There was nowhere else like it.
That was the thought running through Norelda's mind as she was ushered up the stairs to where her grandparents waited. She looked about her. The staircase they were climbing wrapped about the living bole of a massively huge mallorn tree. Others, not quite as large, were clustered about with similar staircases leading up. From what she could see, the people of Lorien, the Galadhrim, lived in the trees, quite literally. Their houses nestled among the branches of the mallorns. She tried to wrap her head around such a foreign idea as she climbed, and was surprised to discover that the concept quite appealed. To her, at least. She could see Arwen looking a little pale.
Then all thoughts were driven from her head. They had reached the top of the staircase and emerged onto a wide flet, upon which was held the court of Lothlorien. Two thrones were set on the opposite side, and the Lord and Lady stood before the thrones, their arms open in welcome.
Celebrian gave a cry and rushed across to them. The last time Norelda had seen her move so quickly was when Elrohir fell from the second story balcony into the pond. She was embraced by her parents, and they spoke together in Quenya. Norelda spoke this tongue very little so she could not follow their conversation. She hung back with Arwen, and they stared in astonishment at the family reunion.
The Lady Galadriel is beautiful, thought Norelda. She shines, like stars. No not stars, remembering Elrohir's tales, she shines like the Two Trees, like the Silmarils. She has seen them.
So has Elrond, countered another part of her mind.
Yes, but she knew the one who made them. She followed him from Valinor.
All thoughts were banished from her head as the Lady turned her gaze upon Norelda and Arwen. She smiled, and held out her hands to them. The girls went to her without question, and she embraced, and spoke to them in Sindarin.
"My granddaughters. How I have longed to see you both. You are welcome here in the realm of the Galadhrim, may you find rest and peace."
"We are pleased to be here, Grandmother." said Arwen
"Yes, it's beautiful here." added Norelda.
"I am glad you like it, darlings. Now you should go and rest, for your journey must have been tiring. I will see you in the morning."
"Yes, Grandmother" they both replied obediently.
A tall blonde elf took them to a flet in a tree some distance from the main tree. It was a large platform, with walls and soft mats on the floor to sleep on. He left them there, and they lay and stared up at the stars.
"Norelda?" Arwen's voice cut through the darkness after a time.
"Yes?"
"Do you think one day I will be as beautiful as Grandmother?"
"I am sure of it."
"I think one day you will be as wise as her."
"Why do you say that?"
"You're so clever. You learn things so quickly, and you understand everything."
"Wisdom and cleverness are different, I think. Cleverness is easy, but wisdom take years and years, and even then it is not easy. Look at Feanor. He was supposed to be the best and cleverest of the elves, but he defied the Valar, and then he killed other elves, and then he was killed. That doesn't sound very wise, does it?"
"No. I suppose."
"Besides, I rather like being young and foolish. There's a great deal of enjoyment to be had yet, before I settle down and bcome a wise and respectable Elfmaid."
"What kind of enjoyment do you suggest?"
Norelda laughed, softly in the night. "We've come into an entirely new forest, that's completely safe! Tomorrow, I think, we go exploring."
"Oh good! We have months and months, maybe years here. I wonder if it will be long enough. I could spend years just watching the leaves changing, listening to them rustling."
"I think time is different here. We're too close to the world of Men in Imladris, even in Mithlond. Here, though, we're completely cut off. Time moves slower, but faster at the same time."
"That's what mother says."
"I know."
They fell asleep watching the stars.
Norelda would never be entirely certain how long they spent in Lothlorien, whether it was months or years, or even just days. All the days merged into each other, a gentle flow of sun and stars, laughter and games, wandering about just listening.
She remembered that Arwen was taken to look into the Mirror of Galadriel and came back looking subdued and pale. She had refused to discuss it, but that evening, she had stood on Caras Galdhon and looked West as the Evening Star rose, and she had wept.
When she came back, she was pale and trembling, and flung herself into Norelda arms and whispered "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." over and over. Norelda simply held her and rocked her back and forth as she wept.
She would not find out for many years the doom that Arwen had seen for herself in the Mirror, and when she did, it would be many years before she understood it.
Elves always had difficulty understanding death.
That was the thought running through Norelda's mind as she was ushered up the stairs to where her grandparents waited. She looked about her. The staircase they were climbing wrapped about the living bole of a massively huge mallorn tree. Others, not quite as large, were clustered about with similar staircases leading up. From what she could see, the people of Lorien, the Galadhrim, lived in the trees, quite literally. Their houses nestled among the branches of the mallorns. She tried to wrap her head around such a foreign idea as she climbed, and was surprised to discover that the concept quite appealed. To her, at least. She could see Arwen looking a little pale.
Then all thoughts were driven from her head. They had reached the top of the staircase and emerged onto a wide flet, upon which was held the court of Lothlorien. Two thrones were set on the opposite side, and the Lord and Lady stood before the thrones, their arms open in welcome.
Celebrian gave a cry and rushed across to them. The last time Norelda had seen her move so quickly was when Elrohir fell from the second story balcony into the pond. She was embraced by her parents, and they spoke together in Quenya. Norelda spoke this tongue very little so she could not follow their conversation. She hung back with Arwen, and they stared in astonishment at the family reunion.
The Lady Galadriel is beautiful, thought Norelda. She shines, like stars. No not stars, remembering Elrohir's tales, she shines like the Two Trees, like the Silmarils. She has seen them.
So has Elrond, countered another part of her mind.
Yes, but she knew the one who made them. She followed him from Valinor.
All thoughts were banished from her head as the Lady turned her gaze upon Norelda and Arwen. She smiled, and held out her hands to them. The girls went to her without question, and she embraced, and spoke to them in Sindarin.
"My granddaughters. How I have longed to see you both. You are welcome here in the realm of the Galadhrim, may you find rest and peace."
"We are pleased to be here, Grandmother." said Arwen
"Yes, it's beautiful here." added Norelda.
"I am glad you like it, darlings. Now you should go and rest, for your journey must have been tiring. I will see you in the morning."
"Yes, Grandmother" they both replied obediently.
A tall blonde elf took them to a flet in a tree some distance from the main tree. It was a large platform, with walls and soft mats on the floor to sleep on. He left them there, and they lay and stared up at the stars.
"Norelda?" Arwen's voice cut through the darkness after a time.
"Yes?"
"Do you think one day I will be as beautiful as Grandmother?"
"I am sure of it."
"I think one day you will be as wise as her."
"Why do you say that?"
"You're so clever. You learn things so quickly, and you understand everything."
"Wisdom and cleverness are different, I think. Cleverness is easy, but wisdom take years and years, and even then it is not easy. Look at Feanor. He was supposed to be the best and cleverest of the elves, but he defied the Valar, and then he killed other elves, and then he was killed. That doesn't sound very wise, does it?"
"No. I suppose."
"Besides, I rather like being young and foolish. There's a great deal of enjoyment to be had yet, before I settle down and bcome a wise and respectable Elfmaid."
"What kind of enjoyment do you suggest?"
Norelda laughed, softly in the night. "We've come into an entirely new forest, that's completely safe! Tomorrow, I think, we go exploring."
"Oh good! We have months and months, maybe years here. I wonder if it will be long enough. I could spend years just watching the leaves changing, listening to them rustling."
"I think time is different here. We're too close to the world of Men in Imladris, even in Mithlond. Here, though, we're completely cut off. Time moves slower, but faster at the same time."
"That's what mother says."
"I know."
They fell asleep watching the stars.
Norelda would never be entirely certain how long they spent in Lothlorien, whether it was months or years, or even just days. All the days merged into each other, a gentle flow of sun and stars, laughter and games, wandering about just listening.
She remembered that Arwen was taken to look into the Mirror of Galadriel and came back looking subdued and pale. She had refused to discuss it, but that evening, she had stood on Caras Galdhon and looked West as the Evening Star rose, and she had wept.
When she came back, she was pale and trembling, and flung herself into Norelda arms and whispered "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." over and over. Norelda simply held her and rocked her back and forth as she wept.
She would not find out for many years the doom that Arwen had seen for herself in the Mirror, and when she did, it would be many years before she understood it.
Elves always had difficulty understanding death.