Chapter 9

"If there is no struggle, there is no progress." –Frederick Douglass

"Gandalf, I need to speak with you." Nina rushed across the wide corridor, interrupting the dwarves' dinner with Kili trailing behind her.

"Nina, it's alright, you don't have to—"

"Kili. You didn't just magically heal a person!" She whipped around on him. "I'm not saying I'm not happy you're alive and well, I'm just more than a little freaked out about how it happened." She heard Kili sigh, and she could tell he was a little freaked out himself from the events.

"Kili!" Fili exclaimed, causing the rest of the company to follow his gaze and marvel at the walking, very much alive dwarf. Kili beamed at his brother while Nina headed for Gandalf. Whatever Nina had done, he was grateful for it and wanted nothing more than to embrace his brother. And that is what he did.

"What is it, my dear?" Gandalf hobbled over to the girl with his staff. Nina turned around to face him.

"I need to talk to you about something." Nina gave him what she imagined to be a meaningful look.

"I do believe I have an idea of what it might be," Gandalf sighed tiredly, glancing behind her at a miraculously healed Kili. "And I do know that there is someone else you should speak with regarding this…situation."

"Who?" Nina replied exasperatedly.

"Come with me."

The wizard guided her up many stone staircases and along corridors before they reached a beautiful terrace, one where the nearby waterfalls roared and the birds sang peacefully. It was truly serene, with or without sight.

"Mithrandir, it has been a long time." The new voice was smooth, melodic, even to the point where it was calming. Nina could not have known how beautiful the woman looked, with her long golden hair and elven gown. The moon shone behind her, accentuating her shimmering blue eyes. But Gandalf could see her beauty.

"Nae nin gwistant infanneth, mal ú-eichia i Chíril Lorien (Age may have changed me, but not so the Lady of Lorien)." Gandalf bowed admiringly at the ageless beauty. The woman smiled sweetly at the older wizard.

"And who is your friend, Mithrandir?" She inquired, the calming voice putting Nina into a trance. It sounded so familiar. Gandalf set a comforting hand on Nina's shoulder and guided her out so that the woman could see Nina. Neither guests noticed the woman's face go even paler than its original color when she saw the girl.

"This is Nina, a traveler in the company of Thorin Oakenshield, and she has a rather pressing matter to speak with you about." Nina smiled slightly at the title Gandalf gave her, but it quickly faded as she reminded herself of what she was there to speak about.

"I see," The woman gulped, her voice no longer as smooth. "Leave us." She nodded gently in Gandalf's direction. He nodded with an unreadable gaze.

"Nina, this is Galadriel, the Lady of Lorien." Gandalf introduced the woman. Nina nodded. "She will listen to you." Nina squeezed his hand before he left the pavilion.

"How did you come to this place?" Galadriel questioned coldly before Nina could speak. Nina was a little surprised at the sudden harsh tone.

"I came with the dwarves," Nina replied, unable to keep the edge out of her voice. "Something happened to me and Gandalf said that you could help me."

"How did you come to Middle Earth?" Galadriel snapped incredulously.

"I don't know," Nina's voice cracked. "I was in Virginia with my family and there was a hurricane while I was out…and I just…a tree fell on me…." Nina shook her head, tearing up at the little pieces she could still remember.

"I am very sorry this happened to you, Nina." Galadriel peeped, her voice broken and soft.

"But something happened to me, just now actually."

"What was it?"

"My friend, Kili, he was shot in the chest. He was…he was dying," Nina swallowed her tears. "And I touched his wound. There was a lot of heat and Kili said there was a blinding light and he was healed. No scars, just as if nothing had ever happened to him. Last I checked that wasn't normal." Nina crossed her arms over her chest uncomfortably. Galadriel's face could only be described as horrified.

"Then it is so." She whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.

"What is so?" Nina echoed, mimicking the weird way Galadriel spoke.

"A very long time ago—ages ago—I fell in love with a man. There was great bond between us." Galadriel began what Nina predicted was going to be a long sob story.

"Soooo you guys got married?" Nina clarified. Galadriel sighed into the fading sun beyond.

"Yes, we were married." Galadriel continued. "I was given a daughter, and she was one of the most beautiful young women to ever walk the earth. I loved her very much." Galadriel smiled to herself at the memory. "My family had a history of being able to…change."

"Change?" Nina parroted.

"A person is called a changer when they have the power to travel from one world to another. This world, for example, as opposed to the one you come from." Galadriel watched Nina closely. She saw the golden hair and blue eyes, the tanner skin and sharp features. There was no denying. "This world, Middle Earth, was in great danger, and my father had been charged with protecting Middle Earth. When he fulfilled his tasks and sailed to the Undying Lands with the other elves and my mother, a new protector was needed."

"That was you." Nina put the pieces together.

"Indeed, the Valar called upon me to enter into Middle Earth and protect it as a High Elf. I refused naturally, as I had a family that I loved in your world. I was the purest of my siblings, and so the Valar saw me as the only worthy protector of Middle Earth at the time. I was punished severely for my uncooperative manner."

"What happened?" Nina croaked.

"I had another daughter, although I was not blessed enough to know her. The Valar brought me to Middle Earth and I had to assume my role as protector of Middle Earth. My punishment for my behavior was that I could not change back to my other world. I could never see my family again." She paused, gaining herself again. "Another part to the punishment was that my youngest daughter would be cursed by the Valar in some way."

"Like being ugly?" Nina shrugged, a little confused.

"Like being crippled perhaps, or blind."

Then it sunk in.

"NO!" Nina nearly fell backward onto the stone floor. "My mother's name was Sarah, and she wasn't some sort of elf!"

"Why do you think you were able to get here? How do you think you healed your dwarf friend?" Galadriel reasoned calmly. "You are the next protector to Middle Earth, which means that some sort of darkness is returning." She swept her gaze over her frazzled daughter.

"No, no, no, no!" Nina cried. "What is my father's name?"

"James," Galadriel answered with a sigh. Nina let out a small sob.

"No," She whimpered. "This can't be happening to me."

"Your powers will not stop with the healing, Nina. I realize that this is quite a bit for you to have to understand all at once, but you must know that your dwarf friend was very fortunate. Your powers could have healed him—as they did—or they could have killed him." Nina let out a horrid gasp at the thought of being able to kill someone. "You are capable of healing this world," Galadriel smiled warmly, reaching out to her daughter. Nina looked up in her direction with tear-filled eyes.

"Or I can bring it to ruin."

Author's Note:

WHOA. SOoo I know it was short but it's late and I've had a really stressful week, next week it'll be longer I promise. So yeah, I didn't stick much to Galadriel's history but hey I think it works. By the way I've been meaning to ask for like 2 weeks but do any of you guys watch Arrow? If so, I'm thinking of writing a fanfic based off the show soo check it out if you're into the show and feel free to PM me and geek out about it anytime :) UUUUUntil next chapter guys, I'm going to maybe sleep now...

Thanks to the reviews from Noxy the Proxy and Mystic Myra 8