"Perhaps the two of you might sing me a song, for awhile?" Lady Celebrían asked the two elves riding beside her hopefully. Maegwen and Haldir had been engaged in an argument for the better part of an hour now and it was beginning to weary her. She had lost track of what the argument was about at least twenty minutes before.

The three of them rode their horses behind Galadriel and Celeborn. Thandronen had escorted them to the edge of the Golden Wood, but after that it was just the five of them, and Celebrían was rather beginning to regret the presence of Haldir herself. Oh, she liked him well enough, but he seemed to rub Maegwen the wrong way and the two of them were always having heated debates.

Sometimes Celebrían secretly suspected that Maegwen had tender feelings for the arrogant young elf, but her friend vehemently denied such when pressed. Despite the angry spark in both pairs of blue eyes when she and Haldir looked at each other, the arguments never ceased due to frustration on either part. In fact, the pair of them seemed to rather enjoy the exchange of bitter words and condescending taunts. If they were not each taking some small pleasure in it, Celebrían did not know how it could go on so long. Occasionally they made her laugh, and there was no doubting the wit of each party. She tried to take no sides in the ongoing battle.

Celebrían wondered why her father had brought Haldir along. She dared not question, and her mother seemed to like the young elf as much as Celeborn did. Perhaps they saw in him something which she did not. She wondered if she would ever know.

They took no guards when they traveled, and Celebrían knew that it was the power of her mother's ring, Nenya, which kept them safe. They had only sunny weather, despite the chill in the air that said winter was coming, which grew in strength as they drew nearer to Imladris. They saw no orcs or other dangerous creatures as they traveled. The only danger was Celebrían's growing irritation with the argument of Maegwen and Haldir.

"I would be pleased to sing for you, my lady," Maegwen replied sweetly. "What would you like to hear?"

"I know a ballad about an elf maid who was so shrewish that no other would have her, and she died, old, bitter, and alone," Haldir said in an innocent tone.

"Or if you prefer, I know one about a young elf who could not control his tongue from saying wicked things, and so the elders gathered round him and ripped it from his fool head."

"All right, that is enough. Do you not know any songs about Rivendell?"

Grudgingly the pair admitted that they did, but it took Celebrían to name a title for them to agree. She picked the longest song she might think of and set them off. Both Maegwen and Haldir had lovely voices, and soon Celebrían found her spirits lifted. She lent her voice to theirs, and soon she heard both her parents do the same. The song floated over the long field which they had just entered, and finally up ahead, she could see Imladris in the distance. They would be there within a few hours!

Celebrían remembered her one meeting with Lord Elrond. It had been over a hundred years before, a few years before the defeat of Sauron at the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. Elrond had come to Lothlórien to speak to her parents... she knew not what his errand had been, but she had just come into her majority and had immediately taken notice of his fine figure.

He was her opposite in face and form. His human blood gave him a slightly sharper look than most elves of her acquaintance. He was handsome, but not pretty or even beautiful. He had been tall, taller than she was, taller than her parents, but not as tall as some of the young elves of Lórien grew. He had long, dark hair that looked soft. It had been elaborately braided, almost as ornate as her own. His eyes had been grey. They had seemed a unique shade to her. All the elves of Lórien had eyes in various shades of blue, so his grey had seemed undeniably attractive.

Maybe it had just been that she was coming into her majority, but she had desired this lord. Of course, she had exchanged no more than five words with him, at most. And now, here, over a hundred years later, she found herself excited to see him again. Of course, there was little chance that he would offer for her to wife, not if King Thranduil of Mirkwood was the one they were considering. It was well known that Thranduil and Elrond were fast friends.

Celebrían wondered vaguely why her father disliked the Elvenking, and if this meant she had no chance of being married to him. She had never met Thranduil. In truth, the thought of marrying a stranger frightened her, but Celebrían had known all her life that as a princess, she would have no say in her choice of spouse. She had accepted that. Her only request would be that she be allowed to keep Maegwen at her side. Celebrían could not imagine her life without Maegwen's love and friendship. She could admit the depth of her feelings towards the other elf maid.

It touched her that Maegwen had not married, when she could have done so in her fiftieth year if she so desired. In fact, Haldir's father had been one of those who had asked for her, Celebrían remembered. He was a quiet, sullen type, not suited to Maegwen at all, and he was better off with the mate he had chosen, in Celebrían's opinion. Also, she was glad that he had produced Haldir. Sometimes she wished Maegwen could know the Haldir that she knew. He occasionally revealed his youthful and vulnerable side to her as they sat together during his harp lessons. He was clever and had a good heart, underneath his brash and arrogant exterior.

When the song finished, Celebrían waited anxiously for Maegwen and Haldir to start with each other again, but Celeborn dropped backwards and said he wished to speak with Haldir. He motioned the girls forward. Galadriel called for them to join her. Celebrían rode up next to her mother, and Maegwen followed.

"It is good to have some relief from Haldir's constant company," Maegwen said.

"Be kind, Maegwen," Galadriel said, smiling, "He is barely more than an elfling, after all. You are far more mature than he is and should know better than to let him drag you into such heated discussions."

Maegwen turned a bright red and looked shamefully down at the ground. "Forgive me, Lady Galadriel. I spoke out of turn."

Celebrían knew that her mother was right, but she quickly changed the subject in order to spare Maegwen this embarrassment. "Do you think we shall meet the King of Mirkwood tonight, Mother?" she asked.

"We shall," Galadriel said.

"What is he like?" Maegwen asked, a little breathlessly.

"Thranduil is young," her mother replied. "He will be a great king in time. He will follow in his father's footsteps."

"So, he is not a great king now?" Maegwen asked, frowning.

Galadriel laughed. "My dear child, there are times when I think you deliberately misinterpret my words."

"I do not mean to be contrary," Maegwen said.

"I know, Maegwen. But sometimes I wonder if you should not think before wagging your sharp tongue." The admonishment came gently, and Maegwen nodded. "I think that you will like Thranduil, Celebrían. He has a generous and gregarious nature. He needs the guidance that a queen will provide him. After all, where would our elves be without their maids?"

"And Lord Elrond?" Celebrían asked dreamily, "Does he not need guidance as well?"

Galadriel looked at her sharply for a moment before she composed her expression. "He may, but he is one of the few in which I have never seen such a need."

"Celebrían and I have read many of Lord Elrond's writings," Maegwen said loyally. "She is eager to meet him and speak with him about history, and architecture, and gardening."

"Perhaps Thranduil knows just as much about such topics," Celebrían said hopefully.

"Is not Mirkwood Palace in a cave? I doubt he is much of a gardener," said Maegwen. "As for history, Lord Elrond is far older and has seen much more. And Rivendell is known to be one of the most stunning examples of Elven construction, while again, Mirkwood Palace is a cave--"

"Very well," Galadriel interrupted her. "I am certain that Elrond will be happy to discuss literature and history with the both of you, but I do expect, Celebrían that you will be kind to King Thranduil."

"Celebrían is kind to everyone," said Maegwen.

"Then perhaps, Maegwen, it is you who I must ask to mind your tongue. You both know that we are considering Thranduil as a match for Celebrían, and I do not wish that to be destroyed with an ill-thought word."

"Again I must ask your forgiveness, my lady."

"Maegwen will be asking your forgiveness until the end of time, Mother," Celebrían said, smiling at her friend. "Her sharp tongue is what makes me adore her, and I will not marry any elf whose tongue is not equally delightful."

Galadriel looked amused, but she shook her head, her mantle of long golden hair flowing over her white cloak. "Then perhaps you will like Thranduil after all," she said.

"Perhaps," said Celebrían.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw her father leaning near to Haldir. The young elf had a slightly startled expression on his face and she wondered what they were speaking of. Haldir licked his lips nervously and Celebrían's eyes rounded as she saw her father's hand slide over Haldir's thigh. Haldir pulled his horse to the side and Celeborn laughed. Celebrían turned back around, her cheeks heating. She wondered what she had just witnessed and what it meant.

Celebrían knew that both of her parents were very old, and that they had been wed for many, many years. While they loved each other dearly, she knew that sometimes elves of a certain age grew restless and sought other bed-partners. She hoped that she herself would never feel that way but was not sure that it was not inevitable, especially if one did not marry for love -- and Galadriel and Celeborn had married for love.

She had never thought much about love between males, though she knew it was common among elves. Most elves enjoyed partners of either gender, and had not she and Maegwen sported together? She had never lain with a male, but nor had she ever wanted to. It was given that she would wait until she was wed, and Maegwen had followed her example.

Perhaps Celebrían could tell Maegwen about what she had seen later. She hoped the other elf could give her some perspective on the event. Maegwen was so clever, and knew so much, even though her own experience was as limited as Celebrían's.

"Ah, Lord Elrond knows we are coming," said Galadriel.

Up ahead, a party of elves rode towards them, to welcome them to Imladris. Celebrían felt her heart beat strongly in her chest as she recognized Elrond at the head of the party.

"We are nearly there," she whispered to Maegwen.

"Indeed we are, my lady. Indeed we are."