Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the Lord of the Rings.
Note: Thanks for the reviews. So what should Legolas do with Aragorn? That is what I need to know now. But anyway let's begin. It is hard to find a song that goes with this but I think that this says it, I hope. Song belongs to Faith Hill and is called If this is the end.
Two horses raced towards Eryn Lasgalen, entering the woods at night and only when one of the riders exclaimed a weary sign the other ride became concerned and called for a stop. Pulling his hood off at an alarming rate, Legolas tucked his loose blond hair behind his ears. "Nienna, speak to me, what is the matter?"
Nienna straightened immediately and dropped her hood too, answering. "Nothing…." She would have continued in this matter when accompanied with a soft gasp of pain she leaned forward once more, not able to hold herself upright any longer. Legolas was at her side in an instance and he once again spoke. "Nienna, as your lord I command you, speak freely of your hurts, what is ailing you?"
"I need to rest; riding is not as easy as it once was when one is nearly 5 months pregnant." Nienna gasped the words out, though she did not straighten. Legolas placed a gentle hand on her lower back, helping her to straighten and his face bore a grim expression when he saw his wife struggling to remain upright. "I am sorry, mela, I forgot. Come let us make camp and you get some rest. Does it hurt anywhere?"
"My back and a sore bum. But I wonder, how could you have forgotten?" She smiled lovingly at him, the first smile that he had received in days and he felt his own face lit up at her mirth before he extended a hand towards her, saying. "Come, you can sit in front of me."
She shot him a look of disbelief and then slowly leaned over, excepting his hand as he wrapped the other one around her waist. Clacking his tongue he urged the horses in a gentle walk. Nienna's head gently rested on his shoulder and Legolas looked at her while she closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of her husband. Her expression was paler then before and dark circles were underneath her eyes. Her face appeared thin and sweat was on her forehead while when he touched her hands, they felt cold to the touch.
He pressed a kiss to her temple and muttered. "I am sorry, mela, so sorry." Her eyes snapped open and she answered. "For what, Greenleaf?" The use of his old nickname made a gentle smile tug at his lips but his eyes remained sorrowful.
"For pushing you so hard. For allowing our daughter to die, for not being there when her body was given back to the earth, for everything really." He cleared his throat and Nienna continued to watch him while she answered. "Do not be sorry. Most of these things were not even your fault and if it was, it was just as much mine and it was yours. I was not with Moriethel when she died while you were and I was not there at the burial either, which I should have been. Are we there yet?"
"Nearly." He nuzzled her hair while his hand tightened around her waist. Before long he called out for a stop to the horses. Nienna stiffly sat upright while Legolas dismounted; she swayed and blinked wearily, trying to clear her eyes of the haze of weariness before them. The elf beside her cursed softly and the next moment she was down on her feet, one arm securely around her waist and the other one holding her hand, leading her away.
Legolas sat her down on the floor underneath a willow tree, going back to let the horses gaze about and to take their packs back towards where Nienna was sitting. He raised his eyebrows when he saw she had already made a fire but his heart quickened at the thought of a fire in his own room, with his own family, with his own wife, with her.
"Do you wish to eat?" Nienna looked up at Legolas when he voiced the question but she only nodded briefly, not wanting to waste any more energy. He could tell she was exhausted and he quickly and quietly prepared dinner.
Nienna was nearly asleep by the time dinner was over but a soft hand on her back made her start up. "Nienna, relax. It is merely me."
"What are you doing?" Nienna's voice was soft, controlled and Legolas grimaced, wishing there was not tired note within the fair voice of his wife. "Allow me to rub your back?" He looked back at her, his hand just resting on her lower back. Nienna gently smiled at him and nodded eagerly, answering. "If you so wish."
"I am sure it would help your back pain." Legolas's hand was already working on the tired and cramped muscles along his wife's back. He ran his warm palms gently across her lower back, keeping in mind not to touch her in places she did not want to be touched. He nuzzled her neck with his nose and was rewarded when she let out a tired groan and leaned back towards him. "Greenleaf, tell your child to be quite, I have not been able to get any rest while she insists on moving this much." Nienna's voice caught through the gentle silence that fell through the woods and while Legolas inhaled her scent, she felt him stiffen ever so slightly.
"Meleth?" A questioned look was in her eyes while she searched his eyes for any sign why he was so stiff. "Nothing." Was the reply she got from him and he pushed himself away from her but a hand on his chest stopped him from getting up. "No, speak." Nienna turned fully to face him and for the first time in many days he could read anger in her eyes. "You have not touched me as my husband should and I cannot chide you for that, for I have made a mistake and the trust and love between us must be renewed and only time can do so. Yet you have not connected to your child either, Legolas and for that I cannot forgive you. She needs you as well as I do."
She was not met by anger as she had expected but by an unwavering stare of Legolas and emotional eyes from the elf. "I am sorry. I lied to you before, I did not forget you were pregnant but I did not want to take to many liberties with touching you. I pushed you too hard, I am sorry, Nienna."
A soft kiss from her brought him out of his current mood. Grey eyes fixed upon his own and Legolas realised with a start how much he had missed those eyes, to see them sparkle with happiness and love. "Stop being sorry, else go do it someplace else. You are the father, whoever said you could not take liberties with me."
Her smile was gentle, understanding and even a little bit wry, yet Legolas could not have loved her more then at that moment. "Nothing binds us like the last time. No expectations of parents, no responsibilities about getting married, not meeting new parents, no battles and best of all, no saving Middle Earth. I know you are exited about a new child, and it is alright to show it." Nienna would have finished if not for Legolas who leaned forward and gently kissed her, a soft sign escaping his lips.
"But turn now; I need to finish the back rub." Legolas softly countered, turned her once again. Nienna relaxed once more while she answered. "And your child?" She was rewarded when the elf once again nuzzled her neck and answered. "Later when I finish this, you can guide me."
Minutes later found Legolas staring off into the fire while his hands moved over Nienna's back, his head resting on her shoulder while she was sitting against him and nearly in his lap. "Meleth, give me your hands, please." Nienna's voice was once again calm, yet not guarded like it had been before.
Legolas complied, placing his hands in those of Nienna. "Do not get scared now and allow me to guide you. I want to share this with you, not like I could the first time." Warm hands touched an equally warm stomach and Legolas slowly relaxed his hand, reliving in the fact that it was his child within her, within the one he loved.
His hands moved as if on their own account, exploring as much flesh as Nienna allowed and his connection with his child grew stronger and his trust in Nienna deepened. "I love you." He breathed in her ear and Nienna's smile deepened. "I love you as well." She replied, smiling as he kissed her quickly on the lips.
Legolas's breathing hitched in his throat when he felt a rather timid kick against his hand. His gaze shot down and his fingers spread themselves out, feeling the little life more profoundly. He bowed his head, causing his loose hair to fall around his face. He knew what this moment meant for him, to embrace his new life, to forgive Nienna and most importantly to stop living in the past and forget Moriethel and leave the grief behind him.
Her hand tightened on top of his and she gently squeezed, softly saying. "Great, isn't it?" He looked back up at her, his head still bowed and a lopsided smile marred his face, there was a hopeful expression on her face and Legolas allowed a grin to replace the grim expression he had begun to wear after his daughter's last breath. "Of course this is great, you are the mother."
Nienna's expression faltered and Legolas became alarmed. "Mela, what is it?" His blue eyes were hard when she did not answer and he hissed while he tightened his grip. "Nienna, say it. Voice it in the air."
"I am not a mother. I failed my eldest born and she died because of me. I will fail this child as well, how can I be a mother when I cannot even control myself…." She would have continued in this manner if not for Legolas actually pulling her in his lap so that he was no longer leaning against him but the other way around and he answered in a firm tone. "Your are the mother of this child, you have not failed Moriethel, you had other duties, but what is more importantly you are the mother of my child. You said once to me that the Valar meant for Mor to die and I would not belief it." At this point he was shaking her gently and gently chiding her, saying once again. "Many people told me that I was foolish for marrying an Elleth so young, one who was heavy with child, my child that is. Not waiting the appropriate time to wait to see if marriage was suitable for us. I told them that they were young, that you were wise beyond your years, but in one thing I have been wrong."
Nienna's lip was quivering slightly, he was sure to tell her now he was wrong to marry her. "For never allowing you to be the child you could never be. For not allowing you to be exiting and spent time with you family as you should have done. I should have brought you to Rivendell and married you there, instead of taking you with me to the court and the influences of Eryn Lasgalen. For being prince Legolas and not the Legolas you needed me to be. That I want to be." Tears were standing in his eyes and they had softened while he continued. "I love you so much, Nienna, you were named well by your mother. Nienna is the Valar of mourning and sorrow and that is what you have known in your life, be it by your own actions of those of other people, you still did. I am so excited about this child, be it with me."
His hands had been removed from her stomach and he held them out to her, inviting her for a hug, hoping and knowing he wanted to do it differently with his own children then the raising they had both received, as he knew well that Nienna would be different had she been brought up by Elrohir. Nienna hesitated for a second but then she threw herself into his arms, nearly knocking them both over.
He laughed, hugging her to him. His smile was reflected in her eyes and she slowly rested her head on his shoulder, feeling weariness creep up on her once again. Legolas tugged the bottom of the oversize tunic she was wearing down and he held her then, content to just hold her.
Our love is the moon
Our love is the kingdom come
Our love is the flame
Our love is the will that will be done.
Our love is the jewel
The diamond in the rough
But you don't want it.
You don't want to take it.
If this is the time, I don't want to know this time.
If this is the end, I don't want to go this time
If this is the time.
Our love is true.
Our love is the rising sun.
Our love is new
Our love is just begun,
Our love is proof of what is yet to come.
But you don't want it.
You don't want to take it,
If this is the end, I don't want to know this time.
If this is the time, I don't want to go this time,
If this is the end.
It was so easy, we were so young.
It is only natural to come undone.
At the end of this evening, before rise of the sun,
You are coming with me, you are coming with me.
If this is the end, I don't want to know this time.
If this is the end, I don't want to go this time.
If this is the end.
If this is the end, I don't want to know,
I just want you by my side.
Legolas's eyes opened while he looked at his wife. "As you shall go nowhere and shall remain by my side, to whatever end awaits us." He softly replied to her unspoken question. "So you understood the song?" It was a stupid question and she knew it but she needed the confirmation and he tightened his grip, slipping one hand underneath her shirt to rest upon her belly and answered before kissing her long and gentle. "Of course, just as clear as you understand me."
Hope you like it. Tell me what you want to see next time. And review of course.