They belong to Tolkien and Whedon, not me.

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Blindfolds and a Bath

Morning dawned bright and cool. Sunlight filtered through the branches of the mellyrn trees showering the company in golden sparks as they prepared to journey the short distance to the heart of Lothlorien. Rested and clear headed they dropped from the talans to meet Haldir and a group of Lorien Elves who would serve as their guides through the Golden Wood. After a quick breakfast the Elves led the Fellowship over the fast running stream Celebrant. Once everyone had made it to the eastern bank Haldir waved the Fellowship over to where he stood.

"Now friends," he said, "you have entered the Naith of Lorien, or the Gore, as you would say. We allow no strangers to spy out the secrets of the Naith. Few indeed are permitted to set foot there. In keeping with this custom I shall blindfold the eyes of Gimli the Dwarf. The others make walk free for awhile, until we come nearer to our dwellings."

Buffy leaned over to Frodo, "Why only Gimli?"

"Elves and dwarves despise each other. They have for thousands of years." he answered.

"I will not walk blindfolded like a beggar or a prisoner," said Gimli angrily. "And I am no spy. I am no more likely to betray you than Legolas, or any other of my companions."

Buffy silently agreed with the dwarf. It certainly didn't seem fair to treat him like a criminal.

"I do not doubt you," Haldir was saying, "Yet this our law and I cannot set it aside."

"I will go forward free," Gimli insisted, "or I will go back and seek my own land."

"A plague on dwarves and their stiff necks!" said Legolas and Buffy looked at him sharply. She would have been just as upset as Gimli at being treated this way.

"Come!" said Aragorn. "If I am to lead this company you must do as I bid. It is hard upon Gimli to be singled out. We will all be blindfolded, even Legolas. That will be best, though it will make the journey slow and dull."

"Good idea," Buffy said impressed with Aragorn's handling of the sensitive matter. The man really was a born leader.

"I will be content, if only Legolas here shares my blindness." Gimli said smugly.

"I am an elf and a kinsman here," Legolas said.

"We will all fare alike," Aragorn decreed.

Buffy saw Legolas flush with anger at this. She walked over and placed a hand gently on his arm.

"It won't be so bad," she said. "I'll let you hold my hand."

The elf cracked a small smile but it faded quickly. "My heart has long desired to walk through this wood and to be denied, it is most cruel."

"You can always return when this is all over."

"It is likely I will never return from the road ahead."

Buffy forced the elf to look her in the eye.

"You will return," she said stubbornly. "We will defeat this and no-one is going to die. I won't stand for it. Too many have died already and I am tired of saying goodbye to people."

Buffy had visibly grown upset and Legolas covered her hand with his own.

"It is we, now?" he asked. "Have you given up on returning to your home?"

"No, of course not, I -" Buffy hadn't even realized she had said we. She didn't know why she had said it but now wasn't the time analyze her choice of vocabulary. "Just promise me, please, we will all make it through this."

His answer suddenly seemed so important to Buffy though she did not know why.

"I promise that I will do everything in my power to see that we all return."

That wasn't exactly what she had asked for but it would do.

Buffy stood next to Legolas and Sam as Haldir tied blindfolds around their eyes. It was so strange to be unable to see. She decided to make the journey less boring by having various members of the company test her reflexes while blind. It gave the others something to do and she got to sharpen her senses. Merry and Pippin thought it great fun and enjoyed finding things to throw at her. She only bested Legolas once due to his light feet and didn't fair much better with Aragorn. With something to occupy them time passed quickly and soon Haldir stopped them.

"You may remove your blindfolds," he said, "Welcome to Caras Galadhon."

Buffy tugged the cloth from her eyes and gasped in shocked. All about them stood the tallest trees she had ever seen and upon their high branches sat houses. Not small structures but large homes whose light glittered among the leaves. Intricately carved staircases wound about the massive trunks and led up into the high trees. Elves of almost ethereal beauty wandered about. They looked like angels with their flowing garments and truly this seemed to be a Heavenly place if ever there was one. This was a world unto itself. Tranquility and peace hung in the air relieving the Fellowship of worries and causing them relax.

"This is the most beautiful place I have ever seen," Buffy said.

"Truly it is," Boromir agreed from beside her. "Though I cannot feel completely at ease. Something in my heart does not allow me to feel comfortable here."

Buffy noticed the tense set of his shoulders. "Whatever it is that has been bothering you, you should let it go."

"That is not so easily done."

"Sometimes it helps to talk about problems. If you ever need a friendly ear I'm there." She squeezed his arm and then followed behind Frodo as Haldir led them up one of the staircases.

The climb seemed endless before they finally reached their destination. Buffy stepped onto a wide platform that led up another wider staircase. Her eyes widened as two luminous figures made their way down to the Fellowship. Garbed all in white with hair of gold Galadriel looked as she had in Buffy's dream but to be in her physical presence was quite a different experience. She did not have power she was power. Her strength was not threatening though, instead Buffy felt safer and more peaceful than she had in years. Beside Galadriel stood an Elf just as tall and regal as the Lady. It was he who addressed the Fellowship first.

"Ten there were that set out from Rivendell, tell me where is Gandalf for I much desired to be speak with him."

Buffy felt a pang at the reminder of Gandalf's demise but it was quickly overshadowed as Galadriel spoke for the first time.

"He has fallen into shadow," she said in a distressed voice. The surrounding elves gasped in horror as her words were confirmed by Aragorn.

"This is grave tidings indeed," said Celeborn. "I must here this tale but at a later time."

"Yes," agreed Galadriel, "go and rest for you are weary with much sorrow and toil."

As she continued to speak her eyes rested briefly on each member of the Fellowship. Buffy froze as Galadriel's eyes met hers. Buffy felt as if the elf were looking through her not at her.

"Once again I welcome you to Lothlorien," Buffy was startled to hear Galadriel's voice in her head. "We have much to discuss Slayer. I shall seek you out once you have rested be prepared to heed my call."

Buffy shook her head and looked up surprised to find that the Lord and Lady had already departed. It seemed as if she had blacked out for a moment. She felt so drained all of sudden as if she hadn't slept in days.

"Are you all right?" Legolas asked.

"Just tired," she sagged against him and he caught her around her waist to keep her from falling.

"Buffy!" he said alarmed.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she tried to stand on her own but her legs wouldn't obey and she sank into darkness.

"Aragorn!" Legolas called.

"What happened?" Aragorn said upon seeing an unconscious Buffy in Legolas's arms.

"She collapsed."

Aragorn checked Buffy's breathing and felt for a fever but found none.

"She is merely asleep." he said. "Come bring her this way, they have set up a pavilion for us to rest upon."

Legolas carried Buffy to a plot of ground that had been covered with a smooth coverlet and many pillows. He laid her down and she sighed contentedly. Somehow over the short period of time that he had known her she had become so important to him. A part of him wanted her to find her way back to her world because she desired it so. However, the thought of her leaving Middle-Earth forever did not sit well with him.

He sighed deeply and sank down beside her, watching her as she slept.

* * *

Voices sang a sad lilting song that called Buffy to wakefulness. She stretched out and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Feeling very rested she sat up looking for her companions. Wait a minute, she thought, how did I get here? The last thing she remembered was Galadriel's voice in her head then blackness.

"What happened?," she asked softly.

"You fainted," Legolas said causing Buffy to jump. She hadn't seen him sitting just behind her.

" I what?"

"You collapsed just after the Lord and Lady left us to seek our rest. How do you feel?"

"Fine." Buffy answered. She couldn't believe she had fainted. She hadn't been hurt or injured or anything. "You must think I am a total wuss."

"A wuss?" Legolas asked confused. She said the oddest things sometimes.

"Never mind," Buffy had long given up trying to explain the meaning of slang words.

"You slept all of today and it is dark now. You should have told Aragorn you were so tired."

"I wasn't I -"

Buffy was interrupted as two elven women appeared before them. They wore matching grey dresses and their hair was braided in long strands.

"We are handmaidens to the Lady of the Golden Wood. She wishes you to attend her Buffy daughter of Hank."

Buffy had known this was coming so she wasn't terribly surprised but Legolas was.

"Don't worry," she told him.

"I'm not," he said. He knew Galadriel wouldn't harm Buffy but he was curious as to what the Lady wanted with her. What if she knew how to send Buffy home?

Buffy followed the elves as they led her through a maze of trees. Stepping through a clump of bushes she found herself looking down on a clear pool. She didn't see Galadriel anywhere.

"The Lady thought you might wish to wash the dirt of travel from you. We will bring fresh clothes for you to change into." said one of the handmaidens.

A bath. Suddenly it seemed to be the best thing in the world. Buffy silently thanked Galadriel before heading down to the pool and gratefully stripping off her dirty clothes. It felt a bit strange to be bathing outside where anyone could see and to be doing it at night was even weirder. But she was so desperate to be clean she just didn't care. The water was clear, cool, and refreshing. Buffy swam back and forth across the pool and then rinsed the dirt from her hair.

"I have brought you some towels and a dress to wear for the time being."

Buffy jumped as one of the handmaidens appeared from nowhere and laid out some clothes over a smooth rock.

"Umm, thank you."

The elf nodded and disappeared the way she had come. Buffy dried off and dressed herself in a lovely flowing gown of a soft golden color. There were no shoes and her boots had been taken away with her old clothes so she was left barefoot. The grass was cool and soft beneath her feet so she didn't mind. She dried and brushed her hair with a beautifully carved wooden comb then looked down at her reflection in the smooth water of the pool. She felt like a new person.

"The Lady awaits you." said a voice from behind her causing Buffy to start in surprise.

"Would you stop doing that?" Buffy said irritated.

The elf simply looked back at her serenely and then motioning for her to follow turned and walked away. Buffy took a step and tripped over her hem.

"Damn it," she muttered. It would be hard to get used to wearing such a long dress. She grabbed a handful of skirt and held it up out of her way as she hurried after her guide.

The Lady of the Wood was waiting.