*dances around* Spring break! woo hoo!!!! haha...well now, I guess I should catch up on my writing, ne? ^_^ Thanks for all the reviews!! Ai...It's been so long since I've been on ff.net -_-''
DreamBlaze: Nooo! Don't say that!! I love your fic!! ^^v
Note: This is mostly based on the books rather than the movie. It would be a good thing if you've read the books, or else this might get confusing in the future...but there maybe some parts based on the movie. And also, I'm saying that there is a definate time difference between the world outside Lothlórien and the city itself
-Chapter 2-
"Don't you realize what you've done Serenity? You've condemned your daughter to-"
"I'm aware of what I've done!" Serenity snapped as she turned from the mirror " I know of the consequences, demo it's for the best...I know it is."
---
So what was the life a human raised amongst elves like you ask?
As normal as it could be. True, she was not as swift as them, she was commonly known to have fits of clumsiness, and she was not greatly skilled in any type of art that they had. But what she may have lacked, was made up in one thing:
She had the heart of an elf- loving and compassionate of the world around her
She had been raised the same way any young elf would have been. She learned everything they did from archery to the history of their culture. The truth of her origins had never been concealed from her , for it was obvious that she was different. However, none of that mattered to any of them, and so she was treated as and equal amongst them.
But as any foreign child would have, she grew curious as to where she was really from. And to explain this, Galadriel constructed a fantastic story of how she came to be.
She was told that she had been born above the clouds, amongst the higher beings of Middle Earth. The sun had given her its rays of lights to create her golden hair, and the moon her fair skin. The sky had given her color for her eyes, and the stars had given her their radiance for her heart so that she may be the light in those times of darkness. And when she had first been born in the sky, the clouds had wrapped her within themselves to create the blanket that she had been found in, and they brought her down to the earth where Mithrandir had found her.
She had accepted that explanation as a child, but as she grew, she knew better than the story had been told. They told her of her name Usagi, and how it should only be used with the people she knew and trusted. Most of the elves in the forest did not know of her true name, and she was most commonly called Eruwen.
Now don't think that the Grey Pilgrim had not played a part in her life, quite the opposite had happened. True, he was busy in his travels around Middle Earth, but on every important occasion he returned to Lothlórien. This child he had found in the woods had aroused some sort of curiosity inside of him, and he wished to learn everything he could every time he returned. Each time he returned to the forests of Lórien to see the child, he had always taught her something new in the ways of magic. Though whatever he did teach her were only simple things, they showed him her true ability and power.
It was mostly the ring that they had found that aroused this curiosity. Ah yes, the ring...though neither Galadriel nor Gandalf could figure out what purpose it served, they could still feel the power within it. The child had no idea that the ring existed, for Galadriel had kept it safely stored away in a small jewelry box that she kept by her bedside. She intended to give the child the ring when she had grown, and she still had yet to do this.
Now the child, Eruwen (otherwise know as Usagi) had had grown a trouble free life. Her only times of sadness or frustration came when she could not do the feats that the other elves could do. She could never match them, though she came closer than any other human would have. And whatever she could accomplish, she was greatly proud of it.
These days she wondered where Gandalf had gone for it had been a long time since she had last seen him. His visits were rare, but she loved it every time he came to see her.
-Flash Back-
It was her 18th birthday, or so they assumed. They had made the first day that she had arrived in Lothlórien the day of her birth, and could only guess her age. Gandalf had arrived that day, bearing gifts of course.
"Mithrandir!" Usagi cried as she raced down the stone steps to the grey wizard "Suliad!"
Gandalf smiled as he stopped and welcomed the running woman into his arms "Suliad Eruwen, I see your Sindrian has improved since the last time we met."
"Tancave!"(Of course!)she responded as she stepped back from him "So has my common speech" she continued as she led him into the city
"Rare for a resident of Lothlórien to know the common speech of Middle Earth" he commented
"That maybe for an elf, but for myself it would only make sense"
"True"
"It has been long since I saw you last Gandalf. Tell me of the outside world, and what you have been up to. Or better yet, have you brought me anything?"
"Such a question to ask me rather than 'How has your health been' or 'have you faired well these days?' What questions indeed! "
Eruwen grinned sheepishly "Sorry"
Gandalf chuckled as he reached within the folds of his cloak. He pulled out a plain colored package, fairly large in size.
"In the outside world, you would have been named a full grown woman, and most likely married" he commented as he held it out for her to take "But here, 18 years is not that long, but out there it is a occasion worth celebrating"
She smiled as she reached out to take the package, but as her hand neared it he pulled it away "But this is not the outside world so" he motioned his hand as if to throw the package behind him, and he released it. The moment it left his hand, it disappeared in a puff of smoke "it is not really that important, now is it? You are still only a child here."
Eruwen's mouth opened in protest, and her eyes seemed to water up "But-But-"
Gandalf laughed "You should always remember, things are not what they seem to be. What is that I see across your shoulder child?'
A questioning look entered her eyes as she raised her hand to feel a slender cord crossing down her front. Her hand followed the cord behind her and there she felt the cool feel of metal upon her hand. She brought it from her back and into her hands. There lay a silver quiver, filled with plain colored arrows.
"This is beautiful" she commented as she ran her hand down its side "Thank-you"
"You thank me, but you do not even know its true purpose"
She looked at him "What?"
"What was it I just said about how things aren't what they seem to be? Read the runes upon the top"
She turned it so she could read it
'Aronoded'
"Endless?" she questioned
Gandalf nodded "This is no ordinary quiver, for it holds an endless supply of arrows. No matter how many you pull out, it will always keep full"
Eruwen smiled as she brought the wizard into another embrace "Hantale" (Thank you) she whispered "I will always treasure it"
-End Flash Back-
That had been almost 6 years ago, well according to the time in Lothlórien. Perhaps less in the world outside the forest.
She glanced up around her. Darkness had settled upon the forest, and it was time she went to sleep. Her mother had asked for her to travel to the borders, for it had been a long time since she had stepped outside the city limits. She had a mission, well so to say- She was to keep watch for a group of visitors, apparently from Rivendell. They had received word a few days ago, and her mother wanted her to personally greet these visitors, though, the letter from Elrond did not tell them specifically who they were.
Her eyes closed as she let her mind drift into her own dream world. The last of her conscious thoughts drifting upon the Grey Wizard that she so dearly loved to see.
---Dream---
She shivered as the air around her suddenly grew cold. She reached out to pull her blankets up further on her body, but her hands could not find the warmth of her blankets upon her bed. A low moan escaped her lips as she was forced to opened her eyes in order to find them, but those thoughts immediately left her mind as her eyes took in the sight before her.
Stony ridges that enclosed a small valley surrounded her, and scattered upon the ground were what appeared to be stumps and dead boughs rotting in the shallows of a small lake. But close under the cliff stood two strong trees whose roots spread from the stony wall to the water. Nestled between the two trees lay what seemed to be a door, reflecting off the light of the moon; broad lines of silver running in the stone outlined the door, and near the top an arch of interlacing letters in an Elvish character. Below that, though some places seemed to be blurred or broken, the outline of an anvil and hammer encircled by a crown of seven stars could be seen.
And next to this door stood... Eruwen squinted slightly to make out the figure in the dark...
"Annon edhellen, edro hi amen!" the figure cried out, causing Eruwen to smile; she knew that voice anywhere.
"Mithrandir!" she cried aloud, but the figure did not turn nor did he seem to hear her call for him. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she took a step towards him, failing to notice the rocky surface beneath her feet. "Mithrandir?" she questioned again reaching out her hand to place on his arm, only to find that her hand went right through it.
"What?" she gasped as she took a step back from him, her eyes scanning her surroundings. That was the first time she noticed the rest of his companions, although the night made it hard to see them clearly. She stepped away from the wizard, her curiosity taking over as she walked freely around them.
From what she could tell, two of them were humans...but then again, she had never seen another human like herself except for Mithrandir...another four seemed to be human children...but why would human children be in a place such a this? She shivered again as she glanced towards the lake...there was something in there...
Eruwen shook her head, she was just imagining things. The fifth member of the party was around the same height as the children, but he wore a helmet atop his head fashioned like those of a...
"Dwarf?" she whispered to herself, slightly surprised. This was most certainly odd...And the last of the companions was a elf, surprisingly enough. What was an elf doing in the company of a dwarf? How strange indeed...
She stepped up towards the elf, straining to see as she tried to make out his features. Had she met him before? She could make out his fare features, pointed ears and his long blond hair-of course common features for an elf. But she could not see anymore than that...
"Edro, edro!" Gandalf cried as she struck the door with his staff, causing Eruwen to focus her attention back upon him.
"Open, open!" he shouted, following it with the same command in all languages that had ever been spoken in west Middle Earth. Then he threw his staff upon the ground and sat down in silence.
Eruwen felt amusement bubbling inside her, and she could not conceal it as she started giggling at her dear friend the wizard. Soon her giggling grew into laughter for she had never seen him act in such a way! While she was distracted, she failed to notice one of the companions face her direction, a puzzled expression upon his face.
---
"What is it elf?" Gimli asked, noting the confused expression that he had suddenly taken on
Legolas shook his head slowly "Nothing" he responded, "But I could have sworn I heard...laughter"
---
She calmed herself down as she wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye. Now that was something you didn't see everyday, especially from Gandalf! She looked back at the people behind her, some of them were whispering amongst themselves most likely about Gandalf and his actions.
A few minutes passed before Gandalf stood up suddenly sprang up startling them all, "I have it!" he cried as he turned to face the door
"Mellon!" he said in a clear voice, and slowly the great door divided in the middle and swung open. Gandalf turned back to the group, a large smile upon his face.
She listened as he explained how he had come up with the answer, but that cold feeling suddenly ran down her spine causing her to shiver once again.
As the party around her suddenly departed towards the door, she glanced once again towards the lake. The moon reflected off it's dark surface, and ripples slowly started appearing upon its surface. He eyes widened in fear as she desperately cried out
"Watch out behind you!"
---
Legolas paused, hearing a cry of a female voice coming from behind him. He shook his head, why was he hearing things? He slowly turned around, and his eyes widened as he saw a long sinuous tentacle crawling out from the lake.
Bill the pony gave a cry and the rest of the fellowship turned to see Frodo being dragged towards the lake.
Legolas let an arrow fly from his bow as the other rushed forward to help Frodo
---
Everything around her faded and she gasped out in surprise as the fading image of the seven companions fighting left her sight and a new one took it's place.
All of them save one were gathered at the side of a bridge. The one that was not with them was Gandalf. Silence filled the air as his voice rung clear through the tunnels
"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder if the flame of Andor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass!"
And there she saw a great creature standing before the wizard. Flames from an unknown fire roared up to greet it, and black smoke swirled in the air. Its streaming mane kindled and blazing behind it. In it's right hand was a blade like a stabbing tongue of fire, and in it's left held a whip of many thongs. She had seen such a creature before in her studies as a child...what was it called...A Balrog?
The creature gave a great roar as it brought its sword down upon the wizard, and a cry escaped her lips as the bridge suddenly crumbled beneath his feet.
--- End Dream---
She awoke, her heart beating fast within her chest and her breaths coming in short gasps. Galadriel suddenly appeared beside her, kneeling so that she could lay a hand upon her hair to sooth her
"What's wrong Eruwen?" she asked calmly, for she and most likely the rest of the elves had heard her cry.
"I-I had a horrible dream!" she said shakily as she tired to catch her breath "I saw Gandalf fighting a horrible creature, a Balrog I think it was!" she continued
"Now, now child. Start from the beginning"
Eruwen nodded as she started explaining what she had seen, and Galadriel kept silent as she listened to her daughters story. What she had seen seemed to describe the mines of Moria...but how was that possible? Eruwen had never been there before...
The rays of the rising sun shone through the forest, and Galadriel rose from her position beside Eruwen. "Do not fear Eruwen, for it was only a dream. A new day has come and I believe it is time for you to depart from the city"
She nodded slowly, the images of the dream still caught in her mind "Yes, I'll leave immediately"
Galadriel gave a small smile "Haldir will be waiting for you" she finished as she left her alone to prepare for her journey.
Eurwen remained in her bed for a moment, lightly touching her hand upon her face. It maybe have been a dream, but why did it feel so real?
-End chapter-
Err...make sense? Confusing? Not-so-great?? -_-'' most likely the latter....
Haha, and that one part with Gandalf speaking to the Balrog...that's actually my favorite quote in the first book! ^^ I just had to use it! -_-'' I'm so obsessed...excuse me
::walks off::
So COOL! hahahahahahahaaa!
::comes back::
^^;; Anyways, please review! That's the only way for me to know if I should continue or not!
*waves* Bai!