Thank you again to everyone who has reviewed. I do actually listen to them and take them into consideration when I write. So I hope I get a few more. I also hope everyone enjoys the next chapter. -Naj
A/N: In my story Elves are the firstborn and highly evolved, therefore they have indoor plumbing and running water. I don't recall any of the books saying they didn't, but even if they did I said it was A/U.
ESTEL/ESTELLEThe next morning Estel awoke to the sound of his brothers going to breakfast. He could hear their laughing and joking coming down the hall along with Lord Elrond's reminder "to be quiet, Estel is still asleep." Normally his father would not let him sleep through breakfast, but then again normally he wasn't with child. Estel gave into one brief moment of hope that the whole thing had just been a dream. He sat up in bed and was slammed by a wave of lightheadedness. He flopped back down, clutching the bed to keep himself from being thrown off by its fierce spinning. "Why me?" he thought.
Not sure what to do, but also knowing he didn't want to chance sitting back up just yet, Estel slid his hand under his sleeping shirt onto the bare flesh of his belly. The skin was soft and smooth. There was no bulge yet, but Estel guess there wouldn't be after all he was only six weeks along. There was no way to tell that he was pregnant by looking at him, and it annoyed him. If he had to feel this bad then he should at least look bad too. He guessed there was no help for it. It was hard for Estel to comprehend that there was a lift growing in side of him. One that was part him and part Legolas. From his vision he already knew it would be a girl and she would have honey brown hair and blue grey eyes. She was a person and her life depended on him. Estel wasn't sure if he was comfortable with someone else's life depending on him, especially someone so small.
"Hello down there, sweetheart." Estel whispered. Then realized he was talking to his own stomach and thought better of continuing the conversation.
The young Ranger stayed in bed for a few more minutes before his aching back forced him to sit up again. This time the bed remained stationary, for which he was eternally grateful. He slowly made his way to his bathing room, where he soaked in a hot bath to try and relieve the kinks in his back. After sometime he emerged from the hot tub and started to get dressed. However, he stopped in front of his full-length mirror to look at himself. His stomach was flat as a board with vertical muscle striations running its length. His hipbones stuck out further than his belly and so did his ribs. He had a curvy hourglass figure that even he had to admit looked pretty good. He was proud for a moment before he realized just how sick it was for him to be happy he had a nice figure. Where was Gandalf anyway? Estel again put his hand to his belly. "Are you going to be good today and let me actually eat?" He took her silence as a yes and got dressed and headed to find some breakfast.
After getting dressed he made his way to the family's
private dinning room. Most of the food
had been picked over by his brothers, but there was still plenty left. Although he no longer suffered from the
debilitating nausea from last evening, he still felt queasy and nothing seemed
appealing. He sat looking at the
sideboard full of food for a few minutes, trying to convince himself that he
was hungry, before the head cook came into the room.
"Good morning, young Estel, how are you faring this morning?" Estel smiled at the portly, if such a thing existed, elf. "Your father told me of your condition so I prepared some special treats for you this morning." Estel blushed a dusky rose. He wasn't ready for people to know yet. He was still getting used to the idea. He was much to embarrassed to have anyone else know. Before he could say anything, the cook began to talk again as he uncovered a tray. "'Tis nothing to be ashamed of, Estel, humans get sick. It has happened in the past and it will continue to happen. And, you will get over it far faster with good food to settle your stomach. So here, eat." He handed Estel a large raison scone. He also handed him a full glass of orange juice. Estel's mouth watered at the sight of the orange liquid. He had been craving oranges for a week. He took a sip and it tasted better than anything he had ever had before. He turned a grateful look to the fat elf, who smiled back at him. "Lord Elrond said you might like that. I am glad he was right. Now, you enjoy your meal and let me know if there is anything I can do for you."
"Thank you." Estel was so happy for the nice treatment he wanted to cry. But not wanting to make a spectacle he just continued to drain his glass of juice.
After finishing the first glass, he refilled it and took his scone to Elrond's study. As he had hoped the Lord had left a book sitting on his desk with Estel's name on it. He hefted the large book and took it to the window seat, where he sat down and began to read about what to expect in his pregnancy. Much of what he read frightened him, but on the bright side he was more than happy to have a reason to ignore his scone.
A few hours later Legolas wandered into the study looking for Estel. They had to talk. Legolas realized now that leaving was not the answer. He and Estel had made this child together, they would figure out what to do with it together as well. The thought sent warm feelings through the elf. He was having a child. He could just imagine how beautiful it would be with his eyes and Estel's hair. He couldn't wait to give them their first archery lesson and teach them how to use a sword. A child was something he never realized he wanted, but now that he was having one he didn't think he could live without it. Mirkwood would have another heir. Not to mention that the child would also be Isildur's heir as well. It could unite the world of elves and men, something only Lord Elrond had ever been able to accomplish. Legolas could already feel fatherly pride budding. This was the best thing that could have happened, with the best person possible. It never occurred to Legolas that Estel might not feel the same way.
As Legolas opened the door, he was struck by the beauty of his best friend once again. Estel was seated sideways on the window seat awash in warm sunlight. The golden glow sent buttery highlights through his glorious hair, which hung free about his shoulders. One delicate hand was twisting a piece of hair in its fingers, while the other rested on the side of a large tome. He had the leg closest to Legolas bent and the tight leggings that Legolas had picked out for him showed the perfect shape of his round ass as well as the fine lean shape of his other leg. Legolas could not imagine something more enticing than seeing Estel at ease. His friend had such a natural yet profound and earthy beauty, which one never saw in elves. Estel was not an untouchable star, but rather the breathtaking glory of Mirkwood in autumn. Awash and alive in warm colours, ever changing and enjoyed by all.
Estel looked up from his book and smiled at Legolas. When Legolas saw that smile he realized that Estel had his heart and soul. It would not matter if Estel stayed a woman or turned back into a man. He would follow his friend into the very fires of Mordor if Estel asked. He understood that his soul and his fate were now bound to the young Ranger as surely as if they had taken vows already. Now he just had to talk Estel into seeing it that way.
"I thought I would come and check on you." Legolas could think of nothing else to say.
"I'm still in one piece. I have just been reading this book Ada left for me. It was suppose to ease my mind, but I think I am more worried now than I was before." Estel gave a wry chuckle as he moved over to make room for Legolas to sit beside him. The elf sat down and noticed he pristine scone on the side table. He broke off a corner and took a bite. It was quite good.
"This is quite good, you should try some." Legolas handed Estel the plate. Estel just looked at it.
"You can have it. I am not hungry." Estel glared at he scone like it was a dead thing. Legolas broke off a quarter of it and again proffered it to the Ranger.
"If you eat this I shall not tell your Father that you skipped breakfast against his orders" Estel took the piece and took a bite rather than face his father's displeasure. Estel supposed that the scone was good, but to him it tasted like ash and sat like a lump in his stomach. "We need to talk." Estel nodded. "Shall we take a walk in the gardens. The rain has stopped and the day is quite fine." Estel again nodded and the two walked out into the gardens.
Once in a secluded place Legolas turned to Estel, who was again rubbing at an ache in his lower back. "Estel, I think the best thing that we can do is get married. You can move to Mirkwood with me and be a Princess. You will lack for nothing, and my position as royalty will ensure our child is safe and raised with every privilege."
"I repeat, are you insane? I can't marry you. I don't want to be a princess. And your people would never accept a half elfin child as the heir to their throne anymore than they would accept your marriage to a human. They don't even accept Elrond as a Lord, for pitty's sake." Estel sat down on a rock, figuring they might be there for a while.
"If my father decrees it they will accept our child. You have no real ties to anything here, there is no reason why you cannot come to Mirkwood."
"I am the heir to Isildur, that is a tie."
"You said you never wanted to be a king of men, why not come with me where your only responsibility will be to raise our child to be a happy elf." Legolas smiled at the idea of spending long winter nights curled up with his child and Estel in the palace of Mirkwood.
"I never wanted to be a king of men, but I certainly don't want to be a queen of elves either." Estel's voice rose in exasperation as he looked at Legolas as if the elf really had lost his mind.
"You couldn't be queen. You could only be King consort."
"Well, that makes all the difference." Estel was dripping with sarcasm. "Legolas, I want to turn back into a man. As soon as Gandalf shows up I will have him do it so I can forget this mess ever happened."
"But what about our child, what will happen to him if Gandalf changes you back?"
"Her, it is a girl. I don't know what will happen, and I don't really care. . . " Estel stopped for a moment. How could he say that he didn't care when he had spent time this morning talking to her. He had seen her face and felt love for her. He couldn't really say he didn't care, he could already feel that love beginning to grow along with her and a fierce protectiveness as well. But Legolas did not have to know this.
"We are having a girl." Legolas looked off into the distance with a dreamy look on his face. Estel could only imagine what he was thinking. To Legolas this whole thing was a beautiful magical experience. To Estel it was backaches, dizziness, and nausea culminating in a no doubt very painful birth.
"Legolas, I am not leaving Rivendell. I am sorry to ruin your fantasy, but I cannot be your wife. I will stay here and have our daughter and then we can figure out what to do."
"But why can you not come to Mirkwood to have her?" Legolas whined.
"Because I want to have my family around me and Elrond is a master healer should anything go wrong." Estel neglected to mention that he feared Thranduil would have him executed the moment the child was born if not before. He could just picture what the King would do to him if he could get Estel away from Lord Elrond's protection. "Please understand, I am not trying to make things hard for you, I am just afraid and very confused about this whole thing. I want everything to come out ok, but I don't know what to do to make that happen. I understand if you want to leave. You really don't have any responsibility here. I can take care of everything without you if you want to go." Even as Estel said the words it occurred to him that he wanted Legolas to stay. He could not imagine going through this ordeal without the support of his best friend. He held his breath hoping Legolas would say no.
"I will not leave. Your father will have to throw me out. I got you into this I will stay with you until the end." Estel gave a sigh of relief. "But now we must worry for the most frightening part."
"What is that?" Estel felt much less tense now.
"Telling my father." For once it was Legolas who looked pale and slightly ill.
In another part of the gardens Elrond wiped sweat off of his forehead in between strike and block of his sword. He had waylaid Glorfindel early this morning in an attempt to work off some of his frustration. He would feel guilty, except he knew that the golden elf was always up for a good spar. This was the way Elrond had worked out many of his toughest problems, from his crush on Celebrian to dealing with the death of his twin brother Elros. Always he would go to his best friend and they would spar and talk until Elrond felt better. This problem was no different.
"Honestly, what is so bad about it, other than having to deal with King Thrandrool?" Elrond smiled at his friend's pet name for the prickly king of Mirkwood. If there was anyone that Glorfindel could not stand it was Thranduil.
"Let us see what is so bad. I took a young boy into my house to rear and now is his a young woman. Said young woman was impregnated by a certain wood elf who seems to see nothing wrong with his actions. So now this young woman is unmarried and with child all at the tender age of twenty. All of this means that either I will inherit a group of Sylvan in laws or Estel will be forced to go to Mirkwood. However, Legolas may decide he wants nothing to do with the child and then Estel will be forced to bring the child up alone. Can you imagine? He will be in his nineties before the child comes close to reaching maturity. Therefore I will be foster father to another child." Glorfindel made a quick jab to Elrond's mid section forcing the half elf to back peddle or be impaled. "All of this is assuming that Estel is even able to carry the child to term. Estel is a strong person, but he is weakening quickly under the strain of pregnancy. So we may loose Estel in the bargain. There is always the possibility that Estel will loose the child and survive, in which case I should hope it happens soon if it must happen other wise he will be heart broken. But other than those things I suppose there is no reason to be unhappy."
"Right! No reason to be unhappy. Look. Estel and Legolas will work out what they want to do, and you will have little say about it. If you try and force either of them into something you will loose them both."
"But I know Estel is destined for great things. How can he accomplish them when he has to worry about caring for a child? I know Estel; he will never abandon his child to be raised by some else. His sense of responsibility is too strong. He will stay with her until she has no further need of him. There is no room in his future for such."
"Not everything can be foretold. If it could life would be very droll indeed."
"How can you be so undisturbed about the fact that Legolas all but raped Estel."
"Because Estel is not upset. Would you feel the same way if Elladan came home and told you the same story from Legolas's side?"
"My friend I would just be happy to find out Elladan liked a female."
"True, Then let's say Estel and Legolas were in opposite spots. Estel got Legolas pregnant. Would you still feel the same way?" Elrond pause for a moment and Glorfindel took advantage with both wits and swords. "Of course you would not. You would think that it was a mistake, but that it was not the rebirth of Sauron."
"I suppose. But this is my Estel we are talking about. It seems like just yesterday he was crawling on my lap asking for stories about Barlog fighters."
"The child had good taste.
But he is an adult now, at least among humans. He is old enough to have a child of his own. But that does not mean that he will not need
you. In fact I think he will need you
all the more to get through this.
Especially if Legolas leaves."
"I do not think Legolas will leave. I can see his devotion to Estel as plain as day." Elrond lowered his sword beginning to feel better about the whole thing.
"The important thing is not to blame your granddaughter for the mistakes of her father."
"I would never do that."
"Or for the fact that she is related to the single most unpleasant elf I have ever met."
"I doubt Thranduil would be so unpleasant to you had you not had that forty year long affair with his wife."
"Is it my fault she liked blonds?"
"Probably." The two laughed and strolled back to house both feel relaxed. Elrond had begun to come to terms with Estel's pregnancy, while Glorfindel was happy he could help his best friend and charge.
Lord Elrond stopped in his chambers to clean and change before lunch, therefore lunch was late in being served, much to Estel's chagrin. Estel had kept Legolas in the gardens talking and walking far past when he would have wanted to return. He did so in hopes of missing lunch, however luck was not on his side. As he and Legolas walked through the French doors of the sitting room, they were met by Lord Elrond on his way to lunch. Estel inwardly groaned. He had walked around the gardens with Legolas for almost two hours and was exhausted and his back hurt. He wanted to lie down and take a nap. Not to mention he was starting to feel very queasy at the idea of food. But he was cornered. He had no choice but to follow his father and Legolas to lunch.
Estel took his usual seat, sandwiched in between Elrond and Legolas. Estel's stomach began to protest in truth when the sweet yet savory smell of Apple Raisin Rabbit Stew hit his nostrils. He reflexively covered his nose and mouth to try and block out the odor. The food was presented to Elrond, who approved, and then served. Estel could feel himself blanch when he heard the plop the ladle full of stew made on his plate. It reeked strongly of candy sweet raisins, tart apples and meaty rabbit. Estel could feel his stomach turn over and endeavoured to breath through his mouth. Next to the stew was placed a warm slice of fresh bread. The moist, white center was surrounded by a hard golden brown crust. To Estel it resembled a bone cleaved clean through. He closed his eyes and counted backwards from ten. The meal was finished off by a spoonful of fruit salad, heavy with strawberries. Estel could feel himself start to salivate. He had to get out of there, and now.
"Ada, may I be excused? I'm not very hungry." He didn't want to open his mouth to wide for fear he would vomit on the table.
Lord Elrond looked at him skeptically. "How much did you have to eat for breakfast?"
"I had a scone." Estel really wasn't fibbing. He had taken a scone; he just only ate a quarter of it.
"You mean you ate two bites of a scone." Legolas, you traitor Estel thought.
"Estel, try and eat something. The stew is quite good." Lord Elrond tried to encourage the young Ranger by pushing his plate closer to him.
"I don't think I can." Elladan and Elrohir began to look worried. They had noticed that their young foster brother was acting quite strange since he returned form Bree. Skipping meals and staying in his rooms rather than sparring and practicing archery like he usually did. They had passed it off as a side effect of Estel's gender change, but now neither was so sure. Estel didn't look very well.
"Try, Estel. You remember what your father said. You need to eat to keep up your strength and for the. . ." A fierce glare of Estel silenced Legolas from finishing his statement. Estel was not ready for his brothers or Glorfindel to know. Though he was sure that Elrond had already told Glorfindel. There was little that went on in Rivendell that the blonde elf was not aware of. It was quite easy to mistake him for dimwitted because of his relaxed ways, but there was a shrewd mind working underneath that golden mop. Elrond tended to take full advantage of that fact by making Glorfindel his closest and most trusted advisor. Once Estel had whined to his father that Lord Elrond could never understand how close his friendship was with Legolas. Elrond and just laughed, sending a long suffering look at Glorfindel, and said yes he could understand. However regardless of Glorfindel's reaction, Estel was not sure how his brothers would take the news and right now he didn't have the strength to deal with it.
"Fine." Estel picked up his fork and speared a chunk of apple. It wiggled and giggled like a blob of lard. He immediately dropped his fork and picked up his bread instead. He managed to choke down a few small bites of bread and Lord Elrond seemed pleased. Of course he had to drink two or three sips of water with every bite in order to keep his gorge down. He might have been ok if he had just kept watching Lord Elrond, but he made the mistake of looking down at his plate. There was a large plump strawberry sitting near the left side. Estel liked strawberries. He used his fork to cut it in half. The meaty inside of the fruit looked like the meaty innards of an animal. He quickly flipped both halves over. Each half sat on the white porcelain plate looking like a red blister engorged with blood containing many small puss filled compartments. The rash-like strawberries were the last straw. Estel jumped up from the table toppling his chair over backwards and darted for the restroom off of the dining room, one hand over his mouth the other wrapped around his heaving stomach.
Legolas tried to ignore the splat he heard when Estel did not make it all the way to the water filled privy, but instead had hit the sink. He couldn't help but feel guilty for forcing Estel to stay at he table if he had felt that ill. Estel had seemed to feel fine just a few minutes ago when they had been walking in the gardens. He would have to ask Lord Elrond how he was to tell if Estel was ill or not.
"Ada, what is wrong with Estel?" Elrohir asked.
"Yes, has he come to see you yet?" Elladan followed up his brother's question.
"Yes he has. It is nothing to worry about. It is not fatal," Lord Elrond turned and icy glare towards Legolas, who suddenly wished he could be anywhere but here, "at least not to him." Somehow the cold calm almost lethal tone Elrond spoke in was ten times more frightening than all of his ranting and raving the night before. Legolas actually shrank in his seat. Luckily he was saved from further scrutiny by a rather loud retch from the young Ranger. "I will go and check on him." Elrond rose and headed towards the washroom.
If Legolas thought he was off the hook because Elrond had left, he was mistaken. "You know what is wrong with him. I can tell by the way Ada looked at you." Elladan accused Legolas. Two pairs of identical grey eyes stared at him from across the table.
"I think Estel should be the one to tell you." Legolas hopped they would leave it at that.
"Tell us what? What is he hiding? What happened to him?" No such luck. When the twins starting questioning him like this he could never tell them apart. They became perfect mirror images of each other. It was spooky. But Legolas had a savior.
"Lads, leave our guest alone. You act as if he is a spy sent to kill you brother. Your father told you it is not serious. I suggest you trust him." Glorfindel successfully diverted the twin's attention away from Legolas by letting them know he knew what was going on. At this point the ancient elf was far better at side stepping their barrage of questions (years of experience would do that) than Legolas was.
Meanwhile Elrond walked into the washroom to find Estel hunched over the sink trying to rinse the foul taste from is mouth. Elrond rubbed small soothing circles between Estel's shoulder blades. The young human's eyes and nose were watering and he coughed every now and again. The half elf could see that the ends of Estel's hair had ended up in the sink. He made a mental note to teach his son how to plait his hair.
"I'm sorry, Ada, I didn't mean to ruin lunch." Estel's voice sounded rough and scratchy, not to mention hollow as it echoed off of the stone sink. He still hadn't stood up yet.
"Do not worry." Elrond spoke softly.
"It was an accident. It was just that the rabbit smelled so strong and the bread looked like a broken bone and the strawberries looked like a rash." Elrond couldn't quite decipher what his son was talking about before he felt Estel's body tense as he heaved into the sink again. Luckily Elrond managed to save Estel's hair from a very unpleasant fate.
As Elrond felt Estel's body relax, he could also feel it begin to shake with exhaustion. Elrond sat Estel down and handed him a glass of water. "Are you feeling any better?" Estel shook his head 'yes.' "Do not trouble yourself about lunch. I am sorry you are feeling so poorly."
"I am just so embarrassed." Estel coughed, but made no attempt to move.
"There is nothing to be embarrassed about. You should not feel shame for being ill or for being pregnant. You are getting to experience what few other men have ever experienced. You get to give life." Elrond put his large hand over Estel's small stomach. Estel rested is hand on top of Elrond's hand. "You are having an elfin child Estel, you should be proud." Estel really felt more sick than proud right now, but he smiled weakly at Elrond anyway. "Come," his father helped him up, "let us get you back to your chamber to rest for a bit." They began to walk back into the dining room. Glorfindel had had the forethought to have the cooks clear all of the food not on plates from the room. "Then, I will have the cooks bring you some broth and light bread." Estel gave one thought to a cup of tea coloured broth with globules of greasy fat floating on the surface and sprinted back into the restroom. Lord Elrond held his hair until his was finished. "Maybe we should wait for much later to send any food."
Estel walked back to his room leaning heavily on the strong half elf. He had not looked at his brothers when he went by them. Regardless of what Elrond had said, he was still ashamed of his weakness and awkward about his condition. He knew he couldn't hide it forever, but he wanted a little more time to figure out how to tell them.
Once in his room Elrond closed the door against the worried faces of his family and helped Estel into bed. He then placed a large bowl with a few inches of water in it on the side table next to Estel's bed. He could see his son clutching the bedding in a death grip. Estel was once again trying to prevent himself from being flung form the violently rotating bed. "Estel, are you alright?"
"Yes, just a little dizzy." Estel opened his eyes and noticed it looked more like the room itself was spinning around the bed. He clamped his eyes shut and covered them to try and forget the image.
Elrond went into the washroom and brought back a wet cloth. He placed it on Estel's damp forehead. Estel began to relax, especially when Elrond began to sing quietly to him. Soon he was napping. And Elrond felt it was safe to leave.
Once outside Elrond was cornered by his twin son's and their questions about Estel's health. After a time they managed to wear him down and he finally answered though he knew Estel would be cross about it. But he also knew his son would wait until the absolute last moment to tell his brothers and he didn't want to subject his youngest to Elladan and Elrohir's constant scrutiny. "Your brother is with child. Legolas had sex with him when he was very drunk and produced a child. Estel is suffering from a very nasty case of pregnancy illness. Far worse than most I have seen, but that is no doubt because of he mixed race heritage of the child."
It had been pointless to keep talking past telling the boys that Legolas had spoiled Estel. The two had run off after the wood elf and after no time at all Elrond could hear that his son's had caught him.
"What did you do to our little brother?"
"Nothing, it was an accident."
"How could you? This is Estel we are talking about."
"Yes, but we were drunk, and if you haven't noticed he is quite attractive as a woman." Elrond could hear the punch as it landed. He was guessing it was a gut shot.
"That is disgusting. This is my brother you are talking about."
"Well yes, but pretend he was your sister."
"Don't you ever think about my sister in that way." Elrond heard another hit. This time he guessed an eye was the target.
"Come on. We were friends for a thousand years before Estel was even born." Legolas's pleas were cut short by another punch to his face.
"How could you find someone a thousand years younger than you attractive. Not to mention he is so, so." Elrond knew that was Elladan talking. He mentally finished his son's statement. "so female." Sometimes Elrond worried about his eldest.
Elrond let the beating continue for a few more minutes. After all he was getting used to the idea of Estel having Legolas's child, but he wasn't totally there yet.
TBC