Hello everyone, Nuin Griffondor here with another chapter for you guys, please enjoy and R&R.
Arindil Pov
I wake up from my troubled sleep, throat raw, and eyes finally dry, my tears spent from the night of mourning. During the night, I had spent every tear I had, mourning the man who was more that just a teacher, but a friend, one of the few I had. As I walk out of the accommodations I was in, I run into Elrohir and the girl from last night, Arzaroth. Who both look at me with disdain, and in her eyes, a bit of curiosity. I look to her again, and see just disdain.
I sigh, and walk past the two, Demos following still covered in orcish blood, as was I, and sweat from the previous day. The two of us head to the nearest river and I strip off my torn and bloodied clothes as Demos dives head first into the water, and begins jumping around playfully, I take my time, cleaning off all the blood and excess grim for the past several weeks, then do the same to the clothes that I had been wearing, cleaning them off to the best I could, then drying them off with magic. As I finish putting them on, Demos comes out of the water, looking clean, but dripping wet. He comes right next to me, and shakes himself off, getting me wet again. Which then caused me to laugh, one of the first in a while.
"Demos I had just gotten dry," I tell him as I shake myself off.
"Exactly," He says with a mischievous glint to his eye, as he goes back into the river.
"No, no, don't even think about it," I tell him as he looks back over to me, his wolfish features twisted into a semi grin.
I turn tail, and begin running, laughing as I do, Demos comes racing after me. Many of the elves that I passed gave me looks of disapproval, but I didn't care. As I ran I saw a familiar mop of black hair, which I ran towards. Elladan heard me coming, and turned, to see me running towards him, with a still soaking wet Demos close behind. As I was about to run past him, he grabbed me, which caused Demos to catch up, and get the both of us wet.
"Elladan, I was trying to not get anym-." I complain as he cuts me off with a kiss. As soon as he breaks the kiss, he looks at me like I was his world, "You are looking much better, I was going to stop by your room last night, but I knew you needed the time."
I close my eyes, remembering the sadness of the loss of Gandalf. I push the emotions away, not wanting to break down again.
"Yes, I did," I say to him closing my eyes."
"Arindil, even though I know you don't want to, we need to talk about what happened after Gandalf fell, the fire you conjured."
I take a quick breath, I didn't know what that was, all I knew was that it was dangerous. "You're right, I really don't, but it is because I do not know myself."
"Should we talk to someone about it?" Elladan asks
"No, everyone will take it as something terrible and attempt one of two things, either throw me out, or kill me."
"So what do we do?"
"For now we keep the facts to ourselves, when asked about it, we say that it was normal fire, and they were in shock and saw something they didn't."
"Well, before we leave, you'll need to get yourself some weapons, we could ask Haldir if you could have some of the weapons from their armory."
"Right, I am good, but not nearly powerful enough to start fighting with magic, and magic alone."
The two of us went to find Haldir, and find him we did. He was in the training fields of Lothlorien.
"Hello Haldir," I say to him
"Ah, hello Arindil, Elladan, what brings you here," He says to us bowing his head.
"Well we need to get Arindil some new weapons, she has been getting into an unfortunate habit of losing, or having hers get broken."
"Well I think I can aid you in that fashion, come with me." Haldir says to us, and leads us away to the armory. I walked in, and grabbed a pair of daggers, a sword, and a bow. After I came out, Haldir took it upon himself to show Elladan and me around Caras Galathorn.
We remained some days in Lothlórien, so far as I could tell or remember. All the while we dwelt here the sun shone clear, save for a gentle rain that fell at times, and passed away leaving all things fresh and clean. The air was cool and soft, as if it were early spring, yet I felt about me the deep and thoughtful quiet of winter. It seemed to me that I did little but eat, drink, rest, talk with Elladan, and walk among the trees with him hand and hand; and it was enough for now. I experienced the best of Lothlorien this time, for now I had someone with whom to explore it with.
Legolas was rarely with the group, he walked the woods talking with the Lothlorien elves, sometimes taking Gimli with him, sometimes walking with Tauriel. The rest of the group spent time with the other two elves Arzaroth and Durhil. I spent as much time away from the group as possible, not willing to bear their mistrustful gaze for long.
We had not seen the Lord and Lady again, which was not surprising for me, they rarely interacted with the common elf. Haldir had bidden us farewell some time ago and gone back again to the fences of the North, where great watch was now kept since the tidings of Moria that we had brought. When he left he made me promise to keep safe, and not take unnecessary risks.
Demos had taken great solace in the woods of Lothlorien, finding for the first time in many a year, the peace of heart, and sense of security that had been stolen from him the day of his packs destruction. I found him one night sleeping peacefully in the middle of an open clearing, with no guards of precautions set around him as he usually did.
One night the company was sitting around speaking of Gandalf, and his grand memory. I felt my heart fall into a deep sorrow, as what happened whenever Gandalf was mentioned. Later on when the rest of the company was asleep, Frodo and Sam went out walking, and ran into me, for my sleep had become restless, the magic of the woods of lorien not staying the relentless nightmares. They were speaking about Gandalf when I met up with them.
"-No fireworks like poor old Gandalf used to show. I wonder we don't see nothing of the Lord and Lady in all these days. I fancy now that she could do some wonderful things, if she had a mind. I'd dearly love to see some Elf-magic, Mr. Frodo!" Sam was saying as I walked up behind them
"I wouldn't," said Frodo. "I am content. And I don't miss Gandalf 's fireworks, but his bushy eyebrows, and his quick temper, and his voice."
"You're right," said Sam. "And don't think I'm finding fault. I've often wanted to see a bit of magic like what it tells of in old tales, but I've never heard of a better land than this. It's like being at home and on a holiday at the same time, if you understand me. I don't want to leave. All the same, I'm beginning to feel that if we've got to go on, then we'd best get it over."
"I agree Sam, and is my magic not enough for you." I say making my presence known. The both jump up and spin around.
"W-well Miss, its just that-"
"Sam I am just joking with you, I am not offended, but I fear we will have an even longer journey now that Gandalf is gone."
"It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish, as my old gaffer used to say. And I don't reckon that these folk can do much more to help us, magic or no. It's when we leave this land that we shall miss Gandalf worse, I'm thinking."
"I am afraid that's only too true, Sam," Frodo says. "Yet I hope very much that before we leave we shall see the Lady of the Elves again."
Even as he spoke, from the corner of my eye I saw, as if she came in answer to his words, the Lady Galadriel approaching. Tall and white and fair she walked beneath the trees. She spoke no word, but beckoned to us.
Turning aside, she led us towards the southern slopes of the hill of Caras Galadhon, and passing through a high green hedge they came into an enclosed garden. No trees grew there, and it lay open to the sky. The evening star had risen and was shining with white fire above the western woods. Down a long flight of steps the Lady went into the deep green hollow, through which ran murmuring the silver stream that issued from the fountain on the hill. At the bottom, upon a low pedestal carved like a branching tree, stood a basin of silver, wide and shallow, and beside it stood a silver ewer.
With water from the stream Galadriel filled the basin to the brim, and breathed on it, and when the water was still again she spoke. "Here is the Mirror of Galadriel," she said. "I have brought you here so that you may look in it, if you will."
The air was very still, and the dell was dark.
"What shall we look for, and what shall we see?" asks Frodo, filled with awe.
"Many things I can command the Mirror to reveal," she answers, "and to some I can show what they desire to see. But the Mirror will also show things unbidden, and those are often stranger and more profitable than things which we wish to behold. What you will see, if you leave the Mirror free to work, I cannot tell. For it shows things that were, and things that are, and things that yet may be. But which it is that he sees, even the wisest cannot always tell. Do you wish to look?"
Frodo did not answer.
"And you?" she says, turning to Sam. "For this is what your folk would call magic, I believe; though I do not understand clearly what they mean; and they seem to use the same word of the deceits of the Enemy. But this, if you will, is the magic of Galadriel. Did you not say that you wished to see Elf-magic?"
"I did," said Sam, trembling a little between fear and curiosity. "I'll have a peep, Lady, if you're willing. And I'd not mind a glimpse of what's going on at home," he says in an aside to Frodo. "It seems a terrible long time that I've been away. But there, like as not I'll only see the stars, or something that I won't understand."
I smile as Sam as the Lady Galadriel gives a small laugh, and he walks up to the mirror.
"There's only stars, as I thought," he said. Then he gave a low gasp, "Hi!" Sam cries in an outraged voice. "There's that Ted Sandyman a-cutting down trees as he shouldn't. They didn't ought to be felled: it's that avenue beyond the Mill that shades the road to Bywater. I wish I could get at Ted, and I'd fell him! There's some devilry at work in the Shire, Elrond knew what he was about when he wanted to send Mr. Merry back." Then suddenly Sam gave a cry and sprang away. "I can't stay here," he says wildly. "I must go home. They've dug up Bagshot Row, and there's the poor old Gaffer going down the Hill with his bits of things on a barrow. I must go home!"
I raise my eyebrows at how quickly Sam had changed his mind after looking into the mirror, which made me have second thoughts about gazing into the surface of the mirror. Galadriel talked Sam down and I steeled my courage, and walked up to the mirror. I gazed into the still surface of the water my breathing becoming short as I became more and more nervous.
For several moments there was nothing but stars, then an image began moving through the Mirror, and I saw upon it an elven maid, who, looked exactly like me, but without the single eye that marked me as Sauron's Daughter. I realized that this was my mother, she was talking to a man whom was beyond fair. I saw her run away with this man. The image quickly shifts to her pregnant and giving birth, several wraithlike spirits helping her do so. It was a boy when it came out, and the elven man from before came in and I realized who this man was, my blood father. Then the image shifts again, to when my mother is giving birth again, this time I know it is my own, and sure enough, out comes a baby girl. This time though, my mother strikes at the wraiths with a hidden dagger, One takes me and puts me in a spiked crib as the others restrain her upon the wall, then the wraiths begin beating her, until finally one breaks her neck. The wraiths all jerk, as if something was pulling them, and they fade away into nothingness. The image shifts one more time, and I see a road with a fork in it. On one road, I see myself, shedding off the garb of a ranger, and embracing something I never thought I would, the mantel of my bloodline, embracing my heritage. On the other path I see myself taking the ring, and challenging my father, and laying waste to all is forces, I see myself defeating my brother and saving all of middle earth. But in the background the darkness begins stirring. The image on that road shifts, and I see villages of men being overrun by wolves and other dangerous wild animals. I see one Wolf bigger than all the others leading the charge, killing and murdering the innocent at will. Then it shifts its form back into human and I scream and jump back, the face was my own.
I lay upon the ground, my breathing heavy, limbs shaking, mind reeling. I was in total shock, my body paralysed as I fall into the oblivion of unconsciousness. When I awake, I am still in the clearing with the mirror, Frodo and Sam have gone, but the Lady Galadriel is still their.
"I know what it is that you saw, the mirror decided to show you what you have been wondering in the darkest corner of your mind. But now it is time for you to put aside the ranger Arindil, and it is time for you to embrace your heritage."
"I do not want it, I never have," I tell turning my head to the side, too which she gently turns my head back towards her.
"Come walk with me." She says, and I stand and the two of us walk from the glade. For a time the both of us are silent, then she begins speaking.
"You fear what will happen if you embrace who you truly are, you do not wish for the power that it would bring you, which makes you the most worthy of it, no more hiding in the shadows Arindil, step forward into the light."
I close my eyes, and breath a sigh, then turn my head towards her, "You have a way with words My Lady, It is time for Wraith to fall back into the night, and it is time for me to return to the light."
"Come with me, I have something for you, some things of your mothers that I think you are now finally ready for."
She leads me to her chambers, and to a room of to the side of it, inside is a lightweight set of armor (Look to cover photo), and a hand and a half blade, much like the blade I had lost in Moria, except that it had an ornate and jeweled scabbard, I grabbed the blade, and drew it. Upon the blade, were many an Elf-Rune, it seemed to glow with a strange light.
"The blade is named Áramacil, the Blade of Dawn, wielded by your grandfather, forged in Gondolin. There is a story for this blade, in the first age, there was a great ambush of a group of elves, the commotion drew the attention of the small band of cavalry that was nearby, the dawn was not far, as the cavalry charged upon the goblins. As he drew his blade, the dawn broke, and light streamed and hit the blade, collecting somehow into it. That day he slew many of the horde, and after the battle, the blade retained its faint glow. Which lead to its being called the Dawn blade." She told me, as I put the blade back into its scabbard.
"It as well as the light armor belonged to your mother, and now they are yours, take them, and claim the legacy of your mother and leave the hatred that your father has behind. You will need it for tomorrow, you leave Lothlorien.
I look to her, and bow my head, "Thank you my lady, I cannot thank you enough for giving this to me."
"Go Arindil, and prove to those who doubt you, that you are not the heir of darkness, but the bringer of Dawn." She tells me, as several of her servants come in and help me take the armor back to my quarters.
Well that was this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. Please review and leave constructive critisism. Flames will be given to Arzuthon which will give him more strength. Signing off untill next time Nuin Griffondor