Story Downloaded from Open Scrolls Archive (https://www.openscrolls.net)
Title: Mists of Valinor (#35)
Author: Genesis
Chapters: 12
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Archive: Tolkien
Category: Lord of the Rings
Description: Celebrian's life. From her meeting with Elrond, through the birth of her children, her torment by orcs, to her eventual departure oversea.
Published: 15 May 2003
Updated: 17 Jun 2004
Warnings: giving birth, mild sexuality
Type: General
Characters: Celebrian; Elrond; Elladan; Elrohir
Chapter 1 - Prologue
Title: Mists of Valinor - Prologue
Author: Genesis Grey (helfireclub@hotmail.com)
Rating: G for now
Summary: The Life of Celebrian.
Disclaimer: Tolkien's estate owns everything. I own nothing. If I did it wouldn't be fanfiction.
Warning: Not for this chapter. Maybe later.
Authors Notes: This was originally meant to be a short piece about Celebrian's leaving, but I decided it'd make a good prolouge to a longer story. Feedback always appreciated. :)
::Mists of Valinor - Prologue::
The mist was thick as the ship arrived. A lone passenger stood on deck, her eyes looking to the east from whence they came. She stared at the mists and listened to the sound of the sea lapping against the boat with quiet crashing as the elven sailors moved about, preparing to dock. She could see nothing though the mist, but when she closed her eyes she could clearly see her family on the shore as she had sailed away.
Her twin sons stood together, alike in dignity and appearance, but the light in their eyes had always been different. The elder twins eyes were kindled with an unholy anger as he watched her sail, and the promise of revenge was chiseled across his handsome features. While, the younger watched with a resigned sadness in his eyes and upon the identical face. Her daughter had stood not far away, tears streaking her cheeks and her chin trembling as she tried to show the poise she had gained at such a young age. But the beautiful Evenstar could not maintain such a face and turned to sob into her father’s shoulder even as her mother raised a hand to wave goodbye.
Farther away from the shore she saw where her own father stood, not daring to come closer to the sea for fear it would call him to it. He watched his daughter with sadness etched into his young and ancient features, sadness that his child should leave and seek Valinor before him. He raised a hand in farewell, then slowly turned and disappeared into the forest. She watched where he had stood for a moment knowing he would be the last to leave the forests of Lorien.
At last she saw where her husband stood, so close to the sea that the waves nearly touched him, bidding him to follow her. He looked into her eyes and held them until the fog that surrounded the shore caused him to disappear from her sight. His face had been calm, but in his eyes there was a great shame and a horrible sense of failure.
Celebrian, daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn of Lorien, wife of Elrond Peredhil, mother of the twins Elladan and Elrohir and of Arwen Undomiel, opened her eyes and let out a soft cry.
She had made a mistake.
TBC...
Chapter 2 - The Meeting - Part 1
Disclaimer: Tolkien's estate owns everything. I own nothing. If I did it wouldn't be fanfiction.
Authors Notes: There is one mistake I made in timeline for this fic... if you find it, I'm proud and you're a true Tolkien geek. Anyway, I love and adore feedback. ^_^
::The Meeting – Part 1::
“Lady Celebrian?”
The elven woman turned her head, for the first time looking away from the east, as she bowed her head in cordial greeting to the young elf that approached her. “‘Tis my name,” she replied with a forced smile, “and who might you be?”
“Calen, daughter of Aramellon and Elmador of Lorien,” she answered as she came closer and gave a small bow. Her long pale hair, lithe form, and light eyes did indeed mark her as a child of Lorien, and Celebrian smiled slightly at that. For good or bad there was little difference among the elves that dwelled under the great mallorn. “I was but a small child when you went to marry Lord Elrond and reside in Imladris,” Calen continued.
“I remember your parents well,” Celebrian nodded, a hint of confusion in her eyes as she again looked over the elven girl. “But I do not remember ever meeting you, even on my many visits to my parents.” She sucked in a breath of air and closed her eyes for a moment as she recalled the ill-fated trip home that was the reason for her boarding of the ship.
“Yes, I fostered in Mirkwood for many long years,” Calen responded, not wanting to bother Celebrian with questions about her health. The woman appeared very pale, even for an elf, but soon they would set foot upon Valinor and all would be well. Great healers of old dwelt there. Surely they would be able to cure any ill.
Celebiran opened her eyes and looked at the elf in front of her for a moment. It was strange for one of the Galadrim to be sent away for fostering, especially to the dark forests of Mirkwood, but not unheard of. The girl, for that was what she was being so young by her standards, not much older than her own twin sons, turned her head and looked out upon the mist.
“They say we will be able to walk upon the shores soon,” Calen said as she stepped closer to the side, “after the mist abates.” She gave Celebrian a smile over her shoulder as she leaned on the railing. “They say the mists of Valinor are the mists of memory.” She turned back and looked out into the white nothingness the surrounded them. “I have noticed the dreamy countenance upon the face of many elves below,” she said wistfully. “I wonder if the mists are the bringer of good memories or ill.”
Celebrian said nothing as she stared at Calen’s back and slowly looked out upon the mists as her mind began to wander…
***
There was the loud sound of crashing as Celebrian smirked and set down her book, walking gracefully (but quickly) from her talan to look at the mess of irresponsible elflings below. “Haldir, Rumil, what are you doing to your brother?” she asked sweetly as she descended the steps to the ground, watching in amusement as the two quickly leapt away from their brother, Orophin, whom they had grappled to the grassy floor.
“We were playing a game,” Rumil smiled innocently, not that Celebrian believed it. The three bothers were the most playful and most brash elves she had ever met; and according to her father the most arrogant that had ever graced Middle-earth for as long as he could remember. But they were also kind and well liked, so their strange attitude did little to interrupt the comings and goings of Lorien, other than to bring a smile where there was one not before.
“Did not appear to be a game that poor Orophin could win. For he is out numbered,” she said as the brother in question stood from the ground, dusting the dirt and leaves from his breeches. He gave her a brilliant smile and there was the hint of a blush on his cheeks. “Now, tell me more of this game you were playing,” Celebrian smiled sweetly, knowing it was nothing more than petty retribution. She had overheard Rumil and Haldir planning it yesterday.
“You have caught us,” Haldir said, sporting a broad grin and bowing in a way that was just short of mocking. “It was no game, but paltry revenge for the way Orophin defeated us during archery practice.”
Celebrian raised a hand to hide the growing smile as she suppressed her laughter. She had heard from many elven maidens that Orophin had hit his mark every time while his brothers could hardly keep their bows strung. Later on she had heard one of the marchwardens having a laugh about the same incident, but only because neither Haldir nor Rumil had any idea their bows had been sabotaged.
Finally in control of her laughter and her smile Celebrian moved her hand. “I heard many an elven maid speak of the incident,” she said as Rumil shot his brother a glare and Haldir let out a small laugh. It was well known that of the three Rumil was a lover of poetry and maidens, who wished nothing more than to be in love.
“Lady Celebrian.”
Celebrian looked over her shoulder at the sound of her name. One of her mother’s servants was walking down the steps toward her. “The Lady Galadriel, your mother, wishes a word with you,” the elf said with a bow of her head as she halted at the bottom of the steps. “If you will please come with me.”
“As she wishes,” Celebrian nodded at the servant before looking at the three brothers and giving them a fond smile. “I must go now. But I wish you, Haldir and Rumil, luck in your paltry revenge. And I wish you, Orophin, swift feet to evade your brothers wrath.”
“Thank you, Lady,” the three said in unison as they bowed and waited until Celebrian had followed the servant up the steps before Orophin ran and Haldir and Rumil began their pursuit.
---
“You summoned me, mother?” Celebrian said as the servant ushered her into her parents room. Galadriel stood, drinking from a crystalline chalice, her long blond hair blowing in the scant wind that the season brought. Behind her Celeborn sat at his writing table with a thoughtful look on his face. Galadriel smiled at her daughter’s arrival and nodded for the servant to leave.
“I did,” the Lady of Light nodded, setting the chalice down. “I am sorry if I have taken you away from something pressing.”
“As I am sure you know, mother, I was only teasing Haldir and his brothers. I shall have the rest of my days to do so. Moreover, while it is amusing and I do enjoy their company, I much prefer that of yours and father,” Celebrian said as she walked fully into the room. “But what news has truly brought me here?”
“Elrond Peredhil travels from Imladris to meet with us,” Galadriel said, her starry eyes looking over her daughter as if she knew some great secret. Which Celebrian had no doubts she did. But when she asked, her mother smiled faintly and turned her eyes away, replying a simple, ‘nothing, dear child, nothing.’
Celebrian pursed her lips at the news. The name brought her a brief feeling of dread, though a look over at her father assuaged it quickly. She had never met and knew little of Lord Elrond other than the stories of his parentage and accounts of Gil-galad’s herald, now a ruler in his own right. He was half human, and while that meant he was also half elven, it left a bad taste in her mouth to think of it.
“What do you say to this news, daughter?” Celeborn asked suddenly, speaking for the first time since she had arrived. Celebrian looked over at her father and felt a brief pang of guilt. She knew he was fond of the Lord of Imladris ever since the end of the Last Alliance.
“I know not what to say,” Celebrian answered truthfully as she turned to look at her mother, “other than to wonder why you have called me.”
“We wish you to be his guide through Lorien while he is here,” Galadriel answered simply.
Celebrian looked at them both in confusion for a moment, thinking it would be a better job for a servant than her, but decided against voicing such thoughts. There was a reason her parents had chosen her and she would abide their choice. “I will do as you ask,” she replied with a bow of her head, though she knew both her parents perceived her unspoken protest.
Galadriel smiled gently at her daughter before suddenly looking away and letting the smile fade. “One of the marchwardens returns with an injury,” she said, and it was difficult to guess if she was speaking to herself or someone in the room. “I must go. The orcs arrows are often poisoned.”
Celebrian bowed as her mother gave her another smile and gently stroked her pale cheek before departing to heal the wounded elf. Letting her shoulders slump Celebrian let out a small sigh. She did not wish to escort Lord Elrond about like a servant, but her parents had willed it so. There was the light scrape against the floor and she looked up to see her father rise from his chair. She blushed in embarrassment at having forgotten his presence.
“Walk with me, Celebrian?” Celeborn asked, holding out a hand to her.
“Of course, father,” she said, taking his hand as he led from the room and down the stairs that wrapped around the mallorn trees. They walked in silence for a while, nodding to the elves that greeted them, but not stopping their decent. At last they came to the roots of the great trees and walked across the grassy dale a bit before Celebrian took her hand from her father’s and sat on one of the great roots.
“What plagues your mind, daughter?” Celeborn asked, folding his hands behind his back.
“Nothing,” Celebrian replied, trailing her fingers along the bark of the roots. “Why do you ask?”
“It is clear to me, as it is to your mother, that you hold some reservation about Lord Elrond and I would know what they are,” he answered a gentle look as his eyes searched his daughter’s face. “It is not like you to hold grievances, especially with those you have not yet met.”
“I hold no grievance with Lord Elrond,” she said, letting out a breath, “my only reservation is his… heritage.”
“It is true the blood of Men runs though his veins,” Celeborn nodded, “but he had the trust and friendship of Gil-galad, the last great elven king these shores shall see. Surely that speaks well for him.”
Celebrian shook her head. “I do not doubt Gil-galad’s choice in friend or herald, but… a Man took the one ring of Sauron,” she reminded her father bitterly as she fixed him with a look, reminding him of all the grief she had suffered, worrying for his safe return from war, “a Man of his own brother’s lineage.”
“And for that he suffers far more than you know,” Celeborn answered gravely and let out a sigh. “If it is such a hardship we will not ask you to undertake the task. Another can escort the Lord of Imladris while he is visiting our realm.”
“No, father,” Celebrian said, standing up and walking toward Celeborn, taking his hand. “It is unfair that I should shun my duty because I do not approve of his blood. He has proven himself in battle and you have always spoken highly of him. I will escort him and give him all the dues that his position deserves.”
Celeborn smiled, gently squeezing his daughter’s hand and pressing a kiss to her cheek. “You are a good child and I thank you for your sacrifice. Though I believe you will find Lord Elrond’s company no where near as offensive as you think.”
Celebrian smiled gently, unwilling to argue with her father. She would give Elrond a chance. A sudden sound of crashing caught her attention and she jumped slightly and turned just in time to see Haldir, Rumil, and Orophin come tumbling down the stairs. She smiled and her father laughed as the three hit the ground, Rumil and Haldir gasping for breath as Orophin got free again, laughing at his siblings and running back up the stairs.
---
Elrond was far handsomer than she had expected.
Celebrian stood beside her parents as they greeted their visitors and she took in her first glimpse of the Lord of Imlardis. His dark hair was a fascination to her. Never before had she met an elf whose hair was not golden or silver. It was long and silky with two small braids framing his face while the rest hung freely down his back; and it was dark like the cliffs of a mountain at dusk. A beautiful color and she had the strangest urge to run her fingers though his long locks.
She barely controlled the blush in her cheeks as she banished the thought and continued to look him over. His face itself had the strange quality of being old and young at the same time, his mouth seemed to be set in a permanent frown. He looked over at her and for the first time she got a good look at his eyes, they were gray like distant storm clouds. She shook herself mentally as she realized the reason he had turned to her was she was being introduced.
“… and Celebrian will be your guide during your stay in Lorien,” Celeborn said as Celebrian noticed for the first time the way her mother’s eyes bore into Elrond, as if examining his very soul. Surprisingly the half-elf did not seem bothered by the gaze.
“Well met, Lady Celebrian,” Elrond said, with a bow of his head, “a star shines on the hour of our meeting.”
Galadriel took her eyes off Elrond, apparently content with what she saw, and turned a smile to the two elves that stood behind him. A blond elf named Glorfindel at his right and a dark haired elf named Erestor at his left.
“Our daughter will show you to the talans that have been prepared for your stay,” Galadriel said, her soft voice seeming to float about them. “Go and rest. ‘Tis a long journey from Imlardis and while not fraught with peril, neither is it safe,” for a moment her eyes seemed to dim, but she continued with nothing more than a slight pause. “We will feast tonight in your honor.”
“We thank you for your hospitality, Lady Galadriel, Lord Celeborn,” Elrond said with a bow as he patiently waited for them to ascend the stairs out of sight before he turned to look at Celebrian. He gave her a small smile and she found it surprisingly looked good upon his features.
“This way, if you please,” she said, stepping down the two steps she had over them and holding out her hand to Elrond. As a Lady it was custom to give a male escort her hand, though as a guide it was not required. But she found herself filled with the irrational wish to feel Elrond’s skin upon her own.
He took her hand and she found his fingers were soft, yet they held the roughness that only frequent use of a blade could create. His hand was warm and he gripped her hand with surety that was strong and yet she felt as if she could pull away at any moment if she wanted.
She led him down a set of stairs, with his two companions following close behind, and found herself engaging in small talk. Pointing out the various designs or passing elves of interest. She was soon explaining the duty of the marchwardens, much to her surprise, when a yelp was heard and she was nearly pushed from the stairs.
An arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her close to keep her from falling. She found herself tightly clutching the front of Elrond’s traveling clothes and marveling at the press of his body. Glorfindel had jumped forward and held his Lord’s other arm to steady him while Erestor gave the cause of the near calamity an angry glare.
Rumil lay on his back where he fell with a horrified look on his face. His eyes darted from Celebrian to Elrond and his entourage and back to Celebrian as he silently pleaded for some assistance. Above them on a second set of stairs that connected at the very point Rumil rest, Haldir and Orophin were standing, all color drained from their faces.
Celebrian felt the color in her own face rise momentarily as she realized Elrond’s arm was still locked about her waist and her hands still clutched tightly at his chest. She let go. Disentangling herself from his arm as she took a step toward Rumil.
“You and your brothers have been told time and time again to keep your rough play on the grounds below where it will bring no harm,” she said in a sharp tone. She truly had no wish to reprimand any of the brothers, the terror that quickened the pace of their hearts was more than enough punishment. But she feared if she did nothing Lord Elrond would take it upon himself to discipline such impetuous youngsters. It was his right as an elven lord.
“You are fortunate that no one was harmed by your foolishness,” Celebrian continued, feeling terrible when Rumil physically winced away from her. She did not look up she heard the light sound of Haldir and Orophin moving down the steps toward their brother’s side. “If not for Lord Elrond,” she dropped the name so they would understand, if they did not already, that it was not simply some stranger they had nearly toppled off the stairways, “then I would have fallen down to the very roots of the mallorn!”
“… I am sorry,” Rumil said in a meek voice and Celebrian felt her heart break. He was young and she doubted anyone had ever spoken to him so harshly. Haldir and Orophin came to the bottom of the stairs and knelt beside Rumil, their heads bowed submissively. “It was an accident,” Haldir said, not raising his head to meet her eyes, “but we have been forewarned not to play so.”
“Indeed you have,” Celebrian said, wishing to leave further rebuke to her parents discretion, but she could not allow herself to seem weak in the eyes of Lord Elrond. It would reflect badly on her family and her upbringing. “Imagine if your play had caused someone to fall,” she said, “and they were hurt beyond the ability to heal. You know the laws against killing our own kind in Lorien, you would have been exiled…”
“No one was harmed,” a voice cut her off and Celebrian turned to find Elrond was holding a hand up to stop her, “there is no need to speak of exile. They are young and have made a mistake. If it is the way of Lorien to punish such things, then do so. But do not terrify them with words of exile.”
Celebrian blinked. Shocked at being reprimanded and for a moment unable to speak. She quickly composed herself, straightening her posture as she turned to look at the three brothers again. “I will speak to you more of this later,” she said, giving them a gentle smile to convey an apology, though her voice remained cool and hard. “Be off with you.”
“Yes, Lady Celebrian,” the three said in unison. Haldir and Orophin quickly pulled Rumil to his feet and they all ran up the stairs and out of sight.
“They meant no harm,” Elrond said as Celebrian gestured for them to follow her. She did not know if the Half-Elven offered his hand, for she was too embarrassed to turn and meet his gaze, instead she forced herself to look forward.
“No, they did not,” she responded after a moment, wondering if the hostile glare she felt upon her back was from Elrond or one of his companions. “But they have been told many times not to play so roughly.”
Silence fell between them as Celebrian blushed, immensely glad the three elves behind her could not see her face. She was acting obstinate, which was unbecoming in itself, but she did not even agree with what she was saying. The three were known for their playful attitudes and none adored them for their carefree nature more than she.
She let out a light sigh as they arrived at the talans used to house travelers. Forcing the embarrassment from her face she turned and adopted a mask of indifference. “Here is your talan, Lord Elrond,” she said politely, “your companions will be but a little ways away,” she gestured over her shoulder at two other talans in close proximity, “and if there is anything you need a servant will be close to aid you. Do not hesitate to ask for anything that will make your stay more comfortable. Someone will come and summon you when it is time for dinner.”
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Elrond nodded cordially, though there was a look in his eyes that said he was still highly disappointed in her earlier display, and internally Celebrian winced.
“As I said,” Celebrian bowed slightly, “if there is anything you need, do not hesitate to call. I will now show your companions to their talans so they might rest.”
Elrond nodded and, with more grace than Celebrian had expected, climbed up into his talan. With a slight smile she turned toward Erestor and Glorfindel. “If you will come this way.” Glorfindel gave her a smile back, but Erestor did nothing but scowl. At least now she could guess who had been glaring so vehemently at her back.
They walked down another bit of the stairway before they came to the next talen and Celebrian bid Erestor to take it. He nodded and exchanged a nicety or two before he nearly leapt into the tree, obviously eager to be away from the elf woman that had deeply offended him.
Celebrian let out an audible sigh and shut her eyes for a moment, vowing she would ask her father to remove her from this duty as she was entirely unsuitable for it. In a matter of moments she had managed to alienate the Lord of Imladris and his companion and… there was a soft clearing of the throat and she opened her eyes to look at Glorfindel… and managed to forget his other companion.
“My apologies,” she said with an embarrassed laugh. “I have now offended all three of my parent’s guests.” She gestured for Glorfindel to follow her.
“‘Tis alright, I find I am a most forgettable elf,” Glorfindel replied cheerfully, stepping up to walk beside Celebrian. It was uncommon for a foreign elf to do such a thing, but she had heard he was not a normal elf by any means. Supposedly the reincarnation of Glorfindel of Gondolin. “And you have not offended any of us.”
She raised an eyebrow and cast a look back at the talan that Erestor had climbed into. “Have I not?” she asked, giving him a sardonic look.
“Erestor is a bit…” Glorfindel trailed off for a moment as he searched for the right term, “…highly strung. Do not take it to heart.”
“Perhaps, but I have offended your Lord for sure,” Celebrian sighed, wishing to keep up her proper demeanor, but not having the strength to do so. Glorfindel was a comforting presence at her side. He had an aura of calm about him.
“What little do you know of Imladris?” Glorfindel asked.
“That is resides in a valley on the other side of the Misty Mountains,” Celebrian answered, feeling a blush of embarrassment as the elven lord let out a laugh.
“That is little indeed,” he said, chuckling as Celebrian threw a glare over her shoulder. “Pardon, I do not mean to laugh so.” He controlled himself and continued to speak. “Imladris was built as a refuge for those that fled the war, mostly of the Noldor, and those that had no other place to call home. It was a place of rest and comfort hidden in Eriador when the madness of Sauron seemed to have no end. It is a place where many exiles dwell.”
Celebrian took in a deep breath and wished she could take back her earlier words. “I see now why the Lord of Imladris would dislike the threat of exile that I held over the young ones. He has lived among exiles and refugees a long time.”
“Erestor is one such exile. Though I know not from where or why,” Glorfindel explained and there was a hidden tone in his voice that said he wanted to know. “Besides that, it was clear to us all that you would not have spoken to them so if we had not been there.”
“Am I so bad in the act of scolding?” Celebrian asked as she tried to muster what was left of her pride. She thought she had done a good job in hiding her true feelings on the matter. It was rare any elf spoke to her in such a playfully conversational way. She was the daughter of Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn after all.
“Nay, your act was magnificent. It was the look upon the faces of the young ones that gave the game away,” Glorfindel said. “It was clear that such words from you were uncommon to their ears.”
“I see,” Celebrian nodded and again let out a sigh, then another sigh at how much she was sighing. She hoped it was not becoming a dreadful habit. “I must apologize to your Lord. If he will accept it.”
“He will,” Glorfindel assured her with a smile and there was a playful light in his eyes. “How could any elf deny one so lovely as you?” Celebrian felt herself blush as Glorfindel stopped and gestured upwards. “Is this not the talan you referred to earlier?”
“It is,” she nodded as she stopped a step below him, forcing the blush from her face, “it appears I cannot be an effective guide even in my own home.”
“I am a distraction,” Glorfindel said with a light laugh and bowed. “My thanks for your company and do not fear Lord Elrond. He is actually a friendly sort of creature once you get to know him.” He tilted his head and added with a smirk: “though I am afraid that Erestor will ever remain thorny as a rose.”
“I will speak to your Lord this evening,” Celebrian said with a smile. It was hard not to smile at the blond elf. “And I shall see you at the evening meal as well.”
“Until then, my Lady,” he gave a grin and a bow and moved up to his talan.
Celebrian waited until Glorfindel had fully disappeared from her sight. She let out a heavy sigh and frowned as she thought of her earlier actions. Turning on her heels she ran down the stairway, ignoring the disapproving looks the elves gave her as she passed. She felt a hot pang of guilt growing in her stomach as she reached the bottom of the stairs and found the three brothers huddled together a worried look in their eyes as they saw her approach.
“You did not mean it, did you?” Haldir asked, ever the spokesmen of his family.
“Of course not and I am sorry I said such things to you. But you remember how King Oropher reacted to your antics when he visited our realm,” Celebrian said as she walked toward the three with an apologetic look on her face. They let out a collective sigh of relief. “I feared Lord Elrond would be as uptight about etiquette and rules.” She let out a sigh as she ran her fingers through her silver hair. “Though it appears I was quite mistaken.”
TBC…
Chapter 3 - The Meeting - Part 2
::The Meeting – Part 2::
The evening meal was as grand an event as any thing in Lorien. The cups were kept full and the buffet never seemed to empty. Songs were sung and dancers moved about the crowd of elves, coaxing the occasional passerby to join them in their merriment. The Lord and Lady sat above it all with gentle look upon their faces as the watched the gaiety.
Celebrian gave her father a smile as Rumil pulled her out to dance; her earlier threats already forgiven, though she still felt a hot flash of embarrassment when she remembered her words. She laughed as the younger elf spun her around, nearly pulling her off her feet. As they twirled about she caught sight of Lord Elrond. He was standing off to the side speaking with Erestor. A frown appeared on her face. She needed to apologize, but she doubted Elrond’s advisor would make it simple for her.
“Rumil, will you do me a favor?” she asked, pulling him to the side of the large talan. He nodded curiously as she inclined her head toward Elrond and Erestor. “Will you go and ask Lord Elrond’s companion, I believe his name to be Erestor, for a dance or some such thing? I wish to speak to his Lord alone.”
The elf looked over his shoulder and cocked an eyebrow at the dark haired advisor. “I don’t know if he will accept such an offer, he gave me a frightful look earlier, but I will try. It will give me a chance to apologize as well.”
“That is all I ask,” Celebrian smiled gently as Rumil turned and walked toward the foreign elves. She watched intently as he gave Lord Elrond a dignified bow and turned to Erestor, asking him for a dance. She nearly laughed at the look Elrond’s companion gave. He looked as if no one had ever asked him to dance before, though he grudgingly accepted.
For a moment she watched as Rumil and Erestor danced. It showed that the advisor didn’t dance much, a few of the Rumil’s maidens were giggling at them, but he was doing all in his power to cover up that fact. Celebrain took in a deep breath as she looked away from the spectacle and walked over to Elrond.
The elven lord looked up as she approached, bowing his head slightly when she was close enough. “Good evening, Lady Celebrian,” he greeted as she came to stand beside him.
“Good evening, Lord Elrond. Are you enjoying the evening’s festivities?” she asked, twining her fingers together. She felt a strange nervousness in her stomach as she spoke to him. It was a feeling she had never felt before.
“Indeed I am,” Elrond nodded genially. “It is quite lovely here. The food and the song, everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.” He raised an eyebrow and Celebrian followed his gaze to where Glorfindel appeared to be flirting with a large group of elven maidens. Rumil and Erestor had stopped dancing and were joining him, Rumil grinning and Erestor looking mildly uncomfortable. Elrond shook his head with an amused smile. “I must thank you for all the trouble you and your parents have gone to on our account.”
“No trouble at all. It is a pleasure to have you and your companions here in Lorien,” she said with a smile that quickly faded. “I would like to apologize for my actions earlier. I should not have yelled at Rumil in such a way and I certainly should not have threatened exile. Your companion, Glorfindel, told me of Imladris being a refuge. I was unaware.
“And that is no excuse, but I would have you know why I did such a thing,” she said, holding up her hands to prevent Elrond from interrupting. “When King Oropher came to Lorien many decades ago a similar thing happened and he became enraged when he thought our words of discipline were not enough. He took it upon himself to punish the elf that had offended him and she left for Valinor in shame not long after. I did not wish such a thing to happen again.” Celebrian felt herself blush a bit as she looked at the ground, hoping Elrond did not think she was in anyway comparing him to the former King of Greenwood. She just wanted him to understand her reaction.
“Ah, I understand now,” Elrond said and she looked up, watching him nod. “I met King Oropher a time or two during the last alliance,” his voice trailed off momentarily before he continued, “he was a rather… excitable elf as I recall. I can see why you would be worried.” He looked at Celebrian and gave her a slight smile. “You seem rather fond of the three of them, I can understand you would want to protect them.”
Celebrian smiled as she let out a breath of relief, glad Elrond was the understanding sort. “Yes, I am,” she nodded sadly as she looked over to where Haldir was teasing one of the marchwardens. “Their father died during the war and their mother faded from grief soon after. I’ve looked after them as a kind of elder sister since then. They are old enough to watch over themselves, but I worry.” She shook her head and looked back up at Elrond with a smile. “I am sorry. I should not be speaking of such sad things during such a pleasant occasion.”
“Those times are still close in the everlasting minds of elves and I do not grudge you to think of them,” Elrond said gravely before responding to her smile with a gentle one of his own. “But for now let us speak of happier things.” He looked around and gave a gesture. “I have never seen Lothlorien before now, though I have spoken with your father many times and your mother once before in Lindon, it is indeed as fair as the tales I have heard sung.”
“So I have been told,” Celebrian said with a light laugh. “I know there is much beauty here, but I have never been outside of Lorien, and rarely departed from Caras Galadhon. I am afraid I take much of it for granted.” She looked around and smiled. “But, yes, it is very beautiful here. I am lucky in my birth, though at times I wish to see more of the lands of Middle-earth now that the darkness is gone.”
Elrond winced almost indiscernibly and Celebrian wished she had held her tongue. It appeared she could say nothing right in front of the elven lord. Just being near him made her stumble over her usually eloquent and well spoken words. “I would like to see more of your home before I travel back to Imladris,” Elrond said and Celebrian’s head jerked slightly as she turned to find the half-elf looking at her. “Perhaps you would be so good as to show me around?”
“It would be a pleasure,” she replied with a cordial nod, though she felt as if her head was swimming. “Perhaps tomorrow? That is, if my parents do not have other plans for you.”
“I do not believe so,” Elrond said, a slight perplexed look on his face as he cast the Lord and Lady of Lorien a sidelong look. “Lady Galadriel indicated she would summon me at some time before I departed, but other than that...”
“Yes, mother does tend to be a bit secretive and enigmatic,” she said and let out a light chuckle, “even for an elf. Do not let it worry you.”
“Lord Elrond, may I speak with you?” Erestor said, coming up suddenly beside them. He looked a bit ruffled and there was a blush on his high cheekbones. He bowed to Celebrian and she noticed some of the cold fire in his stare had dimmed, though it was not gone. “Forgive me, my Lady, but I must speak with my Lord if you will allow it.”
“Of course,” Celebrian said, though for an instant she wished she could deny Elrond’s dark haired advisor. She feared he would speak ill of her, but she reminded herself that elves were not so petty. With a forced smile she gave a slight bow to Elrond. “I will see you in the morning, Lord Elrond. I shall come to escort you about my home after the dawn, if that is to your liking?”
“It is,” Elrond replied, nodding and giving thanks for her company before turning to speak with the slightly addled advisor. Celebrian turned to walk away as she caught sight of her parents, sitting high above everything. Her father had a pleased expression on his face as he watched the dancers, but her mother was looking directly at her, a slightly melancholy look on her eternally young face. As soon as their eyes locked her mother smiled and turned away, leaving Celebrian both confused and a bit worried.
---
“May I enter?”
Celebrian looked up and elegantly arched an eyebrow as her mother stood in the doorway. “Certainly, mother,” she smiled, turning back to the mirror as she parted her long silver hair over her shoulder, “I was just brushing my hair before I retired for the night.”
“Would you like me to help?” Galadriel asked, entering the room and holding out her hand. Celebrian looked over her shoulder, briefly giving her mother’s out stretched hand a look before she smiled and handed her the silver-handled brush. Turning back she shook her hair down her back, watching as her mother took a handful and began to work.
“You’ve not done this in ages,” she said pleasantly as her mother dealt with a slight tangle. As a child she had always loved when her mother played with her hair, brushing it and braiding it as they spoke of stories and histories and thoughts and dreams.
“No, I have not,” Galadriel replied in her misty voice as she let the sliver strands fall from her long fingers before taking up another handful of hair. “It is a shame. I did enjoy how we would speak on those long ago nights.”
Celebrian chuckled. “Those are indeed fond memories, mother. You and father have given me many over the decades. I thank you,” she said as her mother stroked some of the silvery hair over her shoulder. She pursed her lips together as a stray thought crossed her mind. The look her mother had given during the feast. “You gave me a frightful look earlier…” she said in a questioning tone.
For a moment there was silence, but then she saw the slight shake of her mother’s head in the mirror. “Do not worry about such things. They have not come to pass and they are no fault of yours,” she replied, her hand stroking gently over her daughter’s head as if it were the last time she would get a chance. “Do not worry. You are a sweet child and I would not have you worry over things that cannot be changed.”
“Mother?” Celebrian said, turning to face the Lady of the Galadhrim. It was strange for her mother to be so forthcoming and it worried her greatly.
Galadriel smiled and leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her daughter’s forehead. “Cease. I told you not to worry,” she said gently as she leaned away, gesturing for Celebrian to turn around once more as she began to brush the long silver locks again. “Now, I must ask you,” her mother said as her voice took on an almost uncharacteristic amused tone. “Did my eyes deceive me or are you not the least bit enamored with the Lord of Imladris?”
Celebrian blushed. “Of course not,” she replied, even as she remembered how she wished to run her fingers though his dark tresses, the warm press of his body as he saved her from falling. “He intrigues me; perhaps that is what you witnessed.”
“Perhaps,” Galadriel said with a light smirk upon her elegant lips.
---
If it had been in her breeding Celebrian would have cursed as she half-ran down the stairs toward the talans that housed Lord Elrond and his companions. Somehow she was late, even after waking early to bathe, dress, and brush her hair to a fine sheen she was still late. At any other moment she would have found it humorous to be overdue in gentle Lorien where time virtually stood still, but not today. She nearly groaned when she caught sight of the Elrond standing on the stairs waiting for her.
“Good day to you, Lady Celebrian,” he called pleasantly.
“Good day, Lord Elrond. I must apologize for my tardiness,” she said as she came to a halt beside him. “I do not know how I manage to do everything in my power to offend your lordship. I assure you it is not intentional.”
“You have yet to offend me,” Elrond said, holding out his hand, which she gratefully accepted. “I thank you for escorting me about your home and allowing me to impose on your valuable time.”
“It is no imposition,” Celebrian replied, leading Elrond down the stairs as she marveled at how much the elven lord’s presence calmed her. He had such an aura of mystery and melancholy about him that somehow relaxed her worried mind. “You have seen a bit of the upper part of the city where we live and hold our feasts,” she said, remembering she was a guide and not out for a casual stroll. “I thought I would show you a bit of the natural beauty that lies below.”
“I had begun to wonder if the Galadhrim did nothing among the roots of the mallorn,” Elrond said quietly as they continued their descent.
“Many of us do not,” she responded with a slight laugh. “I think there are a few among us that have not set foot on the ground in their lifetime. But I find I like it down there. Haldir, Orophin, and Rumil often play about the roots while I examine histories and other manuscripts.” She let out a sigh. “I will miss them when they go to do their work watching over the outskirts of our land. They are training for it now,” she said, wishing she did not continuously turn the conversation to other elves. She wanted to ask Elrond about himself, but something about him forbid it. Or perhaps she feared what his answers would be. A part of her was still uneasy at the thought of his mortal blood.
“You mentioned that to me once before when you were speaking to me about the duty of the marchwardens,” Elrond said as he watched the low boughs of the trees sway gently in the wind. Celebrian hoped she was not boring him too much. “The colors are truly amazing here, the leaves almost appear blue.”
“Yes, they say it is because my mother dwells here,” Celebrian said as she pursed her lips. It would not be wise to continue on that topic. Many guessed why Lorien remained so beautiful and strange, but few knew the truth for certain. It would be better for it to stay that way. “Would you care to see one of my favorite places?” she asked as they reached the grassy floor.
“I would be pleased to see anything you wish to show me,” he replied with an almost playful tone in his voice. Celebrian felt herself blush and she desperately hoped it didn’t show on her cheeks.
“This way then,” she said, leading Elrond around one of the large roots of the mallorn. “It is a bit of a walk I’m afraid, but I believe it to be worth it.” She pulled her skirt up over her ankles with one hand to keep from stumbling over the hem; perhaps her finest gown hadn’t been the best choice for traipsing around with the elven lord.
The silence was deafening between them. Elrond seemed content to watch the scenery as she led him, but it made her extremely uncomfortable. She wondered exactly when she had become so talkative and afraid of silence, though it only happened when she was around Elrond. She cleared her throat. “If I might be so bold, what was it that your advisor wished to speak with you about yester eve? I do not mean to pry if it is personal or matters or of governing Imladris, of course, but I am curious.”
An amused smile formed on Elrond’s stern face as he looked over at her. “It was nothing. Erestor simply is quite unsure around large groups, especially females. He wished to discuss how long our stay in Lothlorien would last. Your city is far larger and with many more elves than we have become accustomed to,” he answered. “Imladris is a rather small community, only a few hundred dwell there now. Many have gone to the Havens as of late, sailing to Valinor.”
Celebrian felt a surge of delight at the foreign lord telling her of his home. “I do not think that I would wish to sail to Valinor any day soon,” she replied, carefully stepping over a protruding root. “I would miss the mallorn trees that only reside here in Middle-earth or so my mother tells me. But some day all elves will leave.” She let out a forlorn sigh; it was sad to think there would come a time when elves would no longer be a part of the world.
“All things have there time,” Elrond mused out loud. “After elves, for better or worse, will come the time of Men and after that… only the Valar know what will come then.”
Celebrian cast a sidelong glance at the elven lord that walked beside her, for a moment he seemed aged and weary, like a mortal man. As if the weight of the world pressed down upon him. He turned toward her, feeling her eyes upon him, and gave a slight smile that erased all the age instantly and once again transformed him into the strange elven lord she felt herself fascinated by. “But, for now, it is best that we live in the times that we have. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Indeed,” she nodded with a light laugh as she turned away and smiled. His expressions were as infectious as they were charming. “Ah, we are getting close,” she said excitedly, noting the way the lesser trees were gathering close around them. The walk seemed much less of a distance with Elrond at her side. “This way,” she murmured as she pulled him around one of the trees and over another that had grown at an odd angle. “I am sorry. I forget that it is a bit difficult to get around here.”
“It is not that difficult,” Elrond said, letting go of her hand to move his robes to offer freer movement as he walked over the tree. “I am surprised that a Lady of Lothorien would go though this much to get to any place though.”
“When you see it you will not think it strange at all,” Celebrian smiled as she jumped over the other side of the tree, holding out her hand to Elrond. “Trust me.” She hoped he would not find it disappointing.
“Of course,” he said, taking her hand again.
Celebrian couldn’t help but grin proudly as she pulled him into the clearing. She had found the little oasis during a childish fit when she had run from her parents over a foolish argument, a flight of fancy that she could not even recall now. She had run into the ever-lit Lorien night, through the trees, stumbling like the child she was until she came to a rest here. “This is it,” she said with a wave of her hand.
A shallow pool lay in the middle of a clearing with clear water that shimmered in the blue tinted light filtering through the leaves of the trees. On the far side there was a rock of light gray, about the size of an elf with a flat top as if someone had long ago cleaved it long ago to make the perfect place to sit and admire the scenery. Around the pool the diminished trees formed an almost perfect circle, obscuring the little oasis from the surrounding area and shading it from the bright light of the sun. No sound could be heard other than the light rippling of the water and the twist of the trees in the wind that echoed about the clearing. It was a very peaceful place.
“This is indeed a beautiful place,” Elrond said, releasing her hand as he walked around the pool, looking into the clear water. “I can see why you like it here.”
Celebrian said nothing. There was a strange feeling in her stomach, a nervous churning that she could not remember feeling before. For some reason she wanted Elrond to be amazed by her little oasis, to think it was special above all things in Lorien. Perhaps to think her special above all things in Lorien. She shook her head in annoyance at herself. She was a Lady of Lorien, the sole daughter of Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel, oldest of those who still dwelt in Middle-earth. A foreign lord should not make her feel so nervous.
Smiling she stepped forward to ask if Elrond wished to see some of the other sights that the grounds of her home had to offer. Her ankle twisted under her, slipping on the damp grass, and for the first time in her life she fell, rather unceremoniously, into the shallow pool with a loud splash.
“Celebrian, are you hurt?” Elrond called in surprise as she sat up and pushed the wet hair out of her face , lamenting her favorite gown, now completely soaked. Idly she noticed how nice her name sounded when Elrond said it with out the title attached.
She let out a little laugh. “I am unhurt, my Lord,” she said with a sigh as she managed to her feet. Her ankle felt a bit weak and there was a sharp pain that ran up her leg. “I must apologize for my behavior, but your presence makes me a bit nervous and I act in a way quite unbecoming.”
“If I may be so forthright, my Lady Celebrian, you have the same effect on me,” Elrond said, holding his hands out to help her out of the water. She blushed at the thought she could be effecting the elven lord the way he was effecting her. He certainly didn’t show it. He pulled her out of the water and she marveled at the color of his hair again, even as her ankle gave out and she fell against his chest with a slight cry of pain. “Are you certain you are unhurt?” he asked in a concerned tone as he sat her on the dry ground and knelt beside her.
“My ankle hurts a bit, but I did not think it a problem,” she said, distinctly aware of Elrond’s proximity as he hovered close to her. She winced as pain shot up her leg and demanded attention. “Though it appears I was mistaken.”
“May I?” Elrond asked as he leaned over her outstretched leg and gestured at the hem of her gown. She recalled her father mentioning that the Lord of Imladris had some skill in healing. She nodded as he pulled her skirt up to her knee and gently touched her ankle. She wondered if the strange sensations that ran through her body were because of the pain or the elven lord touching her, maybe both. “I think you may have a sprain,” he said thoughtfully as his fingers moved over her lower calf and foot, “the ankle is beginning to swell, but I do not believe anything is broken.”
“I would not have thought myself such a bumbling idiot,” she frowned as Elrond tore a piece of his robe and wrapped her ankle with tender care so not to tie it to tight. “Now how will I get back?” she moaned, more to herself than anyone.
“Simple. I will carry you,” Elrond said, rising and easily lifting her from the ground without further preamble. Celebrian let out a small yelp as she wrapped her arms around his neck instinctively, kicking and burying her face in his neck before pulling away.
“I can’t ask you to do this,” she said, amazed at the strength in Elrond’s arms as he carried her away from her little refuge, somehow managing over the tilted tree and through the dense woods that surrounded them. He let out a light laugh. “You have not asked me to do anything. I offered my services to you, my Lady.”
Celebrian relented to his carrying her without further discussion. She was deeply embarrassed. In fact she could not remember feeling so much embarrassment in her entire life. But being carried in the arms of the exotic elven lord calmed her and for a moment she imagined what it would be like for Elrond to hold her in a different fashion, a more intimate embrace. The fantasy was almost worth the mortification.
“Lady Celebrian!” Haldir’s voice rang through the air, filled with shock and dismay. She looked up as the young elf and his brothers ran toward her. “Are you well?”
“Well enough,” she called back to him, a little disappointed as Elrond lowered her to a sitting position on one of the mallorn roots. She had been so absorbed in the warmth of the elven lord’s hold she hadn’t noticed how quickly they had returned to the lower levels of Caras Galadhon. “I’ve managed to hurt my ankle while walking about, thankfully Lord Elrond was kind enough to help me. Would you or one of your brothers run and fetch me a healer?” she asked as the three came closer. Almost instantly Rumil turned on his heels and dashed up the stairs as Haldir and Orophin exchanged glances.
“If you do not put pressure on the ankle it should heal quickly enough,” Elrond said to her as he pulled away. “I’m sure your healer will have something to numb the pain in the mean time.”
“I must thank you for carrying me,” she said, pushing her damp hair behind her ear as she waved for the remaining two brothers to get her a cloak. She was a bit disappointed that Elrond had moved away. Already she missed the heat of his body and shivered almost inconspicuously. “You have been very kind to me, far beyond what a stumbling fool like myself deserves,” she sighed and shook her head. “I cannot believe I fell.”
Elrond smiled kindly at her. “Do not be hard on yourself. When I was young I fell into the rushing flow of the Bruien because I dallied to close without a care. If not for my brother I would have been carried to the sea,” he said, obviously lost in the memory before he shook his head slightly. “We are elves, not the Valar, we all make such errors.”
Briefly she grimaced at the mention of Elrond’s brother. She could not fathom choosing to be counted among the kind of Men and not elves. But she smiled appreciatively at his story, partly because it comforted her and partly because it gave a brief amount of insight into the enigmatic lord.
“Celebrian!” a voice called before she could respond to thank Elrond. She looked over her shoulder, surprised to find her father hurrying toward her with Rumil and a healer beside him. “Your mother told me you were hurt. Though she did not say how badly,” Celeborn said as he came to a stop in front of her, stroking a stray strand of hair out of her face and nodding to Elrond to acknowledge his presence.
“Lord Elrond thinks it is just a sprain,” she said, pulling up her skirt slightly to show her father the wrapped ankle. “I slipped and fell in my pool, as you can see from my damp clothing. I sent Haldir and Orophin to gather me a cloak. Lord Elrond was kind enough to carry me back.”
“That was quite kind of you, Lord Elrond,” Celeborn said with a nod of thanks to Elrond and Celebrian noted an amused tone in her father’s voice.
There was a slight chuckle as Celebrian noticed both Glorfindel and Erestor approaching with Haldir, Orophin, and her cloak. The foreign blond seemed quite amused as he came closer, though Erestor was as sour as ever. “We noted these young ones making a bit of a commotion and thought to find Lord Elrond by following them,” Glorfindel said good naturedly as Haldir handed the cloak to Celeborn who draped it over Celebrian’s shoulders. “It appears we were correct.”
“Is there something that needs my attention?” Elrond asked, moving farther from Celebrian’s side.
“A message from Imladris. It does not appear urgent, but it would be best if you read over it,” Erestor answered, raising an eyebrow at Celebrian’s wet appearance. “The messenger is waiting above.”
Elrond looked over at Celebrian and Celeborn. “If I may, I will go see what this message is,” he said and Celeborn nodded a cordial dismissal before he looked over a Celebrian. “I must thank you for showing me around, though our time has been cut short. I much enjoyed it.”
Celebrian bowed her head slightly. “When my ankle heals perhaps we might continue,” she said gently as the healer unwrapped her ankle and began applying a soothing balm. She noted the smirks and quirked eyebrows of Haldir and his brothers, casting them a sidelong glare she silently promised to start a few rumors among the maidens about them.
“That would please me greatly,” Elrond said with a bow to both her and her father before turning to follow his companions up the stairs and out of sight. She let out a sigh as she watched him go and looked down at the torn fabric that had been cast aside by the healer. A torn piece of Elrond’s robe. It made her smile as she remembered his gentle fingers caressing her skin.
“You see, daughter, Lord Elrond’s company is not as dreadful as you thought it would be,” Celeborn said with a laugh as Celebrian’s cheeks began to glow a bright red.
TBC...
Chapter 4 - The Meeting - Part 3
::The Meeting – Part 3::
“A fine day, isn’t it?”
Celebrian looked up from lacing her boot as Glorfindel approached. She gave him a smile as she sat up straight and gestured for him to join her. “It is indeed,” she said as the foreign blond sat down across from her with an amused look on his face. In the distance she could see one of Lorien’s maidens blushing as she scampered away. “I take it you are enjoying your stay in Caras Galadhon?”
“Yes, I’m quite enjoying the natural sights of your fair home,” he said with a twinkle in his eye and Celebrian couldn’t help but laugh.
“That’s good to hear,” she said, leaning down and tying the last white lace of her boot as she let her dress fall down over her ankles once more. “I’ve not seen much of you or the advisor Erestor since the feast and I feared I was neglecting you.”
“Erestor prefers to keep to himself, his scrolls and books. Even in Imladris he is like that, and I, well, I can keep myself entertained,” he grinned jovially. “You do well enough to keep our Lord diverted.” He gave a look at the high white boots Celebrian was wearing. “I did not think elves of the Golden Woods wore boots.”
“Not usually. My ankle is still a bit weak and can use the added support, or so the healer tells me. I think it feels just fine though,” she said, wiggling her foot to show Glorfindel it was alright. There was a slight dull pain as the leather of the boot pressed against her ankle, but it was nothing to worry about. “Has your Lord been enjoying himself? I have felt a bit embarrassed since hurting my ankle.”
“Think nothing of it. Lord Elrond is a healer and I am sure he has seen elves hurt themselves in far more foolish ways,” Glorfindel replied, standing up and holding out a hand that Celebrian gratefully took and got to her own feet. “And you are far to beautiful to hold anything against.”
“You are a flatterer,” Celebrian laughed as she moved across the talan. “I believe your Lord is in conversation with my mother, if that is why you sought me out.”
“No, but it is good to know. I was wondering where he had disappeared to if he was not at your side,” Glorfindel said as he followed her. “I actually wished to speak to you, my Lady. It seems as if you have taken a liking to Lord Elrond.”
Celebrian sighed. “Why does everyone seem to think that?”
“Because it is obvious,” Glorfindel answered with a smile as Celebrian turned to him with a raised eyebrow, demanding a further explanation. “You watch him when you think no one is looking. My guess is he has an exotic beauty in your eyes. Lothlorien is lovely, but there is little difference to the elves that dwell here, gold or silver hair with light eyes of blue. There is no darkness here, no night, and I think that is what intrigues you.” He bowed his head. “But that is merely a theory, forgive me if you find it offensive.”
“I’ll not argue with you on that matter, you are more right than I like to admit,” Celebrian frowned, tossing her long silver hair over her shoulder in a nervous action. “But I have found your Lord to be a very kind elf, caring. Yes, I have taken a liking to him, though I cannot figure out what he thinks of me. He shows little of what he thinks or feels.”
“That point I will definitely concede,” Glorfindel nodded as he came up beside her. “But I believe you are getting through to him.”
“Tell me truthfully, Glorfindel. What does Lord Elrond think of me?” she asked.
“It is hard to say,” the elf answered as Celebrian sighed. “But I will give you my observations and thoughts on the subject. I believe Lord Elrond likes you a great deal, Lady Celebrian. He is a quiet and thoughtful individual despite his position as the Lord of Imladris and rarely speaks of his own thoughts, preferring to hear that of others. He is wise in matters of lore and healing and an excellent host to those that come to the Last Homely House, but I believe he is lonely in spite of himself. I have not seen him smile so warmly since the death of Gil-galad. And I know he had not enjoyed himself as much as he has these past days in your company in too long a time.” Glorfindel gave her a look and smiled at the contemplative expression on her face. “Now, where were you going, my Lady? Shall I escort you?”
“Please. I was just going to find myself something to eat if you would like to join me,” she offered, holding out her hand as her mind absorbed the information. She was still uncertain if Elrond truly liked her. But she was slowly becoming fairly certain that she liked him.
---
Celebrian couldn’t help but be nervous as she sat next to Lord Elrond on the couch in the vast library of Lorien. The foreign Lord was reading over some ancient scrolls of lore involving… actually, she wasn’t quite sure what Elrond was reading. Her mind was still considering what Glorfindel had told earlier, about Elrond being lonely. He certainly did not seem so, though his eyes did often seemed haunted with things she could not fathom.
Then again, she was not altogether sure that she would be able to identify loneliness even if she saw it. In her long life she had never felt truly lonely. Her parents had always been close and there had always been someone willing to listen to her or even play or laugh with her. Sometimes when the three brothers were not about she felt a bit lonely, but she always knew they would return and that thought banished the sorrowful feeling.
“Lady Celebrian?”
She nearly jumped at the sound of her name and turned to Lord Elrond. His gray eyes were looking directly at her, as if staring into her very soul. “You do not need to keep me company if this bores you,” he said, laying the scroll on his lap. “I believe I would be able to find the way back to my talan without a guide.”
“Oh! I am not bored. I was merely contemplating things,” Celebrian said, waving her hand as if to brush the thought from his mind. He cocked his head to the side thoughtfully, waiting for her to elaborate. “I was thinking that I do not know what loneliness feels like…”
“You are fortunate,” Elrond interrupted briefly before she continued.
“Yes, but I was wondering what it feels like to be lonely,” she finished, looking down at her hands clasped in her lap. She could feel the flush of embarrassment on her face and she wished that the elven lord did not always make her feel like so much of a child. He was not that much older than her.
“Loneliness is a painful thing,” Elrond said, laying the scroll aside on a nearby table. “It is a pain of the heart that has no cure, save the fulfillment of what it desires. Though the hurt can be dimmed with company or distraction.” He looked away from her at the shelves of books. “But at times one can be lonely even in a crowded room.” He let out a sigh as he drummed his long fingers on the arm of the couch. There was a distant look in his eyes that made Celebrian’s heart hurt just to see.
She reached over and put her hand on his knee, perhaps too forward a gesture, but she thought it appropriate. He turned and looked at her in surprise. “Are you lonely?” she asked quietly.
He looked at her hand on his knee for a time and Celebrian winced as she pulled away, but he grabbed her hand and held it there. “I believe that all things must feel loneliness, some more than others, but at this moment,” he met her eyes, “at this moment, no, I do not feel lonely.”
Celebrian wanted to ask him what he felt, but the words were stuck in her throat as she stared into his gray eyes, swirling like a gathering storm. His hand brushed her cheek, his thumb caressing her cheekbone as he leaned close. She could feel his breath on her face as her stomach was filled with the fluttering of a thousand butterflies freed from their cocoons. Suddenly lips were on hers. Strong, yet gentle. Firm pressure, but not bruising. She closed her eyes and parted her lips slightly, but almost as quickly as the lips had touched hers they were gone.
Her eyes fluttered open and she watched as Elrond stood up from the couch, turning his back to her. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out and she realized she did not know what to say. “My apologies,” he said, his voice shaking slightly. “I should not have done that. It was improper.”
He paused as if waiting for her to speak, when she made no reply he let out a sigh, looking over his shoulder. The sad look was in his eyes again. “I am sorry. I will leave you. Since I do not expect you shall wish to share my company any longer I will thank you now for your hospitality. I have truly enjoyed it.” He hesitantly waited another moment before bowing and taking his leave.
Celebrian blinked as she watched him leave, not entirely sure what had just occurred. He had kissed her. She had felt lightening strike as his lips touched hers. Her entire body had begun to tingle and then he had pulled away, mumbling apologies and leaving her. She trembled. What had she done wrong? Was she not supposed to open her lips and close her eyes? But it had felt so right. She whimpered as she wrapped her arms around her torso and fell to the couch.
She felt tears well in her eyes as she curled her knees against her chest and rocked gently. Idly she wondered if this was what loneliness felt like.
---
“Celebrian?”
She sighed at the sound of her father’s voice, wrapping the blankets tighter around her body rather than answering. She could hear him cross the floor of her room and felt the bed shift slightly as he sat down. “What is wrong, my child?” he asked, pulling the covers away from her face, though she tried to tug them back. “Will you not speak to me?”
“I do not feel like talking, father,” she said, even as he uncovered her face and brushed the tears away from her high cheekbones. “I wish to be alone.”
“Do you really?” Celeborn asked patiently.
There was a moment of silence before Celebrian answered in a meek tone: “No.”
“Then tell me your troubles, daughter,” he said in a soft and reassuring voice. “It does you no good to suffer alone. Is this about Lord Elrond?” She groaned and buried her face in the pillow. “I will take that as a yes,” her father said, gently stroking her hair. “Come now, I have guessed the subject, tell me what has happened.”
Celebrian sighed as she rolled her face out of her pillow, still not looking at her father. “We were in the library because you asked me to show Lord Elrond the scrolls… oh, I don’t remember what scrolls!” she said in an annoyed tone, venting at the inanimate objects. “It doesn’t even matter, the scrolls don’t account for any part of this!”
She moaned at the memory of what had occurred, rolling onto her stomach as her father waited quietly for her to continue. Finally she did. “We got to speaking of loneliness and… I do not even know how it occurred, but Lord Elrond kissed me… and I liked it.”
Celeborn frowned momentarily before he spoke. “If you liked it, what is the trouble?”
“He, apparently, did not,” Celebrian said in an almost bitter tone before she regained control of her emotions. “He pulled away and began to apologize and then left, while I was too surprised to respond.” She shook her head and rolled over to look at Celeborn. “What do I do, father? I cannot go near him now. He does not think I wish his presence any longer and even if I went to him I would not know what to say.”
“I understand how you are feeling far better than you know, child,” Celeborn said as Celebrian brushed the last of the tears out of her eyes. “It is not a pleasant state of being.”
“How could you know?” she asked with a sigh, brushing her hair behind her ear.
“Your mother is a very difficult elf to be near, let alone charm,” Celeborn answered, raising an eyebrow.
Celebrian smiled and let out a small laugh in spite of herself. “I would imagine so,” she said, sitting up, clutching the blanket to her chest. “Tell me of yours and mother’s courtship.”
“Ah, how long ago that was,” Celeborn said, looking up as he thought back. “We met in the halls of Thingol, even then she was the loveliest of all creatures that dwell in Middle-earth. She was called Nerwen, sometimes Artanis, in those times and soon she would choose Galadriel,” he smiled at the memory. “As you can imagine your mother was never a meek elven maiden of any sort. She was the youngest of five children, unheard of in these times, and the only daughter; so she was plenty spoiled, perhaps even more than you,” he said and Celebrian grinned, knowing as the only child of the Lord and Lady she was pampered.
“But Galadriel was always a Lady, upright, proper, and cold as crystal. I had no idea of how to approach her. For your sake it is fortunate she approached me,” he said as Celebrian raised an eyebrow. “We met in the gardens. I was admiring the young birch trees and blooming irises when she came up beside me, asking me what the flowers were called. Apparently they do not have the iris in Valinor. That was how we came to speak with one another.
“Many centuries later, after we came to the Golden Woods, Galadriel told me something of a secret,” he looked at Celebrian conspiratorially and she couldn’t help but grin like a child and lean close. It had been many centuries since her father had sat on her bed and told stories; she often missed those simple times. “She said that she was nervous to speak to me, all those many years ago, and it had taken all her will not to thank me and leave once I told her the name of the blossom.”
Celebrian laughed at the thought of her mother needing courage to do anything, especially something as simple as speaking with her father. “Thank you, you’ve made me feel much better,” she said, taking her father’s hand and holding it for a moment.
“I am glad,” he smiled, squeezing her hand gently. “Do you understand the purpose of the story? Lord Elrond should not have walked away from you, and I am a bit disappointed that he did so, but he almost certainly took your silence for rejection. He seems a fragile sort in matters of the heart, not sturdy as you are.”
She looked away. “I understand what you are saying, but I still do not know what I should say to him,” she said as darker thoughts crossed her mind and she frowned, clutching her father’s hand tight. “And there are other things that worry me. What… what if I went to Imladris?”
“Then you would go to Imladris,” Celeborn stated simply.
“I would miss you and mother,” Celebrian frowned as she turned and looked back at her father.
“Perhaps it is time for you to spread your wings and fly from the safety of Lorien, daughter. You have always been a free spirit that has wished to go beyond Caras Galadhon. Haldir, Orophin, and Rumil will go to do their duty on the outskirts of our land soon and you will feel a great emptiness without them to occupy your time. Perchance it would be wise for you to visit Imladris,” he said, though she could hear a great weariness at the thought. He smiled as he saw the look on her face. “I would miss you greatly, but I think it is time for you to see more of Middle-earth than the Golden Woods.”
She smiled gently. “It was only a question, father. It is not as if I will go to Imladris.”
“We will see,” Celeborn responded with a shrug of his elegant shoulders. “As for your earlier question of what you should say to Lord Elrond, perhaps your could ask Rumil what excuses he makes to his many maidens.”
Celebrian laughed and leaned on her father’s shoulder, drying the last of her tears on his robe. Though many of Lorien’s maidens adored him, Rumil appeared to have worse luck in matters of the heart than she did.
---
“Rumil, do be careful. You do not want to snap your arm if you string it too taut.”
Celebrian shook her head as she walked toward the blond elf that sat beside the stairway stringing his bow. He looked up and gave her a smile. “I did not realize you were an expert in matters of this nature, my Lady. Been struck by the string of many poorly strung bows, have you?”
“In fact I have, and if elves scarred readily I would show you, but since we do not you will have to trust me on the facts of the matter,” she smirked as she came up beside him. “Just please be careful. The healer said he did not wish to see you or your brothers for at least a change of the moon.”
“I will try,” Rumil said as he set the bow aside momentarily.
“Where are your brothers anyway?” Celebrian asked, looking around as if she expected them to appear out of nowhere at any moment. She did not delight in the thought of being bowled over again. Elrond was not here to save her this time.
“In trouble, I’m sure,” Rumil sighed as he rolled his eyes. “I have not seen Haldir or Orophin for a while. Did you wish to speak with one of them?”
“No, I was just curious,” she said with a shake of her head, glad her father had helped her braided her long hair. It had been a mess, but she did not relish the thought of having to brush it out so early in the day. “I was actually looking for Lord Elrond. He was not in his talan and neither were his companions. I did not think my mother had summoned them.”
“The one… Erestor, I saw walking toward the library,” Rumil said, creasing his brow in thought, “and I saw Lord Elrond and Lord Glorfindel speaking earlier, I believe that was this day. They were walking below among the roots of the trees.”
“You are a wealth of knowledge, my friend,” Celebrian laughed, though she felt an uneasiness in her stomach. Her father had said she should speak with Elrond, but she was still unsure of what she would say. “I will go and see if I can find our guests below, thank you for your help.” She moved to walk away, but before she did she turned back. “And do be careful. I do not like the looks of that string.”
“Yes, yes,” Rumil said dismissively as he picked up the bow again.
Celebrian shook her head again and walked away. She was not more than five steps away when there was a loud snap and a yelp of pain. She let out a sigh as she turned back. Lord Elrond could wait while she took Rumil to a mildly annoyed healer.
---
Celebrian frowned as she walked around the roots of the mallorn. Never before had she ever appreciated how vast the grounds of Caras Galadhon were. Closing her eyes she listened for any sound, voice talking, but is all she could hear was the sound of singing and chatter coming from above. She wished they would all be quiet for a moment. With a sigh of disappointment she sat down in an elf sized niche of the roots, leaning her head on the rough bark.
She wasn’t even sure that she wanted to find Lord Elrond, but now that she couldn’t it was beginning to vex her. She wrapped her arms around her knees and pulled them close as she imagined the kiss. It hadn’t been her first; but it had been the first time she had ever felt so nervous and new. His lips were soft. She hadn’t thought they would be, and she wanted to feel them pressed against hers again. And maybe again after that.
“… being as it may, perhaps we should cut our stay short,” a voice said and Celebrian jerked as she realized it was Elrond.
“We were not planning to stay much longer, my Lord,” Glorfindel replied, and it sounded as if they had come to a stop on the other side of the roots. “I see no reason why we should leave any earlier than that. You have long needed a rest from the day to day duties of ruling Imladris, and did not the Lady Galadriel allude that she wished to speak with you again?”
“The Lady Galadriel is wise beyond all things, but speaks in riddles that even the wisest of elves would find confusing,” Elrond said and Celebrian nodded in agreement from her hiding place, ashamed at herself for eavesdropping, but unable to stop. She did not think there was a proper way to leap from her spot without giving the two elves a fright and making herself look like a fool. “I think the Lady Celebrian would wish my early departure,” he said with a sigh, even as Celebrian shook her head. “I apologized for my actions, but she said nothing, only stared at me with contempt. I do not wish to brew ill will between Lothlorien and Imladris.”
“I was not present, but I would disagree with your assessment of the Lady’s reaction. You are known for your ability to peer into the hearts of men and elves alike, but it appears, to me at least, that you are blind in this matter, my friend,” Glorfindel said and Celebrian nodded, letting out a slight sound as she bumped her head against the hard root. Silence filled the air before an amused voice said: “Wouldn’t you agree, Lady Celebrian?”
Celebrian groaned, cursing Glorfindel’s elven ears. “I was not eavesdropping,” she said as she stood up tall and moved around the roots into clear sight, squaring her shoulders and trying to look as regal as she could. She gave Glorfindel a slight glare for exposing her. “I was merely sitting here when you came upon me and I thought if I suddenly popped up it would startle you,” she said defensively, wishing she had a better excuse than the truth.
Elrond let out a laugh and both she and Glorfindel jerked, looking at him with identical surprised and bemused expressions. The elven lord shook his head as he looked at Glorfindel, gesturing for the elf to leave. “If you would please give us a moment, my friend?”
“Of course,” the blond elf nodded, giving them both nods of his head. “I shall go enjoy more of the scenery.” He gave Celebrian and sly smile that Elrond either did not notice or chose to ignore, but the silver-haired maiden let out a chuckle as he walked away.
Her smile faded as she looked at Elrond and clutched her hands in front of her stomach. “Is there something you would like to say or shall I speak first?” she asked in the proper, emotionless tone of her breeding. He gave a slow nod that she could speak first.
“I thought it was quite impolite of you to leave me alone like that in the library,” she said, holding up a hand when he tried to speak. “You gave me leave to speak first,” she reminded him before continuing as she let her hand drop. “I was hurt by your actions. Your leaving, not the fact you kissed me. Though I have come to realize that you may have taken my silence as a form of rejection. It was not contempt I stared at you with, but surprise that you did kiss me and then pulled away; as well as an inability to speak at that time.” She raised an eyebrow and looked at him a moment before looking away again. “What I would ask of you now… and, you should know, that your answer will not force you to leave a head of schedule and will bring no ill will between our two realms. This is between you and I, not Lorien and Imladris.
“I would know,” she took a deep breath. “I would know if you have a liking for me? I will tell you that I have come to like you a great deal during the time we have spent together, though I do admit that I did not think I would. Yet I truly have come to enjoy your company and it saddens me a great deal that it will soon come to an end. But do you feel the same for me? Did you kiss me in the library just to see if it could be done,” she paused and bit the corner of her lip, “or did you want me to kiss back?”
An unnatural silence filled the air as Celebrian stared off into the trees, wondering where all the singing and chatter had gone as she waited for an answer. The slight twist of her finger was the only outward sign of nervousness as she schooled her face into an impassive mask. Had waiting ever felt so tedious before?
“I very much wished for you to kiss back, but I was caught off guard when you did,” Elrond finally answered and Celebrian turned to look at him, unable to disguise the look of relief on her face. “I am sorry that I so incorrectly read your expression, perhaps I only saw what I expected. I have greatly come to enjoy your company, more than I have any companionship in a very long time. You are intelligent and beautiful and have a lovely spirit.” He sighed an frowned to Celebrian’s dismay. “I have rarely acted so impulsively as I did in the library, but I could not control myself. Still, I should not have acted so.”
“Lord Elrond,” Celebrian interrupted. “I very much enjoyed the kiss we shared. There is no need for further apologies. I have no regrets that it happened. I simply wish the aftermath had not occurred, that you had stayed and I had possessed the ability to speak.” She smiled coyly as she decided to tease the elven lord a bit. “That must please you, that a single kiss from your lips can leave an elven lady speechless.”
Elrond coughed and turned away, though Celebrian saw the faint pink color rise in his pale cheeks. She smiled innocently as she toyed with her braid. It was about time he blushed a little. She let him have a moment to control the flush of his cheeks before she spoke again. “The real question is what do we do now?” she asked as she looked at him. He had turned back toward her with a pleasant expression on his face.
“A good question,” he nodded. “I suppose the proper thing would be for me to begin courting you,” he suggested and then frowned. “But I cannot remain in Lothlorien much longer. We must leave for Imladris in the next few days.”
“That is unfortunate,” Celebrian sighed as a thought crossed her mind and she remembered her father’s words. “Perhaps I will court you instead.” Elrond raised an eyebrow curiously and she laughed. “Do not be afraid, I would not make a maiden of you,” she smiled, though she felt a bit queasy at the thought of leaving her parents. “But maybe I will come and visit your Imladris. I have never left Lorien, though I have often wished to see what is beyond the borders. It is safer now that the war is over and I believe my parents will allow me to travel.”
“There will be many matters for me to attend to once I return to Imladris,” Elrond said, clearly surprised by her suggestion.
“You do not wish me to visit?” she asked with a touch of hurt in her voice.
“I did not say that, my Lady,” he said quickly. “I would be overjoyed to have you in my House. Though I imagine Lothlorien would miss its shining star. I merely meant that I would not have as much time as I wished to show you about, as you have so kindly done for me.” He gave her a half-smile. “And if you are to court me, as you say, it would be difficult. I would not have you waste your precious time on one so unworthy.”
“You must eat and I do not imagine your entire evenings are filled with affairs of state,” she replied, suddenly realizing that the foreign lord had no concept of the prize he was. “We could eat together and what little time you do have perhaps you could tell me of the lore you know and we could get to better know one another. Also,” she added before Elrond could speak again, “it would not be a waste of my time, I would be wasting your time, and you are quite worthy.”
“If you are certain you would wish to leave Lothlorien for a time, Imladris will be truly blessed and I would be glad to have your company,” Elrond said, bowing his head, though there was a smile on his face.
“I would like to get to know you better,” Celebrian responded as she gave him a demure smile, “perhaps you will have a moment and we can retry that kiss. But for now I will speak to my parents. I do not know when precisely they will allow my visit, so I think we should enjoy the rest of your time here. There are still a few places that I have not had a chance to show you since I am your guide,” she said. “And if you would like, we could have dinner tonight?”
“I would very much like that, my Lady,” he said with a smile. She loved the way he smiled.
“Very well,” she nodded with a smile of her own. “I will let you finish your conversation with your seneschal, Glorfindel, he walked in the direction of the pool of contemplation. I will go and speak with my parents and I will meet you later.”
“As you like it, my Lady,” he smirked, “this is your courtship.”
“Good to know you have a sense of humor. I do like that in an elf,” she smiled as she began to walk away.
“Why are you doing this Celebrian?” Elrond called and she turned to look at him.
“Do you remember the question I asked you in the library?” she asked, cocking her head to the side as he nodded that he did. “If you will allow it, I intend to make it so that you will never again have to answer ‘yes’ to it.” She smiled as she walked forward and placing a kiss on his cheek, watching as he touched the place her lips had brushed, before continuing on to tell her parents she would be visiting their kindred in Imladris very soon.
TBC...
Chapter 5 - Marriage
Authors Notes: Um, this chapter takes place seven years after the last chapter ends. (My proofreader commented that might be a little confusing, so I'm stating it here, though I think I made it clearer in the actual text. *waves* Thanks Nethene!)
::Marriage::
The newly married Celebrian, now Lady of Imladris and wife of Elrond Peredhil, let out a gleeful laugh as she fell back onto the bed. She marveled at how wonderful it felt as she ran her fingers over the soft velvet of the dark burgundy blankets. She smiled unabashedly. The beds in Imladris were no better than the ones in Lorien, but somehow Elrond’s bed felt infinitely more comfortable.
Sitting up she looked around the room, taking in the how it looked and felt. It was very much Elrond’s room, the feel of it was distinctly him. The scent of the river and the forest that wafted in from outside, the autumnal color scheme, the comfortable chairs and couches, and the books strewn across tables. She wondered how much time she would be spending in her new husband’s room. She would, of course, have her own room adjacent to his, though until it was furnished and her belongings moved in she would be spending most her time in Elrond’s room. She smiled, unable to help how happy she felt. She hoped to be spending the majority of her evenings in this room.
Standing up she glanced around the room, giving the scattered scrolls a passing glance as she walked out onto the balcony and took a deep breath of the fresh air. She, Elrond, and his entourage had arrived in Imladris earlier in the afternoon and almost instantly he had been summoned away on urgent matters of state.
Glorfindel had been kind enough to show her to Elrond’s room before going off to do his duties. Twisting her hair around her finger she stared out at the valley. She was thankful Elrond had agreed to be married in Lorien, under the sight of the mallorn, her parents, and the rest of the Galadhrim. Already she missed the Golden Woods a bit, but Imladris had its own distinct beauty and she promised herself she would enjoy abiding there. After seven years of courting was nice to have a stationary place to be.
With a sigh she stepped off the balcony and back into the room as she pondered what to do until Elrond was free. She couldn’t help but wonder what her place as the Lady of Imladris would be. In Lorien she had been a guide to visiting dignitaries on occasion and a sister figure to the younger elves, but mostly just the daughter of the Lord and Lady. Now that she was the Lady of the elven refuge she wondered what her duties would be. Never before had she found a position that suited her perfectly and she couldn’t help but wonder if Imladris would be any different in that respect. A glint caught her eye as she pushed the worried thoughts away and she smiled gently, picking up a circlet of woven gold.
Courting Elrond had been fun. She remembered it fondly as she ran her fingers over the smooth ornament. She had brought the half-elf many things suitable for a visiting dignitary to gift her host with, but also perfect for someone trying to woo a potential mate. Lorien wine. Lembas. The circlet she held, made by one of Celebrimbor’s own apprentices. As she came to know him better she brought more practical things. Herbs and plants easily found in the Golden Woods, but difficult to find elsewhere.
Setting the circlet aside she meandered about the room a bit more. The seven years of courtship had been worth the near continuous travel between Lorien and Imladris. She had come to adore Elrond for more than just his attractive features and quiet nature. He was intelligent and wise in the ways of lore and even a bit playful when he wished to be. He was a wonderful ruler, kind and firm, always listening to all the facts before he pronounced judgment. Far more approachable than her parents ever had been. And his skills in healing astounded her.
During the third year of her visits a young elfling had fallen into the rushing waters of the Bruinen. When the child had been pulled from the rive she had cried out, thinking there was no hope for the drowned and battered boy. One of the gathered elves had fled the scene and called for Lord Elrond to come. Celebrian watched as Elrond miraculously pulled the child away from the halls. Within the next week the elfling was once again playing by the riverside, much to the horror of his parents.
Celebrian smiled as she remembered how humble Elrond had been about the incident. Not seeking praise or admiration, merely wishing to heal the young elf under his care as he felt was his duty as the Lord of Imladris. That was another thing she loved about him. His humility. Elves were a proud race, and rightfully so, but sometimes pride turned to arrogance. Though that seemed a trait more prominent in Lorien than in Imladris. She momentarily wondered if it was due to his human blood, though she would have thought that would make him more prone to arrogance. With a shake of her head she dismissed the thought.
She still was a little distressed by the mortal blood in Elrond’s veins. She wished desperately to ignore that fact, but somehow she was always reminded that he was a Peredhil. With a sigh she ran her fingers through her hair. Not that his blood changed her love for him. She cherished him for all that he was without prejudice and treasured the fact he was different from any other elf in Middle-earth. It just made her feel a little uneasy at times, particularly when she thought of the prospect of children.
“I’ll not worry about that now,” she said, forcing the thought from her mind as she picked up her discarded shawl and wandered out of Elrond’s room. She was not confined there and she doubted her new husband would be free of Erestor’s clutches any time soon. The advisor had probably surrounded the elven lord with piles of scrolls that needed reviewing or signing. She smiled at the thought as she walked down the hall, hoping she didn’t get lost. Though she had spent many seasons in Imladris it had always been as a guest and she had always been given a guide to help her find her way. But now she lived in the valley and would need to be able to find her own way about her new home.
Home.
Such a strange thought. She supposed in her heart Lorien would always be her home in the truest sense, but Imladris was where the keeper of her heart resided, and so would she. She felt a slight pang of sadness in her chest as she remembered the faces of her parents and friends as she left Lorien only days before. Her mother had been happy, blessing her and her husband with a kiss on the forehead, though there was an eternal sadness in her eyes. Her father had been far more melancholy in his mood; though he gave her a gentle smile and wished her joy, wringing from her a promise to visit when she was able. She had gladly agreed, kissing his cheek tenderly before he gave her an uncharacteristic hug.
Haldir, Rumil, and Orophin had probably been the hardest to say farewell to. She had been prepared to bid her parents goodbye and steeled herself for it. But it hadn’t occurred to her that she would also be taking her leave of the three brothers. The look in their eyes as she said goodbye had been heartbreaking and only the gentle hold Elrond had on her hand had kept her moving.
She smiled sadly. They were happy for her marriage and would forgive her leaving in time, though she felt guilty for it. It would be good to visit them soon though, so they did not forget her. She hoped they would mature during their tenure with the marchwardens.
As she walked down the halls she pulled her shawl around her shoulders, realizing the sudden chill wasn’t entirely in her mind. This particular hallway was open to the air. She looked out in amazement as the trees dropped their autumn leaves, such a foreign sight. The party had arrived back from the wedding in Lorien just in time, much longer and winter would have begun to set in, and the journey would have been truly hectic. Especially through the Redhorn pass.
Celebrian watched as a single birch leaf drifted on the wind and fell to the marble floor. She pitied the elf that was in charge of keeping the halls clean during autumn. At least during winter it was simpler. In the winter vast tapestries were drawn over the large open spaces between the columns to keep out the chill and the snow.
Winter.
She smiled as she continued her stroll down the hall. Now, that had been a new experience for her. Snow almost never fell in Lorien and the trees were never barren. The first time she had seen a true snowflake was during a walk with Elrond in the pine forest. She had squeaked with surprise as the white flake fell on her nose and looked up at the gray sky as hundreds of silvery white flecks followed. Elrond had laughed at her playful astonishment even as she giggled and tried to catch the frozen crystals in her warm hands.
She found she greatly enjoyed winter. Not just for the snow and the sound of elflings laughing as they played in it, but for the warm feelings inside the Last Homely House. Elves gathered more readily than in other seasons and it seemed there was no moment when the Hall of Fire emptied. In the winter there was always an abundance of elves, singing and telling tales as they sat by the constantly burning fire. Even Elrond socialized more readily, often sitting in his grand chair in the Hall and conversing with whomever chose to speak with him.
The winters with Elrond had always been her favorite visits. He would come and sit with her by the hearth in her room or in the study and they would talk until dawn. Or sometimes they would not speak at all. They would simply read or just take comfort in each other’s presence. It had been in those quiet moments that she had truly fallen in love with elven lord.
“Lady Celebrian.”
Celebrian was pulled from her reminiscence by a familiar melodic voice. She looked up and smiled gently as Nenwen walked toward her with a cheerful grin on her face. The elven woman was one of the many advisors under Erestor’s supervision. She had been a high councilor under Gil-galad until the founding of Imladris when she chose to follow and serve Elrond. During Celebrian’s many visits the advisor had often been assigned to serve as her guide. “Greetings to you, Nenwen,” Celebrian said as the other elf came close. “I hope the day finds you well?”
“Well enough,” Nenwen replied merrily, with an elegant shrug of her shoulders. “I am glad our Lord is back and that you have accompanied him to become our Lady,” she chatted happily. “I’ve not served under a Lord with a Lady before.” Her eyes sparkled with a light that told of her love for life as she spoke, a glimmer that many of the elves in Imladris seemed gifted with. “Erestor has been able to scrounge up a moderate amount of work to keep us busy while Lord Elrond has been away. Now that he is back the work should lighten a bit.” She shook her head with a smirk. “Without a Dark Lord it is difficult to keep us all busy, but it is a sacrifice I am willing to make.”
Celebrian laughed slightly. Nenwen was the only elf she had ever met that spoke freely of the war and Sauron, though she was careful of the company she kept when she did so. She had been a battle coordinator during Last Alliance and openly defended both Elendil’s forces and the elves of Greenwood the Great when their part in the Alliance was spoken badly of.
“It is odd to see you wandering Imladris unescorted. Not that you need one as the Lady of the realm, of course, but it is strange,” Nenwen said, changing the conversation. “But, tell me, was the wedding a grand event? It saddened many of us that all Imladris could not attend and see you and our Lord joined, but that was never a realistic possibility, and I am sure Glorfindel and the others were a respectable representation of the valley.”
The Lady of Imladris smiled and decided not to tell the advisor of Glorfindel’s little brush with one of the young Greenwood princes. “It was a lovely event,” she answered, “my parents saw to that. The mallorn seemed to glow in all their glory and the feasting lasted for days. There were songs and dancing. Lord Elrond promised himself to me under the eyes of my parents, my friends, the trees, the moon, and all that watched; and I promised myself to him.”
“It sounds wonderful,” Nenwen smiled.
“Nenwen,” a voice called as a younger elf frantically came into view. “Erestor is looking for you.”
The elven woman winced slightly. “I am sure he is,” she murmured to herself before addressing the youth. “Go and tell the chief advisor that I will be with him directly. I must fetch the document he will want from me.” The elf bowed and scurried away as Nenwen turned to Celebrian with an apologetic smile. “If you will excuse me, my Lady,” she bowed, “I am supposed to be drafting a letter to King Thranduil as we speak and I have not thought of an appropriate sign off. I was hoping a walk would motivate me. If I might have your leave?”
“Of course, good luck to you in finishing the letter,” Celebrian nodded as the elven woman bowed again and quickly walked off. She smiled as Nenwen left her sight and continued her wanderings of the halls and corridors.
The residents of Imladris, most of Noldor or Sindar decent, seemed a gentle collection of elves. They were polite and well-mannered, at least to her, and seemed to have a joy in life. Their playful spirit was still enacted after so many dark years. She had watched groups of maidens frolicking in the grassy courtyards and through the woods, laughing as they held up their skirts to run through the bubbling brooks. It made her happy to watch it. One of the reasons she had always enjoyed the company of Haldir, Rumil, and Orophin had been their lively nature, and Imladris there was an abundance of it.
She looked up as she entered the Hall of Fire. It hadn’t occurred to her that she had been seeking the Hall until the warmth enveloped her and she let the tight grip on the shawl loosen. It was mostly empty, except for an elf she didn’t recognize in the corner; he was reading and occasionally scratching down notes. Celebrian pursed her lips as she vowed to learn the names of all Imladris’ inhabitants as soon as possible.
Moving toward the ever-lit fire she noticed a friendly face that had been hidden behind one of the pillars. “Lindir,” she said as she came to stand in front of the roaring fire, thankful for its heat. The chill she felt was not entirely physical, part of it was a strange worry she felt in her heart. Nenwen was right. This was the first time she had ever truly ventured around the Last Homley House unescorted. There was no one by her side explaining things or dictating proper protocol and she feared she would offend someone by a foolish mistake.
“My Lady Celebrian,” the blond elf said with a bow as he gave her a smile. Briefly she wondered if everyone smiled at her because of her position or because they had some like of her. Perhaps both. “It is good to see you in all your radiance. Have you finally come to stay in our humble home of Imladris for better or worse?”
“Indeed, I have,” Celebrian nodded, pushing the long silver hair over her shoulder as she wished she’d have had the foresight to brush it before venturing out. But her belongings had been taken to what would be her room and she was not precisely positive where that was. “Tell me truly, Lindir, do you ever endeavor to leave the Hall of Fire? For I have never seen you elsewhere, not even the evening meal. Or have you simply avoided meeting me elsewhere during my visits?”
“I am a writer of songs and lays, my Lady, I would never miss an opportunity to see or to speak or even to be in the presence of one as lovely as yourself. You are truly a maiden that would inspire even a dwarf to poetry,” Lindir said with a cheeky grin as Celebrian shook her head. “I do spend much of my time here, that is true, and I find the evening meal a bore,” he answered truthfully, “it is rare that anyone finds me, but here.”
Celebrian smiled and nodded in acknowledgment as she looked at the blazing fire. She liked Lindir well enough. The elf had been kind enough to make her at home, singing songs of Lorien during times when she felt homesick, though she guessed many of those had been at Elrond’s request. But he was a Silvan elf from Greenwood and it seemed queer that he should be so far from home. Then again, everyone in Imladris seemed to have a strange secret story. Perchance that was the key to the lively nature of the place.
“They are planning a great feast tomorrow evening in honor of your arrival as well as a belated celebration of your marriage to Lord Elrond,” Lindir said as she looked back at him. She had expected such a thing, and she was glad to hear it was postponed a day so that she could rest and recover from the trip. It was a decent journey from Lorien to Imladris. “I shall attend that,” he promised and Celebrian gave him a smile and thankful nod.
“That would be most gracious of you,” she said as she pulled she shawl over her shoulders again. She was warm now and planned to explore a bit more, “mayhap you will grace us with one of your songs. You have a lovely voice.”
“I shall see if I cannot write a song specifically for the occasion,” he replied with a grin.
Celebrian laughed. “I will leave you to it then. I am seeing how well I remember the halls and corridors and if I wish to make it back in a respectable amount of time I must be off,” she said, stepping back. “I am sure we will meet again. Tomorrow eve, in fact.”
“Until then, Celebrian, Lady of Imladris,” he said and she nodded as she turned away, hiding the surge of surprise she felt at her new title being used. A strange emotion rose in her chest as she walked away with a brief wave to the Hall’s only other occupant. She felt a brief surge of pride as well as a swell of shock as she realized that it was true. She had married Elrond Peredhil, Lord of Imladris, and was now a Lady in her own right, no longer simply her parent’s daughter.
She smiled broadly as she walked down the halls, taking in the tapestries and statues and paintings she passed, even as she glowed with glee. Finally she would have a chance to be herself. She loved her parents dearly, but it could be stifling to be their child. It was what defined her. To Cirdan, to Gil-galad, to Oropher, even to Thranduil, she had been seen as little more than the daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn. They had been kind about it, for the most part, but they had never seen her as a person. But Elrond had. Better yet, he loved her for who she was. And now she was the Lady of Imladris. Free to have her own personality and be herself. She wanted to run to Elrond and tell him of this new revelation, throw her arms around his neck and laugh in joy, but that would hardly be appropriate elven behavior.
Suddenly she jerked to a stop, only half-surprised when she realized where she had came. Elrond’s study. She cocked her head to the side as she wondered whether or not to knock or just walk in. It seemed improper to do either, since she knew he was working, but she couldn’t bring herself to just walk away.
Slowly raising a hand she rapped on the door and waited. After a moment the muffled call of: “Enter!” was heard and she hesitantly opened the door, peeping around it.
She had expected a large group of elves, at least Erestor and Glorfindel, hovering around as they asked their Lord to sign this or to settle that. But Elrond was alone. He sat at a large desk covered with scrolls and quills and inkwells. His back was to her and he appeared to be reading over a rather lengthy list of some kind as she fully came in the study, closing the door behind herself.
Elrond’s study was a lot like his room: autumnal colors and filled with books as a chilly air and pleasant scent drifted in from the open window. She looked around. All the walls, but spaces for the door, the window, the fireplace and the balcony were covered by bookshelves full of books. The large desk, with its equally large chair, was pushed up against the window with a half-empty shelf to one side for temporary storage and a cabinet with glasses and a pitcher to the other side. In the center of the room there was a large circle that indented two steps downward, and in the middle of that was a large table with a map of Eriador spread across it. Beside it was a large pile of maps, still rolled up to conserve space. The rest of the room, other than a few chairs pushed against the bookshelves, was mostly empty space to allow for a large group to gather.
Celebrian took it all in as she walked over to Elrond. He looked up as she approached and gave her a tired smile as he set the scroll down. “Is there a problem, Celebrian?” he asked as she came up beside him.
She creased her brow in confusion, wondering if there was something in her demeanor that caused him to ask such a question. “No, why do you ask?” she inquired, cocking her head to the side slightly as she looked down at him. He was tired. There was no doubt in her mind about that. They had traveled a good distance during the day and he had been working, presumably reading the scrolls ever since they returned. He needed to rest. Not necessarily sleep, but rest.
“No reason. I just assumed…” he began.
“You assumed that the only reason I would seek you out would be because there was a problem?” she finished, raising an eyebrow as he smiled mockingly at himself and leaned back in the chair. She gave him a gentle look, running her fingers reassuringly over his cheekbone before pulling away. “There is no trouble, except that you appear exhausted,” she said worriedly.
“I am fine,” he assured her. “I am sorry that I was unable to even escort you to my room. There were some things that needed my attention, some messages from Cirdan and…”
Celebrian held up her hand and shook her head to silence him. “You don’t need to explain anything to me. I do understand that you are the Lord of this place. I would not keep you from your duty,” she said gently, “but I would ask that you rest soon. I think Imladris can spend a bit more time in the hands of Erestor. It has survived the past days without its Lord, I believe it will survive until morning.”
Elrond gave her a smile and she could see in his eyes that she was not going to win this. “What were you doing?” he asked, changing the subject. Celebrian frowned a bit, but let it happen. It wouldn’t do to fight their first day as the Lord and Lady of Imladris; besides, it would ruin her cheerful mood.
“I was exploring Imladris without benefit of a guide. I’ve not done that before and I find I know the place far better than I expected,” she said, moving from where she stood as Elrond followed her with his eyes, watching until she disappeared behind his back. “I was remembering how much fun I have always had here, remembering my first winter,” she continued as she began to play with his hair, untying the braid and carefully undoing it. “I do not know if this will ever be home, but I truly do love it here. The elves are very kind, I must learn all their names, and I spoke with both Nenwen and Lindir,” she said, running her fingers through his dark tresses and marveling at the silky feel as she rubbed soothing circles along his scalp. He let out a content sound at her ministrations as he leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes. She smiled even as she went on talking.
“And as I was speaking with Lindir I realized you have given me wonderful gifts,” her fingers moved downward, trying to work the tension from Elrond’s neck as he lolled his head forward to give her better access. “And what’s that?” he asked in a calm tone.
Celebrian grinned playfully as she bent down, her lips brushing the tip of his right ear and sending a shiver through his body. “My identity,” she whispered, moving to speak into the left ear, “your love,” she said, her tongue just barely nicking the ear as she pronounced the words. With a little laugh she leaned away.
“I must thank you as well then,” he said as her hands moved out of his hair, caressing the shape of his ears from tip to lobe and then moving her long fingers over his jawline. He let out a sigh, letting his head fall back as her hands began to move down his neck, touching every inch of the flesh. She loved the soft skin under her fingers and he certainly didn’t seem to mind the attention. The nearly uncontrollable urge to run her hands along every part of his body came over her as her fingers slid under the neck of his robe, touching the hollow dip of his collarbone.
“… I never claimed to be an expert on Greenwood the Great. I merely said that I worked with its elves during… oh!”
Celebrian pulled away, clasping her hands in front of herself as she took a step backwards and looked toward the now opened door and the surprised faces of Erestor and Nenwen. Elrond sat up in the chair and turned as well. Celebrian marveled at his ability to appear so calm and impassive. She herself was blushing as the advisors attempted to find their voices.
Erestor recovered first, bowing to them both with Nenwen following his lead. “Forgive us, my Lord, we were unaware you were… entertaining. We should have knocked. It was improper on our part, forgive us.”
“You needn’t apologize,” Elrond said in a weary tone as the two rose from their bow and Celebrian ran her hand over her arm, unsure of what to do. “My study is ever open to my advisors and certainly my chief advisor. But you obviously came for a specific reason and I cannot imagine you thought me finished with these reports.” He gestured to his desk. “What is it?”
“‘Twas nothing important,” Erestor said. “A matter of discussion between myself and Nenwen on the proper decorum for ending a letter to King Thranduil of Greenwood the Great. But, as we have interrupted you…”
“I should be leaving anyway,” Celebrian said, giving Elrond an apologetic look. She felt quite embarrassed at the moment and neither the horrified looking in Erestor’s eyes nor the amused expression on Nenwen’s face was helping. She gave her husband a nod of her head even as he raised an eyebrow. “I ask you not to work much longer. It is getting late and you are tired and in dire need of rest.” With that she turned and walked away, giving the advisors a cordial nod as she passed. Nenwen gave her a sly smile and she felt the blush on her face burn brighter.
She breathed a sigh of relief as soon as she was outside the room and walked quickly away even as she heard the stifled sounds of voices. Already back to work, she supposed, even as she felt an embarrassed smile creep onto her face. Nenwen would be a terrible tease about the incident, but Erestor was scandalized. Celebrian couldn’t help but wonder if she and the chief advisor would ever get along. It seemed every time she was in the elf’s presence she did something to offend or horrify him. Though it was an easy source of amusement.
Straightening her posture she walked through the halls back to Elrond’s room, forcing the blush from her cheeks. She had enough exploring for the day and was feeling a bit tired herself. Seeing the exhaustion on Elrond’s face had fatigued her and she felt the need to lie down for a bit. Thankfully she ran into no other elves on her way back to the elven lord’s room.
Letting out a sigh she shut the door behind herself as she walked in, folding her shawl and laying it aside. She walked across the room and sat down on the bed. She quirked an eyebrow noting someone had been kind enough to bring some of her belongings: hairbrush and clothing. Picking up the hairbrush she stood and began to draw it through her slivery hair, humming to displace the eerie silence of the room.
That was the one thing that disturbed her about Imladris. It was so quiet at times. In Lorien there was always the sound of the trees and the songs of the elves. She set down the hairbrush, frowning as she wondered if she should lie it on the dressing table or pack it away again. Feeling bold she put it on the table as she undressed and pulled out her nightgown, shivering at the chill of the silk as she slipped it on.
She pulled her long hair back in a loose plait before walking over to the bed again and taking a seat. Timidly she swung her legs up and leaned back on the pillows, shifting into a comfortable position, which was not difficult. She let out a deep breath as she pulled a free blanket over her legs and closed her eyes, intending to wait for Elrond’s eventual arrival. Not that she had any hopes that would be soon. So she contented herself with remembering the day’s events.
Imladris truly was a lovely place. She hoped to have more time to explore the valley before she was required to fall into her role as the Lady of Imladris. There was still an uneasy feeling in her stomach as she wondered exactly what that role would be. With a slight shake of her head she pushed the worries aside and allowed her mind to drift. It really was a very comfortable bed.
A sound shattered the silence of the room and she jerked upright, frowning as she caught sight of how high the moon had risen in the sky. She must have fallen asleep. Her eyes darted around the room wearily and caught sight of a sheepish looking Elrond standing over his dressing table.
“I did not mean to wake you,” he said apologetically.
“And I did not mean to fall asleep,” Celebrian replied as she threw her legs and the extra blanket over the side of the bed. “I must have been more tired than I thought,” she murmured, her brow crinkling as she realized Elrond had donned his sleeping robes and was moving toward the couch. “What are you doing?”
“Resting as you wished,” he replied as he raised an eyebrow.
“On the couch?” Celebrian asked, raising an eyebrow of her own.
“Indeed, where else would you suggest?”
“In your own bed, of course,” she frowned in exasperation as she stood up and picked up the blanket, curling it over her arm. “If you do not want to sleep on the same bed as me I will take the couch,” she said, feeling a little hurt and rejected. Other than the occasional kiss or caress Elrond never was forward in his affections and it was beginning to trouble her. Not that she expected him to be amorous this night. They had traveled long and hard, but she had expected to be able to share the same bed with her husband.
“I would not make you sleep on my couch,” Elrond said, looking surprised that she thought such a thing, “and it is not that I do not wish to share the bed. I… simply do not know if it would be proper.”
Celebrian smiled gently as she shook her head and gave Elrond a loving look. After seven years she had learned to understand much of what Elrond left unsaid. He was worried that she would feel uncomfortable. “I wish you were not so shy when it comes to me,” she said, beckoning him to come closer with a wave of her finger. “We are married now. Husband and wife. Lord and Lady of Imladris. There is nothing more proper and, if I may be so forward, I would very much like to sleep beside you.”
“If you are certain you would be comfortable,” he said as he came close and took her hand and pressed it to his lips. “I would much enjoy doing as the Lady wishes.”
“It’s good of you to indulge me,” she grinned as she sat back on the bed and pulled her hand away, laying the extra blanket at the foot of the bed again. She moved to the other side, sitting on the high stack of pillows as Elrond to flipped the blankets down so the could climb under. She ran her feet over the silk sheets, enjoying the feel against her exposed skin as she nestled down and pulled the blankets up again. Elrond lay beside her, adjusting the pillows, and she couldn’t help but be amused as he discarded all but one.
“Is there something you need?” he asked, noting the intent look on her face as she watched him.
“No, I have everything I wish,” she replied with a shake of her head as she put her head down on her bent arm. Elrond smiled as he propped himself up on his elbow and leaned over, pressing a gentle kiss to Celebrian’s soft lips, his hand stroking stray strands of hair behind her ear as he pulled away. “Sleep well, Celebrian,” he said tenderly, stroking her cheek with his thumb before he lay back down and closed his eyes.
She felt a flutter in her stomach and chest. She loved his kisses. The way his lips were always gentle and warm against hers. That they never demanded too much, though frequently too little. She also loved the way he said her name. The way it rolled off his tongue in that certain tone that was distinctly him.
She lay still as she listened to the sound of his breathing and marveled vibrations of his slightest movements. That would take some getting used to. She tensed as a sudden question came to her. “Are you sure you’ll be able to sleep with someone else in your bed?”
No answer.
“Elrond?” she called as she sat up and looked at the elven lord. She smiled at the peaceful expression on his sleeping face. All the weariness melted away and, for once, he merely looked young. Her hand reached forward and brushed away the loose strands of his dark hair, before she cautiously moved forward and lay her head on his shoulder, resting a hand on his chest. He shifted momentarily, stretching his arm out under her torso, but seemed otherwise content with the arrangement.
Celebrian closed her eyes again, enjoying the soft bed and the warmth of her husband’s presence, as his chest rose and fell under her hand. She had finally found a place where she fit perfectly.
TBC...
Chapter 6 - Birth
Author's Notes: Sorry about the skipping around in time so much in this story. Now notes that pertain to this part of the story. I didn't want elf babies to be exactly like human babies, so their eyes are open pretty much immediately and they're rather active. Think superbabies I guess. ^_^ (Name meanings according to the Encyclopedia of Arda: Elrohir means Elf-rider/knight and Elladan means Elf-Man.) Hope you all enjoy the chapter, and please leave a review if you have any comments whatsoever. I really appreciate it!
To alias - Glad you're enjoying the story! :) Yes, I am planning on continuing this story. I really want to see it finished.
To Elentari - Glad you're enjoying it too! I'd be rather intrested to see why other people make Glorfindel fun-loving and Erestor torutured. I have a few theories... but I should let everyone get on with the fic. ;)
::Birth::
“Do you need a hand, my Lady?”
With a small sigh Celebrian laughed and held out her hand to the blond elf standing in front of her. “If you would please, Lindir,” she said as he helped her out of the chair and steadied her on her feet. She shook her head as she rested a hand on the small of her back and the other on her swollen stomach. “I cannot imagine how my mother retained her stateliness while she was pregnant with me,” she said with a shake of the head. “Obviously not a talent she passed on to me. I can’t even stand by myself any more.”
“I am not one to try and understand the mysteries of bearing life,” Lindir said, his usual cheeky grin even brighter than usual. “But I, for one, think you are doing a wondrous job of retaining the dignified and luminous air that has always surrounded you, my Lady of Imladris.”
Celebrian laughed. “How is it that you are not yet married, Lindir? With your way with words you could have any maiden you wished.”
“Only one? Should not one, such as I, be shared among the masses?” he jested before a shadow seemed to fall over his face. “No, my Lady, in truth I was married long ago when I dwelled in Greenwood the Great, before I came to lovely and fair Imladris. But she chose the company of her forbearers over mine and I refused to leave Middle-earth for her if she would not think to stay for me.” He sighed and shook his head. “I suppose, in her mind, it was the only choice.”
Celebrian furrowed her brow. She was curious, but she did not wish to pry into a subject that clearly brought her friend so much pain. “But enough of the past,” Lindir said, as if instantly recovering; his smile back in place as he held out a hand. “Let us talk of more merry events, like the bright future and your child. Have you and Lord Elrond decided on a name yet?”
“We have some idea,” she replied, deciding it was best to let the topic drop for now as she took Lindir’s hand and they walked from the Hall of Fire. She was thankful Lindir was around to make sure she took her daily walk around the gardens. She was in the last days of her pregnancy and had grown so large it was hard to motivate herself to move. “We think Arwen would be a good name if it is a daughter.”
“Fitting for any daughter born to the Lord and Lady of Imladris,” Lindir piped in as she continued.
“For a son we have been having more difficulty, but I believe we have decided on Elrohir,” she pursed her lips. “At least, if it seems to fit.” She shook her head. “I suppose the child can chose another name that suits him or her when they grow older, but my parents did so well for me that… Ugh!” she let out a cry of pain, falling to her knees and clutching her stomach.
“My Lady Celebrain! What’s wrong?” Lindir shouted, kneeling beside her.
“Nothing… nothing’s wrong,” she panted as she tried to control the pain, reaching out and clutching Lindir’s hand, “it… it’s the baby… ah! Get Elrond! The baby… the baby’s coming!”
---
Celebrian let out an uncomfortable moan as she shifted on the bed, clutching Nenwen’s hand as the maiden ran a damp cloth over her forehead. She was completely exhausted and the night wasn’t near over yet. Pain claimed her again and she clenched her teeth together, forcing herself to breathe deeply. Inhale. Exhale. Until the pain subsided once more.
Elrond hovered closely and Celebrian decided if she were in any less pain the hovering of an elven lord would have made her laugh. Outwardly he seemed as calm as ever, but to any that knew him it was clear he was a nervous wreck, pacing about the room and wringing his hands behind his back. Not that she could blame him. She could just imagine the look on his face when Lindir had rushed in with the news that his wife had gone into labor.
The pain passed as Nenwen reminded her to keep breathing. The advisor ran the cloth over her neck and face to wipe the perspiration away. Elrond came and sat beside her on the bed, stroking the silver hair away from her sweat slicked face. “Do not worry,” he said calmingly, “it will not be long soon and then you can rest.”
She shut her eyes as she pressed her face against his hand. Rest. That sounded delightful. “Would you two like a moment alone?” Nenwen asked as she pulled away from Celebrian, making sure the elven Lady was tucked comfortably under the covers. “The child will come soon and I should fetch some blankets and warm water.”
“Thank you,” Elrond nodded as the advisor, and apparent midwife of Imladris, bowed and departed from the room. As soon as the door clicked shut he looked down at Celebrain, his gray eyes full of concern for her well-being. “How do you feel?”
“Tired,” Celebrian answered, “and worried.”
“What worries you?” Elrond asked, taking the damp cloth Nenwen had left and running it over Celebrian’s forehead and high cheekbones before adjusting the pillows to make her more comfortable.
“I fear the child will not be born healthy,” she confessed with a frown as she ran a hand over her swollen stomach. Days ago Nenwen had made the offhand comment that she had grown larger than the average pregnant elf. Upon seeing the stricken look on Celebrian’s face the advisor had tried to cover up the comment by saying it was the human blood. That had not helped. “What if the child is unwell?”
“It will be fine,” Elrond assured her, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he placed a hand on the blankets, touching the hand she had on her stomach. “There is nothing wrong with your pregnancy. I assure you of that.”
“If you are sure,” she conceded with a sigh as another wave of pain came and went. “You are the one with the gift of foresight, not I.”
Elrond smiled conspiratorially and Celebrian smiled back, reaching up and tapping his cheek with her long fingers. She was not quite sure what he was smiling about, but his pleasant facial expressions were terribly infectious. She caught his robe in her hands and pulled him closer, kissing his cheek and stroking his face. At moments she almost wanted to curse him for the amount of pain she was enduring, but then she once again became lost in those storm colored eyes and remembered how much she truly loved him.
She jumped and they both looked up at the sound of a ruckus outside the room. “If you spill that water Glorfindel I will hang you up by your ears,” Nenwen’s voice rang through the door as she pushed it open warily. She peeked around to make sure it was alright to enter before fully entering, her arms stacked high with blankets. Glorfindel followed with a basin of water that he set down near the bed.
“Good evening, Glorfindel,” Celebrian said with a thin smile as she waved for Elrond to go and greet his seneschal. Nenwen took a seat beside her again, trying to make her comfortable. The elven lady let out a sigh to relieve the tension in her chest as the elven lords spoke. She felt so nervous and uncertain as a hundred questions filled her head. “Have you been at the birth of many children, Nenwen?” she asked quietly as the advisor tied her silver hair back.
“Every child since the founding of Imladris,” the maiden answered with a proud smile. “Forty-eight to be exact and eleven when I was in Lindon. Don’t worry so much. Lord Elrond is an excellent healer. You have nothing to fear. By the end of the night you will be exhausted and have a healthy child.”
“I hope… Ah!” Celebrian screamed, curling over her stomach as pain shot through her. Suddenly Elrond was at her side as Nenwen tried to get her to relax and lie back on the bed. The blankets were thrown off her body as she forced herself to lie back and breathe through clenched teeth. Someone was yelling for Glorfindel to help with the blankets as her nightgown was pulled up. Elrond had moved from her side and was speaking with Nenwen. They seemed to be in agreement that it was time.
“You need to breathe, my Lady,” Nenwen’s voice finally penetrated the intense veil of pain. Celebrian could only grunt in response as her hands twined in the silken sheets of the bed. She tried desperately to focus on the calming sound of the melodic feminine voice. She heaved in painful breath as the advisor coached her to breathe and rubbed her bare arms reassuringly. The pain only seemed to increase as Elrond called for her to push.
Shutting her eyes and letting her head fall back on the pillows Celebrian concentrated, trying to force the pain from her mind. But it hurt so much. “You’re doing well,” someone said, “the child’s coming. Stay focused.” She choked back a cry and pushed, trying to expel the child from her body. She would love it no matter how healthy it was or what gender it was, but it needed to be born now so the pain would stop.
A cry filled the air. Small and powerful. She gasped and opened her eyes, instinctively trying to sit up. “Give it a last push, my Lady,” Nenwen said, wrapping her arm around Celebrian’s shoulder as she helped the elven lady. Celebrian cried out miserably and forced herself to push once more.
“Glorfindel, bring me those blankets!” Elrond bellowed as Celebrian felt herself collapse against Nenwen’s shoulder. She expected a sudden rush of relief as she watched Elrond cradle the child and Glorfindel help to wrap it in a blanket, but the pain remained constant, if not worse. “Elrond?” she squeaked as a tear slipped down her face. “Hurts… still.”
“What’s wrong?” Nenwen asked the elven lord as the word ‘wrong’ rang in Celebrian’s ears. Panic filled her mind. Was there something wrong with the child? Or was it with her? She shuddered and howled as pain wracked her body once more, her only comfort was the sound of crying. The child’s lungs were working well. Perhaps the problem was with her then.
“Nothing,” Elrond answered Nenwen’s question, and Celebrian felt the near uncontrollable urge to call him a liar. “Nothing is wrong,” he continued, now speaking to his wife as if knowing her thoughts. “You are still in labor.”
Her eyes darted toward the wailing bundle in Glorfindel’s arms. Wasn’t labor over once the child was born? Pain shot through her and she grabbed Nenwn’s arm, arching back against the bed. Would this night never end? The advisor tried to loosen the vice-like grip, even as she once again tried to instruct Celebrian to breathe. “Just… a bit longer, my Lady,” Nenwen coaxed, though her eyes darted uncertainly at Elrond. “Right, my Lord?”
“No… I can’t do this anymore…” Celebrian whimpered, shaking her head back and forth like a petulant child. “Please…no more… Hurts… too… hurts so much… Make it stop…” Suddenly Nenwen disappeared from her side and she yelped before strong arms wrapped around her and comforting words were whispered in her ear. Elrond. “I don’t want to do this any more…” she mumbled weakly, pawing at her husband as the pain increased.
“I know you are tired and I hate to see you in pain,” Elrond said, pressing a kiss to her head as his hands stroked back her long hair. She cried into the shoulder of his robe before he pulled away, taking her face into his hands and forcing her to meet his eyes. “But there is still another child to be born. You must do this.”
Another child. The words swirled around in her pain stricken mind for a moment before realization dawned. “Twins?” she panted in disbelief. “But that hasn’t happened since…” she trailed off. Elrond had a very good idea of when the last pair of elven twins were born. Pain coursed through her again. She grunted and clutched her stomach. “Ah!”
“It’s almost over, Celebrian, and then you can rest,” he promised, as if bargaining with her. “Please, you must try for a bit longer.”
She grit her teeth together, but nodded nonetheless. There was no other choice. The child had to be born. “Hold me,” she pleaded, knotting her hands in her husband’s robes.
“I can deliver this one,” Nenwen said from somewhere in the room, “if you can keep her breathing regularly.”
Elrond nodded as he gathered Celebrian in his arms. She let out a sigh of relief, even as her hands twitched in his robes. “Breathe love, breathe,” he whispered as she tried to focus on his voice, as she had with Nenwen’s, ignoring the intense waves of pain that racked her body. He rubbed calming circles on the back of her neck, “that’s it. You’re doing well. Just listen to my voice and push. The child needs to breathe itself.”
She grunted, arching her back and curling her toes as she focused on Elrond’s voice. After what seemed like eternity another cry filled the air. Sweeter and softer than the first, but just as welcome to her ears. Her body slumped back to the bed and she panted in exhaustion, closing her eyes. The pain was dim now. Almost unnoticeable compared to earlier moments. She let out another breath of relief, wrapping her arms around Elrond’s midsection and pressing her sweaty face against his chest as she opened her eyes.
Nenwen was wrapping the second child in a blanket as she ordered Glorfindel about and began to clean the children in the warm water. A smile formed on her face as she watched the two elves caring for her children and listened to the gentle sound of Elond’s heart beating. He ran his fingers through her hair as she had so often done with his dark locks. “You’ve done so well. It’s over now,” he murmured, curling long strands of her hair around his fingers.
“W… what…” she tried, unable to completely form the question.
“Sons. You’ve given me sons,” Elrond answered knowingly as Celebrian smiled happily. After a moment the elven lord moved, standing up from the bed and carefully lifting his wife to carry her the short distance to the couch. Taking a seat and he cradled her in his lap as Nenwen lay the second child in a cradle, Glorfindel hovering close still holding the first child. Both were now clean and wrapped in fresh blankets. The advisor turned and began to strip the sheets and blankets from the bed, quickly replacing them with clean ones.
“I…” Celebrian began, trying to gather enough strength to speak complete sentences as Nenwen ushered Elrond to bring the Lady of Imladris back to the newly made bed. “I want to… want to see them,” she finally managed as she was carried back, laid on the comfortable mattress and covered with the rich blankets. She clutched Elrond’s hand as if she was afraid he would leave. Her body hurt. But it was a dull, tired ache and easily ignored. She desperately wished to meet her sons.
“Glorfindel,” Elrond called, gesturing with his free hand for the seneschal to come closer. Celebrian smiled, finally releasing her husband’s hand as he took the first born child into his arms. She felt herself melt at the way Elrond smiled gently at the child. It was a look so full of love that she wanted to cry with joy.
“Can I hold him?” she asked, holding out her arms weakly.
Elrond smiled at her and there was a twinkle of amusement in his eyes as he lay the child in her arms and walked toward the cradle. She sighed as the first born child gurgled. Her son was adorable. He looked like Elrond with a mop of dark hair and pale skin. His little hands were grabbing at her long hair already.
“We should let ourselves out,” Glorfindel said, momentarily breaking the quiet that had overcome the room. Celebrian’s head jerked up. She had forgotten he was still present. The shocked look from when the first child had been handed to him was still in place and made Celebrian let out a small laugh. The maiden beside him let out a gentle laugh as well before grabbing his arm.
“Tell me, is this your first birth, Glorfindel?” Nenwen asked as she led the dazed elven lord from the room, giving Celebrian the peace she wished. As much as she liked the inhabitants of Imladris, this was a moment for her and Elrond.
The child in her arms fussed, failing his little hands as if he wanted to get away. She smiled. He was absolutely the most beautiful thing in all Middle-earth. She furrowed her brow. “Where’s my other son?” she asked, a sudden panic overcoming her as she looked around for her second born. It took her addled mind a second to realize he was the quiet bundle in Elrond’s arms.
Her husband sat beside her on the bed with a smile, reaching out and stroking back an errand strand of hair with one hand as he held second child in the bend of his other arm. “Do not worry so. He is here,” Elrond said, propping the child so she could see.
“By the Valar, they look so alike. I can’t see a difference,” she gasped, looking between the two children. Both children had the same dark hair, gray eyes, and pale skin. Elrond smiled amusedly as she continued to look between the two, trying to find some difference. “He seems smaller,” she frowned, reaching forward and touching the second born child’s cheek before giving the elven lord a worried look.
“Yes, but he appears to be healthy,” Elrond reassured her as the child let out a burbling noise and tried to curl into his father’s robes to fall asleep, as his brother began to cry and fuss in Celebrian’s arms. Elrond smiled. “I think it is clear which one will be the more outgoing.”
“Oh, yes,” Celebrian sighed lovingly as she looked down at the child, rocking him gently. “I can already tell he will be quite a handful.” She smiled up at Elrond before scooting across the bed to give him more room as she lay down. “Hush, little one,” she mumbled as the child quieted in her arms. “Did you know there would be two?” she asked as her husband lay down beside her. She leaned her head on his shoulder as she readjusted the child more comfortably on her chest. The other child settled between them, seemingly content wherever he was placed.
“No,” Elrond answered and Celebrian’s eyebrow shot up as she recognized the hesitant tone in his voice. “But?” she prompted, shutting her eyes. She was truly exhausted. “But I thought it a possibility with how large you had grown,” he admitted and Celebrian chuckled.
“You might have mentioned it to me,” she said, her voice slurring slightly as sleep began to overcome her. “It would have saved me some concern.”
“I do apologize,” Elrond said, stroking her hair gently. “I did not want you to worry unnecessarily or disappoint you if there was only a single child.” She nodded understandingly against his shoulder as he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “They are lovely,” he whispered as she began to doze off. The children seeming comfortable sleeping beside them for now. “What shall we name them?”
“There is time for that in the morning,” Celebrian promised dreamily, “in the morning Elrond.”
---
The Lady of Imladris frowned thoughtfully as she paced the room, the younger of her twin sons lying comfortably in her arms as the elder slept in the middle of the bed. They were three days old and still had yet to be named. Elrond had said it could wait until she found the prefect names, and while she adored him for humoring her, the twins really did need names. With a light sigh she sat on the bed as the elder child began to wake. She leaned over and stroked his face as he kicked his small legs under the blanket he was wrapped in. It seemed logical to give the first born the name Elrohir since it had already been chosen. But somehow, as she looked at the child, it just didn’t seem to fit him.
She smiled as she let the younger child sit in her lap and watched the elder rock himself. “The sons of Elrond Peredhel,” she murmured proudly before a frown formed on her lips as she thought of the human blood.
Before leaving Lorien her mother had taken her aside with an ominous message, that the children of Elrond would be asked to make the choice between ever life and mortal death, that they would be counted among the half-elven as their father was. Celebrian could feel her hands shuddering as she thought of her sons following the path of Elrond’s brother, Elros. She shook the dismal thought aside violently. Her sons would be counted among the elves. There would be no reason for them to choose otherwise; she would make sure of that. But the blood of mortals was in them and in the end the choice would be theirs.
With a sigh she smiled down at her twin sons, almost identical in their appearance. Such a choice would be a long time coming. For now she needed to find a way to tell them apart. She looked between the child in her lap and the one rolling on the bed, giggling and grabbing at her hand.
Slowly she was beginning to see some difference. They both had their father’s dark hair and gray eyes, even his eyebrows; but with her high cheekbones and slightly slanted eye shape. They were also a bit more substantial than most elven children she had seen, stronger looking. But there were differences, though she doubted most would ever be able to tell them apart at a glance. The elder was a bit larger, perhaps taking more after his human blood, and his eyes were a touch narrower. The younger was smaller, but also seemed slimmer than his brother, and his lips a bit fuller.
“You two are going to be a fright to tell apart if I’m not allowed to get a good look,” she said as the elder laughed and flailed his arms, wanting to be picked up. The other curled up against her stomach, sucking on his thumb. “Oh, very well,” she mumbled, picking the fussing elfling off the bed, “up you go.” He let out a shrill sound of delight that made Celebrian smile, even though he was shouting in her ear.
The true differences, even at three days, was clearly in their personalities. The elder was loud and constantly demanding attention, yet shunning it when it was lavished upon him. He was louder and more active than his brother who seemed happy to be carried around and sleep, and who had only cried out four times since his birth. That had worried Celebrian, that he was so quiet, fixing her with pleading eyes when he was hungry or wanted attention rather than letting out a bleating noise like his elder brother did. But Elrond still assured her that both children were born healthy.
“Oh!” Celebrian winced as the elder child pulled on her hair and began rocking as if to get away. “Want to be put down already, do you?” she said as she lay him back on the bed and watched him flail and let out a cry. She tried to pick him up again, but he only cried more until she set him down again. “What do you want?” she mumbled as something moved in her lap. She looked down to find a pair of gray eyes looking up at her, begging to be picked up.
“Well, I know what you want,” she said, picking him up as she tried to think of how to get her elder son to stop crying. As soon as her second born was securely in her arms the cries of the other child stopped. Celebrian looked up in surprise as the child on the bed settled down and gurgled pleasantly. She blinked and shook her head. That was the second time such a thing had happened; that the quiet child had wanted something and the elder had fussed until it had been given.
She wondered if that was common in twins. For one to know the needs of the other. She wanted to ask Elrond, but whenever she brought up the subject of Elros a melancholy air filled the room. This was a joyous time and she wanted it to stay that way. “You’d never leave your brother, now would you?” she whispered as the child in her arms giggled and batted at her hair.
“Both of you need names,” she sighed, looking down at her twins. “I can’t keep thinking of you as my first and second born sons. What do you think of Elrohir?” she asked and the small child cooed. “Oh, I see,” she smiled, “you want the name Elrohir.” The child seemed to bounce in her arms every time he heard the name. “But what will we name your older brother then?”
She smiled down at the child on the bed as she lay down next to him, letting the younger twin rest on her arm. “What will we name you, my little elladan?” she asked as she poked the child gently in the stomach. He let out a loud happy sound and clapped his hands together. “Elladan?” she said again, cocking an eyebrow as the child laughed again. “You want to be Elladan?”
“Who are you talking to?” Elrond said as he entered the room, setting some papers on the table before walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed as Celebrian beamed at him. “You seem in good spirits,” he said with a smile back at her as he lay down on the other side of the children.
“Oh, I am,” she said, even as the children began to pull at her long silver locks again. “I think your sons just named themselves. Elladan and Elrohir.”
TBC...
Chapter 7 - Lothlorien - Part 1
::Lothlorien - Part 1 ::
Celebrian let out a sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She was beginning to agree with Glorfindel’s assessment; her sons weren’t merely twins, they were twin terrors.
In truth they were no more active or troublesome or curious than most elven children, but there were two of them and they were nigh inseparable. When they weren’t asking for stories of Lorien or climbing the curtains, pleading with Glorfindel to show them how to use swords and other weapon or asking Erestor preposterous questions, they were running some poor unsuspecting elf around in circles.
A smile formed on Celebrian’s face as she looked out onto the training field. Fortunately it was Glorfindel’s turn to watch them for now and she could take a moment’s rest. She leaned against the column as she watched the seneschal attempt to explain how to string a bow. That wasn’t going over too well. They simply wanted to play.
She watched the scene for a while, how Glorfindel would be able to intrigue one but not the other, and then lose the attention of both. They were good children, despite their penchant for mischief. Elladan took after her in some ways. He was proud with a bit of arrogance, even at a young age, and far more outgoing than his younger brother. He was the one that made the excuses when they were caught in their pranks and willingly took the brunt of whatever punishment was warranted. Elrohir, on the other hand, clearly took after his father. He was quiet, except when talking to Elladan, and very humble. He preferred to pester Erestor with questions while his brother begged lessons from Glorfindel. He was the one that usually talked them out of trouble when they were caught. They made a good team.
Pushing away from the column Celebrian turned and began walking towards Elrond’s study. She needed to speak with her husband, and the best time to have an intelligent conversation was when the twins were otherwise occupied. Clasping her hands behind her back she walked through the halls, nodding cordially to other passing elves as she lost herself in thought.
For a time she had worried that the twins did not get to spend enough time with their father. The Lord of Imladris was ever busy, even now refugees of the war still filtered into the valley; and there were constant messages between the elven lord and Cirdan the Shipwright, discussing what to do with the remnants of the Noldor Kingdom. Along with the other day to day needs of running the refuge it seemed to leave very little time for family.
But her worries had been in vain. There was a seneschal and advisors for a reason. Elrond spent almost all his spare time with his twin sons and seemed to be the only one with any ability to calm them. They all ate together, morning and evening meal, he read to them and took them on walks in the gardens. At nights he would sit in the Hall of Fire as they played, usually bothering Lindir for obscure songs they heard mention of in passing, while their father watched. It made her happy that he found time for his sons. He also, somehow, managed to find time for her. The elven lady blushed a bit before shaking the stray thoughts away.
Stopping at the door of Elrond’s study she strained her ears to see if she could hear anything. Her husband had said she was always welcome, but she felt bad intruding upon him when he was in the middle of his work. She was certain one day she would distract him in the middle of an important thought and he would be quite furious, but that had yet to occur.
Hearing nothing she opened the door slowly and entered. Her brow crinkled as she looked around. Elrond was not at his desk. She moved further into the study and caught sight of him on the balcony and she smiled, walking toward him before halting her steps.
There was a melancholy air about him as he gazed something below. His gray eyes, usually so clear, were unfocused as if looking at something far away. He seemed as if he were walking in a memory. She slowly approached him again and placed a hand on his shoulder worriedly. He jerked and turned to her in surprise. “Ah, Celebrian,” he said with a forced smile before turning away again, “I was just watching our sons and Glorfindel.”
“But you were not thinking of our sons and Glorfindel,” she guessed, stepping up to stand beside her husband and glancing down at the three figures. Their dark-haired sons were literally running circles around the unfortunate elven lord. She smiled at the sight as she waited for Elrond to respond.
“If elves were ever cursed and gifted like Men, our flawless memory is, at times, that curse and that gift,” he replied and Celebrian was forced to bite her tongue to keep from protesting the statement. She would never understand how old age and death could be considered a gift. Then again, perhaps it was not meant for even her kind to understand the work of the Iluvatar.
“What is it that you remembered,” she asked curiously, pushing thoughts of death and mortality from her mind. Though they had been married for over thirty-six years Elrond still held an air of mystery about him. He never spoke of his childhood and she feared to pry. The last thing she wanted to do was bring up painful memories, and if the sad looks he occasionally gave to the twins were any indication, she would indeed bring up painful memories. Though she imagined there must have been some fond ones as well.
“I was remembering when Gil-galad would train with Elros and I,” he replied, a slight smile on his lips as he watched the twins playfully attack Glorfindel. The fair haired elf let out a loud shout as he was toppled to the ground and the elflings swarmed over him, refusing to let him up as they laughed. “We were always so happy when he did so. It did not matter what he would teach us, whether the bow, the sword or even his beloved spear, we just always marveled at the Noldor King taking time to be with us…peredhil.”
Celebrian frowned. She was certain Elrond must have face a good deal of prejudice as a child, given his mortal blood. Even she had been cold at the idea of meeting him. Of course, now that she knew him it was hard to fathom anyone disliking her husband. But elves could be strangely cold and cruel when they wished to be. “I understand Gil-galad was quite fond of you,” she finally said, deciding not to mention Elros. She had no comprehension of how one could choose the life of a mortal over that of an immortal.
“Yes, he was fond of both Elros and I,” Elrond said, putting an emphasis on his brother’s name as he moved away from the balcony. His body language saying the subject was to be dropped for now. “I must get back to my studies. Is there something you needed?”
Silently Celebrian cursed herself as she followed her husband back into his study. Once again she had lost a valuable chance to learn more of Elrond’s past because she had no love for his brother. She sighed. It really was not fair of her and she knew it. She had never even met Elros to dislike him, not that she ever would. His fault. His choice. Not hers.
“I came to speak with you about Lorien,” she said as Elrond took a seat at his desk. She was going to let talk of the past cease for now as he wished, but next time he spoke of it she promised herself she would keep her mouth shut and glean all she could from him. “I think it’s time for Elladan and Elrohir to meet my parents, and I know the Lord and Lady long to meet them.”
An amused smile found its way to Elrond’s face as he cocked an eyebrow. “Are you certain Lothlorien is big enough for the two of them? I already pity the Galadhrim.”
“They are quite… active,” Celebrain sighed with a faint smile.
“I am sure the Lord and Lady will find them quite entertaining,” Elrond said, chuckling at a passing thought as Celebrian got the horrible image of the twins rearranging the council’s chairs. It had taken twenty-four years before her parents advisors had finally agreed on a set up that pleased them.
“So then, a trip to Lorien is well with you?” she asked.
“It is time for them to meet their grandparents. They are fortunate to have such a chance, many elves will not be able to meet their family until they sail to Valinor,” Elrond mused. “I fear, however, I will not be able to accompany you. There is much for me to do here in Imladris. A messenger from the Grey Havens is due by the end of the season, and I imagine you would prefer to travel before winter sets in upon us.”
“Yes,” she nodded, pursing her lips momentarily. “Though, if it would be better we could wait until next spring.”
“I know you long to see the Golden Woods and I would not deny it to you. I am glad you have patiently abided here so long,” Elrond said as he picked up a quill from his desk.
“You make it sound as though I suffer a great hardship,” she smiled, leaning close and pressing a kiss to his forehead. “I greatly like Imladris and all that dwell here. But you are right, I do long to see the Golden Woods again, and I wish my sons to see it as well.” She began to toy with her husband’s dark locks; she would never tire of the silky feel of his hair. “But do not fret, as I know you will. We shall return with the spring.”
“I know,” he said with a slight smile before raising an eyebrow as their children burst into the room. Glorfindel trailed behind them, blushing furiously and apologizing for not exerting better control as he picked up Elrohir and futilely ordered Elladan not to climb on the bookshelves. Elrond gave Celebrian a sidelong glance. “Are you positive you wish to inflict this upon fair Lothlorien?”
---
Celebrian tried desperately to keep the amused look from her face as Erestor grumbled along beside her. The dark haired elf certainly had no love of travel. She was convinced that if it were left to his choice he would never leave his library. “Come, Erestor. It cannot be that bad,” she said, reaching out and patting the nose of the elf’s horse. “We are almost to the border of Lorien.” He mumbled something and rolled his eyes and Celebrian smiled. Over the years, despite many, many misunderstandings, she had become fond of Elrond’s prudish chief advisor. They had even become friends of a kind, so it was not that uncomfortable to journey to Lorien with him in tow.
It had been decided that Erestor would travel with her and the twins, as Glorfindel had been sent west with an urgent message for Gildor and his companions. Also, it seemed best if the children’s tutor remained with them, not that she imagined there would be much time for study. Celebrian secretly wondered if it was all a ruse to get the elf out of Imladris and hope he relaxed at bit.
Laugher filled her ears as she turned to find Elladan and Elrohir frolicking in the chilled water of the Nimrodel. Elladan splashing the water, while Elrohir held up his hands in an attempt to block. She smiled happily at the sight of her young sons. They had been overjoyed at the thought of traveling outside of Imladris for the first time, though some of the joy had died down when they learned their father would not be joining them. But thus far they seemed content with the company of their mother, Erestor, and the guards. Though poor Erestor had taken the brunt of their playful nature. They were still in a bit of trouble for loosening the advisor’s saddle, fortunately he hadn’t been hurt in ensuing the fall.
“Enough of that,” she called, waving for the twins to get out of the river as she crossed with her horse following dutifully behind her. They had dismounted a bit ago under the pretense that after riding so long the party needed to stretch their legs a bit. Secretly Celebrian hoped the twins would tire themselves out, not that such a ploy ever seemed to work.
As they reached the other side of the river Celebrian could feel eyes upon their small party. She looked over her shoulder at Erestor and the four guards, nodding significantly toward the trees, before calling for her sons to come closer. There was a marchwarden near, and while she did not truly fear they would be hurt, she was certain the children would be startled when the guardians chose to appear.
“Stop!” a voice ordered.
Celebrian held up her hands peacefully as the hooded figures surrounded them, bows drawn. She heard Erestor let out a small gasp as four swords scraped against their scabbards. Elladan stood in front of her, his arms stretched out as if to hide her behind his small form. Elrohir clutched her waist defensively and looked worriedly over his brother’s shoulder at the surrounding figures. She gave her sons a fond look. They really were such good children, trying to protect their mother from a perceived threat.
“I am Celebrian, Lady of Imladris and daughter of the Lord and Lady of these lands,” she said in a strong voice. “Do any of you here know me? I ask that you put down your weapons.”
There was a moment of pause before the leader of the group put down his bow, replacing the arrow in its quiver. He gave a wave of his hand and the other elves did the same. “All here know you, my Lady,” the leader said, pulling back his hood and smiling.
“Deldin, they still have you guarding so far out?” Celebrian said as she returned the smile, lowering her hands and waving for her guards to sheath their swords. “I would have thought you to have gone back to the main gates of Caras Galadhon,” she said, reaching down and putting her hands reassuringly on Elladan’s shoulders as he put his arms down. He still glared at the hooded figures around them, but she was pretty sure he understood they were not a danger. From behind Elrohir stared at them with excited curiosity.
“I’ve not found someone to replace me, and I’ll not leave such an important post to just any elf,” he replied with a laugh. “I apologize for our rude behavior. We knew you were coming, but there has been leftover orc activity and one can never be too careful with such foul creatures.”
“Of course,” the elven lady nodded as Erestor snorted from behind. She shot him an annoyed glare over her shoulder before looking back at the marchwarden. “You said you were expecting us. Have my parents sent an escort?” she asked, noting there were a good deal more elves than usually maintained the outer post. She shuddered to think how the orcs had provoked such a thing.
“We would not want you to get lost on your way, and there are those eager to guide you,” Deldin said, gesturing for a few of the hooded figures to come closer. Celebrian smirked as she unwrapped Elrohir from her waist. He almost immediately latched onto Elladan’s arm. She sighed. Sometimes she worried her sons were too close, but they were their only age-mates.
Looking up she cocked an eyebrow as she watched the trio of approaching elves. There was a cockiness in their stride that was familiar. She pondered this for a moment before smiling. “Haldir?” she called questioningly as the three elves pulled back their hoods, “Rumil and Orophin,” she completed, moving forward and taking Haldir’s hands in her own. “It is good to see you all,” she laughed, looking them over. They had grown some in her absence. Not physically, of course, they had reached their maturity some time ago, but they seemed more responsible. The reckless air that had always made knots in her stomach was still there, but it was more restrained now.
“Far better to see one as lovely as you, my Lady,” Rumil said with a cheeky grin. Haldir smirked and Orophin shook his head as Celebrian sighed with a shake of her head. Apparently Rumil’s flirtatious nature had not changed. Though she wondered if he had found himself a maiden yet.
“It is indeed good to see you,” Haldir said as he cast a look over her shoulder. “Who are your companions?”
“I believe you remember Erestor,” she said, pulling away and giving a wave to the ever stern looking chief advisor. Rumil looked sheepish as Orophin and Haldir just smiled as she pointed to the four elves beside him. “My guards Eliean, Vorgnor, Gwinwing, and Galmir.” The four nodded in unison, though their eyes were darting around warily since the mention of orcs. “And,” a sudden pride entered her voice as she placed her hands on the twin’s shoulders, “my sons, Elladan and Elrohir.”
Elrohir nodded cordially with a shy smile on his face as he spoke a word of greeting, but Elladan simply continued to glare. Celebrian sighed internally as she gave his shoulder a slight shake, but the child refused to greet the three brothers. She would have to speak with him later about being discourteous.
“How do you tell them apart?” Orophin asked, thankfully not commenting on Elladan’s behavior as his eyes danced between the two elflings.
Celebrian opened her mouth to answer, but stopped. There was really no easy way to explain how she told them apart. She simply did. “It becomes easy with time,” she assured him, as Elrohir wrapped himself around her waist again and she kept her hand firmly on Elladan’s shoulder to keep him from wandering off, as he did when he was annoyed. She wasn’t quite sure what was wrong with her older son. He was being highly antisocial and that was very unlike him.
“Perhaps we should begin heading toward Caras Galadhon,” she said with a glance toward Deldin who had been speaking with one of the other elves in his command. “If that is well with you?”
“It would probably be for the best. I am still worried about orcs and the last thing I wish is for you to be here if they do appear. A Lady of your standing should not be forced to see their filthy form,” Deldin said, waving the other elf away, “and I am sure you are eager to see your parents again.”
“I am indeed. And I must thank you for not shooting at us. With such a threat looming near I would almost expect it,” Celebrian said with a smile, nodding her head as Deldin laughed.
“Do not worry. The dark times are gone and through our efforts so, I hope, shall be the orcs,” he said, giving a bow to her before ordering the rest of the elves back into the trees. “It was good to see you again, my Lady.” He nodded toward the twins and gave them a wide grin, which Elrohir returned. “May your stay in Lorien be a pleasant one.”
“It will,” she assured him, waving a farewell to the marchwarden as he moved back to his perch in the bows of the trees. Elladan pulled away from her hand on his shoulder as Elrohir waved emphatically at the elves in the high trees.
“We are continuing on to Lorien now?” Erestor asked from where he stood, his horse nuzzling his face impatiently.
Celebrian looked over her shoulder and nodded. “This is hardly a suitable place to rest and I am quite eager to see my parents,” she said and smiled. “I do not know about you, but seeing the Golden Woods has invigorated me and I feel as if I could travel the rest of the night.”
She pretended not to notice the grimace Erestor’s face contorted into. Apparently he did not feel the same. With a shake of her head she turned toward Haldir again as Vorgnor moved to round up the horses that had begun to wander. “I trust you are ready to guide us?”
“We are always at your command,” Haldir said with a seductive and playful smirk, and the Lady of Imladris laughed as Rumil and Orophin shook their heads and moved to speak with her guards. The woods of Lorien could be difficult to navigate with horses. Elladan made a noise that Celebrian would have classified as disgusted and Haldir arched an eyebrow, giving the elfling a look before glancing uncertainly at Celebrian.
“Elladan?” she said, surprised and a little embarrassed by her son’s behavior. He was active, outspoken, and occasionally irreverent, but she had never seen him act like this before. It was highly disconcerting.
“Yes, mother?” her son replied innocently, looking up at her with bright gray eyes. The eyes were challenging and submissive at the same time. He knew he was acting out of line, but he did not regret it.
“C’mon, Elladan, let’s go see what Erestor’s doing,” Elrohir said suddenly, breaking the tension as he pulled away from his mother and tugged on his brother’s arm, forcing Elladan to follow him in the direction of the chief advisor.
Celebrian watched them go, Elladan still glaring over his shoulder despite Elrohir’s attempts to make him stop. She pursed her lips and shook her head until their eyes met and he looked away. With a sigh she turned back to Haldir. “I am sorry. I’ve not seen him act like that before. I don’t know why he is doing so now.”
“Perhaps he is offended by my natural charm,” he joked amiably, placing a hand on Celebrian’s shoulder when he saw the distressed look on her face. “Do not worry. Maybe they are simply tired. They are young and it is a long journey.”
“I hope that is the case,” she said, shaking her head a last time before forcing a smile onto her face. “Come,” she said, taking the hand Haldir held out to her and casting a glance over her shoulder. “Vorgnor appears to have gathered the horses and I am ready to continue on. I was thinking we would rest at Cerin Amroth?”
“You will probably wish to stop before then,” Haldir replied as they began to walk, the rest gradually following along after them. Rumil called up a last goodbye to the marchwarden as they ventured into the Golden woods. “Perhaps we could take a rest and let the horses drink at the next river we pass. I noticed you did not let them drink from the Nimrodel.”
“Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I do not want to push the horses, or my sons, too hard. This is their first journey away from Imladris and I would like them to be in good spirits when they meet Lorien’s Lord and Lady for the first time,” she said, looking over her shoulder and smiling at the tired, yet patient, look on Erestor’s face as Elrohir tackled his legs and Elladan attempted to tackle his brother.
“I imagine they will be too much in awe to be in a foul mood,” Haldir said confidently.
“I shall be most disappointed if Elladan acts the way he has been in the presence of my parents,” she frowned, almost shuddering at the very image of such a thing. “They truly are both good children.” Haldir gave no reply other than to give her a reassuring look and remind her of how hectic it was to deal with himself and his brothers when they were young.
“Are your sons always like that?” a curious voice asked from behind as Orophin displaced Haldir at Celebrian’s side. She cocked an eyebrow questioningly as Haldir nodded that he was going to speak with Rumil.
“Like what?” she asked, following Orophin’s glances. The two were chasing each other around Erestor and laughing loudly. She winced a bit in worry as they ran under the legs of Erestor’s horse. Fortunately the mount was well trained enough to still until the elflings have moved away. She let out a breath of relief as she looked back at Orophin.
“So active and together. As I was watching them a moment ago it seemed they did not even need to speak to communicate,” he said, shaking his head in wonder before pursing his lips as if thinking of a way to broach a difficult subject, “and they are so distrustful of those they do not know.”
Celebrian felt herself wince a bit at the last comment. “Yes, they are indeed always so active and they are virtually inseparable. But, as I was telling your brother, I have never seen Elladan act like this before. It troubles me. This is their first time away from Imladris, but neither of them have ever acted in such a manner towards visitors and messengers from other elven realms. Not to my knowledge in any case.” She paused for a moment, considering whether or not Elrond and Glorfindel would keep such a thing from her. But she decided not, Erestor would eventually tell her of such a thing. He so disliked impropriety.
“I see,” Orophin said, smiling as he watched the twins over his shoulder as they walked.
“Do… do they seem too close?” Celebrian asked in a quiet voice, casting a quick glance back to make sure the twins couldn’t hear her. Orophin turned and looked at her as he made a questioning noise in his throat. “My husband says it is natural that they are so fond of one another, but I worry that it is not,” she admitted with a sigh.
“My brothers and I were always close,” he reminded her with a reassuring smile. “We still are. Sometimes it is hard for young elves to find someone to play with, and siblings have no other choice.” He looked over his shoulders at the twins who appeared to be in some discussion. “They are the same age and I am sure that only strengthens the bond of brothers. If you must worry about something, do not let it be this.”
“Very well, you have convinced me. For now,” she smiled as a wicked light glinted in her eye. “Now, tell me, how have things been with Rumil and his maidens?”
“They would be far better if I were not around to consistently disrupt them,” he grinned, giving his oblivious younger brother a look before leaning close to the Lady of Imladris as if in some conspiracy. “Though I will tell you this, but he must not know,” he said and Celebrian nodded that she would not utter a word. “There is a maiden that has taken notice of him and adores the poetry he writes, but she is too shy to approach and he believes she would never have an interest in him.”
“Ah, that is tragic!” Celebrian said, pressing a hand to her heart.
Orophin nodded as he continued to speak. “It is; and so Haldir and I have decided that we will use this trip back to Caras Galadhon to see that they meet and speak to one another. I will not even foil the meeting as I am wont to do.”
“You are a terror to your brothers,” she said with a shake of her head. “But if there is anything I can do to help you in this, tell me. While you would terrorize poor Rumil, I would see him happy,” she smiled, knowing full well that he only wished the best for his siblings. Orophin opened his mouth to respond but shut it as someone ran up beside them.
“Mother!” Elrohir said as he grabbed Celebrian’s hand and spun around in front of her, nearly colliding with Orophin’s legs as the elf deftly moved out of the way. “Are we there yet? I’m tired.”
Celebrian smiled and shook her head. “No, Elrohir, we’re not there yet,” she said, using her son’s name for Orophin’s benefit. “It will be a while. We probably won’t actually reach the city until at least tomorrow. Why don’t you just enjoy the scenery?” The child pushed out his lower lip and physically wilted at the news. “Come now, you’re a strong little one, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” he said grudgingly. His eyes drifted toward his brother who had taken to pestering a very patient Galmir about the twin daggers in his belt. “But I’m tired…” he said as he looked back at his mother and waved for her to bend down so he could whisper in her ear. “Don’t tell Elladan, but I don’t wanna play any more. I just wanna nap.”
“Oh, we will take a rest soon,” Celebrian promised, swinging the child up in the air and resting him on her hip. It would sadden her greatly when she could no longer pick up her sons and cradle them. She stroked Elrohir’s hair as they continued to walk. “I believe Haldir and I agreed to stop at the next river we cross, so the horses could have some water and my little elflings,” she pressed a kiss against his temple, “can rest.”
“Alright,” Elrohir said, wrapping his arms around her neck, seemingly content in his mother’s arms. “I hope we get there soon.”
“Sooner than you think,” Orophin said, “listen.”
Celebrian strained her ears until she heard the faint trickle of water rushing over a rocky bed. “Is that the river we’re going to stop at?” Elrohir asked excitedly, straining his eyes to catch sight of what he could hear.
“We’re going to stop?” Elladan’s voice rang in suddenly as a little hand grabbed hold of her dress. “Why?” he asked with a frown as Celebrian looked down. “I wanna keep going!”
“Elladan, sometimes we have to think of others,” she said in a stern voice, adjusting Elrohir on her hip so she had a free hand to take Elladan’s as they walked. “The horses haven’t had much rest. Have you thought of that? And neither have those that have been kind enough to guard us. Even when we have rested they’ve had to watch over us. Now that Haldir, Orophin, and Rumil are with us, they can keep watch and Eliean and his elves can rest.” Elladan’s face contorted at the mention of Haldir and his brother’s and Celebrian wondered it was specifically them he was having problems with. Though she couldn’t imagine why. He had never met the three brothers before and Elrohir didn’t seem to have an issue with them. A matter for later, she decided, when she could speak to Elladan in private.
“Besides, think of Erestor,” she said, still trying to convince her son without betraying Elrohir’s trust. Elladan would gladly stop if his twin was tired, but Elrohir didn’t want him to know that. “He is not used to traveling so much. Don’t you think that he deserves a moment to relax after such a long journey?”
“Yes,” Elladan grumbled, unable to argue with her logic. The twins were quite fond of the chief advisor. He never yelled at them for their pranks, which he was most often the target of.
“There’s the river!” Elrohir yelled and pointed as Celebrian nearly fell forward from the sudden shift of weight. She released Elladan’s hand to steady Elrohir in her arms before letting him back to the ground. He grabbed Elladan’s hand, apparently rejuvenated, and pulled his brother toward the slow moving river.
“Will you ever hear again?” Orophin asked as she pressed a hand to the ear Elrohir had yelled in.
“I do hope so,” she mumbled. “Would you watch over my sons a moment? I need to speak with the rest of the party. I doubt the river is strong enough to carry them away, but…”
“Of course I will,” he nodded as Celebrian gave a thankful smile and walked back toward Erestor. She wanted to speak with him about Elladan. Perhaps her son had spoken with him or he had been able to notice something she had not.
“Haldir, tells me we are resting at the river for a time,” the chief advisor said as she came close. His eyes focused over her shoulder. “Should the children really be playing so close to the river? At least at the crossing of the Nimrodel there was no real current.”
“They know enough of rivers to be careful and the flow of this one is gentle enough. Nothing like the Brunien; besides, I asked Orophin to watch over them while I spoke with you,” she said as Erestor nodded. “But yes, we are stopping here and then hopefully we will make Cerin Amroth to rest for the night. I trust you have no objection?”
“I would not presume to argue with my Lord’s lady,” he responded, stroking his horse’s neck comfortingly. Celebrian shook her head and asked the Valar for strength, the advisor could be so obstinate. “Elladan has been acting rather impolite since the Lorien elves appeared.”
“You noticed as well,” she sighed.
“I have known them for the seven years of their life. I should hope I would notice such a deviation,” he said, his eyes glancing pointedly at the approaching Rumil. He would say no more on the subject where other ears could hear. “I will tell the guards and confirm that we are resting here.”
“The elflings want you to come to them, Celebrian,” Rumil said with a timid nod toward Erestor. It almost made her smile. All these years and he was still frightened of Elrond’s advisor.
“Thank you, Rumil,” she smiled, nodding to Erestor that they would speak later as she walked towards her sons. Orophin was perched in a low bow that hung over the river as Haldir leaned against the trunk of the tree. They appeared to be engaged in some whispered conversation that she could only assume had to do with their plans for Rumil and his maiden.
Elladan was knee deep in the water and picking up stones as Elrohir yawned behind him. The younger twin looked up at her pleadingly as she came closer. She smiled as she sat down beside a nearby tree and removed her cloak. “Elladan, Elrohir!” she called as Elrohir quickly jumped out of the water and ran towards her. He laughed as she wrapped him in her cloak to dry him off and settled him into her lap.
After a moment Elladan followed, carrying a few of the rocks he had collected and set them down on the grass. Celebrian held out her arm, inviting him to come snuggle in her lap as well, but he ignored it. Turning his back and pulling at blades of grass, watching as the guards led the horses to drink and Rumil and Erestor seemingly engrossed in some discussion about elven poetry.
Celebrian frowned as she let her arm fall. Elrohir curled up peacefully in her lap and already half-asleep. Usually, even if he wasn’t tired, Elladan would curl up as well and they would talk or she would tell him stories. It felt strange to be shunned by her own child and she hoped it would not happen again. As soon as they had a moment alone they were definitely going to have a long talk.
---
“This place is so pretty!”
Elrohir looked around in awe at Cerin Amroth as Celebrian smiled and took in the sight that was the heart of Lorien. She felt a peace settle over her as she walked forward, her sons on either side of her gawking at everything they saw. Nothing had changed. The great mound of Amroth still remained, green as the first buds of spring, with its double ring of trees, the outer birch and the inner mallorn with their silver trunks and the leaves slowly fading from green to gold. And high above all, in the bows of the mallorn, was a single white talan.
“Those trees are huge!” Elladan gasped as Celebrian dropped to her knees and hugged him tightly from behind as he fell into her lap. “I’ve never seen anything so big!”
“Those are the mallorn trees. The mellyrn,” she said as he hugged hear arms and listened intently. Elrohir fell to his knees beside them and listened with wide eyes as well. “Their branches are never bare because their leaves do not fall in the autumn, as you have always seen the trees of Imladris do. The mallorn leaves change from green to gold and stay until spring, when new leaves are born and the golden flowers appear. Only then do the old leaves fall to the ground, carpeting it in a beautiful gold.”
Elladan was speechless in her arms, his eyes still fixed up on the trees and she felt her smile grow, pressing her cheek against the top of his head. This was her son. Curious and amazed. Not that vexing creature that had been traveling with her for the past few hours and glaring at her friends as if they were the most vile of enemies.
“Mother! What are these?” Elrohir asked, pointing from the white and pale green flowers on their slim stalks to the star shaped golden flowers.
“The yellow are the elanor and the pale are the niphredil,” she answered, noting out of the corner of her eye that the rest of the party was setting up camp for the night. She wanted to press on, Caras Galadhon wasn’t too far away. But, despite their current exuberance, her sons were tired and needed to rest for the night.
“Can we climb up there, mother?” Elladan suddenly asked, pointing to the high talan. “Oh! Please! Can we?” Elrohir pitched in, grabbing the sleeve of her gown and tugging excitedly.
“Certainly,” she replied, letting out a laugh as both her sons jumped forward with a gleeful sound and ran towards the dual ring of trees. “We’re going to climb up Cerin Amroth,” she called out to the other elves as she stood up and dusted her gown. “Erestor, could you have a meal ready when we come back?”
The advisor seemed a bit nonplussed at being cast in the roll of camp cook, but nodded. Gwinwing and Haldir shared a smirk as they watched Erestor unpack the cooking supplies and Celebrian was sure they would help if he needed it. Or would at least keep anything troublesome from happening.
“Mother!”
“I’m coming!” she yelled, lifting her skirt to the ankles and running forward to where the twins were impatiently waiting at the ladder’s base. As soon as she was close Elladan began to climb. Elrohir waited for her to give a nod of consent before quickly following his elder brother. “Now, remember to be careful,” she said, casting her cloak aside as she climbed up after her sons. Elladan had already disappeared onto the talan.
“Elrohir! Hurry! You need to see this!” Elladan yelled as his brother pulled himself up.
Celebrian heard Elrohir gasp as she pulled herself up onto the talan. The twins were looking wide eyed to the south, Elladan tugging on Elrohir’s shirt and pointing at the city of green trees that seemed to tower upward forever. “We will be there tomorrow,” she said, placing her hands on her sons shoulders. “That is Caras Galadhon you are looking at.”
“That’s where you were born?” Elrohir said, looking up at her in amazement.
“And raised,” she nodded. “I had never set foot out of Lorien and rarely went far from Caras Galadhon before I went to be with your father in Imladris.”
“Wow,” Elladan breathed.
“Can you see the pale gleam there?” she said, pointing to the east. “That is the Anduin, the Great River and beyond that is Gondor and Minas Anor.” She stopped there, unwilling to tell her children what lay farther in the east; unwilling to tell them why the lands seemed so dark. Her hand moved a bit to the south. “And there is the south part of Greenwood.”
“It’s so beautiful and blue out there, even with the sun setting,” Elladan said, as Celebrian sat down on the talan floor and patted the ground to invite the twins to sit beside her.
“It feels strange here,” Elrohir said, leaning against his mother left side and pulling her arm over his shoulders as Elladan did the same on her right. “Like we’re in one of Lindir’s songs.”
“That’s the power of the Lady, my mother, your grandmother,” Celebrian said with a happy look as she shut her eyes and felt the wind against her face. Elladan looked up and gave her a questioning look and she grinned, pinching his nose. “You will understand when you meet her.”
“What is this place anyway, mother?” Elrohir asked, snuggling closer to her.
“Cerin Amroth. It is the center of Lorien, where the grass is always green and the winter flowers are ever in bloom. In happier times this is where Amroth, former Lord of Lorien, had his house in these high bows, and dwelt her with his beloved, the fair Nimrodel.”
“Wasn’t Nimrodel the name of the first river we crossed?” Elladan asked, playing with the lace of her sleeve.
“Yes, it was named after her. Someday I will tell you their story, but now is not the time for such a sad tale,” she said, leaning over and pressing her cheek to Elrohir’s head as she squeezed Elladan close. “Listen to the sound of the breeze. Isn’t it lovely?” Her lips twitched in a smile as her sons made identical noises of agreement. “This was one of my favorite places as a child. My father would bring me here and tell me stories or teach me the history of our people.”
Her eyes traveled east toward the great Anduin and even farther where Mordor was, still dark even now. She remembered the day her father had left to lead the troops against Sauron. He brought her here to Cerin Amroth and showed her where he was going, explaining that with Gil-galad, Oropher, and Elendil they would put an end to darkness once and for all. She could remember crying as he spoke and begging him to stay, in Lorien where it was safe. But he refused, telling her how her mother had already agreed to allow him and Lorien’s forces to go and face the Dark Lord at Orodruin.
That was the first time she had heard of Elrond as well. Gil-galad’s herald and chosen heir, Lord of Imladris. She hadn’t cared to hear about him at the time. Some half-human living as an elf. How her opinions had changed since then, she thought with a smile. Already she missed the elven lord terribly. It felt as if she had left half her heart back in Imladris, and, she supposed, she had. Though she would enjoy her time in Lorien, spring would be a long time coming.
“Mother?”
She shook herself from her thoughts and looked down at her sons, looking up at her with their father’s gray eyes. She smiled and held them close. “Yes?” she finally answered.
“I think I heard one of the Lorien elves calling us and saying the evening meal was ready,” the younger twin said as the elder rolled his eyes. Celebrian pinched his ear warningly. She still needed to speak with him about his behavior, but not in front of his brother. Most might think of them as one person because they shared the same face, but she did not.
“Then let us go and eat,” she said, releasing them from her grasp as they hastened down the ladder, their hungry stomachs momentarily more important than the beauty of Cerin Amroth. She stood up, twining her hands behind her back as she looked over Lorien. She had missed the Golden Woods terribly in Imladris. The valley was a place of peace and safety, while the forest was a place of magic and serenity, the center of elvendom in Middle-earth.
Below Elladan and Elrohir called for her to come and eat with them. Elrohir chattering on about something Rumil had done while Elladan told her Eliean and the others had finished setting up camp. She smiled again as she moved to climb down the ladder and join her children.
It was good to be home.
TBC...
Chapter 8 - Lothlorien - Part 2
Authors Notes: Sorry this took so long. I lost my proofreader for a bit. ;) But here it is. Feedback appreciated as always and, of course, many thanks to everyone that has commented. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter while I work on the next!
::Lothlorien – Part 2::
“Mother!” – “How come the city goes up?” – “The trees are huge!” – “Who’s that with the pretty hair?” – “Wow. The stairs just keep going up!” – “How come no one has hair that’s dark like ours is?” – “This isn’t like Imladris at all.” – “Look how far down it is!” – “Look at me!” – “This place is so strange!” – “Mother!”
Celebrian smiled and shook her head as Erestor snorted at the wave questions and exclamations the twins babbled, scarcely waiting anyone to reply before they spoke again. Elladan laughed happily, running toward his mother and grabbing her wrist in an attempt to hurry her up the stairs. His storm colored eyes were bright and lively, and there was a grin on his face, as if his earlier bad temperament was a thing of the past.
Though when he caught sight of Elrohir ahead of them on the stairs, jumping between Rumil and Orophin as he asked Haldir questions, Elladan’s expression darkened momentarily. But he recovered quickly and grinned up at his mother. Internally she sighed, but smiled back at him for his benefit. She didn’t want her son to know how concerned she was about him and his behavior. He already knew she was a little displeased, that was why he was smiling so much at her.
“Come, we are almost to the top,” Haldir called and Elladan made a face even as Celebrian knelt down and hugged him from behind, pressing a kiss to the tip of his pointed ear. “Don’t be like that,” she whispered, brushing her fingers through his hair as she rose again. He gave her a brief guilty look before hustling to catch up with Elrohir who hung back from the three brothers, waiting.
The two huddled together as they walked, linking hands and conversing, half through whispers and half through their near telepathic intuition. Their steps became slower and slower, until they virtually had stopped walking. Celebrian could see the excited shine around them fading as she came up behind them. She frowned slightly, waiving for Erestor to continue on after their guides as she placed her hand on their shoulders.
“What’s wrong?” she asked in a whisper, bending down and pulling them close. They exchanged glances and she could tell they were trying to decide whether or not to confide in her. “Please, I’m your mother, am I not?”
“What if they don’t like us?” Elrohir whispered as Elladan cast a look up the stairs.
Celebrian chuckled and shook her head. “Oh, my dear children. How could anyone not like you?” she asked, stroking back their dark hair. “The Lord and Lady are your grandparents. They will love you unconditionally. Have no fear,” she assured them, though they did not appear convinced. “Trust me, they will adore you as I do. You are no little orclings now, are you?” she said, pinching Elladan’s cheek as Elrohir giggled and hugged her. “Come on, we are holding the others up,” she said, nodding toward Erestor and the others waiting on the lip of the talan. “Ready?”
“Yes,” Elrohir said as Elladan pursed his lips doubtfully, but nodded. They each took a hand as their mother got to her feet, Elladan her right and Elrohir her left, as they walked to the top of the stairs and passed the waiting company of Erestor and the three brothers. She heard the twin gasps as they reached the top and Celebrian smiled at the familiar sight.
The Lord and Lady of the Golden Woods, Galadriel and Celeborn, sat upon a high dais, proud and perfect as ever. Her mother sat straight-backed to the left, her white gown embroidered with pearl seemed to glow in the natural haze of Lorien, and her long golden hair streamed down over her shoulders as she gave them all a pleasant look. Her father sat to the right, regal as ever in his pale blue and white robes, his silver hair tied back as he gave Celebrian a happy smile of homecoming.
Haldir and his brothers remained at the edge of the talan as Erestor followed Celebrian to the center and wait there as she went closer. The Lady of Imladris approached the bottom of the seven stairs that lead to her parents and letting go of her children’s hands she respectfully dropped her head and bowed. The twins dutifully did the same, though she saw them exchange looks of confusion. A slight smirk appeared on her face as she realized that being the sons of Elrond this was probably the first time they had been made to bow before another elf in anything other than casual acknowledgment.
“It is wonderful to see you again, my daughter,” Celeborn spoke as Celebrian lifted her head and smiled, tapping her sons on the shoulder so they knew they could rise again as well. “I see by the light in your eyes that abiding in Imladris has been good to you.”
“Yes, the elves there are quite pleasant and Lord Elrond is very kind to me. Still, I have missed you both so very much,” she smiled as the twins stared in wide-eyed amazement at the elves before them. So regal and ancient. “I believe you have met Erestor before,” she said, nodding over her shoulder at the chief advisor; the rest of her company had chosen to remain below and were being shown to their quarters.
“But allow me to introduce my sons. Elladan,” she placed a hand on his shoulder and thrust him a step forward, “and Elrohir,” she said doing the same to him. “These are my parents,” she said to them, holding their shoulders tight as they tried to backpedal, “Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel, they are your grandparents.”
“It is good to meet you,” Elrohir managed to say, realizing the only way to get away from his mother was to turn and run, and he didn’t want to embarrass himself that much. Elladan seemed at a loss for words.
“Do not be afraid, little ones,” Galadriel said in her mystifying voice. It was the first time she had spoken and Celebrian felt both her sons jump in surprise as the Lady’s starlit eyes fixed upon them. She gracefully raised her hand, “come closer,” she beckoned.
The twins gave their mother a hesitant look that she answered with an unemotional gaze of her own. She would not tell them they had to go, but she would not tell them it was all right not to either. Slowly they turned and began to hesitantly walk up the stairs toward their grandparents. When they reached the second step before the top of the dais they stopped, grabbing hold of each other’s hands, unsure of what to do.
“Truly, we will not hurt you,” Celeborn said, knowing how frightened they were. In an attempt to assuage their fears he stood up, taking a step forward and kneeling on the edge of the stairs. They gave him a nervous look and Elladan glanced back towards their mother who nodded reassuringly.
Surprisingly, it was Elrohir who pulled away and stepped forward first.
“I’m Elrohir,” the younger twin said shyly, averting his eyes toward the ground.
“And I am Celeborn,” the elven lord replied, holding out his arms and inviting the child to sit upon his lap. Warily the elfling moved forward, cautiously taking the last steps to the top as he sat on the Lord of Lorien’s knee. “It is good to meet you at last, young one,” he said, wrapping an arm around the seven year old to keep him from falling. He cast a look and smiled at Elladan who was watching the way he held his twin like a hawk. “It is good to meet both of you.”
Elladan nodded abashedly and looked toward the ground, gently kicking the step. Silence fell and Celebrian twisted her fingers in her dress nervously. She had hoped this would go a little better. Then again, her parents could be intimidating, especially to such young children. Sometimes she forgot that.
“I sense you are often the braver, Elladan,” Galadriel said, breaking the uncomfortable silence as she fixed the elfling with a look from her strange eyes. The elder twin raised his head and opened his mouth to speak, but then shut it as if he could not remember what to say.
Elrohir’s eyes lit up excitedly from where he sat on Celeborn’s lap. “He’s really brave! Once there was this big wildcat that wandered over the Bruinen and I was really scared because he had these big sharp teeth. They were like this big,” he babbled, holding out his arms as far as they would stretch in an over exaggeration of the actual size of the animal’s tooth. “And I got scared when we saw it and ran away. But Elladan didn’t!” He finished proudly, happy to be on a subject he was an expert on.
Elladan was blushing furiously in embarrassment at his brother’s praise, his feet scuffing the ground nervously. “The cat was really nice actually,” he mumbled into his chest.
“Well, yeah,” Elrohir nodded, rolling his eyes and shaking his head, “but you didn’t know that then.” He looked up at Celeborn and whispered. “He really is brave, but he’s too… um… I think my father said the word was modest,” he said and nodded as the Lord smiled. Now that they were speaking of Elladan it seemed the younger twin was completely comfortable in his surroundings.
“It really wasn’t like Elrohir makes it sound. She just looks scary, but she’s really nice. We named her Myrvn and she plays in the gardens now. The horses are kinda scared of her though,” Elladan muttered, looking up at Galadriel and smiling shyly as Lady waved for him to come closer. Taking a deep breath he stepped up, moving closer to where his grandmother sat.
“It is very courageous thing to be willing and able to look past appearance and see the heart inside a creature, be it beast or elf. Your brother is right. You are brave, Elladan,” she said as he moved closer, still blushing a bit under her scrutiny as he came to a stop before the Lady. She reached forward and ran her fingers over his cheek. “Both you and your brother are very lovely. Your appearance is very much that of your father, but I see my daughter in your face as well.” She gave Elladan a knowing smile. “You,” she said pressing a delicate finger against his chest, “are a troublemaker, are you not?”
He blushed as Elrohir giggled.
“Do not feel abashed,” Galadriel said, a lilt of laughter in her voice as she waved the child even closer and her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, “so was your mother.”
“I most certainly was not!” Celebrian said defensively before blushing a brilliant color, suddenly glad her parents’ councilors were not present to hear her defy the Lady; even if it was her mother. She coughed, behind her hand as she composed herself, giving her father a brief glare as he smirked in amusement. “I,” she said, pressing a hand to her chest, “was a perfect child.”
Celeborn laughed and Galadriel shook her head slightly, giving her daughter a fond look.
“You did not say we look the same,” Elladan said, drawing the attention back to himself as if he had not even noticed the interaction between his mother and her parents. He was strangely meek in his demeanor as he crawled forward, resting his arms on Galadriel’s knees the way he did when he wanted to be held. “Everyone always says me and Elrohir look the same.”
“There is a resemblance,” Galadriel nodded, casting a glance at Elrohir who seemed content to braid strands of his grandfather’s silver hair, before she looked back at Elladan. Reaching down she picked up the elfling and settled him on her lap, looking him over carefully. “But it is clear to me that you both are quite different. I very much doubt Celeborn or I would ever mistake one for the other.”
“If we’re really quiet sometimes we can get Erestor to confuse us,” Elladan grinned, slowly relaxing in the presence of his grandparents. Celebrian gave a look over her shoulder and smirked at the embarrassed advisor and tutor before turning back. “And once we were playing with Glorfindel and we got him to think I was Elrohir and he,” he pointed toward his brother, peacefully dozing off in Celeborn’s lap, “was Elladan, but then mother ruined it.” He pouted as Galadriel smiled fondly and Celebrian coughed and shook her head.
“I was correct; you are a troublemaker like your mother,” the Lady of Lorien said with a gentle smile. “I wonder if you share your mother’s love of stories and songs as well.”
“Oh, yes, Elrohir and I love stories and songs!” Elladan said. “We always go to the Hall of Fire at night and listen to Lindir sing. Sometimes he lets us help him with his songs too, though we’re not very good at it. And mother often tells us stories, usually about her Lothlorien, but sometimes about history and such too.”
“Perhaps I shall tell you and your brother a story or two while you are here,” Galadriel said, tucking one of Elladan’s thin braids behind his ear. “Though for a song I believe my Lord Celeborn would be more to your taste.”
“I want to hear you sing,” Elrohir said, shifting in Celeborn’s lap to look up at the Lord. “And I want to hear you tell a story,” Elladan told Galadriel at the same moment.
“Then so shall it be,” the Lady said and Celebrian felt a nervous feeling bubble in her stomach, but she forced it away as Elladan and Elrohir cheered happily. No use worrying now.
Elrohir yawned and shifted in Celeborn’s lap as the elven lord smiled, casting Celebrian a look. “It appears at least one of your young ones is tired,” he said, shaking the elfling’s shoulder gently to wake him up as he lifted Elrohir off his lap. “Perhaps you should return to your mother,” he whispered, as Celebrian clapped and waved for both her children to come to her. Elladan gave Galadriel a smile as he climbed off her lap and followed his brother into their mother’s waiting arms.
“I’m sleepy,” Elrohir mumbled, wrapping his arms around his mother’s waist and hanging there to keep himself upright. She stoked his hair back and gave him a fond smile. Usually Elladan tired faster, but Elrohir was more willing to admit when he was tired.
“They’re nice,” her other son whispered as he grabbed her arm and swung behind her. She let out a sigh of relief. At least his recent behavior didn’t extend to all of Lorien’s residents.
“Daughter, we are pleased to have you and your progeny here in the safety of Caras Galadhon,” Galadriel said as Celeborn nodded in agreement. “But for now take your children and let them rest. You have journeyed a great distance from Imladris to be here with us and tonight you will rest in the comfort of the Galadhrim and hear their songs. Tomorrow we shall celebrate your arrival with great fervor.”
“We are very pleased to be here,” Celebrian said as Celeborn waved, signaling to Haldir and his brothers that they were to show the guests to their talans. She bowed, her children following her lead as she dipped and rose, before casting her parents a loving smile. “Mother. Father,” she nodded. “Until the morrow.”
---
“How come Lothlorien is made so much different from Imladris?” Elladan asked, bouncing in front of his mother as Elrohir remained latched around her waist. He was still nearly glowing from his encounter with his grandparents and Celebrian was glad he seemed so happy. She had been somewhat afraid that he would be completely intimidated by them, especially when he had begun acting so meek.
Erestor was dutifully trailing behind them as Haldir led them to their talans, his brothers had departed her company with promises they would see her at the celebration the next evening. Elladan lunged forward and grabbed her arm. “Well, mother?”
“I suppose there are many reasons,” Celebrian said, pondering how to explain. She would probably have to answer again later when Elrohir asked the same question. He didn’t seem terribly attentive at the moment. “But mostly because Caras Galadhon was built by Silvan elves and Imladris was greatly inspired by the architecture of the Noldor elves.”
“One of Gil-galad’s personal architects designed the main structures in Imladris, such as the Hall of Fire,” Erestor put in as Celebrian looked over her shoulder thankfully. The advisor always had the most interesting information.
“But they were all elves, right?” Elrohir asked sleepily from where his face was buried in her skirt, apparently more receptive than she thought he would be.
“Well, yes,” Celebrian nodded.
“Then why are they built different?” he asked, with a sigh as he rested his head against her hip. “I mean, if they’re all elves that is.”
Celebrian pursed her lips, wondering how to explain there was a difference between elves without going into the deep and bloody history of it. She supposed it would be a strange concept to them, the thought of elves doing things differently. In Imladris there were many different races of elves – Sindar, Noldor, Teleri, Silvan, and just about every other kind of elf left in Middle-earth was represented there. But they all got along and acted in similar manners. Imladris was quite a strange place in that respect; it was one of the reasons she adored it so.
She let out a sigh as Elrohir looked up at her curiously, waiting for his answer. “Well…” she began, still uncertain of what she would say. Silently she hoped for Erestor to jump in with some sweet and simple reply.
“Silvan elves are woodland elves. We try to be one with the forest and nature, and therefore prefer to live in harmony with the trees we love so,” Haldir said with a grin as he turned and looked at the assembly he was leading. “Also, we have never left Middle-earth and I believe we have a better connection to the land because of that,” he finished as Celebrian gave him a thankful smile. Elladan fixed Haldir was a glare that he was gracious enough to ignore.
“So Noldor elves don’t like the forest?” Elrohir asked, either not noticing the way Elladan was glaring or not acknowledging it. Celebrian guessed it was the latter.
“Nothing like that,” Haldir said with a shake of his head. “The Lady herself is of the Noldor and she cares greatly for these lands, more than any elf, save Lord Celeborn.” Celebrian smiled at her young friend’s words. Haldir had always been deeply devoted to Galadriel, even before she ascended to the Lady of Lorien. “She has seen the Undying Lands and returned, yet she loves the trees. Still, I believe it is more in the Silvan blood reside in them.”
“The Noldor were masters of lore and craft. They took more pride in what they could make and build,” Erestor said, finally deciding to speak, “while, most notably, the Silvan and at times Sindar preferred to dabble in nature. I should remind you, that the Teleri have never left Middle-earth either and they build their homes upon the ground.”
“They connect more with the sea,” Haldir countered with a smile.
“Is Cirdan a Teleri elf?” Elladan asked, finally rejoining the conversation. Though he directed the question at his mother and Erestor, pointedly ignoring Haldir.
“Yes, the Shipwright is a Teleri elf,” Celebrian answered, glad her son was finished glaring at the Lorien elf, even if he did continue to be a brat. She shut her eyes and shook her head. She couldn’t think like that about her son. “Most of those that dwell in the Gray Havens are Teleri.”
“I thought a fair amount of the Noldor had settled in the recent years,” Haldir said as Celebrian nodded, she really did not wish to talk about why the Noldor had gone to the Havens. “Ah! Lady Celebrian,” he said excitedly, waving for her to come closer. She untangled from Elrohir, placing his arms around his brother as she moved forward to stand beside the marchwarden in-training. He’d stopped and was leaning over the side of the stairs and looking down at something, or rather someone.
“What is it?” Celebrian asked, watching her children out of the corner of her eye as they began speaking to Erestor. The advisor began to engage them in a conversation as she looked away.
“Look down there,” Haldir said, his voice dropping to a whisper.
Celebrian’s eyes followed the direction of where he was pointing and found a group of four maidens. She cocked an eyebrow and looked at him. “Tell me we did not stop so you could get my opinion of Lorien’s maidens,” she said with a smirk.
He laughed. “No, of course not. But look, the one in the pale blue and green gown,” he said and Celebrian looked down again, catching sight of the maiden. She was somewhat plain for an elf. Lovely, but not strikingly beautiful. Her silver hair was pulled back into a braid, a strange style for a female elf to wear outside of her private chambers, and she clutched what looked like a manuscript to her chest protectively as she spoke with her friends. The true beauty in her seemed to be her flashing violet eyes.
“What about her?” Celebrian asked as Elladan pulled on her sleeve. “Just a moment,” she said, patting his head as she waited for Haldir’s response.
“Aurelin,” he whispered with a playful smirk. “The maiden that fancies Rumil. I heard Orophin telling you of her on the journey here. The papers she’s holding so dearly to her breast are poems Rumil has written and discarded, that she has rescued.”
“Ah, that is a charming!” Celebrian said with a slight laugh. “If I can be of any aid to you and Orophin in helping the two of them meet, do not hesitate to ask.”
“I will hold you to that, my Lady,” he smiled, looking over her shoulder a moment as the grin faded. “But I suppose I should get you to your talan so you are allowed to rest. There will be time for this later.”
“My children are quite tired,” she nodded gratefully as Haldir moved to lead them once more.
Celebrian took a last look at the maiden before turning to speak with Elladan. She blinked a moment when she found he was no longer at her side, that he had meandered back to his brother and Erestor. She frowned slightly as she noticed the deadly glare he was casting at Haldir’s back.
---
“It’s so high up here, mother,” Elrohir said, with a yawn as he leaned over the side of the talan and looked down. Erestor nervously hovered close. Elladan was playing with the embroidery of the pillows as he lounged across Celebrian’s bed. Haldir had finished escorting them to their talans, Elladan glaring at him the entire way; even going to far as to get in the way when Celebrian had tried to wish her friend goodnight.
“My Lady, if it is well with you, I believe I will venture to the library,” Erestor said with a relieved sigh as Elrohir pulled back from the edge. He had elected to stay with her rather than going to his own talan, to make sure the Lady of Imladris was settled in comfortable. “I wish to see what has been added since I was last in Lothlorien.”
Celebrian let out a light laugh. “Take you away from one library and you bury yourself in another, I see,” she said, with a playful shake of her head. “Go and enjoy yourself, Erestor. I believe you became well acquainted with Lorien in your previous visit and don’t need a guide. If you do, ask and someone will surely aid you.”
“Can I go and see the library?” Elrohir asked as he latched onto his mother’s skirts.
“I thought you were tired?” she said, reaching down and stroking his hair as he yawned. “We will be in Lorien until the spring comes. You will have much time to spend in the library,” she reminded him even as he began to pout, looking up at her with sad eyes. She sighed in defeat. “Very well, you may go for a bit, if Erestor is willing to escort you.”
“Of course, my Lady,” the advisor nodded, his eyes shifting briefly toward Elladan as Elrohir cheered happily. It took her a moment to realize he was not inciting that the elder twin accompany them, but that it would be an opportune time for her to speak with him about his recent behavior. “I shall bring your son back when he is duly tired,” he promised, his eyes returning to her for a moment before ushering the ecstatic elfling off the talan.
Celebrian listened to them go, the sound of Elrohir’s incessant questions fading away. She smiled a moment before turning to Elladan who was still sitting on the bed. He had been surprisingly quiet since they reached the talan.
“Am I in trouble?” he asked, hanging his head as he kicked his feet over the side of the bed and his fingers continued to play with the intricate needlework of the pillow.
“Why would you think that?” she asked, smoothing out her skirt as she took a seat beside him.
“Because of the way I’ve been acting,” he mumbled into his chest, not looking up at her.
“You have been being very strange,” she nodded in agreement, glad her son knew his actions were not appropriate. “Will you tell me what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he said, continuing to mumble into his chest as he hugged the pillow in his arms like a shield. Celebrian stifled a sigh as she reached over to push a strand of hair behind his ear. He flinched away, momentarily shutting his eyes.
“You were very impolite to Haldir and his brothers,” she prodded as she pulled her hand away, deciding not to call him on the fact he had just lied to her. They both knew that, and talking about it would distract from the matter at hand. “I’ve not seen you act like that toward anyone before.”
“They made me mad,” he said, clutching the pillow tighter.
“Why?”
“Because…”
“Because why?”
“Because the made me mad!” he yelled, burying his face in the pillow as if to hide from her. Celebrian closed her eyes, taking a moment to summon her strength before she opened them once again.
“Elladan,” she said calmly, carefully spacing out her words so they could not be misunderstood, “why did Haldir and his brothers make you mad, and please do not tell me because.”
Her son was silent as she waited patiently for his answer.
“Because you and Elrohir like them better than me,” a near silent voice muttered after a time.
“What?” Celebrian said, leaning forward and straining her ear, positive she’d misheard her child. “Did you say that your brother and I like them better than you?” she asked, almost shaking her head at how ridiculous such a thought was. Slowly Elladan nodded his head, not looking up from the pillow. “Elladan, that’s preposterous!”
She wrapped her arms around her son and wrestled him into her lap. He struggled a little, but it was easy to tell the resistance was only for show. Even now he still loved to be held in his mother’s arms. “Why would you think such a thing?” she asked as he dropped the pillow and latched onto her arm, hiding his face against her shoulder and refusing to look up at her. Gently she stroked his hair and hummed soothing melodies as she rocked slowly and waited for an answer.
“Because you do,” he answered, sniffling into her shoulder and Celebrian momentarily wondered if she had been so difficult as a child. She imagined she must have been.
“Oh, don’t cry sweet one,” she said, rubbing circles on his back as she felt the tears soaking through the fabric of her gown. She hated when her children cried. It felt as if her heart would break when they did. “I love you so much, Elladan. You’re one of my favorite elves in all of Middle-earth. And Elrohir adores you too; you know that my little one. What would ever make you think different?” she pried, hoping a different question might work.
“You were so happy when you saw Haldir and Orophin and… the other one,” he mumbled. “Rumil,” she filled in automatically, wincing as she realized it wasn’t the smartest thing to do. Her son sobbed a little harder for a moment as she apologized, bouncing him gently on her lap. “Yes, I was happy to see them,” she agreed, when the fit of tears had subsided. “I hadn’t seen them in a very long time and we were all quite close when they were young. That upset you?”
He sniffed a little, rubbing his nose over the lacy fabric. “You saw them and ignored me because you like them better,” he choked, hugging her arm tighter as if she would disappear should he let go. Celebrian furrowed her brow and wishing she had not shooed her son away when she was speaking with Haldir earlier. But usually he was more understanding. “And then Elrohir didn’t really want to play with me and… and…” he continued as she felt him tense like he would begin cry again, “and… I’m afraid you’re going to want and stay here because you like everyone better and Elrohir wants to play with those three brothers instead of me so he’ll stay here too and father and I are going to be sad and lonely back in Imladris because Erestor will stay here too because he likes Elrohir more... and… and…” his voice faltered and he began to sob once more.
“Oh, dear heart, that’s not going to happen,” she attempted to assure him as she rubbed his back and rocked. He wasn’t listening, and as much as it hurt, she had to wait until he cried himself out. “Oh, my sweet little Elladan,” she mumbled, rocking back and forth on the bed as her son wailed, “how do these thoughts get in your head?”
This wasn’t the first time Elladan had become distraught over some paranoid idea. A year ago when Elrond had gone to the Grey Havens to discuss the portioning out of Gil-galad’s realm, he had been late in returning. It was only a day, but Elladan had been sure something was wrong, that his father was hurt. He’d cried, begging someone to go out and find his father, refusing to listen as everyone tried to tell him it was just a day and there was no need to worry. But he refused to be consoled. Of course, being twins Elrohir gradually became worried as well, curling in the corner and crying a bit about how his father was hurt and never coming back. Celebrian had only managed to calm her sons by asking Glorfindel to go out in search of Elrond, to ensure that he was safe and well. Elladan had relaxed after he saw the elven lord leave, and nearly knocked his father over with joy when he at last returned.
Again the tears subsided into heavy breathing. “Feeling a little better?” she asked, squeezing him tightly as he nodded against her shoulder. “Good. Now, listen to me. Yes, I do like Haldir, Rumil, and Orophin very much, and I adore the Golden Woods. But!” she said, stopping him off before he could begin to bawl again. “But that does not mean I love you or your brother or your father any less. I did not mean to ignore you, I was just happy to see my friends and wished to hear of this Aurelin maiden. Imagine if you had not seen Glorfindel or Nenwen or Erestor in many years, wouldn’t you be overjoyed to see them and wish to hear about the new friends they had met?”
“I guess so,” he admitted grudgingly.
“I am very happy to be here in Lorien and see my parents and the others, but that does not mean I have suddenly forgot your father. When spring comes we will travel back to Imladris, to what I am certain will be a glorious homecoming,” she said, holding him tight and still rocking slightly. “And you know I do love a celebration. About as much as I love my children.”
She could feel Elladan smile against her shoulder. “Lindir will sing songs when we get back, won’t he?” he asked quietly. “I like when Lindir sings.”
“As do I. Another reason I simply must return to Imladris, though I want you to hear the songs of Lorien while you’re here. They are lovely as well,” she smiled, rubbing her cheek against the top of her son’s head. “Do you still believe I don’t love you?”
“I know you love me, mother,” he answered, hugging her arm tight again. “I just get scared. You’re so special and neat and… I want you to like me best.”
“Oh, darling, you will always be my little Elladan, even when you’re a grown elf,” she replied as he finally looked up and gave her a smile. She stroked her finger over his cheek brushing away the tracks of tears. “Are you feeling better now, my son?”
“Yes,” he said, twisting his hands nervously in the sleeve of her dress as he looked away, “but I still think Elrohir might like Haldir and his brother’s more than me.”
Celebrian laughed. “Was I the only one who heard how your twin spoke of you to the Lord and Lady?” she asked. “Elrohir virtually worships you and has no qualms about telling your great deeds to anyone willing to listen. Are you telling me you truly believe your twin would choose another living creature over you?”
“I guess not,” he admitted, looking shyly at the floor of the talan. “But…”
“I think Elrohir simply wishes to play with someone new,” Celebrian cut in before her son could give into self-doubt once more. “If I recall, when we were walking the stairs he wanted you to come play with Haldir and them as well. And who did he hold to when he was nervous about meeting your grandparents? Was it Haldir or Rumil or Orophin?”
“It was me,” he answered with a timid smile. “I know Elrohir likes me best. ‘Cause I like him best. Though I like you a lot too, mother!” He said, giving her a desperate look to try.
“Good.” She smiled. “Now, will you be kinder to my friends?” she questioned her son. It was probably too much to ask that he like the three brothers, Elladan was strangely set in his ways, even at such a young age. But perhaps he would act more becoming towards them.
“I know they’re not trying to steal you or Elrohir away so I don’t have a reason to be mean to them,” he mumbled, though Celebrian felt as if she were dragging it out of him. “I will not be rude to them any more.” His face contorted for a second as he looked up at her. “Do I have to apologize to them?”
“What do you think?” she asked raising an eyebrow.
“Yes,” he grumbled.
“I was going to say no, but if you feel that you should, I will hold you to that,” the Lady of Imladris smiled as her son looked up and let out a surprised squeak. “Ah, ah,” she said with a shake of her head before he could try and take back his omission. “You feel you need to apologize and so you will.”
He sighed and rested his head against her chest, defeated. Celebrian laughed again, gathering him up tightly in her arms as she fell back on the bed and he cuddled close to her warmth. “You are a good child, Elladan,” she whispered, toying with his hair, “never let anyone tell you different.” He nodded as she ruffled the dark locks. “But, now that we have that settled, what do you think of your grandparents?”
“They’re not as scary as Glorfindel made them sound,” he said in a cheerful tone as Celebrian promised to have a talk with Elrond’s seneschal when she returned home. “The Lady was really nice to me and she didn’t say that Elrohir and I look the same, and she was actually talking to me. She said she would tell me and Elrohir a story too.” She briefly wondered if her mother actually intended to tell the children a story or one of her visions cloaked in the guise of a harmless tale. That worried her. “And I really didn’t get to talk to Grandfather, but I was watching and he was nice to Elrohir. I think I like him lots though.”
Celebrian smiled as he shifted out of her arms and knelt next to her on the bed, staring down at her with curious, eager eyes. She was glad the redness was almost gone from those beautiful gray eyes and the tracks of tears were fading away. It hurt her when she saw her children so distressed.
“Mother, were you really a troublemaker like I am?” Elladan asked hopefully, as Celebrian coughed and wondered how to evade the question. Fortunately for her a reprieve came just in time.
“You have to come see the library, Elladan!” Elrohir said as he bound onto the talan and jumped onto the bed with his mother and brother, immediately latching onto his twins arm and babbling excitedly. “It’s even bigger than father’s library. There are books everywhere, and Erestor showed me a scroll that had survived from the first age! It was so neat! You have to come see it!”
“Not tonight I should hope,” Celebrian said, pulling Elrohir down and hugging him. He giggled and flailed a bit in her arms as she pressed a kiss to his forehead before letting him go. “And here I thought you were tired.”
He yawned, trying to stifle the sound behind his hands as he did so. “I am,” he admitted, “I guess we could go some other time; but the library was so wonderful! I want to explore all of it before we go back home.”
“You’ll have time to share it with your brother and investigate it to your little heart’s content,” Celebrian assured him as Elladan latched onto his brother, resting his head on his twin’s shoulder. “We do have the entire winter if you remember.”
“Oh! Elladan,” Elrohir said as a sudden thought struck him and he looked at his brother who raised his head questioningly. “I saw Haldir in the hall and he was telling me about the training grounds and I said you like that kind of thing, and he offered to show us the grounds tomorrow before the celebration, and I said that sounded nice.” He got a sheepish look. “Is that alright?”
Elladan gave his mother a panicked glance, but she merely raised and eyebrow and waited to see what his response would be. He looked back at Elrohir who was slowly hunching his shoulders in worry that he’d offended his twin. “That’s good, Elrohir,” Elladan finally said, hugging his brother. “You know I like the training grounds, it’ll just be strange not having Glorfindel around.” Elrohir smiled again and hugged his brother back, letting out a relieved sigh, glad his brother wasn’t mad at him.
“I’m sure Haldir and the others training there will be glad to answer all your questions,” Celebrian assured them as her sons lay down and curled up beside her. She considered telling them there was a talan that had been prepared specifically for them. Instead she pulled the covers over her children, already half asleep from exhaustion, and cuddled next to them. Her arm draped over them as she remembered how they would come to her when they were frightened, and together they would all sneak into Elrond’s private chambers, stealing away into his bed. Not that the elven lord ever seemed to be bothered by his family’s intrusion. She smiled at the memory as she began to drift to sleep herself.
She would tell them about their personal talan in the morning. Maybe.
TBC...
Chapter 9 - Lothlorien - Part 3
::Lothlorien - Part 3::
Celebrian leaned over the railing and watched her sons play on the talan below with a tight smile on her face. In her youth she had never understood why parents always seemed so anxious when their children where playing about. But now that she watched her own sons running around, giggling, and tripping oh-so close to the edges of the high talan, she finally comprehended the cold fear that ran through a mother’s veins.
Of course, Orophin was playing with them, some game where he ran and her sons were supposed to catch him. And Rumil was close, though writing his poetry once again. The twins were quite safe with her friends, and she couldn’t help but worry.
“They are quite active, aren’t they,” a voice said from behind, and Celebrian turned with a smile as her father approached. “Something they inherited from their mother, no doubt.”
“As much as I loathe to admit it, ‘tis not from their father.” Turning back to lean on the railing she winced as her two children tripped and piled on Orophin with too loud hoots and hollers. “Though I do blame their volume solely on Glorfindel.”
Celeborn let out a light chuckle as he joined her in leaning upon the railing, watching as Orophin calmed the twins long enough to whisper something in their ears. From the glances they cast in Rumil’s direction it wasn’t hard to guess who their next target would be. “Yes, most definitely your playfulness,” Celeborn nodded as the two elflings lunged at the unaware Rumil, nearly sending them all tumbling down the stairs, as Orophin laughed.
“I maintain that I was never that dreadful,” Celebrian said stubbornly, smiling at her father as he gave her a knowing look. “But perhaps that is because there were never two of me,” she conceded with a small laugh. “I am so delighted to see you again, Father. I have missed you and the talks we once had while I have been in Imladris.”
“As have I,” he nodded, taking her hand and patting it gently. “The songs of Caras Galadhon never ring as true when you are gone, as if the most important note has been cut from the music. But tell me, how are things in Imladris, my dear child?”
“Well as they would be in any elven refuge,” she answered with an undignified shrug that made her wince in momentary embarrassment. “Elves still appear requesting shelter and sanctuary from time to time, but everyone is lively and kind and welcomes them freely. I’ve made many friends and acquaintances, especially among Elrond’s advisors. And there is this one fellow named Lindir that occupies the Hall of Fire and sings the most lovely lays that I have ever heard. I have become quite fond of him. When Elrond is not available Lindir often accompanies me on my walks and we talk of childhood memories and of our favorite tales.”
“It seems you have come to be quite comfortable in Imladris,” Celeborn said, a smile on his face but a slight echo of regret in his tone. “Though, I will admit, I had secretly hoped you would never love a place more than Lorien.” She opened her mouth to speak, but he held up a hand to stop her. “Do not try to rescind what you have said. I am glad you are happy in your new home, and I do know that Lorien, Caras Galadhon, your mother, and I shall always have a special place in your heart; but now is the time for you, your family, and the future.” He gave a look at the twins wrestling with an uncooperative Orophin as Rumil grinned, apparently getting his revenge for earlier. Celeborn chuckled and looked back to his daughter. “Now, tell me how your husband fares. You have said little of him since you arrived and I begin to fear something is amiss.”
“Oh, no, of course not,” Celebrian said, shaking her head slightly in denial. “We are happy. He is as kind and gentle to me as he has always been, and a good father to our sons.” She let out a slight sigh as her father silently prompted her to continue. “I worry for him at times. There are moments when he seems ancient… no, old and worn; as if the weight of all things rest upon him. But then he will smile, and again he is young.” She smiled fondly as she stared off, imagining the way Elrond looked when he smiled a moment. “But, he is well. He wished to travel with us, but his duties would not allow it.”
“That is unfortunate,” her father nodded understandingly. “Then all is well between the two of you?”
“Of course,” she said, her voice faltering slightly. “We are a good match.”
“I sense some hesitation,” Celeborn said, raising an eyebrow.
“‘Tis nothing,” she sighed, resting her head on her father’s shoulder. “It is just…” she trailed off, unsure if she should continue. She did not wish to worry her father over what she considered a trivial matter, but she also wished to hear his counsel on the subject.
“You said you missed our talks,” he reminded her. Galadriel may have been able to read the hearts and minds of elves, but Celeborn read expressions and tones of voice easily well. “Come, you have always been able to confide in me.”
Celebrian twined her fingers in the folds of her skirt and watched her children play a moment before she spoke. “There are times when I feel Elrond does not tell me things for fear of how I will react to them. And I, for my part, fear how I would react to them as well. Yet, I wish to understand the haunted pain I see in his eyes so often. It pains me every time I see the hurt flitter through his stormy eyes.”
For a moment Celeborn said nothing. “Are you certain you wish to know his hidden pain,” at last he asked, his voice void of emotional judgment.
“Yes,” Celebrian said with a conviction that surprised even her. “I am his wife. Though it may not be my right to know… how else will we ever be bonded as elves should?” she asked, turning her head to look in her father’s eyes.
“Have you spoken to Elrond about this?” he asked, meeting her eyes and not flinching away.
“Well, no…”
He smiled slightly. “Mayhap, my child, that is where you should begin this venture. If you are truly certain you wish to do so. Remember how you felt about him before you met, your distaste for his mortal blood. You must be ready to deal with all that he says, no matter how strange you find the things he will speak of. His life and past have been different from yours in a great many ways.” He paused a moment. “You must come to accept that there are things he has loved, even if you do not understand.”
Celebrian stared at her father in confusion as he smiled. “You are an intelligent elf, Celebrian. You will know what to do when the time comes. You always have. Now, come, while you are thinking on my words, let us rescue Orophin and Rumil from your children.”
---
Celebrian sighed as she mended Elrohir’s tunic, ripped after a small tumble from a willow tree, all the while frowning at the work she was doing. One of her mother’s maidens had offered to sew it for her, but she had stubbornly refused in an attempt to prove she was no longer the Lord and Lady’s spoiled only child. Of course, once they saw her pitiful attempts at being a seamstress it would be quite obvious that being the Lady of Imladris hadn’t changed her that much.
With a breath of annoyance she set the tunic aside and stood, stretching the stiffness from her limbs. The twins had gone off to walk with Celeborn, who gladly welcomed their company on his daily sojourn through the gardens. After only a couple weeks of being in Lorien her sons had already become quite fond of her father, as well as her mother. But there was a touch of wariness around the Lady of the Galadhrim. Not that she blamed them, even she was a little bit anxious around her all-seeing mother.
Gracefully walking across the room she shook her head at the books that were strewn across the floor. Her children had gone to their own talan a number of days ago, but still preferred to spend the majority of their time in hers. Bending down to pick up the books she smiled ruefully, sooner or later Elrohir was going to have brought the entirety of Lorien’s library to her talan.
Setting the books on a side table she came to Elladan’s little corner and began to pick up the discarded arrow makings and the bow one of the marchwardens had lent her son. When he came back she would have to talk to him about taking better care of a bow, even if he was more inclined to use a sword. Carefully she unstrung the bow and placed it next to a row of shelves before turning and nearly crying out in surprise as she came face to face with a pale apparition of elven beauty.
“Mother!” she said, pressing a hand to her chest, feeling the rapid beat of her heart as she caught her breath and attempted to reclaim her dignity. “I did not hear you approach.”
Galadriel smiled gently and chuckled slightly, a light sound that seemed to echo in Celebrian’s mind. “My apologizes,” she said, holding out her hand until her daughter took it. “It was never my intent to frighten you.”
“I would not have thought so; however, you succeeded quite marvelously,” Celebrian said, her heart beginning to beat at its normal pace as her mother led across the room to sit on the bed. She watched as the Lady of Lorien picked up the poorly sewn tunic and arched an eyebrow before folding it into her lap. “I’m working on mending that,” she blushed as her mother laughed.
“I can see that, my darling child,” Galadriel replied in a musical voice, “and you’ve done a fine job for someone who has never had formal training. But won’t you let my maidens do this for you? It is tasks like this that they have been trained for.”
Celebrian frowned, looking at the floor as she kicked her feet slightly. At least she could figure out where her children had picked up that habit. “I wanted to prove that I had grown in my time away from Lorien,” she admitted in a mumble. “I don’t have any maidens as the Lady of Imladris and I wished to show that I had grown.”
“But surely there are tailors and seamstresses to help you with such things. I cannot imagine Elrond would leave you to sew and mend your own clothes,” her mother said, and Celebrian wondered where she had picked up her fidgeting from. She couldn’t imagine her mother ever making a movement that wasn’t perfectly choreographed, nor her father for that matter. Perhaps when they were younger, but she doubted it.
“Of course,” she finally nodded, wanting to say more before her mother cut her off with a slight twitch of her head.
“There is no need to prove yourself to any here, Celebrian,” the Lady said. “There never has been. All that is ever asked of an elf is that they be true to themselves. Your talents have always been somewhat apart from that of the average maiden.” She held up the tunic again and Celebrian winced as one of the stitches fell apart. “You have always been better at stringing a bow than sewing, true?”
“Clearly,” Celebrian grimaced.
For a moment they sat in silence, Celebrian unsure of what else to say as Galadriel looked at her with starlit eyes. “No doubt you question why I am here,” her mother finally said, once again folding the tunic and setting it aside. “Twas not to mock your attempts at mending, to be certain.”
Celebrian actually smiled at that. “I would not have thought so, mother,” she said. “We’ve had little chance to speak since I arrived, other than the celebration you threw. Which I do not believe I have properly thank you for,” she mused. “It truly was lovely and both the twins enjoyed it immensely, especially Elladan once he overcame a bit of shyness.”
“Yes, they are lovely children,” Galadriel said with a distant smile. “They will become strong, honorable, kind elves one day. Though I fear there will be much heartache and grief for them in days to come. The ladies they love will be taken from them one after the other, and there will be little they can do to prevent it.” Her face darkened slightly and Celebrian felt a shiver of fear. Usually her mother was far more cryptic with her fortunes.
“Is there anything I can do for them?” she asked, momentarily toying with the thought of chasing away any maiden that caught her sons’ eyes; but it would be unfair to deny them loves, even if it was destined to be fleeting.
“Love them well, my daughter, and do what you have to do,” the Lady of the Galadhrim said softly, her face brightening again as she looked toward her child. “But this news is not the reason I have come today. In fact, I had not thought to speak such chilling words to you so soon after your arrival. My visit is for a far more pleasant cause.”
Celebrian cocked an eyebrow as her mother held out a beautiful broach. She gasped as she saw the green stone, Elessar, the Elfstone. “I had thought to give it to you on your wedding day, but the proper moment never seemed to present itself. I give it to you now, to do with as you please, be it kept in your personal collection or gifted to another.”
“Oh, mother,” Celebrian said as she gingerly took the broach from her mother’s hand. “It is beautiful. I shall treasure it.” Her fingers stroked over the smooth stone and the wondrous craftsmanship, but as she touched it a strange feeling of melancholy overcame her.
Celebrian’s brow furrowed as she looked at the broach. “I… I feel as though…” she trailed off for a moment. “It is as though this will someday be gifted to one that will bring me much pain and joy.” Her eyes became momentarily distant. “A thief that will take something I adore, yet will cherish and love it better than I ever could.” She shook her head and blinked, shunning the strange feelings and visions. “Though I do not know why I feel that.”
Galadriel raised a hand and stroked back a strand of her daughter’s hair, tucking it behind a pointed ear. “You are my child,” she answered, and no matter what Celebrian asked, she would say no more of the Elfstone.
TBC...
Chapter 10 - Lothlorien - Part 4
Author's Notes: So sorry I haven't updated in forever - lots of RL troubles. If anyone is still reading, I'm going to try to start updating once a month from now on, if not more frequently. :)
::Lothlorien - Part 4::
“And where, precisely, did they manage to find the frogs?” Celebrian fumed in exasperation, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at Haldir as he tried, and failed, to feign innocence. “Well?” she pressed, tapping her foot and trying not to turn her attention toward the sound of slopping water behind her. There would be time to deal with that in a moment.
“From the pond on the east side of the city I would imagine,” Haldir answered after a moment of consideration, a slight smirk on his face that was just too pleased for him to be blameless in the incident. “They were quite well received by those in Eliria’s garden.”
“So I heard,” was Celebrian’s icy reply. Eliria was rarely silent when bothered, especially when it came to the care of her painstakingly cultivated garden.
Haldir beamed at Celebrian affectionately, stifling a laugh as a loud splash and a series of giggles sounded behind her, water soaking the hem of her pale dress. “Oh, out with you while I clean up this mess,” she sighed in annoyance, pointing to the hole that led from the talan. With a grin Haldir bowed and quickly made his escape as Celebrian turned to deal with the mess-making goblins behind her.
“Elrohir! Do not splash your brother. You are getting water all over the floor,” she groused, looking over at the bathtub she had dunked her mud-encrusted sons in.
Elrohir obediently stopped his flailing, looking at her with a questioning gaze. Unfortunately she had not extended her no splashing order to his twin. Elladan cupped his hands and flung his arms forward, sending a wave right into Elrohir’s face.
“Elladan!” Celebrian squealed in dismay as she knelt down in the rapidly growing puddle beside the tub. Elrohir coughed and blinked, trying to rub the water out of his eyes as Celebrian gently patted his back. “And to think I put the two of you in here to keep you from making a mess.”
Elladan grinned at her adoringly and Elrohir laughed a bit when he was able to stop coughing. With a slight growl she reached forward and plunged both their heads underwater for a split second. “Mother!” Elladan yelled when they came up again, before exchanging a glance with his twin. They grinned at one another and seconds later Celebrian found herself utterly soaked.
“Oh, stop that,” she sighed as her anger began to abate. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Elrohir’s head and ruffled Elladan’s sopping hair. “The two of you truly are chaos makers. Now,” she pursed her lips, trying not to show them she was even the least be amused by what they had done. “Where did you get those frogs? And how in the name of the Valar did you get so many up to the garden?”
“Haldir showed us this neat pond where the frogs live,” Elrohir said as he tried to splash his brother, but Celebrian grabbed his hand and put a stop to that, “and he also let us use some buckets.”
Celebrian let out a disgruntled sound that made both children raise an eyebrow while she plotted her revenge on a certain arrogant elf. Something involving his bowstring, his ankles, and the many stairs about Lorien perhaps. “Did he suggest you take them to the garden as well?”
“No,” Elladan said, shaking his head as Elrohir pulled his hands away from his mother and dumped a handful of water over Elladan’s head.
“Orophin did,” Elrohir tattled as his twin squeaked and tried to splash him back. “Rumil said we shouldn’t. But Orophin said it was a really good idea. He thought the frogs would like the garden.”
“Of course he did. He was always the intelligent one,” she said with a shake of her head as she began washing the mud out of Elrohir’s hair. He waited patiently as she scrubbed and rinsed his dark locks, gently dunking his head underwater, before moving on to Elladan.
Her elder son, of course, tried to give her a fight, but gave up almost immediately when she frowned at him. Scrubbing at his dark hair she sighed. It should have been obvious it had been a group effort. Some things did not change with the passage of time, and the way the three brothers acted was one of them. “It’s the snakes all over again,” she muttered to herself as she rinsed Elladan’s hair.
“How come the ladies in the garden didn’t like the frogs?” Elrohir asked innocently as she ran her fingers through Elladan’s hair to make certain it was clean. “I thought they were nice.”
Celebrian opened her mouth to reply, then closed it again as she thought better of her answer. There was a good reason frogs, or wildlife of any kind, were not allowed in Eliria’s garden. Foremost because the elven woman did not like them there, as they had a tendency to disrupt the plant life she worked so hard to grow.
Most of the plant life in that particular garden were not native to Lorien or even the area surrounding the Golden Wood, and it took a controlled effort on Eliria’s part to make certain they flourished. The slightest mis-watering or bump could completely ruin all her work, and had done so before.
Celebrian winced and hoped the frogs hadn’t done any permanent damage. She would have to speak with Eliria after her sons were clean and, hopefully, ensconced in something far away from frogs and the gardens of uptight elves. On the lighter side, she mused, the winter was near over and this was the first major disaster her sons had been involved in.
Elrohir was still looking up at her for an answer, and Elladan seemed curious as well. She pursed her lips and tried to think of a way to respond to them without making them feel bad about possible damage to the garden. “Because,” she began slowly, examining Elladan’s hair again. “Frogs belong in their ponds. It is not wet enough for them in the garden. And Eliria is afraid they might disturb some of the plants if they knocked over a pot or some such thing.”
The answer seemed to sate Elrohir’s curiosity and for that she was thankful. Elladan raised a curious eyebrow however, but said nothing. “You will need to apologize to Eliria later,” she continued, rising from the side of the tub as she looked around for something to dry her children with. “I imagine she is quite distraught.”
Elrohir became guilty at once, staring down at his water-wrinkled hands, and Elladan quickly leapt to defend their actions. “We only thought the frogs would like to see the garden. Honest,” he said, giving his mother a desperate look, even as he took hold of Elrohir’s hand.
“I know,” Celebrian said with a gentle smile as she found the towels. “You meant no harm and I am certain those in the garden know that. But Eliria does not like creatures in her garden. Apologizing is the right thing to do.”
“We’ll apologize,” Elrohir said meekly and after a moment Elladan nodded in grim agreement.
“Do not fret so,” Celebrian said, lifting Elladan out of the bathtub and hugging him into a towel before setting him on the bed and doing the same to Elrohir. “Oh, my little ones,” she sighed lovingly as she sat between them, realizing she should have taken a towel for herself. Her gown was completely soaked and now so was the end of her bed. “Take comfort. You will not be the only ones apologizing.”
“Does Haldir have to apologize?” Elladan asked hopefully, despite having spent a good deal of time amiably with the elder elf, and even covertly coming to like him, the earlier animosity was not completely gone.
“Yes,” Celebrian nodded, “and Orophin and Rumil as well.”
“But Rumil told us not to do it,” Elrohir protested and even Elladan nodded in agreement.
“He did not stop you either,” Celebrian pointed out. “Nor did he warn the elves in the garden or come to me. Trust me. Rumil will understand why he must apologize.” The twins exchanged uncertain glances, but did not argue the point with their mother.
“In any case, what were you doing finding frogs?” she asked as they curled up with their heads in her lap, the expedition clearly having worn them out. “You were supposed to be with Lord Celeborn today, were you not?”
“We were,” Elladan nodded sleepily at her side. “He finally sang us the songs he promised. He has a nice voice.”
“He sings as well as Lindir,” Elrohir put in excitedly, trying to impress upon her just how beautiful her father’s voice was. Celebrian smiled, pulling strands of hair out of the gray eyes as her son continued. “But then he had to attend something important…” he said as Elladan cut in and mimicked the haughty tone of what Celebrian assumed was one of her father’s councilors, “an important matter from Greenwood,” he said before laughing. Elrohir giggled and finished the story, “and so we went off with Haldir.”
“Ah, so this is my father’s fault,” Celebrian said with a nod of her head. Elladan had already dozed off and Elrohir was snuggling close. “Oh, my little ones, you are such a handful. Few can make trouble like you and I adore you for it.” She let out a slight sigh as she rolled her eyes.
“Though I do not relish the thought of speaking with Eliria.”
---
By the time Celebrian settled the twins into her bed and called for Erestor to watch over them, should they wake and feel the need for more mischief, she was certain Eliria had called her father to the garden. Rushing down the stairs she recalled the last time Eliria’s garden had been tainted. When a certain three brothers had done a similar thing and she had been forced to stand up for them in the face of the uptight elven woman.
Reaching the ground Celebrian flitted across the grass gracefully, pausing only at the strange sight of one of her guards hauling water. “Galmir?” she called in surprise as the friendly dark-haired elf looked up, setting down his pails and bowing. “What are you doing?”
“Carrying water, my Lady. I believe the Lady of the garden wishes to flush the soil,” he answered simply, casting a wary look toward the garden as if he expected some creature to come out snapping.
“That is not exactly what I meant,” Celebrian said with a furrowed brow. “Why are you helping? I was unaware you had any talent in gardening.”
“And I assure you I do not, my Lady,” Galmir said with a laugh. “Truth be told. I am not entirely certain why we are helping,” he cast a glance back toward another of her guards, slowly making his way up the path with an empty bucket. “Vorgnor and I were passing the garden when a Lady came out and requested…”
“Demanded,” Vorgnor corrected as he came to stand beside his comrade, bowing respectfully to Celebrian.
“Demanded then,” Galmir amended with a shrug, “that we help her in getting the frogs out of the garden.”
“It is good of you to help her,” Celebrian said, wishing her sons had picked any other elf to cross. It was not that Eliria was mean spirited; in fact she was a gentle spirit in most instances. But she simply spent too much time alone with her plants, to the point her ability to deal with other elves was severely lacking.
“I was not under the impression we had a choice,” Vorgnor said with a resigned sigh. “She mentioned something about the little Lords. Might I ask if they were the cause of this?”
“Not entirely of their own planning, but yes,” Celebrian sighed. Galmir smirked at the admission, while Vorgnor just shook his head. “Now, if you will excuse me, my friends, I must go and speak with Eliria.”
“I do not envy you,” Vorgnor said as Galmir picked up the pails of water and continued on his way. “Last I saw she was in the lower level speaking with the Lord of Lorien.”
“My thanks,” the Lady of Imladris replied with a bob of her head as she turned and entered the labyrinth-like hedges of the garden and hoped not to become lost. However, despite the many turns, it was easy to find the enclave she sought by the sound of Eliria’s voice.
Celebrian grimaced as she found her way into the large, round clearing where Eliria and Celeborn stood. She frowned at the indignant sound of the elven woman’s voice and offered her father an apologetic look. He nodded to acknowledge her presence and Eliria stopped her tirade, whirling on her heels and pinning Celebrian with a disapproving stare.
“You do realize this is the water snake incident all over again,” she said simply.
“My sons did not intend to harm your plants with their frogs any more than Haldir and his brothers did with their snakes. They only thought the creatures would like your garden as much as they do,” Celebrian said diplomatically, holding up her hands in surrender. “You must believe that.”
“I do believe your sons meant no harm, my Lady,” Eliria said as her expression softened somewhat, “but I also know that Haldir, Orophin and Rumil played a part in this. They should know better.”
“Can you not over look it just this once?” Celebrian asked hopefully.
“I am not the only one that has been wronged here, my Lord,” Eliria beseeched, turning her attention back to Celeborn. “There was a gathering of maidens drawing flowers and foliage. The sudden onslaught of creatures frightened them. Aurelin’s drawing was completely ruined and her folio scattered. She is still searching for the missing pages.”
At the sound of Aurelin’s name Celebrian felt a familiar sinking sensation and swore to string Haldir and Orophin up by their toes if her notion was correct. She pushed the thought aside momentarily as she attempted to placate Eliria. “The involved parties will apologize,” she promised. “Even if it was a good faith error on my sons part, they will apologize for the grief they caused.”
“I do not care for the frequency in which this happens,” Eliria sighed, even as her anger seemed to subside. “Next it will be squirrels running amok.” She sustained her gaze toward Celeborn as she waited for his dictate on the matter.
“As there was no intended malice, and I have yet to see a single plant wilting,” Celeborn said after a moment of thought, “I believe an apology and aid in cleaning will be enough. Do you agree, Eliria?”
The elf pursed her lips. “If any complications arise with the health of my garden will you assign a certain three brothers to help me fix them?”
“I believe that is fair,” Celeborn nodded.
Eliria turned to face Celebrian again. “They, your sons and the brothers, will apologize to everyone. Not just myself, correct?” she asked.
“Of course,” Celebrian agreed with a sigh of relief. It was rare that Eliria was so amendable in anything concerning her beloved garden. There was something afoot, but she dared not ask, lest the elven gardener become irate again. She gave Eliria a slight smile and the woman smiled gently back, though she refused to meet Celebrian’s eyes.
“Then I am satisfied,” she relented.
---
Celebrian crossed her arms as she marched the five elves toward the garden. Her sons walking as if they were being sent up the slope of Orodruin itself, and Rumil not looking much better. Haldir and Orophin, however, seemed fairly pleased with themselves and she was slowly developing better idea of why.
“What in Elbereth’s name are the two of your smirking about?” Celebrian whispered as they began to navigate the hedged maze in search of Eliria.
“Why do you always assume there is some mischief in us?” Haldir asked with a charming grin as Celebrian shook her head and looked hopefully to Orophin who just shrugged and murmured, “you’ll see, my Lady.”
“That is what I am fearful of, my friends,” Celebrian frowned, leaning away as they cleared the maze and for the second time she arrived at the first level enclave. Celeborn had left to attend to other matters, leaving only Eliria to greet them. She stood waiting with her arms akimbo – the imposing form of a self-possessed elf, her silver hair drawn back into a golden clasp, and her mouth set in a grim frown as she waited. Celebrian felt herself shiver slightly, glad it was not she that had to face Eliria.
The sextet walked toward the gardener and Celebrian dropped away, giving Haldir a shove when he tried to wait beside her. Finally they came to a stop a mere arms length away.
“Welcome to my garden,” she said coolly. “I believe you have all been here before.”
“Many times, Lady Eliria, it is quiet lovely here,” Orophin said with a bow and the elven woman glared at him as if an orc had invaded her precious realm. “And I fear we shall grace your presence many times in the future as well.”
“A fear I share,” she responded, little inflection in her voice as she looked down her nose at the twins. Elrohir physically winced away from her gaze, but Elladan held his ground and met her eyes. Though Celebrian could see that he clutched his brother’s hand tight, and all his weight was on his left leg, as if he meant to run should things prove ill. “And do the two of you, my young Lords of Imladris, find my garden lovely as well?”
“Yes,” Elrohir squeaked.
“We’re sorry, Lady Eliria,” Elladan said, pulling his frightened twin to stand a little closer. Celebrian let out a thankful sigh. She had begun to fear she would have to prod the apology out of her sons; as it was Elrohir who usually apologized and he was clearly terrified of the gardener.
The elder twin continued. “We truly didn’t mean any harm by bringing the frogs here. Neither Elrohir nor I wanted to upset you or the other elves. We’ll make sure to get all the frogs back to the pond and apologize to the others. Really.”
Celebrian raised an eyebrow as she sat on one of the marble benches. Elladan had not shifted the blame to any of the brothers, which surprised her. As they had been involved it would have been easy to do and she could not have been upset with him for it. She smiled a bit. Her son was growing up.
“My brothers and I meant no harm nor offense either. Though much of it was mine and Orophin’s idea,” Haldir said with a charming grin that Eliria clearly did not trust, “and will assist in the clean-up as we did last time, while Rumil makes rounds to apologize to those elves the creatures disturbed.” Rumil jerked and gave his brother a horrified look, but, under the scrutiny of Eliria, said nothing.
“Yes, you will aid in the cleaning effort,” Eliria said, turning her gaze back down upon the twins and noticing their confused looks as she ignored the three brothers behind them. “Did they tell you of their escapade with the water snakes?”
“No,” Elladan said, glancing at Elrohir who shook his head.
“Well then, once all the frogs are accounted for, would you like to hear the tale?” she asked, raising her gaze to the three brothers, “while the three of your finish cleaning, of course.”
“Of course,” Orophin nodded while Rumil winced uncomfortably.
Elladan looked over at Elrohir, who nodded, before looking back up at the imposing elven woman. “We would like to hear the story.”
Eliria smiled a bit and nodded. “So it shall be. But now, tell me, how many frogs were there little ones?” she asked, kneeling down to their level. “I believe the elves that came with you from Imladris have managed to find nineteen thus far.”
For a long moment neither twin said anything as they looked at one another, cocking their heads in thought before answering. “Thirteen in one bucket,” Elrohir said softly as Elladan added, “and nine in the other.”
“Twenty-two altogether then,” Eliria mused as she rose to her feet again, “that leaves three more.”
“Make that two, my Lady gardener,” Galmir’s voice said as he rounded a hedge and proudly held up a bucket. “And I believe Vorgnor saw another hiding amongst the tiger-lilies.”
“Oh! We’ll find it and the other one,” Elrohir volunteered, yanking on his twin’s arm. “And we’ll be back to hear the story,” Elladan called over his shoulder as they disappeared around into the hedge maze after Galmir.
Celebrian pursed her lips and wondered if she should follow, but decided to trust that two guards could keep her little terrors from causing more trouble. At least she hoped so. Her attention turned back to Eliria who, with the children gone, was giving Haldir a piece of her mind while Orophin ordered Rumil to begin apologizing.
When the defeated blond disappeared from sight Orophin came and sat beside her with a childish look on his face. “I know what it is you are doing and I cannot believe you are doing this to your poor brother,” she said as the future marchwarden rewarded her with a cheeky grin. “I ought to pin your ears to a tree for involving my sons in it.”
“I thought you told Haldir you would help us,” Orophin said innocently.
“I had assumed you would mention the plot to me beforehand rather than letting me puzzle it out,” Celebrian said, looking up as Eliria waved Haldir away in annoyance and set to working her garden once more, awaiting Elladan and Elrohir’s return for their story.
“What are you two still doing here?” Haldir said, cocking an eyebrow. “If we do not hurry the show will have begun without us.”
“Coming, my Lady of Imladris?” Orophin asked as he leapt from the bench and held a hand out to Celebrian. With a sigh she accepted it and was unceremoniously pulled into a swift jaunt through the hedges, Eliria’s voice echoing after them with orders not to run.
“How do you know where they will be?” Celebrian asked as she imagined how ridiculous she must look being whisked through the garden in such a way. She was glad no one in Imladris could see it. They were under the silly impression she was a proper lady. “I imagine there are many maidens that you have sent Rumil to apologize to,” she said as Orophin jerked her to one side and they nearly avoided a low branch.
“A season spent back in our midst and you still do not remember how crafty we can be,” Haldir laughed. “Aurelin only frequents one part of the garden, ‘twill not be hard to find her, and there are no other maidens… nay, elves within the garden. Other than ourselves, your sons, the guards and Eliria, of course. Orophin and I have already apologized to them, explained our intrigue, and gained their blessings.”
“Eliria did not appear to be blessing you moments ago,” Celebrian pointed out as they took a quick turn around a corner and her feet nearly slipped out from under her. Fortunately Haldir grabbed her shoulder to help her keep her balance as they continued on.
“Eliria must remain in the dark. She would ruin our carefully laid plans out of spite. Though, when she does learn, I imagine we will be thoroughly berated for using her garden as a meeting hall,” Haldir explained somewhat soberly.
“If this does not work I will pin your ears together for using my children in such a way. The two of you have the humor of orcs, manipulating elflings for your own means,” Celebrian chided, though there was no real anger behind the statement.
“Just a moment ago it was our ears to a tree, brother,” Orophin sniggered, releasing Celebrian’s hand as they slowed their gait. “She is lightening her punishments.”
Before Celebrian could manage a reply Haldir hushed them both and silently urged them to duck behind a bow shaped hedge. “There is Aruelin,” Haldir whispered as he peeked over the top of the shrubbery, Orophin and Celebrian peeping around the side.
For a brief moment it rankled her. A Lady of her quality crouching among the hedges, being hushed by juvenile marchwardens. Not even marchwardens, marchwardens in-training. But the momentary annoyance left her almost instantly when Rumil stumbled into the enclave, looking around with a blush as he caught sight of Aurelin and standing a bit straighter. Suddenly she didn’t mind Orophin and Haldir crowding her so closely or the dirt staining her dress.
“Aurelin,” Rumil said, shuffling his feet slightly in the grass.
“Rumil,” the maiden nodded, and Celebrian noticed the way she smoothed her dress and carefully closed her ever-present folio. “What may I do for you?”
“Ah, I have come to apologize for the earlier scare with the frogs,” he said, making a sweeping motion with his hand. “‘Twas the fault of my brother’s and I that Celebrian’s twin sons released the creatures in the garden and caused you so much trouble.”
“No trouble at all,” Aurelin said with a shake of her head, and Celebrian recognized the self-conscious way she smoothed her hair. “The drawing I was working on was not turning out as I had envisioned anyway,” she laughed nervously. “Just a matter of picking up the things that have been misplaced in the chaos. Eliria is the only one that seems truly upset.”
“She has a habit of that,” Rumil said with a slight smile as their eyes met. Celebrian grimaced as they both turned away and shifted nervously. This was becoming a bit painful to watch and she wondered if her own early days with Elrond had been so painful to observe. “I have yet to find anyone else within the garden other than those aiding the clean up and you,” Rumil finally managed to add.
“That is odd,” Aurelin frowned in thought. “Then again, few wish to cope with an irate Eliria. I only returned to make sure I found all the papers that had become scattered.” She nodded toward the folio sitting on the bleached bench. “There seem to be a few missing, but I cannot find them here.”
“I wonder why that is,” Haldir smirked as Celebrian felt a flutter of parchment against her cheek. She looked up to find what she assumed must be the missing parts of the folio. Frowning she fixed Haldir with a disapproving look. “They were flying around the garden. I did not steal them,” he said with a quiet laugh at her unspoken accusation.
“We just thought to put them to a better use than simply returning them,” Orophin whispered, nodding toward the two elves before them. They had gone silent and were looking at everything but one another. “This is becoming tedious to watch. Rumil never was any good with maidens, much to his own dismay. He needs a bit of help, wouldn’t you say?”
“I will concede that,” Celebrian sighed in agreement, watching as Rumil began to turn away and Aurelin continued to fiddle with the ties of her dress.
“Why can a brother of ours not be more forward with what he wants?” Haldir sighed, tossing the papers over the top of the bow-like thicket and into a fortunate gust of wind. “I am out of thoughts if this does not work.”
“Wha…” Aurelin turned her head as the pieces of parchment flittered around her, six pages in all, twisting in the air and to her horror and floating toward Rumil. She dove and snatched five from the air, but sixth wrapped around Rumil’s ankle before she had a chance. He leaned down and picked it up, turning it in his hand as Aurelin launched herself halfway toward him. “That’s mine,” she blurted, holding out her hand before she could stop herself. She let out a gasp of dismay, covering her mouth as she realized her mistake.
“One of my poems?” Rumil said in confusion as he looked at the script clearly written in his own hand. He turned the page around, examining it again and looking up at Aurelin. “Where did you get this?”
Aurelin brushed a stray bit of hair behind her pointed ear as she flushed a bright cherry color, turning from him and stuffing the other pages into her folio. “I found it in the scraps for the celebratory fires,” she answered, shuffling the papers and trying her best to not look in his direction. “I thought it was quite good, so I kept it.” The color in her cheeks seemed to deepen. “I hope you do not mind.”
“No,” Rumil said, shaking his head quickly as a slight blush began to form over his high cheekbones. “It is just that I did not think them worthy of another look. Especially not from one so well read as you.”
“What are you saying?” Aurelin gasped, spinning on her heels and brandishing the folio in his direction, all of the shyness seeming to disappear. “These are masterfully crafted. I have never read such beautiful words. When I read them it is like,” she paused, spreading her arm and looking up as if searching for the right words, “it is like reading the songs of the Valar themselves.”
Rumil blushed a brilliant crimson to the tips of his ears. From behind the hedge both Haldir and Orophin balked as Celebrian cocked an eyebrow. “Is he really that good?” she asked as both the brothers shook their head and answered with a resounding, “no!”
“Forgive me. That was audacious of me to say to you,” Aruelin said flustered as she covered her mouth and backed away, nearly tripping over the bench. “Oh, dear me. What have I said?”
“If he says nothing, I am dumping him in the pond with the frogs,” Orophin murmured and both Celebrian and Haldir nodded in agreement.
“You needn’t ask forgiveness,” Rumil said in a muted voice, staring down at the half-hearted poetry in his hand. “I just did not think anyone would appreciate such tripe.”
“Hardly tripe,” Aurelin mumbled, clutching the folio to her chest. She stared down at the grassy floor below and bit her lip. “I would give them back, if you wished.”
“No, no,” he shook his head, holding out the page to her. “It’s just that no one has ever really taken an interest in my writing before, perhaps…” he trailed off and Celebrian rolled her eyes, silently promising that if he proved any more inept at these courtship rituals she was going to reveal herself and order them together. “Perhaps you could tell me what you liked,” he finally suggested and the three hiding behind the bushes let out a collective sigh of relief.
“I would be pleased to,” Aurelin said with a blush as she shyly began to explain her liking of one of his earlier works and three figures behind the hedge contentedly stalked away.
---
By the time Celebrian and two of Lorien’s famous three brothers made it back to the main courtyard of Eliria’s garden, thoroughly pleased with themselves, the twins and the guards had returned and Eliria was half pitching a fit. The three stopped their pleasant chatter and watched the scene unfold, trying not to smile in amusement at the flushed color of the gardener’s pale face.
“They’ll do no harm in the pail, my Lady gardener,” Galmir assured the addled elven woman as she bit at her lip and paced. “Vorgnor and I will take them to the pond. Have no fear of that.”
“Yes,” Eliria sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, “but could I convince you to do so now?”
“Come, Galmir, ‘tis not polite to tease a Lady so,” Vorgnor said, steering the overly amused guard toward the hedge maze and out of the garden. “We must go to meet with the rest of our ilk, and I cannot image the creatures enjoy this stifling atmosphere of the pail anyway.” Noting Celebrian they nodded and half-bowed as they left. She gave them a thankful smile. She mentally reminded herself to thank Glorfindel for assigning her such helpful guards.
“We found them all, mother,” Elrohir said happily as he latched onto her waist and held tight while Elladan helped Eliria move a few of the watering jugs.
“How good of you,” she said, caressing the younger twin’s dark hair and smiling as she wondered at the fact it was the obstinate, standoffish of her sons helping in the menial labor. Not that Elladan was ever rude about such things, she had raised him better than that, but he rarely volunteered for such tasks unless Elrohir did as well.
“Did everything work out well with Aurelin and Rumil?” Eliria asked, dusting the leaves of a small tree as Elladan balanced one of the jugs on a bench. Haldir and Orophin jerked and gave her an incredulous look as Celebrian raised a questioning eyebrow, both her sons asking what happened with Rumil and who was Aurelin.
“Oh, do not give me such looks,” the elven gardener said, placing her hands on her hips and giving them an exasperated look. “This is my garden. You should not try to hide things from me within it. Now, how did your little plan fair?”
“Quite well,” Haldir said, being the first to recover and giving Eliria a charming smirk as he mockingly bowed before her. “I fear you may have more elflings wreaking havoc in your garden soon enough.”
“Such is my curse,” Eliria said with a shake of her head, sitting upon the bench and waving for Elladan to come closer. “I am pleased for your brother and for my friend. But if you ever do such a thing again, you will all have to come with me to retrieve new flora.”
“Of course,” Haldir grinned and Orophin wrinkled his nose in distaste.
Celebrian let out a small laugh at them. Then turned to watch in mild amazement as her elder son happily came to sit beside the gardener, while Elrohir sniffed in annoyance at her side. “I have much to say to the two of you,” Eliria’s eyes glanced from Haldir to Orophin, “but such things are not said in front of the young, and I believe I promised the Lady Celebrian’s children a story of your past folly.”
Haldir let out a laugh as Orophin rolled his eyes and crossed his arm, when he opened his mouth to comment Celebrian fixed him with look and he stifled whatever comment he had to make. Eliria was calm and willing to tell her children a story, if he ruined that she was seriously considering pinning his ears to something. As Aurelin had said, no one wished to deal with an irate Eliria.
“Do you wish to hear this story as well,” Eliria began to ask as she furrowed her brow and added, “young one.”
Celebrian smirked at the clear confusion upon the elven woman’s face. Sometimes she forgot it was hard for others to tell her sons apart. “Go on,” she whispered, giving him a slight push. “She doesn’t bite.” He looked unconvinced. “Elladan will protect you.” He gave her a defiant look as though he needed no protection, but it still seemed to convince him to join Elladan on the bench. Keeping his twin between himself and the gardener, of course.
“Your mother knows this one well,” Eliria began, gesturing for Celebrian to take a seat as well while she began the story. “But several hundred years ago, when Haldir, Orophin and Rumil were very young, they decided that water snakes would enjoy mingling with my water-lilies…”
The Lady of Imladris smiled as she sat across the courtyard and listened to the story, giving Haldir and Orophin a sympathetic look as she remembered how three young elflings had come and hidden in her skirts to avoid an upset gardener all those years ago. Turning back she watched her sons become enraptured by the tale, Elrohir resting his chin on Elladan’s shoulder.
Celebrian smiled. The sight reminded her of the eager way the twins listened to whatever story their father had to tell. She felt a chill in her heart and rubbed a hand over her arm, wondering what Elrond was doing at this very instant in Imladris.
TBC...
Chapter 11 - Lothlorien - Part 5
Author's Note: Whoops. Thought I'd uploaded this a while ago... Heheh... Thanks to everyone that's still reading! Hope you enjoy! :)
::Lothlorien - Part 5::
Celebrian smiled as she covered the sleeping twins snuggled in her bed. Throughout the trip her sons had only slept in their own talan once on the third day, choosing the comfort of her presence to the unfamiliar twin beds. She let out a sigh and stroked back a bit of silver hair. It was a touch bothersome not having the bed to herself and being woken by loud giggling and pillow fights. But when they were sleeping so peacefully it was hard to imagine they could be such little terrors.
Elrohir let out a sleepy noise as he rolled on to his side and pulled the blankets with him. Elladan grunted and futilely attempted to tug them back, relenting only when Celebrian produced another blanket to put over them.
As they finally settled into a restful sleep she rose from the bed and took a seat across the room to continue reading a history of the Silvan people she had been meaning to finish. Cracking the spine she began looking for the spot she left off, but somehow the black characters just weren’t as interesting as they had been. With a sigh she folded the book in her lap, leaning back in the chair and closing her eyes.
The sounds of the Golden Wood filled her ears even as her mind traveled to thoughts of Imladris. A smile turned her lips as she imagined the Hall of Fire, filled with the sounds of laughter and playful bickering.
In her mind’s eye she could see Glorfindel telling of his various escapades before whisking the wallflower maidens from the benches and spinning them around in a dance that was uniquely his own. Lindir’s dulcet tones ringing above all else as he sang and wove tales of history and fantasy. In the corner Nenwen and the other counselors good-naturedly squabbling amongst themselves as Erestor shook his head, occasionally interjecting to correct a misnomer or three.
The smile tugged harder at the corners of her mouth as she imagined the twins weaving in and out of the way as elves coaxed them to dance or tell one of their tales. And presiding over it all was her husband. The image of Elrond sitting in his grand chair, the slightest smile on his face as he watched the evening’s merriment, and his sons regularly bouncing to his side, vying for his attention. It was lovely and it made her heart ache.
She missed Glorfindel’s flirtatious overtures and boisterous laughter. She missed Lindir’s voice and companionship as they traipsed through the gardens trading stories and explanations; he telling the history of Imladris and she the various plant life in Lorien. She missed Nenwen’s soft voice as she plotted some mischief behind Erestor’s back and the knowing sigh of the chief counselor as he turned to diffuse her tricks.
Most of all she missed Elrond.
She missed the comfort of his arms draped lazily around her shoulders as they whispered sweet words of love to one another. The scent of his skin and robes, of dusty scrolls and healing herbs. The sound of his deep and melodic voice, his rare barks of laughter combined with his soft smile. She even missed the haunted, lonely look in his ancient gray eyes, the look that so utterly confounded and frustrated her.
She sighed and opened her eyes, gazing over at the sweet sleeping children that bore the marks of her husband’s heritage more than her own. A small laugh escaped her lips as the full weight of the realization settled in upon her.
She missed Imladris.
---
Celebrian entered the library in a swirl of pale skirts in search of Imladris’ chief counselor. All through the winter she had seen little of Erestor, save when she summoned him to help with the children.
Even her four guards had crossed paths with her more often. Orophin often had stories about how they were getting along famously with the marchwardens, and at least one of them had taken an interest in a maiden. Only Ingdor, Lorien’s head librarian, seemed to have tales of Erestor, and many of those revolved around his attempts to get the counselor out of the library for a breath of air.
As the Lady of Imladris walked through the labyrinth of shelves a sly smile crossed her face when she caught sight of the couch where she and Elrond first kissed so many years ago. Her heart fluttered a little at the memory and the tips of her ears felt as if they were burning. Approaching the couch she touched the leather of the arm fondly.
“My Lady?” a voice called.
Celebrian whirled to face the elf that had called to her. He was seated at one of the lecterns, bent over the scroll he had been diligently translating. He rose from his hunched position until he was straight-backed and proper as ever, gazing at her with a curious look.
“Ah, Erestor,” she smiled as she bushed the silver hair behind her shoulders and hoped the blush had faded from her face and ears. “Ingdor said if I wandered the library long enough I would find you,” she said, sweeping across the space between them and leaning over the top of the lectern. “Is this where you have been holed up all season?”
“Your parents possess a most impressive collection,” Erestor nodded in answer as he rolled the scroll up and placed it back in its protective tube. “I have managed to copy several of the more interesting tomes to take back to Imladris for study.”
Celebrian let out a light laugh and gave the counselor a smile. “At this rate you’ll not need to leave the valley ever again,” she said with a shake of her head. “Have you ever thought of raiding the libraries of Greenwood or Mithlond?”
Erestor raised an eyebrow as he wrapped the leather strap around the cylinder and began to tie a perfect bow. “Greenwood’s library was burned during the war with Sauron,” he replied in a forlorn tone, setting the protected scroll aside and looking back up at Celebrian. “And I have been to Mithlond many times before. The head of the library and I are on good terms. He usually sends any request I make along with the messengers.”
“You really will never need to leave the valley again,” Celebrian sighed, but smiled in amusement.
Neither of them said a thing for a moment. Celebrian still mildly flustered at the memories the library invoked and Erestor pursing his lips, working up the courage to speak.
“My Lady,” he began as he started rolling the copy of the scroll he had made. “The winter has passed. While I realize you are enjoying the time with your parents in this lovely place, and your sons, who have not shown up for their studies for over seven days,” he frowned pointedly at this and Celebrian averted her eyes so that he could not see the merriment there. She knew her sons were avoiding their tutor and she had allowed it. They would not be in the Lorien much longer after all.
The counselor heaved a sigh. “I was wondering when we will return to Imladris. I have been gone too long by my reckoning. I can only imagine the mess Glorfindel and Nenwen have made in my absence.”
“You truly do not trust anyone, do you, Erestor?” Celebrian asked as her eyes returned to the dark-haired elf. Though Erestor had be come more amiable, even friendly towards her over the years, she was still constantly disturbed by the cold distrust he showed toward his own kind.
“It is what I trust them to do that troubles me, my Lady,” Erestor answered as he tied the copy and set it neatly beside the original.
Celebrian shook her head. “I suppose I cannot begrudge you that worry. I would have the same distress were I in you place,” she said as she imagined the glee on the seneschal and the counselor’s face when they heard Erestor would be traveling with her to Lorien. “To be truthful I was searching for you to discuss that exact thing. I have been told the snow over the Redhorn Pass has melted. The surveyors say the melt-off will dry and it will be travelable within a week or so.”
Erestor nodded. “Perhaps you should speak to your parents about plans for departure at your earliest convenience. They will loathe seeing you go.”
“And I will loathe to leave them,” Celebrian agreed sadly. It seemed unfair that the parents she loved and the home she had always known should be separate from her husband and the home and friends she had accepted. “But they know I will come again and that should lighten the burden of my leaving. Though the twins had just become comfortable here,” she said as Erestor nodded sympathetically. “Enough of that for now. What is it you have been copying all these long days?”
“Ah, mostly Silvan and Sindar histories. A few lays that I believe Lindir will find interesting and some information about the building of Lindon Lord Elrond had requested I look into,” Erestor answered, rolling the recent translation under his hand subconsciously.
“What is that one?” Celebrian asked, reaching forward and picking up the original so she could read the carefully printed wording on the side. “‘The Exodus of Oropher,’” she read. “I did not know you were so interested in the elves of Greenwood.”
“I am not,” Erestor replied as Celebrian set the tube back down again. “But Nenwen is always fascinated with how the history of Greenwood is recorded. I thought she would find that particular scroll interesting.”
“With the exasperation you showed earlier at your fellow counselor I would not think you would wish to gift her with such a thing,” the Lady of Imladris teased as Erestor shook his head, rising from his seat and gathering the copy and his various writing implements.
“Well, she is my wife, my Lady,” Erestor answered with a faint smile as he placed the tools in his satchel and tossed it over his shoulder, gesturing for her to lead the way from the library.
But Celebrian could do nothing but stare in surprise. How in Manwe’s name had Erestor managed to get married without her notice?
---
The days passed too quickly and already it was time for Celebrian’s departure. The horses were saddled and the provisions packed. Erestor was making the last of the preparations, ordering the guards around as Celebrian and her sons bid the Lord and Lady of Lorien goodbye.
“My heart always feels as if it will break asunder when we part, dear daughter,” Celeborn said, reaching out and taking Celebrian’s hands. “You will send word to us more often I hope. We are always eager to hear the tales of your exploits in Imladris and of our grandchildren.” He gazed over her shoulder at the twins enthusiastically whispering to each other.
“Of course I will,” Celebrian smiled sadly. It always felt as if she hurt her father the most when she departed. “I have so enjoyed my stay here. I do not wish you ever to think otherwise. But I must return my children to their father and their home.”
“And yourself to your husband,” Celeborn said sadly, reaching out and stroking her cheek. “I wish you a safe journey daughter. From this moment on your mother and I will eagerly await your return.”
Celebrian smiled, squeezing tight the hand she still held as she cast a look over at her mother. The Lady of Lorien beamed back at her before turning toward the still whispering twins. “What is it the two of you murmur so softly of?” Galadriel asked the twins as Celebrian and Celeborn exchanged glances, amused that she had asked with the spoken word.
They jumped at the sound of her voice and then looked at one another thoughtfully for a moment, as if debating who would be the one to speak up. Finally Elladan stepped forward. “We just remembered that you said you would tell us a story when we first arrived,” he answered dejectedly as Elrohir looked at the ground and kicked at a stone.
“You are right,” Galadriel nodded. “Alas, it would not be much of a story if I told you one in a hurry now,” she said and the twins nodded in agreement. Celebrian barely kept from letting out a sigh of relief. Celeborn’s hand tightened on hers in understanding. The stories of Galadriel were rarely for the ears of children.
The knowing eyes glanced at them as words formed in their minds: I would not tell such young ones the horrors of the world. Shame on both of your for such thoughts. But a smile graced the lips of the Lady of the Golden Wood as she turned away from her blushing daughter and laughing husband and back to the children, speaking aloud again. “But, when such a thing is spoken the promise must be kept. You will have to come and visit me again and soon. Then you will have the payment of your story.”
“That would be wonderful,” Elrohir grinned as Elladan leaned close to Galadriel and whispered something Celebrian had to strain her ears to hear. “I would have come again even if you didn’t tell us a story,” he said before shyly pulling away.
Celebrian looked at her father as he smiled at the scene, Galadriel reaching out and ruffling Elladan’s dark hair while Elrohir maneuvered around to hug her around the waist. “You two shall grow to be valiant young elves,” she said gently as Erestor extracted himself from the guards and approached the family.
“My Lady Celebrian, we are ready,” he announced sternly as Elladan made a face and Elrohir frowned. “Continue to make faces like that, my young Lords, and they will freeze that way.” Both children jumped in surprise, touching their faces as the surrounding adults laughed.
“Celebrian,” a voice called even as another corrected with, “Lady Celebrian.”
The Lady of Imladris turned and smiled as the three brothers barreled toward her, earning the now commonplace glares of uptight counselors, save Erestor who simply sighed and returned to his mount. “I am here. I am here,” Celebrian called to them, “I have not left yet.”
“For that we are glad,” Haldir said with a deep bow that Orophin and Rumil followed, almost tripping over themselves. “I do not believe my brothers or myself would forgive ourselves if we did not have a chance to say farewell to the lovely light of our Silver Queen.”
“I sometimes wonder if he would flatter you so were your husband here,” Celeborn mused with a smirk as Rumil and Orophin sniggered. Celebrian hid a giggle behind her hand as the twins look confused, disentangling themselves from Galadriel to join their mother.
“I should think the Lord of Imladris would know the truth of the matter,” Haldir responded as he and his brothers rose to their feet. “But truth now, we shall miss you and your ever so adorable sons.” He glanced at the twins. “Even if they do not care much for myself.”
“We like you and can’t wait to come back to play more,” Elrohir said as Elladan blushed guiltily and nodded in agreement. Celebrian patted her eldest son’s head comfortingly.
“When you return we will teach you yet another way to get under Eliria’s lovely skin,” Orophin said, earning a laugh from Elladan and a worried look from Elrohir. “As well as continue your schooling with the arrow. Or, perhaps, by then it will be you that has a lesson for us.”
“Glorfindel did say he would teach us more about swordplay when we returned,” Elladan eagerly told Orophin.
“Be sure to remind him of that,” Celebrian said as she ushered her children toward the waiting guards and counselor before turning back to her friends.
“Celebrian,” Rumil said quietly, leaning close. “I thank you for allowing what happened in the garden, though I recognize I am not supposed to know the circumstances,” he whispered and pulled away, smiling at her happily. Celebrian took his hand and cocked an eyebrow as he mouthed: Eliria told me.
“Fair enough. I hope to hear more of that soon,” she grinned, releasing the hand and turning toward Haldir, gently patting his cheek. “Do not give your brothers or my parents too much trouble while I am gone. Just enough to keep them alert.”
“Of course,” Haldir said, his usual smirk almost faltering for a moment as he touched her hand with his own. “Please, take care of yourself, my Lady. We truly would be lost without your light.”
“Flatterer,” Celebrian said, pulling her hand away and holding it out to Orophin and Rumil who each kissed it in turn. She cast a look over her shoulder and winced at the perturbed look upon Erestor’s face. He would be unpleasant for the first couple leagues of their journey if they did not go soon. “But now I must go. Fare thee well my friends,” she grinned at the brothers, meeting their eyes before turning to her parents once more. “And fare thee well, my beloved parents.”
“Be safe. Be happy,” Celeborn said, holding his daughter’s face and placing a kiss upon her brow. She managed a smile before quickly hurrying on to her mother, lest the tears that stung her eyes begin to show.
“May Earendil watch over you, daughter,” Galadriel said, leaning down and pressing a kiss to the top of her daughter’s head. “In good times and in bad.”
“Thank you,” Celebrian smiled as she backed toward her waiting mount, turning as Eliean tapped her shoulder and helped her into the saddle. “I shall miss you all,” she said as the marchwarden leading them to the borders of Lorien moved, quickly followed by Erestor and Gwinwing. Vorgnor and Galmir were next, Elladan and Elrohir seated behind each respectively, waving and hollering goodbyes at the Galadhrim that had gathered to see them off. “‘Til we meet again.”
“‘Til we meet again,” her parents agreed. Behind them Haldir, Orophin and Rumil nodded, even as Eliean whispered they needed to go or they would lose sight of their guide, as well as her children. With a last tearful look at the parents and friends she so adored Celebrian turned to begin the long journey home.
TBC...
Chapter 12 - Homecoming
Author's Notes: Yay! Updating! Quick question -- I wrote a short Erestor/Nenwen piece that happens in the same timeline of this chapter. Would anyone care to read it? And, if so, should I post it as an interlude in this story or post it as it's own story in the femme fatale section? Either way, enjoy this chapter and thanks for the reviews! :)
::Mists of Valinor - Homecoming::
As soon as Celebrian crossed under the ivy covered trellises of Imladris she was swept from her horse by the blond blur of Glorfindel and spun around twice, letting out a yelp of surprise before she was deposited beside her laughing Lord. “Goodness!” she cried as the maroon robed arm of her husband wrapped around her shoulders to help keep her upright as the wave of dizziness crashed over her.
“It appears we may have been missed,” she laughed, falling into the warm embrace as she watched the seneschal do the same for her two children, lifting them from the saddles and spinning them around, one over each shoulder as they giggled and kicked. He set the twins on the ground after a moment and turned, holding out his arms and grinning as he offered Erestor the same treatment. The counselor just glared and dismounted on his own. Celebrian laughed at the mocking pout upon Glorfindel’s face as Erestor continued to glare.
“Drat! I should have liked seeing the chief counselor spun around by the balrog-slayer,” muttered someone as Nenwen’s clear laugh broke through the air in response.
Celebrian turned her head, noticing for the first time the many elves standing about the entrance to Imladris. A faint blush covered her face as she realized near half the valley had gathered in honor of her arrival. Besides Glorfindel and the stable hands that were tending to the exhausted horses, the majority of the counselors were present, as well as the librarians and most the lesser Lord and Ladies.
“I did not expect so many to be gathered,” she breathed softly as she caught sight of her guards being welcomed by their own families, embraces and greetings being exchanged as Galmir lifted his daughter into the air. Celebrian smiled gently as Eliean shyly presented his blushing bride with a gift from the Golden Wood and she placed a chaste kiss on his cheek.
“You are the Lady of Imladris,” Nenwen said, drawing Celebrian’s attention away from the guards as the counselor stepped up and bowed gracefully. “And your sons are the heirs to this place. ‘Tis only right that you should have as grand a homecoming as we might provide.”
“Indeed. You were deeply missed,” Elrond agreed, his voice brushing over Celebrian’s ear and making her blush a bright crimson as she realized she was still leaning heavily against her husband, wrapped in the warmth where the seneschal had placed her. “I know that I have counted the days until your return.”
The expression on her face was clearly quite comical because Nenwen grinned widely as she excused herself to speak with Erestor, already surrounded by his fellow counselors. Celebrian took a deep breath to control the color of her cheeks as she watched the elven woman walk away, passing Glorfindel as he sniggered at some story the twins were eagerly telling him. Nenwen reached out and ruffled Elrohir’s hair as she moved past to stand beside Erestor. And though the chief counselor did not so much as glance at her while he spoke to the elves gathered about him, his hand reached back and gently took hers. Celebrian pursed her lips as she wondered how she had not noticed their relationship before.
“My Lady? Is something the matter?” Elrond asked, breaking her from her contemplation as she pulled away from the comfort of his arm and turned to face him.
“Nay, nothing is amiss,” she smiled as she looked into his storm colored eyes.
She had missed becoming lost in those beautiful eyes, so full of every emotion and thought he possessed, as well as the undercurrent of sadness and loneliness that she so deeply feared and yet yearned to understand. “Nothing is amiss at all,” she said as she reached forward and stroked the side of his face, letting her fingers brush the soft locks of his dark hair. “I daresay that everything is quite right in this moment.”
Elrond laughed lightly as he took her hand and pressed a kiss to the palm. “I hope that you enjoyed your time in Lothlorien,” he said, his breath brushing over her wrist sending shivers through her form as he turned toward the gathered elves. “Come, let us adjourn, a feast has been prepared in honor of your arrival and the minstrels have been readied to sing sweet melodies into the night,” he smiled, indicating everyone could begin meandering toward the Hall of Fire. “I assume that is well with you, my Lady?”
“Of course,” Celebrian smiled, tightening her grip on his hand as a sudden possessiveness overcame her. It had been so long since she had the luxury of her husband’s company that she did not want to part with him and join those gathering in celebration of her return. In the Hall she would be expected to greet friends and tell stories of her time in Lorien – and while she longed to renew those friendships, she wished to spend her first moments in Imladris alone with her husband, as selfish as she knew the want to be.
“Father!” twin voices cried as raven-haired blurs dove between her and Elrond, causing their hands to part as Celebrian stepped back to watch her sons wrap themselves about their father’s waist. “Did you miss us?” Elladan asked excitedly and Elrohir put in: “Glorfindel said that you did, but sometimes he is not truthful and makes up tales.”
Elrond laughed merrily, his eyes sparkling as his children began conferring in a near incomprehensible cacophony about the many times the seneschal had told such tales, such as the story of the bread-monster and the magic blanket. “Perhaps I should be upset with Lord Glorfindel for telling such fibs?” he chuckled, smiling down at his sons.
“Oh!” Elrohir gasped as Elladan shook his head. “No, don’t be angry. He means well!”
Elrohir waved for Elrond to kneel down beside them and Celebrian leaned forward to hear whatever he would say. “He thinks we’re children and still believe silly things like the story of the dancing squirrel. We don’t want to hurt his feelings.” Elladan nodded emphatically and Celebrian had to hold a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud as she made a note to ask the seneschal about this amazing squirrel.
“Ah,” Elrond nodded, and Celebrian was unsure how he could manage not to snicker. “Very well. You are wise in your young age, my sons. We will let Lord Glorfindel believe that you are still children.” The twins nodded happily as Elrond pulled them into a hug. “But, for now, you must tell me of your time in Lothlorien. What thought you of your grandparents?”
Once again the two children began to talk over each other and Celebrian sighed. She would get no time to speak with Elrond alone until they had talked themselves out. Not that she would ever deny her children the attention of their father, not matter how much she wished that attention were lavished upon herself. She smiled as they began competing for his notice, the sounds of their voices rising as Elladan latched his arms around Elrond’s neck and Elrohir nuzzled his father’s shoulder.
“Well, time in Lothlorien certainly did nothing to teach either of you to manage the volume of your voices,” Nenwen said, coming to stand beside Celebrian. “The two of you still sound like very small, high-pitched Glorfindels.”
“What does that mean?” Elladan asked, furrowing his brow worriedly as both Celebrian and Elrond chuckled and Elrohir grinned, waving at the counselor. “Hello Nenwen!”
“Greetings my young Lord,” Nenwen smiled at Elrohir as Elladan pouted, releasing his father and crossing his arms over his chest. “Oh, do not give me that look Elladan. Imagine it to be a compliment – our golden-haired seneschal did slay a balrog after all.”
Celebrian watched Elladan perk at that and let out a breath of relief. The last thing anyone wanted was for her elder son to be in foul spirits this evening. “I am surprised the two of you are not utterly famished from your travels,” Nenwen continued as the Lady of Imladris glanced around and noticed that only her family, Nenwen, and scant other stragglers remained by the gates. “As your father said, there was a feast prepared, should you wish to partake.”
The twins exchanged looks and glanced down at their stomachs before grinning sheepishly. “Actually,” Elrohir began and Elladan finished, “we are a bit hungry.”
“Then we should follow the others to the Hall of Fire and see what the cooks have created. Though,” the counselor gave an exaggerated look around and pressed a hand to her cheek as if worried, “it appears Glorfindel may already be there eating it all!”
“Oh no!” the twins gasped wide-eyed as they turned toward their parents. “May we go?” Elrohir asked politely as Elladan added, “we are very hungry.”
“You may. I would not want your father’s seneschal to be the only elf to enjoy our homecoming banquet,” Celebrian said with a fond grin as her sons turned and ran full gait into the Last Homely House, shrieking and giggling all the way. They only paused briefly to call back a promise that they would entertain their father with tales of the Golden Wood once their stomachs were full. And then they were gone.
“If I did not know better I would think them starved,” Nenwen said to herself with a small chuckle as she stepped forward and turned toward Celebrian. “I will watch them. Take your reprieve as I doubt it will last long,” she whispered conspiratorially, giving Celebrian a small, knowing smile before following in the wake of the elflings.
Celebrian let out a thankful sigh as she watched the counselor walk away before turning to Elrond with a timid smile. “Your sons will tell you every moment of their time away from your care,” she assured her husband as he chuckled lightly and held out an arm, which she happily took.
“I have little fear in that respect, my Lady,” Elrond said as he led them toward the Last Homely House. “But, tell me, is there something you wish us to discuss in private? You have been strange since Glorfindel settled you in my arms.”
“I am just happy to have returned to you,” Celebrian admitted honestly as she pressed close to her husband and rested her head on his shoulder. “And I am not entirely looking forward to arriving in the Hall of Fire.”
“I thought a celebration would please you,” Elrond said as they stepped over the threshold of the House. “You have always seemed to enjoy them before.”
“Aye, and I appreciate that you have done this for me,” Celebrian said quickly, not wishing Elrond to think her ungrateful for all he had done. “I simply wish to spend time with you and…” she trailed off.
“But, alas, all of Imladris will wish to have their Lady’s time so soon after her return,” Elrond finished and Celebrian could hear the smile in his voice. “Yes, I had similar thoughts. There are times when it is most unfortunate to be the Lord and Lady of Imladris. Fortunately our rooms are adjoined and there is little need for my attention this time of the season.”
“Why, my good Lord,” Celebrian said with a little laugh as she raised her head and smiled brilliantly at her husband. “If I did not know better I would think you had been anticipating my return.”
“Perhaps a touch,” he smiled back, halting their strides as he leaned down and kissed her forehead, brushing a hand over her hair, her cheek, and down her neck. “Welcome home my love.”
“It is good to be home,” she whispered, closing her eyes and relishing the warmth of her husband’s touch as she bowed forward and pressed her face into his chest, wrapping her arms about his torso. “This is where I long to be,” she said, more to herself than Elrond as his arms folded around her.
They stood holding each other in silence until the sound of laugher reached their ears and Elrond shifted. “They will wonder if we do not arrive soon,” he said softly.
Celebrian sighed and pulled away, offering her husband a smile as she took his arm and they began to walk again. Elrond was right, there were moments when status was most unfortunate. A cheer rose up as they entered the Hall of Fire, and even though Celebrian knew she would likely lose her husband’s company for a while, she could not help but return the many happy smiles directed towards her.
She nodded gratefully and waved for everyone to continue what they were doing as Elrond led her across the room, the elves parting before them, and to the grand chairs dedicated to the Lord and Lady of Imladris. Letting go of Elrond’s arm she took her seat and nodded thankfully as she accepted the goblet of wine that was offered to her. Elrond sat beside her, though he was immediately engaged in a conversation with Melpomaen, who seemed to be asking for leave to visit his family in Greenwood.
Celebrian turned away, feeling the lazy smile form upon her face as she looked around the Hall. As much as she adored her parents’ realm, the whole of it would never be as lively as this one Hall in Imladris. The librarians and the scribes were hidden away in the corner, deep in conversation over some trivial matter as the counselors hovered nearby, smirking knowingly and mingling with the lesser Lords and Ladies. A group of elves had surrounded Elladan, laughing happily as the twin proudly stood on a bench and animatedly told some story, snacking on the bowl of strawberries he had filched from the banquet.
She could hear the excited lilt Elrohir’s voice and turned to find him near the farthest wall telling Glorfindel about the marchwardens and Eliria’s garden from where he was happily hanging from Nenwen’s neck like a cloak. The counselor shifted the elfling’s arms in an attempt to keep the little limbs from strangling her and only managed to make it worse, earning a laugh from Glorfindel and causing Elrohir to tell his story more animatedly, thinking the seneschal was amused by his account.
Erestor was notably missing, presumably fixing all the mischief he believed the seneschal and counselors had perpetuated in his absence. And Lindir… she paused and gave the Hall another sweeping gaze, frowning when she did not see her minstrel friend. But before she could turn and ask Elrond where Lindir was she felt a hand brush against her shoulder.
“Is that concerned look for me, my dear Lady of Imladris,” a cheerful voice asked and Celebrian turned to find the cheeky grinning minstrel beside her. “I was searching the banquet for berries, but it appears your son has absconded with the lot of them.”
Celebrian chuckled as she twisted to look at the happy elf. “I am sorry. Though I am certain he would share if you wished to ask,” she said pleasantly, leaning over the arm of her chair. “But tell me, did you miss me, my friend?”
“Aye. Imladris has become dark, bereft of your light, and there has been a severe lack in those to converse with as I walk the garden paths,” Lindir smiled as he knelt beside Celebrian’s chair. “More importantly, did you enjoy your return to your parents?”
“It was most pleasant. My children wreaked a merry havoc there as well. It is a wonder Lorien is in one piece. Be sure to ask my sons about the incident in the garden,” she smiled, leaning forward conspiratorially. “You know, I do not believe Erestor left my parents’ library, save for the evening meal, the entire time we abided in the Golden Wood.”
“That does not surprise me a bit,” Lindir laughed, turning his head and grinning. “Greetings my adorable little Lords,” he said and Celebrian sat up and turned to see the twins barreling towards them.
“Hello Lindir!” Elrohir said cheerfully as he climbed into his mother’s lap.
“Want some strawberries?” Elladan asked, holding out the fruit to the minstrel.
“I would, thank you,” Lindir said, taking the bowl as he and Celebrian chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” Elladan asked, crinkling his nose.
“Nothing,” Celebrian assured him, reaching forward and smoothing back Elladan’s dark locks. “Merely something Lindir and I were speaking of before you arrived. Isn’t that right?”
“Yes, my Lady,” Lindir grinned. “Now, I believe I will see if Nenwen or Glorfindel would like some strawberries. If that is well with you, Lord Elladan?” Lindir asked, waiting for the twin’s nod of approval before he bowed and rose to his feet. Celebrian cast a look over to where Nenwen was sitting on a bench, her cheeks flushed as she rubbed her neck. Glorfindel sat beside her, smothering his amusement behind a hand as the counselor glared daggers at him.
“You need to play nice with Nenwen,” Celebrian laughed lightly as she nodded a farewell to Lindir and looked back at her son.
“What do you mean?” Elrohir asked with a curious look.
“Father.”
Elladan’s whisper distracted them before Celebrian had to answer, and they turned to see the elder of the twins pressing his hands on Elrond’s knees and balancing on his toes in a bid for attention. The Lord of Imladris smiled and waved Melpomaen away. “We will discuss this later,” Elrond assured the scribe.
“Of course,” Melpomaen nodded, offering the twins and Celebrian a smile before he backed away. “Welcome back, my Lady, my Lords.”
“Thank you,” Celebrian nodded as Elrohir climbed away from her and over to his father’s chair, Elladan already dragging himself up onto Elrond’s knees. Celebrian watched as the twins began to climb all over their father, Elrohir latching around his neck and Elladan sprawling across his father’s lap, as they both clambered for attention. Elrond laughed and adjusted them to sit on each arm of his chair and listened intently as they began their rendition of arriving in Lorien. She smiled, a little sad at the thought they would soon be too grown to play so with Elrond.
“I believe Nenwen will survive,” Lindir whispered as he returned to her side and offered her the strawberries, “though Glorfindel may not if he continues with his commentary.”
“It is good to be home,” Celebrian giggled, relaxing into her chair as the warmth of the Hall washed over her, the chattering voices of her children and her friends, the warm glow of love. Everything was perfect “It is very good to be home.”
---
Celebrian undid the last of her hair ornaments and set it on the vanity as she picked up the silver hairbrush. Idly running it through her hair she began to pace her room, relearning the well-worn paths. The celebration in the Hall had gone on longer than she had expected, elves milling away until only her family and random other elves remained. The twins had finally begun to run out of energy not long after that and Elrond had gladly offered to take them to bed.
The Lady of Imladris let out a contented sigh as she stepped out onto her balcony and breathed in the sweet night, listening to the far off burble of the Brunien. She had considered going with her husband to settle the children, but after a season of doing so she decided Elrond could go it alone. Closing her eyes Celebrian let the chilly air wash over her, fluttering the fabric of her skirt against her legs. Opening her eyes again she smiled and walked back into the room, setting the brush aside as she began to undress.
Slipping off the outside shell of her dress she tossed it over a chair and began undoing her dress, eyeing her bed. It would be nice to have a bed all to herself, she thought as she stripped off the last of her garments and pulled on the loose white night shift she had set out. Pulling her hair back into a ponytail she cast a look toward the door that led to her husband’s rooms.
Then again, sharing a bed really wasn’t that bad.
With a smile to herself she walked over and rapped gently on the door, pushing it open when there was no response. The room was empty. Her husband was likely still trying to get the children to sleep. They were most trying when it came to being put to bed, especially now that they were excited to be home. During the journey home they had been impossible.
Entering the room Celebrian looked around. Everything was as it always had been, except for a few books and papers. Even the brushes at the vanity were arranged the way she remembered, earning a laugh as she picked up the oak backed brush and undid her hair, brushing it distractedly as she walked around the room. It amused her how much a creature of habit her husband was. His robes always tossed over the back of the same chair, books stacked to the right, never the left, of the couch, and all but one of his pillows always piled beside the bed.
With an amused chuckle she tossed the brush on the bed and picked up the pillows, tossing them to the side of the bed she had claimed as her own. Unlike her Lord she liked to be surrounded in fluffy bedding. She flopped on the bed, rolling to the middle and laughing at how comfortable it was before burying her face in the lone pillow of her husband, the brush forgotten beside her as she inhaled the musky scent of her Lord.
The door opened and an amused voice spoke. “Well, this is a sight I shall never grow tired of.”
Celebrian blushed as she raised her head and looked back at her husband. “Are the children asleep?” she asked shyly, rolling to the side and letting out a yelp as her hip ground into the bristles of the brush.
Elrond chuckled as he shut the door and walked toward the bed, removing his outer robe as he went and tossing it over the back of the usual chair. “After a time I was able to get them to sleep. Have they gotten worse or did I simply not remember how trying they could be?” he asked, sitting on the side of the bed.
“Worse, I believe. Something to do with the lack of darkness in Lorien I am certain,” Celebrian smiled as she held the brush toward him, eying the tousled locks with a commiserating glance. The twins had been heinous hair pullers since they were born, always snagging long elven locks when they wanted attention. Slowly they had begun to grow out of it, save when it came to their parents. “It looks as if they were pulling your hair rather viciously. Would you like me to brush it out?”
“If you would,” Elrond smiled as Celebrian crawled forward and began undoing the messy braids of dark hair until it was a curtain over the maroon clothed back. She had missed the touch of her husband’s hair, she mused as she began brushing, drawing her fingers through before the oak backed brush. The strokes were a charming monotony, just her and her husband, as a thought returned to her mind. “Did you know Erestor and Nenwen were married?” she asked innocently, fussing with a particularly stubborn knot that she was certain Elrohir was to thank for.
“Of course,” Elrond answered dismissively. “Glorfindel and I were witnesses at their wedding.”
“When did this happen?” Celebrian balked, her hand jerking the brush and pulling the dark hair. “Sorry!” she apologized, smoothing her hand over his head. She was amazed that two elves so close to her could were bound in wedlock without her knowledge. Tomorrow she would have Lindir tell her of every marriage in the valley.
“Not long after the founding of Imladris,” Elrond answered as he turned toward his wife. “Why the sudden curiosity about the marital state of my counselors?”
“I did not know. Erestor only informed me when we were in Lorien,” she said, smiling regretfully about the yank on his hair. “They certainly do not act married.”
“And how would you have them act?” Elrond asked, amusement clear on his face.
“I know not,” Celebrian said, setting the brush aside. “I just never would have imagined they were married. They bicker constantly and Nenwen seems to take great joy in tormenting Erestor, especially when she manages to get him to blush… oh!”
Elrond let out a bark of laughter as Celebrian flushed a deep red and straightened her shoulders, mustering her dignity as she moved to lean against the headboard. She scowled at her husband to hide the embarrassment even as he edged toward her, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he smiled apologetically for laughing.
“I am sorry,” he said, mirth sparkling in his gray eyes. “I simply did not realize Erestor was a rival for your affections, else I would have mentioned his marital status earlier and often.” Celebrian crossed her arms over her chest and laughed a little to herself, the embarrassment slowly fading as Elrond spoke again. “They have a child as well. Which I suppose you could not have known about either.”
Celebrian stared dumbfounded. “If you tell me their child is Lindir I will be most upset,” she said slowly, hoping she was making a joke. The idea of Lindir being Erestor and Nenwen’s child was too much to handle.
“No, not Lindir,” her husband said with a shake of his head as he moved to sit beside her. “You have never met Rhinwe, but he was a bright and gentle child, much like his father, though he shared his mother’s unique humor. His parents thought it best that he be sent to Mithlond before the Last Alliance, so that he would be safe. He liked the Havens so much that he choose to stay there, and I believe he is the head librarian now.”
Erestor’s comment about being on good terms with the head of Mithlond’s library repeated in Celebrian’s head and she laughed. “Oh, how is it that I could not have known these things,” she sighed, resting her head on Elrond’s shoulder. “To think I am the Lady of this realm.”
“And a fine Lady of Imladris you are,” Elrond said, kissing the top of her head. “Are there any other elves you wish to know more about?”
“Truth be told, there is only one elf that I am interested in this eve,” she grinned raising her head as her arms wrapped around Elrond’s waist. “Can you guess which of the many residents of the valley that could be?”
“Glorfindel?” Elrond guessed with a sly grin as his arm wrapped around Celebrian and he leaned down and kissed her, pulling her close against him. “He has never been married and has no children. None that I am aware of at least.”
“Good to know, but it is not him,” Celebrian giggled as Elrond began kissing her neck. “He is a Lord in this land though.”
“Gildor Inglorien?” her husband offered as he pulled Celebrian away from the headboard and fell back onto the bed, dragging her down atop of him. “He, I grieve to inform you, is married . Though his wife is in Valinor.”
“Mm, not him either,” Celebrian sighed, leaning down and kissing her husband as she shifted and straddled his waist, pinning him against the bed. “And he is hardly a fair guess. He is not really a Lord here.”
“My Lady said a Lord of this land,” Elrond chuckled, running his hands up his wife’s thighs and over her hips. “But if you mean within Imladris,” he paused as if in thought while Celebrian kissed him gently, teasingly. “Have I met this elf?”
“Oh, indeed,” Celebrian replied, nipping at his nose. “You could hardly forget this noble and wondrous Lord. I have not been able to drive him from my mind since we first met.”
Elrond smiled and laughed as he reached a hand behind Celebrian’s neck and pulled her down, kissing her lightly. “You are too charming for words, love. How in the name of the Valar did I come to deserve someone as magnificent as you?”
“Manwe smiles upon you,” she answered, deepening the kiss and holding Elrond in place with her thighs as her hands moved over his fabric covered chest playfully before moving to pull off her shift.
She froze as the door clicked open.
“Mother, Father,” a sleepy voice called out as another finished, “can we sleep in here?”
Celebrian let out a barely audible squeak as Elrond shifted beneath her, turning so that he could see his twin sons enter the room and shut the door, rubbing their eyes. “Are you wrestling?” Elrohir asked after a moment.
“Can we play!” Elladan yelled, suddenly awake as he jumped on the bed.
Celebrian moaned as her eldest son wrapped his arms around her neck and announced he was on his father’s side and Elrohir clapped to be teamed up with his mother. Elrond was laughing behind his hand as Celebrian shot him an annoyed look, he shrugged and mouthed that they would finish this later, patting her thigh reassuringly as Elrohir pulled himself on the bed. Celebrian let out a sigh, realizing it was three to one, before grinning wickedly at the elf pinned beneath her.
“Everyone pile atop your father!”
Elrond barely managed an – Oof! – as the small bodies jumped upon him, giggling madly as three sets of hands attempted to find his ticklish spots. Spots one pair of hands knew quite well.
By the time Glorfindel arrived to see what all the ruckus was about he found the Lord of Imladris ruffled and unceremoniously dumped on the floor, one foot still on the bed, and the youngest of his sons draped over his chest victoriously. The Lady of Imladris sat against the headboard, struggling to breathe through bouts of laughter, her eldest child happily curled on her lap and giggling madly.
The seneschal blinked at the scene for a moment before shaking his head and shutting the door.
TBC...
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