New Friendship And A Promise

     They were marching to the south. Galadriel looked at Celeborn, who was at her side, unconscious. She took the end of the arrow, and pulled it out, slowly. Celeborn has just fainted for the pain, she thought.

     It had barely passed thirty minutes since the started the journey; the caravan suddenly stopped. The door of the carriage was opened. Saruman looked at Galadriel, with an evil bright in his eyes. "I forgot to tell you something, Milady" he said, grinning "And it is incredible you have forgotten it, too"

     "What is it?" asked Galadriel, losing her temper.

     "You shall remember" he started to explain, looking evilly at Celeborn "All the arrows from Mordor are poisoned"

     "No!" cried Galadriel. Then, she remembered that it was true. "You said he would be fine!"

     "He can be fine in his grave!" he said, laughing.

     Galadriel touched Celeborn face. It was cold, but he was still breathing. Galadriel burst in tears. "You have deceived me!"

     "Well. If I had told you the truth, we would had to drag you from Lórien. Would not we?" He answered "Soon, he will become an spirit"

     It was in that moment when the Galadriel´s blue eyes, full of sadness and tears, but still furious, crossed with the dark and evil eyes from Saruman. Something in her eyes remembered him someone. He did not know why, but suddenly he could not bear looking at her while she was crying. He entered in the carriage, and extended his right hand and he put it on the Celeborn´s wound.

      "What are you doing?" asked Galadriel, her eyes wide opened.

Saruman did not answer. He closed his eyes, and from his twisted fingers, a warm light began to flow. Very slowly, the wound began to close until there was nothing, not even a scratch.

     Galadriel´s jaw was opened. She could not believe what she has seen. "You saved him" she said, her voice trembling "Why?"

     Saruman looked at her, and for one moment she saw a different eyes, but she blinked and Saruman´s eyes were as cold as ever. "Sauron would not like to meet you in that condition" he answered, simply, and got out of the carriage.

     Galadriel rolled her eyes. Celeborn seemed to be waking up. "Galadriel…" he muttered.

     "Here… I am here" she said, almost crying for the happiness. "You will be fine"

He smiled, a faded smile. "I feel cold myself" he whispered. "I remember an arrow.."

     "Do not be worried" she said, trying to calm down. "It is all right now"

     Celeborn shook his head. "It is not" he said. "We are going to Mordor. You were right: He is up to something. Something terrible"

      The caravan stopped. It was night, for a few hours had been passed now. The carriage's door slung opened; Saruman was there. "We are making a stop" he announced. "Maybe my Queen would like to drink something, or walk a while"

     Celeborn was a lot better, almost fine, because of Saruman´s magic. "We will" he said. "MY queen needs to stretch her legs"

       Saruman helped Galadriel when she got out of the carriage, and also helped Celeborn. Galadriel and Celeborn walked a few steps, and stopped in the lake, and Galadriel put one foot in the water.

       Suddenly, she fainted. Celeborn caught her, before she could hit the ground. Saruman rushed quickly there. "What happened?" he asked, while Celeborn dropped her carefully on the floor. "It is obvious!" Celeborn cried. "We are drawing nearer to Mordor! The influence of the One Ring deepens"

      Celeborn grabbed Galadriel´s hand, the hand with the ring, and was about to take it off, when a blade suddenly drew to his throat.

      "Don't you dare!" shouted Saruman. "Leave that where it belongs!"

Galadriel began to awake. "What happe…" she stopped. She felt her head as it was bound to explode. "My head! It hurts terribly!" her hand shaked, when she touched her head, which also was burning with fever. A few tears ran down to her cheek, involuntarily.

       "Have mercy!" begged Celeborn. "She is suffering! And it will be worse every moment we are closer to Mordor! You cannot see it? Don't you have heart? Let me take off the ring!"

      "No. The ring shall stay in Milady's hand" Saruman answered, coldly. "Lord Sauron has commanded it. Go back to the carriage. We will continue. And I shall go with you two"

       Celeborn had not any other choice. He lifted and carried Galadriel, who was crying, because of pain. They entered the carriage, and Saruman entered after them.

       The caravan started to move again.

      Saruman was looking at Celeborn, who was holding Galadriel. Every minute seemed to increase a little more her pain.

      "What does Sauron wants with my wife?" Celeborn asked, wiping sweat from Galadriel´s forehead.

      "Nothing that concerns you, elf" sneered Saruman "Lady Galadriel is too much for you"

       When Galadriel woke up, she was in a fancy room. She rushed through the room, but it was locked.  Five minutes later, the door opened. Saruman was there.

     "Where am I?" Galadriel demanded.

     "Mordor" He answered. "Sauron´s castle"

     Galadriel touched her forehead; it was not burning in fever, and she was feeling very fine. She looked at her hand. The ring was not there. "Where is my ring?" she stammered.

     "I had to take it out" he answered "when you arrived here, you were unconscious; almost dead. You cannot wear it, while you are here"

     There were steps near the door, and a elf girl, like sixteen years, arrived there.

     "All is ready" she said, shyly, and without looking to them.

     "Her name is Myra" explained Saruman "She will be your maiden, Milady" he looked at the girl "Did you bring the dress?"

     The girl nodded. "Yes, I have" she answered .

     "What dress?" asked Galadriel "I will not change my clothes"

Saruman looked at the Lady's white dress, which was stained with blood. "Milady, a great Queen like yourself, shall never be dressed like that. It is stained with blood. Please Milady"

     "All right" accepted Galadriel. Saruman left the room, and the girl stayed inside.

     The girl extended the dress she was carrying in her arms. Then she approached to Galadriel. "I can do it by myself, thanks" declared Galadriel.

     "But Milady" Myra said. "I have orders from Saruman to be your maiden. As your maiden I am supposed to help you in everything. If he found out that I did not do my task…"

     "You are an elf" said Galadriel. "Why are you here"

     A tear escaped from Myra's eyes. "I cannot tell you, Milady… If they found out…"

     Galadriel took Myra's hand. "They will not" assured the Lady "I give you my word. I will not tell a word"

     Myra sat on the bed. She was crying. "I was kidnapped" she explained. "Saruman must have thought you will be needing a maiden, so they went to Rivendell, where I lived…and…"

     She could not continue, for she had burst in tears. "I am sorry, Milady" she said. "You must be worried about so many things, and I am bothering you with my nonsense…"

     "I promise you that when I get out f here, you shall come with me" Galadriel said. "You will return to your home, in Rivendell"