I really didn't want to leave y'll hanging. I'm going to try to finish the story sometime in the next day!

Please send me some words of feedback!

-edith

The nausea hit her in a most unexpected and inconvenient time. Ava was lunching with noblewomen in the solarium when it came. She turned visibly pale and gripped the handle of her chair harshly. The table of chit chat fell quiet.

"My lady?" One of the noblewomen asked.

Ava could not speak. Realizing she was losing the battle to keep her food down, she hastily left the table. She barely made it to the washroom before the retching began. After there was nothing left in the stomach, she was able to return to the table.

"Are you well?" another asked.

"I'm fine, just an upset stomach. I apologize" Ava excused.

"It's nothing dear. We've all been there" one of the more mature elleths said.

"You've all been where?" Ava asked, confused.

"With child, dear. That is morning sickness"

Then it hit her. She hadn't bled for some weeks now, she'd just been too busy to notice. She vaguely recalled similar symptoms when she was carrying Legolas, though those memories were still fuzzy. After struggling for her words for momentarily, she said "yes, I supposed you're right."

"You ought to rest your highness, I will have the healers summoned to you" one of the courtiers said kindly. Ava nodded and once again excused herself from the table. She didn't make it very far before a wave of dizziness descended upon her. With her world spinning, she vaguely felt herself falling to the ground and the panicked shouts in the background.

Ava awoke in her bed, with her husband sitting on the edge of it, holding her hand. His face was grave with concern.

"Thranduil, I haven't yet departed this world" she said lazily, eliciting a relieved laugh from the King.

"They told me you fainted. I was worried for you, and the baby" he sighed, revealing that the healers had told him about the pregnancy.

"I'm not so fragile Thranduil" she reassured.

"You were weakened after –" the King hesitated.

"After what?" Ava prompted.

He took a deep breath. "You were pregnant with our second elfling Ava, and the orc attack caused you to lose the child" he said with is head hung, a tear slid down his cheek. It was the first time Ava had ever seen him cry. Ava remained stoic. It may have seemed unemotional, but she was in fact processing the news. She had not recalled a second pregnancy at all, so it was hard to miss something she didn't know she'd had. What was clear to her was that Thranduil was devastated by it. He was sobbing quietly, trying to speak but could not form words. He seemed to be struggling to say something important.

"Do you not want this baby, Thranduil?" she asked, trying to guess what he was trying to say.

His head snapped up, a horrified expression passed on his face. "Of course I do! How could you think that I wouldn't want our child."

"I just thought that you may think it's too soon, after such a loss" Ava bit her lower lip uncertainly.

"Elflings are a blessing, I could never regret a child" Thranduil said. "I love you, and our family."

"Then we should focus on our future" Ava suggested, gently guiding her husband's hand over her womb. He seemed to relax immediately, she guessed he had felt the child's light within her.

"I love you" Thranduil said. The King did not know how he could feel such joy and sorrow at the same time. His heart had soared when the healers told him Ava was pregnant, he had feared they would not get another chance for other children. When it came time to tell Ava the truth, he had not managed it in entirety. Looking at his pregnant wife, he could not bring himself to tell her everything. That it had been his fault she was badly injured, his fault their child was lost.

His self recrimination was suddenly interrupted by Ava's kiss. The love that it held enveloped him. He needed her love and support, he realized, for he could not be king without it.

The realm reacted with joy and excitement at the announcement that the Queen was pregnant. Ava made sure to pay more attention to Legolas, for he seemed to waffle between happy and jealous at the prospect of a sibling. The months flitted by quickly. She and Thranduil decorated a new nursery, chose the furniture, bickered over names. She let Thranduil be over protective, and in turn, he bore the brunt of her mood swings. Before they realized where the time went, Ava was in the last weeks of pregnancy and feeling quite restless.

"I feel so bloated" she complained to her husband, who was dutifully giving her a foot rub.

He looked at her sceptically. "You are beautiful" he replied, without looking up.

"You are just saying that because you have to" Ava quipped, her irritation getting the better of her. And she was very irritable these days.

"I say it because you are carrying my child, and I love you" Thranduil corrected, smiling to himself.

Ava grunted in frustration and stood up (slowly, as with most things she did in her current state). "I'm going for a walk, it's so hot in here"

"Be sure to-"

"Yes yes yes, I know, take a guard with me. Really thranduil! I've had enough of your nagging!" The Queen raged. Thranduil stayed silent, he had learned that when Ava was in a mood, not to talk back. He too was looking forward to the baby's arrival. He was hoping the elleth he married would return.

Ava made to leave the room. Her anger had dissipated quickly, that by the time she reached the door, she regretted her words. Thranduil had been nothing but kind and patient towards her during her pregnancy, a dream of a husband really. He had not deserved her attitude.

"Thranduil, I am sorry" she said regretfully. He only smiled at her, his eyes loving. Then he walked to her and placed a kiss on her brow. "Have a good walk, my love."

It was indeed a refreshing walk. She meandered through the woods, soaking in the cool and damp air. She was followed by 2 guards; everyone had been excessively concerned about her safety. Rubbing her swollen abdomen, she sat down on a mossy log. Her feet were beginning to ache and the elfling within her was kicking vigorously – it was a good time for a rest. She'd barely had a break when she was almost bowled over by the flashback.

It was so intense she fell forward onto her knees, gasping for breath. She felt her bodyguards at her side, attempting to hold her up. Her eyes filled with tears, which were now rolling freely onto her cheeks. She turned to one of the soldiers, she recognized him as Tobion, the captain of the border guards.

"Were you there when it happened? When the orcs held me?" she demanded.

Tobion, realizing what memory the Queen must have recovered, nodded silently.

"Is it true what I saw? Thranduil would not give up the armoury?" she continued, shouting hysterically now.

Tobion hesitated, wanting to protect his King.

"Answer me! Did my husband give away our child to keep the armoury?"

"Yes, my Lady" Tobion answered reluctantly. Before he could say anything else, Ava scrambled to her feet and fled back to the palace.

She barely felt the throbbing of her feet or her winded lungs the whole way back to the palace. She knew where he'd be, still in his study where she'd left him, no doubt. She must've looked a wreck when she swung open the door to the King's study. Thranduil had a startled look on his face when he saw the state his wife was in. Lord Wyrran, who was in a meeting with the King, looked similarly alarmed.

"Ava, what-" he began.

"I remembered it. I remembered everything that happened on that day. You had a choice and you chose not to save our child. How could you!" Ava shouted, not caring about Lord Wyrran's presence in the room.
"Ava, forgive me. I had no choice-" Thranduil started again.

"Did you know it was a girl? Did you know that when you traded our daughter's life for your precious armoury? How could you do that to your own child! You have been lying to me this entire time!" Ava challenged. The words were falling out in between sobs. She did not notice the tears that were flowing freely from her husband's eyes. She cared not that he was hurting, her own pain was so intense she could barely breath.

Thranduil made towards her. She rebuffed him. "Stay away from me Thranduil. You're a liar. You do not deserve to be a father!" she screamed, before turning and leaving the room. Ava headed for the bedroom, and collapsed onto the bed in a fit of sobbing. She left behind a devastated husband.