The Beginning of Darkness [LotR] [COMPLETED]

Leaving Lothlorien

Marillel and Frodo left the hollow and returned to where the others were sleeping, neither of them felt like sleeping the images that they had seen in the mirror still fresh in their minds. Slowly, one by one everyone woke up and started to prepare to leave Lothlorien. The path the Fellowship were planning to go down was the Anduin river, the elves had been so kind as to provide them with boats and some food supplies. Now they stood before Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel on the banks of the great river, elves were fastening cloaks of a deep green with a light green and silver leaf shaped brooch fastened at the neck,

“May these cloaks help shield you from unfriendly eyes” said Celeborn when everyone was wearing their cloaks

Galadriel stepped forward with her handmaidens by her side, their arms holding different sized and shaped objects,

“A gift for the leader of the Company” she picked up a sword sheath and handed it out for Aragorn to take. He took the sheath gratefully and put his sword inside, “Anduril is its name” she said

For Boromir a belt of gold, Merry and Pippin received silver belts with clasps fashioned like golden flowers. Legolas and Marillel got matching longbows and a quiver of arrows each. Sam was given a small wooden box, inside was some earth from Galadriel’s orchard, he also received a rope made out of hithlain. Gimli got a golden lock of Galadriel’s hair which he said when he returned home he would craft into an heirloom of his house. Finally she turned to Frodo,

“For you Ring-bearer I give you the light of Earendil, may it be a light to you in dark places when all other lights go out” she handed Frodo a glass phial which shone brightly with a white light.

“Thank you” said Frodo in awe

Slowly the Company started piling into the boats provided, Sam stared at the boats suspiciously but eventually got in with some coaxing and help from Marillel and Frodo. Finally everyone was ready and they pushed off the bank and into the middle of the river, as they neared the borders of Lothlorien they passed a large white boat carved into the likeliness of a swan. On board the swan boat was Lady Galadriel as the Company paddled past she raised a hand in a final farewell and good luck on their quest.

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All was quiet on the Anduin except for the gentle lapping of water on the paddles when they entered the water, no one really felt like talking the gravity of their mission slowly starting to sink in as they realised they were now truly on their way to Mordor. The sound of the paddles entering the water soothed Marillel and she soon found her head drooping into her chest, a gentle poking in her back made her jerk back up and resume the pace set by Aragorn who was in the lead boat.

Days passed and the Fellowship did nothing much except paddle, rest, paddle more and watch the scenery breeze past. Soon they approached two large statues carved into the likeliness of men, one hand held out as if in warning telling all travellers not to pass through,

“The Argonath!” Aragorn exclaimed, “Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old. My kin”