Chapter 7
After purchasing a horse for Rinq, they began heading west to Lothlorien. Legolas had traveled there a few times in the past, and had been amazed at it; the City of Lights was something to behold. The entire realm was almost blinding, the trees glowing with life. They traveled in silence, and reached Lothlorien by the end of the day, for it was not far from where they had stayed the night. The entire world around them was filled with bright yellows and whites; even the ground itself looked white, though she knew that she walked on grass, how could it be white?
An attendant came over and took their horses. "You shall see the Lady of the Wood now, for you are not tired, but anxious to see her." Another Elf came and led them up many stairs, until they were finally standing in front of one last staircase. Rinq imagined what she must be like, glowing and beautiful, eyes full of countless ages of wisdom.
Legolas noticed that in the light of Lorien, Rinq had regained some of the fairness she had seemed to loose in the sunlight; she was looking around in wonder, like a small child first seeing the towers of Minas Tirith for the first time; Legolas had himself when his father had traveled there long ago and brought him with. Her eyes seemed to not be able to take all of it in. She turned her head slowly when she heard footsteps ahead of her…
"Welcome to Lothlorien, son of Thranduil, and seeker of answers." She looked at Rinq as she walked slowly down the steps, the light in Lothlorien seemingly increasing substantially. "Legolas, I wish to you to leave Enriqua with me. I must speak with the girl alone, for indeed you are only a girl, only 954 years old."
Legolas looked at Rinq, who looked down, trying to think if her age would give her anything inside of her head. "Yes, milady." Legolas turned and began walking back down the stairs, and Galadriel looked back at Rinq.
So you have gotten here, what now will you learn?
I don't know…things that I don't wish to know.
But they will be laid out before you despite your preference….
"You're the voice, aren't you, Lady?" Rinq looked right back at Galadriel, in the same way that she was trying to peer into Rinq's soul…if she even had one.
"No, I am not. I knew about it though, I knew that it was guiding you to me, because it wanted you to find the truth."
"Will I find what I seek here?"
"Yes, I think you shall. For I know of the going-on's from long ago, and I know some things that Elrond does not know either." She walked down the final step, and came over and looked down at Rinq; the Lady was very tall, and stood nearly a complete 3 inches over Rinq. "Follow me."
She did so, as Galadriel led her up the stairs from which she came from, and through many archways, then down another yet another staircase, and then they were there, in a small grass clearing, with a small stone pillar, that stood only to Galadriel's waist, with a metal basin in the center of the top.
"This is a mirror. It shows many things, but in your case, it might show what you need." She grabbed a metal basin, and walked over to a small fountain that was embedded in the earthen wall, and filled it with water, which she poured into the basin; the water was clear, it looked as though there was nothing in the basin at all to Rinq… Then an image formed.