A Silver Lining (Lord of the Rings) [Legolas]

VIII. Life in Lórien

VIII. Life in Lórien

            “You wanted to see me, my lady?” I asked Galadriel. I had been in Lórien for at least two weeks now. Adjusting was much easier than I had expected, though I could not say the same about swallowing the news about my parents. If only they knew I am still alive. They should have remained here, somehow knowing that their lost daughter would return home one day.

            “Yes,” she said loftily. “Please, walk with me.”

            I felt like I had to take an extra step or two to match Galadriel’s pace. This was perhaps the first time I had gotten a break from Nikita—not that I did not appreciate her company, but her fretting over her wedding seeped into me, and I wanted to get away from her. Galadriel provided me that outing, as if she had known I wanted change.

            “What did you want me for?” I asked cautiously.

            “I have not had the chance to talk with you one-on-one, to assess you.”

            “Assess me?” My eyebrows came together.

            “I possess certain gifts that allow me to see your character and quite possibly your life in the past.”

            “My lady, I do not think you should waste your time looking into my past.” I laughed nervously.

            “You are afraid of what I will find. Nimalia, I know you were taken from here when you were very young. What I may discover will not stun me like you think it will. It will also most likely not change my opinion of you.”

            “What is that, if I can ask?”

            “You are someone who wants to live the rest of your days content, to try and forget what horrors you have seen and endured.” She cut in front of me, abruptly halting me. She held my gaze, deep blue meeting ice-blue. I did not have the will to look away from her.

 It was like she was piercing through my very being, as if she was able to look through my mind and pick out details from my past.

            For the love of the Valar, I hoped she did not find the things which I buried.

            She raised an inquiring eyebrow. “What are you hiding from me?”

            “Things I am not willing to share.” My voice trembled. “Please do not put a spell on me that will make me tell you my darkest secrets.”

            She laughed. “Even if I could, I would not. I am not one who would abuse such a gift. But I do sense you feel remorse for some things you have done.”

            “Can you please stop staring at me? It is very unnerving.”

            “This is my way of seeing who you are,” she explained calmly. “Most find it uncomfortable, more so when they have something to hide from me. You, I am afraid, fall under the latter category. Whatever you are hiding was something you did not want to do willingly.”

            My eyes widened. She cannot dig through my memories. She cannot know about the river.

            I do now, a voice in my head spoke. I jumped back, still wide-eyed.

            Y-you can read thoughts too?

            I have many gifts.