Farewell (Ai! Laurie Lantar Lussi surinen) by Laitaine
Summary: Galadriel looks into her mirror and foretells the future.
Categories: FPS, FPS > Elladan/Elrohir, FPS > Elrohir/Elladan Characters: Elladan, Elrohir
Type: None
Warning: None
Challenges: None
Series: None
Chapters: 1 Completed: No Word count: 1214 Read: 846 Published: December 16, 2011 Updated: December 16, 2011
Story Notes:
Elvish translations are at the end. All titles come from Tolkien's Poem Namarie.

1. Prologue by Laitaine

Prologue by Laitaine
Prologue

The small glade in Lothlorien was dark, except for a single star that pierced the night. The elf lady that sat on the grass gazed at it wistfully, the name of it strong in her mind. The brave peredhil she had never met was destined to sail the skies for all the ages of the world till Morgoth was free and the end was come. But Galadriel knew that was a long time away - the second age was only a few centuries old and she was soon going to lose one of the few people she had ever cared about.

'And you will lose your son, mariner' she whispered to the heavens, 'though you never really knew him.' She knew that Elrond Half-Elven, the young lord of Imladris had only recently suffered a great loss - his brother, who had chosen a mortal existance had just died in the bright realm of Numenor. In a way she was glad that for the loss she would have to make Elrond would find happiness, but that eased the pain only a little.

'Oh, Celebrian... why must you leave me?' Galadriel sighed, the only sound in the silent wood. 'My heart has been destroyed enough times already, I don't want it to happen again.'

She thought of the handful of elves she had loved - her grandfather Finwe, the first being to be slain since the Valar created the world. Finarfin her father, who stayed in Valinor. Her uncle Feanor, who had intrigued her with his spirit of pure fire, though she had grown to despise him after the kinslaying at the Haven of Swans. Also Celeborn, the quiet silvan elf who had dwelt in Doriath, a kingdom lost long ago, and the beautiful daughter of Melian, Luthien Tinuviel, who also had loived in Doriath, and had married a mortal. And Galadriel's only child Celebrian, who would soon be lost to her.

She would only have Celeborn left, though that wasn't bad. Galadriel wondered what her husband thought of their daughter leaving them. He would be heartbroken, she decided, but he wouldn't say anything. The elf shook herself suddenly. Celebrian wasn't going forever, just getting married and going to live in Imladris. They could still see each other, and maybe one day the two of them would sail to Valinor together.

Valinor. Was Galadriel the only elf left in Middle Earth who had seen the beautiful place that was home to the Valar? Were there no others who had seen the beauty... and death... of the trees? She didn't know. Many of the Noldor that had traveled with her were gone, lost, slain without mercy. All her brothers, her cousins, even Aredhel, the only other lady with so high a place as Galadriel when the Noldor left Valinor. Galadriel had never liked her arrogant cousin, but it was strange to be the only one left.

Earendil's rays shone on the mirror in the centre of the glade, bringing Galadriel back to the present. She stood up, and picked up the silver jug full of water. Maybe the mirror would show her Celebrian's future. She wanted her daughter to be happy. Also, she was intrigued to see what her daughter's offspring would be like, for one one side they would be descended from Turgon, lord of Gondolin and also from Melian, the only maia ever to bear children; and on the other side they would be descended from Finarfin and Galadriel herself, in whose hair shone the last memory of the Trees of Arda. And on both sides they would be descended from Finwe, one of the three elves who were the first leaders of their people. Galadriel smiled: these would be special elves. She knew it in her heart.

Water, clear as the freshest spring, fell into the silver bowl as the elf queen poured gently, watching it fall. When the jug was empty she laid it on the ground and stepped forward, gazing at the mirror in which only the star above her head was reflected. She watched him for a second, and then the picture changed.

A tall elf, with dark brown hair gazed sorrowfully out over Imladris. Galadriel knew who he was, Lord Elrond, who her daughter was going to marry. His mouth was forming the words 'Celebrian, Celebrian' and then, 'why?' Down below there was a procession of elves going west, towards the grey havens and they carried an almost lifeless body with them - Galadriel's heart turned to ice as she recognised the golden hair. It was Celebrian.

The scene shifted, and three elves were sitting in a garden crying bitterly. They were all young, and Galadriel realised they must be her grandchildren. Two boys and a girl, holding onto each other for comfort. She saw the face of one boy and the girl, his like a younger version of his father and the girl's like Luthien reborn, only with dark brown hair. Then the other boy turned, and the elf queen gasped. The boys had the same face, they were identical. Few twins had ever been born in Middle Earth, and these were so spookily similar they could have been one person.

The image changed again and now Galadriel saw the boys again, though they were older and their faces had more authority. But one of them seemed to be crying again, and they were arguing, but Galadriel could hear no sounds. The other twin seemed to be rejecting his brother, and then he turned and fled, leaving the elf with a look of intense hurt and pain on his face.

Now the final image came, and Galadriel saw herself, many centuries older but still (she thought) as beautiful. In the background there was a grey ship, and there were many elves on board. She could see the sea. Suddenly she saw an elf she recognised - Elrond, and on his finger there was a bright sapphire, gleaming in the sun. Galadriel saw another ring on her finger, only this was made of mithril and had a clear stone, flickering from inside. Also, an old man stood near the ship with some creatures who looked about four foot high. The youngest was crying. On the old man's finger there was a ruby, like a fire. She knew suddenly that this man was not human. As she watched the people get onto the ship, she saw a couple in the shadows - the twins again. They were holding tight to one another, and as they turned she thought she saw their mouths clasped over one another's. She blinked, and the two elves had broken away, one staying in the shadows and one walking fast towards the ship.


Galadriel sank down onto the ground in tiredness, fatigue sweeping over her.

'Mama?'

She looked up, and saw her daughter hurrying towards her. Suddenly the first picture from the mirror filled her mind - her daughter, lying as if dead.

'Celebrian...' Should she say what she had seen? No. These things might not happen, and there was no need to cause worry. All Galadriel said was, 'I'll miss you.'

'I'll miss you too.' They clung to each other, and a breeze stirred in the glade, sweeping golden leaves down from the trees.


TBC
End Notes:
Elvish: Ai! Laurie Lantar Lussi Surinen = Ah! Like gold fall the leaves from the trees.
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