"Nana, I want to stay with you. We never had the time to know each other. There is so much I wish to ask you" Ava insisted. Celebrian raised her eyebrows, the manner was so similar to her own that Ava could have been looking in a mirror.
"Centuries pass within a flicker in valinor, Ava. But your sons, they will not be elflings forever. Would you leave them? Would you leave your bond mate to grieve you?" The Lady of Imladris gently reminded her daughter.
"No, my sons they need me. Thranduil, though he does not show it, needs my love also. But Nana, it's not fair! Your time in middle earth was taken so suddenly! Ada has never recovered" Ava cried at the injustice.
"Will you tell Elrond something for me?" Celebrian asked hopefully…
Ava's eyes flickered and a small groan escaped her mouth. Arwen, who had been sitting at her bedside reading a book to pass the time, threw the book aside and leaned in eagerly at this new change.
"Ava? Can you hear me? It's Arwen" she asked gently.
More groans came, followed by movement of the arms and legs. Ava was regaining control of her body, testing its abilities. "Nana…" she mumbled.
"Nana's not here, Ava. She's been gone for some time now" Arwen reminded gently, her heart sinking at the thought that her sister may have once again lost memory.
Ava's eyes finally flickered open and the surroundings of the king and queen's bedchamber came into view. She swallowed, her throat parched to the point of pain. Arwen handed her a glass of water when she attempted to reach for it unsteadily, and helped prop her up so she could drink from it properly.
"Arwen…" the Queen of Mirkwood finally eked out. "Where is Ada?"
"I will send for him" her sister said, a hint of excitement in her voice. At least Ava seemed to have some cognition of the people around her. After making sure her younger sister was well settled in bed, Arwen reluctantly left the bedside to call for the Lord of Rivendell.
"Sweetling, you gave us quite a scare" Elrond chided gently. His daughter knew he meant no criticism. "Alas, there will be no permanent damage. You will remain weak for some time, but you will recover" he concluded, as he placed her arm back onto the bed. He had felt her pulse, it was reassuringly strong and regular. At the back of the room, Arwen sighed in relief.
Elrond was about to walk away from the bedside when Ava caught his arm. Turning around quickly, his eyebrows were furrowed with worry.
"Something wrong, Ava?"
"Ada, I promised to pass on a message to you" Ava began, hoping her father would believe her. "While I was laying here, I dreamt of Nana. I spoke to her. She told me how much she loved me and how happy she was to know I had grown up so well" her voice cracked and she took a moment to compose herself. Elrond slowly lowered himself back into his seat, in disbelief.
"Your mother, I'm sure that's what she would have felt" he murmured. Suddenly he was enveloped in an old, familiar grief.
"Nana asked me to tell you something too" Ava continued. Elrond looked up in surprise. "She said that she would hold you to your promise that you would walk the shores of valinor together one day and watch the sunset as you used to. She is waiting for you but you have unfinished business yet here, she knows it and understands."
Elrond's eyes were filled with tears. It was a promised he had made to his wife centuries ago, as they said their goodbyes on the pier before Celebrian sailed. None had heard it, especially Ava who had only been an infant. It was truly a message from his bond mate. "Thank you, Ava. Your message is a gift that has brought me much comfort" he said, has he leaned in to kiss her on the brow.
Elrond quickly determined Ava required a strong brew of medication to help recover her strength. He excused himself to prepare it, while Arwen stepped in to help her sister wash. The elder sister lovingly ran a bath in the adjoining bathroom. After checking the water temperature to be at a perfect warmness, she helped a frail Ava enter the tub. Then, she poured a beautifully scented lilac soap in the water. Slowly, she sponged the water over Ava's exposed skin. This was followed by a lather of her hair, which had become matted and greasy from her prolonged illness. When Ava's skin was cleaned to the point that the beginnings of her natural flow was re-emerging, Arwen helped her out of the tub. The journey out was much more painful as the trip in had already sapped Ava of much of her strength. She did not even possess enough energy to dress herself. The elder sister made no issue of it, as she slipped Ava into a new nightgown.
"It will heal soon enough, sweetness" Arwen said maternally, when she saw Ava looking down at her abdomen and frowning. It was still rounded from her pregnancy, pink striae still visible, far from the perfect figure she had before the pregnancy.
Ava settled into a long, healing sleep after that. When she awoke again, Arwen was still by her side, ready with the medicinal brew their father had created in the meantime. She drank it slowly, letting its warmth flow through her sip by sip. She did feel stronger afterwards – her Ada was a renowned healer after all.
"Would you like me to show Thranduil and the boys in?" Arwen asked, seeing that color had returned to Ava's cheeks.
"What- no" Ava said quickly.
Arwen frowned. "You do know who Thranduil is?"
"Of course, my – my husband. I haven't lost any memory this time" Ava answered. "I haven't gained any of the old ones either" she added.
"He is desperate to see you, I'm sure" Arwen said gently. "He hasn't slept in days. Seeing you would do him so much good."
"I – we. Much happened before the birth. I had been terrible to him. I blamed him for our daughter. It hurt him deeply, I'm sure. I went out into the woods to find him and apologize, but my waters broke and I was in labor. I never got to do it properly" Ava trailed off, looking guilty.
"Hasn't being through two near death experiences taught you anything?" Arwen said in exasperation. "You need to stop letting these misunderstandings come between you. The love you have for each other is so obvious!"
"Arwen, if he doesn't want to see me, I'm not going to guilt him into it!" Ava said testily.
"No, you're being completely ridiculous. Your husband has completely neglected his own health for the last week. He was on the brink of complete exhaustion after sitting at your bedside and refusing to leave. When Ada finally made him go, he headed straight for the children's chambers to take care of the Legolas and the baby. Does that sound like someone who does not want to see you?" Arwen demanded.
"I – no" Ava conceded.
"Good, I'm glad we've got that straightened out. I'll go get him now" Arwen said, and headed straight out the door.
Ava took a deep breath. What would Thranduil say to her? She would soon find out as the door opened. This time, the tall and strong frame of the King of Mirkwood came into view. That body, she knew every inch of it, just as he knew hers. His normally proud and regal bearing was diminished by the hunching of his shoulders. It seemed he carried the weight of the world. He looked it too, with dark shadows and deep lines beneath his eyes. He would not meet her gaze, which worried her.
"Meleth" she murmured, holding out her hand. He took it and brought it to his lips. It was a heartfelt kiss.
"Ava, I am so sorry" he cried, in a voice full of sorrow and regret. Her eyes widened in surprise. "None of this would have happened had I not forsaken you and our daughter that day."
Ava pushed herself up in bed. "No, Thranduil. Don't you dare say that. I won't hear of it!" she insisted, in a strong voice that surprised him. He looked at her and then their lips met. It was a hard, passionate kiss. All the misunderstandings between them ebbed away for they were able to convey their forgiveness and love in that kiss.
When they finally broke apart, they held their gaze for each other as their brows touched.
"Where is the baby?" Ava asked, yearning for her child. "Is he alright? And Legolas too?"
Thranduil smiled. "They are both well Meleth, though I daresay, our second born is giving the chambermaids a thorough lashing with his crying."
"I want to see them" Ava said determinedly. Seeing that no good would come to him should he try to keep his wife from her child, Thranduil asked their children be brought.
The maid with the baby arrived first. Thranduil brought the bundle in his arms to the bed and carefully handed him over to his mother. Ava's eyes misted when she saw her son. The infant had inherited his father blue eyes and the fair coloring of his people. He would be just as handsome as his elder brother, Ava was sure of it. He hardly stirred at being handed off to another, Ava noted his quiet strength.
"I know you wished for a daughter meleth" the King began. The Queen did not let him finish.
"He's perfect" Ava said.
Then, their firstborn was led into the chamber by his maid. Legolas held his toy elk tightly. Ava noted with slight amusement that the toy was showing signs of wear at the edges, no doubt as the child was dragging it everywhere.
"Legolas, my love. Come see your little brother" Ava said.
"Can I hold him?" the Prince asked. He was obliged. Soon, the baby was being cradled in the arms of his elder brother. His mother was watching carefully to make sure the baby's head was well supported.
"What should we call him?" his mother urged. "Do you have any ideas?"
"I like Caledon" Legolas volunteered.
"I like it too" Ava agreed, venturing a look at her husband. He joined the small huddle, sitting on the bed next to Ava.
"Caledon it is" Thranduil said, smiling.
Ava moved to cuddle Legolas in her arms. He was still holding the baby, and Thranduil reached over protectively to make sure the infant stayed safely held. They ended up in a tight huddle. Their family, finally complete.
