Chapter Six:
It was the day Kayla had been dreading. She had awoken well before sunrise,
and made the trip to see her lake one last time. She had no idea what to
expect but she was preparing for the worst. She sat at the lake for hours,
until she could see dawn's first light through the trees. She slowly stood,
stretching her cramped muscles. She had been sitting, unmoving, for over
two and a half hours. She stood to admire the first light of day, and
froze. Aragorn had said they leave at dawn. She was going to be very late.
They may even leave without her.
She ran back to her sleeping quarters to change into her travelling clothes. She had been given a long dress with slits mid way up her thighs for ease of movement, leggings for warmth underneath, a warm cloak and the most comfortable, lightweight boots she had ever seen, or felt. They were all rich brown or green in colour, to help her blend in to the forest. She pulled the clothes on hurriedly, knowing she was going to be late. *I'll comb my hair as we walk,* she decided. She grabbed her pack and ran off to where the Fellowship were meeting.
As Kayla ran to the meeting place, she saw a gathering of Elves to wish the travellers off. She pushed her way through the crowd and came to stop near where the Fellowship had gathered. Aragorn turned and gave her a reproving look, and Kayla smiled at him apologetically. She turned her attention to Galadriel, and Galadriel spoke out to the small crowd. "My people, you have gathered to wish off the courageous group, who have sacrificed their time, and possibly their lives so that you can continue in you present way of life." She lifted an ornate goblet and moved to stand in front of Aragorn. She handed him the cup and he took a sip. She spoke quietly in his ear and he nodded in reply. This continued down the line, through Faramir, Frodo, Sam, Pippin, Merry, Gimli and Legolas. It was then Kayla's turn.
Galadriel handed the goblet to Kayla, eyes boring into her own. Kayla heard Galadriel's voice, once again, inside her head. *This is the cup of the Faithful. May you be blessed with strength of heart and mind, to keep you true to the Fellowship.* Kayla lifted the cup to her lips and took a sip. She tasted the cool sweetness of the wine, far better than any Elvish wine she had tasted so far. She passed the chalice back to Galadriel, who leant in and whispered in Kayla's ear, "You will find your true self on this quest. When the time comes, do not hesitate to trust what your heart tells you. You play an important role on this quest. You will know what to do, when the time comes." Galadriel stepped back from Kayla, leaving her to puzzle over the obscure message.
Once again Galadriel addressed the gathering of Elves. "See before you, nine of pure heart. They set out on the path unknown. May Ilúvatar watch over them and bring them safely home." The gathering of Elves took this as a dismissal and they left, so their Lady could bid a more private farewell to the travellers. Kayla whispered to Frodo who had moved near to her. "Frodo, where is Gandalf?" Frodo turned to reply. "He has gone on ahead to scout the path we must take. We are to meet him on the southern border of Lothlorien." Kayla nodded in understanding.
Galadriel then spoke. "It is time for the giving of the gifts." Kayla suddenly remembered the gift giving ceremony from 'The Fellowship of the Rings'. It was the first time she had thought of the book since Legolas had introduced himself out in the woods. *Wow,* Kayla thought, *It almost seems that the books were written as history, rather than fiction, after seeing all of this. It's like it's too good to be true.*
Aragorn was the first to receive his gift. It was a black leather sheath, fit for his sword. It had Elvish embossed down its length in gold and silver. "For the King on the Re-United Kingdom, I give this. It is for Andúril, the flame of the West. It will keep the blade ever sharp." Aragorn bowed to Galadriel and she handed him the sheath. He immediately drew his sword and replaced it in its new covering. He strapped it to his belt.
"Gimli, son of Glóin, what would you ask of me?" "I would ask nothing of you, my Lady," Gimli said in a gruff voice. "For I have been given the honour of being able to see your beautiful woodland homes again." "Even so, Master Dwarf, you shall have a gift. You have honoured me greatly with your words, so your gift should be fitting. You shall have this fine weapon wrought for your hand alone." She gave him a glittering silver axe. "Made from Mithril, and blessed to keep you safe on your travels. May you use it truly, friend to the Elves." Gimli looked at his axe in awe, and muttered words of thanks to the Elven lady.
The giving of gifts went along in this fashion, each of the Hobbits receiving a gleaming short sword, fit for their small stature. Faramir received, much to his astonishment, the Horn of Gondor. The Elves had found and repaired it, so it looked as new, after it had been split in two during Boromir's last moments at Amon Hen. Tears shone, unashamedly, in his eyes as he thanked Galadriel. Then it was Legolas' turn.
"Legolas Prince, long have I had this in my possession. I believe it is time to return it to you, where it belongs." Galadriel handed Legolas a fine gold chain with a pendant. The pendant was in the shape of a leaf with small green and yellow jewels set down the stem. A wave of recognition flew over his face, as Legolas took it gently from the Lady. He fastened it around his neck and bowed low in thanks, words escaping him.
Lastly, Galadriel turned to Kayla. Kayla felt apprehensive about what she was about to receive. There was a long moment of silence as Galadriel and Kayla simply looked at one another, leaving the rest of the Fellowship to wonder what was going on between them. At length Galadriel moved to hand out the last gift. Against the rest, it seemed as insignificant as the necklace Legolas received, but Kayla somehow knew it was much, much more.
A small vial on a silver chain. The liquid inside was transparent, but it glittered in the early morning sunlight. It seemed to have an aura around it, and Kayla wondered what it had to do with her role in the Fellowship. Kayla bowed her head in thanks. The gift giving complete, the Fellowship all shouldered their packs and prepared to start out on their long trek to Mordor to, once again, save Middle Earth.
She ran back to her sleeping quarters to change into her travelling clothes. She had been given a long dress with slits mid way up her thighs for ease of movement, leggings for warmth underneath, a warm cloak and the most comfortable, lightweight boots she had ever seen, or felt. They were all rich brown or green in colour, to help her blend in to the forest. She pulled the clothes on hurriedly, knowing she was going to be late. *I'll comb my hair as we walk,* she decided. She grabbed her pack and ran off to where the Fellowship were meeting.
As Kayla ran to the meeting place, she saw a gathering of Elves to wish the travellers off. She pushed her way through the crowd and came to stop near where the Fellowship had gathered. Aragorn turned and gave her a reproving look, and Kayla smiled at him apologetically. She turned her attention to Galadriel, and Galadriel spoke out to the small crowd. "My people, you have gathered to wish off the courageous group, who have sacrificed their time, and possibly their lives so that you can continue in you present way of life." She lifted an ornate goblet and moved to stand in front of Aragorn. She handed him the cup and he took a sip. She spoke quietly in his ear and he nodded in reply. This continued down the line, through Faramir, Frodo, Sam, Pippin, Merry, Gimli and Legolas. It was then Kayla's turn.
Galadriel handed the goblet to Kayla, eyes boring into her own. Kayla heard Galadriel's voice, once again, inside her head. *This is the cup of the Faithful. May you be blessed with strength of heart and mind, to keep you true to the Fellowship.* Kayla lifted the cup to her lips and took a sip. She tasted the cool sweetness of the wine, far better than any Elvish wine she had tasted so far. She passed the chalice back to Galadriel, who leant in and whispered in Kayla's ear, "You will find your true self on this quest. When the time comes, do not hesitate to trust what your heart tells you. You play an important role on this quest. You will know what to do, when the time comes." Galadriel stepped back from Kayla, leaving her to puzzle over the obscure message.
Once again Galadriel addressed the gathering of Elves. "See before you, nine of pure heart. They set out on the path unknown. May Ilúvatar watch over them and bring them safely home." The gathering of Elves took this as a dismissal and they left, so their Lady could bid a more private farewell to the travellers. Kayla whispered to Frodo who had moved near to her. "Frodo, where is Gandalf?" Frodo turned to reply. "He has gone on ahead to scout the path we must take. We are to meet him on the southern border of Lothlorien." Kayla nodded in understanding.
Galadriel then spoke. "It is time for the giving of the gifts." Kayla suddenly remembered the gift giving ceremony from 'The Fellowship of the Rings'. It was the first time she had thought of the book since Legolas had introduced himself out in the woods. *Wow,* Kayla thought, *It almost seems that the books were written as history, rather than fiction, after seeing all of this. It's like it's too good to be true.*
Aragorn was the first to receive his gift. It was a black leather sheath, fit for his sword. It had Elvish embossed down its length in gold and silver. "For the King on the Re-United Kingdom, I give this. It is for Andúril, the flame of the West. It will keep the blade ever sharp." Aragorn bowed to Galadriel and she handed him the sheath. He immediately drew his sword and replaced it in its new covering. He strapped it to his belt.
"Gimli, son of Glóin, what would you ask of me?" "I would ask nothing of you, my Lady," Gimli said in a gruff voice. "For I have been given the honour of being able to see your beautiful woodland homes again." "Even so, Master Dwarf, you shall have a gift. You have honoured me greatly with your words, so your gift should be fitting. You shall have this fine weapon wrought for your hand alone." She gave him a glittering silver axe. "Made from Mithril, and blessed to keep you safe on your travels. May you use it truly, friend to the Elves." Gimli looked at his axe in awe, and muttered words of thanks to the Elven lady.
The giving of gifts went along in this fashion, each of the Hobbits receiving a gleaming short sword, fit for their small stature. Faramir received, much to his astonishment, the Horn of Gondor. The Elves had found and repaired it, so it looked as new, after it had been split in two during Boromir's last moments at Amon Hen. Tears shone, unashamedly, in his eyes as he thanked Galadriel. Then it was Legolas' turn.
"Legolas Prince, long have I had this in my possession. I believe it is time to return it to you, where it belongs." Galadriel handed Legolas a fine gold chain with a pendant. The pendant was in the shape of a leaf with small green and yellow jewels set down the stem. A wave of recognition flew over his face, as Legolas took it gently from the Lady. He fastened it around his neck and bowed low in thanks, words escaping him.
Lastly, Galadriel turned to Kayla. Kayla felt apprehensive about what she was about to receive. There was a long moment of silence as Galadriel and Kayla simply looked at one another, leaving the rest of the Fellowship to wonder what was going on between them. At length Galadriel moved to hand out the last gift. Against the rest, it seemed as insignificant as the necklace Legolas received, but Kayla somehow knew it was much, much more.
A small vial on a silver chain. The liquid inside was transparent, but it glittered in the early morning sunlight. It seemed to have an aura around it, and Kayla wondered what it had to do with her role in the Fellowship. Kayla bowed her head in thanks. The gift giving complete, the Fellowship all shouldered their packs and prepared to start out on their long trek to Mordor to, once again, save Middle Earth.