This is going to start getting a bit more intense after this chapter as we make our way into the final stages of their adventure. Enjoy the filler! Please review! Reviews make me happy!
They had been there just over a fortnight. The town was practically on a holiday from the dwarves being there. Every day was a day a of rest and every night was a party for them. Thorin was beginning to feel the strain of Durin's day coming closer. It was well into Autumn and the air was becoming colder and the leaves had fallen from the trees.
Lily had yet to tell Kili about the child she carried. She just never found the right moment to say something. She wanted to tell him in private, but every time they were alone he found ways to keep her from talking. Mostly by telling her she was beautiful and then making love to her all night...so to say the least, there was no time for talk.
They dwarves had found themselves sitting at their long table eating another feast. They passed around meats, cheeses, and as much ale as they could get. It was during the beginning of the feast that Thorin spoke.
"I have spoken with the Master of the town and he has promised us boats and ponies for the journey to the mountain." He said with such intensity that they all stopped to look at him. It was like the fun was over and reality was crashing down on them. There were looks of disdain and anxiety being passed about.
"There is also a decision I have made..." Thorin started. He took a drink of his ale before continuing. "Fili, Kili...I want you both to stay behind."
"What!?" Fili was on his feet in an instant, Kili not far behind him.
"You can't do that! It's not fair!" Kili yelled out in disbelief.
Lily was walking down the stairs to the hall when she heard Thorin yelling loudly. She stopped just before she rounded the corner on the stairs and listened. Her hand on the wall next to her.
"You will stay! You have come a long way and I am glad that you have both been there...but the rest of this quest may end up in death if the dragon is still alive. I will not have the last of our bloodlines in danger. If I do not make it, then I will look to you both to carry on the Durin name."
Fili and Kili understood his plight, but they had come so far now, they couldn't just leave their uncle to this task. They also wanted a home to belong to.
"Uncle we have came all this way to help you, we would not have came if we did not know the dangers that laid before us." Fili said firmly.
"Aye, we both know what lies ahead and we deserve the right to fight for Erebor. Our home." Kili stood proudly next to Fili.
"What of Lily, laddie? What if none of us return? Will you leave her to be widowed?" Balin asked as he leaned across the table.
"Lily is stronger than any she-dwarf we have ever met! We both know the consequences of this mission." Kili was speaking as though Lily and him had discussed it.
They hadn't. Not once. Lily put a hand to her lips as she listened...she should have known this was the way it was going to be. She had faith in them...but the idea of not being without Kili...it was devastating. Maybe he's change his mind if she finally came clean about the pregnancy. She took a step down ready to say something, but Thorin spoke first.
"What of the line of Durin? Right now she is the only one who can continue it! Our line needs to be preserved! Fili has not found a someone to do this, but you have Kili! " Thorin was on his feet staring down his nephew.
"That's not important at the moment! We need to focus on getting our home back! What use will the line of Durin be if we have no place to call our own? A child born without a true home would only make things worse for us." Kili said it with such anger that Lily gasped softly.
Did he really think that a child wouldn't be that important? How could she tell him now when he just fought for his right to join the company...she couldn't. Not now. Not after what he just said. She sighed and slowly made her final descent down the stairs. The company heard the creaks in the wood and turned to see her. She had put on a smile and was walking towards them.
"What's going on down here? I can hear you all the way upstairs." She made her way around the table to sit next to her husband, who welcomed her with a kiss on the cheek.
"We were discussing our journey to the mountain." Thorin said as he eyed her.
"Oh? When are we leaving?" She asked as she took a sip of water. Everyone was quiet for a moment before Kili cleared his throat and held her hand.
"Actually, Lily, we all decided that you should stay behind.." He winced when he said it, expecting a fight from her. Lily looked at him and then to the others before sighing in relief. She thought for sure she would have to make up some excuse not to go, but they were already so full of male protectiveness that she wouldn't have to.
"I understand. This is your fight and I will probably only get in the way...though you will not have the advantage of me being able to withstand Smaug's fire...but I will do as you wish." She said it so nonchalantly that they didn't say anything at first.
"Oh...well, I am glad you agree my love." Kili sighed and looked at Thorin who nodded some sort of silent understanding with him.
"You will stay here. I have spoken to the Master of the town and he agreed to keep you safe until we return." Thorin spoke.
"You mean if you return." She glanced over at him with an elbow leaning against the table and her chin resting on her knuckles. Thorin took another drink of his ale as he looked back at her with hesitancy.
"Do not think I am naïve Master dwarves. I know what could happen inside that mountain...and I am prepared for what may come of it. Know that I will be waiting for you to return...and if you do not, remember that I care for you all as though you were family." She glanced between them and smirked. "Although I believe most of you are now."
The group laughed at that and the sad moment had passed. Lily sat beside Kili quietly for most of the night. It was in the next few days that she would watch them pack for the journey. She sighed at the thought and when it seemed to be getting late she gave Kili a kiss on the cheek and bid them all goodnight.
She walked up the stairs slowly and had almost reached her door when a hand grabbed her arm. She gasped and turned to see Bofur looking at her stoically.
"Why haven't you told him?" She could only look away from Bofur. He knew damn well why she said nothing.
"I wanted to...more than anything, but...after tonight, there is no way I could tell him."
"Because he would stay? Isn't that a good thing?" Bofur's grip tightened slightly. "Do you want him to die up there without knowing he was going to be a father?"
She then glared at him and pulled her arm free of his grip. "You heard what he said. It's not important right now, remember? And I have faith that you will all return to me unharmed...so I will wait until then to tell Kili. It will be glad tidings in the midst of victory. Besides, Smaug has not been seen for these long decades, so I doubt you will run into much trouble."
"You don't know that for sure."
"Nor do you, Master dwarf. Understand that this will be my choice. It may be a stupid one, but it will give Kili the leave he needs to do what he has been waiting to do for a long time. Finding a place to belong, isn't that how Bilbo put it once? You said he was right, that none of you belonged to any place." As she said this to him, Bofur began to looked more sober. "Reclaim you home, dwarf. Then I will be in a better position to inform the rest of this child."
She left him standing there as she opened her door and slammed it shut. She leaned against the door until she heard footsteps walk down the stairs. The room was dark, it seemed, even with the aid of a candle in the corner. Her hair fanned around her face as she looked down to her feet, the sight blurred from the tears in her eyes. She felt them burn down her cheeks and they dripped to the wooden floor below.
Lily slide slowly down the door until she was on the floor. Her dressed was pooled around her legs as she cried into her hands. The soft cries slowly turning into uncontrollable sobs. There was nothing she wanted more than to be happy about her child...but all the dwarves wanted was to reclaim Erebor and collect their gold. Kili and Fili especially thought all about it. It is, after all, what they came here for. She was stupid for thinking this child would be a happy occasion in their dwindling frame of time to get into the mountain.
She cried until she had nothing left. At some point she had dragged herself to the bed and picked the side farthest from the door. She heard the overwhelming footsteps of Kili thud across the chamber floor
in the wee late hours of the night. Lily was lucky enough to be half asleep when the bed moved and she felt the arms of her husband reach over and drag her to him.
"Are you angry with me?" He breathlessly said into her hair as he kissed the top of her head.
"No.." She lied. Probably not convincingly enough because he sighed and rolled over to face away from her.
"Please understand...I do not want you to go if there is a chance you might be killed. If I lost you, I do not know what I'd do with myself." She almost had not heard him say it at all because he spoke so quietly.
"Nothing could change your mind? Will you not stay with me?" She almost begged as she turned to look over her shoulder at him.
He sighed heavily and shifted onto his back, his eyes stared at the ceiling where the light from the candle danced. "We have all waited a very long time for this chance Lily...Nothing could deter me from this path."
Lily looked at him for some time. She watched the anguish on his face as he spoke and the uncertainty in his eyes when he thought on what was ahead of them. Finally she sighed and turned fully to curl into him.
"The determination of dwarves is overwhelming.." She said with a light heart, trying to make this as less heartbreaking as possible for her. She would at least try to salvage what little time they had with each other.
Kili let out a small chuckle before he wrapped an arm around her. "It's not such a bad thing.."
"Go to sleep Kili...The last thing I want to do right now is discuss this any further." With that they both fell into a dreamless sleep.
The days had wore on. Lily stayed as busy as possible trying to avoid all the packing and preparing the dwarves were making. Bilbo was the only one who seemed to not be excited about the journey. Him and Lily had found themselves having a bit of tea while the dwarves were gathered at the smiths to pick out weapons.
"Why the long face Lily?" Bilbo asked while he took a sip of his tea, something he had not been able to enjoy since his departure from The Shire.
"We both know why I look so glum. I can hardly understand their need for such trivial things like gold. It's all they have been talking about. 'Gold! Gold! Mountains of it!'" She mimicked the dwarves with a low voice.
Bilbo laughed at her attempt to make such a lovely voice sound so ruggedly manly. "I doubt that's why you worry so much." He glanced to the hand on Lily's tiny bump that was hidden beneath layers of clothing. She had been lucky it was so cold out or someone would have easily caught on.
She glared at him before she looked away and took a sip of her honey tea. "Will you stop glowering at me about that...I beat myself up every night over it, I don't need another to make me feel more guilty."
Bilbo spit out his tea in shock. "You beat yourself!?" Lily laughed so hard she almost pissed herself.
"It's just an expression Bilbo!" She wiped a tear from her eye as she tried not to laugh more.
"My heavens you are so strange sometimes. Why someone would use that as an expression is beyond me."
"Bilbo I told you already, things are different where I am from." Lily popped a piece of cheese in her mouth. "Mmmm so yummy."
"So you've told me. I wish I could know this place. All the things you say sound as though everything is easy to do! Not to mention no real monsters to reek havoc!"
"Unfortunately Bilbo, I don't think I shall be going back. Besides...I like how simple things can be here. The world I am from is full of problems and the world is not as clean as it is here."
"Clean; that sounds more like the Shire. To me every thing else is rather discomforting." He said with a sigh. It was obvious he still missed home very much.
"Oh Bilbo, one day you will be back home. You, I feel, will be the most likely to survive." She said smiling at him.
"Why do you say that?" He asked inquisitively.
"Because you are the one Gandalf put much faith in. I doubt he would pick someone so untrained to go along for this crazy adventure without knowing you would have the best chance to come out alive." The smirk on her face made Bilbo feel more confident about the quest. Perhaps she was right.
"Then what of you?"
"Me?" She gave him a confused look.
"Well he picked you as well. He knew you were new to this world and didn't have much strength in your abilities, but he had you come all the same. Perhaps you are meant to do something great as well."
Lily had not thought of that. Bilbo's words had her thinking hard on it. Gandalf was wise...almost too wise, but he was almost never wrong. Shrugging she took another long sip of her tea. Soon the hall of their temporary home was filled with dwarves looking over their new weapons. Lily found herself leaving them for a walk around the town. None would harm her here...not that they would get a chance to anyway. She'd easily burn them to a crisp if they tried, but the comfort of being safe made her all the more happy. Happiness was a feeling she needed right now, for she knew tomorrow the company would be leaving her behind in the town.
She stopped near a small shop near the edge of the town. It's window was large and there were small displays of jewelery sitting on the display boxes. She stopped and looked in the window to admire them. She didn't care much for such things, but they were still pretty to look at.
"Any of those would look lovely on you." She turned to see a tall man with long dark hair tird back with clean facial hair groomed nicely. He looked less like a regular towns person and more like someone who was important in some way...or at least thought he was.
"T-Thank you?" She stood straight to look at him and raised an eyebrow. His gray eyes seemed to cut through her. "I believe we are not acquainted. I am-"
"Lady Lillith. Wife of the dwarf Kili, heir to Erebor. I know who you are. If your short stature had not gave you away then your firey hair would have been more than enough." He looked down at her with a small smirk.
"Well you know my name, now who may you be oh wise one?" She smirked right back at him while putting a hand on her hip. He seemed to be nice, but very cocky.
"I am Bard." Was all he said.
"Just Bard? Hm, I sense entitlement behind your words, or am I wrong?" Lily asked as she stepped away from shop window.
Bard smirked and bowed low. "A wise woman. I've not known many to immediately sense that about me. I am Bard, descendant of Girion, King of Dale." He slowly rose back up with a smile.
"Hm. How very ironic." She looked as though she was in thought.
"How is that ironic?" Bard raised an eyebrow in confusion.
Lily smirked and bowed the same as he did. " I am Lillith Edwina Ember. Fae child and descendant of the beast Smaug." She rose quicker than he had to see a look of shock on his face. "That is why this is ironic."
She expected him to curse her and walk away like she was a monster as well, but he only smile and crossed his arms.
"Well it seems that is ironic after all. Though I find it hard to believe a docile woman such as yourself could be related to the dragon..." When he used the word 'docile' she almost laughed, but held back with a bite of her lip.
"I will not lie and say I enjoy the idea. I am sorry for the loss of your home King of Dale." She smiled sadly at him.
"This is my home. And I am not a King, so do not call me such." He smiled warmly at her. "Only call me Bard."
"Very well, Bard it is, but you must call me Lily. I do not like being called a Lady. It's very strange to me..."
Bard smiled and grasped her hand suddenly. He quickly placed a kiss on her delicate hand with a bow.
"Well then, Lily, should you need aught, do not be afraid to find me." He was then hurrying away. Lily watched him as he walked away from her.
That was a strange encounter...She thought to herself.
That night she had met the company in the great hall of the Master's home. He was throwing them a last farewell feast. It was loud and rowdy as the townspeople cheered with excitement. They did not know if the dwarves would survive, but they celebrated none the less. It was a sad celebration for Lily. Tomorrow they would leave and Lily would be without their company until she knew for sure the dragon was gone and Erebor reclaimed.
When she went to bed that night, she had expected Kili to come late in the night, drunk and sleepy, but he came minutes after she did. She was surprised to see him standing there in the doorway, a sad smile across his features.
"Kili? Why are you here so soon? Don't you want to celebrate with the rest?" She sat up in bed to look at him.
He smiled and took off his clothes slowly. When he slide into bed he kissed her lovingly. "There will be nothing to celebrate until Erebor is ours. For now, I'd rather spend my night with my wife...reminding her that I love her dearly."
She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Then show me how much you truly love me.."
Lily and Kili spent what could be their last night together making love. It was not rushed or done so without passion. They stayed in each others arms until the sun was peeking over the horizon.