~*~*~*~
𝑹𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒍
𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒌𝒂 𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒍𝒚 as she galloped on her horse through a cave. They have been traveling for a couple hours and she wanted to sleep.
"Are we close?" Pippin asked as he rose on his pony.
"Yes. We should be." Strider says and soon slows down his horse at the end of the cave. There was an opening and Annika stopped her horse. Her eyes widened at the beautiful sight of a kingdom of some kind.
"Woah." She whispered as she looked at it. The buildings already told her that the Elves were stoic people and they took pride. They were beautiful and peaceful in nature.
"This is Rivendell? Wow. My eyes deceive me." Sam says and Strider chuckled.
"I felt the same way when I first saw this place. Come on. The sooner we get there the sooner we sleep." Strider says as he gallops on with them following close behind. They soon gallop through a bridge and Annika looked around in awe. Just seeing this made her think of the gardens her dad took her before-
"Before we enter,I recommend I do the talking. I fear one of you will ask many questions or just stand there." Strider says and they all nod. He nodded and soon the gate opened. The five of them entered and soon got off their horses. Annika gasped at how beautiful it was. Tress decorated the courtyard and paths lead inside many different buildings. Annika was in such awe that she didn't realize people had already approached them. It wasn't until someone cleared their throat and Annika looked away to see Strider give her a look.
"S-Sorry what's going on?" She asked and the woman that carried Frodo to this place chuckled.
"It's alright. We do not get as much visitors but I am glad you like the place. I am Arwen,daughter of Lord Elrond. And you are?" She asked as she bowed.
"Annika,daughter of..." Annika paused for a second.
"Anna! Right. Annika,daughter of Anna. Very nice to make your acquaintance." She says as she awkwardly curtsied back. Anna was her mothers name and she didn't want to feel left out as everyone introduced themselves with their parents name.
"The honor is mine,Annika daughter of Anna." Arwen says and bows her head slightly in respect. Annika had to admit,her voice was like a whisper. Calm and beautiful. Like a siren who took form of an Elf.
"If you would kindly follow my servant,Alred,he will lead you to your rooms. Please,enjoy your stay." Arwen says and Pippin stops.
"What of Frodo? Is he alright?" He asked and Arwen smiled.
"He is resting. My father and many healers have tried to heal him and we did all we can. He may not wake for many days but you are more than welcome to stay however long. Please,follow Alred." She says and the five we're about to walk until Arwen stops Annika.
"I have a surprise for you. Follow me." She says and walks away with a mischievous smile bestowed on her beautiful face. Annika looked at her friends who slowly started to disappear and soon followed closely behind Arwen. They passed through many rooms inside the main building and Annika stared in awe of everything. Arwen suddenly stopped by a door in an unknown hallway.
"You ready?" She asked and Annika nodded. Arwen opens the door to reveal a very beautiful bedroom. The bedroom was decorated with the tan cement wall and had a lot of leaves and vines around the room. Annika gasped as she headed straight towards the balcony. The balcony complemented the view of the waterfall that happened below her and the bridge that she had passed moments before. Vines decorated the dresser and balcony along with the bed. The bed seemed to be queen sized with a statue of a woman with wings opening her arms above the bed.
"This room is beautiful." Annika says and Arwen smiles sadly.
"This used to be my mothers. Before she passed,I remember coming here." She says softly as she looked down. Annika came up to her and comfortingly touched her shoulder.
"I really do appreciate this but...I-I can't except this. I just got here,just met them,and I have no idea what I'm doing." She says and Arwen simply smiled.
"Yes you do. As soon as you walked in,I knew you were special. I somehow felt it in me that...you would change the course of everything." She says and Annika looked up at her.
"Annika,you can change anything. The path Frodo chases is very dangerous and I'm afraid it'll be a lot for you to handle. A lot of death will come your way and no one can do anything to stop it." Arwen says as she deeply looked into Annika's eyes.
"I don't want people to die because of one stupid mistake. I don't get it...why am I doing this? I-I can protect anyone better yet know how to fight." She says with a frown as she sits down.
"Yes you will and I know someone who can. It is getting late. You must sleep. Let me get you some sleeping wear. You cannot sleep in those." She says as she walked towards the dresser. She pulls out the drawer and picks out a beige color silky nightgown. It reached the floor and had two straps holding the long frantic together.
"I shall leave you be. Goodnight Annika and may you sleep well." She says as she hugs me. With one final smile,she walks out of the room. The doors soon closed and Annika sighs. She then changes into the nightgown and sighs as she soon looks out of the balcony. She looked up at the stars and sighs deeply.
"Why have you chosen me? Why put me in the dirtiest shit I could ever be mixed up with? I have to get back home. To my mother." She says and looks down.
~*~*~*~
Annika woke up with the shinning star glimmering in her eyes. She squinted as she soon slowly sat up from her bed. She slowly got up from her bed and walked towards the balcony. She leaned against it and the warm sun settled on her. She inhaled deeply and stretched her arms upward. She slowly puts them back and the wind soon filled and she felt herself shiver as the wind blew. Her hair blew as well behind her. She then took notice of someone looking up at her from down below and she finally looks down. There stood a man who had a look Annika knew all too well. She soon backed away when she heard a knock and quickly walked to her door and opened it.
"My Lady you are awake. Lord Aragorn requested I bring you new sets of training wear for your training session today." The maiden Elve says as she bowed as she presented the clothes to her. Annika took the clothes,confused on whom this Aragorn man was.
"Aragorn? Who is he?" She asked the maiden.
"I'm afraid you are gonna have to find out. I will set you a bath. Wait here." She says and bows before leaving. Annika closes her door confused and shrugged. As soon as she sets down her clothes,there came a knock on her door. She opens the door to reveal Strider. He wore better clothes than when she had first met him. His hair was brushed and cleaned along with his smiling and gleaming eyes.
"Strider." Annika greets with a smile.
"Annika. How are you on this fine morning?" He asked her and she nodded.
"Fine. I'm just not used to having this or seeing this." Annika says as she gestures to Rivendell. Strider chuckles.
"I know. It'll get loads of taking used to but I think you may have heard of the training." He says and she nodded.
"Yes and I happen to be training with this...man named Aragorn who has a weird and unique name. Sounds like dragon but much more unique. Anyways I have to take a bath and get ready." She explains as she examines her bedroom but to her surprise,hears Strider laughing.
"Oh I'm so glad you find my name unique." He says and she turned to him confused. Then it hit her. He's Aragorn. She then gasped and bowed to him.
"I-I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner." She says and he approaches her. He then slowly puts his hand out and she takes it.
"It's alright. No one really knows. Only a very few selective people know." He explains and she looks up at him confused.
"Why Strider the Ranger? Why not use your actual name?" She asked him and followed him to her balcony.
"The King of Gondor had fallen and no one must know that I am their rightful heir. If anyone knows,it'll be bad for me and for everyone and I will soon be hunted and killed. It is safer if I came up with a hidden name thus why I chose to go by Strider. I hope you understand." He says and turns to her to which she nodded. The doors soon opened to reveal the maiden and she gasped as she saw Stri-Aragon before her. She immediately bowed.
"I am sorry to intrude but Lady Annika's bath has been drawn. If you could please come with me,Lady Annika." The maiden says and Annika nodded. She walked towards the doors only to be stopped by Aragorn.
"Meet me in the practice area when you are done. There are many things we need to discuss and start." He says and she nodded. She soon followed the maiden Elve to what seemed like a bathroom. The bathroom was filled with vines stretching from the front to the whole bathroom. The bathtub was a huge wooden tub that had warm water inside. The Elves quickly undressed her and gently gestured her towards the water,which she gets in and sighs in satisfaction as she sits down and felt the warm sensation of the bath flow through her body.