A/N: WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER: Gandalf is mourned by the Fellowship; they retreat to Lothlorien, and are greeted by their mysterious host; Frodo, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke take a look into a clairvoyant mirror.
I have no ownership over Naruto or over Lord of the Rings. Or better still, I could just visit Middle Earth for myself. That could be fun! :D
Please continue reviewing constructively and responsibly to this story xx
THE MIRROR OF GALADRIEL
"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift; that's why it's call the present." – Ancient Chinese Proverb
Outside was the Dimroll Dale Door; a direct access route into Moria that most of the Fellowship tumbled out of onto a grassy brilliantly sunlit hillside. Sasuke stood waiting anxiously for Naruto to emerge from within, having been dragged forcefully outside by Legolas when he realised Naruto had gone back to rescue Gandalf, and he'd gone after the idiot blonde.
Everybody was in various stages of grief; but the stubborn Uchiha was more concerned about whether or not he should wrap his lover up in a tight hold and never let him go, or kick his arse for scaring the living shit out of him and making him think that he had just martyred himself for the wrong reasons. However, the moment he saw Aragorn rushing out of the gate with an almost catatonic Naruto in tow, all thought of maiming the blonde disappeared. He rushed over to the two men.
"Naruto?" Sasuke called, grabbing him by the shoulder and trying to get him to focus. "Dobe?"
The blonde had a look of numb shock on his whiskered face. A look that mirrored that of Frodo who had to be forcibly removed by Boromir when he became completely hysterical. Sasuke pulled Naruto into a tight hug. His unique musky scent snapped Naruto back to the reality of their current situation, and the blonde instantly dissolved into tears as his legs gave way from underneath him, forcing Sasuke to hold him up as Naruto wept copiously into his shoulder, staining the dark blue velvet. Silent tears fell from the Uchiha's eyes that he tried to discreetly brush away; as members of the Uchiha clan were forbidden to show emotion in public. Aragorn, despite struggling to hold back tears of his own, knew that they needed to make tracks. Using a rag to clean sticky black goblin blood from his blade, he called out for attention.
"Legolas, get them up!" He said urgently to the Elf who was currently trying his best to console a sobbing Sakura. Boromir snapped his head up and gave Aragorn a scandalised glare.
"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" He said, his voice breaking as he wiped his own tears away.
Aragorn shook his head.
"By nightfall, these hills will be swarming with Orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlorien." He explained, as he walked around gently, but urgently coaxing Gimli and the hobbits to their feet.
"On your feet, Sam." Aragorn instructed, "Frodo?"
He finally spots him walking away from the group, as though in a daze. Naruto, who had finally cried himself out, walked over and clapped a hand on the Ranger's shoulder.
"I'll get him." He said, quietly.
Aragorn nodded, and moved off to round up everyone while Naruto quickly caught up with the distraught Ringbearer.
"Frodo," The hobbit turned. A small tear fell down his cheek, and Naruto forced himself to keep his own emotions in check as he approached his friend and crouched down to his level.
"You're going in the wrong direction." The blonde reminded him.
Frodo nodded, but stayed silent. He soon found himself pulled into a very warm body, and he instantly felt comfort. Frodo slowly returned the embrace. "We're gonna make it through this, Frodo. I promise, we'll make them pay." Naruto vowed.
Frodo nodded once again, before walking silently beside his friend as they caught up with the rest of the Fellowship, who waited patiently for the strange, unusual blonde ninja whom held a very dark secret that they witnessed first-hand back in the chamber to return with their charge.
Aragorn scours ahead of the company, as they stumble on in the fading sunlight. In the distance, they caught a glimpse of a large forest which Legolas and Aragorn both confirmed to be Lothlorien.
"This looks like a tamer, nicer version of the Forest of the Dead." Sakura whispered excitedly to Naruto and Sasuke.
Sasuke merely nodded but said nothing, while Naruto gave the forest a half-hearted appraisal, still licking his wounds from what he deemed his failure to prevent Gandalf from being killed by the Balrog, despite the others trying to convince him otherwise. It was clear somebody was to blame for the needless death; it just wasn't clear who it was. The Fellowship ran across a forest floor strewn with yellow flowers, and underneath a roof of golden leaves held up by silver tree trunks of huge grey trees. Gimli appeared to be nervous scoping out the area, holding his axe at the ready.
"Stay close, young hobbits … they say a Sorceress lives in these woods. An elf-witch of terrible power." Naruto's keen ears pricked up at this description, and he listened in intently. "All who look upon her fall under her spell…"
"Naruto…" The blonde nearly jumped out of his skin, earning a raised eyebrow from Sasuke and Sakura for his strange outburst.
His lover smirked.
"You getting paranoid, dobe?" Sasuke teased. Naruto ignored him, focusing upon the very familiar voice that whispered in his head.
"… Your arrival here brings me great joy, young one. We await your arrival." The voice continued. Naruto gulped.
"Mr. Frodo?"
Naruto glanced over at Sam who was staring at a very confused, and slightly frightened Frodo who was glancing around like he was. His eyes widened in understanding; the mysterious voice was talking to him too. Then he stopped dead in his tracks and glared at a nearby tree before raising his arms in the air in surrender.
"Well, here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily." Gimli declared, proudly. "I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox!"
Naruto snorted, unamused.
An arrow levelled itself in front of Gimli's face, and the dwarf froze in alarm. The Fellowship suddenly found themselves surrounded by armed elves who aimed deadly arrows at their heads. Their captain, whose name was Haldir, stepped forward looking at Gimli with distain.
"The dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the dark." Gimli scowled at Haldir, who rolled his eyes before focusing upon Naruto who gazed back with a stony defiance.
"You boy," He approached Naruto cautiously. "How did you know we were there?" He demanded curiously.
Naruto considered his answer.
"Because unlike Gimli over there, I actually do have the ears and natural instinct of a fox." He responded.
Haldir raised an eyebrow, "Indeed?"
The Fellowship were lead high into the trees, and deposited onto an elegant Mallorn leaf. It is now evening.
"Mae govannen, Legolas Thranduilion. (Welcome Legolas, son of Thranduil.)" Haldir bowed to Legolas respectfully, recognising him as a Prince.
Legolas nodded.
"Govannas von gwennen le, Haldir o Lorien. (Our Fellowship stands in your debt, Haldir of Lorien.)"
Haldir turned his attention towards Sakura who was standing ramrod straight beside Legolas, looking nervous, and nodded to her in greeting. He did likewise for Sasuke who nodded respectfully, and looked away; and smirked slightly at Naruto whom he viewed as a 'cocky little brat' because of his explanation back down on the forest floor. Naruto rolled his eyes, as Haldir moved on to Aragorn.
"A, Aragorn in Dunedain istannen le ammen. (Oh, Aragorn of the Dunedain, you are known to us.)" Aragorn bowed.
"Haldir."
Gimli was growing frustrated.
"So much for the legendary courtesy of the Elves! Speak words we can all understand!" He growled, earning even more distain from Haldir.
"We have not had dealings with the dwarves, since the dark days." Haldir observed, looking down his nose at Gimli.
"And do you know what this Dwarf says to that? Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul! (I spit upon your grave!)" Gimli sneered.
Haldir and Legolas glared at him as Aragorn slapped a reproachful hand on the dwarf's shoulder.
"That was not so courteous!"
Sakura turned to Legolas in confusion.
"What did Gimli say?"
"I spit on your grave." The elf whispered back in disgust.
Sakura reacted with anger and turned a disgusted glare at the dwarf who shrugged. Haldir then turned towards Sam and Frodo. It was then that Haldir reacted negatively and glared both at Aragorn and Frodo in outrage.
"You bring great evil with you!" Frodo instinctively clapped a hand on the Ring hidden underneath his shirt. Haldir turns to Aragorn. "You can go no further!" He said, and walked away as everyone turns to look at Frodo.
Aragorn hurries after him, talking avidly in quick muted elvish. Time passes as the Fellowship take a load off, and sits around waiting for Aragorn to persuade Haldir to let them pass. Legolas, who was sitting with Sakura, turns around and looks at Frodo who glances at Sam. Sam looked away sadly, as Merry and Pippin also look at Frodo and turn away. Naruto emphasised with Frodo who looked uncomfortable and very alone. He watched as Gimli turned to look at Aragorn and bowed his head as all of them listened to him argue with Haldir.
"Gandalf's death was not in vain. Nor would he have you give up hope." Boromir reminded Frodo who looked up at him in surprise. "You carry a heavy burden, Frodo. Don't carry the weight of the dead."
Naruto realised that Boromir was reminding Frodo that none of the Fellowship were feeling resentful towards him. None of them could've predicted that Gandalf would sacrifice himself to give all of them the chance to escape. The Fellowship became alert when Haldir walked up to Frodo, having finally agreed upon something if the triumphant expression on Aragorn's face said anything to the contrary. Haldir looked anything but happy.
"You will follow me."
Haldir leads the Fellowship onto a Hill Top that presented a breathtaking view of vast vista that was spread before them. A caravan of Elves leads them along a ridge, and through some golden woods. Several times Boromir looks over his shoulder at Frodo which raised the suspicion within Naruto and Sasuke. Several miles towards the South, a large hill rises out of the woods. Upon the hill rise, there were many might Mallorn trees – which were taller than any other tree and nestled high in the crown of the Mallorns, was a Beautiful City.
"Caras Galadhon. The heart of Elvendom on earth. Realm of the Lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, Lady of Light." Haldir heralded.
The city gleamed in the low rays of the late afternoon sunlight in greens, gold and silver. To the east of Caras Galadhon, the Woods of Lorien run down the pale gleam of Anduin, the great river. The land beyond the river appeared to be flat and empty, formless and vague, before it rose again like a dark and dreary wall. Inside Caras Galadhon, the moonlit night cast a blue glow upon a twisting stair about the trunk of a tree, past glimmering lights of silver and blue. Far above, the silhouetted shapes of the shadowy tree-branches loom. Passing numerous platforms, they come to a great palace in the trees, lit with silvery lights. A curving walkway lies before them, leading up a low stair to an archway.
The Fellowship gathered before the arch as Haldir stepped off to one side and turned towards a glowing couple who, hand in hand, descended to meet the Fellowship. They stared up at the couple in awe, and Naruto immediately felt intimidated. This woman was completely different to the person he had met in his dreams, and he knew that she knew this. Aragorn touched his head in greeting as the light dimmed and the Lord and Lady stopped before the Fellowship. Galadriel's baby blue eyes immediately focused upon both Naruto and Frodo as Celeborn steps forward to greet the group. His hair was long and silver, his face grave and beautiful, with no sign of age upon it.
He looked hard at Aragorn.
"The Enemy knows you have entered here. What hope you had in secrecy is now gone. Eleven there are here, yet twelve there were, set out from Rivendell."
The Fellowship awkwardly shuffled their feet.
"Tell me, where is Gandalf, for I much desire to speak with him." Galadriel scanned each face as her husband speaks, hovering the longest over Frodo and Naruto before settling on Aragorn, who looks up.
"I can no longer see him from afar." Celeborn commented. Galadriel's face fell when she realised what had happened.
"Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land." Her voice was soft, musical and almost ethereal. "He has fallen into shadow." Aragorn nodded slightly and Naruto turned away, tears falling down his cheeks.
Legolas looked up his face solemn.
"He was taken by both Shadow and Flame: a Balrog of Morgoth." Celeborn looked horrified.
"For we went needlessly into the net of Moria." Gimli flushed with guilt and bowed his head sadly. Galadriel smiled sadly.
"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life. We do not yet know his whole purpose."
Gimli sighed, drawing Galadriel's attention. He seemed strangely subdued and shy around this mysterious Elf.
"Do not let the great emptiness of Khazad-dum fill your heart, Gimli, son of Gloin." Gimli looked up at her words, "For the world has grown full of peril. And in all lands, love is now mingled with grief." Boromir, Sakura and Sasuke all looked at Galadriel.
The proud Stewart's son was blinking and swallowing hard as Galadriel stared back. Boromir eventually looked away from her, weeping. Sakura and Sasuke flinched in shock, indicating to Naruto that she was now speaking telepathically in their heads. By their reactions, what Galadriel was saying to them hurt a great deal; because Sasuke was now glaring resentfully at the Elf and Sakura had tears brimming in her eyes, but they weren't tears of sorrow or despair, but incomprehension.
"What now becomes of this Fellowship? Without Gandalf, hope is lost." Celeborn questioned. Galadriel nodded in agreement.
"The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fall, to the ruin of all." This was a clear warning, and everybody knew it. Boromir looked back at her, unsure.
"Yet hope remains while company is true." Galadriel's eyes settle upon both Sam and Naruto. Both looked at her quizzically as she smiles.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight you will sleep in peace." Galadriel's voice fades away as she gazes at both Frodo and Naruto. Both immediately hear her whispering in their heads.
"Welcome to Cere Galadhon, Naruto, Shinobi of the Leaf… your true quest begins now!"
Gimli, Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke, Merry, Pippin, Frodo and Sam found themselves in a pavilion set among the trees near a fountain. They reclined on soft couches, enjoying platters of food and wine the Elves had set out for them. Boromir sits apart from the group, sitting alone on a great tree root. Mournful singing drifts down from the tree canopies above them. Legolas approaches them, carrying a silver pitcher full of chilled fresh water from a nearby stream. He stops to listen to the song, and smiles sadly.
"A Lament for Gandalf…" He revealed.
Merry sits up, interestedly. Aragorn approaches and takes a seat in the pavilion next to Gimli who had drifted asleep. He begins sharpening his sword.
"What do they say about him?" Merry asks. Legolas shuts down.
"I have not the heart to tell you. For me the grief is still too near."
He takes his seat nearby Sakura; she and Legolas had grown closer in the wake of the tragedy of Moria, having both feared losing the other in their haste to flee. Sam turns down his bed, and turns to Merry.
"I bet they don't mention his fireworks. There should be a verse about them." He frowns deep in thought before he stands up. "The finest rockets ever seen, they burst in stars of blue and green…" Aragorn starts when Gimli lets out a loud snore. "Or after thunder… silver showers…" Annoyed, Aragorn swats at Gimli, causing the dwarf to let out a grunt of surprise, but it stops the snoring. Sam continues his spontaneous recital,
"Came falling like a rain of flowers…" He squatted down again, feeling foolish. "Oh, that doesn't do them justice by a long road."
Later on, the Fellowship are sleeping on their beds with Gimli snoring loudly. Naruto sits up from where he was lying comfortably on Sasuke's chest, cuddling up to him and using the Uchiha as a giant teddy bear. He glares at Gimli before deciding that sleep with a lost cause, and sits up completely. Not too far away from where the Fellowship were sleeping, bare feet tread soundlessly across the lawn. Frodo wakes up and spies Galadriel, standing at a distance looking directly at him. She was dressed in a gossamer fine white dress that glowed in the moonlight. She turned and walked away, stirring up curiosity in Frodo who got up and followed. He never noticed Naruto, who immediately nudged Sasuke and Sakura awake. Before they could inflict bodily harm on the blonde for prematurely waking them up, Naruto indicated to Frodo who was quickly moving out of sight.
"Where is he going?" Sakura whispered as she sat up, and wiped the sleep from her eyes.
"I vote we find out," said Naruto, who immediately got to his feet and jogged after the hobbit.
Sasuke rolled his eyes and followed with Sakura. Galadriel lead Frodo to a small glade. Upon a low stone pedestal, carved like a branching tree, sits a shallow silver basin. Galadriel glides down a small stone staircase and fills a silver pitcher with water from a stream. As though expecting to see him there, Galadriel turns and smiles at Frodo. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke caught up to the glade and hid out of sight of both Frodo and Galadriel in true shinobi style: underneath a nearby bush.
"Will you look into the mirror?" asked Galadriel with an air of eerie calmness about her.
Frodo - and unbeknownst to him; Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke - frowned suspiciously. They were still very wary about this 'Lady of Light' who seemed to know everything about them. Even things that they were unaware of. Frodo maintained a cautious distance from her as he replied.
"What will I see?"
Galadriel smiled, "Even the wisest cannot tell."
She 'glided' over to the stone pedestal and slowly poured the water from the silver pitcher into the basin,
"For the mirror… shows many things. Things that were… things that are." She finished pouring the water into the basin, which Frodo and the shinobi could see was filled to the brim with water.
"And some things ..." Here her lovely, youthful face suddenly hardened and she narrowed her eyes warningly at Frodo. "That have not yet come to pass." Then she stepped back and gestured for Frodo to take a peek.
"Do not touch the water." She warned.
The shinobi watched as Frodo's face, at first remained confused, before the hobbit's blue eyes widened with wonder at what he was seeing. This went for some time before Frodo suddenly recoiled in horror and found himself being pulled closer and closer to the water's surface. The Ring emerged from Frodo's shirt and dangles dangerously close to the water's surface before Frodo grabs it and jerks back, throwing himself off the step and landing on the grass. Galadriel's face was cold and serious. She seemed unmoved, untouched by the horror Frodo had seen in the mirror.
"I know what it is you saw… for it is also in my mind." She said nothing more, and the shinobi knew that she was speaking telepathically with Frodo.
Galadriel looks at Frodo intensely, causing the hobbit to look down at the Ring in his hand then back up at her. He then slowly reaches out the Ring towards Galadriel whose eyes lit up with excitement. Alarm bells pealed madly in Naruto's head.
"Like hell!" He whispered and moved to intercept Frodo, but Sasuke jerked him back in place, much to his lover's shock. "What are you doing?!" Naruto demanded, but Sasuke wordlessly pointed to Galadriel who suddenly seemed to rise in stature before their eyes.
Sakura and Frodo shrank back in horror.
"In place of the Dark Lord, you would have a Queen, not dark, but beautiful and terrible as the dawn. Treacherous as the sea! Stronger than the foundations of the earth … all shall love me and despair!" Naruto is officially freaked, and Sasuke is on edge as both try to comfort a visibly shaking Sakura. Galadriel suddenly laughs and becomes herself again, dressed in her glowing white finery. Her voice had become soft and sad.
Then she smiles.
"I pass the test." She whispers to herself, gently. "I will diminish and go into the west and remain Galadriel." Frodo appears to shrink in on himself.
"I cannot do this alone."
Galadriel smiles fondly at Frodo.
"You are a Ringbearer, Frodo… to bear a ring of power is to be alone." She walks over to him and tilts his head up to make him look her in the eyes. "This task was appointed to you, Frodo Baggins, and if you do not find a way … no one will." Naruto frowns when he sees Frodo's eyes widen with realisation.
What are you thinking, Frodo… Naruto fretted, not comprehending what was unfolding before him.
"I know what I must do. It's just… I'm afraid to do it." He admitted. Galadriel smiled sympathetically.
"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future."
After Frodo went back to the Fellowship's campsite, reflecting upon what he had to do next, Galadriel remained in the glade.
"You need not hide from me. I might have the solution to your predicament." Galadriel called out.
The shinobi reluctantly came out from hiding and walked down the stone staircase into Galadriel's glade. They approached the pedestal reluctantly. Galadriel turned and smiled at them serenely. Whatever she had experienced after Frodo had offered her the One Ring had changed her from being cold, aloof and mysterious, to how Legolas appeared; quiet, but calm and wise - as though she had seen it all. Sasuke immediately got to the point.
"Why were we brought here?" He demanded, ignoring the hurt and anguished looks he was getting from Naruto and Sakura. Galadriel adopted a patient smile; the kind only mothers had when they attempted to correct their children.
"There is a prophecy that foretold the arrival of three powerful warriors with unique abilities and personalities, who would arrive from a distant land to help defeat the greatest evil to ever darken Middle Earth."
Sakura and Naruto exchanged bewildered glances between them, while Sasuke scowled.
"We were brought here on purpose. But why us?" asked Sakura. Galadriel smiled, and went to stand opposite the pedestal like she had done with Frodo.
"Will you look into the mirror?" She asked mysteriously.
Sakura summoned her courage and went first, looking nervously into the water. Like Galadriel had told Frodo before, the mirror revisited their past, present and future. With Sakura, the mirror revealed when she was a shy little girl, self-conscious of her overly enlarged forehead and trying desperately to fit in and be popular. Of her days in the Academy, when she achieved top marks and tried to catch the eye of Sasuke, and when she was a part of Team Seven and going through Sasuke's defection and overcoming great odds to get to where she was.
The mirror reminded Sasuke of his childhood: both the happy memories and of the massacre. Of how that one event changed him dramatically, and helped become the person he had become. But it was Naruto's past that was the most painful to relive – and he was ashamed that he had to share this with Galadriel. What the three of them hadn't realised was that their present and futures were exactly the same.
"Your future is a warning. One you must heed if you desire to return home. You must not allow it to pass." Galadriel urged.
Their future foretold an image of the Shire; once a lush and beautiful rolling country hillside, in ruins. Buildings were burning… bodies strewn about… dark shapes of Orcs looting and destroying… the Party Tree hacked down…images of Sasuke and Sakura being cut down and killed… the hobbits, including Sam, Merry and Pippin enslaved… and the image of a feral, bloodied Naruto in partial Kyuubi-mode standing next to a dark foreboding figure whom the three shinobi assumed was a fully restored Sauron; and on Sauron's ring finger was the One Ring.
Naruto was the one the most disturbed by this predicted future. What kind of purpose could he possibly have being by Sauron's side?
"You must protect Frodo at all costs. This Fellowship will fail, and it will be up to you overcome the evil that will destroy them."
The three of them gave their solemn promise.
A/N: This was a long chapter to write. I hope I haven't rambled. I found writing Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke's mirror visions difficult to write, so I apologise if they sucked.
I'm on a roll with this story, so the next chapter shouldn't take too long to write and put out.
I'm also planning on making this story into a trilogy, following all three of the Lord of the Rings stories. I hope that this makes any readers out there excited.
TTFN xx