Thanks to Dragon , Moose, Beejang , Orange Blossom Took , Dark Angel and Wen Quendalie for taking the time to review this for me!
Beejang: Thanks for bringing that to my attention, I didn't realize it until you said something. It made me go look at the paragraphs again. I will try to fix that.
Blessed Be!
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Beltane Fires - Chapter 6
Elrond sat for sometime in the library that night. There was still a chill to the air, so he had built a fire in the fireplace. Sitting there staring at the flames made him drowsy. He leaned his head against the side of the high back chair and dozed off. The dream came slowly into his thoughts. Flashes from the past. Battles he had been in with Gil-Galad, fighting against Sauron. His life with Celebrian, Elessar when he was a child. Then there was the woman with the red hair. She was walking through the meadow. Dressed in a long green robe. Her beautiful auburn hair flowing over her shoulders and down her back. She was smiling and walking leisurely through the tall grass. He watched her bend to look at the flowers around her feet .Her face had a peaceful happy look to her pale features. He saw a deep dark shadow appear behind her. It was getting closer with each step she took. It was getting larger and larger, until it towered over her. she turned and saw the demon shadow following her. She started to run, but she was not fast enough. He could feel the panic inside her. He tried to get to her to help. Even in his sleep he reached to his hip for his sword, old habits die hard. The sword was not there anymore, he felt helpless. He could feel himself trying to run to her. "Hurry , run. Come this way " he was screaming at her. She heard him calling and turned to run in his direction. He could see his arms outstretched to grab her before the shadow took her. She was running to him now, reaching for him .The shadow was too fast, with a terrorizing scream the shadow covered her and she was gone. Elrond woke up with a start. He was covered in sweat and his hands were shaking. He had almost reached her .Why didn't he try harder? Was that the end of her? Would she return in the visions or was it over? He could not believe he would not see her again. It hurt to think of her gone, he had not even met her yet. They had not shared anytime together, he had become used to seeing her now. He expected it! He knew he couldn't leave Imladris until he was certain she still lived.
Shannon woke up early the next morning. She was excited about Beltane starting tonight. She got up slowly expecting the headache, but there wasn't one. She got out of bed testing herself to see if it would start if she stood up. Nothing ! Thank God, it was going to be a good day. She quickly dressed in her favorite jeans and sweater. She scrawled a quick note for Rhea and went down stairs." Mrs. Miller, could you give this to my friend when she gets up?" she asked the woman at the counter. "Of course dear, leave it here with me' she said. Mrs. Miller smiled and put the note in the box marked with Rheas room number. Shannon smiled and walked out the front door. She had a spare set of keys to the rental car. She unlocked the car and got in .It took her a few minutes to adjust to the difference in the foreign car. Then she was off. She drove straight for the Stonehenge. Something had drawn her here this morning; she needed to be here alone. She put the car in park and locked it up. She opened the trunk and got out a blanket and her bag. The bag contained her bottle of water, a thermos of coffee, her meds and a book. She came prepared to stay for a while. She had left Rhea the note telling her where she would be and not to worry, that she was feeling really well this morning. When she got to the top of the hill, there were already people about. She knew exactly where to go. She went to the same exact stone she had yesterday when she had seen the dark hair man. This was good because the people, who already were here, were on the outside of the formation. Her special place was inside and out of their view. She placed the blanket on the ground and sat down to wait. Shannon poured herself a cup of hot coffee and relaxed against the stone. This was great, early morning in the countryside. In England and feeling better than she had in days. Could it get any better than this? Hell yes, if Mr. Pointie ears was sitting here next to her sharing it! She giggled to herself thinking. You really have lost it this time. What if the man was an alien from another planet? I am mean how many men do you know with pointed ears? Well two actually! Stop it Shannon before you start talking to yourself out loud, and they lock you away! She looked at her watch, ten fifteen. Shannon got her ten o'clock pills out of her bag and took them. There were three for ten o'clock and three more for later. That done she decided to do her channeling. She assumed the lotus position and closed her eyes. Sitting there with her legs crossed on the blanket was more relaxing then it looked. The centering came to her quickly and it wasn't long before she was deep in a trance. She walked a cross the little bridge as usual and the goddess was waiting there. She was so beautiful in her pale silver gown. So sheer that it appeared to wrap around the goddess like a spider web. It shined as if it were wet from a spring shower. Her long black hair flowing almost to the ground. She was bare foot and had long slender legs .She held out her hand for Shannon to take, then they turned and finished walking into the meadow.
Elrond stood looking out of the window in the library. He felt as if the room was closing in on him. It was a beautiful spring morning and the sun was shining brightly outside. He was so depressed, standing there thinking himself a failure because he had not saved her from the shadow. He decided to go outside and walk in the garden. He walked down the cobblestone path and came upon the rose garden. The scent was heavy today, a breeze carried the smell to the other end of the garden. The little fountain trickled water over the rim, and it disappeared further down into a stream. He softly stepped onto the path leading to the archway at the other end and looked up. He was shocked, he had to blink his eyes to make sure he was not dreaming. She was there walking hand in hand with the she elf Luthien . He stood there afraid to move afraid she would disappear if the spell were broken. She looked at his face and smiled so sweetly it made his heart ache. He was so grateful to know she had survived the shadow.
Shannon walked with the goddess down a path. She could smell the scent of roses everywhere. Never in all the time she had spent with the goddess had they ever journeyed here to this place. She trusted the goddess Dana, after all she had worshipped her since she was a child. Devoting all of her spiritualism to this one deity. Shannon smelled the roses and felt at peace, this garden was a place of magic. The goddess hesitated causing Shannon to look up, there he was. Standing there with that sad look on his face, until he spotted them approaching. His face transformed into one of shock and then of relief. It relaxed all of his features. She knew he would be devastatingly handsome if only he weren't always so sad. He had changed from the black robe into one of a pale silver blue. The crown was still on his head and it made him look regal. It took but a moment of him seeing her smile and he started to walk toward them. The smile on his face made her feel that she would be forever grateful if this man belonged to her. She looked at Dana with questions in her mind. Why was she here? Was she supposed to go back again to her time? And please God, say she could take him with her. Don't show me this man and then tell me hands off! Someone would die if they did!
Elrond found it hard to breath. He kept walking slowly toward the two women, by all that was holy this woman was beautiful and she was alive! He could not look at Luthien, he was so enthralled by the woman at her side, then he smiled accepting the fact that she was here in the front of him finally! He reached out his hand and touched her cheek to make sure it was not another vision. Skin touched warm skin and he grinned, she was real enough .He let his hand fall as he looked into her eyes. She looked back at him with eyes that showed complete trust. This made him feel better and he took her hand and held it in his own. She tightened her hold on his and felt content. They both turned to look at Luthien. There would be a lot of questions that they both would want answers to.