Lord of the Rings 1. Chapter 1: From Life to Ashes

A Light from the Ashes

Author's Note: Hello, this is Silvan Arrow! Gosh, it's been over a year since I published anything on this site, and now I'm finally taking my second shot at writing a multi-chapter LOTR fic. I am trying to keep my writing style (the dialogue in particular) and OCs within the overall LOTR mood. This fic also incorporates a lot of elements from the Inheritance trilogy (Eragon and Eldest) by Christopher Paolini. I know I am taking some serious artistic liberty in this fic that some of you may not think agrees with the overall LOTR canon, but please realize that I write foremost for enjoyment and have been wanting to write this particular story for a long time. It's just that now I finally have enough inspiration to start it. I hope you enjoy it, and I promise I'll keep my author's notes shorter in the future.

Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR or any of its characters. They are solely the property of J.R.R. Tolkien. I just own my OCs.

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Chapter 1: From Life to Ashes

An angry crimson sun rose over the horizon of Rohan, bathing the skies of the Westfold in hues of red, orange, and yellow, casting an almost unearthly glow upon the rocky, rolling plains. No sound broke the uneasy silence of this cold dawn save the rhythmic galloping of horses' hooves. A small company of ten horsemen rode through this foreboding wilderness, patrolling the area to make sure their small village was safe from the wild men of Dunland.

Almost without warning, the horse belonging to the leader of this band faltered in her gait, sidestepping and snorting uneasily, relaying her sudden unease to her master. The man reined in the chestnut mare and patted her neck reassuringly, trying to soothe her while at the same time scanning the immediate area to try and pinpoint the source of her distress. A chilly breeze blew past, rustling the long blond hair that peeked out from underneath the man's helmet, while a bushy mustache and beard adorned his face.

The men following him halted their mounts as well. One called out, "My lord Halmar, why have we stopped?"

The man, now known as Halmar, replied in a hushed tone, "The horses are uneasy. We must tread carefully." He then called in a more commanding tone, "Spread out and survey the surrounding area, but be on your guard." The horsemen fanned out without a moment's hesitation in obedience to their captain's commands. Halmar, on the other hand, continued forward at a slow walk, taking his time in observing the area.

Suddenly a cry rose up to his left. "My lord! Over here!"

Heeding the urgency of the call, Halmar spurred his mare into a gallop, cresting the hill where his subordinate waited for him. He followed the man's gaze downward, and his heart caught in his throat at the horrific sight that awaited him.

Ten mangled bodies of what appeared to be men and women lay strewn across the grass, surrounded by at least two dozen corpses of hideous black orcs. As the rest of his men gathered around, Halmar dismounted so he could get a closer look at the carnage. Shards of steel from broken swords, remnants of shattered shields, and pieces of armor littered the area, stained with the black blood of the orcs and the crimson blood of their unfortunate victims.

Now that he was seeing them up close, Halmar had to admit that these men certainly did not dress in attire normally associated with either Rohan or Gondor. Their armor in particular held a certain air of elegance, as did the remnants of their swords. However, he quickly solved this mystery upon seeing the pointy ears belonging to a body that had lost his helmet during the fight. "Elves…" Halmar breathed in disbelief.

A nearby soldier looked to Halmar in disbelief. "Elves, you say?" he asked. The man looked back to the bodies and could only nod wordless consent with his captain's statement.

The rest of the men began to murmur nervously amongst each other as they also picked through the wreckage, trying to find any clues to explain the circumstances behind this tragedy.

"This is a dark day indeed…"

"What would elves be doing all the way out here in Rohan?"

"To think that so many orcs would attack at once!"

"What fell deed does this incident prophecy for Rohan? What hope do we have if the orcs are rising up again?"

The sight of these orcs was indeed a troubling omen. Rohan, along with most of the Free Countries, had enjoyed relative peace since the fall of Sauron at the end of the Second Age, with orc sighting few and far between. In his decade of service as a captain of Rohan, Halmar had never seen orcs gathered in such great numbers and briefly entertained the thought that a shadow was once again beginning to gather the forces of evil from the distant corners of Middle Earth.

A faint sound reached Halmar's ears even over the din of his men's mutterings. His pace quickened as he followed the sound to the corpse of one of the fallen elves. The body was lying on its stomach in an awkward position. Crouching down, Halmar carefully turned the body over to reveal an infant elf wrapped in a dirty blanket, crying miserably. For a brief moment, Halmar was speechless. Seeing elves outside of their realms was rare enough, but finding one so young was rarer still. His instincts took over as he carefully picked up the infant and cradled it in his arms to stop it from crying. He glanced over at the body he had flipped; the helmet had fallen off, revealed the long hair and face of a she-elf. A brief shiver ran down his spine at the sight of the corpse's eyes staring back at him. Even in death, the she elf seemed to be able to pierce his flesh with her gaze. 'The mother must have sacrificed herself so her child could survive,' Halmar mused. A quick once-over told him two things: that the child was unharmed and that it was a girl. He reached out with one hand and closed the mother's eyes, paying respect to her bravery in the only manner he knew.

Halmar stood up, still cradling the infant, and turned around to find his men gathered a few yards behind him, obviously curious as to what he had found. Needless to say, finding an infant she-elf was about the last thing they had expected. Surprisingly enough, the child had stopped crying by this point and was looking around at her rescuers, revealing eyes the color of emeralds. A few tufts of black hair covered her scalp, making no effort to conceal her pointed ears.

"What shall we do about the child, my lord?" one of the men asked. "We cannot just leave her here."

"And we won't," Halmar stated with conviction. "We must make for the village with all speed." He then looked down at the infant and continued in a gentler tone, allowing a small smile to creep onto his lips, "As for the child, I shall take her home with me. My wife and I have wanted children for a long time. Maybe this little one is the answer to our prayers."

Fingers of darkness were creeping into the sky by the time the horsemen returned to their small village, which was little more than a cluster of small, thatched-roof houses with a few buildings that contained the smithy and trading stalls. Halmar's wife Janice rushed out of their house to greet him as he carefully dismounted from his horse, using one arm to hold the elf child, who had fallen asleep during the ride, securely against his chest.

"My goodness, Halmar, how in the world did you manage to find her in the middle of the wilderness?" Janice asked in disbelief, taking the child so Halmar could remove his helmet. Unlike her husband, Janice had light brown hair that reached down to her mid-back and was swept back into a thick braid.

"She was the only survivor of her traveling party. They were overtaken by orcs. Janice…she's an elf."

"An elf?" Janice exclaimed in disbelief. A quick glance at the infant's pointed ears confirmed her race. "Well, how about that." Just then, the infant opened her eyes and stared curiously at the woman through her bright green eyes. A warm smile dominated Janice's face as her motherly instincts kicked in at the sight of this helpless infant. "Look at her, Halmar. Isn't she beautiful?"

"Indeed she is," Halmar replied with a smile. "What do you think? Shall we keep her?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Well of course we're keeping her!" Janice gently rocked the infant in her arms, smiling down at the child's innocent face. "Now then, she will need a name." She thought for a moment. "How about…Elendyne? Sounds rather elvish, don't you think?"

"It's a wonderful name, dear," Halmar replied, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders and gazing fondly at their new daughter. "Welcome to our family, Elendyne."

Twenty five years passed, and Elendyne grew quickly from a tiny, helpless infant into a tall, fair being, as was typical of her race. She towered over the women in the village and stood nearly as tall as the men. Her raven-colored hair now hung down a few inches below her shoulder, which contrasted sharply against her pale, fair skin. Her high cheekbones and pointed ears served to further confirm her identity as one of the Firstborn.

It was the beginning of another spring day in the village, with the sun shining brightly in a clear blue sky over the plains of Rohan and kissing the landscape with her warmth. After helping her adoptive mother clean the house and prepare breakfast, Elendyne made her way down the worn dirt path running through the middle of the village. She spent most of her days in the village's stable, taking care of the horses that belonged to the soldiers. Her sword clinked in its scabbard to the rhythm of her steps. The sword had been a gift from Halmar. She had expressed interest in swordplay at a young age after watching her adoptive father leave the village for routine patrols. He had found it a rather odd fascination at first but had taught her the basics nonetheless.

As she walked, Elendyne let her eyes roam over the villagers that were just leaving their houses to tend to their fields. A few of the women flashed her kind smiles, which Elendyne gratefully returned, along with a courteous nod of her head.

A couple of young boys were play fighting with wooden swords near the stable. They both stopped when they saw Elendyne approaching and regarded her with wary eyes. One of them called out, "Hey, lady, why are your ears so pointy?"

His friend cuffed him on the head and replied, "Don't you know anything? It's because she's an elf!"

"An elf?" the first boy asked, as if to make sure he had heard correctly. He then turned to Elendyne, who had stopped in front of the boys, and asked, "Well, what are you doin' with humans? Shouldn't you be in a forest singin' or somethin'?"

"Yeah, why don't you just go back to where ya came from!" his companion added.

Elendyne did not answer them but simply lowered her eyes and entered the stable, where some of the stable hands were already busying themselves with their morning duties. She walked over to the stall that housed her father's horse. The old chestnut mare came over and gently nuzzled Elendyne's hand, begging to be petted. She reached up and scratched the horse behind her ears and whispered, "At least you don't care about the shape of my ears, right?" The mare simply nickered in response. Her parents had never tried to conceal the truth about her race or how she was found. As a result, her story was not new to the villagers either. While some of the villagers were kind to her, most were unsure about having an elf in their midst. The children would often comment on her ears or her height, while the adults would simply turn a blind eye and continue about their business. Truthfully, Elendyne was restless spending her days in the village and continually thought about what it would be like to dwell among members of her own kin.

Later that night…

The sound of screams instantly jolted Elendyne out of a deep sleep. Her heightened sense of hearing picked up the sounds of clashing steel, as well as deep guttural howls that she could not place. Grabbing her sword, she rushed into the main room of the house, where Halmar was already running for the door in full armor. Janice stood nearby almost in hysterics.

"Father, what's going on?" Elendyne asked amidst the raucous din of noise.

"Orcs! Stay here with your mother!" Halmar ordered curtly before drawing his sword and dashing outside to assist in the village's defense, closing the door behind him. Again the sound of swords clashing assaulted her ears, and Elendyne rushed to her mother's side, who was kneeling on the ground sobbing uncontrollably.

Elendyne stayed with Janice for several long minutes, listening to the din of the battle raging outside. When the fighting did not stop or even sound like it was slowing down, she could not bear to sit still any longer. Elendyne placed a steady hand on her mother's shoulder and said, "I'll be back soon. I promise." That said, she drew her sword and rushed outside after her father. She immediately regretted that choice, as her eyes met nothing but pure chaos. Her lips curled in disgust at the sight of the hideous, black orcs, which howled and waved their jagged scimitars in the air before attacking one of the numerous men that were struggling to hold them at bay. Elendyne barely had a second for her mind to register the situation, as one of those foul black scimitars was swung at her head. She raised her sword to block it and then shoved it aside to give her a clear shot at the orc's torso. She plunged the cold steel into its chest, and it fell to the ground dead.

Three more orcs had seen their comrade fall and charged Elendyne at once. Outnumbered, the best she could do was to block their blades while retreating backwards. Adrenaline flooded her veins, sending her senses into overdrive. All she could think to do was block, parry, and occasionally strike, but more importantly, just to survive. She was so wrapped up in the immediate task of staying alive that she realized too late that the orcs had forced her away from the door to her house. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw more orcs break down the door and run into the house where her mother was.

Fueled by desperation, Elendyne fought back against the orcs with renewed force, trying against all odds to break through. She managed to cut down two of them, but the third forced her into a corner. Her foe forced her blade aside, but, just as he was about to deliver the killing blow, a sword stabbed him through the heart from behind. The corpse slumped to the ground to reveal Halmar.

"Elendyne, you've got to get out of here now!" he exclaimed. Blood flowed from numerous cuts on his arms and legs, betraying the dire state of the situation.

"But Mother…!"

"I'll take care of her. You just go!" Halmar ordered, cutting her off abruptly. He turned around just as another orc tried to sneak up from behind. "Go now!" he ordered again, leaving no room to argue as he fended off his opponent's blows.

Elendyne slipped past Halmar and stuck to the shadows as she crept around the buildings, two of which were already on fire. The wind blew embers from those buildings to the roofs of their neighbors, setting them ablaze as well. All around her, the men were dropping against the fury of the orc attack and the massive numbers they faced. Still more of the foul creatures poured into the village, some of which carried burning torches, which they hurled at the houses that were still standing. As she neared her own house, she saw Halmar fight valiantly to reach the door, but she knew in her heart that there was no way her mother could still be alive. Elendyne stopped dead in her tracks, and time seemed to stop as she saw an orc come up behind her father and brutally chop of his head. She tried to scream as the headless body fell to the ground, but no sound would come. Her mind screamed at her body to move, but her legs remained rooted to the ground. However, the falling cinders from a nearby burning house forced her feet into action. Unable to bear the sight any longer, she backed away and took off running in the direction of the stable.

By now almost all of the men fighting to protect the village were nothing more than dead corpses, and all the buildings were on fire. The sound of neighing drew Elendyne's attention, and her eyes picked out the silhouette of a horse tethered to a pole next to one of the burning buildings, rearing and pulling at the rope in an attempt to break free. Running over to the panicked creature, her fingers worked to untie the horse's bonds. Once he was free, she swung onto his bare back and held on for dear life as the poor creature bolted away from the village in a mad gallop. Elendyne looked back once at the angry inferno that was once her village. By morning, it would be nothing more than piles of ash for the wind to sweep away, leaving behind a bare field of land for Mother Nature to reclaim as her rightful possession.

Elendyne had no idea where the horse was taking her or how long she had been riding. All that mattered was putting as much distance between herself and those hideous orcs as possible. After riding for many miles, the grey stallion finally slowed to a halt from exhaustion. Sweat glistened off his coat, and his sides heaved up and down from exertion. Elendyne sat upright and patted his neck, as much for her comfort as his. She knew she was in a bad situation. The horse had no saddle, and the only thing that came close to serving as a bridle was his worn halter. Elendyne was not much better equipped. Save for her sword, all she had were the clothes on her back, which consisted of a grey tunic and earth brown leggings. She took this opportunity to fashion a makeshift bridle from the horse's halter and then coaxed him into a slow walk. Soon the refreshing sound of running water reached her ears, and she rode following the sound until she came upon a stream. At least now they had a source of fresh water.

The horse needed no further prodding, as he trotted eagerly to the river bank and plunged his head into the cool water, taking long draughts to quench his thirst. As for Elendyne, all the adrenaline from earlier had finally left her system, leaving her body exhausted beyond belief. Unable to stay upright any longer, she fell from the horse's back and hit the ground right as merciful unconsciousness claimed her.

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Author's Note: Well, that's chapter 1! I hope you enjoyed it. Please review and tell me what you think. Flames will be used to roast orcs and marshmallows. If enough people like this, I will post the second chapter soon! 


	2. Chapter 2: Survival and Discovery

Author's Note: Well, here's the next chapter! I didn't get quite as many reviews as I wanted, but hopefully that will change as the plot starts to pick up speed. Trust me, I will be introducing some of Tolkien's characters in a couple more chapters, so please bear with me until then.

Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR or any of its characters. I just own my OCs.

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Chapter 2: Survival and Discovery

The sun was high in the sky when Elendyne finally awoke. She was lying on her back, staring up at a cloudy sky. A soft whinny reached her ears, and she looked to her left to find the grey stallion grazing contentedly a few yards away. 'Good horse,' Elendyne thought with a contented smile.

However, her spirits quickly sank again when she remembered her dismal situation. Sure, she had water and, sure, she was an elf, but she could only live off water for so long before succumbing to hunger. At least her horse could fend for himself.

Suddenly the ground underneath her began to vibrate with the sound of horses' hooves, and Elendyne forced her tired, sore body to stand up. Cresting a hill, she looked down to see at least two dozen horsemen riding west. Knowing that this could be her only chance of survival, she raised her hands and called out, "Hail, Riders of Rohan!"

The leader of the column swerved his horse around and led his men up the hill, stopping in front of Elendyne. His face was mostly concealed by his helmet, and his men gripped their spears uneasily. Quickly appraising the situation, the man asked in a commanding voice, "What business does an elf have in the Riddermark, alone with naught but a sword and a horse with no bridle? Speak quickly!"

Elendyne gulped down the apprehension in her voice and replied, "My name is Elendyne, and last night I fled from a village that was burned down by orcs. As far as I know, this horse and I are the only survivors."

The man sighed remorsefully and stated, "These are fell tidings you bring. My company has heard news of orcs in Rohan, but I did not think they were such a serious threat." He removed his helmet to reveal a head of long, dark blonde hair, and his company relaxed visibly. "Alas, we ride on an errand that requires utmost urgency, or else we would stay and escort you to a place of safety. At the very least, we will give you supplies as are sufficient to get you to a village." He quickly barked out orders to his men, and soon Elendyne's horse bore a spare bridle and saddle equipped with bundles of food and clothing. "The nearest village lies thirty miles to the northeast. I wish you the best of luck and safety in your travels."

"Thank you, Captain. Your generosity is most appreciated," Elendyne replied courteously. The man nodded in reply and spurred his horse into a gallop, leading his men west once again. In a few minutes, they were nothing more than specks on the horizon.

Elendyne walked over to her horse and stroked his neck. "Well, at least we don't have to worry about starving for a while," she said absent-mindedly. Thirst wracked her parched throat, and she headed to the river to drink and fill her waterskins. She knelt down on the riverbank and dipped her cupped hands into the water, bringing them to her lips and relishing in the feel of the cool liquid soothing her sore, dry throat. Once she had drunk her fill, Elendyne looked up, and she noticed something reflecting the sun's light in the reeds on the other side. Curiosity overcame her better judgment, and she gingerly leaped over some stones to the other side. Elendyne sought out the source of that faint shimmer among the reeds, and her hands fell upon a smooth, green, oval-shaped stone. The stone was about a foot long and reflected the early afternoon light of the sun, which was peeking through the clouds. Veins of silver laced across the stone's finely polished finish. At first, Elendyne thought the stone to be a giant, polished emerald. 'Maybe I can sell it at the next village and make some money to buy supplies.'

Elendyne carefully picked up the stone and was surprised at how light it was. Shrugging it off as a marvel of Mother Nature, she sandwiched it between some spare clothes in one of her saddle bags. After a small meal to ease the pangs of hunger, she mounted her horse, whom she had decided to call Frosthoof, and set off northeast for the nearest village.

They traveled about ten miles that day along the river, which was good progress considering their late start. Elendyne made camp at the base of a hill and picketed Frosthoof near the stream so he could drink if he so desired. Her small campfire offset the gloom of the empty, dark wilderness around her and lifted her spirits slightly. After eating from her rations, Elendyne leaned back on her elbows and looked up at the clear night sky. With no other lights around her, she could finally see the star-studded night sky in all its breathtaking glory. One star in particular caught her eye, one that seemed to stand out brighter than all the others. Somehow, simply gazing upon it brought warmth to her heart and a smile to her face. 'Maybe that star is somehow related to the lore of the elves. Alas, how much I desire to learn about my own kin,' Elendyne mused silently.

After dousing the fire, Elendyne lay back on her bedroll and spread her cloak, both of which were gifts from the Rohirrim, over her body to stay warm. Somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled, echoed closely by its pack mates. The eerie sound sent shivers up Elendyne's spine, and sleep eluded her until the nighttime symphony ceased. She finally managed to ease into sleep, trusting that Frosthoof was alert for danger.

A strange noise woke Elendyne sometime during the night. Sitting upright, she reached for her sword, which was always by her side, and focused her senses to try and detect the source of the sound. Just then the sound came again, and it sounded suspiciously like a squeak. It seemed to be coming in the direction of her saddlebags, which were lying a few yards away on the other side of the campsite. She rummaged around in the bags but found nothing amiss: just her food, spare clothes, and that strange stone. She stared at the stone for several long moments, as if daring it to make some sort of sound. However, none was forthcoming. "Must have been a cricket," Elendyne muttered out loud, as if trying to talk herself into believing her own reasoning. She looked over at Frosthoof, who was asleep standing on his feet, not alarmed in the least. His ears occasionally flicked back and forth, alert for any threatening sound even while he slept. Finally convinced that nothing was out of the ordinary, Elendyne crawled back under her cloak and drifted off again.

Elendyne woke up just as the sun was creeping over the horizon and prepared a quick breakfast. She wanted to make up for lost time today and hopefully reach the village by nightfall. However, the clouds were quickly moving to shield the face of the sun, and the wind carried the hint of rain. She hurried to break camp so she could cover as much ground as possible today.

Unfortunately, the forces of nature had other ideas, and a mid-afternoon thunderstorm halted Elendyne's progress. The rain had started out gently enough, but it had quickly picked up speed until Frosthoof stopped in his tracks because he could not see. Elendyne managed to coax him toward a cleft hewn out of the side of a hill, and they both huddled as close to its side as possible, trying to take shelter from the worst of the storm. Elendyne pulled her hood up so it shielded her eyes, but she felt sorry for Frosthoof, who had to face the full force of the storm without any form of protection. The rain and thunder lasted for about an hour and then ended abruptly to reveal clearer skies, the clouds having given up all their bounty. Rohan did not receive rain often, but the few times it did rain were more like monsoons. Elendyne sighed in frustration and decided to camp where she was. It was useless to try and continue at this late hour, especially now that her clothes and supplies were soaked.

The rain also meant that starting a fire would be next to impossible, since anything that could serve as kindling would also be soaked, and right now she needed either a fire or some dry clothes. After thoroughly searching her bags, Elendyne found a tunic and set of leggings that were only partially soaked and would dry quickly enough in the evening breeze. She took off Frosthoof's tack, picketed him, and gave him a good rubdown to try and ease some of the chill in his body. Once he was content and grazing, Elendyne ate a cold dinner and leaned back against the side of the hill. She was tired and wanted to sleep, but the ground was still too wet, and her bedroll and cloak were still drying in the evening breeze.

A couple of hours later, Elendyne had started to nod off where she sat when that same squeaking sound from last night brought her to full wakefulness. This time the noise was more persistent, allowing her to trace the source to her saddlebags again. Her hand once again fell on that strange, emerald-colored stone. She picked it up and listened carefully. Sure enough, the sound was coming from the stone…or rather, inside the stone. Suddenly the stone rocked in Elendyne's hands, and, startled, she dropped it on the ground and backed away quickly, drawing her sword. She knew by now that this was no ordinary stone.

Then realization struck her like a dwarf hammer to the face.

It wasn't a stone at all… It was an egg.

The stone, now identified as an egg, continued rocking back and forth, and the squeaking grew louder and more persistent. Finally, a single crack appeared near its tip and grew larger until it ran down the length of its shell. Smaller cracks splintered off the side of the first one, and tiny pieces of the shell started to flake off and fall to the ground. Elendyne gripped the hilt of her sword tighter, ready to defend herself against whatever was in that egg. After a few agonizing seconds of anticipation, the shell burst apart, and out tumbled the last creature Elendyne expected to see.

It was a dragon.

The creature's body was only about a foot long, with its tail almost doubling that length. A long, serpentine neck ended in a triangular-shaped head, with scaly ridges that tapered off into small, yet elegant horns above the dragon's eyes. White spines started at the base of its head and ran down its body all the way to the tip of its flexible tail. The newborn clumsily extended a pair of bat-like wings and took a couple of shaky steps on its four legs. It squeaked again as it stumbled but quickly righted itself, almost immediately learning its sense of balance. Even though the sky was completely dark, Elendyne could see that its scales glistened in the moonlight with that same emerald color as its egg, and its big, round eyes were silver like the moon. Despite her apprehension at being in the presence of a dragon, Elendyne could not deny that this hatchling was quite a beautiful creature.

Even though she had never seen a dragon, Elendyne had heard plenty about them from the people in her village, and none of the lore was good. Dragons had been servants created by Morgoth to terrorize the free races. While they were mostly extinct now, Elendyne had heard stories about how dragons had once terrorized Rohan and even the elven realms. And now she was standing face to face with the spawn of one of these evil creatures, all but prepared to kill it right where it stood.

Just then the dragon turned to face Elendyne, and her body tensed, ready to deliver the killing blow, but the look in the newborn's eyes did not contain malice but more like…a certain innocent curiosity. Its pupils were dark and round just like hers, containing an almost human…or elf…expression in them. The dragon took one tentative step forward, then another, and still Elendyne held her ground. Before she knew it, the dragon was barely a foot away, and it opened its mouth in another pitiful squeak. Elendyne started to lower her sword, but the dragon hissed, visibly recoiling from the sight of the sharp, polished steel. Only when she slowly placed the sword on the ground and knelt down did the hatchling stop cowering. Careful not to make any sudden movements, Elendyne carefully reached her hand out toward the dragon. It extended its long neck toward her, cautiously sniffing her hand before allowing her fingertips to graze his snout. At the instant of their contact, Elendyne felt a strange consciousness brush against her mind…the dragon's consciousness. This was not a mindless brute but an intelligent being…a male one, to be exact. Elendyne did not know how, but she could just feel that the dragon was a male. She gasped as the dragon's emotions began assaulting her thoughts all at once: fear, wonder, curiosity, and…need?

'Does this dragon think of me as his mother?' Elendyne wondered. "Is that it, little one?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you think I am your mother?"

At the sound of her voice, the dragon rubbed her head against Elendyne's hand, gurgling contentedly in his throat and craving more attention. Suddenly Elendyne could not stand the thought of killing such a helpless creature mere moments into its life. 'As long as he does not try to attack me, I will keep him around. Maybe there is more to dragons than the stories say,' Elendyne decided. "All right, if I am going to keep you, then you will need a name." But what name could she give to a dragon? 'Something to do with fire maybe? Or flight? Wings that ride the breezes…wind… A word that has to do with wind sounds nice… Breeze, gust, zephyr… Wait! That's it! Zephyr…but it still sounds too feminine. I know! Zephyrus! Zephyrus would be a perfect name.'

"It's settled then," Elendyne spoke, garnering the dragon's full attention. "I shall call you Zephyrus. Does that sound good?" Feelings of warmth and delight radiated from the tiny creature, as if he could comprehend exactly what she was saying. She allowed a small smile to grace her features. "I am pleased you like it." By now her bedroll was dry enough to sleep on, so Elendyne spread it out nearby while Zephyrus watched curiously. She lay on her back, using one of her saddlebags as a pillow while she looked up at the clear night sky, resting her mind in the beauty of the stars. A soft whimper brought her back to Middle Earth as she saw Zephyrus still standing where she had left him, looking at her pleadingly. The expression on his face was almost comical.

Zephyrus slowly crept over to Elendyne and placed one forefoot on her stomach, asking with his eyes if he was allowed over here. Elendyne resisted the urge to laugh and said, "It's okay. You can sleep here if you want." Zephyrus nestled up against her side in the crook of her arm, placing one forefoot on her arm and resting his head on her chest. Elendyne watched in fascination as the little dragon closed his silver eyes, shifted his wings slightly, and let his breathing even out to a soft purr.

'Having a dragon around is certainly going to be interesting,' Elendyne mused. 'At the very least, it will drastically affect how I go into villages. If anyone were to discover him, it would mean trouble. Have I gone over my head with this?' Even if she had, backing out now was not much of an option. Casting one last look at the sleeping dragon, Elendyne resigned herself to the sanctuary of her dreams.

End chapter 2

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Author's Note: And…there's chapter 2 for you! I'm on vacation now, so I don't know when my next update will be. I will have internet though. PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU WANT ANOTHER CHAPTER!!!! I know there are people reading this! Even a short review saying "This is good" or "Please update soon" would be greatly appreciated!

Oh, and one more thing. I realize that I'm taking some major liberties with Zephyrus' character. I am fully aware that dragons were written as the evil spawn of Morgoth, so just work with me until all this can be explained in a future chapter. IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, DON'T READ IT!!!!


	3. Chapter 3: Growing in Mind and Body

Author's Note: Well, here's chapter 3 for everyone's enjoyment. I noticed that several people have added this story to their alert list, so I hope to see some more reviews this time around!

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any of its characters. I just own my OCs.

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Chapter 3: Growing in Body and Spirit

Elendyne awoke at dawn in the same position as when she had fallen asleep. She glanced down at Zephyrus, who was still nestled against her side fast asleep. A gentle heat radiated from the tiny creature, warming her from head to toe. Then, as if sensing her wakefulness, Zephyrus slowly opened his eyes and raised his head to peer at her with curious silver orbs. Elendyne found his expression rather amusing and reached up to rub his head. The little dragon gurgled contentedly in his throat. She never expected to get so attached to him so quickly.

Zephyrus followed at her heels like a little puppy while she gathered kindling and then sat by her side while she cooked breakfast. However, the act of cooking raised a pressing question. Just how was Elendyne supposed to feed this dragon? She assumed that he ate meat, but if she fed him from her own supplies, they would be depleted twice as quickly. Luckily, Zephyrus already had an answer for that question. While she ate her own meal, he left her side and started prowling through the grass a few yards away from the campsite. The sound of his wings rustling followed by the squeak of a small rodent confirmed to Elendyne that the dragon could indeed hunt for himself. Zephyrus then returned with the blood of his prey staining his jaw. He looked rather proud of himself for making his first kill.

"Well, at least I don't have to worry about you going hungry," Elendyne remarked. Zephyrus cocked his head to the side and gurgled as if asking a question. She felt his consciousness shift closer to her own suddenly, and she gave a start, trying to block out the tingling sensation in her mind. Zephyrus withdrew his presence and lowered his head guiltily. "Why must you keep doing that?" she asked irritably, even though she assumed she would not get an answer. Sure enough, no answer was forthcoming.

Once Elendyne had finished eating, she hurried to break camp and pack up Frosthoof's saddlebags. Once the horse was re-saddled and ready to depart, she turned to Zephyrus, who was still watching nearby. Kneeling down in front of him, she opened her arms and said, "Come on. You'll have to ride Frosthoof as well." Confusion radiated from Zephyrus' mind, which was once again trying to reach out to hers. Then Elendyne had a thought: 'Maybe he understands my thoughts more clearly than my words. That would explain why he has been attempting to reach into my mind.' The thought briefly crossed her mind that Zephyrus could be trying some form of dark magic, but she had not felt any sense of malice from him before. She decided to chance it and opened up her mind to his. She gasped slightly as she felt Zephyrus' consciousness meld with her own. It was not a painful sensation, but Elendyne felt exposed as all her deepest emotions, fears, and thoughts were laid bare before this alien presence. Once the initial shock wore off, Elendyne attempted to place words in his mind: _Come to me_.

This time, Zephyrus' response was immediate. He leaped into her arms and climbed up to curl around her shoulders. Elendyne stood up somewhat awkwardly with this added weight and managed to clamber into the saddle. Zephyrus' claws tightened on her shoulders to keep his balance, and she winced slightly in pain. Once they were both situated, she sent him an image of Frosthoof galloping with Zephyrus sitting on her shoulders, and the dragon replied with a feeling of consent. Elendyne nudged Frosthoof with her heels, and the stallion took off at a brisk gallop across the wilderness.

By mid-afternoon, Elendyne had reached the outskirts of a village about twice the size of her old one. It appeared to be a thriving trading outpost, and even from a distance Elendyne could see the hustle and bustle of daily life carrying on inside the village walls. She reined in Frosthoof and tried to come up with a plan for concealing Zephyrus. The village lay in the shadow of several large hills, which looked like a good place to hide a dragon. The cluster of hills was about a half mile from the village. She headed there first and made her way around to the side that faced away from the village. Once there, she managed to locate a medium-sized cave dug out of the side of one of the hills, perhaps once used by wolves. It was completely concealed from wary eyes and looked big enough to house Zephyrus until he stood taller than Elendyne. Her keen ears also detected the sound of small rodents scurrying about, so the dragon would not have to look far to find food.

Elendyne carried Zephyrus back into the cave and, once she had made sure no predators were around, set him on the ground and said in his mind, _I'm going into the village to get supplies. I'll come back to check on you tomorrow, so until then you can hunt in these hills. Do NOT follow me or leave the hills. Understand?_ Zephyrus' emotions betrayed his sorrow at seeing Elendyne leave him, but he indicated that he understood by lying down and curling up to go to sleep. Smiling slightly, Elendyne scratched his eye ridges briefly before departing for the village. She did not like the idea of leaving him here alone at night unprotected, but it was the only course of action available to her at the moment.

As Elendyne entered the village riding Frosthoof, she was greeted by suspicious stares from the inhabitants. 'I guess this village does not get many elf visitors,' Elendyne mused. She decided to head for the inn. It was the largest building in the village, so she tethered Frosthoof at the water trough and entered to book a room. The ground floor of the inn was a tavern filled mainly with rough-looking men swapping stories and gossip over dinner and beer. Elendyne approached the innkeeper and said, "Excuse me."

The innkeeper, who was a coarse man with grey streaks in his brown hair and beard, turned abruptly to face her and replied gruffly, "What do you want?" Then he noticed Elendyne's pointed ears and added in a suspicious tone, "We haven't had any business dealings with elves in years. What brings you away from all your singing, pointy-eared companions and your precious trees?"

The man's rough voice and foul attitude grated harshly on Elendyne's nerves, but she suppressed those emotions. She needed a place to stay, and this inn was her best chance. She thought quickly to come up with a decent story and finally decided on one that was at least somewhat believable. "I am a traveling scholar seeking knowledge by traveling through Middle Earth and living amongst all the free races. I need a place to say, but unfortunately I have no money. The village where I was staying was burned down by orcs, and I managed to escape with little more than my life," Elendyne explained briefly. She did not think he needed to know that she was actually raised in that village.

"What? No money? I don't give out charity, elf. I'm a working man with a family to think about!" the innkeeper replied harshly. At least he had not questioned her story.

Elendyne looked around and casually observed, "You seem pretty busy around here," noting the overly crowded tables and customers shouting for drink refills. "Perhaps I could work for room and board, both for myself and my horse."

The innkeeper raised his eyebrow suspiciously. "An elf wants to work for a human? This is unheard of! And just what kind of work could you possibly do around here?"

"I cared for the horses in the last village I stayed in for many years, and I could assist in serving food and drink to your customers," Elendyne offered.

The innkeeper scowled and mulled over her offer. "As much as I would like to throw you out, I really do need the help. My stable boy just walked out on me last week to join the army, and I'm a bit shorthanded here in the tavern." He sighed in frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming. Could this day get any worse? First an elf comes in with no money, and then she actually wants a job? What was Middle Earth coming to? "Fine. You're hired." He handed her a set of keys. "Your room's upstairs, second door on the left. Be in the stable working in ten minutes or consider yourself banned from my inn!"

Elendyne took the keys and forced a gracious smile onto her face. "Thank you, sir. You will not regret your decision."

As she was walking away, the innkeeper called after her, "Name's Thenden, by the way."

Elendyne turned to face him and replied, "And I am Elendyne. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Now that she actually knew the name of her employer, Elendyne headed upstairs, unlocked the door to her room, and surveyed her new home. The room was small but clean, containing a small bed, a refreshing room to the side, and a desk. Elendyne placed her belongings on the bed but kept her sword around her waist, just in case. Ten minutes later, she had settled Frosthoof into one of the empty stalls, given him water and feed, and was tending to the horses belonging to the inn's patrons.

That night, Elendyne's sleep was plagued by visions of Zephyrus falling prey to wolves, orcs, and other fell beasts. The sight of the infant dragon being ripped apart by vicious predators finally jerked her awake, sweating and gasping for breath. Frantically, Elendyne reached out with her mind to him. She nearly fainted with relief when she felt his consciousness. The annoyance radiating from his mind told her that she had rather abruptly awoken him from a peaceful sleep after a successful hunt. She mentally apologized to him and let him go back to sleep. Satisfied that he was safe, Elendyne allowed her body to slip into a peaceful rest as well.

For the next two months, Elendyne's life maintained a fairly regular routine. She arose every morning at dawn, fed and watered the horses, and then worked at the inn's tavern until evening. She often had to interrupt her serving duties to tend to the horses of new patrons, but caring for the animals was her favorite part of the job. Her recently developed mental abilities also allowed her to detect some of the horses' emotions as well, and she always sensed adoration and gratefulness from them whenever she came to feed or brush them. While the customers often bore suspicious expressions at being served by an elf, the horses were always friendly and never judgmental. After finishing work for the day, Elendyne would always ride out to check on Zephyrus. The dragon never required her to bring him food, since he always managed to hunt for himself.

The rate of Zephyrus' growth shocked Elendyne, and by the end of the first week he had easily doubled in size. After two weeks he was as big as Frosthoof. By the end of the first month, his shoulders stood as tall as Elendyne's. As his body grew, so did his intellect. Elendyne always talked to him when she came to visit, both mentally and aloud, and he always listened with rapt attention. His gleaming silver eyes held depths of understanding and knowledge. Then one day, after he had turned one month old, he once again surprised Elendyne.

The sun was dipping below the horizon, turning the cloudless sky into a mirage of orange and red. Zephyrus lay at the entrance to his cave, basking in the day's last rays while Elendyne sat back and leaned against his side. As always, she told him all the events that had transpired during the day, both the good and the bad. _And then the man nearly threw his tankard at me, demanding that I get him the drink that he had ordered. I had his order right; he had just had too many drinks during the evening to remember what they tasted like. But overall, it was a good day. Thenden is a gruff man, but he is still fair to his workers. I have been saving my tips, so hopefully I will have enough money soon to allow us to leave and travel again. I know you would enjoy that._

_Elen…dyne…_

Elendyne sat bolt upright, looking around for the source of that voice. Who had just spoken? "Who's there? Show yourself!" she shouted, hand flying to the hilt of her sword.

_Elendyne…_

There was that same voice. It was a rich tenor sound that washed over Elendyne's ears like water. Elendyne looked over at Zephyrus, and amusement radiated from his mind in waves. Then she realized what was happening. _You said my name!_

_Yes…_

_So you can speak inside my mind just like I can speak to you?_

_Yes._

_What else can you say?_

_Elendyne._

_Yes, you have already established that you know my name. Can you say any other words?_ Upon sensing the dragon's confusion, Elendyne said, _Do not worry. You still have plenty of time to learn more words. After all, you did just learn how to speak in my mind._ Still reeling from this latest turn of events, Elendyne fell silent and leaned back against Zephyrus' scaly hide again. Now she was beginning to understand why the Free Races had feared dragons in the past. Not only were they powerful, skilled hunters, but they also possessed the intellect to back up their cunning. Elendyne realized grimly that she was going to have to exercise extra caution around him until she could determine that he still meant her no harm.

Another month passed, and Zephyrus continued to grow in body and mind. His shoulders now stood taller than Elendyne's head, and his body, neck, and tail stretched over thirty feet long. His wingspan was absolutely massive now, and it was difficult for him to move his wings within the confines of the hills that still sheltered him. At night, he would sneak outside the hills to stretch his wings and hunt. He had learned to fly mere days after his birth, and now he was quite a spectacle to behold in the fly. Elendyne had never ridden him yet, but now she was itching to try. Fortunately, his growth spurt had mostly stopped now that he was large enough to protect himself from any predators that may appear. His intellect increased exponentially, until conversing with him was no different than with a man. In fact, his wisdom often seemed to far surpass that of a man, or at least the ones Elendyne dealt with every day. She guessed that his instincts had granted him such eloquence in speech. His voice had deepened as he grew until it was a deep, rich baritone.

Once again, Elendyne and Zephyrus were lost in another one of their mental conversations as the last light abandoned the Rohan skies in favor of the cloak of night. _It sounds as if you had an especially trying day,_ Zephyrus remarked. _It is a pity that you must continue to work in such a degrading environment for such uncouth men._

_Well, not all of the men are of distasteful character. Many of them are simply honest travelers and hunters passing through the area, while others are members of the Rohirrim that tirelessly work to keep the orcs under control,_ Elendyne replied with a tired sigh. _I grow weary of this place and long to go on a journey. More than anything, I want to find one of the elven strongholds. Travelers that stay at the inn occasionally mention them, but none of them have ever been there in person._

_Then it is settled. We will depart from this place,_ Zephyrus stated resolutely. _If you ride me, we will be able to cover far more ground than if you followed on horseback, and you would be safe from any encounters with orcs or other fell creatures. _

_Zephyrus, I have never ridden you before, and, quite frankly, I do not know how,_ Elendyne replied.

_Then you will learn. Night has set, so no one will see me in flight._ Elendyne leaped to her feet as Zephyrus abruptly stood and made his way outside the hills.

_Would you not need a saddle of some sort?_ Elendyne asked. _I would fall off otherwise, and your scales would probably rub my legs._

_Take the saddle blanket off the horse to protect your legs for now. You can make a saddle from the horse's and some extra leather if you so desire. I will not try any difficult maneuvers for your first flight,_ Zephyrus reassured her.

Hands trembling, Elendyne removed Frosthoof's saddle and placed the blanket in the space between his shoulder blades, at the base of his neck. There was a large enough gap between the spines for her to sit. Zephyrus crouched low to the ground, and Elendyne stepped onto his right foreleg and uneasily settled herself on the blanket. Since she had no stirrups, Elendyne gripped the dragon's sides with her legs. _Are you ready?_ Zephyrus asked.

_About as ready as I will ever be,_ Elendyne replied.

_Hold on tight._ Zephyrus rocked back on his hind legs, unfurled his wings, and gave them a powerful downward thrust as he pushed off the ground. Elendyne tightened her legs' grip, closed her eyes, and clung to his neck as he climbed steeply, beating his wings rapidly to gain sufficient altitude. After a few seconds, his flight evened out, and his soothing voice broke into Elendyne's jumbled thoughts. _Open your eyes, Elendyne, and observe this glorious view!_

Elendyne opened her eyes and gasped as she looked down at the ground, which seemed so far away. The few trees that dotted the landscape were mere specks, even to her keen elven eyes. She looked up at the stars, which dotted the clear night sky like silver glitter. The cool night air gently caressed her face and played with her hair, and she opened her arms, relishing this new sensation. _This is wonderful, Zephyrus! I have never felt so free before!_

Zephyrus rumbled happily deep within his chest. _I am pleased that you are happy. It is wonderful being able to share the gift of flight with you. Will we be flying together more often now?_

_Of course we will! Every chance we get! _Elendyne replied enthusiastically. Her thoughts grew silent, and she simply let her emotions flow through to Zephyrus through their link as she relaxed and enjoyed the thrill of their first flight. 'Perhaps I have done some growing these past two months as well,' Elendyne thought privately.

End chapter 3

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Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I realize that not much happened, but it's necessary to set the plot in motions. I promise the action will pick up next chapter. In the meantime, please review! It doesn't even have to be a long review, though I do love long reviews. Just a simple "I liked it" or "Please update soon" would be plenty. If I get enough reviews, I will post the next chapter much sooner! 


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