Please forgive me for taking so long. I'm having some writer's block, but I think I'm slowly chipping away at the block. I hope to update again tomorrow, but I have a lot of stuff I need to do. However, I will do my very best to update. I feel simply awful for not updating as often as I like, but thank you so very much for your reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter though it isa little short.

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Lord of the Rings. I only own Aria and her family.

Chapter 47

Aria, Legolas, and the party of Mirkwood elves had departed Minas Tirith over a week ago and Aria was slightly agitated that Legolas made her ride sidesaddle in front of him the entire way. They rode bareback as Legolas insisted and all their belongings were carried by Aria's horse. She sighed as she sat against him. "Honestly, Legolas, I think our entire party is laughing at you behind your back," she said to him quietly.

"What do you mean?" he asked. Aria turned her head and looked at him with a small smile.

"You worry too much. I will be perfectly fine riding on my own and with a saddle." Legolas gave her a pointed look.

"You are perfectly fine right here in my arms, where you shall remain." Aria sighed and rested her head against him.

"Fine." Legolas smiled and looked at Findel, a lifelong friend of his, and saw him chuckle quietly. "But just you wait until we get home," she said to him through their link and Legolas' eyes widened as he looked at the top of her head with a raised eyebrow. Aria just smiled and chose to ignore his expression.

They entered the palace and smiled at the elves they passed that bowed their heads. Aria felt very much unlike the princess she was supposed to be dressed in her black leggings and dark green tunic, nearly matching Legolas' outfit. For some reason, she was very tired and leaned most of her weight on Legolas. Feeling her fatigue he looked down at her. "Are you well, Aria?" he asked and she nodded.

"I'm fine, just a little tired," she said. The other elves had parted from them and went to their own families as Aria and Legolas made their way to meet the king and queen in the king's study. Legolas smiled and looked at her.

"We will rest as soon as we inform father of the journey." Aria smiled and nodded her head.

"That's fine, um, should we tell them tonight?" she asked hesitantly and Legolas sighed.

"Perhaps we should wait until the morn. You are tired from our journey and Lord Elrond said you should get rest when you feel fatigue. Mother and father will want to keep you up all night with celebrations." Aria chuckled and rolled her eyes. "It is true you know," he added as he leaned into her. She smiled up at him and nodded.

"I know. We shall wait until the morning then." Legolas nodded and smiled as they stopped out side the door.

"Aye, we shall wait until morning." With that he knocked on the door and his father's voice echoed into the hall.

"Enter!" he called and Aria and Legolas stepped inside. Both of them stood and Elráwien rushed over to Aria and hugged her tightly.

"It is so good to have you both home!" she said before she pulled away. She hugged Legolas and he returned her embrace. Thranduil smiled at Aria and hugged her. She returned his hug and he smiled at Legolas as he pulled away.

"Your travels went well?" Thranduil asked and the pair nodded.

"Yes, very well indeed," Legolas said. "I do not wish to leave you both so soon, but Aria is greatly fatigued as it has been several days since she has had proper rest. We wish to retire for the night and would like to continue our greetings in the morn." Thranduil nodded.

"That is fine, my son. Rest Aria and we shall see you both in the morn." Aria smiled at the king gratefully and nodded her head.

"Thank you. We shall see you in the morning then," Aria said. Elráwien smiled and nodded before Legolas and Aria left the pair in the king and queen and returned to their own chamber for a warm bath and a nice rest.

Aria woke with a start and sat up quickly her hands moving instantly to her lower stomach and panic filling her. Legolas rushed from the wash room, a towel wrapped around him with wide worried filled eyes. "Aria!" he called before he rushed over to her and sat down next to her. He cupped her cheek and forced her eyes to his. "What is it? What is wrong?" he asked hurriedly. Aria blinked several times as she looked at him.

"I don't know," she whispered. "I had a dream. A strange and frightening dream, but I don't remember exactly what happened."

"Tell me what you remember." Her eyes closed as he lowered his hand from her cheek and held onto her hands tightly.

"Laughter, a child's laughter," she said as she opened her eyes. "Then a feeling of great sadness and loss, almost as if I was reliving the death of my father and grandmother all over again. The feeling of loss remained for a time, and was slowly replaced by a feeling of peace and completion." She looked at Legolas with a dark confusion over her face. "I don't know what it means, but I am scared. I'm scared that the feeling of loss is the loss of our child." Her grip tightened on his hands and he shook his head and pulled her to him.

"Nothing will happen to you or our child, Aria. I will make certain of that." Aria closed her eyes and held onto him as if her life depended on him. She did not have the heart to tell him that she also feared that the feeling of loss had sometime to do with him, but the laughter of the child confused her and made her think that it meant that something was going to happen to their child. "And nothing will happen to me," he whispered in her ear. She pulled back and looked at him with tear filled eyes. He smiled at her and tucked her hair over her shoulder. "Nothing will go wrong, Aria." Aria gave him a small smile and nodded her head. "Trust in my words, my love. I promise you." She sighed and pulled him close to her and just held him. Legolas chuckled quietly. "Aria," he said gently and she pulled away and looked at him. "I must dress." Aria blushed and nodded her head as he stood from the bed, but he leaned in and kissed her gently.

Aria watched him walk into the rest room and laid back onto the bed. She sighed heavily and raised a slightly shaking hand to her head. She prayed that Legolas' words were true and that her dreams were just created by her imagination, but she had a sinking feeling that a great loss would come to them in the future. However, she did not know what that loss would be.