EARTHBOUND | the lord of the rings

02 | A FAMILIAR STRANGER

A solemn song hung in the air. A delicate strum of strings accompanied its somberness. Each note lingered for moments then shifted downwards and upwards, creating a haunting echo that stemmed from the cellar. Mags' eyes were closed, yet she focused on each pluck of her string and transitioned her voice to a soft hum. She continued to strike her lyre until her song reached a satisfying end.

It was early morning. The sunlight bore through the windows and a comforting rustle of grass and leaves rang through the space. A soft breeze crept in the house and lightly swept on Mags' cloak as she prepared herself to fetch some water. Dread tugged her chest, but no matter. Another pleasant day lay ahead of her. Even if it was exactly as pleasant as every other day since she's been alive.

As she grudgingly stepped outside with her pole of buckets, footsteps sounded from behind her. The old man gathered his cloak and said, "Wait for me, Mags." The girl grimaced.

"What for?" she asked coldly. "Must you take away even this little moment of freedom to walk to the woods?" Her uncle sighed and clenched his eyes shut. The girl sensed his annoyance and was conscious of how her tone came across. Did I speak too harshly? she thought. After all, her uncle had raised her under a safe roof. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt, because whether she liked it or not, she was safe and lived an easy life. Still, she kept her face void of any regret and sympathy.

"It is only for the sake of your safety," the old man said calmly. "I cannot lie that my trust has been shaken by you, so it is only fair for you to gain that trust back." His voice and face remained stern. Mags caved in, reluctantly accepting her uncle to come along with her.

It had been a quiet trip to the waterbed that was two miles away from their home. Two miles? one might ask. Even the old wizard questioned this as he heaved and huffed on the way. He wished he had chosen to live much closer to the water source, but his devotion to being hidden from the rest of the world led to living in a strategic place, even if it came at the cost of his convenience. He had even kept his hair short and chopped off his beloved beard.

Mags glanced behind her and saw her uncle trudge through the wood. She slowed to his pace to let him catch up to her. "We're almost there, uncle," she reassured. She looped her arms in his to keep them both going.

Soon, they reached the waterbed. As Mags filled the buckets up with water, the old man sat and leaned against a tree, resting for the way back home. The girl crept out of the water to put the buckets back down, then she warily approached her resting uncle. A smile sneaked on her face. Mags felt the soil beneath her shift and the tree before her thrum with life. She inhaled a purposeful breath as she closed her eyes. Her hand reached forward. She slowly weaved her fingers back and forth in the air, feeling tranquil vibrations through her fingers as she felt the tree hum with new life and energy. She felt a push and a pull; she poured borrowed energy to the tree before her and a tug from withering leaves from a nearby tree. Her mind and spirit stayed connected with her sources, then she opened her eyes.

Two thin, newly-formed branches on the tree's trunk curved towards each other, encircling the tired old man. Each carried a small green leaf at the end that barely touched his face. Mags focused on them and wiggled her finger simultaneously for the branches to graze her uncle's nose. She held her laughter as she watched his nose twitch and twitch. It didn't take long until he launched a booming sneeze that startled the girl and the wildlife around her. A moment later, the old man bobbed his head up to prepare for another sneeze, and Mags braced herself for another boom. She winced in anticipation, yet nothing had happened yet. When she peeked her eyes open, the old wizard grinned with his mouth wide open. A mighty gust of wind appeared and swept the girl's cape and hair and withered, crumbled leaves slapped her face. The air was warm and reeked of pipeweed and morning breath. Mags glared at him in disgust and swatted the filthy air around her. Silence lingered. Then, both bursted into laughter, perhaps putting aside any issues between themselves behind them.