"What did you see?" the wizard asked her. He and Noelle were on the other side of the Golden Hall, out of earshot. It didn't matter. Mostly everyone was back to sleep anyway. Gimli had slept through the whole thing, and she knew Legolas would give them space, especially since she had already talked with him.

Noelle was sitting on the end of a bed. She rubbed her freezing hands together. "I didn't exactly see anything in the palantir- not like Pippin did."

Gandalf had recounted the hobbit's words to her. He raised his eyebrows.

Noelle sighed, knowing she had to give an explanation. "Touching the palantir triggered something. A vision, but I don't believe it was Sauron speaking directly to me. I can tell the difference."

"Well?"

Noelle took a deep breath. "I felt a strong surge of energy within myself- it's so hard to explain, Gandalf. It doesn't make any sense to me either. Then I heard a voice that I believe was Sauron, telling someone to 'eliminate a girl who was a threat to him.'" She paused for a breath, and to let Gandalf digest the information. The wizard watched her intently, as was his habit when he was having an important conversation. Finally after a long moment he said, "did you see anything more?"

Of course he had a feeling she was leaving part of it out. Noelle knew better than to try and get out of it. And she knew she should tell him all of it. Everything that was bothering her.

"I saw a person surrounded in blue light. She told me 'to never turn back, and I was meant for more than the Jedi.'"

"And why would she tell you that if you are no longer part of the Jedi?" Gandalf asked thoughtfully.

"I-I don't know."

It was true. Noelle had no idea herself as to why this person, whomever it was, would tell her this.

"Noelle," said Gandalf. He sat down beside her. "You must tell me what is wrong. What you are suspecting. What is going on in your mind. It will do you no good to keep asking questions to yourself, without results. Tell me everything."

She knew he was right. She couldn't go on like this any longer. She had told Legolas as much as he would understand, but Gandalf, he did understand. He knew what the Jedi were about. He knew Saruman/Dooku. He understood the Force- far better than she did.

"If Sauron wins here, does it affect my world?" she began slowly. I have all these fears in the back of my mind, Gandalf. I saw Earth destroyed in Galadriel's mirror, and since it is one of eight worlds connected with this one, I am afraid it might come true. I feel so much responsibility knowing that I'm different from everyone else." She continued. "Am I the person Sauron wants eliminated? Or is it the person I saw? Who was the person I saw?"

Gandalf was silent for a long, long moment, until he finally spoke. "It may affect your world, Noelle, but what you saw in the mirror may not be what you think it is. The future is never set in stone. It is always in motion."

Noelle sighed and put her head in her hands. "I wish I knew what to do. Galadriel told me to trust God- but I don't know where He is anymore. I've tried to find Him through the Force, but the Force is not helping me either."

Gandalf placed his hand on her shoulder. "Unfortunately my dear, it is you who have been misreading the signs then. Eru is never wrong, nor is the Force."

Noelle looked at him in surprise and he gave her a slight smile of encouragement.

Gandalf stood up. "I will be riding with Pippin to Minas Tirith in the morning. I think you should come."

Noelle frowned at the news. "Why?"

"Pippin saw in the palantir a glimpse of the Enemy's plan. He moves to strike the city of Minas Tirith. Someone has to warn them."

Noelle crossed her arms. "Why do you think I should go with you?"

"Because I think you need some quiet, Noelle. Less distractions," he replied, putting emphasis on the word "distractions."

Noelle shifted uncomfortably at his words, suspecting that they had a double meaning.

"Gandalf, there's something else," she blurted out to the wizard, who had begun to wander away.

He stopped abruptly and turned around. "Legolas?"

Noelle felt herself blush. "No! Well… yes. But that wasn't what I was going to tell you."

Gandalf sat back down beside her. "I'm here."

Noelle didn't know how she was going to make herself say this aloud now. She couldn't do it before. She couldn't even accept the possibility. Why was she even bringing this up? "It's Anakin."

Gandalf raised one bushy eyebrow, but stayed silent as he waited for her to continue.

"Maul. Dooku. They both implied something about him- something that I could never believe, and it's still something I don't believe but-"

"You don't believe, or you don't want to believe?" Gandalf asked softly. "There's a difference."

Noelle bit her lip, tears forming in her eyes. "I can't say it," she whispered.

Noelle had decided to skip the trip to Minas Tirith. She really didn't feel like the long three-day ride, and if Sauron was mustering his army to strike the city, war would undoubtedly be coming, although Noelle knew she couldn't avoid it anymore even if she wanted to.

"If the Beacons of Gondor are lit, Rohan must be ready for war," Gandalf had said to Theoden.

Four days after Gandalf and Pippin departed from Edoras, Aragorn had spotted the beacons alight.

Then Théoden mustered the Rohirrim. Noelle was going to Minas Tirith anyway. They were riding to Gondor's aid.

"Things are now in motion that cannot be undone," Gandalf had also said before he left.

Noelle wondered if those words were supposed to apply specifically to her or to everyone in general.

They rode hard for two days until they reached the encampment at Dunharrow in the late afternoon, which was a small valley beneath the White Mountains. As soon as they stepped into the valley, Noelle could sense Flash's skittishness.

"Hey are you alright there, buddy?" she asked, patting his shoulder.

"Not really," he answered. "Something feels off about this place, Noelle. You can't sense it?"

Noelle shifted in her saddle. The fact that he could sense something she couldn't made her uncomfortable. By this point they had reached the camp. There were thousands of soldiers.

It was weird to Noelle. She literally felt like she was back in the Clone Wars, even though this was such a different environment. The feel of it was familiar. The banter of soldiers. The tension before the battle. The somberness of the situation.

Noelle was getting Flash all untacked and tethered up beside Arod, when they heard piercing whinnies hit the air. She exchanged a look with Legolas and Gimli and dropped what she was going to follow them and see what was going on. They spotted Éomer who was carrying a saddle.

"The horses are restless, and the men are quiet," said Legolas.

Éomer's forehead creased. "They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain," he said.

Noelle was silent, remembering Flash's words. The Rohirrim obviously knew what was down there. Did they have some kind of superstition about this place? Why had they chosen to encamp here then?

"That road there, where does that lead?" asked Gimli, pointing to a narrow pathway cut into the mountainside.

Legolas's eyes narrowed, answering for Éomer. "That is the road to the Dimholt, the door under the mountain."

Huh, so he knew what it was.

"None who venture there ever return," Éomer replied finally. "That mountain is evil." With that, he turned back to untacking his horse.

Noelle frowned and gently grabbed Legolas's arm as Éomer walked away. "What's down there, Legolas?" she asked.

A grim look passed Legolas's face and he put his hand on her shoulder. "I will tell you later tonight."

Noelle hadn't forgotten about it either.

Unfortunately she was forced to share a tent with Éowyn. Aragorn had his own separate tent, while Legolas and Gimli also shared one across from her. Problem was, Éowyn liked to stay up late and keep the torches on.

Noelle lay curled up in the uncomfortable wooden cot with her eyes wide open, watching Éowyn fit a helmet onto Merry's head along with miniature-sized armor that had been Éomer's as a child.

"There," said Éowyn, standing up. "A true Esquire of Rohan."

"This is nice and all," Noelle said grumpily, "but can we dim the lights?"

Merry whipped out his sword, causing Éowyn to jump back in surprise. Obviously neither of them had heard her. Noelle shook her head and pursed her lips. She might as well sleep in Flash's stall for all this was worth.

"To the smithy go!" Éowyn called to Merry as he ran out of the tent. Noelle decided to get up as well. Outside around the campfire, Éomer and Gamling were eating dinner and talking in hushed tones.

"You should not encourage him," Éomer said to Éowyn.

"And you should not doubt him," Éowyn replied. "Why should Merry be left behind? He has as much cause to go to war as you!"

Noelle was standing a few feet behind them, and over to her right she saw Gimli making himself food and Legolas was watching him, with his back to her. She was going to go over to him to finish their conversation from earlier, but something Éomer said caught her attention.

"You know as little of war as that hobbit. When the fear takes him, and the blood, and the screams, and the horror of battle take hold, do you think he would stand and fight?" he challenged his sister.

Éowyn didn't answer.

"He would flee," Éomer replied for her. "And he would be right to do so. War is the province of men, Éowyn."

"Really?" Noelle stepped up next to Éowyn and raised her eyebrows. "Éomer, I fought in a war for three years. I was a commander. I led a battalion of soldiers into hundreds of missions with my general. I know what it's like. So what you just said is not true. And for the record. You should not doubt that hobbit, because hobbits are the reason we're going to win this fight-"

"Noelle."

She felt an arm on her shoulder and turned around to see Legolas looking between her, Éomer and Éowyn. "Isn't there something you wanted to discuss with me?"

"Yeah... yes," Noelle breathed out, her eyes still locked with Éomer who looked more shocked than angry with how she had just started going off at him. "I'm sorry." With that, he gently led her away over to his and Gimli's tent.

"You alright there, lass?" Gimli asked between a mouthful of food.

Noelle nodded. "Yeah. His statement just made me... upset. How dare-"

"Noelle?" Legolas cut her off and gestured to the inside of the tent.

Noelle sighed. "Right." She followed him inside. Their tent was big enough for two people, but it was obvious that Gimli was the only one who used it. Legolas rarely slept.

"I am sorry," he said. "Are you… alright?"

Noelle nodded. Really it felt more like a rhetorical question. She was never alright anymore. "You know Legolas," she breathed. "I feel like I've been spending an awful lot of nights with you lately..."

Legolas reached over for her hand. "And I shall hope to spend many more with you in the future," he said with a smirk and a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Even though it was quite a cool night, Noelle felt her cheeks heat up at Legolas's somewhat suggestive comment. "That's not what I meant at all!" she cried defensively.

Legolas shook his head amusedly. "I know. I was teasing. I'm sorry."

"I know that too," Noelle replied, rolling her eyes playfully. "Remember what you were supposed to tell me? What's in that mountain?" Her voice lowered to a whisper.

Legolas's face immediately took on a more serious look. "An army," he whispered back. "An accursed army."

"An army?" Noelle repeated in disbelief.

Legolas nodded and gave a slight sigh, knowing this required more of an explanation, seeing Noelle's raised eyebrows. "Long ago during the Battle that ended the Second Age they swore an oath to Elendil, the last King of Gondor."

"Aragorn's ancestor."

"Yes. They swore an oath to come to his aid in battle, but instead they fled into the mountains. So Isildur cursed them. Never to rest until they fulfilled their pledge."

Noelle snorted sarcastically. "So my question is: why are we here? Don't you think that's ironically bad luck?"

Legolas chuckled. "There is a reason we are here, Noelle. Gandalf told Aragorn to come to Minas Tirith by another road."

Noelle just stared at him with her mouth agape. She really didn't understand where he was going with this. "Yeah? And?"

"Dear Noelle!" Legolas laughed. Then he shook his head. "You know we cannot win this fight? Not without help." His eyes took on a faraway look and he must have been remembering the last time they had a conversation like this. His eyes met hers.

"Aragorn is going to get a dead army to help us fight at Minas Tirith?"

Legolas cleared his throat. "Yes- that is my assumption. If Gondor falls, there is next to nothing between Sauron and the free peoples of Middle earth."

Noelle nodded. And nothing between Sauron and me.

Suddenly a frown passed over Legolas's face. His head jerked up suddenly. "He is leaving," he whispered.

"Who?" Noelle asked, alarmed.

"Aragorn. We must go." Legolas grabbed his bow and quiver of arrows and began to head for the entrance, but he stopped, because Noelle hadn't moved. He strode back over and touched her arm. "What is wrong?"

Noelle stood stone-still, not knowing how to answer, because she didn't know either. "I don't know Legolas. That's the frustrating part. I don't have any answers. None. Except maybe a clue."

The Elf tilted his head and studied the somewhat hopeless expression her face had taken on. "And what might that be?"

"That I'm looking for answers in the wrong places."