Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings. I own only my beloved characters and my own obsession with this fandom. Also don't own the cute little riddle from my favorite childhood show.
Rain Shall Pass.
Chapter T.W.O.
_"Dialect"_
"Next time when you think of beautiful things, don't forget to count yourself in." -Unknown
"Tell me. What happens when the snow melts?"
A head tilted to the side curiously. "When snow melts? Becomes water, obviously."
A pair of lips twitched into a smug smirk. "You're so literal. Wrong answer."
"Is there another magical answer to your riddle other than water?" Was the sarcastic retort. A high-pitched laugh echoed in the wind.
"Think about it and then come find me."
Warm sunlight bore down on my back from the open window, a sigh of content escaping my lips as I finally set down my quill and handed my work to the elf across from me. I stretched my arms across the table, enjoying the way my muscles flexed at the action. It felt good after being sat hunched over for the last couple hours.
"Your Common is very nearly flawless," Lindir praised. "Your Sindarin is good, as well." Blue eyes roved over the letters I had written critically, a small smile quirking his lips.
I held back a snort. "We both know my Sindarin is atrocious," I teased. "I understand what is being said better than I can speak it. Your language is too flowery for my human mind to speak it the way it should be."
Lindir laughed, a melodious sound that sent pleasant shivers down my spine. "I can approve of the effort you're going through to attempt to learn it," He said. "Not many humans make the attempt to learn our language, much less master it." He reached across the table to pat my hand. It was covered in ink as I still struggled to use a quill without making a gigantic mess of myself, but Lindir did not seem to mind. "You're making excellent progress, especially if we think back to your arrival."
I grimaced. "That was a time I'd rather like to forget."
My tutor chuckled, shaking his head. "Do not be embarrassed," He said. "You took it with much better grace than any other human woman I had ever met."
"I couldn't speak a lick of Common and spent more time angrily gesturing at everything than acting calm," I said flatly. "And if I recall, you were just as irritated as I was at being assigned as my teacher."
"I was more irritated that I had been taken off the patrol guard and being confined to an empty library when my skills were better suited elsewhere," Lindir retorted.
"Which still boils down to you being annoyed at having to look after a human who couldn't understand a single word you were saying," I said in a sing-song voice. Lindir rolled his eyes, a very human reaction that he had to of picked up from me since the only other human he saw often was Estel and the world would end before Estel actually rolled his eyes at something being said.
That man is just too serious, I thought fondly, remembering the blue-grey eyes that had led me into Rivendell with the care and gentleness of someone watching a wild animal debate whether it was safe or not. Whether he admitted it or not, the second he no longer had his sword pointed at me and decided to give me even a small modicum of trust despite not understanding me, I owed him a debt of gratitude. He had saved me from a no doubt painful death if I had been left to myself in the wilderness.
Lindir said something in Sindarin that had a lot of long words in it that he had yet to teach me the meaning of. I only knew that it was about me since I caught the Sindarin nickname the elves in Imladris had given me. I scowled at him. "I don't know what you just said and you know it."
Lindir smirked at me, pleased. "I thought you said you understood our language better than you could speak it."
"I can, but only when you dumb it down enough for me to actually pick it apart!"
"That's not an excuse," He said primly, but not seriously. He slid the parchment with my Common and Sindarin letters back to me, pointing to the bottom portion that had been left blank. "I'm going to repeat what I just said. You're going to pick apart each word and try to tell me what that word means."
"So the usual?" I snarked, picking my quill back up and poising it to write. Lindir merely grinned, his teeth white and straight as they flashed at me. A vague sense of nostalgia hit me and I gave him a small smile. It was ironic that he could give me such a wide smile like this.
I arrived in Rivendell three years ago. My first week had been spent in a self-enforced isolation, one where I acted like a brat and refused any attempted help from the elves and focused only on my own self-pity and anger. Lord Elrond allowed this for only that week and then put his foot down. The time after that had been spent with Lindir and Tobrien. Seven days a week for three hours, I was in the library with Lindir learning Common, the most spoken language, and later Sindarin at my own request.
Lindir's patience with me that first year spoke a lot of the elf's character. I couldn't imagine anyone back home tolerating the shouting matches him and I had on a daily basis for very long.
"What are you thinking about that has you making such a face?" Lindir asked. I startled, hissing a curse when the stroke I had been working on went wide and traced a line across the parchment.
"Just thinking about our first year together," I said, scowling. There was no correcting that mistake. I began to rewrite the line, minding the specific strokes Lindir had taught me were important to the structure.
"Ah, yes," Lindir hums. "Your time here has not been easy. I am ashamed that you had to see such a side of me, my Lady."
I very nearly groaned out loud. I hated that title more than anything. Stations were such an important factor here and to ignore those was never wise, but it grated on every nerve I had that I was given such a ranking name of power. It felt wrong for creatures such as the elves to call me anything but my name. "My name is Ash," I said, giving Lindir a pleading look. "And do not apologize for my sake. I was not making your life easier with my attitude."
"You mean your temperament has changed in the last three years?" I flicked my brush at him, watching with a huge amount of satisfaction when ink splattered against Lindir's forehead and cheeks. His eye twitched and next thing I knew, the whole ink bottle had been emptied on my lap. I gave a startled yelp, jumping to my feet so fast my chair toppled backwards with a loud clatter. Ink spilled down my pale dress to the floor, dripping from the hem to the stone beneath my feet.
Our eyes connected, Lindir's sparkling and mine narrowed. I casually grabbed a second ink bottle, Lindir reaching for the final one resting beside him with a wide smile, and what happened next was a flurry of limbs, surprised shouts, and black ink flying everywhere.
I'd heard many stories throughout my time here—back home, too, though that was more from the pages of a book—that elves were graceful and serene creatures, honest to a fault, and were not often prone to the kind of playfulness that humans were known for. Lindir, however, was one of the few exceptions. Being one of Lord Elrond's right hand men, I would never have expected this side of his personality when I first saw it. He was a straight-faced elf, professional and diplomatic, but underneath those searching blue eyes, he was like a child.
He loved to laugh and have fun just like any other man when he wasn't working and surrounded by important people of power. It was so refreshing to realize that I could be silly with him and he'd join right in with me so long as the occasion called for it.
The door opening ten minutes later stopped the battle we had started. Tobrien came in, eyes widening in surprise at the mess we had made. "What in Manwë's name are you two doing?"
Lindir immediately hid the empty bottle in his hand, straightening his tunic and undershirt with a modest smile directed at Tobrien. "We have just finished our lesson, Lady Tobrien," He said. "I was about to dismiss her back into your care before you walked in." His voice was so smooth, so honest, that if it weren't for the ink spread across his hairline and covering his shoulder, I would've believed him.
"Lying bastard," I muttered in English. Lindir's eyes flickered towards me, mirth still visible in them and silently conveying that he had heard my quiet curse. Tobrien shook her head fondly, bending to pick up an ink-splattered parchment that had once contained this lesson's words on it. Now, as I caught a brief glimpse of it as Tobrien stood back up, it was no more than a pitch black stain and was hardly legible anymore.
"I see," Tobrien hummed, smiling at us with a knowing look. "Then perhaps it would be best that I take her out of your hands before anything else happens, Lindir. You've made quite the mess in Lord Elrond's library."
Sneaking a look at our table, I bit my lip seeing the ink smeared across the expanse of the wood, covering not only the top but also the books and spare blank parchments Lindir had brought in with him. I hoped none of the books were Lord Elrond's. I dreaded having to explain to the stern-faced elf why some of his collection was damn near ruined now.
"Have no fear," Lindir soothed reassuringly. "They are not his books. Nothing that I can't get my hands on again." I breathed a sigh of relief. Dodged that bullet.
Tobrien laughed, a gentle, high-pitched sound that so musical to my ears. "Come, Lady Asherah," She urged, guiding me towards the door. "Lindir will handle this mess and I shall help you get cleaned up." Lindir made a disbelieving noise and I tossed a smug smirk at him over my shoulder. Tobrien glanced back at him as well, still smiling. "Seeing as how I'm taking care of Lady Asherah and all the other servants are busy at the moment, I'm afraid it does fall into your capable hands, Lindir. There is much to be done and you're the only one available."
"I'll see you tomorrow, Lindir," I chirped, waving goodbye to him. I heard his grunt of annoyance and laughed out loud, thrilled that I had gotten out of that clean-up.
"You torture that poor elf more than you should, Lady Asherah," Tobrien chided, blue eyes cutting to me. She was obviously not serious if the laughing tone in her voice was anything to go off of. "You're going to scare him off at this rate."
"Lady Asherah" was still one word too many for my tastes, but Tobrien had insisted on at least a little bit of decorum and after much needling, I had relented to her at least calling me that and not "my Lady". At least this title had my actual name in it. Lindir purposefully called me "my Lady" cause he knew it irritated me. He had to get under my skin somehow and if his perfect looks didn't do the trick, then the formality would definitely do it.
Smug ass elf.
"Not likely," I denied, skipping a pace ahead of her and spinning on my heel to face her. I carefully began walking backwards, mindful of the winding path we were taking. It wouldn't do to embarrass myself by running into another wall. "He's made it three years with me. That means he's in it for the long run."
Tobrien cocked her head curiously. "Long run? Why would you wish to challenge Lindir to a run?"
"It's something people from my home would say," I explained. "It means that Lindir is basically stuck with me until the day I die." I childishly kicked at a pile of leaves that I had waded through, giggling when they fluttered around my knees before falling back to the ground in a disorganized mess.
My friend muffled a laugh behind her hand. "I'm sure Lindir would love that."
"He should!" I joked, twirling around a pillar, Tobrien disappearing from my view briefly before I flitted back around into the hallway. A cool breeze crept through the open arches and caressed my bare shoulders. I breathed in the fresh smell of wet soil and grass, thankful that the winter season had passed Imladris by so quickly. "He's an elf. A lifetime for me is a blink of an eye to him! He can tolerate me for another eighty years and then he'll be free of me. No sooner than that."
"I don't know if I should pity him or not."
"Oh, please," I snorted. "I bring color to his otherwise monotonous life."
"As you say, Lady Asherah," Tobrien agreed, grinning. I was once again momentarily blinded by how beautiful Tobrien was with her long blond hair, blue eyes, and perfect, pale skin. She looked like the typical classic beauty that I was used to seeing back home and her features were quite common amongst the elves according to Lindir, but it was more like she was in a whole class of her own regardless of those observations. I was in her company daily, though I couldn't help but marvel at how everything seemed to brighten when she laughed or smiled or my whole body seemed to become giddy with excitement the few times I'd heard her sing.
God, my best friend was amazing.
I failed to hide a flinch at that thought, stumbling to a clumsy stop and immediately feeling guilty when Tobrien's pale eyes were replaced with honey-brown and her blond hair became brunette. I only just stopped myself from thinking her name, but that didn't stop the brief feeling of homesickness from assaulting me.
It was human nature to make connections with people with similar interests or personalities, but it felt like a betrayal that I was beginning to forget I had someone else who had otherwise occupied the best friend spot.
"Lady Asherah?" I blinked and Tobrien's features came back into focus. Blue eyes gave me a concerned look. "Are you alright, Miss?"
I immediately plastered on a bright smile and felt fake as hell for deceiving Tobrien of my true feelings. "I'm good! I just remembered something and it caught me off guard is all."
"As you say," Tobrien said reluctantly, not looking entirely convinced, but not pushing anymore. She straightened when a voice called her name and I turned to see an elleth with dark hair damn near sprinting towards us, cheeks flushed pink and her light steps gently stirring the leaves that littered the hallway. She hissed something quick in Sindarin to Tobrien that I didn't fully catch, fidgeting in place with a nervous energy that set my own nerves skittering anxiously.
Tobrien blinked in surprise, speechless for just a second before giving herself an obvious mental shake and gave the elleth what sounded like an order. I frowned. Why was Tobrien ordering extra rooms be prepared? The dark-haired woman gave a jerky nod and hurried away, skirts billowing behind her dramatically as she disappeared from view.
"What's going on?" I immediately asked, inching closer to the taller woman.
"She says we're to expect company soon." She beamed at me. I couldn't help but feel like something was off with that smile. "Estel is coming home at last! And he is apparently bringing friends with him."
"Ranger friends?" I arched an eyebrow.
Tobrien shook her head. "I believe she said they were small children."
I blinked, confused, before it finally hit me like lightning hitting ground.
Oh. The Hobbits.
Anxiety started festering in my stomach and I swallowed roughly. Was it really close to that time already? How could it be happening now? Damn it all, I wanted to be out of Rivendell before this happened to avoid the drama, but clearly that wasn't meant to be.
I think I'm going to be sick.
"What's this about small children?" I felt my heart leap into my throat at the presence that had suddenly appeared at my elbow, stumbling into Tobrien's arms as I whirled around and struggled not to lose my breakfast.
Green eyes sparkled mischievously from behind snow-white hair, knowing exactly what it was their owner had done to scare me.
"Will you stop doing that?!" I snapped breathlessly, huffing when a chortling laugh was my answer.
"Forgive me, Lady Ash." I tossed a smirk at Tobrien. Finally someone who used my nickname. "Hobbits are naturally light on their feet. It is more habit that I walk silently now."
"If I didn't know you so well, I'd almost believe you, but since I do know you that well, I'm calling you out on that lie." I was immensely pleased at the cackling that escaped his throat and echoed in the open space. It did him so much good to laugh as much as I know he used to. I knew he had returned to Rivendell solely because he could get the peace and quiet he so desperately desired, but I was so used to seeing a younger man—specifically from a certain movie series—who smiled more freely and laughed with his whole heart more than the elderly one standing before me with only a twinkle in his eye to tell me that the Brandybuck blood was still going strong in him.
Tobrien let out a gasp of delight. "Oh, Master Bilbo!" She exclaimed, eagerly striding forward and hugging the small man in an enthusiastic embrace. "It feels like it's been ages since last I saw you! You are doing well, yes?"
"Yes, yes, I'm doing fine, my dear," He patted her head like my impatient grandfather always did to us kids to get us to release him quicker, "but what's this I hear about small children coming to Rivendell with Strider? I did not mean to pass eaves, but I must admit to my own curiosity to this little bit of news!"
"Of course, Master Bilbo," Tobrien acquiesced, standing back to her full height. I had to muffle a snicker at the vast difference between the two. Bilbo barely came up to Tobrien's ribs when she stood straight. "Estel is returning within the next day or two with some small companions alongside him. A servant informed me that one of them was grievously injured, however, and that Lady Arwen should be here with him any minute now to receive treatment from Lord Elrond himself."
"By the Gods, to be graced with Lord Elrond's medical knowledge must mean that it is very serious indeed," Bilbo frowned, leaning on his cane. He gave a small shiver and wrapped his white shawl closer to his chest. "It is most unfortunate, but we are living in some very dark times. I do hope the poor lad recovers."
I'd hope so considering he's your nephew.
"Oh sure, you'd tell Bilbo the juicier details, but all you'd give me was Estel returning with some kids and that required having some extra rooms prepared," I said sarcastically, struggling to speak past the lump in my throat. My voice came out higher pitched than normal and sounded foreign even to my ears.
"You weren't specific enough with your question," Was all Tobrien offered. I rolled my eyes.
"Or it's just blatant favoritism." I forced myself to pause as if I were contemplating something. "Wait, Arwen is coming back with him? Why is she out gallivanting in the wilds looking for lost children? I know she likes to sneak out with the border patrol sometimes, but this feels a little coincidental to me."
"I'm not entirely certain, but I accidentally overhead Glorfindel talking to Lord Elrond about a message from Gandalf warning about Nazgûl sightings near the northern area of Eriador. It must have been very serious for Lady Arwen came to me late at night about a week ago to help her prepare for a few weeks ride in the wild."
"Accidentally, huh?" I accused. Tobrien's cheeks flushed red, but she didn't deny the accusation. Correction: she had been eavesdropping.
"N-Northern Eriador?" Bilbo stuttered, eyes wide and face pale. "My word, t-that's where the Shire is located!"
I heaved an exasperated sigh. Damn, I was getting good at this acting clueless game. "I imagine these small companions Estel is escorting are probably Hobbits, Tobrien. Honestly, anyone would get the wrong idea if you don't explain important details such as that."
Bilbo huffed angrily, smacking his cane against the stone with a resounding smack. "Confound it all, just because us Hobbits are short does not mean that we are not grown! I am eleventy-one years old and you elves still continually treat me as if I were still a child some days! Blast it all, I must locate Lord Elrond and figure out this mess. I'd bet my whole treasury a Brandybuck or a Took are apart of this nonsense and I will not stand for it if they're causing trouble all the way out here."
"Why don't you go with him, Tobrien?" I suggested, smiling as I watched the old Hobbit storm off, muttering curses under his breath as he went. "I'm sure he'd like your pleasant company when he manages to find Lord Elrond."
Tobrien hesitated, eying Bilbo's hobbling gait and stormy expression. "Are you sure, my Lady? Master Bilbo seems rather...irate with me at the moment. And I'm also supposed to be assisting you now that your lessons are over."
I waved her concerns away. "He's an old man, Tobrien. Hobbit, Elf, Dwarf, or Man, all old men are the same. Their tempers get set off over the silliest things. I'll just antagonize him if I were to go after him, so it'd be best for his health if you just went instead." I clapped her shoulder, amused when it didn't even dip under the force I had used. "Besides, I'm old enough to look after myself. You take the rest of the night off since Bilbo is basically a full time job anyway. We'll meet up tomorrow."
"But there are delegates arriving even as we speak," Tobrien protested. "I'd hate for you to get swept up in their mindless squabbles and politics with no background on what they're talking about!"
I barely suppressed a frown from showing. "Delegates?" I asked slowly.
"Lord Elrond has requested for members of all races to be present for a meeting later this week. It's very urgent apparently."
I'm definitely gonna be sick. I should've been out of Rivendell days ago.
I grinned shakily at her. "Then I guess I'll have to go into hiding or something cause I definitely do not want to get pulled into those circles." I shooed at her. "And you're needed elsewhere, so I'd move those legs if I were you."
"If you're sure," Tobrien said reluctantly. "You'll call me if you need anything?"
"Yes, I will," I insisted. "Now, go on. I'm gonna head back to my room to change out of this dress since I'm still covered in ink thanks to Lindir. More than likely, I'll be out in the gardens for the rest of the day. It'll get pretty frantic when Arwen arrives and I'd rather not get trampled by her crazy horse or any crazy elves running themselves silly to get to the House of Healing. And I guess to avoid these supposed delegates, too."
Tobrien laughed loudly at that before bidding me goodbye and waving as she hurried after Bilbo, who had already traversed quite a distance in his haste to find the elf he was hunting for. I waited till they were both out of sight before turning on my heel and marching towards my room. It was high time the dress came off. The blasted thing was sticking to my legs thanks to the ink and I'm sure I was a sight for sore eyes with all the black smudges across my cheeks and nose.
I'd bet everything I owned back home that Arwen would be arriving very soon with a nearly dead Frodo Baggins in tow, which would then start a series of events that I'd much rather not get involved in. The Council of Elrond would be happening soon and I had every intentions of being on the other side of Rivendell or even pretending to be a lost hiker for all I cared just to be far away from that important future meeting.
I refuse to be involved in some life-changing quest in any way, shape, or form because a simple gold ring suddenly copped an attitude and wanted to find its way home. Nope. No way. Not me. I was staying far away from that red zone. It worked out just fine when I wasn't involved and it'll work out the same way if I stay out of sight and out of mind.
I bit my lip, ignoring the guilt that gnawed at me. It was selfish of me to keep what knowledge I had to myself and not at least inform someone about it, but I was human and was therefore very selfish by nature. Maybe Estel would realize quicker how fit he was to be a leader, a King. Maybe the Hobbits would be spared of at least some of the trauma they endured. Maybe the Elf would open up sooner to the Dwarf, who would also open his eyes to how utterly stupid his hatred of all pointy-eared creatures truly was and find the truest friend he could've ever asked for. Maybe the Wizard didn't have to fall in an endlessly dark abyss. And perhaps the Son of Gondor didn't have to die such a pitiful death.
I didn't have any right to interfere in a future that was long set in stone. Fate was fickle and did not like to be toyed with. The future would play out exactly as She deemed fit regardless of any sudden discrepancies.
But maybe I could just—
No!
I hissed irritably, rubbing my head in an attempt to rid myself of the headache I had willingly walked into. I'd had this mental battle more than I cared to admit and I wavered back and forth over the pros and cons and the what ifs, but I always knew the ultimate conclusion wasn't going to change. I had to be distant. It was bad enough to be on associating terms with Estel—for fucks sake, his name is Aragorn, quit being a baby and just say his name—and he was going to be playing a very vital role soon and it definitely wouldn't do if I said or did something that had him second guessing his actions.
What would happen to the others if I got involved?
Damn it all, this is making the headache worse.
The sound of leaves crunching under a heavy boot had me snapping my head up sharply, freezing in between two pillars that gave me a clear view to a path that lead outside of Rivendell's walls. It also gave me a very clear view of a pair of eyes that were as grey as an incoming storm.
Neither of us moved, though I'm sure were for very different reasons. Mine being that he was inches away from running me over and was encroaching on my personal space as if he every right to be there. I blinked slowly, carefully taking in the man before me and inching a step backwards. The first thing I saw was the large shield strapped to his back, the straps digging into a pair of broad shoulders that were obviously tense. A chainmail vest peeked out of the red tunic and long overcoat he wore, along with a sword hilt just barely being visible at his hip. And holy shit, this guy was tall. I was an average 5'3" girl, but he definitely had a foot on me or something close.
What the hell are the men here eating to be this tall? It's so unfair that I will tower over Hobbits and Dwarves, but never come close to a human or elven male.
He also looked stupid familiar and as my eyes latched once more onto the shield, the dots connected in my head and I immediately felt true exasperation hit me. This could not be happening.
Grey eyes gave a lethargic blink from behind brown hair before suddenly narrowing at me. I flinched at the sudden animosity that shone in those eyes, my heart immediately speeding up as the instinctual feeling of danger set in and was telling me to get the hell out of dodge and get as far away from this man as possible.
Son of a bitch, did my face give something away? Shit, shit, shit. I can't remember if I made a face or not. Awesome, enemy number one has likely just been made and I haven't even said a single word yet to really piss him off.
"Excuse me," He said stiffly, stepping to the side in a clear indication that I was in his way. The girlish side of me melted dreamily at the deep baritone that seemed to cocoon my whole body, but the logical side of me easily beat her into submission and took control of my body in a clear command to move. I dipped my head in a barely there nod and took a step back, giving him a wide berth as he stalked past me without a backwards glance.
I breathed a relieved sigh once he was gone, placing a hand over my chest as if that would calm my racing heart. It didn't help at all.
Hello to you, too, Boromir.
A/N: Ahhhhh, I'm so excited for things to get rolling. I wish I didn't work so much so I could get more chapters written up.
Constructive criticism is always welcomed and appreciated. Any mistakes I more than likely missed will be fixed before the next chapter is posted. *Hearts*
Thank you for reading!