Chapter 46

                  " Ada."  7-year-old Arwen slid down the hallway, her hair flying every which way, sending mud everywhere.

Elrond glanced at her over his book, a smile sliding over his face.

                  " First rain of Víressë (April), is it?"

Arwen nodded with an energetic smile.  She came around the desk, careful not to touch any of her father's papers.  She tugged on his hands.

                  " Come outside, Ada."

Elrond put aside his papers, indulging her.  He lifted her up, knowing the gooey mud oozed onto the fine robes. 

                  The twins burst down the hallway, nearly sprinting by Elrond's study.  Elrond watched them slide to stops and turn around with wide eyes.

                  " What is it?"  Elrond demanded.

Elrohir wrung his hands slightly.

                  " Nana is here."

                  Celebrían looked up through the rain.  She had seen her sons sprinting off, but they had gone in the opposite direction, no doubt to inform their father.  Speaking of her husband, he suddenly came into her vision.  The elf stood tall, staring down at her with unfeeling eyes.  A tiny yet beautiful black haired sprite clung to him.  Elrond descended down towards her.

                  " Lady Celebrían, welcome back."

His voice bore neither affection nor welcome.  Celebrían glanced at the girl.

                  " Hello, who is this?"

                  Elrond glanced down at Arwen.

                  " Introduce yourself."

Arwen sat up straight in her father's arms.

                  " My name is Arwen.  This is my Ada.  Who are you?"  Arwen excitedly pulled at her neckline, revealing a beautiful necklace.  " Look at what Ada gave me for my begetting day.  He calls me an Un, an Undómiel."

A beautiful charm hung from a silver thread.  Celebrían looked the girl over once.

                  " And why are you muddy, Arwen?"

Arwen sent her a smile.

                  " Tis the first rain of April.  It is wrong to not be outside and covered with nature on such a beautiful day."

                  " Perchance we shall continue such conversation inside," Elrond suggested.

Arwen looked hurt.

                  " But, Ada."

Elrond glanced at her with a warm smile.

                  " I will read you a story later to make up for not sharing this rain with you."

Arwen took on a contemplating look.

                  " Three stories, Ada, because this is a very special rain.  There isn't another like it until next year."

Elrond nodded, ruffling her wet hair.

                  " Three stories and a bath for you."

Arwen made a small face.

                  " Not another bath, Ada.  I had one this morning."

Elrond chuckled.

                  " You should not have gotten mud in your hair."

Arwen sighed with a wounded expression.

                  " If I must, Ada."

                  The twins appeared at the head of the stairs, descending with guarded looks.  Elladan was the first to greet his mother with a quick kiss on the cheek.

                  " Welcome back, Nana."

Elrohir nodded.

                  " Aye, welcome to Imladris.  I would say welcome home, but it obvious where your affections lie in that nature."

                  " Elrohir, be civil."  Elrond said.

Elrohir sent his father a look of disbelief.

                  " What?  I am supposed to be civil to someone who I thought loved me, but then dropped out of sight and sound for seven years?  I think different, Ada.  I would not allow her entrance here.  Go back to Lórien, Nana.  It is where you belong."

                  " Elrohir, that is enough."  Elrond's voice did not thunder.  It was rather soft to be so reprimanding.  " Your mother is still the lady of Imladris, no matter how long she has left."

                  Arwen tugged on Elrond's collar.

                  " Is this my Nana?"

Elrond nodded.

                  " This is your mother."

Arwen glanced at the silvery haired woman.

                  " Do you hate me?  I don't mean to be bad."

Celebrían jaw fell.

                  " Whatever do you mean?"

Arwen looked down, leaning more into her father.

                  " I thought you always hated me an' Ada an' brothers because you never came home.  You do love us, don't you?"

Celebrían's arms ached to hold her daughter, but one look at Elrond and his protective arms around the girl made her merely lift her chin.

                  " I do love you all.  Sometimes there are just more important and pressing things."

Then your family?

                  Celebrían was as surprised as Elrond that their mind connection had survived the long years of negligence.  Celebrían lifted her chin farther, as well as her skirts.

                  " May I be allowed inside so I do not stand here sopping wet?"

Elrond made a sweeping motion.  Celebrían sashayed by, throwing back her hood.  Glorfindel paused by the door to Elrond's study.

                  " Celebrían?"  He finally asked, staring at her incredulously.  " When did you arrive?"

                  " Just now."  Celebrían shot her husband an irritated glance.  "Though I remained in this horrible weather for far longer than necessary."

                  " Maybe you just got what you deserved."  Glorfindel mumbled. 

                  " Glorfindel, not you too."  Celebrían nearly wailed.  " Is everyone in this household against me?"

Elrond moved to her side.

                  " No, not everyone.  The household shall learn to watch their tongues."  He sent Glorfindel a pointed glance, before returning his gaze to his glimmering wife.  " I am sure you would like to freshen up before dinner.  You know your way to the room.  I believe some of your old dresses are still there."

Celebrían sent him a civil nod.

                  " Thank you, Elrond, for at least acting like a polite gentleman."

Elrond just nodded.

                  " I am just doing my duty as Lord of Imladris.  It is my job to see all guests are comfortable."

Celebrían tightened her lips before stalking off down the hallway.  Elrond watched her go with a small sigh.  Erestor came around the corner with a dazed look.

                  " Did-" He began.

                  " Yes, Celebrían is here."  Elrond answered.

Erestor just nodded before turning back down the hallway. 

Glorfindel glanced at Elrond.

" I do not know how you remain so civil."

Elrond sighed looking down.  He glanced at Arwen with a small smile.

                  " Go with your brothers, Arwen.  I will be there in a bit."

Arwen nodded with a grin, squirming until her father let her down.  She took both of her brothers' hands, skipping off between them.  Elrond glanced at Glorfindel.

                  " She is still my wife and no matter how much I believe I resent her, I still love her."

Glorfindel sighed with an impressed smile.

                  " You are a better man than I then.  I would have," Glorfindel paused, scratching his golden head.  " I do not know what I would have done.  I pray everything turns out well."

Elrond nodded.

                  " I hope the twins keep Arwen busy.  I either face my wife now, or I will not have the courage to later."

                  Celebrían struggled to lace up the dress by herself.  She glared at herself in the mirror, before trying once again to tie the tight corset. 

Elrond always helped me with this dress.

Two hands covered hers and easily tightened and tied the strings.

                  " How have you been, Celebrían?"

Celebrían glanced at him.

                  " How dare you come in here while I am dressing!"

                  Elrond glanced at her with an amused smile.

                  " Last I checked it was proper for a husband to assist his wife in dressing.  Then again, I am not sure if you still regard me as your husband."

Celebrían lifted a hand to slap him.  Elrond caught it.  He glanced at her with hurt eyes.

                  " Why have I fallen so fall in your graces?"

                  Celebrían put a hand to her face, dissolving into tears.  She felt his arms envelop her.

I was such a fool to leave this…

Celebrían sought out his lips, seeking to know he still loved her.  Elrond masterfully turned his face away, pulling away.

                  " I do not what game you play with me, Celebrían, but it is not one I suggest you continue."  His voice was dangerously low.

                  Celebrían looked down at her hands.

                  " Why did you not come after me?"

Elrond glanced at her with a confused look.

                  " You expected me to?  I thought Lórien was what you wanted."  Elrond said.

Celebrían shook her head.

                  " I wanted you to come after me that day I left.  I wanted you to beg me not to leave."

Elrond gazed at her.

                  " If I had known that, Celebrían, you know I would have.  I sincerely was hurt by your words and thought Lórien was what you wanted."

Celebrían sighed.

                  " I guess then it was a miscommunication."

                  Elrond nodded.  Celebrían took his hands.

                  " I spoke in anger and I am truly sorry."

Elrond kissed her knuckles.

                  " You were forgiven before you asked."

Celebrían ran a hand over the slight stubble on his cheek.

                  " I still ask to go back to Lórien."

As quickly as Elrond had opened himself to her, he shied away back inside his soul.

                  " What do you mean?"

Celebrían waved a hand.

                  " Half of the year in Lórien, half here."

Elrond could not contain the sarcasm in his voice.

                  " Why not three seasons in Lórien and one here, where your family is?"

                  Celebrían pressed her lips together.

                  " You are still as unyielding as I remember.  What happened to my husband?"  She yelled at him.

                  " You are a mother with a family, Celebrían.  You need to return to your duties.  Arwen has never had a mother.  She looks to her brothers and me.  I know nothing of the feminine nature.  When will you square up and accept your responsibilities?"  Elrond yelled back.

Celebrían slammed her fist down on a table.

                  The twins entered silently, having left Arwen in Celebrisse's care.  They wordlessly watched their parents.  Celebrían turned stubbornly.

                  " You do not understand, Elrond.  I should have known you would not."

Elrond ran a hand through his hair.

                  " I do not understand?  You do not understand what it is like to watch your children cry for a mother that is absent.  To have them look only to me."  Elrond came right behind her.  " You do not understand what it is like to have to look into your sons' eyes and tell them that their mother has forsaken them."

                  Celebrían whirled around, slapping Elrond.  Elrond put a surprised hand to his cheek.

                  " How dare you!"  She hissed in a low voice.  " You do not understand what it is like to need something so much that your everything thought is bent on it.  You are an unfeeling creature.  Your sons were right when they said there was no way other than arrangement we could have been put together.  You are an old, stubborn Elf that sees only responsibilities that I have left unfulfilled.  What about me?  What about me missing my children?  My arms ache to hold the daughter I have never really seen.  You tell me how it is to live with that heartache."

                  Elrond shook his head, one cheek a bright red.  Tears glistened in his eyes.  He gently tipped up her chin.

                  " You tell me how it is to lose the most precious thing in your life that you have pursued for years upon years, only to have them forsake you in the end.  I knew this would come.  I knew that your youth and spirit would drive us apart.  You were far too young to be married and are still too young to have such responsibilities."  Elrond shook his head.

Sometimes letting go is the hardest part of love…

                  Elrond took a deep breath.

                  " I release you from Imladris, Celebrían.  You may see your children, but there will be no duties awaiting you.  We shall manage like we have and you will be happy in Lórien."  He touched her cheek again.  " As long as you are pleased, then I can be content."

Celebrían sighed, her cheek pressing into his hand as tears fell down her cheeks.  Elrond gently kissed her forehead.

                  " I love you, Celebrían."  He whispered, and then turned.

                  Elrond froze, seeing his sons. 

                  " What are you two doing here?"  Elrond demanded.

Elladan took a step forward.

                  " We came to tell you Arwen is in her bath."

Elrond nodded.

                  " Thank you."  He glanced back slightly.  " I will not be at dinner."

Elrond strode from the room.  Celebrían sat at her vanity to brush her hair.

                  " You are not going to do anything, Nana?"  Elrohir asked.

Celebrían glanced back at him.

                  " Your father and I have drifted apart."

Elrohir shook his head.

                  " No, Ada has stayed right here.  You drifted away from him."

Celebrían turned her eyes to her silent eldest.

                  " I waited for your father in Lórien, did I not, Elladan?"

Elrohir glanced at his brother with inquiring eyes.

                  " I went to Lórien, Elrohir, instead of Mirkwood."  Elladan admitted.  " I went to see Nana."

Elrohir shook his head.  He glanced at Celebrían.

                  " This grieves me, Nana."

Celebrían rose, kissing his forehead.

                  " Be at peace.  I will not force you to like my decision."

                  " Is it not that obvious I do not approve?"  Elrohir spat back.

Celebrían sighed.

                  " Come and visit me, Elrohir.  Both you and Elladan are still my boys."

Elrohir's expression cleared a bit.  He sent her a small smile.

                  " Maybe if Elladan goes, then I will too."

Celebrían smiled.

                  " Now, if my two strapping young sons will escort me to dinner, I would be much obliged."

Elrohir blushed slightly.

                  " Forgive me, Nana, but I am already escorting one to dinner."

Celebrían's brow rose.  Elladan smiled at her.

                  " Kalaina and Legolas are still here.  They enjoy Imladris more than the caves of Mirkwood."

Celebrían just nodded with a twinkle in her eyes.

                  " And I surmise Elrohir is escorting Kalaina and not Legolas to dinner?"

Elladan chuckled.

                  " I would hope, Nana."

                  Elrond let Arwen snuggle up to him.  Her gray eyes were burdened with sleep, yet she fitfully remained awake.  Arwen clung to him.

                  " Ada, will you be here when I awake?"

Elrond looked down at her.

                  " Aye, Arwen.  I will stay here through the night."

Since my wife has taken over my room and I do not think it wise to sleep beside her.  I am afraid she might take my head off.

                  Arwen glanced up at him.

                  " Why doesn't Nana like me?"

Elrond's heart broke at her words.  He reached over, pulling her close.

                  " I think she is jealous of you, Undómiel."

Arwen sent him a sleepy smile.

                  " Why, Ada?  She's so pretty."

Elrond kissed her forehead.

                  " You Nana's jealous of you first, because you are so beautiful."  He listened to her musical giggle.  " And second because I love you so much."

Arwen hugged Elrond.

                  " I love you too, Ada.  Never, ever, ever, go away."

Elrond held her close as she drifted off to sleep.

                  " Never, Undómiel.  I will never leave you for you will never forsake me."

Such ironic words have never been spoken again by an Elf.