This Connection Is Fate

Welcome to Middle Earth

I was no longer in the school courtyard. That was for darn sure.
in front of me were trees much taller than I had ever seen. They groaned and croaked in the wind. The bright yellow and red leaves highlighted by the sun swirled around the deep blue sky.
I was sitting on my behind, in the grass and leaves. I observed the scene before me, and numerous things shot through my mind.
How did I get here?
Am I going mad?
What is this place?

I got off of the ground and gazed around me.
The opposite side of the forest was grassland and beyond that, mountains.

Mountains?
What is God's name is going on?

My instrument case that held my inestimable violin was next to me like it had been thrown carelessly, but my pinkish backpack was nowhere to be seen.
There was a perfect double of the tree in the school courtyard. Its leaves are also identical to the trees around the school and in this mysterious place.

A portal maybe? I questioned myself.

As thoughts swirled like fish diving in a river, I suddenly heard a noise.
A pounding, distant but noticeable.
It became louder and closer, with it my heartbeat.

Should I hide?

Before I could, over the crest of a hill in the grassland a single horse and rider appeared. Followed closely by about a dozen others.
The group seemed to gaze over the line of trees before making a bee-line for me.
I was still perplexed about my state and mentally not with it. How could I be? I had just fallen through a tree and now there were mountains in Michigan?

The group was nearing closer and all I could do was stand there, violin case in hand. I could start to see more of them now. Silver Armor glinting in the bright light, horses breathing hard. What I found next scared me the most. They all had weapons of some type. Swords, bows, spears, and the middle soldier held a banner. It was green and had a horse mid-stride, completed with a yellow sun as well.

I have seen this before, somewhere.

The first soldier reached me in a matter of seconds. His long hair from his helmet flowed in the wind. It led the others immediately around me, circling me almost as if they were a snake and I was the mouse that was about to land in open, awaiting jaws.

When they had finished circling me, they turned inward, exposing the silver armor with swords and belts. They looked like knights from the medical European times. The horses snorted and in the midst came a man. He slid off of his brown and white horse like he had done it a million times and proceeded to approach me. He was about 6"4 and was a giant walking muscle. As a pilot, you would see in the movie top gun. His helmet covered his head, but I could still see the flowing long light brown locks of hair flowing down his back and shoulders.

"My lady... are you lost? We have never seen a beautiful creature such as you in these parts. Do not be afraid, for Rohan is a safe place free of orcs packs and we offer safe passage through our kingdom with an escort" he stated, his hair contrasting against his light hazel eyes.

My mouth practically dropped open.
Rohan. Middle Earth. Elves. Hobbits. Magic.

I was in the lord of the rings.

"What is your name, my lady? I am Prince Éomer of Rohan and this is a small number of the Rohirrim. We welcome you as a guest in our kingdom"

THE Eomer. The son was banished because Saruman took over his father's mind in the movie The Two Towers. He joined Gandalf and the Rohirrim during the battle of Helm's deep.

"My name is Aniston Williams... I stuttered.
"and I come from a place called earth," I informed him, yet still in shock from my understanding of where I was at the moment.

A black horse to the right struck the ground with his hoof.

"I see. Welcome to middle earth, Lady Aniston. The fall of night is not far. I will see that you accompany us back to the castle for your safety. For even in Rohan the night is not safe." He commanded in his Princely voice.

What was I going to do? Say no? Run Away?
I was afoot shorter than Eomer and they were not going to leave me here to be killed or kidnapped somewhere in the pitch blackness of the night.

I finally found my head and agreed to accompany them to the castle.

He turned to the right and whistled an unmarried note.

"Arien"

A white mare came galloping up and set her head in my hand. Her lagoon-colored eyes practically stared into my soul, in the best way of course. She snorted as if to greet me.

"Do you know how to ride?" Eomer asked.

"Yes." I replied.

I had once ridden horses at a summer camp and possessed the knowledge of how to ride properly.
"Rohan horses understand English. You will do well to remember it," he commanded in his princely voice again.

I lifted myself onto Arien and memories of summer camp came flooding back.
"Let us male haste, flea night is not far away."
The animals seemed to know exactly what to do and Are led me into a group of soldiers.
They bowed their heads to me in respect and a few greeted me.

"My Lady"

They seemed to understand I was not from here parts, that was comforting.
The sun began to set, bright reds and orange streaks gained the sky. The gusts of wind still blowing, grass dancing in the grassland. It seemed to go on and on, except the mountains were closing in overhead.
We still kept on for what seemed like hours before a light in the distance caught my eye.
The horses picked up their pace. A few snorted as well. They knew home when they saw it.

I was about to step into the world of the Lord Of The Rings. A figure of imagination of a man by the name of J. R. R. Tolkien. Little did I know, I was leaving behind my world as I knew it forever.