NOTE: Sorry for the delay. Nursing school is over for now until the spring, but, unfortunately, my net time is none. It will be some time, I fear, before I update. However, I will work on more chapters during my break so when the spring semester comes around I will upload them. Mush, Selena and Selina don't sound the same. The i in Selina is pronounced as a long e, as in tree. Hope that helps! Enjoy this chapter, everyone,and happy holidays!

Chapter Thirteen: Spreading of the News

It did not take long before the Elves of Ithilien knew that their Lady had given birth to twins. All it took was a single cry from the infants and a quick visit to Celebrindal to confirm everything. Soon, it was on the tongue of every single Elf dwelling in edhellen-Ithilien (elven-Ithilien).

When morning came, a crowd of cheering Elves greeted Legolas and Síriel as they made their way to the dining hall for the morning meal. In their arms were their infants, Selena and Selina.

"All hail híril (lady) Síriel!" an Elf cried as they seated themselves.

Legolas and Síriel beamed proudly at their household.

"May you know naught save happiness with them!" another cried.

Celebrindal came to her friend timidly and took the infants from her. No sooner did she do so then a maiden called out:

"May I have the honor of holding your daughters, híril?"

Síriel nodded her head, and before she knew it, the entire gathered crowd was crying to her, asking her for permission to hold her infants.

"Calm down, calm down!" Legolas laughed. "All will have a chance to hold Selena and Selina in their arms. Patience, please."

Though Síriel knew her daughters would come to no harm, she still followed them anxiously as they were passed from Elf to Elf.

"She is an excellent mother." Celebrindal whispered to Legolas.

He smiled proudly at her.

"And you will make a wonderful sire, of course, hîr nín." she added.

After all had a chance to hold both Selena and Selina, and they were safely snuggled in Celebrindal's arms, Síriel sat down with Legolas and their household to finish the remainder of their morning meal. After it was over, the half-elf and her friend departed together with the infants.

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Around midday, Legolas and Síriel were strolling together in the woods. They both enjoyed every moment of their daily midday strolls. There was no one to trouble them, no sound of their infants' cries as they sought for someone to hold them in their arms. There was naught save the peace and quiet of the woodland of Ithilien, with the occasional bird raising its sweet voice here and there. The pair made their way aimlessly to the small nearby stream, where they removed their shoes and dipped their feet in the cool water, sitting atop a large boulder on the bank. Not a word did they utter, being content with each other's company and the beauty that surrounded them; nor did they stir, not even when a small fawn approached the boulder on which they were seated. So close were they to it that both Legolas and Síriel could have reached out their hands and touched it, but they did not. They were so absorbed in its beauty, not wishing for the animal to leave, but it did, only after taking a long drink from the stream, its pink tongue lapping up the water noiselessly.

"Ai, Legolas, was that not so miraculous? To see a fawn at such a close distance is very rare!" Síriel whispered after it left.

Legolas smiled fondly at his wife as he listened to her continued talk about how beautiful she thought the fawn was.

"It was a very beautiful fawn indeed. Verily, all creatures are very beautiful when they are young." Legolas told her.

"Like Selena and Selina." Síriel said softly.

Legolas' eyes glowed.

"Yes, my beloved, like Selena and Selina." he agreed. "And do you know from whence they received their extraordinary beauty?"

Síriel blushed and turned her bronzed face away from Legolas, knowing quite well what he was about to say. She felt him take her hands in his, raise them to his lips, and kiss them tenderly.

"Do you know?" Legolas repeated gently, his voice growing softer.

Síriel turned her face towards him, but kept her gaze lowered.

"From you, of course, meleth nín (my love)." she whispered.

Legolas shook his head and raised her chin so she looked at him.

"No, from you, cuil nín (my life)." he said.

Their hands entwined, and Síriel leaned towards Legolas. They met midway in a passionate kiss. Silent moans escaped the pair as their tongues performed the familiar dance within the other's mouth. At last, they broke away from each other, yet they kept their hands clasped.

"Have you sent a letter to your sire yet informing him that I have given birth to Selena and Selina?" Síriel asked him.

Legolas did not reply. He was busy running his fair hands through her long, straight copper-red hair and down her back. His hands kept drawing nearer and nearer to her dress ties. A sudden hunger for his wife flared deep within him, and he desired to make love to her.

"Legolas?" he heard her say as if from afar.

"I did not write to him, yet." he said, his sapphire eyes sparkling.

His hand went to the ties on the back of her dress. Even before they did, Síriel drew away from him. She knew well what he wanted.

"Well then, I shall not give you myself until you send both your sire and my own sire letters." she said firmly, slipping off the boulder.

Legolas smiled impishly.

'If that is what she wants, then I shall do it.' he thought to himself.

True to his word, as soon as they reached their home, Legolas went directly to his private study and wrote two letters, one for his sire, the other for his wife's sire. When he finished, he read them over to make sure that he was satisfied with what he wrote before sealing them and finding an able and willing servant to deliver them to the two men. As he watched the Elf ride off into the trees, he wistfully thought of how much better it would have been if he had personally delivered the messages.

'Either way, the messages will be received.' he thought.

He felt an arm go about his waist, and knew it to be Síriel.

"Why such the sad look, hervenn nín (my husband)?" she asked lovingly.

"I sent a servant to deliver the letters to your sire and mine, and I was wishing that I had gone in his place." Legolas explained.

Síriel squeezed him gently.

"Avo 'osto (worry not)." she told him.

He spun around quickly on the spot and lifted her into his arms.

"I fulfilled my part of the promise, now it is your turn." he said.

Síriel laughed merrily, shaking her head in a disbelieving manner.

"Is there naught you do except for personal interest?" she said.

Legolas' eyes glittered mischievously.

"Perhaps." he replied evasively.

They were halfway down the hall when a servant called them.

"Hîr nín (my lord), híril nín (my lady), there is a great number of Men wishing to see you. Elessar and Lady Arwen are amongst them!" he informed them.

Legolas cursed silently under his breath.

"Did they have to arrive now?" he said.

Síriel wagged her finger at him.

"Legolas, that is no way for a proper Prince to behave!" she teased.

He responded to her, causing the servant to turn his head away in embarrassment as Síriel let out a startled cry.

"We will be there shortly to greet them. Admit them inside and inform them that we are tied up in a matter of…utter importance." Legolas called to the servant, as he raced down the hall.

The servant chuckled to himself and went to do what he was told.

Once inside their chambers, Legolas laid Síriel on the bed. She attempted to escape, but he stopped her.

"It only holds fair that you live up to your promise," he told her as he slipped out of his garments, "as I did."

"I will, but not now! We have guests!" she protested.

Legolas managed to undo her dress ties.

"They can wait for a few moments. We will not be long." he said.

She tried to stop him, but too late. He removed her dress. Sighing, she held out her arms to receive him, and he slid into them. The flesh between his legs was quite swollen, so he entered into her. She grasped his silken blond hair with both hands as she felt the intensity mount within her. He stroked her neck to soothe her. When it was all over with, they lay on their backs, panting from exhaustion. Síriel was laughing.

"Oh, Legolas, gerich veleth nín (I love you)!" she told him.

They would have stayed in their room all day long if it were not for the arrival of the Men. Hurriedly, they bathed themselves and dressed.

"Ai, Elessar, híril (lady) Arwen, how good to see you both." Legolas said.

Síriel, who had her arm linked in his, greeted the pair as well.

"Faramir, a pleasure to have you in my house." Legolas added.

"Hopefully we did not intrude upon you at an inconvenient time. We were told you were attending to important business." Elessar said.

The servant whom Legolas sent to admit them coughed discreetly. The elven Prince smiled broadly at him as he turned to the King in reply:

"It was a matter easily resolved. Avo 'osto (worry not)."

Elessar smiled. Legolas saw his wife go off with Arwen towards the great sitting room. She indicated for him to join her. He nodded.

"Legolas, have you forgotten me?"

The Elf turned towards the voice of the speaker and was surprised to find Faramir, Prince of Ithilien, shaking his head and chuckling.

"Faramir! Forgive me, I did not see you!" he said as they embraced.

"Does the famed vision of the Elves work solely in battle?" Faramir jested. "Where is your excellent sight, now, eh?"

The hall was filled with the sound of the Men's laughter at this good-natured friendly jesting. Legolas placed his hand on Faramir's arm.

"I can tell you why he did not notice you, Faramir." Elessar said, his gray eyes twinkling. "Perhaps his two new daughters have made him forget all those hew knows save for the people surrounding him?"

Legolas, gaped, astonished, at his friend.

"How do you know, Elessar, about Selena and Selina?" he asked.

For answer, the King placed his hand in the pocket of his robes and withdrew a circular object. Legolas' sapphire eyes widened.

"You forget about the palantír, mellon nín (my friend). I was visiting with Faramir the night your wife was in labor, and I chanced to see your two daughters after they were born. We hastened here the next morning, and met your messenger today, bound for Eryn Lasgalen." Aragorn explained.

"Do you always use it?" Legolas asked him.

"Only when I desire to see for myself how my friends are faring and how my kingdom is doing. It can be useful, but I do not use it much to see how my friends are doing, because I feel like I am intruding."

"I suppose I should send letters to Gimli and Éomer as well."

Faramir smiled and said:

"Already done. As soon as Aragorn informed me, I wrote to them."

Legolas thanked him.

'So, the news has spread!' he thought to himself.