Ashes of mordor

Comfort in an unfamiliar home

He guided us more through the wispy woods as vague childhood memories danced through my thoughts. Mother always looked so beautiful is the dresses gifted to her by lady galadriel and father's sword's always glistened when crafted by celeborn's hands. But I knew this wasn't a time to make up for lost years, so I stayed quiet and kept my memories to myself.

I smile as I hear the hobbits gasp in amazement at the glistening city of Lothlorien against the moon light. It was always so elegant, it reminded me of Mirkwood before the sickness overtook it and rotted away our gorgeous walkways. Haldir guided us to a chamber all to familiar in my memory of me curled up on my mother's lap with Legolas nervously beside me, galadriel chuckling at our nervous looks.

We waited in silence as Celeborn steps forward to greet us. His hair is long and silver, his face grave and beautiful, with no sign of age upon it. Next to him stands Galadriel, her hair trailing down her back and her soft looks always being a comfort to me. No matter how much I aged, Celeborn's stern looks always made he feel guilty, even if they weren't directed towards me. I'd get flashbacks of me accidently breaking a pot and forever feeling like he hated me for it. Except he was staring sternly at Aragorn, which I couldn't understand. 

"Eight there are, yet nine there were set out from Rivendell. Tell me, where is Gandalf, for I much desire to speak with him." He says calmly with his head held high. I swallow the lump in my throat and hold back tears. "He is gone Tôrana" I told him quietly, hoping Galadriel couldn't hear me as she began to speak. "...he has fallen into shadow. The Quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail, to the ruin of all...Yet hope remains while the company is true. 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.". Her voice was soft and reassuring. As the guards guided the others away they left me, and I notice celeborn standing their waiting for me as if he'd called my name and I simply hadn't heard.

"While your companions satisfy their hunger, I ask for you to walk with me" he said rather calmly. I just nod and slowly walk over. "You look very different from the last time we met" he comments as he guides me through many halls and rooms I don't remember. "I was only a child" I reply as I knot my hands together behind my back to keep my composure. "From your memory that is the last time we met? I've seen you many times since then, sadly each one you've been unconscious. The last was after that incident with the 5 armies outside of that reclaimed dwarfish settlement. You slept for days. Did that half-ling ever make it home?" He asked curiously.

I nodded. "Yes, he just recently turned 111 actually.. still as stubborn as ever.." I say as I wonder quietly how Bilbo is doing in rivendale. "almost if he took on the qualities of a certain dwarfish king?" He remarked with a half smile. I nodded, Bilbo really had. He'd become as stubborn as thorin in his old age, but way more negotiable.. but sadly he'd even gotten his sickness with gold thanks to that ring.. I just wanted to burn it.

"Yes.. if only he could have lived to see it. Bilbo would have had a friend that was actually his own height then.. he often complains about that" I almost mumble as I remember catching him standing on a chair once on what I remember being his 54th birthday before he started to turn grey and his wrinkles were less noticeable. He claimed it was nothing, he was simply dusting, but I knew. Suddenly we stopped in a bedroom. I glanced at the elegant bed and remembered trying to climb onto it as Legolas laughed at me, being tall enough to just jump on. My mother's guest room..

"The main reason I brought you with me is I need you to bring something with you to Mirkwood when you return, and I have a feeling I may not see you again till you do" He states as he strode over to the small table I remember my mother elegantly writing letters to my father on. A box lay on top of it, dark wood with golden designs on it. I gave him a confused look but held my questions back. He opened it and showed me a beautiful chain necklace with a single pendant, it glowed more than anything I'd ever seen and it instantly brought me back to memories of me curled up into my brother's chest, both of us in her arms in bed as she hummed lullabies Of old to lull us to sleep.

"I would have given this to her if she had survived to see your next birth day. Poor girl.. I crafted it by hand for her, made of mithril and a drop of starlight from the star she was born under mixed with the first test she ever cries when gifted the first scream of life.. I want you to take it back to your back father, at any cost. Can you take on this second quest?" He asked me calmly but I saw a bit of pain behind his eyes as he seemed reluctant to let go of it. "Of course but how would I carry it my lord?" I query, but he answers me as he puts it around my neck. "Don't take it off till you get it to him. Please" he almost begs with a deadpan look as he puts his hand over my heart. I put my hand on his. "Gweston" I tell him, and I'll be sure not to break it.

Legolas' pov

I sit and listen silently to the Lament for Gandalf as the others let sleep take them. Though I do not need sleep, I wish for it, but my mind and grief keep me awake.

As my eyes start to close, footsteps grab my attention and let them snap open as I instinctively look to my left. There stands my sister, still clad in her filthy clothes and covered in dirt, but a clean pile of clothes lay in one of her arms.

"You should relax. We are staying till our wounds are healed, both emotional and physical. It'll be good for us" I tell her. She gives me a blank stare as she doesn't seem to be fully listening. "He would have hated this you know.. feasts in his honour, lamenting for him.. he hated being fussed about.. this will break poor Bilbo's heart when the news reaches him" she almost whispers as she lays her weapons down and disappears behind the tree to change. "He deserves it. His services to middle earth and those who inhabit it are too lengthy to list. He'd want you to relax" I tell her as she emerges barefoot in a silver gown that wraps around her arms, mother's crown still on her head, her face & hands still caked in dirt

I gently went over and sat beside her. I dipped a cloth into a bowl of water and gently cleaned her hands. "He still would have hated it.." she mumbled, grief lacing her worlds. She was silent for a moment before slowly asking me "why did you never say anything?.. 60 years, not even a goodbye or a letter.. at least I gave you the courtesy when I ran away..". I take a few neath through my nose as I trey and get the dirt out from underneath her nails, noticing small scratches along her palm from her own nails digging into it.

"I couldn't. I was busy dear sister. I had no time to even rest let alone write a letter. And you were in the middle of a war, I didn't want to discourage you" I replied as I dipped the rag in the water again and went to clean her face, catching sight of the new necklace around her neck. I stop my cleaning and gently pick up the pendant that seems to float over my skin. My sister and I stared at it in silence for a moment before she replied "it's for mother.. I'm supposed to give it to d-.. father so he can either wear it or lay it on her grave.." she tells me softly as he gently touches it.

"I see.." I mumble quietly as I force back memories and start to clean her face. "You should see it Legolas.. we made it into a beautiful cave like area thanks to the help of the kingdom of erabor.. they erected a gorgeous statue as a headstone, though we don't have any of her to bury... they carved anything we asked into the walls.. her lullabies, pictures.. memories.. father almost cried at the sight.. he goes to visit it every day.. laying flowers at her feet.." she tells me as she looks off slightly in memory, smiling happily.

"I hope I'll get to see it some day.." I state quietly as I finish and go to leave her to her thoughts, but she grabs my wrist. I glance down at her, "when this fellowship ends.. I don't care if you disappear for another 60 years afterwards.. come home, even just long enough to give this to father and see mother's grave.. please.. will you promise me that.." she begged me. My heart pounded in pain as I opened my mouth to say no, but the sight of my sister reminded me of when she was young, so young she didn't know how to speak English yet. "Fine.. now will you get some rest?" I state as I free my wrist slowly.

She smiles happily at me and nods, going back to the others and her bed, letting the lament for Gandalf slowly wrap her in peaceful sleep.

~~~

Let's go
Gwaem

join us
govano ven

Uncle
Tôrana

~~~

Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! The next update will be out by next Monday, I'm setting a date this time since last time I updated in March and now it's April 🙈 so so so sorry about that. I believe in this section of the books the fellowship stay in lothlorien for 30 days but correct me if I'm wrong.

Lil nightfury