Title: Blue Vault of Varda
Disclaimer: Professor Tolkien and his estate own the characters and the setting; I own the plot.
Summary: My variation on the theme of Elrond and Gil-galad's relationship. In this chapter Elrond meets Galadriel and Celeborn.
Rating: PG, for now. I'll let you know if it goes up.
A.N. 1) I have continued to do some very minor editing throughout. 2) Reviews are very appreciated, as always!
Chapter 4: Galadriel
"Morgoth is aware of Sirion and Doriath, Artanaro. Do not think he is blind to our unrest. Certainly, he was not blind to Aqualondë. He knows we are divided, and he knows we are all cooped up at the Mouth of Sirion: Noldor and Teleri, Sindar and Nandor, Calaquendi and Moriquendi. Even Maedhros has left Himring and camps not far from here, sulking over the Silmaril and the Peredhil. The Nameless One will strike before we are able to unite against him. We cannot afford that.
"You must unite them. Tell them the truth, tell them that Morgoth has turned his eye on us and is planning an attack. Rally them against him. I contumo contumonyava ná meldonya.(1) It is all that shall unite them now. There is too much tension. Too much spilt blood that calls out for revenge. You know this." Only when Galadriel finished her appeal did she lower her probing eyes from their target. And much to the king's surprise, when she raised them again, they were tear-brimmed.
"Ai Artanis! do not despair! You are right: we shall use this warning of an attack as a cause to unite them. We shall stand together as Quendi or we shall fall. But I think I will seek out the Three Houses of Edain, too. Morgoth hates them no less, and they have proved worthy allies in the past." Gil-galad's words gushed out, warm with emotion. So disturbed was the young king at seeing his fiery great aunt in tears.
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While Gil-galad and Galadriel were in conference, Elrond found himself in the care of a Noldo called Tinnufin with the light of Valinor in his eyes. The Elf had given him a tour of the castle where Galadriel stayed, and now they walked on the grounds, weaving amid the rose-tipped trees of coirë(2). The air was cool, so that Elrond wore his mantle, but he felt the warmth of the sun through the wool. The other Elf, being a full-blooded Elda who had endured the fell cold of Helcaraxë,(3) wore only a fitted tunic and hosen.
Tinnufin had asked Elrond how he had escaped the Sons of Feanor and come into the care of the High King, and Elrond had told of how Maglor had taken pity on him and how Círdan and Artanaro had found him. He then told of the recent events that set him in the king's custody, and Tinnufin expressed his sympathy. After that, they talked of Luthien, whom Elrond reminded Tinnufin of. Then Elrond asked, "I know that you have come here from Doriath, but your eyes betray you as one of the Calaquendi.(4) Were you come from Aman, then, before you lived in Doriath?"
Tinnufin answered, "I was born in the West, ere the fall of the Two Trees. My parents were of the house of Fingolfin, but they loved the Lady Altariel(5) best, and served her with great devotion. I came with them when they followed her into Endor. But alas! they fell when Doriath was ruined,(6) and now I am the last of my kin in Endor,(7) sundered from those who dwell still in Valinor."
Elrond tried to comfort him, "I am sorry. My brother and I are the last of our kin here, too, but for the Lady Artanis and King Artanaro, who are kin from afar through the line of Finwë, and Lord Celeborn, whose grandsire is also my ancestor."(8)
"There are many Noldor here now who are the last of their kin: 'tis the doom of Exile." They came to a shallow pool and sat by the edge, watching the swans and rails that waded there. Elrond, made drowsy by the warm sun and the early rise, soon drifted off to sleep.
Tinnufin was content to lean against a tree, chewing on the peppermint leaves and watching the wildlife and his young charge sleep. He soon heard the soft rustle of leaves as someone approached and he stood up to greet the newcomer. It was one of the Lady's messengers. He spoke first, hoping the Elf would note his quiet voice and follow suit. "What news from our beloved Lady, Lagramegil?"(9)
The messenger saw Elrond sleeping and took the hint. "She summons Elrond to a conference," he said.
"Then I shall wake him and bring him thither immediately," said Tinnufin. Lagramegil nodded his thanks and left.
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Tinnufin ushered Elrond into the Lady's court, and bowed. "I shall be near if you should need me, my King, my Lady," he said and then he left. Elrond bowed and waited to be addressed.
Gil-galad indicated the empty chair to his right. "Come and sit, Elrond. The Lady Altariel wishes to see you." Elrond had known she would call for him eventually, and he was both anxious and excited.
Galadriel smiled kindly at him. "Elyë ná i nalta Tindómerelwa, hina."(10) She switched to Sindarin. "And yet I see the line of your father in you as well. How old are you?"
"Eighteen years, my Lady."
"And I hear that you already show a love of the sagas and music over the sword and bow. This pleases me. Too many young edhil know only the ways of war now. Your recent nighttime flight to the Silvermere concerns me though. Yet is not your actions that worry me, but your loneliness. Does your brother not offer you sufficient company?"
Elrond was trying hard to focus on her words and his face grew red with embarrassment. "Sufficient?" he asked.
Gil-galad came to his rescue, "Farëa. The Peredhil's Sindarin is deficient: they learned only Quenya from the Fëanorians and Círdan speaks Telerin to them."
"That is the first I noticed of it. I am impressed." Galadriel smiled again, and Elrond thought it was brighter and warmer than Anar itself.
"Elrond has an ear for languages. But, pray, Elrond, answer," Gil-galad directed.
"My brother is interested in other things. He is ever at the docks with Círdan, and when he is not, he is tired, or talks only of his day, or the adanath he has met. He is...changing."
Gil-galad raised an eyebrow. "You both are changing, Elrond."
"Indeed," Galadriel agreed. "Do you often feel alone, then?"
"Yes," came the soft reply.
"I think that shall soon change. You shall spend your time with Ereinion, now, and he will give you chores to keep you busy, just as Círdan keeps your brother busy in the shipyard. And if you work hard and are careful to obey his precepts, then perhaps you shall come and stay with me for awhile, for I was Melian's student and could teach you much. Would you like that?"
"Yes, I would my Lady!"
"I am glad. In the meantime, Ereinion will take good care of you, but he needs your help. This shall be our pact. If I hear a poor report from him, then you may not come. But enough of that. Ereinion tells me you have been having frequent dreams, and he told me about the one you had last night. I would like to hear about some of the others. Would you tell me about them?"
"The last one was about a huge dragon with scales skin that flew in the skies. They flew so high that the stars themselves fought it."(11)
Gil-galad and Galadriel exchanged glances. "A flying dragon?" Gil-galad asked. "You have quite an imagination. "How did the stars fight it?"
"Well," Elrond said, confused about why the adults were so interested in his dreams, "It was really only one star. It's light scorched the dragon, I think."
"Have there been others?" Galadriel asked.
Elrond's eyes grew hazy as he withdrew back into his memory to recall a glimpse of a dream from several years ago: "I passed through seven gates, each grander than the last, and each opened before me. When I was through the last gate, I saw a white city upon a hill in a green vale, surrounded by high peaks. Inside the cities there were two trees, one with blossoms of red-gold and the other with blossoms of silver-white."(12)
"Gondolin," Galadriel spoke. "You saw the city of Gondolin in your dreams. Truly, that dream was sent by Irmo. But to what end? Gondolin is fallen." Neither Gil-galad nor Elrond had any answer for her, and she fell into thought.
A knock interrupted the silence, followed by a messenger, who entered. "Dinner is served, my Lady," he said. Galadriel smiled at him, "Thank you. We shall arrive shortly."
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Elrond was returned to Tinnufin's capable hands after dinner. He took a short nap and then they spent the rest afternoon exploring the libraries and swimming. They met Galadriel and Gil-galad again at supper in a cozy room with a large fireplace. Galadriel strummed a small golden harp, Celeborn played a pipe of wood and silver, and Gil-galad blew a horn. Elrond sat at their feet, fascinated, finding the harmony more pleasing than even Maglor's lyre.
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"With your permission, Finellach,(13) we would send Elrond back with a gift."
"You are over-kind, cousin, but I do not object," Gil-galad replied.
Galadriel handed Elrond a bundle of cloth that covered something harder and indicated for him to unwrap it. He did, without hesitation. It was a small silver harp. Elrond's face lit up. "Thank you, my Lady!"
"I only ask that you play and sing for me sometime, Elrond. Ereinion, see that he has good instruction. He has a talented ear for music; perhaps even he has the gift of the minstrels." The king nodded his assent and he and Elrond made to mount their waiting steeds. Galadriel lifted her hand in a benediction.
Notes:
1 The enemy of my enemy is my friend. (Quenya)
2 "Stirring" probably February or March
3 The Grinding Ice, see The Silmarilion, "Of the Flight of the Noldor."
4 The Elves of the Light or the High Elves, i.e., those who came to Aman in the days of the Two Trees (and their children born before the destruction of the Two Trees?).
5 Yet another name for Galadriel.
6 That was the Second Kinslaying. The few who escaped, including Dior, Elrond's maternal grandfather and Luthien's son, settled near the Mouths of Sirion.
7 Middle Earth
8 According to the HoME series, Elwë (Thingol, Luthien's father) had two brothers: Olwë and Elmo. Celeborn is the grandson of Elmo and Galadriel is the granddaughter of Olwë. Elrond is the great, great grandson of Elwë and the great, great, great grandson of Elmo. (And he eventually marries, of course, the great granddaughter of both Elmo and Olwë--don't you love Elvish genealogy?)
9 Swiftblade (Sindarin)
10 Thou art the image of Tinuviel, child. (Quenya)
11 If you don't know what this refers to then you are free to enjoy the suppense with the rest of the characters.
12 Gondolin fell when Maeglin finally Morgoth in discovering its location, and Morgoth sent a great army, including orcs, trolls, dragons, and balrogs, there. Turgon, then High King, had warning from Tuor (Elrond's grandfather) to leave, but did not and died in the attack. Tuor and Idril escaped with their young son, Earendil.
13 Another name for Gil-galad