Disclaimer: I own nothing Tolkien created. Promise.

Sanctuary

OIOIO

Warning: Yes this is an m-preg, as in male pregnancy. I know anatomically it is impossible in the real world but I like the idea (mainly for the Legolas suffering that goes with it). Please, if you are dead set against this kind of thing then don't read then complain that you weren't warned.

OIOI

Chapter 7 ~ Premonitions

OIOI

Legolas once more spent the day trying to sort out the bedroom but more importantly trying to put that morning's activities with Elrond from his mind. He had not so much as considered the physical aspect of their relationship since he had come to Rivendell two months ago, although he felt certain that it had crossed Elrond's mind at some point. Not that Elrond had ever mentioned anything – he was too kind and too patient for that. So Legolas had been rather surprised to find himself longing for Elrond's touch that morning. Perhaps it was his pregnancy that made the thought of having Elrond in bed with him so clear in his mind.

During lunch, when his helpers – as promised by Glorfindel the night before they were more helpful than the previous choices – went off to eat in the dining hall, Legolas lowered himself onto the sofa and closed his eyes in a futile attempt to get the explicit thoughts out of his head. Unfortunately, that only made it worse so he was glad when a knock came from the door and Glorfindel was revealed.

"You weren't in the dining hall and I thought you might be hungry so I brought you some food." He laid the tray on the table. "I'm sorry to say it was prepared by the chef instead of a real culinary expert," he said, gesturing to himself with mock seriousness and Legolas couldn't help but laugh as he was offered a plate. "So, how is it going?" Glorfindel asked, taking a seat in the chair opposite Legolas.

"Did you know that Elrond's chambers were full of unwanted diplomatic gifts, including five woollen dresses from Rohan?" he asked as he took a bite of his sandwich.

"Ah yes. For Arwen no doubt. Elrond is somewhat of a hoarder of possessions. You should be thankful that you don't have to tackle his office or the main library."

"I've been in this room hundreds of times and never seen any of this. I mean, what possible use could a person have for ten separate serving sets? No one needs that many spoons," he said sourly.

"Political gifts. Erestor usually takes them but I suppose Elrond kept some for himself. I'm sure we can find an empty room to store all Elrond's clutter in. You'll need some space for yourself in here."

"I don't really own anything," he said softly, dampening the pleasant mood. It was true; he had come to Rivendell with nothing but his travelling clothes. He no longer even owned his precious family heirlooms, which he had been forced to sell on the road for food and shelter.

Glorfindel watched in silence as a range of emotions flittered across the prince's face. After a minute though he sat forward in his chair, refusing to let the young Elf wallow in misery. "Then we will have to get you some new things," he declared firmly. "Get your cloak."

"Why? Where are we going?"

"We'll walk into town visit the shops."

Legolas stood up but said, "But I have no money to buy anything so what's the point?"

Glorfindel looked amused by this and snatched Legolas' cloak off the hook. "Legolas, you are partner to the Lord of Imladris. Elrond has money and he would be more than willing to have you buy some things for yourself. You deserve that at least. Come, we will find some servants to help us."

As Legolas fastened his cloak, he stressed, "You really don't have to do this, you know?"

"I know."

"You must have better things to do with your time."

"You are preferable to paperwork," Glorfindel grinned. "Come on, we'll stop by the office and let Elrond know where we're going and get some money."

"It doesn't feel right taking money off him," Legolas said quietly as they walked down the halls towards Elrond's office.

"You're not taking it off him; he'll willingly give it to him. And he'll want to make you happy." They reached Elrond's office but he was not there so Glorfindel walked straight over to the desk. "We'll just leave him a note." He hurriedly scribbled out a note and took out a pouch of coins from the desk drawer. "Right, let's go." Before Legolas could protest again he dragged him from the room.

It didn't take long for them to reach the small town just outside the house's boundaries. Despite being located away from the main house, the small grouping of shops were well within Elrond's protection and used by many of Rivendell's full time residents as well as its frequent visitors. Legolas himself had been there countless times and found it quite charming. The proprietors did good trade as it was close to the main road. The shops may have been small but they provided everything you could possibly ever want, making it a perfect place for friends and strangers to congregate.

Legolas suddenly found himself unnecessarily self-conscious despite the fact the few people who were milling around were set on their own tasks and paid little attention to anyone else Glorfindel urged him forward and Legolas reluctantly obeyed.

Surprisingly, after the first few shops Legolas actually started getting into the trip, particularly when they came across a store selling baby supplies. Drawn to it, Legolas eagerly stepped inside, closely followed by Glorfindel, who stood in the doorway patiently. The prince wandered around, ignoring the eager shop-keeper who constantly and rather enthusiastically offered her assistance.

Within five minutes he had picked out and purchased several things to take back to the house. Right at the back of the small, cluttered store were the things that really caught Legolas' eye - a selection of beautifully crafted cribs. One in particular attracted him. Made out of beautiful dark wood and engraved with delicate leaf patterns and winding vines, it looked just like something that would be found in Mirkwood. He ran long, gentle fingers over the intricate carvings, feeling the soft grain of the wood.

A quick glance around the shop told him that this was a one-off piece and yet the more he looked at it the more he felt it was right for him. For some strange reason, this sent a wave of irrational terror through him and his hand shot down to his swollen stomach. Two. He needed two cribs, not just one. For a moment though the thought simply would not leave him and suddenly the world seemed to tilt away from him and light-headedness made him sway on his feet.

"Your Highness!" Glorfindel exclaimed, rushing forward and supporting the prince. "Your Highness, are you all right?" he asked in concern as Legolas leaned against him with his eyes closed and taking deep breaths.

"I want to go home. I have to see Elrond," Legolas told him breathlessly.

"Is it the babies?" Glorfindel asked urgently but Legolas just shook his head absently, dismissing the question. "All right, let's get you home. Can you walk?" Legolas nodded and Glorfindel led him out of the shop, telling one of their accompanying guards to settle payment for the prince's purchases.

Thankfully, it didn't take long to reach the house and, holding firmly onto Legolas' arm, Glorfindel led him into the entrance hall. "Send Lord Elrond to his chambers at once. Tell him Prince Legolas needs him," Glorfindel ordered a servant. He took Legolas straight to their rooms and led him through to the bedroom. The bed was still covered with clothes and trinkets but Glorfindel simply swept them off and coaxed, "Here, lie down." Legolas did so, easing himself down onto the bed and pulling his legs up. Glorfindel went to remove the prince's shoes but Legolas stopped him.

"Don't touch me," the blonde Elf said quietly, although not unkindly. In truth, all of his strength and concentration was focused on feeling his children and he couldn't be distracted from that. Glorfindel seemed to understand that and obediently stepped back, giving him some room.

Meanwhile, Legolas closed his eyes and repositioned his hands on his stomach. After a few tense moments, Glorfindel started pacing back and forth nervously before blurting out, "Where is Elrond?"

As if the words had summoned him, Elrond burst through the doors, his eyes wide with panic. They immediately came to rest on Legolas, who still hadn't broken his concentration. "Legolas! What happened?" he demanded, striding to the bed. When he took Legolas' hand the prince opened his eyes and Glorfindel was surprised to find that they were considerably clearer and less panicked now. He even managed to offer his love a weak smile. This seemed to also calm Elrond a bit and he relaxed before turning to Glorfindel and saying, "What exactly happened?"

"We were shopping and he suddenly felt faint. I brought him right back here," Glorfindel explained as calmly as he could.

Elrond nodded and turned back to Legolas. "How are you feeling now?"

The young Elf looked up at him and answered truthfully, "Better now I'm laid down."

"Good." Elrond stroked Legolas' hair from his face. "Let me examine you then you need to rest," he said before turning back to his seneschal. "Thank you, mellon nin. Will you excuse us?"

"Of course, my Lord." Glorfindel quietly left the room, for the time being ignoring the concern he felt for the prince's well-being.

"Do you mind?" Elrond asked, gesturing to the prince's shirt and Legolas obediently pulled it up, revealing his stomach. By the time Elrond had finished thoroughly examining him, Legolas had calmed down and whatever strange turn had scared him so much earlier had dimmed, leaving him only slightly confused. "Well, everything seems to be fine," Elrond assured, lowering Legolas' shirt. "How are you feeling now?"

"Fine now. I don't know what came over me," Legolas said with a rather tense smile.

"It is not uncommon to feel lightheaded during pregnancy. You have been pushing yourself too hard lately." Legolas nodded softly. "Do you want to…?"

"I think I just want to sleep for a while," Legolas answered quietly.

"Of course. You should rest. I'll leave you for a while to get some sleep." Elrond stood up and pulled the drapes shut to darken the room as Legolas made himself more comfortable on the bed. "I'll be around if you need anything; just shout." The younger Elf didn't reply but just closed his eyes, so Elrond slipped from the room, leaving his love to sleep.

Just outside in the corridor, Glorfindel was pacing nervously and he looked up when Elrond exited the prince's room. "How is he?" the seneschal asked as soon as he set eyes on his lord.

"He's resting now but he seems well enough and the babies are both fine," Elrond assured, relieved beyond words that nothing serious was amiss.

"Then what happened?"

Elrond shook his head, leaning back against the wall and running his hands through his hair. "He was probably just tired. He's been pushing himself harder than he really should at this stage in his pregnancy."

The seneschal looked thoughtful for a moment before voicing his concerns. "In the shop, he looked…stricken."

"Stricken?"

"He looked so scared for a moment but he wouldn't say why. I've never seen him look quite so panicked before," Glorfindel confided. "I just thought that you needed to know."

"Thank you. I will talk to him more once he has rested."

"If you don't need anything else, I'll go to the office and clear your desk so you can stay with the prince."

"Thank you, Glorfindel. And thank you for bringing him home safely."

Glorfindel bowed and said, "You are most welcome, my Lord." The captain then turned to make sure his lord would not be disturbed for a good long while. He and Legolas deserved some time alone after the scare.

Elrond immediately returned to his rooms and was surprised to find Legolas no longer in his bed but was instead walking around the bedroom, picking up everything that Glorfindel had spilled from the bed onto the floor. Even though his large stomach prevented him from displaying his usual grace in bending and moving around, he worked confidently and steadily almost as if nothing at all had happened that day.

"Legolas, what are you doing?" Elrond finally asked, stepping forward and making his presence known.

Legolas didn't even look up at his voice but continued to pick up the scattered books. "Tidying up this mess."

"You should be resting," Elrond urged, striding forwards and placing his hands on Legolas' shoulders to cease his movement. "You are not well."

"You just examined me and said yourself that we are all well. I don't need to rest," Legolas answered curtly, shrugging Elrond's hands off his shoulders.

"You look tired."

"Thank you," Legolas snapped irritably, clearly taking the comment badly. He bent down and went to pick up an errant tunic but when he tugged on it he found the sleeve trapped under Elrond's booted foot. "Excuse me," he said, pulling at the tunic again.

"Legolas…" Elrond tried.

The prince grabbed Elrond's foot and went to push it aside but the stubborn Elven lord stood firm. "Move," Legolas shouted angrily and tugged on the garment one last time but Elrond obviously wasn't going to move and Legolas cried out in frustration as he released the tunic and abruptly stood upright. He went to storm past Elrond but the healer grabbed his arm to stop him. "Let me go!" Legolas shouted, trying to wrench himself free of Elrond's grip but it appeared he was not going to escape from the room, which only made his anger and frustration rise and he found himself actually struggling to get free. To his annoyance, tears gathered in his eyes and started to trickle down his pale cheeks.

Without a moment's hesitation, Elrond pulled the young prince into his embrace and held him tightly, pleased to find that his struggles died down. Once Legolas had regained some control over his emotions he pulled back, wiping his face with his sleeves.

"Are you all right?" Elrond asked, taking Legolas' hands in his own. "Come and sit down." He led Legolas over to the bed and the prince complied without protest. Once they were sat side by side on the bed, hands still joined, Elrond asked again, "What is wrong?"

Legolas shook his head, looking to the floor. "I don't know."

"Does this have something to do with what happened today?" Elrond pressed gently but Legolas didn't answer. "They are fine, you know. Their heart beats are both strong and they are moving around well enough. You are going to be fine."

"I know," the prince said softly.

"Then what is wrong? I know you were scared but everything's all right now."

Legolas stressed, "I know. I don't know what's…" Legolas shook his head again, unable to find the words to explain his feelings. He didn't want to tell his partner about his strange turn in the baby supply store. For all he knew he was being completely irrational. Already the panic he had felt earlier was fading, leaving him feeling rather embarrassed at his massive overreaction to a random fear over his pregnancy. He knew that if he told Elrond about it though, even if it did sound utterly crazy, the healer would immediately panic and no doubt confine him to bed and watch him like a hawk. He sighed heavily and said, "I'm sorry."

Elrond didn't seem entirely satisfied with the lack of answer but he smiled gently anyway, squeezing Legolas' hand tightly. "You're sure you're all right?"

"I'll be fine." Legolas forced a smile.

"All right." Elrond placed a tender kiss on Legolas' lips, which the prince forced himself to return even though he still felt guilty about hiding his concerns for their children.

The prince smiled when Elrond pulled back. Looking around the still-cluttered room, Legolas sighed, having suddenly lost all his previous nervous energy. "I suppose I should tidy up this mess."

"No, you look exhausted. You should rest. I can tidy up."

Legolas frowned. "Don't you have to get back to the office?"

"Glorfindel has cleared my appointments for the remainder of the afternoon so I can stay with you; if you don't mind the company."

"No," Legolas said with a more genuine smile.

"Why don't you get changed into something more comfortable and go to bed for a while before the evening meal?"

Legolas nodded but said, "Maybe I'll take a bath first, if you don't mind."

"Not at all. Take your bath and try to relax. It'll give me time to clean up a bit in here." Elrond pulled Legolas briefly against him and pressed a kiss on Legolas' forehead. "I love you, Legolas. Don't ever forget that."

"I love you too." The young Elf got up and retreated to the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind him. For a moment, Elrond stared after him. Even though he had said nothing outright, he was worried about his love. Upon his arrival to Imladris he had naturally been withdrawn but Elrond had thought that in the last month he had come out of his shell. This small setback seemed to have hit him hard and he had once again retreated into himself. Elrond hated that the person he loved was hurting. He knew that the pregnancy was getting harder – and would get harder yet – and that this incident had scared him far more than he was letting on. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could really do except try to make him feel as secure and comfortable as possible. It wasn't easy given Legolas' pride and stubbornness but thankfully when it came to the person he loved, Elrond's patience was infinite. Legolas needed him and that was all that mattered.

Whilst Legolas took a long, relaxing bath, Elrond set about tidying up the room. He made sure the floor was clear but didn't pay too much attention to where he moved it. No doubt Legolas would move it again soon anyway. Pretty soon the room was tidy enough to sleep in and Elrond went outside to ask a maid to bring both him and Legolas some tea and dinner.

By the time he had returned to the bedroom, Legolas was just emerging from the bathroom, his long hair damp and hanging over his bare shoulders. He had a large towel wrapped around his stomach, which, due to the large bump came only halfway up his thighs. For a moment, Elrond could do nothing but gaze adoringly at the tall prince. Before Legolas had become pregnant he had always been physically attractive and constantly had suitors surrounding him, hoping to earn his affections and it certainly had been what captured Elrond's attentions initially. And beneath the stunning, powerful exterior was a truly beautiful soul, which was rather unfortunately concealed until a person could get close enough to properly see it. That Elrond had been allowed a glimpse into this rarely revealed soul made him feel privileged beyond belief.

When Legolas had informed him of the pregnancy some dark recess of the Elven lord's mind had been troubled about how exactly he would view the changing body. He'd seen both male and female pregnancies before and they had not troubled him but Legolas was his partner and he wasn't exactly sure how he would react to that.

But now, Elrond didn't think he had ever looked so lovely. His heart swelled with love and he knew that he was openly staring with tears in his eyes.

Legolas must have noticed this as he was staring back with a flicker of annoyance in his eyes, obviously misinterpreting Elrond's fascination. "What?" he snapped impatiently.

Slowly, Elrond took a few steps forward and took Legolas' hands in his own, looking deep into shining blue eyes. "You're so…" He shook his head, unable to find the correct word. Reaching up, he placed his hands on either side of Legolas' confused face. "I just…You are everything to me, Legolas. I love you."

Legolas offered him a rather shaky smile and said, "You've only just said that."

The dark-haired Elf leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Legolas' trembling lips. When he pulled back he continued, "Yes, but I want to tell you a thousand times a day."

Legolas laughed softly. "Then you would never leave my side."

"I could live with that."

"You would never get any real work done."

"Huh. Imladris doesn't really need me. Glorfindel and Erestor can manage," Elrond said, placing tickling kisses along Legolas' jaw and cheek.

"I'm afraid you would simply get bored of me," Legolas warned although he sounded a little breathless under Elrond's attentions.

"Never," Elrond whispered fiercely, kissing down Legolas' neck and over his shoulder, slowly drawing the prince into his embrace. He could already feel the heat rising between them and Legolas seemed just as eager to succumb to the feelings. Still pressing kisses over Legolas' upper body, Elrond breathed, "Shall we pick up where we left off this morning?"

In between deep, passionate kisses, Legolas said, "Definitely."

Together they moved towards the bed, never moving apart. When they reached the bed, Elrond turned Legolas around and pushed the pregnant Elf gently back so he was lying on the bed. Luckily for them, the prince wore only a towel and Legolas made short work of Elrond's robes, his hands gliding over well-formed muscles as he went, only heightening their arousal.

Elrond was always gentle, taking extra care to avoid putting pressure on Legolas' swollen stomach. By the time they were both spent they were considerably more relaxed and contented. Legolas lay in Elrond's arms and both were covered in a sheet. Elrond was running his fingers through the prince's now dry hair, which was starting to make him a little drowsy. It felt good to be peaceful for a change, especially with Elrond pressed up against him. And to think he had been nervous about doing this just this morning when now in the wake of Elrond's loving touch he was practically glowing. He sighed softly, snuggling closer to Elrond and tucking his head neatly under the Elven lord's chin so he could lie comfortably against the broad chest. Elrond immediately shifted, wrapping his arms around the younger Elf and dropping a kiss onto his golden head. He resumed his soothing and soon Legolas had drifted off into a peaceful, fear-free slumber.

IOIOIOIOIOI

Legolas Nine Months Pregnant…

"Good morning. How are you feeling?" Elrond asked cheerfully, throwing open the drapes and flooding the bedroom with bright, mid-morning sunlight. He then flung open the balcony doors to allow the warm winter air in. This was the first pleasant morning they had had in weeks and Elrond guessed that the Wood Elf would want to enjoy it.

Apparently, he guessed wrong, as Legolas pulled the sheets up over his head with a loud groan of disapproval. "Go away," he mumbled from beneath the mass of blankets.

Ignoring the prince's rather grouchy greeting, Elrond grabbed the edge of the sheet and whipped it off of Legolas, who was curled up as tightly as his swollen stomach would allow. "It's time to get up," Elrond announced with a grin as Legolas turned his face into the pillow to block out the light of the morning.

"I said, go away," Legolas snapped, blindly reaching out for the sheets Elrond had messily folded at the bottom of the bed.

Elrond grabbed the groping hand and squeezed it tightly but Legolas abruptly snatched it back and folded his arm around himself as if to simulate the warmth and comfort of the missing bed clothes. The Elven lord just laughed though. "Come on, it's nearly eleven. Come down and have some breakfast whilst they're serving in the dining hall."

"I'm not hungry," Legolas' muffled voice came from the pillow.

"You have to eat something." Due to the fact that his cravings changed from hour to hour, Elrond made sure that he ate at every meal although allowed Legolas to choose what he wanted. The chef had so far complained nearly once a day to Elrond about the strange combinations Legolas requested. Unfortunately, when the chef had insisted that Legolas at least attempt to eat what everyone else had for lunch it had resulted in an extremely hasty exit and an afternoon recovering from the relentless nausea. After that, the Imladrian cooks had been more accepting and now pretty much prepared him what he wanted when he wanted it, something Elrond whole-heartedly approved of.

"Go away," Legolas moaned, turning over onto his back with a slight wince when his back protested.

Elrond took Legolas' hands and gave them a slight tug, forcing Legolas to sit up with a groan. The prince finally opened his eyes, this time wincing at the light. He shot a glare at Elrond, which the lord pointedly ignored.

"Come and eat something," Elrond coaxed.

This time Legolas whined, "I am not hungry."

At the rather uncharacteristic tone, Elrond's smile turned into a frown. He sat down beside his partner on the bed and smoothed Legolas' ruffled hair then his hand slid down to Legolas' large stomach, caressing it tenderly. "Are you all right?" he asked with serious concern.

"I'm fine," Legolas snapped, shifting purposefully away from Elrond's hand.

"Tell me the truth," Elrond demanded.

"I am. I just don't like being dragged out of bed at a ridiculous hour of the morning," Legolas said, swatting Elrond's hand away when he took his arm. "Now can I please have the sheets back?"

Elrond obediently released his hold on both Legolas and the sheets but his grin returned. "I never thought I would see the day that the proud crown prince of Mirkwood would want to laze in bed all day long."

The very second the words left his lips Elrond regretted them. Although he had settled down significantly over the past couple of months the subject of what he had been his home or previous rank was still a sore one and was usually avoided as much as possible. Legolas never said much about his past life but Elrond was well aware that it still upset and troubled him. The last thing he needed was for someone – particularly someone he trusted – to crack glib jokes about his loss.

"Legolas, I'm sorry," Elrond said quickly.

The pregnant Elf struggled to sit on the edge of the bed and said dismissively, "Don't worry about it."

Elrond stood as Legolas did, although the prince refused the proffered helping hand as he got to his feet with an effort that made Elrond regret even waking him. "Legolas, I didn't mean…"

"It's fine."

"No, it's not fine." Elrond held Legolas carefully in place so he couldn't walk away as he clearly intended to do. "I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. I'm so sorry."

Legolas smiled falsely. "Don't worry about it." He went to move past Elrond but the Elven lord held firm, rightly unconvinced. "Can I get to the bathroom, please?"

"Do you forgive me?"

"Yes." Elrond placed a kiss onto his cheek before stepping aside. Striding past Elrond as best he could, Legolas closed the bathroom door behind him. Elrond sighed heavily and sat down on the bed, pushing aside the mussed bed sheets, wondering when it had become so dangerous to speak freely around Legolas. The Wood Elf had always been so easy going, especially around his partner. No matter how much pressure was being put on him from the outside world – and there was often a lot – with each other they could always be honest without fearing the political consequences. To everyone else they were the Lord of Imladris and the Crown Prince of Mirkwood but away from the prying eyes of the public they were just Elrond and Legolas. Now everything seemed so much more difficult. He was wary over everything he said.

He supposed he couldn't blame Legolas. This pregnancy was not easy. Elrond could see how quickly he tired these days and the extra weight was getting uncomfortable. Not to mention the fact that he was clearly still upset about the king's rejection of him. Unfortunately, there was very little Elrond could do about the either thing. The pregnancy was necessary and Elrond could not force a relationship between father and son, especially seeing as Thranduil hated him even more than Legolas.

When the prince emerged from the bathroom he was dressed in loose-fitting clothes that had been specially tailored for him to accommodate his growing size. At least they were comfortable for him now and disguised the size of his belly a little. Although all of Imladris knew the truth, Legolas was not keen to flaunt his condition and Elrond respected that decision, doing all he could to make him feel comfortable.

Elrond stood when he stepped out of the bathroom and smiled broadly. "You look nice today," the Elven lord smiled.

"Thank you," Legolas said politely, although to Elrond it sounded strained and forced.

"Are you ready to get some breakfast?" Elrond then asked, trying to keep the conversation light.

"Yes."

Legolas followed Elrond through the corridors, as always walking a couple of paces behind just as protocol in Imladris demanded of its guests rather than its residents. Countless times, Elrond had told him that it was unnecessary but it seemed almost natural now. It seemed that Legolas had completely abandoned his previous role within Elven society and all hopes that he could ever be considered as Elrond's equal again.

As they approached the dining rooms' large double doors, an excited chorus of familiar voices caught Legolas' attention. It took him a moment to remember where he had heard them before but when he did, he stopped in his tracks, stunned and horrified.

To Be Continued…