Two days of waiting later, Thingol summoned Celeborn. He went to Thingol's room with fear in his heart. What should the king have to discuss with him?
"It's about Galadriel, I know it's about Galadriel…" he muttered to himself, as he knocked politely on the king's door.
"Yes?" the king's jovial voice said.
Celeborn opened the door. The king made a welcoming gesture.
"Celeborn, my lad! Come in and have a seat!"
Celeborn couldn't help it; he smiled by hearing himself called "lad".
As he sat down, he saw Thingol's face. It was lined by many wrinkles… wrinkles of sorrow. Suddenly, Celeborn felt pity. Thingol had to make a terrible choice.
The king began to speak. "Celeborn, is it true- that you are in love with Artanis?"
Slowly, Celeborn nodded and looked straight into the king's eyes.
"Yes, I am, my king, and I will never let her go!"
Thingol sighed and took Celeborn's hand. "Do not think that I do not understand you. I know she is a very beautiful girl. I know that when you are in love, you cannot see who a girl really is…"
"Silent!" The blood rushed to Celeborn's cheeks. "You are my king, majesty, and I love you like a father. But I love Artanis –Galadriel, as I call her- even more, and you are wrong about her! I do not care if you exile her- because then I go with her! Galadriel isn't a kinslayer, nor her brother, and you know it, and your wife knows it! Thingol, you who love your wife so much- can't you understand my love for Galadriel?" After his torrent of words, the king remained silent. He looked down, then, he stared in the distance…
Suddenly, he looked to Celeborn again. Tears stood in his eyes.
Finally, he sobbed "Celeborn, have you any idea of what you just did to me?"
"I am sorry, my king, but…" The king stopped him with a short gesture.
"No, my lad. You have opened my eyes. You have shown me- what true love is about. You haven't renounced her, Celeborn, and that has really moved me. Tonight- I will summon you again, with Artanis and her brother. I will tell you my decision, then."
Celeborn nodded and bowed. "Yes, my king." he muttered silently.
"It's about Galadriel, I know it's about Galadriel…" he muttered to himself, as he knocked politely on the king's door.
"Yes?" the king's jovial voice said.
Celeborn opened the door. The king made a welcoming gesture.
"Celeborn, my lad! Come in and have a seat!"
Celeborn couldn't help it; he smiled by hearing himself called "lad".
As he sat down, he saw Thingol's face. It was lined by many wrinkles… wrinkles of sorrow. Suddenly, Celeborn felt pity. Thingol had to make a terrible choice.
The king began to speak. "Celeborn, is it true- that you are in love with Artanis?"
Slowly, Celeborn nodded and looked straight into the king's eyes.
"Yes, I am, my king, and I will never let her go!"
Thingol sighed and took Celeborn's hand. "Do not think that I do not understand you. I know she is a very beautiful girl. I know that when you are in love, you cannot see who a girl really is…"
"Silent!" The blood rushed to Celeborn's cheeks. "You are my king, majesty, and I love you like a father. But I love Artanis –Galadriel, as I call her- even more, and you are wrong about her! I do not care if you exile her- because then I go with her! Galadriel isn't a kinslayer, nor her brother, and you know it, and your wife knows it! Thingol, you who love your wife so much- can't you understand my love for Galadriel?" After his torrent of words, the king remained silent. He looked down, then, he stared in the distance…
Suddenly, he looked to Celeborn again. Tears stood in his eyes.
Finally, he sobbed "Celeborn, have you any idea of what you just did to me?"
"I am sorry, my king, but…" The king stopped him with a short gesture.
"No, my lad. You have opened my eyes. You have shown me- what true love is about. You haven't renounced her, Celeborn, and that has really moved me. Tonight- I will summon you again, with Artanis and her brother. I will tell you my decision, then."
Celeborn nodded and bowed. "Yes, my king." he muttered silently.