The Last of the Guardians Part 1 - A Hobbit Fan Fiction

Chapter 10

***Sorry for posting this so late, I've just been really busy! I should probably use this moment to avoid being sued for copyright. DISCLAIMER: I do not own ANY of the characters/locations described in this novel. They all belong to JRR Tolkien, not me. The only character I own is Nema. I also claim copyright for my version of a Guardian Angel...thing. If that's ok :)

Thanks for reading my story. I'm really happy to hear that you like it so don't forget to comment and tell me what you think, even if you don't like it! The end of this chapter is...I'm not sure how to explain it. I just hope you like it! Ok, on with the story!***

Fili walked slowly along the moonlit passageways and corridors of Rivendell. He dragged his feet and stared at the pale stone floors as he moved ever onward. Fili hoped that, by staying active, he might be able to keep at bay the thoughts which had plagued him throughout the day. But as he walked under an arch and into the chill, night air, his mind filled itself with images of the arrow leaving his grasp and burying itself in the flesh of the eagle. 'How could that same arrow have ended up in Nema?' He thought to himself.

Fili leaned on the balcony, drumming his fingers on the stone rail. 'Unless Nema was the bird?' Fili shook his head. 'No, it wasn't possible. Women didn't just turn into birds whenever they felt like it. But...' Fili shoved himself away from the balcony and started pacing.

"No. It can't be true," he told himself, rubbing his arms to get the blood flowing.

Fili stayed on the balcony for a long time, pacing back and forth in front of the arch. Finally, in an effort to calm his racing heart, Fili sat on the balcony rail and took several deep breaths. He decided that he would have to apologise to Nema. There had to be a logical explanation to what had happened. Perhaps the first arrow had fallen back and struck her? But then it should have been in her head.

The dwarf crossed his arms and looked out over Rivendell, contemplating his feelings for Nema. He didn't hate her. Nor did he wish the maiden any ill fate. He just felt that she had upset the order in their group. They were dwarves! Male dwarves too! Fili could accept Bilbo, who was a hobbit, and Gandalf, who was a wizard. But a completely new...creature? It just wasn't right. How could someone have no race? Everyone had a race!

Fili half rose, about to start pacing again, but he forced himself to take a deep breath and sit back down.

"Just don't think about it," he said. Yes, he would apologise. Fili suddenly realised, to his shame, that ever since he had first met Nema, he had acted as a child. He ought to apologise for that too.

With his heart set, Fili stood up and made to leave the balcony. But a sound stopped him in his tracks. The scream of a woman sliced through the calm of the night and set his teeth on edge. The scream came again from somewhere above him, short and sharp.

Fili's eyes darted to the thick ivy crawling up the wall and he rushed to it. His weapons made the climb harder but he would not discard them in case they were needed. As quietly as he could, Fili pulled himself onto the higher balcony, hid in one of the darker corners behind the ivy and peered into the room.

He at once saw who had screamed. It was Nema. She was kneeling on an elegant bed, the crisp sheets bunched up in one hand, the other stretching towards some other person who was blocked from Fili's view.

"Please," Nema was whimpering, tears shining in her eyes, "give it back. I need it!"

Fili's heart pounded as he saw how pale she still was. Between her pitiful petitions for some mystery object to be returned to her, Nema breathed shallowly, and each breath seemed to require a great deal of effort.

Fili silently drew his sword, but was halted by a second voice. It sounded like...Lord Elrond.

"You have relied on it for too long, Lady Nemaiza," said Elrond, moving into view as he moved to the bedside and tried to help her lie back down. At the same time, Elrond slipped something into a deep pocket inside his robes.

"Give it back!" Nema cried, clawing at the gold fabric. Elrond grabbed her hands and held them still, staring into her dark eyes. Nema stopped trying to attack him and lowered her gaze. The elf Lord sat down beside Nema on the bed and put an arm around her, still holding her hands. "I need it," Nema whispered to Elrond. "I'm not ready to change."

Elrond sighed and put a hand inside his robes. Fili watched closely, gripping the hilt of his sword in case the elf wished to cause Nema harm. Elrond withdrew a long, silver chain from within his robes and held it up for the woman beside him to see. A small, silver claw hung from the chain, holding a pale blue orb tightly in its talons. Nema's eyes focused on the necklace and she stayed still, knowing that any sudden move would make Elrond take it away again.

Fili gazed at the gem, mesmerised by its beauty. The silver glinted in the moonlight and illuminated Nema's pale face and her wide eyes. She looked so innocent and...beautiful. As Fili looked at her, he felt something change inside of his chest. He suddenly felt bad for the way he had behaved. He felt bad that he had even considered killing her, or causing her any harm. Fili tore his eyes away from Nema's face and slid his sword back into its scabbard. He didn't want to stay there anymore, and he moved towards the edge of the balcony again.

"The longer you put it off, the more pain you will have to endure." Lord Elrond's voice stopped Fili in his tracks and the dwarf moved back into the shadows. He peered into the room and watched as Elrond placed the chain around her neck and fastened the clasp.

"I know," Nema sighed, holding the claw to her chest. Colour returned to her cheeks and her breathing evened out again. Fili frowned. It couldn't be the gem having that effect on her, could it? "Just give me a few more days and then...then I will be ready." She swallowed and Fili could see the fear in her eyes. What was she afraid of?

Elrond smiled sadly and stood up. "I wish you well, Lady Nemaiza," Elrond said, bowing and making for the door. "I will keep your companions occupied whilst you fly. You look like you need it." Elrond backed out of the room and closed the door behind him.

Fili straightened his armour after Elrond left. He wanted to just go in and get the apologising over with, but for some reason his body didn't want to alert Nema to his presence. A small, traitorous part of him wanted to stay and watch her all night. He shook his head, annoyed that he was thinking of such a thing.

At that moment, Nema climbed off the bed, and Fili observed her as she went to lock the door. It was then that Elrond's parting words finally hit him. Fly? What could he have meant by that? After making sure that the door was bolted, Nema walked out onto the balcony.

Fili pressed up against the wall and watching her through the creeping ivy leaves. She was wearing a long, white gown which had a short train at the back and was decorated with silver swirls and flowers. The dwarf suddendly felt that he should make his presence known, and he stepped forward.

But Nema's next move caught him completely off guard. She slipped the dress off her shoulders and let the silky material fall to the floor, leaving her standing there clothed only in moonlight. Fili stumbled back against the wall and gasped, but Nema did not seem to hear him. She stepped up onto the stone banister and grasped her necklace in one hand. Nema then started chanting in a foreign tongue that Fili could not understand. His eyes wandered over her, not thinking that he should probably turn away and not look. But the way in which the moon light played across her bare skin, and the way her dark, wavy hair tumbled freely down her back set his heart racing and he could not tear his eyes away.

Fili watched, becoming increasingly alarmed, as Nema's body began to change. Her skin moved of its own accord and her luscious hair lengthened and crawled all over her body, quickly changing into soft, golden feathers. Nema disappeared. In her place stood an eagle no bigger than Fili's whole arm. The bird flew off into the night, leaving the dwarf alone on the balcony, heart beating against his chest and mind flailing around inside his head in an effort to understand what he had just witnessed.