A/N: Tying up loose ends in this chapter. Notice that there is a large time lapse between the break in this chapter. Stay tuned for Epilogue.

Chapter 33- Decisions

The rest of that day had been quiet, but Legolas had stolen her away more than once for short bits of alone time. There had been no other interruptions, and Emlin was sure she had made the right decision about Nindë. It had actually turned out to be quite a delightful day despite the ominous beginnings.

She sighed and rested further back against Legolas' chest as he encircled an arm about her waist. Emlin adjusted the book in front of her, and then flipped to the next page. She would have tried to adjust it better so Legolas could read like he said he was, though it appeared that the book was the last thing on his mind as his hands caressed up her stomach and over her breasts, to her exposed collar bone and then down her arm to start over. Then he took playing with her hair, removing it from where it was draped over her shoulders to behind them, revealing her neck to him, so he leaned down and placed a trail of kisses from her shoulder up to her ear. His hand fell to her hip and drew small circles there, sending a shiver up her back. She giggled and lolled her head back against him. This obviously was the reaction he wanted as he leaned over her, kissing her deeply and pushed her down so that her back laid fully against the chaise lounge and that he was partially on top of her.

"Why do you insist on doing this?" She questioned breathlessly between passionate kisses.

He laughed, "Because I can do this free of guilt now."

"But you think you would grow tired of this at some point." Emlin chuckled and reached up to wrap her fingers in his hair as he came back to plunder her lips.

"My stamina has grown over many years, meleth." Legolas replied, "That is how I can stay fighting in long battles."

Emlin rolled her eyes and pushed the book beside her to the ground, it landing with a soft thump on the stone floor. He continued his assault upon her, growing quite a bit carried away with the partial removal of his tunic, the untying of her dress strings and the hiking of her skirt. She stopped him, however reluctantly, and gazed up at him, "We cannot do this here, Legolas."

"And why not?" He asked. "No one will come to the library this evening when there is such a fine night to be had outside of the cave."

"But you do not know that." Emlin said, but he did not care as he drew her lips to his again. It again grew heated and passionate, but that was until she heard the clearing of someone's throat over them. She did not want to open her eyes to see who it was, but she was the only one able to look at the moment, as it seemed Legolas had not felt or heard the intrusion of another person in the room. With a deep sigh, she opened her eyes, and felt a deep blush creep to her cheeks. "Good evening, Uncle Rúmil."

Legolas froze atop her suddenly, and quickly removed himself from her. She was sure she saw a blush upon his cheeks as well. Her uncle laughed, "I understand that you two are newly wed, and I condone this type of thing whenever you can get the chance, but next time latch the door."

Emlin laughed nervously and stood up quickly. "Is there something you needed, Uncle?"

"I was going to ask if you had seen Aranel at all." Rúmil said, another smile flickering upon his features. "But it is apparent to me that your cousin is the last thing on your mind."

"Why are you looking for Aranel?" She asked, though she remembered something Aranel had told her the previous day, but she did not think of anything of it as her mind was on the wedding and not on Aranel.

"We saw her for the morning meal only, and we have not seen her since she left to go for archery lessons with Valandir." Rúmil replied.

Emlin knew exactly what Aranel was doing, and she glanced back at Legolas with a small smile. He also seemed to know exactly what happened to Aranel, though he would never tell Rúmil about it. Legolas came up behind her, putting an arm around her waist, "We will help you look for her, Rúmil. Have you seen Valandir recently?"

Rúmil paused and shook his head, then realization swept over him at the mention of Valandir not being around either. "If that elf touches her in anyway..."

"Now, Uncle," Emlin laughed, "Do not start acting like my father."

"But I saw how he was acting with her at your arrival banquet and again last eve!" Rúmil exclaimed, "I would at least think he would have the decency to speak with me first."

Legolas chuckled, "Rúmil, whether you will admit it or not, you are acting exactly like Haldir. Valandir is honorable, and he would do nothing to harm your daughter."

"That is true, Uncle." Emlin nodded her head. "Do not be worried for Aranel's sake. She is now grown."

"Do not say that Emlin." Rúmil replied exasperatedly. "It was hard enough admitting to myself that I did not need to castrate Legolas for harming my young niece."

"I did, Uncle." Emlin smiled, "She is grown and can make her own decisions. Just remember what happened with me and Ada."

Rúmil gave her a sarcastic smirk. "I remember it well, but that is because you are exactly like your father. Now I am off to find my daughter and to castrate Valandir if I find him with her."

She and Legolas watched as her uncle left the room, the door slamming slightly as he stepped out. Emlin turned to Legolas, "Did you know that Valandir was taking Aranel out to practice archery?"

"I did." Legolas smiled. "He asked me if I thought it would be fine."

Emlin furrowed her brows. "Why did you do that?! You saw what Valandir did with me, even when he knew you had feelings for me. How do you think he will act with Aranel?"

Legolas chuckled and kissed her cheek, "I am not worried, meleth. As you say, Valandir is honorable, though slightly more wanton with his ways, but would never hurt your cousin."

"Nevertheless, we need to try to find them before my uncle does." Emlin said.

"But I will not be one to say that Valandir needs to stop his pursuit of Aranel." Legolas said, "I believe he genuinely likes her."

Emlin nodded, and smiled. "I do not wish to stop them. I only want to warn them. They at least deserve that. And I believe that Aranel genuinely sees Valandir as a formidable lover."

He chuckled, "Why do I have a feeling that you have plans outside of just warning them."

"Because I do." Emlin giggled, running a finger along his jaw. "We will be in need of a new handmaiden without Nindë."

He raised a curious eyebrow as he thought of her comment. "And Aranel has had her training in such to Lady Galadriel, so she knows what is required of a being a lady's handmaiden. Why, that is a very good idea, meleth... except I wonder how we will get Rúmil and Narië to agree, especially with knowing about Valandir."

"I will have to swear my soul away that nothing will happen to her, but I can make it happen." Emlin said.

"There will be no swearing of souls." Legolas replied, "I like your fëa right were it is."

She smiled and took a hold of his hand, pulling him towards the door. "You know Valandir better than I do, where do you think they could be?"

He gave her a sly smile, "Other than in his bed?"

"Valar forbid if my uncle should find them there." Emlin replied as they made their way down the long corridor, "I remember Valandir telling me that after practicing archery with an elleth, he takes her for a walk. They must be done with their walk by now."

"And why did Valandir tell you this?" Legolas asked as she continued to drag him along.

"I do recall a day of archery practice, that you grew uncomfortable with and had to leave in all haste." She said, seeing the question in his eyes. "And no, Valandir did not take advantage of me in anyway afterwards."

Legolas sighed and nodded his head. Fortunately, they did not have to go far down the corridor when they heard a light giggle coming from on down a side corridor to the right as they passed by. They stopped and gazed down the darker corridor, seeing the two shadows of ellon and elleth embracing each other. Legolas cleared his throat loudly enough that it echoed down the hall. Both Valandir and Aranel froze and looked down at them.

"Uncle Rúmil is looking for you, Aranel." Emlin called as she descended the hallway. "And will also be removing parts from Valandir's body if he finds him touching you."

Aranel backed away sheepishly, and looked towards the ground. Valandir only chuckled and drew her closely to his side. "Not to worry, Aranel. I know how dealing with overprotective fathers goes. I was by Legolas' side during his embattlement."

Aranel giggled and nodded her head, looking up at Emlin and Legolas. "I hope you are right."

"Valandir, if you do not mind, I will walk Aranel back to her chamber." Emlin said, taking a hold of Aranel's arm and pulling her from Valandir's grasp. "We have a few things to discuss."

"What could you possibly have to discuss at this very moment at this late hour?" He asked.

Legolas laughed and placed a hand on Valandir's shoulder, "It is best not to question the motives of my wife."

Valandir chuckled. "Oh really?"

"Besides what they need to speak of will benefit you in the long run." Legolas said.

Emlin chuckled, winking at Legolas before moving Aranel back on down the hall. She waited until she was a safe enough distance away to speak to Aranel. "So I see you enjoy Valandir a great deal?"

Aranel nodded her head and sighed distantly. "I enjoy him very much, Emlin."

"I will not dawdle around the reason I took you away from Valandir." Emlin smiled, "You see, Legolas and I will be in need of a new handmaiden since we no longer have Nindë in our service. And I believe that since the attraction between you and Valandir is mutual, you will wish to spend more time with him. He is Legolas' advisor, and if you accept, you will be a handmaiden, free to spend as much time with him as you wish."

"Nana and Ada will never let it happen." Aranel said, "But I will accept the invitation to be your handmaiden if they allow me to go."

Emlin sighed and stopped in front of Aranel's door. "Aranel, you must remember you are considered grown now at fifty seven. I think your parents will let you go."

"And here you are filling my daughter's head with wishful thinking."

They both looked up startled to find Rúmil standing over them. Aranel scoffed, "But Ada..."

Rúmil put his hand up to silence her for a moment. "This idea has already circulated between your mother and I, Aranel. We wish to see you leave and experience other things, and we trust that you will be safe with Legolas and Emlin, but with an added threat of Valandir, I am not so sure."

"You cannot be serious, Ada." Aranel said.

Rúmil sighed reluctantly, "I suppose that since Emlin was allowed to do this, I can let you go to Ithilien to see other parts of the world."

Aranel squealed slightly and jumped into her father's arms. "Thank you, Ada."

"Just promise me that you will let your mother and me know if you are to bind with anyone." Rúmil said.

"You need not worry." Aranel smiled. "I only just met Valandir three days ago."

Emlin saw the frown on her uncle's face and had to laugh. Just like her father.

1 Súlimë, Year 10 of the Fourth Age

Minas Tirith

Guests of the King and Queen

-Nine months after the binding of Legolas and Emlin-

"Arwen, how are you feeling?" Emlin asked quietly while dipping a cloth into cool water and wringing it out. She folded the soft cloth up and carefully sat upon the large bed, leaning over the Queen as she wiped away the beads of perspiration away from her face.

Arwen's eyes opened slowly, and she let a small, exhausted smile form upon her face. "I am glad it is over."

Emlin chuckled lowly and continued to bathe Arwen as well as she could. It had been a long labor and birthing of the child, strenuous enough for that of human birth, but even more so for Arwen as she was Elvish. Emlin had been present at only one birth since her training as a healer, and that was of a human, so she had been quite nervous about being called to tend Arwen as her midwife. Arwen had been gracious and helpful, though, well for as much as she could manage with the pains going through her body. The actual birthing had been easy, it was just sitting around anxiously waiting for that time to come and hearing Arwen's fits of pain that no spell could help that had been hard on her. Well, that was not including the numerous times Aragorn came in to question her continuously on the status of the birth. It had become so bothersome, Emlin even had to call for Legolas to tend to Aragorn's nerves.

But if there was one thing that Emlin realized out of this whole process, that while the outcome was joyous, getting there was another story. And she was very worried for when the time came for her to go through her first labor, even though she was at a point in her life where she was ready to have children if Legolas would facilitate that happening.

Arwen sighed, "You look perplexed Emlin."

"I am." Emlin said. "Part of me wishes to become a mother, but the other part, especially after seeing this and tending to you, is frightened for what I could suffer."

Arwen smiled brightly and stopped Emlin's hand from wiping the cloth along her arm. "Emlin, every female worries about that. But you realize, the instant you look into the eyes of what you and your husband have created, all of the pain and suffering is nothing. It is worth it."

"I will believe you." Emlin said and sighed, continuing her work.

"Which reminds me, how long have I been resting?" Arwen asked.

"All day. It is nearly dusk." Emlin replied.

"And were have my child and husband gone off to?" Arwen looked about the very large room.

Emlin chuckled, "The last time I checked, Aragorn was carrying your son around, explaining to him the finer points of swordsmanship and showing him off to anyone who wandered by."

"He is not even a day old, and Aragorn is filling my son's head with stories of slaying orcs?" Arwen asked exasperatedly. "Good gracious."

"That is not so bad." Emlin said quietly, remembering a story her mother had told her a long while ago. "Naneth said that Ada put a bow into my hand when I was only two days old."

Arwen smiled and nodded, "That is true. I remember your mother's anger very well, especially when he started talking about killing orcs."

"I suppose it is the prerogative of a father to do such a thing." Emlin replied.

"It is. But my Adar had it out of his body by the time I came around. My brothers took up all of that." Arwen said. "Have they arrived yet?"

"Your brothers?" Emlin questioned, "Nay, they have not, though a messenger came in a while ago saying that the party from Imladris met up with the party from Edoras last eve. They should be close."

Arwen nodded her head and grew quiet again. "I had hoped your mother would be here already. She threatened me at your birth with being here to laugh at me at the birth of my first child. I teased her relentlessly about the noises she was making, and she was not very happy about that."

Emlin laughed, "Sounds like my mother."

"I need to walk around the room for a little bit." Arwen said, "I am growing antsy staying in this one spot."

Emlin nodded and helped Arwen from the bed, staying close beside her for extra support if she needed it. Indeed, Arwen was still weak from her ordeal, but the walk was exactly what had been needed. Just as Arwen was situating herself back into the clean bed, the door burst open and in came a barreling Aragorn with a wailing babe in his hands.

"Thank Elbereth you are awake!" Aragorn replied, sitting beside Arwen and thrusting the child in her arms. Emlin had to laugh at his nervousness with the situation. Here he was a mighty king, having lived through so much, and he was nervous about the wailing of a small child.

Arwen laughed and looked down at the face of her son, knowing exactly what the babe wanted. She removed the shoulder of her shift and the babe took instantly to her breast. Emlin began to step out of the room as she heard Arwen inquire if he had been named yet. Aragorn had responded quickly and with a smile, "Eldarion."

Arwen smiled, "Eldarion. Son of the Eldar. Very good. I will not be a liar and say I worried how you would name him."

Aragorn chuckled, "Trust, meleth. But I am glad you like the name... Eldarion Telcontar."

"Even better, but you had no choice for the second name." Arwen replied. Emlin had to laugh at that. Once again she found it funny that he could run an entire kingdom, and Arwen had been worried about what her son would be named.

"Do not go yet Emlin!" Aragorn called. "I have business to tend to, and Arwen will need your help when she is finished."

Emlin nodded and stayed in the room as Aragorn hastily placed a kiss on Eldarion's forehead, and then on Arwen's lips. He left quickly out the side door, and the two women were left with the sounds of the suckling babe. Arwen grew tired again, though, rather quickly, and the child had been sated for a little while so Emlin took the very awake boy from Arwen as she instructed her to not worry and go to sleep. Doing exactly that, Emlin was left with the cooing child. She gazed down at the child's large blue eyes and smiled, cooing back and running a finger along his smooth, round cheek.

"Emlin, leave Eldarion." Arwen said, "I will be fine to care for him, and you deserve some rest."

"Aye, my lady." Emlin said, and whispered a sleeping spell to ensure that Arwen was asleep. But Emlin was too happy to sleep, even though her body told her differently. She had been awake for two days and nights tending to Arwen, never taking a moment to rest and her lack of rejuvenation was beginning to wear on her. For a few more moments, she walked about the room, carrying the child, humming a low lullaby that she remembered her mother singing to her as a child. Slowly, but surely, the babe dropped off into a deep sleep and she carried him to the bassinette beside the fire, placing him inside and covering him up with a soft blanket. She ran her hand over the child's already thick black hair and smiled to herself. Her maternal instincts were beginning to kick in.

She felt arms go about her waist as she gazed down at the child, and the warm, solid body press against her back. His lips kissed her hair and he whispered, "I do like the sight of you carrying around a babe."

"How long have you been watching me?" Emlin asked.

"When Arwen handed him to you." Legolas replied with a sigh.

Emlin continued to look down at the sleeping babe. "Can we just steal him, so I do not have to live with the pain of labor?"

Legolas let out a full laugh, "But that takes all the joy out of making the child. Besides, I think it would be very hard to pass him off as our own with dark hair and rounded ears. And I value my friendship with Arwen and Aragorn very much."

"Unfortunately, you are correct." Emlin nodded with a small chuckle.

"And this is why we are waiting awhile. I do not wish to put you through that pain until you are ready." He said.

"Legolas..." she began, but paused and sighed heavily. "I will never be ready for the pain. But for becoming a mother, I am more than ready."

Legolas tensed slightly and pulled back, stepping to her side to gaze down at her. "Emlin, you are not just saying that because of this whole occasion?"

"Nay, Legolas." Emlin replied. "I have been ready to give you children since our binding, but I decided to wait awhile to learn my fill of... other things... before I told you that."

He chuckled and pulled her harshly against him, planting his lips on hers. He stepped back with a smirk on his lips, "You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that."

Emlin giggled, "I have an idea."

"When shall we start this process, meleth?" He questioned, overly excited.

"After I have rested a little." Emlin replied. "I am quite tired."

Legolas nodded, and took a hold of her arm, guiding her out the door and to their chambers. "Sleep, meleth. And we will discuss this later."

Emlin laughed and followed his directions, quickly removing her gown and slipping beneath the covers of their bed. Unfortunately now she was too excited to sleep. She would be a mother in about a years time.

meleth- love

Ada- Dad

Nana- mom

Naneth- mother

Sulime- March. This date is two days before Aragorn's birthday. I thought that it would be fun to place their birthdays so close together.