There is a wonderful piece of fan art by the incredibly talented Kotorigaro which inspired me greatly concerning "my" Dís. Maybe you would like to look at it too.
It's on deviantart. Just search for "Dis of Erebor." Should be first hit or double check on the artist's name. (Kotorigaro)
Wonderful weekend to all of you!
Dwalin stayed the next night at Dwin's side, too but then returned to their home and came before and after his duty to look after her. Thorin postponed the patrol to Rhun and Dís remained in Erebor, too. She let Bard know what happened and he sent a fruit basket and a get-well-wish to Dwin's sickbed right away. Blushing and joyfully she read the friendly, exquisite message the king of Dale had sent her again and again. Balin, Helle and Tombur came to visit almost every day but nevertheless time began to hang heavy on her hands. She was not used to this idleness. It took two long weeks until she could stand up without fainting. But Oin did not want to let her return home because she would be alone there all day.
One morning an old dwarrowdam appeared in the infirmary. Walking with a stoop but with a firm step. She greeted Oin and after they had spoken a while the two came over to Dwin's bed.
"Winni, this is Dwin, Dwalin's companion. She has lost her child two weeks ago. Approximately four months old. The blood loss was very heavy and she only barely survived. Dwin, this is Winni, the midwife I told you about. The trek from the Ered Luin arrived late last night here in Erebor. Finally Karla and the children are with Bombur again. Everything falls back into place slowly", Oin rejoiced.
"Move over a bit, lassie", Winni said friendly and sat down with a groan besides Dwin on the bed.
Her face was full of wrinkles, her beard and hair white as snow but her gaze was warm and attentive and radiated an unshakable calm. She took Dwin's hand and stroked it with a smile.
"Well, then we will feed you up again", she said confidently, "What has she been getting so far, Oin?"
Oin listed her his measures and Winni nodded.
"Yes, that is good. One or two things we are yet to add and then you will be back on your feet soon. And now tell me a little bit of yourself, your companion and about your pregnancy."
She gestured Oin away vigorously. He winked at Dwin and left, closing the curtains behind him. Dwin had confidence in the old dame right away. She told her without hesitating of her origin, the captivity, the meeting with Dwalin and her concerns during the pregnancy. Winni listened without interrupting. She nodded occasionally, held her hand and simply let her talk. As Dwin came to the fateful day, tears flowed again. Winni pulled her into a hug and rocked her like a mother her child. And Dwin who had always tried hard to be brave, could finally let out all her pain.
A message from Dwin's brother had arrived and Dwalin rushed to the infirmary to give it to her before his duty began and to look after her briefly.
On his way he was lost in thought about the new wind lances Thorin wanted to set up. As so often this decision was preceded by a violent dispute with Dís. Thorin had, once again, given the blame for Smaug's victory over Erebor to the unfortunate bowman of Dale. And Dís had yelled at him that Dale had at least had a wind lance. And ultimately the very last black arrow from this one wind lance had finally hunted down Smaug. Whereas Thrór in his arrogance had not even possessed one single wind lance to defend his precious Erebor. And Dís had scornfully meant she still saw none at Thorin's precious Erebor. And she asked her brother whether he would meet the next dragon also just running and yelling at it. Dwalin thought silently that Dís really got a point there and after Thorin had calmed down he came to the same conclusion. Anyway. The armourers were at work now. Several different versions would be manufactured and tested. And Dwalin pondered about the best strategic places the vast weapons should be positioned on the battlements and in the interior. And all of his soldiers would have to practise dealing with them of course. All this would not go overnight but he looked forward to the innovation. It would sure be a lot of fun to practice target shooting with those things. So he was engrossed in thought when he came to Dwin's bed. He kind of wondered why the curtain was drawn close and stood the next moment in front of this stranger who was just about to take off Dwin's nightgown with bony fingers.
He had barely taken a breath to yell at her when Winni turned, quickly threw the blanket over Dwin again and bickered:
"Out! How dare you, boy! Get out here!"
Dwalin looked at her angrily, folded his arms over his chest and stayed right where he was.
Dwin hastened to say:
"Winni, that's Dwalin. And this is Winni, the midwife, Oin told us about."
Winni looked at Dwalin closely with narrowed eyes and muttered:
"Ah, right. The little Dwalin. I remember you and your brother. Fundin's rascals. One a thug and the other one a smart aleck. So this is your sweetheart? Well, then I suppose you have seen her naked. Close the curtain and sit down there. I was just about to examine her. And with you I'm going to have a serious word, too."
Dwalin did what she told him and looked aghast at Dwin. She grinned. Winni pulled Dwin's nightgown up over her belly button and felt with experienced fingers her abdomen.
"Does it still hurt somewhere?", she asked then.
Dwin shook her head.
"Good."
The old dwarrowdam drew Dwin's nightgown back into place and covered her with the blanket again. Then she sat down and looked from Dwalin to Dwin.
"A miscarriage at the very first conception is not uncommon. Actually it happens quite often. What was unusual and bitter in your case was that it happened so late in pregnancy. Usually this occurs during the first few weeks. Mostly the mother hardly notices it and considers it a fierce late bleeding. Your child has fought long but something was wrong. Perhaps something in his small heart, maybe a blood congestion. No one can say. The reforming of the womb runs good and right and there's no reason you two can't still have ten children together", she continued.
Dwin looked at Dwalin and smiled.
"But...", Winni began again and gazed at Dwalin sternly with a threatening finger, "not right away! Woe to you, if she is pregnant again in two weeks, boy! She can not cope with that. She must first be back to full health. It will take long to completely compensate the blood loss and I'd like her to gain at least fifteen pounds before she's carrying another child. Do I make myself clear, boy?"
"Yes, of course!", Dwalin growled irritably.
"He is probably more likely to have to defend himself against me. Lately I was the one who was constantly after him."
Winni cackled.
"Yes, yes. I do hear that often. It is as if your bodies already knew that after birth there won't be time and strength for such amusements a lot. It's all about the newborn later. Well then. I go to Oin now and give him the list of ingredients for the herbal elixir that you will take and I look after you in a couple of days. If otherwise there is a problem: Oin knows where to find me. And in a few weeks I have my own rooms. And it will be a lot more comfortable there. Mahal!"
She got up, said good-bye and left.
"Haven't been called "boy" for a while", Dwalin growled.
They looked at each other.
"A little fighter he was, she said", murmured Dwalin.
"Well. What did you expect with that father?", Dwin asked and smiled.
"And with that mother", he replied.
"But it was not enough", she said sadly.
"Hmm."
She got out of bed, steadied herself briefly on his shoulder, feeling dizzy and closed the curtains then. He pulled her on his knees and embraced her. A shiver ran through her body and he held her tighter.
"I'm here", he whispered and kissed away her tears.
Ten days later, Dwin was still not home, there was a knock at Balin's door one evening. Tombur and Helle stood outside. Tombur said somewhat awkwardly they would like to discuss something about Dwin. Surprised Balin asked them inside, called his brother and soon the four of them sat in the living room.
Tombur cleared his throat and said:
"It's Dwin's birthday in two weeks."
And he threw a questioning glance at Dwalin.
"Damn it! D'you think I don't know that?", he snapped.
Tombur raised his hand to appease him and hastened to say:
"All right. Our concern is that she has a heart's desire for quite some time. That's what we wanted to tell you. That's all."
"And what's that?", Dwalin asked still indignant.
"She still does not have her own tools. Hers were lost in that orc raid and she still mourns for them", Helle told him.
"Just why hasn't she bought herself new ones already? She knows much better what she needs than me. I wonder about that the whole time! I wouldn't want her to choose an axe for me neither", he replied testily.
Helle rolled his eyes and sputtered:
"But that is something else! In our craft you get a set of own tools at some important event mostly after completing the trade test. From your teaching master or your family. It's always the same basic set. There are of course differences in quality and price but the most important fact is always the dedication on it. On Dwin's old set that she got from her father, who had three sons and only one daughter, was written: "Daughter of my heart, daughter of the Iron Mountains."
"That makes it so valuable to all of us. And it also brings bad luck if you buy it yourself. A good set of tools lasts a whole working life and is only gradually supplemented or an iron replaced. But the handle with the dedication remains and is cherished. We know she wants that from you. Especially because she wishes so much you value our profession and traditions", Tombur continued.
Dwalin did not answer and stared morosely at his hands but Balin asked:
"What's written on yours? Just so we get an idea."
"For me my teaching master chose "Your calm, your strength." Because he said that nothing and no one would make me ever loose my patience. Except Helle here sometimes", Tombur grinned.
Helle gave him a dig in the ribs and pulled his own tool roll out of his backpack. He undid the buckle, pulled out two chisels and gave them to the brothers. Around the handle was engraved in a ring lettering: "The creek and the river call him to the sea. At all times."
Balin looked at him quizzically. Helle smiled.
"Well. I always liked to be around the water. Went fishing and swimming a lot. And I always wanted to see the ocean. For years I badgered my family about that. And five years ago I was actually there with Tombur. I saw the ocean! It was overwhelming and my tools remind me of it every day."
Tombur pulled a piece of parchment from his pocket.
"This is the name of the best toolmaker here in Erebor. The master says so. Everything costs a fortune there but that shouldn't be a problem, I guess. What you said at the bond ceremony she liked very much. Something like that on the handles would be perfect", he said and stood up.
Helle raised from his seat too. Balin thanked them both for coming and waited that Dwalin also said something.
But Dwalin looked from one to the other and growled:
"Sit down."
The two sat back down, puzzled and Helle looked uneasily over to Balin. Dwalin left the room and returned with a bundle, draped in coloureful cloth. He unwrapped it and what emerged was the best set of tools the two had ever seen. But without any dedication.
"I didn't know about that dedication stuff and the guy there didn't tell me. Well, he did ask something... But I didn't know how important that is. Without you I'd have screwed it up again. I guess I owe you something. Again. Not only for the work on the small coffin. What can I do?", he growled.
"Well", Helle said, "The coffin really came from all of us. We collected between us and the master has upped the ante so it could be this beautiful marble. The mistress had sewed and decorated everything and we did the stone work. It was supposed to be from all of us. We all are very fond of her, you know?"
Dwalin nodded.
"I have an idea", Tombur said with a grin.
A week later Dwin was finally allowed to leave the infirmary but only under the condition Dwalin hired someone who lend her a hand during the day. So Finn entered into their services. Finn had been cook at the main kitchen and was the smallest and thinnest dwarf, Dwin had ever seen. He had long had enough of the teasing among the cooks and as word got around about the vacancy at Balin's household he was the first to apply. Bombur gave him a recommendation and praised his uprightness and diligence.
The idea of a strange dwarf being around his wife all day was not to Dwalin's liking at all. But Dwin utterly wanted to return home and when Finn came to introduce himself and Dwalin saw that he was pretty much the exact opposite of himself, he agreed.
Dwin was unsure in dealing with a servant but got used to the conveniences very quickly. Finn was hard-working, pleasant-natured and polite and when he had his first day off, Dwin missed his presence already.
When she stood longer or moved too fast she still felt dizzy but it was good to be home again. Especially at night she had missed Dwalin near her. He was exceptionally gentle and caring now. During the first night Dwin still enjoyed that but the next she longed for his usual rougher gait already. When she mentioned it, he hemmed and hawed, she had not yet completely recovered. And he had Winni's words in mind very clearly also.
"Dwalin, I'm not suddenly made of sugar! I want your firm grasp. And because of what Winni said: We enjoyed lying together the whole journey here without risking a pregnancy. We can just do it like that again for a while."
She kissed him with devotion, ran her hands under his shirt and caressed his scarred back. But although she teased and tempted him further he did not let go of his restraint entirely.
On the evening before her birthday Dwalin grabbed his cloak and said he would go and settle something with the night watch. It would get late and he might then stay at the barracks. He kissed her on the forehead and left quickly. Dwin was surprised and a little disappointed. She had not mentioned her special day and hoped Dwalin would remember it. Balin saw her swallowing but said nothing and avoided her gaze.
When she woke up the next morning she was all alone. On the kitchen table was a hasty note from Balin.
Good morning, Dwin!
Do not be surprised. I gave Finn a day off.
Something else:
There was a message from your master.
You are to be there at noon.
Some formality.
See you later!
Balin
Dwin sighed. They had forgotten her birthday. She was annoyed about herself now, for not having said anything. Dwalin did not show up today either and so she spent the morning rather gloomily on her own. When it was time she made her way to the workshop. There she would at least meet Tombur and Helle, she hoped. The thought cheered her up a little.
She entered the workshop and found everything deserted. When she heard muffled voices from the common room she went inside and was greeted by a roared chorus of "Luck on the way!", hugs, laughter and good wishes from all sides. Dwin blushed with surprise and joy.
They had all come. Dwalin's companions, Dwin's workmates, master and mistress, Finn, Balin and Dwalin himself of course. He had ordered a lavish buffet for everybody with all kinds of delicacies because this should be his thanks to the stonemasons, too. There was beer, wine, liqueurs and spirits of the finest and first of all they drank to Dwin's health.
While everybody was eating and drinking, small gifts were handed over to her. Helle had made her a beautiful little tumbled from a rest of that cream-coloured marble. With an ornate star on it. Dwin was moved by so much affection from all around. Balin gave her his present. Packed in a pretty wicker basket. She opened the lit and found a noble dress of green silk, lavishly decorated with golden ornaments and matching lightweight boots.
Balin said with a smile:
"Dís has picked it together with me. We will see her tonight. Because we are in fact guests at the royal welcome dinner tonight. King Dáin, Queen Veri and entourage will be there and you should have an adequate robe for that occasion, dear."
Dwin was speechless. She ran her fingers over the smooth silk and shook her head in disbelief.
"For me? Mahal! And the king… I mean both kings! Oh no...", she breathed uneasy.
"Don't worry, sweets! I'm always right beside you in case one of them should get fresh", Dwalin grinned and gave her his present at last.
She took it and already felt through wrapping what it was. Her eyes began to shine. She unwrapped the cloth, took out the tool roll almost reverently and hesitated a moment. She threw Dwalin a slightly worried look and unbuckled the high-quality leather strap. She carefully took one of the chisels, clasped her hand before her mouth and happy tears welled from her eyes. Dwalin's heart was about to burst. He glanced over to Tombur and Helle who were happy with him and nodded.
On the handles was engraved:
"I am here. With you. At all times."
Sobbing she flung her arms around his neck while the chisels went from hand to hand and everybody found words of praise for the magnificent tools. So the lunch was spent eating, drinking and singing and it became ever louder and more cheerful in the common room. Finally Dwin was so spent she asked Dwalin to take her home. Balin came with them because they all would have to keep a level head until tonight. The others kept celebrating with the stonemasons for according to Bofur no one expected a level head of him anyway.
The last stretch of the way home became difficult for Dwin. She was exhausted. She carried her new tools pressed tightly to her chest. At home she fell on her bed. Dwalin reached for the tools and wanted to set them aside. But she hung on to it.
"Do I have to share my bed with your chisels now?", he asked frowning.
"I just want to have a look at them again", she answered happily and opened up the roll, "They're so beautiful", she breathed pensively.
He lay down besides her and she finally let the roll slide to the ground gently. She moved up close to him and caressed his face.
"You have no idea how happy you make me", she whispered.
Dwalin just looked at her. He could not get enough of her joy. At last she yawned and closed her eyes. With a smile and her head against his chest she fell asleep. So they rested until Finn knocked. It was time to get ready for the official reception for the guests from the Iron Mountains.
Dwin slipped into the new dress and tried on the boots. Both fit like a glove. She turned around and looked at Dwalin questioningly.
"I like it better without anything", he growled.
She grinned and sat down besides him. He brushed and braided her hair carefully, then turned around and she returned the favour. Both enjoyed the quit intimacy of these moments.
Finally Balin knocked and asked if they were ready. He smiled and nodded approvingly when he saw her in the elegant robe. Then he reached into his pocket, pulled out a heavy golden bracelet bearing eight exquisite emeralds and put it around her wrist.
"Balin...", Dwin began reproachfully.
"Do not scold! It gives me so much pleasure. And it suits you so well, dear. Look, they have the exact colour of your eyes!", he said with a smile, "The dress has really been Dís's idea rather. But I did not want to splurge with the gold in front of your workmates earlier."
Dwalin just rolled his eyes but said nothing.
Dwin thanked Balin and gave him a peck on the cheek. The three made their way to the hall where already a great number of elegantly dressed dwarfs were waiting. Once there they joined the companions who came straight from the party at the workshop and were already pretty tipsy. Dori quarrelled with Nori, as always when he had to much to drink. Karla stood next to Bombur and Dwin was glad to see her and also Gloin's wife Liv. Otherwise there were very few female faces in the crowd.
The large doors opened and everyone streamed into the festively decorated dining hall. Four tables had been put up. One slightly elevated for Thorin, Dís and the royal family from the Iron Mountains and three long tables for all the other guests. Balin went ahead to show them their places. He had been involved in the planning and knew about the seating arrangements. They sat at the middle one of the three tables together with the other companions. Balin proceeded almost until the royal table, where he stopped, bowed deeply and waited behind his chair, just a few steps away from the table of honour. Dwin saw her name on a little card at the second place and besides her Dwalin. Both bowed and stood by their chair as Balin had done. Opposite them Oin and Gloin with his son and wife arrived. Dwin was excited. King Dáin and his family were very popular among their subjects and she had seen them occasionally in the Iron Mountains of course. But so close as here and today she had never been to them before. She saw young Thorin Stonehelm, Dáin's son and his mother, Queen Veri sitting next to Thorin. Dís sat next to Dáin at the other end of the table. She wore an intricately braided hairstyle and so much jewellery that impossibly another piece would have found a place. From her jewelled diadem down to her shoes everything sparkled and glistened. She outshone even Dáin's wife was very preciously adorned also.
When everybody had found their place to sit, Dís and Thorin rose. The king greeted their guests with polite words and Dís raised her glass and proposed a toast. All those present took their already-filled glasses and drank to the health of the royal family and the other guests from the Iron Mountains. They thanked with a bow and then everybody sat down. The dinner began. Slowly the awesome silence yielded to a relaxed get-together. Dís chatted with Dáin and he laughed heartily. Soon songs were sung and the mood rose. On the centre table, where the companions were sitting it became particularly loud.
Later Dís came over to Dwin and had someone bring her a chair. She congratulated and smiled approvingly at her attire.
"How nice! The dress fits properly and the colour suits you very well. I knew it!."
She then handed her a parcel. Dwin unwrapped it smiling and found a beautiful, gold-trimmed belt.
"But Dís! That's too much!", Dwin breathed dumbfounded and looked for help at Dwalin, but he only shrugged.
Suddenly Dwalin looked up and rose. He bowed his head. Dwin turned around, jumped to her feet startled and bowed deeply. King Dáin stood right behind her. Serenely he took Dwalin's chair and sat down on it with a groan.
"So!", he said with a scowling look at Dwalin,"You just take away one of our dwarrowdams and don't even ask for my permission?"
Dwalin grinned and shooed Ori off his seat. He took his chair and sat down again.
Dís said with a smug smile:
"Actually it was her who chose him, dear cousin."
"Is that so?", Dáin asked and turned directly to Dwin with a frown.
"Yes, my king", Dwin answered timidly and with a shaky voice.
Thorin cleared his throat audibly and looked at her reproachfully. Dáin roared with laughter.
"Oh, forgive me! You… he, I mean...", Dwin stammered and clasped her hands before her face, ashamed and appalled.
Dwalin, Dís and Balin were just about to come to her help but it was Dain's wife Veri, who had sat down with Oin and Gloin, who spoke first.
She thundered:
"Will you stop it! How dare you pester this brave dwarrowdam!"
"Forgive me, my dear. You're absolutely right", Dáin said, bowing toward his wife. He sighed, pulled Dwin down on her chair and continued with a broad smile:
"Sit down, child. Good lasses are becoming rare. I fear for our son we will need to look for a bride at the firebeards when it's time for that. What about you, cousin? Do you have someone on your short list already? It is about time, you know?"
Dís looked at Thorin penetratingly but he shunned her gaze, shook his head slightly and reached for his goblet.
"Anyway", Dáin said with a grin and pulled a ring from his little finger.
He reached for Dwins hand and put the ring on her hand.
"As a belated gift for your bond with this stalwart dwarf and as an apology for obviously frightening you, dear. Be happy and bring a lot of strong daughters in this world."
Dwin, still blushing, bowed her head in thanks and smiled shyly at her former king. But she had not the courage to speak again. Dáin rose cheerfully and went with Dís further down the table to Dori, Nori and Ori while Dwalin moved close to Dwin again. He took the hand with Dáin's ring.
"Nice", he growled softly.
Dwin also looked admiringly at the beautiful piece on her middle finger. A rather broad gold ring decorated with little emeralds at the edges. And it wore as fine chiselling the familiar silhouette of the Iron Mountains on it.
"Today I got gifts that probably are together worth more than our entire workshop. But the most beautiful and dearest to me are the tools from you and will always be", she whispered, beaming at him.
Dwalin smiled.
"Now look at that! I can not remember seeing good old Dwalin ever smile like that! You truly bewitched him, young dame!", Veri called out and everybody cheered. Dwalin caught a short painful look of Thorin who sat alone at the table now because even the young Stonehelm had joined a group of peers. Dwalin quickly turned away his gaze. Thorin stood up and walked over to his cousin's wife.
"Yes, Veri. She really did", he said, looking down friendly on Dwin who didn't dare to meet his eyes.
Dwalin grabbed her hand tighter.
Thorin then let Veri around, introduced here and there someone to her and was all polite host.
A little later Dáin began a well-known mockery song about Thranduil and the whole croud stood up and sang the refrain lustily. In all the bustle Dwalin pulled Dwin, who was exhausted from the day's excitements, with him to the door and the two returned home slowly.
At last she could hardly walk any longer and Dwalin picked her up and carried her the last part of the way. She had the arms around his neck, humming happily the melodies that still sounded from the dining hall after them.
At home it was very quiet after all the noise of the party. Dwalin carried her into the bedroom and slammed the door shut behind them with a kick. He let her down gently and helped her out of her dress and boots. She did not even bother to put on her nightgown but sank on her bed naked as she was and pulled up the covers yawning. She threw Dwalin a last grateful smile and was asleep before he had gotten ready for bed and lay besides her. He looked at her in the semi darkness of the night candle. Her lips slightly parted and her chest moving with every deep breath. He bit back his emerging desire and rolled on his back looking up into the darkness of the ceiling.
He dreamed of the ocean. An endless beach. Some children were playing in the sun. A crown, half purged by the gently surf. A girl picked it up and wiped away the wet sand from the glittering gold. Then she ran and brought the crown to someone waiting in a distance. Thorin. He looked at the child smiling, took the crown and stroked the girl's white-blond hair.
Dwalin worked late shift the next day so they could sleep in. He woke up, when Dwin shoved herself on top of him and began kissing him. A contented hum made it's way from deep down his throat and he grabbed her hips. Night warm skin under his fingers. Her quick breath on his face, her tongue between his lips and then her hand that felt for his shaft, caressed it, ushered it into herself. Then she lay down on him again, enjoyed his warmth, his scent and the low growl deep in his chest as she moved gently back and forth. Finally she sat up and rode him with bobbing breasts until she stopped moaning and dug her fingers in his shoulders. To watch her like that melted away all his will to restraint. He turned her around with a firm hand and lifted up her legs until her ankles rested on his shoulders. Then he had it his way, found his rhythm, eyes closed. With a pressed groan he reached his peak. Dwin loved to watch him in these instants. At no other time he belonged to her so entirely. Afterwards they lay close together, satisfied, content, happy.
"Winni'll kill me", he growled.
"I take it upon myself. That was so darn necessary", she answered with a grin.
He pulled her in one of his bone-breaking hugs.
"At last you come to your senses", she groaned, hardly being able to breathe, "How could you even think I wanted to solve the bond?"
"No idea."
"Oh, all right", she laughed.
He bit her playfully in her shoulder and they scuffled a while until their eyes met and the feeling of belonging together overwhelmed them once again.
Dwalin put his big rough hand on her cheek and could not avert his eyes. He need not say anything. She grabbed his hand and kissed it.
"And I love you. More than I can say", she whispered.