Grey Havens. April 3, SA 542
GALADRIEL ARTANIS FINARFINIEL sighed as she felt the salty wind on her face. A seabird let out a cry as it circled over her head before it flew away toward the rising sun. She looked toward the West as she inhaled the scent of the ocean. The refreshing scent of the seawater always smelled like her mother's hair. As a child in her mother's arms, Galadriel would bury her nose into her mother's hair and it would smell like the sea under the dappled summer sunlight. How beautiful her mother's hair was, glittering under the summer sun, glowing like the strands of a moonbeam in the dark.
Mother.
Galadriel reached for the invisible silver strands that used to dance like silk ribbons in the wind. Longing for her mother took flight like a seabird and reached across the vast ocean. Galadriel opened her mind wide, hoping to hear even a faint flutter of her mother's voice, but as always, the sea was silent. And as always, Galadriel's heart clenched as sorrow washed over her. She dropped her head and stood there, on top of the boulder, feeling the sea air weigh down on her. She fisted her hands.
What have I done that was so terrible that you would deny me?
Galadriel picked up her chin, raising it against the sky and the ocean. Why was it wrong to want to see the new lands, to rule over those who were less than her? Her hands were not stained with blood. And had she not paid dearly by suffering through those long years at the Helcaraxë? And once in the Middle Earth, with the blood of her brothers and cousins?
She shall rule this land one day, no matter what anyone would say otherwise. Perhaps in Valinor only sons ruled, but in this land, anything was possible. She would do it for her brothers, for her cousins, and all those who perished fighting to keep this land safe and unstained. It was the least she could do for them, for their dreams and aspirations that died with them.
Soft footsteps on stone made Galadriel turned to look. Lord Istuion was coming up through the stairs cut into the rock that led down to the Crescent Cove.
"My lady," Istuion inclined his head, his hand on his heart when he saw her. He had come as a messenger from Oropher. And he had brought separate representatives from Amdir, surprising the king and the council.
"How do you fare, Lord Istuion? I am sorry for what had happened."
"The king had sent two Silmacils, so I believe they will be all right." Lord Istuion smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. She wanted to comfort him, but she hadn't been able to comfort Celeborn. Istuion would have been no less devastated by the news.
"The king will do everything in his power. You know that, don't you?"
"Of course. Please excuse me, my lady. I have much to attend to." With that, Istuion inclined his head again before walking up the stairs onto the Swan Manor.
Gil-galad had arrived at the Grey Havens the day before the Yestare instead of the morning of the New Year as was planned. The moment she saw the king's face, she had known something bad had happened. But the people expected feasting and merriment and the king and Lord Cirdan officiated the celebration of the New Year as was expected. But this morning, Lord Istuion was asked to dine with the king. She and her husband had been part of the guests to whom the king broke the news of Thranduil and Aron.
Picking up the hem of her dress, she walked down to the cove.
Celeborn stood there, at the edge of the water, his broad back to her. His silver hair, more gold than silver in the early morning sunlight, shone like the strands of moonbeams. So much like the hair of her mother, its beauty struck her heart once more. Sinking her feet into the gritty sand, she stood there for a moment and watched, knowing he was aware of her presence. Throughout the near millennium of their time together, she had never once surprised him.
Galadriel walked behind him, leaned her head on Celeborn's back, circling her arms around his waist. Celeborn stood erect, his muscles tense, but as her arms drew him in, his muscles relaxed as his hand slid over hers. He leaned back into her. They stood like that for some time in silence.
"It's not your fault, My Love." She rubbed her cheek into his neck. She knew how much guilt Celeborn carried, for leaving, for not being there for his brother when he fell in the hands of the Dwarves, for not being there with Oropher when Doriath fell. So many things.
"If Aron and Thranduil are lost, I don't know if Oropher could take it. It is bad enough that Aron is taken, but Thranduil? I have let Oropher down too many times." Celeborn's voice was heavy with grief. "We should never have kept the lad here. He had gone through so much, but to add this burden to him."
"He is not a child anymore, Celeborn. You never had any control over him, and neither did his father nor the king. Thranduil chose to stay, and you must admit, he learned much from here. We have given him the education he wouldn't have gotten anywhere else."
"That is what we tell ourselves to make us feel better." Celeborn turned around. "But the truth is, he is a prisoner here. He is a political prisoner to appease the desire of the king."
Galadriel stepped away, feeling the heat on her face. She took in a long breath to calm herself.
"Gil is not doing it for his own good, and you know that. He is keeping Thranduil here for the benefit of us all. Is it not also your desire for us to be united?" Galadriel looked into Celeborn's eyes. "Isn't that what we both want?"
Celeborn turned back to the sea. He was silent for so long, Galadriel feared he was closing himself from her again. The years after they received the news of the second and the third kinslaying had been the most difficult in their relationship. Galadriel clenched her fists. She did not want to go through that again, the years when Celeborn would not open himself to her. None of what happened had been her fault. Celeborn never openly blamed her, but she had felt the distance between them as wide as the ocean.
"Please, Love, do not shut me out. You know I do not do well with the gray skies and the endless winter. If the temperature is to drop and the world encompasses in snow, at least let me know that spring is near."
Celeborn took her hand, kissed it, then pulled her into his arms.
Galadriel closed her eyes, inhaling Celeborn's scent of musk and the sky.
"Oropher asked me to join him."
Galadriel sucked in her breath. Oropher had asked Celeborn before, shortly after the start of the new age. But she had not wanted to go. She wasn't sure she was ready to live among the primitive Elves who lived on trees or holes, and wherever they lived.
"You are the Lord of Harlindon. Surely you do not think of abandoning them."
"Harlindon is land under Gil-galad. And most of the Sindar in Harlindon are Mithrim who had taken Noldor as their lord. But I am not one of them, Galadriel. You did not want to go east, so I stayed, but Oropher and Amdir are my family."
"And I? Am I not your family?" She pulled away from Celeborn's arms.
"Galadriel."
"And where are we supposed to live in the east? In the caves and dells like the Mithrim when we first arrived in the Middle Earth? If people in Harlindon are not your people, then neither are the Wood-elves in the east."
"You wanted to see the unknown lands, did you not? Rule over them? Was it your desire to remain under Gil-galad's rule?"
"The Wood-elves already have a king. Haven't they already named Amdir their king?" Galadriel had been surprised by this unforeseen turn of the event. If anyone became the king of the Wood-elves, they had all assumed it would be Oropher. Not only was Oropher the only son of her uncle, the first-born son to her grandfather Lord Olwe, Amdir had never shown a desire to lead before.
"Of the Four Trees of Doriath, Amdir was the last person I thought would become king." Galadriel shook her head.
"Four Trees." A sad, faint smile hovered on Celeborn's lips. "I have not heard us called that in a long time."
The Four Trees of Doriath referred to Doriath's four princes: Oropher, the beech tree, Celeborn, the silver tree, Celeborn's brother, Galathil, the white tree, and Amdir whose father name had been Malgalad, the gold tree. The four princes, the grandnephews to King Thingol, had been as close as brothers. It was long ago now when the Four Trees of Doriath had admired her and her brothers. Among them, Oropher had been the closest with her and Celeborn. Now, it seemed the distance between them was wider than Eriador and deeper than the ocean.
"Istuion tells me he is considered king only by the Wood-elves of Lorinand. The other twelve main settlements scattered throughout the great forest in Rhovanion do not back him."
"What good is that then. Why would he call himself king?"
"He didn't call himself king, Love. Amdir married the daughter of the lord of Lorinand. It is slightly smaller than the size of the Grey Havens. The people of Lorinand proclaimed him their king."
"What do other settlements want?"
"According to Istuion, the Wood-elves have a prophecy among them that a great lord will come from the west and lead them through their darkest times." Celeborn laughed. "And guess how will they know their great lord? By his hair that glitter like the lights of Elbereth."
Galadriel opened her eyes wide. Hair like the starlight? It could be Celeborn or any of the Sindarin princes, perhaps even herself.
"Then why are they not claiming Oropher their king? He could claim both just as well as Amdir. And Oropher has a better claim."
"They wanted to, but Oropher would not hear of it." Celeborn chuckled. "The remaining Wood-elves are split, one side wanting Oropher as their king and the other who still believes the one had not come yet."
"And how does Amdir feel about that? I know he chose to follow Oropher originally, but he is the king now."
Celeborn sighed. "Oropher moved across the river to give Amdir some space. According to Istuion, Amdir didn't feel comfortable with Oropher receiving so much attention from others who believe Oropher, not Amdir, should be their king. To make Amdir feel better, Istuion told me Oropher declared to everyone that unless it was the will of the entire people, every one of the settlements, he wouldn't even entertain the idea of being their king."
"Then, I don't understand why Oropher would want you there? Does he want to separate the east into three small kingdoms among you three?"
Celeborn smiled again, his smile not reaching his eyes. "You do not understand Oropher, Galadriel. Istuion believes, and I agree with him, that Oropher wants to show the Wood-elves that our hair is a norm among us. Neither Oropher nor I have any interest in ruling over others. He went east to seek peace, and as you and I know, a king's first duty is in the protection of his people. Ruling requires constant vigilance and readiness for battle. Your people seem made for that, but we would rather throw our fishing poles in the water and lay dozing by a lake, to count the clouds and feel the wind."
"Such dreams are fitting only while you live within the safety of a powerful Maia's girdle, my husband. That is not reality. Most of us had to live in a real-world full of enemies. And in this world, we have to take when an opportunity comes."
"I thought you are not interested in living among the Wood-elves." Celeborn's sorrowful eyes met hers.
"I said I don't want to live on trees and decrepit caves like some Nandor from the backwoods. But among my people, many are excellent builders."
Celeborn's face darkened.
"Oropher went east to avoid Noldor, and you want to take Noldor to the east?"
"The world does not belong to him. We can go wherever we like. Come, husband, the King's Council will be in session soon. We are wanted."
GIL-GALAD drummed his fingers on the wooden armrest. Somehow nothing seemed to go the way he wanted. He knew that when Elrond came to him that night before departing the East Fort, the Half-elven wanted to help Thranduil. But he had not known that Elrond would accompany the Sinda. Had Gil-galad known, he would have discouraged Elrond. The king let out a long sigh. Gilmagor would not take the disobedience lightly.
"Do we have any words from Lord Gilmagor?" the king asked when Celebrimbor finished reporting the status of the army at the Hills of Evendim. He had arrived at the Grey Havens last night, much earlier than Gil-galad had expected his cousin to come. Gil-galad didn't blame him and understood that his cousin didn't want to miss anything that went on in the Council.
Commander Gwendir stepped forward. "None, Your Majesty. No words as of yet."
As to the two who were taken, no news had come. And they were what worried Gil-galad the most. He prayed that they were not lost.
But as to Elrond and Thranduil, the king did not worry too much about their safety. Both were formidable warriors themselves. But more importantly, Thoron and Baldor should have gotten to them by now. They were two of the best warriors among the Silmacils.
Thoron and Baldor's original assignment had not been Thranduil but another matter. Lord Gilmagor had them to scout the area between the Hills of Evendim and Forochel for any possible spies of Sauron. The Lord Commander had been certain that Sauron would send out scouts to gather information on the strength of Lindon before commencing any attacks.
The king hoped that Aron would be recovered soon. If so, Thranduil and Elrond could remain to assist Thoron and Baldor once the Silmacil caught up to them. With Gilmagor and his Silmacils up at Forochel, Elrond and Thranduil would be insulated from having to face any mass number of Orcs. And if their assistance was meaningful, given nothing untoward happened, Gilmagor may show them leniency.
If not, the king wasn't sure what punishments Gilmagor would deal out to the two captains. By having to look for Thranduil and Elrond, the two Silmacils who already had much to do were being burdened. Despite the desire of the king and the Council, Gilmagor had been reluctant to recruit new Silmacils among the young cadets. And the older soldiers had either retired or preferred more peaceful positions. Over the past four centuries, they had added only a handful of warriors to the Silmacils.
"We agree with Lord Celebrimbor, Your Majesty. Until we hear more from the Silmacils as to what is really happening, we should not take unnecessary actions," Lord Hathaegor summarized the Council's decision.
Gil-galad did not disagree. He already had what he wanted which was to alert all the force stationed along the northern borders of Lindon. He was confident of the strength of his border. For the past four centuries, he and Gilmagor had carefully built up the strength of their arms. And the number of Orcs that gathered at Forochel was no match for his army.
"But how does the Council vote on the matter of informing the Dwarves?"
"Same goes for the Dwarves, sire. We feel we do not know enough to alarm the Dwarves," Lord Hathaegor said.
"As to the Dwarves, even if we were to send notice to them of Sauron's return, will they believe us? They have closed themselves off from us," Celeborn said. "Of what they have shown us, it is unlikely they will join us even if Sauron is to attack."
Gil-galad sighed. For a while, it seemed that the Dwarves were willing to work with his people. That was when Lord Hanar had been the ruler over his people in the north. But, after his passing, Lord Buri, who had been Lord Hanar's closest living kin, closed off the Dwarven lands to the Elves. Celebrimbor had tried several times to speak with the Dwarf, taking Elrond with him. Elrond said he was confident he could convince Lord Buri who he had met during the incident at the Dwarven ruin. But Elrond returned crestfallen and grieved. He said the Dwarf was no longer the same person he had met in the ruins. And Buri's grandson who was the current lord of the Dwarves there followed after his grandfather's policies.
"As to the Dwarves, we will see upon receiving news from Lord Gilmagor." Gil-galad glanced at Celebrimbor who sat quietly. "Perhaps, Lord Celebrimbor could inform the Dwarves at Harlindon and they could inform their kin in the north if it comes to that."
Despite the less than warm reception from most of the Dwarves, somehow Celebrimbor had maintained a semblance of friendship with those Dwarves who lived in the southern end of the Blue Mountains.
"The most important matter, I believe, is about this new kingdom in the east," Lord Hathaegor said.
Gil-galad rubbed at his forehead. This was something he had not foreseen. He had expected Oropher to lead the Sindar and the Nandor who left Lindon, and he had expected the Wood-elves to follow him. It had never occurred to him that Amdir, who was the youngest among the three Sindarin princes, would take the crown.
"What about it, Lord Hathaegor?" Celeborn raised his head. His blue eyes were frozen. "What bothers you?"
"There should only be one king," Celebrimbor said. "Oropher said he had no interest in forming his own kingdom. Isn't that why we let him go?"
"You speak as if he has no right whatsoever." Celeborn's voice was cold and hard. Gil-galad glanced at Lord Cirdan, but the elder lord kept silent. The king regretted that he didn't speak with Cirdan about this matter first.
"Oropher never pledged himself to King Gil-galad. He asked for a leave of the King out of courtesy. If he were to establish a realm far from here, then that is his right. And it is not Oropher who is the king. Amdir is." Celeborn turned to him. But Gil-galad did not know what the Sindarin lord expected him to say.
"Amdir. Oropher. What is the difference? Amdir followed Oropher so Oropher is responsible for him as they left in the ships we gave them. We gave Oropher the aid, if you had forgotten, Lord Celeborn, the one Amdir shared in." Celebrimbor sat up in his seat. "Our king allowed him to take the ships and filled them with provisions without which your cousin would not have had enough resources to lead the number of people he did."
"All for which Oropher's son is paying back with his service to the king." The temperature of the council chamber went down a notch by the iciness of Celeborn's voice.
Gil-galad sent up a prayer of thanks to the Valar that Thranduil was not here. If this matter could make Celeborn, who is usually amicable, this cold, Gil-galad was sure Thranduil would have brought down a blizzard in the council chamber.
"Paying back?" Celebrimbor laughed out loud. "Who is paying who here? We educate, clothe, and feed the young Sinda. He is receiving much more than what he pays back with his service."
"That is enough!" Gil-galad thumped the table in front of him with his fist. The table trembled from the power of his strength. Everyone stopped talking.
"The matter with Lord Oropher and his son is not the topic of our discussion. That matter is resolved." Gil-galad looked around the chamber, daring anyone to say otherwise.
"His Majesty is correct. That matter is resolved and no longer up for discussion," Lord Lammaeg said. "What we do need to discuss is how we should handle the matter of the new realm and what kind of relationship we should pursue."
"Yes, just allow any one to establish a realm. We will all be united in no time." Celebrimbor shook his head.
"Then what do you propose, Lord Celebrimbor?" Lady Galadriel asked. "Should we send the king's army across the vast Eriador and over the Misty Mountains and threaten the Wood-elves that they cannot have their own king? When have we stopped anyone from establishing a realm? Have we not come from across the ocean and established our own kingdoms when there was already King Thingol ruling over Beleriand?"
"We were not just anyone. You know that, Lady Galadriel. My uncles, your brothers, and the king's father and forefather, they were all from the line of the King. They had the right to rule."
"In that sense, Lord Amdir is also from the line of a king. He is the grandson of King Olwe and grandnephew to King Thingol," Lord Cirdan said. "Just as you are, our three Sindarin princes all share in the bloodline of the kings. But even that is secondary to the desires of the people. If people want Amdir as their king, then it is their right. Who are we to have a say in that." Cirdan looked around the council chamber. "Decide only whether you will be a gracious host to Amdir's ambassadors. Think about what our goal is. Is it unity or a petty division?"
"If we are to show a united front, how could we achieve that by making an enemy of our kin?" Gil-galad looked across his chair at Celebrimbor.
"The more kingdoms we have among ourselves, the more divisions we will have. At least, have Amdir recognize you as the High King."
"Did the Noldorin kings ever recognize King Thingol as their High King?" Celeborn asked. "Before the Noldor arrived, King Thingol was accepted by all, the Mithrim, Falathrim, and the Nandor, as their overlord. I do not remember any of the Noldorin kings doing so. Neither did we require any of the Noldor to do so."
"Should eagles call a thrush a king?"
The color of Celeborn's face changed. Before anyone could say any more, Gil-galad cut in.
"Please accept my apology on behalf of my cousin." Gil-galad glared at Celebrimbor. "I am sure he did not mean to insult anyone."
Celebrimbor got up, touched his heart, inclining his head. "My apologies if I offended you. It was just a figure of speech."
Gil-galad went on, not wanting to give anyone anything else to say. He could tell the Councilors needed fresh air. At least, he needed one. "The Wood-elves took Lord Amdir as their king. That is a fact. What we need to do is come up with how we can establish a good relationship, not how we should place ourselves above them. This matter should be less about what we want and more about how to work with them. Let us reconvene with a clearer head for our afternoon session."
Getting up, Gil-galad left the chamber before anyone could say anything else. He had learned through trial and error that the best way to avoid having arguments and insults fly around the council chamber was to give the councilors time to cool down and think among themselves.
Helcaraxë (Quenya. Ice spikes)—Known also as Grinding Ice, it is a foggy wasteland of clashing hills made of ice far north of the world. It used to connect Aman with Middle Earth until the earth was made round upon the destruction of Numenor. Betrayed by Feanor, Fingolfin (Gil-galad's grandfather) led his followers through here to reach Middle Earth before the birth of the Moon and the Sun.
Yestarë (Quenya, First day)—New Year, the first day of the year. It was also the first day of spring. The actual date varied among existing calendars. But, in my stories, all Yestarë is on April 1st.
Lord Hathaegor is from Part 1 of the story. He is one of the king's councilors and the father of Erfaron, Commander of East Fort, who trained with Elrond and Thranduil.
Mithrim (Sindarin, Grey people)-Region around Lake Mithrim, south-east part of Hithlum where Fingolfin and his son Fingon settled with the Noldor who followed them. It was inhabited already by the Sindar and these Sindar were called Mithrim after the name of the region. Many of these Sindar became part of the Noldor who settled there. Later, Sindar who lived in Beleriand outside the boundary of Doriath were referred as Mithrim.
Falathrim (Sindarin, Coast people)-known also as the Elves of the Falas, these were the Sindar who settled near the sea. Cirdan is their lord.
Nandor (Quenya, Those who went back)-Part of the Teleri who took the journey to the west, following Elwe (Thingol) but did not cross the Misty Mountains. There are two kinds: Laiquendi, the Green Elves, who joined Thingol later and settled in Ossiriand (Their leader was Denethor) and the Silvan Elves also known as the Wood-elves who did not cross the Misty Mountains and remained in the wide forest east of the mountains.