Chapter 23

Aragorn was looking forward to this day; yesterday Faramir had returned to the City after over a month in Ithilien, and Éowyn was with him. They had returned late in the afternoon, and had been invited to dine privately with the King and Queen.

Today he would have his Steward at his side as he conducted the business of the day, and that was something that just felt right. This evening there would be a feast of welcome for them, which he also looked forward to.

He rose and dressed informally for breakfast. Arwen had already risen; Elves were early risers most of the time, and she'd maintained her habits of a lifetime. She was up to farewell the stars and greet the Sun nearly every day. He went from their bedchamber into the sitting room, where one of Arwen's handmaidens was setting out the food on the small table by the window. When she saw the King, she made a small courtesy, and withdrew. Arwen was standing on the balcony, and turned to smile warmly at him, holding her own two hands out to him. "Good morning, belovéd," she said, as he drew her into his embrace.

After a rather lengthy and thorough kiss, he stepped reluctantly away, to pull out her chair. They sat down to a meal of fresh bread, fruit, and frumenty, and began to discuss their day.

Arwen and Éowyn would be going to the House of Children, an orphanage attached to the Houses of Healing. Although many of the war orphans had been placed in loving homes, there were still many more, as well as the children of more recent and commonplace tragedies. The Queen and the Steward's Lady hoped to arrange for several of the children to be relocated to Ithilien. Many could join the staff at the new Prince's home as pages or apprentices, and others could be taken in to some of the families who were now making their homes across the Anduin. Quite a few such families were those of Faramir's Rangers, and they would welcome the orphans with open hearts.

The King planned to make an early visit himself to the Houses of Healing; he made rounds there as a healer as often as his duties as King would allow.

When he returned, his valet would dress him in his formal court robes, and he would hold audience. He had to hear evidence against a baker accused of shorting his customers, and ratify the punishment his Guild had given the man, or change it or dismiss it. He chuckled as he told Arwen what that punishment was; the Guildmaster was rather clever. He'd most likely affirm the punishment if the evidence confirmed the baker's guilt. Arwen smiled, but did not laugh. It was rather ironic, but to her sensibilities it still seemed a bit harsh, though not cruel. He also had to affirm an agreement between the Merchant's Guild and the Seaman's Guild, and greet an ambassador from Dale.

The Royal couple made their way together in the direction of the Houses of Healing, followed discreetly by their personal guards. There they separated, as Arwen encountered Éowyn, and the two went to the House of Children, while the King headed for the Houses of Healing and the office of the Warden.

Master Sardos was in his office, and rose when the King entered. "Sire," he said, with a slight bow of the head. He appreciated the courtesy the King showed him by informing him when he was there; he could not keep regular hours nor could he have certain patients that only he attended. His duties as King meant that he might often be unavailable. But he frequently consulted with the other healers, especially for those illnesses of the mind such as were left behind by the War and that benefited most from the use of athelas and the healing hands of the King, and was always ready to put his hands to work whenever there was an emergency of any kind.

Once Aragorn had made certain that none had requested to consult with him recently, he went on to look through the patients in the various wards, lending a word of encouragement or comfort when needed, and a hand to any healer who might ask it of him. The second ward was one of his favourites: the birthing ward. While most of Minas Tirith's women preferred giving birth at home, some few whom their healers feared might have complications were brought there to give birth. Rarely did the complications actually happen, but it was always good to have all the resources available when they did.

He smiled widely when he saw who else was there. Thorongil was speaking to the Chief Midwife, Mistress Fieniel, and Mistress Poppy and her apprentice stood by his side. All of them turned at his entrance, the women gave courtesies and Thorongil gave a brief bow. This was Mistress Fieniel's domain, and so it was she who greeted him. "Sire! It is good to see you today!"

"Mistress Fieniel, you know that I enjoy your domain. You are not dreadfully busy at the moment, I see." Of the six beds, only two were occupied, and neither occupant was in labour. Both the patients were gazing wide-eyed at the King. It was clear they knew exactly who he was.

The midwife led them all over to the bed nearest the door. "This is Mistress Ava. Her own midwife wished her to have complete bedrest for the last month of her confinement. It was thought she would find that easier to accomplish here rather than at home. Ava, this is our King Elessar, who as you know is an accomplished healer, and this is Master Thorongil, one of the healers here; he has brought with him Mistress Poppy Burrows and Miss Viola Harfoot, healers of the Shire who have come to learn something of our methods here in Gondor."

If the woman's eyes had been wide when she saw the king, they grew even wider when she realised what the two small figures were.

The visiting healers looked her over with experienced eyes; she was not young, and it was clear she had borne children before. Aragorn smiled at her, and asked, "Why did your midwife wish you to have bedrest, Mistress Ava?"

She blushed, and stammered. "Wh-why?" Then she blushed. "This is my seventh babe in ten years. I also have my husband and his two brothers at home. The midwife knew I'd not get the rest I need with them in the house."

Mistress Poppy looked sympathetic. "If you were there, you'd still be at their beck and call. Let me guess, your husband never knows where anything's to be found, and his brothers never help with the little ones and the children's favourite word is 'Mama!' said always in urgent tones?"

The woman nodded. "You do understand!"

"Have you no female kin to help you out?"

"My brother's wife, my sister-in-law, she and I always helped one another...but...but he was lost on the Pelennor, and she moved out of the City to return to her own folk in Lebennin." The woman sighed.

Poppy took off her pendulum. "May I try something?" she asked.

This was not the first time Thorongil had seen the hobbits make use of their pendulums, but it was the first time for Aragorn to observe it in action.

She held it over the woman's swollen belly, and watched the movements with a smile, then turned to her and said. "The babe is well. Do you wish to know if it is a lad or a lass?"

"You can tell that? Yes, please!"

Poppy smiled. "It's a lass, my dear!"

Mistress Fieniel looked dubious, but the King stepped forward and held his hand over Mistress Ava's middle, about an inch above. He did not touch her. But he grinned at Mistress Poppy. "I concur, Mistress Poppy!"

Now Mistress Fieniel looked impressed; she had seen the King do that before and he was always right. But how could the pherian know, just from dangling her necklace like that? She turned a questioning gaze to Thorongil.

Thorongil grinned. "Most of our colleagues are doubtful when they first see the hobbits' pendulums in action. They are beginning to learn, though."

Mistress Fieniel led them to the other bed. "This is Mistress Isfen. Her midwife sent her along to us because she suspects twins. She is at the end of her seventh month."

Aragorn nodded. Going by appearances alone, he would have imagined she was nearly ready to deliver. The midwife introduced them all to MIstress Isfen, who confided that this was her second pregnancy, and that her husband was a Guardsman of the Second Company.

"Twins, eh?" Twins were a rarity among Gondoreans, but not unheard of. He held his hand over her as he had with Mistress Ava. He jerked his hand back, and blinked, then held it over her again. Then he looked at Mistress Poppy. "Mistress Poppy, would you oblige me?"

She nodded and took off her pendulum once again. She held it above Mistress Isfen, and studied its patterns for a while with a puzzled expression on her face. She looked up at the King, then tried again. "But it can't be!" she said. "I've never in my born days heard of such a thing!"

Mistress Isfen looked alarmed. "What is wrong? Do I have twins or no?"

Aragorn smiled at her, "No, you do not have twins," he said, "you have triplets."

Mistress Ava's jaw dropped. "Triplets!"

"Two lads and a lass, if I read it a-right," added Mistress Poppy.

Aragorn nodded.

"Congratulations!" Thorongil said to the astonished mother.

They left her to absorb the incredible news, and went to the other side of the room where they would be out of earshot of the patients.

"Master Thorongil," said the midwife, "Twins were why I had asked to consult with you. As you know twins often must be brought forth by surgical delivery. But with triplets, that's likely to be a certainty!"

Mistress Poppy looked up. "We've never had triplets in the Shire; twins are rare enough. Jolly Cotton is twin to Rose Gamgee, and I know that Pimpernel Goodbody was expecting twins before I left. But those are the only ones I know of. Just how common are twins and triplets among Men?"

Aragorn looked down at her. "Twins are less uncommon among Men than among hobbits; and they happen often in certain bloodlines. But triplets are very rare indeed."

Mistress Fieniel nodded. "The only other case I know of occurred early in the rule of Steward Turgon. According to the records they were three boys." She shook her head sadly. "Only two of them survived, and the mother nearly lost her life as well."

Aragorn looked over at the woman, who still looked quite startled by the news. "We shall do all that we can to avert such a thing happening again," he said.

“She is unlikely to carry to full term,” said the midwife. “If we can help her to rest and be calm I would like to see if we can help her to carry them at least another two to three weeks. Success will be more likely then, though the babes will be very small and may have some difficulties. The odds are against all three of them surviving.”

“Mistress Fieniel, I would like your permission to speak to the Queen. This may be a case in which her talents are useful.” Arwen had a way of calming the fears of patients.

“Of course, sire.”

“And I will take care of informing her husband, since he is in the Tower Guard. We should keep the news of her children as quiet as possible. Such a momentous event will create gossip all over the City, and create dismay if the ending is unfortunate.”

This seemed logical. There were superstitions enough over twins; they were considered an omen—of good fortune by the majority, but were also thought of as ill omens by many others. Triplets would astound everyone once it was known, and the poor parents would have no peace.

“Mistress Fieniel,” said Mistress Poppy, “I would like to offer my services and that of my apprentice as well. Unfortunately Tooks sometimes have a tendency to early births. We have experience with infants who come too soon into the world; I am sure that we can put that to use with these babies.”

“And I may need assistance with the surgical delivery,” said Thorongil. “I would like your permission to ask my mother if she can help.”

Aragorn spoke once more. “Mistress Fieniel, please do keep me informed of how things are going with this case, and let me know when it is time for the delivery, for I should very much like to assist as well if there is any way possible that I can.”

With the midwife's agreement, the others went to leave the room. Aragorn had only a little time left before he must return and prepare for court, and Thorongil had his rounds to finish, accompanied by the two hobbit healers.

~~~~~~~

Author’s Notes: Back in April of 2008, I made a comment in SurgicalSteel’s LiveJournal, a little micro-fic about Mistress Poppy meeting Serindë of Dol Amroth. When I indicated to SS at the time that I might like to use that part in my sequel to “The Road to Edoras” some day, she gave me her blessing. Since then she has agreed to allow me to continue using her characters, and has been most helpful with advice.

Serindë, Thorongil and Sador all belong to SurgicalSteel, although due to several timeline differences between our two universes, they are not precisely the same in my stories. I appreciate her courtesy in allowing me to use her characters, and her help with medical advice.