Disclaimer: Both Sauron and Galadriel are properties of JRR Tolkien and New Line Cinema, I am merely borrowing them for a few moments and will return them intact.
A/N: This is in response to a challenge on the PPC board. Yay, my first challenge and my first LOTR vignette, I'm so happy! And a load of thanks to my beta Bella, for corrected it for me at 1 AM, since I was lucky enough to catch her at that hour.
Jedipati's Challenge
1: In must be 1,000 words or less
2: It must be book based i.e. take a scene that was alluded to or left out of
the books.
3. It can be from the Silmarillion, Lord of the Rings, or the Hobbit.
So here's the product of an hour of writing and editing.
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Locked Secrets
"I perceive the Dark Lord and know his mind, or all of his mind that concerns the Elves. And he gropes ever to see me and my thoughts. But still the door is closed!" – Galadriel, FOTR, Book II, Ch. VII: The Mirror of Galadriel
Many times you have tried, and many times you have failed. But you never cease to try, once more. I can feel you again, you know I can, groping and searching, trying to penetrate the door that holds my secrets behind it. I will not let you, for I am stronger than you imagine. We then engage in a battle of the mind, only us and no one else, on our own personal battlefield, stretching from fair Lothlórien to your fortress dungeon of Barad-dûr. You are relentless, always trying to strike me where I am weak, and you will not succeed.
And as you try, your mind stands unguarded, so easy to read. But are you accidentally letting your mind be wary? Or are you purposely opening it for me to peruse? Nevertheless, I let myself wander inside it, never stop being cautious. It calls to me, beaconing me to unravel it, to explore its depths. I can perceive everything. The dark fires of your thought burns within my mind, the flames lick against my body, trying to trap me in its heat. You seek to seduce me with that fire, and I repeatedly back away from your efforts. Your mind is an intangible chasm of greed, destruction, and above all . . . power. It is that power that awakens the temptation in my heart. The desire to control, you can feel it, can you not?
You seek to use that desire against me, to seduce me into revealing all that I know to you. Oh dear Elbereth, guide me, protect me from this madness conceived by desire . . .
You give me a vision, a vision of grandeur. I see darkness, I am surrounded by it. Then, you are beside me, such a ghastly sight, cast in armour, no longer fair. You take my hand in yours; the cold steel of it threatens to pierce my fingers and draw blood. Then, I see a kingdom, a world that is at our command! They are bowing to us, to the Dark Lord and his fair queen, you tell me. You offer me everything that I want; all the power of the world would be at my fingertips . . .if I will open my mind to you. For one moment, I think of what I would be capable of, should I receive that power. Oh, to be able to stop the flow of time. Lothlórien will always remain fair, my precious mallorns will never change, and everything will be the same. There would no longer be death, nor pain, nothing will waste away ever again . . . My mind tells me to accept, to agree to your offer, to give my will to yours. I let you come closer, the key to my mind lying outstretched in my hand. Your hand, outstretched from the flame, floats towards mine. I can feel your sense of triumph, of glee; like a young Elfling who had received a wrapped parcel and quickly tearing it open.
You come so close to touching before I close my hand, in an act of denial. No! Did you think me to be so easily swayed by your false visions of power? I know more than you think, Dark Lord, I have seen into the deepest caverns of your mind. You have let your guard down too often, for I know your intentions. I tell you now: you will not succeed! I am Galadriel, the Lady of Light, and I have seen your demise! Whatever you seek to do here will be fruitless. You will never know what lies behind this locked door. Dark Lord, be gone and take your poisoned words with you, for they hold no meaning here! You will never know my thoughts!
Emptiness, no more enticing words rampaging through my mind. No other being is there now, only me. I feel a sense of relief, a breath I was not aware of holding being let out. I had been standing on the edge of the abyss, and I had backed away. That was the closest step I had taken yet. You will try again, you always do. You have an insatiable appetite for this battle, and each time, I know I will win. And my answer will always be the same: No.
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A/N: So…what do you think? Review please! I would greatly appreciate it!