My Gift To You

It had been a few days since Thorin and Phoenix's engagement and everyone seemed to be getting used to the idea. Phoenix herself seemed to have settled into the prospect of becoming Queen of Erebor fairly well and today it was crossing her mind as she lay in bed looking at her engagement ring as it shone in the light of the sun that burst through the stone window at the far side of the room. She could not keep the smile from her face and it only widened more when she felt arms around her and the familiar scratching of a beard against her skin as soft lips were pressed to her pale shoulder.

"Good morning." A rough voice whispered in her ear.

"Good morning." Phoenix smiled turning back and coming face to face with a semi naked Thorin, shirtless so that she could both see and feel the coarse dark hair on his chest.

"How long have you been awake?" He asked.

"Not long, an hour at most." She told him.

"You should have woken me." He told her, nuzzling his face into the dark tresses of her hair and smelling the scent of fire mixed with a hint of pine and oak that he had come to know only as her scent.

"No, you came to bed late last night, you needed the rest." She told him.

Thorin merely groaned and pulled her tight against him as he continued to nuzzle her hair.

"I love you." He told her.

"I love you too." She told him, kissing his lips gently, before she rested her head on his chest as she lay in bed with him.

"Talk to me." He told her quietly.

"Hmm?" She asked.

"Talk to me in Elvish." He told her. "Please my love."

Phoenix smiled and she moved to sit up slightly so that she could see him. "Nalyë guren hÎr, I anor ye ithil o nín cuil. Inyë ava no bedhin an pen ach tye. An tye innas ui gar guren ye nín ui ye urieb mÎl."

Thorin waited until she had finished speaking before his lips were upon hers. Phoenix had known why he had wanted her to speak in her chosen native tongue as she felt his need pressed against her thigh and it grew more and more with each of the words that she spoke. His voice had the same effect on her when he spoke to her in his own native tongue, so she wasn't going to stop him when she felt the roughness of his tongue as it asked for access to her mouth or the roughness of his hands on her night gown, after all her nightgown resembled close to nothing as it was too short and too see through but only worn in order to please her Dwarf. She was glad to have had it made for him; it had certainly been a treat. She vaguely thought back to the first time that she had worn one of these night gowns to bed with Thorin.

She was just leaving the room of the seamstress after having one of her waistcoats fitted again when she saw the material lying on a bench. She was thinking of what to get Thorin for his birthday that week, and they had had numerous amounts of lengthy discussions regarding what the King of Dwarves would enjoy. She already knew that Fili was giving him a new dagger, crafted by his own hand, whilst Kili and Tauriel were giving him a new tunic and a new pair of boots to help in the upcoming winter months. But Phoenix had nothing to give him! She'd asked him again that morning what he wanted and he said that she was a gift enough for him. But now this material had given her an idea.

"What material is this?" Phoenix asked the seamstress.

"There is no name for it my lady." She told her.

"How much of it do you have?" Phoenix asked her, looking over at where the dwarrowdam was sat.

"I have much of it; do you like it my lady?" She asked.

Phoenix nodded. "I do...Can you make me some nightdresses from it please?" She asked. "I need some more after my others are getting burnt by my body heat." She told her.

The woman nodded in sympathy, everyone knew of Phoenix's gift over fire and she saw how hard it was for Phoenix to keep clothes, after all her clothes that she wore on a daily basis were flame proof! The seamstress walked over and started to measure her, though the height was left until last as Phoenix made herself dwarvish height and the lady nodded and began work immediately. Phoenix then left the seamstress happy to know that her gift for Thorin was being made. If he wanted her to be his gift, then so be it. Later that week, after she had collected the finished nightdresses from the Seamstress and hidden them away in her room, Thorin and Phoenix were in the Great Hall, finishing their drinks from the celebration of Thorin's birthday. They had both spent the night having fun and although Phoenix mainly spent the night with Tauriel, Sigrid and Tilda, and short intervals with Thrain who was seemed happy enough with the arrangement that Phoenix and Thorin had set up, the four of them still had their fun. Yet by then, Tilda had fallen asleep on Bain, Sigrid was dancing with Fili and Tauriel was stuck in a slow dance with Ori, until Kili came over and saved her. Phoenix had been watching her friends and godchildren dutifully as she always did when she felt a hand on her waist and she glanced over and found Thorin beside her.

She moved closer to him at his touch and she looked at him with slowly tired eyes, it had been a long day of setting up for the celebration and then taking part in the celebration and forcing herself to be nice to Thorin's cousin Dain and his men as well as his sister – Dis. Thorin could see her patience and her ability to stay awake fighting to take priority, and he knew she was sick of his cousin and his sister just as he was, so he slid his hand into hers.

"Dance with me." He told her and he led her onto the dance floor where everyone, even his nephews stopped their dancing to watch their King and his lover. They danced together, with Phoenix staying in her elf form, and they soon became oblivious to glares and whispers, especially when Kili and Tauriel also started to dance with them and then Sigrid and Fili joined in. They danced for hours, well into the night until it was long since time for them to retire. By the time people had departed to their rooms, Phoenix and Thorin were some of the only ones left.

"You know, you have yet to give me my gift." Thorin told her as he sat in his chair at the table, watching as other couples still danced the night away, though most were too drunk to notice much.

"Have I?" She asked from where she sat at his right hand, on a small stool.

"Aye." He nodded, still watching the odd couple kiss each other with too much tongue and teeth to be considered decent for public display.

"My Lord Thorin, forgive me but my children and I will be retiring for the night." Bard told them as he was soon in front of them.

"As you wish, thank you for coming to celebrate with us," Thorin told him as he got to his feet and the two kings clasped each other's wrists in a friendly greeting and then he done the same with Bain, before he received a hug from both of the girls and then they all hugged and kissed Phoenix's cheek before they watched them leave for bed, heading up the rooms that they were shown.

Soon the only people left where Thorin and Phoenix and as the two readied themselves to go to Phoenix's room for some sleep, Thrain soon joined them.

"Ah, my darling son and hopefully soon-to-be daughter-in-law." Thrain smiled.

"Father." Thorin nodded.

"Thrain." Phoenix smiled at him.

"No, no Phoenix, you can call me father; after all, you and Thorin are as good as married, eh?" He smiled, giving them a sly wink which had Phoenix gaining an uncharacteristic pink blush to her cheeks, but no one seemed to notice as Thrain kept talking to them. "Be a good couple and walk an old dwarf back to his room." He told them and the pair nodded as Thorin let Thrain take Phoenix's arm as they walked.

"I must say, you both put on wonderful displays tonight." Thrain commented as they walked.

"Do explain, Father." Thorin told him, his voice sounding tired for the first time all night.

"I know that Dis and Dain do not approve, but you both handled every remark brilliantly." He praised. "And you both stood together, I saw the looks you gave each other through the night, even when the other one wasn't looking, I've not seen that much love since your mother and I were together."

Thorin visibly drooped at the mention of his mother, but he pulled himself together just in time so that Thrain did not notice, even though Phoenix did. She was quiet as they walked Thrain to his rooms and once he was safe inside, Thorin took her arm and they walked towards his own room.

"Are you alright?" She asked when they were in the safety of her room.

"Yes." He told her, looking at her as he rested his head in the middle of her shoulder and he slid his arms around her waist. "I am now that I can finally relax."

Phoenix smiled as she felt him press against her back and she felt him truly relax. "Are you relaxed enough to see your present?" She asked.

This perked Thorin's interest as he moved away from her back to walk around to face her and he looked at her. "I told you not to get me anything."

"But I have, so you will need to hush up." She told him before she pushed him towards her bed. "Sit." She commanded and he did as he was told as she slid behind a screen where she had left one of her new nightgowns.

"What are you doing?" Thorin asked her as he removed his boots.

"You said that I was enough of a present for you." She told him from behind the screen.

"And you are." He told her, feeling quite confused right now.

"Well, I decided to dress it up a bit." She told him and as she walked out from behind the screen Thorin stared at her. The sheer material almost blended in with the paleness of her skin, her dark curls were falling down her back in waves of ebony beauty, and she was looking at him with a look that was something he had seen in her eyes before, it was hunger, an unsatisfied hunger, but not for food or drink...for him! That night it was safe to say that neither of them was interrupted, if the sounds of moans and screams of pleasure were anything to go by, even the guards abandoned their post for the night to give their King and his lover some privacy.

That was certainly what was about to happen right then as she felt Thorin's rough and calloused hands, forged from daily sword work, battle training and black smiting, slide over the fabric of her nightgown. Despite both of them knowing that they would not have long to enjoy this moment, their touches were anything but rushed. They had not had any time to appreciate their engagement or to bask in the glow that came with Thorin seeing Phoenix wearing his ring, so now they wanted to make up for lost time. Thorin pulled up the nightdress so that he could feel the smooth skin of her stomach and he eventually pushed it all the way off, knowing that Phoenix would not be grateful if he ripped one of her very limited number of night clothes. When it was off and discarded on the floor, he laid Phoenix back so that he could see her in all of her naked glory. The rush of cold air against her heated skin sent a shiver up her body and made her nipples stand out against her pale skin but Thorin loved it. He worshipped her body like it was that of a deity, she was his goddess and his alone. He glanced up just in time to see her reach for the bangle to change her height so that she was shorter than him but he reached up and stopped her.

"Nai." He told her simply, and he felt her shiver at something and he was not sure whether it was the tone of his voice or the fact he spoke in Khazudul which turned her on more but he was not going to question it. His hands travelled down her velvet skin from her bracelet to her shoulder to the top of her breast and his hand ghosted a touch to one, feeling her rapid heartbeat in her chest to the warmth of the fire in her veins. She was a vision of beauty, as he travelled further he felt the scars that she had gained in her long life, most scars he gave her when she fought for him and his kin, and whilst they dwelled him in sadness he quickly pushed it aside he was going to be the husband to the fire ranger of the north, that to him was an honour. He pressed kisses to each one of the scars, his beard scratching against her skin but she had no complaints.

He kissed her skin without complaint, kissed each mark and each blemish. Her soft whimpers of pleasure at his kisses spurred him on more. He reached the base of her stomach and he was almost frozen in place at feeling the heat radiating from her core, even now it felt so good to him and he could wait no longer and he suddenly delved in, and the minute his mouth was on her Phoenix almost screamed her release right there.

"Oh gods, Thorin!" She moaned as her hands wound into his still messy dark locks.

He was spurred on by her moans and whispers as he ravished the sacred place between her legs. Her juices were sweet to the taste making him hungry for more. Brushing his mouth against the little nub made Phoenix's blood race and Thorin felt the buck of her hips and the feeling of her hands tightening in his hair.

"Thorin, Thorin stop." She gasped out as she felt herself getting close to that edge.

At hearing her, Thorin pushed himself up to hover over her and he moved up her body to kiss her soft lips. He deepened the kiss as he felt Phoenix's hands caress his toned arms, and gently slide down his well muscled chest. Suddenly he found himself lying on the bed and it took him a few minutes to realise that Phoenix had pinned him down on the bed, her body straddling his waist against his straining erection that was still covered by his pants. This position seemed to take the King by surprise; after all they had only ever attempted one other position than the common one of him on top. Yet looking up at her in all her beauty and glory he felt star struck and he doubted that this feeling was ever going to go away. Thorin watched as this dark haired goddess moved further down his legs and pulled at the string of his pants until they fell open and his erection sprung free. This was certainly not the first time that she had seen him in all his glory, but it never failed to take him by surprise. Pulling off his pants she glanced up at him through her eyelashes and she saw the want and need in his eyes as she hovered near his erection the anticipation burning his eyes. She kept her eyes on his face and she watched him as she took the head of his member into her mouth, she saw the pained look of pleasure in his eyes and she heard his sharp intake of breath as she gently sucked on the tip. He bit onto his lip as he felt more of his member slide into Phoenix's mouth and one of his hands grabbed her hair roughly. As she continued to bob her head on his member Thorin felt himself being pushed closer to the edge.

"By the gods." He gritted out. "Phoenix...Stop." He gasped as he sat up and he pulled her up to him by the grip on her hair and he mashed their lips together.

Phoenix moved her hands into his hair and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he pulled her closer their sexes pressed together making them both moan into the kiss.

"Thorin, take me." She whispered against his lips and as he made to flip them over she stopped him. "No, take me as we are." She told him, her voice oozing sex and a hidden fire that burnt him to the core. He yearned to be inside her, to love her like no one else could. He planned to bury himself to the hilt inside her hot wet cavern so without warning he thrust his hips forward, swallowing her scream of pleasure and surprise with a kiss. Letting her adjust he quickly started a rhythm, a slow torturous rhythm with strong strokes using his grip under her buttocks and his strength to slide her up and down his length.

After a few minutes Phoenix set the pace herself, her hips moving in the one way that she knew would drive pleasure to the pair of them.

"Ugh...Oh gods...Phoenix..." Thorin groaned as he slammed his hips to meet hers.

His actions elicited groans and moans from her and she moved her hands to his neck sliding her nails down his back making him moan and bite down on her shoulder making her scream in ecstasy.

"Thorin! Yes!...Uhgn right there..." She moaned and she looked at him as she panted for breath. "Thîr na ni." She whispered watching him look up to her. "Ni iest tíra tye tolo heke mi nin, nín mîl." She told him between pants.

Thorin let their eyes meet and the sight of her beautiful darkened eyes was almost enough to make him come right there. Suddenly he flipped them over so that he was on top of her plunged back into her warm and inviting centre with new abandon.

"Oh gods!" Phoenix screamed. "Uhgn there! Right there Thorin!" She moaned, feeling him hit that sweet spot inside her that caused her to see stars. "I'm close Thorin."

"Come for me my love." Thorin told her and after a few more hard thrusts inside he felt her walls clamp down around him as she cried his name for all of the gods and the whole of Erebor to hear. Thorin kept thrusting inside of her, intent to keep her riding out her orgasm for as long as possible. Watching her come undone meant that it did not take long for him to near his own end and after a few more hard thrusts he thrust himself deep inside her as he came with a cry of her name, spilling his seed inside her. Fully sated and exhausted, Thorin slipped out of her and the two settled back under the blanket, enjoying the cuddling that came to them after sex such as that. However they did not get to enjoy it for long as there was a fierce knocking the door and Phoenix groaned before she kissed Thorin's lips gently and she pulled on her night gown and a shawl to keep her shoulders warm as she made her way to the door and pulled it open finding Dwalin on the other side.

"Dwalin...what can I do for you?" Phoenix asked.

"Thorin needs to get out of bed, there's trouble in the hall." Dwalin told her.

"What trouble?" Thorin groaned from the bed.

"Thranduil is about to lay his hands on Tauriel." Dwalin told them and Phoenix tensed.

"Give me two seconds and I'll sort it." She told him, closing the door and getting dressed as Thorin got up as well and threw on his clothes as Phoenix walked to him fully dressed, tying her weapons belt around her waist. It still surprised him how Phoenix could have gotten dressed and done her other two braids to match the one he had done for her all while he had only just got his pants and one boot on.

"How do you get dressed so quickly?" He asked her.

Phoenix simply shrugged. "When you are one outcast against a large elfling population that hated you, you learnt to be fast at things." She shrugged as she slid on her own boots.

Thorin nodded. "Just be careful."

"Don't worry my father will most likely be there as well, so I won't be hurt." She told him. "But you need to find Kili if Thranduil's saying harsh words to her, then it means that Kili isn't present."

Thorin nodded and as Phoenix left he dressed in haste and he then set off looking for his nephew.

Dwalin led Phoenix down towards where they could hear Thranduil yelling at Tauriel and many words were said in Elvish yet Dwalin could tell by the way that Phoenix tensed they were not nice words.

"Thranduil, that's enough!" Phoenix suddenly shouted and it shut not only Thranduil up by everyone else who had gathered. Thranduil stared at his niece and she strode over, her swords strapped to her waist as she removed the hand that Thranduil had on Tauriel's arm and she stood between them.

"What is the meaning of this?" She mainly guided her question to Thranduil.

"I was merely teaching this insolent elfling what happens when she disobeys her King." Thranduil told her.

"If you raise a hand to her once more Uncle then what I will do to you make dragon fire look like a sea breeze." Phoenix threatened. "Do not touch her again, especially not while she is with child." Phoenix warned him. "Do you understand?"

Thranduil looked at her and Phoenix looked back at him her eyes shining red with the hint of a flame, she was not messing around.

"This is the part where you walk away." Phoenix told him and this time Thranduil left them to it walking away.

As he walked away Phoenix looked at Tauriel who had her hands resting on her small baby bump.

"Are you alright?" Phoenix asked her and at her nod she looked at Dwalin.

"Take her to her room, make sure she rests, we don't want anything to happen to the baby." She told him.

With a nod, Dwalin took Tauriel away to her room and he promised to let Kili know where she was and Phoenix went off to spend time with Arwen.

As she went off to find her sister, Phoenix was suddenly stopped by a dwarrowdam that she really did not want to see - Thorin's sister Dis.

"Is it true?" She demanded from Phoenix who looked at her.

"Is what true?" Phoenix asked, prepared to reach for her swords in her belt if need be.

"Calm yourself girl, I wish to know whether my youngest will soon be a father." Dis told her.

Phoenix took a few seconds to answer her, as it was painfully obvious that Tauriel was pregnant, after all, Tauriel did not eat enough to get fat by food. "Yes." Phoenix answered her. "It is a blessing and I would like you to not ruin it."

"I do not plan to, I wish for my son to be happy." Dis told her. "And if this elf makes him happy then I cannot stand in their way."

Phoenix looked at the dwarrowdam beside her, for weeks she had been trying to break not only Kili and Tauriel's relationship up but hers and Thorin's as well, what changed?

"What changed your mind?" She asked.

"The other night when Dain tried to dismember you and Thorin intervened, and then when he got you to the dance floor and he danced with you and finally preceded to ask for your hand in front of the whole of Erebor, Dale and your kin, I knew I had to accept my defeat my brother was in love." Dis told her. "The look he gave you was the same that Kili gave to the elf, and I knew that I had lost them both to the throws of love."

Phoenix looked at the dwarrowdam before her and she could not help but smile. "Lady Dis I think you and I are going to be very good friends."

Dis smiled. "I hope we can be." She told her before she left her to carry on walking.

Phoenix got to the end of the corridor before she felt a strange feeling in her stomach. It was almost like a flutter but she couldn't be sure. As she pressed her hand to her stomach the flutter got worse and then there was a faint whisper of something that she could not quite make out. The word was Elvish but she did not fully hear it, so she decided not to dwell on it, it was probably a thought of hers or someone else talking, after all elf ears were sensitive to many sounds. She continued walking until she came to a courtyard and she found Arwen sat on a stone bench, her father's guards not far away.

"Arwen." She spoke, her voice soft and Arwen got to her feet walking over to her and she hugged her.

"Mell neth." She greeted before she looked at the guards. "You can go now, my sister will protect me." Arwen to the guards and they both bowed to her and walked away.

"It's lovely to see you Phoenix." Arwen told her.

"As it is to see you, Arwen." Phoenix told her.

"Thorin certainly caused a stir the other night when he proposed to you, I thought Ada would burst with pride whilst Thranduil would burst with rage." Arwen giggled as she walked in a direction with Phoenix.

"It's about time Thranduil realised that he can't control everyone just because he wears a crown." Phoenix told her as they walked out of Erebor and down towards Dale. The two walked in silence, simply enjoying each other's company until they heard paws on the dirt road that they were travelling along.

"Hello Uldoniair." Arwen greeted the wolf who nudged its head against her hand.

"Where have you been Uldoniair?" Phoenix asked kneeling down to wolf's height and she stroked her face.

The wolf looked at her and Arwen smiled as she watched the exchange of looks. She was normally amazed at the amount of information that could be gathered just by the two looking at each other, it was almost like Uldoniair and Phoenix had their own language. Eventually Phoenix got back to her feet in just enough time for a rider to ride towards them shouting something that Arwen didn't understand but Phoenix clearly did as she drew her swords.

"Arwen behind me, Uldoniair protect Arwen." Phoenix ordered and both Arwen and Uldoniair done as she said.

"What is your business?" Phoenix asked.

"You are trespassing." He sneered.

"We are travelling to visit our friends." Phoenix told him. "I am Phoenix, fire ranger of the North and princess of Erebor and lady of Rivendell." Phoenix introduced. "This is the Lady Arwen Uldomiel, Lady of Rivendell and my wolf Uldoniair of the Valley of Peace." She gestured to the two, keeping her swords out in case she needed them.

"I don't believe you." He sneered, jumping down from his horse his sword held out to Phoenix. "You three will leave immediately."

"I don't think so." Phoenix told him. "You will take us to Bard, King of Dale and you will put your sword away young boy." Phoenix taunted.

He looked ready to run his sword straight through Phoenix and that was what he almost did until Phoenix disarmed him and held one of her swords to her neck as she hit him to the floor.

"You will take us to Bard." Phoenix told him and as he reached for his sword, and she kicked it out of reach. "Arwen pick up his sword."

As Arwen done as she asked, Phoenix took the horses reigns and Uldoniair growled at the man as they took him towards Dale.

They reached Dale a while later and they made their way to Bards house where Sigrid was walking inside with the basket of fish.

"Phoenix, Arwen, I thought that you weren't coming by until later." Sigrid queried.

"Sigrid is your father home?" Phoenix asked and Sigrid could see the anger in her eyes as she spoke.

"Um...Yes I think so, hold on." She ran inside. "Da', come quickly!"

They heard the thundering of Bards boots on the floor as he ran out and he took in the scene before him. "What is the meaning of this?" Bard asked.

"Your little guard here tried to kill us." Phoenix told him as she kicked the man to the ground.

"Is this true?" Bard growled at the man.

"Sir, they are trespassers." He told them.

"Phoenix is the godmother to my children." Bard growled. "She is the future wife of the dwarven King, and her sister is a Lady of Rivendell, you dare to call them trespassers!" He growled and Phoenix handed him the man's sword.

"Phoenix please accept my most humble apologies, I did not know that he would be so foolish." Bard told her.

"I hope that he will pay for his mistake." Phoenix told them.

"He will." He looked at some other guards who had come over. "Take him to the cells; he can be left there until I find a punishment to suit him."

The guards nodded and dragged the man away, however he suddenly shook them off and ran at Phoenix and Arwen, a knife held high, but was suddenly thrown off balance by Uldoniair jumping at him yet he still managed to scratch Phoenix's side with the blade as they both fell the floor.

"Phoenix!" Sigrid and Arwen shouted and Phoenix quickly got to her feet before she kicked the knife from the guard's hands and the others were able to drag him away.

"Phoenix, are you alright?" Bard asked her. "You're bleeding."

Phoenix looked down at the cut and she touched it with her fingers, looking at the blood.

"It's not that deep." Phoenix told them.

"It still needs to be looked at, bring me a healer." Bard ordered and he ushered a reluctant Phoenix into his house.

Bard watched as a healer came into the house and she took Phoenix behind a screen to clean and bind her wound and when they were finished the healer left and Phoenix put her clothes and weapons belt back on.

"Would you like to stay for bread?" He asked. "Tilda and Sigrid spent most of the morning making it."

"Please that would be lovely." Arwen told them as Phoenix sat at the table with them and they were soon joined by Tilda, Bain and Bard as Sigrid served up the bread. They all sat and talked, well Tilda did most of the talking, Phoenix just tended to listen, yet she did look a bit distracted.

Suddenly she felt the strange flutter in her stomach once more and she quietly excused herself to get herself a drink. As she was filling her cup from the jug of water that had been put aside she closed her eyes allowing her senses to focus on the flutters and suddenly she heard something.

"Nín emmë."

The voice sounded foreign, someone that she had never heard before yet when she realised that it came from her stomach the cup that she was holding clattered to the floor. At the sound of the cup hitting the floor, everyone at the table stopped and there was a scream from Sigrid and Tilda as they all saw Phoenix fall to the floor in a faint. When she eventually woke up, Phoenix found herself staring up at the ceiling, Arwen and Sigrid sitting either side of her as Uldoniair lay with her head on her stomach.

"What happened?" Phoenix asked.

"You fainted." Arwen told her, dabbing a damp cloth to her sister's forehead as she looked at Sigrid. "Go and tell them that she's awake."

"Tell who?" Phoenix asked as she sat up but was pushed back down by both Uldoniair and Arwen.

"Thorin, father and Bard." Arwen explained.

"Why are our father and Thorin here?" Phoenix asked.

"Phoenix, you fainted, this was something that we needed to know."

Thorin's voice almost made her jump but she groaned as she found him sitting on the edge of the bed next to her.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her, taking a hand in his.

"I feel fine...I don't know what happened." Phoenix told him.

"No but you do know something, don't you nín iell." Elrond told her.

Phoenix looked at him. "Ada I did not know what it was this morning but I heard it." She whispered.

"Heard what Phoenix?" Thorin asked.

"Thorin you're going to be a father." Elrond told him.

"What?" Thorin asked, completely shell shocked.

"When Elvish children are conceived they are able to talk to their mother whilst in the womb, your child is part elf and the shock of hearing the child's voice was probably what made Phoenix faint." Elrond explained.

Phoenix looked between Thorin and Elrond and she was worried. Elrond looked emotionless but he did have a small look of pleasure and pride on his face whilst Thorin had frozen not looking at anything nor having any emotion.

"Thorin, talk to me, please amralimé." Phoenix told him.

"I'm going to be a father..." He whispered. "I'm going to be a father...I'm going to be a father!" He suddenly shouted his face lighting up in joy and delight.

Phoenix could not help but smile and with the help of her sister she got to her feet and as soon as she was standing Thorin picked her up in his arms and swung her round.

"Oh Phoenix this is joyous." He smiled.

"Thorin be careful with her." Elrond chuckled.

"Aye King Thorin this is wonderful news." Bard told him as he patted Thorin's shoulder once Phoenix had been put on her feet.

Thorin looked at him. "Thank you Bard." He watched as the King of Dales children came and hugged their godmother the youngest already talking about making gifts for the baby.

"Maybe Sigrid could show you how to make them." Phoenix suggested after the child had said something that no one else heard.

"We should head back to Erebor it's getting late." Thorin told them and when Phoenix saw the setting sun she realised how late it was.

"Yes we must get going." Phoenix agreed before she looked at her father and noticed his travelling clothes. "You are not staying?"

"Forgive me my daughter but we are needed back in Rivendell." Elrond told her.

"Do send word to let me know that you got home safely, and give my love to my brothers." She told him as they shared a hug.

"Of course." Elrond nodded. "Your brothers will no doubt come and visit when we tell them of the child."

"No doubt." Phoenix smiled and Elrond shared a smile, hugging her and once she and Arwen had said their goodbyes with a promise for Phoenix to keep Arwen updated on her child, Phoenix and Thorin watched them go before he helped her into his ram.

"Do not be a stranger." Bard told them.

"We won't." Thorin promised. "Oh and Sigrid, Fili will be over tomorrow."

Sigrid nodded. "Thank you Thorin." She smiled.

As Thorin led the ram back towards Erebor, with Uldoniair following at his side, Phoenix was confined to the saddle.

"You know that I can walk right?"

"I do, but I want you to take it easy today." Thorin told her.

"Okay." She shrugged and as they reached Erebor she looked down at him. "May I get down now?"

"Of course." He rested his hands on either side of her waist and he helped her down onto her feet before one of the dwarves working in the stable took the ram to be cared for and Thorin walked Phoenix back into the halls of Erebor, his arm around her waist.

"Lady Phoenix, are you alright?"

The speaker made Thorin fall under surprise as he recognised it to be the voice of his sister.

"Lady Dis, I am well." She told her and the civility between the two surprised Thorin further.

"More than well." Thorin told her. "Dear sister, may you join Phoenix and I in her chambers? I believe that she will need to find help a dress for our announcement tonight." Thorin told her.

"Of course, I will meet you there." She told them and she watched the two walk away towards Phoenix's chambers.

When they got to her chambers, Phoenix looked at him. "Thorin, I did not realise that we would be making this announcement so soon."

"I believe that this is the right time Phoenix." Thorin told her. "I want the world to know that our child is growing inside of you right now, and that he or she will be the crowned heir of Erebor when I finally pass on."

This made Phoenix sigh and she walked over to her table which held her hairbrush and bands to tie her hair back. As she set about brushing her hair, they did not need to wait for long before there was a knock on the door and Dis let herself in, holding something in her arms.

"Right, I have a gift for you Phoenix." She told her, bringing her behind a screen before Thorin could stop her. "You stay there my brother."

Thorin had no choice but to wait as Dis helped his fiancée to dress. Dis busied herself with talking to Phoenix as she helped her to dress and as she reached Phoenix's stomach she stopped.

"Dis, what is it?" Thorin asked when his sister stopped speaking.

"Mahal Thorin, do you know?" She asked.

"He does know." Phoenix told her.

"How long has the pair of you known, about this?" Dis asked her voice sharp.

"We only found out today." Thorin told her. "Phoenix heard the child speak."

"How is that possible?" Dis asked.

"It's an elvish thing, the child can speak to their mother whilst they are in the womb, and it brings the mother and child closer and builds the bond greater." Phoenix told them.

"My grandchild will have someone to play with." Dis smiled.

"Of course." Phoenix agreed and they both walked back out from the screen, Dis holding Phoenix's hand and Thorin smiled in disbelief. The gown was made of the finest dwarven silk, the colour as red as the morning sky and it was covered in small diamonds and gems, and he watched as Dis styled Phoenix's long brunette curls and secured then in place with a jewelled flower.

When they were finished, Phoenix stood to her full Elvish height and she looked at Dis and Thorin.

"You look beautiful." Thorin told her.

"Like a proper dwarven princess." Dis told her. "Do not worry I have already given Tauriel a dress and hair pin."

Phoenix smiled. "I thank you Lady Dis, this gift is too much when I have nothing else to give you in return."

"Nonsense, you make my brother happy and this is the greatest gift that you could ever give me." Dis told her gently touching her shoulder.

"Surely there is something else that I can do for you?" Phoenix told her.

"There is one thing I ask." Dis told her.

"What is it?" Phoenix asked.

"I wish to ask that you allow me to be the first to know everything about this child besides Thorin of course." Dis told her and she noticed that Thorin couldn't keep the smile from his face as he watched the two women.

"If that is what you wish then of course you will." Phoenix told her.

"I have asked the same from Tauriel and Kili." Dis smiled. "Now let us go and join Tauriel whilst my brother and sons go and get ready." She looked pointedly at her brother who kissed Phoenix's cheek and left the room whilst the two women walked towards Tauriel's room, stopping at Dis' room so that she could also change into a sapphire blue gown with the same hair pain as Phoenix only it was a deep blue. When Dis was ready she walked with Phoenix towards Tauriel's room only to find the door ajar.

Translations

Nai : No

ThÎr na ni – Look at me

Ni iest tíra tye tolo heke mi nin, nín mÎl : I wish to see you come within me, my love

Mell neth : Dear sister

Nín emmë : My mummy

Nín iell : My daughter

Amralimé : My Love