Going On A Bit Of A Historical Tangent Here Alongside My Already Existent Tolkien Tangent

adorable

haven | celebrimbor

look ma! something happy for once!

if you haven't caught on yet, i've been writing these oneshots with the intention of them to (hopefully) be read in a particular order -> if you want to get pieces of the rest of the story, please read.. (there are PLENTY more coming)

Set before S2

Ease -> First(s) (coming soon, will probably be a drabble..) -> Haven (this one!) -> Nightmare -> Wash Away The Blood

prompt: Celebrimbor takes you just outside of Eregion to a hidden pool for your first date. Not one Elf but him knows about it as it has been a haven since Eregion's foundations were laid.

tag: @pentaghasm (you know exactly why) -> @celebrimbormylove

***

You're almost positive you've heard him wrong. It's only been a matter of days since you'd shared that kiss on the balcony, and now it seems as if he's asking you - in the presence of his smiths, nonetheless - to meet him tomorrow for something he's calling a ''morning commitment.''

It's fortunate for you that you've come to know that Celebrimbor is a terrible liar.

Apparently, commitment means date.

"Good morning, nin tinu," His voice draws your attention away from your morning cup of tea as he steps out onto the balcony. Ever since he kissed you out here mere days before, you've made a habit of coming out here before the sun rises to hear the kingfishers. "For someone who prefers to rise with the late morning sun, you are up early."

"That's because someone has been occupying my thoughts," You tease. You run a teasing finger around the rim of your teacup as his cheeks flush pink. "And I've come to enjoy the sound of the kingfishers. You've given me yet another thing to appreciate about your city."

"It will eventually be our city." Celebrimbor remarks. The two of you lean against the railing simultaneously and sip at your tea. While your thoughts are consumed by the implications of his statement, he's trying to figure out how to properly ask you to follow him out of the city so he can follow through on his ''commitment."

Celebrimbor blinks in confusion as you run a tender thumb across the furrow of his brow. "You do that when you're too deep in thought," You remark softly. "Is something wrong?"

"I have decided to take the day off from the forge today. It is a beautiful day, and I wish to spend it with you." Celebrimbor said. "However, the other smiths believe me to be following through on a prior commitment I made to you. They just believe it is regarding the weapon you asked me to craft."

"And what is it really in regards to?"

"I have something I'd like to show you outside of the city. It requires several hours worth of time. Would you like to accompany me?"

There's so much hope in those kind eyes. You'd never deny Celebrimbor, not when he's so earnest and open with you, but something about the way he's looking at you says that he's eager. This is something precious to him that he does not wish to share with anyone else.

You smile and nod. "When do we leave?"

***

The place in question that Celebrimbor leads you to a few hours later is nothing short of a haven: The swimming hole that lies before you is breathtaking. Celebrimbor has taken your hand where you stand on the edge of the ledge before you, a ledge that dips just enough for one to propel themselves off the edge and into waters below.

The trees shroud the watering hole from unsuspecting eyes.

"This has been here since before Eregion's creation," Celebrimbor says lowly in your ear, hands wandering to rest against your sides as you lean into his chest. "I have not shown it to another soul. It is... my haven."

You hum softly in acknowledgment as he presses a kiss to the junction of your shoulder that has your toes curling in your boots.

"And tell me," You reply. "Why is it a haven for you?"

"Because even amid all the turmoil that has been in my life," He does not look at the water as he speaks, but rather at you, because Celebrimbor is confident that every word rings true for the person who has become his true haven. A haven is a place of refuge, after all. "I'm reminded of the existence of beautiful things."

You go silent for several minutes. It's been such a long time since you've been this close to the water - as your last experience was when the sailors of Eregion pulled you out of the sea when you fell - and you're hesitant to tell him that you're not quite confident of your abilities in swimming.

"And what does one do in the presence of such beauty?" You peel yourself away from him and cross your arms to remove your tunic, revealing the underclothes you'd chosen for the occasion. They were meant to withstand water. "Hm?"

You bend to remove your boots.

Celebrimbor immediately feels his mouth go dry. The last time this had happened, he had been the one unclothed in front of you.

"My clothes are much more confining than yours, my love," He muses weakly. "I may need more help getting out of them."

The late morning sunlight glints against your hair as you step forward to meet him, fingers wrapping around the fabric of your favorite set of red robes as he lifts his arms and the robe comes off. He too is wearing appropriate small clothes to withstand water.

If his mouth went dry, your mouth is the equivalent of the desert. He is a sight to behold.

"I'm sorry," It's rare for you to lose your carefully crafted composure, especially in front of him, but Celebrimbor finds himself endlessly entertained as you reach out a hand and press it into the divot of his chest. "I know I have technically seen this before, but you hide this all the time?"

"My eyes are up here, my love," Celebrimbor teases. Laughter echoes against the trees as he lowers his gaze to where now both of your hands rest against his chest. "Come. Let's enjoy this time."

***

It takes Celebrimbor far longer than he cares to admit to realize you are afraid.

After taking the initiative to wade out toward the waterfall, he had been expecting you to follow him. What Celebrimbor found once he turned around was you lingering in the sand. It was evident from the unease written across your face that you were afraid to move forward.

"Are you coming?" He calls in question, clearly confused.

"I..."

Your eyes find him across the pool. He's truly the most handsome man you have ever seen, but you are most transfixed by his eyes. Celebrimbor's eyes are his most attractive quality. You could spend hours upon hours studying them: The flecks of brown held within the deep hazel that seems to go on forever, holding centuries upon centuries of kindness that so often is overlooked.

The words pour from your lips before you can halt them. You are almost embarrassed that they're spoken at all. "The last time I was in water such as this was when your sailors found me in the sea. I was terrified. This-"

"I will not let you drown," Celebrimbor says softly as he emerges from the water, droplets trailing down his chest to disappear at his waist and below. "I will not let anything happen to you. You know that."

The unspoken question of, "Do you trust me?" lingers in his words as Celebrimbor holds his hand out to you. You think that you could conquer any fear if he's there by your side to help combat it.

You'd rush into the front lines of an unwinnable war if he'd fight it alongside you.

Celebrimbor has never been a warrior. He's a crafter, a creator, someone who only uses his hands for goodness. Your hands... you don't even want to know what they've done.

You're determined to change the narrative. Even if you have committed things that you can't remember, the act of taking Celebrimbor's hand opens an entirely new possibility of only goodness.

You link your fingers and follow him into the water.

Celebrimbor's smile is well worth conquering your fear. "There you go," His voice is encouraging as he stops where the water touches both of your waists. He's taller than you here. "I'm proud of you, my love. I know conquering fears is hard."

Your eyes venture upward. Celebrimbor has pushed his hair back behind his ears with his fingers, but there's one singular curl hanging against his forehead.

You tilt your head and curl it around your finger.

"Is there a reward for conquering fears?" You ask innocently, batting your lashes up at the Elven Smith who only laughs in response. Celebrimbor has not asked to properly court you. Not yet, but you want him to.

To answer your question, Celebrimbor cups your face in his hands and lowers his mouth to kiss you. You sink against him with ease and press your fingers into his shoulders to grasp at him as he eases your legs around his waist and moves deeper into the pool to the waterfall.

You whine as his tongue curls around your own and licks into the warmth of your mouth. He's just as good with his mouth as he is with his hands.

"Your other reward?" Celebrimbor begins as the two of you slip just underneath the waterfall. You shriek, burying your head in his shoulder as he tightens his arms around your waist. "I am not sure about your reward, but the sound of your laughter and the lure of your mouth is such a satisfactory reward for me, my love."

Celebrimbor holds you there for what feels like years. You do not mind. You could spend the rest of your eternity here with him and be completely content.

"I want to move forward with proper elven courtship," You say softly into Celebrimbor's ear, pressing your nose against his temple as you play with the loose, damp curls at the nape of his neck. "But only if you wish the same."

Celebrimbor had been wishing the same since he first kissed you that night on his balcony with the whole of his own city as his witness. He knew you were still adapting, still learning a whole new life, and becoming a whole new you, and for that, he did not wish to impose his own feelings when you were still wrestling with your own.

He smiled and slowly twisted his body in the water, eyes watching as you eased yourself to float atop the pool and allowed him to hold you upright.

"I would like nothing more, nin tinu," Is all he can reply, helpless and at your total mercy as you throw your arms out and embrace your fears while your refuge keeps you contained within his embrace, unwilling to let you go. "and I thank you for coming with me."

***

Less than a week later, you awaken to a gift on your side table in your chambers. It is a pendant.

A pendant with a sun and holly leaf. There is a note underneath the pedant in Celebrimbor's handwriting that makes your stomach flutter.

A reminder, for you, of our beginning.

Crafted Love

Angst? Heart break? Yes. Just yes. Enjoy 😙 (also I wrote this on a plane so don’t mind the errors)

Tag(s): @morganas-pendragons

♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧

“If he had to choose between his craft and you, what do you think his decision would be?”

It was a harsh question to ask. You had never once doubted the love of your husband, but he had been acting quite unlike himself lately. He had always wanted to create something that could make even the greatest of evils shed a tear, you knew this better than anyone, but these rings he was creating…they were different.

Since the sudden appearance of Annatar, and his request to Celebrimbor to create rings of incredible power, you found yourself having a hard time speaking to your husband without it ending in a fight. He was throwing his entire being into those rings, and losing himself in the process. You were afraid of losing the man you loved.

“I do not think he would choose his craft.” You responded, keeping your voice as leveled as possible. Though you could probably fool anyone else, you couldn’t keep your true thoughts hidden from your dear friend.

“You do not truly mean that. I can tell. Tell me, Y/N, what will you do when he becomes a completely different person?” Elrond had come to keep you company for a bit, as your husband was far too busy. This had become a common occurance over the last few months.

You didn’t respond this time. The thought of him becoming someone completely unrecognizable to you was terrifying. He had been caught up in his work before, but this was on a different level. He was irritated constantly, snapping at the people closest to him, and he seemed to practically forget about your presence altogether.

“What would you do, if you were in my place?”

Elrond contemplated this for a moment. He didn’t want to be too harsh but at the same time, he felt as though he owed it to you to be as truthful as possible. You were his closest friend, afterall.

“I would prepare myself for the worst. It would be best to be well-equipped for whatever may happen.”

You sighed deeply and stared up at the sky. The sun had started to set, painting the sky in the most beautiful shades of pink and orange. It was absolutely gorgeous. You closed your eyes, smiling softly as you remembered the times when you would drag Celebrimbor out of his forge to watch the sun set. Usually, he would stay out a bit longer with you, watching the stars appear and dance throughout the sky.

“These stars will be the witnesses to our love. They will be our proof that I, Celebrimbor, Lord of Eregion, choose to love you for all of our years together. Whenever you are feeling down, you need only look up at the sky and you will be reminded of my love.”

How you longed to hear those words again. You wanted your lover back and it hurt you to know that he may be lost forever. But it pained you even more to know that there was barely anything you could do to help him.

“Elrond, I have to set him free from this…this prison he is in.”

“How do you intend to do that, when the prison is his own mind?”

Again, a question you had not prepared yourself for.

“I will try to reason with him one more time. If he does not come to his senses, then I will consider this a lost cause. I mean it this time.” The strength in your voice reflected your resolution but your eyes betrayed you, as they quickly filled with tears.

There was nothing left to be said between friends, as Elrond could already forsee the outcome of your conversation and you were choosing to stay blind to it. He could not longer help you, nor could he watch you suffer anymore. He gave you a small nod and turned to leave.

“It will work this time, Elrond. Something feels different this time.” You called out to him, a final message before he left.

“I truly hope it does, for your sake more than his.”

You watched as your friend departed, leaving you alone with your thoughts once more. You couldn’t give up on the man who loved you, who looked at you as though you were the brightest star in the night sky. You had promised yourself long ago that you would love him until your dying breath.

Your fondest memories with him flooded your mind as you made your way to his forge. They made you feel a sense of loss, but they also helped to solidify your resolve. You could no longer sit back and watch, as your husband’s usually colourful soul now resembled a cold and empty shade of grey.

“We need to talk.” You shouted as you burst through the doors of his forge.

He was standing at his work bench, examining something through that little magnifying glass that you had gifted him years ago. The sight brought a wave of nostalgia that hit you hard, leaving you slightly gasping for air.

“What is it? I am quite busy, you know.” He didn’t even look up, you weren’t worth his full attention right now.

“As I said, we need to talk. Now.” You walked over to him and stood beside him, applying some kind of pressure for him to focus on you.

“Fine, make it quick though.” He put his glass down and turned to look at you.

Shock wasn’t a strong enough word to describe how you felt as soon as you saw him. He was a completely different man. His hair was a mess, coal and ash were smeared across his face, and his eyes. Oh his beautiful eyes. They were dull, lacking emotion of any sort.

You had interrupted him from his work before, but those were different days. Better days. Days were his eyes were full of excitement, every new project sparked joy in him and you could always see it. But now? There wasn’t an ounce of joy behind his eyes. There was nothing.

“You have changed, my love. And as much as I would love to let you continue on this project, I am begging you to stop. You are losing yourself.” You held his hand gently, doing your best to ignore the cuts and scrapes on it as there were larger issues at hand.

He stood quietly for a moment, gazing into your eyes as if he was trying to determine whether or not you were serious about your request. When he spoke, his voice was soft and quiet, almost a whisper. “Perhaps you are right.”

Your eyes lit up. This was a huge improvement from the last time when you had spoken to him. He was genuinely taking your words in and listening to you.

“I truly am so glad that you see it too-”

“I have changed. For the better. I see you now, in your truest form.” His voice changed, what was once soft was now sharp and cold, as though he was speaking to his enemy. He pulled his hand out of yours and crossed his arms, with a look on his face that you had never seen before. It was as though he despised you.

“You never wished for me to achieve my only goal, my dearest dream. You wanted me to forever live in Feanor’s shadow. A fool who could never achieve what his ancestors did. That is truly why you wish for me to stop my work on the rings.”

You stared blankly at him. His words made no sense to you. Since the beginning, you knew of his ambitions and you never once stopped supporting him. You sacrificed so much for him, and yet he had the nerve to say that. Your mind went quiet, any sense or reasoning was now long gone.

“You are indeed a fool, Celebrimbor. I gave up my position as commander, just to be here and support you while you worked day and night, attempting to create something that seemed near impossible. Yet here you are, accusing me of having alterior motives. I, who moved my entire life from Lindon to Eregion, to help you. A fool does not even begin to describe what you are in this very moment.”

Your words cut deep, causing a look of guilt and sadness to flash across his face for a moment. But he quickly regained his cold composure and looked down at you.

“What am I then?”

“I will tell you instead what you are not. You are not the man I love. You are far from the man I married and swore to love for both of our lifetimes. The man who would stay up late with me, counting the stars in the sky and promising to love me more than the amount he counted, the man who would drop everything the second I expressed any need of him, he is truly gone. I thought perhaps, the real you was somewhere in there, deep down inside. I see now that I was wrong.”

He didn’t even flinch as you told him everything you had felt for months on end. It was in that moment that you realized he was a different man now, and you couldn’t do anything about it. Not waiting for any response from him, you turned around and walked towards the door, hesitating slightly as you contemplated saying one last thing. A farewell.

“I hope those rings bring you the comfort you need, as I no longer will. Goodbye, Lord Celebrimbor.”

He said nothing as he watched you leave. Your words slowly began to sink in, but he forced himself to think nothing of them and return to his work. As he turned back to his table, he saw your wedding band, placed beside his tools. When you had taken your ring off was unknown to him, but it broke his heart, though he wouldn’t feel it until it was too late.

Years had passed since your last encounter with him. You were now standing in the ruins of Eregion, listening to your dearest friend as he told you everything that had happened. His final sentence informing you of what you had already realized: Celebrimbor had died. Or rather, he was killed. You allowed Elrond to finish his recount of the events, and then you made your way to the forge. You could not truly believe it until could confirm it with your own two eyes.

A sudden wave of nausea hit you as you walked into the forge. The smell of blood and ashes was so strong it choked you. And it was then when you looked up and saw him. Impaled to the pillar, a declaration of war. You stayed for a moment longer, before taking a deep breath and leaving. It was far more gruesome than you could have imagined.

As you walked through the rest of the city, you found yourself reminiscing about the past. Every corner of the city held a beautiful memory for you. The garden that he planted just for you, with your favourite flowers, was now completely destroyed. A single petal lay on the ground, untouched by the evil that had overtaken the city you once called home.

The next few days consisted of your friends constantly checking in on you. They knew how strong, how unwavering, your love was for the Lord of Eregion. And though your heart hurt, no tears ever fell. For you had mourned him, long before he truly left.

(Reader is Maglor's wife who had followed the Host of Fingolfin to Middle-earth after promising Nerdanel to bring Maglor home)

One day in the Third Age, she was exploring the shores of Middle-earth when she saw a solitary figure wandering in front of her. He sung mournful melodies, his fingers plucking the strings of his harp.

"Maglor," she breathed softly, then took off in a run towards him. "Maglor!"

Freezing at the sound of his name, the mournful notes of his harp faded into silence. He turned slowly, his eyes wide and filled with disbelief as he caught sight of you. “It cannot be,” he murmured, his voice breaking like a fragile thread. But when you reached him, your arms wrapped tightly around him, he clutched you as though you might vanish, his harp slipping from his fingers to the sand. “You found me,” he whispered, his voice hoarse, trembling. “After all this time...you found me.”

Overzealous Herald (Elrond Peredhel, Rings of Power)

Author's note: Written with my OC Eleniel but can be a reader insert too

Summary: Elrond is an overzealous herald, and some day, he burns out. His darling wife nurses him back to health.

As the daughter of High King Gil-galad, Eleniel knew the pressure was on for her to maintain a graceful and elegant front as the Princess of Lindon. She knew the pressure of the court, to live up to everyone's expectations, but never in her life had she seen someone so...committed to it as Elrond was.

She knew that he always felt inferior, due to his half-elven heritage. Many a night, she had spent with him in their bed, reassuring him that he was more than enough as she pressed soft kisses to his shoulders. But it seemed that she had failed to actually convince him.

She saw the emotion he hid behind his perpetually lingering smile and his sweet words. Deep down, Eleniel knew one thing.

Elrond wasn't okay.

----

"Elrond," Eleniel spoke as she entered his study, shutting the door gently behind her. He was bent over his desk, scribbling madly, a fire burning in his eyes as his quill scratched the parchment. On the ground, she saw several broken quills, no doubt swept away in anger.

"What?" Gone was the shy, sweet herald she'd fallen in love with. In his place was a tone of vindictiveness, pent up anger. Eleniel was a little taken aback by his tone of voice, but she needed to get around whatever it was Elrond was experiencing this time.

"Elrond," she spoke softly, fiddling with a lock of her long hair. "Are you alright?"

He didn't answer her. Eleniel could hear her heart shattering, but she ignored the pain and continued to linger in his study. She moved closer to his desk, her steps feather-light, and reached out to pick up a particular document to read it.

Almost like lightning, his hand shot out to catch hers. Elrond snatched the document out of her hands and slammed it on the desk so hard the quills rattled in their inkwells.

"Leave it," he growled.

Eleniel's blue eyes widened at his words. What had happened. "Elrond, I-"

Her sweet herald snapped. "If you have nothing to say, leave!" He got out of his chair, grey eyes blazing and a stray strand of brown hair falling in front of his face. Elrond was glaring back at her, his eyes ablaze with a fury she'd never seen.

However, he saw Eleniel's eyes, blue like the boundless sea. They were wide open, perhaps with shock and a little fear. Instantly, Elrond's eyes softened, and he took a step towards his wife. "Melda, I...I apologise," he murmured, his eyes downcast. "I don't know what came over me, I..."

Tears pricked the corner of his eyes, and before he knew it, they started cascading like pearls broken from a chain down his cheeks. Eleniel's heart clenched and she pulled him into her embrace.

"Talk to me, Elrond. What's happening?"

"I...I push myself too hard..." he sniffled, burying his face in her shoulder. "It's my fault...all of it."

"I hear them talk, you know," he continued, "that I'm not worthy of you, not even worthy of being here, because I'm a peredhel. I'm trying to prove them wrong."

Eleniel pressed a kiss to his forehead, and pulled away just enough to look into his eyes. The beautiful grey eyes she so loved. "Elrond," she sighed, "you don't need to prove yourself to anyone. If those...idiots cannot see that you're more than your heritage, the fault lies with them and their poor judgement."

"You think so?"

"I know so, Elrond," Eleniel agreed firmly. "Your kindness and sincerity far surpass any flattery the courtiers utter. You're genuine, you love helping others no matter who they are...need I go on?"

She pulled him to her again. "Okay, I'm officially relieving you of your duties for the rest of the week. You're to take a break, away from your work."

Elrond looked up at her, unintentionally flashing those puppy eyes. "What about the High King?"

Eleniel laughed. "Whatever objections the High King has, he can run them by me, because my lovely herald needs a break!"

She tackled him to the ground, pressing kisses to any inch of him she could reach, namely his face. Elrond laughed as he felt a knot in his chest unravel.

He needed this. To heal, to rest. As he looked down at his wife, still kissing him fervently, he knew something.

Elrond had all he needed right here.

Please a thousand times over

Please

Please

Please

PLEASE

he is beautiful

THE RINGS OF POWER + THE BEAUTY OF ELROND PEREDHEL.

THE SILMARILLION (+ descriptions of Elrond’s father and foremother) - J. R. R. TOLKEIN.

“Of surpassing beauty was Eärendil, for a light was in his face as the light of heaven, and he had the beauty and the wisdom of the Eldar and the strength and hardihood of the Men of old […]”

“Melian was a Maia, of the race of the Valar. She dwelt in the gardens of Lórien, and among all his people there were none more beautiful than Melian, nor more wise, nor more skilled in songs of enchantment.”

sweet

In This Lifetime

I WROTE THIS FOR YOU @morganas-pendragons <3 Hope you like it!!!

♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧⋆⭒˚｡⋆

Golden leaves fell slowly off of the giant tree that overlooked the great elven realm of Lindon. They were a sure sign of the end that was creeping closer every day. By the time they would have all fallen, the elves would become nothing more but lingering fragments, a sign of a great race, trapped in time. 

Standing there, in front of the Great Tree, did not help ease your mind as you had originally hoped it would. When your mind was in chaos, the mere sight of the tree could usually bring back your peace. This time, however, it brought upon nothing but sorrow. Knowing the fate of your people, and knowing you could do nothing about it, left you in despair.

“These rings, they could save our people. They could save the entirety of Middle Earth.” The words of your closest friend echoed through your head at that moment. He spoke highly of three rings that he claimed to have the power to prevent the disastrous fate that you were stuck dwelling on. Though you knew not of any such power. You feared what would happen if such rings were to be made. It would be no different from going against the Valar themselves.

“Do you still believe that the rings are a bad idea?”

His voice startles you as he comes to stand with you, under the tree. He gazes up at it, contemplating something that you believed to be far beyond your comprehension. He was always thinking of something, but that is what made him into the genius he is.

“They will forever be a bad idea, until you can create them in a way that does not disrupt the natural order of things.”

Your response caught him off guard. When he had proposed the idea to you, he did not imagine that you would linger on it for so long, nor that you would think so deeply about it. Though he did admire that about you. Your mind worked in wondrous ways.

“What if I could convince you that the rings are working parallel to the natural order? They would not stir up any trouble.”  He held your hand gently as he spoke, and while you wanted to believe him, you found it hard to do so. 

“How would you convince me?”

“Come back with me to my forge. Let me show you how I wish to make the rings.”

A part of you wanted to fight back, but his sweet words, his gentle voice, it all swayed you to follow him back to Eregion.

His forge was nothing short of breathtaking. Gems and other beautiful trinkets were placed carefully around the room. The light from the setting sun showered the room in a beautiful, soft glow. You couldn’t help but to be reminded of the early days in your friendship with Celebrimbor. He would often have you stay with him while he worked on his latest project, claiming that you were like a good-luck charm for him.

”Come, have a seat. I’m gonna make some tea and then we’ll get into the rings.”  He led you to a rather soft looking chair and then hurried off to make tea. He was always so hospitable to you, even after the countless times when you would tell him that he didn’t need to be.  

A sudden crashing noise, from the direction he was in, had you on your feet and racing towards him in a matter of seconds. It seemed as though he wasn’t quite paying attention and had dropped one of his teacups. Hardly something to cry over.

”What happened? Are you hurt?”  You slowly walked towards him, so as not to startle him.

”I was making tea and the cup was in my hand, it was so secure. I have no idea how it fell.”  He was staring down at the cup as though it was a wounded animal. This would have been quite amusing, had you not been so concerned from the start.

”It is just a cup, my dear friend. There is no need to be so upset over it. Here, let me help you clean it up.”  You grabbed a nearby towerl and  knelt down beside the broken cup. Before you could even start picking up the pieces, you noticed little spots of blood, which you deduced to be his.

”Celebrimbor?”

”Hm?”

“Let me see your hand.”

You stood up again and extended your hand, waiting for him to offer his. But he hesitated.

”I am fine you know, there’s no need for this. In fact, I can clean the cup up myself. You should go have a seat, my dear.”  He tried to usher you away but you stood your ground.

”Hand. Now.”

He hesitated for a second longer before finally giving in and placing his hand in yours. Despite being a master smith, he had quite soft hands. It dawned on you then that you had never really held his hand before. You carefully examined it and found a small yet deep cut on his ring finger.

”Your hands are your best tools, Celebrimbor, you cannot hurt them.”

He sighed at your words. You brought him back to the main room and found a clean cloth and some ribbon. It wasn’t ideal, but it was the only option at that moment. You brought him over to the chair you were previously sitting at and sat him down, squishing yourself in, between him and the arm rest.

”You know, you could just heal it.”  He looked down at you with a playful smile on his face.

You frowned at him. 

“No. You and I both know that my healing abilities are hardly something to rely on.”

”It is a small cut, my dear. I believe in you.”

”Celebrimbor-“

”I trust you with my entire being.”

His words made you freeze. You had been friends with him for many, many years. It was only natural for you to develop feelings for him, even though you had convinced yourself that he wouldn’t feel the same way. So to hear those words from him now…it made your heart flutter and suddenly, the room seemed way too warm.

You said nothing in response as you carefully cleaned the cut and prepared to heal it. Your healing abilities were not at a level where you could save someone from the brink of death, but it should be good enough for this.

A soft, light blue glow shone from your hands as you hovered over his cut. You closed your eyes, focusing your energy on healing him. He watched you carefully, admiring the focused look on your face while also taking in how beautiful you were. Especially this close.

”There, it should have worked.”  You slowly opened your eyes and examined his finger. The cut was gone, not even a scar left behind.

”It would seem as though you are not giving yourself enough credit, my dear.”

He smiled gently at you as he flipped his hand around in yours and intertwined his fingers with your own. “I should keep you here with me, to be my personal healer.” He laughed as he said this but he was only half joking.

”That would only work so long as you do not injure yourself gravely.” You slowly pulled your hand out of his and brought your other one up to cup his face. ”I cannot lose you, and I would not be able to save you.”

It was more than a profession of love. You were telling him how you had felt for many years now. You couldn’t live without him. He had left such a lasting impression on your life that it would feel like a void if he were to leave.

”Lucky for you, I do not intend to go anywhere. I will stay right here with you, for as long as you will have me.”  He closed his eyes and leaned into your hands, relaxing against your touch.

You sighed deeply, letting go of all of the worries you held earlier. Your hands seemed to move on their own, as they traveled upwards and gently traced the outer shell of his ears. He let out a soft sigh and tilted his head back, letting his head fall deeper into your hands.

Oh how he had been waiting for this moment. He longed for your touch, for you to hold him, to know that you felt the same as he did. The feeling of your delicate fingers running along his ears, it made him feel as though he was touched by the Valar themselves. He felt invincible. You made him feel invincible.

”My dear?”

”Should I stop?” You slowly started to pull your hands away but he quickly grabbed them and held them in place.

”Do not stop. Please.”

His voice was so soft, full of love and desperation. He needed you more than he needed air. You were his lifeline.

”Marry me?”

You dropped your hands in shock at his words. He was staring at you now, his eyes full of intent. He truly wanted you, there was no doubt about that.

”Celebrimbor? Do you truly mean it?” 

“With every breath in my body, with the very blood that runs through my veins, I mean it. You are more precious to me than anything I have ever created, more beautiful than any jewel in the universe. You are my everything. Please, Y/N, marry me.”

He was holding your hands in his now, his face mere inches away from you. You leaned in to him, your lips were hovering over his now. 

“I will marry you. In this lifetime and in every one in the future.”  

He could not longer find any words to say. He instead decided to pull you onto his lap and hold your head in his hands. Reciprocating your earlier movements, he traced the tips of your ears before pulling you into him and kissing you. Your little noise of surprise was drowned out by his deep sigh as he deepened the kiss, leaving you both absolutely breathless.

He finally felt as though he had everything wanted in his life. You always were the missing part of his life. He silently vowed to never let the world harm you, for as long as you both lived. As you had said, in this life, and every one in the future.

Masterlist for Lady of the Noldor - Noldoriel of Eregion (Part I) and Noldoriel of Rivendell (Part II)

Inspiration strikes (a brief introduction to my story)

Part I:

Chapter I: The Realm of Elven Smiths (to be added)

Part II:

tba

(will add the other chapters after I write them!)

Preview

I'm sorry, Mirdania

The Rings of Power — 2.07

The voyage west at the end of Return of the King is extremely funny to me, because just look at who's on board. You've got:

Frodo Baggins, hero of the Shire, in need of healing but also excited to see Valinor and meet the legendary elves who live there, a gentle soul

Elrond Halfelven, as kind as a summer, looking forward to peace west of the sea, probably wants to go chill out in a cottage with his wife for the next thousand years

Which seems fine. And then we get to everyone else.

Gandalf, cheeky bastard who's gotten so used to being a weird old wizard in Middle-Earth that's he's forgotten what Maia are supposed to act like, will immediately cause problems

Bilbo Baggins, noted storyteller, definitely planning to break into Aule's halls to see his dwarf friends, will ask all the elves weird questions and then sing about their lives and deaths in front of them, will immediately cause problems

Galadriel, who came to Aman half for Celebrian and Elrond's sake and half to taunt all her cousins about being the only one of them to survive the First Age, enjoys causing problems, will immediately cause many problems

(Also, to be clear, these are not three isolated problem-causers, they absolutely spent the entire trip to Valinor actively planning to give Amanyar society and the Valar an aneurysm.)

I just love the idea of Elrond, now reunited with Celebrian, and Frodo happily having tea with Elwing and Earendil, with nothing to interrupt them but the gentle sounds of the tides.

Meanwhile Galariel, Bilbo, and Gandalf are collectively bullying Mandos into releasing Maglor Feanorian from the halls because:

Bilbo wants to read him his translation of the Noldolante, which is written as a cheery Hobbit drinking song

Elrond always complained about how Gandalf and Maglor were both insufferably vague about advice and Gandalf needs to make sure he's more infuriating than Maglor as a matter of his wizardly pride

He still owes Galadriel money