The Lord of the Rings Lovers
Chapter 8: The Last Stage
They stayed in Gondor for many days, deciding what to do next.
"We should go to Lothlórien," said Aragorn, one night when they were discussing it, "maybe Lady Galadriel would know how to get us home."
"But do we really want to go home just yet?" Said Elenya, voicing the opinions of all. Everyone fell silent, thinking. None of them really wanted to go home, back into normal life without all this fantasy. Not just yet anyway. At length Rose spoke,
"What if we went to Lothlórien and found out how to get home but stayed there a while, until we decide anything for definite."
Everyone agreed this was the best idea so far; so three days later they left Gondor each on their own horse (and, in the hobbits' cases, two to a horse).
They travelled many days, round the White Mountains once again, into Rohan and North to Lothlórien. Luckily this time they did not have to cross the Anduin. They had just ridden past the woods of Fangorn and were approaching Lórien. Aragorn was leading the way; He stopped.
"We shall have to leave the horses here and continue on foot." They all climbed down off their horses.
"What will they do?" Asked Pippin, "they can't just stand around here."
"We will send them back," replied Aragorn, "they know the way home." And at that he turned his horse and nudged it to go forward. It started to walk back the way they had come and the others soon followed. They watched the horses until they were out of sight and then turned back to Lórien.
"Well," said Aragorn, "here we are." This was where their journey would end if there were a way for them to get home.
They went forth into the woods. As they passed under the shade of the tall Mallorn trees there was an immediate sense of peace of tranquillity. They hardly dared to make a noise. Just then there was the sound of something tearing, a thud followed by a muffled 'ow' from the ground. They all turned to see Pippin face down in the leaves. He looked up guiltily.
"Pippin!" Said Merry.
"What? I only tripped over my cloak," Pippin said, looking at his torn cloak, "could have happened to anyone," he mumbled and scrambled to his feet.
Hey carried on walking in silence and taking in their surroundings. Their peace was once again interrupted by the sudden appearance of an elf. He was tall with golden hair and he held a bow and arrow raised towards them; But the bow lowered and the elf's face seemed to soften.
"Friends of my people!" He said, seeming to recognise them, "It has been long since your last visit. Pray, tell of your business here."
Legolas appeared to have recognised the elf and spoke, "Haldir," he bowed, "we are here to see the Lady Galadriel."
"Come then," said Haldir, "I shall take you to her."
He led them through the woods and at length they came to a small stream; they crossed it with ease as it was shallow enough even for the hobbits to cross. They continued for several minutes until at last they came to a great tree, at least 3 yards across. An extravagantly crafted stairway wound around the trunk, elegantly from the bottom all the way to where the highest branches spread out. Haldir led them up the stairway. As they climbed higher, more and more lights danced around the tree, flickering like stars around them.
Finally, they reached the top where the branches separated and there stood a great platform with its own miniature mallorn trees growing all around the edge. The Lady Galadriel was seated at the far end. She looked up and smiled, seeing them.
"Vedui," she said, welcoming her guests. Haldir bade them farewell and descended the steps leaving only them and Galadriel. There was a long silence in which she studied them one by one.
"I know why you are," she said at last, "you are seeking a way home, and have come to me for help. You have chosen wisely," she added. Her eyes glittered.
"There really is a way then?" Asked Rose, amazed.
"Of course," replied Galadriel. The others looked at her expectantly.
"Let me show you something," she said, standing and walking over to them. She produced a book, covered in ancient runes of some kind. She opened it.
"This," she said, scanning the pages, "is a book written by the elves many ages ago." She handed it to Rose open on a page with a picture of what looked remarkable like earth. The others peered over her shoulder, reading the page.
"It allows you to travel to different worlds?"
Galadriel nodded.
"I believe this," she said, pointing to the earth picture, "is your home?"
"It is," breathed Rose, hardly able to believe it.
"So what do we need to do?" Asked Sam.
"It is all on those two pages," said Galadriel, "all you need to do is perform that spell."
"Well, I for one, am not really ready to go just yet," said Clara, later that evening when they were having a private council, "I think we should, as Rose said before, stay here until we're ready. I don't want to leave yet." She glanced at Frodo, smiling at her.
"So it is then," said Legolas, "until we are all ready."
So it was. They stayed in Lothlórien for several days, the hobbits spending as much time on the ground or lower platforms, having a dislike for heights; While Legolas, LasGalen, Aragorn and Arwen spent much timw on the higher platforms among the great mallorn branches.
One night, a night that was to be their last, they could sense. They had a great feast with the Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. Nearing the end of the feast, the guests had an announcement to make.
"We are ready," was what they simply said.
That night, after the feast, everyone was subdued and all went to their separate places to think and be alone. The following morning they rose early, unable to get much sleep. They found Galadriel already awake. With heavy hearts they bade farewell to her, and she to them.
They then found a quiet place to perform the spell. So this was it, the end of their adventure. They took a moment to say their goodbyes.
Rose turned to Sam, her eyes already filled with tears. They said nothing but embraced, not wanting to leave eachother.
Clara and Frodo said their farewells, then Elenya and Merry; Diamond and Pippin; Legolas and LasGalen; Aragorn and Arwen. By the end all of them had tears streaming down their cheeks.
"So, the spell," said Rose, holding back more tears and holding the open book in her hands. "We must all join hands and group in a circle."
They did just that. Rose had to lay the book on a stone stand in front of her before linking hands with Sam and Clara. She cleared her throat.
"Ok…" she stared at the spell, written in elvish, memorizing it. Then she shut her eyes; the others followed suit.
Rose began the spell, "Vara tel' Seldarine. Ama poldora. Russe tuulo'moriloomir. Faina templa," she paused, took a deep breath and finished the spell, "Quella tuulo'elea…"
Silence. Then a shock of energy pulsed through the circle. In the middle of them a small ball of lightening was crackling into life. It began to grow bigger and bigger and finally engulfed the circle. Their grips tightened on eachothers hands and they kept their eyes tightly shut.
There was a sudden burst of green light and they were gone. All that remained was the book set open upon the stone.