Defender of Lorien

After the meeting had been dismissed Anya ventured back to her room to prepare for the long journey ahead of her that would start at dawn. She still couldn’t believe how many people had volunteered to go to Mordor, including herself, but she knew she had made the right choice. She wanted to help the brave or idiotic hobbit who had volunteered to take the ring. While Anya packed there was a knock on her door.

“You may enter,” she said in elfish. When Anya turned to see who it was, Arwin was standing in the doorway.

“Ada told me that you joined the fellowship,” Arwin said.

“Yes,” Anya said, “it is true. When Legolas stepped forward I knew that I had better go to make sure he didn’t cause any mischief.” Arwin smiled weakly, as she knew that Anya had a hard time being completely serious when nervous, and Anya was very nervous.

“Anya,” Arwin said seriously, “I know that this quest will be dangerous for everyone who goes.” As she said this, Arwin pulled a bright silver dagger from her long flowing sleeve, “So, I thought I’d give this to you. To keep you safe.” Anya smiled at her friend and took the gift.

“Thank you my friend, I will use it wisely,” Anya said as she slipped the blade from its sheath to look it over. The blade shown in the dim light of her room, and was light in her hand. She put the blade back in its sheath and placed it in her bag. Arwin gave Anya a quick hug before leaving the room.
*~~~~~~~~~~~*
Anya laid her head down to sleep and was immediately swept off into a dream. There was a warm, brilliant light shining through all the tall, green leafed trees. Anya could feel the dew covered grass caressing her bare feet, so soft and cool. She could hear all the birds in the trees singing their beautifully melodic songs. Putting her hand out, a small red bird wrapped it’s fragile claws around her index finger. As she pet the soft red feathers of the little bird it sang to her. But suddenly, the bird became frightened and flew away.

“What’s wrong my friend?” she asked in her native tongue. As she asked this she noticed that all the others birds had stopped singing and where also flying away, from fear of something. That’s when Anya felt a chilling breeze hit her back. The sky began to darken to a deep red.

Anya's heart began to race as fear gripped her, what was going on? There was a low growling noise emitting from behind her. her feet felt frozen to the ground. There was a bright, yet dark and menacing light radiating from behind her.

As Anya gathered her courage to turn and see what was behind her, she heard a voice, “It’s just a dream,” the voice said, it was the voice of Legolas. Anya opened her eyes to find her cousin standing over her. Looking around, she remembered that she was in her room in Rivendell, not Lorien.

“Are you okay?” he asked as he sat down on the bed next to her. Anya's whole body was shaking from the nightmare.

“I'm fine,” she said, “it was just a bad dream.” From the look on Legolas’s face, he wasn’t convinced she was fine.

“What was the dream about,” he asked her. Anya went to recount the dream to him, but was shocked when she couldn’t remember it.

“I can’t remember,” Anya said, raking her brain to remember anything about it, “mustn’t have been that important. What time is it?”

“It is not yet dawn,” he said soothingly, “you go back to sleep, I’ll be here when you wake up.” Before Anya could protest, Legolas went over to a chair and began to meditate. She just shrugged her shoulders and laid back down, but didn’t get much more rest.

When the sun finally began to brighten the sky from behind the mountains Anya climbed out of her bed and nudged Legolas. He got up and left her to get changed. When Anya had changed into her traveling outfit, which looked the same as Legolas’s, accept the shirt was just a little longer, causing it to look like she was wearing a short skirt, she began attaching her weapons to their rightful places. She tied two daggers to her right thigh, the one Arwin had given her the previous night to her lift thigh, and placed one in her left boot. Grabbing up her quiver, she placed her bow inside it and strapped it to her back, along with her twin single handed short swords, one handle hovering over each of her shoulder blades.

Then she grabbed up her bag and left her room, headed toward the place everyone had agreed to meet. When she got there, everyone was there except for Aragorn and two of the hobbits. Aragorn came running up from behind Anya, while the other two hobbits came walking up a few minutes later with full stomachs.

Now was the time, Anya thought to herself. The group which had formed just the day before, was gathered together at the gate. They were prepared to leave. Elrond had gathered a group of elves to say farewell to the fellowship. Anya couldn’t help but notice the sad and fearful looks Arwin kept giving Aragorn.

“May your journey fare well my friends,” Elrond said to them, “I hope to see you all again.” While Elrond said these things, the hair on the back of Anya's neck stood on end, someone was watching her. Anya looked to her right, but saw no one looking at her, then turned to her left and caught Boromir quickly looking the other way. Why had he been looking at her?

“It is time to go,” Legolas whispered into her ear. Looking up at the front of the group, Frodo had taken the lead, with Gandalf right beside him, “I hope he knows where he’s going,” Legolas laughed, and Anya smiled.

“Do not fear,” Anya said, “Gandalf is with us. The only thing we should worry about is if Gandalf gets lost.” She and Legolas laughed, but deep down, she couldn’t help but dread what may lay ahead of them. If something were to befall Legolas, she didn’t know what she would do, he was more than her cousin, he was like her brother.

“Remember when we were younger Legolas,” Anya reminisced, “how I’d always go and visit you at Mirkwood. And how you would have to chase off all the elven men who would ask for my hand.” At the mention of this Legolas looked behind them and motioned towards Boromir.

“I do not like how he looks at you,” Legolas stated. Anya looked back and saw Boromir walking beside Aragorn, but seemed to be all alone. Anya continued to walk with a Legolas for a while longer, then decided to wonder back to the end of the group and personaly introduce herself to Boromir.

When she got back to him, Boromir became nervous, something that happened often with men who were around Anya, “Hello,” Anya greeted him with a smile, “but as we were walking I realized that we hadn’t been properly introduced. My name is Anyanesta.” She extended her hand the way humans did when greeting each other.

Boromir shook her hand gently, as if he feared harming her, “Hello, Anyanesta, I'm Boromir.” Anya stifled a laughed from the way he pronounced her name, he seemed really nervous, as if saying her name were as dangerous as walking on the fields of death.

“But please,” Anya said, “call me Anya.” He nodded his head in understanding before Anya decided to wonder back up to the front of the group where Legolas was watching her.they had been traveling for a while now, as the sun was beginning to sink below the horizon when Gandalf came to a stop.

“We will make camp here,” Gandalf announced, “it is the end of the first day’s journey.”