The Soldier and the Princess
Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings does not belong to me. JRR Tolkien has that happy pleasure. Had that happy pleasure. Anyway, the characters in this story do not belong to me. This is purely to please myself and those besides me who enjoy this sort of thing. I also do not own the song "Enchantment Passing Through." That honor goes to Elton John and Tim Rice. The wedding vows come from Dragons of Autumn Twilight. If some of the words don't fit, remember that these vows are *ancient.* When they were written, they fit, and elves are.well.set in their ways?
Author's Notes: This is an Elrond/Celebrian get-together, mainly from Elrond's point of view. If there are any complaints as to how this is done, ::coughcough, Elrond's relationship to Gil-Galad coughcough:: register them politely. Please. I got some slightly less-than-polite comments on my Galadriel/Celeborn fic, which is discontinued. As far as I know, this is an A/U. Enjoy!
Chapter 8: Wedding
I paced nervously back and forth in my room, more nervous than I had ever been before. It isn't every day a elf gets married, after all.
Lord Celeborn and his lady, Galadriel, were situated in the best guest rooms the palace had to offer. Celebrian was with them. Tonight, however.
I continued to pace, my tension inevitably strengthened by that thought.
"My lord?" It was Darevan-the page who would become one of my best friends.
I jumped. "Yes, Darevan?"
"If you keep pacing like that, my lord, you're liable to pace a hole in the floor."
I stopped short, then laughed a little. "You're right, Darevan. Did you simply come to reprimand me for pacing a hole in my floor?"
Darevan bowed respectfully. "No, my lord. I also came to tell you that all is ready, your lady awaits, and it is time."
"Oh, gods.I can't do this. I'm *going* to do something, wrong, I *know* I am. I'll embarrass myself and all of Rivendell.I'm going to-"
"No, you're not, my lord. You *can* do this, you are *not* going to do anything wrong. Now, are you going to keep your lady waiting?"
"No." I walked towards the door. I paused, my hand hovering over the handle. "Darevan?"
"Yes, my lord?"
"You are a lifesaver."
* * *
I took Celebrian's arm and we knelt before the altar to the gods. Lady Galadriel Lord Celeborn stood on the other side of the altar.
"We call upon Varda," Galadriel began.
"Manwe," Celeborn said softly. "And Eru," they finished together, and continued as one. "Attend, Great Gods, and witness. Stand before us as we unite these two servants, Lord Elrond of Rivendell and Lady Celebrian of Lothlorien, in holy marriage, sacred under all Your laws. Speak now, Elrond of Rivendell, in the vows that are sanctified by our god.."
I took a deep breath and began the eerie melody-filled with as much pain as joy-that was the male half of the sacred marriage vows:
"Now in the belly of winter/when ground and sky are gray,/here in the heart of sleeping snow,/now is the time to say/yes to the sprouting vallenwood/in the green countryside,/for these things are far larger than/a man's word to his bride./Through these promises we keep,/forged in the yawning night,/ proved in the presence of heroes/and the prospect of spring light,/the children will see moons and stars/where now the dragons ride,/and humble things made larger by/a man's word to his bride."
I bowed my head and slipped a ring on Celebrian's finger.
"Now speak, Celebrian of Lorien, in the vows that will bind you to Elrond forever, and are sanctified by our god."
Celebrian began to softly sing the equally eerie descant of the female wedding vows:
"Wars have settled on the North/and dragons ride the skies,/"Now is the time for wisdom,"/Say the wise to the nearly wise./"Here in the heart of battle,/the time to be brave is at hand./Now most things are larger than/the promise of woman to man."/But you and I, through burning plains,/through darkness of the earth,/affirm this world, its people,/the heavens that gave them birth,/the breath that passes between us,/this altar where we stand,/and all those things made larger than/the promise of woman to man."
She bowed her head and slipped a ring on my finger.
The priestess began the final chant. "Thus are the vows sanctified, thus is the agreement made. Now meld, and prove your vows, that the people who were two become one." She waited while we kissed. Not as deeply as I could have wished but.her father was watching. I'd have to wait. "You are one. May Valar ever smile upon you."
It was done. I had finally gotten what I had dreamed of for more than a century.
Maybe now I could *finally* feel comfortable in the palace!
(A/N: THIS IS NOT OVER YET!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not done.this has to continue until Celebrian leaves Middle Earth.)
Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings does not belong to me. JRR Tolkien has that happy pleasure. Had that happy pleasure. Anyway, the characters in this story do not belong to me. This is purely to please myself and those besides me who enjoy this sort of thing. I also do not own the song "Enchantment Passing Through." That honor goes to Elton John and Tim Rice. The wedding vows come from Dragons of Autumn Twilight. If some of the words don't fit, remember that these vows are *ancient.* When they were written, they fit, and elves are.well.set in their ways?
Author's Notes: This is an Elrond/Celebrian get-together, mainly from Elrond's point of view. If there are any complaints as to how this is done, ::coughcough, Elrond's relationship to Gil-Galad coughcough:: register them politely. Please. I got some slightly less-than-polite comments on my Galadriel/Celeborn fic, which is discontinued. As far as I know, this is an A/U. Enjoy!
Chapter 8: Wedding
I paced nervously back and forth in my room, more nervous than I had ever been before. It isn't every day a elf gets married, after all.
Lord Celeborn and his lady, Galadriel, were situated in the best guest rooms the palace had to offer. Celebrian was with them. Tonight, however.
I continued to pace, my tension inevitably strengthened by that thought.
"My lord?" It was Darevan-the page who would become one of my best friends.
I jumped. "Yes, Darevan?"
"If you keep pacing like that, my lord, you're liable to pace a hole in the floor."
I stopped short, then laughed a little. "You're right, Darevan. Did you simply come to reprimand me for pacing a hole in my floor?"
Darevan bowed respectfully. "No, my lord. I also came to tell you that all is ready, your lady awaits, and it is time."
"Oh, gods.I can't do this. I'm *going* to do something, wrong, I *know* I am. I'll embarrass myself and all of Rivendell.I'm going to-"
"No, you're not, my lord. You *can* do this, you are *not* going to do anything wrong. Now, are you going to keep your lady waiting?"
"No." I walked towards the door. I paused, my hand hovering over the handle. "Darevan?"
"Yes, my lord?"
"You are a lifesaver."
* * *
I took Celebrian's arm and we knelt before the altar to the gods. Lady Galadriel Lord Celeborn stood on the other side of the altar.
"We call upon Varda," Galadriel began.
"Manwe," Celeborn said softly. "And Eru," they finished together, and continued as one. "Attend, Great Gods, and witness. Stand before us as we unite these two servants, Lord Elrond of Rivendell and Lady Celebrian of Lothlorien, in holy marriage, sacred under all Your laws. Speak now, Elrond of Rivendell, in the vows that are sanctified by our god.."
I took a deep breath and began the eerie melody-filled with as much pain as joy-that was the male half of the sacred marriage vows:
"Now in the belly of winter/when ground and sky are gray,/here in the heart of sleeping snow,/now is the time to say/yes to the sprouting vallenwood/in the green countryside,/for these things are far larger than/a man's word to his bride./Through these promises we keep,/forged in the yawning night,/ proved in the presence of heroes/and the prospect of spring light,/the children will see moons and stars/where now the dragons ride,/and humble things made larger by/a man's word to his bride."
I bowed my head and slipped a ring on Celebrian's finger.
"Now speak, Celebrian of Lorien, in the vows that will bind you to Elrond forever, and are sanctified by our god."
Celebrian began to softly sing the equally eerie descant of the female wedding vows:
"Wars have settled on the North/and dragons ride the skies,/"Now is the time for wisdom,"/Say the wise to the nearly wise./"Here in the heart of battle,/the time to be brave is at hand./Now most things are larger than/the promise of woman to man."/But you and I, through burning plains,/through darkness of the earth,/affirm this world, its people,/the heavens that gave them birth,/the breath that passes between us,/this altar where we stand,/and all those things made larger than/the promise of woman to man."
She bowed her head and slipped a ring on my finger.
The priestess began the final chant. "Thus are the vows sanctified, thus is the agreement made. Now meld, and prove your vows, that the people who were two become one." She waited while we kissed. Not as deeply as I could have wished but.her father was watching. I'd have to wait. "You are one. May Valar ever smile upon you."
It was done. I had finally gotten what I had dreamed of for more than a century.
Maybe now I could *finally* feel comfortable in the palace!
(A/N: THIS IS NOT OVER YET!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not done.this has to continue until Celebrian leaves Middle Earth.)