Chapter 9: Arrival

The next day Orophin arrived as planned, with Rumil, right after lunch. They arrived to see Haldir covered in potatoes and Illiendal on her bed, resting, apparently giving up on catching him.

"Ai, Haldir, you are being a pain for your pregnant lady to deal with! Come here you rascal." Orophin said as the potato elfling flew by him.

"No!" Haldir grabbed a glob of potatoes from his hair and flung it at his brother. Orophin jumped to the side, avoiding the potato, but Rumil stood behind him and received a handful of potato all over his tunic. In rage, Rumil was quick to chase his little brother until he caught him.

"Now, give me a reason to spare you from Rumil's wrath." Orophin stated. Rumil had Haldir up in the air by his leggings and the little elfling was frantic.

"I'll go clean off the potatoes!" Haldir squealed, kicking and squirming as Orophin helped him down.

"Now you go clean up. We have to leave soon else you'll be an elfling forever." Orophin said.

"But why would I want to be an icky old adult like you?" Haldir asked.

"Because when you're an icky old adult you will have a beautiful wife and a wonderful child. You cant have that if you are an elfling so go on, go clean up." Orophin nudged the elfling forwards.

Sadly the little elfling obeyed his brother and washed up. Afterwards, Orophin took the small amount of luggage Illiendal wished to bring for herself and her tiny hubby, and Orophin brought it outside.

The four left soon, hoping to get to Mirkwood as soon as they could. Haldir got to ride a little pony whereas his wife and brothers had horses.

They rode fast, as fast as they could with a tiny little elfling. Haldir did not enjoy the traveling, nor did Illiendal, but Haldir made sure his displeasure was well known. The tiny child moaned and groaned and complained that he wanted a bigger pony.

Luckily the ride was only a short one and soon the elves arrived in Mirkwood. A day later the four where entering through the palace gates.

When Thranduil heard of his daughter's arrival he, along with his three sons Cield, Tonus and Legolas, ran to greet her. Thranduil had not seen Illiendal pregnant and figured she must have already given birth to the child if she was hear now, so when he saw the pregnant princess he was quite shocked.

"You still have not given birth? What are you here for then, Illiendal? It is far too risky to travel pregnant, you could have given birth at any time during your journey and you may have been unprepared!" Thranduil exclaimed as he spoke with his daughter not long after greeting her and Haldir's brothers, still not seeing Haldir.

"I know ada, but I had reason to come here-

"Oh valar, look at this little elfling! He looks so alike Haldir, wait, is this your child Illiendal? Have you already given birth? Has Haldir gotten you pregnant again?" Thranduil said as soon as he saw Haldir peep out from behind Illiendal.

"No, ada, that is Haldir!" Illiendal pulled the child out from behind her.

"Now this is some joke." Thranduil shook his head.

"No, it is not. Saruman did this to him." Illiendal stated before explaining to her father Haldir's saddening story of how he was turned from a strapping march warden to a elfling who toppled over everywhere.

Thranduil was very upset for his daughter and could not help but bring up Elladan at least once, saying that maybe this was why he always thought she should choose to be with him.

Haldir was given a guestroom, as was Rumil, Orophin and Illiendal given the best of all the rooms Thranduil could offer for his pregnant daughter.

Thranduil, after settling his daughter in her guestroom, found Haldir, who was sitting on the floor with his legs crossed and watching the butlers clean stuff.

"Haldir, can I have a word with you?" Thranduil asked. The elfling noticed him just then and looked up, smiling.

"Yea." Haldir uncrossed his legs and stood up. Thranduil offered the child his hand so Haldir took the king's hand and walked with Thranduil to his study.

"Sit here, Haldir." Thranduil pushed a big, fluffy chair up to the desk. Thranduil sat behind the desk once the elfling was up on the chair.

"Well Haldir, I never thought I would see you like this…" Thranduil looked at the elfling, who was completely unfocused on Thranduil and was instead looking all over the room, admiring everything.

"I like this room. It's a pretty color." Haldir said.

"…Thank you, I suppose. You've been in here before though."

"I have? Really? Wow…" Haldir mumbled.

"Yes, it was before you married Illiendal, you came to ask my permission…" Thranduil said.

"I don't remember that!" Haldir giggled. Thranduil sighed.

"Now Haldir, I must ask you what you will be doing. I think it is best that Illiendal stays here after the baby is born; since you will not be able to be a husband to her she has no use to be in Lorien. Your brothers are not my concern but I know that they will want to return to Lorien. That leaves you two choices: To reside in Mirkwood until you become so young that you are gone from this world, or to go to Lorien until you become so young that you are not even born." Thranduil explained.

"Your crazy." Haldir giggled, reaching forwards and poking Thranduil's nose. Thranduil gasped put instead of scolding him, Thranduil just sat down at smiled sadly.

"I wish this never happened to you Haldir." Thranduil sighed, looking at his son-in-law being amused by a quill.

Haldir was dropping the quill and would jump off the chair and watch it fall from the floor, then he's blow it up again and again until it landed on his nose and made him giggle.

"I suppose I can ask your brothers and wife choose. All right Haldir, now you may leave. You look tired." Thranduil scooped the elfling and the quill up and brought him to a guest bedroom.

"Here is where you will be sleeping." Thranduil took a few steps into the room before Haldir began to scream and kick.

To be continued…

NuEvil: Well a Haldir tush… That's a nice image… Poopy Haldir… Yay…

Haldir's Heart and Soul: I'm glad you liked that chapter.

Aranna Undomiel: There will be more on Thranduil's thoughts of his daughter having an elfling with another elfling in the next chapter.

Mistopurr: The queen has two birthdays?

Caprice Ann: I love that idea! I'll do something like that for sure.