Some original characters living in Valinor:
Lithil, first mother of Oropher
Tialyn, mate of Oropher and mother of Thranduil
Derenil, mate of Thranduil and mother of Legolas
Allison, Valerie's sister, mate of Glorfindel and mother of Rosswen
Rosswen, daughter of Glorfindel and Allison, mate of Haldir
Helethil, mate of Liam
Chapter 36 ended with:
Arwen would probably give them a whole aisle in the castle, where they could have some privacy. But what would they do all day long? How would they occupy themselves? Sean had already promised Victoria and Valerie to teach them some musical instruments. Would it be enough to keep them busy?
And more importantly, would she ever forgive Legolas?
Chapter 37 – the Fulfillment of Legolas' Oath
Valinor, Year 73 of the Fourth Age
A few months later
The dinner was well underway when a messenger was introduced in the dining room, holding two letters in his hand. He bowed respectfully in front of the royal family and apologized for interrupting their meal. He explained that he was coming for important news for the king and his naneth, and offered the envelopes to Thranduil, who did not move to take them. Tialyn was also frozen, staring at the letters as if their content was dangerous. The messenger looked at the rest of the family, wondering who would take the letters so he could go back to Valimar. The strange behavior of the royal family made him uneasy.
Phoebe warmly thanked the messenger and took the letters since no one else was moving. "Do you want me to open them for you?" Phoebe asked, eaten by curiosity. "Well... Let us play a guess game since these two seem nowhere near ready to open the letters," she said when the king and his mother remained silent. "The fact that Tia got a letter probably means that Oropher is on his way."
Elladan nodded. "But why is Thranduil also getting one?"
"Perhaps my parents are sailing too? It is about time, I mean, Elessar was crowned 75 years ago. He must have passed away by now," she said with her usual bluntness, which granted her a disappointed hiss from Derenil. Phoebe did not have a perfect day if she had not been at the receiving end of a gentle chide from her sweet grandmother at least once during the day. Derenil was fascinated with her carefree granddaughter, even if Phoebe's behavior was improper on a regular basis.
"My love, please open the letter," Derenil pleaded, suddenly realizing that the letter addressed to Thranduil might be announcing that Legolas was finally sailing.
Thranduil recovered first, and bracing himself for anything, good or bad news, he opened the envelope. "It is not Legolas who is sailing," he said after reading the message quickly and folding it carefully. He put his hand on Derenil's delicate fingers to help her cope with the disappointment. "But my adar Oropher is on his way, with our grandsons Fingolfin and Ecthelion."
"Wonderful!" Phoebe cried. "Three of my little brothers will be here soon!"
"Oropher is hardly your little brother now," Thranduil commented.
"You tell him that! I used to change his nappies. I intent to remind him of this frequently, and in public no less."
"If you ever changed his nappies, you did not do it more than once," Elladan burst out laughing. "In fact, I am certain that you are imagining this! You would never come anywhere close to the nuclear disasters, as you used to call the nappies!"
"I remember these words!" the king said with a smile. "You always made sure to bring your brothers to your naneth when they needed to be changed!"
Tialyn emitted a strange sound and all their attention went to the wife of said little brother, who had suddenly realized that she would soon be reunited with her mate after 3,101 years apart. She fainted and would have hit the floor if Elladan had not caught her on time.
"Of all the ellith that I know, Tialyn is the last one I would have expected to faint upon hearing that her mate is on the way. She is usually a strong elleth," Phoebe said while she observed Derenil who was now kneeling beside her mother-in-law and fanning her with a table cloth.
"You have no notion of how long 3,000 years are," Derenil said. "Her reaction is perfectly normal."
"Did you faint when you got the letter announcing that my grandfather was on his way?" Derenil did not reply. "I will take your lack of answer as a no," Phoebe continued smugly. "Can I go tell our warriors?" Phoebe asked Thranduil, suddenly realizing that many people would be glad to hear that Oropher had sailed. "I also need to go to Imladris. I am not sure if Uncle Glorfindel got a letter announcing that Ecthelion is arriving, but he would not forgive me if I did not tell him right away."
"Do as you wish," the king dismissed while he knelt beside Derenil and a still unconscious Tialyn.
"Is she always so indifferent?" Derenil asked him while he carried his mother to her bed.
"She is far from indifferent. She knows Tialyn is not in danger, and trusts us to take care of her. You should have seen her when her naneth was in battle. She managed to lead our warriors and kept an eye on her mother to ensure she would not get hurt. No, Phoebe is full of emotions. Just not the ones you would expect from the average elleth..."
A few days later, a small ship berthed at one of the main quays of the port of Alqualondë. A few elves from Ithilien disembarked, including the three brothers who had been reborn in the Greenwood royal family.
Not many people were on the quay that afternoon. A significant number of elves would have liked to attend, but King Finwë, father of Fingolfin, had been adamant that the reunions should take place in the strictest of privacy. Even the king of Greenwood had respected his wish, and had only brought his close family. Liam and Glorfindel had made the journey from New Imladris and were standing with them.
Fingolfin looked at the two distinct groups of elves, and while he smiled in the direction of his Greenwood family, he walked to his first family. His adar Finwë and his naneth Indis were standing with Anairë, his dear mate. He immediately realized that the absence of his four children meant that they had not been reborn yet. At least his adar had been reborn! The death rate in his first family had been high once they had gone to Middle Earth. He gave a respectful nod to his parents, but went directly to his nervous mate, who hesitantly threw her arms around his neck.
"Forgive me!" Anairë cried, "forgive me for remaining here while you went to Middle Earth! If only you knew how much I regretted my foolish decision to remain here!"
"It was not a foolish decision," he told her, kissing her temple, "Middle Earth was not a place for you. I am glad that you remained here safely, although I missed you dearly."
"I was devastated when the Valar told me that you had been killed by Morgoth! If I had been there..."
"Sweet Anairë, your presence would not have changed my fate. It was for the best."
They observed each other, and although he could feel his bond with her being reestablished, he wondered how to reacquaint himself with a mate he had not seen for ages.
"You will find your way back to each other," the soothing voice of his naneth said beside them. Indis and Finwë had also been separated for ages, and had experienced the awkwardness of reunion before. Fingolfin turned to his true mother and pulled her against his chest with his right arm while he did the same for his adar with his left. Parents and son remained embraced for a while, happy to finally be together, and for good this time.
"I see that you have gained many new brothers," his father eventually said. "This must have been a very strange childhood."
"Naneth always said -" he stopped, quickly looking at Indis' reaction. "I am sorry, Mother," he apologized respectfully.
"Do not be," Indis replied. "I am excessively glad that you were reborn. I will not pretend that I would not have preferred to carry you again and give you your second life here, in Valinor. But the Valar explained to us that it was not meant to be. I will be forever grateful to Valerie of Greenwood if you had a happy childhood. You seem well."
"I had a happy childhood," he confirmed. "She loved me and took care of me as if I was her true son."
"Then, please introduce us to your second family. I would be delighted to make their acquaintance."
Fingolfin saw that Oropher had greeted all of their Greenwood family and was now in an animated discussion with Liam and Phoebe while holding his wife by the waist. He had never seen Tialyn in person, but would have recognized her anywhere since Oropher had spent the last decades describing her to his brothers. He noticed that Phoebe was holding a young elfling in her arms.
"Phoebe!" he cried in surprise, walking swiftly in the direction of the Greenwood people. His parents and his mate followed him and remained a little behind when he was greeted by everyone. With barely hidden curiosity, they saw him being very familiar with King Thranduil and King Oropher, and with the two red-haired elves whom they had seen from afar but had never been introduced to.
"Phoebe, I never thought you would have a child anytime soon! What changed your mind?" Fingolfin asked his sister, admiring the young ellon in her arms. He had the blonde hair usually seen in Greenwood.
"This elfling is not mine, silly!" Phoebe laughed. She pointed her hair and then Elladan's. "Where would this golden hair come from? No, this is not my child. Sweetheart?" she asked the elfling, "Please tell my brother your name."
The elfling shyly looked at Fingolfin. The latter estimated that the child was between four and ten years old. There was something familiar with him. Whose son was he?
"My name is Cadworon," the child murmured in a barely audible voice.
"I have not heard you properly," Fingolfin told him.
"It is Cad!" Phoebe clarified in a loud tone that ensured Fingolfin, Ecthelion and Oropher would hear.
"How was he released so early for the Halls of Mandos?" Oropher asked, amazed, looking more attentively at the elfling.
"The ways of the Valar are unpredictable," Thranduil said. "The people of Greenwood rejoiced when he was reborn. It was an unexpected but most welcome event."
"Can you imagine Mother's reaction once she arrives here and sees him? She will be wild!" Fingolfin cried.
"My son, will you officially introduce us to your second family?" Finwë asked for afar. He had been watching his son with disbelief. How Fingolfin had changed since his first life! He remembered him as a serious ellon, always composed and calm. And now, his son had been reborn as an exuberant elf, laughing and jesting around with his new siblings.
"Please forgive my poor manners," Fingolfin said, somehow perceiving that he had shocked his parents and his wife. "Being reunited with both my families is overwhelming. Adar, this is my grandfather Thranduil, and my brothers Oropher, Ecthelion and Liam. This is my sister, Phoebe."
"I am their favorite sister," Phoebe specified with a genuine smile.
Of course, Fingolfin's first family had seen the others over the years, at festivals or tournaments. But for the first time, both families were acknowledging that they had a son in common, and that a ground of understanding would have to be found sooner rather than later.
"Actually, Victoria is now our favorite sister," Oropher added smugly, which awarded him a not-so-light punch on the shoulder from Phoebe. "You should see her! So sweet, so feminine and affectionate, so beautiful! She is everything that you are not!"
"Where is your first naneth?" Fingolfin asked Oropher with curiosity, changing the subject before Phoebe decided to beat Oropher into pulp.
"Apparently, she stayed at home. As a dutiful son, I must go see her immediately." Everyone could tell that Oropher was not pleased with his first mother.
"She loves you... in her own way," Tialyn reminded him.
"My love, now I know what a true naneth is. And I will not insult Valerie by calling Lithil mother. This word will never leave my mouth again in association with this elleth."
"I am sure that Valerie will appreciate your support, but Lithil will not take this very well," Thranduil warned him.
"Let her be pissed," Oropher dismissed. "What about you, Ecthelion? Where is your family?"
"Glorfindel just told me that my parents have not been reborn since the fall of Gondolin," the Lord of the Fountain said regretfully. "I had really hoped to see them today."
"You are welcome to stay with us," Oropher and Thranduil said all at once. They eyed each other. It would take some adjustment between them, with Oropher used to be in charge while Thranduil had succeeded him as king millennia before.
"I must admit I had not thought of living anywhere else than with my brothers," Ecthelion replied, looking at Derenil and Tialyn as if asking for permission to live with his second family.
"We have been expecting you all," Tialyn said. "Thranduil built an immense manor with rooms for all his grandchildren. Phoebe and Elladan live with us, while Liam has a room for when he visits. There is a room for you, Ecthelion. Thranduil made sure the decoration suits your taste."
"Thank you," Ecthelion replied. He was planning to visit Glorfindel regularly and many other people from Gondolin, but his home was going to be with his Greenwood family. He had had no siblings in his first life, and had never been very close to his true parents. He was glad that his grandfather had thought the same and had anticipated his permanent stay with them.
"We even have a room for you," Derenil added, speaking to Fingolfin. "For when you visit us. King Finwë and Queen Indis and Queen Aneirë, you are more than welcome to visit us also. It would be an honor if you would accept our hospitality on a regular basis."
"We accept with gratitude," Queen Indis said. "We would be glad to know better the extraordinary people that Fingolfin loves so dearly."
Little Cadworon was passed from arm to arm, and the group left the quay to share a meal at a nearby inn before they would separate to go to their respective realms, only to visit each other many times a year.
OoOoO
"I was expecting you much sooner than this," Lithil said, expressing her displeasure to Oropher with a frown.
He had arrived in Valinor two weeks before, and instead of immediately coming back to Greenwood with the rest of the family, he had stayed with Tialyn at an inn in Alqualondë, trying to reacquaint himself with his wife. They had needed the solitude, and two weeks later, he knew it had been the right choice to spend time with her. They had had so much to tell each other, and each of them had tried very hard to accept the changed personality of their mate. Although it would take them many months to completely reconnect, these first two weeks had greatly accelerated their reacquaintance.
Tialyn looked at Lithil with worry. Oropher had greatly changed since his first life. In her opinion, he had changed for the better. The constant dark mood he had been in before his death had filled her with sadness. She had expected to find an unchanged mate, and had prepared herself for his dark moods, looking for ways to lighten up his character. She had been pleasantly surprised in the past two weeks, listening to his amusing recollection of his recent childhood, watching him visit Alqualondë with curiosity and greet old acquaintances with delight. He was a changed ellon. All her worries had disappeared and she was ready to start her new life with Oropher. She was more than ever grateful for his rebirth as the son of Legolas, and was eager to meet this Valerie who had caused such a change in her mate.
Obviously, Lithil still had not realized that her life was about to change, and not for the better.
"I came as soon as I felt like it," Oropher said seriously. "I wanted to spend some time with my wife. I hope you do not mind that."
"What about spending time with your naneth?"
"I cannot spend time with my naneth. She has not sailed yet. But thank you for your solicitude. I trust you will join your prayers to mine and ask the Valar to allow her to sail sooner."
On the second floor, Phoebe snorted and they heard Elladan hush her. The three elves who were in the common room realized that everyone was listening to the rising altercation. This fact enraged Lithil. She would not be ridiculed in public! And by her only son to make matters worse!
"Your mother is here, in front of you. You would have seen her sooner if you had decided to show her the respect due to the mother of a king! As for that mortal..." she continued, using the terminology that pissed everyone in the manor, "I will certainly not pray for her swift arrival. This manor is too crowded already with the arrival of Ecthelion and Fingolfin. We certainly do no need additional people, a former mortal no less, to taint the reputation of this family."
Oropher saw red, and Tialyn held his arm to try to calm him down. If Lithil had not been an elleth, he would have hit her. How satisfying it would have been! He had never heard such disrespectful comments about his naneth and his entire family. He heard a commotion on the second floor, and in an instant, Phoebe and Thranduil appeared in the common room, their faces showing anger almost equal to his.
"Did I hear correctly?" Phoebe asked, her fists opening and closing as if she wanted to choke Lithil with her bare hands. Elladan arrived at that moment and put calming hands on her shoulders.
"Lady Lithil, this manor is mine," Thranduil claimed coldly. "I am the one choosing who lives in this house. It is vast enough to comfortably lodge our entire family. But if you feel that it is too crowded, I suggest that you go back to Tirion with your family."
"This is my family!" she claimed. "I am the mother and grandmother of the kings of Greenwood!"
"You are the mother and grandmother of kings, but are you the mother of Oropher and the grandmother of Thranduil? You speak of them as if they were only kings! Do you care about who they are as elves?" Phoebe spat. "Or do you only care about their statuses and the advantages they bring you?"
"Please, I certainly do not expect a half-mortal to understand me," Lithil continued to dig her own grave, attacking Phoebe on her origins, unaware of how close Phoebe and Oropher truly were.
"This house might belong to my son, but this family is mine," Oropher's voice rang in the room, catching everyone's attention. "You have insulted my sister and my naneth, insulted my son by telling him his house does not meet your standards. You are a stranger to me, Lady Lithil. You are not welcome here. Leave this house, and leave this family for good. You are no longer part of it."
Lithil gaped, watching Oropher with disbelief. Of all the things she had expected him to say, this was the last one. In fact, in his prior life, he would never have dared to speak to her in that manner. This must have been the damageable influence of that mortal. She must not have raised him properly. It was time for her to correct the situation.
"I will have to teach you better manners, my son. You have been raised in a shameful manner, I am afraid! But I am certain that it is not too late to remedy to that."
"I do not want to hear your voice anymore. You are no longer my mother. I want it to be known," Oropher claimed for everyone to hear, "that as of today, I only have one naneth. She is Princess Valerie of Greenwood. No other can claim that title."
Tialyn watched her mate, wondering if he really meant his harsh words. But all his attitude and features screamed his determination to severe his connection with his first naneth. Tialyn turned to her son Thranduil. He looked shocked, but soon his expression changed to his usual aloofness when strangers were around. Lithil was already a stranger in his mind, as if he had always been waiting for Oropher to make that decision. There was pride in his eyes. Thranduil was proud of the courage it took his father to face the potential disgrace that his action might bring him. Formally rejecting a naneth was absolutely unheard of in Valinor. The Valar would probably not like this.
"I support your decision," Thranduil said nevertheless, ready to face the consequences.
"Well, well," Phoebe added sarcastically. "It looks like this crowded manor will have an extra room soon."
"Lady Lithil's room has a lot of sunlight, and Liam would be pleased to have a library here. I will ask him and Derenil to acquire books in Valimar," Thranduil decided. "Lady Lithil, please make sure that you move back with your family by the end of the week."
"I will leave today," Lithil said with dignity. "You will hear from my brothers. They will not accept your decision. I come from a prominent Noldorin family. They will defend my honor!"
"I am sure they will not be too pleased to hear that you have insulted the royal family of Greenwood," Thranduil said. "Do send your brothers to us. We will have much to tell them."
Lithil turned her back on them and went to her room to gather her personal belongings while Thranduil started making arrangements to have her escorted back to Tirion.
"Thank you, brother!" Phoebe told Oropher. "You have greatly improved our future family life! I owe you! Ask me anything you want!"
"I want some peace and quiet," Oropher said darkly. He left the manor in a hurry, Tialyn following him close behind. He needed her support more than ever, now that he had freed himself from Lithil's negative influence. It probably had been the most difficult decision he had to take in the longest time. He would certainly appreciate her presence wherever he was going to hide.
OoOoO
Minas Tirith, Year 117 of the Fourth Age
44 years after the last events
She had never imagined that time could pass so slowly. If she had a watch, she would check it continuously in the hope of seeing the minute hand move, telling her that time had not stopped. Around her, people were moving, were talking, were living their lives, but she felt like she was a passive spectator, unable to live like everyone else.
It had started slowly, insidiously, and when people noticed that she was unwell, the degradation of her mental and physical health was well underway and unstoppable. Boredom has been the first sign. Valerie had never been one to spend hours each day working on tapestries while chatting with other women. For an elleth like her, distractions in Minas Tirith were scarce. She no longer went to the archery field, since the Gondorian soldiers didn't like seeing a female on the training grounds. She had gone daily for ten years, but had grown tired of the frowns that not even Legolas or King Elessar had been able to protect her from. She had tried learning to play a musical instrument with Sean and Victoria but had soon realized that she lacked musical talent. For a few decades, her only pastime had been to ride in the plains of the Pelennor. And then she even lost interest in that.
And so months, then years had passed, and Valerie had stopped having interest in anything at all. She spent her days on the balcony of her apartment, watching people live while she no longer did. She fooled her children for a long time with her forced good humor and by asking them questions about their habits and occupations, and they never truly noticed that her former personality was gone until it was too late.
Legolas and Arwen had not been fooled, but had been unable to find a way to help Valerie. She had sank into a depression they had no cure for. They were immensely worried that she would fade. Only when the depression became very apparent did her children notice the gravity of the situation. Many discussions took place amongst them to find a solution, one of them being to send Valerie to Valinor, where she would more than likely recover. Elrohir had repeatedly talked about his strong conviction that his mother had survived and recovered in Valinor from a fading that was much more advanced. But Valerie had refused. She was determined to stay in Middle Earth until Legolas' oath was fulfilled. He was her last anchor in her world. She didn't want to lose him.
King Elessar was now an old man, and his 74 years old son Eldarion was reigning on his behalf. The king spent most of his time with Arwen, who was also an old woman, and with Legolas and Gimli. The dwarf had moved to Minas Tirith a few years before, unable to connect anymore with his own people who had retired in the deepest of mountains, never to come out. Gimli was now used to live with the elves, and knowing that he would eventually spend the rest of his life with them, he had decided to join them earlier than when they sailed. In any case, he had been considered part of the family for a long time already.
The king, Legolas and Gimli were sitting in a shaded area in the courtyard, and while discussing with his closest friends, the elf kept a worried eye on his mate, whom he could see on their balcony. Valerie was lying on her usual long chair, staring into emptiness, her hair shining under the autumn sun. The situation had become intolerable. She had to sail before she died. The guilt he felt was overwhelming, indescribable. It was his fault, his disregard for her well-being 120 years before that was now bringing her on the verge of fading.
"She is getting worse," Gimli's voice said beside him. "It accelerated in the past two months. She is going down fast. You have very little time left."
Legolas turned to glare at him, wondering why the dwarf was discussing this in front of the king. It was a private subject, something he didn't want the king to know about. Elessar was already sick, he didn't need the additional worry of being the cause of his friend's mate fading.
"He fell asleep," Gimli added, pointing at the king, who had indeed fallen asleep on his chair, his head against his chest.
Satisfied that their conversation would be private, Legolas informed his friend that he was going to force Valerie to sail. He had taken the decision the night before.
"She does not want it," the dwarf said in perfect Sindarin. "She might even fade during the journey if she is not with you. At this point, anything could have a negative impact on her. Being separated from you would be too much of a burden for her. You cannot do this!"
"What am I supposed to do?" Legolas asked desperately.
"I am surprised that none of you elves thought about this very simple solution. But then again, I find you pointy-eared dim-wits-" he stopped after being shoved out of his chair by Legolas' impatient hand.
"We are having a serious discussion, I am in no mood to hear your insults, even if you are jesting!"
"Calm down, my friend. I am jesting because I have the solution for you, and I am sure all will be well very soon. You will get your Valerie back."
"How?"
"Picture Valerie when she was happy. Go ahead, imagine her how she used to be. Remember your past together. Do you see her?"
"Yes. I remember every single moment I spent with her." Legolas had closed his eyes, and his painful expression told Gimli how affected he was by the current situation.
"Now look at her today. What is the difference?"
"She is sick. She is fading."
"You do not get my point. Describe one of your happier memories."
"It was in Ithilien. Valerie was with our children, sitting on the grass and she was telling them a story. She had Victoria on her knees. She was so beautiful in the middle of the glade, surrounded by our children who were calmly listening to her. Victoria had one of Valerie's locks in her mouth, and Valerie kept removing it from her little fingers, but Victoria would always be able to grab a new lock." Legolas was smiling, reliving the memory. He didn't know why Gimli was forcing him to describe this happy moment, if not to make the current situation appear even more tragic.
"When was she happiest?"
"In Greenwood or Ithilien. Do you suggest we move back there?"
"Wrong answer. She was content when she had children with her."
"We have our children with us! Many have sailed, but we still have Sean, Elros, Gil-galad and Victoria!"
"Are they listening to her stories? Putting her locks in their little mouth? Are they monopolizing all her attention, so that you almost wonder if she still remembers that she has a mate?"
Legolas didn't answer, watching Gimli as if he was speaking a foreign language.
"Get her pregnant, my friend," the dwarf said grumpily. "Give her a baby to fuss about. That will keep her busy for another 50 years. Young mothers do not fade, that is a certainty."
"But... we already had 10 children if you count Hadrian!"
"That was more than a century ago. I see no elfling around you nowadays. I believe that once we sail and that she is with your father, your children and hopefully, some grandchildren, she will feel much better. But until then... it is up to you. And do not expect my Victoria to get pregnant to give Valerie a grandchild, she is too young for this. Elrohir told me she is not ready."
"She is 119 years old!"
"This is very young for an elleth," Gimli said philosophically. He was very attached to Victoria and still saw her as a child, something the beautiful young elleth used profusely to get whatever she wanted from her Uncle Gimli.
Legolas stared at his mate, who still had not moved on the balcony. Something needed to be done. But having more children? The idea was scary. Elves born in Middle Earth rarely had more than two children, three at the most. The idea of having more than ten children was making his head spin. It was even slightly mortifying. What would people say in Valinor once they arrived and presented more children than the ones they had had already?
But were gossips more important than his beloved mate's mental and physical health? Absolutely not. He loved her. He would do anything for her. Even if it meant having more children than any elf could imagine in his wildest, craziest dreams. She was his wildest dream. She was his. He would not let her fade.
Beside him, Gimli smiled smugly. Legolas' face was an open book, and he could follow his train of thoughts easily. He would be an uncle again!
That night, when Legolas helped Valerie to bed, he slowly caressed her long hair. She still like it when he played with her hair.
"Vanima, I was wondering... if you would like to have another child," he whispered.
He thought she might have fallen asleep when she did not answer, but the fluttering of her lashes against his naked chest told him her eyes were open.
"What do you think of the idea?" he insisted after long minutes of uncomfortable silence.
Valerie wondered what he had meant by that. She could not take care of a child. She could not even take care of herself anymore! And to have a child, they would need to... It had been months that they had not made love. She had lost interest in that too. She still loved Legolas, but the thought of making love seemed like an insurmountable effort... She simply did not have the strength.
"I miss you, Valerie. I love you. I think it would be good for you. For us. Let me love you tonight. It has been so long... I need you. Please, do not deny me," he pleaded.
He kissed her forehead gently once, twice. He felt his desire awaken, a desire he had been able to reign in for many months. She was still the most beautiful elleth for him, despite her paleness and weight-loss. She looked fragile, and it was awakening his protectiveness.
Valerie felt the physical consequence of his longing against her thigh. She had memories of passionate nights, endless moments where their shared pleasure had been overwhelming. Back then, they could not get enough of each other. She missed those days when they had been so close. Maybe she could find the strength to participate in some foreplay. As for getting pregnant, the thought was so strange, so ridiculous that she did know what to think of it.
When he kissed her forehead again, she lifted her head and offered him her lips. Legolas gave her a gentle kiss, but soon, freed his desire and kissed her deeply, shifting her body underneath his. He caressed every inch of her skin, marveling that her body was finally responding to him. Her shudders, her sighs, all the signs that she was with him in mind and body for the first time in months were fueling his hunger.
When he finally entered her, it was like coming home.
OoOoO
Valerie was sitting on her usual long chair on the balcony when it happened. A faint flutter in her still flat stomach. She put her hand on it, trying to feel the movement once more. And suddenly, it was there again. The light movement that told her there was a new life in her belly. Until then, she had not realized how real it was. It had happened on the last night they had made love, many months before. When they had discovered she was pregnant, Legolas had been overjoyed. But to her, it had been more like a concept, a vague notion that maybe one day, there would be a little presence with her.
"Legolas," she whispered, wondering if her mate would hear her call.
He was beside her almost instantaneously. He had been in their apartment that morning, getting some rest after a few days away in Ithilien with their sons. There had been reports that their abandoned city was occupied by people, and Eldarion had asked them to investigate the rumors.
"Yes, Vanima?"
She took his hand and put it against her stomach. "The baby moved!" she cried incredulously.
"This is good news," he said carefully. It was the first time she was actually talking about the baby. Until then, so deep had been her depression that even if everyone told her that she was expecting a child, she had not truly realized what was happening. "The baby is healthy."
"Do you... do you feel the child's fëa?"
"Yes, I do. It is a vibrant little soul."
Valerie looked at the courtyard, still keeping Legolas' hand against her stomach.
"When will I give birth?"
"In 5 months."
Valerie looked at her hand, then her arm, then at her entire body. "I am thin..."
"You barely ate in the past few years. Do you... want to eat something? You did not break your fast yet."
"I guess... I better start eating more. For the baby," Valerie hesitated.
"You should," he stated firmly. He decided to push his luck a little more. "Would you want to eat with our family? I can hear them in our private dining room."
She stared at him, almost scared. She had not shared a meal with the family in a long time. She did not know if she could tolerate the noise, the questions...
"Come," he insisted. "They will be pleased to see you."
He did not give her the option to refuse. He gently pulled her up and once she stood, they slowly walked to the private dining room where their children stopped talking when they saw their mother. Legolas led Valerie to an empty chair and sat beside her, making sure that she was comfortable.
"What would you like to eat?" he asked her. Valerie looked at the food on the table and could not find the thing she was craving for. "What is it?" he insisted, knowing she was disappointed about something.
"I would like a pancake. With honey. But there is none, so I will just have a piece of bread."
"I will get pancakes in the kitchen!" Victoria cried, and before anyone could stop her, she was gone.
Valerie looked around the table at her sons who were still staring at her. "What?" she asked with a bit of humor.
"It is so good to see you here, with us!" Elros said with a huge smile. Once they got over the shock, Gil-galad and Sean seemed as joyful.
Elrohir put a glass of milk in front of Valerie, knowing she needed the nutrients. As a healer, he had been worried for her health for many years now. And now that she was pregnant, her state was even more worrisome...
Legolas put a lock of Valerie's hair behind her ear and gave her a kiss on the temple. "Yes," he told his sons and son-in-law, "she is back with us. And we will not let her leave us again."
OoOoO
Minas Tirith, Year 118 of the Fourth Age
5 months later
Valerie was lying in her bed, exhausted and sweaty, but quite blissful. Beside her on the bed was her new daughter, another beautiful little elleth with blonde hair, but this time, the child had green eyes and facial features that definitely were coming from Valerie.
In her room, the atmosphere was joyful as everyone was celebrating with sparkling wine. Arwen was sitting on Valerie's bed, holding her hand. The Queen of Gondor had aged in the past decade, her luxurious black hair now mixed with grey locks. Her daughters were standing nearby, all more than 60 years old and looking a just bit younger than their mother. The long-life of Elessar and his forefathers was getting shorter with every generation. Two more generations and their life span would be similar as any other mortal of their kingdom...
"I am so proud of you," Arwen murmured in Valerie's ear. "I was so worried for you in the past years! Your fading seemed unstoppable, it was heartbreaking! But with this pregnancy, you have recovered from your waning quite nicely, and now you are again the Valerie I have always known. I thank the Valar every day in my prayers for this second chance you were given." Arwen kissed Valerie's forehead tenderly.
"You should thank Legolas," Valerie whispered back. "He did most of the work!"
"He only gave you a few moments of pleasure! You built this new life for 9 months!"
"It was more than a few moments. It was a whole night of bliss!"
Theirs giggles caught the attention of Legolas, who came back beside his wife and caressed her face gently. "Thank you, Vanima, for this priceless gift. I love you more than ever," he said for everyone to hear. Their children beamed. The love their parents shared had been one of the highlights of their childhood.
The baby made a little noise and Legolas picked up his daughter and proudly carried her around as if she was his firstborn child.
"Anyone wants to claim her as his mate?" he asked around to jest, but truthfully, there were no more unbound ellyn in Minas Tirith that were not part of the child's family. Elrohir blushed at the memory of his behavior when Victoria had been born.
His wife noticed his discomfort and looking around, asked what had exactly happened after her birth. Of the people who had been present in the birth room 119 years before, only Valerie, Legolas and Elrohir were still in Gondor.
"He barely allowed me to hold you," Legolas recalled. "In fact, he even tried to hide you from my sight. I was worried that you had a major physical defect that he was trying to hide!"
"Do you mean that Elrohir was not allowing you to hold Victoria like you are not allowing me to hold our new baby?" Gimli asked with humor, extending his arms for Legolas to give him the child. The possessive word he used to describe the baby was noticed by the family, but it pleased them to see Gimli would be close to this child like he had been for all the others before. "She is beautiful," Gimli exclaimed. "An exquisite little thing, Valerie. You are very talented when it comes to giving us delightful little ellith. Let us hope that this one will have Victoria's sweet character instead of Phoebe's! Now, how will we call you? Will it be an elvish name this time?" he asked the child.
"Uncle Gimli, do you not like my name?" Victoria asked coquettishly. She loved her name and appreciated that no one in Gondor nor in Valinor had the same. A name from her naneth's world, like her three older siblings who had been born in this strange world.
"Victoria is a great name for an annoying little thing who is always bothering her older brothers," Gil-galad jested, and barely avoided the sharp poke in his ribs from his irate sister.
"You are just jealous of how original our names are," Sean said smugly, earning a warm smile from Victoria for his show of support.
"Nobody else is called Gil-galad," the reborn king said.
"Gil-galad is your nickname as a king. Tell me, how many Ereinions live in Valinor?" Victoria continued. "That was your true birth name, if I remember correctly!"
"Our new daughter already has a name," Legolas informed them to cut their friendly quarrel. "Valerie and I chose her name many weeks ago. We wanted a name that represented the change the baby brought in our lives, how it was a turning point for your naneth..."
"We will call her Eiliannel," Valerie whispered. "Eili for short."
"What a fitting name," Gimli said. He knew the name came from the elvish word for rainbow.
"She is the hope after the rain," Elros said. "The one who showed us that we could still be happy, and that we have a bright future ahead of us."
The elves didn't realize the frowns of the mortals around them. For Arwen, Elessar and their children, it was a reminder that their lives would soon end, while the Greenwood family was seeing this birth as a new beginning in their eternal lives...
OoOoO
Minas Tirith, Year 120 of the Fourth Age
2 years later
They all had been expecting this for many decades. 122 years to be exact. The Greenwood family had been dreading the loss of a friend, of a great king. But they had also hoped for this day, hoped to be reunited with their family in Valinor.
So many people had passed away during that lengthy wait, they could no longer count them... Eomer, Lothiriel and all their children were gone. Same for Faramir and Eowyn... Gone also were the hobbits they knew, except for Sam, who had been allowed to sail as he had been a ring-bearer, even if it had only been for a few hours... With Sam, there would be a reunion at least.
And now, it was Elessar's turn. In this bitter-sweet moment around the death bed of the king, they were united in their grief, watching the Gondor royal family crying for their husband, father or grandfather. Arwen's sorrow was difficult to watch. Despite being a mortal now, her heart was still elven, and she felt the strength of their bond diminish, leaving her hollow and abandoned.
Valerie knew Arwen would fade. Even if the queen was an old lady, she had been healthy enough until then. She would not die of sickness, but of fading. A long time before, Arwen had expressed the wish to be escorted to Lothlorien after Elessar's passing, so she could die in the former realm of her naneth Celebrian. Valerie had sworn to her friend that she would ensure her last wish would be granted, even if Eldarion was refusing. In this, she was supported by Elrohir, who could do no less for his beloved sister who had chosen a mortal fate.
Now more than ever, Elrohir was happy that his adar had not remained in Middle Earth to witness his daughter's decline. He knew he would have chosen a mortal faith with Arwen if he had not met Victoria, to remain with her until their end. Victoria, the love of his life since the day she had been born. With her, he felt complete. Their complicity was great despite the age difference between them. Millennia of wisdom separated them, and some days, he wondered if she was not the more mature one of the two. Since the day of her birth, his faith had been sealed. He would sail with her and leave Arwen behind. She had chosen her faith. Did she have regrets now that she was at the dusk of her life? He dared not ask her.
From the corner of his eye, he watched his wife's refined profile and glowing golden hair as she whispered to the young ellon in her arms, who had grabbed her necklace and was pulling on it. It was one of the pieces of jewelry Valerie had brought from her world, an incredible necklace of diamonds and emeralds that many women in Minas Tirith would kill for. Victoria was begging the child not to break the priceless jewelry, to be more cautious. It was not their son, not yet. They had agreed to wait until they were in Valinor before having a family of their own. The child in her arm was her little brother Raevon.
Raevon had been born a year before, almost one year to the day after the birth of Eiliannel. When Valerie did something, she always did it in an extreme manner. Her fading had been stopped by her pregnancy? Why not have two children in quick succession to ensure she would never fade again? Elrohir had been slightly overwhelmed at the thought, but the rest of the family had accepted the new addition with philosophy and open-mindedness. And the child was absolutely adorable with his red hair. He did not walk yet and Elrohir wondered if he would ever learn, since he was always being carried around by his parents, his sister Victoria, his brothers or his uncle Gimli. Even Brannor was seen taking care of the little ellon. Elrohir sometimes wondered what people would say in Valinor once Valerie and Legolas arrived with two unexpected young elflings. Would there be disbelief? Judgments? Negative gossips? No one in the family seemed to think about that but him!
"Stop worrying," Victoria whispered to him. She could feel his concern through their bond.
In her arms, Raevon looked at Elrohir with his intelligent blue eyes. "Hir!" he said, extending his arms to be picked-up by his much older brother-in-law. Elrohir took him and Victoria sighed in relief, knowing her favorite necklace was now safe from his careless little hands.
Eiliannel looked at her younger brother with jealousy. She put her little arm around Gil-galad's neck, pressing her golden head against his white locks. His hair fascinated her. It was like snow in the winter. Her older brothers were hers, she was not planning to let Raevon become their favorite sibling. From Gil-galad's lap, she smiled possessively to Sean and Elros, who smiled back in return. Satisfied that she still was the most important elleth in their lives, she turned to look in the direction of her parents.
They were around the bed where a man was lying. He seemed sick. She had seen him regularly, Elessar was his name, but he scared her a little. He was an old man, with wrinkles and greyish, thinning hair. He spoke slowly, that is, when he was not falling asleep in the middle of a conversation. It was an unnerving sight for an elven child who was usually surrounded by adults who looked in their prime. She greatly preferred Queen Arwen, who was still lively and funny even if she looked old. But Arwen was not funny today. Eili was bored and she was tired, so tired. She comfortably put her head against Gil-galad's neck and fell asleep, knowing her brother was protecting her.
Legolas and Gimli were staring at the king, unable to believe that their long time friend and brother-in-arm was about to leave them. Arwen was crying, her hand on her husband's chest, following his difficult and increasingly erratic breathing. He had said his goodbyes to his loved ones earlier but was no longer conscious now.
Elessar's chest moved one last time, and remained immobile. Everyone held their breath, hoping that the breathing would resume, but it did not. For a few moments, everyone stared, the notion that the greatest king Gondor had ever known was no longer not sinking in. And when it finally did, the chaos in the room became astounding.
Arwen's silent cries became hysterical screaming and Valerie grabbed her in her arms, trying to comfort her grieving friend who was trying to shake the now soulless body of her husband. Her own sadness was overwhelming. Valerie was not only grieving for a man she had deeply respected, but she also anticipated the passing of her last true friend. A friendship that had lasted more than 140 years, that had filled Valerie's life with joy, affection and complicity.
Valerie barely saw her family in the following days, spending most of her time with Arwen, listening to her, comforting her, forcing her to drink and eat so she would have enough energy to attend the funerals.
The ceremonies were attended by many dignitaries from other realms. It ended when Elessar's wooden coffin was put into a stone coffin with his likeness sculpted on the heavy sliding cover. It was located in the royal crypt, with the coffins of his forefathers. Arwen did not leave his side for many days, keeping her hand on the cold stone as if she could still connect with her husband through it. Valerie also spent these days with the queen, in the darkness and oppressive silence, waiting for her friend to be done with her goodbyes. During these difficult days, Valerie prayed the Valar that she would never know this solitude, this grief and abandonment, that Legolas would never pass away and that he would remain with her for eternity.
After a few days, Legolas and Eldarion, now officially the king of Gondor, joined them and expressed their concern about their health. Arwen did not care for her well-being anymore; her mate was dead, she knew she would soon follow him. But Valerie looked tired and weak, and despite the exhaustion, she had remained at the queen's side, supporting Arwen in a way that no one had eve done.
"It is time to go, Valerie," Arwen told her friend.
"We will leave tomorrow," Valerie promised. "I will let Elrohir know."
"Thank you. Come, my son," the queen told Eldarion. "I would like to spend some time with you and your sisters, and with my grandchildren before I leave."
"Naneth, please tell me you are not still planning to go to Lothlorien."
"More than ever. I want to see Caras Galadhon once more. I want to look at the sun through the Mallorn trees, hear the music of the wind in the leaves."
"Caras Galadhon is no longer," her son argued. He wanted his mother to remain with him, he didn't understand her need to leave Minas Tirith.
"It is my home, just like Imladris."
"Your home is here," he insisted.
"For an elf, Minas Tirith cannot be home, Eldarion," Legolas explained. "We have talked about this. Please do not cause more grief to your naneth..." He held back the king while his mate and Arwen were leaving the crypt. "These are your last hours with her, do not spoil them by trying to convince her to stay here."
"I love her!"
"We all do, Eldarion. You especially. But her time has come. You have to let her go. Your uncle Elrohir and Valerie will stay with her. Take care of her... until the end."
"I do not want my mother to die!" the man cried, finally letting his emotions out.
"And she wants to be reunited with your father. You cannot deny her this. She will join him, whether you want it or not. Let her choose how her last moments will be spent. Her soul will be at peace in Lothlorien. Not here."
And so the next day, at dawn, a small group of people were standing at the great gate, watching the three riders leave Minas Tirith for a long journey.
"Where Nana go?" Eiliannel asked in her two-year old language. "Leave with Arwen and Unca Rohir?"
"Naneth is going for a long trip. And in the meantime, you will be spending a lot of time with Ada and I," Victoria replied. "You can sleep in my bed, eat all your meals with me, and -"
"Raevon be with us?" the little elleth asked, analyzing if she was being offered a good deal or not.
"Sometimes," Victoria continued. "He will be missing Naneth too, you know? You and I, it will be our task to comfort him, to make sure he does not miss our mother too much."
"Ada miss her too?"
Victoria watched her father who still had his eyes on Valerie's form, even if she was now many miles away. She remembered the long discussions between her mother and father, and how her adar had reminded her their former decision to never be apart again after his quest. But they had young children, and Valerie had wanted that at least one of them remained in Minas Tirith with Eiliannel and Raevon. Victoria didn't need her mother's mind-reading ability to know her adar was worried beyond words for his mate, that he was exercising great restraint by not leaving Minas Tirith to ride with her. The way he was holding Raevon against his chest was very telling.
It was one last hardship for their parents, before they could sail.
"I want the ship ready for when they come back," Legolas said to no one in particular.
"We have a few weeks of work left," Elros reported. "We could ask Eldarion for some help..."
"No, I want this ship to be made by elves only. We need to put all the odds in our favor."
"Well, that counts me out then," Gimli grumbled.
"You are sailing with us, that does not count," Legolas argued with a logic that no one else could follow.
"Yes, you are almost an elf," Gil-galad said with a sarcastic grin. "You could be mistaken for one, you are only missing the pointy ears!"
"You wish you had my beard!" the dwarf replied.
"I want beard!" Eiliannel cried.
"I want this ship ready within the month," Legolas repeated to cover their voices, his eyes still on his mate. "Once Valerie and Elrohir are back, we will sail. They already said their goodbyes to Eldarion and the rest of the family. We can wait for them in Ithilien."
"We are leaving Minas Tirith?" Victoria asked, hopeful. None of them liked the stone walls and the noises of the city. They all longed for the forest, for the river, for the nature around them.
"Tomorrow. I do not wish to spent more time in this city, where I can see Arwen and Elessar at every corner. I cannot stand our empty apartments either, without Valerie..."
They all understood. Too many memories, too much longing would be in Minas Tirith. They would leave the city the next day, no longer bound to remain around the mortals.
"Well, I have a few farewells to make then," Sean said.
"Please tell me you will at least miss one of these ladies," Elros groaned.
"Maybe one or two," Sean replied. "But my hunting territory was getting too small."
"I doubt the elleth who can attach him is born yet," Victoria told her brothers.
"Oh, she is born," Sean replied, suddenly dark. "She has been for a long while." He left them without another word, leaving them wondering who was this mysterious elleth or woman. And was Valerie aware of it or had Sean been able to hide this from her by some miracle?
I am very sorry that this last chapter is so late. My personal life took over for a few weeks, and my beta-reader's availability was also an issue. This last chapter was unfortunately not beta-read – I hope there is no dreadful mistake in it!
I promise that the next chapter will be published within the next few days. Valerie and Legolas will finally sail and be reunited with their family! But we need to witness Arwen's passing before...
Angel: the reunions will take place in the next chapter. It will be published very soon!
17booklover12: thank you for your review. The chapter 38 is the one you are waiting for...
Natasya Ivashkov: did you like this new chapter? Were you surprise by the two new elflings?
Hannahhobnob: You will see Valerie's reaction to Liam in the next chapter. His wife won't be too happy with her mother-in-law!
ggincs: Valerie's life became worse before it could get better. And in the next chapter, she finally sails...
Merlin: I am trying to follow the true timelines of Tolkien – so yes, Elessar had a long, long life... But Legolas' oath is now fulfilled, so Valerie can go on with her life! :-)
sweets1111: thank you for your review!
Aralinn: as you can see, Valerie's time in Minas Tirith was particularly painful. But it is over now...
Airbender42: As you can see, the reborn kings had a hard time getting used to their mates. They had been separated from them for thousands of years, that has to be weird... The next reunions, in chapter 38, will be a bit more fun!