_______________________________________
________________________________________
Warning: Male Pregnancy Fic. No making out, maybe some kissing... why do I even bother with a warning this late in the fic?
Gondor: With the onset of labour, Legolas can no longer remain in denial about his pregnancy. RoTK, post coronation but before Faramir marries Eowyn. Movieverse, cos bookleggy isn't so fun to toy around with. He'll kill me before I even *think* about messing with him. Movieleggy is much MUCH more fun to bully..... Also starring Faramir & Eowyn, with some reminders of Boromir thrown in.
And as before, //..... \\ indicates a person's thoughts. (Responses to reviews at bottom.)
________________________________________
________________________________________
Life!
Chapter 12
"Open the presents!" the crowd cried, the generous flow of wine making the guests uncharacteristically bold. The newlyweds looked at each other and laughed gaily.
"Why not!" Faramir cried merrily as his wife reached for the nearest parcel. He cast a glance around the lavish hall and sighed in contentment. Surrounded by all his dearest friends on his wedding day..... what more could a man ask for? His eyes fell on the cake, and he nearly laughed aloud again at the sight of the hobbits squabbling over the hefty remains, seemingly oblivious to the fact that there was far more than enough for all of the guests to have seconds and thirds. But they were having fun, and that was all that truly mattered to Faramir.
It was amazing. He felt so much love in the room-- for his wife, for the people he had known and loved all his life, for his newfound friends, for the fellowship, for the king and queen, for Gondor, for his people, and with each gift handed to him, he felt his heart burst with joy. Everything was treasured, everything was lovely. It didn't matter if they were expensive, or exquisite or exotic even. It was the thought that filled him with such happiness.
And his people! It was their contribution that perhaps touched him the most. A young peasant girl handed him a small bouquet of freshly picked (though slightly withering flowers), but by the dust on her dress and the sores on her feet, he could tell that she had walked far to find them. Another old couple came forth with an embroidered wall hanging, sewn specially for the occasion from whatever scraps they could find in the still-recovering Gondor, and he knew that she must have stayed up for nights on end, working by precious candlelight with her failing eyesight. He was awed by the gifts he received from them.
"Faramir....." his wife whispered and touched his arm lightly. He was shocked to see how wide her eyes were, and how pale she seemed. "Look." He looked, and he too froze. She was holding a basket with a baby inside. With it came a note. "I know how much you love him," she read softly. "Oh, Faramir!" her voice trembled. "Faramir!"
The whole hall fell silent. Faramir tried very hard not to look directly at Legolas. All eyes were on the couple, awaiting their next move, until Aragorn abruptly rose to his feet. "To my chambers," Aragorn said softly, though with such power that it resonated off the walls. "And bring the child with you."
Knowing who he was referring to without having to be told, Faramir, Eowyn, the Fellowhip and Elrond rose and followed him out while Arwen and Galadrial remained behind to entertain the guests. Looking around, Eowyn realised that she was the only woman of the group and wondered she should feel honoured to be counted as one of the men or ashamed that she was not fulfilling a more womanly role.
Aragorn settled down in the private chamber he used for attending special guests and looked around expectantly as everyone found a place to sit, or at least, a place to hover impressively.
"I do not want a society where babies are treated as material possessions," he said at last. "And I just can't decide if what happened today was inhuman and cruel or simply based on blind ignorance."
"Your mother handed you to Lord Elrond. You grew up as one of his children," Legolas said quietly.
"Yes, but not as a gift." Elrond said. "He was fostered out to me because she felt that he would be safer as one of my sons."
"Then perhaps that was what it's mother intended too," Faramir said in unexpected defence. "Perhaps the mother wants to give the child an opportunity for a better life."
"But it can't be any more than a few days old!" Sam cried passionately. "It would not have even known his mother before it was ripped away and put into a new environment!"
"A child should never be taken away from it's parents. How else can it feel secure?" Gandalf mused in agreement.
"Well," Eowyn said slowly, carefully composing her thoughts. "Perhaps if it was intended to be fostered out to us, then it might be a good thing that the child doesn't know it's parents. Perhaps it was intended, so that it would develop an attachment for it's foster parents instead."
"I can't believe you're all saying this!" Pippin cried. "It's wrong! You don't DO that to a child."
"And the poor dear all alone there. It could have *died*!" Sam said again.
"No," Faramir said. "It wasn't alone."
"Faramir, no!" Eowyn hissed. Immediately all argument ceased.
"It's mother was there," Faramir continued, ignoring Eowyn's glare and Legolas' anxiety. "I saw her. I saw her at the wedding. She must have been keeping watch all this time. And..... I think I saw her sister hovering near the presents just moments before Eowyn discovered the basket. So the child would have been safe. Relatively safe."
//Sister?\\ Eowyn wondered, before she remembered seeing Jenna at the wedding as well. Legolas must have handed his son to Jenna just before he left, and she must have been the one who had slipped the basket into the pile.
"So you know the parents?" Aragorn sighed heavily. "I have half a mind to punish them for such blatant disrespect of life."
"No, Aragorn," Eowyn said sadly. "It must have pained it's mother greatly to let go of her child. She would never have done it unless she thought it were for the best. She felt herself to be unable to raise her child on her own."
"Perhaps she wanted it to come into a proper family where it could be loved," Legolas said quietly. "Perhaps that was all she wanted for her child."
Aragorn took a deep breath and rubbed his temples. He looked up, first at Elrond, and then at Gandalf, and they both looked equally displeased. "What happened to the father?" he said at last.
The couple looked at each other and shrugged. "Missing," Faramir replied. "We don't know what happened to him."
"So I assume the child is a bastard then." Aragorn said thinly, and Faramir thought he saw Legolas wince at the words.
"I would adopt him," Faramir said at last. "I would take him as one of my house. Honestly and truly, I would."
Aragorn shook his head and sighed, "That's not the point," he insisted, but after some more minutes of bantering, it was settled. The King would recognise the child as a member of the House of Ithilien.
"So does he have a name?" Elrond asked wearily. The couple shook their head, then glanced quickly in Legolas' direction. The elf nodded slightly. "So what are you going to call him?"
"Boromir," Faramir replied instantly. Legolas nearly choked, and by the looks of it, so did Eowyn. She recovered quickly though, and elbowed him so soundly that he yelped out in pain.
"You did that on purpose!" she hissed angrily into his ear. "Are you never going to give the guy a break?"
"Well if HE didn't name it and gave it to us then as the foster father I have every right to name it anything I want," he hissed back.
Eowyn stared at him in complete revulsion. "I thought better of you, Faramir," she snarled. "But perhaps I was mistaken."
"Okay, alright," he gave in. "What do you want me to call him?"
"I don't know! I know sure as hell I wasn't expecting this!"
"And you think I was?"
"I never said that."
"Alright then, what about Oremir," he sighed. "It's an elvish name, 'heart jewel', I think it means, or something like that, so he'll be happy about it. It sounds Gondorian, and it's enough like my brother's for my satisfaction. Happy?"
Eowyn covered her face. The celebrations were not even over and already they were fighting. She couldn't take this. "Whatever," she said noncommittally and sighed. "Anything you want."
Faramir looked up at the sea of faces in front of them and fidgeted uncomfortably. "Maybe we should decide a different time?"
And Eowyn had to laugh. She punched him in the shoulder and fell into his arms. "No, Oremir, sounds good. Truly it does, and for all the reasons you gave. But..." she trailed off. "Do you think it might hurt him?" she asked, concerned.
"I don't see why. If it is my brother's son then why shouldn't he be named like his father, and if he isn't, then well, I really don't see what the problem is either way. Besides, I get the feeling it's an auspicious name."
"Why not?" She smiled and looked down at the child. Come to think of it, he really did look like an Oremir. "Why not?" she said again. "I think it's lovely."
"Then Oremir it is," Faramir said out loud to all in the room. He saw Legolas nod his consent and smiled.
"Then Oremir it shall be," Aragron sighed heavily. "From this moment on, Faramir and Eowyn of Ithilien accept child Oremir as your lawful son. He shall take on the name, the colours and the emblem of your house, along with all the rights and preveledges that it entails. And until your firstborn son, he will be the heir to your house and heir to all the titles that come with it. Now with the council as your witnesses, Elrond of Rivendell, Gandalf the White, Legolas Thranduillion, Gimli son of Gloin, Frodo Baggin, Samwise Gamgee, Meriadoc Brandybuck, Pereagrin Took and myself....." he sighed wearily again. It was no secret that Aragorn regarded such formalities as a necessary evil. "Aragorn son of Arathorn, King of Gondor and Arnor, you have my leave to claim him as your own."
"As foster father, I claim him as Oremir, son of Faramir. He shall take on the name, the colours and the emblem of my house, along with all the rights and preveledges that it entails. And until my firstborn son, he will be the heir to my house and heir to all the titles that come with it."
"And as his wife, I claim Oremir, son of Faramir as my own, to raise, to nurture and to share in the name, the colours and the emblem of my husband's house."
Aragorn stood up. "Then so be it. He is your son. Take care of him well, my friends," he said before excusing them of his presence. _______________________________________
________________________________________
mel: hey man, is this moderately frequent enuf for you? *grinz* Legolas' mutually supportive relationship with Eowyn might seem just right now, but hold on tight, it's going to change. So now you know what happens to the kid. And how the rest 'react'. (3 guesses why I always put 'react' in inverted colleens.)
deity of sorrow: er..... *thinks* no, I don't know how to continue. Unless I trip Bookleggy up as he chases Deity, but that would just get him breathing down my neck. Maybe I can get Thranduil's help? Leggy-weggy is scared of Ada, isn't he. *evil grin*
samwise the brave: haha. Guess your question is answered, eh. Eowyn does know. Lol! She cant possibly not seeing that it's been fostered out to her. (3 guesses why I had her hold the child last chapter.) From his point of view, he doesn't have much of a choice but to give Oremir away. I mean, we all know he has other options, but can he see it?
candiX: weeeeeeellll..... it's more like this was meant to be mainly mpreg, but it's stretching to post drama, and a lot of post drama. And it's shifting in focus. It's starting to move towards a bit of het. But don't worry. Legolas will have a scene with his lover (Oremir's dad) before the story is done. The exact nature of the scene however will be rather unexpected.
Tap dancing widow: ooooh, but I can, and I have. Muahahahaha. But at least Oremir wasn't given to a complete stranger. And he doesn't totally disappear from out princeling's life. I mean, come on, it's Eowyn and Faramir. How distant do you think they can get? Tho they *do* live away from Gondor..... muahahaha.
________________________________________
Warning: Male Pregnancy Fic. No making out, maybe some kissing... why do I even bother with a warning this late in the fic?
Gondor: With the onset of labour, Legolas can no longer remain in denial about his pregnancy. RoTK, post coronation but before Faramir marries Eowyn. Movieverse, cos bookleggy isn't so fun to toy around with. He'll kill me before I even *think* about messing with him. Movieleggy is much MUCH more fun to bully..... Also starring Faramir & Eowyn, with some reminders of Boromir thrown in.
And as before, //..... \\ indicates a person's thoughts. (Responses to reviews at bottom.)
________________________________________
________________________________________
Life!
Chapter 12
"Open the presents!" the crowd cried, the generous flow of wine making the guests uncharacteristically bold. The newlyweds looked at each other and laughed gaily.
"Why not!" Faramir cried merrily as his wife reached for the nearest parcel. He cast a glance around the lavish hall and sighed in contentment. Surrounded by all his dearest friends on his wedding day..... what more could a man ask for? His eyes fell on the cake, and he nearly laughed aloud again at the sight of the hobbits squabbling over the hefty remains, seemingly oblivious to the fact that there was far more than enough for all of the guests to have seconds and thirds. But they were having fun, and that was all that truly mattered to Faramir.
It was amazing. He felt so much love in the room-- for his wife, for the people he had known and loved all his life, for his newfound friends, for the fellowship, for the king and queen, for Gondor, for his people, and with each gift handed to him, he felt his heart burst with joy. Everything was treasured, everything was lovely. It didn't matter if they were expensive, or exquisite or exotic even. It was the thought that filled him with such happiness.
And his people! It was their contribution that perhaps touched him the most. A young peasant girl handed him a small bouquet of freshly picked (though slightly withering flowers), but by the dust on her dress and the sores on her feet, he could tell that she had walked far to find them. Another old couple came forth with an embroidered wall hanging, sewn specially for the occasion from whatever scraps they could find in the still-recovering Gondor, and he knew that she must have stayed up for nights on end, working by precious candlelight with her failing eyesight. He was awed by the gifts he received from them.
"Faramir....." his wife whispered and touched his arm lightly. He was shocked to see how wide her eyes were, and how pale she seemed. "Look." He looked, and he too froze. She was holding a basket with a baby inside. With it came a note. "I know how much you love him," she read softly. "Oh, Faramir!" her voice trembled. "Faramir!"
The whole hall fell silent. Faramir tried very hard not to look directly at Legolas. All eyes were on the couple, awaiting their next move, until Aragorn abruptly rose to his feet. "To my chambers," Aragorn said softly, though with such power that it resonated off the walls. "And bring the child with you."
Knowing who he was referring to without having to be told, Faramir, Eowyn, the Fellowhip and Elrond rose and followed him out while Arwen and Galadrial remained behind to entertain the guests. Looking around, Eowyn realised that she was the only woman of the group and wondered she should feel honoured to be counted as one of the men or ashamed that she was not fulfilling a more womanly role.
Aragorn settled down in the private chamber he used for attending special guests and looked around expectantly as everyone found a place to sit, or at least, a place to hover impressively.
"I do not want a society where babies are treated as material possessions," he said at last. "And I just can't decide if what happened today was inhuman and cruel or simply based on blind ignorance."
"Your mother handed you to Lord Elrond. You grew up as one of his children," Legolas said quietly.
"Yes, but not as a gift." Elrond said. "He was fostered out to me because she felt that he would be safer as one of my sons."
"Then perhaps that was what it's mother intended too," Faramir said in unexpected defence. "Perhaps the mother wants to give the child an opportunity for a better life."
"But it can't be any more than a few days old!" Sam cried passionately. "It would not have even known his mother before it was ripped away and put into a new environment!"
"A child should never be taken away from it's parents. How else can it feel secure?" Gandalf mused in agreement.
"Well," Eowyn said slowly, carefully composing her thoughts. "Perhaps if it was intended to be fostered out to us, then it might be a good thing that the child doesn't know it's parents. Perhaps it was intended, so that it would develop an attachment for it's foster parents instead."
"I can't believe you're all saying this!" Pippin cried. "It's wrong! You don't DO that to a child."
"And the poor dear all alone there. It could have *died*!" Sam said again.
"No," Faramir said. "It wasn't alone."
"Faramir, no!" Eowyn hissed. Immediately all argument ceased.
"It's mother was there," Faramir continued, ignoring Eowyn's glare and Legolas' anxiety. "I saw her. I saw her at the wedding. She must have been keeping watch all this time. And..... I think I saw her sister hovering near the presents just moments before Eowyn discovered the basket. So the child would have been safe. Relatively safe."
//Sister?\\ Eowyn wondered, before she remembered seeing Jenna at the wedding as well. Legolas must have handed his son to Jenna just before he left, and she must have been the one who had slipped the basket into the pile.
"So you know the parents?" Aragorn sighed heavily. "I have half a mind to punish them for such blatant disrespect of life."
"No, Aragorn," Eowyn said sadly. "It must have pained it's mother greatly to let go of her child. She would never have done it unless she thought it were for the best. She felt herself to be unable to raise her child on her own."
"Perhaps she wanted it to come into a proper family where it could be loved," Legolas said quietly. "Perhaps that was all she wanted for her child."
Aragorn took a deep breath and rubbed his temples. He looked up, first at Elrond, and then at Gandalf, and they both looked equally displeased. "What happened to the father?" he said at last.
The couple looked at each other and shrugged. "Missing," Faramir replied. "We don't know what happened to him."
"So I assume the child is a bastard then." Aragorn said thinly, and Faramir thought he saw Legolas wince at the words.
"I would adopt him," Faramir said at last. "I would take him as one of my house. Honestly and truly, I would."
Aragorn shook his head and sighed, "That's not the point," he insisted, but after some more minutes of bantering, it was settled. The King would recognise the child as a member of the House of Ithilien.
"So does he have a name?" Elrond asked wearily. The couple shook their head, then glanced quickly in Legolas' direction. The elf nodded slightly. "So what are you going to call him?"
"Boromir," Faramir replied instantly. Legolas nearly choked, and by the looks of it, so did Eowyn. She recovered quickly though, and elbowed him so soundly that he yelped out in pain.
"You did that on purpose!" she hissed angrily into his ear. "Are you never going to give the guy a break?"
"Well if HE didn't name it and gave it to us then as the foster father I have every right to name it anything I want," he hissed back.
Eowyn stared at him in complete revulsion. "I thought better of you, Faramir," she snarled. "But perhaps I was mistaken."
"Okay, alright," he gave in. "What do you want me to call him?"
"I don't know! I know sure as hell I wasn't expecting this!"
"And you think I was?"
"I never said that."
"Alright then, what about Oremir," he sighed. "It's an elvish name, 'heart jewel', I think it means, or something like that, so he'll be happy about it. It sounds Gondorian, and it's enough like my brother's for my satisfaction. Happy?"
Eowyn covered her face. The celebrations were not even over and already they were fighting. She couldn't take this. "Whatever," she said noncommittally and sighed. "Anything you want."
Faramir looked up at the sea of faces in front of them and fidgeted uncomfortably. "Maybe we should decide a different time?"
And Eowyn had to laugh. She punched him in the shoulder and fell into his arms. "No, Oremir, sounds good. Truly it does, and for all the reasons you gave. But..." she trailed off. "Do you think it might hurt him?" she asked, concerned.
"I don't see why. If it is my brother's son then why shouldn't he be named like his father, and if he isn't, then well, I really don't see what the problem is either way. Besides, I get the feeling it's an auspicious name."
"Why not?" She smiled and looked down at the child. Come to think of it, he really did look like an Oremir. "Why not?" she said again. "I think it's lovely."
"Then Oremir it is," Faramir said out loud to all in the room. He saw Legolas nod his consent and smiled.
"Then Oremir it shall be," Aragron sighed heavily. "From this moment on, Faramir and Eowyn of Ithilien accept child Oremir as your lawful son. He shall take on the name, the colours and the emblem of your house, along with all the rights and preveledges that it entails. And until your firstborn son, he will be the heir to your house and heir to all the titles that come with it. Now with the council as your witnesses, Elrond of Rivendell, Gandalf the White, Legolas Thranduillion, Gimli son of Gloin, Frodo Baggin, Samwise Gamgee, Meriadoc Brandybuck, Pereagrin Took and myself....." he sighed wearily again. It was no secret that Aragorn regarded such formalities as a necessary evil. "Aragorn son of Arathorn, King of Gondor and Arnor, you have my leave to claim him as your own."
"As foster father, I claim him as Oremir, son of Faramir. He shall take on the name, the colours and the emblem of my house, along with all the rights and preveledges that it entails. And until my firstborn son, he will be the heir to my house and heir to all the titles that come with it."
"And as his wife, I claim Oremir, son of Faramir as my own, to raise, to nurture and to share in the name, the colours and the emblem of my husband's house."
Aragorn stood up. "Then so be it. He is your son. Take care of him well, my friends," he said before excusing them of his presence. _______________________________________
________________________________________
mel: hey man, is this moderately frequent enuf for you? *grinz* Legolas' mutually supportive relationship with Eowyn might seem just right now, but hold on tight, it's going to change. So now you know what happens to the kid. And how the rest 'react'. (3 guesses why I always put 'react' in inverted colleens.)
deity of sorrow: er..... *thinks* no, I don't know how to continue. Unless I trip Bookleggy up as he chases Deity, but that would just get him breathing down my neck. Maybe I can get Thranduil's help? Leggy-weggy is scared of Ada, isn't he. *evil grin*
samwise the brave: haha. Guess your question is answered, eh. Eowyn does know. Lol! She cant possibly not seeing that it's been fostered out to her. (3 guesses why I had her hold the child last chapter.) From his point of view, he doesn't have much of a choice but to give Oremir away. I mean, we all know he has other options, but can he see it?
candiX: weeeeeeellll..... it's more like this was meant to be mainly mpreg, but it's stretching to post drama, and a lot of post drama. And it's shifting in focus. It's starting to move towards a bit of het. But don't worry. Legolas will have a scene with his lover (Oremir's dad) before the story is done. The exact nature of the scene however will be rather unexpected.
Tap dancing widow: ooooh, but I can, and I have. Muahahahaha. But at least Oremir wasn't given to a complete stranger. And he doesn't totally disappear from out princeling's life. I mean, come on, it's Eowyn and Faramir. How distant do you think they can get? Tho they *do* live away from Gondor..... muahahaha.