Disclaimer: I do NOT own Lord of the Rings in any shape, way or form
A/N: thank you to those of you who have review, followed or favorite so far, it means a lot to me! By the way this is my first fanfic ever so sorry if its not the best. -Thymara
The next day Anra woke to the sound of bird song and the morning sunlight streaming down on her. She climbed out of bed and went to find a servant to ask them to draw a bath for her.
Once she had finished getting ready for the day she strolled out of her chambers with her two guards in tow in search of some breakfast. The three of them soon found the kitchen where they were served some fruit, porridge and honey cakes. Though they were disappointed by the lack of meat, it was still a pretty good breakfast.
They had finished eating when they heard the sound of approaching horses. A messenger elf came into the kitchen to tell them to come to one of the many stone patios because the meeting was going to start in a few minutes.
The shape shifters were some of the last to arrive to the council area. Anra took a seat that was a couple down from Lord Elrond and diagonal to a tall grey wizard and a small child like creator that had hairy feet. She believed he was what was called a hobbit. Instead of taking seats Jag and Sut stood stiffly on either side of her chair with imposing looks on their faces.
Anra looked around to see who else was present at the meeting. There were two different groups of elves; one group was the dark haired ones from Rivendell and the others were light hair, from where she believed would probably be Mirkwood. There was a group of short, bearded dwarves who were all seated together glaring suspiciously at the elves. 'It's good to know we're not the only ones here that don't get along well with them,' she mused. Then there was also a group of men present, they had what looked to be an oak tree encrusted onto their things, and they had proud looks on their faces. She was already finding it hard to like them. She also saw the man she had seen the previous night sitting in one of the chairs, she tried not to stare.
It looked like she was the only female present in the whole group.
Elrond then stood and the council commenced. He started with greeting everyone, then he launched into the well-known story of the Ring of Power and Sauron and the Great War. Anra founded herself only half listening to what he was saying; she had known the story since she was a young pup. It was one of the last things Nightstalkers and elves had worked together for, before the two races had started hating each other.
She tuned back in when the elf lord asked the Hobbit, Frodo, to bring forth the very same ring. Once he had sat back in his seat she saw Frodo visibly relax, but he was the only one. With the ring out in the open everyone else tensed, she could smell the sweet stench of fear fill the air.
A man, from Gondor she believed, stood and started babbling on about how he had a dream that she really couldn't care less about, but at the same time as he spoke he was slowly making his way over to the ring with his hand reached out as if to touch it. She felt a growl rise in her throat, but before she did anything two things happened. First, Lord Elrond jumped to his feet and yelled, "Boromir!" and the tall grey wizard stood up and started yelling in a strange language.
His words were loud and harsh, and as he spoke the skies grew cold and dark. Pain radiated through her head and she clamped her hands over her sensitive ears. A quick glance over her shoulder showed both of her guards doing the same.
When the old wizard stopped talking Elrond chided him angrily for using that language there, but Anra could barely hear them, her ears were still ringing. She only just started hearing again just in time to her the wizard say, "The ring itself is altogether evil."
The man, Boromir, though, would not be swayed. "It is a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor," he started up again. "Why not use this ring? Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay." Anra found herself liking the pompous human less and less, could he not sense the evil coming from this ring? It reeked of death and destruction. "By the blood of our people, are your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy! Let us use it against him!" He finished looking around as if expecting applauses, maybe he did.
"You cannot wield it. None of us can." It was the man she had been watching the previous night who was now speaking. "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master." His voice was even, he did not speak down to the Boromir like she probably would have if it had been her responding.
"And what would a ranger know of this matter?" Boromir sneered at him with a mocking expression.
"This is no mere ranger." A blond elf that was sitting across from him said standing up. "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."
"Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?" Boromir said, not bothering to hide his disbelief.
"And heir to the throne of Gondor." Anra found herself surprisingly unsurprised by the elf's words. Aragorn seemed to have a certain air about him, a quiet authority if you will, that seemed to demand respect, without demanding at all.
Aragorn didn't appear to like all the attention all the sudden on him, he said something quietly in elvish to the blond elf, who then sat back down.
Boromir now looked kind of peeved, clearly not liking the fact that the man who was supposed to be his king was there. "Gondor has no king," he spat before sitting once more.
'Well this is awkward,' Anra thought.
Thankfully the wizard broke the pregnant pause by saying, "Aragorn is right. We cannot use it."
"You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed." Elrond said in a deep authoritative voice, gazing evenly at everyone present.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Bellowed a red bearded dwarf, he grabbed his ax and swung it down on the ring. Unfortunately this didn't do the trick; in fact it sent the dwarf flying backwards and shattered his ax instead.
Though Anra only half noticed this, she was too busy studying the hobbit's reaction. Poor Frodo flinched when the ax had struck the ring, as if he had been the one struck instead. She felt bad, clearly he had already started to form a bit of a bond with the magic ring and that worried her. She tried to remain impartial, but it was hard she wanted to help and protect the small hobbit. Anra had a suspicion that it was because he seemed to have a childlike innocence about him that reminded her of the young pups from her pack, though she knew this was wrong of her, he was probably just as old if not older than she was.
"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess. The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom, only there can it be unmade." Elrond spoke in a serious voice. "It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you," he added a small pause as if for dramatic effect, "must do this."
"One does not simply walk into Mordor." Boromir said rising to his feet again. "Its black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. And the Great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly." Anra suppressed a shiver as he finished speaking. She was surprise everyone looked so calm, for the smell of fear had practically doubled when he had gotten to the part about the Great Eye.
"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!" The blond elf shouted jumping to his feet.
"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it!" challenged the dwarf Gimli.
"And if we fail what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" Boromir retorted getting back into the argument.
"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf!" snarled Gimli as he sprang to his feet.
Although Anra knew this was a very serious subject she couldn't help but be a little amused as all the elves and dwarves jumped up and started arguing at once. She glanced around to see others reactions, Lord Elrond was rubbing his head as if he had a headache, the wizard had gotten up and was yelling at the men who had joined in the fight, poor Frodo just looked sick to his stomach while staring at the ring, and Aragorn had simply rolled his eyes at everyone else's antics.
Her eyes went back to the small hobbit's face and she realized his decision before he did. He looked at the ring for a moment longer before the glanced up and meeting her gaze; she gave him a small encouraging smile. He rose to his feet and said in a small voice, "I will take it!" but nobody else seemed to hear it over the loud arguing.
Anra leapt to her own feet and gave a sharp whistle that made everyone stop talking. Then Frodo said in a louder voice once again, "I will take it! I will take the ring to Mordor. Though I do not know the way," he added at the end in a smaller meeker voice.
"I will help you bare this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear," said the old grey wizard, walking over to him.
Anra swallowed nervously, and then said in a strong voice, "I too will help and protect you by any means possible till the end either of this quest, or my days." The last part of her oath scared her, but she meant what she said. She walked over and stood next to the hobbit, careful not to look at Jag and Sut, afraid of what their expressions would hold.
Aragorn joined next saying, "If by my life or death, I can protect you, I will. You have my sword." He stood behind Frodo, next to Anra.
The blond elf, whose name turned out to be Legolas, swore next, offering his bow. Then not to be out done by the elf, Gimli the dwarf pledged his ax.
'I wonder if I should have pledged a weapon of some sort, but what would I have said, my teeth? Naw, that'd just sound ridiculous.'
Next the man Boromir pledged in, which Anra wasn't too thrilled about, he just rubbed her the wrong way.
Then out of a bush, a slightly plumper hobbit came streaking out and declared with his arms folded tight against his chest, "Hey! Mister Frodo's not going anywhere without me!"
Lord Elrond's eyes widen in surprise, but then looked like he was trying to suppress an amused smile said, "No, indeed. It is hardly possible to separate you two, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not," with a pointed look at the end of his statement.
Not that the hobbits took any notice, because just then two more of them came running out from behind some pillars, the taller one saying, "Oi! We're coming too! You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us." 'How many of them were there?' she thought in exasperated amusement.
The smaller one was nodding his head in agreement, "Anyway," he said, "you need people of intelligence on this sort of... mission... quest... thing."
"Well that rules you out Pip." Teased the taller one.
"Ten companions. So be it." Elrond approved with a small nod. "You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."
"Great! Where are we going?" questioned the small one in a completely serious tone.
"You're joking right?" Anra said with a laugh, which only increased when he looked up at her in confusion.
She left the other hobbits with the job explaining to him what their fellowships purpose was. The wizard approached her and said, "I was wondering if you'd be joining us on this quest, I am Gandalf, Gandalf the Grey."
"I am pleased to meet you, Gandalf; I am Anra, daughter of Reigh. What do you mean by you wondering if I'd be joining you?" she said suspiciously.
"I meant no offence my Lady," he responded smoothly, "just that nobody had heard from your kind in quite some time and I was uncertain where you would stand on this issue. I for one am glad you are coming; it has been too long since anyone has heard from the Nightstalkers. Though, it seems to me your guards aren't quite as happy with your decision as I," he finished with a twinkle in his eyes. Anra decided right then that she liked him.
Taking a deep breath she turned and looked over towards Jag and Sut. Sut looked horrified, whereas Jag just looked angry. Anra knew that they wouldn't yell at her there in front of everyone, so she wasn't too happy when everyone started filing out of the meeting area. Glancing around she quickly slid into a group of tall men that were leaving, so she wouldn't be seen leaving by her guards.
Once the meeting place was out of sight, Anra slipped away from the group she had been with and walked off in a random direction in hopes of finding somewhere peaceful to think about what she had just agreed to. This said place didn't take much time to find, the elvish city was full of them. After walking in it for a bit, she recognized it as the garden she had been in the night before.
She took a deep breath and settled herself down next to a small weeping willow. The air was heavily perfumed by the flowers and herbs surrounding her, she hoped it'd be enough to mask her scent if Jag or Sut came looking for her. She lay back on the flower bed and stared up at the bright sky for a while, letting her mind go blissfully blank.
But that moment ended too soon, as thoughts assaulted her mind. What had she been thinking? Or had she just not been thinking at all? Her father would be so mad; he hadn't authorized her going on this fellowship. He had only meant for her to come to Rivendell for this meeting, then to come straight home, no detours. And what about Isla and Eron? She had told them that she'd only be gone for a couple weeks; this was probably going to take at least several months, probably more. Eron was already angry with her for leaving in the first place, what if this pushed him over the edge and he didn't want to be friends any longer? 'You know what, screw them!' she thought angrily. 'This is what I want to do, so this is what I'm doing and they'll just have to live with it!' Then Anra shook her head not really knowing what to think. She pulled her hair out of its neat braid and ran her fingers through her wild red-brown curls in frustration. She closed her eyes sighing, and decided to try to just enjoy the sun for a bit.
A cool shadow fell across her, blocking her head and shoulders from the warmth of the sun. She gave a small growl of annoyance thinking it was just one of her guards coming to give her a piece of their mind. So she was surprised, and a little embarrassed when she opened her eyes and saw that it was not actually Jag or Sut, but Aragorn instead.
He raised an eyebrow in response to her growl, but said nothing. "Can I help you?" Anra said, trying to come across as cool and aloof, but failing miserably when her voice came out squeaky. She felt her cheeks turn a little pink after hearing that terrible noise that was her voice.
"I was wondering if I would find you here," Aragorn murmured, sitting down next to her on the flower bed.
"Well you found me," she stated lamely, not really sure what else to say, but wanting to break the silence.
"Indeed I did," he said with a touch of humor in his voice. "And in response to your first question, yes, yes you can help me."
"How so?" she asked, now a little curious.
"You can answer some questions, two to be exact."
"Okay, ask away," she challenged.
"One," he said, "why did you volunteer for this journey? It's not going to be easy."
"What, you think I can't handle it?" she asked, feeling rather offended.
"I never said that, but you don't really have that much experience though, do you?"
"So what better way to get some?" she snapped snarkily, annoyed that he didn't think she could do it.
"This quest isn't something to be taken lightly," he said, his voice full of warning.
She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair again, "I know, I'm not."
"Then answer the question."
"Because it is the right thing to do, because I want to."
He nodded, seemingly satisfied by her answer for the time being, "Okay, and two, why were you spying on me last night?" He was lightly smirking.
Anra sputtered, "I was not!" though even to hear ears it sound like a lie.
Aragorn laughed, "I saw you."
"I…You…I…" she stammered. "I didn't mean to spy, I just saw you, and I'd never seen a human up close before, so I guess I stared a little," she finally managed to squeeze out.
"So if that is it then why did you run?" he asked, still laughing.
"That's three questions," she huffed, trying to keep a straight face, but his laugh was so contagious that soon she was laughing too.
Once the two of them had calmed down a bit Aragorn joked, "You're the first Nightstalker I've ever seen period, am I staring?"
"Well, maybe you just don't like looking at me as much as I like looking at you." 'Oh my Valar, did I seriously just say that out loud?' Judging by Aragorn's amused expression, she did.
Anra felt her face grow incredibly hot with embarrassment. She learned at that moment that it was impossible to die of embarrassment, because if it were she would have.
Aragorn started to chuckle again upon seeing the look on her face, "I did not know it was possible for someone to become this red." She mentally cursed her fair skin for showing her blush. 'At least he's gentlemanly enough not to bring up my last comment,' she thought.
She blew some hair out of her face, before she gazed up at the sky again looking for shapes in the cloud. Anra heard him groan slightly as he reclined down next to her in the dirt, but her eyes did not stray from the puffy white clouds.
"Do you see anything up there?" he asked softly. She shrugged saying nothing. "Are you looking for anything in particular?" he tried again.
"No, not really," she admitted after a moment.
"Then what are you doing out here?"
"Dawdling, avoiding the inevitable." He gave her a look, hoping for her to expand on that, but when she didn't he made an assumption.
"This was not a planned turn of events?"
"You could say that," she said giving him a lopsided smile. "Let's just say that this expedition was only supposed to take a month or two, tops."
"And you have yet to talk with your guards," he finished for her.
"Yup." With that the two of them laid in silence for a bit, till Aragorn announced that he had to go somewhere. Anra felt strangely upset that he had to leave, even though they weren't even talking.
Then he suggested, "It's getting late, how about I walk you back to your chambers before I go?"
She perked up a little at this, but then she said, "But then I'd have to see Sut and Jag…"
Aragorn laughed as he got to his feet, brushing himself off. "You're going to have to sometime," he said, offering her a hand.
"Mmm, the keyword in that sentence is sometime," she answered, but she took his offered hand anyways, and got up. He shook his head smiling as he led the way towards where the Nightstalker was staying.
When they got to her hallway they immediately were greeted by the sight of two large agitated Nightstalkers waiting rigidly for them. Sut stepped forward and said, "We can take her from here, we'd like to thank you for accompanying her here Lord Aragorn."
"It was my pleasure to accompany the Lady Anra," he replied to them. Then he ducked his head and whispered to her in a low voice, "Good luck," with a ghost of laughter in his voice.
She couldn't stop herself from blushing a little when his breath tickled her ear, but then she said with a snort, "Thanks."
As he walked away she turned and faced her escorts, 'Let the show begin.'