Elessiel raised her teary eyes in silence to the dark sky above her. The moon twinkled above the valley, paiting a perfect picture across the rushing river below. The image of the moon was so strong it seemed to be extended beyond the aesthetic, echoeing up through the spray of the waterfall to dust Elessiel's face in tiny water particles as she dipped her feet into the cool water at the edge of the stream. She brushed the surface of the water with her toes and turned, hearing the singing voices above her echoeing down from the ancient haven she had come to only hours ago. Rivendell, Imladris, in the tongue of her mother's people.
Elessiel had left her grieving her brothers and sisters to deal alone with their grief, in the glittering city of Gondor, which already seemed to bare more sentimentality for Eldarion, than it did for Aragorn. Elessiel had saddled Niphredil in the early hours of the morning, walking the horse quietly through the streets of Gondor as town began to awake. Few saw the princess leaving that morning, her face hidden under the hood of a dark cloak, the only clue to her indentity was the familiar sight of Niphredil following Elessiel's footsteps. Once, an old man had caught the eye of Elessiel as she passed out of the Great Gates, but the contact melted in a moment, and the old man looked on the space Elessiel and Niphredil occupied as though it were an empty hole, and Elessiel had wondered in that moment whether some enchantment lay upon her flight from Gondor.
She had ridden hard from the grand etrance of the city, and subconsciously taking the same northward road as her mother had, Elessiel found herself sitting astride Niphredil looking back towards Gondor from the last crest of the fields before the northern lands of Gondor became consumed by forest. She had turned back towards Gondor then, looking at the exact view her mother would have seen, the perfect kingdom of Gondor, marshed among emerald fields, it's white towers and spires glistened in the new sun of the morning, and Elessiel had been astounded at how close the city looked, though it was leagues away. She imagined she could see again the white stone courtyard, and closer still the sandstone battlements, and in the very place where she had spoken made her decision to leave- only hours before- stood a lone figure.
Elessiel had frowned at the sentinel figure when she realised it's identity. She had stayed for a moment on the crest of the hill, staring blindly at the silouhette of Legolas against the wilted orange of the morning sky, then cursing his presence in the city that she had called home, she spurred Niphredil on, not into the north as she had first intended, but west, hoping that the memories of her bitter conversation with the elf would fade with the falling of the sun.
And now she had seen the moon wax three times in the sky above the old home of her mother's family, and still she cried each night, not only for the loss of her father, but the words he had spoken to her before his death. His commanding voice echoed in her ear, like the never ending lapping of a wave against her psyche.
Elessiel let her bunched skirts fall to her feet as she moved away from the shore of the river, back towards the dim light of the house of Elrohir and Elladan.
She walking slowly up the stairs from the stream, emerging into a circular courtyard that was comprised of a semi-circle of stone thrones facing a single throne, engraved with leaves and flowers. In the middle of the courtyard stood a stone pillar that rose from the ground and reached up to Elessiel's hip. She placed her hand on it and smiled, it was the courtyard of the council, and in her mind Elessiel immediantly saw the faces of Fellowship, seated around the pillar on their stone thrones. Elessiel smiled at the thought of her father, a statuesque figure of nobility and power, pledging his life and the future of his kingdom, to protect the life of a halfling. She sat down in the largest throne, letting her head fall back against the carved back of the seat. Imladris was caught in a perpetual autumn, and now small silver leaves fell like rain from the collosal trees that formed a ring around the coutryard, casting the forest beyond into darkness. Elessiel closed her eyes and let her mind wander away from the thoughts that had so consumed her during her time in Rivendell, and it was some time later when she finally woke with a start.
The sky above was still dark with the night, but over to the east of the valley the smallest sliver of light spilled out from the mountains, fortelling the distant rise of the sun.
Elessiel stretched her muscles and wondered at her slumber when the sudden sound of a voice propelled her from her seat and into the middle of the ring.
"Sitting in that throne you look too much like your great grandmother, Elessiel Tindomerel." said the voice.
Elessiel spun to see a tall blonde man walking into the circle. He stopped directly in front of the pillar, pressing his hands against the stone top just as Elessiel had done. He avoided Elessiel's inquesitive stare until he had walked from the pillar to sit in the nearest chair. He pressed the tips of his fingers together in front of his chin, as though he were deep in thought while waiting for Elessiel to answer.
" And who are you to speak of the Queen Galadriel?" Elessiel said, trying to hide her alarm at the strange man.
He leaned forward and smiled, a silver glint in his eyes betraying to Elessiel that perhaps he knew more than he let on. " I am the Lord Celeborn." He said finally with much ceremony. " And more importantly, you great grandfather."
*
Celeborn traced a light step in the soft earth of an old path, leading Elessiel through the towering corridors of trees into the more forgotten areas of the valley-kingdom. " I am sorry for the loss of your mother." He said quietly. They had spoken for many hours, and it was only as the sun grew from behind the mountains into the sky that Celeborn finally mentioned Elessiel's mother.
Elessiel sighed and raised her head to look side-long at the elf beside her. " I thank you, but what of the loss of my father?" She paused and shook her head in frustration, raising a hand when Celeborn moved to answer, " I see would you neglect the loss of a mortal life, but the loss of an immortal, now that is worthy to mourn. All elves are the same-"
"Silence! Never had I heard one my own kin speak so bitterly of elfin kind, you words are ladden with a grief you should not have to bare, but know I feel it also. Arwen Undomiel was the daughter of my child, and Aragorn...where he was a son to Lord Elrond, he was a dear friend to me, and long did our kingdoms prosper in the shared light of peace after the undoing of The Ring. Words for the loss of your father, I have none to share...but I see you do not grieve alone for him any longer. You accept his death." Celeborn said. He stopped Elessiel as they came beside a small stream, and holding her by each arm he stared deep into her eyes.
" For whom do you blame the departure of Arwen Undomiel?" He asked.
Elessiel turned away and kicked at the dirt beneath her. " I blame no man."
Celeborn laughed lightly. " No man, true, but a soul none the less." He said slowly, staring deep into Elessiel's eyes as though reading their inky depth like a book. " I know of whom you think." He said knowingly.
Elessiel cursed herself for not turning from the elf, but she knew his ability to judge her thoughts would not be hindered by the absence of her eyes. " You know of whom I think? And what would you tell me? What advice would you give to a daughter, who losses the life of a father, only to feel the loss of love from a mother? And if I have found some other responsible for the pain I must endure, what of it? What advice would you give, Lord Celeborn?" Elessiel cried in anger. It was the first time she had admitted out loud she blamed Legolas for Arwen's absence, and it seemed a new layer to her wretchedness.
Celeborn remained silent and still for a moment. Finally he reached for Elessiel's hand, taking it within his own and slowly leading her back along the path they had come along. He remained silent until they reached the main house of Rivendell, and the door to Elessiel's quarters. Here he released his great grand daughter's hand and stood for a moment to regard her, he still marveled at the likeness he saw within her to Galadriel.
" As a king of elves I have little advice to one so bitter. But as a father who has lost his daughter, and a husband , who is for a hundred years and more without his wife, and finally as someone whose days will not feel the bitter spite of age and death, I would say this. Within you is the ability to heal the hurts of your father's absence, for Lord Elessar the Elf stone was great in his time, and through the lives of his children he is immortal. The fading of Arwen Undomiel was long forseen, and within the minds of the Edain, least of all her children, no acts can be rationalized such as those of a desperate woman seeking relief from the burden of grief. As her daughter, Elessiel Tindomerel, you shall forgive the hurts of your mother, for she is first and foremost of the Eldar, and having this title she is most ill equipt to deal with the sundering of the souls of lovers. Among the histories of all shall the tales of your father and mother endure until the end of days, for few have been that have gained happiness through the union of Eldar and Edain, and your parents number among them. Finally I would speak to you of your hatred to the elven kind. This troubles me much, for you are all the family I have left in the east, save the sons of Elrond, and long shall be the days before I look upon the face of my kin again in the west. Short are the years of the Edain, and shorter still shall be your time with me, and because of this I would give to you a gift worthy of the bearer of the sword you wear, which was first given to my wife as the Guardian of Altariel." Here Celeborn paused and reached within his robes to remove a slender ring to hold before Elessiel.
Elessiel looked in wonder upon the ring, catching her breath as it fell from the hand of Celeborn into her own. She realised it was made entirely of some clear stone, that no metal held the white opaque stone to the band of the ring. " What is this ring?" She said in wonder to her great grandfather.
He smiled, his face illuminated by the cool light the ring caste on all surfaces near to it. " This is the ring of Ulmo, wrought in the smithys of Valimar by Este alone. It first came from the west on the hand of Altariel, given by Olwe to the Lady of Light in the swan havens of Alqualonde. This I will not repeat, but say within grave importance are these words: within the hour of your need, when the world is all in darkness, and none exist that might save you from your plight, this ring shall be smote by the Guardian of Altariel, and within it's light, you, and you alone shall find savior. In the taking of this ring you shall take the name of Altariel, for it was she it first protected, when the light of the Valar still shined for all of Ea." He folded Elessiel's fingers around the ring, staring deep into her eyes. " Wear it in secret, for in secret rings such as these are best kept, Altariel Tindomerel. It has been fortold this ring would come to you, and for my own part I have but one message to impart, though I fear it folly, for never where the kings of the Eldar given power to meddle in the destiny of others, most of all Edain." Elessiel was momentarily consumed by the ring, and looking away from the eys of Celeborn his voice faded within her ears until she thought she heard the lapping of the ocean...
" Altariel!" Celeborn snapped suddenly, gripping her wrist so tightly his knuckles turned a shade of white. When Elessiel met the eys of the elf, they burned with a white hot flame so menacing that she wondered for a moment if the man before her was not some evil enchantment. Then Celeborn turned to each side, as though to check the corridors they stood in, finally he turned to Elessiel, his eyes now more wide, and Elessiel seemed to notice a new strain when he spoke again, in a whisper this time. " With haste, girl, listen! This advice is most important, and though I mourn it's presence in your life, it is of dire importance! Whence you grow to love the Eldar kind, your end shall find you, and though there may be happiness for you in the love of Eldar-folk...as your kin, I would ask you, nay tell you, it is folly to love the elves!" He hissed, releasing Elessiel's wrist finally. He turned again towards the halls on each side, and opening the door of Elessiel's room he kissed her check briefly, looking with sadness and regret into the eyes of his great grand daughter before thrusting her into her room, pulling the door closed behind her.
Elessiel fell against the door while trying to open it, for she were ceized by a sudden love for Celeborn, and wished only that she could continue her time with him, and speak again of old days as they had when walking through the forests. But the door seemed held closed from the outside by a firm hand, and when it finally was released, and Elessiel flung it open, there was no one there, no sign of her great grand father was left behind until she heard a noise of foots coming from the corridor to her left. Elrohir her uncle emerged first, followed by Elladan his brother, a look of worry on their faces.
"Elessiel, you already awake? Who is with you, for we were in counsel in the library, and heard voices here?" Elrohir asked.
Elessiel stood dumbly for a moment before stepping back into her room. " I...I also heard a voice...I think I would be best to rest..." She said slowly as she closed to door to her uncles.
They smiled warmly in unision. " Dawn sheds light on more than our kingdom. When the sun climbs high, we shall have a council of five, and speak for a length on the subject of your future. Sleep now." They said in perfect, eery unision.
Elessiel nodded mutely, and closed the door. It seemed seconds later she laid her head against her pillow, and blinked one last time before sleeping.
And then suddenly she was no longer lying in bed, but sitting against cold stone, and opening her eyes she saw the courtyard of the council surrounding her, and the sun riding high in the sky. She stood in a start, and spun twice to make sure her eyes did not deceive her, before running back to her room, calling for Elrohir and Elladan. She found the former standing beside her door.
" It was not a dream..." she said forcefully before turning to Elrohir. " Where is the Lord Celeborn, Uncle? For I wish to speak with him again..."
Elrohir's smile faded into a confused frown as he patted the arm of his neice. " You have had a long night Elessiel. Why have you walked far this night? For until the borders of Imladris you were seen by guards, singing in the twlight, Tindomerel, and treading the paths forgotten by the ages, what troubles you?"
Elessiel shook her head and let her uncle lead her into her room, and sit her down on the edge of her bed. " I did walk...with Lord Celeborn...didn't I?"
Elrohir smiled again and shook his head. " No other was seen with you. Elessiel, The Lord Celeborn dwells with us no longer."
" But where does he dwell then? For his flight must have been swift during the night, for you to speak of him so?"
Elrohir thought a moment before answering. " He dwells in Cirdan's home, and it many months since we have seen his face in the haven of Imladris, he shall not come again, for his time has come to leave for the West."
Elessiel swallowed hard as she felt her mind swimming, her ears rushing with the sound of the ocean again pressing in against her ears. " He has not come, this night past, to Rivendell?"
" Sleep now, Elessiel, for I fear you have tired yourself. When the sun climbs high, we shall have a council of five, and speak for length...sleep now." His words were the last Elessiel heard before she lost consciousness.
***