An Unexpected Journey

Chapter Three: Welcome to Middle Earth

Thalia groaned touching her head, she had a massive headache and she had a feeling that she had been unconscious for a while; she licked her dry lips as she slowly opened her blue eyes, only to snap them closed at the bright light.

“Careful my dear,” said a voice making Thalia snap her eyes open and sit up, she winced at the movement to find a man watching her as he smoked a pipe; she stared at her for a moment before her head started to ache again.

Gandalf watched the woman as he wondered why his spell had brought her to him, she wasn’t what he had been expecting when he had torn a hole in the fabric of the world to bring her forth however she would have to do.

“How is your head? You had a nasty fall,” Gandalf asked continuing to watch her curiously, he was sure that for whatever reason she had been chosen that she would be some use for him yet; he watched her knowing that this was going to be an interesting morning and he still had to travel to the shire with her.

“Where am I?” Thalia asked looking around she was in some sort of forest and she couldn’t understand how she had gotten there; the last thing she remembered was fighting the demon and now she was waking up here.

Gandalf puffed on his pipe for a moment as he considered the blonde again, he still wasn’t sure what to make of this witch that he been brought before him.

“We are in the Old Forest just outside of the Shire,” Gandalf replied as Thalia moved to sit up properly, her eyes warily trained on him as she tried to figure out what had happened and why she was here.

“I’ve never heard of it,” Thalia muttered rubbing her temples in an attempt to ease the headache, she swallowed as she tried to jog her memory about places called the Shire; she couldn’t think of anywhere in San Francisco by that name.

Gandalf paused for a moment before he chuckled, he knew that she was going to be far from pleased when she learnt that he had taken her from home and had been stealing from her for quite some time in preparation of this.

“That’s because it is not a place of your world,” the wizard revealed lowering his pipe away from his mouth and tilted his head, she was a witch and he could sense her immense power from where he was sat across the fire from her.

Thalia paused as she looked at him, she blinked allowing herself to focus for a moment; she didn’t believe that she could have heard him right.

Even if the man before her was telling the truth, it was against the rules for anyone to do what had been done; stealing someone from one world to the next was not to be done and everyone magic knew that.

“What do you mean my world? What have you done?” Thalia demanded glaring at the old man, she didn’t care that she was raising her voice; if he had done what she had thought then there would be consequences for everyone involved.

***

Thalia frowned listening to Gandalf talk, she hadn’t really said anything since he had sort of explained how she had been brought to his world by an ancient spell; he needed her help and he knew that he had to warm her to him.

“So what do you think?” Gandalf said watching Thalia, she wasn’t what he expected but he could sense that there was something in her that she didn’t even know about, something that made her suited for this world and this quest.

Thalia took a deep breath as she ran a hand through her hair, she winced as she came across a bump on her head that had formed when she’d arrived in Middle Earth; her mind raced trying to ease her thoughts wondering what she should do.

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t need your help Thalia Grace Hunter, you will bring something to the company that we do not yet have,” Gandalf said with a sparkle in his old blue eyes, he watched Thalia knowing that she would discover herself during this journey.

However the witch didn’t get to comment as a group of orcs burst into the clearing where they were; Gandalf was quickly onto his feet and produced his sword so that he could defend himself.

Thalia squeaked in surprised as she dived out of the way, she didn’t know what these creatures where but she had a feeling that if she stayed in Middle Earth then she would be seeing a lot more of them.

Thalia swallowed as she turned to face the orc that was chasing her, she flicked her hand and blasted him away from her with her telekinesis; she couldn’t run off and hide, this was something she had conditioned herself for and knew how to do.

“Thalia focus,” Gandalf scolded knowing that while this was a shock for her, he didn’t need her dying here when he had only just brought her to this world; she had to prove that she was strong enough to handle the journey ahead.

Thalia glanced at the river that flowed next to them, she took a deep breath and raised her right hand as her left found the white gold Amethyst teardrop pendant that had been given to her as a present; she slowly started to manipulate the water as the orcs charged towards her.

Gandalf stood back in disbelief as he watched Thalia manipulate the water before it charged towards the orcs and washed them away; he stared knowing that there was clearly something more to this witch and that was why she had been chosen.

Taking a calming breath Thalia lowered her hand and opened her eyes, she swallowed as she glanced over at Gandalf who was watching her; she doubted he’d ever seen anyone control an element like that before, even her own grandmother didn’t have that much control over her own element.

“Welcome to Middle Earth Thalia Grace Hunter,” Gandalf said as he approached Thalia, his eyes watching her knowing that there was something special about her and he couldn’t figure out what it was.

Thalia nodded her head as she looked down at her hands as she tried to wrap her head around what was going on; there had little choice on what she would do now.

“Where is it we go now?” Thalia asked watching Gandalf move to collect his things, he didn’t pause as he started to pack up knowing that they needed move before the orcs returned; he didn’t want to waste another moment in this forest.

“We travel to Bag End,” Gandalf said as he picked up a navy spotted bag, he looked back at Thalia knowing that she wouldn’t be happy when she saw what was inside; he had been planning this since he had heard the plans that Thorin Oakenshield had to reclaim the mountain.

Thalia furrowed her brow as she took it from him, she tilted her head curiously as Gandalf nodded at her as he collected his things so that they could leave.

“Now let’s be off… I have a feeling that our burglar will be having quite a difficult time around now,” the wizard said as Thalia shouldered her bag, she was suddenly glad that she had been in some patrol clothes if this was going to be what she was doing now.

Gandalf glanced back at the blonde witch, he knew that this was going to be an interesting quest indeed; however he knew that once it was underway so many things were going to change.