Part 82.
Surrounded by Ioreth, and Tireth and several of her hand-maidens, the world faded from Arwen, being replaced with never-ending pain and stifled screams, which she realised were her own.
"Well done my Lady." Ioreth told her. "All is going well. I can see the first baby's head."
Dimly aware of the woman's words Arwen nodded.
"Come now Lady, you can do it!" Tireth insisted, standing at her side.
Finally the child was born, her son, the newborn prince of Gondor. As the infant's cries filled the room Arwen felt exhausted, but Lihra held her hand reminding her of the daughter who still had yet to be born.
Not long after her son was born Arwen's daughter came. The women placed both infants in their mother's arms and smiled at the perfect picture they created.
Both babies had dark hair, though the girl's was longer, and curled at the ends, both were swaddled in white blankets, their eyes the same ethereal blue as their mother's.
Arwen could do nothing more than gaze at her children. After a short while she looked up at Lihra, and spoke to her. "Find King Elessar and send him to me. Tell him that his children wish to meet him."
In the great hall Aragorn paced endlessly, worried for his wife, despite Elrond's reassurances that she would be all right. After a while he calmed enough to sit and eat and drink with the others. They spoke of the journeys, and different paths each had taken during and since the War of the Ring, until Lihra entered the hall.
At once Aragorn leapt to his feet, his face once more clouded over with worry.
"Be still my Lord. Queen Arwen has sent me to find you, and bade me to tell you that your children wish to meet you." Lihra said quietly.
"Is the Queen well?" Aragorn demanded.
"Queen Arwen and the new prince and princess are all well. She waits for you in her chambers." Lihra told him.
Aragorn fled the room, darting up the stairs towards Arwen's chambers.
"Is your mistress truly well?" Elrond asked.
"She is, my Lord. I think she will send for you once she has spoken with King Elessar." Lihra said to him.
"That is well. Tell me, what do the prince and princess look like?" He asked, with curiosity, which was uncharacteristic for him.
"Dark haired, both of them. The princess has longer hair, with curls, but they have the same features and their eyes are the color of their mother's."
Aragorn raced up the stairs, pausing outside Arwen's room, before he knocked lightly and entered the room.
"Arwen?" He asked softly.
"Come over here and see them melamin." Arwen called to him. "They are both so beautiful."
Slowly he approached the bed where she lay. Arwen gestured for him to pick up one of the babies. "He is your son Aragorn. Eldarion, and our daughter Vana."
"They are beautiful Arwen. They look like you." Aragorn told her, holding his tiny son in his arms.
"I can see you in them. I see your mother in them too, and glimpses of my own." Arwen said to him. "I think our son will grow to look like you."
"Vana is as beautiful as you are, Arwen, perhaps she will grow more beautiful still." Aragorn said gazing down at his small daughter, wrapped protectively in her mother's arms. Carefully he leaned down to kiss her. "You have no idea how beautiful you are at this moment."
Aragorn stayed with Arwen and their children until early evening, when Ioreth told Arwen she was fit to rise.
Then together they carried their children down to the great hall, where all of the important dignitaries waited for their King, having heard of the arrival of the prince and princess of Gondor.
Aranon, the Ranger whom Aragorn had assigned to be Arwen's personal bodyguard opened the doors for them, and watched as the King and Queen carried their children up to the thrones at the opposite end of the hall, walking down the aisle left by the people milling around.
Many looked surprised to see Arwen, her beauty undimmed by pregnancy or by the long trials of birth.
At the end of the aisle King Elessar, and Queen Arwen ascended the small flight of stairs leading up to their thrones, but remained standing.
The King raised his hand, calling for silence. "Lords and Ladies of Middle Earth, I know that many of you traveled great distances to see the newborn prince and princess of Gondor. Queen Arwen and I present to you our son, Prince Eldarion, and our daughter, Princess Vana. May the Valar protect them on their paths under the sky."
His speech was met with a thunder of applause, which set both babies wailing. Arwen smiled and cooed to her son in her arms, who quieted, as did Vana.
Then she too raised her voice to speak to the assembly. "According to the customs of my people, when a child is born, their parents give them a gift, something that they can treasure all their lives long, for the lives of my people are very long." Arwen stopped to let Aragorn speak once more.
"Therefore to our son, Prince Eldarion, Queen Arwen and I give to him the Elven jewel Carnimirie. Also we have chosen to give to him, when he is older the Lost Realm of Arnor, excepting the Shire, and the township of Bree. From this day forward he shall be known of as Eldarion, Prince of Gondor and Arnor."
"And to our daughter Vana, who is named for one of my grandmothers of old, we give the Elven star jewel Luinil, which shines above the Golden Woods of Lothlorien, and the Elven city of Caras Galadhon. From this day forward she shall be known as Vana, Princess of Gondor and Lady of Lothlorien." Arwen finished.
Once more their speeches were met with applause.
Carefully Arwen descended the stairs, still carrying Eldarion, and placed the infant in her father's arms. "Well done, Lady of Rivendell." Elrond said to her. "He is beautiful, as are you."
"Amin mela lle, Ada." Arwen told him.* I love you father*. "I always will."
Reaching out he wiped one of her tears away with his fingers. "Ten'il' elan ellar niire, Arwen." *For every star there is a tear, Arwen.*
She bit her lip. "You used to tell me that when I was a child Ada."
"It is true, my daughter. You have a beautiful son. I do not doubt your own daughter's beauty." Elrond told her, passing the baby back into her arms.
Aragorn brought Vana to them, "Tura, I bring to you your granddaughter." *Master.* The lilac jewel lay around the infant's neck, and she lay quietly in her father's protective arms.
"She is beautiful." Elrond held his arms out to take Vana, holding her close to his chest. He looked up at Arwen.
"She is the image of you when you were born Arwen. I can see both of your mothers in her. I can even see Aragorn, and his father Arathorn in Eldarion. Aside from your brothers never have I seen such a well matched pair of twins."
"We are very proud of them." Aragorn told him.
"And you should be. The names you have chosen for them will be well suited I think." Elrond told the pair.
"Soon most of the Elves, save a few will leave Middle Earth. We wanted them to have strong ties with their Elvish ancestry." Arwen told him. "They seemed right for our children."
"And well they are, Vana will grow into a great Queen someday and take your place Arwen, as Queen of the Eldar, while Eldarion will rule justly and become as great a King as his father, restoring the line of Elendil, and bringing honor to the House of Telcontar." He answered.
"Arwen, we must return to the thrones. There is much that must be done." Aragorn said to her, referring to the room full of messengers and dignitaries who had brought gifts for the new Prince and Princess.
"King Elessar," Elrond began. "They are my grandchildren. Let me give them the first gifts." He asked, a plea in his voice Arwen had never heard there before.
"As you wish, Hir-nin, nin Ada." Aragorn told him sincerely. *My Lord, my Father.*
Elrond bowed his head to them as they walked back up the stairs and were seated upon the thrones of Gondor.
Arwen spoke several words to the chamberlain, telling him to announce her father first.
Aragorn nodded to the man, who then took his place at the foot of the stairs, and began to announce those present. "Lord Elrond of Rivendell." He called.
Elrond bowed his head and walked up the stairs, making the proper obeisance to the King and Queen. "Tuulo' i' edhel o' Rivendell, im ona a' Taren Eldarion ar' Tarien Vana, i' Keys o' i' Edhel. Aa' ron il'oio maar sen." He laid the keys, molded from gold, silver and mithril, set with precious stones in Arwen's lap. *From the Elves of Rivendell, I give to Prince Eldarion and Princess Vana the Keys of the Elves. May they never have need to use them.*
Arwen knew that the Keys were only ever used in great need, to unlock the secret doorways and hidden chambers of Rivendell, and so was more touched by her Father's gift to the children, than any of the others.
The gift giving went on for hours, with gifts such as gold, silver, jewels, figures of animals and blocks made with precious metals and wonderful carvings of woodland creatures from the Elves of Mirkwood, ancient Books of Lore, and horses given to the twins.
Arwen was glad to see so many of her friends and kin at the Ceremony of Gifts, with many of them using Elvish gestures and words in their presentations.
The Elves of Mirkwood, lead by Legolas, of Lothlorien, lead by the Lord and Lady, accompanied by Haldir of the Royal Guard, and the Elves of Mith'londe, the Grey Havens lead by Galdor, son of Cirdan the shipwright spoke their entire presentations in Elvish, employing the use of translators to explain to the rest of the hall all that was being said.
Finally all was finished, and all of the gifts were given.
Weary from the day's long tasks Arwen welcomed Aragorn's suggestion that the twins be put to bed, and their welcoming feast organized for the next night.
Surrounded by Ioreth, and Tireth and several of her hand-maidens, the world faded from Arwen, being replaced with never-ending pain and stifled screams, which she realised were her own.
"Well done my Lady." Ioreth told her. "All is going well. I can see the first baby's head."
Dimly aware of the woman's words Arwen nodded.
"Come now Lady, you can do it!" Tireth insisted, standing at her side.
Finally the child was born, her son, the newborn prince of Gondor. As the infant's cries filled the room Arwen felt exhausted, but Lihra held her hand reminding her of the daughter who still had yet to be born.
Not long after her son was born Arwen's daughter came. The women placed both infants in their mother's arms and smiled at the perfect picture they created.
Both babies had dark hair, though the girl's was longer, and curled at the ends, both were swaddled in white blankets, their eyes the same ethereal blue as their mother's.
Arwen could do nothing more than gaze at her children. After a short while she looked up at Lihra, and spoke to her. "Find King Elessar and send him to me. Tell him that his children wish to meet him."
In the great hall Aragorn paced endlessly, worried for his wife, despite Elrond's reassurances that she would be all right. After a while he calmed enough to sit and eat and drink with the others. They spoke of the journeys, and different paths each had taken during and since the War of the Ring, until Lihra entered the hall.
At once Aragorn leapt to his feet, his face once more clouded over with worry.
"Be still my Lord. Queen Arwen has sent me to find you, and bade me to tell you that your children wish to meet you." Lihra said quietly.
"Is the Queen well?" Aragorn demanded.
"Queen Arwen and the new prince and princess are all well. She waits for you in her chambers." Lihra told him.
Aragorn fled the room, darting up the stairs towards Arwen's chambers.
"Is your mistress truly well?" Elrond asked.
"She is, my Lord. I think she will send for you once she has spoken with King Elessar." Lihra said to him.
"That is well. Tell me, what do the prince and princess look like?" He asked, with curiosity, which was uncharacteristic for him.
"Dark haired, both of them. The princess has longer hair, with curls, but they have the same features and their eyes are the color of their mother's."
Aragorn raced up the stairs, pausing outside Arwen's room, before he knocked lightly and entered the room.
"Arwen?" He asked softly.
"Come over here and see them melamin." Arwen called to him. "They are both so beautiful."
Slowly he approached the bed where she lay. Arwen gestured for him to pick up one of the babies. "He is your son Aragorn. Eldarion, and our daughter Vana."
"They are beautiful Arwen. They look like you." Aragorn told her, holding his tiny son in his arms.
"I can see you in them. I see your mother in them too, and glimpses of my own." Arwen said to him. "I think our son will grow to look like you."
"Vana is as beautiful as you are, Arwen, perhaps she will grow more beautiful still." Aragorn said gazing down at his small daughter, wrapped protectively in her mother's arms. Carefully he leaned down to kiss her. "You have no idea how beautiful you are at this moment."
Aragorn stayed with Arwen and their children until early evening, when Ioreth told Arwen she was fit to rise.
Then together they carried their children down to the great hall, where all of the important dignitaries waited for their King, having heard of the arrival of the prince and princess of Gondor.
Aranon, the Ranger whom Aragorn had assigned to be Arwen's personal bodyguard opened the doors for them, and watched as the King and Queen carried their children up to the thrones at the opposite end of the hall, walking down the aisle left by the people milling around.
Many looked surprised to see Arwen, her beauty undimmed by pregnancy or by the long trials of birth.
At the end of the aisle King Elessar, and Queen Arwen ascended the small flight of stairs leading up to their thrones, but remained standing.
The King raised his hand, calling for silence. "Lords and Ladies of Middle Earth, I know that many of you traveled great distances to see the newborn prince and princess of Gondor. Queen Arwen and I present to you our son, Prince Eldarion, and our daughter, Princess Vana. May the Valar protect them on their paths under the sky."
His speech was met with a thunder of applause, which set both babies wailing. Arwen smiled and cooed to her son in her arms, who quieted, as did Vana.
Then she too raised her voice to speak to the assembly. "According to the customs of my people, when a child is born, their parents give them a gift, something that they can treasure all their lives long, for the lives of my people are very long." Arwen stopped to let Aragorn speak once more.
"Therefore to our son, Prince Eldarion, Queen Arwen and I give to him the Elven jewel Carnimirie. Also we have chosen to give to him, when he is older the Lost Realm of Arnor, excepting the Shire, and the township of Bree. From this day forward he shall be known of as Eldarion, Prince of Gondor and Arnor."
"And to our daughter Vana, who is named for one of my grandmothers of old, we give the Elven star jewel Luinil, which shines above the Golden Woods of Lothlorien, and the Elven city of Caras Galadhon. From this day forward she shall be known as Vana, Princess of Gondor and Lady of Lothlorien." Arwen finished.
Once more their speeches were met with applause.
Carefully Arwen descended the stairs, still carrying Eldarion, and placed the infant in her father's arms. "Well done, Lady of Rivendell." Elrond said to her. "He is beautiful, as are you."
"Amin mela lle, Ada." Arwen told him.* I love you father*. "I always will."
Reaching out he wiped one of her tears away with his fingers. "Ten'il' elan ellar niire, Arwen." *For every star there is a tear, Arwen.*
She bit her lip. "You used to tell me that when I was a child Ada."
"It is true, my daughter. You have a beautiful son. I do not doubt your own daughter's beauty." Elrond told her, passing the baby back into her arms.
Aragorn brought Vana to them, "Tura, I bring to you your granddaughter." *Master.* The lilac jewel lay around the infant's neck, and she lay quietly in her father's protective arms.
"She is beautiful." Elrond held his arms out to take Vana, holding her close to his chest. He looked up at Arwen.
"She is the image of you when you were born Arwen. I can see both of your mothers in her. I can even see Aragorn, and his father Arathorn in Eldarion. Aside from your brothers never have I seen such a well matched pair of twins."
"We are very proud of them." Aragorn told him.
"And you should be. The names you have chosen for them will be well suited I think." Elrond told the pair.
"Soon most of the Elves, save a few will leave Middle Earth. We wanted them to have strong ties with their Elvish ancestry." Arwen told him. "They seemed right for our children."
"And well they are, Vana will grow into a great Queen someday and take your place Arwen, as Queen of the Eldar, while Eldarion will rule justly and become as great a King as his father, restoring the line of Elendil, and bringing honor to the House of Telcontar." He answered.
"Arwen, we must return to the thrones. There is much that must be done." Aragorn said to her, referring to the room full of messengers and dignitaries who had brought gifts for the new Prince and Princess.
"King Elessar," Elrond began. "They are my grandchildren. Let me give them the first gifts." He asked, a plea in his voice Arwen had never heard there before.
"As you wish, Hir-nin, nin Ada." Aragorn told him sincerely. *My Lord, my Father.*
Elrond bowed his head to them as they walked back up the stairs and were seated upon the thrones of Gondor.
Arwen spoke several words to the chamberlain, telling him to announce her father first.
Aragorn nodded to the man, who then took his place at the foot of the stairs, and began to announce those present. "Lord Elrond of Rivendell." He called.
Elrond bowed his head and walked up the stairs, making the proper obeisance to the King and Queen. "Tuulo' i' edhel o' Rivendell, im ona a' Taren Eldarion ar' Tarien Vana, i' Keys o' i' Edhel. Aa' ron il'oio maar sen." He laid the keys, molded from gold, silver and mithril, set with precious stones in Arwen's lap. *From the Elves of Rivendell, I give to Prince Eldarion and Princess Vana the Keys of the Elves. May they never have need to use them.*
Arwen knew that the Keys were only ever used in great need, to unlock the secret doorways and hidden chambers of Rivendell, and so was more touched by her Father's gift to the children, than any of the others.
The gift giving went on for hours, with gifts such as gold, silver, jewels, figures of animals and blocks made with precious metals and wonderful carvings of woodland creatures from the Elves of Mirkwood, ancient Books of Lore, and horses given to the twins.
Arwen was glad to see so many of her friends and kin at the Ceremony of Gifts, with many of them using Elvish gestures and words in their presentations.
The Elves of Mirkwood, lead by Legolas, of Lothlorien, lead by the Lord and Lady, accompanied by Haldir of the Royal Guard, and the Elves of Mith'londe, the Grey Havens lead by Galdor, son of Cirdan the shipwright spoke their entire presentations in Elvish, employing the use of translators to explain to the rest of the hall all that was being said.
Finally all was finished, and all of the gifts were given.
Weary from the day's long tasks Arwen welcomed Aragorn's suggestion that the twins be put to bed, and their welcoming feast organized for the next night.