AN: Finally, the "climatic" chapter 14 that I've been raving about for so long. Hopefully it lives up to your expectations. Thank you to my wonderful devoted reviewers, especially AngelQueen, M.J, Loopy Lu, Serenity Silvermoon, and Nimriel. This chap is dedicated to you! Enjoy!
I do not own LotR or Enya's "May it Be". "..." is talking, '...' is thought, [...] is AN or definition, (...) is extra info but part of the fic, ... means trailed off, -- means interrupted.
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May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls
Your heart will be true
"No," said Celebithil again and again to herself. "No, it can't be true." But no matter how many times she denied it, deep down she knew that he was lost to her.
She cried into her knees and curled up on the branch, the very same branch where they had seen the light of Valinor in the sunset all those weeks ago. The tree under which he had first kissed her, where they had spent so many hours together.
She had been there all day. It was twilight now and her absence would be noticed, but she didn't care. Nothing mattered anymore, now that he was gone.
You walk a lonely road
Oh! How far you are from home
"No!" she said fiercely to herself, breaking into a fresh wave of sobs.
'I can't go on like this,' she realized. 'Maybe... maybe he is alive. But he may be mortally wounded! They must have been ambushed! Aragorn! The Ring! They might have been captured... or killed! They need help, but no one knows! ... But *I* don't know... I need to know..."
Suddenly the answer came to her, as clear as water from the pool: The Mirror.
Galadriel and Celeborn had left to visit the elders of another village and would not return until tomorrow afternoon. By then it would be too late! Galadriel would object to her using the Mirror, but this was a matter of life and death, a matter of hope or doom for all of Middle Earth! Hardening her resolve, she jumped down and ran to the city.
Mornie utulie (Darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
The gardens were empty. Hastily, Celebithil hurried towards the empty basin of the Mirror and the pool of water. Mimicking her grandmother as she had seen a thousand times before, Celebithil gracefully filled the silver pitcher with the strange water that gleamed like starlight. Holding the pitcher high, she emptied the waters into the silver basin and watched as the ripples eerily stilled themselves to form a smooth glass-like surface.
Mornie alantie (Darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now
Celebithil stared into the dark waters that reflected the glittering stars above. She waited for something to happen, but the Mirror remained dark.
She had seen her grandmother prepare the Mirror thousands of times, but never did she speak any incantation to see its secrets. She had always simply looked, probably either guiding it with her mind or letting it work its own magic.
"Boromir," Celebithil murmured, urging the Mirror with her mind and thinking only of him. "Show me Boromir! Show me what has become of him!"
May it be the shadow's call
Will fly away
May it be your journey on
To light the day
[AN: Sorry if this next part is confusing. It would be a lot easier to understand if you were truly seeing what was happening, not just reading. The images were hard to write, but I hope I captured enough of the sight along with the emotion that you can feel it too.]
Abruptly, the stars were swallowed into utter darkness, and then the Mirror showed the light of day. A series of images flashed by too fast for Celebithil to follow before it slowed at the image of a camp. A camp by the river. A little man--a hobbit!--was climbing up a wooded slope. The Ring! A voice... Boromir! Anger... and fear. Running, chasing, the fall... the cry! Heavy footsteps, horns, inhuman growls... Orcs! Swords clanging, arrows flying, small feet running... The Horn! Boromir! Wielding his sword mightily! Destroying all the orcs in his path! Cheers from the hobbits he was saving! But then evil. The monster pulling his bow taunt . . .
"Noooo!!!!!" cried Celebithil, closing her eyes in pain as the arrow found its mark in Boromir's chest.
When she looked again, he was on the ground with three shafts buried in his body, breathing hard. "No," she murmured again, her eyes blinded by tears, as Aragorn knelt beside him and laid him to rest. "No." His pyre surrendered to Rauros, his body lost amid the white foam. The hobbits, taken away screaming on the backs of orcs. Taken away to evil. The Eye. The all-encompassing Eye, veiled with fire, filling her vision, burning all thoughts from her mind, only that awesome soul-searing Eye as she leaned forward and her hand made contact with the steaming water and she knew no more.
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun
The voice. So soothing, so understanding, so wise. Yet not a voice at all, but a voice in her mind. The voice of the Eye that continued to fill her vision.
"Who is this?" said the voice, rather gruffly at first.
She was silent for a moment, but the pain to not speak was unbearable. "C-Celebithil. Celebithil Peredhel."
"Peredhel?" he said, spitting out the word. "The Half-Elven?"
"Y-yes," she stammered, though no words left her lips. He seemed to be questioning, so she continued. "Earendil, my grandfather, and his children were given the choice as to which race they would belong to and--"
"I know my history, elf," he said sharply. The pain of his words felt like hot knives slicing though her body.
Then something changed. He became almost eager. "Then... then you are the child of Luthien?"
"Y-yes, she was my great-great--"
"And do you possess the power and beauty of your foremother?"
Celebithil did not know how to answer his strange question. "I-I don't know, sir. I've never had to put my gifts to the test, as Luthien did long ago."
The voice was silent, but the Eye, the all-encompassing Eye that filled her mind, seemed to erupt in new fire and burn into her soul. Had she been able to think at all or even move, Celebithil would have backed away. But she was frozen to her spot as the soul-searing Eye bore into her being, her mind blank and uncomprehending.
"Oh yes, there is something here," muttered the voice. "Some strange great power and potential. Far greater than I ever dared to hope..."
Finally he spoke to her again. "Your father is no doubt plotting against me?"
"Yes, he is trying everything to keep you from rising again."
"And the witch Galadriel is working with him, of course."
"Yes, with their combined powers they hope to stop the impending darkness."
"And the wizard Olorin-- I believe called Mithrandir among your people-- he is a key to this mischief?"
"Yes, he is a guide and a leader."
He paused. "Where are you, girl?"
"The gardens of Galadriel in Lothlorien."
"Ah yes. So you no doubt have heard many of these plans?"
"Yes, lord."
The voice was silent for a moment, but the Eye seemed to flare to lift in ecstasy, savoring the unexpected victory.
Finally the voice spoke again, soothing and persuasive once more. "Luthien I tried to claim for my master long ago, but she was withheld from me. But now, at long last, her child shall be mine! You shall come to me, girl-- Celebithil--- and I will make you mighty. You shall tell me all that your father and grandmother have planned. I shall make you a queen, feared by all peoples! And we shall discover and wield this strange secret power that I sense deep inside of you. Come to me!"
"Yes, lord," she said as the fiery Eye disappeared into darkness and the Mirror went blank, though still steaming.
But in a trance, it seemed, Celebithil continued to move and do without seeing. Though gone from the Mirror, the fiery Eye still burned in ecstasy before her eyes, with her only thought to do his bidding.
Mornie utulie (Darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
In a dream, she moved towards the secret stables behind the palace. One of the occupants, a mare with a gleaming coat of white, whinnied softly when she saw her, the daughter of her former mistress. The creature went silent when she saw the girl's strange blank eyes. Celebithil slowly placed her hand on the creature's forehead and felt the small horn below her fingers-- one of the last unicorns remaining in Middle Earth. Though immortal, so many had killed these wonderful creatures only for their precious horns. Celebithil smirked and placed her arm on the unicorn's neck, swinging herself up. Few also knew of the great skill and speed of such creatures.
The other occupant of the unicorn stable, also a mare, neighed quietly when she realized her friend was leaving.
Celebithil's unicorn turned her head to look at her friend, but Celebithil urged her forward with her mind. 'Go,' she commanded. 'South. Speed. Mountains. Mordor. Sauron."
The creature whinnied in terror but took a small step forward. 'GO!' commanded Celebithil while the flames of Sauron licked the horse's hooves. With no choice, the creature took off like a flash.
And Celebithil fell into darkness.
Mornie alantie [Darkness has fallen]
A promise lives within you now
A promise lives within you now.
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AN: Yeah, evil, I know. Review and I'll get the next one up as soon as I can. Sorry for the cliff, but it had to be this way. ;D Thank you for your dedication and please review!
~Calli-chan