The Protector in the Shadow
*I do hope you enjoy this! I tried very hard to get this one in as soon as possible while still having good taste and elegant wording! I apologize for any typos you may come across, see I have to type everything on my iPod then send it to Word documents, where It doesn't allow me to edit or fix any problems. It's problematic but I'm in love with this fic, so I must face my task! -Ze*
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters or lines directly from the book/ movie. I only own my plot line, and my character!
*Fate*
*Normal*
Chapter Two: Rivendell
They screeched like animals, Lyavain found it impossible that these creatures, these horrifying beasts were at one time kings of men. She heard swords hitting the empty beds like a butcher crazed and taking anger out on the corpse of beef they had slaughtered the morning before. She had seen it happen before, the cold intake of breath as a man went mad. These men hadn't gone mad, they were born into it, and they were conceived in shadow even if they wanted to escape they could not. To long had it been since they had fallen to the darkness, they had always held this evil in their souls it just took them longer to fall into the dark lord's power.
She was back in her wolven form once more, her silent movements made it easy to fallow the hobbits again even though the Ranger added a new level of difficulty to the adventure she was always close by. Watching for danger, waiting for the danger which she knew would befall her master. She wasn't sure if she would be able to hold back the pull to fight and protect, but she knew she must it meant life or death for the group, and if the Nazgûl were defeated now the whole entire future would be changed, not even for the better.
More than once had she almost been found out by the Ranger "Strider" but she had always made an escape in the end. Frodo knew she fallowed, just as she implied she would, though just as he knew she fallowed he feared for her. Obviously taken by her strange appearance, her seemingly infinite wisdom, but that wisdom would all too soon run out, you needed to sleep to have visions and until they reached Rivendell she would not be sleeping. She was growing tired, but never would she admit her problems to any, not the birds, nor the deer of the wilderness. Not the quiet hare, nor the rambunctious raccoon who insisted on fallowing her for over a week until she almost snapped and threatened his life.
She finally had her alone time, her pelt dripping with mud, and soft dirt she looked down watching carefully where she walked, she couldn't have herself snapping twigs, Strider was already far too wary of the sounds of the deep, though Nazgûl were normally loud, drawling their noise to attract the ring it was never good to assume they were safe. There were more dangers then Nazgûl in this forest, Goblins and Orcs stalked the night like insects, swarming anything they could eat or kill. Men and hobbits seemed to account for both.
She watched as strider had vanished from his post she snarled quietly looking down as she stood not wanting to move, her legs hurt from moving with no end. Her mind hurt from all lack of attention on anything except the group of five which ran before her. Her stomach growled, long had it been since her last hunt, she couldn't leave now, not with the hobbits unattended.
Silent, the world seemed so very silent before her heart breaking eyes. Middle earth set aflame in the land of Gondor. Boromir, son of the steward of Gondor stood in tears watching the land of his people burn. "I don't know why you weep milord." A voice called, the voice she recognized as Strider's called harshly to the man before him. "We warned you, we tried to warn you all! The ring brings nothing but destruction! You gave it to the dark lord! You gave him what he wanted." A flash of Frodo and the Shire over took her mind again Frodo wasn't there but the other hobbits mourned over the loss of someone. "If only he hadn't given up. Boromir killed him." They cried into the arms of one another. The picture shocked Lyavain to the bone she felt her heart drop into her toes. Frodo dead? Boromir had taken the ring?
A Nazgûl's scream woke her from her unintentional slumber. "No". She snarled to herself she was supposed to be awake when they came upon the hobbits, so she could jump in after the Nazgûl but at this rate she'd never make it up in time. Little to the wolf's knowledge they were at the watch tower of Amon Sûl. Which she only realized after she came rushing to an aid she could not help, in her daze she didn't waste time running faster than her legs wished to carry her. Her hackles started to rise, she was supposed to watch, to ensure all went as planned and the second she reached the archway she was greeted with the scream of agony all was going as planned, she ducked quickly into the shadows azure pools watching all which transpired, she watched as the ranger chased away the Nazgûl, all going as planned.
She couldn't let her dream come to pass. She would find the Boromir and ensure he would bring no harm to her master, her king of sorts.
Now wasn't the time to worry of the future, it was time to watch and wait on what would happen next. The next few days didn't pass well; she was in almost as much pain as her master watching him suffer was not at all easy to the she-wolf, so used to saving the hobbit when the need had come. She felt a growl come from her chest, the noise hadn't even fazed Strider, he was to focused on fixed the male, and making it to Rivendell. Kept closer then she normally would, only a few strides away but hidden in shadow of the darkness. She was born for this, this running, this protection that she could not give. The beast inside of her started to gnaw away at the Elven woman hidden in the fur.
Protect…kill…save…protect…kill…save. Were the only thoughts that went through her mind as she ran quickly after the creatures. They had stopped, and her master was so close to going over the edge. She wanted to move towards him as he lay, gasping and moaning for his Gandalf. The wolf's name had escaped his lips more than once asking for help and guidance though she would not go. She refused to break her promise she wouldn't lose herself, not to helping this male. They wouldn't meet another important creature if he moved on the way he went, they wouldn't witness the creature who would lead Frodo to salvation. No, Lyavain knew she couldn't intervene, and she wouldn't until she fallowed the hobbits and the human man to Rivendell.
The thundering hoofs were what she had been waiting for, quiet and elegant, a horse from the house of Lord Elrond was expected to be of such grace, but it was the rider, the rider that caught both Strider's eyes, and her own. A beautiful Elf, the one destined to save Frodo, the one who would ruin Lyavain, but save the Ring bearer. She would watch and wait, soon fallowing after. She had wished all this time that she was able to hear their conversations. Her size made it impossible for her to be within earshot, her wolven harks were alert and ready, but sound was always made too quietly for any creature other then the words spoken to could hear. It was only then that she had noticed the elvish woman looking her direction, making a comment loud enough for me to hear, and clear enough for the camp to understand.
"Eru has blessed you with a protector much greater then a sword. Do not fear the creature it you see it. A creature much more dangerous than the once you fear. It watches not to hunt, but to protect. The bells fallow a captor's heart" She says quietly as she was helped on her horse by Strider.
It was soon after that she was gone, Strider looked around with a worried expression, staring into the darkness of the wood around. "We may as well take comfort in the woods dawn comes quickly. Let us take rest before we move. May Eru actually have a protector watching. We will need one." He said quickly with a quiet saddened look to the hobbits. They bedded down on the bed rolls and drifted to sleep. Slowly Lyavain crept towards the camp, they slept lightly. She turned to see a goblin scout aiming at the small hobbit. She didn't hesitate to charge a snarl so powerful it jolted awake the camp she took flight into the air ignoring the cries of alarm as she tore the goblin to shreds before charging forward into the darkness to avoid getting caught. Day in and day out this continued, she would hide and protect the creatures, who soon enough started offering her food. Hesitant at first to accept she soon found herself partaking in stews, bacon, and eggs galore. Long had it been since the tastes of the Shire had filled her stomach.
The second the group stepped foot into Rivendell, Lyavain was forced to fade into shadow, watching from the hills and from the den in a field not too far from the Elven population of Rivendell. Soon she slept well, visions flooded her mind unlike anything before. She was pushed will the sudden hate of Boromir, a creature she hadn't met. She was pushed with softness towards humans and animals she hadn't yet met. People, whom she recognized from her visions started flooding into the large city of Rivendell, and soon, a visit from Lord Elrond and Gandalf the grey told me what was happening.
"Black wolf of Gondolin?" Lord Elrond said quietly into the den which she had been staying, she did not deny a lord her presence. She stood slowly, still muddied, bloodied, and filthy with travel over her body. She was a disgrace before the eyes of a Lord. She bowed her head in respect to him her eyes gazed him over with a slight appraisal, she was almost as tall as the man who stood before her. Not that it surprised her, she was almost always taller than creatures from Gondolin.
"Lyavain is her elvish name, Lord Elrond." Gandalf said softly looking over to the she-wolf. The creature allowed his pelt to be touched by the old grey wizard.
"I wish to welcome you to Rivendell, Gandalf has told me of your help and protection master Baggins over the years." Lord Elrond was quite interesting, despite his standing he seemed quite calm and he had an heir of authority, which made Lyavain respect him instantly.
Despite her normal self, she didn't wish to invade such a creature's mind to reply, she sat quietly and stared at the man before her eyes. So this was the creature who would help her with her new world.
"I shall supply you clothing, and a pool to wash this form in, if you wish." Lord Elrond said softly stroking the dirty pelt of Lyavain who let out a quiet noise a tad bit quieter then a bark. Her bright eyes gazing into the lord's as she nodded her head sheepishly.
"Gandalf, inform the lord I will need no clothes. I shall not be shifting for some time, though if he could pack some for me, just in case, I would be most grateful." She lowered her head with a bashful expression as Gandalf relayed the message with a smirk, long had it been since she had been so considerate. The lord smiled and nodded before motioning for her to fallow him, which she did trustingly to a pool sitting in the middle of a small meadow closer to the city then the one she was already in.
"I shall have my guards bring food and wine to you, your clothes shall be prepared for you soon. Help yourself to the pool." He said before bowing in acknowledgement to the wolf before moving away with the Wizard once more.
Lyavain wasted no time to run and leap playfully into the pool after he guests were gone, the Elves had rich waters full of minerals and salts which cleaned and enhanced her gleam and color. Of her skin and fur, her eyes shone from a happiness of many levels, yes she bathed in the Shire, but nothing like this hot spring which had been saved for her. She washed and laid out on a rock allowing herself to dry in the cool sunlight. Happier than they could have known. She slept, watching…waiting…ready for anything to pass her way.
Elves dropped her clothes and feed off for the next few days, but she could tell she scared them. Who wouldn't be scared of a wolf the size of a normal horse? Who wouldn't be terrified of a beast so deadly its own people hated it.
A twig awoke her from her slumber on the third she stood snarling before noting who it was…
It was Frodo! It was her master!
* Hot damn, two in one night! I'm so proud of myself! R&R please! I'll work on it again tomorrow night, hopefully it will meet your desires and likings! Let me know how I'm doing! Again Happy Holidays! And a very Merry Christmas for those who celebrate! - Ze*