Life in Death

1. Death is just the beginning

I do not own any of Tolkien's characters or original plot. Everything else is mine. I will jump between the books and the movies as I see fit and there will be some ajustement over the course of the story (meaning some events will play out differently and/or won't happen at all or different than they were planned by Tolkien).

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"Put away that stupid book and get dressed!" My mother's harsh words echoed from the almost empty walls of my room. She looked at me with disgust and before I could react she had snatched the book from my hands and threw it across the room without caring where it landed.

"Yes, Mam..." I replied and moved to my feet to do as she had ordered.

"What did I do to deserve a child like you? You are a disgrace! I dare you to make a fool of me again this evening. You will behave yourself. No books, no talking alas it is asked of you, none of your nonsense, be nice and we might finally find someone with enough money we can get you engaged to." I listened to her going on without showing any emotion. I knew this speech, had known it since I was fourteen years old. My mother hated me. She hated me for my father leaving and getting remarried. She hated me or not living up to her standards. She hated me for not being married to a wealthy man at the age of 24.

I let out a relieved sigh when she threw the door shut behind her. I walked over to pick up my book and put it back on my bed. I hated my life. Sure, I had a nice childhood, was good at school, had a decent job. But strange as it might seem for living in the 21st century, I felt more like a prisoner than a grown up woman.

I had no money for myself except for the few dollar bills I hid away under the loose board of my bed. My mother had somehow managed to have me put under her guardianship for some made-up mental issues that made me incapable of having my own life away from her.

My mother was a surgeon. She had made some money out of the divorce and of course she had my hard earned money. Still it wasn't enough for her. She always wanted more. Offered the right amount of money she would have sold me off without the blink of an eye. She was holding those stupid 'charity' events on a regular base. She made me wear those stupid dresses of which she knew I hated them. The only light in my life was my best friend Caleb.

Today was the day. He would take me away. I had saved enough money to start a new life. We had it all planned out. I was wearing pants under the medieval themed dress, for one we would have to do some running and two because more than once one of those creeps my mother invited tried to feel me up.

A loud knock on my door had me startled for a second.

"Miss Cruse. Your mother said to help you with your hair." I opened the door and let in Maria. She was a maid around my age and we practically grew up together. I hated her. She was as trustworthy as a water snake. I sat down and let her do my hair. When I was finally ready I looked into the mirror. The woman staring back at me seemed unfamiliar. She looked like sprung from a fairy tale and that as sadly how I felt. Like some kind of twisted Cinderella. I desperately clung to the thought that Caleb would finally get me away from all this.

Three hours later I was bored to death. My mother was playing the role of the desperate and self-sacrificing mother as she always did. I did my best to do as she had told me to, I kept my mouth shut and pretended not to be there.

I looked at the clock. Almost 12pm. Almost time to get out of here and be done with all of this.

"You must be Mrs. Cruse's daughter then. She told me about you. What about a dance, my dear." I cringed inwardly and faked a smile at the old man in front of me. His hair was almost non-existent and he was sweating like a pig.