Once we made it out of the mines we almost collapsed on the rocky plains of the surrounding area. I held a sobbing Merry and Pippin close to me, I myself was still in shock. How could I forget that we would lose Gandalf? I should have known… When I look at Boromir, I know something will happen. But with Gandalf I didn't suspect anything like this… Was this supposed to happen? Was it my fault?

"Legolas, get them up." I looked up, tears clouding my vision. Both Aragorn and Legolas were starting to pull the Hobbits to their feet. I didn't understand the rush, since we had made it out of the mines. Doesn't he see they are in pain and need a moment to collect themselves?

"Give them a moment for pity's sake!" Boromir stopped trying to calm down Gimli and shook his head in disapproval. The Hobbits had taken it the hardest it seemed, most of them had known the wizard since they were children.

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlórien." He stopped in front of me and held out his hand.

"We need to go. We can mourn him when we make it into the safety of the woods." I took his hand and let him pull me to my feet. He was right. It wouldn't do us any good to stay here. And Gandalf would have died for nothing if we gave up now. I helped Merry and Pippin to get ready again. Looking up I noticed Frodo had already wandered a few feet ahead, turning back towards us with tears streaming down his face. We were ready to leave within minutes and Aragorn guided us off the rocky hills. Further down behind the sea of grass covering the foot of the mountain, I could see the treelines emerging. Soon we had crossed the open space and made it through the first row of trees. We stopped for the briefest of moments before Aragorn ushered us forward and deeper between the ever growing trees again.
"Can't we rest for just a moment? The Hobbits won't make it much further at this rate…" The ranger shot me a look over his shoulder, while he helped Frodo climb a massive tree that had fallen over and now blocked the way.
"We can't risk it. We need to get deeper and into the safety of the inner forest. And fast." His words were marked by a dull thud and some curses from Gimli, who had just fallen off the top of the tree onto the other side.
"Still in one piece… Still in one piece… Damn trees…" Despite the situation we were in I almost had to laugh upon hearing the dwarf's muffled voice. With an ease that surprised me, I pulled myself up the wood and jumped down, landing safely on my feet.
"At least someone made it over without landing on their nose…" I ignored Gimli's mood swings and helped Boromir get the remaining Hobbits down. Before looking back up at the Gondorian, to help him with our equipment, I told Pippin to stay close before his curiosity could get the best of him again.
"I am surprised the little one lets you keep him on the short leash."
"I wouldn't count on it for long. I am just trying to keep him from endangering himself before he does something stupid again." Boromir nodded while watching the Hobbit stare off between the trees. I feared something had caught his interest already and therefore was glad that all of our group had made it over the fallen tree by now.
We continued to walk in relative silence for a while. At least Aragorn had agreed that there was no more need to keep running at this point. I overheard Gimli telling the Halflings that there was an evil elven witch roaming these woods, making those who fell under her spell disappear. I almost snorted. I highly doubted that those stories were true when there were people actually left to talk about it.

"Well, here is one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily! I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox!" I stopped dead in my tracks when I caught a glimpse of something moving in the corner of my eye, right before there was suddenly an arrow pointed at my face. We were surrounded by elves, all pointing their arrows at our group. The only one moving was Legolas, who had his bow up as well. Hesitantly I reached for my sword, unsure what was going to happen.
"The dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the dark." An elf with long white blonde hair stepped forward. Like his companions he was dressed in mostly grey and brown, but it was more than obvious that he held command over the small party surrounding us. With a short movement of his hand all bows were lowered and next to me Legolas relaxed as well, which was my clue to take my hand off the handle of my sword. The elven commander took a look at our group before his eyes landed on me. His face gave no emotion away though his eyes remained fixed on me as he spoke again.
"Give up your weapons. You have my word no harm will come to you." I hesitated. I didn't like the idea of giving up my weapons.
"Never trust the word of an elf!"
"Gimli!" Aragorn gave him a sharp glare before slowly reaching for his sword and handing it over to the elf next to him.
Still feeling warry, I unbuckled the belt holding my sword and knives and handed them over to an elf with chestnut brown hair. I felt uncomfortable as he kept staring at me while passing on my belongings. Boromir lost his cool the second the elf put his hands on me. Faster than I could have reacted, he had stepped forward and pushed me behind him, standing tall and threatening in front of the elf.
"I need to check for hidden weapons…"
"No, you don't. You want to touch her, you have to go through me first." His voice was harsh and there was a deadly glimmer in his eyes. Uncertain what to do the elf looked at his commander. They exchanged a few quick words in Sindarin. Too quick for me to understand everything, just that he should trust me to have given up all of my weapons.
"I think it will be alright." I lightly touched Boromir's arm and he seemed to relax a little. After all of my companions had given up on their weapons, of course Gimli loudly expressed his discontent, Aragorn took a step forward, only to be stopped by the blonde elf.
"Before we take you into the heart of Lothlórien, the dwarf shall be blindfolded. Never has one of his kind laid eyes on our treasured home. And I do not intend to show him the way." My eyes shot back towards Gimli, who had turned a deep crimson red and was obviously not far from throwing a tantrum. To my surprise it was Legolas laying a calming hand on his shoulder.
"If one of us is to be blindfolded, so shall the rest of us." The elf watched him for a second and then slightly bowed his head.
"As you wish. Cover their eyes." One by one my companions let themselves be blindfolded by the elves. Boromir gave me a soft smile and promised to stay by my side. However the elf tasked to blindfold me seemed a little uncertain. He asked something I didn't understand but had his commander come over. They started discussing in Sindarin and with low voices.
"I can blindfold myself…" The blonde elf turned his head towards me and looked at me with surprise. I hadn't even realised I spoke in the elven tongue until the words had left me. He now turned towards me fully, taking the blindfold from his subordinate in the process. He didn't say anything when he got behind me and put the dark fabric over my eyes and secured it.
"No more surprises." His grip on my arm was tight as he pushed me forward towards someone else and gave some commands.

It took some getting used to walking through the forest blindfolded and on more than one occasion I lost my footing and stumbled a little before someone could prevent me from falling on my face. I soon lost every sense of direction and time while we were being guided through the forest. Every now and then I heard whispering among the elves, too low to get what they were talking about.
"Still in one piece, little girl?" I was relieved to hear his voice so close to me, since I had no idea where my companions were.
"As surprising as it may be, I didn't fall and crack my skull yet." The Gondorian chuckled softly on my left side.
"How long do you think we have been walking?"
"I am not sure. A couple of hours I guess. Not that I could make out any light through this blindfold anyways. But I suppose it must be somewhat close to nightfall, given how long we took to get through Moria…" I hummed in response. We fell silent again, but I could still feel his presence close to me.

Some time after that we suddenly came to a stopp and I flinched when the blindfold was lifted off my eyes. I blinked several times as my eyes adjusted to the dim light. The trees around us were now a lot taller than the ones on the outskirts of the forest we last saw. Where I could make out the sky through the leaves above our heads, it was a dark blue, illuminated with stars and the last of the fading sunlight. We were led up to one of the highest trees, around which wooden steps led up into the darkening sky. With uncertainty I followed Aragorn, staying close to the tree itself since I was afraid of the height. When we finally reached the last steps we found ourselves on a vast platform overlooking the surrounding forest.
"Mae govannen, Legolas Thranduilion." The blonde commander greeted Legolas and bowed his head to Aragorn, welcoming him as well. From the few words of greeting exchanged, I got that the elf was named Haldir. He kept talking in Sindarin until Gimli interrupted him.
"So much for the legendary courtesy of the elves! Speak words we can all understand." Haldir watched him for a second before slowly replying.
"We have not had dealings with the dwarves since the dark days."
"And do you know what this dwarf says to that? Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul!" The dwarf was immediately reprimanded by Aragorn that this wasn't any better behavior. The blonde elf turned away and looked at the Hobbits, especially Frodo.
"You bring great evil with you… You can go no further." Frodo looked away quickly, avoiding his gaze like a shy animal. The elf's eyes stayed on him a while longer before finding mine.
"And something not from this world." His eyes bore into mine and I flinched when I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder. Legolas had crouched down next to me, a bowl filled with water in one hand.
"I thought you might want to clean off all of that blood." I gave him a small smile. I had totally forgotten about all that black Orc blood smeared on my face and hands.
"What are they talking about?" I nodded towards Aragorn and Haldir, who were discussing something.
"Aragorn tries to convince the marchwarden that we mean no harm to Lothlórien. It might help our case that Haldir has known him since he was a child. Don't worry, it will turn out right." He took the cloth from my hand and helped clean my face since I missed most of the grime.
"Try to get some rest. Who knows how much time you have to recover." Legolas leaned down to plant a kiss on my forehead before walking over to Boromir, so he might clean himself up a little as well. I pulled my legs up to my chest and leaned against the tree's bark. It irritated me a little that the wood felt warm against my skin.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but at some point I must have dozed off a little. Taking in my surroundings I noticed Aragorn was still talking to Haldir. Frodo seemed to have fallen asleep and Boromir was talking to the other Halflings. I slowly got back to my feet without making too much noise. I started walking around the tree, away from the few lights and into the shadow. I followed the urge to be alone for a while. There was a gap in the low railing surrounding the platform, leading onto a thicker branch. Despite my hatred for heights I grabbed the branch over my head and carefully set a foot on the thick branch in front of me. I walked out as far as I dared and admired the view it allowed me. The forest beneath seemed ancient and to go on forever like a dark turquoise ocean.
I wished Gandalf was here. I can't believe he is gone. Just like that… I felt dread creep up inside and the tears I held up all day now started flowing down my cheeks. Even if I hadn't known the old wizard for that long, his death left a hole inside. He had always been there to reassure me that it was no mistake that I had come to Middle Earth. That I would find my place in this world. That I had already found friends in the short time I had been here. Absentmindedly I touched my necklace. One friend I had found for sure. I just hoped to see him again one day. Talk to him about this journey. I shushed the small voice in my head telling me that Glorfindel had probably forgotten about me already. If I was honest with myself I wasn't really sure what he had seen in me. At least I can be sure I wasn't just any human passing through his life. He wouldn't have given me his sister's necklace if I was, would he?

"You shouldn't be wandering off like that. One might get the impression you have something to hide." I flinched and almost let go of the branch I was holding on to. I turned my head to look over my shoulder. I hadn't noticed the marchwarden following me. He held out one hand towards me in silence and after a moment of hesitation I accepted the help to get back on the platform. As soon as my feet touched the wooden planks I realised just how much safer I felt on solid ground and wondered how I managed to actually get onto that branch.
"You were crying." It wasn't a question and I nodded.
"It is hard to accept that Gandalf is dead…"
"Yes. His death is heavily mourned. He was always a loyal friend to my kin." I watched his profile, trying to understand what was on his mind.
"I should get back to the others." I had only made one step back to where I came from, before his arm blocked my way.
"I can't help but wonder how a woman ended up in the company of seasoned warriors and Halflings. The lady of the forest told me where to find your small party, but even she was oblivious to your existence until you crossed the borders to our lands." His breath against the shell of my ear sent a shiver down my spine.
"The lady of the forest…" I whispered and an image of a beautiful elven woman, dressed in white and silver, shot through my mind. I stumbled back a little when I heard a soft female voice in my head.
"Kayleigh… You have come a long way. A way paved with blood…" I shook my head in confusion and noticed Haldir was watching me with interest.
"There is more to you than you show." He lightly brushed his fingertips against my necklace, which I had forgotten to put back under my blouse. "Certainly a lot more. It has been a long time since I last saw this. You must mean a lot to Glorfindel to give up this token."
"I am not so sure about being anything special." It took me a little by surprise when he grabbed my arm.
"You survived the attack of an enemy that killed warriors far beyond your skills. I know those markings. I have seen them before. You may have survived but a glimmer of that darkness will always reside in you. There may come a time you don't recognize yourself anymore, when that darkness will try to turn you against those you cherish." I tried pulling away from him. His words scared and confused me. The elf wouldn't let go of me.
"What are you trying to say?"
"That you have no idea what you got yourself into. That you probably won't even survive long enough to see the outcome of your endeavor."

Haldir's words kept playing over and over in my head. Again he was talking to Aragorn, who still tried to convince him to let us enter the heart of Lothlórien.
"You are awfully quiet, lass." I looked up when Gimli sat down next to me. I hadn't noticed him approaching me since I was buried so deep inside my own head.
"I don't like that worried scowl on your face one bit. Spill it already, girl." I let out a long sigh as the dwarf kept going.
"It is just something the marchwarden said to me… It is really nothing you should concern yourself with. It just got me thinking, that's all."
"Bloody elves! Don't you listen to a word he says. Elves always…" I never heard the end of it. Gimli stopped rambling on about elves the second he realised four of them were watching us.
"Maybe you should keep your opinion to yourself for a little while." The dwarf grunted at my words but seemed to take my advice to heart after all. Even if we were not the enemy, I highly doubted the elves would have listened to more insults coming from the dwarf.
"When morning comes you shall be allowed to enter Caras Galadon." My eyes briefly met with those of the elven commandant before he turned around and left us again.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"That, Pippin, means he is going to take us into the heart of the forest tomorrow. Aragorn must have succeeded in convincing him that we need his help." The Halfling looked at me with wide eyes.
"So we will see the elven witch?" I gave him a disapproving glance.
"You shouldn't always believe everything you are told. Most of the time things are very different." He looked to the ground a little ashamed and apologised for his words. I got back up to my feet and walked over to Boromir. For the first time he looked exhausted.
"You look tired." He looked up at me and smiled.
"Do you think you look any better, little girl?" I smiled and playfully toed his boot. "Let's get some rest. Who knows how far it is until we reach the heart of the forest." I nodded and curled into the Gondorian's side, like I did a lot lately. He had become something like a big brother to me. Since I never had siblings I figured that was what family felt like at least. While I was dozing off, I thought I heard Haldir's voice close by, talking to Boromir.

I looked in awe ahead at the hill in front of us, adorned with huge Mallorn trees holding up a beautiful glowing city as it seemed from here. It was already late afternoon although we started walking through the forest, as Haldir had promised, with the rising sun. This time he had refrained from blindfolding us, stating that we must have already lost all sense of direction anyways.
"Caras Galadhon. The heart of Elvendom on earth. Realm of the Lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, Lady of Light." I looked over at Haldir who gestured towards the huge trees and the city atop. I didn't know why but every time I looked at it, it made me smile and filled me with warmth. After a few moments we continued our way towards the elven city and I assumed we would reach it well after sundown.
"You seem rather excited." My heart skipped a beat when the marchwarden was suddenly beside me.
"The city is beautiful from far away. I can only imagine its beauty up close. Rivendell was a sight to behold but it seems to pale in comparison to Lorién's realm." He chuckled softly and I looked up at him, a little caught off guard.
"You surely have a way around words. I promise you, Rivendell is indeed a jewel of our kind, but the city of Galadhrim has no equal in this world."I had to smile a little at the look of admiration and pride on his face.
"Not only in this world. I wish there had been cities like this where I come from…" If he had any opinion on my statement he gave nothing away, just sped up again and took his place at the front.

As I had assumed it took us a few more hours to reach the Mallorn trees, which were even more impressive up close. The sun had already set and from far above a warm glimmer illuminated the night sky. Again we were led up a flight of stairs, only this time decorated with pillars similar to those decorating the halls in Rivendell. I silently started wondering what it was with elves and their seeming habit of building up high on mountains and trees. The higher we climbed the stairs, the more I understood. The view was beautiful, even now in the nightly dark. I had noticed early on, upon arriving in Middle Earth, that the landscapes were similar to my world, still different. Like from an ancient world or a fairy tale. I had the same feeling when I once traveled to Iceland with my father, it had been the same feeling of mystery underlining the familiarity of the land.
We were led further to what might have been some kind of hall or throne room in an actual building. Coming down another, much smaller, flight of stairs and hand in hand were two elves. One male and one female. I assumed they were Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. He had long silver hair. When I looked at the lady I gasped softly. It was the woman I had seen in my vision. She gave me a soft smile, as if she had heard me. I couldn't tear my eyes away, she was so beautiful, still I could almost feel the power radiating off of her.
"The Enemy knows you have entered here. What hope you had in secrecy is now gone. Nine that are here yet ten there were 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." I felt a pang of guilt at Celeborn's words. For a few hours I had almost forgotten about Gandalf. Ashamed I looked to the floor, as did most of our company.
"Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders to this land. He has fallen into shadow." Celeborn looked at Galadriel and I felt Aragorn's hand heavy on my shoulder while Legolas answered.
"He was taken by both Shadow and flame. A Balrog of Morgoth. For we went needlessly into the net of Moria." My heart was heavy and I fought to keep in the tears as the feeling of hopelessness washed over me again.
"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life. We do not yet know his full purpose…" The lady kept talking but I found it difficult to really listen to what she said. The same time her voice was loud in my head, full of warmth and comfort.
"Welcome to Lothlorién, Kayleigh. Do not let despair consume you. Gandalf's death was not in vain, it was his choice. Your burden is not his death, yours might be even heavier… Rest for now." I flinched when her voice became louder again and I realised she stopped talking to me in my mind, while she continued talking to everyone in the room.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight you will sleep in peace." With a soft smile to all of us she turned around and Haldir motioned for us to follow him.