The Mirror of Galadriel
Summery: Frodo looks into the Mirror of Galadriel.
Rating: PG-13
A/N: This chapter has a bit of the book mixed in with
the movie.
A branch broke under the large hairy foot of Frodo
Baggins. With passive eyes he looked down to it, quickly looking to the
retreating figure of Galadriel. It was apparent that she had either not
heard the branch brake, or did not care. Frodo guessed the latter was the
correct choice; Elves have a tendency to hear even the slightest noise.
With swiftness Galadriel climbed down a flight of rocky stairs, Frodo running
to catch up with her. Trying not to step on anything that may wake the
other Company members from they deep and fitless slumbers, Frodo chased
the bright figure of Galadriel.
At the bottom of the stairs there was an open
circle made of stone that had vines and flowers growing out of its cracks.
In the middle there stood a grey stoned creation that resembled the bird
bath that stood guard outside the Gamgee residence back in Hobbiton. Frodo
gazed upon it in wonder. To his left Galadriel stood motionless at a fountain
that came out of the very rock itself. In her hands was a metal pitcher
that shined and glimmered. His gaze turned form the object to look at the
white clad figure of the Lady Galadriel. She stood gazing to him, as though
waiting for him to make the first move. Just as he was about to step forward
Galadriel began to move toward the bath.
"This is the Mirror of Galadriel," she spoke softly,
"it will show you many things. Some have occurred, others have not or may
not, it depends on what path is taken." Frodo dared not speak to this.
As Galadriel poured the clear, sparkling water into the mirror Frodo moved
stiffly to a few small stone that acted as stairs, they seemed to be there
for the very purpose of his small stature. He stopped before these stairs
and stood motionless as eternity passed by him.
Slowly he took the stairs one by one until he
could see over the lip of the basin. The water was dark, reflecting the
few stars that made it through the dense cover of the tall trees. At first
there was nothing in the Mirror, just the reflection of a sleepy hobbit
in the unmoving water. Soon, however there began to be ripples from an
invisible source and he saw the faces of his eight traveling companions
and friends in the soft light of Lothlorien. The tenth face was that of
Gandalf, but it was different somehow, changed in a way. His beard was
whiter and shorter slightly, his blue eyes more mystic and full of more
wisdom. His eyes had flown open and he had taken a breath as though he
had never breathed before.
"Gandalf," spoke Frodo barely above a whisper.
The image of Gandalf faded with the rippling of the water. Frodo now saw
fire and hobbits running for their lives from horrid orcs that brandished
whips. Frodo's eyes got wider and he swallowed hard, leaning closer to
the water. Unknown to him, the Ring began to slip from inside his shirt.
He, too, began to lean closer and closer to the water, reaching out as
though to stop the horrid images reflected to him in the dark water of
the basin.
"Don't touch the water," whispered the Elf. Just
as Frodo pulled himself away he saw one final image, he could not be sure,
but he thought it to be the angered face of Boromir. This was a shock to
the hobbit, he had never seen such a furious look upon the Man of Gondor's
face. Boromir had seem to have been lunging for something just out of reach,
but Frodo had pulled away too quickly to see what it was. For a moment,
maybe longer, Frodo stood gasping as in exasperation though he had done
nothing to merit such a reaction. He laid upon the ground where he had
landed for more then a moment. He stared up to the stars and the trees
reaching high up trying their best to reach the heavens. Regaining his
composer, he stood back up, the Ring now clutched tightly in his hand.
"What was all that I saw?" Frodo asked himself.
He expected no answer as he had actually forgotten Galadriel was standing
just across the Mirror from him. The very final image he had seen seemed
to stick in his mind the most, though it was mixed with the sight of Gandalf
he had seen. It had been Gandalf, though not. It had been Boromir, though
not. Both seemed to have changed somehow, changed by the very water that
lay now dormant in the basin.
Frodo could not believe all of what he had just
seen were nothing more than hoaxes of the Mirror, but could not force himself
to even attempt to understand fully what they all meant. Gandalf taking
a breath of life as though for the first time, hobbits running from fire
and orcs, Boromir lunging for something with a look of madness on his normally
strong features. They all seemed to be impossible to happen. Gandalf was
long gone so could not possible have changed to the Gandalf that Frodo
saw in the Mirror. The image of the hobbits running in terror had to have
been the Shire, but that was far too north for any harm to go to it. And
Boromir, he was Frodo's friend and ally. There seemed to be no logic to
the madness of the last sight Frodo had beheld in the water.
"It was what could become of this world should
the Quest fail. It is dangerous now more then ever for you and what remains
of the Company. You must always be on your most alert, Frodo," said Galadriel.
For a moment a thought struck Frodo.
"If you ask it of me, I will give you the Ring,"
Frodo said holding out the sparkling ring toward Galadriel. The silver
chain slipped out of the gold circle and fell lifelessly to the ground.
Galadriel reached for it with a single shaking hand. For Frodo all hearing
had ceased to be, Galadriel's lips moved yet he heard no sound emanating
from them. Suddenly a dark and horrible light grew round the Elf and her
features changed to that of a whole other person. As Bilbo had done in
Rivendell upon seeing his old ring again. This new evil was more frightening
to Frodo then Bilbo had been. For Frodo had known Bilbo since the day Frodo
was born, but Galadriel was new to him and mysterious. Frodo closed his
eyes and did not open them until he heard Galadriel speak clearly.
"I have passed the test. I will diminish and go
into the West, and remain Galadriel," she spoke. Her voice was sad almost,
but Frodo felt his heart lighten at seeing her not as the wicked phantom,
but as the beautiful Elf he had meant earlier in the day. Frodo bent down
and picked up his silver chain, always keeping his eyes on Galadriel who
seemed to be looking off into the distance at some unknown destination.
He placed the Ring onto the chain and slipped the Ring back around his
neck, feeling the slight weight of it again.
"What shall I do? What can I do? They are my friends,
I do not wish to leave them behind," said Frodo. He stared down at the
green blades of grass growing beside his hairy hobbit feet. "What other
choice do I have?"
"You have every choice. It is your decision that
really matters, Frodo Baggins. I fear they will not out last the seduction
of the Ring all the way to Mordor. One, if not more, will try to take the
Ring," said Galadriel stepping closer to Frodo. He looked up the stairs
he had come down, which blocked his sight of his eight companions sleeping
on their soft mattresses on the ground. There was an ache deep in his heart
at the thought of leaving them.
"There is nothing else I can do. I fear it will
be time to leave them soon. I suppose I shall never see them again, and
I will never get a chance to say good-bye to them," said Frodo. "Do they
know? Do they know how much I need them?"
"They know, Frodo. That will not keep them from
taking the Ring for their own, however. You must leave them soon if you
will go to Mordor alone. Go rest with them now, enjoy the time you still
have with them," said Galadriel. She did not make a move to walk back with
him, she only leaned down to kiss him upon the cheek softly.
Frodo began to climb the stairs back to his group.
He turned back to the Elf to ask a question, but she was no longer there.
After searching with his eyes for any sign of her he continued his climb
up the stairs. At the top he looked out over his friends sleeping beside
the great tree roots. Boromir's shield was propped on one of the silver
trees and his horn lay just beside it. The bow and arrows of Legolas lay
beside the sleeping Elf, just within reach. As his gazed continued just
past Legolas he saw Myra sitting up, she had a most quizzical look upon
her face.
"Why, Frodo, what keeps you awake at such a late
hour?" she asked. Frodo lowered his head and began to walk back to his
makeshift bead on one of the thick boughs of the tree.
"I was just thinking of what our next move should
be," said Frodo. He laid upon his mattress and covered himself with a blanket,
though it was not quite cold. "Myra?"
"Yes?" he heard her whisper back.
"I miss Gandalf," he said just barely loud enough
for her to hear.
"So do I, Frodo," Myra replied shifting to lay
on her side. "So do I."
To Be Continued...
A/N: Another chapter done! I know, this one is pretty short, but for only having three hours of sleep I don't think it's that bad. Please review and give me you opinions. I've already started working on the sequel to this story, mostly for my own amusement really. Ofcourse that's the main reason I write. Later!