"She's an elf," Sam's awestruck statement snapped Annabeth out of her thoughts.

"Arwen," she breathed. Finally.

It was only a matter of time before she met Gandalf, Lord Elrond and Bilbo Baggins.

Oh, and Percy. We mustn't forget him.

Speaking of whom, the Seaweed brain was completely oblivious to her as she stood at the edge of the courtyard. He was fighting an elf with long dark hair and a gold circlet on his head. Percy was all over the place, hacking and slicing, showing his skill and expertise with the blade he was holding.The elf's robes were flying around like crazy-as well as his hair. The elf's fighting style was so unlike Percy's it was impossible not to stare at the two. They had quite an audience.

When Annabeth saw her boyfriend, perfectly fine-well, as fine as he could be when he's up against an elf-she let out a breath she'd been holding since she stepped foot into Middle Earth.

"Who's that? He's holding himself fairly well against Lord Elrond," Aragorn said in awe.

"He's the best swordsman from where I'm from in over 300 years," Annabeth said proudly. Her boyfriend was fighting Lord Elrond and winning, it looks like. "That is Percy Jackson. My boyfriend."

"So you needn't have worried," Aragorn said to her. "He was here in Rivendale."

"On the contrary," a deep voice said behind them. "He was with me in Isengard for a time. Trapped by the traitorous Saruman."

"Gandalf," Aragorn said, turning. "What do you mean?"

"He was caught by goblins and taken for questioning," Gandalf said only a second before Annabeth spoke.

"Saruman is in league with the Dark Lord Sauron," she said darkly.

"How do you know?" Aragorn demanded. "How do you know so much about what is going on?"

"There are legends of what happened in this land where I live," Annabeth told him. "I know quite a bit of who you are, Strider, Ranger of the Dunedine. You needn't fear the past any more than you should fear the sword at your own waist."

Aragorn's hand instinctively went to his waist at her words.

"Annabeth?" Said demigod's head snapped around to see Percy, his sword-which was not Riptide-hanging by his hand. His fight with Elrond, who was behind him, seemed to have finished. "Is that you?"

"Percy!" Annabeth jumped and landed with her arms wrapped around his neck. "How long were you at Isengard? What did he ask you? What did you say? Can you believe we're in Middle Earth? You won against Lord Elrond, right? I'm so glad I found you, Sally is going to kill you. And Sydney."

"I love you too," Percy laughed.

"Sorry," she laughed too, sheepishly. "I love you-" then, per tradition, she planted her feet on the ground and judo flipped him hard "-what did I say about you leaving me-"

"I know, I know," Percy wasn't laughing anymore but wiping at the tears falling freely down her cheeks, bringing her face close to his. "I'm sorry." He pecked her on the lips, causing her to relax, letting loose every worry she's had since he went missing.

Annabeth would have kissed him further, just to make sure he was really there, but Gandalf, Aragorn and Lord Elrond were still there. Which also meant she couldn't cry like she really wanted to. She did not want to be seen crying by anyone besides Percy-she has an ugly cry face. Fortunately, Percy seemed to know exactly what she was thinking because he helped her stand up and wrapped an arm around her waist, keeping her close.

"Excuse me Gandalf, Elrond and guy I don't know," Percy said as politely as he could for being him. His tone really left no room for argument. "We'll be in the garden if you need us."

Then he walked her out of the courtyard and into the garden, stopping only when they reached a low bearing tree with a bench under it. "Alright," he said, letting out a heavy breath. "Lay it on me. What happened after I left?"

"Sydney came looking for me, panicking," Annabeth started. "Chiron didn't know what to do, he was going to have me wait when the answer was right there. All we had to do was go through and follow you." She took a deep breath. "So I did. Your dad practically told me to, he gave me this- "She hands Percy the new watch Tyson made "-then I left a note and left."

"How long did that take?" Percy asked, he was shaking and it took Annabeth only a second to realize he was hiding a laugh.

"Are you laughing at me?" she demanded, pushing away from him.

"No!" Percy protested, then in response to her glare, she said, "Okay, but I was laughing at your description. It sounds like you didn't wait very long to see if I would pop up again."

"It was a portal, Percy," Annabeth said. "You weren't snatched by a god or anything. You went through a portal."

"Oh," Percy went quiet, pulling her back into his arms.

"Barely a day," she murmured even quieter. "I wasn't going to wait eight months again."

"How long has it been for you since you appeared in Middle Earth until you got to Rivendale?" Percy asked, his voice had suddenly gone tight.

"Roughly three days," Annabeth answered slowly, wondering what he was getting at.

"So it's been three days since you've seen me?" Percy concluded, his voice getting shaky. At her nod, he let out a rocky breath. "It's been almost three weeks for me."

"What?" Annabeth shrieked so loud, a few birds flew off. "Percy..." her voice cracked and she pulled into Percy even more. There was silence as they allowed this new information to sink in. At least there wouldn't be that much time passing by at home. They wont have to worry about us for as long.

"Do you have any idea how we're going to get back?" He asked now.

"You want to go back now?" Annabeth jolted out of her gaze at the flower not too far away and looked at Percy almost in panic. "Before the council? Before the Fellowship of the Ring is formed? Before we need Lady Galadriel?"

"I'll be honest," Percy started. "I don't know what those mean but if you want to stay that much, we don't have to leave now. Just keep a look out for ways home."

Annabeth let out a sigh of relief and leaned back onto Percy. "So what now?" She asked.

"What do you want to do?" Her asked in return. "This place is awesome; the library is huge, they have amazing statues and the art and plants are epic. We can see Bilbo Baggins, I remember you talking about his character a lot."

"Just," Annabeth felt her heart increase with the thought of meeting her favorite character besides Treebeard but at the same time, didn't want to leave Percy's arms. She was too comfortable. Besides, she almost lost him again. "Just hold me."

🧝🏻‍♂️            🧝🏻‍♂️

In the days leading up the the Council of Elrond, Annabeth caught Percy up on what was happening at the time in Middle Earth and who everyone was. When she wasn't doing that, she ransacked the library as often as her dyslexia would allow and trained with Elrond and as many elves as she could. She was pleased to learn that her own training at camp was almost as rigorous as the one the elves had.

Almost.

She wasn't taught the elves' style of fighting.

Annabeth spent some tome with Bilbo and Frodo, getting stories from the original adventurer. It was a novel experience.

She was reading in the library one day when she'd gotten an uncomfortable feeling.

Were she and Percy even invited to the council? Know what? It doesn't matter. They were going anyways.

Still the feeling woudn't go away.

"Hey, Percy?" Annabeth said to the son of Poseidon who had his head in her lap as she read. "Where is Lord Elrond?"

"I don't know," he mumbled. He'd been taking a nap. "He said he had a meeting with Strider and Gandalf and Frodo. I didn't ask too many questions though he did say we could join if we wanted to."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Annabeth rose her voice so unexpectedly that Percy was shocked onto the floor.

"What?" Percy yelped, nursing the shoulder he landed on.

"We need to go, when did it start?" Annabeth closed her book and started out the door.

"It was going to start around the same time we normally train with him. That's why he told me," Percy replied as he stumbled after her. "Why?"

"That's when the Fellowship is formed!" Annabeth, probably not making much sense to him. She looked back and saw he was going fast enough. Rolling her eyes, she snatched Percy's wrist and dragged him along.

They made it barely in time as everyone was taking a seat. Lord Elrond gave Percy and Annabeth a knowing smile. "You've been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor." Annabeth took the opportunity to look around at the people attending. She saw many look over at her curiously as well. "Middle Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall."

"Dramatic much?" Percy leaned over to whisper in her ear. Annabeth resisted the urge to laugh.

"Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom," Lord Elrond continued, ignoring Percy with out a hint of a smile. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

Frodo looked uncertain as he stood and walked over to a pedestal in the center of the circle. He set the Ring down and backed away to his seat again. The second he sat back down, he let out a breath and nodded slightly. He looked so relieved, Annabeth felt sorry for him, knowing what was going to happen now.

The reaction of those attending where exactly as Annabeth expected. Except that of her own and Percy's. Boromir did the whole, "It's true!" Thing, the dwarves, including Gimli started muttereing and the elves looked uncomfortable in the presence fo the evil, dark accessory.

Percy took one look at it and tried hiding a groan of intense pain. Keyword was tried. Annabeth obviously heard and she wouldn't put it past the elves' sensitive hearing to have noticed it either.

It took Annabeth herself a terrifyingly long time to look away from the Ring and look to her boyfriend. She could feel the power radiating from the small, gold circle of doom. The darkness of it was almost completely overlooked as thoughts of creating the greatest architecture in the universe flooded her mind. Whispers promising glory, riches and even more knowledge and means to create aided in blocking out almost everything but the Ring. When she finally wretched free, her mind felt free, as if it was trapped. Caught in chains and confined to a very small space.

"Percy?" Annabeth panted after she tore free. "Are you alright?"

"No," he bit out. "The stupid piece of fire-eyeball feels like a dip in the Styx in my head times a hundred."

"Don't look at it again," Annabeth advised.

"Wasn't planning on it," Percy was now breathing easier, his hand up to his forehead, covering his eyes.

"In a dream..." Boromir started, catching Annabeth's and Percy's attention. "I saw the Easter sky grow dark, but in the West a pale light lingered. A voice was crying, 'Your doom is near at hand. Isildur's Bane is found.'" As he was speaking, Boromir was slowly reaching for the Ring as it lay so innocently on the pedestal. He came so close to picking it up. "Isildur's Bane."

Then two things happened at once: Lord Elrond called out for Boromir to stop and Gandalf stood, speaking in the darkest tongue Annabeth had ever heard. Black speech. The area around them went dark and the sky filled with thunder. Lord Elrond raised his hand to his head as if to ward off a headache. Annabeth had her hand on Percy's hand but he shook it off to hold his own head. The words were making Percy hurt.

Just as suddenly as it started, it was over and the words echoed in Annabeth's head, instantly translating from the knowledge she soaked up while she was in the library. One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

"Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris," Lord Elrond said, throwing an annoyed look at Gandalf.

"I do not ask your pardon, master Elrond," Gandalf nodded in the elf's direction. "For the BLack Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West! The Ring is altogether evil."

Boromir shook his head and moved to argue. "It is a gift," he said. "A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring? Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe." Boromir was pacing within the circle now, pointing at those listening. "Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him."

Now Aragorn chose to speak. "You cannot wield it. None of us can," Boromir turned to face him as he continued, "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."

"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" Boromir challenged.

At this, Legolas stood, obviously peeved. "This is no mere Ranger, he is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance," he snapped. Boromir's head went back to look at previously known Strider.

"Aragorn," he said haltingly, the disbelievingly, "This is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Legolas added forcefully.

Aragorn shook his head. "Sit down, Legolas," he said in elvish.

"Gondor has no king," Boromir spat. "Gondor needs no king." Then he slouched back in his seat.

"Aragorn is right. We cannot use it," Gandalf said, diffusing some of the tension.

"You have only once choice," Lord Elrond said as he continued as if there were no interruption. "The Ring must be destroyed."

There was a moment of suspended silence, as if they were waiting for something.

"What are we waiting for?" A dwarf said as he stood, hefting the battle axe he pulled from the dwarf next to him. He lifted it up and prepared to throw it down.

When the axe hit, it shattered loudly but was drowned out by Percy's yell.

"Percy!" Annabeth cried, not moving fast enough to stop him from falling from his seat. Her boyfriend cradled his head in his hands. "What's happening?"

"I think, Lady Annabeth," Gandalf started. "That your friend is more sensitive to the darkness in this land than any other. Master Frodo had a similar reaction, albeit less severe, as hobbits are incredible creatures. Master Percy, it seems, is much like a hobbit in terms off incorruption."

"I'm fine," Percy grunted, throwing Annabeth a reassuring look that wasn't very reassuring. "I'm fine."

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Glóin, by any craft that we here possess," Lord Elrond scolded. "The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade."

Annabeth resisted looking at it if only to glare at the blasted thing.

"It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came," Lord Elrond continued. "One of you must do this."

"One does not simply walk into Mordor," Boromir said softly. "Its Black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep and the great eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland riddled with fire, ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous field. Not with ten thousand men could you do this; it is folly."

Annabeth shuddered, realizing for the first time that Mordor sounded a lot like Tartarus. She saw Percy shudder as well and knew he was thinking the same thing.

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said?" Legolas demanded, standing up again. "The Ring must be destroyed!"

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" Gimli angrily said.

"And if we fail, what then?" Boromir stood up as well. "What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"

"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf!" Gimli shouted.

That triggered a full blown argument from which Annabeth heard Gimli shout further, "Never trust an elf!"

Annabeth rolled her eyes and turned back to Percy, content to let them carry that out until Frodo decides to speak up. "Are you okay?" She asked him.

"I'm fine," Percy said, his head in his hands still.

Annabeth reached over to feel his forehead. It was more to give her something to do. "Are you sure?" She asked.

Percy grabbed her hand and held it to his face. "My head is pounding, that's all," he smiled at her. That smile that always made her insides melt.

"Okay, then," she whispered.

Then Frodo stood up. "I will take it," he tried. "I will take it!"

The council slowly quieted as Frodo repeated, "I will take the Ring to Mordor. Though...I do not know the way."

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins," Gandalf said. He moved forward to rest his hand on the hobbit's shoulder. "As long as it is yours to bear."

"By my life or death I can protect you, I will," Aragorn strode to kneel before Frodo. "You have my sword."

"And you have my bow," Legolas came forward as well to stand with the others.

"And my axe," Gimli said forcefully, throwing a look at the blond elf.

Annabeth hid a smile at Legolas' I'm doomed face just as Boromir walked forward.

"You carry the fate of us all, little one," the warrior commented. "If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done."

"Percy and I will help as well," Annabeth spoke as quickly as she could. "You will have the aid of our gods on your quest."

Frodo smiled but the the others looked confused.

"Hey!" There was a sound behind them in the bushes. "Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere with out me."

"No, indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret Council and you are not," Lord Elrond looked about ready to laugh.

"Oi!" Lord Elrond turned on his heal and Percy laughed even as Merry and Pippin came running from behind pillars. "We're coming too!"

"You'll have to send us home tied in a sack to stop us," Merry said triumphantly.

"Anyways, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission..." Pippin added with a firm nod "...quest...thing!"

"Well, that rules you out Pip," Merry retorted with a roll of his eyes.

"Eleven companions," Lord Elrond said with an air of finality. "You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

"Great," Pippin said enthusiastically. "Where are we going?"

"Yeah," Percy muttered in Annabeth's ear. "What exactly did we get ourselves into?"

🐴 🐴

"The Ring bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On you who travel with him, no oath nor bond is laid to go farther than you will," Lord Elrond said to the eleven the next morning.

Annabeth was looking eagerly at Lord Elrond, a little too excited for so early in the morning (according to Percy). He was still half asleep and was laying his head on Annabeth's shoulder.

"Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessing of Elves and Man and all Free Folk go with you," Lord Elrond finished.

"The Fellowship awaits the Ring bearer," Gandalf announced.

Frodo slowly made his way to the gate, the wizard no too far behind.

"Come on, Percy, time to go," Annabeth said, bouncing on her heals. "Time to head to Mordor to throw a tiny ring into lava."

"That sentence should not be said so cheerfully," Percy grumbled as his head rest left him. The sleepy son of Poseidon stumbled after his girlfriend, still rubbing his eyes. Annabeth just smiled and dragged a groggy Percy along faster.

"Should the boy be coming if he takes this long to wake up?" Annabeth overheard Boromir talking to Gandalf later that night at the camp fire. "We were running on the path out of Rivendale and still he didn't wake up until an hour ago."

Gandalf opened his mouth to say something but Annabeth didn't let him. "It's the first day," she said coldly. "Percy will be fine tomorrow-in fact," she smiled eerily, "he might be up earlier than this morning."

"We left at dawn," Boromir said in disbelief. "How early does he get up normally?"

"We're on a quest," Annabeth repeated. "It has nothing to do with how he is normally. For the past week he's been resting in Rivendale. He adjusts differently than the rest of us."

"Which way are we going to Mordor?" Gimli asked from the other side of the fire pit even as Boromir opened his mouth to reply.

"We must hold this course, west of the Misty Mountains for forty days," Gandalf started. "If our luck holds, our road turns east to Mordor."

"That's the long way," Gimli said. "Going through the Mines of Moria would be much faster. My cousin, Balin, would give us a royal welcome."

A feeling of cold dread washed over Annabeth and before she could stop herself, she snapped out, "No."

Everyone turned to look at her, surprised.

"Pardon?" Gimli said, taken aback.

"If we go through the Mines of Moria..." she trailed off, sending a look to Percy that made him pale. "You will wish you hadn't"

The next morning Annabeth woke to the sound of clashing swords and the smell of breakfast. It was a strange combination and she got up in a panic until she smelled the food. Looking around, she saw Percy crouched by the fire, watching the food. Falling back with a huff, she calmed her racing heart and realized Boromir was giving Pippin a sword lesson.

"About time you got up," A gruff voice said. "Yer partner here has been doing your job."

Annabeth shot up again, leaning on her elbows. "Excuse me?"

Clashing swords stopped and everyone turned to look at her. Percy froze where he was, watching the bacon sizzle. "You shouldn't have done that," he muttered under his breath.

"Women do the cookin' don' they?" Gimli asked, completely unaware of the danger he was in.

"Is that why you think I came along?" Annabeth demanded.

"You've done it now," Percy muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear in the silence.

"You think I came here to look after this pigsty?" Annabeth asked dangerously, gesturing to the mess of the campsite.

"You should not have done that," Percy muttered again. 

"Get out your axe," Annabeth snapped. "Someone else give me a knife."

"Woah, Annabeth, think about this," Percy stood up, backing away with his hands up. "You sure you want to do this? Why not use the drakon sword?"

"Don't try to protect me, Percy," Annabeth growled. "I can take care -"

"I'm not," Percy interrupted. "I'm trying to protect Gimli."

Annabeth's mouth twitched when she saw the others share worried glances.

"C'mon, Wise Girl," Percy said, taking a slow step forward. "Have mercy on the poor short dwarf."

"Nobody calls a dwarf-ugh!" Gimli was cut off abruptly by Merry kicking him in the shins.

"Shut up," Pippin said out of the corner of his mouth.

"That's a look of a woman close to blowing her top, do you not know that, dwarf?" Legolas said. A second more of silence and Annabeth finally bit out, "Fine."

Everyone relaxed a margin except for Percy, who was now having a little too much fun in Annabeth's opinion. "Sorry, Gimli." The teasing lint in his voice was impossible to detect if you didn't know him. "That was the best I could do."

"Sorry, the best?" Gimli stuttered. "You got her a weapon that would better stand against an axe!"

"She's deadly with that sword," Percy agreed with a gesture at the bone sword Annabeth pulled out, then took on a mournful tone. "Only one person has beaten her with the sword-well, two but Piper got a lucky hit. She's impossible with the knife; no one has beaten her against that thing. The sword she has is your best bet, trust me."

Gimli gulped even as Annabeth rolled her eyes. Percy sent her a wink that didn't go unnoticed by Aragorn. The king to be only shook his head with the smallest of smiles.

"Do your worst, dwarf," the blonde demigod smirked down at said dwarf.

"You still won't be able to get a nick on her," Percy piped up, the amusement now undeniable.

"Percy, the bacon's burning," Annabeth said casually, not taking her eyes off her opponent.

"Styx!" Percy jumped to save the food just as Annabeth lunged at Gimli's face.

The son of Glóin wasted no time in back peddling as fast as he could away from the edge of her white blade. His eyes widened impossibly and he barely lifted his axe in time to block the return strike.

"By Durin's ghost, my lady!" Gimli managed to exclaim between strikes.

"Getting tired? Maybe you should stick to cooking," Annabeth taunted.

"My lady-" Gimli had to stop because of Annabeth's hard kick to his stomach "-I apologize! I shall never make an implication like that about you again!"

That is what Annabeth was waiting for. The attacks suddenly stopped and Gimli bent over his knees while Annabeth stood triumphant, not even breathless.

"What is that?" Sam suddenly inquired.

"Nothing..." Gimli said, squinting even as he panted. "It's just a whisp of cloud."

"It's moving fast-against the wind," Boromir pointed out, growing concern showing on his face.

Now Annabeth and Percy were looking. Something in this conversation struck Annabeth and she bit her lip, squinting as well. She could just barely make out minuscule up and down movements.

"Cerebain from Dunland!" Legolas yelled from a high rock.

"Hide!" Aragorn called urgently.

"Merry, Pippin, Sam-take cover!" Boromir pulled said hobbits with him under a boulder.

Annabeth didn't see where the others went for she and Percy were busy hiding in the shadows and bushes. Percy opened his mouth as if to say something but Annabeth nearly slapped her hand over his mouth, willing him with her eyes to stay silent. It seemed like forever until the sound of crowing started fading away, heading south. Finally, they were gone and the company stumbled out of their hiding spots.

"What were they?" Percy now asked the question that had likely been plaguing him since the birds had appeared.

"Spies of Saruman," Gandalf answered looking after the spots in the sky. "The passage south is being watched." He looked back at the others. "We must take the Pass of Caradhras."

Annabeth shared a look with Percy, who looked confused. He looked from Aragorn to Gandalf and back to her.

"Is that bad?" He asked.