(A.N. This story is about Azra. I will diverge significantly from the canon, so you have been warned. I know the differences are there and it's to further Azra's character, not the plot. I ask you to take it as more of a characterization fic than a fic about LotR. Thank you.)
I was not born evil. But then again, no one is born truly evil. I was born in the year 3416 of the Second Age in a village on the edges of Mordor. Mordor was not then what it is now. It was a wasteland where not even the bravest men would venture. The mountains were high and there was little water. We had all that we needed at the foot of the mountains and it was a good life.
I have long since forgotten my parents' names, but I was their first child. They named me Azra after the mighty goddess of war. It was an ironic name for I was far from warlike. After eight years, Katu and Angath had been born. Life settled into a gentle routine. Then came my eighteenth year.
"Katu, help your sister with that washing. She cannot carry it all by herself," my mother said. Fourteen year old Katu grudgingly got up and helped me with the load I was carrying.
"Next time it is Angath's turn," she mumbled as we walked out to the pond.
"You complain too much," I said.
"Don't you ever want to go out with father and hunt? Or climb trees? Washing is so dull," she said.
"Why would you want to do any of that? Climbing trees does nothing to keep a house in order," I said. Katu sighed.
"Don't you ever want any adventure?" she asked.
"Adventure means something bad is happening," I told her, dumping the clothes into the pond.
"You accept too much, Azra," she said.
"Your time will come," I said. We settled into silence as we did the washing. I marveled at my sister's interest in conquering the world. I had never had any interest in leaving the village. Hunting was for the men and climbing trees was for little boys. What I did not see then in Katu was her spirit. A spirit that made her beautiful. All I saw then was childish silliness.
We fished the clothes out of the pond and carried them back to the cottage. Katu immediately went back in, leaving me to hang the wet clothes on the line. As I was working, I looked up into Mordor. I saw something strange. Smoke was rising from behind the mountains. For as long as I could remember, nothing even moved in Mordor. I shrugged it off. It had been a dry summer. Perhaps some trees had caught fire. I finished my work and went inside, not giving it a second thought.
"Did you finish all the washing?" Mother asked.
"Yes and it is hanging just as you asked," I said.
"Katu, help me with supper. Azra, go find Angath. I have not seen her all day," Mother said.
"Yes," I said and went back outside. Angath had a gift for wandering off when no one was looking. She was perfectly silent sometimes, a rare trait for a twelve year old. I looked up at the mountains again as I went looking for my littlest sister. The smoke was still there. If anything, it had moved. I focused on it nearly the whole way to the stable. I tripped over a few roots on the way.
"There you are," I said. Angath was petting one of the horses.
"He was lonely," she said.
"I'm sure. Tell him you'll be back after supper. Mother is looking for you," I said, shooing her out.
"Why is there smoke?" she asked when we got a clear view.
"I don't know. I think some trees caught fire," I said.
"Trees don't make that color smoke," she said.
"What color smoke do they make?" I asked, not really believing her.
"That is black smoke. Trees make white smoke," she said.
"I'm sure it is nothing," I told her. "Black or white it is not our concern." She didn't look convinced, but did not press the issue. Supper passed quietly as did the rest of the evening. It was just like every other night in our home. At least, that was how it seemed.
I woke just before dawn to screaming. It was a terrible sound. I nearly had to cover my ears. I got up out of bed and went looking for my sisters. Katu and Angath came running out of their room with their hands over their ears.
"What's happening?" Katu asked.
"I have no idea," I said. Mother and Father came out of their bedroom. We all headed for the door and looked out.
People were running everywhere. The other end of the village was burning. A sea of grotesque creatures were running people down and slaughtering them. I was rooted to my spot. War had come to our village. A war that would change my life forever.
"Take the children and run," Father said to Mother. She nodded and pulled the three of us out of the house. Father went to meet the beasts head on with the other men of the village. I did not see it, but I know he died quickly.
The beasts were faster than we had anticipated. They were upon us almost as soon as we got out the door. They caught Angath first. Mother grabbed her and one killed them both with one stroke. I screamed and Katu grabbed onto me.
"Come on," she said. We were almost to the end of the village when another caught Katu. I tried to wrestle her away from it, but it was no use. I closed my eyes as it killed her. I began running again and prayed to whatever god was listening to spare me. I tripped in a hole and went crashing to the ground. That was when I saw him.
He stood nearly nine feet tall with full battle armor. His helmet alone looked to be as long as my arm. He wielded a mighty mace and on his right hand was a ring. I closed my eyes and waited for the killing blow, but it did not come. Instead, he stood over me and stared at me.
"What is your name?" he asked in a resonant voice.
"A...a...zra," I stuttered. He held out his hand and I took it. He helped me up. I was terrified that at any second he would kill me.
"Go to the Black Gate. The orcs will not hurt you," he said. I had no idea where the Black Gate was and I was not about to ask. He seemed to be reading my thoughts.
"Dror! Gimbrakh! Take her to the Gate," he said. Two of the beasts came over and took me by my arms. They were even more horrifying up close. I wished he hadn't ordered them to take me.
"As you wish, Master," one said. They led me out of the village and toward Mordor. As I looked up, I could see the smoke was gone. Soon I would see what other things lay in the land of Mordor and begin my journey.
Mordor smelled of sulfur and ash. At first it was nearly overpowering. I had to suppress several gags. Dror, the smaller one on my left, heard me.
"You'll get used to the smell," he said. I nodded and took a deep breath.
"Tell those lazy maggots on the Gate to let us in," he said to Gimbrakh. Gimbrakh took out his horn and let out a low trumpet. We waited a few seconds and the gigantic gate lurched open. It took hardly anything for the three of us to get in comfortably.
"What'd you bring her in for?" an orc on the other side said when he saw me.
"Lord Sauron told us to bring her 'ere and we 'ave. Jus' followin' orders," Gimbrakh said.
"Take her up then," he said. That's when I saw it. Barad-dur stood about a mile away. It was the most imposing thing I'd ever seen in my life and it would be my home for the next three millennia.
