A/N: Mae g'ovannen :) This is my first attempt at a Lord of the Rings story and is the first of the Quests of the Nameless trilogy, Thief in the Night :) I've written some other stories for other shows and movies, but this is my first time trying to incorporate an original character into LotR. So, just to get this out of the way so you know what you're getting into and can decide if you'd like to keep going, this story will be an Aragorn/OC.

To start, I have read all 3 books in the Trilogy, as well as the Hobbit, seen the movies, and I've also had the pleasure of being able to take a college seminar on Tolkien. That said, this story will focus mainly on the events of the movies with a few changes here and there to remain closer to the spirit of the novels. I know there is a very loyal and large following for Tolkien's works and the last thing I would ever want to do is write a story that would be seen as an insult to him or the fanbase. Ironically, I was actually exposed to many 'what not to do's when it comes to LotR fanfictions before I was even ready to write a LotR story myself. A user that had plagiarized my Doctor Who stories in the past apparently had also plagiarized someone else's Lord of the Rings work before mine where they continued on to write a very...not-praised...Lord of the Rings story. I was told by others that their story was the epitome of what not to do in a Lord of the Rings fanfiction and I can comfortably say that my plans for this series did not go anywhere near those 'do nots.' So I hope that this story will be given a chance and that it will surprise many readers and go in different directions than some may think/expect. I know there are some traps and pitfalls that can come with writing a LotR story and I have done my best to try and put out a different story. If I do get anything completely, glaringly, can't-be-ignored wrong in the course of posting this story, please let me know and I'll do my very best to fix it!

This story will be about 10 chapters long and will be updated when I can find time to edit the chapters I've gotten written. Like the novels, this series will be broken up into three stories, each following each movie.

I hope you enjoy :)

~8~ is a scene break

Disclaimer...I don't own Lord of the Rings...otherwise (and I know this may be controversial to say) Tauriel would be an actual character in the books (as in there would be more active/involved female characters to balance the men lol) ;)

~8~

Theft

It was a strange sight indeed for two men, one wizard, and four halflings to be journeying with an elf and a dwarf, famed enemies, in one large group. Far too strange a sight to pass up when one made it their life's work to be aware of what went on about them.

The valley just south of Rivendell, a rather rough sort of country, did not offer much cover to those that wished to travel through it, which made the small fellowship rather a glaring sight indeed. It was truly an event that one could not pass by without being intrigued. It truly was such a strange occurrence, even more so when the taller men of the gathering appeared to all be trained warriors…

Yet they failed to take much notice of the shadow that was following them from shortly after they had stepped out of Rivendell to where they found themselves now, trekking through the deep valleys and waters of the country beyond the elven stronghold.

It was not unexpected or even strange an occurrence, for men so clearly skilled to take little notice of the one that did not belong. Rivendell was well known for its hospitality and safety, the aura of the land around the dwelling gave the same impression. There was no reason for the travelers to feel in danger at the moment, nor any reason for them to think someone following them was actually following instead of merely taking the same path out of Rivendell. Many ventured around these lands, they were not the only ones journeying through them. Should this particular shadow continue once they reached the more forested areas, then, perhaps, it would give the men reason to pause and take notice. But, for now, there was little to make them wary. There was no reason to feel threatened either, there was no ill will or intent to harm to be found in the shadow lingering behind them.

Perhaps some intent to surprise, though, the element of which was enormously useful for a particular profession.

The men were not looking for an enemy, not so close to such an illuminated and protected elven land, not so close to the start of their journey. Nor was the shadow an enemy that posed a true threat to them either, no, there were far greater dangers out there and far more attention and focus was needed to be aware of the despicable creatures that roamed Middle Earth than to put much thought to a lone straggler. One single shadowy figure against a group of nine? The odds were hardly against them in terms of number alone.

But there was one advantage the shadow held over them. The woods, the rivers, the land around them...were those the shadow knew well. Knew where to step, how far to keep away, how to keep the animals from reacting and alerting the men to the presence that was only a short distance now beside them and seeming intent to overtake them, pass them. And that was strategy in motion. The fellowship would notice one lagging behind, following in their footsteps before too long. As too would they notice another coming up alongside them. But they would give little thought to any that would pass them up and pay no mind to the group being passed. A false sense of security did wonders for a particular profession, and it was one the shadow was glad to use at any opportunity.

It was a gamble, this strategy though. Without knowing a destination, without knowing the reason for such a group to band together and journey out, there was little telling just where the group was heading. There was no way to determine their next course of action. But some risks had to be taken. Passing up such a group, relying on the lay of the land, the knowledge of the sources of sustenance that rested further ahead...one could hope suspicions and guesswork on where the group would come to stop would prove well founded. But it was still a risk to pass them and not know if they would, indeed, stop where the shadow thought they might.

Oh but it was…intriguing, such an odd assortment of men and of such varied races all working together. How could one pass up an opportunity to learn even more?

It did not take much to understand that something else was occurring here. There were few reasons why a wizard would travel with such a group, and none of those reasons included for leisure. When wizards appeared, when magic was at use, there was often something dark and sinister, something undeniably evil, looming on the horizon. Experience had taught that well enough. It was all a matter of how dark and how sinister and how far reaching such evil would be. For a wizard to be so active, such a presence, and so obvious, it meant that the danger was far greater than any would realize.

The shadow's lip quirked at the thought, their eyes drifting casually to the side as they passed within sight of the odd group, intent to pass them up, to get ahead of them, to set up where and how they knew more information could be gathered about just what danger could be coming.

And then…then it would be a matter of deciding whether the journey was worth the danger.

~8~

Some would call it a stroke of luck, a blessing of the Valar, that a large stream was flowing just far enough in the distance that the small fellowship would be inclined to rest there for a time and water their pony, refill their water skins, and refresh when they reached it. Some would call it that...however one shadow in particular would call it strategic planning and knowledge of the land. Knowing where the stream was, how far the company was from it and the general direction they seemed to be heading in, as well as how fast they were making time on their quest, it was a good guess that they would likely come upon the stream and have journeyed enough that they would wish to replenish supplies. It was, after all, a common stopping point for many a traveler from Rivendell once they had traveled long enough. It was not a good guess at all, but rather a fact that, being a single person of one, it was possible, nay exceedingly accurate, to reach the stream long before the others even came in sight of it.

It gave ample time to consider the situation, to run through problems or even to assess what had been gleamed of the various men among the group. To do what needed to be done, set up the proper items, make it so the men would not suspect a thing, they could not be watching too closely or sense a threat coming or they would be on the alert and the single chance being presented to gather more information would be lost. From what had been seen, they were already so very tense and alert, they would be watching for even the smallest sign of danger when coming upon anyone else travelling the lands after having not seen another soul for a length of distance yet. And that would not do well. There was only one way to throw them off, to cast their gazes elsewhere for a time…

A smirk grew as an idea formed in the mind of just how best to proceed with the plan.

~8~

Aragorn chuckled softly to himself as he listened to the Hobbits nattering on about the best way to eat a biscuit and all the different jams that could be slathered on one and the different types of bread to make it from. To think that so many choices existed was difficult to comprehend though he would not put it past the Hobbits to be the ones to discover them all and then some.

"Legolas," he turned to the elf walking beside him at the head of their company, "Do your elf eyes see a river or stream near our path?"

Legolas narrowed his gaze into the distance, his lips pursing in concentration, "I fear not," he responded, "Yet I do hear the trickling of a stream nearby."

Aragorn followed his gaze to the left, frowning to himself as there didn't appear to be a river or stream on level with them, before he realized that was likely the cause for it. Perhaps the river was slightly down a hill or ledge, it would explain the lack of sight of it but the sounds of it still existing.

Aragorn nodded his thanks, turning to look over his shoulder at the others following behind, the Hobbits just a few paces away with Gandalf, Gimli trailing in the rear with Boromir, "We should stop and refresh the horse," he called to them, giving a small nod to 'Bill,' Samwise Gamgee's pony, "And fill our waterskins," he added with a look to Gimli and Boromir.

"We should keep on," Gandalf shook his head, "We make good time."

"Aye," Aragorn agreed, "But the Hobbits are weary," he gestured at Merry and Pippin, the two more energetic young Halflings were near dragging their feet, it seemed that only their conversation about food was keeping the four Hobbits distracted enough to keep walking.

Gandalf sighed, looking at young Frodo, before he nodded, "See you a river near by?"

Aragorn smiled at that as Legolas stepped up to lead the way towards where the elf could hear the water rushing. He was ever thankful for the ears of the Elves, able to discern sounds too far for a mortal ear to pick up. They were making very good time, it was true, but they still had very far to go and less time to see their quest complete in. There was no doubt that the minions of their enemy would be after them and all too soon given the precious treasure they carried with them, a treasure that the Dark Lord Sauron would stop at nothing to possess once more.

Time was truly pressing upon them to cover as much ground as they could, but whenever a river appeared, he wished for them to stop and gather as much water and strength as they could. Their journey would only be easy at the start and grow more fraught with dangers and threats as they went. What comfort he could provide the gentle Hobbits now to make their later troubles easier to bear he would do.

They had only just come within range of a rather large stream, just shy of being called a river, that allowed them all to hear its gurgling when Legolas stopped, a frown on his face.

"Prestad?" Aragorn murmured to the elf, being sure to use a form of their language so as not to alarm or alert the others.

Legolas shook his head, indicating there was no danger ahead, or at least nothing concerning, "I hear something," the elf replied, "Something not of the stream."

Aragorn tensed, "Orcs?"

Again Legolas shook his head, "I cannot be certain," he looked at Aragorn, "It is…quiet," he supplied, "What may be beyond the path," he gestured towards the area ahead of them where he could make out a small ledge, one that likely led down to a stream, "There is not many of them."

Aragorn gave a cautious nod at that, stepping a few paces before the group as they continued on, his hand moving to his sword, his eyes and ears more alert should Legolas err in his judgment and a threat be upon them. He slowed as he neared the ledge, tilting his head as he observed something on the ground, lying in the scattered and fallen leaves a few feet away and down. There was a small ring of rocks, sticks and branches laid out within the middle, clearly someone preparing a fire of some sort, something made all the more obvious by a travel pack set up just beside a partially decayed log, nearly hidden on the other side of it, with what appeared to be a cloak bundled up beside that.

It appeared they had stumbled upon someone's camp.

He turned, about to signal to the others just that, when he too heard what Legolas must have, a distinct splashing that was not of the stream down below.

The ledge was not a cliff face, but more a hill that seemed to have been partially broken off in the middle. There was a gentle slope on either side that led to the stream's edge, something that would make the journey down for Bill easier, but the center seemed to have fallen away. He stood at the top of that ledge now, looking down at the small base of the stream's edge, his eyes going impossibly wide as he saw what had caused the noise.

And in his shock, he failed to signal the others to halt back and a quite undignified squeak escaped Pippin, causing the young woman washing her face at the stream to stiffen.

He could not make out much of her for her back was to them, nor could he see much of what she wore…which caused him to look away when his mind processed the fact that the young woman was not wearing a gown, more so…not wearing a proper shirt.

He could see the bottom of boots from where she was kneeling, her feet sticking out behind her. Her trousers were of dark color, an old, worn brown from the glimpse he had taken. Her arms were bear, her flesh white as milk, no…not that white. Her undershirt, sans sleeves, was more white than she was despite the fading of it with age, making her skin appear more peach than the pale white of a proper lady, which made it clear to all that gazed upon the lightly tanned skin that she was no stranger to the outdoors. That was what had caused him to look away, for she had her shirt, a scrap of olive green fabric resting beside her on a rock which meant she was quite indecent in attire at the moment. No, not indecent, there had been no one around her at the time, she thought herself in privacy, a privacy they had intruded upon.

He could not stop himself from glancing back when a flash of pale gold, a shade of pale straw, moving drew his attention. The woman had her hair over her shoulder, seeming to have been washing it as well and it moved now, shining in the sun, as she turned to look up at them.

"Oh!" she gasped, quickly grabbing her garment and holding it before her, thankfully blocking sight of her bosom even if it was hidden by her undershirt, her brown eyes were wide as she stared up at them.

"My apologies," Aragorn called down to her, his attention momentarily pulled to Pippin squeaking again when Merry slapped his hand over the lad's eyes as Pippin gaped at the woman, the other Hobbits and members of the company politely looking away, "We did not know a lady was present…"

"It…it is nothing," the woman tried to smile at them a moment, "If…you could?" she made a turning gesture with her hand and the men quickly turned around, allowing her a moment to slip her shirt over her head, "My thanks!" she called up to them, signaling that she was decent.

Aragorn turned back, intent to apologize once more, but the words died on his tongue. He had not expected the garment she dressed herself in to be equally as…revealing as her undershirt. There were no sleeves, the neckline dipping into the realm of indecent once more, fitted and tailored just to this woman. Just at the neckline, an inch or two above it hung a small necklace. It was black in color, rectangular, with a crude white animal carved into it in a shape resembling what might be a horse or large wolf, held fast to her neck by a worn piece of string that did not seem firm enough to hold such an object but managed. For as startled as he was by her choice of dress, he found his gaze pulled quickly away from the lone piece of jewelry she wore and to her face as she smiled warmly up at them. It was...not an expression he had been expecting from a woman caught in such a position by 9 men, he would have been more understanding of outrage or mortification, yet this woman merely swung her hair over her shoulder and started to plait it as she walked towards the side of the ledge.

"I do apologize," she continued, heading up the small hillside and towards them, "I did not hear you approaching else I would have ensured myself covered."

"Er…" Boromir spoke, "T'was no fault of yours, my lady," he assured her, seeming just as thrown as Aragorn felt at how easily she was dismissing the incident, "We were not as loud as, perhaps, we should have been when we stumbled upon your camp."

The woman nodded, "Then the fault lies on both sides," she smiled.

"We must apologize," Legolas insisted, "We intruded."

"Upon what?" the woman chuckled, seeming amused by them, she tied off the bottom of her plait with a bit of leather, lifting her arms to spin the plait behind her head and using the leftover length to tie the hair back into a small bun, "I own no land here nor have claim to any."

"Your privacy?" Gimli supplied.

"If I wanted privacy, Master Dwarf, I would have found a more secluded spot, no?" she reasoned, gesturing down at the ledge, before pointing further down the stream towards a more dense area, bushes stationed nearer to the water's edge, "I merely wished to wash my face and hair. T'was not as if you stumbled upon me truly bathing."

Aragorn felt his lip quirk up at how the Hobbits blushed red as tomatoes at that, all of them looking away at the mention of such a thing.

Gandalf chuckled openly at it, "You are a very understanding young woman," he remarked.

The woman shrugged, "I have lived many years in wood and mountain alike," she said simply, "Perhaps I have grown used to the lack of privacy found in such open spaces."

"We do apologize for having disturbed you," Aragorn spoke, "We merely wish to refill our water and refresh our horse."

"Then by all means," the woman opened her arm wide, "There is space enough and I have had my fill of the stream," she patted her hip where a waterskin of her own was hanging.

Aragorn nodded his thanks to her, moving to step past her, leading the company on to the edge of the ledge, to the less steep hill for Bill as the woman walked on to her camp. He looked back only when he heard a small gasp to see the woman trip on a root as Frodo passed her, nearly toppling the poor Halfling over as he reached out to try and steady her, though it was not much help. She fell to a knee, her hands coming to rest on his shoulder and chest, though she did not fall more than that.

"My thanks, Master Halfling…"

"Frodo," he introduced, "Frodo Baggins."

"Well, Frodo Baggins," the woman smiled at him, disarming him slightly, leaving him oblivious to the fact she had not given her name in return, "You are quite valiant."

"Oh," Frodo blushed, "No, no I just…you were falling. It is only polite to try and help."

"Well you do have my most sincere thanks," she leaned in and gave him a peck on his cheek for extra thanks before she stood, stepping back to allow him on, her hands moving behind her back as she watched them go. She gave Aragorn a smile of his own and a bow of her head which he returned, following the company down to the water's edge.

The woman's smile turned more into a smirk as their backs turned on her and she moved to her small makeshift camp, rummaging through her pack with one hand as the other clutched tight to what was likely a small treasure, listening to the quiet chatter down below by the river. She waited a few moments more, listening to see if they might speak more of their destination only to hear them speaking of rations and water for the pony, the time they were making but…no more about where they were heading as she had been hoping to do.

Frustrating they were.

"Might I ask," she called, attempting to make her voice sound as though she were absently asking, "Where it is you are travelling?"

The group fell deathly quiet at that, which only served to make her smirk grow more, knowing they couldn't see her from down below, not unless she drew nearer to the edge of the ledge.

"What makes you say we're travelling somewhere?" a very young sounding voice called, likely the younger of the Hobbits.

She straightened and moved closer to the ledge to peer down at them, "It is not often one sees a Dwarf and an Elf travel in the same group, especially with a wizard as a member of their company. One would think the destination important, no?"

"We are merely escorting these young Hobbits to…Erebor," Gandalf spoke though she could see his grip on his staff tightening.

"Erebor?" she sounded impressed, "Whatever would a Hobbit find in a Dwarven site?"

"My uncle journeyed there once," Frodo supplied, going along with Gandalf's tale, "He spoke of it so fondly I wished to see it for myself. My friends and I were lucky enough to find travel partners willing to help us on a safe journey."

"I see," she murmured, nodding slowly, "It is…odd though."

"What's so odd about that?" another Hobbit spoke up, the plumper of the four, sounding very much like he was taking offense to her words, that she was calling them or Frodo's journey odd.

"Peace," she held up a hand, already able to tell he was quite protective of Frodo, "I merely mean…you are heading in the wrong direction if you wish to travel to Erebor from Rivendell."

She could not contain her smirk even if she tried at the startled look on the faces of the men below her at her knowledge of where they had come from. She had not been lying when she said she lived among the wood and mountain, she had made it a personal quest of her own to see as much of Middle Earth as she could. She knew enough of the other lands and sites to know where Erebor was positioned in comparison to Rivendell.

She moved forward more, sitting down on the edge of the ledge, crossing one leg over the other and resting her hands on either side of her, "I do not mean you any harm," she added, noting how the wizard stepped closer to Frodo as though to protect him, "I merely wished to offer my assistance on your quest. I do believe I could be of some help."

"And why would we need YOUR help?" Boromir nearly sneered at her.

The woman raised a delicate eyebrow at his tone, "You shall need someone with my skills," she said simply.

"And what skills would those be?" Legolas asked, eyeing her warily.

She smirked and reached behind her, holding something up for them to see, something dangling on a chain…a ring…

Frodo gasped and grabbed at his neck, feeling his chest, patting himself down…only to realize that there was something quite important missing from his person.

The Ring.

It wasn't on him any longer no, instead…it was dangling from the woman's hand, she had THE Ring!

The men quickly pulled their weapons, even Gandalf aimed his staff at her, but she just rolled her eyes, "Go ahead and fire," she nearly taunted, "I ask but a simple thing. Your destination for this," she wiggled her hand, making the Ring sway from side to side, catching her eye in the glint of the sun, "I am certain your wizard could erase the knowledge from me if he so wished," she forced her gaze away to look back at them, "Tell me where you go, and I return it."

It was probably a foolish thing to do, to act so at east when the men were ready to war, when a bow was aimed at her, an arrow at the ready, swords and staff pointed at her, all ready to strike. But something inside her told her these were still good men. She should be dead by now if the elf were truly dark of heart. The men wanted no trouble, they didn't WANT to attack her. She had made sure to let them know she would return the necklace for information, she was hardly going to keep it from them, not when they could all easily take her. They had to sense that, that she truly was no threat to them. Why would they attack her when she had made no ill-intended move towards them? They were honorable men, she could see that clearly now, they would not attack unless she was literally attacking them.

Frodo looked between the two groups, fidgeting from foot to foot, seeing the stalemate for what it was. The girl wouldn't give the Ring back without being told their destination, the men wouldn't attack unless she tried to make off with it. And he really didn't want anyone to be harmed, not if he could stop it. And so he turned and looked her in the eye.

"Mordor."

Her breath caught in her throat at that single word.

Mordor.

The odd group of nine were on a quest to Mordor.

Why?

Why would anyone wish to go…there? It was the darkest and most destitute area of Middle Earth! It was the homeland for the most deadly, dangerous, and dark of creatures. A journey of such a magnitude that a dwarf and elf would come together, that a wizard would take the lead, was a most troublesome one indeed, but this? This was not mere trouble, this was no mere danger, this was a path to inescapable death! Why would they be journeying there?

A glint in the corner of her eye pulled her gaze back to the chain in her hand, the token dangling from it. She looked at it intently, a small frown coming to her face as she almost appeared entranced with it, reaching up her other hand as though to touch the golden piece as though she couldn't help but do so, as though it were calling to her to touch it, to give in an hold the actual ring in her hand...

But then, something struck her, like puzzle pieces falling into place, and she swallowed hard, shaking her head firmly and tossing the chain away in a jerking motion, as though she were fighting herself not to keep hold of it. It fell right down to where Frodo stood, the chain of the necklace clinking as it landed before his feet.

She let out a shuddering breath at that, feeling a dreaded knowledge fill her as she watched the Halfling scramble to seize the chain and clutch the ring to his chest. A cold was washing over her, a bone deep chill that left her feeling sick and shaky, guilty and angry at the same time. A horrible realization settled over her as her questions were answered without any other words being spoken.

There was only one reason and one reason alone that could be an explanation for why a quest would be launched towards Mordor.

Sauron.

The Dark Lord of all things.

There were whispers she had heard in her travels of late, of something stirring in the dark of Mordor, even fainter were the lingering fears that Sauron would return. Not many put stock in it, not many believed this, not many wanted to believe the greatest evil Middle Earth had faced would return in the coming days. Many wished to brush it off as a lingering fear of old. But she could not shake the feel in the air that seeped into the realms she traveled through, a darkness, a taint of magic, that was too dark to be anything other than Sauron's. It had been felt, it had existed, it had grown stronger before her own eyes.

She had felt it hanging from her hand only moments ago.

"You fall for tricks too easily," she remarked, her voice weak, "I only steal what I can sell," she added as she cleared her voice as it cracked slightly, sounding unsettled and shaken, sounding as though she were trying to play off how affected she was by the small piece of gold, to sound as though she hadn't been tempted at all to keep the Ring, as though she would have returned it without the information she'd demanded, "And that," she nodded to Frodo's hand, "Is evil. I want nothing to do with it."

Aragorn blinked and stared at her, at the vehemence in her final words, at the utter loathing that filled them. He had never heard a woman speak with such disgust and hatred, and over the One Ring. That was…different. Most people failed to sense the evil of the One Ring, they only sensed the power but this woman…she'd just thrown it away, with struggle yes, but far more easily than he would have thought possible once the Ring was in their possession.

She turned her attention to Aragorn, seeing him lowering his sword and...hesitated to speak, "Why do you carry something so tainted?"

"We mean to destroy it," Aragorn replied.

She nodded, seeming only vaguely aware of his words. Feeling the evilness in that gold, knowing they aimed to destroy it, knowing it had to be infinitely important for a wizard to journey with them, for an elf and dwarf to put aside their distrust to band together to help? She swallowed hard as she observed Aragorn in her thoughts. She could feel it at the edge of her mind, the puzzle pieces, she could feel it deep in her soul that this journey they were taking, it was to rid Middle Earth of a danger and a darkness...

"You shall need help," she looked at the group before her, her decision made.

"We have all the help we require," Boromir gave her a hard look, though there was something distinctly...jealous in his gaze.

She put on a smirk, hoping it would appear as casual and easy as it had been before she'd felt the pull of that cursed Ring, "You are missing something," she argued lightly, still feeling shaken but doing her best to cover that up, she needed to appear strong now, stronger than she had appeared moments ago, "You are unbalanced," she eyed them, forcing the smirk into a smile that didn't quite seem real or recovered from her earlier words, "9 men? You need a woman among you."

"We'd need 8 others for balance," Gimli stated, turning his axe over in his hands, looking for all the world as though he were just waiting for the signal to attack her.

She laughed, feeling just the slightest bit more confident now, "I am easily worth 10."

Aragorn couldn't help but chuckle at that. The girl was young, about the same age Arwen appeared, but she was willful, perhaps a little arrogant if she truly felt she was worth that much. Though, he did get the impression she had said it more in jest, to lessen the tension that had gathered upon the realization she had stolen the Ring from Frodo. Looking at her more closely though, she appeared strong as well, he could see it in her eyes, there was a hardness there, a life that had taught her much. She was sly and quick, she'd managed to sneak past ALL of them to get the Ring, perhaps she could be something of an asset to them.

He wouldn't mind seeing what other tricks and skills she might have to her.

She turned her gaze to them once more, "I should very much like to help," she repeated, sounding truly sincere now, determined, "Four Halflings, an Elf, a Dwarf, a Wizard, a man, and a Ranger, all departing Rivendell together…with a Ring that feels of evil and power…it is either the beginnings of a truly deplorable jest or you are about to depart on a quest of legendary proportions. I think it is the latter," she hummed a moment, a sadness creeping into her voice, "I wish to help," she looked at them intently, "If you can find it in you to trust me, even after I have stolen from you, though I did give what was stolen back..."

"Why do you want to help?" Frodo shook his head, it didn't make sense, if anyone else had found out where they were going, had held the ring and had such a terrifying reaction to it, they would surely be running as far from them as possible, "If you know where we are going, why would you wish to journey there as well?"

She was quiet a long while, considering his question, knowing her answer would likely be what defined if she would be allowed with them, "There is a darkness in this world, one that grows ever stronger with each new day. I have already seen one home fall to darkness, I should not wish to see the homes of others befall the same fate. If I could help stop it, then it matters not where you go or the dangers to face, should the darkness be defeated, it shall be worth it."

Frodo had a small smile on his face for that, hearing the truth in her words, sensing no falsehood from her. Her answer...it was too personal, it was too close to the heart to be a lie. It had nothing to do with glory or being on a 'quest of legendary proportions' or making some sort of heroic name for herself, no it was more than that. It was why he was going, to protect his friends and family, the Shire, and…and the Shires of others, their homes, their lives. He looked up at Gandalf to see that the wizard was looking down at him, as though waiting to see what HE decided.

"You are the Ring Bearer," Gandalf intoned solemnly, fearing Frodo's kind and trusting nature would get the best of him but knowing it was not HIS choice to make.

Frodo nodded softly, understanding that it truly was up to him, this was his quest, this was happening because of HIM, and it would be left to him to determine who was worthy of taking part.

"We could use a burglar on our quest," Frodo mused, before he smiled up at her, "But you never said your name."

"Menna," she murmured, thankful, "My name is Menna."

A/N: I can say that it was NOT easy at all for Menna to give the ring back to Frodo, just to stem off any remarks that she was unaffected by the Ring when she had it. There is a reason why she tossed it back to Frodo and why she is determined to take part in this quest which we'll see very soon. I can say, not everyone will be happy she's taken up with the Fellowship or very pleased with Frodo's decision ;)

I've heard the phrase '10th walker' in regards to stories that add an OC to LotR, all I can say is that Menna isn't truly a part of the Fellowship though they allow her to join them. She doesn't hold a loyalty to them or the quest in general, she swore no oath to Frodo, so not technically another 'walker' ;) There will actually come a time where she will want to turn away and walk away from the quest and nearly do so.

To help visualize Menna, I picture her to look something like Miranda Raison ;)