Beauty and a Beast

The next morning, Arryn awoke to the sun hot on her face. She woke up and she stretched. She touched the red stone pendant around her neck, and she stood up. Both she and Strider had awoken the four hobbits before daylight broke. Arryn noticed that the hobbits were eating like there was no tomorrow, while neither Aragorn nor Arryn ate more than a few pieces of bread. Aragorn then stood up from the table, and he went out to prepare the pony. Arryn also stood up, and she turned to the hobbits.

“I am going to be with Strider at the stables, for I have to prepare my horse Aaliyah. Come there, when you are done…” She gave the hobbits a smile, before turning and leaving. When she reached the stables, she saw Aaliyah waiting for her.

She loved Aaliyah, she was a very faithful horse, and she was a Wind Dancer, and part Mearas, a horse that could change their color, and she could understand elvish, and she could understand how Arryn was feeling. She could go from black, to white, to a golden yellow. Right now, she was black with white swirls in the middle. She was beautiful. She noticed that Aragorn was putting bags on the pony that he did manage to get. Aaliyah looked at Arryn with her dark brown eyes. Arryn walked closer towards the stable door, the lock that held Aaliyah, opened and she trotted out. She nuzzled Arryn’s face, lovingly. She smiled, and she rubbed her nose. Arryn lead her out of the stables. Her black and white coat looked beautiful under the sunlight. Arryn lead Aaliyah to the entrance of the inn, just as the four hobbits came through it. They stared at Aaliyah in amazement, who whinnied.

“She thinks it’s impolite to stare…” Arryn said, rubbing her hand on Aaliyah’s nose.

“How did you do that?” Merry asked.

“Aaliyah is part Mearas, she understands elvish, and I understand what she is saying…” Arryn said, her eyes not leaving Aaliyah. It was all quiet in Bree, but the trotter of the pony’s hooves, and Aragorn’s footsteps echoed throughout the village. Arryn sighed, and she rolled her eyes at her brother.

“Do lle have a' walk ikotane?” *Do you have to walk so loudly?*

“manke isi' fun e' that?" He replied, *where is the fun in that?” She laughed.
. . . . . . .
The sun was nearly at its highest and the company was moving towards the land of the elves. Arryn looked back, and she had to squint to see the vague outline of Bree in the distance. Frodo seemed to notice that something was bothering the hobbits, so he spoke out for them.

“Where are you taking us?”

“Into the wild…” Aragorn and Arryn answered together. Arryn could hear the hobbits discussing if they were either friends or foes.

“How do we know that this Strider and Arryn are friends of Gandalf?”

“I think that the servants of the Enemy would look fairer, and feel fouler…” Arryn smiled, but she could feel that the Hobbits were feeling uneasy about Aragorn and herself.

“He’s foul enough! One can never know what foul thing could be hiding underneath Arryn’s skin?!” Arryn felt saddened that Merry had thought that about her.

“We have no choice, but to trust them…” Frodo said, firmly. Arryn felt her heart expand, and she turned to face Frodo, she gave him a warm smile.

“But where are they leading us?” Sam asked, joining the discussion. Arryn smiled, when she thought of where they were going.

“To Rivendell, Master Gamgee. To the house of Elrond.” Arryn threw over her shoulder.

“Did you hear that? Rivendell!! We’re going to see the Elves!” She heard Sam exclaim happily, and she smiled.
They continued their journey until midday when the Hobbits stopped, and they began to take out food, and cooking supplies. Arryn and Aragorn turned around in surprise.

“Gentlemen. We do not stop ‘til nightfall.” She saw the shocked expression on Pippin’s face.

“What about breakfast?” He asked.

“We’ve already had it…” Arryn replied.

“We’ve had one, yes. What about second breakfast?” Aragorn turned and walked away. Arryn smiled, before turning and following her brother.

“ron really do il know mani is hunting them."* They really do not know what is hunting them.*Arryn said, under her breath. She could hear Merry and Pippin talking amongst themselves.

“I don’t think that they know about second breakfast, Pip…” She heard Merry say.

“What about elevenses? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? They know about them don’t they?” Pippin said, worriedly.

“I wouldn’t count on it.” Arryn looked up, to find herself under an apple tree. She smiled, and she threw two apples over her shoulder, and she smiled, when she heard munching.
. . . . . . .

“We make camp here tonight, I will see if I can catch something, and Arryn will start a fire…” The hobbits fell to the ground, exhausted. Arryn followed Aragorn into the forest, and she scanned the ground for dry wood. She made her way back to the hobbits, and she placed the wood on the ground, and made into a firewood shape…She snapped her fingers above the wood, and a flame ignited instantaneously. The Hobbits looked at her in awe for a moment, before they gathered around the fire, for warmth. About 20 minutes later, Aragorn returned, with a deer slung over his shoulder. Arryn looked at her brother in surprise, and he just smiled at her. Arryn cleaned the deer, and cooked it. After everyone was full, Frodo turned to Arryn.

“Arryn, do not mind if I ask again, but who are you, Arryn?” She smiled.

“Well, first of all, I have many names for myself. Arryn, Alya, and lastly Lorelei…”

Aragorn turned to look at his sister, with a look of surprise on his face, some of this was new to him.

“Lorelei means enchantress, which is what I am. I am a Celtic Wicca. A Celtic Wicca goes by the elements, and we are usually healers, but we have the ability to use and master the 6 paths of magic, which are: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Life, and Death. So somewhere in me, I have elvish descent, and enchantress descent. I am also Aragorn’s sister…”

She said, clapping her brother on the shoulder.

“I do not remember how we met, but let’s just say, whatever happened worked…But, there is something that I would never EVER do.”

“What is that?” Pippin asked.

“I do not use my mag…abilities for anyone other than myself…I am still learning on how to use them. I would use them for friends, and for those in desperate need, but until that time comes, I am a simple ranger.” She said, firmly.

“There’s nothing more about me for you to know, at the moment. I travel with you and Aragorn now. You know me know, but off to bed with you all. We travel tomorrow as well…”