Chapter V

Ivanneth 18th 2942 T.A

Tauriel had heard stories of how agonizing child birth can really be, but nothing could have prepared her for the 7 hours and counting of hard labor. She had never given birth to a child let alone a child with dwarf genetics, she was completely blind sighted. Above all this pain Legolas was not there to support her, all she had was the old woman Rayya, who she was certain barely knew anything about childbirth. Legolas had travelled to Rivendell to speak business regarding the housing of Tauriel and her newborn, he left seven nights ago assuring Tauriel that he would arrive before the child. But nobody could predict that the she-elf would have the baby two months earlier than the traditional year of elvish childbearing, she immediately knew that the impulsive contractions was due to the father unfamiliar genetics.

Tauriel whimpered as the pain started to get to unbearable for her, she tried to direct her mind to other thoughts and replayed the evening when Sonir started to ask questions to her about the infant and the father.

Tauriel was sitting just outside the cottage, three months prior, watching the familiar woods take an ominous form with nightfall. When the young girl approached her with a basket of herbs and woodland flowers, her grandmother was teaching the youngling her apothecary knowledge and her task every day was to find a new plant and learn its abilities. "Hello Tauriel." She beamed at her.

"Good evening Laineth" She replied smiling. The young girl immediately looked confused, by now she was used to hearing the elvish language but when it was aimed at her she acted as if it was the first time hearing it. "It means free one" Tauriel explained as she saw the look.

"Oh. That's a pretty name, I wonder if I can change my name to that?" Sonir questioned "What are you going to name your baby?" she continued. The elf was taken aback, she never really thought about it. She pondered for a moment before answering the question. "If it is a girl I would give her a sweet but strong name like Eliel. Daughter of Star. If it's a boy, I would give him a name like his father's something resilient and full of pride. Rinon meaning remembrance. " Sonir listened keenly before responding.

"Did he die? The father I mean."

"Yes he did." Tauriel was hesitant about talking about Kili, but she decided it would be for the best. No other elf would understand, its better a ten year old human girl than disapproving elves. "His name was Kili. He was very brave, strong too and put his family before anyone. I met him when his group passed through Mirkwood, I saved him in Lake Town right before it was destroyed. He died defending his uncle in the battle, he wasn't the only person I lost, and many elves I knew had died." She had ended the story before it became too much for her to endure again.

"I lost my brother. Angus died in the fire as we were trying to get out of the house. It was just him and I living with Rayya when that dragon attacked" Sonir understood the pain of the elf and Tauriel knew she did the right thing telling her story to the adolescent.

A sudden sharp ache brought Tauriel out of her thoughts. The child was ready to be born, this caused her to panic and she wasn't ready to be a mother to what other would call an abomination. Tauriel, herself, did not know what to think of the child. Legolas disapproved but supported her because of what she meant to him.

From what Rayya had noticed over the months was that Tauriel was not adoring that fact of the baby growing inside her. Maybe it was because of the unemotional exterior of an elves personality or because of the loss of love, either way she thought that Tauriel would never love the child. As the agony increased, Tauriel's body could not tolerate such high amount. She felt weak a few hours ago but it was nothing compare to how the elf was feeling now, her head was incredibly light and her body was deteriorating with each minute. She could have seen darkness at any moment but was determined to rid the source of the pain, a few moments later she felt her muscles loosen up slightly and that when she knew she could let herself go.

Tauriel had given birth to a tiny girl, her cries were normal but at the same time graceful. Rayya quickly fussed over the small one and passed it to Sonir while she paid her attention to Tauriel who was unconscious. Both were alive, the elf was just used up and was weak from what she had undergone. As soon as Rayya made sure the mother was in good health she focused on the infant, she noticed the thin brown hair and the petite body frame. The old woman was conflicted when she saw that it did not look like an elf youngling, she knew the father wasn't an elf but she surely did not expect the child to look similar to dwarf infants when they are born.

She took the infant out of Sonir's arms after she had been fed and told her granddaughter to look after Tauriel if she should wake up before Rayya would return. She prepared the newborn in a sling and grabbed the necessities as well as the stone that had meaning to the elf and walked out the door. The autumn sun was almost ready to disappear and nightfall was not far off, Rayya ran the best she could to a safe place she discovered while searching for new apothecary ingredients. She came to a hollow tree and placed the baby in the damp inside, she made sure it was comfortable and that it was hidden out of sight. "Stay silent little one, it shall not be long. I will be back." she whispered then disappeared back to the cottage.