Chapter 26
Imladris, 6th May, 3020
Lothíriel kept riding even in an advanced stage of pregnancy. According to the healers, it wasn't forbidden as long as she didn't overdue. She promised she wouldn't. It was something that brightened her day as she came close to her time. And she should be due soon. At least she hoped because she was anxious to she her baby and it was getting harder and harder to get out of bed everyday with her ever growing belly. Besides she missed seeing her feet!
But she still loved the early mornings, and more so lately, mounting her beloved Galad and trotting thought the woods near Imladris. She used to ride alone but nowadays Elladan and Elrohir would never let her ride by herself.
Today was Elladan's turn to get up early to ride besides her.
"Come on, you lazy elf!" she shouted at him.
"Thíri, it's early... My brain is hardly awake and my body wants my bed!"
Slowing down, she turned back to him.
"Oh Elladan, why do you keep insisting on coming with me every morning? You and your brother! I'm perfectly capable of being on my own!" She said. "I appreciate your care, really, but I know you are tired and you should go back to bed!"
"And leave you alone out here? Not a chance! You are far too pregnant to be riding anyway!"
Lothíriel shook her head. The conversation was always the same. The twins were very serious about her safety.
"But it is good for me, the healers said so!"
"Bunch of idiots..." he mumbled.
"Elladan!"
"I know, I'm sorry! But..."
"Ouch!" she interrupted him, taking her hand to her belly.
"What?" Elladan asked. "My nephew is giving you a hard time today?" He asked smiling. He loved to call the baby his nephew. And it always made Lothíriel laugh.
"I think my child is all too playful today!"
"A big strong kick?"
"Oh yes."
"See? It's a male, for sure! I always said so!"
"Ouch!" She said as she felt another very sharp pain.
Suddenly, the truth hit her.
"Elladan, I thought it was just the baby kicking but now I'm not so certain..."
"Thíri... Are you saying what I think you're saying?
She smiled and answered. "I think it's time."
"Time? But... But... I thought you still had a couple weeks."
"So did I but I really think this is it... I think the baby is coming..."
And to corroborate with that, she felt another stab in her lower abdomen.
Pain was evident in her face. And so was Elladan's panic. He was used to lead armies to battle but this was something else. However, he was able to pull it together and think.
"We have to go back! Fast! Can you ride?"
"I think so..."
Lothíriel's voice was far from secure. She was frightened. She didn't want to admit but she was scared out of her wits. The time wasn't right and they were away from the city.
Sweet Elbereth what if something's wrong?
Elladan's voice brought her back to reality.
"Come on, Thíri."
She swallowed her fear and nodded. They set for the city as fast as they could and Lothíriel prayed to the Valar that she could make it to Imladris quickly.
By time they arrived, the contrations were very near and she nearly colapsed into Elladan's arms as she dismounted. Carefully, he led her to the family quarters.
"Brother!" he called.
Elrohir came out of his chambers running.
"What? What?" It was clear that he was sleeping until moments ago. But it took only a look at Lothíriel, breathing heavy in his brother's arms to clear the sleeping daze. "By the Lady of Light, what happened!"
"Get father quick! The baby is coming!"
"OH! Right!
He dashed out towards the library in search of his father. Elrond was sitting at his desk when his son came blasting in.
"Elladan! What is it!"
His son was out of breath. "I'm Elrohir, Ada! Come! You must come! It is Thíri! The baby is coming!"
Elrond smiled.
"Calm down son! The process takes hours. Go to the healer's house and bring the midwife. I will go to Lothíriel. Where is she?"
"With Elladan, in my chamber!" he said still out of breath.
"Very well." he said. "Go get the midwife then."
Lothíriel sat on the bed with her hands on her knees, breathing deeply.
In through the nose, out through the mouth.She kept repeating to herself.
She was trying to remain calm but the pain was not helping. And Elladan was completely lost.
"Oh, where's Ada! I don't know anything of this!" he said, pacing back and forth. "Can I get you anything? Is there anything I can do for you!"
"Yes! Stop pacing around, you're making me dizzy!"
"Sorry..."
The midwife came marching in with three helpers and started ordering around.
Elladan, of course, was the first victim. "Milord, men are of little use to us in times like this! Out with you!"
He looked at Lothíriel, already stroked by another wave of pain. He was very fond of her... In this months of companionship she had became another sister to him and Elrohir. It pained him to see her suffering.
She was able to look at him and ease his mind. A fine coat of sweat was now on her face.
"It's alright... Go..." she told him sweetly.
He nodded and left the room.
"My Lady, how far apart are the pains?"
"Close... I think... Minutes... I don't know..."
Another sharp grip in her lower belly "Ah... Sweet Elbereth... I can hardly breathe..."
The midwife sat in the bed and got a hold of her hand. "We knew it would come to this. Remember what we taught you and it will be fine... All you need to do is concentrate! Keep breathing and push when the time is right."
"Yes..."
"Now... I need to assess how we are doing... down there!" she nodded towards her legs.
Lothíriel had to smile. "I am a healer too... I know how we work." She said as she laid on the bed, her back leaning on the headboard.
"Let's see then!" the healer said, raising her skirt. "Hum... We are well on our way, my lady. You are advancing fast! It should be over soon."
But night fell, Lothíriel's pain increased and still no sign of the baby.
Lothíriel was covered in sweat and her hair was damped. She had been at this for hours and her strength was failing her now.
So much for soon! She thought.
"Now, My lady. Push!" she midwife ordered.
Lothíriel pushed but the pain made her stop. "AAAAAH! No more... Please!"
"Don't give up, my Lady!"
"Something's wrong isn't?" Lothíriel asked, panic in her voice. "The baby is taking to long to come out... Why isn't he coming out?"
One of the other healers, holding her hand, said. "It's just the natural evolution of labour. Some are fast in the beginning, to slow in the end. The baby is fine, mylady. Just concentrate on the task at hand."
"I can push no longer..." she said in desperation.
Elrond placed a hand on her forehead.
"Lothíriel... You are a princess of Dol Amroth. A descendant of the finest lines of both Man and Elves. You can do this! Show us your strength, child!"
"Come on, my Lady, one last push! One push and you will have your child in your arms!"
Encouraged by the words, Lothíriel inhaled deeply and push with all she had.
And then she was rewarded by the sweet sound... a child's cry.
"Here he is, my lady! Here he is! Don't push now. The shoulders are out... and here we have him. Oh, he's beautiful."
An immaculate blanket was wrapped around the baby.
"Is he alright?" Lothíriel asked looking anxiously to the midwife.
"He's perfect! Just perfect!"
Elladan and Elrohir came in the room and stood at their father's side.
"Your son, my lady..." The midwife said as she placed the small burden in Lothíriels' arms.
Drenched in sweat, she held her son tightly like he was the greatest treasure in all of Arda. A tear escaped and ran down her face.
"Menel nîn..." she placed a kiss on the baby's brow.
He's beautiful...I wish you could be here with us...
"Have you chosen a name for your son?" The Lord of Imladris asked softly.
"Elfwine... he shall be named Elfwine."
Friend of the Elves. Elrond smiled.
"We are honoured... A good name, my dear." He placed his hand on her forehead. "I will write to your father, telling him how beautiful and strong his grandson is."
She smiled and thanked him.
"Sleep now, child."
.
Edoras, 7th May, 3020
Éomer woke drenched in sweat, his heart pounding hard on his chest.
A nightmare. It was just a nightmare.
It was common to have his dreams filled with her but this was something else. He had dreamt of her in pain. Intense pain. It scared the wits out of him. He pulled the cover away and moved towards the double windows. As he opened them, he was greeted with the cold rush of the night wind. It had been the first time he had had such a dream. Usually, his dreams were of the sweet moments they had shared. The quiet talks... The first fiery kiss... That night in the study after the funeral...Their nights together...
But this was different.
Béma, was it just a nightmare? Is she alright? Is she ill? As anything happened to her?
He needed to know, he so needed to know... But how? Today he had began another letter to her. He had stopped counting the letters that were started but never sent. Days upon days of words in a piece of paper that said nothing of the way he felt.
Why had he been so rash? So fast to judge? He could see the look of utter disbelief in her face as he spoke angry words at her. If only he could take them back...
Knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep, he pulled his linen shirt through his head and set out to the main hall.
The fire was still burning, the room was nice and warm but there was no heat to warm his heart after the dream he had.
He spotted someone in the chair in front of the hearth, asleep. As he moved closer he identified Gwoern, one of the guards of the northern tower. Sleeping in a very strange position, on his wooden chair, he hadn't heard him coming in.
He will regret it in the morning, Éomer thought, if he spends to much time in this manner...
"Gwoern." he called. "Wake up, man."
The guard woke slowly. When he realized it was his king standing beside him, waking him up, he quickly rose to his feet and almost fell back in the process.
"My apologies, Éomer King." he said, embarrassed. "I did not mean to fail my duty but I might have dozed off. Forgive me, Sire."
Éomer smiled and patted his shoulder in a reassuring way.
"It's alright, never mind that. I know what it is to stand outside in the cold and how good it feels a few moments near the fire."
"Exactly, my lord."
"But how on earth were you able to fall asleep in that chair! It looks like the most uncomfortable thing to sleep in."
"I find that these days I can sleep anywhere, my King."
"I beg your pardon?" Éomer asked. "I don't think I understood that..."
"You see, my first born is but two weeks old... But what mighty lungs he has!"
Éomer laughed heartily.
"So silence is what you seek!"
"Sweet silence!"
Éomer took a seat near the fire and motioned to Gwoern to resume his place.
"I had no idea you had a girl awaiting you here. After the war, I mean."
"Aye, I had my Imogen. She's the middle daughter of the old baker, the one by the stables."
"I know it well."
"I lost my heart the first day I saw her." he continued. "I was a bit of a wreck, with little respect for the fairer sex, if you understand my meaning. But she was not an easy girl to persuade and gave quite a hard time! With love and patience, she made a honest man out of me..."
"And you decided to make an honest woman out of her."
"Indeed, my lord, it was the first thing I did upon my return... Imogen is the love of my life. She was my sole comfort through our dark times. The idea that I might live to see her sweet face once again... That alone kept me going. So when we return I asked her to marry me."
"Good man."
"Lucky man, some might say. Including myself. For she is truly a treasure."
"And now a son..."
"The most beautiful thing... I have seen great lenghts of terror and fear in my days but I stood my ground. But the day, Imogen was in labour... I swear to Béma, it was a nightmare beyond my dreams. Her screams pierced my ears and I felt powerless..."
Éomer felt a tug inside his chest. He knew that feeling of being powerless.
"I swore to never again put her in such place. I couldn't bare the thought of her in pain, or worse to loose her." he said. "But when the midwife placed my son in my arms, my heart sored with joy and I admit to you, Sir, I was crying like a baby at that time."
Éomer turned his gaze towards the fire as the large logs cracked in the flames. He hoped to know that joy some day. A child.
"It is more then I could ever imagine for myself. To have a family of my own." Gwoern watched his king and sensed trouble in him. " And you milord? Have you not considered to start your own family?"
Éomer remained in silence as he looked at the soldier.
"Pardon, my king, it was not my place to ask..." the watchman said rapidly.
"No, I... I do think of it...Someday, I imagine. No rush..."
Gwoern sensed trouble in his king mind. He was determined to change the subject but before he had the chance, Éomer spoke again.
"How did you know that she was the one...?"
"My Imogen?" Gwoern's eyes lit up. "I can't say... I felt it...in here." He said as he placed his fist over his heart. "From the moment I saw her, I was lost. I was hers to command. I still am... When we are apart, I feel like... like a great chunk of me is missing. And when we are reunited, my heart wants to leap from my chest at the sight of her."
Éomer listened quietly. He knew the feeling and felt the pang of envy. Envy for the simple life Gwoern had, for the simple pleasures and moments shared in a daily day basis of a happy marriage. And right now he would've given anything to have the woman he loved in his arms again.
.
.
A|N Here we have it, another chapter. This one was really hard to put to paper... Hope you like it.