*bops your nose* boop!

*********
         

We rode through the night. Mithrandir told us we could not waste any more time on our journey to Rohan. But when were we wasting time? Did he expect us to sleep on our horses?

Apparently so. It was when the moon came to sit directly above us, a crown of stars decorating her brow, when Merry fell from his russet horse.

"Merry!" Pippin yelled in alarm. He himself had been snoozing against Mithrandir. "Stop! Stop! Merry has fallen!"

Gimli brought his horse to a stop with a struggle. "A dwarf is not meant to be a horse-rider," he mumbled sleepily and gazed down at his fallen rider.

"Shake it off, lad. A bump on your rump is much better than a sword through your throat."

Gimli! I wanted to yell but my sleepy mouth wouldn't cooperate. But maybe Merry should know the bloody side of this journey, although maybe he already knew that. After all, the day I was released from Sauron's sleep-world he had witnessed a small battle with orcs and wargs.

The hobbit got to his feet with a wince and rubbed his back. I made a wince of my own as he popped his back.

"We'll continue on another hour, then we'll rest." I struggled not to glare at Mithrandir's words.

You said that an hour ago, I thought, but didn't say it. We were all thinking it.

Legolas, who was taking his turn walking beside us since he was the only tireless elf, helped Merry back up behind Gimli. Legolas looked like he'd rather spend the night in the thick of Mirkwood and be eaten by spiders.

So, did Merry.

I turned away, trying not to revisit the times where Legolas was himself. They only brought sorrow and longing when thought of.

Against my will, my mind began to drift sleepily off...

"Aragorn, how is your arm faring?" Melnare asked. Apparently, she's had a little training as a healer in her past.

"It's doing well, thanks to your skill." Aragorn's arm—however it had been wounded (he did not like to talk about how it had happened)—had been on the verge of infection. I had had a look at his wound—and then quickly looked away, swallowing the bile that rose in my throat. It had been red and angry, disgusting pus gathering in it. The wound had obviously been caused by a blade.

I had also noticed Aragorn had part of his ear missing. I wondered if he had acquired the two injuries in the same battle.

My eyes fell shut and my mind edged towards unconsciousness.

Melnare nodded, "good. Middle-Earth doesn't need you dying..." her words drifted off as sleep overtook me. And so did a memory that Melnare's words triggered.

*********

The cream blanket beneath my cheek had gone damp hours ago. I had tried to dry my tears on the golden-weaved quilt but failed. I just let my unwanted tears slide down my face.

I didn't bother to pull myself together. After all, there's no one around to be strong for.

I allowed my fingers to trace the gold stitches of the heavy blanket. The work was exquisite. Too bad it belonged to a Dark Lord.

In fact, everything in the room was exquisite. The bed was tall, multiple pillows heaped at the head. The vases ornate, although no flowers occupied them. The rug looked like it belonged in a king's bed-chamber. Like the rest of this place, the walls were black, but the trimmings were carved with images and elven runes. In fear of what I would see and read, it tried not to look at them.

Sauron called this my 'room,' but it is very much my prison.

The carved wooden door was a testament to that. No matter how many times I tried the handle, kicked it, and threw vases at it, it wouldn't budge. Not even chip the wood.

And there were no windows to smash and escape out of. No servants to plead with, only nasty orcs who would enter to empty my chamber pot (which they made clear what they thought of that) and to deliver my daily meals (which I barely ate from).

Two days had gone by—or maybe more. Without seeing the sun and moon, I had no way to track time except with my imagination. The meals were spaced out unevenly, so I couldn't even tell if I was eating lunch or dinner. I could've been eating second breakfast for all I knew. A fae light ball burned constantly in the corner and a few candles burned on the few flat surfaces there were. But they could've been magicked to last longer. Or shorter. Or maybe they were just normal.

With no company, besides the occasional orcs, my mind had started to become a little spacey. I often talked to the walls. My mind desperately wished to know the time of day. Funny how much we rely on time.

The door opened, and an orc entered—likely to deliver food.

But I didn't smell any. And I didn't see an orc either.

I hurriedly scuttled back until I hit the headboard with a painful clunck!

Sauron smiled wickedly.

I quickly composed myself and thrust my hand under the pillow and brought forth a shard from a broken vase. I held it out in front of me.

He quirked an eyebrow, "that shard can do nothing against me."

"Well I can try, can't I?" I snarled. And then, realizing he was right, I grappled in me for that white light—

"That won't hurt me either. Not here." Not here?

"I have business to do with you." He turned. "Come."

I gripped the shard so tight my hand stung and became sticky with blood. I jutted my chin out. "No."

He stopped. "What?" he asked icily.

"I'll stay here. I won't endure whatever you plan for me." My voice shook and I silently berated myself for it.

Sauron shrugged, "Here can be as good as anyplace."

And before the words could really strike fear in me, his mind slammed into mine. His presence was like a dark omniscient cloud, wrapping itself around me. My mind walls had not been expecting an attack, so my mind easily bent to his will.

It wasn't like last time. Without a barrier between him and me, he didn't need to be aggressive. So there were no tiny piercing spears, no tentacles digging into my mind.

No screaming in pain.

It was like falling asleep. His darkness lulled me to wherever he wanted me to go or see.

My head fell and slumped to the pillow.

//||\\||//||\\

"Thank you, Mother, for inviting me to your table." Galadriel nodded with a small smile gracing her lips.

She motioned for me to sit in the chair across from her. The small glass table was snug up against a mallorn tree, the glass top reflecting light from blue-white lanterns.

"Why did you summon me, Mother? Is it about the note from the orc?" Time went backward as I thought back to such a long time ago when Legolas and I had been scouting in the forest. Him and I had been ambushed by a horde of orcs. I could still see the horrified expression on Galadriel's face when we handed her the note if I tried hard enough to remember. What had been in it? I still didn't know.

She shook her head, making her golden hair sway around her waist. "No, that will be saved for a later discussion soon to come. Is it a sin to want to visit with my daughter?"

I shook my head, feeling the familiar and glorious weight of my circlet. "No, I guess it is not."

The shifting of fabric once again brought my attention to the guards standing vigil in the corners. When I had entered the clearing it had confused me to why they were here.

"Why do you have elves on guard here?" In the depths of Lorien no less.

Galadriel's pale brows creased—and then the elves vanished as if they had never even been there.

"What guards?"

I opened my mouth flabbergasted, "W-what? They were just here?"

I stood from my seat and searched for them, but they were not there.

"Sit, daughter. Do not concern yourself with such things."

None of this is making sense.

"Is there something you wanted to talk about?"

"Here, eat some food to restore your health."

I bit my lip. Why was she avoiding the subject? This is not like her. If she didn't want you to know something, she'd just say something. Not ignore it all together.

A servant elleth carried a steaming bowl to us. As she reached over to set the stew before me, I folded my hands on my lap. It was the first time I realized I was wearing a dress. A long green one made from soft fabric. After not wearing a dress for so long, it felt as if I was half naked. The feeling of air brushing my legs like a cat was almost foreign to me after all this time.

She set the bowl of stew in front of me, careful not to touch me.

"Thank you, Lhainel."

"You are most welcome, My Lady." Lhainel walked away bowing, biting her lip. Strange, it was almost as if she was worried. Or guilty.

But of what?

"Eat, daughter. You must be famished."

Just to get her to shut up about eating, I did as I was told.

Her light blue eyes followed my every move.

Cubed rabbit meat and mushrooms floated and ebbed around each other in the brown liquid. Herbs eddied and sent wafts of delicious smells up to my nose. It looked delicious.

My stomach growled in response.

I wolfed down half the stew and I couldn't seem to get enough. It made me miss my Mirkwoodian mother, she could make the best stew.

I then seemed to remember my manners. I blushed and blotted at my mouth with the napkin.

My heart started racing, probably from the embarrassment.

"Please, continue." Galadriel wore an amused smile.

But instead, I asked, "is Braiglach here?" and wiped sweat from my brow.

"She is." She looked like she didn't want to talk about the subject. Too bad.

"May I see her after our meeting? Where is she?" Has she moved on and started training someone else?

Stop that, Lumornel, I berated. Braiglach is allowed to train someone other than you.

"You may, after we talk." Galadriel licked her lips as if waiting for something. Why was she waiting for something? Am I in trouble? Did something happen to Braiglach? I wadded my dress in my hand to stop the swaying. Why am I dizzy?

"What would you like to—"

My heart convulsed painfully under my ribs. I clutched at my chest, my breath coming fast. What's happening? Why—

My eyes landed on the stew.

"Mother!" My throat started to close up. "The servant—the food—Poison!"

But Galadriel only leaned forward and watched as I fell from the seat. She tapped her finger on the table as if she had things to do and couldn't waste another moment here.

No. No! Mother wouldn't have had a part in poisoning me. But the evidence said otherwise.

I trusted you! I tried saying, but I couldn't breathe. I couldn't even move. I had gone paralyzed.

No! This isn't how it's supposed to end! I have to fulfill the prophecy!

I can't die before I've saved Arda!

But I felt my heart thud agonizingly to a stop in my chest.

And two words echoed painfully as my world went dark forever.

I've failed.

I've failed everyone.

//||\\||//||\\

I gasped awaked, my limbs flying. I grasped my face, my arms, my legs. I'm here. I'm not dead.

I'm not dead!

I wrapped my arms around my trembling torso, unbidden tears dripping from my face.

"If you do not join me then that will be your fate." Sauron stood at the edge of the bed, his calloused hands folded behind his tailored back. His flaming eyes bore into mine.

My teeth chattered either from fear or shock. "But Galadriel would never kill me."

But the illusion was already settling in me as doubt.

"Maybe not her but someone will."

I shook my head. My lips trembled. "No."

"Yes. Either it will be your so-called friends or one of my servants. But it is your fate. You will die in anguish."

He let the words settle. "Unless, of course, you join me."

"I guess that doesn't give me much of a choice." I shook my head.

Sauron smiled.

"I choose to die."

Sauron roared and swept an arm out. Vases on the dresser flew to the ground and shattered.

"YOU FOOL!"

I stuck my chin up despite my trembling lips.

"I will meet with you tomorrow! And you will obey!"

With that he left, slamming the door on the way out.

*********

"That was the most awkward Wednesday he ever remembered,"

--J.R.R. Tolkien

^^^my life in a nutshell^^^

So! Thoughts? Constructive criticism to help me as a writer?

And sooooo.... I won best female character (along with two other amazing writers) and overall winner in the precious awards, hosted by the amazing Meisha13578 . So thankful for both you and my judge, jadegirl2713 , and every one else who made this possible. Also, go check out everyone else who participated in the contest! They all deserve credit. So many great stories!

I'm gonna shut about now cuz I don't like bragging. I just like telling y'all what's happening in my life... Even tho it's kinda me talking to myself at the moment.

And... LOKI. he's my new obsession. I kind really like him and feel sympathy for him. Little poor spicy cinnamon roll. Who has daddy issues. Among others. Just GAAHHHHHH.

okay imma stop rambling now.

Novaer, mellyn!
~awatin~