Chapter 1: A meeting by the stream
The girl had spent the day training with the elven guards of Imladris. She had not seen Gandalf since the morning she had worken up, which was perhaps only a couple of hours ago. The wizard must have told the elves something to account for her, as they treated her with a respect bordering on brotherhood. Not that she minded much, but elves always kept that all-mighty air that didn't combined with brotherly feelings in her eyes. She had gone through cutting and piercing weapons in a very short time, and now a blond elf called Haldir had placed a bow in her hands.
"Master Gandalf wishes to see you trained in all weapons, human." He said, with a melodious voice, which contrasted with all the minor cuts he bore in his face. Seeing where her eyes were wandering he spoke softly: "I was one of the elves charged with the capture of the creature Gollum, and I was lucky to have only little scars remain. The world has gone dark indeed when elves bear scars".
The girl only nodded. She had not given her name to anyone, and she was only known as "the human". It was an easy way to differentiate her from the people of Rivendell, as the only other human was well known to them: Aragorn, son of Arathorn, Ranger of the North.
She shifted the bow from hand to hand, feeling the carved wood with light fingers before placing her feet in position and setting an arrow within it. Haldir corrected her grip on the powerful longbow, and she released the arrow true. Haldir did not hide his surprise at a human with skills in archery. Since the singing of the world archery had been the domain of the far-seeing elves. He gave her a nod before moving on to the next archer.
She felt strangely at home among these people of legends. Even though Gandalf had not told her his purpose during their brief meeting, she knew the wizard probably already had a whole course of action thought out for her. It was not easy to listen to gossip in elvish, but what she could make out seemed like an adventure carved out specifically for her. Gandalf was sending her after the other stranger.
That night she did not sleep, expectation keeping her awake. The Council of Elrond was to take place the next day. The arrivals had come like drops of rain during the past day. The woodland elves, ridding without saddle or bridle, Legolas Greenleaf among them, the men of Gondor, with the round shields and sharp swords, with Boromir, and a party of Dwarves, with Gloin, who had once travelled with Bilbo, and his son Gimli. They were all lodged in another wing of the house, far away from her. She sighed as she saw Aragorn and Arwen walk hand in hand in the courtyard. Their love shined all around them, like a brilliant aura, while she sat alone at the window.
The Council of Elrond, the meeting that would decide of the fate of the One Ring, was coming upon her. And still so many questions unanswered. What did Gandalf have in store for her at the meeting? Who was this stranger that had apparently fled to Mordor? And why did she have this feeling that their fates were tied?
She walked among the century old trees, over the little stone bridges and among the carved statues. She sat on the soft grass next to a stream and gazed into the clear water. Nothing but her reflection peered back at her. It was no mirror of Galadriel that would show her things of the past and present, and thing that could come to pass.
Without a noise a dark haired elf sat next to her. His silence did not scare the girl, as she waited expectantly. He waved a thin hand above the water and her eyes widened in surprise as the moon appeared between the ripples. The moon and a rider underneath it. Dressed all in black he was forcing an almost dead horse to keep up. His hood was pulled over but she knew who he was: The way the shoulders fell, the heavy weight of the body's frame, raven hair for raven eyes, and most of all, the rough hands.
The elf passed his hand over the water again and there was only the river left. He stood up and in a low voice whispered: "may your heart be true". By the time the girl managed to make her legs move to stand up, he was long gone. She stood bathed in moonlight, as she went over and over what she had seen. Adam.