Chapter 18 ended with:
Once the guards left the room, Thranduil sat beside Valerie, still holding his new grandchildren, who were quietly sleeping now. Allison sat on the other side of the bed, and they both watched Valerie without talking. They both knew what the other was thinking. Valerie was alive. Barely. And would probably not make it through the night.
And they would have to tell the children.
Chapter 19 – Galadriel's Gift
Legolas had been in the middle of the forest when a messenger suddenly arrived at the bottom of the tree where he was hiding, watching the road and the dark trees beyond. He identified the warrior standing on the ground, and immediately realized something had happened back home since this particular ellon was supposed to be at the fortress and not on duty in the forest.
Legolas looked around, making sure the area was safe before he jumped down the tree, directly in front of the messenger.
"Captain, you must go back to the fortress at once! The princess is in labor!"
"How is that even possible?" Legolas murmured, stunned. Valerie was only 36 weeks pregnant, she still had 16 weeks to go! But then he realized that 16 additional weeks would only be necessary if she had followed the usual elven pregnancy calendar of an elleth. Obviously, Valerie had followed the pregnancy calendar of a mortal.
"I cannot tell, Captain. I left the fortress six hours ago, riding my horse as fast as I could. The king sent for you immediately. Lieutenant Hadron is waiting for you at the camp, he has a horse ready for you."
"Was she well when you left?" Legolas asked the messenger.
The messenger smiled. "The princess was in the garden when her labor started. She was smiling as she was led to the healing rooms."
"Thank you!" Legolas said happily. He started running in the direction of the camp. He knew he did not have a second to spare if he wanted to attend the birth of his sons.
"Congratulations, Captain!" the warrior called after him.
Hadron was smiling when Legolas arrived at the camp, and he gave him a friendly embrace and his congratulations before Legolas left on the strongest stallion they had at the camp.
The prince made it to the great gate in five hours and entered the yard in front of the fortress slowly, wondering why everyone he was seeing looked sad or purposely avoided his gaze. It was not until he saw two guards bringing bloody sheets and a ruined mattress in the yard that he understood the birth probably had already taken place. Oblivious to his presence, they placed the items in a corner and put them on fire.
"Did you look at her?" one asked the other.
"No, I could not. The king was there, and her sister. They were grim enough, I knew what it meant."
"I saw her... She will be in the Halls of Mandos before dawn..."
Legolas did not stay to hear the rest of their conversation. He dismounted quickly and ran in the direction of the healing rooms, wondering what he would find, disbelief mixing with fear in his soul. He opened a few doors before he found the room he was looking for. Allison and Thranduil were sitting on each side of Valerie's bed, each of them holding a small bundle and one of Valerie's hands. They were silently praying, the candle light making their expression more tragic and lost.
Thranduil slowly turned in the direction of the door, and saw the immense shock in his son's eyes. Legolas had recognized at once the signs of imminent death on his wife's features. And he had obviously never thought that the birth could go wrong. Ellith never died during child birth. The fact that the princess was dying was not an easy concept for anyone to grasp in Greenwood.
Legolas slowly walked to the bed, sparing a quick glance at his newborn sons, who looked healthy and absolutely gorgeous. Reassured that their lives were not at risk, his attention went back to his mate. There was something very wrong in the way Valerie was sleeping. Something abnormal. Wondering why she seemed naked under the blanket, he walked around Allison and lifted the blanket covering Valerie. And saw the bandages on her stomach, blood still soaking through. They had cut open her precious and fragile body to remove the elflings. It must have been... a most traumatic event for them all, and worst for Valerie.
"Why?" he asked, his voice tight. He put the blanket back on his wife and started caressing her cheek, hoping to get a reaction. She did not respond to his touch. He turned around and looked at Allison and Thranduil, his eyes betraying the anguish building in his fëa.
"It is my fault..." Allison started.
"It was my decision," the king said at the same time.
Valerie's sister started to describe the procedure to move the lower baby in Valerie's stomach into a proper position, how they had failed to place him head down and made the situation even worse. She finally added that Valerie's only chance had been to go through the horrifying procedure.
"Did she wake?" he asked, sitting down to absorb the information about the birth while he was scolding himself. She had needed him, and he had not been there during what had been the worst moment of her short life.
"She woke during the surgery..." Allison started but stopped when she saw Thranduil's glare. The king had not wanted his son to hear about this. Legolas turned green and swayed, his father supporting his weight with one of his shoulders. He had only wondered if Valerie had been conscious after the surgery, but to hear that she had awaken during the procedure! It was dreadful!
"She did not wake since then," the king completed. "She has been unconscious for over an hour now, nothing wakes her up."
"And we are running into a problem," Allison whispered. "It is... a delicate matter."
"What is it?" Legolas asked tiredly.
"The elflings are getting hungry, my son. They need their mother's milk until we find... another solution."
Legolas realized that they were thinking of having Valerie nurse the infants while she lay dying.
"She would hate it!"
"She would want her children to survive," Thranduil insisted. "She spoke to me before the surgery... She wanted us to save the babies at all cost."
"Do as you wish," Legolas said, suddenly standing up to pace in the room.
Allison called the assistant healer who had helped her during the surgery, and both ellith took a child while Thranduil was lifting Valerie's chest with pillows in her back.
Legolas looked everywhere but at the scene, just hearing the happy sounds of hungry newborn elflings drinking their mother's milk with strong appetite. He breathed slowly, trying to fight the anger he felt towards the innocent ellyn. His sons, whose birth was the cause of their mother's imminent passing. He could not blame them, he thought while leaning his hands on the wall to support his weight. They had not asked to be born. No, that was his own fault entirely! He had been the one to create these two lives in Valerie's womb. He was the cause of her death. Although... the Valar had decided to choose her for their ludicrous prophecy! He grabbed a pitcher of water on a nearby table and threw it violently against the wall, where the porcelain broke in tiny pieces. Everyone in the room flinched, and the babies started to cry.
"Legolas!" Thranduil chided.
Legolas' breathing became erratic, his eyes half mad. The king realized that Legolas was finally grasping the consequences of everything he had just seen. Valerie was dying. His mate was dying. And there was nothing he could do!
Legolas fell to his knees and vomited on the floor, his fëa unable to cope with the pain of imminently losing his mate, transforming the spiritual ache into physical symptoms of this unbearable agony.
The king ran to his son and went on his knees beside him, enclosing him in a tight embrace. He remembered all too well the reaction he had had when he had felt his bond with his own mate cut suddenly when her life had violently ended. Legolas was only at the beginning of the process. It would only end with his sailing to Valinor or by his own death.
"She is dying because of me!" Legolas whispered. Thranduil had felt the same guilt, wondering if a bigger escort would have saved his wife while she traveled between Greenwood and Lake-town.
"It is not your fault," he told his son.
"If I had left her alone in her world... she would still be living a busy but somewhat happy life with her children. She was safe."
"She wanted to come here. You did not abduct her against her will..."
"The children... where are they?"
"Miniel and Ninaelil brought them to play in the woods with guards when things started... not going well. They were back an hour ago. They... still do not know."
"They need to see her before..."
"Yes. If you wish... I can speak to them."
"Please," Legolas said brokenly. "I do not think I can. I cannot..." He looked helplessly at his father. "Ada! How...? How can I live without naneth?"
"You feel... like your heart has been torn away from your chest... It leaves... an empty space that cannot be filled..."
Legolas put his head on his father's shoulder and started weeping like a lost child. Allison started sobbing loudly while still holding an elfling to Valerie's breast.
"I am sorry!" she cried. "It is all my fault! I will atone in whatever way you will decide I deserve."
Thranduil looked at the two distraught beings. Thinking of the conversation he would have with the serious Liam, the emotional Sean and his little sunlight, he leaned his head against his son's and silently cried with him.
OoOoO
Galadriel did not remember a ride on a stallion so swift and powerful. Two days of riding between Lothlorien and Greenwood, and they were already at the forest road.
"We will arrive in an hour or so," Mithrandir said behind her. She was sitting in front of him, trying to rest. She knew that once they arrived, she would need all her energy in order to take care of the situation.
She felt Mithrandir slow down the horse, and saw a warrior standing in the middle of the road. She recognized Hadron, one of Legolas' lieutenants, and his dear childhood friend. The ellon looked at their horse, feeling this white stallion was not a simple horse, but a most powerful and magical one.
He bowed when Mithrandir stopped in front of him. "My Lady, Mithrandir, I am glad to see you had a safe journey. Unfortunately, I will have to ask you to remain here with us until we hear from the king. He requested that any unexpected visitor be announced before their arrival, and permission to reach the fortress is granted only by him or by Prince Legolas."
"We do not have time," Galadriel said impatiently. "This is an emergency, a matter of life and death."
"I am sorry, my Lady. Unless you state that business of yours so I can send a messenger to the fortress, I cannot allow you to continue your journey. I am sorry. These are the orders I have received."
Thinking the fortress was unreachable because the worst had happened, Galadriel bowed her head. "We are too late," she whispered to the wizard. "She is already in the Halls of Mandos."
"Who is?" Hadron asked, puzzled.
"Has the princess passed away already?" the wizard asked Legolas' friend.
"Lady Valerie? She passed away?" the warrior asked, absolutely shocked.
"Did she not die yet?"
"Our captain left his post a few hours ago to attend the birth of his sons! The messenger did not say she had left for the Halls of Mandos!" the distraught ellon said. He could only imagine what would happen to Legolas.
"Maybe we are not too late!" Mithrandir said. "Let us pass, Hadron! Galadriel may be the princess' only chance to survive her ordeal!"
OoOoO
Legolas was leaning his head on Valerie's shoulder and was holding her hand, feeling Valerie's fëa weakening with every passing minute. She had not awakened since his arrival. Her life was slowly slipping away. Liam was sitting on the other side of the bed, beside Allison, and both were weeping softly. Legolas had no more tears. He felt hollow, dry as a parchment, worthless... Phoebe and Sean were sleeping in the arms of Ninaelil, who was caressing their hair and looking pensively at the wall, her thoughts dark.
Thranduil was once again standing in front of the cradles, searching the features of the newborn elflings. The youngest child looked like Legolas when he was a few hours old. Such remarkable similarity could not be a coincidence. And the first child? The king shuddered. He already knew who he was. The color of the soft duvet on his little head was betraying his identify. Ereinion Gil-galad, High King of the Noldor. He had recognized his white hair despite the age that had come to pass since his death. Thranduil's eyes moved between the two elflings. The Valar could not have done this... this masquerade of reconciliation. He would not tolerate this! He would not allow it! Taking the youngest child in his arms, the one that looked like Legolas, he went to sit at the head of the bed where Valerie was still alive, against all odds. He rocked him softly and hummed a lullaby while Legolas looked at him with impatience. Thranduil stopped humming but kept rocking the child, one of his hands gently touching Valerie's forehead. Legolas looked away, putting his head back on Valerie's shoulder.
The door opened softly, and everyone looked to see who was intruding in such a private moment. A healer entered and apologized for her intrusion. She requested permission to let Lady Galadriel and Mithrandir join them in the room.
If they were surprised by their arrival, no one showed it. It was obvious to the Lady of Light and the wizard that the family had already made peace with the inevitable passing of Valerie. They both rushed to her bedside and analyzed her unconsciousness, her shallow breathing, the absolute lack of color of her skin and the temperature of her body. They had arrived just in time, they realized. One more hour and they would have been too late.
Galadriel kindly asked the king to move away from the bed and let her sit near Valerie's head.
"What are you going to do?" he asked warily.
"Mithrandir will close her incision while I will give her some of my life force, and remove the worst of her pain," she replied. "Hopefully, it will be enough to give her the required strength to survive. And then... Legolas will have to renew their bond."
Legolas looked at her, clearly not understanding what was happening. But she did not mind. She had seen the consequences of losing a mate on a bonded elf: inability to process new information, overwhelming distress, depression, death... The prince was already experiencing some symptoms...
Since she would not get clear consent from Legolas, she turned to the king. "May we?"
Contrary to Legolas, Thranduil had understood clearly. Mithrandir and Galadriel were going to give Valerie some of her life force and would accelerate the healing of her terrible incision. But they could not cure her completely, Valerie was too far gone. Legolas would have to take over, renew their bond many times, until Valerie recovered. But even if the miracle did not happen immediately, it was still an unhoped-for miracle.
He nodded, and Mithrandir walked closer, murmuring a few words in an unknown language while touching Valerie's stomach over the bed sheet. Valerie's breathing immediately became less shallow. Once he was done, the wizard asked everyone to stop touching Valerie. Galadriel's life force should go to Valerie and Valerie only. Legolas refused to let go of her hand, and Thranduil had to gently remove his hand from Valerie's, opening slowly each of his tense fingers. Legolas looked at him, not understanding why his father was breaking the only contact he had left with his dying mate.
Galadriel closed her eyes, and taking deep breaths, called the Valar and all her powers for help. She put her forehead against Valerie's and both her hands on each side of her head. The people around them watched in fascination as light started surrounding the two ellith.
OoOoO
Valerie regained consciousness slowly. The first thing she felt was pain. Unbearable pain. It felt like her stomach had been cut open and all her organs removed. She wanted to move, to scream, but her body did not answer her commands. She closed her eyes, wanting to drift back to sleep when she started hearing many voices around her. She tried to discover what was happening around her with her other senses.
"I would never have forgiven myself if she had died. I am grateful that Lady Galadriel and Mithrandir arrived on time and -"
"I cannot believe Ereinion Gil-galad will be raised in Greenwood! And twin to my own adar! What a distasteful decision of the Valar that will -"
"I am hungry, I am wondering if Mommy will wake up soon. Is she hungry also? My new brothers are probably hungry, they are awake again -"
"I wish Elladan was here. He would play with me. No one wants to play with me when Mommy is sick!"
"Please, Vanima, please, wake up. I love you. Do not leave me. Please, please, wake up, my love!"
It was just too much noise while she was trying to sleep. Why did everyone talk like this without listening to each other?
"Legolas?" she whispered. There was immediate silence around her. And suddenly, noises were heard all over the room. Everyone started talking at the same time, more loudly than before, people excited and joyful to see that she was finally awake.
"Stop!" she moaned weakly. "Stop talking! Please!" she cried.
But no one complied. The noises became even louder, questions, worries, all at the same time. She felt Legolas' hands in hers, and she grabbed them like a life boat in the middle of the ocean.
"Please, please, my head hurts, stop talking!" she whimpered.
Everyone in the room looked at the weak elleth on the bed, who was crying for everyone to stop talking while no one had said a word in the past half hour.
Mithrandir and Thranduil turned in unison to Galadriel, who looked stunned.
"What did you do?" the king murmured.
"It was a possibility..." she replied carefully. "It was an unlikely possibility, but it seems it happened."
"What happened?" Legolas asked.
"Please!" Valerie cried again. She put a hand on her forehead, and one on her stomach. "I am in so much pain!"
"Give her a sleeping draught!" Galadriel asked Allison. Valerie's sister went to a cupboard and took a small bottle.
"My babies!" Valerie cried, both her hands on her stomach once she realized that she was no longer pregnant and that the unbearable pain was due to a C-section performed in Middle Ages-like conditions. "Where are my babies?"
"You gave me two beautiful sons, Vanima," Legolas said, taking her hands and removing them from her stomach to ensure she would not hurt herself further by touching her battered body.
"They are healthy," Allison reassured Valerie while she forced her to drink directly from the small bottle, and soon, Valerie was falling back asleep.
"I demand to know what is going on!" Legolas bellowed, standing up to face Galadriel and his father.
"My son... It would seem that when Lady Galadriel gave some of her life force to Valerie... she gave her some of her... talents."
"What talent? What are you talking about?"
"Valerie can read in our minds, Legolas," Mithrandir said. "This is why she could hear voices while we all were silent..."
"Cool!" Liam cried, delighted. "I wish I could do that!"
"This is not to be taken lightly, my child," Galadriel chided softly. "She will think it is a curse until she learns to control it..."
"Why? Why can't anything be easy for my wife?" Legolas asked, cursing softly as he watched her sleep peacefully. "Why is everyone conspiring to make her life as difficult and miserable as they can?" he asked, turning to his father in particular.
"I suggest everyone leaves the room before she wakes again," Galadriel said. "I need to be alone with her when she wakes."
"I am not leaving my wife," Legolas said forcefully.
"And I am staying with my son and daughter," the king added. When everyone looked at him in surprise, he held their gazes quietly. He was determined to start anew his relationship with Valerie, and everyone would have to adjust to his new stand.
"The children need to be fed," Allison informed them. Usually, it was her responsibility to take care of the gymnastics that feeding her nephews while Valerie slept was. She usually lifted Valerie's body with a pillow, and sat behind her while holding an infant against Valerie's breast. It felt very strange and disrespectful to her, but she was sure that Valerie would not be mad at her for taking care of her sons.
"I will help you," Legolas said. Allison was encouraged to see that Legolas was finally coming out of his apathy and helping in the care of his wife and sons.
Everyone but Legolas, Thranduil, Allison and Galadriel left the room. And while little Gil-galad and Oropher were hungrily drinking their naneth's milk, Galadriel explained how Valerie would struggle to adjust to her new ability. Galadriel's experience had been different, since she had grown with her ability, while Valerie's had suddenly appeared a minute to the next.
"Please let us know what we can do to help," Thranduil asked.
"Legolas will be the person she will get used to quicker, since she already shares a connection with him. His fëa, his thoughts and emotions are already familiar to her. As for the rest of us... We better be around her one at a time for the first few days. But... it will probably take more than a month before she can be with her entire family at the same time, in the same room. The good news is... Gil-galad and Oropher should not be an issue. Their thoughts are very simplistic and non-invasive for now."
"Are you saying that my mate will not be able to be in the same room than our children for a whole month?"
"Maybe more," Galadriel sighed, preferring to tell him the truth rather than giving him false hopes.
"But they will -" he started angrily, but he stopped when his father put his hand on his shoulder.
"We are grateful for your help, my Lady," he said. "Without your intervention, she would have left us for the Halls of Mandos. Living with this difficult ability is a blessing in comparison, don't you think, Legolas?"
Legolas nodded after a few moments. "Are there any other precautions we should take?" he finally asked.
"Limiting the number of people around her is the most important measure to ensure her mental stability. Should she be in contact with too many people at once, she might have... terrible headaches and panic attacks. Painkillers, darkness and absolute silence are the only cures should it happen."
"Thank you."
Galadriel felt her presence was no longer required nor wished for by Valerie's family. She stood and smiled encouragingly to them. She would come back once the sleeping draught would no longer take effect. She left the room to join Mithrandir, to discuss when he would be able to bring her back to Lothlorien. She would remain a few days to speak to Valerie, but she would have to experience her new gift by herself, with trials and errors. Galadriel was uncertain if the sharing of her mind-reading ability with Valerie was a good thing. It could certainly help her to unite the elven and human realms, as she would be able to read their hidden motives. But she also knew that she was not pleased with the idea of Valerie being able to read Mithrandir's mind. Or Elrond or Celeborn's. Or hers, as a matter of fact. It was a possibility that Valerie would eventually use her ability in a manner that would go against the elven rulers' plans. And if that was the case, she could become an enemy of Lothlorien and Imladris. But only time would tell...
In the healing room, Thranduil was sitting in a corner, coming to the same conclusion at the same time than Galadriel. He knew that Valerie would not take her new gift lightly. Once she got used to it, she would play with it first, testing it with her family. But with her twisted mind and determination, she would soon use it to manipulate people around her. Then she would grow more adventurous, and use it on people outside of Greenwood. She would become... an imposing elleth, one that would have tremendous influence in Middle Earth. And the only thing that would stop her... would be love. Only her love for some people would spare them from her manipulations. It was a good thing that his decision to accept her as a daughter was absolutely genuine. Otherwise, things would have turned difficult for him!
OoOoO
Legolas had not slept since his arrival at the fortress. At first, he had not slept because of the anticipated passing of his mate. He had been absolutely stricken with fear, lamenting and inconsolable. He had ignored everyone around him, even his children, as he had wanted to spend every second they had left together looking at Valerie, touching her warm skin before it became forever cold. But now that her situation was no longer life threatening, the worries caused by the dramatic birth of his sons, Valerie's current weakness and the incertitude around her possible new ability to read minds were keeping his mind active and as tormented as before.
Legolas was sitting on his mate's bed, leaning on the bedhead, holding one of her hands and caressing her long locks while she slept. It had been impossible for him to move away and stop touching her, as if his mind was convinced that the dream that she was safe would end should he break the physical contact with her. As it was, he could barely glance away from her form too. Although few could understand his need to remain in contact with her, except for Thranduil who knew the pain of losing a mate, no one made comments and let him act as he wished.
The children and an exhausted Allison had been sent to bed while the newborn twins were being taken care of by Miniel and Ninaelil for the rest of the night. In the healing room, only Legolas, Lady Galadriel, Thranduil and a healer had remained to watch over Valerie. She had regained some color now that Mithrandir had been able to stop the bleeding and close her incision while Galadriel had given her some strength. Her breathing was stronger, and she even talked in her sleep a little, mostly mumbling Legolas' name.
"She will wake soon," Galadriel predicted from her seat. Her voice broke the peaceful silence in the room.
"Should I get more sleeping draught?" the healer asked, wondering if the princess would be in distress like she had been when she had first awaken.
"A pain reliever should be enough for now. We have much to talk about with Lady Valerie, and we need her to be alert while we discuss."
As Valerie was starting to move in the bed, Legolas moved from the bedhead and sat to face her while Galadriel and Thranduil sat on chairs closer to her bed.
"Try to think of nothing," Galadriel suggested. "Just look at her and keep your mind blank. It is imperative that she does not get overwhelmed by our thoughts like before."
When Valerie finally opened her eyes, the first person she saw was a haggard Legolas, looking like there had been a death in the family.
"What is wrong, my love?" she asked him with difficulty. Her throat was still hoarse from all the screaming during the birth of her sons. "Is everyone fine? The babies?"
Legolas smiled with relief, caressing her cheek with tenderness. "The babies are perfect and healthy. Everyone is sleeping now. Only you, Vanima, only you worries about others when you are the one that went through a most traumatic ordeal!" He carefully put a kiss on her dry lips, conveying all his love for her in this chaste touch.
Thranduil stood and poured a glass of water from a pitcher on the desk. Taking the pain reliever from the hands of the healer who was remaining discreetly in the back, he mixed it with the water, went to the other side of the bed and offered Valerie to help her drink before she started feeling the pain again. Valerie watched him with surprise at first, and then frowned, looking at him with anguish.
"What?" she murmured. Her heart now beating wildly, she looked at Legolas for help, and then at Galadriel, who gave her a poor, guilty smile. "Legolas?" she asked, her eyes going back to Thranduil, who was still silently offering her the water, waiting for her to finally ask the question. She was staring at his closed mouth in particular.
"I can hear your thoughts," she whispered to Thranduil with incredulity. "I can hear all your thoughts!" she said, watching everyone around her, suddenly panic-stricken.
"Please drink the water and take your medicine, we will talk about it after..." Thranduil insisted.
"No!" she cried, trying to move away from him and her mate, fighting to remove her hand from Legolas' grip and sit as far as she could in a corner of the bed. Unfortunately, the movement caused a crashing wave of pain in her stomach, and she stopped moving, biting her lips not to scream and cry in front of the four elves that were watching her with worry. Once the pain had receded, she looked at them with determination. "I do not want to sleep until I understand what is happening to me!" she exclaimed, putting her hands on each side of her head, and moaned in pain.
"Do not think about anything!" Galadriel reminded the elves whose thoughts were spinning out of control. "She is becoming overwhelmed!"
Everyone froze and closed their eyes, trying to turn their minds blank while Valerie's heartbeat and breathing calmed slightly. Once she was finally more in control of her emotions and the pain, the king opened his eyes to look at her.
"This is not a sleeping draught," he said. "Please drink it and we will talk after. We do not want to see you in pain, my child."
Valerie looked in the direction of the healer for confirmation, watching him with both suspicion and bewilderment. When the healer nodded, Valerie extended a hand to get the glass of water from Thranduil, but he moved to her back, slowly lifted her shoulders and held the glass of water to her lips. She started drinking while watching him with wariness. Once she was done, he gently helped her back on the bed.
"Did you fall and knock your head while I was sleeping?" she asked him seriously. "You have never been nice with me. Why suddenly start? Because Legolas is in the room with us?"
Galadriel watched them both with renewed interest. She had known that Thranduil and Valerie's personalities would clash violently, and she was curious to witness how the king of Greenwood was adjusting to his new daughter-in-law.
"Valerie?" Legolas asked, wondering why Valerie was suddenly so tactless with his father. She had always been polite with the king in his presence and in front of guests.
"She is asking a valid question, my son," Thranduil replied. "A question that I will answer once we are... within family."
"How is the pain, Valerie?" Lady Galadriel asked, catching her attention for the first time.
"Bearable," was the curt reply as Valerie was still suspiciously watching the king.
What is happening to me? Galadriel read in Valerie's mind. It cannot be possible! Mind-reading is an ability that no human has, and very few elves have. I did not have it before I gave birth, why would I have suddenly developed this talent? Valerie's gaze turned sharply in the direction of the healer. This healer keeps thinking about Galadriel and blames her for my current state. Why?
"Please leave the room," Galadriel commanded the healer. He almost ran out of the room, glad to leave behind the tense lords and ladies.
Valerie turned to Galadriel. Is she afraid of what I can read in his mind? Is she the cause of this?
I am not afraid, Galadriel thought, sure that Valerie was reading her mind also. I simply wished to discuss this in private.
"Vanima?" Legolas asked, looking between both ellith who were staring at each other. Valerie gently put a finger on his mouth, silently asking him to wait a little while she stared at the Lady of Light.
What have you done?
I am afraid that I -
"Valerie, please, my father and I cannot read your minds!" Legolas remarked nervously. "Please, my love, do not exclude me from this!"
Valerie looked at him, worried, still haggard, sitting near her on the bed and asking for her attention. He seemed as puzzled and distressed as she was. He too had suffered, it was obvious, and he needed her as much as she needed him.
"Oh Legolas, I am so sorry!" she told him, opening her arms so he would hug her. Her mate immediately bent over her body and carefully put his arms around her shoulders, leaning his head against her neck. "Are you okay?" she asked, putting a hand on his hair and massaging his scalp, something that always relaxed him.
"Yes," he mumbled against her skin. She could feel his silent tears on her neck. "We almost lost you! I almost lost you! You were leaving me, I could feel your fëa leaving your body! Oh gods, I was terrified! I cannot live without you, Valerie! I would have died without your love!"
"I will not leave you, my love," Valerie said, trying to push him away from her to look at him, but he was keeping his face firmly against her neck.
I do not want to cry in front of Galadriel, he was thinking. I should be stronger! Valerie did not pass away!
Thranduil put a hand on his son's shoulder, and Legolas whimpered weakly, losing the battle against his grief.
"Lady Galadriel, can we please continue this conversation later?" Valerie requested, knowing Legolas would soon break down after hours of dreading her imminent death.
The Lady of Light nodded and left the healing room. As soon as the door closed behind her, Legolas burst into violent tears. He stopped hiding his face in the crook of her neck and put his forehead against hers.
"I love you!" he said through his tears. "Only the Valar know how much I love you! I cannot live without you! I was supposed to protect you, and then I got you pregnant and you almost died!"
"It is not your fault!" Valerie weakly protested, overwhelmed by Legolas' reaction.
"You could not have known, my son," Thranduil said to comfort him, both his hands now on Legolas' shoulders. "Ellith never die in childbirth, and are rarely pregnant with twins. What happened was not your fault. Everything ended for the best, with Valerie back with us, thank the Valar and the timely arrival of Galadriel!"
"What did she do to me?" Valerie asked Thranduil, whom she could see standing behind Legolas.
"She gave you some of her life force, enough for you to recover from the surgery and accelerate your healing. And in the process, it seems that she gave you... more than just her life force."
I care not, Legolas was thinking. As long as Valerie is alive, I will not blame Galadriel for her intervention.
"Will it ever stop?"
"I am afraid Galadriel does not believe it will disappear," Thranduil replied gently, informing her that her new ability was a permanent one.
"Can she take it back? I mean, I have been in her head for less than a minute, but I could tell that she is less than pleased that I can read in her mind!"
Thranduil laughed out loud, a sarcastic kind of laughter. "It will do her good to taste some of her own medicine! Why do you think I avoided seeing her for centuries?"
Legolas snorted, smiling for the first time in many hours. He finally sat to look at Valerie. He wiped the tears on his face, taking deep breaths to ensure he would remain in control this time. "She says you will get used to it within the month. But in the meantime, we will have to limit the number of people around you."
"Why?"
"Do you remember when you woke the first time?" the king asked.
"Yes. Everyone was speaking at the same time, what a cacophony!"
"No one was talking, Vanima," Legolas said darkly. "It was... all our thoughts."
"I see..."
"Would you like to sleep for a while?" Legolas asked, changing the subject.
"I want to see our babies and our children."
"Liam, Sean and Phoebe are sound asleep. They were exhausted," Legolas explained. "But I could go get the babies if you want to see them before going back to sleep."
"Actually, there is something I would like to tell Valerie before she sleeps. Something that I think that you should hear also, my son. Please remain here with us," Thranduil requested.
Valerie looked at him, raising an eyebrow. Would he really do this?
"Valerie, I wish to apologize for everything that happened between us since your arrival."
"Really?" she asked, questioning his sincerity.
"Can you not tell the veracity of my words?"
"Are you really apologizing for everything?"
"Yes."
"Even for the time that you threatened to send me back to my world?"
Legolas turned in his direction and glared at him.
"Yes, I do," Thranduil replied, avoiding his son's burning gaze.
"Even for when you threatened to send Cad and Bret in the prison cells without food or water because you thought I was sleeping with them?"
"Father!" Legolas bellowed while standing swiftly to confront him. "How could you think such a thing!" His sadness had been quickly replaced by anger.
"I also apologize for this disgraceful accusation," Thranduil replied shamefully.
"Is there anything else I should know?" the prince asked his wife.
"No, I think he apologized for the worst things he did," Valerie replied, taking pity in her father-in-law. She could read other events in his mind, for which he was also sincerely sorry. "Then... I think I will apologize for purposely making sure that Phoebe's playground would be built in your wife's garden."
Legolas looked at her in dismay. "You said it was the only place where there was enough room!"
"Actually," Valerie said, repentant. "There were quite a few other places where we could have built it... I have not always been... exemplary either in my decisions and actions."
"I want this feud to end immediately!" Legolas told them both forcefully. "We do not know what tomorrow will be made of. We almost lost Valerie today, and who knows who could leave us next! We need to enjoy every moments the Valar allows us to spend together without petty fights and resentment. Now, I will go get our sons, and when I am back, I want you both to have cleared the past and have a fresh start."
He gave one last kiss to Valerie and left the room.
"Can you forget everything that happened between us?" the king asked Valerie.
"I promise to try. But I cannot change, Thranduil. I will never be the sweet-tempered elleth you were dreaming of for your son."
"My son has never been happy with sweet-tempered ellith. He had... relationships with the most energetic of them, although they were nothing compared to you. But I know you are what he needs. He needs excitement and distractions, challenges and passion... He has never been happier than since he came back here with you and the children. His contentment is of the utmost importance to me. I owe you so much for being there for him."
"Neither of us will change," Valerie sighed. "My parents were never able to make me fit in the mold. And, with all due respect, you are too ancient to change. How can we never fight?"
"We are more similar than you think. If you look back at the past few months, you will realize it easily. We both are passionate, although I hide it behind a cold facade while you do not. We do not trust easily. We want the exclusive attention of the ones we love... We are dedicated, with a highly developed sense of responsibility. And we are natural leaders..."
"You are right, we are similar. We should be able to understand each other and find a compromise when we are stepping on our toes..."
"Despite everything, I have always enjoyed sparring with you. I enjoy your presence in Greenwood."
"You never gave me that impression."
"Somehow, Valerie, you have found your way to my heart."
Valerie remained silent. Not only had she a hard time believing his last words, but she was far from being able to return them to him. At least for now. She unfortunately did not forgive easily, and it was something she knew she needed to work hard on.
Legolas' entrance with two bundles in his arms saved her from the uncomfortable silence that had followed Thranduil's admission. Her husband was delicately holding their sons, as if he was used to taking care of little precious lives and not slaughtering vicious beasts with the very same hands. He slowly walked to the bed and sat beside Valerie, offering her one of the infants.
Valerie took the small child in her arms and marveled at how beautiful the baby was. He had almost translucent skin, a tiny nose and wonderfully pointy minuscule ears.
"This is the older twin by less than a minute. Ereinion Gil-galad, High King of the Noldor," Legolas whispered.
"How do you know who he is?"
"My father recognized him by his hair. He is the only known elf that had hair white as snow," he said, caressing the little fuzz of hair on the baby's perfectly round head.
Valerie looked at the child that Legolas was still holding. She could see that this one had golden hair. Although he was as beautiful as his older brother, with delicate elven features, there was something familiar about him. His hair, his straight little nose... The child opened his eyes and Valerie immediately recognized his blues eyes.
"Is he ours? From our blood?"
"No, he is a reborn elf," Thranduil answered. "His name is Oropher."
"Like your grandfather?" Valerie asked Legolas.
"He is my grandfather, Vanima," Legolas replied, checking her reaction.
Valerie turned to Thranduil. "This is your father?"
"Yes. I will be forever in your debt for giving me back my adar, Valerie."
"This is unexpected," she mumbled, feeling very tired. She yawned. "When will they need a feeding?" She was sleepy and didn't feel like staying up hours to nurse them.
"You have some time left before you will need to feed them. You can sleep, my love. I will wake you when they are hungry."
Valerie gave back Gil-galad to Legolas and lied more comfortably in the bed, falling asleep almost immediately.
"Give me one of them," Thranduil asked his son. Legolas moved Gil-galad closer to his father, but the king insisted to be handed Oropher. Legolas shrugged and gave him his reborn grandfather. Thranduil started rocking Oropher back to sleep.
"I am now so glad that you decided to take on the role in the prophecy, my son. Should Haldir have chosen to go to Valerie's world, Oropher would have been born in Lothlorien. I think... that nothing would have stopped me from going there to bring him back to Greenwood."
"I do not wish to speak of Haldir. He is gone, and we will not see him for many years. And the next time he does see my wife, he better keep his eyes on another elleth than my mate!"
"We will need to send a messenger to Imladris to inform Elrond of the birth. Otherwise, he will travel here in the spring to attend a birth that already took place."
"You should ask Mithrandir to call an eagle. We cannot send a messenger in the mountains at this time of the year."
"I will, my son. I will send messages to all elven realms and friendly human cities, informing them that the kingdom of Greenwood has been blessed with two sons, two princes born to Middle Earth's deadliest warrior and his exceptional mate."
"You should mention that Gil-galad and Oropher were reborn. Also talk about the fact that Valerie is half-elven. Remember that her arrival and the birth of our sons is supposed to unite the various races of Middle Earth. And for the sake of this future harmony, please refrain from calling me the deadliest warrior of Middle Earth, Father!"
OoOoO
Thranduil was sitting on a comfortable chair in his bedchamber. He should have been in bed by now, since everyone in the fortress had been sleeping for many hours now. Or had been attempting to sleep for many hours. In his son's apartment, a five days old infant had been crying at the top of his lungs for many hours now. Thranduil was listening to the whispers of Valerie and Legolas, who were trying to comfort the child, and he had to give it to them – they had tried everything they could think of. The baby was fed, he was warm, his nappy was clean, he was loved and caressed, but to not avail. Oropher was inconsolable.
"Can you read his mind?" Legolas desperately whispered to his mate.
"I can try, but he does not know any words!"
"Maybe you can see how he is feeling?"
There was silence. Then Valerie whispered: "He wants to be in someone else's arms. Not you, nor me."
"Who does he want?"
"Take him in your arms," Valerie whispered again. For a few seconds, there was silence in the fortress. And then, the child started crying again. "He sees you... but you are not the one he wants."
"You think he wants... my father?"
Thranduil smiled. It had taken them a long time to understand. He had felt the connection with his young father the first time he had held him. When the child was inconsolable, he was the only one who could calm him.
"I do not know. Let me rock Oropher, I will certainly not wake your father to ask him to take care of my son!"
"Val, I doubt my father is asleep -"
"No! I am not going!" Her tone was cutting despite the fact that she was whispering.
"You know my father is trying to mend things with you."
"I know, I can read his mind better than you can!" she replied with impatience. "But it is not because he suddenly regrets what happened between us that I have to immediately forgive him! I cannot forget on demand!"
They stopped talking while Valerie was softly singing a lullaby in English. Thranduil could hear the soft noises of the rocking chair Liam had designed for his mother. A modern style rocking chair, with a pouffe that also moved – the carpenter had been impressed by the design, and Thranduil had ordered a set for his own bedchamber. He knew that Valerie would eventually forgive him and allow him to bring his father in his private rooms, and that he would rock him all night long if Oropher was restless.
Oropher calmed down after half an hour, and he could hear Legolas' soft snores while Valerie was still singing. His son was exhausted, and had probably fallen asleep at the same time than his newborn father. Valerie fell silent and Thranduil got ready to go to bed when he heard a door open in his son's apartment. It could only be one person. Thranduil braced himself for what was to come. He loved Phoebe dearly, but she was less subtle than an oliphant during a royal ceremony.
"Is Oropher finally asleep?" the child asked loudly to her poor mother. Instantaneously, Oropher and Legolas woke and the infant started crying again. Legolas chastised his daughter with little patience.
"That's it!" Valerie cried, at the end of her patience.
Thranduil hesitated between waiting for her where he stood and jumping into bed as if he had not been expecting her. But in the end, remembering she could now read his mind, he opted to open his private chamber door and wait for her. Valerie arrived a minute later, in her nightgown, her hair disheveled and tears falling on her cheeks, holding the crying child against her chest. She was walking with difficulty, still feeling the pain of her gruesome surgery. She started when she saw the king waiting for her, but she simply gave him the child and turned around to leave. She snorted when Oropher immediately stopped wailing.
"You do not have to leave," Thranduil told Valerie. "Please stay here with me."
"Why? So you can laugh at me and make cutting remarks about my inadequate motherhood capabilities?"
"You do not have inadequate motherhood capabilities. Your other four children are a testimony to that! My father has always been... a difficult ellon. And if you stay with me for a while, I can... tell you more about him."
Valerie turned around to observe him. His offer was sincere. He wanted to help her, was genuinely sorry that his father was such a difficult baby, and was eager to tell her more about Oropher's first life.
"Please, come in," he insisted, opening his door wider.
"Legolas is waiting for me..."
"Legolas is putting Phoebe back in bed, and will without a doubt fall asleep with her. He is exhausted. Come!" he insisted.
Valerie hesitated a few more seconds, and decided she had nothing to lose. Furthermore, she would be able to keep an eye on her youngest son. She entered in Thranduil's private bedchamber and sat in a sofa with great difficulty, trying to put a cushion in her back to support her. The king helped her with kindness and when she nodded that she was comfortable, he started walking around, gently stroking Oropher's back.
"As far as I can remember, my father has always been stern, determined and rarely in a light mood. The realm came first, then my mother, and I came in third place. Everything he was doing was carefully designed to benefit the kingdom. He sacrificed his own happiness or my mother's for the sake of the realm. He was constantly fighting Sauron's forces, and my mother remained here with me, ruling in his stead with the help of Bronadon's father. I rarely saw him when I was an elfling. I knew he loved me, but from afar. My mother, her name is Tialyn, used to tell me about him, about his victories, his childhood... My grandmother was a very cold elleth and my grandfather was killed during an orc raid while she was pregnant. She did not sail to Valinor, and remained in Middle Earth, being sad, cold, cruel almost to the orphan that he was. Under these conditions, his character could not... be any different, I guess. My mother and I forgave him. We knew he loved us to the best of his abilities. When he died, I became king. My mother stayed with me for as long as she could, but when she started fading, she sailed to the Undying Lands. I eventually got married to Derenil, we had Legolas a few years later, and I endeavoured to give him a happy childhood. I wanted to break to curse of unhappy childhood that the ellyn of this family are suffering from."
Thranduil remained silent after this. He finally sat on another sofa, Oropher sleeping peacefully in his arms. Valerie had closed her eyes, exhausted, and was quietly reading Thranduil's thoughts. He was hoping that Legolas had had a happier youth than his own, and finding comfort in the fact that Legolas had lost his mother later in life, while he already was an adult, a warrior, captain of the Greenwood army.
"Legolas loves you deeply," she murmured. "He rarely tells you, but he does. I can read it in his mind. And Oropher... I cannot read his thoughts yet, but I can feel how happy he is to be with you. In your arms."
"He feels we are connected. But he is connected to you too and you should not-"
"I know how he feels about Legolas and I. I can read that too." She slowly moved to her side and leaned her head against the sofa arm, closing her eyes. She could fall asleep right there, in the dark room only lighted by a warm fire. It was so peaceful, and she was so tired...
"Valerie," Thranduil whispered. "Please promise me something."
"What?" she asked, already half asleep.
"Promise me that you will give Oropher a happy childhood. That he will not be the ellon I remember, but the ellon he should have been if his father had been alive, and if his naneth had been a motherly elleth."
Valerie opened her eyes to look at him, puzzled by his request.
"Thranduil -"
"Father. Please call me father. This is how you should have called me from the minute you opened your eyes in the healing rooms."
"I am sorry... I cannot. I cannot yet. I need time."
"I understand. Take all the time that you need."
"I can promise you that he will have a childhood similar to my other children. I will love him, protect him, guide him, congratulate him for all his good actions and punish his wrongdoings. If you think Liam, Sean and Phoebe are happy, I can guarantee that Oropher and Gil-galad will be the same."
"That is all I am asking for. Sleep now, my child. I will take care of your son."
That had been the first of many nights that Valerie spent in the company of her father-in-law.
Valerie survived her ordeal, and Thranduil is trying to mend things with her… which is going to make her life much easier in the future. But Galadriel gave her the ability to read minds, and learning to live with this ability will not be easy… Many of you hoped that the set of twins would include either Gil-galad or Oropher, and I had chosen them in that new order a while ago. I have also chosen who the next children of the prophecy will be, and I have some surprises for you…
Philosophie 88: Yes, you are right, reconciliation between Valerie and Thranduil was requiring a desperate situation that would open his eyes – and the fact that she gave birth to his father will also bring them closer…
Paperlanterns86: I was sorry to hear about your loss. I had two cats in the past, they both passed away within a short period of time, and it was a difficult moment in my life. I hope my story is helping you to forget these difficult times.
Aureleis: Thranduil and Valerie will keep fighting from time to time (after all, their characters are quite different), and I quite like writing their dialogues while they fight! It's very entertaining to write and to read!
Abbyforth: I hope you liked the fact that Gil-galad and Oropher were the newborn kings. They are inevitable when talking about elven kings…
Glory Bee: yes, the birth of my children was much easier too, although I went through C-sections each time! Having gone through the procedure, I could easily imagine how it would have happened without modern technology!
Foofie01: Thank you for your review. I try to write the thoughts of all the important characters so everyone can follow their emotions and motives for their actions…
Faye50free: my chapters are long and take a while to write, this is why my updates are published every two weeks. I promise to try to write faster (the next 2 chapters are already written and need to be reviewed) but updates should be published on a regular basis!
Breneke87: the possible loss of a mate is overwhelming for an elf, and I knew Legolas would have a nervous breakdown when he saw Valerie. Having him attend the actual birth would have been way to cruel for him, I thought the chapter was already dramatic enough between Thranduil and Allison!
KKK3: Of course Valerie was going to survive! I hope you didn't worry too much!
Glassary: this chapter was a little less intense, and the following one is also a bit quieter… before the action picks up again!
Gginsc: I know the last chapter was dramatic, this one was a lighter, with Thranduil finally being nicer with Valerie. I hope it made up for the sadness of the last chapter!
Legolas fan: she survived, but with a new ability that will be difficult to live with…
Hannahhobnob: the birth was difficult, but Valerie will find it worth it, having given birth to two elven kings, including Thranduil's own father…
ShueYun: I hope this last chapter made you less nervous! Valerie survived and Thranduil will help her instead of continually fighting with her…
Friskypixie100: Unfortunately, it will take a little while for Valerie to completely forgive Thranduil. But he can be patient…
Angel: Valerie could not conceive than a grown adult could be "in love" with a five year-old little girl… She is still struggling with elven customs and characteristics… Elrohir's future mate is not born yet… That's the only clue I can give for now!
Rocochette: I hope you enjoyed this last chapter!
Peridot Eyez: The birth was more dramatic than in the Haldir version – I could do it because of Allison's early arrival in this version. Otherwise, Valerie would not have survived this birth! I chose Gil-galad and Oropher first, but in a different order than in the first story. The next one are going to be a surprise!