AU: Lord of the Rings
Thanks for the huge amount of support everyone! I've done a lot of AUs lately, but honestly they couldn't have had so much success development-wise without everyone reading and enjoying my work. A special shoutout to everyone who's reviewed or let me know personally how they felt about my writing. I love you all.
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She decides to make a short appearance at Lord Hiashi's welcoming feast for the sake of being polite. Kakashi is already present beside Lord Hiashi's table by the time she walks in, fresh from a lavender-scented bath and dressed in a set of deep green robes. The ranger catches her eye and beckons for her to sit amongst them.
Them, being him, Lord Hiashi and his three relatives.
Tenten strides to the ornate table in four steps, bows deeply to Lord Hiashi, and sits down beside her friend.
"A pleasure to see you here, Tenten," Lord Hiashi greets her. "Your halfling friend is well. Tired and weak, but he is resting and well."
She dips her chin gratefully, feeling her long hair - loose, for the first time in years - fall over her shoulders. "You have my eternal gratitude, Lord Hiashi."
There are several more polite exchanges, and then the food is brought out. On her other side, she feels Neji leaning over in his seat. Her head turns towards him when he leans down.
"Eternity is no small word for an elf."
She is aware. "I choose my words wisely, Lord Neji. My debt to your uncle is eternal."
He leans back, silvery eyes glinting at her curiously. "For a mere halfling's life?"
Tenten shakes her head gently and holds his gaze. "For far more than a hobbit, my Lord."
Neji frowns. "What do you mean?"
"It means," she lifts her sleeve and reveals the tip of a deep, white scar that runs along the length of her right arm. His eyes widen - elves never bleed, much less possess scars. "The unspeakable are rising."
A few more dishes are brought out to the table. Lord Hiashi waves his hand, signalling for the music to begin. Under ordinary circumstances, Tenten would allow herself to lean back and revel in Elven song, but tonight a pink-haired elf walking away from a table from the other side of the room catches her attention. Tenten then remembers her earlier intention, to leave early and check on her hobbit friends, so she rises from her seat.
"My Lords, my Ladies," she gives a respectful nod to her hosts, "If I may request an early leave. I'm afraid the journey has fatigued me."
"Granted," Hiashi, still deep in conversation with Kakashi, waves a hand dismissively. She immediately swivels around and rushes to the pink-haired elf.
Tenten manages to catch up with the female elf just outside of the feast-room. Recognition flickers in her eyes when Tenten greets her. "You are Tenten, the ranger's friend."
"Yes," she nods, "I was wondering-"
"The halflings are resting in the east wing, close to your quarters," she interrupts her, not unkindly. "They're an interesting folk, aren't they? Lively, and brash, but kind."
Tenten agrees. They'd been shocking at first, then amusing, and after a month, loveable. She isn't reputed for being warm to people who cannot fight, and they are the rare exception. "They're jolly," she smiles back.
"My name is Sakura." Cherry blossom. A name befitting the colour of her hair. "I've heard about your adventures in the north, Tenten. H-Have you come across many men in your journeys?"
A spike of curiosity ran through her mind when a blush tinged the tips of Sakura's cheekbones. "The Kingdom of Men lie in the south," she corrects her, "But I have met many, yes."
"Then are you familiar with one by the name of Uchiha?"
The ranger Uchiha? Not many pass by Rivendell - with the exception of Kakashi, who had been raised by elves - and especially not men from Gondor. Tenten wonders how Sakura came to know the Uchiha name, particularly when they were renowned for being cruel and distant to those not-human.
"We have crossed paths before," she replies vaguely, then elaborates when Sakura looks crestfallen at her answer, "In Gondor. He is not a friendly man, by any means."
"That sounds like him," she says, almost fondly.
Not for the first time, Tenten finds herself growing suspicious of the familiarity. When had they met? Rivendell elves never ventured outside of their geographical boundaries, and even then healers like Sakura were rarely ever authorised to leave. She figures that she is better off not prying, given that she's a welcome guest as long as she doesn't insult Lord Hiashi's authority. The affairs of his elves are his to deal with, so she ignores her suspicions and politely asks Sakura to direct her to the hobbits.
"I will guide you," another voice interrupts the directions Sakura had started to dole out. They both turn towards the speaker and bow.
"Lord Neji," Tenten immediately addresses him, confused, "I'd assumed that you would be feasting with the others."
Sakura leaves when Neji waves a hand in dismissal.
"Tonight I wish to rest among the stars," he glances up at the sky for emphasis and turns his attention back to her, "Come." Tenten spends another second looking at his retreating back. She's certain that Neji has tasks much more worthy of his time than guiding a visitor to her friends' resting chambers, and he doesn't seem like the type of elf to trouble himself with the woes of other species either. If the confusion shows on her face, he notices it when he realises she isn't following him and tilts his head around to look at her. "By custom, we treat our guests with the same courtesy that we treat the High Elves, and here you are a guest, Lady Tenten."
His face seems pained to have had to explain the reasoning behind his actions, so she bows politely and catches up to him.
"Imladris has changed considerably since I had last visited," Tenten begins conversationally. Neji glances at her, light eyes glistening curiously.
"Things have been this way for centuries now," he pauses to let her walk onto a bridge first. Tenten dips her head and marvels at the moonlight reflecting off the water. Behind her, Neji continues speaking, "How old are you?"
"Quite," she responds, smiling lightly at his expression. "I have seen many Ages pass, Lord Neji." They reach the end of the bridge. She recognises the lake that she'd passed on her way to the feast and surmises that they have reached the east wing.
"Then you are far wiser than I, my Lady," Neji matches her stride when they disembark from the bridge, allowing his long hair to flow behind him freely. Tenten shakes her head.
"I am older, but I have ventured outside of my home very few times. Ennor is still a strange land to me."
"Then I am sure you will be seeing more of it sooner," he stops in front of a door and gives her a knowing look, "We have reached your hobbit friends. This is where our paths will diverge - have a good night."
Tenten enters the room and sees Kankurou sitting on Gaara's left and Temari on the right. All three hobbits look considerably less haggard than when they'd first arrived; to Tenten's relief, colour has re-entered and revived Gaara's ghostly-pale face.
"Tenten!" Temari's eyes light up. The female hobbit has seen better, more nutritious days when the Shire had granted them the comforts of home, but still - Tenten spots the empty platters lying in a pile on the floor and she is pleased that they have at least regained their infamous hobbit appetite. "You look beautiful."
"Thank you," she replies graciously, "How is Gaara?"
"Better," Gaara responds, voice still slightly hoarse. His light green eyes are roaming over the room appreciatively. "This is a beautiful place."
"He's been marvelling at the architecture since he'd woken up earlier," Kankurou explains, when Tenten looks mildly confused, "Always the strange little hobbit. It is beautiful, but a bit cold, I would say."
"Too big," Temari agrees vehemently.
Tenten smiles at them and sits down in a chair. "Indeed. I've always favoured smaller homes myself."
"What's it like?" Gaara joins in, eyes regaining their typical sharp focus. "Your home."
She immediately pictures cavernous hallways, open-aired spaces for dining and dancing beneath the starlight, rooms embedded into rock-faces and dotting the underground with bright, white light. A sudden wave of homesickness hits her. Tenten desperately wants to return home, to where her people are, but knows that home is far away in both distance and time. She will not see it until her assigned task is finished. "It is closed," she says after a beat of silence, "And intricate."
As always, they look disappointed with her vague answers. She bites back her amusement. "It is late. Gaara will be tended to during the night, and I suggest that you all rest well for tomorrow - it will be a long day."
"What's happening tomorrow?" Kankurou asks.
"There will be a meeting with Lord Hiashi's Council. I will also be there, as will you."
"For what?" She sees Gaara clutch at something beneath his shirt and looks at him knowingly.
"The Ring."
-misspandalily