Disclaimer: The first part of the chapter title and parts (okay, a lot) of this chapter are taken from the Fellowship of the Ring by his royal authorness, J.R.R. Tolkien.

A/N: I'm sorry, but this chapter is ridiculously long, because I have spent enough time in Lórien (9 chapters to be exact), but could I help it if important stuff happened there? Anyways, this chapter is long enough without my ramblings. Enjoy! And - review and I shall love you forever. =) **AS**

Chapter 21: The Mirror of Galadriel and Farewell to Lórien

The four stood in front of Celeborn and Galadriel, anxiously awaiting their decision.
"After much thought and discussion, we have decided that, for good or ill, you are meant to go with the Fellowship," Celeborn announced, still not completely convinced it was a good idea. "Galareal shall go with you and act as your guide. May the Valar protect you and guide you safely through your journey."
Smiles spread across the four friends faces, and Aria and Elwing squealed and hugged each other.
A small smile appeared on Celeborn's face. "Go and rest, you have a long, hard journey ahead of you."
The four thanked Celeborn and Galadriel and clamored down the tree. Upon reaching the bottom, Aria and Elwing began dancing and laughing happily.
Erestor smiled. "Stop acting like baby squirrels who found a nut and let's go get some dinner!"
"Dinner shall have to wait, Erestor," Galadriel's voice chided gently from behind the friends.
Erestor blushed, and Aria and Elwing quickly composed themselves. "What's up?" Elwing asked.
Galadriel smiled. "If you mean why must dinner wait, follow me, and you will see."
She led them toward the southern slopes of the hill of Caras Galadon, and passing through a high green hedge they came into an enclosed garden. No trees grew there, and it lay open to the sky. Aria looked up and saw the evening star shining with white fire above the western wood. Down a long flight of steps the Lady went into a deep green hollow, through which ran murmuring the silver stream that issued from the fountain on the hill. At the bottom, upon a low pedestal carved like a branching tree, stood a basin of silver, wide and shallow, and beside it stood a silver ewer.
With water from the stream Galadriel filled the basin to the brim, and breathed on it, and when the water was still again she spoke.
"Here is the Mirror of Galadriel," she said. "I have brought you here so that you may look in it, if you will."
The four friends looked at each other. "Who's first?" Aria asked.
No one spoke. "Don't all jump at once," Aria muttered.
"I'll go," Erestor said at last.
He walked to the Mirror and looked in. At first all he saw was the reflection of the sky. Then the stars disappeared, but the Mirror remained black. Suddenly lightning began to flash from the black. A great, black thundercloud was slowly passing over black, strangely shaped mountains. The thundercloud seemed to hover over a hill and the lightning was continuous and terrifying. Suddenly, by light of the lightning, Erestor saw a figure on the hill, but he could not make it out. Suddenly a large lightning bolt fell, striking the figure. Erestor leapt back from the Mirror with a cry.
The others looked at him in surprise. "What did you see?" Galareal asked.
"Nothing," Erestor said, looking quite shaken.
Galareal was confused. "Then why-"
Aria gave him a look that quieted him. "He'll tell us if he want to," she whispered.
"I guess I'm next," Elwing said, walking up to the Mirror.
Looking in, Elwing could see landscape passing by quickly below her, as if she were flying. On the horizon, black, scraggly mountains drew near. She passed over them and began flying over bleak, black land towards a black tower. With horror she realized she was looking at Barad-Dûr.
The scene changed, and she found herself looking at black halls and tunnels. Great, black double doors appeared before her and opened upon a large, dark hall. In the far back of the hall lurked a great, black shadow. Suddenly, a red eye like a cat's appeared midst the shadow. A voice like a serpent's hiss floated towards her. "How good of you to come, preciousss..."
The Mirror went black, and Elwing stumbled away from it, horrified at what she had seen.
"Are you okay?" Aria quietly asked Elwing as she came back and stood next to her.
Elwing nodded, but Aria could see she was scared.
"Well, I suppose I must go next," Galareal sighed.
He looked apprehensively into the Mirror, afraid of what he might see. The Mirror was pitch black, but he knew it was not from night. It was the pitch black of a cave. Galareal began to shake. His biggest fear was being in a dark cave. He had managed to hide it, but he had been terrified in Moria. But this was different than Moria; it was darker, more evil. Without knowing how, he knew he was lost. Lost in darkness.
The Mirror cleared, and Galareal shrank back from it, fear in his eyes. Aria looked at her friends. They had not said what they had seen, but they had all been scared. Aria looked at Galadriel, who was standing quietly beside the Mirror.
"You do not have to look," Galadriel said softly.
Aria shook her head. "No, I want to look."
Aria went to the Mirror, took a deep breath, and looked in.
At first she only saw the reflections of the stars, but slowly the stars began to swirl, making Aria slightly dizzy. Then the stars cleared, and she found herself looking at two paths. One was dark and foreboding, bending south to where it was lost in shadow. The other was bright and sunny, but it also held a slight sense of trepidation, and bent towards the north. Aria felt torn as she looked at the paths, not knowing which one to take. Then the Mirror cleared, and Aria stepped back, confused and troubled.
Galadriel looked at the four friends. Erestor had ceased shaking, but he was still surprised and frightened. Elwing's horror was mixed with fear and confusion, and Galareal was still as frightened as a kitten. Aria was confused and trying to make sense of what she had seen, as they all were.
"Lady Galadriel, will what we saw actually happen?" Elwing asked quietly.
Galadriel smiled at her kindly. "The Mirror shows many thing. Some never come to be, unless those that behold the visions turn aside from their path to prevent them. The Mirror is dangerous as a guide of deeds."
The four friends stood quietly, thinking of what they had seen and heard.
"Let us go, you must rest before your journey tomorrow," Galadriel said quietly.

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The four friends slept fitfully that night, each haunted by what the had seen in the Mirror.
In the morning, Elves came that could speak their tongue, bringing them food and clothes. Among the things they brought was something wrapped in leaves. Aria and Elwing opened one and were rewarded with the sight of a very thin cake, light brown on the outside and cream colored on the inside.
"Lembas!" Aria and Elwing cried.
The Elves laughed. "So you have heard of the waybread of the Elves. We are glad, but you must remember to eat it sparingly."
Aria rewrapped the lembas and put it in her pack. The others also packed lembas along with their other meager possessions.
Then the Elves gave them the cloaks they had brought. They fit each of them perfectly, and were very light. It was hard to say what color they were: gray with the hue of twilight under the trees they seemed to be; and yet if they were moved, or set in another light, they were green as shadowed leaves, or brown as fallow fields by night, dusk-silver as water under the stars. Each cloak was fastened about the neck with a brooch like a green leaf veined with silver.
The four friends put the cloaks on, amazed at how light they were. As they finished getting ready, the Elves walked up to Elwing and bowed.
"Your Majesty, we wish for you to have this, so that you may always remember fair Lothlórien." One of the Elves presented Elwing with a small necklace, the pendant of which was fashioned like a small silver mallorn with golden leaves.
Elwing, slightly embarrassed, took the necklace. "My thanks, fair Elves. Never shall I forget this beautiful land, nor the kindness of its inhabitants."
The Elves bowed again, then left. The others were grinning a little too broadly at Elwing. She glared at them.
"What," she growled.
Erestor grinned innocently. "Oh nothing - Your Majesty," he added with a bow.
Elwing grimaced. "Do that again and I shall have to hurt you."
The friends laughed, then ate breakfast, much to Erestor's delight. When they had finished, Erestor sighed.
"I shall miss Lórien to be sure, but I will miss the food very much," he said sadly.
The others sighed and rolled their eyes.
Just then, Haldir came walking up. "I have returned from the Northern Fences to lead you again," he said, a slightly sad tone in his voice.
Aria cocked her head. "Is something wrong, Haldir?"
Haldir sighed. "Is it not bad enough eight go to an uncertain fate? Must you all go as well?"
"It is our duty to go, just as it is your duty to stay and protect Lórien," Erestor said quietly.
Haldir said no more, but beckoned them to follow him and set off. As they walked through Caras Galadon, the green ways were full of Elves wishing to bid farewell to the Sunstar and the other fulfillers of the prophecy. Elwing had put on the necklace the Elves had given her (along with the necklace of the Sunstars), and the other Elves cheered when they saw this. At last Haldir lead them down the southward slopes of the hill, and they came again to the great gate hung with lamps, and to the white bridge; and so they passed out and left the city of the Elves. Then they turned away from the paved road and took a path that went off into a deep thicket of mallorn-trees, and passed on, winding through rolling woodlands of silver shadow, leading them ever down, southwards and eastwards, towards the shores of the River.
They had gone some ten miles and noon was at hand when they came on a high green wall. Passing through an opening they came suddenly out of the trees. Before them lay a long lawn of shining grass, studded with golden elanors that glinted in the sun. The lawn ran out into a narrow tongue between bright margins: on the right and west the Silverlode flowed glittering; on the left and east the Great River rolled its broad waters, deep and dark. On the further shores the woodlands still marched on southwards as far as the eye could see, but all the banks were bleak and bare. No mallorn lifted its gold-hung boughs beyond the land of Lórien.
On the bank of the Silverlode, at some distance up from the meeting of the streams, there was a hythe of white stones and white wood. By it were moored many boats and barges. Some were brightly painted, and shone with silver and gold and green, but most were either white or gray. A small, gray boat had been made ready for the friends, and in it the Elves had stowed their goods. They added two coils of rope; light, strong rope; gray of hue like the Elven-cloaks.
"Come!" said Haldir. "All is now ready for you. Enter the boats! But take care at first!"
"Head the words!" said the other Elves. "This boat is light-built, and is crafty and unlike the boats of other folk. They will not sink, lade them as you will; but they are wayward if mishandled. It would be wise if you accustomed yourselves to stepping in and out, here where there is a landing-place, before you set off downstream."

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The friends sailed down the Silverlode, and as they passed beyond the green field of the Tongue, the trees drew down to the river's brink. Here and there golden leaves tossed and floated on the rippling stream. The air was very bright and still, and there was a silence, except for the high distant song of the larks.
They turned a sharp bend in the river, and there, sailing proudly down the stream toward them, they saw a swan of great size. The water rippled on either side of the white breast beneath its curving neck. Its beak shone like burnished gold, and its eyes glinted like jet set in yellow stones; its huge white wings were half lifted. Suddenly they perceived that it was a ship, wrought and carved with Elven-skill in the likeness of a bird. Two Elves clad in white steered it with black paddles. In the midst of the vessel sat Celeborn, and behind him stood Galadriel, tall and white, a circlet of golden flowers gracing her hair.
Galareal stayed the friends' boat as the Swan-ship drew alongside. The Lady greeted them.
"We have come to bid you our last farewell," she said sweetly, "and to speed you with blessings from our land."
"Though you have been our guests," said Celeborn, "you have not yet eaten with us, and we bid you, therefore, to a parting feast, here between the flowing waters tht will bear you far from Lórien."
The Swan passed on slowly to the hythe, and they turned their boat and followed it. There in the last end of Egladil upon the green grass the parting feast was held. After they had eater and drunk, sitting upon the grass, Galadriel rose from the grass, and taking a cup from one of her maidens she filled it with white mead and gave it to Celeborn.
"Now it is time to drink the cup of farewell," she said, a sad note in her voice. "Drink, Lord of the Galadrim! And let not your heart be said, though night must follow noon, and already our evening draweth nigh."
Then she brought the cup to each of the four, and bade them drink and farewell. But when they had drunk she commanded them to sit again on the grass, and chairs were set for her and for Celeborn. Her maidens stood silent about her, and a while she looked upon her guests. At last she spoke again.
"We have drunk the cup of parting, and the shadows fall between us," she said. "But before you go, I have brought in my ship gifts which the Lord and Lady of the Galadrim now offer you in memory of Lothlórien." Then she called to each in turn.
"Here is the gift of Galadriel and Celeborn to the Sunstar," she said to Elwing, and she gave her a sword and scabbard. The hilt and crosstree of the sword were shaped like three flames, and the scabbard was adorned with stars, the symbol of her family.
Galadriel looked Elwing in the eyes and spoke to her gently but firmly. "You are the leader, and it is a heavy mantle that lays on your young shoulders. Your decisions will affect your friends as well as yourself. Choose wisely."
Elwing nodded, and Galadriel turned next to Erestor. To him she gave a sword, scabbard, and a shield. She spoke to him quietly. "You must defend your Queen, but you will not always be able to defend her. She is strongwilled and will have her way. Do not hold yourself accountable for things you cannot prevent."
Erestor hung his head. He was still blaming himself for what had happened in Moria, and the Lady knew this.
Next, Galadriel turned to Aria. "For you, little healer, I give you herbs to heal and balms to sooth." With this she gave Aria a bad full of herbs and other ingredients of herblore. "And now for your advice," Galadriel said, lowering her voice. "I know what you saw in my Mirror, and while I cannot tell you which path to take, I can tell you that the decision must be made with your heart, for your heart will not lead you in the wrong direction."
Then the Lady turned to Galareal. To him she gave a bow such as the Galadrim used, longer and stouter than the bows of Mirkwood, his home, and strung with a string of Elf-hair. With it went a quiver of arrows.
Galadriel looked into his eyes, and he felt as if she could see right through him. If she spoke aloud Galareal could not tell, but he heard her words just the same. "You must overcome your fear, or it will overcome you."
Then she released him from her gaze and looked at them all before speaking. "Not every fellowship can stay together forever. You must each follow the path your destiny leads you down, even if it means you are apart for a short time, for all paths lead to the same place."
Now the Lady arose, and Celeborn led them back to the hythe. A yellow noon lay on the green land of the Tongue, and the water glittered with silver. All at last was made ready. The friends took their places in the boat as before. Crying farewell, the Elves of Lórien with long grey poles thrust them out into the flowing stream, and the rippling waters bore them slowly away. The travellers sat still without moving or speaking. On the green bank near to the very point of the Tongue the Lady Galadriel stood alone and silent. As they passed her they turned and their eyes watched her slowly floating away from them. For so it seemed to them: Lórien was slipping backward, like a bright ship masted with enchanted trees, sailing on to forgotten shores, while they sat helpless upon the margin of the grey and leafless world.
Even as they gazed, the Silverlode passed out into the currents of the Great River, and their boats turned and began to speed southward. Soon the white form of the Lady was small and distant. She shone like a window of glass upon a far hill in the westerning sun, or as a remote lake seen from a mountain: a crystal fallen in the lap of the land. Suddenly the River swept round a bend, and the banks rose upon either side, and the light of Lórien was hidden.
When the four friends had vanished round the bend, Celeborn came to stand beside his wife.
"I still do not like this, they are to young," Celeborn said grimly.
Galadriel still looked down the River. "But they are noble. I see their hearts, and while they are young in body, they are not young in mind. They will not fail on their quest," she said confidently.
"I hope you are right," Celeborn said quietly.

End Chapter 21!!!!
Look! They're out of Lórien!! Aren't you proud? Please review!!