"Who are you and what business do you have here in the Golden Wood."
Sephora stopped mid step to the sound of a soft yet demanding tone. She looked around and saw arrows pointed at her from every angle. Turning around completely, she came face to face with their leader, a Elf in casual armor without a bow. 'Aha,' she thought inwardly. 'Captain Haldir, the infamous March Warden of Lothlorien.'
"I come to speak with your Queen." She said with an empty tone.
"For what reason." He looked her over and was surprised to see her dressed in a man's clothes, long hair falling in soft waves around her face. Her eyes gave nothing away which frustrated him.
"One that is not your business."
"Then you will leave." He replied coldly, her secrecy bothering him since his visage was enough to intimidate everyone into speaking.
"Let me pass." Sephora she said after an awkward pause, emphasizing every word. She had trained with her powerful aunts and uncles – who were all one of the Valor. She feared no physical attack, least of all arrows. She quickly jumped in the air, stepped gently over their shoulders, landing on the leaf covered ground before any elf was able to blink with a soft thud and ran towards the heart of the city, faster then any of the arrows and Elves pursing her. Casting a quick glance over her shoulder, she smiled softly.
Sephora stood before the Lady of the Wood, eyes cast down and mind blocked. She knew of the elf's skill of mind reading. She would probe and pick until she had enough information about the mysterious young woman before her.
Galadriel watched as the young woman looked up, her green eyes a startling contrast to her pale face and midnight hair. Regardless of whether or not she could see into her mind, she sensed an eerie and supernatural force emanating from her.
"I seek your help."
Galadriel watched her intently as she stared back calmly, almost coldly. "And what is your name child?" She watched as the girl paused, almost hesitant to give her name.
"Lilian." Sephora knew it wasn't wise to lie, but if anyone knew her real name, her past may be recalled. After all, she knew that that night at Mellas became widely known.
Galadriel knew it was a lie as well, but granted it for she would wait until the girl's defenses were dropped before she would probe again. "And what may I help you with?"
"A group has set out from Rivendell." Galadriel's eyes widened unconsciously before they lowered into narrowed, suspicious slants. "I must join them."
"And how are you to know about this group."
"My lady, you will believe me to be a liar if I told you." She watched as Galadriel's eyebrow was raised slowly, "I come to you from Valinor. I know how battle will end. I must help the fellowship."
Lady Galadriel turned around slowly and walked on the path before her. "Come," She whispered. Sephora walked after her, impatient to leave for the group. "And if I allow you to join them, what is your intent?" When Lilian did not answer she tried again, "Since you know how it ends, and you seem so determined to join them, I must ask," She turned to look Lilian straight in the eyes, shocking her with their intensity. "...The fellowship will fail...Middle Earth will fall." They stared at each other for a moment before Sephora turned around to look into the forest, both of their footfalls silent.
"I must not say how this ends, for my presence here alone might change the outcome. My saying that this or that will happen will most likely change how Middle Earth will approach what I prophesize." She turned back to the Lady of the Wood. "Just as you must not reveal what you foresee in your enchanted mirror, I must never speak a word as to what will truly happen." With a small smile and a wink, she continued, "Of course, that does not mean I cannot give a hint."
"So how does this end?" Galadriel asked after a long time.
With a slight reproving shake of her head her eyes drifted over the elf's face. "The end will show itself in time. What I ask is to be present when battles occur to save the lives of those lost in vain. To lift the large burden those men will be facing. To give Middle Earth a greater defeat." She would not mention her deep desire to obliterate the goblin race, "I have the skills, and therefore I must help."
"When do you seek to join them?"
"They will rest here in less than two months. I do not know the exact date." She lowered her voice in a conspiratorial tone, "One of them will fall before their arrival here. But do not grieve, for his passing will bring forth something great." Of course, Gandalf does not fall, but Sephora could not go around revealing that.
"You speak in riddles."
"The well is calling the puddle deep."
"Why do you not answer me properly?" They were both smiling, thoroughly enjoying this parrying and dallying of words.
"I was warned of a powerful Elven queen who would confuse me with this exact same play if I was not careful." She turned serious in a blink of an eye. "No one must know who I am. This is a secret only you will be told." Putting her hands on her hips she shook her hair out of her face. "Okay, I am sure you have heard of how the Castle of Mantis was destroyed in one night? Allow me to properly introduce myself." A pause and a deep bow at the waist, "I am Sephora, former Princess, Chief Magistrate and so on."
Sephora waited for a response, a reaction – anything, but the lady only held her gaze with her crystal blue eyes. "And why must I hide your identity?"
"Surely you know that I am the cause for that disaster!" She blurted incredulously.
"As far as I am concerned, you had nothing to do with that assault." Sephora looked at her with narrowed eyes. "And from what I know, no life that was lost that night was of your doing."
Sephora could not believe her ears, the one person other than those on Valinor that believed her to be innocent! She looked up at the Lady of the Wood only to see true honesty in the blue depths. In that moment Sephora let her guard down unconsciously and Galadriel felt and knew all that was Princess Sephora. Galadriel saw a young girl who tortured herself with the belief that she had not done enough to save her family, her city. A woman who channeled her pain and hurt into one wish – the destruction of those who brought her pain. Who filled herself with a hate so pure, her heart pulsed with it. It was a moment later when Galadriel finally broke the silence,
"I welcome you to my home."
And so it was, Sephora stayed in the Golden Wood as she waited for the fellowship to arrive. Many times she headed out ready to leave only to be persuaded into patience by the Lady. Sephora spent this time training - working on her already perfected battle skills or making plans as to what to do should this or that happen with the fellowship.
It was also a time of rest, where Sephora could forget about her black heart to do nothing but lie and think about her happier days.