Disclaimer: Recognizable characters, places, and events are the property of
the J.R.R. Tolkien estate.
Author's Notes: As before, there are no author's notes within or at the end of the chapter.
FYI: "las", a word part that makes up part of Legolas's name, can actually be translated two ways: "leaf" and "ears" (and yes, both have been used in elven names!)
Rated for angst----this is over, for the most part.
Thank you to Daw, Galadriel Lorien, and Queen of Shadows for their reviews! It's always nice to know what people think of my writing!
Daw (in her review) is completely correct about the conception/birthing situation being canonical. I'm trying to keep my fic as in tune with Tolkien's writings as possible. Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of "Laws and Customs of the Eldar" to refer to, which has a pretty good discussion on Elven pregnancy and childbirth. Regretfully, I have never read this piece in full...If anyone is wondering whether a concept is mine or Tolkien's, feel free to post or email questions.
---Aranel
aranels@hotmail.com
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
Chapter 3~*~Stay
Thranduil stood back watching as a healer washed his newborn son, and then swaddled the tiny body in soft, clean blankets. She placed the baby in his arms, glancing up at him, "I don't know how long his light will last...he is very weak."
Taking his son, Thranduil headed out of the room. Thilómë had fallen into an exhausted sleep soon after the delivery was over, and it would be best to leave her in peace. He walked slowly towards a lighted room down the corridor. He wanted to savor the brief moments, be they minutes or hours, of this son's life in silence.
"Ada!" Thranduil looked up from the baby to see his older son, Aldandil, coming towards him. The young elf quickened his pace, touching his father's arm softly.
Seeing the concerned look in Aldandil's eyes, Thranduil turned the baby towards him, "The healers believe his light will be very brief. We've named him Legolas."
"Legolas," Aldandil let the syllables slide off his tongue. The hint of a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth, "Green-ears. Now, is it really both ears, or just one?" He touched the tender points of this new brother's minute ears.
Thranduil was not amused at the joke, and dismissed it, blaming Aldandil's short years, "It is Greenleaf, not Green-ears."
Aldandil watched his father carry the baby into a side room. He had only meant to humor his father a little, to cheer up the dire situation. Sighing, he sank into a sitting position against the wall, resting his elbows on his knees.
Thranduil pulled a chair out for himself, thankful that the room was empty, save for its furnishings and the soothing glimmer of torchlight. He looked again to the newborn in his arms. Legolas had closed his eyes, and was breathing softly. At least he would not have to see the grey-blue eyes lose their dim shine. He listened to the shallow breath of his son, and in the quiet room, could detect even the faint heartbeat he had felt only a little over a day ago.
The sounds were soothing to Thranduil's sorrowing spirit, and he kept his attention fixed on them.
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
Thranduil woke with a start. Had he simply nodded off? No, the torch in the room was extinguished, and a pale beam of sunlight crossed the floor through a slit in the stone wall. His thoughts flashed quickly to the body in his arms. In his panic, he realized that the infant was still breathing softly. Not only that, but his draping sleeves were rather damp.
Standing, Thranduil held the wet blanketed bundle out in front of him. He couldn't help but smile weakly, "So, Legolas, you have decided to give us all at least one act to remember you by then, hmm?"
A slightly amused healer took the baby from him when he entered his wife's room. Leaving his damp outer-robe near the door, Thranduil went to Thilómë's bed. She was still in a restless sleep, and would probably not awaken fully for a few more days. Her husband touched her silver hair, and bent to kiss her forehead. His heart ached as he thought of the little light left in her. He thought back to the earlier years of their marriage...how full of love for life she was! Every tree, every flower seemed to enthrall her. How many hours had they spent in the woods together, sharing in its peaceful beauty? Thranduil sighed, stroking Thilómë's cool fingers. How he longed for another walk beneath the treetops, beneath the stars, with her in his arms.
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
When Aldandil entered his mother's room, he was surprised to be met by a healer at the door. The elf-maid touched his arm lightly, then carefully handed him his brother, enfolded in clean white blankets. The baby seemed to have no weight at all! He stared down at the pale face; the tiny, limp fingers; the head no bigger than his fist. Why did they trust him to hold something so fragile and precious? Aldandil glanced towards his mother and father, then back to his brother. Legolas. The baby's mouth opened in a yawn, and his tiny blue eyes fluttered open. Aldandil watched this searchingly, and felt his heart beat twice. The gleam in his brother's eyes had not changed, and still flickered softly.
"I believe you may surprise us all," Aldandil smiled, touching Legolas's uncurled fingers, "Stay."
Author's Notes: As before, there are no author's notes within or at the end of the chapter.
FYI: "las", a word part that makes up part of Legolas's name, can actually be translated two ways: "leaf" and "ears" (and yes, both have been used in elven names!)
Rated for angst----this is over, for the most part.
Thank you to Daw, Galadriel Lorien, and Queen of Shadows for their reviews! It's always nice to know what people think of my writing!
Daw (in her review) is completely correct about the conception/birthing situation being canonical. I'm trying to keep my fic as in tune with Tolkien's writings as possible. Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of "Laws and Customs of the Eldar" to refer to, which has a pretty good discussion on Elven pregnancy and childbirth. Regretfully, I have never read this piece in full...If anyone is wondering whether a concept is mine or Tolkien's, feel free to post or email questions.
---Aranel
aranels@hotmail.com
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
Chapter 3~*~Stay
Thranduil stood back watching as a healer washed his newborn son, and then swaddled the tiny body in soft, clean blankets. She placed the baby in his arms, glancing up at him, "I don't know how long his light will last...he is very weak."
Taking his son, Thranduil headed out of the room. Thilómë had fallen into an exhausted sleep soon after the delivery was over, and it would be best to leave her in peace. He walked slowly towards a lighted room down the corridor. He wanted to savor the brief moments, be they minutes or hours, of this son's life in silence.
"Ada!" Thranduil looked up from the baby to see his older son, Aldandil, coming towards him. The young elf quickened his pace, touching his father's arm softly.
Seeing the concerned look in Aldandil's eyes, Thranduil turned the baby towards him, "The healers believe his light will be very brief. We've named him Legolas."
"Legolas," Aldandil let the syllables slide off his tongue. The hint of a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth, "Green-ears. Now, is it really both ears, or just one?" He touched the tender points of this new brother's minute ears.
Thranduil was not amused at the joke, and dismissed it, blaming Aldandil's short years, "It is Greenleaf, not Green-ears."
Aldandil watched his father carry the baby into a side room. He had only meant to humor his father a little, to cheer up the dire situation. Sighing, he sank into a sitting position against the wall, resting his elbows on his knees.
Thranduil pulled a chair out for himself, thankful that the room was empty, save for its furnishings and the soothing glimmer of torchlight. He looked again to the newborn in his arms. Legolas had closed his eyes, and was breathing softly. At least he would not have to see the grey-blue eyes lose their dim shine. He listened to the shallow breath of his son, and in the quiet room, could detect even the faint heartbeat he had felt only a little over a day ago.
The sounds were soothing to Thranduil's sorrowing spirit, and he kept his attention fixed on them.
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
Thranduil woke with a start. Had he simply nodded off? No, the torch in the room was extinguished, and a pale beam of sunlight crossed the floor through a slit in the stone wall. His thoughts flashed quickly to the body in his arms. In his panic, he realized that the infant was still breathing softly. Not only that, but his draping sleeves were rather damp.
Standing, Thranduil held the wet blanketed bundle out in front of him. He couldn't help but smile weakly, "So, Legolas, you have decided to give us all at least one act to remember you by then, hmm?"
A slightly amused healer took the baby from him when he entered his wife's room. Leaving his damp outer-robe near the door, Thranduil went to Thilómë's bed. She was still in a restless sleep, and would probably not awaken fully for a few more days. Her husband touched her silver hair, and bent to kiss her forehead. His heart ached as he thought of the little light left in her. He thought back to the earlier years of their marriage...how full of love for life she was! Every tree, every flower seemed to enthrall her. How many hours had they spent in the woods together, sharing in its peaceful beauty? Thranduil sighed, stroking Thilómë's cool fingers. How he longed for another walk beneath the treetops, beneath the stars, with her in his arms.
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
When Aldandil entered his mother's room, he was surprised to be met by a healer at the door. The elf-maid touched his arm lightly, then carefully handed him his brother, enfolded in clean white blankets. The baby seemed to have no weight at all! He stared down at the pale face; the tiny, limp fingers; the head no bigger than his fist. Why did they trust him to hold something so fragile and precious? Aldandil glanced towards his mother and father, then back to his brother. Legolas. The baby's mouth opened in a yawn, and his tiny blue eyes fluttered open. Aldandil watched this searchingly, and felt his heart beat twice. The gleam in his brother's eyes had not changed, and still flickered softly.
"I believe you may surprise us all," Aldandil smiled, touching Legolas's uncurled fingers, "Stay."
