Another update for you all, it was nice to see you wanting more, and noworries:I haven't quite fallen off the face of the earth: ) Anyhoo, not too fond of this chapter so erm bear with me - I'm hoping its not too painful!

Chapter five

Elemiriel walked out of the house next to her lady with a spring in her step, she had bid her family farewell and now she was leaving for Imladris. It was not that she disliked being in the beautiful realm of the Golden Wood, or along the wonderful beaches at Belfalas, it was only that she wished to see more, and she would not leave her best friend's side.

As she walked down the stairs she noticed a male elf heaving their baggage up onto a horse's back, his black hair hung down just past his shoulders and his grey eyes were briefly focused upon her and Celebrían before he moved off again. There was a haunting expression on his face, hissilvered eyesstartlingly empty. "What is it?" Celebrían asked, noticing her friends step falter slightly,

"That elf," Elemiriel began, pointing discreetly to the elf who was now standing by the other guards. "His face…he seemed so sorrowful" all Celebrían could do in response was shrug as she had missed seeing the elf's face.

Eventually everyone was ready to depart; Elemiriel rode beside Celebrían, just behind the Lord and Lady. The guards formed a protective shell around them, the measures being taken for protection slightly worried Elemiriel, she had heard rumours of evil spreading…however, looking around her at the guards she felt reassured; they all looked experienced and capable of defending them.

"Nervous yet?" Celebrían heard her friend teasingly ask from beside her

"No," she replied simply, giving Elemiriel as disapproving look "I do not expect such treatment from those below me!" Elemiriel laughed at the jest and waited in anticipation for more views of the wide and beautifulexpanse of Middle Earth.

The day was coming to an end and the guards called a halt, informing the company that they would reach Imladris in the next few days. They sent scouts to find a suitable rest site and the rest of the party sat patiently upon their horses. Many great sights Elemiriel had seen on the journey to Imladris, they had crossed the lands of the horse lords, skirted the borders of a dark and mysterious forest…it had all been all she wanted to see and more. Elemiriel let her gaze wander across the small company, it rested on the mysterious elf from that morning when they had left. She had found that during the journey her eyes had often strayed to him, concerned and curious at the same time. It was none of her business to approach him and ask what ailed him but Elemiriel found herself longing to ask.Pushing the thoughts from her mind she turned back to her friend and Lady.

"Enjoying yourself still?" Celebrían asked, smiling at Elemiriel

"It is so different out here," Elemiriel said gesturing with her hands to the open space around them "It's so…open!" They both laughed at the lack of words to describe the surroundings and then Celebrían looked hard at her friend for a moment.

"Your mind is occupied, again – might I add" she stated and gave Elemiriel a questioning look. Elemiriel glanced around and then shook her head, whispering lowly

"I will tell you later." Celebrían nodded, intrigued, and then they were alerted to the scouts returning.


When Celebrían and Elemiriel were comfortably lying under the stars, wrapped in soft and warm blankets, Celebrían rolled over and faced Elemiriel, asking eagerly to know what had been occupying her friends mind since they left Belfalas all those days ago.

"If I tell you, you must not tell anyone else for I feel it is not my place to speak of such things," Elemiriel whispered and waited for Celebrían's nod in reply "Your mother may have sensed already…I do not know... that elf I saw that morning, I cannot get him from my mind. I wish to know what bothers him, the thought plagues me – he seems so sorrowful" Celebrían gave her friend a slight grin.

"What?" Elemiriel asked,

"My friend, I do believe there may be feelings for this elf inside you," Elemiriel's eyes widened at the accusation

"I have not" she wanted to say back with some indignation…but was Celebrían true? "No. I am merely concerned about him," she replied definitely.