Change of heart
Part nine
The sight was breathtaking for her, she stood silent awe. She looked back at the three brothers and pointed to the city and made a funny sound.
"I think she is wondering if we are going to the city" Rumil said
"It would appear so." Haldir answered him.
Haldir pointed to the city and gave a nod to her letting her know the answer was yes. She gave a wide smile and then took Orophin's hand.
He smiled and walked away with her towards the city. With Rumil leading the horses. Haldir followed behind watching her carefully. She turned once and looked back at him and he saw a small glimmer of interest in her eyes. Was it interest in him or the world around her?
He watched her and thought about the last time he had done this. She really was a beautiful woman, and he could not help the feeling he suddenly had.
He let the thought pass and pushed it aside, he had no time for such things. That and the fact he was an elf and she was a mortal.
He sighed he had no room in his heart for love, and he knew it was beyond him. He had become so bitter over the years and he no longer gave thought to such things as love.
They walked through the city and towards the palace. Dinenwen looked up at the trees and kept her eyes wide with amazement. The homes as she thought of them were so high and the beauty of everything was like nothing she had ever seen. She paused as they approached the palace and looked up at the tree and the spiraling staircase that went around it. It looked as though it went to the sky. They paused at the tree and two guards approached them. They gave a polite bow to the them. They stepped aside and allowed them to go past. Dinenwen stopped and paused she closed her eyes and stood still as the sweet voice spoke softly to her.
"Welcome to my home child, here you are safe and here you will find all you have desired."
She opened her eyes and looked at Haldir and then up. He placed a hand on her back and gave her a slight push. She turned and looked back at him and slowly walked up following Orophin and Rumil.
They reached the top and entered the palace and paused in a huge room. Dinenwen stood and stared at two huge doors. She watch the doors open and two figures appear. She watched the figures walk slowly down the stairs towards them. They glowed beautifully and she suddenly felt unworthy in their sight. She watch the three elves lower their heads in respect to the two and she shakily did the same. The two stopped and smiled the warmest smile she had even known. It was filled with love, kindness, and a wisdom she did not understand.
It was as though they understood all and everything around them. They held great age and wisdom in their eyes. Like all elves they were breathtaking. She did not know how she should act or what to do. She looked down at her feet and felt a sudden pain with in her.
"There is no need to fear little one, you are not unworthy of our presence. Look at us we will not hurt you."
The kind voice she heard was that the she-elf standing in front of her. She looked at her and watched the smile cross her face.
"It is I." The kind voice said, and Dinenwen smiled at her.
"I am Galadriel, and this is Celeborn." Galadriel placed a loving hand on her husband.
Dinenwen looked at Celeborn and smiled she watched him smile in return and watched his kind eyes. They studied her and she saw within them a compassion for her she had never seen.
Galadriel walked over and cupped Dinenwen's face in her hands.
"He welcomes you as well and he feels the compassion you see. Come child of man let us get you to a healer and let you rest. For I know you are weary and hungry, all will be answered in time. For now you are safe and here you need not fear the outside world you have feared for so long."
She took Dinenwen's hand and led her up the stairs and into the palace. Celeborn smiled as he watched them go and turned to Haldir and his brothers.
"There is a deep pain that clouds her thoughts from us. A pain we do not yet understand. But with in her mind the Lady has seen the death of a man, a man we know she did not hurt. The Lady has also seen the death of king Eomer."
"King Eomer." Haldir said with a surprised voice "Is she to blame?" Haldir questioned.
"No, this woman has no evilness in her heart, she has no ill will towards Eomer or his lands. But the Lady and I believe she may know who does."
"Can the Lady ask her who it is?" Rumil asked
"The Lady can read some of her thoughts and can speak to her in her mind like she can us all. But this woman cannot speak back to her or give her answers in her thoughts. For now we must discover a way to try a commutate with this human. Thus far you three have done well with this, the Lady and I thank you for this and for all you have done in caring for her."
"It was a honor to do so." Rumil quickly added before Haldir or Orophin could say a word.
Celeborn smiled as he watched the faces of Haldir and Orophin look at their younger brother.
"But your task is not yet done, the Lady and I would like the three of you to care for her. She has begun to trust you. And it would not be wise to tear her away from you now. We ask you that you take her to your Talan and treat her as you would the Lady or I." He smiled as he said that part. He had thought about saying like you treat each other but decided against it.
He watched the reaction and smiled because he had known what it would be.
"We would be honored my Lord to do so." Haldir said bowing his head, as did his brothers.
"Very well tonight you and she shall stay here and in the morning you will take her to you Talan." The three gave a nod they understood and then followed their Lord to wash up, change their clothing and get some food.
Tomorrow would be a new day and start a whole new world for the three brothers. Who would have guessed that one woman on one night could turn their world upside down.
