AN: Sorry these took so long guys, been working so hard recently, totally forgot to upload these. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the new chapters, we'll start having some family capers soon.
Thank you all for sticking around so long, since Train wreck some of you.
I hope you'll stick around for the next gen LotR story as well.
Chapter 9: Seven minutes until midnight.
I couldn't move.
I felt totally stuck to my spot standing in calf deep bath water and amniotic fluid, terrified of moving and dripping wet with a pale face.
My stomach twisted with nerves, I felt sick, my entire body shook as I felt a weak contraction tightening my stomach and relaxing after a long 10 minutes. I didn't feel like they were really that bad, so got out of the bath and dressed in my night gown, laying down and resting, closing my eyes for seconds and waking up to a sun glowing room and birds chirping, I guess that I wasn't really in labour, more just over reacting. In the corridors, I felt like my stomach was on fire, like there was a blunt spoon being forced through my body, I thought it was just exhaustion.
"Clary? Might I have a word?" Nori called, I nodded and waited for him to get to me, and he was moving cautiously and had a nervous expression on his face. "Please don't kill me for this." He begged I frowned.
"Why would I kill you?"
"Because, Fili and Kili went with some of the others to pick up the convoy from the Blue Mountains, they were attacked and needed the extra protection." Nori covered his face quickly as I pulled an annoyed face and sighed angrily.
"That little shit told me he was with Gloin in the forges."
"Partly true, they met in the forges before leaving." I sucked in my bottom lip and glared venomously at the floor before I nodded and let the issue slide.
"Don't worry Nori; it's Fili who had better watch himself." I sighed, the dwarf leaving me stood in the corridor, I felt another stab of pain in my stomach, tears stung my eyes as I sniffed and tried to hold off my hormonal emotions.
I whimpered and forced myself out of my seat, I couldn't think as I trashed our bedroom making my way to the front door, hands balled into tight fists as I struggled through the halls, running into Nori, who still didn't hear me coming until I called his name.
"Nori!" I called; he jumped and turned around, seeing my pale and shaking figure clutching the door frame for support. "Nori help me." He rushed over and placed his arm around me, supporting my weight.
It had been about four hours since I'd seen Nori this morning, he was confused as to what was going on, but I couldn't think to string the sentences together enough to explain.
"Who do you need? I can get Oin?" He said hurriedly, I nodded, allowing him to lead me into a side room and then watching in despair as he ran to find Oin.
You always have had the worst sense of time keeping… You get it from your father.
I shook in pain as a shorter, minute long contraction hit me; I stifled my cry, biting my knuckles to stay quiet. Nori came back, red faced and out of breath, sans Oin.
"I couldn't find him; he must have gone with the men the other day." Nori panted, I whimpered and then took a deep breath and collected my thoughts, breathing steadily.
"Okay, then we'll have to do it. I have enough knowledge from midwifery courses to know the basics of what happens." I nodded and then kept thinking, planning another move since Oin wasn't here to help me.
"Knowledge? Have you ever actually delivered a baby?!" Nori panicked, I sighed and then shook my head. "Neither have I! We need someone who knows what they're doing."
"I know what I'm doing Nori, but as I said, I lack the practical experience, but there's always a first time for everything."
"Not in your case dear." Oin panted, coming through the door with Gloin at his side, I felt like I could breathe easier as he came to my side.
"Where's Fee and Kee?" I gasped, a bead of sweat dripping down my back.
"They're with their mother, they have no idea what's happening."
"One more! One more push!" Oin shouted, over the sound of Nori shouting the same thing at me, my face must have been a picture of inelegance and gross at this point, sweaty and red from the stress. I cried out and then took a deep breath as I followed Oin's orders, that first scream was worth it all though. High and frail, a scream broke free; I beamed as the tiny child was taken to be cleaned.
"You have a girl My Lady." The healer declared, I laughed weakly.
"Fee owes me ten gold coins."
I whined as another burst of pain rippled through my body.
"The after birth?" I panted, Oin nodded and then his face changed as he paled.
"Uh, yes, push hard Miss Reynolds." He instructed, I frowned and did as I was told, after another few pushes, I heard a second scream, my head popping up in shock as a second, bigger, child was passed to be cleaned as well.
"A boy Miss." A different healer said, I groaned, I wanted to hold them, I wanted to keep them out of the eye of the Mountain, just until they were old enough to understand why they were so adored. I heard someone shouting out in the hall I felt exhausted, physically and mentally.
"Well done My Lady." I nodded and allowed my head to fall back against the pillows they'd set up behind me, Gloin was currently wrapping the boy in a blue blanket, his wife handling the girl in her pink blanket. Both of the babies were passed to me, I couldn't stop smiling at their tiny perfect faces, a feeling of warmth and achievement passing through my veins.
"Who in the world is making all that noise out there?" I asked, Gloin poked his head around the door frame before shouting at the source of the racket, making it go silent out in the hall.
"It's just the Lads Miss Reynolds." He answered, I nodded and then sighed, nursing the twins and trying to get some rest at least.
"If you're going to try and keep me from my wife Dwalin, you will have to kill me." Fili shouted, I rolled my eyes and ignored him.
"Those are my grandchildren and my daughter, get out of my way." A new voice snarled, the Dwarf seemed to move as a woman came in, her face pink and her skirt in her hand as her blue eyes locked onto my children. I knew who this woman was in seconds, she looked like a female version of Thorin, all proud features and strong opinions.
"So, this is the child that married my son." She said mysteriously, I say mysteriously as I couldn't identify the emotion she used. "And the children they bred together." I felt a flash of anger moving quickly through my body, I have never wanted to slaughter someone as much as her right now.
"Yes, it is." I replied firmly, returning her stare with a stony look before glancing at the twins, wanting them to not hear this or remember it at all.
"A bit small aren't they?" She noted, moving to my side slowly as she peered down at them.
"That would be because their mother is human." I replied through gritted teeth.
"A pity." Dis muttered, her eyes hardening and her hands reaching for my children.
"I think I would like for you to leave." I said quietly, she looked thunderously angry, marching out of the room and demanding that Fili make me let her have the babies.
"They aren't yours mother, leave Clary alone." Kili snapped, I frowned, the last thing I wanted to do was cause a rift between the boys and their mother, but at the moment it seemed inevitable. Dis stormed off as the two Dwarfs entered the room, Fili looked nervous but excited as he kissed my forehead and then smiled at his children.
"You lied to me." I said, he nodded and looked at his brother sheepishly. "We've also lost the bet with Tauriel." I added, he nodded upon seeing the two blankets, speak of the Elf and she shall appear.
"Kili, your mother just accosted me in the hall, muttering and raging about a lack of maternal respect from Clary." She said irritated, I nodded and pressed my lips together.
"Yes, because she reached for new-borns when they're in their mother's arms, what's worse is she didn't even ask." Kili hissed, fists clenched as he internally ranted about his mother.
