The Daugher of Elrond {Ongoing} Of Every Race Saga Book II

Chapter 27: Memories

Just a heads-up, there are a LOT of pictures in this. I mean a lot. And...there's some gore. Not too bad, but just to let you know. ;-)

Dedication goes to...  krispyguckmom for your encouraging comment last chapter. :)

The mournful melody of the Song of Durin echoed in Celebwen's mind. The world is grey, the mountains old... She opened her eyes and saw dimly at first as gradually a faint light radiated from her eyes till near forms sleeping were visible; being one descended of the Light Elves had its sometimes useful blessings. She sat up. Sleep was far from her tonight. She saw Frodo standing, looking around in the darkness. For what, she did not know.

Her mind drifted as she leaned against the cold, hard stone to a time long ago when she had lived with Galadriel in Lothlórien. She remembered most the sun, golden and warm as He filtered through the golden leaves of the tall trees whose boughs met far above her head; the cool streams of water with palm-sized, slippery stones in them; the green moss that grew on the banks of the Nimrodel... That time was gone, never to return. Yet Celebwen longed at this moment to go back. The pleasant warmth, a stark contrast to this unending damp cold, and the unworried life she had led then was quite appealing. Not to say she had never had worries, but they were quite miniscule compared to now. The only thing she truly wished was that she could remember her mother. Celebwen barely remembered Celebrían save that she had a face like her sister Arwen, but golden locks like Galadriel and herself. Strangly enough, the only memory she had of her mother was not in Rivendell at all. She remembered a strange smell, not sweet, not bitter, but a mix of both and the lighting was that of an early dawn, but it was in a strange place...with water. Lots of water and there were odd shaped things on it that she guessed now to be the ships of Círdan. That was all.

Frodo at last woke the next person to be on watch and huddled down between Elanor and another hobbit. Celebwen opened her eyes from their half-open state and saw that it was Legolas. He walked forward and sat down, his legs dangling over the shaft they had discovered a few hours earlier. A few moments later, Celebwen stood, noiselessly, and wrapping her cloak snugly around herself, walked over and sat down next to him.

Legolas looked up. "Celebwen, why aren't you sleeping?" he whispered so as not to wake the others.

"I cannot sleep."

"Why is that, may I ask?"

She shrugged. "I don't know exactly. Ever since Gimli sang the Song of Durin, my thoughts have been turned to my past and questions I thought were answered or nonexistant now rise up to greet me and I have no answer..." her voice trailed off.

"Interesting, for his words awoke the same desire in me also. Celebwen, do you mind telling of what has happened since we met last?" he asked.

"Aye. I suppose now is as good as any. Where do you want me to start? At the very beginning or after we met?"

"The very beginning."

"Alright then. I believe you already know who my parents are--", she looked at him and he nodded, "--so I don't need to tell you that. My mother left for the Undying Lands a few years after my birth. I hardly remember her now... I was brought to live in Lothlórien soon after and lived there for many years until you came. A few months later, Galadriel brought me back to Rivendell where I stayed for a till autumn. Then, I went on a hunting trip of sorts with my brothers. While we were gone, I was captured by one of the Nine and brought to Dol Guldur."

"Dol Guldur?!" Legolas exclaimed, horrified.

"Aye. It was there that the dark Lord tried to wrest information that would be vital to his fell cause by means of various tortures." Here she stopped for a few moments before continuing. "He was not successful and I was eventually rescued by the White Counsel who were also there, apparently to rescue Mithrandir who had been taken captive some time after I was. I was brought back to Imladris for healing. Some time later, I took to journeying in the wild and a few years later, I was entrusted with missions for both my father and the Lady Galadriel. Not else is significant to say what happened during the remaining years till we met again."