Only Time

Ch. 27 ~ The Tide Has Turned

I could not believe my eyes as the very true vision of what was in my mind's eye was staring as if at me when in reality he was looking at Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli. It could not be. Yet there he was. More powerful and as splendid as ever. Haldir was still trying to get me to tell him what I was seeing as my aunt came forth from the far reaches of Lorien. Looking deep into my eyes, she saw what I was seeing. An expression of joy filled her face for the briefest of moments.

"Mithrandir has been returned to us." She said quietly helping me up as tears streamed down my face.

"But how?" I whispered.

"It seems that he defeated his oldest foe and was granted another life as the most powerful wizard in our lands now. He was always fearless and thus proving himself worthy of this return now." She said smiling.

I watched the vision continue as Mithrandir now known as Gandalf the White; much stronger than his former self, told the story of his heroic battle against the Balrog and survival only to be returned here. He then said something that made me tilt my head and repeat to my aunt in Elvish.

"He has been returned to us now that the tide has turned. Those words strike me as both hopeful and scary. What do you make of them?" Haldir intervened then.

"Just as I mentioned before, there always has to be hope even in dark and uncertain times." Aunt Galadriel and I both nodded.

I knew then that some hope has been rekindled. I also knew that both Merry and Pippin were safe with the Ent leader Treebeard thanks to Gandalf's request. Which meant they would hold for now. As my visions let me go and I stumbled a bit, Haldir caught me in his arms and we were impossibly close. Too close for my comfort, I immediately stepped away. He looked down than at me not saying a word but his eyes were intense. I knew that look but he then turned away from me. All these years later, even with my betrothment to another elf, he still had the same feelings for me as he had a century ago and longer.

Feelings he knew would never bear fruit. He was perfectly content to being my best friend/older brother in Lorien. But feelings that powerful do not just vanish. He had managed to keep them in check because even when we were fighting we were never in such close proximity as we had just been. For someone emotionally and physically strong, he let himself slip for a fraction of a moment and it was long enough for me to understand.

I however dropped the matter as instantly as I understood it. There was no point in going into it. My future was as I wanted it; I just wished that he found himself someone to spend eternity with. But there would be plenty of time for that after the war was over. I still thought that perhaps reintroducing him to Tauriel would not be a bad idea. At the very least he could have another female friend. Losing Kili was horrible for her but though elves were known to love once and never again, stranger things happened and perhaps like humans, they could both mend their broken hearts with each other.

I thought about that and smiled to myself for attempting to play matchmaker through so many unknowns. Haldir had vanished by this point; probably back to his quarters to pull himself together so he could be around me and not have it be awkward. We had dinner to get through. Meanwhile, on my way to my own chamber to prepare for dinner, Celeborn stopped me and asked me to go see my aunt.

"She has had a vision as well and she needs to speak with you at once, princess." He said to me softly. I nodded and rushed off to her own private wing where I knew she would be preparing for dinner as well. I knocked on her door as she allowed me entrance.

"You had a vision? What happened? Is everyone alright?" I fired off my questions as she smiled at me.

"Easy there my child. Mithrandir and those with him have just exorcised Saruman from King Théoden of Rohan and the vile Grima Wormtongue was thrown out of the kingdom. Seems he has been an assistant of Saruman all this time to keep the King under Saruman's control. The entire kingdom of Rohan is moving to Helm's Deep, a fortress owned by them in the mountains as an army of Orcs grows closer to burning each village down. Mithrandir has left on special assignment of his own but Aragorn has seen a disturbing sight. Saruman has gone lower than we ever thought imaginable."

She walked to her balcony then looking very disturbed as I shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. I had never seen her look so disgusted. Though my aunt's facial features do not switch much to those unfamiliar with her, I know every inch of her face and know the subtle movements they make. So to see her so uneasy herself made me grip my belt wishing I had Altherial on me just to feel her weight and presence. That sword was more than a weapon; it was also a source of comfort for me.

"What did Aragorn see?" I had to ask.

"An army of horror, Saruman has bred 10,000 Uruk-Hai. Their sole purpose is to destroy the world of men. They have been dispersed to Helm's Deep to slay every man, woman, and child. After that, they will move on and slaughter every other species not aligned with Sauron." Her eyes were hard as she looked at me.

"But the humans at Helm's Deep do not have that many in their armament to fight this new terror." I said what was so desperately obvious.

Aunt Galadriel just looked at me and that is when I knew what was coming; what I had to do. She had already consulted telepathically with my uncle who agreed. My features went from contemplation to hard concentration.

"When do we leave?" I asked her with a hard edge in my voice. My mind was already preparing itself for battle. My second one in a century.

"After dinner; it shall be earlier tonight. You and Haldir will lead the Galadhrim. We shall not let them stand alone. Not against what is to come. Whatever Mithrandir's plan is, they still need to hold out the night and they cannot do so without our help. Get yourself to dinner and ready, my child. Tonight you ride off to war." I nodded, went to hug her than hurried from her chamber and ran toward my own as she turned back toward the balcony and the air came wafting through.

I washed up quickly and then ran to the dining hall where Haldir had already been briefed and we nodded at each other. Whatever matters existed prior to this were no longer important and completely forgotten. Both my aunt and Celeborn came down to join us at dinner. We ate in mostly silence; well I was silent as the others spoke in hushed whispers. I was silent because I was already going through different sequence of strategies in my head as I always did before a battle; just the way my mind worked I suppose. A warrior princess indeed.

After dinner, I hurried back to my chamber where my battle outfit and cloak were laid out for me and my elven maidens stood there to assist me in any way I needed them to. Piece by piece I put my armor on. I strapped a long bow and arrows to myself as well as Altherial and my shurikin. I also put on my war-time royal head piece which was a new addition to my wardrobe. After I was ready, I glanced at myself in the mirror. If anyone was ready for war, I certainly looked the part. My eyes were hard as blue diamonds, my mouth set tight. I flexed my hands, bade my elven maidens farewell and went down toward the ground where the rest of the elves as well as Haldir in full battle gear and my aunt were waiting.

Everyone but my aunt was stunned into silence by my fierce yet regal appearance. Haldir had never seen me look like that before. A lot of my armor was new so it was the first time I was wearing it. It also set me apart slightly from the rest of the Galadhrim. Just enough to know that I was not just an ordinary elf fighting; but a royal elf that had proven her worth a century before. My aunt held me close to her then and looked deep into my eyes.

"God speed, my child. All my love." She whispered to me then.

I nodded fiercely and looked on as she blessed the rest of the Galadhrim and Haldir as well. As the elves got on their respective steeds, Sunset was brought out to me. He was wearing minimal regalia because the horses would be hidden within the mountain paths before we marched up to the gates of Helm's Deep. No need to give that hide out away. As I put my hand out to Sunset, he came to rest his nose in my palm and I held his head in my hands, I closed my eyes briefly and said a little prayer of my own. I knew he understood me. I then mounted him.

As I looked around toward Lorien and my aunt whose kind eyes met mine; I knew whatever happened, just like it always would, everything would change somehow. Hopefully for the better. I was ready. I was born ready.

With a nod to Haldir, we turned our steeds and galloped out of the kingdom of Lothlorien and towards Helm's Deep and the first major battle in the war of the Ring.