The Heart of a Skin-Changer (Hobbit Fanfic)

The Meeting

I sat upon the cliff, my legs dangling over the edge, surveying the forest with my yellow eyes. If my eyes were yellow, there was something wrong. I had managed to come up with a code system for my eye colours, which went a bit like this:
Yellow- Agitated, Scared, Angry, Magical
Blue- Happy, Carefree
Green- Loving, Passionate
Brown- Calm, Docile
Grey- Sad, Depressed, Stressed.
My eyes were either yellow or grey these days, but the reason why would take a long time to explain. Now and again they were brown, but not very often. But they were yellow then, as I felt the cool breeze caress my face and ruffle at the grey cloak around my shoulders. I inhaled deeply, but the mingled scents that met my nostrils only added to my sense of unease. The scent of the forest had shifted. There was something different, something had changed, and not knowing what it was irritated me.
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Suddenly, a twig snapped behind me and I span around, snarling, one hand making its way to a dagger on my hip. My eyes focused on a tall dark haired elf, regarding me with a raised eyebrow and a vaguely amused look. It was Elros.
"Haldir would go mental if he could see you right now," he pointed out. I regarded him with a deadpan glare.
"Who cares? He's not here now anyway," I growled "The last thing I want right now is him yelling at me to act more like an elf."
"But you are an elf," said Elros. I snarled at him lowly.
"Half-Elf," I spat, shifting in my crouched position "You of all people should know that by now." I bit back a grimace as I put too much weight on my injured arm, pain shooting up my forearm. The cuts were two weeks old now, they wouldn't take much longer to heal. I glared at Elros.
"Anyway," I said "What are you doing here, startling me and nearly getting your throat ripped out in the process?"
He sighed.
"Must you be so melodramatic? Lady Galadriel wants to see you," he said. I hesitantly got up from my crouched position on the floor and went to join him.
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As we walked silently towards Caras Galadhon, I glanced down at the bandages that were tightly wrapped around my forearm. My mind flitted back to what had caused the two cuts currently buried beneath the bandages. A dagger, grief, and a moment of insanity was all it took to send me into pain for two weeks straight. Ten years and weeks ago to the day since my life had changed forever, and grief still followed me like a shadow.
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I quickly changed my mindset as we walked up the steps to Lady Galadriel's flet, pulling my hood up about my face. The lingering sense of unease in my heart had multiplied, making me very dagger-twitchy. I put my hand on the haft of my sword to calm my nerves, biting my tongue as I felt sharp canines forming in my mouth. The faint taste of iron only made me worse.
Stay calm, I thought to myself, We don't need a replay of last time you were like this.
My heart thudded in my chest as we reached the top of the stairs. We were here.
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"Thank you Elros," said Lady Galadriel "You may leave us." Elros bowed his head respectfully and withdrew, leaving me alone. The lady turned to me, surveying me with her piercing gaze. I did my best to stay still, my hand tightening around my sword haft in a move that could easily be seen as threatening. My canines poked out from beneath my top lip and my eyes glowed yellow, showing me horribly for what I really was. But the Lady of Lorien knew me too well to take notice of any of it.
"Lethia," she said "No doubt you are wondering why I have brought you here." I bit my tongue harder to force back a sarcastic answer. Despite that fact that I was Half-Elf, all the manners and courtesy got on my nerves. I nodded silently, not trusting myself to say anything. Suddenly, a figure moved from the shadows and came and stood beside Lady Galadriel.
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Prince Thrain. He was tattooed and scarred in every way imaginable, making my few scars seem like nothing. It was told that he lost his eye in a bloody battle with the orcs, now I could see that this was true. His presence was imposing, and put me even more on edge. I lowered my head, allowing the curtains of my auburn hair to fall beside my face. I didn't break eye contact with him, as was the fashion of my people. My eyes still blazed a golden yellow, which would have seemed like a threat to most. But this was a dwarf, he wouldn't understand our ways.
"My lady," said the prince, bowing in dwarven fashion. I raised my head again, straightening up and standing in a soldier-like stance, as Haldir had taught me. Legs together, shoulders square, eyes front. Every move had been drilled into me. I turned to Lady Galadriel.
"My Lady," I said, using all the politeness I could muster and forcing back the slight growl in my voice "May I ask what the meaning of this is?" The Lady gave me a rare smile.
"You are to go to Erebor and be the protector of the Royal Family, particularly the royal children."
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The emotions that rushed through me were indescribable. I was finally leaving this place, yet I would leave behind all that I knew in the world apart from... somewhere I would not speak of. But I could never go back there. I wouldn't have to listen to Haldir yelling at me in training, I wouldn't be mocked for growling and snarling, yet I would be leaving behind the only friends I had in the world. Elros, Allia, Thiliel, Glaedir and Hastil. We were in the same unit, the Lothlorien Guards. The girls especially, Allia and Thiliel, I would be sad to leave behind. And Glaedir... My only living relative. The cousin who had been like a brother to me, educating me in the ways of his people but never once forcing me to abandon my old ways. They had helped me through some tough times. They all had. But then, something snapped me back into reality and I realised I wasn't speaking.
"Thank you milady," I said hurriedly, bowing in the fashion of my people. I bit back a smile, knowing that to retain politeness I had to show no emotion.
"Go and prepare yourself child, you leave tomorrow at dawn," The Lady said. I bowed once again and left, making my way down the stairs.
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As I walked, I could hear Lady Galadriel speaking to Prince Thrain.
"I warn you," she said "Lethia can be a handful. She is outspoken, impulsive, some would say rude. The ways of her people haven't entirely been bred out of her, she isn't what I would call a true soldier. And her injuries..." The Lady trailed off, though I knew what she was inferring. The fingers of my right hand brushed the bandages on my left.
"Ah, I did notice the bandages," said Prince Thrain. I let out an irritated growl, I hated when people talked about me behind my back. Especially when my sensitive ears could hear them quite clearly.
"Yet you tell me she is perfect for the task in hand," said Prince Thrain.
"Her bloodline presents some skills that you do not see in other elves. She can hunt and track like no other, her instincts are unrivalled. And if need be, she can use her... abilities," said the Lady calmly. I growled again and continued on my way. I looked up at the high branches of the Mallorn Trees, watching the afternoon sun pierce through the leaves. I was finally leaving this place...