"Airesiwe? Wake up!" Airesiwe's eyes quivered. She opened them slowly and
saw Aragorn kneel over her. Remembering her fainting promise all of a
sudden she shook her head and jumped up. Right away, the world felt like a
roller coaster, and her mind was all over the place, but she refused to
show any signs of hurt or nervousness.
"I'm, fine I'm fine," Airesiwe stuttered. "How long was I asleep?"
"Asleep?!" Aragorn laughed. At this time the Fellowship had caught up to him and was peering down at her. "I hardly believe that one like you could fall asleep with that fall, are you sure your ok?" Airesiwe blushed at the comment, but answered quickly.
"I'm fine, thanks." Airesiwe's sight had mostly regained at this time, and she looked at her surroundings. She was at the bottom of the hill, and Lothlorien laid at her feet. She winced as the two-second flashback appeared in her mind. She took a step forward, and wobbled a bit, but continued walking with the Fellowship. Somehow, once more, the Fellowship passed her up and she was last in line. She looked behind her and saw the hill she was standing on not too long ago, was actually a small cliff. 'No wonder it hurt so much,' Airesiwe thought as she rubbed her head. A bump had formed already. 'What more could I want,' Airesiwe reminded herself and trudged on through the entrance of Lothlorien.
It was midday by the time they reached the entrance, but it was nothing special. Just a bunch of trees that seemed to grow up out of nowhere appeared, so the Fellowship along with Airesiwe went on through it. Although it was sunny outside, the trees seemed to darken the woods, making it look like dusk. Airesiwe could feel a chill up her spine when she entered, but paid no mind to it. The Fellowship looked relax, but inside, Airesiwe was very tense. At every sound that was made in the bushes or trees Airesiwe would turn her head in that direction. Frodo walked beside her, along with the other three hobbits, for they seemed quite tense as well. Just to be safe, Airesiwe drew her bow and arrow and held it out of sight.
The trees became taller, and darker, and all that Airesiwe had thought this place would be, was crushed. For it was not dreamy, or a fantasy, but a threat and shadow world. A rustle occurred in the bushes nearby and Airesiwe quickly yelled and aimed her bow in that direction. It was just a rabbit. Airesiwe sighed and turned around only to be met by another arrow, but not hers. An elf stood before her and aimed a sharp, pointy arrow at her forehead. Airesiwe showed no fear of this stranger and drew her own bow and arrow as well. She looked out of the corner of her eye and saw that these strange elves had surrounded her and the Fellowship with their arrows drawn as well. She stared at the stranger and saw something strange in his eye. A glint of pleasure and happiness appeared, and Airesiwe smiled and lowered her bow. The stranger did the same and Airesiwe could tell it was a young boy elf, similar to her in actions and appearance. The young elf had brown hair that rustled in the wind and bright blue eyes. It looked similar to her almost. He was taller than her, but Airesiwe knew that everyone was, for her eternal youth spell kept her from growing more than four and a half feet. A moment occurred from the edge of her vision and she turned her head. A blonde haired, tall elf appeared.
"Alkhuan, take the two elves to the higher levels," he said with a cold voice. Airesiwe saw an elf grabbed Legolas' arm and thrash him towards the ground. Airesiwe's eyes lit up with anger and she aimed her bow at the elf.
"Touch him again, and I'll shoot you," Airesiwe said with the same cold voice. With a twitch of his hand, the head elf motioned all the elves to aim their arrows at her. All except the young elf. Airesiwe moved her arrow from one elf to the next, arguing to herself about which one she should kill first. The young elf put his hand on her shoulder and Airesiwe whipped around aiming the bow at him.
"Don't think I won't kill you too," Airesiwe whispered. The young elf's eyes turned to stone and he lifted his bow as well. But instead of shooting her, he dropped his bow and grabbed her arms, twisting them into a painful position while dragging her off.
"I knew it was too good to be true," Airesiwe uttered to herself as she and Legolas were hauled off with the rest of the woodland elves.
**************************************************************************** **************
After some time of struggling and pushing, the elves finally managed to get Airesiwe and Legolas to the middle level of the trees. They were placed in separate rooms, Airesiwe's smaller, and were told not to guard them. Airesiwe looked down at the floor of Lorien and sighed. Her hands were bound and her eyes were sore from the blindfold being ripped off. She went over to a nearby rock on the branch of a tree and put the rope on top of it. After much time, she managed to break the rope by pulling it back and forth over the rock. Her wrists had red marks around them, and already they were starting to bleed. She sighed once more and laid back in the mist of the tree branches. 'Luckily they have rooms,' Airesiwe said to herself and started to sing a song to ease the boredom.
He chanted a song of wizardry, Of piercing, opening, of treachery Revealing, uncovering, betraying—
Airesiwe stopped, coughing back tears, and decided to skip a verse.
Then the gloom gathered; darkness growing In Valinor, the red blood flowing Beside the Sea, where the Nolder slew The Foamriders, and stealing drew Their white ships and white sails From lamplit heavens, the wind wails. The wolf howls, the ravens flee The ice mutters in the mouths of the sea The captives sad in Angband mourn Thunder rumbles, the fires burn—
Airesiwe stopped and looked around the trees again, making sure there was no one around. She took a small quivering breath, and stopped. She could hear rustling below her. She peered over the branches that supported her room and saw a small figure climbing up the tree branches. She looked harder, and lent out her hand. The figure grabbed it, and Airesiwe helped him up. It was Frodo, and he sat down on the wooden floor gasping for breath.
"Keep, keep going," Frodo said. "It's a lovely song, although filled with sorrow, if you don't mind, I would so very much love it if you would continue please." Tears welled up in Airesiwe's eyes, but she blinked them away.
"I would rather not, Frodo, but I do know another song, quite similar I should say," Airesiwe looked at Frodo, and his eyes shimmered blue in the darkness. "I'm sorry if I kept you awake," Airesiwe blushed while saying this. "I didn't realize I was so loud."
"Oh, dear me, no! It was because of your singing I could not get to sleep, yes, but it was because it was so lovely that I refused to sleep, please, if you don't mind, sing me another song." Frodo smiled and Airesiwe just couldn't refuse the plea. She took a small breathe and began.
An Elven-maid there was of old, A shining star by day: Her mantle white was hemmed with gold, Her shoes of silver-gray.
A star was bound upon her brows, A light was on her hair As sun upon the golden boughs In Lorien the fair.
Her hair was long, her limbs were white, And fair she was and free; And in the wind she went as light As leaf of linden-tree.
Beside the fall of Nimrodel, By water clear and cool, Her voice as falling silver fell Into the shining pool.
Airesiwe looked up at Frodo and noticed that he had been staring at her the whole time. "It sounds a lot like you, the women you are singing about." Frodo smiled, then blushed tremendously. "I mean, keep going," Frodo laid down on the wall on the other side of the room and closed his eyes halfway.
Where she now wanders none can tell, In sunlight or in shade; For lost of yore was Nimrodel And in the mountains strayed.
Airesiwe looked up hoping to find Frodo asleep, but instead watching her with intense eyes. Airesiwe sighed and continued, skipping a few lines.
The elven ship in haven gray Beneath the mountain lee Awaited her for many a day Besides the roaring sea.
When dawn came dim the land was lost, The mountains sinking gray Beyond the heaving wave that tossed Their plumes a blinding spray.
But from the West had come no word, And on the Hither shore No tidings Elven-folk have heard Of Amroth evermore.
Airesiwe looked up and was relieved to see that Frodo had indeed fallen asleep. Carefully, she climbed out of her room and looked towards the top of the trees. Curiosity took hold of her, and she climbed towards the top. As she climbed, she could hear faint elf voices ahead. She climbed towards what looked like a yellow light coming from the upper level room. Airesiwe peeked her head inside when she reached it, still hanging slightly from the branches and listened.
"I told you! Galadriel sensed something. Why else did we bring the two elves up here!"
"We take elves captive no matter what Galadriel senses. I think this whole thing has driven her mad."
"Shhhh..." one of the elves said quietly, and walked towards Airesiwe. Airesiwe ducked her head and held on to the floor of the room. She could see the feet of the elf as he walked passed. Then all of a sudden a hand grabbed hers and pulled her up, then throwing her towards the floor of the room.
"WHAT? Who are you? ...."The elf suddenly trailed off, staring at Airesiwe and asked her, "Where are you from?"
Airesiwe, still in shock from the violent shove towards the ground, stuttered, "I'm from Imladris."
The elves stared in each other in shock.
"Imladris?!" Only those from Lothlorien are able to get up here!" The head elf walked towards Airesiwe. "Are you sure that's where you're from?"
"Yes..." Airesiwe trailed off again. She was told to keep the whole event of finding her in a basket secret. "That's where I was trained and raised." Airesiwe looked up into the elves' eyes and pulled herself away. Another elf grabbed her and pulled her up on her feet. Airesiwe stood looking at the ground, refusing to stare into the elf's eyes.
"You lie..." the elf said slowly, "Only the Lothlorien folk can make it up here. There is obviously some mistake. You are not who you say you are," the elf tilted her chin upward and looked into Airesiwe's eyes. "You are not from Rivendell, you show no signs of it. You look just like—," the elf stopped and looked towards the door. A tall Lorien elf entered.
"Sorry to interrupt you sir, but the young elf is wanted by Lady Galadriel."
The elf turned back towards Airesiwe and let go of her chin. Airesiwe glared at the elf and walked away with the tall elf, unaware of what waited for her.
"I'm, fine I'm fine," Airesiwe stuttered. "How long was I asleep?"
"Asleep?!" Aragorn laughed. At this time the Fellowship had caught up to him and was peering down at her. "I hardly believe that one like you could fall asleep with that fall, are you sure your ok?" Airesiwe blushed at the comment, but answered quickly.
"I'm fine, thanks." Airesiwe's sight had mostly regained at this time, and she looked at her surroundings. She was at the bottom of the hill, and Lothlorien laid at her feet. She winced as the two-second flashback appeared in her mind. She took a step forward, and wobbled a bit, but continued walking with the Fellowship. Somehow, once more, the Fellowship passed her up and she was last in line. She looked behind her and saw the hill she was standing on not too long ago, was actually a small cliff. 'No wonder it hurt so much,' Airesiwe thought as she rubbed her head. A bump had formed already. 'What more could I want,' Airesiwe reminded herself and trudged on through the entrance of Lothlorien.
It was midday by the time they reached the entrance, but it was nothing special. Just a bunch of trees that seemed to grow up out of nowhere appeared, so the Fellowship along with Airesiwe went on through it. Although it was sunny outside, the trees seemed to darken the woods, making it look like dusk. Airesiwe could feel a chill up her spine when she entered, but paid no mind to it. The Fellowship looked relax, but inside, Airesiwe was very tense. At every sound that was made in the bushes or trees Airesiwe would turn her head in that direction. Frodo walked beside her, along with the other three hobbits, for they seemed quite tense as well. Just to be safe, Airesiwe drew her bow and arrow and held it out of sight.
The trees became taller, and darker, and all that Airesiwe had thought this place would be, was crushed. For it was not dreamy, or a fantasy, but a threat and shadow world. A rustle occurred in the bushes nearby and Airesiwe quickly yelled and aimed her bow in that direction. It was just a rabbit. Airesiwe sighed and turned around only to be met by another arrow, but not hers. An elf stood before her and aimed a sharp, pointy arrow at her forehead. Airesiwe showed no fear of this stranger and drew her own bow and arrow as well. She looked out of the corner of her eye and saw that these strange elves had surrounded her and the Fellowship with their arrows drawn as well. She stared at the stranger and saw something strange in his eye. A glint of pleasure and happiness appeared, and Airesiwe smiled and lowered her bow. The stranger did the same and Airesiwe could tell it was a young boy elf, similar to her in actions and appearance. The young elf had brown hair that rustled in the wind and bright blue eyes. It looked similar to her almost. He was taller than her, but Airesiwe knew that everyone was, for her eternal youth spell kept her from growing more than four and a half feet. A moment occurred from the edge of her vision and she turned her head. A blonde haired, tall elf appeared.
"Alkhuan, take the two elves to the higher levels," he said with a cold voice. Airesiwe saw an elf grabbed Legolas' arm and thrash him towards the ground. Airesiwe's eyes lit up with anger and she aimed her bow at the elf.
"Touch him again, and I'll shoot you," Airesiwe said with the same cold voice. With a twitch of his hand, the head elf motioned all the elves to aim their arrows at her. All except the young elf. Airesiwe moved her arrow from one elf to the next, arguing to herself about which one she should kill first. The young elf put his hand on her shoulder and Airesiwe whipped around aiming the bow at him.
"Don't think I won't kill you too," Airesiwe whispered. The young elf's eyes turned to stone and he lifted his bow as well. But instead of shooting her, he dropped his bow and grabbed her arms, twisting them into a painful position while dragging her off.
"I knew it was too good to be true," Airesiwe uttered to herself as she and Legolas were hauled off with the rest of the woodland elves.
**************************************************************************** **************
After some time of struggling and pushing, the elves finally managed to get Airesiwe and Legolas to the middle level of the trees. They were placed in separate rooms, Airesiwe's smaller, and were told not to guard them. Airesiwe looked down at the floor of Lorien and sighed. Her hands were bound and her eyes were sore from the blindfold being ripped off. She went over to a nearby rock on the branch of a tree and put the rope on top of it. After much time, she managed to break the rope by pulling it back and forth over the rock. Her wrists had red marks around them, and already they were starting to bleed. She sighed once more and laid back in the mist of the tree branches. 'Luckily they have rooms,' Airesiwe said to herself and started to sing a song to ease the boredom.
He chanted a song of wizardry, Of piercing, opening, of treachery Revealing, uncovering, betraying—
Airesiwe stopped, coughing back tears, and decided to skip a verse.
Then the gloom gathered; darkness growing In Valinor, the red blood flowing Beside the Sea, where the Nolder slew The Foamriders, and stealing drew Their white ships and white sails From lamplit heavens, the wind wails. The wolf howls, the ravens flee The ice mutters in the mouths of the sea The captives sad in Angband mourn Thunder rumbles, the fires burn—
Airesiwe stopped and looked around the trees again, making sure there was no one around. She took a small quivering breath, and stopped. She could hear rustling below her. She peered over the branches that supported her room and saw a small figure climbing up the tree branches. She looked harder, and lent out her hand. The figure grabbed it, and Airesiwe helped him up. It was Frodo, and he sat down on the wooden floor gasping for breath.
"Keep, keep going," Frodo said. "It's a lovely song, although filled with sorrow, if you don't mind, I would so very much love it if you would continue please." Tears welled up in Airesiwe's eyes, but she blinked them away.
"I would rather not, Frodo, but I do know another song, quite similar I should say," Airesiwe looked at Frodo, and his eyes shimmered blue in the darkness. "I'm sorry if I kept you awake," Airesiwe blushed while saying this. "I didn't realize I was so loud."
"Oh, dear me, no! It was because of your singing I could not get to sleep, yes, but it was because it was so lovely that I refused to sleep, please, if you don't mind, sing me another song." Frodo smiled and Airesiwe just couldn't refuse the plea. She took a small breathe and began.
An Elven-maid there was of old, A shining star by day: Her mantle white was hemmed with gold, Her shoes of silver-gray.
A star was bound upon her brows, A light was on her hair As sun upon the golden boughs In Lorien the fair.
Her hair was long, her limbs were white, And fair she was and free; And in the wind she went as light As leaf of linden-tree.
Beside the fall of Nimrodel, By water clear and cool, Her voice as falling silver fell Into the shining pool.
Airesiwe looked up at Frodo and noticed that he had been staring at her the whole time. "It sounds a lot like you, the women you are singing about." Frodo smiled, then blushed tremendously. "I mean, keep going," Frodo laid down on the wall on the other side of the room and closed his eyes halfway.
Where she now wanders none can tell, In sunlight or in shade; For lost of yore was Nimrodel And in the mountains strayed.
Airesiwe looked up hoping to find Frodo asleep, but instead watching her with intense eyes. Airesiwe sighed and continued, skipping a few lines.
The elven ship in haven gray Beneath the mountain lee Awaited her for many a day Besides the roaring sea.
When dawn came dim the land was lost, The mountains sinking gray Beyond the heaving wave that tossed Their plumes a blinding spray.
But from the West had come no word, And on the Hither shore No tidings Elven-folk have heard Of Amroth evermore.
Airesiwe looked up and was relieved to see that Frodo had indeed fallen asleep. Carefully, she climbed out of her room and looked towards the top of the trees. Curiosity took hold of her, and she climbed towards the top. As she climbed, she could hear faint elf voices ahead. She climbed towards what looked like a yellow light coming from the upper level room. Airesiwe peeked her head inside when she reached it, still hanging slightly from the branches and listened.
"I told you! Galadriel sensed something. Why else did we bring the two elves up here!"
"We take elves captive no matter what Galadriel senses. I think this whole thing has driven her mad."
"Shhhh..." one of the elves said quietly, and walked towards Airesiwe. Airesiwe ducked her head and held on to the floor of the room. She could see the feet of the elf as he walked passed. Then all of a sudden a hand grabbed hers and pulled her up, then throwing her towards the floor of the room.
"WHAT? Who are you? ...."The elf suddenly trailed off, staring at Airesiwe and asked her, "Where are you from?"
Airesiwe, still in shock from the violent shove towards the ground, stuttered, "I'm from Imladris."
The elves stared in each other in shock.
"Imladris?!" Only those from Lothlorien are able to get up here!" The head elf walked towards Airesiwe. "Are you sure that's where you're from?"
"Yes..." Airesiwe trailed off again. She was told to keep the whole event of finding her in a basket secret. "That's where I was trained and raised." Airesiwe looked up into the elves' eyes and pulled herself away. Another elf grabbed her and pulled her up on her feet. Airesiwe stood looking at the ground, refusing to stare into the elf's eyes.
"You lie..." the elf said slowly, "Only the Lothlorien folk can make it up here. There is obviously some mistake. You are not who you say you are," the elf tilted her chin upward and looked into Airesiwe's eyes. "You are not from Rivendell, you show no signs of it. You look just like—," the elf stopped and looked towards the door. A tall Lorien elf entered.
"Sorry to interrupt you sir, but the young elf is wanted by Lady Galadriel."
The elf turned back towards Airesiwe and let go of her chin. Airesiwe glared at the elf and walked away with the tall elf, unaware of what waited for her.
