Title: Crossing the Borders
Author: Daphne
Pairing: Galadriel/other (Chloe, a human and the only character I own here:-)
Rating: not sure! Guess it's pretty harmless in the beginning (PG-13) but turns into NC-17 (...)
Summary: Galadriel has someone else she is dreaming of... How will Celeborn react?
Disclaimers: No copyright infringement is intended, and I seriously doubt any profit will be gained. I don't own any of JJR Tolkien's wonderful characters and don't claim to do so! I'm just a fan experimenting a bit!
Warnings: This is a f/f slash fanfiction and contains a f/f pairing. If you're not okay with this, don't read!
Notes: This is my maiden voyage at writing F/F Slash fanfic in English (I'm not a native speaker), so please be kind with your criticisms. I' m sure there are lots of misspellings and grammatical errors, as well as general writing faux pas, don't be too harsh, lest ye damage my fragile ego...thx!;-) AND this is a cross-over fic - if you don't like the idea of Middle-Earth/Aman crossing our *real* one, read another story! Last but not least: A big thank-you to Jessie!!!
...And finally: ENJOY!
Crossing the Borders
by Daphne
The golden trees of Lórien glowed warmly, enlightening the darkness around them. The Lady Galadriel was lost in thoughts. Again. Celeborn and the other elves were worried about their Queen. To her husband she seemed absent and when she talked to him he could not help but feel that her mind dealt with something else. Or someone else?
He let out a deep sigh. He did not appreciate it that she walked without any company lately. Sure, within Lothlórien there was no reason to fear. No untrue soul could enter here. After the ring's battle ages ago they had settled back to a kind of normality.
What he feared was that she did not care to cross the borders of their land. Some years ago the race of men had risen increasingly. In the beginnings they had tried to get along with them, and it had worked well so far. But as the humans expanded, the home of the elves decreased. And not only that for elves, all the other creatures of middle-earth disappeared, slowly, but efficiently.
Maybe I should invite Arwen to cheer up her mood, he mused. Immediately after he'd thought this, he heard the answer from Galadriel :
"Worry not over me, Celeborn. There are more important things to worry about than me."
With that she was behind him and smiled at his startled expression.
"My love", he murmured, "what could be more important for me than you?"
Galadriel felt a sudden hint of guilt. She had loved him dearly over all those centuries, and still did so but deep in her heart she knew that it had been a love of comfort. They were both of high birth and had reigned well together. Still, deep down she knew that they had not found their soul mates in each other. Not like Arwen and Aragorn. A human, yes, but who knows the ways of the spirit?
She recaptured herself quickly and stated: "As your mate I appreciate your statement but as a Queen I must scald you, Celeborn."
She lifted a hand and stroke his cheek as if to soften her words. Celeborn swallowed hard.
"I am thinking about ways to handle the problems that we have now, due to the expansion of the new time. We must find a way to live with it, we must learn to deal with these humans and maybe even to live among them."
"Among them?!?"
Celeborn suddenly turned red with anger.
"What do you have in mind, to adopt their boorish lifestyle? To live in smug and dirt? Because that' the way they live! Or do you just want us to become oblivious to them? To hide like prey? To emigrate again, to betray our beloved home again and just leave it to them? Is it that what you want?"
Galadriel remained calm. Her voice was still soft as usual but Celeborn could sense the difference in it. He had gone too far.
"I am not saying that we should hide. I was not talking about leaving when I mentioned the fact that we must learn to live among them!"
"I'm sorry, Galadriel. Please forgive my outburst." Galadriel sighed. He had always been that way. But why did it bother her now? "I see. It is hard for all of us."
Celeborn stepped closer to his queen but the gap between them seemed to broaden. "Well, as you know I have made up my mind about that as well. That's why we have called for a council. But I believe you too feel that this is not the real reason for your ...absence. I cannot help but keep thinking you know something that we don't. Everyone worries about you, my dear. Your maidens are begging me to speak to you. Don't you want to talk about it with me? I am your husband, Galadriel. Please talk to me."
The fair elf closed her eyes for a moment to gather herself. There it was again. The feel of another heartbeat so very close to hers. She could smell fear and someone speaking to her. She could do nothing when those visions approached her. What she saw before her inner-eye was a young woman, very tall for a female human. The height would nearly match her own. When those visions had started some time ago, she had felt an aching for this human beyond believe. She already felt so close, like she'd have always known her deep inside. And now this soul needed her comfort, was seeking for it. But *what* can I do when I don't even know where you are? she had thought that in despair but Celeborn could hear her thinking. Just like she had heard and answered him before. He was calm and tender when he asked her, he could see how she struggled with herself.
"Who is it you are searching for, Galadriel?" That broke her gaze. She knew the time had come to reveal the visions that afflicted her lately to her husband. It was only fair if he knew. And maybe it would ease the guilt she felt every time her mind wandered to the image of the tall woman of her dreams.
She turned to Celeborn and took his hand.
"You are right, my Lord. We must talk."
They both sat down on of the richly embroidered chairs and Galadriel's warm singsang filled the room as she spoke.
"Do you remember the time we were courting?"
"Of course I do. "
"And... do you also remember what I told you when..."
Suddenly an idea formed in his mind.
"Galadriel...! I know we are no true soul-mates... if it's this what you're dwelling upon."
Galadriel frowned shortly. Then she regained her composure and went on.
"Well, partly. O Celeborn, I love you dearly, you must believe me that! But..."
Here she twisted her hands in a totally un-elfish manner. She fought with the next to say. Celeborn took pity on her state and enclosed her in a comforting embrace.
"Wait! I must tell you what I've been carrying around for quite some time now."
She nearly sobbed. This was so absolutely not Galadriel. Not the Galadriel he knew, or assumed to have known.
"Shh, my love. Do not hesitate to tell me then. I am here and I will listen."
"Ok...Look! I know it is impossible..."
She paused again, as if to wait for his response.
He looked somewhat puzzled.
"What is impossible, honey? Have you... don't tell me you have found your soul mate?"
Galadriel felt the urge to soothe him. She could imagine how hard it must sound to Celeborn to hear all this. But it had to be said.
"I am so sorry, Celeborn." His eyes seemed to focus on a leave that swung softly in the breeze.
"If you want me to stop..."
"No, don't! We have always been true to each other and I remember when I was courting you...."
He took a deep breath, as if to reassure himself.
"You made me aware of this fact several times before... Now I understand. You have always been the wiser one in this relationship."
He felt her hand on his right shoulder, feather light and comforting.
"We were in love, Celeborn. You can't imagine how many times I had wished not to have the power to foresee things. How many times I had wished to meet my soul-mate and to find that it was you."
She soughed again, before she went on. "Over the years I have learned to accept my love for you without us being soul-mates. And I began to believe, that it was not that important anyway - until I saw Arwen and Aragorn together. The power of their love was...*is* beyond words."
She paused again and let her words sink in the man before her.
"Please tell me Galadriel... how long do you know...?"
"I had dreams and then I ... saw it in the mirror some days ago. It will take some time till I will *see* this soul, though. It is not even born yet!"
Celeborn arched his brow. "It is not yet born and the mirror showed you?"
"I do not understand it as well, Celeborn. I don't understand it yet."
Seeing his beloved wife so confused made him feel sad and irritated him at once.
"Thank you for being so honest about this, my love. But... since this is not going to happen in some time now, maybe we should turn our minds to the important thing you mentioned earlier?"
This did not come out harsh, and wasn't intended to be. He had wanted to know, and now he carried the burden of the truth. It would not be fair to be angry at Galadriel for it.
"O, and please.. let me know when this soul is born, will you?"
"Yes, Celeborn. I will."
The Lady of the Woods sensed his feelings and understood.
With that, this topic was over for once and Galadriel had her head cleared for the really important things now. How to protect their folk and land from the growing intrusion of humans, for example...
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OK, End of Part ONE! What do you think? Shall I post the other parts?