Arinnë wandered throughout the years, growing in age, but otherwise staying the same- after all, nothingness can't be changed as it does not exist to be differed. Survival was a thoughtless act, killing small game with dagger and sword, lying cold at night under a few branches and brambles. It's really a miracle she did not die. Perhaps she wasn't so alone, some spirit of power from Valinor directed her down the correct path. But perhaps also, so it seemed at the time, Arinnë was better off dead than this shadow of life- if it could be called that. More like a darker shadow of shade and insanity.

Nothing existed but ash and ruin, for all that was built collapsed, and none remember the builders' names. All must fade.

By some twisted path of fate, Arinnë's travels brought her to the border of Lothlórien, fairest of Elven realms, although it was little more than a shadow of the Elder Days and would soon be barren of life and song, as the Elves departed to the Undying Lands. By strange means she was permitted to the land.

Weary of life, Arinnë was half-aware that this place was... different. As if it laid not completely in the mortal land of Middle-earth, but partly also in a world of enchantment. By now she had reached the age of fifteen, although she had no knowledge of it or anything else, and was a beautiful young maiden, resembling her mother.

She spent many days under those unnaturally tall trees, and doom finally began to grab her heart. Her time was up. Sickness, devastation, thirst. Unquenchable thirst. Occasional sporadic collapses, unconsciousness. Darkness. This was the shadow of a shadow that Arinnë lived in those days. Mortality finally began to lay hands on her.

What was this thirst, that never left her? Arinnë leaned over to drink from the crystal stream, and collapsed on its banks, shivering painfully for a few moments then melting into darkness.

If only she knew how close she was to her new life. The young maiden had collapsed by a stream in the very heart of the Golden Woods. Anneth, a young Elven guard apprentice, saw her lying there and went to notify Lady Galadriel with a cry of "Hiril vuin! Gwend eriath, a boe de nestad!" My beloved lady! A lone maiden, and she needs healing!

Galadriel's reply was kind. "Agoreg vae. Gwaem!" You did well. Let's go!

Arinnë came back into consciousness for a few moments to see herself being lifted up by a few unfamiliar figures. The panic in her eyes was answered by a beautiful woman with golden hair. "Odulen an edraith angin. You are safe here."

Then the world dissolved again.

Next Arinnë woke, she was lying in a straw bed in actual clothes rather than the ragged strips she had worn for years. Shifting in response to the unusual comfort, she opened her eyes to see tree-branches above her. A table next to her, topped with jars of herbs, was being attended to by a completely alien woman. She moved with unnatural grace, sweeping her hair back to reveal pointed ears. An Elf. Seeing that the girl had awoken and was in a panicked manner, a she smiled soothingly. "Losta." Although she could not understand the beautiful word, Arinnë felt its meaning. She was not in danger here, she could rest. She fell back into dreamless sleep.

~•~•~•~•~

Galadriel knew many things, of the past, present... And future. She knew this girl was significant to all Middle-earth. That was why she permitted her to the land. She could not be allowed to die. Galadriel wisely saw potential in this moment to improve friendship with Men. But not only that, she felt pity and affection already for this girl, who reminded her of Celebrían her daughter, now gone. The Lady of the Golden Wood went to visit Arinnë personally, with intentions she knew were ridiculous. The girl would make a good daughter.

~•~•~•~•~

Arinnë saw the lady, who had spoken to her before. The one who seemed to glow with otherworldly light. She was returning to some sanity, and recalled speech and sense now, but her memory of the world before wandering was still departed. She knew not even her own name. Wondering in a way frantic but no longer panicked, her thoughts were stopped by the elf-lady's graceful speech.

"Welcome, to the Golden Woods of Lórien, my realm. I promise, no harm will come to you here. You are home. Your life was a great storm, as was mine without my daughter Celebrían, whom I dearly miss. But now that storm has at least come to a pause, and like a rainbow you are revealed in beauty. If you would accept me as your mother, I would gladly accept you as my daughter. The choice is yours, thee whom I dub Ninniach, the hope to follow a storm."

This world was a confusing one indeed. But, then again, these Elves were certainly skilled in many ways. It would not be wise to displease their Lady. Ninniach asked for time to decide, but in her heart she had already chosen. It would be wonderful to not be alone anymore.

And so it was that Ninniach's fate was set. Being the eager-to-learn girl she was, Ninniach quickly learned the tongue of the land, and grew to love her new mother Galadriel and new father Celeborn. She spent days laughing and singing under the treetops, happy and free, with Anneth her friend. For he was of like mind to her, quick to laughter, eager and curious to learn.

It didn't matter much that she was of Mannish origin. The Elves treated her as one of their own.

But a piece of Ninniach's life was still missing. Her past was still hidden from her, but she began to remember in her dreams a great feeling of sorrow that she herself had caused. So one night when she was supposed to be asleep, but could not rest, she stood outside looking up at the endless leaves above Caras Galadhon. She wondered about the patterns of the stars above her. What tales did they tell? So far, so passionate, so unreachable. Perhaps they could teach her who she was.

Ninniach felt a change in the air around her. Turning around, she met Anneth's eyes.

"Mae govannen, Ninniach, mellon-nin." he said softly, almost sighing.

"Well met indeed, but why are you still awake at this hour?"

"Same reason as you, I suppose. Couldn't sleep."

Ninniach nodded. No further spoken communication was needed. Anneth squeezed her hand in comfort.

"You'll find it eventually."

Ninniach nodded again. The two understood each other on such a basic level that she never even had to state her troubles. Anneth was simply there, like a shadow made of comforting light. As she was to him. The two looked up, enjoying each other's company, wondering about the tales the stars could tell.

Ninniach now knew. This was her home.

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A/N

I hope this chapter isn't too corny, or unrealistic. I know it wouldn't be likely that Galadriel would just accept Arinnë-Ninniach as a daughter on the spot. But I hope it still seems possible.

Once again, I welcome any positive or negative feedback as long as it is constructive!

Review and share, see you next update! Novaer! Signing out, Aewneth.