(Not So) Cheap Sunglasses by UnicornsInSpace

(Not So) Cheap Sunglasses

Read (Not So) Cheap Sunglasses

            It was a beautiful day in Raleigh. The sun threw golden light down around the trees, and squirrels skittered around, up and down them. You would not know it was winter except for the chilly (40F) weather. His Aunt Melian decided she wanted to eat at a fancy restaurant called Second Empire downtown, so Celeborn drove to his preferred downtown parking spot. He did not mind walking, especially down the tree-lined streets, and between the old buildings. He copied the address from his aunt’s text into his phone's maps app. It was only a few blocks away, which was a little disappointing to see, but he could just walk around the block a few times if he was early.

            As Celeborn was turning the corner onto Hillsborough Street, a car caught his attention. It was pulling up in front of a hotel and had a Lyft sign in the front window. One of the back doors opened, and out of the car came the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. He was awestruck. Long, golden hair cascaded down her back and seemed to glow in the sunlight. She had an immaculate white peacoat on, and wore sunglasses that looked cheap, but nonetheless flattered her face very much. It was not until she had grabbed her luggage from the trunk and disappeared behind the car that he realized he had been staring.

            The restaurant was just a block away. He checked his watch, and he was indeed very early, so he took a very leisurely stroll before coming back to the restaurant. He passed by a building with lots of restaurants and copious seating, and a record shop filled with real vinyl records, where they played classic rock on a turntable behind the counter. He would have to come back to it later. There were a few other businesses, and a university, but nothing else interested him quite as much. He walked by the hotel again. Just in the off chance he would see the lady from before, even though he doubted it.

            Returning to the restaurant, he saw his Aunt Melian outside of the restaurant with a phone in her hand. She had her black hair done up in a bun and wore a snazzy blue pantsuit. She lowered her phone and hugged someone. There were trees and a lot of construction on the street in front of the restaurant, so Celeborn could not tell who it was.

            “Celeborn, there you are, sweetheart,” Melian said as he approached, her drawl coming out at the last word.

            “Hi, Auntie Melian,” he said.

            She closed the distance quickly, hugging him tightly.

            “I was just out here answering a call from one of my staffers.” She waved her phone in the air. “We’re working on my reelection campaign, of course. Oh! And you have to meet Galadriel.”

            Celeborn turned and saw who she was talking to. The beautiful woman from before.

            “She is the daughter of a good friend of mine from college, Eärwen Olwiel.” Melian continued, “Galadriel, this is my nephew, Celeborn. You two are around the same age, and you both love gardening. You’ll get along well. Actually, why don’t you offer to show her around, Celeborn? She’s from out of town.”

            This was clearly one of his aunt’s thinly-veiled attempts to get him a girlfriend.

            “Oh- uh, I can do that. Um, if it’s okay with you, Galadriel.” Celeborn stumbled over his words nervously.

            “Sure, it would be great to have a guide.” Galadriel smiled as brightly as the sun.

            “Nice.”

            “Lovely!” Melian said, guiding them towards the door, “Now why don’t we get inside out of this cold? Thingol and Lúthien are waiting.”

---

Chapter End Notes

I chose Raleigh because it is the "city of oaks" and a large oak forest was part of Doriath. Also, I was thinking Galadriel could be from the western US, and Raleigh is in the east (like Doriath is east of Valinor). So it works out.

Also, in this AU, I thought politician would be the closest thing to queen, so that is the job I gave Melian. (She is a senator.) I was going to write a whole scene between the family at dinner, but I changed my mind.

Lastly, Galadhon (Celeborn's dad) is Thingol's brother in this, for simplicity's sake.

I Think We're Alone Now (Or Not)

I added this chapter to qualify for Turgon's Rock Opera.

Read I Think We're Alone Now (Or Not)

After they had eaten, Galadriel placed her phone on Celeborn’s lap with a new contact screen open.

“So we can coordinate my tour around Raleigh,” she had said.

He eagerly obliged. She texted him her name with a heart emoji right after receiving her phone back, and he added her as well. He texted her as soon as he got home.

“So… I could take you to afternoon tea at the Umstead Hotel, I could show you the clubs and bars around Raleigh…” He texted to her all in one message, “or, I could show you the greenway.” Celeborn had such a hard time picking his words around Galadriel, and he did not know much of what she liked. He read and reread the messages again before pressing send.

“I would love to see the greenway,” Galadriel texted back quickly. Another text came in rapid succession. “Nothing beats a good nature walk.”

“Awesome. The greenway it is. I was actually hoping you would say the greenway. I can show you my favorite place.”

“Sounds amazing. I really look forward to it.”

“Cool. What time works for you?”

 

---

 

When the day arrived, he was a bundle full of nerves. But he decided to relax, and let whatever would happen, happen. Soon, they were walking down the trail as the sun’s golden rays filtered through the leafless tree branches and they heard the occasional skittering around them in the underbrush. Their feet crunched on the leaves leftover from fall. Galadriel wore full-on hiking boots, whereas he only had his regular sneakers. He listened as she talked about anything and everything.

“It is so green here,” she said, “It hit me when the plane first descended into RDU, it really hit me, but the more I see the more amazed I am by it. I thought things were green enough in LA, we have palo verde trees after all, but here- the green is everywhere.”

Celeborn chuckled. Galadriel was so enthusiastic, he could not help but feel the greatness of life as well.

“I have never been to California, but I take your word for it.” Celeborn added, the sides of his mouth turning up in a smile.

They turned a corner in the trail, and the sound of a creek could be heard in the distance. 

“Where is that water?” Galadriel asked.

Celeborn pointed through the trees off the path to their right.

“I wanna see it,” she said.

Before he could protest, she grabbed his hand and ran towards the sound.

“Galadriel, wait- slow down.” He sputtered, knowing there were roots and rocks everywhere, hidden under the leaves.

Just then, Galadriel tripped and grabbed onto his arm with her other hand for balance, but it just ended up in them both falling onto the ground and rolling. Galadriel could not stop laughing. 

“I should’ve seen that coming,” she said, between giggles.

Her laughter was infectious, and he began laughing as well.

“It’s no biggie. Are you okay?” Celeborn asked.

“I’m fine. Probably just a few bruises. I’ve had far worse tumbles before.” Galadriel was getting up and dusting off the dirt and leaves from her clothes.

She got up and offered him her hand, pulling him up after her.

“Now, onto that creek,” she said.

They walked on between the trees and around some bushes. The ground crumpled beneath their feet as they crushed dead leaves and other detritus.

They made it to the creek, and there was a large waterfall filled with large rocks, and a nice spot to sit down and dunk their feet in.

“We would call something that size a river back in SoCal.” Galadriel mused.

Celeborn looked to the left, and saw there was a large rock on the side of the creek, and on top of the rock, was his cousin Lúthien. She was sitting next to a Latino man that he did not recognize. 

“Celeborn…. hey…” Lúthien said, feigning her excitement poorly.

The man next to her immediately looked at Celeborn with a concerned look in his eyes.

“Lúthien…” Celeborn struggled to find the words to say. 

They both knew her father had all but forbidden her to date. She was 20 years old, so she was legally her own person, but she still lived off her parents’ money.

“Lúthien, so good to see you again.” Galadriel cut through the tension after a few moments of a very awkward and charged silence. “Who’s this?”

“Pleasedon’ttellmydad,” Lúthien blurted.

“Of course not!” Galadriel said. “Your secret is safe with me. I know what it’s like- sneaking around, doing things your parents wouldn’t like.”

Lúthien smiled at that.

“Thanks.”

“I won’t tell, either,” Celeborn added, his tone serious. “I do not wanna be the one to tell Uncle Thingol his little princess isn’t so little anymore.”

“Thanks so much, I really appreciate it.” Lúthien’s eyes became a bit watery.

“Of course.” 

After a few moments, Lúthien continued.

“So, this is my boyfriend, Beren.”