They were to stay for two months at Rivendell. All of those who were part of the Fellowship had endured a difficult journey to reach the Council and therefore rest and recuperation for the hardships ahead seemed wise. The Ring would, for a short time, remain safe in Rivendell although Elrond made it clear that the outpost would eventually be unable to stop the enemies of the light from taking it. Two months, thought Lianna, was a gift. Two months of rest and of the beauty of Rivendell.
She also took the time to get to know her travelling companions better. She and Boromir had, the very day after their argument, become perfect friends again and as long as they did not speak of the Ring they remained so. Lianna had several times singled out Frodo as she hoped the Hobbit (she had found out that his race was Hobbit and not Man soon after the Council) would understand her feelings concerning the Ring and, to her delight, he did. They talked of a great many things and she found him, although innocent in the ways of the world, to be a bright and shining individual with a kind and brave heart.
Most of the furthering of her acquaintance with her future companions, however, took place at meals.
"I'd say an Elf could no more defeat a Dwarf in battle than one of the little Hobbits could topple a mountain troll!" Lianna masked a laugh as she sat in her customary position, beside Boromir, at the table in the Feasting Hall. It was breakfast time, barely past sunrise, and already Legolas and Gimli were at one another's throats.
"How long have they been at it?" she murmured to Boromir. She saw him smirk before replying,
"I have been at the table for some minutes now and they were so when I arrived. I think they gain some pleasure from baiting one another." Lianna nodded; she was ready to agree fully with that assumption.
"Lady Lianna, good morning!" Merry sprung to his feet and offered a spritely bow to her, causing her to burst into laughter, before sitting back down with a flush upon his cheeks.
"It is kind of you to wish me so, Merry, and I wish you the same. However I must correct you – I am not a Lady, merely a village girl brought high by association." She nodded her head to her side, indicating Boromir as being her high ranking friend, yet when she looked to him to see his laughter she saw a thoughtful look upon his face instead.
"Oh no Lianna, I think you are indeed a lady." Her laughter died away and she smiled shyly at the Captain. He often gave her small compliments such as that and she was grateful for them and yet at the same time they made her feel...she was not sure quite as to what they made her feel. Something she was not used to feeling; that much she was certain of.
"How do you do this morning Lianna?" Legolas smiled at her and she offered a smile in return as thanks for his breaking the brief period of silence which had descended upon their group.
"I do very well thank you Legolas. How goes things with you? I see you and Gimli have not engaged in a battle to the death as of yet." Legolas grinned and she heard Gimli mutter,
"It would be to his death." Lianna merely smiled and turned to her food. It seemed amongst the many races which made up the Fellowship all she did was smile. Their great differences made them all interesting characters and she thought that she may even come to very much like all of them.
"Did you sleep well?" Boromir was, as usual, making conversation whilst they ate. He talked less with the others than she did, although he had become particularly enamoured with Pippin and Merry, so mostly during the mornings he kept to her. Afterwards she knew he went to the training yards which were set up somewhere within the outpost and usually she would be left to other practises. However over the last few days she had accompanied him, Legolas, Gimli and, occasionally, Aragorn and become familiar with some weapons whilst re-introducing herself to others. It would, she had announced, by no good to have a helpless woman accompanying them on such a journey – much better a helpful one.
"I did not dream of anything untoward if that is what you are asking," she replied, giving him a knowing glance. He made to deny the accusation but she cut him off with, "And how did you fare? Did you have restful night?"
They continued a relatively mundane yet pleasant conversation throughout the rest of the meal. At its end Gimli stood proudly and looked over to her.
"Well lass, today I think I may introduce you to my particular friend, my battle axe, which has served me well throughout these long years."
Lianna bit her lip. She feared, more than anything, learning to fight with the axe. It brought back memories of the village. Of hiding in terror and killing the young man who obviously had no experience in battle...
It seemed Boromir had not forgotten his finding her with an axe either for he began,
"Gimli perhaps it is best that..."
"No!" Lianna stood and gave a strained smile to the company, "I should greatly like for you to teach me how to use such a fine weapon, Gimli. I shall just change my attire; I think a dress this fine has no place on a field of battle."
It felt heavy in her hands. She was sure nothing which felt so heavy should be so easy to lift from the ground. Yet she had managed to pick up the axe and holding it felt ill; as though she were reliving her greatest nightmares.
"Try a swing," Gimli cried as he ducked a swipe from Legolas. He had challenged the Elf to a training exercise using swords and was fixed upon the task at hand. Boromir and an Elf Lianna did not know were similarly dancing a complex dance as they trained, their movements rapid and unhesitant. Aragorn had followed them to the grounds but he stood to the side observing the others.
Lianna could not wield the axe without having both hands upon the handle and she carefully tightened her grip and lifted it slightly. She felt very strange; leaden and light at the same time. She wondered whether her intense oppression of memories of the massacre of her village was making her feel so. Perhaps she should place the axe down...
Her legs, without warning, became weak and she sunk to the ground. The axe clattered to the side as she planted her hands, palm down, on the ground to support herself. Movement around her was instant - in the form of Aragorn and, soon after, Boromir.
"Lianna?" the Captain asked gently, "What is wrong?" She could not answer for two reasons. She could barely muster the energy to breathe, let alone speak, and because she did not know what was happening. She asked for the only person she knew may be able to give her answers.
"Gandalf." She hoped the name alone would be enough. To her relief she saw one of the Hobbits, who had been watching the fighting wide eyed, run off; presumably to fetch the wizard. Her vision was darkening and she knew soon she would lose consciousness. As her arms went the same way as her legs and she fell flat onto the ground she felt herself rolled over by unseen hands. Lianna's last thoughts were of Boromir's face, which lingered above her own, and the worry in his eyes.
Wherever she was it was dark. She knew not why but the place held a feeling of evil which was laid upon another feeling. There had been joy in this place. The people who had been here had known happiness. However something had happened and that happiness had been broken. Now only death and despair remained.
She walked slowly forwards. Her footsteps echoed – she must be in a very large place .There was a light yet it looked as though it were a long way away. She continued to move towards it, noting that it was of a reddish colour instead of the usual golden of a torch.
There was whispering in the dark. She knew they were the voices of the dead, calling out to here, asking her to help them. She could not help them; did they not understand? It was too late. She was too late.
The light suddenly exploded and she stumbled back, shielding her eyes.
"Look at me." The voice was hissed from where the light was coming from and, despite not wanting to, something made Lianna removed her arm from before her eyes and look to the light. It was not a light. It had never been a light. It was an eye. Sauron was looking at her...
"NO!" Lianna sat up and felt something collide with the top of her head. Instantly falling back down she realised she was still lying on the training ground and the thing which her head had collided with was Boromir's chin.
"I'm sorry," she breathed, "I'm sorry but I just...he was there and he was looking at me and I..." she stopped, feeling tears of shock and terror begin to run down her face.
"Shh," A hand, which she knew would be Boromir's, began to stroke her hair from her forehead and then wipe the tears away, "Be calm, Lianna." She took several gulps and turned her head inwards. Her head now lay on a cloak and she recognised from the scent that it belonged to the Captain of the White Tower.
"What was it?" Aragorn came into her line of sight and she met his calm gaze. Just thinking of what had happened brought her new terror and yet she oppressed it ruthlessly. That was what he wanted. She had known that the dream had been nothing but an attempt by Sauron to frighten her into hiding away. She knew it in her very bones. He was worried about something. Looking into that eye, even for a second, had made her aware of things she never thought were possible. The first, and foremost, which had floated to the top of her mind as soon as her eyes were open, was that he did not want her to accompany the Fellowship. He knew of her Sight and he wanted her stopped.
"Sauron." She replied, "The eye was looking at me. I think he does not want me to accompany you to Mordor." Aragorn looked shocked but nodded calmly and she was thankful for it.
"The girl faints and you all leave her lying on the ground? What men are you?" Gandalf had arrived. He immediately knelt down next to her and smiled kindly.
"Now, my dear girl, what is it that you saw?" She did not ask how he knew she had seen something. It was Gandalf and, in the time she had known him, she had come to realise that Gandalf often knew things no one else did. Similar to her, she thought wryly.
"Sauron's eye has sought me out. As I looked into it and I knew, Gandalf, I just knew that he was angry. He does not want me to go with you all to Mordor. Why I do not know but as I looked into the eye it was...as though his mind was left open to me." She stopped and watched for the wizard's reaction. He did not seem surprised.
"I had feared as much." He replied. He looked to Boromir, "Carry her inside. No, Lianna, I will hear no complaints from you. You have undergone a traumatic experience. I will not have you traipsing across half of Rivendell. Come, follow me."
Boromir knelt beside her and gently scooped her into his arms. As she was lifted from the ground she caught up his cloak,
"I would not have you leave this behind." He smiled and began to follow Gandalf. She felt odd, followed by most of the members of the Fellowship of the Ring and being carried by the greatest warrior in Gondor.
"Are you truly well now?" he asked, his eyes still worried. She remembered the same look as he watched her lose consciousness just minutes before.
"I think I am," she replied honestly, "I do not see this as a bad thing. We know Sauron is worried by this ability as I am. It is something to cling onto, is it not?"
"I hope it does not put you in even more danger. How did Sauron become aware of you?"
"I do not know," That was something she had not considered, she had not broadcasted her newfound gift and as far as she knew no one aside from those at the Council knew of it. "I suppose the All Seeing Eye has outdone itself." He smiled gently.
"Even at times like this, Lianna, I can depend entirely upon your humour." She smiled widely before sobering slightly and countering,
"What else do we have left; apart from humour, hope and the want of a little luck?"
After her dream Lianna began to have more, though not in the same manner as on the training field, her sleeping hours riddled with disjointed images and unfamiliar faces. She attempted to remain active during the day; hoping that tiring herself out would help her fall into a natural sleep. However the dreams continued, two or three a nights in one week now, and not knowing what they meant began to weigh heavy on her mind.
Days turned to weeks and weeks to months. Soon the preparations were being made for the Fellowship to leave Rivendell. Lianna could not say she would not miss the beautiful Elven city but, at the same time, she was eager for their mission to begin. More than anything she wanted the Ring to be destroyed; and with it Sauron. With the great evil of the Eye and its owner gone the darkness would all but fall away and she could sleep easy again.
There was to be a feast on the evening before their leaving and Lianna, with the help of a particularly helpful Elf maiden, chose a dress of deep, emerald green with emerald clips in her hair for the occasion. Her light brown hair was nothing special but it did have enough length, down to just past her shoulders, to make it look relatively attractive when styled properly (which the young Elf maid excelled at) and the green of the dress offset her brown eyes prettily.
When she entered the feast hall her eyes immediately fell upon the Hobbits, in particular Merry and Pippin, who were dancing a lively dance with their arms entwined and signing raucously. She wondered just how much mead the small beings had consumed. Gimli was speaking rather loudly of his many adventures, Legolas was calmly conversing with a group of Elves and Aragorn was nowhere to be seen. Boromir was in conversation with Sam, the friend of Frodo who had been first of the Hobbits to announce they were joining Frodo on his mission, but broke away when he saw her in the doorway. He smiled, nodded his head and made a gesture for her to come over before returning to his conversation with Sam.
She picked her way towards the man and the Hobbit, trying to avoid bumping into anyone. Elves were far too graceful to do so but she was no Elf. Finally she reached Boromir and Sam without incident and took a seat beside them.
"You look very well this evening Lianna." Boromir smiled and she returned the compliment with,
"As do you, my Lord." He grinned at her use of the formality.
"You do look very pretty, Miss Lianna." Sam blushed as he spoke and Lianna reached over to pat the Hobbit's cheek.
"Thank you Sam it is most kind of you to say so. Where is Frodo this evening?"
"Oh, I don't rightly know Miss. He was here a moment or two ago but then...perhaps the crowd were too much for him. Perhaps I should go and look..?"
"Don't trouble yourself Sam. We'll give him a little while to himself and then, if he doesn't turn up, I shall go and look for him later." Sam smiled happily at her before turning back to Boromir and asking,
"Will you tell me more of Minas Tirith?" Lianna smiled and caught Boromir's eye. Sam looked like an eager child wanting to know fairytales before bed.
"Well it is white, a shining, bright white which glows from within. The city is tiered and each tier is more beautiful than the last and the very topmost tier holds Gondor's greatest treasure; the White Tree."
Lianna smiled at Sam's awed expression and looked out to see a small figure slipping out the doors. The dark hair marked him out as Frodo. Lianna was instantly on her feet.
"Lianna, is something wrong? Are you going to have another vision? Do you need...?"
"No," she replied hurriedly, "No I just saw Frodo slipping out. I think I shall go and see if all is well with him. I will return shortly." With that she hurried out of the hall, avoiding all the chatting figures standing in her way, and sprinting in the direction of the place she knew Frodo would go.
Sure enough Frodo was in a small garden in which they had talked many times before. He was sitting with his head bowed and shoulders slumped. Approaching him slowly she murmured,
"Frodo?" he looked up and smiled sadly at her, the same sort of smile he gave on the first day they met, at the Council, when their eyes had met across the room. "Is all well with you?"
"I just needed some peace." He replied. She understood that well enough. She came to sit next to him and said not a word for some time. They simply sat in silence until Frodo broke it with,
"I am afraid." She looked over and smiled slightly at him.
"So am I Frodo. So are we all, I think, even those who do not show it such as Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn..."
"Boromir." Frodo finished. "You and Boromir are friends are you not?" She raised her brows, startled by the question,
"I suppose we are, yes, we have been through a great deal together."
"I am not sure I trust him," Frodo confessed, "All that he said of the Ring..."
"I know," she replied, "I worry about that but I promise you that Boromir will remain true. He will have no time to think of the Ring if I constantly pester and distract him which I suppose I may have to do. I will keep both you and him safe Frodo."
"Then you have a harder task than any of us!" Frodo exclaimed, his face breaking out in a grin. Lianna laughed at the comment.
"I suppose I do. Now are you ready to return inside? Two members of the Fellowship missing during their leaving banquet will draw suspicion." Frodo nodded and rose.
"Thank you Lianna." She gently stroked his dark curls and replied quietly,
"You are without doubt the most remarkable creature I have ever met, Frodo Baggins. Stay strong. The fates of us all rest with you and I know you can bear them all. You have the kind of unique courage many do not."