The Jewel of Mirkwood

Chapter 136

Elrohir sat cross-legged at the side of the prince gently soothing Legolas’ back with a warm wheat balm he had brewed. Despite attempts at finding rest Legolas’ relentless pain had shattered all hopes of either party sleeping. Elrohir was exhausted still from battle and fought continually with fatigue that threatened to overtake him. As the storm had worn on through the night Legolas’ body had continued to prepare itself for the birth of the child. Thank-fully the opening in Legolas’ lower abdomen had stopped bleeding so profusely and although it was not a pretty sight it had opened to the point at which Elrohir could fit his hand into it should he have too. The contractions too had increased Legolas’ body now continually riddled with a strong pain as one contraction began to bleed into the next providing no restbite for the fatigued prince. Elrohir hoped silently that it would not be much longer the prince’s strength already beginning to waver and there was still work ahead of him.

Legolas had learned to deal with the pain and his cries of agony were less frequent, the breathing exercises working to control much of what he suffered. At one stage Elrohir had found himself doing the breathing exercises with the prince just so he had something to do to stop himself falling asleep. He felt so useless idly rubbing balm into Legolas sore back having tried a multitude of things to make the situation seem better. Nothing however had alleviated the worry they both had however for their kin. When Legolas’ contractions allowed Elrohir had stood at the entrance of the cavarinaring out through the rain trying to see the battle that raged below them. Legolas too was suffering his lover’s absence, where Glorfindel’s hands and words might have calmed such pains and worries of his lover, Elrohir’s own hands and words were a poor substitute.

Again Elrohir found himself drifting in and out of slumber in the silence of the cave, Legolas laboured breathing fading as Elrohir let his mind begin to wander. The hands that had been soothing Legolas back fell lip across the prince’s waist. Elrohir was just beginning to sway on his knees when he felt Legolas’ fingernails dig suddenly desperate into his thigh, causing him to grunt in pain and drop sharply back into reality. Blinking his gaze back into focus Elrohir was shocked to find Legolas on his hands and knees his head resting against Elrohir’s knee, with his hands scrambling to find something to grasp onto.

”Legolas?” Finding sudden clarity at the situation Elrohir moved quickly to Legolas’ side his hands searching beneath the prince to where the opening lay in his stomach. Elrohir grimaced when his hands met a warm wet fluid dripping freely from the opening. Dipping his head to glance below the prince Elrohir allowed himself a small smile as he saw the pool of clear fluid that lay on the floor beneath the prince.

“It is coming now.” Elrohir chuckled weakly as Legolas panted desperately at him from under his own arm, the prince’s features etched with fear and pain as he rocked back and forth nervously on his hands and knees.

“Aye Legolas, it is time. Now come and sit here against me.” With some makeshift pillows made from piles of clothes and the few blankets they had Elrohir propped himself up against the wall of the cave with everything he needed within easy grasping range. Once settled comfort Elr Elrohir gently eased Legolas back so that the prince could recline easily back into Elrohir’s chest. With his legs apart and the prince nestled between them Elrohir gently arranged Legolas own legs so that they ran at exactly the same wide angle that his own did, enough for las las to find strength but low enough for Elrohir to see what happhappening in front of him. Having seen Legolas struggling with his unkempt hair Elrohir hastily took one of the bands from his own braided hair and crudely swept all the stray bits of blond back from the prince’s hot sweaty face and tied them up.
Finally they were settled and Elrohir let out a sigh of relief, having sent a prayer to the valar that what his father and Filgree had taught him about male childbirth would be enough to see he and Legolas through. An unexpected contraction sent a wave of pain through Legolas body and Elrohir cursed for not having readied the prince for it. When the contraction had passed Elrohir took hold of Legolas hands and tightly entwined the prince’s fingers with his own before resting them atop of their knees.

“I am a scared Elrohir.” Breathless and obviously fatigued Legolas whispered softly to his friend, having stared quite blatantly down at where his lower self had all but split in two and was now bleeding again. Elrohir sighed and gently nuzzled his nose against the prince’s sticky sweat slickened neck before pressing a chaste kiss against his friends cheek.

“I know Legolas, I know but it will be alright I promise.” Nudging the prince’s chin up to prevent him from looking down at himself Elrohir softly spoke into Legolas’ delicately flushed and pointed ear. “Don’t look down until I tell you it won’t be nice to watch. Nhen hen the pain comes again you must push with as much strength as you can, do you understand?” Legolas nodded weakly bracing himself back against Elrohir who instinctively tightened his grip on Legolas’ hands entwined with his own.

When the first contraction came so did Legolas’ scream. Glorfindel’s name echoed out into the night its high pitch wail of agony breaking through the deluge of the rain. Elrohir would have screamed himself if it had helped Legolas through, but instead he ignored Legolas’ painfully tight grasp of his hands and whispered soft encouraging words into the prince’s ear. Elrohir could do little but encourage Legolas through each contraction supporting the pained cries of Glorfindel’s name as Legolas began to give birth to his child. The cries began to dull into frustrated grunts as Legolas strained and pushed through each wave of pain.

Elrohir was not sure how long he had supported Legolas for when he saw the first pink flesh of the child beginning to emerge from its parent. Elrohir had lost all feeling in his back and legs from having held the same position stiffly for so long but despite his own pain he allowed himself a brief smile as he hastily unattached his hands from Legolas’ who was still straining and pushing, his teeth grinding together and drawing blood from his lips.

“I can see it Legolas, you are doing so well.” Sliding himself out from behind Legolas Elrohir eased Legolas back up into the position he had just vacated, the prince weakly recovering between contractions. In his fatigued and delirious state Legolas didn’t seem to care about what Elrohir had said to him and merely grabbed onto the blankets below him as another contraction ripped through his body. Elrohir’s hands were covered in nail marks from Legolas’ iron grip but the young half elf ignored them as he kneeled himself in between Legolas open legs and gently slipped his hand into the side of the opening to ease the child’s passage. “Come on Legolas, you are nearly at the end.” Seeing Legolas flop fatigued and weak against the wall of the cave Elrohir began to panic, while Elrohir could feel the child with his hands he still needed Legolas’ help in getting the child free, yet Legolas’ strength was beginning to come to its end. With his free hand Elrohir reached up desperately to Legolas’ pale face cupping the prince’s cheek in his palm and making the young blonde look at him. “Please Legolas one more, and I promise it will be over.” Elrohir smiled as comfortingly as he could up at Legolas and for a moment the prince seemed to understand him and meekly smiled back. The smile however was ripped from Legolas’ face as the pain swept through his body. With his strength fading Legolas reverted to screaming again only this time in Sindarian, the insult firmly aimed at Elrohir.

“GET IT OUT OF ME NOW HALF ELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Elrohir could only brace himself as Legolas screamed angrily in his face all his strength focused on pushing the child free of him. In aw Elrohir watched as the head of the elfling slid free, it’s shoulders and then finally the rest of it’s body following. Legolas finally exhausted collapsed helplessly against the cwallwall his body sliding limply down into the soft blankets beneath him, his breathing still laboured and his eyes drifting shut. In the silence followed by Legolas’ outburst began the cries of the newborn.

Elrohir could hardly believe what a beautiful babe he held in his arms and for a moment merely stared at the squirming child. Amazingly the child had the most round intriguing forest green eyes just like Legolas’, its features perfect as befitted the beauty of its parents. The cries of the child brought Elrohir back to reality from his distant gaze and realizing he hadn’t checked the sex of the child glanced curiously down.

“A son. Legolas, you have a son.” Elrohir chuckled to himself as he gently wrapped the baby in the one spare blanket he’d kept clean for it’s arrival, as the half elf gently informed Legolas of his reward. Yet Legolas didn’t reply and the smile that had graced Elrohir’s lips soon fell as he stared at the pale face of Legolas who now lay awkward and limp on the ground, hardly breathing at all.

“Legolas!” Swearing in Quenya Elrohir clutched the babe to his chest as he moved swiftly over to where Legolas lay. The child still bellowed and squirmed about restlessly obviously picking up the distress of Elrohir and the situation concerning Legolas. With only one hand there was little Elrohir could do but shake Legolas shoulders trying to get the prince to awaken. The opening in Legolas abdomen was now bleeding heavily and Elrohir swore as he reached over for another blanket and tried to pack the wound. Elrohir was beginning to panic and in his moment of chaos he did not see the figure that appeared in the entrance to the cave until a voice startled him.

“Can I be of some assistance my friend?” Spinning around hastily, Legolas son clutched to his chest and his sword now in the other arm Elrohir glared at the figure in the entrance to the cave ready to defend himself and the prince should he need to. However his defensive stance fell idle as Elrohir immediately recognised the elf that stepped into the light out of the rain.

“Valendil?” The ranger elf with short hair bowed politely at Elrohir’s relived whispering of his name. Since the rangers had left Imladris after the incident with Legolas none had heard anything of them.

“We heard his screams as we were passing the mountains to join the battle of the elves, we thought perhaps orcs had captured and were torturing some poor soul but it seems we were wrong. Are you alright? Do you need help?” Elrohir smiled widely and nodded as he stood from Legolas side and stepped up quickly to the two rangers who had now appeared in the entrance to the cave, both soaking wet through but readily offering help.

“Aye Legolas has just given birth to his son. The child looks to be very much healthy but I fear Legolas is bleeding to death.” Valendil gasped in surprise as Elrohir unceremoniously pushed the crying newborn into his arms. There had been rumours that the youngest prince of Mirkwood was pregnant amongst the men of Gondor but Valendil had not taken much notice of them. Now however as he held the child to his chest did he truly realize what was happening? “I must stitch Legolas’ wound together and stem the bleeding as much as possible but I need my fathers advice on what else to do, he and tutor Filgree know much more than I.” Valendil shrugged of his wet cloak as his red haired friend unpacked some of the spare blankets and things from their horses.

“I will go to find your father then Elrohir, it may be sometime as I do not know how they are faring in this war but I will go with as much speed as possible.” The red haired ranger smiled at Elrohir and Valendil before bidding them goodbye and taking off into stormy night on his horse. Valendil watched his friend go from the entrance of the cave before moving into the warmth of the cave the restless child clutched against his chest.

“Is there anything I can help you with Elrohir? I am not a healer but I know a little about herbs?” Cradling the child against himself Valendil moved over to where Elrohir had laid out Legolas’ body and was now preparing the few items he could in order to stitch Legolas wound. The prince was deathly pale but remarkably his breathing had regulated itself again and despite the severity Elrohir could see the opening beginning to attempt to heal itself around the edges.

“Nay but you may wish to draw some milk from Legolas breast while he is still unconscious, it may aid in soothing the child.” Valendil nodded understandingly and silently followed Elrohir’s instructions on drawing a little milk for the elfling while Elrohir painstakingly cleaned, sterilized and stitched Legolas’ gaping wound together. While there was little signs of life left in Legolas’ fatigued body Elrohir held onto the prayer that the valar were looking out for Legolas and would spare his life at least until Elrond arrived to help. The cries of the babe held the hopes of them all and it would be a dark day in middle earth if Legolas passed to mandos before he had held and seen his child at least once.

TBC>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

(A?N) OKAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY It's here, it's written and it's done, so what do you think? Yeah I could have gone all gory and detailed and shit but I'm never having children cause I'm a whimp and I hate kids so you'll just have to live with my skewed view of pregnancy and labour. Hope you like it and please I' clo close to finishing now so if you haven't review please do cause I'm toying with the ending and unless I get something positive in the way you're thinking then I'll leave you hanging forever...............*Laughs evily*

Anyway thanks for reading and stay tuned for the ending.................

RIFFRAFF