Disclaimer: I have no rights to, nor did I invent the realms, languages or characters of Middle Earth. They are solely the invention of J.R.R. Tolkien. This is a fanfiction however, and I will throw in new characters, and make changes whenever and wherever it is relevant to my story. Please read and review.

Anneth & Rynan Chapter 1

As Anneth lay back against the banks she let her toes slowly slide into the cool water, and wiggled them around, enjoying the crisp cool of the bubbling stream.
She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the water, and of the small birds flying overhead. Smelling the sweet scent of the flowers growing wild, she let herself get lost in a daydream. She was riding at full speed across a grassy meadow, the wind in her hair, towards a great city. Trumpets were ringing, welcoming her home. Pulled from her daydream by an impatient whinny, Anneth looked up to see her horse Noreg standing not too far off. "So you've had your fill of grass and are ready to go, I see"
"Well, alright then." Not bothering to put her shoes back on Anneth hoped up on the horse bareback and they galloped towards her home. "You know, you interrupted a perfectly lovely daydream. But your timing couldn't have been better." she said as she looked up towards the sun.
"It is getting late and father will need his dinner soon." It wasn't long before she reached their home. It wasn't much but her father had built it with his own hands and she loved it. There were flowers planted in front, vegetables, fruits, and herbs in back. A modest stable stood not far off, they didn't have many horses, as her father had started out with only two. But they were healthy and strong and she was proud of them. She had raised Noreg from a colt, and from the moment he was born he had been hers. She led Noreg to the stable, tended to him and the other horses speaking lovingly to each one of them. Then she patted Noreg one last time before heading in to wake her father from his nap and prepare dinner.

"Father, father are you awake?" She called as she walked towards his room and peered in, she didn't see him in bed. As she turned to go, she heard a noise from the other side of the bed, and ran over to find her father on the floor. "Father, oh no! Let me get you up." Pulling him up, she realized how light the old man was. As she got him back up onto the bed he looked at her with question "Maeriel?" "No father it's me, Anneth, mother is... um, not here." Turning away so he could not see the tears in her eyes. She could not stand to see her father this way. Clarity began coming to his eyes, "Yes, Anneth, is it about time for dinner already"
"Yes father, shall I call you when it is ready?" Anneth said turning to go and start dinner. "Yes, my dear." He said. Anneth busied herself cooking the pork she had set aside, and boiling the greens.
She made a vow that she would never leave her father alone again for longer than she had to, no more daydreaming or dallying by the stream. Her eyes had tears in them again as she thought of finding her father laying on the floor by his bed. He had always been so strong in her eyes. She had thought he could conquer the world. But age it seems had finally caught up to him, in the past couple of years. But to Anneth he would always be as he had been in the stories she had heard growing up, Rynan warrior of Rohan, and then fearless guard of the King of Gondor. Though she could not bear the thought of it, Anneth knew her father would not be around for many more winters. He was all she had in the world. This weighed heavy on her heart, though she would not let herself think about it. She busied herself preparing dinner just the way her father liked it.

Rynan tried to compose himself as best as he could, but as Anneth left the room he slumped over feeling like a broken man. He knew he was slipping and he had tried to hide that from her. He had just been dreaming of his beautiful wife when Anneth had found him. When he looked up at her she looked so much like Maeriel, that he thought it was her for a moment. It had been fifty years since his Maeriel had died, and almost fifty four years to the day when he had first laid eyes on her. It had been at Minas Tirith, Maeriel had been in lady Arwen's court when she had wed Aragorn. He had loved her at first sight, and after some persuasion she had come to fall madly in love with him. He had wanted to marry her and start their life together as soon as possible.
Because after all, being an elf she may have had all the time in the world, but he did not and he wanted to make the most of it. Their courtship and betrothal was a whirlwind, causing quite a stir, as they were married only a year after meeting one another. At the end of their first year of marriage they welcomed their daughter into the world. They decided to name her Anneth meaning gift, and Rynan swore that she looked just like her mother, she even had her mothers dark hair. They would sing to her together, and take turns rocking her. Sometimes Rynan would just watch his wife sitting holding their child, the moon casting a pale light on her dark hair. And he couldn't believe that this was his life, and that she was his wife. In his eyes she grew more beautiful each time he saw her, with her fair skin, dark hair, and eyes the color of a summer sky. And then the day came that she told him that she was again with child.
Rynan was so happy he thought he would burst. He counted the weeks until his son would be born, for he was sure it would be a boy and so was Maeriel. Meanwhile, they poured all their love into Anneth, for soon their little daughter would have to share them. Time passed quickly and it was only weeks until Maeriel was due, she enjoyed taking walks in the afternoon, while Rynan was at his duties. She would leave Anneth with a friend and go out to stretch her legs. On one particularly pleasant afternoon she decided to take a different path that would lead near some flowers that she liked. As she rounded a corner, there were some young guards doing target practice. Before she could turn away she startled one and he missed his target. The arrow ricocheted off of a stone wall and struck Maeriel below the chest. Rynan was rushed to her side, and would not leave her. She woke for a moment and reached up and touched Rynan's face and said "Gerich veleth nin" you have my love. She held on for two days before passing and taking her unborn child with her. Rynan was so wrought with grief and anger that they had to hide the young guard for fear that Rynan would kill him. In the end Rynan decided he could not stay in Minas Tirith. He would take his little daughter and live in solitude, and even the King could not convince him otherwise. And so they had lived that way ever since, only going to Ithilien or very rarely to Minas Tirith for supplies. But now, in his old age, Rynan was regretting his decision. When he passed, his daughter would be alone in the world, and it was his fault. He only grew older and she did not. She was an elf.
Though she knew very little of the elvish ways, only what he had been able to tell her. The only Sindarian that she knew was what Maeriel had taught him, and that was limited. He was beginning to realize that he had done an injustice to his daughter, by giving her this life of solitude. As he sat alone in his room, his mind slowly remembering the past and worrying about the future. He began to slip away to other thoughts, and suddenly he couldn't remember what he had been so worried about. Then he heard his daughter's voice calling him to dinner. And Rynan got up and walked to join his daughter, who was waiting to plant a kiss on his cheek.

Anneth couldn't help but notice how quiet her father was at dinner. She knew he was embarrassed that she had found him that way, and that he had called her by her mother's name. She decided that the best thing was just not to mention it,
and let her fathers pride heal. But she sat up long into the night, after her father had retired to bed, thinking about it. She felt totally powerless to help her father. If she could have passed some of her youth onto him she would have. For she still had the brilliance of youth upon her face, and always would. Rynan's mind was slipping more and more often now, and he had to nap frequently throughout the day. Sometimes she would find him just staring blankly at her like he was trying to remember who she was. And then a moment later his eyes would sparkle again and he was almost back to his old self. Anneth finally dozed off in the early morning hours, falling asleep in a small uncomfortable chair near the fire. She was awakened very early by the sound of the horses whinny, and yawned and stretched wondering what could be disturbing them. The few hours that she had slept had been very fitful, and filled with dreams of her mother trying to speak to her words that she couldn't understand. As Anneth looked out towards the stable she saw her father preparing two horses. Anneth ran to him, "Father what are you doing?" He looked at her with a smile on his face, "We are going into Ithilien today,
to get supplies, and fabric to make you a gown." He said matter of factly.
"Father I have no need of a gown, unless it would be only for you to see.
Because I don't think the horses would have an appreciation for it"
"Of course you do! How else will you attend any feasts, and meet a husband"
She wondered were this had come from. "Father I need no other man in my life,
but you. Now come with me." She said taking his hand. "I will make you a lovely breakfast"
"You will not treat me as a child! You are my child!" He boomed. "Now if you do not wish to go, I will go alone." He said as he attempted to mount up on the horse.
Panic striking her, "No father, of course I'll go with you, I just thought you would like breakfast first. I don't feel much like riding today." she said, hoping he would fall for the lie. "Perhaps we can take the wagon"
"Of course, my dear. But lets get going, you go into the house and get dressed"
"Yes, father." She went into the house and changed out of her dress that was wrinkled from the nights sleep. She had no pretty frocks or gowns, she just had very simple dresses that she made herself. For her father had taught her to sew and he knew only the basics. Besides there was no need for frills or decorations, it was rare that anyone but her father saw her anyway. She ran her fingers through her long dark hair and ran out the door. She didn't want to keep her father waiting.