It was a beautiful day in Lothlórien. Lord Celeborn had the curtains of every window in his talan drawn back, and sat behind his desk working on mundane but important matters. A soft noise from the door caught his attention. “Did someone just knock? Come in,” he said, still writing. He did not bother to look up, assuming it to be the maid with tea.
Elladan peeked into the room. “Grandpa? We wanted to speak with you...” he said shyly.
Celeborn looked up and smiled. He rolled up the scroll he was about to sign off on and put down his quill. “Of course. Come in. I am always available to speak with you and your brother.” As the twins entered, Celeborn moved from behind the desk to a group of comfortable chairs near the window he often used to conference with King Amroth and other advisors of Lothlórien.
Once Celeborn was settled, Elrohir spoke first, but trailed off. “We wanted to talk to you about... Elladan?” He looked to his brother for support.
“About marriage. About married life,” he said, eyes fixed on the floor.
Celeborn nodded sagely, and beckoned them to sit down in the other chairs. “You are both of an age to be thinking of such things. If I might ask -- and fear not, I will not tell your parents if you do not wish me to -- which of you is in love, or have you each found someone special?”
Both of the young ellyn choked and fumbled for words.
“Umm, no…”
“I…”
“He, errr…”
Elrohir sighed. “Elladan!”
Elladan swallowed hard. “There is this, umm, girl and she is... well... her!” he blurted out, embarrassed.
Celeborn smiled. “Ah. She is 'the one', is she?”
“Well, I think she is.” Elladan looked nervous. “How can I be sure? I mean, is there a way of knowing that?”
“When I met your grandmother, I just knew upon first sight. There was... just this feeling that I had,” recalled Celeborn. “How long have your known this elleth? Is she from Rivendell?” He hoped he had not misspoken; having peredhel for grandsons, there was always the possibility of one of them falling in love with a mortal woman.
“Yes, she is!” answered Elrohir, guessing his grandfather’s worries. “She lives in Rivendell and was born there!”
Elladan glared. “Elrohir! He asked me!”
“Sorry brother, but you look as if you are ready to run.”
“I do not,” argued Elladan.
Elrohir gave his brother a sideways look. “Yes, you do.”
“Do not,” growled Elladan.
“…you do,” confirmed Elrohir.
Celeborn smiled fondly. These were the sorts of conversations he and his own older brother had. He wondered if Elrohir would remember his teasing of his brother when it was his turn to fall in love. “Have you told her how you feel yet, or is this love from afar?” he asked in order to break up the argument.
“I have not told her yet,” said Elladan. “She is from Rivendell, and I have known her forever. Her name is Seredhiel,” he added with a silly simile.
Elrohir grinned. “He always gets that look when he or someone else says her name.”
“Well, it certainly sounds like love to me, then,” said Celeborn. “Do you think she... Seredhiel... might return your favor?”
Elrohir shook his head while his brother smiled blissfully at the second mention of his beloved’s name. “How could she? He has been avoiding her since he knew of this change. She might have forgotten that he exists.”
“She has not,” said Elladan. “I.... I asked her to come with me to the celebration of our sister's birth next month,” he said while blushing.
“Avoidance can be confusing for the other party, but it sounds as if you are remedying that,” said Celeborn. To Elladan he said, “You said you asked her to accompany you to the celebration; did she say yes?”
“Yes, she did, but I do not... I mean, what do I do now?” wondered Elladan.
Elrohir could not help but laugh at his brother’s predicament. “Honestly brother, you do not need advice, you need a manual with full instructions!”
“Unfortunately, your only option at the moment is to wait,” said Celeborn while giving Elrohir a warning look. “The celebration is next month, and you will not arrive back in Rivendell until the day before. I would suggest seeking her out when you return to show her that you missed her while you were away, and after the celebration perhaps you could invite her to a walk in a garden. It sounds, however, as if the question of marriage and married life might be a little further off.”
“That is it? That is all I have to do?” Elladan blinked. “That is easier than I thought!”
“Yes, easy,” agreed Elrohir while rolling his eyes. He remembered all too well the time his dear brother had woken him in the middle of the night to talk about his beloved. In fact, it seemed to happen often. Maybe now, Elrohir would be able to get some sleep.
Celeborn nodded. “Of course, the harder part is what comes after, and keeping yourself from jumping to the finish line too soon.”
Elladan frowned. “Huh? Wha...”
“I think I should go…” mumbled Elrohir, cheeks starting to turn red.
A serious look came upon Celeborn’s face. “There are certain things that are very important for you to know, and yet, it is knowledge you really should not use very much before your wedding night. Of course, times are changing; the younger generations are bending the rules... ah, to be young again...”
Elrohir fidgeted. “I think grandma’s calling.”
“When I was your age,” continued Celeborn, “the first thing on my mind in regards to ellyth was...” He paused, for now he heard the familiar voice as someone climbed the steps to the flet they were on. “Oh, that is your grandmother, I wonder what she wants.”
“Oh, Valar, thank you!” muttered Elladan at the same time Elrohir said, “Thank you, Eru!”
As Galadriel glided into the room, both of the twins were on their feet. “Grandma, how are you today?” they asked together.
Galadriel rolled her eyes at Celeborn in passing, and stopped in front of her grandsons. “I am well,” she said. “I have just asked King Amroth leave for your grandfather and I to travel to Rivendell early, since we are all traveling together for the celebration of little Undomiel. We will leave tomorrow instead of next week; I assume neither of you will be disappointed if we arrive back in Rivendell a week earlier than expected?” Galadriel winked at Elladan knowingly.
“That sounds good to me, how about you, brother?” asked Elrohir quickly.
Elladan nodded. “Sounds perfect! We should probably go get things ready.” He looked nervously at his brother.
“You will need to use the rest of the day to pack,” said Galadriel.
Celeborn frowned, but nodded. “We can finish our conversation later.”
“Much later,” Galadriel said quickly with a firm tone to her voice. She put a hand on her husband’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “Years later. No need to be hasty, as our ent-friends would say.” Celeborn seemed a little confused, but he nodded anyhow. No need to argue with Galadriel in front of their grandsons.
“Alright, then,” said Elladan.
Elrohir breathed a sigh of relief. “We will go pack.” They both ran out of the room as if Morgoth himself was chasing them.
Galadriel walked calmly to the door and shut it. “Celeborn the wise must learn not to impart all of his wisdom at once, lest he scandalize our grandchildren.”
“They asked me a question,” he said in his defense.
His wife turned around to face him with a smile, but she shook her head somewhat disapprovingly. “And I heard where your answer was going. Remember how you terrified Elrond when he asked you the same sorts of things?”
Celeborn smirked. “That was different. Father-in-laws are required to do that to their son-in-laws.”
“Is that so?” asked Galadriel. “Then leave Elladan to be terrorized by Seredhiel's father and concentrate your own efforts on Elrond if you must. Besides, your grandsons probably know more about sex than you do,” she added as she crossed the room and perched on the arm of his chair.
Eyes sparkling, Celeborn looked up at Galadriel and wound his arm around her waist. “Want to bet?”
Galadriel continued to smile, but moved his arm away and stood up. “We need to pack... but you are free to show me I am wrong once we reach Rivendell.”
Celeborn watched her walk to the door, hips swaying slightly and invitingly, silver-golden hair rippling down her back, a sight he never tired of. “I intend to,” he promised.
Story Notes:
Written for the JFA Challenge #11