Two Becomes Three

Calene had been shocked to discover she was pregnant. While she and Deshane weren't taking any precautions because he had just wanted to let things happen naturally, she hadn't expected it to happen so soon after they were married. However, her shock quickly gave way to excitement. Her mother was also excited. Unfortunately, Laenaya had not been with her when she had been going through her pregnancy, but with Calene she could be there completely for her. Calene had been spending more time with Elfwine, who was now about seven months old, but she knew that she there would be so much more to learn.

When she was three months pregnant, an official announcement was made and Calene and Deshane found themselves flooded with letters and gifts from those that admired them. They lived in apartments in the palace, but had their own kitchen so they could cook for themselves when they felt like it. Deshane had not stopped his work, and was often gone for days and sometimes weeks at a time, and so had wanted Calene near her family. Calene also still had her own duties at court. Deshane had been gone for over two weeks and Calene did not know when he might return. She always missed him when he was gone, but never asked him not to go. She had known this was how things were going to be for them when she married him. She sat in court only half listening to what was being said. Her mind, instead, daydreamed about their last night together two weeks prior. She felt her heart beat a little faster and her face begin to flush slightly at the mere thought of it.

Deshane woke up but he felt a terrible pain in his leg and his head spun. He looked down and he had landed one...on something soft and large. As his eyes refocused he noticed that he had landed on what looked to be a bear. He struggled to remember but he noticed his leg and saw it soaked in his own blood. Carefully he shifted and looked around. Where was his horse? He didn’t know and it appeared that he fell a good distance down off of the cliff. The sun had crept low over the nearby trees and he shivered. It would be cold tonight and then he took a long look at the bear and then felt for his knife…


Deshane was overdue. He was supposed to be back two days past but he had been late before. However something in the sun that morning...it was unusually red right then and it made her wonder…


Like clockwork Nauriel knocked and then came in. She had a basket with her filled with fruits and vegetables. “Rise and shine my young mother to be,” as she opened her blinds but oddly Calene was not in her bed. She stepped out of her bedroom and moved out into the living room. Calene was there in her robe. She had fallen asleep in the rocking chair that Deshane had made for her so she could rock the baby when it came. It was a sweet gesture and a total surprise. Who knew he was so good with wood? It was intricately carved with ivy and flowers etched beautifully in the wood. She set down the basket and then drew close and touched her cheek. “Did you sleep here all night?” She asked.

Calene was worried and very upset. Deshane was two days overdue. He had written to her to tell her when to expect him back, but now Calene feared something had happened. She had tried to stay up that night, hoping he would arrive in the middle of the night, but she had fallen asleep in the rocking chair Deshane had made for her. She loved that rocking chair. She had cried when he had surprised her with it.

Her neck hurt and she groaned as she opened her eyes. She felt tears come to her eyes when she didn't see Deshane.

"Deshane was due back two days ago. He wrote me to tell me to expect him and he hasn't arrived yet. I'm worried about him. I have a feeling something has happened to him."

Nauriel smiled and brushed some of her hair from her face. “He’s just delayed is all my daughter...the last thing you need to do is worry. Deshane is a strong, capable man. Remember how he stood up to your father? How many people have ever done that?” She told her and smiled. “I brought you some ‘good’ food for the baby. Now go wash up and I’ll make you something for breakfast,” she told her. As Calene agreed Nauriel went to begin breakfast. Peppers, greens and other vegetables. Apricots and pomegranates to make a light vinaigrette. When Calene finally joined her in the kitchen she noticed she was wearing her hair down instead of in a braid. “Does he like it like that?” She asked and saw Calene blush but only slightly.

Calene wanted to believe her mother. She was probably over reacting and needed to calm down for the baby's sake. Deshane was strong and very capable. She could almost feel his arms around her and it brought tears to her eyes. She agreed to go wash up and when she walked out of the bathroom she could smell breakfast. She was very hungry and walked into the kitchen. She blushed a little when her mother mentioned her hair. She nodded a little.

"Yes...he does. I've started to just wear it down all the time."

Nauriel gave her an approving look. “Well ‘I’ think it’s lovely,” she complimented as she put the salad on a plate then slid it over to Calene. She made one for herself then sat next to her. “How is married life treating you? I mean...how is Deshane treating you?” She asked. Ofcourse it was prying but she was her mother and she had a right to pry….for the most part.

Calene accepted the plate and began to eat. Her appetite had grown substantially in the past few months. She ate slowly, however, not wanting to overdo and become sick.

"Deshane is...wonderful," Calene told her mother honestly with a smile. "He worries over me and will sacrifice his own comfort to ensure I'm comfortable and happy. He is so excited about the baby. It's all he talks about...when he's here," she said as her smile faded a little.

Naurel looked over at Calene and tilted her head seeing her expression change when she spoke about him being gone so much. “Yes...I worried about that with him. He is at home here with you but also out there in the wilds just like your father. Perhaps that will change after the baby?” She asked. “Elessar...or...Aragorn as he used to be called then...I will admit that he did begin to smell after a few days without a proper bath,” she said and chuckled. “But I suppose I grew to like it...I doubt I was any better and he never once complained,” she told her.

Calene rubbed her belly gently as she thought about Deshane with the baby. The last time he was home they had begun to discuss names. She wondered if maybe things would change after the baby was born, but she would never ask him.

"Mother, were you...scared about being a mother?"

Nauriel tilted her head at the question. Not sure if she really remembered. Then a memory did come and she smiled. "I was more afraid of two Trolls hat were trying to kill me and Elessar. We weren't married then and when I saw him go down I was afraid. Afraid he'd be taken away from me when I hadn't yet bore him his children,"

Calene nodded a little and was quiet a moment before looking at her again. "I won't ever tell Deshane this, but I'm afraid Mother...not just of giving birth but of being a mother. What if I'm not good at it or don't know what to do?"

Nauriel smiled confidently at her daughter. "Calene I think every expecting mother feels that to some degree. As many things it will
come naturally. It's in our nature to doubt ourselves but trust
me. Your instincts will lead you true and you my dear will be an excellent mother. You do manage that beast of a
man you call a husband yes? Well, a baby is not more difficult then that I can assure you. Being able to provide suck, your body giving life...is the most amazing thing you will ever do," she told her.

Calene listened closely to her mother and couldn't help but smile a little at the boost of confidence she gave her. She hugged her mother tightly for a moment before the pair finished their breakfast. All day Calene waited for word of her husband's return, but heard nothing. Her fears continued to grow and she was fidigty all throughout court. That night she stood at the bedroom stand looked out...looking for any sign of Deshane.

His wound to the leg was pretty bad. He had had worse but he saw that there was some infection and if he didn’t quell that he’d be in a world of hurt. He knew he was way overdue and as he sliced down the side of his leg to escape the pus that had built up there. As his knife scored down his leg pus began to draw out of the wound. As he did this, it hurt alot, he thought about Calene and her swollen belly. He actually liked her with a swollen belly. She was more self-conscious about getting fat. Mood...sometimes and though he felt sick from the pain he smiled at that. How she needed his attention and needed him to tell her he thought her beautiful. She sometimes acted like a queen. Demanding and all of that but it was nice to think of her just as his woman. His wife and nothing more.


With the pus drawn out he covered the wound in the salve he had just made then bandaged it up. He’d have to stay off of his feet for another day, maybe two but there was nothing for it. He had alot of bear meat to eat but he had to skin it and only take what he could carry. The meat would draw other things. Things possibly much worse than a bear and he certainly had no strength to deal with that. It was then that he remembered the ball…”Oh Calene...I’m sorry,” he said softly as he stared longingly into the fire.


Kressara helped Calene to get dressed along with two other women, servants that had served her family for years. “Even with your bump Calene you’re going to look magnificent. Deshane will…”And then she stopped, silently cursing herself for mentioning his name. He was now 5 days overdue and that meant that something untoward happened for certain sure. Elessar himself had visited her earlier and told her that he himself sent a squad of soldiers to go look for him. The chances of them finding him were slim...akin to finding a needle in a haystack but it was an effort. One he hoped would bring her comfort that others cared for his safe return and not only she.

ooc: had a root canal this morning

OOC-Ewwww that sucks. I've had two of those (on the same tooth!). I hope you are doing better now. I just saw Doctor Strange. It was fantastic. I just love Benedict Cumberbatch. He's a great actor, but there is a humbleness about him that I love.

IC-To say that Calene was worried and upset would be an understatement. During the day she would pace constantly while staring out the windows and at night she would cry. She couldn't sleep in their bed...not knowing that something had probably happened to him. She felt the baby kick for the first time the other day and he hadn't been there to feel it. She felt sick just wondering what had happened to him...or if he was even alive. She didn't want to go to this ball. This was supposed to have been the first ball she and Deshane would attend together after being married. A special dress had even been made for her to wear. But now as her younger sister and servants helped her to put it on she just wanted to rip it off. She suddenly pulled away from them all...her dress only halfway fastened. Tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"I cannot do this...I cannot just walk in there and pretend that everything is fine...I cannot go around smiling while in my heart I know that Deshane is hurt...or worse."

Kressara looked up hearing the torment in her sister’s voice. She thought about what she could possibly say to Calene to placate her and then something did come to her though she wasn’t certain it would do.


“Well...no one is asking you to. You will be with us, your family. Take what strength you lack from us Calene. It would be good though for our people to see you considering all that has happened. Please, will you at least try?” She asked softly then laid her hand on Calene’s shoulder.

Calene was still quite upset, but she finally agreed to go to the ball despite her heavy heart. She just stood there quietly as Kressara and the servants help her to finish dressing. She felt ill, but did not want to let her family down. She could only hope that she wouldn't be questioned as to where Deshane was...she wasn't certain her heart could handle it.

Her gown fit her perfectly and her hair was done up in the newer fashion like her sister's was. This year there would be no Eldarion or Arina or Calista either which is why it was so important for her and Kressara to be there. A coach came to pick them up but even as it did she caught s glimpse of Kressara picking up a white rose. She blushed when she saw it then looked around as if hoping to glimpse who it was who dropped it. 

The ride was very short and the further up they went the noisier it became. Kressara squeezed Calene's hand. "Calene Deshane is coming home...I'm certain of it. Please smile at least...at least while we go in ok?" She asked. "Mother said father was notorious for being late and he came back everytime though sometimes if he had known how angry she was he might not wanted to," she said as she smiled at her sister.

Calene sat across from her sister in the coach. She sighed softly and looked up at her sister as she took her hand. Somehow having her there gave her comfort.

"I'll try to smile Kressara, I promise."

She then noticed the white rose. "Who gave you that?"

Kressara blushed even more hearing what her sister asked. She didn’t want to talk about it she had been telling him she wasn’t interested for the last year but he was persistent and had devious ways of making her think of him. “Oriv’ere Deconnel,” she admitted. “He’s...just a friend,” she said though her cheeks darkened even more giving away her lie. His father produced dyes and the tanning chemicals and all knew them well. A noble though lesser and extremely wealthy considering the large boom in wool and fabrics that required dyes. Calene would have seen him several times, he had petitioned for his father about bandits that had attacked their carts twice in the last year. A very handsome young man with red gold curly hair and pale blue eyes with a medium complexion that had been quite tan the last time she saw him. Many young girls fawned over him something fierce. Kressara hated that and so decided she wasn’t going to be one of ‘those’ girls. Yet he seemed quite taken with her and Calene might think that her sister secretly liked that though had mixed feelings considering she was so young. He was 2 years older than Kressara but more and more young men and women were marrying younger. Times were changing and marriages and betrothals were happening more often among the younger folk of Middle Earth as the leaders and nobles of men vied for power and position in this rapidly changing world. Good matches were becoming more and more difficult to find. Their father was still furious about Arina. Completely unsettled that his own daughter would even think of doing what she did to them. As a result Kressara was under a great deal of pressure to begin looking at the sons of the nobles in and around the city. Unlike Arina though Kressara was much more proper. Pure of heart and innocent which was a rare thing these days.

ooc: No idea where I went with this. My jaw is so sore and my fingers just kept typing.

Calene knew of course who Oriv'ere was and his family. He was quite handsome and constantly fawned over, but clearly from the white rose he had given Kressara he sought her attention. However, Kressara was still young...too young to marry yet. She was not even 15 yet and considering the close relationship Kressara shared with her father Calene doubted he would be happy that this young man was even flirting with Kressara. That being said, he was of noble blood and it was clear to Calene that Kressara liked this young man. Perhaps when she was a little older their father would consider the match, but certainly not at this moment.

"Kressara," Calene said gently as she took her sister's hand. "It is clear to me that you have feelings for this young man, but you are even young than he and too young to be courted just yet. He is of noble blood so perhaps in several years...but you know father is going to have a difficult time giving you up as you are the last of his daughter's and he loves you so."

OOC-I'm sorry your mouth is still sore. I hope that by tonight it will start feeling better.

By her expression it was unclear to Calene if Kressara was angry or just more embarrassed now as her eyes grew quite large when she mentioned being courted. If she were angry she would not talk back. Not to Calene or Calista and especially not their parents. She wasn’t like Arina in that regard. But she had done things recently that made Nauriel ask Calene to look after her. One such thing was she removed all the dolls and things from her room. She put them in a closet in a large, wooden box. When asked about them she had replied with “Those are a child’s toys,” and “I’m not a child anymore,” in a decidedly irritated tone. She had asked to be allowed to take her hair out of braids but Nauriel just smiled and ignored her request. The ball was different though and her hair had been lifted up like Calene’s though Calene’s was a bit more how adults wore it.


“Calane...I...I have questions about,” she began and Calene would catch her eyes going toward her belly then flittering away quickly. “About things….things mother won’t talk to me about. I know I’m too young for...well..you know,” she said and blushed a bright red. “But Anna Verlotte and Nalena Coradall say,” and then her voice just died out on the spot and she blushed even darker. “Oh nevermind,” she said and sighed her cheeks still quite pink.

Calene knew her younger sister was growing up. She had gone through the same emotions Kressara was going through now. It was a difficult time in a young girl's life, but she hoped Kressara would one day understand. When she saw her sister's eyes glance down at her stomach and then look up at her she knew what her questions were about. However she didn't feel it was her place to talk about such things and now wasn't the time.

"I don't feel it is my place to talk about such things without permission from Father and Mother. If you are more comfortable asking me questions I can ask them if that would be alright."

Kressara’s eyes grew large again. “Oh...no, please...don’t...just forget I said anything,” she said then decidedly tossed the rose out the window. Obviously she didn’t want mother to see her with it and ask questions. That and she didn’t want to deal with that right then either. The couch stopped and the footman, a tall, dark-haired man in a white uniform, opened the door and set down the step. Calene exited first to the Ooos and Ahhhs of the crowd of people who stood to receive them. Kresara came out next with less commotion and she hurried up to her and took hold of her hand. It was then when she smelled the food and her stomach growled as if she hadn’t eaten in days. It was obviously Kressara heard it to because she whispered in her ear. “Now you won’t gobble sweets tonight will you?” She asked. “De...uh...I was asked to make sure you didn’t,” she said and blushed as they stepped forward and waved to everyone. Most people there she knew and there were alot of guards. Deshane had told her she tended to ‘gobble’ when she was hungry, especially sweets and pastries which he knew she loved. With the baby growing it seemed she could never get enough and he had caught her a few times eating unusually quickly as if there was someone that would take it all away from her.

Calene hadn't intended to upset her sister. Right now she wasn't thinking clearly with Deshane missing. Once Deshane was back she would be more open to talking to her sister without letting their parent's know. As the coach pulled up to a stop she waited until the footman opened the door before stepping out. She forced a little smile and waved at the crowd that had formed. She then felt Kressara take hold of her hand. She could smell the food inside and normally it would make her hungry, but tonight she didn't feel much like eating due to her worry over Deshane.

"No...I doubt I will have the heart to eat much of anything tonight," she admitted to her sister.