Death was the only thing that Angelina Cortez wanted. Everything that she had ever loved was violently taken from her, and she now had nothing to live for, her life was empty. But who knew taking your life was so complicated? When Angelina jumped from the cliff, she thought that her suffering would end, but instead, she landed in the middle of the road where a man dressed in grey and with a long grey beard was waiting for her.
When Gandalf the Grey was told by Lady Galadriel to go to the Shire and wait for Angelina, he did not question the wisdom of the Lady of Lothlorien. He did exactly as he was told to do. She explained to him that this young lady had the power to change the fate of Middle Earth. The surprising thing was seeing her fall from the sky from nowhere. Angelina was taken to Rivendell by Gandalf, where she met Lord Elrond and Lady Galadriel. She was offered a new home and the chance to live peacefully. But there was no peace for Angelina as long she was cursed. Nevertheless, she tried to live a normal life in Middle Earth. That all changed when Gandalf recruited her for a quest to slay a dragon.
When Thorin Oakenshield was told by Gandalf that there was going to be a fifteenth member to his Company, he was not expecting it to be a human woman. And he was certainly not expecting her to be so attractive. But there was something odd about this woman, she kept everyone at arm's length except for Gandalf, and one night a month, she would disappear and later catch up with the Company. What was this beautiful human hiding from Thorin? And why did it bother him so much that she would go off by herself? What were these strange feelings that the leader of the Company was feeling towards Angelina Cortez? But more importantly, could Angelina keep her secret from the others and keep them safe from her beast?
Read and find out.
Angelina Cortez stood on the edge of the cliff overlooking the town at the base of the Pyrenees Mountains. She stood there with tears streaming down her face. The pain was unbearable. Her entire life was destroyed, her loved ones dead. What did she have to live for now?
'Nothing,' Her mind supplied.
And Angelina was right. Everything she thought she knew, everything that she believed in, had been destroyed in a single night. Now she was alone, and that was something Angelina could not bear. With her mind made up, Angelina took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and jumped off the cliff. She felt a sense of freedom as she free fell to her death; it was an exhilarating experience. The only thought that ran through her head was that she hoped that she died instantly. Angelina did not want to linger. But then again, maybe she deserved to suffer for a while as she had made others suffer.
As Angelina's body reached terminal velocity, she opened her eyes to see the ground quickly approaching. She sighed and waited for the impact that never came. Instead, Angelina landed with a thud on the road in the middle of nowhere. She pounced and slid to a stop when her head struck a large boulder that was sticking out of the ground. Lights exploded in her head, and then there was darkness.
She awoke to the feeling of the gentle prodding of someone checking her head. Slowly her eyes opened, and Angelina saw a tall man in grey with a long beard kneeling beside her. She could hear him mumbling something under his breath but didn't understand it. The older man looked up at her and smiled, "Ah, I see you have regained consciousness."
"Who are you," Angelina asked.
"Forgive me, my dear, my name is Gandalf, Gandalf the Grey. And I had a very hard time finding you, Angelina."
Angelina pulled herself up to a sitting position with the help of Gandalf. She placed her hand on her head and groaned, "How do you know my name, Gandalf? And why would you be looking for me?"
Angelina wasn't in the least bit frightened of Gandalf, for what could an elderly man do to her, considering what she was.
"I was told by someone special that you would be coming and meet you here. I must say you're a little late."
"Am I? For what?"
"For our trip to see the Elves. Lord Elrond and the Lady Galadriel are waiting for you."
"And who are they?"
"They are the rulers of Rivendell and Lothlorien, my lady. And it was the Lady Galadriel that told me to meet you here."
"If that's the case, Gandalf, then, you know that I'm not from this world. And you know what I've done in the world that I came from."
"Yes, I know."
"Then you know that I cannot go with you. I am better off dead."
"Now, my dear, you don't truly believe that do you?"
"Of course I do, Gandalf, If I didn't I wouldn't have jumped off a cliff!"
Gandalf sat back and stared at Angelina. He could see in her eyes that she was suffering greatly. It pained his heart to see someone so young carrying such a great burden, though Gandalf didn't know what that burden was. The Lady Galadriel only told him that there was a young lady from a different world that would be arriving by the grace of the Valar and that she would change the fate of someone in Middle Earth.
So, Gandalf, taking Lady Galadriel's word, set out towards the Shire to find Angelina and bring her back to Rivendell, "Come along, my dear, the Elves are waiting for you. I'm sure they can help you with whatever ails you."
Angelina laughed darkly, "There is no help for what I have, not even death it would seem. But I shall go with you, only don't say I didn't warn you when I bring death and destruction upon you and your friends."
The warning from the young lady made a shiver run down Gandalf's spine. Could she indeed be as dangerous as she claims to be? He would have to trust that Lady Galadriel and Lord Elrond knew what they were doing. Gandalf helped Angelina up, and they got into his wagon and headed out on the Great East Road back to Rivendell.
It took almost a month for them to arrive in Rivendell. As the days passed, Angelina started getting more and more nervous. She kept asking Gandalf how long it would take for them to reach Rivendell.
"We will be there in a few days, my dear, do not fret."
"I hope we get there soon."
"We will."
On the day that they arrived in Rivendell, Angelina was both relieved and anxious, relieved that their trip was over, but concerned about what was to happen next. Gandalf and Angelina rode the wagon down the winding trail towards the gates of Rivendell. Angelina looked around at the Elven city. But the beauty of Rivendell was lost on her. She was too anxious that her time was getting closer, and she needed to prepare.
When they finally made their way through the gates, they were greeted by a tall elf with dark hair. He was wearing purple robes and wearing a circlet made of silver. He smiled at Gandalf and hugged the old Wizard, "Mithrandir, it is good to see you. I see that your quest was successful."
"It is good to see you as well, Lord Elrond. And yes, I found the young lady exactly where Lady Galadriel said she would be."
Lord Elrond nodded. He walked past Gandalf and came up to Angelina, "Welcome to Rivendell Angelina, I am Lord Elrond. It is an honor to meet you," Lord Elrond said and kissed Angelina's hand.
"Thank you, Lord Elrond, you have a lovely home. I would say that I'm happy to be here, but I'm not."
Lord Elrond raised an eyebrow, "Oh? And why is that?"
"Because my being here puts your people at risk, and you may very well regret having invited me here."
"Nonsense, my dear child. All are welcome in Rivendell."
Angelina sighed, 'These people are going to regret this,' She thought.
"Come along, Miss Cortez, you must be tired after your long journey. A room has been prepared for you and a bath," Lord Elrond said.
"Thank you, Lord Elrond."
Lord Elrond inclined his head and led the way towards Angelina's room. She walked into the room and sighed at the sight of the bed. It had been such a long time since she had slept in an actual bed. Angelina laid down for a moment and sighed. It was the most comfortable bed that she had ever felt. She decided to close her eyes for a moment and relax; a few minutes later, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
"My lady, we have brought the water for your bath," An Elven handmaiden said.
"Thank you very much," Angelina said.
"We also brought you a change of clothes." Another handmaiden said.
"Thank you again."
"Will you need any help, my lady?"
"No, thank you. You may go."
The Elven maids bowed and left.
Angelina went into the bath chamber and stripped out of her clothes. She carefully eased herself into the hot water and sighed. Closing her eyes, Angelina relaxed in the tub for a while. After a few minutes, she began to scrub the travel grime off of her body. Angelina used the soaps and bath oils to wash her hair and washed her body. Once she was clean, Angelina rinsed off and got out. She wrapped a fluffy towel around herself and dried off.
Once she's dried herself and her hair, Angelina got dressed in the clothes that the Elves had provided. It had already been altered to fit her as she was a petite woman. Once she was dressed there was a knock at the door, Angelina opened the door, "My lady, I am Lindir. I am here to escort you to dinner with Lord Elrond."
"Thank you, Lindir."
Lindir bowed and offered his arm to Angelina. She took his arm, and Lindir led her through the halls of Rivendell. When they arrived at the dining hall, Lindir led Angelina to the high table where Gandalf and Lord Elrond were sitting. They both stood up and bowed when she reached the table, "Please, gentlemen, sit down."
Lord Elrond and Gandalf sat down, and Angelina took a seat across from Gandalf. Lord Elrond clapped his hands, and the servants began to serve dinner. As they ate, they made pleasant conversation, and Lord Elrond asked Angelina about her homeworld. She did not go into much detail other than she was from a country called Spain and that she lived by the sea in a city known as San Sebastián.
"And what of your family," Lord Elrond asked.
"They are all dead, sir," Angelina said with an impassive face and would not elaborate further.
"I am sorry to hear that."
"Thank you."
The dinner continued, and Angelina asked Lord Elrond questions about the Eldar and Middle Earth. He kindly answered all of her questions, "I do have one last question, Lord Elrond."
"And what would that be, lady Cortez?"
"Why are you and the Lady Galadriel so adamant that I be here?"
"Because the Valar saved you when you jumped from that mountain, my dear. They brought you here for the reason that is not yet clear to us, and we would like to house and protect you. We would also like to give you the knowledge of Middle Earth so that you can survive here. The only thing that Lady Galadriel knows for certain is that your presence here will change the course of events that are to come."
"Does she know why I jumped?"
"No, she only knows that you are suffering a great deal."
Angelina nodded.
They continued with dinner and their conversation. After their meal had concluded, Angelina asked if she could explore Rivendell on her own, "Of course, you can, My Lady. If you get lost, you can ask anyone, and they will show you back to your room," Lord Elrond said.
Angelina thanked them and left to explore the city. She strolled through the Pavillion and the gardens, finding them very comforting and tranquil. But she could not be lulled into a false sense of security, Angelina had to find a way to get out of Rivendell without being spotted. She needed to leave by tomorrow night or else, many lives would be lost.
After a few hours of exploring, she found a path that led out of Rivendell into the forest. Satisfied that she had found her escape route, Angelina went back to her room and went to bed. The next morning, Angelina woke with the same stiffness in the hands and joints that she always got before the full moon. Her body was preparing for transformation, and so she would be aching the entire day, but she was already used to it.
There was a knock at the door, "My lady, we have brought more clothes for you. They have been altered already." The handmaid informed Angelina.
"Thank you so much."
"You are welcome, my lady, would you like me to prepare a bath for you?"
"If you could make it hotter than yesterday, I would appreciate it. I woke up a little stiff this morning."
"Of course, my lady."
The Elven handmaiden quickly filled the tub and left Angelina to her bath. Angelina soaked in the tub until the water-cooled. The hot water helped her aching joints, and she relished the relief. After washing, Angelina got out of the tub, dried off, and got dressed. She left her room and headed down to the dining hall for breakfast.
As she walked down the halls of Rivendell, Angelina was greeted by several Elves. Angelina smiled and greeted them as well. When she got to the dining hall, Lindir escorted her to the high table again, but this time, instead of it only being Lord Elrond and Gandalf, there were two other Elves there. They appeared to be twins, and when they saw Angelina, they both stood and greeted her.
"Lady Angelina, allow me to introduce my sons, Elladan, and Elrohir."
"It's nice to meet you both,"
"The pleasure is ours, My Lady," Elladan said and kissed her hand.
Elrohir followed his twin's example. She smiled at them then took her seat next to Gandalf, "Did you enjoy your exploration of Rivendell last night, Angelina," Lord Elrond asked.
"Oh, yes, I did; this is a lovely place, Lord Elrond."
"I'm glad you enjoyed your time alone."
"You explored Rivendell alone, My Lady?" Elrohir asked.
"Yes, I did."
"That's no fun; you need a guided tour of Imladris, we can show you around if you like," Elladan offered.
"Perhaps another day. For now, I would like to be alone."
The twins looked at each other, confused, "Of course, My Lady, if that is what you want."
"Thank you; I do appreciate the offer."
The twins inclined their heads at the same time. After that, the subject was dropped, and they had their breakfast and talked about how things were going with the twins and their time with the Rangers of the North. Angelina listened intently about their adventures and asked questions about the Orcs and what they looked like.
"If you want, Lady Angelina, I would be happy to teach you everything there is to know about Middle Earth and its races," Lord Elrond offered.
"We'll see in the morning, My lord. Your opinion may change tomorrow."
Lord Elrond didn't understand what she meant by that, but he didn't press. After breakfast was over, Angelina continued to explore Rivendell alone. As she investigated, Lord Elrond watched her from a balcony. Gandalf eventually joined him, "She seems agitated," Gandalf observed.
"Yes, she does."
"She was like that on the road here. The closer we got, the worse it was," Gandalf explained.
"I wonder why."
"I don't know; she told me why."
Lord Elrond hummed, "Perhaps the answer will reveal itself."
"Perhaps it will."
Angelina went back to her room at lunchtime and asked the handmaiden if she could have lunch in her bedroom. The handmaiden nodded and quickly left to get her lunch. Angelina had her lunch in the privacy of her room then took a nap. After her nap, Angelina prepared for her escape. She walked the trail again the led out of the city, and made sure that there was no one around. When Angelina was satisfied that the way was clear, Angelina went back to her room and informed the Elf handmaiden to let Lord Elrond know that she would not be attending dinner, that she was too tired.
Once her excuse was made, Angelina slipped out of her room and took the path out of the city into the woods. Angelina walked for many miles, making sure she put as much distance as she could between her and Rivendell. By the time she found a suitable place, it was already getting dark.
'The moon will be rising soon,' Angelina thought.
She sighed and relaxed, knowing that she wouldn't hurt anyone when she transformed. She took a deep breath and let the transformation wash over her. The pain was terrible, but Angelina was getting used to it. She was able to stifle her screams of agony enough not to give herself away. Once the transformation was complete, The Werewolf that stood in Angelina's place shook out its fur and let out a long howl at the moon.
"What was that?" Lord Elrond asked as he heard the howl in the distance.
"I don't know; it sounded like a wolf," Gandalf remarked.
"There are no wolves near Rivendell," Lord Elrond said.
"Could it be Wargs," Elladan asked.
"I don't know but gather the guards. If they are Wargs, then an Orc pack is not far behind," Lord Elrond ordered.
The twins quickly got to their feet and headed out to call the guards. Lord Elrond leaves to his room to quickly change into his armor, while Lindir had the horses saddled. A garrison of Elves immediately left Rivendell and followed the sound of the Warg.
As they got closer to a clearing in the woods, the Elves began to notice that the horses were starting to become agitated, which was unusual behavior for Elven horses as they are not afraid of Warg. Still, whatever was out there; it was frightening the horses. It got to the point that the Elves had no other choice but to dismount and continue on foot. When they finally arrived at the clearing, All of the Elves stopped short at seeing a considerable wolf eating a stag. The beast was ripping large chunks out of the deer with powerful jaws. From what the Elves could see, it was considerably larger than a warg.
"What is that?" Elladan whispered to his father.
The minute those words were out of his mouth, the beast's head snapped up and stared right at him, Its eyes glowed purple in the moonlight, and it snarled at them. Effortlessly and without warning, the beast leaped across the clearing and landed on Elladan, snapping its teeth at him, trying to rip his throat out. Instantly Elrohir shot an arrow at the beast in the heart with such force that it knocked it a few feet back, and it landed on its back.
"Are you alright, Brother," Elrohir asked,
"Yes, I was not expecting the creature to move so fast."
The twins sighed and turned to leave when they both halted in their steps when they heard a growling coming from behind them. They turned around and saw that the beast was back on its feet. But the creature was no longer on all fours but standing on its hind legs. It reached for the arrow in its chest and pulled it out as if it was nothing. It was about to rush towards the twins when a volley of arrows were fired at it.
To the surprise of the Elves, the creature maneuvered out of the way of every single bolt and continued to make its way toward them. But just as it was about to pounce again on the twins, another guard shoved them out of the way and collided with the giant wolf. The wolf didn't hesitate to swipe its claws and shred the Elf's armor and eviscerate him. The Elf screamed in agony as the wolf began to tear it apart. The screams eventually stopped when the wolf tore out the Elf's throat and ate it.
Realizing that their arrows were useless against this creature, Lord Elrond called for swords to be drawn. The Elves were about to attack in unison when a voice rang out in the forest that was quickly recognized. It was Lady Galadriel, "My lady, it's not safe for you to be here," Lord Elrond yelled.
"I am needed here, my friend." Lady Galadriel said as she stepped into the clearing.
With a wave of her hand, Lady Galadriel sent out a stream of pure magic, and the wolf went flying back. It slowly got to its feet and changed its target. Snarling at Galadriel, the beast rushed towards her. Throwing her hands out again, the wolf went flying with enough force that it smashed its head on a boulder and was knocked out.
"Quickly, Mithrandir, the chains."
Gandalf rushed forward and clasped the wolf in what looked like silver shackles. The beast did not wake up after that.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, "What was that," Lord Elrond asked.
"That, Lord Elrond, is Angelina Cortez."