Celebrian's Story

Celebiran walked solemnly along the luminous pathways in Rivendell. Her long, curly hair bounced off of her knees as she glided along crossing rivers and stones and fallen wood. Despite the elegance of her home, despite the calm rushing of the stream, and despite even the calm and collected nature all elves posses, her mind was at war with ugly doubt and searing pain. She stopped by a small pond and gazed down at her reflection in the pristine water. Her nose pointed just so, her eyes the color of amber, and her hair, wavy and cascading in long tresses, uncommon for elves of this time. She scowled at the water and turned away. Perfect, not a blemish, not an ill word spoken, not one hair out of place, and yet she felt so judged and so different. Well today she got the answer to the question as to why she felt such a way about her and her peers. Different indeed, for she was pure, of blood and body at least. She almost teared as the memory of earlier events replayed uncontrollably.

She could see it now, she was with other girls of the city,she played the harp and sang while they made themselves busy weaving a tapestry for a young warrior that had just completed his first Orc battle in the misty Mountains, to tell of his heroic trial and bravery. All of the girls were smiling and laughing and Celebrian joined in, but not as wholeheartedly as she tried to make it seem. She always felt different, from her slightly leaner features to her curly hair and her height. As far as she knew there was no reason for these differences save for that's how she arrived in the realm. Different.
She continue to play a sweet song, but when she prepared herself to sing she felt a twinge at her neck, as if she were being watched. But she wasn't just being watched, something was wrong. Something had changed. She glanced over her shoulder and her eyes widened as she saw Lord Elrond and Galadriel, both looking directly at her unwaveringly. She spun around so quick her head swam and she kept playing, trying not to think of them, trying not to question why they were there.
She had just finished her song when she felt a palm touch her shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her skin at the contact and looked up to see Lord Elrond himself standing there, seemingly absent of the Lady of Light he was with earlier, looking down upon her. She stood and bowed her head while preforming a small curtsy.

"My lord." never lifting her head.

"Celebrian, there is something that you and I must discuss."

That was all that was said before he turned as started up the pathway towards the palace. She looked back at all of the girls making the tapestry, all of them staring curiously at her so she quickened her pace so as to escaped their judgements. She walked alongside him, keeping her eyes straight and towards the path.

"I don't believe we have ever truly spoken before Celebrian, although I have no doubt you know who I am." She nodded, "Yes my lord, I know who you are." They were very close to the royal house now and she grew nervous. "My lord, Is there something I have done to offend or something of the sort?"
Lord Elrond stopped at the main door, two guards were standing watch, unflinching in there duty even when the Lord stood before them. He turned to look at her, "Everything you've been taught, Celebrian, that you were just another elf, that you were a subject to obey the leadership, that you were a musician intended to play for the executives elves of Rivendell. This was all in preparation for your true purpose in life."
She kept her eyes to the ground. What did he mean? She was so confused at his words that she didn't notice the hand that came up to her chin, lifting her eyes to gazed upon his brown ones.

"You need not ever bow again. You will look me in the eyes Celebrian, for what I am about to tell you will come as a shock. But first, " He looked around the path and through the trees, "Let us go inside so I may speak to you in private."

She followed him, not knowing what else to do and being so curious that it almost killed her to wait for the news. Had they found her parents? Were they well?She almost skipped beside Lord Elrond at the mere though, but thought better and remained in control. They walked through the hall and she marveled at its beauty. She had little time to appreciate the craftsman ship before she was led through two sets of doors to a parlor that eventually lead to a balcony. Actually it seemed more like a cave, with a large slab of crystal that the edge of the ciff.

"I assume you know where we are?" he walked towards the slab and she slowed slightly behind him.

"Yes my lord. This is where one goes if one wants to read moon runes."

"Very good", he smiled at her and she couldn't help but smile in return. "Tell me Celebrian, what do you know of your family?"

"Her heart stood still, skipping a beat altogether at the mention of her family. "The truth is my lord I know very little about my family or where it is I come from. The lady who saw after my upbringing told me they were not from here essentially. They were Noldor, but they resided else where. I don't know how I came to be here."

Lord Elrond nodded at this and paced ever so slightly in front of her. Gathering his thoughts and eventually stopping in from of her. "I was there the day you arrived. Your mother brought you directly to me, saying there was no other she could trust. That you were the most valuable thing she had ever held."
Celebrian felt a tear slide down her face at her mothers words. "What was she like?"
He gave her a sympathetic smile, "She was strong, and quite determined. She knew how to command attention and command it she certainly did," he chuckled softly and so did she.
Suddenly, Celebrian's face fell into a scowl. "Why am I here? If my mother was so well, why am I not with her?" The words sounded more venomous than she had probably intended, but she honestly didn't know who she was more angry with. Her mother? Or Lord Elrond?

His head fell and he took a deep breath. "You must understand how hard it was for me not to tall you all of these years. However, your mother insisted that I wait until your 300th birthday to tell you about yourself. Who your family is. However, the impending threat of war and darkness on the horizon has forced me to divulge this now."

Celebrian was taken aback, but she needed answers to these questions she has kept to herself for so many years, assuming she was orphaned. "Who Am I?"
He came closer and looked deep into her Amber eyes, "You are Celebrian, daughter of Marklon, son of Mahtan, of house Mahtan which was fused with house Finwe. You are the pure blood. Your father was born to a mighty elven huntress, as well as Mahtan's first wife. They were separated in battle, and shortly after the birth of your father she died." He paused gaging a her reaction but she couldn't speak, she couldn't even breathe. "The renegade group of elves your mother found shortly after the battle raised your father until meeting your mother. They did not produce any children until almost 300 years ago. You, a child destined for greatness." At this he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and offered a small smile but it fell as he continued. "Your mother knew who you were and although your father wanted nothing to do with his titles, she wanted the world for you. So she brought you here. To be raised humbly and safe from danger and worry."

"Celebrian took a step towards the cliff and looked away from Lord Elrond as she tried to understand his words. "I do not understand. I am no one. I am just another elf like everyone else."

Lord Elrond exhaled and moved to stand beside her. "I understand how you must feel. Your mother, and I as well, felt it best that you were brought up humbly and respectively until it was your time to lead, to ensure that you were calm, respectful, and mature enough to lead. We both sensed, as well as Galadriel, that you would be coming to power a lot quicker than expected. The impending conflict in Mordor and in the areas surrounding the realm of man can be ignored no longer. As you know, my sons left us long ago, " She wanted to reach out and offer him a consoling gesture, but she was in absolute shock. She couldn't move if she wanted to. "And my daughter, she has no interest." He looked to her now, a solemn vow in his eyes. "I vow to you now, Celebrian, daughter of Marklon of the House of Mahtan. In the event of my death or resignation, you alone will be my successor with Lady Galadriel, daughter of Finarfin of the house of Finwe until such a time as you are ready to assume power."

She almost collapsed at the memory, but instead she just stood in solemn silence. In one afternoon her entire world had changed.And it would never be the same again.

(Let's get this shit revived, people :3 I tagged all of you so you would know my intention. We must get this ball rolling again!)
It is a beautiful, clear-skied day. The sun shines bright on a field of pure blue, illuminating the flowing green and gold fields of Eastemnet, much to the chagrin of Gorthak the Piercer, one of the leaders of Saruman's Fighting Uruk-hai. He looks over his shoulder at his legion, shielding his eyes from the annoyance that is the sun and growling at the competence of his troops. He prides himself on having one of the best-trained troops in Isengard's force, though the accuracy of that is disputed by some. Today, though, he simply needs to kill something. He hasn't seen battle in a long while, and executing incompetent Orc Snagas had gone from fun to grating. If he didn't get to feast on some man-flesh prior to getting to Helm's Deep, he just might go mad(er).

As luck would have it, heading in their direction was a large detachment of Rohirrim Forces, lead by an equally ill-tempered Rohan Captain named Mordren whose weary men had just had a run in with White Hand warg riders. They had defeated the riders with few casualties, but the experience of chasing down and killing riderless wargs was one that could make any man or horse tired and annoyed, and his men had the same general feeling. Currently he just wanted to run into some small band of Uruk-hai or Orc scouts to make short work with an raise the morale of his men.

Neither were close enough to spot each other just yet, but their meeting is inevitable, and wherever the Horse Lords and the White Hand meet, there's sure to be blood, black or red...

(Also...ignore the "Ian" character I tagged. He'd been rejected already. Not sure how he got on there.)