Second Verse
~
Flora was feeling a little better by the end of March and was able to move about like she had been able to with Nilhisie and Nuquer though April came and along with warmer weather her feelings of sickness came back.
"Ugh, I hate this!" Flora grumbled from the bathing room where she was hanging over a bucket for 'those moments'.
"Only four more months though." Nuquer tried to console.
"I'll die if this happens for four more months!" Flora nearly screamed.
"Okay, okay, you don't have to be so touchy." Nuquer muttered.
"This baby better love me with every breath in its body for making me go through this!!" Flora exclaimed.
"You know I think if runs in your family to be sick like this, your mother was like this, and her mother was like this, and her mother's mother was like this-"
"You can stop now." Flora said as she came out of the bathing room.
"Sorry, I got carried away." Nuquer apologized.
"It's okay. What should I name him?" Flora sat on the bed.
"Finally thinking about names are you?" Nuquer smiled, it was the first time Flora had mentioned naming the child.
"Yes, I want it to be manly." Flora smiled, she knew what Nuquer was thinking
"How about Finduilas?" Nuquer suggested.
"No, I don't know if I want it to be elven or more manlike. Let's think his father is Nilhisie so maybe it should be elven but follow the tradition of men and be closely related to Nilhisie. Think of some elf-names close to Nilhisie." Flora demanded.
"I don't know many elf-names, how about Nenar? I think that's a star."
"It's sounds to feminine." Flora thought, "Think of some more."
"Okay, sorry just a suggestion, Neithan? Where have I heard that before?" Nuquer thought for a while.
"I kind of like that name." Flora commented, "Of course I have to talk to Nilhisie about it as well."
"Talk to me about what?" Nilhisie just opened the door as she said this.
"I'm thinking of names." Flora smiled.
"Oh, finally!" Nilhisie laughed.
"What do you think of Neithan?" Nuquer asked.
"We are not naming our son that." Nilhisie frowned.
"But I rather like it, what's wrong with it?" Flora asked.
"It means 'the wronged' or 'one who is deprived', that was the name of Turin among the outlaws he gave to himself. You want your son to be names 'the wrong' I think that might be a little, well you." Nilhisie explained.
"Oh, I guess he'll have enough trouble with how he came about without being named 'the wrong." Flora agreed.
"What about Neldoreth?" Nilhisie put in his suggestion.
"I don't know, I want it to be a strong name." Flora thought, "Maybe, we'll come back to it."
"Nenuial?" Nuquer said finally after thinking, "That means 'lake of twilight'."
"Lake? You want to name my son after some lake?" Flora looked at her sister.
"Not just any lake a lake of twilight-"
"It's also where the city of Annuminas was built." Nilhisie added.
"You are really smart Nilhisie." Flora was amazed at the knowledge coming from Nilhisie, she had never realized how smart he was.
"Well." Nilhisie shrugged, "It's nothing."
"It doesn't have to start with an 'N' you know." Nuquer suggested.
"Fine then, think of names that mean interesting things, and manly things." Flora compromised.
"How about Adanedhel, that's 'Elf-Man'?" Nilhisie smiled, "Since he will be an elf-man."
"I like that. That's a possibility." Flora smiled.
"How about Alcarinque? It means 'the glorious'." Nuquer thought for a moment, "That was your grandfather's, times five, favourite star. He used to talk to me about stars, he really liked them. He always wanted a son but had all girls and those girls had all girls too. This will be the first boy since him." Nuquer recalled some family history.
"That's the one then." Flora decided, "Alcarinque it is."
"I like it too." Nilhisie nodded.
"Hello, what is going on in here?" Legolas walked into the room, finally off his duties for the night.
"Thinking of names for our son." Flora smiled.
"And?"
"Alcarinque." Flora answered with a proud motherly smile.
"'The Glorious' it's a star." Legolas nodded.
"Yes." Nuquer stood to give Legolas a kiss, "Have you told your father the news yet?"
"No, I tell him tonight." Legolas looked at the floor, it was something he wasn't to excited about.
"It won't be so bad." Nilhisie supported.
"I hope not." Legolas replied, "But, it will happen." Legolas looked lovingly at Nuquer.
"I can't wait." Nuquer answered with a smile.
"Any planning done yet?" Flora smiled.
"I start tomorrow." Nuquer smiled back.
"I get to help!!" Flora called out.
"Of course, I wouldn't leave my favourite little sister out of this." Nuquer joked.
"I'm your only little sister!" Flora threw a pillow at her.
"Of course, so you can help plan. Legolas, are there any special things I should know about before planning?" Nuquer looked at Legolas.
"No, and, I'm going to leave all the planning up to you, go wild." Legolas smiled, he knew she would love to do all the planning and figured things would be easier if she were in charge of it.
"Oh, yay! Can't wait to get started." Nuquer have Legolas a kiss on the cheek and turned to Flora, "What about my dress?"
"Oh, it's going to be so much fun to pick it out!" Flora giggled with excitement.
"I think it's time for us to go now." Nilhisie stood and Legolas followed, "We'll leave you girls to talk about dresses and such."
The two exited and walked in silence towards the archery grounds.
"I still can't believe that you are getting married, I mean, you're the prince of this place, this is a huge event." Nilhisie sighed.
"Some times I forget I'm a prince and then it hits me out of nowhere that I have this huge responsibility ahead of me and all these people are depending on me." Legolas shook his head. Most of his life he had been out on hunting trips and working as a captain of the guards. Until recently the other elves had never referred to him as 'prince'. To prove his point as they passed a guard on the way into the fields he bowed slightly and greeted him with a "Good afternoon, my prince."
Legolas smiled and passed by.
~
That evening after an uneventful dinner, though pleasant due to the absence of a certain nuisance before being sent away to Lothlorein, Legolas headed towards his father's study were he was located this evening.
"Father?" Legolas knocked on the door.
"Come in." Came the muffled answer from inside. Legolas took a deep breathe and headed in.
"I have news for you." Legolas sat across from his father.
"Is it about the prisoner?" Thranduil looked up.
"No, that's fine. It's about me actually." Legolas sat back into his chair and held on lightly to the armrests.
"Is there something wrong?" Thranduil raised his eyebrow.
"Quite the opposite, I've um, I've deepened my relationship with Nuquer." Legolas was having a hard time getting out what he wanted to say.
"How so, I thought you two were already officially courting?" Thranduil stared into his sons' eyes, making him very nervous.
"We are, well, I proposed." Legolas said it and immediately looked down.
Thranduil didn't say anything but stood and walked to the window. He stood looking out over the fresh ground, relieved from it's cover of cold snow and starting to show real signs of the promise of warmer weather.
Legolas sat waiting for an answer but none came. Finally he spoke, "Is it agreeable to you?"
Thranduil turned to face his son, "I was thinking." He sat back down. Legolas was now more nervous with this delayed reply, he knew his father had the right, and power to refuse this marriage, as Legolas was the crowned prince and future king, Thranduil had every say in his choice of bride. Legolas immediately began to think of what he would do if his father declined, he would leave, be exiled but either way he was marrying Nuquer. "I was thinking of when an appropriate time to marry would be."
Legolas let out a sigh of relief, "You are okay with this arrangement then?"
"Of course, I thought it was about high time you asked her and I will officially announce your future marriage to the future princess of Mirkwood, the lady Nuquer, tomorrow at dinner. My blessings upon your marriage." Thranduil smiled at his son.
"My thanks, father." Legolas bowed and left the room smiling, now everything was official.
~
~
Flora was feeling a little better by the end of March and was able to move about like she had been able to with Nilhisie and Nuquer though April came and along with warmer weather her feelings of sickness came back.
"Ugh, I hate this!" Flora grumbled from the bathing room where she was hanging over a bucket for 'those moments'.
"Only four more months though." Nuquer tried to console.
"I'll die if this happens for four more months!" Flora nearly screamed.
"Okay, okay, you don't have to be so touchy." Nuquer muttered.
"This baby better love me with every breath in its body for making me go through this!!" Flora exclaimed.
"You know I think if runs in your family to be sick like this, your mother was like this, and her mother was like this, and her mother's mother was like this-"
"You can stop now." Flora said as she came out of the bathing room.
"Sorry, I got carried away." Nuquer apologized.
"It's okay. What should I name him?" Flora sat on the bed.
"Finally thinking about names are you?" Nuquer smiled, it was the first time Flora had mentioned naming the child.
"Yes, I want it to be manly." Flora smiled, she knew what Nuquer was thinking
"How about Finduilas?" Nuquer suggested.
"No, I don't know if I want it to be elven or more manlike. Let's think his father is Nilhisie so maybe it should be elven but follow the tradition of men and be closely related to Nilhisie. Think of some elf-names close to Nilhisie." Flora demanded.
"I don't know many elf-names, how about Nenar? I think that's a star."
"It's sounds to feminine." Flora thought, "Think of some more."
"Okay, sorry just a suggestion, Neithan? Where have I heard that before?" Nuquer thought for a while.
"I kind of like that name." Flora commented, "Of course I have to talk to Nilhisie about it as well."
"Talk to me about what?" Nilhisie just opened the door as she said this.
"I'm thinking of names." Flora smiled.
"Oh, finally!" Nilhisie laughed.
"What do you think of Neithan?" Nuquer asked.
"We are not naming our son that." Nilhisie frowned.
"But I rather like it, what's wrong with it?" Flora asked.
"It means 'the wronged' or 'one who is deprived', that was the name of Turin among the outlaws he gave to himself. You want your son to be names 'the wrong' I think that might be a little, well you." Nilhisie explained.
"Oh, I guess he'll have enough trouble with how he came about without being named 'the wrong." Flora agreed.
"What about Neldoreth?" Nilhisie put in his suggestion.
"I don't know, I want it to be a strong name." Flora thought, "Maybe, we'll come back to it."
"Nenuial?" Nuquer said finally after thinking, "That means 'lake of twilight'."
"Lake? You want to name my son after some lake?" Flora looked at her sister.
"Not just any lake a lake of twilight-"
"It's also where the city of Annuminas was built." Nilhisie added.
"You are really smart Nilhisie." Flora was amazed at the knowledge coming from Nilhisie, she had never realized how smart he was.
"Well." Nilhisie shrugged, "It's nothing."
"It doesn't have to start with an 'N' you know." Nuquer suggested.
"Fine then, think of names that mean interesting things, and manly things." Flora compromised.
"How about Adanedhel, that's 'Elf-Man'?" Nilhisie smiled, "Since he will be an elf-man."
"I like that. That's a possibility." Flora smiled.
"How about Alcarinque? It means 'the glorious'." Nuquer thought for a moment, "That was your grandfather's, times five, favourite star. He used to talk to me about stars, he really liked them. He always wanted a son but had all girls and those girls had all girls too. This will be the first boy since him." Nuquer recalled some family history.
"That's the one then." Flora decided, "Alcarinque it is."
"I like it too." Nilhisie nodded.
"Hello, what is going on in here?" Legolas walked into the room, finally off his duties for the night.
"Thinking of names for our son." Flora smiled.
"And?"
"Alcarinque." Flora answered with a proud motherly smile.
"'The Glorious' it's a star." Legolas nodded.
"Yes." Nuquer stood to give Legolas a kiss, "Have you told your father the news yet?"
"No, I tell him tonight." Legolas looked at the floor, it was something he wasn't to excited about.
"It won't be so bad." Nilhisie supported.
"I hope not." Legolas replied, "But, it will happen." Legolas looked lovingly at Nuquer.
"I can't wait." Nuquer answered with a smile.
"Any planning done yet?" Flora smiled.
"I start tomorrow." Nuquer smiled back.
"I get to help!!" Flora called out.
"Of course, I wouldn't leave my favourite little sister out of this." Nuquer joked.
"I'm your only little sister!" Flora threw a pillow at her.
"Of course, so you can help plan. Legolas, are there any special things I should know about before planning?" Nuquer looked at Legolas.
"No, and, I'm going to leave all the planning up to you, go wild." Legolas smiled, he knew she would love to do all the planning and figured things would be easier if she were in charge of it.
"Oh, yay! Can't wait to get started." Nuquer have Legolas a kiss on the cheek and turned to Flora, "What about my dress?"
"Oh, it's going to be so much fun to pick it out!" Flora giggled with excitement.
"I think it's time for us to go now." Nilhisie stood and Legolas followed, "We'll leave you girls to talk about dresses and such."
The two exited and walked in silence towards the archery grounds.
"I still can't believe that you are getting married, I mean, you're the prince of this place, this is a huge event." Nilhisie sighed.
"Some times I forget I'm a prince and then it hits me out of nowhere that I have this huge responsibility ahead of me and all these people are depending on me." Legolas shook his head. Most of his life he had been out on hunting trips and working as a captain of the guards. Until recently the other elves had never referred to him as 'prince'. To prove his point as they passed a guard on the way into the fields he bowed slightly and greeted him with a "Good afternoon, my prince."
Legolas smiled and passed by.
~
That evening after an uneventful dinner, though pleasant due to the absence of a certain nuisance before being sent away to Lothlorein, Legolas headed towards his father's study were he was located this evening.
"Father?" Legolas knocked on the door.
"Come in." Came the muffled answer from inside. Legolas took a deep breathe and headed in.
"I have news for you." Legolas sat across from his father.
"Is it about the prisoner?" Thranduil looked up.
"No, that's fine. It's about me actually." Legolas sat back into his chair and held on lightly to the armrests.
"Is there something wrong?" Thranduil raised his eyebrow.
"Quite the opposite, I've um, I've deepened my relationship with Nuquer." Legolas was having a hard time getting out what he wanted to say.
"How so, I thought you two were already officially courting?" Thranduil stared into his sons' eyes, making him very nervous.
"We are, well, I proposed." Legolas said it and immediately looked down.
Thranduil didn't say anything but stood and walked to the window. He stood looking out over the fresh ground, relieved from it's cover of cold snow and starting to show real signs of the promise of warmer weather.
Legolas sat waiting for an answer but none came. Finally he spoke, "Is it agreeable to you?"
Thranduil turned to face his son, "I was thinking." He sat back down. Legolas was now more nervous with this delayed reply, he knew his father had the right, and power to refuse this marriage, as Legolas was the crowned prince and future king, Thranduil had every say in his choice of bride. Legolas immediately began to think of what he would do if his father declined, he would leave, be exiled but either way he was marrying Nuquer. "I was thinking of when an appropriate time to marry would be."
Legolas let out a sigh of relief, "You are okay with this arrangement then?"
"Of course, I thought it was about high time you asked her and I will officially announce your future marriage to the future princess of Mirkwood, the lady Nuquer, tomorrow at dinner. My blessings upon your marriage." Thranduil smiled at his son.
"My thanks, father." Legolas bowed and left the room smiling, now everything was official.
~