Disclaimer: See first chapter

Time frame: The day after Elrond and Celebrian first meet.

A/N: First of all, thank you so so very much to each and every one of you who reviewed last chapter: TheHouseWitch, nosmaeth, Crookneck, Oleanne, Reader, and Jabberwocki. You all are fantastic, and I thank you so very much. To all who have alerted and/or favorited, I am glad to hear that you are appreciating the story! And to all of my lurkers, I sincerely hope that you are having fun with it, and I would love to hear from you. Also, you know what would be cool? Is if we could reach 100 reviews this chapter. But most important is that I hope you enjoy reading!

Please note that this is chapter is book-canon, not Seren-headcanon-version of Elrond and Celebrian's meeting. In book-canon, they meet shortly after Rivendell is founded, when Galadriel and Celebrian come looking for Celeborn (in Seren headcanon they meet significantly earlier). It is said that Elrond fell in love with her at first sight, but said nothing of it for many years. Although it is not said, I would like to believe that Celebrian at once fell in love with him as well.

Dedication: For the lovely ohelrond over at tumblr, whose birthday was...not too terribly long ago. Happy birthday my friend!

~First Whispers~

The bright rays of the morning sun were just beginning to filter in through the windows lining the eastern wall of the dining room, sending shafts of light sprawling across the long tables and spilling across the floor. Dust motes danced in the golden light, and through the open windows drifted the sweet melody of birdsong as they greeted the rising sun.

Celebrían hesitated in the doorway, taking a moment to simply take in the beauty of the room. The welcoming feast the night before had been splendid, and yet, although she had enjoyed the food and music immensely (and perhaps the presence of a certain dark-haired Elf lord as well, although Celebrían's thoughts shirked at that idea), she'd had neither the chance nor the lucidity after a fortnight of hard travel to truly admire the architecture.

"My lady, are you well?" a quiet voice asked from behind her. Celebrían whirled, startled, only to find herself face-to-face with a certain Lord Elrond.

"Oh yes, I am quite well," Celebrían said hurriedly, smiling and curtsying ever so slightly (although perhaps it was a little deeper than was strictly necessary from the daughter of two high Elven lords). "I apologize for standing in the doorway. I was merely admiring the hall," she added sheepishly, gesturing around her and backing up into the dining hall properly.

To her surprise, Elrond laughed. "I am glad that you can find it admirable," he said. "Truly, it was hurriedly constructed, for this was one of the first rooms built in the House. As you can see, we do not even have glass for the windows yet."

"Ah, but that is part of its beauty," Celebrían replied. "You can feel the sun and the breeze, and the birdsong is not caged or muted."

By then the two were at the foot of the dais. Elrond led the way up the three steps, Celebrían following a few paces behind, her eyes skimming along the high table. At the feast the night before, she had sat between her mother and Glorfindel, yet while there had been eight then, now there were only four.

"It seems that no one else is awake to breakfast with us," Elrond commented. "I hope you do not mind having such poor company for your first morning here in Imladris."

"To be honest, I was not expecting anyone to be awake yet," Celebrían admitted.

"Over the next quarter of an hour or so more will come," Elrond assured her. "And there likely have already been a number in for breakfast that have finished and have left." And then Elrond was pulling a chair out for her, and Celebrían found herself sitting down at Elrond's right hand.

There was silence as Elrond sat as well, and then before Celebrían could think of something else to say, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Turning, she saw that one of the kitchen staff had appeared carrying a bowl of thick porridge sweetened with honey and raisins in one hand, and a plate with steaming rolls in the other.

"Good morning, my lord," the dark-haired elleth said with a smile as she made to set the bowl and plate down.

"Good morning, Arachil," Elrond replied with a matching smile, even as he deftly turned and made a small sign with his hand, placing Arachil between him and Celebrían in the process. Before Celebrían could even be certain what had happened, she found Arachil placing the porridge and rolls in front of her.

"I will return in a moment with your food, my lord," Arachil said, what looked almost like faint amusement quirking her lips as she turned.

"Thank you," Elrond and Celebrían both said, their voices overlapping. Inexplicably, Arachil's smile widened. But then she was gone, disappearing through the door behind them back toward the kitchens.

"Please, eat," Elrond bade when he saw Celebrían hesitate.

"What of you, my lord?" Celebrían protested. As the daughter of nobility she knew her manners, and eating in the presence of a Lord when he had not yet been served was most certainly not appropriate.

"Please, call me Elrond," he said, and Celebrían fought to keep from feeling embarrassed. He had made the same request the afternoon before, shortly after they had first met. "And," he went on, before Celebrían could protest or apologize (whichever she may have attempted), "you do not want your porridge to go cold, and my own breakfast shall be along shortly. No need to wait for me."

Celebrían was still hesitant, although she did pick up the spoon that had been lying at her place. Elrond seemed to sense this, but he did not press her again, a fact for which she was thankful. Instead, he rose, reaching for the decanter of clear water sitting at the end of the table, and wordlessly filled first her cup, then his own.

By then Arachil was returning, bearing another bowl and plate. These she set down before Elrond. Smiling at the both of them, and after they had thanked her again, she departed, leaving them both to their meal.

Elrond spoke again after his second bite. "I hope that you slept well?" he asked.

"Oh yes," Celebrían said. And then she laughed lightly. "I was not sleeping on the hard ground. Of course I slept well."

Elrond chuckled too, a subtle grin twisting his lips up. "I only hope that you will find your second night in a real bed as comfortable as your first."

"I am certain I will," Celebrían replied loftily. But then she sobered. "I find it amazing all that you have been able to accomplish in so short a time. Especially when under siege," she added, and then grimaced, realizing just how callous that had come across.

Elrond, however, did not seem overly perturbed. "It is a beautiful valley," he said, "and we have many skilled and willing hands here." Then he smiled, and Celebrían thought that she could detect a note of pride in his gaze.

Already he is beginning to see these people as his, she mused. His to be proud of. And his to care for and guard, as well as lead, if how he had treated Arachil was any way to judge. She did not begrudge him it though. What could have come across as arrogant or prideful in any other seemed somehow almost humble instead. And Celebrían found herself smiling, and although she did not know it yet, another piece of her heart was lost.

"I would love to see more of the valley," Celebrían admitted.

"I would gladly show you," Elrond offered, and only then seemed to realize what he had said, as he fumbled with his words. "I mean, I could take you up to the waterfalls if you would like. Or perhaps we could go for a ride deeper into the valley."

"I would like that," Celebrían said, smiling at Elrond, the bit of roll momentarily forgotten in her fingers.

"Very good. I know that last night Erestor promised you and your mother a tour of the House, so what of this afternoon?"

"That sounds lovely," Celebrían said truthfully. "So long as there is nothing else you will have to attend to?"

"They can spare me for a few hours this afternoon. Glorfindel has been ordering me to get away from my desk as it is. He will be pleased," he assured Celebrían drolly.

"Well then, it is decided," Celebrían said firmly, and Elrond laughed again.

He was interrupted by Glorfindel suddenly appearing at his side. The Balrog Slayer bent, whispering hurriedly into his ear, and Celebrían watched as Elrond's smile faded. He quickly turned very grim, and Celebrían marveled at the difference in the Elf lord. No longer was he smiling, but it appeared as if he was no longer even the man he had been but a moment before, for gone was the lightness in his demeanor, and the almost-smile that had lit his eyes was gone, replaced with cold steel.

"I apologize, Lady Celebrían," he said abruptly, standing and bowing to her. "I fear that I will need to postpone our ride."

"Is something wrong?" Celebrían asked, unable to mask her concern.

Elrond hesitated, and behind him Celebrían caught sight of Glorfindel shifting back and forth, looking anxious. But then Elrond was speaking again, and although his face was still grim, some of the gentleness had returned to his voice. "An Orc pack has been sighted just north of the entrance to valley. Never fear, you are quite safe here," he promised, misinterpreting Celebrían's look of concern, "but they must be dealt with before they can have a chance to discover the hidden pass once more."

Celebrían nodded. "Of course," she said. And then, "May Elbereth protect you," she blessed, her eyes meeting Elrond's.

Elrond bowed once, accepting the blessing and saying farewell at once, and then turning he nodded to Glorfindel. With that they were gone, disappearing into the shadows of the corridor beyond the door at the back of the dais.

Celebrían watched them go, a strange feeling in her breast. There was worry and concern, for she knew as well as any that when a person went off to battle there was no guarantee that they would return. But there was something else as well, something wriggling at the very edge of her perception, burrowing into her heart and worming into her stomach.

And although she did not know what it was then, she would grow to know its meaning and cherish its warmth. For it was love.