Disclaimer: Don't own LOTR, Celeborn, Galadriel, or Haldir. Or any of the other characters who might show up in this story.

Notes: First, this is the second time I've submitted this. The first time, it kind of disappeared, so I deleted it and tried again. Thanks to my one reviewer, Beruthiel's Cats. I will keep posting updates, but I will first put the prologue up again and hope more than six people will read it this time.
All right. For those of you who are reading this, it's going to be about Galadriel and Celeborn. This is techinically a fanfic of a section of Unfinished Tales, but there isn't a section for that. I know the beginning definitely tends more to the Silmarillion than to LOTR, but the Silmarillion doesn't actually refer to most of the stuff in my story, while later on, there will be direct overlaps with LOTR. So please bear with me and the fact that I've posted this under LOTR.
For those of you who have read the Sil, great, you'll understand most of what I'm talking about. If you haven't, that's fine too, I'll explain anything that needs explaining. So. Please review if you like it and want to see more. If no one reviews, I will assume no one wants to read anymore, which is fine, and I will therefore discontinue it.

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Prologue: Departure

My dearest Alatariel,

I hope that this letter finds you well. As for me, I am living as well as may be. Too much is fading away here, and though I wish I had the power to stop it, I can do nothing. In a few days I will be leaving Lothlorien for Imladris to stay with Elladan and Elrohir. My work in Lorien is done, and I can no longer stay here. Each minute I spend beneath the mellyrn requires such willpower from me, to stop thinking continuously "I did this with her, and I did that, and that."

I know you would tell me I should return to Aman now, that you wish to see me again. But, my dearest, you know also that I do not feel the sea-longing as you do; perhaps my sea-longing wore away in those early days before the light of the trees went out, when the sea was my life. No matter. The only attraction that sailing has for me is you. But you will not die, while the elf-lands in Middle-Earth are dying even now. One day I will come to you like I promised, but on the day I leave Middle-Earth, I will never see it again. Most of the elves have already forsaken this land, though often because of the sea-longing. If we who hear not the sea should all leave Middle-Earth as well, what should become of it? It would weigh heavily on my conscience to abandon this land so lightly.

I know well that you cannot answer these letters that sail with the vestiges of elvenkind, but it comforts me to write them to you. I apologize once and again that I cannot leave this land yet, as much as the memories of you might pain me, and as much as my actions may pain you. The Eldar were born to find pain in life, I suppose. And yet, throughout all the pain of all the ages that we two have lived through, one thing always remained. I love you, my Galadriel, as I loved you the day I first saw you on the docks of Alqualondë. Time has changed so many things from that day, my dearest, but not my love for you. Please do not weep, and do not be angry with me. Please understand my heart. You are, and forever will be, foremost in my thoughts.

Celeborn

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"You're really leaving, my lord?" demanded the silver-haired elf somberly. Celeborn looked up at his Marchwarden and smiled.

"Yes, Haldir," Celeborn replied.

"Why?"

"I think you know why better than anyone." Haldir nodded.

"I see." The two elves were both quiet for a while as Celeborn folded clothes and carefully placed them into his saddlebag. "Is there anything else you need, my lord?" the Marchwarden finally asked.

"Take care of Lorien after I'm gone, Haldir. That will be enough."

"Yes, my lord." Haldir bowed his head. There was a look on his face that alternated between sadness and reluctance. It made his lord smile.

"Don't look so gloomy, Haldir. I'm only going to Imladris. It's not like I'm going to sail over the sea yet." Haldir nodded miserably.

"It's just…Lady Galadriel has already gone, and now…you too…"

"Haldir," said Celeborn, placing his hands on the Marchwarden's shoulders. "I know how you feel. But I can't stay in Lorien any longer. It was a beautiful, beautiful dream, Haldir, but it's dead now. It died the day she left. I love Lorien, and it's why I stayed in Middle-earth when she sailed. But, Haldir, Lorien is secure now. In all the time I've spent here during the Fourth Age, I've made sure of that. And now that it no longer needs me, I can leave it. You know what a trial it's been for me, living here all these years alone and having to remember every moment the way it was when Lorien was at its height. Imladris doesn't have that power over me." Haldir was weeping now, though trying valiantly to hide it.

"But…we need you. The people of Lorien prospered under your care, and the Lady's."

"You'll do fine without a Lord and Lady." Celeborn picked up his saddlebags and headed to the door of the sleeping-chamber. He had long since moved out of the rooms he had used when Galadriel was still in Lorien.

"My lord…"

"What?" Celeborn turned back. The Marchwarden looked away.

"I just…don't want to be left behind. None of us want to be left behind." The lord had to smile.

"When the day comes that I sail to the West again, I will send a message to Lorien, and anyone who wishes to leave Middle-earth can leave with me. Until that day, you can all visit Imladris, you know."

"I know." There was a silence. "Farewell, my lord."

"Farewell, Haldir."

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Celeborn had one last errand to run before he left Lorien that day. He walked down to the clearing among the trees where Galadriel had kept her mirror. She had taken the actual mirror with her when she left for Valinor, but the water there, he knew, still held some mystical properties. The tiny waterfall tinkled happily beside him as he looked tentatively into the pool.

Although the mirror had belonged to his wife, Celeborn had never looked into it before because, as he had often told her, he already had enough to occupy his mind without cryptic pictures of what might happen plaguing his sleep. And truly, he never desired to know more than he could gather himself. But now, he wanted to see Galadriel once more, and the mirror, or at least the mirror's pool, was the only way.

There was a ripple on the surface, and suddenly, he began to see things. Unlike what he had been told by those who had looked in the mirror, the pictures in the pool were blurry. Most of the things he saw were familiar, though many of them were painful. However, after a while, the scenes that appeared were unknown to him. Galadriel was arriving in Valinor, greeting her father, meeting her old friends. He watched, mesmerized, as the pool showed her living her life across the sea. The scenes passed quickly, but one paused for a while, showing her looking down at something in her lap. The image was too blurry for him to see what had captured her attention so completely. But then, for a second, he could make out the shape of the Mirror of Galadriel.

The image disappeared and the water was still again.

Celeborn stood and walked out of the clearing. When he returned to Caras Galadhon for his horse, he found all the citizens of Lorien waiting there. They were loath for him to leave, he could tell, and a few were weeping, but none of them asked him aloud to stay. Many wished him a good journey. He thanked them, told them to take care of themselves after he left, and mounted his horse. He did not allow himself to look back as he rode away, knowing he would never return to Lorien again.

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Okey-dokey. Some explanations.

Alatariel is the Quenyan form of Galadriel. It will be explained in the future why Celeborn calls her that.

Alqualonde is the harbor in Valinor.

Also, if I made any mistakes with the names of Aman, Arda, etc., I apologize, and please tell me so I can correct it. I'm really sorry, I have a hard time getting the names straight in my head. Also, I apologize about the dashed lines, but my computer doesn't load the dividers. I think it might be because I have dial-up internet. So bear with me. Thanks.