Taelin's Story

Author’s Notes: Sorry this took so long, it’s very hard to write such a scene over a character that you’ve grown to love.

A/N 2: Near the end, I will use / ‘s to signify spirit talk, as I cannot figure out how to get ff.net and aff.net to register italics.

Happy reading!

~~~***~~~

The following morning, Taelin still lay curled to his lover’s belly. The room had grown icy cold over the night, and the elf had attempted to keep Daela warm as best he could. He had been gifted with a peaceful sleep for the first night in many weeks, laying comfortingly close to the only semblance of a family he had left on Arda. He could almost believe that things might actually turn out all right. Almost. Just then, the rough, gasping coughing of his lover, wakened the elf. Her whole body convulsed with the effort to draw the breath she needed.

“Shh, Daela.” Taelin soothed, pushing himself up on his elbow, and comfortingly stroking her hair.

Another wave of coughing swept over the poor woman, leaving her breathless and her lips tinged slightly blue. Taelin bit back the panic and fear that threatened to claim him as thoughts raced through his head. He refused to give in to the idea that he might lose his lover this day. As if things could not get any worse, Daela then cried out, clutching her belly in pain. The elf jumped at the sound, his hand instinctively sliding to her swollen abdomen as well.

After a few very tense moments, Daela opened her glazed green eyes and looked up at Taelin, tears sliding down her cheeks. She was very weak, and she knew it. If the baby had truly decided to come, there was nothing they could do about it. Another coughing fit wracked through Daela’s body. Her breath becoming shallow and labored. Her green eyes become still and unseeing.

Taelin remained seated against the wall with Daela leaning back against his chest. He sang softly to her, quiet songs he used to hear everyday in his youth. His fingers sliding softly through the copper red locks, his other hand rubbing gentle circles on his lovers belly whenever a contraction should overcome her.

The hours passed thus. Each one bringing the birth of their child closer, and yet each one bringing Taelin’s lover closer to deathe ele elf could feel the love of his life slipping away from him, like water through ones fingers. Many times, Taelin had attempted crying out for help, and yet found no answer. Long hours ago, Taelin had accepted that it would be he, and he alone, who brought their child into the world. Over the years, he had watched this happen enough to understand what to do.

“T-T-Taelin?” Daela’s voice was breathless and raspy from so many hours of pained screams, and fighting for breath.

“Shh, meleth. (Love) Do not speak, you must save your strength.” Taelin attempted to hide his fear behind calm, knowing Daela was the one person who could see through his façade.

Daela shook her head weakly. “Taelin … please listen … to me … I don’t … have much time … left.”

“Daela, no. Don’t say such things!” Taelin could not keep the pleading tone from his voice. Knowing now that his love was giving up the fight.

“Tae … I need to … tell you … you have changed … my life … You protected me …the the … expense of yourself … No one ever … cared for me … like that.”

With much effort, Daela shifted so she could look up into Taelin’s face. Just as she opened her mouth to continue, another contraction gripped her, forcing her to cry out in pain, before the urge to push overwhelmed her.

“T-T-Taelin!” She cried out, pleading to the elf with her eyes as though asking for the pain to be over.

“Shh, it is almost over now, nin ind. (my heart)” Taelin comforted as he moved to assist with the birth.

Daela grew very pale, her body began to tremble, while her breath came in short gasping pants. Her skin becoming cool and ever more ashen. A few more contractions, and the poor woman barely clung to consciousness.

“Meleth nin? (my love) Daela! You must push now, the child is nearly here, you cannot give up now!” Taelin’s voice was full of emotion and pleading. “Don’t you want to hold our child? There is no one to take this babe…please, Daela, don’t give in!”

Daela could hear Taelin’s pleas, as though he were very far away. She could tell he was desperate, and doing anything he could to get her to fight. She wanted to fight. Nothing would have pleased her more than to see her child for the first time.

With the last of her strength, Daela bit down and pushed with all her might. Using every ounce of determination she had. A strangled cry escaped her lips before the tiny stone room was filled with a deafening silence.

~*~

Long moments passed before the thin wail of an infant filled the air. Taelin sat back, holing the delicate creature close to his chest. He looked up to the face of his beloved, knowing she was no longer with him. Her last act had been to give life to the child he now held close to his heart.

Their daughter.

Taelin looked down in a strange sort of awe. It had been many, many years since he had held an infant. She was tiny, and delicate. A babe of extreme beauty, with her tiny red curls, and silver blue eyes. Even the tiny little pointed ears held their own beauty.

“Aii, Valar! (ah, gods) You are the most beautiful babe in all of Arda!” Taelin smiled through his tears.

With careful ease, he crawled up beside the chill body of his lover. Reaching out, he gently closed her eyelids, hiding the glazed unseeing stare of her green eyes. He watched as the colour drained from Daela’s face, his attention then sliding back to the child he held in his arms. He had been so wrapped up in caring for Daela, that he had not noticed the wailing of the babe had stopped.

Panic filled his heart as he looked down into the big unseeing blue eyes. Leaning down, he pressed his ear to the girl’s tiny chest. The silence nearly tearing him apart. Holding the limp body of his daughter to his chest, he began to rock back and forth, raising his voice in a lament for the souls he had just lost.

After nearly an hour the song had faded from his lips, and the elf simply sat there, rocking the now cool body of his youngest child. Finally gathering enough strength of will, he lay the child down in her mother’s arms, covering her with a fold of Daela’s dress.

“You were just too perfect for this world, penneth. (little one)” Taelin’s voice was barely above a whisper as he softly caressed the pale cheek of the babe. “No one will ever taint you with evil, nor inflict pain upon you. You are free now. I pray Mandos keep you safe. But you need a name, for I will call to you when I join you, penneth.”

Taelin looked to the still form of his lover, and let out a soft sob, before returning his gaze to the infant. “You shall be called Alwaureth. Innocence and purity, in my language, for no one can take that from you.” Leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss to the tiny brow, before moving away from the bodies. The elf curled into a ball in the corner, closing his eyes against the tears of grief that spilled down his cheeks. His breath slowed as he began to hear Mandos call at long last.

/Taelin. You must not follow me, my love. I am safe now, and will watch over you until the end of time. I wish nothing more than for your happiness, for you deserve far more than this world has to offer. You are strong, and beautiful, and hold so much promise. Do not let our deaths cause yours, my love. I can see now, see what your nana meant. There are many lives you will save, but if you give in to this grief and fade from Arda, all is lost. You will be free of this horriace ace one day, and will find happiness. Alwaureth and I will forever protect you. You saved us both, Taelin, and our love will forever bathe you. But you must not die./

Long moments passed. Finally, Taelin’s breath returned to normal.