Thanks to daw the minstrel for beta reading this chapter.

Chapter 26:  The Last Homely House

Nearly a month had passed since Gil-galad and his combined forces of Men and Elves had arrived in Imladris.  While the warriors of Imladris were resting after their exhausting winter of siege, the warriors of Lindon were scouring the lands and flushing out any survivors of Sauron’s army.  Elrond reviewed the report that Gil-galad had dropped on his desk: it appeared that very few had survived.

He rose and walked to the balcony that had been recently completed. He wondered if he would ever grow used to the view, and decided he would ensure he did not.  The waterfalls seemed to sing as they cascaded to the streams below, and the acoustics of the cliff walls created a harmony that played in an echoed unison.  The overall effect was one of serenity, a feeling that time stood still and the cares of life passed by outside of their valley.  Now that the worries and hardships of war were passing into memory and he knew that the king wished him here, he found his heart turned to this land.

Elrond knew that Gil-galad had spoken to Celeborn and Glorfindel, the leaders of the Mírdain, and others of the population of Imladris about Elrond remaining to lead Imladris.   Glorfindel had told him that in Gil-galad he saw a natural skill, similar to that of his father Fingon, uncle Turgon and grandfather Fingolfin, to speak to and lead people where he wished them to go.   In this case, Glorfindel had admitted, it seemed that Gil-galad had merely learned that others wanted what he did as well. Still, Elrond would wait until the Council met formally. Galadriel should have a say in the matter, and though Celeborn had already spoken his piece, no decision would be made until it could be properly debated.

Already the inhabitants of Imladris were deciding their own futures.  Most of the humans would stay through the coming spring before moving on to build homesteads and start their lives anew.  In addition to the swelling population of warriors from Lindon and Númenor, many of the race of Men who had been chased from their lands in Eregion and Eriador had come to find Imladris, seeking news of their kin.  Elrond looked out over the grounds and beyond them to the river, and it seemed as if there were camps as far as his eyes could see.

Giggling caught his attention, and he turned as pattering feet flew across the floor.  He caught the armful of child just as the small boy flung himself into his arms.

“Hello, Aldric,” he greeted the toddler.  Aldric buried his face in Elrond’s tunic, pulling apart the closures as if trying to crawl inside.  “Are you hiding?”

More giggles issued against his chest, causing a slightly wet, tickling sensation, and then the small head popped up and nodded in agreement.  “Mama is looking for me,” he announced.

“And why would you be hiding from your mama?”

“Nap time,” said Aldric, grinning.  “No naps!”

“I would agree you do not look tired,” teased Elrond. He could hear Tollyn’s voice in the hall, but he did not recognize the male voice in conversation with her.   He cuddled Aldric to his chest, and despite both of their assertions that he was not and did not appear tired, his eyelids drooped immediately and he snuggled against Elrond’s chest. Walking into the hallway, he saw Tollyn in conversation with a young man who had arrived a few weeks earlier, searching for his own wife.  He had learned she had died, as he had feared, several years earlier.  While he had seemed devastated by the news, Elrond recognized the look in the man’s eyes as he looked now upon Tollyn.   They were earnestly speaking of the future.

“I will go and begin rebuilding.  My brother and his family will live nearby, and there are others considering moving there as well.   I would like you to be by my side, Tollyn.  I can promise to love and protect you, and together we would raise more sons, strong boys like your Aldric, and daughters too, and have a prosperous farm,” said the man.

Tollyn listened with wide eyes. “The elves have said I can stay here with Aldric, as I am without family.” She paused, her gaze lowered; then she lifted her face to his. “But I would like to live with my own people, and have other children and my own home.  Casyn says you are a good man, that you treated your wife well, and you would do right by Aldric.”

“I would, Tollyn.  He shall be as the son that died in the womb of my wife, as my own firstborn.  You would make me a fine wife, and bear my children, and in time we would grow to love each other.”

Tollyn turned her head at that moment, and her eyes met Elrond’s as he walked slowly to them. Her face flushed red as she realized he had likely overheard her words.

“Aldric has fallen into sleep, despite all his wishes to the contrary,” said Elrond quietly. “I will walk with him a while outside with your leave, for I find a certain contentment in holding a sleeping child.”

Tollyn nodded in a combination of embarrassment and relief, and Elrond continued down the hall and out the front door.  Once outside, he wandered the path that led to the waterfall and pools, avoiding the delighted shrieks of the human youngsters playing in the shallow pool they so loved, and heading further up and into the deeper trees where quiet prevailed.   There was something intensely soothing about holding a sleeping child, and he found his thoughts drawn to the life this mortal boy faced.  As hard as it was for Elrond to comprehend Tollyn marrying this man she had just met, he reminded himself of how fleeting were the years of these mortals, with life spans far less than those of the Men of Númenor.  In the customs of these people, they did remarry, quite often very soon after the death of a spouse, for a widower needed a mother for his children and a wife to keep his home, and a widow needed a father for her children and a strong man to run the farm. Not all widows and widowers remarried, but most did, and Elrond knew that Tollyn would miss the life she had known, and she would miss the physical comfort of having a husband.  He smiled, for the elves indeed found the humans less restrained in their bodily desires and they did need to marry. Caressing the mop of brown hair lying over his arm, he decided the man would likely be a good father to this child.

“You look entirely natural in that position,” came an amused voice.

Elrond looked up to see Gil-galad seated on the rocks high above the waterfall. The king grinned and jumped to a rock many feet below him, and then leapt to the ground. He looked upon the child, tickling its foot and then laughing as the child squirmed in his sleep.   “The first child born in Imladris, I hear.”

“He was indeed,” answered Elrond. “His birth brought joy to Elves and Men alike, and even in that tough winter, we celebrated his arrival.”

“Hmm…” said Gil-galad, looking thoughtfully at them both.

“My lord!” called Athranen from the path below them.  “The Lady Galadriel has arrived!”

“Just as expected,” laughed Gil-galad.  After Athranen had run off, Gil-galad turned to Elrond and whispered, “Do you think she has reorganized Lorinand and is providing counsel to King Amdir?”

Elrond laughed, and though he did not answer, he thought Gil-galad likely right.  She had run Balar during the War of Wrath, and begun planning the settlement of Lindon and mapping the lands at the war’s end.  He had no doubt that all the elves of Lorinand now loved her, for that happened wherever she went, and if she had demurred to Amdir to his satisfaction, he likely would have let her run his kingdom in return.

They rose and began walking back to Imladris, with Gil-galad called ahead by his own advisors, and Elrond walking slowly so as to not jar the child in his arms. 

Galadriel was indeed just arriving, walking into the courtyard with a number of other elves following her, when Elrond heard a cry of delight and then saw a female elf fly past Galadriel, silver hair streaming out behind her, and fling herself into Celeborn’s arms.

Celeborn lifted her from her feet, swinging her around, in a display so careless of who might be watching that Elrond knew that the beautiful elleth could only be his daughter.  He watched as Celeborn set Celebrían down, his hands moving to touch each side of her face as he looked into her eyes, then run down the silver ribbon of hair to her shoulders, and then down her arms to take her hands in his own.  He raised those hands to his lips and kissed them, and then Celebrían wrapped her arms about him again and held him tight.

Abruptly, Elrond found, to his own embarrassment, that he wanted to hold Celebrían in his arms, he wanted to feel her pressed up close against him, and he wanted to run his fingers through her shining strands of hair.   He felt his body respond as he thought of her and quickly squelched those desires. He could not help but laugh at himself as he considered that just a short while earlier he had been considering that mortals needed to marry so that they had an outlet for their desires.  Perhaps this is my mortal blood, he thought, bemused. 

He could not turn his eyes away from the reunion happening before him.  He watched as Galadriel approached her husband much more sedately than her daughter had, and publicly she and Celeborn merely held hands. Elrond knew that the bond between them was powerful and words were not needed to communicate their thoughts and feelings. Celebrían, on the other hand, remained attached to her father’s side, her arm wrapped through his.  Her smile lit her face, and she was radiant. Though he had read of instances with the Eldar of love at first, he had never thought to experience it himself.  Although Beren beheld Lúthien and was enchanted by her at first sight.  And Elu-Thingol loved Melian from the first time he saw her, but I have heard she used her powers on him. Tuor loved Idril, perhaps not from first sight, but not long after.  Perhaps it is an inherited trait.

“Elrond!” Forcing his eyes away from Celebrían, Elrond turned to meet his king’s gaze.

“Would you like to meet Celebrían, or do you plan to just stare at her?” questioned Gil-galad, grinning.

Elrond felt his face flush, despite his best attempts to stop it.  Even in his chagrin, he found himself intrigued that he could not mask that emotion. Before he could answer, though, he saw Gil-galad step forward to greet the reunited family. Celeborn and Galadriel greeted him, then introduced Celebrían. Gil-galad raised Celebrían’s hand to his lips, kissing it, then holding her hand in his own.  To Elrond’s continued amazement, he felt a stab of jealousy, another emotion seldom experienced and one that he also had a difficult time suppressing.  A small cry interrupted his thought, and he realized he had tightened the grip on the toddler in his arms and awakened the child.

He soothed Aldric while Gil-galad spoke with Celebrían and Galadriel, and Elrond overhead the pleasantries exchanged about their trip north from Lorinand. He heard they had passed through Moria again and spoken with the dwarves, but they had not gone into the ruins of Ost-in-Edhil.  Elrond listened as he shifted Aldric to his shoulder, where the child nuzzled into his neck and wrapped his chubby hands around Elrond’s hair.

“Celebrían, this is Elrond Eärendilion.” Elrond heard himself introduced as he tried to extricate his hair.   He immediately stilled his hands, but found himself unable to properly bow and greet the lady before him.  To his chagrin, Gil-galad was grinning, Celeborn appeared amused and Galadriel raised a brow at his predicament.

“Lady Celebrían, welcome to Imladris,” he managed, and he bowed slightly, the child in his arms giggling at the movement.

Celebrían laughed at the child’s joy and stepped forward to stroke the little boy’s hair. “And who are you, little one?”

Aldric tipped his head back to see her, releasing a handful of Elrond’s hair in favor of touching Celebrían’s face.  This she allowed; then she encompassed his hand in her own and leaned forward to kiss him on the forehead.

Elrond felt his heart leap and his mind reel at her closeness, and it took all his effort to answer. “This scamp is Aldric, the first child born in Imladris. His mother is within, and he is meant to be napping.”

“Are you disobeying your adar?” teased Celebrían as she pulled Aldric’s hand to her and shook it gently, making him laugh again.

Elrond was sure his heart stopped, and he had to pause as he quickly considered his response. “Unfortunately, his father was a casuality of war, thus he has belonged to all of us during his time here. And much beloved he has been,” he added as he tickled the child, increasing his giggles.

From the corner of his eye, Elrond saw the look of approval on Galadriel’s face. Celebrían had blushed slightly and Elrond had felt her withdraw from him, but as he continued to speak as if no mistake had been made, she relaxed and though it was perhaps only his wish that it be so, she appeared to look at him differently now that she no longer thought the child was his.  Their eyes met a moment later, and he did not mask the interest he knew his gaze held, for she was young and not experienced at hiding her own feelings.  He found her eyes held the same interest.

“Master Elrond, thank you for watching Aldric,” said Tollyn breathlessly as she ducked nearly behind Elrond to greet him and retrieve her son.  “My lady,” she whispered, bowing to Celebrían, but her eyes lifted beneath her lashes as she could not help but look at the beautiful elf before her. 

“Mama!” cried Aldric.  He flung himself at her, wrapping his arms about her neck and hugging her tightly.  “Bye, Elrond!” He waved as his mother led him away, and Tollyn looked back over her shoulder once, still awed at being in Celebrían’s presence.

Elrond straightened his tunic, brushing lightly at the drool spots that wet his chest where the child had nestled against him.  He felt a jolt of energy as Celebrían’s hand brushed against his as she fixed the braid on his right shoulder that Aldric had mussed.  He held his breath as she deftly fixed it, then patted it down lightly against him.

“It was kind of you to watch the little boy,” said Celebrían, a light flush creeping up her cheeks as she pulled her hands away and stepped back from him.

“Suilad, Elrond,” greeted Galadriel, stepping to her daughter’s side.  “I am glad to find you well and so many of our people safe here with you.”

“Lady Galadriel,” replied Elrond, and this time he was able to bow properly.  After a brief discussion of those who had survived, he asked, “May I show you to your room, or would you like a short tour of Imladris first?”

Galadriel smiled, her eyes boring deeply into him, and Elrond girded himself but allowed her probe of his thoughts. She then turned to her daughter. “Celebrían, I prefer to rest and refresh first.  You may, however, tour the grounds with Elrond now if you so desire.”

Celebrían brightened at the prospect. “Thank you, Naneth.” She turned to Elrond. “I would like to see Imladris, Master Elrond.”

With Celebrían at his side, Elrond led Galadriel with Celeborn at her side to the rooms he had appointed for Celeborn earlier.  He waited in the hallway as Celebrían refreshed herself, and a few minutes later she appeared at the door, her father at her arm.  As Celeborn turned his daughter over to him, Elrond caught the look of bemusement on the elf’s face. As he took Celebrían’s hand in his own, he saw Celeborn lean back against the door jam, arms crossed over his chest, and watch while they walked away.

He laughed at himself as he realized he had fallen in love with the most beautiful and charming elleth he had ever met, and she happened to be the daughter of two of the most powerful elves in Middle-earth.  That she appeared interested in him as well made him feel nearly giddy with desire.

* * *

“Sauron is defeated, but not dead.  His has in his keeping the One Ring as well as some of the rings made by the elves.  He will rebuild his armies and seek to destroy us again.  It is only a matter of time,” concluded Gil-galad.

Gil-galad sat down, looking at each person seated around the table and tallying the consensus of their agreement.  Elrond could easily see there was no disagreement, even among the Númenorian representatives present.  The Men of Númenor were proud of the relief they had brought to the peoples of Middle-earth, yet unafraid of any future retaliation against them by Sauron. 

“Sauron may be able to build armies and fight a ground war, but he has no ability to build ships and cross the seas,” the Númenorian captain had replied.

“Imladris is strategically placed and well hidden, and I wish to maintain it as a stronghold here in Eregion.  I will need to choose a Vice-Regent to serve here,” added Gil-galad after he found his prior conclusions uncontested.

“Imladris has been led by Elrond since he founded it, and I believe he is the best person to lead it into the future,” said Celeborn.

“Many of the survivors of Ost-in-Edhil plan to stay in Imladris,” said Galadriel calmly.  “Those were our people.”

“For the past three years they have lived under his leadership,” replied Celeborn. “They are content to continue this way.”

Galadriel nodded, then turned her gaze upon Elrond again.  “I have foreseen that the futures of Elrond and Imladris are woven together.  I also believe that Elrond should lead Imladris.”

All eyes settled upon him, and Elrond said, “I too have foreseen that my future lies in Imladris.  If my king desires that I remain here, then I do so gladly.”

Gil-galad smiled. “I name Elrond as my Vice-Regent to Eregion, then.” He turned to Celeborn and Galadriel.  “What are your plans?  Will you return to Lindon?”

Galadriel nodded. “That is our decision, at least for now. We would like our daughter to have the advantages that Lindon can offer.”

Elrond felt his heart jump at the mention of Celebrían, then fall as he considered that she would soon be leaving. Yet, he knew the time was not right for him to seek permission to court her.  His time was not his own, and he too knew that they would again face Sauron in war.  He had enjoyed the time they spent together, usually under the distant but watchful eye of her parents or Glorfindel, which neither of them had found constraining. Elrond was used to Glorfindel’s constant presence, and Celebrían to her parents, and they usually forgot they were among others.

He found Celebrían full of joy and as merry as any elf could be.  She would sing at times, other times they would talk, but she was equally content to sit in the quiet stillness and watch a sunset or lie beneath the stars as they appeared in the night sky.  The first time they had seen Eärendil together, she had wrapped her arm through his and sung a ballad of Gil-estel she had learned as a child.   Elrond had blinked back tears at the beauty of her voice.

Elrond suddenly realized that the meeting had adjourned and nearly everyone had left the room.  Gil-galad and Glorfindel were watching him with looks of amusement that he was growing used to, for they had caught him with his thoughts elsewhere entirely too often lately.

“Celebrían will be leaving for Lindon soon,” said Gil-galad.

“She will enjoy life in Lindon,” replied Elrond quietly. “That experience will be unlike any she has had before. She will blossom there.”

“You do not intend to speak to her?” asked Gil-galad gently.

Elrond looked away. “No. Celebrían is very young and the time in Lindon will bring her pleasures that life growing up under the threat of Sauron could not.   My place is now here, for you are right that Sauron will rise again.  Our fight with him is not over.”

Gil-galad furrowed his brow.  “Elrond, it is clear to me that you love Celebrían.  Why did you let me name you Vice-Regent now and assign you to Imladris when you knew that Celebrían would leave for Lindon?   I could have arranged for you to return there as well, at least for a while.”

Elrond felt anger rising within him and it took him a moment to contain his feelings.  “We spoke of the need to maintain a stronghold in Imladris before I met Celebrían.  You indicated you wanted me here, and I foresaw then that my future was in Imladris as well.  Did you think that I would so easily shift and change, shirk my duty and responsibility?  If I am meant to be with Celebrían, then she will one day return and in a time of peace I will seek to bind with her.”

“No, Elrond, I have never known you to shirk your duty or responsibility,” replied Gil-galad sternly. “If anything, they rule your life to the exclusion of all else.  However, I would not consider you spending some time in Lindon, now or in the future, a shirking of your duty.”

Elrond felt heat rise in his face and he lowered his gaze. “I look forward to visiting Lindon, Gil-galad.

Gil-galad laughed and held his hand out to Elrond. As he pulled Elrond to his feet, he spoke to Glorfindel. “Part of your job, Glorfindel, is to prevent this level of seriousness. He needs more joy in his life.”

Glorfindel only smiled.

* * *

“Naneth, when will we be leaving for Lindon?” asked Celebrían.

“We will return with the king and his army,” answered Galadriel. She smiled at her daughter. “You will enjoy Lindon, Celebrían.  The sea is beautiful to behold, as are the Havens and the ships of Círdan.  Many of the buildings are brick, as are the streets of the city.  There are beautiful fountains and gardens, a grand library and music amphitheater.”

Celebrían glanced out the window of their sitting room, where the sound of running water was ever present.  The forest was deep green and set against the nearly golden, sunlit cliffs of the Misty Mountains.  She loved the gardens here, even if they were young, and already a library had been started, though it had few books at this time.  Deer roamed the grounds, along with fox and squirrels, and there were otters in the streams.

“Naneth, Elrond has not spoken to me,” she said in a troubled voice.

Galadriel sat down beside her on the window seat. “He has not spoken to you about his feelings for you?”

Celebrían shook her head. “I am sure he loves me, as I am sure he knows I love him.  But he does not speak of it.”

Galadriel put her arm around her and pulled her close, and Celebrían leaned into her and waited for her mother to answer, for she was sure she would receive an explanation.

“I will tell you something about Elrond that I think you should understand, Celebrían. I have known him since he was a small child full of quiet determination to know all that he could know, and to please Gil-galad and Círdan, who raised him.  His sense of duty is very strong. Right now, his duty is to Imladris and to the king.  You know that Sauron was not defeated, and as before, he will rise again to build his armies and attempt to conquer Middle-earth. I do not think that Elrond will express his feelings for you until a time has come when that threat does not exist.”

Celebrían heard the small cry of frustration escape her before she could contain it, and her mother’s raised brow confirmed she had heard it too.  “Naneth, there could be peace now for a hundred years or many hundreds of years.  I do not wish to wait that long!”

“What is a hundred years to an elf, Celebrían?” asked Galadriel, and Celebrían was glad to hear some amusement in her voice.  “You will come to Lindon with us, and experience all the wonderful things that the city can offer you.  There you will meet many new Elves, perhaps other suitors that you will wish to entertain.”

“I do not want other suitors,” snapped Celebrían.

Galadriel laughed. “Well, you will know that for sure once you meet other elves. Nonetheless, you will have opportunities.  Elrond will be here, Celebrían.  He is steadfast. If he loves you today, and I believe that he does, then he will be here for you when the time is right for you to be together.” She paused, looking into Celebrían’s eyes for a moment. “I also suggest you think on what it would mean to be married to one who is bound also to his duty.  That duty may need to come before you. Could you be happy with that?”

“Yes, Naneth,” whispered Celebrían. “I learned about duty from you and Adar, and I have not forgotten what it means to be responsible for our people.  Nor have I forgotten that you would have stayed but left to keep me safe.”

Galadriel stroked her hair.  “You may be called to keep your children safe while your husband fights one day too, Celebrían. In all of your life you have lived under the curse of the Noldor, a curse that will not end as long as we reside in Middle-earth. Sauron will rise to power again, and we will fight him again.  If you wish to stand by Elrond’s side, then you must make his duty your duty too.”

Celebrían brushed away the tear sliding down her cheek. “I have never asked you, and you have not said if Elrond has, but would you approve of him for my husband, should he ever decide to speak his feelings?”

Galadriel laughed again. “Yes, we would approve, child.”

“I should go to Lindon,” said Celebrían suddenly. “I would wish to be a good wife to Elrond, Naneth, should he ever ask. In Lindon I will learn more, that I might converse with him.  Adar says that Elrond is a Master of Lore, and I know so little.”

“Elrond knew little when he was your age,” said Galadriel, smiling.  She paused for a long while, then spoke again, “Elrond does not need for you to know as much as he does, Celebrían.  What Elrond needs is for his wife to love him. He has suffered many losses in his life, a life still young by the reckoning of the Eldar, and I foresee more losses to come in his future.”

Celebrían sat up straight, holding tight to her mother’s hand.  “Do you see me in that future, Naneth?”

Galadriel smiled, sadly it seemed.  “I do foresee some of your future, daughter, but it is not for me to predict.”

“I love Imladris, Naneth.  I would like to see it become a refuge for anyone, of any race of Middle-earth, who came seeking a place of safety or rest or rejuvenation.  A haven in Eregion for the Elves, but also for Men in need, or Dwarves, or others that I cannot foresee.”

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation, and Celebrían jumped to her feet. “I was to meet Elrond to walk in the garden!”

She opened the door to see Glorfindel, who smiled at her with a radiance she had seldom seen before. “Lady Celebrían, Elrond begs your forgiveness, as he was called to tend an injury and will be late joining you.  May I escort you to the garden in his stead, and he will join you there in a short while?”

“Yes, Glorfindel,” she answered.  With a wave to her mother, she left the house more light-hearted than she had been in the several days since learning they would be leaving soon. They entered the garden in companionable silence.

“I must remember to send rose cuttings or bring them next time I come this way,” she said absently as she bent to sniff a wild daisy. “There is adequate light here and with some protection they would survive the winters, I think.”

Glorfindel smiled as she talked, thinking aloud about what kind of garden she would make.  He nodded every so often, attentive to her words but saying little. “Glorfindel, you are very quiet today,” she said finally.

“I am enjoying seeing the rose in front of me blossom,” he answered.

Celebrían looked at the ground, but quickly realized he was speaking of her and blushed.  Glorfindel laughed, then placed a fatherly kiss upon the top of her head.  “Celebrían, you are a ray of sunshine.  You have brightened Elrond’s life, and I am thankful for that.”

Celebrían turned to look him in the face, but if anything, he radiated his sincerity.  She looked down, unable to meet his gaze any longer, for she wished to ask questions of him, about Elrond, that she knew she should not ask.  For a moment she considered how she might phrase the questions to make them appear more innocent, but quickly discarded that thought. She felt his hand at her cheek a moment later, lifting her face to meet his.  She realized that looking upon Glorfindel, at that moment, was different than looking upon any other Elf she knew.  He was transparent, innocent yet wise, and she knew she would not play any game with this elf, ever.

“I love him, Glorfindel, and I think he loves me.  Yet, he does not speak to me and my naneth does not believe he will, not now, when he knows that Sauron will again rise. I will go to Lindon with my parents, and learn and grow and mature. But I will be waiting, all the same.”

Her words, too forward, were met only with a look of tenderness.  “I do not have the gift of foresight that your naneth has, or even Elrond.  But, someday, there will be a rose garden here, tended by your hand, and in it you will wander with your husband and your children – your own refuge within the grounds of Imladris, the place where Elrond will be only a husband and an adar.  I, for one, will enjoy calling you the Lady of Imladris,” he finished, and he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it.

Celebrían impulsively threw her arms about his neck and hugged him.  He hugged her back, then set her back on her feet and turned her around, and there stood Elrond.   “Elrond!” she called, and with a final smile at Glorfindel, she nearly danced forward to meet him. “I was telling Glorfindel how beautiful a rose garden would be on this spot.  I will be sure to send or bring some cuttings next time we visit.”

Elrond’s eyes were fixed on Glorfindel, and something passed between them that she did not understand.  Elrond soon relaxed though, and turned his attention to her, and Glorfindel faded into the background as they walked in the garden and time stood still.

* * *

The supply wagons were packed and assembled on the far side of the river, and the army returning to Lindon had already begun to move slowly west.  Only Gil-galad, Celeborn, Galadriel and Celebrían remained of those who would leave.

“Erestor, you are sure you do not wish to return to Lindon for the winter?  We will be sending supplies and many soldiers who go home now will be returning here with their families in the spring,” said Gil-galad.

Erestor shook his head.  “No, sir.”

Gil-galad embraced him and Glorfindel, then nodded for Elrond to walk with him. “Perhaps he will recover better here, surrounded by the water and trees.  Watch out for him, Elrond.  I expect you to come to Lindon, perhaps next fall,” said Gil-galad sternly.

Elrond laughed.  “I will come then. It is still my home, and I wish to wander the library and determine what I want to bring back with me,” he replied.

Gil-galad laughed and patted his tunic pocket.  “I have your list of books and scrolls for the scribes to copy, and the long list of goods we will send back in the spring.” He pulled Elrond to him.  “Be well, my son.”

Gil-galad waited while Celeborn and Galadriel said their farewells, and Elrond knew he would miss the wise influence that Celeborn had had on Imladris.  He had been involved in every stage of her planning and founding, yet always deferred to Elrond.  He had told Elrond that their time of leadership of Eregion was over. Elrond could only wish he would someday have that grace and dignity to let go of something he had poured himself into.

Everyone watched when Elrond took Celebrían by the hand and led her away to say his farewell privately.   He drank her in, memorizing the curve of her face, her smile and the brightness of her eyes. He took her face in his hands and kissed her on the forehead, then lowered his head so their foreheads touched, and they rested against each other for a moment.  “Farewell, Celebrían. May our paths cross again soon.”

“Farewell, Elrond,” she replied.  Elrond could see her struggling, wishing to say more but not knowing what to say, and he placed his finger over her lips.  Her heart spoke clearly, and his own heart answered, and no words were spoken because they were not needed.

He watched her walk back to join her parents and Gil-galad, and they left the courtyard, made the crossing over the stream and headed up the hill, soon disappearing from sight in the rolling hills that hid Imladris so effectively.

He turned and walked back to the house, and it seemed as if the sun hid as he realized how much he would miss her, despite only knowing her a short time.  He turned and went instead to the garden.  The sun suddenly shone brightly again, and it was as if Celebrían’s spirit was still present here.  He sat on the garden bench until night fell.

~ ~ ~* * *~ ~ ~

Night had fallen by the time the story was complete, and it was Elladan’s groan that broke the ensuing silence.

“Adar, I know you said you did not say anything, but I kept expecting you to, right up until Naneth left!  But you really did not!” he exclaimed.

Laughter filled the camp, and Elrond laughed with them.  “Fortunately, your naneth knew.  Apparently, a number of people had told her what they thought I felt.” With that, he glared at Glorfindel, who merely laughed.

“You were transparent, Elrond. Everyone knew you were in love,” replied Glorfindel.

“It is odd to imagine you so young, naneth,” said Elrohir. “You have always been so confident and self assured, and it seemed that you had some doubts.”

“Oh, Elrohir,” laughed Celebrían, “I was normally very sure of myself.  But when it came to your adar, well, I had never been in love before.  Your adar was older and more experienced in the world, and I was so young and ignorant. But I loved him with all of my heart and soul, and your daernaneth was right, that is what was important.”

Arwen was still held in Glorfindel’s lap, and she turned to look up at him now, her small fingers idly playing with his braids. “You were very nice to my naneth, Glorfindel.   I think she is as beautiful as a rose, too.”

“Of course she is, sweetheart,” answered Glorfindel. “As you are as well, for you are like your naneth.”

“I wish we had some of his charm!” laughed Elladan, as Arwen beamed.

“I am glad to know how Imladris came to be,” said Elrohir slowly.  “I knew that it was founded in war, but it is different to know how much sacrifice was made to create it, how long you survived not knowing when the wrath of Sauron would come upon you, and how you kept on going, even when you thought all hope was gone.”

Elrond bent to kiss the dark head of this son still nestled between him and Celebrían.  “Hope is often found in unexpected places.”

Celebrían rose and plucked her sleepy daughter from Glorfindel’s lap, to prepare her for bed, and Glorfindel took out his harp.  The sounds were sweet and joyful, and the stars seemed to shine more brightly upon them.

“Adar, are the stars brighter near Imladris, or am I imagining that?” asked Elrohir.

Elrond paused to look up into the sky as Eärendil flew overhead.

“The stars are brighter over Imladris,” confirmed Celeborn.

* * *

They crossed the final bridge, entering the grounds of Imladris to the cheers and singing of the household. It appeared as if everyone had turned out to greet them, and as they dismounted in the courtyard, Liriel ran forward with a squeal to greet Arwen.  Elrond smiled as the two small elleth hugged and danced in the courtyard, then raced into the house. Erestor was busy organizing and giving orders, asking about the progress of the new Last Bridge and the status of preparations for the summer solstice celebration, which would be in two nights. Glorfindel and Athranen were speaking to Angren and checking on the patrols and security of the grounds.  Elrond took Celebrían by the arm, and led her off to the garden.  They entered the tranquility of their private family garden, finally stopping at the spot where a bench had been carved and placed to overlook the main beds of the rose garden.  He cut a fully opened rose with his knife, stripping it of its thorns, and then turning, he tucked it into Celebrían’s hair above her right ear.

“This is the exact spot where Glorfindel told you that he could see us here together, and this is the first rose bush that you sent that next spring with those returning to live here. This is home, Celebrían.  I love you.”

“I love you too, Elrond,” she replied, pulling him to her and kissing him gently.  “Even if you did wait fifteen hundred years to tell me.”

Elrond smothered her words with his mouth, and they both quickly forgot the years they had waited to be together.

* * * * *

The End

There will be a rather long epilogue or two to help bridge the way into the Third Age. This is everyone’s chance to tell me what else they would like to see in addition to the aftermath of the Last Alliance and Gil-galad’s death (which will be in the epilogue). I have been asked for Elrond and Celebrían’s courtship and marriage, and someone asked for the birth of the twins.  I have been asked for ‘More Glorfindel’ and that one is a mandate. Please let me know!  After this, there is a little Legolas story begging to be told, and then I’ll start HLIII, taking place the summer of the events of The Hobbit.

 Thank you to all who have read, reviewed, encouraged and prodded me in this story.  All of you make this worthwhile.