Chapter 2: Revelation
Palace of Lothlorien- royal chambers
The night was calm and peaceful. A warm breeze wafted through the air. The luminescent city tinged the black of night with a blue glow. The inhabitants were still with slumber; all but one.
In all her anctient existance Galadriel had never been so disturbed. Her body lay peacefull and serene. Her fair features relaxed in seemingly peaceful slumber. However, underneath this facade a war was raging.
Her consciousness was desperately trying to surface, but her body's slumber was like an impenetrable prison. She was running. trying to escapewhat she did not want to see. The thought of letting this dream take her was horrifying.
She had endured slumber visions before, they were intense, but nothing like this. This approaching assault seemed to have a will of its own, trying to force itself on her. There was a srange persistance to it. Part of her knew she must give in to it and the other was desperatly trying to escape. As she reached the barrier of slumbershe clawed savagely, trying to break through it. Her mind was cornered. With no where to go she gave in and braced herself for the impending mental rape.
The searing vision was like a fireball. Images flashed pat her. There was a maiden running through the forest. There were strange and terrifying hunters. The mortaly wounded maiden passed through a vaperous vortex. This gateway closed after the young woman's stumbling passage through it. Enraged howls resulted from its closure. Galadriel could see the maiden suddenly awaken from death, gasping, on the forest floor near a great and familiar tree. She then saw a familiar form staning next to the maiden. The next image was the most disturbing of all, for it showed the destruction of many elves at the hands of the hunters.
Galadriel' s eyes flew open. Her body raised with lightning speed as she sat up in bed. Cold sweat pourd fromher body, beading on her skin and drenching the shift she had been sleeping in. Her breath came in ragged bursts and her body convulsed with the effort. She held her head in her hands as she felt wave upon wave of nausia wash over her. Her head was throbbing with flaming pain. The area behind her eyes felt as if someone had tried to claw thier way out. The nightmare was over.
Celeborne awoke with a start. He knew somtheing had happened. He could feel some of the pain that his wife had so suddenly experienced. His heart ached to comfort her. Celeborne sat up and held the dissheveled Galadriel in his safe arms. As he gently wiped her beautiful face of sweat and tears he asked in a soft, warm voice, " Mani marte? Lle tyara quel?" ( WAhat happened? Do you feel well?)
She did not answer for some time. She was still trying to piece together what had happened. The raging pain inside her head was subsiding, but trying to form a coherant thought still brought a substntial amount of discomfort. Celeborn patiently smoothed back her golden tresses knowing she would answer him when she was able.
" It was a . . . slumber vision . . . " She breathlessly replied. " I saw a human woman . . . immortal . . . she walked through . . the ancient gateway . . . Haldir . . . hunters," she had been regaining her composure, but this next memory sent shudders through her body and quickened her breath, " destruction. " She looked into her beloved"s eyes as her own welled with tears. Celeborne fest her heart being wrenched and rung. He knew she was in torment and crying for the destruction of thier people.
" The Gateway of the Great Tree must have reopened, " Celeborne said with certainty. " The protection spell our anscestors cast must have expired, " there was now a hint of fear and revelation in his voice.
" I did not realize such a thing was possible, " Galadriel said with confusion as she looked full in her husband' s face to see his strong and serene features. " But how can the human be immortal? I had thought such a thing was impossible. " This last comment was said mostly to herself, her eyes narrowing as she looked down.
" There were tales told long ago, from the time of our anscestors, of humans that were gifed with immortality. However, they only learned of their extrordinary gift after they had recieved and died of, a mortal wond. Thier immortality would awaken only after they hadbeen dead an entire day, " Celeborne recalled. " I had only thought it a children's tale, but apparantly it does hold a greatdeal of truth. However, what would Haldir have to do with this, unless . . . " he trailed off, his mind clouding with contemplation.
" Unless thier destinies are intertwined, " Galadriel said with understanding. " The hunters must be chasing the girl for her immortality. We do not have much time. We must hide her from them until we know mor about the situation. Unresolved, it willpose a great and terrible threat to our people. " Galadriel' s shaken demeanor was now replaced with determination. She would not let such a feat come to her people.
" I shall gather a patrol to look for her, " Celeborne said as he raised fro their bed to dress.
" No, " Galadriel reached for his arm. "Haldir must be the one to do this. If thier destinise are to be joined it must begin immeadietly. " Celeborne nodded his understanding. He hurriedly dressed and tenderly kissed his wife. He knew she was still shaken and weak. He hated to part with her while she was in this states, But at this moment there was a dire situation to be dealt with. Pushing his concern for Galadriel from the forefront of his mind, he set off down the palace halls with purpose.
Palace of Lothlorien- royal chambers
The night was calm and peaceful. A warm breeze wafted through the air. The luminescent city tinged the black of night with a blue glow. The inhabitants were still with slumber; all but one.
In all her anctient existance Galadriel had never been so disturbed. Her body lay peacefull and serene. Her fair features relaxed in seemingly peaceful slumber. However, underneath this facade a war was raging.
Her consciousness was desperately trying to surface, but her body's slumber was like an impenetrable prison. She was running. trying to escapewhat she did not want to see. The thought of letting this dream take her was horrifying.
She had endured slumber visions before, they were intense, but nothing like this. This approaching assault seemed to have a will of its own, trying to force itself on her. There was a srange persistance to it. Part of her knew she must give in to it and the other was desperatly trying to escape. As she reached the barrier of slumbershe clawed savagely, trying to break through it. Her mind was cornered. With no where to go she gave in and braced herself for the impending mental rape.
The searing vision was like a fireball. Images flashed pat her. There was a maiden running through the forest. There were strange and terrifying hunters. The mortaly wounded maiden passed through a vaperous vortex. This gateway closed after the young woman's stumbling passage through it. Enraged howls resulted from its closure. Galadriel could see the maiden suddenly awaken from death, gasping, on the forest floor near a great and familiar tree. She then saw a familiar form staning next to the maiden. The next image was the most disturbing of all, for it showed the destruction of many elves at the hands of the hunters.
Galadriel' s eyes flew open. Her body raised with lightning speed as she sat up in bed. Cold sweat pourd fromher body, beading on her skin and drenching the shift she had been sleeping in. Her breath came in ragged bursts and her body convulsed with the effort. She held her head in her hands as she felt wave upon wave of nausia wash over her. Her head was throbbing with flaming pain. The area behind her eyes felt as if someone had tried to claw thier way out. The nightmare was over.
Celeborne awoke with a start. He knew somtheing had happened. He could feel some of the pain that his wife had so suddenly experienced. His heart ached to comfort her. Celeborne sat up and held the dissheveled Galadriel in his safe arms. As he gently wiped her beautiful face of sweat and tears he asked in a soft, warm voice, " Mani marte? Lle tyara quel?" ( WAhat happened? Do you feel well?)
She did not answer for some time. She was still trying to piece together what had happened. The raging pain inside her head was subsiding, but trying to form a coherant thought still brought a substntial amount of discomfort. Celeborn patiently smoothed back her golden tresses knowing she would answer him when she was able.
" It was a . . . slumber vision . . . " She breathlessly replied. " I saw a human woman . . . immortal . . . she walked through . . the ancient gateway . . . Haldir . . . hunters," she had been regaining her composure, but this next memory sent shudders through her body and quickened her breath, " destruction. " She looked into her beloved"s eyes as her own welled with tears. Celeborne fest her heart being wrenched and rung. He knew she was in torment and crying for the destruction of thier people.
" The Gateway of the Great Tree must have reopened, " Celeborne said with certainty. " The protection spell our anscestors cast must have expired, " there was now a hint of fear and revelation in his voice.
" I did not realize such a thing was possible, " Galadriel said with confusion as she looked full in her husband' s face to see his strong and serene features. " But how can the human be immortal? I had thought such a thing was impossible. " This last comment was said mostly to herself, her eyes narrowing as she looked down.
" There were tales told long ago, from the time of our anscestors, of humans that were gifed with immortality. However, they only learned of their extrordinary gift after they had recieved and died of, a mortal wond. Thier immortality would awaken only after they hadbeen dead an entire day, " Celeborne recalled. " I had only thought it a children's tale, but apparantly it does hold a greatdeal of truth. However, what would Haldir have to do with this, unless . . . " he trailed off, his mind clouding with contemplation.
" Unless thier destinies are intertwined, " Galadriel said with understanding. " The hunters must be chasing the girl for her immortality. We do not have much time. We must hide her from them until we know mor about the situation. Unresolved, it willpose a great and terrible threat to our people. " Galadriel' s shaken demeanor was now replaced with determination. She would not let such a feat come to her people.
" I shall gather a patrol to look for her, " Celeborne said as he raised fro their bed to dress.
" No, " Galadriel reached for his arm. "Haldir must be the one to do this. If thier destinise are to be joined it must begin immeadietly. " Celeborne nodded his understanding. He hurriedly dressed and tenderly kissed his wife. He knew she was still shaken and weak. He hated to part with her while she was in this states, But at this moment there was a dire situation to be dealt with. Pushing his concern for Galadriel from the forefront of his mind, he set off down the palace halls with purpose.