Celebrian put her hands on the sides of her husband's face and looked him in the eye. He looked back gloomily and she laughed lightly.
"Elrond, there is no reason for you to look at me as if I was leaving you forever," she said, gently slipping the tips of her fingers into his dark hair. "I am leaving for but a few months at most."
"Yes, yes, I know," he replied in a tone that did not mask his displeasure. "And you haven't seen Galadriel and Celeborn in many years, yes, I know. I do not begrudge you the visit, it is the timing I have issue with."
"When do you suggest I go then?" she asked, still smiling in amusement.
"I have no idea," he admitted. "I just… I feel incredibly uneasy about your parting now."
"Is that another way of saying you shall miss me?"
Elrond couldn't stop his short laugh and sudden smile, but it diminished as quickly as it had come. "You know I shall, Celebrian. But there is something foul ahead, and I do not know what it is. Are you sure I cannot accompany you?"
Elrond and Celebrian were stood in the stable yard as stable hands and horse masters and guards and servants bustled in the early morning sunlight all preparing for Celebrian's departure to Lothlorien to visit her kin there. A small company of guards was accompanying her, but aside from that, she travelled alone. This time she was not travelling as a diplomat representing Imladris – this time, she was merely a lady setting out to see her beloved parents.
"Elrond, you worry too much," Celebrian told him, stepping back to look about the yard. She wanted to make sure everything went smoothly, but it hadn't been so easy. The wife of one of her guards had gone into labour mere hours ago, and Elrond had insisted that she found a replacement rather than set out with one less guardsman, so it had been a struggle to rearrange everything and they were already behind schedule. "Besides, how do you think Imladris could keep running without you here?"
"I'm sure Erestor could keep things ticking over here, he has done before," Elrond answered stoutly.
"Yes, but not whilst the whole court it here still," she reminded him gently. "Meleth nin, as much as I love you, you are being somewhat irrational. There is no concrete reason why I should not go. What do you suspect will happen, honestly?"
"Honestly?" Elrond answered, frowning. "There are many evils in the world still, Celebrian. I do not wish for you to be the victim of them."
"When have you ever known me to be a victim?" she asked him with a smile, leaning into his body one last time.
This time, he returned her smile fully, and wrapped his arms about her waist. "Never. You are truly your mother's daughter."
Celebrian pressed her smiling lips to her husband's as those around them averted their eyes politely, most hiding their smiles. The fondness between the Lord and Lady of Imladris was obvious, but they were usually very sutble and professional when in public. But for their farewell, none would begrudge them this moment.
Elrond held onto her tightly as he kissed her, not caring who saw. Usually so restrained, Elrond would always make the exception for Celebrian. Never had he loved anyone as he loved her.
They broke apart after a moment, but he kept his hold on her, pulling her into a hug. "Stay safe, meleth."
Celebrian drew back a little, her face close to his as she looked into his grey eyes. "I will, you know I will. Will you be able to keep the House running without me?" It was a joke, but there was a small truth in her words. Over the past thousand years, the household had grown, and it took both of their time to keep it in order, from high politics with the realms of Men and Dwarves, to ensuring there was enough bread and wine to keep everyone satisfied. Luckily, there were others who could take on her duties in Celebrian's absence – she was hoping that her three children would help their father at least a little.
"Arwen has sworn she shall dedicate her time to fill your shoes," Elrond answered, as if he had read her mind. "Whether she will come through with that promise, I do not know. Her head is far too often in the clouds, her hands filled with her sword and bow for too long."
"She is her mother's child," Celebrian reminded him gently. Her own blade was secured to her saddle and her bow and quiver awaited her in the hands of her hand maiden behind her. Celebrian hoped that she would not need them – not at least to defend herself. They went with her more so that she could hunt on the journey and help to keep her and her guardsmen well fed. That being said, she was able to wield them well. Her parents had seen many horrors in their time, and so they would not stand for the idea that their only child would go out into the world unable to defend herself. From a very young age, Celebrian had been able to handle a bow and arrow, but it was swordplay that had always been her strength. Whilst she could not overpower her opponent with brute force alone, she could outmanoeuvre him and slice him before he even realised she had moved. She thanked Iluvatar every day, however, that she had never once had to kill so that she might survive.
"Aye, she is," Elrond agreed with a sigh. He pulled her into one last embrace, holding her heavily braided head to him as he whispered "our bed shall be lonely, and my heart lonesome without you, meleth."
A shout came from the captain of the guard and the yard exploded with people running about frantically, horses neighing and blades ringing as they were sheathed.
"It's time I take my leave," Celebrian said lightly to her husband, and she stepped away after one final kiss. She loved riding, and the prospect of weeks of it excited her, not to mention her joy at seeing her parents after so long. A long green cloak flowed out behind her in the wind as she walked to her mare, a grey that turned her bright eyes to her mistress. In one swift motion she had swung herself up into her saddle and turned a last time to Elrond. "I will not be gone long, meleth nin. You will only have to close your eyes and I shall be home once more."
Elrond took her hand into his and looked up at her sitting proudly in her saddle. On journeys like this, she refused to sit in the side-saddle, and she dressed as any ellon would. Elrond could not have been more proud to call himself her husband than when she positioned herself at the head of the company, her kind face set against the wind as a dozen guards awaited her signal.
"Be safe, my love. You are the most precious thing to me. I could not bear for anything to befall you."
He pressed his lips to her warm hand, and she graced him with a smile so fair that all else was eclipsed from his sight for a moment. But it passed, and in the blink of an eye she was riding out of Imladris. Elrond watched her go with a heavy heart, the sense of foreboding clouding his every thought.
The ride was hard as Celebrian led her guard along paths that had once been roads as they kept close to the west side of the Misty Mountains for a number of weeks, but it was a jolly crowd that was with her. She knew all of them well, and she soon forgot that they had been sent with her for her protection, and she found the journey with them most pleasant.
Her guardsmen grew to love her even more. The Lady Celebrian was beloved to all – kind, fair, and with a smile ready for any who approached her, they found her to have sharp wit hidden behind that sweet mask, and a determination that rivalled that of her parents'. On the occasions that they suggested another route, Celebrian batted them away in a tone that was gentle but firm, letting them know that her way was the only one she would consider. But she was their Lady, and she cared for them. On the nights when they were all weary, she would disappear for an hour and return with a deer carcass or a belt full of rabbits or pigeon, and when they felt their spirits low she would warm them with small tales of her childhood until they all found laughter again. She was their Lady, and truly, they loved her.
In the third week, they at last came to the crossing point where they would leave behind the West and find the East. The Mountains stretched to the north and the south for as far as the eyes of the company could see, and a great peak, taller than the rest, reached into the sky before them.
Celebrian looked up at it with a smile, knowing her mother and father were now near. "We are only days away now," she told her guards with a smile in the early morning sun. "We have only this one last obstacle, and then we shall see the trees of Lothlorien at last. We have only this to cross now, and we shall be safe in the mallyrn trees – the Redhorn Pass."
The guards exchanged worried glances again, but said nothing. Already that had tried to persuade the Lady to take another route, but she was stubborn. This was the pass they would take, come good or bad. She nudged her horse into a trot and they followed her to the slopes of Caradhras.