Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
A/N: Hi there people and thank you so much for your lovely reviews, they mean so much to me. Now, there has been a complaint about my format and I am truly sorry about the way it showing up. That is not what it looks like on my word processor. I use Appleworks and if anyone knows how to fix the format, I would be very greatful, so thank you in advance. I would like to thank my beta enb2004 who has two marvelous Harry Potter stories that you should read if you like Harry Potter. Once again thank you all so much for reading and as promised here is chapter six. Enjoy!
It was late at night by the time Glorfindel reached the interior of the Golden Woods.
"Welcome Lord Glorfindel, how may we be of service?" Haldir, the marchwarden of Lothlorien, asked Glorfindel upon his approach.
"I must see Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel immediately," Glorfindel said hastily, not bothering with formalities in his haste to deliver the letter.
Sensing Glorfindel's haste, Haldir nodded and bowed. "Right this way Lord Glorfindel. I shall wake the Lord and Lady and tell them that you request their council," he said, leading Glorfindel to the study before leaving.
Glorfindel sighed in relief. "Many thanks Haldir, I shall await them here," he said. Haldir nodded and bowed once more before going to wake the Lord and Lady.
The Lady Galadriel had been sleeping gently when a slight knock on the chamber door awakened her. "Come in," she said while pulling on a robe over her sleeping gown. Celeborn she saw was still sleeping, oblivious to his wife's movements.
"My Lady, I am sorry to disturb you at this late hour but Lord Glorfindel of Imladris would have your and Lord Celeborn's council right away. He seemed to be in a hurry," Haldir said apologetically.
Galadriel was surprised by Glorfindel's unexpected arrival but did not let that show on her face. " Do not worry about it Haldir. Tell Lord Glorfindel that we shall be with him in a few minutes and thank him for his patience," she said told her marchwarden.
Haldir nodded and bowed. "Of course my Lady. He will be told at once," he said and left the chambers to allow the Lord and Lady some privacy.
Turning to her closet in order to make herself presentable, Galadriel saw that Celeborn was still asleep, despite the conversation she had had with Haldir.
"Celeborn, wake up," Galadriel commanded of her husband. "What is it my love," Celeborn asked, still partially asleep. "Lord Glorfindel of Imladris is here and is in need of council immediately," she told him patiently.
Celeborn became fully awake with a start. "What in Arda is Glorfindel doing here at this hour?" he questioned.
"I know not, but the hour of his arrival worries me slightly. Come, get dressed for he is waiting for us in the study," Galadriel said. Celeborn nodded and both dressed quickly, both burning with questions that only the elf lord that was waiting for them knew.
Glorfindel was downstairs in the study waiting impatiently. "What is taking them so long?" he thought impatiently. Logically he knew that it was late, or early in the morning, depending upon one's point of view. But that did not quell his impatience.
"Lord Glorfindel, that you for your patience," a voice said suddenly from behind me.
"Thank you for seeing me at this late hour Lord Celeborn, Lady Galadriel. I carry on me a letter that I was told was of utmost importance from Lord Elrond. I was not told the message for he feared what might happen should I be got and inadvertently give away the information," Glorfindel said all in one breath.
Galadriel and Celeborn looked at each other in worry. Elrond was not an elf that was bound to get very worried without an excellent cause. If he had not told one of his closest friends and advisor what the letter contained, than the situation must be bad indeed.
Glorfindel handed over the letter to Lady Galadriel, his hand shaking somewhat from exhaustion. Seeing this the Lady frowned at him. "Glorfindel, when did you head out for Lothlorien?" she asked, looking him over.
"Three days ago my Lady. I came as fast as I possibly could," Glorfindel stated. "Go and take some rest Glorfindel. If you came in three days time, a remarkable feat I might add, then you and your horse probably had little to no rest, is that not right?" she asked sternly, already knowing the answer.
Before Glorfindel could answer her, Celeborn stepped in. "The room next to Arwen's is empty Glorfindel, go and take some rest. Fear not, we shall tell you the contents of the letter once you have rested," Celeborn said.
Glorfindel nodded his thanks to both Celeborn and Galadriel, and left the study for the guest room, where he could take some much needed rest.
Once seeing that Glorfindel had left the room, Galadriel turned her attention to the letter she held in her hand. She undid the wax seal of Imladris and started to read.
Lothlorien
Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel
Greetings from Imladris. I am sorry to disturb you but I fear I have need of your council about the coming Winter Solstice. I would be highly appreciative if you could come as soon as possible, rather than when we had originally planned. Mithrandir shall be here early as well, for I desire his council as well. Give my greetings to Arwen and have Glorfindel escort all of you to Imladris. Many thanks.
Lord Elrond of Imladris
Once she had finished reading the letter, Galadriel arched her golden eyebrow in surprise. The letter was coded, that much was certain. It appeared that Elrond most certainly wanted her and Celeborn in Imladris as soon as possible, along with Mithrandir.
What in Arda was happening that Elrond could not write openly about what he needed? This was most worrisome. Even more so, for she had not seen anything in her mirror that would lead her to believe that there was something amiss.
"Celeborn, read this and tell me what you think," Galadriel said, passing the letter to her husband. Her husband arched a silver eyebrow in surprise, but took the letter and read it. When he had finished, he too had a puzzled expression on his face, tinted with some worry as well.
"Celeborn, I fear that there is much more to this than meets the eye," Galadriel said worriedly.
" I fear that you are right my love. This is most puzzling and worrisome indeed. We should leave come the dawn. I do not think that we should linger here any longer than necessary. Our son-in-law is not one to worry over nothing," Celeborn said, worrying over what was happening in Imladris as well.
Galadriel nodded in agreement. "Let us pack and tell our guards and Arwen now then. That way, we can depart at dawn without delaying for provisions," Galadriel said.
Celeborn nodded. " I shall prepare the guards. We should let Glorfindel sleep though, for he has had a long journey with no rest," he said.
"I shall wake Arwen and the two of us will pack our belongings. Go and prepare the guards and the horses, we shall be ready shortly," Galadriel said.
Giving her husband a quick kiss, she left the study to go and wake Arwen while her husband went to prepare the guards for the unexpected upcoming journey that they knew little to nothing about, only that there was something wrong.
On her way up to wake Arwen, Galadriel was mulling over Elrond's letter and what it truly meant, other than the obvious. If something was happening in Imladris, she wanted to be there. She would not let anything happen to her grandsons and her son-in-law, not while she still had breathe in her body.
Upon reaching Arwen's room, Galadriel cleared those thoughts from her head. It would do her no good, as she did not know what was happening. She did not want Arwen to worry as well, although she knew her granddaughter would, once Arwen learned they were leaving come the dawn.
"Arwen, you must wake my granddaughter," Galadriel said softly upon entering Arwen's chambers.
Arwen woke up slowly, her eyes still partially glazed over in sleep. "Grandmother?" she questioned softly, still only partially awake.
"Yes child, you must get up now tithen pen. We leave for Imladris come the dawn and I am in need of your help to pack our belongings for a prolonged stay," Galadriel said softly, sitting down gently on the side of Arwen's bed.
"What? Why? Is father all right and what of my brothers?" Arwen asked, becoming fully awake instantly, her blue eyes wide with fear for her family.
"Relax my granddaughter, they are all fine. You father simply requested our presence earlier than we had anticipated," Galadriel said, trying not to let her fear show on her face.
Arwen was not fooled by her grandmother's act however. "Grandmother, you know you can not lie to me. I can tell that you are troubled and if something was not wrong, we would not leave come the dawn," Arwen said.
Galadriel sighed. Her granddaughter was just to insightful to fool. "I am sorry Arwen, I had only hoped to spare you from worry," she said, regret in her voice.
Arwen looked up at her grandmother and placed her arm around her. " I know Grandmother that you only wish to protect me. Even if you did not tell me, I would find out one way or another. After all, I am Elladan and Elrohir's little sister," Arwen said with pride.
Galadriel only shook her head. "Aye that you are tithen pen. Thank the Valar that there are only three of you. Now come, let us get ready for our journey and I shall tell what I know, which unfortunately, is not much," Galadriel said sadly.
Three hours later, the dawn was about to break and the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien, along with their guards, granddaughter, and Lord Glorfindel, were ready to depart.
Arwen had been very surprised and pleased to see Glorfindel, as she had not expected him to be the messenger. She had not seen him in what felt like ages and was glad that she had time to catch up on all that she had missed in Imladris with him. When she had asked him what all that she had missed he had snorted.
"If only you knew Arwen, if only you knew," Glorfindel had said, barely suppressing a chuckle. Glorfindel knew full well that Elrond had not told his daughter that she had a baby brother and he fully intended not to ruin the surprise. "It will be classic," he had thought to himself.
"Is everyone ready to depart?" Lord Celeborn asked, seeing that everyone was present in the courtyard.
At the various nods and yes my Lords, Celeborn nodded and turned to his wife, letting her know that everyone was ready. "Let us depart and make our way hastily to Imladris," Galadriel said.
At their Lady's words, the company from Lothlorien departed and started on their journey to Imladris, where they had no idea what awaited them.
Translations:
Tithen pen: Little One
Arda: Middle Earth