But WHERE is Thora?!
The question of 'how much relaxing can one person do?' was answered after Dru had sat down and tried to read one of her favourite books after having tea by herself.
And no matter how much she tried to force herself into the world, she just couldn't and she knew why: she was bored.
And who could blame her? She didn't mind time by herself at all, but after an hour had passed, she realised she'd changed too much to just sit around and do nothing at all.
After Eilonwy had offered to take care of Thora for the morning to let Dru finish her work, Dru had quickly finished her research in the library and found she didn't have anything to do.
And since Eilonwy was adamant that Dru takes some time for herself, she decided to do just that.
She went back to her chambers and had a relaxing bath before deciding on her outfit for the day.
Then, she had tea and scones by herself (with a heavy dollop of jam) before sitting back to read one of her favourite books.
But Thora had changed her.
For the better, of course.
Time by herself was fine, but she really just wanted to see if her daughter was alright. Give her a cuddle and a little kiss.
"I'll go see if Eilonwy is ok," she put down her book and got up.
The walk would do her good, after all, months of pregnancy had added on to her already curvy figure and as soon as she got the ok from Bodil, she'd be down to that training ground and getting her battle strength back.
That is, only if Thora would be alright in watching with her nursemaid...
Heading out of her chambers, it wasn't that far a walk to Eilonwy's own rooms and as soon as she knocked on her door, that sweet pleasant voice called from within.
"You may come in."
"It's just me Eilonwy," Dru walked in and greeted her friend with a bright smile, "I've just come to check in and-oh...where's Thora?"
Dru was surprised to see her friend sitting in her seat and embroidering on a frame she'd been working on for a few weeks. It was beginning to take shape and the shifting of colours was so mesmerizing, that Dru almost forgot to look around for her child.
"Bofur dropped by and insisted on taking her," Eilonwy had a dreamy smile as she thought of her beau, "said he'd like to take her to the toy shop and get her opinion on a new design Bofur had come up with."
"Oh dear," Dru sighed but there was no frustration behind it, "she's going to end up with a bookcase of toys before she can even hold them. I'll go and get her before she gets given another doll to sit in her cot."
Bidding farewell to Eilonwy, Dru slipped out and headed towards the lower levels of Erebor, straight to Bofur and Bifur's toy shop.
But when she got there, she was in for another surprise.
"Mornin'," Bofur winked at her as he puffed away on his pipe outside the shop, "if ya' after the wee one, Gloin took her to see the new weapons that got made in the armoury."
"Honestly," Dru huffed slightly and placed her hands on her hips, "first he didn't want to hold her after she was born and now, he constantly takes her to see the armoury. I bet he just uses her as a reminder to Gimli that he should settle down and marry."
So quickly hurrying back upstairs to the armoury, Dru actually let out an aggrieved groan when she saw Gloin...with no Thora.
"Let me guess," she walked up to him and held her arms open for an explanation, "you don't have my daughter either?"
"No, no, lass. Dwalin was the last one who had her."
"Where's Dwalin?" Dru asked but almost wished she hadn't when he slightly grimaced and looked around to see if anyone was nearby listening.
"You won't like it," he eventually said and Dru felt her ire rise when she thought of the one possible place Dwalin could have taken her that she wouldn't approve.
"Do NOT tell me he took her there?!"
Gloin thought about it for a long moment before giving her a calm little smile.
"Ok, I won't."
A short while later...
"DWALIN!"
The captain of the royal army actually startled at the loud, familiar squawk that called his name and turned around to see the Princess marching towards him, her heavy skirts pulled up in one hand as she made her way towards him.
"DWALIN, YOU BETTER NOT BE DOWN HERE WITH MY DAUGHTER-"
She was still yelling at him even though she was now only a few feet away but he merely held up his empty hands and shook his head.
"It's perfectly safe-"
"Dwalin!" Dru stopped and glared up at him, "you KNOW I told you I didn't want her down here until she is older!"
"You said on her own," Dwalin pointed out and put his finger in her face, gently tapping her nose, "and she wasn't alone. And she only stayed for a few minutes."
Dru grit her teeth to stop herself from biting the little appendage in her face.
"Dwalin. Where. Is. She?"
And thus, her day began.
Dwalin had told her he had given Thora to Oin, who in turn had passed her onto Espen and then from there, Balin took her.
Dru went from shop to home to office to library searching for the last person to have her daughter and she thought she had finally found her when she was directed to Nori, but HE had simply said that a guard had taken her off of him when a small fire had broken out in Bombur's bakery and when he'd come back after they'd got it under control, they were gone.
Which meant her daughter's current whereabouts were unknown, as was the person who had her.
Twelve bloody dwarves and not one had her daughter?!
"Oh, bollocks!" She grumbled and made her way towards her husband's study. Hopefully, he would have her and if not...well, then she'd start panicking.
"Fili?" She called out as she knocked on the door and she didn't even have a chance to open it herself.
Her husband was already there and greeted her with a warm, dazzling smile.
"Is it Lunchtime already?" He asked and reached out for her, frowning as she bit her lip nervously, "what's wrong?"
"Fili, I know this is going to sound like an unusual question but...you don't happen to have our daughter in there, do you?"
Just by the surprised look, he gave her, she already knew the answer.
"Oh...well, I've lost our bloody daughter!" She groaned and hid her face in her hands, "mother of the bloody year!"
Fili's hand gently squeezed her shoulder whilst the other pulled her hands away.
"Now calm yourself. When did you last see her?"
So Dru began to rattle off her day and who she had seen as she followed the 'trail' of their daughter.
"Twelve dwarves, one elf and a handful of guards and not one of them has her! And now, I have no idea where she is in this mountain, for all I know someone's accidentally cooked her in a pie and I just-"
Fili covered her mouth with his hand and gave her an amused look.
"Don't panic. I know where she is."
He lowered his hand and she went wide-eyed.
"What?! You do?!"
"You missed a dwarf."
Slowly, as he smirked at her and she counted in her head, she realised he was right.
She had missed someone VERY important.
"Oh. Oh," she rolled her eyes and marched towards the nearest guard, "of bloody course."
Fili was right behind her and had to restrain his laughter as she asked the slightly startled guard, "Excuse me, where's the bloody King?!"
XXXXXXXXX
"Honestly, how hard is it for ONE person to say, 'oh, your daughter is with your Uncle!'" Dru grumbled as she marched on, her hand holding Fili as she practically had to tug him with her, "and DON'T tell me to calm down! He didn't send bloody word, so I'm going to say a few choice ones to him!"
Fili couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"He didn't know that you didn't know, now did he?"
The look that she threw him over her shoulder was enough to make him backtrack.
"I'm just saying, maybe in the future, we-"
"Wait!"
Fili shut up quickly when she stopped and went silent.
She turned to him and lowered her voice.
"I can hear him on the balconies above...I think he's talking to Rana. Come on, I want to do that sneaking thing where he doesn't see us-"
"-Until the last minute?"
Dru smirked at Fili and something flashed in her eyes.
"I like it when you do that. Can you tell what I'm thinking now?"
Fili paused and stared at her, pretending to read her mind.
"Well, I...wait, listen," he strained his ears and pointed above, "I don't think it's Rana he's talking to."
Dru listened intently but made no move forward as had been her original plan. Thorin was talking above them, but his voice was gentle and soothing. And he addressed the person he spoke to.
"Thora, I have so much to show you. So much to say. One day," he paused for the longest time and Dru could just picture him cradling her child in his arms, protecting her from anything and everything, "one day, your father will be King and your mother will be queen. And you will be loved even more than you are right now. There has never been such a Princess before that will be adored as you will be. And as long as I'm here, I will make sure you're happy."
Dru's heart did a flutter at his confession and promise. Everybody in the Kingdom loved Thora, but not as much as her parents and Thorin.
Quiet, graceful footsteps sounded and Dru heard Rana speak and knew he hadn't been quite alone after all.
"You would have made a wonderful father," she said, her voice full of regret but Thorin quickly quelled her sadness.
"No, I wasn't a very good father when I was needed. I made mistakes. Pushed them away and...I didn't love them and give them the affection they deserved. That they all wanted and quietly asked me for."
Fili and Dru were silent as they listened to him. But they both kept a tight grip on the other's hand, knowing that his words were true.
They had forgiven him for the coldness he had displayed for so many years and he apologised for his behaviour already, but he would always feel guilty about the way he treated them.
But then, his next words made them smile. Because he was earnest and true.
"I think I quite like being Papa, however. I will strive every day to do right by her. I will be better, I swear it."
What they couldn't see above them, was Rana leaning in close to tenderly stroke the side of her husband's head as she gazed down at Thora.
"And if he is not, I'll help your mother cut off his beard."
Fili and Dru tried not to laugh along with them, Thorin continuing to talk endearments to little Thora as Rana patiently listened and agreed to some of his promises.
It was when they both contently began to argue about birthday gifts for her 'the thirtieth year' did Dru move again.
"Come away," she whispered quietly and gently pulled her husband back, though it was less vicious than it had been on the way there.
When they were a safe distance away, he asked her in a normal voice, "I thought you wanted to tear him a new one?"
Dru HAD been set on letting rip at Thorin, but truthfully?
She had just been scared. Scared her daughter was somewhere she shouldn't be and with someone else that wasn't here.
But...she could stand to give Thorin some time alone with her after his promise.
"Nah, she's fine where she is. She couldn't be in safer hands," she walked at a slower pace and smiled at her husband.
"What he said back there," Fili's hand gave her own a little squeeze, "you will be Queen one day...does it make you nervous?"
She shook her head and let out a small laugh.
"Only when I think about it. And what about you? Future King Under the Mountain?"
Fili stopped then and gently tugging her towards him, wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
"As long as I've got you by my side, I'm not afraid."
She couldn't help but smirk happily at him, baring her teeth.
"You romantic old sod...well, it seems we have a few hours free. Fancy some training?"
Fili thought about for a moment before he shook his head.
"I had something else in mind."
"Oh?"
When Fili leaned down and whispered in her ear, Dru's eyebrows shot up and for anyone walking by, they just knew what he was saying was private and EXTREMELY personal.
He pulled back and with a playful little pout and Dru's smirk suddenly became very predatory.
"Oh! Well, bloody come on then!"
For any guard or citizen that was walking through the vast halls and up and down stairs that evening, they were greeted by a sight that they couldn't help but laugh at.
The Prince and Princess of Erebor running hand in hand, back to their chambers and thinking they were quite alone, only stopping to snog one another as though they were young lovers.