Athëa - Queen of the Savages

The Treachery at Hollin

The day was still young, when the fellowship reached the realm of Hollin. They found a rocky plane at the side of the mountain, where they decided to take a short stop to rest and eat some food.

Legolas stood a few meters from the rest of the group keeping guard.

Athëa sat down next to Aragorn who was smoking his pipe. Legolas' eyes were following her. He turned back around and closed his eyes. Since his dream that night, many days ago, he couldn't get her image out of his head. And to make matters worse, the same scene had been haunting his dreams almost every night thereafter.

Other than Legolas, the fellowship were in good spirits. The last couple of days had gone by smoothly, and they had been able to cover more ground than they had expected.

Boromir took the opportunity to teach the hobbits Merry and Pippin a bit of swordsmanship. He was a good teacher and he was very patient with the two hobbits, Athëa thought to herself watching them spar. He showed them different attacks, how to block such attacks, and different ways to read your opponents next move.

"He might have a good heart after all", she said to herself, forgetting that she wasn't alone.

"I believe he feels the same mistrust in you, as you do him. This does not mean that you are both not mistaken", Aragorn said blowing rings of smoke.

Athëa forced a smile in response, but did not turn to look at the man beside her. Instead she kept following the training in front of her.

He was right though. She had not given Boromir any chance to see, that she was not his enemy. Even though he had given her many opportunities to do so. Her heart softened a bit for the man from Gondor.

"One, two, three... very good", Boromir said. Pippin looking proud, raised his eyebrows and bowed to the two spectators, not noticing Boromir's second attack.

"Ouch!", Pippin exclaimed, holding his hand with the other.

"I'm so sorry", Boromir said, putting both his hands in the air as a sign of retreat.

"For the Shire!", the two hobbits yelled, pushing over Boromir, so that he fell on his back.

Aragorn and Athëa laughed, as did the three fighters rolling around on the ground.

Athëa stood up and offered a hand to Boromir. At first he looked surprised at her peace offering, but then he smiled and took her hand. She pulled him of the ground, but slipped and fell on top of him instead.

Athëa laughed, not noticing that her sleeve had been pushed up her arm, revealing the black mark on her wrist. But Boromir noticed.

In less than a second, Boromir's expression had changed, and he had rolled on top of her, holding a knife to her throat. The two hobbits backed away from the scene frightened.

"Didn't I tell you we couldn't trust her!? She is a Savage!", Boromir yelled to the others. Aragorn immediately got to his feet, with a shocked expression on his face. He had before heard of the mark of the Hidden City, but had always believed it to be calming tales for scared children. And now here the mark of the starlit moon was represented on one of his companions of the fellowship.

"Boromir! Let her go!", Legolas demanded, putting an arrow to his bow and aiming it at Boromir's head.

"Do as Legolas says", Gandalf said nervously, as he ran to their side. But Boromir didn't hear them.

"For as long as I can remember, your people have been roaming my boarders, killing everything in your path! How many of my men have encountered the savages never to return!? I have sworn to my people, to kill the savage, did I ever get the chance to do so!" Boromir hissed.

Athëa looked the man directly in the eyes, not showing any weakness. She could easily take away his knife and overpower him, but she knew that no good would come of that.

"Trust her or not, this elleth is stronger and faster than you! She would take your life, before you got a chance to take hers. Don't you see, your anger have made you blind to the fact that she has a knife to your heart!?", Gandalf explained.

Athëa pushed the knife a bit towards Boromir's skin, to let him know that Gandalf was not lying. Her eyes still not moving from his. The man began breathing heavily, struggling to figure out what to do. In the end he let go of his blade, and stood up slowly.

Athëa pushed herself backwards with her feet, until she was resting her back on a rock behind her. She touched her neck to check if Boromir's knife had penetrated her skin - it had not.

Silence filled Hollin as the fellowship took in what had just happened. Some of them not knowing wether or not Boromir was right. Could they trust her?

Legolas returned to the rock from where he had held watch minutes before. Frodo could smell the tension and mistrust that was filling the air around them. He held on to the ring from outside his tunic and walked a bit away from the rest of the group.

Gandalf walked over to Boromir, who was still breathing heavily, sending untrusting eyes at Athëa. The grey wizard put a reassuring hand on the mans shoulder, but Boromir pushed it away as soon as it had touched him.

"Maybe it is your turn to tell a tale, Aragorn", Gandalf said calmly. "I for one would like to hear the tale of The Battle in Dol Guldur, that you yourself was told as a young boy."

Aragorn looked surprised at the old wizard. "You mean to say that she is...", but he was interrupted before he could finish his thought.

"Just tell the story, my dear Aragorn", Gandalf said reassuringly.

**********

Is the Fellowship breaking up already!? Are we finally gonna hear how Legolas' mother got killed!? Did Athëa Kill her!?

For all that, and more; read the next chapter ;-)

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Middle Earth Calling!

- nindeanin