As the Elves stood ever watchful, though there was little risk of an attack this far into Lorien, three of the Halflings immediately started
preparing food. Frodo, however, stood silent, gazing about at Lorien�s beauty as if in a dream. His eyes shone with delight. On an impulse, Aldamir went
over to him.
�Frodo?� he asked quietly. Frodo looked up with a start, and again Aldamir had a glimpse of those unfathomable blue eyes.
�What is it?� asked Frodo, still looking a bit dreamy.
�Would you like to come with me to Cerin Amroth?�
Frodo nodded.
�Come.� Aldamir led Frodo a little ways into the trees, and up onto a tall hill, though not so tall as the one they had seen Caras Galadhon from. A circle of white trees stood silent on its top, and as they walked there a soft wind sighed among the branches, and they stirred ever so gently. The
hill was covered with a sweet-smelling blanket of elanor and niphredil. Things seemed to stand still here on the hill; yet Aldamir knew Frodo could hear far away sounds, like that of the great Sea breaking on its wide-spreading beaches, or the cries of seagulls wheeling above its breakers, seagulls of a race who had long died out. Here, upon Cerin Amroth, one could hear them sometimes. So it was in the land of Lorien.
Slowly Frodo put out a hand and laid it on a mallorn trunk, and from the look that came over his face, Aldamir knew that he felt the life flowing through it. He closed his eyes for a moment, again lost in a dream. Smiling softly to himself, he turned and left Frodo there to dream. Not until he
turned did he realize that Frodo�s companion was there too - he had followed unheeded.
The rest of the journey to Caras Galadhon was not hard but it was night by the time they reached the city, and the stars, very bright here in Lorien, hung above the treetops glittering brightly, like white gems set in the dark vault of the heavens.
Coming to the city�s gate, Haldir knocked, spoke to the Elves who stood guard, and the gates opened. Haldir led them deep into the heart of the city and up many, many staircases which wound tightly about the mallorns� trunks.
At last they came to the Lady�s flet, in the very center of Caras Galadhon, and Haldir left the Fellowship at the base of the stairs leading up to it. Drawing aside, he motioned the other Elves to leave, but Aldamir he allowed to stay with him.
As Galadriel descended the stairs, wrapped in a brilliant, strong light, the Fellowship gazed up in wonder. Aldamir knew they had never seen, man or Elf, with greater power than her. Except perhaps Mithrandir....
Celeborn, Lord of Lorien, spoke, and Aldamir�s thoughts were cut off.
�The Enemy knows you have entered here,� he said slowly. �What hope you had in secrecy is lost.�
Aldamir noticed Aragorn bow his head.
�Eight there are here,� continued Celeborn, �yet Nine there 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.�
Aldamir�s heart lurched. Mithrandir! He was supposed to be with this Fellowship? But he wasn�t? Where then could he be, if even Celeborn could no longer see him from afar? He felt Haldir at his side start, and turned to him. Haldir�s eyes had widened, and he gazed at Aldamir in fearful silence.
Galadriel spoke. �Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of our land. He has fallen, into Shadow.�
Aldamir put his hand to his forehead. Mithrandir, dead! So often he had visited Lorien, so often Aldamir had seen him walk about among the mallorns! Sometimes he would be grave, other times cheerful and happy, and sometimes he would tell them of Halflings. Other times he would bring them news from far away. It was through him that they knew much of the outside world.
The Elf with the Fellowship spoke for the first time, and his voice was filled with sorrow and bitterness. �He was taken by both shadow and flame...a Balrog of Morgoth.�
A shudder passed through Aldamir�s frame. A Balrog! A dreaded, fiery creature of Morgoth! He knew much of the damage they had wrought long ago, now one had taken Mithrandir.......he turned away, stunned with grief. Tears filled his eyes.
He did not hear what else the Lady said to the Fellowship. Only once he glanced at Frodo, and saw that his eyes, too, were filled with tears. His heart went out to the hobbit again. Frodo must have been very close to Mithrandir - this loss must have been awful for him.
Finally Aldamir was too full of grief to stay any longer. Turning, he went swiftly and softly down the stairs. Once at the bottom, he made his way quickly to his favorite place by the side of a laughing little brook. But the brook didn�t seem to be laughing anymore. Its tone was now softer, gentler, sadder . You too are grieving for Mithrandir, thought Aldamir, dropping down beside it. Above him, strains of a slow, Elvish lament for the fallen wizard came floating down to him. He bowed his head upon his knees, and sat there long in grieving silence.