*I do not own any characters from Buffy or LotR. May be making up some to fill in gaps, but on the whole, this is a FanFic written for pleasure not any other reason.*
**I have deliberately left many things unexplained from the first part, "Ring Around The Buffy", such as what happens to Boromir, how Angel was turned back into Angelus and how Giles found the true quotation in a book. They will be all made clear in the third part of this little Trilogy. But for now, there are other things to do. This one is set in Middle Earth. We shall return to Sunnydale at the conclusion of this.**
***This is dedicated to my Muse, Lusty, who gave me so many ideas for this part, and to my Baby Bunny Psycho who inspired me to write a LotR/Buffy x-over to start with.***
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Xander looked around in confusion. Where were all the books, and where was Giles, and Buffy and Willow? Where the hell was he? He was lying on a pile of leaves in a forest. Faith was unconscious beside him. He vaguely remembered Aragorn saying he was taking her somewhere, then a flash of light and now here he was. But where was here?
There was a moan from the other side of him. He turned and saw two sleeping, well, children was the only word he could think of, but they looked more like small adults. Maybe they were "little people" as the PC term went. Had they been kidnapped by some strange cult that wanted to do things to them? His mind quickly went into Xander-overdrive, imagining all kinds of weird and unusual explanations for what was going on. Maybe it was just a dream, he kept telling himself. But he'd never dreamed anything so vividly before. Plus the pain from something he was lying on convinced him that he was awake and not in Sunnydale anymore.
It was starting to get light. He could hear the noises of creatures stirring in the trees around him. The world was waking up and it would soon come to get him. He was sure of it.
"Faith," he whispered loudly as he shook the sleeping Slayer. "Wake up."
She stirred and mumbled something he couldn't quite make out. He continued shaking her until finally she opened her dark eyes and looked up into his.
"You're not Heath Ledger," she mumbled as she rubbed her eyes.
"And good morning to you too," he replied.
"I was having the best dream too," she pouted. "Heath was..."
"I so don't want to hear about your fantasies," he said. "Well, maybe some other kinds, but not those ones. On another subject though...What's going on and where are we?"
Faith looked around and saw what Xander had. Trees, light streaming through them, and two sleeping children. She jumped up and danced around.
Xander watched in total confusion. This was not the Faith he knew and lusted after. This was a whole different person and she was scaring him in a freaky kind of way. Something had happened to her and he wanted to know what.
Faith ran back over to Xander and fell into his arms. Softly, she kissed him then lay her head on his shoulder.
"I like this place," she sighed. "Its so peaceful and beautiful and....listen to the birds singing."
Now Xander was completely lost. Faith had never shown any interest in him after their brief interlude. She'd thrown him out and never been near him since. Now she was in his arms, kissing him and acting like a love sick teenager. Maybe this wasn't such a bad thing after all. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. They'd figure this out. After all, she was a Slayer and he was....well, he'd helped Buffy for a while now. He had some skills.
"Are you sure she is the one?" a male Elf asked Aragorn.
Aragorn looked around the gathered assembly. At its head sat Galadriel. She hadn't spoken one word yet, just watched and listened to his words. He'd seen things she couldn't conceive of and he'd retrieved the ring, brought it back, and also brought back the one they had been waiting for. The Saviour. Galadriel had expected Legolas to return with them, but instead, a strange boy had returned in his place. Why was the boy here? There was nothing in their history or their stories that mentioned another coming with the Saviour. The ring had returned to Middle Earth, as it was destined to, along with the Saviour. But nothing happened without a reason. There was a reason he was here and in time, it would be revealed to them.
"She has the ring," Aragorn replied. "She took it from Boromir, and returned it to us."
The fact that one of the ring's protectors was the one who had stolen it had thrown everyone. If it had been able to corrupt a sworn protector, would it also corrupt the one sent to save them from a coming evil? After all, she was wearing the ring.
"In the times of dark, trust and the saviour will come from the Sunny Dale to be your protector against the evil ones," Aragorn said. "Her name is Trust and she is from Sunnydale. The ring found her and brought her back to save us."
Voices exploded around him. Excited mutterings, triumphant shouts. They had found the one after all these centuries. The evil that was descending on them would be vanquished by the one Aragorn had brought back.
Legolas was lost to their world, but they would carry on with their quest to destroy the ring and to defeat whatever evil awaited them out there. Aragorn caressed the pendant he wore around his neck as his thoughts turned to Arwen and when he'd see her again. All he wanted was to be back in her arms again. To hear her sweet voice whispering her love in his ears. Soon, he told himself, soon.
Galadriel stood at last and held up her hands. The voices hushed.
"Take them," she said, her voice ringing through the room. "Soon the Saviour will be called on to fight against the impending evil and this fight must not be here. Take them and the ring and continue your journey. We shall be watching over you always. All our dreams, wishes and thoughts will be on you as you battle on. Go in peace, and go with honour."
Aragorn bowed his head and left them. The gathered Elves were soon chattering excitedly again. Their voices followed him as he made his way back to where he had left Faith and Xander sleeping.
They were awake now. He stood out of their sight watching as she danced in the early light of the sun and then as she curled up in his arms.
"Watch her," came a voice from behind him.
He turned and found himself looking into the clear blue eyes of Galadriel.
"She has a dark soul," she continued. "Its sleeping right now. Something happened and its subdued, but for how much longer, I do not know. Watch who you put your trust in Aragorn. I feel she will betray you. Betray us all."
"But she's the one," he replied. "She will never betray us. The legend says so."
"Just watch her," Galadriel whispered, and then she was gone.
Aragorn watched them a moment longer. He sensed a deep loyalty and strength in the boy that had never been allowed to fully show itself. He would take Legolas' place and continue with Frodo, Sam and the girl, Faith, and himself, on the quest. As for Merry and Pippin, they would have to find a way to save them too. There had been enough losses. It was time to move on.
"We have to go," he said startling them.
"I think you need to explain a few things first," Xander said as he stood up, still holding Faith. "Like where the hell are we?"
"We are back," he replied.
"Back?" Faith said puzzled. "Back where?"
"Back in Middle Earth."
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**I have deliberately left many things unexplained from the first part, "Ring Around The Buffy", such as what happens to Boromir, how Angel was turned back into Angelus and how Giles found the true quotation in a book. They will be all made clear in the third part of this little Trilogy. But for now, there are other things to do. This one is set in Middle Earth. We shall return to Sunnydale at the conclusion of this.**
***This is dedicated to my Muse, Lusty, who gave me so many ideas for this part, and to my Baby Bunny Psycho who inspired me to write a LotR/Buffy x-over to start with.***
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Xander looked around in confusion. Where were all the books, and where was Giles, and Buffy and Willow? Where the hell was he? He was lying on a pile of leaves in a forest. Faith was unconscious beside him. He vaguely remembered Aragorn saying he was taking her somewhere, then a flash of light and now here he was. But where was here?
There was a moan from the other side of him. He turned and saw two sleeping, well, children was the only word he could think of, but they looked more like small adults. Maybe they were "little people" as the PC term went. Had they been kidnapped by some strange cult that wanted to do things to them? His mind quickly went into Xander-overdrive, imagining all kinds of weird and unusual explanations for what was going on. Maybe it was just a dream, he kept telling himself. But he'd never dreamed anything so vividly before. Plus the pain from something he was lying on convinced him that he was awake and not in Sunnydale anymore.
It was starting to get light. He could hear the noises of creatures stirring in the trees around him. The world was waking up and it would soon come to get him. He was sure of it.
"Faith," he whispered loudly as he shook the sleeping Slayer. "Wake up."
She stirred and mumbled something he couldn't quite make out. He continued shaking her until finally she opened her dark eyes and looked up into his.
"You're not Heath Ledger," she mumbled as she rubbed her eyes.
"And good morning to you too," he replied.
"I was having the best dream too," she pouted. "Heath was..."
"I so don't want to hear about your fantasies," he said. "Well, maybe some other kinds, but not those ones. On another subject though...What's going on and where are we?"
Faith looked around and saw what Xander had. Trees, light streaming through them, and two sleeping children. She jumped up and danced around.
Xander watched in total confusion. This was not the Faith he knew and lusted after. This was a whole different person and she was scaring him in a freaky kind of way. Something had happened to her and he wanted to know what.
Faith ran back over to Xander and fell into his arms. Softly, she kissed him then lay her head on his shoulder.
"I like this place," she sighed. "Its so peaceful and beautiful and....listen to the birds singing."
Now Xander was completely lost. Faith had never shown any interest in him after their brief interlude. She'd thrown him out and never been near him since. Now she was in his arms, kissing him and acting like a love sick teenager. Maybe this wasn't such a bad thing after all. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. They'd figure this out. After all, she was a Slayer and he was....well, he'd helped Buffy for a while now. He had some skills.
"Are you sure she is the one?" a male Elf asked Aragorn.
Aragorn looked around the gathered assembly. At its head sat Galadriel. She hadn't spoken one word yet, just watched and listened to his words. He'd seen things she couldn't conceive of and he'd retrieved the ring, brought it back, and also brought back the one they had been waiting for. The Saviour. Galadriel had expected Legolas to return with them, but instead, a strange boy had returned in his place. Why was the boy here? There was nothing in their history or their stories that mentioned another coming with the Saviour. The ring had returned to Middle Earth, as it was destined to, along with the Saviour. But nothing happened without a reason. There was a reason he was here and in time, it would be revealed to them.
"She has the ring," Aragorn replied. "She took it from Boromir, and returned it to us."
The fact that one of the ring's protectors was the one who had stolen it had thrown everyone. If it had been able to corrupt a sworn protector, would it also corrupt the one sent to save them from a coming evil? After all, she was wearing the ring.
"In the times of dark, trust and the saviour will come from the Sunny Dale to be your protector against the evil ones," Aragorn said. "Her name is Trust and she is from Sunnydale. The ring found her and brought her back to save us."
Voices exploded around him. Excited mutterings, triumphant shouts. They had found the one after all these centuries. The evil that was descending on them would be vanquished by the one Aragorn had brought back.
Legolas was lost to their world, but they would carry on with their quest to destroy the ring and to defeat whatever evil awaited them out there. Aragorn caressed the pendant he wore around his neck as his thoughts turned to Arwen and when he'd see her again. All he wanted was to be back in her arms again. To hear her sweet voice whispering her love in his ears. Soon, he told himself, soon.
Galadriel stood at last and held up her hands. The voices hushed.
"Take them," she said, her voice ringing through the room. "Soon the Saviour will be called on to fight against the impending evil and this fight must not be here. Take them and the ring and continue your journey. We shall be watching over you always. All our dreams, wishes and thoughts will be on you as you battle on. Go in peace, and go with honour."
Aragorn bowed his head and left them. The gathered Elves were soon chattering excitedly again. Their voices followed him as he made his way back to where he had left Faith and Xander sleeping.
They were awake now. He stood out of their sight watching as she danced in the early light of the sun and then as she curled up in his arms.
"Watch her," came a voice from behind him.
He turned and found himself looking into the clear blue eyes of Galadriel.
"She has a dark soul," she continued. "Its sleeping right now. Something happened and its subdued, but for how much longer, I do not know. Watch who you put your trust in Aragorn. I feel she will betray you. Betray us all."
"But she's the one," he replied. "She will never betray us. The legend says so."
"Just watch her," Galadriel whispered, and then she was gone.
Aragorn watched them a moment longer. He sensed a deep loyalty and strength in the boy that had never been allowed to fully show itself. He would take Legolas' place and continue with Frodo, Sam and the girl, Faith, and himself, on the quest. As for Merry and Pippin, they would have to find a way to save them too. There had been enough losses. It was time to move on.
"We have to go," he said startling them.
"I think you need to explain a few things first," Xander said as he stood up, still holding Faith. "Like where the hell are we?"
"We are back," he replied.
"Back?" Faith said puzzled. "Back where?"
"Back in Middle Earth."
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