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Author's Chapter Notes:
Hope you like this chapter, and nice predicting songgal.
Chapter 11: The Mirror of Tara

Disclaimer: I don’t own Buffy or LOTR. I’m just using the characters and story for fun


The Fellowship had been walking for a while, the death of Giles still fresh in their minds. The Hobbits had yet to speak, and the others weren’t exactly feeling chatty either. Buffy was taking it the hardest; she felt responsible for the Fellowship, she chose to take the Ring and they all chose to go with her. Her own sister was faced with life threatening danger just by being there. She should’ve gone alone, but she wasn’t strong enough to go alone. And her friends were paying for it. She knew that’s what they were thinking, inside they knew that she was the reason that Giles was gone.

Angel led them down the mountain to the forests near Lothlorien, trees were a strange green/golden color and all around them they felt powerful magic. The air seemed to be filled with so much mystical power it made Willow lightheaded, they felt like something was watching or trying to reach them.

“Stay close together.” Lindsey said to the hobbits. “They say an great sorceress lives in these woods, an Elf witch of terrible power.” He continued, earning a death glare from Willow. “I’ve heard that anyone who looks at her falls under a spell and are never seen again.”

“Hey!” Willow said angrily. “Don’t talk about things you don’t know about! She’s the most wonderful Elf ever and she’d turn you into a toad if she wanted to but she’s to nice to do that!” then she stormed off.

“Word of advice,” Xander whispered to Lindsey. “Don’t disparage Elves in front of the red head. It gets messy.”

“Buffy…” Buffy looked around, not seeing the source of the voice. “Your coming to us is the footstep of doom.” Buffy realized the voice wasn’t coming from someone else, it was in her head. “You bring great evil here, Ring-bearer.”

“Buffy, are you alright?” Spike asked as Buffy snapped out of her trance.

“Yeah, I’m…I’m fine.” Buffy said avoiding Spike’s eyes.

“Fine I won’t badmouth the Elves.” Lindsey said, turning to see two arrows aimed at his face. The Fellowship looked around and saw that they were surrounded by a dozen Elves, all aiming their bows at them ready to shoot.

“No offence man, but we could’ve shot you in the dark.” Said a dark haired Elf, who seemed like the leader. “Hey Angel, long time no see. Still Mr. Cheerful I see.”

“Nice to see you again, Doyle.” Angel said to the Elf.

“Come on then, we need to talk.” Doyle said, they continued through the woods, escorted by the troop of Elves. After nightfall they arrived at an outpost of Lothlorien and made introductions. “So Angel, you and Willow I recognize but who are all of you?”

“I’m Xander, I’m Willow’s friend. And a Dwarf.” Xander said, shaking Doyle’s hand.

“Can’t remember the last time I talked to a Dwarf, you guys still make great liquor?”

“Do you still drink to much?” Xander retorted, both of them laughing.

“Hey Doyle, how have you been? Been keepin’ the big and scaries in line?” Willow asked, hugging the Elf.

“Oh yeah, buggers just can’t take a hint.” Doyle smiled. Doyle turned to the four Hobbits and froze, a look of fear on his face. “Why am I sensing a very not good feeling coming from her? Oh no, she has it doesn’t she?” Doyle asked pointing at Buffy. “Angel, I need to talk to you in private.” Angel and Doyle walked away form the group.

“Doyle, we need to stay here, just for a while.” Angel said once they were out of sight.

“Are you crazy man? You brought that…that thing here?!” Doyle asked incredulously.

“We need your help, Doyle. We’ve lost a close friend, Orcs are looking for us, we’re hungry and tired and we need to regroup.” Angel retorted. They continued arguing while the rest of the group sat and waited. Spike looked at Buffy, hating the look of despair on her face. She was always so carefree and now she looked so destroyed, it tore his heart out to see her that way.

“Buffy, I know how hard this must be for you.” Spike said, sitting next to her. Buffy looked at the ground, not wanting him to see the tears in her eyes. “You don’t have to hide from me.”

“I’m not hiding.” She said, shortly.

“It wasn’t your fault, Buffy. Giles knew the risks of being on this mission. He died so that you could live, he wouldn’t want you to give up. You’ve already got enough weight on your shoulders don’t carry needless guilt.” Buffy turned to him, a deep sadness in her eyes. Before he could stop her, she leapt at him and kissed him hard o the lips. She pulled away, realizing what she’d just done.

“I’m sorry.” Buffy said, putting space between the two of them. Spike went after her.

“Buffy?” Spike asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry, with Giles gone and everything, I’m not in the mindset of making good decisions.”

“I know, you need me Buffy, you can come to me.” Spike said, leaving her alone.

“I know, thank you.” She said, but he didn’t hear her.

“Ok gang, if you’ll come with us, we’ll get you to someone who can help.” Doyle said, returning with Angel. The Fellowship stood and followed the troop of Elves deeper into the woods, until they reached a glade of trees that stretched high above the rest of the forest. “Caras Galadhon, the Elves’ heaven on earth. Domain of Tara, Lady of Light.”

They were led to the twisting stairways that wrapped around the huge trees, and ascended high into the higher reaches of the trees. The forest kingdom lit by the moon and many magic silvery lights, sending a pale blue light in the night. They were led to an archway, where a glowing Elf woman with deep blue eyes and dark blonde hair greeted them. This was the Lady Tara, the Elven Queen of Lothlorien.

“The Evil One knows you’re here. I’ll give you shelter from him for a time. Where is Giles? I couldn’t sense his presence when you entered here.” She turned to Angel, reading his thoughts she saw the awful truth. “No, please don’t tell me he’s gone.” She said visibly upset.

“We went through Moria,” Willow said sadly. “We ran into a Balrog down there, and it killed him. We never should’ve gone that way.”

“Giles never did anything needlessly, he knew in the end he might have to choose between his friends and himself. He made the only choice he could, and if you live then it wasn’t in vain.” Tara said comfortingly. She turned to Xander. “Don’t let the loss of Khazad dum take your heart, Xander.”

“What do we do now? Without Giles, there’s no hope.” Lindsey said, sighing.

“Hope isn’t so easily taken, he died to give you hope. A long as your friendship holds, then you can still make it through this. The darkness isn’t unstoppable, you can still beat it. Tonight, you will stay here under our protection. Doyle, show them to their rooms.”

“Yes ma’am.” Doyle said, ushering the Fellowship to a place for them to rest. Later that night, they heard an Elf choir singing a sad song in Elvish.

“What’s that?” Andrew asked.

“A funeral hymn for Giles.” Willow said, tears streaming down her face.

“What’s it say?” Andrew prodded.

“I can’t…” Willow said, her voice cracking. “It’s to soon.” On the other side of the veranda, Angel and Lindsey sat, admiring the view.

“You should get some rest, this place is safe.” Angel urged.

“I’m not getting any sleep tonight. When you hear someone’s voice in your mind, you suddenly become wide awake. She said that there’s still hope, but I can’t see it. My dad is a noble man, a good man. But with the way things are, I don’t know how much longer he’ll be around. The people are losing faith in their homeland, and I want to change that. I want to restore my home’s pride and glory, even if it’s the last thing I do. Have you ever seen Minas Tirith, Angel? The great city of Gondor, the flags waving in he wind, the White Tower shining in the morning, there’s nothing like it.”

“I was there once, a long time ago.” Angel said.

“I miss it, I miss my dad, my brother and my wife. I’m looking forward to getting this over with so I can go home.”

“Me too.” Angel said, leaving Lindsey to his thoughts. After the rest of the Fellowship had gone to sleep, Buffy sipped out for a walk. As she went on, she noticed a glowing white figure walk through the glade, Lady Tara. She followed her, being as quiet as possible, but Tara knew there was someone there. After a few minutes, she came to a pedestal with a silver basin resting on it. She walked over to a fountain and filled a pitcher with water, then turned and looked Buffy in the eye.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be following you around. I’ll leave you alone.” Buffy said, about to leave.

“No, stay. There’s something I need you to see.” Tara said, pouring the water into the basin. “Look into the mirror.”

“That’s not a mirror, it’s a bowl of water.” Buffy said walking towards her. “What am I gonna see?”

“I can’t say. The mirror can show the past, the present and the future, but it depends on the viewer which to show.” Tara said, giving Buffy a box to stand on so she could see over the top of the pedestal. Buffy looked into the water and it began to ripple. She saw her friends all looking sad and lost, resurrecting her guilt from before. It changed and showed her the Shire, the Bronze Dragon, her house; but it changed again. The normally peaceful Shire was being attacked; buildings were on fire, Orcs were killing and capturing anyone they came across, and finally the now desolate Shire was filled with Hobbits in chains and Orcs with whips. And for some reason a man with cheese walked among the Orcs. The image faded, replaced by the image that haunted her thoughts since this began, Eye of Sauron. The Ring suddenly felt heavier, like it was being pulled towards the Eye in the water. Buffy panicked and fell backwards from the mirror; the images still fresh in her mind.

“I know what you saw.” Tara said, helping her up. “It’s what will happen if this quest fails. The Fellowship is breaking. He will try to take the Ring, you know who I mean. The Ring will try to destroy them all, just as it’s trying to destroy you.”

“I don’t think I can do this,” Buffy said, teary eyed. She reached in her pocket and held out the Ring. “You’re wise and powerful, you could take the One Ring.”

“You offer it to me?” he asked, waking towards her. “I don’t deny that I have wanted this. In place of the Dark Lord, YOU WOULD HAVE A QUEEN! NOT DARK, BUT BEAUTIFUL AND TERRIBLE AS THE DAWN ” Tara said, her whole being changed. Her kindness and warmth had vanished; her eyes and hair became black, her voice deep and harsh and her light becoming sickly green. “TREACHEROUS AS THE SEA! STRONGER THAN THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARTH! ALL SHALL LOVE ME AND DESPAIR!” As she finished, the evil vision left her, and was again Tara. Buffy looked at her, speechless. “I pass the test. I’ll diminish, and go to into the West, and remain Tara.”

“I can’t do this alone.” Buffy said, deeply troubled.

“You’re a Ring bearer, Buffy, to bear a ring of power is to be alone.” Tara replied, revealing a ring on her finger. “This is Nenya, the Ring of Adamant, and I’m its keeper. You were trusted with this task, and if you can’t find a way, no one will.”

“I know what I have to do, I’m scared to do it.” Buffy said, looking ashamed.

“Fear is natural, even the Elves have fear. What counts is whether or not we let that fear control you. You have such strength in you, he has always seen it.” Buffy looked up at Tara, surprised that she knew about that, and she knew exactly who “he” was. “Even the smallest person can change the coarse of the future. You thing you know what’s to come? What you are? You haven’t even begun.” Tara aid, leading the Hobbit girl back to her room.





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