Disclaimer- I own nothing!
Laurenke1- thanks- I'll try
Arwen101- I won't don't worry- tho it did cross my mind-thanks for reviewing
SofiaB- She won't. But I've had that scene in my mind for quite some time and I just get to get it down, and somehow that seemed the perfect time.
Petra- Hey there girlie- ahh all will be revealed in the next few chapters- but it is important- there are things in this chapter that tie in- but you'll have to wait and find out
Mortal Evenstar- hello! glad you thought so-and I hope this chap measures up- tho I'm really not sure about it.
Uhhh- why thank you- as always. You're so nice
To everybody- thanks for reading- this chapter may seem a little cliché- ok maybe a little more than cliché but it does have a purpose! Please let me know what you think
The healer looked up at the prince with a masked expression before returning his gaze to Thalia who lay curled up on the bed, a petulant and perhaps fearful expression on her face.
She was awake but unfocused. Her eyes were dark with uncertainty and she skin shining with a thin sheen of sweat.
Thalia had been feeling unwell the evening before and it had not been until past midnight that Legolas had finally left their chamber to get a healer. It was then that the chaos had erupted. Thalia did not wish to be examined and the healers, already knowing what she was like were not going to give up.
One of the healers lifted Thalia's upper body to lye her straight, making her scream in pain. Finally with a triumphant smile the healer laid her back down and forced her onto her back. The pain was no doubt being caused by the babe with her moving into the final position before birth. She would be in labour in but a few days.
Legolas watched from the doorway as Thalia began to cry and he berated himself for wishing that she would stop. He was tired and frustrated. She had been clingy and desperate for the past few weeks and although the healers had warned him about her possible reaction he had not been prepared.
Her eyes darted from person to person. He felt his heart go out to her as she cried in pain and relief.
Her eyes found his and she threw her arms out to him.
He couldn't take her screams anymore and hurried over to gather her into his arms. She immediately fell silent and slumped into his chest.
"Legolas, they're gonna take away my baby. You can't let them. Tell them they're not allowed to touch me. Please"
His heart shattered at his wife's terrified babbling. He hushed her, thankful that the healers had stopped what they had been doing. She stiffened but allowed him to lay her back down on the bed. She drowsily shook her head, smiling slightly as her husband stroked her damp hair from his face.
He took a deep breath and calmed himself before turning back to the three healers that stood by the bed.
"Would somebody please explain to me what is going on and what you are doing to my wife?"
"My Lord. The babe has turned and is now lying in a prime position in the womb. However because the child has lain on her back for so long that now it has moved her back will have to become used to it again. Her nerves may also be damaged a little my lord. We will not know the extent of the damage until after the birth"
Legolas nodded at the elleth and dismissed them, feeling no need for their continued care.
As he watched over her he thought back to that afternoon and his father's words.
"You can never be ready for this Legolas"
Thranduil said sternly as he gazed out over the courtyard below his study. Legolas resisted the urge to roll his eyes and stood from his position on his fathers oak desk.
"Will I ever be ready?"
Thranduil turned to smile at his son and as he did so he was reminded of the elfling that he had watched grow. But his elfling had grown and was now watching his own son grow. He had his own family to watch over.
"You must be careful Legolas. We are worried about you, your mother and I. You spend too much time reminiscing and when you are not with your wife you are out on patrol. It is not good for your well being son"
Legolas spun round. His blue eyes dark and stormy and his hands arching to hit something.
"Look at you. You are wreck. You send too much time indoors. You need to ride out and have fun. Tell me…when was the last time that you saw your son?"
Thranduil raised an eyebrow, knowing that that above all things was bound he anger his son.
"Do you know that eh can shoot a bow and hit a target? Do you know that he is learning to ride?..."
Legolas growled low in his throat and turned to leave the room, only stopping when he felt a hand clamp down firmly on his shoulder,
"Be careful Legolas, or you will fall"
"Adar, please. I cannot do this, not at this moment"
Thranduil let his son go with a feeling of guilt and remorse, but he knew that what he stirred within his son was important.
She withheld a scream as a vicious pain ripped through her body making her grip the headboard as he body arched.
Her labor had started two nights before and she was weakening. The exhaustion was overwhelming her, her body was gleaming and her hair was shining with sweat. The nightgown that she was wearing clung to her skin and Legolas noticed that he could see the child within her kick violently.
Sitting beside her, as he had done so for the past two nights he stroked the wet hair back from her forehead and silently encouraged her to sleep. She had not spelt and he could see the gleam in her eyes was fading and although her cheeks were red the rest of her skin held an unhealthy colour. She needed to sleep.
Entering the room silently King Thranduil looked at his daughter in law. The blankets had caught around her legs and her nightdress was clinging to her. Her eyes were closing and she was near to sleep. He watched a she whimpered softly and her stomach contracted before watching as his son left the chair he was sitting and made his way to the bathroom.
Shrugging the robe from his shoulders Thranduil followed his weary son.
"Legolas?"
The prince turned round, his face was pale and tears were gathering in his eyes. His tunic was rumpled and his knuckles were white as he gripped a cool cloth.
"Come. Let's see if we can aid this birth before Elrond and Glorfindel arrive"
Legolas nodded and there his father the cloth that he had been holding and turning round to take a new one.
"Adar she has been in labour for nearly two days. She will not be able to continue if this continues"
Father and son made their way back into the bedroom, both allowing a small smile on their faces at the sight of their princess who was now asleep in the middle of the bed. Her legs drawn up and pilled clutched tightly to her chest.
"Has the child moved?"
Legolas shook his head and sighed heavily as he carefully removed the pillow from his wife's tight grasp. She fought a little in her sleep but gave it up as he gently pried the material from her fingers. Picking up a knife the king ran the blade down the middle of her nightgown, effectively slicing the thin material from her body. Respectfully leaving Legolas to remove the garment he left the bedside to open a window that had been closed to respect their privacy.
Thalia sighed with relief as the material was taken from her warm skin and she smile din her sleep despite the obvious contraction that ripped through her body. Legolas quickly ran the cloth over her skin before drawing a soft thin sheet over her body.
The door burst open and a worried looking Glorfindel entered the room, quickly followed by a much calmer Elrond.
The first thing that hit Elrond as he entered the room was the close air, it was too hot and it would do Thalia no good, but he doubted that she was aware of anything as she lay still and in much pain on the bed.
He looked at her with sympathy. He had been informed that she had already seen two moons rise and fall and was now in her third night. Looking at her was he was less worried that he had anticipated. She had put weight back on and she looked strong, there was hidden confidence in her eyes through the tears and all she needed was encouragement. He shook his head at the sudden thought that if she had been fully awake and understanding she would have been mortified at the amount of people who were now in the room while she was in labour and wrapped in nothing but a thin sheet.
The healer quickly made his way over to the small woman on the bed who unfortunately had just woken from her sleep. She began to cry as her Adar carefully lifted her onto his knee.
Glorfindel raised his head and looked at Eloria, pleading her to help him. The queen motioned for him the put Thalia back onto the bed and leave then alone for a moment. She climbed onto the bed next to the crying woman and began to soothingly stroke her hair whilst making her hold her gaze. Thalia stiffened and groaned, momentary stopping the torrent of tears. The babe was moving and it was only a matter of hours until the new royal would arrive.
Elrond stood over them. Thalia eyes had glazed and her skin was rapidly paling, she was once again drenched on sweat and her breaths were rapid and shallow. Eloria held her tightly as she clenched her teeth and groaned, drawing her legs up to try and stop at least some of the pain.
"Shhh, it's nearly over sweetling"
Turning to her mother in law Thalia burst into exhausted sobs that wracked her body. Eloria wrapped her in her arms and began to rock her gently but Thalia would not be hushed.
"Adar…I want Adar"
Her voice was muffled by Eloria's shoulder and her sobs but Glorfindel heard her none the less. The blonde Balrog slayer took his almost hysterical daughter form his friend and held her tightly. Unaware of the pleading gaze of her husband.
She nuzzled his shoulder with her face and hugged him tightly.
"Adar, kill me. please please I can't do it. I can't take it anymore it hurts so much"
She buried her head into his chest as he placed a hand on her back and kissed the top of her head.
"No. Do not give up. No daughter of mine will give up. You will birth this child and you will live. I will have none of this"
She shook her head, the tears of helplessness coursing down her face.
"I can't I can't. I'm not lying. It hurts so much"
He shook his head and rocked her back and fourth, listening as she breath calmed and she became quiet, the only should she made was a soft cry as a contraction wrack her.
He watched as Elrond took Legolas into the bathroom to return with towels, hot water and various herbs and he knew by the look on his face that this was going to be a long hard night.
"Do you want Legolas? I think he wants you, he is very worried"
She looked up at him, her face red and blotchy, and her eyes tired and swollen. She closed her eyes and nodded drowsily, noticing keenly change in the arms that held her. Legolas smelled very familiar, his arms felt closer and she could feel his heart beat in time with hers.
Legolas held her close, relishing the smell of her, despite the smell of blood and sweat he could smell the scent of new life, and a calm smell of herbs that Elrond was carefully mixing by the hearth.
Thalia sniffed and buried her head against Legolas'chest, as she stiffened once more.
He looked up form his now quiet wife to Elrond as he handed him a cup that would hopefully make Thalia more responsive and relax her muscles.
She blinked and clutched his tunic in her hands as her body arched, her cries of pain now reduced to mewls of pain.
She drank slowly as he helped her to swallow. Her head flopped back onto his shoulder and her eyes immediately closed in exhaustion.
"Give her a little time and she will wake. For now let her take the rest that she needs"
As he gazed down at her, ignoring the other occupants of the room he felt himself swell with pride. She had spent the past two nights battling with her labour and she was exhausted, but she had not given up. It was only this night that she had truly cried and even that was more out of frustration than anything.
Placing his hand on her stomach he waited while she stirred and was surprised that he had been buried within his thoughts for over an hour.
Thalia squirmed and gripped his tunic tightly and he was thankful that he had remembered to tie his hair back as last time she had pulled his hair accidentally. His brown furrowed in confusion as she stilled in his arms, her eyes wide and her lips were open as if to say something. Looking down at her he watch silently as her blood began to seep into the white sheet that she held around her body.
Thalia sighed and relaxed into his arms a relieved smile on her face.
Elrond's expression calmed as he instructed Legolas to sit behind her and support her as h checked her progress. Thankfully her water had broken fully and the babe had moved into the birthing position.
Her head lolled onto Legolas' silk clad chest as she simply laid back and let Elrond dictate what was to happen next. She felt her womb contract more forcefully than last time and she knew that it would be long until she had to push.
She felt him move her legs but she didn't care. She was too tired. Everything seemed like a blur. She heard herself mutter something but she didn't know what she had said only that it had made Legolas chuckle and Elrond smile.
She wasn't aware of it but Eloria, Thranduil and Glorfindel all kissed her forehead before leaving them to their privacy.
She felt herself raise her body as a fierce contraction ripped through her and she felt Legolas pull her back into his chest.
She started as she felt Elrond's hands on her thighs and she became nervous. She didn't know what was going on, she knew only that suddenly there was a buzzing in her ears and she had to push. She heard Elrond shout something at her and her body instantly reacted to him.
Elrond watched as Thalia's hands gripped Legolas' and she began to push- under normal circumstances it would have been alright for her to do this but she couldn't do that now. She had to wait until the babe had shifted a little way down the birthing canal or she wouldn't have any strength left to give a final push and that was vital as the baby had no doubt suffered form the long birth already.
Lifting her legs Elrond was encouraged to see the baby's head as it began to crown and quickly he shrugged off his heavy grey velvet robe and roll up the sleeves of his tunic.
She was lethargic and blood was quickly beginning to flow from her. But despite his worry he held a calm expression, knowing that Legolas' would notice the slightest difference.
"Thalia, this baby must be birthed now. When you womb hardens push as hard as you can. You remember how to do this"
I could hear Elrond's voice but I couldn't feel anything. I felt myself push the child form within me and I felt the tear of my flesh as the head slid from my body. I had no energy to scream. I couldn't move. I felt Legolas behind me. I had heard him talking to me, whispering things to me. About us, about the children. About the future. I wasn't going to die, I knew that. But something was going to happen to me. And I didn't want to face it. Perhaps my baby knew that. Perhaps it is it that has prolonged this. I don't know.
I pushed once more and felt my body heave a sigh of relief as my child slid from me. I opened my eyes but I couldn't see anything. Everything was dim. It was a boy. I heard Legolas tell me. He said he was beautiful. But I couldn't see him. I was cold. Very cold, and I hurt everywhere. I was in agony. I was too tired for this.