Title: Forest Star pt 1
Author: Rebecca
Pairings: none
Ratings: It�ll vary but this part is about PG I think
Archiving Permission: Here and my site. Anyone else please ask.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the LotR characters but Stella (and any other character I make up) is my creation.
Summary: Aragorn finds a lost star in the forest.
Notes: Everyone hold yourselves steady�this is going to shock you. But this will *NOT*be a slash fic. *hears people falling over from shock* Yes, I know this is very horrifying but deal with it people! ;-)
As the tall man walked along a narrow forest path, the sound of soft crying reached his ears. Soon, a tiny voice could be heard calling;
�Mommie? Where are you Mommie?� Aragorn slowed his pace until he stopped under an ancient oak with his head cocked slightly to one side as he kept listening but there was no answer to the tiny voice. He knew he was already behind schedule to get to Rivendale but he couldn�t leave a child in the middle of the forest. He moved swiftly quickly to the small clearing, where the child was again calling out to her mother.
He stood in the shadows of the trees and looked at the little girl. She couldn�t have been any older that five. Her hair was the palest gold he had ever seen and her skin was a perfect alabaster white. And her eyes were the most interesting he had ever seen; they looked like bright blue starbursts with tears in them.
The woods were dangerous, so he decided to take the child with him if he could not find her mother. Aragorn slowly stepped into the clearing and said in a gentle voice, �Hello little one.� The child took one look at him, screamed, and ran in the opposite direction. To his horror she was heading straight for the cliff. �Stop!� he yelled as he sprinted after her. He grabbed her and held her tight before she could meet her death.
But for all his trouble, he got kicked in the upper legs and had a sharp set of small teeth sink into his left arm. �Ouch! Let go little snake!� he hissed as he wrenched his arm free and used it to hold on to the thrashing feet.
�Let me go!� the child demanded as she continued to wiggle and fight.
�If you don�t stop, I�m going to drop you!� warned Aragorn as he tried to get a better hold on her. Before they could argue any further a whistling of an arrow interrupted them. Aragorn�s head snapped around and looked into the woods. A slight movement caught his eye and he quickly pulled the small child close to him as he dropped to the ground. More arrows shrieked by as he kept the little girl safe by putting himself between her and the oncoming danger.
�Little one,� he whispered, �I need you to hold to my neck with your arms and around my waist with your legs. Do you think you can do that?�
�I want my Mommie!� came the frightened answer.
�I know you do. But I need to get you to where you will be safe. And then I can send others out to look for your mother. So, can you hold on as I told you to?� A nod was his answer as a small pair of arms wrapped themselves around his neck and a pair of legs around his waist.
Aragorn cautiously got up and looked into the gently swaying branches. As he stood could see someone moving but he couldn�t make out whom it was. He slowly slid into the dark shadows of the massive trees and went deeper into the ancient forest. Aragorn kept the trembling child close to his chest as he advanced through the trees. �What is your name little one?� he asked gently as he stopped for a moment and looked at her.
�Mommie said that I shouldn�t tell people my name if she doesn�t know them,� came the sad little reply.
�Your Mommie is very wise but I can�t call you �little snake� all the time,� stated Aragorn as he shifted the child around in his arms.
The little girl looked at him for a minute and said, �My name is Stella.�
�Well Stella, my name is Aragorn. Where were you and your mother going?�
�Imladris.�
�Oh Rivendell. You and she were going to visit the elves?�
Stella nodded and added, �Mommie said that she had to talk to Lord Elrond about something very important.� Aragorn smiled a little bit and started to walk again. A few minutes later Stella asked, �Do you know how to get to Imladris?�
�Yes Stella, I do.�
�Will you take me there?�
�Yes little one, I will.�
TBC
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