49: New Life, New Hope

Aragorn was awakened in the middle of the night by someone shaking him. He opened his eyes to see Elladan looming over him, holding a stub of candle.

"Lady Morwen is in labor," his brother said quietly.

Aragorn rose immediately, automatically pushing his feet into boots. "It isn’t time," he whispered harshly. "The babe is not due to come until mid-Rethe."

Elladan smiled. "Tell that to the babe."

"Where’s Elrohir?" Aragorn asked as he snatched up his box of medicinals.

"Already there, fighting with the queen’s ladies," Elladan said with a smirk. Aragorn merely nodded, his mind already on the upcoming task of ensuring that both mother and child survived the night.

They made their way down the corridor to a small wing set aside for the royal couple and their family. Thengel was pacing outside the doors leading to their bedroom. His older children were nowhere about and Aragorn assumed that they still slept, oblivious to all the commotion. And won’t they be disappointed when they find out what they’ve missed, he thought wryly to himself. Thengel saw them and gave a sigh of relief. "She is in great pain," he said simply. "It does not look good."

"We will do what we can, my lord," Aragorn said with an encouraging smile. "Both your lady wife and the babe are strong."

"Strong-willed," Thengel said with an attempt to break the tension they all were feeling.

"A point in their favor," Elladan said seriously. "Come, Estel, we mustn’t keep the newest member of the Rohirric royal family waiting."

Aragorn chuckled then put a hand on Thengel’s shoulder, no longer his liegeman but a healer. "It will be well. All is in Eru’s hands."

Thengel nodded. "Do what you can and fear not any reprisal if it goes ill for either of them. I will not hold you to blame. Such things happen all the time and, king though I be, I am no more exempt from the vagaries of life than the next man."

Aragorn and Elladan nodded, then stepped into what was now the birthing chamber to find Elrohir in the middle of a gaggle of women all screaming at him. Morwen was on the bed, her eyes closed, moaning. Aragorn noticed that Ashlind was also there but she was busy wiping Morwen’s brow with a wet cloth and not paying any attention to the fracas. Elrohir was a study in stone. Only his eyes betrayed his emotions. The women all seem to be trying to tell him that he, as a male, had no business there.

"Silence!"

They all turned around to see Thengel at the door, his expression stony. "Lords Elrohir and Elladan are here at my request, as is Lord Earntungol as my wife’s personal healer. You will do as they say or you will leave."

"But my lord," one of the older women protested, "it is unseemly...."

"Unseemly or not," Thengel countered. "It is my command as it is also the queen’s." He then turned to Aragorn. "Lord Earntungol, feel free to dismiss whomever you wish. You are in charge, you and the Peredhil."

Aragorn bowed as did the the twins. The women, save Ashlind, looked scandalized. Morwen simply moaned, oblivious to all but her pain. Aragorn decided to exert his authority while Thengel was still present. He gave the women who were still surrounding Elrohir a searching look and made a decision. "Please leave, all of you," he said with quiet authority. "The last thing Lady Morwen needs right now is people who are incapable of remaining calm in a crisis. No, Ashlind, you may stay. It is obvious that you are more concerned for the queen’s well-being than you are about... proprieties." He raked the other women with his gaze and they all looked affronted, casting sour glances at Ashlind, who ignored them. Their scowls deepened when Elladan made a sweeping motion with his hands as if to herd them out of the room, but they made no other protest as they filed out. Thengel gave Aragorn and the twins a nod and cast a worried glance at his wife before closing the door.

"Well done, brother," Elrohir said in Sindarin. "Now, let us see to the lady."

The three males turned as one to the bed where Ashlind was still wiping Morwen’s brow, whispering encouragements to her. Aragorn spoke to her in Rohirric, giving her an encouraging smile. "Ashlind, continue with your ministrations. I will have you care for your queen and see that her modesty is preserved as far as possible."

"Yes, my lord," Ashlind said with a slight bow, then flashed him a mischievous smile. "I am glad you got rid of that gaggle of useless geese. They were giving me a headache."

Elrohir chuckled. "You’re not the only one."

Speaking softly in Sindarin, Aragorn said, "Elrohir, will you monitor Morwen and let me know if her heart falters? Elladan, can you tell me if the babe has actually turned? I will prepare myself in the meantime."

The two Peredhil nodded and went to do as Aragorn had directed. Elrohir laid a hand gently on Morwen’s forehead and began singing softly. Almost at once she ceased to moan in pain and became calmer. Elladan stood midway along the bed and placed a hand on her swollen abdomen. He closed his eyes, concentrating. Then he looked up, his grey eyes troubled.

"I think the babe is breech, Estel," he said in Sindarin.

Elrohir nodded. "That is where the pain is coming from." He looked up at Ashlind, resorting to Rohirric. "Has the queen’s water broken yet?"

She nodded. "Yes, lord. Just before you arrived. It is why those women were so upset. All know that when the water breaks the babe is coming for real and men are not welcome in the birthing room."

Elrohir gave her a wry smile. "Well, seeing as how I am not a Man but an Elf, I don’t think they had anything to complain about."

Ashlind put her hand to her mouth, her eyes wide. "My lord, I meant no disrespect...."

"Peace, lady," Elrohir said, holding up a hand. "I am merely jesting with you. I knew what you meant."

Elladan gave his twin an indulgent smile. "My brother likes his little jokes, lady. Pay him no mind."

Aragorn, all this while, had been busy washing his hands and preparing the necessary tools and herbs he knew he would need. He took a goblet and mixed some herbs in water and honey, handing it to Elrohir with the spoon. "See if you can get her to drink this. It will keep her calm without putting her to sleep. I need her awake for this."

Elrohir nodded and with Ashlind’s help he managed to spoon most of the tonic down Morwen’s throat. Elladan was softly singing, his hand still on her belly and Aragorn knew his brother was singing to the babe, encouraging it to turn on its own if possible or to be patient until help came. Morwen started moaning as another contraction hit her, her body arching in pain. All four of them held her down until the spasm ended.

"They are coming almost constantly now, my lord," Ashlind said to Aragorn, casting a worried look upon the queen as she continued to wipe the sweat from Morwen’s brow.

All three men nodded and Aragorn looked at his brothers. "Continue as you are. I will attempt to turn the child."

The twins nodded. "Remember all that adar taught you, Estel," Elladan said softly, "and do not hesitate to call on us for help if need be."

"You have my word," Aragorn replied then crouched at the end of the bed, lifting the sheet that covered Morwen’s lower extremities and, reaching up under it, he began the task of turning the child. Morwen moaned again, her breath becoming shallow and rapid.

Elrohir held her face between his hands and spoke to her. "Open your eyes, Morwen," he commanded softly, but such was the power of his voice that she obeyed. "Keep your eyes on mine," he said. "That’s right. Now, breathe when I tell you to. I want you to breathe in short pants like this." He demonstrated and Morwen started to copy him, but he forestalled her. "No. Only when I tell you to and do not bear down unless I say. I know how hard it will be not to but it’s important that you do not, for you could hurt the babe."

"M-my child...." Her voice was paper-thin and weak.

"She’s doing just fine," Elrohir said with a smile.

"She...." Morwen smiled weakly and Elrohir nodded.

"Almost got it," Aragorn said. "Just a little more... come little one, you need to turn or you will cause your mama too much pain.... that’s it... a little more... there!"

At the same time, Morwen screamed as a contraction, this one more powerful than the previous ones, hit her. Elrohir and Elladan held her down. "Breathe, Morwen, the way I showed you," Elrohir said. "That’s it. Just follow what I do. " He started panting shallowly and she copied him, keeping her eyes on his all the while.

"There’s too much blood," Ashlind whispered as the sheet covering Morwen became red.

"Quickly!" Aragorn said to her. "Find more sheets and towels. Elladan, how does the babe?"

"She’s anxious to come, Estel."

Aragorn nodded. "Then let us bring the child forth, my brothers," he said, speaking Rohirric for Ashlind’s sake. "Let us greet this new princess of the Rohirrim. I am afraid young Théoden will be disappointed that he does not have a younger brother." He flashed them a wry smile and the Peredhil smiled back.

"If I know older brothers," Elrohir said with a twinkle in his eyes, "the princeling will fall immediately in love with her and dote on her."

There were nods all around and then they returned to the business at hand. Elladan again began singing, now a song of encouragement to the child, welcoming her into the world while Elrohir quietly gave Morwen the necessary instructions to ensure that her babe entered the world at all. It did not take long before Aragorn was holding up a squirming, crying, wet girl-child, just as a ray of light streamed through a high-set window, announcing the dawn. Ashlind gave a whoop of joy in spite of the tiredness in her posture and the twins began singing a traditional song of welcoming to the babe.

"Behold your new daughter, my lady," Aragorn said with a smile and gently laid the infant into Morwen’s waiting arms.

"She’s beautiful," she whispered.

"Just like her mother," Elrohir said, marveling anew at the miracle of life. He cast a glance at his twin and saw that he was just as enthralled. Aragorn was busy dealing with the afterbirth and cutting the cord, then dealing with the bleeding, instructing Ashlind in the correct procedure to slow its rate. Once he was satisfied that the bleeding was at a more normal level and that there was no danger of Morwen dying of blood loss, he and Ashlind began cleaning up.

Meanwhile, Elrohir took the babe from Morwen. "We will bathe her while Estel and Lady Ashlind change your bedding and help you into a clean nightgown." With that, he and Elladan went to where a warm bath awaited the newborn princess and began cleaning her. Morwen gave them a dubious look but Aragorn chuckled.

"I understand they did the same with their sister when she was born. They were already over a hundred years old by then and this is not the first Mortal birthing to which they have attended." He casts the twins an indulgent smile. "In fact," he added, "I have it on the best authority that they were present at my father's birth."

Both twins turned as one, nodding and smiling, before returning to their task.

That seemed to mollify the queen who then allowed Ashlind and Aragorn to make the necessary changing of bed linens and clothes. "Thengel...." she started to say as the two of them helped her settle back into bed, pillows plumped about her, then stopped as Elladan made his way back to the bed, carefully holding a clean newborn. She reached out and took her joyfully into her arms, pushing down the neck of her gown to offer her daughter a tit, which, with a little encouragement, she took.

"I will send him in," Aragorn said with a smile and Morwen nodded.

Going to the door, Aragorn flung it open to see Thengel and what seemed like half the population of Dunharrow crowded in the hall. Thengel was still pacing but stopped when the door opened.

"Morwen..." he said, his voice strained. "We heard a cry...."

"Your wife lives, Thengel King, as does your daughter," Aragorn exclaimed and smiled at the look of relief and wonder on the king’s face.

"Daughter? I have a daughter?"

Aragorn nodded. "She was reluctant to come into the world but I think she’s happy enough now that she’s here."

"Théoden will be very disappointed," Thengel said with a wry smile.

Aragorn smiled in return. "For about five seconds," he said as he stepped aside to allow Thengel entrance, then closed the door on the others, who were already celebrating, singing and cheering at the news. He turned to see the king standing before the bed gazing down on his wife and daughter, both of whom were now asleep. Thengel bent down and brushed the hair from his wife’s face and gently kissed her, then did the same with the babe. Straightening, he gave each of them a nod. "You have my gratitude and my thanks, all of you."

Elladan and Elrohir bowed. "The Valar bless you and your new child, Thengel King. May she know only joy and love in her life."

"I thank you for your kind sentiments," Thengel said.

Then he turned and brought a chair from the corner and sat down next to the bed, content to sit and gaze upon mother and child.

"What name will you give your daughter, sire?" Ashlind asked shyly.

For a moment, Thengel did not speak, but bent over and gently rubbed a calloused finger down one of his daughter’s cheeks. The babe yawned and put a fist to her mouth but did not open her eyes. Without lifting his eyes from his daughter, he said, "Théodgiefu. Her name is Théodgiefu, for she is indeed a gift to all of us, her coming a sign of hope that all is not lost."

"A beautiful name, my lord," Aragorn said. "We will leave you for now."

Thengel nodded without looking up and the four of them exited the room. The corridor was now empty but they could dimly make out the sound of singing and realized that people had gathered in the main hall to celebrate the good news.

"Captain Alric no doubt has opened a cask or two of ale for everyone," Elladan said and they all laughed. Then Ashlind gave Aragorn and the Peredhil a curtsey.

"If you will forgive me, lords, I will leave you now," she said. "I left my brother looking after Wulfstan and dare not stay away too long."

Aragorn gave her a smile. "My thanks for all your help, Ashlind. Go, and be with your family."

She nodded and left them. Elladan clapped a hand on Aragorn’s shoulder. "A fitting birthday present, helping a new life into this world, wouldn’t you say, ’Roh?"

"Indeed," Elrohir said with a smile.

Aragorn stared at his brothers in confusion. "What are you two jabbering on about?"

Both elves gave him disbelieving looks. "Surely you cannot have forgotten what day this is, little brother," Elladan said in mocked dismay.

It took a moment for Aragorn to understand what his brothers were saying and he groaned. "Oh no."

"Oh yes," the twins said in unison, wide smiles wreathing their immortal faces. "Happy birthday, Estel!" Then they gave their younger brother hugs and kisses. "Come," Elrohir said, "let us join the others in the hall and help them celebrate. Perhaps there is enough ale left to toast your birthday, little brother."

Neither Aragorn nor Elladan had any objections to that suggestion.

****

Théodgiefu: People’s gift.

Author's Note: My thanks to Surgical Steele for providing me with information on the correct procedure for when there is concern that the woman will bleed out during childbirth.