Alrighty! So this is my first LotR fanfic and includes my elf OC, Valéa. It's an eventual Legolas/OC story, but there will probably be a couple other pairings through the plot. I'm just going to do a disclaimer this once so I don't have to continuously do one for every chapter. That being said, I will probably add one to a chapter that has another OC (if I make one, that is).
Disclaimer: I do not own Aragorn, Legolas etc (basically any names you recognise) or most of the story. The few variations I have made I do own. Valéa is my OC and I take full claim on her.
Great! So, without further ado, let's begin!
~ Ec1aire
Valéa
Chapter 1:
In the forests of Lothlórien, an ebony-haired elf was exchanging her usual pale blue gown for light grey travelling clothes, though she folded her dress and placed it in the pack in front of her. Lady Galadriel had requested that the elf make her way to Rivendell, and she had, of course, agreed.
The she-elf had golden eyes, fair skin and was extremely skilled with a bow, as was common for her kind, but also fought with dual long knives. She also prided herself with her hobbies of dancing and singing, which she had grown very skilled at.
This was Valéa.
For an elf to have black hair was extremely uncommon, and Valéa would guess she was the only one alive with hair as dark as hers. The contrast between her hair and skin meant she stuck out like a sore thumb among her kin, especially since most of the elves in Lórien had blonde hair.
Galadriel approached the younger elf now. "Are you ready to depart, Valéa?" She asked softly, using the common tongue.
Valéa nodded solemnly and, as if to prove it, picked up her pack. "I am, hiril vuin. Lord Elrond knows I am coming, yes?"
Galadriel nodded and offered a small smile. The blonde elf was widely known as the most beautiful she-elf around, though Valéa had heard whispers that there was someone who was equal, if not even more beautiful than her. Valéa longed to meet this person, just to see if the rumours were true.
Over the years, there were several male elves that had come to meet Valéa and try to catch her eye, but in truth, Valéa was not the usual she-elf. She longed for adventure more than love, though could not deny the idea of caring for someone so definitely had its charms.
"He has allowed you into his council." Galadriel said. "It takes place in twelve days. Take Sofie with you, and you should reach Rivendell two days prior to this date. Be careful, my dear, for the road is dangerous and darkness dwells in the hills and mountains."
Valéa bowed her head. Sofie was her mare, who was a chestnut brown. Valéa had grown up around horses, so knew how to handle one, even if she wasn't an expert with them. Luckily for her, Sofie was a calm horse and was easy to ride. "I will. If you will allow it, I will leave now."
"Of course, Valéa. I hope that we will see you back here soon, with news of the council's decision." Galadriel sent Valéa one last smile before turning and padding barefoot along the mossy ground, making next to no noise.
Valéa watched after her queen for a moment, before swinging her sturdy pack over her shoulder. She then walked to the small field in which all the horses of Lórien grazed. Sofie was on the very far side, close to the borders of the forest.
Valéa greeted her horse warmly, before tying her pack to her saddle and nimbly mounting her. "Gwaem," Valéa whispered to her horse. Let's go.
Sofie whinnied softly and bolted towards the north-west, towards the elven outpost of Rivendell, where Lord Elrond dwelled. The sun was bright but low in the sky, as it was early in the morning. In her pack was lembas bread. A single bite was enough to fill the stomach, but Valéa had brought extra with her, just in case she met complications that delayed her along the way.
...
For ten long days Valéa rode to Rivendell. She met no threat along the way, even as she rode over the Misty Mountains. On the evening of the tenth, Rivendell rolled into view, causing Valéa to slow her pace a little. Sofie snorted gratefully as she continued at a trot.
Valéa was greeted warmly to Rivendell by Lady Arwen herself, Lord Elrond's daughter. The woman was stunning in her beauty, but Valéa absently noted was not equal to the Lady of Lothlórien.
"Welcome to Rivendell," Arwen said kindly. "My father told me to greet you when you arrived."
"Gi suilon, Arwen," Valéa greeted in Sindarin as she slid off Sofie's back. "I am Valéa, and have travelled from the forests of Lórien. Your welcome is appreciated."
Arwen nodded and smiled at Valéa, before leading her up the paths, Sofie being led away by a very young elfling. The two she-elves were silent as they walked, but Valéa could feel eyes on her. She knew not from which direction those eyes came, but guessed from the palace above her head. As a woman of the forests, Rivendell's buildings were an unusual sight, though she had been here a few times before.
Upon entering the palace, Valéa picked up on a lot of chatter. "Is something amiss, Lady Arwen?" She asked her host politely.
Arwen nodded. "The reason for this council has been led into Rivendell with a severely injured young halfling. While he is healing, he remains unaware of the world around him."
Valéa frowned a little, which was concerning, because Valéa very rarely frowned. "Was he travelling alone?" She asked, worried for the stranger.
Arwen shook her head, and a gentle smile tugged at her lips. "He was not, for the most part. A few of my kin found him with his companions about a day's ride from here and brought him the rest of the way on horseback. Had they not been so swift, Frodo would have passed on to the shadow world, and become a Ringwraith."
"Who was travelling with him before then?" Valéa asked as she stepped out of the way of a nervous-looking male who bustled past them both with barely a glance.
"Three more halflings and a man. The halflings, I believe, are Sam, Pippin and Merry, as they like to be called. The man is Aragorn, son of Arathorn." Arwen replied, her voice sounding hesitant.
Valéa raised her eyebrows at the familiar name. "Aragorn is here?"
Arwen glanced sharply at her, though it was clear to the black-haired woman she was trying to hide her mild hostility. "You know him?"
Valéa nodded. "He is like a brother to me. We met many years ago when he was staying in Lothlórien." She glanced over at Arwen to see a kind expression back on the brunette's face. It was clear that Arwen cared deeply for Aragorn, more so than Valéa did, but she kept these thoughts to herself.
"I believe my father wishes to see you immediately," Arwen said, indicating the room before her. "Please, go in."
"Galu, Arwen," Valéa said with a smile, before knocking on the door and stepping inside the room on the other side.
A wizened man in a sweeping grey cloak greeted her with gentle but worried eyes. "Yes?" He asked.
"Lady Arwen directed me here to speak with Lord Elrond," Valéa explained, walking up to the man.
"Ah, Lady Valéa, from Lothlórien," Elrond greeted from the corner of the room.
Valéa inclined her head in his direction. "My lord, Elrond. It is good to see you again, my friend."
"Likewise. It is good to know you made it safely. Did you have any trouble on the road?" Elrond smiled.
"None at all, my lord." Valéa replied. She turned back to the grey man, before noticing the small body in the bed before them. "So this must be Frodo. Is he healing alright?"
The man nodded. "Slowly, but yes. He was stabbed by a Morgul Blade, so his wound will never truly heal."
Another small frown appeared on Valéa's delicate features. "A Morgul Blade? The Nazgûl, then." The man nodded. For a moment, there was silence. "Forgive me for my rudeness," Valéa suddenly gasped. She bowed to the man. "I am Valéa, and you are?"
"My name is Gandalf. Gandalf the Grey." He replied with a warming smile.
Valéa smiled kindly in return. Elrond reclaimed her attention when he said, "I shall lead you to your quarters, Valéa. Aphado nin."
Valéa smiled at Gandalf, before following behind Lord Elrond. They walked quietly, not saying a word, for a few minutes. Elrond led her to a pearl white room. There was little in terms of furnishings in this room, but there was a wardrobe for her clothes, a chest of drawers with a mirror, a small chair and a large, elaborate bed. It was carved from birch wood and the headboard created an image of winding ivy.
Valéa smiled back at Lord Elrond. "Thank you, my lord."
Elrond nodded. "I will see you for dinner later?" He asked gently.
Valéa smiled again and nodded, letting Elrond leave. She dumped her pack on the bed and pulled out her Lothlórien dress. She gently unfolded it before stripping off her riding wear. She then pulled the blue dress on over her feminine shape. The dress had long sleeves that billowed out after the elbows. The neckline was a low V-shape that was embroidered with silver. The dress style was simple but elegant, and trailed a few inches along the ground at the end of the long skirt. A shimmering silver belt was wrapped just above the elf's waist.
Valéa ran a brush through her hair and let it hang loose to her mid-back. For a she-elf, her hair was quite short, but still longer than most of the males' hair. She then pulled on her blue slippers and left her room, pulling the door quietly shut behind her.
As Valéa was reacquainting herself with the palace, she heard shouts of laughter. Walking towards the sound, Valéa soon caught sight of two hobbits laughing and sitting on a railing over the river. One was a strawberry-blonde, the other had more auburn locks. The auburn-haired hobbit had his back to her, but the strawberry-blonde one saw her when she approached, and his eyes widened to the shape of saucers. His friend turned around and quickly pulled a similar face.
Valéa smiled at the young halflings. "Be careful not to fall off; it is a long way down and the river is not as deep as it looks."
They quickly jumped off the railing, as if this had only just occurred to them. "Who are you, my lady?" The blonde one asked curiously.
"I am Valéa of Lórien. And which of the halflings other than Frodo are you?" Valéa asked, leaning calmly against the railing, but not on it.
"Merry and Pippin, at your service," the auburn-haired one said, grinning childishly and bowing.
"The theatrics were not necessary, Pip." Merry said, rolling his eyes.
A soft trill of laughter floated through the air as it escaped Valéa's lips. Merry and Pippin beamed up at her, and the three of them were promptly joined by two others. One, Sam, no doubt, looked curiously at Valéa, while the other, Aragorn, looked at her in surprise.
"Valéa?" He asked quietly.
Valéa sent her friend a smile. "Hello again, Aragorn. It's been a while."
Aragorn stood shocked for a few more seconds, before pulling Valéa into a brotherly hug. "It is good to see you again, sister."
"And you, brother. I assume you are here for the council in two days." Valéa said with a smile.
The three halflings looked curiously between them as they parted. "I am," Aragorn answered. Then, to explain himself to the hobbits, added, "Valéa and I have been close friends for many years. Though not related by blood, we are like siblings."
They nodded their understanding. Sam smiled weakly at her, before bowing a small bow and leaving. Pippin looked forlornly behind his friend. "He didn't even say hello," he complained.
Valéa laughed again. "Don't worry, Pippin, I know who he is and I'm sure we'll have another chance to get to know each other."
Pippin nodded, apparently still not satisfied. Merry rolled his eyes and not-so-subtly elbowed him in the ribs. Valéa looked at them in confusion, only for Aragorn to laugh at her as if she was missing something right under her nose.
Valéa raised an eyebrow questioningly at him, but he just shook his head, wearing an amused expression. The black-haired elf sighed. He never changed.