Ahh! Sorry for taking to long to get this out!! I had planned to post this last week (as I told someone ^^;) but, I had to work and all that, so I had no time!
Well, hope you like it! I've been suffering from a terrible writers block =þ
But thanks for all the reviews!
Celestial DreamBLaze: hmm, that's not such a bad idea...thanks for the review!
ScorpioNightShadow: I was thinking of a Usa and Lord Celeborn moment a bit later!
Sailor Fireball: hmm...did I mention this before? err o_O well if I did, oh well! Anyways, thanks for all your encouragement! And go ahead and add me on aol!
-Chapter 3-
"I don't know if you really are a baka or just plain old heartless, Serenity" the god muttered, crossing his arms over his chest
Serenity frowned "It is not your place to say if what I did was right or wrong!"
The glare of the other god intensified as he looked upon the fallen queen of the moon "It may not be my place, but you know that you're tampering with destiny! Not only that, but you're destroying your own daughter's life!"
She shook her head in disagreement "This was the only way for her to be happy and serve as Cosmos!"
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The memory of the dream had faded as the day wore on, but the images of Gandalf falling into the great abyss was still embedded there. It frightened her that her own mind had come up with such a horrible ending to her dear friend, and if such an event like that of her dream came to pass...
"No, it was only a dream" she reminded herself, shuttering slightly from the cold. She had arrived late afternoon to the borders of Lothlórien, and on the way had passed the brothers Rumil and Orophin who had told her the location of their other brother before departing for a different part of the woods. She had found her way easily, and had conversed with a few other elves on the way before arriving at the talan (or flet as others called it) where she was to stay and wait for the arrival of the "guests". The wind gently moved through the trees, causing the branches to rub against her legs hanging off the side of the platform.
"You seem upset today Eruwen" a voice stated beside her, breaking her thoughts
"What makes you say that?" she asked as the turned her head to the side to look directly at her friend
"I can sense trouble within your heart, and your silence is most uncommon"
Eruwen rolled her eyes as she turned to look back out over the forest "You can be awfully cruel sometimes Haldir," she responded, tugging at the sides of her cloak "Ai, but you are not the first to say that in my lifetime"
Haldir smiled "Oh how true that is" he said, laughing softly as Eruwen glared at him "But really, is there anything you wish to share to ease this unhappiness?"
The force of the glare slowly left her face, and a small smile formed "As cruel as you are," she started, her tone half scolding half mocking "you need not worry. I will be fine"
"Are you sure?"
She nodded "I was told by my lady not to worry about it, so I won't"
Haldir nodded as he moved and rose to his feet "I'm going to go check if anyone else has seen anything, I will return shortly. I trust that you will be fine on your own?"
"Of course! Why wouldn't I be?"
Haldir studied her for a moment, amusement clear in his eyes. "WELL..."
She groaned, rolling her eyes again.
He laughed as he started to make his way down the tree, his feet making no sound as they touched the ground. He glanced up once more, the smile still his face as he turned and walked towards other talan's.
"Awfully cruel" she said again to herself once he had traveled a distance "But I suppose that's what friends do sometimes." She shook her head, a small smile on her face. She then looked up to the darkening sky, noting that nightfall was not too far away.
"I maybe here for awhile yet" she thought as she brushed away some small branches near her face "Oh what fun"
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A few hours had passed since Haldir had left, darkness had settled firmly over the forest causing the cold temperature to increase, as well as make Eruwen as bored as ever. Usually elves enjoyed the forest, and could spend countless hours among the trees, listening to their stories without ever tiring. Then again, she wasn't an elf, and she couldn't communicate with the trees. So, she had spent those hours alone trying to find something to do on the bare wooden platform while she waited for him to return.
"What's taking him so long?" she muttered for the 10th time in the last five minutes. Right now, she was lying on the wooden platform, her body facing towards the star filled sky. After exhausting every activity she could do up in a tree, she finally resorted to trying to count the stars. And naturally, after a time this caused her to become more and more drowsy as well as unaware of her surroundings...
A shining star by day:
her mantle white was hemmed with gold,
Her shoes of silver grey.
Her counting stopped, her mouth half open. The old song drifted to her ears, and her eyes closed as she listened
A light was on her hair
As sun upon the golden boughs
In Lórien the fair
She had learned this song as a child, for it was a story most commonly told of the river Nimrodel. She slowly began to mouth the words as they came back to her, her eyes now half open as if in a trance
By water clear and cool,
Her voice as falling silver fell
Into the shining pool
Her voice slowly started building as the words became more clear to her, and never actually realizing it, she had started singing along; Her voice strong and clear to those around, and perhaps farther along the forest
In sunlight or in shade;
For lost of yore was Nimrodel
And in the mountains strayed
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Legolas suddenly stopped his singing as he tilted his head up and slightly to the side. Through the bubbling water of the Nimrodel, he could hear something else echoing through the open space.
"Do you not know more of the song?" Sam asked from behind him, the cool feel of the water refreshing his and his companions bodies.
The elf remained silent for a moment longer before smiling slightly "Listen friends to the fair maiden! She sings to us!"
Amroth beheld the fading shore
Now low beyond the swell,
And cursed the faithless ship that bore
Him far from Nimrodel
They could all hear the singing voice mingling with the noisy water as they traveled in silence across the river.
"Do you really think that it's the elven maiden in the song that's singing Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked, turning his head as far back as he could to talk to his friend behind him
"I don't know Sam" he responded, as he continued listening "But it sure is pretty"
Of old he was an Elven-king
A lord of tree and glen,
When golden were the boughs in spring
In fair Lothlórien.
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She continued singing, completely oblivious to what she was doing. Well, I guess that's what happens when you try counting the stars.
The wind was in his flowing hair,
The foam about him shone;
Afar they saw him strong and fair
Go riding like a swan
She suddenly stopped as the sound of soft laughter rang through the trees from the mouths of neighboring elves. She immediately sat up, a hand flying to cover her own mouth as she realized what she had been doing.
"Vanya Eruwen!" (Beautiful Eruwen!) the soft whispers of praise filled with mirth echoed through the trees from the surrounding elves.
She blushed from both embarrassment and the surprising admiration she was receiving. What had caused her to sing in the first place? She really didn't remember...
Suddenly, a silence filled the air, followed by a single warning of "Et-tirin!" (Watch out!) sounded right before the new visitors were in view.
Eruwen looked around, where was Haldir?!
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The Company now turned aside from the pat and into the shadow of the deeper woods, away from Silverlode. Not far from the walls of Nimrodel they found a cluster of trees, their great grey trunks were of mighty girth, but their heights could not be guessed.
"I will climb up," said Legolas. "I am at home among trees, though these trees are of a kind strange to me, save as a name in a song; Mellyren"
And with that, he sprang lightly from the ground and caught a branch that grew from the trunk high above his head. And even as he swung there for a moment, a voice suddenly spoke from the tree shadows above him
"Daro!"(stop!) in a commanding tone, though if you really listened, the owner of the voice seemed slightly panicked.
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Eruwen watched as they neared the tree she was currently sitting in. Were these the visitors that she was to meet? Haldir was suppose to be here with her! Never before had she met anyone from the outside world, and this soon to be encounter without any support was working away at her nerves.
She listened as one spoke to the group, and even she could tell from this distance that he was an elf. (What? She spent her entire life with them...)
The moment he jumped and grabbed a branch of the tree, she acted purely on instinct; "Daro!" she cried
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Legolas released the branch and fell back to the earth in surprise and fear. He shrank against the bole of the tree
"Stand still!" he whispered to the others, looking up through the branches of the tree. Then a clear soft laughter rang from the trees over their heads, and quizzical looks passed through the Company's features.
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Eruwen jumped at the sound of the laughter as she spun around to face-but of course- Haldir.
"Well done, I think you really scared them" he whispered, as he moved past her to better speak to those standing below. She gave a low growl of displeasure, and watched as he stood at the edge of the platform, peering over the side and proceeded to talk to the elf that she had previously...scared.
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"Who are they and what do they say?" asked Merry
"They're elves," said Sam "Can't you hear their voices?"
"Yes they are elves" said Legolas "And they say that you breathe so loud that they could shoot you in the dark!"
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"That wasn't very nice" Eruwen scolded softly as she moved to push the silver roped ladder down the opening. She shivered as a breeze swept through the trees, and pulled the hood of her cloak over her head as she moved to sit down next to Haldir. After a few moments had passed, a golden haired head appeared over the top of the opening, soon followed by the rest of his body. He looked around for a moment before his eyes landed on them, and Haldir waved his hand slightly, motioning for him to sit down with them.
"Welcome to the forests of Lothlórien" Haldir greeted as the elf sat down in front of them "You have come a long way from Rivendell, have you not?"
The elf nodded as he continued to observe the two of them. It seemed strange to him that one would wear such a heavy cloak, for the cold did not bother elves.
"I am Legolas" he said, looking back at Haldir "Of the Northern Mirkwood elves"
Something at the back of Eruwen's mind stirred, but she brushed it away for she knew where she had heard that name before. It was the name of the son of Thranduil, King of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood, her lady's and lord's kindred.
"I am Haldir" he introduced as more figures appeared on the platform "Are these the halflings you spoke of?"
Legolas glanced quickly at those who had come up and nodded "They are"
Haldir moved to stand up, soon followed by Eruwen and Legolas. He uncoved a small lamp that gave out a small slender beam. He held it up, looking at Frodo's face, and then Sam's. Then he shut off the light again and bade Eruwen to come forward.
"Welcome!" she said, speaking slowly for it had been a long time since she had used the Common Language. "We seldom use any tongue but our own; for we dwell now in the heart of the forest, and do not willingly have dealings with other folk. But some have learned the common language, for one reason or another." She stepped forward "I am one. Eruwen is my name, and my companion Haldir knows your tongue as well."
Legolas looked down at the small figure. She was very small for an elf, and affected by the cold! Perhaps the Southern elves varied from the Northern elves...
She paused for a moment, letting the introductions sink in before continuing "My lady has received word of your coming, for the messengers of Elrond passed by Lorien on their way home up the Dimrill Stair. We have not heard of-hobbits, or halflings in many years, and did now know that any yet dwelt in Middle-earth. You do not look evil! And since you come with an Elf of our kindred, we are willing to befriend you, and Elrond asked; and I am to lead you to the city, though it is not our custom to lead strangers through our land"
"But you must stay here for the night" Haldir cut in "How many are you?"
"Eight" said Legolas "Myself, four hobbits, two men, one of whom, Aragon, an Elf-friend"
Haldir nodded "But that is only seven"
"The eighth is a dwarf"
Eruwen gasped, not only because of the fact that there was a dwarf in their group, but because of the memory it stirred...
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"...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..."
" 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? This was most certainly strange...And the last of the companions was a elf, surprisingly enough. What was an elf doing in the company of a dwarf?"
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She shook her head. That was only a coincidence, it had to be.
There was no possible way that such fate had fallen upon her dear friend.
She refused to believe it.
"We will do this, though it is against our liking." Haldir said, breaking Eruwen's thoughts "He must go through blindfolded through Lothlórien. But now, we must debate no longer. You're folk must not remain on the ground. We have been keeping watch on the rivers ever since we saw a great troop of Orcs going north toward Moria."
"Tomorrow, come early morning we shall depart" Eruwen announced, looking at Legolas and Haldir for approval.
"Yes, that would be best." Legolas agreed, still trying to see the face of the strange little elf, without, of course, trying to make it obvious.
"The four hobbits here and stay with us- We do not fear them! There is another talan in the next tree. There the others must take refuge. You Legolas must answer to them for us. Call us if anything is amiss! And have an eye for the dwarf!"
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After a filling supper for the hobbits and helping them prepare for a nights rest, Eruwen settled herself on the other side of the talan, while Haldir took up watch on one of the lower branches and soon found that sleep was bordering on her consciousness.
"I hope, if I do go to sleep in this bed loft, that I shan't roll off" one of the hobbits proclaimed, as he uneasily shifted side to side on his bed roll.
"Once I do get to sleep, I shall go on sleeping, whether I roll off or no. And the less said, the sooner I drop off, if you take my meaning" another scolded
Eruwen chuckled, she found that these outsiders were really a happy type. Except for the one...Frodo was his name? She couldn't help but notice the distance look in his eyes, and his shoulders slumped as if taking on the weight of the world. She did not know their reason for coming here, but it seemed that this journey had taken it's toll on the hobbit.
She sighed, best not to think of these things now. She had a long journey back to the city, and needed her rest as well....
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"The ring, where is the ring?" a voice hissed in her ear
Her eyes opened, finding herself in night filled forest. The darkness seemed to overtake the light of the stars and the moon, surrounding her and filling her with fear.
"The ring, where is it?" it hissed again, farther away from her "I can feel that it is here"
Her mouth opened, and she seemed to find herself struggling to find her voice. The rest of her body seemed paralyzed as she finally spoke "W-Who are you?"
It almost seemed as if whatever presence there was taken aback for a moment "No, the question is, who are you? Do you know where the ring is?"
"N-No, I do not"
She could feel the darkness setting around her, the air about her warming slowly "Are you sure?"
She nodded, too frightened to speak. The air felt like it was becoming uncomfortably hot, making her breathing more difficult
"Who are you?" the voice asked again
She gave no answer, the air now felt like it was burning her very skin! She whimpered slightly as she tried willing her legs to move, to no avail.
"What is this power I sense?" the voice asked, the question directed more at itself than her "What power indeed...You would make a powerful asset to my army"
She gasped as it became too much for her to bear "No! leave me alone!" she finally cried, breaking away, and running deeper in the forest
A laughter broke out, "You can't hide forever little one" it called out behind her
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Late in the night, Frodo awoke. The other hobbits were asleep, the elves gone save one. She seemed to be having an uncomfortable slumber as she tossed and turned to the point where he worried that she may fall off the talan. Carefully picking his way across the wooden platform, he kneeled next to the restless, but still sleeping form. He could barely see her, for the sickle Moon only gave off a dim light through leaves.
"Eruwen" he called out softly, shaking her "Eruwen!" he called again more urgently
She gasped, her hand automatically going to the bow at her side. She squinted her eyes, and could make out the form of the hobbit. She relaxed as she sat up "What is it Frodo?" she asked sleepily, but still relieved that it was only a dream
"You were rolling around so much that I thought you were going to fall off!" he claimed
A worried look passed through her eyes, as the memory of the dream returned to her, but she smiled, hoping that he could see it "Thank you Frodo" she said "I'm afraid my dreams are getting slightly...odd these days" 'to put it mildly' she added in her mind
He was about to ask what kind of dream she had when Eruwen suddenly raised her hand, signaling him to be quiet.
A little way off, they both heard a harsh laugh and the tread of many feel on the ground below. There was a ring of metal, the sounds died away slowly and seemed to go southward into the wood. A head appeared through the hole in the talan, and Eruwen gripped her bow again, only to see it was a grey hooded elf. He looked towards them both
"What is it?" Frodo asked
"Yrch!"(orcs!) said the elf in a hissing whisper looking directly at Eruwen " You must return to Lórien and tell the lord and lady what has come to pass!" he finished as he jumped from the talan and rushed into the woods.
Eruwen stood, letting her lone blanket fall to the wooden platform. She adjusted her cloak, pulling the hood over her head once again. She slung her silver colored quiver across her back, concealing it beneath the grey material of her cloak. Taking up her bow in her hand, she turned to Frodo "You will be safe here" she whispered softly "Just try to get some sleep, for you have a long journey ahead of you" She walked to the opening, and quietly jumped down and rushed into the woods in the opposite direction that the other had gone.
Frodo took out sting, the blue glow slowly fading. He took no comfort from her words.
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Eruwen ran quickly as she could, the darkness making the travel slightly difficult and causing her to trip every so often over a branch or the root of a tree. She slowed for a moment, as it suddenly occurred to her that she could use a spell that Mithrandir himself had taught her.
'Oh what was it' she thought frustrated as she slowly walked on. She stopped, a smile broke out across her face "lelya-n pella ana-Lórien vane!" she cried [1]
And in an instant, she was gone.
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She appeared in midst of the city, her eyesight slightly blurred, one of the spell's after effects. She felt woozy, perhaps using the spell wasn't such a good idea after such a restless sleep. She turned to the elves crowded around her
"Yrch" she said falling to her knees "Warn my lady and lord of their presence in our forest"
With that, she fell to ground, into a dreamless sleep.
--End Chapter--
Heh, yes I was stuck for an ending to the chapter.
Please review?
[1]That just means bring me to Lórien...nothing special!