"Shh!" Maikalindë whispered to Thalionlass. "They're coming."
"I know. Have you got them?" Thalionlass asked.
"Yup," Maikalindë smiled mischievously as he opened the bag he was carrying that was full of fruit and various other things to throw.
"Excellent," Thalionlass whispered as they hid behind a tree.
"Where do you suppose those two have gotten off to?" Lossenethir asked his brothers as they wandered through Mirkwood.
"I do not know but we better be on guard," Windarion said as he peered around listening, trying to sense any words or movement.
"Wait," Celebiathion stopped dead in his tracks. "They're around here. I can feel it."
Indeed they were, the biggest tree to their right as a matter of fact. The twins giggled. Celebiathion, Lossenethir and Windarion snapped their heads in the direction of the giggle.
"We know you're there Maika, Thalion," Windarion said sternly. The giggle sounded again.
"Ah, you've found me," Maikalindë stepped from behind the tree as Thalionlass climbed it. Not one of them seemed to notice. "But where, dear brothers, is my twin?"
"I'm right here!" Thalionlass shouted as he hurled the soft fruit and eggs toward the ground. Maikalindë dove out of the way the second he heard his twins voice. My other brothers, however, stood there in shock.
Finally, after what was happening had sunk in, Celebiathion Lossenethir and Windarion fought back.
Out of nowhere, Lossenethir produced a small pack, which was full of the exact same things as the twins pack. The older brothers attacked the twins and the twins didn't give up without a fight. Eggs were flying this way and that; fruit was slung like there was no tomorrow. They all ended up on their backs laughing so hard they could all barely breath. Bits of gooey fruit on their faces, slimy egg on their tunics and egg shell everywhere else. Suddenly, Windarion stood up and all four looked at him. He smiled.
"Race you four to the river!" He laughed, as he took off deeper into Mirkwood.
"I'll win!" Celebiathion called after him.
"Doubt it!" Lossenethir said quickly catching up and passing.
Maikalindë and Thalionlass were up in the trees running quickly from branch to branch. They were the first to the river. They jumped from the last branch into the water.
"Blast! They won!" Windarion shouted to Celebiathion and Lossenethir as he neared the shore. They didn't stop to take of their clothes for they needed rinsing as well.
My five brothers swam and fought in the water for quite sometime without a care. Then the unthinkable happened.
"Where is Maika?" Lossenethir asked, as he did not see his younger brother anywhere.
"Maikalindë!" Thalionlass shouted. Now, would be a good time to mention that Thalionlass was the only elf allowed to call Maikalindë by his real name. To the rest of us he was 'Maika.' There was no answer to Thalionlass's shout.
"Maika?!" Lossenethir Celebiathion and Windarion said in unison. They began to panic. "Maika!?"
Franticly, Thalionlass dove under the water. He spotted his brother, struggling, in the depths of a strange plant under the water. He shot toward him. He ran out of air, he sped toward the surface and then back down. He was quickly running out of time. Maikalindë looked like he was running out of air. Thalionlass reached Maikalindë quickly, grabbed his shirt and forced air into his mouth. Then, Thalionlass forced himself down toward the entangled ankle. He released it and he bore Maikalindë to the surface.
"Help me!" Thalionlass shouted at the rest of the anxious faces in the water. Immediately they sped toward the twins.
Thalionlass pulled his listless twin up on the shore. He was panicking. Celebiathion and Lossenethir dashed up on the shore. Windarion followed close behind. They stopped abruptly in front of the twins.
"Windarion, go get some help. It doesn't matter who it is, just get someone!" Celebiathion said urgently as Lossenethir dropped to his knees beside Maikalindë.
Lossenethir leaned in close and pressed his ear to his brother's chest. He could hear a heartbeat, it was faint but it was still there. He tilted Maikalindë's chin upwards and listened to his breath. There was none, which meant that he was quickly losing he window of opportunity. He clasped his mouth tightly around his younger brother's and forced air into him. Maikalindë's chest rose and fell with the forced breath. He listened again to see if he breathed before repeating the process. After a few breaths were forced into Maikalindë he coughed and brought up water. Thalionlass had watched the whole ordeal with silent tears falling upon his pale face.
Celebiathion pulled off his tunic and put it under Maikalindë's head. He looked up; two people were approaching quickly and on horse back. Father was the first to burst onto the shore. He leapt off his horse and raced toward his son.
"My son," he said quietly as he embraced Maikalindë. "You are not hurt… I was so afraid that you might…"
"I am fine, father," Maikalindë said hoarsely.
Father picked him up, carried his to his horse and placed him gently atop.
"Come on boys, we must get back to the palace. We have some news," He said gently to his sons as he mounted.
"We'll meet you at the palace," Windarion said and father nodded before he galloped away. "News?"
"Wonder what that could be?" Celebiathion turned to Lossenethir.
"Really," Lossenethir answered. The three of them laughed, while Thalionlass stared at them in horror.
"Our brother nearly died!" He shouted, hurt.
"We know Thalion, it's a terrible thing to think of but it did not happen and we must move on," Lossenethir soothed.
"But it could have!"
"It does no one any good to dwell on what might have been. Just thank Elbereth that it didn't," Lossenethir said a little sharply.
"I do thank her. With all of my soul," Thalionlass said as he looked toward the sky. "So why do you laugh?"
"Because we already know what 'news' awaits us," Windarion said grinning.
"And what is that?"
"That is another brother," Celebiathion said with a smile.
"I don't understand."
"Lossenethir?" Celebiathion smiled at his brother.
"Well, the past five hundred years, for Celebiathion, whenever some news or we had a family dinner, we later had a new brother," Lossenethir informed Thalionlass.
"So you are telling me that we're getting another brother?"
"That's exactly what he's telling you," Windarion chimed.
"Oh," Thalionlass said absently. "Well, we should get to the palace. I miss Maikalindë."
They had only been apart for five minutes and he already missed him. My brothers had laughed at the remark about Thalionlass missing Maikalindë and Windarion threw his arm around him. They quietly made their way to the palace. When, it came into sight Thalionlass broke off into a run toward it. My brothers laughed again.
"Is something going on here?" Celebiathion asked as he watched his youngest brother run toward his home.
"I believe so, aye," Lossenethir replied quietly as they continued to the palace.
"Then, what is going on here?" Windarion asked.
"They will tell us when they see fit," Lossenethir said with a tone finality, which meant the subject should be dropped.
Windarion and Celebiathion fell silent as they walked toward their rooms. Lossenethir was lost in his world of thought and they doubted pressing him would make him talk. They entered their room and there was mother on Celebiathion's bed.
"Hello boys!" She said happily. She was absolutely glowing. She definitely had the 'pregnant she-elf glow' about her.
"Hello mom," Celebiathion said as he hugged her.
"Hello," Lossenethir and Windarion smiled.
"How is Maikalindë?" Lossenethir asked.
"He is fine. Thalionlass is with him in our room," She smiled. "Do you remember when Lossenethir was born, Celebiathion?"
"Aye, I do," He answered quietly. "It was storming. A very loud boom of thunder sounded then I heard my baby brother crying."
"You're right," She smiled. "Would you all like to have another brother?"
"Of course!" Windarion said happily. Mother laughed.
"Well in a few months time you will have another," She said quietly content. She was very glad that her sons were taking kindly to this.
"Really?" Windarion asked.
"Really," she laughed.
* * *
Mother was out in the field when it happened. An agonisingly long contraction swept through her and she dropped to her knees in the long grass, holding her abdomen.
"No not here," she whispered. "Anywhere but here." She bit her lip as another contraction hit. She had to do this alone. "Damn my arrogance! I should have accepted the escort!"
She tried to stand but a particularly severe contraction forced her to the ground. She began to cry.
* * *
"Where's mother?" Lossenethir asked.
"I believe she went for some wild flowers, why do you ask?" Father replied.
"Dad, go find her now! She needs you more than anything!" Lossenethir said alarmed. Father immediately jumped from his chair. Lossenethir had gotten better with his visions. He knew when he had them and could recall what he had seen.
* * *
"Elemmiire?" Father shouted until his throat was raw.
Mother looked up from her solemn place in the field, not daring to believe what she heard.
"Elemmiire!"
"Thranduil!" She screamed. Tears streaked her ashen face.
Father's head snapped to where he heard the voice. She was in the north field. He took off toward the field as fast as his elven legs would carry him, hoping that it would be fast enough. He found her on the ground, in the near centre, clutching her abdomen, crying.
"Elemmiire, is it the baby?" He asked frantically.
"Aye!" She shouted. "Take me back to the palace. We have time to get there. The only thing is I can't walk."
"That is fine." Father said as he gently lifted her from where she lay.
Slowly, they walked to the palace. Occasionally stopping for mother to have a contraction. They entered the palace to find the main hallway deserted.
"Set me down here," mother ordered. Father gently set her up on the wall.
"I shall be right back. I'll get Nierninwa," Father said quietly.
"O.k. But please hurry," she panted.
Father ran down the hall to the healer's room. He burst through the door and Nierninwa looked up.
"What is it, highness?" She asked him, a little bit annoyed for being barged in on.
"Elemmiire…Hallway…Baby…" He panted. Without delay, Nierninwa was out of her seat and had her bag of herbs ready.
"Take me to her, highness," She said as father turned and ran from the room. Down the stairs and up the hall.
They skidded to a halt in front of mother. She had hair stuck to her face from sweat.
"How far along are you highness?" Nierninwa asked quietly.
"The…contractions are very close together," mother panted.
"Good, good. Umm, highness?" Nierninwa turned to father.
"Aye?" He said pacing.
"Are their any dressing screens close by?"
"I believe so, why?"
"Her highness may want privacy for this. How many do you think there are?"
"About two."
"Perfect, get them both."
With that, father ran down the hall about six doors down before entering the seventh door. He grabbed the first screen and his robe got caught on it. He threw it off, so he was just in an undershirt and leggings. He hauled the screen out into the hall and took it as fast as he could down the hall toward mother. He set it by her and left to get the second one.
"He always gets so worked up about this," Mother laughed.
"Aye, that he does," Nierninwa laughed.
"Ow," mother leaned forward abruptly.
"You're ready to push," Nierninwa stated quietly and mother nodded.
* * *
"Why did you tell dad to go get mom?" Windarion asked Lossenethir.
"Because she went into labour out in the field," Lossenethir said simply. Windarion and Celebiathion's mouths dropped. "Don't look so surprised, we all knew it was coming."
"You're right. Let's go find Maika and Thalion. We'll be the first to tell them they soon won't be the babies anymore," Celebiathion smiled.
"You're cruel," Windarion chuckled.
"You both are," Lossenethir smiled.
The three of them walked through the palace to the twin's room. They heard the two giggling behind the door.
"Do you think it will work?" Maikalindë giggled.
"I hope so," Thalionlass giggled.
Celebiathion knocked on the door. The twins broke out into insane laughter. Celebiathion opened the door and a bucket of custard fell onto him. At this, the twins could barely control themselves. Thalionlass fell off his bed laughing and Maikalindë fell of the chair he was sitting on.
"I hate you, both! You better run for it!" Celebiathion shouted. He was mad.
Maikalindë and Thalionlass tore past him in a blur. They were out the door and down the hall in moments with Celebiathion shouting in rage behind them. They laughed mockingly as they ran. They turned right. Which was the hall in which mother was giving birth. They stopped instantly at her cry of pain and then they heard there little brother. Celebiathion nearly ran into them both. Maikalindë put his hands to his mouth and Thalionlass hugged his twin.
"We have a brother," he whispered.
"That we do," Celebiathion whispered.
Father emerged from behind the dressing screens holding a small infant elf. Lossenethir and Windarion emerged from the other end of the hall to find that Celebiathion had not tackled his youngest brothers but they were standing there quietly. Then they saw father walking toward them all with a tiny bundle in his arms. Slowly, they inched toward him.
"This is your brother, Guyaturion," Father said quietly as he knelt for the twins to see.
"He's so small," Thalionlass commented.
"He is, but you two were smaller still," father said.
Guyaturion had light blonde hair and dark brown eyes. He was like mother in stature, delicate, light and airy with soft features. He was always very quiet. He never liked to go out in public unless he had to and even when he did I had to make him talk to people. He was quite content to wander the library in search of a good book and then curl up near the fire. He was reluctant to go into battle but when he did he was quite fierce. He could almost give Celebiathion a run for his money. My family could usually find me with him. We were always together. He usually stuck up for me when I was accused for something I did not do. For that I was very grateful to him.
Disclaimer: Don't own some… Don't sue it's not worth it… I do own, however, anything unknown.
A/N: One more boy before Legolas and then we can really get into the story. So, how do you like it so far? Is it…good? I hope so… I'm really glad those of you who are reviewing enjoy this because I enjoy writing it! Anyway, thanks so much for reviewing and I hope you continue to do so! Thanks so much for reading! Luv Gia