Note: You are so right, Miriellar. Thanx for reviewing, and once again, enjoy! :)

Chapter Twenty-eight: Wedding Preparations

Síriel rushed into Legolas' arms, warm tears coursing down her cheeks. He caught her and pulled her into him for a strong embrace.

"Goheno nin! Goheno nin!" she whispered.

Legolas stroked her head gently.

"Avo bedo (do not speak)." he told her soothingly.

This only caused her to apologize more.

"Síriel…" he said, lifting her head to look into her emerald eyes.

She gazed back at him, eyes shining from her tears.

"I forgive you. I do not hold you responsible, but rather myself. You are right, I should have informed you how long I was to be gone, or at least sent you a message. It is I who needs forgiveness." he said softly.

She shook her head violently. He raised her hands to his lips and kissed them tenderly. She smiled through her tears. Legolas lifted his hand to her face and banished her tears with one swift stroke. Síriel found herself drawn irresistibly towards his mouth for a kiss. They both moaned at the joining of their mouths and their arms went about each other. They tasted each other as if it was their first time ever. When they broke apart, it was as if nothing had ever happened between them. Any ill feeling toward each other had disappeared entirely from their minds. All they felt was their growing love since the long absence.

"I missed you." Síriel told him, burying her head on his shoulder.

Legolas stroked the back of her head.

"As did I." he told her softly.

He turned his head and ran his hand underneath her copper-red hair until he felt the point of her ear. Brushing aside her hair, he bit it gently. Síriel moaned, urging him onwards. She took hold of his other hand and slid it underneath her tunic and onto her stomach.

"Here lies your unborn child, Legolas." she told him quietly.

The Prince lowered himself onto his knees, so that his head was level with her stomach. He unbuttoned her tunic just enough so that her stomach was revealed to him. The maiden felt his soft lips brush against her abdomen as he planted feathery kisses onto her skin.

"I should go. Adar will be waiting." she said gently.

Legolas nodded and rose to his feet.

"I will come and see you tomorrow." he told her.

They walked back together to her cottage, arms linked. At the door, they parted from each other with another kiss. Then Legolas continued on his own to the palace, where he went first to the kitchens. Celebrindal was sitting at a table, cleaning the day's worth of used dishes.

"What happened?" she asked him anxiously.

Legolas smiled reassuringly to her.

"Everything is fine. How come you did not tell me she is pregnant? I am sure you knew, Celebrindal." he asked.

"She told me not to tell anyone." she said.

"My sire knows we spent a night together."

Celebrindal paled slightly.

"Does he know she is pregnant?" she asked fearfully.

"Avo 'osto. Even if he knew, he would not tell." Legolas told her. "Now, listen to me, Celebrindal. I need your help again. Do you recall what I told you before I left to Ithilien?"

Celebrindal nodded.

"I suppose you wish for me to start preparations for the wedding. Do you want me to make her a wedding dress?" she said with a smile. "I told your sire to have Síriel and her sire bring with them from Lake-town a roll of white silk material when they went this time."

Legolas smiled broadly.

"You are well ahead of me. Carry on." he told her.

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The following morning, Gil-celeb awoke to find Legolas sitting with Síriel in the kitchen. She was blushing at something he had just said.

"Oh, adar, here is some wonderful news for you!" she cried.

"What is it, sell nín?" he asked.

However, her emotions overcame her, so she did not reply. Instead, Legolas, taking her hands in his, with his sapphire eyes shining, said:

"There are ongoing preparations for our wedding."

Gil-celeb was struck silent for several moments. There was a smile upon his fair face, but deep down inside of him he was saddened. However, he did not wish to dampen their spirits and alarm them.

"My congratulations, Síriel. I relieve you of any work with me from now onwards. You have more important matters to see to." he said.

The young pair smiled lovingly at each other. Since they had already eaten, they took leave from Gil-celeb and left the cottage. He was glad, for now he could have some quality time by himself to reflect.

He was not upset or jealous with the Prince. If truth were told, he was happy that she had found someone to love her. Gil-celeb had known that one day his daughter would wed, leaving him alone. It was what he most dreaded, for he loved his daughter dearly and had become quite attached to her over the centuries. His thoughts went back to the first time he had seen her, on the day of her birth. She had been so small and angelic looking in the crook of his beloved wife's arms. Afterwards, he had only seen them when he was able to take leave from Thranduil. Then when Therassa, his wife, had died, he had taken Síriel to live with him. As if in a dream, all the memories of watching her grow older flashed before his very eyes. He was not surprised to find that his tunic front was drenched with tears. Gil-celeb allowed himself to weep, for joy and grief.

Legolas and Síriel spent the next fortnight preparing for their upcoming wedding. Invitations were sent out. The maiden informed her sire that she would not be returning to their cottage at night, as often she and Legolas would not finish from attending to something until it was late at night. She rested in the same room that she had used before, beside Legolas' chambers. Often times Legolas would join her at night, still full of guilt over having left her for about three months without sending her word of where he was or how long he was to be absent.

Celebrindal was relieved of her kitchen duties. Since she was to leave with them to Ithilien (which Síriel did not yet know), she also needed time to prepare herself, as well as for making Síriel's wedding gown, and Legolas' attire. Her happiness was great for her dear friend. She put all of her love into making her dress. Celebrindal wished her friend to be the most beautiful bride Eryn Lasgalen would ever see.

Slowly, the days passed. Síriel's pregnancy was not yet apparent, only her skin appeared a little paler, her stomach hardly noticeable. She often found herself feeling tired or somewhat irritable, and at times she would be somewhat harsh with Legolas, but he was patient. He knew that during pregnancy, a woman's demeanor was bound to change. King Thranduil sensed Síriel's status, but he said nothing. He knew that if she wanted to tell him, she would, or Legolas would inform him. His feelings towards Legolas upcoming wedding were the same as Gil-celeb's towards his daughter: a mixture of sadness and happiness.

The eve before the wedding, Thranduil called Legolas to his room.

"Ion nín, I will miss you greatly." he said.

The Prince looked into his sire's gray eyes and saw the love and sadness mingled in them, and felt pity for him. Thranduil was going to be alone, with no one dear to him close by. His wife was gone, and now Legolas was going to wed Síriel and take her with him to Ithilien.

"There is nothing here for me, Legolas, once you leave, no one dear to me. Your beloved mother is gone." Thranduil said, his voice breaking. "I dreaded this day. Who now will keep me company?"

Legolas went to his sire, and the two lovingly embraced.

"Do not say that, adar. You are a strong leader. Our people love you. You will have the matters of your realm to occupy you. I will not hide the fact that I will miss you, too." he said softly.

"Gerich veleth nín, Legolas." Thranduil whispered.

"Gerich veleth nín, adar." Legolas told him.