Ancient Languages

Chapter V: Breaking Barriers


Several weeks passed, and Elhael had worked with Lyla nearly every day. She was learning Sindarin quickly, and she was now able to form small sentences. He had been learning her language as well, and his progress was the same as hers was. He smiled at her.

“You are doing well, Lyla,” he said in Sindarin.

She appeared to be concentrating for a moment before she smiled. “Thank you.”

“What do you think of Rivendell?”

“It is love.” She shook her head. “Lovely.”

He grinned. He could see her frustration, and he understood it. He felt the same when he said the wrong word in her language. “Do not worry. You truly are doing well.”

“I am lost, Elhael.”

“I know. But I am here to help you, so you need not worry.”

She nodded, and he smiled. “Shall we continue?”

She nodded her consent, and they continued their tutoring of one another.

***

Glorfindel walked through the courtyard, heading for his study. As always, he had much work to accomplish. He glanced around and saw Elhael sitting with that strange woman. He frowned. He had not seen her since the day she had knocked him down. Were all people of the race of Men so clumsy? He sighed. It did not matter. His behavior toward her was uncalled for. She had tried to help him up, and he had been rather rude to her. I should apologize.

He strode over to them, and they glanced up as he approached. Elhael rose and bowed low.

“My lord, how may I be of service?” Elhael asked.

“I have something to say to the lady,” Glorfindel said, as he looked at her. She raised an eyebrow at him.

“Mae govannen,” she said.

Glorfindel’s brows rose. So she did understand their language. “My lady, I came to apologize to you. I ask your forgiveness for my behavior towards you. I realize that what happened was unintentional, and I apologize.”

She raised her hands and motioned for him to stop. She looked at Elhael, a pleading look on her face. Elhael smiled.

“My lord, Lyla is only learning our language. She did not understand most of what you said.”

Glorfindel frowned. “I see.” He turned to her again. “I apologize.”

She nodded. “So do I. It was a… mistake.”

He smiled. “Think no more of it. Good day.”

“Good day.”

Glorfindel nodded to Elhael and continued on his way. He arrived at his study and sat at his desk. He leaned back in his chair and thought about the woman. Lyla. What an odd name. He frowned. He was curious about her. Who was she? Where had she come from? He sighed. He would question Elhael about her later.

***

Lyla looked at Elhael and frowned. “Elhael, who was he?”

He smiled. “That was Lord Glorfindel. He is a very important Elven lord in Rivendell.”

Lyla closed her eyes and shook her head. “Of course. I would have to run over someone important,” she said, switching to English.

Elhael’s brows furrowed in concentration. “Run over?”

“I was running, and I knocked him over. He wasn’t happy.”

He laughed. “I would not think he would be. You will find it….” He paused, fumbling for a word.

“Amusing?” she finished for him.

“Yes. You will find it amusing someday.”

“I don’t know about that, but at least he isn’t angry anymore.”

“Do not worry about it anymore, Lyla.”

She smiled. “I won’t. Let’s continue, Elhael. I don’t know about you, but I am tired of being unable to communicate.”

He grinned. “I grow tired of it as well.”

She laughed, and they continued their tutoring well into the evening. When she returned to her room for the night, she couldn’t help but smile. She was breaking through the barriers of this language, and that excited her. She hoped that she would soon be able to speak it fluently, and that she would be able to properly communicate with these people.

***

Several more weeks passed, and Lyla had become fluent in Sindarin. She didn’t know every word, but she was able to carry on conversations with very little trouble. She paced the floor of her room and sighed. Elhael would be arriving soon, and he would be escorting her to a meeting with Lord Elrond. This would be the first meeting she had had with him since she had learned to speak the Elven language.

She sat at her small desk and fingered the drawing she had made. It was a rough drawing of the symbol from the book she had been translating in her world. She knew that the book had something to do with how she arrived in this land. She sighed. She hoped that Lord Elrond would recognize the symbol, and that he would be able to find the book for her. She stiffened as she heard a knock at the door. She opened the door, and found Elhael standing on her doorstep. He smiled at her.

“It is time, Lyla. Are you prepared?” he asked.

She nodded and let out a shaky breath. “Yes. I am ready.”

She followed Elhael down the hall, and she tried to calm her nerves as she did so. To her surprise, Elhael reached over and gently squeezed her hand. She looked up at him, and he smiled at her.

“Do not worry, Lyla. Everything will be fine.”

She gave him an uncertain smile, and they continued to walk down the hallway. They soon stopped before the door to Lord Elrond’s study. Elhael led her inside, and she, once again, found herself facing Lord Elrond. Elrond smiled and motioned for her to take a seat, which she did. He leaned forward and rested his clasped hands on the desk. A moment of silence passed between them before Elrond finally spoke.

“Elhael tells me that you have become fluent in our language,” he said.

She nodded. “Yes. Elhael was a great help to me.”

“I am pleased.” He paused for a moment before continuing. “I have several questions for you, Lady Lyla.”

“Please call me ‘Lyla’, and I have several questions for you as well.”

He nodded. “Where are you from, Lyla?”

“America. I am a teacher of languages there.”

Elrond frowned. “I have never heard of this ‘America’. Where is this place?”

She sighed. “A long way from here,” she whispered.

“How did you arrive here?”

“I do not know. I was hoping you could help me find that out.”

“What do you remember?”

Lyla was silent for a moment, thinking back over that day at her uncle’s cabin. Her memories of the day were somewhat unclear. It felt like parts of that day were missing from her memory. But she would tell Elrond what she did remember. Perhaps he would be able to help her.

“I had a book, a book that was written in Sindarin. I was attempting to translate it. I went swimming at the lake, and, the next thing I knew, I ended up here.”

“You had this book with you at the lake?”

“No, I had left it at my house.” She reached into the waistband of her dress and retrieved her drawing. She handed it to him. “This was a symbol that was on the cover of the book. Do you recognize it?”

Elrond studied the drawing for a long moment before he responded. “I do not know this symbol, but I am certain that it is Elven in nature.” He looked up at her. “I will search for this symbol and this book. Perhaps then we can determine how you arrived here.”

Lyla smiled. “Thank you.”

“Of course, my dear.”

“There is one more thing, Lord Elrond. I would like to return to the lake. Perhaps I will remember more while I am there.”

“Of course. However, I would like someone to accompany you.”

She grinned. “I would insist upon it.”

He laughed. “You may go wherever you like.”

“Thank you.”

“Good day, Lyla.”

“Good day, Lord Elrond.”

Lyla rose, and she and Elhael departed. Elhael glanced over at her as they walked down the hall.

“That was a successful meeting,” he said.

“Yes. I hope Lord Elrond can find that book.” She smiled. “I would like to go to the lake. Would you care to join me?”

He smiled. “I would love to.”

Elhael sighed as they began walking. He hoped that Lord Elrond would find the book, for he knew that it would make Lyla happy. But there was only one problem: he did not want her to leave.