Luineraugwen: Finally I've got another chapter up. About time don't your say? Also Galadriel is going to give one of her favorite speeches. I bet you can spot it later on. This story has now become a book cross over. The books are the 'Ancient Future Trilogy' written by Traci Harding. The books from her other trilogy might be used later on. If you have read them, keep in mind that I have changed some of the details. Such as Rhun being evil and Tory dying.
Words written in "Italics" are elvish. I know a really good site to get elvish off but I just can't find the words I want. If anyone knows another site could they email me please or just leave it in a review.
Disclaimer: These things are annoying so this goes for the rest of the story. I DON'T own Lotr and I never will. Happy? Nor do I own any of Traci Harding's works.
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Haldir woke up as the sun made its way into the room and found Rhiannon curled up in his arms still asleep. The candles were almost out and they were smoldering slightly. He ran his fingers through Rhiannon's silky hair repeatedly, careful not to wake her. His mind wandered back to the dream he'd had. Haldir knew that Rhiannon had been the young woman he had seen. It had scared the hell out of him because he was well aware that elves hardly ever dreamt and he also knew that on the rare occasion that they did dream, it was usually a vision of the future. Either good or bad, they could not be ignored and Rhiannon's future seemed very grim indeed. But he wondered if he should tell someone. He couldn't keep it to himself. Who should he tell Lord Celeborn, Lady Galadriel, Lord Elrond or even Gandalf? All were very wise but which would listen to him. Gandalf was always speaking in riddles and he didn't really want to bother either the Lord or Lady, so that left Elrond. Rhiannon was a guest of Lord Elrond's house after all. But how should he approach the subject?
A knock on the wooden door brought Haldir out of his thoughts. He clambered out of bed and strode calmly over to the door and opened it. It was Lord Elrond.
"Haldir you should not be standing. Surely Lady Rhiannon, is she is here, could have answered my call" he said ushering the warrior back into the room.
"I feel fine milord but I had to open the door myself because Lady Rhiannon isn't up to the task at the moment" Haldir replied taking a step back so the lord could see Rhiannon's sleeping form on the bed. Elrond's gaze swept over the bed for a few seconds. The blankets were in a mess lying on the end of the bed and it diffidently looked like something other than sleep had occurred. Her pursed his lips and looked back at the shirtless elf before him. Even though she wasn't his daughter, she was still in his care while she stayed in Rivendell and her father would not be pleased to find out that she had sexual intercourse with someone she barely knew. Haldir, noticing the lord's protective glance, took a step backwards again, raising his hands and shaking his head.
"In all honesty milord, I didn't not touch her. She was there to comfort me after my nightmare. We fell asleep in each other's arms, nothing more. I wouldn't dare touch Rhiannon or any other woman for that matter in a way they didn't like or without their consent" Haldir answered. Elrond saw no lie in the younger elf's eyes and he sighed, and then became curious about the mention of 'nightmare'.
"Nightmare? You said you had a nightmare" the lord whispered. Haldir, realizing there was no getting out of it, swallowed and nodded solemnly. "Come, you must tell me about it!" Elrond said urgently, then, noticing Haldir's sideways glance at Rhiannon, added in elvish.
"Come we will talk in my study" he put a hand on the warrior's shoulder before taking his leave. Haldir dressed quietly, careful not to wake Rhiannon, who was still sleeping peacefully. He covered her with the blankets before sitting down next to her. She looked so innocent while she slept. It was hard for him to believe she had saved his life and killed all those uruk-hai. Haldir tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and gently ran a finger along her jaw line, then, without realizing it; he pressed his lips against her own. He broke away and breathed in her scent. He sighed quietly and walked out of the room.
Haldir strode along the long halls towards Lord Elrond's study. Elves were early risers and many already roamed Rivendell. Some nodded to him while others approached him and congratulated him on his swift recovery. Haldir humbly thanked them but passed the success of his recovery to the Lord Elrond. He finally came to the door he was looking for. Haldir knocked and waited patiently for the Lord to answer. The heavy wooden object opened soundlessly and the warrior came face to face the Lord Celeborn. Haldir bowed then followed the lord to the heart of the study where they found Galadriel speaking with Elrond. The nervousness that had somehow found its way to Haldir's stomach had increased tenfold at the presence of the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien. He just hoped that the lady didn't use her telepathic powers and that she let him speak at his own pace. As if she heard his thoughts, Galadriel turned to look at him.
"You need not worry; the lord and I are only here to offer you our counsel. This matter cannot be taken lightly," she said quietly. "Come, tell us what you saw".
Haldir swallowed and opened his mouth to answer but he suddenly become hesitant to do so. He would have to choose his words wisely, he knew that, but he also knew that he had to admit what his dream was about Rhiannon. He was okay admitting it to the lords, they'd probably experienced the same thing but now he was in the presence of the lady. How could he explain the dream without offending her? Oh well, he'd just have to get it over and done with now. He took a deep breath and started to tell them.
"I realize now that my dream was about the Lady Rhiannon and that most of it most of it was inappropriate. That is something that cannot be excused nor something I could prevent". Having gotten that off his chest, Haldir continued to explain the dream to them, although not in full detail. He wouldn't talk or brag about such a thing, it was not the elven way. Intimate and pleasurable experiences of the likes he had dreamt about were not spoken of by his race. Haldir continued on but when he came to the part where Rhiannon was beaten, his voice began to strain and break with the effort of his telling. When he was finished, he looked up to see the higher elves deep in thought.
"This dream is indeed grim but perhaps it will not come to pass. Remember that anyone can change the course of the future. Experiencing this vision has alerted us to a possible future path Lady Rhiannon may take. I can sense that you already hold feelings for the Lady, even though you haven't known her long. I believed that whatever dangers await her in the future, you will be there to help her defeat them. Even though it is a warning, do not let it be a heavy burden on your heart" Galadriel advised after listening to Haldir and the two lords agreed with her. Haldir bowed and was about to leave when Elrond stopped him.
"Could you please find the Fellowship and tell them to come here. Then bring yourself back here" he requested and Haldir complied. When the warrior had left the room, Elrond turned to Celeborn and Galadriel and said "Excuse me for a moment while I find Lady Rhiannon. I believe she may have something of much importance to say" and with that he too walked out.
Rhiannon had woken up not long after Haldir had left. After remembering the events of the night before, she scrambled out of bed and rushed to her chambers, then dressed in her riding clothes. After braiding her hair, Rhiannon snuck out of her room with the intention of finding the Lothlorien guard but she came face to face with Lord Elrond instead.
"Good morning milord" she said bowing to him.
"And a fine morning it is Rhiannon. I regret to inform you that something has come to my attention and it may be wise to speak of your past. Don't fear few will witness your speech. Come, they should be waiting for you in my study" he replied, gently putting a comforting hand on her should and leading her to his study.
"What has happened, Lord Elrond? When I stay with people outside of my father's realm, I prefer to keep my past secret. I will only reveal it if it is absolutely necessary" Rhiannon spoke as they walked.
"I can see why you do that, Rhiannon, and I can assure you that it is necessary. Your choice of hiding your past is wise but now it is time to embrace it. You will have to do that for what lies ahead. I have seen it" Elrond replied. Realizing she would get no more out of the lord, Rhiannon allowed herself to be led to the study in silence.
Rhiannon's past had stayed secret for five years while she lived in the 21st century. She knew that one-day she would have to return home and confront it. Her father had sent her away after her mother's death so she would be protected from her brother, who was the suspected murderer. From then on, Rhiannon had lived a simple life. School, parties, Teakwood had ruled her life for some time. Now was the time for her to embrace her past like many before her and live the life she was born to do. Only problem was the skills she had to use for her past had probably gone rusty by now and she wasn't sure she was ready.
Lord Elrond could feel Rhiannon's discomfort. He could tell she was nervous about revealing the information. He knew her past quite well. Elrond realized that this would be a big step for her but Rhiannon had to do it. A dark shadow had swept over his dreams and his foresight ability had been overshadowed too. Celeborn and Galadriel had also become victim to the evil. What was worse of all, Nenya, Vilya, Narya, the three elvish rings, were losing their light. The power of the elves was fading, even before they had left for the Grey Havens. This was what worried him the most. There was a new evil roaming Middle Earth and this one was more powerful then Sauron and the One Ring. How that was possible was anyone's guess.
The two entered the study to see the whole Fellowship as well as a few other sitting around the fireplace waiting for them. Elrond had known what her answer would be even before she had decided. That or he was going to corner her with all these people and force her to answer. That didn't seem like him at all but people can surprise you.
"Something important had arisen child; we need you to help us. Lord Elrond has told us you may have valuable information to ell us. No doubt he has informed you of what we need" Galadriel said quietly from her seat.
"Aye milady he has but I fail to see what my information has to do with this new problem or whatever you choose to call it" Rhiannon said bowing to her.
"Rhiannon, the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien as well as I are gifted wit the art of foresight but lately we haven't been able to see very far. We have all agreed that something or someone evil is trying to stop us. I suspect it is a person and I also have my suspicions that it is your brother Rhun. You see, it's very important that we know who we are dealing against should it come to war" Elrond explained. Rhiannon's head bowed in concentration and she bit her lip in thought. After giving it some careful thought, she decided to tell them.
"What would you like to know milord?"
"Where you are from and who your family is might be a good start" Elrond replied.
"Well I come from a place called Earth. It is beautiful but it mainly depends on what time period you choose. I myself come from a period known as the Dark Ages. It is very much like Middle Earth, or at least what I've heard so far. My father is Maelgwn, High King of Britain. Britain is my homeland. Given both my father and mother's titles, this makes me a princess and one of two heirs to the throne. The other is my older brother, Rhun" Rhiannon explained. She left her words hanging in the air for a few minutes so the people could grasp their meaning. The fact that she was a princess was a secret she had wanted to hide from others for a very long time. She probably even tried to hide it from herself too.
Rhiannon glanced at the faces around her. The hobbits seemed to be intrigued by the news of a different world. No doubt they would ask her thousands of questions afterwards. Aragorn, Elrond, Gandalf, Legolas, Celeborn and Galadriel as well as two elves she didn't know all had their heads bowed in thought. Out of the corner of her eye, Rhiannon saw Haldir standing next to the fireplace. The light of the fire played across his face. What startled her most of all was the pain in his eyes. She could see it as clear as day. But why was he hurting? Was it something she had said?
"Tell us of your family Rhiannon" Aragorn said abruptly bringing Rhiannon out of her thoughts.
"Well my father, despite his age, is a wise man and a great warrior. He has fought many battles and even tamed a dragon, which earned his the nickname 'Dragon'. My mother's name was Tory, also a good fight but she didn't come from my father's lands or even his time frame. She came from a time called the 21st century, which was hundreds of years in the future. She helped my father defeat an evil sorceress and in doing so, gained his love and respect. It was during those troubling times that my parents married" Rhiannon paused so she could take a few breaths before continuing.
"In their first few years of marriage, my mother bore a child and they names him Rhun. He was to be the heir to the throne. Three years later I was born. My brother and I got along instantly and mother was glad she finally had a daughter, the same with my father. Years passed and my father taught us to fight with swords while our mother trained us in her fighting style. It wasn't before long that we were amongst the Chosen, also known as the Circle of Twelve. That was a group of a dozen people who my mother trained. They were the best next to the King and Queen and they usually went off to train the different armies under my father's orders. Over the years, Rhun and I grew apart. He was spending more and more time alone and seemed to cut himself off from his friends and family. My parents and I just passed it off as a stage he was going through but as time increased it became evident that it wasn't". Rhiannon knew what was coming next.
"And what happened to change your mind?" Legolas asked. He noticed the princess began to hesitate when she spoke. Something bad was about of be told.
"The evil sorceress that we thought had been defeated before our birth someone came back with the help of someone from the royal circle. The sorceress's name was Mahaud and she came back with quite a vengeance. She hated the whole royal family, especially my mother, so she took out her hate on her. My mother's decapitated and mutilated body was found in the throne room a few days before my parent's wedding anniversary. It was rumored that my brother was involved and that he would soon be after me. After taking that into consideration, my father sent me into the future, hopefully where Rhun couldn't find me. I was thirteen when I left Britain and I haven't seen it in five years" she explained.
"How did you flee to the so called 21st century?" Gandalf asked.
"That piece of crafty work was thought up by a man named Taliesin Pen Berirdd, Taliesin for short. He was High Merlin of Britain and has been friends with my father for many years" Rhiannon replied not getting into much detail.
"Well if we believe that Rhun is in league with this Mahaud, what do we have to do to fight them?" one of the unknown elves asked.
"Rhun is no longer in league with Mahaud. He became too powerful in her dark arts and he banished her to the dark side of the moon. Since them the High King had contacted me and talked about how his son was terrorizing different parts of Britain. Rhun had been quiet for months so it leaves us to ponder what he is planning" Elrond cut in.
"So we have another Sauron on our hands. A power hungry individual who will do anything to gain it. Thank you Rhiannon, you have helped us greatly to understand this new foe. Now one last thing, do you want the news of your rightful title to be known outside this room?" Celeborn asked Rhiannon but she shook her head. "No one is to speak about this matter outside of this room understand. Dismissed" he added. Everybody, except for Gandalf, Galadriel, Elrond left the room.
Rhiannon tried to catch up to Haldir. She wanted to ask him what was wrong but he was closer to the door than her and by the time she reached the hallway he had disappeared. Sighing she gave in. There was always later.
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Luineraugwen: There, done. It was quite a wait but I had a major writer's block and my friends were nagging me to write Scarred for Life. Read it, it's one of my favorites. I'm not sure when the next chapter of this story is going to be up. I've already started it and now that it's the school holidays, I have all the time in the world to write. Did anyone think that Celeborn was slightly out of character in the second last paragraph or was it just me? Yay.
HAPPY EASTER
