Chapter 10 A decision

Mariell lay on the bed in the room she had been given. Her future was uncertain at this point. Everyone she had grown up with was either
gone or going on a dangerous quest to Mordor. She had no place. She could not return to the Shire. Elrond had offered to let her stay in

Rivendell but she didn't think that was right for her either. For the first time in her life she didn't know what to do next. "Come in," she

called to the knock on the door. The door opened to reveal Gandalf. She turned away from him and stared at the wall.

"What do you want?" she said coldly. She'd never spoken to the wizard this way but she was very angry with him.

"You are upset with me," he stated.

"Why didn't you tell me my mother was an elf?" she asked him still staring at the wall.

"There was a reason I did not tell you about your parents, Mariell. But I cannot tell you now. In time you will learn the truth"

"I'm tired of waiting Gandalf. I want to know who I am"

"You are Mariell Baggins of the Shire," he said. "Adopted daughter of Bilbo Baggins and sister of the Ringbearer, Frodo Baggins."

Mariell turned to scowl at him.

"That's only who I thought I was. Now I'm just a nobody with no past and no future." Gandalf laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I cannot yet tell you of your past, Mariell. But it is your future I wish to discuss with you. I think you should go with Frodo to Mordor."

Mariell stared at the wizard as if he had grown a second head.

"Go to Mordor?" Mariell said incredulously. "Facing more danger, and the chance to get killed. No, I won't go"

"Not even for Frodo?" Gandalf asked her. Mariell's fist clenched. If the wizard was trying to make her feel guilty it wasn't going to work.

"Frodo doesn't need me. He has Strider, and Legolas and the others to protect him"

"Frodo does need you Mariell. Maybe not in the way you think but he does need you. This will not be an easy quest for him. Not just

because of the physical danger. It is a great burden that Frodo takes on. It will drain him. He will need your strength to get him through

it." Mariell considered this for a long time. She thought of the haunted look in Frodo's eyes as he carried the ring, the pain she had seen

when the ring had been struck by Gimli's ax. She thought of the ring calling to Frodo, tempting him, destroying him. She couldn't let him

face that alone, she wouldn't.

"All right Gandalf. I will go on the quest. But understand that I go for Frodo's sake alone"

"Very well," Gandalf said. "You'd best change into different attire." Mariell looked down and realized she still wore Arwen's gown. This

would not do at all. Surely, her clothes were ready by now.

"Do you still have Navia?" Gandalf asked her. Mariell nodded and retrieved her sword from the chair it lay on.

"You best take it to one of the weaponers. They will sharpen it for you." Gandalf stood then and left the room. Mariell gripped Navia by

its hilt and swung it back and forth. There was a time when she couldn't imagine using the sword in battle. What had she gotten herself

into?

Aragorn was worried. He worried for the fellowship certainly. They would face much danger before the ring would be destroyed. As

long as the ring was in their possession the enemy would be drawn to them. But that was not what worried him most. He had sworn to

protect Frodo but would he be able to? The ring was seductive and cunning. It had taken his ancestor. Would it take him? Would he be

able to resist it? He did not know. He walked through the halls of the palace in search of Mariell. The fellowship would be leaving soon

and he wanted to tell her goodbye. To his surprise he found her in her original clothing, hair pulled into a braid, stuffing items into a pack.

Her sword lay freshly sharpened on the bed beside her.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked her. He saw her back stiffen but she did not turn around. "Gandalf thinks I should go with

you to Mordor." This surprised him greatly. What could Gandalf be thinking, bringing a woman along on this quest? Surely he knew of

the danger and though Mariell had some skill with a blade it would not protect her against the dangers they were sure to face.

"That is not a good idea," he said. Mariell still did not look at him but continued to stuff her pack.

"Well, it's not really your decision is it, Strider, or Estel, or Aragorn or whatever your name is?" She was angry. He could understand.

For someone who had had secrets kept from her all her life, him keeping his identity secret could only fuel the fire of her anger.

"I have many names I go by. I told you my name was Strider because it is how I'm known in Bree"

"And in our travels together, you just forgot to mention that you are Isildur's heir?" she snapped. Aragorn hung his head.

"It is not something I share openly. I'm not exactly proud of my heritage." She turned at this point to look at him. "Well, it is still not your

decision," she said.

"Mariell I don't want you to go. It's dangerous. I cannot protect you from the danger we will encounter." Mariell glared at him.

"I do not need you to protect me. I can take care of myself." She attempted to brush past him and he seized her wrist.

"I don't want anything to happen to you. I can't bear the thought of you getting hurt." Her eyes stared back at him in wonder. He was in

wonder himself. He didn't understand the effect she was having on him. She was beautiful, that was certain. When he saw her in Arwen's
dress sitting on the swing in the garden he'd been in awe. But he'd seen women more beautiful than her in his time and had not been so

enraptured. There was just something about her that had captured him. He'd come very close to kissing her in the garden had Elladan not
interrupted when he did. He did not want her with him on this quest. It wasn't only that she would be in danger. He could not protect

Frodo if he was caught up with his feelings for Mariell.

"Let go of me," she winced. With a feeling of guilt he realized that he'd been holding her wrist rather tightly and released her. "Forgive

me," Aragorn said, "I care about you Mariell. I don't want anything to happen to you." She seemed to soften a little.

"I understand that Strider, I mean Aragorn. But there's nothing for me here in Rivendell. I can't go back to the Shire not that I want to.

Frodo is all I have. He needs me as much as I need him. I may not be able to protect him but I need to be with him. Do you understand

that?" He did. As much as he hated it, the decision was not his. He gently took her hand and raised it to his lips. Her eyes widened as he

kissed her hand.

"You have strength little one," he said. "I only pray it will last."