Bring Me With Her

You Cannot Hide

As they sat, Talia couldn't help but recall when she first met Gandalf and the company. It was actually kind of weird, having only Gandalf and Thorin at the table, rather than having thirteen Dwarves all squeezed in. Talia widened her eyes as Gandalf explained the history of Middle Earth that he and Thorin already knew. The history of the forging of the Rings of Power, including the One Ring, forged by the Dark Lord, Sauron, and how he was defeated by Isildur and the Last Alliance. Talia widened her eyes at the end of the story, and the three of them looked down at the ring.

"This is the One Ring. Forged by the Dark Lord Sauron in the fires of Mount Doom. Taken by Isildur from the hand of Sauron himself." Gandalf said.

Talia couldn't stop staring at the ring. "I found it in the Goblin Tunnels...in Gollum's cave." she murmured, wondering how she could have found something like this in such a place.

"Yes, the Ring has lain quiet for some time. But no longer, Talisa. Evil is stirring in Mordor. The Ring has awoken. It has heard its master's call." Gandalf said.

Talia looked up at that, eyes narrowed. "But he was destroyed. You said that Sauron was destroyed." she said. The three of them then widened their eyes as they heard whispers...coming from the ring.

"No, Talisa. The spirit of Sauron endured. His life force is bound to the Ring, and the Ring survived. Sauron has returned. His Orcs have multiplied. His fortress at Barad-Dûr is rebuilt in the land of Mordor. Sauron needs only this Ring to cover all the lands of a second darkness. He is seeking it, seeking it. All his thought is bent on it. The Ring yearns above all else to return to the hand of its master. They are one, the Ring and the Dark Lord. Talisa, he must never find it." the Wizard warned.

Talia looked at Gandalf and Thorin, and took the ring and got up. "Ok, so we'll hide it. We'll hide it somewhere no one even here will be able to find it. And we'll never talk about it again. We'll act like I never found it in the first place. There, problem solved, right? I mean, it's not like anyone knows it's here of all places." Talia gave a slight laugh, but then frowned at Gandalf's expression.

The young woman's face fell, while Thorin began to glare. "Gandalf, what are you not telling us?" Thorin demanded.

"There is one other who knew you had the Ring. I looked everywhere for the creature, Gollum, but the enemy had found him first. I don't know how long they tortured him, but amidst the endless screams and the inane babble, they discerned one word. You told him you were a Terran, didn't you?"

Talia widened her eyes at that. "Well...yeah, I did...but, Terra's huge, that information isn't enough for anyone to find me." she insisted.

"You were the first Terran to come to Middle Earth in centuries, Talisa. I had heard of strange men cloaked in black who visited the city of Dale. Those people were witnesses of you, Talisa. They knew what you were, they knew your name. It would not be impossible for them to find someone to give them that information. And..."

Talia furrowed her brows. "What?"

Gandalf looked down for a second, but then looked up. "Magic does not simply disappear once used, Talisa. It leaves traces...and by coming here tonight, to warn you-"

"You've practically brought them here." Thorin realized lowly. Talia widened her eyes and immediately held out her hand.

"Take it, Gandalf! Get rid of it!" she exclaimed.

"No, Talisa."

"You have to take it."

"You cannot offer me this Ring." Gandalf refused.