Chapter 14
Elizabeth let out a scream and bolted to a sitting position in bed. She rushed out of bed and hurriedly rushed towards the door of the room only to run smack into the arms of the Marchwarden of Lorien.
Tears ran freely down Elizabeth's cheeks as she sobbed. Haldir was just as surprised as Elizabeth was and tried to keep Elizabeth on her feet, but she slid out of his arms and onto the floor. Haldir took a moment to glance at the girl and assess the situation before kneeling down and doing the only thing he could think of.
The Marchwarden lifted the 8 year old into his arms and began to carry her back to her bed when she interrupted.
((A/N: wow, Haldir's strong, but Elizabeth doesn't weigh that much. Hey, my brother is 12 and he weighs less than 100 lbs. I'm guessing Elizabeth weighs about eighty something.))
She buried her face in Haldir's shoulder and mumbled something that Haldir could not understand.
Haldir frowned. "What?"
"Put me down." She whispered softly.
Obediently, the Marchwarden put the child down and took a step away from her to let her know that she was safe.
Haldir took a step forward to see if he could help but, Elizabeth bolted from the room and hurriedly ran down the steps the encircled the large tree.
When she reached the clearing that the Fellowship was in, Elizabeth rushed over to Legolas to see if Saruman had hurt him. Then she noticed that his eyes were staring strait up at the trees of Lothlorien and he wasn't breathing. Elizabeth panicked and did the only rational thing she could think of. She carefully nudged Legolas with her hand and murmured the elf's name.
"Legolas?"
No response.
Tears welling up in her eyes once more, Elizabeth shook Legolas harder, her eyes shut.
"Legolas!"
The next thing she knew, Elizabeth was being held tightly on her arms and she was staring into the blue, concerned eyes of Legolas.
"You were dead." She murmured, more tears coming. "I thought you were dead. And I was afraid that my dream was real."
"Dream?" a voice said from behind Elizabeth. She glanced behind her to see Haldir frowning darkly.
"I think you ought to tell us what exactly is going on, Elizabeth." Legolas said. "Ok?"
Elizabeth nodded silently.
"There-There was this-is black tower a-and this wizard-ard an-and he was-as talking t-to this really ugly thing-ing and he said that he w-was gonna k-kill Leg-Legolas." Elizabeth said between sobs.
"Shh" Haldir calmed, putting a supportive hand on Elizabeth's back. "Take a deep breath and start over."
Elizabeth inhaled deeply and exhaled and then took a shuddering breath.
"In my dream, I saw a tower. And inside the tower was this really ugly thing and a man that was a wizard. And he told all these ugly things to hunt the Fellowship down and bring the Halflings to him. And then he said to kill the rest of you, especially Legolas." Elizabeth gasping for air slightly.
"Did the man speak to you?" Legolas asked softly.
"No, but a voice in my head told me his name." Elizabeth answered.
"Do you remember what his name is?" Legolas asked softly.
"Sour man, no that's not it. Sarman, no that's not it either."
"Saruman?" Haldir suggested.
"Yes, that's it." Elizabeth answered. "Thanks."
Haldir responded with a curt nod.
"This is news indeed." Legolas said. "Ill news. Saruman must know that the Helper has been found."
Haldir nodded. "This can only mean one thing."
Legolas nodded in return. "She will be baited at every chance possible. She must be kept out of harm."
Elizabeth watched the conversation continue on as if she wasn't there. She allowed her face to become dull and put on a look of aggravation.
"Perhaps that is the reason she has received the marking on her forehead." Haldir suggested and Legolas nodded seriously.
"I shall speak with the Lady." Haldir interrupted. "But before I do so, this young lady is in need of rest."
"But I want to stay up with you and Legolas!" Elizabeth exclaimed.
"You need all the rest possible if you want to see us off tomorrow morning." Legolas countered.
Elizabeth worked her mouth into a pout and folded her arms.
Legolas sighed. "If you will not go to bed for me, than what will you go to bed for?"
"I will go to bed just for you on one condition." Elizabeth said.
"And that might be…?" Legolas asked.
"One of you has to stay in my room just incase I get bad dreams again." Elizabeth answered. "I know it sounds babyish, but that's what I want."
Legolas glanced at Haldir.
"Very well." Legolas answered. "I will stay with you while Haldir speaks with the Lady."
"And I will watch you from then until the time you are to wake and prepare for the Fellowship's departure." Haldir spoke up. Legolas opened his mouth to debate, but Haldir silenced him. "Do not argue, Legolas, you need your rest also. I can always take rest for a day or so."
Elizabeth glanced between the two elves and then stood up and headed towards the stairs.
"Well, good night then." She said, prompting Legolas to follow her.
When she reached her talan, she climbed into bed just as Legolas entered the side of her bed. Legolas sat himself down in a chair next to Elizabeth's bed and turned down the light so that it was only a faint glow upon Elizabeth's face.
After a few moments, though, the girl's voice came through the darkness.
"I can't sleep." She moaned.
"What would you like me to do about it?" Legolas asked.
"I don't know. You tell me, since you're so old and mature."
Elizabeth could almost feel Legolas raising one eyebrow at her statement.
"I will sing you an elvish lullaby." Legolas said. "One my mother sang to me."
Elizabeth snorted. "A lullaby?"
"It has never failed to put a child to sleep." Legolas said calmly.
"How will I understand it if it's in elvish?" Elizabeth asked.
"I shall sing it in the common tongue of your people."
Elizabeth smiled and lay back down. Legolas closed his eyes and began to sing.
"Come stop your crying
It will be all right
Just take my hand
Hold it tight
I will protect you
From all around you
You will be safe
Don't you cry
For one so small
You seem so strong
My arms will hold
Keep you safe and warm
This bond between us
Can't be broken
I will be here
Don't you cry.
'Cause you'll be in my heart
No matter what they say
You'll be here now,
Now and forever more."
Legolas sighed to himself as he finished singing and he glanced over at Elizabeth. She was sleeping peacefully with a smile upon her face.
"I knew not that you sang songs of men." A voice spoke softly from the door.
"I would have sang it in elvish, but she believed it would not have the same affect." Legolas answered softly, not looking towards the door, rather keeping his eyes on Elizabeth. "What did she say?"
"The marking was unexpected, but nevertheless helpful. As for the dream, it was definitely a vision, but her powers are surfacing faster than expected. The Lady will begin her training on the hour after your departure." The voice replied. "I am to begin her training no less than two hours after your departure."
"She will feel rushed, Haldir." Legolas responded. "Children her age should not have to feel the pressures of war and battle."
Haldir sighed. "It cannot be helped. She must be ready. I will train her as I would one of my own elvish students."
"That is where you will go wrong. She is no elfling that can learn faster than a man child. She is a girl—not even from our world and you already expect her to learn faster than she can." Legolas argued.
"I thought this also. But the Lady believes that since Elizabeth is the Helper, she will be a quick learner and be different than the rest." Haldir explained.
Legolas sighed and stifled a yawn.
"You should take your rest. I shall take over watching the child." Haldir suggested.
Legolas stood and walked towards the door, passing Haldir as he exited. "If she has another dream, alert me."
Haldir nodded curtly and took his place next to Elizabeth's bed in the chair. He watched the girl in the bed, sleeping and he wondered about her.
How would a life like this affect her?
Haldir's eyes opened promptly as the sun began to rise. He looked around his surroundings until his eyes rested on the sleeping child. It was then that Haldir remembered he needed to prepare her to observe the Fellowship's departure.
Haldir stood to his full height and gently shook Elizabeth.
"Elizabeth," Haldir called. "You need to wake up. I daresay you will blame me if you miss the departure of the Fellowship."
At the words 'departure' and 'Fellowship', Elizabeth's eyes snapped open and she sat upright, panting hard. But a reassuring hand on her back caused her to look into the amused eyes of Haldir.
Elizabeth hopped out of bed and looked down at her apparel.
"Do you think I could go like this?" she asked pointing to her tunic and leggings.
"I suppose so, considering you will begin your training today." Haldir answered.
"Good." Elizabeth answered before bolting from her room and heading down to the clearing where the Fellowship was packing up. Haldir simply sighed to himself and wearily made his way to join his student. Hopefully she'd have this much energy when she ran laps through Lothlorien.
Aragorn had his back Elizabeth as she came sneaking up behind him. Within moments, Elizabeth had launched herself at Aragorn and was trying to hold on. Finally, Aragorn began to tickle her and she was off his back before she could say 'stop'.
He took a moment to study her older, 8 year old face and height and decided it wasn't much of a change so he said nothing. But he did continue tickling her.
Legolas glanced over at the two and shook his head, amused at the sight before him. Elizabeth had bested Aragorn and was sitting atop his stomach, looking quite proud. Legolas raised one eyebrow at the two as he caught their eyes.
"What?!" Elizabeth exclaimed. But Legolas just shook his head and walked off with some of the things to be loaded into the boats.
Elizabeth stood to her feet and took a few steps forward as she saw Legolas walk away. She turned to watch Aragorn.
"Is it really gonna be like that, Aragorn?" she asked. "Are you just gonna walk away from me like that and never say goodbye?"
At first Aragorn wondered why Elizabeth was asking a question to which the answer was obvious. When she asked the second question, though, he realized what she meant. He stood to his feet and hugged her tightly, after walking a few steps and kneeling next to her.
"We will never forget you, Elizabeth and we shall meet again." Aragorn said, once he had pulled away.
"Promise?"
"Yes."
Elizabeth smiled and broke away from Aragorn, picking up some items that were wrapped in a leaf. She smiled once more at Aragorn and skipped off after Legolas to help.
Elizabeth handed the leaf package to Legolas and watched as he put it in the boat. She frowned to herself.
"What's in those leaf thingies?" she asked.
"Lembas," Legolas answered. Elizabeth noticed he had caught Merry and Pippin's attention. "One small bite is enough to fill the stomach of a full grown man."
He turned away and left to find more things to load into the boat.
"He already told me that, ya know." Elizabeth whispered to Merry and Pippin. "He must be losing his touch."
The two hobbits laughed. Merry looked to Pippin.
"How many did you eat?" Merry asked as Elizabeth listened interestedly.
"Four." Pippin answered. Elizabeth's eyebrows shot up. "What?! I'm a hobbit, not a man."
A gaseous noise emerged from beneath Pippin and Elizabeth covered her mouth to hide her laughter. She turned around and snorted at the fact of how odd Pippin was. But something else caught her eye. Aragorn was talking to Lord Celeborn away from everyone else.
Elizabeth crept closer until she could hear a little of what the two were saying.
"By river you have the chance of outrunning the enemy to the Falls of Rauros." Celeborn said. Elizabeth covered her mouth to hide a gasp.
She quickly escaped her hiding place before anyone could discover her and walked smack into Haldir. She looked up at him and removed her hand from her mouth.
Haldir simply raised one eyebrow at Elizabeth and continued on his way to say farewell to the Fellowship.
Elizabeth stood on a small elvish bridge as the Fellowship took their boats out to the water and started on their journey once more. As a single tear trickled down her face, Elizabeth silently promised to never forget anyone in the Fellowship, even Boromir.
Flashback
'Goodbye, Elizabeth. I feel we shall meet again.'
'I hope so Legolas.' Elizabeth said softly as she was pulled into a tight hug. She pulled away and turned to Aragorn. Not being able to think of anything to say, Elizabeth simply hugged Aragorn as long as possible.
Aragorn smiled and hugged her back for quite a long time. When she pulled away, Merry and Pippin surrounded her with hugs.
'Will we ever see you again?' Pippin asked childishly, looking as if he was about to cry.
'What does your heart tell you?' Elizabeth asked innocently, remembering that Gandalf had always said that when he wasn't sure of the answer.
Merry and Pippin glanced at each other before giving her a strong 'yes'. Elizabeth hugged them once more and approached Gimli. He looked nervous.
'I didn't really socialize with ya, lass, but still, I'll miss ya.' The dwarf said nervously. Elizabeth hugged him.
'I'll miss you too, Gimli. Can I ask you a favor?'
'Sure.' Gimli answered.
'Try to beat Legolas in at least one battle.'
Gimli smiled. 'Aye, I think I could do that.'
Elizabeth smiled back and thanked him. She turned to Sam who was looking more nervous than Gimli was.
'G'bye, miss Elizabeth. Don't you go and hurt yourself while you're here. I wanna see you standing up like this next time.' Sam said, not really looking at Elizabeth. She smiled warmly at Sam and pulled him into a tight hug.
'Oh, Sam. I'll miss you so much. Do keep an eye on Frodo for me.' Elizabeth said. She seemed like a wise spirit trapped in a little girl's body.
Elizabeth came to Frodo and smiled. 'Please don't get hurt Frodo. I want to help, I do. But I'm supposed to stay here.'
Frodo smiled and hugged Elizabeth. 'Staying here is not important for your destiny, Elizabeth. It'll prepare you for what comes. I know you saw something in the mirror that made you different, but we have a connection. You and I are not only connected to the ring, but to each other.'
Elizabeth smiled. 'I think Gandalf would be proud, Frodo, of all of us. By the way, keep Sam out of trouble for me.'
Frodo suppressed a laugh as his face lit up.
'Go now,' Elizabeth said, nodding to the Fellowship. 'They're waiting for you.'
Frodo turned his back to Elizabeth and sighed. He boarded the boat that Sam and Aragorn already sat in.
End Flashback
A reassuring hand placed itself on Elizabeth's back and Elizabeth looked up at the owner, expecting to see Haldir. But it was not Haldir; it was Celeborn.
"I know you heard some of what I said to Aragorn." Celeborn said after a moment.
"I didn't need to hear it; I already knew what I heard." Elizabeth answered. Celeborn didn't look surprised.
"Galadriel told me of your dream." He stated.
Elizabeth didn't answer.
"You will see them again."
"I know that already." Elizabeth answered shortly.
"And how is that?" Celeborn asked.
"It is what my heart tells me."
"Elizabeth?" a soft voice called. Elizabeth looked up and saw Galadriel standing across the bridge smiling lightly at her. "Come, we shall begin your training."
Elizabeth said nothing as she joined Galadriel's side and walked with her to her private rooms. Little did she know that she was about to witness what being the Helper really meant.
((uh...please review?))