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BerethEdhellen
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Post KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 01, 2005 08:27
OOC: Please check the OOC before jumping into this...I'd hate to have to be cruel and edit out those not following the basic plotline that's been established. Thank you.

Ian Michaels, 6' 4" tall, blond and blue eyed, broad shouldered, slim waisted, athletic but slender, was hiking in Snowdonia National Park in Wales and headed northwest to Anglesey Island. He had been told that this was an area not to be missed. Crossing the Menai Strait, he entered a world of fog and mist. This is the land of the last stand of the Druids before their massacre by the Romans. It is the site of the prehistoric tomb of Barclodiad y Gawres. It remains to this day one of the most mysterious lands left in Great Britain.

During his wandering, he entered into a cave along the seacoast. Sitting on a shelf of rock along the opening facing the sea, he gazed out on the misty water. He had been hiking for a week now and was tired. He found himself drifting off to sleep. When he awoke, feeling refreshed, he stretched his arms and reached up with one hand to scratch his ear. He stopped for a moment then reached back and gently felt the ear again. It felt...pointy on top! He dropped his hand immediately, looking down at his fingers, somehow believing there must be something wrong with them, only to note that his blue denim jacket had disappeared. In its place was a long sleeve of deep green velvet with a leather gauntlet, carved with some type of strange runes, leaves and flowers, around his wrist. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm dreaming. So what do I do? I tell myself to wake up, of course." He smiled and opened his eyes, certain that he was now awake. "Yep, this is definitely an ancient land if one can have dreams like this. Andy would love this," he grinned to himself, thinking about his best friend from Oxford. They had met at a gathering for foreign students...Andrew was from America and was studying for his Masters in Classical Literature. They had at first seemed to have nothing in common. Ian was going for his Masters in Economics and was a serious, quiet student. Andy was a lighthearted, fun-loving, outgoing kind of guy. Still, they had somehow clicked and gotten along famously. Yes, Andy should have come with him, Ian thought. He found his eyes creeping downward slowly, tentatively. He saw the edge of the gauntlet and lifted his eyes immediately, looking out at the sea again. "What's happening to me? This is insane. Am I going crazy?"

While he sat watching the sea, deathly afraid to look at what went with the green sleeve and the gauntlet, he watched as a ship drew closer to the shore. His eyes opened wider in astonishment and bewilderment. This was not one of the barges that usually entered Cardigan Bay. No, this was the most graceful sailing vessel he had ever beheld. It's prow was tall and shaped like a swan....its color a soft gray. It was sailing in a direction somewhat south of where he was sitting and he rose quickly, stepping toward the mouth of the cave to see where it was headed. He caught his cloak on the edge of the rock shelf. Reaching back to pull it loose, he hesitated, then turned in amazement. A cloak? Pulling it free, he finally looked all the way down the length of his body. The green sleeve was part of a knee length tunic which fell over brown leggings, with leather boots covering his shins. A gust of breeze blew his long blonde hair ( long hair? But his hair was just cut..short and neat) across his face and he reached back to discover that the added weight over his shoulder was not his back pack but rather a bow and a quiver of arrows. Puzzled, he walked to the ledge at the front of the cave. While he was trying to figure out where he was and what was happening to him, a voice suddenly called out from the cliff above him.

"Ciryacáno! There you are! The ship is on it's way into the Grey Havens from Valinor and your father has been looking for you." Looking up, he saw a slender young man....no, not a man, but one with pointed ears and long hair braided along the sides of those ears...very much like his own seemed now to be. Not knowing how to respond, he found himself suddenly saying, "Tell him I'm coming, Faenor." The young "person" smiled and waved, then disappeared from the edge of the cliff. To himself, he mumbled,' "Where did that come from? How did I know his name? Where the heck am I? And what do I do now?" Even as he was thinking this, his feet were following a narrow path to the top of the cliff, each step as comfortable as though he had climbed this path many times in his life. Reaching the top, he looked out over the view before him. North and east of him, in the distance, beyond soft green hills, are mountains, to the south was the most beautiful seaside city he had ever seen. A tall tower stood guard over the harbour, in which the gray ship was now docking. In the cobblestoned, multi-staired city streets and at the harbour itself were tall, fair, long haired, pointy eared, strangly dressed people moving about. Slowly he moved towards a stone house near the highest part of the city, one standing in the midst of a beautiful garden and blessed with a wide balcony overlooking the rest of the city and the harbour. He knew not why but this was his home where his father waited for him. What was he saying? His home was near Swansea. His father had died years ago. "Oh, may the Valar protect me." Valar? He sighed, knowing somehow this was not a dream and wondering what was going to happen next.

As he neared the house, two people stood awaiting him. One he recognized immediately as his father, Hugh....no, not Hugh. Celinor....yes, that was it. There was a young beautiful woman at his side, who smiled and waved at him. His heart skipped a beat when he saw her. Long had he loved her but had always been too shy and serious to tell her so. She was not a Fallinel (a Foam Singer, or Telerin elf) but her love of nature and the animals that abided therein made her the perfect match for Ciryacáno, who cared as deeply for the sea and its creatures. Her family and his had encouraged their relationship but as yet, nothing had transpired to further it along. As he reached the gate and entered the garden, greeting both of them with a smile, the world he had known faded away and he was....home.

[Edited on 4/2/2007 by BerethEdhellen]
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
Jaid_Skywalker
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 01, 2005 09:25
The air was a bit chilly and the young man moving lazily down the trail gave an uncontended shiver; much like a displeased cat that had stepped on a frozen floor.

He was a tall, thin lad, who's dark clothes hung loosely on his slouched frame. His tousled white blonde hair and heavily lidded blue eyes gave him the impression that he had just rolled out of bed.

Which he probably had, since the young man was fond of staying up late.

His name was Andrew Williams. He was from the US; Arizona to be exact. And the warm weather of the desert was no match for the chilliness of the UK.

Andrew or Andy, as he preferred to be called, smiled wryly. Had he really agreed to this hike? Ian must have looked particularily gloomy when he had asked.

The young man sighed and scowled at his map. Folding it up, he stuffed it in his knapsack.

"Bloody map. Bloody trail." he said to himself. "I wonder why people want maps. I never can read them; so what purpose do they serve if you can't read them? Apparently Ian can read them..."

Andy walked for several minutes, ranting in the same vein then suddenly stopped and pulled a book from his knapsack. It was an Agatha Christie mystery; one of his guilty pleasures. Reading as he strolled along, Andy came to a short stop as a crack of thunder pealed across the sky.

"Bloody weather..."

(Geh...I was going to do something with Valandil, but I'm too tired. O.o Heh, heh, Andy's a little grumpy in this post. He'll cheer up once he finds Ian. ^__^)
BerethEdhellen
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 02, 2005 04:53
"My son, Sauron's ring has been found, most surprisingly in the Shire just east of us. It has been in the keeping of a Hobbit, who knew not what it was. Now, however, Sauron is aware of its existance and there is a growing shadow far to the east. Elrond has asked that representatives of such of the inhabitants of Middle Earth that would have concern of this to sit in Council. Elrond has asked that you attend him at Imladris as quickly as you can."

Ciryacáno and Celinor were sitting in the library after their evening repast. The sun had just set and they had been quietly enjoying the view from the balcony off the library for some time. Until then, Ciryacáno had not known what his father wished to say to him but he knew Celinor was troubled about something. He had only picked at his food and had drunk more mead than usual. But now, when the two of them were alone, he had heard what had been concerning his father.

"When is this meeting to take place, father?" Ciryacáno asked, wondering how soon he would need to leave.

Celinor watched his only son, wishing he could send him on a ship to Valinor immediately rather than into danger of any kind. He sighed, then looked out at the sea. "You must pack and leave in the morning. Take Valandil with you, if you like. In fact, I would insist on that. I would much rather you not travel alone."

Ciryacáno smiled at the suggestion. 'Ah yes, it would not be so wearisome with his closest friend at his side,' he thought. He rose to his feet, patted his father on the shoulder and begged to be excused. "I must prepare for the journey but most importantly, I must see if Valandil can travel with me. Goodnight, father. Worry not. We will both be fine. It is only to Rivendell we are going, not to Mordor itself."

Ciryacáno hurried from the house to find his friend. What troubled his father seemed like merely an adventure to his son.
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
Jaid_Skywalker
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 02, 2005 03:58
"Valandil!" the sharp shout of an elven maid echoed thorugh the air and an elvish lad dismounted from a tree silently, creeping up on the maid.

She turned abruptly, a disapproving frown marring her pretty face. Valandil froze, then straightened, shooting his cousin Alasse. He gave a slightly sheepish grin and straightened. "Ahem. Sorry about that. I was...working on my hunting skills." he finished with an innocent grin.

Alasse raised an eyebrow, but her eyes were merry. "Of course." she said blandly. "But our fathers wish to speak to you; the sooner the better." Her smile faded a bit; she had eavesdropped and knew that Valandil would be leaving. It would be dull without him near.

"Thank you for the message." Valandil smiled and tugged Alasse's hair playfully, then set off.

Soon he came upon two older elves; they were his father Lossehelin and his mother's brother, Seregon. They looked up and Seregon frowned a little.

"We called for you over an hour ago." he said. Valandil grinned brightly.

"I apologize, but I was caught in the woods battling-"

"Enough." Lossehelin held up a hand. His eyes were amused even though he did not smile. "None of your outlandish stories this time Valandil. We have something important to tell you."

Valandil's grin faded and he sat. "Yes, father?"

Lossehelin sighed and then told him briefly of what had happened in the East and of the One Ring being found.

"Celinor is sending his son; you are to accompany him to Rivendell." the elf finished. Valandil nodded, his demeanor still serious.

"Is there anything else you wish to tell me?" he asked. Lossehelin shook his head. Valandil nodded, stood and bowed formally, then quickly left.

"Ciryacano!" he called, spotting the taller elf. Valandil quickly approached him.

"Ciryacano, my father told me. When do we leave?" Valandil asked quickly, excitement in his eyes.
BerethEdhellen
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 02, 2005 06:44
Ciryacáno saw Valandil racing up the hill and met him midway on the path, slowing him to a halt. He could tell Val had heard the news of their journey already as his eyes were brimming with excitement. "Well, Val, I would venture a guess that you are fully packed and ready to go already, yes? I would rather not have to do this but I will be much more at ease just having your presence at my side." It was true. Cir would much prefer to captain the next ship to Valinor to deliver the elves that wished to return to those green lands but Elrond would not have asked for him had he not felt it was important.

The sun had set some time ago and Cir smiled at Valandil. "Val, perhaps I could persuade you to come with me to the Inn at the harbour. There are many friends I would like to say my farewells to before I leave." He knew that Valandil would certainly not object to a glass or two and in this he was not wrong. The two headed down to the Inn, where many friends and travelers would be eating and drinking on this beautiful night. They spoke to many of their friends, raising a glass many times over. The night began to wane and Cir began to think that he should head for home. He had a lot of preparations to make before their scheduled leavetaking time of sunrise. "Val, it will be hard enough to get you moving early in the morning as it is, so do you not think we should leave now?" Cir knew that Val was inevitably late for everything. Val was seemed reluctant to leave so Cir bade him goodnight with a reminder that Val must be prepared to leave at sunrise, noting the sour look Val gave him. Cir laughed and headed for home.

The wind was onshore, bringing damp air to coat the cobblestones. Cir had had more to drink than was his wont and the stairs were slippery. As he climbed the steps, he felt his feet slide out from under him. The next thing he remembered was......

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

The light on the other side of his closed eyelids made his head hurt. He heard voices. "Sir, can you hear me? Sir, please try to open your eyes." He tried but could not stand the brightness. He finally managed to open them to a slit but everything was hazy.

"Where 'm I? What happened?" he heard himself mumbling. His eyes opened a bit more and he could see the outline of heads in the haze. His hand reached up and felt bandages surrounding his head. Then he heard a familiar voice calling,"Ian, can you hear me?" He tried to answer but the best he could get out was, "Val?" The nurse gave a puzzled look to the young man standing next to the bed.

"Val? I thought your name was Andrew. Who is Val?"
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
Aneras
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 03, 2005 07:33
(Im just going to wait until you go back to the dream worl before joining in)
BerethEdhellen
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 03, 2005 09:45
Aneras....check your PM box. It may be too full as I could not PM you. I have a response to your post in the OOC for this thread.
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
maeghin
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 03, 2005 10:21
The breeze picked up a bit, making the grasses by the small pond sway as though dancing to a melody only they could hear. The tranquil surface of the water was disturbed as a rather large Japanese Coi surfaced to eat a small piece of food which had managed to remain floating on the surface. Elizabeth tilted her head back to let the Sun's rays caress her fair face. Her stormy blue eyes were shut and a smile spread across her full crimson lips.

"Man, how I love England." She whispered to nobody in particular, for indeed, there was no one around. Liz was from America, studying abroad. "I could get lost forever here."

ding, dong, ding... The sound of the far-off bells reminded her that it was noon. Liz groaned and sat upright, gathering her books together in her backpack. Slowly, she stood and turned to look back at the pond again, her secret place, away from the bustle of the University. The grass where she had been sitting was still depressed, though it would soon perk back up again, as was nature's way. As she flung her backpack over one shoulder, her long golden blond curls swirled about her head, as though following the pack. Quickly, she ran her hands along her shirt and tugged at her skirt, straightening them neatly.

By now the last bell had chimed and she began the fairly short journey back to campus. Though she was not far from the main campus grounds, few people came to the pond, few even knew it was there. Not many people left the main path anymore, but Liz always made time to commune with nature, as it were. Just one last row of bushes to squeeze between and she would be to the sidewalk again. The branches tugged at her slightly as she tried to pass them, but she easily broke free.

"Liz! There you are!" came a call from a little further down the walk. Liz turned and smiled to find her friend Kelly rapidly approaching. "Hey, a few of us are going to go the dining hall for lunch, you gonna join us?"

Liz flashed a half-hearted smile. "No thanks, that's okay. I have class in a half hour and I need to get my books from my room. Sorry, maybe tomorrow."

"Heh, your loss. Oh, by the way, have you heard anything from Ian? Honestly, what would possess someone to go hiking for days on end?" Kelly asked as she rolled her eyes. Kelly was a sweet girl, but she was more of a social butterfly than anything else.

"He just needed some time away I guess. I'm not his keeper you know. And no, I haven't heard from him yet. He was supposed to call this morning, but I haven't been in my room. I imagine there will be a message waiting for me on the machine when I get back." Liz couldn't help but blush a bit. "I'll see you around though."

The friends shared a brief hug and departed, each heading in their separate directions. It took a few minutes for Liz to walk to her dormitory, but she enjoyed the exercise, especially on such a beautiful day. She walked through the large doors and the common room, to the stairs. Past three flights to the fourth floor, two doors down on the right. She reached to turn the knob, and it easily opened. Her roommate, Karen, was there, laying on her stomach on her bed, reading a book. She looked up briefly at Liz, a far-away look in her eyes, for she had probably been reading for quite some time now.

"Oh hey, Lizzy, someone has been calling for you. They didn't leave a message, but said they would keep trying."

"Was it Ian?" Liz asked as she tossed her backpack on her bed and began to empty the books she would not need for the remainder of the day.

"No, it wasn't. It sounded more like Andy."

Liz raised an eyebrow. "Hm, I wonder what he wants."

Karen just shrugged her shoulders and went back to her reading, leaving Liz wondering what Andy wanted, and why Ian had not yet called. Then a terrible thought crossed her mind. What if something had happened. Liz's breath stuck for a moment, then she shook her head and smiled. You are being silly and paranoid. Of course everything was alright. Ian probably wasn't anywhere where he had cell service.

She smiled a placed her needed books into her pack. She flung it over her shoulder and grasped the door handle, poised to leave, when the phone rang.

In an instant, Liz had grabbed the phone, knowing it was Ian calling to say he was alright and to give her an update on all the wonderful things he had seen and done that day.

"Hi!" She declared sweetly. "Oh, sorry, I thought you were someone else... What?... Caernarfon?... Is he okay?... Yeah, I'm on my way. Do you need a ride?"

The phone clicked on the other end, but Liz stood there for a moment before she pushed the 'off' button and set it on the desk. Karen slowly turned and looked at her.

"Is everything okay?"

"I think so. I have to go to Caernarfon. Something has... happened." Liz tossed her backpack on her bed. "Oh no! My report is due for Professor Lasgalen's class." Liz grimaced.

"Don't worry hun, I'll take it for you. What should I tell him though?" Karen asked.

"Just tell him that a friend of mine is in the hospital."

"Hospital?" Karen asked in a curious tone, but when Liz didn't reply, she continued. "Alright, I'll let you copy my notes and give you any assignments, I don't think the Professor will be too upset, he seems pretty understanding."

Liz handed Karen a few sheets of paper, neatly stapled together, her assignment. She bent down and hugged her friend. "Thanks hun, I owe you."

Karen laughed. "Just get going before I change my mind... and the names on our papers." She winked mischievously. Liz was a straight-A student, whereas Karen needed a bit of a boost to pass her classes, but never would either of them cheat.

Quickly, Liz grabbed her car keys and rushed out the door. Hopefully things were okay... They had to be...

[Edited on 3/2/2005 by maeghin]
Aneras
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 03, 2005 12:29
Madlen was already at the hospital. As soon as she got the phone call from Andy, she had left her home in Swansea, and went straight up. She was lucky that she'd gone home for the weekend, Swansea was only 5 hours away from Caernarfon, much closer than Oxford. She listened intently as Andy filled her in on everything that had happened since Ian left. For some reason, he kept on referring to Andy as Val, which worried the nurses that he had a concussion.
" So, Ian. Snowdonia proved to much for you did it?" She teased. Although Ian was still a little out of it, she'd been told to talk to him to try and get him to wake up a little. " I told you that you couldn't handle it."
She brushed a few stray strands of ash blonde hair from her eyes, and looked down at her friend. He was in a state alright. Or at least, he would have been, if he hadn't been found. His head seemed a bit swollen. " Oh look, now you have room to fit that enormous brain of yours, and information from all those stupid books that you read."
Madlen wasn't much of a reader, she was more athletic really. She was studying physiotherapy in University, and thought that reading books was a bit...well, boring. But that had never stopped her and Ian becoming friends. It was a wonder really, that they had been friends all of their life, and they hadn't yet had any clashes over that sort of thing.
Jaid_Skywalker
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 03, 2005 07:04
(backtracking a little bit...^__^)

"Yes, it is." Andy assured the nurse. He smiled. "Must be the bump."

The nurse looked vaguely skeptical, but left, saying she would get the doctor. Andy's smile faded as soon as she left and he approached his friend's bed. "Ian? It's me, Andy?"

Ian's eyes fluttered a little but he didn't answer. Andy sighed and then looked up as the doctor came in. Andy excused himself and went to the nurse's desk. "Can I use the phone?"

The nurse at the desk nodded and handed it to him. Andy asked the operator for a number.

"Hello, is Liz there?" Andy asked.

"No, can I take a message?" Liz's roommate asked.

"No, I'll just try later. Thanks." Andy answered and hung up. He then dialed another number.

"Hello, Madlin?" he asked. The girl anwered affrimative.

"This is Andy." The young man put his hand in his pocket and leaned against the top counter of the nurse's station. "Look, Ian had a bit of accident. Nothing serious...well, he keeps calling me Val, but it's probably just a slight concussion." Andy paused. "No, but maybe it would help if you came up? Right, okay. Bye."

Andy hung up and rubbed his eyes, then paused. He dialed again, hoping he would catch Liz this time.

"Hi!" An enthusiastically sweet voice answered. Andy grinned.

"So nice that you're excited to hear from me Liz." he stated half joking.

"Sorry, I thought you were someone else."

"Ah, like Ian?" Andy teased then became more serious. "Speaking of him, uh, Ian's here in St. Mary's at Caernarfon."

"What?"

"He had a bit of an accident." Andy told her. "It's not really bad, but maybe you should come down."

"Caernarfon?"

"Yes."

"Is he okay?" Liz sounded worried.

"He was mumbling a bit, but he's just fine." Andy said cheerfully. "Must have just bumped his head when I found him. You can come now?"

"Yes, I"m on my way." Liz answered quickly. "Do you need a ride?"

"I would appreciate a ride back to the university yes, but we can smooth that out later." He answered. "I'll see you later, then Liz. Bye."

Andy ended the call and handed the phone back to the nurse, with a charming smile. "Thank you very much." he said, then stuck his hands back in his pockets and walked to the cafeteria.

A little later, he returned, a cup of coffee in his hands. Andy didn't much care for coffee, but he had awoken early that day and felt the need for an extra boost.

Entering Ian's room, he sat down and pulled out his novel, immediately engrossing himself in the mystery. However, his coffee remained untouched, and Andy's heavily lidded eyes gradually began to close of their own accord. He slumped a little in his chair, the book falling to the floor.

(*sigh* Andy stays up too late and has to get up early for class, lol. He needs to catch up on sleep sometime. Perhaps Madlen should poke him a little to get him up? lol)
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 03, 2005 08:02
He had been sleeping for some time when he heard a rustle of paper next to him. Opening his eyes slowly, he turned his head slightly and saw Andy sitting in a chair next to his bed. Andy's head had dropped to his chest and his book had fallen from his lap and was hanging on the edge of his knee. Obviously, he had dozed off but Ian was trying to think what Andy was doing there in the first place. He moved his eyes rather than his head, which ached terribly, around the room, wondering where he was. "Andy?" His voice croaked.

Andy woke with a start, looking at Ian, whose eyes were open. Ian reached out and grabbed Andy's arm, squeezing it in his hand.
"Where am I? Why am I here?" There was panic in Ian's eyes as he gripped his friend's wrist.

"Andy! Val! We must get out of here! Elrond needs us!" He began to sit up but fell back immediately, his other hand holding his head against the pain and dizziness. But still he clutched Andy's arm, staring at him as though he was looking right through him, as though he was seeing something beyond Andy.

"Val, find a healer! Find one now. We must leave at sunrise." Once again he tried to rise from the bed and once again he fell back upon the pillows. A whimper escaped his lips. "My head hurts so much. How are we going to ...?"

He was becoming quite frantic and couldn't lay still. Whatever his pain, his need to get up seemed to be greater. He began thrashing about, one hand tugging on Andy's arm and the other trying to pull out his intravenous needle. By doing this, he set off alarms at the nurse's desk and one came running in immediately.

"Mr. Michaels, stop! Ian! You must stop!" she said, as she caught his free hand and stopped his withdrawal of the IV.

"Silendiel, thank the Valar you've come. Heal my head," Ian yelled. The nurse and Andy looked at each other in shock.

"What is he talking about, Andy?" Already Andy had charmed the nurse so that he had lost the Mr. Williams with which she would normally address him. But neither of them seemed to know what Ian was talking about. Elrond? Silendiel? Valar? Who were these people? Someone he knew from Oxford? The nurse quickly reached for a needle, filled it with a sedative, checked it for air flow and injected it into Ian's arm. Within moments, his body relaxed, his eyes closed and he slipped into an unconscious state, leaving the nurse and Andy staring at each other with questions in both their eyes.
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 04, 2005 09:36
"Andy, perhaps you and your friend should wait outside." the nurse suggested softly. "I will get the doctor again."

Andy nodded and tugged Madlen's arm, and the two walked to the hall.

"That must have been some bump on the head." Andy murmured.

"What in the world was he talking about?" Madlen asked. Andy turned to her.

"I'm not sure. But..." Andy blinked. "Wait...Madlen...Ian said 'Elrond needs us' right? Good lord...." He felt rattled all of a sudden. Reaching up, he brushed his unkempt hair from his eyes, brows drawing in.
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 04, 2005 10:10
Liz dashed down the hall and made her way to the exit and then to the parking lot, where she had parked her little Geo Metro. It was a small car, not very expensive or showy, but it got her from point A to point B with little fuss. She fumbled with her keys to find the right one, then inserted it into the lock. She half flew, half jumped into the drivers seat, and cursed as she bumped her head in the process. She started the car and began her drive, still not knowing exactly what to expect when she arrived at the hospital.

She had a bit of a tough time finding her way to the Hospital, for Liz had moved to England only two short years ago. Her mother thought that studying abroad would broaden her horizons, not to mention the full scholarship she received. It was odd for her at first, being new in a strange country, but she quickly made friends. Andy was one of her first friends, his outgoing personality drew people in like a magnet. When he introduced her to Ian, they hit it off quite well. The two seemed woven of the same thread, in a sense that they both loved and wanted the same things out of life. Liz reminisced of the day when they first met and their first kiss and anything else that would be meaningful for a young woman to remember.

Before she knew it, she had arrived at St. Mary's. She rushed through the doors and to the information counter. When she arrived, the woman behind the glass was on the phone, so she 'patiently' waited for her assistance. After what seemed and eternity, the woman hung the phone up and slid the glass panel open.

"Yes, how can I help you?" The woman asked in an obviously unenthusiastic voice.

"I am looking for a friend of mine who was admitted this morning. His name is Ian Michaels. Could you please tell me which room he is in?"

"Juuuust a moment." The woman then began to type away at her keyboard. "He's on the third floor. Down the hall past the lobby are the elevators. Have a nice day." And with that, she closed the glass panel once more and began to work away at her desk.

Liz turned and followed the woman's directions, for which she was glad as she had never been to this particular hospital before. She pushed the button and waited for the elevator to arrive, the whole time tapping her foot anxiously. She was more nervous now than she had been when she left the University. Something about hospitals always made her feel so uncomfortable.

ding, ding, ding The elevator arrived and she quickly pushed the button for the third floor. After stopping on the second to pick up another passenger, she arrived at Ian's floor. She glanced around quickly, trying to get a bearing on the layout of the floor before she approached the reception desk. The nurses there smiled and seemed friendly enough.

"Hi there, can I help you?" A rather thin red-head asked.

"Um, yes. I am looking for Ian Michaels, I was told he was on this floor."

"Hm, yes, I think he's in 311 right around the corner there." She pointed to her left. "You can go on in, I don't think he has any limitations on visitors."

"Thanks." Liz chimed and made her way around the corner. The corridor was fairly quiet and Liz's footsteps echoed on the tile floors. Then she heard his voice.

"Val, find a healer! Find one now. We must leave at sunrise. My head hurts so much. How are we going to ...?" A nurse then ran past Liz, who leaned against the cold wall of the corridor, her heart racing. Something was wrong, but what? She wanted to run, to be by his side, but found that she could not even move.
"Mr. Michaels, stop! Ian! You must stop!" The nurse's voice echoed.
"Silendiel, thank the Valar you've come. Heal my head."
"What is he talking about, Andy?"
The sounds of a struggle could be heard, before silence once again filled the hall. Liz waited, her back still against the wall, not sure what was happening. Soon, the nurse appeared and calmly walked by. Liz watched her as she passed, but remained motionless.

Soon, Andy and Madlen appeared. They were talking together, apparently not noticing Liz was standing nearby.

Elrond? Liz thought. What in the world was going on? Suddenly, Madlen noticed Liz standing there.

"Liz!" She called in a forced-happy tone. "How long have you been standing there?"

Liz only smiled and hugged Madlen, then Andy. "What is going on? Is he going to be okay? I heard him call you Val... Oh dear Lord, I hope he hasn't lost his mind."

Liz put a hand to her mouth to silence the sob that had finally found its way to the surface. Madlen put an arm around her shoulder.

"It's okay, he's going to be alright. The doctors say it's just a concussion."

Liz nodded and wiped away the few tears that had managed to streak her face. "Yeah, you're probably right." She answered, but deep down, she knew something was happening that just didn't feel right. All they could do now was to wait..

[Edited on 4/2/2005 by maeghin]
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 04, 2005 12:20
Madlen could feel the tension in the hallway. She glanced at Andy, hoping that he would take over from her to comfort Liz. She wasn't good at that sort of thing. But Andy looked just as uncomfortable as she did, so she knew she was on her own.

" It'll be alright, you'll see." She said awkwardly. She walked away from Liz to the door to Ian's room. He was still heavily sedated. Feeling worry beginning to gnaw away at the back of her mind, she decided to talk to a nurse.

She began to speak in welsh to the nurse on duty, so as not to worry Liz with any new information that they might have. After a few minutes, she walked back to Andy and Liz. " They have no idea what's going on. Something like this has never happened before." She said gravely.

Madlen was going crazy. Hospitals made her uncomfortable when she thought of all the people dying behind closed doors in some plain white corridor. It was like something out of 'The Shining'. " I gotta get out of here." She said weakly. " I'll be back in 15 minutes."
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 04, 2005 01:33
He heard their voices, felt a slight sting in his arm and amazingly, the ache in his head began to ease. His eyes opened and he noticed the bright light had softened. Gazing around the room, he noticed the candles that were lit also put off a relaxing aroma. His eyes searched for the voices and saw, standing in the doorway, the healer Silendriel. He must have made some sort of sound because she turned, looked at him and was immediately at his side. Over her shoulder, he saw the heads of Val, Celuien, and Ceindra, all peeking in around the doorframe. He tried to sit up but Silendriel gently pressed his shoulder downward, forcing him to lay back on the cushion.

"You must be still for a few more moments, Ciryacáno. Give the healing liquid time to work. I dipped a pin in it and pricked your arm to allow it to reach your wound sooner. That was the sting you felt." She picked up a cloth from a bowl of water next to the bed, squeezed it out and placed it over his forehead. "You have a rather large bruise on your head, child. You were fortunate that Val found you when he did. The night air was extremely cold and adding the bump you gave your head, you may not have been this easy to heal. However, a good night's rest will do you well and though you will wake with a large colorful bruise on your forehead, you will be fine."

Val could wait no longer by the door and rushed to Cir's bedside. "How are you feeling, my friend? I stayed for one more glass of wine and then I got to thinking....if we reeeeally had to leave so early, I decided I should go home. It was a good thing that I did. There you were, laying on the stairs up the hill, covered with frost. I thought you were dead. Fortunately, you were still alive, which was a relief to me, you can be sure. But you will pay for frightening me so, old friend." He chattered nervously but Val had really been frightened.

"Val, what time is it? What day is it? Can we still leave in the morning?" Cir once again tried to sit up and Val shoved him down again. Cir looked at the window and noticed that the sky was already growing light in the east. "Val, give me until the sun has risen and then wake me. Be sure we have horses ready and that our packs are filled for the trip all the way to Rivendell. Do this for me, my friend." He lay back closing his eyes for a moment. He felt the cloth leave his head and heard a splash of water. As the cloth was gently replaced on his head, he opened his eyes to see Celuien holding it and watching him carefully. He reached up his hand and laid it over hers, his eyes locked on hers. Some emotion passed between them briefly and then he closed his eyes again. He was drifting into sleep again. He whispered, "my love," as his hand slipped from Celuien's and fell to his side. When next he opened them.......
_____________________________________________________________________________________

he looked into her eyes again. He felt fine, his headache was entirely gone. May the Valar bless Silendriel for her skill. He wondered if Val was ready to leave as he noticed that sunshine filled the room. "Celuien," he whispered again, smiling at the beloved face. But something was different about her. Her hair? It was cut so short. Her clothes? They were so strange. And why was she looking at him as though she didn't understand him? He became very troubled and sat up at once, shaking his head as dizziness overcame him. As the moment passed, he looked around. The room was so unfamiliar to him. Where was he? At that moment, a woman entered the room. Though dressed as strangely as Celuien, he knew her, too.

"Silendriel, I am much better. Whatever herb you used has taken my headache away entirely. You have my undying gratitude." Looking at Celuien, he asked, "Where is Val? Are we ready to leave?" Both Celuien and Silendriel glanced at each other and then Silendriel patted his hand, smiling strangely at him.

"Now now, Ian, you must rest quietly, my dear. The doctor will be in soon and under no circumstances can you leave until he says it's alright for you to leave."

"Doctor? I don't understand you, Silendriel. Please, get Val. Have him come to me. Celuien, where is Val. We must leave for Rivendell today. Elrond has requested our presence at the council. We must leave today. Get Val."

Both women were staring at him as though he were insane. Celuien's hand covered her mouth but could not hide the tear that slid down her cheek. She looked helplessly at the nurse. The nurse reached across and touched her wrist, saying, "I'll go get Andy and Madlen. See if he (nodding her head at Ian) will drink some tea." She hurried off, leaving Liz to try and get Ian to drink some tea. Tea?
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 04, 2005 04:28

Valandil sighed as Ciryacano drifted off again. He left the room, trying to think. He was afraid that Lossehelin and the other elders would send him off to Rivendell without his friend. Val didn't much look forward to traveling without Cir.

***

Andy watched Madlen leave quickly, slight concern in his eyes, then turned to Liz. "Why don't you go on in? I'll go after Madlen." he stated, gave her a smile, squeezed her shoulder and then walked towards the hospital exit.

He found Madlen outside, standing near the sidewalk, arms warpped around her waist.

"Hey." Andy approached her. "You alright, Mads?" He purposely used her nickname; knowing she hated it when he called her that.



(Eh...I have a piercing headache right now. Maybe I'll post more later.)

[Edited on 5/2/2005 by Jaid_Skywalker]
Aneras
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 06, 2005 01:04
Madlen laughed. Trust Andy to lighten the atmosphere. " Yeah, I guess. I just hate Hospitals." She smiled. " How's he doing?" She asked.

Andy had no time to reply. The nurse that had been with Ian walked towards them. " You'd better go back up to see your friend." She said. " He's talking crazy again."

Madlen groaned. " See? Hospitals make people go nuts." She said, but smiled all the same. " Come on, let's go." She said, and headed back up to the hospital. As she looked North, she caught a glimpse of a sparkling sea, with Anglesey beyond it.

( Really busy right now so I might post more alter)
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 07, 2005 04:14
Ian awoke, and Liz felt an overwhelming surge of reflief. It was to be short-lived though, for Ian began to spout strange things. He even called her by another woman's name, Celiuen. Liz had taken enough psychology courses at the University that she knew something was seriously wrong. Perhaps dimensia? Hopefully he had just awoken from a bad dream and was still, in a way, sleeping. She looked straight into his eyes and bit her lower lip. There was something strange, like a far-off look in his eyes, even when he looked directly at her, it was as though he were looking past her. Liz tried to stop herself from crying, she promised herself she would not, but the shock of seeing Ian like this was just too much. She put her hand over her mouth to stop the inevitable sob, though she could not quell the tear that forced its way across her cheek.

Liz looked to the nurse for assurance, or some sort of answer, but the nurse seemed as confused as she was. All she said was that she would retrieve their friends and that Liz should try to get Ian to drink something. Liz tentatively took the cup the of tea and swirled it slowly, staring at the liquid, before she finally ventured to look back to Ian. Finally, she smoothed the sheet next to him and sat by his side.

"Here," she said softly, "please, take a sip of this."

She carefully placed the cup to his lips and watched as he took a small sip. She sighed audibly. After a moment of silence, Ian reached up and brushed back a stray curl from Liz's forehead. Liz smiled and cupped her hand over his before he had a chance to remove it from her cheek.

"Ian..." But she could not find the words to express her concern, nor did even know what questions to ask of him. Her mind was swirling. Carefully, she bent closer and took his head between her hands, placing a sweet kiss upon his brow. She then sat back and smiled at him, determined that the best thing she could do for him was not to mention what had happened, but try to move on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The water gurgled in the small stream as a bare pair of feet gracefully glided over the larger, smoother rocks of the bed. The Sun was still in the East and the breeze came from the South, a warm gentle one. Celuien held her dress up as she skipped along, in an attempt to keep her hem dry. Her long, curly hair flowed behind her as a cape of golden showers. Her bright eyes sparkled, as the Sun would sparkle upon the blue waters of the deep sea. She reached the house of her family in high spirits, finding her brother waiting anxiously for her.

"What is it brother?" she asked cautiously, yet anxiously.

"It... It is Ciryacáno. He has had an... accident."

Celuien gasped as she her hand instinctively flew to her chest and grasped the pendant Cir had given her only a short time ago. "Where is he? What happened? I must go to him at once!"

Her brother only stared at her at a loss for words. Celuien grasped him by the shoulders. "Tell me brother! Where is he?"

"He is in the Houses of Healing. They say he will be fine, just a bump to the head."

Celuien sighed in relief and hugged her brother. "Thank the Valar." She then turned and began to dash before she paused to turn back. "Tell Ada that I am going to see Cir. I know I promised to be there for my lessons today, but I don't think I could concentrate knowing Cir was hurt."

Her brother nodded his understanding. "Ada will understand. Now go."

Celuien smiled at her brother's usual caring demeanor and turned to race off to her love's side. When she reached the Houses of Healing, she found Val and Ceindra
were already there. Celuien entered the room and stood by their side. She said not a word, but watched in relief as Cir opened his eyes. He spoke with Val about their departure, something Celuien knew nothing about, but made her nervous nonetheless. When Val and Ceindra left the room, Celuien remained with Cir. She knelt beside him on the bed, gently removing the damp cloth from his forehead and rinsing it in the wash basin on the nearby stand. Lovingly, she wiped his brow and cheek. Slowly, he opened his eyes and they stared deep into each other's souls. Then, his eyes drew far away and finally closed, but before he drifted off once more, he whispered two words... Two words that meant the world to Celuien... "my love."

Celuien determined to remain by Cir's side until he awoke again.
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 09, 2005 07:00
Ceindra sat at the waterside as the setting sun glanced upon it. The red light was reflected onto her, making her glow in the scarlet glare. She heard footsteps come towards her across the beach, and Valandil sat down beside her. She looked at him, and smiled slightly before looking back at the horizon. She sighed, and crossed her arms across her knees, which were pulled up underneath her chin. " You alright?" She asked softly.
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 09, 2005 08:07
The taste of tea was momentarily strange on his tongue but it did have a unexpected affect. It was as though the fog in his mind cleared and he looked around himself, suddenly recognizing what his surroundings were. He knew he was in a hospital room, in a hospital bed. His head ached slightly but otherwise he felt fine. There were still remnants of another time and place drifting through his mind but he knew who was sitting next to him. She had dozed off and her long lashes brushed her cheeks.

"Liz? Wake up, girl. Tell me what happened? Why am I here?" When she didn't wake up, Ian slid his legs over the edge of the bed and dropped to the floor. Hanging on to the edge of the bed, he waited until the brief moment of dizziness left his head. His eyes wandered around the room until he found what he was looking for...the door to a small closet. Without a doubt, that's where they would have put his clothes. With his legs shaking under his weight, he tottered across the room and turned the handle, pulling the door open. His clothes were hanging on hooks and his back pack was on the floor. Pulling items out one at a time, he began to dress, resting against the door frame as he yanked his jeans on first. He slid his arms into his shirt and buttoned it up then grabbed his sweatshirt and pulled it over his head. As the neckline cleared his head, he saw a brief glimpse of a green land next to a beautiful ocean and his friend, Val....no, no, Andy. The moment passed and he wondered, "Where's Andy? I need to talk to him...now!"

He grabbed his boots with the socks stuffed into them, and then his pack, and weakly crossed the floor to where Liz was still sleeping. Grabbing her arm, he shook her, crying out, "Liz! We have to get out of here. We have to find Andy. Wake up!"
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 09, 2005 08:53
Andy smiled back at Madlen and they both made their way slowly back into the hospital. Andy made a comment about more coffee; Madlen raised her eyebrow, so he grinned and admended his statement, offering to buy her a soda.

She had accepted and admittedly, they had taken thier time; mostly to afford Liz some alone time with Ian.

But by the time they made it back, they heard noises inside the room. Andy frowned. "Ian?"

He opened the door and saw a rather upset Ian, shaking Liz awake. Andy shoved his soda into Madlen's hand and strode up to his friend, taking a firm grip on his shoulder. "Ian! Ian, calm down! You've just had a bad head energy; don't excite yourself."

***

"No." Val admitted, then sighed. "Cir and I were going to go to a council at Rivendell. Then he goes and hurts his head." Val shook his own head, as if to say it was surprising Cir hadn't killed himself yet.

Leaning back, the blonde elf put his hands behind his head as he watched the sunset. Right now, he was content to sit in silence.
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 13, 2005 07:29
((OOC Sorry for delay, been away for a while.))

Andy's grip on his shoulder was firm enough to clear Ian's head. Turning to face his friend, Ian grasped Andy's arm and stared into his eyes.

"Andy, where have I been? I've been somewhere ... I don't ... I've never seen ... Andy, you were there. And Liz. And the healer. But you were... not you. You were, you were Valandil. You were still my best friend, though." His laugh was almost a sob. "We have to get out of here. You have to take me to where I was found before they brought me here. I have to see it, the exact spot."

He tugged Andy along to Liz's side. The rapid fire discussion had wakened Liz, who was watching Ian as though he were completely mad. Ian pulled her to her feet and suddenly realized, as he took in the shocked look in her eyes, how insane he must sound. But he needed to have both of them help him find ... he didn't know exactly what ...but he needed them on his side. He ran his fingers through his hair, took a deep breath, sighed, and softened his voice.

"My friends, I'm okay. Really, I am! I have a slight headache but otherwise, I am fine. But something happened to me. I was somewhere, I'm not sure where, and ... it isn't because my head got bopped," he said as he noted the doubt in their eyes. "I was truly somewhere else. Andy! You would have recognized it, I know you would. It was a long time ago, and there were," he glanced slyly out of the corner of his eye, "elves there. I kid you not....elves! WE were elves. And we were called to a council by Lord Elrond in Rivendell and were preparing to leave and.... What?"

That's as far as he got when Andy looked at him strangely, recognizing once again the familiarty of that name. "I've heard that name before," Andy said, scratching his head and looking puzzled.

"See! I told you you were there, Andy. Let's go find the place they found me. I need to know how to go back. They need us." Ian started to head for the door when Andy caught his sleeve.

"NO! We must go to Oxford and talk to Dr. O'Connor, my tutor. He would know what you're talking about, Ian." Andy held on to Ian's sleeve, his eyes pleading with Ian to agree with his plan.

Ian's chin dropped and he stared at the floor as he thought about Andy's insistance to see the Don first. His head lifted and he took a long look into Andy's eyes, then smiled. "YES! Let's go to Oxford. How do I get out of this place?" He grabbed Andy's arm and reached back and grasped Liz's hand and set off for the door, dragging them along with him. He needed answers and he was going to get them.
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 13, 2005 11:29
Andy stumbled along, then pulled away. "For goodness' sake Ian..." he murmured. "Slow down! You'll kill one of us dragging us this fast-Hello Madlen. Ian is up and about as you can see."

The blonde pullled his lanky frame from Ian's grip and put a firm shoulder on the other man to stop him. "Hey, we can't leave until the doctor sasy so. Now, you and Liz and Madlen find a place to sit and I'll see if I can straighten this out."

without waiting for an answer, Andy quickly made his escape, hoping Liz and Madlen could handle Ian. He was quickly becoming more and more concerned...Elrond...council...Rivendell...

Andy felt he should know and he was racking his brain, trying to think of where he had heard of them. Stopping at the nurse's station, he quickly put on his charming smile. It usually worked with the ladies; Andy was good looking and could be quite convincing when he put effort into it.

"I have a friend who was admitted several hours ago. He needs to leave right away; I don't suppose I could sign him out?"

"Are you family?" The nurse asked.

"Roommate. His family isn't here at the moment." Andy asked, although it suddenly occured to him that he hadn't notified Ian's family. Did he know any of Ian's family's phone numbers? He couldn't remember...

Andy started, and then gave the nurse Ian's name and hospital room number. The woman looked him up on the computer, then stood. "I'll speak with the Sister. Just a moment."

Andy nodded and leaned against the counter. Elrond...Elrond...Rivendell made him think of something, but he couldn't quite picture it. It was just teasing the edge of his mind. Quite frustrating.

Idily pulling his cell out, he checked the messages, making a face when he saw that he had six messages from his mother, one from his father and two from his eldest sister. There was also one from his cousin Savannah; he'd call her first. But later. Andy shoved the phone back into his pocket as the nurse and Sister came back.

It took a lot of convincing and finally the doctor who had been taking care of Ian was paged. That was another long discussion, but after Andy promised profusely to get Ian checked out once they got back to Oxford, he was allowed to sign his friend out. Andy thanked them and then quickly ambled away to find the others.

[Edited on 14/2/2005 by Jaid_Skywalker]
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 13, 2005 11:34
Glad to be finally leaving the place, Madlen jumped up as Andy approached them. " He's allowed to go? Right, let's go!" She said, and moved as fasat as she could out of the hospital, Ian just behind her. It seemed he wanted to get out too, judging by his reaction to everything. She got into her convertible. " Where are we going?" She asked, suddenly realising that she hadn't been paying the slightest bit of attention to the previous conversation.

***
Ceindra smiled. " He is a bit clumsy isn't he." She said. Val's eyes were closed. She rolled her eyes. He was probably very tired after all that worrying. " Don't worry. He'll be fine." She reassured him. " Think of all the times he's had a knock and gotten up the next day feeling fine." The sun was just about to disappear below the ocean, and the red glare shone brightly into her eyes. She sighed peacefully, and watched the shimmering patterns on the water. " I loe living the the Sea." She said.
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 15, 2005 07:41
Ian followed Madlen to the parking lot of the hospital and was almost faster than she in jumping into the car. He sat in the passenger seat silently, staring through the windshield, his inner mind seeing images that did not match the view in front of him. He was troubled, his head ached and all he wanted to do was go back to Anglesey. It was almost as if he was being drawn helplessly, involuntarily, to the world of his visions.

When Andy and Liz caught up with he and Madlen, both of them climbing into the back seat, it was Andy who directed Madlen to head for Oxford...and Thomas O'Connor, his mentor.

"Andy, tell me again. Why are we going to Oxford? I need to....I must...go back to Anglesey. I don't know why, but I must. If we go to Oxford, we are going in the opposite direction." Ian was still distraught, it was obvious to his friends that he was, but he was at least calmed enough now to be compliant with Andy's instructions. How long that would last was the question. All of them could see he was anxious only to return to the mystical island and they were all concerned that he would bolt the first chance he got if they could not persuade him that there was a valid reason to head for Oxford first.
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 16, 2005 11:34
Madlen knew her way around North Wales well. She had been up there many times to see her cousins, but then, she had been coming from the South, so she had to check every so often that she was going the right way. They were nearing the border to England when she turned to Ian. " You'd better call O'Connor if you want to make sure that you'll catch him. Better yet, let Andy do it. I can trust him more than you." She smiled. Andy pulled out his cell,, and dialled the number. She turned her attention back to driving.
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 17, 2005 02:30
Liz sat quietly during the ride back to Oxford. So many things had happened that morning that she was just not sure what to think. One thing was for certain though, something was different about Ian.

Liz stared out the window as she watched the scenery pass by. They had left her car back at the hospital, but they would retrieve it later since Ian had a follow-up appointment with the attending doctor in a few days.

Soon, they had arrived back at Oxford. Liz followed Ian and Andy, though she did not have any classes with the professor, she still did not want to be left out of the circle. She was still curious as to how their professor could help them. It's not like literature studies had anything to do with concusions or dilussions.

As they walked, Liz made her way to Ian's side, slipping her hand inside his. He looked over at her and smiled. She just smiled and leanded closer, deciding to just be glad he was okay.
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 17, 2005 05:04
"O'Conner is in Oxford right now." Andy answered Ian's frantic questions, glad Madlen was driving. He himself felt a little too rattled to be paying attention to the road. Not too mention having to drive on the wrong side...did he even have a valid driver's lisence for the UK?

Realizing his thoughts were drifting, Andy snapped to attention when Madlen suggested that he called O'Conner. He quickly dialed the teacher's number; hoping O'Conner wasn't in a meeting.

Luckily he wasn't and Andy was relieved when his mentor answered. Andy greeted him cheerily and quickily explained that he and some friends needed to speak to O'Conner as quickly as possible.

The teacher agreed and told Andy where they could meet. When they arrived, Andy led the way.

(Hey, I hate to throw a wrench in the thread as we just got going again, but I will be out of town this weekend for a convention. I should be back by Sunday night)
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 19, 2005 03:08
Thomas O'connor had finally settled at his desk and started on the assignments that the students had handed in the day before. He should have started on them right that day he knew, but the weather had been fine and the small café with it's delicious cakes just outside campus had been far to tempting. So instead of locking himself in his study he had enjoyed the sunshine and the bustle of the student merrily heading into their weekend.
He had skimmed through the first paragraph of the first essay for the third time now. Sighing and absentmindedly rubbing the spot where his glasses sat on his nose he realised that once more his thoughts had been drifting to that small café. Unfortunately today's weather was as fine as that of the day before. Maybe even a little better it seemed to Thomas.
Taking off his glasses he stared out of the window where the leaves of the trees outside rustled in the soft breeze and the birds sang their song. Agian he looked down to the pile of work before him. Still he could not find his concentration. The café- well why not head out there? He would simply take the essays along to work them through there. A cup of tea and one- well maybe two- slices of cake would not proove too much of a distraction. In a much better mood already he collected the papers off the table, stowed them in the paper bag from his last shopping- careful of course not to crumble any of the pages- and further filled it with his ink pen, his purse, the pipe and some high quality tabacco and his glasses, that -luckily- he only needed for reading. He had already opened the door when he remembered to take along his cell. Positive that now he had everything he needed he hummed a cheerful melody.
When he took a seat at his preferred table at the café the young waitress with her charming smile stood before him soonest, as he was a very regular customer. He smiled back at her as he ordered and for the first time noticed how long the woman held the eye contact to him. Yes, she was a little to young for him, but he could not deny that getting this attention made him feel quite good. Soon the orders were brought to his table and instead of reading the essays he chose one of the newspapers for his lecture. Unfortunately by the end of the first slice of cake the paper did not offer any more interesting articles as well, so when the second cake arrived at his table he had resigned to the task of checking the essays. He had just begun to read through the second paper when the second slice of cake neared it's end. Thomas was pondering the thought of ordering a third slice just when the phone rang. It was one of his best students, Andy. He sounded slightly nervous and asked to speak to him with a few friends when he arrived back at Oxford- which would be soon. Agreeing to meet the group in his office he asked the waitress to bring the bill. Tipping her generously he packed his belongings, finished the last bit of cake and made his way across the campus.
He had just turned a corner when he saw Andy and his friends. Calling out to them he joined the group, wondering what might be so important.
Aneras
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 19, 2005 03:33
Madlen kept an eye on Ian as Andy talked ot his mentor. She hoped that whatever was wrong, they could sort it out quickly. She fetl uncomfortable about Ian's wierdness. She had been friends with him as lon as she could remember, and he had been a little odd all that time, with his love of reading and boring things like that (or so she thought), but she had never seen him more unhindged. She glanced at Andy, wondering if he was as worried as she was. She remembered Liz. She had been concentrating so much on herself and Andy that she hadn't remembered about her. She was probably more worried than anyone. She smiled comfortingly at her.
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 19, 2005 06:43
"Yo." Andy casually greeted his mentor, withi his usual, half-asleep look on his face. "Look...I don't suppose we can go to your office, could we?"

O'Conner agreed and the group quickly made it's way there. Once inside, O'Conner looked at Andy, obviously expecting him to explain. The tall, lanky blonde stuck his hands in his pockets.

"You'll probably scold me about this later." he began casually. "But did we ever discuss something about a character named Elrond in a place called Rivendell?"

(Hey, got home sooner than expected. This post isn't the greatest; but our tent flooded and I spent a lot of time half frozen or numb. Hence, I literally have not slept for two days...going off to bed now)
BerethEdhellen
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 20, 2005 07:25
O'Connor's office was cramped with five people standing amongst the books, papers, maps, bookcases and his huge ancient desk. O'Connor sat at his desk and waved his hand to the others to find somewhere to sit. Liz and Madlen both sat on the wide windowsills of the leaded glass windows. Andy cleared a chair of half a dozen books and a pile of essays and plunked down, is long legs stretched out, his feet on a pile of books. Ian paced. And paced. And paced, his head still wrapped in bandages, his hands clasped and his eyes still carrying a touch of wildness.

Andy had just asked O'Connor about a character (a character? not a person?) named Elrond from Rivendell. The professor looked up at Andy with a mixture of surprise and amusement in his eyes, then burst out laughing. "But of course, Andy. How could you forget our own famous Don, JRR Tolkien?"

"Tolkien? Tolkien! The 'Lord of the Rings' !" Ian shouted out and immediately stopped pacing, staring at O'Connor. "The Council of Elrond! But of course, of course," he said, rubbing at the edge of his bandaged head. There were few English children that had not grown up reading those famous books (he bet even Madlen, who thought books were a bore, had read at least the Hobbit) and Ian recognized the reference at once. He also put together in his aching head the connection between the books and his visions. Turning to Andy, he almost shouted. "That's it, Andy, that's it! That's where I was."

"Was?" O'Connor asked, looking puzzled.

Ignoring O'Connor, Ian began pacing again. "Andy, I must return to Anglesey. Whatever the reason, that is where it began and I have to finish it. Take me back." He looked at Andy, and his eyes traveled around the room, taking in Liz, Madlen, O'Connor and back to Andy. "Please." He pleaded.

Andy, though he also recognized the connection, thought it might be better to talk to O'Connor a little longer to see if they could all understand the what and the why of Ian's state of mind. Something had obviously happened to Ian but they all wanted to know exactly what that was. Meanwhile, Ian just paced.
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 21, 2005 07:38
Thomas had answered Andy's question, and as his own questions seemed to be largely ignored he got up and went over to one of the shelves lining the wall of his study as soon as silence fell in his office once more. Without hesitation he pulled out a letherbound, one-volume copy of "The Lord of the Rings". He knew exactly where to find it as this was a regular lecture of his, and had it's place with all of the other Tolkien works he posessed on a shelf near the window.
As still nobody spoke he looked up at Ian, then directed his gaze towards Andy. His gaze was piercing, as he knew from experience that none of his students dared not to answer, or comply to his demands when he looked at them like this.
"What did he mean" he nuged his head in Ian's direction without releasing Andy from his stare "by: That's where I was? What happened? Why go to Anglessey? And how could anyone be in Middle Earth? Explain." The last word was, though spoken with authority, not without warmth and affection for the small and quite shaken looking group.
He smiled to take the edge off his last words and added winking his eye: "You know me well enough, Andy to know that I will most likely want to accompany you in exchange for my help."
Jaid_Skywalker
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 22, 2005 06:39
(I'm very sorry I haven't posted; math teacher was sadistic and sentenced us a ton of homework.)

Andy gave a wry grin. "Yeah..." He slumped in his seat a little more and gave a quick, concise run through of the group's experiences that day.

"At any rate, Ian is convinced he needs to go back to Anglessey." Andy finished up, then leaned forward, to murmur to Thomas, "I think we ought to go there just to get him to calm down some."
BerethEdhellen
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Post RE: KEEP: Time Warp in Wales
on: February 22, 2005 09:23
Ian listened closely to Andy's runthrough of the day, as much of it was new to him. Oh yes, he had been a part of most of it but he remembered very little of it, due to his being unconcious most of the time. But every time Andy mentioned certain words...Elrond...Imladris....Grey Havens....he could immediately envision the time and place as though he had just left them.

"Doctor O'Connor. What is this all about? I mean, I've read the 'Lord of the Rings', what English child hasn't? Well, except maybe Madlen, of course." He looked at her and grinned then his face became serious again. Turning back to O'Connor, he continued. "I'm an economics major, however. I could see myself 'dreaming' a life in the office of the Exchequer or the Securities Exchange, talking with Adam Smith or John Maynard Keynes. But why the Lord of the Rings? That's Andy's field of study, not mine. Why is this happening to me? Why not him?"

He looked at his friend, a troubled and puzzled expression on his own face. "It's not as if you tell me stories that I've somehow absorbed and turned into this vision of my own. You know we hardly ever talk about our studies to one another." His gaze traveled around the office, taking in the books on medieval history and myths and legends, seeing the eyes of his friends warily looking back at him. "There must be a reason for this. And the reason begins in Anglesey. That's the last thing I recall. I had been hiking for days and I took rest in a cave, thinking I had to call Liz later in the day and waiting for Andy to meet me in town. I dozed off, I know that happened. I was so tired. Then I awoke and scratched a bite on my ear." His eyes glazed over and he seemed to be looking into a distant place. "My ear. It was...pointed. I thought my fingers were numb or something and as I looked down at them to see what it was, I noticed that my jacket was...changed somehow. I was wearing a...what do you call those leather wrist band things? ... a gauntlet? over a green velvet sleeve. I was afraid to look any further so I looked out over the water and then I saw it." He was seeing it in his mind again as he stood there.

"What? What did you see?" someone asked.

"The ship. I saw the ship. It was beautiful...it looked like a swan. As I got up to see where it was headed, my cloak," someone gasped, "yes, my cloak! It caught on the edge of a rock. Someone called me. 'Ciryacáno, there you are.' But it was not in English. It was in another language yet I understood it and answered him in the same language." He spun around and stared at O'Connor for a long moment, as though not really seeing him. Then his eyes brightened. "You must know what I'm talking about, right?"

O'Connor asked him a few questions...what color was the ship?, had he seen the place it took harbour?, what did the city look like? ... then suggested that the language was probably Quenya, that of the high elves. The name he had been called certainly reflected that. The room was silent for several minutes while the group absorbed this information. Then Ian spoke out sharply.

"There has to be a reason. And I feel it is an important one. Something requires doing...accomplishing....some unfinished business. And I feel compelled to carry it out. I don't know why, I just know I must. I must go back to the cave and try again." Turning to his friends, he asked, "Will any of you come with me?"
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
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