Finally, Anna was standing still and her heart's beating slowed, weighed down by sadness. She was standing in the valley just outside Moria with the sun beating down on the others. All that had happened seemed like sparks from weak fire just starting to burn.

After the orcs had pushed past the doors, many acts of heroism were performed among the Company. Anna remembered looking up into an insect- like orc face and his rusted sword just before Gimli's ax took the orc's legs. The dwarf did not stay after seeing Anna was not killed.

After the troll was killed, Aragorn led them running down stairs and paths that had not banister or wall to keep balance. Once Anna's foot slipped off the path and she fell onto her knee, her other foot dangling off the path as she watched stones fall without hearing them meet the floor. Legolas was behind her and saw her trip. His hands grabbed her waist as he picked her up and pushed her in front of him.

At a steep stairway, the path stopped abruptly and continued a few feet away, leaving a dark abyss to jump over. Anna pushed her way in front of them and easily jumped to the other side. She would have left the rest had she not heard Legolas call Gandalf's name and she turned. This was new to her. She was used to letting the weak die so that only the strong were left.

Later, Aragorn would comment on that thought, saying, 'You did not learn that in your years with Men.' 'No, I did not,' she would reply, her eyes far away, focusing on mutilated orc faces.

She made her way back and grabbed Merry and Pippin, putting herself between them and the orc archers.

Then, they had crossed the bridge, Gandalf battled the Balrog, and fell, telling the others to flee.

Now she stood outside with the sun glaring in her eyes that had come to tolerate the ark of the caves. Behind her the others were clinging to each other for comfort or going off by themselves. Legolas stood a few feet away to her side with an expression of confusion written on his face as he watched the others' reactions at Gandalf's falling.

Anna raised a hand to her face, feeling the tears in wonder. What was this feeling and why did it come to her now? She had not felt this woe in many years time. She closed her eyes and wiped the stains away.

'By morning these hills will be swarming with orcs,' Anna had recovered enough to hear Aragorn say. 'Legolas! Gimli! Pick them up. Frodo!'

Frodo turned and faced him. His clear blue eyes held a sadness greater than any seen in the elves even, since this loss was far closer to him than any wars of times past. It also held so many different meanings when it came to him and the quest. They made their way into the forest of Lothlorien, despite Gimli's warnings. They had been traveling within the wood long and were growing weary. They all needed sleep even if for only a few hours. Gimli pointed out that it was not safe on the ground for the orcs might venture into the trees to find them. Aragorn decided to do as the people of Lothlorien did and seek refuge within the treetops.

Anna was ecstatic. Being the one who had been sleeping among the sparse trees of Hollin and elsewhere in Middle Earth, she was the first one climbing the trees and Legolas, being an elf of the Mirkwood forest, was the second up. Anna ever spoke as she climbed. 'I have climbed many trees yet I have not found a forest like this in all my travels.' She went on about the leaves and thickness and structure of its branches as she sought stronger ones. She was already high among the branches when Legolas sprang lightly and caught a branch, which was instantly countered by a commanding voice from the tree-shadows above him and Anna.

'Daro!' it said and Legolas dropped back to the earth in surprise and fear. Only a second later, Anna thudded to the ground in a heap, startled by the voice. Luckily she had plenty of practice falling and, even from that height, had not hurt herself.

There was a soft sound of chuckles all around and above them. 'Stand still,' Legolas whispered and Anna stayed squatting on the ground. 'Do not move or speak!' The laughter grew as elves seemingly popped from behind trees, meeting the Company with bow and arrow.

A more prominent elf came between two elves. 'You breathe so loud, we could have shot you in the dark,' Haldir said. Sam clasped his hands over his mouth. Legolas had his bow ready, not sure where to aim but Anna just stood wit her hands raised in defeat. This was just not her month. Already she had been caught twice now after years of hiding.

After arguments and long paths, they were led to the heart of Lothlorien. They now stood before the Lord and Lady of the Wood. Enchanting she was but in a more wholesome air any of them ever expected. A majestic vision from some white plain where the light was not from the sun or moon but from the beauty of souls.

'The enemy knows you are here. What hope you had in secrecy is lost,' Celeborn said. 'Nine there were set out from Rivendell, or so the first messages described. Yet I see one had been replaced.'

'Not replaced,' Anna interjected quickly, then looking down and whispering, 'Certainly not replaced.'

After Anna quieted, Celeborn continued. 'Tell me where is Gandalf for I much desired to speak to him. He had not crossed our borders and I can no longer see him from afar.'

Galadriel spoke for the first time since they had met. Her voice was clear; still she seemed to speak to someone not yet there. 'He has fallen into darkness and is now consumed by shadow.'

'He was taken by both shadow and flame. He was attack by a Balrog of Morgoth,' Legolas replied.

'For he went needlessly into the mines of Moria,' Anna added. The presence of the Lady of the Wood certainly had not made her modest.

'Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf,' Galadriel countered. 'Do not be sad, Gimli, son of Gloin, for often love is mingled with grief.' Now, she spoke to all. 'Your quest stands on the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail, to the ruin of all.' It seemed like each were listening to two things, Galadriel's clear voice and the sound of their own thoughts. 'Yet hope remains, while the Fellowship is true.' She looked at them each in turn and all feeling differently from the experience. Only Aragorn and Legolas could endure her gaze for long.

She released them from her many-sparkled eyes and smiled. 'Do not let your hearts be troubled. Let them rest for you are tired and weary with woe.'

Anna grappled with herself to speak or not but she wanted a clear answer for once from this woman. She wanted to know what happened to the messages she sent out herself. 'You mentioned the first messages. Then you have also received the second messages. How are you sure the people before you are the quest?' she persisted.

Celeborn responded, 'We knew the second messages were not from Elrond. Elvish ways allow us to know of the senders though they may shroud themselves in secrecy.' If her skin was not tanned, the rest could see her cheeks flush.

They were led away to a place they could eat and sleep. Most were just relieved to be away from the prying eyes for awhile.

All around them light glittered I the trees and the elves sang, sad and slow. 'A lament to Gandalf.' Legolas explained, listening with a smile on his face and pain in his heart.

'What are they saying? Merry asked.

'I cannot say. For me, the grief is still too near,' Legolas said as Anna put a comforting hand on his shoulder and looked to him questioningly.

'There should be a verse about his fireworks,' Sam said, getting up and creating one on his own. All paid attention though the Dwarf had to be woken. Sometimes sleep numbs the pain felt in the waking world.

Sam sat back down, muttering how it had not done them justice. Legolas and Ann's eyes met and then they left, as if speaking an entire conversation and going elsewhere to finish it. Aragorn would later go over to where Boromir sat and talk of the strength of Men.

The two elves of the company climbed higher into the trees. The hobbits might like the security of the ground but elves had a love of being high. They came to a ledge in the heights of a tree where a bench looked out over the edge, down and up into a system of branches and lights. Legolas sat on the bench looked, much like a prince of Mirkwood, while Anna sat on the floor, more comfortable with the way she had sat for years now. She leaned her back against Legolas's legs while he just looked curiously down at her. She had taken a leaf out of her little backpack and was crushing it while she hiked up her skirt. She had not escaped Moria without scratches from stone and arrow. Legolas looked away in modesty as she rubbed the leaf on her knee. She had definitely been away from social contact for some time since no maiden would act the way she behaved. Legolas smiled to himself, thinking if only his father could see him now.

'So, is song the only way elves grieve?' Anna asked totally unabashed.

'No,' Legolas responded, looking through the elven kingdom. 'We heal by doing what we enjoy to do.'

'Well, I enjoy talking.' Legolas just smiled; he had noticed this fact long ago. 'I miss Gandalf.' She was so frank it took Legolas by surprise, but it surprised him in other ways as well.

'You knew Gandalf for less time than any of us. He was neither your guide nor a friend to you.'

'You forget. He was the one that allowed me to follow. A little earth child separate from everything.' She paused. 'He was not so bad for a wizard.'

'What makes you say that?'

Anna hugged her knees, finished with the leaf. 'Wizards have too much power for their own good. They either abuse it or do not use it for what they should.'

'You should be wary telling wizards what they should use their spells toward.'

'I know,' she whispered sullenly. She tried reeling her mind back to the present as she sat still. 'That Lady, she spoke-' She shook her head as if deciding not to say her thought out loud.

'Spoke inside your head.' Anna looked up. 'I heard it, too.'

'What did she tell you?'

'She did not tell but offered. She gave me a choice, to leave with her to the Grey Havens before the war ended, forsaking Frodo, or continuing the quest and maybe never see my home again.' Legolas grew quiet and Anna couldn't imagine being stuck with a decision like that. If that choice lay on her, she would certainly split. 'What did she give you?'

'A home.' She knew she could not end it with that. He had given her so much more. 'At first I was angry. I wanted to go back to the Downs with my family but I knew that was impossible. Then she told me I could have a home among the elves.'

'They would be happy to have you,' Legolas replied.

She nodded. 'I would never be lonely again, but if I went on with you, there is a good chance I would soon be by myself in a strange land with death surrounding me once again.'

'Why would you stay with us?' Legolas asked, knowing there had to be some good along with that choice.

'For many reasons,' she answered cryptically. 'I do not want my master to win, though I do trust you all I still want to follow.' She spoke haltingly. 'I do not want to sit and do nothing anymore. I want to redeem myself.' This was a radical change though only she would know this. Long ago, she believed people were corrupted and were prone to fight about things that just tore them from the real issue. Now things were changing, and she was changing with them. She was now seeing people with the same blind eyes she had when she was young and naïve to the fact that people could hurt each other. Or maybe she convinced herself of this when really she had been blinder when she gave up.

'And what would you do if you stayed with the elves,' Legolas asked.

'Find out from where I came. I know Tom Bombadil did not have any elvish daughters to spare.' Legolas smiled. 'My parents must have been going west to the Grey Havens when they abandoned me.' Legolas just nodded his head. He leaned his head back thinking of the choices given by Galadriel and of the character out of a childhood story sitting at his feet, while Anna did the same.