"Much that once was is lost...for none now live who remember it..."
Part 1: Dreams
Chapter 2
A glaring light shone and Frodo squinted his eyes against it irritably. He
was in a forest again, but not a sinister one like that in which he had seen the Eye. This was a forest of Elves. Although he couldn't see them, he could feel them. He knew Lissimîr was there, his sweet jewel. She was an
angel that had helped him. A guardian angel, that was all. He convinced himself of that. But he couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling that she
was in the leafy forest.
He came to a clearing and saw Elves dancing and singing in many unknown tongues and he sat on the mossy ground to listen to their lilting voices and rich notes. Their dance seemed as free as the wind and there were no
apparent right steps. Frodo was offered wine and food and he took it
gratefully. He was unnaturally hungry for a Hobbit and didn't know why
exactly.
As the wine went to his head, he tried to join in the dance, but he fumbled
and the Fair Folk around him laughed jovially.
It was all so pleasant, but it didn't seem right...
The howl had come back, first just a buzzing in his ears every now and
then, but now it had grown and Frodo could no longer hear the music and
singing. He tried to leave, but the Eye drew him to it....
The Ring...
It was scorching his skin...
The Ring...
Frodo woke and saw four faces hovered over him, all wearing expressions of
great apprehensiveness. Two were familiar...
Sam, his faithful Sam. And Gandalf, his old friend.
Another was familiar...
His sweet jewel, Aratári. The angel who saved him.
How had he begun to call her Lissimîr? Sweet jewel? He didn't even know who
she was.
His shoulder ached dimly and his head whirled in a dazed, light way.
Who was the other? A man...Elf by the looks of it. Was he Elrond? Yes he
was.
"Frodo. How are you? It is good to see you awake. We had thought you'd sleep forever." Gandalf chuckled and Frodo rolled over in his giant bed to see him better. The last time he had seen the wizard was when he had left
for Bree. How long ago was that? And what did Gandalf mean when he said that they'd thought he would sleep forever? How long had he been asleep?
"By the kindness of Elrond, Half-Elven, you will be beginning to heal."
Elrond nodded slightly to Frodo and he looked to Gandalf, nodded, looked to
Aratári, and nodded yet again. "Now that you are on the mend, Frodo
Baggins, I must attend to my business that I left when you were brought here. Good day all." With a swift turn and a billow of his robes, Elrond
left Frodo's bedchamber.
Frodo looked down at his hand that was lying on the sheets. Sam had not taken his hand off of his since he woke. Sam seemed to be in too much shock
and happiness to say anything. He finally murmured "Mister Frodo! Bless you! You're awake!" He was beaming and quickly left to get a tray of food
that was set out on a nearby table.
While he was gone, Aratári leaned down and smiled at Frodo. "I knew that
you would make it." She patted his hand.
Frodo smiled, "Thank you, Aratári. I wouldn't have gotten here if not for
you."
"What happened to Lissimîr? I've quite grown accustomed to it, only if I've heard it just a few times." A playful smile lit her face for a second, then
vanished as Sam bustled over with the food.
"Now, Frodo, I want you to eat. You ain't had nothing like a proper meal
for at least a week!" He shadowed and hung over Frodo until he was
satisfied with how much Frodo had eaten, and then lifted the tray.
Gandalf smiled at Sam as the Hobbit tried to hide a yawn. "Get some rest
Sam, Frodo is going to be alright now."
Sam didn't look very convinced, but Frodo interjected anything he was going to say, "Sam, Gandalf's right. I'll be fine. Go and take a hot bath and get
some sleep. I don't know how long you've been here, but you seem tired enough just from what I've seen. Go on, I'll be fine." Sam heaved a sigh
and left, nearly tripping over his own feet in his tiredness.
Gandalf rose from his chair beside Frodo's bed and looked to both him and
Aratári, "I think I'll turn in for an hour or so as well, I'm really
devilish sleepy." He winked at Frodo and left.
Aratári took Gandalf's seat and leaned her head back. "Sleep some more if
you need to. We shouldn't just leave you alone though. I'll stay."
"I think I've had enough sleep to last me for a while," Frodo said with a
chuckle that turned into a small gasp as a pain stabbed in from his
shoulder.
Aratári sat upright and looked to him, "Are you alright?"
"Yes, just a pain in my shoulder. I wonder why?"
She took a deep breath and said quietly, "You must not remember. You were
stabbed in the shoulder by the Witch King of the Nazgul and you were becoming a Wraith as I brought you here. You were slipping into the shadow
world." Frodo's face darkened and he recalled it now.
"Yes, I remember." He shuddered.
"Cold?"
"No, the memory...it isn't the most pleasant thing in the world."
"Memories never usually are."
"Why do you say that?"
"Oh memories can be of good things or bad. Most times, you usually remember the bad things and not the good. But even good memories can stir up pain."
"I see. You are right," He hesitated. His heart wanted to add 'Lissimîr', but his mind argued that she was and Elf...he was just a Hobbit. Quietly,
he added, "Lissimîr."
He could see a smile play on her features. She really is very beautiful, he
thought. But his sensible side of his mind reminded him again of his
status. It seemed to be loosing the battle with his heart.
Suddenly nervous, he absently ran his hand through his curls. His hair
wasn't damp with sweat like the last time he woke from a dream, but his hand was clammy. He shook his head to try to clear out his fighting mind and heart. Trying to gain any time, he asked, "How old are you? I've heard
that Elves don't look their age, but surly you cannot be past your
twenties?"
Her laughter sounded like bells to his ears and they hungrily drank up every note of it that they could. "Oh that you would understand how old I really am. I am far older that you or your dear uncle. Your grandfather or
your grandfather's father even." She shook her head and laughed again.
Frodo's heart gave a lurch and he knew that his sensible mind had lost the
battle with his heart for her.