But the uncertainty stayed there. Until…
The next day, they were summoned, together with Finrod.
As they stood before the door of Thingol's study, Galadriel grabbed Celeborns hand and kissed him.
"Celeborn, help me!" was her desperate plea.
He nodded. "In good and bad times, Galadriel, in life and death!"
But she felt his lips tremble on hers, and she knew that he was as nervous as she was.
"Enter!"
As they entered the room, they saw that Finrod was already there, as were Thingol and Melian.
They sat down silently, and after a while, Thingol began to speak.
"My nephew, my niece. I have had to make many decisions in my life, but this was the hardest one." Thingol stared at the wall.
"I love you both, for you are my kin, but the crimes you have committed…"
Celeborn felt Galadriel tremble, and he put his arm around her. "My king. I am sorry for interrupting you, but they have not committed this crime-"
But softly, Galadriel raised her hand.
"No, Celeborn. My king, may I?"
As Thingol nodded, a curious look in his eyes, she began.
"I am sorry, Celeborn, but I can speak for myself. I am sorry.
My king, I know I cannot make you believe in our honesty, when we honestly tell you that we are no kinslayers and that we have not murdered our own kin.
But I can at least swear to you, to you and to Eru, the One, that nor I, nor my brother, have dirtied our hands with Telerin blood."
She kneeled and bowed her head, and then went on.
"You know us by now, my king, and do you truly suspect us of something as cruel and cowardly as that?
At least you know that it is ridiculous of suspecting my brother!
You have known our father, and Finrod is as wise and peaceful and he is.
And I, I know that I cannot appeal to a calm temper, and I may be many things, but a coward I am not!" She was standing by now, and she looked taller than ever. Then, she sat down. "I have said what I wanted to say, my king."
The king nodded, but remained silent.
"I agree with what my sister said, my king." Finrod suddenly spoke with his soft voice. "I too, I swear that we have not dirtied our hands with the blood of our kin."
The king nodded again, and the silence returned.
"They are innocent." Suddenly, Melians voice sounded through the room.
"They are."
But the king still seemed to hesitate.
And then, mpulsively, Celeborn grabbed Galadriels hand, and kissed her lips softly.
"My king, I too have something to say. I love this woman with all heart I have got in my body. I love her, I adore her, I'll marry her.
And if she has to go, then I will follow, and if she would have to die, then I would follow her on the path of death too! My king, I am your grand-nephew, you have granted me many favors, and I am very grateful for them. You have always liked me, and I have liked you, and now I want to ask you, my king, trust me, as you once did, if I tell you that this two persons are innocent. Oh, my king, do you think that I would be able to love a woman, if she had taken part in a crime like the Kinslaying?"
He bowed lowly. "Do not exile me from my home, and do not exile the woman I love and her brother!" There were tears in his eyes, and tears in his voice.
As he finished his plea, Thingol began to speak, with a voice full of emotion, and tears laying on his cheeks.
"Celeborn, my son, for you have been no less than a son to me, Artanis, my niece, Finrod, my nephew, I am truly touched."
He covered his face with his hands.
"I am sorry, I am sorry that I ever doubted you. You can stay, my children. You can stay here…"
Galadriel laughed her melodious laugh, and Finrod smiled, and Celeborn grabbed Galadriels hand and spoke
"Then, my king, do you want to marry us?"
And the king smiled through his tears.
"Yes, my son, I do."
The next day, they were summoned, together with Finrod.
As they stood before the door of Thingol's study, Galadriel grabbed Celeborns hand and kissed him.
"Celeborn, help me!" was her desperate plea.
He nodded. "In good and bad times, Galadriel, in life and death!"
But she felt his lips tremble on hers, and she knew that he was as nervous as she was.
"Enter!"
As they entered the room, they saw that Finrod was already there, as were Thingol and Melian.
They sat down silently, and after a while, Thingol began to speak.
"My nephew, my niece. I have had to make many decisions in my life, but this was the hardest one." Thingol stared at the wall.
"I love you both, for you are my kin, but the crimes you have committed…"
Celeborn felt Galadriel tremble, and he put his arm around her. "My king. I am sorry for interrupting you, but they have not committed this crime-"
But softly, Galadriel raised her hand.
"No, Celeborn. My king, may I?"
As Thingol nodded, a curious look in his eyes, she began.
"I am sorry, Celeborn, but I can speak for myself. I am sorry.
My king, I know I cannot make you believe in our honesty, when we honestly tell you that we are no kinslayers and that we have not murdered our own kin.
But I can at least swear to you, to you and to Eru, the One, that nor I, nor my brother, have dirtied our hands with Telerin blood."
She kneeled and bowed her head, and then went on.
"You know us by now, my king, and do you truly suspect us of something as cruel and cowardly as that?
At least you know that it is ridiculous of suspecting my brother!
You have known our father, and Finrod is as wise and peaceful and he is.
And I, I know that I cannot appeal to a calm temper, and I may be many things, but a coward I am not!" She was standing by now, and she looked taller than ever. Then, she sat down. "I have said what I wanted to say, my king."
The king nodded, but remained silent.
"I agree with what my sister said, my king." Finrod suddenly spoke with his soft voice. "I too, I swear that we have not dirtied our hands with the blood of our kin."
The king nodded again, and the silence returned.
"They are innocent." Suddenly, Melians voice sounded through the room.
"They are."
But the king still seemed to hesitate.
And then, mpulsively, Celeborn grabbed Galadriels hand, and kissed her lips softly.
"My king, I too have something to say. I love this woman with all heart I have got in my body. I love her, I adore her, I'll marry her.
And if she has to go, then I will follow, and if she would have to die, then I would follow her on the path of death too! My king, I am your grand-nephew, you have granted me many favors, and I am very grateful for them. You have always liked me, and I have liked you, and now I want to ask you, my king, trust me, as you once did, if I tell you that this two persons are innocent. Oh, my king, do you think that I would be able to love a woman, if she had taken part in a crime like the Kinslaying?"
He bowed lowly. "Do not exile me from my home, and do not exile the woman I love and her brother!" There were tears in his eyes, and tears in his voice.
As he finished his plea, Thingol began to speak, with a voice full of emotion, and tears laying on his cheeks.
"Celeborn, my son, for you have been no less than a son to me, Artanis, my niece, Finrod, my nephew, I am truly touched."
He covered his face with his hands.
"I am sorry, I am sorry that I ever doubted you. You can stay, my children. You can stay here…"
Galadriel laughed her melodious laugh, and Finrod smiled, and Celeborn grabbed Galadriels hand and spoke
"Then, my king, do you want to marry us?"
And the king smiled through his tears.
"Yes, my son, I do."