Chapter 19
Galadriel tossed, trying to find a comfortable position on the bed. Her back ached. Her stomach ached. Celeborn glanced over at her from his reading.
" What ails thee, Love?"
Galadriel put a hand to her stomach, as she felt a spasm ripple through it.
" I think I am in labor."
" What do you mean, you think? Do you not know?"
Galadriel looked over at him.
" I have never carried a child the full term. It never hurt this much, so I am guessing, Celeborn," her voice rose with pain.
Celeborn stood and rushed from the room.
~*~
Elrond stumbled in, hair mussed and eyes half closed as Celeborn dragged him in. Elrond rubbed his face, fully realizing the situation. He pulled his hair back, and pulled on another tunic that Celebrisse handed him. Thankfully she had heard Celeborn's frantic call for Elrond and gathered the necessary items for delivery.
" What a week for all the healers to take a sabbatical," he muttered.
He sighed, gently murmuring words of relaxation to the tense Galadriel.
*Please Eru, let nothing go wrong this time.
~*~
Ereinion hoisted Celeborn to his feet, as he sent Elrond a humorous look. Elrond did not return it, his eyes intent on the task at hand. Galadriel noticed the tenseness. Celebrisse entered, taking the expecting mother's hands comfortingly. Elrond motioned her over away from the bed, trying to turn so Galadriel could not read his lips.
" The child is breeched."
Celebrisse's face fell.
" What will you do?"
" Put her to sleep and attempt to release the child through an incision."
" That has never been done save once and the child did not live. Neither did the mother," Celebrisse hissed.
" I know it will work," Elrond replied.
Celebrisse nodded.
" You are the wise one."
He touched her hand, seeing her disapproval and fear.
" I will take full responsibility if either dies."
~*~
Galadriel refused to sleep, instead watching Elrond carefully. She looked in horror, watching the blood begin to seep through the cut. Elrond's eyes were set carefully, his hands guided by an unseen force. The knife cut carefully into the womb. Elrond swiftly removed the child, calling Celebrisse over. A loud, healthy cry resounded through the dawn lit room. Elrond sent Galadriel a relieved smile as he set to sewing up her stomach.
" Elrond?"
He knotted it, beginning to bind it also. He looked up at her.
" Girl."
Galadriel leaned into the pillows with a smile, her chest heaving. Elrond kissed her forehead.
" A healthy baby girl."
Galadriel's smile grew even more. Elrond began cleaning his hands.
" Good, after you and Elros, I deserve a little girl to spoil."
He laughed, opening his mouth to reply. That was before Celebrisse set the child in his arms.
" See what you saved, Elrond," she whispered softly.
Elrond just froze. Galadriel smiled. Elrond looked down slowly at the child, whose hair was dark silver, intermingled with glints of gold and his expression softened a little. He carefully handed her to Galadriel.
" I will fetch Celeborn."
Celebrisse leaned over.
" He saved her, you know."
Galadriel nodded.
" I could your lips. She is my blessing."
~*~
Elrond opened the door, stripping the bloodied tunic off, so as not to scare Celeborn. He had no reason to worry. He found Ereinion bent beside the lord. Elrond felt for a pulse.
" He just…" Ereinion made a falling motion. " When he heard the wail."
Elrond chuckled.
" Tis a girl, a healthy baby girl."
" Praise Eru," Ereinion breathed. " They deserve this child after me and then you and your brother."
Elrond shook his head.
" The first child of Imladris. A little girl born in tumultuous times."
" The first female terror," Ereinion laughed.
A groan came from Celeborn as he put a hand behind his head.
" What hit the back of my head?"
" You hit it on the floor," Ereinion replied.
Celeborn rubbed it, and then noticed Elrond. He grabbed the half-elven's collar.
" Is it? What? Do not hold back, Elrond! Speak!"
Elrond barely concealed a smile.
" Tis a healthy baby girl. Galadriel is waiting for you."
Celeborn rose and ran inside. Elrond stretched his neck. Ereinion shook his head.
" I believe I see it now. The unconquerable Imladris overcome not by Sauron nor any other evil Maia, but by one silver haired child."
~*~
Years later
Elrond watched the couple with a smile. The first wedding in Imladris was soon to begin.
*This fortress is growing. So many now are coming, some stay, others wed here.
A tugging came at his robes.
" Up, now."
Elrond arched an eyebrow.
" Pweese?"
He consented, picking her up. She immediately began playing with his raven dark hair. Then her glistening eyes turned to the jewel around his neck.
" Pwetty, 'Ron, what this?"
" This is a present my brother gave me, Celebrían."
She smiled a toothless smile at him, swishing her dark silver hair threaded with gold. She wore a beautiful white dress. Elrond hated to admit that she was the only one now who could make him smile.
Galadriel watched the two thoughtfully. Celeborn smiled, seeing Elrond's pain when Celebrían pulled on his braids.
" Kel, dear, you cannot pull on Elrond's hair," Celeborn released the tiny fists from Elrond's tresses and took the young child.
Elrond smiled thankfully. Celebrían screwed her face into a wail, outstretching her hands to him.
" Elrond," she whimpered before screwing her perfect mouth to wail.
Elrond quickly took her, in order not to ruin the ceremony. Celebrían happily turned back to his hair. Elrond caught Glorfindel's eyes, the golden haired lord beckoning him to the front.
" Take her," Galadriel whispered.
Celebrían snuggled into Elrond's arms, suddenly falling asleep. Erestor and Celebrisse both smiled, seeing the lord approaching. Elrond sent them an apologetic smile as he began to welcome the guests for the ceremony.
~*~
" Tomorrow we shall leave for Lindon. Ereinion wishes us on a council. We are keeping an eye on Númenor."
Elrond nodded, his hand twisting Celebrían's hair in his fingers. He let Celeborn take the young girl.
" I wish your family a safe journey. You will all be safer in Lindon leastways."
Galadriel kissed his cheek.
" Namarië, Elrond."
Elrond smiled, taking his leave of them.
~*~
2251
" What is that?" Glorfindel asked softly.
Both he and Erestor lay still on the ground, looking at the black hooded riders.
" Whatever they are, they are not pleasant."
Glorfindel nodded in agreement. A shill cry sent shivers down their spines.
~*~
" Dressed in all black," Elrond mused.
Ereinion sighed.
" All I wanted was a peaceful month of nothing."
Elrond rubbed his jaw again.
" If Sauron gave the Rings of Power to men, then what happens to them? They cannot die as long as the Rings twist them to live as long as Sauron himself endures."
That caught Ereinion's attention. The king stood.
" They would be neither living nor dead."
" Bowing to the presence of the Ring," Elrond finished, looking out the window at the three Riders by the river, " Nazgûl, ringwraiths, neither living nor dead. They feel Sauron's presence at all times."
" Do you think they feel the power of other rings?" Ereinion asked softly.
Elrond shook his head.
" Only the One Ring."
Elrond did not hear Ereinion's soft sigh of relief, nor did he notice the High King's hand brushing the ill-concealed Vilya by his neck.
~*~
3262
" They will fall," Elrond whispered.
He sighed, looking out towards the Sea.
" I know." Glorfindel replied, " They welcome Sauron into their city, thinking him a prisoner. He will deceive them all."
Elrond sighed.
" How did your kin come to this, Elros?"
Glorfindel pretended not to hear.
" Where are you, brother, when your people need you the most? You are dead. Dead just like all the other great Edain leaders."
~*~
" Celeborn, it is far too dangerous here, so close to Númenor. We should send her to Imladris."
Celeborn sighed.
" As you wish."
~*~
Elrond looked out his study window. His eyebrows rose, seeing Galadriel and a maiden amidst Ereinion's own private guard. Erestor ran in, stopping himself by grabbing onto the sides of the door.
" Galadriel and Celebrían are here."
Elrond pulled on his lordly robe, adjusted the circlet upon his head and left his books to go and greet them.
~*~
Galadriel caught her daughter's eyes glaze over when Elrond exited the huge homely house, briskly walking to join them.
*What is it, Celebrían?
Celebrían merely blushed, causing Galadriel's eyebrows to rise.
*I guess Elrond must be handsome to all the maidens.
Galadriel shrugged.
*And they have not even seen his smile.
~*~
Celebrían unconsciously brushed her skirts.
*They told me he was of great beauty for one that has Edain blood flowing through him.
Her eyes ran up and down him, catching the swish of his rich silk and velvet robes. They were the colors of the leaves in Imladris, beautiful greens varying in shade. His gray eyes met hers for only a second, but behind them laid a mind she knew she wanted to dissect.
*Wise and handsome. Imladris' lord is a deadly combination of both for any maiden.
~*~
Elrond greeted Galadriel with a hug.
" And Celebrían, you were just a child when I last saw you. It has been many years. You are as becoming as your mother."
Galadriel laughed.
" Always giving compliments, Elrond."
Elrond's eyes lightened, but no smile appeared; and for that Galadriel was glad. She was bringing her daughter here for safety, not to find a husband.