March 21, 2963- the Spring Equinox.
The quiet, peaceful Valley suddenly became lively.
Nearly all the elves were talking about the Last Homely House, where Lord Elrond resided. Inside its halls, Sylas, Elrond, Celeborn, Elrohir, and Elladan waited silently outside the birthing room. Only Galadriel, the grandmother, and several midwives were inside with Arwen.
From time to time, muffled groans came from the room, and the men outside couldn't help but show varying degrees of worry.
Elrond and Celeborn appeared calm on the surface, but one had unconsciously clenched his fists, and the other radiated pressure strong enough that nearby elves instinctively avoided standing too close.
Elrohir and Elladan paced anxiously back and forth.
Sylas, meanwhile, stood stiff as a statue, face tense, eyes locked on the closed door as if he could see through it by will alone.
Seeing his state, Elrond felt a mix of concern and amusement. He gently reassured him, "Don't worry so much, Sylas. Galadriel is with her, and Arwen is in excellent health. Everything will be fine."
Sylas nodded distractedly, barely hearing him at all, simply reacting on instinct.
Elrond sighed and stopped trying to calm him. Nothing would relax Sylas until the birth was safely over.
Time crawled by. Night fell, and the star Eärendil shone brightly in the sky.
Then finally, a baby's cry came from the birthing room.
Though not loud, the sound echoed across the Valley, clear as day to elven ears.
Instantly, joy swept through the elves. The birth of a new life was always cherished, and this child was the offspring of Elrond's daughter, the Evening Star of their people.
A melodious song, filled with ancient magic, rose throughout the Valley as the elves welcomed and blessed the newborn.
A few minutes later, a second cry followed the first.
Galadriel emerged with a warm smile, cradling a baby wrapped in white silk. Beside her, another midwife held a baby wrapped in blue silk.
"Congratulations, Sylas," she said. "Arwen has given you twins."
She continued, "The one wrapped in blue is a boy, the elder brother. The one in white is his younger sister."
Sylas glanced quickly at the children, but his first words were, "My lady, how is Arwen? Is she alright?"
Galadriel's smile deepened. "She's simply exhausted and has fallen asleep. If you're worried, go in and see her."
Sylas hurried into the room immediately.
The men exchanged looks, then finally relaxed.
Celeborn chuckled and murmured to Elrond, "It seems our Arwen found a very good husband."
"Indeed," Elrond agreed with a small smile.
They didn't follow Sylas in, not wanting to intrude, and instead gathered around the newborns.
Celeborn carefully took the baby boy from the elf midwife. Elrond gently received the baby girl from Galadriel. Elrohir and Elladan crowded close, eyes full of curiosity and affection for their new niece and nephew.
Twins were common in Elrond's bloodline, Elrond himself and Elros were brothers, as were Elrohir and Elladan. But for an elven woman to give birth to twins was unprecedented in their recorded history.
Inside the room, Sylas sat beside the bed, watching his pale but peaceful wife as she rested.
Arwen stirred, sensing him, and slowly opened her eyes. The moment she saw him, her gaze softened. "Sylas…"
He immediately leaned closer, taking her hand gently. "Arwen, how do you feel? Are you in pain? Do you want water? I'll get you some."
He hurriedly poured a cup of Ent-draught into a golden goblet, then carefully helped her drink. The living energy of the Ent drink, amplified further by the enchanted cup, restored color to her cheeks within moments.
Her voice strengthened as she looked around and asked softly, "Sylas… where are the children? Have you seen them?"
"Uh..." Sylas froze for half a second. He had, kind of forgotten. He answered with guilty hesitation, "They should be with Lord Elrond and the others."
"Should be?" Arwen's gentle eyes sharpened instantly as she stared at him, utterly speechless. "Sylas, those are our children. Their father didn't even look at them?"
"No, no! Arwen, I saw them when I came in! They're adorable, and they look just like you!"
Arwen narrowed her eyes at him.
"Really? Then tell me, what do they look like? What color are our son's hair and eyes? And our daughter's?"
"Uh, his hair was, probably black?" Sylas forced out.
In truth, he'd barely looked at them. His mind had been in chaos, focused entirely on Arwen's condition, not the babies' appearance. There was no possible way he could remember the details clearly.
Seeing his uncertain, guilty expression, Arwen could only sigh helplessly.
If Sylas hadn't spent her entire pregnancy doting on the children, resting his head on her belly, speaking to them softly, inventing strange versions of "prenatal education," chanting spells, reciting ancient history, even humming Tom Bombadil's bizarre magical songs every single day, she might have suspected he didn't love the children at all.
Just then, Elrond and the others entered, each carrying one of the newborns.
Elrond first checked on his daughter, confirming there were no hidden issues. Only then did he finally relax. He then placed the baby girl between Arwen and Sylas and smiled gently.
"Come, see your children. Your daughter resembles Arwen greatly, she is already a little beauty."
Celeborn followed, carefully setting the baby boy beside his sister.
Sylas looked at the two tiny figures before him, his children, and something deep inside him stirred. A sense of blood connection, warmth, and overwhelming love erupted in his chest like a volcano.
The two newborns didn't look like wrinkled human infants at all. Instead, they were unbelievably beautiful.
Their snow-white skin was smooth and delicate like freshly peeled eggs, flawless and glowing. Their soft black hair clung gently to their heads. Their large eyes were already wide open, bright and intelligent.
They stared straight at Sylas and Arwen, as if instinctively recognizing their parents, and even smiled.
They looked almost identical, like two perfect creations shaped by the hand of Ilúvatar Himself. Only their eyes differed: the boy's eyes were black, like Sylas's, while the girl's were gray.
Their tiny pointed ears revealed their heritage.
Clearly, as children of a human wizard and a half-elf, they had inherited more of Arwen's lineage, their forms were unmistakably elven.