Mo Ghile Mear

The Vision

PART ONE FOR THE HEIR TRILOGY!

@dragology TYSM for this AMAZING trailer and surprise mock-up cover! You're the best!!!

***Athena's POV***

I found myself standing in the center of a room that was made of pure black onyx marble. My heart pounded as I wondered why the hell I am here. Then, a voice startled me so badly that I nearly jumped out of my skin. The voice was sharp and his voice sounded dangerous. So dangerous that it sent chills up my spine.

"That Hobbit has something of mine that I would like to have back. Bring it to me! Kill the hobbit if you need to. Oh, and if you find my daughter along the way, bring her to me. She is my property!"

A wailing, screeching sound reached my ears, sending unpleasant shivers down my spine. The black doors flew open. Nine riders clothed entirely in black stampeded out into the open on their horses, who looked just as intimidating and just as dangerous.

The vision slowly turned to darkness.

I awoke with a gasp as I sat upright in bed. The sunlight was already filtering through the windows of Rivendell, which reminded me that I was still safe from any kind of harm. In fact, Rivendell is so safe, that not even the darkest powers could get to us. They would have to get past the thousands and thousands of Elvish soldiers who risked their lives to protect our land so that the Dark Power wouldn't get to us.

I swung my legs over the side of my bed, forcing myself to think. The cold chilling, unforgiving voice rang through my head. The man wanted something. And that man also happened to be my father. So apart from whatever he wanted from a hobbit, he also wanted someone else. Me.

Without a second thought, I grabbed my house coat, wrapping the linen strap around my waist before making it to Elrond's study. He looked up at me whenever I had entered the room. A quizzical look appeared on his face.

"Athena," he greeted, nodding his head. "What are you doing up so early in the morning?"

I ring my hands together anxiously, hoping that Elrond would have some news about Gandalf's whereabouts.

"Elrond," I say, my voice quavering. "When is Gandalf going to be here?"

Elrond looked surprised at my sudden question before he furrowed his eyebrows together, as though he was thinking of something.

"He told me that he would be returning to Rivendell before noon today." He gave me a suspicious glare. "Why do you ask?"

"It's nothing important," I quickly replied, trying to brush off his question.

Elrond raised an eyebrow. "I'm starting to think that it is. Whenever you're always asking for Gandalf, it means that you've seen something."

I tried hard to not look so shocked and surprised. So I blushed in return.

"So what if I had?" I challenged.

Elrond smiled slightly. "It happens every time, Athena," he chided gently.

"Okay, okay," I say impatiently. "So Gandalf is getting here before noon. I can't wait that long, Elrond! It's too urgent!"

"You just have to wait a few more hours, Aeryn. That's all."

"M'kay, fine." And with that, I stormed out of the study to wait in my room.

Whilst I waited for Gandalf to arrive, I could not sit down. Instead, I just paced around my bedroom, trying to figure out what it was that the dark man in my vision wanted. What made sense is why he wanted me. I had the gift of seeing the future. Not everyone can fully appreciate that gift. And not to mention, I am his daughter. But what's with a ring? It's just a piece of jewelry, right?

Finally, a knock was heard at my door. I looked up to see one of my elf servants poking her head in my room, looking a little nervous.

"Gandalf is here, Miss," she said.

I smiled slightly at her. "Thanks, Morwyn." I swept past her as I walked quickly out of the room to where Gandalf would be. Surprisingly, he was in the study. He already had a mug of tea in his hands. He looked up whenever he saw me.

"Well, if it isn't our very own Athena," he said with a small smile.

I grinned back. "Gandalf," I greeted him with a slight curtsy.

"What is it that's so urgent, Athena?" Gandalf pressured.

I took a deep breath and sat down.

"I just had a vision. This morning," I explained. "Before I woke up."

"And what's so important about it?"

I took a deep breath. "He's after something."

"Who is after something?" Gandalf asked. He looked at me weirdly.

I started to get a little on the panicky side, but I managed to keep my cool.

"Sauron."

"Did he say what he was after?" said Gandalf sharply.

"Something about a ring," I replied, my voice now barely above a whisper.

"Did he mention anything else?"

I shrugged. "He mentioned a hobbit. He didn't mention anyone else other than me."

"So the rumors are true," Gandalf finally said.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"What rumors? I have never heard any sort of rumors before."

"Do you know the history of the One Ring?"

Startled, I nodded.

"Yes. But what does that have to do with what's going on?"

"You said that your father talked about a piece of jewelry, right?"

"Yeah. He said a ring, but he didn't say what kind of ring it was."

"Cause he doesn't need to," Gandalf simply answered. I was more confused than ever. "You should have known this by now, Athena. It's been nearly 1300 years since Lord Elrond first took you in. You've been in Rivendell all this time, and you should have learned about the One Ring by now."

I shrugged. "I know that it's a myth," I stubbornly replied.

Gandalf just chuckled. "It's not a myth, Athena. This ring you keep talking about is real. There's no doubt about it. And the hobbit that keeps cropping up into this vision of yours, he goes by the name of Bilbo Baggins."

"Hold up! Hold up!" I exclaimed, trying to wrap my head around what was going on. "You're telling me that this ring that my father wants is being held in the hands of a hobbit? How the hell did my father's ring end up in a tiny person's hands?"

"He came across it whenever he bumped into Gollum," Gandalf answered casually. "Uses it to avoid any kind of trouble whenever he's on his adventures."

"Okay," I say in a slow voice. "So now what? I told you what happened in my vision. What's the plan now?"

Gandalf smiled. "I am taking you to the Shire. In other words, it's where hobbits dwell. And that is where Mr. Bilbo Baggins lives."