A/N: Here we go, chapter two! Thank you to FlyingMachine1, AllTrekkedUp, and acciojd for their kind reviews and encouragements. I really am flattered you all are so receptive of this story. As with the last chapter, all Khuzdul will be listed and defined at the end of the chapter. (I'm not gonna disclaim this at the beginning of every chapter, so just assume they'll be listed.) Also, disclaimer: I own nothing. Just borrowing Professor Tolkien's wonderfully crafted characters for a bit.
Further disclaimer: This chapter will have depictions of childbirth in it, so if you're squeamish, watch out. Nothing too graphic, but it's there all the same.
Dis' eyes widened, breath leaving her body as she squeezed her son tightly to her, causing the dwarfling to emit a squeak of pain. "Vili…" she murmured, voice catching on a sob. "Oh, my husband… my love."
The proud shoulders of Durin's heir slumped in defeat, piercing blue eyes although dry displaying his own despair. Thorin leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers. "Forgive me… namad." He whispered, voice rough. "I will leave you now. Do you wish me to take Fili?"
Dis' arms tightened further around her son momentarily, before she nodded. Voice steady, Dis swiped a hand beneath her eyes, composing herself as she spoke to her son. "Here, turgith, go now. Your uncle will take you to see Mister Bofur. Perhaps he has a new toy for you to play with."
Thorin nodded. "Aye, Fili. Bofur has something special for you, I am sure. Come now, your mother needs her rest."
Staring uneasily from his mother's strained smile to his uncle's outstretched hand, Fili slid slowly down from the bed. Normally, the prospect of spending time with the cheery toy maker would have the dwarfling hopping around like a mad grasshopper in his excitement. However, tonight something was different. Fili had picked up on the tension in the room, and was skittish.
"Don't be afraid, khuhajith." Thorin rumbled, softening slightly. "Come, Bofur is waiting."
Eyes wide, Fili grabbed one of his uncle's large fingers in his own, thumb snaking up into his mouth- a sure sign of his unease. Dis watched him go carefully, waiting until the door shut before letting out a wracking sob, curling in on herself.
"Oh, Vili!" she wept, swollen belly shaking with the force of her sobs, clutching desperately at her braids. For a long while she wept, grief overwhelming her every thought. "No." she erupted suddenly. "No." she shook her head. "No! No! No, NO!"
The door swung inwards, Thorin, Balin, Dwalin and Oin entering in quick succession at her screams.
"Dis, you must calm down!"
"Calm down lassie!"
"You must lie still! You risk hurt to the babe!"
"Dis!"
The voices overlapped into a cacophony of loud noises, and she thrashed beneath the restraining hands, screaming out her grief to the universe. "HE'S NOT DEAD!" She bellowed. "HE CAN'T BE!"
"Dis…" Thorin mumbled, standing shell-shocked at the end of the bed, his own heart in tatters as he watched his sister play out her grief.
Dwalin, Balin, and Oin held her down, exchanging worried glances across her swollen belly as she screamed, tears streaming down her face in an unbroken river, soaking into her neatly trimmed beard. All of the sudden, the cries ceased, interrupted by a long and gutteral moan. Dis's whole body stiffened in agony, hands and feet curling up.
"Oin, what's wrong with her!?" Thorin demanded, panicking in the wake of his sister's pain.
Oin and Balin exchanged serious glances. "It's the babe." He announced finally. "It's coming. The stress of the news has caused her contractions to start."
"What?!" Thorin yelped. The babe wasn't due for another two months! Surely it didn't bode well for his young niece or nephew.
"I'm sorry, lad." The healer interpreted his silence correctly. "There's nothing we can do, I'm afraid, but wait and see once the babe is born."
The tense silence that followed Oin's remarks was broken by Dis' ragged breathing. "It's alright, Thorin." She reassured, voice rough from her tears, eyes red rimmed. "I'll be fine. Go now, nadad, and watch Fili. I'm sure Bofur would like to get home to his family. It'll be a while yet before this babe comes."
Oin nodded in approval, clearly happy to see her come back to herself. "Aye, lad. That'd be best. Balin and Dwalin will accompany you and get the water heating." He shot the brothers a pointed look. Balin led the way, clearly taking charge in the wake of his brother's uncomfortableness.
Thorin glanced at his sister, looking as if he'd like to speak again, instead opting for a terse nod, turning on his heel and shutting the door behind him.
Oin busied himself with stoking the fire, rummaging in the trunk at the foot of the bed where Dis kept the spare linens, setting them out carefully on the table before moving to the head of the bed. "Here lass, let's get the bed stripped."
Accepting the helping hand from Oin, Dis slid out of the bed carefully, allowing him to strip the bed of the quilt she had made for her husband, folding it and laying it reverently across the dresser. Pulling the top linens off, Oin deftly tossed a clean sheet across the bed, propping several pillows against the headboard. "There we are." He announced cheerfully, patting the mattress. Dis smiled wanly, climbing onto the bed slowly, adjusting her pillows to better soothe her aching back. She watched, toying with her hands in shame as Oin set out the scissors and twine from the closet.
"Oin," she began softly, rubbing at her belly as another contraction hit. "I wanted…" she panted. "To extend my apologies for my behavior earlier, I- I don't know what came over me."
Her long time friend smiled softly. "There's no need for that, Dis. Your reaction to your grief was both expected and natural. There's just the matter of the wee bairn to contend with." He gave her a slight smile. "Rest now, conserve your strength, and put aside your grief. Tonight shall be remembered as special, the day a new life came into this world even as a cherished one departed. I've no doubt your husband is looking down from the Halls of Mandos as we speak, eager for the arrival of this wee lass or lad."
"Oh, Oin." The grateful whisper fell from her lips as she reached out, squeezing his hand softly.
With a wink and a promise of checking back with her in an hour, the healer slid from the room, steeling himself to placate his king.
The moment Oin's footfalls could be heard in the hall, Thorin jumped up, Fili cradled against him. "How is she?" he queried, voice pitched low, body taut as a bowstring.
"She's fine, Thorin." Oin assured. "She is strong, and experienced. This babe won't come for several more hours, so we've nothing to worry for the time being."
A dark brow rose, large hands tightening ever so slightly against an uneasy dwarfling. " 'for the time being?'" the king under the mountain rumbled menacingly.
"We don't know what complications may arise, due to the early birth. This bairn wasn't due until the spring, Thorin, and there's still snow on the ground yet." The hurriedly backtracking healer explained cautiously. "But your sister is healthy, and the line of Durin is nothing if not stubborn." He pointed out wryly, earning a slight quirk of the mouth from the worried brother.
Thorin looked as if he were going to reply, but then Fili shifted anxiously against his uncle's broad shoulder, reaching out and taking a lock of dark hair in a small fist. The dark haired dwarrow froze, glancing down sadly at the shock of blond hair peeking out from beneath his own raven braids. After a moment, the regal air of the king of Erebor dissipated and he became simply Uncle Thorin, slowly beginning to rub circles against the small back he held cradled to him protectively. "It's all right Fili." He murmured softly, smiling slightly as his nephew burrowed into his neck, smearing his now clean skin with a bit of drool as he sucked his thumb. Oin looked away, giving him time to soothe the clearly upset little dwarrow, not wanting to intrude on what had obviously become a private moment between the two. A beat passed and the sound of fluttering snores, no lighter than butterfly wings broke the silence, slightly muffled against Thorin's body. Relief played across the regal features, firelight casting shadows across high cheekbones.
"Oin," Thorin began softly, gaze captured by his sleeping nephew. "Please, for her sake…" he swallowed thickly. "just… do the best you can."
"I'm afraid all we can do now…" Oin moved to sit beside the fire. "is wait."
And wait they did. The entire household in upheaval, Balin and Dwalin attempting to console Thorin while Oin bustled back and forth between Dis' chamber and the living room. Fili slept on, passed back and forth between laps, occasionally waking long enough to squeak something about his mother before he was soothed back into sleep by willing hands.
Dis cried out, back arching in agony as her first truly strong contraction slammed into her. "Good, lass! Very good!" Oin praised, saying nothing about the crushing grip she currently had on his hand. He was used to being abused by birthing mothers, and quite understood needing an outlet for the pain. Meeting her pain filled gaze, and reaching towards the sheet, he waited until she gave a nod before moving to check the baby's progress.
"Won't be long now, and we can push!" he announced cheerfully, emerging from beneath the sheet.
Dis nodded, slumping against the pillows as her body relaxed. Oin chuckled throatily, eyeing the clock on the mantle. "This babe is rather more insistent than master Fili was, I think." He whispered conspiratorially, earning himself a slow nod. "Only four hours it's been, and already signs are showing that within the next two hours we shall have a babe."
"And nine hours Fili kept me abed." She recalled breathily, eyes taking on a faraway look.
"Aye, and Thorin wouldn't let me leave the house for nary a one of those nine." Oin groused, sharing a laugh with Dis. "For someone who shows barely an emotion to anyone, that brother of yours can be quite the mother hen when he wants to." He winked, offering his hand again when her reply was cut off by another rolling moan.
"That's… true." She gasped, eyes shut tightly against the pain, pursuing the conversation as a means of distraction. "Thorin's… very fond of Fili… and I…"
"And he has every right to be." Oin smiled, glad his tactics had worked. Patting her hand, he swiped her brow with a damp cloth, moving downwards to her neck before wringing it out and replacing it in the bowl of cool water. "Right lass, you just rest, gather your strength."
Dis nodded limply, breathing deep and rhythmic as she prepared herself. "Won't be long now…" she muttered, rubbing at the bump softly.
"Aye, that it won't." Oin assured, standing and moving to the door. "I'm just going to nip out and inform Thorin of your progress."
Dis had no energy to protest, another contraction bearing down on her as the door swished shut.
Oin's heart began to flutter in anticipation as the door cut off a low moan from the bed. No matter how many years he helped with the process, birthing bairns had yet to lose its magic, its beauty. And the opportunity to twice serve his king by bringing his sister's children into the world outweighed any gratitude Thorin threw his way. Clearing his throat softly so as not to wake Fili, who was currently cradled in Dwalin's strong arms as the large dwarf stared broodingly into the fire, Oin moved into the circle of light. He had to resist a chuckle at the sight, knowing the hardened warrior would surely beat him a blue spot for his trouble if he let one slip.
Thorin immediately shot to his feet, worry and eagerness warring for equal spots on his face. "Dis?" he queried, voice tense.
"She's fine. I just came to inform you that she'll be ready to push soon. We'll know in a bit whether we've been gifted a wee lass or laddie." He smiled. "Everything's going as well as to be expected, Thorin."
Thorin near swayed on the spot with relief, wide grin spreading across his bearded face. "Thanks be to Mahal." He murmured, gaze lifting to the sky.
The first truly loud cry rent the quiet, sending Thorin into quite the delicate shade of green, Oin scurrying back into the bedchamber as Balin and Dwalin chuckled.
Dis was curled around her midsection, not attempting to stifle her cries as yet another harsh contraction rolled over her in waves. Panting harshly, she turned wide and panicked eyes on the healer as he came through the door. "Oin!" she cried, cut off by the pain.
"Easy, lass!" Oin soothed, hurrying to the bedside and grasping her hand. He was, admittedly shaken to see her so upset. She should not have been this worried with it being her second babe. "Easy…." he murmured. "You've done exceptionally well, Dis. You'll deliver a healthy bairn yet."
"No!" she choked, sweat pouring off her in rivulets as she stared at him. "Something's… wrong!" she cried, chest heaving. "…with the baby… I can feel it…"
He could not conceal the stab to his heart. He'd promised Thorin, and Dis… "It's alright." He soothed. "Just you wait, I'll see to the bairn. The only thing we can do is push. Get the bairn out, and I'll be able to fix it. Don't you worry."
Dis' eyes filled with tears as she nodded, staring up to the rafters as Oin checked once again the babe's progress. "Just a few more moments, 'round three or four more contractions before we start pushing."
"Oin, w-what if… what if the babe doesn't—doesn't…" she let out a sob.
"Don't talk like that Dis!" he ordered harshly. "Don't you start that! This babe will survive, it will! It's of Durin's line. If nothing else, sheer stubbornness will keep the bairn alive." He added, softening and wiping the tears from her cheeks.
A cry ripped its way up her throat, jaw clenching, breath working overtime, sweat slicked skin becoming red with exertion as her body tensed.
Oin mentally counted the length of her contraction, giving her a reassuring smile as he checked her dilation again. "I think it's time we started pushing."
Nodding limply, Dis groaned as one contraction rolled into the other, blocking out all other senses with sheer agony. "S-so ss-soon?" she gasped, frowning.
"I told you lass, this one's impatient, wants to get out and see the world." He spaced her feet apart, bracing them against the footboard. "Here we go… and, push!" he commanded.
The earth shattering scream from the next room brought the three anxious dwarrow sitting before the fire shooting to their feet, the youngest member of their company startling awake fearfully. Alarmed, Fili reached for his uncle, wide eyes misting over. Reacting instinctively, Thorin cradled his khuhajith close to his chest, murmuring reassurances into the golden hair splayed across his tunic. "It's alright, Fili." Balin offered kindly. "Your mother is just bringing your sibling into the world." Seemingly placated for the moment, Fili simply burrowed deeper into Thorin's warmth, his uncle's sturdy chest and beating heart comforting to him. The worried uncle cuddled his nephew close, brow knitting together.
Within moments it became evident that something was indeed wrong. Dis struggled, pushed hard and long, the babe progressed, but there was something wrong.
"Another one lass, this'll get the shoulders."
Breathing deeply, Dis bore down hard, letting out another scream as she did so.
"Good, very good! Almost there and then you can rest." Oin watched, hovering as the neck and shoulders of the startlingly dark haired babe came slowly into view. And it was then he realized the problem. The umbilical cord was wrapped about the babe's neck. If left unchanged, the babe would have trouble breathing on its own once it was fully born. Biting the inside of his lip, the healer locked eyes with the distressed mother. "Alright, Dis. Give it all you've got."
Arching her back, Dis obeyed, yelling her agony, and then… silence. No cries. Harsh panting of the exhausted mother, but nothing from the baby.
Oin lunged quickly for the scissors, snipping efficiently through the cord and cradling the babe against him. Hurriedly, he released the bairn's neck from its confines, waiting with bated breath as he watched the infant.
"Oin?" Dis's voice was rough, full of worry at the lack of cries.
He waited a moment longer, and then gently inserted a syringe into the infant's nostrils, sucking out the bit of amniotic fluids left behind by the hurried birthing. Laying it aside, he proceeded to grab a towel from the stack and vigorously rub down the baby dwarrow. After several more tense moments the wailing of Durin's newest heir wracked the silence. Breathing a sigh of relief, Oin bundled up the babe and carried him to his mother.
"Congratulations, Dis. Another son."
A/N: there you have it, another son of Durin brought into the world. This really hurt me to write. I hate torturing poor pregnant Dis like that. Anyway, Khuzdul to follow, reviews are health and life to lil' baby Durin! Next chapter baby Durin gets his name, and mucho the Durin cuddles with the new family and proud uncle!
Turgith: little stone
Namad: sister
Khuhajith: little warrior
Nadad: brother
Halls of Mandos: place where the spirits go to await the coming of their loved ones, like a heaven of sorts.