Twisted Paths

Chapter One

Beginnings

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LegoXSaku

The world is changed

I feel it in the water

I feel it in the earth

I smell it in the air

Much that once was... ...is lost

For none now live who remember it.

It began with the forging of the great rings.

Three were given to the Elves: Immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings.

Seven to the Dwarf-lords: Great miners and craftsmen of the mountain halls.

And nine... ...nine rings were gifted to the race of Men... who above all else, desire power.

For within these rings was bound the strength and will to govern each race.

But they were all of them deceived.

For another ring was made.

In the land of mordor, in the fires of mount doom... ...the dark lord Sauron forged in secret a master ring... ...to control all others.

And into this ring he poured his cruelty, his malice... ...and his will to dominate all life.

One Ring to rule them all.

One by one... ...the free lands of Middle Earth fell to the power of the ring.

But there were some who resisted.

A last alliance of Men and Elves marched against the armies of mordor.

And on the slopes of mount doom, they fought for the freedom of Middle Earth.

Victory was near.

But the power of the ring... ...could not be undone.

It was in this moment... when all hope had faded... ...that Isildur, son of the king took up his father's sword.

Sauron, the enemy of the free peoples of Middle Earth, was defeated.

The ring passed to Isildur... who had this one chance to destroy evil forever.

But the hearts of men... ...are easily corrupted.

And the ring of power has a will of its own.

It betrayed Isildur, to his death.

And some things that should not have been forgotten... ...were lost.

History became legend... ...legend became myth.

And for two and a half thousand years... ...the ring passed out of all knowledge.

Until, when chance came... ...it ensnared a new bearer.

The ring came to the creature Gollum... ...who took it deep into the tunnels of the misty mountains.

And there it consumed him.

The ring brought to Gollum unnatural long life.

For five hundred years it poisoned his mind.

And in the gloom of Gollum's cave, it waited.

Darkness crept back into the forests of the world.

Rumor grew of a shadow in the east... ...whispers of a nameless fear.

And the ring of power perceived... ...its time had now come.

It abandoned Gollum.

But something happened then the ring did not intend.

It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable.

A Hobbit.

Bilbo Baggins of The Shire.

For the time will soon come... ...when Hobbits will shape the fortunes of all.

Sakura awoke in the shallows of Kheled-Zâram, a lake residing on the fringe of the Woods of Lothlórien. She lay staring up at the stars wheeling overhead, her long hair swirling through the water. Blinking owlishly and contemplating her predicament when a glimpse of what had happened flashed through her mind.

Flashback

Panting hard and sorely beaten, Sakura was trying to fight the exhaustion chakra depletion was setting on her as she and Itachi clashed over and over again. She knew it wouldn't be long until she was beaten completely but she was too stubborn to just give up.

She knew that to fight an Uchiha you had to watch their feet for their fighting pattern because looking into their eyes would be your undoing but she faltered in her style and looked up for just one moment and in that split second Itachi used his Mangekyou Sharingan but cried out in pain as certain chakra points were blocked by excess chakra build-up rendering his eyes another thing all together...

End Flashback

And that was how she'd ended up here. Something had happened to Itachi's eyes and in some weird turn of events she had been transported to this ... wherever this was. Sakura dragged herself into a sitting position water dripping down her form, wet strands of hair plastering themselves to the side of her face and from behind her she heard a twig snap. She automatically sprang to her feet water sloshing about her ankles as she turned to face a woman - Elf? - With long blonde hair dressed all in white.

The woman - Elf - spoke in some other language she couldn't decipher and Sakura shook her head in bewilderment, wet tresses whipping around with the movement and flicking droplets of water.

"What? I … I don't understand." The golden haired elf stared at her for a moment in what appeared to be confusion before she spoke again.

"I am not your foe, Sakura of Konoha." Sakura started a little in surprise at hearing her own name, she didn't know this woman – Elf? – But she noticed her voice sounded familiar but from where? Then a thought struck her, she'd heard it when she was unconscious, telling her the history of someplace... here.

"You... you were in my head. Wh-what was that, what were you telling me?" Sakura was stumbling over her words in her rush to get them out. The blonde elf smiled gently at her as she beckoned her to follow.

"Come child, we have much to discuss." Sakura was about ready to shake her head and demand answers right then and there but her instincts were warning her against it and so, amazingly docile, she followed the white clothed elf. She watched the young looking woman lift her skirts every time she had to step over something and noticed that her feet were perfectly bare - But of course they were bare, she's an elf. Duh! - And soft looking as if the forest floor was devoid of natural sharp objects.

Sakura followed the elvish woman, listening to the soft padding of her feet on the moss carpeted forest floor as they moved deeper into the woods. She wanted to ask so many questions as she viewed the forest surrounding her, it was so different from the forests of Konoha and teeming with life but she realised that her questions would most likely be unwelcome at this particular point in time.

Their steps started to slow as they approached a tall tree with a rather thick base that was silvery-grey in colour and had a staircase that wound around the outside to the branches up high above the worlds surface. It seemed that another elf appeared out of nowhere in front of them and somehow Sakura could tell he was distinctly male.

"Haldir, is there anything the matter?" The Elven Lady asked the male elf in front of them.

"No Hiril-nin* (My lady), I came to see if I could be of some assistance." The woman, from what Sakura could see smiled at the Elven male known as Haldir.

"There is no need for worry, Haldir. You may go back to your post." He stood in front of her for a moment before rigidly replying.

"I am retiring for the evening Hiril-nin, and thought maybe I could accompany you back." He looked past her shoulder at Sakura as he awaited his Lady's answer.

"Of course Haldir, you would be most welcome." Galadriel responded in a positive manner before continuing.

The three walked through the carpeted forest, between the thick silvery-grey tree trunks with their exposed twisted roots as the Elven Lady spoke.

"This is Haldir. He is the Marchwarden of Lothlórien and protects the Northern border, which we have just passed through." He gave Sakura a tight lipped smile from over his shoulder.

"Mae Govannen* (Well met)." He said and Sakura nodded silently to him in greeting as they continued forward.

"So we are in… Lothlórien?" She asked uncertainly as she listened to the quiet murmur of streams not far off and the rustle of small animals passing through the undergrowth of the forest. Along with the padding of the Lady's light footsteps, she was also aware of Haldir's boot shod, slightly heavier footfalls upon the moss.

"Yes, this is my home and it will be yours in future as well Sakura." Galadriel spoke turning to face Sakura and smiling gently.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name...?" Sakura trailed off waiting for Lady Galadriel to say something, the golden haired elf stopped and turned to look at her kindly.

"I did wonder when you were going to ask, my name is Galadriel and I am the Lady of these woods. Fair Lórien." She turned back to continue walking, an indulgent smile upon her face and as they passed more trees with staircases leading towards the high boughs Sakura started to see more glowing faces like Galadriel's poking out from what looked to be windows.

It was then she realised that this was an Elven forest she had stumbled into.

"Uh, Lady Galadriel... where exactly are we headed?" Sakura asked, a little unsure about wrapping her tongue around the unfamiliar name.

"We are headed to Caras Galadhon. That is where I and Lord Celeborn reside; it is the Heart of the Silvan realm." Her voice was quiet in the twilight of the forest, the deep colours and shining stars reflecting in the water collected to the side of a murmuring brook. The deep green leaves rustled gently in the light breeze showing their silver undersides.

"We are almost there, Penneth* (Little one)." Galadriel remarked, noticing Sakura's increasing fatigue.

Sakura nodded wearily as they continued their path, sometimes moving up built in stairs and across large stretches of moss covered ground before they came to the base of two humungous intertwined trees.

A long staircase wound around its circumference and she realised that there had to be hundreds of steps to climb to get to the bottom most boughs of this extremely tall pair of trees.

She sighed, heavily.

Haldir looked back at her with an incredulous expression on his face, as if he were asking 'well?' and Lady Galadriel also turned to face her noticing the dull sheen of her eyes. Sakura was trying so hard not to appear weak in front of these amazing creatures but the chakra depletion had gotten to her, the exhaustion was just too overwhelming and so without prompt the darkness enveloped her mind.

Haldir deftly caught her on her descent to the ground thinking 'I have never seen an elf with pink hair and her clothes are so peculiar.' he looked up at Galadriel.

"What shall I do with her Hiril-nin* (My lady)?" She gently shook her head in consternation.

"Take her to rest and keep an eye on her. Alert me when she wakes." Galadriel started to ascend the stairs and heard a quiet acknowledgement from her Marchwarden before he disappeared with his charge.

"Yes, My Lady." Haldir lifted his slip of a charge and walked away.

Sakura shot up from where she had been lying, dead to the world for the last six hours. She could tell it was sometime in the early hours of the morning by the feel of the air and here she was hoping she'd simply had a nightmare, falling unconscious after her fight with Itachi.

Standing unsteadily to her feet she saw a ball of light floating beside the doorway, a silhouette prone beside it and she frowned. The silhouette turned and came closer, it was then she realised she hadn't just been dreaming but that Haldir, the Lady Galadriel and Lothlorien were all real.

The light shone a little brighter when the cloth was drawn aside to reveal Haldir standing in front of her.

"You are awake." He surmised.

"Yes. What happened?" She asked, he wasn't the least fazed by the question.

"You fainted from exhaustion." She stared for a moment before realizing she had forgotten to reply.

"Oh." Was all she uttered.

"Lady Galadriel wishes to see you. Are you up to it?" He asked as he eyed her off noting that she seemed steady on her feet.

"Of course. We mustn't keep Lady Galadriel waiting." She gave him a ghost of a smile before gesturing for him to lead the way back. It only took a moment to get back to the staircase leading to the highest boughs of the largest tree in the forest, Haldir continued up the staircase but Sakura had stopped a moment to look up into the high branches of the tree.

Haldir stopped and turned to look down the staircase when he heard no footsteps following behind his own to see the young pink haired elf staring upwards.

"Are you going to dilly-dally all day or shall we continue?" Sakura snapped from her daze and had the decency to blush in embarrassment at being caught staring.

"No, let us continue please." He turned to keep going up the staircase, the pink haired slip of an elfling following behind him so quietly he almost had to turn around to check if she was still there.

A few minutes later found them at the top of the tree waiting on the Lady of the Wood to come back from her early morning wandering.

"Ah, I see you've come to." Sakura started as Galadriel's voice floated from behind them.

"Yes, My Lady. A few hours of sleep certainly helped." She smiled gently at the Lady of the Wood as the long haired elf came to stand before them still barefoot.

"I see it did. You look delightfully at peace, being here will do you good." Galadriel smiled back at the pink haired elfling before her.

"As I have come to understand it, you have had a high level of training in the art of weapons and also hand-to-hand combat?" Sakura nodded. Galadriel was pleased with her answer.

"That is all well and good. I will have someone train with you in those areas and in the Lore of our people, the language and our history also." Sakura nodded her agreement.

"Today will I let you wander to your heart's content and discover things for yourself as you go, although I do warn you most of the Elves here do not speak Westron or little of it. Most speak Sindar or Silvan which you will learn in time." Sakura nodded but interrupted the Lady's speech.

"Westron, Lady Galadriel?" She knew Sakura would pick up on such an unfamiliar word.

"The language we are speaking now is what's known as Westron here. You'll pick things up in due time but for now take a little more rest and enjoy your freedom while it has been given to you. Haldir will be your guard while he is not on duty and his brothers will guard you when he is. I wish to retire for some much needed meditation; I suggest you do the same. I'm sure you'll have a big day tomorrow." Galadriel nodded at Haldir and bade Sakura a good night before retiring to her chambers.

"Come, you should get some more rest." Haldir said with a modicum of gentleness before leading Sakura back downstairs.

"Do you wish to wash your face before you go back to sleep?" Haldir questioned as they stood outside of her appointed dwelling.

"If it's not too much trouble." Sakura replied meekly.

"If it was I would not have bothered to ask." Haldir drawled and Sakura wondered what had happened to upset his calm demeanour from earlier on.

Quickly following behind the seemingly agitated elf, Sakura followed him to a small spring like fountain where he stopped and waited for her to come forth and wash her face. Stepping up the small worn stone step she bent over the bowl set in the stone that was filled with water.

The water's surface was smooth, not a single ripple forming and when she looked at her own appearance she shrieked, stumbled off the step and unceremoniously and altogether ungracefully landed on her arse.

"Wh-What's happened to me? Why do I look ... like ... an elf?" Sakura was shaken to her core.

"His Mangekyou couldn't have done this, no way..." She looked up to see Haldir leaning over her a look of curiosity pasted on his face.

"Is there something wrong elfling?" Sakura frowned in consternation.

"Elfling? So I'm not just seeing things." He held out a hand to help her up which she grasped and gasped audibly as she practically sailed through the air with his strength and all but crashed into him.

Quickly finding her footing she let go of his calloused hand before reaching up to touch her own face, feeling that her mouth seemed the same shape she moved up. Still a slim, pert nose but her eyes were different.

Stepping back up that small stair she looked back into the water at her newly changed reflection, her mouth didn't look quite the same as she thought it was more bow shaped than her human mouth had been, her chin was more pointed and her eyes were slanted, almost imperceptibly so. Her ears were a whole other story they were pointed and curved the same way the elf standing guard next to her were.

She shook her head slightly, it was so surreal but she quickly pinched her arm and realised with that small sharp pain that what was right in front of her face could not be disproved.

'Oh well' was her last errant thought on her mind about the subject before she splashed the surprisingly lukewarm water against her face and Haldir handed her a small towel to dry off.

"Thank you Haldir." She gave him a small smile as she hung the towel over an errant outcrop of rock to dry before heading back to her dwelling.

"Good night Haldir and thank you for your help." She gave him a ghost of a smile before she slinked back inside the dwelling. Sitting down on the edge of the bed Sakura slipped her ninja sandals off before reaching to the sides of her ANBU chest plate and unclipping it on one side, pulling it off and letting it slide to the floor before unclasping the metal guards from her forearms and letting them plonk on top of her chest plate.

Sliding into the warm bed provided for her she snapped the band off her wrist and quickly plaited her slightly damp hair down her back before laying down, a small smile playing about her lips as she slipped into a blissfully deep and undisturbed slumber.

LegoXSaku

And that's a Wrap!

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