Author's Note: Hey guys! Marie here with chapter one! Thanks for the reviews. By the way, would you like to read a Swan Princess fic by me? It'll be modern day, but it'll still have the original songs (and some other ones…kinda like a Moulin Rouge, if you will) and some things will be changed, and some summers written in detail. Hope you will consider! Sorry for the long ramble. Onward!

Chapter 1

As I grew, the women in Rivendell began to notice me, mostly because of my appearance. They always admired the qualities I had: my softly curly amber-colored hair and my big, gray-blue, slightly almond-shaped eyes. They always said my eyes reminded them of a storm at sea. I just agreed with them, knowing where the real storm was located.

"You look almost the opposite of your sister!" they always said. I would always smile, thinking about my "sister" Arwen. She was my best friend, taking me in as one of their own. She and Papa had told everyone I was his long-lost daughter, and they accepted me immediately, mostly out of sympathy when I was younger. Only Arwen saw me as a person and not a thing that needed pity. That's why I think we became friends so quickly. Because our looks were quite opposite, Arwen was known as Awen Evenstar, and I was Arin Anar, the Morning Sun. Everyone still called me Nienor, though, because Arin Anar was a mouthful and only for formal occasions.

It wasn't only the women that started to notice me, though. The men started to have open eyes as well. None of them ever really said anything because of a hidden talent of mine: I was a fighter, and they knew it. I still had my Mirkwood bow, and it was my constant companion at any fighting match, which were very rare. At archery I was the best in Rivendell, and it was our best-kept secret.

"Good morning, Nienor! Is the Sun a little late in rising lately?" a voice teased one morning.

"Aragorn?" I slowly opened my eyes, meeting a scruffy face leaning over me, smiling like a crazy person. "Estel!" I cried, throwing my arms around him.

"Good to see you again as well, my osellë," Aragorn laughed, returning my hug.

"Why are you here?" I asked, finally releasing him.

"There is to be a council today."

"About?"

"The…the Ring." I tensed up. The Ring of Power had been rumored to have been "awakened" and was in the Shire.

"Is the Ring-Bearer here?" I asked, swinging my legs out of bed so I was sitting up.

"He is recovering. Arwen brought him in a few days ago, and I followed with some of his kin that decided to accompany him."

"Oh? And does Lady Evenstar know of your presence?" Through the stubble on his face, I could see the beginnings of a blush. I knew all abut his and Arwen's relationship. Since Aragorn was essentially a little brother to me, I watched him grow from the adorable toddler I first saw to the wise man sitting in front of me blushing today. I watched his first reaction to Arwen when I introduced them and had to keep myself from laughing as he tried to keep his eyes from bulging out of his head. It was truly the funniest thing I'd ever seen.

"Yes, she does," he replied, still blushing.

"Good. I wouldn't want her getting jealous by you visiting me instead of her," I teased, fishing for a dress. Finding a dark blue one that I liked, I stepped into another room, slipping it on. "Who is all coming to this council?"

"The Ring-Bearer and his uncle, Gandalf."

"Gandalf's here?" I exclaimed, stepping out of the room and looking for my best cloak. Aragorn nodded. Aragorn and I had both spent many hours sitting at the feet of Gandalf the Gray whenever he came to Rivendell, drinking in his wisdom.

"I know that Elrond has requested you to be there, as well as myself."

"Well, let us go." I swung my light blue cloak around my shoulders and followed Aragorn out of my room to the council.

X X X X X

"Oh Valar, look at them all!" I whispered to Aragorn as we walked to find our seats. The council had not begun yet, and there were already people from every race present: Men, Dwarves, a Hobbit, and-of course-Elves. My eyes swept over them, looking for a familiar face and finding none. "I know none of these people save you, Papa, and Gandalf," I quickly whispered.

"More are to come," Aragorn replied, sitting in his appointed seat before lowering his voice. "You must promise not to say anything about my lineage. Understand?"

"Who is coming that should not know?" I asked. Not to be stubborn, just out of curiosity.

"The Steward of Gondor's son."

Ahh. He wouldn't want to know about Isildur's heir, and I completely understood. "Where am I to sit?"

"There. I don't know who will be sitting beside-oh, there he is." An Elf dismounted his horse and came towards his chair as I headed towards mine. I almost faltered in my steps as I saw his face.

"Prince Legolas," I whispered.