A/N: Well, here ya go, the latest installment in this fic. I've been
slightly busy with another fic that I helped write a chapter on called " My
Show." Check it out, its bloody hilarious!
Also, just so we're all on the same page, this story will go on for a while. I have an entire backstory written on it and I don't want to stop writing it down, even if you don't read it. So phooey on you, and blast it, Review!!! Tee hee!
Disclaimer: In which I pretend not to own Legolas. . . . . . (but we all know the truth behind that one! *^-^*)
Chapter Five
The day before the company departed was a somber one. The hobbits had holed themselves up with Bilbo, who was reading them passages out of his book. Boromir and the Gondorian delegation were holding a council in one of Rivendell's many gardens, while the dwarves gathered in the great hall and held moot, which involved heavy amounts of food and drink. Gandalf consulted with Elrond and Aragorn and Arwen had disappeared.
Cera had the suspicion that they had arranged it that way.
In fact the only member of the fellowship unoccupied at the moment was Cera. She began to wander back to her room to finish packing, when she suddenly became uneasy. On her way up, she saw the sun beginning its descent towards the horizon. She immediately turned around and ran through Imladris to the top of the falls.
*~*
She stood on the ledge above the falls, noting the dimming of the light and the lengthening of the shadows. The sun was brilliant as it set, its many colors lit up the western sky and seemed to reassure her of what was to come. But as she chanced a look back east through the murky darkness, along the path they were to take the next morning, a bit of her heart sank with the sun.
A cold wind blew in from the north, reminding her that it was December.
*Whatever possessed Gandalf to wait until the summer was out to start this journey?* Cera grumbled silently. Winter was definitely not one of her favorite seasons. It brought back too many bad memories. She turned and climbed back into the warmth of Rivendell.
*~*
Saruman turned from the eye of Palantir as he finished his survey of Gandalf's doings. *Foolish old man, you can do nothing now to stop my master's and I rise to power.* He retired to his study to peruse his instructions. The girl would be of great use someday. Her potential power rivaled even his own, and he knew that if he controlled her, it would make him even stronger in his master's eyes. He glanced out the window and looked to see the carnage he had wrought. Isengard had become a fortress, nearly invincible in its might. All he needed was for Gandalf to bring her and the ring closer to him. *The old fool doesn't even suspect of my designs on the girl, and he cannot help himself from trying to help his pathetic Fellowship. No,* he sneered, *He will bring her within my reach, all I have to do is wait.*
*~*
The next morning, Arwen awoke Cera at an ungodly hour.
"I've already packed everything I need, what on Middle-Earth do you need me for?" she protested.
Arwen hid a smile, "The Fellowship will be leaving in an hour. Do you wish to be left behind?"
"What?!! Oh, CRAP!" Cera leaped out of bed. "Why didn't you wake me sooner!" She raced around he room, gathering her things, dressing in layers, and generally grumbling. Arwen was nearly beside herself with amusement. Cera glared at her as she stuffed her feet into her boots.
"Will you do me a favor Cerenna?" Arwen asked, suddenly serious.
" Depends," she replied cautiously, "I don't have to sacrifice my life or anything, do I? 'Cause we both know how it turned out last time."
"No, no, nothing like that. Just . . . just please keep an eye on Aragorn for me." Cera raised both her eyebrows. "Please? You know he's stubborn. Don't let him do anything needlessly."
Cera took a deep breath and looked at her hard. "I will try," she acceded, "but I cannot keep him from doing his job as the leader."
"That is all I ask." Arwen held Cera's hand for a moment and placed something within it. "Take care, Cerenna. Do not become the cold, unfeeling person I can see in you. When in doubt, always choose to love, no matter how painful."
With that, she left the room. Cera slowly opened her hand.
A small crystal band lay there, the perfect size of her ring finger, innately shaped so as to allow the wearer full freedom of movement with the hand and not interfere, yet Cera knew it was harder and stronger than the toughest steel.
She slipped it on, walked out, and closed the door behind her.
*~*
The echo of Boromir's horn died away slowly in the clear stillness of the morning. *Great, now the whole world knows that we're on a secret mission to counter the forces of evil, even Saruman himself. Thanks loads, genius,* Cera thought sarcastically.
"I will not go forth like a thief in the night," Boromir explained to the rest of the Fellowship.
"Yes, but that horn of yours should be used only in great need," Gandalf remonstrated. Once again, Cera was reminded of the fact that she still didn't particularly care for Boromir.
*~*
They did not pause to rest until noonday, and from then on, always stayed well hidden from the spies of Saruman. The nights were cold and the Fellowship found traveling to be very hard going.
Cera would seem to wander off for a few hours everyday. Aragorn was always surprised to see her come running up from behind them, when earlier, he could have sworn she was right behind him. In these instances, she would pull Gandalf aside, whisper something to him, and resume her place with the hobbits, to whom she sang whenever she could.
Cera's dreams were still plagued by nightmares that seemed to be becoming more and more intense. The rest of the Fellowship grew used to her taking the morning watch.
Legolas, who had little need of sleep, was always on watch.
She had fallen into a routine that he knew by heart. Every night, he watched her wake up in terror, eyes wide, and then her mouth would clamp tight. She never made a sound. Then, she would wrap her herself in her cloak, take a small wooden flute out of her pack, and go to the edge of the camp site where she would sit and softly play some of the most haunting tunes he had ever heard. And every time, she would close her little performance with the song he heard her sing in the garden. Afterwards, she would come back and sit her watch without speaking until the sun had risen the next day.
*She holds so many troubles within, it's a wonder that she can bear the load of so much sorrow* Legolas observed late one night after she came back to the campsite.
Her face was drawn, and after a month or so, the circles under her eyes gave her an almost skeletal appearance. Dawn had just begun to shade the sky when he resolved to find out what it was exactly that haunted her.
*~*
Legolas was not the only one to notice Cera's dwindling appearance. Gandalf was also worried about his former student's health. He had seen her like this before and knew that something had to be done about her dreams, or she would eventually collapse with exhaustion. His only dilemma was that he didn't know if she would be able to hold out much longer against the power of her prophetic dreams, and whether or not he could help her this time. No, his hope must lie in the hands of the Lady Galadriel. *And if Cerenna doesn't rest soon, we'll have to leave her behind.*
*~*
Sorry there, not the best ending in the world but major happenings in the chapter ahead! Check out moonygirl13's stories if you like Harry Potter, she's got some real good ones! Onwards and upwards! ~summer11 aka: erranwyn
Also, just so we're all on the same page, this story will go on for a while. I have an entire backstory written on it and I don't want to stop writing it down, even if you don't read it. So phooey on you, and blast it, Review!!! Tee hee!
Disclaimer: In which I pretend not to own Legolas. . . . . . (but we all know the truth behind that one! *^-^*)
Chapter Five
The day before the company departed was a somber one. The hobbits had holed themselves up with Bilbo, who was reading them passages out of his book. Boromir and the Gondorian delegation were holding a council in one of Rivendell's many gardens, while the dwarves gathered in the great hall and held moot, which involved heavy amounts of food and drink. Gandalf consulted with Elrond and Aragorn and Arwen had disappeared.
Cera had the suspicion that they had arranged it that way.
In fact the only member of the fellowship unoccupied at the moment was Cera. She began to wander back to her room to finish packing, when she suddenly became uneasy. On her way up, she saw the sun beginning its descent towards the horizon. She immediately turned around and ran through Imladris to the top of the falls.
*~*
She stood on the ledge above the falls, noting the dimming of the light and the lengthening of the shadows. The sun was brilliant as it set, its many colors lit up the western sky and seemed to reassure her of what was to come. But as she chanced a look back east through the murky darkness, along the path they were to take the next morning, a bit of her heart sank with the sun.
A cold wind blew in from the north, reminding her that it was December.
*Whatever possessed Gandalf to wait until the summer was out to start this journey?* Cera grumbled silently. Winter was definitely not one of her favorite seasons. It brought back too many bad memories. She turned and climbed back into the warmth of Rivendell.
*~*
Saruman turned from the eye of Palantir as he finished his survey of Gandalf's doings. *Foolish old man, you can do nothing now to stop my master's and I rise to power.* He retired to his study to peruse his instructions. The girl would be of great use someday. Her potential power rivaled even his own, and he knew that if he controlled her, it would make him even stronger in his master's eyes. He glanced out the window and looked to see the carnage he had wrought. Isengard had become a fortress, nearly invincible in its might. All he needed was for Gandalf to bring her and the ring closer to him. *The old fool doesn't even suspect of my designs on the girl, and he cannot help himself from trying to help his pathetic Fellowship. No,* he sneered, *He will bring her within my reach, all I have to do is wait.*
*~*
The next morning, Arwen awoke Cera at an ungodly hour.
"I've already packed everything I need, what on Middle-Earth do you need me for?" she protested.
Arwen hid a smile, "The Fellowship will be leaving in an hour. Do you wish to be left behind?"
"What?!! Oh, CRAP!" Cera leaped out of bed. "Why didn't you wake me sooner!" She raced around he room, gathering her things, dressing in layers, and generally grumbling. Arwen was nearly beside herself with amusement. Cera glared at her as she stuffed her feet into her boots.
"Will you do me a favor Cerenna?" Arwen asked, suddenly serious.
" Depends," she replied cautiously, "I don't have to sacrifice my life or anything, do I? 'Cause we both know how it turned out last time."
"No, no, nothing like that. Just . . . just please keep an eye on Aragorn for me." Cera raised both her eyebrows. "Please? You know he's stubborn. Don't let him do anything needlessly."
Cera took a deep breath and looked at her hard. "I will try," she acceded, "but I cannot keep him from doing his job as the leader."
"That is all I ask." Arwen held Cera's hand for a moment and placed something within it. "Take care, Cerenna. Do not become the cold, unfeeling person I can see in you. When in doubt, always choose to love, no matter how painful."
With that, she left the room. Cera slowly opened her hand.
A small crystal band lay there, the perfect size of her ring finger, innately shaped so as to allow the wearer full freedom of movement with the hand and not interfere, yet Cera knew it was harder and stronger than the toughest steel.
She slipped it on, walked out, and closed the door behind her.
*~*
The echo of Boromir's horn died away slowly in the clear stillness of the morning. *Great, now the whole world knows that we're on a secret mission to counter the forces of evil, even Saruman himself. Thanks loads, genius,* Cera thought sarcastically.
"I will not go forth like a thief in the night," Boromir explained to the rest of the Fellowship.
"Yes, but that horn of yours should be used only in great need," Gandalf remonstrated. Once again, Cera was reminded of the fact that she still didn't particularly care for Boromir.
*~*
They did not pause to rest until noonday, and from then on, always stayed well hidden from the spies of Saruman. The nights were cold and the Fellowship found traveling to be very hard going.
Cera would seem to wander off for a few hours everyday. Aragorn was always surprised to see her come running up from behind them, when earlier, he could have sworn she was right behind him. In these instances, she would pull Gandalf aside, whisper something to him, and resume her place with the hobbits, to whom she sang whenever she could.
Cera's dreams were still plagued by nightmares that seemed to be becoming more and more intense. The rest of the Fellowship grew used to her taking the morning watch.
Legolas, who had little need of sleep, was always on watch.
She had fallen into a routine that he knew by heart. Every night, he watched her wake up in terror, eyes wide, and then her mouth would clamp tight. She never made a sound. Then, she would wrap her herself in her cloak, take a small wooden flute out of her pack, and go to the edge of the camp site where she would sit and softly play some of the most haunting tunes he had ever heard. And every time, she would close her little performance with the song he heard her sing in the garden. Afterwards, she would come back and sit her watch without speaking until the sun had risen the next day.
*She holds so many troubles within, it's a wonder that she can bear the load of so much sorrow* Legolas observed late one night after she came back to the campsite.
Her face was drawn, and after a month or so, the circles under her eyes gave her an almost skeletal appearance. Dawn had just begun to shade the sky when he resolved to find out what it was exactly that haunted her.
*~*
Legolas was not the only one to notice Cera's dwindling appearance. Gandalf was also worried about his former student's health. He had seen her like this before and knew that something had to be done about her dreams, or she would eventually collapse with exhaustion. His only dilemma was that he didn't know if she would be able to hold out much longer against the power of her prophetic dreams, and whether or not he could help her this time. No, his hope must lie in the hands of the Lady Galadriel. *And if Cerenna doesn't rest soon, we'll have to leave her behind.*
*~*
Sorry there, not the best ending in the world but major happenings in the chapter ahead! Check out moonygirl13's stories if you like Harry Potter, she's got some real good ones! Onwards and upwards! ~summer11 aka: erranwyn