The Outcast Elf

Chap. 11 - Answers Are Given

[edited 6/28/16]

"I have questions that I hope you will be able to answer," I said.

Lady Galadriel dipped her head. "I know. What answers do you seek?"

The Elvenking had wanted me to ask about my protection. I wanted to know more about my past, more than what the myths and stories held. And I needed, not wanted, to know how to get the orcs to stop in their pursuit of me. I needed to know about my entire--

"Past?" the Lady of Light asked. I remembered she had a gift like I could; one that allowed her to read the minds of others. "Though I may not have the answers you see, I can tell you what I remember, and if you permit it, I shall look into the darkness of your mind. I am able to see what you may not recall and what you have tried to forget. You have a dark past, Aerethiel." Her eyes searched my face.

Then with a bare nod, I looked away. "You may look inside my mind."

Within seconds, my life appeared, flashing before my eyes. Memories of recent, memories of my home near Lake-town, memories I had tried to forget. Memories of Gilduren.

My breath caught in my throat.

But they kept coming. Memories of my leaving of Imladris, memories of seeing my surrogate parents dead; all the different towns I had fled in frantic escape of the orcs. Then the memory of Legolas, finding me injured in Lake-town.

I wasn't sure why I kept that memory. With each wound I acquire over time, I attempt to forget how I was injured. But I couldn't rid of this memory.

More and more kept resurfacing and my eyes began to brim with unwanted tears.

"Do not fret over the past," Lady Galadriel said, her eyes opening. "It is long gone. Do not lament over it. More memories are to come."

I blinked, trying to subtly wipe my tears from my face. Then I needed to address it. "Where did I come from?"

"Ah. The kingdom of the ancient ice-elves. There were few cities, many towns. But one city was rumored to be the greatest, most magnificent. It was the royal city of Namaen," she began. "Only Elven eyes had ever looked upon it. That city withheld and had born some of the greatest kings and queens of old. The Vanyaes had ruled over that realm for generations, the city protected in the highest peaks of the Ice Mountains. Now no one dares to venture to the ancient city for the orcs possess it now."

"Orcs possess it?" I was incredulous. Orcs were... orcs. How did they manage to bring an entire realm of elves down on their knees? "Why not kill them to reclaim the lands?" I demanded.

"Those orcs have stolen the gifts of the ice-elves. They have slowly drained their powers and killed them by doing so. These orcs are hard to kill for they have the powers all other ice-elves possess."

"Why find me then? If I have such..." I struggled to find a word. "Basic... powers, why go through all this effort to find me?"

"You don't have basic powers, Aerethiel. You are of royal lineage; the last one, with a power so great Torgoth so desperately wants. They have been pursuing you to capture you, to obtain your gift. And your parents knew that. They sent you to Imladris to protect you so Torgoth wouldn't find you."