Chapter 10- All is Not Revealed
As she neared the borders of the sacred forest, Katie slipped silently from her horse. Placing a gentle hand on her sword hilt, she flitted through the trees.
Suddenly a hand shot out from the darkness and pulled her from the path. She opened her eyes to reveal a group of elves surrounding her, a dozen notched arrows pointing towards her face.
The leader stepped forward. "Name yourself," he ordered curtly, his face bearing no expression.
"I am Katie, of…"she broke off. "I am Katie; I come to seek counsel with the Lady Galadriel."
The leader frowned and whispered quickly in elvish to one of his companions. Katie could not catch what he said but the next minute he turned to her and said brusquely: "Come with me."
She followed him in quiet amazement as they entered the city of Caras Galadhon. She had never before seen a place like it. Shining silver staircases wound up into the trees and they took one of these steps up to what appeared to be the central place.
"Wait here," he ordered and he disappeared through a silver door. Two elves stood silently beside her, their faces also empty of emotion.
A moment later, he reappeared and beckoned her forward. "The Lady will see you." He sounded vaguely disgruntled.
"Thank you…er…" Katie looked searchingly at him.
"Haldir," he said curtly.
"Thank you Haldir," she said with a smile and stepped forward through the doorway.
A beautiful lady stood before her and as she did so, Katie recognised her so clearly, that for a moment she was stunned.
She still could not believe that Lady Galadriel had appeared to her in a dream.
Galadriel came forward until she stood before Katie. Placing her hands gently on her shoulders she said," I know why you have come, child."
"Yes," Katie said, "I need your help…and advice."
"Sit," said Galadriel, motioning to a chair nearby. "Tell me what you need."
Katie frowned slightly, unsure what Galadriel already knew.
"You came to me…in a dream."
"Yes," said Galadriel with a smile. "I did."
Katie frowned again. "Forgive me…but why?"
"You needed warning, my child. You were about to go to Saruman and you knew not of his treachery."
Katie nodded but looked up in confusion. "How was it possible?" she asked.
"I have the power to show what I can to certain people."
"So that premonition? Of Helm's Deep falling? That was you?" Katie said, in shock.
"No, no, that was you," Galadriel replied calmly.
"What?" Katie looked completely bewildered.
"You yourself conjured that vision," Galadriel said, with a gentle smile.
"But how is that possible? I can't see the future. Can I?" she asked.
"Sometimes the power of foresight comes to those who least expect it. I am afraid that I cannot explain it. Perhaps the Valar felt that you needed some implication of what was to come. Perhaps it is part of your duty to help."
Katie's mind was reeling.
"Come, my child, would you like to look into the Mirror?" Galadriel asked her, standing up and gliding down the silver steps.
Katie looked at her in surprise but got up and followed her all the same.
Galadriel led her to a small clearing nearby. It was completely deserted. On a stone plinth stood a round, marble basin and by a small fountain cut out of the rock was a silver metal jug.
Galadriel went over to this fountain and filled the jug from it. Then she turned. "Do you wish to see it?"
"What will it show me?" Katie asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
"Many many things. Some past, some present and maybe even future. But it is not set in stone. That you must remember. All things have the power to change. Do you wish to look?"
Katie thought deeply for a moment. For some reason, memory of her answering Haldir as she entered Lothlorien came to her.
"I am Katie, of…Just Katie." She felt a rush of sadness. She belonged nowhere. She did not know where she came from nor who she was. All her life had been a mystery. She felt a surge of desperation.
"Yes." The words came out of her mouth before she could stop them.
Galadriel poured the water into the basin and Katie stepped forward to see it.
And as she gazed into it she saw many things. She saw herself meeting Legolas and the others at Amon Hen, her riding with her elves to Rohan, her meeting Gandalf. Then the light changed and she saw herself, in tattered clothes, weary and covered in dirt, standing in a burning mountain, holding above her head a glowing pendant. Then the scene changed again and she saw a figure on a horse, cloaked in brown, riding along a dirt road, carrying in its arms a baby wrapped in cloth. She was filled with curiosity. Where were they going? And who was the person on the horse? She caught a glimpse of where they were heading, the great town of Esgaroth loomed in the distance, its wooden houses and the great mountains towering beside it. And then she knew. It was her. The baby was her. For, Esgaroth had been her childhood home.
A/N. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Reviews would be wonderful; they help me to write :)