She arrived after 2 days on the horse; she had not taken the time to rest. It was late evening in Lorien when she arrived and Aurae got escorted to the throne room by Haldir. Celeborn, Galadriel, Celebrian and Arwen was waiting for her , "My lord, my lady" She addressed them as she curtsied.
Celebrian embraced her without saying a word.
"My goodness you have grown" She smiled "And what a beautiful young woman you have grown into" Aurae blushed at her Aunts praise.
"Yes she has really grown into a beautiful young maiden" Aurae turned to face Celeborn "You look like your mother"
"m-my mother?" Aurae blinked.
Celeborn looked at her "You were born here Aurae. Your father was my older brother; he passed the throne to me and Galadriel when his beloved Vendethiel, your mother, passed away"
"I was born here? I'm a princess?" She was beyond astonished. "Wait, my father WAS your older brother?" Celeborn was unable to answer her, his face clouded with sorrow.
"Yes you are, and I am deeply sorry my dearest to tell you that your father has passed away in the woodland realm of Mirkwood" Galadriel said with a pained expression.
Aurae's eyes widened with disbelief. "No! You're lying! You have to be lying!" She screamed as she broke down in sorrow at Galadriel's feet.
"Oh my dear child, I wish I was," She said as she embraced her niece for the first time since she was an infant.
Aurae cried for days, and were left as an empty shell as they travelled to Mirkwood to attend her father's funeral. The King greeted them with open arms and with a soft look of understanding as they arrived.
"You must be Caladon's daughter," He said to Aurae as she stood before him. She looked up at his kind face and nodded, she were unable to utter a single word. "Come with me, child," He mentioned for her to follow him.
Caladon was to be buried the same day beneath the many trees of Mirkwood, just as the kings of old who could not make it to the Valar was buried.
King Thranduil took his time to tell Aurae about his long friendship with her father and how he felt that his friend deserved a kingly and safe burial.
Aurae cried trough the entire ceremony, heart-wrenching sobs echoed trough the mighty forest as Caladon was brought to his final resting place. It was not often Elves died in Middle-earth but when they did, all of their kinsmen would grieve for them together. After Caladon was buried, Aurae walked with cautious steps towards the tree. She did not care if all eyes were on her, and she did not care if said eyes saw her ring either, for Aurae wanted her beloved fathers grave to be beautiful, just like the person he was. She let her ringed hand touch the ground and as her tears hit the soft grass beneath her, pure white roses would cover the grave and the tree. The elves around her gasped and talked among themselves as she continued to make the roses crawl along the branches of the tree.
Galadriel hurried over to Aurae to make her stop, and lead her crying niece out of sight.
Aurae did not leave her room after the funeral, the servants would come with food and drink but she refused to eat.
The king came to visit her that day, and said that the palace would always be open for her if she needed a home. She silently thanked him, and spotted another figure at the door.
The king followed her gaze and told her it was his son, Legolas.
She never saw his face though, until the day she decided it was time to pull herself together and leave.
She had been sitting in the throne room all day discussing with lord Celeborn and lady Galadriel, they had told her of lord Celeborn's promise to her father that if anything happened to him, they would take care of Aurae. She was now Aurae Vendethiel Larenthanil, daughter of the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien, Princess and Lady of the forest.
However Aurae did not feel ready for all the responsibilities as a Princess just yet and told her new parents she needed some time for herself. Before she could become Lothloriens new princess she had to rid herself of her grief.
So she packed the little she had and left Rochir with lady Galadriel before taking the long road to the mountains.
Aurae were certain she would find some peace and quiet to think here, and she did, in the most unlikely creature.