Perhaps due to environmental factors, the Golden Wood appeared more sheltered and quieter compared to Rivendell.
At least Rivendell had open skies and surrounding mountains to gaze upon. In contrast, when one looked up in Lothlórien, all they could see were golden leaves and pale white branches, along with the soft, warm lights that appeared only at night.
One was an open tranquility; the other, a serene sanctuary.
Each had its unique charm.
Inside the hall, the Lord and Lady of the Golden Wood were personally hosting Garrett.
Celeborn and Garrett sat rather comfortably on opposite sides of a low table, while Lady Galadriel sat beside Celeborn.
As the feast began, the sound of harps and gentle flutes filled the air. One exquisite dish after another was brought forth and elegantly arranged on the table.
Most were light vegetarian dishes and delicate desserts, with only a few meat dishes present, all of which were placed on Garrett's side.
Garrett wasn't particular about food. His standard was simply "edible." If necessary, he could even chew on rotting meat or maggot-infested bread.
Of course, fine cuisine was always preferable.
Though mostly vegetarian and sweet, these dishes had clearly been prepared with great care. Each one showed the masterful craftsmanship behind it.
After a few bites and a wafer, he felt satisfied.
Not because of a small appetite, but because that wafer was called lembas... Eating just one could restore an entire hunger bar, and it also had a regenerative effect.
It had even been served as a separate dish.
To be fair, the light, cream-colored wafer tasted quite excellent.
Finishing the last piece of lembas on his plate, he asked:
"I really like this. Could I take a few with me?"
He was essentially putting in a takeaway request.
After years of wandering and being hosted everywhere he went, he was well accustomed to these formal occasions. His request was made naturally, without hesitation or awkwardness.
"Of course. We are happy to share with our friends."
Both Celeborn and Galadriel nodded and signaled for someone to prepare a package.
"Thank you for your generosity."
"For a hero capable of standing against a Balrog, no generosity would be excessive," Celeborn praised him, then asked directly:
"Friend, may I inquire where the ring on your hand originated? It seems to possess extraordinary powers."
"I crafted it myself."
Garrett removed the ring and handed it over. "It contains protective enchantments, it can shield its wearer from harm."
The couple across the table exchanged glances. Eventually, Celeborn took the ring and examined it closely.
"Protection..." he murmured, then passed the golden ring to Galadriel.
"There's no trace of corruption within," Lady Galadriel observed after studying it for a while.
"I can sense that it holds only pure protective power."
She shook her head slightly.
Compared to Nenya, this "protection" was not particularly potent, it merely offered physical defense and didn't even approach the concept of divine authority.
"As a craftsman's work, this ring is quite remarkable, its workmanship is far beyond that of ordinary Men."
"Most impressive."
Celeborn returned the ring and offered sincere praise, clearly feeling reassured.
Fortunately, it was merely a ring, or rather, rings, imbued with magic, not one of the Rings of Power.
That was a relief.
Both elves visibly relaxed.
After all, this was a mortal lord who could stand toe-to-toe with dragons and Balrogs. If he ever became corrupted, the destruction he could bring might rival that of the Dark Lord himself. He could even define a new age, history books might begin with, "It was the age when darkness rose to challenge the Dark Lord..."
Thankfully, that seemed unlikely.
"So then, legendary wanderer, dragon slayer, founder of the Free Settlements..." Celeborn listed his titles steadily, "what brings you on this journey, Garrett?"
"Was it to challenge the Balrog?"
"No, that was unexpected."
Garrett shook his head. "I just thought the route through Moria was shorter, and it might have some nice loot. Oh, and of course, I'm allied with the dwarves, they wouldn't mind if I took a few things."
"Originally, I had no plans to fight the Balrog. It was the orcs who made such a ruckus that they woke him up."
"That wasn't in the plan."
Because if he had planned to fight the Balrog from the start, Moria would have needed to be renamed the Flooded Deeps the very next day.
"Oh, I also found this there."
Garrett took out the silver-white hand axe he had discovered in a small chamber.
"This is..." Galadriel examined the axe for a while and said, "It is closely connected to the line of Durin. It must be one of their treasured heirlooms."
"I see."
Garrett put the axe away.
"I'll return it to the dwarves."
"That would be appropriate." Celeborn nodded silently and took a sip from his goblet.
His subtle reaction did not escape Garrett's notice.
He blinked and shifted his gaze aside, offering an awkward smile.
He nearly forgot.
This lord held no love for dwarves, his kinsmen had been slain by them.
That event marked the beginning of the enmity between Elves and Dwarves: the dwarves, driven by greed, had murdered the King of Doriath, which sparked a series of wars.
As a direct victim of that betrayal, the Prince of Doriath, Celeborn could never be expected to view the dwarves favorably.
He distrusted and disliked them deeply.
If Thranduil were present, the two of them would certainly have much to discuss.
And with enough wine, they might even go pick a fight with the dwarves. Thorin would probably have to flee a thousand kilometers to find aid...
"Ah, right."
Garrett changed the subject. "To thank Lothlórien for its support, please accept these."
He took out two golden apples.
The round, pure, golden-glowing fruits immediately captured the attention of the lord and lady across from him.
"Let these be tokens of our friendship."
"So beautiful... and so wondrous."
Lady Galadriel gently accepted one of the apples, her eyes lingering on it for a long while, clearly pleased.
Celeborn nodded appreciatively and expressed his gratitude.
"I shall treasure this friendship."
His reputation score increased once again, though at this point, it barely mattered. He wasn't lacking in that regard anymore.
After setting trivial matters aside and offering his gift, Garrett finally spoke of the true purpose of his journey.
"I came for the mallorn tree."
"I hope to obtain one of its seeds."
On the way here, he had already analyzed the mallorn tree by the roadside through his thaumometer. The aspects contained within it were identical to those in silverwood, only in greater abundance.
In other words, it might be an even superior material than silverwood.
The mallorn tree.
This matter wasn't insignificant, but neither was it impossible.
Normally, this unique magical tree of the Golden Wood wouldn't be shared with outsiders. But as with all things, there were exceptions.
Celeborn looked to his wife, and Galadriel gave him a slight nod. The two had reached an understanding.
"I will personally select a fine seedling for you later," Celeborn said.
With that matter settled, the quiet feast soon came to an end.
At this point, Garrett found himself missing a certain grey-robed wizard.
If Gandalf were here, the banquet would have been far livelier. That fellow could find something to discuss with anyone, and would maintain a conversation for hours.
What this place really needed was a wizard to prevent things from becoming awkward.
After leaving the hall, an elf came to serve as Garrett's guide.
Garrett turned and realized it was someone familiar.
It was the elven captain.
"We meet again. Your guest quarters are prepared. Please follow me."
He led Garrett to a scenic platform and was about to take his leave when Garrett called him back.
"Wait, what is your name?"
The elf captain was clearly surprised, but answered immediately, "Haldir. That is my name."
"I think you must be a brave warrior. When facing the Balrog, I saw you quickly shake off fear and give the order to counterattack."
"Thank you for the praise," Haldir said with a smile. "But such a modest thing isn't worth mentioning. In truth, I'm merely a humble border warden, usually leading patrols to defend the northern reaches. Beyond that, I rarely venture outside."
"I see."
Garrett nodded. "Can you tell me about the area? I'd like to explore. Is there anything I should be mindful of?"
"You're our guest, you're welcome anywhere."
"South from here is the city gate. To the west and east are terraces and small dwellings with excellent views. To the north, there's a garden that's usually empty, especially peaceful at night."
"Got it. Thank you."
"It's my pleasure."
Haldir gave a slight bow and took his leave.
Following his directions, Garrett explored various areas, sometimes climbing trees for better views, greeting neighbors, or heading to the stream, where he stood with his back to the elves, fishing for tropical fish.
"Do we even have such creatures in our waters?" one elf asked in astonishment.
"I don't know. I've never seen one," said another elf with fishing experience, shaking his head.
"Wait, he didn't use bait?"
How did he catch anything?
And so, yet another peculiar tale began to spread.
After taking in the Golden Wood's beauty, Garrett didn't return to his guest quarters that night, nor did he rest. Instead, he headed for the secluded garden Haldir had mentioned.
Lothlórien at night was utterly still, so quiet it felt as if time itself had paused.
Only the occasional whisper of wind or starlight filtering through the leaves suggested the passage of time.
Wandering the garden, he eventually arrived at a clearing.
His gaze was inevitably drawn to something placed upon a stone pedestal.
It was a silver basin filled with water.
Standing before it, he could clearly see his own reflection in the water.
"Would you like to take a look?"
A voice asked unexpectedly. Turning around, he saw a figure bathed in silver light descending the steps gracefully.
"Lady Galadriel."
In her hands, she held a small casket, which contained earth, and in the center of the soil, a silver seed.
"I hope it will flourish in distant lands."
"Thank you."
This was the seed of the mallorn tree.
After presenting the silvery-white seed to Garrett, Galadriel approached the basin and said, "The Mirror of Galadriel, it can show you the past, the present, or things that may come to pass."
"I'd like to try it," Garrett said. When he looked again, he saw that Lady Galadriel now held a silver ewer. As she poured water into the basin, she said, "I cannot predict what the mirror will show you, nor can I guarantee that what it reveals will come to pass."
"The future is always uncertain and shifting. If you see something beyond your influence, simply close your eyes. It will all fade like morning mist."
"I understand."
Garrett stepped forward and once more gazed down into the basin.
Galadriel stepped back several paces and waited silently.
Ripples spread across the water's surface, and the mirror no longer showed merely his reflection, it began to change.
Garrett's eyes widened.
But all he saw... was empty whiteness.
"Is this my future? Just a blank, colorless void?"
"Does this mean I have no destiny?"
Hearing this, Galadriel was unsurprised. She offered comfort, "That is no different from what I myself have seen. Perhaps it simply signifies uncertainty..."
Before she could finish, a voice interrupted.
"No."
Garrett corrected her:
"It's not blank."
His eyes widened further as the image in the mirror began to shift.
As the scene slowly expanded, his own face appeared in the water, two Garretts, staring at each other across the mirror's surface.
The one within the mirror smiled faintly, as if in greeting.
But the real Garrett felt a chill run down his spine, his heart skipping a beat.
The Garrett in the mirror, his eyes were void, glowing with an eerie, unnatural light.
"Is that... me?"
"Or is it..."
"Him?"