Winterlights by Elleth

Blaze of Candles

For prompt #10: Secret Santa. Lúthien seeks to help Galadriel bear the dark of winter.

Galadriel hates and fears the cold darkness clawing at her shoulders, and even in Doriath behind the Girdle's shelter, winter nights haunt her. They all see it, but Lúthien especially, keen-eyed and closest, frets.

Thus she leaves tokens of light by Galadriel's door – candles, globed and gilded like the sun-tree's fruit, a silver flower like the moon-tree's blossom, stars and constellations, night after night after night – and flits away like a shadow.

On midwinter, Galadriel's door opens to invite her in, and Lúthien steps into a blaze of candles, Galadriel waiting among all her gifts lit at once.