Author's note: Hey guys! This is my first story. I'm sorry if I missed any grammar or spelling mistakes. I hope you enjoy the story!
An unexpected companion
Chapter 1
Would you walk through the woods, you would never expect that anybody was living there but hidden from plain sight there is a people that lives in the trees. They call themselves children of the elements. Nobody has ever really seen them, so they are believed to be myths.
There are four different kinds of those children: the fire bearers, the water bearers, the air bearers and the earth bearers.
Besides their healing powers and tears that can save you from death, they have special gifts, for example the fire bearers can conjure and control fire, the water bearers can conjure and control water and so on.
Would you see them, you would mistake them for short elves, for they are not taller then five feet but have a slender figure and small pointy ears with which they can hear far better than the elves.
Their houses are the trees. They just have to touch the tree with their hands and the tree will open. The children never had to fear anything because they are safely hidden and just like hobbits, they hated everything unexpected.
Now, I don't want to bore you with my explanations. I think you want to know which part I played in the reclaiming of Erebor, one of the biggest kingdoms in Middle-Earth.
I am one of the children of the elements, a fire bearer to be precise. My father is the chief of the city of fire, my home. Never had anything unexpected happened in my life until one day a mysterious illness killed most of us. My mother, my older brother and my little sister, all died because of this disease. My twin brother fell ill shortly after my little sister died and now only my father and I remained healthy. Everyday I had to fear that my twin wasn't going to wake up again and it pained me more and more to see him so weak. The only light I had in life was the training with the sword, bow and most importantly the daggers, my favorite weapons. It made me forget all my pain, sorrow, grief and anger for a few hours.
This, my friends, is where my journey began.
It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the bees were buzzing and every being seemed to enjoy the peace and quiet. Like everyday, since the illness took hold of my mother, I was training with my daggers. Every night I see their faces and every day I have to think of them and how they would probably alive, had I been better at healing. It was my fault, even if everybody tells me otherwise. They said nobody could have helped them.
The daggers are my favorite weapons because my father first trained me in using them before he gave me a sword or bow. When I was a child I liked to explore everything around me, so one day I wandered to far and my father found me on a field. He was worried that I had come across an orc or humans or elves after I didn't return for three hours. "You can't just run off when you can not even protect yourself. Therefore I'm going to train you tomorrow. The Valar help me with this child!", he said.
After a while Alran, one of my fathers guards and my best friend, came to the training grounds and told me that my father wanted to see me. "Lady Valeria, your father requests your presence on the main field." "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Val! We grew up together and you are my best friend, for Yavanna's sake!", I said lying my sword back where I got it from. "I think you have to remind me a few more times.", he answered with a smile. "Val you really should go. It might be intresting. I mean Gandalf is involved. " Alran and I walked to the main field in a comfortable silence.
"Father you wanted to see me?", I asked. My father turned to us and said "That would be all Alran. You can leave now." Alran took a last glance at me before he left. "Yes Valeria. Gandalf wanted to talk to both of us.",my father said. "Don't think I have forgetten that you didn't attend breakfast and that you were not present at your languages lessons this morning.", he added.
"Let's get down to business Gandalf. I don't believe you came here to watch us work out our family problems.", my father said. "Of course not.", Gandalf replied. "I am searching for someone to join in an adventure." I looked at him curiously. Ever since I was a child I wanted to have an adventure and this was probably the only chance I would get.
"I don't imagine anybody would want to leave their home, for what? A wizard who appears at their doorstep with ideas of some suicidal adventure?" My father sighed and stood up to pace back and forth. He only did that when he needed to think. "Gandalf we have been friends for more than two hundred years now. I know you very well and you always have these kinds of crazy adventures. So, because you are my friend I will let you explain. Why does my daughter has to be present?" "I can not give you all the details right now but I thought Valeria would be a good choice for this journey." While Gandalf said this he looked over at me. My eyes widened a little out of confusion and shock. Why did he think I was a good choice? I didn't even have full control over my powers, I didn't have a lot of experience in killing orcs and even if I wanted to my choices laid at home with my brother."No! Absolutly not! I do not allow you to take my daughter away. I lost my wife, my sons and my youngest now you want to take away the last family I have? Never am I going to let her go on this lunatic adventure of yours!" His pacing stopped and now he was trying to intimidate the wizard by shouting at him and stomping towards him.
It didn't have any effect on Gandalf, for he was so much taller than my father. I just stood there and watched the scene with interest and mild concern. I knew how my father could be when he felt insulted but never have I seen him this angry. Slowly an uneasy feeling creptup on me. It felt like I shouldn't have been there. Neither of the two really acknowledged me. "My dear Kiaran, you know I would never ask you to let her go if it wasn't absolutly necessary. This is something that has to be done. It will change the fate of Middle-Earth. If this quest fails I fear dark days would be ahead." Gandalf's look practically said 'You have to trust me on this.'. After a long silence I was the one to break it. "Father please. If it is really as important as Gandalf says, I have to go. Maybe..." "No! No maybe's!",he shouted at me. "But..." "And no but's! You will stay here!", he shouted when I again started to reason with him. "Think of your brother and how he would feel if his sister would just go running off into the blue. You're not going to leave. End of discussion.", he added more calmly. I am taken back by his harsh words. 'That's enough!', I thought and turned around to leave.
But before I could go, Gandalf stopped me and took my hand. "I am really sorry. About everything.", he told me and let a piece of paper slip into my hand. I just nodded and said a fast "Thank you." before I left the main field. I was so distracted by my own thoughts that I didn't realise that I was going to my brother's tree.
'Maybe it is good if I talk to Ailwin. He was always the wiser one.', I thought and entered his tree. My brother was lying on his bed lime always. "Val, is that you?", his weak voice asked. "Yes, it's me. How are you feeling today?", I asked softly while I sat down on the edge of his bed and took his hand in mine. "Could be worse." is his simple reply. "Did you have another argument with father?", he asked. "Yes, something like it. How did you know?" "The only time you come here with this look on your face that is basically saying 'I don't know what to do' is when you were arguing with somebody and mostly you argue with father.", Ailwin simply stated."So... What did you do this time?" I stood up again and began to pace in the room. "You know me too well.",I sighed, "I didn't do anything... Ok, maybe I missed out my lessons but that's not it. Gandalf was here. He wanted me to join in this adventure of his. I wanted to but … You know how father is nowadays. He forbid me to go and now I'm angry and confused and don't know what to do. Father knows that it's my dream to explore all of Middle-Earth. Why can't he let me go than?" My voice kept getting more quiet as I near the end of my speech and I sat down on the edge of his bed again.
"Dear sister I have known you for a long time now. In my opinion, father is right. Nobody knows if you would make it. But I also know that you are greatly needed on this journey. Have you read the note yet?", he said pointing to the little note my fingers were playing with. I look at it then back at Ailwin. "No, I haven't . Why?" He just smiled and I was looking back at the piece of paper as I began to unfold the note.
Hobbiton, Bag End, 2 days
"Do you remember when the Lady Galadriel visited us once?", he asked and coughed a little. I remained silent and gave him a curious look. "She showed mother the future. The morning she died I visited her. She told me that I will have to convince you to disobey father and go on this journey. It is the only way to pretend bad things from happening. Mother said, I will be the only one who could tell you.", he told me. Tears had began to form at the corner of my eyes at the mentioning of our mother. He too was in tears but I didn't think it was for the same reason I was sad. "Mother was right you know. You have to go, otherwise there is no future for us.", Ailwin added. I looked a little bit shocked from him to the note. 'He is right. You need to go.', a little voice at the back of my head said.
"Wouldn't you be sad if I am not here when you... I mean ...", I just couldn't finish the sentence. It pained me too much to even think about what was most likely ahaed. "Go?", he finished my sentence and I just nod with tears now streaming down my face. With his thumb he wiped away my tears. "Don't think about me. I would be more sad if you let bad things happen. Go and save Middle-Earth. For me. Please.", he begged. His eyes held a sad look but we both knew he was right. "Ok. I'm going to go. For you.", I whispered, still keeping the eye contact. "That's the spirit dear sister. Go now. You only have two days and quiet a long journey ahead. It's nearly sundown, so you can leave in about two hours.", Ailwin urged me. "You're right. Thank you for everything. Please get better soon. I don't want to believe that that's the end. I need you.", I said and my eyes start to tear up anew. "I love you Valeria and I will miss you greatly. Promise me that you will not forget me.", he looked at me with a small smile on his lips. "I promise you. How could I forget you. My lovely twin brother who got me into so much mischief.",I chuckled a little. "I love you and miss you too." I kissed his forehead and took my leave but not before I turned around one last time and smiled at him.
I was already packing my things when I heard a knock on my tree door. "I'm sorry Valeria. I just don't want you to get hurt. I understand that you will ignore me and that you won't talk to me in a while but I want you to know that I love you and I am truly sorry about my words today." My father. I stood there frozen in place and stared at my open bag infront of me, listening at what my father had to say. Later I would probably feel guilty for just leaving without actually saying good bye to everyone but at this time I couldn't feel anything else but excitement. When I heard him leave I finished packing, left my tree and went to the stables. I saddled Flora,my pony, and took my leave from my father and my home.
The journey to Bag End was quiet pleasant but as time passed, I felt more and more guilty, sad and lost. 'I am so stupid. Why didn't I say goodbye to my father. He will be worried sick. Great, just because of this stupid wizard I am on my own now, without the advice of my brother and the help of my father.', I thought.
On the second day of my journey, I arrived at Hobbiton in the evening. The sun had already began to set. I made my way to the nearest inn, toget a place where Flora and I could stay over the night. "Good evening Miss. Can I help you?", a small hobbit girl asked me from behind the bar. "Yes, I need a place for my pony and I to stay for the night." "Of course Miss. Your pony can stay in the stables just around the corner and you can have a room. Would you like some breakfast in the morning?" "Thank you that would be lovely.", I said, returning the smile she gave me.
After she gave me the keys to my room, I took Flora to the stables. "Be nice Flora. Don't bite anybody. I'll be back soon."
You couldn't miss Bag End to be honest, for laughter and musicrang from the hobbit hole. It sounded like quiet a merry gathering. Imade my way through the gate and walked towards the door. I knocked and when the green door opened, a hobbit my height stood infront of me. "Good evening. I am Valeria daughter of Kiaran. Gandalf told me to meet him here." "Yes, do come in. What difference does one more girl make?" Gandalf must have heard us because after I entered he stood infront of me. He looked happy to see me. "My dear Valeria, I am pleased to see you have found your way here. I would like to introduce to you Bilbo Baggins, our host for tonight.", he said looking from me to the hobbit next to me. Suddenly a small dwarf nearly ran into us on his my to where I supposed the dining room was.
'Wait. Dwarves? My travelling companions are dwarves?', I thought a little shocked and speechless as I looked up at Gandalf, questioning what I have gotten myself into.
So this was the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you think and review!