It was late in the day when Kili finally made his way to the royal chambers. He was nervous, but he told himself that he shouldn't be. Ila had not been angry with him or placed any blame on him yesterday. Still, he felt guilty. As he should, because he knew it was his fault. He was more relieved to find out the baby was alright than he could say when Fili told him. But he and Fili had exchanged more than sighs of relief earlier that day.

Kili thought that by the end of their conversation he had convinced Fili that he had no real feelings for Ila. But Fili knew him so well, had been there his entire life, and knew him better than anyone. Even better than mother. Luckily mother did not come out much and had no occasion to see him with Ila, as she would pick up on what Fili had as well no doubt. He would not be able to lie to her. He could try, but she would see right through him. She always had. But he also wondered that perhaps mother might take his side in all of this, if no one else would.

That was a bad way of putting it. She would not take his side, she was as loyal to Thorin as any, but surely she would understand at least. How very much in love he was, and how there was nothing he could do about it save cut out his own heart. She was a female, she would understand. Kili so longed to tell someone how he felt. He had almost told Fili, out of desperation more than anything, but knew his brother would then try his best to keep him and Ila apart, for his sake and safety. Fili would only be trying to protect him he knew, and he was right, but at the last moment he had held fast to his protestations that he only cared for Ila as their aunt and family. Based on the look in Fili's eyes, Kili believed that he had convinced him enough, but also knew his brother would be keeping an especially close eye on things. Fili did after all have a responsibility to watch over Ila as well. He was the one left in charge. He was expected to keep him in line as well, as the oldest. Fili had instructed Kili to pay Ila a visit as she had apparently requested, but to wait until later in the day after she had been able to rest.

As such, it was almost supper time when Kili made his way to Ila's bedchamber. He wondered why she wanted to see him, hoping she would not hold this against him after all. He didn't believe she had it in her to do that, but he still worried.

When he finally reached the door to her chambers, he stood there for a moment instead of opening it. He forced his heart to calm its racing, as he generally always had to before he saw her, but now it was worse. He took a deep breath and opened the door, making his way through the antechamber and to the royal bed chamber. He knocked twice and waited for Dwala to open it. He straightened his tunic and stood up straight as he waited, and soon the doors opened.

As he had expected, Dwala met him with a kind smile and a little curtsy.

"You needn't do that," he said and gave her a little smile in return. He moved past her and stopped as he looked towards the bed.

Even in nothing but a sleeping gown and while lying in bed, Ila looked the most angelic creature he had ever seen. What made her appear even more so was that she was smiling at him.

"What is the matter?" she asked, seeing that he was anxious.

Kili shifted a bit but smiled at Ila. "Well, I would be very cross with me if I were you," he answered.

"But I am not," Ila replied.

Kili smiled and walked towards the bed. Dwala shut the doors and took a seat along the wall, giving them space. She prided herself on her ability to fade into the background at times, which was one of her duties essentially. She also wanted a good vantage point from which to observe Kili. She had not told Ila about the exchange she had overheard yesterday, but would when the time was right. Ila still needed to rest, and perhaps Kili would conduct himself in such a manner that she need not ever tell Ila of what she heard. It was just rumor really, nothing was confirmed. Kili had admitted nothing, and perhaps now after the scare of yesterday he would be much more careful, in every regard.

Kili sat in a chair next to Ila's bed. Ila turned towards him, still tired and taking extra care in her movements, even in just shifting in bed.

"How do you feel?" he asked gently.

"Well enough, but sore. I have rather impressive bruises on my left side and leg, but that is nothing for my child to be well." Ila replied with a great smile, her hand gently laid on her stomach.

Kili returned her smile. "I am glad, more so than I can say. Nor can I say how terribly sorry I am that I caused this-"

"Kili please," Ila interrupted him. "You did not. I wanted to see for myself, and I should have known better. The fault is mine," Ila comforted him with all sincerity.

Kili sighed and pressed his lips together, obviously disagreeing.

"But, I do think that Thorin will be angry with both of us, and so we must agree upon what to tell him. So as to ease his mind and lessen his anger as much as possible, and so that we tell him the same thing."

That was the truth, Kili thought. Mahal forbid he, or Fili, or Oin, or anyone tell a story that did not match the others. All of their heads would roll.

"Agreed. What do you prefer to tell him then?" Kili asked.

Ila had been thinking about this for most of the day. She had not arrived at a perfect answer. If it were not for her bruises, which were great at the moment, she might try to convince everyone to just sweep this under the rug. But in truth, she could not keep such a secret from Thorin, and her bruises would probably not have gone by the time Thorin returned anyway. She would have to give some sort of explanation. She just wanted to give Thorin one that would not cause him to be any more worried or angry than need be.

"Well, I think we must tell him that I took a little fall. That I wanted to see the hall of treasures and you took me and I slipped. But I am only a little bruised. They will have almost healed by then so he will not be very alarmed." Ila outlined briefly.

Kili thought that over briefly, and thought it sounded decent, except for one thing.

"It sounds well enough I suppose, but you told a great lie in that." Kili said very seriously.

Ila scrunched her face. "A lie? What lie?" she asked, confused.

"That you wanted to see it, and so I took you. When in truth it is I who suggested and took you in the first place," Kili corrected.

"I do not want him to be angry with you-"

"I do not want him to be unjustly angry with you," Kili interrupted her this time. "Let me take the blame for this. It is I who failed to catch hold of you when you fell and who took you there anyway. Fili and I will calm him, and then he will only be glad that you and the heir are well,"

"He will be angry with me, no matter how we put it to him, there is no doubt. He is always telling me I do too much and run about too carelessly. And perhaps I do. I should have been thinking about the Durin heir, not how much I wanted to see the gold. It is at least, partially my fault." Ila said firmly.

Kili sighed and sat back in the chair. "Well, I will talk with Fili. He will likely be the first to tell uncle, as he will have to brief him on all that happened in his absence. He fought the impulse to send word to him now about this."

"It will be alright, Thorin will be upset at first but his temper will cool." Ila said.

"Ila, I dare say you have never seen uncle's temper, not really." Kili said with his eyes wide for a moment.

"I am sure I have, remember how angry I made him when I snuck out on the balcony that night before we were married? When you and Fili found me?"

"Oh, that! That was nothing. Believe me, uncle can make a balrog seem sweet tempered at times," Kili warned.

Ila chuckled at that. "Well, we will cross that bridge when he comes home I suppose. But all will be well," Ila assured him, reaching out to squeeze Kili's hand.

"I hope you are right. And even if he banishes me to the dungeons I am sure he will not be very cross with you. He will only be overjoyed to be with you again." Kili said, wondering how Thorin could bare to be away from her for a day, much less three weeks.

Ila smiled brightly at Kili and withdrew her hand to bring the blanket closer around her. It was late and the sun was setting outside, and the mountain was growing colder as it always did at night.

"Are you not eating supper?" Kili asked.

"They will bring me a little something here. I will eat a little for the baby's sake but I am not much hungry." Ila said.

"May I take my supper here then? If you must stay in bed, perhaps I can entertain you until you fall asleep?" Kili asked. He found he did not want to be under his brother's watchful and questioning eyes tonight. And, as always, he desired Ila's company. "That is, if my presence will not bother you?"

Dwala was thankful that no one saw her shift uncomfortably in her seat when he asked that.

"Of course, I would like some distraction and Dwala deserves a break from trying to entertain me. Though I must warn you I will likely fall asleep very early." Ila replied.

And so Kili sat and took supper with her, reading to her a bit before she fell asleep, at a rather early hour as she had warned. Kili closed the book quietly, seeing Ila's chest rise and fall slowly under the covers. Her full lips were parted just barely, and she looked to be at peace. Kili stared at her for a long moment, before feeling Dwala's eyes on him. He caught her gaze and cleared his throat, quickly rising from his seat and quietly bidding her goodnight as he took his leave.

Dwala closed the door behind him, boring holes in it at Kili as she did. She turned and went to the chair he had just vacated. While Ila had made it through the worst, she still did not want to leave her just yet. She would spend another night by her side, just in case.

Dwala pulled a blanket around herself and closed her eyes, letting her thoughts drift to happier things. Well, a certain someone. She hoped he was safe and warm, with a few cookies left to eat, and his dreams filled with her. Dwala fell asleep with a smile on her face, hoping she would dream of him too.

A week passed. It was early morning and Ila was standing in front of her mirror, naked and surveying her body. Her angry bruises had begun to heal but they were still rather vivid in their color. Ila felt no discomfort in her abdomen and her bump had grown visibly since Thorin had left. She gently and lovingly rubbed her hand over it and smiled. Her little one was safe, so far as anyone could tell. He or she was also hungry, as Ila's stomach growled loudly. She smiled and patted her belly.

"I know, I know. You're a very hungry little dwarf already." She said sweetly to her belly.

Ila felt relieved for the most part, but was honestly still a little afraid. She decided that she wanted to chance nothing, and that she would call for breakfast in bed yet again this morning. Pulling on a robe, she carefully climbed into their great bed again and made herself comfortable. The one nice thing about Thorin being gone is that she had the great bed, that could easily sleep four dwarves, all to herself and she could sleep in the very middle of it and hog all the pillows. She did just that, making herself comfortable while she waited for Dwala to appear.

And actually, there was another thing that was a bit nice about Thorin being gone, which was that Sam got to sleep with her again. Presently, he was curled into a fluffy ball at the foot of the bed. She would probably not mention this to Thorin. She would have Dwala thoroughly launder their bedding and Sam would go back to sleeping with Dwala as he had done since Ila became a wife.

Honestly, all this time in bed had made her a bit lethargic, and she felt that she could probably rather easily go back to sleep. She had been rather restless at first when Oin had insisted that she stay in bed for a few days, but that had mostly been out of fear regarding her baby's condition. Now, she found that sleeping at least took her mind off of her worries and it passed the time until Thorin returned.

Once she felt up to it, Fili suggested that she join him in counsel. He said it would allow her to learn more about Erebor and about ruling, to listen to the advisors and the day in and day outs of ruling the kingdom. He also said it would impress Thorin with how much she knew when he returned. Ila thought it might not be very interesting, but she also thought that she should spend more time with Fili. She was getting to know Kili very well, but Fili was often much busier and occupied. That came with being the oldest Ila thought. What she had seen of Fili had reminded her of Thorin, and she wanted to know him better even more because of it.

Perhaps she would go later today. She did feel better, but wanted to take breakfast in bed while she could still get away with it. She would make Thorin have breakfast in bed with her when he returned. She smiled widely just thinking about him. She wondered what he was doing at that moment, as she did several times a day. As she lay in bed, she closed her eyes and tried to imagine his hands on her, gliding down her sides, over her breasts, fingering her sex….all the things she loved and missed. After having had him every night for weeks now Ila was experiencing withdrawals.

She let her own hands glide down her body and caress her skin. She then tentatively grazed her sex. She wanted to feel pleasure so badly, and thinking of Thorin alone was enough to make her wet between legs. Ila thought for a moment at trying to mimic Thorin's ministrations with her own fingers. She slipped her fingers gently into her folds, tentatively feeling about, when she suddenly heard the door opening.

Thankfully, she was under the blankets and quickly withdrew her hand.

"Oh good, you're awake." Dwala said happily.

Ila tried not to smile sheepishly. "Yes, but I am thinking breakfast in bed this morning….just in case." Ila said with a smirk.

Dwala giggled. "As though anyone would tell you that you couldn't." Dwala noted.

"Well, I don't want anyone to think that I am a lazy and indulgent queen." Ila replied and sat up in bed.

"In fact, I am going to take Fili up on the suggestion that I come to counsel with him today." Ila continued.

"Oh, well I'm sure that will be interesting,"

"You don't have to come," Ila said knowing that Dwala did not want to.

"I am supposed to accompany you everywhere," Dwala reminded her.

"I will be with Fili and well looked after," Ila replied.

"Well, I suppose I could find something to do on my own then."

"You don't have to, you can come with me—"

"No that's alright," Dwala said quickly.

"That's what I thought."

The two laughed at each other and Sam began to finally stir, stretching his limbs and hopping down from the bed to properly greet Dwala by licking her hand.

"I can take this one for a walk if nothing else," Dwala said tugging at Sam so that he would jump up in her lap, which he did.

"He misses you I believe. He is so used to sleeping with you now," Ila observed.

"I miss him keeping me warm as well," Dwala said.

"Yes, well, soon you will have someone else to take care of that," Ila mused.

Dwala looked at up embarrassedly. "You don't know that,"

"Yes, I do." Ila said confidently.

Dwala didn't argue, hoping with all of her heart that Ila was right.