Chapter 25: The Beautiful Beginning

They never left. Eight months after the death of two of the crowned princes of Mirkwood, their influence and their spirits never left their people or their families. It was perhaps what made those six months so hard for the royal family and easier for their people. After a public mourning period of three months life within the realm of Mirkwood began to flourish once again. The common life returned to its normal pace, trade, scouting, domestic life, it all went back to being normal – Legolas observed. He observed life away from the castle, away from his wife, away from his father and his sisters-in-law. He had watched months of mourning his older brothers' deaths nearly tear apart the lives of some of his family members and he did not want to see any more of it. He did not want to see himself suffer like them, even though deep down he knew his heart felt still felt like it was cleaving in two. It all went back to his calamity about everything; he had learned from a very young age that open suffering was not something a prince should show his people.

It was why he sat beneath the trees of the forest surrounding his peaceful kingdom. It was the reason he sat in the same spot that so much of his earlier, happier life had spent cheering up friends and playfully dunking each other beneath the river's surface only a few feet away from where he sat. It was a spot where he could remember his older brothers and know he could leave smiling and without crying. He had done enough of that, enough of feeling sorry for himself. Eleniel had called it his personal pity party because she herself had stopped trying to comfort him, as did Estel. His wife and friend had been just as affected by his brothers' deaths but had learned to recover quickly and know that the two princes would not be happy to see their family and friends so torn apart. Legolas had taken awhile to understand that and at times during the earliest stages of the mourning (once the affects of Eleniel being okay had worn off) he was impossible to talk too, a lifeless being just carelessly wandering the castle. His father had been much the same way for months. But now he knew he would be alright, he knew his father would be alright. He also knew that this had been hardest on the King, losing three sons – two in a month's short span of time. He was surprised that his father had not gone into some kind of insanity. Many of his people were.

"Aren't you supposed to be getting ready?" Legolas didn't jump or acknowledge the presence of another entering his peaceful hideaway. He had heard the heavy footsteps nearly two hundred paces away. Legolas leaned back against a tree and closed his eyes. "Legolas?"

"Is he asleep?"

"No, look he's laughing at us."

"Prissy elf."

"If I remember correctly Master Elrohir, you're an elf too, therefore insulting yourself and our entire race." Legolas smirked, eyes still closed.

"My apologies Your Highness, I meant to say pampered little princeling."

"Enough Ro let us not agitate our favorite prince." Estel smiled down at Legolas, kicking his foot lightly and then sitting next to the blonde haired elf. "Open your eyes mellon-nin, the joke is over."

"I'm the only prince you know." Legolas corrected smoothly as he opened his eyes. Estel shook his head and thought to argue but only smiled. "Have you seen Eleniel?"

All three sons of Elrond broke into wide grins as if smiling at their own joke. "I wouldn't dare say it in front of her," Elladan started, his brothers only laughing. "But I think she might have put on a bit of weight!"

Legolas rolled his eyes and smiled. Indeed if his wife had heard them jesting about her pregnancy or her rather large stomach, she would have done something of the more theatrical side of her many talents, maybe killing them. "Perhaps I will relay your comments to her?" He raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow to each of them. Their laughter ceased and their eyes grew wide and round. Legolas burst out into his own fit of laughter. "Perfect." He mumbled. Before he could even register to what was happening, Legolas found himself at the bottom of a pile of princes, each throwing their own jab into his sides and stomach, all the while laughing as they each kept Legolas continuously pinned as he struggled to stand up.

"Someone hasn't been practicing their wrestling." Elrohir taunted as he stood up to straighten out his clothes.

"Marriage is that interesting, huh?" Elladan winked, standing next to his twin. "Guess we're going to have to get married soon too, Ro. Everyone else around here is." Legolas gave them each a confused look.

"Valor knows Sis and this brat here are going to runaway together." Elrohir rolled his eyes, looking down at a blushing Estel. "Someone went and visited Lorien just a few weeks ago and got engaged."

Legolas turned his head, lips spread into a wide smile and his eyes were gleaming their normal mischievous look. Estel groaned. Nothing ever good came from that look, nothing. "Don't say a word. Those two have covered everything you could possibly say."

"Welcome to my world, Estel." The blonde haired prince smiled. "It's not as bad as those two claim it is." Estel laughed, shaking his head.

"Ah, if Eleniel could have heard you say that I am sure you would not be sleeping in that pretty bed of yours. Speaking of, are you not supposed to be getting ready for the celebration? Ir Rad En Dannen?" The mood dropped dramatically; suddenly there weren't any more smiling faces. The Path of the Fallen was of the newest traditions to come from change. It had been put into affect nearly right after Telegalad's death by King Thranduil. Every other month a gathering of the royal family would dress themselves in grey cloaks and their finest attire and walk through the entire city singing a lament for the fallen of their realm while holding small lamps of light. Those of their people lined the pathways around the city holding lights of their own and singing along with their rulers. The fourth celebration was tonight and Estel had been right, he was supposed to be getting ready but he just couldn't bring himself to walk back into the castle.

"Eleniel cannot walk the entire city this time so I have chosen to stay behind in the castle with her." He said quietly.

"Is that your only reason?" Legolas looked up at the sons of Elrond now towering over him together. Estel extended a hand to his oldest friend. "Sen yomanie onta na asea u na naeg." Nodding, the last prince of Mirkwood took the young Gondorians hand, standing tall and fixing his rumbled clothes. Legolas, Elladan, and Elrohir suddenly turned their heads sharply in the direction of the palace. Through the woods they could see an escort of the Legolas' father's guards running towards them.

"My Lord Legolas," the oldest of the group of three guards spoke. "Lady Cora has asked me to find you and bring you to your wife." The tone of the guards had Legolas ready to start running. "She is in labor." Legolas and the others took off for the castle.

Sixteen hours later, through the heavy oak doors of Legolas and Eleniel's chamber, a loud cry could be heard. Obvious sighs of relief came from the members of the royal family that seated themselves all along the long corridor in which their chamber was located. Some paced, smiling after hearing the cry. Others laughed, congratulating the King of becoming grandfather. All in all, a celebration was in need. The house of Thranduil would at least survive one more generation.

"What shall we name him?"

"Maybe Estel, Aragorn would quite like that." Legolas laughed quietly as he stared lovingly down at the small child in Eleniel's arms. "Then again, I don't think I want my first son to be quite like him. If he snores like a cave troll we might have problem." Eleniel laughed.

"What about Tirithon?" she whispered. "Vigilance."

"I like it…" He smiled, kissing the top of her head. "Tirithon… Estel…?"

"Must Aragorn have a place in his name?" Eleniel raised an eyebrow.

"We owe him much."

"Then yes, I love it."

"So do I."

Thus began the continuation of an ancient line and another wonderful, adventurous life to add to the stories of Mirkwood elves.

A/N: Alright, I KNOW Arwen and Aragorn did not get engaged in the time frame that I just presented butttt in order to make my other story work, a sequel to this one, it had to be done. I know I'm sorry, I tampered with history. Anyway, YAY! I finally completed this story! It's only taken... oh... three years? Wow. Well I hope everyone enjoyed it! It's certainly one of my favorite works.

StarlightSkies

The last translations of the is story!

Ir rad en dannen: The path of the fallen

Sen yomanie onta na asea u na naeg: This company [was] created to be helpful not to cause pain