A hundred years had passed since Gilorneth and Thranduil married. Nothing but a century of pure bliss and love could be seen between the two. Now the king and queen of Mirkwood were expecting a new arrival much to the joy and surprise of the entire realm. At this very moment, Gilorneth was giving birth to their first child together. Fourteen painful, long hours had gone by, and Thranduil was beside himself with worry. It was unusual for Elves to be in labor for extended periods of time.
Siladis, his first wife and the mother of their only son and child, only labored with Legolas for six hours and everything went rather smoothly. The late queen even declined pain medicine. But with Gilorneth things were very different. She was screaming in agony for Thranduil to be with her, but it was against protocol for the fathers to be present during the birth of the child.
Please, Eru, protect my wife, spare her, don't take her from me, Thranduil pleaded to himself again. Thranduil had been praying since late last night and the firm, distant Elvenking was almost in tears now. So consumed with fear and grief, he failed to notice Legolas approach him.
"Father," he whispered, placing his hand gently on his father's shoulder.
Thranduil jumped despite himself. "Forgive me, my son; I did not hear you enter." His voice was soft as he attempted to hide his evident worry. "I am concerned about Gilorneth."
Legolas smiled softly at his father, understanding his fear. "All will be well father. Gilorneth is very resilient; she'll pull through this," he said attempting to reassure his father giving his shoulder a tight squeeze. "I believe in her ability to bring my new brother or sister into this world. If my mother could do as millions of other before her out there in Middle-earth, she will be able to as well."
Thranduil sank deep into the armchair standing against the wall sluggishly putting his face into his hands. He decided after the birth of Legolas; he would much rather wait for orders during a battle from his superior then await the arrival of a child. Something struck him as odd. Frowning, Thranduil looked up at his son again, narrowing his eyes. Legolas rested slightly against the wall, his eyes focused on nothing in particular.
"Legolas..." he started slowly trying to find the right words. "Why do you not call Gilorneth 'Mother'? It has been a hundred years since she became my wife, yet you still address her as Queen. Does she not treat you as her son?"
The prince looked up, surprised. He locked his blue eyes with his father before turning his head away and sighing heavily. "Forgive me; I do not mean it disrespectfully." He looked back at his father with an almost painful expression on his face. "Please understand I love Gilorneth very much. She is a mother to me in every way, and I could not ask for better. I just feel as if sometimes I am...disloyal…in want of a better word to Mother, that is all."
Thranduil bit his lip as realization dawned on him. Legolas still missed his mother even though she died when he had been very young. "My son, I understand how you feel. Your mother loved you more than anything. More than life; however, she would want you to be happy. I believe she wishes you to accept Gilorneth as your mother." He stood up and crossed over to where Legolas stood. Reaching out, Thranduil turned his son's head gently around to face him. "Legolas," Thranduil said smiling. "Both of your mothers love you very much. Gilorneth told me the other day she could not have asked for a better older brother for our child."
Legolas looked away as his eyes misted over faintly. Taking a jittery breath, he turned to look at his father. "Does she really think of me as her son?"
Thranduil nodded. "Yes." His son was robbed of a mother's affection, and Gilorneth was willing to give Legolas all her love to him if he would just open the door and let her in.
"Then I would be honored to call her my mother and love her as such." Legolas smiled sadly. "But I will always remember my birth mother."
Thranduil wrapped his son in a tight embrace. "I would not ask any more of you, my son."
Legolas eagerly returned the embrace. As he wrapped himself in his father's embrace, he realized Gilorneth brought out something in his father which seemed to be missing since his mother died. Something which signified him as a father and not just a king looking after his people.
He smiled tenderly as his father released him. "Thank you," he whispered.
Thranduil replied by placing a gentle kiss on the top of his golden head before turning to sit back down again in the armchair.
"I just don't understand why things are progressing so slowly," he sighed. "Your mother had no issues bringing you into this world," he said after a long moment of silence while staring deep into the dying flames of the burning hearth. "I still remember being ecstatic when I saw you for the very first time. You were so tiny and yet so full of life of the Eldar, your inner light shining with so much brightness during a time of ambiguity and hopelessness."
He sighed again, thrumming his long, slender fingers upon the armrest while his son sat down beside him on the sofa and leaned his head against his father's stout shoulder like an Elfling. Thranduil smiled upon his son, reaching up with his hand to stroke the long identical locks of his which marked his little Greenleaf's rightful birthright as heir to the throne. "Even though I have taken a new wife and am awaiting a second heir to my throne, you are still held dearly within my heart and mind, Legolas. From now on you and Gilorneth will have something very special in common."
Legolas glanced up behind him at his father's face. "What is that?" he asked with a hint of amusement.
Thranduil chuckled. "The arrival of your new brother or sister."
Legolas laughed softly. "Thank you, for your kind and loving words," Legolas replied as his eyes gradually glazed over. For the first time in a long while, Legolas drifted off into a restful sleep, finally at peace with himself over his new mother.
In the distance, Thranduil could still hear his son's stepmother's screams of torment and the soothing tones of the midwives as they assisted her to deliver the baby. His heart raced faster greatly troubled at the possible outcome of stillbirth—or even worse—losing his new wife along with the baby. He did not think he could bear to lose another being of joy from his life.
The Elvenking forced himself to think positive thoughts of what having a new baby again would help do for the royal family and the long-term future ahead. Elegantly, Thranduil slid out of his golden royal robe he was wearing to cover his sleeping son. The young prince stirred ever so slightly, but then leaned further against his father, wrapping one arm around his waist while the other one held tightly onto Thranduil's hand as his head slipped ever so slowly onto his father's lap.
At some point, Thranduil fell asleep only to be gently aroused from his deep dreamless slumber by one of the healers shaking his shoulder, to announce that his wife finally delivered the baby.
Immediately he was wide awake and alert. "How are they?" Thranduil asked trying to hide the obvious fear he felt.
Pathel smiled softly. "Both your wife and child are fine, my king. The queen is exhausted. She experienced a hard and challenging labor, but she shall recover completely."
Thranduil sighed in relief. "What about the babe, is it all right? What did my wife have?" He held his breath and waited as Pathel looked at him almost teasing him with her silence.
"She delivered a beautiful, healthy baby elleth, my king," Pathel finally said, her lips lifting into a smile as she watched the joy spread through the face of the king.
"I have a daughter?" Thranduil asked stunned. He always wanted a girl, but unfortunately, the death of Siladis took away any chances of having one. Hardly able to contain himself, the king bubbled with joy. "Legolas! Wake up, my son. Your sibling has finally arrived!" he exclaimed shaking his son a little too roughly.
"Ai! I'm awake!" Legolas exclaimed, sitting up. The prince stared at his father and could easily tell by the smile on the king's face the queen must have delivered the baby at last. "I take it Gilor—Mother finally delivered the baby?" he inquired while wiping the sleep from his eyes.
"Yes, she has, and I am ecstatic to tell you she has given you a baby sister," Thranduil said almost sounding like an Elfling himself as he beamed intensely at his son.
"I have a little sister?" Legolas laughed ecstatically. "So, after raising me and waiting thousands of years, you finally have the daughter you always wanted!" Legolas smirked.
Thranduil laughed turning his head towards Pathel who stood there smiling at seeing the king so elated. "May I see them now?"
"Of course, my lord. Just for a little while though as they both need their sleep."
Thranduil started for the rooms his wife and daughter were in and then stopped suddenly to look at his son who stood behind him. Waving a hand at his father, he smiled and nodded towards the door. "Go, I will come to visit later."
Smiling, Thranduil nodded his head. "Thank you, Legolas."
Entering the chambers slowly, the first thing Thranduil noticed was the lights were dimly lit, throwing the room in a warm amber blanket. The other prominent thing he noted was the soothing smell of Vetiver and Lavender. Ambling towards his wife's bed, he steeled himself as he did not know what condition Gilorneth would be in. Finally, he stopped, and his breath hitched slightly at the first glimpse of his wife.
Thranduil could not help but feel pain well deep inside of him as he beheld her for the first time since she went into labor so many hours ago. Her face was pallid and still covered in sweat. Her usually kept hair stuck to her forehead, and her eyes seemed to have no life in them as she laid there with a small bundle wrapped in a soft pink blanket.
Feeling something brush against her skin, Gilorneth looked weakly up to see her husband who stood there softly caressing her forehead.
"Thranduil," she murmured with a small smile. The Queen looked down at the bundle nestled against her chest and then carefully handed their newborn daughter over to the eagerly awaiting arms of the king. "Isn't she beautiful?" she asked as he gently took the child from her mother.
The child fussed ever so slightly at being taken from her mother, but quickly the fatherly instincts of Thranduil kicked in, and soon, the babe was sleeping once more. When the baby finally settled in her father's arms, moisture rimmed in Thranduil's eyes, as pride engulfed him. Indeed, she was beautiful.
"Yes, she is love, she looks just like you." Undeniably, the baby did look like her mother with a head full of dark red hair, and fair skin. As Thranduil cooed softly at his daughter, she opened her eyes to reveal the brightest blue eyes which reflected both her father's and elder brother's. Thranduil could only grin as she smiled back at her father with a toothless smile and gurgled softly.
"What shall we call her?" Gilorneth asked watching the two with bliss as her husband played with the small fingers of their daughter. The queen smiled brightly. Never did she think she could bring him so much happiness or experience it for herself.
Thranduil looked up and thought for a minute before speaking. "What about Arneth?"
"Royal lady?" Gilorneth thought for a second. "I think that is perfect. A royal name for a royal daughter."
Thranduil sat down and handed Arneth back to her mother as she let out a fussy cry indicating it was now feeding time. As his wife nursed their daughter, Thranduil placed a soft kiss on both of their heads watching with captivation and ecstasy at his daughter while listening to her suckling sounds as she nursed. Lost in the moment, the Elvenking was completely oblivious to his son standing in the doorway watching the three with an enormous smile on his face.
Gilorneth looked up from nursing her daughter and spotted him. "Thranduil my love, I do believe we have a visitor."
The king looked up and caught sight of the prince leaning against the door frame. "Legolas, don't just stand there, come and meet your new sister," he beamed gesturing towards the bed.
As Legolas quietly approached the bed, he gave Gilorneth a quick smile before seeing his baby sister for the first time. He gazed down at her in wonder, regarding the small features of her face and the little fingers kneading her mother's breast hungrily.
Thranduil and Gilorneth looked at him as Arneth finished feeding and snuggled back down into the blanket, content for the time being. "Would you like to hold her, Legolas?" she asked lovingly.
Legolas nodded eagerly holding out his arms to receive his sister. "Please, I would love to mother."
Hearing Legolas call her mother for the first time, tears filled her eyes, and she passed Arneth to Legolas. Thranduil put an arm around his wife's shoulder as they watched their son with his sister.
Legolas held Arneth awkwardly at first, but soon he let his arms relax and gently rocked her, his eyes never leaving her face. As he looked down at his baby sister in awe, he felt a fierce sense of protectiveness come over him. I will not let anything, or anyone hurt you, little sister, he thought to himself. Indeed, he would die before he would allow any harm to befall her and Valar help the first ellon that tried to court her.
Both Gilorneth and Thranduil softly chuckled knowing what Legolas was thinking for the very same thoughts entered their minds as well. Reaching up, Gilorneth gently stroked her daughter' face. "I love you my children—both of you." She looked at Legolas and leaned up to press a gentle kiss to his forehead. "My son," she whispered, so no one else in the room heard except for Legolas.
Legolas smiled back before returning his gaze to his sister.
It was a beautiful sight to behold, and everything seemed perfect. Word would be getting around soon Mirkwood now had a princess, and there would no doubt be a grand celebration to welcome the first and only princess of the realm into Mirkwood. After fourteen hours of intense labor, the queen made it quite clear she would not be giving Thranduil any more children.
Meanwhile looking in on the happy family from above was Legolas' mother, Siladis, who smiled at seeing her husband and son happy again after grieving for so many years. She knew they would begin to heal and she didn't have to worry anymore. Her job was finished. Looking back one last time, Siladis left as quickly as she appeared. Without a doubt, everything seemed as it should be and as long as Thranduil was around, he would not allow anything to happen to his family.