Chapter Text
Aragorn
✧ As one of the Dúnedain rangers who looked after the Shire, you had instantly gone to Frodo's side once Gandalf showed up. Although you didn't know the full details of the plan (they hadn't yet trusted you with the secrets of the ring) you agreed to escort them to Bree so they could meet with Gandalf there.
✧ Aragorn noticed you first when you entered The Prancing Pony, carefully herding the hobbits in and making sure that they didn't run off, or get into trouble.
✧ When you look around to try and spot Gandalf he begins to slip into the shadows out of habit, but stops himself and stays easily seen. Aragorn doesn’t know why he lets you see him, but the tension even slightly leaving your eyes seems to make it worth it. Even in the light, you both recognise each other as Dúnedain.
✧ After Aragorn takes Frodo to a separate room, he barely has time to begin his greetings before you swing open the door with the other hobbits and a sword to his neck demanding you release him.
✧ Normally he’d be intimidated, perhaps on guard with you, but even with a sword to his neck the first feeling he gets is admiration - it’s rare to catch him off guard like you have.
✧ The two of you work well together, even though you're slightly suspicious of him, and when Frodo decides to place his trust in the ranger you give it to him as well.
✧ While setting up the fake hobbits together there's some debate over who will keep watch and eventually both of you stay up together (sitting in a comfortable silence).
Legolas
✧ Even if Denethor hadn’t approved of Faramir going to Rivendell, he did allow you to accompany Boromir to the valley. (You had gone because Faramir asked you, saying your job - a ranger who often scouted Mordor - would be valuable, even if he didn’t know why).
✧ When you had finally arrived in Rivendell you didn’t immediately admire the scenery, instead focusing on finally being (truly) clean after over a hundred days of travel.
✧ Once you were happy with yourself you thought it only right to look at the beauty of Rivendell, wandering aimlessly.
✧ It was then, after taking the same turn for the third time, that an elf suddenly appeared with a pitying look and asked if you had ever been to Rivendell before.
✧ Legolas is delighted when you take him up on his offer to show you around (Mirkwood is not exactly the best place to roam) and takes great pleasure in showing you different places.
✧ At almost every turn he asks you which places you’d prefer to see, taking you on a rather haphazard tour (although he doesn’t seem phased by it).
✧ He doesn’t recognise your Gondorian accent at first, but once he does he’s eager to ask more about it and your opinions.
✧ Eventually, as the stars and moon begin to light your walk, you apologise and explain you must be up early in the morning for an important meeting.
✧ Realising you’ll also be at the Council of Elrond, Legolas wishes you a good night’s rest and that he will see you soon.
Frodo
✧ Gandalf, over the years, employed many people to subtly watch over the Shire - and you were one of them.
✧ Traditionally based in Bree, you had been honoured to be chosen by the grey wizard and kept a close eye on the Baggins family.
✧ Eventually, after being slightly careless the day before, Bilbo manages to find and confront you about your intentions (albeit aided by the one ring).
✧ After learning you're a friend of Gandalf, he quickly invites you in to talk about it over luncheon.
✧ Frodo is surprised when you suddenly appear with his uncle for food, but he accepts it.
✧ The two of you are quick to bond when you talk about your travels - even if most are only a few days away from the Shire.
✧ He's completely enamoured by you - and Bilbo eats quickly to excuse himself and let you two be alone.
✧ You reinforce his ideas of going on one of Bilbo’s grand adventures, and after luncheon is over Frodo asks you to stay so that you may talk some more.
✧ The two of you spend the rest of the day pouring over old maps as you tell him the facts you’ve learnt about those places from the wild, while he shares the facts that his beloved books tell him.
✧ When you realise the time you try to excuse yourself, but Bilbo insists you spend the night in a guest room.
Samwise
✧ Like most of the Shire, you were out in the summer festival - enjoying the field that had been cleared to make way for food, dancing, tents, hobbits sitting about, and more food.
✧ Predictably, your friends had dragged you into dancing, they wanted to as well but were too scared to go alone, and then had left you without partners you knew.
✧ The first few spins had been fun, but eventually you needed to take a break and actually enjoy what else the festival had to offer.
✧ As you stand close to the dancers, a hobbit with darker curly hair (the younger Baggins) comes up to.
✧ You ready yourself to say no to dancing, but instead he asks if you’ll dance with his friend.
✧ The words ‘no’ die in your mouth as you see the hobbit next to him, shy but looking on hopefully at the dancing before casting a glance to you.
✧ “Gladly.”
✧ To your pleasant surprise, he’s a decent dancer, and when you both run out of energy to go again Sam rushes to get you both food and seats.
✧ It’s a small gesture, in the scheme of things, but over the food he’s collected and the cheer in the air you can’t help thinking of just how sweet Samwise already is to you.
Merry
✧ Being a hobbit from Bree meant you didn’t often travel to the Shire - it was a rather long distance after all - but it was always nice when you did.
✧ Like travelling to the harvest festival for when the crops started to become bountiful, and everything would be freshly picked and perfectly cooked. You could celebrate in Bree, but food based festivals are always better when done by hobbits.
✧ You’re stuck on what stall to eat from first, overwhelmed at all the options, when a young hobbit suddenly taps you on the shoulder and asks if you need help in choosing something.
✧ Deciding to trust the locals you say yes, and it’s rewarded by a large smile from the hobbit before Merry introduces himself then instantly begins to drag you to a further away stall - talking about all the different options, before trying to guess what flavour you’d like.
✧ He gets above five flavours in before stopping, and saying you should choose what you want - not what he thinks.
✧ When you decide, his eyes seem to light up even more as he tells you that’s his favourite too.
✧ The two of you spend the rest of the night together, and he eventually asks if you’re from Bree.
✧ You say yes but that you’re staying for a while, to which Merry immediately offers to show you around the Shire - offering a date for tomorrow.
Pippin
✧ As one of Elrond’s advisors, you’re aware that something big is going to happen soon. Any elf in Rivendell can feel it, especially when you’re privy to whispers of information such as ‘Sauron’ and ‘the one ring’.
✧ What you aren’t expecting is for this ‘something’ to be in the form of hobbits, one brought by Arwen - and the other three to be brought by Aragorn.
✧ Knowing the Nazgul’s attack on them, you wait on the borders of Rivendell for Isildur’s heir and his company.
✧ When Pippin sees you, almost silhouetted by the falling sun, he believes for a second you might be an angel.
✧ Even when you move to where he can see you (and begin admonishing Aragorn in Elvish) he still can’t shake the feeling that someone like you is too good for him and the hobbits.
✧ He doesn’t realise he’s staring, or blushing, until you come in front of him and gently kneel to check his forehead, asking if he’s ok.
✧ It takes him a second to respond - which probably doesn’t give too much confidence - but you accept his answering, welcoming him to Rivendell.
✧ The place is beautiful, but when you leave them to inform Lord Elrond of their arrival he can’t help thinking the place is already not quite as good.
Boromir
✧ It was at times like this, when you’d been called away from the crucial stronghold of Osgiliath because of ‘important meetings’, that you wished the rangers didn’t have to listen to Boromir, Captain of the White Tower, and could instead listen to his younger brother, your actual commander.
✧ This thought was probably shared among a lot of the rangers, but you were the only one brave enough to say it, which is why you were currently in what reminded you suspiciously of a school’s detention room.
✧ Apparently this was a good deterrent, seeing as only you were in here, holding a small slip of paper that says ‘Disrespectful to the Captain of the White Tower’.
✧ The door opens, finally, and you’re just about to express your thanks to them for actually showing up when you realise who it is.
✧ Boromir, Captain of the White Tower, stares back at you just as you realise you’re going to have to tell this man what you did.
✧ Trying to master the art of vanishing from Middle Earth, you can feel yourself blushing when you hand him your write-up slip.
✧ There’s a second of silence before a small laugh escapes him, and he looks at you more directly before asking what you said.
✧ You’re honest about it, and to your surprise he asks you for clarification and follow-ups, actually listening to your suggestions.
✧ In the end, it’s a bell chiming that snaps you out of your discussions and when the two of you get up to leave he opens the door with a smile, wishing you a good day.
Faramir
✧ For the last three years, the Lord Steward had tried to find a betrothed for his eldest son, Boromir. For the last three years you had consistently refused to go. This year, however, your parents had finally put their foot down and made you attend the ceremony.
✧ It was a very small chance he’d choose you, and a (hopefully) even smaller chance the engagement would become anything.
✧ But on the chance it would, you decide to do what anyone would do, and get slightly drunk in a tavern to try and hook up with someone.
✧ With incredible wisdom, you had taken up a spot in a dark corner where literally no-one was approaching you.
✧ And then someone does.
✧ You’re surprised he hasn’t already found someone; not many people would turn down the man in front of you.
✧ In the tavern light his grey eyes seem to shine, his hair a gorgeous colour that reminds you of sweet caramel and looks incredibly soft.
✧ Moved, not entirely by the drink, you find yourself going over - saying a comment and trying to smile, laughing at his response.
✧ There’s a second of silence between the two of you and you realise how close you are.
✧ You close the gap, and the two of you are kissing - you’re going back against the wall and your hands reach out to pull him closer - then it stops.
✧ A muttered apology is all you get before he leaves.
✧ And in the morning you’re left with the vague memory of a kiss, a memory of a semi-familiar man, and a hangover.
Éoywn
✧ As Aragorn’s younger sibling, you’re no stranger to people fawning over your brother. That does not mean, however, it doesn’t amuse you and you don’t tease him incredibly.
✧ You watch Aragorn leave the stables, having just enough time to congratulate him on his new horse, and his new admirer, before said admirer appears.
✧ Although you tease your brother you’re still good to the people who fall for him, and you give a respectful nod to the girl - Éowyn.
✧ She smiles back at you, before her eyes flicker between you and your brother. It’s a tale as old as time, and you sit up slightly straighter.
✧ What you don't expect, however, is for her to compare you in terms of spirit - how both of you seem elven, and noble.
✧ Normally people make a shallower comparison, or just go to you to confirm facts, and it’s refreshing and nice to hear that instead.
✧ You confirm your relation to him, before focusing your attention back on her. That her nature seems noble as well, and that it seems like her uncles.
✧ When she glows at the compliment you smile, and the next few minutes of small talk are pleasant before you’re pulled away.
Éomer
✧ You first see Éomer while waiting for his sister to arrive, humming to yourself in the great wooden halls.
✧ To your credit you only jump a little when he appears out of no-where, and on his part he is most apologetic.
✧ From his perspective, he came because he heard the sound of your humming - better than the songs sung over festivals in this hall - and wishes to know from whom it came.
✧ He’s silent at first, scared to move in case he startles you too badly - and not wanting to be loud and disrupt the song.
✧ Hesitantly, he asks who you are - and if you are the friend his sister has spoken so highly of.
✧ When you confirm that is you, he says it’s an honour to meet you and he’s glad you’ve been such a good friend to his sister.
✧ There’s a pause again, and just when you’re about to speak Éowyn appears by your side and ready to go.
✧ As happy as you are to go with her, something in you is regretful you could not spend more time getting to know Éomer.
Bard
✧ In jail for assaulting a counsellor, especially as a guard of Laketown, is not exactly how you expected your Friday shift to go. Still, when you stare at the girl next to you (Sigrid) you can’t find it in yourself to feel bad about doing what you did.
✧ You had simply seen Alfrid towering over her, her being clearly uncomfortable - and you had pulled him off when things got physical. It was bad luck Sigrid had punched him at the same time, landing you both in jail.
✧ The girl seems more apologetic around you being here than her actions, to be honest, and she keeps reassuring you that her dad will come soon to sort things out.
✧ On Bard’s part, the news that his daughter is in jail for punching a counsellor is not what he wanted to hear but he goes out immediately. He’s about to head off when Sigrid tells him about you, and of course Bard realises he needs to get you out as well.
✧ When a drop-dead gorgeous man appears outside your cell, your mind begins to debate the merits of flirting your way out before he introduces himself as Sigrid’s father.
✧ Once you get out he thanks you profusely, as well as apologising for his daughter, but you wave him off with a smile.
✧ Bard can barely believe someone with this much honour still exists in this place, and makes a small note to thank whatever’s out there for having you look after his daughter.
✧ Eventually, you manage to convince him to stop thanking you and to let you go home - although when the man gives you one more piece of sincere praise you can’t find yourself annoyed.
Thranduil
✧ As you sit at a beautifully carved, uncomfortable desk you realise you’re not as nervous as you probably should be to meet the king.
✧ You’ve seen him before, of course, looking at him when all the elves of Mirkwood are out - or gossiping with the other single elves about what are decidedly fantasies. But you’ve never spoken.
✧ As a private tutor, in written work and fighting, you had jumped at the opportunity to mentor Prince Legolas.
✧ The door opens and you rise to your feet immediately, going into a deep bow.
✧ As Thranduil bids you to rise, you can feel his eyes sweeping over you and looking for any imperfections.
✧ Instead of cowering you meet his gaze, and you swear you see the ghost of a smile on his face before it becomes more serious.
✧ The interview, one of many, is surprisingly pleasant and you find it easy to talk to the him.
✧ When you are made to leave, he watches you exit, thinking about saying something before thanking you for your performance and interest in the role.
✧ It’s a small gesture, but to be thanked by the king? It puts a bounce in your step for the rest of the day.
Tauriel
✧ As the tenth shot in as many minutes hits the target perfectly, you can’t help but wish to use your sword, and against something that isn’t a training dummy.
✧ Elves are known for being archers, and although you’re skilled with a bow it’s easier to stand out with exceptional sword-mastery than exceptional marksmanship.
✧ Then, a voice behind you asks if you want to spar together - an offer almost too good to be true.
✧ Turning around you vaguely recognise the elf in front of you, her hair is distinctive, and you ask if she too is trying to join the royal guard.
✧ Tauriel confirms it, and then the two of you get into position.
✧ There’s something incredibly satisfying about a good match-up and the two of you fight well together.
✧ You’re mostly evenly matched, and it takes a lot of effort to push on the offensive and get her closer to the wall.
✧ Eventually, she wins the first fight. But as you both stand there, catching your breath and smiling at each other, you bear no grudge.
✧ You only ask if she wants a re-match.
Lindir
✧ Anyone wanting to become a healer knows that the halls of the elves are the best places to go, if you wish to learn, so here you are. Three weeks travel deep into your route to Rivendell.
✧ Whilst riding you can’t help feeling something is off about the place - almost as if you’re being watched - but you chalk it up to elven magic.
✧ Then you see an elf, near the borders and picking some kind of flower. He has long, dark hair and you’re reminded just how ethereal the elves are compared to the race of men.
✧ And then all hell breaks loose.
✧ Just as you’re about to call out in greeting, a small band of orcs come out of the trees - you recognize the monster as what they are, instantly drawing your bow.
✧ Lindir sees the orcs approaching, quickly getting out his dagger while cursing his luck.
✧ As an orcish blade pierces him, blood instantly spilling from his side, he begins to wonder if this could be the end before an arrow suddenly goes though the orcs head.
✧ There’s barely time to react as a horse with a rider gallops past him, holding their hand out and pulling him up before wheeling back around to finish off the last orc.
✧ You barely have time to celebrate your victory when you feel the elf beside you slump into unconsciousness, clearly from the bloodloss.
✧ You wish you could say you entered Rivendell in a better way, rather than with a highly wounded elf at your side, but enter Rivendell like that you do.
Haldir
✧ Haldir had been alerted of people in the woods of Lothlórien by the Lady as soon as they had arrived, and had found them quickly.
✧ He was rather disappointed in how easily his troops went undetected, not even by Isildur’s heir or the elves from a distance.
✧ You had been uneasy as soon as you walked into the woods, convinced something was watching you. As an elf you of course knew of Galadriel’s powers, but whatever you could sense was more imminent.
✧ Then, with the quietest of sounds, you hear bows being drawn and arrows knocked into place.
✧ On instinct you draw your bow at the same time as your prince does, except you're quick enough to fire the arrow.
✧ The second the arrow leaves your bow you recognise the elves, and instantly you attempt to bat the arrow down again - wincing as you knock it just enough off target to miss the lead elf.
✧ As Haldir feels the arrow whistle past him, his first thought is that of admiration - the intensity in your eyes to protect this band of people.
✧ Opening your mouth to apologise, he holds a hand to stop you and congratulate you on your shot before turning to the more serious matters of the Fellowship.
Elladan
✧ As one of only a handful of elves still in their first century, it’s no wonder that you were eventually introduced to the Sons of Elrond.
✧ It had been in one of Rivendell’s great libraries, and although both looked interested to meet you there was one you were more interested in meeting.
✧ Elrohir had been the one to make introductions first, declaring their names before politely asking yours.
✧ Elladan on the other hand hung back slightly. You were beautiful, a full elf, and something about that made him slightly intimidated.
✧ It wasn’t until you had all sat down and you were looking around the library he realised just how compatible you were.
✧ “What books would you recommend?”
✧ The question is simple, but Elladan immediately latches onto it and begins to ask questions - what genre are you looking for, would you like something sad? Would you like a story or a historical account - and if so from which time period?
✧ He speaks fast enough that his elvish begins to flow together, but you keep up with him just as well.
✧ In almost no time the two of you are off the chairs, and he eagerly leads you to the section you're looking for.
✧ Your eyes widen as you gaze upon the piles of stacked books, neatly organised and in shelves.
✧ From the sidelines Elladan watches eagerly, and for the first time since his brother he feels he has finally found a kindred spirit.
Elrohir
✧ When Elrohir rides into the Battle of Pelennor Fields with the army of the dead he can practically feel the relief of the soldiers, and wonders if there are many greater feelings in life that this.
✧ Almost two hours later, as the fighting dies down and he begins to look for the wounded he decides there probably aren’t.
✧ He doesn’t realise someone is calling, or at least calling specifically him, until the person yells for the ‘half-elf with the horse’
✧ Elrohir has no idea who the person is, but the fact they don’t refer to him as an elf already makes him love them.
✧ Going over, he sees you crouching beside a clearly wounded soldier - one of their legs incredibly damaged.
✧ Looking up you ask if he can transport them to the Houses of Healing, as not to aggrevate the wound further.
✧ He instantly agrees before hesitantly asking where they are.
✧ Upon seeing the slight despair in your eyes, he holds out the reins of his horse to you.
✧ “Fly swift with him. I’ll keep searching for wounded and sending more up. Return him to me when he’s no longer needed.”
✧ You can hardly believe your luck - but it isn’t for you to question, instead thanking him on behalf of Gondor before going as quickly as you can to the Houses.