*NOTE: There is a line (Will/Orlando's) from Pirates of the Caribbean.

Chapter Eleven: An Evening in the Woods

It was not long before every Elf dwelling in Gil-celeb's realm knew of Míriel's pregnancy. Aerandir's friends expressed their well wishes.

"My sire will be delighted as well." she told Annarámainen one day. "I hope they return soon!"

The bird recovered from her broken leg within two days. Such love she had for Míriel that she refused to part from her, and took the enclosed garden as her home. Míriel was overjoyed.

"You are an omen of good luck! You comfort me in my loneliness, and I bear a child! You are a blessing!" Míriel cried happily.

Annarámainen chirped sweetly in response.

With every pleasure there comes a price to pay, and Míriel soon began to feel severe pain in her abdomen. Elven women, unlike mortal women, carry their children for one full year immediately following conception. Elves know the day of their conception—the day before their birth. Yet, this longer period of time for childbearing that Elf-women means that they must endure extreme pain, before and after childbirth.

Míriel began experiencing this new avenue of her life the day after she learned of her pregnancy. Giliath and Amorith began accompanying her everywhere, for fear of some ill that may befall her if left unattended.

"What is all this pain?" Míriel gasped, clutching her stomach. "Never have I experienced this!"
          "It is normal for elven women to have great pain during childbearing." Giliath said softly. "Mortal women do not experience childbearing as we do. Their pregnancies are much easier. The pain they endure is much less than the pain we endure. It makes sense, though, because mortals are weaker than us."

"I envy mortal women for their easier pregnancies." Míriel said.

She resorted to remain in bed, for the pain lessened considerably while she was on her back. Food and drink were brought to her on trays, and Amorith and Giliath tended her night and day, not leaving her side. Even Annarámainen left the garden and perched on Míriel's finger, singing sweetly to help Míriel forget her pain.

This went on for several days before Míriel grew weary. She did not like to lie on her bed on her back constantly with hardly anything to busy her, to be waited upon head and foot, though she greatly appreciated Amorith and Giliath's tireless efforts. And once again, her memories of being in Dol Guldur haunted her: she did not like to remain inside for a very long time. The trees and fresh air she so dearly loved called her, and she strongly desired to feel the sun's warmth on her face.

"I want to go outside." she informed her maidens. "I tire of my bed."

They exchanged glances.

"Hiril nín, you know when you do not rest upon you back is the pain returns in full force. You will suffer needlessly." they said.

Míriel sighed.

"You know naught of suffering!" she shouted. "I have been through much worse torment that this, and still it has not gone away! I cannot remain lying upon my back like some delicate thing! The several days that I have done so nearly drove me mad! I awake to the warmth of the sun on my face streaming through my windows from outside while I remain inside. The birds sing high in the treetops and I hear their sweet voices from outside while I remain inside. Do you not see my problem?"

Amorith and Giliath trembled as they said:

"What is your problem, hiril nín?"

"My problem is that everything I mentioned to you I feel, see, and hear from the inside only! To me, walls are equal to a grave. So long as I remain inside I shall die!" she screamed.

"But the pain…" Giliath whispered.

"In that you are correct. For no matter if I remain in bed or not, I will suffer from something either way, be it my fear of becoming bedridden or the pain in my stomach. Have you not any drink that you can give me? We Elves are experts in medicine and healing." Míriel said.

"We will go and see." Amorith answered.

As the handmaidens departed, Míriel turned to Annarámainen, who had flown away when the Princess spoke in an enraged matter.

"Oh, Annarámainen, goheno nin. I meant it not. But I feel like an animal who has been caged." Míriel said.

Annarámainen chirped several times.

"I know it was wrong of me to do so. I promise to apologize when they return." Míriel told her.

Amorith and Giliath did not return as quick as Míriel had hoped. The Princess was about to accept the fact that she would remain bedridden the entire time she was pregnant when they returned.

"We apologize for leaving you this long." they panted.

"It was not easy acquiring what you want." Giliath said.

"What is it?" Míriel inquired.

"We know not the name, but it comes from Lord Elrond in Imladris. He sent it among many other vials of assorted medicinal properties. It will cause the pain you feel to vanish, but at a price." Amorith said.

"I will accept the consequences of my actions."

"It will bring drowsiness, but you will not be able to rest at night."

Míriel was silent.

'Rest at night is my fear.' she thought.

"I would much rather rest during the day anyway. Despite my fearlessness in most everything, it is the shadow of night that cloaks evil that in fear alone." Míriel whispered. "I apologize for shouting at you."         

The maidens bowed. Giliath brought a vessel of water and filled a goblet for her Princess. Amorith produced a small rose colored vial and let a drop of the thin, clear liquid fall into the goblet. There was a small puff of smoke as the drop touched the water's surface.

"There you are, hiril nín." Amorith said. "Drink it."

Míriel lifted the goblet and drank slowly from it. To her astonishment, the liquid was warm and tasted slightly sweet. The pain in her stomach vanished before she finished the draught.

"How do you feel?" Giliath asked her.

"The pain is gone." the Princess replied.

She rose slowly from her back, helped by Amorith and Giliath. Gingerly, she stepped into her feet, swaying a few moments before steadying herself. The handmaidens released her hands.

"Evening is coming." the Princess whispered.

"Do you desire to go into the Wood?" the maidens asked.

"Indeed? For though the pain is gone my body has little strength, and a slight spell of dizziness afflicts me."

As quickly as possible Míriel was dressed. Annarámainen flew onto her shoulder. The maidens supported their Princess as she emerged from her chamber. They came upon no one in the corridors as they went.

"Where is everyone?" Míriel asked.

"Eating the evening-meal, hiril nín." Giliath replied.

Míriel was relieved somewhat, for she did not like for everyone to see her in her current state, hardly able to walk, when she was a famed mighty warrior. Even to allow her handmaidens to wait upon her caused much self suffering for her.

 In this way, they came at last to a small clearing, not far from the path that leads to the palace. Gently, Amorith and Giliath eased Míriel against the bole of a large beech tree. The Princess laughed softly.

 "Ai, look at me now! I am Míriel, daughter of Gil-celeb, Princess of southern Eryn Lasgalen, and a mighty warrior in battle." she cried. "Yet now I am not even capable of lifting a foot on my own accord without fearing of losing my balance and falling!"

Amorith and Giliath smiled broadly.

"We love you, hiril nín." they said.

"I know. Le hannon. Being the cause of worry is new to me. Long have I kept the worries and troubles of you, my people, in my mind as I fought. Your every wish was my command. Nights I would not rest for fear of evil befalling you. and now the roles have changed. you care and fear for me." Míriel told them. "some have mocked my sire and I, saying that we are fools. But it is not the duty of a ruler to do as he wills, the people he rules are to be served. A ruler is his subjects' slave."

"Aran Gil-celeb is a wise ruler, and there is no one in our land who hates him. the oppressors are condemned, and the weak protected. There is naught but love in the hearts of his people for him, and you. we know no evil." Giliath said.

"We know no evil, yet evil awoke among us. evil betrayed us, and evil tortured me." Míriel whispered.

Amorith and Giliath looked at each other. They knew, as did all of Gil-celeb's subjects, of Dol Guldur and Falathar. Only to her handmaidens did Míriel tell her entire story, for there were certain things she learned there that she kept secret from Aerandir and her sire.

"Falathar still troubles you?" Amorith asked.

"I cannot rest at night. I see him if I close my eyes. You saw with me on the night Dol Guldur was attacked the winged creature that flew so close. Falathar rode on it. I know why he betrayed my sire and our kingdom. I am the reason." the Princess wept. "He is enamored of me."

The handmaidens were sorrowed, and pity moved them. They embraced Míriel warmly.

"Keep him from your thoughts! Think now only of the child you bear!" Giliath said soothingly.

"Curse Falathar!" Amorith said bitterly.

"Aerandir knows not of this, and it will break him to know. Already he is grieved and is shamed." Míriel continued.

"It is not his fault. He should not think so."

"It is his brother, Amorith. He feels as if he is a betrayer himself." Giliath said. "My betrothed is a very good friend of Aerandir. One day Aerandir came while we were sitting together and told us his troubles. Such pity I felt for him, knowing your full take of woe."

Amorith was about to say something when there was a sound through the trees. Annarámainen flew from Míriel's hand.

"What is that?" Amorith whispered.

The handmaidens held bows in their hands and stood in front of their Princess, who cowered back slightly against the tree. All had the same burning question in their kinds: did Falathar return?

Annarámainen came back swiftly and perched above Míriel's head, singing loudly. The Elf-women tried to quiet her with menacing gestures.

"Avo pedo, Annarámainen!" Míriel hissed.

They waited tensely for the sound to reappear, which stopped when the bird began her song. Míriel looked up at her in wonder, for she sang:

"Your heart lies here! Come near, come near!"

"Aerandir!" Míriel breathed.

"Aerandir's steps sound not like that, hiril nín. Daro!" Amorith said. "Princess Míriel, come back!"

In her excitement, Míriel rose to her feet. Her desire to see Aerandir powered her, so that she rushed past her maidens before they could stop her. Míriel ran towards the path, and there he stood.

"Meleth nín, you have returned!" she cried.