Chapter 10, Lothlórien

As we walked from the walls, I was silent. I knew that Gandalf was going to die, but not like that. I could vividly remember the Balrog, the swords, and the blood that I shed. I felt so isolated as I cried silently though not alone. I looked over my shoulder once and saw they all wore faces of grief; all of us missed Gandalf. As we traveled on, I soon forgot about the others and let my sorrow consume me. I felt the blood drying on my face as my tears dried; it was my blood, or perhaps Orc blood too, but I was too emotional to care. Every once in a while a nasty voice of reason came into my head and said,

You knew he was going to die. You knew it. But I shoved those words to the back of my head.

I hardly noticed when we actually entered Lothlórien, it wasn't until I saw the dense trees and wooded forest floor beneath my feet that I realized we had entered the wood. I noticed my position in line had changed as well; I was up in front now, instead of the back, and Aragorn and Legolas walked by me instead of the hobbits. I had no energy or desire to think negative thoughts of or argue with Legolas; I was still wallowing in the past and I wanted to be left alone while I did.

Soon the sun began to set and we stopped. Poor Sam had a huge cut on his forehead and Frodo was bruised badly from the troll's spear, and my wounds, though small, were proving a great burden. We rested briefly in the woods and we tended more to the wounded; Gimli, Merry, and Pippin made a fire and I walked a little away from the rest. It's so much different to know a character in a story, I thought, and see them die on paper, than getting to know them in person, and see them die three feet away from you. I wiped a tear that had rolled down my cheek and I thought once more. But if this story and I am just on paper, what about me? What would happen to me? What would happen if I died? Thoughts like this circled around my head and Aragorn's voice brought me back to reality.

"But here I still have some of the leaves of athelas that I gathered near Wethertop. Crush one in the water and wash the wound clean, and I will bind it. Now it is your turn Frodo!" the smell of the athelas tea spread in the air and in made me feel refreshed and strengthened, but no matter how I tried, my head would not stop replaying the slaughter of Orcs and the sight of the Balrog pulling Gandalf down with him into darkness. "Come Laura, the stains on your clothes tell me more than you will." I turned and saw Aragorn looking at me from the fire. He was right, parts of my green shirt were now stained dark red. "This will ease the pain." I crossed my arms and replied,

"No, it's okay Aragorn. Sam and Frodo are hurt more than I am. Save what's left for those who really need it."

"Stop being modest Laura." Pippin said in an exasperated tone. I looked at him in surprise as Aragorn agreed.

"This is no time to be noble. We all must be well so we can travel swiftly; we cannot spare a moment. Come and let me dress your wounds." I walked to the fireside and Aragorn lifted the bottom of my shirt. I did not flinch or pull back as Aragorn tended my wound, though I probably would have if he had done so when I first began. I trusted him very much; I trusted every one in the fellowship very much. I had become best friends with the hobbits, and Aragorn and Gimli were like second fathers to me. I was very lucky to have a caring "family" so close when my real family was who knows where. I gasped as the cool forest air chilled my wound. He placed a cloth dampened by the tea over my waist. The warm water on my cold skin made me shiver, but the tea was soothing on my fresh cut. He wrapped dry bandages over the damp athelas cloth and then wiped my arm. I felt as if I was in a daze, maybe from my grief, or the athelas, or maybe a combination of both. We then moved on in the darkness.

"Let us hope that the virtue of the Elves will keep us tonight from peril that comes behind." Aragorn said as he put out the fire.

"Indeed if Elves still dwell here in the darkening world." Gimli replied bluntly.

"Lórien is not yet deserted." Legolas said firmly. His voice came from somewhere behind me. "There is a secret power here that holds evil from the land. Never the less its folk are seldom seen, they dwell deep in the woods." To hear this gave me a little hope, perhaps the Elves would help us.

"This is perilous land we have heard in Gondor. It is said that few come out who once go in; and of that few none have escaped unscathed." Boromir said strongly. I could tell that he would rather swallow swords than go through Lothlórien.

"Say 'unchanged', then maybe you will speak the truth." Aragorn replied, "But there is no other way for us- unless you would go back to Moria-gate?" The thought of Moria disgusted me. I hoped that I would never ever go back to that awful place, and it was clear Boromir felt the same as I. When we continued on deep into the forest, we passed the stream Nimrodel where we bathed our feet and heard Aragorn sing the song of the Elvish maid who the stream was named for. We walked on in the dark until the trees became great and wide.

"I suppose in the trees we must take our rest." Aragorn said as he looked up a massive tree trunk.

"I will climb up," Legolas said, 'I am at home among the trees." He walked forward and leapt lightly up to grab the first branch in reach. He had dangled there for a second when a commanding voice came down from the tree.

"Daro!" It exclaimed. Legolas immediately dropped to the ground and said,

"Stand still!" I took one step backwards and froze. "Do not move or speak." More voices called down to us and Legolas answered them in a different tongue.

"It's Elvish!" Sam whispered excitedly.

"Yes, they are Elves and they have been aware of us since the Nimrodel when Aragorn sang. They bid me climb up with Frodo; for they seem to have some tidings of him and our journey." Out of the tree fell a rope ladder. It seemed to be made out of silver by the way it shimmered when it swayed. "The others they ask to wait a while until they have decided what is to be done." Aragorn nodded understandingly and I stood back with the other hobbits. We watched Legolas climb nimbly up the ladder and Frodo follow behind him. As they disappeared into the thick of the branches, Merry whispered in an exasperated tone,

"Now why is it that Frodo gets all the fun?"

"All the fun?" Boromir repeated. "I'm afraid that you are mistaken little one; do you consider bartering for our lives enjoyable?"

"They do not barter for our lives Boromir," Aragorn said defensively, "they seek shelter for us so that we can be safe from enemy swords!" There was a pause before Boromir replied,

"I dislike this wood." And he turned his back to the rest of the fellowship.

We waited for a long while beneath the trees, just sitting and waiting for any news from above. I wondered though why they were called into the tree, could Legolas and Frodo not meet the elves on the ground? Or did they have to swing on branches like monkeys?

"I wonder what they're doing…" Pippin said to no one as we all looked up the tree.

"I wonder what's holding them up there." I said in return. "Are they just sitting on branches while they talk?"

"It is called a 'flet' or talan as the Elves call it." Aragorn replied.

"Right," Sam said, "Bilbo told Mr. Frodo and I of those!"

"Yes Sam, they are made around the tree as if it were another branch." Aragorn continued. "It is like a large wooden terrace were many can be held."

"Well, I don't know who would like to chit chat when they're so high up." Merry said. "These elves are strange folk." As I looked up into the obscurity of the treetops I agreed to myself, Yes, elves most certainly are.

At long last Legolas and Frodo finally scaled down the ladder. "Though they dislike having a dwarf in their keep, we may pass through Lórien, if Aragorn and myself guard and answer for him." With this Gimli huffed and said with a scour,

"So much for the fabled courtesy of the elves!" Legolas ignored him as he continued,

"They have permitted we climb the trees and leave the ground. The hobbits and Laura shall climb up and stay with the Lórien elves while the rest must go to another talan in the next tree."

"Then we must hide our luggage for we cannot climb with it." Aragorn said as he began to hide some packs that lay on the ground. Once they were hidden, the hobbits and I began to climb while Boromir, Gimli, Legolas, and Aragorn climbed up another silvery ladder. As we climbed it lightened my pain to hear Gimli's angry grunts and voice. We could hear him curse and say from across the trees,

"We dwarves are as nimble as deer in our caves of old, we are not meant to climb trees like squirrels!" After climbing some way, the ladder lead to a whole in a wooded structure. As I placed my hands on the wood to assist me in my climb another pair of strong hand grasp mine and help me through the hole.

"My lady," a smooth voice said as I was pulled up onto the flet. There were three blond haired elves on top of the flet that helped the hobbits and myself through; the one who spoke in the common tongue was Haldir and the other two were his brothers, Rúmil and Orophin. Though they were very kind to me and the hobbits, it was awkward for them to be near when I slept; however I did feel much safer. I laid my blankets and furs that Haldir and his brother's had lent me before a plaited screen. The screen was the only wall-like object on the flet and there was no other rail; it could be moved in accordance with the wind, so I felt a little safer sleeping by it. One by one the rest fell asleep, except for me; I sat up and moved to the screen where I sat awake with my back against it. The elves did not bother me as I sat in silence though I could tell they acknowledged me. I could hear the deep breaths and loud snores form the hobbits and I sighed; I couldn't sleep now, not after all that happened. I wondered about Gandalf and a little of Boromir, but now the thoughts of Lord Celeborn and Galadriel weighed my mind.

"What are you doing awake?" A confused voice whispered. I looked and saw that it was Frodo, who had raised his head from his blankets and was staring at me.

"Oh," I replied, "I'm-I'm sorry if I startled you, I just can't sleep."

"Oh," he said as he stood. He then asked, "May I sit with you?"

"Sure." I replied. Frodo grabbed a blanket, walked across the flet and handed it to me.

"Here, you look as if you could use the warmth."

"Thank you." I said as I took the blanket and draped it over my legs. As I watched Frodo, I became scared for him; he seemed shakier than he was when I first met him. He had changed since we left Rivendell; I had changed as well. "So," I asked, "why can't you sleep?"

"Same reason as you I suppose." He replied, "I'm surprised that they can sleep at all." He added with a glance at the other hobbits and the talan where Aragorn and the others slept.

"I know," I said as I looked at the wood of the floor of the flet, "it's difficult, isn't it? Grief I mean…" Frodo nodded and it was quiet for a few moments before I began to say, "Frodo-" but at this moment the brothers of Haldir both shushed us as Haldir looked below silently. All I could hear was the woods and the wind in the trees, until I heard the ringing of thin metal and pounding of harsh feet.

"Orcs." Haldir whispered as the clanging continued. We were all silent until the noise had gone and we all relaxed a little bit. Frodo and I looked at each other and laughed nervously.

"What were you going to say?" he asked quietly. I shook my head as I replied,

"I can't remember, but I'm certainly tired now." I handed Frodo his blanket as I scooted back to my blankets and said, "I'm going to sleep. Hope you can sleep at least a little before morning."

"As do I!" said Frodo earnestly as I smiled and said 'goodnight.'

Chapter 5 Replies:

Sapphire2988: I know, but I have changed the story a bit. So you'll be in for a few changes along the way.

Chapter 7 Replies:

Llenya the Fair: Aww!! Thanks! I love to hear reviews like that, and I'm very sorry about the HUGE gap between updates. I have been SO BUSY!

TriGemini: I don't know if I've told you but your reviews are so refreshing and thoughtful! I love to hear from you and hearing from you is very inspiring!

Sapphire2988: Well great! I've added you to the mailing list!

Ms. Unknown: Well, sorry that she didn't pray or anything! I did change a LOT of things around that's for sure!

Legolas-Obsessionist: Well, you don't have to change your name one bit! And sorry to leave such a cliff hanger! Wait…it wasn't really that big of a cliff hanger was it?

Yo, la Reina: Well, then I will apologize if I have infringed on your rights, or sanity, in any way, and yes, I agree that a story like this is pretty insulting to a fervent fan of the book. I apologize if I offended you, but even though you dislike it, and no matter how perverted you think it may be, I enjoy writing stories…I enjoy writing this story…and I can't apologize to you for something I enjoy.

Chapter 8 Reviews:

TriGemini: Thanks!

Chapter 9 Reviews:

TriGemini: It's funny, but I'm not really sure about those premonitional dreams that she's having, but ever since she landed in Middle Earth it seems as if all of her emotions and thoughts are magnified in her dreams. (Hint Hint)