Chapter 9: A Look at the Past
Legolas and Ammie left the city early the next day. They made it to the edge of the woods by nightfall. Legolas set up a camp, while Ammie went to the river to bathe. She couldn't stand herself anymore. She didn't take too long, otherwise Legolas would worry, but she made sure she was clean.
When she returned to the camp, Legolas had some dinner ready. Ammie pulled her hair back so that it wouldn't bother her. Then she whistled.
"Why did you do that?" Legolas asked when she sat down.
"I was calling for Morgwae." She replied taking the food he offered.
"The horse that the Valar gave you?" he inquired still not believing her story.
"As a matter of fact, yes." She answered laughing at his disbelief. "The Valar did give me my horse." She explained when he looked at her. "They created him to help me."
"How do you know that?" he scoffed.
"They told me, when I went to Valinor." She shrugged rising to better hear if the horse was coming.
"What do you mean, when you went to Valinor? No one can come back from the Undying Lands." He said looking up at her.
"I did." She replied softly, "The Valar sent me back. My time had not yet come to leave Middle Earth."
"Well I'm glad they did." He replied pulling her back down.
She laughed and rose again. She needed to listen for Morgwae, if he didn't show up in a few minutes, she would need to whistle for him again. She strained her ears, and then she heard what she was listening for. A few moments later, Morgwae appeared.
"Le abdollen." She told him when he stopped in front of her. "Well, tomorrow we will head for Imladris." She was talking to the horse but Legolas smiled.
"You talk to that horse like he knows where we are going." He laughed.
"He does, probably better than you do." She replied looking over her shoulder.
"Are you up for a ride tomorrow?" she asked a few moments later.
"I am if you are." He said looking at the horse. "Should I get a horse?"
"No I shall ask Morgwae to carry you." She replied strapping her belonging onto the horse.
He rose and went over to her, "Will he let me ride him?" he asked looking into her eyes.
"He will bear anyone I ask him to." She smiled, "He bore Gandalf once, long ago, because I asked him."
Legolas laughed, "When was this?" he asked shaking his head.
"When my mother died." She replied looking back to the horse.
"I'm sorry." He said realizing what he had done.
"There is nothing to be sorry for." She told him looking back at him. "My parents died, you didn't do anything."
"Last time I reminded you of your parents, I got a wet shoulder." He replied shaking his head.
She laughed and sat down by the fire. It was good to have someone besides Morgwae to talk to. Legolas sat down beside her and looked at her profile. She was so beautiful; time had done nothing to her. Her hair was starting to dry into ringlets that framed her face. He reached out and moved a stray curl from her face. She looked at him confused.
"Why did you leave?" he asked looking down at her.
"That is a long tale, one which I am not supposed to tell anyone." She replied looking away. "My father doesn't even know all of it."
"Well I'm not your father." He pointed out, "I want to know, Ammie."
"Please, I am Hawk until we are safe in Imladris." She said moving closer to the fire.
"Why must you be someone else?" he asked trying to understand.
"I will tell you but you can't tell anyone else." She replied pulling her knees to her chest.
"I never do." He said rising and putting his cloak around her.
When he was seated she asked, "Where would you like me to start?"
"From the day I left." He replied looking over at her.
"The day you left." She sighed, "The morning before you left ada and Mithrandir came to my room, they told me I was betrothed and asked me about my dream. Adar said that the lady of light was Galadriel, and I knew I had to see her. So after you left I gathered my belongings and headed to Lothlorien. I stayed there for a few years and learned many things under her guidance. But I knew I couldn't remain there forever so I went on my way. That's when I headed over the sea. Cirdan saw me leave and reported to everyone that I was gone."
"But I didn't stay, the Valar explained my ring and the powers it had. You were right," she paused and looked at her companion, "it is a ring of power. It is a very powerful ring, it contains a Silmaril and has healing powers. It is more powerful than the one ring of Sauron. But they knew I couldn't stay, my purpose hadn't been fulfilled. So I returned. But the Valar warned me that I couldn't be Ammie, I had to assume a new identity. For someone was looking for the girl who had a special ring. So when I came back, I emerged as Hawk."
"I traveled all over, helping people. I was known as Hawk, and everyone knew that if Hawk was fighting, whoever stood against him was soon destroyed. I went to the dwarves, and became friends with Durin. But I had to leave before he woke the terror in Moria. Then I went to the realm of Gondor and was there when the Rohirrim were born. I am also known to the little people of the Shire. And many others know me as well."
"Word evidently reached Imladris for Elrond knew who I was, but he kept my secret from everyone. I think he may have told Gandalf, but no one else. I also think that Galadriel may know who I am."
"Orcs fear me, as do all fell creatures. They want nothing more than to kill the infamous Hawk. But they can't for he is protected by an unseen power. And once he is revealed to them he disappears. Of course when I reveal myself to any fell creature I usually kill some of them and then call Morgwae and escape."
"I am know to almost everyone, for I have been all over. I know all paths of Middle Earth, the obvious and the hidden. But this was my first trip to the city in Mirkwood and many of the places of my childhood I avoid. For if anyone finds out who I am before my time comes, it could be disastrous."
"I try to keep in contact with the wise, but I avoid the white council for I do not trust everyone on it. I was asked once to join but I declined because I would have to tell them all I know, and I can't do that. In fact I'm endangering you by telling you this much." She said biting her lip.
"I don't care" he replied looking into her eyes. "I will be careful with this information."
"I know you will." She continued her tale, "Then about a month ago I returned home, where I became Ammie again after so long as being Hawk. But Elrond had me training a boy, I had to leave because I couldn't handle the dislike he had for me. Now only a few people know that Ammie is back, and I hope to keep it that way." She said finishing her tale.
Legolas rose and gathered wood for the fire. Ammie sat and thought about what she had to do, she didn't want to endanger anyone else. She looked up at Legolas and smiled, no matter what he said he would always be her friend.
Legolas sat back down, "Is that all?" he inquired looking at her.
"For now." She replied quietly.
"Alright. Tell me about before we met." He prodded wanting her to talk again.
"You are too inquisitive for an elf. Are you sure you're not a hobbit?" she asked smiling into the fire.
"Do you dare insult me?" he countered mocking shock.
"No." she said turning to look at him.
"Are you going to tell me about yourself or not?" he asked when she turned back to the fire.
"Alright. I will tell you what I remember." She said laying her head on her knees. "The first thing I really remember is getting my ring." She began, "The old elf came to my house and my nana let him in. He came over to me and slipped the ring on my finger. My mother started to protest but I stopped her, I told her I had to take the ring it was my purpose. Then he left."
"I don't remember much else after that. But when I was seven, orcs attacked and killed my father. I found out later that my mother had been shot. She took me from the house, as the orcs set fire to it, and ran into the woods. We ran for a day and then we hid in a tree. I didn't know what had happened so I wasn't worried. But my mother was and I saw it in her eyes. She tried to hide it but I saw it as clearly as I see you now. Then Mithrandir showed up and he sent me to get water. My mother died while I was gone."
"Mithrandir took me to our stables where Morgwae was. He grabbed something out of the building and we rode to Imladris. I realize now that he grabbed my sword and bow, which belonged to my father." She paused and looked at the sky.
It was hard to remember her parents, but it helped to talk about them. Legolas put his arm around her shoulder and urged her to continue.
"When we reached Imladris, I met Lady Celebrian and Arwen. But Mithrandir left and told me I was to stay. I didn't understand. Arwen and I went to play and the twins showed up." She smiled at the memory of her brothers, "Then Elrond and Celebrian explained that my parents were dead and my home was now in Imladris. I was raised as their daughter. Mithrandir came every year for my birthday and we had a lot of fun on those short visits. But I remained in Imladris."
"The twins and I became very close, even if they weren't around all the time. I remember once, we went out to go hunting, and they planned to get me lost. It was a joke, but it backfired because instead of me becoming lost they did. We separated to 'close in on a deer' and they wandered off. I hadn't seen anything so I waited about an hour for them to show back up and when they didn't I went home. They showed up at dinner time out of breath and weary. They had been so caught up in the joke they forgot to mark their trail and had become lost. But it was worth it to see the look on their face when they saw me. They were so surprised. I had been home for hours and they could tell. We still laugh about that to this day."
"And another time," she was caught up in her musings, "they were teasing me because I was a girl. I wanted to show them that I could do anything they could. So I followed them out to the stables and they grabbed the two fastest horses and took off at a full run. I was furious because I knew that I couldn't catch them on anything left in the stables, so I called Morgwae. He showed up and I followed them, quickly catching up. They were shocked. They had thought they had fooled me but they hadn't. Elladan tried to pull me off but Morgwae would never let me fall. So he moved away sharply and Elladan fell from his horse and landed in the dirt. Elrohir wasn't going to let his brother be humiliated like that by a girl so he tried. He landed right next to his brother. It was great."
"What did they do?" he asked when she paused for a breath.
"They had a little more respect for me after that. But not much. Because one day," she started up again, "they wanted to show off. They invited me to join them at the archery range. They started shooting, I mean they were good, but you know." She rolled her eyes, "Anyway, they offered to let me shoot. I wasn't very good at that point, I was still rather young. I grabbed a bow and aimed very carefully, but I missed the bull's eye by mere inches. It was totally embarrassing. They laughed at me for weeks. But later that same month they tried it again. But what they hadn't seen was my diligent practicing. I practiced every day, when I wasn't eating I was outside shooting. I had gotten very good. But they invited me again and after awhile they let me shoot. It was so humiliating for them when I hit the bull's eye dead center and all they could do was hit the outside of it. They'll never learn." She laughed.
"Are there anymore stories?" Legolas asked when she paused.
"Lots, but I really think we should get some sleep." She replied trying to stifle a yawn.
Ammie rose and handed Legolas back his cloak. Then she took off her own and laid it on the ground by the fire. Legolas did the same on the opposite side. He was asleep after a few minutes, but Ammie couldn't sleep. She knew she needed to, but her thoughts were still going. She shifted positions to get more comfortable. After about an hour of tossing and turning she fell into a dreamless sleep.
