A/N: Wow! I have over 20 reviews. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and all my silent readers, if there are any.
Chapter 10: In Every Evil . . .
Dawn broke crisp and clear in Lothlorien. Most of the Elves woke up to a beautiful day, expecting to go about their business just like any other day. That was, until it was found that the Lady Galadriel had been kidnaped during the night. After that, panic was running loose throughout the Elven haven. All were certain that whoever had put her in the infirmary in the first place was responsible for her disappearance. Later, they would all thank the Valar that these assumptions were wrong, but for now, everyone was on edge. Lord Celeborn was sending search parties out to the boarders of the land of Lorien searching for his missing wife; mothers kept their children indoors for fear that they may be the next to go; and the Elven hunters and boarder guards were ordered to train harder than ever in case this mysterious attacker would strike again. But all this was to no avail, for the visitors during the night were after Galadriel, and Galadriel alone, and would not be coming back any time soon.
~~~~~~~
While the panic in Lothlorien was going on in the early hours of the morning, Galadriel and her three "kidnappers" were fast asleep, hidden safely in the hollow of a huge mallorn log that fit the four of them quite comfortably. They had gotten back into the forest not more than a few hours ago, with too many almost-confrontations with boarder guards. Galadriel had still been very shaken from her experience with the body in the bush. Neither her, nor Orophin had been able to see the unfortunate Elf's face, but Orophin was almost certain that the Elf was the one whose identity Amargwaith had stolen to get into Caras Galadon. The Elves had then made their way to the clearing that Haldir, Seregwen, and Orophin had started from, and hopefully waited for the return of the last two members of their party.
Seregwen and Haldir had fled from Caras Galadon without too much incident. It did take them a while to get back to where Orophin and Galadriel were waiting for them. By then, the sun was starting to rise and the Elves had to find cover. Haldir and Orophin had scouted out the hollow log and led Seregwen and Galadriel to it, where they all collapsed in grateful rest.
~~~~~~~
Seregwen woke around mid-afternoon. It seemed that she was the only one awake. Her head was resting on Haldir's chest, which rose and fell in the rhythmic motion of sleep. Ahead of her was Orophin, his back resting against the wall of their hollow. It was quite apparent that he was asleep as well. The brunette Elf was just about to drift back to sleep when she felt eyes on her. She was wide awake in an instant and turned her head so she could see Galadriel. Sure enough, the Lady of the Golden Wood had her eyes open and was staring straight at Seregwen.
"I'm sorry hiril nín, I wasn't aware that you were awake."
"Do not worry, my child. You needed the rest, I could tell."
Seregwen met Galadriel's gaze for a moment longer before she voiced a concern that had been sulking at the back of her mind for a while. "Hiril nín, that first night in th infirmary with Amargwaith, you-"
Galadriel smiled. "You heard my call for help. Well, I do have powers above any normal Elf, if that's what you mean, but you knew that already."
"Yes, but you were unconscious!"
"The unconscious mind can sometimes detect more than the most alert of us. I sensed a strong spirit nearby that could help me, and I got your attention the only way I knew how."
"A strong spirit? I think you were a bit confused, hiril nín."
"The subconscious never lies. When you are there, and only when you are there, all bias and prejudice is erased. I didn't know who you were, only that you could help me."
Seregwen cast her eyes toward the opening of their resting spot. "You doubt yourself," Galadriel continued, "But I can see your strength of mind and soul easily. I saw it from the moment I met you. Haldir sees it too, and that's why he loves you so."
"I don't think so hiril nín," Seregwen said, "I was foolish enough to take a murderer into my bed. He's killed two people already. If I had such strength, you'd think I would have seen it."
"You cannot go around blaming yourself and thinking about what might have been. We've no control over the past, only the future. Remember this, Seregwen, in every evil, there is some good. If Amargwaith had not killed Rumil, you would have never met Haldir."
"What good is there in Amargwaith?" Seregwen asked.
Galadriel thought for a moment and sighed, "Sometimes, you have to search deep inside for the good of something, but I know that it's there, somewhere. Are you hungry?"
The question came at her so abruptly, that Seregwen had to stop for a moment. "Yes." She hadn't realized it before, but when Galadriel brought it up, she found that her stomach was feeling quite hollow.
"Well, Haldir and Orophin will wake up soon. Then we can eat breakfast, and you can tell me what I missed."
A/N: Sorry, there's not much action in that chapter, another one's coming soon!
Chapter 10: In Every Evil . . .
Dawn broke crisp and clear in Lothlorien. Most of the Elves woke up to a beautiful day, expecting to go about their business just like any other day. That was, until it was found that the Lady Galadriel had been kidnaped during the night. After that, panic was running loose throughout the Elven haven. All were certain that whoever had put her in the infirmary in the first place was responsible for her disappearance. Later, they would all thank the Valar that these assumptions were wrong, but for now, everyone was on edge. Lord Celeborn was sending search parties out to the boarders of the land of Lorien searching for his missing wife; mothers kept their children indoors for fear that they may be the next to go; and the Elven hunters and boarder guards were ordered to train harder than ever in case this mysterious attacker would strike again. But all this was to no avail, for the visitors during the night were after Galadriel, and Galadriel alone, and would not be coming back any time soon.
~~~~~~~
While the panic in Lothlorien was going on in the early hours of the morning, Galadriel and her three "kidnappers" were fast asleep, hidden safely in the hollow of a huge mallorn log that fit the four of them quite comfortably. They had gotten back into the forest not more than a few hours ago, with too many almost-confrontations with boarder guards. Galadriel had still been very shaken from her experience with the body in the bush. Neither her, nor Orophin had been able to see the unfortunate Elf's face, but Orophin was almost certain that the Elf was the one whose identity Amargwaith had stolen to get into Caras Galadon. The Elves had then made their way to the clearing that Haldir, Seregwen, and Orophin had started from, and hopefully waited for the return of the last two members of their party.
Seregwen and Haldir had fled from Caras Galadon without too much incident. It did take them a while to get back to where Orophin and Galadriel were waiting for them. By then, the sun was starting to rise and the Elves had to find cover. Haldir and Orophin had scouted out the hollow log and led Seregwen and Galadriel to it, where they all collapsed in grateful rest.
~~~~~~~
Seregwen woke around mid-afternoon. It seemed that she was the only one awake. Her head was resting on Haldir's chest, which rose and fell in the rhythmic motion of sleep. Ahead of her was Orophin, his back resting against the wall of their hollow. It was quite apparent that he was asleep as well. The brunette Elf was just about to drift back to sleep when she felt eyes on her. She was wide awake in an instant and turned her head so she could see Galadriel. Sure enough, the Lady of the Golden Wood had her eyes open and was staring straight at Seregwen.
"I'm sorry hiril nín, I wasn't aware that you were awake."
"Do not worry, my child. You needed the rest, I could tell."
Seregwen met Galadriel's gaze for a moment longer before she voiced a concern that had been sulking at the back of her mind for a while. "Hiril nín, that first night in th infirmary with Amargwaith, you-"
Galadriel smiled. "You heard my call for help. Well, I do have powers above any normal Elf, if that's what you mean, but you knew that already."
"Yes, but you were unconscious!"
"The unconscious mind can sometimes detect more than the most alert of us. I sensed a strong spirit nearby that could help me, and I got your attention the only way I knew how."
"A strong spirit? I think you were a bit confused, hiril nín."
"The subconscious never lies. When you are there, and only when you are there, all bias and prejudice is erased. I didn't know who you were, only that you could help me."
Seregwen cast her eyes toward the opening of their resting spot. "You doubt yourself," Galadriel continued, "But I can see your strength of mind and soul easily. I saw it from the moment I met you. Haldir sees it too, and that's why he loves you so."
"I don't think so hiril nín," Seregwen said, "I was foolish enough to take a murderer into my bed. He's killed two people already. If I had such strength, you'd think I would have seen it."
"You cannot go around blaming yourself and thinking about what might have been. We've no control over the past, only the future. Remember this, Seregwen, in every evil, there is some good. If Amargwaith had not killed Rumil, you would have never met Haldir."
"What good is there in Amargwaith?" Seregwen asked.
Galadriel thought for a moment and sighed, "Sometimes, you have to search deep inside for the good of something, but I know that it's there, somewhere. Are you hungry?"
The question came at her so abruptly, that Seregwen had to stop for a moment. "Yes." She hadn't realized it before, but when Galadriel brought it up, she found that her stomach was feeling quite hollow.
"Well, Haldir and Orophin will wake up soon. Then we can eat breakfast, and you can tell me what I missed."
A/N: Sorry, there's not much action in that chapter, another one's coming soon!