A Greater Destiny: Sequel to The Last Queen {Lord of the Rings Fanfiction}

4. When the Darkness Comes

Ellenya was dreaming that she was sure of, for she was an elfling again, surrounded by a magical forest, one that she did not recognise as her home or even the Golden Wood. It was almost like a scene from a painting, everything was so vivid and perfect. The trees were tall and dramatic, the leaves were all sorts of hues of gold and amber, and they danced about her like sprites, as they fell from the high canopies. It was like something she used to dream up as a child.

Ellenya spun in circles, catching the pretty leaves as they fell, the brightness and playful tones of this wood brought her great joy, and she felt free and alive, the traumas of her real life did not reach her in this secret place. Suddenly the cascading leaves began to slow, until only a few brushed her shoulders and fell to the ground, the wood became quiet, and Ellenya stopped her spinning to listen.

"Ellenya," a familiar voice whispered, it sounded like music, and made her heart stop, she knew that voice. The voice laughed softly and called her again and again; until Ellenya ascertained the direction it came from, and began to follow it.

"My little star, come I am waiting in the glade," The voice came like the wind rustling the leaves, light and airy.

"Nana?" Ellenya heard herself ask in her high soprano, elfling voice, "Nana where are you?"

"In the glade," her Naneth sang out.

Ellenya began running, it was her Naneth, she was here, she was in the glade, but where was the glade?

"I do not know where I am, Nana I am lost," Ellenya called out, panic beginning to enter her voice, suddenly there was a chill in the air that had not been there before, a sinister vibe seemed to slink into the wood. Its bright colours beginning to fade,

"Hurry my darling do not tarry the darkness is coming, quickly come to Nana I will keep you safe," The voice of her Mother was anxious, but kept its soothing edge.

The wood was slowly dying around her, the falling leaves became falling ash and the stench of smoke and tar filled her lungs. Ellenya heard herself cry, aching sobs as she became lost and disorientated in the winding paths of the now ominous wood. The bed of leaves was now a bed of ash at her feet, and the trees were scorched black. On the blackened, bark, there was a symbol, a solitary hand print of white, Ellenya knew this symbol, the was the mark of the Wizard Saruman the White, the highest of the Istari, her brows furrowed in confusion, but why would he mark the trees and curse them with death? With a thrill of fear, Ellenya hurtled into a sprint, calling breathlessly for her Naneth to come find her.

In her panic the elfling Ellenya, stumbled into a glade, tripping over her feet and into a pile of soft leaves. The glade was untouched just like the part of the wood she had played in earlier, and she sighed in relief, as she drank up the soothing atmosphere. Sitting up she observed her surroundings, and stared in wonder at the tree's that lined the glade, these trees were strange, with branch like limbs, and faces! These tress had faces, and ancient eyes, that appeared glazed over and sleeping, these were Onodrim, tree-hosts, ent beings! Ellenya gasped, she had never seen these beings before, only read about them, this was a magical place, the Onodrim had fallen asleep long before her time, they had passed into lore and were a forgotten race. But here they were, and she could see them, this was a strange dream indeed!

"Ellenya, daughter, look," her Naneth's voice commanded.

Ellenya jumped to the sound and searched the clearing for her Nana; the voice was so loud like she had been standing beside her the whole time;

"Ellenya you must see!" Lairiel's voice was crystal clear and almost pleading with her child.

"I do not see you Nana, where are you?" Ellenya cried in confusion