Ten years... Ten years for a human child would make up their entire childhood in this world, and even then. It wasn't like human children would spend at least a decade of their lives going to school most of the year in this world.
But for me, a child of the Aeldari. A mere decade was just enough for me to physically age two or three years. Changing me very little, physically speaking.
As after all. An elf wasn't considered a full adult until they reached a century of age. And their bodies didn't reach their peak growth until they were fifty years old.
So even if I was barely touching upon a teenage form, I was still very much a child in the eyes of the other fair folk of Rivendell.
But it was in that decade of slow living that I earned the most important trait for elves. I lost my human impatience and gained an immortal's view of patience. So I wasn't in as such a rush to train and run around.
Though, while things did change for me... As Lady Arwen had taken a liking to me and my future desire to become a ranger.
Treating me as a sort of apprentice and teaching me the ways of the woods. How to hunt for food, but not to harm the ecological cycle of the world around me. How to recognize herbs and poisons in the local land, and most importantly... How to avoid the tracks of goblins and orcs that dared to descend the Misty Mountains and enter elven territory.
Which made things a bit akward at home at times as Celestine, my adoptive mother, was still just a hand maiden working in Lord Elrond's noble house.
But as for me... I became more patient and skilled at many things. Especially with my archery and the use of elven curved swords. But seeing as I didn't have public schooling to go through.
Over the course of ten years, I gained a lot of skills and with my elven nature... I didn't forget those skills, even if I moved on to other skills and goals as I kept busy.
A soft hum left me as I gently glowed with light star light as I carefully unfolded the broken wing of an eagle I found with a dark goblin arrow that had shot through its wing.
"How long have you been floating down the river wounded. Your eyes are filled with strength, though." I whispered softly after singing the eagle to sleep to soothe his pain.
I had already learned that by channeling the power of stars in my elven singing, I could touch upon the hearts and souls of others. And my singing ability was also the reason Arwen was so focused on me beyond my 'divinity'.
Then my form glowed with soft golden light as I pulled at the holy energies of Order to soothe the wound on the eagle further to enhance its healing.
Likewise, even undirected in a more stable Miracle form, holy order energy was good for healing. Even better at healing than I could sing as the healing order energy very noticably accelerated the healing of others.
The eagle's wing that I partly healed tried to bat a bit so I sighed and then carefully wrapped the eagle up in a blanket to bind it's wing so it could fully heal over the next couple of days.
"Thankfully the arrow was shot from a poor bow. And it didn't pass directly through any bones in your wing. So you will be fine little one." I said softly as I gently stroked the eagles head for a moment.
Though I coudn't help but smile in amuesment as after I strode out of the cabin at the edge of Rivendell a needy rumble rang out.
A massive heavy head, even bigger then my entire body head butted my head and I said softly. "Sergei... You know you aren't supposed to be in Rivendell."
Sergei was my pet 'dog' and by pet dog... It was a Runebear I had raised over the last five years and had bound as my familiar basically through the years of raising it on my stellar and holy energy.
And said Runebear was taller than a standing work horse while it was laying down to needily push it's head against my chest as I sighed helplessly and pet it's very rough and thick coat of fur.
"I only popped into the Lands Between for but moments to feel for the power of the Stars and Order and found you in a river bed. Hmm, you fat bear, you been happily eating from the river haven't you?" I said pointedly.
Sergei wasn't stupid or a normal bear even though he didn't nearly have the ability to speak or anything.
But my pointed tone and his very natural guilt at going up the river to eat the fish that passed through the rivers that passed through Rivendeel was more than enough to make him sag in place.
A loud growl of denial came from Sergei that made me snort as I said flatly as I knew what the big fat bastard was getting at. "Yes I am well aware goblins taste a quite poor fare. But you know Elrond doesn't want you eating dozens of fish a day."
A part of me 'almost' resented becoming a Disney princess with my natural aura that attracted animals and made them friendly towards me.
But it was really hard to bitch about being a disney princess when said my 'besto friendo' was going to grow to be bigger then an elephant. And would regularly follow me through the woods and maul any other animal that looked at me wrong.
"And don't drag a bunch of mauled corpses to the front gates... It makes the guards unhappy at the smell of the orcs and goblins you adorable idiot." I lovingly scolded the oversized teddy bear who chuffed happily and pushed against me in turn.
And with that push I finally fell back with Sergei happily laying his massive head over my chest and rubbing the bottom of his jaw against me.
Demanding his mandated chin and ear scratches while I sang a lullaby to him.
"You helpless oaf... You are lucky Celestine loves you for bringing her honey. And I love the fresh honey as well." I said helplessly as I began humming softly as I glowed with silver energy all the while. My hands were busy scratching behind his ears.
But being a Runebear, his fur wasn't just rough... It had the strength of stone and that was literal. When I pulled out excess hairs while playing with him. If I used a good bit of force in bending them. They would snap and crack with their hardness.
Which made Sergei, all but immune to arrows from poor quality goblin bows and likewise most of their weapons... Not that some short goblin could do much to Sergei who was already twice the size of a Grizzly bear even if he wasn't fully grown yet.
Then as I was relaxing and staring up into the stars above. My humming song growing in power as Sergei snored heavily like a forges bellows that made my long hair billow in each of his heated exhales.
My lips rose as I felt the measured footsteps of the lady herself.
"Hmm, that wonderful beast is always a sight. And with each new moon it gains a hands breadth of height. I am sure if King Thranduil of the Greenwoods saw him, he would be almost jealous of your mount." Arwen spoke in her beautiful voice that was a song in each word she spoke.
Then she strode closer towards me, her soft leather boots silently crossing across the stone platform before she gently stroked her elegant hands through the especially thick mane of fur that covered Sergei's back.
With the giant Runebear giving a rumbling growl of annoyance at my teacher... But he just lifted his head with a bored look in his eyes as Arwen chuckled and tossed a dried fish she took from a side pouch into his mouth.
And with the fish tax paid. Sergei graciously 'allowed' Arwen to continue stroking his back while Arwen spoke to me in directly. "Otharion, I will be heading toward Amun Sul for a patrol. And while we will be avoiding any enemies of darkness. I wanted to take you on this expedition."
Amun Sul was the broken tower of Weather Top where Aragon and the hobbits fought the Ring Wraiths. Somewhere I was actually fairly interested in seeing.
Though I raised an eyebrow and asked in amuesment. "How did you get approval from your lord father... And my own mother?"
To which Arwen merely smiled softly before she said in an even tone. "I was quite convincing... But your answer?"
I made a humming noise before I said slowly. "I would enjoy seeing more of the world all things told. Though I do have an idea and request if I may?"
She nodded and said easily. "Speak, I would appreciate hearing your idea if you wish to see something in particular on the way."
I slowly nodded and while I was thinking about where Arwen and I could go snag those elven blades that the trolls in Trollshaw's right next to the Last Bridge. I was thinking I should leave that to Bilbo if I went on the adventure with them.
"I wish to see the Barrow Downs, and the Shire of the Hobbits. There is an Ent Forest to the south of the Shire which hosts the good Hobbot Folk and I wish to get some wood there for me to make a truly quality bow."
Arwen frowned at my request before she spoke slowly. "The Old Forest and Shire is acceptable Othorion... But the Barrow Down's is a dark place. A place of darkness, undead, and barrow wights."
She shook her head and said firmly. "It's too dangerous for both me and you to go there."
I exhaled in slight annoyance as the Barrow Down's had alchemy materials I wanted to use to make spirit summons and such if possible. But I knew Arwen woudn't budge on this at all.
So I merely nodded as this was at least a chance for me to see the Shire. Which could allow me to possibly guess where I was according to the timeline.