The leaves rustled in unrest as the elven princess grew more and more restless in her thoughts. She had crossed the river, nearing the outskirts of her forest and settled in a forgotten tree platform. There she had lain silently, resenting her parents and willing her thoughts to become daggers that would slit their throats.
Hours had passed and still she refused to give the location away. People had come and gone beneath the golden rooftop, some of them seeking her whereabouts. The trees made sure to conceal her as they sensed her unease. She was the colour of the trees: her hair a deep gold, much deeper than that of her mothers; her skin pale and creamy, a whiter version of the bark of the forest often compared to ivory; her eyes the vivid green of the leaves in summer or the mossy, velvety grass that covered the Earth's floor. Most of her kin would prove a struggle to sight amongst the treetops but Galadhwen could not be seen, even by the sharpest of eyes.
The last rays of the sun warmed her skin before darkness fell across the sky. Lanterns appeared, radiating a faint light throughout her forest. It would be easier to find her once the night had fell. Her hair still shone gold in the night, darkness did not seem to fall upon it. It did not illuminate like a lantern but rather shadow could not fall upon it. This caused it to stand out bright against her blanket of leaves, masking her an easy target.
She knew it would be some time before she was to be searched for again so she decided to replenish herself. In the four trees she would escape to, Galadhwen had stored supplies preparing for a variety of possibilities. Upon searching the tree for her cloak and food she soon realised that she had not the slightest idea as to where they may be located. She remembered thinking it well to hide her necessities in case anyone discovered the tree platform, they would deem it abounded if there was no food or water there. That was all she could remember. Hunger was starting to drill into her and she felt the effects on her body of the missing sun and the now icy wind. She had been gone for the entire day; deep in her thoughts and neglecting the world outside of her reflections and her trees.
The trees soon realised her dilemma and decided to solve the puzzle for the weary girl. They managed to draw her attention to a particular nook in the flawless bark. Once she was looking, a lone leaf fell upon the place where the objects were hidden. Galadhwen smiled and thanked the forest as she discovered the long needed lembas and her heavy, green winter cloak. She engulfed herself in the robe and hungrily ate the wafers.
Satisfied with her physical condition, Galadhwen suddenly longed to hear the melodic murmuring of Nimrodel. She loved the river like she loved the trees but the connection was not as strong. She could not always understand why the river would act a certain way, the trees however always made sense. She had been told that her hair cascaded as Nimrodel does but she had always dismissed the fact. Her hair was not as majestic and beautiful as her mother's or even her sister's. As a child she had longed to have locks like Galadriel, her own hair was a richer colour but it would always pale in the light of her mother's. Galadhwen did not covet being her mother but she often wished to have hair like her's. Celebrían had inherited the majestic locks but the forest had taken it away from Galadhwen. It insisted she resembled it, despite her longings.
Galadhwen made her way through the woods silently, which was largely due to the aid she received from the forest. She quickly reached the river Nimrodel without sighting anyone or anyone sighting her. She was nearing the banks, hearing the melody of the rushing water when she identified a voice that she had not encountered before.
She began to hurt with the curiosity at discovering a stranger. It burned within her, needing her to know who the voice was and why it was in her forest. Something held her back from giving into the curiosity. There was a war formulating inside her, the armies stabbing at her heart and mind. She could gain her freedom but she may endanger the forest and those who dwelt there. At last she came to a conclusion.
Silently, the girl moved closer to the voice but was careful as to not reveal her position. She was near the outermost edges of the woods. It was possible that it was not even an elf in her woods but some other creature she had only been told tales of. The voice became louder and it was clear that it was an elf's voice, a male elf. It was far too fluent to be any other creature but it was not an elf she recognised. The voice was telling the tale of Nimrodel and her lover, yet Galadhwen could not hear who he may be telling it to; she strained her ears and detected the breathing of more beings. There definitely was at least one other, as his breathing was tremendously loud, she counted another two more distinct breathing patterns and counted another four that were a little less distinctive. She was unsure as to the precise number of the four but predicted it to be eight in number, including the elf.
Her curiosity begot the best of her and she found a branch in which she could see what was happening below. She found there to be eight beings, all of a variety of species which puzzled her. She could not identify the smaller beings but the rest appeared to resemble what legends she knew of the outside world.
Forgetting the intruders, Galadhwen became entranced by the murmuring water and the beautiful voice recounting the old tale. She had always believed that Nimrodel was not legend but history. It was highly possible, despite what the elders had told her, that Nimrodel was indeed the river. No one denied that Galadwhen was Lothlórien so why should Nimrodel be denied of being a river and an elf. The legend was favoured by Galadwhen because of it's relevance to her own life. The voice soon concluded with the melancholy ending leaving the company in a reverent silence.
"I have heard a legend similar to yours, Legolas." a deep, coarse voice cut the atmosphere, "it is of an elf like Nimrodel. This elf is believed to be the princess of these woods and she is told to be an embodiment of Lothlórien." These words startled Galadhwen. They were talking of her as though she was a mere myth, a legend he had called it. She was most certainly real and not a whimsical fancy of the elves.
"Aye, we have the tale of Galadhwen in my home. I have heard that she holds the powers of Nenya, one of the three rings." The elf, presumably named Legolas, replied.
"The legends claim that she is fairer than Galadriel and more powerful than the White Council combined."
Here the dwarf piped in, "I have not seen the Lady Galadriel but her representation of being beautiful is well known. I do know how great the White Council is. I doubt that any elf could be that magnificent. Where do your people imagine these tales, Legolas?" Here Galadhwen nearly fell off her perch in both shock and rage. She was a living thing, she was not a mere creation of the imagination. She wanted to show that abhorred dwarf the untruth in his words. The tres knew a confrontation would not end well and held onto her, calming her senses.
"It is unsure whether or not she is real, Gimli. It is told that she is not allowed to leave the forest, if she does so she and the forest will die. Only the elves who dwell in Lothlórien know of her existence, if she does indeed exist. She is forever trapped amongst this fair land where time does not seem to pass and the world rages on around it."
"Real indeed. If you can prove her existence to me I will believe it and I will owe you a drink but until then you can keep you legends just that, legends."
"Mr Frodo, do you think she is real? The elf princess I mean. I sure would like to meet her if she is." one of the smaller, unidentifiable creatures asked of another one of his race.
"I wouldn't know Sam but if we stay here a while you may get to find out for yourself."
"More powerful than the White Council?" the other man said, the one who had not yet spoken.
"Aye, Boromir, it is a strange tale but if she holds the powers of the White Ring without possessing it she holds great power indeed."
"Do you suppose she is more powerful than?" with this he nodded his head to the one named Frodo.
"If it was a mere halfling possessing the ring then yes but if Sauron were to take his form and wear it then he would crush her quite easily." the other man replied.
"That is another reason why she is hidden from the world. If she fell into the hands of Sauron, or one like him, Middle Earth would be in great peril." Legolas replied.
"Perhaps, we should throw her into Mount Doom." chuckled the dwarf.
Galadhwen began to fall out of the tree at this point. She could not process what she had heard. Her first encounter with outside life had been sickening. They did not believe she was real and wanted to throw her to her death. Perhaps it was better that she was left to be with her woods.
The tree managed to catch her as she fell, saving her the trouble of meeting the company of intruders. Panic began to rise in her throat, they wanted to use her power and kill her. This was not possible. She had not done them any wrong so why should they wrong her. Galadhwen knew she had to inform her parents of the invasion. She began to silently make her way though the treetops until she reached her parents' chambers. She did not wait for a guard but rushed into find both hr mother and father sitting, discussing.
Breathless, Galadhwen began to interrupt whatever was going on before she entered, "Quick! They have come for me. They have come into the forest unwelcome. They are invaders."
"Where have you been for the day, Galadhwen? We have had guards searching for you." Celeborn inquired, his daughter's incoherent flow of sentences not affecting him in the slightest.
"I have been with the trees all day." She replied, remembering whom she was speaking to.
"It is always the trees with you dear, isn't it?" Galadriel muttered.
"At least they respect me." Galadhwen retorted. "But you must do something. I was visiting Nimrodel when I discovered a company of intruders."
"Why where you that far out, Galadhwen? You know you must not venture near the outskirts."
"Mother, I heard them talking about me. They intend to kill me. The dwarf said that I should be thrown into Mount Doom. You must do something about them before the forest and I are killed."
"A dwarf in Lothlórien? This must be ended, immediately." With that Celeborn summoned Haldir. "Near the banks of Nimrodel, a party has arrived in our woods. You are to venture there swiftly, capture them and bring them here. I need them alive for my purposes. We must rid Lothlórien of this vermin."