Aragorn and I were enjoying our time together when we found ourselves in a clearing. Not just any clearing, but the clearing. Where all of the kings of Gondor made important decisions, and I found myself looking at a kneeling King.
“Melda, I really do mean this. Will you marry me?” Aragorn looked up at me with his beautiful grey eyes. I feared this would happen.

“I-I’m sorry, Aragorn. No.” It hurt. I loved him so much. But I could not bring this upon him.

“Why? Tell me. Please. I don’t understand. I can’t live without you.” My hand rested momentarily on my stomach.

“I’m. I’m-.” I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t tell him this. It would break his heart.

“Please. Tell me.” He looked at me sincerely and stroked my cheek. I pulled back.

“I’m going to have a baby.” He gazed at me in disbelief.

“Why is that bad? This is even the more reason for us to get married! Our child-.” He saw the look of pain in my eyes. His smile fell. He dropped my hands and stepped back. “How is it possible that we could have a child?”

“Aragorn, I’m so sorry.” I whispered. “I’m a terrible person.”

“You aren’t a terrible person. You messed up. I’ve heard of many people doing the exact same thing.” He tried to console me. “I’m sure you didn’t mean to.”

“But I did! I let myself get forced into it. I let my friends get me into this!” I said trying to explain. “I don’t deserve you, My Lord, but I will do your bidding, as a good subject would.” I held back a tear.

“I am not your king. You haven’t called me that since the first day we met. I am just like you.” He said softly.

“You didn’t cheat on the one you loved!” I screamed. “You didn’t-.” I began to sob.

“Oh, come here.” Through my blurry vision I could see him open his arms. I ran into them as he embraced me. He stroked my hair and whispered to me. He said, “Melda, its okay. It’s all going to be okay.” When I calmed down, he sat me down. He sat down across from me.

“I’m sorry, Aragorn. I didn’t think of this.” He looked at me, and tried to give me hope.

“Melda, don’t blame everything on yourself. Next you’re going to tell me that hobbits are short because of you. This isn’t your fault.”

“Thank you. For still loving me. For not leaving.” He looked into my eyes, and I saw myself reflected in his grey eyes. I could see tear tracks running from my dark eyes to my lips. My long, thick, dark hair was flying away from my braid. Aragorn hesitated to speak.

“Who is the child’s father?” he asked. I must’ve looked afraid, because he said, “It’s okay, I just want to know.” At that point, I couldn’t take it. I got up and ran onto a path I had never traveled before. I ran as quickly as I could. My dark green dress snagged on every branch. I turned from the path and tore through the forest. Thorns hit my arms and face. It wasn’t until I decided to stop that I realized there was someone behind me. It also wasn’t until then that I remembered how easily I fainted. My world went black.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I woke up soon after. I was exactly where I remembered being, in the middle of a beautiful forest. My dress was torn and my arms covered in scratches. There was a thin trickle of blood running down the side of my face. I guess Aragorn had caught me because I was lying on the wooded floor with my head resting in his lap.

“Awake, little songbird?” He whispered. I remember when he gave me that nickname. He first saw me when I was standing atop a hill at sunset, hair loose and waving in the wind, singing to the sun.

“Only if you are here with me, little wolf.” He had joined me in my song with his rich voice. He took me by surprise, and I stopped singing. He begged me to continue, and I followed my Lord’s command.

“Of course I’m here with you.” He gave me a soft kiss on my cheek. “I’m so sorry I have to bring this up, you are so terribly upset about this, but who is the child’s father?”

“Oh, Aragorn! Must I say? I’m not sure I can.” I couldn’t hurt him like this.

“Please.” He pleaded with me until he came to the realization that I wouldn’t give the man’s name. “At least let me guess.”

“I can handle that. Just don’t be upset.” Yes or no. I can handle that.

“I would never be upset at you. Will you give me one hint?”

“He was in the Fellowship of the Ring.” Aragorn was satisfied. The guessing began.

“Frodo?”

“No.”

“Sam?”

“No.” The guessing went on. Merry, Pippin, and even Gandalf were guessed. Finally, Aragorn came to the final two.

“Gimli?” I could blame it on him. Spare the one who did this, but that wouldn’t be fair to Gimli.

“No.” He knew. I could see pain in his eyes.

“Legolas?” He managed to whisper.

“Yes. I’m so sorry, Aragorn. I know how close you two are.”

“I thought he was my brother.” He looked down, sadness swept over him.

“He is. He loves you as his brother.” I feared for Aragorn. I feared he would hurt himself. He turned and rested his forehead on a tree. He pounded his fist on the trunk of the strong oak. He turned. I could see fire in his eyes.

“I’ll kill him.” Rage swept through him. Louder, he repeated, “I’ll kill him!”

“No! Don’t mention this to him! Please!”

“Tell me how this happened.” Aragorn pleaded.

“My friends convinced me to go out with them one night. We met up with the guys, who decided to bring Legolas along. They plotted it all along. They told me to go get something from a room in the house. When I went in the room, they locked the door. I yelled and screamed and banged on the door until I heard a door open on the other side of the room. They threw Legolas in. He fell on the ground. Hard. I ran to help him up. I tried to open the door, but it too was locked. I asked him if he knew what was going on and he said he did. ‘Tell me, please!’ I begged. He told me that it wouldn’t happen. No possible way. I heard my friends yell out from the other side of the door that it had to happen, or we wouldn’t get out. We went to opposite sides of the room and stayed there for several hours. We tried breaking down the doors, everything to get out. We finally gave in. I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to.” With that, I started crying again.

“Oh, it’s okay. It’s okay. What are you going to do with the baby?”

“I don’t know. I guess I should talk to Legolas. Will you come with me?” I don’t know if I could do this alone.

“Of course. Shh. We can ride tomorrow, but first you must stop crying.” She quieted. “How do you feel? Can you ride back to your home?”

“I feel a bit light headed and dizzy, but I’m sure I can make it.” I stood up, or I tried to stand. I fell over immediately. I realized how hot it was.

“I think you exhausted yourself. No more running for you. This heat probably didn’t help anything. You should eat something.” At the very thought of eating, I turned over and retched.

“Or not. Can I bring you home? It would make me feel better, to know that you’re safe.”

“Of course.”

Once we got to my home, we made plans for the next day.

“Sleep, Melda. You will need the rest.” Aragorn didn’t leave until I was asleep. Then, he snuck out and went to prepare for the pain of the next day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When we set out, I felt fine. Scared, but fine. Aragorn insisted that I tell him if I felt poorly on any part of the journey. I did feel fine, but I got exhausted easily because of the baby. “Aragorn,” I barely mumbled. Instantly, he was at my side, steadying me. I began to fall off my horse.

“Ride with me.” He suggested.

“Thank you.” I fell off of my horse. Not dismounted my horse. I fell off. Aragorn caught me and put me up on his horse.

“Hold on to his neck for a few minutes. Do not let go. I will mount soon.” He disappeared with a rope. When he came back, my horse was bound to his, and he mounted. We set off for Mirkwood. I fell off no more. It was a pleasurable ride, until Mirkwood came in sight.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When we reached the Hall of Thranduil, he was excited to see Aragorn. “I suppose it is Legolas you seek?” He said.

“Yes. Could we talk to him in private?” I thought he was being to bold, but obviously the King was used to this.

“Yes, of course. I will send for him.”

“Thank you, Thranduil.” And with that, we stepped out. When Legolas found us, he brought us to a private room. He looked concerned when he saw me. I was still weak. I had to lean on Aragorn for support. When I fell, he was right there at my side, as was Aragorn.

“Aragorn, what’s wrong with her? Why is she so weak?” He knew why, but he wouldn’t accept the truth.

“I am going to kill you!” Aragorn drew his sword. “I thought you were my brother! I thought you were a just and honest man!”

“Aragorn! No!” I screamed.

“Let him kill me. I deserve it after what I did to you.” He looked at Aragorn. “Go ahead. I am ashamed. I cannot live with this. Please. Kill me now.” Aragorn raised his sword.

“Aragorn, please! No!” I screamed again. “Put down your sword! Please!” Hot tears ran down my face. “Please! Spare his life!” His sword began to come down over Legolas. “Please!” I screamed. “Please.”

“I can’t kill you, Legolas. I ought to, but I can’t.” He sheathed his sword. I ran to Legolas, who had collapsed on the floor. I kneeled beside him.

“Do not look upon my face. It is a face of shame.” He turned away.

“Legolas, I need to look upon your face. Now more than ever. Please.” He turned over and I helped him up.

“Melda, I didn’t mean to bring this on you. I didn’t mean for it to happen.” He apologized. I didn’t want apologies. We embraced. I realized how much taller he was than me. My head was just up to his chest.

“I know. I didn’t mean for it to happen either.” I looked up into his grey eyes. I saw tears threatening to escape. He saw that I was going to cry.

“It is okay to cry.” He whispered. I started sobbing. I almost fell to his feet, but he caught me. He cried into my hair. We stood for a few minutes, crying to each other. We looked up into eachother’s eyes and moved closer, when we heard someone clear their throat. I had forgotten Aragorn was there.

“Aragorn, I’m sorry! I can’t even be faithful with you standing next to me!” I released Legolas.

“You both have a common sorrow. That was called for.” Aragorn said, trying to make me feel better. I stepped out of Legolas’ arms and stood between the two men. I started to shake.

“It was not! I’ve not been worthy of either of you, as of late. I-” tried to find the words I wanted to say. I collapsed of exhaustion, again. Aragorn caught me to the right, and Legolas to the left.

“That is the third time today you have fallen. That is not natural, even if you are to have a baby. Tell me, why do you fall?” Aragorn asked.

“I haven’t the slightest idea.” I lied.

“Legolas, have you any idea?” Legolas looked like he knew.

“Melda, when was the last time you ate?” He whispered. He feared the answer.

“Two days ago.” I whispered. Aragorn gasped.

“Why do you do this?” Aragorn managed to ask.

“I- I felt that if I didn’t eat, it wouldn’t be noticeable I was pregnant.” It was stupid, I knew.

“I have heard the same escape from many mouths. You must eat.” Legolas prompted. I started to step back, but he grabbed my hand. “Please. If not for yourself, or your child, for me. Do it for me, please.” Aragorn turned to face me.

“And me. Do it for us.” He glared at Legolas. Legolas glared back.

“Why are you glaring at each other? I thought you were brothers!” Tears threatened to re-appear.

“I think it is because we are both in love with you.” Legolas whispered.

“You love me, Legolas?” I asked.

“Of course. But, I think that if we continue this conversation, Aragorn will again draw his sword.” I looked over at Aragorn. His hand was on the hilt of his sword.

“Aragorn, put the sword down.” He raised it higher. “Put the sword down!” Reluctantly, he sheathed it.

“Tell me. Which one of us do you love?” Aragorn said harshly.

“I have turned two brothers against each other! What have I done?” I wailed.

“Tell me. Which one of us do you love?” Aragorn said again, harsher.

“I love all three of you.” I whispered.

“Will you marry me?” Aragorn again asked, trying to prove a point.

“The baby. Legolas deserves to raise his child. The child deserves to have a mother. We must decide what to do with it. Then I will make my decision.” It hurt to think that I had feelings for Legolas as well, but this was key. Where would my child be?

“There is one obvious way.” Legolas stated. “Although, I fear it would make you and Aragon miserable.” He took me under his arm.

“What would that be?” I feared. Aragorn glanced longingly at his sword.

“You could marry me.” Legolas whispered.

“Legolas, I love you, but I cannot do that.” I had to step back.

“I know. I am ashamed I even brought it up.” Legolas, too, stepped back.

“We could get rid of the child.” Aragorn suggested. I glared at him. Seconds after, he said, “No, we cannot do that.”

“You have a small bit of Elvish blood in you, do you not Melda?” Legolas whispered.

“I do. Why?”

“If it is what you wish to do, marry Aragorn. Say the baby was born early.” I was stunned.

“How will she explain the baby? It will most likely look Elvish.” Aragon asked. A small fire remained in his eyes.

“If she has Elvish blood, no matter how much, mortal or immortal, any child born of that Elf, whether born to Elf or Man, could look Elvish. With as little Elvish blood you have, it will not be immortal. It needs both parents to be at least half Elf for it to be immortal.” Legolas smiled.

“What of you? How will you raise your child?” I worried. Legolas deserves to father his own child.

“Aragorn and I are like brothers. I will be like his uncle.” Legolas had a look of sadness at not being able to father his child, but being an uncle soothed him. At least he would see his child.

“Well, I think you deserve one more thing.” Aragorn looked at me.

“What? I deserve nothing! I deserve death!” Legolas spat.

“You deserve to name the child.” I whispered.

“When the time comes, I would be honored to.” Legolas shone with pride.

“Melda, this is all cleared up. Will you marry me?” Aragorn asked the question one final time.

“Yes.”
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Legolas named his son Araglas, a combination of Aragorn and Legolas. He was a loving uncle, and visited often. I lived happily with Aragorn until the end of his days. Eventually, I followed. Araglas became King. Legolas was there to advise him, and I have no doubt that our Kingdom reigned in strength, until the end of its days.

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