*Hi everyone! So I decided to put up two chapters so everyone can get at least somewhat of feel on the story and maybe write a review perhaps? Hopefully! Anyways like I said before this a Aragorn/OC, when Elvish is being spoken it will be in italics, oh and on a side note my avatar is now what Aria looks like, if you would like to see the picture if you look up: elf woman anime, you'll find that picture, it's the second row I believe, and copyright is in the first chapter. Carry on young avid readers and please review! I will be more inspired!(:*
Gandalf then turned around and went to me.
"Come dear, you must rest, is the ring affecting you now?" He asked and I shook my head as he took my arm, leading me to a chair by the fire. I gratefully sat down and watched as Gandalf sat in a chair across from me.
"No, I think it was because I was not expecting it, for it has no affect on me now." I glance over at the small golden ring laying on the floor.
"Bilbo! Bilbo!" I turn quickly as I hear the cries of Frodo as he rushes through the door. He stops when he sees the ring and bends down, picking it up, before seeing us. Frodo walks slowly into the living room, Gandalf stared into the fire, as if in a trance.
"He's gone, hasn't he?" Frodo asked quietly and I gave him a sympathetic look.
"I am truly sorry Frodo." I whisper, Frodo sighs and nods.
"He talked so long about leaving, I never thought he would actually do it." He mumbled and slowly sat next to me. "Gandalf?" He asked when he realized Gandalf had not yet spoken.
"Bilbo's ring." Gandalf mutters, his eyes looking at the ring, as if he came back to the world suddenly. He suddenly gets up and begins riffling through papers. "He's gone to stay with the Elves, he's left you bag end, along with all of his possessions. He walked over to Frodo and held out an envelope, Frodo dropped the ring into it and Gandalf seals it with wax. He gives the envelope to Frodo.
"The ring is yours now, but keep it somewhere out of sight." He says quickly and begins to leave.
"Where are you going?" Frodo asked worriedly as he began to follow him, I slowly sat up.
"I have some things I must see to." Gandalf said vaguely.
"What things?" Frodo asked, he didn't like this vagueness though I had a feeling I knew what Gandalf was looking for.
"Questions, questions that need answering." He said again vaguely.
"You've only just arrived! I don't understand!" Frodo tried again desperately. Gandalf turned to him.
"Neither do I, keep it secret, keep it safe." He said and then looked at me. "Come along Aria." Frodo looked at me with wide eyes and I walked up to Frodo, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I think I will stay with Frodo, at least until he gets settled." Frodo looked up and smiled at me to which I returned.
"Aria, you must see your family, you must tell them what happened and rest!" Gandalf said in slight disbelief.
"My family will be fine Gandalf, my father sees afar when it comes to me, he would know if I was in any danger and send my brother after me most likely." Unconsciously grabbing the necklace on my neck softly. It was the necklace my brother gave me when I left home to travel, it was a silver leaf pendant with two silver leaves connecting the pendant to the chain and a moonstone in the center. "It would be better if I stayed and rest here than go on the long journey home." Gandalf stands there for a moment before sighing loudly.
"Very well, goodbye then." He said hurriedly and began walking out the door.
"Goodbye Gandalf, see you when you return." I said with a small smile before closing the door and turning to Frodo. I couldn't help but smile softly when I saw Frodo standing there with wide and confused eyes. Sometimes the little hobbits did remind me of children not only because of their height, obviously, but also because of their simple innocence like children.
"Aria, please, what is going on?" Frodo asked and I slowly walked towards him.
"It is nothing Frodo, Gandalf is becoming old, everything is a big deal to him." I said and Frodo began to snicker. I reached for him and placed my hands on his shoulders. "Now, let's put this silly ring away and it's foolish talk, then head to bed." I said and Frodo smiled before nodding.
I sat in front of the fire quietly as I read a book among Bilbo's, now Frodo's, things. It was quiet and peaceful, I had a window near me open and I could lightly hear Elwing outside the small home. During the day I let Elwing roam around the Shire as she pleased but during the day but at night I fear for her safety so I made her stay by the side of the house. I lifted my head as I thought I heard a thump but went back to reading when I figured it was just Elwing.
"Aria?" The book fell out of my hands and I jumped out of the chair, my hand to my heart.
"Oh goodness! Frodo you nearly-" I was now in front of him. The door now slammed opened, Frodo let out a yelp of surprise and I quickly pulled him behind me, readying to protect him. Gandalf came barging in and I let out a sigh of relief as Frodo peeped his head out from behind me.
"First Frodo, now you, by Valar! All of you will be death of me!" I cried out but Gandalf paid no heed to me as Frodo came out from behind me. Gandalf quickly walked over to Frodo and grabbed his shoulders roughly. "Gandalf," I said softly, now concerned for him.
"Is it secret? Is it safe?" Gandalf asked Frodo urgently. Frodo nods slowly and goes over to an old chest, quickly pulling out the envelope. Gandalf grabbed the envelope from Frodo's hand and threw it into the fire.
"What are you doing?" Frodo asked and reached out to the fire but I quickly grabbed him, pulling him back and holding him to me.
"Gandalf," I called out to him softly again, knowing raising my voice would get me nowhere. "What is going on?" I asked as he pulled the now glowing ring out of the fire.
"Hold out your hand Frodo, it is quite cool." Gandalf said quietly and held the ring out to him. I bit my lip nervously but let Frodo go; he glanced at me before walking over to Gandalf, holding out his hand. Gandalf dropped the ring in his hand and Frodo's hand twitched in surprise at how cold the ring actually was.
"What can you see?" Gandalf asked and he looked at the ring closely. "Can you see anything?" Frodo looked at the ring and shook his head.
"Nothing, there's nothing." Frodo said and I glanced at Gandalf who looked slightly relieved. "Wait…" Frodo said and was now looking at the ring intently.
"These are markings." Gandalf said grimly as I took a step closer.
"It's some form of Elvish," Frodo whispered as I took another step closer, now I could read the inscription on the ring. "I can't read it." Frodo sighed and my eyes widened as I looked over at Gandalf.
"Gandalf, that's-" I began and Gandalf nodded with a sigh.
"Yes, my dear, it is the language of Mordor, Black Speech. I'm sorry to come in so abruptly and urgently, most importantly to scare you Aria." I lifted my hand.
"Gandalf, no need to apologize, you are turning into my dear brother; I am no longer a child, I do not need to be treated like so." I said and Gandalf sighed. It was quiet for a moment and Frodo quietly continued to study the ring.
"Mordor?" Frodo asked quietly and I nodded slowly.
"In the common tongue it says, 'One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them.'" Gandalf said quietly.
We all sat at the kitchen quietly as we stared at the ring. No one said anything, no one moved, it even seemed like no one breathed.
"Frodo, you do understand how evil this ring is?" I asked him quietly as Gandalf continued to study the ring.
"I think so, but perhaps with a little more explanation. I notice, when the ring is around, you are quite uneasy. You are either clutching your necklace or the clothing above your heart." Frodo said quietly and I sighed but nodded.
"Yes," I said and took a quick glance at the ring. "When I was a little girl, as you know, my parents died and my mother was able to make it to my adoptive family before she died. My adoptive father thought there was something odd about me and later discovered it was my heart. He told Gandalf, along with others, that I had a pure heart, very strong, but in an figurative manner." Frodo's eyebrows laced together in confusion.
"I don't understand," he confessed and I chuckled, placing a hand on his forearm.
"It's okay Frodo, it's a hard concept to understand. Either when the city of my real parents was attacked or by some form of birth defect my heart is a little weaker than most. The ring brings on the pain it causes because it causes intense situations, causing me to become tense and stressed."
"So, when you become worried or scared?" Frodo asked slowly and I nodded.
"When I was little it was just about any time I got worried or scared, but now it's doesn't happen very often. At least not to the point where it is dangerous for me." I said and was quiet again for a few moments. Frodo then looked up, a look of realization crossed his face.
"Bilbo found it, in Gollum's cave." He said quietly and Gandalf nodded.
"For sixty years the ring lay quiet in Bilbo's keeping, prolonging his life, delaying age, but, no longer Frodo." Gandalf said with a grim face and I sighed sadly. "Evil is stirring in Mordor. The ring has awoken, it has heard its master's call." It was then that I began to hear a quiet but malicious whispering, I could not tell what it said but I felt a light pain in my chest and I knew it was the ring. I grasped my necklace and looked up at the other two. By the looks on their faces I knew they had heard it also, it was then Frodo's face became worried.
"But he was destroyed, Sauron was destroyed!" Desperately wanting Gandalf to be mistaken and I couldn't help but feel sympathy for him. Poor Frodo was now being ripped from his innocent look on life and forced to view the world as it really was, not what it should be.
"No, Frodo." Gandalf sighs and folds his hands together on the table. "The spirit of Sauron has endured. His life force is bound to the ring and the ring survived. Sauron has returned. His orcs have multiplied, his fortress of Barad-Dur is rebuilt in the land of Mordor. Sauron only needs this ring to cover all the lands in the second darkness. He is seeking it, all his thought is bent on it. For the ring yearns, above all else, to return to the hands of its master. They are one, the ring and the dark lord, Sauron must never find it." Gandalf said in a very serious but not intimidating tone. Frodo shot up and grabbed the ring, I looked at him worriedly as he took off into the other room.
"We put it away, keep it hidden! We will never speak of it again! No one knows it's here, do they?" Frodo asked and Gandalf did not answer as we slowly walked into the living room. I looked to Gandalf when he still did not answer and I searched his facial expression, fearing the worse. "Do they, Gandalf?" Frodo asked again, this time soft, but still very fearful as he slowly turned around.
"There is one other that knew Bilbo had the ring." Gandalf said sadly and I sighed, closing my eyes lightly. "I looked everywhere for the creature Gollum, but the enemy found him first."
"That means that they know of here now, they know where the ring is?" I asked worriedly and Gandalf nodded grimly. "I can-" I began but Gandalf shook his head.
"Take it Gandalf! Take it!"Frodo shouted suddenly, the fear bright in his eyes as he shoved the ring in the direction of Gandalf who threw up his hands.
"No, Frodo." Gandalf said softly and Frodo continue shaking his hand with the ring towards Gandalf.
"You must take it!"
"You cannot offer me this ring." Gandalf stated calmly but I could see the desire burning in his eyes.
"I'm giving it to you!" Frodo tried again and I wished that I could go over to him, comfort him, but I knew that as long as the ring was in his possession that anything I would do would not nearly be enough comforting.
"Do not tempt me Frodo!" His voice raised a little as he tried to desperately continue to deny the ring. "I dare not take it, not even to keep it safe." He whispered, I could see the defeat in his eyes.
"I will take this ring, if it will save Frodo's innocence." I said to Gandalf in elvish, knowing Frodo could not understand me, but Gandalf quickly shook his head.
"No Aria, it would be the death of you." Gandalf said and looked to Frodo. "Understand, Frodo, I would use this ring from the desire to do good. But through me, it would wield a power too great and terrible too imagine."
"But it cannot stay in the Shire!" Frodo said sadly and I then realized what Gandalf's plan was.
"No, no it can't." Gandalf said with a nod. I looked at Frodo and watched as he looked at the ring for a moment, he then closed his hand tightly and looked up at Gandalf.
"What must I do?" He asked determinedly.
I glanced at Gandalf as we both watched Frodo quickly get ready for the journey he and I were going on. I stood there quietly already dressed in my traveling clothes, all my weapons were all in their place, they were the only things I carried, over the past eleven years of exploring I learned how to live off of nothing; I would wash my traveling clothes when I could, stayed in inns when I could, and either ate fruit off of trees or hunted, a few times I had stolen vegetables from random fields. I was not thinking of my past though, as I stood there my only thoughts were of my sympathy towards Frodo, he should have never had to leave to the shire, at least not under these circumstances. It was then that I vowed to myself that I would protect Frodo until my very last breath.
"You must leave and leave quickly." Gandalf's voice brought me away from my thoughts and back to the task on hand. "Get out of the Shire."