It took them two days to reach the forest of Lothlórien. They finally crossed from rocky terrain into woodland and grass and Lianna was thankful for it. Every moment spent amongst the stones surrounding the Mines of Moria simply reminded her that the Fellowship was forevermore one member short. Gandalf's presence did not go unmissed; although Aragorn did his best to bolster them all, leading them onwards. She made an effort to keep a particular eye on Frodo – after all she could do nothing but respect Gandalf's last wish.
"Stay close young Hobbits," whispered Gimli, once they were within deep woodland so dense and beautiful Lianna could not help but smile at the sight of it, gesturing for Sam and Frodo to come over to him, "They say that a great sorceress lives in these woods...an Elf-witch of terrible power." Lianna frowned. She had felt they were coming closer to something strong in power since they had entered the forest but had assumed it was the power of the Elves who lived within Lothlórien. Perhaps the power, which felt like a warm glow within compared to that of the Balrog, belonged to the witch?
"All who look upon her fall under her spell..." The Dwarf continued.
"Frodo..." Lianna heard a whispering voice, that of a woman, and jumped. She looked over and saw Frodo appeared shaken too. She frowned at him when their eyes met. What was it calling Frodo's name?
"...and are never seen again." Gimli was still speaking of the Elf-witch.
"Your coming to us is as the footsteps of doom." Lianna stopped dead at the voice in her head which she knew from Frodo's reaction he could also hear. Yet if this witch was speaking to Frodo why then could she...?
"It is because of your power, Lady Seer." Lianna drew in a sharp breath as the voice addressed her.
"You bring great evil here, Ring-bearer." The voice continued. Lianna walked over and took Frodo's hand in her own. The Hobbit looked terrified.
"Lianna?" Legolas was looking back at them, "What is it – you look as though..." Lianna shook her head.
"It is nothing. Frodo simply looked a little tired," she smiled down to the Hobbit and to her relief he played along moving nearer to her and resting his curly head upon her hip. Legolas surveyed them a moment, as though not quite sure to believe their charade, before turning and following Aragorn once again. She saw Boromir pass her and caught the suspicious look on his face. He had been showing signs of suspicion against her since the Mines and, despite the moment they had shared there, she felt he was still slowly slipping away from her and into the arms of the Ring.
"Come, Frodo," she whispered, "We must be strong." The Hobbit nodded and they continued onwards – him still gripping her hand tightly.
"Well here is one Dwarf she will not ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a Hawk and the ears of a fox..." still Gimli spoke onwards, not noticing that before his eyes were...
"Gimli." She muttered, cautioning the Dwarf to stop. There were arrows nocked and pointed towards all the members of the Fellowship. The ones holding the weapons were Elves similar to Legolas in colouring.
"The Dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark." An Elf came forwards and stopped before Aragorn. Lianna eyed the new Elf. There was something about him that was...important. He had a place in the future; she could feel it.
"Haldir..." she whispered. The Elf looked up at her along with his companions and hers; all confused. "That is your name, is it not...Haldir?" He frowned at her.
"How could you know that?" he asked, frowning and looking to the other members of the group. She smiled in what she hoped was a mysterious manner and replied,
"I know a great many things, Haldir – Marchwarden of Lothlórien." This was, she thought, the first time her gift had provided her with answers precisely when she needed them most. Both her company and the Elves were all staring at her.
"Would you lead us onwards?" she asked. She saw him hesitate before nodding sharply.
"Come this way."
The Elven guard took them to a nearby outpost but it was nightfall by the time they arrived. Haldir greeted Legolas and Aragorn, the two of the company who spoke Elvish, formally. However before more could be said Gimli rudely interrupted with,
"So much for the legendary courtesy of the Elves – speak words we can all understand!" Lianna leaned over and lightly clipped Gimli around the ear, for he had removed his helmet out of respect, smiling as she did so. Sometimes she thought the Dwarf did not realise how brusque he could truly be.
"We have not had dealings with the Dwarves since the Dark Days." Haldir replied calmly.
"And you know what this Dwarf says to that?" Gimli continued in a language Lianna did not understand. Aragorn turned on the Dwarf and hissed,
"That was not so courteous." He then turned back to Haldir and gave the Elf an apologetic nod. Lianna moved from her position between Boromir and Frodo to crouch behind the Dwarf and whispered,
"I know you have no love for Elves, Gimli, but there may be answers here that I can seek nowhere else. For my sake, if no other, please - will you be kind to our hosts?" She heard the Dwarf grunt gruffly but the almost imperceptible nod accompanying it told her he would do as she asked. She patted him on the shoulder and rose, slotting back into her position amongst her comrades.
She saw Aragorn give her a thankful look and she smiled and nodded her head in return to the Ranger. When she looked back she saw Boromir looking at her with a furrowed brow. She tilted her head in a questioning manner but he instantly looked away, entirely ignoring her.
She had not lied when she said she hoped to gain answers in Lothlórien. She hoped the Lady whose words she had heard in her head could give her some indication as to what her powers were, where they had come from and, most importantly; how to better control them.
Haldir looked at the company one by one until his eyes rested upon Frodo. They lingered there before the Elf ground out,
"You bring great evil with you." He paused before looking back to the rest and continuing, "You can go no further."
Aragorn and Haldir were arguing quietly in Elvish away from the rest of the group. She noticed that every so often the other members of the Fellowship would look to Frodo, not accusingly, but just subtle glances which hinted at resentment, as his burden was the reason they could not pass. She wished more than anything to remind them that Frodo and the Ring were the whole reason they were travelling at all and to blame him for being the bearer of such evil was as if to blame Legolas for being an Elf or Gimli for being a Dwarf. Boromir had withdrawn alone away from the others. She did not speak with him. She felt that moment was not the time to clear the air between them of the tension she had not, until that moment, known existed.
Instead she focused on the gesticulating and muttering going on between the Ranger and the Elf. The language they spoke was fascinating, beautiful and complex. She felt she could get quite lost listening to it...
Suddenly she heard Boromir's voice break the quiet. Whilst she had been watching Haldir and Aragorn argue he had shuffled closer to Frodo. This would usually worry her but she saw no anger or greed in his eyes when he looked to the Hobbit...there was only pity and kindness there.
"Gandalf's death was not in vain," he said quietly to the Hobbit, "Nor would he have you give up hope. You carry a heavy burden Frodo. Don't carry the weight of the dead." Lianna smiled feeling tears in her eyes at the simple words. Whilst all others had turned their back on Frodo for the trouble he and the burden he carried caused, Boromir had nothing but words of comfort for the frightened Hobbit. She slowly closed the gap between her and the Captain before crouching at his side. He looked at her questioningly and seemed about to speak before she shook her head and murmured to Frodo,
"You hear wise words today, Frodo. Gandalf's death is not your burden to bear. That which you carry is already heavy enough." Frodo smiled slightly at her and then turned to speak with Sam. Whilst the Hobbit was not looking Lianna pressed a kiss to her fingertips and, standing, lightly touched Boromir's temple with it. His eyes fluttered closed a moment at the contact before meeting her gaze. She backed off a little, slowly and lightly trailing her fingers down his cheekbone and to his jaw line before moving to stand further away. Not prolonging the contact had been difficult. However she knew there was no time for such feelings – their quest came first and foremost. She knew it was the same for Boromir – whatever his feelings may or may not be for her.
"What are they saying?" she breathed to Legolas, whom she had moved to stand beside. The Elf looked to her before replying,
"Aragorn states our case a hundred different ways and Haldir rejects his plea for us to pass each time. He wishes to protect his home – it is understandable." Lianna tensed her shoulders. Did Haldir of Lothlórien not realise that without the destruction of the Ring he would soon have no home?
Suddenly she saw the tension in Legolas' shoulders lessen and he whispered to her in explanation,
"Haldir has relented." A moment later the disgruntled Elf approached them all and addressed them with a terse,
"You will follow me. However the Dwarf will have to be blindfolded." Lianna saw Gimli bristle with indignation and she was about to speak when Aragorn interrupted.
"If he shall be blinded to that around him them so shall we all. We are a Fellowship, Marchwarden, we go as one or not at all." The Elf hesitated before nodding and gesturing to his fellow Elves.
"Blindfold them all."
They stopped around dawn. Haldir, at the head of the group, sighed in what Lianna recognised to be contentment and he announced,
"Caras Galadhon; the heart of Elvendom on Earth. Realm of Lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, Lady of Light." Lianna felt her blindfold being removed and blinked a little at the brightness which attacked her eyes. To Haldir's credit they had been led without a single incident through the forest.
Caras Galadhon put was glorious. It was bathed in a very different sort of light to anything she had seen before. A golden, glowing river of beauty and peace radiated from the city. Staircases wound around trees leading to large rooms built in their trunks. So long did it take to reach the centre of the wondrous city that night had once again fallen by the time they reached that spot at which, they were told, they would be presented to Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel.
They were led into a room built at the top of a tree which housed a large pool which glistened with silvery light. As soon as she entered the room she heard a humming, not unlike that she had heard emanating from Gandalf's staff all the time he was with them, a light, pleasant sound which reminded her of the fallen wizard.
Suddenly a bright, white light appeared at the top of the staircase they all now stood before and a man and a woman began to descend. He was handsome but her eyes were instead drawn to the woman with her hand atop his, dressed all in white with flowing long, blonde hair. She was glorious and the power which radiated from her was all white and beautiful – so strong Lianna felt she could almost taste it – it was sweet, the air around the woman, like honey.
"The enemy knows you have entered here." Lord Celeborn began. "What hope you had in secrecy is now gone." he paused for a moment before continuing, "Eight there are here yet nine set out from Rivendell. Tell me, where is Gandalf? For I much desire to speak with him. I can no longer see him from afar."
"Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land." Lady Galadriel spoke and all eyes turned to her, wondering how she knew Gandalf was no longer with them, "He has fallen into Shadow."
"He was taken by both Shadow and flame," Legolas added, "A Balrog of Morgoth; for we went needlessly into the net of Moria." Lianna wished Legolas had not added the last part to his speech. She saw Gimli's head go down in shame as he felt the full brunt of the Elf's words. Gimli had been the one to press them to go into the Mines.
"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life," Lady Galadriel stepped in, "We do not yet know his full purpose." She paused before looking over to Gimli, whose eyes were firmly fixed upon the floor,
"Do not let the great emptiness of Khazad-dum fill your heart Gimli, son of Glóin. For the world has grown full of peril and in all lands love is now mingled with grief."
Her final word came harshly and Lianna saw the Lady's eyes turn to Boromir. She noticed for the first time that the man looked...frightened? Under Galadriel's gaze he seemed only more so. Was she inside his head as she had been inside her own and Frodo's? Sweat appeared upon Boromir's brow and she saw him look to the ground, a great sigh of despair leaving him. Lianna reached over and slipped her hand into the Captain's larger one, squeezing it tightly to offer comfort. She then looked to Galadriel with a frown which was met with a cool, emotionless expression in return. Lianna felt Boromir return the pressure she had exerted upon his hand before she let it go. She did not want to draw any more attention to him than Galadriel already had.
"What now becomes of this Fellowship?" asked Lord Celeborn. "Without Gandalf hope is lost." Lianna felt Galadriel's gaze, still firmly upon her, and fixed her own eyes upon the blue ones of the Elf.
"The quest stands upon the edge of a knife," she murmured, never taking her eyes from Lianna's, "Stray but a little and it will fail...to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains. Whilst company is true." Galadriel nodded to Lianna slightly before turning her eyes upon Sam. Loyal Sam, Lianna thought, he would never abandon Frodo – nor the quest.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight you will sleep..."
Lianna's understanding of what the Lady was saying to the others was broken as the Elf's voice entered her head once again; though speaking to Frodo and not to her.
"Welcome Frodo of the Shire," the Lady said, "One who has seen the Eye." Her gaze flickered to Lianna for a moment at the mention of the Eye. She knew precisely why. It was yet another bond she and Frodo shared – they had both looked upon the greatest evil known to any race...and lived.
They all bathed and those who wished it were given new clothes to wear. Lianna, for the first time since Rivendell, donned a dress. It was of silvery grey and she let her hair down loose. Having it clean felt wonderful. As they prepared to sleep for the night, for they had all been given a space close together in which to rest, she heard a beautiful, echoing, singing begin.
"A lament for Gandalf," Legolas told them. She nodded. She could feel the sadness in every word sung – the meaning was clear to her as if she knew the words being spoken. They all paused in their activities and looked up to the higher tiers where the singing was coming from.
"What do they say about him?" asked Merry quietly.
"I have not the heart to tell you," whispered Legolas in reply, "For me the grief is still too near."
Again they fell quiet to listen to the voices of those singing of their fallen comrade. It made Lianna's heart ache. She had not known the wizard long but she knew that he was a good man and she missed his presence amongst them. Although he could be exasperating at times, and short tempered with the Hobbits, she knew he cared for them all; and they for him. He would forever be sorely missed.
"I bet they don't mention his fireworks," Sam said to Merry, "There should be a verse about them. Sam paused before standing and calling out,
"The finest rockets ever seen, they burst in stars of blue and green or, after thunder, silver showers came falling like a rain of...flowers? Oh that doesn't do him justice by a long road." Sam sat back down dejectedly. From where she was seated, besides Gimli, Lianna gestured over to Sam.
"Come sit beside me Sam for I have something to tell you." He rose again and took the place she indicated next to her. Turning to him she murmured,
"Those words you spoke? They were beautiful, Samwise Gamgee. Do you know why? It is because they came from your heart. They do not have the grace of Elven songs, no, but the words you spoke...you meant them and I felt the love you had for Gandalf in each one of them. I am sure he felt it to, wherever he now is." Sam smiled at her, teary eyed, and leaned in for a hug which she gave readily.
"Why do you always know just the thing to say?" he asked her quietly. She merely chucked and replied,
"It is because I am a woman, Sam." He grinned and then stood, going to rejoin his fellow Hobbits who had made a nest like area in their spot beneath the tree-tent they were residing in. She looked over in time to see Aragorn move to go and join Boromir in the spot he had been sitting alone. Lianna had earlier on considered joining him but, in the end, decided after his encounter with Lady Galadriel he would need some peace.
She heard Aragorn tell Boromir to rest and the reply that the Captain would find no rest where they were. She heard Boromir speak of how Galadriel had been inside his head and spoken of the fall of Gondor and his father. He said she told him there was still hope – though he could not see it. She bit her lip, wishing more than anything to comfort him. Yet instead she allowed the men to continue talking, probably unaware she could hear every word they spoke (Gimli was asleep so there was no danger of eavesdropping there).
"My father is a noble man," she heard Boromir say, "But his rule his failing...and our...our people...they lose faith. He looks to me to make things right, and I would do it, I would see the glory of Gondor restored." He paused before adding, "Have you ever seen it, Aragorn? The White Tower of Ecthelion, glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver?" Lianna rose as she heard him lovingly describe his home.
She wandered over to them, listening as he continued, "Its banners caught high in the morning breeze...have you ever been called home by the clear ringing of silver trumpets?"
"I have seen the White City...long ago." Aragorn conceded.
"One day our paths will lead us there," said Boromir, hope in his voice as she had not heard for some time, "And the tower guard shall take up the call; 'The Lords of Gondor have returned'." Lianna smiled. His face was shining at the very thought of Minas Tirith.
"You forget Boromir," she added, coming over and joining the men, "That I too have seen the White City. Do you remember showing it to me, from so far away, and how I reacted?" He smiled happily at the thought.
"You were awestruck by its beauty." She nodded,
"We shall see it again, Boromir, we shall all of us see the White City." He frowned at her slightly.
"Do you know this? Have you seen it?" he sounded desperate now, eager for the response he so craved. She could not crush him by telling him she had seen no such thing. She simply wished for it – for his sake, she wished they would see Minas Tirith again and have the welcome he had described.
"I have." She lied.