LotR - Rise to War {LegoRomance}

XXXVIII: Lothlórien

... and she grew to be tall beyond the measure even of the women of the Noldor; she was strong of body, mind, will... ... Even among the Eldar she was accounted beautiful, and her hair was held a marvel unmatched. It was golden like the hair of her father and of her fore-mother Indis, but richer and more radiant, for its gold was touched by some memory of the star-like silver of her mother; and the Eldar said that the light of the Two Trees, Laurelin and Telperion, had been snared in her tresses. - "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn" in Unfinished Tales.

Lothlórien, 3019 TA, January 15

The Company now went down the road from the Gates. They were called upon to take the road and to travel, as a sort of safety, ensuring that it would lead someplace of less darkness and pain. It was rough and broken, fading to a winding track between heather and whin that thrust amid the cracking stones. But still, it could be seen that once long ago a great paved way had wound upwards from the lowlands of the Dwarf-kingdom.

Some roads were left that way, forgotten and erased by the passage of time. Along the way were crumbled stoneworks and mounds of green crowned with delicate birches or fir-trees groaning in the wind. They came to a sharp eastward turn near the sward of Mirrormere, and there, not far from the roadway, stood a solitary column with the top broken off.

"That is Durin's Stone!" cried Gimli. He recalled often Balin speaking about the pillar that stood on the banks of Mirrormere lake near the East gate of Khazad-dûm. "I cannot pass without turning aside for a moment to look at the wonder of the dale!"

"Be swift then!" said Aragorn, looking back towards the Gates. "The Sun sinks early. The Orcs will not, maybe, come out till after dusk, but we must be far away before nightfall. The Moon is almost spent, and it will be dark tonight."

Gimli nodded towards the ranger assuring him that it would take only a brief moment. "Come with me, lass!" the dwarf, springing from the road. "I would not have you go without seeing Kheled-zâram."

Xena's thoughts were interrupted she was busy thinking about what would happen to her broken blade. She placed her sword aside and followed the dwarf who ran down the long green slope. Frodo and a few more followed as well, drawn by the still blue water in spite of hurt and weariness. Beside the standing stone, Gimli halted and looked up. It was cracked and weather-worn and the faint runes upon its side could not be read.

"This pillar marks the spot where Durin first looked in the Mirrormere," said the dwarf. "Let us look ourselves once, ere we go!"

Indeed as promised they saw the Durin's Stone and Gimli spent a few more moments watching it in awe. "O Kheled-zâram fair and wonderful!" said Gimli. "There lies the Crown of Durin till he wakes. Farewell!"

The road now curved south and descended rapidly, emerging from between the dale's arms. They arrived at a deep well of crystal-clear water some distance below the mere, from which a freshet spilt over a stone lip and flowed sparkling and bubbling down a steep rocky path. They followed that road for many miles, as it was the road that the Grey Wizard had chosen.

The company was weary and still grieving Gandalf's loss, but they did not linger or hold, they kept hiking from the road that Aragorn was leading them. Soon they could see the stream leaping down to the trough of the valley, and then running on and away into the lower lands until it was lost in a golden haze.

"There lie the woods of Lothlórien," said Legolas, they have been travelling for days and never had the company seen the elf gazing in admiration, "That is the fairest of all the dwellings of my people. There are no trees like the trees of that land. For in the autumn their leaves fall not, but turn to gold. Not till the spring comes and the new green opens do they fall, and then the boughs are laden with yellow flowers, and the floor of the wood is golden and golden is the roof, and its pillars are of silver, for the bark of the trees is smooth and grey. So still our songs in Mirkwood say. My heart would be glad if I were beneath the eaves of that wood, and it was springtime."