((A/N I know it is weird timing - but just make the time between Aragorns coronation and the last ship from middle earth a little bit longer than it should be. (: ))
Disclaimer: Everything LotR belongs to JRR Tolkien, with the exception ofMarilla and hersisters, of which Marilla belongs to me, and the sisters belong to my RPG sisters, who have willingly allowed my use of them in this story. Also, the idea of an Airbender, of which you will find out later, comes from Mike Di Martino, Bryan Konietzko andAaron Ehasz - thecreatorsof Avatar: the last airbender. I justput everything together and make it look good!
Prologue
My whole life, I have been overlooked. The immense beauty of the twins, Annerueth and Isteleth, has always somewhat left me in the shadows. My little sister, Giraen, has more human beauty to her, so she is always thought to be just as beautiful as the twins. My little brother Eldarion is probably the only person who really understands me, as he and I have been inseparable for quite some time.
Our family has been split. Not because my mother and father don't love each other, because there is no doubt that they don't, but because of my sisters and brother. Something about the six children… it is too dangerous for us all to be together.
I know what you are thinking now – six children. I have only named five.
There was another...
Erulisse, born only a few years after the twins, was beautiful beyond measure, and quite brilliant. When I was barely two years old, the twins and she were playing by the river in Rivendell during one of our visits. Something happened, and she was lost. The twins ran home, calling for Ada and Naneth. Search parties were sent out, and for the next year, the entire land of Rivendell was on the lookout for her.
So, now we come to me.
I am Marilla, fourth daughter of Arwen Evenstar and Aragorn; heir of Isildur and this is my story.
Part 1
Someone caressing my cheek waked me from my dreamless sleep. I opened my eyes to see my mother staring down at me. I smiled and sat up.
"This might seem strange, but I am leaving. I don't know when I'll be back. I'm taking Asfaloth with me. Take care of yourself and don't get into any trouble while I'm gone. Don't come looking for me." I rubbed my eyes and realized that she was wearing her gray and purple riding clothes and the top part of her hair was pulled back into a small braid to keep it out of her face.
"Alright, be careful," I replied, giving her a hug. She smiled and kissed me on the cheek.
"You are so much like your father," she stated. She had rarely ever spoken of my father and to tell you the truth, I hadn't seen him since I was only a few years old and didn't even remember who he was or what he looked like. Mother got off of my bed and strode out the door. I think I should go riding to the river today I thought. I jumped off my bed and ran over to my closet, pulled out my riding clothes and put them on. I looked in the mirror and saw what would appear to be a 13-year-old girl, although I was not. It was strange; I seemed to age faster than all of the other elves my age. I noticed that the silver and royal blue on my robes accented my wavy, waist length brown hair and my silver eyes. I smiled as I ran to the other side of my room, grabbed my riding boots, and pulled them on. I then crossed the gray stoned floor to the window to call my eagle, Moonbeam. After a small whistle, the small eagle flew over to me and landed on my arm and I stroked his soft golden feathers. He perched himself on my shoulder and I turned and skipped out of the door. I made it all the way to the grand hall but was stopped by my grandfather (Elrond, for those of you that can't put two and two together for yourselves) and Gandalf the gray wizard, who had been visiting for a few days.
"How are you this fine morning, Meleth?" Elrond asked.
"Perfect, as always grandfather. Um, what are all the tables for?" I replied, looking into the dining hall behind him.
"We are going to have a council in a few days."
"Oh! Who's coming? Are Legolas and Antien coming? I haven't seen them in FOREVER! I have to show them my new spot that I found in the woods! And we'll have to play hide-and-go-seek like we did last time they came over and-" By then I was practically jumping up and down, showing my apparent youth. Both Gandalf and my grandfather were howling with laughter. I mockingly put my hands on my hips and made the angriest face that I could manage, causing the two of them to laugh even harder.
"Yes...coming" My grandfather managed to say through spouts of laughter.
"Why don't you help us set the tables, Marilla?" Gandalf said after laughing for a few minutes. Gandalf was the only person that called me by my real name, other than my mother when I was in trouble.
"Of course, I'll be glad to." I replied, hoping that I would get a chance to see some of Gandalf's magic.
After helping set the long tables and Gandalf's promise of Fireworks later that night, I asked "Can I go riding to the river?"
"Yes. Follow the rules. Stay to this side of the river and be back before dinner." Elrond said as I ran out of the hall.
Once I stepped outside, I could feel a hard breeze hit my face and fling my hair out behind me in all directions. A perfect day for riding I thought as Moonbeam rustled his feathers and spread his wings as wide as he could without hitting my face. I turned to the path that led to the stables and started to run. I could feel Moonbeam's talons leave my shoulder and take flight. It was a sort of tradition for us to race to the stables although he always ended up winning because I had to climb down several flights of stairs. I reached the doors to the stables and was amazed to see that they were open. I waved the thought away and walked over to the very last stable. Moonbeam was perched on the gate, but past him, my eyes rested on a very familiar sight. My mare, Silverthorne, was walking over to me, the silver flecks in her white coat shimmering as she gracefully moved from the pasture door to the gate. I opened the gate, Moonbeam landing onto my shoulder once again, and led her out. I took off her lead and gracefully lifted myself onto her bareback.
"Hey girl, do you want to go to the river?" I asked her. She whinnied and shook her glimmering mane in agreement and the three of us dashed out of the stables into the golden light of the sun, Moonbeam once again leaving my shoulder and flying above our heads. Once we reached the northernmost part of the river, I dismounted Silverthorne. I walked over to a tall and sturdy oak tree, and carefully placing my feet in hidden crevices, I climbed to the top to the small wooden landing that I had made the previous summer
As I stepped onto the platform, a large golden ray of sunlight hit my face, quickly followed by a strong gust of cold wind. Moonbeam perched himself on a nearby branch, and I instantly reached my hand out and stroked his soft, glistening feathers. I heard Silverthorne whinny rather loudly below me, so I looked down about fifty feet to the ground and instantly froze in horror. A large wave was passing by, the crest of it enchanted to look like a band of horses. I recognized it as the defense to stop any black magic from attempting to cross the river and enter the valley of Rivendell. I looked down to Silverthorne and jumped off of the tree, landing in a crouch on the ground right next to her. I looked up to Moonbeam, who surprisingly was already following the wave, screeching as if trying to scare all of the evil away. I hurriedly jumped onto Silverthorne's back and yelled "Niro Lim, Silverthorne!" and the two of us were off as fast as we could down the riverbank. My heart was beating so hard in my head that I could hardly hear Silverthorne's hooves hitting the rocky earth. She was running so fast that we quickly caught up with the horse-wave and passed it. We made it to the crossing and I saw my mother on Asfaloth, holding her sword abroad, and facing nine riders, cloaked in black and faceless. "NO!" I shouted, accompanied by a threatening screech from Moonbeam and a loud whinny from Silverthorne. The riders all turned what would have been their faces towards me, just in time for the gigantic wave to hit, all the water-horses rearing up as the black riders were swept down the river. I turned to my mother to see her dismounting Asfaloth and setting a bundle down on the ground. Moonbeam landed on my shoulder as I steered Silverthorne over to Mother. At once I realized that something was very wrong with the creature wrapped in this bundle. I dismounted Silverthorne and asked, "Oh my, what happened?" She did not reply, but grabbed the bundle and started rocking it, whispering words of encouragement to hold on as a silent tear ran down her flawless cheek.
I got down on my knees next to my mother as she set the small creature back on the ground. I realized in an instant that this was no ordinary creature. It was half a head smaller than me and it had the strangest look in its eyes.
My mother finally turned to me with tear striped cheeks. "Meleth, why did you follow me? That is not important now, I cannot go any further. Take him to your grandfather as fast as you can. Use Asfaloth, if he has any strength left. May you ride on the wings of the wind."
Even though I was about the same size as the creature, I lifted it onto Silverthorne's back and propped it against her neck. I looked back over to my mother to realize that she had collapsed, unconscious, onto the ground and Asfaloth was trying to wake her up by rubbing his nose on her forehead. A man in scraggly looking clothes ran across the river shouting "Arwen!" and ran over to her side. He instantly grabbed her hand and sat her up, wrapping his arms around her and cradling her.
I turned to the man and yelled "What are you doing? She needs to get to my grandfather right away! Take Asfaloth, if hell let you ride him! Follow me!" I lifted myself onto Silverthorne's back, placing the creature between me and Silverthorne's neck. I turned to see that the man had already placed my mother onto Asfaloth's back and with one leap he was behind my mother in the saddle with a very confused look on his weather beaten face. "Niro Lim! We must leave now!" I yelled at him before Silverthorne raced off on the path towards Rivendell.
Silverthorne apparently understood the urgency of the situation, although I did not, for she was running so fast, I couldn't even hear her hooves hit the soft earth. I looked over my shoulder at the man to see that he was pushing Asfaloth to run just as fast as Silverthorne was and that was after the immense running that the great steed had done earlier that day. I was amazed that this man, apparently a ranger, could control one of the mightiest steeds in all of the elven stables.
Silverthorne ran right into the grand hall and stopped abruptly in front of my flabbergasted grandfather. "Meleth, what are you-" he tried to make out, but then the man came in to the hall on Asfaloth and grandfather saw that Arwen was unconscious.
The ranger dismounted "Is Gandalf here?"
"Yes I - In the name of Ebereth! What happened?" He said, looking at the creature sitting in front of me.
As Gandalf walked over to the creature, the ranger spoke up, "We were attacked on Weathertop by the Nazgul and he was stabbed by the Witch King of Agmar. I tried to heal him, but it was in vain, all I did was keep him from crossing over as fast. He is on the brink and he needs your help."
Grandfather looked at the creature that was now in Gandalf's arms and looked to me. "Marilla, can we use your room? It has the only bed small enough for him."
"Of course," I replied.
Grandfather smiled and said "Take care of her while I'm busy," before he ran off down the long hall towards my room, with Gandalf following closely behind with the creature. I turned to Asfaloth and the man. He was looking me up and down with the strangest look on his face.
"Who are you?" He asked me.
"That doesn't matter now. We need to get her some help." I reached for Asfaloth's reins, but the man grabbed my arm and looked me in the eye.
"Fine. My name is Meleth. Please let go of my arm so I may go help my mother." At this he just stared at me in amazement.
"What? Will you please let go of my arm?" I said, pulling my arm away and leading Asfaloth down the corridor to my mother's room, leaving the ranger dumbstruck in the hall.
I reached my mother's room, which was immensely larger than mine and had a great view out of the window. I led Asfaloth over to the bed, positioned so I could slide my mother off of his back and strait onto the squishy bed. I guided my unconscious mother off of the great horse's back and after propping her up on some pillows; I heard the door open but realized it was just the ranger. Why is he so concerned about mother? I wish he would just leave me alone I thought, but I figured that he could stand there as long as he wanted as long as he didn't interfere with my work.
I walked over to the window where Moonbeam had perched himself in the sun. "Now Moonbeam, I need you to go find me some Ethalas. Can you do that for me?" I asked, which was replied with a loving nip at my finger and a small chirp before flying off to the woods. I looked back over to the ranger, somewhat irritated, "Will you at least make yourself useful and go fetch some hot water for me?"
"As you wish, Meleth," He replied before racing out of the room. "Good riddance." I remarked to myself, going over to the fountain to wash my hands. I ran over to my mother who had gone ghastly pale and felt her forehead. She's so cold. How could this have happened? I stripped her of her clothes and put her in her sleeveless nightgown. I hope that ranger comes back with that- but my thought was interrupted as he burst through the door with a bowl of steaming hot water and a sponge.
"I thought you might need this too" he told me as he brought them over to me. "Thank you. Now will you help me move her to the ground onto this blanket? I'm afraid of hurting her on the floor." I commented as I laid a waterproof sheet down next to the bed. The man strode over to mother and, as though she were a baby, picked her off of the bed and laid her on the sheet. "What could have done this?" I asked under my breath, examining her face and hands.
"It was those black riders. Do you know what they are?" He asked me, drawing my eyes to his. I shook my head and pulled my gaze away from his piercing grey eyes. "Well, do you know the story of the great rings?" he asked again.
"Some," I replied, "In the second age, 19 rings of power were made. Three were given to the wisest of the elves, seven were given to the Dwarf Lords and nine were given to the Kings of men. Then Sauron made one Ring to control them all which lead to the Last Alliance, which was the battle when all of the remaining elves and men all fought for the freedom of Middle Earth and to overthrow Sauron. You know my grandfather fought in that battle, same with Legolas."
Suddenly, I felt a familiar pair of talons on my shoulder: I looked to see Moonbeam, holding a plant in his beak. I took it from him and dropped a few leaves into the steaming water and breaking the remaining up and dropping them in. The room instantly filled with the most refreshing smell and I suddenly felt that I could go run to Mordor and back without stopping.
The ranger looked at me and remarked, "You know most of what happened, but you seem to have missed some very important parts. Sauron, as you know, made the One Ring. Well, the nine kings of men took their rings without a second thought, but then fell into the darkness because they could not fight against the corruption that was flowing from the One. Now they are servants to Souron's will and are not living or dead. They are the Ringwraiths, Nazgul, or, as you will commonly hear; the Black Riders." I was awe struck but tried not to show it on my face. A silence covered the room.
This man's presence was somewhat reassuring, now that he was sitting on the floor next to me, looking like a child that was visiting a place that they had left long ago. I grabbed the steaming water and started to pour it slowly over her arms and onto her stomach. Grabbing the sponge, I got some of the water and poured it slowly onto her face.
"Where did you learn how to do that?" The man asked me, looking me up and down again. I was about to tell him that my father had taught me when I was little, but mother opened her eyes slowly and sat up. She saw me and a huge smile spread across her damp face. She pulled me into a tight and slightly soggy embrace, and I returned it, just glad to see that she was awake. "Oh Meleth, thank you so much, but how is the Halfling? Did he make it here soon enough?" she questioned me.
"Grandfather is tending to him in my room right now, but I have not heard how he is doing. I'm just glad to see that you are awake." She looked around her to take in her surroundings. Her eyes settled on the ranger, who was standing behind her. She smiled even bigger, if it was possible, and jumped to her feet to greet him. He just smiled hugged her gently, as if afraid that he would hurt her. She pulled away from him and called me over to them.
"Meleth, or rather, Marilla, this is your father. Aragorn, this is your daughter." Aragorn and I just looked at each other with confused looks on our faces. Suddenly, Aragorn's eyes widened in understanding and asked, "Why didn't you tell me before that your name was Marilla? I would have known earlier."
I stared at the ragged man - my father. All of the stories that Arwen had ever told me about him were rushing through my head. My mother brought her hand up to my shoulder to comfort me. I turned to face my mother, the beaming smile on her face fading away as she saw my glacial stare. Her hand on my shoulder tried to hold me back, but I tore away from her and raced out of the room.
I darted through the stone corridors, the torches making warlike shadows around my feet. I had always imagined my meeting with my father to be the exact opposite of what had just happened. And my foolish mother was expecting me to accept all of it right away?
I reached the hidden oak door that was made especially for me that lead to my secret room. I grasped the fine iron handle and slowly opened the small door. The scent of Lavender and sage came to greet my nose, and the sound of the thunderous waterfall throbbed in my ears. I was finally back in my real home. The rocky walls of the small cavern were worn down so that they were smoothed out and weren't so dangerous to any small elfings if they happened to stumble across the hidden room.
My cavern was originally a cave that was hidden behind the monstrous waterfall that was the center of Rivendell. Gandalf had taken a liking to me since I was born and he had made the small door for me, smoothed out the rugged walls, and even parted the waterfall so I would have a ledge out in the sun to sit. The small chair that I had received from my two uncles for my birthday only years before sat alongside a midnight blue pillow-bed that Gandalf had found for me on one of his visits to Gondor.
I walked across the small room to my small ledge, only to see that Moonbeam had been waiting for me. From my ledge I could see my room to the right of me; the shadowy form of Grandfather standing inside, near the bed. Gandalf was peering over the edge of the balcony deep in thought. Moonbeam gave a small chirp as he moved up to my shoulder and Gandalf suddenly directed his attention to me. He smiled at my form standing in the sun while my wavy black hair was blowing in the intense wind and my blue and silver riding clothes desperately clinging to my arms and legs.
"Marilla" Gandalf called, his deep voice startling me. I opened my eyes to see Gandalf standing at the foot of my bed.
"That was a very strange dream," I commented to myself as I sat up.
"Really? What was it about I wonder?" He asked.
"It was about the stories," I replied, "The stories that you and Ada always tell me about your journey with the Halflings."
"Ah," Gandalf replied, smiling. "Now, Marilla, you need to get out of bed. It is well into the morning and your father would like some help."
In an instant, I was on my feet, the bare skin chilling against the stone floor.
"He is in the dining hall when you are ready. Remember, the banquet is today," he said, leaving the room.
I walked over to my wardrobe and pulled out a silver dress. I donned it hastily. The sunbeams were shining through the windows and warming the hard floor. I brushed my hair quickly and braided a few bits of it.
I walked over to the door that Gandalf had exited out of, and opened it. I pushed aside the heavy hanging that hid it from the rest of the world, making sure to look around the hall to check that no one was in sight. The corridors were abandoned.
I locked the door from which I had emerged and re-covered it with the heavy tapestry. I sprinted down the hall, my bare feet making no noise upon the stone floor. Turning a couple corners, I found myself in the throne room. I stopped my running right before I entered the room.
My father was pacing across the floor. "Ada!" I yelled, running to him and embracing him. He cheered up instantly.
"Come, Marilla," he said smiling,"We must prepare for the banquet today."
I nodded and followed him into the dining hall.
A/N I hope you enjoyed this story. This is the second copy of this story, and this entire thing was actually three parts. For that, I apologize.
Reviews are welcome, no matter what you have to say!
Magic