The Forgotten Princess

Ambushed Dreams

Lessien awoke. 

Her knee was screaming in pain but she was braced to continue on traveling.

But it wasn't morning. The night still closed in on them and stars twinkled around them. 

Mouth agape, she looked around to see what had disturbed her slumber. Why had she felt like she should ascend from her Dreamworld so suddenly? 

Somehow, the embers of the fire remained alive and therefore there was almost no possible way for a wild animal to have waken her. She stared into the dark suspiciously and slowly around her, her companions woke up too.

Groggy from the few hours of precious sleep and an early awakening, they all blinked and looked around. 

"I feel as if we should be looking for something. I was awoken but I don't know why," Legolas suggested. He also was looking around in confusion.

"Lessien, did you call my name?" Aragorn asked, after he had scanned the surroundings completely.

"No." She shook her head slowly and gave her father a curious look.

Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, appeared a bent old man curled over a white staff. His wide-brimmed hat covered any view of his face. His cloak was pure white and almost blinding in contrast to the pitch behind him. A white beard tumbled down his chest. 

The horses panicked, whinnying, tossing their heads, and stomping their hooves. It was a bit unsettling to them to see their calm horses go practically insane before their eyes in less than a minute. They didn't calm down. Their ropes snapped and they ran off into the night. Legolas and Gimli were left to call lamely after them.

Something about the man was also bothering Lessien but instead of confronting them she said, "How can we help you, father?"

He turned and hobbled into Fangorn without uttering a word or even blinking an eye. Lessien would've pursued him or at least consulted with her friends about the matter if she hadn't been so completely, utterly exhaustred. 

Legolas and Gimli had given up trying to track down the horses and now that it was Gimli's watch, she didn't have to stay awake any longer.

-

The next thing she knew, she was in her rose garden. 

The white cloaked man as there and he whispered eerily, "Lessien. Lessien." 

Then he was gone, no questions asked, just the creepy feeling of the old man still lingering and watching.

"This is impossible," she thought aloud, "this is my dream! How can you be here?" She knew that the man was still here because somehow she could sense him.

"Ah, Lessien, you are less powerful than you think. There is so much potential locked inside you. In this state, there are still a few powerful beings who can cut into your dreams, anyone's dreams, just as you do to others. An example is the Lady Galadriel. For now, you are no exception."

She heard his voice but did not see him. He spoke of strange things.

"So you are one of them? One of these powerful beings?" she asked to the air.

The White man appeared in front of her suddenly.

"No, understand, I am at the peak of my power. This is only temporary. I am not what you would call-"

"-Power?" Lessien interrupted. "And what would you call them? These beings?" Lessien pleaded.

"All in good time, my young elleth," the man replied.