A/N: Hi all! As promised, here is another chapter. It's (probably) not as long as the others but I hope you'll still enjoy it. Thanks again for all the comments/reviews as well as likes/kudos! I have a lot planned for this fic and we're only just scratching the surface. Enjoy it!

CHAPTER SEVEN

"New love can heal lost loves, but it cannot make you forget."

A few days later, Bard bid them all farewell and set off on the long journey from Rivendell back to Dale. For Riley, saying goodbye was unexpectedly emotional because he had spent so long with Bard in the wild along with the other three. Throughout those months, they'd all seen both the best and worst sides of themselves, yet they had remained resolute by each other's' side like a family. Riley hoped it wasn't the last they would see Bard, but given what he knew about the Dunedain prophecy, there was no telling. The farewell had been emotional for Maggie as well because during their stay in Lake Town and the events with Smaug, Bard had looked after her, for which Riley would always be thankful.

All things considered, Riley knew that he and Maggie were extremely lucky to have found a home in Middle-Earth. Even though she had lost Thorin and the love they shared, she had also managed to heal through that pain. The fact that Maggie was strong was not a secret, but Riley was continuously impressed by his sister and her determination to carry on and survive. Out of the two of them, she was the one who had always been a fighter. Of course, she didn't see it that way herself and Riley knew that Maggie still second-guessed all her choices and listened to those annoying voices in her head more often than she should. Even though there was only a year between them, being an older brother was a responsibility Riley took very seriously. When they were children, their parents always joked about how attached at the hip they were. Sure, they'd had ups and downs like all siblings did but no matter how tough things got, they always stood by each other. That's why they persevered and would continue to do so, no matter what this or any other universe threw at them.

They hadn't spoken about it yet, but Riley was glad that Maggie was starting to move on from Thorin. He knew that she felt guilty about it and it was understandable, but she deserved to be happy. That's why Riley was filled with rage when he saw his sister tied at the assassin's camp and while Maggie hadn't said much about it, he knew the cult-leader had done awful things. If Lord Elrond hadn't stopped him that day, there was no single doubt in Riley's mind that he would have killed the man.

That same fury stirred within him again, as he stood outside the prison cell with Glorfindel to his right and Dwalin to his left. Lord Elrond had left Glorfindel and Dwalin in charge of questioning their 'guest' and so Dwalin suggested that leaving someone with nothing to eat for a few days usually made them more talkative.

"Alright grandpa," Riley said referring to Glorfindel. "How do we do this? You strike me more as a good cop kind of a guy. Dwalin, you've definitely got that Denzel Washington in Training Day kind of vibe, so thinking bad cop."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Glorfindel sighed "But, I think perhaps you and I shall do the talking. If that does not work, Master Dwalin can use other methods of persuasion, of which I'm sure he has many."

"Now you're speaking my language, Master Elf." Dwalin said as he fiddled with the dagger hanging from his belt.

"Let us begin the easy way." Glorfindel said as he unlocked the prison cell and stood in the doorway. "What is your name, stranger?"

"My name is Malhas." the dark-haired man replied. "Of course, I need not ask your name, Glorfindel Balrog Slayer."

There was something about the way he spoke, that sent a shiver down Riley's spine. Despite having been locked in a cell for days, Malhas hardly seemed bothered by his new accommodations. Riley thought he had the air of a resilient man who had been trained to withstand worse trials than an elf-lord's prison. Malhas sat hunched in the corner of the of the cell, with one of his arms resting over his knee. For someone whose mission had failed upon the storming of his camp, he remained remarkably calm which was yet another suspicious thing about his character.

"What is your purpose, Malhas?" Glorfindel asked "Why did you kidnap Lady Margaret and Young Estel?"

Malhas remained silent and every second that passed, Riley's hatred for him grew stronger. Not long after their capture of Malhas, Fili told Riley about the assassination attempt on Maggie. It took all of Riley's self-control to not storm into the dungeons and kill Malhas then and there. Over the past few weeks, Riley had noticed an increasingly growing anger inside him that would not fade. He'd tried everything from ignoring it completely to distracting himself but nothing worked. There were so many things that were out of Riley's control, particularly recently and he hated not being able to do anything about it.

"The lad seems unwilling to talk," Dwalin said as he sharpened one dagger with another, the echo of the metal bounced between the walls. "Shall I take over? I can indeed be very persuasive."

"Have patience, Master Dwarf." Glorfindel cautioned "You will have your fun, but first we must be courteous towards our guest."

"Oh yeah," Riley scoffed "Because this guy deserves courtesy."

Malhas looked up as Riley spoke and a smug grin spread on his face. So much about him and his group made no sense and Riley had a lot of questions about their background. One thing was certain though; there were a lot more of them than perhaps everyone else realised. Back at the Dunedain village, perhaps a dozen or so cult-members had attacked and combined with the ones who kidnapped Maggie and Estel, Riley guessed there were at least over twenty of them nearby. He also knew they weren't acting alone but on behalf of someone else. The question as to who that person was remained unanswered.

"Tell me, Master Riley, how is your lovely sister faring?" Malhas asked "You must be a proud brother, she showed such strength. It's a shame I didn't have much time with her."

Riley clenched his fist and Dwalin placed a hand on his shoulder, as if to keep him calm. It wasn't doing much though because Riley hated the way Malhas spoke about Maggie, as if he had enjoyed tormenting her. The guilt of not reaching her in time made itself known to Riley again but Glorfindel took over the conversation.

"How were you able to shield your camp from Lord Elrond's magic?" Glorfindel asked "You have no magic of your own so who controls it? Who is your master?"

"You hide your fear well, Balrog Slayer." Malhas hissed "We are Nameless."

"Nameless?" Riley asked and raised an eyebrow"That's what your cult is called? Geesh, someone ran out of imagination."

Though he sounded sassy, it was just Riley's way of masking how uneasy he felt. Once again, Malhas' eyes turned to Riley and now he smiled.

"We may have no name, but we know yours well Riley, Son of Amandil." Malhas taunted "You think you have succeeded by capturing me? You have not even been able to keep your own sister safe. Do you really think that keeping me behind these bars will protect her? I very much look forward to seeing Maggie again."

Riley wasn't sure when he lost it but a few seconds later, he found himself pushing Malhas against the wall of the cell. His hands closed around Malhas neck and when he punched him the first time, Riley just kept going. Soon, dark blood streamed down the prisoner's nose and Riley's fury became uncontrollable. All he could think was how much he wanted to kill him and then he saw Malhas smiling.

"Master Riley!" Glorfindel pulled Riley back by his collar and stopped him as Riley tried to pass him. "I understand that you are angry and that this man has caused your sister harm, but this is not how we deal with such things."

"How can we let him live when we know what he is planning?!" Riley shouted, his blood boiled within him. "How can you think that's okay?"

"He is only trying to torment you and to get inside youur head. No doubt, it is what he has been trained to do. If you listen to him and given in to that fear, you will give him what he wants."

Then, Riley felt Dwalin's hand on his shoulder and his breathing eventually slowly went down, but his face was flushed with heat. He knew that Malhas enjoyed every second of this but Riley also knew that Glorfindel was right. If he stayed there, there was no telling what Riley would allow himself to do.

"Take a walk, lad." Dwalin told him. "Clear yer head. We will tell you if anything changes."

Riley didn't say anything else but turned around and stormed away, before he changed his mind.

Oin certainly hadn't expected life in Rivendell to be quite so exciting as the past few months had proved. War was nothing new to Oin and it certainly wasn't the first time he had dealt with its awful after effects. It was a struggle though, to see those he loved and cared about suffering with Battle Terror for the first time. Fili was still a young dwarf and despite being stoic in nature, the death of his uncle had been hard on the young crown prince. It came as no surprise to the Master Healer that Fili refused to take the crown, at least for the time being. Over the past few months and weeks, Oin had watched him grow closer with Maggie and while Fili hadn't spoken to him about it, Oin could tell that the young dwarf's feelings ran deeper than perhaps he was willing to admit. Thorin had been close to both of his nephews, but particularly to Fili as he was the eldest and the one who was meant to take over the throne of Erebor. Perhaps, Oin guessed, Fili felt a sense of guilt over his connection with Maggie because of her relationship to his uncle.

In his heart, however, Oin knew Thorin would want both Maggie and Fili to be happy. Perhaps their close bond and the birth of Maggie's son would even encourage Fili to take the throne, when he was ready. As for Lord Elrond, it was obvious he too shared a close connection with Maggie but neither him nor Fili had acted on those desires. It was strange, Oin thought, because both Fili and Elrond were on some level aware of their intentions, but seemed to hold no grudge or hostility towards each other. Oin didn't claim to understand all of it, but then love was complicated and Oin wasn't one to question the nature of young love. All he could hope was that no matter what happened, there was no hurt or malice on either side. Mahal knew there had been more than enough of that lately.

Truthfully, Oin was relieved that in spite of all the trauma and drama over the past few weeks, Maggie's pregnancy suffered no consequences. Their recent weekly check-up showed no signs of problems and all things considered, the baby was doing well. The older dwarf rather looked forward to meeting their new family member. There were many speculations over what features the child would inherit from his parents, because as far as Oin was aware, there had never been a half-human/half-dwarrow child born before. Many conversations over supper had been spent discussing how the child might age. Lord Elrond guessed that he would certainly live longer than most humans but perhaps not as long as the average dwarf. As for his height, it could go either way, but Oin suggested that the child would be a little taller than a dwarf and shorter than the average human male. Personally, Oin hoped the baby would inherit the hairier parts of the dwarrow physique.

As for Maggie herself, she was doing remarkably well considering the stressful circumstances of alte. Oin knew she felt fatigued and the nausea, while not as prominent, still caused her some troubles at nighttime. Of course, he knew now that it was very likely that if Maggie had problems at night, Fili would certainly be there to help her through it. Either that or Lord Elrond, he thought, and chuckled bemused to himself.

That morning, a raven from Erebor had found its way to Rivendell and Oin knew from the blue wax seal on the envelope, that it was a letter from Dis. The white-haired dwarf let out a somewhat frustrated sigh as he sank down into the comfortable chair in his chambers. Lady Dis knew full and well that Oin was a very accomplished healer. In fact, he'd been the one to help deliver both Fili and Kili during all those years ago. Yet, Dis insisted on annoyingly detailed progress reports on Maggie's pregnancy from her eating habit to her body temperature and fluid intake. She was much more of a control-freak, as Maggie put it, than her brother and Oin could only agree.

Still, he always replied to her letter promptly because the last thing anyone wanted, was the wrath of Lady Dis hovering over them like a storm cloud. Whenever Oin replied to her letters, he stuck to the truth, mostly, although considering the events with their recently discovered enemies the older dwarf had been more sparing with the details. Sure, they didn't exactly know who these assassins were or whom they served or why they were trying to kill Maggie and Riley. However, Oin figured that what Dis didn't know certainly couldn't harm her and they would all have a peace of mind. Which is why when he sat down to write a reply that morning, he took care to consider the words with which to explain the past few days events. As he poured himself a cup of chamomile tea, he skimmed through Dis's latest letter.

Dear Master Oin,

I hope this letter finds you well as there seems to have been some delay in communication of late. I assume there are no problems on your side, because I trust you would tell me of any such news. I know my sons are keeping something from me, but you have always had far more sense than both them and my brother. Mahal rest his soul.

I am writing to you because as you are no doubt aware aware, following the birth of a child, there must be a naming ceremony. Long years have passed since a child was born to our kin and indeed a royal one. The celebrations would be great and a wonderful opportunity to open our doors and let people see our Great Kingdom restored to its former glory. It is also my wish that the child be crowned prince, as is his birthright.

I have spoken with Dain and he has assured me that he would step down from his place as regent and allow Fili to take what is rightfully his. I know Fili has remained resolute in his choice to renounce his royal duties, but I believe with a bit of persuasion from yourself he might be able to see some sense. It is what Thorin would have wanted.

How is Maggie doing now that she is approaching the end of her seventh month? I hope you are making sure she has at least four meals a day and that someone is telling her about the appropriate preparations for her labour. Humans are much less resilient than us dwarrows and I must confess, I do not know how her body will handle the birth. Especially as this is her first child.

I would of course, like to be present in time for the birth of my nephew, but there are also things that must be seen to here. You can certainly say that Erebor is sorely lacking the touch of dwarrowdam.

You will tell me if anything changes?

Respectfully Yours,

Lady Dìs, Daughter of Thrain, Princess of Erebor.

Oin put down his teacup and let out another, more tired sigh as he dipped the quill in black ink and then began to write the reply.

My Dear Lady Dis,

Firstly, my sincere apologies for the less than prompt response. Kili has recently returned from his travels North with Master Riley and the others. As you understand, it has been sometime since your sons have seen each other and indeed Master Dwalin and I, so we have been catching up on the news of the land, as it were.

With regards to Fili's possible re-taking of the crown, I will try my best to speak with him. However, your son can be stubborn once he have made up his mind about something. While I agree that it is his birthright and certainly what Thorin would have wanted, the decision has to come from him.

Young Maggie is doing fine and she is eating four meals a day. Master Baggins brought some fine foods with him from the Shire, which seems to have sparked both her mood and her appetite. Her nausea is still causing her some mild discomfort but nothing one of my herbal remedies can't fix. I wish you would trust that Maggie is in fine hands and well taken care of by everyone. Lord Elrond has been nothing but a most gracious host to us all.

As for the naming ceremony, I agree that it is a tradition we should keep to and when I next see Maggie, I will mention it to her. There is no need for you to take on the long journey from Erebor and we have everything under control.

I will of course make sure that your sons write back to you as soon as possible.

Respectfully yours,
Master Oin,

Oin almost felt relieved when he finished writing the letter and only a small bit of guilt for leaving out some of the more important parts of the past few weeks. It wasn't really his business to tell Dis about what her sons were up to and everyone were entitled to their secrets. Besides, Rivendell would be a much more peaceful place without Dis, Daughter of Thrain setting her foot within the walls of Elrond's house.

"Wow, your knuckles have definitely seen better days. Red is not a colour that suits."

Riley stood by the edge of the river and skipped a stone across the water. It managed three skips before it plummeted into the blue depths. Once upon a time, he'd been a pro at skipping stones but recently seemed to have lost his touch. If he was honest with himself, it was his own frustration that made him unable to do something so simple. Riley knew he'd crossed the line with Malhas and the worst part of it all, was that he didn't even regret it one bit. Something was changing within him and he wasn't sure he liked or trusted it.

"What happened, Ri?" Maggie asked as she sat down on the grass, it was rare the two of them had time alone. "Dwalin told me you went a bit AWOL during the interrogation in a Dark Knight kind of way."

"I'm fine, Maggie." Riley replied. "I just had a moment, it's really nothing to worry about."

Riley knew his sister could see through the lie, but he really didn't care. Instead, he grabbed another stone and skipped it over the water. It managed four skips before it sank and was only halfway through to the other side.

"Oh really? Because that's not what I heard and the version I heard really scared me." Maggie said. "You're not the type to kill people, Riley. You always try to find another way even when Felix got into fights in school, you were the one who acted like a diplomat to try and solve it with words instead of fists. I get if you don't want to talk about whatever happened in Arnor, but if you're not okay Riley, it's okay."

Riley eventually sighed and dropped the pebble he'd held in his hand. For the second time recently, he tears welled up and silently streamed down his face. He felt his sister gently take his hand and pulled him in for a hug.

"I couldn't control myself, Maggie." Riley admitted "It was like a different person took over and he was so angry. I would have killed him if Glorfindel and Dwalin weren't there, I know I would have."

"It's okay to be angry, Riley.: Maggie told him. "We've all been under a lot of pressure and I hate Malhas for what he did to me and Estel, but there are other ways to make him suffer. I know you're doing the big brother thing of defending my honour and while appreciate that, you're not solely responsible for my well-being. Not to sound mean, I adore having you back and I've missed you so much, but I've been fine here for the past nearly eight months. You can't blame yourself for this."

Riley sighed and the tears eventually stopped. Deep down he knew that Maggie was right and it wasn't his fault, but he still felt responsible. Nothing was going to change that, no matter how much she told him otherwise. After inhaling and exhaling a few breaths, Riley felt calmer and the two of them sat down again. Being able to talk to his sister was something Riley had missed during his travels and by the looks of things, he'd missed out on a lot of hot gossip.

"So, you wanna talk about this?" Riley asked after a while "Or are we going to pull a classic Maggie Spencer and pretend nothing's going on?"

"You need to be more specific, Ri." Maggie replied "There's been a hell of a lot going on."

"Well, I specifically mean your penchant for love triangles." Riley said "Admittedly this isn't anywhere near as hostile as last time."

"I wouldn't call it a love triangle." Maggie said. "This is nothing like last time and honestly I have no idea what the hell this is. It feels different, but it doesn't feel wrong. I know it should though, because well it's selfish isn't it?"

Riley watched his sister as she pulled her knees up to her chest, as much as she could anyway, given the size of her bump. She hugged her knees tightly and Riley knew that her mind as always ran a 100 miles per hour. It wasn't strange to him that she felt guilty about moving on from Thorin, but moving on was a healthy sign that she was healing and if anything Maggie deserved happiness. Even if she didn't think so herself.

"I've missed out a lot while I've been gone, huh?" Riley said

"You have no idea, Ri." Maggie replied

Riley put his arm around his sister and she leaned against him.

"Here's the thing though, Maggie." RIley said "You don't have to make any kind of life altering decision on romance if you don't want to. I know things with you and Thorin were passionate and sometimes a bit rushed, but that's not how it always has to be. In fact, this may come as a total shock but you're young. You literally have your whole life ahead of you and what you choose to do with it is completely in your control."

He paused for a while and then continued. "I know that things have been a bit rough lately, but things are also pretty damned good right now. We're all together for once, so why not enjoy it? Both now and when your son is born. Have fun, enjoy the attention and explore. Fili and Elrond are grown-ass men and as far as I've understood it, they seem to have reached some sort of understanding. I honestly don't think you have anything to worry about. But if a time comes and you do want to make a choice, it will be fine because they will understand."

Maggie was about to reply when she felt a painful twinge in her muscles and she let out a gasp. Riley immediately turned his attention to her, waiting for any sign of potential rouble.

"You okay, Mags?" Riley asked and studied his sister with a wary look. "That seemed a bit harder than usual."

"I'm fine, he's been a bit more lively lately, is all."

Riley helped her back up on her feet and Maggie brushed the dirt off his face.

"Can we go find some food?" she asked "I'm starving and I know Dwalin is not the only one in this house with baking skills."

"Enter."

For a moment, Fili hesitated before he gently pushed the door to Elrond's study open. In all his months in Rivendell, this was the first time he had set foot in this room. After hearing Maggie talk about it so often and with such joy in her voice, Elrond's study almost seemed like a mythological place. Upon entering the study, Fili could tell why Maggie loved it so much. It was cozy with several bookshelves and a place to sit and write, which was something Maggie enjoyed.

"Lord Elrond." Fili cleared his throat nervously "I wonder if I may speak with you for a moment."

"Have a seat, Master Fili." Without looking up from his parchment, Lord Elrond gestured towards the chair and then rested his chin on his hands as Fili sat down.

Elrond saw at once that the young dwarf was nervous. He knew why of course and had anticipated a visit from Fili over the past few days. The elf-lord patiently waited for the blonde dwarf to speak his mind.

"I just wanted to apologise if I've caused any unrest with your family." Fili said "It was not my intention to upset Estel."

Ever since the incident over breakfast when Estel had stormed out upset, Fili had felt a heavy guilt on his chest. He too cared for the young child and hated the thought of having caused him harm in any way. Hearing Estel saying that he hated both him and Maggie shouldn't have come as a surprise, because Estel was completely smitten with Maggie. Truthfully, the whole affair had caused Fili to feel confused and he wasn't sure how to approach it. The night he'd spent asleep in Maggie's bed was the most comfortable night's sleep he'd had in a while. He knew Maggie also enjoyed it but things had perhaps been a little awkward since that moment. Fili was no stranger to having affairs of the heart and he enjoyed flirting as much as the next dwarf. In fact, he was rather good at it, which was something that greatly annoyed his brother. Truthfully, Fili wasn't sure when things had begun to change with Maggie and he didn't know what they meant. Perhaps he was even a little scared.

"You owe us no apology, if anything Estel upset himself." Elrond explained "That's not really why you're here though, is it?"

Fili twiddled with his thumbs and his gaze darted across the room. He wasn't sure why he was so nervous about talking with Lord Elrond, it wasn't exactly the first time they'd had conversations alone.

"Umm..well." Fili began "I was hoping we could talk about something else as well."

"Master Fili, there is no need to explain anything." Elrond assured him. "Maggie is a grown woman and capable of deciding for herself, with whom she spends her time. It really is none of my business who she shares her intimate moments with."

"It's just...your feelings aren't exactly subtle and maybe not even unrequited." Fili replied "I don't want to overstep any boundaries."

It was true. Ever since the quest to Erebor and their two-week stay in Rivendell, it was clear that Elrond had feeilngs for Maggie. However, when it turned out that Maggie's heart was with Thorin, the elf-lord had stepped aside and accepted Maggie's choice. Over the past few months though, Fili had watched as Elrond and Maggie spent time with each other and he knew those feelings from Elrond never truly waned. Yet, he remained polite and didn't impose any unwanted attention on her out of respect. Still, it was clear to Fili that Maggie still felt something for him but the blonde dwarf also knew that just like he did, Maggie felt guilt because of Thorin.

"What of your own feelings, Master Dwarf?" Elrond asked curiously. "Why do you feel such guilt?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Fili replied "My uncle loved her and she loved him. I feel like I am betraying him and taking what was his. I also hold you in high regard, you have been a good host and a friend to us over these past months. It is not my wish to cause a rift in that friendship."

Elrond admired the loyalty among dwarves and he liked Fili. He was less possessive than his uncle and more levelheaded. Having dwarves live in Imladris for such an extended amount time had been good for the previously estranged relationship between the two races. They still had a lot of work to do but, Fili and the other dwarves would always be welcome guests in Rivendell, nothing would change that.

"What Maggie had with Thorin was indeed true," Elrond agreed "I know that the two of you have formed a bond since his death and perhaps that bond has become something else, but Master Fili, there is no shame in that. The heart is complicated and we cannot always explain its mysteries."

"Why haven't you pursued her?" Fili asked curiously, "You clearly also desire her but yet, you hold back."

Elrond pondered Fili's question for a moment and then leaned back in his chair. He'd asked himself that question several times, but had never found a good enough answer.

"Perhaps, I am simply also afraid." Elrond replied, simply.

A silence fell between them for a moment, but it wasn't an awkward one.

"So, what do we do?" Fili asked

"Continue as we always have, Master Fili." Elrond replied. "I do not see why we both can't equally enjoy time with Maggie. Intimate or otherwise, should that be what she desires. There's also no need for it to cause a rift in our friendship."

Fili nodded and to his surprise found that Elrond's words made sense.

Maggie was exhausted. Her energy levels had been low lately and bedtime was now her favourite part of the day. It had also been another long day with a lot going on. Her brother's action during the interrogation was something that still worried. Being so violent was completely uncharacteristic of Riley. It made Maggie wonder what had really happened with the Dunedain rangers.

She changed into her nightgown and removed bobble from her hair. The sound of the door opening reached Maggie's ears as she did she exhaled a fatigued sigh. The woman in the mirror was so different from the woman who arrived in middle earth almost a year ago.

"Why don't you have a seat, aier." Lord Elrond suggested as he pulled up a chair in front of the mirror.

Maggie sat down as Elrond reached for the comb on the mirror table. Then, the elf-lord began to comb through Maggie's hair. At first, it surprised her but then she relaxed and with each stroke of the comb, Maggie let out small purring noises.

Elrond was incredibly methodical compared to Maggie's haphazard hairbrush strokes. She simply lacked the patience to brush her own hair thoroughly and so it usually ended up resembling something not far from a bird's nest. Her brother was the one with annoyingly good hair and had never had a bad hair day in his life.

"You're very good at this." Maggie murmured

She must have sounded surprised because Elrond chuckled.

"Hairbrushing is one of the ways in which elves show affection." Elrond explained "I often used to brush Celebrian's hair in the evenings and it was one of our favourite intimate moments."

In all the time Maggie had known Elrond, it was rare he ever spoke about Celebrian. In general, Elrond was very private and it was unusual that he shared details of his past or personal life. Maggie was curious about the elf-lord's past and what his life had been like. She'd never been brave enough to ask, thinking it was far too personal.

"Do you miss her?" Maggie wondered

"Everyday." Elrond replied "But her light lives on through my children. I see her in them every day and I know I was blessed to have spent so many years with her."

Elrond ran his hands through Maggie's hair and then rested them on her shoulders. Next, he gently massaged her neck with his thumbs in small circles, moving from one side of her neck to the other as she closed her eyes. Elrond's hands were firm but kind and Maggie found she liked his touch. Admittedly, that wasn't exactly new information but now, she allowed herself to truly acknowledge it. The more Elrond massaged her, the more Maggei realised how tense her body was and thoroughly enjoyed this luxury treatment.

"What's brought this on?" Maggie asked

"Can an elf-lord not simply choose to indulge a lady after a long day?" Elrond replied with a hint of mischief in his voice.

"An elf-lord certainly can, but this particular one rarely does anything without purpose." Maggie teased back "Are you trying to seduce me, Lord Elrond?"

Maggie meant it as a joke, but when Elrond spoke next, the tone in his voice was different now, more serious. Suddenly the air of the room changed. Elrond's hands stopped massaging Maggie and simply lingered on her collarbone.

"Would that be a terrible thing?" he asked, "Or would that make you uncomfortable?"

"No, not at all." Maggie assured "Actually, I've-

Maggie's words were interrupted by a sudden sharp pain in her back. It was a similar pain to the one she'd felt with Riley at the river, but much stronger. At first, she thought it was the baby kicking but it wasn't at all the same sensation. Carefully, Maggie got up on her feet but as she did, she looked down on her hand which had been resting just below her stomach.

Immediately, Elrond ran to the doorway and saw one of the guards walking past.

"CALL MASTER OIN AND LADY TALATHEL!" Elrond bellowed "IMMEDIATELY!"

Maggie gasped again as she felt another sharp pain, strong enough to make her lose her balance and Elrond ran to grab her just in time before she collapsed on the ground.

"Elrond...I'm bleeding." Maggie stuttered as the shock hit her and Elrond saw her hand covered in blood.

To be continued….

Dun-dun-dun! Okay, I promise this won't be a fic where one chapter is cute and the next traumatizing. I deliberated back and forth when to write Maggie's labour and as she's had a lot of trauma lately, it makes sense that it would be a premature birth.

Also, what do we think about Riley and his violent outburst? And Dis' letters?

Leave a comment/review!