(('Kay, I know Kathy, keira, and Cait are going to lynch me, but i've only written two chapters this week----HOWEVER Next week I'll more than likely post three to four chapters, so be ready! Have fun, and thank you all for your kind reviews. ::swoon!: You like me! You really really like me!))
After a moment, Kara looked around and realized there was no sign of the Fellowship. The snow was unsullied except for her own footprints. Kara walked all around the rockface she had emerged from. She could neither see nor hear any sign of them. The fire in her still burned, spreading outward from the pendant fused into her breast. She looked down at the Mark she bore and muttered.
"Where from here? Where is the ringbearer?" At the word Ringbearer, her chest inflated almost to the point of pain. Kara cringed, then watched the scenery begin to move past as her feet began to fly through the snow.
Kara had not been running long when a sound startled her. It was distant and faint, but she knew it well. It was the sound of sobbing. Kara slowed down and made her way slowly around a boulder that jutted out from the mountainside. The rocks were slippery, and she had to go slow to keep steady. She could now hear faint and familiar voices, and sucked in her breath. It was the fellowship. Kara's heart fluttered with joy, giving her the strength to leap out from behind the rock.
Her stomach sank at what she saw.
Those of the group that were not weeping bitterly carried an expression that stabbed Kara like a knife. Their eyes looked around blindly, uncomprehending of what they saw. A fog of pain caused any that tried to walk to stumble.
And Gandalf was nowhere to be seen.
Kara's feet now felt leaden as she staggered toward her friends. Aragorn and Boromir were arguing. Both men's eyes were filled with tears. Kara could understand little of what was said. They did not notice her as she crept closer. Finally, she spoke.
"What happened?"
The two turned and looked at her with startled eyes.
"Kara...we didn't know what had become of you, little one." Aragorn tried to smile.
"What happened?" She repeated, her heart thudding inside her chest. Boromir placed a hand gently on her shoulder.
"Gandalf has fallen."
The trip into Mirkwood was a blur for Kara. She neither asked what had happened to Gandalf, nor was she told. She simply walked beside Frodo and Sam, an arm around each of their shoulders. A numbing guilt ate at her heart, blocking out even the fire that still burned in her chest. She had left the fellowship, left her responsibility. Now she was at fault for the death of Gandalf the Grey, as wise as he was ancient. In him the greatest hope of the party had rested, and with him it had died. She could not help but feel responsibility.
Kara scarcely noticed Gimli's speech about the danger of these woods. The only words she offered to the conversation were to assure the hobbits of their safety. They passed streams and crossed a rushing river on a ridiculous rope-bridge. Kara took no notice. The Mark would allow her to cross it easily enough.
"Be careful..." Boromir cautioned her as he boosted her onto the makeshift highway. Kara paused for a moment, looking down at the abyss of his pain-filled eyes. Another swell of grief and guilt rushed up in her. Reaching down, she brushed a hand across his cheek. She was rewarded with a bittersweet smile that only twisted her heart more.
"I'm so sorry, Boromir." Before he could say anything to respond or question, she turned and began making her way across the web of ropes.
When Haldir and the other elves showed themselves, Kara paid little attention. She didn't protest the blindfold slipped over her eyes, simply held fast to her guide's arm and let whatever Force that controlled the Mark guide her feet. Once or twice, the elf that conducted her tried to speak with her in the common tongue. Kara whispered a minimal response, nothing more. The elf seemed to be taking pity on her.
"You have nothing to fear from us, my lady." Kara couldn't help but laugh, an angry, bitter sound that startled even her with its unfamiliar tone.
"It is not you I fear. If you were a danger to us, I would already know." From somewhere near her, Aragorn murmured for her to calm down. Kara's throat squeezed out a sigh, but she remained silent.
When the blindfold was removed from her eyes, Kara found herself in Lothlorien. Here was another legend made reality for her. As they were led through the moonlit stairways, Kara listened to the trees whisper in the night air. They seemed sad, as if they knew the grief the visitors bore.
Then they were brought into the throne room of Galadriel. Kara would have been overawed by the queen in her normal state of mind. As it was, she simply acknowledged her with a deep courtsey when introduced, then allowed her mind to wander again. The fiery glow was dying down. Fatigue was beginning to take over.
Then, out of the midst of her whirling thoughts, Kara saw a vision, clear as day. Even when Kara snapped her eyes shut, the waking dream played in front of her. Each one of the fellowship, in turn, brutally murdered. She herself was nowhere to be seen. One by one she watched her friends meet their death. The hobbits, emaciated and somber, run through by orcs, Legolas speared through the chest, Aragorn beheaded, Boromir thrown off a cliff by a nameless black creature.
Boromir. Kara's chest clenched. She found it hard to breathe. The voice of Galadriel whispered in her mind.
"Bearer of the Mark, we greet you. Your task has only begun...if you still accept it." Then Kara saw another vision, one of peace. A small house near Rivendell, a chance to study the ancient texts and learn from the wisest elves, and a beloved husband...It seemed that she was offering her a gentler life, a chance to turn back. Kara's head snapped up to look at the elvin queen. Galadriel continued to speak calmly to the rest of the fellowship, offering them refuge from the hard journey and time to grieve. Only once did she look at Kara, and that was to smile in kind acknowledgement.
Kara found it hard to hear. She felt the same weakness overtaking her as she had felt after her first orc kill. Her knees were buckling. Reaching out, she caught herself on Sam's low shoulder. Sam looked at her curiously. His cheeks were ruddy, as obviously the queen had just spoken in his mind as well. He scarcely dared to speak in Galadriel's presence, but at last he leaned over and whispered,
"Miss Kara are you all right? You look a little...off, if you see my meaning." Kara didn't bother to answer him. All her concentration was on not falling in the presence of the queen.
darted a look at Kara, then made a motion with her right hand to the rest of the group.
"Come." The word was soft enough from the queen's lips, but its force inside Kara's mind rocked her. She began to fall.
Two sets of hands caught and steadied her, placing her upright again. Galadriel seemed to take no notice, but something in Kara was sure the elf was looking at them hard. Aragorn took Kara's arm gently, leaving her to be supported by the other pair of hands.
"Are you all right, little one?" Kara nodded slightly, her features pinched with pain. Galadriel was walking ahead of them swiftly, her feet making no noise on the ground. The hobbits, Legolas, and Gimli trailed after her. Aragorn and Boromir urged Kara to follow, though they allowed her to lag behind. In an attempt to distract herself from the deathly fatigue, Kara looked up at Boromir's face, seeking strength there.
Boromir was pale, his lips turning a whitish tint. His hands were still warm, but they trembled. Kara squeezed his hand firmly. He would not look down at her, though Kara tried repeatedly to catch his eye. Aragorn wore much the same look, though to a lesser degree. In fact, Kara was sure she felt a tremor of discomfort through the entire fellowship eminating from the elf queen's burning gaze.
After a moment, Kara looked around and realized there was no sign of the Fellowship. The snow was unsullied except for her own footprints. Kara walked all around the rockface she had emerged from. She could neither see nor hear any sign of them. The fire in her still burned, spreading outward from the pendant fused into her breast. She looked down at the Mark she bore and muttered.
"Where from here? Where is the ringbearer?" At the word Ringbearer, her chest inflated almost to the point of pain. Kara cringed, then watched the scenery begin to move past as her feet began to fly through the snow.
Kara had not been running long when a sound startled her. It was distant and faint, but she knew it well. It was the sound of sobbing. Kara slowed down and made her way slowly around a boulder that jutted out from the mountainside. The rocks were slippery, and she had to go slow to keep steady. She could now hear faint and familiar voices, and sucked in her breath. It was the fellowship. Kara's heart fluttered with joy, giving her the strength to leap out from behind the rock.
Her stomach sank at what she saw.
Those of the group that were not weeping bitterly carried an expression that stabbed Kara like a knife. Their eyes looked around blindly, uncomprehending of what they saw. A fog of pain caused any that tried to walk to stumble.
And Gandalf was nowhere to be seen.
Kara's feet now felt leaden as she staggered toward her friends. Aragorn and Boromir were arguing. Both men's eyes were filled with tears. Kara could understand little of what was said. They did not notice her as she crept closer. Finally, she spoke.
"What happened?"
The two turned and looked at her with startled eyes.
"Kara...we didn't know what had become of you, little one." Aragorn tried to smile.
"What happened?" She repeated, her heart thudding inside her chest. Boromir placed a hand gently on her shoulder.
"Gandalf has fallen."
The trip into Mirkwood was a blur for Kara. She neither asked what had happened to Gandalf, nor was she told. She simply walked beside Frodo and Sam, an arm around each of their shoulders. A numbing guilt ate at her heart, blocking out even the fire that still burned in her chest. She had left the fellowship, left her responsibility. Now she was at fault for the death of Gandalf the Grey, as wise as he was ancient. In him the greatest hope of the party had rested, and with him it had died. She could not help but feel responsibility.
Kara scarcely noticed Gimli's speech about the danger of these woods. The only words she offered to the conversation were to assure the hobbits of their safety. They passed streams and crossed a rushing river on a ridiculous rope-bridge. Kara took no notice. The Mark would allow her to cross it easily enough.
"Be careful..." Boromir cautioned her as he boosted her onto the makeshift highway. Kara paused for a moment, looking down at the abyss of his pain-filled eyes. Another swell of grief and guilt rushed up in her. Reaching down, she brushed a hand across his cheek. She was rewarded with a bittersweet smile that only twisted her heart more.
"I'm so sorry, Boromir." Before he could say anything to respond or question, she turned and began making her way across the web of ropes.
When Haldir and the other elves showed themselves, Kara paid little attention. She didn't protest the blindfold slipped over her eyes, simply held fast to her guide's arm and let whatever Force that controlled the Mark guide her feet. Once or twice, the elf that conducted her tried to speak with her in the common tongue. Kara whispered a minimal response, nothing more. The elf seemed to be taking pity on her.
"You have nothing to fear from us, my lady." Kara couldn't help but laugh, an angry, bitter sound that startled even her with its unfamiliar tone.
"It is not you I fear. If you were a danger to us, I would already know." From somewhere near her, Aragorn murmured for her to calm down. Kara's throat squeezed out a sigh, but she remained silent.
When the blindfold was removed from her eyes, Kara found herself in Lothlorien. Here was another legend made reality for her. As they were led through the moonlit stairways, Kara listened to the trees whisper in the night air. They seemed sad, as if they knew the grief the visitors bore.
Then they were brought into the throne room of Galadriel. Kara would have been overawed by the queen in her normal state of mind. As it was, she simply acknowledged her with a deep courtsey when introduced, then allowed her mind to wander again. The fiery glow was dying down. Fatigue was beginning to take over.
Then, out of the midst of her whirling thoughts, Kara saw a vision, clear as day. Even when Kara snapped her eyes shut, the waking dream played in front of her. Each one of the fellowship, in turn, brutally murdered. She herself was nowhere to be seen. One by one she watched her friends meet their death. The hobbits, emaciated and somber, run through by orcs, Legolas speared through the chest, Aragorn beheaded, Boromir thrown off a cliff by a nameless black creature.
Boromir. Kara's chest clenched. She found it hard to breathe. The voice of Galadriel whispered in her mind.
"Bearer of the Mark, we greet you. Your task has only begun...if you still accept it." Then Kara saw another vision, one of peace. A small house near Rivendell, a chance to study the ancient texts and learn from the wisest elves, and a beloved husband...It seemed that she was offering her a gentler life, a chance to turn back. Kara's head snapped up to look at the elvin queen. Galadriel continued to speak calmly to the rest of the fellowship, offering them refuge from the hard journey and time to grieve. Only once did she look at Kara, and that was to smile in kind acknowledgement.
Kara found it hard to hear. She felt the same weakness overtaking her as she had felt after her first orc kill. Her knees were buckling. Reaching out, she caught herself on Sam's low shoulder. Sam looked at her curiously. His cheeks were ruddy, as obviously the queen had just spoken in his mind as well. He scarcely dared to speak in Galadriel's presence, but at last he leaned over and whispered,
"Miss Kara are you all right? You look a little...off, if you see my meaning." Kara didn't bother to answer him. All her concentration was on not falling in the presence of the queen.
darted a look at Kara, then made a motion with her right hand to the rest of the group.
"Come." The word was soft enough from the queen's lips, but its force inside Kara's mind rocked her. She began to fall.
Two sets of hands caught and steadied her, placing her upright again. Galadriel seemed to take no notice, but something in Kara was sure the elf was looking at them hard. Aragorn took Kara's arm gently, leaving her to be supported by the other pair of hands.
"Are you all right, little one?" Kara nodded slightly, her features pinched with pain. Galadriel was walking ahead of them swiftly, her feet making no noise on the ground. The hobbits, Legolas, and Gimli trailed after her. Aragorn and Boromir urged Kara to follow, though they allowed her to lag behind. In an attempt to distract herself from the deathly fatigue, Kara looked up at Boromir's face, seeking strength there.
Boromir was pale, his lips turning a whitish tint. His hands were still warm, but they trembled. Kara squeezed his hand firmly. He would not look down at her, though Kara tried repeatedly to catch his eye. Aragorn wore much the same look, though to a lesser degree. In fact, Kara was sure she felt a tremor of discomfort through the entire fellowship eminating from the elf queen's burning gaze.