Ari had finished bathing and slipped on a fine summer dress. There was no need for Hurwen to request her to lie down again. Ari felt so unexpectedly tired that she immediately lay down in her bed as soon as she had dressed. She only asked Hurwen for some fresh water to drink and closed her eyes, her body overwhelmed by a mixed sense of relaxation and unusual exhaustion after her bathing. When a few minutes had passed, the maid gently shook Ari's shoulder, as she was obviously falling asleep.
"My lady, please do not fall asleep. The king forbids it. You are not allowed to sleep while he is absent," she reminded softly.
Ari fluttered her eyes open with difficulty and glanced at Hurwen. She yawned and sighed deeply. "I know. In this case, he should be coming back soon. I can't stay awake for much longer."
Hurwen nodded and left the queen's side for a moment to send a guard in request of the king's return. It did not take long before Thranduil reached the chambers. He was accompanied by his son, Galadriel and Elrond. Galion was on his way to find Menethil.
Legolas sat at the edge of the bed and grinned at Ari. "I had hoped that this would happen sooner or later. But I am happy beyond words that it happened immediately after your wedding."
Ari answered him with a faint smile and closed her eyes. Her husband was by her side and she was finally allowed to asleep. Galadriel and Elrond checked on the fлa that had settled in Ari's womb, as did Menethil when she arrived with Galion shortly afterwards.
Blissfulness filled the air in the royal chambers and everybody assured the king that everything seemed to be alright. Ari's unusual fatigue was only due to her new condition. She was with child and there was nothing to worry about. Because of this unexpected event, Galadriel and Elrond decided to stay a while longer in the king's halls, a decision that Thranduil welcomed with a jovial heart. In one year's time he would become a father again. His whole being floated in a state of pure joy and peace at this thought.
Two months had passed since their wedding and Thranduil and Ari could not have felt more blessed, taking delight in every single moment that they spent together. Lord Elrond and Lady Galadriel had departed five days ago, an event that had saddened Ari deeply. She had spent a lot of time with Elrond and Galadriel. Both of them had patiently replied to her many questions, and Galadriel had continued to tell her stories about Valinor.
Ari still felt very tired, but she gradually adapted to the new sensation within her body. She was informed that her pregnancy would last for a full year. She had been quite shocked at first, yet she soon became accustomed to the notion of these additional three months during her pregnancy in comparison to an ordinary human one. She spent a lot of time sitting in the garden. If Galion had time, he read her stories from elvish books. During those meetings, Ari had tried to learn her husband's language, yet she had failed miserably. When Thranduil noticed that this caused his wife stress, he decided that was not the proper time for her to engage in the study of Sindarin. This would simply have to wait for a later time.
Thranduil was sitting in his study, deep in thought. He had had many conversations with Elrond and Galadriel during their stay in his realm. One particular talk had been occupying his mind ever since. When they had spoken about his wife, Elrond had mentioned that she had not aged since she had recovered from her illness. That meant that she might continue to age at a normal pace, or hopefully, very slowly. Galadriel still doubted Ari's origins. She had said that a human would not be able to sense a fлa at this stage of pregnancy. A woman would eventually notice that her belly was growing and, at a certain stage, she would come to feel the child moving within her womb. But Ari had been able to sense the presence of the fлa on the very next day after conception. This was highly unusual, or, as Elrond had said, quite impossible. They had discussed several different theories but towards the end of their stay, it was Galadriel who spoke about the impossibility to determine Ari's origin and the length of her mortal life.
Thranduil knew that she was right. But he still longed to find answers. He wanted to know what was going on with his wife. He loved her. He needed to know how much time they would have together. But then, maybe it would be better if these details remained in the dark. Thranduil relished every moment that they spent together. And, no matter how strange this may have sounded, he felt safe when she was near him.
He sighed deeply. He walked out in the balcony and breathed in the fresh autumn air. It was the middle of the season already and Thranduil had been busier than usual over the last weeks. He wanted to make sure that his wife would be warm this winter. He did not want her to fall ill again. Especially not now that she was with child.
He recognized Galion's footsteps behind him. Thranduil had requested his presence some time ago. He turned around to face him. "Tell me, my friend, is there any news of Mithrandir? Have you received any information regarding the wizard's whereabouts?"
Galion gave him a crestfallen look and shook his head. "No, my king. There is no news. But Galadriel said that she would contact him. No matter where he is at present, it will most likely take a considerable amount of time for him to come here. And winter will be upon us in about a month's time. I doubt that you will meet Mithrandir before spring. In fact, I doubt that he will arrive before your child is born."
Thranduil was obviously dissatisfied with his answer. "Please forget for a moment everything that Elrond and Galadriel have said during their stay here. I wish to hear your own opinion. What is going on with my wife? I feel helpless. I feel there is nothing I can do. What am I to learn from this?"
Galion stepped closer to Thranduil. "My friend," he said as he placed a hand on Thranduil's shoulder, "I do not know. I have listened to everything your wife has said during the meetings. I've heard everything that was said between you, Elrond and Galadriel and yet, I remain in the dark, just like all of you."
Thranduil seemed disappointed and Galion gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Taking into consideration all I have seen during my long life, what I have heard, what I have read about… I have come to believe that she is in fact a human. Is she of the lineage of the Dunedain? I doubt that. I rather think that she may be a human touched by the gods. Nothing else makes sense to me. But that is only my speculation. I know it does not help much. As your friend I advise you to cherish her and to enjoy every moment the Valar allow you to spend with her. Please do not do anything you might regret later. The pain would be too great to bear."
Thranduil was about to speak when a maid knocked on the door.
She entered the room and bowed. "My king, the queen is requesting your presence."
Thranduil left and Galion remained in the balcony. He turned around to face the vast forest. He remembered how it looked thousands of years ago. It had become ancient, like him. So many times they had marched under its massive tree crowns into wars, mostly won. But after every war they had returned in lesser numbers. Having buried their friends and families near the battle fields, many elves that had returned from war had not stayed in Middle-Earth. They had succumbed to grief or had sailed west to the Undying Lands, longing to be once again reunited with their loved ones.
That was a fate his king and friend would probably have to face one day. But should this ever happen, there would be no reunion with his present queen. Galion admired Thranduil for his strength. He hoped that all his assumptions were wrong, and wished that the queen would not age any further. But he was afraid he hoped for too much. She was no elf. The pain would be unbearable for Thranduil and would remain within him for eternity. Did the king deserve such a fate? No. No one deserved this. Galion shook his head and tears welled up his eyes, blurring his vision. His heart was burdened by the thought of the grief that was destined to befall his friend one day. Galion sighed deeply and shook his head. They had to find Mithrandir. He left the balcony to search for Legolas.
There had been no news about Mithrandir in the autumn and Thranduil was greatly disappointed. Mirkwood's woodlands were now covered by a thick blanket of snow and Thranduil knew that there was no chance of news of the grey pilgrim. Not until spring. Apart from the unavoidable duties which he had to perform as king, he spent the rest of his time with his wife and son. Ari was now five months pregnant and Thranduil enjoyed watching her womb gradually grow bigger.
It was a cold winter morning and Thranduil had been walking up and down his halls for the past hour in search for his wife. She had left their chambers during his absence, and no one knew where she was. He was concerned, greatly concerned. It was cold in his halls, and her body was an easy target to illness during the winter months. His search for her brought him to the main kitchen. As he stood in the doorway and searched across the large kitchen with his eyes, a maid stepped forward. She pointed her finger to the other end of the kitchen.
"We tried to talk to her, my king, but our queen would not listen."
Thranduil spotted his wife near the oven, and his expression darkened as he approached her. His strong arms wound around her growing belly, startling Ari who smiled when she recognized her husband. His lips grazed her ear as he spoke.
"My beloved wife, what are you doing here?"
"My dear husband, as you can clearly see, I am baking."
His kissed her ear and tightened his grip on her. "We can ask the cooks to bake an apple pie. You do not have to bake it yourself."
"I do not wish to disturb them with my cravings," she explained, shaking her head. "I am happy to do it myself".
"It is rather disturbing when you are not where I need you," Thranduil whispered into her ear, his voice suddenly hoarse.
Ari looked over her shoulder and grinned at her husband. "And where does my king need me?" she asked seductively.
His husky voice gave her shivers. "I want you in our bed. Now," he growled.
He nibbled on her ear and Ari felt his strong yearning for her spread all over her own body. She inhaled sharply as Thranduil ordered a maid to finish the apple pie. He took his wife by her hand and quickly left the kitchen. As soon as they had walked into their chambers, Thranduil locked the door and turned to her. He took her hand in his and led her to their bed where he slowly began to untie the laces to her dress. The roaring fireplace in the chamber spread its warmth all over the place but he noticed goosebumps on her skin. She shivered. Thranduil looked into his wife's eyes, deeply concerned.
"Are you cold, my dear?"
Ari smiled shyly. A sight that Thranduil had began to miss dearly. "I am not cold," she assured him, blushing slightly. "But your touch is arousing me greatly."
He had unlaced her dress, which now pooled at her feet. Thranduil laid her on the bed, pulling her buttocks to the edge, before he rested her legs against his shoulders. One of his hands roamed over her upper thigh, while his other hand impatiently discarded his leggings. Ari closed her eyes, her body trembling with anticipation. He began kissing her inner thighs and slowly approached her center. His tongue began to play with her entrance while his fingers brushed over her nipples, rubbing and rolling them between his fingertips until they were hard. Ari moaned and shifted closer to her husband's face. Thranduil, aware of her deep desire, entered her core with two fingers.
With his other hand he spread her slick folds and his tongue began to tease her pearl. Ari arched her back and moaned, enjoying his attention. As he flicked his tongue over her pearl in a steady rhythm, she removed her legs from his shoulders. She lowered them between her husband's legs until she reached his hardened shaft. Thranduil moaned into her folds when she placed her feet firmly around his erection. As Ari began to move them back and forth, a loud groan escaped his mouth. She quickened her pace, hoping that she would get him over the edge. Yet with a sudden grasp her legs landed on his shoulders again and Thranduil sucked her pearl into his mouth before he sat up straight. He rested her feet against his chest and brushed his nose against her soft skin.
Thranduil shifted her butt a little over the edge and began to rub his shaft along her folds and pearl. Ari wriggled in pleasure as he entered her cautiously, eager to fulfill her yearning. He began to thrust into her while stimulating her pearl with his fingers. She turned her head to the side and covered her face with one arm. Thranduil could feel her arousal and he quickened his thrusts before he brought them together to their climax. Slowing down his movements, he eventually placed her feet on the floor and bent over to kiss her growing belly. He crawled up on the bed beside her and gently removed her arm from her face. She looked exhausted.
"Don't fall asleep, my love. Your apple pie will be here at any moment," he warned smilingly when her eyes fluttered closed, while he picked up her dress from the floor.
He helped her to get up and dress and then he tucked her into their bed with great care before he busied himself with his own clothes. By the time he had finished, Ari had fallen asleep. He sat next to her and patiently waited for her to wake up again. Time went by slowly and when she awoke, her apple pie had long gone cold. Thranduil fed her and sent a guard to fetch Hurwen. Upon her arrival, he left their chambers.
Ari felt so relaxed and refreshed that she decided to return to the kitchen. This time she intended to cook dinner for her husband. Hurwen was not pleased to hear about her plan, but when her queen requested her to come along and help, she agreed with a smile on her face. Ari had grown herbs from the south in the king's garden the previous summer. They had been dried and stored in the kitchen, ready to be used by her. She felt content when she began to chop vegetables, in fact, she enjoyed it greatly. It was a simple occupation that brought her a lot of pleasure. Being a queen still felt strange to her. While she was standing by the fire cooking, Ari felt free. She felt young as she reminisced about the days of her youth. They cooked soup, baked bread and a vegetable pie. When it was time to add the southern herbs to the soup, Ari talked to Hurwen about their origin and for what she normally used them. She smiled contentedly when she looked at the food they had prepared. Ari was sure that her husband would savor it.
The maids in the main kitchen were nervous when the king appeared again. This time he looked angry, his voice stern.
"Where is my wife?"
One of the maids informed him that the queen and Hurwen had been there a while before his arrival, picking different vegetables before they left. They had gone to the king's kitchen to cook. Thranduil walked out in a hurry and stomped into his private kitchen.
Ari and Hurwen looked up in surprise when the door flung open and hit the wall with a loud bang. Ari's smile vanished instantly when she saw her husband's face. Her body was hit by a huge wave of anger. Thranduil walked up to them as his eyes flew over the food on the table which his lady had apparently prepared. His nostrils flared and his eyes went wide when he looked at his wife. She had been in the kitchen for a long time. He could see that.
"You are my wife and the queen, your place is not the kitchen! You are weak and you know that you should not tire yourself out, you are with child! We have cooks for such tasks. You belong in our chambers, where you should be resting. You have to stay in bed! There is no place for you in my heart if you cannot satisfy a simple request of mine!" he thundered.
Ari starred at him in shock. Tears welled up in her eyes as she was left speechless. Upon seeing her like this Thranduil's fury vanished and his heart ached. What had he just said? His facial expression turned from anger to regret. He took a step closer to Ari and embraced her. He stood there, his guilt depriving him of words, feeling her tears wet his tunic. Thranduil smelled her hair and kissed the crown of her head.
"Oh my love, please forgive me. I don't know what has come over me that made me speak such hurtful words. I did not mean to hurt you. Your place is with me for eternity. Please, forgive me."
He placed another kiss on the crown of her head and waited for her reply. But there was none. She continued to weep and he had no other choice than to carry her back to their chambers. He lowered her carefully onto their bed and covered her with a warm blanket. He removed his boots and was about to lie down by her side in order to comfort her, but when he looked at her, he saw that a pillow had already taken his place. Ari was hugging a pillow tightly to her chest, her face buried in it. Her hot tears were quickly absorbed by the fine material. He let out a heavy sigh and sat near her on the edge of the bed, burying his face in his hands. Thranduil waited for her to calm down. It took a long time and when Ari finally stopped crying, Thranduil noticed that she had fallen asleep.
He sent a guard to fetch Hurwen and Galion. Hurwen informed the king how the queen had been happy to cook for him. It had given her great satisfaction as she had only wished to please her husband. His angry outburst had come totally unexpected. Thranduil was very frustrated at himself and his behavior. He gave Hurwen a task and sent her away. Galion remained with the king and his sleeping wife. Sighing deeply, the king risked a look at his sleeping wife and his heart was filled with guilt again.
"How shall I protect her, if she always runs away? Last winter she was very ill. I want her to stay here in our chambers. I want to keep her safe and warm. I am only doing this because I care about her," he explained.
Galion sat down on the edge of the bed. "My king, you have to understand that she wishes to take care of you, too. Yes, she is with child. But she is doing very well. There are no signs of danger regarding her health. A little cooking and baking for her husband will do her no harm. She will understand it if she gets close to her limits. Trust in this. This little bit of work in the kitchen today did not harm her. It was your reaction, behavior, and your words, that have caused her suffering. Remember how sensitive she is when it comes to perceiving your emotions. It has been like that from the very beginning. But now you are one. Your bond is complete and it is more intense than before. Why don't you allow her this little pleasure of serving you in this way?"
Thranduil was in doubt. "I want the best for her. And in my eyes, the best for her is to rest. She can cook for me after she has given birth. This is what I am going to tell her."
Galion sighed sadly. "It is your decision. If this is what you think is right, I cannot help you. But remember this, a wife's desire must be fulfilled," he said and left the royal chambers.
It was nightfall when Ari woke up. She felt the king's presence next to her, but chose to ignore him. She rose from the bed and walked into the bathroom to refresh herself. Thranduil was standing in front of the door when she opened it again. Her face was blank, devoid of any emotion.
"My love, could you please forgive me?"
Ari nodded and walked past him. He took hold of her arm and embraced her tightly.
"Would you join me for supper?" he asked and kissed her ear.
Ari sighed and nodded. "Yes, I will," she replied dully.
They ate in the queen's chambers where Hurwen had set the table. The food that Ari had prepared was the only one served. They ate together in a heavy silence. Thranduil secretly admitted that she was indeed a great cook, perhaps the best one he had ever had in his realm. As soon as they ended their meal, he broke the awkward silence.
"You're still angry at me."
"I'd like to cook for you. That's my desire," she said, looking at the empty plate in front of her. "I feel rather useless when I sit in our chambers doing nothing," Ari explained.
"I understand your desire to cook for me. But I am only asking you to stop doing so until our child has been born. After that, you are free to cook for me if you wish to."
Ari smiled weakly. "Is this a promise?" She looked up at him in anticipation.
"Yes," the king nodded. "I promise you that you will be allowed to cook for me whenever you desire after you have given birth."
Ari nodded and rose from her chair to reach the bed, as she suddenly became dizzy. Thranduil caught her in his arms and carried her to their bed before he sent a guard to fetch Menethil.