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An Extra Passenger

or

A Missing Horse

Celeborn, former Prince of Doriath and current Lord of the Golden Wood was feeling rather smug. His makeshift army of thirty Dúnedain and his grandsons had defeated the Nazgûl at Dol Guldur, with the loss of only one man, Halbarad, who Celeborn had disliked anyway. When Galadriel arrived at Dol Guldur all she had to do was sing to it, and it collapsed. Sauron was gone for good and his wife was free from the control of that damned ring of Celebrimbor's, although Celeborn would be the first to admit that it had been useful while Lothlórien was under attack. Unfortunately the mere thought of Celebrimbor was enough to deflate Celeborn's good humour and turn his thoughts away from his recent triumph. It was safe to say that Celebrimbor was Celeborn's least favourite elf.

Back in the First Age Celeborn had developed a grudging respect for Celebrimbor, who had rejected his father because of Curufin's evil deeds, and pledged himself to help heal Middle-earth. It was a noble purpose, but everyone, including Celebrimbor himself, seemed to have forgotten the curse on his family: 'To evil end shall all things turn that begin well'.

Things had indeed begun well in Eregion. Celeborn and Galadriel ruled their own realm, and their daughter Celebrían was born there, but all too soon Sauron had arrived, disguised in fair form, and bypassed all the proper immigration channels, where he would surely have met Galadriel and been recognised. Under Sauron's influence Celebrimbor made the rings of power, one of which he gave to Galadriel.

Celeborn's suspicions had first been aroused by the Elessar, which Celebrimbor had made in imitation of the stone created by Fëanor, his grandfather, that Galadriel had always desired. The original had been buried on the battlefield with Galadriel's cousin Fingon, its final owner, and that battlefield was now under the sea. Galadriel had assured him that the gift said nothing about Celebrimbor's feeling for her, but when he gave her the ring too, Celeborn confronted his wife and she admitted that Celebrimbor had been in love with her for more than two thousand years. Then Celebrimbor had been killed by Sauron, and it seemed as if the whole matter was resolved. Even if he was released from the Halls of Waiting it would be to the Blessed Realm, not Middle-earth, so an ocean would separate him from Celeborn - and Galadriel.

But now Galadriel was preparing to sail to Valinor with the other ring-bearer, leaving Celeborn behind in Middle-earth. He didn't entirely understand her decision. She had left Valinor seven thousand years ago because she wanted to rule a realm of her own - and she had that in Middle-earth - but her father was the king in the Blessed Realm, so she would no longer have her own land to rule as she wished. Celeborn had asked her why she was leaving, but she only said that she was weary of Middle-earth, because with the destruction of the One Ring the power of Nenya had failed. And there it was again: Celebrimbor's ring.

"Celeborn dear," called Galadriel, " I've finished packing. Will you came and help me with my suitcases?"

"I'll be right there, dear," replied Celeborn, setting off up the stairs to their flet. When he reached the platform he found Galadriel sitting among several dozen cases and other assorted bags.

"Celeborn, would you be so kind as to carry all these down to the ground for me?" said Galadriel, "I have to go down to the stream to fetch my mirror. It was a gift from my great-aunt, you know, and she would be most upset if I lost it."

"Certainly, my dear," said Celeborn, and he began to move the first case, which was heavier than it looked, towards the lift that they used for large items. He wondered briefly if she had managed to pack the Dwarf into it, or perhaps a couple of Hobbits. Celeborn was not fond of Dwarves, but he was prepared to tolerate that one for Galadriel's sake, since it was clearly no rival to him, unlike Celebrimbor, and as for the Hobbits... Well, the less said about them, the better, as far as Celeborn was concerned.

Thinking about Celebrimbor and Hobbits at the same time so agitated Celeborn that he threw the heavy case clean over the lift, and it plunged towards the ground, smashing on the forest floor and revealing that it contained Galadriel's sword collection. Celeborn ran back down the stairs, reaching the broken suitcase at the same time as his wife, who had come to see what had caused the noise.

"I'm sorry, Galadriel," he said, "I threw it a little too far. Would you like me to make you a new suitcase?"

"No dear," said Galadriel, "there is no need. I probably will not be allowed to take all these weapons into Valinor anyway. Father wouldn't like it. But I must tell you that I have just seen the most exciting news in my mirror!" Celeborn braced himself, expecting the worst. "Some of my cousins have been released from the Halls of Waiting!"

Galadriel had four cousins, seven half-cousins, one first cousin once removed and one half-first cousin once removed - Celebrimbor - who she might be referring to with this pronouncement. "Which ones?" Celeborn asked faintly.

"Don't worry dear," she said, "all the Kinslaying ones (1) are still safely shut away." That narrowed it down to three, or perhaps four, since Maeglin (2) had not killed any Elves personally.

"Why, Turgon (3) and Aredhel (4) of course!"

"That's nice dear," said Celeborn. "Celebrimbor is still in Mandos, I suppose?"

"Did I not tell you?" said Galadriel, "Celebrimbor was released almost a thousand years ago!"

"It must have slipped your mind," said Celeborn calmly, although he was shocked and horrified, but he was determined not to show it. He went upstairs and resumed moving suitcases, then secretly packed two of his own.

It was a long way from Lothlórien to the Grey Havens, and it seemed even further with all Galadriel's suitcases in tow in a convoy of carriages, but they eventually got there, and loaded all the cases into Círdan's ship. Elrond, Gandalf and the Hobbits arrived not much later with Gandalf's horse, Shadowfax.

Gandalf tried to persuade the horse to board the ship, but Celeborn decided this was going too far. It was a very small ship, and most of the hold was occupied by Galadriel's and Elrond's luggage (Elrond had brought at least four dozen cases), and Shadowfax was a very large horse. The amount of food it would require during the voyage did not bear thinking about, let alone the mess and the smell!

"If the horse goes on that ship," said Celeborn, "I shall stay here."

"That suits me," said Gandalf grumpily.

"Do you mean that you are coming to Valinor with me?" cried Galadriel.

"Oh, did I forget to tell you, dear?" said Celeborn.

"It must have slipped your mind," said Galadriel, and burst into tears.

Círdan was so affected by this display of emotion that he sniffed loudly, and promised to send Shadowfax along on the next available ship, which satisfied Gandalf, and Círdan led Shadowfax away to the stables.

The Hobbits finished saying farewell to their friends, having completely missed the discussion between the Elves and Gandalf, and Frodo, Bilbo, Elrond, Galadriel and Celeborn boarded the ship and sailed away into the west.

The End

Notes:

(1) The sons of Fëanor and Fingon, Galadriel's half-cousins and first cousin.

(2) Maeglin, son of Aredhel, a traitor, Galadriel's first cousin once removed..

(3) Turgon, King of Gondolin, Galadriel's first cousin.

(4) Aredhel, murdered by her husband, Galadriel's first cousin.

Well, that's all for this story, folks. Thanks for reading!