Chapter Three~
As I headed back to my home away from home I could have sworn I heard a piano playing and so intrigued went looking for the sound so familiar that it was almost foreign. I found myself climbing up a flight of stairs before coming to a landing where, yes indeed, sat a God honest piano and a little kid trying to play it. When she heard me she turned round and smiled, she couldn't have been older than eight in human years. Coming over to sit by her since she was sitting on the bench I asked,
"What me to play it?" at first she looked confused before I motioned with my hands for me to play. She nodded eagerly and scooted over so that I could sit right before the instrument. It was a beautiful piano, a baby grand that was glossy black and the ivory keys were well tended to. Trying out the keys, I found them to be in perfect tune and wondered briefly if anyone here knew how to tune a piano, let alone what it was. Shaking my head, I cleared my thoughts and set out to play a song that I had learned back home. As my fingers trickled over the keys, a low soft melody I found myself singing the words that went along with the song.
"I heard that you're settled down, that you found a girl and you're married now. I heard that your dreams came true, guess she gave you things, I didn't give to you. Old friend, why are you so shy? Ain't like you to hold back or hide from the light. I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited but I couldn't stay away I couldn't fight it, I had hoped you see my face and that you'd be reminded that for me, it isn't over." I knew I didn't have the greatest voice in the land, but I sang despite this fact and glancing to the girl beside me found her smiling ear to ear at my singing. Returning the smile, I continued on with the song never once thinking that others might be able to hear me.
"Never mind I'll find someone like you, I wish nothing but the best for you too, don't forget me I beg I remember you said, sometimes it last in love but sometimes I hurts instead, yeah." lost in the music I didn't noticed the figures coming up the stairs or stopping behind me to listen. I didn't notice that the girl had left my side having seen the people coming and that I was now sitting alone playing the piano.
"Nothing compares no worries or cares, regrets and mistakes their memories made, who would know how bittersweet this would taste? Never mind I'll find someone like you, I wish nothing but the best for you too, don't forget me I beg, I remember you said, sometimes it last in love but sometimes I hurts instead." and finishing the song I closed my eyes and saw a flash of my brother smiling in my mind's eye and couldn't help but feel a tear roll down my cheek. When at last my hands stopped moving over the keys I whipped away my tears and got a shock when I heard applause coming from behind me. Turning round I found all the Fellowship, Galadriel, her husband and Haldir standing there all smiles. The little girl who had been sitting beside me waved sheepishly and I couldn't help but burry my head in my hands embarrassed beyond words.
"You know of this instrument?" asked Galadriel coming to stand beside me and placing a soothing hand on my shoulder. Nodding with my head still hiding in my hands I muttered,
"Yeah I do."
"Would you play another?" asked to my surprise Aragon and peeking out from my hands saw his face full of honesty. Sighing deeply I said,
"I rather not, besides, I'm not that good anyway." Galadriel laughed lightly at this before saying to me,
"I have never in ages heard something so wonderful as you're playing or singing." looking up at her I had to say with so much sarcasm,
"Then you've been missing out lady." and standing to prove that I wasn't about to play I turned and rushed out as quickly as I could, my face burning with embarrassment. As I raced down the staircase I felt someone following me so ran even harder lifting my skirts up high so that I didn't trip. I ran all the way back to my house slamming the door behind me and flinging myself down on the couch, covering my eyes with my arm.
"Why'd I have to go and do that?" I asked myself aloud beating my free fist into the wood of the couch. When I got no responds I sat up moving my arm off of my eyes to stand and make myself something to eat seeing as if my stomach kept grumbling. As I headed to the kitchen I found no refrigerator, no sink and no stove but instead a small cold box and several cabinets filled with nonperishable food. Taking out an apple, some bread and a hunk of some kind of dried meat I ate on the countertop swinging my legs to and fro. When finished I wondered about what Frodo had said earlier, that I was to go with the Fellowship on their quest. Yeah right like that would happen I thought snorting and rolling my eyes.
"How lady like." came a voice from the doorway and looking up found Haldir standing in the threshold leaning against it with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Don't you Elves ever knock? Or do you not know what that is?" I asked rolling my eyes again and hopping off the countertop to whip my hands on my dark dress. He made a sound something like a chuckle before I noticed him coming towards me.
"Yes?" I asked him looking up to find his face his normal façade and knew instantly his warmth was gone.
"That contraption you played how is it you knew of it?" he asked tilting his head to one side, some of his golden hair falling in front of his eyes. I felt an urge to push the damned hair away but instead turned around and shrugged saying,
"It's called a piano where I'm from; I had a few lessons in playing it when I was younger."
"And you cried because that song has some significance for you?" he asked his voice haughty and really annoying. Biting my tongue to keep from cursing at him, I turned round and said,
"No, it doesn't." he laughed outright at this and growling slapped him on the shoulder, hard. He instantly stopped laughing and looked shocked that I dare touch his person. I just glared up at him before turning around to leave but something made me stop, music. It was sorrowful music filled with heartsick voices that sounded on the verge of crying. Wondering what the hell was going on I realized this must be the hymn for Gandalf and instead of going to my bedroom went to the windows to look out over the city. Somehow the city was bathed in a blue light from I guess the lanterns hanging in the trees and couldn't help but think how different the city looked.
"They sing for the loss of Gandalf." Haldir said coming to stand behind me his breath tickling my ear. I only nodded having loss my voice when they all started singing, it was so otherworldly and heartbreaking that it made me want to cry myself, though I never knew the man.
"Apparently Gandalf said that I was to join the Fellowship." I said not knowing what else to say and I could have sworn I felt the air around us stiffen and crackle.
"You wish to leave?" Haldir asked in a bizarrely angry voice one hand coming to sit on my right shoulder. I shrugged but that apparently wasn't a good enough answer for he turned me around so fast I saw stars.
"You wish to leave?" he asked again this time a little too loud for my liking.
"What does it matter? I'm not from here, should never have come here and have no place here. If I go with them I might fine my brother and a way home." I replied all the while trying to free myself from his grasp but he tightened it and brought the other hand to my face turning my head to see him.
"You could have a place here if you wish." he said his voice still having an edge to it though most of the bitterness had gone. Looking into his eye I realized he wanted to say more though he had stopped himself and I wondered what else he was going to say.
"They won't be leaving for a month; I have time to think it over then." I said though I had no idea where the words were coming from, certainly not from my brain anyway. He looked hopeful at that but also confused and asked,
"How do you know they planned to stay a month? Only the Lord, Lady and Aragon know this." Shrugging I looked back out the window and said,
"Lucky guess." he still hadn't released my face from his grasp and I bit my lip before pulling myself away from his hold. He dropped his arms and let them hang from his sides but said in a stiff voice,
"I'll leave you be then." and then he was gone, just like that leaving me to wonder, what the hell was that all about? After he left I too wandered out going to see Frodo who by now must have talked with Galadriel by her Mirror. As I wandered about the city looking for him I noticed the rest of the Hobbits and the Fellowship sprawled out in a clearing, tents as their shelters and a fire going. Aragon caught my eye and nodding my head towards him continued on to where I thought Frodo might be. It was the same clearing by the pond and waterfall where I had collapsed after learning about my brother's fate, and to my surprise found him sitting on the ground his feet in the water.
"Mind if I join you?" I asked wanting to make it known I was there. He turned round to see me and smiling nodded patting the ground beside him. As I took a seat beside him legs crossed he said,
"Galadriel told me about my future." nodding but staying silent I waited for him to continue on, not wanting to push him.
"She says I'm to bear the Ring alone."
"Oh no!" I said interrupting him and that caused him to turn his head towards me in wonder.
"No, you will not be alone in any sense of the word." I said placing a hand on his shoulder meaning to comfort him but apparently I only pissed him off for he said,
"But I WILL be alone! No one else can carry it, so that makes me the only one. Only one!" tears sprang into his eyes and I knew it was a combination of both losing Gandalf and the fact her would carry the burden of Middle-Earth on his shoulders.
"I know something then you might want to hear." I said then my hand still on his shoulder. He looked away from me towards the waterfall before us before asking quietly,
"What?"
"I know that you'll destroy it." he turned to me with confusion in his eyes before asking,
"How?" but I shook my head knowing that if I said anything it might change what might happen. Instead all I said was,
"You'll have to trust me on this one, I just do." we fell into a laps of silence then before I stood saying,
"Come on, let's get you back." he nodded at this and standing we headed back to their camp. When we got there we found everyone already asleep and so as quietly as we could say our goodnights. Frodo headed to his tent but before leaving me said,
"I hope you have no more bad dreams." I knew what he meant; he meant he wished that the Dark Lord would leave me alone. Smiling, I kissed his brow before heading back to my home weary and hungry. When I returned to my home I ate a small meal before changing and going to bed. Sometime during the night I could have sworn I heard the bedroom door open, the soft sound of clothing moving and then a voice speak beside me. I don't know if I was dreaming it, or if I was half awake experiencing it in reality but whatever the voice sounded familiar. The sound of the door reopening before closing once more made me sit up now this time awake enough to realize that someone had indeed been in my room. After looking around the room and deciding nothing was different I went right back to sleep a light feeling in my heart.
Song is "Someone like you" by Adele, no copy write intended.