Soft music echoed through the trees, the bright sound of youthful laughter
mingling with the gentle melody. The elves' dance drew to a close, and they
separated into a circle, standing shoulder to shoulder beneath the bows of
the Great Tree of Lorien. A young elf was escorted to the centre of the
group, quaking under his scarlet tunic.
Legolas raised an eyebrow at Licomias' terrified face.
'What's wrong with you?'
'What if she doesn't come?'
The elven prince gave him a withering glance.
'You are the best thing that has ever happened to Jenien, Licomias. I've never seen her so happy. She's not about to back away from this.'
He tugged on the tunic, clicking his tongue as he returned to his place in the circle.
'Good luck.'
As Licomias turned, the elves parted, and Jenien stepped into the light, escorted by Thranduil. The King of Mirkwood delivered the tiny elf to her chosen one with a grin, standing back as they gazed into each other's eyes.
Licomias thought his heart would burst from the love that surged through him. Jenien was more beautiful than ever before in his eyes, garbed in a gown of rich crimson, a silver circlet about her copper curls. She gazed into his eyes with a deep love, a love that consumed her entire being.
Galadriel came before them, smiling down on the enamoured pair. She took their hands, placing them together.
'A circle is the season of life. From birth to death, the seasons turn, and our lives turn with them. Fate has seen fit to draw Licomias and Jenien into a circle of love, from which they do not intend to break.'
She drew two rings from her sleeve. The larger was silvery blue, the colour denoting Licomias' heritage as a true born of Rivendell. The smaller was sparkling green, as befitted a maiden of Mirkwood. Both were moulded as leaves, and fitted snugly about the young elves' knuckles.
'With my heart, and my soul, and all the love I possess, I bind myself to you until the seasons turn, and life ends. You are my chosen one. You are my light, my strength, my love. This is my bond.'
As their lips touched, the lovers felt their souls rush to meet one another, beginning the joining that would be completed that night. Galadriel drew them into her arms, surrounding them with the warmth of her love.
*~*~*
Galadriel and her maidens walked along the borders of Lothlorien, delighting in the autumn colours and crisp coolness of the air. They had good reason to be cheerful. Jenien had come out of the early months of her marriage pregnant, and was due to give birth in little under a month. She walked slowly beside the youngest of their number, Melangell, a small hand on her rounded belly.
'What is it like?' Melangell asked, curiosity burning in her dark eyes.
Jenien smiled indulgently.
'Strange,' she admitted. 'I still find it hard to believe that there is a tiny life growing inside me. Licomias was so proud when I told him, I seriously thought he was going to kiss my feet.'
Melangell gasped.
'Really? Why?'
Her companion laughed at her expression.
'He wants a son to bond with. I wouldn't mind having either a son or a daughter, just so long as it is alive and healthy. That's all that matters.'
Suddenly Jenien's head came up, as if she had heard something that was amiss. Melangell glanced about; the Lady was up ahead with the others, almost out of earshot. Jenien began to back away, fear on her face. The younger elf followed her quickly, wondering what was going on.
An arrow whizzed through the air, burying itself in the tree behind them, and causing both women to shriek in fear. Orcs appeared all around them, seeming to step out of thin air. They held cruel looking weapons, advancing on the defenceless elves with murder in their eyes.
Up ahead, Galadriel turned. Seeing the danger to the girls, she began to run to them, calling to the other maidens to fetch the guard. They ran, sobbing in terror, back into the Wood, afraid to look back.
Jenien pulled Melangell behind her. The younger elf struggled with her.
'What are you doing?'
'It's me they want,' Jenien told her, never taking her eyes off the advancing orcs.
The leader, a huge monstrosity with leathery green skin, laughed sickeningly.
'No, elf,' it spat. 'We want him.'
It pointed it's axe at Jenien's swollen belly. Her eyes widened in fear and horror.
'No!'
They leered at her, raising their weapons. Unable to back away any further, and with no escape route open to them, Melangell could only watch as they advanced on her friend. She leapt at the nearest orc, screaming in fear and anger, clawing at it's face. It threw the young elf to one side. Jenien turned in shock to look at Melangell, seeing her slender form slumped at the foot of a tree nearby.
Pain shot through her stomach. Her head whipped back, to find an orc only inches from her, it's spear buried in her pregnant belly. As it twisted the spear, Galadriel struck, a wall of her power hitting the orcs and knocking them away from the injured elf. A patrol of elves burst from the trees, showering the orcs with arrows, cutting into their ranks with swords and daggers. Jenien fell backwards, sliding off the cruel blade that had sliced into her. As darkness clouded her vision, she felt Galadriel's presence soothe her troubled mind, working her magic on the babe inside her womb.
*~*~*
Jenien woke slowly, aware of a tight ache in her abdomen, and voices nearby that sounded like Licomias and Galadriel. As she lay there listening to the gentle lull of their voices, the full horror of what had happened began to seep into her consciousness. Tears leaked from beneath her tightly closed eyelids as her hand sought her rounded belly. Nothing; her abdomen was flat once again. Dull pain soared through her, and she barely checked the sobs that rose in her throat.
Licomias was at her side in an instant, his arms about her, pulling her up into his warm embrace. Jenien clung to him like a frightened child, crying into his shoulder. The Lady watched them silently, knowing that she could not leave Licomias to break the news alone.
'My baby . . .' Jenien was sobbing. 'I'm so sorry . . .'
Licomias kissed her hair, a stricken look on his handsome face. He couldn't bear the thought of her blaming herself for the loss of their child. Holding her as tightly as he dared, he could only imagine what her reaction to the consequences of that loss would be.
Slowly she calmed, leaning back to gaze into his eyes with a deep sorrow that cut to his heart. He looked away, unable to return the gaze.
'What's wrong?'
She still sounded very fragile, and yet, Licomias knew that she would never forgive him if he did not tell her what he knew she would not want to hear.
'Jen, melamin, you must promise you won't leave me,' he pleaded, afraid. 'I couldn't bear life without you. Please, whatever happens, don't leave me.'
Confused, Jenien frowned.
'You know I won't.'
'I want you to swear to me.'
As Licomias pleaded with his frail wife, Galadriel watched, impressed. If Jenien swore never to leave Licomias, then even the grief she would feel overwhelm her at his terrible news would not kill her. She would be bound to his living soul, to live until the day he died.
'I swear, on my heart, my body, and my soul, that I will never leave you, my Licomias. I bound my fate with yours and I intend to remain by your side for many years to come.'
Her husband heaved a sigh of relief. Jenien looked from Galadriel to him suspiciously.
'Will someone tell me what's going on?'
'Jenien, I know you are aware of the loss of your child,' Galadriel said, steeling herself against the tears that sprang up in her young friend's eyes. 'When the spear thrust into your belly, it may have taken more than just that one life. My friend, you may never be able to bear children again.'
Jenien stared at her, collapsing back onto the bed with a wail of despair. Galadriel left, feeling her heart sink as the distraught elf's cries grew louder. Her lips thinned, tightening into a line of resolve. This tragedy would not go unavenged.
Legolas raised an eyebrow at Licomias' terrified face.
'What's wrong with you?'
'What if she doesn't come?'
The elven prince gave him a withering glance.
'You are the best thing that has ever happened to Jenien, Licomias. I've never seen her so happy. She's not about to back away from this.'
He tugged on the tunic, clicking his tongue as he returned to his place in the circle.
'Good luck.'
As Licomias turned, the elves parted, and Jenien stepped into the light, escorted by Thranduil. The King of Mirkwood delivered the tiny elf to her chosen one with a grin, standing back as they gazed into each other's eyes.
Licomias thought his heart would burst from the love that surged through him. Jenien was more beautiful than ever before in his eyes, garbed in a gown of rich crimson, a silver circlet about her copper curls. She gazed into his eyes with a deep love, a love that consumed her entire being.
Galadriel came before them, smiling down on the enamoured pair. She took their hands, placing them together.
'A circle is the season of life. From birth to death, the seasons turn, and our lives turn with them. Fate has seen fit to draw Licomias and Jenien into a circle of love, from which they do not intend to break.'
She drew two rings from her sleeve. The larger was silvery blue, the colour denoting Licomias' heritage as a true born of Rivendell. The smaller was sparkling green, as befitted a maiden of Mirkwood. Both were moulded as leaves, and fitted snugly about the young elves' knuckles.
'With my heart, and my soul, and all the love I possess, I bind myself to you until the seasons turn, and life ends. You are my chosen one. You are my light, my strength, my love. This is my bond.'
As their lips touched, the lovers felt their souls rush to meet one another, beginning the joining that would be completed that night. Galadriel drew them into her arms, surrounding them with the warmth of her love.
*~*~*
Galadriel and her maidens walked along the borders of Lothlorien, delighting in the autumn colours and crisp coolness of the air. They had good reason to be cheerful. Jenien had come out of the early months of her marriage pregnant, and was due to give birth in little under a month. She walked slowly beside the youngest of their number, Melangell, a small hand on her rounded belly.
'What is it like?' Melangell asked, curiosity burning in her dark eyes.
Jenien smiled indulgently.
'Strange,' she admitted. 'I still find it hard to believe that there is a tiny life growing inside me. Licomias was so proud when I told him, I seriously thought he was going to kiss my feet.'
Melangell gasped.
'Really? Why?'
Her companion laughed at her expression.
'He wants a son to bond with. I wouldn't mind having either a son or a daughter, just so long as it is alive and healthy. That's all that matters.'
Suddenly Jenien's head came up, as if she had heard something that was amiss. Melangell glanced about; the Lady was up ahead with the others, almost out of earshot. Jenien began to back away, fear on her face. The younger elf followed her quickly, wondering what was going on.
An arrow whizzed through the air, burying itself in the tree behind them, and causing both women to shriek in fear. Orcs appeared all around them, seeming to step out of thin air. They held cruel looking weapons, advancing on the defenceless elves with murder in their eyes.
Up ahead, Galadriel turned. Seeing the danger to the girls, she began to run to them, calling to the other maidens to fetch the guard. They ran, sobbing in terror, back into the Wood, afraid to look back.
Jenien pulled Melangell behind her. The younger elf struggled with her.
'What are you doing?'
'It's me they want,' Jenien told her, never taking her eyes off the advancing orcs.
The leader, a huge monstrosity with leathery green skin, laughed sickeningly.
'No, elf,' it spat. 'We want him.'
It pointed it's axe at Jenien's swollen belly. Her eyes widened in fear and horror.
'No!'
They leered at her, raising their weapons. Unable to back away any further, and with no escape route open to them, Melangell could only watch as they advanced on her friend. She leapt at the nearest orc, screaming in fear and anger, clawing at it's face. It threw the young elf to one side. Jenien turned in shock to look at Melangell, seeing her slender form slumped at the foot of a tree nearby.
Pain shot through her stomach. Her head whipped back, to find an orc only inches from her, it's spear buried in her pregnant belly. As it twisted the spear, Galadriel struck, a wall of her power hitting the orcs and knocking them away from the injured elf. A patrol of elves burst from the trees, showering the orcs with arrows, cutting into their ranks with swords and daggers. Jenien fell backwards, sliding off the cruel blade that had sliced into her. As darkness clouded her vision, she felt Galadriel's presence soothe her troubled mind, working her magic on the babe inside her womb.
*~*~*
Jenien woke slowly, aware of a tight ache in her abdomen, and voices nearby that sounded like Licomias and Galadriel. As she lay there listening to the gentle lull of their voices, the full horror of what had happened began to seep into her consciousness. Tears leaked from beneath her tightly closed eyelids as her hand sought her rounded belly. Nothing; her abdomen was flat once again. Dull pain soared through her, and she barely checked the sobs that rose in her throat.
Licomias was at her side in an instant, his arms about her, pulling her up into his warm embrace. Jenien clung to him like a frightened child, crying into his shoulder. The Lady watched them silently, knowing that she could not leave Licomias to break the news alone.
'My baby . . .' Jenien was sobbing. 'I'm so sorry . . .'
Licomias kissed her hair, a stricken look on his handsome face. He couldn't bear the thought of her blaming herself for the loss of their child. Holding her as tightly as he dared, he could only imagine what her reaction to the consequences of that loss would be.
Slowly she calmed, leaning back to gaze into his eyes with a deep sorrow that cut to his heart. He looked away, unable to return the gaze.
'What's wrong?'
She still sounded very fragile, and yet, Licomias knew that she would never forgive him if he did not tell her what he knew she would not want to hear.
'Jen, melamin, you must promise you won't leave me,' he pleaded, afraid. 'I couldn't bear life without you. Please, whatever happens, don't leave me.'
Confused, Jenien frowned.
'You know I won't.'
'I want you to swear to me.'
As Licomias pleaded with his frail wife, Galadriel watched, impressed. If Jenien swore never to leave Licomias, then even the grief she would feel overwhelm her at his terrible news would not kill her. She would be bound to his living soul, to live until the day he died.
'I swear, on my heart, my body, and my soul, that I will never leave you, my Licomias. I bound my fate with yours and I intend to remain by your side for many years to come.'
Her husband heaved a sigh of relief. Jenien looked from Galadriel to him suspiciously.
'Will someone tell me what's going on?'
'Jenien, I know you are aware of the loss of your child,' Galadriel said, steeling herself against the tears that sprang up in her young friend's eyes. 'When the spear thrust into your belly, it may have taken more than just that one life. My friend, you may never be able to bear children again.'
Jenien stared at her, collapsing back onto the bed with a wail of despair. Galadriel left, feeling her heart sink as the distraught elf's cries grew louder. Her lips thinned, tightening into a line of resolve. This tragedy would not go unavenged.