The Áthel and A Fall

T.A.2490

Lothlóríen

"How do you know it is a girl?" Celebrían asked again.

Regeína looked down at the stream not saying anything.

"Regeína, how do you know?"

"Thranduil, had a vision and saw Legolas marry your,......daughter." Regeína whispered.

"What, makes you think she is mine?" Celebrían asked.

"Thranduil, said she had brown and white hair. I knew only one elf who had white hair, and that was......you."

Celebrían could not believe her ears, her hand still on her small stomach, as she thought how her future daughter, marries the Prince of Greenwood. Regeína say the expiration on her friend's face.

"Celebrían, I am sorry. I thought Elrond told you."

"No, he...he never told me."

She felt betrayed by her own husband, she also felt a kick from the baby. Looking down, Celebrían smiled. Regeína saw Celebrían smile, she smiled as well.

"How long has she been kicking?" She asked.

"Since last night." Celebrían said looking up at Regeína.

Regeína wanted to say something else, but she saw the pain in her friend's eyes, so she decided to change the subject.

"Have you and Elrond thought of any names yet?"

"We thought of a few, yes."

"What are they?"

"Ráchain, Athían, and Lìvian." Celebrían replied.

"Those are beautiful names."

'Hanna le,' "I personally like Lìvian the best."

Just then an Ellons' voice came over the garden.

'Naneth! Naneth!' Legolas shouted running into his mother's lap.

"What is it, 'lell nón?'"

"Hide me, hide me!"

"Why do we need to hide you, Legolas?" Celebrían asked.

"The twins and I are playing hide and seek." He replied.

"What happened to shooting arrows?" The Queen asked.

"Oh, I was winning." Legolas said with a smile.

Celebrían and Regeína just laughed.

~~~

"The real reason I brought both of you here, is because of a certain jewel."

"The Áthel, Lady Galadriel?" Elrond asked.

"The what?" Thranduil asked completely confused.

"The Áthel, was one of the first things the Dwarfs made for the Elves." Galadriel explained.

"The jewel itself is made of all the gems in Middle-earth from; Diamonds to Emeralds, to Sapphires and Rubies, all melted into one jewel. Then, it was dipped in mithril, so the Áthel would never break."

"So, what does this Áthel mean?"

"The Áthel represents long love." Elrond replied.

"Which means?" Thranduil asked still confused.

"Betrothed, intended, an arranged marriage. Shall I continue?" Lady Galadriel stated.

This news to both Lord Elrond and King Thranduil.

"I am not forcing my daughter to marry or love anyone." Elrond said furiously.

"I agree with Lord Elrond." Thranduil said also angry.

"Force? No, I am not saying that at all."

"Then, what are you saying?" Elrond asked.

"I am saying, we give them a little nudge, help them."

"So, you are saying we help them fall in love?" Thranduil questioned.

"Yes."

"Even better." Elrond mumbled under his breath.

"I heard that." Galadriel said.

Elrond leaned towards Thranduil saying.

"And you called me the favorite." He said and they both laughed.

"Can we please get back to the matter at hand?"

"Of course." They both said.

"How, do you propose we...help them?" Elrond asked.

"Let them meet in ten years in Greenwood, for the Mereth e-rGilith. And then on their twentieth birthday give them the Áthel saying this, "Give this to an Ellon/Elleth who knows what it feels like to lose someone or something you love.""

"That is very specific." Thranduil said.

"Two years after, Elronds' daughter turns twenty, return to Greenwood and let them exchange the two. Any questions?"

"Just one." Elrond said. "The Áthel, my Lady. Where would we find them?"

"Find them? Why are they lost?" The Elvenking asked.

"The Áthel, was a rare jewel even in the First and Second Age, but after Sauron fell they became impossible to find." Elrond explained.

"Not entirely.' Galadriel said.

"What do you mean?" They asked.

Lady Galadriel walked over to the bookshelf and pulled out a thick, black, book and walked back to her desk in front of Elrond and Thranduil. Both, Elrond and Thranduil were confused, so Thranduil asked pointing at the book.

"This book is going to tell us were the Áthel is?"

"Yes."

Elrond opened the book, to find two jewels in a padded case. One having a black chain and the other a white.

"The chain is made of the white mithril for the female, and the rare black mithril is for the male."

In the box had two Áthels, one for an Ellon and the other for an Elleth.

"Elrond take the one with the black chain, and Thranduil take the other one."

"I'm confused,'' Thranduil stated. "I thought the black one goes to the male."

"It does."

"Still not following."

"The Áthel only works if they crossover each other. Legolas would put the one he has on her, and she would put the one she has on him. The longer they have it on the more they will feel each others feelings."

"How can you be sure they will never take it off?" Elrond asked.

"It will be a promise."

"This just keeps getting better and better." Thranduil said sarcastically.

"Wait, it can go even farther."

"It can?" They both asked.

"Yes, though no one is sure what the Áthel can really do or holds. But what we do know is it can go so far that they would take each others' weight, and that if taken off after having it on for a long period of time the weight would become unbalanced."

"Meaning?" They asked again.

"Meaning, they can not feel anything, there will be nothing but empty space. They might as will be dead."

That did not sound pleasant to Lord Elrond or to King Thranduil.

"Anything else we should know about this necklace." The King asked.

"Like I said no one is for sure what the Áthels' power is. But there is one thing I do know, it can and will do anything to protect the heart."

~~~

'Naneth,' "is Lady Celebrían alright." Legolas asked.

Regeína and Celebrían were both surprised at the young Princes' statement. Clearing her throat the Queen replied.

"Yes, Legolas. Why would she not be?"

"Cause, she has a bruise on her stomach.''

Both Celebrían and Regeína laughed at this.

"Oh, no Legolas, that is the 'lápise.'" The Queen said still laughing.

''The what!?'' Legolas asked in confusion, while looking at his mother. "Why is it in there?" He asked looking back at Celebrían.

Neither, Regeína or Celebrían had an answer to give him, not for sure on what to say.

"Come here Legolas." Celebrían said in a calm voice, waving her hand over. Legolas looked back at his mother for a response.

"Go on." She said.

Legolas walked over to Lady Celebrían and sat down beside her.

"Do you sing, Legolas?"

"I can, but I prefer not to."

"Oh, that is a shame. The baby likes it when you sing."

"The baby can not hear me."

'Lell nón,' "that is were you are wrong." Regeína replied.

"What do you mean?" He asked looking at his mother.

"Give me your hand, 'penneth.'"

The Prince looked back at Celebrían and did as he was told. Putting his hand in hers, Celebrían placed both their hands on her stomach.

"What now?"

Celebrían smiled and started to sing.

"Hush child, the darkness will

rise from the deep

And carry you into

sleep,

Child, the darkness will rise

from the deep

And carry you down into

sleep."

Just as Celebrían finished there was a kick, and Legolas quickly pulled his hand away from where the kick was. His eyes widen and looked at his mother, but Celebrían and Regeína just laughed.

"See," Celebrían said still laughing. "the baby can hear, now you give it a try."

Legolas placed his hand back on Celeríans' smallm stomach, as he sang a few lyrics to his mothers' favorite song.

"Float on to the painted skies,

Where dreams... will be unified

As I'm swept inside."

Legolas finished singing, but nothing happened at first. A few seconds later there was a kick and again Legolas pulled his hand away still in disbelief.

"I do not think the baby likes me."

"No, the baby likes you, or baby would not have kicked."

Regeína looked up at the sky and spoke.

"It is getting dark."

Celebrían looked as well.

"So it is."

"Legolas we better go and find the twins. They are still probably trying to find you." Regeína said getting up.

"Yes, 'Naneth.'" He replied getting up and walking to his mother.

"Celebrían, do you need help." Regeína asked concern.

"No, I got it."

Celebrían pulled herself up from the ground and on her feet smiling.

"I think that is the fastest I have ever gotten up." She said with a laugh. "Come on let us go find 'lell nóns.'"

Regeína and Legolas started walking forward, followed by Celebrían. Just as they started walking, Celebrían felt this heat come over her. Making her stop placing her hand on her temple. Regeína looked and saw her friend, not looking so well.

"Celebrían? Are...you alright?"

"Reg-"

But, before Celebrían could say anymore she fell, hard on the ground.

"Celebrían!" Regeína shouted.

Legolas eyes widen in fear, and froze where stood. The Queen ran over to Celebrían and sat down beside her.

"Legolas go find the twins! Hurry!"

He nodded and ran in the direction from where he came.

~~~

' ' - Elvish

Hanna le - Thank You

Penneth - Little One

Naneth - Mother

Lell nón/s - My Son/Sons

Lápise - Baby

Ellon - Male elf

Elleth - Female elf

Oh Thranduil he is so clueless.

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