Celeborn embraced her. "Will you tell me about it? You don't have to if you don't want to."
Galadriel nodded. "I…" She felt tears falling from her eyes and felt ashamed about it.
But she could not help it. The tears kept on falling. Celeborn softly stroked them away.
"You don't have to…" he repeated softly.
But she nodded again. "I will tell you."
And then, the real fit of weeping came. How long ago it was that someone had seen her crying? :Long ago- very long ago. Oh, she had cried- she had even cried a few nights ago. But that was alone- in her bed. And now…
Little by little, she calmed down a bit. Celeborn stroked her back.
Suddenly, she began to tell the whole story of the Kinslaying at Alqualondë.
His mouth fell open.
She looked straight into his clear, grey eyes. She saw the fight in them.
Celeborn was shocked. Whatever he had expected, this wasn't it.
He still felt the pain that had flown through his body when he understood what she was telling, that her kin had been killing his kin. And although he did not believe that she had actually participated in the fight, he was shocked.
He felt the fight that had begun deep inside him. And what to do now?
His love was akin to the people who had murdered many of his kin. He loved her more than anything, he knew that he would never stop loving her, never, but…
What about his kin? His kin, unarmed, attacked by her kin. After all, she had been there too… He could only hope that she had not dirtied her hands on the blood of the Teleri.
Oh, how could he ever marry a person who had been involved in such a crime? Could he ever do so?
He looked into her blue, sad eyes. He saw tears rolling from them. Suddenly, pity filled his heart. Well, he knew why she could not have participated in the fight! Because the Teleri were also akin to her! Her mother had been the daughter of Olwë! Thingol's brother! How could he ever forget that Galadriel was Thingol's niece's daughter! Now, all angriness had faded. He only felt pity, because it must have been terrible for her to see her kin kill… her kin! He felt nothing but pity. And- love. A love that would never fade. And he made his decision.
Softly, he kissed her tears away.
"Galadriel, I love you."
And just for this moment- these three words were an answer to all questions.
Galadriel nodded. "I…" She felt tears falling from her eyes and felt ashamed about it.
But she could not help it. The tears kept on falling. Celeborn softly stroked them away.
"You don't have to…" he repeated softly.
But she nodded again. "I will tell you."
And then, the real fit of weeping came. How long ago it was that someone had seen her crying? :Long ago- very long ago. Oh, she had cried- she had even cried a few nights ago. But that was alone- in her bed. And now…
Little by little, she calmed down a bit. Celeborn stroked her back.
Suddenly, she began to tell the whole story of the Kinslaying at Alqualondë.
His mouth fell open.
She looked straight into his clear, grey eyes. She saw the fight in them.
Celeborn was shocked. Whatever he had expected, this wasn't it.
He still felt the pain that had flown through his body when he understood what she was telling, that her kin had been killing his kin. And although he did not believe that she had actually participated in the fight, he was shocked.
He felt the fight that had begun deep inside him. And what to do now?
His love was akin to the people who had murdered many of his kin. He loved her more than anything, he knew that he would never stop loving her, never, but…
What about his kin? His kin, unarmed, attacked by her kin. After all, she had been there too… He could only hope that she had not dirtied her hands on the blood of the Teleri.
Oh, how could he ever marry a person who had been involved in such a crime? Could he ever do so?
He looked into her blue, sad eyes. He saw tears rolling from them. Suddenly, pity filled his heart. Well, he knew why she could not have participated in the fight! Because the Teleri were also akin to her! Her mother had been the daughter of Olwë! Thingol's brother! How could he ever forget that Galadriel was Thingol's niece's daughter! Now, all angriness had faded. He only felt pity, because it must have been terrible for her to see her kin kill… her kin! He felt nothing but pity. And- love. A love that would never fade. And he made his decision.
Softly, he kissed her tears away.
"Galadriel, I love you."
And just for this moment- these three words were an answer to all questions.