╔═══ -ˋˏ *.·:·.⟐.·:·.* ˎˊ- ═══╗
𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑻𝑾𝑬𝑵𝑻𝒀 𝑭𝑰𝑽𝑬
❝ 𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒍ó𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏 ❞
╚═══ -ˋˏ *.·:·.⟐.·:·.* ˎˊ- ═══╝
THE FOREST OF LOTHLÓRIEN IS MAGNIFICENT. After hastily entering the protection of the Elven Woods, the Fellowship takes a short moment to inspect their surroundings and to ensure they weren't in danger. Though Vera doubted that they would be attacked within a heavily guarded forest like Lothlórien, she had to remind herself that they were still at the borders and nothing could be certain, especially at dark times like the days coming up to now.
The woods stand distinctively from the rest of Arda, rooted deeply into the earth and connecting with the nature of their home. They mightily erect upright, appearing to be kingly and strong as they hold golden leaves from above. Vera smiles gently, brushing her hands on the trunks of the grey pillars and looking up at the golden roof. Elves really did have good taste in home settlement and keeping their surroundings unique.
With her brunette hair clipped back and her waves cascading down her back, she steps through the Forest. Her black and gold dress moves softly against the ground, brushing against the fallen leaves under them. She suddenly felt warm, finding more comfort in the forest than in the last few days. Vera has figured out over the course of staying in Imladris that Elven Dominions like Rivendell or Lothlórien brought her and its incoming guests some sort of warmth and welcoming. It is a courteous gift to beseech.
She smiles sadly as she is reminded of Rivendell and her home, the halcyon of the leaves bringing memories of the same shade of her household. From ahead, she spotted Legolas admiring around as if he was returning home and she wonders if he has ever been here before. The short story she had read about his mother and her journeys around Middle Earth only told so much, keeping minor things away from prying eyes. Vera quirks her lips.
"Ah, Lothlórien," Legolas muses. Vera notes how beautiful his voice sounds when speaking in Elvish, talking in his tongue wondrously. "The fairest of all the dwellings of my people. There are no trees like the trees of this land, for in autumn the leaves fall not, but turn to gold. Not till the spring comes and the new green opens do they fall, and then the boughs are laden with yellow flowers, and the floor of the wood is golden and golden is the roof, and its pillars are silver, for the bark of the trees are smooth and grey. So still our songs in Mirkwood say."
Vera hides her snort with a fake sniffle, dramatically brushing her eyes as if tearing up. She places a hand on her heart. "That was beautiful. You truly do have a way with words, Tree Prince. How convenient your name becomes," the mermaid compliments sarcastically, earning a wink from the elf which she returns with a smirk.
Gimli seems to disagree with Legolas as he snorts to himself and moves closer to Frodo and Sam. "Don't trust what the elf says. Stay close, young Hobbits. They say a great sorceress lives in these woods. An Elf-witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell," he warns them carefully, inspecting the trees around him nervously, gripping his axe tightly.
Vera frowns. She has heard many stories about the said enchantress that lies within the woods of Lothlórien and she couldn't say she had an opinion towards her. There were rumors in books that say she is evil and uses her power to ensnare others, while Elrond has only spoken highly of her. Deciding not to judge the elleth too quickly, she remains unbiased.
She risks a glance back at them and stops in her steps as Frodo does the same. He looks around in a hidden panic, trying to find something within the woods that could answer his question. She furrows her brows in confusion, wondering what was happening with the Hobbit but finds the answer herself when a voice appears in her head. It spoke softly but strong, omitting the need to be respected and honored.
"Princess Vera of Atlantis, Ruler of the Western Sea, Protecter of the oceans of Arda." Vera shuffles alarmingly at the voice inside her head but refrains from drawing too much attention to herself as she bows her head in silence. "We welcome you fondly."
As the voice disappears, she could hear Gimli muttering to himself about the same sorceress that has entered her mind. Honestly, Vera couldn't find it in herself to say anything foul against the elleth who welcomed her into their home. "Well, here's one Dwarf she won't ensnare so easily! I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox!"
At that, Vera snorted and answers back, but stops abruptly as a surprised shriek leaves her lips at the sight of an arrow in front of her head. From the corner of her eye, she could see the other members of the Fellowship being attained by the point of Elven Arrows, including Legolas, who points his own bow and arrow at Vera's attacker. She bites back a smile as she cautiously backs away from the close range between her head and the arrow.
An Elf steps forward, moving towards Gimli and past Vera. "The Dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark."
Vera couldn't stop herself. "How charming." Eyes snap at her at once, everyone sharing the same look of telling her to 'shut up' before she died. However, Vera wasn't one to listen to orders. "Let's see how good you work when choking on your own blood," she mutters. From her peripheral vision, she saw Aragorn face-palm, Legolas send her a warning look, and Gimli smiling proudly.
The elf squares up at her while she remains in her spot, uninterested. "Lady Galadriel speaks highly of you. I don't see it."
She smiles sweetly. "It's a work in progress. I'm a delight, I promise."
From the back, she can hear Legolas lean in to whisper at Aragorn, "She's joking, right?" This earns him a hard glare.
The sun has long fallen into the abyss of the world, the moon overcoming the sky with its stars and bright light, giving the Fellowship a flare against the darkness of the welkin. After Legolas quickly said something in Elvish before they could kill Vera, they were led to a platform within the trees to discuss matters before entering the kingdom of Lothlórien.
Vera is rendered useless and annoyed as the elves around her barely talked and if they did, it was in their own language, leaving Vera frustrated with the lack of reply within the kin. If she thought Legolas was infuriating, then the elves before her would be something entirely different. For once, she stayed close to Boromir and Gimli, having agreed with them for the lack of response and the boredom reaching them as they waited for hours.
The darkness lifting through the trees and the wind brushing on them brought Vera to a realization that nightfall has arrived, meaning they have waited for more than just a few hours. She grimaces, her legs threatening to collapse and her head beginning to ache at the amount of exhaustion that needed to get out of her by the graceful act of sleeping.
The elf who insulted Gimli returns to formally greet Legolas and Aragorn. Vera was told to keep her mouth shut at all times and only speak when spoken to by Haldir, who she has learned to be the Dwarf-insulter and the captain of the guard. She grimaces more.
"Mae govannen, Legolas Thranduillion," Haldir welcomes softly.
Vera didn't quite understand what they were saying and turns to Gimli. "What do you suppose he said?"
"I don't know, but I hope they're insulting each other."
Vera nods in agreement, her mind grazing over Legolas Thranduillion. She mumbles to herself, "Weird."
"Govannas vîn gwennen le, Haldir o Lórien," Legolas replies, bowing his head slightly as he greeted the ellon. Vera, once again, smiles at the sound of him speaking his native tongue, feeling her fingers absentmindedly rubbing the ring on her finger at the sound of his soft voice.
Haldir turns to Vera, before looking at Aragorn. "A, Aragorn in Dúnedain ah hiril Vera a Atlantis istannen le ammen." The elf then says, bringing Vera's wide eyes to him at the recognition of her name.
"Haldir," Aragorn greets back.
Vera merely waves, unable to articulate a verbal response as she didn't exactly know what Haldir had said about her but judging by the kind face the guard forced himself to take, she could only guess that it's nothing less than welcoming.
Boromir turns to her. "Do you know what he said?"
"No idea," mumbles Vera through her teeth.
Gimli seems to have had enough of the lack of English and angrily speaks up. "So much for the legendary courtesy of the Elves! Speak words we can also understand!"
Vera sniggers. "He has a point."
Haldir turns to glare hardly at the Dwarf. Obviously, they all appear to be stuck in their old ways, refusing to make amends with the Dwarves for whatever reason, and the same going for the short kin. Vera rolls her eyes and is suddenly glad for the lack of interaction her people had with other beings. She wouldn't be all too forgiving if her people were insulted. "We have not had dealings with the Dwarves since the Dark Days."
Vera pips up, much to Legolas' and Aragorn's exasperation. "How is that relevant to whatever it is he said? Also, it doesn't quite justify your lack of English seeing as it is the Dark Days, as of now."
Haldir pays her no mind, only receiving a shocked scoff of disbelief and offense from the princess. He was under orders not to do anything to spite the only Lady of the Fellowship for she was greatly respected by many people of Middle Earth. He, himself, didn't want to insult her for he is aware of her role and her own kingdom battling against the darkness. However, Haldir isn't as amused by her as he would've liked, finding her rather underwhelming yet overwhelming simultaneously.
"And you know what this Dwarf says to that? Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul!" Gimli spits with venom in his voice as he eyes the ellon. Even Vera could admit that what he said seemed too harsh and judging by the warning hand Aragorn puts on Gimli, she could only guess she was correct in her assumption. She face-palms loudly.
"That was not so courteous," Aragorn reprimands sternly.
Haldir, obviously having enough of the Dwarf Lord, moves over to look at the rest of the Fellowship after welcoming the members he already knew; Aragorn, Legolas, and Vera. Of course, Legolas was only known because of his mother's friendship with Lady Galadriel's daughter, and the story that comes with her. However, Aragorn and Vera were only known for their kingdom and their place in history, signifying an important role in everything. Haldir didn't know the Hobbits or the man of Gondor, nor did he care for the Dwarf Lord.
"You bring great evil with you," Haldir says to Frodo, motioning to the ring around his neck. Vera steps up behind Frodo protectively, looking down at Haldir with a fierce glare. He doesn't mind her, only turning back to Aragorn. "You can go no further."
Vera's eyes widen. She opens her mouth to counter at him but stops herself as Frodo pinched her. She glances down at him to contemplate his silent request and upon seeing the uncomfortable look on his face, she nods softly at his demand. Aragorn expeditiously puts to work his negotiating skills, arguing harshly with Haldir as they move off at one side to bargain while the rest of the Fellowship sits down.
Vera could feel herself growing weaker and weaker as the wound on her shoulder reopens from the lack of water running through it, causing her to bleed slightly and her energy to run out. She leans her head on Legolas, putting her head on his shoulder as she tries staying awake. Boromir glances at her nervously and exchanges looks with the elf prince. She needed water. They could only hope that Haldir let them through and Aragorn could make up a storm to allow them entrance.
Vera could barely swallow, feeling her energy drain more and more as she thought about her home. She didn't quite realize it but she was subconsciously sending help and light to Atlantis, hoping that the war they were enduring would give them some sort of comfort. Her mind moves from present time to the realities of the sea; her brother furiously negotiating with the council members with Corin at his side, both of them taking the stead of Commanders and Generals, her people retreating to their safety zone by the far west of the Ocean, staying away from any danger and leaving Atlantis deserted.
Vera frowns. She couldn't see her mother. Her worries for the woman who raised her suddenly skyrocket with anxiety and worry, her feä inching closer and closer to the sea as they try to find Marella, Vera's mind searching the corners of the world to seek her. She could feel herself weaken at every move she made, her body reacting to the endless fighting she has done at the tomb of Moria, and her mind shutting down with the amount of thinking and grieving. She was emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually drained, and all she needed was a good night's sleep.
Boromir continues to glance at her worriedly with Legolas following his view ever so often. Vera, slightly irked by the stares, weakly mutters at the two, "I'm fine. Stop staring at me like I'm a doll waiting to break. I'm fine."
With that, she stands up from her seat next to Legolas and sits next to Frodo. "Hey, I'm gonna rest with you for a while," she groggily murmurs, resting her head on Frodo's head, seeing as he was too short for her to put her head on his shoulder. He frowns at her but grants permission.
"You don't blame me?" He asks quietly. He saw his friends turn away from him with blame in their eyes, his mind already formulating more and more doubt for his Hobbit friends as they look away from him. He blamed himself for the fact they couldn't pass through, and it didn't help that some of the other members felt that way too. Vera frowns too, shifting her head slightly.
"Blame you for what? For not being able to pass through?" she asks groggily. She felt Frodo nod. Lifting her head up, she meets eyes with Frodo once again and forces a small smile to comfort him. "Hey. This isn't your fault. No one here blames you for the burden you carry or the fact that we can't go through. It's the stupid ring's fault. I can't really blame anyone for not letting us pass; you didn't choose to carry the ring, the roads are too dangerous for us to cross, and I wouldn't let something so evil pass through my borders either. Don't be so hard on yourself," she says firmly.
Frodo doesn't seem convinced but proceeds to smile back at her. He didn't reveal his secret to anyone but himself but sometimes, when he would look at the Lady of The Sea, he saw an angel in her place. For a while, he always took comfort in her because he brought a new light to his tainted soul. She had told him that her feä isn't as accustomed to the darkness of the world for her home is well protected from such things, leaving her vulnerable to danger but safe from it, as well. Frodo assumed that's why he took more solace in her than the rest and seemed to find himself relieved and safe at all times.
"You'd make a good mother," Frodo says, changing the subject. Vera is too preoccupied with trying to keep herself awake to care for the change.
"I don't plan on having children," she grumbles, wrinkling her nose. "They're...annoying."
Frodo looks at her incredulously. He didn't expect that from the maternal girl, and he wonders if she even knows that what she does is mother-like, considering the lack of role model figure in her life. Before he could say anything, Vera's head snaps up. "Is anyone blaming you, Frodo?" she asks, her head suddenly registering what he had said. He raises his eyebrows and nods.
She nods. "I'll talk to them." Before he could stop her, she was already walking towards their Hobbit friends and sits at the space in between them, turning their attention to her. From Frodo's point of view, she could be seen arguing calmly.
However, Vera was working up a storm. "Listen, I know you all are tired and want nothing more than to retire in the comforts of the elven beds, but don't turn your blame to Frodo for putting us in this position because he didn't do anything wrong. He didn't choose to carry the ring nor did he want any of this to happen and if you even think of blaming him for not being able to sleep comfortably, then remember that you agreed to come along this journey and you weren't forced to. I understand what troubles you go through, but you can't go around and blame your friends. Because in the end, it may be the only thing that will save your life."
Sam goes to interrupt, about to tell her that they weren't blaming Frodo for anything but stops as her words digest. "Miss Vera, what do you mean by that?"
Vera stops and widens her eyes before composing herself, her brown eyes glancing between Merry, Pippin, and Sam, hoping they were listening to her. "You have to rely on each other. You each carry a burden, maybe not as big as Frodo's, but just as important. You need support and the only way you'll get that is from your friends and family. I've grown close to many of you like you have to each and every one of us. Remember that, because it will get you through this. It's the only thing we can rely on because friends give us something more than just love and support; they give hope. And hope is an important thing to have to survive through this."
And with that, they were silent, each of them mulling over her words, then glancing at each other in thought.
Moving away from the Hobbits to let them think over what she has said, she decides that enough is enough and walks towards Aragorn and Haldir, a fire in her gaze. She ignores Legolas' warning hisses at her and Gimli's quiet cheering before stepping beside Aragorn and in front of the elf sternly.
"Listen, Hallie," Vera starts, pursing her lips and cutting Aragorn mid-sentence. She ignores the surprised look from the elf at the nickname and the groan from Aragorn and continues, "I understand your duty and your responsibility to protect your Queen or whatever it is she is to you and the people of your home, as well as Lothlórien itself, but you need to understand that danger will come through whether you let us in or not. The ring isn't the only darkness that hides in the world and it's only a matter of time before your own home will go to war. Are you ready for that?"
"Vera—"
"I'm not here to negotiate, I'm here to ensure our passage through your woods and the promise of protection from you. You are noble Elves, I know this, you cannot shun us away. We need your support, your protection, your aid! I know better than anyone what you want to do for I will not let such dangers pass my borders but I also know better...if you don't let us through just because of the power of the ring, all will die anyway. Frodo will be killed on our journey and so will we. I don't think many would be happy about that, and the ring will return back to its master one way or the other. Before you do anything, think about this."
Aragorn raises an eyebrow, looking at Legolas as they look at Vera in disbelief.
Finally, Vera finishes her speech firmly, "A war is coming. Your decision now sticks through whether you will fight and let us through, or scare away to let the darkness pass through here. Thank you for your time."
With that, she whirls away sternly and stomps towards Frodo, grumbling to herself about sleep and water. It seems she just stepped in a conversation between Boromir and Frodo as they end it abruptly upon her arrival. They look at her.
"You all right?" Boromir asks.
"Oh, just peachy!" Vera snips cheerfully. Boromir raises his eyebrows. "Stubbornness of elves, I swear."
"Dwarves are more stubborn," Boromir points out, cutting himself off as Vera glares at him.
She groans, burying her head into her hands. "Screw me."
They stay silent for a while.
Then, "I'm sure Legolas would like that."
"For Eru's sake, Boromir," mutters Vera exasperatedly.
Before the three could laugh it out, Haldir appears in front of Frodo with his eyes blank, flickering from Vera to the Hobbit. He mentally reprimands the girl for her language, and she seems to understand as she grumbles. Though, no one is sure if it's because of his arrival or his scolding. Perhaps, even both.
"Very well. Here we will stay awhile, and come to the city of Galadhrim on the morrow."
Once he was out of sight, Vera turned to the rest of the Fellowship. "Oh, thank the Valar!"
"Shhh!"
"Don't 'shhh' me!"
"Vera!" Legolas takes her by the arm sternly.
"What, love?"
They stop. "Did you just—"
"No," Vera rushes to correct herself under Legolas' stare. "I meant 'Leaf.' Leaf."
"Right."
As Vera starts to defend herself, her hands are suddenly embracing the Elven Prince as Boromir accidentally pushes her towards him. She groans as her head hits his chest, rubbing it with her hands. Looking up, she sees Legolas smirking at her.
"Falling for me again, are you?"
"You wish."
"That I do, Princess, that I do."
.
author's note;
ooof vera can get mad when she's tired hehehe. i love frodo and vera's relationship it's so wholesome 🥺🥺 if y'all liked this chapter please share some love babes ily
author's note; translations
Mae govannen, Legolas Thranduollion : welcome, legolas, son of thranduil
Govannas vîn gwennen le, Haldir o Lórien:: our fellowship stands in your debt, haldir of lórien
A Aragorn in Dúnedain ah hiril Vera a Atlantis istannen le ammen:: Oh, Aragorn of the Dúnedain and Lady Vera of Atlantis, you are known to us.
Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul:: i spit on your grave! ( dwarf )