Reposted to correct typos

A/N: Well here it is, the preview of my first story. Could use a Beta Reader if anyone's up for it. First chap is a bit short as I haven't yet tackled the Council of Elrond.

This is going to be an A/U, obviously, and will be partially book and partially movie based. Still debating if when the time comes Boromir will die and Nitara's life go on from there or if we'll be seeing more of Denethor's eldest son. Please r/r, I welcome honest opinions and critiques. Flamers suck. On that note, here we go!J

DISCLAIMER: I own only Nitara and her forest. Actually Tolkien might even own the forest since its in his world…but I own its name if I ever get around to naming it! Yep, the rest is Tolkien's.

Chapter 1.

Nitara frowned a bit as yet another elf brushed past her in the corridor. It had been too long since she had spent time among any sort of people, preferring her solitude in the forests. Still, Aragorn had asked her to come, had told her she needed to hear what was to be said tomorrow. She snorted a bit at the thought. What did he know what she needed? The only thing she could think was that her friend believed that someone at the council could help her with her…problem. Another small snort at that thought. Orcs! In HER forest! Loathsome, stinking, foul creatures that they were. Trampling her saplings, murdering her animals. She'd been unable to frighten them off with her usual display--and disturbed to find that the displays seemed to be her only line of defense now.

Retreating back into her room, she decided she wasn't ready to face the crowds just yet, staying instead where she felt safe. Lord Elrond had kindly allowed her to 'modify' her rooms. Now vines and flowers covered the walls, soft moss carpeted the floor. A tree, short, but sturdy enough to support her weight in its branches, even grew near the doors that opened onto a private balcony. The only thing she had left alone was the bed. She would allow herself that luxury for the brief time she would be here. Sinking into the soft blankets, she closed her eyes, letting herself slip into her dreams. Tomorrow would be soon enough to deal with reality.

She rose before the sun, greeting the dawn from the balcony as she sipped a tea prepared from herbs she'd brought with her on her journey. The hot liquid soothed her shattered nerves as she basked in the early morning glow. Her dreams had been strange, leaving her rattled and confused. They hadn't been particularly unpleasant, only that they stirred feelings foreign to her. It had been happening a lot lately. All she could remember when she woke up was a pair of eyes, their depths ranging from the grey of a summer storm to the green of a forest glade, leaving her with a longing she couldn't explain.

The tea had a secondary purpose--her stomach was rebelling. It had happened a lot since she arrived in Rivendell. It was the same feeling she had when she'd found the orcs within her borders, only many times stronger. The worst moment had been when four small people--Arwen had told her they were called "hobbits"-- went running past her balcony while she sat in her tree. She had nearly fallen, doubled over with pain as the nausea overcame her.

A gentle knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts and she called out for whoever was there to enter.

"Good morning!" Arwen smiled as she made her way out to the balcony. "I wanted to make sure you were alright…we were worried when you missed the feast last night." Nitara knew she shouldn't have worried Arwen like that. She and Aragorn were the only real friends she had, aside from her forest companions. They were the only ones among those who even knew of her small forest that she'd allowed to stay within.

"Forgive me, my friend….I was not ready to face the crush in the hall yet." A small shiver went through her at the thought.

Arwen nodded, understanding the problem. She well remembered the first few times she had met the Nitara, how the girl had been wary of her presence in the wood, despite sensing that she met no harm. It had been worse when she first brought Aragorn. Nitara had nearly taken his head off at first. "Father says the council will be today…"

"Early, from what Aragorn told me yesterday. I suppose I should ready myself." She sighed and slipped down from her tree branch.

"I'll see you at dinner then. I know you'll have much to think about, but I insist that you eat tonight…" Arwen hugged the girl and stepped from the room. With a small sigh, Nitara turned her attention to the clothing she'd brought with her. What did one wear to this sort of thing? Most of her clothing consisted of practical things she had created herself, a few items left behind by frightened poachers, and one or two things that had been gifts from Arwen and Aragorn. Truth be told she probably would never bother with clothing, if she hadn't learned early on that some parts of her the human form were a bit delicate.

She chose a simple forest green gown, cut in the style of the elves, a gift brought by Arwen on her last visit. Nitara had protested, telling Arwen there was no need for such a thing in the forest, but the elder girl had insisted, telling her to save it, at the very least, for when she would come to Rivendell. At the time, Nitara's look had implied that she thought Arwen had truly lost her mind, as the forest dweller never thought to journey so far from her home.

Stepping back out onto the balcony, she watched the elves passing through the gardens below. Smiling, she noted that Arwen and Aragorn had found a quiet bench to sit and talk for the moment. Arwen seemed different to her, here among her people. She was used to the Arwen that rode out with the rangers, her hair neatly contained in a braid, wearing breeches and a tunic. Now she saw the other side of her friend. The gowns, the flowing hair. More feminine. Nitara's hand moved to her own hair, carefully weaved and braided after her bath yesterday, hanging no lower than her shoulders. For a moment she debated letting it loose, but quickly decided against it.

Harsh voices snapped her out of her thoughts. Frowning, Nitara looked down just below her balcony and saw two men. The taller, a man with straight, dark blond hair, looked up and smirked when he spotted her. "My lady…" he acknowledged. Nitara shuddered, there was something about this man that struck her wrong. He reminded her of the arrogant hunters she'd chased from her forest…and yet, his eyes disturbed her somehow. Shivering, he forced a smile and retreated back into her room.

Boromir frowned as he watched the young woman retreat inside. What was a human woman doing in Rivendell? Aside from his own men the only human he had seen was a scruffy looking ranger, who happened to be paying an unseemly amount of attention to the Lady Arwen. Did this one belong to him? If so, she deserved better in his mind. The sunlight had made her hair look as honey mixed with pure flames, her eyes golden. Her skin was unusually dark for a woman's, but he supposed if she were traveling with the ranger, the man probably hadn't made sure she was protected from the harsh rays of the sun.

Shaking his head, he clapped his companion's shoulder and continued on his way to the council.