Daernaneth," Arwen called from the bottom rung that led to the uppermost flet in the treetops. Rarely did she venture to her grandparent's special place. Her grandmother once counselled her to find a place for love when she wed; a place to keep the flame of desire alive.
"Up here, pen neth," Galadriel beckoned with her tone.
"I found her," Arwen called to someone as she climbed the rungs and was on top of the tallest Mallorn. Her grandmother was lounging on a bed and the morning sun was still a band of pink in the east.
"Your Daeradar loves it up here. He is not one to be cooped up."
Arwen walked to the edge and looked down at the gilded roof of her grandparent's talan and gazed in admiration at the vast vistas, while slowly turning in a circle.
Azthêla entered next and motioned two servants to place covered trays on a table while she carried a pot of tea.
"Is this your way of telling me to get up?" Galadriel asked her handmaiden with humor.
"You can stay in bed, but, you haven't eaten much and the cooks made a special effort to entice, with a more than passable effort, I might ad." She carried a cup to Galadriel, who scooted up and let Azthêla rearrange the pillows behind her back. Azthêla then returned with a plate of stuffed biscuits and set it on her lap that was covered by a thick, soft blanket. A handful of cloth napkins were set beside her. With a smile, she sat the cup on a saucer Azthêla placed on the bed.
Arwen and Azthêla retrieved their own plates while the servants arranged chairs and a low table between them by the bed.
They ate in silence for a few minutes and Galadriel indulged herself with the second biscuit, after devouring the first. "Tell the chef, he spoils me," she said as she finished a couple crumbs on the plate. The servant handed her a warm, wet cloth and she wiped her hands and mouth and dried them with a warm towel they handed her next.
"It is the duty of the cooks to spoil and cater to your dietary whims." Azthêla reminded her and instructed the servant to take the plates and trays away, but to leave the tea.
"Back to your story, Daernaneth," Arwen prompted her grandmother. "You and Daeradar were in Mithrim and he kissed you after an eternity and you promised to tell me about the planning for your wedding."
Galadriel nodded and gave a smile that said she was thinking of him. "If he were here, I would make him give a demonstration."
"You gave a pretty good demonstration at Dol Guldur," Arwen smiled at her.
"He is a good kisser." Galadriel got back to her story. "After our first kiss in years, it was like kissing for the first time. Our audience didn't stop him from seeking a second kiss and I admit to allowing one more before breaking off. After that, we could be found together in the evenings under the watchful eyes of our chaperones. Aredhel wasn't allowed to chaperone as we were the same age and Uncle Fingolfin didn't want us to give her any ideas. Finrod was doubtful of Celeborn's intent and was our chaperone most often. He wanted to hear our conversations and ascertain himself of Celeborn's fidelity this time or lingering anger on the kinslaying. Although I know the main events of Celeborn's upbringing, he started to open his heart. One evening as we watched snow fall over the front lawns that sloped gently to the lake, he took my hand and I felt his fëa searching and answered with mine. I could see into his mind, although through a haze and he showed me his childhood."
"Did Naneth and Adar do that before marriage?" Arwen asked. "I thought that sort of intrusiveness was frowned upon until the marriage."
Galadriel exchanged amused looks with Azthêla before answering. "We may have indulged more than appropriate, but we were constantly surrounded by my kin and privacy in the large house was not to be purchased at any price. We know because Celeborn tried to bribe all my brother's and cousins to no avail. As I said, he took my hand and we had a joining. To anyone looking in our direction, it would appear as we were just holding hands and gazing at the bucolic serenity as evening brought the deer to the lawns where they would brows on the foliage of the many evergreens. I was powerful enough with Melian's training to block our fëas from projecting. It is something newly wedded elves must learn to do."
"I know my brothers have a special bond, but that's different isn't it?" Arwen pressed.
"Your brother's have an unusual bond where they can see through each other's eyes like married elves. Your father and uncle could do likewise and I'm assuming the iôns of Dior were likewise gifted. Most elves of close acquaintance are able to speak mind to mind as we can, but the binding of fëas is much more intimate. You not only see into each other's mind and through their eyes on occasion, but feel emotions and sensations. It's like two becoming one during sex." Galadriel smiled at her granddaughter's flushed cheeks.
"Back to that night. Celeborn allowed me to witness how I appeared to him that fateful day when I was escorted into the throne room of King Thingol and Queen Melian. He saw me as a goddess with the light of Aman flowing from me. It was even brighter back then and I could light up a room. He felt as a moth drawn to a flame and couldn't halt his trajectory until I consumed him. I in turn allowed him to see how he appeared to me; standing proudly by the throne with his unreadable expression and how I wanted to impress him. He started laughing and almost broke our fragile bond. In my mind he spoke for the first time silently. 'You failed to see Galathil standing beside me?' I thought back to our first encounter and sure enough, his brother was in the picture, but dimmed, while he stood out in crystal clarity in my memories."
"'I am not interested in your brother,' I reminded him silently for the first time. It's funny, our first mental conversation was about his brother.
"'I am happy to see it. I always wondered. He is the better looking and elleth's seek his charms and attractiveness while overlooking my ruggedness.' He was smiling into my face as we talked."
"'Your silver tongued brother is no match for you in looks in my opinion. I've seen plenty with his fair features in the courts of my father and grandfather. I bore easily with platitudes decrying my beauty or fortuitous birth. Melian asked me why I never showed more than passing courtesy to Galathil. I responded he is common place in Aman and she laughingly agreed, but warned me not to burst his friable ego. I asked about your ego and she said you were made of tempered material and could weather the strongest of storms. I would be lying if I said your heritage didn't matter. I've had it drummed into me all my life that I had to marry an ellon of rank.' I showed him my home in Tirion and grandfather's palace in Alqualondë."
"'I want to see the kinslaying,' he simply requested. I started to withdraw my fëa and he pleaded, 'Galadriel, it will always be between us.'"
"'I don't want to drive you away again.' I tried to reason with him. 'We just got together, don't ruin it.'"
"He was silent for a moment. Our fëas were still linked, but we weren't communicating. 'Let's go for a walk.'"
"Without a word to anyone, we broke fëas and retrieved our cloaks in a room near the main door. He took my arm and we started walking through the snow towards the lake that wasn't frozen over yet. There was a layer of slush upon the surface that made it darker than the dimming sky. The deer didn't run as we lightly walked on the top of the snow, only sinking in about an inch as it rained large flakes on and about us. I glanced back to see who would brave the storm and chaperone. To my surprise, it was Uncle Fingolfin. I suspected he was more observant than his sons or nephews and knew we formed a forbidden bond, as he would know what to look for."
"Once again Celeborn brushed his fëa against mine and I opened for him. 'Have you ever joined your fëa to another?' I asked him and wanted desperately to be the only elleth, and prayed he never did so with Lárraki as it was so intimate. If anyone else ever tried to do that to me, I would have felt violated."
"'No. You are the first. You?'"
"'I didn't know it could be done outside words of bonding through marriage first,' I confessed."
"'I don't want to wait for marriage to link our fëas. I had heard it could be done and wanted to know. Now I want more and any wait Melian imposes on us will be an eternity.' Celeborn's fëa lightly found mine again and he showed me a memory from his childhood and I got to see his parent's for the first time and Elmo and Pelória, his wife. Pelória had long, white silver hair and the bluest of eyes. Elmo was also of silver hair and Celeborn greatly favored him in looks and build. In turn, I showed my him parents and for the first time, Celeborn got to see his great uncle, Olwë and his wife, Arwë. It was a good preamble to the kinslaying, which I kept in a hidden corner of my mind, carefully guarded."
"'I think we should return before we are mistaken for snowelves,' Fingolfin called to us and reluctantly we broke connection and turned to where he was waiting not far away. He had a look that said he knew we were bonded. We walked up to him and waited. 'I'm disappointed in you, Celeborn.' He let us know he was aware of our activities."
"'I haven't walked in your shoes, Fingolfin; don't walk in mine,' Celeborn firmly replied and didn't back down to the older ellon. We were arm in arm and I felt him tense for a confrontation."
"'It is too soon for you to act this way,' Fingolfin argued. 'I don't want my niece to be hurt again. She may not recover next time.'"
"'I tried to get her to show me the kinslaying before we wed. I've seen my share of dead elves and killing. Is there something you two are keeping secret that would make me break off another pledge of marriage?'"
"I exchanged glances in the now almost dark with my uncle. 'He should know all about Fëanor, and I mean all.' I was also firm with my uncle."
"'Do we have to make a dirty laundry list for these Moriquendi?'"
"'Under the circumstances, with a marriage in the balance, I say yes.' I held my ground and Fingolfin flinched first."
"'Fine, but he won't like us very much and if he goes back to this Lárraki, don't say you weren't warned.' He started to walk away and turned back. 'I'll be watching from the window. Move into the light of the lamps.' We followed him back to the house and did as ordered. Under a yard lamp, I opened my past to Celeborn."
"I first showed him of Fëanor's obsession with my hair that shown with the light of the trees and how he begged for three strands. This was Celeborn's first look at Fëanor. I showed him the Silmarils and Palantíri and the funeral of the High King, Finwë. He got to see my daernaneth, Indis, still beautiful, dressed for mourning, and my aunt, Findis. 'You have yet to meet my other aunt, Írimë. She lives in Nargothrond at present, but will move to Gondolin when it is finished.' I showed him who she was. 'She followed her older brother and promised my father she would watch over us.'"
"Celeborn interrupted, 'You're stalling and trying to sidetrack me.'"
"I looked into his eyes and bit my lip. 'I don't want to relive it, but will.' I showed him the dead bodies, both in the streets and floating in the harbor. 'The ones with arrows are Ñoldor,' I told him and he could see an almost equal amount of bodies on both sides. I showed him the palace and how even I wasn't allowed inside to see which of my kin were still alive."
"'I haven't gotten the details of the kinslaying or seen actual killing,' Celeborn stated. 'Where were you located when it started?'"
"'I was with my father and brother's. We were the last group behind Fingolfin's people. That's why I don't have any memories of the actual killing. It was all over and Fëanor and his people were gone when we arrived the next day. I wanted to see if my daerodhrons were unharmed is why I entered the city unprotected. I was forbidden to enter the palace and turned back and escorted to where my father was on the outskirts of the city. The Ñoldor departed and we went north to Araman where Mandos was waiting.' I then allowed Celeborn his first glimpse of the Valar and I replayed the Doom of Mandos for him to hear with his own ears."
A chill settled over the elleth on the treetops. Galadriel led the way to her sitting area and ordered more tea. They broke for a quick relieving of their bladders and Galadriel dressed and met them for another chapter to her story.
"I also showed Celeborn my father again and our farewell so several centuries later when Adar put a blade to Celeborn's throat upon their meeting at the War of the Wrath, he knew exactly who was after him, although my exclaiming, 'Adar,' was also a good indication."
"Tell us," Arwen pleaded. Although she heard parts of the story, always felt the best parts were left out.
"Not now. I'm telling what happened up until our wedding," her grandmother reminded her. "I stopped feeding thoughts into his mind at the edge of the Helcaraxë and broke our connections by stepping away from him. 'Now do you believe I have nothing more to hide?' I asked him."
"He took my hand. 'You're cold,' was his only reply. He realized it was now dark and our cloaks were covered in snow. We went inside and shed the garments and the servants took them to dry near a roaring fire in the laundry room. Celeborn and I accepted glasses of wine from Fingolfin."
"'I don't want you two making a habit of blending fëas before you wed," my uncle flatly stated. 'It is abnormal and dangerous. If you go too far and one of you is killed, the other cannot marry even though you are not formally bonded.'"
"'Then we will become married tonight and join our fëas,' Celeborn replied."
"'I will not risk war with Doriath over such foolishness,' Fingolfin retorted with the order of a king in his tone. Even Celeborn nodded his acceptance and backed down. 'Because my niece is not from here and you cannot search for yourself her worthiness, I will vouch for her.'"
"'I thought Finrod was going to?' I asked him, surprised."
"'I outrank Finrod. When it comes time to stand with you, Írimë and I will do so. I'll not have less than a king represent our family.'"
"Celeborn and I never did relink fëas until wed, but it was hard. It was as uncle said, too dangerous and made wanting to take the next step almost impossible to resist. In time we went back to Menegroth. We traveled with Finrod until we parted at the juncture of the Dimbar and Nargothrond roads on the northern edge of Doriath. I bade Finrod farewell and went with Celeborn and Mablung to Menegroth."
"Melian insisted on a feast to celebrate our official courtship and so many were invited it was held in the largest cavern that was also used for our wedding ceremony, as it opened to a large courtyard with trees and flowering shrubs of almost every description. We sat with Thingol, Melian, Lúthien and Galathil on a raised dais. It was there that Melian made her decree. 'I know you two will want to rush a wedding, but the eldest great nephew of King Thingol will have a wedding that will be remembered and lays will be sung for the ages. I will not have it rumored I was slack on any detail.'"
"I heard Celeborn groan. 'Just get to the point, Aunt Melian. How many years are we looking at?'"
"'Eighty, pen neth. The courtyard to the caverns I selected to be your new home will have to be made perfect and then this area, where the wedding will be held, needs much work….' As she talked, I watched Celeborn's mouth drop open in shock."
"'I was thinking of exchanging silver rings within a year or two and the wedding a year thereafter.' He finally got a word in."
"Galathil was listening intently and asked for his own future. 'Does this also apply to me?'"
"Melian focused on him. 'I should think not unless tragedy was to befall Celeborn and you take his place in line to the throne after Lúthien.'"
"Galathil looked across the table at Celeborn and stated, 'You are hereby forbidden to do anything for the next eighty years but peel grapes for Galadriel. No way am I subjecting myself to Aunt Melian's wedding planning.'"
"We laughed, but Celeborn still looked pained. 'I am allowed to have contact with my fëa?' When he agreed to wait, he was under the impression we would wed soon."
"'No, Celeborn, and don't think I don't know about your experimentation,' Melian responded in a threatening manner and the area around her grew dark and we shrank away in fear."
"'What did he do?' Thingol asked his wife and she told him and everyone at the table. Lúthien and Galathil were shocked and looked at him like he violated me."
"'Do they have to marry now?' Lúthien asked as if I were with child."
"Celeborn was red in the face and snapped at her. 'No, it isn't like that.'"
"'I heard that is the first step to binding of fëas and you don't stop until the consummation,' she shot back at him."
"'Your own parents would know more of that than me, ask them,' Celeborn barked and we all looked to the king and queen."
"Thingol looked uncomfortable, but Melian smiled brightly and regaled us of the ensorcelling of a king. 'I put Thingol in a trance for eighteen years as I didn't know anything so beautiful could exist in the form of the Eldar. He didn't know where he was or anything except his love for me. After a time, I released his mind so he could freely choose. To my relief, he chose me and we planned a quick wedding as he needed to find his people. We exchanged wedding vows in a private ceremony in the glade where we first met. Manwë and Varda came to witness our union and invite us to Aman. We chose to stay with the Eglath and create a kingdom for those who chose not to depart these lands. Joining with a Maia is not the same as two Eldar's fëas becoming one.'"
"'You're babbling,' Thingol cut her off and took her hand. He looked at Celeborn and me. 'I don't want one hint of any impropriety with your fëas getting back to me or I'll add a hundred years to your wait.'"
"Lúthien sought Celeborn out a few days after our party. She was always distant towards me in those days and jealous of her naneth's time with me."
"I never knew that." Arwen shared a surprised look with an equally stunned Azthêla.
"Being the King and Queen's only child, she was used to being the youngest elleth and had great favor with all at court. When her naneth showed me much the same affections, she grew resentful. At first, I tried to avoid her and that's how she missed my making up with Celeborn, as she chose to stay and dance in the woods of Doriath over a summer by the sea. Celeborn relayed a conversation he had with her had not long after we returned."
"'Why are you avoiding me?' Celeborn caught Lúthien outside her rooms, as he was loitering to waylay her."
"'Come in, cousin.' She invited him to her main chamber so nobody could overhear. 'As you know, I thought something off about your Galadriel when first I saw her. How could you take a kinslayer back, Celeborn?'"
"'I'll not answer to you, Lúthien. Your heart has never flamed with love and you don't understand the pull it has over all. The heart triumphs all reason. I love Galadriel with my heart and yearn for when our fëas join permanently. That one taste of her left me longing for more.' She went quiet at that and he continued. 'I wish you would be friends with her. She doesn't have many elleths of royal breeding for association. She is close to her cousin, Aredhel, who will never live nearby. You and she will share this court forever.'"
"She went back at him with, 'Why are you so accepting of the Ñoldor, my cousin? From the first, you were very friendly with Galadriel's brother, Angrod, and then Finrod became as another brother to you. And speaking of brother's, your own flesh and blood shares my concerns. Galathil has concerns on your sanity in pursuing Galadriel after the revelations of the Ñoldor.'"
"'I'll talk with him,' Celeborn conceded."
"And he sought his younger brother out that very day. He went to his family home in the caves where he and his brother still lived. Their parents had been killed when Morgoth returned from Aman. An ill-fated return trip from the Havens took their lives shortly before Melian erected the girdle to protect Doriath. It was that attack by Morgoth which spurred her to action and her husband and daughter watched in awe as she encased their realm in a protective invisible field that no fell creature could penetrate, but non-fell could still enter. The girdle marked the beginning of the Battle of Beleriand. They still sent patrols to the boundaries, but it was more to keep the wardens sharp. Celeborn and Galathil were still recovering from their loss of parents when we arrived in Arda. They spent many years fighting orcs from that moment on and became two of Thingol's most seasoned warriors." Galadriel paused and added softly, "Not unlike our dear daeriôns do to this day. Celeborn and I have compared his memories of that time to our boys and they have much in common." She found her place.
"Galathil distrusted the Ñoldor. He was on patrol when he had an encounter with Fëanor who was on his way to Mithrim after the orcs were driven away from the Havens during the Battle of Beleriand. Fëanor wished to visit Menegroth and meet King Thingol. Galathil told him he would deliver a message and instructed Fëanor to go on to Mithrim. If Thingol wished to meet, an emissary would be sent. Melian told Thingol not to meet with Fëanor, as she had a premonition from her mirror that all was not right with him. When we arrived and sent Angrod as our emissary to Menegroth, Melian told Thingol to meet with him. She told me much later that she didn't tell Thingol everything she saw because she was given an image of Celeborn and I together. She knew Thingol would not have acquiesced to opening his kingdom for love."
"Daernaneth, what would have happened if King Thingol didn't meet with Angrod?" Arwen asked.
"Melian would have overruled him. Nobody could get through the girdle for safe passage that she didn't allow and her mirror forewarned her of Angrod's approach. Círdan, who first knew Fëanor and his sons, met Fingolfin next. He sent a letter to Melian and Thingol saying if ever the party of Fingolfin was to seek an audience, allow it. He was witness to the burning of the ships, but Fëanor didn't tell him the truth. He didn't find out about us for many years and Melian's mirror was also silent."
"Daeradar was so much more open about expressing his love for you back then," Arwen lamented. "I wish he was still giving you avowals of everlasting love or he would die."
Galadriel and Azthêla laughed. "Ellons only say just enough to get us hooked," Azthêla warned. "Don't expect any more from your own ellon."
"And that's the truth," Galadriel added. "Celeborn's romantic acme was in the years after we reunited. I have wonderful memories of him reciting lays declaring love and fidelity."
"Do you have it written down?" Arwen wanted to read them.
"No, but I remember each stanza." Galadriel would add them to her book for her grandchild's wedding gift. "Where was I? Oh yes, Celeborn found Galathil in their family home and started his conversation with his brother. 'Lúthien and I talked about Galadriel. She mentioned you also have reservations about my relationship with my intended.'"
"Galathil came clean with his brother. 'I didn't have many until we learned of the kinslaying, brother. I caution you not to rush into a permanent union with her. In fact, Uncle Thingol told me before the party that he and Melian weren't going to approve a wedding for a long time, but even I didn't expect eighty years. He wants to make sure they are not hiding anymore secrets, like they killed Olwë and are too scared to confess.'"
"Celeborn was unhappy. 'I did link with Galadriel and she showed me all her dark past, which is insignificant compared to her uncle who did the kinslaying. She wasn't even there, but arrived the next day. I saw it with my own eyes through her.'"
"'Are you sure the memories were real and not something she conjured up for you? She is powerful.' Galathil wasn't giving up and it drove, or rather I drove a wedge between them."
"Celeborn was angry that his own family rejected me when he was still riding waves of euphoria with our reunion. My family in Mithrim was more forgiving of Celeborn than his was of me. 'She is the one I have chosen,' he finally stated as if the matter were settled."
"Galathil wasn't finished and shot back, 'I don't want you miserable, like when we found about the kinslaying. You were so despondent, I feared for your life. No elleth is worth your sanity or health, not even Galadriel.'"
"Celeborn had a hot retort. He isn't noted for patience's and it was so back then as well. 'There you are wrong, brother. If a rift forms over her, it is not my doing. You have imagined a travesty much worse than what actually happened. I spent two years with the Ñoldor. They confessed everything to me and not once did the story diverge from when Finrod divulged it to the king. Get used to it, Galathil. Galadriel is going to be your sister by marriage and you will be uncle to our children.'"
"Galathil and Celeborn were nose to nose and glaring at each other. 'You don't have the power to make me like a kinslayer and I speak for Lúthien also.'"
Celeborn has always been a little quick with his temper when pushed too far and answered with his fists.
