A/N: I cannot apologize enough for not updating for quite sometime. I've been having a hectic time and I hope that everyone sticks with my story. I'll try my best to have a new chapter every weekend if possible.
Brotherly Love
Tap. Tap. Tap.
It was the soft sound her slippers made against the floor. The empath paced her bedroom, not daring to stop. It was late at night and not a word she heard from Elrond did she believe. In fact when she has left his study she took a moment to laugh wildly.
How could Aragorn, destined to be king possibly be a relative to her?
"He's not your brother!"
She stopped walking for a moment. Then if she was to belong on Middle Earth what was her origin? Where exactly did she belong if Aragorn were not her brother?
'Has Elrond ever lied to you once since you've been here?' That small voice in her head asked.
"No he hasn't."
'Has he lied about your power?'
Amara sucked her teeth, "Power? Try curse. Feeling everyone's friggin emotions is not a-"
'But did he lie,' the little voice interrupted.
"No," Amara took up her pacing.
It had been three days since she had seen the ranger and was purposely avoiding him. What was there to say about a man who you just found out is your brother? A simple 'hey so what kinda sports you into' wouldn't do it. Amara, being sick to death of herself let her mind stray to the hobbits she knew lodged in the house. According to the book Frodo would be saved by Elrond.
She hoped that she hadn't altered anything by her presence. The empath decided that she would get some much needed rest. She climbed into her nice large bed and let her head hit the pillow, forgetting to remove her glasses. She quickly fell into a peaceful slumber.
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"I was lied to my whole life. I should have had some knowledge of my sister," Aragorn said letting bits of anger seep from his voice. He sat on a bridge that gave a good view of Rivendell from is location. Arwen stood leaning against the railing and gazing at the stars. This particular night she found them brighter than usual.
"You must understand that it was for the both of your protection. Your mother brought you and your sister to Rivendell for safety."
"I am aware of that but we should have been kept together." Aragorn knew Elrond had his reasons, but keeping his own kin secret? He sighed.
"From my understanding that wouldn't have been a wise decision, for those who were against you and your family could have easily picked you out. All that had to be done was spot a female human, her son and infant daughter. Yes, Rivendell is safe but not safe from everything. You and her have different destiny's, different paths to walk down. The moment Amara was conceived she was chosen by the Valar to carry their gift to Middle Earth. She was in possibly greater danger than you."
Aragorn took Arwen's words in and sensed she was right.
"Amara is an extraordinary person," Arwen added hoping to lighten Aragorn's mood.
"She is supposed to be around my age but she looks barely over eighteen."
Arwen dropped to her knees and placed a hand on Aragorn's back. She loved him with all her heart and felt sorry for what he had to go through.
"You should rejoice that you are not the only person in your blood line. Get to know Amara, she is going through the same thing you are."
Aragorn looked into the face of the elf he loved. Her complexion shimmered against the light of the moon. It was her wisdom that he loved the most about her. The way she would help others before herself reflected in her beauty.
"I am afraid that there will not be enough time to get to know her. Dark times are ahead."
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Frodo Baggins awoke to a bright sun drowning his face with it's light. He blinked, trying to gather his bearings. The last thing he could recall was a beautiful glowing elf kneeling close to him and whispering words he could not understand.
"Where am I?" Frodo asked not expecting an answer.
"You are in the house of Elrond, and it is 10 o'clock in the morning, on October the 24th, if you wanted to know."
Frodo looked towards the voice and felt a riot of emotions coursing through him. Stunned, angered, relieved and happy he was to see Gandalf, the old wizard sitting at his bed side.
Gandalf smiled, "Yes, I'm here. And you're lucky to be here too. A few more hours, and you would have been beyond our aid. But you had some strength in you, my dear Hobbit."
"What happened, Gandalf? Why didn't you meet us?" Frodo couldn't help but ask.
"Oh, I'm sorry Frodo. I was delayed." At this the old wizard seemed to go deep in thought.
Frodo heard the sound of someone clearing their throat. He looked towards a far off corner and saw a girl who possessed a look of uncertainty. She reminded him oddly of Strider and wondered if they were related.
Amara smoothed her dress over which wasn't as bad to wear since she had breeches on underneath. She stepped toward the hobbit and smiled, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.
"I'm Amara. You probably won't remember me but I was with Arwen when she was helping you."
Amara sensed a lot of good from the hobbit and in turn it made her feel warm and happy.
"No I am afraid I do not remember you," Frodo said.
Amara shrugged. "Well it's okay. I mean you were in a life or death situation. Which I'm super mondo glad you made it through alright."
Frodo nodded, "Thank you Lady Amara." He hesitated before asking his next question but asked it nonetheless.
"Are you kin to Strider?"
Gandalf shook his head out of his small reverie and Frodo forgot his question to look at Gandalf.
"Gandalf? What is it?"
"Nothing, Frodo."
Amara let out a small squeak and quickly covered her hand with her mouth as Sam ran passed her, calling out Frodo's name. She smiled widely at the emotion coming from Sam. He was relieved that Frodo was alright. These kinds of emotions she did not mind at all. Sam began to speak on his worries.
Amara looked towards the door and saw Elrond enter and behind him was Aragorn. She wanted to run, to go somewhere else where he wasn't, to take her eyes off of his tall figure but she found that she could do none of those things.
"Amara we need to talk," said Aragorn.
Amara looked back at Gandalf whom she had just meant and Frodo who was in conversation with Elrond and Sam.
"Alright," she nodded and followed him.
The two walked through Rivendell in silence. The sounds of nature were what filled the gap of quietness. Amara put up those walls she taught herself to use when not wanting to sense other's feeling that were around her. She trailed behind Aragorn and noticed that every now and then he cast a look at her.
"What did you want to talk to me about?"
Aragorn thought of something, anything to talk with her about. Usually it was not this hard for him to interact with others, but this was his sister. Better yet it was the sister he had never known and just not too long ago met. She favored him enough for anyone to see that she was his kin. Her hair was the exact color of his and held waves like his own, her skin tone matched his, and she carried his air but with a feminine touch.
The only difference between their appearance was she held deeper blue eyes than his own.
"Do you know how to weld a sword?"
"Do I know how to weld a sword?" Amara repeated with a small smile.
"Yes a sword. Tell me you know what a sword is," Aragorn said.
"Of course I know what a sword is, but know how to weld one uh uh. I don't think so."
"Well then," Aragorn said, unsheathing his sword he carried on his hip. "You shall learn a bit today."
"Are you kidding," Amara breathed as they came into a clearing. It was abandoned and gave off tranquility.
"I do not jest. No kin of mine will go without knowledge of the sword." He held out his beloved blade to his sister and she took it with much hesitation. The blade felt heavy in her hands and she felt like she did when she first held a guitar.
"I don't think I'll be able to do this."
"Nonsense. Now there are many ways to hold a sword but there is only one correct way."
Aragorn moved behind Amara and placed both her hands in the correct position. He began to guide her through a few attacks. With every step he moved with her so she would understand how the moves were done. She caught on quick but Aragorn figured out one thing about his sister and that was that she was quite clumsy. More than a few times she tripped over him as she tried to copy his steps.
"Sorry." She would say with a shrug.
Aragorn decided to let her fly solo and try out the few movements he had taught her. He sat beneath the shade of a tree watching Amara take one step after another, this time she had no one to trip over. Though Aragorn's sword was heavy, Amara was enjoying herself. She secretly pretended she was a knight from medieval times and had to protect her home lands. Like a stroke of lighting the thought came into her head.
Middle Earth was on the brink of war. The Ring of power. DUH! How could she have forgotten that? Being all wrapped up in herself the most important thing slipped her mind.
There would be a council and Frodo would volunteer to take The Ring to Mordor.
"How old are you?"
The question came from Aragorn casually and caused Amara to stop her train of thoughts.
"Um twenty." She laughed. "I guess that would make me your little sister. The whole lived on different worlds thing probably stopped me from being like seventy something."
This caused Aragorn to laugh and Amara stopped slicing air with his sword.
"How does it feel to be a ranger," asked Amara.
Aragorn rubbed his chin, looking for the right word to describe it. Amara resumed slicing air though not doing any of the foot work that was taught to her. It was moments before he gave her an answer.
"I would have to say being a ranger is to be free."
Amara nodded. She knew exactly what that meant. She also knew that he wasn't just being a ranger to be free, he was being a ranger to run away from what he really was. Amara shook her head having had enough of that psychology thought.
"Tell me Amara, what are some things you enjoy?"
"Well there are loads of things I enjoy like, eating ice cream on a rainy day, driving my car on the free way-which I guess is over since there are no cars in Middle Earth. Most of all I enjoy playing my guitar."
"I should like to hear you play sometime," Aragorn said looking up at the golden leaves that came with fall.
Time passed and Amara didn't break from using the sword. She understood why Aragorn asked her to talk. He wanted to get to know her. That was something Amara like very much and was glad he asked her to talk rather than she ask him. Amara stopped her movements with the sword and took a deep breath. Sweat glistened on her forehead. She had not planned on getting a work out.
"I can't believe you are my brother."
Aragorn grinned, "Why can't you. We do share certain qualities."
"Because my luck would never permit me to be so lucky."
Aragorn looked confused. Amara could tell that he didn't understand why she was acting like he was so important, so special.
"Is it because I-we come from a line of kings?"
"No! Well…no I don't think so. Just knowing me my brother probably would have been an orc or something."
Again Aragorn laughed. "You are the most amusing."
Amara smiled a small smile. "Yeah well that's me."
There was a moments silence between them. Amara watched as leaves around her began to fall and scatter. She let down her walls to sense what her brother was feeling. Relief, there was a strong sense of relief yet a hint of anxiety still stirred within him. She put her walls back up, having respect for his emotions. She knew where his anxiety lay, The Ring.
The Ring of power had been on everyone's minds. There was not a time when someone didn't think about The Ring as it did reside in Rivendell. Because The Ring did lay in Rivendell meant that Rivendell was a clear target for evil.
"It's just that sometimes I feel like I don't fit in, you know, like I don't belong. I always thought that if I ever got transported that I would fit in and feel like I belong, but for whatever reason I don't. I don't feel like I belong here. With the one ring on everyone's mind I don't want to seem like a burden."
Aragorn rose to his feet. "Amara, Middle Earth is where you were born. Everything you had back on that world that you lived in was another life. You were meant to be here. Can you not see that this is where you are meant to be?"
"I know but-" She stopped not able to find what to say next.
"You are not a burden to anyone here and the one ring will be dealt with accordingly. Do not let your mind worry about that just yet."
"Yet?"
"Now as for your skill with a sword, I fear there is no hope for you." Aragorn smiled. He was trying to take her mind off the one ring. Even he did not want to think about such grave things now.
"What do you mean yet? Does that mean I-HEY! What do you mean there's no hope for me? I am wicked sweet with your sword" Amara snapped, pointing Aragorn's sword at him.
Aragorn made his way over towards Amara and bade her to hold the sword appropriately. Amara did as instructed and once again Aragorn guided her through certain steps, though on his last foot position he managed to trip Amara with a satisfied smile.
"What was that for?"
"If can not recognize the element of surprise then I'm afraid that you will have to sharpen your senses a lot more," said Aragorn.
Amara raised an eyebrow. Over the last few weeks, a month really she had become the queen of senses. She was not about to let Aragorn said that to her and get away with it just because he happened to be her older brother now. She got to her feet and tackled him the best she could to the ground. Of course Aragorn being a lot stronger than her had the upper hand.
He pinned the empath to the ground. "Do you surrender little sister?"
"Never," Amara snarled with a smile.
Aragorn shook his head and began to prod her in places until laughter erupted from her mouth.
"Do you surrender?"
"No way," Amara said between laughter, trying desperately to push his hands away from her.
Shrugging, Aragorn continued to tickle the empath. Tear made their way from Amara's eyes.
"O-okay, okay I surrender."
"Now say I belong in Middle Earth."
"I-I belong in Middle Earth."
"Amara I am sure you can say it with more feeling."
"I belong in Middle Earth!" Amara shouted but Aragorn never seized. So shouted as if shouting to the heavens, the sun, every cloud in the sky, and every person on Middle Earth.
"I BELONG IN MIDDLE EARTH! I BELONG ON MIDDLE EARTH!"
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"Gandalf, the enemy is moving. Sauron's forces are massing in the East. His eye is fixed on Rivendell. And Saruman, you tell me, has betrayed us. Our list of allies grows thin." Elrond was irritated. Everything that was happening was not in the best interest of Rivendell. Though he had always knew that this time would come.
"His treachery runs deeper than you know. By foul craft Saurman has crossed Orcs with goblin-men. He's breeding an army in the caverns of Isengard. An army which can move in sunlight, and cover great distance at speed. Saruman is coming for The Ring." Gandalf said this as if he would run out of time and the armies Saruman was building would invade right then. It was important that Elrond understand that a decision had to be made.
Elrond knew what had to happen. "This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves. We do not have the strength to fight both Mordor and Isengard!"
Gandalf understood what Elrond was saying before the words came from his mouth.
"Gandalf. The Ring cannot stay here."
Gandalf turned towards the window, his mind in much disarray. There was to be a council and those who were to attend were arriving for he saw Boromir whose father was the Stuart of Gondor and his people and trailing closely behind him was Legolas, the prince of Mirkwood.
