Summer in Mirkwood

By arelenriel

Chapter 2: New Beginnings

It was the middle of the night in the Palace at Eryn Lasgalen, and Legolas could not sleep. It was miserably hot, and everyone in the Palace had gone to bed early to try and escape the heat. He put on his slippers and walked to the door connecting his room to his parents, and quietly opened it. He wondered if Naneth and Ada would mind if he slept with them. The nightmare that had woken him up had been dreadfully scary and he did not want to go back to his own bed. But Naneth had been so dreadfully tired of late with the new baby on the way.

Legolas walked up to the bed, and peeked over the edge of the footboard. Naneth looked so uncomfortable. She had tossed off her blankets and was tossing and turning a lot. Legolas got worried, Naneth did not look right, and Ada had been called to an emergency meeting with the guard unit that had just come off border duty. "Naneth, wake up Naneth." said little Legolas anxiously pulling on his Naneth's hand. Lothwen stirred as she felt her son wake her from sleep, and opened her eyes to see the worried look on his face. "Naneth is something wrong?" said the golden haired elflings as his mother groaned in pain.

"Legolas, tithen pen, go find your Ada please. Your little sister has decided to make an

early appearance. When the little prince saw how frightened his Naneth was he ran for the door as fast as his short legs could carry him. As he reached the door that led out of the family quarters he gradually slowed down. He knew that the guards would yell at him if they caught him running on the highly polished parquet floors in the main hallway of the Royal Palace. Luckily Legolas was very familiar with the Palace, and by the time he was four he had known all of the secret passages and shortcuts. He turned left and opened closet door that led into a secret passageway. This was the shortcut from the Royal Quarters to the Guard Captains Conference Room. This was where his Ada was meeting with the Border Patrol. This patrol had been formed when the darkness came back to Dol Goldur and all sorts of evil things began to sneak into the forest. Legolas did not like it that his pretty forest was becoming a dark and scary place. He liked it the way it was before.

Legolas quickly touched the panel in the wall that hid the doorknob to the passage. He opened the panel and raced frantically down the passageway. When he reached the end of the long corridor he touched the back of the statue that blocked the entranceway. He raced out the door and straight into his fathers arms. " Ada, Ada," the little prince cried loudly. " Come quickly Naneth is having the baby now Ada." . Legolas burst into frightened tears and clung to his fathers knees. Thranduil bent to cuddle his small son. Legolas calmed down and relaxed against his father. Thranduil then proceeded to order one of the guards to fetch the midwife to the Royal Quarters, and then he called Legolas nursemaid to take Legolas back to the nursery.

Thranduil hurried through the secret passage to his chambers. He was frantically worried. Lothwen had not gone into labor this early with Legolas , or his brother. When he arrived Lothwen was being made as comfortable as possible by her ladies maid. He walked over to the side of the bed and grasped his wife's hand tenderly. "Meleth I have sent for the Midwife. She will be here momentarily." The little Queen began to cry, and Thranduil sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms. " Shh love I am here and our little girl will be here soon.." Thranduil rocked Lothwen back and forth as she cried. He knew that she was dreadfully worried about their daughters early arrival. He also knew that becoming so upset could not possibly be good for her or the baby.

The midwife hurriedly bustled into the Royal Bedchamber. Behind her came the little elleth that was her apprentice carrying a heavy load of supplies. The Queen had grown terribly pale, she was worn out from her crying, and her labor pains were beginning to become more painful. "Your Majesty, I am afraid I am going to have to ask you to leave. This is difficult enough for the queen without you worrying over her constantly." said the midwife. Thranduil grumbled under his breath about stubborn Silvan elleths, and stomped out of the room. When he entered the hallway he saw that both of his small sons had managed to escape their nursemaid. He picked up little Lothlanos and cuddled him close. He then motioned Legolas to grab his blankets and come to sit beside him. So the Royal Family waited as the hours slowly ticked by, Thranduil worried and the boys slept.

All of the sudden the little apprentice midwife ran out of the room. She was smiling merrily and Thranduil knew that everything was going to be okay. " Hiril-nin the Queen has born you a fine healthy daughter. " The king lifted Legolas down off of his lap, and raced into the bedroom.

Legolas awoke his little brother and followed behind his Ada. When they entered into the room they sawn their Naneth on the bed looking tired but very happy. Ada was sitting beside her, and she was holding a tiny bundle in her arms. " Tithen-pens, why do you not come up here and meet you little sister?" stated Thranduil with a grin. Legolas and Lothlanos approached the bed nervously. Legolas had wanted a little sister when their parents had first told him but, now she was here he did not know how to react. Would his parents still love he and Lothlanos? Would they still have time to spend with them? Legolas and his brother crawled up onto the bed beside his Naneth. She held the baby so that Legolas and Lothlanos could see her. She was very tiny, with pointed ears that nearly reached the top of her head, and a soft down of nearly white hair on top of her head. She opened her eyes and stared at her brothers. She had big blue eyes the same color as the summer sky. Legolas grinned and took his little sisters hand. She grasped his finger and would not let go. " Naneth can I hold her please?" said the little prince, pleadingly.

" Yes you may Tithen pen, just or a moment though, she is hungry." said Lothwen. She helped Legolas and showed him how to properly hold his little sister. Legolas knew that his life would be different now that he had both a younger brother and sister to protect. He would do the best he could in his weapon's training to learn how to protect them from the dark things in the forest. " What do you think Tithen- pen, what shall we name her?" said Lothwen grinning at her son.

" I think Naneth that Silvriniel (white maiden) would be a good name for her. " stated the little prince cuddling his little sister close. " It fits her somehow Naneth." Legolas cuddled against his mothers side and fell back to sleep.