines
and though your heart aches
naught has happened.

Two friends in a feild
n're stop playing
naught has happened
for these two, all's the same.

No fire, nor death
no tears, nor ghosts
no black birds, nore strange riders
can keep these two apart,
can keep them from playing.

Days gone by,
and still you play,
two best freinds
as though naught has happened.

[Silverstripe]

As I listened to the others sing, caught up in the beauty of the music, I began to hear a new song, which was not being sung by any of them.

When the days are full of yearning,
and the nights are filled with tears
only knowing who is near you
can get you through the long years.
Freely now aid will be giv'n
Fore'er, a Help will be here;
Never will you be foresaken,
So, young leader, do not fear.


Three times this song was sung, and the music was more beautiful than any I had heard before. Then it ended, and a few tears streamed down my cheeks, though I wasn't truly sad. I felt, for the first time in my life, that I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing, and that, whatever happened, I would make it through.

[Fred Baggins]

"Kathie are you ok? Kathie...Kaith...*whistels* Middle-Earth to Kathie are you there? Calein?" She turned to me. I slaped my head. "Are you ok Calien?"

[Lubyla]

I took the clarinet apart, put it back in it's case, and shoved it n my pack. Lubyla rode back to us.

"Starting an orcestra(sp) with out me? We need to take heed, come along."

"Right."

"And plese do something about this panther. I dont trust it as far as I could through it."



"Alright, I'll keep a watch on it. after all, it is following me, and it is cute."

[Fred Baggins]

Faith: "Um...great. Well, anyway. I guess it's no more un-nearving than a warg. *shivers* Well, I'm all out of songs. Well, actually not, considering I could never be out of songs, but I've a feeling we should stop anyway. So...what shall we do?" Ever seen those cartoons when all you hear are the crickets. Well this felt like that."All righty then. Lets talk...about...anything." *chirp chirp chirp* "Or not. I hate silence."

[Lubyla]

"Yeah, I guess" I hopped on Summer. She seemed a bit tired after a bit, so I called Mystic, another horse, and sent Summer home." Do you want a horse Faith? I think I have one you would like"

[Fred Baggins]

"Nah, I'll just ride Bud. After all the wargs do right?!" I climbed on Bud, and grabbed on...and fell off. Again I climbed on, and again I fell off. Then I saw HER. A horse so white there was a bit of blueish tint about her...and maybe a hint of a unicorn, or wings...or both, but they where not obvious. I stood up and stared at her for a minet before I spoke.

"Wind Rider?" It was her I knew it, or at least it reminded me so much of her. I looked over at Star, to see if she had called her. She shook her head no. There was no saddle nor bridal on her, but I hoisted myself off and held on consederably better than I would have thought. I ran my hand over her coat, and her mane. "It is Wind Rider. My girl."

[Lubyla]

"Now you dont have to buy her back when you...we go home, you can just take her with you." I smiled, though I wept only a little. I turned to Lubyla to see her bandaged arm. "Am I the one that caused that to happen?"

"No Starletta, it is not your fault, it was Andodulin's doings."

"A bird did that to you? Sheesh."

"Right...a bird did this." I had forgotten she did not know what Andodulin truely was, even though she had designed him, she had truely taken into her character.

[Fred Baggins]

"Right. When we get back..." For a minuet my faith in going back faltered. I mean if I wanted I could go back now. But I wanna stay for awhile, I mean this is MIDDLE-EARTH! "...but I'm glad to be here for awhile, even though I can't wait to get home."

[Lubyla]

"Yeah" I bent down and patted Illali's head. I didn't know if she already knew, or if she didn't. I wasn't going back. There was nothing for me back there.

[Fred Baggins]

I looked around to catch the strange looks from all. They all seemed to say, 'you're nuts! you're never going home!' But the outer, hard-core part of me would not let that get to me. Mum used to say I never let it go. She also said I would make a good lawyer 'cause I was a good arguer, and always got the last word.

"But, you know, I think I'll leave Wind Rider here when I go home, She seems to like it better in Middle-Earth." Subtle, but I hoped they got the point. I'm not giving up on going home. It's my only hope, the only thing I can hang onto right now.

[Silverstripe]

When I saw that Faith still believed she would go home, I had to restrain myself from whispering "I'm sorry." Because I knew she would never return to Mundane Earth, as I would never return, but it was very different for her than it was for me. I'd never really belonged in Mundane Earth, but Faith had. I WAS home, and Faith -- well, she was home too, but she didn't know it yet. I hoped she'd accept that someday, but knowing Faith, it was entirely possible that she never would.

[zavron]

I was listening intently to all the fighting. I was feeling...dizzy. I colapsed with a thum on the ground.

[Silverstripe]

I ran to the fallen ent's side. This could NOT be a good sign! Of all the people to collapse, of course it had to be the largest Writewraith.

"Ent, er, what's your name, um, BarkBrows, yes! BarkBrows, are you okay?"

At any rate, we would be staying here until the ent was all right again, if that were at all possible. Swift could definitely not carry him!

[zavron]

''Errr....EntWash....Need....'' I groaned and then fell unconcious.

[Adrian Baggins]

I shifted to wizard form just as the ent collapsed. We were going to be here for a while I thought. I decided to go off and practice magic now that I had the chance. I was pretty good, almost as good as I remembered for I now remembered doing magic before Mundane Earth. I filled myself with this thought and I started doing magic better then I did then. This was getting easy. I looked down at my hand in which I held my staff and noticed something on it. It was a scar, a scar that was shaped like someone had taken a ring and heated it to where it would burn flesh but not melt and pressed it on my palm. I suddenly felt as if I had been hit in the head and went unconcious, another scar appearing, this one was on my forehead, to the left side just below my hair and just above my eyebrow. THis scar looked like it was from a stick of some sort that had bashed me in the head many years ago. As I returned to my old Middle Earth self, my scars came back and I again had the same feelings that I had had when I first got them. The last scar was the one I had just gotten and I had been knocked out when I first got it. While I was knocked out memories came back to me and I saw a relay of my life on Middle Earth. I remembered the time my brother had revieled to me that I was a princess and he was a prince the most clearly. When I woke up I would deffinately need a drink.

[Silverstripe]

"Of course. Entwash. Anyone happen to have some?"

Each of the Writewraiths shook his/her head. At that moment, Swift came running back to us, and reported that Adrian had been knocked out and might need help.

"Right, then. We need to break into three groups. Grace, Celrond, and Calliman, you stay with the ent."

"But I want to be with Adrian!" Calliman shouted.

"Okay, don't yell! Grace, Celrond, and Faith will stay with BarkBrows."

Faith looked a bit puzzled, so I explained. <I may need a wizard with the ent. You seem like the only choice there.> And I had chosen others who were, of all our company, the least likely to hate "Buddy." Though I wasn't concerned about how Snakesnout felt, I knew that would make Faith feel better.

"Calliman, Terwell, and Swift should look after Adrian."

<I need the Unbreakable Link there,> I told the red fox.

"Lubyla, Starletta, Hunter, and I will, er, see what we can do about this EntWash business."


ooc: I do have a reason for temporarily dividing people up that way, I really do!

[zavron]

''Errr...Entwash! Hurry! need!'' I then spoke somethingf in entish very Loudly. The trees around creaked and moaned.

[Adrian Baggins]

ooc: This post is going to be the memory of Frodo telling me about the princess thing, okay, this post is a memory.

ic:"I need to tell you something Adi," my brother said walking with me in the forest. "What is it Frodo?" I asked looking at him. He was really serious. "Well you and I, we're, we're. Well I am a prince and you are a Princess." I wasn't over the shock for weeks. This memory plays itself over and over.

[zavron]

''Entwash!!!!!'' The trees creaked some more. Then all of a sudden several Ents strode into the clearing.

[Fred Baggins]

I stayed with the ent, rather dissappointed. I knew now that everyone that was here belonged here, and where here before this incident. Everyone but me. I was the only different one here, I was the only one with no past here. I looked down at the groaning ent. Then ents appeared from all around us. I hoped they would be able to help him.

ooc: and if anyone tries to invent a past in Middle-earth for Faith, I will personally hunt you down and kill you. She has no past here, repeat that to yourself.

[Lubyla]

"Right." At that point, something came over me, like a feeling of stricken terror. Everyone said that I had like gone into a different "mode", and started mummbling about the new dawn, rains of terror, and a new evil arising, and the end of the kingdom of writewraiths. After I limped over my horse for a few seconds, then got back my strength, as everyone looked at me funny.

[Fred Baggins]

I got up and walked over to Star. "Are you all right Star? Hey, Star snap out of it. There's not going to be an end to the Writewriaths, your just tired." She looked up strangly. "You ok Star?"

ooc: O, and I just wanted to say Kathie, that your getting the idea. Faith doesn't wanna belive that she won't go back home. In fact, it may be that she does go back home...maybe...

[Adrian Baggins]

Swift was also in my memories though in the clearest he was only a pup but he definately understood. I woke up a few, well I don't reaqlly know if it was hours or minutes later but when I woke up I was laying on the ground and Swift was beside me, Calliman and Terwell were standing off to the side. I sat up and Calliman rushed over to me. He helped me up and I didn't talk I just picked up my staff and walked back to the others. I took Calien off to the side and told her about the princess thing. She didn't look shocked like I had expected. She looked like she had already known.

[Lubyla]

"Faith, what are you talking about? I never said there was going to be an end of the Writewraiths. Where do you get these ideas?"

"Don't try to remind her, it won't happen. It is another one of the wind's tricks. She is the reader of the wind, and bringer of the rain. It is the only way the wind has a mouth. These spells don't come often, but when they do, they are to be taken with the utmost serious preparations, for they *May* come true."

[Fred Baggins]

I shruged and walked back to the ent, kneeling by him. I laid my staff down next to him and wondered what to do.

[Lubyla]

"Where are we to go to get Entwash?"

[Silverstripe]

Adrian took me off to the side and explained who she really was. I found that I had known all along, though I wasn't sure quite how I knew.

"Don't tell the others about it yet, though," I said. Adrian nodded. "And now, Adrian Baggins, let's get back to the rest of our Writewraiths."

We returned just in time to hear Starletta ask, "Where are we to go to get Entwash?"

I laughed a little, trying to conceal my fear. "The ents that just walked in here may give us a little clue."

[Lubyla]

"Thats good, I really dont want to go to the Fanghorn Forest right now, and begg for some entwash. I feel a bit woosy."

[Fred Baggins]

I stood and walked over to Wind Rider, rubing her neack, as she was very skitish and seemed to not like so many ents. A wind blew through, and I shuddered, speacking the same time as Starletta. "Death is near..."

[Lubyla]

I looked down. Whenever that happens, it can only mean the worst. Last time, it was the worst EVER. The sky now started to get cloudy. Not a single raindrop fell. I sent my horse back again, and called upon Rainstorm. She was truely my best steed.Lubyla looked at me as a horse as grey as the clouds came galloping after me.

ooc: No one dare make it rain, or do anything with the weather I have made....There is a good porpose to it.

[Fred Baggins]

ooc: Suddenly it started raining, but I held up my staff and the rain cleared...lol, sorry couldn't help it, had to get it out of my system before I did it in the real thing

ic: Death was near. Last time I had spoke that sentance I found the mangled body of my brother, then soon after...the fire.

[Lubyla]

"We need to make haste before the rains come." I looked at Faith, and saw a bit of confusion.~I can only delay the rain, I cannot delay death. You know what happened last time when I tried in the fire. It only made matters worse.~

[Fred Baggins]

I nodded. ~Yea, I know. But...Fred. He's here, and last time...I mean the real him's here, not the one I...well, i mean. My brother Fred is alive, and he's here. But last time I heard the wind, and understood that is, Fred...well we found...~ I couldn't go on. I was never able to talk of Fred's death, much less Fred himself. He was my best friend, and I had been the one to find his dead body, mangled. They took Buddy away from me, they blamed BUDDy of killing my brother! Buddy never liked anyone but me, but he never would have killed anyone. That's partly why I renamed Danger Buddy, because he's so much like my old wolf. I began to pace. If something didn't happen with that ent. Well, I don't stay put in one place for very long, before I get very antsy. "Calein, I gotta go...I dunno, just walk or something. I can't stay here. To...to one placeish. You understand right? I mean you know me, I could never stay in class the whole time!" She nodded and I began to walk away.

[Silverstripe]

I knew something was horribly wrong, although I couldn't figure out exactly what it was. That bothered me, because I felt, somehow, that I should already know. Even now I had not recovered all my memories.
"But I should know what's going on," I murmured. I wasn't aware that I had spoken aloud, so it startled me a little when someone responded.

[Lubyla]

"We all should know, though we dont."

For a motment, I was hurt. I knew Faith well enough to know she wandered, but usually, when we were in Ireland, she took me with her, or Starlight at least.I had to become myself again, if that was possible.I called Illali to my side. If she were with me, no one would dare attack. The clouds got darker as we walked off.We got far from the group, no one came to find us.

"What can I do Illali? I want to be me, Starlight again, not Starletta. No one knows Starletta, Faith trusts Starlight, not Starletta.Why did any of this ever happen?"



'You can become Starlight again, if you really wanted to.'

"What would happen to Starletta?"

'She would be her own self, and have to go to Rohan, where she belongs. Everything would stay the same. Morier would still follow you, I would still be with YOU, and both of you would keep your "Powers" '

"Then that is what I wish to do. It is the only way to regain Faith's trust. Would Starletta be able to maybe meet us at the kingdom of the writewraiths?"

'I do not know, tis true she is a write wraith, so problebly.'

"Then that is what I shall do." I sat down. "Though, I do not know how."

[Fred Baggins]

I walked on, afraid of what I would see in front of me. Death was near...Death was near...it repeated itself over and over in my mind, just as it had before.I did not watch where I was going, and was soon far from the rest. I stumbled over something, and looked down at what it was. What I saw horrified me, a body mauled, and clearly dead. It was almost beyond recognition. Almost.

"AAAAAARRRRGGHHHHH!!!!!!! DEATH! DEATH IS NEAR!" Was my battle cry. It was my dear Fred, my dear brother. Mauled as though by a wolf...or a warg. mistrustingly I turned toward Danger, Glamdring drawn. "YOU KILLED HIM, I KNOW YOU DID! DEATH IS NEAR!" I lunged at him, but he shouted out, in a scared voice.

"I swear Countess! I swear by my true form, I did not kill him!" I did not stop to worry about the 'countess' buisness. But he swore by his true form. I would find his killer, I would find the true murderer of him. I had no time for tears, nor regreats. No time for second thoughts, all that was on my mind was death. Death to that which killed the one nearest to me, again. Once already had I lost Fred, to the same fate, and now...

[Lubyla]

'Close your eyes, and think about being two sepparate people, Starletta, and Starlight.'

I did so, and soon found myself opening my eyes, to a cold, harsh rain, that I suppose I had started. Someone stooped over me. She looked like me, or like, "STARLETTA?!"

"Yes Staright, I am Starletta of the Rain, you are Starlight of the Rain. It is a good thing there are many rainmakers.Well, I must be off to Rohan, then I shall meet you in the Kingdom of the Writewraiths." With that she called a horse, and rode off.

I stood up, still a bit weak."Illali, will you carry me back to the others?" I pulled my green Irish walking cloak around me. I looked like the real Starlight. My hair was pulled back into two messy braids. My kaki riding pants, and my top was covered by the cloak.

'Yes, I will carry you.'

I rode back to the others, a bit weaker now. my sword still hung by my side, but now I had a bow with the carvings of Raindrops, and a quiver of blue arrows.

[Fred Baggins]

I ran to the rest, and tride to remain calm. I would not let them know what was wrong. I would not let my cool go.

"Death is near! And I will kill whoever it is that killed my brother! And when I find that person...St-Starlight? Starlight it's you! IT"S REALLY YOU!!!" I threw myself at her, unaware that she was still wobbly. Then I cried, like I never cried before.

[Lubyla]

"Yeah, at least I think it's me."

"Where is Starletta?"

"Off to Rohan, she said she will meet us in the Kingdom."I turned to Faith.~Death is come, what is the death?~

[Fred Baggins]

I could only cry. ~I found him again...I found him like that...just laying there, mauled...just like...And he's dead...again...~I stood up, and whiped my tears away ~But I will have revenge this time. It was a warg that killed him, of that I am certain, and I will kill him. or...~ I involontarly looked over to Calien, but quickly looked back at Star ~...or her...~

[Lubyla]

I bowed my head and started to cry. The rain came harder, still not hitting me. It did hit Illali. She got a bit mad, but understood."It seems history repetes itself...again. But I hope not to the full extent."

[Fred Baggins]

I sood up and tried to get as close to Star as I dared. The rain still hit me. I sighed. "Nevermind me. I speak of foolishness. Foolishness only." But I heard a voice in my head. You want death to that which killed your brother. I know who it was. I can help you. I shook my head. "Not again. Not you again. I will not listen." But You must listen to me Faith, you have no other choice. I know who killed your brother, don't you want to know? "Of course I want to know, but not from you. You are full of lies Dark One." Dark One? Faith I'm hurt. Hurt Faith, that you do not trust me. why, me your own concious! Faith, listen to me, listen to me... "No, no I won't." Listen Faith, listen, you know you can trust me. "No, I can't. I won't." It was HER Faith. SHE killed our brother, our beloved Freddy. SHE killed him. "You lie. you lie Dark One" I would not lie to you Faith. I tell the truth. Isn't she after all a shifter? Can she not take on the form of a warg? And did she not say she didn't like him? "No, she never said that! She never said that, she never said that!" Fine Faith, Don't belive me. I'll leave. I see that you don't belive me... "No! Don't leave, please...I belive you." I looked up to Calien. No it wasn't true. "No, I don't. I don't..." I little noticed the stares.

[Lubyla]

I stopped crying for a bit, though the rain still fell.~It comes again, the rain of bitterness. The rain of terror. Though it is not the rain, it is the wind I fear, the wind of the dark land, though I do not know what else will come of it, hopefully not what happened last time.~ I didnot realise I was "Saying "this to Faith, I thought I was thinking to myself.I bregan to hum a sad song, which seemed to make the rains worse, for though I did not cry, my heart did.

[Fred Baggins]

I sat down, not noticing I was ruining my dress. Stupid dress anyway. I tried to block it out, the voice. It was back. I couldn't keep from listening to it. The medication, I left the medication at home. I kept on, talking to me. I couldn't stand it anymore. I couldn't stand it. I stood up the anger welling up in me and swung Glamdring, but it stopped just centemeters from her neak. I turned around. The angel. My angel was there. She put her hand to my forehead, and i remembered no more.

[Lubyla]

"FAITH!!!"I screamed. last time this happened, I was her target. I had ducked just in time, and it only hit my arm, leaving me with a raindrop shapped scar on my eft arm. no one knew about it, not even Faith. I ran to her side, as she lay there.

[Fred Baggins]

As I fell back I saw Calien breath a sigh of relife. But my sword flew, I hoped it had not hit anything.

When I woke I first say Star, then Calien. I looked from one to the other, and wept. I couldn't take this any more. No one knew of the voice, no one knew that I was schixophrenic. And with the voice still talking who knew what would happen. It wasn't talking now, it was silent, but it was there, O yes it was there.

[Lubyla]

"I looked with tears in my eyes, teying to hold them back, for the rains would hold us back for at least another day. I turned to Claien."I dont think you know me, the true me. I am StarLIGHT of the Rain." I looked gravly at Faith. Why does this happen? " Are you alright, both of you?"

[Silverstripe]

As the Writewraiths all sat together in a group, Faith and Starletta... no, someone who was more like Starletta's sister... talked a little, and rain came pouring down. I sat in thought, not hearing what anyone was saying.
Why did it have to be now? I thought. I remembered how I'd run off from the group when I felt compelled to transform again, to become a warg. Since I had regained my memories, I should be able to fully control the transformation.
Killer should not have come back.
But she did.
To make matters worse, I couldn't remember a thing she had done. Which was never a good sign...
Suddenly Faith screamed. I turned around to see Faith swing Glamdring at me! Almost by instinct, I stopped the sword, in the same way I had blocked Snake's magical attacks. Only Faith wasn't using her magic.
"Faith, Faith, what's wrong?" I asked. And at that moment, Faith Lowe collapsed on the ground.

[Silverstripe]

StarLIGHT came and asked if we were all right.
"Ye..." I started to respond. But it was a lie, and for some reason I found that I couldn't lie about this, not to Starlight.
"I don't know. Faith, ARE you okay?"

[Lubyla]

"This has happened before, all of it, well, exept the part of Middle Earth."I sighed. There was nothing I knew to do.

[Fred Baggins]

I sat back servaying Calien. Still I did not talk. I reached up and touched the spot where I had almost taken her head off. Still I did not talk. Then I looked at Star, and touched the stop where I had nicked her with Glamdring. Almost instantly it was healed, though a scar remained. Still I did not speak. I looked up and saw Adrian, and her friends, and the ent, and his friends, and Buddy. Still I did not speak. I saw Lubyla, and reached up touching her head, noticing for the first time a scar along her cheek. I traced the scar, with my finger. At last I spoke, though I looked at Kathie. "I'm sorry...the voice...I can't stop it..."

[Lubyla]

"Perhaps you can tell us all what that was about?" I swept mfingers across the scar on my face, and it was gone.

I looked down. It ws not this bad lasttime.

[Silverstripe]

"Voice? Faith, what voice?" She sounded like my -- Kathie's -- older sister, Stephanie, before she had started taking that medication. But of course all of that had been before I met Faith.

[Fred Baggins]

"He said kill...so I tried to kill. I always obey him, cause if I don't then he'll kill me. He's silent now though. I'm sorry Kathie." I seemed to not see that it was Calien, not Kathie. I didn't notice that Kathie was no more. No this WAS Kathie.

[Lubyla]

I started walking back to where we were before, I hoped that this was just a dream, and I would wake up in my bed in Ireland, all safe and sound, but no, it was not. I would not be going back to Ireland...ever.

[Silverstripe]

"Faith, this is very serious. Oh, I never told you what happened with Steph, did I? My-- Katharine's sister has bipolar disorder. Just before she was diagnosed with it, Stephanie, well, she got angry with me, and ... tried to hurt me." And it nearly destroyed our family, I added silently. I was very worried about Faith. I didn't want what had nearly happened to my sister to happen to my best friend.

[Fred Baggins]

I sat down. I felt the hand on my head again. The fog that had been there was gone. So was the voice, for now anyway. My angel got ride of it, ride of the voice. "I'm sorry. This never should have happened. The death set him off. Never would have happened if it wheren't for the death. Kathie, please forgive me. That never should have happened."

[Lubyla]

"Illali, you were there when it happened last time, wern't you?"

'Yes, I was.'

I sat down in the grass. the spot I chose was dry."Why? Why did history have to come back?"

'Middle Earth and Mundane Earth are but Mirrors of one another. It happened there, so it will happen here.'

[Silverstripe]

"Death? What death?!"
Oh, please, no, not this. Killer, what did you do?!
I knew she had done something terrible, because I couldn't remember, but ... I wouldn't kill anyone. "NEVER!"

[Fred Baggins]

"Star, it's done. It's done, he's gone. He's gone Kathie."

[Silverstripe]

I turned to Star. "Who's gone, what's done, and what does she mean, 'death?'" If Killer had actually killed someone, then I had become too dangerous to LIVE, let alone LEAD anyone. I wouldn't be able to trust myself, not ever.
Oh, but who ELSE do you trust? I asked myself silently.

[Lubyla]

Faith's voice seemed to carry in to wind to the spot I sat. I diddn't want to go back to the group arouund Faith.the wind howled in my easrs, and seemed to say..."It is a miror....things past will come back to be....."

[Fred Baggins]

"HE is gone. The voi- O nevermind. No one would belive me any way."

"Death has come, and death will be recieved, by he or her who killed my brother."

[Lubyla]

I sat in the field and pulled my cloak around me, and seemed to dissapear. no one could see me off in the distance that was. Illali's eyes glowed bright in the storm. The wind rang, mocking me.

[Silverstripe]

"But I thought you said that your brother died years ago?" Maybe that was it, it was just Faith's MEMORY of a death.
"And what do you mean, 'no one would believe you'? Try me."
In truth I might very well NOT believe her, but I had been Stephanie's confidante through her hard times and I hoped I could be Faith's. Because I was convinced she had, well, probably not bipolar disorder, but SOME type of mental disorder, though she might not know it.

[Fred Baggins]

"Ugh, I'd rather not tell. After all I kept it secret all these years. And it's no Memory. He was hear, an anthro hobbit. But I found his body just a few minuets ago. No memory. I'll even show you the body, that is if I thought I could stomich it. It's not...it's not...it's him."

[Lubyla]

I almost stopped the rain, as Illali stopped me.

'Dont, not yet, the rain brings comfort to some.'

[Silverstripe]

"A secret?" I laughed mirthlessly, because it looked like my fear of "going crazy," which I'd have ever since Steph was diagnosed, actually WAS justified. Sort of. Because Killer probably qualified as a mental disorder. "Look, you can keep your secret, but I think I know what's bothering you." And then her last words finally began to sink in. Freddy, the anthro? He was Faith's brother?! But if he had just been killed, then maybe Killer...maybe I ... actually HAD murdered someone!
NO! I liked Freddy, he'd never done anything to me, he was innocent, she-I couldn't have, I...
Then I caught a glimpse of Snakesnout's face. He seemed to know what I was thinking, and that made things even worse than they already were.
I was weeping now, in a way I had not cried for ten years.
My voice trembling a bit, I asked "H-how did he die?"
And Snakesnout answered.

[Fred Baggins]

*Buddy stepped forward* "We found his body, mangled. It is obvious the work was done by a warg, though I swear by my true form it wasn't me. I told the Counte-Faith that already." He caught the look in Caliens face, and he remembered his sister. "I wouldn't think it would be yo-Killer though." He then shut his mouth, and lay down behind Faith.

I felt Buddy sit down behind me. "It wasn't you Kathie."

[Lubyla]

I herd these words blow in the wind."you didn't seem to when it happened the first time, with me." I whispered into the wind.I began to sing softly to myself.

Spend all your time waiting
for that second chance
for a break that would make it okay
there's always one reason
to feel not good enough
and it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction
oh beautiful release
memory seeps from my veins
let me be empty
and weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight

in the arms of an angel
fly away from here
from this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear
you are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort there

so tired of the straight line
and everywhere you turn
there's vultures and thieves at your back
and the storm keeps on twisting
you keep on building the lie
that you make up for all that you lack
it don't make no difference
escaping one last time
it's easier to believe in this sweet madness oh
this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees

in the arms of an angel
fly away from here
from this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear
you are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort there
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort here

[Silverstripe]

I stared at Mauluk for a few moments ... because that was who I was seeing. Mauluk, the brother who had been my advisor for many years. I knew he was telling the truth. He had every reason to say it HAD been me, and yet he did not. And though I would never again trust him, I stopped looking at him as scum.
'Thank you,' I whispered to Buddy. Then I turned to Faith.
"I-thank you. I couldn't remember what Killer had done. I still don't." I snarled a little. "I have to destroy Killer. If I can't, I'll...I'll choose a new leader for the Kin!"
But whom would you trust? Again that question came into my mind.
"No, I'll let them choose," I continued. "Nor will I be Empress of the Writewraiths, if this doesn't end soon. Killer makes me too unstable. Anyway, we have to find out who DID kill your brother. Because... I'm certain whoever did it had to have been a shifter. Not Buddy, or me, but possibly one of my Kin."


ooc: Don't worry, I'll try not to be too kind to Buddy. Just not actually hate him so much anymore...

[Fred Baggins]

ooc: ok

ic:Buddy smiled. No, Mauluk smiled.

"I will kill who ever it is. I thank you for beliving me." I dug into my mind, the back of my mind. "No, it wasn't a shifter...I-I know somehow, it wasn't...or maybe it was..."

[Silverstripe]

"What do you mean, 'wasn't a shifter, but maybe it was'?" I asked. Although I had a feeling that I already knew the answer.

Hunter came running up to Calien and Faith in time to see Calien give Snakesnout a grateful look. But what could Snake possibly do to deserve gratitude?! The shifter decided he would have to warn Calien again about putting any trust in Snake.

Snakesnout was, and always would be, a traitor to the Kin. None of them, least of all Calien, should ever forget that.

[Fred Baggins]

*As Buddy saw Hunter, and caught a galre from him, the smile quickly faded. He slunk behind Faith, hiding, but not to well. He would never be accepted again, not Buddy, because of Danger. Mauluk was forever cast out because of Snakesnout.

"Well, I mean, I remember the body, and the way it was killed...well, it is a shifter, but not Kin. It was one who killed not for the death, but as a warning. A...or what I would guess...a warning to be more careful. I don't know, It's so hard to read..."

[Silverstripe]

"I think you're right, Faith. But the thing is, there aren't that many shifters who aren't Kin, at least who can take the form of a warg." I turned and saw Hunter. "Hello, Hunter."

<Calien. I need to speak to you, alone.> He cast a meaningful look at Snakesnout.

This time, as I watched Buddy shrink under Hunter's gaze, I felt a bit of sympathy for him. This seemed to worry Hunter even more.

<Calien, please!>

<Soon, Hunter. I will speak with you soon.>

<He's a traitor, Calien, not just to you but to all the Kin. Don't forget that!> Then, with a very worried look at his sister and one last glare at Snakesnout, the warg walked away.

[Fred Baggins]

Buddy cowered behind me, but I paid it no mind. I nodded to Hunter as he came, and again, as he left. He seemed not to aknowledge me. As he left I spoke again, knowing he had probably been using the link.

"There is one...though I cannot possibly imagine why he would do this to me, unless he has turned again. There is one who can change his form, and is not a Kin. Naa Tel'raa. I'm not saying it was him, but..."

[Silverstripe]

"He isn't the only one. There are others. Of course most of them are innocent of this crime. We should think carefully before we act. Now, if you'll excuse me, I promised Hunter I'd speak with him about something. I'll be back. I strode off after Hunter, leaving Anmara behind. He was waiting in the forest, out of hearing range of Buddy.

'Hello, Calien. So you have come.'

'Yes, I've come. I know what you're about to say, and you're right. I shouldn't trust Snakesnout. Well, I don't. And I can't trust Mauluk, because I'll never know when he might become Snakesnout. But there is some good in him, I know that now.'

'Good?! He betrayed you, Calien, he used you, for years. You were nothing more than a pawn in his game, a way for Snakesnout to get to what he wanted. The leadership. You saw how quickly he turned on you when you got in his way!'


'Yes, and I trusted him then. I don't now, but he did basically save my life back there. Anyway, how can I be sure I can trust YOU?' I snapped. Hunter looked shocked and hurt, and I simply felt ashamed. I had known Hunter as long as I'd known Mauluk, and though Hunter had never had Mauluk's wisdom, I would have trusted Hunter with my life.

But you would have trusted Mauluk with your life. And look what happened with him. No, Calien, you don't REALLY trust anyone anymore, do you? Not even yourself!

I ignored this thought, and spoke again to Hunter.
'I'm sorry Hunter. It's just...'


'Mauluk's betrayal makes it difficult to trust anyone, doesn't it?' said Hunter.

I nodded. Though there is one I will always trust. Terwell. Terwell couldn't betray me without betraying himself as well.

And I knew, for an absolute certainty, that Terwell was trustworthy; that he would have been trustworthy even if there was no Link. As I thought that, I got the urge to go and talk to my shuren, my "twin" by mindlink. But I stayed to hear the rest of what Hunter had to say.

'Be careful around Snakesnout, Calien. But don't let him ruin your life. Don't let him make you decide you can't trust anyone, because that would be your doom.'

Then, when Calien didn't speak, Hunter bowed and ran off towards the other Writewraiths, signaling that his sister should return to the somewhat smaller group she'd been with. He hoped Calien had listened to his words, especially the last part.

If she didn't trust anybody... Kin that didn't trust even their own brothers and sisters quickly turned into monsters. First, they began to be unable to control themselves for the first few minutes after becoming wargs.

It was common for one of the Kin to have difficulty doing this when young, but Calien would have had no trouble after defeating Snakesnout.

But of course, if she really didn't trust anyone, that was another story.

Hunter shuddered as he thought of what came next, for any extremely mistrustful member of the Kin.

They began to show two very separate sides of their personalities. One was normal, except that it was perhaps much more fearful than usual.

The other was agressive, lashing out at everyone and everything, hating the world and all that was in it.

This happened with both forms, and it was really no wonder that eventually, the Kin began to ignore a brother or sister who was behaving like this. The wary one would go mad, then, and wander aimlessly around Middle Earth, lonely and miserable. An outcast, made so not by anyone else, but themselves.

Oh, the Kin tried to help, and most of the time the problems never got this far. In fact, Hunter had only seen one member of the Kin, his brother, act like that; there had been no others in his lifetime. (But then, Hunter was fairly young, only a little older than Calien.)

Hunter hated to think that something like that could happen to Calien, his beloved sister. He had seen the look in the eyes of his wary young brother, the one who had fled from the rest of the Kin years ago, and he would not wish his brother's situation on even his worst enemy.

But more than that, Hunter loved his people, and Calien was their leader. The Kin simply could not afford to have a leader like that. Calien was ordinarily a good leader, and Hunter wanted her to keep her position.

But if Calien didn't learn to trust other people soon, if she grew agressive and fearful, what would become of the Kin?

As I ran back to Faith and Buddy, Hunter's words kept echoing in my mind.It would be your doom... be your doom ... your doom...doom
I knew his words were true, that I had to start trusting people again, even though it was hard.

[Lubyla]

'Are you ready to go back to the group?'

I wiped the last tear away, and lightened the rainfall to the point of a cmforting shower, light and seemed to take all the cares away. "I suppose." I began to walk back, silently, to Faith, my cloak blowing in the breeze.

[Fred Baggins]

As the other two began walking back, though I didn't know they where coming, I wondered if anyone would understand. I found myself thinking aloud.

"No one will understand you truely I suppese Bud. No one will ever understand the way your supposed to be. Two minds, one brain. Two different personalitys, two different thoughts, two different...you. Buddy, and Danger, Mauluk and Snakesnout."

"You designed me as a monster."

"No, not a monster, as a rivel, a true rivel for me. I designed you to be my best friend, and my worst enemy. You are not one person, but two. And no one will understand that Mauluk, who counciled Calien, CAN be trusted, and Buddy, the only one who will ever really know my heart, CAN be trusted, and that Snakesnout, who betrayed his sister, and Danger, who may perhaps someday betray me, cannot be trusted."


"But Countess, I would never betray you, nor would Danger. We can't, you know that."

"I don't know I think He still can, through words. He's powerful Bud, he's wise, and powerful, just as you are."

"Then I am sorry countess. You know I would stop him if I could."

"Yea. I know."

[Lubyla]

AS I walked back, I caught the last part of what they had said. I bowed my head. "Sorry I left. I'm back though, and Illali was with me."

[Fred Baggins]

ic: I wirled around. "Ho-how much of that did you hear?" I was afriad that she might have heard about me calling him my rival. If she had, then nothing will ever be the same.

ooc: Just to let you know, Faith's going to start seeing things that are there, but for some reason she's the only one that can see it. I will let you kow when this happens.

[Lubyla]

"Only the last bit, for the wind carries."I started to hum, something I did when I was worried, or sad, I hummed the song I had sung to the wind, thinking no one had heard.

[Fred Baggins]

"O, Star, I'm sorry it's just I tend to ramble sometimes, and well, I just say things that well...sometimes don't make sence." I hung my eyes low, I hated to lei, to the only other person who knew my heart, but I so feared that she would read about Danger. I listened to the song she hummed. "That song's nice. Like it."

[Lubyla]

"I have always loved it, it's a very pretty song, it comforts me." I looked down. I was true. it did comfort me, and comfort was what I needed.

[Fred Baggins]

I nodded, and picked up my staff...well not really picked it up, considering it had been floating the whole time, so i really kinda grabbed it. Then Kathie came in. She looked worried, but, trying to get back to my normal crazy self I ignored it.

"Yippie! Now all my best friends are here! Kathie, I know she already said so, but this is the REAL Starlight. She's from New Zeland origanly, and she's the only one to get your horses from, cause she breeds the best! Yep yep, she sure does! I don't do anything the best...nope, I don't, well, unless you count, just ebing me!"

[Lubyla]

"You do things the best, composing music...You know, that kinda stuff." I sat down. I never could stand for very long.

[Fred Baggins]

"Yea...sure...ok what ever. You can pretend I can actually compose, I'll accept the truth that I can't. WHY DO I HAVE TO BE A HOBBIT! Sorry, but I've spent my whole life trying to thin down, and loook at meee!!! I'm FAT! And don't look at me like that Star, I'm a hobbit, i'm fat."

[Lubyla]

"Your not FAT!!!! I get to hit you again!!!!!"

[Fred Baggins]

I slapped my head. "How could you say that. Have you LOOKED at me lately. Anyway shouldn't we like figure out why those ents have just been standing there this whole time?"

[Lubyla]

"O, uh...hehehe, well, your a hobbit, and eat nine meals a day."

"Your right Faith, what ARE the ents doing there?"

[Silverstripe]

Faith shrugged, and then she and Starlight turned to me. "Well, don't ask me, I don't know either! Maybe we should ask them."
Terwell, where are you? I need to talk to you.
At that moment Terwell came running over. Oh, of course! He couldn't tell what I was thinking, at least not when I wasn't using the Link, but he COULD tell when I was upset.


<Hello, Calien. What's wrong?>

Using the Link, I told Terwell of my conversation with Hunter, where he'd been warning me to be careful around Snakesnout and I'd snapped at him, because I wasn't quite sure if I could trust him.

<He is Kin, Terwell! One of my best friends! But I couldn't bring myself to trust him.>

Terwell motioned for me to go on, knowing that wasn't all. So I told him about Freddy's death, and Killer; how Mauluk had assured me that I hadn't been the one to kill the anthro hobbit, and that Faith Lowe had tried to kill me. I finished up with telling him about Stephanie, my/Kathie's sister in Mundane Earth.

I wondered how the REAL Kathie was doing, whether she had gotten used to Mundane Earth again yet. I now remembered what I had thought of that world when I first arrived. It was frightening, yet fascinating. There had been absolutely nothing, not even any stories, to tell me what Mundane Earth was like.

We really shouldn't call it "Mundane Earth," though.

When I first got there, I had thought of the other world as anything but mundane. Odd, yes, in that it had no -- no magic. But what was an airplane, really, or electricty, for that matter? Nothing but EXPLAINABLE magic!

That was the first time I missed "Mundane Earth"; the whole of that place, and not just my family and friends.

But there is Middle Earth to think of.

Yes, Middle Earth, my home. I smiled. It simply felt RIGHT to be here, though I would always miss the people I'd known in Mundane Earth. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I nearly missed Terwell's response to my story.


<Ah, this world you call Mundane Earth is a strange and complicated place, Calien,> said Terwell.

Terwell sounded as if he had just read my mind! Of course, he couldn't have actually done so; that's not how the Link works. But, having known each other from birth, 'tis true that Terwell and I often think alike. He is, after all, my shuren.

<I do think Hunter's right, that you have to trust someone, and it shouldn't be Snakesnout.

<I don't trust Snakesnout. And I won't trust Mauluk -- because I know it could not have been Snakesnout, who DID use me, who told me that Killer hadn't murdered Freddy.

<Killer didn't murder anyone. I know, because I was watching.>

<Terwell! You shouldn't do that, Killer would have attacked even you!>

<I'm the only one who CAN do that safely. I don't die unless you do, remember? Anyway you didn't hurt anyone.>

I breathed a sigh of relief. <But Terwell, you should still try to keep safe.> The very notion that I would ever try to hurt my best friend made me sick. <Well, what did I do?>

<You were shouting at a dark creature in the background. Not attacking, I couldn't tell what either of you was saying, but you both sounded VERY angry.>

<You think that was the creature that killed Freddy?>

<Yes. I wish I could remember that conversation!>

Then I knew that if we wanted to know what was said, I'd have to try toremember the conversation myself. This would not be easy or pleasant. I might have said any number of cruel things at that point.

Suddenly I heard a loud noise. I spun around to see Faith and Starlight talking to the ents.

[Fred Baggins]

Kathie...I mean Calien turned away, and I fingered the staff. I noticed something different about it, but I didn't know what. I ran my fingers over the staff, into the groves in it. The gravings...that was it, engravings. They hadn't been there the last time the staff changed. Beautiful engravings, like nothing I had ever seen. They where gorgeous. I looked up at the ents, and found that amazingly, I was not afraid of them.

[Lubyla]

The ents were a bit...large...and scarey...and pwerful...all I could think was, Please dont hurt me!

[Fred Baggins]

I stood up, and looked at them, nodding with a small smile. I looked toward the one who seemed to be leading them. "Hello sir. Do you know what is wrong with our friend? Are you going to help them." The ent looked surprised, and I felt very suprised myself, for I had spoken in Old Entish!

[Lubyla]

I looked at Faith. WHY DIDN'T I HAVE ANY COOL POWERS???????"Um, I think I'll just go sit down now." I tripped over Illali and fell.

[Fred Baggins]

ooc: Zavron! Please post, or we will leave without you! We'll leave you sitting there surrounded by ents, and never care what happened!!!(Sorry, just a little upset, that nothing is happening or has happened for about three days because one person won't post.)

[Fred Baggins]

ooc: Fine Zavron, See ya l8r!

ic: I mounted Wind Rider, and smiled at the rest. "Are we leaveing now?"

[Lubyla]

I picked myself up." Um...I guess." I whistled for Rainstorm, and she came. I mounted her.

[Silverstripe]

"Yes, let's go before anything else happens." Silently, I called Anmara to my side, and she came. I mounted Anmara and picked Terwell up so that he could ride with me. I could tell that he was getting tired.

[Lubyla]

I looked off into the distance and closed my eyes, the wind blew past, and I imagined I was back home.I sighed heavily,resting my head on Rainstorm's. There was no hope for me going back.

[Fred Baggins]

As I climbed up, I slaped my head. The horse was a horse, not a pony, making it hard enough getting on it, and on top of it I left the staff laying on the ground! I climbed down, and picked up the staff. Then I tried climbing back up. No can do. So I set down the staff, and climbed back up. Then what about the staff! I sat puzzling over it, when It started floating up! "Thankyou!" I found my self shouting, unawar of how thankful I was not to leave it behind.

[Lubyla]

I almost fell asleep on Rainstorm, and almost fell off. Illali pushed me back up onto her. I sighed and sat up.

[Fred Baggins]

I carefully guided Wind Rider over to Starlight. "You ok? Maybe we should stop fpr the night, it IS getting pretty dark." With that I pulled up to Calien. "Either we find a town with an inn soon, or we camp. Everyone's looking pretty tired." I was surpirsed to find myself, that I wasn't tired.

[Lubyla]

"I'm fine, I just was...thinking very deeply....about......stuff." I again sighed, as the rain now stopped. I mssed home. Middle Earth was great to visit in dreams, but not to live in.

"Are you sure your alright Starlight? If you want to stop, we really should. With the attacks and all."

[Silverstripe]

I nodded. "You're right, Faith, we should stop soon. And in a few days time we will reach the borders of the Kingdom of Writewraiths."

[Fred Baggins]

ooc: DO NOT FOLLOW ME! IN FACT DON'T EVEN NOTICE I'M GONE!!!

ic: We stopped and set camp. I took care of Wind Rider and tied her up. Then I seperated myself from the group, and no one followed, not even Star. I WAS after all a writewraith, and I never liked people watching me while I wrote. I'd only be away for about an hour. As I was walking away, I saw riples in the are, like you see with mirages, and they seemed far away. I didn't really see it though, in fact I didn't see it at all intil I was practically through it. Once on the other side I blinked. This wasn't where I had been, and if it was Middle-Earth at all, it was a different part of Middle-Earth. "A porthole!" I whispered.

Looking around, I slowly smiled. I was still in the woods, but they where different from where I'd been. In fact I KNEW where I was. I wasn't even in Middle-Earth. I was HOME!

ooc: By the way, my timeing for this, is that every day in "Mundane Earth" Is equal to a minuet in Middle-Earth. You won't even notice I've been gone at all by the time I finally get back...

[Fred Baggins]

I woke up and rubbed my head. Where was I? In the woods again? I hadn't gone back for about a month. Not since I got home. I looked around, this wasn't my woods. I groaned, and wept. Kathie, and Westly where back home. I was in middle-Earth again. It had been a dream. But no...I had the dagger, and the clothes...dream? It couldn't have been...I did where my normal jeens and t-shirt with highchool sweatshirt over it...and the claok covering Glamdring, all of which i had taken to sleeping in, just in case, and it was a ggood thing to. Though I didn't sleep with my pack it was nearby to, along with the staff I had left here. I picked both up and walked to where camp had been. I had to follow them. But they where all there, and chating as though they had not missed me. I bowed down low to Calien. Yes Calien, not Kathie. I would never consider the two of them the same again. I couldn't.

"I'm sorry M'lady, to have kept you waiting for so many weeks. The unexpected happened." They all looked at me like I really HAD gone nuts. They told me I had just left an hour or so ago. "So it WAS a dream then...a dream where i got my clothes and dagger." I had to belive it there was no other logical explanation. But I did not tell where I had been. None would belive me. Nor would anyone hear me talk about going home again.

[Lubyla]

As the group stopped, Illali, Lubyla and I walked a little away. By the time we got where we were going, Faith came back saying ghe had been gone for weeks. It kinda just went over my head. The three of us sat down in the grass. I was hopeing Faith would come sit too, but I doubted that. Finally Lubyla spoke.

"Why did you go back to being Starlight?"

"I felt that was the way it chould be. Starletta and I are alike, though we are VERY different. I thought that we should be apart again. Plus I wanted Faith to trust me again, the REAL me."

"It is true, you two are alike in many ways. As you have heard, Middle Earth and the other world are but mirrors of eachother. What hapens here happens there, and vise versa. Just like the wars of the ring. Did you not have two wars of th world?"

"Yes, actually, we did. Then are the people mirrors too?"

"There are some who are...and some who aren't."

"Like who?"

"Well, me, Andodulin...and Faith are just a few."

[Adrian Baggins]

We stopped to set up camp and I moved to a clump of trees and pulled out my laptop. I was going to continue writing my story. All of a sudden there was a rusteling of bushes and I jerked my head up. I was in hobbit form at the time. A little head pushed through the bushes and I recognized it from my memories of Middle Earth as Sam's youngest son, Elijah's head. He crawled through the bushes and stood up. "Hello Aunt Adi, where were you. Father sent me to look for you buthe didn't say you would be this far from home. Come on," he said reaching out his small hand. "Not yet," I replied, "let me introduce you to some of my friends." I stuffed the laptop back into my pack and stood up, taking hold of his hand. We walked back to the others but before we got there he motioned for me to ean down and he whispered in my ear. "Pleae don't shift," he said. "Of course not," I replied.

[Lubyla]

Adrian brought a new hobbit to the camp, and was a bit surprised to see me. I guess I didn't introduce myself to her...o well

[Fred Baggins]

I sat down with Lubyla and Star, grinning, so to hide the tears that threatened.

"Me and my dreams huh? I never have enough of them!" Of course I knew it was real, but I didn't want to mention it. I looked around me, and Adrian brought another hobbit in, reminding me of how different I was.
"I really shouldn't be here, should I Lubyla? You didn't mean to bring me here." She tried to hide the truth from me, but I still saw it.
"It was Starletta that brought me here, not you. In fact you even tried to send me back. I know the porthole was of your doing. I'm not really supposed to be here, or I wasn't at first.I have been brought here and now my fate is woven in with that of Middle-Earth. So woven that there will be mane lives, and...many deaths because of me. Just from one day in middle-Earth."

[Lubyla]

"It was not in MY plans, though my plans have gone a whall before."

I looked up and started to walk off, first whispering to Faith,"Next time you go home, take me with you. I dont want to be here."

[Fred Baggins]

~You think it was easy for me to be there alone?~ I sent her the memory I had of what had happened, almost a month ago, at home.

~I ran home as fast as my legs would carry me, bursting through the door like a for into his hole. I shouted for happiness, for relief, for knowing I wasn't short and fat anymore, as Aunty ran in with wild eyes asking what was wrong.

"Wrong Aunty? Nothing is wrong. In fact everything is ROGHT again! Didn't you notice I was GONE a whole day!?" She shook her head.

"Yes, at school. I swear I don't know whatwhat's gotten into you THIS time Faith Lowe. I just never know what to DO with you!"

"School? I havn't been in school since first period yesterday/"

She sighed, tiredly. "No games today Faith. I've had a long day and I have more students coming yet."

Respectivly I left her alone, and went into the family room. Standing over the fire place I picked up the dagger, and puzzled over it all. MY dagger actually, but Aunty and Uncle didn't trust me to keep it. Course they never knew about Glamdring.

Glamdring! I quickly reached down to feel for it. I sighed, it was there. I cannot describe the link I have with that sword, I've always had. From that day I got it, and Star and I found the castle, and then the swords, and I saw that old man. It has never left me though no one ever saw it.

I still wore the middle-Earthish clothes, and I went to the bathroom to take a shower and change. Never once did I wonder about my friends, or Danger, assuming they all came back as well, and PRAYING Danger didn't.

[Lubyla]

~I see.~ I sighed deeply, and now I had fully given u on going home. I reached into my pack and took out a leather, really old, nice notebook and began to write. Faith knew the notebook, for she had seen many in the room, where I so longed to go.

[Fred Baggins]

~Don't try to make like that made sence. I was just stoping for air. There's more.~~I let my hair down. It travled down to the mid-way point on my back. I took my shower and came out of the bathroom soon after wearing my normal Jeans and t-shirt. I gathered my hair up into a high pony tale, and stuck the normal BIC pen in it. Pushing my glasses up i headed toward my room.
It took quite a bit of shuffling around, before I found it. I held it up to my cheek, feeling the softness, and breathing deep the smell of roses, grass, rivers, ruins, and...smoke. Mum's cloak. I picked up my sword belt and buckled it. I felt a strange reluctance to let it leave my side EVER again. Then I picked up the navy blue cloak and slung it on my sholders, over Glamdring. I sat on the bed and picked up the cordless phone. Uncle wouldn't call, he was on his way home, and Aunty was giving piano lessons. I dialed the number, I knew it by heart, and waited till it was picked up.
"DiMaggio's Pizza in China, can I take your order??"
I giggled. It was him alright! "Farm Boy, I'll have a chees pizza, delivered to America."
"As you wish." I smiled.
"Farmboy, what wild tale would you be ready to belive this time?"
"That they finally took you to the loony bin?"
"Better than that! I was in MIDDLE-EARTH!" There was silence. I sighed. Figured not even you would belive me."
"It's not that Buttercup, but...well you DO tend to trick people a lot."
"No trick this time. I've even got the clothes to proove it. And Star'll tell ya to, she was there!" I sighed. Maybe he was right. "I don't know, it could have just been a wierd dream...or...him...I suppose. After all, Freddy can't die twice right?"
"Buttercup...you dreamt about Freddy?" There was sympathy in his voice.
"Yea, and he was an anthor! Rediculas huh? Thanx for bringing me back to my sences." I tried to sound jovial but he had known me long brfore any one else, even Star, and saw right through it.
"Buttercup, you need to stop beating yourself up over that. It wasn't your fault. You had nothing to do with it."
I sighed. "You may know me like the back of your hand Westly, but your wrong there. It had everything to do with me, in a way you can't understand. I don't even understand it."
We hung up soon after.~

[Lubyla]

I scribbled down a few words on the page, then turned it, listening to Faith's story. I drew a sketch, two eyes in a thicket of leaves. I sighed.

[Fred Baggins]

~He called me again at midnight. This alarmed me, he usually remembered time difference. When he spoke and I heard the alarm in his voice I really woke up.
"Buttercup, Star's not home."
I wipped the sleep from my eyes, wondering where she could be. Wairly I spoke. "She could just be...somewhere else." As I said this the thought of a type of shed ran through my head.
"I asked. She didn't come home last night at all, or call."
Middle-Earth. She was still in Middle-Earth! Thanks Westly. I'll call around." Calling around ment Kathie. If she was there.

The voice on the other end was still groggy. I'd forgotten what time it was. But I breathed a sigh of relife to find it was Kathies. "Calien...I mean Kathie, Star's not come back from Middle-Earth yet!"
"Calien? Middle-Earth? What are you talking about Faith?"
"Starlight Adams, me best friend, who you just met in middle-Earth hasn't come back yet."
'Faith, isn't this a little late for pranks. Try me in the morning, not in the middle of the night. Night."
We hung up. Calien. Calien was in Middle-Earth with the rest. Only I had come back. It finally dawned on me. Calien, not Kathie. My empress not my best friend. Calien was not Kathie.. I was torn. I wanted to go back and be with Star, but to stay and be with Kathie. No matter. i have no choice now though. I lay down and tried to get back to sleep.~

~So you see. I had no choice, and I have no choice. What happens is now up to what happens.~

[Lubyla]

~Right. I thank you though, for not telling him to look, you know where.~ I scribbled down a poem, but tore it out, and let it blow in the wind.

[Fred Baggins]

I held up my right hand, where the scar remained. I had insisted on doing it. It would bind me to the promise. ~You think I would tell after all the pain I went through?~

[Lubyla]

I had to smile a bit.~Sorry about that...it just...well... Sorry!~

[Fred Baggins]

I laughed an hugged her. ~It was my own fault! Course, I think i did it wrong. It didn't hurt so much when Farmboy and I made that kinda promise. Didn't leave a scar either. Almost wish it did, for I'd have something to remember him by...~ By the time I got to that last sentence I was barely thinking in the link, so that you would have to strain to hear it. But what was wrong with me. I was acting like Adrian, a child in love, when I was never in love!

[Lubyla]

"Well, even though it was an accedent, I was just starteled, and didn't need to scratch, poke, Stab you with that arrow." I was a bit enbarassed now, I didn't use the link and all could hear me.

[Silverstripe]

Silently, I sat near the fire, a little ways apart from the others.

Calien... I heard a voice call to me softly, from somewhere deep in the forest. I stood up and began walking towards it, but then hesitated. If I went unprepared, I could be walking into great peril.

Yet I knew that this would not lead me into danger. I was as certain of that as I was the existence of Middle Earth ... as the thought came to me, I smiled, remembering a time I was not so certain of my home's existence.

Come, Calien!

I heard the voice again, and began walking towards it. Suddenly there was a thick mist all around me, and I couldn't see a thing. Still, I somehow managed to avoid running into anything, as if I already knew what was there. The mists grew thinner, and I came running to meet me.

No, not "I," of course. Katharine Welsh. Although she didn't look anything like I had when I was in Mundane Earth. In fact, there is really no way to describe exactly how people look in that place, for appearance is constantly changing.

"Hey, you, er... Katharine?! How did you get here?"

She gave me a wry grin. "Call me Kathie. Don't you know where we are?"

I thought about it, and discovered that I DID, although the idea of being where we were frightened me a little.

"Between Worlds," I whispered. "Where Danger wanders..."

"The very same. But not Danger only. I can come here sometimes, though I can never go back into Middle Earth. And," and here sadness crept into her voice, "I will not remember Middle Earth when I'm not here, save as the world of The Lord of the Rings and other books."

I tried to speak, to express sympathy, but she held up a hand, warning me not to go on.

"I don't regret having gone home. And I'm don't really want to remember Middle Earth. It's not like I can share my experiences with anyone at home, you know. So I chose not to remember."

I nodded, and realized how different the real Kathie was from me. I could never stand not to know, and I would've wanted to remember Middle Earth, if I'd been in her situation.

"I have some things for you, Calien," said Kathie, with a warm smile.

She handed me my blue notebook, the one which was supposed to be used as a journal but never was. Then she gave me a black ballpoint pen to go with it.

"As a Writewraith, that might be all you need or want to be happy," said Kathie.

I grinned. "Thanks."

"I do have one more thing, Calien."

With that, she whipped out a beautiful sword, powerful and light. I noticed that she held it in her right hand, which puzzled me greatly. I'm left-handed! Well, "my" sudden change of handedness must have really confused Mr. and Mrs. Welsh! But there was something extremely familiar about this sword.

"It is yours, though it went back to the other world with me." said Kathie, "Called..."

"Caralor," I whispered. Not the prettiest of names, but it had great meaning in the language it came from. "Thank you, Kathie."

"'Welcome."

With that, Kathie disappeared, and I knew it was time to leave. I ran back through the mists, to the portal that led to Middle Earth.

My sight Between Worlds had gotten much better. I shivered as I saw what I had so carelessly gone around before ... bottomless pits, steep cliffs, a labyrinth (the all-who-go-this-way-are-lost type), and other horrors. I avoided them all; I knew the path to tread.

I found the portal that led back to Middle Earth, and went through, rather grateful that we'd taken a "short cut" the first time we came.

Then, carrying my sword in one hand and my journal in the other, I went back to the rest of the Writewraiths, filled with hope.

[Fred Baggins]

*I looked up to the empress. For the first time, just from one look at her I saw it all.*

"It was always you. So...I've lost my best friend. I wonder if Katherine is anything like Kathie." It was quiet, so no one was able to hear it. I'd hoped.

I also noticed the sword she wore, and smiled. The sword of the Empress.

"M'lady, I ask to ride at your right hand as your advisor."

I was a quetsion, even if I addressed it as a command. Compleatly by accident though. Then I saw the hesitance in her face, and read it like a book. "You don't trust me? But you will regain all trust of everyone by the time the third new moon rises. But by then I shall be no more."

[Lubyla]

I looked up, Faith was gone off talking to Katie...or whatever her name was again. I stood up, and wandered a bit, and placed my cloak over my head, so I could at least FEEL like I was in the "Room," I needed to go, to sketch, to pour my heart on a page as I so often had done before, but there was no more home, no more secret shaks, I sighed and started writting more in my notebook, smelling it a bit, just to remember home.

[Fred Baggins]

I looked at her, and smiled. "I read much in your face Empress. There will be many years of happieness because of you, after a perod of death, and pain. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have spoken about that. It's none of my buisness." I walked away. reprimanding myself for my behavior. I sat down and leaned against Buddy.

[Lubyla]

I wrote a few things down in the book.:

"...I once read, that home is where your heart is. And also, that your soul is what goes with the love you have. If this is true, and my heart and soul are at home, where I loved to be, how can I be here, and live. Or do I live? Have I ever lived? What if I am not real, but reality is a figment of your imagination it is said. Whatever. I'm not sure of much in these times, and not unsure of very little. Things have changed, I feel it in the air, and in the Earth..."

[Adrian Baggins]

I took Elijah over to Calliman, Grace, and Celrond and sat him down, taking the notebook he handed me. "Papa said you forgot this and that I should take it just in case I found youso that you could write. Read some of it to me please, Aunt Adi," he said pulling me down. "Oh, alright. But just oone story for now, okay, then you have to go home and tell your papa that I will be late tonight and that I might not come home today, okay." "Okay, read." I sat there and read him my longest story. It was one of his favorites and it still wasn't done. He had good ideas for where I needed to add stuff.

[Silverstripe]

I smiled, a somewhat sad smile, for I knew that Faith was finally thinking of me as Calien, not Kathie. I wondered if she understood, yet, that the Faith of Mundane Earth was gone, replaced by Faith the Blue.

I watched her face then, and knew that I had lost my best friend, for she did not see Calien as she saw Kathie. And neither did I. I was whole, now, free to act in Middle Earth without thinking of who I had been, of Kathie.

Katharine Welsh was back in Mundane Earth, and she had all of my memories from when I was there. I knew that for certain. When I saw her, all of "my" memories from Mundane Earth that had actually been hers and hers alone, had departed from me. Personally, I'd only known Faith for about five months.

It was disconcerting, this sudden loss of memories. But I knew that it was necessary for Katharine Welsh to have no memory of Middle Earth... for I had the memories of her time here, not even a full day.

We had done an exchange; my false memories of Mundane Earth (which were righfully hers) for her true memories of Middle Earth, which she didn't want. I was relieved to have only my true memories of Mundane Earth, because it told me how long I had really been there, and that Kathie (not I) had been Steph's true confidante, so that I need not worry about her.

So I wasn't even gone for that long! Less than a day of our time!

I knew, too, where Faith had been for that hour: Mundane Earth.

[Lubyla]

Illali padded over to the moving blob, me. 'What are you doing under that cloak?'

"Trying to find my heart, and myself."

'Did you look in your pocket?'

"Illali, dont be silly. I ment to find the real me. I want to go home. To the land i love. I love Middle Earth, but only to dream about it."

'I can understand that.'

I sighed, pulling the cloak off of me, and hugged Illali. She had always been there for me. I forgot to not use the link and thought, ~You can't understand Illali, no one can, and no one will be able to.~

[Fred Baggins]

When I heard that I knew. I knew that it was all dead. I wasn't meant to be here, nither was Star. And both of us where there for different reasons, that neither of us would ever understand. I was just as dead as all that. Not me, but Faith.

No, stop thinking like that. Faith isn't dead. Not yet. She's still here. That wizard won't take my body over yet! Not till...

[Lubyla]

I walked back with Illali, and tried to smile to Faith. It was no use, I couldn't fake a smile, it wasn't easy. Faith would know.

[Fred Baggins]

*As Lubyla walked past I flinched, buring my head deep into Buddy's fur, to advoid her. Would any of us ever be the same again? Well, Star and I anyway, we weren't supposed to be there. I flinched again, as that feeling came over me, in a shudder, from the top of my head to my toes. That feeling that if I stayed in Middle-Earth I would be the cause of great suffering, by enemies and friends both. It only made me curl into Bud's fur even more. before I knew it I had drifted off to sleep. And I had another dream.*

*I trotted along the path at a slow trot, as though I knew it well, and found that I DID know it well, if only from my past. As I came out into a clearing, I approched a great castle. As I followed the path up to the great gate, I was greated by many servants. They called me countess. I dismounted Wind Rider, and was lead through the gate to my chambers. As I walked in I heard a familar voice. It was Buddy in his elf form. I was surprised, he didn't change into an elf often. It started to massage my neack, gently, then harder and harder, then he was strangling me! As I took my last breath and looked up at him, I nearly had a heart attack before I died. It wasn't his elf form, it was his natural one.*

*I woke up in a clod sweet, to find all around me had fallen asleep. I climbed into my packs, and tried to do the same. But he didn't leave me. He just lay nearby. How I wished I could trust him enough to let him lay off by himself.*

[Lubyla]

Illali knew me well enough. Before Faith, she was the only one allowed in the room. In fact, she was sitting in it when I found the room. 'I will be back, I have to run and find something.' She took off into the distance.

I sat down in the damp grass. The clouds were lighter, and night was falling. I sigh. There was no one there to talk to really. Faith was sleeping, Illali was gone, Lubyla is no fun to talk to, and I dont know many of the others. I decided to just rummage through my pack and see what I did have.
Dumping out the contents on the grass, I tossed the brown backpack purse thing that I it was all in to my right. Inside it, now laying on the grass were a few quills, a pencil, my notebook I had written in earlier, a few assorted items, my glasses,(thank goodness), and another notebook, one a bit smaller than the one I had written in. It looked simmilar, leather and old, just like all the books I wrote in, for they all came from the same place. This one was my first book in Ireland. I shoved all the other stuff back in my pack, and put on my glasses. I took the book aside and began to read it.

[Fred Baggins]

*As I woke up with the morning in my eyes, I knew we where late in starting. I folded up my blankets, as the others woke up, and was ready to be started before I'd even had breakfast. But of course I did sit down and eat with the rest. I wasn't THAT antsy!*

[Lubyla]

I hadn't slept that night, I was busy reading through my past life. One entry really got to me though. I rewrote this in my new book. I was down to the last page.

...I met a new friend a while ago...She seemed to be someone I could relate to at the time, maybe talk to a bit, but now I've really started to like...Bond together with her. When I met her the first time, its like I found myself, my home, my...heart....
I put my book away. 'Great' I thought 'Now I dont even have a book to write in.' I walked over for breakfast, Illali still wasn't back,

[Fred Baggins]

*I caught the familar look on Star's face as she came over for breakfast. She didn't have anything to write in.*

"I brought back a book for you Star. It's in my pack, so I'll give it to you after breakfast."

*I smiled up at her, as she sat down. My best friend. The girl who had been closest to me. The only one who really understood me. The one who had been there after the fire, a sholder to weep on, a friend forever, and had been there when I first found Fred. I was very grateful.*

[Lubyla]

I smiled. "Thanks. I'll repay you when we go back home." Any empty promis I know, but there had to be SOMEway to get there. I sat down next to her, as Illali padded over, carrying a pack on her back.

"Illali! What do you have there?"She dropped the pack at my feet.

'Thought you might like bits of home.'

I opened up the pack. I almost cried at the sight of what was there. I scooped up a large frog stuffed animal, a rather beat up piglet stuffie, Midnight the Panther TY, and two charm braclets. I slipped one on my wrist, hugged Illali, and poked Faith. I held out the other braclet to her.

"I think you left this in Mundane Earth." I smiled, and hugged the stuffed animals. Juviniel, I know, but hey, it was me, never growing up. I then stuffed the three back into the pack, and set it aside.

[Fred Baggins]

I took the bracelet, and fondled it, looking at each charm in turn. The Tinker Bell, the Trebel Cleft, the other note thingy, and the Micky magic hat. I smiled as I remembered the promise we made when we got the bracelets. That we would get charms for them on our birthdays. That was just a couple months ago, when Star visited over christmas, and we went to Disneyland fo her birthday. "Thank you both. I hate it when I forget to put this on!" I put it on, changing the links so it wouldn't fall off. Then I slung my pack on. "We ready to go then?" I had finished breakfast and was more than ready. I did not ask again to ride at the Empresses side. I would prefer riding with me best friend.

[Lubyla]

"I'm ready when everyone else is."

"Has anyone seen Andodulin? I haven't seen him since-- Well, has anyone seen him?"

[Fred Baggins]

I glanced over at Bud, as he burped and a few black feather's floated out of his mouth. If I wasn't sure he hadn't done the obvious, I would have congradulated him, for riding us of the nusince. But I knew it couldn't have been.

"Perhaps he's off somewhere with that cursed horse of his."

[Lubyla]

Her eyes squinted. "He best not be, that would mean trouble for us all. "

"Um...Is he still after me?"

"You are one of the rain makers aren't you?"

"I guess"

[Fred Baggins]

Cursed bird, and his horse. Should have killed them long ago. If I could have. Well, let 'em try, cursed ones, follwers of the Dark One.

[Lubyla]

"We shant have to worry about him yet....I hope."

[Fred Baggins]

Humph. Hope not. I put back on my happy face, after reaching back to make sure the BIC pen was still in my pony tale. "Shall we be off then? If we hurry, we may be able to make it to the castle by nightfall."

[Silverstripe]

As I rode with the others, I tried to talk with them, which was difficult as I was in the lead and there was no one riding beside me. I saw that Faith was ignoring me completely. I was pretty sure I knew why.

She knew I wasn't Kathie. No, Kathie was back in Mundane Earth, and didn't even remember Middle Earth. Faith blamed me for Kathie not being there. This didn't trouble me as it would have once. I had Terwell here, after all. And later I could find those of my friends who were not here.

I just wished I could do something for Faith. She seemed so lonely and depressed; sad, angry, and a bit afraid. It was easy to see why she would be angry at me, Lubyla, and perhaps all of Middle Earth! She wasn't supposed to be here, but she could never go home. Anger, sadness, and fear weren't good for her, though, or for anyone, I reminded myself.

I was still furious with Snakesnout for his betrayal, and it was possible I always would be. But Mauluk's unexpected kindness had shown me that there was some good in him yet, and I would remember that too.

[Lubyla]

Lubyla rode up to Calien. She looked at the sky as one last star shone, and then died. "Keep on your best lookout, times are changing, just as the wind." Worry was apon her face, which was a rare sight on Lubyla.

[Fred Baggins]

ooc: Faith's not ignoring you. She wan'ts to be your advisor, she just understands that that won't be possible for awhile. Sorry, but Faith wouldn't ignore you, you ARE still her empress, and soo she will suspect that there is some of her best friend locked in there somewhere. It all goes along with my evil plan!

ic:The wind blew around me, I could feel the messages it carried. Some where for me, or others in the companie and others where for other people in Middle-Earth. Actually there was only one for me. I was one of the few who knew what the wind said, though I never made it public. It would only be more reason to send me to the shrink. I wondered if there was a Shrink here, as I felt the message.

You feel of Death, like the Empress feels of Life.

I shuddered. I had felt, brefly, the life that the Empress was surrounded in. It was thick, like flies on food. If I was surrounded with death like that...

But how? Surely the wind didn't lie, did it.

~Star. Did you hear the message. The message the wind gave me? You feel of Death, like the Empress feels of Life. Do you think it tells the truth. How could I feel like death?~

[Fred Baggins]

"You feel of Death, like the Empress feels of Life"

It rang through my head, with another voice. Not the voice of the wind. In fact it was a voice that sounded so familar, though I couldn't place it.

"Perhaps the name Doncamiel, Wizard of the West, means nothing now, but there will be a day when even you will fear the name."

Why this rang through my head, I do not know, nor do I remember hearing it. But it had something to do with the Wind's message. ~Star?~

[Lubyla]

~The wind tells niether lie nor truth, only what it sees. I heard it not, I heard nothing this time, yet anyway.~

It was odd too, that I hadn't heard it, but, o well, Then it came again, the wind, this time only to me.

Upon a horse of coal and dread, is the elf thought to be dead, he seeks the stars, he seeks the rain, he seeks the empress, and the blue.

I shuddered. I knew almost all it spoke of. I looked to the skys, and placed my hand in my pocket and pulled out a pendant that I had found in the grass with Faith at home.

[Fred Baggins]

I looked over at Star, as she pulled the pendant out, and shuddered remembering the day she found it. They day the dark one started following her, and I had seen the old man in the castle. The day I became a...

But I hadn't, not then. Not yet. I just recieved the powers. Not even now was a a full blooded...

"Perhaps the name Doncamiel, Wizard of the West, means nothing now, but there will be a day when even you will fear the name."

"...Doncamiel, Wizard of the West..."

"...even you will fear the name..."

"O my..." The connection made itself in my head. I was Doncamiel, and...

"I threatened to kill Andodulin..."

[Lubyla]

I never wore the pendant, never ever, only had it in my pocket, dont know why, I just...did. It didn't feel right to wear it, like it wasn't really mine.The crystals sparkled in the sunshine, so did the whole thing. Mithril is what it looked like, Though I cant really describe it, besides it looked elvish.

"Are you ok Faith? You dont look too good, almost like...you were thinking."

[Fred Baggins]

I smacked Star on her head, but not so that it hurt. "Yea, I might hurt myself to much thinking!" Then I dismissed the subject, like it never happened. My dreams again, no doubt. I would never threaten Andodulin, ever.

[Lubyla]

I went into a feeble position on my horse(I'm that talented) "I'm in my happy place...I'm in my happy place..."

'What happy place?'

"The past."

[Fred Baggins]

"Heh, I'm sorry Star." *Her hand drifts to her sword, Glamdring, grasping the hilt. Her mind drifted into writewraith world* (Because the person typing her has a writers block!)

[Lubyla]

"It's ok."I lowered my legs, and rode normally. My eyes went to the ground.

[Fred Baggins]

I smiled suddenly, remembering something before any of this happened. If only just before.

Kathie and I were in computer class together, laughing and chatting about our favorite characters in stories we had written, Belladona and Primrose. We got odd looks from the rest of the class, the non-Writewraiths, but neither of us really cared. Then the computer teacher, Ms. Brant, walked over to us.

"Welsh! Lowe! Be QUIET! Do I have to separate you two?"

We got quiet, but I looked at Kathie and grinned, showing that the fun wasn't over.

"Today, we will learn how to use the internet," droned Ms. Brant. I sighed -- I'd been surfing the net for years, and we'd had these lessons at school three times already!

I rolled her eyes and scribbled something down, showing it to Kathie. She giggled, then quickly clamped a hand over her mouth.


I smiled, as the memory came back to me like yesterday. Things would never be the same, even if we all went back home to stay. Never, ever.

Putting it all back into my memorie, I pushed my horse ahead. "Permission to ride at your side Empress?" She granted it, and I fell in step with her, at her left side. "My lady, I fear what may heppen. I may not be able to stay in your companie, for long once we get to your palace. I will come back after a bit, but in order for peace to remain in your palace, it would be wise for me to leave. To leave your land, M'lady."

[Lubyla]

Faith left, taking to Calien...er... The Emperess. Geez, I had a hard time wit hformalities. That got me into trouble a lot in school. Ech! A bad memory came back, it was...Mr.Durr!!!!!!!!! AH!!! I shook my head, and rode a bit slower, falling behind. I kept the pendant in my hand. It was like a sucurity blanket, though why, I dont know. I took out a sketchbook, and started to sketch it. Ok, so I'm no Monet, more of a...Picaso. But for some reason, the picture was perfect. I shivered and drew my cloak closer around me.

[Silverstripe]

ooc: Well, Calien thinks Faith's ignoring her. She CAN be wrong, you know. :)

ic: I tried to reassure my friend, but I could not bring myself to deny what she was saying. I knew very well that it was true. I sensed something very unnerving about Faith, as I had for some time now, although I still wasn't sure what it was. At first I had thought it was about Snakesnout, but now I knew better.

Slowly, I nodded, then told Faith the truth. "I sense that you're right. I will be very sorry to see you go, but it probably is necessary. Not for long, however. Come back the moment you feel it is safe. Then I can rejoice in your returning."

I thought about what Lubyla had said earlier. times are changing...

I looked into the sky and shivered. Oh, yes, times certainly were changing...changing like the wind...

Nothing is permanent except change.

The statement came into my thoughts unbidden, yet it was somehow comforting. For while Change might be permanent, few changes were.

I laughed then. In five months on Mundane Earth, I had acquired many memories!

[Fred Baggins]

ooc: It's ok Star, you aren't in his class anymore. No more Mr. Adurr. Just don't dwell on the memories of his class. And can I have one of yer Darigon items?

ic: *I fingered the sword.* "Yes m'lady, when I feel it is safe, I will." I wavered. There was something more I wanted to tell her, but I couldn't bring myself to tell it. "I do not know when I will leave of course." Doncamiel Wizard of the West...Wizard of the West...the West... "Or when I will return." "IF I return."

[Lubyla]

I knew something bad was going to happen with the Kingdom, and Faith, and me, though I cannot tell what. I felt...torn. I put the pendant into my pocket, and kept rider, drifting off into sleep.

[Silverstripe]

I nodded. "Of course not. But you will know in time." We both will. I still wasn't sure exactly what it was, but the thing with Faith Lowe now troubled me more than ever. "And Faith," I added, managing a weak smile, "you can call me Calien."

[Fred Baggins]

"Yes, Empr-Calien."

I looked down. And pulled something out of my pocket, and studied it. Studied what? It was my dagger. I had brought it back with me, from my "Dream" The hilt bore the image of a wolf, naturally. Most of my things did. The wolf was growling, and if I looked closly, I could see a resembilance between the wolf and Buddy. Quickly I sheathed the dagger, and stuck it back in my pocket. I turned around motioning for Star to join. I couldn't leave her side now, and Star was all alone.

[Lubyla]

I came out of my sleepy haze, and rode up next to Faith.I blinked a bit, and stuffed te sketchbook into my pack.

[Fred Baggins]

"What, I don't get to see your Picasso?" I joked seeing Star put her scetchbook away. I reached back, pulling my pen out of my hair, and writing a note on my hand, then sticking it back in my hair.

"Star, remember Freddy's horse. The one you rode? I wonder if she's here to."

[Lubyla]

"I'll show ya later. Yeah, maybe she is here, cant hurt to call her"I didn't know why, but the pendant seemed to slip into my hand. It was not evil, I knew this. It was to pretty.

[Fred Baggins]

"Let me see that Star? It looks familar."

[Lubyla]

I decided to have a bit of fin. I went into a Gollum's "Mine" Position.

"NO! It's mine! My own, my PRRESIOUSE" I haned it to her laughing.

[Silverstripe]

I was startled for a moment by Starlight's sudden outburst, then realized she was only joking and relaxed. I wished that Lubyla, Hunter, or maybe even Buddy would come ride with us.

Faith and Starlight were good friends, but neither had a history in Middle Earth. Their upbringing had been so vastly different from the one I now remembered, that they thought somewhat differently than I did. And yet... I smiled. Although I had not known her as long as I thought I had, I would still count Faith among my best friends.

I also enjoyed seeing her and Star laughing and talking together. The two shared an obvious bond, almost like mine with Terwell, though I knew that they couldn't have a Link like ours. Yet the friendship seemed stronger in a way, for Terwell was often more like a twin brother than a "best friend."

[Fred Baggins]

I laughed along, and took the pendant, showing it to Calien.

"Is it my over active imagination, or does this look like what I THINK it looks like. I mean Arwen's..."

[Silverstripe]

"My grandmother's pendant? Yes, I believe it is," I said, filled with wonder. "But Starlight, how did you get that?"

[Lubyla]

Lubyla road over, with Andodulin on her shoulder.
"Fear him not, for he is under MY comand, for now."

I shuddered, even under her comand, the bird gave my the creeps. Faith looked at the pendent. "Calien...er...Empress." I shook my head"It's a very long story, and that bird has something to do with it!"

[Fred Baggins]

I answered for her "She got it when...when I found...when we found...she got it before I came to America. She found it on the ground. That's when HE started following her." I still held the pendant.

[Silverstripe]

"Star, would you please just call me Calien?" I said, by this point getting a little annoyed. "We aren't in an official setting and you two will be among the most high ranking people in the Kingdom of Writewraiths anyway."

I sighed. "The Kingdom of Writewraiths is very close now..." I paused, trying to remember how close. "The border is no more than a day's journey. The castle, no more than a week away."

I then continued on a very different topic. "You say you found my grandmother's pendant lying on the ground? But it wouldn't have just gotten there, and I didn't have it. Neither did my mother. Someone meant for you to find that, Starlight." I shot a meaningful look at the only person that could have been.

[Lubyla]

"Andodulin was parcially MY fault.It was when Calien and I were sent to Mundane Earth."

"Alright. Thats very good for me:)"

[Fred Baggins]

I didn't relize the hand that wasn't holding the pendant, was in my pocket following the engravins on the hilt of the dagger. i yanked my hand out when I relized that, and handed the pendant back to Star, muttering a "Here's your pendant"

[Lubyla]

I took the pendant, and placed it in my pocket. I saw Calien's gaze go to Lubyla.

"Twas not me, for I am not to be in posecion of the pendant. I was not named the Evenstar, for it was inner and outer beauty."

"But niether am I the Evenstar."

[Silverstripe]

"Then how... but, Lubyla, you're the only one of us who could possibly have had the pendant. I know I didn't, and I'm almost certain my mother didn't, though she is still the wielder of Arwen's light. So if it wasn't you, who was it?"

[Lubyla]

"I do not know, but I was there when she found it."

I sighed and pulled out my journal.

...ffound ot my pendent that I found is Arwen's Evenstar pendent. Freaky, yes. Now I KNOW it can't be mine, for it was given to her with the umparelled beauty, and I am one of the...not so pretty girls in school.

I noticed Faith looking over my shoulder and winced.

[Fred Baggins]

I lifted an eyebrow, but said nothing. I was trying to remember everything about that day. Star met me in the Wise, or what I called the Wise back then. I invited her over, and when we got home, I beat up Fred. Then we saddled up the horses and she picked up the pendant. Then the two showed up. "Lubyla and Andodulin" I muttered. Then we went to the castle. I showed Star a little room, then she found the armour room. Then I found...Glamdring...and I was knocked out. I had seen an old man who Star hadn't. Then we started back home, and on the way I found Fred's...

"...Body..." That had been a cursed day. The only one I could think of would be lubyla and Andodulin. Especially if she hadn't seen the old man. I shook my head, and pulled my hand away from the dagger and out of my pocket.

[Silverstripe]

I finally noticed Faith's actions. "What's in your pocket, are why are you acting like it's some kind of poison?" I asked.

[Fred Baggins]

"It's...just...a wierd thing..." I stammered, looking for something intelegent to say for once. I pulled it out and handed it to her, surprised to find it was with great reluctance that I let it go. When I relized this I dropped it into her hand like it really where poison. It was the dagger, of course.I watched her as she looked at it, and smiled, smugly...

"Scary isn't it. Before I came to Middle-Earth, that wolf was a smiling fake image. Now it looks like it's going to jump out and kill us all." I laughed, with a voice that didn't sound at all like me. It wasn't the nutty laugh, I usually laugh with. It was...just different.

[Lubyla]

I heard Faith's laugh, and was a bit frightened. Faith had pulled off a few fake laughs before, but that just sounded like the lagh of those uptight countesses in old movies. I shuddered, as the wind went by.

...Times of old will come to an end...

[Fred Baggins]

I felt the wind, and the laugh was cut short. I shuddered, and glanced over to Star. I felt the blood rise to my face, as I relized that I had frightened her. I had firghtened me. I tried to laugh it off.

"Gotcha! Thought that was real huh, Star? I've been practicing." I smiled and poked her, hoping my act worked.

[Lubyla]

I looked at her. Something was odd about her.I tried to laugh but my eyes revieled all, and all they revieled was fear.

[Fred Baggins]

My smile dropped. I turned around, eyeing the dagger hungerly. I snatched it back when Calein handed it back, and slowed my horse down, until I got to the back, and then even more until I was at least a yard from any of the others horses. And I took the dagger out again. I looked at it hungerly. What was it about this dagger. I decided I didn't want it anymore. I tossed it down, and took two whole steps before I was on the ground picking it up. I pushed it down to the bottom of the pack, mounted Wind Rider again, and started up, not bothering to make up the distance between me and the group, and hoped they wouldn't try. That was a slim chance though.

This isn't ME, it isn't who I am.Every since I got here, I've not been me. What's happening? I WANT OUT! I WANT OUT OF THIS GAME! "HEAR ME!" I shouted to the sky, "I WANT OUT!"

[Lubyla]

Faith worried me a bit. I wanted to fall back with her, but Lubyla gave me a look, so I kept up, my head now bowed. My heart felt heavy, for there was nothing I could do to help, for Iknew not what there was to help. I bussied myself in writing.Then I went back with Faith.

[Fred Baggins]

ooc: *claps hands* goooood edit!

ic: As Star fell back, I reached into my pocket, for the dagger that wasn't there. "Sorry" I mumbled. "It's this place. It's gettin' to my nerves. I mean I thought Middle-Earth was going to be wonderful. Look at what's happening to me."

[Silverstripe]

I glanced back at Faith and Star, trying to decide whether to fall back with them, or just keep riding. I'll let the two from Mundane Earth talk alone for now.
After all, if Starlight couldn't comfort Faith, I certainly wouldn't be able to. Right now, speaking with anyone who was originally from Middle Earth would probably upset her even more.

[Lubyla]

"Yeah" I agreed." Middle Earth is a place you like to dream of going, not actually going to." I sighed. That was way too complicated to understand. What DID I just say?

[Fred Baggins]

I stared at her for a minuet, trying to figure out what the heak she was saying. Then... "O! I get it!"

*The warg stared up at his mistress, wonderingly. It seemed as though he was worried about her, and at the sme time, knew exactly what was wrong with her and was happy about it. A wolfish grin appeared on his face, while worry filled every last inch of his eyes.*

[Lubyla]

Andodulin turned his head to Starlight.He seemed to grin. All in time... He thought.

I smiled, there was nothing much to do, My hair blew in the breeze.

[Fred Baggins]

I smiled, a slow insane smile. Star dodn't look to surprised, I smile like that often. Then I held out my hand. Though I don't remember getting it back out, i held the dagger out. Maybe... I thought There IS a way to get out of this nightmare...a way to get out permanently, and make sure I dream it no more. The dagger was unsheathed, and making it's slow way upward...closer...closer, to it's destination. To it's fina; resting place...

[Lubyla]

"FAITH!!!!!!!" I screamed. What was she doing? She wasn't truely THAT dumb!!!!!!!!!!

[Fred Baggins]

Distantly in the back of my mind, I heard the scream, someone was calling someone.The name sounded vagly familier.

The dagger passed. Faith?Faith is me?

No fool! I'm not Faith, I'm Doncamiel! Doncameil , the seeker of death! Again the dagger traveled. Closer it came, closer, and closer.

[Lubyla]

Andodulin flew down, and took the dagger in his teeth, dropping it farther neer Calien and Lubyla.

I hopped off Rainstorm, and ran to Faith."Faith!Faith! What are you thinking!!!!!!!!!"

[Fred Baggins]

For a minuet I was back to normal. Looking around wondering what they where screaming about. Then I heard another voice scream, "NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU FOOL! DO NOT LET IT BREAK!" No one else seemed to hear the voice, and before long neither did I...


*The hobbit jumped at Star, pulling the sword. She looked about ready to kill Star, but she reasheathed the sword, stabbing it into her sheath. She lunged for the dagger, grabbing it before the Empress or Lubyla could get it.* "Fools! You can't stop me if you tried your hardest! You couldn't stop me if my if deepended on it...wait...my life DOES depend on it!"


And then I remembered no more.

[Silverstripe]

"FAITH! STOP!" I yelled as my friend picked up the dagger again. She refused to listen to me. In desperation, I hit her with a freezing spell, then jumped back as she collapsed to the ground. I grabbed the dagger from her hand.

As soon as I touched that dagger, I knew that I had not been the only one to put a spell on Faith. I wasn't sure who the other had been; there were several in the group who could have used a spell.

Katharine Alina Welsh had been called back to the spot between the worlds. This time, her mission had little to do with Calien. Katharine Welsh (who called herself Alina when she remembered the reality of Middle Earth) was calling to one who was lost, wandering between the worlds, but only in spirit. Faith.

The young hobbit/girl was trying to go home; but unable to do so, and equally unable to return to Middle Earth. Faith would die if she stayed Between, on her own. Only a few knew their way around, and could keep Faith from harm. A few like Calien ... and Alina.

"Faith Lowe! Faith! Come here, hurry!" called Alina, searching for the hobbit. If Alina couldn't find her in time, this mission would fail, the kingdom of Writewraiths would come to ruin, and Middle Earth was doomed.

"Faith?" Still the hobbit did not answer, but Alina didn't give up. "FAITH!" And this time a frightened looking Faith Lowe came rushing towards Alina. Alina ran to her, and hugged her. Now they could only hope...


Star and I stood in the clearing for hours, watching Faith. Finally our wait paid off, and my friend's eyes snapped open. She looked up at me, and gave me a cold, cruel smile.

"Tried to spoil my revenge, Empress," she muttered. "But you have failed."

I shuddered. Why was Faith acting so strangely? Perhaps it was simply the shock of nearly, well, suceeding in what I had failed to do almost half a year ago, when my memories failed me utterly and I lost all sense of self, or of meaning.

Then Faith laughed, a more terrifying sound than before.


And somewhere between the worlds of Mundane and Middle Earths, the girl Alina and a young hobbit-wizard looked on in horror.

[Silverstripe]

ooc: All right, now, Faith, I did that so you couldn't be dead! :p But this way your "takeover" thing also makes sense.

[Fred Baggins]

ooc: Lol, all others reading this thread are going to be wondering about the "Takeover" thing now! Guess they'll just have to wait!

ic: I ran into Kathie's arms, sobbing. Trying to kill myself had been real enough, the first time, before Star even yelled, had been real. Me. Then, somehow I was in this world. I had wandered around, sometimes seeing what was happening to me, sometimes not. But one thing was clear. I was lost. Then I heard the voice. The wonderful voice that could only belong to Kathie, MY best friend Kathie. Turning around I walked. But I couldn't find my way. Finally, finally I saw her, and ran to her. And we watched...

"You think this is some horrible nightmare, don't you Empress. Maybe it is. Maybe it's all something you dreamed up. Me, Star, Kathie, all of us, are just a figment of your imagination. Perhaps there IS no hobbit wizard. After all we all know hobbits couldn't possibly be wizards. It's against the laws of physics. It's against all laws."

"Faith?" *Whimpered another voice. Not whimpering really, but begging. Begging for her to stop with this horrible joke.*

"Or maybe," The Faith-who-wasn't-me said, "It's one of Star's Horrible Nightmares. You remember Star. The nightmares? Maybe none of this has ever happened, maybe you'll just wake up, and call to your mommy and daddy, and they'll come to you, and comfort you, telling you there never was such a person as Faith Lowe. But that would be another nightmare. A living nightmare, because what would you do without the only one who ever cared to bother with such a pitiful bieng. The only one who bothered with friendship with you."

"HOW DARE SHE!" I cried out. "HOW DARE SHE HURT HER, MY FRIEND LIKE THAT!" I could see it in there eyes, as Faith-who-wasn't-me lied to them. They almost belived her. She was feeding lies to them, and they where eating it up. I turned to Kathie expecting an answer. "How dare she tell them those lies?"

*But the -Faith-who-wasn't-me went on.* "Or maybe you are a part of MY dream. Maybe you do exist in real life, but you are in my dream." *She stood up, with some difficulty, but everything after that was done with complete ease. She picked up her staff, and with a wave of the finger, she held to dagger.* "You have ruined my plans again Empress, as you have in times past. You should pay for that."

"What is she talking about Kathie? She can't going to kill Calien." She just shook her head. I was asking for answers where I could not get them. "I have to go back there don't I." It was more of a statement, than a question. "I have to go back, so she won't kill the Empress, or Star, or the rest."

*Kathie hung her head* "I'm afriad so."

"But how. I don't know how to go back myself, and if they think I'm going to kill them...they'll probably never trust me again."

"I doubt that, but I think I know how to help you get out."

"Will I ever see you--Kathie you-- again?

"I don't know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I opened my eyes, and looked around. Calien and Star where hovering over me, Calien still holding the dagger.
"What...what happened?"

ooc: Sorry for the long post ppl!

[Lubyla]

I looked at Faith and my heart fell. No, this couldn't be her, yet it was. Only the real Faith would know that. I was losing her again, but I couldn't. I then remembered Starletta's words:

.....This is but a mirror....

'Great' I thought does that mean, EverythingIs mirrored? I then did all I could, I ran, silently, but surly I slipped past, almost challenging anyone to follow. A creek was nearby. My sight wasn't that great, and I was practically deaf, but my sence of smell was 10x better than anyone. While running, I remembered my own words...

Mirrors lie. There is no truth to be beheld in them...

I found the creek and sat down on a rock inside, and fell in, just enough to look like I flowed down the creek and almost drowned. Sitting back up, I took out a dagger and a red book. I called the dagger my pen dagger.

After a bit, I went back to camp on Rainstorm, the only one who dared follow. I was shivering and my arm was bandaged. I cried bitter tears that only were cried for a certain thing. Not all mirrors lie.

[Silverstripe]

"Oh, Faith. You tried...to leave us, Faith. You tried to kill yourself." Tears came to my eyes.

"Don't do it, Faith. You don't know w-what it does to people around you, the people who love you. And then you acted like you were going to kill Star and me." I sighed. "I know what it's like to think you have, no hope, Faith. I know..."

I revealed a scar on my shoulder, the scar I had gotten from my own despairing cowardice in Mundane Earth. Cowardice, yes, I knew it for what it was now. I had not been thinking of what that would do to anyone else. Something in me had known that, even then, and I had turned the knife from my heart, scarring my right shoulder instead.

I had not let myself cry in a very long time, but now I wept. I wept because of what she had tried to do to herself, although I half expected it. I wept because my uneasy feeling had indeed turned into a premonition, and because this meant we would have no control over our fates. None at all. And since we had no control, Faith was doomed.

And then a voice came to me, the same that had told me earlier that I was not alone.

All mirrors reflect to a certain degree

But never with a complete accuracy.

It is said dreams tell the future, as do stars.

But the making of the future's only ours.

Hope still remains even when all else is lost.

And war has an end, though at terrible cost.


It sang this three times, as before. The last line frightened me a bit, but I felt better. I knew that we did have some control, that we could all make a difference in what happened. Faith could survive, and have a happy life. The song sent me into a sort of trance, and I didn't truly see what was happening around me.

I snapped out of it in time to see Starlight returning to the group, crying. Faith, too, wept, but it was to Buddy she turned, and not Starlight.

My own tears had stopped, though I could still feel the last of them on my cheeks. I walked over and hugged Star. I tried to comfort Starlight of the Rain, who was my friend now, because you can't go through the experiences we'd had together, and NOT become friends.

"Mirrors," she whispered.

"A mirror is a reflection of something, not the thing itself. And sometimes mirrors tell a different story than the object they're reflecting. Middle Earth and Mundane Earth are mirrors of each other, which makes them even less accurate."

I didn't know if Star understood what I was saying; I wasn't entirely sure I did.

[Lubyla]

I wipped the tears from my eyes. Pulling the bandage on my arm tighter around, I sighed. "Mirrors lie. There is no truth to be beheld in themm, yet they can turn some people mad, trying to find the truth in them, or trying to make the mirror happy." I understood perfectally/

Lubyla came over . "What happened to your Starlight?"

"I guess verdigo does not know the differances between to worlds. I had a dizzy spell, and blacked out over by the creek. First time ive ever blacked out because of it. My arm hit a rock."

[Fred Baggins]

"I saw Kathie." I murmered. "That's all I remember, after showing you my dagger." A small lie, but all I did remember is blurry. Then I wept. I wept for what Kathie had told me, and for Star, and for what Calien had told me. I wept into Buddy's fur, never relizing I hadn't noticed he was...not at my side, when I'd tried...that stunt. No one else did either, or at least they never mentioned it. I wept, on and on. I wept for mirrors. I wept for worlds. I wept for everything there was to weep for. And when I ran out of reasons I continued to weep. I wept for my brother, and my paretns. My grandfathers I never knew, and my mum's dog that got killed by the neighboors, because he was protecting his property, and bit there kid, who was on his property. I wept for the sad books I read, and the sad songs I heard. I wept for everything. I wept for nothing. Then I raised my eyes, wiping them carefully, and tried to regain my composure. I stood up, and mounted Wind Rider, and nodded to the rest.

"With the amount of stops I've been causing, I'd think you'd be ready to kill me FOR me! At this rate we'll NEVER get to the kingdom!"

[Lubyla]

"Yeah, we should be going." I opened my pack and took out a blue walking cloak. Taking off the green one, a bit of my arm bled, though no one I thought noticed it. I qickly pulled on the blue cloak, and mounted Rainstorm, again.

[Fred Baggins]

I feel back with Star again, and glanced at her arm. I snorted and whispered. "What did you do THIS time, and why?"

[Silverstripe]

This time, I fell back with Faith and Star, remembering what had happened when I hadn't.

"We're nearly on the borders of the kingdom, Faith."

[Lubyla]

"Nothing on purpose"I lied" The verdigo just kicked in and I blacked out and fell in the creek."Faith didn't look like she believed me.

[Fred Baggins]

I don't think I looked like I belived her. In any case I rolled my eyes, and as I did, I caught site of...

Probably the most magnificant city I ever saw.(I never went to NY...or Chicago...just LA. And that IS NOT magnificant.) As if I wasn't quite sure(And I wasn't) but had an idea(Which I did) I asked, "The...Empire?"

[Lubyla]

Lubyla nodded.

I tightened the bandage. Was I that rusty with my story? Faith didn't believe me. It was like...she knew what happened, but only I and Rainstorm know that. Andodulin flew over to Lubyla. Where had he been the whole time. As he flew by me, he dropped a dagger into my hand. i clutched it, and stuffed it into my pocket, hopeing no one had seen it.

[Adrian Baggins]

Calliman had sent Elijah home and we had arrived to the Empire. I was beginning to think tat my pack was heavier, maybe more stuff had just appeared ut of nowhere again.

[Fred Baggins]

I stared. It was an amazing site. I looked across the Empire, and caught a glimps of the palace. I nearly jumped, thinking it looked familar. Then I dismissed the thought. Impossible.

I stuck my hand in my pocket. Not good. My other pocket. Panick. I went through every pocket I had on me, then settled down, giggling. "Calien, you forgot to give me my dagger back!" I said, still giggling.

[Lubyla]

I looked at the bird. He had been there, he had seen. How dare he. I then really looked at the castle. It did look a bit farmilliar. But then, it was more than likely a day dream I had seen it in. I shook my head, and waited, with the rest, to go forward.

[Silverstripe]

I watched Faith and Star talk, noticing that Faith didn't believe Starlight when she said she got her cut because vertigo had kicked in and she'd fallen. I also noticed Star's very deliberate emphasis on this cut being an accident, leading me to believe that it wasn't.

O, Star, please. Don't you get suicidal on me, too. We will enough work to do, to put this Empire back together, with all the Writewraiths stable.

I didn't say a word, though, until Faith addressed me, saying I'd forgotten to give her her dagger.

"Yes, I did." I hesitated, unsure of whether or not to give it back.

Give it back to her. She will not try to kill herself again. For now she knows that the fate of the Kingdom of Writewraiths depends on her, and Middle Earth depends on the Empire, whispered a voice.

I turned to look for the speaker, but I already knew she wouldn't be there. I knew exactly who she was ... Kathie! I nodded, causing Star to give me a puzzled look, and handed Faith her dagger.

I winced internally, and yet at the same time, I felt like she HAD to have the dagger. It was as though something important would come of it -- a bad thing, one intended to secure victory for the enemy, but one that would ultimately help the Writewraiths.

Then I realized what it was.

Faith is going to kill me...

For an instant, I knew that, so strongly I could almost see it. But then it faded from my mind, and I could not remember it again.


ooc: Faith, I need to talk with you on AIM.:)

ic: Hunter saw his sister's smile, and knew that she remembered who and what she was, and would never forget again. Her friends would see that, soon, and it would cause a sort of wall between them.

Sadly, he thought of how Calien would always be a little isolated from everyone else. Because she was the Empress, and now all traces of the sixteen-year-old girl she had been on Mundane Earth had nearly vanished. She truly was the Empress now, and always would be.

[Fingolfin_1st]

i just want to give you guys a round of applause as this is the largest rpg ive ever seen 45 PAGES!! well done

[Fred Baggins]

ooc: Thankyou, and it's BOUND to get much bigger!
Sure Kathie, asap!

ic: I snatched the dagger back, for the second...and last time for that day. I failed to notice the nauseous feeling soon dissapeared. I tucked it in my pocket, hopeing it would be safe enough there, but knowing that, for some reason, I wouldn't put it any farther than that. I noticed a strange look on Caliens face after she handed it to me, like she was almost afriad of something, but it dissapeared as quickly as it came. I had no cases of attempted suicide for many years after that.(ooc:Hopefully never, but even a writewraith has no control over that!)

*The thought raced through his head, for no more than a split-second. The thought that spoke of failer, and dissapointement, and but it mentioned victory in the end. The plan may have been foiled again, but there would be victory. The warg shook his head, wanting to beat that idea out of his head. This wasn't the thoughts of Maluk, even HE would admit this. They where the thoughts of a seed of hate, which eventually became Snakesnout. A seed of hate caused by love. He longed to be an elf again. Hewept that it could never be again. Buddy made a promise in his heart. a promise that he would never speak so that the other humans could hear him. It would only feed Snakesnout. And Kin never break promises porposefully.*

[Lubyla]

"Here we stand at the Kingdom, yet we do not enter, what is it we so fear? Why do we fear it?"

Andodulin flew over and landed atop of Buddy.

"The Empress should be the first to enter. That is the proper way." What did I just say? Proper? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA That word isn't even in my dictionary!!!!

[Fred Baggins]

*The warg shook himself, so the bird flew off, and he glared at the bird.*

I stepped back. "Yes, I agree Star. The Empress first."

[Lubyla]

Andodulin flew to the tree branch and ruffled his feathers.

[Silverstripe]

ooc: YAY! 50 pages! :D

ic: I smiled and shook my head. "We should enter together, my friends and me. That is the proper way."

There was no further insistence that I go first. We entered in small waves. Faith, Star, and I went first, along with our four-legged companions.
Next came Lubyla and Andodulin, and Adrian and her friends were last.

I laughed at the way Faith and Star struggled never to get ahead of me, annoying their horses greatly. They thought it was the "proper" thing to do.

"C'mon. I'm still your friend Calien, you know. Just Calien, a Writewraith, and Faith's partner in mischief for awhile."

I grinned as I said that. Faith and Star laughed, but their laughter was a little uneasy, as if somehow they didn't think I was the same. Even then, though I wouldn't admit it, I knew they were right. I urged Anmara onward, and rode in silence for awhile.

[Fred Baggins]

I smiled, riding, on Caliens, right, with Star on her left, into the Kingdom of Writewraiths, our home. That startled me, at first, when I first thought it. But it was. I finally felt like I was home, like entering the Kingdom was some sort of invitation, or...welcome home party!I giggled, a real giggle. Then I laughed, laughed out loud, and it rang out, like a crystal curch bell on a sunday afternoon in Ireland! And I felt like I never wanted to stop laughing! A warm feeling, like life flowed through almost every part of me. Every part, but, as I relized later, the part right next to the dagger in my pocket. That part was as cold as ice. But that didn't bother me, I didn't even feel it. As we entered that Kingdom, I felt like I was complete!

And I couldn't stop laughing. Now I admit I hadn't got much sleep lately, but I just didn't want to stop. I relize now, that I was afraid that if I stoped, the warmth would leave me. A foolish thought, but I felt it.

*The warg looked up strangly at Faith, as she laughed, and wanted to laugh along...before he crossed the border. The border had a very different affect on him. It is true, that once the first feeling passed, he was back to normal, as though this were just a land. But when he took that first step over, he cringed. He tried to go back, but couldn't because of the link. Another step felt like he was getting whiped over and again, a third brought a feeling of pure exashtion, making him want only to die, and the last, the last was the worst of all. He felt a feeling, and ice cold feeling pass through him, as if he had been dead for many many months, he felt dead. But as soon as he was compleatly over the feeling passed. And though he certantly didn't, like Faith, feel at home, he felt as if this were just more rocks and dirt and trees.*

[Lubyla]

I looked around uneasily. Faith laughed, but I couldn't. I felt that I couldn't. A breeze of pure warmth passed by us all it seemed. I closed my eyes and smalt the air. Hair streaming back, I felt that I was home...but when I opened my eyes, I realized I wasn't, not unles...it wouldn't be here. My happy place was only in my mind now, and it was more than likely staying there. This place did not feel like home for one main reason, home was not here in Middle Earth, home was back where we came from, in the security of my parents. I remembered my room, which niether one were too keen on me having. The loft was my room. It had two sky lights, and only two walls. It overlooked the kitchen, and I could lay on my bed, and look down to see when guests were there, if we ever had any. The smell of mother's cooking came into my mind as I remembered home. The next thought that hit me...the floor in the kitchen. All of it was zebra stripped. None of us liked it, though none of us wanted to change it. Where was home now? Did home even exist? Why was I thinking this? Home is real...as real as, reality...but reality is but a state of mind...ARG!!!! WHY DO I CONFUSE MYSELF SO?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

"Tis' lovely." Illali padded over from in front to greet us.

[Fred Baggins]

I looked over to Star, and though I'm sure the glow never left my face, I frowned. I was pretty sure I knew what she felt. There were somethings that would keep this from ever being home. But I knew I belonged here. I sighed, and hugged Star. "You ok?"

[Lubyla]

I said softly," Yeah, I'm fine." I blinked and smiled clearing my throat, I looked over to Calien" So, where is my room?"I laughed a little.

[Fred Baggins]

"-AT!" A voice shouted. I whirled around, to see a body running, past, as though she'd been pushed really hard. She whirled around, her face in a flurry. She looked angry at first, until she saw us. Surprise filled her face, then fear. She fell to her face in a bow. That's when I noticed she wore armour."Empress, Countess, My Lady. And Princess Adrian. I am Freida of the Fire, ever at your service."
I gawked.

[Silverstripe]

I smiled. "Hello, Frieda." A young hobbit lass came walking to meet us. I frowned for a moment, trying to remember her, and then ... "Lily Brandybuck!" I said, laughing and hugging the young hobbit. "Didn't expect to see you again.

"Hello, Calien," she replied, a smile on her face. "My mother sent me to you. She said it was because I was always writing poems and songs, and making up the most fantastic stories."

That made me laugh again. Yeah, that sounded like the Lily I remembered! "Lily's an old friend," I told a surprised Faith. "Primrose Brandybuck's younger daughter, in case you wanted to know."

[Silverstripe]

ooc: LOL. We're running out of colors!

Calien is royal blue.

Kathie is deeppink.

Terwell is red.

Hunter's just written in black, and I will not actually be writing from Lily's POV, though she will be mentioned. :)

[Fred Baggins]

"Actually Empress," Frieda said "I can't stay. I have been sent to relay a message to the Countess"*Then she bowed again, to Faith*

"Wha-me? I think your mistaken, I'm not a Count-"

"O NO Countess, I'm not mistaken!" Then her eyes took on a look of fear "I'm sorry Countess, I didn't mean to speack out of turn! Please accept my deepest apologies, before you whip me Countess?"

"What are you talking about!?"

"I can not speak of my mission in front of others Countess. Begging your pardon Empress."

"All right, then. Behind that building."

*The warg watched the spot where Faith dissapeared, waiting till she came back. When she did, he caught a worried look on her face, but before the others saw it was replaced with a broad smile.*

"All right then, shall we go?" I started remounting then stopped dead in my tracks, as I relized something a little late. "Wait...Primerose's DAUGHTER?"

[Silverstripe]

Lily nodded. "Right. Camellia and me are Primrose Brandybuck's daughters." She sounded like someone tired of explaining something. "But Cam and I are very different."

Faith looked even more astonished. I laughed. "I know, I never mentioned them. But Primrose got married and had children of her own, just as my mother Alasse did. Primrose's husband was a friend of foxes, like her."

I could see her trying to work that one out -- I'd already told her that Primrose Brandybuck was only a few years older than I was. Lily was almost thirty-three, and looked it. I laughed again.

"Really, Faith Lowe, how old do you think I am?" As soon as I said that, I regreted it. Faith had forgotten what I was, that I was different, and I had to go and remind her? But then, she would have remembered anyway, in time. I sighed and mounted Anmara.

[Fred Baggins]

I stood there, my brow furrued. I stink at math, but I tried to put it together. But then, I had never got times exactly right. Gar, I HATE math! And elves to. There immortality only makes it worse. Of course not the Emp-Ger, Frieda's nervous speech rubbed off on me, Calien, I didn't hate. Just immortality. I just frowned and shook my head, remounting my horse, muttering under my breath, so that no one heard me, "LAST time I thought I knew you, you where sixteen."

I found myelf wondering where Freddy was. Quickly I put the idea out of my head. Garn, he may be cute, but I KNOW what will end up happening, and I can't get in the way. I tried to think of something else. Westly. NOT AGAIN! Hmph. Primerose, Allase, and eventually Calein would have to too. Marry that is. That made me wonder if I would. And I remembered something I had said back in Mun-at home.

"I'm never getting married! I'm gonna live alone, in the woods, working on my books, till I become an old hermit!" I giggled. Maybe I WOULD do that!

I shook my head again, muttering to myself. "Two daughters! And Fran not even married yet! How long DOES she end up living. Two daughters..."

[Silverstripe]

I heard Faith muttering, and laughed.

"I know. I found it hard to believe myself, when Primrose got married. And then when Camellia was born! Ever since I was little, I always said I wasn't going to marry. But being in charge of an Empire..." I stopped speaking for a moment, and blushed. "Being in charge of an empire does change things somewhat. There will be tremendous pressure on me to get married, not necessarily for love, but for an alliance."

The disgust I felt could be heard in my voice. "And, of course, so that I will have someone to help me rule, in a way no one else can. That, perhaps, is sensible, but still..." I trailed off. I didn't want to get married. I'd never been in love, or even "like!"

[Fred Baggins]

We made our way through up to the palace. I'm sure we must have been a strange company, to be traveling with the Empress. A couple hobbits, a couple commoners, a Count-a hobbit-wizard, and and a panther, an evil looking warg, and a wolf. No soldiers to accompany the Countess. Just these strangers. To ignore the looks, I took out my notebook, rereading, and making corrections on my last story. It wasn't really a story, rather, something Danger was telling. In his natural form that is, though I hadn't decided to whom yet. Probably Fran. She wrote down historys like that, and could do things like that.

"I wasn't always like this. I really wasn't. WAS, I felt no hate, in all my being. Before I ever...changed. I have never liked changeing much, even if I AM one of them, I never liked changing much. Back then, I was just an elf. And elf as you have seen, that form which I can not force myself to take anymore. A seed of hate was planted, miss. That's all it took. I will not relay how it was planted. But it grew Miss, and now I am this. Miss, I wasn't alwyas like this. Not alwyas Miss. I served, and I loved. And now, I can no longer feel that. Not unless I manage to bring this part of my mind back, the part un harmed by the seed."

I agree. It was LAME. I needed more back ground in it. But as you can guess, He was never a character I relished working on. Never.

[Lubyla]

I, too, was a bit shocked to hear of children. ARG! And I thought I may have escapped here. CURSES!!!!!!! They never liked me, never. Throwing pizza, shoving me into a pool. Stupid demon servants of Sauron. ERG!!! I had told myself I would never have children...never. I sighed and tryed to look happy, though my syes seem to have gone. They showed a new kingdome, and a great tower. I loved high open spaces. Music flowed through the air, and the scent of Mango-Mandarin flowed through the air. My eyes came back, and I saw the kingdom of the Write Wraiths. Splendid, but not the castle I longed for. I stayed silent for quite some time. I never did talk much. Tis' silly to waste unneeded words.

[Fred Baggins]

"IGGIE-BAY!" A voice rang through the crowds behind us. I turned around, and grined, as I saw a little body running through the big bodies behind. I jumped down, and picked the little body up, hugging her close to me. "DAWN!" I cried. "Hey girly girl, where's your mum?"

"Trying to keep up with her," A voice panted from behind.

"Hey ya, Mrs. W! I'm SO glad you came! I don't know what I would do with out my little Dawn!"

"Hi Faith. Where are we, and how do i get home?"

"We are in the Kingdom of Writewraiths, Mrs. W, and you get home through a porthole, if you can find one. This is Empress Calien, Mrs. W. She used to be Silverstripe, the girl that started Writeraiths on Entmoot. Calien, this is Mrs. Wilson, she's a once in a while 'mooter, and writewraith. You've probably seen me reading on of her books, "Danger From Below," right?" By now I was back on Wind Rider, still holding Dawn, who was screaming "IGGIE-BAY!"

The woman laughed. "Kingdom of Writewraiths!? Faith, I always knew you had the potential of a writer, with a great imagination, but really, a kingdom? With an Empress? Not only do you have your facts wrong, but I thought you MUSt be to old for playing games. Mayber her still," She motioned to Adrian, and I held back a giggle, "But you?"

"Snake!" yelled Dawn. She knew two words. One was the pig latin form of biggie, (iggie-bay) which I regreated telling her, and the other was Snake, because of her favorite song, in a book I used to have. Mrs. W spoke up, "O, yes, that's right, i have your book with me. You might want it back." She lowered her voice so only I could hear her. "Honny, do you know...you've seemed to shrink?"

I laughed out loud. "Mrs. W, I'm a hobbit!"

"Honny, I think your taking this a bit to far. I love tolkiens works as much as you, but looking like a hobbit, then claiming to be one. Next you'll tell me we are in Middle-Earth!"

'Um...Mrs. W...we are."

[Lubyla]

I cringed. A small evil thing. ECH! WHY?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I hope they dont have pizza in Middle Earth. I heard thier conversation a bit. I was a little amused by thier actions, but i still stayed silent. Pretending I wasn't there, maybe the small evil thing would go away, and stop screaming "Ieggi-bay"

[Fred Baggins]

"Iggie-bay, iggie-bay, iggie-bay bay. Iggie-bay, iggie-bay, iggie-bay bay. Iggie-bay, iggie-bay, iggie-bay bay. Iggie-bay, iggie-bay, iggie-bay bay. Iggie-bay, iggie-bay, iggie-bay bay."

I giggled. "You have to admit, she's got good rythm!" She tried to crawl out of my room, toward Star, as she shouted, "SNAKE!" I giggled more. "She like's you Star. Belive me, if she didn't she would have said 'Itty-kay'!"

[Lubyla]

I looked at her and managed an uh hu. She must have gotten her signals crossed. Little things hate me.Still i tried to smile, and rode on.