Hi all! I apologize for the long wait! Life has been crazy, but that's no excuse since I feel better when writing! I thought it was time for POV change, though I'm not sure this was the best chapter for it! Interested to hear what you think! Enjoy!

Chapter 30 (Legolas)

Aragorn's mood was foul after his encounter with Herion in the dungeon and the conversation when Mareke had been in favor of sparing the man's life.

Every time I saw him he was pacing.

"I do not like to leave an enemy behind me," he said as I sat and watched him move back and forth like a caged animal.

"This is not about you," I reminded him gently.

"Yes I know, Legolas," he said rather sharply. "I know you agree with my wife."

We had had the same conversation that bordered on an argument nearly every day for two weeks.

"She was the one who suffered," I said with a shrug.

"At my hands! I know!" he shouted.

The turn of events during Arathorn's delivery had rattled Aragorn terribly.

I had to stand to stop him from pacing. I grabbed his upper arms.

"Mellon, it pains me to see you like this."

"I deserve it," he said darkly.

"You have realized your error, Estel," I replied, trying to be kinder to him than he was being to himself.

"Have you seen her lately?" he asked. "It has been nearly two months since she delivered and still she moves as though she is in pain. If I had been paying attention this would not have happened." He sighed. "Adnan grows more sullen every day that his mother is not back to herself."

Perhaps that was the saddest part of all. I worked with the boy more days in a week than I did not. He was frustrated and distracted during our lessons due to everything going on around him. He knew his mother was not well. That was easy to see even for a five year old, but he could also sense the strife going on between Mareke and Aragorn.

"Mareke will never have those first moments with our son. I took them from her." Aragorn was close to tears. I had known he was upset, but he must have been stewing over the scenario constantly to get himself into a such a state. "I have taken Adnan's mother from him! I have taken my wife from myself! How could I have trusted anyone with her health after the treatment she has received here?" He sank into a chair and ran his fingers furiously through his graying hair.

"Mellon, please," I said desperately. I did not want to put my hands on him again, fearing he might snap at me.

Much as it had before, his sadness turned into rage. "I want Herion out in three days time. Let every man, woman, and child know that their presence is required for the banishment of the Healer who attempted to kill their Queen."

At Mareke's request, Aragorn had gone along with banishing Herion. But there was a part of Aragorn that thirsted after the man's blood. My friend had not much enjoyed the fighting during the War, but there had been a handful of occasions when he had burned with an uncontrollable rage, like when Boromir had been cut down. He had attacked ruthlessly after that.

He seemed to be feeling the same way after the dangerous treatment of Mareke, but at her bidding he was only able to leave Herion in a dungeon cell, where he received questionable treatment at best, before publicly shaming him and sending him from the Realm.

"It shall be done, Estel. I will see that proclamations are sent out myself."

Before more could be said, Gimli and Adnan came in from their trip into the city to see the ongoing repairs to the gate.

"Are we going to the library, Legolas?" Adnan asked. Normally, he was happy to work on his letters with me, but nothing seemed to please him any longer.

"Actually Adnan, I was thinking we might try something new if you do not mind the cold."

The boy merely shrugged.

"Why do we not share a warm drink with your mother before we go back outside?"

I glanced at Aragorn who had not even looked at Adnan since his arrival in the study.

"Gimli you should join us," I suggested, catching the Dwarf looking at Aragorn.

We made our exit without acknowledgement from Aragorn.

"Run ahead and warn your mother of our arrival," I bid Adnan who, without any enthusiasm, did as he was told.

"This is a sorry state of affairs," Gimli said quietly, shaking his head sadly.

"I am not sure how to help any of them," I replied. "Adnan only wants Aragorn and Mareke's attention, but they are lost in the new baby and trying to establish where they stand with one another."

"I think Aragorn knows perfectly well where he stands with Mareke," Gimli said. "And I do not blame her one bit."

During Mareke's pregnancy and especially after the delivery of Arathorn, I had been rather surprised to see Gimli's relationship to her turn paternal. He had always been fond of her, but when he heard of Herion's treatment of her he had become fiercely protective. I worried that he might act brashly against the man.

What truly surprised me was how quickly he chose Mareke over Aragorn, though he had followed him into countless battles.

We entered Markee's chambers to find her preparing cocoa for Adnan and tea for the adults.

"Good afternoon," she said pleasantly, moving excruciatingly slowly to hand us our cups of tea.

"It is about to be," Gimli said, pulling out a jewel encrusted flask.

He poured a generous amount of the amber liquid into his tea. I waved away his offer to pour some in mine as well.

"Lass?" Gimli held out the flask to Mareke, but she shook her head.

"That would go straight to Arathorn," she replied, sitting next to Adnan, though he made no move to touch his mother as he had before the baby had been born.

"And where is the bairn?" Gimli asked. Whenever possible, he had the bundle in his arms.

"Sleeping," Adnan answered before Mareke could. "Shuk is always sleeping. Or eating, but he is clearly not eating now."

There was no resentment in his voice. He stated it as a fact.

"Shuk?" Gimli asked.

Mareke sighed. "It means 'thorn' in Haradrim," she said.

"Oh," Gimli paused, thinking that over. "For Arathorn," he laughed.
"I like it," I said, smiling at Adnan.

"The Crown Prince of Gondor and Arnor has a Haradrim nickname," Gimli laughed. "The irony."

I shook my head. "Adnan, are you ready to go back outside?" I asked when the boy set his empty mug on the table.

"Back outside? Bundle up," Mareke said, reaching to fix the clasp on his cloak.

He dodged her hands and stood in front of my chair instead. I saw Mareke's face fall over his shoulder as I adjusted his cloak.

Even after we closed the door, I could hear Mareke and Gimli.

"Oh lass," he said in his gentle, gruff voice. "He will warm back up to you in no time. He is adjusting that is all."

Mareke's sniffling was the last thing I heard as we moved too far away from the room even for me to hear.

"What are we doing, Legolas?" Adnan asked as we moved outdoors.

"You will see if you are patient," I admonished gently.

We emerged into the private gardens where earlier I had brought out the bow I had previously given Adnan for a birthday, as well as my own. I had also set up a target.

"Archery?" he asked.

"Is that alright?" I returned. "I thought it was time we added more defense to your lessons."

The boy actually gave me a small smile, the most excitement I had seen from him in several weeks.

"I had some arrows made for you that are a little different than the toys I gave you for your birthday. These will actually stick into that target," I promised. I handed him the bow and one of the smaller arrows that had been crafted specifically for him.

When he had strung the bow, he looked at me uncertainly. I knelt behind him and helped him to pull the arrow back even though the bow was very taught.

"It will take some time to get your muscles used to drawing your arrow back," I said gently. "When you are ready, make sure both eyes are open and take aim."

As Adnan took his position, Duma came up from where he had been hiding in the dead rose bushes. He rubbed his body on Adnan's legs and stepped over mine.

"Shoo Duma," Adnan said, trying to remain focused. I stroked the cat with my free hand before nudging him away gently.

We were very close to the target. Most boys raised outside of the Elvish Realms did not learn archery so early, but I thought it would be a good time to start something new in the hopes of keeping Adnan's mind from all that was going on with his family.

"One, two, three," I said quietly. I took my hand away from his though his arm trembled with the effort of holding the arrow back by his ear. "Release!"

The arrow flew straight and hit only a few inches from the bullseye.

"Very good, Adnan! That was an excellent first shot!"

We stayed outside for quite some time before I thought that he might be getting cold. In winter in Minas Tirith, I had to make sure I was thinking of Adnan if we were outside. He was very young and it was only his second winter. I did not feel the cold so I had to keep him at the forefront of my mind when the elements were concerned.

"Let us return to your rooms, Adnan. It is very cold today," I said, trying to take the bow from him.

He clutched onto it and shook his head violently. "I do not want to!" He tried to jerk it out of my grip.

"Adnan!" I said, rather alarmed. "We can come back out whenever you like, but you could get sick if we stay out too long today."

"I do not want to go inside!" he shouted. "I hate it inside!"

My heart broke to see tears welling in his eyes. Everything about his life had changed so abruptly and for a five year old it was hard to cope and I was watching that struggle before my very eyes.

I pried his fingers from the bow and set it down. "Let us go inside. We do not have to go to your rooms. We can go anywhere else," I promised. "Would you like to go into the library and talk?"

He nodded, chin quivering. I took his small hand in mine and we made our way to the library. There were several fireplaces throughout the massive library and I took us to one in the back. I removed his cloak and sat down, pulling him onto my lap. I had rarely held the boy, not because I did not want to, but because until that point he had other people who had served that purpose and he did not come to me for such comfort.

"Tell me what you are feeling, Adnan," I said gently.

He gave a silent shrug.

"You can tell me, I will not tell anyone."

"I do not know," he said.

"Is it Arathorn? Is it Shuk?"

He shook his head. "Not really. It is Mama and Aragorn. Something is not right."

I sighed and Adnan looked up at me.

"This is a very hard time for them," I said. "Having a new baby means that everyone is adjusting, not just you. It has been quite a long time since your mother had a newborn to care for and Aragorn has never done it."

"But they are not adjusting," he repeated my word with some difficulty, "together. Something is not right between them. I thought a new baby would make them happy, but no one laughs or even smiles."

What was I supposed to say to the five year old sitting on my lap? What was between Aragorn and Mareke was so much more than coping with a new baby. It was figuring out how to raise that child when there was such a rift between them. It seemed as though Adnan was being forgotten in all of that mess. I knew Mareke was not forgetting him, but as she was attempting to recover it was harder and harder to relate to her son who was normally so full of energy.

However, after watching Aragorn in his study earlier that very day and seeing how he did not even look at Adnan nor speak to him, I could imagine that the little boy was feeling quite forgotten by his stepfather at least.

Aragorn had told me that Adnan had not liked the idea of a new baby because if Aragorn had his own child he would care for it more. I knew that Aragorn was not like that and that Adnan had captured his heart from the moment he had stepped foot into Minas Tirith. Aragorn was not too preoccupied with his child that he was forgetting Adnan, but that is what it seemed like to Adnan.

"I know," I said, unsure of what else to say. "But they will get everything figured out soon and you all will be able to get back into a normal routine."

"When Legolas?" he asked and once more his eyes brimmed with tears.

"Soon, Adnan. But you must have a little more patience with your mother and Aragorn." I decided to try and make it sound like he was the adult and would have to indulge his elders. "They are struggling and they could use your help."

"I try to help with Shuk," he said earnestly.

"I know Adnan. You are very good with your little brother and he is very lucky to have you."

He sighed again.

"I really miss Mama," he said. "We used to have breakfast together every morning and now she is always distracted, always fussing over Shuk. She is too tired to read to me at bedtime and so Lady Belethiel does, but she does not do the voices of all the characters like Mama does."

I nodded.

"And I have not done anything with Aragorn since Shuk was born," he said. "I know he is very busy as the King already," he said quickly. "But we have not had one sword lesson or horseback ride."

One fat tear slid down his cheek. I swiped it away with my thumb.

"Everything will go back to normal soon," I promised once more. "You have my word."

I was so willing to give my word because I was going to talk to Aragorn and Mareke myself. Normally, I would never have done such a thing, but to have the little boy on my lap, needing the affection from before the baby was born I knew that I had to step outside of my own realm of comfortability.

"Now it is getting late. Are you okay with going back to your mother now?" I asked.

Adnan sniffled and nodded his head. I picked up his cloak and took his hand once more and we made our way to Mareke's chambers.

Upon entering, I found that Gimli was still sitting with Mareke, though now he had Arathorn in his thick arms. I gently pushed Adnan into the sitting room, though he went straight to his own room.

Mareke looked up at me and I gave a small smile. "We had our first archery lesson," I said, trying to put some cheer into my voice. "I think he will become a very good shot."

Gimli shook his head. "You should not be wasting his time with that Elvish nonsense. I will teach the boy to wield an axe," he said proudly. "And this one too," he said looking down at the gurgling bundle that was Aragorn's son.

"I shall have two truly fearsome sons no matter which weapon they choose, it sounds like," Mareke said, reaching to take Arathorn from Gimli.

"I am going to feed this one and take him to bed. Thank you for taking him outside today Legolas. I am sure he enjoyed it."

I merely nodded. When she had gone into her own bedroom and shut the door, I looked to Gimli. "Walk with me, mellon. I would like to discuss something with you."

"You were gone for quite a while," Gimli mused as we left Mareke's rooms.

"Adnan practically fought me when I tried to bring him back to his mother."

Gimli sighed. "This cannot go on like this," he said. "I think Mareke wishes it were different, but she can no longer keep up with him."

"I know that, but he told me that she is too busy and tired now to have their breakfasts together in the morning and she does not read to him before he goes to sleep. He is not asking for her to run and chase after him. He merely misses her presence."

"What did he say of Aragorn?" Gimli asked.

"That he has not indulged Adnan in a swordplay lesson or horseback ride since Arathorn was born."

"That I knew and it is shameful. Aragorn does not help with the bairn except at night, so what has he been doing in the meantime?"

I shook my head. "I do not know, but I hate to see Adnan like this. He was so full of life and joy. And the interesting part is that he is not angry with the baby. For a five year old that is quite advanced. He knows it is not his brother's fault."

We were strolling around the corridors of Minas Tirith, away from where anyone would hear us speaking about the royal family.

"What should we do about it? What are you proposing?"

"I cannot believe I am saying this, but I feel as though we should go to Aragorn and Mareke both, if possible while they are together."

I agree. "I have wanted to wring our friend's neck since this all began."

"I do not think it wise to be aggressive with them. They are doing their best."

"I wish I believed that of both of them," Gimli growled.

"We will go on behalf of Adnan. He is five, he cannot speak for himself, but we have seen that his needs are not being met. We cannot give our judgement on what is going on between Aragorn and Mareke."

Gimli grumbled something under his breath and I was not convinced that he would do as I bid, but I did not want to go to Mareke and Aragorn alone.

"Let us fetch Aragorn from his study and take him to Mareke. I do not want to dwell on this for very long."

The King was not in his study, though and so we made our way back to Mareke's chambers. The sun was going down and he might have already gone to retire. She allowed him to stay with her at night so that he could fetch Arathorn when he cried in the middle of the night. He wanted her to heal and it was the best he could do for her.

When we approached Mareke's chambers though I could hear them talking through the door. I put my hand in the air to signal Gimli to at once stop walking and talking.

"Oh this is not fair, I cannot hear them!" He grumbled. I gave him a warning look and he quieted.

"Please, Mareke," Aragorn was begging. "Let me do more than banish the man."

"You have heard my thoughts on the matter," she said. "But you are the King and you can do as you wish. Surely you know this."

"I do not want to go against your wishes. I want to make all decisions with you, but this does not sit well with me to leave him alive and humiliated. He could plot against you and I, against our sons."

I heard Aragorn's tell tale pacing.

"Then do you what you must, Your Majesty." I heard the coldness in Mareke's voice.

"When will this end between us, Mareke? Would you agree with me on this if there was not this strife between us?"

"This would not be an issue if there was not this strife," she replied.

"Mareke if I could take it back, if that was something within my powers, I would, you know that." He stopped walking.

"But it is not," she said shortly. "And here we are, two months later and everything is falling apart."

"Please, Mareke, you think I do not know this. I hate myself. I cannot focus on any task that has to do with the Realm. I am constantly thinking of my mistakes and I am constantly thinking of the three of you and how I wish we could go back to our easy, natural routines. I am not myself anymore. I am a terrible King because I have been a terrible husband and father."

"You bring that to me as though it is my fault!" Mareke exclaimed.

I had heard them have the same conversation over and over again, but I had never heard her lose her temper. Gimli jumped beside me. Even he heard her through the heavy door.

"What can I do to assuage your guilt, Aragorn?" she demanded. "Tell that you that all is forgiven? Tell you that we can go back to how it used to be, that there are no hard feelings for the treatment I received? I do not want to do more than banish Herion as it was only allowed to happen because of you! You set the precedent for all of your people and how they were allowed to treat me! Killing him would do something to assuage your own guilt and I am not interested in ridding you of that guilt just yet! You should suffer as I do!"

"I think we should go in," I whispered.

Gimli merely nodded though there was a look of shock on his face.

I pushed the door open slowly and both Mareke and Aragorn turned to face me. They were standing on either side of the fireplace, facing off for battle.

Aragorn looked down ashamed, but Mareke merely crossed her arms over her chest.

"Might we speak to you both for a moment?" I asked quietly. "Or should we come back?"

"Now is fine," Mareke said shortly, sitting in a chair and staring evenly at Gimli and myself.

I took a deep breath. "I want you to know that I do not come here to accuse either of you of any wrongdoing."

She arched a dark eyebrow in my direction.

I glanced over at Aragorn who was rubbing a hand over his face, leaning against the fireplace.

"That does not sound very promising, mellon, but proceed."

"Adnan is very unhappy," I began.

Mareke sighed.

I continued. "He does not seem unhappy about the new baby, but rather he is cognizant of whatever is going on between the two of you. He is trying to be much wiser and more mature than what I would expect from a child his age. He knows you were both busy before the child, but cannot understand why things have changed so drastically."

"To be quite honest with you both, I am here to show you your wrongdoing," Gimli said gruffly, stepping forward. "Legolas would like to be gentle with you and protect your feelings, but I am afraid that Adnan comes first to me." He took a seat and his voice went only a bit softer. "I have seen you both be great parents to that child and to me it seems as though he has no one now."

I interjected. "He says that you, Mareke, no longer have your breakfasts together and cannot read to him at night. And Aragorn you have not partaken in any of his lessons since Arathorn was born. I know that you are struggling, but that little boy needs you now. I would beseech you to put your differences behind you, at least when he is around."

"And I am beseeching you to put whatever this is behind you for good," Gimli said, again more gruffly than I would have liked. "This has gone quite far enough. What good does the arguing do you now?" He looked at both of them. "The chances are that that little lad is awake in his room right now because he just heard your yelling match. I could hear it through the door."

I saw shame flicker across Mareke's face as she looked to Aragorn.

"I hate to see him like this," I said, much more gently than Gimli. "He misses his family. As do we all." I stood and beckoned for Gimli to join me. "Please just think on what we have said."

ooooOoooo

The wind was whipping everyone's cloaks as they stood expectantly on the terrace outside of the Citadel. As Aragorn had instructed, three days after our conversation it was time for the banishment of Herion. The terrace was packed full of people and I knew others were lining the streets of the lower levels as the man would have to make his way all the way to the newly repaired gate and face the scorn of many.

Adnan and Arathorn had been left with Lady Belethiel. It was the first time that Mareke had done so with Arathorn. We were all eagerly awaiting the appearance of the King and Queen, as well as the prisoner.

After a few moments, the Citadel doors opened and Aragorn stepped through. Mareke was not holding his arm and I did not know if it was because they still had not reconciled or because Aragorn himself was dragging Herion, in chains, to the terrace. There were guards behind him, but if anyone was going to make a demonstration of the traitorous Healer it would be him.

They were both dressed in all of their regal attire, both wore their heavy crowns and cloaks, embroidered with the White Tree. It was part of the showing. The people would know that Aragorn was going to be ruling with a much firmer hand. There would be no room for doubt.

The crowd was completely silent. There was no talking. I could not even detect whispering.

"You are all here today so that I can demonstrate what will be done with traitors from now on," Aragorn's voice projected over the crowd and they all stood at attention. He jerked on the chain he held in his hand and the dirty, bloody Healer fell to his knees in front of the King though he faced the crowd.

"This man before you has committed, what I shall now be considering, one of the most traitorous acts of all. While acting as the Queen's Healer and delivering my heir, he attempted to take her life by intentional negligence of her health."

He paused to let that sink in.

"I have not been a good husband," he said. "Since Queen Mareke arrived here, people were permitted to say whatever they wished about her and act however they wanted toward her. But that is all about to change!" His voice echoed and he let those echoes die out before continuing.

"It is through her grace that this man is allowed to live. If I had it my way, he would die the most gruesome of deaths and you would all watch to learn a lesson. The next person that commits treason against the Queen will be committing treason against the Crown of Gondor and Arnor and it will be treated as such!"

Aragorn knelt behind the man and unlocked the chains.

"You will leave my Realm, never to return! You will be stripped of all titles and credentials! Again, let it be known that you leave here with your life only because of the wishes of your Queen!"

Aragorn hauled the man to his feet and roughly shoved him toward the steps.

"Now Herion, take yourself from my sight and ensure that I never lay eyes on you again!"

Without another word, Aragorn forcefully put Mareke's arm through his and led her back inside.

There you go! I hope you liked it! So I have a few chapters planned out, but I'd like to know if anyone has a fluffy reconciliation idea for the next one. I'm better with drama, not fluff so I'm asking for a little help! All ideas are welcome! Let me know what you thought of this update! Your reviews have seriously been amazing and I love the detailed thoughts some of you are giving me! Keep it up!

Happy reading,

Avonmora