- Eighteen months later -
Esteleth looked with fascination at the small elfling which lay in Tinnueth's arms.
"She is so small," whispered Esteleth, while she carefully sat down on the bed.
Her slender fingers stroked the silky skin of the little princess and played with her silver blond hair. The chubby princess enjoyed the gentle touch to the fullest.
Tinnueth looked at her friend. Her daughter was only a few hours old and Tinnueth felt incredibly exhausted but immeasurably happy.
What's her name, "Esteleth asked curiously.
"Elien," Tinnueth replied softly.
"Daughter of star," said Esteleth and smiled.
"Thranduil says, it is a fitting name, since she was born in the night when the stars shone brightly," explained Tinnueth, eyeing her daughter.
Her heart was now filled with a love which had so far been completely unknown to her. It brought peace and happiness in Tinnueth's fëa.
"Would you like to hold her," asked Tinnueth and looked at Esteleth questioningly.
"Um, I do not know, she seems to be so fragile," replied Esteleth while she looked at Elien doubtful.
Legolas did not hesitate and gently put his hand under Elien's head and lifted her gently. She was light as a feather and so soft and warm. He gently rocked his little sister in his arms and looked longingly at Esteleth's womb, which what swollen with life. His glance wandered back to his sister, who yawned heartily.
"She doesn't resemble you," said the Prince.
Thranduil looked over his son's shoulder down to his little daughter and chuckled.
"You are wrong, my son. Elien looks like me," he said firmly.
Tinnueth raised her eyebrows and shook her head firmly.
"No, Elien has most resemblance to me," she said with conviction.
Thranduil threw his wife an amused look and shook his head.
"You're tired and exhausted," he said, grinning. "If you have rested, you'll see that our daughter most resembles me."
Tinnueth looked at Thranduil offended, but was distracted by Esteleth's giggling.
"Wait a minute, wait a minute," she said, amused. "You should both catch up some sleep. Both of you look very tired. Later we will decide."
Esteleth got up and went to Legolas. The prince smiled at Esteleth and placed Elien in her arms. Esteleth felt great melancholy rise in her as she rocked Elien in her arms. Soon they would be allowed to hold their own child, she thought as she was close to tears.
When they lay in their bed that night, Esteleth sighed softly. Legolas hand caressed her belly, which steadily grew and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Esteleth turned to Legolas and nuzzled her face against his chest.
"Until now the length of my pregnancy did not bother me. But since I have seen Elien, I can not wait until our child is born," she said softly.
Legolas nodded. He still felt a lump in his throat. He, too, was deeply touched by the birth of his sister. He smiled as he felt the kicks of his child, as Esteleth's belly pressed tightly against his own.
"How will we call our child," he asked quietly.
Esteleth smiled, "A name for our son," she asked.
Legolas smiled, "Son? How do you know that it will be a son. Maybe we will be blessed with a daughter," he said.
"No, I know that it will be a son," she said confidently. "What would you call him," she asked.
Legolas pondered long over her question and Esteleth's impatience was hard to bear.
"What do you think of Aerion, son of holy one," Legolas asked amused.
Esteleth giggled and gave him a little push. "Son of the holy one? You've got to be kidding."
Legolas chuckled, thinking, "Or Aradhelion. Hey, that would have been a fitting name for me ," said Legolas suddenly. "Here comes the prince of Mirkwood, Aradhelion, son of royal terror."
Esteleth bursts out laughing, "Do not make jokes about your father," she said giggling.
Legolas grinned amused.
"Okay. What about Berion, the protector? Or, Gilion, bright light? Ladrengilon, valley of stars, Thilion, he who glistens or Aron, the royal one?"
A tear rolled down her cheek, "These are beautiful names," was all Esteleth said before she fell asleep in Legolas' arms.
*****
Meanwhile Tinnueth sat up in bed and leaned wearily against the headboard. Elien had dug her tiny fingers into the soft skin of her breast and drank eagerly from her mother's milk.
Thranduil sat beside them and watched his daughter with fascination while he played out in his mind different scenarios.
"She will grow up well protected," he said. "For now, we will refuse any offer of marriage. After all, she is my daughter and deserves the best."
Esteleth smiled with amusement, "Marriage proposals? Don't you think that you worry too early about these things," she asked softly, while her daughter began to sleep.
Thranduil looked surprised, "No. You'll see that it will not take long until the first ellon is knocking on our door to seek the favor of our princess."
"Nonsense," replied Tinnueth, "It will take several hundred years. Even if Elien should marry at the age of a hundred years, there are a hundred years, which must pass by."
Thranduil looked at Tinnueth amused, "My love, you will see how fast this hundred years will go by. I can already see the tears which will adorn your eyes on the day when our daughter leaves her home, to live her own life."
Tinnueth suddenly looked at him sadly, "I refuse to think about it. One hundred years will not pass by so quickly. I know whereof I speak," she said visibly upset.
"You've never lived one hundred years in which you were a mother. You'll see one day that I was right."
Later as Tinnueth slept, Thranduil sat beside her and stroked her cheek. He regretted his words which had brought her grief. Why had he told Tinnueth that she would have to part ways with Elien?
He leaned down and kissed Elien's little head before kissing the forehead of his wife. Tinnueth did not need to worry about it. A hundred years would pass quickly, but Thranduil would not give his daughter away so soon, no matter who would ask for her hand.
*****
The period after Elien's birth flew by. Everything was new to Tinnueth. She often felt insecure, but Thranduil helped her wherever he could. Elien was a very quiet child who cried little and was mostly happy.
"This is for Elien," said Esteleth, as she handed Tinnueth a tiny dress.
"Have you made it yourself," asked Tinnueth, as she looked at it more closely.
"Yes, I made a lot of clothes for my child, but those are tunics and small leggings. I know that it will be a son. Legolas says, it will amuse him immensely when we will have a daughter. But I am sure that I carry a boy beneath my heart. "
"How can you tell the difference," asked Tinnueth surprised.
Esteleth shrugged, "I just know it. I do not know why, but I am absolutely certain," she said, wincing. "I think that it will not be long," she said with a grimace of pain.
*****
Tinnueth paced excitedly, as she held Elien in her arms.
Thranduil came to her and put his hand on her shoulder to stop her, "Tinnueth, you transfer your excitement on Elien. Give her to me," he said, smiling.
Tinnueth put Elien in her husband's arms. The little princess smiled at her father cheerfully and began to reach for the buttons on his tunic. Thranduil sat on a chair in the hallway and began to play with her.
After Tinnueth had paced nervously up and down, she stopped in front of Thranduil.
"How can you sit so quietly," she asked excitedly.
He looked up at her and smiled peacefully.
"It is only a birth," he replied.
"Only a birth," repeated Tinnueth and continued pacing in front of him.
After a seeming eternity, finally the door opened. Thranduil immediately got up and walked into the small room, which smelled of new life. Tears welled up in his eyes when he saw his son, who cradled his child in her arms. Without a word he gave Elien to his wife and approached Legolas. It was visible that the prince had shed a tear or two.
Thranduil welcome his first grandchild, by taking him into his arms and uttering ancient Elvish words in his right ear.
Tinnueth had meanwhile set carefully on the bed and gazed at Esteleth who looked pale and weak, but seemed to be very happy.
"You did not tell me how much it would hurt," said Esteleth accusingly.
Tinnueth looked at her friend with a smile upon her face, "Would you have told me," she asked.
Esteleth smiled and shook her head, "No, definitely not."
Tinnueth watched Thranduil, who spoke quietly with Legolas. Then he turned to Tinnueth.
"I got a grandson," he said, his voice filled with emotions.
Tinnueth grinned at Esteleth, "You knew," she said happily.
The cry of the tiny ellon immediately drew all attention on him. Thranduil returned him to Legoals who handed the hungry Prince to his mother.
Elien leaned over her mother's arm and looked at him with interest before she tried to grab him.
"It will certainly be very amusing to see them grow up together," said Tinnueth.
"Is there something that is more perfect than that," Tinnueth asked softly, as she gazed at the little prince.
"No," replied Esteleth, "This is pure perfection."
"This is my son," Esteleth said emotionally. This is Gilion."
Moved to tears Esteleth looked at Tinnueth, "It always seemed like only yesterday that we left our home in the north. Today, however, it seems as if an eternity has passed," said Esteleth tearfully.
"Yes," replied Tinnueth, "It was meant to be a short trip into the woodland realm, which unexpectedly became a long journey which will last forever."
******
A/N:
That's the end :)
I wish to thank you all for your patience and that you have read the story. I hope you liked the ending.