Fan Fiction ❯ Lord of the Rings: Stargaze ❯ The Woods of Lothlórien ( Chapter 13 )

The Woods of Lothlórien

"An Elven-maid there was of old,

A shining star by day:

Her mantle white was hemmed with gold,

Her shoes of silver-grey.

A star was bound upon her brows,

A light was on her hair

As sun upon the golden boughs

In Lórien the fair."

Still saddened by the loss of their dear leader, the Fellowship nevertheless swiftly made their way across Dimrill Dale and entered the Woods of Lothlórien. Arora was hand in hand with Merry and Pippin, who almost seemed to be pulling her into the quiet woods.

Once they were treading slowly and silently through the green glittering trees, Gimli motioned sharply for Frodo and Sam to come forward.

"Stay close, young Hobbits!" he whispered. "They say that a great sorceress lives in these woods. An Elf-witch…with terrible power. All who look upon her, fall under her spell…"

Frodo…

Startled, Frodo looked around for the disembodied voice whispering his name.

"…And are never seen again."

Your coming to us is as the footsteps of doom. You bring great evil here, Ringbearer.

"Mister Frodo?"

Frodo gave a start and turned to Sam, who had a curious and concerned expression on his face.

"Well, here is one Dwarf she won't ensnare so easily," Gimli snorted. "I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox!"

There was no warning. With arrows notched, fair Lothlórien Elves suddenly appeared from behind the trees, aiming directly at them. The Fellowship came to a dead stop and stared in alarm. Only Legolas and Arora had not been caught off guard, but there were too many Wood Elves. They were surrounded.

One Lórien Elf, presumably the leader, stepped out from behind the others. He was Haldir, the leader of the Lothlórien warriors.

"The Dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark," he murmured scornfully.

Gimli growled.

~*~

The High Wood Elves escorted their captives deeper into the Woods until they reached a spot where the trees grew tall and thick. A pearly staircase ran around the tree trunk high up to a platform suspended between trees above. The Fellowship soon found themselves standing together on this high platform, waiting for Haldir's determination.

"Mae govannen, Legolas, son of Thranduil," Haldir greeted the Mirkwood prince. He was speaking in standard Elvish, so only three members of the Fellowship understood him.

"Our Fellowship stands in your debt, Haldir of Lórien," Legolas replied solemnly, clasping his hand.

Haldir nodded, and passed his gaze over the rest of the group. He steadied on Aragorn. "Ah, Aragorn of the Dunedain. You are known to us."

"Haldir," Aragorn replied in relief.

"So much for the legendary courtesy of the Elves," Gimli grumbled loudly. "Speak words we can all understand!"

Haldir turned his sharp, cold eyes to the Dwarf and said derisively, "We have not had dealings with the Dwarves since the Dark Days."

"And you know what this Dwarf says to that?" Gimli replied angrily, and proceed to say something very rude to Haldir, who brought himself back sharply.

Aragorn closed his eyes in exasperation. Then he turned and clapped his hand heavily on Gimli's shoulder. "That was not so courteous."

Haldir again looked at each of the Fellowship in turn, and stopped particularly on the one female in the group. She wore a dark blue tunic under a deep violet poncho…her bowed head allowed her long and night-black hair to fall before her face…

Haldir made a swift motion with his hand. Before Legolas or Arora could react, two Lórien Elves had grabbed Arora by the arms and dragged her to the front of the Fellowship. Legolas made to hold her back, but the High Wood Elves roughly pushed her past him. Merry and Pippin tried to hold on to her, but her tunic was pulled from their hands.

Haldir stood before Arora, who stopped struggling when he approached. She looked at him silently, the Dread visible in her eyes, but also the anger and aversion to the Elves of Lothlórien that all Night Elves felt. Neither tribe trusted each other at all. Haldir knew this. So did Arora.

Legolas knew it, too. He had forgotten.

"A Night Elf," Haldir hissed. "You would dare to enter the realm of the Lady of the Wood? You are not welcome here."

"She is part of the Fellowship," Aragorn quickly spoke up. "She travels with us."

"That makes little difference," Haldir replied coldly. "It would be foolish to allow one with such animosity towards us, which is equally mutual, to run free in our land."

Legolas understood what Haldir meant. These Wood Elves and the Night Elves truly distrusted each other. And although they generally left each other alone, it would be expected for them to be suspicious of any who should show up during such terrible times. He wondered what Haldir would do with Arora.

"Bind her hands," Haldir ordered. "Relieve her of her weapons."

Two more Lórien Elves carried out this order. Arora did not protest. As one of them grabbed hold of her beautiful bow, he jerked it away so roughly that it tore against Arora's cheek, leaving a perfectly thin line of silvery rose-red blood on ivory skin.

Legolas jumped forward to protect Arora, whose eyes were shut tight against the sting of the slice. "We came to you in good faith!" he said, confused and hurt.

Haldir sighed. "I am sorry, Legolas," he replied, and he somewhat looked it. "But you cannot stand before me and tell me that Aranthias of Lemahna-hai would stand aside and do nothing while I or any other of my kin traveled through his land."

Legolas fell silent. He knew Haldir was right. Arora's elder brother would never sit quietly by if he knew there was an Elf of Lórien in his valley. Courteous? He would have been furious.

"Then let me walk with her," Legolas insisted.

Haldir hesitated, then nodded.

Legolas went to stand by Arora. The High Wood Elves who stood by her moved away. Legolas reached up and gently brushed the blood from Arora's small wound, and she gave him a grateful look. Her eyes were filled with sorrow…not anger, or indignation. Only sadness so great that it seemed her heart was breaking. Legolas wondered why she hadn't said anything before entering the Woods of Lothlórien.

Before the Elves could stop them, Merry and Pippin scurried over to stand by Arora as well, looking angry that they had tried to hurt her.

Haldir ignored them. He was walking slowly in front of the Fellowship. He stopped before Frodo, and stared at the Hobbit for some time.

"You bring great evil with you," he whispered softly. Then he whirled. "You can go no further."

For a long while Aragorn pleaded with Haldir. "Henion aníron, boe ammen i dulu lîn. Boe ammen veriad lîn."

Frodo gazed around at the Fellowship.

The High Wood Elves kept Arora and Gimli together, since neither of the two was on very good terms with them. Legolas stood beside Arora, staring out into the trees. Arora stared at the ground, and Gimli shuffled uncomfortably. Merry and Pippin sat beside Arora, huddling against her for warmth and comfort. Sam looked at Frodo sadly, then stared at the sky. Boromir leaned his back against a tree and sighed.

Then it seemed as though Aragorn had succeeded in swaying the stoic Haldir, for the Lórien leader suddenly spoke up.

"You will follow me."

~*~

The High Wood Elf guard led the Fellowship through the golden green woods of Lothlórien. Their path was weaving, and Elves stood in front and behind the group of three that was Legolas, Arora bound, and Gimli.

Soon they came to the top of a steep hill. The hill overlooked a small valley, at the bottom of which was a large grove of tall and beautiful trees. Each individual tree was enormous itself.

"Caras Galadhon. The heart of Elvendom on Earth," Haldir breathed. And his voice was not merely cheerful…it was practically joyful. "Realm of the Lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, Lady of Light."

The Company soon arrived at Caras Galadhon, where the trees housed the beautiful Wood Elves of Lothlórien. They ascended a winding stairway amongst the trees, towards the grand court of Galadriel and Celeborn. With a glow issuing forth from them, the Lord and Lady of Lothlórien descended to meet the Fellowship, hand in hand. Aragorn touched his head reverently in greeting, and even Arora bowed her head in deep respect.

Celeborn's quiet voice reached their ears. "The enemy knows you have entered here. What hope you had in secrecy is now gone." His kind and gentle gaze passed over each of them in turn. When he next spoke, he seemed slightly disappointed. "Eight there are here yet nine there were set out from Rivendell. Tell me, where is Gandalf? For I much desire to speak with him…I can no longer see him from afar."

Legolas humbly lifted his eyes when he heard the soft voice of the Lady of Light in his mind.

Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land.

"He has fallen into Shadow," she said, her eyes widening in disbelief.

Celeborn turned his eyes to her.

"He was taken by both Shadow and flame," Legolas said softly. "A Balrog of Morgoth. For we went needlessly into the net of Moria."

Gimli cast his eyes downward in shame. Celeborn closed his eyes sadly, but Galadriel kept her gaze steadily on Legolas.

"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life. We do not yet know his full purpose." She turned to Gimli, who kept his eyes sadly on the ground. "Do not let the great emptiness of Khazad-dûm fill your heart, Gimli, son of Gloin. For the world has grown full of peril…and in all lands, love is now mingled with grief."

Galadriel looked right at Boromir. He could not stand her gaze; he started shaking and cast his eyes downward.

Then Galadriel's gaze found Arora, standing shyly behind Legolas, ashamed to be before the great beauty and wisdom. Her hands were still bound behind her back. Galadriel's eyes grew soft and kind.

"We are all brothers and sisters in this one great quest. To fight amongst ourselves is to bring doom upon us all."

At that moment, to Legolas and Arora's shock, a High Wood Elf approached them and cut the bonds around Arora's wrist. She rubbed them carefully, and looked up in surprise to Galadriel, who smiled gently.

"What now becomes of this Fellowship?" Celeborn asked. "Without Gandalf hope is lost."

"The Quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail, to the ruin of all." Galadriel looked once again to Boromir, who shivered and looked down once more. "Yet hope remains while the Company is true." She looked at Sam and smiled. Sam continued to gaze at her.

Galadriel smiled warmly at the entire Fellowship.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest. For you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight, you will sleep in peace."