Chapter Sixteen
Ayla walked through the front door of her apartment, having returned from another day at the hospital. As great as it was to be living with the man that she loved, she didn't realize how much of an adjustment it would be considering how different the circumstances were. In Middle Earth she supposed it was easier because it was partly out of necessity, and presently with her job and friends it made things hard to focus and prioritize on what was in front of her. Of course it didn't mean she didn't love Thranduil any less, she just now had other distractions of the twenty-first century and it was hard to keep her attention on one thing when a billion other things were happening all around her. On the bright side, she now lived five floors above her best friend and godson.
Ayla looked down at her left hand, at the simple silver wedding band on the ring finger and couldn't resist the smile that pulled at the corners of her mouth. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out her engagement ring and slid it onto her finger to join her wedding band. Ayla had to admit, she really liked the idea of being married to Thranduil in her world. Living a modern life together, married, and maybe this time they can actually have the one thing that was denied in Middle Earth: kids.
Ayla sat at the island counter, her head resting against her knuckles while she stared down at the piece of paper that had her results from the blood work she had done that morning. Plus side to being a doctor, she had the privilege of getting her own labs done in just a few hours versus waiting days. She already knew she was pregnant having gone through two store bought tests and then using the instant urine test at work, then there was the ultrasound she had Pamela help her with in secret…but to see it written on paper…it felt more official. And as happy as she was, she was also rather fearful and rightfully so. She already suffered through failed pregnancies in the past, what if it happened again? She was fairly confident that it won't happen again since now she was officially "awake" but it didn't mean there wasn't a sliver of doubt.
Then there was the matter of telling Thranduil. How would she tell him? Text? Phone? In person? She let out a sigh, wondering how to tell him. She wanted to make it a surprise but she also wondered if it was too soon to have a baby, after all, they've only been back together for less than a year.
"Shit…what am I gonna do?" she wondered aloud, running a hand through her hair and then scratching the back of her head, messing up her hair further.
"You're pregnant?!" Ayla nearly jumped out of her skin and whirled around to see Legolas standing right behind her, obviously able to read what was on the paper with his perfect eyesight. Damn his elven stealth! They stared at each other in shock before Legolas' face broke out into a wide grin. "Naneth! I'm so happy for you and father!" He hugged Ayla's shoulders tightly, excited by the news.
"Shit! You can't tell anyone, all right?" Ayla said as Legolas released her, looking confused.
"But this is good news." he said, "I thought you both were trying to get pregnant."
"I know and so far only you and Pam know."
"How does Pam already know?"
"Because I told her, but that's beside the point, I want to be the one to tell your father. I'm just trying to figure out how to let him know."
"Just show him this paper with the result."
Ayla shook her head, "When you get married and your wife tells you that she's pregnant you'll want to hear it from her and not read it on a piece of paper. Trust me."
"All right, I won't tell a soul." he said, still grinning. "This is just exciting news."
"Wait…what are you doing here?" Ayla asked, suddenly realizing that Legolas was in her kitchen.
"Did you forget? We had plans to get lunch, unless you want to cancel?"
"Shit, I forgot! Let me get my jacket." Ayla said, hurrying up the stairs to grab a light jacket before coming back down. "Okay, let's go!" she said, grabbing her wallet, phone and keys from the countertop.
Together they went out to a small bistro in Fremont, sitting at a table in the back corner. They were currently unable to stray from the topic of her pregnancy and Legolas was already preparing a baby registry for her on his phone while Ayla was scrolling through Pinterest on her phone for ideas on telling Thranduil that she was pregnant. It was hard to contain their combined excitement.
"All these ideas are interesting but also too stupid to do. I can't imagine myself wearing a shirt that says 'Bun in the Oven' without getting embarrassed." Ayla said.
Legolas laughed, "Well at least I'm almost done with your baby registry."
"What? But we don't even know the gender yet."
"I'm just adding items that you'll need, and you can change the color later."
"If I didn't know you so well I'd swear you're gay."
"Funny enough you're not the first to say that, Tauriel teases me daily about it but I prefer the term metrosexual." Legolas said, not at all offended.
"Oh, wait!" Ayla opened her photo album on her phone and scrolled through the pictures on it. She had forgotten that she and Pamela had used the ultrasound earlier that morning and she had downloaded the images onto her phone. "I know how to tell him."
Suddenly her phone began to ring and the caller was Thranduil. Strange, she didn't attach the photos to a text yet. Answering she held the phone to her ear. "Hello?"
"You're pregnant?!" came his voice, full of surprise.
"What?! Did Pamela tell you?!"
"Pamela knows before me?"
"Well, I—it's just…" Ayla was at a loss for words on how to explain it and slapped Legolas' arm who was laughing at her expense. "How did you find out?"
"I found this result sheet on the kitchen counter with your name and today's date on it."
Ayla looked at Legolas who was struggling not to laugh while still scrolling through his phone. She totally forgot that she left the test results on the kitchen counter. Fuck! She sighed. "Yes, I am. But that's not how I wanted you to find out."
"How long?"
"I just confirmed it today. Hold on, I'll send you the ultrasound pictures." she said, quickly attaching the photos and sending them to Thranduil. "Did you get them?"
"Yes, but I don't know what I'm looking at."
"I'll point it out to you when I see you later."
"Who else knows? And why am I the last to know?"
"I told Pam first and Legolas found out by accident."
"Anyone else?"
Ayla rolled her eyes. "No. Just them and now you."
"Come home immediately." he said before hanging up.
"Well, that could have gone way worse." Ayla said, "Come on, I'm suddenly being summoned home by the King."
Legolas snickered as they left the bistro after paying for their meal.
xxxxx
Walking through the front door of the apartment, Ayla barely set her things down on the counter when Thranduil rushed up to her and wrapped her in his arms and kissed her hard. She was caught off guard by him and when he pulled back from the kiss he was beaming down at her.
"Show me in the photo. Where is our child?" he said, practically carrying her to the living room and pulling up the photo on his phone screen as he sat down on the sofa with her in his lap. Ayla couldn't stop the giggle, rarely seeing him so excited over anything as she pointed out where their baby was in the photo and enlarged the image on the screen.
"It's not much to look at right now but that's our baby." she said.
Thranduil set the phone aside and nuzzled his face into her neck, kissing the sensitive flesh. Ayla giggled some more as she situated herself to straddle his lap and kiss him passionately.
"I love you." he said, holding her head in his heads as he touched his forehead to hers. "I thought I could not be any happier when we resumed our lives together, but now…now I have no words to express what I'm feeling."
Ayla couldn't help herself but to giggle some more. "I keep forgetting that you're actually a romantic underneath the cold businessman suit. But I know what you mean."
"How long are we supposed to wait to find out the gender?"
"About five months."
"And how far along are you right now?"
"I'm not really sure but if I had to guess from the sonogram I'd say maybe eight weeks?"
Thranduil placed his hand over her lower abdomen. "Then we only have to wait another twelve weeks."
"You know, we could always do a blood test and find out now."
"If we were still in Middle Earth we would be forced to wait until after the baby was born to learn the gender."
Ayla smiled and kissed his brow. "But we're here, in Seattle, and we have options."
"Yes…we have options and resources beyond imagination."
xxxxx
For once in her life, Ayla could not be happier than to be at work because Thranduil was driving her absolutely crazy. He acted like she was suddenly the most fragile thing in the world now that she was pregnant again. He even insisted that she just quit her job. Honestly, does he know nothing about her at this point? She had absolutely no intention of going on an extended maternity leave. Just getting out the front door had been a hassle since Thranduil was annoyingly reading passages from the latest version of "What to Expect When You're Expecting." Telling her that in her early stage of the first trimester that she must avoid all things that can stress her out and Ayla screamed that he was stressing her out and left.
Pamela threw her head back and laughed after Ayla told her of that morning as they sat together in the hospital cafeteria over a morning cup of coffee (decaf for Ayla, ugh!).
"I wish I can go back in time and have burned that piece of paper and just waited to tell him after the baby was born. He's been sooooo annoying." Ayla said.
"I'm having a hard time imagining that." Pamela said, still working on reigning in her laughter. "At least now you're part of the club. Do any of the girls know?"
"I'm gonna wait a little longer before I tell them. Stacy will be throwing all of her baby tips at me every hour of the day. I'd rather just play this by ear and hope I don't kill anyone."
"You're happy, just admit it." Pamela smirked.
Ayla smiled as she brought her coffee to her lips. "I am. And I'll be happier once Thranduil stops reading those fucking books and relax."
"I can't believe that in just a month you guys hooked up, moved in together, and then got married. Fast forward nearly a year later and you're having a baby." Pamela said, "I'm just blown away that you accomplished all of that in less than a year. You should write a column for Cosmo on how to nab a trillionair."
"I already told you that we have a—"
"Long and complicated history. Yeah, I know." Pamela said, clicking her tongue. It was obvious that her best friend didn't like the story she gave her about how she and Thranduil had met and never told her about him until he practically Shanghaied her into moving in with him. At the very least Pamela was easily distracted by the beautiful people that worked for him.
Ayla glanced at her watch. "Well, I guess I should get to scrubbing up. My patient isn't going to replace his own knee after all."
"I'll catch you later, Soryn. Or do you prefer King?"
Ayla snorted as she stood up with her coffee. "I'll see you later."
xxxxx
Ayla walked up to the nurse's station after receiving a page. She had just finished with surgery and was in need of changing her scrubs. The surgery room had been hot with the bright lights and she felt more sensitive to the change in temperature in the rooms.
"What is it, Patrick?" she asked.
"Dr. Soryn, you have a visitor." said Patrick,
Ayla looked at him curiously. "I do?"
"Yeah, and he's hooot!" he whispered.
"Ah fuck." Ayla huffed. There was only a handful of "hot" men in her life now, so she had a limited guess as to who. "Where is he?"
Ayla marched to the hospital cafeteria, finding her visitor sitting in the back corner. She marched up to him and placed her hands on her hips. "Why are you here?" she demanded.
Thranduil looked up at her, his grey eyes looking at her up and down. "I just thought I'd drop by." he said smoothly.
Ayla rolled her eyes. "You do know how to text, right?" she asked sarcastically as she sat down in the chair across from him. "I'm not going to quit or reduce my hours because you say so. And no, I'm not going on an early maternity leave because you say so, either."
"You do realize that you don't have to work anymore. I can provide a very comfortable life for you. Just like when we were in Middle Earth."
"That's because in Middle Earth I had nothing better to do but lounge around and nurse someone's fever." Ayla said, already feeling her hackles rising.
"You did more than lounge around," he said, giving her a wicked smirk.
She flushed at the look he gave her and felt herself losing steam. "True, but here I have an actual job and I have more options of staying occupied. Like Facebook stalking and all that jazz. Just let me keep working until I'm ready to go on leave, otherwise I promise I'll make this entire experience a living hell for you."
"Very well, I'll allow it for now." he said, "I'm just concerned, that's all."
She had to bite her tongue at his comment of "allowing" her to keep her job. "And I appreciate it," she said, "But you're becoming overbearing and it's driving me up the wall. Stop it."
"You're carrying precious cargo, can you really blame me for worrying?" he asked, "I don't want you to go through what happened last time."
"It won't happen again, so stop worrying." she said, "Also, please stop forwarding stupid emails about eating healthy for the baby because I will rip your precious vocal cords from your throat."
He chuckled. "All right, I'll stop and I'll try not to drive you crazy outside our bedroom."
"Since you're here, let's go get lunch." she said, getting up from her seat. Thranduil stood up, tugging the bottom of his coat to straight out the creases.
"What are you in the mood for?" he asked.
"Something spicy. Maybe Thai? Ooh, no, Korean, let's get Korean food!"
She noticed the slight twitch in his mouth, forgetting he disliked spicy food. Centuries of living on a bland diet obviously left the Elvenking lacking in having an adventurous pallet. "All right."
xxxxx
Patrick nearly jumped over the nurse station when Ayla returned from lunch date, obviously curious about her guest from earlier. "Who was that beautiful sex god of my ultimate fantasy and is he available?" he asked right away.
"My husband." Ayla said, continuing her path towards the locker room. Patrick followed.
"Wait, he's the guy from the bar—" he gasped dramatically, "You lucky bitch! So he's not available but does he have a brother, perhaps?" Patrick asked with a lilted tone of hope.
"He has a son from a previous marriage."
"Oooh, the plot thickens. How old and is he equally as gorgeous?"
"Old enough and yes, he's a good looking man. They have good genes."
"Old enough? Meaning frat boy college age with the stamina of a stallion?"
"Patrick." Ayla said, looking at him pointedly. "My stepson is not available to explore a new relationship."
Patrick looked put off by that. "Dr. Soryn. Or are you changing your name? What am I supposed to call you now?"
"You can still call me Soryn."
"So if he has a son in college then that would make your husband, what…in his fifties? Sixties, maybe? Because damn!"
Ayla snorted, if she told him his real age her assistant would just think she's joking. "Sure, he's in his fifties."
"Well look at you goin' for the hot dilf." Patrick said, playfully bumping his shoulder into hers. "Tell me everything; I need to hear all about the juicy details. First; how is he?"
Ayla turned and entered the locker room with Patrick right on her heels. "Stamina of a stallion, and just as big."
Patrick practically swooned as he fanned himself. "Preach it to me, girl! My imagination is puttin' me on fa-yar!"
Ayla pointed to her door. "Out."
"Spoil-sport." he quipped before leaving the locker room in a dramatic huff before peeking back in. "So his son…"
"Out!"
xxxxx
(Four months later)
Sitting at the island counter in the kitchen with a bowl of sugary cereal, Ayla was reading through a few old medical charts and examining the x-ray copies she brought home to review over the weekend. It was an old case she had done shortly after finishing her residency. She lifted the x-ray up to the light to get a better view of the bullet as Thranduil came downstairs. He kissed her cheek as he walked by, going to the coffee maker and pouring himself a mug.
"New case?" he asked.
"No, it's an old case." she replied.
"If it's old then why are you looking at it?"
"Pamela begged me to give a lecture in place of Dr. Pakiraj who came down with another mysterious case of stomach issues."
"And why did she ask you to take his place?"
"It's a lecture seminar for medical students about complex surgery cases, plus she said doing this lecture will go towards my mandatory hours at the clinic."
"Sounds just like you."
She sighed, closing the file folder. "The things I do to avoid people complaining about their hangovers and stubbed toes."
"How are you feeling this morning?"
"I'm still pregnant." she reassured, standing up and taking her bowl to the sink. Thranduil came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her, his hands on the small bump on her lower belly.
"Every day it grows a little more." he said softly, kissing the side of her head. Ayla smiled, placing her hands over his. "And every day I think about how lucky I am to have found you again."
"I feel the same." she said, turning around in his arms and smiled up at him, her baby bump pressed up against his stomach. "So we have all weekend, what should we do?"
"Well," he began, his hands massaging her hips over the soft cotton of the shirt Ayla had borrowed from his side of the closet, the length just long enough to cover her rear. "You're already half-dressed."
She giggled, rising onto her toes to plant a kiss on his lips, though Thranduil had to lower his head down to meet her, being so much taller than her. She grinned up at him, feeling his hands moving over her hips, gently pulling the shirt up. Just as things were getting started Ayla's phone began to ring, cutting into the moment.
"Ignore it," Thranduil said in a low voice, kissing her lips again. He ran his fingers through her loosely tied hair, holding her attention for himself like the selfish man he always was. When he felt her arms snake around his neck he deepened the kiss, making her moan softly. Picking her up with her legs wrapped tightly around his hips, Thranduil carried her to their bedroom. As much as he wanted to take her in the kitchen he thought of her comfort first; especially since she made him constantly lust for her. Being apart for a few centuries with only the memories of her touch left him wanting deeply and he had much to make up for.
xxxxx
(Two weeks later)
Legolas stopped by the hospital, passing a gawking Patrick as he went straight to Ayla who was going over some paperwork on her clipboard, unaware of him until he set a paper bag down in front of her. Ayla's eyes lit up as she set her clipboard down and opened it eagerly, grinning broadly as she pulled out the red and white box. Inside was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen; chicken nuggets.
"You're the best!" Ayla said, biting into a nugget and letting out an appreciative moan.
"Satisfying your food cravings is the least I can do." Legolas said as he leaned against the half-wall that encompassed the nurse's station. Patrick had moved closer, still gawking at Legolas.
"Thranduil wouldn't be caught dead even going to a drive-thru of a fast food chain. Did you know he scolded me for ordering pasta the other day while we were on a date? He didn't care that I was craving spaghetti; he just said how unhealthy it was for the baby. You should probably prepare yourself."
"For what?"
"For a funeral. Hope you have a black suit in your closet."
Legolas laughed as he pulled his phone out from his back pocket.
"Where's Tauriel?" Ayla asked.
"She is at work. It is a school day, after all." Legolas said.
"Ah, I keep forgetting she's a kindergarten teacher." Ayla said before stuffing another nugget into her mouth.
"She enjoys it. And since I have no plans, I am more than content to just being your errand boy for your junk food fix."
Ayla snorted as she picked up another nugget. "Since you're so eager to help, you mind also taking all the baby help books Thranduil has bought and burn them?"
He let out another laugh, "Anything for you, Naneth. So when will you reveal the baby's gender? I know you know already."
Ayla smiled at him. "If it were up to me I would have told everyone months ago after the blood test."
"Does father know?"
"Of course not, he wants to wait until after the baby comes out. But he knows he has the option of knowing sooner."
"Well I'd like to know ahead of time so I can buy the appropriate gifts."
"Well, aren't you just going to be the doting big brother." she teased, finishing off the last nugget and then handing the empty box to Patrick who wordlessly tossed it into the trash bin.
Legolas' smile broadened, "Well, I missed my chance with Aragorn when he was a child and I have no intention of missing out this time."
Ayla felt a little tug at her heart at the mention of his name, missing him dearly. "I'm just glad you spent the rest of his life with good memories. Did I ever thank you for keeping him alive during that whole ring ordeal?"
"Not in so many words. Before the final battle, Lord Elrond had shared the message you sent to Aragorn while bringing the re-forged sword: Don't bother coming back if you plan on dying." Ayla burst out laughing, remembering the look on Elrond's face when she told him to pass on the message. Legolas joined in the laughter. "As you know, he just laughed at that, too."
"At least he came back without dying. That's something." Ayla said.
"He spoke very fondly of you, Naneth. And we even compared your way of raising us. We had a lot in common and I suppose that was how we bonded, being raised by the same woman we called mother."
Ayla smiled, "Oh stop, you're gonna make me cry."
Legolas smiled, touching Ayla's belly and unexpectedly felt the baby kick underneath his palm. The prince's grin broadened as he stared down at his hand and Ayla placed her hand over his, meeting his gaze and smiling.
"Now I really can't wait." he said.
Patrick cleared his throat, interrupting the moment between Ayla and Legolas. "Dr. Soryn, this is for you." he said, slipping another clipboard at Ayla before looking at Legolas with a smile. "Hi, I'm Patrick."
"Hello." Legolas said politely before looking at Ayla again. "You're still coming tonight, right?"
"Yup, I'll be there."
Legolas kissed her cheek and left, leaving Ayla to return to her task of going over the reports on the clipboards.
"Uh, hello? Was that your stepson?" Patrick asked.
"Yup." Ayla replied.
"Is he still not available?"
"That's right."
"Is he strictly monogamous?"
Ayla looked up at him sharply. "My family is off limits, Patrick."
xxxxx
(One Month later)
Being on maternity leave, Ayla had thought she would be bored out of her mind while binge-watching Netflix but instead she was enjoying it. Thranduil delegated the majority of his work load onto Legolas so that he could stay with Ayla, catering to her every need (which were many and Ayla took advantage). Thranduil didn't complain, happy to oblige and look after his wife who would soon be giving birth to their child. He would massage her swollen feet and ankles and massage her lower back. They would go for walks in their neighborhood if the weather permitted, and indulge in whatever Ayla was craving. Today it was fried pickles with ranch dip, something Thranduil found offensive to his nose and pallet while Ayla just happily ate the fried atrocities by herself. There were few fried food that Thranduil actually would deign to eat, even fewer he actually enjoyed.
Fried pickles was most definitely not on that list.
But he was more than happy to allow his nin mel to enjoy them for the benefit of their child, becoming more lax in Ayla's diet after she had yelled at him again for hovering. Despite the constant cravings, Thranduil was pleased to see that it was all going to the baby. Ayla did gain some extra weight but the doctor reassured that it was nothing to be concerned about, although Thranduil wouldn't mind if Ayla had a bit more meat on her bones.
Ayla had gone out with Kwenthrith and Tauriel, the beautiful elves indulging the pregnant woman by taking her to her old neighborhood and buying hotdogs from her favorite vendor.
"Mmm! God I've missed these." Ayla moaned after her first bite.
"I take it your husband does not bring you hotdogs?" Kwenthrith asked, paying for their lunch. Ayla had been surprised that they would eat processed meat and didn't protest them if they were trying to accommodate her.
"No, he refuses to even go near the stuff." Ayla said before taking another large bite of her hotdog that had been loaded with chili, hot peppers, and cheese.
"Shame, I've quite enjoyed the different cuisines the humans have come up with." Tauriel said.
Ayla finished her hotdog before the other two were halfway done with theirs and went back to get a second hotdog.
"I'm glad to see you have an appetite." Kwenthrith said.
"Yeah, I'm hungry all the time." Ayla said.
Kwenthrith smiled, "It's good that you are, it means your baby is healthy."
"That reminds me, about your baby shower…" Tauriel began, "Your friend Pamela had asked for some strange things to bring."
"Strange how?" Ayla asked.
"Well, she asked that I pick up your cake but the description of it is…disturbing." Tauriel said.
Ayla snorted, "That's Pam, she's probably getting back at me for the cake I got her."
"So then exactly why does she request penis necklaces?" Tauriel asked.
Ayla shrugged.
xxxxx
Thranduil sat in the living room with Ayla laying against his chest, the television on but neither of them paid it any attention. Ayla had fallen asleep against him, her face turned to the side and her hands propped on her stomach. Thranduil was content just sitting around with his beloved, letting her rest while he caressed her arms gently and kissing the top of her head every few minutes. His hand would then wander down to the now large swell of her belly, ripe and ready to bear fruit any day now.
He took comfort knowing that this time—this time they will finally meet their child. The product of their love. He took comfort when they went to their last appointment with the doctor, checking on the baby's status and hearing that it was healthy and comfortable. He would be lying if he said he didn't often dream about that horrible day, holding a grief stricken Ayla in his arms while a servant carried away a blood soaked bundle. He stroked her belly, able to feel the delicate life beneath his palm, feeling spots that were firmer than others where the baby was pressed up against the inner wall of her abdomen.
The baby kicked against his palm and Ayla let out a soft gasp, jerking her out of her nap. Thranduil smiled softly as he placed another kiss on her head. Ayla adjusted her position, groaning softly before resettling herself against him.
"I swear this kid will star in their own karate movie someday with the way they kick." she grumbled. Thranduil let out a low chuckle, stroking her neck gently with the back of his knuckles.
"Give Legolas a run for his money, I'm sure." he said with amusement. Ayla let out another little groan as she took his hand and placed it over her stomach, letting him feel the baby kicking again. Smiling, Thranduil lowered his head to kiss her neck. Ayla reached back and touched his head with affection. "Our child will be our greatest treasure."
"They're passing the time by using me as a boxing bag."
"They're just eager to come out."
"I'm starting to feel hungry again."
"What do you want?"
"Mmm, hot cocoa sounds nice."
"Sweets and fried food, our child is quite the glutton."
Ayla chuckled as she struggled to sit up, Thranduil pushing against her back to help her. "It just means they won't care if the food is cheap or from a five star restaurant."
"Then they won't be a picky eater like Legolas was." Thranduil said, standing up and then taking Ayla's hands to help her up. The moment Ayla was pulled up onto her feet she felt a pull in her lower abdomen and groin and felt her leggings become drenched.
"My water just broke." she said, looking up at her husband whose eyes slowly widened. She could see him freezing up in the moment. "Thranduil, it'll be fine. My travel bag in the coat closet, the keys are by the door, now help me upstairs so I can change my pants."
"We need to get you to the hospital." Thranduil finally said.
"It can take hours before I will give birth. Now help me upstairs."
xxxxx
It was a day to be celebrated for sure as Thranduil held his daughter in his arms, looking down at her pink face with all the love in his heart. She was perfect in every way possible with ten fingers and toes, her ears slightly pointed at the tip, and had fine dark hair on her head. He couldn't help but think that she was worth the wait now that she was here with them. His precious daughter.
His princess to spoil.
He looked back at the bed where Ayla laid, asleep after laboring for hours to birth their daughter. The strength and determination she showed had been a sight he would never forget, the sheer concentration as she pushed while squeezing his hand had been a sight of beauty. He loved her more than ever at that moment, and had earned her rest after such a labor. Once both mother and child had been cleaned and returned to their private suite, Thranduil couldn't get enough of his daughter. He had to hold her constantly, unable to put her down for more than a few minutes. It was a strange urge to want to constantly hold her, unable to recall if he ever felt this way after Legolas had been born. He was sure he held Legolas as an infant but back then his mother and the servants all cared for him.
Thranduil could only surmise that the circumstances now are different because their environment is different. He no longer had a Realm of servants to answer his every beck and call, and Ayla had insisted that the two of them be proactive parents. He had read all of the parenting books that he could get his hands on, went to every lamaze class with Ayla, made sure Ayla's diet was nutritional for her and the baby (or as nutritional as he could manage whenever her cravings were not playing a part), and massaged her feet and legs every night to prevent them from swelling. Perhaps that was why he was acting this way: he was ready to be a father again and eager to show it.
It had only been a few hours since his daughter was born and already Pamela had been a rather affective guard dog, turning away visitors with an unapologetic authority. All of the visitors had been paparazzi, wanting to get an exclusive photo of his family and Pamela had acted as a barricade, calling security and offering rather lethal threats to send them off. Their friends, however, had been more understanding of their privacy, willing to wait until Thranduil and his family were back home and settled before seeing their new addition. The only visitors that were allowed were Legolas and Pamela (who had taken it upon herself to be Ayla's attending physician and booted out the other doctor).
Legolas knocked gently on the door before entering the room, seeing his father place a finger to his lips to indicate to be quiet to allow Ayla to continuing resting. With a nod Legolas entered, closing the door gently behind him before going over to his father and looking at his new baby sister. Like his father he looked at his sister with all the love in his heart, finding her absolutely beautiful. He could see that his father was already attached as it took a bit of coaxing to let the man allow Legolas to hold his sister but when he did it was like magic. She was so small in his arms and already more precious than any rare gem the dwarves could mine. Already she was his entire world.
"What is her name?" Legolas asked softly, looking up at Thranduil who hesitated to answer.
"Luna." Both elves looked to the bed to see Ayla awake and smiling tiredly at them both.
Legolas gave her a toothy smile. "Luna is a perfect name."
"I had to fight for it, your father wanted to name her something I couldn't pronounce." Ayla said.
"You could pronounce it you just didn't like it." Thranduil said with a slight huff.
"Regardless, I'm right and you're not." Ayla said with finality.
Legolas shook his head and gently handed Luna back to Thranduil. "Well, I only came to check in and see my new sister. Message me when you're home."
"We will." Thranduil reassured.
xxxxx
Stars shining bright above you
Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you"
Birds singing in the sycamore trees
Dream a little dream of me
Say nighty-night and kiss me
Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me
While I'm alone and blue as can be
Dream a little dream of me
Ayla gently stroked the silky golden hair on Legolas' head as the young tween slept with his head resting in her lap. The gentle summer breeze blowing by, carrying the sweet scent of pine and warm earth in the air from the surrounding forest of the Realm. Ayla looked down at Legolas, smiling at his sleeping face. In her peripheral vision she could see Thranduil watching from nearby.
Stars fading but I linger on dear
Still craving your kiss
I'm longing to linger till dawn dear
Just saying this
Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you
Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you
But in your dreams whatever they be
Dream a little dream of me
In her arms Ayla gently rocked Aragorn, the infant fighting to stay awake as his eyelids drooped. He always was stubborn when it came to nap time and Ayla struggled to figure out how to get him to sleep. So far rocking him back and forth and singing songs her father had sung to her when she was little. Looking down at Aragorn's face, his chubby cheeks pink from her kisses, and his eyes finally closing. Ayla slowed down her rocking to a stop, hoping that he finally fell asleep. After gently placing him in his cradle Ayla slowly stepped back, praying he will stay asleep. Of course she should have known better because no sooner had she took one step back Aragorn began to whine and kick his feet. With a tired sigh she picked him up and began to rock him back and forth again.
Stars fading but I linger on dear
Still craving your kiss
I'm longing to linger till dawn dear
Just saying this
Sweet dreams, till sunbeams find you
Gotta keep dreaming leave all worries behind you
But in your dreams whatever they be
You gotta make me a promise, promise to me
You'll dream, dream a little of me
Thranduil kissed Ayla's temple as she held their child against her breast. Both proud as they stared down at their newborn. The labor had been short and the birthing process was quickly forgotten the second she laid eyes on her baby.
"She's so beautiful, just like her mother." Thranduil said.
Ayla looked up at him with a tender smile. "I love you." she said softly.
"I love you, too."
xxxxx
While Ayla slept Thranduil had gone into the nursery when their newborn began to cry, picking her up delicately, supporting her tiny head in his palm. It had been ages since he last held an infant in his arms, but the memory and love was still there. The heartache of losing their last child in Middle Earth had weighed on his mind when he learned that Ayla was pregnant again, but if it were not for Ayla's certainty that things will be different the fear would have consumed his every waking thought. But now, as he looked down upon the tiny being they created, whatever fear remained had been pushed back into the shadows where they belonged.
A daughter…his princess…his light in the darkness.
He could not be prouder to experience fatherhood again and raise his daughter with the love of his life, with his soul mate. Thranduil had been right to predict that their daughter would be beautiful. A spell had to be cast to hide her pointed ears but when at home, there was no need to hide. He kissed the top of her head as her fussing calmed and her eyelids closed and drifted back off to sleep. The need to continue holding her close to his heart was incredibly strong as he sat down in the rocking chair and continued to cradle her in his arms while gently rocking back and forth.
They had named her Luna, because she had been born at midnight during a full moon. Such a birth meant that her life will be full and prosperous. Their friends had sent gifts to congratulate the birth of their daughter, ranging from traditional to modern-day practical. Legolas of course showed his excitement for a baby sister by buying the biggest teddy bear imaginable. To be blunt, it simply did not fit in the nursery, taking up too much space and thus was left in one of the guest rooms.
Thranduil felt complete; he has his queen in Ayla, he has an heir in Legolas, and now he has a daughter, his princess. Seattle was his new Realm, and his people lived contentedly. A King couldn't ask for more. Well…he could, but there was no need for more than what he already has.
After a while he finally got up from the rocking chair and laid Luna back in her bassinet with the blanket still wrapped snug around her tiny body. He gazed down at her for another indulgent minute before leaving quietly, returning to his room to join his wife in bed. It felt like he had just closed his eyes when Luna's crying came through the baby monitor, waking them both up. He felt Ayla sit up and slide out of bed.
"I can get her, you get more sleep." Thranduil said, reaching for her.
"No, its fine, she probably needs to be fed." Ayla yawned, walking out the door to the nursery. Thranduil let his head fall back against the plush pillow, falling back asleep. He barely registered when Ayla returned to bed and didn't wake up until Luna started crying again in the morning as the sun was coming up. The Elvenking did not recall this part of raising a child, did Legolas cry this much after he was born? Although, then again, Legolas was looked after by the servants so he missed out on disturbed sleep to cater to an infant's needs.
Only one day had passed since bringing Luna home from the hospital and Thranduil had never been more exhausted in his life. Sitting at the kitchen island counter, drinking down his second cup of coffee, he could barely stay focused on his laptop as he read through his emails. He heard Ayla dragging her feet across the floor as she walked up to the counter beside him and stole his mug of coffee, drinking the rest of it before reaching for the French-press and refilling the mug.
"Mornin'." she mumbled tiredly.
"Good morning," he replied back, a little less tired now that he got some caffeine in his system. Looking over at her he couldn't resist the thought of how sexy she looked in her grey tank top and cotton shorts with a pink fuzzy bathrobe over her shoulders, her dark hair a tangled mess in a loose bun on the top of her head. He didn't mind that her stomach was still distended since she just had the baby and liked the fact that her breasts had swelled up to double their normal size. How he suddenly imagined himself kissing and touching her all over, taking her right there on the counter. But he resisted the urge to act on his fantasy…for now at least.
"I forgot what it was like having a newborn." she said before taking a careful sip of coffee.
It took a moment for it to register in Thranduil's tired brain. "That's right; you had raised Aragorn after his mother died." he said, having forgotten that bit of history.
"Didn't you get up at all hours of the night with Legolas?"
"No, back then I had servants take care of him."
"That explains so much." she said, "Well, now you can make it up and experience the joy of no sleep for at least three years."
"You make it sound too inviting. Perhaps we should get started on another." he teased.
"Sorry but this kitchen is temporarily closed."
He smiled at her and she smiled back. "Perhaps when we establish a routine with Luna."
"Oh? You got baby fever or something?" Ayla asked, grinning at him as she moved closer. Thranduil put an arm around her waist, pulling her against him, their lips about to touch when their moment was disrupted by Luna's crying through the baby monitor. The new parents sighed and pulled apart. "This is our new normal."
xxxxx
Ayla hit record on her phone, capturing the moment when Thranduil changed their daughter's diaper for the first time. She had a hard time keeping the camera steady from trying not to laugh when Thranduil undid the tags on the diaper and the look of pure shock and disgust on his face. Judging from the smell it obvious that Luna had gone a number two and the poor Elvenking obviously had never changed a diaper.
"This is horrific." Thranduil said, nearly gagging as he turned away.
"She's a baby, it's what they do." Ayla said, the camera shaking as she laughed. "You have to change her diaper, you volunteered."
"It's impossible."
"No it's not. I've changed her diaper since day one; you need to do it at least once."
Thranduil turned back around, his face looking paler than normal as he grabbed more than a handful of wipes and a fresh diaper. He tentatively held up with the wipes to begin cleaning but then was hit by a stream of urine running down his front. He immediately jumped back and Ayla lost it, laughing hard at the sight of the proud King who couldn't conquer a simple diaper change.
xxxxx
Legolas scrolled through all of his many photos of his baby sister, a smile plastered on his face as he did so. Only a week since Luna was born and already his phone's memory bank was almost full. He had to purchase another with a larger data storage. It was hard not to take photos of her; she was just too adorable to resist the urge of capturing every minute. Although so far her eyes were closed for most of them, sleeping like a cherub while bundled up in her fluffy pink blanket.
"Your obsession could be seen as unhealthy." Tauriel said, sitting across from him at their kitchen table and sipping her tea.
Legolas let out a sigh and then finally put his phone down. "I'm just happy. To see them so happy to finally have their baby after all this time. I'm actually quite envious of them."
"Envious of them for being so happy or that they finally had a baby?" Tauriel asked.
"Perhaps both." he said, looking up at her. Tauriel raised an eyebrow at him.
"Are you implying that you want to have a child?" Tauriel asked.
He smiled at her, "Someday, yes, but I wish to wait a little longer. At least until Luna is a little older."
Tauriel lifted her cup to her lips, smiling into it. "Children are hard work, and they have boundless energy."
"In a few years from now I'm sure we'll be more than ready." Legolas said, unconsciously picking his phone up again and went back to scrolling his photos of Luna again.
Tauriel shook her head in amusement. "You have what Ayla calls baby fever."
"I'm just excited, is all."
xxxxx
A month had gone by and it appeared that Ayla had managed to get Luna onto a schedule as she seemed to know exactly what their daughter needed whenever she cried. Thranduil wished he had that sort of intuitive insight when it came to their daughter but he would merely take Ayla's cue and go from there as they took turns whenever she cried. For a month they barely left the apartment, only time they went out was to take Luna to her wellness check-ups with the pediatrician to track her growth. It was clear that they both needed a break; even if it were for just a few hours, and Thranduil knew who to leave their daughter with for an evening: his son.
Ayla had told Legolas and Tauriel (who tagged along) where to find the bottles of milk and how to warm them up and for how long and to check the temperature before feeding Luna; which was all Ayla informed, telling Legolas that he'll figure out the rest on his own before she and Thranduil left to go on their date.
"Are you sure they'll be fine?" Thranduil asked, wondering if it was a good idea to leave Legolas and Tauriel even for a few hours with their newborn.
"That's why YouTube was invented; they can always watch tutorial videos of how to change a diaper." Ayla said as they stepped into the elevator to take them down to lobby.
"I suppose nowadays everything is more convenient." he said.
"Yeah, especially when everything is on our phones."
"True. I suppose with Tauriel here there isn't much to be worried about."
As the elevator reached the lobby floor they stepped out together, their arms linked together. Living downtown had its perks since it was just a few short blocks to over a dozen restaurants and shops.
xxxxx
Legolas had no trouble looking after his baby sister, especially when Tauriel was there to help him. Ever since she was born it was love at first sight, the excitement of finally meeting Luna had been overwhelming. He remembered the disappointment and heartache when he returned from Gondor after the war against Mordor, expecting to see the newest addition to his family only to find out that not only did the baby not make it but Ayla had returned to her world. It had been hard on him but he couldn't imagine what his father had been going through, helpless to do anything but watch his father just merely existing and not living. When a few centuries later his father said he was going to search for Ayla, he eagerly followed. He had hoped Tauriel would come with them but she had decided to stay with what remained of their people until the last of them were ready to depart from Middle Earth. Legolas understood, even though it pained him to leave her behind at that time. Gimli had come along with him, promising his friend a new adventure even though Gimli was reaching the end of his years and finally died twenty years after arriving to the new land.
Now his father had another chance and it had been nothing but prosperous and Legolas couldn't be happier for his father and Ayla. After everything they had to endure this happiness was well earned for them, especially now that Luna was here. His beautiful little sister.
So far the evening was going smoothly; Luna was contently sleeping against Tauriel's chest while Legolas took dozens of photos of her, posting a few onto his facebook and Instagram page. On top of that neither Ayla nor his father had called to check in on them, which he took as a sign that they had no worries leaving their newborn with her big brother. Legolas recalled the last time he held a baby was after Aragorn's son was born; of course the boy was two years old. The Prince supposed Luna had to be the very first infant he ever held, and he wasn't afraid of holding her because he knew he would never hurt her.
When Luna woke up from her short nap she just looked around with her wide brown eyes and Legolas couldn't help but watch her with a smile plastered to his face.
"Your arrival may have been delayed but the wait was worth it, and now our father has a princess to spoil." Legolas said, letting Luna grasp his index finger in her tiny hand, not pulling his hand away and letting the infant chew on his fingertip between her soft gums. He just smiled as he watched her. "And knowing him, he will spoil you. And I will, too. But don't tell Naneth." he said before giving her a quick kiss on the forehead.
"Don't spoil her too much or I might get jealous." Tauriel teased. Legolas smiled, leaning up and kissing her gently on the lips.
"I'll try to be fair."
xxxxx
Later when Thranduil and Ayla returned from their much needed date, they walked into their home, finding the TV on, playing some movie. Thranduil took their coats to hang in the coat closet by the front door while Ayla walked into the living room. She stopped right behind the couch, smiling down at what she found. Looking over her shoulder she quietly waved her husband over to stand by her. She reached into Thranduil's pocket, taking his phone and turning on the camera to take a few shots of the precious sight.
Quietly Thranduil reached down, carefully picking up his daughter from where she slept soundly between Legolas and Tauriel while Ayla pulled up a blanket and covered them before turning off the TV. Ayla placed a kiss to Legolas' forehead before following her husband upstairs, not before turning out the lights.
The End