Prologue
"Calm yourself, Legolas!" grinned Aragorn. He set a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Stop Pacing!" Legolas sighed and rubbed his forehead. The light of the moon shone on a sleeping dwarf, slumping in the chair. His snoring seemed to erupt in the small garden. Legolas turned toward. He was breathing rapidly, unable to stop.
"I can't help it," he explained. "I, I can't sense whether it'll be healthy, or sick, or a boy or a girl. I feel so helpless!" He looked towards the door that lead into the Nursing House. The surrounding beauty of Rivendell had no effect on the mood that he was in. Aragorn massaged the elf's shoulder as he spoke:
"You know that Male elves aren't supposed to sense anything about their baby until he actually sees it for himself." Legolas pulled away and began to pace again.
"I feel so worried, what if something goes wrong? What if the baby is dilated? What if-"
"Calm yourself!" Aragorn repeated. "The baby will be healthy and strong." Legolas paused and looked at the moon that shone down on the many flowers that grew together. Legolas kneeled to see a bud that was swelling with seeds. The flower seemed calm and collected, even though it was having children as well. He breathed deeply, trying to calm himself as Aragorn said.
The door to the Nursing House opened. A Elf dressed in a doctoring robe stepped out. She was smiling. "The delivery has ended," she said quietly. Legolas turned around. His young face twisted in a combination of worry, hope, and happiness. "Joanila and the baby are resting. Legolas," She face the elf, he began to approach. "Your wife has invited you in to name the baby." She stepped aside and put her arm through the door, welcoming him in. Legolas wanted to run to his wife, to hold her and nurture her until the pain of labor was left far behind. Then he heard the soft suckling of a child drinking. He took a deep breath and entered. His wife was leaning back on a pillow in a four-poster bed, the curtains had been tied to their posts. The sheets were new and white as the snow. Her blonde hair was damp with sweat and her hands were cleaned. There was a stain of blood on the floor that hadn't been completely wiped up. Without even noticing it, Legolas avoided it and walked to the right of the bed.
Joanila's cheeks were red and her eyes were wet. She wore a white nightgown that gave a background to the white bundle she was holding to her breast. She looked at him, and smiled.
"It's a girl." She whispered. Legolas smiled and knelt beside the bed. He bent close to Joanila and kissed her, holding her cheek as Joanila kissed him back passionately. The baby blubbered for a moment and Legolas looked down at her. She had thin blonde hair like her parents and rosy cheeks. She opened her eyes, revealing bright blue sapphires. She reached out her hand, opening it to reveal five short fingers. Legolas rubbed it with his index finger and she grasped it tightly. Legolas felt his heart warm, growing with the pride of being a father.
"What shall we name her?" Asked Joanila. Legolas paused, thinking. He had only one name. It wasn't great, nor that flattering, but it suited her perfectly.
"How about, Andréa?" he asked. Joanila looked at her husband, then at the child. She gurgled and reached out to Legolas's fingers with her other hand. Joanila smiled.
"It's perfect." She looked at Legolas. He looked at her. They leaned close, Legolas holding her cheek, Joanila wrapping her free arm around his neck. When they stopped, Aragorn was standing in the doorway. His smiled at them. They weren't just a couple now. They were a family.
"Calm yourself, Legolas!" grinned Aragorn. He set a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Stop Pacing!" Legolas sighed and rubbed his forehead. The light of the moon shone on a sleeping dwarf, slumping in the chair. His snoring seemed to erupt in the small garden. Legolas turned toward. He was breathing rapidly, unable to stop.
"I can't help it," he explained. "I, I can't sense whether it'll be healthy, or sick, or a boy or a girl. I feel so helpless!" He looked towards the door that lead into the Nursing House. The surrounding beauty of Rivendell had no effect on the mood that he was in. Aragorn massaged the elf's shoulder as he spoke:
"You know that Male elves aren't supposed to sense anything about their baby until he actually sees it for himself." Legolas pulled away and began to pace again.
"I feel so worried, what if something goes wrong? What if the baby is dilated? What if-"
"Calm yourself!" Aragorn repeated. "The baby will be healthy and strong." Legolas paused and looked at the moon that shone down on the many flowers that grew together. Legolas kneeled to see a bud that was swelling with seeds. The flower seemed calm and collected, even though it was having children as well. He breathed deeply, trying to calm himself as Aragorn said.
The door to the Nursing House opened. A Elf dressed in a doctoring robe stepped out. She was smiling. "The delivery has ended," she said quietly. Legolas turned around. His young face twisted in a combination of worry, hope, and happiness. "Joanila and the baby are resting. Legolas," She face the elf, he began to approach. "Your wife has invited you in to name the baby." She stepped aside and put her arm through the door, welcoming him in. Legolas wanted to run to his wife, to hold her and nurture her until the pain of labor was left far behind. Then he heard the soft suckling of a child drinking. He took a deep breath and entered. His wife was leaning back on a pillow in a four-poster bed, the curtains had been tied to their posts. The sheets were new and white as the snow. Her blonde hair was damp with sweat and her hands were cleaned. There was a stain of blood on the floor that hadn't been completely wiped up. Without even noticing it, Legolas avoided it and walked to the right of the bed.
Joanila's cheeks were red and her eyes were wet. She wore a white nightgown that gave a background to the white bundle she was holding to her breast. She looked at him, and smiled.
"It's a girl." She whispered. Legolas smiled and knelt beside the bed. He bent close to Joanila and kissed her, holding her cheek as Joanila kissed him back passionately. The baby blubbered for a moment and Legolas looked down at her. She had thin blonde hair like her parents and rosy cheeks. She opened her eyes, revealing bright blue sapphires. She reached out her hand, opening it to reveal five short fingers. Legolas rubbed it with his index finger and she grasped it tightly. Legolas felt his heart warm, growing with the pride of being a father.
"What shall we name her?" Asked Joanila. Legolas paused, thinking. He had only one name. It wasn't great, nor that flattering, but it suited her perfectly.
"How about, Andréa?" he asked. Joanila looked at her husband, then at the child. She gurgled and reached out to Legolas's fingers with her other hand. Joanila smiled.
"It's perfect." She looked at Legolas. He looked at her. They leaned close, Legolas holding her cheek, Joanila wrapping her free arm around his neck. When they stopped, Aragorn was standing in the doorway. His smiled at them. They weren't just a couple now. They were a family.
