Chapter Eight

News of Celemirë becoming an Elf spread quickly throughout the household and the Elves of Ithilien. All were delighted, and they came to visit their Prince and his wife, offering their congratulations. Legolas was very happy. Celemirë felt she was in complete bliss.

They decided to leave for Minas Tirith several days later. The three handmaidens and some of the male Elves, including Legolas' personal servant, were to accompany them. The handmaidens prepared their master and mistress' things.

At last, the day came. Legolas was helping Celemirë onto her mount when she slipped and fell into Legolas' arms. The Elf Prince looked concernedly at her.

"It is nothing, Legolas. I just felt somewhat sick." Celemirë said.

Legolas nodded his head. Celemirë remounted her steed.

"We are going to Imladris, to Eldarion's wedding. We do not know for how long we shall be gone. I know you shall look after our home well." Legolas told the assembled Elves who were seeing them off. "Navaer!"

"Navaer!" the Elves cried.

They rode swiftly through the forest, and stopped at Prince Faramir's castle. He greeted them graciously, and Theoden stared momentarily at Celemirë.

"You are Elf?" he whispered.

Celemirë nodded.

They were leaving the castle, going down the steps, when Celemirë swayed slightly on the spot. Lady Eowyn caught her.

"Are you well?" she asked her.

"I think I am too excited about the wedding." Celemirë told her.

They arrived in Minas Tirith three days later. Celemirë rushed to her parents and brother, embracing them. They smiled at her.

"Celemirë, the Elf Princess!" King Elessar smiled.

Queen Arwen looked into her daughter's eyes.

"My well wishes to you, Celemirë, for what is to come." Arwen said.

Celemirë beamed at her mother.

There was a great feast in the dining hall in honor of Prince Faramir and Legolas' arrival. As they were about to sit down, Prince Imrahil arrived. Everyone was delighted upon seeing him. Legolas felt that something was amiss. Someone was missing.

"Where is Celemirë?" he asked.

"I saw her two hours ago heading to her room with her handmaidens." Eldarion replied.

Legolas found Celemirë in her room, as Eladrion had said. She was lying in bed, looking somewhat pale. She was speaking with her handmaidens when Legolas entered. They went quiet at his arrival

"Celemirë, are you alright?" Legolas asked her softly, as the three handmaidens left them.

Celemirë smiled wanly at him.

"I am a bit tired. We must rest together." she replied softly.

"I will rest with you, if you desire it. Though I had come to tell you that there is a feast, and Prince Imrahil has arrived."

"Elenath informed me. She heard his voice. It is not you I wish to rest with me, Legolas, though you may if you wish." Celemirë said.

Her hands rested on her stomach. She pulled Legolas closer to her. She brought one of his hands to her bosom, then placed it on her stomach. She stared into his eyes. Legolas was perplexed.

"Who, then?" he asked.

Celemirë patted his hand resting on her stomach.

"Are you…?" Legolas breathed, hardly daring to finish his sentence.

Celemirë closed her gray eyes and slowly nodded her head.

Legolas had never moved his arms faster. They wrapped around her tightly as he pulled her into a strong embrace, placing his mouth on hers. She was expecting this, for no sooner had he placed his mouth on top of hers than she had her tongue twirling around with his in a passionate elvish kiss. They tasted each other as if for the first time, Celemirë's hands wrapped in Legolas' smooth blond hair. The Elf Prince felt himself become intoxicated in his wife's scent. They both moaned.

The door to Celemirë's room opened, and Eldarion appeared. He was talking loudly, at first unaware of what was going on.

"Celemirë, Legolas is looking for-"

The Prince stopped midway in his sentence; his eyes had fallen upon Legolas and Celemirë. He smiled knowingly, then blushed as he realized that he had walked in on them during an intimate moment. Legolas was just about to remove his sister's dress.

"Ah…I shall inform them that certain circumstances have denied you from joining the feast." Eldarion said, backing away with a bow.

"Tell them," Celemirë gasped as Legolas nuzzled her, "that Legolas is giving me an elvish lesson!"

"I will, my dear sister." Eldarion said, as he closed the door.

Legolas laughed.

"Elvish lesson?" he said, eyes twinkling.

"Does the mentor need assistance once more?" Celemirë said slyly.

"I think it is time the pupil receives assistance." Legolas whispered.

He removed her dress and under-dress, then gave her the lesson.

Several hours later, Legolas lay Celemirë gently back against the pillows. He had once again successfully exhausted her, but, surprisingly, so had she. They both lay side by side, experiencing the aftermath effects of their orgasms, trying to catch their breaths.

"This is the first night you have exhausted me, Celemirë." Legolas said, panting a little. "I think it is because you are an elven lady now."

Celemirë smiled at him. She ran her tongue over the hollow space on his neck. He groaned with immense pleasure. She repeated it, and found herself pressed hard against him, her face pressing into his. She felt his hands on her breasts. Her eyes glittered.

Early the next morning, a rather large group of people set out from Minas Tirith. Legolas and Celemirë with their servants, Prince Imrahil with his wife and men, Prince Faramir with his family and men, and King Elessar and his wife, along with several hundred men. Siana and Eldarion rode next to Legolas and Celemirë.

"I heard that you are an Elf, now, Celemirë." Siana said.

Celemirë nodded.

"You are very lucky!" Siana told her.

Celemirë smiled.

Legolas did not take his eyes off Celemirë. He was very excited that she was bearing his child. He followed her wherever she went, always fearful to leave her side. Celemirë noticed this and laughed softly at him.

"I am not rendered unable to walk or do anything." she laughed, as he handed her a goblet.

"I do not want you to do anything save rest." he replied.

Celemirë saw her mother glance at them with a knowing look in her eyes. The Princess blushed. Arwen smiled.

"Please, do not tell anyone!" Celemirë begged her.

They reached Imladris two days before the wedding, just as dusk had settled. Legolas found his father and Gimli waiting for him. The Dwarf was grinning broadly as Legolas carried Celemirë off of her steed.

"Well, well! I left you in Minas Tirith in love, and here you stand before me several months later wedded!" he cried, embracing Legolas.

"Indeed!" Legolas said, his arm around Celemirë's waist.

King Thranduil then embraced his son and spoke to him warmly in Elvish, noting how his son's eyes glowed as they rested upon Celemirë.

"I see you are happy and content, Legolas." Thranduil said.

"I am, sire. Celemirë is the reason." Legolas replied.

"Suilaid, aran Thranduil. Manen le?" Celemirë said, bowing to him. "Na vedui-gîl síla erin lú 'ovaded lín!"

Legolas watched his father with a smile upon his face. Thranduil was staring at Celemirë as if he had seen something extraordinary.

"Im vaer." Thranduil replied, once he had overcome his shock. "Pedich i lam edhellen?"

Celemirë only nodded her head slightly in reply. Legolas excused themselves, and led her away. When he was out of earshot of his father, he burst out laughing.

"You took him completely by surprise! He did not expect you to speak Sindarin fluently in so short a time!" he laughed softly,

Celemirë smiled at seeing Legolas so happy.

"Celemirë, well done! You have rendered Thranduil speechless!"

Legolas and Celemirë whipped around. Elladan stood, beaming

widely at his niece. Behind him, Elrohir was laughing.

"My dear uncles!" Celemirë cried, dashing into their arms.

Her twin uncles held her at arm's length after embracing her. They inspected her carefully, eyes searching every minute detail.

"You are changed. I can feel it. My eyes see it" Elladan said to her.

A light breeze blew Celemirë's hair back. Elladan gasped.

"I knew it! You are an Elf!" he cried.

"I was saying to myself that she looked Elvish. How is this possible? How can it be?" Elrohir whispered.

Legolas told the twins everything: how Arwen told him about her immortality being passed onto one of her daughters as foretold by her sire, how Celemirë became immortal, and how she became an Elf. The uncles were dumbstruck.

"Indeed, our father and grandmother must have special favor in the eyes of the Valar, as well as your sire, Legolas. Never before has this occurred, and never will it occur again. Celemirë, you are unlike us. In fact, you are opposite. We were born with the choice of becoming mortals or going to Valinor. We all decided to remain here, and in doing so, we are now mortals. We will live longer than any human will, but in the end we will die like mortals.

"You, however, were born a mortal. Yet you craved immortality and the desire to be an Elf. We saw this in you from when you were very young. You were unlike your siblings. You were always thoughtful and wise, eager for knowledge. You acted like an Elf. Our father saw you when you were young, before he left to Valinor. Even the Lady Galadriel saw you. They felt pity that you should suffer a mortal fate. It was then that they perceived that they could convince the Valar to at least make you immortal, if not an Elf. Our sire then foretold to Arwen your fate. It was the combined effects of us—myself, Elladan, and Arwen—giving up our immortal lives and passages to Valinor and our family's high favor in the eyes of the Valar. You are very blessed, Celemirë." Elrohir said.

Her twin uncles looked at her for a moment with a strange look in their eyes before turning away. Celemirë went to Legolas' side.

"Come, let us go and rest." he whispered to her gently.

They rested peacefully that night. Celemirë heard elvish music and the sound of her mother and uncles' soft voices. She felt a sort of guilt at having received their lost immortal lives as well as far elven-king Thranduil giving up his passage to Valinor and remaining in Middle-earth. She felt her eyes brimming with tears.

"What is it?" Legolas asked her, as a tear fell on his hand.

"I feel guilty, Legolas. I have my mother and uncles' immortal lives. I have the ability to sail to Valinor, when they shall all perish. And your sire, he gave up his passage to Valinor and will remain here forever so that I could become an Elf." she whispered. "Yet you said mother told you I would not become an Elf, and it has happened."

"Celemirë, the Valar decided that they would allow this. I think that they would not have done this without the Lord Elrond and the Lady

Galadriel. I feel that when they knew what I was praying for and learned of my sire's pledge, they asked the Valar to do this. There may be reasons, Celemirë, reasons such as Lord Elrond's grief at having lost all of his children. Perhaps the Valar granted this to him as a last favor. If he could not have any of his children, namely your mother, he would be contented with you, for you resemble your mother very much. Do not feel guilty, Celemirë. It is not your fault." Legolas said.

Legolas wiped her tears with his thumbs. Celemirë smiled weakly.

"Tomorrow is a joyous day. I want you to be rested, Celemirë." Legolas told her, nuzzling her soft neck.

Legolas watched Celemire's gray eyes become glossy. He smiled. It would take him some time to get accustomed to her being like him, an Elf. He still could not believe it. Nor could he believe that she was carrying his child. A child! Celemirë was bearing his child! He wanted to sing and shout, to have the whole world share in his joy.

He glanced back at Celemirë, her breathing was now rhythmic. Legolas loved her best when she was resting. She seemed to be more beautiful to him—perfect—when she was resting. The Elf Prince looked one more time upon her thigh, the one with the inscription on it. He ran his hand over the letters, then fell back onto his pillows, eyes glossy.

Sindarin Translations:

Aran: king

Na vedui: at last

Gîl síla erin lú 'ovaded lín: a star shines upon the hour of our meeting

Pedich i lam edhellen: do you speak Elvish