My feet hurt. So much running. But at least I hadn't got any more blisters.
And the pain in my feet distracted me from what had happened in Moria.
Snap out of it Jen, I told myself firmly Start thinking about Lothlorien. If Celeborn says 'Nine there are but ten there were set out from Rivendell.' I might just curl up and die.
I was lagging behind the others since I wasn't as fit as them, due to the fact that I was a lazy student, though I had improved from what I had been. Generally they had tolerated that. Aragorn had even given me some tips on how to build up my stamina.
As we approached the edge of the Golden Wood, I could see a definite change come over the fellowship. Legolas became almost worshipful, and Aragorn was nearly as bad. Boromir was watchful, the hobbits looked worried, and awe- struck, which combined to form a peculiar expression on their faces, and Gimli was wary, and scared. I could understand all their emotions, and added my wonder and sheer brown trousers terror to the mix.
"Stay close young hobbits." Gimli hissed, beckoning to Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin to keep up. This speech of Gimli's had always annoyed me for some obscure reason, so I tuned out slightly and increased my pace to talk to Legolas.
From the look on his face he was about to start hugging trees, but luckily, salvation came in the form of Haldir and a host of very peeved elves and their pointy bits of wood.
I did what any sensible student would do, and hid behind Aragorn. He burbled away to Haldir in elvish while I lurked behind him, trying not to breathe too loudly.
Something must have been decided for we started to move onwards again. I stayed lurking behind, variously, Boromir, Legolas and Aragorn (hiding behind dwarves and hobbits just looked stupid.). But Lothlorien stunned me. Rivendell had been beautiful and awe-inspiring, but Lothlorien was beyond that. It was magical, a place from a forgotten realm and time. Galadriel of the Noldor and Celeborn of Doriath were the rulers of Caras Galadhon, and I was bloody terrified of meeting them.
As we waited on the flet for the Lord and Lady, I ran my mind over the scene, and promptly hid behind Legolas, since he was the one who didn't say much at this point.
"Eight there were but nine there are set out from Rivendell." Celeborn's resonant voice rang out and I sighed in relief. At least my hiding had been good for something. But then I felt my blood run cold as Galadriel looked towards Legolas, and past him, to me.
Lady, I do not wish to offend you by concealing my presence here but I am a stranger to this world, and fear I alter things merely by being here. I tried to hold these thoughts in the forefront of my mind.
A soft chuckle echoed in my mind. You and I shall talk later. Galadriel told me while speaking to the Fellowship. I didn't know whether to be happy or sad at that fact.
The plaintive sounds of Elven singing echoed mournfully through the woods. We were all gathered around the moss carpeted roots of a huge mallorn tree, talking in soft voices. Boromir was away from the rest of us, staring at the fairytale lights of the city, and I knew why. As Aragorn walked over to Boromir, I mouthed along with the words they said, and felt their emotions.
A hand fell on my shoulder and I turned my head to look full into the face of an elf.
"The Lady Galadriel wishes to speak with you." He said, before offering a long fingered hand to help me rise. I accepted, feeling the coolness of his fingers on mine. It was almost otherworldly as he led me to the Lady of the Galadhrim.
I bowed deeply to her as my escort left us alone together. I was trying not to shake, but then she fixed her eyes on me.
That was scary. I could feel her inside my mind and I tried desperately to seal off the information that I didn't want her to know.
"Child" she spoke kindly, and for once I bit my tongue and didn't come back with a sardonic reply. After all, I was a child compared to her. "There is no need to fear me. We all have secrets, but I would not seek to see them unless they threatened the completion of the quest." The tone of her voice, the kindness of her words and the intensity of her eyes all contrived to do something that I had sworn I would not do, that I had held inside me.
I wept. I wept for my home, my family and friends. I wept for Frodo and the burden he carried. I wept for the Fellowship for what they had endured, and were yet to endure. I wept for all of Middle-Earth, for what would happen if the quest should not be completed. And I wept for myself, caught up in things that I should not have been.
I felt Galadriel's arms wrap around me, a comforting pressure that helped me return to myself. Once she felt my sobs ease, she released me, one hand remaining on my shoulder.
"Thank you Lady." I told her with a wan smile, blotting my eyes on my sleeve. "Thank you for being here."
She smiled understandingly at me. "Lothlorien is a place of healing, and that was festering inside you. It needed to be released."
I nodded gratefully. That was it exactly. Galadriel continued. "You must travel on with the Fellowship, for I cannot help you return to your own world." I bowed my head in acknowledgement before something occurred to me, and I blurted it out without thinking.
"But with who should I go when the Fellowship part company?"
Galadriel shot me a sharp look, a slight frown creasing her brow. I let her see one image from the film that I remembered, but with the real people in place of the actors.
Aragorn, standing in front of Legolas and Gimli, speaking of Frodo, and his fate.
Galadriel sighed and understanding grew on her face.
"Thank you for that child." But as she spoke it seemed as though her mind were distant.
"You should travel with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, for it is with them that I deem you will have the most chance." spoke a new voice, and I looked at Celeborn as he joined his wife.
"I will my Lord Celeborn, and I thank you. Long will Caras Galadhon remain in my memory, even after I have returned to my own world." I bowed again to the couple, as they moved away from me, before I headed back to join the rest of the Fellowship.
I fielded their questions as best I could, answering the ones that I deemed were suitable, before I settled myself for the night. But I remained awake as Frodo rose and followed the ethereal Lady to her Mirror.
I don't know how long we spent in Lothlorien, for time seemed to have no meaning in that enchanted wood. But eventually we had to depart. Gifts were given to the Fellowship and myself. I didn't expect anything, but received something, which startled me. A thin gold chain, from which hung a small mallorn leaf, encased in a clear crystal. It would remind me of my time here in Caras Galadhon, and in Middle Earth. Boats were provided for all of us, which I wasn't too keen on, since me and boats didn't really get on well. But I remained silent as we departed down the River Anduin.
Snap out of it Jen, I told myself firmly Start thinking about Lothlorien. If Celeborn says 'Nine there are but ten there were set out from Rivendell.' I might just curl up and die.
I was lagging behind the others since I wasn't as fit as them, due to the fact that I was a lazy student, though I had improved from what I had been. Generally they had tolerated that. Aragorn had even given me some tips on how to build up my stamina.
As we approached the edge of the Golden Wood, I could see a definite change come over the fellowship. Legolas became almost worshipful, and Aragorn was nearly as bad. Boromir was watchful, the hobbits looked worried, and awe- struck, which combined to form a peculiar expression on their faces, and Gimli was wary, and scared. I could understand all their emotions, and added my wonder and sheer brown trousers terror to the mix.
"Stay close young hobbits." Gimli hissed, beckoning to Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin to keep up. This speech of Gimli's had always annoyed me for some obscure reason, so I tuned out slightly and increased my pace to talk to Legolas.
From the look on his face he was about to start hugging trees, but luckily, salvation came in the form of Haldir and a host of very peeved elves and their pointy bits of wood.
I did what any sensible student would do, and hid behind Aragorn. He burbled away to Haldir in elvish while I lurked behind him, trying not to breathe too loudly.
Something must have been decided for we started to move onwards again. I stayed lurking behind, variously, Boromir, Legolas and Aragorn (hiding behind dwarves and hobbits just looked stupid.). But Lothlorien stunned me. Rivendell had been beautiful and awe-inspiring, but Lothlorien was beyond that. It was magical, a place from a forgotten realm and time. Galadriel of the Noldor and Celeborn of Doriath were the rulers of Caras Galadhon, and I was bloody terrified of meeting them.
As we waited on the flet for the Lord and Lady, I ran my mind over the scene, and promptly hid behind Legolas, since he was the one who didn't say much at this point.
"Eight there were but nine there are set out from Rivendell." Celeborn's resonant voice rang out and I sighed in relief. At least my hiding had been good for something. But then I felt my blood run cold as Galadriel looked towards Legolas, and past him, to me.
Lady, I do not wish to offend you by concealing my presence here but I am a stranger to this world, and fear I alter things merely by being here. I tried to hold these thoughts in the forefront of my mind.
A soft chuckle echoed in my mind. You and I shall talk later. Galadriel told me while speaking to the Fellowship. I didn't know whether to be happy or sad at that fact.
The plaintive sounds of Elven singing echoed mournfully through the woods. We were all gathered around the moss carpeted roots of a huge mallorn tree, talking in soft voices. Boromir was away from the rest of us, staring at the fairytale lights of the city, and I knew why. As Aragorn walked over to Boromir, I mouthed along with the words they said, and felt their emotions.
A hand fell on my shoulder and I turned my head to look full into the face of an elf.
"The Lady Galadriel wishes to speak with you." He said, before offering a long fingered hand to help me rise. I accepted, feeling the coolness of his fingers on mine. It was almost otherworldly as he led me to the Lady of the Galadhrim.
I bowed deeply to her as my escort left us alone together. I was trying not to shake, but then she fixed her eyes on me.
That was scary. I could feel her inside my mind and I tried desperately to seal off the information that I didn't want her to know.
"Child" she spoke kindly, and for once I bit my tongue and didn't come back with a sardonic reply. After all, I was a child compared to her. "There is no need to fear me. We all have secrets, but I would not seek to see them unless they threatened the completion of the quest." The tone of her voice, the kindness of her words and the intensity of her eyes all contrived to do something that I had sworn I would not do, that I had held inside me.
I wept. I wept for my home, my family and friends. I wept for Frodo and the burden he carried. I wept for the Fellowship for what they had endured, and were yet to endure. I wept for all of Middle-Earth, for what would happen if the quest should not be completed. And I wept for myself, caught up in things that I should not have been.
I felt Galadriel's arms wrap around me, a comforting pressure that helped me return to myself. Once she felt my sobs ease, she released me, one hand remaining on my shoulder.
"Thank you Lady." I told her with a wan smile, blotting my eyes on my sleeve. "Thank you for being here."
She smiled understandingly at me. "Lothlorien is a place of healing, and that was festering inside you. It needed to be released."
I nodded gratefully. That was it exactly. Galadriel continued. "You must travel on with the Fellowship, for I cannot help you return to your own world." I bowed my head in acknowledgement before something occurred to me, and I blurted it out without thinking.
"But with who should I go when the Fellowship part company?"
Galadriel shot me a sharp look, a slight frown creasing her brow. I let her see one image from the film that I remembered, but with the real people in place of the actors.
Aragorn, standing in front of Legolas and Gimli, speaking of Frodo, and his fate.
Galadriel sighed and understanding grew on her face.
"Thank you for that child." But as she spoke it seemed as though her mind were distant.
"You should travel with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, for it is with them that I deem you will have the most chance." spoke a new voice, and I looked at Celeborn as he joined his wife.
"I will my Lord Celeborn, and I thank you. Long will Caras Galadhon remain in my memory, even after I have returned to my own world." I bowed again to the couple, as they moved away from me, before I headed back to join the rest of the Fellowship.
I fielded their questions as best I could, answering the ones that I deemed were suitable, before I settled myself for the night. But I remained awake as Frodo rose and followed the ethereal Lady to her Mirror.
I don't know how long we spent in Lothlorien, for time seemed to have no meaning in that enchanted wood. But eventually we had to depart. Gifts were given to the Fellowship and myself. I didn't expect anything, but received something, which startled me. A thin gold chain, from which hung a small mallorn leaf, encased in a clear crystal. It would remind me of my time here in Caras Galadhon, and in Middle Earth. Boats were provided for all of us, which I wasn't too keen on, since me and boats didn't really get on well. But I remained silent as we departed down the River Anduin.