Series Title: Adventures
Chapter Title: First Sight
Author: charmaine_ramsay@hotmail.com
Summary: An insight into the lives of Aredhel and Celegorm
Author's notes: 1. This is my first Silmarillion fanfic so please give me constructive criticism, I don't think this is very good but I'd like to hear others reactions.
2. I read Deborah's Guardian of the Walls and I was hooked onto the idea of Aredhel and Celegorm, she inspired this so either blame or thank her. Personally I thank her.
Disclaimer: None of the characters, places belong to me they all belong to our beloved Tolkien.
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"Celegorm would you be so kind as to watch over Aredhel for me, while I talk to your father?" Fingolfin asked the young elf, not wanting to leave his new daughter alone.
"Yes Uncle." Celegorm replied knowing he could not say no to such a responsibility. It would be his chance to prove that he was growing up.
"Thank you child. She is sleeping now so all you have to do is sit with her, if anything happens come and find me. I shall be outside with your father." Fingolfin told him, smiling at the pride he had awakened in his nephew's eyes.
Celegorm watched as his uncle left the room then turned his attention to the baby. It was the first time he had seen his new cousin even though she had been born over a month earlier. His father was never one for adhering to the customs of others such as welcoming new additions to his brother's family.
Looking at her he saw that she was pale as most elves were with dark hair beginning to show. She was sleeping peacefully as his uncle as said and for a while Celegorm watched her and wondered what she would be like once she had grown, whether they would be friends and if she would like hunting. His grandfather had taken him hunting one day not long ago and it was quickly turning into his great passion.
After a while of watching the baby he saw her move and then all of a sudden her eyes opened and focussed on him. Almost at once she started screaming and Celegorm panicked, wondering what he should do. Uncle Fingolfin had told him to call if he needed anything but Celegorm wanted to show how capable he was of handling the situation so he frantically thought of how to calm her. Since he did not have the beautiful singing voice of his elder brother Maglor he decided to tell her a story as Feanor had often done with him when he was younger.
When he started speaking the baby quieted and eventually stopped crying. It looked like she was listening to him so Celegorm decided to tell her the story of the day his grandfather Finwe had taken him hunting. So great was his passion for the subject that he forgot who he was telling the story to and did not think that she might not understand any of what he was saying and when Fingolfin and Feanor came back into the room they watched amused as he finished the tale, suitably exaggerated of course.
"Very well told Celegorm." Fingolfin congratulated his nephew with a hint of laughter in his voice.
"Perhaps you can make a living as a storyteller." His father jested and Celegorm at once felt inferior but suddenly remembered the purpose of the story.
"Well it worked. She was crying but she liked the story so much that she stopped!" He protested to his father looking down at Aredhel and seeing her watching him.
"You must have quite a gift Celegorm, once Aredhel wakes she is hard to pacify." Fingolfin mused playing the peacemaker between father and son, though that role was usually reserved for Finarfin.
Celegorm beamed at his uncle and scowled at his father then once again looked down at his newest cousin. Seeing his interest Fingolfin pounced upon the chance to distract his kin.
"Would you like to hold her, Celegorm? She seems quite taken with you." Fingolfin picked his daughter up out of her cradle and put her in his nephew's arms before he could protest. For a moment he looked panicked but then he copied Fingolfin's hold of her and sat down in a nearby chair so that he would not drop her.
He sat there looking down at the baby in his arms and wondered why he was so fascinated by her. When his younger brother Caranthir had been born he had been no fun whatsoever and Celegorm did not feel much interest in him at all yet for some reason he was captivated by this tiny girl. He thought over it for a while with all the concentration he displayed in matters of hunting where he was beginning to excel but in the end decided it was because she was a girl and he did not have a sister. From that point on Celegorm decided that Aredhel would be like a baby sister to him and he would protect her as a brother would and teach her all about hunting since she had seemed so interested when he had told her the story of his adventure.
While Celegorm was pondering the mystery of his new cousin the two adults were watching him, Fingolfin with fondness and amusement seeing how smitten his young nephew was with his daughter and Feanor with boredom. All he wanted was to get back to his forges and away from the annoying presence of his younger brother.
"Come Celegorm it is time to leave." Feanor suited his thoughts to action, calling to his son as he walked from the room.
"Goodbye Aredhel I will see you soon." Celegorm whispered to her as he quickly handed her back to his uncle and followed his father from the house.
"You are always welcome here you know that Celegorm." Fingolfin told him, hearing the words despite the whispering.
"Thank you uncle, farewell."
Over the next few years Celegorm devoted himself to two things with the single-minded purpose often seen in his father. The first was to excel at hunting and the second was being a good brother to Aredhel as he had promised himself.
He was always eager to learn more about the art of hunting and caught the eye of Orome, who taught him all that he could. He rose so high in the esteem of the Vala that he was given one of his hounds, Huan for his own. The pair were hardly ever separated for Celegorm treated the hound well and there was a great love and trust between them.
While this was happening Celegorm also visited Aredhel as often as he could, often taking her out into the forests. She became closer to him than her other two brothers and her mother often despaired to her husband that her daughter would grow up to be a ruffian of the forests instead of a Lady of the Noldor.
Fingolfin for the most part laughed off her concerns as Aredhel was still in her childhood and he believed she should be allowed to enjoy her youth. The only restriction Fingolfin put on the pair was that Celegorm was not to take Aredhel hunting until he deemed she was old enough. While naturally disappointed Celegorm had learned the dangers of the hunt and did not resent the condition.
Aredhel adored spending time with Celegorm as he would tell her the most exciting stories and take her to places she had never been before. She also loved his hound Huan and the three spent much time playing in the forests in their youth.
