Chapter 7

Thoughts of the Past

It was two days since the arrival of Lord Sauron in Lothlorien and none of those that lived there seemed happy about the resident. In fact they tried to avoid him at all costs. They were afraid of him and what he might do. They were afraid that there lives would become forfeit should he not get his way.

"I told you I feel fine. Besides I need fresh air. Being in bed is a living hell because I can't really do anything. sigh!" Sauron only laughed heartily at her antics. Trust Natasha to humor those around her. Yes, I do believe that I will not ever hurt her again. He made a mental promise of this.

"Do you still except the choice you made days ago?" Sauron asked her. She pushed some of her hair behind her ear and looked up into his eyes.

"I still except your offer. You don't need to keep asking. After all I made the choice and I will stick by it no matter what. Nobody can change what I have chosen. Even Galadriel cannot sway me from my choice even if she is psychic and very good with the power of telepathy." Her eye's moved looking at him and then behind him. She tensed up. Sauron turned around to find a very familiar face.

"Elrond!? Is that you?" Sauron asked. The eyebrows of the man raised slightly and then he slightly nodded his head.

"Yes, I have come! I came knowing that it might be a trap. I came even knowing that I might not ever return home. What I was not expecting was to find that none of that is true. I was not expecting to find that my patient is not in bed even though it is clear that she is not completely healed. sigh! Is it true what Galadriel said, that you care for someone?" Lord Elrond asked Sauron and seemed just a little uptight. In fact I think many would be uptight facing an evil Dark Lord.

Sauron nodded. He then placed his hand firmly on the girl sitting next to him. It had been thousands of years that he had ever had a girlfriend. She had died during the war and he never saw her again. Scratch that thought! He did see her but only as a ghost in the woods. They would not marry or have a family all because of a war. His war! The war where he lost his ring and body. The same war that he decided that he would become ruthless to all those that didn't have the same views that he had.

"Natasha, would you please come with me so that I can fully heal you of your ailment?" Lord Elrond said. The girl nodded and made to stand up. He did not release her shoulder but stood up with her.

Lord Elrond POV

"May I accompany you?" Sauron asked. The girl nodded. Lord Elrond saw those eyes before and yet he was thankful that he was still alive. There was still the matter of what Middle Earth was going to do seeing as how it was already to late to stop the girl from giving the ring to the Dark Lord Sauron. Would he still destroy the world or would this girl put a chain on him to keep him from evil.

Evil! It was such a harsh word to describe a person. No, not a person, a monster that for thousands of years came back into power. A monster that shouldn't even have a heart in the first place. A monster that took the world and tried to destroy everyone in it. A monster that at one time didn't ever care for anyone else but himself.

Was there ever a time when he did cry, laugh happily and just lived normally like everyone else? Was there ever a time when he did love another? Was there ever a time when all things seemed far from the present? Was there ever a time that he truly lived not knowing what the future held for him if he should grow up?

He might not have known the answer to all these questions but he was willing to look beyond the past. The past does hurt but sometimes we have to look past it to grow out of the fears that possess us.

......Flashback......

"So you mean to go to Lothlorien then Lord Elrond?" A very wizened old man with a long beard in the front asked.

"Yes! I cannot wait any longer for them to arrive. The child needs treatment and if she doesn't get it she will be lost to us. I need to go not just because of the child but because I need to prove something to myself." Lord Elrond said. He sipped some wine after saying this but his hand shook with fear. A particular ring glinted in the sunlight. Vilya was the name of the ring. It was the same ring that had been given to him by Sauron who thought he could enslave all the people of Middle Earth starting with those that were it's leaders.

The ring was special in that it allowed Lord Elrond to communicate with those of the air like the great Eagle that brought Gandalf back to Rivendell. The ring also had the power to turn him into one of the nazgul or ringwraiths but he would not let it. In fact he forbid the use of it to himself but when Gandalf needed help he offered it to him. He helped Gandalf and in doing so now Gandalf was indebted to him.

Again, Vilya was no ordinary ring. It was the ring of air. With the ring he could talk to those that live for the air and even protect his kingdom with gale forced winds. He could even communicate with those that also had rings of power. However he sometimes let Galadriel have a moment to help as well.

Many days ago a hobbit was stabbed by the nazgul and he was almost to Rivendell but the nazgul would not let the hobbit go. Elrond had called Galadriel for assistance and she gladly accepted. She accepted in the form of water horses. He even used his own power to force the nazgul to run with the river rather then getting across.

Galadriel had the water ring that she to received from Sauron. The rings name was Nenya. Narya was the ring of fire and was at one time Cirdan's but since he wanted to become the keeper of The Havens he entrusted the ring to Mirthrandir or better known as Gandalf to some. In a way everything turned into an endless circle of doubt and deceit. Now that Sauron was alive nothing could stop him from taking me and the others by the force of the ring. Even men had fallen to his will faster then you could say, 'Sauron is alive.'

"You could be destroyed. We don't even know Galadriel is all right or if Lothlorien is still standing. If you go, friend be cautious. We don't know what to expect with Sauron anymore for his actions have been out of character for just having come back to life. Please! Just be careful." Lord Elrond nodded. Setting the glass down on a table and made to leave the room to pack.

"Friend?" Gandalf called.

"Don't worry I will be all right." Elrond said. He went over to Gandalf and gave him a brotherly hug and then finally swept outside the room in a hurry. Just within hearing distance he could here Gandalf say something else.

"I hope that for all our sakes that you won't be to late." Gandalf whispered.

......End Flashback......

All of this he remembered as he lead them to the healing room where he supposed that the child had been acquainted with.

"I need you to lay down and relax while I prepare the extraction of the metal piece left in your body from the morgal blade piercing you." As I told her this she complied. I quickly got a bowl and the herbs ready for the healing. I just hoped that everything would go all right.