Artanis sat down on her bed. She felt very tired. Telling her secret had really exhausted her. Still, she was glad she'd done it. Someone had to know it. Someone. And Celeborn was a pretty good choice, she thought. A better choice than Galathil. Well, of course she liked- maybe even loved- Galathil, but he wasn't the person to tell such a long-kept secret. She realized that it was true that Galathil was really superficial. He would not- not understand the seriousness of her secret. Galathil, she knew, wasn't a man for serious things. He was funny, and always smiling. Celeborn was totally, to-tal-ly different. She had thought he was kind of a dull old stick, but he was not. He was very nice, and he was softer in his opinions and statements than Galathil.

Two brothers. And still, so different. Strange. But suddenly, she smiled.

Strange? Wasn't she almost Finrod's opposite? Finrod, so wise and calm. She, so impulsive and- wild, sometimes. She smiled again.

Suddenly, someone knocked softly on the door.

"Who's there?"

"It's me, Celeborn. May I enter?"

"Yes, come in."

With an apologizing smile, the Lord entered. In his hand, he held a beautiful, little silver brooch.

"Excuse me for disturbing you, Artanis, but is this yours? I just found it in front of your door." He laid the jewel in Artanis's hand.

Artanis examined it and slowly shook her head.

"No, I think it is not. I have one that's quite like it, but… Wait…" She turned to her jewelry case. When she saw Celeborn who was still standing by the door, she smiled.

"You can sit down if you like."

He smiled. "Thank you." and took a chair.

Artanis turned around again and began to look into the case.

"Yes… Yes, here it is." She showed another silver brooch.

"So that one is not mine. You'll have to search the owner elsewhere."

Celeborn shrugged his shoulder. "Then I guess it is one of Eleniel's. She's kind of untidy."

"Oh yes…" Artanis muttered. "Eleniel."

Celeborn smiled. "You don't like her, Artanis?"

Artanis smiled too. "No! Why would I don't like her?"

The Lord shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, I don't know. It's just that I do not know at all how she is towards others. But I know she can be kind of irritating. I've known her since my childhood, you know. Still, she's a nice girl. "

"Yes. Yes, I guess so. I haven't really met her, you know. I've just seen her. But I can see you really like her." She smiled .

Celeborn nodded. "Oh. Well, I must go now. I guess I'll have to search for her."

Artanis laughed. "Yes. Well, bye then."

"Goodbye."

And as he closed the door, Artanis hid her face in her hands and began to cry.

She did not at all know why.

Celeborn rushed away to Eleniel's room. He had to lay the brooch back before she found out he had taken it. But it was a wonderful excuse to visit Artanis again. It was pure luck that she had a brooch that looked like it. Still, he felt bad. Here he was, trying to steal his brother's girl.

"I really have to stop doing this. I cannot do this."

But then, with a loving smile, he muttered

"Oh yes, I can!"

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