A/N: Fun. Fun. :D Please review! It helps give me an idea of what I'm doing well (so I can repeat it) and what wasn't so great (so I can work on it) and it also gives me motivation to find more time to write (a sure-fire way for you to ensure quick updates!)!

Enjoy!

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Chapter Thirty-one

Dinner was a very fine affair. Serafina sat, picking at her meal at her usual place, at the furthest end of the table to Aragorn, Frodo, Legolas, Galadriel and Celeborn. Gimli and Boromir sat closest to her. They had been talking in their easy banter since arriving. What scared Serafina was how Legolas had been watching her since she returned to the company, and on their way through the treetops. As far as she could tell, he was simply trying to determine what was ailing her. She was glad to give him no success. She though perhaps it was her short breathing that gave away her distress. But fortunately the other members of the fellowship's hearing was not so acute and she was left to dwell on the visions in relative peace.

She was quite conscious of the man and dwarf's attention to her wine glass. Every few minutes one of them would look at it, and motion to the other to fill it up, even if only one sip had been taken from it. Slowly she turned over the scenes she'd seen in her mind.

The woman she didn't know what to make of. If it was indeed a warped version of herself Serafina was left perplexed. What could account for a change in eye colour? Or a darkening of her hair? Or indeed that expression, which Serafina was sure had never graced her features.

Shaking her head she moved onto the next scene, where she had walked with Boromir only the night before. Surely this was simply the past. Perhaps the thing had shown it to her because the things Boromir had told her that night weighed heavily on her. The next image was of the same man dancing with her. She nearly choked on her wine as she scoffed at the likelihood of that happening.

But the next set of images sobered her completely. No matter how many times she thought about it she could have sworn Aragorn had caressed her cheek so at least once before, and even if that vision was the future, she could hardly see how it would tell her anything. She scowled at her dinner. Before she was able to develop too many angry thoughts towards the Ranger her mind raced eagerly onto the next scene. Heat raced to her cheeks and she felt her body respond unbidden to the scene that played out in her mind. Stubbornly she forced the intimate scene to the side and let the next, which contrasted it starkly fill her eyes.

She knew the man's face, he wore the same outraged anger and fear that he had twelve years ago when she'd killed his advisor. He had, however not aged well and the weight of his position seemed to weigh on Denethor almost like the ring weighed on his son. She was suddenly immensely grateful to Aragorn for seeming to have decided not to journey to Minas Tirith. She knew she needed to avoid the city at all costs. But how then could she solve the mystery of her mother?

With a great sense of duty she dredged the last vision she'd seen to the forefront of her mind. She cringed inwardly at the look of pain on the elf's face. Involuntarily she looked to Legolas to compare his expression now to the one in her mind. He was currently smiling and laughing with careless frivolity. But the Legolas in her head mouthed the words that she heard without using her ears 'He's dead'. Serafina blanched where she sat and the ring Aragorn wore appeared in the elf's hand in her mind's eye.

"Do you fear the future?" a beautiful female voice spoke clearly and the words rang in her head.

Serafina looked around wildly for the one who spoke. But no female was sitting near enough to speak to her.

"The future is yet unwritten, we see only glimpses of what may pass. Fearing it will not help you," she said again. The voice spoke with a semi-familiar careful purpose that Serafina recognised as the Lady Galadriel's. Her head whipped to face the head of the table only to find the beautiful Elf Witch deep in conversation with those surrounding her. She was about to look away and accuse Gimli and Boromir of refilling her glass one too many times but the Lady's startling blue eyes snapped in her direction and smiled at her with a knowing look. Serafina's eyes widened slightly and she looked down at her plate. Suddenly what Boromir had said about hearing her voice inside his head made sense. She kept her eyes on her plate and focused on forming her own sentence in her mind as clearly as possible.

"Is that what I saw? The future?" she thought in her own mind, feeling foolish. Hastily she grabbed the wine before her and drained it. In the corner of her eye she saw Gimli motion to Boromir, who reached across the table happily to refill the now empty glass. Her focus however remained internal as she waited with baited breath to see if the elf witch would reply.

"Partly," came the cryptic reply.

"I want no part of that future," Serafina thought hotly in her head.

"Surely it did not all of it displease you?" she asked. Serafina could hear a knowing smile behind the voice. Serafina blushed at the implication and wondered just how far into her mind the Elf Witch could see. Hardening her resolve she repeated herself;

"I want to part of it."

"You cannot be surprised that the Mirror would show you things that don't please you when you look into it uninvited," said the voice. There was a hint of warning in its tone and Serafina swallowed but squared her shoulders, she was sure that if Galadriel had not wanted her to look into the Mirror she would have seen nothing.

"And what will you do with me now?" Serafina asked boldly.

"I will simply set you on your path," came the amused answer. Serafina frowned.

"What does that mean?" She demanded. But Galadriel made her no answer. She repeated the question over and over in her mind but she heard no voice in her head. She turned again to look at the Elf but Galadriel did not turn an eye towards her.

Scowling Serafina turned back to her meal.

"Aren't you going to eat Lassie?" slurred Gimli.

Serafina looked at the food before her and decidedly pushed the scenes from the Mirror out of her mind. She took another long swig of the cool crisp wine and looked up at Boromir and Gimli. They smiled at her and raised their glasses to her, glad she had finally joined them. Serafina ate and drank with gusto.

Slowly Serafina began to relax, with the help of the wine and paid her two companions her full attention. They were recanting war stories to each other with much enthusiasm and laughter, soon she found herself laughing with them. The conversation then moved to women and Serafina found herself blushing as they bested each others stories of love in unlikely situation.

Having finished an amusing story about a minx of a barmaid in Dol Amroth, Boromir turned to Serafina and said, "Come Serafina, tell us a story of your escapades in love!" his eyes twinkled at her good naturedly.

Serafina, emboldened by the wine, smiled brazenly at the man and the dwarf and said, "I have a story. It is not about love at least not on my part - but it does include the first naked man I ever saw."

Boromir spat his wine and chortled, then said "And how many naked men have you seen young lady?"

"Four," she said saucily.

Gimli laughed loudly and said, "Well out with it then lass!"

"It was not three years hence. There was a man in Bree by the name Sylnor. I knew he was interested in me - I could see it in the way his eyes lingered. He was wealthy, as wealthy as they come in Bree at any rate. But I could not stand the sight of him. A fully grown man he stood only a head taller than me, and he was of a weedy build - the kind that makes me look sturdy," Boromir scoffed at her words a smile playing on his face, "and his voice had the quality and tone of a ten year old!"

"A true man of Bree!" exclaimed Gimli with a smile in his eyes.

"Yes, you get the picture. Despite all this when Sylnor had work for me I rarely refused it - he paid well." Serafina paused and took a swig of her wine, which Boromir dutifully refilled once she'd set it down. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Aragorn glancing in her direction and she let a smile play on the corner of her mouth. When she spoke she did not increase the volume of her words but pitched her voice so that it would carry to Aragorn if he was indeed listening like she suspected.

"One day he told me I should meet with someone at the Prancing Pony, an Inn in Bree. At first I was apprehensive, but the man went on and on about how this person could turn my life around, and even if I declined the offer he was sure there'd be a family jewel I could get my hands on. He gave me the date and time and I was set on meeting this person.

"The day came and I went to the Inn and asked the keeper, a fat but good enough man by the man of Butterbur, about the appointment. I will never forget the look he gave me, but nevertheless he walked me to a room and scuffled away as quickly as possible. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw when I opened that door. Sylnor was lying on a chaise lounge facing the door stark naked! And the worst thing about it was that I froze! I could not move. I don't know how long I stood there in the doorway staring at him in utter shock. He had," she paused here blushing scarlet, "arranged himself so that I could see everything - I don't know if I have ever been so horrified."

Boromir and Gimli were both laughing heartily but Serafina was not finished. "Before I was able to pull my countenance together he began to speak. He professed his undying love for me, and said he had always call me the Beauty of Bree – a flattery of mammoth proportions I assure you - and he was set on making me his Beauty of Bree. You can imagine my revulsion. Then to my terror he stood and began to walk towards me, completely naked with his hands outstretched. In his hands I saw ring. Finally my sense came back to me and scrambled out and shut the door. But not even the closed door could dissuade him. I felt him fumble at it behind me and I ran as quickly as I could, but it was no use. He followed me. I collided with poor Butterbur on the stairs and went around him quickly but poor Sylnor in his haste made the same mistake and collided with the man still naked as a babe. In Butterbur's shock he recoiled away from him and fell into me. I could not support the weight of fat Butterbur and I tumbled down the steps with Butterbur on top of me. The worst of it is that Butterbur must have grabbed Sylnor as he was falling and the three of us landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs for the full common room to see."

Boromir roared his laughed and Gimli cackled as he gripped his sides. Serafina smiled sheepishly, her blush a permanent feature of her face, though she did not feel shy. With a saucy smile on her face she let her eyes flit to Aragorn. He was looking down at his lap, a wide grin on his face, obviously trying to master himself to match the more somber conversations around him. Serafina let her own smile grow into a broad grin and her gaze moved back to the man and dwarf in front of her.

"Whatever happened to him?" Asked Boromir between gasps, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes.

"He is still around. At least he was when I left. He avoided me quite successfully from then on, Butterbur too. Poor Butterbur banned him from his Inn though, and he has never looked at me the same again. As if he was suspicious that there may be naked men following in my wake whenever I entered his Inn."

Serafina felt good to be laughing. She took another gulp of the wine and sat back in her chair contentedly, the days and the day before's burdens momentarily forgotten.

Presently Boromir looked at her. "Come, Fia!" he said heartily, "Dance with me. I have not danced these past months, and tonight may be my last opportunity for a time."

Serafina felt no apprehension as he offered her his hand. The goodwill that had begun to stretch itself between them was fortified with alcohol. Serafina smiled and took his hand as he led her into the growing number of dancing elves.

Aragorn watched her dancing with Boromir. They conversed easily together as they danced about the room. The constant refilling of her wine glass had not escaped him but he was glad she was at least smiling. He smiled to himself again as her story replayed itself in his mind, he could just picture her picking herself up from underneath Butterbur and the naked man trying desperately to hold her head high as she stalked out of the watching common room.

Slowly the music changed and grew slower, and Aragorn watched as the conversation between the two slowed then ceased. His interest in the pair heightened and he felt an unbidden pang of jealousy as he caught a glimpse of Boromir's hand on her waist.

Soon the dancers parted enough for him to see her face. Despair was etched into it as she stared wide-eyed about the room. It broke his heart seeing the sadness there. Before he knew what he was doing he found himself half way to the couple. When he reached them he placed a hand on Boromir's shoulder. The man looked at him in relief and bewilderment at the woman in his arms and he passed Serafina gladly to Aragorn. Serafina looked up at him questioningly. His brow contracted at the expression on her face, but she let him take her in his arms and lead her about the room. Aragorn never took his eyes off her. She had taken to wearing her hair tied up in a high knot, he could not help noticing the way it accentuated her high cheek bones and slender neck. He tried to catch her eye to find a hint at what had caused such a change in her mood but she was staring blankly into space.

She would not look at him, and she did not smile. After a time she leant her head onto his chest like she had done in Moria. He frowned at the memory even though something stirred within him at the feeling. Last time she hid her face from him thus she'd been trying to hide something from him. He suddenly resolved to find out what was going on between her and the Son of the Steward.

Suddenly Serafina's head snapped up, she looked at him intently for a moment, in her eyes he saw the ghost of an apology or of regret and she tore herself from his arms and strode with her back rigidly straight to the balcony.

Aragorn followed her out but she did not turn to look at him. She seemed completely lost in herself.

Serafina breathed deep calming breaths. How could she have forgotten? She had truly had too much wine. Boromir's innocent offer of a dance had not tweaked the slightest memory of the vision. It was not until she'd seen him looking so content as she danced with him that she remembered her fateful look into the Mirror.

And then she had let Aragorn dance with her! She had not yet decided what she was to do about the visions concerning Aragorn but instinct was telling her to back away, not to allow him to sweep her around the dance floor.

She felt Aragorn moving towards her and steadied herself to rebuke him, but another figure walked onto the balcony.

Serafina turned to see the Lady Galadriel walking slowly and gracefully towards Aragorn. Her mind went blissfully blank as she watched them and she listened attentively when they spoke.

"I have made my decision, Aragorn. I cannot grant you your wish." Galadriel spoke with such purpose and authority that Serafina was surprised when Aragorn answered.

"My Lady, please reconsider. For Serafina's sake." His voice was earnest and desperate.

"I have considered long. Her path does not lie here. She is to leave with you the morning after tomorrow."

"But that is impossible. Please, is there nothing I can do?" he asked.

Galadriel smiled and began speaking to Aragorn in Elvish. Serafina shifted her weight anxiously. She had no desire to travel with them, especially after seeing the predictions of Galadriel's Mirror and knowing where they were headed.

"But the path is too dangerous!" Aragorn replied, frustration clear in his voice.

"Danger, I fear is a certainty. But do not jump to conclusions about where a path may lead. There is much yet to pass before the end." Galadriel looked once between them, her cryptic smile alight in her eyes and she glided back towards the party.

Aragorn turned to her and held her in his intense gaze for a moment before closing the distance between them and saying in a fierce whisper;

"You will not come to Mordor."

"Believe me Aragorn, I have no intention of following you so far as Mordor," she answered easily. Her mind felt numbed by the wine, and she acknowledged that this might be a good thing.

He sighed and said with regret, "Yet you are to leave with us."

"Apparently so." Serafina answered bitterly.

"How I would prefer it if you could stay here until this darkness is passed."

"That is your way isn't it? Send the women away to safety while you save the world from evil," her words were harsh but her voice was gentle. Serafina smiled at him, for his face did not change. He remained grim and serious even as she poked fun at him. She let the tenor of her voice match the somber look of his face, "You have to know that I would not have stayed here if you, and they, had ordered me to with all pomp and honour possible."

"And that is how you see me? Pompous?"

"Of course not!" She said outraged that he could think that of her, "I was referring to the others as pompous. No one could see you as anything but honourable!" she cried in her defence. But Aragorn's face had split into a grin. He chuckled at her quietly. Serafina blushed scarlet again and scowled at him, he had been teasing her.

Aragorn, having the humility that she lacked, continued to answer her without another teasing look, "I know you would not have stayed, but I could hope that you would have at least been slowed down by the watchfulness of the elves. These are dangerous times. You should not be wandering the wilderness alone."

"And yet that is where your Elf Lady sends me," she scoffed at him.

"She sends you with us," he countered.

"I will not follow you the whole way! I daresay you would forbid it anyway."

"I would" Aragorn agreed, lifting a finger to her chin.

"Then what other explanation is there?" she asked moving her head away from his hand, letting the frustration and annoyance she felt at things he knew nothing of come into her voice, "Other than that I will have to make my own way away from the fellowship at some point, and continue alone!" she said with her voice rising.

"She says your path will find you."

"And what does that mean?" she retorted quickly.

Aragorn however just met her gaze evenly, and slowly she felt her temper level. When he judged she was calm enough to listen to him properly he answered, "It means, Fia, that on the morning after tomorrow, you will get into a boat with us and we will travel down stream. It means that until some other purpose finds you, your fate is tangled with ours. And find you it will, I am certain." He paused and looked at her with a measuring eye, "Lady Galadriel knows something of this that she will not tell me. But Serafina, it also means that until such time you are still in my protection. For that, at least, I am grateful, even if I should not be."

Serafina did not know what to say. Her mind was distracted by Aragorn's comment regarding the Elf Lady. She started to wonder again what it was that the lady knew. Had she seen all of what Serafina had in the Mirror?

But Aragorn interrupted her thoughts, "You are hiding something from me," he said matter-of-factly.

"Why do you say that?"

"I know you," he said seriously, "and you are not so hard to read as you might think,"

Serafina smiled, she remembered Gandalf saying something similar. "You have been talking to the Wi -" She caught herself, but too late. Aragorn had perceived the word before it left her lips and bowed his head momentarily, she took a deep breath.

He recovered quickly however and continued on as if she had never spoken, "If you will keep your secret then that is your choice."

"I will,"

"And yet you would tell Boromir?"

"Boromir?" She asked raising her eyebrows at him. Then she questioned herself - would it really be so bad as to let him think there was one secret, instead of a secret and a mystery? She would not be travelling with them for much longer anyway. "Boromir knows part, but only because he told me" she conceded.

"Serafina, if this is about the quest, or if it impacts those of us around you…" he let the sentence fade away then said in a low voice, "I need to know the state of mind of my charges."

Serafina riled at his words, "This has nothing to do with that vile Ring! It has to do with me, and I may or may not divulge the information at my own discretion. If you are purely concerned with Boromir's state of mind you might talk to him, but you know what weighs on him as well as I."

"And what of your state of mind?"

"Soon I will not be your concern any longer."

"You are still my concern," he said gently, trying to soothe the hurt in her voice, though he could not place it's cause, "and I do not regret it."

Serafina however, did not want to be soothed. She was angry - angry with him for the things she'd seen in the mirror. So she said spitefully, "And you always let the wisdom of elves dictate your every decision?"

Aragorn raised an eyebrow but did not answer immediately. When he did it was with such humility and simplicity that Serafina regretted her harsh words, "I was raised among the elves, their wisdom is mine also." She had the grace to look slightly abashed. Aragorn sighed and looked at her. "Come," he said quietly, reaching out his hand again to caress her face. To her own surprise she closed her eyes and did not pull away. He let his hand linger there for a moment, until her cheeks reddened. Serafina opened her eyes and was taken aback by the frown on his face. After a moment she realised that it was no frown of displeasure. She looked away quickly, recognising the darkness in his eyes instantly, but she could not push away his words, "Let us not quarrel."

"You're right," she agreed quietly, eyes cast down. She could feel him trying to catch her eye, but she stubbornly kept them hidden from him. Eventually she heard him sigh and he walked away from her.

Standing there alone on the balcony Serafina realised what she'd dreaded and why she was now instinctively shying away from him; if she was going to prevent the future where Aragorn died she needed to sacrifice the other future - their future. She knew that at the soonest opportunity she needed to distance herself from him, physically. Her only hope was that her absence would change the future enough to save Aragorn's life. The urgency of it pressed on her like a physical burden, and she felt her shoulders slump. Aragorn was too important for her to mess this up. Again she remembered Legolas' words and she felt their meaning renewed. Middle-Earth needed Aragorn, Frodo needed Aragorn, Gondor needed Aragorn. Serafina would do without.