A Very Gondor Christmas
By The Last Evenstar
A/N: I've been working my butt off to get this last installment up and done before Christmas Day. Thank you for sticking with the story so far along and a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, or Kwanza, or whatever it is you celebrate (maybe nothing at all?) to you! One more thing . . .
Finally I get around to it! I'd like to thank the Academy, and my wonderful reviewers . . .
Becca - I'm glad you liked it, but you think giving birth is GROSS? It's the most natural thing in the world . . . hey, it happened to you once . . . unless you're a robot or something.
The Converted - I'm glad you like it, and, yes, for some reason I just can't seem to lose the custard thing. It follows me everywhere. And as to Eomer, well, it's a stereotype that doesn't work too well with the book, but check out the Riders in the RotK movie . . . LOL . . .
Cerridwen - You are so nice and my biggest reviewer! You win a prize! Let's see, out of custard . . . will figgy pudding do?
Reasonably crazy - Thanks! I didn't even plan for Pippin and Diamond to meet that way, it just happened whilst I wrote! Can't argue with destiny!
Eliza Evenstar - (in a most charming manner) Thank you, I try my best. Merry Christmas to you too!
sarah - I'm glad. I am also a LotR/PotC freak.
ME132 - I was so honored to get a review from you, as I am a fan of your stories :). As you can see, the story is now finished.
anamaria evenstar - How strange. I've never met you, but you strike me as such an odd person.
Queen Arwen - Me too. But it's not any fun if no one suffers!
XxPeriwinkleHummingBrdxX - I'm glad. My mom looks at me like that all the time.
Break a Leg Greenleaf - Thank you. I hope Legolas take your advice to heart when he performs in the pageant!
lily - Always glad to hear a compliment. Too bad he never got to make it.
Kevin Branson - I've tried to follow your advice. My muses keep fighting for the silliness. They are punished frequently. No, I don't really speak Quenya, but Silmiesin's name IS translated directly.
Chrystyna Bloom - Here it is.
Lady Enelya - Of course I know they didn't have Christmas then! It was in the author's note!
Kate the Tigress - Oh, it's long gone. All they have now is chaos.
grumpy - A VERY full house. In fact, it goes BEYOND full house. ;)
Gionareth - Indeed. It has been fun.
Chapter Six: White Christmas
Silmiesin stretched out her tiny arms and curled up in her cradle, promptly falling asleep. She was washed and dress in a cozy little white nightgown, and Arwen was instantly reminded of Aragorn when he was very, very tired.
"She has your eyes," she whispered.
Aragorn slid an arm around her waist. "And your beauty." He thought groggily for a moment. "We have a son, don't we?"
Arwen gasped. "Eldarion! Poor thing, he must be worried sick! I haven't seen him in nearly a day!"
Aragorn followed his wife as she struggled weakly down the hall. "Wait! You should be abed –"
Upon entering the Hall, Arwen was greeted with the sight of her son clapping and cheering loudly astride Faramir's shoulders. Noticing her, he cried, "Naneth! I have fun with Fairy-Mirror!"
The Lady Eowyn was laughing hysterically, all traces of her illness faded. "I hope you don't mind our borrowing your son, Highness."
Arwen collapsed weakly into her husband's arms. "I need to lie down. Save Eldarion."
After depositing his exhausted Queen in her bed, Aragorn walked to the middle of the raised platform, ignoring the dancers. "Attention, please!"
At once the congregation grew quiet. Aragorn could hear Pippin's voice continue from a corner. "And then I single-handedly killed a hundred Orcs so Merry could escape –"
Aragorn cleared his throat, and the hobbit fell silent. "Just after midnight tonight, the Queen gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl." He felt his eyes dampen as gasps of excitement and delight were heard from the audience. "We have named her Silmiesin, or Star of Winter. In three days' time she will have her formal introduction to the people of Gondor."
The whole room erupted in cheers. Aragorn grinned and motioned to Legolas. "I now leave the night in the very capable hands of Master Legolas Greenleaf."
He made his way back to the bedchamber amidst hearty congratulations and many handshakes. On his way in he glimpsed out the window and chanced to see a spectacular view of the White City, all covered in snow and writhing with festivity. Merry Christmas, my people, he thought, then headed back to his wife and daughter, both sleeping soundly.
Faramir watched in a kind of despite-himself-reverent awe as the trumpets began to sound and the lights came up on a scene of an inn and a stable. However, he felt himself chuckle as Gimli entered from the left, leading a blue-clad Legolas in on a donkey. The elf wore a flowing silk dress and a heavy veil, but the long golden hair and pointy ears gave him away. They paused before the makeshift inn, and the dwarf rapped on the door authoritatively.
Beregond of the Tower Guard peeped his head out. "There's no room left! Go away!"
Gimli raised his axe. "Why you insolent –"
The man yelped and withdrew. "Go to the stable! You can stay there!"
Legolas turned the donkey to move on, but the dwarf wasn't satisfied. "Free of charge?" he asked suspiciously.
Beregond nodded enthusiastically. "Free of charge!" He gulped as the axe twirled menacingly.
An annoyed Gimli and a reverent Legolas settled into the stable. The lights dimmed for a moment, and came up on a flock of hobbits trying in vain to herd a mass of sheep toward the stable.
At a frantic cue from Legolas, they lights moved back to the stable itself, catching a rapturous elf lift a squirming puppy dog wrapped in swaddling out of the manger. Gimli peered at it suspiciously. "Doesn't look much like me, that's for sure."
Legolas spoke melodiously. "I think the resemblance is striking."
The dwarf dove at his friend, sending the startled puppy into the crowd. "Why, you –"
Eldarion held the struggling animal up before Faramir. "Look, Fairy-Mirror, I've got a doggy!"
Eowyn tried to keep a straight face. "It looks just like you, my love."
Faramir groaned. "My wife and liege turned against me! Eowyn, you certainly have a way with children."
She grinned slyly. "Does that mean we can have some of our own?"
"Are you joking? It means I'm running away to be a barkeep at the Prancing Pony."
The Prince regarded him. "Fairy-Mirror, you certainly have a way with women," he imitated, causing Eowyn to erupt once more in unstoppable peals of laughter.
The small boy frowned. "I'm going to find my Ada and be a ranger." With that, he marched off, and the Steward joined his wife in laughter.
Arwen woke early in the morning to the shrill cries of her new daughter. She rubbed her eyes and looked around groggily. Next to her, Eldarion and her husband were snuggled deep in the covers. She grinned at the sight and made her way sleepily to comfort the baby.
Aragorn looked up sleepily as Arwen brought Silmiesin over to the bed. "Eldarion." He nudged his son. "Wake up. We have someone for you to meet."
Eldarion mumbled sleepily. "Is it my pony?"
Aragorn looked taken aback. "How did you know we got you a pony?"
The boy sat up sleepily. "Eyore-Mer told me."
The King grinned and shook his head. "This is someone else. Someone more important."
The boy was puzzled. "More important than a pony?"
Arwen smiled and showed Eldarion the child in her arms. "This is your baby sister, Silmiesin."
Eldarion looked at her open-mouthed. "How did I get a sister?"
She smiled gently. "She came to us last night. Go on, you can touch her, but be gentle."
The boy reached out and hesitantly stroked his sister's head. "Hello, Sil-wee-ay-sin. I'm your brother Eldarion. Don't call me Elly." He looked up at his mother. "She doesn't do much, Naneth."
His parents laughed. "She will in time," smiled Arwen. "I'm sure that Uncle Elladen and Uncle Elrohir can give you instruction in how to make her life miserable."
Eldarion smiled vaguely and fell back against Aragorn, sucking his thumb and returning to sleep. Silmiesin, too, was drifting off.
From way across the hall they could hear Eomer and the Rohirrm starting up another song.
"I'm dreaming of a White Christmas,
"Just like the ones I used to know."
Arwen looked over at her husband and smiled. "Merry Christmas, my lord."
He returned her gaze. "And to you, meleth nin." He yawned. "Did you get me a pony?"
She rocked her daughter absently and grinned. "I tried, but I had too much trouble wrapping it."
He laughed softly. "I love you, Arwen Undomiel."
Arwen sank back into bed, careful to mind the fragile child she held. "I wish all of our Christmases could be like this."
Aragorn nodded. "Mmmmmm."
They heard Eomer and his band finish up with a flourish.
"And may all your Christmases be White."
THE END
(in case you didn't notice)
A/N: And here in Baltimore, it rains. Oh, well. 'Tis all good.