Dínloth

***

Imladris was glowing bright on a warm morning when you sat up in your bed. As the daughter of Lord Elrond, the lord of Imladris, known as Rivendell to those who were not elves, you lived quite the life of luxury. The sun peeked in through your sheer white curtains that covered the long and narrow windows of your room. You step out of your bed in your elegant nightgown and make your bed, ensuring the silky pearl-colored sheets are smooth and carefully placed over your mattress.

You step out of your room and walk to the dining room, where your father, your older brothers Elladan and Elrohir, and your younger sister Arwen are already seated by the table. Forest green placemats lay on the birchwood table and plenty of food was spread around the table. It appears your family had been waiting for you before beginning their meal, as per usual.

So, as not to further delay breakfast, you take a seat next to Arwen and place a napkin on your lap, waiting for your father to begin giving grace to the Valar. However, it appeared Lord Elrond had other things to say.

“My children, good morning,” your father said, his calm yet authoritative voice ringing across the dining room. “Before we eat breakfast, I wanted to let you all know that your mam and dâd have asked us to pay them a visit, as they would love to see their grandchildren. Therefore, please prepare bags with enough items to get you all through the journey to and from Lothlórien and enough for a sixty-day stay over there as well.”

Elladan and Elrohir cheered. They loved going on long trips such as these. Arwen was smiling in content as she loved visiting the beautiful forests of Lothlórien. You were excited as well, as you loved listening to the stories your mam and dâd, who were Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn, respectively, the lord and lady of Lothlórien, had about the Elder Days. They had lived through those times and witnessed many parts of it or heard the tales of what had happened in those times. 

These trips were quite common, and you often spent larger amounts of time in Lothlórien, but it never failed to be a wonderful time. You wondered what you would get up to on this trip.

Part of you wondered if you were going to fall in love over there. Your father had been planning to arrange you with the son of a noble Elf in Imladris whose name you didn't even know, but you constantly contested this plan. You wanted to marry someone because you truly loved them, not because you were forced to. Your father insisted that you would fall in love eventually with this arranged husband and that you needed to be married soon, as Elves who marry late are often subject to strange fates, but you strongly disagreed. 

However, after a while of disagreements and sometimes even arguments with your father, you eventually gave in to his wishes. Fortunately, though, you had plenty of time before this wedding. You were hoping that maybe sometime before you were married off, you would find your other half and show your father that you never want to marry based on status, but based on how your heart felt for them.

Your father was able to accept Arwen's lover, a Man named Aragorn who had been good friends with your older brothers. He was a Ranger who wandered around Middle-earth often, but he never failed to return to Imladris to spend time with Arwen. Your father does sometimes make small complaints about the two here and there, but he sees how happy Aragorn makes Arwen, so he usually keeps the complaints to himself. You hoped you would have a similar situation, but you've found no luck in finding a lover of any sort.

After no more than an hour, everyone was finished eating breakfast and began packing for the journey to Lothlórien. That journey was not an easy one. Your mother Celebrían had been captured by Orcs while on that trip, in the Pass of the Caradhras, a path through a group of snowy mountains that proved treacherous. Orcs had infested the area once occupied by Dwarves. Elladan and Elrohir fortunately rescued her, and your father healed her wounds, but her pain was too great to bear and she lost the desire to be in Middle-earth, so she sailed West to Valinor, never to be seen again. She was the daughter of Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel, whom you were visiting.

Elladan and Elrohir are still deeply wounded by the loss of their mother despite their efforts to save them. Since that day, they often hunted for Orcs, violently killing each one they ran into as vengeance for their mother's fate. Your father never speaks of your mother, still pained that his healing abilities were not enough. Arwen never mentions anything about the incident. She was likely so pained by grief that even mentioning your mother would tear her apart.

You were extremely heartbroken when your mother sailed into the west. Your mother was your mentor and the one you would always go to with your troubles. Life has been difficult since she left, but you always made it through each day with the help of the rest of your family. In your luggage, you had packed many outfits for different occasions. All of your favorite nightgowns, regular dresses, and even a few gowns were packed for the trip. You had also placed a few cosmetics and a mirror, jewelry, rubber bands, and beads in your luggage. All the necessities such as your hairbrush, toothbrush, soap, and facial wash eventually got packed at the end of the day.

It took you quite a while to finish packing, but once you were done, you moved your bags off to the side and returned to the dining room, where your family was preparing for dinner.You sat down at the dining table and joined your family. Your father had said grace before everyone began to eat and make light conversation.

“I'm quite excited to visit Lothlórien again!” Elladan exclaimed. Elrohir nodded excitedly in agreement.

You laugh. “I am, too,” you reply. “I love a good change of scenery.”

“Yes, and the Elven choirs there are amazing,” Arwen added. “It's been a while since I've listened to them.”

“Bo-oring!” Elrohir shouted. Your father scolded him for his harsh manner of speaking, but Elrohir continued, “I want to go practice with the Marchwardens there, right, Elladan?”

“Yes, that would be amazing!” Elladan agreed. “I heard they have a relatively new Marchwarden who is quite skilled, I'd love to learn from him.”

“Yes, Haldir,” your father said. “I believe if my memory serves me well, he is now head of the platoon that covers the main entrance of Lothlórien, so we are very likely meeting him.”

“Oh really?” you ask, suddenly interested in this individual.

Elladan and Elrohir cheered. “Now I'm very excited to visit Lothlórien,” said Elladan.

The conversation continued until everyone had finished eating. Then, your father stood up from his seat and made an announcement.

“My children, we depart for Lothlórien at the crack of dawn,” your father told everyone. “Make sure your bags are packed and be sure to rest, for we have a long route ahead of us.”

Once everything was tidied up, you changed into your nightgown and lay in bed, thinking about what could happen in Lothlórien. Eventually, you fell asleep, dreaming of the forest that you were soon to visit.

At dawn, you emerged from your bed, grabbed your luggage, and rushed to the front entrance of your home where your father waited for you and your siblings. Once everyone was ready, a few assistants grabbed your bags and placed them in a large carriage, likely the one your family was taking to Lothlórien.

Soon, all of the luggage was tucked away and your family entered the carriage, along with a few bodyguards, despite your brothers’ insistence that they were unnecessary due to the twins’ fighting abilities. After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the carriage had taken off, and you watched as your home faded in the distance.

The ride to Lothlórien was quite a long one. Due to Imladris being right next to the Hithaeglir, known as the Misty Mountains to the non-Elven folk, you essentially had to travel west, away from Lothlórien, until the path to the Pass of the Caradhras was found.

Several days had passed. Your family had set up camp a few times to allow the horses some rest. Then, one afternoon, you felt a familiar chill in the air that made you feel dread. This was the chill of the Hithaeglir, the mountains that brought painful memories to everyone in your family.

The horses trotted through the snowy path carefully as you stared outside the carriage, imagining the pain your mother endured here. You noticed your father rested his head in his hands and occasionally shook. It appeared that he was crying, but didn't want to show his pain to his children.

Elladan and Elrohir were typically alert and ready to fight any creature that crossed their paths, but now they were tense and looked at the ground in despair, likely remembering seeing how horribly beaten up your mother was when they rescued her.

Arwen stared out of the carriage, trying to avoid eye contact with everyone. She bit the nail on her right thumb and looked very tense.

You wrapped a blanket around yourself, eyes welling up in tears and burning due to the cold. You feel an arm around your shoulders. It was your father, eyes red with tears. He moved closer to you, not only to comfort you, but to bring comfort to himself.

“My child, I hope my beloved Celebrían lives well in Valinor,” your father whispered. “We will join her one day, when there is peace in Arda.”

You rest your head on your father's body, grieving for your mother.

Eventually, the snow began to slow down and the grass became greener. Finally, you passed the Misty Mountains and were almost at Lothlórien. You noticed Arwen letting out a deep sigh of relief and Elladan and Elrohir relaxed their tense bodies.

Around an hour had passed before the carriage entered a dense forest and came to a stop. Your father motioned for everyone to stand up and exit the carriage. You followed your father and dismounted the carriage to find a group of elves with gray cloaks and bows ready to be drawn.

You notice one particular elf. His hair was golden and the hair on the crown of his head was pinned back and he had deep sea blue eyes. His nose was long and straight with a slightly bulbous tip and his lips were thin, but not too thin. This elf was so handsome. You looked at the intricate braids woven in the side of his head. Then you go back to staring into his eyes. He seemed to notice you looking at him, and he smiled.

"Welcome, Lord Elrond and company, to Lothlórien,” the elf said, quickly switching from looking at your father to making quick glances at you.

“Haldir!” your father said with a smile. “It is a pleasure to meet you.” So this is Haldir. Now you understand why your brothers were so eager to meet him– well you had different reasons now, of course.

“Thank you, my lord,” Haldir replied. He spoke calmly and did his best to stay collected, despite the fact that you likely made him uneasy by staring directly into his eyes. “I will accompany you to Caras Galadhon to meet Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn. Please follow me. You may remain in your carriage, but I'd like one of you to stay down with us.”

Your father furrowed his brows, as this was a new request. “Er- alright, one of our guards could–” he began.

You cut in, “I'll do it!” The rest of your family looked puzzled. “Um, I want to… stretch my legs after the long trip.”

Your father briefly looked at your siblings, then back at you, then he shrugged before he and your siblings mounted the carriage again. You approached Haldir nervously, legs shaking.

“Um… well you can lead the way now,” you timidly told Haldir. He smiled and began walking, you following closely next to him. He smelled of mahogany with a hint of jasmine, the scent attracting you even more to him.

“My lady, you seem quite educated, do you happen to speak Westron, the Common Tongue?” Haldir quietly asked.

You had read a few books in Westron before, Aragorn had lent a few to you during a visit. “Yes, but only a little bit,” you replied.

Haldir began to speak in Westron. “No worries, I'm not very fluent either,” he said. His voice was so smooth and gave you butterflies. “Anyway, excuse me if I'm being too bold, but I can tell by the way you look at me, you're feeling some sort of attraction.”

“You are being much too bold,” you reply in Westron. “I do not feel attraction!”

Haldir looks at you and quietly scoffs. His hand gently brushed against yours in what looked to be an accident but was definitely done on purpose. You let out a flustered noise while Haldir pretends to briefly apologize in Sindarin, the native tongue of elves.

“My lady, no need to hide how you truly feel,” he continued.

“I am not hiding anything!”

“Listen, you are the most beautiful maiden I have ever seen, and I travel around Middle-earth far and often.”

The butterflies in your stomach intensify. “Really?” you ask.

“Really,” Haldir replied. “I would love to get to know you.”

You felt your cheeks heat up. Maybe your prediction of falling in love in Lothlórien was correct. You introduced yourself to Haldir, telling him about everything you love and your favorite things about Imladris. When you were finished, Haldir began telling you about himself. He introduced his two brothers, Rúmil and Orophin, who were among the group of guards that accompanied you. Rúmil and Orophin looked nothing like Haldir, making you wonder if Haldir was constructed by the Valar themselves. Haldir talked about his travels, his love for his home, and his desire to be wed and have a little family one day.

“Perhaps you are the lady I will wed and bear elflings with,” Haldir joked.

You feel as if his words were about to melt you. “I, er– I can't…” you reply, sadly. You remember the arranged marriage your father wanted. Haldir, not knowing this, furrowed his brows. “My father is arranging for me to wed a noble elf of Rivendell. He would be upset to know that I am going back on my word.”

“Oh…” The disappointment in Haldir's voice shattered you. “Can't we give a love affair a try? Just for now?”

You hesitate and look back at your father briefly before looking back at Haldir. “As long as we keep it secret, I suppose,” you said.

“Your secret is safe with me, my lady,” Haldir was so smooth with his words, you could almost kiss him right then and there.

The two of you continued to have a light conversation, with the occasional flirty comments here and there. It's incredible that you had just met Haldir and he already found his way into your heart. His charm was just irresistible.

After nearly an entire day of walking, you had arrived at Caras Galadhon, the home of your mam and dâd. It was quite a beautiful area. The silver trees stretched to the sky with homes and platforms built on them. Haldir told you they were called flets, something you never knew until today despite spending quite some time here in the past. There was a fountain in the center of the city that glowed blue, and crystal clear water flowed in it. Soon, you approached a very large flet attached to a giant silver tree that glowed the same blue as the fountain from before. This was the home of Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn.

“My lords and ladies, we have arrived,” Haldir announced, now speaking Sindarin. His voice was much smoother and silkier than it was when he spoke Westron, which gave you even more butterflies. “And you, my lady, thank you for accompanying me. How brave of you.”

Haldir got on one knee and took your hand. His hands were quite cold, but very comforting. He then placed his lips on your hand, giving it a kiss, while maintaining eye contact with you and sneaking a wink before standing up and facing the carriage your family sat in. Your face felt very warm, and you guessed you were likely blushing madly.

You noticed your father raising an eyebrow and Arwen slyly smiling at you.

However, before anyone gave more thought to Haldir's bold move, your brothers dismounted the carriage and seemed eager to speak to Haldir.

“Sir, may we ask you about your travels?” Elrohir asked.

“We have traveled a good amount of Middle-earth, we were just curious about what you have run into,” Elladan explained.

Haldir smiled, but you could tell he did not want to converse with your brothers right now. “Of course!” he said, so as to not be rude to Lothlórien's noble guests. Haldir then quickly got close to your ear and whispered, “My lady, I will wait for you by the fountain later if you care to start this love affair.” He then left and spoke to your brothers, leaving you very flustered.

Arwen approached you soon after, with a sly smile on her face. She walked with you to the entrance of your grandparents’ home.

“So… what is all that with that marchwarden?” she asked. “I can see by the way you looked at him as he spoke, you're feeling something special with him. Do you love him?”

For a moment, you were too stunned to speak. “No! I'm not ready to say it's love,” you reply. “I suppose you could say it's complicated. I mean, we just met, I can't be in love yet!”

“So there is something going on between you two…” Arwen teased.

You nervously laughed, trying not to expose the truth but knowing you were doing a terrible job. “No!” you exclaim. Arwen gives you a look that says she is not stupid and will not fall for your lies. “Fine… we were flirting the entire way here and he was suggesting we start at least a love affair.”

Arwen silently giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. “Well that explains you two speaking in the Common Tongue, and you being as red as a tomato!” she joked. You briefly covered your face in embarrassment. “But what will Ada think of it?”

“I don't know,” you answered. “We want to keep it a secret for now. Please don't tell anybody, not Ada, not mam, not dâd, not even Elladan nor Elrohir."

“Don't worry, I won't tell a single soul,” Arwen assured you. “You know you can rely on me.”

She was correct. Arwen was very good at keeping your secrets and was always someone you could rely on. You were just worried that someone would eventually figure your love affair out. Your father was very wise, so you really needed to be careful if you wanted to keep what you had with Haldir a secret.

A few minutes passed, and you entered your grandparents’ flet. Your grandparents stood near the entrance with smiles on their faces, always happy to see their grandchildren. They give you a traditional elvish embrace, and you return it.

“It feels like it has been ages since I've last seen you,” your grandmother told you and your siblings. “Welcome back to Lothlórien.”

“Make yourselves at home,” your grandfather said, extending his arms out to the rest of his home. Your bodyguards and your brothers had brought the luggage up, and you grabbed your bags and set up in a guest room.

Once you were finished, you and your siblings sat on a couch with your father and your grandparents. Your grandparents asked many questions. They asked Arwen about Aragorn and the healing magic that your father was helping her practice. They asked Elladan about his travels and his archery practice, and they asked Elrohir about his run-ins with the terrible creatures of the land and his new sword.

Eventually, your grandparents began to ask you questions. “So, my child, have you found anyone special yet?” your grandmother asked. Arwen pursed her lips trying not to laugh and your father glared at you with a raised eyebrow. You felt beads of sweat forming at your forehead.

“N-no, Ada found a noble elf for me to wed,” you reply, trying to remain collected. “The wedding won't be for a while, though.”

Your grandmother smiled and nodded. “Ah, I see,” she said. “Finally gave in to your father's wishes, then.”

“Yes, I figured he knows what's best,” you said.

Your grandmother intensely stares at you. “There is something you are hiding, child,” you hear her say, but her lips don't move. You had nearly forgotten your grandmother's telepathic abilities, ósanwe, as the Elves call it. She had the ability to see into the minds of others, which is a rare gift for an elf to have. “However, I sense this is a conversation for later.”

You quietly let out a sigh of relief, hoping your father didn't notice how oddly nervous you were.

Your grandparents continued conversing with you and the rest of your family for hours. They spoke of the days when you all were elflings, tales from the Elder Days, and what they had been up to while you were in Imladris.

The sun eventually sank into the horizon, and the moon rose higher in the sky. You wondered if Haldir was still waiting for you by the fountain. You were excited to meet with him and to see what this love affair was going to be like.

As if your grandmother read your mind again, she briefly glanced at you and said, “Alright, my children, now I shall allow you to explore Caras Galadhon if you'd like. Go on, enjoy yourselves.”

You rapidly stood up from your seat and eagerly walked out of your grandparents’ home. Hopefully, your father didn't read too much into this behavior.

Arwen passed by you and whispered, “Have fun with the Marchwarden.” You giggled and made your way to the glowing blue fountain.

Just as you were hoping, you saw Haldir standing by the fountain, patiently waiting for your arrival. When he noticed you, he smiled and extended his hand for you to take. You grabbed his hand, and he planted a kiss on your hand.

“My lady, I thought you would never show up,” Haldir told you. “Anyway, let me show you my flet. It's quite humble, but I hope you'll find it nice.”

Still holding your hand, Haldir walked you to his home. It was quite a small flet, but it was very tidy and you found it almost cute in a way. The two of you sat down on the floor in Haldir's home and stared at each other.

“You're so beautiful in the moonlight,” Haldir told you, placing a hand on your cheek. You felt your stomach begin to churn. “I never thought I would ever find such a beautiful lady anywhere in Middle-earth, let alone one that was interested in me.”

You quietly laugh to yourself. “I'm surprised you don't have hundreds of maidens eager to be with an elf as handsome and charming as you are,” you said. Haldir bashfully chuckled, a hint of pink appearing on his pale cheeks.

His hand that was on your cheek moved to gently stroke your hair. It was loose, not even a single braid in it.

“Do you always have your hair down like this?” Haldir asked.

“Not typically,” you answered. “But I had to quickly get ready before we departed Imladris.”

“Would you mind if I braided your hair then?”

You became flustered. Braiding the hair of another was an Elvish custom that showed love and adoration. Most elves only let close family and lovers touch their hair.

“Not at all,” you reply. You turned away from Haldir to give him access to your hair. He carefully grabbed three strands from the side of your hair and began weaving them together gently, not wanting to hurt you. When he finished that braid, he tied the end off with a small rubber band he had on him, grabbed three more strands of hair from the other side of your head, and began braiding again. Once he finished with that, he tied the end off and woven it with the first braid he made, creating a simple half-up style. Then, he grabbed a box of jewels he kept in a drawer and adorned your hair with various gems.

Haldir picked up a mirror from a nearby table and held it up in front of you. “What do you think?” he asked, looking proud of his work. You quite liked it, though it was simple, you found it to be elegant.

“It looks lovely,” you told Haldir. You look back at him with a soft smile. “I see your hair is already styled nicely, but may I add on to your hairstyle?”

Haldir smiled at you. “I was hoping you'd ask.” You stood up and sat behind him, grabbing strands of his hair to braid. You hummed a simple tune while carefully weaving a fishtail braid with his hair. Haldir closed his eyes and smiled softly. “Your voice is beautiful…”

You pause for a moment and let out a chuckle. “Thank you,” you quietly said before finishing up the braid. Once you were finished, you stood up and sat in front of Haldir. He grabbed the braid on the back of his head and ran his fingers down it.

“Wow, this is a different braid from the typical ones I've seen here,” Haldir said.

“Yes, it's called a fishtail braid,” you explained. “My sister Arwen wanted me to test all kinds of braids on her when she was an elfling. I have a book with all kinds of braids and how to do them because of her.”

“How sweet.”

There was an awkward silence for a moment, as the two of you stared into each other's eyes. The tension in the room was unbearable and you hated it.

Finally, Haldir broke the silence by quietly calling out your name. Then he asked, “May I kiss you?” You froze, unsure of what to say. “I apologize if I'm coming off too strong, but I've been so desperate to feel your lips on mine from the moment I first saw you.”

You remained frozen in place, too shy to take any action. You've also been wanting a kiss from Haldir for the longest time, but now that he asked for one, you're so scared and don't know what to do.

Haldir looked down at the floor. “It's fine, I shouldn't have asked–” he began to say before you decided to shut him up by pressing your lips against his. He placed his hands on your waist and softly returned your kiss. The kiss was so soft and sweet, making your heart race and your stomach churn. It's crazy to imagine you had just met Haldir hours ago and now here you were, lips connected like you've known him for thousands of years. You never really thought about whether or not love at first sight was real, but you were starting to believe that you might have experienced it with Haldir. You eventually pull away, but you keep your forehead pressed against Haldir's. Your eyes meet his and you smile.

“That was magical…” you sigh.

“I could do that all day,” Haldir whispered.

“Me, too,” you whispered back. The unfortunate thing was you couldn't. No matter how much you wanted to. These sixty days will soon come to an end, and so will this whole love affair.

However, you didn't want to think about that right now. You wanted to make the most of the time you had with Haldir. So, you lay on the ground, staring up into the glass roof of Haldir's home. Haldir joins you, grabbing your hand and relaxing.

The two of you chatted for the rest of the night. About your aspirations, your desires, and plans on what you could do together for the next fifty-nine days. Haldir's marchwarden duties consumed much of his time, but he swore he'd do everything in his power to spend as much time with you as possible.

Soon, the sun began to rise, and you realized you had spent the entire night with Haldir. You gasped and quickly got on your feet. Your father must be waiting for you.

“Haldir, I must leave now,” you tell Haldir. “My father, he must be wondering where I have been the entire night.”

Haldir sat up and frowned. “If you must,” he said. “Could we do this again tonight?”

You come close to Haldir's face and gently kiss his lips. “Of course. Same place as last night?”

“Same place.” Haldir gives you a small smile and you leave his flet, running to your grandparents’ flet as fast as you could without losing your breath.

It was quite difficult to run in your traditional Elven clothing, but you eventually made it and ran up the stairs of your grandparents’ flet. At the entrance, your grandmother stood, almost as if she had been waiting for you. She looked deeply into your eyes, and it seemed she was trying to communicate with you in your head.

“Child, you have been gone all night, where is it that you go?” your grandmother asked telepathically.

You become nervous. There was no way of hiding your relationship with Haldir from your grandmother of all people, as she is already seeing into your thoughts. “I was with the Marchwarden, Haldir, all night,” you confess.

“Haldir, you say? He's an excellent Marchwarden and an elf of good heart,” your grandmother replied. “I sense you have some strong feelings for him.”

“I do,” you look down at the floor in shame, hoping your grandmother wouldn't be disappointed in you having a love affair while you're promised to be married to someone you haven't even met.

“What will your father think of this?”

“He won't be very happy when he finds out.” Your gaze returns to your grandmother's sharp eyes. “But, mam, he treats me well, and I really like him.”

“Little one, I am not upset at you,” your grandmother reassured you, sensing your tension. “I am just warning you, your father will find out eventually. If you tell him how Haldir makes you feel, I'm sure your father will understand, even if it takes some time.”

“I will… I'm just… afraid.”

Suddenly, your father walked in, an angry expression on his face. He called out your name, his voice slightly raised.

“Where have you been all night?” your father questioned, his pointer finger aggressively pointed in your direction. “I had been worried sick all night, wondering when you were returning.”

Your grandmother chimed in, “She was studying in the library.” You looked at your grandmother, surprised she defended you and lied to your father. She quickly winked at you before continuing. “We were just now discussing her studies.”

Your father raised an eyebrow at you. “What were you studying, little one?” he asked.

You hesitated for a moment. “Er, the life of Finrod Felagund, ruler of Nargothrond in the First Age,” you finally reply. Hopefully, it was convincing enough. “I was browsing in the library and happened to find a book about him. I was curious if the book was accurate, so I asked mam about it, seeing as Finrod Felagund was her brother.”

“I see,” your father muttered. “Glad you're studying history.” Your father then looked at your hair and the braids that Haldir had done for you. “Your hair looks lovely, my elfling. Did you do that yourself?”

“Yes, Ada, thank you,” you lied. You felt so guilty, lying to your father. But you truly feared his reaction to your relationship with Haldir.

For the rest of the day, you were with your family. You briefly practiced archery with your brothers in the forest, which was quite fun. Elladan and Elrohir were a joy to be around, and they taught you everything you know about weapons and self-defense.

Later in the afternoon, you conversed with your grandparents about how their lives had been since you last visited Lothlórien. They told you that the times have been looking a little darker, but they weren't very worried at the moment.

After the conversation with your grandparents, everyone ate dinner together and conversed happily. However, the only thing on your mind was Haldir. You were eager to see him again, to hold his hand and kiss him. You wonder how you could be so attracted to somebody you had only met very recently.

Nearly an hour and a half of eating and chatter had passed, and your grandparents stood up and said that everyone was excused and could now wander and do whatever they'd like. You noticed your grandmother was looking at you as she spoke, clearly signaling she knew you were going to spend time with Haldir tonight. However, you gave it no mind and rushed away, headed towards the fountain where you met with Haldir last night.

Surprisingly, Haldir wasn't waiting for you at the fountain. Your heart sank in disappointment. Thoughts raced through your mind wondering if he thought that he didn't want a relationship that needed to be kept secret, or maybe he completely forgot about meeting with you. Then, as you were sitting on the fountain trying to hold back your tears, you saw Haldir standing in front of you.

“My lady, I hope I haven't kept you waiting for so long,” he said, holding his hand out for you to grab. You take his hand and he quickly pulls you up, startling you a little. “I was held back a bit by my marchwarden duties.”

“Oh no, I just got here,” you reply, acting as if you weren't going to sob on the fountain. “Well, let's go back to your home.”

And so, Haldir walked you to his flet. Once you had arrived, you noticed a long and comfortable-looking seat and sat down. Haldir sat next to you and held your hands gently. He looked deeply into your eyes and smiled, causing you to become flustered.

“Have you gotten any sleep recently?” Haldir asked.

“Not since before I arrived in Lothlórien, no,” you reply. Elves can go quite a bit without rest, especially if they don't have a labor-intensive lifestyle, but they still need sleep. Additionally, your family is part Man, meaning you definitely get fatigued more often than a full elf would. You were pretty exhausted going several days with no real sleep, but the excitement of Lothlórien and your affair with Haldir kept you awake.

“My lady, I don't mean to give you any commands, as that would be out of place for me, but you should get some rest,” Haldir said. “If you'd like, you can go back to Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn's flet and sleep, you should prioritize yourself before me.”

You frowned. “I don't want to leave you, though,” you protest. “I can manage without sleeping.”

“No, no,” Haldir cooed. “I can't have you grow weary because of me.”

“Could I…” you hesitated. You wanted to ask if you could sleep beside Haldir in his home, but you were afraid of being too bold. You had only just met him, after all. “Never mind.”

Haldir furrowed his brows. “What were you going to ask, my lady?” he asked.

“It's nothing, I was just trying to be bold.”

Haldir smirked. “You don't have to be afraid to be bold with me,” he slyly told you, gently placing a hand on your chin. You became even more flustered.

“I, er, I wanted to ask if I could fall asleep with you,” you admit, cheeks red hot. “But I mean, it's definitely a lot to ask for–”

Haldir cut in, “I would love to.” You froze, unsure of what to say. “Come here.”

Haldir stood up from the seat, and you followed his lead. He then took you to a section of his flet that was more private, and had a bed with earthy colored sheets. It looked very cozy. Suddenly, Haldir picks you up and holds you in his arms bridal style. You were quite impressed with his strength and began to giggle like an elfling.

“Haldir, what are you doing?” you giggled.

“Just helping my lovely lady get to bed of course,” Haldir replied. You gave him a kiss on the cheek, and Haldir then gave you a kiss on the lips. Then, he threw you on the bed and laughed. “I hope that wasn't too rough.”

“No, it was actually quite funny,” you laugh. You watch as Haldir tries to join you in the bed with his Marchwarden uniform on. “Are you going to sleep in that?”

Haldir looks down at his clothes.

“I'm not going to need a Marchwarden to defend me against my nightmares now,” you sarcastically tell Haldir.

He loudly laughed at your comment. “Fine, I'll go change into night clothes,” he replied. Haldir then exited the room to bathe and change out of his uniform.

After a few minutes, Haldir returns to the bedroom with night clothes on and joins you in the bed. You then move closer and place your head on Haldir's chest, tangling your legs with his. You hear his slow, melodic heartbeat. It was soothing and put your mind at ease.

You hear Haldir whisper your name. “Would you like me to sing you a lullaby my emel used to sing to my brothers and I when we were young?” he quietly asked. You nod, and Haldir clears his throat gently. “I'm not the best at singing, so please forgive me if it sounds terrible.”

Haldir began to sing a sweet tune. His singing voice was quite scratchy and he couldn't hit all the notes of the song, but you were still captivated by the melody. Listening to the lyrics, you realized you could only understand a few of the words. This song was in Quenya, the ancient language of the high elves. Your grandmother tried to teach you Quenya, but you could only remember a few words of the language.

Once Haldir had finished singing, he sighed. “I wish I had my mother's voice, she sang it much better than I just did,” he whispered.

“Was that song in Quenya?” you ask.

“Indeed it is,” Haldir answered. “My emel told me the song had been passed down through a few generations. That song is the only bit on Quenya that I know, along with a few additional words here and there.”

“Your emel hasn't taught you anything besides that?” you ask. You feel a weird shift in Haldir's demeanor.

“Um… let's just go to sleep now,” he said. Knowing what it felt like to not be very comfortable talking about your mother, you pushed no further and agreed, closing your eyes to get some rest.

You woke up a few hours later, noticing that Haldir wasn't by your side. You slowly got out of bed and walked throughout Haldir's flet, softly calling his name. Eventually, you find him in what appears to be his kitchen, sitting at a table cutting a loaf of bread that had been set in the middle of the table.

“Looks like someone finally woke up,” Haldir said.

“Finally? We barely got any sleep,” you replied.

“I tend not to sleep much, to be honest,” Haldir said, handing a slice of bread to you. You take it and take a bite out of it. It tasted wonderful and had hints of lovely and warm spices. “Maybe it's the Man in you that makes you sleep so much.”

“How did you know?” you ask, a little shaken by how Haldir knew your lineage.

“I read in my very little spare time,” Haldir explained. “Your family is directly related to Beren, a legendary Man from the First Age.”

“That goes back several generations,” you argued. “There's no way my Man ancestry has that much impact on me.”

Haldir chuckled lightly. “Well, Lúthien is your ancestor as well, as is Melian, a Maia, and your Maiar ancestry still shines through. I mean, your beauty is unmatched and clearly from the divine,” he said. You laughed, flattered at his words. “I would take the Silmarils from the sky, fire, and sea if it meant your father would allow us to be together.”

“Haldir…” you mutter. “You wouldn't really do that, would you?”

“I would,” Haldir insisted, grabbing your hands. “If only it did not cause great chaos in the world.”

The two of you then stood up from your seats, moving your bodies closer to one another until Haldir had his arms around your waist and you had a hand on his cheek. Then, you kissed. It was a long, sweet kiss, one that you never wanted to end.

Haldir then pulled away and told you, “My lady, unfortunately, I must go now, I have marchwarden duties to tend to,” he said. You frowned. “I know, I apologize. Meet me at the fountain again tomorrow night, I promise I'll be there. Lady Galadriel has been gracious, since you have arrived, I've been assigned to duties inside Caras Galadhon.” He kissed you on the forehead and left.

You decided to go back to your grandparents’ flet. Thankfully it was still nighttime, so your father wouldn't question you so much about your whereabouts.

Once you entered the flet, Arwen greeted you.

“Could you braid my hair?” she asked. “My hair has been tricky to manage without any braids in it.”

You agree, and Arwen takes you to a room that has a vanity. Arwen sat on the stool in front of the vanity and you got to work, weaving strands of your sister's hair together.

“So, how are things going with that Marchwarden?” Arwen asked.

You became embarrassed at the question, but still chose to actually answer. “They're going good,” you reply.

“If you don't mind, I'd love to hear the details,” Arwen insisted. You smiled, happy to have a nice sibling talk with her.

You told Arwen most of what happened between you and Haldir so far. About him braiding your hair, the first kiss, his desire to have a family, and you two falling asleep together earlier tonight. Arwen gasped at the last part, commenting about how she found it strange to think you had just met Haldir a few days prior. Then, you told her about how he told you that your beauty was unmatched and reminded him of Lúthien.

“Aragorn loves bringing up the tale of Beren and Lúthien as well,” Arwen giggled. “How sweet of him, though. I'm happy you've found someone who treats you well.”

You sighed. “I wish this wasn't temporary,” you said. “Once we return to Imladris, I'll likely never hear from him for a long time.”

“I think Ada will understand if you talk to him,” Arwen suggested. “I know you may not see it this way, but he'd rather see you happy with the marchwarden than slowly fading away with the elf he picked for you to marry.”

“You think so?”

“Yes. Elves typically marry freely, and Ada knows this. He only arranged the marriage so you wouldn't live alone for the rest of your days.”

You pause. Telling your father could mean you'd never have to part from Haldir, but you were still terrified that your father would be upset that you broke your word.

“I think I'd like to know Haldir more before I tell Ada,” you said. “Just to see if our bond is true, you know?”

“Well, it's your decision,” Arwen told you. “If you want to continue living in secret, that is your choice, not mine.”

The days came and went. There were a few nights Haldir had been deployed to the border of Lothlórien and you wouldn't be able to see him, but he would come racing back to you as soon as he could. Haldir helped you practice your archery using methods Galadhrim elves often used. He was quite impressed with the skill you already had, and you explained to him that your brothers had taught you from a young age.

There were nights you stayed up chatting, and nights you spent sleeping in each other's arms. Each day you spent with Haldir, the more you fell in love and the more you bonded. And with that, came the dread of having to part with your love forever.

One night, Haldir took you to a lovely river in Caras Galadhon. You and Haldir sat on the ground, backs to a tree, watching the water move and glow in the light of the moon. Haldir was telling you about how he and his brothers played in this river when they were young.

“My emel would always call us inside for dinner at sunset,” Haldir recalled. “Rúmil and Orophin would complain and sometimes even cry because they wanted to continue playing Marchwarden and Orc.”

“Marchwarden and Orc?” you laughed. “I have never heard of that before.”

Haldir smiled. “It's a game my brothers and I came up with when we were young,” he explained. “One of us would be a marchwarden, and the rest are orcs. The marchwarden had a stick, and his job was to chase the Orcs and hit them with the stick to ‘slay’ them. My emel thought we shouldn't play it, and it was much too violent for elflings, but we loved it regardless.”

You chuckled at the thought of a young Haldir chasing his brothers with a stick. You remembered playing similar games with your siblings when you were an elfling.

There was a long pause. You and Haldir stared at the river in silence. Then, Haldir asked, “I never told you what happened to my ada and emel, did I?”

You shook your head.Haldir sighed. “I think I feel comfortable with telling you now,” he said. “I trust you.”

You smiled, taking Haldir's hands. Part of you was glad he trusted you with even his deepest secrets.

“Before I was born, my father was a Marchwarden himself. He was the reason my brothers and I became Marchwardens ourselves. However, one terrible night, when he was deployed on the borders of Lothlórien, I do not remember exactly where, a band of Orcs had ambushed his group. He died a brutal death defending his companions,” Haldir explained, eyes blank and looking into the distance. “My emel was heartbroken. I was already an elf-warden in training, Orophin was nearing his 100th birthday, and Rúmil had yet to be born. After my emel gave birth to Rúmil, she fell into a terrible depression.”

Haldir took a deep breath before continuing.

“Many years passed, and my emel simply tried bearing with the depression, taking care of my brothers as best as she could. I would play with my brothers while she cried silently in her room, mourning my ada, until one day, her body began to run cold. She was fading. If she remained in Middle-earth, she would die,” Haldir sniffled. “One morning, she came to me, light drained from her eyes. She told me she had to sail to Valinor, for everyone's sake. She didn't want my brothers or me to watch her fade away with our own eyes. She hoped that one day, Ada would be freed from the Halls of Mandos and they would reunite once more, and then my brothers and I would join them when it was our time. After that, I never saw her again. I never want to see the pain that Orophin and Rúmil had in their eyes when I told them our emel was never coming back ever again.”

Haldir buried his head in his hands, sobbing. He apologized, but you placed a hand on his back, insisting there was no need.

“My love, there is no need to apologize. It is fine to release your emotions now and then,” you cooed. “I had something similar happen in my past.”

“That's right, Lady Celebrían,” Haldir replied, voice strained due to his tears.

“Yes, my emel. She was very lucky to have survived that incident. But as we all know, her physical wounds may have healed, but her mental wounds would never be repaired,” you said. “My brothers were so angry with themselves knowing their rescue attempt was in vain, as they saw it. And my ada… Some nights I hear him cry, wondering how the world could be so cruel to his beloved."

“Caras Galadhon was in great mourning when Lady Celebrían departed for Valinor,” Haldir told you. “I am so sorry.”

You suddenly wrap your arms around Haldir and pull him in for an embrace. He was initially shocked, hesitant to return the embrace, but then he put his arms around you and gently patted your back. You sob on his shoulder, tears and snot staining his clothes.

Normally, Haldir would make a sarcastic remark about cleanliness and how his clothes were ruined, but this time, he simply said, “I miss my emel, too. One day we'll see them again, and I will show my emel that I am wed to the most beautiful elf in all of Arda and beyond.”

You smiled and giggled in Haldir's ear. But then, you remembered the harsh reality. None of what Haldir said would happen. You didn't want to ruin the moment, though, so you continued to act as if that thought had never crossed your mind.

More days passed and you continued to see Haldir. He taught you his mother's more flavorful take on Lembas that added nuts and more spices to the Elvish waybread. You spent time with Haldir's brothers, who actually reminded you of Elladan and Elrohir.

Eventually, there was one day left until you departed for Imladris. You and Haldir were in his flet, hungrily kissing one another. Haldir's hands run up and down your body, and your hands are entangled in Haldir's golden hair. You were close to running out of breath, so you pulled away and panted softly.

Haldir murmured your name. “I don't ever want this to end,” he told you.

“Unfortunately, it does. Today was my last day in Lothlórien,” you reply. “So, we must say goodbye, or else our secret love will be revealed.”

“I don't want to keep this a secret anymore,” Haldir argued, his voice slightly raised in frustration. “My lady, I don't want to lose you. You must tell your father, if I lose you I've lost everything. I will fade away to nothing, and so will you.”

“Lover, I don't want to lose you either, but my father would never accept this,” you replied.

“You'll never know if you don't try. Please. Just try.”

“I… can't.”

“I'll even go with you to tell your father. I'd slay a Balrog if it meant your father would accept our love.”

“Haldir, I am afraid.”

“Your father wouldn't want to watch you fade. Please, it's worth a try. If he says yes, we can be betrothed. I already got you a ring.”

You gasped. It was an Elvish tradition for two elves to exchange rings to formally be betrothed. Betrothal often lasts for at least a year, until the official wedding ceremony has been completed. You were surprised to learn that Haldir had already planned to be betrothed to you, especially since this whole relationship was only meant to be a temporary love affair.

“You did not,” you said.

“I sure did,” Haldir asserted. “Please, my love, let us be wed and live our lives as one. We cannot keep this a secret any longer.”

You hesitated. Everyone who knew about this relationship told you that you must tell your father. Even Haldir was saying it now. So, you sighed deeply and replied, “Alright, I will tell my father tomorrow morning.”

Haldir smiled and embraced you. You were also elated, as there is a chance that you won't have to part from the love of your life.

The next morning, you walked with Haldir to your grandparents’ flet. You noticed your father standing outside, angrily looking around and shouting your name. He must be looking for you so he can begin the journey home. Your siblings were outside, standing next to your father.

“Oh, you are definitely in trouble,” Haldir joked. You scoffed and rolled your eyes.

Once you stood in front of your father, he placed his hands on his hips. “Where have you been?” he angrily asked. “I thought I told you we were leaving today and to be prepared. Good morning, Marchwarden Haldir, we'll be needing your guidance in just a moment.”

Haldir bowed to your father and replied, “Good morning, understood, my lord.”

You noticed Arwen, standing beside your father. She looked shocked, as if she knew what you were about to say.

“Ada, I have something I must confess,” you softly said.

“Well, what is it?” he questioned.

“All those nights I was away during our stay here, I was with Haldir,” you confess. Your father's expression quickly changed to one of shock and concern. “And during those nights, we formed a close bond that I don't wish to ruin. Ada, I fell in love with Haldir, I can't leave Lothlórien.”

Your father's eyes began to water. “My little elfling… in love?”

“Please don't be angry with me Ada, I know you wanted me to marry that noble elf of Imladris, but my heart belongs to Haldir, and no other,” you plead.

Your father approaches you and grabs your hands. “No, little one, I am not angry at you. I could never be angry at you for wanting to be happy,” he assured you. “Is that why you kept this relationship with the Marchwarden a secret? Because you thought I'd be upset?”

You nod, tears forming in your eyes.

“I am deeply sorry I ever gave you the impression that I'd be upset,” your father said, a tear rolling down his cheek.

Haldir came up and tapped your shoulder. You turned to face him and saw he had a dazzling silver ring in his hand. You heard your brothers gasp loudly. You covered your mouth with your hands in shock. He was asking for your hand in marriage.

“Haldir, I don't even have a ring to exchange with you,” you say, legs shaking.

Your father reveals something small and metallic that he took out of his pocket. It was a golden ring with a humble green gem in the center. The gold looked like vines encasing the gem.

“Here, take this,” your father said, taking your hand and placing the ring in it. “This is the ring your mother gave me when we were betrothed. I kept it to have a memory of her with me forever. But, I believe it is time for me to let go and pass this on to you.”

You clutch the ring in your hand and smile at your father. This certainly didn't go the way you expected it to, but that made you relieved.

“Marchwarden Haldir, where is the rest of your house? Your family?” your father asked.

“Rúmil, Orophin, tul! Come out! Everything has gone well,” Haldir called out, speaking partially in Quenya. Haldir's brothers jumped down from a flight of stairs leading to a flet high up in the trees. They embrace their brother and cheer for his betrothal. Then, Haldir faced your father. “This is the last of my family. My ada and emel have passed on and so have my mam and dâd.”

Suddenly, your grandparents walked down the steps of their flet, holding hands. Haldir and his brothers bow, and suddenly you hear your grandmother's voice, “I see you finally told your father. I am glad.”

You and the rest of your family bow to your grandparents. Then, your grandmother said, “Go on, you may exchange rings and mark the betrothal.”

“Yes, Lady Galadriel,” Haldir replied. He approached you and took your left hand. He slid the ring on your index finger with the biggest smile you have ever seen on his face. Then, you slid the ring your father gave you on Haldir's left index finger. Everyone applauded, and you and Haldir shared a gentle kiss.

You looked at your father and saw tears flowing from his eyes. Elladan and Elrohir ran to you and gave you a bear hug while laughing and telling you how happy they were for you.

“You have excellent taste in husbands!” Elladan exclaimed. 

“You better bring Haldir when you come to visit! We were so excited to ask Haldir to give us new combat techniques, but little did we know you were hogging him,” Elrohir joked.

“You flatter me, my lords,” Haldir told the brothers.

“I better not hear anything about my sibling being hurt!” Elrohir sternly told Haldir.

“That's right, or else you will pay!” Elladan added.

“I promise,” Haldir replied.

Then, Arwen came and embraced you. “I am so sad to part ways with you,” she told you. “But I am so happy you have found yourself a lovely husband.”

“Thank you for the advice, sister,” you said.

“Of course,” Arwen then walked to Haldir and embraced him as well. Haldir looked surprised, but returned the embrace. “Please come visit soon, we would love to have you over.”

“I will make sure of that, my lady,” Haldir replied.

Finally, your father, tears still streaming down his face, came to you and embraced you tightly. You could hear him softly sobbing.

“My little elfling is all grown up,” he cried. “I had my suspicions that you and Haldir had been sneaking around. He was being quite flirty when he was walking us to Caras Galadhon!”

Haldir chuckled nervously.

“I had a vision as well, I foresaw that you were going to wed an elf with golden hair,” your father explained. “And you do forget that Lady Galadriel is not the only one familiar with ósanwe. Forgive me, but I may have looked into your mind a few times, and I did notice that Marchwarden Haldir was in your thoughts quite often.”

You gasped and covered your mouth with your hands in embarrassment. Haldir laughed at the thought of him always being on your mind.

“Ha! I didn't know I was that charming,” Haldir laughed. You angrily glared at him and the laughter immediately ceased.

Your father placed a kiss on your forehead and grabbed your shoulder firmly. “My little one, please stay safe, and come visit when you can,” he said. “And you must tell me when the wedding is! We would love to host a grand feast in Imladris for your wedding.”

You nod, and your father walks up to Haldir. “My son, please take care of my little elfling,” he told your soon-to-be husband.

“Your son, my lord?” Haldir questioned.

“You are marrying my child, are you not?” your father replied.

“Y-yes, my lord.”

“Then I would like to welcome you to the family.” Your father embraced Haldir, who seemed quite shocked to be now part of the families of both the Lord of Imladris and the Lord and Lady of Lothlórien.

“Thank you, Lord Elrond,” Haldir told your father.

Your father pulled away from the embrace with Haldir and looked at the two of you. “Now, it is time we part ways. It was a pleasure being in Lothlórien, but we cannot be away from Imladris forever,” he announced.

And so, you said your final goodbyes, then your father and your siblings departed Caras Galadhon, with Haldir's brothers leading the way. Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn kindly gave Haldir the day off to celebrate the betrothal. You and Haldir spent the rest of the day together, glad that this love did not die as a secret.

It was a quiet winter night that night. Stars shone softly in the sky as you sat next to the lovely Lady Galadriel with one of her dresses on. You had been really into her for the longest time. But she wasn't aware of this. If only you could tell her how you feel.

"Do you like the dress I gave you?" Galadriel asked, looking at the outfit you were wearing. It looked very nice on you, in your opinion.

"I do!" you answered. "Thank you for letting me wear this."

"There is no need to thank me. You can keep it if you wish. It looks much better on you than on me." Galadriel smiled at you. Her smile was very nice to you. Everything about her was nice to you. She is a very pretty woman, on the inside and the outside.

For the rest of the night, you and Galadriel spoke quietly under the moonlight about the things that interested you. You felt so close to her, and that night would stick to your mind for a very long time.

It had been around a year since that night. You still had the dress in your closet, as it still fit you and it meant so much to you. The dress was still very clean and had some glitter in it. Not much has changed in your life since that day.

Well, not much except for the fact that you suspect that Galadriel had fallen for a man. Celeborn. He was just a perfect guy. He was polite, charming, and quite handsome. There was no way that you could ever compete with him.

So, for now, you had to deal with the fact that Galadriel, the woman you love, will never fall for you. It was so obvious that she liked Celeborn. Painfully obvious. The way she looked at him made it so clear. Galadriel would try to find excuses to be near him.

He's got her mesmerized.

And that really hurt you. The two of you had been friends for a long time. You have been in love with Galadriel for so long as well. It was so unfair. Why did he have to come in? There was no reason to hate him. He was so generous and treated everyone well, but every time you saw him, you would feel a little bit of rage.

What you were feeling was jealousy. There's no way that it is anything else. You wished that you were him. So that she could be in love with you. It's so hard to deal with all of these emotions that flooded in. The heartbreak and envy was horrible.

One night, you went searching for Galadriel and found her with Celeborn. She was holding his hand and smiling with him. You felt something like a stab to your heart when you saw that. They were clearly into each other. It was a harsh truth that you understood.

She would never even want to be with you. Celeborn is much nicer than you are. And she'll only ever see you as a good friend. Especially now that she fell for Celeborn.

Tonight, you laid facedown on your couch while sobbing. So many horrible thoughts crawled through your mind. You could never be Celeborn. He was an angel, and was so... perfect. And you were almost the opposite of that.

You cried and cried for nearly the whole night. It was terrible to cry over a girl, but you were doing it anyways. You really couldn't help but cry that night. Galadriel was quite possibly the love of your life, and seeing her fall in love with another was crushing.

Hopefully nobody was hearing you sob. It might be a little embarrassing to explain to somebody why you were feeling this way. You would most likely get laughed at or constantly teased. So, for now, you are going to hide all of your emotions inside.

This was a horrible idea. But you had no other choice. There's no way that you are gonna risk getting embarrassed. You would be constantly scared of people telling Galadriel how you felt. And she was not the person that you wanted to tell about this. Absolutely not.

The very next morning, you fixed yourself up and decided to get dressed. You opened up your closet and took a look at all of the clothes that you owned. You then saw the dress. The one that was given to you by Galadriel.

It gave you memories to that cold winter night. That night where you were nearly certain that she was in love with you. What a terrible assumption. Just because she gave you one of her dresses does not mean that she loves you like that. It was more of a friendly gesture.

You sighed and grabbed the dress and took it out of the closet. Maybe you should put it on today. It looks beautiful and you really liked it. So you decided to do it. Despite the fact that it once belonged to the woman that you love, but she doesn't love you back.

The way it shone in the daylight reminded you of the way Galadriel's bright hair shone in the sunlight and in the moonlight. Her hair was quite beautiful. And so was the hair of many elves, but hers is the prettiest to you. It is claimed that many have asked for just one strand of her gorgeous hair. You never have, despite the fact that you liked her so much. Though it wasn't because you were afraid to, it was because you found it a little weird to beg for a strand of someone's hair.

However, you did take one of these tiny gems that belongs to and Galadriel. She already knows that you have it, and doesn't mind that you took it in the first place. It was just a little gem after all.

After dressing up, you left your room with a frown. You felt sad now that you reminded yourself about how much you like Galadriel, which reminded you how painful it is to know that she doesn't like you back.

Eventually, you ran into the fair lady, and she quickly noticed that you were wearing her old dress. She smiled and looked at the dress.

"Oh, you're wearing the dress I gave you." she told you. You nodded softly. "I gave it to you about one year ago. And you still look beautiful in that dress." That statement made you blush.

"Thank you." you replied. "I really like this dress."

Galadriel looked down to the floor and then back up at you. "Well, I must get going, I have something very important to tell Celeborn." she told you, before quickly walking away.

Your heart sank. She was going to tell him that she loves him, you just know it. And if Celeborn also loves Galadriel, there will be a worse pain in your heart. You would also have a much more severe feeling of jealousy.

A while after Galadriel had walked away from you, you waited anxiously for her to finish speaking to Celeborn. Soon, Galadriel would come to your door and tell you some news that you would not really like.

Finally, after about a couple of hours, you heard a knock on your door. Your stomach tied into a knot as you went to answer the door. It was definitely Galadriel. You would be very surprised if the first thing she told you was that she and Celeborn are now together. It was very obvious that they were very into each other.

You opened the door, and there she was. Oh goodness, this was not going to be good.

"Good evening." Galadriel began. "I talked to Celeborn, and I would like to take you outside to, um, tell you something."

You gulped, and then nodded. Galadriel then took your hand and lead you outside. The sun was setting and the air was getting cooler. You were glad to be wearing a dress with long sleeves, because it you weren't, you'd be freezing.

At last, Galadriel had found a nice spot for you two to sit on. You sat down and realized that where you two were was familiar to you. Very familiar. And then it hit you.

This was the spot where you and Galadriel sat together about a year ago. The day that she gave you her dress. So many memories flooded into your head.

"So, what are you going to tell me?" you asked.

"Well, I came here to tell you that you mean the entire world to me." Galadriel answered. "You really do. And you have for a while. I've considered you my dearest friend for a long time, and I want to consider you more than just that."

"What do you mean?"

"I love you. I want to be yours. You melt me, as if I were a candle and you were a flame." Galadriel began. Her words made your eyes watery, but not from sadness. From joy. "To be completely honest, you have for so long. It's just that I couldn't tell you out of fear."

"I thought you loved Celeborn." you said. "The way you looked at him made it so obvious."

"I never truly did. He sort of did grab my attention at first, but I was never in love with him." Galadriel told you. "That was because I loved you."

The elf grabbed your hands and leaned in closer to you. Her cool breath was hitting your face. It was quite gentle.

"May I give you a kiss, my love? That is, if you love me back." Galadriel asked.

"Of course, because I love you, too." you answered.

The two of you then kissed gently. As you kissed, you felt so happy. It was incredible to now be kissing the lady that you had been in love with for ages. It really did.

It was very dark out, and you could see the stars shine with the moon up above. There was a fire crackling nearby, and yet you still weren't warm. You felt cold and sad. Because you are far away from someone who means the world to you.

At the moment, all you craved was a warm and loving touch from Arwen, who you loved more than you loved anyone in the entire world. She lives all the way in Imladris, and you are somewhere distant. It is so painful to be so far from her. So, so painful.

Instead of being sad for longer, you decided to simply rest for the night. You thought of a memory before you went to sleep, and you saw your lover in it. She was dressed in a gorgeous gown, and she stared at you, the moon lighting up her skin, and the gentle wind in her hair.

"Would you care to dance with me?" Arwen asked, her soft voice giving you a calm feeling in your mind. "There might not be any music playing, but that will not stop us from dancing smoothly."

You smiled and nodded. A dance with Arwen is something that you most certainly want. "We don't need music to have a splendid time, melamin."

So, Arwen gently held your hands and began to dance. She had such grace that you heavily admired. Many have mistaken her for Lúthien, who also happened to be able to dance gracefully. Sometimes, you feared that you would embarrass yourself because you weren't as good at dancing as she is.

But then you remembered: she doesn't care if you are a mess. Arwen will always love you for who you are, even if you can't dance. You know this because she's told you so many times. And you trust her.

"What are your thoughts of the stars?" Arwen asked suddenly. "Aren't they beautiful? Sometimes I wish I could grab one and put it in a little jar to admire. But then I remember that I have a beautiful star with me."

After she spoke, you looked at her necklace, the Evenstar. It was gorgeous, and you liked it. "You're talking about your necklace, right?" you said.

Arwen shook her head. "It's you, of course." she told you. "You guide me to hope, joy, and love. And you are so beautiful to me. I don't care if you, or anyone tells me to think otherwise."

Blushing, you responded, "Thank you. I think that you are absolutely stunning. I feel so lucky to have you as my love. It feels like I beat the odds that are around one in 7 trillion." You chuckled, and pressed your forehead against Arwen's.

For the rest of the night, you and Arwen slowly danced with each other, under the night sky. You felt relaxed and at peace. Perhaps you two should do this more often. Dancing under the lights of the sky made you feel happy. And being with Arwen made the night better.

You then shook awake from the memory and felt gloomy. Being far from her made you miss the old times where you would love each other under the sun and moon.

A tear slid down your face. Tonight made you realize how long it really was. It has been over a year. It felt so short and so long. And every day that you lived through while away felt the same. At this point, you had forgotten exactly why you left.

After your wave of sadness, you fell asleep and had a dream. The dream was lovely and sweet, similar to the memory that you thought of tonight.

Your lover was in it, and she sat on a comfortable chair with her arms out, so she can hold you in her arms. So, you went into her arms and pressed your lips against her cheek.

"Melamin, I have missed you." Arwen whispered.

"I have missed you as well." you replied. "Being far away from you has shattered my heart into pieces. Arwen, I love you, and whenever we are in each other's arms, I feel safe, I feel hope."

Arwen smiled and held you closer. "It's because we love each other. We were meant for each other. I just feel it, and very strongly." she told you. "Believe me when I tell you this, my star, I am going to love you forever."

After she finished her sentence, you woke up from the dream, now having the strong urge to leave where you were to run to the love of your life. It seemed to be the best thing to do, as there is no point in being so far away anymore.

So, you ran outside and saddled your horse. Then, you gathered your belongings and quickly sped off to the home where you truly belong. If only you had a way to tell Arwen that you were on your way to see her again. But maybe it will be a lot sweeter if you surprised her.

<Arwen's POV>

Arwen laid on one of her couches, feeling a bit sad. She was waiting for you to return to her. But it has been a year and yet you still haven't come back. Her hope was starting to fade. What if you were never coming back?

This year felt like the longest year that Arwen has gone through. It felt like it had been an eternity. Which is quite unusual, because as a Peredhel, half-elven, a year feels like absolutely nothing.

Slowly, Arwen thought of the times when she was with you. Where she laughed with you. Those days were when she was her happiest, and she longed to live those days again. Tears came from her eyes as she thought of you.

As she cried silently, Arwen's father, Lord Elrond opened the door to the room she laid in to check on her. He had noticed the tears on his daughter's face. Elrond sat near Arwen with a concerned look on his face.

"Why do you weep?" Elrond asked. "What concerns you at this moment?"

"Well, ada... I miss someone who I really care about. I haven't seen them in ages." Arwen answered. "I wish I could see them again." Elrond knew exactly who she was talking about. It was clearly you.

He nodded. "I understand. Trust me, they will come back. I assure you. They miss you dearly as well, I'm sure of it."

"Thank you ada..."

"There is no need to thank me."

The lord of Imladris comforted his daughter for a bit longer and then left. Arwen felt a lot better after that, but she was still not healed from her sadness.

<Your POV, a few days later>

After days and days of riding, you felt weary. But you had finally reached Imladris. At last you can see Arwen again.

You put your horse somewhere where it was safe and ran to the home where Arwen usually is at. As soon as you reached it, you knocked on the door with a cheesy smile on your face. She is going to be so happy to see you.

Arwen answered the door, and when she saw it was you, she pulled you in closer as if to kiss you.

"May I?" she asked.

"Of course." you answered.

The two of you then engaged in a soft kiss. It was so lovely and sweet. You felt nothing but pure joy. That is because you were so happy to finally see your lover in a place that isn't a memory or a dream.

After a bit, you and Arwen separated, giggling like little girls. Both of you were giggly because you two were very excited to see each other in person again.

"My star, it has been many days since I have been able to hold you in my loving arms." Arwen said. "I have longed for you every single day that you were away, so I am filled with happiness at this moment."

"Same goes for me." you replied. The two of you did an elvish embrace. Then, you two walked inside the home, holding hands. Today was definitely a very good day.

You were standing by yourself one night, your eyes looking up at the moon. It was quiet, and you liked it exactly like that. The quiet night was the perfect place to wind down and admire the nature that surrounded you. There were flowers, fireflies, and plants all over the area.

As you were staring at the sky, you thought about somebody that you loved with all of your heart. His name was Celebrimbor, and he was so soft with you. Of course he was, as you were his closest friend. There was a chance that he loved you as well, but you weren't too sure. The elf didn't look to be the type of person to fall in love, but you never really know.

Thoughts flooded into your mind. What would life be like with him? He always went to the forges, so you knew that you wouldn't be able to see much of him. But when you would be able to, what would happen?

Your imagination ran wild. You visualized a wonderful life full of only happiness and love. This only made you long to be with Celebrimbor even more. Now should be the time that you tell him how you feel. These feelings cannot be caged in anymore.

Today, you needed to plan on how you were to do this. Obviously, you wanted to impress him. Perhaps that will ensure that he loves you back. However, you had just realized that you had to remember that you could get rejected.

Dealing with pain and heartbreak was no easy task. But would one person rejecting you really break your heart? It's not like your love for Celebrimbor was that deep. One simple rejection will not break you. So, you felt confident. And it was good that you felt confident. It helped you a lot.

Though you had the courage, you didn't have a full plan. What were you going to do to confess your love? A plan had to be formed. Where should you admit, what wording should you use? This felt as if you were planning something enormous. Truth is, you kind of were. Elves only love, and truly loved, once in their life. So, this was your one and only chance to tell him how you feel.

After many hours of thinking, you had a plan set up. You would lead him to a nearby field of flowers, and there you would hope that the night sky looked enchanting. As soon as the two of you were standing in the flowers, you would grab his hands softly, and fully tell Celebrimbor how much you love him. You hoped that he would tell you that he loved you as well.

Now that you had a plan, it was time to execute it. You had the confidence and the setting, so you felt ready. Before heading out to find Celebrimbor, you put on one of your favorite outfits and topped it off with a nice hairstyle and a flower crown.

Slowly you walked to your friend's quarters. Hopefully, you would be able to do this often as lovers. The moon was in the sky, shining in the night. You briefly peeked out of a window and saw the land, looking gorgeous in the glow of the moon and stars.

Finally, you were at Celebrimbor's door. Just for a moment, you felt so nervous. You had confidence, but for only a second, you had lost all of it. But then, you gained it again and knocked on the door. This was the moment where the elf that you wanted to give your heart to would open the door.

And that he did. The door creaked open, revealing him in a clean outfit with his hair neat and combed. Simply looking at him made you want to be his lover. Let alone talking to the elf. He was just so kind to you, despite being seen as slightly cold to others.

"Hello." Celebrimbor told you plainly. "I wasn't expecting you."

"Erm, I'm sorry if this gets in the way of any of your plans, but I would like for you to join me outside." you explained. "I have something that I must confess." You held out your hand so that Celebrimbor could take it. Hesitantly, he grabbed it and walked outside with you.

His hand was warm, and your palm was beginning to sweat. You had always imagined that you would feel only joy when holding Celebrimbor's hand. But sometimes dreams and fantasies don't come true, so you shrugged it off. Maybe it was just that you were nervous as you were about to confess your love.

It took a few minutes for you two to walk outside. And it took longer for you to find the perfect spot. You found a little area where flowers of many colors and types grew, and the grass was green, and fireflies shone in the dim night. The stars reflected onto the eyes of the elf that you had secretly loved.

There, you took deep breaths to prepare yourself. Everything was going to be okay. If things get messy, then you are absolutely fine. It was now time to tell the truth.

"Celebrimbor, I have something to say." you told the elf. Celebrimbor nodded, waiting for your response. There was a few moments of silence before you continued. "Well, I love you, and with all of my heart. No matter how hard I try, I fail to stop loving you. It has been years since I first realized my feelings for you, and now I figured that I can no longer remain bottled up. I don't care if you love me back, but I wanted to tell you the truth. I wanted to tell you how I feel."

You sighed, glad to have finally let that out. Celebrimbor, however, didn't say a word. In fact, he just stood still, not moving a single muscle. This moment was the one where you began to feel uneasy. Was this a sign that he didn't love you back?

Then, he whispered your name. "I love you, too." he admitted. "I was too afraid to let it out, in fear that you would not return my love. I believed that a beautiful elf like you would never love me. I feared that I was unworthy of your love."

"Are you telling me that you found yourself unworthy of my love?" you asked. "You, a crafter of only the most gorgeous things, a brave soul, thought that I would never love you? Wow, that was unexpected."

Then, you grabbed his hands gently and placed your forehead against his, smiling softly. Right now, you were seeing a soft part of Celebrimbor that only you have ever seen.

"I love you, and I hope you know that I am speaking the absolute truth." you muttered.