Mo Ghile Mear

Rumors

*Athena's POV*

"Athena," said Gandalf sharply, catching my attention. I froze and stood where I was before whipping around to face him.

"Gandalf," I greeted, inclining my head to him politely.

"Come, Athena," said Gandalf firmly. "The time is at hand. I'm going to Gondor to look up about the One Ring." He got up close, only for me to hear. "I think it's here in the Shire. . . . and I think Mr. Baggins has it."

"Bilbo?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion.

Gandalf nodded gravely.

"Yes. I believe that Bilbo has it. But now, he's planning to move to Rivendell, going on his own adventures, and going back to the Lonely Mountains and to Lake Town. I'm going to instruct him to leave his ring behind."

"But won't Frodo get it?" I asked, confused.

"Yes, he'll inherit it," said Gandalf sadly. "But he must keep it out of sight for the next few days until I return."

I bit my lower lip, trying to process everything Gandalf had just said.

Our journey was about to begin. I thought of Sera, how I'd seen her and Frodo dance together, not having a care in the world, looking so happy together. I wonder how she'd react when she finds out that her new friend is carrying a terrible burden -- or will be carrying a terrible burden -- terribly soon. It would break her heart, I'm sure. But I promised myself that I'd do everything to keep her new friend safe during this adventure.

"Sera is not going to be pleased," I finally said in a low voice.

Gandalf chuckled, a smile on his lips. "She's grown fond of him, I see?"

"They were dancing earlier," I noted. "I saw them."

"Yes, they looked like they were having fun," Gandalf agreed, his eyes twinkling. He gave a happy sigh. "Young love. . . . it's always so fascinating to have romantic interests at such a young age."

I gave a tight, pained smile, remembering my times with Aragorn (in other locations, he's known as Strider). We've been friends during our childhood, never leaving each other's side, except for during his time in the Wilds. He'd always greet me warmly whenever he came back, but the last two times he came and went, he was distant and confused, and the pain clawed at my heart.

And I realized that I was in love with him. After all this time, I knew the truth of how I felt about the future king of Gondor. I'm sure that he'd come back to me sooner or later. The last time he came, his visit was brief -- only three days. He was talking mostly to Elrond in serious voices, in Elvish, instead of me. I saw him out with my half-sister, Arwen, a few times during the last stay, making me slightly jealous, wondering if he didn't love me that way. Because I am a freak. I am a freak with a dangerous past and future.

Being the daughter of Lord Sauron. . . . well. . . . let's just say that life isn't easy whenever I tell people the truth of why I live in Rivendell. People usually avoid me after I tell them whom I'm related to, which stung. Whenever Aragorn was here and when he wasn't ignoring me, he'd always stood up to me, at my side, when I felt down. Despite the jealous feeling, I was feeling towards him and Arwen, I was still happy to call him my friend, even though we were more distant now than ever before.

"I need you to keep an eye on Frodo for the next couple of days until I return," Gandalf instructed firmly.

I nodded again, feeling my stomach clench and unclench uncomfortably, but I forced myself to nod at any rate.

"Good," said Gandalf, who gave me a small smile. "Expect me to return in three day's time."

And with that he turned and disappeared, leaving me in the dust.

"Athena!" I heard someone calling me. "Athena!"

It was Daisy. I whipped around to face her, surprised.

"There you are," she said. "We've been looking for you."

"Sorry, I was talking to Gandalf," I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"And he left you?" said Daisy in shock.

I shrugged in return. "He had some important business to run."

"That sounds like Gandalf," said Daisy. "Anyways, you better come back to the house. Mama and Papa don't like it if we're outside after dark without them." She rolled her eyes, a smirk on her lips, before disappearing into the darkness.

Hesitating, I bit my lip, before going inside. Going to the guest bedroom, I put my hands to my head, trying to think things through.

Sera would be devastated when she knows the truth very soon. I grumbled to myself, wondering how I should break the news to her. I mean, I'm only here on Gandalf's instructions. Three days is enough time to wait, but I'll get a bit impatient.

I sighed, laying down on my bed, not bothered to get undressed. A lot was going on tonight -- a lot of mysterious things. No one knows what's truly going on except for me and Gandalf. The One Ring, the one thing my father desperately wants, is in the hands of an innocent hobbit. And my father is after me. Why am I not surprised? I knew he'd come after me. . . . eventually. But I've been kept hidden in Rivendell my entire life! He wasn't allowed to go into a peaceful place that was guarded by powerful elves. But now that I'm out of my protection charm, my father is most likely to be after me, to kill me if he could.

I fell into a restless sleep that night, dreaming of Mount Doom and the Great Eye that kept watch over everything. It felt so real, I could feel its heat. And when I awoke, I was drenched in sweat.

"Blimey, Athena," said Sera in concern the next morning whenever I'd woken up for breakfast. I was so tired. I'd refused to go back to sleep after feeling my father's poisonous heat penetrating through my skin. "Are you alright? You look as though you haven't slept at all last night."

I shrugged. "I'm fine, Sera. Just. . . . just some nightmares, that's it."

"You look like you haven't gotten any sleep at all," Daisy objected, glowering.

"Daisy, it's fine," I insisted. "I woke up from a . . . nightmare last night and couldn't go back to sleep."

I couldn't say "vision". They'd laugh at me. They were too young to understand. They were mere young adults, for crying out loud!

"So," I said, steering away from the conversation and them nagging at me. "Did you guys have fun at the party last night? You know -- before Bilbo's disappearance?"

"Yeah, I know I did," said Sera, who was glowing with happiness. She gave a dreamy sigh. I wondered what happened, since I wasn't there to see everything that Sera or Daisy were doing.

"What? He kissed you?" said Daisy.

The blush on Sera's cheeks were visible.

"Yes, he did," said Sera. She sounded a bit defensive. "But it was a, well, magical feeling."

While I was proud of Sera for having her first kiss, I couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. The love of her life was about to be in huge danger.