A/N: Since I can't figure out how to do italics, I have decided to denote
thoughts and/or mysterious voices in Ella's head like this: ~thought~ to
resolve any confusion. And I'm sorry for typos, I try, but I am incapable
of writing anything w/o them, if u wanna let me know about them, please do.
Sorry for the wait- school's a minor distraction and my snow day prayers haven't been working too well this year.
Please review! Flames welcome, I don't care! Thanx.
Ella fell in love with Lothlorien after the first ten minutes of her exploration. She wandered aimlessly along the paths, seeing ancient statues of elves long gone, and others of nature. Ella particularly loved a small granite dragonfly embedded in a tall grey wall, partially hidden by lush green foliage threatening to take over. The flowers were gorgeous. All of Lothlorien was liberally strewn with flower patches dotting the green. The soft grass tickled her feet, and the air was clean and refreshing. Ella eventually found herself in a clearing with a fountain gurgling in the background and she sat out of sight in some shade at the very edge of the clearing, resting, for her side had complained vociferously about all the walking. It was then, in the tranquillity of the shade, that she finally became aware of the eerie music skimming the air that followed her throughout Lothlorien. Ella, unable to understand the words, began creating a small spell to remedy that when she caught sight of Lady Galadriel gliding down the stone steps to the clearing.
Ella receded even further into the shade, for reasons obscured even to her. Frodo also entered the clearing, at precisely the same moment as the Lady. Some of the dark shadows under his eyes had diminished from the two nights of good food and rest, but he still looked haggard compared to the hobbit Ella had first met in the Shire.
Ella watched unnoticed as the Lady filled a silver pitcher from the trickling fountain.
"Will you look into the mirror?" she asked, breaking the silence with her contralto voice.
"What will I see?" Frodo asked cautiously. The Lady held the pitcher high and slowly poured the water into a stone basin in the clearing.
"Even the wisest cannot tell," she replied, "For the mirror shows many things. Things that were, things that are, and some things that have not yet come to pass," she said, as the last drop splashed into the basin.
Frodo stepped gamely up to the basin after searching the Lady's timeless face. Though Frodo's back was to Ella, she could see his growing distress as the moments ticked away and he continued to stare into the liquid mirror. The Lady stood by, emotionlessly gazing into the basin. Smoke started to stream off the water, and Frodo jerked himself away from the mirror after almost touching his nose to the water, his handed protectively clenching the ring.
"I know what it is you saw," the Lady stated flatly, "For it is also in my mind." She looked meaningfully into Frodo's blue eyes. After a moment, Frodo offered his hand out to the Lady with the ring glittering in his palm. Ella thought this was a wise move, the Lady's knowledge seemed all- encompassing, and she would lash out at Sauron mercilessly if she was able. But, the Lady's fingers trembled as she reached for the ring, and she stopped her hand almost as she grasped it.
"You offer it to me freely," she said slowly, "I do not deny that my heart has greatly desired this," she added, her voice rising. Ella could feel the tension of the immense power gathering around her. "In place of a dark lord, you would have a queen!" she cried, "Not dark, but beautiful and terrible. All shall love me and despair!" she gasped, her voice now returned to its normal pitch, the grating metallic undertone now gone from her voice. The Lady was breathing hard, her chest heaving.
" I pass the test. I will go into the West and remain Galadriel," she said.
" I cannot do this alone," Frodo desperately pleaded.
" You are a ringbearer, Frodo. To bear a ring is to be alone," she said harshly, "This task was appointed to you, and if you do not find the way, no one will."
"I know what I must do-it's just I'm afraid to do it." Ella couldn't understand what he meant by that. She racked her brain, considering all possibilities and discarded them all for their implausibility.
Frodo nodded his respects to the Lady, and slowly waked away, immersed in a world none but he could see. After he vanished from sight, the Lady looked directly at Ella.
"You may come out now," she called. Chagrined, Ella stepped reluctantly toward the Lady. ~Do not fear her.~ came a ringing voice from the depths of Ella's mind. Startled, Ella looked around for the source. Looking suspiciously at Galadriel, Ella saw her lips curve in a faint smile, and Ella could feel the Lady's power gather around her, her eyes going blank, but swiftly returning their piercing gaze to Ella. ~Hearing voices, even in this world, is definitely not promising!~ Ella thought. ~Or maybe it is, but just promising bad things.~ Shrugging it off, Ella more quickly approached the Lady. ~Let's see if I make it through this.~ she thought fatalistically.
"I'm really sorry," she blurted, "I really didn't know that you and Frodo were meeting here. I was just wandering around and I would never have interrupted you had I known. I didn't even see anything of importance, and I'm not much of a witch, but I'm all they've got, so me as a frog wouldn't really do them any good--" Ella stopped mid sentence. "You're not angry with me, are you?" she asked, furrowing her brow in puzzlement.
"Seeing what occurred may perhaps be beneficial for you," the Lady replied mysteriously, "Especially if you wish to see this through. Your knowledge must be furthered for you to be an asset to the Companions," she said bluntly, "There are realms of magic that you are ignorant of, and that is fatal to a wizard." Ella almost hung her head, knowing that the Lady spoke the truth and she really was uneducated in magic. "I would be willing to teach you, though." The Lady added, buoying Ella's hopes. "The most important thing I can teach you is mind magic. Many wizards can hurl lightening bolts, but they are susceptible to a mental attack from the merest apprentice. Today, you will rest. Tomorrow, we will begin our lessons here at the same time." With a nod to Ella, she floated out of the clearing and lightly mounted the stone steps.
Excited to learn magic from one so exalted, Ella sat down on a stone bench to calm herself. She contentedly let her eyes drift over her heavenly surroundings, and she again became aware of the haunting music wafting on the air. She remembered the little spell she had made up and softly intoned:
Notes from the song that I hear, Translate and become clear in my ear.
Ella's ears tingled for a moment, and the words were still spoken in Elvish. She was disappointed until she realized that she understood them as if she spoke Elvish fluently, even though she had only picked up a couple of words. All of Ella's grief surfaced as she heard the words recounting Gandalf's long life and sudden death. Ella was bombarded with memories of Gandalf bringing her presents on his visits to her world, of him next to her in the old horse cart, and of the real Gandalf, determinedly countering Saruman's magic on the snowy pass. Then the worst memory played back in her mind- Gandalf's hands slipping of the crag of rock and into the blackness of the awaiting abyss. Ella felt misplaced and alone in a world that wasn't hers. ~But I love it here!~ she argued, trying vainly to convince herself. Then her mind drifted to her mother's death. She saw white lightening casting her mother aside as if she was a feather over and over. Finally, her mind turned to Legolas' hostility toward her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Legolas stood at the top of the steps leading down to the clearing where Ella sat, her mind faraway in her own thoughts. He was unsure why he was so upset over problems with her, but wanted to move on, and at least be on opposite sides no longer. He softly stepped down the steps.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ella sat in a ray of sun on the stone bench, and Legolas noticed the golden highlights accented in her hair. Sternly pushing that distracting observation out of his head, Legolas tried to get her attention.
"Ella," he said softly.
Ella blinked and turned toward him.
"Yes?" she asked carefully, turning toward him. Legolas could see she had been crying.
"I would like to know your reasons," he stated.
Ella sighed, knowing of what he spoke, and after a minute said, "I wanted to save him, and I hated anything holding me back. I could have done someth--" she stopped, her anger deflating as quickly as it came, "No, what could I do?" she asked scornfully.
Legolas sat down next to her. She turned to face him, looking into his eyes.
"I am sorry, " she said sincerely, if gruffly. "I shouldn't have even thought of using magic against you. I mean, last time I checked, we're friends," she added, weakly trying for lightness.
Legolas smiled, understanding her grief, and forgave her for her rash action. They both sat in silence, admiring their surroundings.
Ella again listened to the music's words. Soon, she was thinking of Gandalf and tears dripped back down her cheeks. She averted her face so that Legolas couldn't see her cry. He noticed her movement, and asked, "What is worrying you?"
Ella's teeth clamped down on her lower lip to keep from crying in front of him, "How can you listen to the words of the song?" she asked.
"Elves are less emotional. We do not let our emotions take control of ourselves," he replied.
"And-and, I don't belong here," she said, surprising herself with her willingness to speak. ~I must finally be losing it, but I'm going to tell him.~ she thought.
"Of course you do," was the automatic reply.
"No, you don't understand. I wasn't born here. I'm not even from this planet," Ella said, waving her arms expansively, "I was born in a whole other time. Gandalf's gone--- I have no reason to be here. He was the reason I came."
Legolas accepted the information, and put it together with of all the things that didn't add up about Ella. All her unusual sayings, the nonsensical things she sometimes said, it all made sense now. A multitude of questions formed.
"How?" was the first one to surface.
"My mother," Ella responded, blinking back more tears. ~Today is really not my day~ she thought. "She was a sorceress, and journeyed to my Earth. Saruman followed her and killed her because she was his only competition for the Head of the Order. Gandalf visited me from time to time, posing as my uncle. Then he gave me a way to escape and come to a new world," Ella shrugged, "I did."
Legolas couldn't believe that anyone would uproot himself so willingly.
"You simply rose one day and left?" he asked.
"Well, yes. I wasn't that happy," Ella replied. She had talked about much more than she had intended to, and was especially disconcerted because she didn't know why.
" I do not mean to burden you with my troubles," Ella said.
"'Tis no burden. I had wondered about you from the start. I knew that you were different, in some way, and I spent time with you to discern what that difference was," said Legolas.
"Oh, good. That means I'm rid of you now that you know!" Ella said tartly, and tried to make a dignified exit, marred only by the fact that she tripped over the train of her dress and landed on her side. Her cut sent a fierce complaint, and Ella grunted as she hit the ground. Legolas picked her up with little apparent effort.
"I just can't make an exit!" Ella griped, as she was set on her feet. She placed a hand on her injured hip, and lifted it to see her palm dyed red. Legolas saw also, and his brows drew together ominously.
"It sometimes helps when you bandage wounds," he said mildly, his voice belying his face.
"Thanks, Mother," Ella returned, "But I did put a bandage on it. Do you happen to have any extra?" Ella asked, remembering that she had used up the length that she had found in her flet.
Legolas nodded and briskly set off on a direct route to his flet, Ella trying her best to keep pace.
They soon reached Legolas' flet, and none too soon, for Ella bled even more and felt lightheaded after she climbed up. His flet was similar to hers' but it was more spacious. Elves obviously put value in rank. Leoglas quickly found linen bandages rolled up neatly in a scented wooden cabinet.
"We need to be quick. You do know the correct way to bandage wounds, don't you?" he asked.
"There's a special way?" Ella said cluelessly, "Too bad I didn't know this morning,"
Legolas nodded and thrust a pair of his leggings and a tunic into her arms, put the bandages on top of the stack, and pushed her into the adjoining room.
"Change. Wrap the bandage tight. I'll fix it when you return," he said.
Ella quickly stepped out of the dress, unhappy to see such a beautiful article of clothing ruined. She tied the bandage around her waist securely, and tugged on the leggings and tunic. She stepped back into the main chamber of the flet.
"Lift up your shirt," Legolas commanded. Ella revealed the bandage and stood patiently while the elf adjusted it, making it more comfortable, but almost completely cutting off the bleeding. There was some bread laid out, and Ella hungrily grabbed a piece, not having eaten since breakfast.
"Where'd you learn to do that?" Ella asked.
"I'm not a very adept healer, but your cut is simply bleeding; it is not deep. Even I can mend that," he replied.
Ella thanked him, and was about to walk back to her flet.
"Wait," Legolas called as she was about to step out. Ella turned toward him.
"You do know that the Lady is having an evening dinner with the Company?" he asked.
"No, I didn't. When?"
"Tonight. Meet me here, and I will show you where it is being held," Legolas said.
"All right," Ella replied, and climbed down, heading toward her flet. She again was wearied after she climbed up, but shook it off and went to the wardrobe and rummaged about for a suitable robe, looking for a fancy one. She suspected that the dinner was going to be formal. She found a blue robe adorned with pale green embroidery and slipped into it. She loved the soft feel of the fabric, and went to look in the mirror the see the effect. She looked rather tired, but if she pulled her hair away from her face, she looked better. ~Next problem--- how do I do that?~ she thought, thinking of her less than impressive skills with hair. After a moment, an idea came to her, and she carefully climbed down her flet and cut through the shrubs.
Legolas had not expected anyone so early, and quickly pulled his shirt and tunic on, not sure if it was Ella or not. He grabbed a short knife, and went to confront his unexpected visitor.
"Sorry. I know I'm early, but I have a minor problem. I still can't believe I'm asking you this, but how do you braid hair away from your face?" Ella asked.
Legolas hadn't expected this, and stood looking at Ella with raised eyebrows.
"If you're going to be difficult, then I'll go like this," Ella said, defensive under his scrutiny.
"No. Stay," he replied. "I was just surprised you didn't know. Most elves have been braiding hair for so long they take it for granted."
"I can braid hair, but nothing fancy," Ella said.
Ella sat down at the chair Legolas gestured to. He came up behind her, and divided her hair into separate strands, his hands deftly braiding and coiling the auburn strands, and somehow securing them without a clip. Ella examined at her reflection in the mirror with approval.
"Thanks. Teach me sometime!" Ella said.
"With pleasure. Allow me to finish dressing," Legolas said, and Ella noticed the still unbraided wheat hair hanging to his shoulders.
"You should keep it that way. It looks good," Ella said, and promptly blushed much to her dismay.
"I am sorry to disappoint you, but I cannot to this dinner," Legolas said wryly noticing her blush, and turned to finish dressing.
The evening was sedate, even Merry and Pippin had little to say. No one was able to forget Gandalf, nor did anyone want to. Galadriel occasionally gave Aragorn advice in routes to travel, but she had confidence in the ranger and her advice wasn't frequent. Ella listened carefully to all the Lady said during the evening, wanting to learn as much as possible from her stay, but couldn't help but fall asleep soon after the meal was over. The low voices lulled her to sleep, and she dozed until shaken awake later. She reluctantly raised an eyelid.
"As much as I hate to disturb your slumber, I do believe your bed would be slightly more comfortable," Legolas told her. In no mood to listen to reason, Ella just shut her eyes again. This time she was shaken more insistently, and reluctantly realized that she would have to get up. She rose and made her way to her flet with assistance, and fell into bed.
The next day, Ella bandaged her side after rising early and bathing. She found that she didn't mind robes as much as she thought, and pulled on another one from the wardrobe. She dawdled over breakfast in the kitchens, for time wasn't passing fast enough to suit her. Ella arrived almost a quarter of an hour before she was supposed to meet Lady Galadriel in the clearing. Ella paced the clearing, excitedly thinking of all the things that she was to learn.
Suddenly, Ella's body snapped to a halt. She tried to move her arms, and met with no success. Her entire body was as pliable as a wooden board. Panic rose despite her best efforts to suppress it. ~I can't even blink!~ Ella thought, aghast. Lady Galadriel then strolled into Ella's view, and with a wave of the Lady's hand, Ella felt her mobility return.
"Mind magic is very potent," she said, "You are fortunate that I am not a foe, for your mind is unguarded and easily accessed."
Ella was still in shock from the paralysis of her body and could do no more than stare.
"A wizard could not only read your thoughts," the Lady continued, "But he could also control your body. You would have no power over your actions, or over your mind. Your entire memory could be erased at a wizard's whim."
"Is it possible for me to become less susceptible to such an attack?" Ella asked.
"Yes," the Lady replied, "You can learn to shield your mind. It is something that takes much skill, but you already have displayed your skill. You could learn in a week of intensive practice."
A week was all the Fellowship had planned to stay in Lothlorien before continuing on their journey, but Ella had experienced first hand how much sway the magic held over the mind, and knew she could not have broken the spell even if she had known what it was.
"You'll teach me?" Ella asked.
"Now, if you desire," the Lady told her, sitting down on the grass. Ella nodded and joined her.
"First, you must learn to shield yourself," the Lady said, "That is done by reaching into your mind and achieving total calm. Only then will a shield you construct stand on a firm base. Remember that. If you must make a change to the shield, achieve tranquillity of thought so that the change is on the same firm stand as the rest of the shield. This is sometimes difficult when in conflict or traveling. Once you have done that, you must mentally construct a shield, but I will detail that later. Try now to rid your mind of all thoughts. I will be linked with your mind, and will follow your progress."
Ella closed her eyes. This sounded a lot like yoga, and she had never had any faith in it back home. She tried to push thoughts out of her mind, but it wasn't easy. At the most inopportune moments, just when she thought she had it, random thoughts would pop into her head, disturbing her concentration. Finally, the Lady called a halt and the lesson ended. Discouraged, Ella roamed Lothlorien until she met up with the hobbits. Their antics cheered her up, and she spent the rest of the evening with them.
The next day, Ella again arrived early at the clearing where she met with Lady Galadriel, and tried to put herself into the calm state that the Lady had described yesterday. When the Lady arrived, again Ella tried, but couldn't get any further. She was frustrated, to say the least, and felt like kicking something. Hard.
"Do not worry overmuch," the Lady advised, "Only two days have passed, and you should not become disheartened. Not everything will come naturally."
The third day came, and again Ella couldn't clear her mind. She had spent an entertaining evening with Legolas playing the equivalent of an elvish board game the night before, and to Ella's displeasure, scenes from it kept jumping into her mind precisely as she felt her mind going blank.
"One last try before we halt," the Lady said.
Ella determinedly cleared her mind. ~Shoving thoughts out of your head won't get you anywhere. Do it like this.~ Ella was again startled when she heard the unexpected voice in her head, but felt compelled to obey. Concentrating again, she felt her thoughts shut like individual dresser drawers, not shoved away, but put away in their place. Serenity drifted over her, enveloping her in its clean folds. Ella opened her eyes.
"Good," Lady Galadriel said. "Can you reach it again?"
Ella nodded. After her anonymous benefactor showed her the way to clear her mind, she felt it was branded into the side of her head. She wouldn't quickly forget it.
"This time, envision shields forming, completely surrounding your mind. They are thick and impenetrable. No one could come through unless you admitted him. The more imagination you possess, the better you can modify your shield in the future, but we will not do that until you are more comfortable," Lady Galadriel told her, "The most difficult part is finding your inner calm so that you can form your shield."
Ella again shut her eyes and cleared her mind, this time much quicker. She pictured a glassy shield covering her mind, and all who tried to touch the shield glancing off. The Lady was right. If you really used your imagination, the possibilities were limitless.
"That is the principle," the Lady said when Ella opened her eyes. "We have made significant strides today. Tomorrow we will move on."
"Lady," Ella asked, "It wasn't you in my head, was it?"
"No," she carefully replied, "But times are different now, and you must be trained expediently. You are entitled to a little assistance in some cases."
"And you won't tell me who it is?"
"No," the Lady responded, "You don't need to know."
Ella thought about that the rest of the day without reaching any conclusions. She didn't like the way information was being withheld, but she grudgingly supposed that the Lady knew best. The Fellowship dined together, and spent the remainder of the evening in each other's company.
Ella's next lesson was more interesting to her than the previous ones. Lady Galadriel told her about the ways wizards penetrated their opponents' shields, and how to contain anything that did penetrate your shields. It didn't involve anything physical; the idea was to send a thought out, the stronger the thought, the more likely to penetrate. Ella learned most of this first hand, when the Lady repeatedly broke through Ella's shields. Ella strengthened them accordingly, and tried to make sure there were no fissures, but she had no real hopes of sealing off Lady Galadriel. The Lady also gave her the opportunity to break through her own shields. Ella sent out a prodding thought, but encountered complex, prismatic shields that felt harder actual armor. Intimidated, she drew back. Those shields felt impossible to break; Ella inflicting a hairline fracture would be miraculous. ~Use your common sense!~ Ella's self-appointed advisor told her.
~What's that got to do with it?~ Ella thought, puzzled, but took the advice and reasoned through the puzzle. The Lady's shields were impossibly hard. No direct blow that Ella could ever give would crack them. That meant guile was the next option. The weakness in the Lady's shields was probably the corners, where the facets of the prisms met. A blow would have to be pretty thin to slice through it, but it was more likely than brute strength. Ella gathered energy, but not as much as she could. She didn't want the bolt of thought to be unwieldy. She focused it into the thinnest sliver she could, and sent it hurtling toward the Lady's shields, aimed at a corner. Ella could feel the Lady's surprise when the bolt impacted, and it might have gone through, but the sheer strength of the Lady's mind cast it back.
"That was the best magic you've done yet," the Lady praised.
The next days were spent in preparation for leaving Lothlorien. Bags had to be packed, food readied, and farewells extended. Ella was given a change of clothes as well as a pack of her own. The elves weren't thrifty, and the Fellowship was given food to last as well as a means of transportation.
When the bulk of Ella's packing was completed, and she wandered about Lothlorien, trying to stamp its beauty into her head, down to the last bit of moss on the stone when she heard her name called. Lady Galadriel approached.
"I do not want you to continue on this journey," the Lady declared, "But I suppose you are adamant?"
"Yes," Ella replied, frowning, "But why?"
"Because, you could disrupt the natural procession of events," the Lady said, "I can say no more."
Ella frowned, "If you're going to try to prevent me from leaving, then telling me is only fair."
The Lady looked long and hard at Ella. Finally, she said, "I do not normally tell of what I am permitted to see, but I feel that an exception must be made. Frodo has something to do." At Ella's inquisitive, yeah-no- kidding look, she continued, "Something that you have no knowledge of, and something that you must not prevent him from doing. Do you understand?"
"Honestly, no, I don't," Ella said, "But I probably will understand when he does it, and I promise that I will not prevent him."
After eliciting Ella's promise, the Lady seemed slightly more satisfied, but her concern was still apparent.
"Remember," she warned.
Sorry for the wait- school's a minor distraction and my snow day prayers haven't been working too well this year.
Please review! Flames welcome, I don't care! Thanx.
Ella fell in love with Lothlorien after the first ten minutes of her exploration. She wandered aimlessly along the paths, seeing ancient statues of elves long gone, and others of nature. Ella particularly loved a small granite dragonfly embedded in a tall grey wall, partially hidden by lush green foliage threatening to take over. The flowers were gorgeous. All of Lothlorien was liberally strewn with flower patches dotting the green. The soft grass tickled her feet, and the air was clean and refreshing. Ella eventually found herself in a clearing with a fountain gurgling in the background and she sat out of sight in some shade at the very edge of the clearing, resting, for her side had complained vociferously about all the walking. It was then, in the tranquillity of the shade, that she finally became aware of the eerie music skimming the air that followed her throughout Lothlorien. Ella, unable to understand the words, began creating a small spell to remedy that when she caught sight of Lady Galadriel gliding down the stone steps to the clearing.
Ella receded even further into the shade, for reasons obscured even to her. Frodo also entered the clearing, at precisely the same moment as the Lady. Some of the dark shadows under his eyes had diminished from the two nights of good food and rest, but he still looked haggard compared to the hobbit Ella had first met in the Shire.
Ella watched unnoticed as the Lady filled a silver pitcher from the trickling fountain.
"Will you look into the mirror?" she asked, breaking the silence with her contralto voice.
"What will I see?" Frodo asked cautiously. The Lady held the pitcher high and slowly poured the water into a stone basin in the clearing.
"Even the wisest cannot tell," she replied, "For the mirror shows many things. Things that were, things that are, and some things that have not yet come to pass," she said, as the last drop splashed into the basin.
Frodo stepped gamely up to the basin after searching the Lady's timeless face. Though Frodo's back was to Ella, she could see his growing distress as the moments ticked away and he continued to stare into the liquid mirror. The Lady stood by, emotionlessly gazing into the basin. Smoke started to stream off the water, and Frodo jerked himself away from the mirror after almost touching his nose to the water, his handed protectively clenching the ring.
"I know what it is you saw," the Lady stated flatly, "For it is also in my mind." She looked meaningfully into Frodo's blue eyes. After a moment, Frodo offered his hand out to the Lady with the ring glittering in his palm. Ella thought this was a wise move, the Lady's knowledge seemed all- encompassing, and she would lash out at Sauron mercilessly if she was able. But, the Lady's fingers trembled as she reached for the ring, and she stopped her hand almost as she grasped it.
"You offer it to me freely," she said slowly, "I do not deny that my heart has greatly desired this," she added, her voice rising. Ella could feel the tension of the immense power gathering around her. "In place of a dark lord, you would have a queen!" she cried, "Not dark, but beautiful and terrible. All shall love me and despair!" she gasped, her voice now returned to its normal pitch, the grating metallic undertone now gone from her voice. The Lady was breathing hard, her chest heaving.
" I pass the test. I will go into the West and remain Galadriel," she said.
" I cannot do this alone," Frodo desperately pleaded.
" You are a ringbearer, Frodo. To bear a ring is to be alone," she said harshly, "This task was appointed to you, and if you do not find the way, no one will."
"I know what I must do-it's just I'm afraid to do it." Ella couldn't understand what he meant by that. She racked her brain, considering all possibilities and discarded them all for their implausibility.
Frodo nodded his respects to the Lady, and slowly waked away, immersed in a world none but he could see. After he vanished from sight, the Lady looked directly at Ella.
"You may come out now," she called. Chagrined, Ella stepped reluctantly toward the Lady. ~Do not fear her.~ came a ringing voice from the depths of Ella's mind. Startled, Ella looked around for the source. Looking suspiciously at Galadriel, Ella saw her lips curve in a faint smile, and Ella could feel the Lady's power gather around her, her eyes going blank, but swiftly returning their piercing gaze to Ella. ~Hearing voices, even in this world, is definitely not promising!~ Ella thought. ~Or maybe it is, but just promising bad things.~ Shrugging it off, Ella more quickly approached the Lady. ~Let's see if I make it through this.~ she thought fatalistically.
"I'm really sorry," she blurted, "I really didn't know that you and Frodo were meeting here. I was just wandering around and I would never have interrupted you had I known. I didn't even see anything of importance, and I'm not much of a witch, but I'm all they've got, so me as a frog wouldn't really do them any good--" Ella stopped mid sentence. "You're not angry with me, are you?" she asked, furrowing her brow in puzzlement.
"Seeing what occurred may perhaps be beneficial for you," the Lady replied mysteriously, "Especially if you wish to see this through. Your knowledge must be furthered for you to be an asset to the Companions," she said bluntly, "There are realms of magic that you are ignorant of, and that is fatal to a wizard." Ella almost hung her head, knowing that the Lady spoke the truth and she really was uneducated in magic. "I would be willing to teach you, though." The Lady added, buoying Ella's hopes. "The most important thing I can teach you is mind magic. Many wizards can hurl lightening bolts, but they are susceptible to a mental attack from the merest apprentice. Today, you will rest. Tomorrow, we will begin our lessons here at the same time." With a nod to Ella, she floated out of the clearing and lightly mounted the stone steps.
Excited to learn magic from one so exalted, Ella sat down on a stone bench to calm herself. She contentedly let her eyes drift over her heavenly surroundings, and she again became aware of the haunting music wafting on the air. She remembered the little spell she had made up and softly intoned:
Notes from the song that I hear, Translate and become clear in my ear.
Ella's ears tingled for a moment, and the words were still spoken in Elvish. She was disappointed until she realized that she understood them as if she spoke Elvish fluently, even though she had only picked up a couple of words. All of Ella's grief surfaced as she heard the words recounting Gandalf's long life and sudden death. Ella was bombarded with memories of Gandalf bringing her presents on his visits to her world, of him next to her in the old horse cart, and of the real Gandalf, determinedly countering Saruman's magic on the snowy pass. Then the worst memory played back in her mind- Gandalf's hands slipping of the crag of rock and into the blackness of the awaiting abyss. Ella felt misplaced and alone in a world that wasn't hers. ~But I love it here!~ she argued, trying vainly to convince herself. Then her mind drifted to her mother's death. She saw white lightening casting her mother aside as if she was a feather over and over. Finally, her mind turned to Legolas' hostility toward her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Legolas stood at the top of the steps leading down to the clearing where Ella sat, her mind faraway in her own thoughts. He was unsure why he was so upset over problems with her, but wanted to move on, and at least be on opposite sides no longer. He softly stepped down the steps.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ella sat in a ray of sun on the stone bench, and Legolas noticed the golden highlights accented in her hair. Sternly pushing that distracting observation out of his head, Legolas tried to get her attention.
"Ella," he said softly.
Ella blinked and turned toward him.
"Yes?" she asked carefully, turning toward him. Legolas could see she had been crying.
"I would like to know your reasons," he stated.
Ella sighed, knowing of what he spoke, and after a minute said, "I wanted to save him, and I hated anything holding me back. I could have done someth--" she stopped, her anger deflating as quickly as it came, "No, what could I do?" she asked scornfully.
Legolas sat down next to her. She turned to face him, looking into his eyes.
"I am sorry, " she said sincerely, if gruffly. "I shouldn't have even thought of using magic against you. I mean, last time I checked, we're friends," she added, weakly trying for lightness.
Legolas smiled, understanding her grief, and forgave her for her rash action. They both sat in silence, admiring their surroundings.
Ella again listened to the music's words. Soon, she was thinking of Gandalf and tears dripped back down her cheeks. She averted her face so that Legolas couldn't see her cry. He noticed her movement, and asked, "What is worrying you?"
Ella's teeth clamped down on her lower lip to keep from crying in front of him, "How can you listen to the words of the song?" she asked.
"Elves are less emotional. We do not let our emotions take control of ourselves," he replied.
"And-and, I don't belong here," she said, surprising herself with her willingness to speak. ~I must finally be losing it, but I'm going to tell him.~ she thought.
"Of course you do," was the automatic reply.
"No, you don't understand. I wasn't born here. I'm not even from this planet," Ella said, waving her arms expansively, "I was born in a whole other time. Gandalf's gone--- I have no reason to be here. He was the reason I came."
Legolas accepted the information, and put it together with of all the things that didn't add up about Ella. All her unusual sayings, the nonsensical things she sometimes said, it all made sense now. A multitude of questions formed.
"How?" was the first one to surface.
"My mother," Ella responded, blinking back more tears. ~Today is really not my day~ she thought. "She was a sorceress, and journeyed to my Earth. Saruman followed her and killed her because she was his only competition for the Head of the Order. Gandalf visited me from time to time, posing as my uncle. Then he gave me a way to escape and come to a new world," Ella shrugged, "I did."
Legolas couldn't believe that anyone would uproot himself so willingly.
"You simply rose one day and left?" he asked.
"Well, yes. I wasn't that happy," Ella replied. She had talked about much more than she had intended to, and was especially disconcerted because she didn't know why.
" I do not mean to burden you with my troubles," Ella said.
"'Tis no burden. I had wondered about you from the start. I knew that you were different, in some way, and I spent time with you to discern what that difference was," said Legolas.
"Oh, good. That means I'm rid of you now that you know!" Ella said tartly, and tried to make a dignified exit, marred only by the fact that she tripped over the train of her dress and landed on her side. Her cut sent a fierce complaint, and Ella grunted as she hit the ground. Legolas picked her up with little apparent effort.
"I just can't make an exit!" Ella griped, as she was set on her feet. She placed a hand on her injured hip, and lifted it to see her palm dyed red. Legolas saw also, and his brows drew together ominously.
"It sometimes helps when you bandage wounds," he said mildly, his voice belying his face.
"Thanks, Mother," Ella returned, "But I did put a bandage on it. Do you happen to have any extra?" Ella asked, remembering that she had used up the length that she had found in her flet.
Legolas nodded and briskly set off on a direct route to his flet, Ella trying her best to keep pace.
They soon reached Legolas' flet, and none too soon, for Ella bled even more and felt lightheaded after she climbed up. His flet was similar to hers' but it was more spacious. Elves obviously put value in rank. Leoglas quickly found linen bandages rolled up neatly in a scented wooden cabinet.
"We need to be quick. You do know the correct way to bandage wounds, don't you?" he asked.
"There's a special way?" Ella said cluelessly, "Too bad I didn't know this morning,"
Legolas nodded and thrust a pair of his leggings and a tunic into her arms, put the bandages on top of the stack, and pushed her into the adjoining room.
"Change. Wrap the bandage tight. I'll fix it when you return," he said.
Ella quickly stepped out of the dress, unhappy to see such a beautiful article of clothing ruined. She tied the bandage around her waist securely, and tugged on the leggings and tunic. She stepped back into the main chamber of the flet.
"Lift up your shirt," Legolas commanded. Ella revealed the bandage and stood patiently while the elf adjusted it, making it more comfortable, but almost completely cutting off the bleeding. There was some bread laid out, and Ella hungrily grabbed a piece, not having eaten since breakfast.
"Where'd you learn to do that?" Ella asked.
"I'm not a very adept healer, but your cut is simply bleeding; it is not deep. Even I can mend that," he replied.
Ella thanked him, and was about to walk back to her flet.
"Wait," Legolas called as she was about to step out. Ella turned toward him.
"You do know that the Lady is having an evening dinner with the Company?" he asked.
"No, I didn't. When?"
"Tonight. Meet me here, and I will show you where it is being held," Legolas said.
"All right," Ella replied, and climbed down, heading toward her flet. She again was wearied after she climbed up, but shook it off and went to the wardrobe and rummaged about for a suitable robe, looking for a fancy one. She suspected that the dinner was going to be formal. She found a blue robe adorned with pale green embroidery and slipped into it. She loved the soft feel of the fabric, and went to look in the mirror the see the effect. She looked rather tired, but if she pulled her hair away from her face, she looked better. ~Next problem--- how do I do that?~ she thought, thinking of her less than impressive skills with hair. After a moment, an idea came to her, and she carefully climbed down her flet and cut through the shrubs.
Legolas had not expected anyone so early, and quickly pulled his shirt and tunic on, not sure if it was Ella or not. He grabbed a short knife, and went to confront his unexpected visitor.
"Sorry. I know I'm early, but I have a minor problem. I still can't believe I'm asking you this, but how do you braid hair away from your face?" Ella asked.
Legolas hadn't expected this, and stood looking at Ella with raised eyebrows.
"If you're going to be difficult, then I'll go like this," Ella said, defensive under his scrutiny.
"No. Stay," he replied. "I was just surprised you didn't know. Most elves have been braiding hair for so long they take it for granted."
"I can braid hair, but nothing fancy," Ella said.
Ella sat down at the chair Legolas gestured to. He came up behind her, and divided her hair into separate strands, his hands deftly braiding and coiling the auburn strands, and somehow securing them without a clip. Ella examined at her reflection in the mirror with approval.
"Thanks. Teach me sometime!" Ella said.
"With pleasure. Allow me to finish dressing," Legolas said, and Ella noticed the still unbraided wheat hair hanging to his shoulders.
"You should keep it that way. It looks good," Ella said, and promptly blushed much to her dismay.
"I am sorry to disappoint you, but I cannot to this dinner," Legolas said wryly noticing her blush, and turned to finish dressing.
The evening was sedate, even Merry and Pippin had little to say. No one was able to forget Gandalf, nor did anyone want to. Galadriel occasionally gave Aragorn advice in routes to travel, but she had confidence in the ranger and her advice wasn't frequent. Ella listened carefully to all the Lady said during the evening, wanting to learn as much as possible from her stay, but couldn't help but fall asleep soon after the meal was over. The low voices lulled her to sleep, and she dozed until shaken awake later. She reluctantly raised an eyelid.
"As much as I hate to disturb your slumber, I do believe your bed would be slightly more comfortable," Legolas told her. In no mood to listen to reason, Ella just shut her eyes again. This time she was shaken more insistently, and reluctantly realized that she would have to get up. She rose and made her way to her flet with assistance, and fell into bed.
The next day, Ella bandaged her side after rising early and bathing. She found that she didn't mind robes as much as she thought, and pulled on another one from the wardrobe. She dawdled over breakfast in the kitchens, for time wasn't passing fast enough to suit her. Ella arrived almost a quarter of an hour before she was supposed to meet Lady Galadriel in the clearing. Ella paced the clearing, excitedly thinking of all the things that she was to learn.
Suddenly, Ella's body snapped to a halt. She tried to move her arms, and met with no success. Her entire body was as pliable as a wooden board. Panic rose despite her best efforts to suppress it. ~I can't even blink!~ Ella thought, aghast. Lady Galadriel then strolled into Ella's view, and with a wave of the Lady's hand, Ella felt her mobility return.
"Mind magic is very potent," she said, "You are fortunate that I am not a foe, for your mind is unguarded and easily accessed."
Ella was still in shock from the paralysis of her body and could do no more than stare.
"A wizard could not only read your thoughts," the Lady continued, "But he could also control your body. You would have no power over your actions, or over your mind. Your entire memory could be erased at a wizard's whim."
"Is it possible for me to become less susceptible to such an attack?" Ella asked.
"Yes," the Lady replied, "You can learn to shield your mind. It is something that takes much skill, but you already have displayed your skill. You could learn in a week of intensive practice."
A week was all the Fellowship had planned to stay in Lothlorien before continuing on their journey, but Ella had experienced first hand how much sway the magic held over the mind, and knew she could not have broken the spell even if she had known what it was.
"You'll teach me?" Ella asked.
"Now, if you desire," the Lady told her, sitting down on the grass. Ella nodded and joined her.
"First, you must learn to shield yourself," the Lady said, "That is done by reaching into your mind and achieving total calm. Only then will a shield you construct stand on a firm base. Remember that. If you must make a change to the shield, achieve tranquillity of thought so that the change is on the same firm stand as the rest of the shield. This is sometimes difficult when in conflict or traveling. Once you have done that, you must mentally construct a shield, but I will detail that later. Try now to rid your mind of all thoughts. I will be linked with your mind, and will follow your progress."
Ella closed her eyes. This sounded a lot like yoga, and she had never had any faith in it back home. She tried to push thoughts out of her mind, but it wasn't easy. At the most inopportune moments, just when she thought she had it, random thoughts would pop into her head, disturbing her concentration. Finally, the Lady called a halt and the lesson ended. Discouraged, Ella roamed Lothlorien until she met up with the hobbits. Their antics cheered her up, and she spent the rest of the evening with them.
The next day, Ella again arrived early at the clearing where she met with Lady Galadriel, and tried to put herself into the calm state that the Lady had described yesterday. When the Lady arrived, again Ella tried, but couldn't get any further. She was frustrated, to say the least, and felt like kicking something. Hard.
"Do not worry overmuch," the Lady advised, "Only two days have passed, and you should not become disheartened. Not everything will come naturally."
The third day came, and again Ella couldn't clear her mind. She had spent an entertaining evening with Legolas playing the equivalent of an elvish board game the night before, and to Ella's displeasure, scenes from it kept jumping into her mind precisely as she felt her mind going blank.
"One last try before we halt," the Lady said.
Ella determinedly cleared her mind. ~Shoving thoughts out of your head won't get you anywhere. Do it like this.~ Ella was again startled when she heard the unexpected voice in her head, but felt compelled to obey. Concentrating again, she felt her thoughts shut like individual dresser drawers, not shoved away, but put away in their place. Serenity drifted over her, enveloping her in its clean folds. Ella opened her eyes.
"Good," Lady Galadriel said. "Can you reach it again?"
Ella nodded. After her anonymous benefactor showed her the way to clear her mind, she felt it was branded into the side of her head. She wouldn't quickly forget it.
"This time, envision shields forming, completely surrounding your mind. They are thick and impenetrable. No one could come through unless you admitted him. The more imagination you possess, the better you can modify your shield in the future, but we will not do that until you are more comfortable," Lady Galadriel told her, "The most difficult part is finding your inner calm so that you can form your shield."
Ella again shut her eyes and cleared her mind, this time much quicker. She pictured a glassy shield covering her mind, and all who tried to touch the shield glancing off. The Lady was right. If you really used your imagination, the possibilities were limitless.
"That is the principle," the Lady said when Ella opened her eyes. "We have made significant strides today. Tomorrow we will move on."
"Lady," Ella asked, "It wasn't you in my head, was it?"
"No," she carefully replied, "But times are different now, and you must be trained expediently. You are entitled to a little assistance in some cases."
"And you won't tell me who it is?"
"No," the Lady responded, "You don't need to know."
Ella thought about that the rest of the day without reaching any conclusions. She didn't like the way information was being withheld, but she grudgingly supposed that the Lady knew best. The Fellowship dined together, and spent the remainder of the evening in each other's company.
Ella's next lesson was more interesting to her than the previous ones. Lady Galadriel told her about the ways wizards penetrated their opponents' shields, and how to contain anything that did penetrate your shields. It didn't involve anything physical; the idea was to send a thought out, the stronger the thought, the more likely to penetrate. Ella learned most of this first hand, when the Lady repeatedly broke through Ella's shields. Ella strengthened them accordingly, and tried to make sure there were no fissures, but she had no real hopes of sealing off Lady Galadriel. The Lady also gave her the opportunity to break through her own shields. Ella sent out a prodding thought, but encountered complex, prismatic shields that felt harder actual armor. Intimidated, she drew back. Those shields felt impossible to break; Ella inflicting a hairline fracture would be miraculous. ~Use your common sense!~ Ella's self-appointed advisor told her.
~What's that got to do with it?~ Ella thought, puzzled, but took the advice and reasoned through the puzzle. The Lady's shields were impossibly hard. No direct blow that Ella could ever give would crack them. That meant guile was the next option. The weakness in the Lady's shields was probably the corners, where the facets of the prisms met. A blow would have to be pretty thin to slice through it, but it was more likely than brute strength. Ella gathered energy, but not as much as she could. She didn't want the bolt of thought to be unwieldy. She focused it into the thinnest sliver she could, and sent it hurtling toward the Lady's shields, aimed at a corner. Ella could feel the Lady's surprise when the bolt impacted, and it might have gone through, but the sheer strength of the Lady's mind cast it back.
"That was the best magic you've done yet," the Lady praised.
The next days were spent in preparation for leaving Lothlorien. Bags had to be packed, food readied, and farewells extended. Ella was given a change of clothes as well as a pack of her own. The elves weren't thrifty, and the Fellowship was given food to last as well as a means of transportation.
When the bulk of Ella's packing was completed, and she wandered about Lothlorien, trying to stamp its beauty into her head, down to the last bit of moss on the stone when she heard her name called. Lady Galadriel approached.
"I do not want you to continue on this journey," the Lady declared, "But I suppose you are adamant?"
"Yes," Ella replied, frowning, "But why?"
"Because, you could disrupt the natural procession of events," the Lady said, "I can say no more."
Ella frowned, "If you're going to try to prevent me from leaving, then telling me is only fair."
The Lady looked long and hard at Ella. Finally, she said, "I do not normally tell of what I am permitted to see, but I feel that an exception must be made. Frodo has something to do." At Ella's inquisitive, yeah-no- kidding look, she continued, "Something that you have no knowledge of, and something that you must not prevent him from doing. Do you understand?"
"Honestly, no, I don't," Ella said, "But I probably will understand when he does it, and I promise that I will not prevent him."
After eliciting Ella's promise, the Lady seemed slightly more satisfied, but her concern was still apparent.
"Remember," she warned.