It was such a beautiful and perfect day that even the strange world she now laid in could not seem to bother her. The questions in her mind were pushed back until later as she stared up at the soft puffy clouds floating gently through the sky. Had she been more observant she would have heard, or better yet, seen the small company of elves sneaking up on her, but it was her folly to be too comfortable in the soft grass reminiscing about Themyscira for that was what this world greatly reminded her of, at least in the warmth of summer.
A twig snapping was what drew Diana from her daydreams for the elves that approached her hardly found her a threat, half-naked without a weapon and dozing off in the grass. She sat up curiously looking at them with their bows and clothes of greens, greys, and browns. They struck her as odd, but so much that was happening was odd to her. Their tipped ears were the least of her worries as she now returned to her senses. She didn't know where she was, and she panicked looking around for some answers to the thousands of questions that came to her mind.
The questions the elves asked were foreign to Diana's ears despite her knowledge of thousands of languages, and they repeated themselves over and over again trying to clear the confusion on Diana's tried other languages and dialects for the Amazonian woman, but naturally, none was a language she spoke for this was not her world. They spoke kindly though, and when Diana tried to speak back to them they too looked surprised that they never before heard any of the languages she cycled through.
So the elves stood stumped on what to do, and Diana sat bewildered. The elves convened to decide what to do with the stranger, and they decided that this was beyond their knowledge. Through much gesturing they got Diana to follow them towards Rivendell with the hope that Elrond would have some answers or maybe he knew the right questions to ask. Diana was both confused by and in awe of all that they passed on the way to the House of Elrond.
Happy voices were raised up in song, and though Diana did not understand what the voices were singing she found comfort in the beauty and delight of the words. As she was drawn nearer to the House of Elrond many elves stopped what they were doing to stare at her for she was a rare sight for them to behold. She looked like she was just a woman, but even they could tell there was something more to her. She was just as wide-eyed as they were for she knew nothing of elves as they were not of her world. Elves called out to the elves walking with Diana asking for some answers to who she was, but even they did not know.
They brought Diana to Elrond and explained how they found her and how she spoke no language they knew. Elrond tried to speak with her, but he had no luck for he too knew no languages of her world. With some struggling, they learned their names, and Diana showed that she was not going to bring harm to his people for she was peaceful. She listened carefully to all that was said and learned what she could. For days she listened looking for some way to understand what they taught her for she needed to know their language. She ate alongside the elves and quickly learned their language for she already knew so many that it was not so hard to learn another.
The elves were astonished at her learning for it was only weeks before Diana was speaking with them as if she always knew what they spoke. Some words were still new to her, but she was eager to learn. And the elves were just as eager to teach her. It was not long before she was called in to speak with Elrond of her origins for they had yet to ask as she learned their language.
There was a feast for which Diana did not know the reason for, and she was asked to sit on the right hand of Elrond to tell him her tale of how she came to his land. Some of the time was spent feasting and merrymaking, but when the sun set and the room grew dark and silence stretch in the room Elrond spoke.
"Now is the time for you to tell how you came to our land."
"It is a strange story and may seem unbelievable, but I will tell you what I can," Diana said. "My name is Diana, Princess of Themyscira. I am an Amazon. How I came to this place I know not for I awoke after a long battle laying in the fields of Rivendell as if in a dream."
"A battle? Against whom?" an elf asked for every elf in the room was listening and though Elrond called for silence some were eager for the tale that Diana would spin.
"She was a sorceress named Circe. She and I battled for a long time and I defeated her, but not before she cast a spell on me which I can only guess sent me here," Diana replied. "That must sound unbelievable to you…"
"No, not unbelievable," Elrond said. "I believe that you speak the truth though it is a strange truth. Do you have any idea how you will get back to your world?"
Diana shook her head dejectedly.
"Then you shall stay with us," said Elrond. "I think you share more in common with my people than you do with the world of man. Had it not been for your ears I would have taken you for an elf."
Diana smiled. "I will take that as a compliment for your race is fair and has been kind to me during the time that I have been here," she said.
Diana told many stories of her adventures to the elves for they were unsated by her tale of how she came to Rivendell. They listened for a long while until the elves began to sing. Diana had trouble making out the words to the songs and what she could catch was often disheartening. She did enjoy the music though it filled her with melancholy. She retired to her room after long hours of listening to the elves, and their voices continued for hours after they lulled her to sleep.
Diana spent years with the elves learning all they could teach her of Middle-Earth. In some ways, it was much like her world, but in others, it was so different. She met a wizard, and they spoke together for long hours about how she could get home. But even the wise wizard knew no way to return her for it was magic of her world that sent her to this strange place. The time passed strangely in Rivendell, and like the elves, time left Diana untouched for she was, after all, a goddess.
It was sometime during her stay at Rivendell that a company of dwarves arrived with the wizard. She was with Elrond when he greeted them and pestered him with questions about dwarves. One she learned was a hobbit though she didn't know what a hobbit was before that moment. He was very much like a Dwarf though smaller in some ways and bigger in others. Diana spoke with all the dwarves asking them questions of their culture and their ways. Most found her amusing and answered her questions with smiles on their faces, but the leader of the Dwarves, Thorin, was not as amused by her. Diana found that she very much liked the hobbit Bilbo Baggins for he was a kindly fellow. During the time the Dwarves were at Rivendell, she and he became quite good friends.
Diana wanted to join the company on their journey, but Gandalf and Elrond both convinced her otherwise. It was the Dwarves of Erebor's journey, not hers. She was sated, but she still insisted that when Bilbo came back he would tell her about the whole journey.
It was deep in winter when Bilbo and Gandalf returned from the journey, and they told her a sad tale. Thorin, Kili, and Fili all died in a great battle, and though the Lonely Mountain was won, it was not won easily. Bilbo was quiet as he drew to the end of his tale, and Diana touched him softly on the shoulder. She told him her story of how she lost her own love for she suspected that such a genuine and personal story would offer some comfort to the aching hobbit.
When she reached the end, only choking up at remembering Steve's death, Bilbo looked at her very deeply in the eyes and asked, "Does it ever get easier? This pain I mean."
Diana stared at Bilbo. "Yes, but sometimes you remember and it hurts all over again," she said touching his cheek gently.
"How do you keep from remembering those memories?" Bilbo asked as tears welled in his eyes.
Diana embraced the hobbit. "Remember the good memories," she said wiping his eyes.
Bilbo and Gandalf went back to Bilbo's home in the Shire, and Rivendell returned to the way it was before the dwarves came. Diana grew restless. She could sense that something was growing dark in this world, and none of the elves wanted to tell her what it was. Whenever Gandalf passed through Rivendell she tried to get information from him, but even he was reluctant to tell her of the evil building. Even with his reluctance, he told her some, and she began to wonder if she was not brought here for a purpose.
Diana traveled many times to the Shire with Gandalf to visit Bilbo and eventually his nephew Frodo too. She was invited to Bilbo's eleventy-first birthday party, and she once again traveled to the Shire with Gandalf. The party was excellent though she spent most of the time with the Dwarves that were invited and Gandalf for she was an outsider. She sat quietly through Bilbo's speech and gasp when he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
Diana thought it was Gandalf's magic that made him vanish, but when Gandalf marched off to have a talk with Bilbo she followed him now suspecting something else to be afoot. It was while Gandalf scolded Bilbo that she learned of the ring for the first time for he had kept it out of his story when he told it to her at Rivendell. For the first time, Diana saw how the ring had changed Bilbo. Bilbo argued with Gandalf about getting rid of the ring, and soon their argument got so heated that Bilbo reached for the small sword at his side. There saw a shadow over Bilbo's heart.
"Bilbo, do you see what it has done to you?" Diana asked taking a step forward, "Gandalf is your friend."
And as suddenly as the shadow on Bilbo came, it was gone. He looked to Diana as if he were seeing her for the first time, and he sighed. "Even Diana, who knows nothing of this burden, knows what it has done to me," He said sinking down into a rocking chair by the fire. "I am so old and so stretched… I must give the ring to Frodo."
Diana walked to Bilbo's side and knelt beside her old friend. She reached out and touched him gently. "Put the ring on the mantelpiece for when Frodo returns," Gandalf said.
Bilbo sighed and reached into his pocket. He looked to Diana and placed the ring in her hand. "For some reason, I haven't got the energy to part with it," He said.
Diana shuddered at the evil feeling in her hand and quickly placed it on the mantle. She turned to Gandalf looking for answers, but he was looking out the window thoughtfully. As soon as the ring was away from Bilbo he looked relieved. He busied himself with getting ready to leave the Shire, and three Dwarves joined him with the rest of the supplies he would need for his journey.
Bilbo looked so pleased to be off on the road with Dwarves once more. He said goodbye to Gandalf and Diana then left Bag End for good. His voice was raised in song as he left the Shire and went off on another adventure.
Diana looked to Gandalf this time with her brow furrowed. "What is the evil I felt from the ring?" She asked.
Gandalf sighed. "I do not know yet. I only have my suspicions," he said finally.
Gandalf sat in the corner of the room that was darkest as he thought. Diana sat by the fire where Bilbo had sat only minutes earlier. It was not long that they sat before Frodo came in. He looked around the room before letting out a long sigh.
"Has he gone?" he asked.
"Yes," Gandalf answered, "he has gone at last."
Frodo looked sadly around the dimly lit room. Gandalf told him of the will and the ring and warned him never to use the ring and to keep it secret before leaving Bag End. Diana stayed up with Frodo as he said goodbye to the guests. Frodo insisted she stay in Bag End for the night in one of the numerous guest bedrooms. She took the one with the largest bed for she was much larger than a hobbit. Despite being too tall for the bed it was very comfortable, and she had a good night sleep.
The next day Diana spent most of her time with Frodo and his friend Merry Brandybuck. The hobbits distributed presents to relatives and friends of Bilbo's as was the custom of hobbits to give gifts on their own birthdays. Diana thought it was a lovely sentiment though she didn't understand some of the gifts that were given out as many seemed to be inside jokes. There was one awful visit from some family members of Bilbo's, and they left in a huff. Frodo was exhausted and finally sat down for tea with Diana after Merry left. There was a knock on the door that Frodo ignored thinking it was just another nosy relative, but it was Gandalf. They let the wizard in, and Frodo uttered apologizes for ignoring the old man.
Gandalf assured them it was fine. "I'm here to collect Diana and have one last talk with you, Frodo."
"You're not staying for longer? I thought for sure you would stay for at least another week," Frodo said astonished.
"I had meant to, but I have changed my mind. I may not be back for some time, but I will come to see you as soon as I can. I shall visit you quietly, and I don't believe I will visit the Shire openly ever again," Gandalf said, "but that is not what I'm here to tell you. I am here to speak to you about the ring."
Diana inched closer to listen as they spoke of the ring. Gandalf warned Frodo not to use it for there was much he did not know about it. Gandalf kept what he had to say brief for he did not have much he could say. They went outside as Diana and Gandalf prepared to leave. Gandalf said goodbye to Frodo and got onto his wagon.
Diana said her goodbye to Frodo and kissed him gently on the forehead. "I will see you again," she said.
"Until then Diana," Frodo said smiling.
Diana got on Gandalf's wagon, and they head off from Bag End. Diana's heart was heavy for some reason, and she suspected that it would be some time before she saw her young friend again.