A/N: I'm soo sorry I haven't updated in so long! I got so many emails urging me to update faster! I was stuck in a snow storm at the airport and had a bad week with a lot of homework and a stupid girl was getting on my case. Some of you know what I'm talking about. Anyway, I won't bore you and get on with my story!

I opened my eyes slowly and painfully. The pain in my head had returned with full force. I groaned as I struggled to sit up. I felt a hand help me. I looked up and saw Legolas holding me up gently but firmly.

"It is good to see you have awoken, Ally," he whispered to me as he knelt beside me. "We must leave quickly before night falls."

I looked around and noticed that we were sitting near the forest. Remembering what happened in the mines, I glared at Legolas and ripped my hand from his. He looked at me quizzically then, as if remembering also, he looked sadly at me. "Ally, do not be angry at me. I was merely trying to protect you," he said as he knelt down beside me.

I scoffed and stood up abruptly, trying to ignore the pain in my head. "And as you could have seen easily, I did not need your protection," I retorted facing away from him.

Before he could reply, Aragorn shouted to us, "Will you two stop your incessant chatter? We must leave. By nightfall, these lands would be swarming with orcs."

Without a glance behind me, I walked away from Legolas. Then, another thought struck me. 'Where is Gandalf?' I thought.

As if answering my question, a voice said, "He is lost to the Mines of Moria." I froze. It would've been natural if that thought had hit me. But it didn't. It was another voice in my head. A voice dripping so sinister and evil that I shuddered.

Suddenly, I felt myself falling. I opened my mouth to scream but no sound came out. Finally, the feeling of falling disappeared. I opened my eyes meekly and saw blackness. I felt my feet planted firmly on the ground yet when I looked down, I saw nothing. Nothing but darkness.

'Ally,' a voice whispered. My head whipped up and I spotted a white figure walking towards me.

'Who are you?' I asked.

'I am someone you have known for many weeks now. Or at least, I know you. I know your every thought, every feeling, every secret. You can not hide from me, Ally. I know who you are,' a voice replied. I watched as the figure came closer. Even if I was using my elf vision, I still couldn't see who it was.

'What do you want from me?' I asked it.

'I want you,' the figure replied back. Finally the figure was close enough for me to examine him.

He had long white hair and beard that looked like Gandalf's. Only his was completely straight and pure. However, his eyes said otherwise. When I looked into his eyes, a coldness rushed over me. I felt goosebumps rising on my arms as I shuddered physically. His eyes were dark, almost black, like a dark void that sucked in everything it took in. He was dressed in a robe that was pure white.

'What? I don't understand!' I screamed back. I did not feel easy around him. 'Who are you?'

'You know exactly what I mean. I want you,' the figure calmly explained.

'Who are you?' I asked again through gritted teeth.

'You will know in time,' the man replied coolly.

Suddenly, recognition hit me. 'I know you,' I whispered, my eyes widening in fright. 'You are Saruman, aren't you?' I asked. When I saw him smile maliciously, I knew that I had hit the truth. 'Why are you doing this to me?'

'Oh, Ally. Come now, you could not possibly think that Gandalf's primitive incantation could prevent me from entering your mind, did you? That spell was a mere protection spell, something that I broke down immediately,' Saruman laughed coldly.

'Then why did you not cause me harm before?' I asked.

'Gandalf would have been suspicious. Indeed, he was already suspicious of me after he placed that silly spell over you. I noticed him watch you every night whence you slept as if expecting me torment you in your dreams. But I did not. I could not have Gandalf place another enchantment over you, that would've made it impossible to read your mind.'

'What? You mean you know what I think about?' I asked incredulously.

'Of course,' he smiled slyly. 'I know your every secret and thought.' Suddenly, his smile disappeared. 'I will not let you fall in love with him, Ally,' he said more seriously.

'Who?'

'You will never know. I will not let you get close to him anymore. You are mine, and shall forever remain mine,' he replied.

I snorted. 'What makes you think you can have me?' I asked.

'I always get what I want. You, my little one, are no exception.' He smiled his evil smile once more. 'I must admit that you do have a talent for blocking me out of your mind,' he added.

I narrowed my eyes. 'What are you talking about?'

He smiled. 'As if you did not know? You didn't possibly think that you could defeat all those orcs yourself, did you? Your transformation from warrior she-elf to clumsy troll was very evident, was it not?'

I clenched my hands into fists. 'You made controlled my actions?'

Saruman replied, 'Of course. I must say that once you remembered that that was the first battle you've been in, you threw me completely off guard and you went swinging your sword around blindly. It was quite a comical sight.' He laughed.

I lost my temper then. I let out a scream of anger and ran toward Saruman with my fists swinging around in the air. However, I felt myself being pulled from behind. Saruman's form quickly. My cry of anger became a cry of fright as I felt myself fall again.

My eyes snapped as I let out my scream. I somehow landed on the ground and was waving my arms around wildly. Legolas knelt next and pulled me into his chest again.

Aragorn, who was far in the front, ran back when he heard me scream. "What happened back here?" he demanded. He probably thought that Legolas had hurt me.

"I do not know, Estel. Ally started walking away when she suddenly froze. Before I knew what happened, she collapsed on the floor. However, when I looked into her eyes, it was filled with... nothing. There was no life in her eyes," Legolas whispered as he patted my back sympathetically.

"Ally, what happened?" Sam asked as the hobbits approached.

I pushed myself away from Legolas' chest and rose shakily. "I... I... I saw Saruman," I managed to whisper.

The reactions I received from the rest of the Fellowship were somewhat frightful. Legolas jumped up lithely. Boromir drew his sword quickly. Gimli raised his axe menacingly. The hobbits cowered away from me as if I was the evil wizard myself. They all glanced around frantically as if the wizard would jump out of the trees at any moment.

Aragorn took a hesitant step toward me and asked, "What do you mean you saw him? Is he around here?" as he looked around also.

I shook my head painfully. "No, I mean, he took me to another realm. Somehow he managed to enter my mind. He told me that he knew everything that I was thinking, every secret. He was controlling me in the mines."

The hobbits relaxed visibly. Gimli slowly lowered his axe. Boromir sheathed his sword. "What else did he tell you?" Aragorn asked.

Suddenly, a voice told me, 'Do not say anything, she-elf.'

I opened my mouth to recount everything that I saw in the encounter. However, to my surprise, I said, "He did not tell me anything else."

Aragorn looked at me doubtfully before turning around. "We must leave now before night falls. Legolas, watch over Ally. If she should fall again, call me," he instructed.

I felt Legolas take my hand in his. "Come along Ally," he said softly.

I nodded as I let him lead me deeper into the forest.

********************************************************

While we walked through the forest, I heard Gimli whisper to the hobbits, "They say a great sorceress lives in these woods. An elf witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell... and are never seen again."

Despite my headache, I scoffed. "Gimli, you exaggerate. My grandmother is nothing of the sort," I told him.

I looked behind me to see Gimli shrug his shoulders. "Eh, it is what we tell our young ones back home."

I shook my head as I turned back around so Gimli would not see my smile. "Well, there's one dwarf she wouldn't snare so easily. I've got the eyes of a hawk and ears of a fox," the dwarf grumbled.

I would have laughed had it not been for the arrow pointing at my chest. I let out a gasp. I looked around and saw many blonde elves with notched arrows, preparing to shoot us. Legolas whipped out his bow and arrow also. Boromir drew his sword.

One of the elves stepped up and said, "The dwarf breathes so loud we could've shot him in the dark."

I looked up and saw Haldir, the Imperial Guard. "Haldir!" I shouted and quickly went to greet him.

He looked at me surprised then smiled. "So this is where Ally went. Lord Elrond sent the Lady Galadriel a message stating that you had gone missing. The entire palace in Rivendell had gone into chaos looking for you."

I smiled meekly then said, "It is good to see another of my kin."

Haldir nodded and replied, "Aye, it is good to see you too." He motioned the archers to lower their bows. Then he turned to Frodo and said, "Come, she is waiting." Then he motioned for us to follow him.

It took us until night fall to reach the realm of Galadriel. I smiled as I took in the beautiful lights of the city. I looked at everyone else. The hobbits had their heads raised up high, trying to see the top of the trees. Boromir and Gimli walked through the realm with their mouths opened. Even Legolas' eyes darted here and there to soak in everything he saw. Aragorn and I, however, just smiled.

Haldir led us to the throne room which was settled on one of the tallest trees in the woods. We made our way up the spiraling staircase leading up to the flet. We all bowed our heads in respect as we waited on Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn.

When they finally approached, Aragorn, Legolas, and I knelt on one knee in respect. The others, not knowing our customs, just stood with their eyes glued to the marble floor. "Rise," Galadriel said. The three of us rose slowly and finally we raised our eyes to meet hers.

We stood in a straight line, as our soldiers did when my father looked over them. Aragorn stood at the left end of the line next to Sam. Galadriel looked at each of us in the order that we stood in. Galadriel's eyes fell on Aragorn, Sam, Frodo, Merry, Pippin, Boromir, Gimli, Legolas, and at last, me.

As her gaze settled on Sam, Frodo, Merry, Pippin, Boromir, and Gimli, they would cast their eyes over the marble floor once more and squirm a bit. I smiled as I remembered the first time my grandmother had spoken to me in my head.

My smile widened when Galadriel looked at me. She smiled too. "My dear Alliyah," she said as she held out her arms. I ran to her like a little child and embraced her. "You have grown lovelier," she commented.

"Thank you, Grandmother," I said as I took in her natural smell of trees.

"You have worried your father as well as your grandfather and I," she said.

I ran to embrace my grandfather. "I am sorry for the trouble I have caused," I apologized for the millionth time.

"We are just glad to see you safe and sound," Lord Celeborn said.

I stepped back in line with the rest of the Fellowship. "Nine companions, yet 10 set out in Rivendell. Where is the Istari named Gandalf?" Celeborn asked.

All of us looked at each other, trying to decide how to word it. Then Galadriel said, "He has fallen into darkness." The elves in the room gasped loudly. Galadriel started to say, "You may rest here..." Her eyes wandered toward me again.

'Your mind is poisoned, young Alliyah,' her voice said in my head.

'Yes, it is,' I answered back.

'Do not be afraid. As long as your spirit and heart are free, he can not conquer you,' she assured me.

'How do I keep it free?' I asked.

'Sometimes, to be strong, means you must give up something very dear to you,' she whispered. Her eyes flickered at Legolas and looked at me again.

'What do you mean?' I asked.

'You will know in time,' she said and looked away from me, breaking our telepathic conversation.

Her eyes laid on Legolas. I knew that at that moment, she was speaking to him too. However, I saw her glance at me from time to time before looking back at him. I noticed that Legolas also glanced at me too.

Finally, Galadriel dismissed us. I decided that I needed to take a proper bath. So, I went to my room in Lórien and took a nice, hot, long, bath. I dressed myself in a long white nightgown and left the room in search for the tents set up for the Fellowship.

I found them and began walking towards the Fellowship. "Hello," I greeted them with a nice smile. I felt refreshed and relaxed so nothing could bring me down.

The men rose when I approached. "Ally! You're wearing a dress!" Pippin exclaimed as if it was highly unusual.

I smiled and said, "Not really, Pippin. It is just a nightgown."

"Miss the maiden clothes already, eh?" Aragorn said with his pipe still in his mouth.

I smiled at him and said, "I'll have you know that I do not intend on wearing dresses throughout the entire journey. It is just that wearing men's clothes is not my idea of comfortable either."

"I thought you were sleeping in the flets tonight, Ally," Boromir said.

I turned to him and nodded. "Yes, I was. However, considering that I am part of this Fellowship too, I decided that I must stay with you all."

Boromir shook his head. "But Ally, you might catch an illness sleeping out here. It is quite cold tonight."

I stuck out my chin. "Well, first of all, elves do not get sick. Secondly, if you can sleep here in the chilly night, then so can I," I replied defiantly.

I turned away from him and went to the hobbits' tents. I settled myself down and immediately fell into my trance-like sleep.

A/N: Okay, well, I know this chapter had almost no mentioning of Legolas. Sorry! I promise to make it better.