Disclaimer: Didn't own yesterday, don't own it today, probably won't own it tomorrow…

A/N: This is the third (and probably last) part of the 'A Tale' series. This is the Elboron story since his is the only POV I haven't used so far. This chapter takes place five years after Perdition, though later chapters will all take place ten years after this chapter.

For my sister who helped me plan out the fisrt draft.

For Rana Ningue who suggested me to write about Elboron.


Prologue

He wandered through the crowded room, young eyes amazed by what they saw. Tall elves, and stout dwarves, the king laughing over a drink with the small halflings he'd heard of only in tales until that day. All of them talking; over what the years were yet to bring, the present, but mostly, they seemed to talk of the past.

"Great green eyes, coulda pieced your soul lass…"

"Farewell sweet earth and northern sky…"

"It was like a great darkness that reeked of evil. Many eyes were clustered…"

" And she laughed! Could you imagine that? There she stood before the Lord of the Nazgul himself and what does she do? She laughs. Only the bravest of people could have done such a deed. And m'lady, she is the bravest."

He lingered near Master Holdwine a second longer than the rest, knowing the story he recited well but never having heard it from different lips other than those of his father and uncle. His mother never told him that story.

Passing his father, Elboron walked out of the open doors and onto the balcony that overlooked the gardens. There his mother leaned heavily against the white stone railing, head bent as though in prayer, shoulders tense.

"Mother?"

Her head rose slowly and she looked at him with clouded eyes.

"Mother," He repeated again, unsure whether he should call for his father or simply leave his mother in peace. She had never been one for large gatherings, always preferring to remain in Ithilien whenever his father was summoned to the White City. "Are you alright?"

A smile formed at the corner of her mouth and she reached out to him. " Did you're father send you little one?"

He shook his head, coming closer so that she could rest her hand on his shoulder. "You grow taller every time I lay eyes on you. Soon you shall be taller than you father and I shall have to crane my neck whenever I wish to speak to you."

He smiled at his mother's words.

"Or perhaps send you my messages with birds who can fly so high as to reach you."

He laughed. She looked down at him. " Why are you not inside?"

"I like it better out here with you." He said simply, resting his head against her hip.

"Is that so?"

He nodded.

"Then I find myself flatter! For my son, who has longed to meet halflings all the days of his life, prefers my company to theirs." She laughed a little to herself, earth worn fingers coming down to stroke his hair. "I cannot wait to inform Master Meriadoc."

"Mother?"

"Yes."

"Why are you not inside?"

"I needed to breathe." She responded calmly. "I just needed to breathe."

"Oh."

He turned so that he might wrap his arms around his mother's waist, small hand resting on the swell of her abdomen.

"Mother?"

"Yes Elboron."

"Does it hurt?"

"What?"

"To carry a child."

It takes her a moment to respond and when she does her voice is low and wavers.

"No, Elboron, it does not hurt to be with child."

He spread his small fingers so that they may cover more of the mound that sheltered the baby inside.

"Will it be a boy?"

"I do not know."

"A sister then?"

"I do not know."

Her fingers stopped.

"Mother?"

"Yes little one."

"Tell me a story."

She looked down at him, the noises of the gathering behind them drifting through the open doors.

"Your father is the better story teller."

"Perhaps, but I wish for you to tell me a story."

She sighed and moved them to the bench that was hidden in the shadow of the door.

Sitting she placed him on her lap, arms like steel around her son, briefly struck by the wish that he would never grow.

"What story do you wish to hear then?"

"A new one."

He felt her laughter before the noise reached his ears.

"What about?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Yes. And father too."

He did not see her frown against his hair, did not see the brightness in her eyes as she begun to tell the tale.

"The captains had been gone two days and I asked the Warden to take me to the Steward."

He knew this story as well though it had never been put into words for him.

"He gave me a window that looked out on the east and asked me to walk with him in the gardens…"

He listened to her in the shadow, her voice rich in his ears, small hand resting on her stomach. He listened, enthralled, and silently declared his mother's story the best.

What do y'all think? Chapter One still on it's way.

Please leave a review.