Title: Enigma Author: Shan Lee Rating: PG-13 Feedback: Misli22@aol.com Disclaimer: Oi Vey, I’ve been forgetting this. Anyway. Original characters are mine, everything else belongs to Tolkien. Please don’t sue the poor college student. Chapter Ten: Visions By Moonlight “Everything in life is speaking in spite of it’s apparent silence.” Rhiannon had made yet another one of her great observations. The elves of Lorien, the Galadrim, did not know the common tongue. And those that did were few and far between. She had no one to argue with. The elves of this realm had a great respect for nature, they were peaceful and content. Most did not know of the outside world, and while that ignorance protected them from much distress, they were also weakened by not knowing all of the outside world. The Lord and Lady begged her to not go any farther than the river Nimrodel, and even that was quite far away. They seemed to understand her need to be alone. Rhiannon usual chose to blend into the background; here she was stared at for her differences. She was sure the image of her brother must have stayed with these people and therefore they were somewhat curious about her. Rhiannon laid in the cool grass. The warm winter sun shone down on her, warming her from the slight chill in the crisp air. Rhiannon was enjoying this peacefulness. Ever since her last vision from Legolas she had felt an unease. There had been a small vision that had followed after she had left the Lord and Lady, it was just of a mountaintop, then she was suddenly pushed out. It made her feel as if something had gone terribly wrong, and Legolas was not willing to share this with her. At least not yet. She watched, amazed, as dusk began to settle on the land. She reflected on her day. Earlier she had heard a fair elvish voice signing, she did not know the words, and yet it had filled her both with warmth and sadness. Rhiannon knew she should return before darkness finally settled, yet she could not bring herself to move. She stayed there, staring into the sky as it changed, living in a dream-like state. Much like the elvish sleep, but not so. She woke with a start as she was gifted with a full image. Darkness, shadow, flame. Gandalf. Fire, orcs and goblins surrounding many crumbling staircases. There was a demon that stood in front of the powerful Mithrandir. And then….she was slammed out of Legolas’ mind again, as swiftly as if someone had slammed a door. The vision did not offer her any comfort. She rose from her place of long resting and searched for a suitable spot to sleep for the night. She would not try to make it back to Caras Galadon until the sun again rose. Rhiannon awoke with the morning. Her back was sore from having slept in such an awkward position. Sadly she was a bit spoilt, and used to sleeping in beds or on soft mats. It was her own fault, she should not have spent all that time staring into the sky last night. She continued on foot until her ears picked up on sudden noise that caused her to stop in her place. The sudden sound of a heated argument drew her attention. She softly crept on the ground, her bare feet making little noise. She stepped over the ancient tree roots and observed the situation that was taking place. And suddenly bit her bottom lip to stop the laughter that was bubbling up. There stood members of the Fellowship, having just crossed the Celebrant and an argument was ensuing. Haldir insisted he must blind-fold Gimli, being a dwarf and all. Gimli was not very excited about such a an act. Legolas claimed “A plague on dwarfs and their stiff-necks!” Rhiannon smirked, if she knew Aragorn they would ALL be traveling blind-folded or none at all. She was right in her assessment as she listened to the conversation “ ‘Come!’ said Aragorn, ‘If I am still to lead this Company, you must do as I bid. It is hard upon the dwarf to be thus signaled out. We will all go blindfold, even Legolas.’ Gimli laughed suddenly, ‘A merry troops of fools we shall look! Will Haldir lead us all on a string, like many blind beggars with one dog? But I will be content, if only Legolas here shares my blindness.’” Rhiannon laughed at the vision Gimli described and the flustered look on the elven Prince’s face. She was sure that if she viewed his eyes she would see banked fury. He spoke in a cool tone, “ ‘I am an Elf and a kinsman here.’ ‘Now let us cry: a plague on the stiff necks of elves!’ said Aragorn. ‘But the company shall fare alike. Come, bind our eyes, Haldir!’” The look on the face of Legolas was a sight that Rhiannon would not soon forget. My, my. Live over a thousand years and one can still manage to be a spoiled brat prince. Rhiannon was more than content to watch the little scene unfold, but a voice beckoned her. The Lady was speaking, “Come back, young one. Now is not the time for you to be seen. Let them have peace, and rest these next few nights. Return to us and rest your own mind, that which was so troubled hours ago. You know the way back, let nature and your instincts guide you.” Rhiannon knew the Lady did not speak only of her return path to Caras Galadon. Rhiannon spared one last look at the now blind-folded Company. There were only eight, and she knew that there was quite a mystery and a grief that existed for the missing of Gandalf the Grey; yet none had dwelt in their true grief yet. There would be time for that later, even if the mourning and the grief was not fully needed. Tears are never shed in vain, they can allow for a beginning to occur. And the true journey for most of the Fellowship, had yet to begin. All would be changed forever, but at the end….At the end, eight would stand and one would not, and as of this moment not all were necessarily lost. A week later, Rhiannon had yet to speak to any members of the Fellowship, as she knew she should not. She had to hide many times to avoid Legolas from viewing her. He spent most of his time with his kindred, but Rhiannon was running out of energy and hiding places. She was wishing for conversation with someone. Nature said many things, yet she could never hold a true conversation with it. She knew of three here that were able to speak the common tongue. One, was Haldir, and he spent his time patrolling the borders. The others were the Lord and the Lady. The two spoke of many things she could never fathom and in riddles she would never be able to comprehend. The temptation to seek out one of the Company was overwhelming, but she knew she could not. She gave a sigh of frustration as she lay cradled between two tree branches. It had taken her quite a long time to climb up here. Rhiannon knew her strength was in her mind, not her body. The ordeal to get up here, with her long dress and cloak had made her not want to climb down anytime soon. All that work and now, as she glanced towards the ground, she realized she must move. That damn elf! Why could he never stay put? Rhiannon held her breath, hoping his perceptive ears would not pick up any light sound she made. He strode towards the base of the tree she laid in. His face was bathed in moonlight and sorrow shone in his eyes. He spoke softly, only for her ears to hear. “I know you are up there. I have sensed your presence ever since we crossed the border into Lothlorien. I do not know why you refuse to speak to me, and why you have run from me this whole week. What have I done wrong? Is it because I shut you out of my mind? I did not wish for you to find out about the fall of Mithrandir that way.” He paused in his speech waiting for an answer. “Rhiannon, please say something.” Rhiannon took a deep breath. “The Lord and Lady bid me not to speak to any of you and I can see their point. The Company must have rest and must also concentrate on what lies ahead. I my self have decisions to make. To be around all of you, to feel your true grief, to feel even just yours Legolas, that would be too much. I promise you, one day, when this all has come to a rest on some sort, we will have a long talk. Now is not the time, nor will that time be near. Go rest your mind now, be it with elves or with the Company.” Legolas gave a sad smile, “You have a very motherly quality to you.” “Yes, I know. Now go rest, and feel no worry tonight.” Rhiannon watched as he walked off slowly, glancing backwards towards the tree she rested in. Legolas was like most elves, rarely did he share his emotions with others. This journey would make him more human. And that was not a bad thing. Chapter Eleven: Leavings and Arrivals “. . .if we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything is ready, we shall never begin.” Ivan Turgenev Throughout the next month Rhiannon slowly made herself known to the remaining members of the Fellowship. She knew the only members that felt comfortable around her were Aragorn and Legolas, a thing she expected and had always felt from them. The Hobbits of the Shire were known for their lack of trust when it came to outsiders. In fact, all the races of Middle Earth were suspicious of outsiders, of those not of their own race. They were learning though, and realizing, that with the passing of the elves came the passing of all the races other than men. If Aragorn fulfilled his destiny, it would mean the good would prevail in this world for some time. With that though came the loss of all things whimsical and magical. Rhiannon remembered something Lord Celeborn had revealed to her in one of their long and confusing (at least for her) talks. Something of the elven race always had to dwell on this earth in order for nature to sustain. Descendants of the eleven race had to carry this on; this somewhat protection of the earth. Rhiannon had the oddest feeling that Lord Celeborn meant for her to be the one to implement the carrying on of the whole of the elven race on earth. Yes, there seemed to be some pressure there. Then again he may have just meant her people, that was always a possibility. For now Rhiannon did not wish to think of the future and her part to play in it. The Fellowship would be leaving this day, traveling on to futures unknown and paths unseen. Rhiannon had been informed to at least learn one source of weaponry from either Aragorn or Legolas before they departed. They had started on arrows, being an elf, Legolas had argued, it was only natural for her to learn their weapon of choice. It also meant that she didn’t not have to directly be involved in battle. After always accidentally killing quite a few of the Galadhrim it was decided that Rhiannon would not be taking anymore bow and arrow lessons. If Lorien was attacked in the coming days, Rhiannon would be, well, in a lot of trouble. Battle, wars, death, destruction. Occurrences to her that she had been so far removed from as a child. Of course wars occurred in her own lands, she knew what it was, had seen it’s affects. She had grown up with war as part of her life, but she never had to fight. Her father had always seen to her protection, sending her to fairies and nymphs that lived hidden in hills, realms that few could breach and could only find if looking for them. She did not know how to use any weapons really, beyond being able to defend herself with a small dagger her brother had once given her. Swords, bows and arrows, all of those things were objects almost foreign to her. She knew one day she would have to pick up even the basic of skills to survive in this world, if only to reach her brother, but she still felt she would be better used for figuring out strategies. Who was she trying to kid? She just didn’t want to fight. The idea of being in battle caused an uneasy feeling to settle within the pit of her stomach. It amazed her really, her mother had been an elf of Rivendell and yet her daughter knew very little elvish, knew nothing of fighting, little of the traditions of the elves, she could not handle their weapon of choice, she felt almost ashamed. Times like these reminded her that she was not really an elf. She was many things, and while predominantly elf, that was not all she was. She was almost the reverse of dear Aragorn; a man closer to the elves. Rhiannon, of elven blood, closer to the humans of this land. Aragorn had started sword lessons with her, and she felt much more comfortable with that. Much more sure of her target, even if her target was a heavily padded and obviously scared and stubborn dwarf. The dwarf had been chosen as her target practice simply because he had too much pride to admit to fear of a female wielding a sword. She hadn’t killed anyone on accident, that had to be a good sign. Rhiannon wondered who would teach her now, now that her teachers were leaving. She felt loss at seeing them go. Oddly enough, she had not spent the most time with the one she was bonded with. Rhiannon understood Legolas’ deep need to connect with his kindred and therefore she choose not to accompany him when he spent the many hours talking with and listening to the Galadhrim. He did not seem eager to play translator. The Man of Gondor seemed weary of her and this was no surprise. He had never been around her kind, was suspicious of the unknown. The hobbits while seemingly drawn to her also seemed to feel fear. The last time they had seen she had passed out, not the best impression in the world to leave on one’s mind. The dear dwarf was Rhiannon’s greatest source of entertainment. He always had a story to tell and his voice inflections were priceless. Out of all though, her time was spent with Aragorn. They had this understanding of living in different worlds, among different peoples, never truly knowing where you fit in. The uncertainty he had been feeling, the blame he placed on himself for all that was happening, broke her heart. She reassured him, as she always had and as much as she could, that the future must not be worried about at this time. You cannot plan the end of the journey before all your tasks are done. If anything is unpredictable in this world it is the path one treads. The simple life course can be drastically changed by the smallest action. She was aware Aragorn found little solace in her words, but he found just enough to have a full night’s rest before he and the others traveled once more. ------ Rhiannon watched the Fellowship depart, a whispered good-bye to Legolas as he stared from the small boat, seeking her out in the trees. Between the two there was an unexplored peace. When things settled they would have a very long talk about their pasts, their lives, their cultures. Rhiannon was brought back to her vision on the day she had bonded with Legolas and seen visions of his mother. She could not explain it but, she felt as if she knew who that woman was. If only Gandalf or Lord Elrond was here. The Lady of the Wood would most likely know the answer to her question, but the Lady made Rhiannon very uncomfortable. “It is because I know what you are, and what, if you choose wisely, will be.” Rhiannon jumped as the Lady’s voice reverberated in her mind. She truly hated mind-reading, it was such an intrusion. “Why is it that everyone seems to think I fear what I am?” “You do not fear what you are, Rhiannon. You know what you are. It is what lies in your future that you fear. You fear the power within you, you fear the bond you have with Legolas. A bond, I must say that is being very neglected.” “A bond can be neglected? How do you neglect something you can’t control?” “Yes, a bond can be neglected, by ignoring it. And you can control the bond, you already have in a sense. You forced Legolas to let you witness the events on the Mines of Moria and he forced you out. The bond, the connection allows that. Even now, you sit up here thinking that a peace lies between the two of you, and yet you know better. Or you should. One so wise and then so blind to herself. You want to be closer to him, you wished to leave with both him and Aragorn.” “They speak the common tongue and do not often confuse me; of course I would wish to be with them. I admit I have many questions about the past of Legolas, about his life. That is only natural.” “Yes, it is. As it is also only natural how you sat and watched him at night wishing to be curled up at his side, to take away the anxiety that has been silently building inside you. To reassure you that you are not a disgrace to the elven race for not knowing a thing about us.” Rhiannon’s face faded into a blank state as the Lady voiced things she had meant to hide. Rhiannon had always associated the need for comfort as a form of weakness and therefore did not voice her want for someone to soothe her in the middle of the night. She did not let it show that she was feeling very uneasy as of late, knowing that something great was about to happen and an amazing sadness to occur. She glanced at the Lady, the strong, silent elf. She stood as still as a statue, barely blinking. “You know the fate that awaits you, Lady Galadriel, no matter the outcome you must leave this earth. All the elves know this, they have a place to escape to in case the darkness wins. I do not know my own fate at the end of these days. I have no place to escape too. I am bonded to someone that will eventually leave these shores and I can not follow him when he leaves. Do you understand the fear I have of that? Do you understand the fear of becoming so dependent on someone that you cannot function without them? I do not wish for that to happen; I do not wish for that pain.” The Lady’s silence continued. Rhiannon stood still as she was studied under the gravity of the gaze of the Lady of the Wood. Their stare was broken as an eagle squawked overhead. Galadriel smiled, “There is greater pain in never taking the chance to bond completely with the one that holds not only your soul but your heart. I know your mother told you of the sorrow so strong it can destroy an elf. Battle wounds can be healed, a broken mind can not. For both you and the son of Thranduil your strength lies in each other. You would have met eventually, for your ways do lie with each other. I have told you Legolas is not the answer to your great question. You have informed me that he is part of it and you are very correct. We will have yet another guest coming to Lorien very soon. When he leaves, so shall you. You will need to start taking your own council and providing it to others. You may leave with our guest, but you will not journey with him. Now, come, you must rest and gain strength. The coming days will be very trying for you, young one.”