Kathrine: Here we have it!
JC: Yes, the chapter has answers to many of the questions you seek, but also a few knew ones to wonder about.
Kathrine: Expect lots of Legolas-angst! And we would like to dedicate this chapter to Eressë because she is the one that helped us fix it up. Hannon lle!
JC: Unfortunately, no one guessed right on BOTH questions, but you'll find out one of the answers in this chapter and the other we'll give at the end.
Kathrine: We hope this came out well enough, but we actually are very pleased with it.
JC: And with no further stalling…Chapter 4!
Disclaimer: We do not own LOTR or its characters, but that doesn't mean we're not working on a time machine! We're gonna go back and kidnap Tolkien!
Warnings: Angst, Sick Legolas, Tension, Depressed Legolas, Angry twins, Character Death (Not now, but later! We just forgot to put it in).
Weight of the Burden
By Jennifer and JC
Chapter 4
He shut the door with little gentleness before turning his eyes to the two stationed on the long couch in his sitting room. The twins kept their eyes turned away from their sire, both knowing the chastisement that would come. " I am disappointed in you both," he started. " Neither of you are Elflings any longer and know how to act accordingly. Even though he spoke harshly against me, I would not have struck out at them violently."
" You would never strike out against anyone, save an Orc or another creature of Mordor," Amúntel spoke indignantly. " But we could not let him speak so about our heritage or you!"
" They were past their majority, just like we," Andúnel pointed out. " They had no right to hurt that poor horse, nor to demean you! We could not bear to let it go!"
" It is my fault, Ada," his twin admitted. " I am the one who struck out. Andu merely kept that other boy, Hilmer, from interfering. It was a one-on-one fight. I was just the better warrior."
" You mean 'brawler'," his father snorted. " Using your fists so disgracefully is not fighting like a warrior, but as someone with no care for the proper way of settling disputes. I would expect better out of you, both of you." His gaze swept over them, still frustrated. " No matter how far past their majority they are, they are still younger and more ignorant than either of you are. And I would ask that you act that way. And it matters not who started it or participated more, you both are to take blame."
" Would you have allowed someone to speak that way about Ata'da Thranduil?" Amúntel inquired. " Would you have merely brushed off someone speaking so about your own mother or father?"
Legolas was silent for a moment, not sure how to go about answering their question. He knew that in this they were most like him. " No, I would not," he sighed. " I never could."
" What?" both his sons raised their brows.
" When I was an small Elfling," he stated with a small smile on his face, " I got into a fight with another ellon over my mother. He had heard a conversation that his parents had the night before and was repeating it to his friends. He said that my mother was not worthy to serve as my father's mistress, let alone his queen, merely because she was Silvan and not Sinda."
" WHAT?!" the twins' eyes were wide in disbelief.
" No one would speak so about Iaur-naneth!" Andúnel exclaimed.
" Yes they would," Legolas countered. " Even after them being married for millennia, some, those be noble Sindar, still believed that she was not worthy of him and that he should not have 'mixed' the royal blood with that of a mere Silvan. I told him to take it back, that he should not speak so about my mother. He refused and I, being only forty years of age, threw him to the ground and fought with him, giving him quite a blood nose and lip before his friend decided to join in against me. It was Ithinor who found us, and told Lagorwest and my mother since they were together. Unfortunately, he also told my father."
" What did Grandfather do to you?" Amúntel asked. " Were you punished badly?"
" Actually," Legolas stated, " it was my naneth who punished me. My father was too angry at hearing that someone had spoken so degradingly about her. He wanted to deal with the parents of the other ellon for saying such a thing. My mother convinced him otherwise, saying that it was not worth it over petty words. I, on the other hand, was not given dessert that evening and then forced to remain indoors the next day."
" That was your 'punishment'?!" the twin's didn't know what to be more stunned over, the fact that the grandmother they were told was of such sweet temperament had punished their father, or the fact that it was such a low form of it.
" Believe me," he said. " It was quite harsh to me at that age. The dessert just happened to be sugared fruit pie, my favorite, especially my mother's recipe and the next day was to be a scavenger hunt for the young Elfling beginning their training as hunters. But later that night she came to me, and explained that I could not fight so over her. She told me that a person was more brave and honorable for walking away from things and letting go, then to look for revenge. At first, I didn't believe her, for she was never one for fighting unless in self-defense, even though she was a trained warrior, but I accepted it. Two weeks later she was killed by Orcs...and I gave up. I told her that she was wrong, on her grave I swore revenge on every creature that harmed another like they had her. But all that did was eat away at my soul for decades."
" What do you mean?" Amúntel asked. " I know you hate Orcs and their like, but no more than any other."
" But at a time I hated them so badly I wanted to drink their blood after striking their heads from their shoulders," he told them. " I wanted each one to suffer for what they had done to me and my family. We were broken and I was so young I knew not how to fix it. Upon my majority and joining of the border patrol I would accept the harshest tasks and missions just so that I could kill Orcs. But when I was past two hundred years old, I was reunited with my childhood friends, Elladan and Elrohir. I was so sure that they would understand my desire…my NEED to kill and destroy what had destroyed my family. But they told me to let go, to give up my hatred."
" Why?" Andúnel wanted to know. " We were taught that their own mother, Lady Celebrian, was also harmed by Orcs, to the point that her only chance was to leave for Valinor. Why would they not understand?"
" But they did," he stated. " For two centuries they had been fighting, traveling and killing the wretched creatures. They had started their battle near the time that I was born. But when I met them again, there was a sense of peace in their eyes that I had never seen in them before, a look that showed they had finally let go themselves, even if only partially. They fought with such fierceness against the foul beasts, but they had also moved on with their lives as much as they could. I wanted to know how they could betray their mother like that, how they could throw away her memory by not putting their full effort into their battle against the creatures who had taken her from them."
" You said that to them?!"
" Yes, and was struck for it by Elladan," he chuckled. " I was shocked, I didn't understand. But that was when Elrohir told me something that has remained with me ever since then, 'We have never forgotten her or what was done, but our hate and need for revenge only succeeded in causing more hurt to those we love that are left. Because of our hate they could never let go, could never move on from the pain either. Our mother would want us to live, to be happy and truly alive, instead of remaining trapped within a tragic past. So we let go, can you not do the same?'
" I had not even let go enough to think of how much I hurt everyone else in my family," he sighed. " They suffered just as much as I, but I was so wrapped in my own pain I did not see theirs as well. And they were right, for I recalled what my mother had told me just two weeks before her demise. She would not want me to lose myself to my revenge, but to live a full life of love instead. I would not forget her, but merely remember the wonderful forty years I had her, rather than the ones without. It was that night that I finally cried over her death."
" Ada…" Andúnel didn't know what they could say.
The blonde Elf was not yet done. " So you see, it was not worth it. I am still here, I am not near death, nor in pain. Please see how petty their words were. They did not hurt me, and never will. Do not let hate do such things to you. I know you sought to defend me, but if you seek to do so for everything that is said or done towards me, it will never end and you will lose your lives to your revenge."
" We see," the twins spoke together, a sigh coming from both. Amúntel shot a glance at his twin and Legolas knew that the two were speaking to each other. There was something else that was bothering them, something that they weren't sure to ask. Legolas had a guess that he knew what it was about.
" Ada…" Andúnel started. " We don't know… Something has left us wondering for years and yet we did not know how to approach it, because we knew that it would hurt you. But we know now is the time. What happened to our other Father? You have often told us that he was gone to the sea and you had kept us a secret from him…but you never told us who he was or why he left."
" We are adults," Amúntel put in. " It is not as if he should ever have to take care of us any longer. Is it not time for us to know? We have waited over a century. And yet it always felt as if something was missing from our lives, something we knew not how to fill."
The golden Edhel closed his eyes for a moment. " Amin hiraetha, to you both," he whispered. " I knew you would feel the absence, but I could never gather the courage to tell you the truth. But I now know that it is time to tell you. This is something I have often wondered over my decision since your birth. I believed I was doing what was right, for even though you weren't planned, you have always been the greatest treasures of my life. Still, I knew not how it would affect others. Perhaps now, after a deep conversation with a dear friend, I have realized that it was not the right decision."
" Then why is it so hard to tell us?" he asked.
" Because I have held it in for so long," he whispered. " And I know that as soon as you find out, you would leave and search for them. You might even be angry with me."
" We could never be angry-" Andúnel words halted. " Did you say 'them'?"
Legolas remained staring right into both of his sons' eyes, not turning away. It was time to let out the truth. " Yes 'THEM'," he nodded. " For there are two."
" Do you mean you don't know which one?" Amúntel's eyes widened. " But how could you not…?"
" No, they are both your father, I found this out from Lord Elrond himself," he told them. " It was right before we reached the Battle of Pelennor Fields upon one of the Corsair ships," he stated. " I sought comfort before the most important of our battles and…" Suddenly the door to his room was slammed completely open and the sound of a crash was heard. He spun around and found his eyes taken in by silvery grey. Oh no…he thought, his mind beginning to panic.
" Legolas…" Before him stood the Sons of Elrond, both bearing looks warring between disbelief and anger on their faces. There was a silver platter on the floor, goblets and a large bottle of what appeared to be wine shattered around it.
" We thought to come and settle things between us, to find out why you have avoided us for so long and also rescue your sons from harsh punishment…but now we know why you run whenever we are near," Elladan seemed more angry than upset.
Elrohir turned and shut the door, keeping all others out by locking it. " Why have you never told us? Did we not have a right to know?"
" You don't understand," Legolas said, realizing that everything was falling apart quickly.
" Ada, what is going on?" Amúntel demanded. " What are they talking about?" He looked at the two older twins, his eyes searching theirs. I have often wondered why their eyes look so much like ours, so unique, so familiar…
" No…" Andúnel gasped just as he read his brother's thoughts. " No, this isn't… Adar, tell me this isn't true!"
" That night on the ship to the battle, over a century ago," Elrohir spoke. " That one night we spent together…you became pregnant? And you kept this from us?"
Legolas turned his head away, not knowing what to say. The ache suddenly returned and he didn't know how to control it. " Yes, they are your sons, both of yours," he whispered. " And yes, I kept this from you."
" WHY?!" Elladan demanded. " Why did you not tell us?! How could you deny us such a thing as our own children!"
" How can they both be both of ours?" Elrohir asked, his voice suddenly cold.
" You father said that you bore two halves of the same soul and it could happen when we spent our night together," the blonde answered as he placed a hand upon his chest, pressing lightly against the pain he felt. " That night…you both…and such I became with children."
" Our FATHER knew of this?!" Elladan was outraged. " And he never told us?!"
" I swore him to secrecy before I even allowed him to fully examine me," Legolas told them instantly, his tone somewhat pleading. " He urged me to tell you, but I didn't. I thought it best for you to remain free instead of tied down. You both made it clear that that night was not something that was a rare occurrence."
" They are our sons!" Elladan motioned to the two young Elves who sat in shock upon the couch, unable to speak, but then he shook his head. " How do we even know they are ours?"
Legolas' eyes were filled with hurt at this accusation, " I have never lain with any other ellyn but you two. You father is who told me all of this. I did not even know I was with child until he told me. Even he did not believe I was with twins."
Elladan growled, " Then how could you be so selfish as to hide them from us?"
It was then that the auburn-haired twins were shaken from their disbelief by those hurtful words. They saw the look upon their father's face, the hurt and pain that was always there yet never as pronounce as it was at that moment. Amúntel let out a low growl. " Don't you ever speak like that to him again!" he jumped up from his seat. " Do you know why he didn't tell you about us? We've asked him the same question all our lives and it has always been the same answer! He did not wish to take away your freedom to do as you pleased! Know why? Because he has been in love with our father - the both of you - since we can remember!"
" You don't know what you're talking about," Elladan declared.
" Nay, it is you who does not know," he frowned. " Our father has always been honest with us about this, told us how we came to be, why he kept us secret, why he would not tell us who our other sire was. He loved you and that night all he wished for was something to keep of you, so he would not forget. That is how we came to be. He loved you! Elbereth, he still loves you!" It was then that the younger twin realized what he had said. It was also at that very moment that Legolas' eyes rolled back and he collapsed to the ground.
" Ada!" Andúnel cried out, rushing to his father's side. He turned to his brother. " Go call Uncle Aragorn. He's chilled like ice! The spells have worsened!"
Within moments his brother had unlocked the door and was gone. Elrohir kneeled next to Legolas on his others side, watching as Andúnel pulled his father into his lap, moving his hair away from his closed eyes. He slid his hand down and touched the blonde's cheeks, feeling the strange coldness. He then closed his own eyes and reached out to the archer's spirit trying to feel what was wrong. Pureblooded Elves were never as chilled as he was even in the winter, for they did not feel the weather. But all he felt was a strange pull as if Legolas was trying to get away, to lose himself. His eyes flew open for he knew this feeling.
" It's Grief," he whispered. " He's Fading."
" What?" Elladan stared at him. " You mean the Elven Sickness? But why would he tell no one? It could not have simply come over night!"
" What did you mean when you spoke of 'spells'?" Elrohir asked Legolas' son…his son.
" Ever since we were born, he has had spells of fatigue, where he would become very tired and need to rest," he explained. " They are usually not this bad. The stress must have made them worse."
" No, this is not some simple bout of fatigue," the younger twin Peredhel shook his head. " Your father is suffering from Grief and has for a very long time, from what you say. It has finally overwhelmed him. 'Tis a feat to fight it off for so long. If something is not done he will fade to Mandos."
" No!" Andúnel shook his head fervently as he hugged his father closer. " This isn't happening, he will not fade. He CANNOT… Ada, saes koiva…saes Adar. YOU are our only true father. We can't lose you. We're sorry we ever brought any of this up." Elladan and Elrohir watched as the auburn-haired Edhel cradled his sire to his chest with saddened expressions, awaiting the arrival of his brother and the king. A strange weight settled within their stomachs, neither knowing how this would turn out in the end.
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/ He could feel them touching him, their hands inciting a burning heat that he had never before felt. He had lain with few Elf-maidens before, but never had he wanted another male, not like he wanted the sons of Elrond. Ever since he was a child, he had looked up to them for being older and wiser, like his elder brothers, Thôredhel, Lagorwest, and Glosshen. But since the day that they had opened his eyes, helped him to release the pain over his mother's death, he had seen them in a different light.
The Battle for Middle Earth was finally coming to a head, the weight of defeat so near and yet victory within their grasp, as long as they retained their hope in the two young hobbits who treaded into the bowls of Mordor. He needed the comfort, the reassurance that a warrior would at times receive from his fellow comrades. He knew of it, knew that it happened in Mirkwood often, as warriors would in turn become mates if it went that far, but that was not as usual. But never had he even thought about seeking such solace…until the Twins of Elrond…Elladan and Elrohir.
They saw the worry in his face, the slight grief he felt at the inevitable losses that they would face, the people who would die far before their time, and those they had already felt. They offered him comfort and he wanted to deny them, wanted to tell them he was all right. But they could see the truth in his eyes, as they always could within their centuries of friendship. And how could he refuse the one desire he had prayed for in his most secret of dreams for so long?
" We do not often allow another within our bond," Elladan whispered as his lips ghosted along the golden blonde's abdomen. " But we know that you need this, mellonamin, for you need release before this battle. You will be the first in almost a millennia." The lips clasped onto his left nipple, sucking and nibbling at the same time, causing short gasps to come from his dry lips.
The ship rocked as they moved, making Legolas almost feel as if he was being lured to sleep, but he was also fueled by the fire that would most certainly not be put out should even the water outside reach him. The sea was so soothing, yet demanding at the same time. He could feel the call now, the one that the fair Lady Galadriel had warned him of. He could not halt its siren voice now, but merely ignored it as best he could until it was indeed his time to leave the shores of his home.
Elrohir stroked his hair and he sat behind him, his pale back pressed against the peredhel's slightly tanned chest as the raven-haired one opened his mouth to lick at the tip of his ear. As with all Elves, this caused a spiral of untamed fire to spread to his point of need, making him arch even more into Elladan's hands and mouth. " You are not alone, Laiqualasse," Elrohir cooed into his ear. " We are here for you, little Leaf… We will always be here."
His chest felt chilled, though he would normally not feel it, the wind from a gentle breeze swept in from a crack within the closed window of the room. Aragorn and Gimli were on deck, Gimli due to seasickness and Aragorn to watch their way. They would not be able to hear them with the sound of the waves so loud against the sides of the ship. Suddenly, delicious heat enclosed over him and an empty cry escaped his lips. With wide eyes, he turned to the sight of the dark head hovering above his lower body while the mouth continued to excite his raging blood even more.
" Uhnn…Ell…Elladan…" he gasped. " Saes…saes…"
" Hush, lass-tithen," the elder twin murmured. " Let us take care of you." It was then that he was lost to their power, forever gone. The pleasure they gave him lasted until late in the night, but all that mattered was that he had gotten his wish. That was…until they spoke that morning.
" Hannon lle, mellyn nin," he thanked them tiredly, his body full sated.
" Think nothing of it," Elrohir told him with a smile. " You are our dearest friend…and will always be. We would do anything for you, this is no different."
" Aye, we may be with one another," Elladan added, " but we will always help another in need, especially when they are as close to us as family. As close to us as you, Laiqualasse."
It was no worse than a shot to the heart with a poisonous arrow, though he could not understand why. He had known that it would only be this once, that such a thing would never happened again. They love one another far too much to even think of a permanent 'addition', he told himself realistically, yet sadly at the same time. It would be as if giving a person an extra leg, unneeded and obviously restrictive to the rest of his body. It was then that he first felt the ache that would plague him for so long.
Oh dear Elbereth he prayed in depression. Allow me at least one gift to remind me of this night, whether it is even something as simple as a breeze of their scent on lonely nights. I know I will love no other, and I never could, for my heart has already bound itself to them. May it be that my soul never wishes to as well, for then I would surely die. He knew not that he would be gifted with something so wonderful as to help his strengthen soul and yet bring such sorrow for years to come…/
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/ " Legolas what is wrong?" He turned to face the concerned silver/grey eyes of Elrond Peredhil who stepped up towards him from the one side of the room.
" I am fine milord," he assured him. " Nothing is amiss. What is it you wished to speak to me about?"
" Your attendant, who draws your bath in the morning, said that you were ill and have been all week," the elder Elf stared at him. " She came to me personally because she was concerned and did not wish to worry her King when he already has so much to do."
" I am fine," he told him. " It is just because of being relieved of all the stress finally. After a year it has taken finding different ways of leaving my system."
Elrond's silver/grey eyes bore into him, reading him although he wished not to let him. But he had never been able to deny the Lord of Imladris and knew he could not now. Within the privacy of the Peredhel's sitting room, the two would not be disturbed for a while and that left Legolas open and feeling vulnerable. " There is a pain inside you," the dark-haired elf told him. " But you ignore it, deny it, push it away. It is not the sea-longing, though I know you feel it. It is something far deeper that bears the sorrow over something else."
He reached out to the blonde sitting next to him and touched his stomach. Legolas froze, unsure as to why he would do such a thing. He felt a slight heat flow over his abdomen and then a soothing release as if all tension had left his body. He let out a sigh before leaning back into the corner of the couch. " Wh-What did you do?"
" I only used my ability as a healer to find out what I could already sense was true," he stated. " Legolas…you are with child."
Blue eyes widened before a hand came to clutch at the blonde's chest. " No," he shook his head. " This can't be true! Nay! I…I have only…You must be wrong…"
" I would not lie about something like this," he seemed sterner about that, as if it was an affront to his very practice as a healer. " But I must give a full examination, to know that you and the child are healthy. I can only do this with your permission for something feels different with this child. Something I have never felt before."
" There is something wrong with my child?" he asked, fear tinting his words. " What could be wrong?"
" I know not," Elrond admitted. " That is why I must examine you."
" But…" Legolas wanted to say no. This was too much. He was with CHILD. He knew that some Silvan Ellyn could have children and his great-grandfather had given birth to the late queen's own mother, his grandmother. But they had believed that due his father being Sinda that his children would be more than less probable to have the male-begetting trait. It seems they had been wrong.
He must check my child, he realized. He believes something is wrong. Then he realized something. The twins! Which one is the father? How will I ever know? They are identical! My child will look like both or neither if he looks like me. How can I tell? He then thought of the wish he had made on that night two months before. He had practically begged Elbereth for such a gift. And his wish had been granted.
I shall forever have this remembrance, this piece of me that is also part of one of them. In a way he felt lighter at that thought, knowing his child would be both his and one of the twins'. But which one? Could Elrond tell him? Elrond!! He is the grandfather! How can I tell him I bear his first grandchild, though I cannot tell him which of his sons is the sire? He will think me a whore! Or believe that I seduced one of his sons from the side of his beloved twin. How can I tell him?!
Elrond noticed the pallor overwhelming the young Prince's skin. It was obvious that his thoughts only seemed to bring more harm by upsetting him. He had to find a way to calm him, else it could bring harm to the child growing within him. Stress like this would only lead to premature birth or miscarriage. " Legolas, please tell me what troubles you," he asked. " I will not reveal this information to any other. As a healer that would be confidential and only you could allow me to release it."
" Then I swear you to secrecy," the blonde whispered in a soft, saddened voice. " Though if I tell you, I know you will not think well of me. You will believe things that I would not blame you for. I have thought them of myself."
" I will think no ill of you," Elrond told him reassuringly. " Nor will I tell another, unless you ask it of me. This I swear on my duty as a healer."
Blue eyes turned away, staring at the pale, trembling hands in his lap. " I sought comfort before the Battle of Pelennor Fields," he started. " I-I knew we would lose many, most young men barely into their majority, barely into the ripeness of their lives. He-They offered me solace so that I would not falter in battle."
" THEY?" Elrond's eyes widened as if just realizing something of great importance. " You speak of my sons, of Elladan and Elrohir."
Legolas' head flew upwards. " How…"
" My dreams spoke of this," he told him. " Of my grandchild who would be of both my sons, though birthed by neither. I never saw who the mother could possibly be, but now I understand why I would always see a glimpse of golden hair."
" Y-Your dr-dreams?" Legolas whispered. " The Valar knew I would ask for this?"
" It appears so, for I have had this dreams for many centuries," he spoke. " But you were only around two hundred when they began."
" Two hundred?" It was when he first knew he had fallen for the sons of Elrond, when he admiration and affection turned into a longing love. He was slowly coming to accept this, although one thing still confused him. " But how could it be possible for my child to have three sires, two being the ones to give their seed? Would Elbereth perform such a confusing miracle for me?"
" It would be possible," Elrond spoke, " had seed from both my sons reached the unturned soil within you. I take it that they both…?" He didn't finish the question, it being somewhat awkward to ask concerning his own two sons and their sexual interactions. Legolas refused to look at him and he was not surprised, for the blonde sought to hide the increasing blush on his ears and face, yet it was enough to give him his answer.
" They are of one soul," he continued. " Bonded in everything they do. Perhaps their spiritual link goes so far as to include something such as this. But it could merely be the blessing given to you by the Lady. Not all things should be questioned, only accepted as they are."
" Are you sure my child will be from BOTH of them?" he asked once more for reassurance.
" I know what I saw in my dreams," Elrond placed a gentle hand on his arm. " Hair rich with colors of the sunrise and sunset, eyes of the bloodline of Eärendil, and laughter that filled the halls with happiness. A soul as two bonded into one, though neither able to be separate, much like the twins themselves. Your child will be a wonderful one, indeed, though my dream did seem strange in ways."
" What ways?" the prince asked earnestly. " Please tell me all, nothing must be left out."
" It only is that the child that appears within the dream changes often, time becoming off, less decisive," Elrond tried to explain the complexities of his vision. " He would be in one place at one time and the next second he could be in an absolute other, but it never seemed as if the time had changed at all. My dreams usually do not come in such flashes of time less it is over a great expanse of it. This merely seems as if it goes day by day.
" If the aura of the child was not so distinct and similar in all the visions," he then gave a small chuckle. " I would have believed you were to bear twins. But even the halves of the soul between my own sons are not completely identical, for they are not both the exact same half, much like the cutting of an apple." He tried to think of a way to better explain what he was trying to convey.
" Both sides would appear perfectly identical," he went on, " but there would always be one small detail that was to the contrary, whether it be a side was more round than its opposite, or another seemed more bruised, thus defining which side of the apple was which though only through serious and close observation. There were no differences within the spiritual aura of the child I saw."
Legolas let out a small sigh as he turned his eyes to his still flat abdomen. It was almost too much to believe, knowing that he carried a new life within him, growing and shaping into a child that he would raise, care for, and protect for the rest of his life.
" You should tell my sons soon, they will be most happy," Elrond told him. " They love chil-"
" Tell them?" Legolas seemed to become even paler, if it was possible. " I cannot tell them! They must NEVER know!"
Elrond gave him a disapproving stare. " They have the right, as being the sires of this child," he told him. " This should be a gift of joy, not a deeply hidden secret."
Legolas shook his head vehemently. " I cannot do that," he stated. " It would clip their wings like that of a caged bird, forever chained to one that they spent but one night with. They took pity on me that night, like they would do for any friend and comrade. I would not burden them with my mistake. It would destroy their freedom."
" Freedom?" Elrond repeated. " Legolas, see reason, this child will need more than one father."
" My own father raised me well, just as he was raised alone by his own adar," the blonde pointed out. " I shall care for my child and he OR she will be born within my new home beneath the boughs of Ithilien, once we begin to build it. My child will have all the love that my people and I can provide. I will not bring hate into its life such as that, for your sons will most assuredly despise me for wishing to become pregnant without even consulting either of them. They will see it as a deep betrayal."
" Will they not also feel betrayal for hiding their child, my grandchild, from them?" he inquired. " Why would you do such a thing to yourself and them?"
" I asked for something to remember the night my one true wish came true, called upon Elbereth to grant my wish," Legolas stated, tears filling his eyes. " They knew nothing of it, they know not even how I feel. How can I ask of them to give up their wandering ways and settle when it is not what they want and most certainly not the person they wish to do it with. I will be the extra limb that hinders them, one they do not need. So to prevent this, they will not know of my child until after he is born and then, should they ask, I will say what I will repeat to all: My child's other sire is gone, passed over the sea as so many of our people have done."
Elrond stared into the despairing eyes of the young Elf, who by far was only just past his first half millennia. He was so young, by all standards. And yet he was still also considered an adult by the traditions of their people, able to make the decisions of one. It seemed that the past year had done much to change the warm, yet serious youngest child of Thranduil. The War of the Ring had taken away the innocence that he'd once possessed, the childlike love for the world and those in it…even if he'd had reservations about Dwarves for quite some time. He was wise and his spirit older than his years, such was what one was 'rewarded' with in war.
" I see your choice has been made," he sighed. " Though I advise against it and will continue to do so…I will not break your confidence. I shall not tell them, even if I believe you should."
" Hannon lle," Legolas thanked him gracefully. Elrond placed a gentle hand on the blonde's still flat stomach, feeling the aura of the growing life. " I shall care well for my child. May you take time together to know each other when we have passed over the sea after Aragorn's passing."
" Yes," Elrond sighed. " For you know I will not be on these shores much longer."
" You duty has been fulfilled and you long for your beloved wife," the blonde understood. " I just hope you will stay a short while longer."
" Only until after the birth of Arwen and Aragorn's firstborn," he stated. " That will not be far off."
" At least you have known of your first grandchild," he said. " I admit I would feel guilt should I meet you again and present a grandchild that you never knew of, nor expected, though it be you who told me of his or her coming."
" Remember that I love my family and all those I consider part of it," he told him. " Even had they not been of my sons' conception, I would have thought your child a part of my family."
It was obvious the blonde was becoming self-conscious, whether it was something of his youth that he had not grown out of or due to the hormones of his pregnancy, Elrond knew not, but he doubted this would be healthy for the child. He recalled the problems Glorien, late Queen of Mirkwood, had when she was pregnant with Lagorwest and Legolas himself. Thranduil had been near the point of begging him to come to the forest realm with how sickly his wife had been.
" Be sure to take care of yourself," Elrond warned him. " Stress will lead to troubles for both you and your child. You must allow yourself to let go of this depression around you."
" Do not fear for me, milord," Legolas gave him a sad yet determined smile. " I shall stand against the call of the sea, so shall I prevail against the petty wound in my heart. 'Tis nothing that will not heal in time…" Oh, how wrong he would be… /
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Translations:
Ada/Adar- Dad/Daddy/Father
Ata'da- Grandfather
Ellon/Ellyn- Male Elf (sing)/Male Elves (pl)
Iaur-naneth- Grandmother/Elder mother (rough wording)
Naneth- Mother
Edhel/Edhil- Elf (sing)/Elves (pl)
Amin hiraetha- I'm sorry
'Ada, saes koiva…saes Adar'- 'Dad/Daddy, please wake…please father'
Mellonamin- My friend
Peredhel/Peredhil- Half-Elf (sing)/Half-Elves (pl)/Half-Elven
Lass-tithen- Little leaf
Hannon lle, mellyn nin- Thank you, my friends
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JC: Okay, this was a long chapter that only got longer when we went through and fixed it.
Kathrine: We do hope that it is less confusing than we thought it would be. Do not worry, the questions ARE going to be answered eventually.
JC: And no, we won't tell you who's going to die.
Kathrine: As you can see, BOTH twins are the fathers. Hence why we said pick a pairing, ANY pairing. Only one person got that answer correct. We also warned about possible incest in the first chapter.
JC: And Paladin's name does come from Pippin's father. In our little world, Boromir thought to honor the one who saved his father from burning by naming his son after HIS father. So his son's name is Paladin.
Kathrine: Okay, now everything comes down to the next chapter.
JC: If the chapters cut out right, you guys on AFFNet just might be getting a lemon. FFNet, sorry, but we are so not into getting in trouble for this. Anyway, leave us review! That way we know if anything was too confusing. If you have questions, ask and we'll answer next chapter.
Kathrine: And to Sosugarspun, I hope this explains the bit about Legolas. We know his father is Sinda, but we have always thought of his mother as being Silvan.
JC: There has to be a reason why he calls himself Silvan/Wood Elf throughout LOTR. He doesn't even mention his father, except as his King.
Kathrine: Okay, we'll see ya in two days. Ja ne!