Disclaimer: Filig is my creation, all the rest are that of the illustrious J.R.R.Tolkien, of which I am insanely jealous for having such prowess in the field of writing. Alas, my drivel will have to do for now.
A/N: I was told by someone, that Elvish words for "Grandfather" and "Grandmother" were sketchy at best and so I went to someone in the Elvish speaking community and they said that Adaron and Nanethon would suffice and that Adon and Nanon would be good diminutives. If anyone else can tell me different, by all means, I'm always open to suggestions.
The door creaked open and a little face peered around the doorframe. The room was filled with morning sunlight streaming through the open window. A light breeze gently blew the wispy curtains and the scent of blossoming flowers wafted throughout the halls. A little boy walked in and over to one side of the large bed.
The figure that lay on that side was lightly snoring still when the boy took his little hands and shook the person awake.
"Adon! Come quick! It's Lily, I think there's something wrong with her!"
In a flash, the figure was awake, looking wildly around the room. Blurry gray eyes came to rest on the small boy beside the bed.
"What's the matter Filig?"
"It's Lily," the child said, tugging at Aragorn's sleeve, "Hurry Adon!"
Groaning inwardly, for Lily was the child's dog, Aragorn quickly donned his dressing robe and followed.
There, in the child's closet, was Lily, lying on the bed Aragorn had made for her. She was on her side and panting heavily. Aragorn smiled, drawing the boy to him.
"There is nothing wrong with Lily, she is going to have her pups now."
"Really?"
"Really," Aragorn said.
"We have to go find Nanon!" the little boy squealed in delight.
"Nanon is already here," came Arwen's voice from behind them.
"Come see!" Filig said, taking her hand and running her over to where Lily lay.
Aragorn bent and laid his healer hands on Lily's stomach.
"It won't be long at all," he said to his wife, "We should have pups by this evening."
Just then, Lily whimpered a bit.
"Why is she sad?" Filig asked his grandfather.
"She's not sad little one, but it hurts her to have the pups."
"She isn't going to die...is she?" he asked, eyes wide with fear, "like Nana?"
By now, Aragorn was sitting on the floor and he gathered Filig into his lap. He glanced at his wife, knowing that this conversation wasn't going to be an easy one.
"She'll be alright, and soon you'll have pups to play with."
"Nana died when she had a baby..." the four year old said.
Aragorn remembered that day vividly in his mind. Eldarion had been inconsolable at the loss of his wife but to lose a child as well...the grief was unimaginable. That had been nearly six months ago and they were all still grieving.
At first, Eldarion had clung to Filig as if he were a lifeline but soon, he just buried his nose in his work. Even now, he was out on a campaign with the White Guard.
"Your mother was sick when she had the baby and he was born much too early. She was very weak and the strain of it was just too much for either of them to bear. There was nothing anyone could have done," Aragorn told the child in his lap.
"She was alright until the baby came out."
This broke Aragorn's heart. Did Filig blame the baby, another boy, for his mother's death?
"It's not the baby's fault Filig, he was too little even to live, let alone cause your mother's death."
Filig was silent for a while.
"Can I watch the puppies come?"
Aragorn released the breath he didn't know he was holding.
"We'll see," Arwen said, "It might be passed the time for bed."
"Alright," he said, getting up from Aragorn's lap, "Can I go play till then?"
"How about getting ready for breakfast instead," Aragorn said.
Filig nodded and skipped out of his room to find his governess.
"Does he really think that the baby was the cause of Míriel's death?" Aragorn asked Arwen as she helped him up.
"I cannot say. But he is young and his grief will be short. It is his father that worries me. When is Eldarion due to return?"
"He is due any time. And for the sake of his son, let us hope that it is soon indeed."
With that, they both retired to their room to dress.
The day passed quickly and was uneventful, save for Filig giving his governess a headache when it came time for him to bathe. He was dressed in his nightclothes when Arwen came to tuck him in and say goodnight. As she thought, he was sitting next to Lily, watching her intently.
"Still no pups?" she asked.
"No," Filig said with an exasperated sigh.
"Well, maybe tomorrow then. Come, its time for bed."
"Please Nanon? Can't I stay up to see?"
Arwen sighed.
"Filig, she may not even have them until tomorrow morning. If you stayed up all night, you'd be too tired to stay awake when they came."
Filig looked up at her with big grey eyes but she held firm.
"Enough my little bird, its time for you to sleep."
"But..." he started to protest.
"Not another word young man, into bed with you."
Reluctantly, he got up from his post and went over to his bed and crawled in. Arwen tucked the covers up around him and bent to kiss him goodnight.
"Where is Adon?" Filig asked.
"He's in his study still. Would you like me to send him in when he's finished?"
The boy nodded.
"Alright then, go to sleep and Adon will be in to kiss you goodnight," she said, kissing the boy's forehead.
She rose and blew out the sconces on the wall save one, and left the room. Walking down the hall, she could see a faint light coming from beneath the door to the King's study. She gently knocked on the door before going in. To her surprise, she was met not only by her husband, but Eldarion had returned and was with his father.
"Mae govannen, Naneth," Eldarion said, taking her hands and kissing her cheek, "It's good to be home."
She took him into an embrace and returned the greeting.
"Why did you not come to say goodnight to your son?" she asked.
"I knew the moment I walked through that door, he would never get to sleep tonight so I thought it best if I waited until he was asleep."
Aragorn chuckled.
"I never learned that lesson I'm afraid," he said.
"Indeed," Arwen added, "I had enough trouble getting him to bed as it was. He insisted that the moment he went to sleep would be when Lily had her pups."
"Still nothing yet?" Aragorn asked. Arwen shook her head no.
"Pups?" Eldarion questioned, "Lily went into labor?"
"This morning," Aragorn said, "I had thought she would have had them by now but nature has its own plan."
"I told him you'd be in to kiss him goodnight when you were done Estel."
Aragorn nodded and the three of them headed for Filig's room. Upon opening the door, it was all they could do not to laugh at the sight before them. Filig had taken his pillow and was fast asleep on the floor next to Lily's small bed.
"I guess he decided not to abandon his post after all," Eldarion said.
"And look," Aragorn said, "He was right too."
He gestured to Lily for beside her were four small, wet, and squirming puppies. Arwen went over to the bed and picked up Filig's favorite blanket, giving it to her son. Gently, Eldarion draped the blanket over his own child and bent to kiss his son's head.
"He'll certainly have a surprise in the morning," he commented.
"And so will all of us," Aragorn said, thinking back to that morning.
They chuckled softly as Aragorn bent down to check that Lily and the pups were all right, giving the dog a gentle scratch behind her ears. Satisfied that Lily had things well in hand, they left the room and headed for their own.
Eldarion paused a moment, knowing that he would return to an empty chamber and an empty bed. Knowing what was in his son's heart, Aragorn put his hand on Eldarion's shoulder.
"I miss her, father. With every breath, every moment, I long for her still."
"We all miss her nín ion, and I know that the wound is still fresh and the grief is still near. But she would not want you to mourn her so. She would want you to be happy in life. Don't let the walls of life close in around you. You still have Filig...and you still have us. And when you're ready, your heart will suddenly not feel so heavy and the grief not as strong and soon, all that will remain will be the joy and the happiness."
Blinking back the tears, Eldarion turned to his father and embraced him.
"Thank you Ada."
Aragorn returned the embrace and then retired to his own chambers.