chapter four - consolidations
Lucien approached the golden woods warily. Gandalf's words echoing in her mind. She knew the guards were posted everywhere and that they would be watching. She cloaked herself from their eyes. She had not tried to fool an elf before like this but she could at least try.
Haldir turned to another elf nearby. "Do you not feel anything on the winds tonight?" "I feel something, but I see nothing, the call will go out if the Lady sees more then we do". The other responded.
Lucien walked silently by them yet they did not see her. She reached the mirror of Galadriel. And the Lady was there looking into her own mirror. Lucien approached silently; she was still cloaking all minds. She wasn't sure about the Lady. "I can see you Daughter of the Maiden of Light". Galadriel said looking up. Lucien decloaked herself.
"My Lady". She said with respect, it would not do now to go to war with the Lorien elves. "So the daughter of Elen comes to Lorien, did you know that Elen and I got on very well?" Galadriel asked her. "Elen may not have known the history of the Eyrien's my lady, how we were banished by the elves for being more ancient". Lucien countered. "We did not banish you child, the Elders did of your council, they did not accept us, that the Valar would send more of her children to this earth, and they could not bear to share it with more than one race from the same place". "why, because we are so knowledgeable?, Lady, we are not so arrogant in our ways, except to mortals, who know or understand nothing of us, the Elders told us, their people that the elves could not stand the sight of us in our true form that we do not look like pure ones". "Rubbish, we never thought that of you Lucien, if anything the elves respect all true races, especially those of the same origin".
"I will take this up with the council, if the Elders have lied, they will pay for their deceit, and if you have lied -". Galadriel waved her hand. "Then we will pay for our deceit, but we leave this land soon Lucien to make way for man, will not the Eyrien's be doing the same?". "we will return to the Undying Lands at some point Lady, we still have much to do before we give this land to the mortals, we do not abandon it so easily". She said, anger in her voice.
"you believe we are doing that?" Galadriel asked "I do not know Lady, I have not thought on questioning the motives of the elves actions". She replied quietly. "tell me Lucien, is it in your path, to befriend mortals, and even perhaps join with one?" the Lady asked of her.
"my path has many roads, at the moment there is the battle we are fighting, that is why I am here, to ask for the assistance of the Elves, you are as good as the Eyrien's in battle, Gandalf requested that I come and ask this". Lucien told her. Galadriel didn't answer, she looked on behind her. Lucien spun around, her instincts finally warning her that she didn't acknowledge the silent steps of the Elves.
Haldir. His arrow trained on her. "you bypassed us stranger". He didn't know who she was. "I covered your minds so you would not see me". Lucien told him. "there is no race on this earth that can do that". Haldir said heatedly, more from being insulted. "Eyrien's do, and we have for thousands of years". She said to him looking at his arrow. "are you going to kill me Elf?" she asked him. He looked at Galadriel. "if you mean my lady no harm no". "she is here on a mission Haldir, from Gandalf". Galadriel explained to her guard. Haldir looked at the intruder again. "Eyriens". "you contradict yourself Haldir, if you knew that there are no races on this earth that can cloak minds then how do you know of the Eyrien's existence? She asked him. No answer. "you do not look like a Eyrien". He shot at her. "and you do not look like an elf". She answered back. Insult taken and given back. "enough, Haldir, I am fine, go back to the borders and guard, Lucien is a friend, an old friend but still a friend". Galadriel ordered him to leave them.
Lucien turned to her. "my question remains lady, will you join us?" "I will send an army to assist you, as for the rest of us, we leave in a week". Galadriel turned and walked away. "will you look into the mirror?" her voice came through on the breeze. "I do not trust your mirrors Galadriel". Lucien answered. "it shows the truth, no harm". Lucien looked into it. Ripples formed on the surface and she saw her home, the mists, disappearing. Something she knew would happen some day. She then saw Eomer, turning to her and taking her into his arms. So he did love her. Aragorn taking the crown. Arwen becoming his bride. Gandalf destroying Saruman. Eowyn marrying a captain of Gondor. Lucien looked up at the Lady. "these things I already know Lady, what is your point?" "have you ever wondered if you were wrong?" she asked. Lucien smiled. "I will meet your army in Rohan". With that she turned into her true self and took to the air. Galadriel smiled. 'farewell daughter of light, the winds will protect you and the moon will shine upon you".
Lucien heard her words as she took to the nightsky. The wind in her face. She was free and her people even more so, they had survived all the ages. But she felt an ache, one that had been more forthcoming since she had gone to rohan. For Eomer. Unfinished business, something that would not wait. But she knew the perils of it. She couldn't in all her faith attach herself to him. His mind and hers had to be set on the battle. Nothing could hold them back. She sighed. And landed herself gently on a hilltop and surveyed the area. Edoras was silent. It had not taken her long to fly there. And Gandalf would be waiting for her. The old man was meddlesome. But he was a good friend. One who had gotten them out of nasty scratches when they were growing up. Gandalf was her father. Not by blood, but by choice.
With her mind she searched Dorian. He was on guard outside the Eyrien's quarters. "dorian, is all well?" she asked to his mind. She felt his startle for he had not expected her back so soon, or to check in with him. "all is well maiden". Was the reply. "I am Lucien, when will you learn?" she asked. Hesitant. "to me you are Lucien, but to our people you are the maiden, even if your path is different from ours". He replied. "what do you mean?" "the Rohan prince, he is heir to this land, he is in love with you, Gandalf and Aragorn had to hold him back from following you". "nothing escapes you dorian". She said laughing silently. "nothing escapes noone around here maiden, the roharrim are wary of us, no doubt thanks to the elves". He said. "the elves, had nothing to do with our banishment, I spoke to the Lady". She told him. "she lies". He replied angrily.
"dorian!, the golden lady has never lied to me, and she would not start now, she was a good friend of my mother's, one you should watch is Haldir". She said. "Haldir, royal guard to the Lorien elves, and totally up himself". Dorian muttered. Laughter. "dorian, he is a mirror of you which is why you don't like him".
"humph".
"I will be there shortly there is something I have to do first". She told him before cutting off the mental link between them.
*~~~~~*
Eomer felt the rush of wind, he glanced uneasily to the windows, was there a storm brewing? He saw his sword by his bed, where it was always placed before he turned in for the night. He laid back on his bed on top of the bed covers, he didn't bother getting beneath them anymore. So many times during the night did he get up and tour the battlements.
Something assailed his senses. Jasmine, or more to the point something that was wild, that came from the forest. He opened his eyes and turned his head to the window. There was a figure there. He sat up and grabbed his sword. "state your name or I will cut you down". He ordered. Silence. "state your name!" he ordered again. "Eyrien's do not take kindly to orders by mortals". Was the reply, soft and subtle. "Lady Lucien?" he asked. She watched him. So muscular. So wary, like a hunter about to be turned into prey. "are you afraid of me mortal?" she asked.
"why are you there in the dark?, come into the light". He requested. She stepped warily into the light.
it was then that he realized that she was in her true form.
that rush of wind was explained.
"have no fear of me Lady, I would not harm you". He told her. She met his eyes. "unintentionally you may mortal". "my name is Eomer". "and mine is Lucien" she countered. He smiled. And laughed. He stood up and walked over to her. "you are beautiful in your true form Lucien, when we are alone like this, do not hide yourself from me". He said to her softly. "your wings are beautiful, like diamonds, and your eyes so like the ocean's rivers". "when we are alone?, this is the first and last time mortal". She replied. "no, this is the first I agree, but far from the last time, my heart pounds everytime you are near, every time I see you, I would not lose you". He confessed. She didn't answer. "you hate me for seeing you before". He stated. "no, you surprised me, it - a mortal has never seen us in this form, Aragorn was the first".
he touched her face but she shrunk away. He held her arm. "do not run from me lucien, see into my mind, you will know the truth".
"I would not torture you with images of me Eomer, battle is upon us, our minds must be set on that purpose, all else has to wait". "so our sojourn has not ended". He concluded. "is that what dorian told you?" she asked. Silence, only a shrug of muscular shoulders.
"dorian spoke words not from me, he is protective of me eomer, he would not see me harmed, my mother died to save the man she loved, I have to protect Aragorn, he is my blood, I cannot protect you from a poisoned arrow". She touched his face.
"I understand, and know that I will not die, except from old age some day". He said to her in a whisper. "but she died saving the mortal you call Aragorn, I would not have you do the same for me Lucien". He stated, his voice hard as if he would not accept anyone contradicting him. She took a step back to leave. "what I do is of my own decision, no orders from anyone will change that". She told him.
"not even if I request it?" he asked softly looking into her eyes.
she did not answer him. To much was on her mind. She had to leave. Now. "maiden I have one boon to ask of you, I know you have not confessed your feelings for me, but I have laid out my heart for you to slay, would you not give me a token?" he asked. She breathed in.
"if I were to give you one of my token's, you would be bound to me forever, wait until the battle is over, and I will grant you your boon". With that she left. Eomer sighed. He would not push her. For too long had he dreamed of meeting and having someone to share his life with. And in turn share hers. Immortal or not. He was open to all possibilities. He would not be so arrogant to say that his life would be shared with a mortal. He knew that Lucien was immortal. And for a moment, it reminded him of Aragorn and Arwen.
He turned away from the door and looked at his empty bed. Nay, he would not return to sleep this night, or even try to sleep. Images of her, would assault him at night. He doubted he would ever sleep again. Until she was his.
Lucien approached the golden woods warily. Gandalf's words echoing in her mind. She knew the guards were posted everywhere and that they would be watching. She cloaked herself from their eyes. She had not tried to fool an elf before like this but she could at least try.
Haldir turned to another elf nearby. "Do you not feel anything on the winds tonight?" "I feel something, but I see nothing, the call will go out if the Lady sees more then we do". The other responded.
Lucien walked silently by them yet they did not see her. She reached the mirror of Galadriel. And the Lady was there looking into her own mirror. Lucien approached silently; she was still cloaking all minds. She wasn't sure about the Lady. "I can see you Daughter of the Maiden of Light". Galadriel said looking up. Lucien decloaked herself.
"My Lady". She said with respect, it would not do now to go to war with the Lorien elves. "So the daughter of Elen comes to Lorien, did you know that Elen and I got on very well?" Galadriel asked her. "Elen may not have known the history of the Eyrien's my lady, how we were banished by the elves for being more ancient". Lucien countered. "We did not banish you child, the Elders did of your council, they did not accept us, that the Valar would send more of her children to this earth, and they could not bear to share it with more than one race from the same place". "why, because we are so knowledgeable?, Lady, we are not so arrogant in our ways, except to mortals, who know or understand nothing of us, the Elders told us, their people that the elves could not stand the sight of us in our true form that we do not look like pure ones". "Rubbish, we never thought that of you Lucien, if anything the elves respect all true races, especially those of the same origin".
"I will take this up with the council, if the Elders have lied, they will pay for their deceit, and if you have lied -". Galadriel waved her hand. "Then we will pay for our deceit, but we leave this land soon Lucien to make way for man, will not the Eyrien's be doing the same?". "we will return to the Undying Lands at some point Lady, we still have much to do before we give this land to the mortals, we do not abandon it so easily". She said, anger in her voice.
"you believe we are doing that?" Galadriel asked "I do not know Lady, I have not thought on questioning the motives of the elves actions". She replied quietly. "tell me Lucien, is it in your path, to befriend mortals, and even perhaps join with one?" the Lady asked of her.
"my path has many roads, at the moment there is the battle we are fighting, that is why I am here, to ask for the assistance of the Elves, you are as good as the Eyrien's in battle, Gandalf requested that I come and ask this". Lucien told her. Galadriel didn't answer, she looked on behind her. Lucien spun around, her instincts finally warning her that she didn't acknowledge the silent steps of the Elves.
Haldir. His arrow trained on her. "you bypassed us stranger". He didn't know who she was. "I covered your minds so you would not see me". Lucien told him. "there is no race on this earth that can do that". Haldir said heatedly, more from being insulted. "Eyrien's do, and we have for thousands of years". She said to him looking at his arrow. "are you going to kill me Elf?" she asked him. He looked at Galadriel. "if you mean my lady no harm no". "she is here on a mission Haldir, from Gandalf". Galadriel explained to her guard. Haldir looked at the intruder again. "Eyriens". "you contradict yourself Haldir, if you knew that there are no races on this earth that can cloak minds then how do you know of the Eyrien's existence? She asked him. No answer. "you do not look like a Eyrien". He shot at her. "and you do not look like an elf". She answered back. Insult taken and given back. "enough, Haldir, I am fine, go back to the borders and guard, Lucien is a friend, an old friend but still a friend". Galadriel ordered him to leave them.
Lucien turned to her. "my question remains lady, will you join us?" "I will send an army to assist you, as for the rest of us, we leave in a week". Galadriel turned and walked away. "will you look into the mirror?" her voice came through on the breeze. "I do not trust your mirrors Galadriel". Lucien answered. "it shows the truth, no harm". Lucien looked into it. Ripples formed on the surface and she saw her home, the mists, disappearing. Something she knew would happen some day. She then saw Eomer, turning to her and taking her into his arms. So he did love her. Aragorn taking the crown. Arwen becoming his bride. Gandalf destroying Saruman. Eowyn marrying a captain of Gondor. Lucien looked up at the Lady. "these things I already know Lady, what is your point?" "have you ever wondered if you were wrong?" she asked. Lucien smiled. "I will meet your army in Rohan". With that she turned into her true self and took to the air. Galadriel smiled. 'farewell daughter of light, the winds will protect you and the moon will shine upon you".
Lucien heard her words as she took to the nightsky. The wind in her face. She was free and her people even more so, they had survived all the ages. But she felt an ache, one that had been more forthcoming since she had gone to rohan. For Eomer. Unfinished business, something that would not wait. But she knew the perils of it. She couldn't in all her faith attach herself to him. His mind and hers had to be set on the battle. Nothing could hold them back. She sighed. And landed herself gently on a hilltop and surveyed the area. Edoras was silent. It had not taken her long to fly there. And Gandalf would be waiting for her. The old man was meddlesome. But he was a good friend. One who had gotten them out of nasty scratches when they were growing up. Gandalf was her father. Not by blood, but by choice.
With her mind she searched Dorian. He was on guard outside the Eyrien's quarters. "dorian, is all well?" she asked to his mind. She felt his startle for he had not expected her back so soon, or to check in with him. "all is well maiden". Was the reply. "I am Lucien, when will you learn?" she asked. Hesitant. "to me you are Lucien, but to our people you are the maiden, even if your path is different from ours". He replied. "what do you mean?" "the Rohan prince, he is heir to this land, he is in love with you, Gandalf and Aragorn had to hold him back from following you". "nothing escapes you dorian". She said laughing silently. "nothing escapes noone around here maiden, the roharrim are wary of us, no doubt thanks to the elves". He said. "the elves, had nothing to do with our banishment, I spoke to the Lady". She told him. "she lies". He replied angrily.
"dorian!, the golden lady has never lied to me, and she would not start now, she was a good friend of my mother's, one you should watch is Haldir". She said. "Haldir, royal guard to the Lorien elves, and totally up himself". Dorian muttered. Laughter. "dorian, he is a mirror of you which is why you don't like him".
"humph".
"I will be there shortly there is something I have to do first". She told him before cutting off the mental link between them.
*~~~~~*
Eomer felt the rush of wind, he glanced uneasily to the windows, was there a storm brewing? He saw his sword by his bed, where it was always placed before he turned in for the night. He laid back on his bed on top of the bed covers, he didn't bother getting beneath them anymore. So many times during the night did he get up and tour the battlements.
Something assailed his senses. Jasmine, or more to the point something that was wild, that came from the forest. He opened his eyes and turned his head to the window. There was a figure there. He sat up and grabbed his sword. "state your name or I will cut you down". He ordered. Silence. "state your name!" he ordered again. "Eyrien's do not take kindly to orders by mortals". Was the reply, soft and subtle. "Lady Lucien?" he asked. She watched him. So muscular. So wary, like a hunter about to be turned into prey. "are you afraid of me mortal?" she asked.
"why are you there in the dark?, come into the light". He requested. She stepped warily into the light.
it was then that he realized that she was in her true form.
that rush of wind was explained.
"have no fear of me Lady, I would not harm you". He told her. She met his eyes. "unintentionally you may mortal". "my name is Eomer". "and mine is Lucien" she countered. He smiled. And laughed. He stood up and walked over to her. "you are beautiful in your true form Lucien, when we are alone like this, do not hide yourself from me". He said to her softly. "your wings are beautiful, like diamonds, and your eyes so like the ocean's rivers". "when we are alone?, this is the first and last time mortal". She replied. "no, this is the first I agree, but far from the last time, my heart pounds everytime you are near, every time I see you, I would not lose you". He confessed. She didn't answer. "you hate me for seeing you before". He stated. "no, you surprised me, it - a mortal has never seen us in this form, Aragorn was the first".
he touched her face but she shrunk away. He held her arm. "do not run from me lucien, see into my mind, you will know the truth".
"I would not torture you with images of me Eomer, battle is upon us, our minds must be set on that purpose, all else has to wait". "so our sojourn has not ended". He concluded. "is that what dorian told you?" she asked. Silence, only a shrug of muscular shoulders.
"dorian spoke words not from me, he is protective of me eomer, he would not see me harmed, my mother died to save the man she loved, I have to protect Aragorn, he is my blood, I cannot protect you from a poisoned arrow". She touched his face.
"I understand, and know that I will not die, except from old age some day". He said to her in a whisper. "but she died saving the mortal you call Aragorn, I would not have you do the same for me Lucien". He stated, his voice hard as if he would not accept anyone contradicting him. She took a step back to leave. "what I do is of my own decision, no orders from anyone will change that". She told him.
"not even if I request it?" he asked softly looking into her eyes.
she did not answer him. To much was on her mind. She had to leave. Now. "maiden I have one boon to ask of you, I know you have not confessed your feelings for me, but I have laid out my heart for you to slay, would you not give me a token?" he asked. She breathed in.
"if I were to give you one of my token's, you would be bound to me forever, wait until the battle is over, and I will grant you your boon". With that she left. Eomer sighed. He would not push her. For too long had he dreamed of meeting and having someone to share his life with. And in turn share hers. Immortal or not. He was open to all possibilities. He would not be so arrogant to say that his life would be shared with a mortal. He knew that Lucien was immortal. And for a moment, it reminded him of Aragorn and Arwen.
He turned away from the door and looked at his empty bed. Nay, he would not return to sleep this night, or even try to sleep. Images of her, would assault him at night. He doubted he would ever sleep again. Until she was his.