'Kay well i was going to post this on Friday but i got so excited about it i had to post. Quite a few things going on now, and i just realise how close to the end of this ff i am... Enjoy! XOXO, xDare2Writex

Chapter 24
Oh Darn, I'm Dead

No matter how many prayers I said (to various different deities, mind you) the sun still came up the next morning. I didn't sleep at all, because I kept having nightmares. So the next best thing was to listen to my iPod all night. Normally, music calms me. It failed me last night. At three in the morning, I gave up and went out on the balcony for fresh air, in my nightgown.

The sun was turning the sky grapefruit pink. It was quite a beautiful sight, especially with all the green trees surrounding us. I look to the left and receive a shock. Nick was standing right there! Softly, I called to him. "Nick. Thank you." He heard me it seems, and smiled at me. I melted into a pile of goo. In a flash, he was gone from the balcony. Confused, I looked around.

"Ahhh!" I scream, as his hand grabs my arm.
"Shhhh!" Nick whispers, hanging from the balcony edge.

"Are you crazy? You could've fallen!" I exclaim.

"But I didn't, and what counts is I'm here." He says, holding me. I leaned my head back against his shoulder.

"You're psycho." Minutes turned to hours, and we still stayed standing here. The sun came up at last, to welcome a seemingly blue sky. The first blue sky we've seen in a while. Inside both cabins is movement.

"Vanessa? Where'd she go?" Someone, Colyne I think, asked.

"Did you see Nick?" Sam asks.

I swear both doors opened at the same time. Aragorn for the boys, Lauren for the girls. We didn't budge. More fully dressed people followed. Flustered Aragorn says,

"At least, tell us when you're going to walk out of the cabins?!"

"What's the big deal, we were right here."

"So that we don't go looking for you thinking the enemy found you."

"Nick just drop it." He wasn't going to win against Aragorn.

"Fine. But I don't tell you how live your life." Nick said, climbing down the ladder. I exhale the fresh crisp air.

"What were you doing?" Lauren asked, obviously interested.

"Nothing news-worthy Laur." I say, walking back inside to pack up and get dressed.

Exactly five minutes later, both groups are ready to leave. Haldiar comes up to Aragorn, intent on saying his goodbyes before the gift giving.

"Goodbye my friend. I hope we see each other again." He and Aragorn exchange manly-man hugs. Except, that Haldiar's girly hair ruins the macho image and I laugh. He shakes hands with Gimli gingerly, as if considering getting it amputated later. Then Boromir, Mark, Nick, and Legolas. He kisses all the girls' hands like a gentleman, even mine. When he looks up at me, there is such a strange look on his face. I shivered. I noticed Haldiar staring directly at me.

There was a pull on my brain, and I started seeing images of him and I together in a different life. That girl wasn't me though she looked like me! I saw him save me from a giant spider, saw him carry messages between Lothlorien and the Realm, its sister city. Saw him look at me like I was the only one in the room. Saw me fight with him as I walk in on him and a younger Lily. Saw him walk out of my life; saw me vowing to never trust an elf again… The images stopped, and I gasped for air. A smile played on his pointy mouth, and I half expected sharp fangs to grow out of it. I was wide awake now, and I stood stock-still, not daring to move for the rest of the evening.

Solemnly, we walked to the main level, where Galadriel, Celeborn, and the other elves were waiting. We bow down in reverence, much to my chagrin. In my head, I make it clear I don't want to.

"Eri." (Rise) Obeying, Lily comes forward with several unknown elves. They bear wrapped packages in their arms.

"These parting gifts will help you all on your quest. As I've said, be careful, lest you all fail." I grimace. Nice words of encouragement.

Aragorn got his gift first, an ornately designed sheath for his sword.
When he thanks her for it, bowing, she touches his head lightly. "Farewell Aragorn, son of Arathron. We will not meet again in this lifetime." He looks reverently upon her one last time, then sits down. To Boromir, he was gifted with a belt wrought of fine elvish gold. He was shocked when he saw it. The captain followed Aragorn's example; bowed and accepted it. Merry and Pippin had gotten cute matching belts with floral clasps.

Legolas' gift was beautiful- a Lorien bow much sturdier than his own Mirkwood one. The detailing on the sides was a scrolling leaf design. He didn't even need to say out loud his thanks. It was clearly written in his eyes. Sam was called next, and he received a small wooden box with the letter G carved on the top. Not even breathing, Sam opened it. Nestled inside dirt, was the beautiful Mallorn tree nut. Being a gardener, it touched Sam that she knew this.

Frodo's very important gift was the phial of Earendil, or bottled star. When asked what he wanted, Gimli smoothly said, 'he wanted nothing, as he could just look upon her beauty forever.' Flattered, Galadriel insisted on giving a gift. Finally, he shyly asks for one golden hair on her head. She gives him three. It was heartwarming to see such a change in Gimli! Before, he was rude to the elves and Galadriel. But now, he was well...smitten.

To Nick, she gave a fine pair of gauntlets. They were soft yet sturdy and black. Silver Elven scrolls lie like a sea of veins in the leather. He bowed awkwardly and sat down, mouth open in wonder. Mark's gift was a copper belt, encrusted with gems of every color and size. "Because some people, enjoy fine things. Am I right Mark?" The Lady cooed. He nodded and gulped, still standing. Delilah pulled him down to sit again. Delilah it seems, was next for her gift.

She was terribly excited, in fact she talked thank you's over Galadriel's voice. I thought the Lady would bug out, but instead she just smiled at her. Galadriel gave her an arm bracelet wrote of silver flowers. Scattered on it were several pink sapphires. Woah, now that is beautiful! If I was staring, I couldn't help it. I love jewelry, and that was beautiful. That's when I noticed it; Delilah wasn't wearing her evenstar pendant. In fact, I don't ever recall her wearing it out of Rivendell. Gasp! She actually lost it? Really, 'cuz now I'm gonna lose that arm bracelet… That's when I saw it hanging on…Aragorn's neck! I felt annoyed. Did she give it to him? Wth was that about?

Lauren's gift was special walking shoes in her size that made her jump higher or run faster. What she loved the most about them though, was how beautiful the beading was, how it covered her entire foot. They looked extremely resistant to wearing down, and comfortable. Colyne's gift was a small vial of extremely potent perfume that would smell lovely on her, the scent of Lothlorien, but also knock anybody out with the fumes that wasn't her friend.

"Vanessa." Galadriel stood expectantly.

"Hmm? Sorry! I was just spacing out, it happens." Trying to laugh it off. She looked unconvinced. "Well, this is for you," she said, holding it out to me. I grasp the sword's brown leather hilt. In style, it was very much like Arwen's. There were intricate carvings of elements on the blade. They shone darker then the blade's metal, which glowed white. Burned in the very top of the sword's handle was a brand, in the shape of a jasmine blossom. This sword was fit for a king. "Why would you give me such a gift?" I ask in my head.

"Because it was left here for you by someone. It was not my choice. Use it well, because you probably won't make it back."

"Thanks. Your faith is astounding." I say darkly.

Besides these gifts, she also gave everyone camouflage cloaks and pins with the leaves of Lothlorien. We walked to the river banks, and got into several long canoes. I looked back. Many a female elf was crying, silent or loud tears hoping Legolas would jump overboard and swim back, professing secret love to any of them. Haldiar was watching us paddle away, and to taunt him, I gave Nick a kiss on the cheek.

Unexpectedly in a huge swan boat, Galadriel and Celebrion met us on the river. She waved to us. I looked at her thinking I don't trust you. What I saw standing next to her though, nearly made me faint.

The same man or elf or whoever it was that brought us to this dimension, the librarian in Rivendell and the Noble Collection vendor at home was standing as one of her guards. With a sneaky smile and the smallest waves of his hand, fear from that person was instilled in me. I cried out "We should go back!" but the other three boats were too far away to stop now. We were paddling away from our way home! There was nothing I could do, but bite my lip and keep paddling.

"By the way fayeth, you were right about not trusting me. You see, Lothlorien did get the Realm's call for aid. But as I detest needless bloodshed, I told my sister that she should have been training your disadvantaged species of females. It was I, who stopped the call from reaching Rivendell. I, who stopped it from ever nearing Mirkwood. When has your kind ever helped us? Thinking you're above us as my sister did…as my parents did. I hope you tremble when you see the ruins of the Realm. I hope you feel everything they did. Despair!"

Despair. Despair. Despair. Between the guard and now my brain being assaulted by these hostile learnings, my brain did manage to go into overload and blackout. Lucky me.