Author's note: I apologise for the delay in updating I was busy, and before you all start complaining, one of the things I was busy with was learning to use a sword and a pole axe. I've even got my own sword. It's blunt, but I'm sure I could beat you to death with it and if that fails I can use my maths file, that's very heavy.

In case you haven't got the point (which wouldn't be surprising given how blunt the sword is) you'd better review.

***

Aragorn picked himself up off the ground and instantly went to check Sam was all right. He'd struck his head, but he was alive, and even now was stirring. Satisfied that Sam would recover, he decided he had more pressing matters to attend to.

He ran in the direction Pippin had taken, his mind racing over the past few minutes. He couldn't understand why the horses had acted as they had, and the only theory he had was one he really hoped was wrong.

It didn't take him long to find Merry, standing dazed in a circle of dead trees and plants. They'd passed this way only a few minutes earlier, and everything had been fine. Aragorn knew that whatever Reyalla had done was more serious than simply making Pippin think he could trust her.

"Merry," he said quietly, "what happened? What did this?"

"Pippin," Merry replied, confirming Aragorn's fears. "He's gone back to her." Merry didn't turn to face Aragorn. He just stood there, staring after Pippin.

"We have to stop him."

"No," Merry said. For a few moments Aragorn was too shocked to say anything, so Merry continued. "I'm not sure if what he's done is right, but it's his choice. We have to let him go, and just hope he comes back." Merry's voice was choked with emotion, and when he finally turned to face Aragorn, tears were filling his eyes.

Aragorn did the first thing that came to his mind, and pulled Merry into a hug.

***

Pippin had run a long way, and knew he should be tired. Somehow he wasn't, just as the pain in his head had gone so had all need of rest. He was stronger than he'd ever been before, healthier, more aware.

And yet he wished he could go back to what he had been.

He slowed to a walk and passed through the gate of the wall surrounding Reyalla's home. His home, a small part of him tried to say, but the greater part of his mind silenced it. This place would never be his home, only his prison until the day he could cast aside Reyalla's 'gift' and returning to his true home.

"So you've come back," a sneering voice said. He turned to see the girl standing there, Reyalla's daughter.

"You should have stayed gone," she continued, "you're not wanted here."

"I don't want to be here either," Pippin said.

"Then go."

"I can't." As he said it, Pippin knew that his last chance was gone. He wouldn't be able to walk away again for a very long time, maybe not ever. He could still turn back, he told himself, even as his feet carried him to Reyalla's house, he could still leave. But he knew it was a lie.

He strode into Reyalla's hall. The posts with their chains had gone, the blood washed from the floor. But Pippin remembered. He knew what this place represented, what it would always mean.

Reyalla sat there, as though waiting for him, and Gandalf stood beside her.

"I want to know what you've done to me," Pippin said, "and I want to know why."

Gandalf looked at Reyalla, as though for her permission, then began to speak. "When the Valar created Middle Earth, they knew it had to be protected. Five Maia were sent to defend this world, and the people on it. Each had his or her own areas of expertise. It was decreed by the Valar, that those whose task it is to govern living things would be born to mortal bodies."

"They can die?"

"Not exactly. Maia spirits are immortal, but the bodies they dwell in can grow old and pass away. Radagast the Brown, who cares for the birds and creatures, and Reyalla the Green, who cares for the plants are the only two who do grow old. But rather than leave Middle Earth without protection, another Maia spirit will be born into a mortal body."

"You think that I'm a Maia?" Pippin could have laughed at the statement, or might have considered Gandalf mad, if it weren't for the expression on his face.

"None of us knew the race which the Maia would be born to. At first we assumed he would be human."

"I have been searching for almost a hundred years," Reyalla said, "searching for one I could train to replace me when I die. My lifespan is long, longer even than the Dunadain in the height of their power, but I know my autumn is upon me."

"I sensed something when I was with the Fellowship," Gandalf said, "a spirit of great power held in check. You."

"It's not possible," Pippin said. But even as he said it, his mind ran back over the things that had happened. Great powers.

"I never asked for this."

"No one does."

"If it's true," Pippin asked, "how could I not know?"

"Can you imagine a child, growing up with the powers of a Maia?" Gandalf asked, "A child who can't understand much of the world around him, given the ability to manipulate plants, even living creatures?" Pippin could imagine. He'd remembered as a young hobbit, after being punished by his parents for bad behaviour, wishing he could make them disappear. If he'd had any sort of power then, he probably would have done something terrible to them. He nodded.

"I will stay and learn what you can teach me," Pippin said, "but this doesn't change a thing. I hate you, for what you've done to me and my friends."

He turned to walk away, but Gandalf placed a hand on Pippin's shoulder. A hand easily shrugged off. "I hate you too, for letting her do it." With that, Pippin walked out of the room into his new life.

THE END!!!

Author's note: I started writing this when I was wondering about the Maia who aren't mentioned in LotR. Tolkien says there are five but only three feature in the story, and Radagast is barely even mentioned. I figured the reason Saruman went evil was because he was cut off from the world, he was never part of Middle Earth. So I wondered what would happen if a Maia could grow old, what would happen when they died? Obviously, they'd need an apprentice.

I hope you liked my story. There may be a sequel, it all depends on my muse.