First, I'd like to start off with the apologies. I am very sorry that it has taken me forever to update, but there is really nothing else I could really do considering it was the school year and then even when it became summer break, I moved into a new house. So yeah, hectic life these past few months.

Second, the thank you's. HOLY MOTHERFUCKING SHIT, I gained followers and favorites for this story. GAINED. Like, I didn't see that coming at all. But thank you to all of you lovely people who left a review, you really don't know how happy each and everyone of those lovely things make me.

Third, to my friends, and they know who they are, thank you for getting me off my ass and motivating me to keep writing. You guys are amazing.

Fourth, I will not be responding to every review in the chapters that often anymore, as it just takes time away from me posting the chapter sooner and I figured you people would prefer for it to be posted sooner rather than later. Now, this doesn't mean I won't be responding to reviews anymore, it just won't be as often.

Now, with all that done, onto the chapter!

The hobbits gathered together on a bed as she sat across from them, their backs to Strider and the window as it continued to rain.

"This is a tale from my old land. And it does hold some truth to it."

She took a deep breath.

"There were once three brothers, who were traveling along a lonely road at twilight," she began, remembering how Hermione read the story to her and Ron in the Lovegood household. While what had been currently been going on in her world was unpleasant and the consequences of going to that household hadn't been pleasant, the memory was a more pleasant one of hers without bloodshed and war.

"In time,' she continued, "the brothers reached a river too treacherous to pass. But being learned in the magical arts, they simply waved their wands and made a bridge."

Calneth could tell she had the hobbits full attention, as well as Striders, even if he seemed to be focused solely on watching the empty streets outside in the rain.

"Before they could cross however, they found their path blocked by a hooded figure. It was Death and he felt cheated. Cheated because travelers would normally drown in the river. But Death was cunning, he pretended to congratulate the three brothers on their magic and said each should earn a prize been clever enough to have been able to evade him."

Calneth could imagine her ancestors, the Peverell brothers, standing at the newly made bridge with the figure of death stopping them in their tracks. She couldn't help but wonder what would go through each of their heads at this time, what would they be thinking? How did the meeting actually go?

"The oldest asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence. So Death fashioned him a wand from a near by elder tree that stood near by. The second brother decided he wanted to humiliate Death even further and asked for the power to recall loved ones from the grave. So Death plucked a stone from the river and offered it to him.
Finally Death turned to the third brother. A humble man, he asked for something that would allow him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And so it was that Death reluctantly handed over his own cloak of invisibility.

"The first brother traveled to a distant village, where with the elder wand in hand, he killed a wizard with whom he had once quarreled. Drunk with the power that the elder wand had given him, he bragged of his invincibility. But that night another wizard stole the wand and slit the brother's throat for good measure. And so Death took the first brother for his own," much like death had taken Tom for his own when he was finally killed.

"The second brother journeyed to his home where he took the stone and turned it thrice in hand. To his delight the girl he had hoped to marry before her untimely death appeared before him. Yet soon she turned sad and cold for she did not belong in the mortal world. Driven mad with hopeless longing, the second brother killed himself so as to join her. And so Death took the second brother."

Calneth was reminded of Ron and how he had begged and begged of her to let him use the resurrection stone, 'One last time to say I love you,' he had said. It was the last thing he said to her alive. And the memory haunts her now.

Subtlety shaking herself from her thoughts, she moved on with the story, and knowing it by heart she continued, "As for the third brother, Death searched for many years but was never able to find him. Only when had attained a great age did the youngest brother shed his cloak of invisibility and give it to his heart. He greeted Death like an old friend. He went with him gladly and departed this life as equals."

By the end of her story, all the hobbits had dozed off, sleeping soundly next to each other. Curled in two small groups on the two beds, the picture made Calneth's heart warm, almost causing her to smile. She didn't smile, but her eyes did soften at the image they made. Again, they reminded her of her younger years with Hermione and Ron. Surprisingly though, the more she remembered her dead friends, the less pain she would feel at there memory. Was she actually-?

"Calneth," a voice called derailing her train of thoughts leaving her blinking in confusion.

She glanced up towards Strider who seemed to have been trying to get her attention. She grimaced, mentally berating herself for getting so lost down memory lane that she wasn't aware of her surroundings.

"I apologize Strider, I was distracted by my thoughts. What were you saying?"

He nodded, "I was merely commenting on your story, you said it was from your homeland?"

She nodded in confirmation.

He hummed in thought, "I've never heard of it before. What is it called? The story that is?"

"I'm not surprised, my land is not in Arda, quite honestly it feels worlds away," she sighed, "But the story is known as The Tale of Three Brothers."

He nodded in understanding knowing that despite how far he himself had traveled; even he couldn't have possibly travel everywhere. A companionable silence enveloped them both.

"What is the story behind your sword?" he asked curiously.

She glanced at the sword of Gryffindor that innocently sat propped up against the wall across from the beds. Her holly wand, seen only by her through the glamour charms, fastened to it securely.

"It was my ancestors. Or at least, it is an old family legend passed down through the generations. Officially though, it is said only those who are worthy may wield the sword."

He glanced at the sword curiously, "It has seen many battles I would believe then?"

She chuckled, "It would be a reasonable guess," she conceded, "However my father never got the chance to officially tell me. He died when I was but a babe," she sighed, "There were ways to call him and my mother back, if only briefly, but," she gazed at the sword which sat almost carelessly against the wall, "by the time I truly considered the idea, those ways had already caused me enough pain, I didn't want to risk it."

He nodded seemingly in understanding, but in reality, he was only left with more questions about the girl with the hood in front of him. It was quite frustrating if he were to be honest.

But despite all this, Strider decided he had questioned her enough as it was and simply said, "Get some sleep," firmly, "I'll keep watch tonight."

Calneth wanted to protest, really she did. She didn't simply want to let her guard down so much as to sleep in the same vicinity as someone else who very much not unconscious, but she was worn and tired from the last few days traveling on the road. Sleeping sounded so wonderful.

After making herself suffer an argument with herself for a few short moments, her exhaustion won out in the end thanks to the little thought "If Gandalf trusts him, then I trust him."

Settling into the bed she felt her eyes slip closed and soon after, she drifted to sleep.

When she awoke it was to the sun just starting to bleed over the hills as the sky began to lighten. But the state of the occupants in the room was very much the same. Strider sat at the window, and somehow still looked as observant as ever. The four hobbits laid passed out in the middle of the four beds no closer to the land of the awake then they were when they fell asleep last night.

Calneth bid Strider a quiet good morning to which he responded in kind. She hid her disbelief at the notion that she had no nightmares to haunt her dreams that night as she retightened her wand holster. But she decided that it wasn't really worth worrying over when she had slightly bigger issues to worry about.

She walked into the washroom connected to their small inn room and splashed some of the water on her face. Conjuring a mirror to stand before her she looked over her appearance once more making sure her ears were hidden beneath her hair before flipping her hood back up. She could tell that Strider wished to comment on her appearance with her cloak with the obvious curiosity in his eyes. But she hoped he would be able to resist for a little while longer.

After vanishing the mirror, she calmly walked out of the room and grabbed her sword from where it rested against the wall. She strapped it to her hip beneath her cloak with practiced ease and relaxed under the familiar feel of it's pressure against her leg. Brushing her hand against the handle where her holly wand sat securely strapped onto it, she relaxed at the familiar feel of the wood and her magic's reaction to said wand. Even after she had bonded with the Elder Wand, she never grew out of her first reaction to the wand when she had been eleven years old.

She glanced at the hobbits curled up in the bed and chuckled lightly at their prone forms. But quickly sobered up when she remember just how young they really were. They shouldn't have to be apart of this war.

Just like Ron and Hermione, and Neville and Luna and-

She quickly ended her train of thought before she began to go down that bitter path of resentment. She should be over this by now, or at least, that was the thought in her mind.

After waking the hobbits up (which involved multiple splashes of ice cold water) their little entourage began their journey to Rivendell to be rid of the small cursed object that had brought them so much grief in only a short amount of time.

As they all followed Strider through the woods, Calneth took a moment to marvel at the world around her. By some miracle, they world she had found herself in only a few months ago, was still unscarred by the modern world she had been born into. While the civilization was different from the wizarding world, and very much so too. It also still reminded her of the wizarding world. Magic and different creatures, wars and peace, dark lords and those who opposed him/her even in the face of defeat, the worlds weren't so much different then what many would think. Even if the speech was a bit different, it wasn't that hard to grasp once she got used to it.

'It even reminds me of Britain with all the rain,' she grumbled to herself as it began to rain on them once again.

She was dragged from her musings by the sight of the hobbits sitting down next to some oddly shaped rocks and pulling out cooking utensils as they did so.

"Gentlemen! We do not stop till night fall," he called to them, obviously a little exasperated.

"What about breakfast?" Pippin asked innocently.

"You've already had it," the man questioned, clearly confused by the hobbits actions.

"We've had one yes. But what about second breakfast?"

Calneth thought that if he wasn't so good at masking emotions, the man may have rolled his eyes. That said, he simply turned around and continued walking.

"Don't think he knows about second breakfast Pippin," Merry said to his cousin and shouldered his bag once more to keep walking along with the other hobbits.

"What about elevenses? Luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner? Supper! He knows about them doesn't he?"

"I wouldn't count on it," Merri simply responded.

Taking pity on the hobbits who reminded her fondly of Ron with his endless stomach, Calneth dug through her sack resting on her left shoulder and tossed back four apples for the hobbits.

"Eat up!" she shouted back to them and muffled her chuckles when one she tossed back ended up bouncing off Pippin's head.

They continued walking for sometime passing through the some marshlands and Calneth had never been more grateful to Hermione for coming up with a variant of the muggle repelling charm. Bug repelling charms were a thing of beauty.

"What are they eating when they can't get hobbit?" Merry grumbled as he swatted at more bugs.

Calneth couldn't hold back her chuckles as Pippin fell into the water a few times as they kept walking. Though she would dry him with a simple flick of her wand though when he gave her a betrayed look as a silent apology for laughing.

As night feel they stopped to rest and Strider brought a deer for them all to eat for dinner. Calenth had to admit that Sam's cooking could rival Mrs. Weasley's, even when they were out in the middle of a forest.

As the hobbits nodded off, Calneth laid back against the grass knowing that she wouldn't be going to sleep for sometime as her current predicament reminded her too much of when she and her friends hunted the horocruxes. So to pass the time she began to mentally name off the constellations in the sky. They weren't the same as the ones back on Earth, but she had begun to learn under the tutelage of Gandalf when she admitted to him her insomnia problems.

Just as she reached the fifth one (she believed it was the Eleven woman who gave her love to a mortal if she remembered correctly) she heard Strider begin to sing softly as he smoked from his pipe.

"Tinúviel elvanui,

Elleth alfirin ethelhael
O hon ring finnil fuinui

A renc gelebrin thiliol."

Calneth couldn't translate all of it, but she could definitely understand that the song was about a woman, she just wasn't sure who.

"Who is she?" she questioned the man once he seemed to be finished with his song.

She glanced over to see his confused expression.

"The woman you sing of," she clarified.

"Tis the Lady of Lúthien. The Elf Maiden who gave her love to Beren… a mortal."

Calneth nodded in understanding, "That woman?" she asked as she pointed towards the constellation in the sky that she had been looking at earlier.

Strider glanced up and nodded, "Yes."

Calneth gave a sad smile, "The woman who gave up immortality to be with the man she loved."

She glanced towards Strider to see a slightly wistful expression on his face. Confused for only a moment, she then recognized the look on his face. The one she'd seen on Ron and Hermiones face when they looked at each other. The expression Remus wore before she pushed him towards Tonks. The she'd seen directed towards her once.

"You love an elf as well," she stated. It wasn't a question, but her simply stating the facts.

A surprised expression appeared on his face as he looked her slightly wide eyed, "How could you tell?"

She smiled ruefully, the smile not quite reaching her eyes, "I've seen it before. On the expressions of friends directed at each other, but too blind to see it directed at them," I've seen it given to me once before too, she thought as she looked back at the stars, "I simply put together the puzzle pieces you'd already given to me."

The man chuckled, "It could never be, she's the daughter of Lord Elrond, Lord of Rivendell."

Calneth rolled her eyes even though he couldn't see from where he sat, "That wouldn't be for you or her father to decide though would it? If she were to decide to give immortality up to be with you, then that's her choice. Besides, I find it difficult to believe you would object much to the chance of spending your life with her."

Strider blushed slightly at the truth of her words and hastily attempted to change the subject and instead asked her why she wasn't already asleep like the others of their group.

She shrugged from her position on the ground and answered truthfully, "I find it difficult to sleep most nights, I was simply too tired last night from traveling to Bree with the others. I'd been keeping watch for the nights we traveled."

Strider's brow furrowed at the woman's words knowing that there was likely more to her explanation that she was simply leaving out, but he decided not to push knowing he had no place to. After all, she hadn't pushed for him, she simply guessed correctly. It bothered him though that he still couldn't quite figure out the girl in front of him.

They passed the rest of the night in silence as Calneth ended up sleeping for two hours before she rose with the sun as it came up over the horizon.

In the morning once the hobbits were fully awake and from their night of rest, they continued on their journey till they came to the ruins of a temple at the top of a hill.

"This was the great watch tower of Amon Sûl," he glanced around, "We'll rest here tonight."

They found a small alcove to rest in and they all settled down for some rest, but Calneth still couldn't fully rest, she couldn't quite shake the feeling of dread settling into her stomach. She gripped the handle of her sword tightly, her knuckles bleeding white.

As she gazed out into the distance she could hear some rustling as Strider handed small swords to the hobbits. "These are for you," he said, "Keep them close, I'm going to look around. Stay here. I will be back soon,"

And with that he left the five to their selves.

After staring at the distance for awhile and soon growing slightly tired of the dread still settling amongst her instincts, she decided she would go to the top of the ruins to work off her frustrations and get some practice in while she was at it.

She turned to the talking hobbits and noticed that Frodo was starting to doze off. "I'm going to the top of the hills where the ruins are located," she told them, "I'm growing restless and I have yet to truly practice. I will be only a shout away," she locked her gaze onto the hobbits, "Don't do anything foolish, and stay safe."

With that she trekked her way up the hill. Once finding an appropriate opening among the ruins, she drew her sword and began to work her way through different blocks and attacks, letting instinct and muscle memory take a hold.

She was startled from her training from the sound of Frodo cursing his friends and then the close screech of a Nazgul. She cursed quite fluently as clutched her sword tightly in her hands, already knowing that something happened and the Nazgul had spotted them.

As the hobbits came over the ridge, their swords already drawn and before them she hissed at them, "What happened!?"

"They lit a fire," was all Frodo said, and it was all Calneth needed to hear.

She cursed their naivety knowing they truly had meant well, but it still gave them trouble, especially when they certainly did not need it.

They stood in a tight circle as a Nazgul slowly walked out from between two pillars, and four more slowly following it. Calneth stood in front of the hobbits as each Nazgul drew their swords and stalked towards them like a pack of wolves cornering their prey.

"Back you devils!" Sam shouted as he took a swipe at one of the Nazgul who got too close to him for comfort.

Sadly, he was easily swiped back by the Nazguls sword, sending into a rock. Hard.

Calneth reacted then brandishing her sword, "Expecto Patronum!" She shouted out the spell, putting every good memory of her with Gandalf behind the spell, smiling a smile with only teeth as Fawkes soared from her wand.

She then immersed herself in a duel with two Nazgul as her patronus took care to defend the hobbits as they engaged three Nazgul in a fight. Halfway through her fight she lost sight of Frodo, causing her to panic. Where in Merlin's name was Strider!?

"Incendio!" she shouted with clarity as her sword became engulfed in powerful flames.

The Nazgul she were fighting screeched in anger as their robes were set alight, but their distress gave her the time she needed to glance around to search for Frodo. And then she spotted him, or rather it, the Nazgul as it raised its sword up seemingly about to strike thin air. Unless-

Her heart stopped as she apparated between Frodo and the Nazgul with a fierce CRACK.

She swung her sword in an arch, blocking the blow, "You will not touch him," she hissed at the creature that was once a man.

"Take the ring off Frodo," she said to seemingly open air, "Up on your feet."

She slashed once again at the Nazgul casting a glance around her to try and spot the others, but was unable to as she engaged the Nazgul in a fight.

Then with a shout Strider arrived with a burning torch and a sword brandished. Her relief was short lived however as her attention was once again drawn to the being in front of her.

"What took you so long!?" she shouted to the man.

"I was busy!" he shouted back.

She rolled her eyes, but she set her amusement aside, she had a battle to fight.

But then the Nazgul gained the upper hand as her sword was knocked away by a strong blow and she was left defenseless for a split second, the split second it took for her to flick her wrist for her wand. It was the second the Nazgul needed as it thrust its sword forward, she attempted to dodge but failed to move out of the way completely and the blade caught her left shoulder.

With a cry and gasp she fell to the ground as immense pain made its way through her system. It felt like she was burning from the inside out, all of the pain coming from her shoulder and spreading like a virus. It felt like the Cruciatus Curse, only worse. She couldn't focus on anything else other than the pain. Pain. PAIN.

Outside the haze of pain she had found herself in, she recognized Strider looking over her and cursingas he looked at her shoulder.

"Morgul blade… by Durin's beard, she's an elf… beyond my skill… elvish medicine…," were among the things she heard.

'Looks like cats out of the bag that I'm an elf,' she thought through the haze.

"Hold on Calneth," was the last thing she heard before darkness over took her.

And that's chapter 6! I hope this chapter makes up for the admittedly very long absence, but I swear that I'll try and update sooner next time.
Again, thank you guys and don't forget to leave a review!

~candiesandfanfics~