Chapter 13 A Reflection Of A Lie

After Winifred's conversation with Frodo, she leisurely strolled back to her loft, needing a rest for her leg, and a late lunch. In the afternoon Aragorn paid her a visit.

"Lady Winifred." Aragorn said as he walked around the screen and entered the space. Winifred smiled, getting up and offering Aragorn a seat next to her on the couch.

"What a pleasant surprise Aragorn, I haven't had a second alone with you since I've arrived." Winifred gave her friend a warm smile. Aragorn had been so conflicted with where to lead the group. He became the unspoken leader after Gandalf's fall. Now he was not sure on the route to take. He desperately wanted to go to Gondor and help unite and re-inspire his people in the fight against the evil knocking on their door… but to lead the ring to the city seemed like a folly, and Aragorn did not want to lead the fellowship astray. In many ways, the breaking of the fellowship relieved him of this burden. Allowing him to do what he does best…track and open the friendship between the white city and the horse lords again.

"The fellowship has decided to leave tomorrow and continue its journey south." Aragorn said to Winifred.

"I figured as much. Its time to get back on the road." Winifred said to Aragorn. Aragorn had deep lines forming in his forehead.

"If only we knew which road to take." Aragorn said in a sigh. "I do not know what path Gandalf intended for Frodo."

"Well you have some time before you have to decided. Follow the river until that time comes. Stay on the western shores though, the east is patrolled by Orcs." Winifred offered advice. Aragorn of course already knew all this, having traveled this path when he captured Gollum and marched him to the woodland elves of Mirkwood for captivity.

"When shall you leave, Lady Winifred?" Aragorn asked.

"Soon, my leg is almost back to normal. Then Almund and myself will head for Rohan." Winifred smiled at Aragorn.

"Ah, you must be looking forward to returning home." He said in empty words, manners prevailing as always. Winifred gave him flash of a smile.

"Yes, actually. I am nervous for what awaits, but I'm confident everything will be sorted by spring." Winifred rushed out, "Aragorn you must know, Gandalf saw you as a true friend and a most trusted confidant. Please believe me. He spoke to you of things he never told another living sole of. In many ways, you knew his thoughts better then most. Please do not stress about what Gandalf would do, he would want you to follow your instincts, they have always been true." Aragorn did not change his features but Winifred could see the burden lifting off his shoulders.

"Your words do bring me comfort, Lady Winifred. If I were his most trusted confident, you would be his reason to hope. He always spoke very highly of you, and for reasons unknown to myself and many, you brought him hope during these dark days." Aragorn told Winifred, putting a gently hand on hers. Naked sentiments like these only seemed to be openly said when a life was cut short. Aragorn was bringing comfort to Winifred, as she had to him. Winifred was in no need of comfort though; she was only waiting for Gandalf the white to be brought back to life.

The next day Winifred woke early and wandered down to the fellowships encampment with Almund. All were awake and gathering their equipment. Elves had been sent from Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn to guide them to the meeting of the two rivers. Each member was given an Elven cloak, made personally by Lady Galadriel and her maids.

"It feels like water running through my fingers, Lady Winifred." Pippen said to Winifred and Merry as she helped the hobbits place it around their small frame. The material reminded Winifred of her beautiful midnight blue dress.

"Yes. But just like the elf said. These will help you keep hidden, you remember that, ok Pippen? Whether you're surround by stone or in a forest, these can shield you from wandering eyes." Winifred thought of Fangorn as she said these words, and the Orc that would chase young Pippen and Merry deeper into the woods. "Which knowing you and Merry, will come to great use."

"We are more likely to be left behind with these on." Merry said, while he and Pippen began testing out the new fabric. Sam came up to Winifred, he seemed sorry to be living behind Winifred.

"Will you be leaving for home soon, Lady Winifred?" Sam asked Winifred. She put an arm around his shoulders.

"I hope to be leaving soon, yes. They will be wondering what's delayed me." She told the hobbit.

"Well, I will miss your company, Lady Winifred." Sam mumbled out. Winifred smiled widely down to the gentle hobbit and gave his shoulders a squeeze.

"We will meet again. I am almost certain of it. So, until that time. Remember to mind you master. He will need your strength Sam, more then he will realize." Winifred gifted Sam with these parting words. Sam nodded and wandered off to see to Frodo and Winifred drifted to Gimli and Legolas.

"It is a shame you are not well enough to travel in our company, Lady Winifred. Your company would be welcomed and agreeable on such a long journey." Gimli said as he waited for the rest of the fellowship. Legolas was standing close by, stoic as always.

"I am happy to be left behind, since I get to reside in Lothlorien for a little long. No better place to be unwell in." Winifred smiled at the dwarf.

"Oh, do not tease me so. I feel my feet ready to lead on, yet I fear my heart will remain here with the lady of the wood, for no jewel in all of Middle Earth will move my heart again." Gimli said in a sadden voiced, he had been so moved by Lady Galadriel. Legolas smiled down at his companion, Gimli's growth of his opinion of elves had been so changed by the Lady, Legolas was glad to see the it.

"And who says dwarves have no tongue for poetry, a regular Shakespeare if ever I heard!" Winifred said in a laugh. "Have you enjoyed your time among your people, Legolas?" Winifred asked the elf.

"Yes, It has been a long time since any of my kin have encountered the elves of Lothlorien. Such light they live by. The heart of Elfdom indeed. I will look upon my short time here with great warmth." Legolas said. "I am sorry I have not seen the wood in the days of old."

"I am eager to be on my way to Gondor." Boromir said coming to join the conversation. He looked exhausted, as if he had no rest while in Lothlorien. Winifred knew he was pushing for the ring to come to his city of Minas Tirith, but that would be a death wish for Middle Earth. Boromir would give in to the power of the ring and meet his end. This would be Winifred last time seeing Boromir, and while he had changed for the darker while he's been around the presence of the Ring, Winifred knew that he was a good man and she was at a lost of what to say to a dead man walking.

"Boromir, I am glad that you are finally on your way home again." Winifred said to the doomed man. Boromir smiled.

"Yes, and you must come to visit the White City when the evil has been batted down. I will host a ball just for your coming, and you will see the spender of Gondor in all its glory." Boromir boosted. The image that was brought to Winifred mind was a happy image. Boromir laughing in his halls, surrounded by joy and celebration. Winifred wanted this picture of Boromir to be lasting in her head. If only Boromir could be there to enjoy the victory celebrations. But he had to die for his madness. Winifred had been feeling sick to her stomach over this decision. To change the path of Boromir's end would change the events of the breaking of the fellowship. The fellowship needed to break. While Frodo and Sam traveled to Mordor. The rest of the surviving fellowship would see to opening the way for Frodo, and rallying the free peoples of Middle Earth to fight back.

"It is time to go." Aragorn called out to the members of the fellowships with an important looking elf next to him. Aragorn came up to Winifred. "Safe journey to Rohan, Lady Winifred. I hope your borders have not grown more dangerous in your absence." Aragorn gave her hand a swift kiss.

"Until we met again." She said to Aragorn. Boromir also gave her hand a lingering kiss. Frodo came up to Winifred.

"Farewell, Lady Winifred." He said in a monotone. Winifred leaned down and gave his cheek a kiss.

"Goodbye, brave one. Remember, nothing is impossible. The word itself says I'm possible." Winifred said goodbye to rest of the members, giving kisses on the cheeks of all the hobbits as they left. The fellowship would walk ten miles to where the silverlode and the river Auduin met, before having a farewell luncheon with the Lord and the Lady of the Wood. Winifred watched as the eight members of the fellowship disappeared between the large silver mallorn trees, all trending on the same path, but not for much longer. Winifred felt moisture gather in her eyes when she thought of Boromir.

"My lady, are you well?" Almund asked stepping up to his charge. Winifred whipped away an escaped tear.

"Almund, do you ever get a feeling like your seeing someone for the last time? Like in your gut. You just know that you will never see that person again?" She asked her loyal companion as she started aimlessly walking among the otherworldly trees.

"Yes, often before a battle is to take place. In battle, there is always a cost in lives, and the cost comes at a high price. Taking the good, and innocent, leaving men who have become numb to such emotions." Almund said in a hallow voice by Winifred's side. Winifred glanced up at Almund, who had no emotion playing across his face. How many comrades has he seen cut down and killed before his eyes. Maybe that explained his cool exterior.

"I fear that Boromir's mind has been yielding to the power of the ring, and it will cause his death. This makes me sad, because I know him to be good man, only wanting to protect his people." She said.

"Let us hope, that he will overcome the temptation." Almund said.

"No, he won't." Winifred said finishing the conversation. "Lets go for a long walk. I need to get my strength back if we are to make it back to Rohan." Winifred and Almund wandered through the woods for the next few hours. At twilight an elf sought out Winifred and Almund. Winifred was summoned to see Lady Galadriel. Almund was politely asked to stay behind, only Winifred was requested.

The Elf led Winifred to the base of the tallest and widest mallorn tree in all of Caras Galadhon. Mallorn trees had long, sturdy branches that went horizontally, until the end when they would turn up towards the sky. This pattern continued to the topmost part of the tree where the trunk broke off to many limps and formed a crown in the middle. Here in the tallest, widest tree in all of Lothlorien, was the home of Lord and Lady of the wood. A majestically grand wooden house was naturally crafted on the crown of the mallorn tree, looking as natural as can be.

"Welcome, Lady Winifred, Elfwine, the Blessed Queen of Rohan. Many titles you have been given, what titles have you yet to receive?" Lady Galadriel said in her ethereal voice, as Winifred entered the home and into a reception area. Lady Galadriel was seated on a high back chair.

Lady Galadriel was a vision, with gleaming gold hair, with shots of silver running though it. She looked no older then Winifred, but held herself with an air of wisdom and power. She was ethereal in her beauty, unattainable, she did not belong to Middle Earth, she was greater then the dull world around her. Lady Galadriel was the highest elf left in Middle Earth, and the bearer of one of the three rings of power. Her own ring of power, Nenya, was the ring of water. Though it was concealed so Winifred saw nothing adorn on her fingers.

"One could say the same about yourself, Lady Galadriel." Winifred answered, Lady Galadriel gave a ghost of a smile.

"Many question you have Winifred, and yet you hold all the answers for all the questions of middle earth." Lady Galadriel said. The air was thick, Lady Galadriel was one of the most powerful beings in middle earth, including being able to see into peoples mind. Winifred was hesitant to make a miss step, since the secrets of Middle Earths future was trapped in her mind.

"Can you answer any of them?" Winifred stepped forward to ask the Lady of the Wood, who serenely sat on a high backed chair, she sat so still you would think she was a statue.

"Many things I have seen. I saw your coming in my mirror, many years ago." Winifred's mind was brought back to the book, Lady Galadriel possessed a mirror that she could use to see the past, present, and future, but not all things that are seen happen, the mirror shows possible future's. "It was 500 years ago that I saw you for the first time, Winifred. Many times have I seen you since. It was I, who started the legend of the Blessed Queen. I knew that when you came to Middle Earth it would be a forewarning of the evil days ahead. Middle earth has been suspended in an impasse. I saw the day when the ring would need to be destroyed to vanquish the evil stirring in the east." Lady Galadriel said to Winifred. Winifred was momentarily startled. Winifred started stuttering out words before Lady Galadriel continued.

"It was I who alerted Mithrandir to your appearance, and with your coming evil tidings have been heard from all corners of Middle Earth." Lady Galadriel used Gandalf's elfish name. "I sent him to your aid in Helms Deep, and I have been watching over you since.

"Not all is known to me, one thing was apparent, you were sent here to ensure the downfall of Sauron. You were sent by the same powers that sent Mithrandir over from the west, with the same purpose, and once the task as been complete, only then will you be able to leave these lands." Lady Galadriel said in her mysterious voice. "And if Sauron is defeated, peace and prosperity will come to all in Rohan as I have seen in the mirror, though I fear hope is dwindling." Lady Galadriel finished with a woeful voice.

"What else do you know? Why me?" Winifred demanded of Lady Galadriel.

"I only see, I do not know the purpose of all. Many pieces are moving; many are outside our control, Winifred. In time, all will be revealed." Lady Galadriel said. Winifred was disappointed, to come so close to answering all the questions that had been burning away within her. While Lady Galadriel had answered many questions, she wished she knew why she had landed in Middle Earth, and exactly how to get back home. Lady Galadriel gazed at her as if she was hearing all of Winifred's inner turmoil.

"Ugh, I don't have time for your riddles, Lady Galadriel! Time means different things to you and I. A lifetime for me is only a long afternoon for you. Let me look into the mirror." Winifred said. "At least, let me see what's to happen here. Maybe, I can get some answers in there." Winifred pleaded with Lady Galadriel, holding eye contact with her for a long moment. Longer then most would dare.

"And if you see your future in Middle Earth, would you still be searching for an unanswerable question? I see your heart Winifred, if I did hold the answers you seek, would you leave him forever?" Lady Galadriel posed this silent question to Winifred. Shame washed over Winifred, as she turned to look away. Even if she could go home right now, she wouldn't. She was tied to Middle Earth and its endeavors, tied tighter then a lovers embrace. Lady Galadriel was right, even if she knew everything, nothing would change. And while she had grown used to the idea of living forever in Middle Earth, she never believed that she would not have a choice in the matter. Winifred always had a choice in her life, and for that to be taken away from her, by mysterious beings outside Middle Earth was a hard pill to swallow.

Lady Galadriel stood. "Follow me." Caught up in her own chaos, Winifred blindly followed Lady Galadriel back down to the forest floor. They passed the fountain she had conversed with Frodo, and into a small clearing.

The Mirror laid flat on a stone podium with intricate carvings, centered in the middle of a clearing. Winifred approached it and looked in. It has a stark sensation, for a moment Winifred thought she saw herself years ago, back home, before the image settled on the current image of Winifred, the shield maiden. Water started pouring in. Winifred looked to see Lady Galadriel holding a silver pitcher.

"You know of my mirror, I only warn you that you may not agree with what is shown to you." Lady Galadriel finished and stepped back, coolly as ever. Winifred took a deep breath without realizing it and looked down into the curious mirror.

It was a odd phenomenon. Having experience with television and film, it was a different experience altogether. Pictures moved across her view quickly, some images held longer then others. Not all images were unknown to her.

In the first few moments of flashes she saw glimpses of her life. Sitting on her fathers lap, with a scraped knee crying at a young age, her first day of high school, the moment she met Denny and their first kiss, her mothers 50th birthday party. These images brought warmth to her heart, seeing her loved ones again in such detail. Her Fathers devotion, Her mother's kind eye, Denny's humorous half smile.

More images flashed forward of her time in Middle Earth, standing on the wall of Helms Deep with Eomer, sparing with Eowyn, Eomer pulling her into the alcove, waking up in Rivendell. After this the organization of the images changed. Soon the images lost any sense of purpose.

Winifred saw herself in a cave wearing armor drenched in black blood, then she saw herself in a white hospital room attached to many wires. Next, Eomer was sleeping on a bed in a room of grey stone, then she was in bed with Eomer standing next to her holding a baby. This imagine vanished to show Winifred lying still in a field with blood oozing out of her mouth, a sinister looking Orc hovering over her with a rudimentary sword in hand. The image changed and she saw Eomer was intimately talking to a beautiful dark haired woman on a secluded balcony, then Winifred was in full armor riding a horse next to Aragorn, it switched to Eomer in the golden hall standing next to the dark haired woman, crowns on their heads. Another image replaced this, Winifred was wearing a white dress and walking down an aisle to Denny. She then saw a log house in the middle of the woods, Winifred stepped out of a car when a small boy ran into her arms. The imagine was taken away and replaced with an aged Eomer dying in bed with an aged Winifred holding his hand. Next Winifred saw the dark haired woman pregnant with a small child resting on her lap, Eomer seated next to them on his throne.

"NO!" Winifred ripped her eyes from the mirror, pushing her self away from the confusion. "NO!" Winifred said again through ragged breath. Her blood was boiling with jealously. Who was that woman. And yet on the other hand a day she had often dream of during another time she saw play out, Winifred walking down a long aisle to Denny. Winifred could make no sense of the images, because from the images she also saw glimpse of her life with Eomer. A child, they would have a child, and grow old. Then the image of Winifred dying on a battlefield sprang to her mind. Nothing she had seen during that last grouping of images was certain. For her death was shown, a life Eomer would lead without her, a life they would lead together, and a life Winifred thought she had left behind. Maybe it was not in her past as she had long since decided.

"Many things have yet to be decided, Lady Winifred." Lady Galadriel said. Winifred did not hear Lady Galadriel, stepping away from the disturbing looking glass and muttering to her self.

"I thought Gandalf had said I was going to survive this, because I was already written into history? Where is he!" Winifred said in agitation. Wanting to question Gandalf about this turn of events. Gandalf knew more then he told Winifred, He never mentioned Lady Galadriel's involvement with the legend of the Blessed Queen. How much had he kept from her? Winifred felt betrayed. "You asshole!" she blurted out in fury.

"You know something of Mithrandir?" Lady Galadriel said, looking upon Winifred with suspicion. Winifred tried to redirect her thoughts but it was too late, her thoughts where consumed with giving Gandalf a piece of her mind the next time she saw him. "He is alive!" Lady Galadriel turned to the west, perceiving something that was far outside Winifred's eyesight. Lady Galadriel called from something. A moth floated down to her. Lady Galadriel whispered rushed words to the small creature and it disappeared again into the foliage. "He has been reborn, and in need for care!" Lady Galadriel rejoiced.

Lady Galadriel left after this, the knowledge that Gandalf was alive brought a sudden light back to her eyes, and she left Winifred to prepare for his arrival. Winifred had a splitting head ache and silently walked back to her loft, and fell into uneasy sleep, tormented by the images of Lady Galadriel's mirror. Almund had been concerned for Winifred when she had appeared the next morning.

"What has the Witch Queen done to you, my lady. You are pale and look ill." Almund said with concern, he looked ready to cut down the Lady of the wood on the spot. "I knew we should have avoided here. These woods are evil." Winifred calmed Almund with a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"No, Almund. She has done nothing, but reveal information to me that I thought I wanted to know. But I now regret my decision. It was foolish." Winifred did not say anything else on the topic, and Almund being the noble guard, said no more on the topic.

"Where would you like to go this morning, My Lady?" Almund said to Winifred. Just as she was about to answer, she heard a strange sound coming from the sky. It sounded like a ghost of a sound from her past. She could have sworn it was a helicopter, but that was impossible. She looked at the sky, as a shadow passed over her, soon followed by the outline of a large eagle.

"An eagle." Winifred whispered to herself. "Gandalf is here." Almund heard this last part.

"But Gandalf fell?"

This is a small chapter, but so juicy! A lot is revealed. Hope you enjoyed it! - C xoxo