Hey guys!
I wanted to get another chapter up before school starts again, so here it is!
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I felt love. I felt hurt. I felt confused. But most of all, I felt sadness.
Sadness so great, it pierced my heart like a knife. Excruciating pain overcame my body, my heart was breaking.
I couldn't move, I couldn't feel, I couldn't register anything as I sat there on my knees in disbelief. A small part of mind hoped that we would see Gandalf fly back to us, he would stand there and smile at his own little joke. But that never happened. Will never happen.
He's gone.
Those words went through my head, but my stubborn self never registered it. My eyes never left the spot he was just hanging on to just a few short moments ago, but it had seemed like it was ages. My heart clenched in sadness, and my whole body went numb.
I paid no mind to the dozens of arrows flying across towards us, I didn't even notice someone had pulled me to my feet and was now dragging me up the stairs. My eyes never left the spot.
I was so close. I could've saved him.
Save him.
Saved him.
I never did.
That fact had torn me apart, and it seemed I couldn't stop sobbing. I yelled out for him, thrashing against the person holding me to get to him. My mind was set on Gandalf, I have to go to him.
My eyes were soon blinded by sunlight, but I never stopped fighting to get to Gandalf. After a period of time, my body couldn't take it anymore and I broke down on the ground, sobbing. I cried for him, I cried for the closest person I had to a father figure, but he was gone. My family was gone. I was alone. After a long time, when I couldn't shed tears anymore, I just lied there not doing anything.
"Esme, we have to go. We can't stay here." I heard Legolas whisper in my ear, trying to get me to stand. He offered me a hand, but I avoided it and stood up on my own. Legolas looked over me, and his eyes settled on my shoulder before he hissed.
"What? What is it!?" I asked him. Though he paid no mind to me and shouted for Aragorn. Aragorn came over, asking Legolas 'what is it?'. When is eyes settled on me, he too hissed like Legolas did.
"Esme, how did you get that?" He asked me. Confused, I looked down at my body and I saw an arrow sticking out of my shoulder. I didn't even know it was there.
"I-I I don't know?" I answered truthfully.
"How are you not feeling it?" Aragorn asked me, perilously.
"I don't know." I answered him again. He sighed before looking me in the eye.
"Were going to have to pull it out." He told me skeptically.
"I know.''
"Alright, prepare yourself. Legolas hold her down, Boromir come get her legs."
"What! I didn't sign up for this!" As Legolas lied me on the ground, holding his arms on my own. I could feel Boromir putting pressure on my legs. Aragorn wrapped his hand around the arrow.
"I'm going to pull it out on three." He told me. One, I stiffened preparing for the worst. Two, I shouted at them, yelling profanities. Though, before he said three, he pulled the arrow out of my shoulder. I suddenly was overwhelmed with a pain I didn't feel before, and I thrashed out trying to do anything but Legolas and Boromir did a great job of holding my body down. I hardly noticed Aragorn cleaning out the wound and wrapping it with gauze.
Slowly, the pain faded away, but a stinging sensation was still there. I calmed down enough for the others to let go of me. With the help of Aragorn, I slowly stood up.
"Thank you," I quietly told him, before walking over to the others. I looked at all there faces, and all of them were tear-stricken. No doubt mine looked the same.
"Alright, if we move now, we could reach Lothlorien before nightfall." Aragorn told us before leading us down the hill. We all followed quietly, none of us having the heart to talk.
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After several hours of travel, we found ourselves looking upon the forest of Lothlorien, and not long after, we passed it's boarders. I walked behind everyone else, lost in my own thoughts. Up ahead, Gimli and the Hobbits entered the forest cautiously.
"Stay close, young Hobbits. They say that a great sorceress lives in these woods, an elf-witch of terrible power. All those who look upon her fall under her spell... and are never seen again." Gimli whispered. "Well, here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily!" Gimli boasted, "I have the eyes of a hawk, and the ears of a fox."
With no sign other than a slight rustle of leaves, we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by golden-haired elves, all aiming arrows at our group. Legolas was the only one who took out his bow and aimed back.
"The Dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the dark." One Elf said cockily, stepping forward.
We were lead through the trees, as the sun began to set. We were lead to a chamber in the tree tops, that we had to climb a ladder to get too. It was painful as I climbed and my shoulder screamed for me to stop, but I didn't.
"Mae govannen, Legolas Thranduilion." (Welcome Legolas, son of Thranduil.) The Elf, that we now know as Haldir, said.
"Govannas vin gwennen le, Haldir o Lorien." (Our Fellowship stands in your debt, Haldir of Lorien.) Legolas murmured. Haldir then turned to Aragorn.
"A Aragorn in Dunedain. Istannen le amen." (Aragorn of the Dunedain. You are known to us.) Aragorn bowed slightly.
"Hennaid" (Thank you) Aragorn said softly.
"So much for the legendary courtesy of the Elves. Speak words we can all understand!" Gimli grumbled beside me.
"We have not had dealings with the Dwarves since the Dark Days." Haldir frowned.
"And you know what this Dwarf says to that? Ishkhaqwu ai durudnul, in khuzdul!" (I spit on your graves!) Gimli spat. Aragorn turned and placed a warning hand on his shoulder.
"That was not so courteous." He muttered. Haldir then turned to Frodo.
"You bring great evil with you. You can go no further." He then turned and walked away. I sat down as Aragorn began arguing with Haldir.
I didn't pay attention to what was being said, but I looked at my injuries. The gash on my hip had started bleeding again from all the movement. I made sure my coat covered it, so no one would notice. I'll deal with it later. I looked up when I heard Aragorn's footsteps.
"You will follow me." Haldir spoke briskly to the company, before walking away. I followed after Aragorn as we were lead deeper into the forest.
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We walked for some time through the silver wood, and nobody spoke. Suddenly, up ahead, Haldir stopped and looked over a ledge.
"Caras Galadhon, the heart of Elvendom on earth, realm of the Lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, Lady of Light." He smiled proudly, before leading us onward. I stopped to look at the beautiful hill covered in golden-leaved trees for a moment, before continuing.
We were lead into a great city of trees as the sky grew dark, and were brought before a short flight of steps. Everything glowed here. Lights flickered in windows set into the trees and from winding stairs. Even the Elves seemed to emit their own light. We came out onto a large platform. I looked up as the light shone brighter, and two Elves, clad in white, began to descend towards us. One was male, and one was female, both were beautiful, but the beauty of the woman far surpassed the appearance of any Elf I had ever seen. It was the Lady Galadriel and the Lord Celeborn. I stepped behind Boromir a bit, trying to hide myself.
"The enemy knows you've entered here. What hope you had in secrecy is now gone. Nine there are, yet ten 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." Celeborn spoke in a calm, unchanging tone. Galadriel seemed to observe us, before looking up.
"Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land. He has fallen into shadow." She spoke softly.
"He was taken by both shadow and flame. A Balrog of Morgoth. For we went needlessly into the net of Moria." Legolas spoke up.
"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life. We do not yet know his full purpose. Do not let the great emptiness of Khazad-dum fill your heart, Gimli son of Glion. For the world has grown full of peril, and in all lands love is now mingled with grief." Galadriel smiled, casting her gaze over Gimli, before looking over at Boromir.
"What now becomes of this Fellowship? Without Gandalf, hope is lost." Celeborn said.
"This quest stands upon the edge of a knife, stray but a little and it will fall, to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while the Company is true." Galadriel comforted us with her words, and a feeling of calm began to spread over me. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now, and rest, for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. To night you will sleep in peace..." Her ending words sent us joy at the thoughts of a bed, and we turned to head down the stairs.
Ahlis Dryear'athem
I stiffened when I heard Galadriel's voice in my head, but I actually froze when she used my real name.
Don't let your heart be troubled, rest in peace tonight. When you hear my call, come to me.
I broke out of my frozen state, and carried on after the Fellowship, going over her words in my head.
What call?
How will I know?
When?
How does she know my real name?
All these questions I asked in my head, but none were answered. I sighed in disappointment.
Gandalf, why do you go when I need you the most?
Please come back.
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I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
It was very difficult to write. Hopefully I can get another chapter done in a weeks time.