Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places, ideas or anything else from Lord of the Rings. I do however lay claim on Elrond's twin daughters as Tolkien never wrote about any twin elven girls anywhere in his books. Everything else though, as much as I wish it, is not mine and belongs to the Estate of J.R.R. Tolkien (a wonderful, wonderful man). Except for a 2-year-old toddler by the name of Estel (forever called tithen min by his siblings) who needs looking after.
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"Adar! Are you here?" Andúnë shouted as she breezed through the library doors. She had already found the study and the council chambers empty. If her father was not here, she was going to have to seek help in finding him. "Ada!" she cried louder, adopting the edge of panic that she had always used to get his attention when she was younger.
"What has happened Dúnë?" her father's voice spoke from above her. She glanced up to find him staring down at her from the balcony and sighed in relief.
"Tis Iselle; she has gone into labor. Rómë sent me to find you." Her father breathed his own sigh of relief that nothing tragic had happened.
"Dúnë, please go to the Halls and find Narwë; tell her to move Iselle into one of the recovery rooms, she will be more comfortable there. And then I shall leave the choice to you of what you will do next. If you wish to attend the birth, I am certain Iselle will not mind. If not, I suggest you find her young man and do your best to calm him. An expecting father is usually harder to handle then the mother." The flash of pained sympathy that crossed his face went unnoticed by his young daughter.
"I think I shall stay with Darin, Adar, if you will not be terribly disappointed. Mayhap the making of pains will be my doing, and the healing of them my sister's, but I have no interest in childbirth." She paused and then hastily added as Elrond's face fell, "unless it be that of my children's."
"I shall not be disappointed; the healing arts are not for everyone. Go and comfort Darin as much as you can. I would prefer him kept out of earshot of Iselle until the babe is born."
"Yes, Ada." Dúnë hurried off to find Narwë, leaving her father, with an amused look in his eyes, to resume his previous focus.
Elrond sighed. Today would be a time of celebration, or so he hoped, but to him it was yet another reminder that time in the outside world was passing the elves by. Imladris was becoming rather old and dull without the laughter of little elflings.
Narwë and his youngest had done an admiral job of settling Iselle comfortably in the one of the small recovery rooms off the Healing Halls. They had changed her into a loose nightgown to make the birth easier and Rómë was walking slowly beside the young mother, offering her support incase Iselle should need it. All three looked up as he entered and acknowledge his presence before resuming their tasks.
Elrond drew the female healer into the corner to talk with her, but his focus remained on Iselle; monitoring her progress. It was early yet, and her first pregnancy; it would be a long labor. Elrond glanced outside to gage the time of day. The sun was just setting below the tree-line; the bell would ring soon for the evening meal.
The healer turned his attention back to the girl and whispered sideways to Narwë, "You may go to dinner if you wish. I shall be awhile before we are needed here. I will send someone for you when it is time."
She nodded in accent and left the room, shutting the door quietly behind her.
"Iselle, would you mind lying down for a moment so that I might examine you? I've not doubt the brief rest would be appreciated."
She smiled her eager assent, and made short work of lying down upon the bed; sighing in contentment as the weight was lifted off of her feet.
Rómë moved across the room and returned with a bowl of cool water and a cloth, and proceeded to wash the woman's face as her father examined her. She was not paying much attention to her father as he did so, and so when Iselle gasped out in a fearful voice, asking if the child was alright, Rómë was caught slightly off guard. She glanced up sharply to observe the healer's face, and sighed in relief. "Do not worry Iselle, my father often frowns when he is concentrating on something. He is simply focused on the child presently. Ah, see?" Elrond's eyes had suddenly come back into focus and he looked up and smiled at the two females.
"Do not fret, lady, the child is healthy and eager to be born. But it will still be some hours yet, I regret to inform you." Iselle groaned in annoyance and Arómenë laughed; not being able to quite sympathize with the situation.
"I suggest you get as much rest as you can before the worst of the pains start. It will be a long night for all of us. I shall have food sent in a little while; something light. Please, eat as much as you are able; your body will need the strength come morning." Elrond rose from the bed and nodding to the two, departed to seek his own dinner.
Rómë put the wet cloth aside, "Is there anything you may need Iselle? I will seek dinner myself, but I shall return as soon as I am finished. My father may say that rest is the best thing for you, and I agree, but that does not mean you need to be alone. He forgets, perhaps, how unnerving this must be for a new mother."
Iselle grimaced slightly, but nodded. "Yes. No, there is nothing I need, I thank you. Please go and eat. You need not hurry back, but I will welcome your company."
"Very well," the she-elf rose, "Try to rest until dinner arrives."
The sky was just beginning to lighten with the coming dawn when a baby's wail echoed around the still valley. Iselle sagged against Rómë in tired relief as Narwë took the squalling infant into the corner to make him presentable for his mother.
Elrond smiled at the woman. "How are you feeling Iselle?"
She glared at him as if to say "how do you think I am feeling" but did not utter the comment out loud. "I have been better, my lord, much better. But I have been told that is to be expected." Then Narwë was beside her, handing her child to her and she forgot instantly both the pain and exhaustion.
"He is beautiful, Iselle, truly," Rómë said. "What will you call him?"
The mortal stared down at the boy in awe. "Darin and I talked about names, but suddenly none of them seem right. But perhaps…perhaps he should have an elven name, so that we will never forget your kindness. Only, I do not know any names in your tongue."
Rómë laughed lightly and leaned down to observe the child. "Hum, this might take some thought. We choose names very carefully among our people. I shall give it a great deal of thought; but for now "tithen min" shall have to do," she laughed again.
Iselle looked confused. "I have heard your brother say that before. What does it mean?"
"It is an endearment the elder elves often use for those still considered young," Elrond smiled sweetly at his daughter. "It means 'little one' in the common tongue."
"It sounds fitting. He is little, isn't he?" Iselle cuddled her child to her tightly.