Prologue:
Lothlórien, Second Age of Middle-earth, year 1693.
Dusk was falling amid the mallorn trees of Lórien, the golden boughs were gently swaying in the breeze. Underneath these tall trees walked a figure dressed for traveling. He was Celebrimbor son of Curufin, Lord of Eregion.
He walked as if searching for someone but he stopped not far from a small clearing where a maiden walked. And she was like a glistening star for she, herself, was dressed in silver. Celebrimbor watched her for awhile before calling her.
'Celebrían! Celebrían!'
At hearing his call, she turned towards him to see him walking towards her. She wondered at seeing him and wondered also how he had known her name but before she could say anything he started to speak.
'At last I have found thee whom I have been searching for, for along time.' He paused seeing the expression on her face. 'Are you not Celebrían, daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn?' he added.
'Yea, I am Celebrían daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn. But you have not said who you are nor where hence you come or why.' She looked at him and saw the years lay heavy on him as if something from the past troubled him, however she did not pry.
'I am sorry, my lady, I am Celebrimbor, son of Curufin and am lord of Eregion. But you can just call me Celebrimbor.' He answered.
'There is no reason for you to be sorry, we all forget things and make mistakes, and you may just call me Celebrían.'
'Maybe, but there are something's I wish I could forget, mistakes I should never have made. And now every choice I have made I seem to regret.' Celebrimbor turned away from Celebrían not wanting her to see that he was troubled.
'Can you not confide in me, your mistakes?' Celebrían wondered if she had gone too far.
'I shall not bring my troubles to darken your mind against me. For every mistake or wrong choice I have ever made I have had to pay a price, a hard one at that.'
'Why should your troubles darken my mind against trusting you? But it is better to tell the truth whether it is bad or good. At least the person thou speak to will be able to judge thee rightly.' She said.
Celebrimbor looked at her in surprise and wonder, Celebrían, it seemed, was in some ways, different to her mother. For Galadriel had not the trust in the descendents of Fëanor, as Celebrían seemed to have. Unless Celebrían had no knowledge that he was the son of one of the sons of Fëanor, and just in case that was the case, he decided that the truth would indeed count against him although he had nothing to do with his father's deeds, and if Celebrían should mistrust him then the fate of the necklaces maybe beyond his aid, if Sauron should lay hands on them.
'Nay, those truths are best left unsaid for now.' decided Celebrimbor. 'I came here to seek you and hopefully enlist your help-'
Celebrían cut across him. 'What do you mean: my help? What help can I give to you?' she asked puzzled.
'By, if you will, looking after these.' He finished. He drew out, from a pouch on his belt, a box made from the wood of a holly tree, beautifully crafted. Celebrían stared at it as she took it from his hands, noticing that on the lid, bordered by engraved stars, branches and flowers, was a rhyme. She recited it:
'One shatters, the other fails,
With one like to another...
A bond beyond others.
Two necklaces,
Two sisters,
Together with a power
To destroy evil.
Entwined by fate,
To prevail or perish.
To face evil
And flourish forever.'
She looked at Celebrimbor. 'What does it mean?'
'It's a prophecy to do with the two that are mentioned in it. I thought it would give you a clue to why I was giving them to you.' Answered Celebrimbor.
She opened the box to see that it contained to magnificent wrought silver necklaces shaped like stars. They were akin to each other except that only their sized differed.
'These give the bearers the power to destroy evil that threatens them or to protect any land in danger.' Celebrimbor explained.
'I don't understand,' said Celebrían, 'why have you given them into my keeping?'
'I suppose for you to understand I am going to have to tell about my troubles.' He said rather reluctantly.
'But you said it was best to leave the truth left unsaid.' Answered Celebrían, now a little confused.
'And you said it is better to tell the truth if you want to gain one's trust.' Smiled Celebrimbor, he looked at Celebrían long and hard. She had the eyes of her mother, a clear unearthly blue, but her hair was of silver and gold and glistened in the starlight. 'But I will tell you, but of me you shall judge when you've heard what I am about to say.'
There was a long pause in which Celebrían pondered his words. Then he began to speak. 'Not long ago, Sauron desired to endeavor us and he offered us friendship and we unwisely accepted. He taught us how to make the rings of power, but he deceived us and forged himself a ring to control the others. But from the moment I perceived his designs I regretted my decision which has now spelt disaster, for Sauron is now waging war upon us and it is not known how long Eregion will last. That is why I have brought these here. They were wrought well before Sauron endeavored us, and if he finds them he will destroy them.'
'If Sauron can not wield them why do not you use their power' she asked.
'No, no one but the two mentioned in the rhyme can wield them, and that is another reason why I give them to you, because prophecy tells that it shall be you who will be mother of the two.' Answered Celebrimbor, plainly.
Celebrían fell silent she wasn't sure what to say. How had she the power to hold them secret from Sauron when it seemed that his dominion of Middle-earth seemed ever more certain? She had been right that he had been troubled but how could she not trust him now when he trusted her and put his every last faith and hope in her?
'If I am the one you speak of, how shall I know when to give them and who for I may have many besides just two?' She asked.
'As to that, how can I answer? A clue to who this maybe; "they will both be born of the same day though they'll not be twins, and they'll have a bond of love and loyalty beyond anything though a hundred and twenty-one years may lie between them./i"And as for when, only you will be able to judge.' He replied he paused before adding: 'so you will keep them safe and hidden?'
Now she wasn't sure and yet it seemed she didn't have much of a choice if both fate and prophecy brought Celebrimbor to her with the necklaces. She remembered her mother's words to her only two months before: "We never make our paths they are woven before out feet and all we have to do is to chose the right path: whether to go on the one that fate has decided for us and follow it til the end or to turn away from it, but only you can make that choice."In the end, Celebrían agreed not knowing how to refuse.
'Then I thank you my lady, I shall also take my leave for in the morning I return to Eregion.' Said Celebrimbor. 'Namárië!'
'Na-den pedim ad,' replied Celebrían, unaware that never again would Celebrimbor be seen in the golden woods of Lothlórien.
