I could feel he was scared. I did not know where he was, though. All I could tell was that he was scared, and feeling hopeless.
"Legolas, where are you? What has befallen to make you feel so?"
"He is at helm's deep. We march today as aid." I heard Haldir say, sitting beside me. I looked at my stomach, which was getting large.
"This baby is trying to beat its way out of my stomach." I stated as it kicked me.
"You should go see the healer on duty for a check up, then. You are six months passed. What are you, sister, stupid?" I chuckled as Lizzy stepped out from the trees.
The three of us had become inseparable over our months together in Lothlorien. Haldir was just like a worried older brother, and Lizzy was her usual self.
"I will, I think. Help me up?" I asked and she grabbed my arm, raising me up.
We walked steadily to the healing house, a place I had become familiar with, and I sat down on one of the beds as Haldir went to fetch the nurse, who I had found out was called Selena. She bounced out of her office, blonde hair flying behind her.
"I cannot believe you waited so long for a check up!" She scolded, and I frowned.
"I t has only been four months. Please have a look; the little monster is kicking my insides to a bloody pulp!"" I said.
"Exactly what I what about to do! Haldir, if you would leave for a moment." He nodded.
"I must prepare my weapons, in any case. I will see you at dinner, you two." He waved, and walked out of the house, smiling.
"Now, raise your tunic top so I can check..." She steadily let her hand drift over me, then stopped, her eyebrows knitting together.
"How strange... Let me look again." She did it again, and her face cleared. "Ah, I thought you were large for your months. There are two of them, Ellie."
"I'm having twins... two..." I said dazed. I blinked rapidly, clearing my mind.
"That is what I said. You are lucky, twins are uncommon, but a blessing, no doubt. Come again every month now, and this should calm them down should their kicking become too uncomfortable." She handed me a little box of white tablets. "It is a herbal remedy, mix one with a glass of water, it will dissolve and drink it directly. I believe that is it, you may leave." She finished, and washed her hands.
Lirrian helped me up, and I yawned. "Are you tired?" I nodded, "Then you should get some sleep. We have let you stay and help us, but you are stressing yourself too much." She helped me up to the talan, as much as I protested.
"At least the morning sickness has gone." I laughed as she helped me to take my boots off, and into bed.
"True, now rest, and I will come for you when dinner is ready." She said, brushing my hair out of my face. "You know, I still cant believe it."
"Believe what?" I asked, getting sleepy.
"That you are having a child, two children!" she giggled, and I waved a hand at her.
"You would think you would believe it, I'm getting to be the size of a house." She rolled her eyes.
"Go to sleep!" I sighed and curled up, drifting off slowly, my dreams of Legolas, as they were every night. Dreaming of the day he returned to me.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
I was shaken awake as the sun was setting, and I groaned groggily.
"Whuddisit? Whaddyawant?" I grumbled, putting the pillow over my head.
"Dinner, now get up, lazy, unless your wish is to starve."
I muttered something extremely rude to Lizzy, but sat up anyway.
"There is a feast in honour of the Elves that will go to Helm's Deep and fight in the battle tomorrow. Our Haldir will be leading the elves, and I thought you might want to say goodbye." I nodded, and swung myself out of bed.
"Find me one of the loose dresses that tie under my bust, will you? I don't want anything too clingy." She sorted through my dresses, looking.
"Blue, green or white?" She asked, poking her head round.
"Show me the blue and white ones!" I said, and she held them up. "Blue, no choice in the matter." I affirmed, and she put the white one away.
It was dark blue with gold decoration on the material that covered my bust, and had a square neckline. The sleeves were long and flowing, it was a pretty dress.
"Help?" I sighed. I hated the feeling of uselessness, but I could not put a dress on my own any more.
I pulled of the tunic top and trousers, and Lizzy helped me put on the dress. I looked in the mirror, nothing could hide the fact I was with child any longer, and I grimaced as one of them kicked, and then the other joined in. Now it made sense as to how much it hurt when they kicked at my stomach.
"Put one of the white pills in the glass of water, please, Lizzy. These two are beating me up!" I moaned, and she handed me the glass.
"Smells awful." She said as I took it, holding her nose. I held my own and swallowed it, pulling a face.
"Yuck." It tasted bitter, like lemons and grass and...something I didn't want to identify.
"Are you ready to go?" I pointed at my feet. "Ah, good point. Brush your hair, you look like you've been dragged through a bush backwards, my not so little sister."
"Thanks for that encouraging statement." I pulled the brush she handed me through my hair as she searched for shoes. Finding them, she threw them at me.
"Ow!" I cried, slipping them on. "Now I am ready. Come on."
"I thank all of you who have come to watch us go, and we will return, maybe smaller in numbers, maybe not. But we will return. I bid you farewell." Haldir finished his speech, and everyone in the hall clapped politely, and I smiled as he sat down at the table.
We had eaten a meal of lamb with mint, peas and boiled potatoes. I had eaten hungrily, and it made Haldir laugh.
"I'm the one with child; I'm allowed to eat plenty. I have three to feed, you know. Me, baby one and baby two." I huffed, and he stared at my stomach, wide eyed.
"So it is not just stored food in there?" I picked up my fork, stabbing him in the arm. "That was not nice." He said, rubbing his arm.
"Get used to it, my friend. It was Boromir in Rivendell, it is you here." I said, laughing. He hugged me, and I smiled.
"It's nice to be hugged by someone again, even if it is not Legolas... When do you leave?" I asked suddenly.
"Tonight, why?" e asked, confused.
"Bring me a piece of parchment and ink. I have a letter I wish for you to take when you leave."
Legolas.
I need you so much, Legolas. I miss you holding me, I miss your kisses, I miss you as a whole. I'm sat writing this, and I'm almost crying. I know you are scared, do not be, I am with you. I am always with you. I have brighter news for your darkened horizon. My baby is now two babies, I'm having Twins! When they are born, I shall only name one, I shall leave the other beautiful child for you to name, so think of a perfect girl's name and a perfect boy's name, so you are prepared. I am huge! I cannot see my feet when I look down, and I am sure you would find it hilarious. Haldir and Lirrian do. Nothing is going on between them, we are just the closest group of friends anyone could ask for, and the only thing missing from the group is you, my love. Give Boromir, Aragorn, Merry, Pippin, Frodo, Sam and Gimli a hug from me, and reply to this letter when you have time, and tell me of your journey! Send it with one of the Elves that return, I need to hear from you, to know you are well!
I love you forever, till death do us part.
Elanor xxxxx
P.S Say hello to the people reading this over your shoulder. HOBBITS!"
I folded the letter up, and placed it in the envelope, stamping the back with the wax seal of Mirkwood. On the front, I simply wrote 'my dearest husband' and handed it to Haldir who was watching me write. The hall was empty now, save me, my sister and Haldir.
"Why does everyone I care about seem to leave me?" I sobbed, and he held me close, stroking my hair.
"I do not know, I never noticed anyone you care about other than Legolas leave."
"You, the hobbits, Boromir, Aragorn, Arwen, Legolas, You, my daddy...Everyone."
He chuckled. "I am only going to fight, it is only half a day's journey to helm's deep"
A smile suddenly lit my features. "Take me with you. Take me to Helm's deep." I asked, pleading.
"No, I cannot let you go." He stated, and I let out a fresh sob.
"Please! Please take me! I have to see Legolas; I need him with me so badly." I cried, but he shook his head.
"I am sorry, mellonamin, I will not take you. Tis my final answer." I pushed him away, and ran out of the hall, not caring that it hurt a little.
"Elanor, wait!" I heard Lirrian shout, but I ignored her until she grabbed me, stopping me from running.
"Let me go." I said coldly, not looking at her.
"Calm yourself. Sit down, that was not a wise move."
"Let me go." I said again, my voice still like ice.
"Elanor, do not be like this. It is not you, it is your emotions!"
"Damn right it's my emotions! This is me missing the person that I love most in the whole world; this is me who needs him more than anything else! You don't understand, do you? I miss my friends! And I hate being pregnant!" I screamed at her, tearing out of her grip. She gasped, stepping back as I turned to her.
"Go home; I do not need anyone anymore." I hissed at her, and stormed away. I could hear her crying, but I didn't stop. I walked deep into the woods, and had long since veered off the beaten track.
"Long have you suffered, and now you lease your feelings on those whom you love. I come with little more than a suggestion, something that may help, or make you feel even worse." I heard the words of the lady somewhere around me. Or was it in my mind?
"There is a stone path to your right. Follow it until you get to a clearing with a stone bowl and waterfall in it. Wait for me there." I obeyed her orders, looking for the path. I found it, walking slowly down the steps. I found the clearing, and I only had to wait a moment before the lady appeared.
"Why did you bring me here?" I asked, weary and in pain.
"I have a suggestion. Nothing more, nothing less. the mirror can see many things, things that are, things that were, and some things that have not yet come to pass."
"You can show me Legolas?" I asked, hope filling my heart.
"The mirror can, only if you will it. It cannot bring happiness, it cannot bring feelings, but it shows you what is. Will you look into the mirror?" She said gravely, filling a jug with water from the pool of the waterfall. She poured it into the bowl on the stone pillar, and stepped away, holding out her hand to help me up the step.
"I will look, what must I do?" She smiled at me.
"Think of Legolas, think of him as he is now." She said, moving away. "I shall leave you alone. Follow the stone path, it will lead you back." And she was gone in the blink of an eye.
I stepped up to the mirror, looking down on the water. I closed my eyes, thinking, 'Legolas, now...' over again, then opened them, gasping.
He was sat in a small room, cleaning his sword. I felt tears streaming, and love filled my heart. I sent it out to him, and suddenly his head whipped round, as if looking for something. He stood, and looked up at me, as if he could see me there.
"The mirror..." his voice whispered. My breathing quickened as I felt the love I sent returned, and he spoke again. "Elanor, I love you... Forever." He mage faded, and I saw Boromir, lying dead.
"No...NO!" I cried, and then I saw Frodo and Sam walking alone across the wilderness, with...Gollum! Then Merry and Pippin with a large talking...tree? I laughed, and he did too, then a final image crossed the slowly evaporating water. Gandalf was alive! He was dressed in white, his hair too was like the snow.
"He is alive!" I grinned, overjoyed. Legolas's face stayed in the water for a moment before it had all evaporated, and I pulled my head up, Smiling like I had not in many months.
"I am so happy, My Lady, I cannot thank you enough." I said to the empty clearing, before heading back to my talan, almost floating on air.
When I got there, I thought it was empty, until a figure stepped out of the shadow.
"Your sister is in much pain. You look as if Legolas has returned. Have you no shame?" Haldir said, glaring at me.
"I have seen him, Haldir! I saw him in the Lady's mirror! And Gandalf is alive!" I cried, flopping heavily onto the bed. "I have hope renewed in me again." I said to him. I was so tired, so happy, and sleepy... I felt my eyes drifting
He gave me a look. "Your sister is in tears in my talan, I had hoped you would go and see her but..." He looked over at me, but I didn't notice. I heard no more of his words as I was fast asleep.