Rhüna, Age 1284, ??? .

Rhüna smiles. It is a beautiful day, and finally, the kitchen master had allowed her to go outside. As she walks through the gardens, she sees something underneath a bush. As she investigates, she discovers it is a foot.

She heaves up the man that it belongs to. He is dressed strangely. His trousers are made of a strange material, and he is not wearing a shirt. He is small and thin-lipped. He has many markings covering his body, though they aren't traditional markings. On one side of his neck is a scorpion and on the other is a pair of shears. He has a bird on his stomach and many other things. The man's hair is black, and neck length. He is rather pretty for a human.

Rhüna takes him to the hospital bed- ... -and covered him in blankets. The head nurse came in.

"Rhüna, another man from Earth?" She asks.

"It appears so, Doctor Zhena. His attire is similar to the last one's."

"Yes," Zhena agrees, "Fetch some broth please, Rhüna. He's stirring."

"Of course."

*****

When Rhüna returns, she sees him sitting up with the support of some down pillows. He looks up and smiles.

"So I'm in Middle Earth?" He asks.

"Not in. Just outside of," Zhena replies before Rhüna can say anything, "I already told you."

"But on the same world?"

"In," Rhüna corrects, "In the same world, but yes. You are in Varda. The same Varda as Middle Earth is in. What's your name?"

"Frank Iero," He replies, "You?"

"Rhüna Amastacia is my name. Frank Iero, please answer my questions."

"Yeah, sure."

"Where are you from? The United States?"

"Wait, what?! How do you know what they are?"

"I asked first," Rhüna counters.

"Shit, this is just a huge prank and I completely fell for it. I know you're here, Gerard! You can f*ckin come out, now!"

"Francis. Whoever Gerard is, he's not here. I know about the United States because you're not the first one who's appeared here. Please, tell me where you are from. I have gathered by your garb that you are from Earth."

"Yes, I'm from the United States. I still don't believe you, though. If this is a f*cking prank, you're dead."

"I'm not sure what a 'prank' is, but you're on Varda," Rhüna assures, "Now, please tell me about the markings covering your body. Do they mean anything?"

"They mean things to me. They wouldn't mean anything to anyone else unless I explained them."

"Then explain them to me."

"ALL of them?"

"Yes, I desire to know."

"Ugh," Frank grumbles. It was evident that he disliked being told what to do.

*****

"-and the pumpkin on my back is for my birthday. My birthday is on an Earth holiday. We carve creepy faces in pumpkins and put candles in them to make the faces glow."

"Why?"

"It's an old tradition. I think it's to like, scare away demons or something. I dunno."

"So everyone on Earth celebrates your birthday?"

"It's just my country, and they're not celebrating my birthday. I was just born on a previously existing holiday."

"So you're not as important as you like people to think?"

"You're not so great yourself."

"I'm more important than I desire to be. That's why I chose to be here," Rhüna states coldly, "I'll have Dr Zhena help you bathe. Then, we need to mark you."

"Say what?! She is not bathing me. I'm perfectly capable myself thank you very much. Also, what is marking? It sounds oddly sexual in an intrusive way..."

Rhüna pulls her sleeve up, revealing a small, fancy E tattooed on her wrist, "It means that you belong to the East."

"That's like slavery, which also sounds sexual in an intrusive way. Besides, I don't fancy being bought and sold wherever. I don't belong to anyone."

Rhüna scowls, "We abolish slavery. This mark means that if someone is buying or trading you, we can wage war on them. Stop jumping to audacious and insufferable conclusions. If you had ceased your interminable prattle long enough for me to finish, you would not have insulted me so boldly."

"Apologies. I knew not the customs here. If you so desire, I might submit to such a marking, however, I would torture myself before letting you put a single mark on me. I'm apathetic toward your kingdom, as am I toward your current feelings. I refuse to let anyone that I do not know have dominion over me. No matter what promises of innocence it comes with. If I let you mark me, I'd be submitting myself to your rule. As I am unaware of your customs, that would be unwise."

"You speak with such eloquence as if it makes you out to be more than you are. You might appear to be superior over the other men, but you are beneath them. Guard your tongue, vermin, before I cut it out."

Frank mock bows to her, "As it pleases you, Your Eloquence, I shall submit to your obviously supreme power."

Rhüna spits at him and stalks out of the room. Frank glowers at his feet. If only they had strength enough to hold him. Then he'd leave this nightmare, never to return. Instead, he has to have pillows hold him up. He feels helpless.

Later, Zhena comes in to check on him. She leads him to the bathhouse and he barely manages to persuade her that he can bathe himself. Now he's sitting, naked, in a pool. He's too weak to drag himself out but too egocentric to call for help. Eventually, he heaves himself out and dries off. He puts on the cloak that Zhena left for him.

With the support of the wall, he makes his way, shambling, out of the bathhouse. He misses home. He misses his friends. He wishes Gerard was here holding him up, rather than Dr Zhena.