Journey To Recovery - Empires SMP Fanfic

5.3: A Strange Trip To Rivendell

hi everyone!! im back!! hope you guys didnt miss me too much? more info on my absence after the chapter. enjoy!

Rivendell was... cold. And that was an understatement.

Very cold, in fact. The minute they flew into the mountain terrained lands, a very harsh and cold breeze washed over them. Lizzie quickly regretted not bringing some sort of protection from the cold.

Not so long after flying through the snowy mountains, they approached the kingdom of Rivendell. It was beautiful, honestly. Even though it was snowing, you could see the sun peaking through the clouds every so slightly, causing the snow to glisten.

"Hey, let's land here, yeah? Rivendell is always amazing this time of year." Joel suggested. Lizzie nodded, landing with him around the entrance of the town.

Townsfolk did their normal chores in the town, with just normal short sleeves and shorts on, like the snow didn't bother them. Lizzie remembered something deep in her memory, how some elven societies had adapted to cold weather like this. Well, it wasn't really remembering, it was just as if she knew it all along, but very faintly.

Lizzie walked with Joel and admired Rivendell. As awesome as it was, something felt sort of.. off. Like this kind of weather wasn't right. She just couldn't be in such cold places. It wasn't good for her gills, they could freeze-

Wait, what gills? Lizzie realized she had brought her hand up to her neck. Nothing was there. There was supposed to be something there.

She tried to shake the weird feeling off. It's nothing. Right?

She brought her hands to her arms— she felt colder than ever now. Something wasn't right.

"Oh my gosh, I'm such a idiot!" Joel exclaimed, facepalming. Luckily, this stopped Lizzie from drowning in her own thoughts.

"What?" Lizzie asked, a little concerned.

"I hadn't even realized that you didn't have a coat." Joel said with a frown, clearly scolding himself in his thoughts. "Here. Let me just.." He quickly took of his coat, and wrapped it around Lizzie.

It immediately warmed Lizzie up. Something about it just felt so cozy and nice, like home, but alas, she felt bad. "No, I can't." She protested, starting to take the coat off. "No, it's fine." Joel insisted, making sure Lizzie kept it on.

"But won't you be cold?" Lizzie asked, both confused, and concerned. Joel shrugged. "Nah, I don't really get cold. Or hot, for that matter."

Lizzie, now just confused, asked: "Are you, like, one of them?" She gestured to some elves.

Joel looked where she was pointing. "What? Oh, no. I don't really know what I am. Definitely not human, despite what all the other rulers say."

"Oh." Lizzie said quietly, not sure what to say. "Yeah." Joel also said.

After walking in silence for a couple minutes, Joel spoke up. "Oh, look. Scott's place is just up this hill."

And just up that hill it was. It was a simple home, definitely less grand than Joel's 'house' (cough, cough-- palace), and less grand than Joey's house (cough, cough, four whole temples). It seemed cozy, and just next to it was a big statue of a deer.

Joel was the one to knock on the door, and Lizzie stood behind him. Of course, Lizzie was never one to shy away (atleast, she didn't think she was), but everyone's reactions had made her a little nervous.

Scott was very hasty to open the door, probably worrying who would be out in the cold like this, if not one of the villagers. Scott saw Joel first, then Lizzie. A variety of emotions crossed his face. Confusion, concerned, surprised, even more confusion, and then a unreadable expression.