Explosion of Creation Part 1
"NAAAANAAAA!" Tauriel let out an irritated sigh as she pulled her hair back in a simple plated braid. "NAAAANAAAA!" This was followed by a deafening shriek with died into tears of despair.
"NAN!" Kerin's voice echoed through the caves Tauriel shared with Kili and their children. "Luin hit Caran!"
Tauriel let out another grating sigh, before stepping out of hers and Kili's bedroom. Caran was sitting on the rug beside the fire, howling. Luin sat beside him, innocently playing with the little wooden horse that had been given to Caran two days ago. Kerin was seated on Kili's armchair, reading. And Frerin was nowhere to be seen.
"Caran," Tauriel stated softly, "hush." The boy instantly stilled, he may be young, but he was old enough to know, no one wanted to hear Mama raise her voice. "Luin, who had the pony first?"
The young lass stopped her playing, looking up at her mother with innocent blue eyes. "Caran."
"If Caran had it first, why did you have it?"
The girl didn't answer.
"Luin, I asked you a question." Tauriel remarked, sternly.
"I took it from him." She answered softly.
"And did he attempt to take it back?"
"Yes."
"What did you do when he attempted to take it back?"
No answer.
"Luin, I won't give you a third warning."
"I hit him, Nana."
Tauriel nodded, pressing her hand to the small of her back, hoping to relieve the pressure of the weight of the little one she carried. "That it what I thought, return the horse and go to your room." She responded. "I'll call you when it's time for supper." The little dwarrow-elf opened her mouth to protest, but one hard look from her mother stopped her cold. With a solemn look, she did as she was told.
With her household mostly returned to rights, Tauriel turned on her oldest daughter. Kerin was as short and dark haired as her father, but with Tauriel's deep green eyes. Yet, however much she looked like her parents, she couldn't have been more different. Instead of being a warrior as both her mother and father were, as well as her elder brother, Kerin was more content to sit back and watch the world pass by, rarely giving a care enough about anything but herself. This wasn't due to any strong amount of selfishness, it was simply Kerin's desire, or lack thereof, to become involved in anything.
"Kerin, please, can you not help me out a bit?" Tauriel asked. "Your father is out on a diplomatic mission to Mirkwood again and won't be home for nearly a month, your brother with him. I have only you to help me with Luin and Caran."
Kerin threw her mother an unsympathetic look. "Nana, if you can't handle Luin and Caran, you shouldn't have had them."
Tauriel's eyes darkened. "I love your father and I love my children. I can handle them both, when necessary, but that does not mean I do not need help. We have another one on the way and they are bound and determined to make this my worst pregnancy yet! I would just like a little help!"
Kerin studied her mother for a moment before standing with a sigh. She stepped forward and hugged her mother around the waist. "Nan, if you believe it is difficult now, I pity you when the twins come." She quitted the room in her normal easy manner, as if nothing short of dragon-fire could cause her to lose the constant air of disinterest she always wore, seeming to be unaware of the pure bafflement her mother wore.
"Kerin, what makes you think I'm carrying twins?" Tauriel asked softly.
Kerin shrugged. "It is the year for all things uncommon. Queen Angie had three, Aunt Rosie will have three as well. You will have two, Uncle Fili, two as well. Master Oin and Aunt Nat shall be blessed with another and Master Nori will as well."
Tauriel stared at her young daughter, more confused than before. Guessing your fertile mother was going to have twins was one thing, guessing your aunt's first was going to be triplets was completely different things, but to claim your other aunt, who has shown no interest in more children, and two unmarried dwarrow were also going to have children was borderline insanity.
"Kerin—"
"Nan," she interrupted. "It's been too long since you've heard the voices of the trees." The comment stung the elleth to her core. It felt like an age since Tauriel had walked in starlight and she missed it. She missed the trees and the stars and the endless nights keeping watch beneath the ever-darkening bows of Mirkwood.
"It has been too long since you have released your faë to feel the world around you and the future that it brings." Tauriel turned her attention back to her child. Kerin smiled easily, almost as though she were the mother and Tauriel the child. "Nan, you need a vacation. Perhaps if King Thranduil were to let you ease yourself in the Woodland Realm, you would feel the epic explosion of creation that has already begun. As of now, I am certain that when he comes for the christening of the two princesses and the prince, he will feel it." Without another word, she turned from her mother to seek a place of peace and quiet where she could read without being disturbed.
"Bain!" Tauriel hid a smile as the innocent young prince was suddenly assailed by the young queen. "It has been much too long, and look at you, as tall as a beanpole!"
"Queen Angelina, it's a pleasure to see you again."
"Bain, you charmer, you'd better call me Angie, or I might give you a bed that's too small for you!"
Tauriel chuckled, but it was cut off as she caught sight of her bright-haired son making a dash down the steep stone steps behind Thorin's throne. With speed and agility unknown to any pregnant female nearly at the end of her time, save an athletic elf, she broke into a swift run, leaping the steps and catching her son before he got more than ten feet.
"NANA!" The dwarrow-elf shrieked. "NO!"
Tauriel sighed as she lifted the boy into her arms, ignoring his shrieks, though they stabbed her sensitive ears like a dagger. What did catch her attention was the smug, "Well, aren't you got fast?" that drawled from the lips of the newly arrived Elvenking.
Turning slowly, she came face to face with the tall, graceful figure of her former monarch. "King Thranduil, it is a pleasure to see you gain." She bowed her head, keeping her tone polite and diplomatic.
He smirked. "Oh, I am certain. Three already?" He asked. "My, you have been busy."
Tauriel resisted the urge to sigh. "No. I have four." She answered, "not counting the one unborn."
The king's eyes widened, giving a rare display of surprise. His mask returned quickly, though the calculating look that accompanied it, made Tauriel ever so much more tired than she already was. "Five, total?" He asked slowly. "Are you certain, child? Your faë is so worn and heavy, I am not surprised you do not feel it."
Tauriel, weary and uncaring before, was suddenly attentive. "Feel it?" She asked.
The king took on his regular smirk. "Yes, Daughter of the Forest, feel it. There is a strange change in the air, any normal elf will have felt it." She would have cringed at his emphasis on normal, if she hadn't been too busy thinking.
"Nan—"
Kerin's timely interruption was stopped as Tauriel suddenly spun around to face her daughter. "Kerin, tell King Thranduil exactly what you said to me three weeks ago!"
Kerin jumped back slightly at her mother's sudden rise in voice. "I—um…" she looked at the imposing figure of the Elvenking and blanched. "What?" she squeaked.
Tauriel sighed, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "I thought I taught you better social skills than this, Kerin." She reprimanded. Kerin threw her eyes to the Elvenking again. Tauriel sighed again. "You said 'the epic explosion of creation that has already begun'."
Kerin now only had eyes for her mother. "What about it, Nan?"
Tauriel knelt to her daughter's level, setting her son on his feet at the same time. "You are right, Kerin, I am weary. My faë isn't what it was, but yours, yours is special." She took Kerin's hands. "I am willing to put you to King Thranduil's mercy, if it means he can help it and you. If you can feel what he feels, I want you to learn from it, as only you will ever be able to."
Kerin cast her eyes to the Elvenking for a third time. He watched the entire exchange with an indifferent mask on his face, but he did watch, which spoke of his interest. He wasn't keen on the young race now known as dwarrow-elves, but he was interested in this young creature. She had a faë like nothing he'd felt before, it intrigued him.
"You really feel it?" the young princess asked carefully.
Thranduil nodded, then with and sly smile, he suddenly happened upon an idea. He bent to the young girl's level, just as her mother stood to retrieve the young creature that was her youngest, who'd made another attempt at escape. "Oh yes, child, I feel it. I feel the ever-shifting of the makings of the world. I can feel the favor it takes upon your family and friends. I know of what may come and I know of its dangers."
The girl stared at him for a moment. "You can teach me to understand?" He nodded. "Will it be hard?" He nodded. She placed her finger to her chin for a moment, before shrugging. "Okay, fine. Let's see what's going on. I'm never gonna get a moments peace until I figure it out."
The Elvenking stood, offering his hand to her. "Come then, Princess." He didn't bother to acknowledge the fear that flashed through her mother's eyes as the dwarrow-elf took his hand and he lead her away, fully aware of the "I'm going to regret this" that she whispered.
"Tauriel!" The elleth let out a tired sigh as her husband's shout reached her delicate ears.
"Yes, Kili?"
"Would you mind explaining why our daughter and deigned to sit beside that scum king of elves?!" Tauriel looked around the pillar behind which she was currently hiding behind to see Kerin deep in conversation with King Thranduil. She sighed, returning to her former position, closing her eyes and laying her head back against the cold stone.
"I haven't the slightest idea why Kerin ever does anything." She responded. "Did you try asking her?"
Her husband huffed. "Whatever." There was a pause, then, "Luin and Caran are fighting." He snapped.
Tauriel felt a dark anger within her rise its head. She withheld a feral growl, contemplating telling him to handle it, as he was their father, but pushing it aside, she stood. Without looking at her husband, she moved past him.
Luin and Caran were in a full wrestle, not far from Kerin and Thranduil, just beneath the feet of the elven guards the Elvenking had brought with him. Tauriel could see the amusement on their faces as they watched the two little creatures fight. She could recognize them both from her time on the guard, but now, due to her marriage to the dwarves and the treason she caused against Thranduil, she was a stranger to them, but she wouldn't stand for them to laugh at her children.
"Luin! Caran!" She snapped, sharp enough to draw Kerin's attention acutely. When her mother used that voice, you listened, even if you weren't in trouble, you listened…just in case. The two dwarrow-elves instantly jumped to their little feet, their eyes on their mother.
"Yes, Nana?" Luin asked, her eyes ever big, ever beautiful, ever innocent.
"Nana." Caran ran to her with a sweet toothy smile.
The stern look on her face melted and she bent to meet her child's hug. "Come my dearest creations, it is time for you to sleep." She hoisted Caran onto her hip and held a hand for Luin. She met Kerin's eyes. "Don't stay up too late, sweetheart."
Kerin shrugged coming to her feet. "We were just about to go anyway."
The Elvenking and his guards followed behind Tauriel as they made their way to where the honored guests and noble families lived. Kerin continued to talk to him and his guards followed close behind.
They were nearly to the caves that had been given to the elves, when suddenly, Tauriel set her son on the ground. "I'm sorry, baby, you have to walk. Nana's too tired to hold you."
Kerin stopped mid-sentence to look at her mother in fear as the usually very graceful elleth stumbled. "Nan—" she cut off with a scream as her mother collapsed and would have hit the stone floor if it wasn't for the speed and strength of the Elvenking.
"Go for a healer!" The King commanded one of his guards, gathering the pregnant elleth into his arms. "Kerin, come, gather your siblings, my room is closest."
The shaken girl nodded, taking her younger brother into her arms and taking her sister's hand, she followed the tall warrior. The fear she felt for her mother was so suffocating, she couldn't even feel the fear rolling of her siblings, born and unborn.
