another update - i'm on a roll!
Katia0203: i'm so glad you recognized the condition, it means all my research paid off!
Ponytail goddesss: i wanted to give Lara an opportunity for closure, thus the near death experience.
I'm toying with the idea of possibly a sequel. So i thought I'd lay the potential groundwork for it here.
"Haldir! Congratulations, a healthy son!" Orophin was awaiting him outside the birthing room. He had just arrived to see his new nephew. The bright smile on his face faded immediately when he saw the look on the elder brother's face. "Haldir? Is something the matter? Is it Lara?" he asked, gazing towards the door where his brother had just emerged.
A healer's attendant exited the room and approached the brothers.
"Captain Haldir, the healer asked that I give you an update" she hesitated, glancing at Orophin.
"My brother, you may speak in front of him" Haldir quickly explained.
"Captain, your wife reported a headache early this morning. She came out of the room for something to ease the pain. Before we could attend to her, she collapsed. She's been having seizures since. It's a rare complication of pregnancy, caused by very high blood pressure."
"Is it dangerous?" Orophin interjected.
"Yes, it can be. For Lady Lara, she has been unable to take proper breaths and that is life threatening. The healer bid me tell you that everything possible is being done but…" the attendant hesitated again.
"But what?" Orophin demanded.
"Lady Lara might not survive. She's not breathing properly. I'm so sorry." the attendant finally said.
Orophin cast an anxious glance at his brother. Haldir's face was impassive. In his arms, the elfling fidgeted. Ever so stoic, Haldir handed the infant to his brother and made for the door to re-enter the room where his wife was. Calmness had deserted the room. It was complete chaos. Attendants rushed to and fro to bring supplies. Orders were shouted and verified. An atmosphere of fear and anxiety dominated. Haldir saw his wife on the bed, eyes closed, unresponsive. It struck fear into his heart. He was losing her, he could feel her presence ebbing away through their bond.
Haldir would not lose his wife. Not like this. Not without a fight. He moved to hold her hand. It was limp in his. He brought it to his lips and placed a gentle kiss.
"Meleth, it's me. You cannot leave. Not yet. Your time isn't finished. Find your way back to me. I'm here." He said to her through their bond. Would she hear it?
Lara looked around, confused. She wasn't in the healing telan anymore. Her pain was gone. She was dressed in a pristine white gown. The imperfections of her body from childbearing and birth had been erased. The place was familiar. It took her a moment but she realized she was in her childhood home. The large telan was just as it had been when she was a child. Feeling eyes upon her, she turned around and saw her parents on the sofa in the bright and airy living room. Tears prickled in her eyes as she saw they were cradling a tiny bundle,wrapped in a pink blanket.
"Nana, Ada?" Lara.
"Meleth, my darling" her father stood to greet her. A tight hug and kiss later, she saw her mother also stood and was slowly walking over, careful not to disturb the infant in her arms.
"Is that?" Lara dared not ask, for fear that it might cause it not to be true.
"Your daughter" her mother answered for her.
Lara let out a small cry as the baby was put into her arms. The daughter she never had the opportunity to see, let alone hold. The child she had carried for 8 months but never got to say goodbye to. Ten perfect fingers and toes. Her father's eyes. Lara's mouth.
"What will you call her?" Lara asked.
"It's not for us to name her Lara. You've already named her." Her father chuckled.
Of course her parents would know. She had always wanted a daughter. She had had a name chosen for years. "Nala" she breathed, remembering it.
"She is not lost to you, Lara" her mother explained.
Lara tore her gaze off her daughter for a moment. "She is here, with us. You will see her again in valinor."
"She'll be all grown" Lara said.
"She will know her mother and father love her" the grandmother said.
"What if I wish to stay with her?" Lara asked defiantly, feeling like she would not be able to let the baby in her arms go.
"You can stay if you wish. The choice is yours. But you have much to go back to. Trust me, there is much that you have yet to accomplish. Children that need you" her father entered her conversation.
Lara could feel Haldir reaching to her through their bond. He was asking her to return him. To their sons. There was another a newborn who needed her. She felt her baby son's uncertainty, confusion that he could no longer feel his mother's warmth and love. She knew she needed to go back, for all of them. Very reluctantly, she handed Nala back to her parents.
"Come on! Lara, breathe!" the healer shouted in frustration. The medication had been given many minutes ago, yet the patient showed no signs of improvement.
Suddenly, she gasped for air. Coughing, she groaned and her eyes opened. She began to move her limbs trying to get her bearings. The attendants rushed to calm her. In the flurry of activity, Haldir was pushed to the back of the room, separating their hands from each other. Despite the numerous healers and attendants around her, Lara turned her gaze towards her husband. A tear slid down his face, accompanied by an expression of immeasurable relief.
Lara was fussed over for the next two days, subjected to many awful tasting medications and uncomfortable tests. A constant presence beside her was Haldir. He caring for the baby and caring for her. She knew he must be exhausted, yet nothing could convince him to go home for a rest. When the healers were satisfied with her return to health, the couple were finally given an afternoon without intrusions.
Lara chuckled as her newborn son suckled eagerly at her breast. She had been unable to breastfeed for the past 2 days, and she was glad to return to this task. "He suckles just like Toby did" she said, with a smile.
"He has missed his nana" Haldir said, reflecting a smile of her own. "You gave us quite the scare."
"Well the healers were quite clear that my childbearing days are over" Lara said wryly.
"How do you feel about it?" Haldir asked.
"We have two beautiful elflings to raise. I am so grateful for that." she smiled. "Though, we do need to name this little one." She would let Haldir take the lead.
"I liked Callon when we discussed it" Haldir ventured.
Lara leaned in to him for a kiss, which her husband readily gave. "I like it. Callon it is" she said decidedly. She placed a soft kiss on Callon's brow. He responded with a hard suckle, causing her to wince.
"He has quite the attitude" Haldir remarked.
"I supposed I only have myself to blame" Lara said.
"Well he did not get it from me" Haldir teased.
Lara's expression turned serious. "Toberion, Callon, and…Nala" she whispered the last name.
"It's a beautiful name for our daughter" Haldir said. "I know it's the one you always liked."
"I saw her, Haldir. When I was unconscious. I held her…and she was beautiful" Lara cried. Haldir was crying too. "She was with my parents. She will know we loved her, wanted her."
She reached for his hand and he took it, pressing a kiss into it.
"You have a little brother Toby" Haldir said, as he led the child into the birthing room. It was three days later than they had anticipated, but Haldir was infinitely glad this moment was happening at all. Lara smiled as Toby climbed onto the bed and peered into the bundle in her arms.
"His name is Callon" Lara introduced.
"He's so small" Toby observed.
"He'll be bigger soon. Then you'll be able to play with him" Lara smiled. Toby crawled into her free arm and she cuddled both her sons.
"Toberion and Callon. How many times do I have to tell you not to move my papers! Would one of you like to confess to this?" Lara lectured sternly. She had come home to find the papers she had painstakingly arranged the night before in complete disarray on her desk. Two pairs of big blue eyes, identical to her husband's, stared back at her. The younger of the pair was looking distinctly more guilty.
"Sorry Nana. The letters were just so beautiful, I couldn't help looking at it" Callon said. Lara was very well aware he was giving her best puppy-dog eyes in hopes of escaping punishment.
"Looking is fine, but you know better than to disturb the scrolls. Some of them are thousands of years old and very delicate" Lara answered. Her younger son was the studious one, and she wanted to encourage his curiosity.
"I told him not to do it Nana" Toby said. Lara was all too familiar with her first-born's tactics.
"And what were you doing while your brother was looking at the scrolls? Is that your Ada's spare bow with the string broken?" Lara said, raising her eyebrow.
Now her older son was the one attempting the puppy dog eyes. "I only wanted to practice so I can show Ada when he gets back."
"Ada's weapons are off limits, you know that." Her eldest was most definitely going to be a soldier and carry on the family tradition.
"Sorry nana" Toby apologized.
The two elflings looked at their mother expectantly awaiting their punishment. "Dish duty, both of you, for the next 2 weeks" Lara handed their sentence down. "And Ada will be finding out about this when he comes home tomorrow." At that moment, Lara was incredibly jealous of Inaya. Her sister in law's two daughters enjoyed playing the harp and embroidery. What she wouldn't give for the peace and quiet that must be their home. Though, in a few years when the girls reached adolescence, it would likely be Inaya who wished for sons.
Lara knew as soon as she saw the first soldiers reach the city gates that something unexpected had happened in their mission. Their faces were grim and their heads were bowed in grief. Fear gripped her heart. She knew Haldir was still alive, she felt him through their bond, but she couldn't know if he had been injured until she laid eyes on him. As usual, he was the last to pass through the gates, only entering when the rest of his company had. She saw his cloak was draped over something he held in his arm. It must've been fragile for he took great care with the bundle. Lara gasped when she realized it was a child, cold and scared, clinging to Haldir and refusing to let go.
"It's alright little one, we're in the city now. No one will harm you here" Haldir reassured the elfling. He turned to face his wife and sons, who now stood before them, obviously curious.
"We came upon a group of elves, waylaid by orcs. She was the only survivor. She'd been hidden within a hollow tree" Haldir explained.
"Is she alright?" Lara asked. The child had not said a word. She was covered head to toe in dirt. It seemed a breeze might knock her over.
"Our field medic did a basic exam, it seems she escaped without any serious injury. I must give report to the Lord and Lady" Haldir said.
"I'll take her home with us. She needs a bath, food and a good sleep." Lara said immediately.
Haldir nodded. "I will let you know what plans the Lord and Lady make for her." He then knelt in front of the elleth. "I must go now, but my wife Lara will take care of you. These are my sons, Toberion and Callon." The child seemed to consider the proposition for a moment and then loosened her grip on Haldir ever so slightly. It was enough for Lara to gently guide the child towards her.
