One Day You'll Know

Chapter 19- The Mirror

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." James 1:5.

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Noelle hadn't spoken a single word since Gandalf's death. Not one. She couldn't speak to anyone- not even Legolas.

Head bowed, Noelle trudged along in the back lost in thought and unwisely not taking much notice of her surroundings.

"Noelle Smith. The Jedi." A female voice whispered.

Noelle froze and turned behind her. What was that? The Force had never spoken to her in that way before. She decided to shrug it off, as she really didn't feel like thinking about it anyway.

She heard Gimli going on to the hobbits about "a sorceress who lived in these woods." Gimli apparently still didn't like Elves. Not that Noelle cared right now.

"Well here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox!"

Almost crashing into the hobbits who had stopped suddenly, Noelle looked up to see an elf pointing an arrow at her skull. She swallowed as the elf's eyes bored into hers. Elves were deadly when they wanted to be, and they could certainly move faster than her. But why hadn't she sensed them? For one thing, she hadn't really been paying attention.

Legolas on the other hand already had his bow and arrows poised to strike.

"The dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark," came the voice of another elf, who was apparently their smart-mouthed leader.

Gimli scowled, and turned to Aragorn, who had his hands raised cautiously. "Aragorn! These woods are perilous. We should go back!"

The wiseguy elf-captain tilted his head and gave Gimli a steady glare. "You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood. You cannot go back. Come. She is waiting."

The elf who was pointing his arrow at Noelle's head slowly lowered his bow and turned away. Noelle let out a sigh of relief. Now she had to brace herself to meet this extraordinarily powerful Elf-lady. She didn't want to be told that it wasn't her fault Gandalf died or that she hadn't failed to save him. She didn't wanna hear from none of the Elves.

Right now, she wanted to be alone.

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Caras Galadhon -the main city of Lothlorien- was strong with the Force. The feel was incredibly different from say, Rivendell, but its aspect and feel as a whole reminded Noelle of Ilum. It was no wonder they didn't have kyber crystals growing here, she thought with as much amusement as she could muster.

Behind Frodo and in front of Legolas, Noelle trudged up the winding stairs to the main platform of the biggest Mallorn tree in Lothlorien, where they would meet Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel.

They stopped in front of a short staircase. At the top, the white gleaming figures who were holding hands slowly and gracefully descended.

Noelle held her breath. Lady Galadriel was beyond beautiful, same as Arwen. She radiated in white, with golden waves falling behind her to the middle of her back. She looked like a figure of authority. One who commanded power.

Lord Celeborn spoke first. "The Enemy knows you have entered here. What hope you had in secrecy is now gone. Nine there are here, but ten 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."

Kind of like how Noelle couldn't feel the Jedi anymore, or Obi-wan, Ahsoka, or Anakin.

She could feel Lady Galadriel's piercing, starry eyes gaze over the Company. Her eyes rested on Legolas, as if reading his mind.