Time Will Tell
is a story that Bombur Jo wrote from 2001 to 2005. It is about Jorryn, a modern girl who falls into Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings.
It is now one of many stories about girls falling into Middle-earth. Some stories stay close to the plot of the movies. Time Will Tell references many events from Tolkien's books, but also adds new events of its own.
Jorryn, a girl of sixteen years, finds herself living with Frodo and Bilbo in the Shire, though Jorryn is not a hobbit. She is happy to be among her favorite book characters, and has no desire to return to the United States. Jorryn has her own adventures in the Shire, and meets Sam, Pippin and Merry. Years later, Jorryn joins Frodo and friends as they flee the Shire, all the way to Rivendell. (Yes, this means visiting Crickhollow, going through the Old Forest, and meeting Tom Bombadil, events skipped by the movies.) Then, the Fellowship leave Jorryn behind in Rivendell, and she finds her own role in the story.
The Protectors of the Plot Continuum did an intelligence report covering the early chapters.
Not to be confused with the animated series of the same name.
For some reason, the fanfiction.net copy is no longer available. A downloadable copy can be found here.
Time Will Tell provides examples of:
- Beneficial Disease: The symptoms worsen until Jorryn faints in the USA. She wakes in the Shire. This is a benefit because she can meet her favourite hobbits.
- Continuity Nod:
- In chapter 27/28 "The Council of Elrond", Gandalf describes how Jorryn "talked in her sleep". This is not a new trick. Back in The Lord of the Rings, Book II, Chapter 1, Gandalf told Frodo that he "talked long in your sleep". Both cases show how Gandalf can read sleeping minds.
- The second-last chapter of Time Will Tell is "A Long Expected Wedding". The first chapter of The Lord of The Rings is "A Long-Expected Party".
- Emotionally Tongue-Tied: In chapter 10/11 "Learning", Frodo struggles to give a compliment to Jorryn. Then in chapter 26/27 "Rivendell", Jorryn has trouble trying to give an apology to Frodo.
- Fainting: As part of her Beneficial Disease, Jorryn faints in the USA. She somehow appears in the Shire, and remains unconscious for days, until she wakes up.
- Fantastic Romance: The romance, which is only a small part of the story, is only possible because Jorryn fell into Middle-earth.
- First Kiss: Someone puts a "Shut Up" Kiss on Jorryn. It confirms that yes, those two characters are in love.
- Fish out of Water: Jorryn is the only daughter of Man living in a Shire full of Hobbits. Jorryn is larger than a hobbit. Her presence frightens most hobbits, who stay at a distance and stare curiously at her. They do not use her name, but call her "the Lady". Jorryn herself must duck through doors or bump her head, though her height is only four feet and five inches. She walks barefoot like a hobbit, but this bothers her feet, until someone gives her some boots.
- In-Series Nickname: The elves sometimes give Elvish names to humans. Jorryn becomes Mistadiel "straying daughter". Denuwyn, a girl of Rohan, becomes Merilnan "flower of the valley".
- Interspecies Romance: Yes, there is a romance with Jorryn and one of the hobbits, but it takes a long time to develop.
- Ordinary High-School Student: Jorryn is sixteen years old when she falls into the Shire. This happens, not during school, but during the summer holiday of 2001. Jorryn is only four feet and five inches, short, but taller than a hobbit. Other than that, Jorryn is a generic girl from some small town in the USA.
- Sailor Earth: In this fandom, Jorryn is an unusual example. She does join Frodo and friends from the Shire to Rivendell, but she never joins the Nine who leave Rivendell, so she is not a Tenth Walker. Jorryn finds a different role in the story, and she does not fight in battles.
- "Shut Up" Kiss: Someone puts one on Jorryn. It is also their First Kiss.
- Title Drop: Near the end of the last chapter.
- Translator Microbes: Westron (the Common Tongue) is not English, but the story waits until chapter 27/28 "The Council of Elrond" to explain how Jorryn can talk to anyone in Middle-earth. During her first days in the Shire, the ill Jorryn muttered in English. Gandalf performed a spell to switch Jorryn's language. Jorryn now speaks Westron, but may have completely forgotten English.
- Trapped in Another World: Jorryn, out of the United States, is stuck in Middle-earth. She learns that she is among hobbits, but fears that she is not near her favorite characters. Then she discovers that Bilbo, Frodo, Gandalf and Samwise are all nearby. This brings "overexcitement" and "exhilaration" in Jorryn.
- Trapped in the Past: Or is this the same world? In chapter 3/4 "Many Meetings", Jorryn brings up the idea that she is from the far future. In her own time, she read books about Middle-earth, set thousands of years ago in The Age of Myths. Gandalf and later Elrond accept that Jorryn is from another Time.
- Unrequited Love Lasts Forever: This is probably a joke, but in the last chapter, Pippin explains, "You know that there are none left to marry now that" someone else has already married Jorryn.
