Chapter 40
Once we returned from the battle with the Uruk-hai we were able to calculate the results. We had lost twenty one of our men while the other nine had been injured, including Dínendal. Luckily they all survived their injuries.
Minas Tirith was consumed by snow in the next few months. Absolutely everything was blanketed by a thick sheet of snow and ice, creating a winter wonderland. Although it was fairly cold outside with the wind and the snow, I refused to let that keep me indoors.
Arwen, who had come to Minas Tirith just as Aragorn had told me, and I decided that it was time for one of our walks. Both Aragorn and Legolas refused to let me ride a horse and so Arwen and I were forced to walk. Arwen said that it was better anyways, for she said that walking was good exercise for me and the baby.
That afternoon was clear and breathtaking from the ledge that overlooked the fields of Gondor. The sky above was free of clouds and the sun seemed to be hidden by a thin layer of mist. The sunlight poured out onto the vast sea of pure, white snow and made everything brighter. The trees poked out from the covering, snow adorning their bare branches.
I turned to see Arwen walking towards me, carrying Legolas's cloak. I rolled my eyes and she laughed her sweet, musical laugh.
I envied her even more now. The material of her dress was silver and it shimmered both from the sunlight and the snow. The sleeves were long and the neckline was reasonable for there was no use in wearing something extravagant for a walk in the snow. She wore a navy blue cloak over her dress, clasped at the top to keep out the cold. Her long locks were pulled inside of her cloak, curls escaping to fall against her cheeks. She looked stunning, as if she had come directly from heaven.
Me, on the other hand, I did not look stunning. My growing stomach needed more room and so I was forced to start wearing my working dresses. I was deeply saddened that my tunics no longer fit me. The dress I had worn that day was a dull green color with black buttons that trailed from the bottom of my stomach to just below my neck. I already wore my own cloak which was also clasped at the top.
"Legolas asked me to make you wear this." She said, helping me into his cloak. She then stepped back and looked me over. "Adette there is no other woman or elf maiden who could make being six months pregnant look so beautiful."
"Do not lie to me Arwen."
She simply smiled and took my hand, leading me away from the ledge and towards the archway that led back inside the castle walls. We stepped carefully through the snow, looking for hidden patches of ice. We then passed through the second archway and came out to the courtyard.
Legolas and Dínendal were seated upon the steps leading up to the castle doors, talking softly. Legolas looked up when Arwen and I appeared and smiled when he saw that I was wearing his cloak. Just to tease him, I began to unclasp it. His smile vanished and he looked like he was ready to march over and scold me when I retracted my hands and continued on my way with Arwen.
We walked down the ice covered steps with great care, Arwen holding both of my hands to lead me down them, and then proceeded down to the lower levels. Most of the people who lived in the lower levels rarely ventured outdoors and so they were fairly barren.
"I cannot wait for you to see my dress Adette." Arwen said excitedly as we came upon the way out.
Once I stepped foot onto the untouched snow, our previous footprints covered, I felt free.
"I'm sure you look beautiful in it Arwen."
"And I hope that you like the dress I have had made for you." She said quietly. I turned to her, grabbing hold of one of her hands.
"Arwen you didn't! I was going to have my own dress made!" We both smiled despite my protesting. She gave my hand a squeeze.
"Consider it your Christmas present Adette, and think nothing of it. Once you come to Rivendell in the spring for the wedding I will have it fitted for you and your tummy." She nodded to my stomach and giggled.
"Laugh all you want to Arwen," I let go of her hand and continued walking, "but soon you will be in my predicament."
Arwen hiked up her dress and followed quickly after me. We walked through the fields although we did not continue into the trees. Once we reached the trees we always turned and went back, and so we walked slow.
"I do hope so Adette. I have wanted a child for a long time." She sighed heavily, a smile still gracing her lovely face. "What is it like?"
"What is what like?" I cocked my head to the side to look at her.
"To be with child. What is that like?"
I returned my face forward and lifted a finger to my chin. It was the first time I actually had to put into words what it felt like. When I thought about it, it was hard to come up with words to describe it.
"A gwilwileth." I said suddenly. "The baby feels like a butterfly inside of you."
(A butterfly.)
"A butterfly?" She asked in an amused tone. "Please continue."
"Well, whenever I feel happy or nervous, it feels as though there are dozens of butterflies flittering around in my stomach. And whenever Legolas…" I stopped and glanced sideways at Arwen. She nodded eagerly for me to go on, her smile widening. "It is as if there is a string that connects the baby to every part of my body. When Legolas touches me, even if it is not on my stomach, my whole body feels like it jumps."
"It sounds magical." She said after a time. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back as we continued to walk. As if she could see my puzzled expression, she answered my unasked question. "It is about to snow."
I looked up and indeed I saw snowflakes slowly raining down upon us. They landed gently upon my face and tangled into my hair, each delicate like pieces of lace. I loved the feeling of them against my bare skin.
"Arwen are you excited to marry my brother?" I asked suddenly, pulling my face away from the sky. She did the same and her face became very serious, her wide eyes sparkling.
"I have never wanted anything more in my life." She answered quietly.
"I am so happy for the both of you. Soon we will be sisters." I smiled and came towards her, embracing her. She returned the hug, leaning over my stomach so as not to bump into it.
"We are already sisters." She whispered as we pulled away. "Now let us return."
Legolas already had a hot bath waiting for me when I returned, I discovered, when I crept past he and Aragorn to go to the bedroom. The steam was filling the room quickly, warming me from my head to my toes. The water looked very inviting.
I unclasped both cloaks and left them in a heap on the floor. I then began to unbutton the buttons keeping me inside of the working dress that I hated. Once they were undone I then slipped off the dress and left it along with the cloaks. When I was completely undressed I slid into the water.
I tilted my head back against the tub, the water coming up to my neck. I sighed heavily and brought one foot out of the water, moving it around in circular motions. I was only slightly startled when I felt a rough hand grab my foot and begin to massage the bottom of it gently. His calluses rubbed against my own.
"Why didn't you say anything?" I asked without opening my eyes. My foot was let go off and I felt lips brush against my forehead.
"You looked perfectly content the way you were. I did not want to disturb you." He answered from beside me. I opened my eyes to see Legolas kneeling next to the tub, his chin resting upon the edge of it.
"I still am." I moved forward to rest my chin in front of his. I folded my hands beneath mine, bringing my face up just a smidge higher than his. He smiled and so did I before he closed the half an inch between us for a chaste kiss.
"How was your walk with Arwen?" He asked once our lips parted ways. He leaned back on his hands to watch me as I ran my fingers through my hair, untangling it from the snow. I then quickly began to wash it with a soft scented soap.
"It was nice. We talked about the wedding and about the baby." I leaned my head back to rinse out the soap, my ears still above water so that I could hear Legolas.
"What did you say?"
"Arwen is excited about the wedding and she has made me a dress for the ceremony even though I told her I would make my own." I lifted my head, still moving my hands through it to rid it of any remaining suds.
"And what of the baby?"
"She asked me what it felt like." I saw his lips twitch when I answered him. He then sat up, folding his hands in his lap.
"What did you say?"
"I said that it felt like a butterfly was inside of me." I answered quietly, a light blush covering my cheeks. Legolas threw his head back and laughed before getting to his feet to fetch me a towel.
"A butterfly?" His voice asked from outside of the bathroom.
"Yes a butterfly." I moved my hands onto either edge of the tub and slowly got to my feet. It was becoming harder to do that to my dismay.
Legolas opened his mouth to say something when he returned, holding the towel, but his mouth shut when he saw me. He did not smile, nor did he frown. His lips simply settled into a normal position. His eyes held such love as he looked at my soaked form that I nearly burst. After a time he came forward, holding the towel open for me.
"I quite like seeing you like this." He said quietly.
He held out a hand to help me out of the bath and then wrapped the towel around me. As he wrapped it around me, one hand moved over my stomach. I felt like teasing him and so I moved away. He looked at me with a puzzled look on his face. I merely smiled and left him in the bathroom to go and put on clothes.
I went to the wardrobe and dropped the towel as I searched for something to wear. I was not surprised when I felt calloused hands come around to settle upon my stomach once more. I pushed them away as I found a nightgown to wear. I could hear him sigh in frustration while I dressed and my smile widened. I then let out a giggle and I heard Legolas coming towards me.
"Why must you tease me?" He asked. I whirled around to see him reaching out for me but I moved around him and instead went to the bed. I laid out on it after propping up two pillows so that I could sit up. He smiled and shook his head at me before circling the bed. He sat down, edging closer to me.
I watched him curiously. He was eyeing my stomach, his brow furrowed but not in an angry way. I watched him hesitantly lean closer but he pulled back and met my eyes. If I didn't know better I thought I saw him blush faintly when he realized I had seen him.
"Can I?" He asked, motioning to my stomach. I was confused by his behavior.
"Of course you can Legolas."
He then slowly moved his hands out over my stomach, caressing it with his thumbs. His eyes bore into it until the familiar jump came. When I winced he pulled back, his face filled with concern.
"Did I hurt you? What is it Adette?" He asked worriedly.
"I am not hurt. The baby has just gotten bigger and it jumps in close quarters." I answered calmly, not wanting to worry him. That would mean being bedridden until the day I went into labor.
"I wonder…" He murmured, looking away from me. He then moved from his sitting position and laid out, his legs handing off of the bed. He scooted closer, moving one hand to the front of my stomach while the other rested on top. I watched as he pressed an ear carefully to the side of my stomach. I dared not to say a word as I studied him. His eyes had closed and he seemed to be concentrating. His lips twitched again and I was startled when his eyes suddenly snapped open. A goofy grin was spread out on his face but he did not move an inch.
"I can hear her heartbeat." He whispered in an awestruck voice. I smiled and moved a hand towards him, stroking his hair. He closed his eyes once again and buried his face further into me. I continued to stroke his hair, watching my husband and daughter connect before my eyes.
For what seemed like an endless amount of time we stayed that way. I could see outside that the sun was slowly beginning to set. When I looked back I saw Legolas's eyes open, now studying me.
"What?" I asked simply, waiting for him to speak. He moved from where he had been and came to settle beside me. He pulled me close to him, kissing my temple and then my wet hair.
"Im turoal dartho an hen na tól."
(I cannot wait for her to come.)
"Neither can I." I said softly, turning my face away. I had not the heart to tell him how frightened I was. But, Legolas being Legolas, he knew right away that something was wrong. He placed a finger underneath my chin and guided my face back to his.
"What is it dúlinn?" He asked gently.
"I am just…I am afraid." I admitted, hanging my head. But Legolas lifted my chin and refused to let me look away. He moved forward and pressed his forehead against mine.
"I would be worried if you weren't. I know that you are scared Adette, but know that I will not leave your side for one moment." He promised.
"The midwives and healers don't allow men in the room." I pointed out. His eyes opened and a mischievous grin made its way onto his perfect face.
"That was before they met me. Udún turoal hebi nin o lle."
(Hell cannot keep me from you.)
"It will only delay you."
He pulled his face from mine and we both laughed. When we quieted, he moved one arm around my shoulders and pulled me close beside him. The other moved around my front, taking my hand into his. He then placed both of our hands upon my stomach over our daughter's heart.
To the anonymous reviewer: I deleted your review because quite frankly it means nothing to me. The only reason I'm posting this message is because I want you to know how completely stupid you sounded. I don't mind constructive criticism but what you left me was a complete waste of my time and it wasn't intended to be helpful in any way, shape, or form. By the way, I hope you have fun throwing up.