Imperfection Chapter 2, a lord of the rings fanfic

AN: Nevermind brought up a whole load of important questions that I thought I'd try to answer before we go any further.

This fic IS AU... well yes... (although... apart from the Mpreg which is physically impossible, there's nothing REALLY in the literature that can prove this didn't happen...)

1) The ageing of the child and his blending in as Aragorn's son.

As you've suggested, I'm going on the idea that his small amount of human genetics will affect his ageing, if only a little. Think how little elven blood Aragorn has, and he lives to 200. I've also never heard a definitive answer regarding the physical growth of elves in their younger years. If there's something in the literature, please point it out to me because I'd love to know. Also, if you do the calculations, Arwen (and her brothers) and closer to 13/16ths elven (even Elrond wasn't precisely 50/50) and to the people of Gondor, who I would guess have never or very rarely seen elves, this is going to be more than elven enough to create elven babies, bearing in mind genetics wasn't even a concept back then. The fact that Arwen has chosen to live a mortal life has done nothing to the fact that she is Perhedil. She always will be, she's just made the decision to die at the end of it all.

2) Aragorn and the caesarean scar

Yes, I realise this is a little bit of an incongruity on my part... but he didn't recognise it, did he? As to the quality of the surgery... He's not exactly fine and dandy is he...

3) Arwen and the child

Arwen is dealt with in this chapter, though mostly I'm going on the idea that the ruling was one made in Mirkwood and therefore only applies to her inhabitants... I hope I covered this one OK in the chapter, since this was your largest worry.

Hope I answered all your questions. Have no fear about asking more, it's good for me to think about the story!

"Arwen." Aragorn grinned as his wife slipped from her horse and into his arms, his first son grinning at him with childish laughter from a papoose on his mother's back.

"Elessar! Why have you come?" Arwen found herself unable to wipe the mirroring grin from her face, despite her husband's unexpected appearance.

"Come with me." He said, gesturing at the carriage that he had arrived in and leading his wife inside. Arwen paused in the doorway as she spotted Mian, cloaked in Mirkwood colours and nursing the tiny babe. Taking her first child from her back, she climbed inside with Aragorn, Eldarion on her knees.

"What is going on, Aragorn?"

"There is a plot afoot in Minas Tirith, I would have your aid in creating a deception." Aragorn called her attention away from the tiny child as Eldarion toddled across the dividing space to greet him. "The family Telcontar must gain a second son." Arwen turned back to the child, taking a seat beside the nurse to look over the child more closely.
"It is so tiny, so young to be taken from its home. Why have you brought it out here?"

"He is in danger, to protect him we must take him in as our own, as though you had carried him yourself."

"What mystery surrounds one so young?"

"He is Legolas' child..." Aragorn was preparing to explain further when he was interrupted.

"Legolas has borne a child!?" Arwen had long known about her brother's relationship with the elf, and knew that no child would be made by Legolas any other way. "No wonder he is in such danger, there are strict rulings against it. It would be death to all three of them if he were found out. Where is Legolas? Is he resting somewhere?" Arwen began to look about herself as though the carriage would conceal the elf somehow. It was unthinkable that he would be separated from the child completely, for it was a death sentence for him.

"He left alone as soon as he was sure that baby was safe. He knew that if he remained nearby they would both be at risk."

"Then we must hope he is safe and at home."

"He said he could not go back to Mirkwood until he had healed further, for his father would learn of the child and go looking for it."

"I did not mean..." Arwen paused, thinking through everything that Aragorn had said. She quickly realised that he knew nothing of her brother's involvement in all this. "I hope he is at home with the sire, for if he is not I fear he will not survive the separation from the child. An elven parent takes energy from the life they have created to restore them after the pregnancy. Male pregnancies more often than not claim the father before the law reaches them." Aragorn took this in with a stony expression.

"He lied to me. He said they would all be safe once the child was assured protection."

"There is nothing we can do about that now. We must swear my company to silence, for they are all that have seen me for the last few months. My family will believe them if I tell them that I was headed here for the birth but tarried too long upon the road and birthed the child in the carriage. He is so small, they might even believe today as a birth-date."

"Lord Elrond will be harder to convince. He is a healer and will be able to see from your body that you have not had this child."

"He will have to know the truth. But he will follow us in this deception, for he has protected Legolas before from his father."

"He knew of Legolas'... lover?"

"Yes. He knew."

"And you, did you know?" Arwen hesitated.

"I did. But do not ask me, Aragorn, please. This is not my secret to reveal."

"This is all my fault." Elrohir murmured, watching as father work his medical magic upon Legolas.

"You knew what you were doing was outlawed in Legolas' culture?"

"Yes."

"And you knew it was because of this very eventuality?"

"Yes."

"And you knew the penalty for your discovery."

"Yes."

"Then yes, it is your fault, or at very least you share in the blame. The child was removed with a modicum of skill, but not enough... The wound is inflamed and infected and I think it unlikely the child survived, for it was quite premature and that he appears in such a state without it is not a good sign."

"But Legolas will be alright?"

"These scars will heal, with your help he will recover despite the loss."

"Then all is well." Elrohir released a sigh of relief.

"I did not raise you to be an idiot, Elrohir, so I very much hope you did not believe what you just said." Elrond ground out.

"Father?!" Both spun around as Elladan charged into the room. "What is going on? I saw you rush down here and then Glorfindel told me Elrohir was already here, I assumed the worst..." Elrohir discreetly pulled the sheet up over Legolas' new bandages.

"Come, Elladan." Elrond said. "Your brother is playing the fool, let us leave him to contemplate his situation."

"Valar, is that Legolas?" Elladan asked, peering over his father's shoulders. "What has happened?"

"Elladan, come outside. Elrohir needs a moment." Pulling Elladan outside, Elrond turned to his other son. "Think on this, my son. Legolas has just lost a child, though you may think you have just been relieved of a burden of guilt and responsibility. He chose to keep the child despite what he knew its future held. Despite the forces against its existence. His body may heal, but his heart may not."

Elrohir, waking from his extended vigil at Legolas' side, found his attention brought to the arched window of the south wall that looked out over the courtyard. Checking that Legolas had still not woken from the drugged sleep that Elrond had prescribed to allow his wound to heal without causing him further pain, Elrohir moved to the window and looked out over the balcony. A carriage bearing the seal of Gondor stood in the courtyard, nearly filling the small space as its company dismounted around it. As he watched, his sister and her husband dismounted the carriage and his attention was drawn to a bundle in Arwen's arms, as it let out a healthy bawl. As he watched, his father took the baby from her with a smile, holding it close as he soothed the startled cry. He was forced to turn away at the simple expression of domesticity. There was his second nephew, or first niece. If he had paid a little more attention, taken a little more trouble, that might have been his son. In his mind it was him handing his new-born son to his father with a smile, watching as he fussed over the child as only grandparents can, taking Legolas' hand and sharing a smile. He was crying before he knew it, and he hurried to the washroom as he heard someone coming along the hall, no doubt to fetch him to meet his sister's new child. He didn't think he could keep his composure; he would hide for now, for to cry over his sister's child would not be the best way to divert attention from his plight.

"Elrohir?" Elladan called as he raced into the healing wing. His father had told him that his brother should still be in Legolas' room, but he was no where to be seen. Seeing that Legolas was stirring, he turned to offer him the invitation meant for his brother. "Legolas, have you heard? It's wonderful, Arwen has been gifted a second son. She has brought it here to meet us. Would you like to come?" A white pallor flushed over Legolas' face. "Are you ok Legolas? Do you need me to fetch a healer?"

"Here? Now?"

"The healers are only just around the corner, it would only take me a second. Should I..."

"But I cannot," Legolas continued, seemingly not hearing Elladan. "Their child is theirs, I do not want it here with me! They should not have come."

"This is Arwen's home, Aragorn's too in times past. They have every right to be here." Elladan replied, confused by the other elf's outburst.

"But I should not be here. This was not where I was going."

"You are lucky Arod did bring you here, for I doubt you could have travelled any further without aid. You would have died without father's help." Legolas said nothing to this, only met Elladan's eyes. For a moment, looking into crystal blue eyes, Elladan felt the bottom drop out of his world as he read the message there. 'I wouldn't have cared,' those eyes said. 'I wanted it.' The eyes hardened and Elladan looked away, startled.

"Oh Legolas, what has become of you?"

"My child is dead. As it was always fated to be. Now I must mourn his passing."

"You didn't take Elrohir's advice." Elladan realised with a sigh.

"I could not."

"But still..."

"I have lost him."

"Oh Legolas, I am so sorry." Legolas sat up, wincing as the wound in his side pulled viciously. Taking hold of Elladan's hands, he made him meet his eyes.

"Do not tell them I am here, please. I will be gone as soon as I am able. I cannot see them right now."

"Promise me you will not go before father declares you fit."

"I do not think I can..."

"Promise me! For I would not have my brother fall to grief should you harm yourself in your hurry to leave. How ever wrong the decisions he has made in this matter, I would not see him hurt."

"I promise I will not allow your brother to fall if it is in my power to stop it." Legolas swore.

The next morning, he was gone.

Sesshyangel : oh dear, corrupted and traumatised... umm... sorry? Mostly the second two, but a little of the first later. ;)

sielge : this is what! Hehe

smoothNcreamy : Can't promise anything I'm afraid but... looks ahead a couple of chapters happy... happy?... must be here someplace... yes... well... there's a reason for the angst genre :P

Kitty : Thankies!