A New Leaf on the Tree by chrissystriped

A New Leaf on the Tree

Read A New Leaf on the Tree

Luiloth slipped into her husband’s study, the gobelin depicting the forest in spring rustled softly as it feel back in front of the private door that led to their rooms. Thranduil often worked late into the night, she’d known that when she’d married him. But still, especially today she’d have wished for him to be in bed with her.

He’d looked up when he heard the sound of her entrance and smiled at her.

“I’m coming soon”, he said.

“You said that two hours ago”, Luiloth answered and kissed his cheek to take the sting out of her words. She didn’t want to fight with him.

He sighed, rubbing his forehead.

“Has it been two hours?”, he asked a little sheepishly and stood up to embrace her. “I’m sorry, my love, I’m neglecting you.”

His fingers stroked her bare arm, from the beginning he’d been fascinated by the bluish marks under her skin that told the story of her life.

“Come to bed, love”, Luiloth said, pulling him slowly away from his desk. “This can’t be so important that it can’t wait till tomorrow.”

Thranduil glanced back at the papers strewn over his desk.

“I…”, he sighed, “you’re probably right, Luiloth.”

She smiled at him and took him by the hand to lead him back to their chambers. Their chambers. Luiloth’s heart still beat quicker when she thought that. Her family had only given up their wandering at the end of the Second Age, when the Enemy had risen up again and every road had been dangerous. They’d sought refuge here in Greenwood and the former king had allowed them to stay.

She’d met Thranduil in the forest, mourning his father who’d fallen in the war. He’d asked her to stay, to tell him of her life and they’d met again and again. She hadn’t expected him to propose to her. She’d always thought the Sindar thought themselves the betters of the wandering tribes. But he didn’t.

“My father went back east to get away from all that”, he’d said when she’d voiced her doubts. “He wanted to find back to a more natural life, away from the war.”

Luiloth still remembered the sad look on his face. Oropher had wanted no part in the war, but the war had still come to him. She knew that Thranduil had started to work so much in part to cope with his grief — but also because he was a good king who cared deeply for the people under his rule. He answered so many letters and requests from his subjects personally. She couldn’t be angry with him for that. It was just that she had something important to tell him and she’d waited long enough to have him to herself.

Luiloth snuggled into his arms as they laid down in their bed and laced her fingers with his.

“I have something to tell you”, she said, her heart beating quicker with excitement and joy. “Do you remember the last time we came together and we felt so complete and… as if something special had happened?”

Thranduil smiled at her a kissed her hair. “Of course, love, how could I forget that?”

“Well, we made something at that moment.” She led his hand to her belly. “A new life”, she whispered. “I am with child.”

Thranduil's face lit up with joy.

“Oh, my love!” He kissed her deeply. “You are sure?”

She nodded with a smile, caressing his knuckles, his hand was warm on her belly.

“I can feel it, that something new is growing inside me. A little bud that’s going to become a new leaf on our family’s tree.”

“Laegolas”, Thranduil said. “That would be a good name for our child, I think.”

“Legolas”, Luiloth said, pronouncing it like it would sound in her own language. “I like that.”

“Legolas”, Thranduil repeated with a smile. “Our silvan green leaf. You make me so happy, Luiloth.”

He kissed her again and Luiloth leaned into him. He was such a loving person, she thought, he was going to be a wonderful father. She looked forward to raise their little leaf together.