Chapter Twenty-five: Síriel's Sudden Pain
The day Legolas left, Síriel locked herself in her room and wept bitterly. She missed him already, and he was not even gone for that long yet! She buried her head in the spot where he had rested with her the night before, inhaling his scent deeply. When she closed her eyes, she could feel his hands about her, could hear his voice in her ears as he whispered soft words of endearment. She hoped he would return quickly.
Since Legolas was gone, she felt that she could not bear spending any more time in the palace, even though Thranduil was most gracious and gave her permission to stay as long as she pleased.
"Your sire is gone." he told her pointedly. "I will look after you."
She smiled her appreciation.
"Hannon le, aran nín, but I must go. My home needs looking after. I have left it without cleaning for some time." she said.
"I have no power over you in this. You may go." Thranduil said.
She left with a courteous bow. When the door to his private sitting room closed behind her, she decided to see Celebrindal.
"Ernil Legolas is gone, is he not?" Celebrindal said.
Síriel was sitting at one of the large kitchen tables across from her silver haired friend who was kneading a large amount of dough for bread.
"He is." she sighed.
Celebrindal managed to steal a quick glance at her river-rafting friend and saw that she looked quite heartbroken. She loved him dearly.
"Did he tell you where he went?" she asked her in an offhand way.
Síriel shook her head dramatically.
"He did not. He just said that he is going, but he did not inform me to what point or purpose. However," and here Síriel's face brightened a little, "he promised me that he would return."
Celebrindal managed to suppress a small smile.
"Of course he will return." she said.
Síriel spent some time with Celebrindal visiting until she felt it was time to leave. Other kitchen servants were entering.
"I will take my leave now, Celebrindal." Síriel said rising.
Celebrindal wiped her hands on her apron to embrace her friend.
"Very well. Come and visit me when you feel lonely." she said.
Síriel nodded and left, clutching her belongings tightly to herself. She made her way slowly through the corridors. When at last she felt the sun warming her face outside, her spirits rose a little. It was a lovely day.
The same day Legolas was halfway to Ithilien, Síriel was hard at work cleaning her cottage. Her sire was not due for another three weeks. She was amazed at the amount of filth her little home had managed to
accumulate. She had her hair tied atop her head in a messy knot; her sleeves were pushed up, a determined look on her face.
"If I must not sleep at all, then I will not. Only I wish I knew where all of this dirt and grime came from!" she exclaimed exasperatedly.
It was mid afternoon. The sun was high in the sky. Síriel paused from her intensive cleaning, trying to regain her breath.
Then it happened.
Her stomach gave a sudden lurch, and her face turned green. She gasped for breath. She had skipped the afternoon meal, and now she was paying dearly or it. Hurriedly, she went into the kitchen and prepared a light meal. Then she sat down and ate it slowly. There was no point in inhaling her food into an already upset stomach. That would be worse. Satisfied that the pain was gone, firmly believing that it was due to skipping the afternoon meal, she set about her task of cleaning again.
By evening, Síriel was quite pleased with herself. Her sire's room was sparklingly clean. All of his linen was washed and hanging outside to dry. She had even oiled his wooden desk and matching chair. The pain in her stomach had vanished completely. She forgot about it entirely.
It was the day Legolas had reached the Citadel. While his thoughts strayed lovingly to Síriel, content that she was safe, Síriel was far from it. She was doubled over on the sitting room floor, clutching her stomach in agony. The pain had returned, after having disappeared, and it was much stronger this time. She felt herself needing to retch and crawled to the door. She could not retch here, not on the wooden floors that she had just scrubbed! She had to go outside. She had to…
When she came to, she was surprised to find Celebrindal leaning over her anxiously. Beside her was one of the river-rafters.
"Oh, thank Eru! She is awake!" he cried.
Celebrindal breathed a sigh of relief.
"Well, I best be going. I have much to do." he said.
Celebrindal turned to him.
"Hannon le." she told him.
"Glassen." he replied.
The kitchen-maiden went to the door with him. As soon as he was gone, she ran back to Síriel, a small smile on her face.
"I thought you had died when he told me he found you on the floor, your face as pale as death. Whatever happened?" she asked.
"My stomach hurt me so much." Síriel answered.
"Is it still bothering you?"
Síriel shook her copper-red head.
"Very well." Celebrindal said.
Her friend clutched her sleeve fearfully.
"Am I going to die?" she whispered.
Celebrindal laughed.
"You are far from death, mellon nín, far from it. In fact, the cause of your pain is the herald of a new life." she told her soothingly.
Síriel frowned.
"I would understand if you spoke not in riddles." she said.
Celebrindal took her hands and squeezed them gently.
"I know this will be a surprise to you, it still is when I found out. Oh, how can I tell you? You will not believe me!" she began.
"Tell me what?" Síriel said. "I know the cause of my pain."
"Do you indeed? Well then, what is it?"
"I skipped a meal a fortnight ago, and I was working quite hard. It has happened before, but not with this intensity."
Celebrindal laughed, shaking her silver head slowly.
"That is not the cause, Síriel, not this time." she told her.
"Well then, if it is not, what is?" Síriel demanded impatiently.
Looking deep into her emerald eyes, Celebrindal responded:
"You are pregnant, Síriel!"
The river maiden looked at her friend in shock.
"Are you sure of this, Celebrindal?" she whispered.
The kitchen maiden nodded.
"I am, Síriel." she said.