The Protector in the Shadow
*What a wonderful Christmas it was! I hope yours (if you celebrate it) was as good as mine~ I'm happy as a clam that I can now type with ease on my new iPod touch! WAH. I didn't see it coming! My parents are now my favorite creatures in the world! Anyway here's the next chapter! Enjoy with all your heart! -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 Three: A Human Intruder
She was shocked to see him, his beautiful pale eyes watching her as she watched him. She wanted to run to him, but was afraid he would fear her. She stood taller than him, her elegant neck arched like the marble in the city of Rivendell. Her thick fur was like a pillow of the great kings, thick and rich. It was Frodo who moved first, Frodo who kept moving towards her his steps quickened as he soon was running. He sprang to wrap his arms around her neck, she was a bit taken back, but soon her neck crooned down to return the embrace.
"I promised Black wolf, I promised I would not lose let you go from my mind, and"He said quietly into her neck, no she could hear him fine, but others would find it difficult, "Why did you bid me to forget Lyavain?" He asked the tone broke her heart in two. She had no right to still his memories like he did, but it needed done.
"I do not expect to be forgiven easily Frodo Baggins. But fate did not allow me to be in contact with you." She whispered silently into his mind, her voice was soft as silk, attempting to make it up to the boy. She felt horrible what a guardian she was, "I was always watching, always protecting when need be. I needed to ensure fate and destiny would fall into play." She spoke honestly, nudging the boy with her large muzzle encouraging him in her own ways.
The hobbit chuckled lightly at her movements a warm chuckle soon bubbled into a hearty laugh; bright expressions crossed Lyavain's wolven face as she chuffed a wolven laugh with a bright smile. Her expression was pleased, she was so pleased with herself causing her master such joy was something she always wished to do. She jumped at him playfully, her large plume of a tail waved happily as she did so. She hadn't ever played like this in her life.
Her eyes drifted across the field, Elflings ran happily, leaping and playing with one another like wild creatures. Pretending to be beasts. "Naneth, what do the other children do?" She questioned, amazed that they would allow other children out to play with ease. They weren't chained like she was she was jealous to the point of violence for months. "Because they are not special like you my child. They don't have such caring parents." Her mother tried to defend herself over the anger mostly because she couldn't bear to decide. The girl knew she was a defect, not supposed to exist. "You liar" she snarled violently from the darkness of her cell. "You are a liar." And with that everything went to quietness.
Frodo smiled at her, causing Lyavain to look slightly uncomfortable, why was he looking at her like that? The fondness in his eyes, how could he not be mad? She stole memories which could have kept him from being stabbed; she stole the one thing all creatures have which shouldn't be miss handled like that.
"I'm not angry with you Lyavain, Gandalf explained it to me. I'm upset you stole them," He said patting me and looking down at his feet, "but I understand things must be done for reasons I must not know." He said with a wide smile his eyes locking with hers.
He looked over her large body with a curious expression before his eyes landed on the metal on her long slender legs. Eyes growing at the sight of it, clearly not expecting it from the creature he knelt down slowly, returning his eyes to her as if asking permission, a small nod told him it was alright and he was free to touch it. His hands brushed the old unfading metal with almost hatred, though clear confusion spread across his face. "You were imprisoned?" It was more of a statement than a question, but he was asking to keep her comfortable and that she was grateful for.
"As a child I frightened others, those who did not understand imprisoned me in a cell for most of my childhood and younger years in the Elven city." She explained as quickly as she could watching him play with the metal. Only her mother ever touched the binds which had tied her to her city.
"What horrible creatures," He said softly, his mouth opened to continue but he never did. A voice, the voice of the human Strider called him to leave her meadow, "I shall return tomorrow!" He said quickly standing and running up the path he came, before the human could come near.
A dark cave surrounded the group of ten, rocks dipped from the roof of the cave like teeth from the mouth of a demon. The darkness was all around, the only source of light was from the old wizard's staff, it was cold, and the dampness brought annoyance to the entire group. Tempers seemed to flare left and right, but she stayed out of it, allowing her body to be the pillow of the small band of hobbits. Frodo had offered her to the Dwarf as well but he was much too proud and hurt to accept the offer of the hobbit. She was sleeping calmly until Boromir approached, attempting to push and pick a fight with one of the well mannered hobbits. Her slight rumble of a growl seemed to stop his approach. "Who do you think you are? Growling at the son of the Steward of Gondor," the man croaked with anger in his voice causing her to snarl louder. "Why? Stop that incessant noise before I use force, beast." He was growing louder than before. Aragorn came to intervene, but Boromir was having none of it. "Look at it! Why is it even here? The beast does nothing! What are you? Show yourself." By the last words his voice was coursing with authority and command, challenging her to deny him. "If you're not dangerous then prove it." Commands, even by someone whom she hated, could not be denied. She could fight the shift but that would result in almost certain death.
"Gandalf move the hobbits." She screamed into the uncensored minds, she didn't limit who could hear. They needed to move, and quickly. "Boromir leave her be." Aragorn said with a cool tone. Obviously only Gandalf had heard her pleas. "Hobbits over here, now! Get off of the Black wolf!"Frodo understood almost instantly pulling those who wouldn't move. It was almost the second that they moved that the wolf started to quake.
She awoke with a start, they would question her eventually, and it was a fate that needed to happen. Perhaps that was what made it worse. She couldn't stop this from happening. She stood from the small bed of hay in the farthest end of the stall and paced. How would they react, who were "they" even to begin with? What was she to do? She felt her body start to heave, fear, and a terrible fear gripped her body. Her master's journey was far from over, which frightened her to her wits' end. She heard movement outside and slowly moved to the mouth of the cave where she lay for the past few nights. Her master was there! She quickly picked up a small lope to move towards him quicker trotting carefully towards the male who watched her. "Master Frodo! What a surprise!" she called with a pleased look on her mouth. Frodo looked all the more stressed for one reason or another.
They began their conversations of life, for the next days they talked and chattered about everything from the darkness of the eastern world, to the beautiful lark in her meadow, every morning for a few hours Frodo vanished to be by his wolfling's side. So connected they had grown that he didn't even need to speak to her, no words weren't needed, they simply understood. It was like she had always belonged to him, speaking about the sun and the stars, and why there was a moon. The mouth of a horse and all of its teeth. The tip of an arrow piercing its prey. Everything seemed so natural, so eloquent and bright when her master so openly shared his opinion on things. It was one particular morning which Frodo came to visit that he had announced that he was "almost" healed. But Lord Elrond insisted he bathe in their salts to ease the pain.
"Only your shirt needs to go master, I am bare as the day I was born; if I shifted I would be even worse." She smiled when she saw his blush, chuckling in her head and in her wolven form.
"Don't laugh at me Ava! It is not entertaining in the slightest! Being bare chested before a woman? Even if you would be even barer I still dare say I will not." He said with a huff, as his face faded to a shade of red Lyavain didn't know was possible.
"Fine, swim with the clothing on, I care not. The same salts and minerals are in the water I swim as yours. We could have fun," Her triumphant stare struck a note with him clearly, "and I could protect you from drowning if need be, though I know you are a most impressive swimmer." Her charms seemed to be working as Frodo weighed the thoughts in his mind.
"Fine." Was all he said before pushing Lyavain into the water with a hearty push.
She yelped in surprise as she fell into the water her body splashed, and at least ended up getting Frodo wet in the mean time. He smiled, or he did for a moment as she reached up and pulled him into the water. They fought glorious battles together in their minds and in their pool before Frodo grew weary from working his arm. After what seemed like minutes they pulled out of the water, finding it to be almost night time in the city of Rivendell. "Master you should start back." She said quietly as they lay out under the fading sun of the warm day. He shook his head with a sigh mumbling something that sounded "Just a bit longer." Her master enjoyed spending time with her, almost as much as she enjoyed it. She shook the water from her coat and slowly lowered herself down behind Frodo, curling up around him to keep him warm in the fading light.
She could hear Samwise calling for Frodo, but being confused by the unknown forest he quickly became confused and headed back before anything else happened. "Frodo, is it true different races gather to discuss the fate of the Ring?" She questioned delicately, she knew that Frodo understood her question, both watching and feeling his response in a curt nod.
"Yes, Elves from Mirkwood, Dwarfs, and men from chosen cities flood here to Rivendell." He said with a hint of coldness in his eyes, "I don't want to attend the council meeting, but I must." His voice said he was fine, but by now Lyavain could feel he was practically screaming for help. "Will you come with me?" He asked hopefully looking to her by rolling his head back.
She sighed with a pained expression on her face. "I am not invited, I must fallow fate's way of getting my body to the meeting master Baggins. But do not fret, I will be there eventually." She said lightly leaning over to lick his ear playfully, "Can the hero of the Shire not handle himself?" she cooed in attempt to lighten the mood.
"I am no hero Black Wolf, only a mere child compared to all creatures gathered here." He sounded indignant, like he hated that fact.
She nuzzled into his neck gently blowing hot air causing him to chuckle slightly. "Master you are more than a hero. I guarantee it." All the seriousness was back in her voice again. She didn't like it when he belittled himself.
He huffed in defeat looking around to see a man start out of the wood. "Wolf! The water!" He called watching as her eyes moved to land on the man, she vanished in only a few seconds unseen by the human male. "Oh Strider, you've come to visit me?" he questioned with a smile that the elegant man returned.
"Elrond calls to meet with you, he insists it is most important." His voice had flowed like honey, she hadn't heard his calming voice in such a tone before, "He said to mention a beast, and that you would most certainly come along."
Only two more days passed, her master had come the next day to announce that in four days time the council would meet… and he would be waiting. He wanted her to join from the beginning, even mentioning it to Elrond who strictly said she would come when she was ready, but she would not be welcomed into the council with opened arms. No she would come when the time was right, just like she always had. By the day of the council she found herself perched on a rooftop nearby. Eyes on every creature in the circle as they sat staring at one another.
And then her master stepped forth with the ring…
*Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter! I wanted to let you in on the act that would take place sooner than later with the fellowship, just to hype you up. Know that it will not go as you expect! I love keeping you guessing! Enjoy my good friends, it is the time of celebration! Good tidings! R&R please let me know how I'm doing! - Ze*