Estateillio

Caras Galadhon

• They awoke early the next morning and were on their way quickly, the guards urging them to hurry, lest they let their Lady wait too long. And thus Haldir and one of his brothers, Rumil, led them towards Caras Galadhon, more escorts than guides, for Estateillio knew the way well.
• Around noon they decided to cross the river, for it was narrow enough there, and Haldir explained: „My kin do not build bridges in times of war, for we have other, safer ways to traverse the rivers.“ And Rumil bound a thin, but sturdy rope to an arrow and fired it into a tree across the rushing waters and another elf emerged from the undergrowth and took the arrow, securing the rope to the tree trunk and then shooting the rope back and Rumil too bound it to a tree, so that it was pulled taut.
• And they repeated that process two times, always tying the rope a bit higher, so that in the end there were three thin lines connecting the two river shores, one to walk on and the other two to hold on to for the more ill-balanced non-elves (excluding Aragorn).
• „This shall be our bridge. Tolo!“, Haldir declared and then nimbly walked across, not even bothering to touch the support ropes. „It‘s not far, come“, Estateillio encouraged and then followed the example of the Marchwarden and Aragorn gently helped Merry up the rope, showing him how best to use the support lines, and slowly the Hobbit shuffled over the river, cautious, and when he reached the other shore, the elleth helped him down and thus they helped across the other hobbits as well and then Boromir followed, carefully holding onto the upper rope, but moving across quickly, and then Gimli followed with some struggle, for he was wary of the rope, but he too managed and then Aragorn and Legolas came, both traversing the thin rope as if it were a wide road.
• And once they had all crossed, Rumil and the other elf started dismantling the makeshift bridge again and the fellowship continued onwards to Caras Galadhon. And when the sun started setting and painted the sky orange, Haldir halted them on top of a hill overlooking a large valley, in the middle of which there grew large trees, so tall that one could be tricked into thinking that there was another hill on which these giants were standing.
• And Estateillio sighed and relaxed, all tension that had been left in her slowly seeping out of her body and a small smile graced her lips and Haldir declared proudly: „This is Caras Galadhon, the realm of the Lady of Light.“
• „It is not far now“, the elleth added and they braved that last distance within two hours and the guards of the city granted them entrance and under the curious gazes of the elves, they were led towards the largest of the Mallorn trees in the middle of Caras Galadhon and in the soft light of many lanterns that illuminated the city without flames they ascended the winding staircase that spiraled around the wide tree trunk of the ancient giant and they reached a large Talan where Haldir bid them stay and then he stepped away to give them privacy for their audience with the lady.
• And she came, slowly descending the stairs with a halo of white light around her and a glow in her eyes, a memory of the splendor of Laurelin and Telperion, and at her side was Celeborn, a lord of the Sindar of Doriath and spouse to the lady of light, and they halted two steps above the ground and Galadriel now was on eye-level with Estateillio, for though she was older and more powerful and had seen the light of the trees of Valinórë, she was mostly Vanyarin and thus less tall than the Ñoldor.
• And the couple regarded the fellowship, Galadriel with a kind smile and Celeborn rather indifferent, and it was he who spoke first: „Nine there are, yet ten there were set out from Rivendell. Tell me, where is Gandalf, for I much desire to speak with him.“ And at the back of the fellowship Estateillio quickly shook her head and the lady understood what her niece whished to tell her and spoke out loud what none dared to voice and her smile fell: „He has fallen into shadow.“
• „He fell in Moria, where I told you we would have to venture, and our presence awoke a balrog and it, like Mithrandir, now lies broken at the bottom of the abyss“, Estateillio spoke, „But may we speak later of the details?“ And her nod was almost imperceptible and the lady of light spoke: „Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. And remember, hope remains while the company stays true.“
• And when Estateillio perceived that the other elleth was talking to Frodo, she decided to delay talking to her, even though she desperately whished to do so, and then Haldir returned to bring them to where they could stay for the next days and Galadriel told her: „We can speak later, Rendieli. Rest now, you too need it.“
• And so she too left and about halfway down the tree she left the fellowship, taking a small bridge over to another tree and into a small Talan. There stood a small table in the middle of the room, surrounded by cushioned seats, and a bowl with various fruits on top and in the shelves at the walls there were many books and baubles of sentimental value and a few small paintings on the walls. From behind a closed door to her right she could her a female voice humming.
• And Estateillio sighed and dropped her traveling bag onto the ground next to the door, her weapons followed quickly, and she discarded her cloak on one of the chairs, put her vambraces and pauldrons on the table and took off her boots and she sighed again and stretched, relieved to be home. She would tidy up again, bring her things into her room in a few minutes, she just wanted a moment.
• And the door opened and Sívcelumë stepped out, just finishing tying off the end of a braid with a thin band, and she spoke: “Alla nanda, nityar wilini.” “Amil endasse”, Estateillio replied with a smile and went over to hug the elleth that had been her second mother for so long.

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Here's (finally) the next Chapter, hope you enjoyed! Sorry that it's taken so long.
"Alla nanda, nityar wilini" means "welcome back, little birds"
Amil endasse means mother of my heart (literally "in my heart", in the sense that she regards Sívcelumë as a mother in her heart, but it sounds weird in English).
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