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Part Four

~ Awakened ~

A few moments later Elraen awoke on the floor of the garden and gathered herself up. She sat upon her knees and sighed, gazing at the grass in bittersweet wonder and sadness for a long while.

In her mind a voice broke the silence. 'Did you find your answer?' it said.

A serene calm came to her face, and the girl stood back up slowly, and a solemn peacefulness filled the area for miles around, easing the heartbroken among Elf and Man alike. She seemed now taller, grave and statuesque, and the might and majesty of her kind, and the wisdom of unnumbered years, lay scarcely veiled behind mortal raiment, ready to shine forth in terrifying splendor. A soft glow filled the enclosed little garden that seemed to come from anywhere and nowhere, a wonder to any nearby who noticed it.

'Yes,' she replied in silence as she looked up and held the gaze of the Lady. 'I am Princess Marya, sister of Manwe King of the Lords of the West, wielder of the elements of the Chief Powers, and High Guardian of Valinor.'

For a moment the Lady saw what the Elves who woke long ago at Cuivienen once saw: a princess of the gods full of power and light. She knelt down and bowed her head a moment. 'It is my honor to host Her Highness here,' she replied to the princess.

Then the lost princess' face softened in grief as her shoulders dropped and she cast down her gaze, the light disappeared, and she was a little mortal maiden again. "Oh why ever did I come here?" she uttered softly to herself.

"Why did you come here, Your Highness?" the Lady of the Wood stood back up and asked. Elraen looked up, wondering if the Lady may have seen some answers in the mirror for herself already.

Elraen thought for a moment. "I came here to help," she replied.

"Well, that you've done," the Lady assured her, "if you do not remember the events in the mines. You came here because you knew that Mithrandir would have precious little help left to him, is that not correct? Will you not now continue to help as you set out to do?" she asked.

The Princess thought back to the mines. She remembered the last meeting of the King's Council before she departed, and wondered at the words of Mandos regarding the wand. Had she been foolish enough to think she could prevent something Mandos foresaw? She wasn't quite sure what she had hoped to accomplish by coming here, she just felt compelled to do so upon hearing his prophecy of the doom of the Istari. But now their leader, oldest and dearest of friends, had perished, yet the Quest remained unfulfilled. She understood events must be happening as they were meant to, even now - otherwise she would not have been granted leave to come here. But why? Had she not already filled her role? What to do now?

The girl at last was able to master herself. "Yes, you are right, I will do that," she said. Then with a bow of her head said, "Thank you, Lady Galadriel."

Galadriel smiled. "I have something else for you," she continued, "Come!" and the princess followed the Lady to her private quarters, where she handed the girl a folded cloth with a bundle inside. "For your travel onward, Artirime Hinetarien," she said. "This fabric was wrought long ago by my father's people, at the height of their skill in their kingdoms in Beleriand. It was mostly for ceremonies, but it is strong enough to endure wear in the field and provide some protection against weaker blades and distant arrows. Alas I still had a small store of it left."

Inside was a fine set of new clothes, very like what she had before - riding breeches and a fitted long tunic, again skirted about the calves, but of beautiful yet strong pale grey Elven samite subtly woven through with fine strands of gold and silver and steel, with edges intricately embroidered in bright golden thread. Bright and pale as a glittering quartz flagstone under the bright noon sun it looked, sparkling like morning rays on the grass dewNear to the sturdiness of a mail hauberk it was, but far more comfortable and fair to look on. She was also furnished with a belt of silver and a pair of pale grey boots with matching gloves, and the Elven cloak the Lady later also gave to the others. The handmaids then brought out a small wooden chest.

"And finally, I have little fit to give Her Highness of the Lords of the West," said Galadriel as she opened the chest. "But such as I have, I offer to you. I will no longer use this, but it may be helpful for you. These things on a wearer such as yourself will shine bright in the face of danger. That may seem a foolish thing as yet, but there may come a time soon when such a display will serve well."

Elraen looked in and she gasped, for there lay none other than the armor wrought in a forgotten age for the members and friends of the Watchguard of the Undying Realm. The beautifully wrought steel cuirass painted white and trimmed with silver and gold likewise cast the morning sunlight like fresh snow on a bright morning. And when donned it seemed to adjust itself according to the wearer's size and stature. "The helm and vambraces, I'm afraid," she continued, "were lost in the journey over the grinding ice of the Helcaraxe. But I have supplied a coif should you find a fitting substitute for it." Elraen smiled, and bowed in gratitude as the Lady ordered everything sent to her tent.

After that they spoke for a while, and Elraen offered tidings of the Lady's kin in the West. "Alas I am of two minds," confessed the young maiden. "Long I desired to walk the untamed lands of Middle-earth. I have not walked long by your measure, but mortal life is brief: bitter and weary work full of uncertainty and loss, and small fleeting moments of happiness as one can find. I find I already miss the splendor of my home and family who dwell there. You seem to miss the land as well, do you at long last feel ready to return?"

The Lady paused in thought for a long while before she finally answered. "Yes, Princess," she said, "after many long ages my heart at last grows weary of the wilds, long in decay, and longs to dwell in peace in the bliss of my birth place. But though I now desire to return I shall not, while our enemy has yet to be defeated."

"Indeed, Lady," the girl replied back. "Nor shall I. But who now can say how long that will be? For the sake of all, not very long now, I hope."

*.*.*

Elraen then retired to her tent, still rather bewildered and disoriented from all that she had just learned. She lay down, breathing freer as she pondered the relief of her burden - of wandering many years lost alone in confusion - and suddenly felt very weary. As she lay waiting for sleep, the loss of Gandalf settled heavily upon her spirit, and at last she wept, until sleep took her.

The young princess slept a long time, and outside through the night the rain came and fell; soft and manageable yet the heaviest rain the land had seen in many years. As she slept she wandered through dark and disturbing dreams, one in which she walked through a dark wood alone on a starless night. The earth shook and groaned beneath her feet, and not far in the distance she heard mountains being rent into dust and stone, and she felt the trees and grass around her despair at the loss of light.

At first she was afraid, but it all felt very familiar, and she remembered herself and came alight with the bright flame she carried and wielded. The trees and plants rejoiced in hope at the light and warmth and reached toward her, and she continued on.

She came across a scene, many demons of fire surrounding a group of the helpers, whipping at them and corralling them. Her flame grew great and she rushed at them, wind pushing them back and lighting striking them. The enemies scattered, and left standing before her were several familiar faces.

But then suddenly the scene changed. All else disappeared, the mountains and the trees and the faces. It was dark again, and she could not discern anything familiar. It looked as though she was standing in the firmament amid the stars of Varda, but it felt as though she was in a great tunnel, whose ends she could sense but not see.

But she saw before her a figure, someone robed in gray with long pale brown hair. The Princess did not understand where she was or what was happening, but in her heart the words came to her. She mastered herself and again brought forth her light, and the fire blazed high and bright with the root of Ilu's creation. The figure before her turned to see it, and she recognized a face both young and ancient.

He saw what looked like a great bonfire, and within stood a figure in radiance, with terrifying bright eyes and hair moving like falling water. It looked at him, and held out a hand, and spoke. "It is not yet time for you to go. Please, return with me."

He stood for a very long moment in wonder and confusion. It felt as though he had been wandering lost in a dim haze, everything new and strange. There was so much he could not remember, and much he was unsure of. But the figure felt familiar, and in his heart he knew at least to trust it. He stepped toward it, and reached out.

It was late into the morning when Elraen was startled awake. She lay still for a long time, catching her breath, but her dream quickly faded from waking memory. She was still at a loss over what she was supposed to do next, but the depths of her grief had subsided, and she was feeling hopeful again.

She rose and dressed and stepped out of the tent, where she discovered the rain had cleared and the sun shone bright onto the sward.