It was a battle ground, Elladan looked around. There were dead Orcs, dead people and the elves of the patrol that had come across the fight, not that you could call it a fight, a slaughter perhaps, were picking their way around and trying to see if there were any survivors.

'Elladan! Over here!'

The elf in question flicked his gaze towards where his twin brother was calling from and got down from his horse. He made his way over to where his brother held a bundle in his arms and was knelt over a man who was barely alive.

Elladan looked at him sympathetically, he was going to succumb to his injuries, that much was clear.

'Please' The man wheezed 'Take the babe…she needs to go…..to Rivendell….'

At those words, Elrohir lifted a piece of cloth from the bundle and revealed a baby. It was sleeping soundly.

'She is…..vital…..She must be given…..to Gandalf the Grey' The man said.

With that, the man's eyes rolled into the back of his head and his breath left him as he died. The two brother elves looked at him in slight alarm before both of them looked to the baby.

Her eyes were open now, she peered up at Elrohir in an almost expectant way. The young elf couldn't quite prevent himself from thinking how innocent and fragile she looked.

'We must do as he wished, it is the least we can do' Elladan said.

'I will take her to our father now then' Elrohir replied.

With that, the elf stood up, got on his horse and rode away, the bundle in his arms stayed nestled there.

XxXxX

8 years later.

Elrond looked up sharply at the loud tinkling laughter that cut through the peace and quiet of the afternoon. He got up and went to his balcony to look out. A small child, a female, ran through the garden. She had bright copper red hair and she was chasing around a tree in the garden. Clinging to her dress was a small boy with dark wild hair, for two years after taking in the girl, did he take in the boy too. He saw his son, Elladan hiding around the other side of the tree, trying to catch the children. She turned, pushing the boy along in front of her and ran down the path, copper hair flying behind her. The two squealed in laughter

'You'll never catch us Elladan!' She called behind her.

'Ah little Naryl, you forget there are two of me one for you both' The ellon called back with a playful smirk.

With that Elrohir stepped out from behind another tree and the children crashed into him. They gave a squeals of surprise when Elrohir caught them, lifting the boy up and slinging him over one shoulder and grasping the girl by the arm until Elladan caught up with them.

Elrond couldn't help the smile that graced his features at the antics of his sons and the children named Narylfiel and Estel, who were in his care. It was nice to have little ones around Imladris, it had been far too long and the company the children had with each other was good for them both. But his features darkened, they were growing quickly, in a few years Narylfiel would be ready for Mithrandir to take her into his care as his student and they would be split.

Narylfiel had already started to show signs that her powers were developing, soon there would be no choice but to send her away. Someone who was learning to control fire was best kept away from populations.

Elrond felt a swell of sadness, he would miss little Naryl and he knew there were going to be hard times ahead of her but she was going to grow up to become a powerful sorceress and under Mithrandir's guidance, he knew she would be fine.

XxXxX

5 years later

Narylfiel pulled the robe given to her over her head and looked sadly into the mirror. It was far too baggy for her liking around her middle, she would have to get a belt or something to cinch it in a little but she supposed for now it would do.

Her hair, which had always been allowed to grow well past her hips the way the rest of the elleths kept their hair, had been cut to about halfway down her back. She pulled the blunted ends through her fingers, she greatly disliked it, the usual weight she felt on her head was gone.

Tomorrow she was to leave Rivendell, leave the place she had grown up in and considered home, leave the ellons and elleths she considered family to go with Mithrandir. She didn't even speak the common language very well, she had been brought up speaking Sindarin, she even knew Quenyan better.

'This was always the way your life would turn' Elrond had told her gently 'You were only to be under my care until you were old enough'

At thirteen years old, Narylfiel supposed that meant she was old enough. She had met Mithrandir once a year, every year for as long as she could remember. He would take her on short walks, tell her stories and legends, he always treated her nicely and she supposed that she didn't dislike him. She supposed there wasn't really much she could complain about when it came to Mithrandir himself but possibly the lifestyle he had and that she would be expected to take up.

He travelled all the time, hardly ever settled or took shelter, Narylfiel wasn't even sure if he slept. It was probably why he always had such wonderful stories to tell, he must've seen so much of Middle-Earth by now whereas she herself had never left the boarders.

There was gentle knock on her door and she went over to open it. The twins, Elladan and Elrohir stood there. They stepped inside once she had moved aside for them.

'Look at you' Elladan commented 'Our little Naryl, all grown up'

'Going off into the world without us' Elrohir said.

She pulled a face 'I'm not sure what to expect'

'Mithrandir is a kind man' Elrohir told her 'You will be well looked after'

'I have been well looked after here' She replied sadly.

The twins exchanged expressions quickly 'Yes and too well!' Elladan said 'It's about time you experienced Middle-Earth'

'We will miss you but it is for the best' Elrohir said, his tone gentle.

That night, Estel crept into her room and the two children slept in each other's arms to chase the fears of being apart away. They were siblings to each other and terribly close ones at that. Both of them would find the long periods of separation difficult.

…

Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir stood at the gate, watching as Mithrandir led the young Narylfiel away. The girl looked back over her shoulder, gave a sad smile and wave before turning away and walking along next to Mithrandir who patted her shoulder gently.

'I hope this is the right thing, Ada' Elladan said

'It was always meant to be this way. Soon Narylfiel's powers will become active' Elrond replied.

'I will miss her terribly' Elrohir told them.

'As will I' Elladan said.

'You will see her again. This is not a forever goodbye' Elrond assured them 'I too will miss her'

XxXxX

3 years later

Narylfiel didn't like going to visit Saruman, he was far too stern for her liking. She much preferred old Radagast in his house in the oak tree, where animals were welcome to come and go as they pleased. She lent on her staff outside the room where she could hear the two wizards quarrelling and blew a strand of her copper hair from her face.

'He should be sent to live in Rivendell with the elves until he is old enough!' Gandalf argued.

'The only reason your student was sent to live in Rivendell was because she was too young to travel as you do!' Saruman retorted 'I however have permanent residency here unless I am needed elsewhere'

Narylfiel rolled her amber brown eyes, the wizards had wanted a private discussion, but she wasn't sure whether they realised that she could hear them or if they just didn't want the teenager to give her own opinion. She didn't like to simply stand and wait outside the door like she was eavesdropping, but she wasn't sure whether Saruman would like her wandering around Orthanc either. Her was particularly precious about his living space.

'I cannot tell you what to do, it is you who have taken the boy in' There was a sigh 'You do realise he is not like you or I or Narylfiel though, don't you?'

'Of course, I realise' Saruman scoffed 'He showed skill in the arts though, his parents are dead and I thought it well to take him in. You have Narylfiel after all'

'Narylfiel was sent to me by the Valar, this boy wasn't!'

Naryl felt a small tug on the sleeve of her robe and she looked down sharply. The young boy looked up at her. He looked as though he was only five or six summers old and had dark hair and eyes and pale skin that contrasted sharply with his hair. He was skinny, dressed in clothes that resembled Gondorian peasants. She supposed his hair and skin matched that of Gondorian descent too but if he was from Gondor, then he was a long way from home. His looks reminded her of Estel and her heart was pulled.

'Are they talking about me?' He asked in a small voice.

Narylfiel suddenly felt sorry for the young boy. And she crouched next to him.

'Are you hungry?' She asked.

The boy nodded and she stood up and took his hand gently in hers.

'Well, we had better fix that, then hadn't we?' She said softly 'What is your name?'

'Duria. My name is Duria'

XxXxX

4 years later.

It was dark and Narylfiel was laid on her back in one of the gardens of Imladris, on a short break that she was allowed once a year. A chance to return home and reconnect with her family. She and Estel were stargazing, it was a past time they had often done together as children.

Now they were older, Narylfiel was twenty summers and Estel eighteen.

'How am I to go on here and with life as normal now I know what I know?' Estel asked.

Narylfiel turned her head and looked sideways at her friend, her brother and felt a deep sympathy for him. So much would change for the young man now, that much she knew but she wasn't exactly sure what.

Instead she reached out and grasped his hand. Estel, or Aragorn, turned his head and looked back at her. She gave a small reassuring smile and squeezed his fingers with the same reassurance.

'I do not know, that is for you to decide. Always know though, that I will be there for you even if I am far away, for you are in my thoughts often' She said quietly.

At that, Aragorn smiled back at her 'I know, sister. I know, as are you in mine'

XxXxX

6 years later.

Gandalf looked across at the young woman of twenty eight years who walked steadily next to him. Her long copper hair was easily her most distinctive feature and it was currently pulled back into a long braid which easily reached her waist.

'Narylfiel' He said, gaining her attention 'I do believe we should have an adventure'

Narylfiel's amber brown eyes twinkled with mischief 'You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to say that!'

'We will start by visiting the Prancing Pony' Gandalf replied.

XxXxX

Note – This chapter has been edited to allow for the fact that Narylfiel and Aragorn would've grown up together in Rivendell during the timeframe I have set Narylfiel in. I felt that two children who were adopted and not elves in Rivendell and being raised together would almost certainly have been close in relationship so I wanted to get this across. Hope you enjoyed, if you already reviewed these edited chapters, I'm very sorry you can't review again but if you did go back and read them, please let me know your thoughts/feedback in a review of a later chapter if you would like!

Happy reading!