"Mae govannen, híril nín."
"Mae govannen,Haldir." Galadriel greeted the marchwarden. "I trust the patrols went well?"
He nodded.
"Yes, my lady. The last of the orcs have been slaughtered and the woods are safe once more."
"For now at least...', she thought sadly. "But how long until the Enemy strikes once more?"
She shook herself out of her ill timed reverie and stored her nervous musings away until she could brood over them in silence. Instead, she concentrated on reading the elf's mind, and a smile curved on her lips as she glimpsed a memory that raced through his thoughts.
"Ah. The elleth who cannot keep her thoughts inside her head."
"She was rather... how do you say it...', the blonde ellon searched for the right words.
"A ball of fire? Yes, I know. She managed to turn my city upside down in the three weeks she has been here."
Haldir grinned as he recalled when Riley stood up to him. He could only imagine how she behaved when she was not fatigued.
"Lord Legolas had taken to calling hertinwëthe last time I spoke to him, my lady."
"Indeed? Considering all that has happened in the last few days I believe that title is quite appropriate.', Galadriel remarked.
"Oh?"
The ruler of Lothlórien chuckled, much to the puzzlement of Haldir.
"She has become the holy terror of Caras Galadhon. And Lord Celeborn is no help at all; sometimes I believe he is reverting back into elfling, although he does not show that side to anyone but Rielásse and I. She has carved a niche in his heart, and it grows bigger every day."
Haldir was incredibly confused. No one else in the fellowship stayed in the company of the Lord and Lady of the Galadhrim for extended amounts of time; yet from all the rumors he had heard of this young elf, he had gathered that she had spent the majority of her time doing so.
"Elrond brought her into his family this past fall. She was an orphan.', Galadriel offered as an explanation.
A light of understanding dawned upon the marchwarden's face, but it was quickly changed into a worried crease.
"She had a night terror the night the group entered the woods, my lady. She said...', he trailed off, letting his sentence go unfinished.
Sensing the root of his unease, Galadriel sighed.
"I do not know exactly what happened to her parents. She does not speak of them and I will not violate her trust by searching through her memories. Her fëa has built a wall around those painful remembrances, and it would do more harm than good to break down that barrier."
Her mind suddenly brought her to an incident that had happened the second week of the fellowship's stay in Lothlórien and she winced.
xXx
*Flashback*
xXx
"I can assure you, Aragorn, she was by my side the entire time last night. Now, if your concerns have been put to rest regarding my granddaughters involvement, shall we plan the rest of your journey?"
Legolas was not at all pleased with Lord Celeborn's explanation; he had noticed the way the elven lord steered the conversation away from its original topic. But he decided that if Celeborn was not inclined to discuss the subject, he would not press the matter.
Besides, if he were honest with himself, Legolas would say that he had probably deserved the prank. Rielásse had been terrified when he had threatened to throw her in the river, and he was almost certain she would be fearful of him also, after everything that had happened. She had gone back to her original self, but that did not stop him from wondering what had caused her to be so afraid of the water.
Celeborn pulled out several maps, and Boromir and Aragorn discussed the different routes to Gondor.
"What do you think of this route, Legolas?', the ranger inquired as he leaned against the wooden desk. It never hurt to bring in another opinion.
"Daerada!', Riley bounced into the room and Celeborn gave her a warm smile before glancing back down at the piece of paper in front of him.
A strong relationship had been formed between the two of them already, and they were almost always together. Galadriel occasionally joined them, but Riley mostly saw her at mealtimes.
"Oops. Sorry, I didn't know you were busy.', she quickly apologized as she turned to walk back out of the flet.
"Come,penneth. Your presence may do us some good."
It was herdaeradawho had spoken, and she hopped over to see what they were looking at. Quite literally, much to the amusement of her audience.
"We are plotting out the next leg of the journey.', Aragorn mentioned as he traced his finger down the piece of parchment that represented the Anduin river.
"Ah, yes. Traveling by boat will lend you speed to outrun any foul creatures that are haunting your footsteps.', Celeborn said wisely.
"Boat?"
The whisper barely carried to Legolas' ears, and he jerked up sharply, noting that Celeborn had done the same.
"By boat?', Riley whispered again.
"Are you all right,tinwë?"
She did not even scowl at the use of her nickname, and Legolas and Aragorn exchanged an anxious glance. Riley always pulled a face when Legolas called her that, yet she made no movement at all. Boromir slowly followed everyone's gazes to the young elf, and his breath hitched at what greeted him.
Riley's face had gone pale and her eyes were darkened with terror.
"Penneth?', Celeborn asked as he pushed his chair back and came to grasp her arms, steadying her. Galadriel entered the room moments later with an alarmed expression on her face, for she had sensed her granddaughter's distress, and the depth of it shook her.
"I'll take care of her,meleth."
Galadriel gently pried her husband's hands off of Riley's arms and carefully led her to another flet, leaving the men to continue with their purpose, although every once in a while one of them would glimpse in the direction the ellyth had disappeared to.
"Mani naa ta?', she asked as she soothingly smoothed the brown curls away from the girl's forehead.
"I forgot we had to travel by boat.', Riley whispered.
"Forgot?"
"Adadid not tell you, did he?" Riley sighed before she cautiously opened certain parts of her mind for Galadriel to read, careful not to show her any of the events that were to happen. The Lady of Light, as many call her, gave a startled gasp as she realized why her granddaughter seemed different in so many respects. Riley gave a sad smile and nodded in answer to Galadriel's questioning gaze.
"Who else knows of this,penneth?"
"Only Aragorn, and Ada. Gandalf also knew.', she added as an afterthought.
At the mention of the wizard Galadriel grew rather despondent.
"Perhaps it is wise that you told no one else of your origins."
Her grandmother tenderly probed further into Riley's thoughts, drawing closer to the source of the pain. When she reached it, she let her fëa's soft touch brush against the memories that lay there.
Riley cringed and her mental shields slammed up unwittingly, shutting out the invasion. Galadriel withdrew completely; Riley was not yet ready to face those all of those thoughts at once.
xXx
*End of Flashback*
xXx
"What kind of harm, my lady?"
A voice stirred Galadriel out of her morbid recollection.
"I do not know what happened to her parents, Haldir,', she replied, her voice scarcely over a whisper. "But I do know that she has suffered much. If one were to break the barrier holding in her thoughts... the grief could very well overwhelm her."
"She would fade." His eyes widened at the realization.
"Yes. But only if the grief overcame her first."
Silence reined for the next few moments as they both mulled over everything that had been spoken.
"But come. That is not why I requested your presence."
Galadriel quickly explained why she had summoned the marchwarden, and when she had finished he just stood there and blinked with surprise.
"You want... me... to train her?"
"Yes, Haldir. Aragorn and Legolas have taught her well, but she should also learn the skills of her new people."
He blinked again.
"You are well aware that we did not 'see eye to eye', as she put it, my lady?"
"That would be difficult, would it not? You are rather tall, even for an elf." Galadriel watched as he shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny, her eyes twinkling with humor he had not seen before. "Set your mind at ease, Haldir. That was the entire reason I chose you in the first place. She needs someone who will try her patience so that she is determined to do as well as possible."
Haldir looked as if he would like to protest that he did not try people's patience, but once he remembered who he was talking to he promptly shut his mouth.
"Honestly, Haldir! You might as well speak out loud! I can already hear them running through your mind!"
The marchwarden colored violently as he gave a hurried agreement to Lady Galadriel's request and excused himself from the room.
The Lady shook her head and softly laughed.
xXx
Riley's Point of View
"No." I pronounced the word as clearly as I could.
A small group had congregated in Celeborn's study, consisting of several members of the fellowship. The hobbits had sought their own company, and Boromir had pleaded weariness, so that left me with Gimli, Legolas, Aragorn, and of course, Galadriel and Celeborn.
"Rielásse, please let me explain."
"Absolutely not. There is no way I will be taking lessons with Mr. McSnootyPants.', I argued hotly.
"No doubt he feels the same in the matter.', Legolas mumbled from beside me. I glared at him before turning back to my grandmother.
"Bad idea. Very, very bad idea."
"Sometimes the things that appear the most terrible are the ones we need the most', Aragorn helpfully offered.
"Whoa there, Dr. Phil! No one asked for your opinion!"
"Their loss." He shrugged.
"Who is this Dr. Phil?', Celeborn asked curiously.
"I have found, my lord, that it is sometimes best not to even ask.', a certain elf remarked.
"Do you have a death wish, Legolas? I'm trying to make a point here, and you are ruining it!" I folded my arms over my chest. "I point blank refuse to take lessons with that arrogant marchwarden!"
"I agree with you there, lassie."
"Ha! See!', I stated triumphantly. "Gimli agrees with me!"
"Forgive me for saying so, but the dwarf's opinion does not count. He is too biased in the matter.', Celeborn calmly stated.
"Ah! I did not suggest that she should not take lessons, Lord Celeborn! I was merely agreeing that the marchwarden is as she described him. Indeed, the lessons would do her good!"
"Not you too!', I growled through clenched teeth at the dwarf. "Why is everyone so concerned with this matter?"
"Because it concerns you,penneth. These lessons will help ensure your survival in this world.', Galadriel answered firmly.
"Elves are invincible! Therefore I am Superwoman!"
"Elves are not invincible, and you well know it. Stop being so foolish, Rielásse! We only wish to help you! None of those in this room wish to see you come to harm!"
"Well, I'm not sure that goes for everyone,mavwen..." I cast a meaningful glance in Legolas' direction. He still believed that I had taken his clothes (he was right, as we all know) and I was not certain that he had forgiven me yet, judging by how impossible he had been lately.
He rolled his eyes in response to my not-so-subtle hinting.
"I would not relish you dying if that is what you are implying,tinwë."
"No, I'm sure you wouldn't. But I'm immortal, right? So if I died I would simply be reborn in Valinor."
"But then you would not have anyone to defend you against Gil-Galad.', Aragorn piped up once more.
"He can't be that bad!', I retorted.
Celeborn gave a disbelieving snort.
"He can be worse. Why else do you think Galadriel and I would have traveled this far east?"
"Enough of this useless bantering!"
Galadriel's voice startled everyone.
Please, oh please, do not be 'that' grandmother when I turn around...
By 'that' grandmother, I mean the one that turns into... well, I'm really not sure what she turns into when she is mad. But I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about.
"Rielásse, you will take lessons with Haldir, even if I have to drag you there myself." She strode from the room angrily.
"Well that went well."
Well? That went 'well'?
"Gimli? I believe you owe me a bit of pipeweed?"
The dwarf grumpily handed over the strange smelling long-bottom leaf to Aragorn. Celeborn was grinning like mad, and what had transpired suddenly hit me over the head like a load of bricks.
"You... you...', I spluttered. "You baited her!"
"Nay, we did not,tinwë. You did that for us. We only made a bet as to how long it would be before she lost control of her temper.', Legolas replied as he tossed his wager to Aragorn, who had already lit his pipe, much to Celeborn's disgust.
"You areallimpossible!"
"We try to be,tinwë.', was Legolas' infuriating answer.
I also made a quick exit from the room, only to hear mydaeradanonchalantly declare that Galadriel and I were related by everything but blood.
That is it! They have all lost their everloving marbles!
xXx
Guide...
mae govannen- well met
híril nín- my lady
mani naa ta?- what is it?
daerada- grandfather
mavwen- grandmother
tinwë- sparky
penneth- little one
meleth- love