The Morningstar: Chapter 1
Author: Dimcoriel
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own only the original characters, plot and item, everything else belongs to Tolkien.
It was before dawn and Cirdan was gazing out over the calm waters of the Gulf of Lhun. It was the time of the Morningstar; the bright star that hung just over the horizon in the western sky that heralds the coming of the dawn. He then looked to the east and he could see the yellow light of the sun just over the hills of the Far Downs. Then he turned back to the west just as the Morningstar slipped below the horizon and when it did the sun broke over the hills sending light over the Gray Havens.
As it did so something extraordinary happened. On the horizon appeared a small gray ship, capable of holding maybe 15 people but it appeared that no one was on board. Cirdan quickly sent out two of his assistants in small rowboats to tether the strange ship and to bring it into dock. Working very efficiently they brought in the ships which bore the markings of Amroth, the son of Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel of Lorien.
Cirdan thought this to be very strange since he had been lost 6 years earlier in a drowning off of the old elven haven of Dol Amroth while waiting for his love, the Lady Nimrodel. Yet this ship completely contradicted that story. The ship also came out of the west where the elven lands of Valinor were. In his many years residing in the Gray Havens he had seen many of the Eldar leave Middle Earth but none returned. His assistants were now mooring the ship and at first glance there was nothing amiss except a crew.
Then Cirdan heard a muffled crying noise coming from a covered portion of the deck of the ship. Climbing in he looked underneath a tarp to find a tightly swaddled elven baby and a long wrapped package. Included with the child were several letters that had the Seal of Amroth on them. One was marked with his rune, another with the rune of Elrond and the last with the rune of Celeborn. He opened the letter with his mark on it and read it slowly.
Carefully cradling the child he stepped out of the ship and turned to his assistants, "I must travel to Imladris and consult with Lord Elrond about this. Amroth was the brother of his wife, I would think that she would like to know about this; as would the Lord and Lady of the Wood." Then he turned and with the child still in his arms walked to his house that stood on a hill that overlooked the Havens.
Two days later he set out from the Havens to Imladris and with him he took not only the child but also the long package that came with her. The ship that bore her to Middle Earth he had placed in a small inlet about 2 miles from the Havens. This was done in accordance with the letter which asked that the ship be preserved for the child's later use. It was well protected there and would not suffer from the elements incase Elrond or Celeborn would wish to see it and inspect it.
He traveled under a veil a secrecy and very quickly until he finally came to Imladris and was met at the Ford by the elf lord Glorfindel whose family resided in the protected river valley. He was then escorted to the private chambers of the Lord Elrond and was pleased to see that his wife Celebrian was also present. She gasped when he showed then the baby that he found upon the ship and immediately took the child into her care.
"Where did she come from?" Celebrian asked. Cirdan answered as truthfully as he could, "I do not know my lady; the ship that bore her appeared on the western horizon just after the break of dawn when the Morningstar set. There is something else though, the ship was not empty, and along with the child there was a long wrapped package and a letter bearing the seal of your brother." Now Celebrian looked truly shocked, "My brother? How is that possible?" "My lady I do not know. But I believe that we should take the child to Lorien with all possible speed, the letter also bore the mark of your father and I believe that it was meant for him." She nodded, "Alright, but I shall be the one to take her there, along with Arwen." Cirdan nodded in agreement and said, "That is a fine idea my lady, this child is your kin, and her care should be entrusted to you. Besides there is much work for me to do in the Havens."
After the departure of Cirdan from Imladris, Celebrian and her daughter Arwen made preparations for travel to her birthplace of Lorien. The journey there was unremarkable, even going over the Redhorn Pass. Soon the came to the Ford of the Celebrant and passed into the forest of Lorien. The Captain of the Lorien Guard Haldir and his brothers Rumil and Orophin met them. All were loyal to Lorien and would give their lives to protect it. They were escorted to Caras Galadhon, the center of elfdom on Middle Earth.
Quickly after their arrival they were escorted to the private library of Lord Celeborn who was anxious to hear about this child who came out of the west and of the letter that she bore with her. The Lady Galadriel was very interested in the child and why she had been sent over the ocean. "Does the child have a name?" She asked her husband who was carefully reading the letter. Shaking his head he replied, "Not according to this letter. Apparently she is the daughter of our son and a woman of one of the High Houses. Though her lineage was sundered it is believed that the mother was of the line of Fingolfin, but nothing can be confirmed. It does not say why she was sent here though." He set the letter down and gazed at the child who was now sleeping in Galadriels arms. Stroking her cheek Galadriel said, "I sense great ability in this child, she will shape the fortunes of many."
Celeborn finished reading the letter and opened the package, in it was a long white staff with a white jewel at the end and a dark, clear ball. Also included was a sword in a jeweled scabbard. He examined these and then left the room. A few minutes later he came back and said, "Now what shall we name this child? She needs both a mothers name and a fathers name."
Celebrian was the first to answer, "Since she resembles mother so much in her fairness I say she should be named Galadrien." Celeborn smiled, "She was also found in the light of the rising sun so I think she should be named Tindomiel." Galadriel settled the issue by saying, "Then she shall be called both. She shall be forever known as Galadrien Tindomiel."