A/N: Thank you Amy Lee for that refreshing review!! I have been waiting for the longest time for a critique *aside from you Peridot Pooka; I get that all the time from you! ^^* I have taken your advice into mind, and I hope you find that this chapter shows some improvement; I have a loooooonnnnnng way to go before I can consider myself a fully fledged writer. For all of you, who know me, just be quiet. Please? I really do need to get better. And the final note; to Kolinshar Jackie-chan Benito, the word 'bakana' is the adjective form of the word 'baka'. This does stem from so many hours trying to teach myself Japanese online. I've come to the conclusion that I should just take a course and be happy; that way, I can also learn kanji. ^^

Thanks to: Amy Lee, Meghan and Kolinshar Jackie-chan Benito

Chapter Six

Kayla gazed around as they stood at the foot of a dais, her eyes taking in all the graceful beauty that surrounded the place. Walking in had seemed like some sort of surreal dream emphasized by the swelling yet soft song that filled the city.

"Kayla, must you gape so?"

She looked to her side as Elladan nudged her with a smile. "It's just that it's all so...so..." she trailed off not finding the appropriate word.

"Amazing?" Midori supplied in a hushed and awed voice.

"That's not quite it but it will have to do." she said. "What happened to you anyways? Why did you go into the forest?"

"There was no firewood outside the tree line. I know what Strider told me but I figured that you all would like to eat." Midori shrugged. "I'm sorry to have done this to you all."

"No apology is needed Lady Kayla," Strider said. "Though I would have preferred that you didn't take it upon yourself."

Kayla smiled as Midori's face flushed slightly at Strider's words. "Who's so tough now?" she asked with a smirk.

"Shut up." Midori said in a mumble before she looked up at the dais suddenly drawing everyone else's to the point. "I believe that we should be quiet now Kayla." she said in a low murmur.

Kayla looked up to the bright, incandescent light, waiting to see what would come out; she could feel that someone was there. A few seconds later, she watched with bated breath as two figures came walking down at a sedate pace. Her eyes first glanced at the long golden hair that fell past shoulders before she looked upwards into ageless, wisdom filled and piercing blue eyes. Shifting uneasily, she looked over to the right, seeing eyes of the same caliber, only a rich brown. 'Odd. . .they look just like Midori eyes. . .' She looked over at Midori who had a peculiar guarded expression on her face before she looked back up.

"Lady Galadriel. Lord Celeborn." Strider said, bowing slightly.

"Strider, Elladan." Galadriel said with a small smile. "It is good to see you once more. And you bring more in your company as well this time."

"It is a pleasure to see you again Grandmother." Elladan said as he bowed slightly. "They are our companions Lady Kayla and Lady Midori."

Kayla bowed alongside Midori, looking at her feet; something about Lady Galadriel gaze made her uneasy. She stood there silently as Strider said his words. When she felt a sharp nudge in her ribs, she glanced to her side to see Midori giving her a pointed look before she glanced back at the dais and then at her. Kayla nodded as she stepped forward alongside her.

"Lady Galadriel, may I present this package from Lord Elrond."

"I thank you Lady Midori." Galadriel said as she bent down slightly to take the wrapped parcel that Midori held in her hands.

Kayla hazarded a glance up; there was the package, frozen between the Lady's hand and Midori's, their fingertips barely touching. Midori's face had gone a pale and ashy colour before she started to move again, drawing back and bowing once more. 'What was up with that?' Kayla glanced over at Midori who was now staring stonily at her own feet. Gathering her own courage, she looked once more at Galadriel, a clearly reflective and thoughtful on the Lady's face. She didn't quite hear Lord Celeborn's words that followed but when everyone started walking out, down a long hallway after the guide that came, she followed with them.

'Lady Kayla. . .'

She glanced back sharply at the room, they had just left, Galadriel still standing on the dais, looking at her. She started to turn back slowly after the others, unsure if it was just her or actually something true.

'Perhaps it has been a very long time.'

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Kayla looked around, seeing the path down beneath her feet. With a small 'hmph' she started down it, the forest she recognized as Lothlórien's eerily silent, echoing the crackle of leaves as her feet made slight depressions in them. She froze as the cool air started to warm up suddenly, the hairs rising at the back of her neck as well as her rage; last time it had been a mistake to run and she would not make it again.

She whipped around to face the large flaming pupil. "Stop!" a look of confusion descended on her face as she found herself gazing at the dark expression on a human face. "What do you want?"

"It will all end," the man said in a voice just like the one she heard before. "And it will be by your hand."

"Whatever." she said in a dismissive voice as she turned her back to him. "Just get lost before you really irritate me."

"You do not yet know of your birthright. But that is not for you. Other things await you. You are-"

The man stopped in a choked strangle as Kayla's hand shot out and closed around his throat with a killer grip. She narrowed her eyes before she tightened it slightly.

"You are stepping on my last nerve."

"You sense it already." he managed to croak out. "Come to me and you can do great things-"

"I don't want anything more than-"

"You can do great things my Queen."

Kayla stopped at that, her grip lessening slightly before she let go completely. She stepped back warily, a troubled and pensive look on her face. "I don't need to be a queen."

"But you will," the man said in a low, sure voice. "You know you will."

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Kayla looked up at the moon frowning at it from the bedroom balcony. 'It's just another freaky dream Kayla. What are you going nuts about?' She shifted her attention back down, seeing the grounds from a much different view. 'It looks so much bigger from up here. Down there, it looked a bit smaller. I could use a walk now.' She walked over to her door and opened it slightly, peering out; the hallway stood empty and devoid of sound. With a slight smile, she slipped out of the bedroom and walked down, heading no where in particular.

"What on Earth could it mean though?" she murmured as she wiggled her toes against the bare grass that grew in tufts between the trees. "I haven't been getting much sleep lately because of them."

Continuing along with a pensive look, she soon found herself in a small glen, a basin of water reflecting the strains of moonlight. She walked up to it curiously, peering into the full vessel. 'Eh? What was that?' She leaned forward more, sure that she had seen something move in the shallow depths. She stood up suddenly as the water rippled and went dark black. Then there was an image of her and Xander, kissing in her dorm room. Then it shifted to her in a dress covered in strips of fabric. 'The twenties; is it showing my life or something?'

She watched as the centuries paraded past, one by one until something strange showed up, something she hadn't even remembered. She watched as she, her tiny baby-self, vanished from someone's arms then reappearing in the river Anduin, sinking to the depths before the light came and enveloped her.

"Christ no!" she exclaimed as she wrenched herself away from the bowl.

"So perhaps is now for certain."

Kayla turned at the soft words to find Lady Galadriel standing behind her. "It was you? It really was you that talked to me earlier in the evening?"

Galadriel gave her a small enigmatic smile before she walked over to the bowl. "Look and see more if you want answers."

Kayla swallowed hard before she approached once more, peering into the basin hesitantly. The water rippled once more before she found herself looking up into the anxious face of an Elf. "Forobas. . ."

"Watch further." Galadriel murmured gazing down at the events also.

Kayla felt her entire face go white as she saw Galadriel holding her in her arms, cooing words, a dark haired child holding Celeborn's hands as she teetered along with careful steps. She looked up at her before she tore herself away, breathing hard. "What is this thing of lies?"

"My mirror does not lie." Galadriel said in a soft voice. "It tells. What you saw was-"

"What I just saw couldn't have been real. It must be some sort of fabrication that you made." Kayla said in a strained voice.

"You know that is not the truth." Galadriel took a step towards her.

"It has to be. I never had parents; they abandoned me when I as small and I was found."

"You know you did not grow up in this realm." Galadriel paused. "We searched for you and her for so long once peace came to Lothlórien. But we couldn't find Forobas. . .and we couldn't find you."

"How do I know that's not some lie you spin to deceive me?" Kayla asked in a harsh voice; this wouldn't be the first time some one claimed to be her mother. "How do I know what you speak is real?"

"She was down here earlier." Galadriel stated quietly.

"Midori was here?" Kayla turned around, giving Galadriel an intent look. "Is she still up? I need to talk to her."

Galadriel shook her head. "She is still up but where in Lothlórien, I do not know. I know that Celeborn is with her however."

"Did she look in your mirror? What did you do to her? If you hurt her, I swear you'll pay for it." Kayla said her hand unconsciously balling into a fist.

"I did nothing. I do not know of what transpired here earlier. I intend to ask once she has come back."

Kayla watched Galadriel carefully before she relaxed her hand a few minutes later. "What do you want from me?"

"I want nothing from you. All I wish is for you to stay here for a bit. Strider tells me that you have accepted his offer to become a Ranger."

"That's true enough." Kayla frowned. "Is that all you want to ask me?"

"I know there's more you would ask of me. Like about the necklace you wear now."

"Did Strider tell you about that?" Kayla paused. "Or did you see it in your mirror?"

Galadriel shook her head with a smile. "Still rash as ever I see, even with words; you would be glad to know that I shall not take offense to that remark."

"Lucky for me." she grumbled slightly. "And a lucky guess that I was. . .hey, what now?" Kayla asked sliding back as Galadriel came forward and reached out to her.

"I shall not harm you." Galadriel said as she held her hand out. "Will you let me?"

"I suppose." she said as she took her step back forward.

Chills ran down her spine the moment Galadriel's hand touched her head. She blinked rapidly as images flickered in her mind, the few happy ones before sadness took over, tinged with the faintest of a strong hope. Kayla looked up into those blue eyes that were now wavering between joy and tears of their own. She blinked once more, feeling a trail of wetness run down her cheek. Angrily, she dashed it away only to have it replaced by another and another. The next things she knew, arms started to hug her but she pulled back, startled and fell to the ground.

"I missed you." she said simply.

Galadriel sat down beside Kayla. With a gentle smile, she smoothed a hand over Kayla's red hair before she hugged her. "I have missed you very much as well Arlonniel."

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