-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=- = Dream

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ = Scene change

(Takes place when Ashia is about 14, according to the elves. doesn't start with any of the LotR characters at first. but they'll be here, promise)

"She said life sucks, it's the truth to me, didn't you think it would be better than this? So where's the prize that I was promised, where's my great reward, where's my happiness.?" - More, J Englishmen

Chapter 7

Aragorn-Heir to the throne

He felt bad about leaving Legolas like that, but something made him lose absolute patience with him. The young Prince hadn't done anything to offend him, he'd only been worried, he was being a good friend.

Walking quickly and quietly through the forest he heard something. If Aragorn hadn't been raised with the Elves, he wouldn't have heard it, but that was not the case.

A small figure wove itself between the trees gracefully and suddenly it stopped in the middle of a clearing. The ranger crept closer and saw that it was a young elf. Not one of Lorien, no she seemed to be a Wood Elf. She stood in the clearing for quite a time, like she was in a trance of some kind, but then as suddenly as she stopped, she went off again.

Aragorn followed her cautiously; he was curious, what would an elf as young as she was, be doing in Lothlorien, alone. They went on for hours, and soon, she began to sway on the spot and almost fell. He caught her in time and lay her down near the base of a tree. Then he went off and wandered the area, wondering why he felt so drawn to the child, why she looked like some one he knew.

Eventually sitting down to rest, he found sleep. Finally a night where a dream was normal, finally a night that he felt like he was doing something right by following the elf. before he slept, it hit him why he wanted to see where she was going. She was like him, wandering, almost without a cause, but something in their hearts was dragging them towards some destination.

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The next morning the ranger still followed the elf. Something was almost forcing him to, something more than ever. it wasn't hard to track her and he kept his distance to ensure she didn't see or hear him.

They didn't go for long before she sat down and began to dig through her pack. She pulled out a small deck of cards and flipped through it, like she'd never seen it before. One caught her attention and his own. Thoroughly examining it, she placed it between her hand and a tree near where he was observing.

He watched intently, he had seen nothing like this before. A slight wind grew around her and a soft emerald light encircled her. He swung down from the tree, as the light grew stronger and stronger. And the closer he got to her, the more he felt like he was flying, free. whole.

This was almost too weird for Estel, elf-friend, Aragorn, elf-stone; Elessar. and no matter what name you would have called him, the girl would have still made him wonder. She could not have been that old, well at least for an elf. Maybe to a human she'd be as old as he was, but to the elves even that wasn't much.

Yes, she was young but she was wielding a power beyond anything he'd ever seen. All seemed to grow still and watch her, breath in the magic that she'd called upon. It was a sign, maybe, a warning from the Valar to the world. This was what death was; this was what life was. It was what would bring you to delusion and then back to sanity again. This was truly how everything was meant to come and go, and strangely he understood this all.

Her pale eyes opened but still she didn't notice his presence and her fair hair was rippling around her like it were caught in a tide. All this happened in a single moment and ended at the sudden edge of what only felt like forever. Again, she fell in place and he caught her. This time though, before carrying her off to safer grounds, he gathered her possessions and brought them along.

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"I found her near the walls of the Lady's city." Aragorn explained at Haldirs questioning look. "I think Galadriel would like to see her." Again Haldir looked confused and opened his mouth to ask what was going on. Aragorn raised a hand a simply said; "I have my reasons."

The Guard standing near-by nodded and Haldir sighed, motioning for Aragorn to follow his lead. He followed the Lady's scout into her city in the trees. One could walk through this same area, and never know anyone lived here. That was the magic of the elves, if you want to call it magic. More of a talent, developed over centuries used to conceal their identities, and preserve their way of life.

They passed through corridors built between the branches and up stairwells hidden by vines. And finally, they entered Galadriel's chamber. There she stood, tall and regal, already knowing why he'd brought the elf here. She motioned for Haldir to leave and looked straight into Aragorn's eyes. Being cautious of his thoughts, controlling them the way Legolas had taught him to, she only saw a small portion of his mind.

"Leave her here, Elessar. I will take care of her." She said in her icy voice, using the name she'd given him not that long ago. He did not want to leave the girl but he knew better than to argue. Laying her down on a soft bed, already made, he sighed and began to leave the room; thinking 'where do I know her from.? Why do I know her?'

"You will find out soon enough, Elessar. The time will come." Realizing he'd forgotten to mind his thoughts, she'd seen and heard his worries and confusion. Bowing slightly he left quickly. For once she was making him nervous, he had not intended for her to hear his thoughts, at least not when he could control them.

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