Celebrían suddenly awoke to find Elrond dressing quietly. "They are awake," he simply stated as his wife propped herself up in their bed.
"That is wonderful news," she said happily as she pulled her robe over her shoulders. "I will get Nana."
As they came down the stairs and into the second floor hall, Galadriel was passing by. "Good morning," she smiled. "Shall we properly welcome our guests?"
"Yes, of course," Elrond answered. "I should like to assess their progress.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
The twins and ladies were talking as Carol was gently reminded to drink her tea. "Galadriel? Elrond? Oh and you must be Celebrían?" Joan exclaimed upon seeing each enter the room.
Smiling, Galadriel said, "Yes, young ones, I am Galadriel. I am pleased to see both of you are doing better."
"And Elrond is my name," answered the elf beside her. He beckoned his wife closer, formally introducing her to the pair. "Welcome to my home, the First House of Valinor, and your home while you are my guests. I hope you will feel at ease and welcome here."
"Thank you," Carol said with awe in her voice. "How did we get here? I thought Valinor was only for Elves."
"I will explain later but first Elrond and I must examine you both," she said.
Elrond chased everyone from the room save his wife and mother-in- law After he and Galadriel declared the ladies healthy enough to join everyone for breakfast, they escorted them to the kitchen. They couldn' t help but giggle at the elves sitting on counters or leaning against walls as they merrily ate their breakfast and chatted with one another. Legolas quickly led Carol to a chair at the table, which was not as full as it could have been, and the twins escorted Joan to a chair between them.
Both ladies dug into the food since they hadn't eaten for days. Setting down his juice, one of the elves sitting at the table shook his head and smirked. "Save some for the rest of us, ladies," Haldir said jokingly.
"Haldir, be nice to our guests," Galadriel scolded, tugging on his braid affectionately as she passed by with a plate of sausage and eggs.
"Sorry, Nana. It was said in jest," he apologized as he turned to say this to her as she retreated from the table where the food was set out.
Joan swallowed a mouthful of food and then blinked before she jumped up from her seat and hugged Haldir fiercely. "I am so happy you're alive!" she exclaimed in the sudden silence of the room.
"Why would I not be, my lady?" He looked at her questioningly, while everyone else in the room stared at him.
"You died in the movie," she said as Elrohir stood and led her back to her seat.
"Moo-vee?" Haldir glanced warily to a very tall elf who had a similar appearance and then back to Joan. "What is this movie you speak of?"
"It is like your dreams… moving images, but the images are on a big screen not in your mind, "Joan tried to explain.
Haldir and the others looked at her like she was delirious with fever. "It's something that you would have to experience for yourself, I guess," she finished.
"There will be adjustments to life here, and the life you are used to," said Galadriel to their guests. "Adjustments for all of us," she added.
"If we are to adjust," said the tall elf Haldir had looked to, "I welcome the change. Things have been rather dull around here." He stepped forward, and placed his hand upon his heart, giving a little bow. "I am Orophin, and I would love to hear all about movies. Even if I cannot experience them. Valar knows I've heard enough about healing and drawing and poetry and clouds and butterflies-"He was cut off by a slap to his arm by a red headed elleth behind him.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Orophin, I should like to speak with you about movies," said Joan, still waiting for the moment that she would awaken. "If Orophin is your name, may I assume you to be Valarda?"
The elleth nodded and smiled. "That I am. Welcome to our home, both of you."
Carol glanced over and then looked again. "Beg your pardon," she said, "I should have realized, with the hair. But you're wearing a dress," she added, which seemed silly to say, for all of the females in the room were wearing dresses.
"Why wouldn't I be wearing a dress?" questioned Valarda with a puzzled look.
"Perhaps now might be an excellent time for you to explain what you remember just before you arrived here," suggested Galadriel.
*~*~*~*~*~*
The entire household listened as the ladies in explained what they remembered of their boating trip, how a sudden and unusual storm came upon them causing the boat to run into rocks. Both ladies were shoved onto a lifeboat and released down into the churning waters below. The last thing either remembered was seeing other lifeboats bouncing around on the rough seas until the next morning, when nothing was in sight but the empty sea.
"Thank the Valar you both survived!" Orophin exclaimed.
"Lady Galadriel, how is it we are both here in Valinor?" Carol asked.
Galadriel looked at both ladies and everyone around the table, then began her story of what she knew. "I know this will surprise you both, but I speak the truth when I say you were meant to come here not all too long ago when the very last of the elves began sailing for the undying lands."
Joan and Carol looked at each other and then back at Galadriel. "Say again?" Joan asked.
"You were meant to come here … "Galadriel began again when Joan said, "Sorry my lady, but I meant that you should continue your story. I… I mean we are just a bit shocked is all."
Galadriel smiled and continued. "Your parents stayed in Middle- earth long after the last of the ships sailed, but after a long time living in the age you were born into, they decided it was time to bring you here. You were both lost at sea in a storm similar to the one you experienced on your boat trip, and we all feared you lost. Your mother' s name was Silmarwen and your father was known as Gwindor Elanessë, and he was a peredhel who chose the life of the Eldar." She paused, allowing both ladies to absorb what she was telling them. "Joan, your father gave you the name Alatariel, and Carol's at her birth was Celebrían."
"WHAT!?" they exclaimed.
Joan recovered first. "Are you serious? Where are our parents?"
Elrond answered, sounding a bit annoyed at the accusation. "Of course Lady Galadriel is serious. Why would she not be? This is a grave and important matter."
"I meant no disrespect Lord Elrond," Joan said. "It's just we are shocked by her words. We never expected this. We are amazed we are here with all of you in Valinor, and now, to make this discovery.."
"If you could please tell us," asked Carol, "where are our parents?"
Galadriel spoke again. "It saddens me to tell you this but your parents were devastated after thinking you both lost. They gave up their lives in Arda for you, and suddenly, you were no longer with them. It was not long before they faded from grief."
Joan and Carol looked at each other and back at Galadriel.
Galadriel continued, "You will again be referred to by your given names if you choose this, Alatariel and Celebrían."
"It will be confusing to have two in one house called Celebrían, Nana," Haldir stated.
"You can call me Cel, then," Carol offered. "It sounds a bit like Carol, it will help me to adjust." Joan tried to think of something that sounded like Joan, but she couldn't do much with Alatariel, and decided she liked the name the way it was.
"Very well," Elrond said. "You will no longer use the names of Joan or Carol. The sooner you adjust to your new life here where you belong, the better for both of you."
"No worries," they both stated.
"We love elves and are very happy to be here with all of you," Alatariel said smiling. Nenniach and Celebrían giggled at her comment, but Alatariel could do nothing but grin back.
"We are so happy to find out we are sisters," said Cel. "Good fortune allowed us to be adopted into two related families, but we always felt closer than cousins."
"The bonds of siblings are strong indeed," Celeborn added, smiling at Rúmil and Haldir as the younger one was lounging across the elder's shoulders and sharing his glass of juice. "I think I speak for all here when I say you are both welcome to stay here with us, considering the circumstances, as long as you like." Elrond nodded his consent to this as well.
"Thank you, Lord Celeborn, and you, Lord Elrond. I think I speak for both of us… we are honored and gratefully accept your kind offer." Alatariel nodded towards Cel who nodded in agreement.
The twins smiled at each other and Alatariel, then at Cel. Legolas had a happy look on his face as he looked at each of them as well. "The family I was born with preferred the larger island to this one, and I have been a guest here ever since. You will find you will soon be as part of the family here, and it is a wonderful thing."
"May I ask you something Haldir?" Cel asked, trying to steer the conversation away from her and Alatariel.
"Of course," Haldir smiled, finally passing his juice back to Rúmil to remove his brother from hanging on him.
"Do you really have a purple bunny rabbit named Nibbles?"
Shocked and somewhat embarrassed, Haldir nearly dropped the glass. He paled and answered with a question. "How do you know of this?"
"I… well, we know of you from stories. There are wonderful stories about Middle-earth and of elves that were written long ago, and then many stories after that based on the first ones. I read a story, many stories in fact, about it. In fact, the woman who writes the stories about your rabbit also writes about all of you living here in Valinor at the First Homely House. It seemed all too coincidental," Cel said. When no one answered, she added, "Her name is Zhie," then bit her lip.
Haldir almost jumped up from his seat, but Rúmil had a hand on his brother's shoulder and a look of worry on his face. "Did you say Zhie?" Haldir asked, his legs trembling so that he was unable to have stood if he had wanted to.
Not certain how to respond to his sudden actions, Cel looked to Alatariel who timidly answered, "Yes."
Although he tried to hide it, Haldir was obviously excited at this news. "Where is Zhie now?" he asked.
Cel shrugged and Alatariel closed her eyes in thought. "I think she lives in Wisconsin," Alatariel said. "Why?"
"Where is Wisconsin?" questioned Haldir, now pushing Rúmil back so that he could stand.
"It's… actually, from here, I'm not sure." Cel paused. "Wait, you know her, don't you?"
When Haldir said nothing, Orophin stepped forward and placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "She was Haldir's… intended. She is known here as Galádë," Orophin said, pausing to allow Haldir to continue. When Haldir did not, Orophin finished. "She was a sailor of the seas who carried passengers between the islands on her ship. They were to bond when she returned from a trip to the main island, but she never did. Her passengers made it safely across, but she and her ship disappeared on the way home."
"No way!" Cel exclaimed. "I knew her stories sounded way too realistic."
Celeborn worried at the distraught look in Haldir's eyes and remembered back to when Haldir nearly faded when he lost his beloved. "That is enough of this talk. The stories she told were many times written, and could have easily made their way back across the sea somehow. I highly doubt the one sharing the stories in your time is the one who wrote them in ours. There is nothing we can do to bring her back. She is gone."
Haldir shrugged off Orophin's hand and hurried out of the kitchen without saying a word. Galadriel and Celeborn excused themselves and hurried after him. Celebrían and Elrond looked at each other and stood to leave while Rúmil, Nenniach, Orophin, Valarda, and Celebdreth stood quickly and began clearing the table and cleaning plates in silence.
Elrond suggested the newest members of the house had better rest again for now. "Oh, please, Lord Elrond," begged Cel, "Can't we sit outside for a while?"
"We will stay with them Ada," offered the twins.
"As will I," added Legolas, again fearing himself more of a nuisance if he stayed in the kitchen.
"Very well. Do not let them exert themselves too much," he called after Legolas, who was last to leave. "I fear all this excitement will cause them to relapse," Elrond said, his concern clear in his words.
The twins led Alatariel as Legolas took Cel's arm, and they took up residence on the front porch where they could sit and discuss the events that had just occurred.
*~*~*~*~*~*
The twins and Alatariel sat on the large wooden porch swing that the ladies knew only from stories, while Legolas and Cel each took a chair opposite the swing. Some distance away on the beach, a lone figure could be seen sitting on a log and staring into the surf. It was apparent to them who it was, but Legolas advised that they should stay on the porch, and that their words would not reach Haldir.
Nenniach thoughtfully brought out hot cider and a small tray of dried fruits in case the ladies were hungry again, as well as two mugs of the healing tea by order of Lord Elrond himself. She sighed as she looked across the sandy shore to the elf on the beach, and then went back inside.
"Perhaps we might ask you a few things now?" wondered Alatariel, playing with the mug of tea nervously in her hands. "Such as, well, we know who Zhie – Galádë is, now, but, I wonder about some of the names she used in the stories. Some of the things that occurred. I know Lord Celeborn thinks your Zhie isn't our Zhie… I mean, Galádë." Alatariel sighed. "This is rather confusing."
Elrohir nodded. "You're doing very well, all things considered. Both of you are," he added with a nod to Cel. "In all honesty, I begin to wonder. If the two of you were finally able to make it here, why could she not have found her way accidentally across the sea?"
"Do you mind answering questions we have, then?"
"Go ahead. We'll do our best to answer them," offered Elladan.
Alatariel nodded. "Well, first, I have to ask, is there an Elodien here, and if so, who is she?"
Legolas grinned and answered, "She's my hunting dog."
Alatariel and Cel nearly spat their tea out, and were glad they didn't, for they would have sprayed each other. "Elodien's a hound?"
"She's a gentle creature, though she would always bring what I shot back to Haldir. There was something of a running joke about that. Properly, my dog's name is Lady Elodien," he added, and upon giving a whistle, he looked with expectation at the door. Moments later, the noise of paws on stairs ended when a fit and frisky black and grey hunting dog exited the house and romped over to Legolas.. She wagged her tail and nudged her master' s hand as she sat next to him. Smiling as he scratched her just above her golden collar, Legolas took a handful of figs from the bowl on the tray that had been placed on the table and held them out. Elodien greedily gobbled them up as the ladies stared.
"Well," Alatariel eventually said, "she never mentioned any dogs. Just… elves, and birds, and bunnies."
"And Asfaloth," Cel reminded her friend. "Is Asfaloth really Nahar?"
"No," answered Elrohir.
"And Mitzi? Is Mitzi--"
"No," answered Elrohir again.
Cel felt something nudge her leg and saw Elodien looking up at her with, well, big puppy eyes. "She just wants a treat," Legolas said gently, taking a few of the figs from the table and placing them in the palm of Cel's hand. "Go ahead, as I said, she's very gentle." Cel lowered her hand, and Elodien carefully ate the food, licking Cel's hand clean with her tongue.
"In the stories, Elodien has children," Alatariel ventured further. "Lasiavis? Belegar?"
"In a manner of speaking, they are still Elodien's children. Puppies, really, and still are," replied Legolas. "Elvish dogs age in the same manner as we do, and do not perish from disease or old age. Gil-Galad took Belegar, and Lasiavis is a near constant companion to Erestor."
"Ah. I suppose Gimlin is yet another of her litter," remarked Alatariel as she rubbed Elodien behind her ears.
At this, the mood became much more somber, and it was Elladan who at length replied. "Gimlin is but a hope and a prayer from two very loving parents who tragically lost their son on a field of war."
Silence filled the room, and neither Alatariel nor Cel dared to speak. Legolas finally said, "Haldir has not stopped mourning the loss of Dínendal. For Galádë, it was a way of coping with his death."
"But I thought—he was their son?" questioned Cel.
"His parents by birth did not truly want him, as you have read in the tales, for his name is familiar to you. Dínendal was brought into their home and their hearts when he was but a small elfling, and never once was it questioned whose son he was. He followed Haldir everywhere, and sadly, everywhere included the battles on the borders of Lorien and into Mirkwood during the war at the end of the third age. It was a sad day when Haldir brought back… " Elladan' s voice was soft and tapered off, and it was evident from the faces of the elves that the conversation was over for the evening.
Elladan and Elrohir accompanied Alatariel back inside, for she wished to rest, but Cel lingered on the porch with Legolas. "How long will he stay out there?" she questioned, nodding toward Haldir.
"I do not know. He has been upset with himself many a year for spending so long without making a final commitment to her. Or she to him. While he was a warden, he did not want to take the chance that he would be killed and she would fade. When they came here, the roles were reversed. Should she be lost at sea, she did not want him burdened with an unbreakable bond. Now… " Legolas sighed uneasily. "Now there is hope, or so he thinks."
"What do you think?" asked Cel. She reached out a hand and placed it comfortingly over his. "Legolas?"
Sadly, Legolas smiled. "I do not yet know what to think," he said, though he thought to himself, `I do, however, think I am falling in love.'