A Rose By Any Other Name

~~~A Rose By Any Other Name~~~
Chapter Twenty-Three

Ascadholiel spoke softly, her voice a little tired. “So what is the plan for today then? Is it still the same schedule as always?”

Celeborn shook his head, his silver hair caressing his broad shoulders. “No. You have had quite a few shocks today. As Lord Elrond has arrived as well, and we have many matters to discuss, I think it best that you take this day to rest.”

Ascadholiel nodded and then stood when the Lord and Lady stood, Elrond rising as well. She switched back to speaking in Sindarin, which she was supposed to be doing anyway. “*Very well. Thank you then for the wonderful breakfast. Lord Elrond, my gratuitous thanks again for your assistance. It was a true pleasure to finally meet one my husband and our friends speak so highly of. Their praises of you, from my observations thus far, were not exaggerated and are quite deserved.*”

Elrond smiled, very pleased with her compliments and knowing from her tone that they were not just mindless flattery. He bowed his head in thanks, a rare smile playing on his lips and lightening his dark features, his mythril coronet glinting a little in the silver light that permeated the woods.

Ascadholiel smiled again and then bowed her head in turn to both Celeborn and Galadriel. “*My Lord, my Lady, as it is my wish, I would inquire if I should be seeing you again for evening meal?*”

The two bowed their heads slightly in answer and Celeborn stepped around the table to her side. “*Of course Ascadholiel. We enjoy your company as much as you do ours.*” He cupped her face in his gentle hands and pressed a small kiss to her brow. “*Go now and rest. We will send midday meal to your room if you are not in attendance here. We will send Naurwen to assist you for the evening meal as well if that is your wish.*”

Ascadholiel smiled up at Celeborn and nodded. “*My thanks my Lord Celeborn.*” Then she bowed her head one more time and turned, walking out gracefully as she had been practicing, walking slowly back to her talan for a nap. She nodded to the elves she passed along the way, having met several of them in her time there so far. She was quite pleased that she was well on her way to becoming friends with the majority of them.

The woodland Princess began disrobing as soon as the door closed behind her, hanging her gown on a hook on the side of the wardrobe. She hummed a song to herself that Legolas had sung to her often and had finally taught her. When she was finally naked save for the braid that hung from her neck in the pendant, she walked towards the bed, passing the vanity mirror.

Ascadholiel at that moment stopped and stood stalk still in shock, he eyes widening as she realized what she had just seen out of the corner of her eye. She backtracked to the mirror and stood before it, noticing for the first time that he belly had indeed altered. She realized now that she had in fact not been gaining weight as she had originally thought… in fact she had been loosing in during her daily routines of training with Haldir… it was that her and Legolas’ child had been steadily growing inside of her. The flesh that had been toning from her good diet and regular exercise now looked softer and had a slight roundness to it that she recognized from her previous, ill-fated pregnancy.

Ascadholiel moved both hands down over the small curve, caressing where she now knew her and her beloved Legolas’ child grew. She whispered softly as she caressed her belly, the truth finally starting to hit her; that she would finally be a mother, and this time, though she had loved her previous child, this time the child had been made fully from the love she and Legolas shared. “Oh Legolas, you left too early. But I suppose that is for the best. I just hope and pray that you get back in time to see your child’s first breath.”

Then the human looked away from the mirror and down to her belly, still caressing it as she wandered over to the bed. She spoke in Sindarin, wanting the baby to know its father’s native tongue first, since the babe would also be raised mostly in elvish speaking lands. “*Oh child. My baby. Blood of my blood, and blood of my love. There is so much I have to tell you, and so much of the marvelous world you are to be born into, and still so much about it that even I have yet to see. So much about the people here, your people. And about your Ada. So very much about Legolas Thranduilion, Prince of the elven realm of Mirkwood.*”

Ascadholiel smirked a little and kept talking, finding it so natural to speak to her child. “*That’s right. You’ll be half-elven, like Lord Elrond. You know, I finally met him today. Your Ada spoke of him a lot, and very highly at that. Lord Elrond is the one who told me all about you. Your ada says he might even take me on a pupil and teach me the herb lore of this world. I’ll have to ask Lord Elrond about that though, I haven’t had a chance as of yet. Just too much excitement this morning.*”

Ascadholiel sat on the bed she had shared with Legolas and crawled under the blankets, still rubbing her tummy. She looked at the ornate ceiling as she continued to speak. “*I wonder when I will be able to feel you move little Prince or Princess. Yes, that’s right. Your ada is a crown prince, so your naneth, that’s me, is a princess now. That makes you our heir, or heiress. It really doesn’t matter what gender you are though. I just hope you’re like Legolas. He’s so strong and wise. He’s beautiful and a brave and skilled warrior. I know you’ll look up to him. I certainly do. He’ll love you so much, just like I do. We have so much to show you. So much love to give you.*”

Ascadholiel’s eyes grew heavy and her voice trailed off into a yawn as she let sleep claim her. Her heart was not so heavy now as it was before the joyous news, and now her dreams of her future with Legolas had changed slightly to include their child. And good dreams they were indeed.

*****
Ascadholiel was awakened a little while later by a knock on her door. She groaned, rolled over and pulled the blankets over her head, wanting to sleep more. She heard the door open however and rolled over, expecting to see Naurwen. Instead she saw the most beautiful elf she had ever seen.

The dark-haired elf was carrying a tray of food with her into the room. The elleth smiled. "Good afternoon Lady Ascadholiel. My name is Arwen. I was hoping you might wish to take noon meal with me, for I greatly desire to know the woman who has finally stolen my dear friend Legolas’ heart."

Ascadholiel sat up, keeping the sheets to her chest modestly. She spoke again in Sindarin, knowing it was good practice and had also been given as instruction to do by Celeborn so she might better learn through immersion. "*Aragorn was not exaggerating when he spoke of your beauty.*"

Arwen smiled and a slight blush colored her porcelain cheeks as she set the tray on the bedside table. She replied the same way, pleased to see the human almost fluent in Sindarin. "*He speaks of me then?*"

Ascadholiel slipped from the bed and donned Legolas’ robe as always, which was still too big for her, something that made Arwen smile. "*Often. When he had the leisure time and did not have to focus so intently on the quest… your name was always on the tip of his tongue.*" She opened the door to the wardrobe and chose a soft gown of lilac with silver embroidery about the edges, as well as a silver sash. "*Even when he was intent on the quest, I could tell that the thought of you was there, dwelling in the back of his mind. I know because he loves you more than life itself, the way that I love Legolas, and he is never far from my mind’s eye.*"

Arwen smiled as Ascadholiel stepped behind her dressing screen to don her gown. "*Aragorn is never far from my mind either. I am curious though… would you tell me how it is that you met with the fellowship and began to travel with them?*"

Ascadholiel chuckled a little. "*That is a very long story. You see, I’m not from this world. I don’t know how I came to be here, but one morning I woke up and found myself in a snow drift on Caradhras. What’s worse is that my attire left much wanting in the way of cold weather protection. I would have died had the fellowship and I not crossed paths… literally*" She came out from behind the screen, still adjusting the gown a little.

"*Needless to say, they were not too thrilled about leaving me there, nor of bringing me. After all, in the words of Boromir…*" At the mention of his name she had to swallow hard to not get teary-eyed at the thought of her late friend. "*In his words, ‘What would a woman be doing alone on a snowy, dangerous mountain, in little to no clothing?’*"

Arwen laughed at that and Ascadholiel smirked, then said, "*Would you do me a favor and braid my hair for me? I haven’t quite figured the how of it yet.*"

Arwen nodded and then gestured to the chair in front of the vanity. "*Gladly.*"

So Ascadholiel sat and relaxed as she always did when someone was fixing her hair. They stayed in comfortable silence while this was going on, Ascadholiel’s eyes closed and her hands resting on her stomach. Both females could tell they had an instant repor with one another, something that pleased them both.

Then again, they both had a common ground. The love for one not of their own race. One, and elf loving a human, the other, a human loving and elf. Each knew well the sacrifices they each gave for the males they loved.

After a time, Arwen announced that she was done, and Ascadholiel stood, thanking her. Arwen then caught sight of the pendant around her neck and touched it lightly. "*Oh, that’s lovely. Is it Legolas’ hair?*"

Ascadholiel touched it as well, smiling a little sadly as she nodded. "*Yes. He cut it and gave it to me on the shores of the river right before he and the fellowship continued on the quest.*"

Arwen nodded. "*I can see that the subject still upsets you. Let us not speak of it right now.*" Then the elleth’s eyes lit up. "*My grandmother, the Lady Galadriel told me you are with child. Is it true? My dear friend Legolas is going to be a father?*"

Ascadholiel’s eyes lit up as well, excitement and joy once again obvious as it flowed through her. Her eyes sparkled and she seemed to glow as she nodded, taking Arwen’s hand and placing it on her slightly rounded belly. "*It’s true. Your father informed me just this morning. I thought I had been missing my monthly cycle due to stress, but it turns out that my love and I have created life. I can hardly wait to tell Legolas! Do… do you think he’ll be happy?*"

Arwen laughed. "*Surely you jest! How could you not think he would be happy?! Of course, he’ll be ecstatic! Long has Legolas wished for a family of his own. He will be simply overjoyed!*"

Ascadholiel smiled and the two of them went out to the balcony, Ascadholiel picking up and carrying the tray Arwen had brought earlier. They sat down in two very comfortable chairs that she had requested be brought there a few days ago. Sometimes she and Naurwen would sit out there and talk quietly, and sometimes it would even be Galadriel or Celeborn, or one or both of Haldir’s brothers sitting with her. Now the chairs were used by her and Arwen as they ate and talked quietly. The more they got to know each other, the more they liked each other.

Ascadholiel asked Arwen about her father perhaps tutoring her, and mentioned that it had originally been suggested by Aragorn and Legolas. Arwen admitted that she thought her father would most likely be delighted, always eager was the elf Lord to teach a willing student. The two spent the rest of the day getting to know each other and found that they had much in common.

The two princesses were not even really aware of the passing of time until a knock came to the arch leading from the room to the balcony upon which they sat. Ascadholiel turned to see who it was. "*Naurwen! It is good to see you my friend!*"

Naurwen smiled and nodded her head a little. "*The Lady Galadriel asked that I come and see if you were ready for evening meal.*"

Ascadholiel smiled and pushed herself out of the chair. "*Yes, I believe we are ready.*"

Arwen stood as well as Naurwen stepped closer to Ascadholiel and placed a gentle hand on Ascadholiel’s shoulder. "*I heard you collapsed this morn. I was worried. Are you well?*"

Ascadholiel looked a little confused. "*You don’t know? I thought the whole of Lorien would know by now as fast as news travels here.*"

Naurwen shook her head and Arwen gently touched her other shoulder. The raven-haired elleth leaned forward from where she stood behind Ascadholiel. "My grandparents and my father deemed it your decision to tell anyone, outside of myself of course.*"

Ascadholiel nodded and turned a smile to Naurwen. "Part of the reason I collapsed was stress and loneliness, the other…" She placed her own hands on her belly, "… Is this little one. The seed of my beloved Legolas, has quickened inside of me, and our child now grows within my womb.*"

Naurwen’s eyes lit up and she gently placed her hands on Ascadholiel’s belly, just above the human’s, knowing that her friend was very tactile and would not mind. "*You are with child?*"

Ascadholiel smiled in joy and nodded, feeling herself getting excited again along with Naurwen.

Naurwen went on, her face alight with joy. "*This is such joyous news! Your child will be the first elven babe born in over two thousand years!*"

Ascadholiel looked a little shocked. "*That long?!*"

Both elves nodded and Arwen spoke as they walked through the room and then onto the familiar paths to the dinner hall. "My brothers, Legolas, and I are just a few away from being the youngest elves. There are only two younger than myself and even then only by a few hundred years.*"

Ascadholiel nodded in understanding. It hit her yet again the age difference between her and her husband. She would have to be but an infant to the elven eye. Naurwen left them at the bottom of the stairs and the two of them ascended together into the main house, talking quietly of various things until they entered the hall.

The two of them bent their heads in greeting to the elders and Celeborn, as always, kissed their hands and complimented them, Elrond doing the same, making Ascadholiel again blush, especially since she had heard the Lord Elrond spoken of so highly from the fellowship.

They all sat then Celeborn and Elrond talking, while the three females carried on their own conversations. The three of them all talked about the coming baby; what it would be like the rest of the pregnancy, plans for birthing as well as raising the child, weather it would be a boy or a girl, and the customs that went with each, such things as that.

Finally the food arrived and they all ate, conversing still between bites, Arwen and Galadriel still coaching the human every once in a while, on etiquette. When dinner was over however, and they had adjourned to a sitting room, Ascadholiel getting to sit in a comfortable padded chair, the serious talk began again.

Elrond called attention to himself as they each accepted wine, or juice in Ascadholiel’s case. He spoke in common this time so he would be sure to be perfectly understood, for even as Ascadholiel was nearly fluent, a few words might still be confused by her. “Lady Ascadholiel, Lord Celeborn and I have spoken and we feel it would benefit you and your unborn child if you were to be around your family during the rest of your pregnancy.”

Ascadholiel looked very confused and answered in like. “I don’t understand my Lord Elrond. My bonded aside, I have no familiar bonds save for those which I have here with Celeborn and Galadriel, and that which I forged with the fellowship in our brief liaison.”

Galadriel spoke then, her seemingly ever present, knowing look, and the smiled she always seemed to have around Ascadholiel on her face. “Your bonded has family though does he not?”

Ascadholiel took a sip of her juice to wet her throat and nodded, then said, “Legolas had told me he had a father and an elder sister, though from what knowledge he has bestowed upon me of them, his sire would be far less than enthusiastic about having an edan, such as myself, as his only son’s wife, and so his daughter. Forgive my understatement if you will.”

Celeborn spoke next. “Yet his son’s bonded you are, and the proof of that binding rests nurtured in your womb even as we speak. He cannot deny you.”

Ascadholiel rested one hand on her belly, and action that was quickly becoming a comforting habit. “No. I suppose not. Though still I fail to see the positive effect that being in the proximity of an individual who finds me and my union with his son more than distasteful will have on myself and/or my child.”

Galadriel, well used to Ascadholiel’s manner of speech most of the time, spoke then. “He will be unreceptive of you at first, but give him time and he will come to see how worthy you truly are of your new title and his son’s and well as his own love. Though take heart in the comfort that Legolas’ sister, Princess Araniel, will most likely welcome you and your unborn child into her arms and heart right away. She has her Naneth’s temperament, even as Legolas has some of his Atar’s temper. She will help Thranduil accept you. Simply be yourself and remember all you have learned and you will be well.”

Asca took another gulp of her juice and then said, “But Legolas told me I was to stay here…”

Celeborn spoke, interrupting her needfully. “Unless my Lady and I deemed it better to send you elsewhere.”

Ascadholiel could say nothing back to that, for she remembered Legolas telling her that as well. She lowered her head a little in defeat. “But I do not want to leave. This is the first place in my life that has ever felt like home to me.”

Arwen set her glass down on a nearby table and placed her other hand on Ascadholiel’s shoulder in comfort, but it was Galadriel who spoke. “You will always find a home in these woods, and you will always be welcome here, but Mirkwood is your home now as well, for it is Legolas’ home. You must go there at some point before your child is born and soon would be better than later.”

Galadriel smiled then in a decidedly mischievous manner. “Besides, Thranduil, Legolas’ Father, passed the boarders of this forest not but and hour ago on his way here. He will arrive in Caras Galadhon by midday on the morrow.”

Ascadholiel’s eyes went wide and her head shot up. “What?”

Galadriel nodded, and then answered everyone’s unspoken question as to why the King of Mirkwood was coming here. Though most already had a good hunch or had foreseen it. “Rumors have spread to Mirkwood and reached the king’s ears. He has finally heard from a reliable source, that his son has left his bonded here while he continued on with his quest. He is coming here to meet his bond-daughter himself.”

Ascadholiel’s eyes widened even further as something else occurred to her. “Oh gods… He thinks I’m an elf doesn’t he?”

Galadriel nodded and Ascadholiel cried, “Oh Gods!” Then everyone jumped a little as Ascadholiel let her head fall to the table before her with a thunk. She picked it right back up and rubbed her forehead. “Ow.” She whined pitifully. Then she said, “Well, that’s going to be a great confrontation.”

Celeborn shook his head, crossed between amusement and pity for this human he had come to love. “It need not be a confrontation. Hold your head high when you meet him. You love his son and you are loved so deeply by his son in return. No one else’s opinion matters, not even Thranduil’s. What is done is done and can never be undone. A bonding for elves is for life and you are Legolas’ one and only bonded and soon to be the mother of his child. Now that we know when he will be here, you shall be prepared for this. You are not alone. All of us in this room will be there, and I will announce you personally.”

Ascadholiel felt a little better at this reassurance and she nodded.

She yawned then and Elrond chuckled. “You have had a very long day and your condition is also pulling from you. Perhaps you should go relax now. Try not to worry about anything for now.”

Ascadholiel nodded again and then stood. “Thank you all for the lovely dinner. And thank you also Lady for the warning.”

Galadriel nodded and Arwen stood with Ascadholiel. “I would walk you back to your room if you would like.”

Ascadholiel smiled brightly and nodded. “I would like that very much.”

And so the two princesses walked out, Arwen having the title herself for Elrond was a king in his own right, choosing instead to take the title of Lord as Celeborn had done as well. The three royals that were left looked at each other and smiled.

Elrond was the first to break the new silence as he sipped his wine. “It is good that Ascadholiel and Arwen are forming a friendship.”

Galadriel nodded. “They are facing much the same trial. They both have relationships with one of the other races, and their loves are on the same dangerous quest.”

Elrond nodded and frowned a little. “I still look to discourage Arwen from pursuing her relationship with Aragorn.”

Celeborn simply leaned back in his chair. “Young ones will do what they will do.”

Elrond looked to the doorway where the two younger ones had disappeared before. “Still… There is something very different about our young human. There is something there that I have not seen in most men, though I cannot name it. Something that feels… familiar… almost.”

Celeborn nodded. “Yes. I have gotten that sense about her as well from time to time. She’ll do, or say, or comprehend something that one of the race of man should not know, and that she is not of our world gives even greater exception to it.”

Galadriel spoke again, her eyes closed at first and a knowing smile on her face. When she opened her eyes again, there was a slight wicked gleam to them. “Perhaps it is because she never belonged with the race of men.”

The two males looked at her, Elrond with a raised eyebrow, but they knew from experience, that they would never get any more than that from her until she deemed to say more.

Galadriel arose then without another word and drifted out of the room herself.

**********

AN: OH VALAR THAT TOOK A LONG TIME!!!! Once again I am SO so sorry that this has taken so long to get out! Real life has taken a toll on typing time. Still tell me what you think, and that you to everyone that reviewed and that has hung on to this! It really does mean so much to me. And the pokes I get helped tremendously as well! Do keep it up ne! I still have so many ideas for this fic and getting more by the day, I just need the time to type them out, and that is little to none lately. I shall endeavor to keep it up though, and thank you so much again! Also, do please forgive the many spelling mistakes. Namarië!

~Celesta Hellewise Harman