NOTE: SofiaB, I am glad you are waiting patiently to see who dies. And, as you guessed, I am not going to tell you who dies. That is for me to write and you to find out. This is somewhat long. Enjoy this chapter!

Chapter Sixteen: More Unexpected Surprises

When the men finished eating, Síriel led them back to her home. She was silent then entire time, listening to them as they spoke. As the house came into view, Thranduil took in a deep breath.

"So this is the house of my son." he whispered, his eyes taking in every detail. "It is quite magnificent."

Gil-celeb looked around him, and on his face was awe.

"This is your house as well. Come inside." Síriel said.

Thranduil smiled at her. She was such a pretty thing he thought, and she had such spirit in her. Such a pity he had not wedded her…He shook his head to clear those thoughts from his mind.

Servants came to stable their horses, and upon seeing their King, they immediately cried out in delight and bowed deeply to him. So, they had not forgotten him. That was a good thing. When Legolas' messenger had arrived at his palace, he spoke lovingly of Legolas that Thranduil feared they would no longer recognize him as their King. Yet, they still did, and it comforted him much. Of course, he was quite sure Legolas would not let them forget him. Legolas would not let it pass.

Word spread quickly that Thranduil had arrived even before they entered the house. Joyous singing could be heard distantly from inside the house, and when they stepped inside, there was a great gathered crowd by the door, waiting patiently to greet their King. It was some time before the Elves dispersed, but only after Síriel ordered them to do so.

"You are indeed a Lady." Thranduil said noticeably.

Síriel blushed.

"Only if Legolas were here," Gil-celeb said.

Síriel looked at her sire curiously.

"Man pennich (what did you say)?" she asked him.

He looked at Thranduil out of the corner of his eyes.

"Well, I know my son quite well. If he were here, he would have been the first to greet me." Thranduil replied smoothly.

Síriel stared at them for a moment.

"That is true." she agreed. "He indeed is not here; he is away with Faramir, for there are important councils being held there."

"Will he be gone for long?" Gil-celeb asked.

"He should return in two days' time." Síriel replied. Turning to the messenger, Avathar, she said, "Take our guests to the dining room and have a meal set for them. I will join you there shortly. Excuse me."

The men watched her disappear down a hall. As Avathar led them towards the dining hall, Thranduil turned to Gil-celeb.

"That was close." he whispered. "Be careful."

When they reached the dining hall, they found the table already set with many platters of food and vessels of drink. They chose seats and began to eat. After some time, Síriel joined them.

"Ah, I see you have already begun. I did not expect the table to be prepared. But news of your arrival serves good purposes." she said.

Síriel looked at the men accompanying her sire and Thranduil and was surprised to recognize them. They smiled broadly at her.

"You!" she cried.

They laughed merrily.

"I told you she would not expect to see us!" one of them chuckled.

Síriel shook her head. The men were friends of hers. They helped her sire when he went rafting to Lake-town.

"Who is overseeing the work in your absence?" she asked them.

"No one." they smiled.

Síriel stared at them.

"Ú-chenion (I do not understand)." she said, looking at each of them in turn.

They all looked at her sire. In turn, Gil-celeb looked at Thranduil. The King swallowed and cleared his throat before speaking.

"Many things have changed since last we were together, Síriel. You have become Legolas' Lady, gave birth to twin daughters. Did you think that things would remain the same in Eryn Lasgalen? Some things did, and others did not." Thranduil said. "Your sire is not the same person he was when you left him. He is Lord Gil-celeb now."

"What do you mean?" Síriel asked anxiously.

"There is nothing to fear, my dear. Go on, aran nín (my king)." her sire said.

"Síriel, your sire is now the royal merchant of Eryn Lasgalen." the King told her. "Gone are his days of hard labor. Along with your seven friends who accompanied us, your sire is a very prosperous lord. He now commands a fleet of Lórien boats to do his trading in Lake-town. After you left, I thought over this matter much before I christened him the kingdom's royal merchant. It also means that we keep each other much needed company, for after your departure with Legolas, we are lonely."

The half-elf stared, dumbstruck, at the men.

"This is wonderful news, adar (father), and quite unexpected." she said.

Smiling, he reached across the table and patted her arm.

"I knew you would be happy, just as I am." he told her.

The small crowd of the household gathered in the corner absorbed this information with surprised looks on their faces. Síriel was about to tell them off when Celebrindal entered the dining hall, carrying the girls.

"Ai, there they are! Selena and Selina!" Gil-celeb cried.

Thranduil smiled. He watched as Síriel took one of the infants from her handmaiden and handed her to her sire. The other she gave to Thranduil. She stood proudly between them, watching.

"Who do I have?" the Elvenking asked his son's wife.

"That is Selina." Síriel answered.

"Ah, then I surely have Selena." Gil-celeb said softly.

"She is beautiful!" Thranduil whispered, as he looked at the tiny being in his strong arms. "They have silver hair, like my Talia, and their eyes are green, like their mother. Such beautiful skin color they have!"

"Indeed, they have a unique combination. When first I saw their hair color I was puzzled, but then Legolas explained it to me." Síriel said.

"Their names are from the Beorning tongue?" Gil-celeb asked.

His daughter nodded.

"What do their names mean?" Thranduil inquired curiously.

"Selena is moon, and Selina is lunar glow. I thought the names are quite fitting, since they are twins. And their hair is silver, like the color of the moon. It bathed them on their birth night." Síriel said to her King.

He smiled.

"Very fitting names, indeed. Such a pity you live so far from Gil-celeb and I; I would love to have them visit." Thranduil said.

"When they grow older we will send them to you." Síriel told him.

The King nodded. Selena and Selina were then passed to Síriel's seven friends, who delighted at them more so than her sire and King.

After they finished, the twin girls were passed to Celebrindal. They were starting to fuss; it was nearing their evening feeding time.

"Avathar, show our esteemed guests around our house. I will go now with Celebrindal and oversee the preparations of their chambers. It is nigh evening, and no doubt they will soon desire to rest after their long journey." Síriel said. "I will find you when I am finished."

The messenger bowed deeply and said, "As you wish, híril nín (my lady)."

Síriel led Celebrindal out of the dining hall. They stopped only when the half-elf found some free maidens to tell them to prepare chambers for their guests before continuing on to the nursery.

"Well, their arrival was quite unexpected." Celebrindal stated.

Her friend nodded as she nursed Selena.

"Unexpected, yes, but not unwelcome. Indeed, it was my wish, as well as Legolas', to go ourselves to Eryn Lasgalen with the girls to our sires instead of sending a messenger." she said slowly. "Their arrival is not the only thing unexpected, though."

She told her handmaiden friend about what their King Thranduil had done to her sire and his seven helpers. Celebrindal stared at her.

"Are you sure of this?" she asked.

"I am. Aran (king)Thranduil told me himself." Síriel replied.

Celebrindal was quiet as she absorbed this piece of information. Síriel's sire, the royal merchant of Eryn Lasgalen!

"Legolas will be pleasantly surprised when he arrives." Síriel said softly, half to herself, as she took Selina to nurse.

"Indeed, he will." Celebrindal agreed, holding Selena in her arms. "When is he to arrive home? It is quite soon, am I correct?"

Síriel nodded wistfully.

"The morrow will bring his coming." she whispered.

After she finished nursing her daughters and tucking them into their beds, Síriel and Celebrindal went to check on the chambers being prepared. Satisfied with the results, the two friends set off to find the men. They found them standing and talking in one of the porches that overlooked the courtyard. Síriel stared at it hopefully.

"Your chambers are ready, my lords." Celebrindal said.

The men followed her, all except for Gil-celeb. He stayed behind with his daughter, who was staring down at the courtyard.

"I am quite happy to see you, sell nín (my daughter)." he told her.

He turned her emerald eyes upon him.

"So am I, adar (father)." she answered with a wide smile. "The news of your new position had made me very happy for you. The only thing I regret is that its cause is due to my leave from you here with Legolas."

Gil-celeb stroked her face lovingly.

"Do not say such things. I confess I was upset at first when you left. I always knew this would happen eventually, but when it did, I could not believe it. With your dear mother's passing, all I had to comfort me and keep me company was you. Your loss was a serious blow to me. Yet, I soon learned to overcome it. It was not as if I had lost you forever. I began to visit with Thranduil more, and he visited me frequently. He also was affected by Legolas' departure. Thranduil and I are alike in many ways, which surprised me quite a bit. Behind his seemingly harsh and cold demeanor, he is really an excellent and wonderful man. No doubt you knew this already." he said. "Imagine our joy when your messenger arrived with the news of you giving birth to twin girls. We hastened here as fast as we could come. And to see you now, a lady of your people, it fills me with much pride. I know Legolas is taking excellent care of you."

Síriel's eyes glowed with the mention of her beloved husband.

"Oh, he does, adar (father)! Have no fear at all for me. Everything he does, he does it to please me. We love each other so much. He is wonderful with the girls. And our people, they love him." she said.

There was a sudden whinnying of horses coming from the direction of the courtyard. In the pale glow of the moonlight, Síriel saw several white horses' coats gleaming brilliantly in the night.

"He is here!" she cried excitedly.

"Who is here?" Gil-celeb asked, but his daughter was gone.

Síriel flew down the halls towards the door that led outside. She heard her sire's footsteps far behind her. A servant hurriedly opened the door for her, and she breezed through it. Down the steps she ran and into the circle of horses. She found him, still mounted astride his horse.

"Legolas!" she cried breathlessly.

The Prince was speaking with one of his councilors. He turned at the sound of his wife's voice calling his name. His sapphire eyes lit up instantly. The next moment, he dismounted from his horse, Arod.

"Síriel! Ai, meleth nín (my love), cuil nín (my life)!" he whispered.

His hands cupped the sides of her bronzed face tenderly. She reached up her hands and stroked his golden hair. The Elves gathered in the courtyard turned their heads as they saw their lord and lady kiss, smiles gracing their fair faces. They began to leave, some to stable the horses, others, the travelers, to go inside and rest their weary bodies.

When Síriel and Legolas broke apart, it was to find themselves alone.

"Bless them…" Síriel said.

Legolas smiled.

"Manen le (how are you)?" he asked her.

"Im vaer (I am fine/well). A le (and you)?" she replied.

"Im vaer."

"You are early. It is an unexpected surprise."

"Pleasant, or unpleasant?" Legolas asked her, his eyes glittering.

Síriel blushed and turned away.

"What do you think?" she asked softly.

"Unpleasant." Legolas jested.

"Is that so? Very well, you will have me not tonight." Síriel said.

He caught hold of her wrist and pulled her towards him.

"That will be unpleasant, for both of us." he whispered.

"Does a son not have any affection left for his sire?"

Legolas turned at the sound of Thranduil's voice.

"Adar (father)?" he whispered, not believing his eyes.

Gil-celeb appeared beside the Elvenking.

"In answer to your question that you posed, if the son's wife is with him, then the son will not see anyone save her." he replied with a wink.

Turning to Síriel, Legolas said:

"How come you did not inform me of their arrival?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise for you." she replied.