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blankdblank · 4 years

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The Fireman

Kinda long but here’s prompt 50 of 52 :D

- @sdavid09 in case you’re still reading these

Jolting upright again from your backwards lean onto a knotted root your eyes snapped open and staring at the still smoldering fire from supper the flames from your dream receded and all the screams died to the loud snores of the Company you were with. Smoothing your hands over your face you shook your head remembering again their call for secrecy and stealth, two things these earth trembling snores were not. All the same beggars can’t be choosers and after Bilbo had been talked off of Gandalf’s leg after waking to another pair of legs poking out from under his bed. The Wizard had come to hire the Hobbit as Burglar only to lower his staff and leave the trembling bachelor on his porch to go and inspect the intruder. A scream clearly marking female and a loud thud came from the tussle with said female trying to wiggle free from under the bed and away from the elderly stranger who woke her from another nightmare. Panting and in tears the second innocent was stirred and Gandalf made introductions, somehow a very young reborn Elleth had been brought back to life and for some reason left underneath the bed of a Hobbit hired for a very important mission.

Every night was the same, as it had for years now since you were a child. No one knew just where you came from in this life or the one you had been trapped in before. Yet the flames remained, a burning city with two brothers come to kill the Royal family. Two weeping boy’s fixed in your mind, twins, dark haired with bright blue eyes haunting you as again your body would collapse mid sword fight from another outside the known pair you were dueling at the same time to keep them from the boys. Hard you would fall and see the boys being lifted and carried off in the blurring of your vision while the flames descended. Always you researched fires and tried to hunt through victims to know just where you might have encountered the pair or if you were just insane. A profession as a fire fighter seemed to calm most who could have been concerned with your obsession with fires, four years you had been one of the best and again chasing those same screams through a crumbling building you dove for safety and awoke to a new world with even fewer answers to offer.

“I didn’t ask for this! So why are you treating me like I did?!” Again the words echoed in a dying shout in your head as you listened to the complaints of the Dwarf King on their Elven companion who seemed to be so averse to gutting fish.

“I know Elves mainly do not eat from streams-,”

“This Elf, Master Nori, is not from this world. When I want fish it is pre cut and frozen wrapped in bags for my convenience. This is the fourth time I have fished forgive my unsettled nerves at tearing out he innards of a creature still staring at me.”

Nori looked you over and Ori asked, “Ice is so common in your former home? I have never heard of Elves dwelling in snowy regions.” He said looking to his relatives.

Gloin who said, “Must have had quite a cushy life, to have never dirtied your dainty fingers before.”

Resting your arms on your crossed legs as you tossed your latest clean fish into the bowl between you and Bofur you looked flatly to the Dwarf saying, “For your information I was raised in an orphanage and treated like the illegitimate bastard I no doubt was, abandoned for the inconvenience I posed on my parents who never looked back.” Dropping the jaw of every jaw of the Dwarves as you muttered, “I’d have rather grown up in a cave with wolves than that flee ridden tundra of forgotten souls I was abandoned to. We didn’t have streams, or animals or grass even. Just a little patch of tar in a forgotten corner of the bustling city that only afforded two spoonfuls of gruel to those who had earned it in their studies that day. Yes we had ice Ori, but nothing was convenient there. Everything and everyone had a price. So great Masters, pray ignore my reluctance to issue suffering on another creature, it is a feeling I am all too familiar with to find comfortable.”

Humbly Gloin stated, “I do apologize, Miss Pear, Gandalf made no mention of your past.”

“Gandalf never asked. Bilbo found me under his bed, how I grew up didn’t seem so important I assume.”

Fili lowly asked, “I cannot imagine you have very many happy memories from your childhood then.”

“That’s the thing you see, I don’t remember having a childhood there.” That had all eyes on you again, “I remember my teens there vividly, but before that, they told me I was always there, I had been abandoned as a baby, but I have these dreams of all these people and a city unlike anything I’ve ever seen since then. And then a fire. They always told me I had imagined it all, to cope with not having a family. That I had made up an entire childhood in this perfect place with parents that loved me, and when I finally gave up the delusion that is why I dreamed up a fire. I can see it though, plain as day when I close my eyes. It never fades.”

Firmly but kindly on your shoulder Balin’s hand settled and he reached out to wipe away with his kerchief the tear you didn’t realize you’d shed, giving you a comforting smile as he said, “I do not imagine in a place like that they would be entirely truthful. Once Gandalf has returned we shall have him recall cities that have fallen to flames. There are many an Elf kingdom fallen to ruin no doubt with children lost here and there. We shall help you uncover your homeland if we can.”

Kili, “You remember faces, do you remember any crests? Any city names?”

“There is one, a golden fountain, surrounded by trumpets. But I didn’t live there, my father took me there,”

Thorin, “Gondolin, fell in the Kinslayings. Why would he take you there?”

“He wanted me to meet the man he chose for me.” Your eyes dropped to the final fish you added to the bowl, “But I didn’t want to.”

Dori, “There was another to catch your fancy?”

“Yes,” you replied softly and turned with a sigh to wash your hands as Bombur came to fetch the fish for supper. Details of the dream were shared and all they could guess up was you could have been protecting your darker haired brothers, though that could have been reduced to cousin or family friend as your hair was like moonlit snow in long tight curls to your lower back with bright purple silver flecked eyes. Either way they did mean it, Gandalf was consulted once returned but held no more answers as he claimed to have spent little time in those cities and remained in the gardens of his Valar teacher’s until he was sent to Middle Earth in the Third Age’s beginning.

A purchased bow and quiver from Gandalf returning from his latest trip to who knows where had you armed a tiny bit at least and in your hands they seemed to feel at home. Each digit and muscle in your arms knowing the process of firing off the arrows flawlessly as more of your vivid dreams kept inching back to the forefront of your mind having eased your way through school on the archery team with scholarships, even granting you a few medals and trophies. Those memories circling in your mind between steps walking blindly beside Bilbo’s pony on Gandalf’s horse; a sudden stop had you snapping back to reality noticing that the horse had wandered away from the line to a small brook for a drink. Leaning forward you stroked his shoulder taking notice that the Bur Brother’s ponies had hurried over with the others soon stopping to turn calling for your lunch spot.

Down you climbed eyeing the forest in the distance curiously. Thorin had come over to your side asking, “Do you see something with those hawk like eyes of yours?”

Glancing down at him you said, “Just squirrels. Nothing ominous no worries buddy.”

Ori, “Squirrels can be plenty ominous. When left to their own devices.”

Nori, “Been robbed by my fair share on my own travels.”

That had you giggling and his brow arching up believing you didn’t believe him, “Sorry, I’m picturing you having stolen a chandelier and a squirrel dragging it away for his home while you sleep.” The image making even him chuckle at the absurd notion.

Ori chuckled out, “I suppose if we were to find any glowing trees the culprit would be easily found.”

Lunch came and went and the equally as bored horse in the line of ponies stopped again on the edge of the forest you had finally reached as the sun was setting. Glancing around the forest after removing the saddle that was still resting in your arms the golden glow seemed to stir more inklings of hints toward your dream that no doubt would pop up again. The saddle was set aside and another gust of hot wind blew through the trees once again. Removing your hat you fanned yourself on the front and back of your neck confused still but slightly amused that along with you all your belongings appeared in Bilbo’s bedroom, though your things were in an adorable metal wagon that two ponies rotated pulling thankful that they didn’t have to carry all the heavy belongings and the Company as well. The wagon was settled off to the side of the camp in a corner of trees easily defendable and good for a watch seat through the night.

Sure enough Dwalin was coming off his turn and like clockwork you shot up again from against a propped up root while Bofur had woken to take his turn and steal more time to admire the dagger he found in the hoard you located the night before. Patting your back Bofur passed you by hoping you might be able to fall asleep again soon unlike other nights you seemed to stay up the rest of the night.

Following the path of a curious squirrel inspecting your shimmering self in the flickers of moonlight breaking through the trees on your exposed lower arms and knees through your torn jeans your gaze fell into the path of a flapping cloth. Darting out of sight a painted silk robe vanished and in standing up a giggle echoed in your ears and grabbing his ax Dwalin stepped hard triggering a ripple of Dwarf eyes to open and snores to halt. Weapons were gripped and confused the men sat up almost taking it for a false alarm before you flinched hearing loud howls and screeches to battle in the distance. At once the group was up filling the wagon four of them gripped with little time to dress the ponies, pulling it themselves while you watched Dwalin leading the charge deeper into the woods with Bilbo still stubbornly sleeping across his shoulders. Cackles sounded at the nearer the howls and screeches came with Gandalf loudly shouting for someone named Radagast while heavy hooves thundered from who knows where after the noise.

“I don’t like the look of this,” Thorin muttered in a round clearing with ribbons coated in crystal beads draped around the trunks of each tree.

Oin, “Clearly a trap.”

Again you saw the robe, though this time you gasped seeing the boys from your dream wearing the identical robes giggling in their dart away. “The twins!”

Thorin, “Jaqi!” He whispered as harshly as he could at your dart away.

“Hey, come back!” You called out and from far above hooded Elves watched the Dwarves muttering curses and following you on their ponies with your horse helping Bilbo’s to pull the wagon. “I see you,” you giggled out darting around another tree just barely missing one of the boys who snuck under a root you leapt over easily. “Where did you go?”

You asked playfully and leaning over Bilbo asked seeing the pair of glimmering orbs you were flying, “Thorin, is this forest haunted?”

That had Thorin looking at him, “No, what do you see? I see nothing!”

Bilbo wet his lips and pointed, now seeing glowing footprints of children the longer he focused on the orbs, “They’re children she’s following. Looks like.”

Gloin muttered, “Chasing ghosts, bad portents.”

Balin, “Hush, it could be her kin calling her to Rivendell.” That had the Dwarves calming as Durin even notes following his former children to their halls after each of his wakings in his later lives. Paths to safety.

Sure enough you giggled again at your feet hitting a hidden stone pathway you chased the pair through a courtyard through which you raced up the stairs there into another set of halls to another open courtyard. Behind you the Dwarves clearly having been watched by notably Silvan Elves on watch they nodded explaining they were with you and darted after Bilbo who was already halfway up the steps.

Wide open in the moonlit courtyard in a scan for the boys now behind a pillar your eyes fell to a familiar face. Tall with no focus on you strolling closer to the boys the dark haired brother of the intruders had your smile dropping to almost a snarl and storming into the courtyard. Pausing only to accept two of the offered twin blades from a hooded figure who bowed his head to you. In your eyes back in that burning hall you crossed the floor calling out actually to the moonlit Elves turning at the sound of blades being unsheathed. “Back away!”

Brighter your light pulsed with your body nearly unfocused leaving just your telling bright eyes, no longer fiery his wide eyes fell in you and he muttered to call for someone while you charged for him, “You,” Maglor murmured glancing just in time to another blade being unsheathed and tossed his way granting him a chance to block your attack. He did not wish to harm you again but it took all he had to keep your attacks at bay, never having faced another of your strength since you had last challenged him. He never wanted you to die and now that you were back though he knew he had earned death for what his men had done he wished to aid you in snapping out of this as all reborn had to face their ghosts to resume their peaceful lives or eternally being at battle with themselves and those around them. To the Dwarves’ eyes you were clearly the superior though he seems far beyond your elder at your own stated age though clearly lesser in skill.

“Where is the other one?!” You grit out in another hard blow causing his footing to stagger a moment between his pants for air to keep up.

“My brother is dead.” He could barely get the words out as he watched the flames in your eyes while you and the near invisible quick blades were dancing, remembering fully the memory you were fighting to push past.

Clearly now the Elves looking on had taken notice of the reasoning for the attack and cleared a path for King Thranduil, who froze seeing just who was attacking the Elf Lord. Lowering his arms his wrap fell and in four steps was across the courtyard with sword drawn. Nowhere near threatening to anyone but enough to have a blade swipe between you and Lord Maglor who was groaning in pain from your heavy boot to his chest sending him back into the base of the fountain behind him. His eyes fixed on your terrifyingly bright self growing darker in the swelling of your powers almost like the night sky coated in tiny white dots with outline of your features still brilliantly white matching the specked halo around your body reflecting across the blades now aimed at him.

That was it, the deadly pause before the death blow with one arm bent back just as in notching back an arrow with the other blade sideways in your palm so you might stab him then slice off his head in the retraction of the first blow, one swift motion for a simple clean kill. None had dared to step in seeing your skill and all the same in the pass of Thranduil’s blade swiping into your sight to just ease along the edge of yours knowing your blade would simply cut his in half at its inferior metal.

That was it, your eyes shifted and just like his wrap falling the hunter’s stare was gone with tears threatening to pool in your eyes. The veil had dropped and a tear fell down your cheek glowing in a stream of shimmering colors as you saw yourself finally in the moonlit courtyard so far from the destroyed kingdom of ages past, “You’re not here.” Clenching your eyes more tears fell at your broken tone and everyone exhaled knowing you were out of your painful haze with still sword bearing hands moving to clench in your tied back hair.

“I,” sheathing his blade he stepped after your backwards steps to the statue you walked into and slid down to plop ungracefully in sorrow.

Weakly murmuring, “I’m losing my mind,” with swords clattering to the ground at your sides allowing Thranduil, now kneeling in front of you to claim hold of your hands.

“I am here.” Pressing your hands to his chest he clung to pressing his forehead to yours with a tear of his own falling at your broken sob. “I am real, you have returned to us.”

Shaking your head your lip quivered and Bilbo moved closer watching as your glow dimmed to its non frightening shimmer another tear fell and around your legs flowers began to sprout up between the stone tiles in the courtyard, all glowing as well. “Jaqi, you’re not losing your mind. He is real. Whoever he is,” Thranduil’s head drew back and his thumb stroked the back of yours.

His head only turning at Legolas joining Glorfindel and Elrond entering the courtyard, “Ada?” Confused at his contact with the unknown woman.

“High Princess Oromereon.” Elrond barely managed to say crossing the courtyard to you sheathing his sword with lips parted seeing the tears still threatening to spill from your pain and fear flooded eyes. Even Maglor eased closer while you weren’t looking without his borrowed blade. Beside you Lord Elrond knelt with your full attention watching another flower stirring tear, “Finally. I had hoped you would return to us.”

Anxiously wetting your formerly pouting lower lip you said, “I’ve seen your eyes, on a little boy, in my dreams.”

Kindly his hand settled below your elbow, “Memories, I am Elrond. High Princess, Jaqiearae, when I was a child you minded my twin brother and I.”

“Does he not live here?”

Elrond answered, “Elros chose a mortal life, and passed some ages past.”

“Where am I?” You asked in a broken whisper finally noticing Gandalf and another Wizard at his side having finally ended their chase after the much faster Lords who were both looking you over.

“In Rivendell, these are my lands none will harm you or your Company here.”

Again you looked to the Lord you had attacked and your lip quivered again in a voice cracking try to apologize, though he cut you off, “High Princess, I cannot word an adequate enough apology. Myself and my brother were dueling you quite foolishly. I had no intention of ever harming you, we had hoped to talk through your justified stance to protect Elrond and Elros, then our soldiers, one of them fired an arrow hitting you in the neck, you had forgotten the collar to your armor. Blades should have never been crossed with you, we should have yielded, I humbly beg for your forgiveness knowing fully I do not deserve it and may never earn it. You were still so young, not in full bloom, and we foolishly led to your demise unjustifiably, for one so innocent and just, as yourself. I deserve every blow you have dealt today, and am gladdened you have returned. For you were greatly missed.”

Looking to Elrond another tear fell and he extended his hands in Thranduil’s lowering yours from his still thundering chest feeling you wished to have your hands back. “Please, come, let us clean you up, feed you and find you a warm bed for tonight. Allow you to rest.” You nodded and accepted his help up feeling Thranduil adjusting the cardigan you had on back over your bare shoulder in the dropping of that sleeve weighing it down unable to help but inspect your weathered and stained layers. “If I may, My High Princess, where did you awaken?”

You pointed to Bilbo who said, “Under my bed in April.” That had Elrond looking to Gandalf.

“Why was she not taken to Lindon?!” He nearly hissed in Elvish to the now open mouthed Wizard.

“I sent word to Lindon, I had assumed she might be one of those fallen from the lost lands, however none wished to house her through the transition.”

“Do you dwell in the Blue Mountains?” Thranduil asked Bilbo and he shook his head.

“The Shire.”

Thranduil looked to Gandalf, “The Shire. Halfway across Middle Earth!”

Elrond, “Could you not see the pain she was harboring in the weight of the distance?!”

Gandalf, “I have witnessed far more of Miss Pear than simply her pain in these past months and had I the knowledge of whom she was descended I would have sent for the eagles, however, I was not aware as I have never been to Doriath, in fact I rarely left the gardens of my masters among the Valar.” His eyes shifted to you, “And I am deeply sorry if I have caused you any more unjust pain.”

You shook your head and Elrond sighed staring, “King Thranduil might you escort our guests to the bathhouse? I have more questions for our Wizards here.”

Without moving you glanced up at the King now meeting your gaze and matching your curious smirk, “King? Just what did you bake that promoted you to King?”

Shaking his head to hide his creeping grin he replied, “My Ada won the favor of the Silvan Elves, they named him King, I merely inherited the title.”

You nodded following his hand motion to walk with him wiping your cheeks again on your sleeve only to pause again when you noticed Lord Glorfindel who bowed his head to you and gave a quick swallow to say, “High Princess Oromereon.”

“Am I shorter or did you grow?” That had the corner of his lips tug up. “Swords,” you turned realizing you’d left the swords and hurried to gather them and return them only to find the formerly hooded figure was now a glimmering set of armor and numerous weapons, “Where did the hooded man go?”

Glorfindel stated as you sheathed the swords again into the sheaths spread across the raised arms holding a tray of more weapons. “Valar King Mandos often appears to arm those who have returned. This is your armor and weapons. Gifted to you by Valar King Aule to aid in your training with your uncle, Valar King Tulkas.” The Dwarves admired each piece in their passing while you continued on to join Thranduil again to the bathhouse.

Warm water filled the copper tub and through the kingdom new blooms filled the trees and gardens as you relaxed into the curved tub resting your feet up on the rim to help stretch your sore legs. The action somehow summoning company as one Elleth came with hands dipping under the water to start rubbing your lower legs and another came to comb out your hair that with another basin behind your head that was used to wet and wash your hair with. Where this normally had felt strange it all took you back again to that first week in Gondolin when you were escorted to meet your betrothed who happened to be here waiting with dinner as well.

In the rinsing of your hair a soft suggestion to tilt your head back came to ease the brushing of creams to your face relieving the small crapes and bruise from a bad stumble the week prior just about gone. Dried and helped into a lovely gown while your bag was mildly being kept hostage so you might be dressed properly no doubt to your supposed rank. All the same with your curly hair laying down your back and partially in your face at its usual slump forward to try and blind you. At least until an Elleth hurried over with a quick brush of your hair back to be held in place by a circlet of pale green crystal leaves set into a solid band of white gold glowing softly so that in your reflection it nearly blended entirely into your hair.

Before anyone could add anymore to you out into the hall you popped exhaling sharply trying to shake off the group bath only to find Bilbo wringing his fingers in front of him once he saw you and joined him. Formerly watching the ducks in the pond he looked you over seeming no doubt a bit more regal as the Elves had called you. “Bilbo I love you but if you now or treat me different I will throw you in that lake.”

Across his face a relieved grin spread in his own calming exhale, “Thank you,” he said as you moved closer to his side, “I see you’ve escaped as well. There was talk of trying to help brush my feet, I doubt any of them realize only lovers or kin are allowed to do that. Take it not many Hobbits pass through here.”

“I think not.” You said looking at the pond, “Aww, look it’s a baby deer.”

Bilbo smiled and reached out taking your hand making you look at him, “They don’t eat their deer here, doesn’t seem skittish like those in the wild.”

Onto the grass he led you over to the curious fawn coming closer to what he took as another child, under the watch of its snacking mother accepted your gentle pets and trotted away to her call it was time to eat. Glumly as they did you walked back to the walkway pausing when you saw Lord Glorfindel waiting there for you taking in your fully decorated thankfully uninjured self. Bilbo promptly said, “I think I dropped my handkerchief, over there.” Your lips parted and he speed walked away leaving you turning to finish the few steps to the waiting Lord clearly holding something in his hands.

“High Princess Pear,” he said bowing his head to you, “I am aware this is quite forward, however I find I may not have the nerve for the task later. I was not able to gift you this upon our last meeting, I had hoped you might accept it now.” Extending his palm on it rested a glowing white crystal wrapped in mithril woven strands around it forming a tree branching up to the mithril chain it hung on.

“It is very beautiful, thank you.”

When you tried to reach for it he asked, “If I may, might I assist you in putting it on?”

You nodded and you could have sworn he was smiling in your timid turn around and reach up to move your hair. Over your head the pendant lowered and the twisting and locking clasp secured in time for him to help you ease your circlet back down again as your hair tried to use the movement to push it off. “Thank you, heavy or not this head band is no match for my curls.”

Softly he chuckled and when you turned again your gaze sent his to the boisterous Dwarves exiting their own bathhouse door adjusting the finishing touches. Bofur however saw you first and smiled saying, “Now Miss Pear, Don’t you look finer than a new anvil!”

More unlikely comments came from the group making you giggle and join them in following Lord Glorfindel to the dinner as Bilbo scampered back from behind the statue he was peeking out from behind watching you and the quiet Lord. Around the taller table the Elf Lords stood with an empty set of seats waiting for whomever they had chosen, each taking a moment to inspect all of you when you came into view. The radiant pendant on your chest however had Thranduil glancing down a moment before locking his trembling hands in front of his stomach accepting your apparent choice.

Elrond broke the silence guiding Thorin to his seat at the table, “Thorin, of course this seat is yours, and we were hoping High,”

“Just Jaqi is fine.”

Elrond blinked a moment, “Jaqi,”

“Unless that breaks a rule. I have never been a high anything in my old life, and I would like to repay you for the dress and everything, when I can. We found some gold in a Troll hoard so I have a bag from that.”

Halfway to grinning he nodded and said, “Thank you, for the kind gesture but the clothes and circlet are gifts. To welcome you and make you comfortable through your stay.” Shifting his hand he said, “I believe you have a vague notion who Lord Maglor is, and of course King Thranduil and Prince Legolas as well as my aid Lindir.”

To Lindir you smiled saying, “Hi,” uncertain of what to say to Lord Maglor or the King, yet your gaze shifted to the Prince and you asked, “Legolas?”

The Prince nodded and quietly but eagerly replied, “Yes. That is my name.”

Glorfindel walked around the table saying, “I shall fix your chair,” easing one back you took to be yours that you walked to noticing Thranduil had moved to grant his son the one beside you that you lowered onto seemingly signaling the Lords and Dwarves to take their own seats. While Thorin and Elrond spoke you took a sip of water then glanced to Legolas and over the sound of your thundering heart you softly asked, “I saw you with a bow earlier?”

Again he answered, “Yes. I am quite skilled, Ada once had it on the wall, your bow, I must admit I have stolen it.”

Shaking your head you replied, “That is alright, Gandalf found me a new one. Keep it.” He nodded a bit deflated a moment at the taken un-interest in the bow he had once carved a caterpillar into the base of when he was a child to surprise you for a trip away from him only to glance down at your hand settling on his arm just below his elbow for your next question. A far from friendly gesture lighting up his face and bolstering his mood at the first contact you had shared since he was a small child.

This was difficult to say the least, in your dreams of Thranduil especially you knew that in a try to escape marriage you had eloped with Thranduil and had his child that he had been left without you all these years leaving it a sticky situation. Clearly fully grown he didn’t need to be coddled and all those imagined years since you had left would always be his far from what you would experience with your son, but at least you could let him know you were here now and trying to be his friend at least. Thankfully with a grown Elf who didn’t seem to hate you. Questions flowed and soon included others for fuller answers the Prince couldn’t give, always with the curious contact on the glad Prince much more openly happy to the company of Dwarves while his father seemed to be fighting tears of joy that you were trying to mend that bond upon just hearing his name.

The Prince was always odd and always would be, only child of the island of a King and a long since dead Valar Princess. Normally for some he might be dubbed a bastard for any other race but for the Elves even though he was conceived between you and a male you were not Betrothed to the bond was still honored. Thranduil was never your true Husband for anyone but you, seen publicly as your Lover garnering him some status even before his father had been given a throne. Still in his loss he still had your son and all the memories you had shared with hopes for more when you returned to them again, knowing fully you would never leave your son for long.

Dinner bled on until a sudden yawn from you had your smiling son stand to help you up and show you to your bedroom suite. Lingering behind Thranduil did shadow your path wishing to sleep himself to greet you early for breakfast with a flower he would find for you wishing he could be the one to bid you goodnight as you used to and rest with you in his arms. Frozen however he paused seeing you at your open door on your toes embracing Legolas around the shoulders, who melted into the hug with tears pooling into his eyes as you tearfully whispered, “I am so sorry I have missed so much of your life, Little Leaf.” Tightly he clung to you in the hug lasting until he made the move to pull back only for you to wipe his cheeks. “So handsome and tall. Just like I knew you’d be.”

“You have not changed, though I am seeing you from above now, Naneth. Rest well. I shall see you at breakfast.”

You nodded and turned to bed to sleep as he closed the door and turned his head to flash a grin to his father who caught up with him to guide him under his arm to their shared apartment just down the hall. “She held my arm Ada, most of dinner.”

“Yes I saw. There was no doubt she would cherish being with you again.”

“Naneth will find time for you as well Ada. I am certain of it, kept looking your way through the meal.” That mention had the King, who was trying to keep from revealing his true emotions through the meal, and having missed your glances his way save for one or two between Glorfindel’s inquiries on less personal topics such as how you were taking to the several course meal still continuing on in your absence for the Dwarves to ensure the next dinner and several After would suit your preferences.

“Time will tell, Little Leaf.” He said stroking his son’s arm before releasing him to open the door for the pair to head to their own beds still in a whirl over having you back with them.

Underneath your pillow your head eased out with your braided back hair sliding sideways into and out of your face as you sat up on your knees. Out of habit you had slept again in jeans and a sweater forgetting that in your pack you had shorts that could be chosen and onto your feet you grumbled heading to the fountain basin against the wall to rinse your face and brush your teeth. Around the toothbrush you grumbled, “Come in,” to the knock at the door bringing confused Thranduil into your sights. His head tilting at the odd stick between your lips and white bubbles dripping it from between.

“My Darlling Starlight, what are you doing with that stick?” He asked pointing at it making you turn still groggily shifting it to the other side of your mouth.

“It’s a toothbrush.”

“A brush...” he watched as you bent to scoop some water into your mouth using your palm you swished around your mouth then walked to your window to spit into the dirt there.

He watched you walk back to rinse off the odd brush and your smile at a small mirror utterly confusing him. Looking at him you said, “It’s a brush to clean your teeth with. Don’t worry about the planter it’s organic and it makes flowers bloom more colorful.”

“Ah,” he watched you add it to its tube along with your toothpaste tube you added to your toiletries bag that was tucked back in your pack. “Did you sleep well?”

“Other than that odd squawking thing past what I would assume as midnight yes. You?”

“Yes, that would be Yelu, he was raised by blue jays, keeps trying to sing for a mate.” Reaching out he passed you a small purple and orange flower you accepted, “Good morning. Breakfast shall be ready shortly.”

You nodded and said, “Thank you. I was wondering.” He nodded and inched closer hoping to urge you on, “I’m not mistaken, Legolas is-,”

“He is ours, yes. I am so glad you have taken to him so fondly so soon.”

“It’s all confusing. I’d hate for him to think I would just abandon him. Even if I am odd.”

“He is odd.” Your brow inched up, “It comforts him. And myself, a part of you.”

You nodded then wet your lips to ask, “You did love me?” Asking in a whisper of a plea to not be wrong.

“I will never stop.”

Smiling in a nod you fought the tears trying to fill your eyes and you sniffled bringing him closer to rest his hand on your shoulder, “I don’t know what everyone wants me to do.”

“We want you to be happy.” You nodded again and he asked, “Would you like to see the deer again? They are grazing.” You nodded as he turned smiling to himself at your continued morning tour of what he imagined were your herds, or soon to be your herds in Greenwood if you would choose to dwell there after your stay here.

Taking the chance to show you his Elk as well, who took to you right away enjoying your facial scratches luring out your giggles to his content sounds that had you saying, “I can see why you get along so well, he makes the same sounds you do when someone rubs your back after hauling all that flour.”

Thranduil scoffed with a blush spreading across his cheeks as Legolas, who had come to join you burst out laughing having never heard that about his father before.

Across the table while you focused on smoothing some jam to your toast the furious expressions of the Elf Lords bearing about your second life back from the cruel world you had been dropped into after having been slain. None more than Maglor feeling pain as he felt the blame for that death and all that pain that came from that unjust second life had bestowed on your path.

Glorfindel however broke the silence asking, “What was the year in which you left that world?” Trying to place when you had been in the same world he also was sent to after his own death.

“Um,” covering your mouth after a bite of the toast you replied, “2019, no, it was past January, so, 2020.”

Elrond looked to Glorfindel, “Were you not also there in what you called the twenties?”

Glorfindel nodded, “Yes, however that was the 1920’s. So no chance of overlap then.”

“Depends how old you were when you died.” Making him smirk your way.

“I died when I was thirty nine. In the twenties.”

“Ooh, you didn’t jump out a window did you?”

His brows inched up and he said, “Train crash, why would I jump out a window?”

“The stock market?” You said looking at him and you sighed setting down your toast. “Ok, I am not the best to describe this, there is what you pay for something, cost value,” he nodded narrowing his eyes to focus on this, “then some idiot put an imaginary value on things, like a credit, almost, and called it the stock market. It’s supposed to be not just the value of what you have now but, like corn, you would have it priced by the ear but the stock I think would be what you imagine corn could haul in the next year or however far off it is. I was a fireman so I didn’t really give a damn about the stock market never made enough to invest in the imaginary money scheme.”

Thorin, “Miss Pear, if it is a money scheme then why would people invest in it? Could one not lose everything they had to provide their Kin’s futures with?”

“Oh ya,” You nodded, “Part of why when the market crashed it ruined the economy for the whole country. People were jumping out of buildings going on looting sprees, businesses were worthless and had to shut down. Thousands if not millions were unemployed and starving to death though the Great Depression.”

Glorfindel, “And this was in the twenties?”

“Just at the end I think, there was the Roaring 20’s, then the Depression then that bled into something to do with trains I think to bolster the economy and then World War Two hit.”

Thranduil, “World War?”

Glorfindel, “There was a second? When I died we had just won the first! I lost nearly everyone I knew!”

“Well, I just know it happened. I’m not very good at history we had a shortage of books and my study partner liked to eat on their turns with the books so a lot of the pages were stuck together. Barely passed the class.”

Lindir, “That is not a way to treat books.”

“Tried to tell them that and they spat at me, so we kept talking to a minimum after that. I didn’t have many friends and her dad pretty much owned the town.”

Elrond, “There seems to be a growing list of people I wish to throttle from this second life of yours.”

With a grin you said, “We should compare lists then. Being treated like a bastard doesn’t just stop in school.”

“From now on any who arrive from your world will be questioned as to their knowledge of you. Any who were cruel or unkind shall not be permitted entrance.”

“You-,” Thranduil shook his head and you simply picked up your toast for another bite.

Glorfindel, “Perhaps after breakfast you might enjoy a ride?” Timidly you nodded and he gave you a ghost of a grin and turned back to his meal in Thranduil’s changing the topic to something calmer.

Each day it was harder to say that you didn’t find the odd Lord starting to grow on you all the while feeling that same tug to head back to the arms that were so familiar. Just once asleep against his side you had fallen in a stolen bout of late night reading when a storm had kept you up only to wake alone not in the study where you had found him but in your lonely bed. You ached to wake up near him, to have those same sweet good morning nose taps and peppered kisses across cheeks and necks until Legolas would wake up and come attack the pair of you for his own cuddles and kisses lasting through the group meddling of arms to make a sloppy but delicious breakfast.

Yet in the month you had stayed here Thorin was no closer to gaining aid in what you had been brought along to see to fruition. Then with the arrival of a lone White Lady from Lothlorien a nearly tear stained letter was left for Legolas. Stealing away into the night with your former armored layers hidden under your jeans and your cargo jacket you and Gandalf’s horse were in the back of the line of ponies, each step as painful as it was slightly irritating to remember how to walk with ease with four blades on your back and three in each boot.

The quiver and bow tapping your bun didn’t help but you felt somewhat useful now as your fighting training had come back to you. Every tap helping to tear your mind away from the son and former lover and possible future husband you wrote you would return to once your contract with the Company had run its course. Avoiding the rain to spare the ponies that winding wet maze Balin led the path down towards the pass of Khazad-Dum. It would be the long way round but it would be safer and not pass through Thranduil’s lands at all. Even if you were attached in some way they could not rely on that bond to get them their home back when a dragon was involved.

On a raised ridge of stones you sat on watch trying not to pull out the glowing pendant to stroke from under your armor to keep from giving away your location, still trying to get your head around what was waiting for you. Lost to confusion as for what was circling in your head about what would occur between your mini family and your supposed betrothed. Up off his cot to a nightmare uncommon for the Hobbit your eyes turned to him as his hand recoiled from his vest pocket. Silent offering of upturned hands had him coming closer showing you the ring shaped burn on his palm. “What did this?” You asked softly catching his eye.

“I, I found a ring. Had a dream about it, guess I reached for it in my sleep, felt like it bit me.”

You nodded and turned digging into your bag and pulling out a small egg shaped thimble case you opened and passed to him, “Best not let it possibly catch on fire.” He nodded using his handkerchief to pull it out and lock it inside the secure copper egg he settled in his pocket, “Gandalf might have a clue what it is when he catches up to us.”

He nodded and passed you the thimble he had pulled from inside you smirked in accepting, “In case you need it.”

“Thank you, sweet dreams.”

“Hopefully now the biter is locked away.” He muttered on his path to his bedroll again.

“Ada! Naneth has left with the Dwarves!” Instantly Thranduil’s eyes dropped to the letter in his son’s hand instead of focusing on the tears threatening to cloud his eyes, “She has written they have a contract she intends to honor and will return once it is.”

Thranduil nodded and moved closer laying his hand on Legolas’ shoulder in a try to calm him with a firm contact, “Gather your things, we are leaving. Their aim is a dragon, I will not have her in risk alone.” Earning a nod from his son who turned to hurry to their apartment while Thranduil sent word to his guards to ready for the ride to track after you, the action luring attention from others, namely Lord Glorfindel who readied himself and upon Thranduil’s reaching the stables was outside his Elk’s stall. “I will not be deterred-,”

Glorfindel’s hand planted on Thranduil’s arm, “This is no contest.” The words had him pausing for their weight marking that he would not stand between your family while pursuing honoring his betrothal to you. “Think, they would not have taken the West pass, would they risk South?”

“Many Dwarves pass the borders of Lothlorien, passing Moria is one matter, none would dare risk entering with 14.”

Glorfindel nodded, “We should ride slow, they could not have gone far and that wagon would have left clear tracks.”

Screeches had filled the air putting you all on edge, and it seemed once you had come into view of the Ithildin door that sat wide open across from a dry river bed slowly filling from its source miles North. Out from the open doors however water rushed back again leaving you all curiously washing the glowing watery creatures dashing their way to fill that river bed to the top. A loud echoing roar however had your hand lowering to the hilt of one of your swords in your right boot, “What is that?” You asked looking at Thorin who was growing pale.

Balin whispered out, “Durin’s Bane.”

Another roar and through the gates you saw distant flames, locked in place the Dwarves remained and suddenly a flaming whip was severed by one of your blades and darting off you built up speed to leap and kick off the door frame straight at the chest of the Balrog burying your blade. Cleared fully the empty city echoed of the loud crash of the body crumbling to ash pooling around your legs in your awkward path across it to the group again using your swords to brush a path clear to the doors the others eased shut agreeing totally to keep this amongst yourselves until reinforcements could be gathered to reoccupy the city full time. Continuing on came without question and with a draft of a contract Ori had fashioned from a page out of his journal a second contract would be made to honor your payment for clearing Durin’s Bane from their lost halls.

Half past a marker placing you nearly to the edge of Lothlorien you trekked ahead leaving the wagon and ponies on the solid ground working with the men to try and find a sturdy path since these seemed to be far too wet from a recent flood. “Thirteen Dwarves, a Hobbit and an Elf. Odd party.”

A circle of spears and in the distance watching the Men from Gondor having asked to join in on the rounds in patrolling Rohan’s distant borders for the yearly round of invasions from Goblins out of Moria. A bump into Bilbo and a dropped copper egg one Man just had to open and with pursed lips you sat tapping your fingers to your cheek in thought beside the equally as agitated Dwarves lost as to why you were being taken to Gondor over a thimble case in a caged wagon.

“Just what are those fools up to now?!” Elrond muttered seeing the Men in the distance driving you all in a rolling cage. Agitated beyond belief the Lords split the group with Thranduil sending one to escort your ponies and wagon off to Greenwood through Lothlorien’s borders to ensure their safe delivery not knowing how long this could take.

Thranduil, “These Men will not get away from this easily.”

Glorfindel, “Nor will they hear the end of it from me. Ever.”

Moving to a drier path the Elves rode on in pursuit of the riders just barely remaining in their view. Mental images of your panic and pleas to be released flooded their minds urging them onwards to have you released.

Through the front gates you eyed the white city muttering to Bilbo about the odd layout of the city. A horn however turned your head and with lips parted you watched the Elf Lords furious trailing after your wagon. All the way up to the giant overlook past the white tree you were driven then finally let out into a larger group of armed Men. “You so much as touch me and my husband and fiancé will beat the stupid out of you while my son shoots you,” the words you grit out had the Man trying to grab your arm pause long enough to be pushed past for you to hop down on your own with the equally as agitated Dwarves.

Bilbo, “Just give me back the thimble case!”

“Not a chance Halfling!” A Man barked back.

“Hey! Bilbo Baggins is not half of anything! You obnoxious twit! Now you give me back my thimble case!”

Moving closer the Man got up in your face, “Shout all you like She-Elf, no one here takes orders from you. And this,” he said lifting the case between his fingers, “Goes to our Steward. Great treasure of Gondor this is. Property of our line of Kings, lost for centuries by the doings of some thief!”

To the opening of the doors behind him hooves filled the area with a call that more Elves were coming. “Give me-,”

A Man from the group drew a dagger moving closer with his hand extended to try and grab your hair pulling you from the others only for an arrow to fly off behind your head grazing the back of his hand tugged back to his chest in a pained hiss. “No one lays a hand on my Wife!” Thranduil shouted in Gondorian to the Men who flinched away from you a moment.

“Give me my thimble case!” You grit out again.

“Not happening!” The Man called back again in the approach of a group from inside coming to join you.

Off their steeds the Elves forced their way through the Men circling around you, Bilbo and the Dwarves. Touching Thranduil’s arm you said, “He has my thimble case.”

“I am not returning it! No matter who you lie-,” He shouted back.

Legolas had aimed another arrow at the Man’s head to Thranduil’s glare making him fall silent freeing Bilbo to say, “They can’t have the ring Gandalf hasn’t inspected it yet.”

Elrond looked to Bilbo asking, “Ring? What ring?”

“It bit Bilbo they can’t have it it’s cursed. Give me back my thimble case!” You said weaving through the group. Seeing the Man’s hand tightening around the case you patted Bilbo’s shoulder, “I got a plan.” Closer you moved until you were a step from the Man, “Yo!”

Huffing in a turn away from the group near the bottom of the stairs his scowl deepened readying to verbally spar with you again only to have his feet swept out from under him. Gripping his wrist in your grip it twisted in your flipping him over your back stunning him enough to loosen his grip to drop the egg you grabbed to dart off. It opened in the tussle and in gripping it again the ring eased onto the end of your finger instantly sending you into a blurry world of swirling grey clouds across from a distant red eye. “I see you.” The words had you in a sea of muddled shouts of Men calling out to block the gates while the Elves remained in place fully able to see you as a faint glimmer to their tuned eyes.

Moving closer to where you remembered him you spotted the familiar glow of Thranduil, who remained in place unchanged feeling your hand settling on his arm to move behind him to wrench off the burning ring. Biting your lip to hold in a pained whimper from the clear burn on your skin spiking Glorfindel’s heart rate. Shrilly from distant winged creatures ears were ringing on the Men flinching in the approach of Nazgul, four of them behind the one nearly at the gates already. The ringing in your ears ceased and you heard Elrond shouting, “It must be cast back into the flames from whence it came in Mt Doom!”

“I have a plan,” you repeated to yourself stunning the group who saw you racing off to the overlook charging at the oncoming Nazgul. Open mouthed the Men watched your leap off straight onto the head of the beast you raced across drawing a blade from your boot in your landing crouch used to swiftly behead the Wraith on its back you kicked off sending its shriveling body to the distant city below. Turning around you plopped onto the saddle and took hold of the reigns, “Ok, come on buddy, going up.” Tugging hard the beast flew up avoiding crashing into the building and circled around to swoop again making the younger Dwarves chuckle. “I can’t land, jump on!” You shouted in the next path angled past the building.

All around you the Company leapt on with the Elf Lords on afterwards. All the way to Mordor you flew in mere minutes and in a swipe of your dagger to cut a strip of your hair off you tied the ring to an arrow you drew from your quiver. Fired off it flew awkwardly parting Elrond’s lips knowing the angle was wrong and it would lodge in the wall only to see a second arrow fly and slice through the hair dropping the ring over the lava as Bilbo in front of you turned the beast for you.

“Thorin, which way to Erebor?” You asked shouldering your bow again. His point was slightly corrected by Balin through your turn to glance back and you nodded correcting your path. Their guards rushed back to their steeds guiding the empty steeds with them to follow your path to the gates again. Circling again you watched as Legolas shot the rider on the other passenger wielding flighted beast leaving the creatures alone at your request seeing they were merely following after yours. Steadily the guards kept you in their sights stopping only to rest the horses seeing where you were headed.

Fighting the breeze Thorin called out, “Miss Pear, this plan of yours-,”

“I said I had a plan, I never said it was a smart one.” A loud explosion behind you had you all looking only to hold on at the burst of wind coasting you on along farther in the huge gust of wind from the collapsing city.

Nearly all day you flew until a distant peak came into view and over the lake you aimed the five patting the neck of the beast, “Come on buddy, give me a roar.” Swinging your leg over you said, “This is our stop.” Taking hold of Bilbo terrified out of his mind you said, “Deep breath,” which he followed clenching his eyes at your drop off the back of the creature still flying on ahead. Halfway down the wind shattered screech halted to a loud roar sounding from inside the mountain. Up from the surface of the lake a watery palm rose to cushion your landing and that of your stunned group. Down to the resealing icy top of the lake the hand lowered back into the watery depths while you huddled together watching the onslaught and fury of Smaug facing off against the winged beasts. Each bite of them poisoning the mighty Smaug who fell in that field taking the five with him to their deaths.

Near to tackling you the Dwarves clung to you in a tight group hug and Thorin said, “That deadly, foolish, helplessly thoughtless path of a plan is like none I’ve seen before. Far from smart but brilliant! Allow the beasts to battle each other sparing us all.”

Bofur patted your back as Dwalin exclaimed, “Don’t know how you thought of it this deep ahead.”

“Sure, this was totally the whole plan. Six birds, one stone so to speak.”

Flashing them a quick grin you watched as Gloin eyed the town in the distance gathering from their hiding places. “Best we get a move on to those gates.”

Guiding you all on only to smirk seeing your foot slide out to the side when you tried to walk urging you to lock up and take hold of Dwalin’s shoulders freeing a chuckle from the Dwarf patting your hands saying, “Just you hold on, Miss Pear. Have you on rocky ground in no time.” Joining his kin in walking across the ice, the other Elves smirked as you were sliding behind Dwalin in their easy stroll across with only Bilbo also clinging to Thorin to be among the two not moving on their own across the lake due to the ice and harsh winds.

Already the steeds and your things had arrived in Greenwood days prior and at word of Smaug’s demise supplies were already being delivered to Erebor for you all to finally eat something after traveling so long. Stone found and with cleaning underway Erebor was inching back and celebrations came with the arrival of the Dwarves from the Iron Hills. While they partied you took Bilbo to Greenwood at the Elven invitation for the Feast of Starlight, now in possession of those same glittering gems you had left with Thranduil all those ages ago before dying Thorin handed over without argument upon hearing they were yours. The chest including a necklace to go with the gown made for you glittering all over, more so in the moonlight.

Dances were split and one glass of wine bled to two. A walk in the night breeze with the protective Lord at your side ended paused under a shadowed arch when you leaned in to claim a kiss from him triggering a welcoming melt into the impassioned embrace.

Morning after however had you waking to a nose stroking against your nose, familiar lips however had you breaking through your haze to grin at your King stroking your cheek. “My Darling Starlight, breakfast is nearly finished.”

Closing your eyes you nestled closer to his chest holding you tightly to his chest smiling as you hummed out, “I had such a strange dream.”

Thranduil, “Please do share.”

You could hear the table being set and out of instinct reached up to pull the blanket higher over yourself signaling Thranduil to help you. Glorfindel’s voice had you looking to the table as he asked, “Was I in the dream, Dearest?”

“I-,”

Your voice cracked and Thranduil stroked your cheek pressing a kiss to the other, “Tell us anything.”

Once done Glorfindel came back to the bed, now apparently shirtless, settling down across from the completely naked Thranduil cuddled at your side. “We are both here, listening.” Cupping your cheek to claim a loving kiss then cuddle up against you, “The dream, start from the beginning.”

“Um,”

#Glorfindel x Reader OC #Thranduil x Reader OC #Hobbit #lotr #Tale Teller’s 52 Week Writing Challenge

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ramajmedia · 5 years

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Kingdom Of The White Wolf Interview | Screen Rant

National Geographic photographer and explorer Ronan Donovan talks with Screen Rant about his journey to the arctic for the three-part event series Kingdom of the White Wolf. The series provides an unprecedented look into the lives of some extraordinary animals, as Donovan gets up close and personal with a species integral to the Arctic’s complex eco system, and also one that is misunderstood, or perhaps not understood enough. The result is a series that turns its subjects into real characters and their survival into one of the most compelling narratives on TV.

But Kingdom of the White Wolf is more than another nature documentary. By making Donovan and his photography a central part of the series itself, the program becomes a hybrid of sorts, fusing top-notch filmmaking with some truly gorgeous photographs, captured while the series itself unfolds. As such, Kingdom of the White Wolf offers a fascinating viewing experience, one that simultaneously tells the story of a pack of white wolves and the individual documenting them.

More: This Way Up Review: A Sweet, Sad, & Funny Look At Starting Over

In addition to speaking with Donovan to hear firsthand how the series came together, Screen Rant has two exclusive clips from the series. The first demonstrates how the wolves communicate, with their familiar and seemingly pensive howls. The second, offers a rare glimpse at a wolf pack forming and becoming a formidable hunting party. As Donovan notes, the predators are put in a strange predicament where, in order to eat, they must first venture into harm’s way. Check out the pack formation and wolf calls clips below, along with the interview with National Geographic Explorer Ronan Donovan.

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I wanted to start off by congratulating you on having the coolest job in the world. I also wanted to ask, is that notion difficult to process when you're out there actually doing what I assume is the difficult work of exploring and documenting nature in this way?

I mean the actual work is very hard, like physically, emotionally demanding. I mean, this last assignment in the Arctic, I tore the meniscus in both my knees throughout the assignment. The first one in my left knee in the first month of the project. I just had to walk it off and get on with it. And then I tore the second knee like three weeks before the end. I knew I did awful things to them, but I didn't really have much of an option to get help or stop working, because I had a lot of pressure on myself. So you know, it's a common sentiment that it's like, you know, this is a really amazing job, but it also has its great challenges as well. And that was definitely one of them for this last assignment.

How long are you actually out there following these subjects and what does that experience give you in terms of understanding these animals in their habitat? And then conversely, what do you learn about yourself when you're out there?

Just following the animals and the subjects, the set up was, essentially there were two other guys on the team and we had a base camp that we set up that was about 20 miles away from the core range of this main pack of wolves. And so basically we had four wheelers to be able to keep up with the wolves, as well as carry the equipment, you know 150 pounds of equipment. Food, tent, your sleeping stuff and then another two full gas tanks in fuel cans to be able to keep up. So everything dictated how much the wolves were going to move. I had about 250 miles that I could get out of all the gas that I had in the machine that I would carry.

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You could do three or four days typically, because the wolves would just travel and then you'd have to make sure you didn't run out of fuel before you got back to camp. The longest day was 65 miles following the wolves continuously, while they hunted over the course of 40 hours. And that was the longest day that I did out there and it was just utterly exhausting. You know the sun's up the whole time. So you have this weird kind of ball of energy that never sets, and that's backed by all the continuous movement. You're on this machine, you're not sitting down, you're in the horse riding stance, getting bucked around on awful terrain. So you can't exactly fall asleep. It's not like driving a car where I could never last more than 20 hours driving a car straight because you're comfortable and you fall asleep.

The machine and the pace and following the wolves just keeps you up; it propels you to keep going. And they're hunting and you're having to try to document that, because it's one of the peak physical, mental evolutionary aspects of the animal's life that makes them what they are, and you're trying to capture all this. So that was what would keep me up and driving and doing horrible things to my body. What I learned about myself from doing this project is some of the things that make me really good at my job, which is kind of a stubborn drive to achieve and succeed and document and share these animal stories. That stubborn drive is also ... it can be a bit self-defeating in the sense that self care is really challenging, I think, on these longterm field projects. Just the physical aspects of it. I've harped on that a lot, but it's ... For this assignment it was by far the hardest all around and most demanding, physically and emotionally.

Additionally, I've never done television before and there was a lot of pressure involved; people went to bat for me a lot on this project, to give me this opportunity. It's big budgets. There's obviously big expectations and so there was a lot of that in my mind throughout. But that was interspersed with these incredible wildlife moments where you get to witness an animal that's rarely seen by anyone and even more rarely seen in its relaxed state, essentially just being wild wolves and ignoring my presence the whole time. And that was just an incredible opportunity and treat to be able to have that experience.

It's incredibly interesting watching the way the wolves were aware of you being there but didn't seem to really react to you all that much. Can you talk about the process of following the wolves around and getting to know them individually, and eventually earning their trust enough that you can insert yourself into situations they're in without distracting them from what they're trying to do?

Initially, locating wolves, you're trying to find a wolf den. We used a helicopter for that process, just trying to cover a bunch of ground looking for these green patches in the landscape, which are indicative of a den that's been fertilized by urine and feces for hundreds of years on a pretty barren tundra desert-like landscape that doesn't have very much in the way of nutrients. So the wolves, just by being there and creating a den, create this lush little Eden spot on what's typically a brown landscape. So you find the den and then maybe it'll be active, maybe not. In this case, in the first episode, all the dens we found were all iced in and there were no wolves.

That added a freakout of like, 'Oh gosh, I just said I could do this project, that I can find wolves, and I can't.' And then once we did find a den with pups, it was in this far away valley, and it was pretty sandy soil, so it must not have had the same weather event. The rain event didn't affect it and it wasn't frozen in. That's why they were able to use that den. After that, it was just... gaining their trust is just a series of neutral encounters with them, because there's nowhere to hide, you're not trying to sneak up. It's not like you're sitting in a blind or a hide, which is typical of some of the other wildlife work where you're actually trying to keep yourself hidden.

You just present yourself and they react accordingly. They're going to be curious probably about what you're doing because they've never been shot at or they've never had a negative encounter with people. Some of the wolves maybe have never seen people, especially the younger ones, at least the pups. They have no reason to fear anything other than other wolves and the occasional polar bear. So therefore, they're going to be curious about anything else. So that's how they saw me. And that's how they see humans as just kind of this interesting third animal in a landscape. We're not a threat, we're not seen as prey; we're just kind of another animal out there in some ways. It's a fascinating perception of what wolves think of humans in this part of the Arctic. They're not scared of us and they don't see us as prey.

Much of the first episode delves into the ways in which the pack has a social dynamic and cares for one another or shows affection toward one another. It also underlines the role that the wolves play in maintaining the ecosystem around them. In what way do you think the series will help dispel some misconceptions about these wolves and help create a new image for them?

Yeah, I mean the main goal is to showcase a wild family of wolves that can exist in its own ecosystem, its own place, be a positive force in the landscape and have no negative encounter with people. Which is the honest story about how wolves have lived for tens of thousands of years and that it's only in recent times in human history where we as humans started to domesticate the animals that wolves prey on: sheep, goats, cattle. And then we came into conflict with the wolves because we wanted to eat the same thing. And so, on Ellesmere Island, there're no people who live there and raise livestock, and there is no competition with human hunters there, which is another conflict of the wolf/human relationship. And so it's this really exciting place just to show what wild wolves are like, without this haze, this cloud of human interaction.

What I hope people will take away from it is seeing how intimate wolves can be among themselves, just in their family structure. How sweet they are to the pups, how sweet they are with each other. They have need to communicate and cooperate in order to achieve something together that they can't do on their own, which is why people live in social groups, because we can do greater things as a group than we can on our own. Trying to highlight those similarities, which is kind of the first step in empathy and understanding that humans are capable of when we're trying to understand other people, other cultures, and extending that into animals as well.

You were out there for quite some time documenting these wolves, and I'm sure you had a lot of experiences that maybe didn't make the actual final cut of the series. For you personally, what was the most surprising thing you came across in the process of making this series and in your time documenting these wolves?

One of the most incredible experiences and striking that didn't make it in, was the longest follow day where it was, 40 hours straight and 65 miles that we covered. This was after the matriarch female had disappeared from the pack, so the pack was in a little bit of disarray. They waited around for a number of days to see if she'd come back, and they got hungry so they had to go out and hunt. They brought the pups along that were about 12 weeks old at that time. And they went on this 65-mile jaunt, which is a really long way for little pup legs, and the adults were exhausted and the pups were dragging behind, whimpering and howling while they're running, and having this really, really hard experience.

Later, the adults were hunting multiple herds of muskox, just testing them and failing. One of the wolves actually got smashed and steamrolled and stampeded, before getting up and trying to find another herd of muskox to test. And this was over 40 hours. They killed two Arctic hares that the adults wouldn't share with the pups because the adults were ravenous at that point. And kind of the code is: if the adults don't eat then there's no way the pups are going to get food. So the adults have to be strong and healthy in order to find more food for the pups.

Then there was this really tense moment where [the wolves] went from sea level up to 2,500 feet over this mountain dropdown, this dramatic icy chute on the edge of this mountain. I thought they all died because it was ice. I couldn't follow them. It took me an hour and a half to get around the mountain to get back to them. I was thinking that at least a few of the pups must have died in this avalanche chute, basically. But I found them again, and they were all just curled up sleeping and taking a nap. They were totally fine.

That was just one of the most impressive feats of animal physical fitness, as well as seeing how they stay together as a cohesive pack. They didn't leave any pups behind. They didn't leave any other adults behind. They stayed together through a really challenging session and eventually they made another kill a couple of days later and had a really good feed. That was kind of heartwarming to think that they were able to keep going and function as a pack without their matriarch.

One of the things that's really interesting about this series, is that it;s about the wolves, but on another secondary level, you and your photography become another aspect of the story. How does that work and how do you balance directing the audience and becoming a part of the story in this way. How does that work for you?

Yeah, I mean that's not my happy place I would say [laughs]. This whole project came out of my wanting to do a magazine story as a photographer for National Geographic Magazine. The editor that I've worked with my entire five years at National Geographic, said to me, 'I would love to do this story. We just no longer have the budget to do this.' She said, "But you know, TV has those budgets. They're right across the hall. Let's go over and see what's possible.' So this whole project came out of our desire, myself and the editor, to do a magazine story, a photography story. And then it went through a couple of iterations and they asked would if I would be willing to go up there with a big crew and do this whole production and all this, and that's not the way to do it.

So they turned that down and then eventually they asked if I would be willing to be on camera as one of the characters and be filmed doing the process. And I agreed. But you know, I never aspired to do television, to be on TV. I don't own a TV. I don't watch Nat Geo WILD. It's not like it was this goal of mine, to always do something like this. I wanted to tell the story of wild wolves, but I realized that television is the widest audience for consuming these types of wildlife stories. I wish the magazine had more of a following than it currently does, but that's just the nature of print media. And so I saw an opportunity in agreeing to be on camera and to be filmed doing my process as a photographer and filmmaker as a way to reach a wider audience.

One of the hardest balances for me in this project was that I'm also a wildlife cameraman, so I filmed half of the natural history for this series. And trying to juggle photographing for the magazine - because there's a story out in the current [September 2019] issue on the wolves - then also having to film for this TV series was really hard. There was another full time dedicated director of photography up there, his role was to film me during the process and then also to film natural history. And so the two of us would kind of shift back and forth. But that was hard. That was hard for me. Additionally, I was by myself a lot, so I wasn't able to do side-by-side video and photo. As a result, there were several moments where I had to choose what it was going to be. 'Is this going to be a sequence of photos or going to be a sequence of film?' That was a balance that was hard for me.

Where do you go from here? What is your next project that you're working on, if you are working on anything at the moment?

Yeah, well the immediate project is going back and trying to find that same pack again, but in winter. I always wanted to go see the wolves in winter. The powers that be were cautious about that, and they wanted to do this initial round in the summer and to see how it goes. It really comes down to how well this show rates. If it does well then I am going to push to go back in winter because these Arctic wolves, they're white wolves, they evolved on a predominantly snowy white landscape and they're at their strongest in winter, when their prey, the muskox, are at their weakest. So I want to see that. I want to go up there when it's negative 30 in February and the sun is just coming up from the horizon for the first time in five months when the wolves have these big, huge, bushy winter coats, and they're hunting muskox, which are tired and weak and there's breath and blood and white landscape. It would would just be gorgeous.

Next: The Righteous Gemstones Review: Pitch Perfect Performances Elevate An Overstuffed Premiere

Kingdom of the White Wolf premieres Sunday, August 25 @8pm on Nat Geo WILD.

source https://screenrant.com/kingdom-white-wolf-interview-ronan-donovan-nat-geo-wild/

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