Disclaimer: I do not own any character in here, excepting Luinloth-however you are quiet welcome to her, as she is quite ahem difficult. However I have mangled them with delight, so if you have any quarrels with how they have turned out, just email me. Oh, and everything else belongs to one crazy writer called Tolkien.
Chapter one: Rainy day blues.
"Elleth, in general, need to cry. It lets out some deep emotion inside them that unreleased would make even the sweetest tempered sour and bitter."
From "Elleth and their ways"
Celebrian gazed out of the window with the most forlorn expression on her face. Now and then a tear would trickle down her white cheek, and she would brush it away impatiently. One thousand years had gone by since she had first met the Lord of Imladris, and he still had said naught to her!
His manner was always very kind and cordial, and he was always very courteous, and attentive to her needs…yet nothing he had done or said gave her a glimmer of hope for a relationship stronger than the one they had.
Unless, unless you counted the few times, when he obviously thought no one was looking, she had caught him looking at her with such ardour that it would make her head spin. At such times he would hold her gaze for a nanosecond before turning away and busying himself with some unimportant task. Celebrian had learned to treasure the nanoseconds.
The problem was their immortality and his personality. If he had been mortal, he would have been far more aware of the passing of time, and would have proposed long ago. Yet he was of elven kind, and he always erred on the side of caution. Sometimes too much so.
He needed stirring up, but how? Brave as she was, Celebrian could not countenance confessing her love for him before he had done so himself, and if she did dare he would probably take grave offence.
Another tear was just beginning to pool in one clear blue eye, when a sharp knock was heard on the door.
"Celebrian, if you don't let me in I am going to bash this thing down! And then you are going to have to explain to your beloved that…"
The said elleth hurriedly raced towards the door and threw it open.
"Luinloth! You fool! Half of Imladris could hear you!" She said in a fierce whisper. Then she dragged her friend in and shut the door.
Luinloth walked over to the bed and sat down, cross-legged, before nonchalantly undoing her hair.
"Luinloth!" Celebrian said in exasperation, her despairing mood flaring to annoyance "Do you have any idea how embarrassing it would be if Elrond heard you?!?"
"Do not concern yourself for me my friend," Luinloth said, looking up with a bright smile "I wouldn't be the least embarrassed if the Lord of Imladris heard what I just said."
Celebrian moaned in defeat, not really willing to continue a verbal sparring match with her long time friend.
"One of these days Luinloth, one of these days!" she grumbled, and then sprawled out on the bed, head in hands.
Luinloth just chuckled, and silence held the room in thrall for a time. Finally, Luinloth spoke.
"Would the afore mentioned Lord of Imladris have anything to do with your foul mood, friend of mine?" She said, getting up from the bed and walking towards the vanity.
And indecipherable groan arose from Celebrian's prostrate form.
Luinloth chuckled again, and began to brush her dark hair with Celebrian's brush.
"You are really quite pathetic you know…one thousand years and you haven't even tried!" She exclaimed, knowing this statement would at least rouse her friend. She was right.
"Haven't even tried!?!" Celebrian's voice jumped an octave.
"I have lived in the same place as the idiot for three hundred years! I have visited periodically so that I may see him, I have given him every chance to declare any feelings he has for me…yet still he remains little more than an old friend! I have tried Luinloth! And I am sick to the stomach of trying!"
Luinloth gazed at her friends red and blotchy face with an air of disbelief.
"Celebrian, my dear friend, how long have we known each other" Luinloth asked in a sugary tone.
"From the cradle! As well you know" Celebrian snapped back.
This time Luinloth's voice raised. "And I have been with you since you met his lordship, correct?"
"It is so" Celebrian answered, her tone more temperate.
"And in all that time you still have not realised that you cannot sit back and wait for love to happen! You must use some initiative Celebrian! Ellyn like Elrond need a hefty kick up the backside in the affairs of love and all other important matters."
"But how? I have tried my best!" Celebrian was beginning to whine now, and she knew it.
"Tried your best? Celebrian you haven't tried at all! I have seen you vie for a dogs love more than you have for Lord Elrond's"
"So what am I supposed to do, storm into his office and declare my undying passion?"
"That wouldn't be such a bad…"
"LUINLOTH!"
Luinloth chuckled for the third time in an hour.
"Peace my friend!" she said, coming over and putting an arm around Celebrian's hunched shoulders.
"Do not worry, I will think of something, meanwhile, why don't you go for a nice long ride? That always clears your head when you are as irate as a squirrel who has had his nuts stolen" Celebrian aimed a cuff at her friend, but Luinloth's reflexes were better.
"And just how am I going to take a ride if it is rai" Celebrian stopped, suddenly realising that the sun was out.
Luinloth sniggered, before walking to the door.
"Take my advice, my friend, before your tempers scare your beloved lord into deserting his own hou-" and Luinloth's voice was suddenly cut off by a well aimed pillow. Ignoring the fluffy missile she strode out into the hall, laughing heartily.
The much discussed Lord Elrond was sitting at his desk, his papers before him, and a fresh sheet of parchment ready to be adorned with fair elvish letters. However the Lord's attention was on the picture that sat on his desk-Celebrian, painted by Erestor, her blue eyes shining as she raced along on her silver horse. She was beautiful.
Sighing he turned his eyes away, looking out the window onto the valley below. His valley. For one thousand years he had cared for this place and it's people, seeking to create a haven for the last of the Noldor. And, he liked to think that he had succeeded. Now everything was running smoothly, Sauron was defeated, and peace hung like a mantle on his shoulders.
Yet even in the peace one desire had yet to be granted, the hand of Celebrian, daughter of Celeborn, in marriage. He hated to admit it to himself, but the fault that it was not yet so was his. He had loved Celebrian since he first laid eyes on her fair form, and coming to know her, with all her quirks and faults, did nothing to deter his feeling.
But first the tenderness of her youth, and then the knowledge of Sauron's arising had stopped him from declaring his heart. And now, now he had to admit that there was nothing to hinder him from speaking…except for fear.
The fear of becoming a father. His own father had been much away in his boyhood, and when he grew as a young man Earindel had long sailed away to Valinor. Both his Grandfathers were slain before his birth, and apart from Maedhros, who was often too busy for the young twins, Elrond had no one there for him as he grew to adulthood. In adulthood, Gil galad became his mentor, yet the pain of his childhood Elrond would wish on nobody, especially not his own children. And if something happened to him….
Middle earth was still fraught with peril…even worse, if anything happened to Celebrian after they were bonded…! He did not know if he could stand that. It would be hard enough if, the Valar forbid, some harm should befall her now.
A light tap on the door distracted his tumultuous thoughts, and at Elrond's bidding, Erestor entered.
"My lord" He bowed, and Elrond smiled at his chief councillor.
"Erestor, what can I do for you my friend?" He asked, motioning for the Noldo to sit in the chair opposite his desk.
"I was hoping you were not too busy to talk with an old friend" Erestor replied, sitting down gracefully as only elves can, and studying his friends face.
"Indeed I am not, and it would be a most appreciated distraction" Elrond said, and leaned back into a more comfortable position.
The picture sitting on the desk caught Erestor's eyes, as well as the pile of unreplied correspondence beside it. He smiled, Elrond obviously needed a distraction from something other than paperwork. A glance upwards showed him that Elrond had seen the look and the smile, and was now beginning to blush.
"You seem to be very "distracted" of late, my lord" Erestor remarked, the two fold meaning not lost on the other elf.
Elrond's flush deepened, had he really though he could hide anything from Erestor? As well as being his chief councillor, he was his closest friend.
'Indeed." He replied, and began to idly write Celebrian's name on the sheet of parchment, not really realising he was doing so.
"When are you going to speak to her?" Erestor asked, with uncharacteristic frankness.
Elrond looked up, startled. "It is not that easy" he tried to defend himself.
"My friend, you have attempted things far harder than telling a lady you love her" Erestor said, mirth in his voice.
Elrond rose abruptly and strode towards the window.
"You do not understand how truly hard it is!" He accused "you have never loved an Elleth like I love her!"
Erestor did not say anything for a long while, and Elrond turned around to see what was keeping his friend from speech.
He saw Erestor was in some memory, for his grey eyes were shining brightly as he gazed at the fire. Finally he stirred.
"You speak of what you do not know, Peredhil " He said, his tone sorrowful. "I loved, as deeply and truly as you love Celebrian, yet my beloved did not instantly return my love in the same measure, she feared the curse that was upon all the Noldor. And I, in my stubborn, wounded pride let the love of my life slip between my fingers."
Elrond felt like someone had just doused him with a bucket of cold water. Erestor saw the elf lords stricken expression, and smiled.
"It was long ago, my friend, and though the memory is painful, it is also sweet, and is all I have left of her. I have accepted my fate. But you, you have the purest joy of any elf's life in your grasp, do not commit the same folly as I. Whether for fear or any other reason."
Getting up, the wise councillor left the room, leaving behind a rather shocked and confused peredhil lord.
AN
Thank you very much for reading the story so far, any suggestions, criticism or comments would be greatly appreciated.
I am currently looking for a beta, and if you would like to offer your services, it would be marvellous!
Sincerely/Mud.