Child of the Woods by Aprilertuile

Chapter 1: Home

Nerdanel was sitting at her desk, reading a letter from a customer. She was pregnant enough it was showing and slowing her down in her crafting, but not enough that she felt she should be slowing down, so she felt the process was more frustrating than it really should be.

And her oh so thoughtful husband would perhaps not survive this pregnancy if he didn’t let her do what she needed to do without being at her side offering to do everything for her.

Want a glass of water? ‘please don’t move my love, I’ll go get you a glass.’

Want some food? ‘don’t worry my dear, I can get it for you, does venison sound good?’

Want to open a window? ‘Stay seated beloved, I’ll open it for you.’

Learning from watching their father, the kids, Maitimo and Makalaurë had both taken to stay to play or study around their mother to help at a single prompting. She just had to start raising from her seat and both kids were up to their feet, ready to help with whatever she needed.

It was cute.

It was also overbearing and she. Was. Going. To. Murder. Them. All.

So while Fëanáro was busy with Makalaurë outside and Maitimo was busy doing his essay on politics and the founding of the government of Tirion, she had gone to her office to try to catch up to her correspondence at the very least.

And oh, letters were interesting, one more than the others admittedly.

She just received an order for a statue of Yavanna for the next planting season festival. She had time still but not so much that she could wait until after the birth.

However could she also really let that opportunity pass her by and risk becoming obsolete in the face of an ever changing crowd of art enjoyers?

She was thinking about it when Fëanáro entered her office, looking on the verge of a nervous breakdown:

“Nerda...”

“We’re going to Yavanna’s pasture!” She decided.

The sound he made was an interesting mix of a puppy whine and an angry kettle. She didn’t even know an elven throat could make those sorts of sounds.

“Nerdanel, my light, my love, surely you don’t mean...”

“I received an order for a statue of Yavanna for the next planting season. I absolutely REFUSE to let that opportunity pass me by, and I need inspiration. So I’m going to the Pastures of Yavanna for inspiration and who knows, perhaps I’ll meet her even, if she has the time and the inclination to meet me. And you can either come with me, or stay home, but I will be going whether or not you like it.” She snapped.

“But you’re pregnant!” He squeaked.

“And I’ll still be pregnant on the road, I can assure you!”

“What if something happens?!”

“Then you better start to pray nothing happens, don’t you?”

“Nerda...”

“Fëanáro. If I miss this opportunity, it’ll be offered to the next sculptor who can work wood, and it is absolutely OUT of the question that I let anyone win over some of MY customers!” She hissed.

Fëanáro frowned at that.

“Yes but...”

“I am NOT letting anyone upstage me. If they are only better than me when I’m not here then they don’t deserve to take my customers from me!”

She could see on her husband’s face the crafter’s pride she knew well battling with his worry for her health.

“I will go with or without you, you will not be able to lock me in the house, Fëanáro.”

“Fine, we’ll go.” Fëanáro grumbled clearly unhappy with that decision.

“That’s the spirit. You can prepare the boys’ bags, I’ll prepare mine. And we need supplies. How about we leave in two days, that should give us enough time, right?”

Fëanáro just watched her with a kind of adoring helplessness as she started to plan what they needed to do to leave on time.

He wasn’t sure they really needed most of her crafting tools but he was half afraid to tell her that. She could be fierce when she had an idea and a plan.

In the end, he left her at her listing, going to his own office. He had letters to send to warn at least his father and his seneschal.

He must admit he was a bit surprised. She wasn’t feeling that restless when she was pregnant with Makalaurë or Maitimo.

Could he reasonably have a healer join them on their journey?

He grimaced: probably not, and he didn’t want to test the limits of her patience.