Title: Sweet Child of Mine

Author: Lady M, Magdalena, Lady Mercury..whatever!!!!

Summary: A daughters life through the eyes of a father.

Notes: One bad thing writing sad stories is that you are almost in tears when it's finished. My mother language is Swedish. So I'm sure that there's a lot of faults in the text. But I didn't have time to find a beta reader. Lyrics from the song Butterfly kisses sung by Cliff Richard. [Updates] January 19, 2003, Beta read by Kate!!! Thank you so much Kate!!!

Feedback: maddan3@hotmail.com

Website: Caras Galathon = http://www.freewebs.com/celeborn

*~*~*~*~*~*~

There's two things I know for sure.
She was sent here from heaven, and she's daddy's little girl.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Celeborn held the newborn baby gently in his arms. She was so delicate, so little and his arms felt so big. He never knew that it would be like this. My daughter. I have a daughter. He smiled as he gently stroked the baby's face. She looked up at him with her big blue eyes, they looked so much like her mothers. However, she had his silvery hair he noticed. She will be just as beautiful as Galadriel. The baby must have heard his thoughts because she wrinkled her face and started wailing for her mother. Celeborn felt panic rise inside him. But then he felt the presence of his wife beside him as she gently took the baby from his arms to feed her. Galadriel smiled at him.

"I think is best that I feed her here, don't you think so?" She said then smiled to him, it was one of her enigmatic smiles.

Celeborn simply nodded and watched has Galadriel sat down on a chair and started beast feeding their little miracle. The baby seemed very pleased with it. Celeborn moved to stand beside the chair.

"What would you like to call her?" Galadriel asked him looking up from their little girl to her husband.

"Celebrian." He answers. He know that it was the right name for her from the moment he saw her.

"It's beautiful name.

"I thought so too. It seems to fit her really good." Celeborn said and stroked the baby's head. I love you my little princess. The baby stopped sucking and looked up to her father and smiled. Celeborn smiled back.

Galadriel couldn't help but laugh at them both. "She really is her father's daughter, but little girls should be eating not smiling at there daddy." Little Celebrian looked up to her mother smiling and then she returned to eating.

Celeborn kneeled beside the chair and kissed his daughter's head. Then he looked at Galadriel. "She is a miracle."

"Yes, and she is our miracle." Galadriel answered.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Oh, with all that I've done wrong, I must have done something right
To deserve a hug every morning, and butterfly kisses at night.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Daddy, daddy your are back!" The little elven girl flung herself into her father's arms. It had been months since he left her and her mother and she had missed him everyday.

"My little princess. Have you missed me?" The man asked his daughter.

"Yes, and mommy missed you too." The girl said and looked passed her father to the woman who was walking toward her. The woman smiled broadly at them both. He put down the girl and gave her a little packet. "Here you are Celebrian a little present from Elrond. The girl smiled happily and started to tear off the paper.

"Welcome home, Celeborn. How was the visit in Imladris? I hope that Lord Elrond is well." Galadriel walked into the open arms of her husband. He pulled her closer to him and kissed her deeply.

I have missed you my love. Lothlórien has been empty without your present here.

My heart has longed for you since the day we parted Galadriel. They looked into each others eyes. Even after all the years together the love was just as strong as it was the first day they had met in Doriath.

"It was just fine my love. Elrond sends his greetings to both you and Celebrian." He didn't have time to say anything more because Celebrian had finally opened her present and she started to jump up and down. "It's a book, daddy, it's a book!"

"Well, let me look at it." Celeborn said and took the book from her hands. "My, my look what Elrond has given you princess. A new book of bedtime stories."

"Will you read some of the stories to me from the book tonight daddy? Please." Celebrian pleaded. Celeborn just smiled and lifted her up into his arms. "Of course my little princess, of course I will read to you."

"Good." Then her eyes narrowed. "Where's your present for me?" Celeborn laughed. "That's my little girl."

*~*~*~*~*~*~

She's looking like her momma a little more every day.
One part woman, the other part girl.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Daddy will we be their soon?" Celebrian asked, looked toward here father who was riding beside her.

"Very soon princess. We will soon be in Imladris."

"Good, it will be nice to see Elrond again."

"And it looks like the waiting is over". Celeborn said a pointed toward the rider was approaching them. Celebrian smiled a happy smile and called out the rider's name: "Elrond".

The man on the horse was soon by there side. He smiled at them.

"Welcome to Imladris Lord Celeborn, Lady Celebrian. I thought Lady Galadriel traveling with you on this visit?"

"My wife decided to stay home this time." Celeborn said.

"I see," Elrond said then he looked at Celebrian and smiled. "But I guess the little lady will due. My, my you have really grown. How old are you now?"

"I'm 16 almost 17."

"You will be a heartbreaker like you mother." Elrond said.

"Don't let my mother here that." Celebrian said laughing.

"Do I look suicidal?" Elrond said. " Now let us continue, I sure you both could use some food."

*~*~*~*~*~*~

She asked me what I'm thinking, and I said "I'm not sure,
I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl." Then she leaned over... and gave
me...

Butterfly kisses, with her mama there sticking little flowers all up in her hair
"Walk me down the aisle, daddy, it's just about time"
"Does my wedding gown look pretty, daddy?" "Daddy, don't cry."


*~*~*~*~*~*~

Celeborn never thought that this day would come. He was quite sure that no father was ever prepared for this day. The day that his little daughter was given away to the man she loved. Actually he never thought that Elrond would gather enough courage to ask for Celebrians hand. He had been quite surprised when Elrond one-day whiteout sending any messenger's had visits Lothlórien to ask for Celebrian's hand. Celeborn laughed when he remembered the nervous look on Elronds face when he finally was able to say what he wanted. He had known for years about Elrond's feelings towards his daughter. However, he did not know that Celebrian was as much in love in Elrond as Elrond was with her. But he was quite sure that Galadriel had known about it for years. That would explain the smug look she always had when Elrond and Celebrian were together. He would have to ask here about it some day.

"Lord Celeborn?"

Celeborn turned around from the window he was looking out from.

"Yes Haldir?"

"It's time."

"Tell them I'm on my way."

"Yes my lord."

So it was time. Time for Celebrian and Elrond to be married. Celeborn thought and left his room to join his family.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

All the precious time ... Like the wind, the years go by
Precious butterfly ... Spread your wings and fly

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Galadriel was crying and there was nothing Celeborn could do about it. Celebrian was gone. His wife was just lying in their bed and crying her heart out. No one could have known that the riders would be attacked, not even her mirror told of it. She blamed herself for everything that had happened. She blamed the mirror. She blamed the world. Yet, she never blamed the person that felt them self deserving of blame. Celeborn. He should have traveled with her. He should have protected her. He should have died for her. How could he let his only child be captured by the Orcs? What kind of father was he that he let his daughter wither a way till there was nothing left of the little girl whom he once had carried in his arms.

"Grandfather." Celeborn looked up from the bed. Arwen stood by the bed. She looked toward her grandmother, who finally had fallen asleep from crying. Then she looked at him. She has been crying also, he could see that.

"Arwen, how is your father?" He asked her, Elrond has agreed to stay a couple of moths in Lothlórien before traveling back to Imladris. Yet he spends most of his time looked in his room while his two sons are off hunting Orcs. Arwen had tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't let anyone in.

"The same. He won't talk to me, or anyone."

"You just have to give him time. He's in much pain-"

"Like you". Celeborn looked startled towards Arwen.

"You blame yourself." Arwen said.

"I..." Celeborn didn't know what to say.

"It wasn't your fault. It wasn't daddy's fault, it wasn't grandmother's fault. It was Sauron's fault." Arwen said then sat down beside Celeborn on the bed.

"Grandfather. There wasn't anything anyone could had done." Celeborn looked into Arwen deep blue eyes, they are so much like Celebrian's. The grief that had been locked inside him since he had learned the news about the attack finally broke free as the tears started to fall. He and Arwen clung together, both crying. The pain would never go away but they would at least have each other.

The End

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Notes: Celebrian means "silver queen"