Do you by any chance know the title of that story, mercury? It has been ages since I last read something at LoM. Galadriel will make more sense the farther the story goes along (I hope). I am also posting this at the LoM-livejournal community (http/ if that is easier to keep track of. Once again, thanks!
Chapter 13
The world was spinning around her as she finally woke again. Gold and red flashes obscured her vision, making at impossible to see more than silhouettes moving behind them.
"Celeborn?" she asked weakly, her voice old and tired, "Are you there?"
Whispers roared through the air, surrounding her with the flapping of countless wings.
"Celeborn!" she yelled, sitting up as black, leathery wings obscured the flashes of colour, "Celeborn!"
"He cannot hear you now," a harsh voice whispered, swirling around her on the wind, "No one can hear you now."
"Who are you?" Galadriel demanded, reaching out into the wind and darkness around her, "Where are you?"
"Stupid she-elf!" the voice barked, "So many useless questions at once."
"Answer me!" Galadriel turned, trying to figure out where the other was, "What do you want from me?"
Harsh laughter answered her. "From you? Nothing. At least not yet," the cruel voice added, "I only wish to warn you."
"Warn me? Why?" Galadriel screamed as an invisible force pushed her off her feet, throwing her into a free fall through complete darkness.
"Don't use your mirror!" the voice called after her, "Stay away from it!"
Galadriel screamed as her fall changed and another voice called out to her, urged her to return to the light. With a pained gasp she sat up, hand pressed against her chest and sweat running from her brow.
"Galadriel!" Celeborn grabbed her shoulders, trying to keep her from shaking, "Galadriel, please listen to me! Come back!"
"I am back," she rasped put, clutching the sweat-soaked sheets to her close, "I am back," she whispered again, tears streaming down her face as the images she had seen in the mirror replayed themselves over and over gain in her mind.
"What happened?" Celeborn asked softly, the bed creaking under his weight.
"The mirror.. showed me something," Galadriel sobbed, "Something terrible will happen."
"The future is never set in stone," Celeborn hugged his wife close, breathing a sigh of relief as her sobbing grew softer, "If what you saw has not come to pass yet, we are still able to prevent it from happening."
"No," Galadriel shook her head, "The mirror didn't show me how. We cannot stop this."
"What did you see?"
"Please," Galadriel put her hands over Celeborn's, looking up at him from wide, tear-stained eyes, "If you love me, if you trust me, don't ask me again."
Celeborn stared at her from questioning silver eyes and finally nodded.
"Aragorn!" Legolas laughed, rushing forward to bury his friend in a hug, "It is so good to see you again!"
"It has been too long since I saw you last," Aragorn agreed, pressing the elf close before stepping back and greeting Gimli in the same fashion. He frowned as the dwarf winced. "Are you injured? What happened?"
"Nothing," grumbled Gimli, ignoring the worry in his friend's eyes, "We have travelled far to see you, do you have something to eat for some old friends?"
"I do," Aragorn grinned, "Follow me to the library. Would you like something to drink as well?"
"Maltbeer!" chorused Legolas and Gimli, stunning Aragorn into a perplexed frown.
Glorfindel felt as though a great burden had just been taken off his shoulders as Imladris finally came into view again. It had not been the first time that he had stayed away from his home for weeks, but he had never been more happy to return.
"Erestor," he mumbled darkly, scanning the many bridges, "Where are you?"
"Is something wrong?" Bellmaethorion asked, letting his horse fall into step with Asfaloth.
"No," the Eldar almost growled, eyeing the blond from under lowered lashes. The time he had been forced to spent with the other seneschal had only strengthened his initial dislike of the elf.
"What do you intend to do now?" Glorfindel cursed silently. It seemed Bellmaethorion never tired of asking questions.
"Report
to the twins, of course," Glorfindel jumped from Asfaloth's back,
"They have every right to be the first to read the message."
"And
the journal?"
"Maybe that as well," Glorfindel frowned, "Though I am not sure about that yet."
"What is it, melme?" Celeborn asked, taking a step towards his bonded wife, "You are brooding again."
"I still don't know," Galadriel sighed, a tear slipping from her eye, "'tis all so confusing. I don't know what to think anymore."
"And you think that the mirror can help?" Celeborn took the jug with water from Galadriel's hands, placing it next to the mirror again.
"I wish I did," Galadriel sat down on the stone steps, "But I just don't know. I don't know why the mirror is still working, I don't know why it chooses to show me certain things and I don't know why the voice in my nightmare told me to stay away from the mirror."
"Whose voice?"
"I don't know. Nothing makes sense anymore."
"Then let it rest," Celeborn begged, "Let the mirror be and come back with me to our talan. Please?"
"Very well," Galadriel nodded, "Perhaps we should sail:"
"Would you mind telling me," Aragorn glanced pointedly at the mug in Legolas' hands, "When elves started liking maltbeer?"
"Believe me, the stuff grows on you after a while," Legolas laughed, "You just can't get away from it when travelling with a dwarf. It has been long since I drank anything else than water or maltbeer. Tell me, dear friend, how is Arwen doing?"
"She is
well," Aragorn stared into the flames dancing in the fireplace,
"Though I fear I spend too much time ruling my realm."
Legolas
raised his eyebrows. "Surely Faramir could take some of your
responsibilities from you? He seemed intelligent enough when I saw
him last."
"He already does," Aragorn sighed, "And yet…"
"Aragorn!" the doors flew open, allowing Gimli back inside, "A nice castle but you could have, you know, had professionally do the stonework."
"So glad you approve," Aragorn commented dryly, "Maybe I can make it up with a mug of malt beer?"
"You can indeed!" A broad smile lit Gimli's face as he sat down in the only armchair in the room, "So my lord," he addressed Aragorn, "How have you been doing the last ten years? I would not have thought it possible but your letters convey even less information than Legolas'."
Aragorn shrugged, "Ruling is a lot of work."
"Legolas is never too busy to write to an old friend." Gimli huffed, busying himself with his beer. Aragorn raised an eyebrow at Legolas, who tried to look as though nothing had been said.
"Anyone else coming for the celebrations?" the elf asked innocently.
Aragorn shook his head, "I received no reply from any of the other realms, except for Rohan, but I expect that at least my foster father will be visiting."
"As he should," foam dripped from Gimli's beard, "As he should."
A relived shout of "Glorfindel!" was all the Eldar heard before he found himself with an armful of happy advisor.
"Erestor," the blond smiled, hugging the raven-haired elf close and breathing in the other scent.
"I'm so glad you're back." the advisor's muffled voice said from his chest, where Erestor was burying his head into Glorfindel's shoulder.
"As am I, lirimaer," (lovely one) Glorfindel's blue eyes sparkled happily, "I though of you every day."
Erestor flinched and slowly disentangled himself from Glorfindel's arms, a faint blush colouring his usually pale cheeks.
"The twins have been waiting for you," he said, quickly scanning the group of travel-worn elves, "Elrond is not with you?"
"No," Glorfindel's face darkened, "But I bring news of him."
"He is alive then?" Lindir asked, taking his usual place at Erestor's left.
"aye, he is," Glorfindel's eyes narrowed as he noticed that the minstrel was holding Bellmaethorion's hand, "But it would not be fair if the twins were the last to hear that."
