Disclaimer: I do not own any of Tolkien's original characters, though I truly wish I did. The only character I own is Julia.
Author's notes: Um…are you guys still reading? Just wondering because if you are I would really LOVE some feedback. I'm still going to write the story, but I'd like to know what you guys think. So please, take a minute and review what you read *smiles*. Thank you for your time and consideration. Now on with the show.
GeneticallyElvenGryffindor- I'm glad somebody's still reading. Music is one of the only things I feel passionate about so of course I would put it in my story.
Chapter 4Julia eventually made it into her elegantly decorated room where she was, on most occasions, surrounded by numerous varieties of fragrant flowers at all times. At the moment, however, her room replicated her mood. The flowers drooped and their normal sweet smell was now bland and uninteresting. They felt her mood and adjusted to it accordingly.
She now sat stiffly on her bed looking across the room at nothing in particular. She had heard the visitors arrive and had hid behind a tree as they walked past her. Though she was supposed to have been tucked away safely in her room, Julia was quite confident that she had remained completely out of their sight. That would please her grandfather, surely.
She lay back on the bed and curled up into a ball. Of course it was childish to act in such a manner, curling up on her bed in a pout, but she didn't rightly care at the moment. She felt as if she'd lost sight of herself. Dwelling so deeply upon the opinion of an elf she'd never bothered to care about before. There was no answer to the questions running through her already laden mind.
Was this why she had returned to Middle Earth? To be a thorn in her grandfather's side? If that was her purpose then why had Gandalf brought her here? What could be his reasoning to bringing such utter discomfort to all who were involved? And why did she feel so alone?
Her grandmother loved her that was true, but she didn't need Julia to be there. Haldir of course doted upon her and showed in his actions as well as words how deeply he cared, but he had other loves and other responsibilities.
Even in her mind the thoughts sounded ridiculous. She was loved by a good number of people and still she was not satisfied because of a few hurtful looks and a lack of words from her grandfather. Why did she have such a need for his approval?
Her eyes began to burn as she finally allowed her tears their freedom, giving them reign to let out her emotions. She was alone in the room and there was no one to see her moment of weakness. Her breaths came in shallow gasps between her sobs and she knew it was quickly growing from a quick cry into a full-blown emotional release.
She glanced down at her hands and saw them shaking vigorously in front of her. It was beginning to seem more and more absurd that she would let her grandfather's lack of affection for her affect her this deeply. This current behavior definitely wouldn't do. She had to regain her composure while she still had the strength to do so.
Julia took several deep, calming breaths, willing her heart to slow and her tears to dry. It was a difficult thing to be sure. She'd almost gone too far and lost complete control. That would have been disastrous, especially since that hadn't happened since she was a young girl.
It seemed as if this land brought out a lot of her childhood imperfections. Maybe it was all in her head, but it seemed as if she hadn't been truly affected by her emotions in a long time. Not since the last time she'd been in Middle Earth. Back when she was only a visitor and not one of its permanent residents.
She probably would have continued to sit there contemplating her reasons for losing control for a brief time, but was interrupted by her grandmother's voice speaking in her head.
"Julia, come and greet our guests."
Julia frowned and shook her head. "I can't. Grandfather asked me not to," she said effortlessly using her mind to respond.
"He asked you not to?" That was news to Galadriel. She made a point not to search her husband's thoughts, but at those words she couldn't help but wish that she had. She waved that thought to the side. "I'm asking you to come. Leave your grandfather to me."
Julia swallowed nervously at her grandmother's request, but knew that she could never decline anything Galadriel asked of her. "Alright. I'll be there in a short time."
She quickly glanced into the mirror and gave out a soft sound of horror at her disheveled look. "I look like I've been tussling with a band of orcs." She said aloud even though the room was empty, say for her.
Julia immediately went to work brushing out her tangled hair and braiding it, before changing her clothes into something more feminine, more dignified. She wanted to look the elven part for her guest and do everything in her power not to shame her grandfather. He wouldn't like the fact that she was disobeying his orders anyway, but she would make sure not to cause him any more distress.
When she reached the thrown room it was at a different angle than she had entered upon her first arrival. This time she was at the top, still hidden around a corner and yet she could see the guests standing before her grandparents.
Two men with their shoulders squared proudly, yet one, the one currently speaking with her grandmother, held a certain submissiveness that not many men had. There were also four small people, mere children in appearance, but she knew them to be hobbits. Another short one came into view, but he was taller than the hobbits-a dwarf, she thought with glee. She'd never met a dwarf before and there one stood just waiting for her to introduce herself.
She was about to make her entrance when her eyes settled on one last person, an elf. He had almost the look of a Lorien elf and yet she could tell that he was not. His well-defined facial features were too fine in appearance. He was one of the most beautiful male elves she'd ever seen and that fact was shocking to her as she had come across many elves and none of them seemed to measure up to him.
It was words that ripped her thoughts away from the elf and drew them to her grandparents once more.
"Eight there are, yet nine there were set out from Rivendell." Celeborn spoke slowly and with great dignity. "Tell me, where is Gandalf? For I much desire to speak with him."
She took a step closer and noticed the saddened looks on the visitor's faces. A sudden fear gnawed at her gut, but it was her grandmother's words that seemed to knock the wind from her already weakened body.
"He has fallen into shadow."
She gasped and it must have been louder than she'd meant it to be because all eyes were on her in that moment. Her eyes were widened with shock and her mouth struggled to complete the words screaming in her mind.
"Julia, child…" Galadriel's eyes softened when she saw her granddaughter staring in her direction, yet it was obvious that she wasn't truly seeing any one person at that moment.
"Wha…What happened to Gandalf?" She hated the quiver in her voice, yet could do nothing to stop it. For her the shock was still too fresh.
The elf stepped forward giving her a sympathetic look. "He fell, while defending us against a balrog."
Julia's eyes met his and a single tear slipped down her cheek. "An ancient foe…one that he knew was coming." He had always known that he would have to face something more powerful than anything he'd met before and he knew that there was a good chance he wouldn't walk away.
"Julia, you were told to wait in your room." Celeborn's voice spoke, it caught her attention immediately and she swallowed nervously at his gaze.
"I told her to come. She needed to hear what our guests had to say." Though he remained silent, his eyes told of his displeasure at her disobedience.
Julia slowly made her way further into the room giving the fellowship their first true vision of her. She was quite exquisite and it was easy to understand why her voice had been so captivating, now that they saw her face to face. She looked nothing like Galadriel or Celeborn with her raven black hair and crystal blue eyes. Yet, her disposition was meek and mild, just like her grandmother, but that was the only thing they could see that she had in comparison to Lady Galadriel.
"I…I'm sorry to interrupt." She said once she found the words that seemed to be stuck in her throat. She took a deep breath and looked at the fellowship giving them a soft smile. "Welcome to Lothlorien. Even if you bring tidings of ill news." And a shadow that still clung to everything around them, she could feel it's presence even stronger than before, but waved off her feeling of unease as she brought her attention back to their guests.
The small hobbits bowed before her. "Thank you, my lady." The one known as Frodo spoke. "I wish it could have been under better circumstances that we should first meet."
Her smile faltered just a bit, but she remained well composed. "As do I, Master Frodo. But, we can still make do with this visit."
Galadriel stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on her granddaughters arm. She didn't need to look into Julia's mind to see the utter torment she was in after hearing the news of Gandalf's outcome, but she could tell that the rest of the fellowship, minus one, didn't think anything of it.
She had more that needed to be said. "The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray, but a little and it will fail, to the ruin of all…yet, hope still remains while the company is true." Her words spoke to the heart of all standing before her. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest, you are weary with sorrow and much toil.
Julia will show you where you can rest comfortably for the rest of the evening. Do not fear, for within the walls of Lothlorien you will not be reached by any outside forces." She turned to Julia and gave her a knowing look and a smile that seemed to give Julia an extra ounce of strength.
She stepped down the stairs and found herself in front of their small group. She could feel the nerves building in her stomach, but gave them a smile and motioned for them to follow her. "You're very lucky, my grandmother is giving you one of the most beautiful dwelling spots in the entire forest." She said, as they started to walk behind her. "It was one of my favorite places as a child."
Haldir stood to the side and she gave him a soft nod of acknowledgement, which he returned. It would have been improper for him to speak to her and she realized it, so his silence was completely understood.
"You are Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel's granddaughter?" Aragorn spoke as he was nearest to her.
She met his eyes briefly and recognized the look of curiosity in them. "Yes."
"With all do respect my lady, as I was aware of only one daughter that belonged to the Lord and Lady, and she was the wife of Lord Elrond."
She stopped her walking and turned to him with a slight frown upon her face. "You're Lord Aragorn, Son of Arathorn are you not?"
She could see the unease come upon him at the mention of his title. "I am."
She smiled. "Then you are the mortal who has stolen my cousin's heart. I can already see what Arwen sees in you." Knowing she was just dodging the answer she knew she had to tell him something. "All will be revealed in due time, Lord Aragorn, when my grandmother wishes it so." She said before resuming her walking.
Legolas walked towards the back of the fellowship with Gimli at his side. "You have look of concern, Master elf. Is it the she-elf that's troubling you?"
Legolas hadn't realized he'd been watching her so closely until Gimli spoke. "No, she does not trouble me, but I can't help wondering why her heart is in such torment. It was her voice we heard upon our arrival and now that I see her, there is a concern growing in my mind. Yet, I know not its reason."
Julia turned her head at his words and lifted her eyebrow. "Do not trouble yourself with worry for me. For you have quite enough troubles of your own, without the weight of my burdens."
Legolas bowed his head. "I apologize, milady. I meant no offense. It was a mere observation."
"There is no apology necessary, Master elf."
"Please, call me Legolas."
Her eyes widened as she recognized his name, yet she kept walking forward. "It would not be proper for me to do so, your highness."
"Please, there is no need for such formality." If elves could blush, Legolas would be doing so. He hated it when his royal title was brought to light, especially amongst those he considered friends. Upon that fact he and Aragorn had much in common.
"As you wish, your highness." Julia replied, a slight grin on her face as she saw how flustered he became when she called him that. It was wrong of her to find pleasure in unsettling an elvish prince, but even she could find no fault in having a bit of fun every now and then.
He ignored her this time and remained silent for the rest of their walk, until they reached the place of their rest. His heart sang at the first sight of it. It held a simple beauty that seemed to cleanse the aura of his soul. He could understand Julia's attraction to it as a child. It held an innocent purity that was hardly ever found and he was going to take advantage of it.
Elves didn't require mass amounts of sleep, but it had been days since he'd allowed himself the luxury of resting. He looked about at his companions and noted their exhausted stances. They were all dead on their feet, but politely gave their thank-yous to Julia for showing them the way.
"It's my pleasure to do so. It's not often that we receive guests."
She watched Frodo walk across the green grass, his hand grasping something at his chest. He was bothered by something and it showed in his body language and facial expression. As he released the object in his hand, she understood why.
Julia let out a gasp and placed a hand to her chest at the sharp pain that seemed to be shooting through her entire body.
Legolas rushed to her side to find her now struggling to breathe. "My lady?" His hand grasped her shoulders, but her body was giving way so he pulled her close to his body and lowered her slowly to the ground.
His arms remained around her as the rest of the fellowship surrounded them, worried looks upon their tired faces. "What's wrong with her?" Pippin asked, frightened at the way her body seamed to be rejecting the very air that filled her lungs.
Frodo stepped closer and leaned down to get a better look, the ring hanging heavily on the chain. He watched as Julia opened her eyes and set her eyes on it, followed closely by a look of horror and a moan of pain.
She grasped Legolas' tunic and struggled to gather enough breathe to speak. "P…please, put…put it away." She managed before laying limp in the blonde elf's arms, though still conscious, her body lacked the strength to move.
Legolas looked up and the first thing he saw was Frodo and it dawned on him. "Frodo! The ring, put it inside your shirt." He spoke loudly, but it was out of fear not harshness.
Immediately Frodo did as he was told and they received an almost immediate reaction. Julia's breathing began to settle and she started to move her arms and struggled to sit up.
"Let me help you." Legolas' voice was soft as he placed his hand on her back, supporting her as she sat up.
A light redness was growing on her cheeks as recognition of what had just occurred began running through her mind. She lowered her eyes in embarrassment.
"I…I am so sorry. This…this shouldn't have happened." She managed before quickly pushing herself out of Legolas' reach and standing up shakily. She thought for a moment that her legs would give out, but thankfully they held her weight as she quickly ran from the group without another word.
"Julia!" Legolas called after her, but she did not turn back.
"What devilry was that? What happened to her?" Boromir asked as he and Aragorn stood behind Legolas and watched her retreating form.
"I don't know, but I will find out." Legolas replied watching until at last he saw her flash up the stairs and walk through a door. It was peculiar. Why did she have such a violent reaction to the ring? The others of course felt it's pull, but not one who had come in contact with the ring before had reacted in such a way.
He sighed as the questions kept coming and turned away to find the rest of his companions readying their sleeping spaces. He knew he must do the same, his body required it's needed rest. Perhaps when morning came he would have a chance to speak with Julia without the eyes of the fellowship watching over them. Maybe then he would find some answers to his questions.
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