The Traveler: Chapter Six

Ariana leaned against the door and let out a sigh. She laughed at herself. She felt like a fool. The whole time she'd listened to Legolas she couldn't stop staring at his face or letting her eyes trail down his body.

She shook her head and walked to the bed, wrapping her arms around herself. Lying on the foot of the bed, just like her dress was her jeans, tank top with her socks and a small bundle on top. On the floor were her tennis shoes.

First, she opened the small bundle. Inside it was all the things that had been in her jeans' pockets. A few dollars, some lip gloss and her white comb she always kept in her back pocket. She quickly brushed her hair, then used one of the rubber bands around the handle to put it up into a small ponytail.

She pulled on her jeans and slipped the tank top over her head. She felt almost human again. Lastly, she pulled her on socks and shoes. She arched her back and stretched her muscles. She figured she could explore a little before Legolas found Gandalf, so she left her room and began to wonder the halls.

As she walked up and down the hallways she thought about what she needed to ask Gandalf. First and for most, she needed to find out what kind of power this Sauron was looking for. This whole taking-over-the-world plot had been used so often, it hardly fazed her. She didn't understand what her role was in all this.

She also had to ask him about the Middle Earth to Earth connection. She was still a little puzzled over all that. If Middle Earth "evolved" into Earth, what kind of role did God play in all this then? Ariana bit her lower lip and thought about the creation of Earth. God had taken seven days to create his version of an utopia for man, was that Middle Earth? Was there an entire chapter to the life of man that had been erased from the record books?

She'd never been to religious. She'd actually only been to church once through her whole life. Once, when she stayed with an Uncle and Aunt, they'd taken her one Sunday morning. If she remember right, she'd hated it. The whole time she had to sit inside while a beautiful morning was wasting away. All she had wanted to do was pull off her dress, grab some overalls and find a good game of tag to play. Instead, she sat inside with a group of kids listening to stories of Adam and Eve.

Ariana turned a corner and came upon a small room with an opening to a beautiful garden. There was a small bench placed between to large trees. She sat down on it and swung her legs up on the bench, resting her back against the arm. She leaned her head back and drank up the sunshine.

It would have been a beautiful moment if she hadn't gotten a jolt of pain shooting through her skull. She'd completely forgotten about her headache the whole time she'd been away, but it was back with a vengeance. She drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, her chin resting on top of her knees. She closed her eyes and waited for the pain to dull down a little.

As she sat silently, she heard someone approach. She opened her eyes to three someones. Legolas had found Gandalf the White and had brought him along with King Thranduil to her small sanctuary. She swung her legs off the bench and stood up as they approached.

Gandalf eyed her attire and Ariana felt a little foolish in an outfit she normally felt comfortable in. She was just happy to be out of the gown; it had made her feel like a doll.

King Thranduil gave her a warm smile when he saw her. "Hello, my child. How do you feel? My son told me of the Orcs' attack."

She smiled back at him and replied that with Legolas' help she was feeling much better. This seemed to please the King, who nodded his head.

Legolas stood studying Ariana. She looked much more at ease in the garden. Her face was full of color and her eyes stood out more so then ever before. His mind continued to be drawn back to the lake when he'd first seen her standing defenseless with barely anything on. When he'd first seen her he'd wanted nothing more then to hold and comfort her. Legolas knew that if she had stepped into his embrace he would never have let her go.

Ariana looked to Gandalf and noticed his gaze was directed to the necklace again. She didn't know what it was about the thing, but she realized everything had started when it first arrived at her door.

King Thranduil turned to his son and asked to see him in private. Ariana felt a little hurt but shrugged it off, knowing she had no business sticking by Legolas.

The King gave her a final smile and told Gandalf he would "send the quickest messenger to Gondor." Ariana had no idea who or what Gondor was, but she figured whatever King Thranduil and Gandalf had been discussing revolved around her. She was causing all sorts of problems since she'd arrived. More then they know, she thought as she put her hand in her pocket and let the other dangle at her side.

Legolas turned to her and picked up her hand and placed a small kiss on the top. He looked up and smiled at her. He told her he would see her once his father was done, but Ariana was tongue-tied. She just smiled back and watched him leave.

She leaned back and her heels and thought about Legolas' lips on her hand. They were the softest velvet. She wondered what they would feel like on her lips.

Ariana finally realized that Gandalf was waiting for her to snap out of it. She looked over to him again. "We need to finish what we started. I'm ready to listen," she told him.

The old wizard nodded his head and went to the bench she'd been sitting on when the three had arrived. Ariana looked up to the sky and saw the day was going to be beautiful. After a second of standing in the sun she joined him on the bench.

Gandalf pulled out the same pipe he'd smoked earlier and lit the end. A small stream of smoke slowly rose from the end of the pipe. Ariana watched and waited. This time she was going to listen to everything the wizard said. She didn't want to risk missing anything.

"The pains in your heart, in your head are signs that the power is beginning to grow more powerful everyday. I would have said this morning that it would take Sauron time to find you, but after the Orc attack, that isn't true. He must have learned more from Nahron then I knew off." Gandalf sat silent for a few moments.

Ariana watched the shadows creep across the garden. She had a few questions from Gandalf and she didn't know if it was the time to ask them, but she might as well try. "Why the necklace?" she asked as she watch him out of the corner of her eye.

Gandalf let out a sigh and took a long puff of the pipe. "The necklace is like Frodo's Ring in some ways. It is a measure of your power. It glows red when something threatens your life, or it lays black, doormat when you are silent. It may have other powers, created by Sauron for the wearer, but I do now know of them yet. We'll wait and see, aye?" He rubbed his chin and looked at the necklace silently, then sat back and smoked his pipe.

Ariana fingered the necklace and sat back on the bench, resting her back. "Gandalf, when you said that Earth is Middle Earth…" She trailed off, trying to think of how to phrase her question. "What about God? I mean, if Earth is Middle Earth, who created Middle Earth?"

Gandalf sat stoned faced, looking off into the distance. "Gandalf?" Ariana asked.

"Earth may be Middle Earth, but they are two different times," was Gandalf's answer.

Ariana sat confused. She didn't understand his answer. He knew it wasn't the answer she was looking for. She cursed herself for not going to church so she knew what else to ask about. She sat silently, mulling his answer over. She wondered if he meant God helped change Middle Earth to Earth. She figured that was the answer, and left it at that. She didn't need anything else confusing her.

Ariana rubbed her forehead, feeling her headache again. "Gandalf, what's going to happen? What am I supposed to do?"

Gandalf smiled at the girl. She was lost and looking for direction. Sadly, Gandalf did not have all the answers that she was seeking. "We are going to Rivendall, to the House of Elrond."

Ariana looked over at him. "Rivendall?"

"Yes. King Thranduil is calling for a Council of Elrond to discuss the matter. This concern all creature of Middle Earth. You, Legolas and I shall travel to Rivendall to meet with Elrond and the remaining members of the Fellowship. This concern this more then any other, considering they were the first to save Middle Earth." He looked her in the eye. "It may be that one of them can save it again."

Ariana felt horrible. Middle Earth had seen so many troubles, and here she was, bringing something that could destroy everyone in Middle Earth.

"Is there anything else that can stop it Gandalf? Is there something I can do to end this now?" she asked him quietly. She felt tired all of a sudden.

Gandalf closed his eyes and sat silent. "There is one thing." He opened his eyes and looked at her. "To end the evil, your life too must end."

Ariana's eyes opened wide. "You mean I would have to… die to end this?"

He just continued to look at her. She closed her eyes and slouched down in her seat. Her head was throbbing. She had nothing else to ask. Gandalf's words were the last things she wanted to hear.

"If, if that's the only thing that can stop it, why have the Council. What can anyone do about it?"

"That is what the Council must decide. We will leave for Rivendall in a few days. Take the time to rest, the travel is four days of riding."

Ariana nodded her head and sat staring at the ground. She stood up after a moment of silence. She was getting antsy. She began to pace back and forth in front of Gandalf. She stopped when something occurred to her. She turned and looked to Gandalf, who'd been watching her the whole time. "This 'power' that's growing in my Gandalf, is it evil? I mean, can it only be used for something evil?"

Gandalf blew out a stream of smoke and set his hand down on his knee. "The power that is growing inside you this very moment was created for Sauron. If you are in his possession when it is fully grown, he will use it to take control of Middle Earth."

"And if I'm not with him?"

Gandalf chewed on the tip of his pipe. "The power will continue to grow until he controls you."

"So there's nothing I can do, besides…" She trailed off. She didn't want to think about it. Gandalf sat silent smoking his pipe. She didn't know what else to say, she had nothing else to say.

"I think that is enough for now." Gandalf stood up. He had put his pipe away inside his robe and picked up his staff.

Ariana watched him from where she stood. She was silent, thinking about what Gandalf had just told her. She was having a flashback to the morning. She couldn't believe all the things she had learned today.

Gandalf looked at her as he passed. He knew she was overwhelmed by everything he'd revealed to her today. She needed time to decide what to do. He placed a hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes. "Rest tonight, my child." Then he left her again.

****Notes****

"I am driving 85 in the kind of weather that lasts all afternoon…" Gotta love John Mayer. Yep, I don't really have anything to say about this chapter, just like the past five. ::shrugs:: Though it all does make you wonder, if Earth IS Middle Earth, and Tolkien fashioned it all after Europe, wouldn't the good ole U.S. of A. be considered the west? ::looks around:: Where are all those elves? [All disclaimers and warnings can be found at the beginning of chapter 1.]