25. Tendril Trap

The darkness of deep night settled upon the valley of Imladris, casting the garden paths in shadow and lending its inky cloak to the trees of the peaceful wood. The sliver of silver moon had long since set, offering no light to wandering feet but his presence was not missed. For here among the linden the hearts of two of the most ancient of the Eldar shone brightly enough to light their own path.

"Why is it that you are even more lovely now than the day when first we met, Meleth nin?" Celeborn asked with a teasing smile as he plucked a bloom from a nearby bush, tucking it over his wife's ear. She blushed prettily, smiling at him like a shy young lover.

"Do not think your flattery will redeem you for how you shamed me at dinner." Galadriel replied, forcing the return of her most regal expression. Celeborn was not fooled.

"Shamed you, Artanis?" he asked, pausing on the forest path to cup her delicate face in his hands. "What shame could rest upon your brow?"

For a moment time seemed to still and it's tide rushed backward. Once more they stood in the crisp spring sunlight beneath the trees of Doriath. Their pulses quick and their hearts untried and unsure as their lips met in that first innocent taste of love. That single kiss whose power had touched all the kisses ever after and would touch countless more from now to the very end of the world.

Day turned once more to night as their lips parted and time took up her course again. Galadriel laid her head on her husband's shoulder with a soft, contented sigh as his arms surrounded her.

"You are so beautiful." he whispered breathlessly, his lips brushing her forehead as he drew her close. Yes, she smiled to herself, nuzzling his neck, this was why she loved him.

She felt him tense ever so slightly as she ran her hand over his thigh, her other arm tightening around his waist. She gave him no time to react and he sucked in a startled breath as her hand came to rest in a most intimate spot. She tried to hide her smile at the soft moan that escaped his lips as she began to caress him. Dear Valar, how she loved to torment him.

A shriek of laughter met their ears followed not long after by a shout of protest and she smirked up at her husband as she drew her hand away.

"I believe we are not the only lovers trysting in these woods." he grinned playfully, though rather breathlessly.

"At this late hour it can only be our wicked grandsons." Galadriel replied, trying to look disapproving but not quite succeeding.

"If you believe that then you have grown quite naive Meleth." Celeborn teased "for it is far more likely to be our roguish fosterlings."

"Haldir does not behave like that." she replied icily.

"Ah," he chuckled, "but I note you mentioned nothing of his brothers."

"Well," she said with a rather suggestive smile "there is but one way to find out."

"My lady," Celeborn's face contorted in an expression of shocked disgust "Do you imply that we should abase ourselves to spying on them?"

"Yes."

"Oh, good!" he said with a happy grin. he caught her hand in his own and they darted into the trees following the sounds of laughter. They crept through the wood until they found the edge of a glade and silently they peered through the trees.

Arwen giggled madly as she sprinted through the tall grass, her thin shift clinging to her slender frame. Her gown was draped over one arm and with the other she was waving Aragorn's leggings. The young human laughed as he made a grab for them. He was wet and disheveled, wearing only his shirt and clutching his tunic in in one fist to keep it from being stolen as well.

Arwen squealed as he made a dash for her and she spun out of the way with the grace of a dancer as Aragorn stumbled, falling to the ground. She let out a carefree laugh as she skipped away, trailing his leggings behind her like a banner.

Celeborn could not help but smile as he watched. It had been so long since he had heard the sound of her laughter. Centuries had passed where even her smiles had been few. He felt his wife slip her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest and he drew in a shaky breath.

"What is it. Faer nin?" she asked softly.

"It will not last." he whispered, feeling the tears burning his eyes as he watched his granddaughter taunting the young human. "Weather she chooses Aragorn or no, it will not last and in the end she will know only sorrow. Has she not grieved enough?"

"Would you have her go on as she has?" Galadriel asked gently "empty, heart sick and devoid of hope?"

"No." he swallowed hard against the lump in his throat "I would have back my pen neth if I could but no, I would not wish that."

"There is no healing for what she has lost, not even in valinor, you know this." she soothed, planting a tender kiss on his cheek "Only love can mend her heart."

"Why must it be him?" Celeborn asked bitterly "Why can it not be one of her own kind?"

"Because no other has loved her more than her title." Galadriel said sadly, "He would love her the same were she only a handmaid, and there are few even among the eldar who can say that."

"He loves her beauty." Celeborn scowled.

"Aye, he does." Galadriel agreed "But not only that. He loves all that she is, and all that she might be, so dearly that he can think of nothing but her joy, even to his own detriment."

They watched as Aragorn caught hold of his leggings with a laugh. Arwen gave him a fierce shove and he fell to the ground, pulling her after him in a mad tug-o-war.

"Give me my pants!" he gasped trying to reign in his laughter.

"You do not need them." Arwen giggled, trying to yank them out of his grasp. "You have very nice legs!"

Celeborn felt his wife tense in his arms and he looked down to see her staring fixedly into the trees across the glade.

"Meleth nin?" he whispered softly, taking in the troubled expression on her face. She did not meet his gaze as she replied.

"We are not alone here."

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Indelin giggled as she hurried up the path from the stables. The lights of the Last Homely House glittered their greeting in the darkness and she could not help but grin.

She felt only the slightest bit guilty for leaving Elladan to face the wrath of Erestor alone but it had been far too tempting to resist. She bit back a laugh at the memory of the look on Erestor's face. The elf had a reputation for prudence where elleths were concerned, one she felt was well earned. She could still clearly remember the first time any elf had called her 'my lady' it had been Erestor. She was fourteen.

Indelin smiled at the memory and how grown up it had made her feel at the time. Her Naneth had chuckled. Erestor had not. Perhaps Elladan was right, he was a worthy catch. Although after tonight he would not be likely to think of her as a lady again.

"Well," she sighed, muttering to herself as she slipped into the front hall. "One less potential husband I suppose"

She had only begun to climb the stairs to her room when the door burst open. Orophin stood framed in the doorway, covered in mud, clutching an elleth in his arms.

"Meril!" Indelin squeaked, hurrying back down the stairs and racing to her friend's side. "Meril, whatever happened?"

"I've injured my ankle." Meril replied, wincing as Indelin gently probed the injury.

"Do not stand there!" Orophin snapped, "Fetch a healer!" Indelin glared up at him with narrowed eyes.

"I am a healer." she replied.

"Good." Orophin stated, pushing past her and hurrying down the hall. "Then you shall not need to fetch one." Indelin followed after them quickly, moving ahead to open the door to the surgery. Orophin laid Meril gently on the bed, tucking a pillow behind her and hovering over her until Indelin was forced to shove him out of the way.

"Would you kindly sit down." she barked, pointing at the chair. Meril grimaced at her sharp tone but Orophin only looked at her as if he had just now realized she was there. He backed up, falling into the chair with less than his usual grace.

"Meril this is a bad sprain." Indelin sighed as she examined the ankle more closely "however did this happen?"

"I fell down the bank of the Bruinen." she replied uneasily. Indelin stared at her open mouthed.

"You fell?" Meril nodded in reply and Indelin turned her eyes, sharp as daggers, on Orophin.

"I did nothing!" he defended, raising his hands in surrender as the young elleths gaze bore into him.

"It was not his fault." Meril insisted, gripping Indelin's arm and praying desperately that the younger elleth did not do anything that might ruin her chances with Orophin. Without Indelin, she did not know how she would ever rid herself of him.

"Elves do not make it a habit of falling." Indelin replied with an angry frown.

"Indelin!" Meril hissed between clenched teeth, her face a mask of panic "Do not say something you will regret later!" Indelin felt her jaw clench. She was not one to lose her temper but whatever had happened to cause Meril's injury she was certain Orophin must somehow be to blame. After all the aggravation he had been she sincerely doubted that there was anything she could say to him that she would regret.

"I can heal it but you cannot walk on it tonight." Indelin said, turing her attention back to Meril "If all goes well you shall be as good as new in the morning."

She set her self to the task of Meril's ankle. The swelling was very bad and she could not believe that Meril was not in tremendous pain in spite of the fact that she maintained a stony expression and said nothing. Occasionally, she would glance at Orophin as she worked and she was pleased to see that he stayed in his chair looking quite abashed. She smiled as she finished binding Meril's injury, pleased with the quality of her work.

"Now we shall have to get you to your room." Indelin said with a nod of satisfaction.

"I should be happy to carry her." Orophin replied, nearly vaulting from the chair in his eagerness. Indelin turned on him with an icy frown.

"Have you not done enough for one evening?" she demanded in exasperation. Immediately she felt Meril's fingers digging into her arm as she pulled her close.

"If this should get out I will never live it down!" she hissed frantically in Indelin's ear. "I do not want anyone else to know!" Indelin glared at Orophin as if she expected him to walk over and break Meril's other ankle.

"If you should mention a word of this to anyone..." Indelin warned, staring him down.

"I know nothing." he said with his most charming smile.

"Aye, on that much we can agree." she hissed under her breath, stepping aside so that Orophin could scoop Meril up in his arms once more. She held the door for them and followed down the hall, shaking her head as they mounted the stairs.

"You know," Orophin said, with a crooked smile. "You are quite a fine healer." Indelin paused on the steps only a moment, biting her lip.

"Thank you for noticing." she sighed dismally.


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Aragorn laughed, hopping on one foot as he struggled to pull on his leggings while Arwen danced around him in circles, giving him a playful shove and sending him tumbling. He sprang to his feet with a wicked grin, catching Arwen around the waist as he fumbled with the ties on his leggings. She made a squeal of protest and kicked her feet hard against the ground.

He hit the earth with a thud, the air knocked from his lungs as she landed on top of him. He rolled on top of her with a warrior's quickness and they tussled in the grass laughing as he tried to maintain possession of his tunic.

From the shadow of the trees, silver gray eyes watched the exchange. A low growl building in the depths of the voyeur's chest. His hand reached for his dagger, closing on the finely carved handle as his muscles tensed like a cat, waiting to strike. Eyes narrowed, breath quick, he waited.

"Have a care Haldir of Lorien." The voice of the lady of light was so soft that he could only barely hear but the Lorien elf did not need to turn away to know she stood only paces behind him.

"If he harms her..." Haldir snarled, his lip curling in contempt.

"He will not." Galadriel replied with calm assurance. "He cannot."

"How can you allow this!" Haldir demanded with an angry snarl.

"Remember to whom you speak Marchwarden." Galadriel's tone was unchanged, her eyes expressionless but the words made Haldir turn to face her as if he had heard some warning in her voice.

"Forgive me, my Lady." he whispered, lowering his eyes. Galadriel's light steps closed the distance between them and she laid a delicate hand on his cheek, raising his eyes to meet her own.

"It is not mine to allow or not." She said tenderly.

"She should be with her people." he said earnestly "She should know peace in Valinor where her beauty shall remained undimmed forever. Please, do not let her give her life away to a mere ranger."

"Do you forget, Aragorn is the heir if kings?"

"He is mortal." Haldir whispered desperately "The last of a broken house and a lost bloodline. There is no nobility left in the heirs of Numenor. How can she even think of giving her heart to him?" Galadriel's only answer was to turn his gaze back to the glade.

Aragorn knelt in the grass at Arwen's side wrapping his cloak around her shoulders before settling beside her with an adoring smile. Arwen laughed at something he said and he blushed furiously as she reached out to take his hand.

"Because he loves her." Galadriel smiled gently "That is all she has sought these long years, one who would love her, and her alone."

"I would love her." Haldir breathed.

"I know you would, ion nin." she soothed. "Do not think I have not seen your heart."

"If I love her, how can I let her do this?" he asked, his voice breaking.

"Because you love her, Haldir." Galadriel whispered "There is nothing selfish in love. If you truly love her as you believe then you must leave her free to make this choice."

"She has chosen mortality." Haldir choked out the words, his hands shaking.

"She has not chosen yet." Galadriel replied softly as they watched the young couple whispering under the stars. "But regardless of her choice the dearest part of her heart shall always belong to the son of Arathorn."

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Silence settled upon Imladris and all of arda seemed to sigh in relief at the passing of this day. The stars shone down upon the valley casting their light on the stone visage of Earendil whose peaceful countenance bore witness to the dark headed pair who crept silently through the halls of the Last Homely House.

"Why is there never any rope in Imladris?" Elrohir whispered, as he glanced at the coil clutched in his hand. "I had to steal this one from Glorfindel's study."

"There is never any rope because we keep stealing it all." Elladan replied with a wicked grin. "We will have to hurry, it is already late."

"That is another thing," Elrohir added with a frown "Where have you been all evening?"

"Locked in the stables." his twin scowled.

"Locked in the..." Elrohir wore a bewildered expression as Elladan laid a tentative hand on the door latch.

"Suffice it to say that when we are through with Estel I can think of several more uses for that rope." the older twin snapped, pressing his ear to the door as the younger tried to stifle a laugh.

"I can hear him breathing." Elladan whispered with an evil smile "Are you ready?" Elrohir nodded and his brother gently eased the door open. They crept into the room silently. In the dim light they could barely make out the form of their foster brother asleep in his bed.

They soundlessly made their way toward the bed, their bare feet padding lightly on the wood floor. Elladan paused as he felt something brush his ankle but before he could register what was happening there was a sharp twang as if a bow had been released and he felt something cold and sticky pour down over his head.

"Euck!" He turned to see his twin drenched as well, the dark goop dripping from his fingers. "What is this?"

"Molasses." Elladan replied, his lip curling in disgust as he tried to smear it from his eyes. "The warg tug set a trip line!"

"We shall never be clean." Elrohir growled, wiping his hands on his gooey tunic.

"That is it!" Elladan snarled, turning on his heal "I am going to kill him!" Elrohir reached out to stop him but was too late. Elladan took no more than a step toward the bed before he caught the second trip line and they both froze at the pop of the spring.

"Feathers." Elladan spat out as they drifted down around them, gluing fast in the molasses. He turned back to find Elrohir glaring at him with thinly veiled contempt as he tried to blow a feather off the tip of his sticky nose.

Aragorn, clenched his eyes, willing himself not to laugh as he heard his brothers sputtering curses as they beat a hasty yet careful retreat from his room. He knew he would pay dearly for his prank later but he was certain it would be quite some time before they were confident enough to enter his room again.


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faer nin - my soul

meleth nin - my love

ion nin - my son

warg tug - fat warg

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Author's note - Artanis was Galadriel's original given name. Galadriel is actually the name Celeborn gave her when they met in Doriath.

I am down sick with Pneumonia this week and I'm not my usual cheerful self, I had a really hard time getting this chapter out and I apologize that I won't be responding to all the reviews. Please know that you have my thanks and you've really cheered me up this week.

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daughter-of-faeries - any questions ?

TSS - he is a doll isn't he?

dragonfly32 - I agree, oh fellow Balrog-Slaying-Elf luster.

Converted - Yes, elephants, Mumakil and balrogs... Oh My!

Yavanna - Orophin gets extra points this week for being the tough it out' elf.

Jesla - hey, you say bitchy and aggressive like it's a bad thing! *winks*

Aranel3 - let me repeat. This is a NO FADING story. Haldir will NOT be fading. He is a tougher elf than that.