A.N.: As I've promised, here is chapter 8. I am kinda sick today, so please bear with me. I changed some things in the previous chapters, like the twins are the only people who could read Reesha's 'palm-writing'. If you have the time, you could read the previous chapters again. Still looking for a beta.

/Previously on: "In The Beginning of The End"/

"Go Kitty... Run!"

"Come on, you jokers! This isn't funny anymore, and my dog will starve to death if you keep this up!"

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Chapter 8: Bree

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: March 19, 3018. Somewhere in Nowhere :

Layla sighed in pain. The sun already went down a few hours ago and Layla began to feel restlessness and fear when the thought of being in an entirely different place finally dawned hard on her. Of course, thoughts of being in another place were lingering in her mind, but she really didn't believe it… until hours after hours of walking in one direction didn't help her at all.

'What if I end up being a guest of 'I shouldn't be alive' or something? …what if I die?' she thought, before groaning. 'I'm still too young for this. God, help me. I wouldn't want to sleep in this forest without even eating something!' Her feet already ached a lot, the pain reaching to her thighs. Even though she was exhausted a lot and pretty hungry at the moment, thinking of depressing thoughts certainly isn't what one should think when in this kind of situation, not adding the fact that she was completely alone.

In no way at all would she think of Ron right now. Destroy her apartment if he must in anger and hunger; just let her have a proper place to sleep… and clothes. She sniffed herself a bit and pinched her nose a moment later. 'Ugh, I need a bath.'

Her stomach once again rumbled and she silently cursed the people responsible for this under her breath. Her eyes started to get droopy and her mouth felt instantly dry, drier than it already was before. Exhaustion, thirst, and hunger finally caught up with her body… and she pleaded once more to the God whom her mom deeply believed.

Instantly, as if God answered her, an un-cemented road and brick wall greeted her before she blackened out once again, though this time by exhaustion.

Reesha sighed in irritation. She and Kitty stopped by a near lake to take a rest after a whole day of riding, and unceremoniously fell asleep beside a tree. Kitty, meanwhile, sat beside her and let Reesha use her body as a pillow. She woke up as the sun was setting, and even though she certainly had a peaceful sleep, she wanted to reach the nearest town located in the west.

She was determined to catch up with Aragorn, but her hopes were soon crushed since she wasted a lot of time with that stupid mistake of sleeping. 'I should better go back to Rivendell then. No point in continuing if I would just be alone.' She sighed once again. Returning to Rivendell isn't really a good idea once you think of what you'll expect there… especially if you left without saying goodbye, and returning at the evening when the trip becomes futile. She cringed at the thought. 'Perhaps spending at least a small trip and a week's worth of vacation at Bree wouldn't hurt, right?'

: March 25, 3018. Border of Bree :

As the two reached the border of Bree, Reesha pulled on the reins and Kitty slowed down to a mere strut. The sun was just beginning to rise, and she could faintly hear the workings of the people in their destined place.

It had been a week now, a week of venturing in the deep forest without anything to eat rather than Lembas bread which she 'took' from the kitchens. All of her necessities could be found strapped on Kitty's straddle, her backpack which she brought with her from her world. If it was not for this bag, she could've believed that her life on Earth was just a mere dream.

Reesha saw the entrance of the town, which was blocked by a wooden gate which had a small door in its side. She jumped to the ground, still holding Kitty's reins as she knocked on the door. The door opened, and an old man came into view. "What be your business here, lass?" He asked.

She tapped her throat, signalling she was mute. The old man observed her from head to toe, as if evaluating if she was a nuisance to the town or not. A short moment after, he nodded. "Make sure not to brew trouble, young lass." He warned, before closing the door and opening the gate. Reesha pulled on Kitty's reins, heading for the Prancing Pony, an inn which Gandalf once mentioned about.

Being around in Rivendell for almost a decade did bring a lot of change. Nobody told her that, while the elves practiced hygiene and cleanliness, humans were the opposite. Were humans in Earth also like this during the Renaissance period? Everyone around were mostly tall males, looking as if they hadn't taken a bath for almost a week. She pinched her nose for a moment, before seeing the head sign of the Prancing Pony. At the front of the inn was another inn, which she decided to stay in. Really now, she didn't go there just to be found again.

She tied Kitty's reins in a pole, before further hiding her head with the use of her hood. She entered the inn, and observed that there were only a small number of people in the bar, and even a smaller number in the 'reception', if it could be called that. After a small while, the old man in the reception finally took notice of her. "What would I be able to assist you with, young lass?" He asked in a kind, though business-like voice. She tapped her throat once again, before signalling for quill and a piece of parchment. The old man's eyes widened in surprise as he figured that the young woman in front of him was mute, before hurriedly looking for an ink bottle, quill, and parchment. "Why would a woman, young lass who's mute no less, travel around on 'er own? Are ye one of 'em rangers?" He stated as he handed the necessary items.

She merely smiled in response, before writing her request for a single room and a stable for Kitty. The old man discussed with her the details before excusing himself to take Kitty to the stables, but not before Reesha warned him about the stubborn horse. "I could manage it," he told her, before going out of the inn. She was to receive the keys to her room a short while, after the previously occupied room was cleaned and presentable. She took of her hood.

The old man came back after a short while, and as he did so, a young woman wearing a ragged dress went down the stairs. Reesha followed her with her eyes. 'She seems familiar...'

The young woman turned to the receptionist, handing the set of keys. Just as she was to turn around, she met Reesha's eyes.

"Ree?" She asked, a bit surprised. Reesha herself was surprised as she still couldn't remember who the woman was.

"It is you!" She exclaimed, going over the counter to hug me fiercely. "Reesha, we thought you died... I thought you died! You were gone for so long! Why... How...?" She whispered, but felt the woman beneath her stiff. Layla creased her brows at this, before releasing and taking a step backwards from the unresponsive girl. She frowned, realizing her mistake. "I'm sorry." She paused. "I thought you were –"

She was cut off by a fierce hug from the woman in front of her, which she returned after the shock. Tears went down her face as the feelings that she felt when her mother told her of Ree's disappearance years ago returned.

The old man, once more, was caught in surprise. He found Layla in the border of Bree not a week ago. As he was walking, he thought he saw a dead woman – rumours of weird folk had been running around these days – but found her only unconscious. He brought her to his inn and took care of her, and the next day she woke up. He had asked her how she came upon the border, and she told her tale. The next day however, she told him that she didn't know of the place at all. He accepted her as a waitress for his bar, as she hasn't the place to stay. When she asked him where she exactly was, at that moment he wondered if the girl has amnesia.

"Bree! You are in Bree, a place where travellers and rangers frequently stay. Situated at the west of Mirkwood." He told her, handing the girl a glass of water as she sat up from the bed.

"Mirkwood?" She chuckled. "I sure do think that this is not the time kid around, sir. You sure are a Lord of the Rings fan."

The old man raised an eyebrow in response. "I am no fan of what you say, but yes I said Mirkwood. Do you not know of the places here? Mirkwood, the realm of the Wood Elves. Do you really not know?"

"Who wouldn't know? It's where Legolas the blondie came from! There are millions of fan girls screaming 'Legolas, oh you're so sexy!' and 'Oh, Orlando Bloom, I LOVE YOU!!'. Who wouldn't-"

"SHH!!" He warned, covering her mouth with his palm. "Why do you speak such vile things about the Elvenprince! You should know that there are Wood Elves that stop by here at times, and if they hear you… I don't want my business to stop and be cold!"

She looked at him with astonished eyes- shock being the most prominent in them. He put down his hand, and looked at her still. "You mean-" she started. "You mean, we're in MIDDLE EARTH?!"

Now it was his time to be surprised. "What's surprising about that?"

She stared back blankly, and quite suddenly, laughed. "AHA! You got me there! You really made me believe in that one!" She continued laughing, and as it died down, said, "Well, won't you laugh? You're just like a teacher of mine; always cracking up jokes, but never laughs nor smiles at it."

"…what was I joking about?"

She stared blankly at him again, before sighing. "Drop the act, I already laughed."

Silence.

" Ah… then I guess I have to find out on my own."

…and that was the last conversation he had with her about the land.

"Oldie." Layla said, using the new nickname she had given to the keep. "Can I have a break for a moment? I mean, it's not like there are dozens of men coming to get drunk here right now."

He just nodded, going back to his post. Layla, meanwhile, dragged Reesha to the corner of the dining room. "You know, it's funny here." Layla said. "All the people has gone loka and keep saying that we're in Middle Earth. I mean, Lord of the Rings fanatic much!"

Reesha, in reply, raised a brow.

"Why are the people here always raise their eyebrows in reply?! At least answer in a sentence, please."

Reesha, still, wasn't talking. Why?, she wondered. That was when Ree tapped her throat.

"Eh? Do you have sore throat?" Layla asked in concern.

Ree shook her head, before tapping her throat again and made mouth motions.

Layla gave her a bewildered look, and in agitation, Reesha grabbed the nearest quill and parchment she could find and wrote, "I can't speak! I'm mute!"

"EH?!" Layla exclaimed, standing at her seat while looking at her in surprise. "How?"

"Ever since I came to this world. Really, we are in Middle-Earth."

"No way. Not you too. I mean, I doubt you even heard of Lord of the Rings before you went missing! You weren't actually the type to read… unless the book is also published here."

"No, really… We are in Middle Earth. What is Lord of the Rings anyway?"

"No way. No way. No way, no way, no way! There is no way this could be Middle Earth. Have you even heard of a person named Frodo Baggins?"

Reesha shook her head.

"Legolas-Legolas?"

Amusement was in her eyes, and she nodded.

"You know him?!"

She nodded once more.

"Oh sayang, so the voyage has now ended." Layla sighed, sitting once again.

"Voyage?"

"You know, the fellowship of the Ring, the Two Towers, and the return of the oh-great-king Elessar?"

Reesha shook her head. 'Elessar… where have I heard that before?'

'Oh, great! So it hasn't happened yet! I think it wouldn't hurt to try and enter the fellowship, would it?' Layla grinned at the thought. Most likely she doesn't know that the key's in front of her.

"You sure have changed." Reesha wrote to break the silence.

"Not likely. But then, who wouldn't get crazy, thinking that she died, and then thought she was kidnapped, but then found herself in the forest thinking of her dog destroying her apartment in hunger, in which she was too, and then collapsed near the border of Bree, which, oh-so-ironic, part of MIDDLE-EARTH?"

Reesha's mouth formed an 'o'.

"Yes. Oh."

Umm… I hope they aren't much out of character. I haven't written in a long time, so I'm kinda rusty. Forgive that… and also my late update. :D

Note:

Sayang (Saa-yang) is a Filipino term, which when translated to English means 'too bad'.

Just to clarify unless you didn't get it. When Layla talked about Legolas, she was asking Reesha if she knew his name, not personally. Oh, add the fact that nine years after meant it's 3018, not 3017. Another mistake of mine! So sorry…