Hi all! This has been another update that I'v been looking forward to updating! I hope you enjoy it! I don't have much to say. No apologies this time as I'm close to my every two week mark!
Chapter Twenty-Eight (Mareke)
I sat in stony silence as Lady Ioreth tried to calm my curls as my hair had to be down for the ceremony before I was sent to my confinement.
I had thought that living within the cold, stone walls of Minas Tirith could feel no more restricting, but I was mistaken. The thought of a month in my rooms, more or less alone, without Adnan made me feel sick to my stomach. There was nothing I could do though and Aragorn had been unwilling to help.
We had gone back to a relationship that was civil only for my son's sake. The laughter and friendship had quickly faded after the argument in my study. I was amazed at how quickly things had taken a turn for the worse. The night of my birthday had been one of my favorites in Minas Tirith, but the memory had soured.
Lady Ioreth did not say a word as she prepared me for the ceremony and for that I was grateful. I was too distracted with mentally preparing myself for the hushed whispers and snide, if not downright cruel, remarks I always heard when amongst the public. It would have been impossible to carry on a conversation.
My hands rubbed over my extremely swollen stomach as I sat, staring vacantly into the mirror. I prayed the child would make its appearance sooner rather than later. I knew I would be miserable hidden away, but I prayed it would be soon for Adnan's sake. He had been so angry and stubborn when we had told him of the child and I feared I would meet the same little boy after the delivery.
"You are ready," Lady Ioreth said gently, sensing correctly that I was immersed deep in my own thoughts.
I came out of my trance and focused on my reflection. Lady Ioreth had applied no makeup and had only arranged my curls naturally around my shoulders. I wore no jewelry as I was supposed to appear humble before the Valar as I prayed for a safe and successful delivery.
Lady Ioreth offered a hand and I hauled myself to my feet. She draped a heavy navy cloak over my shoulders and arranged it carefully around my ivory gown. I had not been so formally dressed since I had attended the council meeting. On my already cumbersome frame, the garments were not easy to maneuver.
For once when I turned around, I found sympathy in Lady Ioreth's eyes.
"It will be alright," she said, giving my hand a squeeze.
I sighed. "Do you have children, Lady Ioreth?" We had never spoken much of her personal life.
She shook her head. "No, Your Majesty. I was never married. Much of my life has been devoted to the care of other families." She was still looking at me with the compassion I had never seen from her before. "That being said, I hope you know that I will look after the Prince in your absence. I will bring you reports of him daily."
I felt as though I might cry from the kindness she was showing to me. "Thank you," I managed to whisper.
"Now we should go." She ushered me out of my chambers and I was immediately surrounded by guards who escorted me to the jutting rock at the top of the city.
The crowd hushed as I stepped out from the wall of guards. Aragorn was standing under the White Tree, which had lost all of its leaves in the cold. It seemed like a bad omen to me. He was dressed in all of his formal attire, armor included.
I met his eyes evenly, offering no smile. When I looked away, I saw Adnan standing with Lady Belethiel near Gimli and Legolas.
My son had a tribe surrounding him, but that did not make our separation any easier to bear.
My eyes travelled back to Aragorn. Behind him, only members of the noble class stood. The ceremony was not open to the public. It was still too many for my liking.
Aragorn held his hand out to me, but I pointedly avoided it and lowered myself to my knees on the purple cushion provided for my comfort, which was laughable. It took all of my strength and grace to control my awkward, heavy body without assistance. There was whispering at my blatant disregard for the chivalry of my husband. He glanced back down at me before turning to those gathered behind him.
"We have gathered here today to supplicate to the Valar on behalf of my family and the Realm as a whole. In particular, we are beseeching Yavanna, the Giver of Fruit, to bless our Realm with the delivery of a healthy heir to the throne."
I kneeled, staring stonily ahead as his words rang bitterly in my ears. Not a month earlier he had assured me that he cared nothing about the gender of our child, but apparently he was too tired to voice that same opinion to his people.
"I would be remiss not to thank you all for your generous offerings on our behalf." Aragorn gestured to the pile of gifts under the White Tree. I could see bolts of fabric, food, and jars and vials of ingredients that could be used for medicine in the Houses.
"I am hopeful that the delivery of an heir to Gondor and Arnor will be one of the final events needed to bring the peace and security we have been striving for to fruition."
I blinked back tears as he spoke. The child I carried was going to be under so much pressure from the moment it was born, especially if it was a boy.
Aragorn turned to face me and I quit trying to hide my tears. I met his gray eyes with my own brimming dark eyes. Then it was he who looked elsewhere.
He placed a hand on my head, the other one lifted and upturned.
"Yavanna, we ask that you bless our Realm. We ask that you deliver the Queen safely of an heir who might offer some peace and prosperity after all that we have suffered. With your blessing of an heir we will be able to usher in a new era free of the strife we have known for too long. As a people we come to you humbly, offering what we can. We leave all of this in your hands oh Gracious Giver."
Aragorn bowed his head briefly before turning back to those gathered. "There is a feast inside to celebrate our upcoming exciting occasion. All are welcome."
No one looked particularly excited about the impending birth of the half-Haradrim royal child. I caught sight of Adnan who had bright eyes, but only because of the mention of endless food.
Again, I ignored Aragorn's proffered hand and rose to my feet though my legs shook and I held my own arm out for balance. I heard him sigh, but paid him no more attention than that.
I hurried to Adnan before I could be stopped. He protested as I pulled him against me, only caring about the food and not fully understanding what I had told him about my confinement.
"Your Majesty," Lady Ioreth said gently. She had allowed me a moment with my son when she should not have.
"I love you, habibi," I said fiercely over the rising whispers caused by my misconduct.
The noblewomen surrounded me, Lady Belethiel taking Adnan's hand, and I was ushered back to my chambers, not even permitted to partake in the feasting.
My stony silence continued until I was finally alone. I had sent everyone, down to the last servan,t from my bedroom. I sat heavily on the edge of my bed and rubbed my hands over my hugely swollen stomach. I could not wish the child out too early even though my heart was devastated at the separation from my first born.
ooooOoooo
I was miserable the first day so the boredom and loneliness I felt nearly a month into my confinement was indescribable. I had never gone so long without seeing my son.
As she had promised, Lady Ioreth brought me daily reports of all he did. It seemed as though he was only faring minimally better than I was.
"His spirits are lifting as Yule approaches, though he asks the King nearly every day if you will be able to join them."
I got some pleasure knowing that Aragorn was faced daily with his decision. I hoped he regretted it.
"Gimli and Legolas seem to do the best with distracting him. The King is less and less effective," she continued.
"My son understands that His Majesty wields all of the power, but he is not using it to let him see me."
Lady Ioreth nodded, but remained silent, not wanting to voice her own opinions. As she bustled around my room, the door opened and I looked up immediately, unused to visitors.
"Can you believe we were doing this almost exactly a year ago though our roles were reversed?" Vanya asked by way of greeting as she dropped the basket she carried with a thud and peeled her heavy cloak off.
"I truly did not understand your suffering then and for that I apologize."
Vanya waved my words away. She had not been able to visit before at my bidding. I had assigned her to act as my replacement at the orphanage. She had sent progress reports and had seemingly done much in my absence.
"Now I will be the lone woman our Yule dinner," she sighed as she sat across from me in front of the going fire.
I laughed, but it was short lived. I no longer felt very amused by anything.
"Tell me of the orphanage," I bid her. Almost as much as my son, I missed my visits to the orphanage and seeing the children there. I mostly missed feeling useful in any capacity.
Vanya gave an update on how things had been going at the orphanage. Between Melda, Vanya, and myself, enough had been done for a Yule celebration of their own to be possible, large dinner and small gifts for each child included.
"Thank you for taking my place," I said when she was done updating me.
Vanya shook her head. "I could not take your place if I wanted to. The children all still ask when the Queen will visit again."
"I wish I could. I have never been so bored," I sighed.
"I know." Vanya offered no words of comfort. She of all people knew that there was nothing that could fix the situation. The best a woman could do was get through it and manage to retain her sanity until the delivery.
"Perhaps I can take Adnan with me before Yule?" she asked.
I actually smiled. "I think he would enjoy that very much," I replied. "Thank you for looking out for him even though you have much to juggle in your own life."
"Adnan is a part of my family's life just as you are, Mareke. You know that."
I was embarrassed to find that tears were brimming in my eyes.
Thankfully, Vanya just laughed lightly instead of making it worse by being emotional herself. "Being hidden away does not do much for the rampant emotions, I am afraid."
ooooOoooo
Yule approached and marked nearly a month since I had been hidden away. There were stacks of books that Legolas has sent for me near my bed. I had consumed them voraciously, but had not retained any of the information as my mind was constantly elsewhere.
A few times I had caught sight of my son through my bedroom window while he played in the snow in the private gardens.
The first time I saw him I made the mistake of knocking on the window and drawing attention to myself. He smiled broadly at me and rushed toward my window, which was higher than the garden. He was with Aragorn and the King stopped him, saying something that caused my son to frown.
My hand was pressed to the cold window as I watched the exchange. Adnan gave me one last teary glance before he was pulled inside.
Never after that did Aragorn accompany my son into the gardens. After that it was either Legolas or Gimli who brought him outside. I never drew attention to myself after that, but I would watch him play, noting the heaviness there was to his movements which had once been light and playful. My heart shattered every time I stood behind the heavy curtain and peered out at him. I wanted to feel the weight of him in my arms, wanted to smell his soft skin after a bath.
None of that was possible.
ooooOoooo
The day before Yule, I was pacing around after snapping at Lady Ioreth when she insisted that I return to my bed. I had lain in bed for a month and was tired of it. If I did not move I would be entirely unprepared for the impending delivery.
A servant popped her head into my bedroom. "The Lady of Ithilien is here to see you," she said.
"Eowyn?" I said in surprise. "Send her in."
As the door opened further, Eowyn stepped into the room, careful to avoid knocking what looked like a tapestry against anything. She was panting, which I found odd.
"I had no idea you were visiting for Yule," I said hands on my stomach.
"May we have a private celebration?" she asked, looking pointedly at the lingering servant.
"Leave us," I said shortly. Since my arrival in Minas Tirith, I had always tried to treat the servants with respect to at least have them on my side, but as each day of my confinement passed so my irritation with anything and everything grew.
"I brought you a Rohirric tapestry," Eowyn said, laying it gently on my unmade bed. She pushed it so it rolled open and to my absolute astonishment, Adnan rolled out.
"Mama!" He exclaimed loudly as he bounded across the bed to where I stood at the edge.
"Sshh, this is a secret, remember?" Eowyn said, touching his back lightly.
As I wrapped my arms around him, I grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly.
"Oh I missed you, habibi," I said into his dark curls.
He pulled away and looked up at me. I kissed his forehead.
"The baby will be here soon?" he asked. "And then you can come out of your rooms?"
I nodded. "It should be here soon," I said, grateful that he did not seem angry about the baby. I took his hands and pressed them to where his brother or sister had been kicking. "Your sibling is anxious to meet you."
He grinned up at me. "I was so sneaky."
"You were and you are the best Yule surprise I will ever receive."
For once, Adnan was content to cuddle on my lap. After he chattered on and on, he fell silent and rested his head on my chest. It had taken some maneuvering to get him settled comfortably with my large stomach in the way, but we had managed and I stroked his hair as he enjoyed so much.
"Eowyn, I will never be able to thank you for this. I was losing my mind without him."
She shrugged. "Something told me that I should be here and when I arrived I was glad of it. He was so sad and confused."
"It has not been a pleasant month for either of us," I said.
"I cannot even begin to imagine. I never thought that there would be a benefit to being in Ithilien, but no one watches me like they do you."
"Tell me of the outside world," I begged.
"Well you will be pleased to hear that my Yule trip to Rohan was cancelled so that my brother could spend the holidays in Dol Amroth," she said with a grin.
"Oh really?"
"Indeed. I expect a letter announcing a betrothal after the new year."
"How exciting!" I exclaimed.
"You have begun a career as a matchmaker it would seem," she laughed.
I joined in with her. "Well if being a Queen does not end in success, I shall think about it."
I pressed a kiss to the crown of Adnan's head.
"How is your little one? Did you bring Elboron with you?"
"We did," she answered. "He is doing well. He is nearly a year old, I cannot hardly believe it."
"Do not blink or he will be five and a half before you know it."
"Oh do not say that," she put a hand to her head. "It is already passing us by." She looked at me. "And when do you think the future King of the Reunited Kingdoms will make his appearance?"
"Oh do not put any more pressure on this child to be a boy," I begged. "It is all I have heard since the lying in ceremony."
"You know I care not," she said with a gentle smile. "I will be glad to welcome another little one to our group."
"I think they will be here soon," I said. "I feel it lowering itself and preparing."
I truly did. As I had walked around the room earlier, it had been more of a waddle as the child had moved lower and lower, settling between my hips. I imagined it would only be a few days or so I hoped. I was anxious for it to be over with, to return to my son and figure out how we would function as a family.
Eowyn stood a while later. She pressed a kiss to my forehead and hauled Adnan onto her hip.
"Come now, little one, we must roll you back up. People will be wondering where you got to."
Even though I could not bear to be separated from him once more, I could not help but chuckle as he laid on the tapestry.
"What if someone asks why I did not keep the tapestry?" I asked, suddenly concerned that the plot would not work.
"Then I will tell them that the disagreeable witch of a Haradrim Queen did not like my gift," she said with a laugh.
I bent over and kissed Adnan on his plump cheeks once more before she began hiding him.
"They will believe that of me," I said, with a smile. "Thank you so much for this," I said again. "Hopefully, I will be amongst the living again soon."
ooooOoooo
The sun had not yet risen, but I was bent over the footboard of my bed, breathing heavily. My slip was soaking wet and stuck to me with my own sweat. My pains had started almost has soon as I laid down to go to sleep the night before. I had slept through a good deal of them until the pressure became a dull, infrequent pain.
Luckily, when I had started my confinement, I told my servants that no one would be permitted to sleep in my rooms and monitor my condition. I was fully capable of sending for someone if I required assistance.
That earlier decision allowed me to labor in peace for a while.
By the time Lady Ioreth came in at her usual time in the morning, I was still holding onto the footboard, but bouncing on the balls of my feet. Over my own moaning, I did not hear her enter.
"Your Majesty!" she exclaimed, rushing to my side and resting a hand on my shoulder. "Why did you not send for me."
"I wanted a few hours alone," I ground out.
"I must send for the Healer," she said, standing back up and sending a servant to fetch Herion. He was the very last person I wanted to see in that instant.
"Come now, Your Majesty," she murmured. "Let us get you back in bed."
I nodded, not having the energy to fight her.
She helped me onto the bed, but not before I bent over and clutched my stomach as the muscles clenched into a vise and I let out a loud moan.
"Your Majesty! You should have sent for me long ago!" Herion practically yelled as he burst into my bedroom.
He roughly got me onto the bed and adjusted my legs and nightgown so that it was easy for him to examine me.
"Oh Eru! There is not much time left before this babe is here." He looked up at me with angry eyes. "This was extremely reckless of you! You may have put the child's life in danger."
"I think I would have felt that," I managed to get out before I was in the midst of another pain. I tried to roll onto my side. Much like when I had delivered Adnan, the pains were sharpest in my back. Herion gripped my knees and kept me on my back. "Please, let me get off of my back," I begged, not caring if I had no more dignity.
"Your Majesty, this is the natural way," he retorted, still holding one knee tightly. With one hand he waved one of his assistants toward me and before I knew what was happening, she had tipped a vial full of a foul tasting liquid down my throat. "It will help with the pain," Herion said shortly.
"I did not want that," I said, too tired already to be outraged.
It only took a few moments for it to take effect and everything from my stomach down went nearly completely numb.
I could no longer feel Herion's hands between my legs and I looked at him in a daze.
"Do not push until I tell you to," he said. "It is time to delivery the King's child."
I panicked, not being able to feel the natural urges of my body. I had never felt such a sensation and I did not care for it. I was practically flat on my back with my knees bent, feet planted on the mattress. Herion sat in a chair at the edge of the bed. I had been pulled close to the foot of the bed for his convenience.
"Push Your Majesty," he said calmly.
I did the best I could without being able to feel anything. I could not feel if I was making progress.
"Harder," he said sharply.
I held my breath and curled around my body, pushing until I felt as though I would pass out. He never said stop and I had to flop back on the mattress, vision swimming.
"Again," he said much too quickly. I knew that I could not be having a natural pain, but I pushed anyway.
I went through Herion's pushing instructions four more times before I saw him reach between my legs and pull. Suddenly, I felt something.
White hot pain like I had never experienced caused me to actually scream. When I opened my eyes again, I saw Herion holding a mottled infant, covered in blood, in his hands. The child did not cry and for a moment I forgot the pain. I propped myself on my elbows so that I could examine him, as I quickly saw that I had delivered the sought after son.
As I studied him, I noticed that he was quite alive. His eyes were looking around him and he seemed to be taking everything in. It was the strangest thing I had ever seen.
The servant quickly propped a few pillows behind me and I reached for my son, but Herion looked at me scornfully.
"No one but myself and the wet nurse may touch this child until the King does," he snapped and my arms fell limply to my sides. I wanted to put my hands around his throat when he mentioned my child being nursed by someone else.
"Please," I said weakly.
"Everything must be perfect for the King's arrival," he said more to himself than to me. The Healer unceremoniously cut the cord even though it was still pumping nourishment to the little body I had just been connected to.
He took him over to a basin full of warm water and I watched very closely as he wiped the baby clean. When every tiny part of him had been cleaned satisfactorily, he was wrapped tightly in a white blanket and then placed in a cradle that had been sitting in my room for nearly a week.
The infant continued to look around him placidly. He had not made one sound.
Herion came back and sat back between my legs, taking a kit from his assistant. He splashed a stringent smelling liquid onto a cloth and placed it between my legs.
The first liquid that I had been force fed was wearing off and when his cleansing medicine was applied there was a sharp stinging and I sucked in my breath. When he was through with that he threaded a needle and went to work. I bit my lip until it bled, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of hearing me complain.
Herion ushered Lady Ioreth in. "She is ready."
He went to the cradle and peered over the child, pleased with himself as though he had created him.
"Are you alright, Your Majesty?" she asked quietly.
I shook my head and she did not respond.
Lady Ioreth gently pulled my nightgown over my head and my stomach turned when I saw the amount of blood on it.
Before she replaced the nightgown she unrolled a long roll of thick bandage.
"Try to sit up, Your Majesty," she said, pulling me up and then trying to support my weight as she wrapped the bandage tightly around my breasts. She then put a very formal, heavy white nightgown on me and propped me back against the headboard, pulling the blankets to my waist, adjusting me so that I would look just right for Aragorn's arrival.
It was not until I saw the wet nurse walk in and approach the cradle that I realized why my chest had been bound. I seemed to be in a fog from the medicine I had been given during the delivery.
"No, no, no, no," I said over and over again.
I watched in horror as she lifted my son from the cradle and sat gently in a chair near the window. She freed her own breast.
The first nursing and all of them afterwards were important for a bond to form and I was watching someone else have that experience with my son; the child I had carried for most of a year, the one I had just endured great pain and humiliation to deliver.
"Stop!" I shouted. "You must stop!" I was enraged when she did not even glance in my direction. "I am the Queen of this Realm! You must obey me!"
Lady Ioreth, took my upper arms in her hands and finally made me look at her. "You must be quiet," she said gently. "She is only doing her job. You knew this would happen." She stroked my hair maternally, smoothing the sweat soaked curls.
Before I knew it I was sobbing against her chest, an emotional wreck after the long day and everything I had seen and endured.
As the next hour passed, the rest of the medicine completely wore off and I could feel the throbbing in my breasts, the stinging between my legs, and the pounding in my head. I was chilled and shivering, but still sweating.
Finally, the King was sent for. The child had nursed twice and was sleeping contentedly in his cradle, wrapped in his white blanket.
As Aragorn stepped through the door, I could faintly hear the celebratory bells ringing throughout the city, announcing the birth of the heir. They sounded so far away.
Aragorn glanced at the cradle, but then he looked at me and his eyes filled with concern. He rushed to the side of the bed, ignoring his child completely. His hands were all over my face. They felt cool as they pressed against my cheeks and forehead.
"Herion,what is the matter with her?" he demanded. "What happened?"
There you go! Let me know what you think! Your review seriously make me so happy and they make me want to keep writing. Per usual I am open to constructive criticism, thoughts and ideas. Can't wait to hear from you all!
Happy reading,
Avonmora