Chapter 1

The Ring

**The quest of the Ringbearer is over. He journeyed to the land of Mordor and cast the One Ring of Sauron into the fires of Mount Doom. He did all that was asked of him. But fate played its hand and Sauron exerted the last of his power to save the Ring from destruction. He sent it to another world to await a new bearer, one that would return with it to Middle Earth, thus giving the Dark Lord one more chance to return.**

Kaylen Nogard, eighteen, resident of suburban New York City, walked into the townhouse where she, her sister and mother lived. She kicked off her muddy work boots and shrugged off her jacket in the mudroom. No one would be home for another three hours, so she had time to shower and change after her long workday. Her mother was at her job, a secretary for a hiring agency and her sister was at therapy today; their aunt would keep her over night.

After showering away the barn and animal smell from her body and hair she put on black pants and a gray sweatshirt. She brushed out her long dirty-blonde hair, which fell to her mid back. She sat down at her desk, booting up her computer and the door downstairs opened. She cringed.

"Kay! Come down here!" her mother's shrill voice called up. Kay winced and sighed, resigning herself to her mother's whims. She walked downstairs, the woman, in her late forties, threw her jacket and purse onto the sofa.

"Yeah, mom?" Kay asked, the woman turned.

"I have a date tonight, I want you to clean the house for when he comes, it's a pigsty. He is taking me into town and we wont be back till very later," she said.

"Or very early," Kay mumbled. The mother didn't hear her. "OK, mom, I will. When are you leaving?" she asked.

"Seven."

"I am going into town for a while, I will be back in a few hours," said the girl. The woman stood straight, hands on her hips.

"What do you mean? I said I wanted you to clean," she said in her high, screechy voice.

"I will, but I have some errands to run, school starts again soon, and I wanted to check out the stands for the festival," Kay said and grabbed her shoulder bag and keys from the table. Her mother followed.

"I don't think so, missy. You are staying here and cleaning your mess!" she spat. Kay spun around, glaring.

"My mess? None of this is my mess, you make all of this, you never cook, I make dinner and clean the dishes, I so your laundry. I take my sister to chemo five days out of the week, buy her medicines, do the bills, make half of out income! I drag you liquor soaked ass off the front porch when you come home drunk-" *SMACK*

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" Kay held her cheek as the red hand mark formed. Then she ran out the door, hopping into her little '96 Jetta and tore away. She could see her mother screaming at her in the rearview mirror.

Once she was at least five miles away, Kay slowed down. 'I'm not going to end up like dad, I wont let her do that to me,' she thought and remembered back four years ago.

*Her parents were fighting again; her mom had been drinking and had been thrown out of the bar. Kay's father wanted her to stop, but mom would never listen.

"I wish you would die, then at least I would be able to use the life insurance money!" her mother screamed. Kay huddled upstairs holding her little baby sister. A door slammed and she could hear her dad's truck revving and the tires squealed away. Her mother grumbled downstairs and Kay could hear glass clinking and liquid being poured: mom was into the alcohol again.

The next morning they got the call. Their father had been driving too fast and had gone over a steep hill and hit a tree. The crash was so bad that they'd had to take it apart piece by piece. He had died instantly from hitting his head.

Her mother had shed tears for show and then took the life money graciously and spent it just as fast. Then they were back where they had been.*

Kay drove into the city, parking in a garage where she knew the owner and could park for free. The streets were filled with venders selling food and homemade goods. Others were specialty stands, selling trinkets, watches, leathers, and other such of the like. Kay wasn't planning on buying anything but she looked at the different stands and their objects. There was a festival moving into town and in a few days it would be crowded, but now it was just the regular people walking home from work.

Kay was looking at a stand full of magazines when someone hit her from behind, knocking her off balance.

"Hey!" she turned, ready to give them a few choice words, but then her bag was ripped from her shoulder and tall lanky man ran off with it. Kay cursed and pelted after him. She followed him around a corner and skidded to a halt.

The mugger was on his back on the cement walkway. Another man stood above him, in one hand he held Kay's bag, the other was clenched into a fist.

"Now, you should know better than to try and take advantage of such a lovely young lady," the newcomer spoke in a silky smooth voice. "You had better leave now," he warned. The mugger struggled to his feet and took off downtown. Kay walked over to the man who had helped her. He wore a simple dark gray T-shirt and black pants. His long black hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail.

"Thank you for your help," she said. The man smiled and handed he the bag.

"It was my pleasure, lady. My name is Soren," he held out his hand for hers. Kay shook it, hesitantly.

"These muggers are getting pretty bold," she said and the man nodded. "How can I ever repay you"

"You could come and have a look at my stand, I sell antiques and jewelry, but I am new. Perhaps you could spread the word about me?" he asked. Kay nodded and followed the man around a corner. It was a small stand, compared to the others. There was a wide variety of objects. Crystals on small chains, pocket watches, brooches, small porcelain figurines, music boxes and large array of rings in a locked glass box.

"Oh wow!" she exclaimed. "This stuff is beautiful, I don't think you will have any trouble getting customers." Soren nodded, smiling secretly. As Kay's eyes examined the objects, she missed the intense stare from the man. His face darkened and his eyes began to glow red. Kay felt her eyes being drawn to the rings, and focused on a small gold ring in the center. It almost seemed to be glowing with a secret fire and she became mesmerized. Soren's eyes lost their glow and his face returned to normal. "Can I see that ring?" she asked, pointing to the gold ring.

"Of course," he said in his strangely smooth voice. He stepped behind the counter and unlocked the box. Gingerly, he picked out the ring and handed it to the girl.

Kay took the ring, gently, between her thumb and forefinger. When she touched the cold metal, it felt like fire swept through her mind and body. A feeling of strange power coursed through her, but it faded quickly, leaving her feeling breathless. Blinking, she shook her head to clear it.

"Are you alright?" Soren's voice startled her and she looked up at the man. He was now standing directly before; she had never seen him move.

"Uh, yeah, I guess its just been a hard day," she explained, mentally shrugging off the strange experience as too much stress. Kay looked closely at the ring she held, there was something written on it. It was in a weird language, strange words that she didn't know. "What does it say?" she asked.

"I am not sure. It is some old language, maybe Germanic. Though I think it is poetry," said Soren. Kay nodded.

"How much is this ring?" she asked. Soren looked surprised.

"That one? I never priced it, no one was interested in it. Maybe you would like one of the others…" he began. Kay shook her head.

"No, this one," she stated, firmly. Soren nodded.

"Well, you can have it for free in return for telling others about my stand," he answered.

"I couldn't…"

"I insist," he paused. "Try it on," he offered. Kay hesitated, looking at her hands. On her right ring finger was her father's college ring; on her left was his wedding band. Her mother was going to sell both, but she saved them and kept them for herself. She never took them off her fingers.

"These were my fathers, I cant – won't – take them off," she said.

"All right, here," he held out a silver chain, slipping it through the ring and then went around her to clasp it about her neck. While behind her, his eyes glowed again and the chain flared with a quick red light and then it was gone. "There, perfect," he murmured. Kay held the ring in her palm, then let it go o it hung over her breast. She looked back up at Soren, never once suspecting a thing.

"Thank you, Soren. I'll be sure to spread the word about you stand. I got to get home though," she said. The man nodded and shook her hand again.

"It was certainly a pleasure meeting you, Kaylen," he said. Kay smiled and turned, jogging away to her car. She didn't see the red glow in his eyes, nor the dark smile upon his lips. She didn't see him and his stand fade away into the shadows. And it was not until she was back at her car, that she realized that she had never told him her name….

A/N – well, here I am starting another one of my usually strange and rather random fics….heh. Tell me what you think! Should I continue? Is it a bad idea? REVIEW ME!! and tell me what you think! ~ Authoress