Helo, dear readers, The Banquet if finaly ready! I'm really sorry for the long delay, but as a compensation it is a very long chapter - there was no way to make it shorter of to split it, believe me!

Character sumary:

Aredhel: Adult elf
Chao Li Baako: Younger memebr of the Sun Cheng delegation, shaman aprentice; H.A. 14
Dahl: Wife of Bombur
Difur and Dibur: Twin sons of Bombur; D.A. 14; H.A. 9
Dís: Daughter of Thráin, Kíli's mother; D.A. 209
Ellen: Sister of Wolfram, aunt of Lily and Iris, wife of Kíli; E.A. adult; H.A. 35
Ferumbras Took: Bilbo's cousin; HO.A. 53; H.A. 34
Fíli: Fourth child of Kíli, his third son; D.A. 10; H.A. 7
Firc : Daughter of Bofur; D.A. 16; H.A. 10
Frérin: Second son of Kíli; D.A. 21; H.A. 12
Gwendolin Browne: Common woman who got to M.E. through the Mirkwood/Hogwarts Gate; H.A. 22
Iris: Daughter of Wolfram, sister of Lily, niece of Ellen, bethroted to Bilbo; Ho.A. 34; H.A. 20
Kim: Fifth child of Kíli, his second daughter; D.A. 4; H.A. 3
Liao Wang: Carriage dog of the Sun Cheng delegation, owned by Chao; Dog age 3
Lily: Daughter of Wolfram, sister of Iris, niece of Ellen; D.A. 74; H.A. 25
Lyn: Third child of Kíli, his first daughter; D.A. 15; H.A. 10
Thorin "Knee": Firstborn son of Kíli and Ellen; D.A. 26; H.A. 14
Tsui Wei Xiu: Sun Cheng delegation leader; H.A. 44
Ulfir, son of Ulfar: Human from Dale, in a trainee program as ward of the royal family; H.A. 28
Wolfram: Brother of Ellen and father of Lily and Iris; H.A. 49

The Banquet

"Dear friends, noble citizens and visitors, it is an unspeakable joy to welcome all of you to this humble feast. Our special thanks go to the fabulous kitchen staff, and their incredible ability to relocate scheduled to accommodate last hour changes. It would take hours to name all noble comrades and brothers in arms whose presence here make us rejoice, so I ask your forgiveness for mentioning only the ones who, unfortunately, we don't have the chance to share a meal on a daily basis.

'Our warm welcomes are to the Soon Cheng people, here represented by Soon Cheng Tsui Wei Xiu and his loyal fellows, who made all the way from the everlasting ice in the lands of the North to bring us their allegiance and friendship. Hail to Soon-Cheng, free-people of Middle-Earth!"

The assembly cherished the Sun Cheng delegation, clashing flagons of ale and wine as the king and said delegation took sips from their golden goblets. As the audience took note that Kíli didn't end his speech, they hushed themselves down until he could be heard once more.

"Weren't the joy enough, out long time friends of Mirkwood, Prince Legolas and his fiancé Lady Tauriel, are gracing our halls with their presence. Mae govanen, melloni, you and your kin Lady Aredhel and her protégé, Lady Gwendolin from the human kingdom of Diego."

They all lifted their cups again, and Kíli complemented so just the ones in the main table would hear.

"I really apologize for the unfortunate tour to our dungeons, miladies, but I expect you to understand that, under the circumstances…"

Dís was amused on how her son was able to use his puppy eyes trick even at one-hundred-fice years old, but he did.

"It really was amazing to see the efficiency of your guard, o Kíli King, and their self-control in not shooting without orders. At least half a dozen archers could have stopped me in my tracks in my way to the dungeons, and I noticed the silent ones who escorted me with their throwing weapons at the ready. One word from you or from your mighty general here and I'd be in Mandos now."

Said general Dwalin shuffled uncomfortably in his place.

"Anyway, I completely understand your reaction. I know all too well one can lose his head when facing a threat to a beloved one."

Her gentle pat on Gwendolin's hand was the most compelling for the young woman, as one not knowing what happened before could mistake it for something completely different from the truth. And all that 'protégé' talk made her more wary yet and thinking that she felt more at easy when Aredhel's rage was more evident than her affection.

Kíli smiled brightly at them and lifted his goblet once more, requiring the attention of the assembled party of friends, councilors, warriors and citizens.

"Also we have been granted the great joy and honour to have in our midst some of the nobler people I ever met; the ones who made the quest of the people of Durin to defeat Smaug their own quest; and who defended our home, Erebor, as if it were their own. Most of you here present weren't able yet to get acquainted to them, the ones I am proud to call Companions in the Retake of Erebor and also kin, by their family ties to Ellen Dwarverheat, our beloved queen. Welcome, people of Durin, to Wolfram the Green, Iris the Goblin King's Bane, and Lily the Dragon Blinder, of the Company of Thorin Oakenshield!"

The cheers were long and loud, accompanied by many clashes of ale flagoins and shouts both in Westron and Khuzdul. A silent toast between the king and his consort was the sign for everybody to sit down and for the food to be served. Out of side doors where they had been waiting and hearing the praise to their abilities from the mouth of the king himself, the kitchen staff began to bring and settle on the long tables what looked like an unending stream of food. It was done in such a way that all tables were served at the same time, from the high table where the royalty and special guests sat to the ones closest to the entrance of the banquet hall.

Except for said royalty and visitors namely mentioned in Kíl'is welcome speech, the remaining guests mingled themselves at will, even if some of the members of the Council of Lords and their families didn't take it well to sit along miners and merchants and sometimes not even with lesser warriors. Not that it was not allowed or expected that the guests of the high table would take a seat at another table to share a cup of brew or a song or a hilarious story or two. A banquet in Erebor's halls was meant to be joy, and no joy would be complete is each and every partaker of said banquet could not interact with the remaining ones. Because so it was that feasts used to be held under Kíli's hand: besides members and families of the High Council (which means, the members of the Company) and of the Council of Lords, there was always something like a hundred families incited whose head was a member of any rank of the army or a common citizen. Just the same way Kíli would share a meal at the main dinning hall with the miners, a tailor could be invited for a banquet the same as his neighbour the blacksmith. To the Lords' shock and discomfort, of course, what amused more than one member of the Company. When questioned about his reasons for so an unkingly behaviour, Kíli's answer was simple.

"If Thorin Oakenshield could starve with his people in the years of Wandering, why can't his people feast with his heir in the years of plenty?"

And there was plenty, indeed, of every food and favourite dish a dwarf could wish for. The waiters carted in large plates of roasted potatoes and celeriac puree, and rice seasoned with garlic and bacon, and onion rings fried crispy, pickles of assorted kinds, pies of different combinations of meats and vegetables, tomatoes filled with spicy fish, bittersweet ginger slices, pumpkins roasted whole filled with cream cheese and chicken meat, a variety of breads of different grains. And then there was meat, in quantity and variety to satisfy any taste, from fish and pheasant and turkey to pork and lamb and cattle, fried, cooked and roasted. At the sides of each long table a large mobile oven was brought, in which insides a whole ox had been set to roast twelve hours previously, rolling very slowly over a bed of coals until every bit of meat was tender and spiced by the very smoke the coals produced, along with herbs that were sparkled on said coals. The same technique, when applied to whole boars, produced crisps of pork skin that crackled under one's teeth, something the children especially enjoyed.

And yes, there were children, as a result of the purposeful effort to favor marriages and childbearing amongst Erebor citizens. The more or less one hundred-fifty families attending the banquet brought along almost twenty children ages twenty-five or less years old, born in the Mountain. Obviously there were some older ones, born in exile, but they counted not even half a dozen. Anyway, in a society where children were valued as a precious treasure, there was no questioning if the children would or would not attend a banquet. They were part of the incited family, which would obviously watch over them with love and pride.

They all ate with gusto for over one hour, on which a variety of beverages was served along, from fresh water and fruit juice (aimed mainly at the children and an eventual pregnant dwarrowdam) toale and wine and some stronger drinks.

Dwalin was uncomfortably seated beside Aredhel, who made her personal quest to keep Gwendolin safe from him, as if he could intend thehuman any harm after being forbidden to do so by Ellen herself. One of the bartenders came along with his cart, serving the high table, and the warlord used his chance to try to disconnect himself from the situation.

"Here, lad, a shot of that one."

He pointed to a certain flask in an ice buckle, and the bartender poured him a dose in a finely engraved goblet. Seeing the crystal bluish spirit being served to the warrior with whom she had shared a pax-de-deux just hours previously, her mouth spoke before her brain.

"One for me, too."

Dwalin reacted as he used to with the only elf he had any close contact, his adopted sister Ellen.

"You don't know what you are asking for."

Aredhel answered his scowl with a wicked smile.

"Yes, I don't. And that is the fun of it."

"You don't look like someone who uses to seek for fun."

"You are right. But Nellas was. Maybe she was right."

The bartender was already serving the next small group of dwarves when Dwalin noticed how the silver haired elf held her goblet.

"You have never had a shot of real dwarven Iced Fire, have you?"

She held his gaze.

"No. I never had a taste of dwarven whatever. But Nellas used to say, 'why not?', and I'm willing to follow her advice. So…?"

"Shot."

"Who?"

"When I say three, we shot this down. Ready?"

"Ready."

"Three!"

Both warriors gulped their drinks down, with the difference that the dwarf knew what to expect from it. The elf, on the other hand, felt the icy liquid burn down her throat leaving an exquisite taste in its wake, like the fresh morning winf after a night of storm. A hint of cherry and juniper left and aftertaste that made Aredhel smile madly.

"Varda in the skies with diamonds, it tastes like the kiss of a virgin!"

Gwendolin chocked on her wine and Dwalin laughed out loud. The bartender passed again and Aredhel called for another shot.

"Easy, elf, Iced Fire is not something to be taken carelessly."

She had another shot.

"Nor is the kiss of a virgin!"

Gwendolin felt completely embarassed and left her seat with the excuse of looking for Ferumbras, who was currently in a merry conversation with Iris, who couldn't have too much information about her husband-to-be ad couldn't be more worried after hearing about the goblins in the pass. The company of the halflings had a calming effect on the human, as their easy talk on ordinary matters and Iris upcoming wedding were more real-like than Tauriel's talking about giant spiders, Legolas' on commercial treaties and Aredhel's constant lessons on self defense and uses of every kind of weapon, not to mention Doc Halsir's babling on a certain Lady Culdawen of whom she never got a sight of. Iris was also genuinely interested onhow it happened for Gwendolin to be in Middle-Earth, and they exchanged their impressions on how they absorbed the knowledge that they were not in Kansas anymore, Toto.

"You are lucky, Gwen, you don't have to defeat a dragon in order to go home."

"Indeed, as I think any attempt of mine to fight a dragon would only make it die out of laughter."

"I Wouldn't be so sure of that; I've heard Legolas and Tauriel talk about you while you train with Aredhel, and they seem to be quite impressed."

"I don't know why they should, Ferum. I always end my training session with a new bruise and seldom have the luck to touch Aredhel for true. Sometimes I think that when I hit her it is by pure chance or that she is letting me do it out of pity."

"Nope, it is not her style. She took it too seriously to teach you how to survive to let you hit her if you weren't able."

Iris was impressed.

"Wow, gwendolin, it must be great to be trained by an experienced warrior like lady Aredhel. How did you accomplish it, to make her agree into training you?"

"Actually, it was not so pretty as it may seem…"

And on the feast went, getting more lively as the evening wore on, and even more with the arrival of the musicians when desert was being served. Bofur had called three bands that would take turns all night long, or at least until the last standing dwarf; anyway, considering the nature of said dwarves, there was a real chance that the morning would find half a dozen of them still toasting to each other's beard. What was quite right, considering that they were feasting old allies, new allies and living legends.

The reluctant living legend called Wolfram was spending a fabulous time with the youngest Sun Cheng, not talking about any kind of wizardry at all but about their language and name construction.

"Fascinating! I knew about a few peoples who use to change their personal names along life, but only one who also referred themselves in relation to their offspring rather than to their parentage."

"I don't know how other peoples refer to themselves, as this is my frist journey far from home. Ithink it interesting that you say 'Wolfram son of Nyda' instead of 'Wolfram father of Lily'. How are the future generations to know who you are is they have not known Nyda? It is easier fro the ones who come after to remember you as the father of someone who is closer to them in their history."

"I see. That's why you are 'Chao who is Child', and your name will change to 'Chao who is father to someone' once you have grown up, married and fathered a child yourself."

"Yes, but I probably will be just 'Chao who is Shaman', as I intend not to marry."

"But why? Considering your father is also the Shaman, I presume it is allowed for the Shaman to marry."

"You are right. But chastity brings along some powers that can be very useful."

Wolfram was still intrigued.

"But you can change your mind in the future, can't you? I mean, you are young, what if you fall in love with a pretty woman when you are older?"

Chao side smiled, wryly.

"It is not as if I have the choice. My father consecrated me when I was born. There is no other path for me."

"Ouch, I'm sorry. I mean, not that to be a powerful shaman is not a very noble part in life, but to have no choice sounds me so… deterministic, so to say."

"Don't be sorry, master Wizard. My father had his reasons for doing it, be sure. Things would be… worse for me if it was otherwise, and I'm happy with the life I have been given."

The tall man shook his head at how the lad submitted himself to a given destiny and tried to change the subject.

"Please, forget this master wizard thing, just call me Wolfram, of Wolf, to be short. That's what my friends call me."

The boy stood up from his seat and bowed low

"Thank you, sir, for offering me your friendship. I'll be proud to be called Chao Fa Tsui by you and your people."

The wizard didn't understand a thing.

"What?"

"You offered me your friendship; you are called a wolf; by your offer of friendship I can be called Chao, Friend of Wolf."

Wringing his brains to the name construction of the foreign people, he came to a question.

"But wouldn't this lead to confusion with your leader? His name is Tsui, for all I understood."

"Yes, but I cannot be Fa Tsui to him, because I'm already Chao Te Tsui, Chao that is brother-in-law to Tsui. That is how I'm called in his family, because my sister is married to him."

"But I thought your current name was Chao Li Baako. Is that right?"

"For everybody else in our people, yes, I'm Chao who is Child. But in Tsui Wei Xiu family, Tsui who is Brother to the Chief, I'm Chao Te Tsui; and in my family I'm Chao Wei Mei, Chao Brother of Mei, my sister."

"It really sounds complicated, to change your name according to whom you are talking to."

"Not really, if you think that you have a different relationship with different people."

"You know a lot for someone so young, I must say."

Wolfram was impressed, but the lad just shrugged it off.

"I've been trained since I was born; in the land we live, you don't have time to don'tknow something that will be part of your life, like wearing goggles in the snow so you don't get blind. And the same I've been trained since a baby, I'm training Liao Wang so he will be the best shaman dog possible."

"A shaman dog? Do you mean, the dog has a shamanic training?"

The boy let an amused laughter at the man's surprise.

"No, of course not! But a shaman dog is trained to protect the shaman at any cost, and to understand what the shaman is about; because we can become very vulnerable when in trance, or dealing with the spirits, or dealing with the polar lights. You don't want to have your body moved when your spirit is wandering, else it can get lost, you know."

"I'm sure of it." Stated Wolfram, more lost on the route the conversation was taking than a blind man in a shootout. "By the way, where is that magnificent dog of yours? I couldn't help noticing his beautiful eyes, I must say."

Chao stiffened in his seat, jealous .

"Liao Wang is a young dog still in training, but he is very sensible and makes me proud of him."

Thinking it strange that his compliment was taken almost as an insult, Wolfram realised the difference in cultures was something that would not be solved in an one night chat.

"I have no doubt of it, Chao Fa Tsui."

The use of his new title made the lad to breath easier, and he looked around to check on said dog, whom he expected to be at his side.

"Shi bakun! Liao Wang! Liao Wang!"

Chao's panicked cry startled all around him, and noticing the large dog was not at the boy's side made the dwarves nervous. Even the musicians took a break between one beat of the song and another, looking for the large hound with silvery fur and white fangs.

The silence was broken by a delighted giggle.

"Look, Dada! Kee has doggie!"

In fact, the younger of Durin's heirs had straddled the enormous dog as if it was a pony fit for her size, and made it walk this and that way at her will just with a pull of the long fur around its neck.

Said 'Dada' Kíli ran to his daughter stretching his hand to a bow that wasn't there on his back, cursed the protocol that forbid him to wear his weapon of choice during a banquet, and then made for the handle of a fancy sword that was in his waist, far too decorated and too light in his hands for him to be comfortable with it. A dozen wards were at his side in no moment at all, ready to protect Kim at the cost of their own lives if needed. All Kíli saw before his eyes was his precious youngest grabbing the fur of a wild beast that could tear her head off with a single bite.

But Chao was there before Kíli could even unsheathe his sword completely, knees on the floor and arms widespread in front of the beast that stopped in its tracks, pleading for the dog's life.

"NO!"

Kíli's sword stopped an inch form Chao's nose, and the hound growled angrily, not for a moment letting the tiny girl fall from his back.

"Liao Wang is tame! He is my protector, he won't harm anyone who doesn't intend to harm me, nor anyone he claimed under his care!"

The king looked shakily from dog to daughter to visitor with golden eyes; albeit his fear for his little girl was overwhelming, after a moment of observation he had to acknowledge that there was no obvious threat, and that the animal behaved better than many a person he had dealt before. He more felt than saw his wife coming to his side and kneeling down, a calming hand on his own, a steady breath where he had only gasps.

"Kim, why are you on this dog's back? It can be dangerous, you know."

The little girl stopped rubbing the dog's ear and turned to her mother.

"No, Mama, doggie is a good good doggie, he won't drop me!"

Ellen tilted her head and the dog mimicked her, his astounding violet eyes looking curiously at hers. She stretched a hand to his muzzle and let it smell it. Dealing with animals was something her elven nature upgraded when she fell into Middle-Earth, even if it had been some years since she had a cat in her apartment, to her neighbours' relief.

She had never tried to use her sense motive with an animal, but it was pressing. All the negotiations with the Sun-Cheng could be wasted if their dogs, which were a very important part of their culture and economy, were despised or threatened in their very first visit to Erebor. Despite her bad trip with the human woman that afternoon, she locked her eyes with the hound. Seeing the dog drop its ears down and whimper in the queen's hand, Chao panicked.

"What are you doing to my Liao Wang? Please, don't harm him!"

The lad's plea reached Ellen's ears as if through a long tunnel, and came back as a smile in her face.

"No one in Erebor will ever harm your protector, little Chao. He is bound to high purposes, and you should be proud of him." Her voice turned into a whisper only heard by the boy. "And he will always keep you and your secret safe, rest assured."

Chao looked sidewise to the elf, one hand reassuringly grabbing the dog's fur.

"Kee SAID doggie is a good good doggie!"

Smiling at his always optimistic daughter, Kíli stood up and sheathed his protocol sword, lending a hand to Ellen to stand up with him.

"Fear clouds one's eyes. With clouded eyes, even the tiniest flower can be seen as a dangerous threat. Mahal taught us more than once today that none should judge with clouded eyes, with fearful eyes. What once was feared can be learnt to be trustworthy, a friend; the most important thing is to see beyond prejudice, that is the darkest cloud to overcast our eyes and minds." As Kíli spoke, he walked slowly back to his seat at the high table, all eyes on him, and then lifted his wine goblet once more, addressing the musicians. "Let us cheer the treasures we are given!"

At this, with everyone's nerves calmed down, the drummer hit a single beat, then two, then three. The violin joined in, and soon a flute found its place in the music. Several couples stood up to dance, and Gwendolin looked surprised as Aredhel passed by hand in hand with Dwalin.

"Do you know dwarven dance?"

She could not avoid to ask. The silver haired elf smiled drunkenly with a wink.

"I don't; but as in most things in life, all you need is someone more experienced to show you how to do things."

The woman didn't feel quite comfortable with the elf's statement, feeling more embarrassed each interaction with said elf. But she swore to help her out of her grief, and she would not step back, not until she was sure Aredhel was sound and safe in the path of healing her broken soul.

"Awn, this song is sooo beautiful!" Iris mewled beside her. "I wish I had Bilbo here to dance with me! I will kill him when he reaches Erebor!"

Ferumbras motioned his hand in the direction of his cane, apologising.

"I would love to do his part in the dance, but I don't think I'll be able to do so in quite a while."

The voice of the minstrel sounded almost like a muslin priest on the top of a tower calling the faithful to their knees, or the voice of a gipsy singing about fate, very different from the steady voice Thorin Oakenshield used to declaim it rather than to sing.

"Remember a dwarf woman is a Jewel Mahal gave us the honor to admire and to take care of. Do it wisely, even in the things you may think are lesser."

"May you give me the honour, dear cousin?"

The hobbit lass lifted her eyes to a blushing Frérin, and graced him with an enormous smile.

"It will be my pleasure, dear cousin!"

The young dwelf blushed even more, but took seriously his task of teaching her the steps, as she had only seen them once. Albeit their difference in age, the difference in races made the youngling taller than her by some inches, and he never danced with someone fit his size that also had womanly curves, and he felt clumsy and awkward. It was not like dancing with his sisters, or even with Firc, Bofur's daughter.

"That one is a daring one, huh?"

Ellen smiled at Kíli while they danced, his hands in her waist helping her to twirl around herself and round him at the same time. He smiled, matter-of-factly.

"Of course, he is a second son."

"A Jewel is born in the dark; you must do your best to bring her to where she will shine more, the light."

Her smile dropped a little at a memory.

"You know, I can never dance this song without remembering your uncle. The first time I saw the Jewel Dance he was dancing it with Lily, in Imladris. It was when I noticed they had something going on, you know." (1)

"It looks like aunty Lily still likes to dance with a Thorin when given the chance!"

The elf looked at where he had hinted with a side glance, and indeed her niece was enjoying the dance with their firstborn.

"Only this Thorin barely reaches her shoulder height and has less beard than her…"

"What's the problem with one not reaching the shoulder height of a woman?"

Kíli sent her his cheekiest smile and gazed directly at her breasts in front of him.

"Kíli Elvenblood, you are impossible! What example are you giving to our kids?"

"That they have to treat their Jewels as the treasures they are!"

"A Jewel is not meant to be kept hidden, all to yourself. A Jewell is to be shown proudly, for she is a blessing Mahal gave you."

The oldest of said kids was trying to control his pumping heart that made his blood drum in his ears like a thunder, unable to keep his eyes from his cousin. Lily, on the other hand, had a serene smile gracing her lips, gazing softly Knee's yet beardless face, the eyebrows that weren't yet as heavy as they would be, shadowing those amazing sapphire blue eyes that shone at her like stars. His hands on her hips felt like fire, and he swallowed hard fearing that she would notice how sweaty they were.

"You know this was the first dance I ever had with your granduncle?"

"No, I didn't." Lily's smile stunned Knee a little, but he managed to maintain the conversation she started. "And now it is the first dance I have with you!"

"A Jewel may be rough sometimes, and you must have the will to find her smoother side."

He rounded her while she kept the rhythm with her heels, almost scragging his neck, unable to keep his eyes from her face. When it was impossible not to turn his head, his raven black hair flew graciously, braids shining with carefully carved beads.

"It seems I'm bound to dance with Thorins!"

Lily laughed, and Knee couldn't help but to join her in the crystal sound of her joy. Mahal, he would give anything to have that laughter by him all his life long! She held his hand as they danced side by side, and he noticed she was blinking against an unwanted tear.

"A Jewel shines on herself, you only have the privilege to be lightened by her shine. Be grateful for this if you want to keep her at your side."

"Please, don't be sad! I didn't want to upset you!"

She shook her head, dismissing his worry.

"I'm not sad, Thorin, I just… didn't dream that I would ever dance this dance again… I'm happy here in Middle-Earth, and I didn't believe I would ever feel happy again…"

"A Jewel must never be broken by you, for her shards will pierce your heart, and you will be like dead without her, but with her forever inside your heart."

As the music came close to its end they faced each other, his hands respectfully on her waist and hers on his shoulders, even if all he wished for was to hold her tight and bury his face in her bosom as his father used to do to his mother when he thought nobody was seeing. Being well aware that Ellen would punch Kíli repeatedly in some place that hurts a lot if he ever dared to do it in front of people, Knee held his urge and just locked his eyes with hers.

"You are the most beautiful Jewel in whole Erebor. Ever."

Her smile was priceless.

"And you are the most flattering dwelfling in whole Erebor! I wish I could take you home and cuddle you like a kitten!"

Knee was not exactly thinking about being cuddled like a kitten, but that would be better than nothing.

"Meow?"

Lily roared with laughter as they headed back to the table.

In the meanwhile Ferumbras encouraged Gwendolin to try the dance floor.

"Just stand up, I'm sure there will be a lot of suitors to dance with you once they see you here!"

"Ouch, I really couldn't! I don't know the dance, Legolas is dancing with Tauriel and after today's incident no dwarf will want to get close to me, albeit everything the king said.

"This means no one will compete with me to dance with you? This sounds wonderful!" Gwendolin turned around to the stranger's voice, only to see one of the wards that had been in the dais when they reached the throne room that afternoon bowing at her. The lack of helm allowed her to see his dark brown hair partly tied back, and a better sight of his grey eyes. "Ulfir, son of Ulfar, at your service!"

She could not keep her smile and curiosity.

"Ain't you a bit too tall for a dwarf?"

He laughed heartedly.

"So I hope, milady, as I am no dwarf at all!"

"Ok, I dance with you if you teach me how, but then you have to tell me how it is that a human like me is a ward in a dwarven kingdom!"

The man guided her to a spot where it was not overly crowded and held her hand for the next dance.

"It is no secret. Erebor and Dale work together in many issues, as one doesn't grow food inside a mountain and in my town we don't have neither the ore nor the large forges the dwarves have; also they have skills we have not, like making certain machines, and we have others they don't have, like our cloth fabric making. So it is that it is good for both men and dwarves to have our towns close enough to deal easily anytime we want."

"Hmm, this is interesting." Said Gwendolin, trying not to step on the ward's feet too much. "But it still doesn't explain why you work with the dwarves, I think."

He chuckled, and she was pleased by his easy smile at her, after so many compelling situations she had been through in the last weeks.

"Besides the merchandise stuff, we work together in army issues. We must protect our peoples from orcs raids, mostly, or any other threat that may appear. For this to work well, it is a good thing that people from one army knows the other, so we work better when together. Some dwarves go train with Dale's guard, and some men come to train in Erebor. I'm one of these."

"So, it is a like a student exchange? Hilarious!"

Ulfir chuckled once more.

"I don't know what students exchange, but we learn a lot with each other. So it gets easy to work together when needed, even with people you didn't work along before." He made her swirl and steadied her again. "Now, you know everything about me; your turn to tell me about you."

"No, this is not everything about you, I'm sure." Gwendolin wasn't really at easy with telling a stranger about her when she wasn't even sure if she wasn't a lunatic having a very long hallucination.

"It may not be, but it is more than I know about you, besides that you are not a witch."

She frowned.

"Ouch, please, don't remind me about this!" The music changed to a more vivid one and the blonde stumbled on her own feet, only Ulfir's strong grasp keeping a very embarrassed Gwendolin from falling. "Sorry, I… I think I'm not fit for this kind of music."

"Of course you're not, you're not a dwarrowdam!" His laughter made her feel better, and he guided her back to a table. "Come, you owe me your story now."

"There is not much to tell, I guess." She tried to dismiss his curiosity. "I'm just a seamstress, no one very interesting at all."

A pair of mugs of ale in his hand, and Ulfir sat down beside her, curiosity in his eyes.

"This is yet to be seen."

Iris grabbed her mug of ale and sat down beside her father, amused by the stiffness of Frérin's dance but glad that he was so willing to teach her as much as he knew. He took his cup of strawberry juice and tried to recover his breath.

"Did she give you very much trouble, lad?"

"Not really, Uncle. It's me who must pay more attention to this kind of lesson when Grandma makes us learn how to behave in court."

"I see!"

Said Grandma soon came around gathering Durin's heirs and other males for a dance as traditional as the Jewel Dance, performed only by the men. It told the story of Durin himself, from his beginning to the end of times, and it would be completely inappropriate if the boys didn't dance along, even young Fíli.

"Strange, I see Dibur and Difur among the dancers but I have not seen Bombur all night long."

"Now that you have mentioned it, Dad, nor have I seen Óin. They both use to be the first to break the ale kegs and Bombur is always the last to leave the table. What can they be up to?"

Radagast uplifted one eyebrow from across the table to his reluctant apprentice.

"You should know it by now, shouldn't you, Wolfram the Green?"

He side eyed the brown wizard with a sigh.

"Ouch, come on, even in the middle of a banquet will you pester me?"

The weird man changed his look to a sorrowful one.

"I'm so sorry, I forgot we had planned to begin your training by the morrow. Of course a life is not that important that you cannot wait for tomorrow to worry about it."

"What?" A startled Wolfram automatic reached for the staff beside his chair. "What are you talking about? A life? Which life, for Yavanna's sake?"

Radagast stood up and walked slowly towards one of the main doors, shaking his head.

"I'll see what I can do myself, but this is not my speciality, no it isn't. And it is not for me to call the one who can help, no, not me this time. But at lest I may comfort the ones who will stay behind, I'll try to."

Wolfram grabbed his teacher's arm and spun him around to face him.

"At least, tell me what I should do! What should I know?"

Now the ragged wizard had a really sad look on his face.

"It is not for me to know. It was you who felt the call, because it is only you who can find the answer for this call. All I can do is to look for the source of the call, find out what is happening, and with luck be in time to find the one who can help. All I can feel is that you are only the one who will set the things in motion in order to fix this… issue, this threat to a life. Most times it is this way, we do not do things ourselves, we are only guardians who watch and see what must be done and find the ones who will be able to do what must be done."

"But why?"

"So we don't fall pray to pride, that is the downfall of so many in this world." He tilted his head and mumbled to himself. "Actually, since this world was not yet shaped at all…"

Wolfram grabbed his staff and took in a deep breath, trying to concentrate. Closing his eyes, he closed himself to all noise around him and rumbling in his own head. He had never spent time with meditation and stuff, but he knew how to concentrate on a given experiment in the lab, and tried to do the same.

"Daddy? Father?"

Iris voice reached him after several minutes of worry about his apparent trance. Slowly he opened his eyes and saw the sky blue eyes of his hobbit daughter, reaching her tiny hand to his face.

"That's it!"

"That is what?"

"Come with me, you will know it when we get there!" He shouted as he passed Radagast in his hurry.

Iris ran behind her long shanked father, which already used to be hard when she was human sized, and almost impossible in her three-feet stature.

"Ouch, Dad, you are talking like a wizard!"

ooo000ooo

They had just turned a corridor when they heard a cry and made to run faster, as if possible. Bombur's house was a large one in the royal wing, or what was called the palace, even if it was excavated in the living rock the same as most of the dwellings in Erebor. It just had more privacy, for the sake of security, less entrances and better guarded ones. Being two of the most expected visitors the mountain had at the time granted them free pass to where they needed to go. Wolfram knocked the wide door with his staff.

A frightened Bombur opened the door and made them enter in a hurry.

"Come in, come in, Mahal be praised if you are able to help her!"

Another cry told them exactly where to head to, and the frown on Óin's face told them what they needed to know.

"How long is Dahl in labour?"

"Since short after midday. She was so happy, and it had been so easy with the twins, we didn't think…"

Bombur collapsed on a chair beside his wife, hiding his tears so his wife wouldn't see them. Óin had his stethoscope at hand and verified the baby's heartbeat with it.

"Óin…?"

The healer and the obstetric practitioner talked in a low tone so not to alarm the others, Óin's selective deafness completely forgotten. Wolfram sat in a corner, not knowing what to do, anguished with his own memories of a disastrous birth.

"The baby is getting tired, his heart is beating faster and weaker, and Dahl is getting weak. Not a good omen, not at all."

"Is she dilated?"

"Yes, wholly, or I'm an elf. But the baby seems to be stuck, and I don't want to cut in while there is a chance of her to live. The chance of infection is too high to risk surgery, and she would never get over the trauma of the pain of being cut alive."

Iris cursed silently the absence of antibiotics and anaesthesia in Middle-Earth and got close to Dahl's face, making the dwarrowdam to look at her.

"Dahl, I want to help you. I'll try to help the baby, do you understand?"

The tired woman just nodded. Iris wiped her sweated brow with her hand and went on.

"I'll have to touch you in order to help you, it may hurt a little, but I'll try to be gentle."

She just nodded again, and Iris went to a nearby table to wash her hands thoroughly in a basin. Next she asked Óin for alcohol, but the best he had in stock was a strong beverage distilled of wheat. Another cry made her hurry with her preparation, but she would not risk infection either, and cursed under her breath the absence of latex gloves in Middle-Earth. She was beginning to think she would have a lot of things to curse yet, but stored it in the back of her mind as she got back to her patient.

In the while Wolfram overcame his ghosts enough to question Bombur.

"Why didn't you tell that she was in labour? We could have come sooner!"

Bombur felt miserable.

"We didn't think it would happen this way! She was so happy, she wanted to make a surprise for everyone, for me to go to the banquet to show the baby while she rested from the birth, but…"

The red haired dwarf broke in tears with the next cry of his wife, and the man patted gently his back as he coaxed Bombur to the kitchen. Whatever was yet to happen, it would be better for him to be out of the bedroom.

"Now I want you to breath and try to relax, Dahl."

Iris had felt the baby through Dahl's belly and now probed her passage; she had to agree with Óin, Dahl was completely dilated. The water had broken earlier, and it would have to be a dry birth. Anyway, if her suspicion was right, she would have to break the water anyway.

Another cry made her stop her movements and to wait for the contraction to end. With a light move she reached the crown of the baby, right in position but not inlaid as it should. Thanking Yavanna for her tiny hobbit hands, Iris slid her fingers with extreme care beside the baby's face, until she found what she wanted.

She felt the pressure in her wrist with the next cry and contraction and waited only enough to be able to move again. Very carefully, the umbilical cord that circled the baby's neck was reeled off, which was only possible because the dwarfling didn't inlay itself in the birth passage, probably because of the very umbilical cord holding him back.

When Iris retrieved her hand, slow and carefully, a strong contraction followed it, a racking cry that pierced her ears.

"Dahl, you must push now. The baby is free to come, but you must push!"

She spoke through her contorted breathing.

"I can't, I can no more!"

"Dahl, you must! If you don't push, the baby will die!" And she along, Iris thought, but kept it to herself. She turned to the older healer. "Óin, do you know how to do a Kristeller?"

"A what?"

"Forget it. You are stronger than me, but then it must be done gently anyway else the uterus can be ruptured and then everything is lost. Just be prepared to take the baby."

They changed positions and Iris put her hands firmly on the top of Dahl's belly, waiting for the next contraction.

"Now, Dahl, push!"

The woman felt the help of the tiny hobbit hands and felt her own pride shout at her. If someone so small was willing to use all her strength to help her baby live, so would she.

"Maker help me!"

And seemingly to help the Maker did; half a dozen strong contractions and down the baby slid, a hairy crown and chubby cheeks; the strong, lusty cry brought a desperate Bombur back to the bedroom, quickly followed by a smiling Wolfram and Radagast too, who had finally reached Bombur's house in a slower pace.

Iris cleansed the baby's mouth while checking the other vitals, smiling at the kicking dwarfling as she deftly bind the umbilical cord to cut it. A soft cotton cloth was quickly wrapped around the infant to keep the chill of the night air at bay.

"Shoo, you curious brats, she is not ready yet!"

Óin kicked out both father and wizards who hadn't the decency to wait to be called in, as Dahl had yet to deal with the afterbirth. The tiny being was put on her stomach, warmed by the mother's body, and soon her angry cries calmed down. Some time after the third stage of delivery Dahl had slept also and the healer came out with the tiny bundle of joy and handled it to his long time friend.

"Now, Master Bombur, it seems you can quarrel with your brother about a certain nickname, huh? Being father both of twins and of a girl?"

"No, Óin, I don't care to be called 'lucky', all I care is that I feel lucky, I am so very lucky, because I still have my Jewel, and now I have this beautiful, beautiful tiny gem here!"

He had his eyes full of tears as he gazed at his little daughter. Girls were rare, he had not only one in his close family, no sister, no female cousin, and his father had only brothers; how would he be able to deal with that little delicate thing? Albeit the twins had been tinier that her, it was the girl he feared to break in his hands, because she was so, so precious…

"Bombur, we'll ask for food to be brought here, don't leave them alone, Dahl must rest and the baby will soon be hungry."

"Thank you, Iris, I forgot to eat…"

"This must be the first time I hear something like this coming from you, lad!"

"You would forget more than to eat, Óin, if your wife were…" Bombur voice was cut by a harsh sob.

"Hush, it's alright, it's over now…"

"I wanted to get help when Óin told me it was taking too long, but Dahl begged me not to leave her alone, and I didn't know what to do, and, and…"

He held the sleeping baby closer to him, delicately touching her face with his moustache. She grimaced at the rough touch, but seemed content, and wringed her petite fingers in his beard.

"And now there is a beautiful girl in your arms, to be raised with wisdom and love. I am sure she will have lots of it in this blessed family and kingdom."

Bombur half smiled, unable to keep his eyes from his precious daughter.

"Iris, Óin, will you please tell the boys they have a sister and beg them to come home? We didn't tell them anything, it was to be a surprise…"

"Aye, I will, but I'll make'em sleep at Bofur or Bifur, you three need a lot of rest and not worrying about those lads right now."

"Thank you, Óin, I don't know how I can thank you enough…"

"Try with some cookies. They have a wonderful effect on anyone who has ever tasted them."

The small group lifted their eyes to the upcoming visitor, who flapped his wings to land graciously on the back of a chair.

"Rärc!"

"In flesh, bones and silky feathers!" He peeped at the bundle in Bombur's arms, curious. "Hmm, a hatchling!" The large raven tilted his head. "By the size, it will have to eat a lot of worms to grow enough to leave the nest, I'd say."

Óin shook his head at the mother-craft advices the raven king admonished and Bombur thanked the bird.

"Thank you for your visit, Mister Rärc! I'll tell Dahl when she wakes up, she will see it as a good omen!"

"Never mind, cookie man!" He turned to the hobbit. "It is you who I came for, tough. Your wait is over. The banquet has already a bunch of messmates that weren't there before."

"Can someone not talk to me in riddles today, please?"

The raven croaked in a way that sounded as a laughter.

"A small group just came in heading from Dale. There is a man, a skin-changer, some elves and a many hobbits. I thought you would like to know it."

Iris' eyes widened in delight and she just ran out of Bombur's house.

"Bilbo!"

1 – See Loyalty, Honor, and a Willing Heart, Chapter 11 – Cotion of Ponfusion, Booster s/9253058/11/Loyalty-Honor-and-a-Willing-Heart

2 – Before you think it is an impossible maneuver, a friend of mine actually had his second baby held by the umbilical cord around his neck, and her obstetrician managed to untangle it by hand – and she was not even a hobbit!

Why you should not skip next chapter: Because Bilbo waited 28 years long.