Chapter One~

My vision was dark and cloudy, my mind foggy and trying its best to process what was going on around me. I could faintly hear people talking in what I thought was Elvish but that was stupid because no one I knew spoke or even knew what Elvish was. There were two female voices and three male, all hushed and seemingly far away from me. There was a dull throbbing pain in my shoulder and I had no idea why, I couldn't remember. Suddenly the voices were gone and a flashing image of a giant flaming eye appeared in my mind along with a dark sinister voice.

"So you're the one who cross the Rift." it said, the eye staring intently at me as if trying to see into my soul. Suddenly there was a blast of white light and the eye retreated along with the darkness being replaced with warm sunrays. A woman appeared then dressed in a long flowing white gown and hooded cape with golden hair and piercing dark sapphire eyes. I instantly knew her but that was impossible since she was a fictional character in a book and movie series.

"I am very much real." she said softly reaching out to cup my cheek as if to prove the fact. I could feel her hand on my cheek and staring with confusion at her she continued,

"It seems you have been brought through the Rift with a great meaning behind it. For now though it is time you awoke." and at her words the fog in my mind vaporized and I felt my eyes flutter open. As my eyes adjusted to the sights around me I found myself staring at Galadriel, Celeborn, Haldir, Rumil and some other female elf I had no name for. Blinking several times hard, I shook my head and tried to sit up but I felt a pang of pain and gasping leaned back on what I guess must be a lounge or couch. Looking to Galadriel I asked,

"Where am I?" I already knew the answer to that, but I needed her to say it, to confirm the fact I was indeed in a made up world.

"Since you already know, why not believe what you see before you?" she replied lightly a smile tugging at her lips. I must say how beautiful she was in real life; flawless skin any women would kill for, prefect golden hair and eyes that looked like contacts simply because they were so bright. But my musings ended when I remembered what had happened and who had stolen my brother.

"Where's Roger, where's my brother?" I asked her feeling the vice of fear coil around my heart. She looked sad then and coming over to sit by my side took one of my hands before saying,

"He was taken by Orcs, though you fought valiantly and were wounded."

"Did Haldir send men to look for him?" I asked feeling tears spring into my eyes and furious at myself raised the hand she wasn't holding to wipe them away. She smiled a bitter smile down at me saying,

"No, he knew not of him and even if he sent out men they would have been long gone." I knew she would answer with something like that but still I felt sorrow consume me. As my tears spilled down my face Galadriel raised the hand holding my own to wipe a few away.

"Do you have a name oh one to fall through the Rift?" she asked me kindly.

"Anna, Anna Wynn. Please, you must try to look for my brother. They might have left a trial behind, or something that could tell you where they went." I begged but she shook her golden head saying,

"They have already cross the river Celebrant and cannot be reached now." looking away from her intense stare I fixed my eyes instead of Haldir who looked annoyed more than anything.

"Thank you for helping me." I said to him knowing he would understand since Galadriel could. He simply bowed his head, his expression never changing but something in his icy blue eyes flashed in recognition. Looking back to Galadriel I was about to ask what would happen to me but she must have been reading my mind since she spoke saying,

"You will stay here and heal as myself and my husband tries to find a way to send you home."

"But what about my brother?" I asked already feeling the strain of talking and the need to return to sleep. She smiled softly before standing from what I now found to be a very soft bed saying as she did,

"I shall look into my Mirror to try and find him."

"Thank you, thank you so much." I said leaning back and letting my mind drift into sleep once more. Just before I did though I heard Haldir speaking saying something along the lines of,

"She had Elvish weapons with her." but then the voices were gone and the sound of a door shutting resounded in the room. So those weapons were Elvish I wondered before sleep claimed me. But it wasn't a calm sleep for I kept seeing my brother being carried like a sack of potatoes over an Orcs shoulder; he was screaming and crying as his hands were tied. The scene changed once more to that of the flaming eye and laughter echoed in my mind. Soon I felt as if I was being strangled, a tight hand around my throat squeezing the life out of me. Gasping for air, I felt my hands rise to my throat to try and pry the hand off and heard the same sinister voice saying,

"You are mine!" instantly the chocking was gone and I flew upright from the pillows with my eyes opened and gasping for air. For several seconds I sat like that before I noticed a figure sitting beside me and looking up found Haldir looking both scared and worried, his eyes filled with confusion. Unable to speak I felt a sob break from me before closing my eyes and leaning my head against his shoulder. He stiffened at this but didn't retract from me instead he just sat there as I cried. After a while of silence he asked,

"What happened Lady?" sniffling and trying to get a hold of myself since I knew he wasn't one to show compassion to those he didn't know, I leaned back and said,

"He was in my mind, chocking me as if trying to prove it." his eyes widened at that but his face didn't change an inch. He was about to say something when a knocking broke through his words and looking up we both saw his brother Rumil standing there with a silver tray carrying a bowl and goblet. He looked sheepishly at his before coming into the room and setting the tray down on small table before the bed.

"Thanks." I said even though I knew he wouldn't understand. He nodded and smiled before saying something to his brother. Haldir responded and stood quickly from the bed and turning began to leave but I reached out and took hold of his sleeve making him stop and turn round to stare at me.

"Thanks." I said softly before letting go of his sleeve. It was then I noticed that he had changed out of his armor into a sage green tunic along with dark brown leggings and that there was a dark spot from where I had cried on him. So that's why it didn't hurt when I rested my head against him. He bowed his head to me before leaving with his brother, shutting the door behind him as he did. As soon as he shut the door I moved on hands and knees towards the food and inspecting it found it to be some type of porridge with what I guessed was honey and in the goblet clear water. Taking the bowl into my lap, I slowly began to eat thinking over the fact I was in a made up city within a made up world. Earlier Galadriel had said I had fallen through a rift, but what the hell was she talking about? As I pondered this I continued eating and once finished decided to look around. The room I was in was small with carved columns supporting the ceiling, the bed was large and oh so comfy with several other pieces of furniture in the room including a vanity with mirror, chest, the low table at the foot of the bed and a chair in the corner. After setting the bowl back on the tray I slowly stood from the bed and made my way over to the windows that took up one whole wall. As I looked I could tell I was in a tree, way up in the tree but I couldn't imagine the beauty of the city around me. Everything was white and pristine and glowing, lanterns hung from branches illuminating the whole forest of the city and now I knew why it was called the Golden Woods since the lanterns made the glowing appear gold in color. As I looked I didn't hear the door open or close or the footsteps crossing towards me though I did feel a change in the room. Turning to my left I found Galadriel standing there smiling at me with her hands folded before her.

"You are well I trust?" she asked and I nodded thanking her.

"You heal quickly for a mortal." she commented indicating my shoulder and realizing what she meant felt my shoulder where I had been whacked and didn't feel any pain only a minor throb.

"Well, Elvish medicine is known to be wonderful." I said smiling and as she chuckled she took a seat in the chair in the corner. She was so graceful that I felt like a fool trying to sit but she smiled kindly saying,

"You are still weak." nodding, I thanked her for the food but had to ask,

"How long will I stay here?" she looked sad at that moment and looking away to the windows said,

"I know not, only that what has been opened cannot be reopened now." not understanding, I asked a different question instead,

"Did you see in the Mirror about my brother?" again the same sadden look crossed her beautiful face before she said,

"He will die." I gasped at this and shot up to stand saying,

"NO!" she turned to me then with a knowing look in her eyes before standing herself saying,

"I have seen it, though-" and she stopped to cross over towards me before finishing,

"Should you take his place he will not."

"Then I go, I must take his place, I can't let him die!" and as I rushed towards the door she caught my wrist in a vice like grip saying,

"I forbid it!" I turned round to stare wide eyed at her, my mouth hanging open in shock.

"Why? You want him to die?" I asked trying to free my wrist but her hold was too tight and I realized she was using magic to stop me.

"Rather him then all of Middle-Earth." she responded softly but the anger in her voice was still strong. Tears stung my eyes as I fell to my knees thinking of my brother, my life line being tortured before dying a slow painful death.

"Are you heartless?" I asked her looking up at her hand holding onto my wrist despite the fact I had fallen to my knees.

"Are you so cruel as to let an innocent boy die?" she let go of my hand then and said coldly,

"Better him then all of the innocent boys of Middle-Earth." both heartbroken and angry, I stood and ran from her not caring where I went but knowing I had to get away. I raced passed rooms and flew down the stairs leading to the base of the tree, I jogged passed curious Elves and not looking at any of them ran until I couldn't feel my breaking heart. I stopped at last near a large pond and waterfall, hands going to my knees to support myself and chest rapidly moving up and down. My emotions tore my insides and I fell to the mossy earth, curling into a ball and wishing myself away, to vanish into the earth. As I sobbed I felt some shadow fall over me but didn't bother to look up, I didn't care who it was at this point if they were Orc and here to kill me or someone who wanted to help. I vaguely felt arms pick me up and a solid figure holding tightly onto me as I lay limp in their arms.

"You are foolish to run while your body is healing." the voice of Haldir said but I wasn't going to answer him, he didn't need an answer as far as I was concerned. I just lay there limp in Haldir's arms as he carried me back to my room and laid me back down on the bed. I turned my head away from him not wanting to look at him as he spoke again,

"Why run when you might hurt yourself?" I sighed and feeling more tears fill my eyes at his words. They seemed so genuine and filled with worry that I didn't need. Turning my head towards him I asked,

"Is the White Lady always so cruel?" he looked surprised at this, shocked even that I dared say such a thing. He blinked twice before saying,

"Why ever think that?"

"Because she said she rather my brother die then me trying to help him." I said softly as if muttering a prayer once again turning away from his piercing gaze. I felt the bed sink as he sat down beside me and he said,

"What she has seen cannot be changed." now I was angry, at him and the Lady both and so sitting upright slapped him cross the cheek hard as I could. He stumbled backwards a bit before sitting back upright and turning his head towards me had fire in his eyes. Grabbing my shoulders as hard as he could he shook me saying,

"How dare you!" he let go suddenly and stood his face a hard mask of stone that was set in anger. I had never been afraid of Haldir in the movies since I knew he wasn't real, but now with him so close to me in reality I was scared beyond words. He took one step towards me and I shrunk back, covering my head with my arms just waiting for the blow I knew would come. But it never did, instead I heard his gasp in surprise as if he was shocked by my actions. I stayed like that until I felt his fingers on my arm tracing something, tracing my scars. Shrinking back once more, I shifted so that I was away from him and held myself tight on the other side of the bed.

"Who did that to you?" he asked his voice a deadly whisper. Shaking my head, I refused to tell him, refused to let him know my dark secret but he wouldn't take no as an answer and so moved around the bed so that he was standing before me once more.

"Who hurt you?" he asked softer this time and looking up a little found him kneeling before me. Blinking, I swallowed my fear at the look on his face since it had melted from the icy façade it had been to one of concern and sadness. My eyes glanced down to my wrists where my scars are, they are ugly bitter scars of the past twisted and red instead of the pale peach my skin is. Shaking my head I looked at him again and said,

"Please leave, please." he blinked at my words but stood to go. I followed his retreating figure as he left through the door but before shutting it said so softy I almost missed it,

"I'm sorry." before shutting the door and leaving me be. Tired, heartsick and filled with confusion I laid down on the bed and cried myself to sleep.