I sat upon the lowest limb of the Linden tree, my feet swinging gently underneath while my fingers strummed the lyre that sat in my lap.

The idle melody filled the glade as I sat in saddened thought. My Galadhrim was guarding the Northern borders of Lórien.

“You play so mournfully, Vendea. Do you not know any joyful songs?”

“He is guarding the Northern Border… I will not see him until the trees start to blossom,” I sighed, my fingers drifting over the strings, creating a light melody. “Alone in the snow… it is not a good thought.”

“But he is guarding our land, and by doing so, he is guarding you.”

I sighed, shaking my head. “Just the thought that he will be cold does not set well with me.”

“Vendea, he is no longer the small child we cared for. He must test his wings and fly and show other people.”

I laughed feeling my face grow red. “He will show no one his wings save me.”

“Why do you say that? Perhaps there is an elf maid that he fancies…”

I held out my hand to show the silver ring that graced it. “He has seen the maid and chosen her.” I looked over my shoulder. “Before he went on guard to the Northern Border, we met at the Celebrant and were caught in the rain storm.” I felt my lips curve in a gentle smile. “Things got… changed, and we cannot go back.” I laughed slightly. “If you wonder why you never saw his, he wears his upon the chain of Mithril that adar gave him.”

“So my children are betrothed?” He laughed, clapping his hands.

I arched an eyebrow. “So does that mean I get to call you adar as he does?”

“If you so like.”

“Would it annoy you?”

I could hear the smile in his voice. “No, it would please me very much if you did so. Now my Lady… I do not know.”

“She is hard to please.”

“Not to mention she is not here at the moment. Did you know that my daughter is due to give birth?”

“No I did not. She married Lord Elrond of Imladris, correct?”

“Indeed. Elrond seems to see more in her than I know to exist. She is actually pleasant and very much like a favored kitten with him. I do not know where she received her temper, but it seems to have cooled with Elrond.” He laughed slightly. “In all honesty, I feel sorry for any of their children.”

I laughed. “Elrond was enough to drive Gil-Galad mad at times and just fume. However, most of the time he was quite gentle and quiet spoken.”

“Indeed.”

I heard the whisper of silk before I felt a hand settle upon my shoulder. “He shall be fine. Nénharma is with him.”

My eyes slid over to look at him. “This is what I am afraid of.”

He laughed. “Haldir is quite capable of taking care of himself. He shall stay out of trouble so do not worry about the situation.”

I sighed, leaning my head against his shoulder. “One great love in our life.” I hesitated. “It… frightens me in a way, knowing that if he dies, I shall die.” I shivered as I felt tears sting my eyes. “I feel it on the air… something will happen… and I am… afraid…”

“I feel it as well, Vendea,” he sighed and then he laughed. “When will you bring forth a child?”

I flushed a bright red. “Whenever it will happen… however, with our… activities, not long… hopefully…”

“Take your time, Vendea. My daughter is already giving me a grandchild.”

“Celeborn,” I sighed. “How long did it take for the Lady to bare Celebrian?”

“Many years. She did not conceive for a long while even though our activities were many…”

I sighed, my free hand falling upon my flat stomach. My eyes closed as I thought. “I… Did I tell you I would have had a younger sibling?”

“No you did not, Vendea.”

“That is why she sailed across to Valinor… She lost the babe.” I lifted my head to catch Celeborn’s eye. “Do you think I will as well?”

“It is not pleasant, but it does happen. My Lady lost the first child she carried…” He gently wrapped me up in his arms as he did when I was younger. “It is not a pleasant experience, and one I hope you never go through.” He sighed again. “If we had all the children that we were meant to have, the ones who are not carried to term, we would produce a lot faster and would greatly outnumber humans. It is a great gift that a child is born to us.”

I nodded my head against his shoulder. “It is amazing that Haldir and his brothers are so close to each other in age. All within ten years of each other! It truly is amazing.”

“I hear the Queen of Greenwood has birthed a daughter.”

“Does she not have two sons already?”

“Yes, the elder whose name escapes me at the moment and the younger is called Legolas.”

“Greenleaf?”

I knew his lips curled up in a smile. “Yes, little Greenleaf.”

“He sounds like he would be a handful.”

“Indeed. He runs his caretakers mad at times. He’s quite a playful child.”

I sighed and turned my face to look out beyond Lord Celeborn’s arms, into the world that teemed with life around me. My fingertips ran over my belly, thinking of the day when I could look into Haldir’s eyes and tell him he would be a father...