(A/N) Reicu, thanks for the great review. Aldrea, thanks for giving me the first vote. Hanyougohan, thanks for reviewing again, and for your vote. As for the recommendation of your story, you're welcome. How can I do anything else? It's a great story. No worries, the sequel is well on its way. Also I forgot to mention in the last chapter that Thangoruil, Luinethoniel, and Cassandra went with them to Rivendell. I also know that Aragorn didn't travel all the way to Rivendell but Hey, this is my fic. Finally, the moment you've all been waiting for. The birth of Vanessa's child. Is it going to be a boy or a girl? The suspense is killing me! NOT! I already know. MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

For the Love of an Elf

Chapter 11: The Beginning

After a week of travel the remaining fellowship arrived in Rivendell. The hobbits could finally rest before journeying back to their home. Vanessa knew what they would find when they got there. Saruman had taken over the Shire and it was utterly changed. But she also knew that Sam, Merry, and Pippin would rouse the hobbits of the Shire and take it back.

For many weeks Vanessa waited anxiously for Legolas to return. She could feel that their child would soon be born and she desperately wanted him to be there for it.

One day as she stood on the balcony outside of her room Sam and Frodo came in to visit her.

"We've just been to visit old Mr. Bilbo and I have got to say this. He seems so much older than when we left to destroy the ring. Much older than he should be." Sam said to her.

"Sam, you must remember that Bilbo had the ring in his possession for much longer than Frodo and it prolonged his life for a considerable time. Bilbo is much older than most normal hobbits and that is beginning to take its toll on him." Vanessa told him.

Falynn, are you frightened?" Frodo suddenly asked her.

"Of what?" she asked him, clearly puzzled.

Frodo indicated her bulging stomach.

"Well... yes, a little bit...... I suppose. But then I really start to think about it and I can't help but be happy. This new life is just beginning its journey. That journey begins within me. It's hard not to be happy. Maybe one of you two will know love like Legolas and I do one day. One day soon." As Vanessa said this she turned her gaze to Sam.

For many hours afterwards, the three friends talked about many things. Frodo and Sam told Vanessa a lot about the Shire. She told them about her days in Mirkwood many lifetimes before.

That very night, two months after Legolas and Gimli had left them, Vanessa began to feel the pains of the contractions.

Elrond came to her immediately and with his arts he was able to stem the pain of the birthing. But the deepest pain was in Vanessa's heart, knowing that Legolas was not there.

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Legolas was very weary as he and Gimli road up to the house of Elrond. The two of them had ridden long and hard after they had left Fangorn Forest. Legolas was afraid that they would not make it in time for the birth of the child.

When they finally reached the main house and dismounted from Arod Aragorn came rushing out to them.

"Thank the Valar, Legolas, you are here at last. It is happening right now! Falynn is giving birth even as we speak! Hurry! Make haste!"

Without another word Aragorn led Legolas to Vanessa's chambers. When they arrived they found two Elf guards trying to hold back the four hobbits and Thangoruil.

They let Legolas enter and once inside he found Elrond, Gandalf, Luinethoniel, and Cassandra all gathered around Vanessa's bed. That's when she spotted him.

"You made it!" she cried out softly as he approached her.

"A fine time you picked to show up Legolas. She has been in labor all afternoon. The child will be born any second now." Elrond told him.

But Legolas paid attention only to Vanessa. "Are you all right?" he asked her.

"I- will be- as soon as- this- is- over." She answered between labored breaths.

"That's it! You're doing it! Keep going! Push!" Luinethoniel coached her.

"What- do you think- I've been doing- all- afternoon?" Vanessa asked, trying to sound sarcastic. There was sweat dripping from her face now.

After many tense moments, they finally heard a triumphant cry from Cassandra. "This is it you guys! It's coming out!"

Vanessa tried to suppress her screams of pain but it was getting harder and harder. She was gripping Legolas's hand so hard that she was practically cutting off the circulation but he hardly noticed. Suddenly she collapsed back upon the bed and the cries of a baby filled the room.

Cassandra immediately cut the umbilical and took the child away to be washed up. When she finally returned the baby was wrapped in the linen blanket that Galadriel had given to Vanessa.

Cassandra stepped forward and placed the infant in Legolas's arms. The first question that came to his mind was "What is it? The child's gender?"

"You have a daughter, Legolas." Luinethoniel told him.

Legolas gazed down into the baby-blue eyes of his new daughter. For a moment she had stopped crying and she stared right back. He could see the beginnings of black, fuzzy, hair on her tiny head. He could hardly believe how tiny she was. Just then she began to whimper again and he passed her to her mother. He saw the tears of joy streaming down her face. Legolas wrapped his arms around her shoulders and they both gazed down at the infant Elf.

The other four backed out of the room and after awhile Vanessa spoke. "I didn't think it was possible, but here she is. Legolas, we have a daughter. Can you believe it?" Vanessa hugged the baby to her chest. "You know, there is one thing that we haven't thought about yet. What are we going to call her?"

"How about Luthien?" Legolas suggested dumbly.

"No I don't think so. I want to use something a bit more original than that. I've got an idea! How about Juneau?"

Legolas thought silently for a moment. "Yes, sure. Juneau. I think I could live with that. Juneau."

"Juneau." They both whispered together.

Finally, after they had stood there for awhile taking turns holding their newborn infant daughter, Luinethoniel came back into the room.

"All right Legolas. You need to leave now. Falynn is tired and both mother and daughter need their rest. You can come back tomorrow." She said, gently dragging him away from the bed.

"I'll see you in the morning Falynn."

But she didn't here him, for she had already fallen asleep with Juneau in her arms. Juneau was asleep as well. The two of them looked so peaceful and happy together.

Legolas walked down the hall to his own room in a daze. He had thought that he couldn't have been happier than when Falynn had said that she would be his wife. He had been wrong. Their tiny family was growing. They had Juneau now. His father would be surprised when they finally returned to Mirkwood.

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The wedding was set to take place three weeks after Juneau's birth. Vanessa was shocked at how quickly she had regained her figure afterwards.

As the sun rose over the gardens of Elrond, the remaining fellowship, Thangoruil and Luinethoniel, Cassandra, the twins, Elrond, and numerous Elves from his household gathered to witness the union.

Elrond stood at the front of the small congregation. Vanessa and Legolas stood before him. Luinethoniel and Aragorn stood at their sides. Luinethoniel was holding Juneau.

"Join hands and kneel." Elrond commanded them. Elrond then placed his hands upon their joined ones.

"Do you, Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, take Falynn to be your wife and Princess? To treasure and love from this day forward, for as long as you both shall live?" Elrond asked him.

"Which is forever." Sam muttered under his breath. Elrond heard this but he chose to ignore it.

"I do." He answered softly.

"And do you, Falynn of the Wise, take Legolas to be your husband and Prince? To treasure and love from this day forward, for as long as you both shall live?"

For a moment, Vanessa hesitated. In doing this she would be leaving behind everything that she had ever known. But as she turned to gaze at Legolas her doubts melted away.

"I do."

"Then in the name of the Valar, in the name of the Lady Elbereth, I pronounce you to be life partners, husband and wife."

The two of them rose from the ground and Legolas knelt down and kissed his new bride. When they finally separated Luinethoniel stepped forward and handed Juneau to Vanessa. Legolas took them both in his arms. It was so wonderful. The three of them were at last, a family.

Later that same evening after the wedding feast, Vanessa stood on her balcony. Juneau was inside in her cradle, already sleeping. It had been a long day. After awhile, Legolas stepped into her room and came to join her on the balcony.

"I've been looking for you Falynn. Is something wrong?" he said as he wrapped his arms around her.

"No. I just knew that you would come here if you found that I was missing. I've been waiting for you."

Legolas wanted to fill the silence that followed but there was nothing to be said. For a long time they just stood together, staring up at the stars. Finally Legolas began to sing to Vanessa. A song that his father had used to sing to his mother a long time ago when he was a child.

Look at the sky, tell me what do you see?
Just close your eyes and describe it to me
The heavens are sparkling with starlight tonight
That's what I see through your eyes.

Vanessa remembered the song too. She began to sing the next verse.

I see the heavens each time that you smile
I hear your heart beat just go on for miles
And suddenly I know why life is worthwhile
That's what I see through your eyes

Then they both began to sing.

That's what I see through your eyes

Here in the night I see the sun
Here in the dark our two hearts are one
It's out of our hands, we can't stop what we have begun
And love just took me by surprise
Looking through your eyes

I see a night I wish could last forever
I see a world we're meant to see together
And it is so much more than I remember
Underneath the open sky with you forever

Here in the night I see the sun
Here in the dark our two hearts are one
It's out of our hands, we can't stop what we have begun
And love just took me by surprise
Looking through your eyes

As they finished the last line of the song they joined their lips in a kiss. Just as passionate a display as their first one. When they finally broke apart for a breath of air Vanessa laid her head upon Legolas's chest.

"Can this really be happening to me?" she wondered out loud.

"I know what you mean. I never thought that I would marry or have a family of my own. It took me forever to grow up and the whole concept of love sickened me. But I guess that I grew up in an instant when I looked into your eyes again." He said to her.

For many hours after they stood on the balcony, whispering words of love to each other and watching the stars fade away as the dawn approached.

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(A/N) Don't kill me! I know this chapter was much shorter than my others were but I couldn't think of a better place to end the chapter. But fear not! For it is not quite finished yet. Stay tuned my readers.