Seven Months Later . . .
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Lily shrieked.
She was in labor and another contraction had hit. She angrily glared at Nuada. Her hair was stuck to her face by her sweat. She had been in labor for a few hours now, Nuala, Abe, and some healers were helping her deliver in the healers' rooms. Nuada stood off to the side.
"It is your own fault for liking fornication so much." Nuada smirked at her.
Lily angrily screamed in response. Nuala patted her shoulder for comfort and turned to her brother.
"You are not helping! Childbirth is hard enough without you pestering her! Go wait outside and I will collect you when it is done!" Nuala snapped at him.
Nuada reluctantly left the room, Lily's screams being heard behind him. Meldiron was waiting outside, leaning against the wall and tapping his foot almost nervously.
"Such screams. You would think she was dying." Meldiron commented.
"Do they bother you?" Nuada asked.
"Screams like that would bother most. You seem fine though, my King. Maybe I ask why you are so calm?" He asked.
"She is strong. I know that for certain. She showed strength before our marriage and she continued to show it during. I have no worry that she will not be okay." Nuada mused. He was right.
Meldiron nodded, a bit pale.
"I understand, but those screams frighten me. Childbirth must be terrible." He swallowed.
HBHBHBHBHB
Hours later, the screaming stopped and Nuala opened the door and ushered the two elves in. Lily was looking much better now, no longer sweaty, and held a bundle in her arms. The baby cooed and she smiled down at the child.
Nuada rushed to her side, eager to see his child. He looked down. The child had his hair and features, but Lily's bright brown eyes. Lily looked up at Nuada's awestruck face.
"It's a boy. Would you like to name him? He will most likely rule when you are dead, and I figured you would like to name him." Lily spoke softly.
Nuada looked at her briefly before turning back to his son.
"Antien. It means gift and he is surely a gift after all that has happened for him to be here." Nuada said. He was referring to Arwen and her attempt to kill the queen and her unborn child.
"I like it." Lily told him. They kissed and looked down onto their son, the happiest parents.
HBHBHBHBHB
Lily sat in bed, refusing to let her face show any emotion. She was breast feeding Antien. Nuada was leaning against the wall by the bed.
"You tried to kill me." He stated simply.
"That was months ago." Lily countered.
"I told you there would be consequences for trying to murder your king. It is treason." Nuada reminded her.
"I thought we were getting along so well. Why do we have to bring this up again?" Lily pointed out.
"This will NOT go away simply because you wish it to. This is a serious offense." Nuada told her.
"FINE then. Go and decide what to do with the mother of your child, your queen, your wife. See how the people react if you kill me!" Lily spat.
Nuada stayed silent. She had a small point. They had a newborn child, a son, an heir. And surely the murder of a traitorous queen would cause quite the commotion on both ends. But still, she had tried to kill him and she could not go unpunished. That would be favoritism, not a sign of a good king.
Nuada shook his head of these thoughts. He would not decide this on his own. Much input and time and thought would be put into this monstrous decision.
Nuada pushed himself off of the wall and left the bedroom, leaving Lily hiding her fear in an emotionless mask.
Nuada swiftly walked down the hallway, intending to find Meldiron, his most trusted. Even though Meldiron had told Lily about her pregnancy which nearly resulted in his death, he realized he had only been doing what Nuada should have done from the beginning, being kind and honest to her. Meldiron would most likely vouch for Lily, as would most, but he wanted to hear his dear friend's reasons for believing so.
Nuada found Meldiron in the gardens, admiring the beauty of it all. He stood next to his friend and cleared his throat, attracting his attention.
"Lily needs to be punished for attempted assassination." Nuada said, his eyes burning with blame at Meldiron.
"I knew this conversation was coming." Meldiron sighed slightly. "She was pregnant. Surely you have heard stories of what some elven women have done during their pregnancies. Extreme anger, depression, even murder has happened. The combination of a human and elf child would no doubt alter Queen Lily's mood with the hormones, especially since she is not used to them. If you really believe she should be punished severely, then do it. But I do not think you would be here asking me now if you wanted to."
Meldiron turned his attention back to the garden. Some fairies flew in and out of a few roses. Meldiron kept his strong attraction to Lily and heartbreak in the back of his mind. It would be terrible to show those emotions now in front of Nuada. Nuada sighed next to him, watching the fairies dance. Finally, he turned and left. Meldiron smiled at his departure. He knew which way Nuada would go.
Nuada walked into the council room, staring down the council members.
"Lily will not be persecuted for her crimes. Pregnancy can destroy a woman's sense. If she had not been pregnant with such an unusual child, or had any other condition, she would be punished severely. Do not pursue this any farther unless she attempts it again, and this time in her right mind." Nuada lectured. Then he promptly left, leaving the council to think over his words.
HBHBHBHBHB
A week later, Lily slept in her and Nuada's room, Antien asleep as well in his bassinet, when she was shaken awake. She sat up and faced Nuala. Her face had worry written on it.
"Come quickly and bring Antien. The council wishes to speak to you and Nuada." The princess said.
"What?" Lily asked, still half-asleep. The council hadn't wanted to see her in forever.
She stood up and reached into the bassinet, picking up Antien. She then followed Nuala to the meeting room. Nuada was already there, standing a bit apprehensively to the side. Once Lily entered, the head council member rose.
"Queen Lillian, we wish to discuss with you the immortality potion. You have produced one healthy heir to the throne: we wish for you to take it now." The member held up a vial.
"Excuse me?" Lily harshly whispered. Antien laid still asleep in her arms. "You said I had five years before we discussed this topic again. It has been one. See me in four more years."
Lily turned to leave.
"There is no need for you to give birth to any more children." The head member informed her. Lily spun back around.
"Maybe I want more children. What if, God forbid, Antien was murdered? Who would take the throne then? Your plan is flawed. I know what I am doing, leave everything to me." Lily retaliated.
She turned to leave again, and the council let her, stunned into silence. Nuada followed her out with a smug smile on his face.
"I told them you would never do it." He whispered to her, taking their son from her arms.
"And you were right. How dare they! They think just because I popped out one kid, I'm done? No sir, I'll have as many as I want, thank you." Lily ranted.
Nuada paused in his step, facing her with a curious look on his face.
"And how many children is that?" He asked. Lily stopped and stared at him.
"I . . . I've never really thought about it. Two or three? Maybe?" She replied.
"Then we will certainly need to work on that as soon as possible, we only have four years." Nuada said casually, walking past Lily. "I will drop off Antien with Nuala and we may get started."
Lily stared at his back, shocked.
"I'm not having sex a little more than a week after giving birth! No! Give me a month, and we'll start on baby number two." Lily said, jogging to catch up to him. "I even have some girl names picked out! I get to name the girls, you can name the boys."
Nuada chuckled, looking over at his wife.
I know, seems a bit rushed, but my next major plot point happens way later, so I'm just skipping ahead with little scenes here and there. Lily and Nuada seem to be getting along very well, finally!