1DISCLAIMER: (haven't put one of these up in a while since my first chappies) Tari is MY character. Though, if you e-mail me saying you want to use her in your fanfiction, I'd probably be more than happy to comply. But DON'T steal her! Anything you recognize as in characters, places, etc. are Tolkien's.

Yippee! Another chapter! The reviews are starting to dwindle again. I really hope that you guys send me lots for this chapter. Warnings for this one though... It's gonna' be sad, and I think you all know why. But please, don't be angry with me. It's not like I'm going to end it after this chapter. Don't forget to read the pre

Chapter 4

With Death, Comes Life

And those eight months didn't seem to last very long. Her stomach grew, frequent nosebleeds (much to the concern of Legolas), but besides that, Tari acted the same as she always had.

Her child was due any day now. Legolas was hardly ever away from her side. "I am not a porcelain doll, my love. I will not shatter if you leave me for but a moment!" she laughed as he helped her into their bed.

"You are to me." he answered, kissing her brow. "To me, I must never leave your side for an instant. I lost you once... I couldn't bear to lose you again."

Tari frowned. "Legolas, you promised..."

Legolas waved the comment away impatiently. "Aye, yes, I know, I know..." He removed his robe that hung loosely upon him, revealing his well chiseled features. He curled up beside her, kissing the nape of her neck. "Sleep well, meleth..." he whispered.

But his words fell on deaf ears, for Tari had already fallen asleep with exhaustion.

Legolas woke from his sound sleep. It was still dark outside... He heard heavy breathing from beside him... His agile fingers lit the candle on his bedside table, illuminating part of the room. Tari was drenched in sweat, her hair plastered to her forehead. Her face was contorted in pain.

"Eru!" he exclaimed, tossing back the covers and leaning over her. He pressed his hand to her forehead, and drew it back quickly. She was on fire.

"S-Something's wrong..." she panted.

"I'll fetch your father and Galadriel." Legolas said, leaping up from the bed as though it were hot coals burning his flesh, and tearing from the room like a fleet deer.

Tari felt so much pain. She knew that pregnancies were painful when it was birth time, but this was beyond agony. Her abdomen was on fire. She was fearful that something was wrong with her child. A spike of pain shot across her stomach for the fifth time, more agonizing than the rest, and she cried out. The next time she opened her eyes, they were staring up into her father's grey ones. "Ada..." she said weakly.

"Hush, penneth nin, save your strength..." (My little one) he whispered, mopping her brow with a cool cloth.

Mithrandir watched as the elven prince paced back and forth in front his and Tari's chambers. Galadriel had bid him to wait outside while she, Elrond, and a few other well skilled healers assessed what was wrong with Tari, and whether or not there was anything wrong with her child.

Gimli was sitting beside Mithrandir, and they were both puffing on their pipes. "Breathe deeply lad, she'll be fine. She's strong."

Legolas cast a grieved look towards him, and continued to pace. "She was in so much pain... More so than she should be when giving birth..."

"Calm down, Legolas..." Gandalf said, releasing a wisp of grey smoke that twisted into a blooming rose.

"I can't be calm!" he exclaimed. "She's dying Gandalf!"

Gimli, who didn't know about Tari's grave illness, spluttered and dropped his pipe, coughing loudly. "W-what!" he heaved.

Legolas didn't answer, but sat down against the stone wall, resting his head on his knees, and praying to the Valar that she was alright.

Tari bit back a scream as she pushed with all her might through another contraction.

"One more push, Tari..." said Galadriel, who had done overseen many labors in Lothlorien.

"It hurts..." she gasped. Elrond squeezed his daughter's hand, whispering words of encouragement and solace.

Her mother was on her other side, mopping her perspiring forehead and caressing her cheek. "You can do it, Tari... Just one more push..." she said gently.

As the next contraction came, Tari gave it her all. She pushed until she heard the faint cries of a child, and Galadriel's voice saying, "You have a beautiful, healthy, little girl..." Tari felt dizzier by the second. She heard healers whispering urgently... Her breath was short in her chest...

"Tari!" Galadriel said quickly, slightly shaking the she-elf. "Tari! Stay awake! Tari!"

Tari's eyes were closing as she gave into her exhaustion. "... I'm tired..." she whispered.

"No!" Celebrain nearly shouted, "Tari! Look at me!"

A trickle of blood was dripping from Tari's nose...

"She's losing too much blood!" said one of the healers as they tried to help the dying she-elf.

"My Lady!" said another to Galadriel. Galadriel came closer, and the healer whispered in her ear, "She isn't going to last much longer... We can't do anything to stop the bleeding..." Galadriel bit back her tears and grief, and went to the door, where Legolas was standing. Mithrandir got to his feet, and Legolas stared at her intently.

"Is she alright?" Legolas immediately asked.

Galadriel opened her mouth, but closed it again, like a fish... She was lost for words. It's not like she could say, 'She only has a few moments to live.'

Legolas knew before she even opened the door... he brushed past her and ran to Tari's side, dropping down to his knees. Her eyes were half-closed. "Tari!" he whispered urgently, "Meleth! Answer me! Please!"

Tari feebly opened her eyes a little more, and turned her head toward him. "Legolas?" she questioned faintly.

Legolas laid a hand on her cheek, tears pouring from his eyes. "Yes," he choked out, "It's me..."

Tari's breathing was shortening. "I'm... sorry..." she said. "I'm sorry... Legolas..." The healers left the room... they knew that there was nothing more that they could do for the elven princess.

Galadriel held their child in her arms, the baby wrapped in a thin white blanket. She had wispy blonde hair, and eyes very much like her father's. She was so quiet too. She only stared around at her surroundings, as though she knew that there was something wrong, and that something bad was going to happen. Such innocence, in so small a thing... Galadriel held the babe closer, as though she could shield the infant from the inevitable...

Legolas gazed down at Tari, whose half-closed eyes met his gaze. "I'm so sorry..." she said again, "I love you, Legolas... Take care of our daughter... And d-don't break your promise..." Her chest was hardly rising now...

"No Tari!" Legolas pleaded, "Don't do this! You can't!"

"I'll always love you, Legolas..." she whispered as she closed her eyes. Eyes that would never open again... Nor look upon the one she loved... Eyes that had not even seen her daughter yet...

Legolas felt her hands grow cold in his. Her head fell sideways, and her chest was unmoving.

"N'UMA!" he cried in anguish, his face constricted in torment and grief. "No! Tari! Saes! SAES!" (No! Please! Please!)

Celebrian turned to Elrond, who embraced her tightly as she sobbed into his chest over the loss of their youngest daughter. Elrond was staring at Tari in disbelief, as though he wasn't accepting the fact that she was gone... Just like Legolas.

Legolas cried openly, still clinging to her lifeless pale hands. "Tari..." he sobbed, "...come back... please come back... I can't keep your promise!" He didn't even take notice that his own mother and father had come to his side. Thranduil got his son to his feet, embracing him tightly while his mother hugged him just as tight, while running her fingers lovingly through his hair like she used to when he had been saddened in his days as an elfling.

Galadriel walked over to him, when the embrace had ended. He opened his arms for his daughter, and Galadriel placed her in them.

"What is to be her name...?" Galadriel asked quietly.

Legolas gazed down at his daughter, and smiled. "Estellia... Because that is what she is to me. She is my hope..."

For the first time, Legolas truly understood the words Tari had said to him so many months ago... She hadn't left him alone... There was someone who deserved his love, and would return it with just as much happiness. And that is why she had made him promise not to fade...

Estellia is the feminine form of Estel, which means Hope. Not to mention it was Tari's middle name.

I realize that this is a very sad chapter. And no, Tari isn't going to miraculously wake up tomorrow all fine and dandy. She is dead. But hey, how about a preview of the next chapter? Bet that'll get you reviewing...

PREVIEW OF CHAPTER FOUR

600 years later

Estellia ran through the gardens as fast as her legs could carry her. She had something very important to tell her ada, and the news scared even her.

Legolas was sitting in his living quarters, speaking quietly with his father and Elrond. Thranduil was happy for his son. He had pulled out of his despair, and focused all his energy and time on making his daughter happy.

Estellia burst through the chamber door, coming to a sudden halt when she realized they had company. She immediately gave a small curtsy, "Grandfathers, forgive my intrusion..." she said politely, before rushing to her father's side unceremoniously.

Legolas looked at his daughter curiously, noting her flushed face. She had obviously run all the way here. "What is it, daughter?" he asked, taking her small hands in his and leading her closer. Estellia was hardly the age of five in mortal years.

"Ada..." she panted. "In the gardens, there was a woman... She-she said she knew where mother was... And that she wouldn't let us have her back..."

Ha! I love leaving you at cliffhangers. If I get LOTS of reviews, the next chapter will be up soon. Luv y'all lots, and happy reading.