A/N: Alrightie, so it's time for Valo to learn abit about himself and what his future holds in store for him. Thanks so much for all of your amazing reviews and support! I've been kind of pondering over this story for about a year now in my head and I finally started writing on it on Sunday. Sorry for the wait. My laptop has conracted a rather nasty virus and it's in the process of being fixed, so the updates are going to be coming, just not on teh every other day trend I've ben keeping. Don't forget to R&R by R&Ring! XD

Disclaimer: Nope!

~~~Chapter Seven~~~ The Key

Haldir led them to what looked to be a cross between a meeting chamber and a throne room though his stance and gait was tense and unhappy. Two people stood at the front, both filled with the beauty only the Elves could possess. It was the second one that made Valo never want to leave Caras Galadhon, only to stare at her shining magnificence forever. Her hair was long and the color of the most wealthy of all spun gold. Her eyes were the blue of the brightest robin's eggs, a pure overwhelming sapphire that held the wisdom of Ages. Why did Elves have to be so beautiful? He spared a sidelong glance at Legolas and felt another blush creep up his cheeks. Legolas was beautiful too. Lord Celeborn stepped down from the raised dais, a frown on his lovely face.

"Nine there are yet ten there were set out from Rivendale. Tell me, where is Gandalf for I much desire to speak with him." The Elf-Lord said tightly.

Frodo looked to Valo with grief in his eyes and the teen gave him a small nod. He didn't want to hear the whole gruesome story replayed again either. It just redoubled the hurt. The Lady Galadriel looked up slowly, her gaze landing on their company.

"He has fallen into shadow…" She whispered as if in disbelief. She looked to Aragorn first, her eyes slowly trailing over to each of them individually, "The Quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail, to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while the company is true."

Her sapphire eyes came to land on Valo and she paused. Her voice threaded through his mind and he came to a startling realization that made him jerked slightly. It was the Lady herself who had spoken to him the in wood not an hour ago. Why?

Welcome, Valokiloren…The Key to the doom of all.

Valo's emerald eyes were wide and fearful. Did she know about his past when even he himself didn't remember? What did she mean by "The Key to the doom of all?" He wasn't plotting anyone's doom! What was happening around him? Everything had been so much simpler when all he had to deal with every day was when he would wake up and pleasing his Master.

~o~

The Fellowship all sat around beneath a pavilion on the lawn of Caras Galadhon. The stars were bright in the dark night sky above and the trees the city sat among were luminescent. The sounds of the elves of Lorien's lament were heartbreaking and ethereal. Legolas was carrying over a pitcher of water to the hobbits and I couldn't help but watch him from my place curled beneath a raised root of the enormous tree. He was so…Legolas caught me watching and a small smile graced his lips. A smile all for me. My heart swelled despite my embarrassed blush. He left the pitcher with Sam and tread lightly over to my little hiding spot. The elf crouched down next to me, his eyes sparkling with amusement and yet somehow bubbling with despair and concern.

"What are you doing over here, Valo?"

I shrugged with a sigh, trying to force my blush away. No need for him to realize that he could make me blush in ways that would embarrass most people. That would be the epitome of mortification.

"Well, I just didn't want anyone to be…erm, upset by my presence. The rest of them aren't exactly happy with me right now. So I thought I would just, I dunno, find me a spot over here so no one had to look at me." I couldn't look at him while I explained.

Would he not want to see me either? That would just be awful! My heart clenched tightly in my chest and my throat closed up. He was looking down at me with his elegant eyebrows raised and an expression full of surprise.

"That is very…thoughtful of you. But you'll never be able to rest alone. Come over to where my pallet is. It's away from our companions and you won't feel so alone. How does that sound?" His voice sounded as if he was talking to a small child who'd had a nightmare.

I didn't like that he was speaking to me like an infant but my excitement over getting to sleep next to my crush overturned it. That small voice in my head was screaming at me that I was being disgraceful and whorish against my Master. Was I? We weren't going to DO anything. Legolas would probably rather eat off his own arm before even considering doing such a thing, so it was okay. Right? I had no answers for myself. He reached down into my little nook and gave me a hand out. Legolas led the way over to his pillows, my face turning beet red with every step I took. The elves singing caught my ear again and I was once more entranced by the sound.

"What are they singing?"

"A lament to Gandalf…"

"What do they say about him?" I asked softly, looking up at his saddened silver eyes.

"I have not the heart to tell you. For me the grief is still too near…" He whispered and his voice was so soft, I nearly missed his words.

~o~

A Key…a Key…A light hidden in Shadow.

Valo shot up in his bed of pillows with a gasp, looking around wildly. Nothing. Nothing stirred around him. Legolas was missing from where he had fallen asleep beside him. Frodo was gone too. The singing that had mere hours ago filled Caras Galadhon had fallen silent in the night. All was still and calm. The Fellowship were all sleeping soundly beneath the pavilion. None stirred at all. It was as if the entire world was frozen in the spell of the night, the only sound the gentle wisp of wind against the trees. All but one. A white figure glided mutely over the soft grass, her golden tresses reflecting the stars themselves it seemed. The Lady of the Light was as some sacred moon goddess come to earth to aid the pitiful mortals in their time of need. He bit his lip lightly and his mind strayed back to her words in the hall earlier. Would she give him his answers now? Would she shed some light on the many mysteries that he ached to have solved? So many questions surrounded his creation and life. Wasn't it time that he knew of the events regarding himself? How could he be happy if he wasn't even sure of his own life? Valo stood and quietly followed the Lady out of the lawn.

Everyone was shuttered away for the night, all in their own homes. It left the city empty and deathly silent. As he crept down one of the many paths in the wood, Valo noticed Legolas and Frodo walking back to the pavilion. The Ringbearer looked saddened but a new determination had entered his countenance. He wasn't sure where this new determination had come from but Valo sincerely hoped that it was not foolhardy and served Frodo well. He could hear Legolas lightly scolding the hobbit for sneaking off with no warning. No doubt he would be infuriated when he discovered his own bed mate missing as well. A mischievous smirk crept onto the teens face. He could only just imagine the elf's face.

"You shouldn't tease him so. The Mirkwood heir will be a great part of your life soon enough." That no-arguing tone of voice echoed throughout the grove that the Lady had led him to.

Valo's attention jerked back to the act at hand and he blushed at being caught snooping. Lady Galadriel stood in the center of the grove beside a pool of water trickling quietly in the night. He sighed and approached cautiously, anxious that she may reject his presence like his companions had. Surely he shouldn't be alone with the Lady of the Elves. It couldn't be proper. He was some dark, wicked thing and she was light personified.

"He is a large part of my life now, my Lady." He said softly, his mind drawn back to the steadily growing crush he had for the prince.

The corner of her mouth raised in a small smile. She turned to him and he nearly gasped. She was even more beautiful smiling.

"How old are you, child? Your true age in unknown to even I, but hold were you when the Dark Lord cursed you with dark immortality?"

Well that was a strange turn of conversation. It had been many many long years since he had pondered over that very thought. It was intriguing to him that she phrased his situation in such a way, but Valo supposed she was right. He had been cursed by his Master, though to what purpose he could not say.

"Fifteen, my Lady. I was fifteen years old. The rest is unknown to me. I was hoping that perhaps you could reveal some of it, so I wouldn't have to keep going through life not knowing." Valo finally said, revealing why he had followed her in the first place.

Perhaps she had already known his reasons. She turned from him to look into the pool contemplatively.

"Look into this pool, child. Tell me, what is it that you see?" Her musical voice asked lightly.

He looked down, curious. It was a lovely thing really. The water fell from a small waterfall that trickled its own natural lullaby to the world. The bottom of the basin was an unblemished silver, reflecting the moon in it's depths. It reflected his wavering reflection in the water as well. Valo sighed heavily, the sound a desolate and forlorn one.

"I see nothing…"

Galadriel leaned over so she was at eye level with him. Her sapphire eyes were intense as if he were missing something vital, something very important.

"Look again." The insistence in her voice pressed Valo to obey.

He looked back at his reflection in the pool and before his eyes, the image shifted with the ripples. His Master's eyes were staring out of his face.

My Pet…My Key…

The apparition turned to a vicious battle scene. Elves, Men, and Orcs all slaughtering each other in the background. His reflection turned to the scene and appeared on one of the Nazgul's winged Fell Beasts. He soared over the battle shouting orders in the Black Tongue and occasionally sending a sickening green light down on the Men and Elves. He could see members of the Fellowship lying cold and unseeing amidst the carnage. There was someone sitting in the saddle behind him, a black figure in a cloak. He had an arm wrapped around the reflection's waist and on the dark form's gloved hand sat…the One Ring. The cloaked figure turned towards Valo and flaming orange eyes met his startlingly. He couldn't seem to pull his eyes away from the scene despite the melodious voice speaking at his side.

"The Dark Lord searches for his Key, the one thing that will restore him to his former power. The Ring will restore his power but it is only with his Key that he can regain physical form and the strength of Ages."

Valo watched the apparition reach behind to pull his Master into a hard, fierce kiss that involved tongues and teeth. A cold, sick feeling settled in his stomach. The urge to vomit was overpowering. A single, terrifying truth was forming on his tongue and he had the urge to scream.

"I'm the Key…"

The scene ended with a flash of green light and all too familiar cruel laughter. Valo turned to Galadriel, his eyes filling with terrified tears. The Elf looked down at him, her face blank but for the soft warmth in her eyes.

"You were destined to do great things, Valokiloren, no matter what fate has thrust upon you. You have a large part to play in this indeed. Never give up hope and never surrender."

The thing in his mind cackled dementedly and mocked her words back to him, "Terrible but great."

A/N: WOOHOO! Okay, so now all of you know a small part of why Sauron is so die hard on getting Valo and the Ring back! But not all of it! Stay tuned and R&R!!