* Akala's P.O.V. *
I stared at Thorongil, now Aragorn, in shock for a few moments, trying to process what I just heard. "Isildur's heir? I thought his line ended a long time ago," I said, once I found my voice again. I turned back to Lord Elrond. "What do our true identities have to do with each other?" I asked, confused.
Now it was his turn to look confused. "You do not know?" he asked.
"Know what?" I asked back, not sure what he was referring to. I looked between Aragorn and Lord Elrond with confusion written all over my face.
Lord Elrond looked at me calmly. "What do you know about where you come from?" he asked me, patiently.
"I know nothing about where I am from. I left Erebor when I reached adulthood to look for my people, but I was not successful, even after ninety years," I explained. "All I have figured out on my own is that I have a longer life than that of an average man."
Lord Elrond was listening carefully while I was speaking. "I guess I will start from the beginning, for both your sakes," he started after a moment of silence. "Many years before the war at Mount Doom, Isildur's grandfather, Amandil, had a select few soldiers, who only answered to him. Amandil heard from one of his advisers that there was a white dragon in a cave deep in the Misty Mountains who was passing soon and she wanted to pass on her magic, so it didn't go to waste since she was alone and had no one to carry on the magic of the white dragons, for she was the last white dragon in all of Middle Earth. So Amandil sent his private guard to see this dragon and ask for her to give them her magic. They did as they were told and found the dragon many long months later. The white dragon's name was Akala." He looked at me when he said this. I was a little shocked by this. "Akala, your namesake, performed a ritual to transfer her magic to the six soldiers. After her magic was divided between the soldiers, Akala told the soldiers they would have the life span longer than any race, except the elves, and the purpose of doing the ritual was so that they and their children and their children's children and so forth could protect the King of Gondor and Arnor's bloodline. To explain the life span of these soldiers is that the captain of the King's Private guard was Rendar, your great-grandfather, Akala. Your father, Anar, protected Arathorn, Aragorn's father. Now it's your duty to protect the last of Isildur's bloodline, who is Aragorn," Lord Elrond explained. "Now do you understand the importance of knowing each other's true identities?" he asked me a moment later.
I was silent for a few minutes looking at the floor by the desk, processing what I just learned. I could feel both males' eyes on me as I was processing. Then I looked up at Lord Elrond. "If this were the case, then why was I not born among my people, instead I was born in Erebor?" I asked calmly.
"That I do not know. It must have been your parents' choice to have you born there. Not long after Arathorn passed , your people, the Nakira as Amandil named them, went into hiding by request of Aragorn's mother," he said.
I stood up and slowly walked over to the window looking over Rivendell. "That would explain why I never found any information on them. Mostly everyone who would know about them are now gone," I said thoughtfully.
I turned around slowly and looked at Lord Elrond, a little confused once again. "How is it you know all of this?" I asked.
He sighed softly and stood, facing me. Aragorn stood as well, walked a little closer to me, and looked at Lord Elrond also.
"When Aragorn's mother brought him here when he was young, she told me about your people and that she asked them to go into hiding until Aragorn claimed the throne of Gondor and Arnor as is his birthright," he explained.
I looked at Aragorn and he looked at me. "Did you know of this?" I asked him.
He shook his head. "I did not. When I learned of my lineage, I chose exile because I did not want the power that came with my name or the blood that runs through my veins. Lord Elrond did not mention the Nakira," he said without looking away from me.
I turned away from them and looked back outside. "What would you have me do? I cannot just abandon my duties as Queen to the dwarves of Erebor. My sons are not yet ready to take on the responsibilies of ruling a kingdom such as Erebor," I said a little frustrated. "If I had known all of this thirty years ago, I would have declined Thorin's request and found who I was born to protect, but I cannot live my life with 'If I had known'. I have to live with what has happened and what I now know," I said, the last bit more to myself than to Lord Elrond and Aragorn.
* Aragorn's P.O.V. *
I saw how conflicted Akala seemed by the thought of the possibility of stepping down from the crown of Erebor when she thinks her sons are not ready to take on the responsibilities of ruling. I thought that maybe I should say something to comfort her. So I walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She didn't seem fazed despite being deep in thought. She turned her head, looked at my hand, then turned slightly to look at me. I smiled at her softly.
"I will not ask you to do anything you do not wish to do that would jeopardize your people. Do what you think is right for them, not for me or Gondor, but for your people," I said as comforting as I could. She nodded and looked at the ground for a moment.
"I will make my decision after the council meeting is over," she said quietly and walked away out of Lord Elrond's study. I watched her leave and once she was out of sight, I turned to the window and looked outside like she did.
"That was a kind thing you did for her Aragorn," Lord Elrond said from not far behind me.
I closed my eyes and sighed softly, then opened them and looked back outside. "She shouldn't have the mind set that because of what she was born as, she should bind herself to me when she has a kingdom and sons who depend on her. What kind of person would I be if I asked her to follow me anywhere I go if where I go could take her away from those she loves?" I said, then I left the study as well to walk around Rivendell to think about what I will do with the information Lord Elrond gave to Akala and I.
* Akala's P.O.V. *
I was walking around Rivendell, looking at the trees, the buildings, and just the beauty of the Elvish city when I found an old halfling sitting down on a bench with a book on his lap. I smiled a little when I recognized the halfling. I walked over to him and looked over his shoulder.
"Mind if I ask what you are doing Halfling?" I asked teasingly, using the nickname I gave him so many years ago.
He looked up a little surprised at my voice, then smiled gently when he realized it was me. "Akala. It has been a long time, my friend," he said happily. He moved to the side a little bit and patted the place next to him. "Please sit," he suggested.
I sat down and studied him. "You have gotten a lot older, my little friend. It has been too long. I should have visited The Shire over the years," I said, smiling a little. I looked down at the book on his lap. "What are you reading or writing?" I asked curiously.
He chuckled. "Oh this? It is going to be the full tale of our adventure to Erebor. I thought it was time to tell my nephew the whole story. I wanted to travel the whole journey again, visit Lake Town, go through Mirkwood," he said fondly, then he looked sad. "But I am afraid age has caught up to me," he added sadly.
I placed a hand on his shoulder. "We all grow old sometime, even I will someday. The only race that won't age is the elves, but the age of the elves is nearly over and soon the age of Men will begin. Maybe some day I will join you to relive our adventure to Erebor," I said. I stood up and smiled kindly to Bilbo. "I will see later, my friend," I said, then I walked away.
