Chapter 26

Girls' Night

Chapter Notes:

elvish {English translation}

Khuzdul [English translation]

Iglishmek /English translation\

telepathy ((…))

Sorry it has been so long! I got a new job and moved in the last two months, so real life has been busy!

Thank you for all the favorites and follows! A special thank you to BlackHreat for giving me a poke or two to get this done.

oOoOoOo

Followed by her two guards, Dis made her way towards the residence of Bombur's family. She'd come to enjoy the company of Mylin and her cousin, Tola, since the departure of the Company.

Tola had moved in while Bombur was gone to help Mylin with the three children and prepare for the birth of the fourth.

Dis' duties didn't allow her to visit with the dwarrowdams and dwarflings as often as she would like, and even though she was looking forward to spending time with her friends, she was upset during the journey.

No matter what reason Thorin or Tharkun had for taking a hobbit along with them, if it caused an interruption in her jam supply there would be bloodshed.

The Hobbits called it 'Amber Queen' and its limited yield came only from the Shire. During their courtship Vili had made one trip with a merchant caravan that did regular trade with the Shire and Bree. He'd gone to promote his brewing house's meads, and come back with a large order to fill and a full case of the golden nectar as a courting gift for her.

Vili had tried to get the recipe, but the one case of glass jars was the most he'd been able to talk them out of. Turns out hobbits were just as secretive about their Family Recipes as dwarves could be about, well, nearly everything. The fussy little hobbit he had traded with wouldn't even say what the jam was made of!

Dis' steps nearly faltered as another item procured from the Shire crossed her mind - the selection of teas her mother used. Some were kept for special occasions, but Nis got down right cross if she didn't get tea daily. Dis shuddered at the thought.

There were many other supplies vital to the mountain that their merchants traded the Hobbits for besides her jam and her mother's tea. Honey, preserved fruit and vegetables just to name a few. The dwarves may grind their own flour and meal, but the wheat and corn came from the Shire as well.

Dwarves weren't farmers. About the only thing they grew themselves were cave mushrooms. If the Hobbits stopped trading with the dwarves, her people would get very hungry. And thirsty. Brewers couldn't brew without ingredients after all, and even some of those came from the Shire.

Mahal! Dis wished her nadad [brother] was with her right now. She'd love to punch him in the nose.

oOoOoOo

"I hope it's a boy," Mylin said. "Most hope fer a girl and I canna seem ta have a son!" the redheaded dwarrowdam laughed.

Dis had been catching up on the lives of Bombur's red headed household for over two hours. They'd invited her to stay for dinner half way through and she'd agreed in order to continue the visit.

Mylin had taken a break from her regular duties of teaching young dwarflings to read and write, but had already begun helping at the school taking care of the babes of mothers who were back to working their trades and crafts. She planned to do this for a year or two after giving birth which would allow her to also spend time with her own babe while she was working.

Rylin, the eldest daughter, was thirty-eight and enjoying her days as an apprentice butcher.

Mirlin, the second eldest, was twenty-five and had been studying under her adad [father] to be a cook. Since he had left, her instruction had been taken over by Bombur's old teacher.

Kirlin, the current youngest, was twelve and devoured the written word the way Bombur devoured food. The dwarfling read anything she could get her hands on, but oddly enough it was the law books from the library she enjoyed the most.

Mylin said her daughter hoped to join the governing body and was ecstatic to see the princess every time she stopped by. Dis had helped Kirlin obtain a position helping out at the Council Archive a few days a week after her classes were done for the day. The girl had talked about it for three quarters of an hour before her mother had sent her and her sisters to bed.

The princess intended to keep an eye on Kirlin's progress. With her interests and perfect memory recall Dis thought she might make a fine assistant in a decade or two.

Now the two adults were relaxing in some chairs in the common room enjoying the quiet over some tea and discussing pregnancy. Myrlin had a little less than two months left of this one.

"This is something the healer gave me," Mylin shared tipping a bottle of liquid into her cup. "It is supposed ta help me stay healthy and keep my energy up. He didna give me anythin' like this with the others, but I do have three dwarflings ta keep track o' on top of the pregnancy, so maybe that's why."

Dis winced. "How bad is it?" she asked. Healer recommended remedies were notorious for being awful.

"It tastes alright. Kind o' sweet, actually. I've just never been much o' a tea drinker, so I keep forgettin' ta take it."

"Speaking of keeping up your energy, where is Tola?" asked Dis.

Mylin smirked. "She is 'out' tonight. She has a... deal with someone. Whenever he gets a few days off in a row they get together and… well, screw like rabbits."

"Oh? That sounds like a convenient arrangement," laughed Dis.

"What about you?" the redhead asked. "Where is your shadow?"

"He wasn't waiting when we left like he usually is. He must have gotten caught up in a meeting," Dis shrugged unconcerned.

Nar had regularly been waiting outside her quarters in the morning to escort her to her office and waiting again for her at the end of the day when he stuck by her side until he saw her safely back to them. She' gotten the feeling that with the least bit of encouragement he'd be more than willing to follow her inside to 'guard' her in her bed, too.

Dis would admit she'd thought about it. Thought about how nice it could be to have such a convenient lover if only it was just that.

She'd found her One in Vili. Now that he was gone she had the option of finding solace with another (and she had had several partners over the years), but she could not give anyone else the emotional commitment she had given to her husband. Intimacy would only ever be about pleasure for her. She could give friendship, but nothing more.

Dis did not think that would be enough for the counselor . What had no doubt started due to guilt about the death of her irak'amad [father's sister] now seemed to be motivated by more. Nar already clung to her side too much. She could only imagine that it would become intolerable if she welcomed him into her bed.

He also made social calls like this one awkward.

Just then there was a noise at the door. They turned to see Tola trudge in looking downcast.

"I didn't think ye'd still be up," Tola said to her cousin. "Oh! Hello, your Highness," she bowed, noticing the other occupant. "How are ye this evening?"

"I am well, Tola. Thank you for asking. No need to stand on formality for me, though. I am just a dwarrowdam visiting a friend tonight."

"What happened to your 'date'?" Myrlin asked taking a sip of her tea.

"Horan got a new assignment at the last minute."

Mylin choked her tea and Dis winced. She was sorry her mother had ruined Tola's evening.

"Horan?!" Mylin exclaimed once she could speak. "That guard captain is yer… yer…"

"Ur…" Tola said glancing at the princess. Then, she shrugged and continued, "Well, if we're na standing on ceremony, what I'd call him is a fuckbuddy. We're na courting or anythin'."

"But… but isnna he a dick?" asked Mylin.

"Is that not the point?" Dis smiled.

They laughed.

"Well," Tola said, "it's less his dick and more his manacle collection."

"He doesn't... hurt you does he?" Mylin asked in concern.

Tola shook her head. "Only in the pleasurable ways," Tola joked. She continued more seriously, "It's not about pain, but trusting your partner to bring you pleasure. We donna do the spankin' or whippin'. Nothin' like that. Just pleasure."

"Sorry. I had to ask. So," Mylin smirked, "that's how it is, is it? You share a kink!"

"Mmh," Tola confirmed. "Mahal! I need to get laid. What am I supposed to do? I've been anticipatin' tonight fer a week, but where do I find someone now! Horan and I aren't exclusive or anything and I'm not even picky about gender. "

"I'd be willing to wager you could walk into any tavern and say you wanted someone to chain you up and do wicked things to you and you'd find takers," the redhead said.

Dis though that was true. With a curvier than average build and her molten silver hair and beard, Tola was quite lovely to look at.

A small smile crossed Dis' face as an idea entered her mind.

"Who said I was the one chained up?" Tola responded to her friend.

"I'd still wager you'd find takers," Mylin said. "Wait! WHAT?! Horan lets you chain him up?!"

"Sometimes."

"Sometimes!" exclaimed the astonished Mylin.

Dis couldn't blame her. It was difficult to imagine Horan, captain in charge of detention, willingly letting someone else restrain him.

"How do you decide?" she inquired.

"We wrestle first," Tola shrugged. "Winner chooses."

"Do you wrestle naked?" Dis wondered intrigued.

"Of course," Tola smiled back. "Foreplay!"

"How often do you win?" Dis asked.

"About half the time. We are pretty even. Though there was the one time he brought a friend. That wasn't a fair match, but it was a fun night!"

"I didn't know he had any friends," commented Mylin.

"It was a surprise for me, too," Tola confirmed, "but I had no complaints!"

"Amad!" came from the bedroom of one of the children.

"Duty calls," Mylin sighed and struggled out of her chair.

When she was gone Dis spoke once more.

"I am afraid the Royal House has unintentionally robbed you of your companionship. Since that is the case perhaps there is something I can do to make up for it?"

"Oh?" Tola said with a sultry smile. "What did you have in mind?"

"I have a bit of a collection of my own," Dis disclosed. "It doesn't contain any manacles. However, it does have some very soft, very strong rope."

"I am intrigued, by that as well as to the rest of its contents. I imagine you possess some finely crafted toys."

"Several, yes."

"Have you ever done bondage before?"

"Once or twice," Dis supplied.

"And what does my princess desire?" Tola asked seductively. Placing her hands on the arms of the chair she leaned over the seated dwarrowdam. "Which side would you like to be on? Do you wish to remain in charge or do you wish to give up that control? Or should we wrestle for it?"

"Oh, definitely wrestle," Dis confirmed. Physical exertion before sensual stimulation sounded exciting.

"If you lose would you let me restrain you and spend hours stroking, and tasting, and pleasuring your body and all you have to do is take it? Could you do that?" Tola wondered as she tantalizingly ran a hand down the side of Dis' face and neck. Then the silver haired dwarrowdam brushed her fingers along the collarbone to the center of her chest and drew one finger down the breastbone to the collar of her dress.

"Yes," breathed the blonde.

"Are you two flirting?" Mylin asked exasperated returning to the room.

"Yes," they answered matter of factly.

"Is your collection portable?" Tola continued.

"It is," Dis confirmed.

"Then all I need to know is if you'd prefer your place or mine?"

"Your place probably has more privacy. There are always those about in the Royal Quarters. Servants, guards, ladies-in-waiting, my mother."

"Go have fun together while I sit here, horny and alone," Mylin sighed.

"I remember that part of pregnancy," Dis commiserated. "It's fun when you husband is around. Frustrating when he isn't."

"You could watch," offered Tola.

Mylin waved them off, "I'll send one o' the girls by with the letters tomorrow. Now shoo, you two. Take your flirting elsewhere!"

And they did.

oOoOoOo

Nis' time with Gloin's family wasn't nearly as provocative as her daughter's visit had become. The princess enjoyed a quiet chat with Tawni over a relaxing pot of tea. The peace was only broken when Gimli stomped from his room to get something then stomp back and slammed the door.

"Is he still sulking about not being allowed to go with the Company?" Nis asked.

Tawni nodded. "Aye. He was doin' better, but…" She sighed. "There's a huntin' party leavin' the day after tomorrow. Gimli wants to go along, but I told him I wasna sure I wanted him ta go without his adad [father]. Now he's back to this," she said waving her hand in the direction of her son's room. "I donna know. Maybe I'm bein' too protective."

Nis patted the other's arm. "I understand how you feel. It is up to you, of course, whether you allow him to go or not, but I think it would be good for him. It would give him something to do for a few weeks besides stew over not going on the quest. The hunters would look out for him. He would not be alone. I believe some of them are taking sons near Gimli's age as well."

"Perhaps yer right. I'll think about it."

"Then I will bid you good evening. I will send someone to pick up any letters tomorrow afternoon."

"Now I get ta see how Gimli handles bein' told he can send a letter ta the adad [father] he wasna allowed ta travel with," Tawni said with a half smile.

"He will get over it. Eventually."

The two mothers shared a look of exasperated amusement.

"I thank ye fer comin' by, an' a good evenin' to ye as well," Tawni said as she saw the princess out the door.

With a nod, Nis departed. The two guards that had been waiting outside formed up behind and followed their princess back to the Royal Quarters.

oOoOoOo