Chapter 2
Evelyn watched as Harry was thrown to the earth and prepared herself for the same treatment.
"Just a moment, my children."
"Father!"
Evelyn turned to see a strong-looking man with white hair approaching them in pale, ivory robes. He smiled at her.
"Greetings, daughter of Sirius Black."
Evelyn frowned.
"My father's name was Vernon Dursley."
"Ah, but Sirius Black claimed you as daughter, did he not?" the man asked with a smile. Evelyn felt her lips twitching in a faint smile of her own.
"He did." She admitted, curious as to the man's point.
"Then he was your father in all the ways that mattered – Vernon did not deserve the gift he was given."
She felt herself blushing, and immediately changed the subject.
"I believe you wanted to say something, sir?" she asked hurriedly, ignoring the amused glances she could feel on her. The man smiled.
"You may call me Eru, child, and I have a separate mission for you."
Evelyn tilted her head curiously.
"Oh?" usually this kind of thing was saved for Harry. She wondered what the man wanted. He chuckled.
"Yes. I wish to send you to Arda a bit earlier than your cousin."
Evelyn's eyebrows rose.
"How much earlier?"
"Sixty years, give or take." He replied airily. Evelyn gaped.
"I'd be an old woman by the time I got around to helping Harry!" she cried. He smiled at her.
"Not if I kept you from aging until just a decade before hand. Will you help me, child?"
Evelyn sighed.
"What is it, exactly, that you want me to do?"
"I wish you to save the line of Durin."
The one who had introduced himself as Mahal frowned.
"Father, if she does that, she could change the entire history of Middle Earth.
"Not if I blind her senses to the power of the ring and take her knowledge of it until time for her to rejoin her cousin." Eru countered. Evelyn cleared her throat, staring at the two males pointedly.
"She is right here and would like to know what, exactly, is going on." She told them sharply. Eru laughed.
"Very well, my dear. When you wake, you shall have all the knowledge you desire, – with time – as well as a few extra senses and a few missing memories. You'll also find yourself quite a bit younger than expected."
With that, Evelyn found herself falling, and cursed cryptic deities and noble cousins.
Bilbo was quite surprised to find a beautiful blonde woman in his kitchen. She smiled at him.
"Bilbo Baggins. I have a request of you."
Bilbo frowned.
"I would like to know your name first, Madame."
She chuckled.
"You would know me as Yavanna, Master Hobbit."
Bilbo nearly fell over.
"I beg your pardon, My Lady! I –"
He was interrupted by melodious laughter.
"Calm, my friend, I merely wish to ask you to house a young woman for me."
"Of course, of course! But who is she? Wouldn't she be better off with her own family?"
Yavanna smiled sadly.
"Her family has been dead for many years, Master Hobbit. This young woman is here at the behest of my Father, Eru Ilúvatar. She is from a world far different from Arda, full of magic and pain. She is much older than she appears. Would you like to hear her story?"
Bilbo nodded, and set about making tea. He would need to know all he could about his guest.
Sapphire blue eyes opened slowly, looking curiously at the male above her. He had short, curly brown hair and warm, chocolate eyes. A small, chubby hand came up to touch his round face, the little girl grinning a gummy grin when he smiled at her.
Bilbo stared at the infant in his arms. Lady Yavanna had warned him that her father would likely send the girl to him as a child to raise. Eru wanted her to relive her childhood and have a proper one this time. Looking at the blue-eyed little girl, Bilbo found himself wanting to give her that. She would regain her memories a decade before she was needed for the task Eru asked of her, giving her plenty of time to gather what she would need for her journey. Bilbo only hoped he could give her a good life until then.
6 Years Later
Auburn hair stood out like a flame in the dark forest. The little girl it belonged to was walking as quietly as she could. She was terribly lost, and the darker it got, the more frightened she became. One thing was certain – she would not be playing with Madoc and Polo again. It had been their idea to play here. They had wanted to play hide and seek – at least, that's what they told her. As soon as it was her turn to hide, she'd been abandoned. She'd heard them laughing about it. Blue eyes began to water. She just wanted a friend. Why were the hobbits so mean to her? She heard a twig snap and a heavy weight moving to her left and whirled in that direction, eyes searching frantically. She saw a man. He was tall, with dark hair and light eyes, kind of like hers. He wore a cloak around his shoulders, it was a grey-ish green and the hood was down. She frowned at him.
"Who are you?" she demanded, shifting back, away from the stranger. He smiled kindly at her.
"My name is Arathorn. I'm a Ranger from the North. I usually patrol the borders for wolves and goblins. What's your name, little one? Where is your family?"
She bit her lip and looked at ground shyly.
"Evelyn." she answered softly. "I live with my Uncle Bilbo in the Shire. He's probably at home, waiting for me. I was playing hide and seek with a couple of boys, and they left me here. I tried to get back out, but... I got lost." she finished, near tears again. He frowned, though his expression was still kind.
"That wasn't very nice of them. Your uncle lives in the Shire? Are you a hobbit, then?"
She shook her head.
"He's not my real uncle. He found me in his garden when I was a baby and took me in." she told him quietly. The smile returned.
"That was kind of him. He must be worried about you, being out this late."
She scowled at the canopy above them.
"How can you tell? The trees don't let any light through." she huffed.
He chuckled.
"A trick I learned with lots of practice."
Sapphire eyes widened.
"Can you teach me?" she asked, her eyes unconsciously pleading. He laughed.
"Let's get you home, and if your uncle agrees, I'll teach you." he agreed. She beamed happily at him, and he returned the expression warmly. He held his arms open slightly.
"May I carry you, little one? It will be much faster than stumbling around in the dark."
Bright, sapphire eyes studied him for long moment before nodding and stepping closer, allowing him to lift her into his arms. She wrapped an arm around his neck, her other hand clutching at his tunic. He turned and swiftly began making his way out of the forest, speaking quietly to the girl to keep her calm. It took a little over an hour to get to Hobbiton. Once they were there, he looked at the girl and smiled.
"Little one, can you tell me how to get to your uncle's house from here?"
She nodded excitedly.
"You turn right here and go up to the big hill. We're at the very top, the smial with the green door!"
Chuckling, he did as she said, going where she pointed. They eventually arrived at the green door she claimed to be her home. Arathorn sat her down and knocked. He heard vague muttering behind the door before it opened. A hobbit with curly brown hair opened the door, a worried look on his face. He frowned at the sight of Arathorn.
"Who are you?"
"I am Arathorn, a Ranger of the North. I found your niece wandering the East Farthing Woods and brought her here." He gestured to the girl as he spoke. Blue eyes widened as they landed on her. He reached for her, pulling her into the smial and his arms.
"Evelyn! I've been worried sick! What in Yavanna's name were you doing in the East Farthing Woods?!"
She sniffled.
"Madoc and Polo took me there to play hide and seek. When it was my turn to hide, they ran off and left me there. I heard them laughing as they went. I got lost trying to find my way out. Mr. Arathorn found me and brought me home. He's nice. He can tell what time it is even without the sun!" she continued, becoming excited, "He said he could teach me if you said he could. Can I Uncle, please? Please, please, please, please, please?" she pleaded. Her uncle and Arathorn both laughed, and her uncle smiled at her indulgently.
"I suppose, darling, if Mr. Arathorn doesn't mind." He replied, looking at Arathorn as he spoke.
Arathorn smiled.
"I would be glad to teach her whatever you will allow. My wife and I have come here because we have recently had a child and we felt it safer for him here."
The hobbit beamed.
"Oh, that's grand! Congratulations to you both! If it's no trouble, she really does seem quite excited about this." He sighed, "Children can be quite cruel, and I'm afraid they've learned this behavior from their parents. We hobbits are weary towards strangers as a rule, but that's no excuse to treat a child so abominably. She's human, and unfortunately, she'll likely always be made fun of. She grows more quickly than our children, she'll be taller than they are soon, and that will be another cause for scorn. You'd be doing her a favor, distracting her from all that."
Arathorn nodded, frowning. The poor child. He turned his attention to Evelyn.
"Would you like to start tomorrow?"
The girl broke out in a wide grin, a gape in her teeth showing where she'd lost one recently.
"Yes! Please!" she added hastily, seeing the warning look her uncle shot her. Arathorn chuckled, saying to the hobbit.
"I can collect her in the morning."
The hobbit smiled.
"That will be fine."
Arathorn inclined his head.
"Goodnight, Master…?"
The hobbit looked startled.
"Baggins, Bilbo Baggins. My apologies, I seem to have forgotten my manner. And thank you very much for returning my Evelyn." He replied. The man smiled faintly and turned to leave. Bilbo closed the door and ushered his niece to bed. Tomorrow he would be having a word with Madoc and Polo's parents.
Evelyn took to her lessons with Arathorn like a fish to water. She was an attentive student and tended to catch on quickly. His wife adored the little redhead and she got along well with his son. Months passed, and then years. She played with Aragorn and taught him what she could. She came to see the three of them as a second family. Arathorn and Gilraen looked to her as another child. Eventually, five years had passed. Evelyn was elven, and her magic was starting to grow. She and Arathorn were in the woods. He was teaching her to hunt and to track animals. The forest was quiet and still. They were on the trail of a rabbit when, suddenly Arathorn froze. Evelyn frowned at the man.
"Arathorn?"
"Run."
Her eyes widened at the command.
"Arathorn?!" more urgently, though she managed to keep her voice from rising. She could now hear something crashing and stomping through the trees. He looked at her sternly and said again.
"Run! Go back to Hobbiton, to your uncle. You will be safe there. Go!" he ordered. Frightened now, she looked at him and darted forward, hugging him tightly. He returned the embrace briefly before taking her shoulders and forcing her back. He kissed her brow.
"You have become my daughter, Evelyn, though I did not Sire you. It has been a pleasure and an honor, knowing you. Now go!"
He turned her sharply and gave her a shove. Looking over her shoulder one last time, tears in her eyes, she ran, just as orcs broke through the brush began attacking. Arathorn didn't spare her a glance, focused now on his fight. Evelyn raced through the trees, trying desperately not to cry. She had a horrible feeling that this would be the last she would see Arathorn. Hopefully Gilraen and Aragorn would be alright.
Three years later
Evelyn was packing a bag. She had a lot to learn, and not a lot of time. Arathorn was dead, he could teach her no more, and the hobbits had already taught her all they could. She needed to learn more. She knew Bilbo wouldn't let her go, so she was leaving in the middle of the night. She had left a letter on the dinning table for him. She adored her uncle Bilbo – he'd been so very kind to her. But her memories were returning. She had a task to do, and there were things she needed to learn in order to do that. Fighting, healing – things the hobbits could not teach her. She needed to go. But she would return. She just didn't know when. She'd spent the last few months preparing, buy small things here and there. Leather, a set of hunting swords, a dagger, a bow and quiver of arrows. A bed roll and a traveling pack, a cloak, some fingerless gloves. She'd gotten some dried meats and a few other foods that would keep for a while. Tonight, she took a small bag of gold from her uncle – just enough to refill her supplies in Bree – so long as she stayed in wooded areas or near a stream, she would be able to find food, but that didn't mean she should be careless. She would try to find a job somewhere to earn more gold. Tying her pack off, she slung it over her shoulder, along with her quiver and bow. Her swords were on her hips, her dagger on her left thigh. Quietly as she could, she made her way to the door and out it, Bilbo sleeping soundly – it was still several hours 'til morning. She would be long gone by the time he noticed her absence.
Six months later
She'd lost track of how long she'd been travelling, or where she was. She stopped in whatever town she could find for supplies, doing odd-and-end jobs, or exchanging game for gold. She'd run into Dwarf, Elf, and Man alike, learning what she could from those who were willing. She'd even run into a few of the Dúnedain. Arathorn's teaching must have shown in her bearing, because one or two of them mistook her for one of their children. She certainly aged like their children. Once she had explained her purpose – and that she had been raised by a hobbit – they taught her what they could – healing and fighting, correcting her hunting and how she held her bow or wielded her blades. She'd even been taught how to fight with the dagger a bit. Dwarves and Elves would teach her too – when they bothered to stop and speak with her. The elves kept urging her to go home – a few even offer to escort her, teaching her what they could of healing when they realized she wouldn't be swayed. Dwarves taught her a bit too – when they actually bother to stop and talk to her. Mostly, she was collecting materials to make a wand. She already had the wood – she just needed a core. She wondered if it was even possible – most of the creatures of her old world did not reside in this one. More of her memories were returning.
Currently, she was stumbling along some woods, going where her feet led her – she had feeling they would also lead her home when the time came. She was in the shadow of a high mountain; she knew that much. Which one, she had no idea. It was midday when she heard it. A loud crunching/banging sound. Frowning, she went to investigate. She followed the sound, until she finally found a hole. She had no idea how deep it was, but it looked approximately ninety centimeters wide. Curious, she peered inside.
And immediately had to jump back when a sword came lunging out at her. She was sure the only thing that saved her from being impaled was her own reflexes. She held her hands up in surrender as the sword was immediately followed by a dwarf. He was missing an eye his left leg was lame. He had blond hair, and his clothes looked as though they had once been of fine quality. His sword arm, however, was steady.
"Peace! I mean you no harm!" she cried, hoping the dwarf could be reasoned with. He paused, giving her an assessing look.
"And how do I know you're telling the truth, lass?"
She gave him a droll look.
"Despite being very obviously armed, I haven't drawn a weapon, I'm alone, and I'm fourteen. I wouldn't be able to beat you if I tried. Best not to make the attempt or pick any fights I don't need to." She stated dryly. He lowered his sword, frowning at her now.
"Fourteen? You're but a babe!"
She rolled her eyes. She'd heard that more than once – from elf and dwarf alike.
"I am not! I'm four years off being an adult!" she huffed irritably. He sneered.
"Oh, that's a big difference!" he snarked, "Where are your parents, lass?"
"Dead." She retorted dryly. "I've spent the last several years living with a hobbit. I have things a need to learn that hobbits can't teach me, so I set out to learn them. I'll head back home once I've learned what I can."
His brow furrowed.
"And what is it you're trying to learn?"
"To fight, survive, to heal." She answered vaguely. He nodded abruptly.
"Worthy goals, but what would happen should you come across an enemy too great for you to face?"
She sighed.
"I suppose I'll face that bridge when I come to it. Hopefully I'll be able to get a bit more practice in before I face anything worse than bandits." She replied tiredly. He put his sword away.
"Why do want to do this?" he asked curiously. She tilted her head, studying him. She felt she could trust this dwarf with the truth.
"Because I was given a task to complete, and I must learn these things to do so."
His eyebrows rose.
"What task? And by whom?"
She looked him in the eye.
"My task was given to me by the Valar… and I have been asked to preserve the line of Durin." She replied honestly. She saw his guard go back up immediately.
"Preserve them against what?" he demanded, suddenly sharp. She tilted her head in the other direction.
"Against themselves, Master Dwarf." She answered softly, "Now, answer me this – what is the line of Durin to you?"
He glared at her, puffing himself up.
"I am of the line of Durin, lass."
She felt her eyes widen.
"Oh. Well, this is quite the coincidence, isn't it?"
He snorted.
"I don't believe in coincidence, lass."
She sighed.
"It's probably not," she agreed, resignedly amused, "May I have your name, Master Dwarf?"
"Frerin, son of Thrain, at your service."
She smiled.
"Evelyn at yours."
"Tell me your story, lass." He commanded. She sighed once more, but dutifully began her tail, starting with her meeting the Valar and continuing from there. Finally, she reached a point where her tail lined up with their meeting. He frowned at her.
"What of that other world of yours?"
She frowned in confusion.
"What of it?"
"What happened there?"
She chuckled.
"That is a much longer tail, and I'm afraid I don't remember all of it. I do remember, though, that I lived quite a long while before I was brought here." She told him, her tone gentle. "What about you, Master Frerin? What has you living in a hole in the ground?"
He grunted, a haunted look entering his eyes.
"The Battle of Azanulbizar."
She frowned.
"Moria? I had thought it infested by Orcs?"
He nodded.
"Aye. It was. My grandfather, King Thror, lead us in a battle to reclaim it. It was a massacre. My grandfather was killed. I do not know the fate of my brother or father, but I do know that we did not reclaim Moria."
"So, you were injured and abandoned?" she asked softly. He grunted again and shrugged.
"Thought dead, likely." He replied shortly. She nodded. Seemed plausible. They fell into silence, and Evelyn looked up to see that it was nearly dark. She started setting up camp. Frerin seemed to come to.
"What're ya doin' lass?"
"Too late to go any farther today. I'm setting camp. I'll head out in the morning." She replied absently. Silence fell again as she got a fire started and her bedroll laid out. She was startled when a rabbit thumped to the ground beside the fire. Surprised, she looked up to see Frerin standing there, another in his hand.
"Would you mind some company, lass?"
She grinned.
"I'd love some."
One year later
"It's time to head back." Evelyn announced abruptly. They were near Rohan, having just left Gondor a few weeks prior. Frerin looked over at her strangely.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, my friend, that it is time for us to head back. It is very nearly time for my task to begin." She answered calmly. She had been gone for a year and a half. She was a few months off being sixteen. If they started back now, she would just miss her uncle's birthday. She hoped he would forgive her for leaving for so long. She missed him terribly. She heard Frerin sighed and looked over at him.
"Then I suppose we should be heading back, shouldn't we?"
She smiled faintly.
"You'll come with me, then?"
He chuckled.
"Of course, lass. Like I'd let you go without me."
She laughed.
"Of course not. Let's go then. We might just get back in time for tea."
September 22 T.A. 2941: An Unexpected Party
It was dark when they came upon a familiar door. The lights were on much too late for any respectable hobbit. Evelyn frowned. What on earth was her uncle doing up this late? Without bothering to knock, she moved to open the door. Frerin grabbed her wrist.
"Shouldn't you knock?"
She looked at him oddly.
"This is my home. Why should I knock?"
With that, she opened the door and stepped inside, calling,
"Uncle Bilbo? I'm home."