No, this is not a joke.

[lorien_gal]

There may be a boat, on the lake, very early this morning.

On this boat, there may be a woman, beautiful, tall and proud, eyes clear as pond water, hair golden to match the Light of the Trees. She looks about, and her eyes fill with wonder and concern - this is not the Great River that leads to Osgiliath. This is not the way to Minas Tirith -

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[ringsmith]

Celebrimbor could never mistake the use of the ring that he made, but he stops at the edge of the trees rather than coming to meet her. He watches her disembark, sees the shine of the ring on her finger. He lingers, debating whether to approach and greet her, or to turn around and slip back to his forge.

[lorien_gal]

Ah, Cele. Will you still have a vampire friend to flail to when your cousin is done with you?

She might catch sight of him - and her eyes linger just long enough - but he is dead as well, how....

Her eyes close. "Have you come to greet me then, Celebrimbor?"

[ringsmith]

No use trying to hide now, he takes a few small steps forward. He's different from how she surely he remembers him, jumpier, more nervous, the signature arrogant Feanorian confidence is entirely missing. "I have, Lady." Another couple steps forward, his eyes stray back to the ring on her hand. "You wear it well."

[lorien_gal]

She looks down. She remembers the rumors of his fate - and though she may have hated the sons of Faenor... it was harsher punishment than one ever could deserve.

A step forward.

"My thanks, cousin." A pause. "You wielded well." Calm, poised, not warm, but not cold either.

[ringsmith]

A small, awkward nod. "Thank you." He doesn't meet her eyes. "I hope it has served you well."

[lorien_gal]

"Well thus far." A pause, and a look. "I only barely started using it."

It is a quiet word, but it bears hope, and foreboding. Sauron is no more.

[ringsmith]

He's silent a bit longer, fidgety. "How long...how long has it been, since....?"

[lorien_gal]

"A very long time," she says. "But it was best to wait to be certain."

The unspoken is obvious - they do not need to state it.

[ringsmith]

He nods, and is silent and unmoving for a long time before finally looking up at her. "How did it end?" Meaning the fight against Sauron.

[lorien_gal]

"He was slain, by the alliance of Elves and Man, and Isildur, it is said, took the Ring, against Elrond's counsel. But the Ring tricked him, and Isildur fell, and his Bane was lost."

[ringsmith]

His eyes widened and he looks pained. "Lost? But, Maglor said that it had been destroyed!"

[lorien_gal]

Her eyes become small, to slits. "Destroyed? No. Elrond took Isildur to the forge, that he may cast it to the Fires of Doom, and he was denied. But it has been lost, now, for centuries, and Lorien flourishes."

And now, we want a Gollum to show up. Because it would be too funny. My precccccious.

[ringsmith]

"He did what? That fool, that..." He launches into a loud, full scale pacing Angry Feanorian(tm) rant in Quenya, Sindarin and Khazad.

It would!

[lorien_gal]

She waits for him to be done. When he is, wisely and calmly, because this is an older Galadriel who is past this sort of anger.....

"Isildur paid a dear price for it. Leave his soul in peace, Celebrimbor, and only pray the One Ring remain lost. Olorin seeks it, always."

[ringsmith]

"And what price shall the rest of the world pay for his foolishness?" A bitter laugh. "Nothing remains lost forever. Especially nothing of his. It will return sooner or later."

[lorien_gal]

"Aye, it will," she says. "I know it and feel it. A council of the Wise will form, and a quest will be undertaken."

There might be compassion in her voice - he looks so... broken.