Refracted Light by StarSpray

1

Celebrimbor stepped out of the still-half-finished halls of the Gwaith-i-Mírdain into the bright sunshine. All around was the smell of sawdust and stone dust, and the bustle and noise of construction. Inside the halls the finished workrooms and forges were already being put to use—not least to furnish tools and instruments for the building of the rest of the city. From the top of the steps he could see out over the wide swath of cleared land, where roads were being laid with the help of Dwarves from Khazad-dûm, and buildings were steadily being built up, stone by stone, brick by brick. Celebrimbor's own house, just beside the work halls, was still no more than foundation markers, but he had a perfectly serviceable bed in his favorite workroom and was in no hurry for a grand house.

Across the city, however, where the main square was well underway, the house of Celeborn and Galadriel was nearly finished. He could see the white stone walls from where he stood, and glimpse the tops of a few spindly new-planted trees in the garden.

He made his way through the city, and met Celeborn at the gates—he had also been out and about, surveying the progress on the city. On Celeborn's shoulders sat Celebrían, whose grip on his hair had his braids coming loose. "Hello, Cousin Celebrimbor!" she exclaimed, waving so enthusiastically when he rounded the corner that she nearly toppled from her father's shoulders. Her smile was big and gap-toothed, and she had a clumsily-made daisy-chain nestled in among her silver curls.

"Hello, Cousin Celebrían," he replied, smiling, and nodded to her father. "Lord Celeborn, good afternoon."

"Well met," said Celeborn as he swung Celebrían to the ground. "Galadriel is not at home. She has gone to Hadhodrond to meet with Durion."

"As it happens, I am not here to see Galadriel," said Celebrimbor. "I have come to call upon Lady Celebrían." He smiled down at her. "I have made a gift for you."

"What is it?" she cried, springing forward as he pulled the small package from his pocket. He knelt down as he handed it to her, and she unwrapped the brown paper eagerly. Celeborn stepped up to peer down at it. "A clear crystal?" Her tone was that of a child trying to hide her disappointment in favor of politeness.

"Yes, only clear crystal," said Celebrimbor with a grin, "but only at first glance. Look! If you hold it up to the light…" He took it from her and held it up so that the sunlight caught in it. "Now look at the wall there."

"A rainbow!" Celebrían ran to the wall to touch the rainbow, so the colors shone instead on her small hand. Celebrimbor turned the crystal slightly, and suddenly there were dozens of tiny rainbows speckled on the garden wall and shining in her hair.

"If you hang this in your window," he said as Celebrían spun in a circle, laughing with delight, "you shall have rainbows on your walls every morning."