Chapter Thirty-Eight

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SUMMARY: Bard's surprises continue, and he and Thranduil have a delightful, private reunion.

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The Woodland Realm, 11th of March, 2942, T.A.

Bard's breath caught, as he watched Tilda stand all by herself. His throat tightened, and his eyes began to fill.

"That's so wonderful, Tilda..." He said, roughly, and made a move to go to her, but Meriel stopped him.

"Please; wait, My Lords…"

Bard look at the Elven Healer in puzzlement, then he and Thranduil looked at each other.

"Why?"

She gave him an enigmatic smile. "You shall see. The Princess has a surprise." She gestured with her hand. "My Lady?"

Slowly, Tilda picked up her left foot and stepped forward, then her right.

Bard's hands when to his mouth, and he heard Thranduil gasp loudly, and he felt fingers dig into his shoulder.

"Ai, tithen míriel mín…" The Elvenking whispered softly, as he watched their daughter with wide eyes.

Bard squatted down, held out his arms, as everyone held their breath. Tilda gave him a gap-toothed smile, as she swung her arms a bit to maintain her balance. With her face pouted in concentration, she took four more steps, and fell into her Da's waiting arms. Bard let out a sob, scooped her up and buried his face in her neck.

"Oh, my girl…" He breathed, and he felt like his chest was going to burst.

"Don't cry Da," Tilda said, "You're supposed to be happy."

"Oh, love, I am happier than I can tell you," he lifted his head and sniffed. "That is the best gift you've ever given me."

Bard felt Thranduil's long arms encircle them both, and whispered, "Mae garnen, Tithen Pen. Mae garnen…"

"Da?" Tilda said breathlessly. "You and Ada are squishing me."

"We are?" he croaked. "I'm sorry Beanie, but we're just so proud of you, sweetheart." Bard gave a rough laugh, and Thranduil and Bard lessened their hold.

"I made everybody promise to keep it secret, cause I wanted to surprise you!"

"Oh, I'm surprised, all right." He hugged her again, and looked over at Thranduil, who was smiling through his own tears. "You didn't know about this, either?"

Thranduil was wiping his eyes, with his handkerchief before he handed it to Bard. "No, Meleth nîn, I did not." He stroked Tilda's hair and kissed her forehead. "This was a wonderful gift, hênig." He whispered.

When did this happen?" Bard wondered.

"I've been practicing." She told him. "I showed everybody, but only if they promised not to tell."

"I'll bet they were happy," Bard smiled at her.

"Uh huh. Auntie Hil cried."

Hilda nodded her head, as she blew her nose. "I wasn't as bad as Percy. He blubbered all over her."

"Percy knew about this? He's a blabbermouth!"

"I made him pinky-swear." Tilda said very seriously.

"Bain and Rhys yelled so loud, the guards came to see what was wrong!" Sigrid told him, laughing.

Alun had his arm around his son. "I'm happy for you all, My Lord."

"I wouldn't have missed this for the world." Bard kissed his daughter's hair, again, and looked over at Thranduil, who was still trying to collect himself.

"Did you like my surprise, Ada?"

Thranduil's voice caught when he tried to speak. He kissed her hair, and gave her a watery smile. "I will treasure this memory, child."

"Have either of you eaten?" Galion asked Bard and Alun.

"We had a bit of bread and cheese on the road, but otherwise, nothing since breakfast." Bard handed her to Thranduil, and sat down at the table. "Come on, Alun, you're as hungry as I am."

"Thank you, My Lord." Alun sat on the other side of the table next to Rhys. "This looks delicious, Galion."

"Thank you. I have also arranged for some snacks for your rooms, later."

"Great!" Rhys said. "I'm always hungry after riding."

"Speaking of rides, how was yours, Da?" Bain asked his father.

"It was quiet, thank the Stars, but I'm glad to be here." Bard dipped a roll into his soup, and took a bite. "Mmmm… Your kitchens have done it again."

"I will pass along your compliments." Galion said, with a smile, as he poured tea into Bard's and Alun's cups.

Everyone stayed and visited, until it was time for the children to go to their afternoon riding classes. Bard pulled out a paper from his pocket and gave it to Hilda. "Percy asked me to bring this."

"Thank you," she put it into her pocket, then got up, "Come on, kids. Tell your Das goodbye; you'll see them later."

There were some moans and groans, but the three of them quickly accepted their fate.

"I'm coming with you, Rhys. I've already dropped my things and I want to sit in the seats and watch you." Alun and his son were the first out door.

"See you later, Da!" Bain waved.

"Bye, Da." Sigrid kissed him on the cheek.

"Do I have to take a nap?" Tilda gave him her best puppy dog eyes, from Thranduil's lap.

"I am afraid so; Meriel will not allow you to get too tired." Thranduil nodded to Meriel. "We can put Tilda down for her nap. You may take an afternoon for yourself; go spend some time with Dior."

The Dark-Haired Elf smiled eagerly and curtsied. "Thank you, My Lord."

"Wait!" Bard said. "How is Dior, by the way?"

"He is still not ready to return to duty, but he is recovering well. The blood loss left him extremely weak, but he will be ready for duty in a few days."

"Send him my best, will you?"

Meriel smiled at him. "I will, My Lord." And she left.

Once lunch was over and dinner cleared, Galion went back to work in his office, and the Kings took Tilda into the nursery and helped her get ready for her nap.

"I don't sleep in the mornings anymore! I only have one nap in the afternoon, now."

"I see that, Beanie." Bard smiled down at her. "Did you have fun with Uncle Percy, when he was here?"

She nodded. "We went all over the Palace and he even carried me to the barns, so I could show him my favorite horse!"

"Did you let him spend time with Auntie Hil?" Bard grinned.

"Da-a! Of course, I did!"

"That was very nice of you." He pulled her covers up and sat down with her on the bed. "Come on, Little Bean. I'll read to you, how does that sound?"

So the Kings snuggled with her, and Bard read from a book of children's stories, as she relaxed against him. Despite her protests, she soon began to yawn, and it wasn't long before she was sound asleep, with her arms full of her stuffed toys.

Bard kissed her forehead, smoothed her hair, and they left the nursery, leaving the door open just a crack. As usual, Esta was at the foot of the bed, asleep herself.

Once they were in their bedroom, Bard gathered his Elf to him and kissed him the way he had wanted to, when he first arrived. "I don't know about you, but my nights have been long."

"Mine, as well." Thranduil said, as he rubbed their noses together. "I am so glad you are here. I have missed your touch, Meleth nîn."

"You have?" Bard bit his lip. "How much?"

Thranduil answered him by getting up and grabbing Bard by the wrist and dragging him into their dressing room.

A while later, once their movements slowed, and finally Bard and closed his eyes as held each other and enjoyed the cocoon of warmth and pleasure.

Bards smiled into the crook of Thranduil's neck. "That alone, was reason to come, you know. It would be worth a five-hour ride each way, just to be fucked like this." He sighed, and kissed up and down the Elf's neck.

Thranduil laughed sleepily. "I can never get enough of you. Whether I have you, or you take me; I feel complete when we are together. Your heart, your Fëa, your body... you are my home, Bard." He kissed Bard's chest, lovingly.

At last, they felt calm and a bit steadier, and when he was soft enough to leave Bard, Thranduil backed away, and Bard set his legs on the floor. They leaned on each other, and a towel was used to wipe up the majority of the mess, before donning robes to go take a bath together. When Bard sank in to the blissfully hot water, he closed his eyes and moaned with delight. "This is another reason why I love to come. I don't know how we're going to manage it, but I'll have hot baths in my Castle, by hook or by crook. There's got to be a way."

"I seem to remember Girion had running water, and a system of boilers. I can look in my library for plans, although I thought you wanted to wait until work was done on the homes of your people, first."

"I do. And if the Castle can have hot running water, and privies, then there's no reason why all the homes shouldn't have it, somehow. Please, get the plans, and I'll see if Ben can't work up something."

Thranduil came behind Bard and gathered him against his chest, and began to wash him. "I will see who can assist Ben from my own maintenance crews. We must have hot baths in Dale."

"Let's look into it." Bard yawned. "I'm sorry, love," he said, sleepily. "That long ride takes it out of me." He mumbled with a grin. "Not to mention a thorough fucking, from my favorite Elf."

He felt a kiss on the side of his neck. "Relax, Meleth nîn. I will wash you, and then you can take a nap."

"But that's not fair. You'll be doing all the work." He mumbled, weakly.

"It is no work, to care for my husband's beautiful body. I find it quite enjoyable. Now, be quiet and allow me to have my fun."

So, Bard let Thranduil have his way, and soon, Bard was clean and helped out of the bath, and his Elf dried him thoroughly and helped him get into his robe. Then he was led to their bed, and urged under the covers, as his Thranduil crawled in behind him, and gathered him close.

All Bard could remember after that, was the warmth against his back and strong loving arms around him, as he drifted off, with a smile.

Thranduil awakened from his nap to the feel of a tongue licking his face. He opened his eyes, and stroked Esta's head absently, as he looked to his right, and saw Bard. He loved to watch his husband sleep; especially his cute little frown as he shifts around and his oh-so-soft snore.

He could have watched his Bowman for hours, but Esta needed to go out, and he heard some stirring in the nursery, so he got up and pulled his leggings and a tunic on and went to the nursery.

Tilda was trying to sit up by herself, so he went over and helped her. "How to you feel, Tithen Pen? Did you have a good nap?"

She smiled a nodded her head. "Is Da still here?"

"Yes, although he is taking his own nap." He smiled down at her and ran his fingers through her hair, to get the tangles out of it. "He had a very long ride this morning. Do you need to go to the privy, hênig?"

"Yes, please. Can you just carry me? It would be quicker than using my chair."

So, once that business was done, he carried Tilda out into the living room and got her some water and cut up an apple for her as a snack, while they snuggled in the overstuffed chair.

"Is it good?" He asked, as she chewed.

"Uh huh. Ada?"

"Yes, Tithen Pen?"

"I'll be better soon, won't I?"

"Well, let us see: your memory is better, is it not? The games that you play with Meriel and Daeron help with that. You do not get frustrated and moody as much as you used to, and you are talking in long sentences now. You can see from your chart that you can do more and more exercises." He booped her nose. "And, you can walk! What do you think?"

"Swimming in your pool is fun."

"I can imagine. It must remind you of Laketown, during the summer."

"I like to swim. Da used to take us on picnics, sometimes. Auntie Hil and Uncle Percy liked to go too."

"That sounds like fun. Did you go in your Da's boat?"

"Sometimes, when Da would take the barrels, I would go with him. We all took turns, for 'special time' with him. He taught me about the stars, and the fish and showed me the trees and flowers. I liked it."

Thranduil tucked her head under his chin. "Someday soon, I want to take you into my forest, to show you some of my favorite places. Did you know Elves can talk to the trees?"

Tilda sat up and looked at him with wide eyes. "Really?"

"Certainly, I have many friends among the trees. I have a favorite tree in the forest; one I used to climb when I was small, to get away from things and think."

"Is he still there?"

"Yes, and no."

"Don't trees live forever?"

"No, hênig, they do not. In time my tree gets old, and becomes fragile and dies, but I always replant one of his acorns. I also add things to the soil to keep him healthy. When he becomes big and strong again, he remembers me."

"How long does he last before you have to replant him?"

"Every six or seven hundred years."

"Wow… That's old, old… Is he big now?"

"He is, but he is sleeping for the winter. Even so, he wakes up when I climb him, so we 'talk.'"

"What does your tree tell you?"

"Well, he doesn't speak in words, but when I put my hands on him, I see how happy he is to see me, and I can feel his song. It is hard to explain; it just…is."

"How do you tell him things? If he doesn't use words, how does he know what you mean, Ada?"

"I use words when I talk to him. I like to sit on one of his high limbs, and tell him what makes me happy, or if I am sad, he listens to me and helps me feel better. He senses it."

"I wish Da had a tree like that, when he was sad."

"Why is that?" He smiled down at her.

"It could have talked to him, and made him feel better, after Mam died."

He smiled. "But your Da is not an Elf, so he cannot hear trees."

"But he could still talk to it."

"True, but your Da had Uncle Percy and Auntie Hil. He also had you children to help him be happy."

"Do I make him happy?"

Thranduil smiled. "Your Da finds much joy in you. We all love you, hênig."

Tilda looked up at him with serious eyes. "Ada? If I ask you something, would you promise to tell me the truth?"

"Of course, Tithen Pen, I will never lie to you. What troubles you?"

"Did I kill my mother?"

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ELVEN TRANSLATIONS:

Ai, tithen míriel mîn – Oh, our little jewel

Mae garnen, Tithen Pen. Mae garnen… - Well, done, Little One. Well done…