Lord of the Rings: The Heir to Lorien

The Long Ride South

Celebriel sought out the company of her mother, knowing that she had consulted with Elrond regarding her trip south. She would have recommended who to send with her, knowing her daughter trusted few of the Noldor.

"Mother," Celebriel knelt before her and laid her head on her mother's white-clad lap. She felt Galadriel stroke her hair, felt the energy of Nenya radiating from her fingertips. She sighed, feeling the stress flow out of her body, she could have sat there forever but knowing she could not, forced herself to sit up.

"When will you leave, daughter?" Galadriel asked in her mellifluous voice, a voice that never failed to soothe her daughter.

"Soon, very soon. I must talk to Glorfindel first and tell him that I must be the one who approaches Amroth. This should have been done long ago, Why does Elrond not listen to me, Mother? He may be all wise and knowing but I know the Wood Elves and Amroth and I know how Nimrodel influences him."

"If you do make the journey to Lorien, will you return or remain there? Have you made up your mind?

"For now, I think I will return here. I have not been tested in battle and this will be my chance. I know that Amroth will want me to stay, but I can't. It's not just the opportunity to lead the attack on Angmar's troops, it's that it's not my time to return. I will return, one day, Lorinand will be mine, I know this.

"How many troops do you think he will send?"

"I do not know. Once he could have sent a host of ten thousand, but I do not think he can spare that many—if he even has them. I will ask for two thousand and will be grateful if he spares me a thousand, or even five hundred. Lorinand lost many soldiers in the Great War, and its people were diminished. I will be happy if any are willing to follow me. I will be even happier if Amroth agrees to help."

"Perhaps your father and I should have left you there. We could have appealed to Amroth directly through you and the soldiers could be on the way now. I do not regret wanting you here with me, Celebriel," Galadriel held up her white hand, "But sometimes I think we should have considered your wishes and not just what we thought best. I think there will come a time when we will be glad to have you in Lorinand and I think that is coming. I do not think Amroth and Nimrodel will remain long in Middle Earth, but we will see."

The next morning, Celebriel went to find Glorfindel. She hoped to find him in the stables, but he was nowhere to be seen. One of the elves grooming the horses told her that he had come to check on Asfaloth, and then returned to his rooms.

This was not where she wanted to meet him. She felt more comfortable in the stables, her home grounds, and being in Glorfindel's rooms made her uncomfortable. Not because some might think it was unsuitable for her to be there, but because it was his center of power, his domain. Had she married him she would have shared those rooms with him, and she did not like to think about that. She had taken no vow of chastity, but she did not see herself as a wife or a mother and that is what he had wanted from her.

She hesitated before knocking on his door, then gathered her courage and knocked. One of his footmen opened the door and admitted her.

She found him sitting at his desk, examining a pile of maps that covered the surface of his desk. He looked up, saw her, and smiled.

"What are you looking for? I've seen those maps in Elrond's study." She felt a little defensive, knowing that he knew far more than she did and resenting it a little.

"I'm trying to determine how far the enemy may have come. We've heard rumors that Angmar is on the march, but that may just be rumors. But he will be marching, and he is heading to Imladris. We do not have enough soldiers to fight them off, but we will not capitulate, so we will be besieged. We won't be able to break it so that is where you come in, Celebriel, it is up to you to persuade Amroth that it is in his best interest to help us."