A Light From the Shadows Shall Spring

We fled over mountains and flatlands, eventually running under the cover of trees. Once we reached the forrest our pace slowed, but only just enough to quiet our footsteps. Gimli wasted no time in telling the hobbits about a sorceress who was rumored to live in the woods, and had I heard this story at any other time, I would be skeptical of the tale, but I found myself unsurprised at the notion.

We walked carefully and Gimli continued speaking, when suddenly, we were surrounded by elves pointing arrows at us. I gasped slightly, and stepped closer to Boromir, hiding behind him slightly. One elf, with long blonde hair who slightly reminded me of Legolas, stepped forward and said, "The Dwarf breathes so loud… we could have shot him in the dark." I crept around Boromir slowly so I could watch what was happening.

Aragorn stepped forward and began speaking a language I didn't understand, but it was still painfully familiar to me- like a simple word that teeters teasingly on the tip of your tongue.

Gimli interrupted their conversation by shouting out to Aragorn, telling him we should turn back. The blonde elf looked to him and said, "You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood. You cannot go back." He looked from Gimli to Frodo and the back to Aragorn and said, "Come. She is waiting."

He turned on his heel and strode away quickly, and the remaining elves closed in on us, forcing us to follow.

As we walked through the woods, the trees began to get bigger, and the light began to take on a more golden hue. Everything here looked ethereal and at times I wondered if I was dreaming. We walked until I felt as if the sun was just about to set, although it lingered above the mountains for a great while. In the time it had taken us to get to where we were, Boromir had pulled me in front of him so that the majority of the elves with bowes were behind him and not me. I wanted to ask questions about where we were going and why, but I decided against it. The only talking I ever heard was between Aragorn and the blonde elf, but they only ever spoke in whispers.

Eventually, we found ourselves on a path, and the tress here were bigger than any tree I'd ever seen. Staircases wound their way up around the trunks, and there were hanging lights everywhere. This place truly looked surreal.

Light began to fade, and it took the golden glow with it, replacing it with a blue glow that came from the staircases around the tree trunks as well as the tree branches themselves. Despite my anxiety of this place, I couldn't help but smile to myself. This was the sort of place elves would live.

The blond elf lead us up one of the staircases, and something about the structure was strangely reminiscent of that of Rivendell.

It took some time, but we finally reached the top of the staircase and found ourselves on a platform that glowed white. As we stood there, two figures descended down the staircase in front of us and many members of the fellowship stared in awe. I had to admit that the sight of them truly was breathtaking. The woman seemed to let off her own glow of light and it was hard to look away, but my attention was diverted when the man began to speak.

"Nine there are here," he began, "yet ten there were set out from Rivendell." He looked to Aragorn and continued, "Tell me, where is Gandalf? For I much desire to speak with him."

The woman looked from Frodo to Aragorn and after no one answered the man, who I could now tell was an elf, the woman elf next to him said quietly, "He has fallen into Shadow." She looked saddened, and when no one could answer her due to grief, they knew it was true.

The she-elf continued, "The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail… to the ruin of all."

She looked to Boromir next to me and kept eye contact with him until he began to falter. I looked to him to see he was sobbing and placed a hand on his back to comfort him. I saw her gaze travel to all the other members of the fellowship while she continued to speak out loud, but I couldn't hear what she was saying because I also heard her voice in my head.

'Welcome, Cecilia from the distant World. I have been expecting you…' I looked around to see if anyone else was hearing her speak two different sentences at once, but no one seemed to be able to hear that she was speaking to me. She continued, 'Your questions shall soon be answered, and your memory returned… Aegliriell.' Her voice sounded sly in my head, and I wasn't sure I should trust her, even if it did sound like she knew something I didn't.

The voice in my head stopped and I heard her telling everyone to rest. She looked at me briefly, a strange smile on her face before she turned her attention to Frodo as she continued to speak.

When she had finished, elves led us down the stairs to where a resting spot had been set up for us. Beds had been made for each of us, and beautiful white tents had been put up over them. We were near a water fountain that we could use, and we deposited our bags and got set up quickly.

The sound of a haunting, yet beautiful melody reached my ears as I was setting up my bed, and I saw Legolas stop what he was doing outside the tent and say, "A lament for Gandalf." I walked out to stand next to him. I closed my eyes for a moment and felt I knew exactly what they said, though I couldn't describe it. Merry looked to Legolas from where he stood in the tent and asked, "What do they say about him?"

Legolas stared off into the distance and told Merry he couldn't tell him; he was still experiencing too much grief. Legolas then continued on with what he was doing without another word, as did Merry. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aragorn walk towards Boromir, and I turned to walk in the opposite direction. I still hadn't spoken to him, and I didn't know when I would be able to bring myself to do so. I didn't blame him for Gandalf's death, but I was resentful that he wouldn't even let me try to save Gandalf. I knew Gandalf thought I was important, but surely he was not less important than I was. In fact, I believed quite the opposite. Gandalf was more knowledgeable than all of us put together, and I didn't see how we could complete this task without him.

I walked along the path for a while, strangely not encountering anyone. It had gotten late, I could tell, so I decided to turn around and head back. I was tired, and my mind was racing. I needed sleep. I was approaching the quarters that had been given to us when I heard hushed talking. Slipping into the trees, I quietly made my way towards the voices. I didn't really know why I had decided I needed to hear what these two people were saying, but something in my mind told me it was important.

Using the trees as cover, I approached the voices, and as I got closer, I knew who it was. It was Aragorn and Boromir. I got close enough to make out what they were saying, but not so close as to where they would be able to see me easily.

"You mean to say that she does not know?" Boromir asked, disbelief littering his tone. I watched as Aragorn shook his head and replied quietly, "Gandalf did not wish for her to know until we left the mines. He didn't think it wise to tell her."

My mind raced, trying to piece together what they were talking about. I couldn't figure it out, so I continued listening. Boromir then asked, "Will you tell her then, since Gandalf cannot?" Aragorn was silent for a moment, but then replied, "I do not know. She hasn't spoken to me since the mines. I believe she blames me for Gandalf's death."

The information finally clicked in my head and I realized they were talking about me. What exactly was it that I didn't know? Why did Boromir think it was so important?

Boromir countered, "But why? It was not you that sprang up from the Shadow to pull Gandalf down into the depths." Aragorn shook his head and said, "She wished to try to save him. It is true that she may have succeeded, but it would have been unwise to take the risk." After a moment of silence Boromir countered, "Is it not unwise to take the risk of not telling her your true identity?"

I didn't get to hear the rest of their conversation, because something was pulling me in the opposite direction of the men. I was startled because there wasn't anyone near me. No physical object was forcing me anywhere. I had a strange sensation in my chest, almost like a magnetic pull, and although I had no memory of ever setting foot on these lands, I instantly knew where I needed to go, and how to get there.