Another week passed, and there was only one more until Thorin and his company would return to Erebor. Ila was wishing the coming week away, being heartsick for her love and husband. She couldn't wait for him to see how see had grown in his absence, her belly beginning to protrude nicely. And she would be a little bigger after another week, though she felt she was the only one who could really tell. Every morning she would tell Dwala that she was bigger and ask her excitedly if she could tell, but Dwala often could not. Ila would just smile and insist that her belly was a tiny bit bigger than the day before.

A couple more weeks and Ila would be a third of the way through her pregnancy. Add another month to that and she would be half way! That excited her, but she also felt that time was moving so slowly. Especially at times during the royal council meetings that she had been attending with Fili during the past week. Sometimes what was going on was very interesting. Ila liked to hear about Dale and what the men were doing and selling and building. Other topics, such as the budget for repairs and restorations to be made to the palace were less interesting. Ila was not one for numbers, so when they began to talk money her eyes glazed over a bit. Still, she did her utmost to give the appearance of an intelligent and engaged queen, while also trying to achieve Thorin's grace and dignity. He could give off the most refined and powerful airs without even trying. He could also come off as very aloof and intimidating though, which Ila did not want to emulate. Ila suppressed a grin at the memory of the first time she saw Kili, standing next to Thorin's throne and trying with all his might to channel his uncle's aura, but only managed to look sweet and boyish instead.

Ila restrained herself from laughing, as she was currently in council now. Fili was sitting at the head of a great table and Ila was next to him but her chair sat a little further back. She was there to observe, not actually participate, but as queen she was of course allowed to ask questions. She generally didn't however, not wanting to display just how much she did not know, but also because she was there to learn and did not want to interrupt.

There were eight other dwarves around the table of varying ages but all older than Fili. Fili had a surprising command of the room however, and was obviously a natural ruler. Ila thought for a moment how unfortunate it was that he would not get to be king, especially after so many years of being groomed to do so. Ila looked down to her belly and wondered that he might not get to be king after all.

What if her womb held a daughter? And what if that was all she could ever give Thorin? It was very unlikely, female births being so rare among dwarves. But nothing was impossible.

Ila rubbed her belly, already loving her baby desperately, girl or boy. She only hoped Thorin would not be too disappointed if his firstborn were a little girl.

Ila brought her attention back to what was happening at the council. One dwarf, with an enormous, dark red beard, was going on about finances. Gloin was his name, and Fili had told her he had a son near their age but a bit younger. Ila was interested to learn as well that Gloin was the younger brother of Oin. They were also cousins of Dwalin and Balin. Balin was there as well, sitting to the other side of Ila. He was the oldest dwarf on the council and Ila noted that he was able to provide historical perspective on every single subject that could possibly come up. When the other dwarves would banter and fuss he would roll his eyes or wink at her, as though to say this was normal. Ila had to suppress many smiles during council.

After about another hour, the council called it a day and broke for supper. Fili made his way out of the room quickly, as there was always some dwarf who was not done talking and wanted to continue their debate despite the meeting being over. Fili would not be detained though. He offered Ila his hand which she took and he led her from the room.

"That was a swift get away," Ila said as she took Fili's arm which was more natural and comfortable.

"Yes, you have to exit those swiftly. And they are old dwarves who do not move as fast as they used to, makes them easier to evade," Fili said smirking at Ila.

She giggled and Fili slowed their pace as they had put enough initial distance between themselves and the chamber.

"Do not let me over extend you," Fili said.

"Oh, I am well. I assure you I feel all better." Ila said.

"Yes, but you only grow heavier with child, you must—"

"—take it easy. You sound like your uncle." Ila finished his sentence.

Fili smiled. "Well, uncle is right. As he is in most things."

"Yes, and he knows it well." Ila replied. "Just try to tell him he is mistaken."

Fili chuckled, having many more memories of that to draw on than she.

They walked in silence for a moment, before Fili decided to ask her about his brother.

"Have you seen Kili today?" he asked as casually as possible.

"No, no I haven't. And I did not expect to see him in council. He can't sit still long enough for such things can he?"

"No, he cannot. He has far too much energy for that. And no interest in what is going on." Fili said, but not with contempt.

"Not everyone can be as you are, or as Thorin is. I can't imagine Dwalin sitting through something like that for instance," Ila remarked.

"No, he has not the patience for such talk either. Actually, Kili is probably much more like Dwalin than uncle." Fili mused. He had certainly always looked up to the great warrior, as he did their uncle too of course.

"If that is so then Kili is probably in the practice arena if no one has seen him today." Ila suggested.

"Has he spent much time with you since uncle left? Since the accident?"

"A fair bit, yes. He reads to me, and plays with Sam, and dines with me of course, but you know that as I often dine with you both. Why?"

"I am only curious. I don't want him taking you on any other adventures. Not until the heir is born anyway."

"Oh, you needn't worry about that. I am as careful these days as if I were made of glass, which I am always teasing your uncle that he thinks I am. But that fall was enough to scare me for good. Although, you will remember Kili promised to teach me how to shoot a bow before I discovered I was pregnant. Thorin says I am not allowed to learn until after the baby is born now." Ila said.

"You will have little time once the baby comes, won't you?"

Ila smiled brightly. Mere mention of her and Thorin's little one was enough to do that.

"Certainly, at first. But when he or she is a bit older I will have time of my own again." She responded confidently and Fili returned her bright smile as he led her into the great hall for supper. Ila noticed that Dwala was not about. Nor was Kili. Fili led Ila to the head table and they sat alone without waiting for anyone to join them to begin eating. Ila's stomach was growling loudly and she patted it lightly. She was already carrying a demanding little dwarf, royalty obviously.

They had not been dining long with Ila noticed Kili had walked in to the great hall, which ila noticed right away for one reason in particular. He was in the company of a female. He was laughing and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself, so much so that Ila wondered if he was drunk. But it seemed a bit too early to be intoxicated, and ila wondered if this was the dwarf he had spoken to her of before.

She was a little shorter than him, with blonde hair braided rather intricately back into a half bun while the rest of her hair hung freely down her back. She was pretty, in a pale green dress on which the neck line was a bit too low.

Ila leaned towards Fili and asked, "Who is that? I don't think I've ever seen her before."

Fili looked up from his food and his eyes immediately set on his brother. He stopped chewing and looked most perplexed. Ila giggled at the face he was making.

"Her name is Asta," Fili said, still staring.

Ila lowered her voice, "Are they together?"

"Not that I am aware." Fili said, his tone lower too. And perhaps a bit disapproving. That must be the one, Ila thought.

Kili did not even look to the head table where Ila and Fili sat, and he had to make a point not to. Ila thought that strange, and was a little disappointed that he sat with the maiden at another table. She hadn't seen him all day. But, if Fili disapproved as he seemed to then Ila understood why he did so.

Ila then remembered that Kili said the maiden he fancied loved another, and she hoped said dwarf wasn't in the room at the moment. While they weren't touching or doing anything imprudent, they were obviously very flirty with one another.

Ila wondered if that was how she and Thorin looked when they were flirty in public. Surely not.

Fili was alternating eating and keeping an eye on his brother. Ila noticed the rest of the council members had finally made their way to the great hall, still going on about something from what she could tell and hear from the other end of the room.

Ila thought she would ask Fili something, though was a little afraid she might be too personal too soon. She decided to ask anyway.

"Is there no maiden that has caught your eye?" She asked with a sly smile.

His eyes widened a bit. "Me? No. Kili has always been the handsome one. He catches the eye of every maid. It was the same when we lived in the Blue Mountains."

Ila's expression objected to his statement while her voice was stilled by the mug at her lips. She peered over its rim at him as if he were crazy. She sat it down quickly and laid into him.

"Are you suggesting that you are not handsome?" Ila asked incredulously.

Fili looked a bit uncomfortable. "I admit I do not think of myself as such. But if I am, I am still not so much as Kili." He said, trying to sound matter of fact about it but she could tell it was a sore point. Perhaps that is why he tried so hard. Kili was the baby, the handsome one, the skilled bowman. Fili was older, but he had likely grown up trying not only to take care of his brother but with Kili being praised and babied the entire time. That must have been difficult Ila thought, and it explained why Kili was not as responsible as Fili. He had never had to be.

"That is not true, not at all!" Ila reproached him. "He does not even have a beard," Ila said, whispering now.

Fili chuckled but with no mirth in his voice. "He will though. Long and full, like father's."

Fili had a far away look in his eyes now. Ila knew that their father had died when they were young, that Kili did not really remember him. But Fili did.

Ila felt very heavy hearted for him now. She had to say something to make him feel better, since she had started this.

"You are as handsome if not more, Fili. You two are very different, but one of you is not more handsome or worthy than the other. You have strengths your brother does not, and vice versa. You have more of your uncle's qualities. I see so much of Thorin in you. And he is very proud of you, Fili." Ila said soothingly and with all sincerity.

Fili looked about to blush a bit and smiled at her.

"And," Ila continued, "one day a most especially fortunate and blessed maiden will get to call you husband."

Fili did blush a little at that, and gave her a hopeful smile.

A little while later, Dwala showed up to supper, practically passing Kili as he and the maiden he had arrived with finished their dinner and left together. Kili never even acknowledged Ila or Fili, which Ila thought was very strange indeed. Not that he needed to, he knew she was with Fili that day and he had spent the majority of the past week with her. And, on top of which Fili had taken some of the responsibility of watching over her directly after what had happened in the hall of treasures. Kili was a free dwarf and could as he pleased. But Ila felt that he purposely ignored them for some reason. But what reason she could not discern. It did not sit well with her, but she tried to shrug it off.

Fili watched his brother go, knowing exactly what he was doing and observing how bad he was at it.

Nice show brother. I suppose it is for the both of us watching here.

He would have another talk with him.

Ila forced a smile and told Fili that she would like to retire, which of course he allowed. Dwala followed as well, having not eaten much. Once they reached the royal rooms, Dwala finally thought it was safe to ask,

"Who was that with Kili? Is he courting?"

Dwala wished it was so, that he had seen reason and moved on.

"I do not know!" Ila said spinning around in excitement to face her. "But it appears so." She said sitting on the side of her bed. "He spoke to me once of being in love, with a certain maiden that Thorin would not approve of AND that was in love with another."

Dwala's ears perked up. "Oh, really?" That sounded suspiciously like someone she knew.

"Yes, indeed! I told him to try in earnest to direct his feelings elsewhere, so I hope that is what he is doing. But then Fili seemed to disapprove of it, so I am unsure." Ila continued.

"That is strange. Who can know." Dwala said, coming around to begin pulling Ila's laces free, intent on letting this place out before telling Ila what she suspected about Kili's true feelings. Hopefully he had genuinely turned his affections elsewhere.

"The minds of dwarves, who can know them. Ila said, staring off. "I see more and more of Thorin's mind, and sometimes he baffles me."

Dwala chuckled. "I know less of Dwalin's thoughts. He doesn't always talk very much, mostly he listens to me talk. But he is a very good listener." Dwala said.

"I can hear you smiling, you know," Ila said turning her head towards Dwala and she giggled in reply, because she was smiling widely.

Just then a knock came at the door, and both girls looked to each other with surprise. Ila pulled on a robe over her dress as the back was now hanging open, not knowing who was on the other side of the door. Dwala ran to get it.

As she opened it, she was met with a dwarf she had seen in passing several times, but only because they shared similar duties. She did not know her name, but recognized immediately that it was the dwarf in waiting to lady Dis.

They nodded to each other and the older dwarf spoke first.

"Is your lady still awake? Lady Dis would like to visit with her for a moment." She asked.

Dwala was surprised to say the least, and looked to Ila who had heard everything. Ila nodded quickly and began to straighten her hair and make sure she was as decent as she could be.

"Of course," Dwala replied and moved from the door. The other dwarf retreated back into the antechamber and Ila asked Dwala if she looked well enough. Dwala assured her that she did and followed her into the next room.

Ila was nervous. She had only seen Lady Dis at the royal wedding and had barely exchanged words with her. It had been such a world wind celebration for her and there had been so many to greet and thank.

As she came into the antechamber she turned to face Dis, who was sitting with her back as straight as an arrow. She had many of Thorin's airs Ila thought. So regal and calm yet commanding, without having to utter a single word. She wore a dark blue gown, the same blue that Thorin was usually clad in. Her jewelry was heavy and done in silver, but she wore it as though it weighed nothing. The circlet on her head matched a magnificent necklace of sapphires that perfectly matched her gown. Ila felt that she paled in comparison at the moment.

Dis rose gracefully as Ila entered the room and bowed appropriately.

"Your majesty," she said.

Ila returned the bow but rose quickly to begin urging her up.

"Please, that is not necessary my lady." Ila said, closing some of the distance between them. Dis rose and smiled at Ila.

"Please, tell me why I have the honor of your visit tonight? And please forgive my appearance, I was beginning to retire for the evening," Ila spoke quickly, still being anxious and not knowing what to expect.

"I thought you might, I apologize that the hour I appear is late. But I will not keep you. I only wanted to check on you. I heard you took a fall?" Dis asked.

"Oh, yes. I had a little slip. But I am well now." Ila said, and noticed that Dis looked to her belly.

Dis slowly closed the distance that was left between them and gently placed a hand on Ila's stomach.

"And the heir is well too, I see?" Dis asked.

Ila smiled and placed her own hand on her belly too. "Yes, the heir is well. And is my only concern these days." Ila said.

Dis smiled sweetly at Ila. "I am glad that you both are well. I would have paid you a visit sooner, but you needed to rest and I did not overwhelm you. And Kili kept me informed of your condition." She added.

"Oh, yes. Kili would know, as he had kept me company much of this past week. I am very thankful for him." Ila replied.

Dis smiled a different sort of smile then. "Yes, and he is also the cause of your little slip I do believe,"

"Oh, no. No he is not. It's my fault, really-" Ila began but the older dwarf interrupted her.

"You need not make excuses for my youngest. He does not always have the best judgment. But he always means well." Dis said and Ila felt that she should not argue with her.

"Well, I will not keep you from your rest. I wish you pleasant dreams and peaceful slumber, my queen." Lady Dis said and the two dwarves bowed to each other once more, Ila thanking her and she gracefully exiting the room, her handmaiden behind her.

Ila and Dwala looked to each other. "Well, that was unexpected." Ila said.

"Very," Dwala replied. "We have not seen her since your wedding, right?"

"Right," Ila replied and went back to the bedroom, shedding her robe and letting Dwala peel her dress off of her.

"But I think it is a good thing don't you? She seemed very agreeable." Ila continued.

"She did. But I wonder if Thorin told her to keep an eye on you too?" Dwala asked.

"I doubt it, I mean she would have to do so from afar. Likely she only worried for the heir because Kili confided in her, at least that is what it seems."

"You are probably right," Dwala said, helping Ila pull her sleeping gown over her head now.

Ila climbed into bed and Dwala pulled the covers over her, tucking her in well against the cold winter night.

"I think everything is well now, don't you? And, Thorin and Dwalin will be on their way home tomorrow!" Ila said to Dwala who was sitting on her bedside.

"Yes, I am sure everything will be well now. What could go wrong?" Dwala assured her, but knowing in her heart that something could always do so. But she hoped that Ila had weathered enough, and that all she had left to do was birth Erebor's next prince and live happily ever after. If fairy tale endings did exist, Ila deserved one.

As for Dwala, she didn't need a fairy tale, just for her dwarf to come home and ask for her hand.

A fair distance away, in the Blue Mountains, a great feast was held in a send off for the king under the mountain. His company's journey back to Erebor would begin the following morning, and the dwarves of Ered Luin were giving Thorin a king's feast for sure. Though the ale and wine flowed freely and was as plentiful as any dwarf could want, Thorin took care not to consume too much. He did not want tomorrow's departure to be slowed by having a hangover. He was too anxious to return to his beloved for that.

Thorin noticed that Dwalin was more anxious than unsual to leave as well, and that the reason for that was essentially the same, only the keeper of his heart was not with his child. Yet.

He looked across the table at Dwalin, who was nursing his drink as well, probably for the same reasons as he was. The rest of the party was thoroughly enjoying themselves however, with dwarves milling about all over the hall, hanging on one another, spilling and sloshing their drinks everywhere, and having a rowdy old good time. The actual dining part of the evening was over, though a few were still at their food, and there were plates and scraps all over the tables where they hadn't been cleaned off yet. But everyone was so merry that they neither noticed or cared.

The great hall at Ered Luin was nothing in size compared to Erebor, but Thorin knew it well from his many years living there. He enjoyed coming back some times, which was strange to him, since he had hated it there when they were exiled. But this had been their home away from home, and where some had elected to stay. Still, he missed his wife terribly, and wanted only to return to her. He could not wait to see how she had grown in his absence.

Dwalin was thinking of his lady at that moment as well, that was until a plump dwarf with fiery red hair suddenly sat down on his lap.

"Well hello there. You look a bit lonely," said the dwarf, obviously drunk and mistaking him for someone who cared to be on the receiving end of her advances.

"I was happily alone. And now I'm not," Dwalin said, his expression like stone. Thorin silently laughed from across the table as he watched.

"Oh, come now…" she purred to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and gazing up into his eyes seductively (at least Thorin guessed that it was supposed to be seductive, rather it was nothing but comical).

"…I could make your last night in Ered Luin a memorable one…" she continued and Thorin could no longer laugh silently. It wasn't that she was unattractive, she was moderately so, but she was so intoxicated and ridiculous that one who was sober could only laugh at her.

"I'm sure you could, in all the wrong ways," Dwalin said and Thorin hoped he didn't offend her too horribly, but luckily the dwarf was too much out of her mind to be angry.

"Oh, don't be like that," she said, stroking his face with her free hand which Dwalin gently but firmly took hold off and pried off his face.

"I'm sure you're a lovely dwarf, really, but I am spoken for." He said with every ounce of restraint he had in him, as he very much wanted to dump her out on the floor.

The dwarf pouted but did not make to rise from his lap. "You have on no ring," she observed, looking at his left hand. "Is your lady so special that you are so loyal without being bound to her?" The rather forward female dwarf asked and Dwalin had had enough with her.

"Yes, she is. Now kindly remove yourself from my lap before you find your bottom on the hard stone floor." Dwalin said and the dwarf finally looked a bit hurt. She moved from him very quickly and mumbled something in Khuzdul under her breath as she went.

Dwalin heard it but Thorin was too far away, but he noticed his friend wince. Thorin moved to sit next to Dwalin, not wanting to call over the table at him.

"What was that? I didn't catch it." he asked of her parting words.

"Oh, it was nothing." Dwalin said shaking his head and taking another drink.

"Yes, it was. What could she have possibly said that could penetrate your iron skin?" Thorin inquired, believing that there must be more to it. Dwalin didn't care what anyone thought of him. Never had.

Dwalin looked down at his drink, fingering the rim as he mumbled something Thorin didn't catch over all the noise in the hall.

"What?"

Dwalin furrowed his brow, and anyone else would have thought he was mad. But Thorin knew better.

"She called me old and a troll." Dwalin replied, not meeting Thorin's eyes. "Troll I am, but old...I suppose I've not come to grips with that."

Thorin thought about that before responding. Dwalin was still as strong and fierce a warrior as any in the dwarven kingdoms. He was no longer a lad and perhaps not as swift as he once was, but he was as fast as he needed to be. So that comment really didn't make sense to Thorin, but in one regard.

"You are worried because Dwala is so much younger than you," Thorin said knowingly.

Dwalin met his eyes. "She may turn down my proposal, and I couldn't fault her. I will leave her a widow for many years." Dwalin said sadly, and Thorin tried to remember the last time he had seen Dwalin actually sad. He could recall no instance.

"You could get her with child on your wedding night, and she die in child birth but six months later. You have no idea what will happen." Thorin pointed out.

" Yes, Balin said the same thing. But it is much likelier that I will leave her, and not her leave me."

"I would be lying if I said I did not have the same concerns about Ila, but I simply push them away as much as I am able and enjoy what time I do have with her."

"Yes, but you are a king, and when you depart this world it will be with Ila as royalty and the assurance that she and your children are cared for until they join you. I will leave Dwala with no such assurances." Dwalin said, and Thorin could tell that this had been weighing heavy on his mind. He had wondered why he had taken his time proposing, since he'd given his blessing a while ago.

"You cannot believe that I or Ila or the boys for that matter would let your family go uncared for. Not when you have been as a brother to me, an uncle to Fili and Kili and as much as Ila loves Dwala?"

"No, but still. I hate the thought of leaving her to care for little ones that are fatherless."

"Is that all that's troubling you?"

Dwalin looked past Thorin, staring into the distance.

"I'm afraid she simply won't have me. That she doesn't want me,"

"I doubt that very much," Thorin replied quickly.

"And I wouldn't blame her," Dwalin said as though he hadn't heard Thorin.

"So you're not going to ask her for fear she will say no?"

"I didn't say that."

"As soon as we return then?"

"Shortly after, once I have her ring."

"I am sure she will be agree to be yours. Dwarves don't make cookies for just anyone," Thorin said with a big smile and placed a hand on Dwalin's shoulder to give him a hard shake. Dwalin forced a smile for his friend and they both had another ale for good measure, and to ensure they would sleep well for the journey home tomorrow.

A/N: First, I wanted to post again so soon since I had it written and because I missed a post last week. Second, I wanted to respond to a couple of reviews, as briefly as possible because I know you come to read the story, not my personal musings.

To Chittsu, thanks for calling out my mistake. I caught it when I was re-reading it and meant to go back and edit it but I forgot. :/ I need to go back and edit a lot for grammar at some point, hopefully soon.

To the guest who left the review that stories like this one "do a lot of damage to promote the idea that losing your virginity will be a horrible experience no matter what," that is not the story's or my intention, and I sincerely hope that everyone reading knows that. I hope that no readers take that message away from it. I agree with a lot of points the reviewer made, particularly that girls need to be physically/emotionally/psychologically prepared and to be intimate with someone that is compassionate and respectful of them.

But this is a story, and we all know that life is not always like that. Ila is very young, and she had no choice in the matter. Still, I tried to write that scene with some compassion and redeeming qualities. And I wrote it with a bit of my own experience in mind, as I waited until the age of twenty and for a man who was thoughtful and gentle, and it still hurt like all hell. Everyone's body and experience is different, and I did not set out to write the happiest, fluffiest, story I could think of. But just to be sure that I do not miscommunicate anything, please do not take the intimate scenes in this story to be how I believe they must be, only how I chose them to be for the characters.

Thank you as always for reading and reviewing. I appreciate your time and feedback more than I can tell you.