Chapter 29: Family
Notes: Warning= daddy!Thorin is here. My thanks to Sonica, hope you all love it.
9 months went by faster than they had expected. It was already late summer and the fall colors were just around the corner. Cartel was enjoying the smell of the breeze when she suddenly felt a sharp pain. She hunched over with pain, "Thorin!" she screamed. Legolas rushed to her side, "Cartel, what's wrong?" But he knew by the way she was hunched over. Legolas didn't know what to do so he called for Dis. Dis knew exactly what to do. "Legolas, get some warm water and towels. NOW!" Legolas rushed to get the water and towels from the washroom.
Thorin burst into the room, "Cartel, my sweet!" Cartel grabbed his hand and held it tight almost breaking it. Thorin was wincing at the pain, her grip would have sent Dwalin running to Oin by now. "Strong grip?" Dis asked almost laughing. Legolas came back into the room with a mountain of towels and a large basin of water. Cartel screamed and screamed in pain as she gave birth to a girl. But Cartel's work wasn't done yet. Dis said it was twins and that the second was coming now. The second baby was a little boy and he was absolutely perfect.
The girl, they named Askima, since she had eyes that shimmered like silver. She had black hair that was dark as onyx and she had more elvish features, taking after Cartel and some of Legolas. The boy, they named Dorin, since he cried till he was put in the arms of Thorin. He had hair exactly like his sister's. He had more dwarvish features, taking after their father and the Dwarven side of the family. Thorin looked at both his children and smiled his family was now complete. Dis walked out of the room to tell Fili and Kili about the birth.
Fili and Kili very softly knocked on the door. Legolas answered it, "Do you promise to be quiet? Cartel is resting, it was twins." he hissed. The brothers nodded and walked over to their Uncle and gazed at their new cousins. Thorin was still holding Dorin as he said fondly, "Meet Dorin and Askima." Fili looked directly at Askima, she was beautiful and looked just like her mother. Kili looked directly at Dorin, he looked almost exactly like Thorin. "Can I hold her?" Fili finally asked. Thorin looked at him and smiled, "Alright, just be careful with her." "I will." Fili assured as he very carefully picked up his new little cousin. "She's very light." Fili commented. Kili smiled as he looked over his brother's shoulder. "She is so tiny and cute." Kili cooed.
Thorin put Dorin in the crib but he started to whine. So Thorin picked him back up and held him. "Looks like he already knows who his father is." Fili said. Thorin flashed a toothy grin at him, "That he does." Legolas peered over at his niece she was so silent like Cartel was. "You can hold her if you want, Legolas." Thorin said. Fili turned to Legolas as if offering Askima to him. Legolas readily took her, he already knew how to hold a baby. He helped raise Cartel after all. Legolas looked into the little face with a smile and nudged his nose against Askima's. Askima awoke silently and gazed up, she grinned a little.
"Legolas you're a natural with babies." Kili said softly, "Is that how you wake them up without a sound?" Legolas just kept smiling when he answered, "That's how I used to wake up Cartel when she was a baby and she didn't make a sound when I did it. She was actually calmed by it. Whenever there was a scary noise or situation, I would pick her up and nudge her nose with mine." Thorin thought about it for a second, whenever Cartel sought comfort she nudged either Legolas or Thorin's nose. Legolas looked over at Dorin, he was a perfect mix of Thorin and Cartel, he smiled larger.
"Could I hold Dorin?" Kili asked Thorin with big hopeful eyes. Thorin looked down at his little son. "Okay, just please be careful with him." Thorin said as he handed Dorin to Kili. Dorin started to fuss but was immediately calmed when Kili nudged his nose against Dorin's. Thorin was impressed, "It worked." "Of course it worked Uncle, Legolas told us about it and he should know, he raised Cartel before we were even born." stated Fili. "I noticed that you haven't held her yet." said Legolas as he gave Askima to Thorin. Askima looked up at Thorin, she mimicked Thorin's surprised face.
"Like father, like daughter." chuckled Fili. Thorin smiled and so did Askima. "Why does she mimic me and not Legolas?" Thorin asked, looking at his mimicking daughter. "Probably the same reason why Dorin was so comfortable with you at first." answered Kili. "It is a possibility Thorin. Cartel mimicked me for her first year." Legolas added. "Thorin," groaned Cartel, "How are they?" "They are perfect, my dear." Thorin replied. "Little Askima is already mimicking her father." Legolas grinned. "That explains all the talking about her." Cartel said as she turned on her side.
"Take it easy, Cartel." Thorin said as he put Askima in the crib. "Cartel, I agree with Thorin, you were really exhausted after the birth." Legolas added. Kili was putting Dorin into the crib when Dis came in. "Cartel you shouldn't be trying to sit up." Dis said. "I'm fine, Dis, besides elves heal quick." Cartel replied as she sat up. Legolas held her, "Cartel, you and I both know that you are half-elf, and that you need your rest, now." He nudged his nose against Cartel's, "Please, please just rest." Cartel thought for a moment, "Okay, okay I'll rest." She laid down and slept.
After a few days Cartel got into rut between catching up with her queenly duties and the needs of the twins which thankfully Legolas, Fili, and Kili babysat. To Thorin's regret Kili made a little bow for Askima and Fili made a mini axe for Dorin. Thorin was so upset by it that he actually slammed Fili and Kili's heads together and called them fools and a series of other insults for making weapons for children as small as they are.
