I awoke just like I had done these many years, in Legolas' strong arms around me. I was cuddled up in our bed, with my head resting on his bare shear which was rhythmically moving up and down silently. I could almost hear his soft heartbeat.
We didn't have any meeting or training sessions with the royal guard that day so I yawned and pulled the blankets up around us and snuggled back into him. It was so rare we had no duties so I wanted to take full advantage of this chance to sleep in.
Being careful not to wake him, I snuggled closer and burried my hand in the crook of his neck, sighing contently as I closed my eyes again. I left Legolas stir a little bit at the movement but he just held me closer and fell back asleep.
After all, he probably was tired considering the night before. It's just one of the many benefits of 'elf stamina' if you catch my drift.
It must have been mid afternoon - yes, we did sleep all day - when I awoke fully.
My eyes flew open as I felt my stomach jolt.
Groaning, I rolled away from Legolas, accidentally elbowing him in the chest as I clutched at my stomach.
"Ow!" He moaned as he rubbed his eyes and began to stretch his limbs until he looked at me, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing," I said, dismissing the pain which was slowly ebbing away, "Probably just ate too much yesterday, I knew I shouldn't have eaten so much of that chicken..."
It was partially the truth. I had eaten far to much the day before, more than usual anyways. For some reason, I was just hungry.
But then again, I had never heard of an elf getting indigestion before. Well, whatever it was, the pain was gone as quickly as it had happened so I thought it was probably just nothing.
"What time is it anyways?" Legolas yawned as he sat himself up, the blankets falling off his exposed figure.
"Mid afternoon," I replied, sitting up as well, pulling the blankets around me.
"What? Why didn't you wake me?" Legolas huffed.
"We didn't exactly have plans for today anyways," I shrugged, "And besides, you nearly had a hissy fit last time I woke you up when you were sleeping deeply."
"Point taken," he admitted, chuckling softly at the memory, "Why don't we just walk by the pavilion for a bit, I need to stretch my legs after so much sleep."
"Do we have to?" I whined, "I'm not going through the effort of getting dressed just to go for a short walk."
"Sometimes I wonder, did I marry an adventurous elf or a lazy dwarf?" He scoffed.
"You married both." I chuckled, flopping back on the bed.
"Fine, if you don't want to go for a walk, what about going down to the kitchens for some food?" He mused.
My head perked up at the mention food.
"Sure," I sighed, knowing Legolas knew he could always persuade me to get up if he offered me something to eat.
He dressed and brushed his hair while I slipped on some comfortable trousers and a tunic.
Making our way down to the kitchens, I suddenly found myself extremely hungry. That wasn't so out of the ordinary, after all, I had slept in most of the day, who wouldn't be a little bit peckish. But then again, I was an elf and if necessary, we could go weeks without food though I chose not to do so.
The kitchen staff were quite used to me asking for meals with more meat in them. They gladly served food for me and Legolas which I was greatfull for.
I was surprised at just how much I had eaten but I just dismissed it, perhaps it was just one of those days.
That evening, after we had retired back to our room, I sat in my rockpool bath while Legolas finished up some paperwork he had been putting off, writing out scrolls of admition of the royal guard.
I was neck deep in the cool water, the rippling from the waterfall engulfing my white hair.
It was then I felt another jolt in my stomach, this time, a short, sharp pain in my abdomen. I helped in surprise as I sat up, sending the water flying everywhere as I grabbed my belly.
"Sapphire?" I heard Legolas call from the next room, "Are you alright?"
"Just, another weird pain in my stomach," I replied, confused and a little disoriented by the sudden sharp feeling which had disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared.
The door opened tensively and Legolas peeked his head in and he looked at me full of concern.
"What's wrong? Is there something you're not telling me?" He asked as he stepped in shyly.
"And why would I do that?" I scoffed as I stood up on my feet again, Legolas avoiding his gaze - he could be so childish sometimes, "Oh relax, it's nothing you haven't seen before."
"It's just not normal for you - or any elf for that matter - to have random pains," he mused as he handed me a robe to drape over myself, "Perhaps you should see the royal healers?"
"Oh please," I scoffed, wrapping the robe around me, "It's nothing."
"Look, blame it on your questionable eating habits all you want, but promise me you will go to the royal healers tomorrow? Please, just do it for me and if there isn't anything wrong with you then I'll just have to duck for the punch you will no doubt swing at me."
***
The next morning I begrudgingly made my way through Mirkwood to the royal healers. If I knew Legolas, which I did, he would likely nag me to death until I agreed to go so I decided it was best to save myself hours of arguing by just going as I was told.
I had assumed I had just eaten too much, understandable considering it was me and I do eat and drink more than the average elf. I sat myself down opposite the healer, content that later that day I would be able to punch Legolas when I knew for certain there was nothing wrong with me.
"What now, Princess?" The healer, Madeline her name was, chuckled as she raised an eyebrow at me, "Another injury? What was it last time- oh yes, you 'accidentally' cut your arm whilst attempting to throw your daggers whilst you were drunk."
"Oh yeah," I chuckled, remembering the day I decided to challenge both Thranduil and Legolas to a drinking contest.
Suffice to say, never challenge Thranduil and his son to a drinking contest unless you have the best tolerance in all of Middle-Earth.
"Well I don't see any noticeable bruises or cuts," Madeline mused as her eyes scanned over me.
"I'm not here for an injury I scored whilst out with the royal guard or my rather questionable drunk, knife throwing skills. I'm here for something else." I chuckled.
"What's wrong?" She asked, confused and intreaged.
"Well, this is going to sound ridiculous," I scoffed, "But I felt a few pains in my stomach yesterday and Legolas insisted I bother you about it."
Instead of laughing along with me like I was expecting her to do, she just stood there, more intreaged. She stood up and walked along the walls of the room which were lined with shelves of herbs, ointments and scrolls. She picked one of the scrolls out from the shelf and began to skim through it.
"May I ask you a personal question?" She mused, putting the scroll down.
"I have a feeling my opinion on the matter won't make a difference either way," I mused, nodding.
"When was the last time you and your husband shared a marital bed?" She asked, taking me aback by the question.
"Not that it's any of your business," I looked away momentarily as my cheeks blushed in embarrassment, "But yesterday."
"And I am right in assuming that this is a often occurrence?" He pressed, making me even more flustered.
"Perhaps." Was all I answered.
"And have you experienced any kind of nausea or perhaps an increase in appetite?" she asked, looking back at the scroll.
"I mean, I suppose I had one too many servings of stew but I don't see how that's relevant-" I scoffed, still oblivious to where this line of questioning was going.
"So that's a yes for the increase in appetite," she said, ignoring me as she skimmed through the scroll.
"Where's this going?" I asked abruptly, getting irritated by being kept in the dark.
"Could you stand up please," she gestured me to my feet before tugging on my tunic, "Up."
I obeyed her and lifted the tunic up past my stomach. I tried not to let out a snort of laughter as she studied it, walking round me a few times to see it from every angle.
When at last she put the scroll down, she turned to me with a huge smile.
***
I bust into the room where Legolas, Thranduil and Gimli were sat, eating lunch as they always did this time of day. I believe they were discussing the journey to Valinor but I wasn't paying attention.
Their heads all snapped in my direction and they all stood up in surprise as I tumbled into the room. I ran at Legolas and threw my arms around him tightly before I burst into tears, crying into his chest as he just stood there, confused like the others.
"What did you do now, son?" Thranduil sighed as he looked at me, bawling my eyes out.
"Ada!" Legolas hissed before he turned back to me and patted me on the back for comfort even though he didn't know why I was crying, "Sapphire, what's wrong? What's happened?"
"Lassie, this isn't you," Gimli huffed, "What's the bother?"
I tried to compose myself but I choked on my words a few times and just ended up hugging Legolas closer. I must have been crushing him but I don't think anyone was focusing on that. After all, I had never ever cried so pitifully and weakly in front of them like I was a child.
Both Gimli and Thranduil were at my side, trying their best to coach me out of my crying but it was to no avail. It wasn't until my cheeks stung from tears and my eyes were sore, did I finally look up.
"Please," Legolas pleaded, kissing my forehead as he looked on the brink of tears from just seeing me in such a wreck, "What happened that could make you of all people cry inconsolably."
"I- I went to the healers this morning," I croaked, my voice hoarse and quiet.
"And?" Legolas pressed, his thumbs rubbing circles on my back like he always did when I was distressed.
"And..." I started, my voice shaky, Thranduil and Gimli watching intently, "I'm with child..."
There was a joint intake of breath from Legolas, Thranduil and Gimli as the news left my mouth. I was looking up into Legolas' eyes as the others just stood there in silence. They were just as speechless as I was.
I felt my eyes becoming warm again as new tears began to well up in my eyes.
Legolas was deadly still, his eyes staring deeply into mine as the news sunk in. At first, I thought he would be in denial like I was but his blank expression was quickly replaced by the biggest grin I had ever seen.
Before I could protest, Legolas pressed his lips to mine, picked me up by the waist and spun my around as he kissed me before breaking away and smiling broadly at me as he set me down.
"That's wonderful!" He exclaimed as I looked in confusion at him and the others who now shared the same broad smile.
"Congratulations, lassie!" Gimli exclaimed happily as he clapped his hands together, "This isn't some jest though, right?"
"Why would I jest about something like that," I bit my lip, turning to Legolas who was wiping away my tears.
"Why were you crying?" He chuckled, his smile never fading, "This is the happiest day of my life!"
"You're not carrying the damned thing!" I exclaimed in a momentary lapse of anger, pounding my fist to his chest though that hardly stopped him from smiling, "I'm not exactly mother material!"
"When we met for the first time you thought you weren't marriage material," he mused, "Now look at us."
"That's different," I huffed, looking away as my cheeks flushed from embarrassment, "I don't know how to be a mother..."
Legolas drew me into a hug as he resumed drawing circles on my back with his thumb.
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