Chapter seventeen

Celeglin had laid in his bed, unmoving since he returned to the talan the previous night. He had not slept. The images had plagued his mind too much to allow it to rest; the horrific and the mysterious – neither would be forgotten nor easily put to the back of his mind. It was late into the morning, yet Celeglin was loathe to leave the sanctuary of his room where he could be at peace with his thoughts. Part of him knew he should join Elemiriel and her family or at least leave the room – otherwise concern would be raised and he would appear cold and distant again, which he did not desire to happen. Yet if he did leave the room he would ignore people and concentrate on his thoughts, making him seem just as cold.

Thinking it better to be doing something, he left the room and briefly greeted Elemiriel's parents before excusing himself and going outside. Walking down a quiet path, Celeglin let his thoughts wander and tried to understand what some of the images in the mirror were, what they meant. It was a while before he met another on that path and his thoughts disturbed. Elemiriel walked towards him, smiling

"We had wondered where you went…are you well?" she asked, seeing his troubled face

"I think I am well – I have been deep in thought," then suddenly, to Elemiriel it appeared that he had just discovered something, or remembered a task that needed doing. "I apologise but I must leave."

His words were fast spoken and Elemiriel thought that indeed he must have had some revelation to come to a decision so fast.

"You have done no wrong," Celeglin explained upon seeing a sad look on Elemiriel's face, "this is my own doing of sorts. I will see you in Imladris when you return." Chastely kissing her hand he thanked her for her families hospitality and then swiftly left.

"My Lord, my duty was to safely escort you and your lady to Lorien and then back when your visit was over…yet I must apologise as matters of my own now interfere with duty." Elrond looked briefly across his wife to Galadriel and seemed to understand Celeglin's desperate urge to leave Lorien.

"I release you from your service on the condition you do not leave without instructing the other guards of their duties for our journey home," he said, watching Celeglin smile briefly. As Celeglin walked away, Elrond called after him "I hope you find what it is you seek."

Smiling gratefully at his Lord, Celeglin strode away.

Upon finding the other guards, Celeglin set one to take control in his stead and swiftly instructed them on their tasks. The desire he had to leave and gallop to where he knew he must go was getting stronger the more Celeglin thought about it. Eventually it seemed, he was upon his horse and hastily galloping away from Lorien as the sun set.

It would not be long now…after realising what an image in the mirror meant Celeglin knew he had to leave Lorien, he had to go and visit a place he should have long ago. His journey would hopefully be unhindered by the forces of evil, and he would reach his destination in good time.


After much travel, Celeglin dismounted his horse on overgrown stone paths. Leaving his horse to graze at weeds and grass growing on the pathway, he walked in a world of grey and ruined stone. Letting his hand brush against weatherworn surfaces, Celeglin's bright grey eyes took in all his surroundings slowly.

It was desolate, it was cold from the strong wind yet it was what should have been home. It was all that was left of Eregion…all that was left of his family's past.

Deep they delved us, fair they wrought us, high they builded us; but they are gone.


Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R Tolkien