Other Worlds Than These

[Midge]

Though Aerin could have stared at the intelligent beast speaking to her for a very long time, she quickly mastered herself while the badger - Nightshade, she'd called herself - seemed to be talking to herself.

Then she addressed Aerin with what could only be a look of joy on her face. "You wouldn't be Queen Susan, would you?"

"No." The look of confusion on Aerin's face would be something that set Magor laughing, were he here. But if he were here, he would also treat this seemingly lost... guest (for so it seemed to her) as if the world were his own and he the gracious host, she felt sure of it. Pondering this, she felt it the proper thing to do, so thus she did.

"No, I am not Queen Susan, nor have I heard of such a person. My name is Aerin and I am an Elf of Lothlorien. You will find Queen Arwen on the throne at Minas Tirith, though, if you are looking for a Queen.

"You say you are lost. Perhaps I can point you in the right direction, although I can honestly say I know of no other colonies of beasts which speak the languages of Men, Elves or Dwarves, save evil ones, and you do not seem to be evil."

[Aikanáro]

'She is not Tatheran,' Ashkaio told Elspeth firmly, not knowing why she would ask such a thing. Was it not obvious? They were nothing alike, he and Anahera, not in appearance, dress or bearing, and certainly no resident of Tathera city or its environs would find the notion of a village so confusing. 'Nor is she from any of the city-states of the Free Lands. It may be that she came out of the savage northlands, from a place further away than even our merchants dare to travel, but it is more likely-' he stopped, frowned slightly, trying to think of the best way to explain it. 'We have spoken of your world, sera, and of mine, but it is a truth known to my people that there are yet other worlds than these, and when the doorways multiply, all manner of things are possible.'

It did not seem the best of ideas to Ashkaio, to take another person along with them who would likely be of little help, but he realized too that had Elspeth taken that attitude, he would still now be alone and lost on the plains. She had a soft heart, did Elspeth, and Ashkaio knew better than to refuse her on this little thing. 'She may come with us, if she wishes it,' he decided. 'I do not know that we can help her, for we do not know now where her home is, but there is a chance we may discover it, if we find those with knowledge of the workings of the doorways.'

He looked back then to Anahera. 'It is true,' he told her gently, even as he reflected on what she had said and realized that a doorway that would encompass a ship must be large indeed. 'But if you will come with us, we will try to find a way to get you home.'

~-~-~-

It was not long after Beryn's departure, then, that Rivailen and Barufiniel found themselves ready to depart. There was no trace now either of the portal or the sudden storm; the sky was clear, and as they rode off together, Rivailen reflected upon what she had seen. A circle of light in the sky, a dragon, an Elf - if one of the others from her village had told her such a story, she would have laughed and asked them what truly happened. Outlandish stories were good for the telling, yes, and she knew that the older ones often held some deeper truth even if they were impossible in the details.

This, however, was no story. She had seen it with her own eyes, the circle, the dragon - and the Elf at this moment rode beside her. That was before one even considered the idea of other worlds. The concept was not alien to her, there were the Fields of Sifral, but they were in a world ahead, not a world...beside? Rivailen could still not make proper sense of it, and she wished she were back at home, that she might discuss the idea properly with Irnilla and the others. It helped, to talk an idea out until all its corners had been seen.

She talked some with Barufiniel on the journey, which she had elected to take at a leisurely pace. Desultory talk, it was, she needed more time to think before she ventured anything further. It was enjoyable, though, and she resolved to stop classifying Barufiniel along with the other unusual happenings of the day. Elves, at least, were not unheard of, and it seemed unfair to Barufiniel, who was pleasant and good company, to think of her as a problem in need of explanation.

Some time later they arrived at the small village by the road that ran south-east to Minas Tirith, and Rivailen showed Barufiniel to the stable by the inn she had been staying at. The two women saw their horses settled, and then went inside to ask about another room. The innkeeper proved amenable to the idea, glad that Rivailen had thought to bring him more business, and before long a spacious room was found for Barufiniel. Rivailen, professing tiredness, said that she wished to rest a while, and so she suggested that the two of them meet for evening meal a little later, when, refreshed, they might speak more easily about what had happened.

Upstairs, in her room, Rivailen lay down, but, deep in thought, she did not sleep.

[feawen]

Anahera winkled her nose at the word savage, she did not fully understand the word, she thought it was somethingg like wild. But she let it pass, she needed help after all. People of this place seemed to like talking about her and not to her, how rude! But the Nolow were a patient people and she sat and listened and watched. She could not figure out the relationship of these too people, the man seemed incharge. And Anahera noticed he often spoke oddly to the woman, a little rough. The Nolow family she was with were all family and spoke only with love in their voices. Yes they had arguements but this was difference. It was the way the man of the ships spoke to their helpers, but she did not have a word for it. It was like he was better then the woman, yes that was it! But the woman had asked the man to help Anahera, for that she was grateful. Anahera stood up at their offer to help.
"I not stay here, if come with you find home maybe". It was the best she could do at the moment. "Kapula!" She said in way of thank you.

Elspeth was a little shocked by Ashkaio tone, there was no need to be rude it was only a question. She had started the day on her own and now she had an odd rude man and an odd armed woman. She started to wonder now if this was a good idea after all.

[Aikanáro]

'Yes, come with us,' Ashkaio repeated, smiling encouragingly at Anahera. 'We will look for your home. First we are going to the building-' he pointed back towards the inn. 'You must not be afraid,' he added pre-emptively. 'It is safe inside, and quieter, and we will stay with you.' If she had never seen anything similar before, it was going to be a dauntingly unfamiliar place, and he hoped his reassurance would count for something. 'When we go inside,' he said then, 'we shall have some food, if you would like, and something to drink. Will you come in?'

He glanced back over his shoulder at Elspeth, wanting to see if she approved. He had not missed the surprised look on her face when he had agreed that Anahera should go with them. Ashkaio supposed she was unaccustomed to having her ideas taken seriously, from what she had told him about the way her father and her community treated her simply because she was female. Perhaps she would see now that things might be different.

[feawen]

As Anahera draw nearing to the village thing with its building the smell and noise grow worse. Anahera was not a fearful person but as the buldings draw nearer they blocked the sun casting dark shadows that no Puki would cast. Her mind worked dark men and evil beings into the depths of the shadows. She stayed in the light as best her could. She had only seen this may people at the great yearly gathering of the wonders, to say the good byes before the winter cold moved everyone away. But the gatherings were full of music and happy talk. Here people pushed, shovered, grunted and looked angry. There was no happy greating. Ashkaio and Elspeth stopped in front of a building, many people were outside it and more were inside. It smelled stale and sweating, an odd smoke smell arise from it.

"Poor mite" Elspeth thought, "It seems like shes afraid of her own shadow." Elspeth was unsure what the woman ment by the place smells. It smelled no worse than the farms in summer!

[Aikanáro]

Ashkaio too noted Anahera's avoidance of the shadier places, though he made no comment on it. As they reached the door of the inn, he assured her again, 'It is safe inside,' before opening it. He guided Anahera towards the table that he and Elspeth had but recently left. 'Sit there, look, next to the window, where the light comes in,' he said, gesturing towards the brightest place at table. 'When the sun fades I shall see that more candles are brought for us,' he added, looking at Anahera in concern. He found that, whoever she was, he did not want her to be afraid.

Leaving her alone with Elspeth a moment, he went to ask about the possibility of a meal for them, and only a short time later, their table was laden with bread, bowls of pottage, and more beer. It was simple fare, but Ashkaio did not know which foods would be acceptable to both of his companions, and indeed which dishes were commonplace in this world, so he had kept his request vague, not wishing to draw undue attention to himself.

The food, he decided, was not entirely bad. The bread was too hard, and Ashkaio would have pitied any cook who thought to serve such to the high table at Kazhrun court, for they surely would have incurred the ire of his aunt who was chatelaine, but he made no complaint now, only soaked the bread in his bowl a little to soften it. After he had eaten a little, he glanced over at Anahera again. 'How is it?' he enquired, meaning more than simply their meal. 'The noise here is not too much?'

[feawen]

Anahera thanked the man for the food, stating that she would return in kind when she had something of worth to offer. The Nolow traded for other useful items, money didnt come into it. "Noise good, thank you. Get used to it." She looked around herself, feeling a little more settled. "Why people wish to be like this? All space around but be all together in village thing? Is there big ishite?..." She thought for a moment for a word they would understand, "happyness together....dance, eat, laugh!"
Elspeth shrugged at Anahera question about the village, "Not everyone lives here. I live with just my family on a farm. But there are really big citys where hundreds, thousands of people live!"
Anahera stared at the younger woman, hundreds of people in one place, this woman got excited easierly she must be making it up! "No! messy! Why when so much green! Space is good!"

[Varnafindë]

Not Queen Susan, then, Nightshade thought. And the Queen of Old wasn't even the current ruler of this land. Well, perhaps this other Queen ... Arwen? would know more about her. If this was indeed the world of the High King and his royal siblings. And it must be, mustn't it? She surely wasn't in Narnia any more.

But what kind of world was this, if only evil beasts were Talking Beasts?

"No, I'm not evil," Nightshade said. "Whether I manage to be good, only Aslan really knows, but I try to do my best. And if only the evil beasts are Talking Beasts in this world, I'd rather not talk with them.

"I suppose I should try to find this Queen Arwen of yours. Maybe she knows about Queen Susan and her royal brothers and sister. They came to my world many, many years ago to fulfill a prophecy and end the reign of an evil witch. Their own reign was the Golden Age of our land - until one day they were taken back to their own world.

"And since my world seems to have disappeared - forest and all - I must have followed them into their world. Your world."

But why? she thought to herself. Aslan must have let me into this world for a purpose. Does he want me to find the Kings and Queens of old, and tell them about the sorry state of the land they left? Could he have meant me to help saving Narnia?

~-~-~-

Barufiniel looked around her with a satisfied smile. She had been given a very nice room. The innkeeper had seemed pleased when she said that she didn't know how long she would be staying, but she could pay in advance for one night. The room had a bed, a small table and a chair - a very comfortable chair, Barufiniel thought, reclining in it.

As if by an unspoken agreement, Rivailen and she had only talked about ordinary things on their journey to the inn. They had talked about the weather, they had talked about horses - but not about the strange events they had both witnessed, nor about Barufiniel's past in a different world. Rivailen had suggested that they talk about those things over the evening meal, and Barufiniel had agreed.

What implications would there be of portals opening between different worlds? She had thought that her family had been the only one in this world to experience something like this. Was it more common than she thought? Or was there something else to cause it to happen right now?

She knew that if this meant that she might have the chance to use one of the portals for herself, she would love to do so - if there was a portal into Narnia. She wasn't interested in the others.

She sat there, considering her options, letting her thoughts drift to memories from Narnia, until it was time to go downstairs to have her meal with Rivailen.

[Aikanáro]

Ashkaio smiled when he saw Anahera's amazement. 'It is not messy,' he explained. 'In truth, cities are quite orderly. They need to be, and as for why one would choose to live there? People have need of a place to gather. In my city, merchants from all over the land congregate, and you can purchase anything you might need. There are houses of learning, and of worship, and entertainments of all kinds. Think upon it, if you lived on a farm as Elspeth does, and had extra produce to sell, would it not seem wise to take it to a place where many people lived to do so?'

'And where I live,' he went on to say, 'at court, there was very often dancing, and feasting, and I should like to think that people were happy.'

~-~-~-

Rivailen made her way downstairs only a few moments before Barufiniel, and smiled as she saw the Elven woman coming to join her. Having the opportunity to think about what she had seen had been good for her, she thought, and now at least she felt she would be able to discuss the matter properly and make sense of it before she continued on with her journey. It required that much.

She scanned the room briefly, looking for a place to sit, and then something - or rather, someone - seated by one of the windows made her blink in surprise.

'Look there,' she said to Barufiniel in a low voice. 'There is that woman who came from the portal, Anahera, she has come to the same place as us after all. Do you think she is alright? She seemed earlier to be very frightened.'

Anahera sat, Rivailen saw, with two companions. The first was a young woman, local to the area, from the look of her. That did not surprise her. The second, the man, who seemed to be talking animatedly to Anahera? He could not be a man of Gondor. Perhaps he came from the south? His skin was a light brown colour, and Rivailen had heard that that was true of the southern peoples, those that did not have horses but rode instead on great grey oliphaunt-creatures.

That, at least, was not true of this man. Rivailen would have noticed had there been such a strange beast in the village. All the same, though, she noted that the man's tunic was well-dyed and finely embroidered. Likely he had the means to be a traveller from a faraway land, if nothing else.

[feawen]

"Oh"Anahera exclaimed, "Many words i dont know! What court? What worship?" The r of the word was lengthen. "Wori is fighting in my land," She made a stabing motion with her hand, "Killing, hurting, bad word from old times long before!" Anahera thought for a while, "When we need to change for new we have tisipi, big gathering with men from ships. If other wander need something we give for something other!"
Elspeth looked at the older woman, "It seems an odd way to do things, just giving other people stuff what about money?"
Anahera looked at her puzzled, "Money? What this?" Anahera spread her arms wide, "All seem odd way to me!"

[Aikanáro]

What had he got himself into? Ashkaio didn't know where to begin, in explaining the very nature of money, and worship, and Kazhrun-court in Tathera. Books could be written on each and still tell only a fraction of what there was to be told.

'In Tathera,' he began carefully, 'what we call court is actually the household of my family, House Kazhrun. We have a large estate where all the family lives, along with all our visitors and guests, and the servants and others who help in the running of the household, and from that place, from Kazhrun-court, we see to the organization of the city, that all is orderly and just, and if it is not then we put it right.' It was a simplification, but Anahera might understand it, and that was enough.

'Worship has to do with the beliefs of our people. It does not involve fighting. We have special buildings where people may go to celebrate the high feasts, or to consult with a...a knowledgeable person about what is to happen in the future.' That was even further from the essence of the truth, but Ashkaio knew better than to go into detail on such sensitive matters with a person who knew nothing of Tatheran culture.

'And what other - money, is it that you said? This is money.' Ashkaio took a few coins from his pocket, copper and silver marked with strange lettering and stylised pictures. 'It is valuable. You can trade it for goods that you might need.' He held one of the coins out to Anahera, for her to look at.

[feawen]

Anahera eyed the shiny thing. "Why trade useful things for little shiny? Can no wear or eat? What use?" It looked pretty but she could find no use for it. Anahera thought back on the other things Ashkaio had said. She did not understand this worship thing, she had the feeling it would take a long while to understand it, maybe she would ask more about it later. But the court thing interested her. "Court like Nolow? All Nolow together, help each other. Listen to older Nolow." She thought a little, looked from Ashkaio to Elspeth and back then nodded her head. "Servants? Like men of ships helpers!" She pointed at Elspeth and then to Ashkaio "Servant?" After all Elspeth had said her family lived on a farm not that she lived there too!
Elspeths mouth on hearing herself being referered to as a servant formed a small round 0!

[Aikanáro]

Ashkaio simply laughed at the thought. 'Her? My servant? No, that is not it. She has in fact been a friend to me when I most needed it. All the servants of the household are still there, in Tathera.' There were some things you didn't ask of a person, no matter how loyal, and stepping through one of those doorways, with all the attendant risks, was one of them. Much as Ashkaio regretted arriving here alone, he couldn't see himself having done any differently, when it came down to it.

'The court is...I suppose you have it right, the family stays together, and we listen most of all to my mother's brother. He is called the ensi and he rules over all of the city of Tathera. As for the money, that is simple enough.' He smiled at her. 'Say that I am trading in the market and I have something that you need, but none of the things that you have to trade in return are things that I want. Without money, we could not come to an agreement. With it, you might give me some of these coins, which I in turn would trade to someone else, for something that I did want. So they have a use far more important than that of mere shiny trinkets, do you see? Without money...well, I do not think Tathera City as we know it would exist, it is the trade that keeps it alive and busy.'

[feawen]

Anahera thought about all the things her had heard. "Much confusing this place! i think about it!" She settled back into eating her food.

[Midge]

Aerin sighed inwardly. This conundrum just kept compounding itself. She still could barely believe that she was talking to a badger, but the idea had begun to sink in a little. However, Nightshade now wanted to go meet with Queen Arwen? Yes, I know I suggested it, but I didn't think she'd take me seriously! she argued with herself. Someone would have to take the badger to Gondor. Unfortunately for her, her conscience niggled at her to be kind to this lost creature, who, though a beast, clearly deserved the same respect she would give to a Man, an Elf, or an Ent. Her own agenda was completely at odds with Nightshade's hopes, though. She did not want to go all the long way back that she had come.

While she tried to think of a solution, she talked to Nightshade to see if there was anything else they could do.

"King Elessar and Queen Arwen's home is many leagues from this place. We would not reach it in a night, or even a few nights. If you choose to go to them, it must not be a whim. Tell me, what is the name of your land? Perhaps I have heard of it - I am fairly well traveled. Though I have not heard of your Queen Susan, perhaps I have heard of her royal siblings."

As the words flowed from her mouth with an ease which shocked her (she'd spent far too much time with her very social friend Magor, it seemed), a thought occurred to her. There was a village she knew of not too far away - maybe five or six hours' journey. She could take Nightshade there and see if they could hire someone trustworthy to escort her to Gondor. The poor beast seemed to be very optimistic for not having a single thing in this world, except what seemed to be a truffle or two she was clutching. She would suggest it if Nightshade's answers shed no more light on the issue.

[Varnafindë]

Many leagues? Several nights travel? Perhaps it wasn't so easy after all, Nightshade thought. She would indeed have to consider it carefully.

And she hadn't brought any food either. Apart from the few truffles, that is. They wouldn't last very long. Her face fell a little from that thought.

But telling about her land - oh, she would gladly do that.

"My land is called Narnia," she answered, "the land of Talking Beasts and of Living Waters. It lies to the north of Archenland - but I doubt that you would have travelled there, unless you have also visited our world.

"Queen Susan was the second oldest of the Kings and Queens of old. Her eldest brother, Peter, was the High King, king over all kings and queens of Narnia. All who have reigned after him, have reigned under him, even though he has been gone for so long.

"He was called the Magnificent, while Queen Susan was called the Gentle. Then there was their brother, King Edmund the Just, and the youngest of them all, Queen Lucy the Valiant.

"I don't know where they reign in this world," she finished, "but hopefully your King and Queen will know. If we're able to reach them at all."

[Midge]

Aerin listened carefully, hoping that she would recognize something so Nightshade wouldn't feel the need to go all the way to Minas Tirith to speak to the Queen. However, though Nightshade's words were clearly well-learned and heavy with meaning for her, Aerin couldn't place any of them.

There was something about the first thing she said, though...

"Narnia"... I know I've heard that word before somewhere... mused Aerin. Unfortunately she just couldn't remember. Well, I guess we'll have to backtrack a bit to get to the village.

"I'm sorry, Nightshade. I don't know where Narnia or Archenland is, and I've certainly never heard of any of your Kings and Queens. I cannot take you all the way back to Gondor and you probably couldn't go on your own - the road isn't really marked for miles.

"There's a village not too far from here. It's quite late tonight, of course, but we could make it going fairly easy by late morning or noon tomorrow. I would be happy to take you there and hire someone who can escort you to see the Queen. We would of course, take precaution with who we hire - Talking Beasts are not common in Middle-Earth - but I'm sure we can find someone trustworthy."

[Varnafindë]

The only word of what Nightshade had said that seemed to have any resonance in Aerin's mind, was "Narnia". At least as far as Nightshade could jugde. After that, the information she had given, seemed to be met with only a blank - but with interest to learn more. And she was willing to help.

"I am truly grateful to you for trying to help me," Nightshade said. "Hiring an escort from the village seems like a good plan. And I guess we're more likely to find one tomorrow - humans aren't expected to be very alert in the middle of the night.

"And I'm sure we'll find someone trustworthy. If Aslan has put me here for a purpose, he will make sure that I'm able to go through with that purpose. He's the Creator of the world - he'll be able to see to the needs of one of his creations, especially if he himself put me on this course."

[Midge]

Well, thought Aerin. At least that's settled. Though it was late, and the two travelers needed to sleep soon, Aerin's curiosity was piqued by something else.

"This Creator Aslan, Nightshade. You speak of Him as if you know Him well. Can you tell me more of Him?"

[Varnafindë]

Tell her new friend about Aslan?
What could be a happier task?

"All true Narnians know him," she answered, "but as for knowing him well - well, he knows me, I suppose is a better way to put it. But he hasn't appeared in Narnia for quite a while - he's not a tame lion, you see. I think he appeared more often during the reign of the Kings and Queens of old - the Royal Four, Queen Susan and her siblings.

"But even if we don't meet him, we still trust him. And at the end of our lives, when we leave this world (or our own world, I mean), we expect to be welcomed into his country.

"He is the one who gave us the Gift of Speech. When he had sung the world into being, he chose one pair of most of the kinds of beasts and woke them up to be Talking Beasts. He woke up the Trees and the Waters, too - there used to be Dryads and Naiads. But they have gone back to sleep again ...

"Some kinds of beasts were not chosen, though. At the beginning there were no Talking Mice. There are some these days, though, but I don't know for sure how that came to happen. Perhaps it was a reward for something."

She thought for a while, and added, "We are responsible to treat our dumb counterparts with respect and care, and we are not to return to their ways. Otherwise we may lose our gift. They say that it has happened in some cases."

~-~-~-

Barufiniel looked in the direction Rivailen discreetly nodded. She watched the woman and her companions for a few seconds.

"That is her alright," she said. "She seemed to be more frightened of us than she is of these people - but she doesn't seem to be quite relaxed with them, either. They look friendly enough, though. Do you think we should go over to them?"