~*~

Footnotes:
~~~The history of Celeborn and Galadriel is convoluted, contradictory, multi-versioned, and one of those origins that Tolkien played hot potato with as he made up his mind (not complaining, mind). What I’ve used here is a combination of details from a couple canon accounts. After the Last Alliance, Celeborn and Galadriel resided in Rivendell for a time. I don’t envision them as the type to dwell in another’s realm for long (just as they left south Lindon with the exodus of Sindar in the Second Age), so I’ve made Edhellond their official place of residence, and their post-war tenure in Rivendell temporary (maybe an overture to assist Elrond). Remember that Amroth ruled Lorinand as king until 1981 of the Third Age when he drowned/disappeared. Until then I propose that Celeborn and Galadriel presided in Edhellond.
~~~Amroth, for the purposes of this tale, is the son of Amdir (Malgalad), not the son of Galadriel and Celeborn.
~~~Celebrian’s age is given nowhere in canon that I know of. In this fic I’ve given her an early Second Age begetting.
~~~Elrond’s arrival in south Lindon in the early Second Age, when Celeborn supposedly first meets and befriends him, is not an element from canon. Elrond’s traveling is a slightly tweaked canon fact – he journeyed at least as far as the Shire to Dunland. His line ‘many things wild and strange I knew’ is from FOTR.
~~~Celeborn’s brief display of Dwarf-bias does have a foothold in canon; he dwelled in Doriath during a time when Thingol had dealings with the Dwarves, being himself kinsman to Thingol who the Dwarves later slew.
~~~That Elrond loved Celebrian prior to the beginning of this story, yet spoke not of it, is from canon. That learning Celebrian returned his love broke Elrond’s silence is my twist.
~~~Elrond and Celebrian’s lighthearted conversation about children has some significance. Elrond jests that he foresees 18 children for himself, and in turn Celebrian claims that 11 would suffice. Aranarth’s son Arahael was the first to be fostered in Elrond’s house, and every Chieftain’s son after him -15 in total- making Elrond’s number of 18 correct once his own three children are added. Celebrian will sail over sea in 2510; Aravorn (born in 2497) is the eighth and last fosterling she knows, making her number of 11 correct once her own three children are added. (This is, however, assuming only one son per Chieftain was fostered in Rivendell. If any Chieftain had more than one son that Elrond harbored, my numbers don’t work.)
~~~It is unlikely that Celeborn and Galadriel would be sexually active at this point in their lives. I’m admittedly tweaking the Laws and Customs of the Eldar to allow that if Elves had motivations other than bodily urges (such as loneliness and/or desire to make amends), then even ancient Elves past their reproductive stages might/could be physically intimate. Some may consider this a far stretch.
~~~One line from this story: ‘But an inch could be leagues, depending on which map is used...’ was inspired by a similar line from the song Cleaveland by Jewel – though it isn’t an exact quote, I gladly give credit where it’s due.

~*~