"Celebrían?" Galadriel knocked softly on her daughter's door. It was late, and she wished she had gotten the chance to come earlier, but she knew Celebrían would still be awake.

"Come in." Celebrían's muffled voice said.

Celebrían was sitting on her bed with an open book in her lap, and she avoided eye contact with Galadriel when her mother sat next to her.

"Celebrían?" She asked softly, and when her daughter looked up she saw her eyes were red from recently crying.

"It was terrible, Naneth! I tripped in front of all those people, the whole court, everyone saw." She started crying again. "I'm your daughter, you are the most graceful elf in all Arda, and I can not even walk up a set of steps. Who would ever want someone like me for a wife?"

Galadriel softly pulled Celebrían to her in a hug.

Lord Elrond. She thought. But what she said was, "This isn't just about tonight, is it. Do you want to tell me what else has happened?"

Celebrían didn't answer her question.

"Sometimes I wish we were like men and you and Adar would just choose someone for me. It would be so much easier."

Galadriel held her as she cried, rocking her gently.

"What happened, meleth?" She murmured, asking again.

Celebrían sighed and didn't answer with words, but opened her mind for her mother to read her thoughts.
Galadriel was surprised at what she saw. She hadn't even known Celebrían was courting anyone in Lorien, though looking back she supposed she had just missed the subtle signs. It seemed Celebrían had been seeing a blond elf that Galadriel didn't recognize. But in the end, when Celebrían had just been beginning to think she truly loved him, he had left Lorien for an old love,and claimed to Celebrían thathe never really had strong feelings for her.

Galadriel tried to soothe her, now that Celebrían's mind was open to her, but it did not seem to be working.

"Who was he?" She asked finally, when Celebrían's sobs had quieted a little.

"I am not going to tell you, Adar would have a fit and hunt him down." Celebrían told her, almost smiling.

"Should he?" Galadriel asked with her with a hint of her own smile.

"No." Celebrían shook her head.

As Galadriel stroked Celebrían's hair her thoughts turned to her daughter's words earlier. "Who would want me?"
Celebrían, it would seem, had no idea of Lord Elrond's feelings for her. They had become friends during Celebrían's last stay at Imladris, and Galadriel knew that they exchanged letters, but it seemed there wasn't anything romantic in their relationship, as Galadriel hoped there might be.

If elven tradition did include arranged marriage she was certain her choice for her daughter would be Elrond. They already got along well and had much in common. Galadriel felt sure that if Celebrían had never considered Elrond that way, it was only because he was Lord of Imladris and last time she had seen him he had been more her parents friend than her own, though they were closer in age. Come to think of it, Celebrían spoke of him fairly often, it was possible that she did return his feelings on some level, but had hardly considered it consciously. It was certainly worth a push to see if anything might grow between them if Celebrían met him in person again. Elrond was kind and wise, and powerful, and she knew he had loved Celebrían from a distance with all his heart for nearly two thousand years he would win her heart this time.

"Perhaps you need a change of scenery." Galadriel told Celebrían innocently, but for the gleam in her eye that Celebrían missed by not looking. "You enjoyed Imladris last time you were there, did you not? Why don't we see about another visit?"

Celebrían looked thoughtful.

"That would be nice. It would be good to see Elrond again, and Glorfindel, and everyone else."

"Wonderful!" Galadriel smiled. "Send Elrond a letter tomorrow. Or I will, if you prefer."

"I will." Celebrían gave her a true smile, this time.

"Good. I think it will do you well to be there for a time." She pressed a kiss to the crown of Celebrían's head, and Celebrían held her close for a moment.

"Thank you." She murmured.

"Anything for you, sell melui nîn." Galadriel said.
~*~*~

(sell melui nîn- my sweet child)

Galadriel returned to her and Celeborn's chambers. Though she felt for Celebrían's heartache, she was pleased with the outcome of their conversation; it was good that she would be visiting Imladris.
Celeborn was waiting for her when she returned.

"How is she?" He asked worriedly.

"Upset, but she will be fine. She is thinking of going to visit Imladris for awhile." Galadriel answered, changing into a nightgown.

"Imladris? Why?" Other than the incident tonight he did not know there was anything else wrong. Though come to think of it his daughter had been quieter than usual these past weeks. He had just been too busy himself to pay much attention, he realized guiltily.

"She has friends there." Galadriel told him simply.

"If she wishes to then I hope she will go." Celeborn said. "Did she say anything else? Surely you know I can tell you are not telling me everything."

Galadriel smiled at him, but still did not tell him everything. Not about Elrond, anyway, but she did briefly tell him of the elf Celebrían had been seeing.

Celeborn was furious. Not that Celebrían had kept it a secret, but that someone had dared to hurt her.

"Who is this elf? How dare he! I will find out who he was and if I ever see him near Celebrían or Lorien again…"

"Celeborn, meleth, leave it. She did not tell us who he was for a reason. I do not think Celebrían truly loved him; she will be fine soon enough. They are young, such things happen."

"They are not that young. Old enough that he should know better than to ever think of mistreating our daughter." Celeborn's eyes flashed.

"Fine then, they are not young, they are adults and perfectly capable of making decisions, like Celebrían's not to involve us now." Galadriel told him firmly.

Celeborn sighed reluctantly.

"Why is she going to Imladris, now?" Celeborn questioned.

"I told her she could use a change of scenery. Besides, she enjoyed it plenty when we were there before." Galadriel said innocently.

"Galadriel, I have known you for far too long not to know when you are not telling me everything." Celeborn told her, his thoughtful gray eyes boring into her blue ones.

"Or so you think." She said teasingly, sliding into bed beside him and kissing his cheek as he mock glared at her.

"Good-night, Celeborn." She said serenely.

"Good-night." Celeborn shook his head, giving up for now.