~~~~~~~<>~~~~~~~<3~~~~~~~<>~~~~~~~

     Valadhiel woke at sunrise the next morning. She hopped out of bed, feeling very much ready for the adventure she was about to go on. She made the bed and got dressed into her regular tunic and leggings (her preferred outfit for any occasion, as she wasn't fond of fancy dresses) before she equipped herself with all of her weapons.

     'Do I have everything?' She mentally asked herself. 'Let's see... I have my sword, my twin swords, my dagger, my four knives, my quiver, and my bow. I doubt I'll be bringing any other outfit: nowhere to wash one anyways. Well, if we stopped near a creek, but even then who's to say we'll be able too? Ah!'

     She walked over to a chair by her desk and grabbed her cloak. She also grabbed a satchel to keep her cloak in when she wasn't wearing it and to keep food rations in.

     'You never know when you may encounter cold weather.'

     She patted herself down; double checking to make sure she had everything. Yes, she indeed did: exactly where she always kept them, too. She remembered long ago when she lived in a cave in Rhovanion: the night Gandalf came by and asked her to go to an inhabited place. She had put her weapons in the exact same places.

     Valadhiel walked over to the door and opened it, almost bumping into an elf who was just about to knock. Valadhiel smiled as she recognized the elf. It was Lindir!

     Lindir smiled and bowed. "I was just about to wake you, my lady."

     "Is the Fellowship ready to leave?" Valadhiel asked, a worried expression suddenly crossing her face. "I'm not late, am I?"

     "No, my lady, you are not late."

     Valadhiel let out a relieved sigh and opened her mouth to speak when Lindir spoke again.

     "Everyone else is simply early." Lindir smirked.

     "So I am late then!" Valadhiel exclaimed, seemingly feeling bad that she kept the others waiting. "I've not kept them too long, have I?"

     Lindir shook his head. "They have only been waiting for five minutes. Some were beginning to get impatient, but Bilbo said that, knowing you, you were getting ready just then."

     Valadhiel smiled. "Bilbo knows me quite well."

     Lindir held his arm out. "May I escort you, my lady?"

     Valadhiel took his arm. "You may."

     As the two walked down the hall memories began to flood her mind. Memories of the last time Lindir had escorted her through these halls. It was the one time she had dressed very elegantly and stunned everyone- apparently. It was one of the most awkward moments of her life.

     Lindir led her to the fellowship before releasing her arm. He bowed to her again and said, "Farewell, my lady."

     Valadhiel bowed back. "Until our next meeting, mellon nin."

     As Lindir walked away Valadhiel turned to face the others.

     "I apologize for being late." She said, looking at Gandalf. "I had meant to get ready at least half and hour before we were to leave."

     Gandalf smiled. "No worries, dear dragoness. You didn't keep us waiting long: just as Bilbo had said."

     Everyone turned their attention to Elrond, who had just walked up to them.

     "The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom." He said. "On you who travel with him, no oath or bond is laid to go further than you will. Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you."

     "The Fellowship awaits the Ring-bearer." Gandalf said.

     Frodo turned and began walking out of the gates of Rivendell, Gandalf right behind him. Valadhiel stuck close to Legolas: the one she knew better than anyone else here; Gimli and Aragorn being the next two she knew fairly well.

     "Mordor, Gandalf; is it left or right?" Valadhiel heard Frodo whisper.

     "Left." Gandalf whispered back.

     Out of the corner of her eye Vala saw Aragorn look back. She smiled, knowing who it was. For quite some time now Arwen and Aragorn had loved each other, but now Arwen had to leave to go to the Undying Lands. Valadhiel frowned slightly. She could feel his pain (quite literally, as she could sense it), plus- in her eyes- it seemed as bad as death; as he would never see her again.

     "We must hold this course west of the Misty Mountains for forty days." Gandalf said. "If our luck holds the Gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there our road turns east to Mordor."

     On they walked for a few hours. No one really spoke: only every now and then in a whisper.

     'Hello, Aragorn.' Valadhiel thought the the Ranger. 'It's been awhile since we've spoken.'

     'Indeed it has.' Aragorn replied in his thoughts. 'What brought you to Rivendell?'

     'Gandalf. Every time there's a quest to embark on he finds me and asks me to join him.'

     'Well, you are quite the ally. Who wouldn't want a fire-breathing dragon as their friend in battle?'

     Valadhiel smiled and mentally chuckled. 'Yes, I suppose that is quite an advantage. What brought you to Rivendell? I've not gotten the whole story yet.'

     'I found Frodo and the other Hobbits at The Prancing Pony in Bree. The Ringwraith were after them so I led them out into the wild.'

     'Ah, the Nazgul, huh? Yes, after the Ring I suppose.'

     The Fellowship suddenly halted. Gandalf turned to the others.

     "We'll stop for a rest here." He said.

     Valadhiel sat down on a large stone, as well as some of the Hobbits, who glanced at her every now and then. Valadhiel smirked.

     "Do you have a question?" She asked.

     "Sorry, we weren't meaning to be rude, Miss Valadhiel." One of the Hobbits- Sam- said.

     Valadhiel waved a hand. "No need to apologize. I get stares all the time."

     "Frodo tells us you're fully dragon, half elf, and half skinchanger." Another- Pippin- said.

     "Frodo's right." Gandalf, who was sitting only a little ways from them beside Gimli, said. "She is indeed fully dragon, half elf, and skinchanger."

     "How?" Merry asked.

     Valadhiel shrugged briefly. "My theory is since my mother was half elf and half skinchanger before she was a dragon I somehow inherited her past genes."

     Valadhiel looked up as Aragorn, Boromir and Frodo walked over to them. Frodo sat in between Sam and Pippin, and Aragorn and Boromir took a seat next to Vala.

     "How was she even turned into a dragon?" Boromir asked.

     "All I know is that an evil wizard turned her into one." She replied.

     "Is it true that you're the daughter of Smaug, Miss Vala?" Sam asked.

     Valadhiel nodded, getting a surprised look from all the Hobbits and Boromir.

     "It is true. He wasn't always evil, you know. In fact, right before he died, I felt a change in him: as if a curse had been broken." Valadhiel suddenly remembered Galadriel's words from her dream. "I think Sauron had somehow poisoned his mind."

     "How old was Smaug?" Pippin asked randomly.

     Valadhiel sighed. "Um... I'm actually not sure. But he was alive in the days of Durin."

     "That means your immortal, then?" Merry asked.

     Valadhiel nodded. "Yes, I am indeed immortal."

     "So how old are you?" Pippin asked.

     "Pip!" Merry hissed, elbowing him in the ribs.

     Valadhiel laughed. "It's fine, I don't mind questions." She gazed off to her right. "You know, the last person to ask me that was Kili."

     "I remember that." Gimli spoke up. "I had been looking for him. Good thing, too, or he would have gotten in trouble."

     Valadhiel looked back at him. "Yeah ... Dis wasn't very fond of me."

     "You forgot to answer the question." Legolas, who had been standing behind Vala, said quietly.

     "Oh, right!" Vala looked up at him. "I don't remember, really. That's what I told Kili too, and I told him that if I remembered I'd tell him."

     Boromir smirked. "You don't remember your own age?"

     "Not at all. I do know that I've been around since Durin's Days. There was too much going to to worry about age, really."

     "Like what?" Merry asked.

     "War." Vala answered.

     "You've been in many battles, then?" Boromir asked.

     Valadhiel nodded. "Indeed. The most memorable for me is the War of the Last Alliance."

     "You were there for that?" Pippin asked in surprise.

     Valadhiel nodded. "Yes. And many years before then was when I got my first sword." Valadhiel unsheathed her blade and held it up for all to see. The blade had 'Daughter of Dragons' etched in it in Elvish writing and, on the other side, was its name: Narendur.

     "What does the writing on it say?" Sam asked. "It looks Elvish."

     Vala nodded. "It is. On the left side it says 'Daughter of Dragons', and on the right it says 'Narendur', which means 'Servant of Fire'." She re-sheathed  her sword and looked over at the Hobbits. "Do you have any experience with a sword?"

     The four shook their head, but the only two that wanted to learn were Merry and Pippin. Boromir offered to teach them how, so the three got up and walked down to more even ground before they began practicing. Valadhiel and Aragorn got up and sat on a rock closer to the three so they could watch.

     "Two, One, Five." Boromir said. "Good, very good."

     "Move your feet." Aragorn instructed.

     "Faster!"

     Valadhiel suddenly looked to the South. She sensed a twinge of danger, but she wasn't sure what it was. She looked over at Legolas, who was jumping from rock to rock, looked far into the South.

     'I sense danger. Do you see anything?' She thought to him.

     'I cannot yet be certain.' He replied. 'I'll let you know when I can get a clearer view.'

     Valadhiel jerked her head toward Pippin when he let out a pained cry.

     "Sorry!" Boromir apologized, then he let out a slight cry when Pippin kicked him in the shin.

     "Get him!" Merry said.

     The two Hobbits began battling Boromir, who fought back: all in play, of course.

     "For the Shire!" Pippin said.

     The two Hobbits managed to knock Boromir off of his feet, and Aragorn laughed as he watched. Valadhiel smirked in amusement. Do not underestimate Hobbits.

     "Hold him! Hold him Merry!"

     After a few seconds more Aragorn stepped forward. "That's enough, Gentlemen." He said, trying to intervene, but the two Hobbits each grabbed a foot and managed to throw him back.

     Valadhiel burst into laughter.

     "He got my arm!" Merry shouted. "He got my arm!"

     Valadhiel suddenly snapped her head towards the south again. She walked over to Legolas to get a better look.

     "What is that?" Sam asked.

     "Nothing." Gimli said. "Just a wisp of cloud."

     "It's moving fast, against the wind." Boromir, who had now walked over with the Hobbits and Aragorn, said.

     "It definitely is not a wisp of cloud." Valadhiel said. Her danger sense suddenly sky rocketed. "I sense much danger from it. Legolas, can you see what it is yet?"

     "Crebain from Dunland!" He said.

     "Hide!" Aragorn said.

     "Hurry!" Boromir shouted.

     Sam hurriedly put out the fire and all of the Fellowship took cover in bushes and wherever else they could find. Valadhiel quickly shifted into a gray wolf (dropping her satchel) and began walking to her right, hoping to blend right in with the wildlife in this area.

     The black birds circled twice before finally leaving, and as soon as they were all gone, the Fellowship came out of their hiding places. Valadhiel trotted over to the others, still in wolf form.

     "Spies of Saruman." She growled.

     "The passage south is being watched." Gandalf said. "We must take the Pass of Caradhras."

~~~~~~~<>~~~~~~~<3~~~~~~~<>~~~~~~~

Note: In the prequel to this book it is mentioned that when Valadhiel shifts into an animal, her weapons are sent somewhere else, then reappear when she shifts back into her elf self. Her satchel, however, does not.