Chapter 31

                  Amroth greeted them jovially, unaware of the real reason for their visit.  Celebrían held tightly onto both of Elrond's hands.

                  " Ah, so I see you have taken the plunge?"  Amroth motioned to the rings.

Elrond merely smiled softly.  Celebrían looked up, her eyes seeming to meet his, while she knew that he really stared at nothing.  Tears bit at her eyes.  She had never seen him so vulnerable as he had been the night after they were attacked.  She found it comforting to see his soft heart revealed. 

                  All eyes turned as a light seemed to glide from the glade nearby.  Many stared wide-eyed at the beauty, Amroth included.  Elrond could feel the warmth emitted from the being and he knew it was Nimrodel.  She floated towards him, her eyes fixed solely on him.  Celebrían did not like the appraising gaze of the woman.  Nimrodel came to stand before Elrond.  Ignoring the other stares, she ran a hand down his face.

*We meet again, Elrond Peredhil.  You have grown in wisdom, strength and beauty since our last meeting.

Both Celebrían and Elrond had stiffened slightly.  Celebrían's gaze levied on Nimrodel's head with a look that should have burnt it to a crisp.  Elrond did not appreciate her subtle touches when it was clear where his heart laid.  His hand slid from Celebrían's hand, making his fiancée look up quickly.  Elrond slid it around her waist with a soft smile.

                  " Tis a pleasure to meet you again, Lady Nimrodel."  Elrond tugged Celebrían to stand beside him.  " May I introduce my guest?  This is Celebrían, daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn.  We are to be wed later this year."

                  As if struck with a hot coal, Nimrodel jerked back and became a cold, unfeeling presence.

                  " Yet you have come to see me."  Nimrodel's dark eyes bored into Celebrían with a barely perceivable hint of haughtiness.  " Come, Elrond."

The she-Elf maneuvered him away from Celebrían.

                  " Wait for me, Nimrodel," Galadriel called, turning from her conversation with Amroth.

She squeezed her daughter's hand reassuringly as she passed.

*I shall watch them like a hawk.  More so Nimrodel than Elrond.  We both know he is enamored with you…

                  Celeborn approached his daughter and put an arm around her shoulders as they turned to follow a few Elves to their rooms.  He leaned his head down to whisper in her ear.

                  " Lórien Elves are especially hospitable, particularly the she-Elves."

Celebrían sent her father a small smile.  She hugged her father's waist.

                  " Thank you, Ada."

Celeborn wrapped an arm around her, his hand ending up in her hair as he kissed the top of her silver covered hair.

                  " You will always be my baby, hinya vanya (My beautiful child)."

Celebrían smiled up at him, before burying her head into his chest.

                  " Not even Elrond can ever take your place, Ada."

~*~

                  Elrond stared straight up at the ceiling as he lay upon the bed.  He could feel Galadriel's hawk-like gaze upon Nimrodel and was relieved she had come.  Nimrodel whispered soft words he could not understand.  He felt her frown when the darkness did not subside.

                  " Tell me again how this happened."

                  " I fell about a hundred feet, passed out for a moment and when I came too it was black and has been black ever since."

                  " Really?"  Nimrodel questioned.

Elrond closed his eyes.

                  " No."

                  " No?"  Galadriel exclaimed.

                  " I received my vision back for a few hours the night we were attacked by that band."

                  A knock came.  Nimrodel gave a soft sigh of exasperation.

                  " I will be unable to heal him if people constantly interrupt me."

Galadriel still rose and answered the door.

                  " May I come in?"

Elrond sat up straighter, recognizing Celebrían's sweet voice.

                  " No," Nimrodel answered.

Elrond stood unsteadily, attracting all attention to himself.

                  " What are you doing?"  Nimrodel asked, watching him feel around for his outer robe.

                  " If she is not allowed entrance, then I walk away from here."

Nimrodel must have motioned Celebrían in for Elrond found his fiancée leading him back to the bed.  Celebrían helped him back out of the thick outer robe.

                  " Lie down, Elrond and do not act so ornery."

His head turned towards her pleasant voice.  Celebrían sat beside the bed, lifting his hand to her face.  With the touch of butterfly wings, he caressed her cheek with his thumb.  Nimrodel cleared her throat.

                  " I need to apply a poultice to help the remaining swelling recede.  Tis amazing that the swelling has lasted this long," she said.

Elrond winced as she began to apply the cold…stuff…  He could conjure up no other word to describe the…stuff she was applying.  A soft cloth then wound around his head and then more, until Elrond felt as if he wore a turban.  Nimrodel clapped her hands together as if wiping her hands of the outcome.

                  " And now we wait."

~*~

                  Celebrían noted how drowsy Elrond had become.  Nimrodel and Galadriel had left for the time being.  Celebrían sat up on the bed.  Elrond was jarred awake by the movements.  Celebrían placed his head in her lap.

                  " Go back to sleep, darling."

A dreamy smile crossed Elrond's face.  Celebrían loved seeing him so relaxed and so unlike himself.

                  " Sing for me?"

                  Nimrodel watched from the doorway silently.  Celebrían gently caressed his cheek.

                  " What would you have me sing?"

                  " Of the Sun and Moon and Stars.  Sing to me of the Creation."

Celebrían softly began to sing.  A hand touched Nimrodel's shoulder.  Amroth joined her silently.

*They make a stunning couple.

Nimrodel only nodded with a sigh.

*Unfortunately…

Amroth's spirits fell.

*I know you have felt something for him.  You did the first time we saw him.  I remember it well.  When will you ever accept me?

Nimrodel only shook her head.

*I do not believe I ever shall…

She glided away.  Amroth's shoulders slumped as he too turned away from the room, leaving the happy couple in peace.

~*~

                  Glorfindel stood by the door, slightly removed from the scene.  Celeborn and Galadriel sat upon cushions near the stool which Elrond sat on.  Celebrían stood beside her beloved in the center of the room.  She held Elrond's hand, an apprehensive look on her face.  Nimrodel was carefully cutting the cloths from Elrond's head.

                  " There is no guarantee now, Elrond, mind you," Nimrodel said softly, a hint of sorrow in her eyes also.

                  Glorfindel crossed his arms and shifted impatiently.  Celebrían looked up at him, an anxious gleam in her eyes also.

                  " Glorfindel, come stand before Elrond.  If he can see, your gold hair will be one thing he cannot miss," Nimrodel bid.

Glorfindel shook his head, motioning to the silver haired maiden beside Elrond.

                  " I would wish to give that honor to Celebrían."

Nimrodel nodded with a dissatisfied look.  Celebrían came to stand before Elrond, taking both of his hands.  Nimrodel removed the last cloth, wiping his face from the potion.  She lifted her head and moved away.

                  " Open your eyes, Elrond."