Thorin watched as Billa collapsed to the floor, Fili diving in to catch her, cradling her head in his arms. In seconds the company were surrounding her, "Let me through," Oin demanded, elbowing the others out the way as he knelt before the fallen hobbit.
"Nori," Thorin snapped, "What happened?"
"Nothing, she fainted," Nori replied coolly, russet eyebrow raised "Despite us being in the open, which I advised against, I've got more guards on us than jam on a scone."
"You've been hanging around Dwalin too much," Dori commmented, before demanding a stretcher. Nori just scowled at his brother but Thorin noticed the blush that crept up Dwalin's head as the warrior stood next to the king.
"Nori's right," Oin said, "Bit of a shock for the poor lass, I'd say she should be right as rain in a bit, but she's got a nasty arrow wound in her side. Looks a bit sore, so I'll give her a sleep tonic and some salve."
"An arrow wound, show me?" Thorin pushed forward as Oin gently raised Billa's tunic, careful of her modesty and Thorin saw the wound was healing. Travel had made it raised and raw on soft skin and Thorin clenched his fists at his side. He looked at his eldest nephew, who still cradled Billa's head, "You do not leave her side, when she wakes you send someone to fetch me. Will you do this for me Fili?"
"Of course uncle."
The King under the mountain indulged in a moment to observe what he had once called his own. Round face, sun kissed skin lightly brushed with freckles were framed by loose gold curls that had grown long in her absence. He was aware of the dull pain in his chest, but now was not the time for such sentiments. A crowd had gathered, eyes watching like hawks at the way their king crouched next to the fallen woman.
It was only when the stretcher came and Fili and Oin lifted Billa onto it did a voice sudddenly speak up. "No, mama!"
Thorin looked around, that sounded like a child? "Thorin," Dis drew his attention to where she stood next to Kili and Bofur, "I do not think Billa was talking about the Arkenstone when she spoke of precious cargo."
Thorin strode forward, to the small bundle in Kili's arms. Dark hair, almost as black as ink fell over large, round ears. Blue eyes looked up at him in fear, eyes that Thorin knew well, the same eyes that would return his gaze were he to stand infront of a mirror. The child's button nose, and soft round cheeks were Billa's, he was certain, he had spent sleepless nights on their quest studying her face in the dim light of the campfires.
"Say somthing Uncle," Kili pleaded, holding onto the child tightly. Thorin coughed as the faunt whimpered at the noise, looking up a Kili as though his nephew would make everything better. Thorin couldn't force any words from his mouth and Kili shook his head before looking at his mother and walking away with Bofur. "Come on Ree, we'll get you some toast and juice while your mom has a rest. We'll have to be really sneaky though, cause Bombur wont want us ruining our dinner."
Thorin watched them go, not caring about the whispers that were spreading through the crowd as Dwalin and Balin instructed them to go about their chores. Dwarves were a nosey race, and he knew it would not take long for the whole mountain to know of Billa's child.
"Ow! Dis!" He jumped as his sister punched him in the head.
"Don't you dare Dis me, I swear they should have crowned you Idiot under the mountain. You ignored a child, a sweet inocent child who has probably been through hell and back to get here."
She stalked off and Thorin chased after her, sometimes he wondered who really ran this moutain, then reminded himself that it was, in fact his sister. "Dis, did you see that child? He looks like," he lowered his voice, "he looks like me."
His sister must have heard the pain in his voice, because she stopped and faced him. "I know Thorin, I can see Fili and Kili in him as well. It hurts me to think she raised him without her family, that she hid him from you and you missed out on watching him grow."
"If he's mine...I'm a father." The words sounded foreign on his tongue. The doubt in his mind was fleeting, had Billa taken a lover in the shire? He couldn't doubt the boys resemblance to himself but these were the quesions the council and his people would ask. The hobbit had thought him dead, it was natural she would continue with her life, it was a notion that left a bitter taste in his mouth and jeaousy coursed through his veins.
"Try not to look too terrifed brother," Dis joked, she closed the small distance between them, and hugged him briefly before pulling away and looking at him with hard eyes. "You've been given a second chance, and by Mahal our family does not get those often. Thorin, do not mess this up. I will kill you if you do."
"Yes Dis," He mumbled.
"Good, now come on, we've got a lot to prepare for."
x
It was the third day since Billa had arrived and she had still not woken. Thorin paced his throne room practicing in his head what he was going to say. He had been ignoring the council much to their dismay, trying instead to talk to Bofur, Dwalin and Balin. The three dwarves had come to the agreement that anything they had learned on their travels back must come from the lady herself. Balin and Dwalin had said it with quite respect yet Bofur had bristled at his king's questions, vowing that his silence was not to be broken. Not even for his king.
Thorin could have commanded them to tell him, but he knew that was not fair, on them or Billa. He had allowed Bofur's disrespect for they had bought her back, that was enough to earn his gratitude again. To protect her so fiercely was a comfort he would not share with the others, he knew she would be looked after.
From what he was still unsure, he had banished her in front of his people, and while he had rescinded it as soon as the madness passed him his people had not known the hobbit. Would they see her as a threat? Would those that had driven her away strike now? If not now when?
Thorin had even tried to track down Kili, who seemed to have developed a protective streak that surprised everyone. He had become Ree's guardian and never allowed the babe to be left alone with anyone for the moment. Thorin had spied them together on more than one occasion, a familiarity between them that had the young one at ease, laughing and playing with his youngest nephew.
Kili at least looked apologetic for keeping the youngster away from the king, but was stead fast that only when Billa woke and could talk to Thorin himself was the babe allowed to sit with the king. So for the time being the duo had made themselves at home in the library, Ori spoiling them with cakes and biscuits.
It was late afternoon when there was a knock on the door and a small blonde haired dwarrow had popped her head around. "I'm sorry to bother you, your highness."
"It's quite alright Tula." The dwarrow sagged in relief as she entered the throne room. Perhaps Dwalin had been right when his friend had called him a tightly wound arse wipe. "Prince Fili told me to come and get you, it's quite urgent regarding mistress Baggins, she's awake."
Thorin didn't waste anytime, running down the Royal corridor, almost colliding into Oin and Bofur as they left Billa's room.
"Good morning my king," Bofur smiled, tipping his hat as they waited for him to catch his breathe.
"How is she?" He asked straightening up.
"Sore and tired," Oin grumbled, "A little underfed, both her and the little one but we'll soon fix that." He clapped a hand to Thorin's shoulder before they both made their way down the hall.
When he entered everyone in the room turned to him; Fili, Kili and Dis were sitting around Billa's bed, her young faunt sitting next to her, covered in the blanket. Those honey eyes looked at him and in that second he knew that no matter how hard this would be he would do things right. Mahal how could he not have done this right the first time? Sitting there she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
Billa looked up to see Thorin standing there, taking her breath away as the heavy doors closed behind him and it was like seeing a ghost. He really isn't dead. It is something that would take time to get used to. She smiled and Fili handed her a small glass of water, "Slowly," he instructed, "Or Oin will tie my braids together."
"He'd really do that?" She croaked, not quite believing it.
Dis sighed, "I found my beloved children together sobbing one day, their braids a tangled mess. When they had refused to tell me what they had done I went to Oin." She raised eyebrows at her sons and carried on, despite Kili's horrified declaration of 'Amad no!'
"They had taken his laxative remedies and attempted to smuggle them into the ale supply."
"Mother," Fili hissed as Dis sighed,
"They are such drama queens," She poked Frerin in the ribs as he climbed up Fili, letting out giggles and squeals. Kili had taken the time as Billa had done in Rivendell and explained that Fili was his brother, and another cousin for the young lad. Frerin had become almost as instantly attached as he had to Kili. "Lets just hope you do not develop that habit, but I fear it may be too late."
Dis shook her head, and Billa grinned as Frerin hung upside down, kicking Fili in the nose, head in the prince's lap.
Thorin moved forward, unsure of what to do and Billa shook her head, placing the now empty glass on the table next to her. "Thank you," she said finally, "For the rooms, it's just, it's too much. I don't need all this space, I don't want to put you out."
When Billa had woken and finally come to her senses she'd been overwhelmed and confused. Comforted by Fili,Kili, Dis and Bofur who assured her she was safe, that her child was safe and that Thorin was very much alive. She hadn't gone mad then. Alive, that word seemed to echo around her head, filling every nook and cranny until no other thoughts mattered. Frerin had not allowed his mother much time to brood as he drew her attention to the rooms they were in and Billa had been sure they had made some mistake, it was too much for a simple hobbit.
Fili had sent one of the guards for Oin, and with the princes and Bofur's help she was given a tour. She had shuffled around in awe, the rooms were bigger than the whole of Bag-end. Fili and Dis had shown her the washroom and the kitchen, with the working oven and stocked pantry and cool box. The bedroom in which she had woken up had an open fire in the stone archway, her bed was big enough for five hobbits, draped in the softest quilts she had known.
Her living quarters and receiving room had taken her breathe away, the deep browns of oak furniture were a warmth against the stone. The most astounding had been the balcony, and she had felt the sun tickling her face and the wind stirring her hair as she looked down across middle earth.
Fili had explained that it would take time, and new soil but if she wanted she could grow a garden. Dis had confirmed what she had begun to hope, they intended for her to stay, for this to become a home. Billa only hoped that Thorin shared his families sentiments. Now he stood before her, almost as though he was a stranger in his own kingdom, each movement slow and deliberate.
"Nonsense, this room is perfect for you both, we would have you given you a larger room had we one." Kili moved to the floor allowing Thorin to sit down. "Shall we go uncle?"
Thorin shook his head at the same time as Billa, "No, this involves all of us."
His fingers itched to reach out to her, to feel soft skin against his own calloused hands. Even after five years she still stirred the fire within him, and even now it scared him. "Billa, I..." How could he ask this? How could he phrase this delicately, but it was if she'd known what he was trying to say and she nodded.
"You can ask Thorin, I wont be offended."
"You wont shout at me?"
Her lips quirked "Not yet."
She watched his eyes, the conflict and hope within them. "Is your son mine?"
Frerin climbed off Fili and onto Billa, sitting down and watching them all silently.
"Yes."
xx
Another cliffhanger, SO sorry...*cough*kinda not*cough* Enjoy!
