Only Girls Allowed

"So Eilonwy, what do you think so far?" Dru clasped her hands behind her back and peered up into her friend's face, excited that Eilonwy actually seemed to be mesmerized by the sight of Erebor.

"It's magnificent. There's so much still to explore, I never thought such a place could hold such amazing secrets!" The elf smiled down happily at Dru, glad she had a good tour guide, "thank you for inviting me to stay."

"Well, TECHNICALLY, it was Uncle Thorin and Lord Elrond that arranged everything, but I have a feeling my Uncle just really wanted to make me happy on my birthday," she winked up at her friend and added, "and he got it bloody right."

On they walked through Erebor, coming to a stop near the grand entrance where Dru had been told they were receiving more familiar visitors who she was DYING to spend more time with.

The brief stopover the day before in Dale had given Dru little time to spend with Tilda and Sigrid, though it had been worth it to see the look of pure elation on Tilda's face when she met Eilonwy.

They didn't have to wait long for Bard and his family to walk through the entrance, but whereas Bard and Bain stayed back to talk to Thorin and Balin, Tilda immediately dashed off to Dru, followed at a more sedate pace by Sigrid.

"Dru!" Tilda ran at her friend and gave her a tight hug, "You'll never believe it! Dad says Thorin invited us to spend a couple of days in the Mountain so he can sort out a trade, isn't that wonderful?!"

"Really?" Dru pulled back and looked up at Tilda, glad she wasn't that much taller than her, "That's brilliant! We can have breakfast together! AND I can show you lot around Erebor as well! What do you think, Eilonwy? Mind making it a trio? Uh...a quadruple?"

"Correct," she nodded her head and smiled thoughtfully at Dru, "I think I would enjoy the extra company. It'd be nice to talk with more female."

"Yes! AND I had a great idea!" Tilda was practically buzzing with excitement as she looked between the other three, "what if we have a sleepover? I used to sleep at my friend Anya's house ALL the time!"

"Not all the time, only a couple," Sigrid pointed out but also added, "we used to get together with some of our friends and arrange nights at one another's houses and the parents would haul up in another house."

"They trusted you not to destroy the house?!" Dru smirked playfully but Tilda shrugged her shoulders.

"I think they just liked the night to themselves. We wouldn't do much different, just read, talk and eat lots of pastry!"

"Oh, that does sound like fun," Dru tapped her chin and had to wonder aloud, "but you just sit and talk all night? What about party games?"

"What kind of games?" Eilonwy asked but Tilda quickly asked another question right after that.

"Is that what you did at your sleepovers?"

Dru fell silent for a moment before lowering her voice and looking slightly embarrassed at having to admit the next bit.

"Well, me, Fi' and Ki' only ever had sleepovers and we'd always play games and stuff our faces."

"What about with other girls? Did you go to your friends' houses?"

Again, Dru seemed to go a little quieter as she confessed.

"I urm...I didn't really have any friends that were girls. I've only ever had my brothers and the company," she tried to shrug it off nonchalantly, but the other three saw the strange emotion in her eye and knew how to fix that.

"Well then," Sigrid decided to play the 'older sister' role to her advantage, "then I believe our first port of call is the kitchens."

"Yes!" Tilda grabbed Dru's hand and was ready to run off with her, "can we get cinnamon knots?!"

Later that evening...

Dru was feeling utterly exhausted, but she fought sleep because she didn't want the wonderful day to end.

After spending a good solid hour chatting with the kitchen staff and preparing what snacks they would have that night, they'd all gone off to the library to choose what books they'd read.

Of course, once they, they simply HAD to sit down and enjoy some of Dori's tea and since they could use the royal section without being a bothering, they also had a chat and sort out over what books to have.

Tilda, of course, insisted on at least two books because the illustrations of the 'past princesses of Erebor' were far too beautiful to turn away from.

After their short little break in the library, Dru took them all down to watch the Dwarves training and since all the boys were out full force today, she cheered out loud as she watched Fili and Dwalin fight it out.

Eilonwy and Sigrid seemed a little more subdued and clapped occasionally, but even Tilda was encouraged to join in the cheering, though her sister had to hold her back when Dru decided to literally jump in on the fight and have a quick go herself.

The three females watched in awe as she hammed up her fighting, purposefully cartwheeling and flipping to avoid any hits landing on her, though sort of ruined her performance when she tripped over the hem of her own skirt.

Fili had kindly helped her up, though she saw the teasing glint in his eye and promised him quietly she'd pay him back for laughing at her. Later though. She was far too busy right now.

Once dusted down and finding the day was turning slowly into the evening, they quickly stopped off at the market and since Dru had the 'pocket money', she eagerly went to her favourite bakery and bought a whole bag of fried, gooey doughballs for her and her friend to munch on later. She promised that waiting for them to cool for a couple of hours would be worth it because then they wouldn't be too soft or too hard.

They rushed back upstairs to tidy up before dinner and all sat down at the family table, Bard and Bain, of course, being invited to sit next to Thorin, Fili and Kili so all the girls could sit at one end.

They delighted in tails Dis told everyone of her young escapades in the mountain, though Dru kept having to stop her when she attempted to tell embarrassing stories about being raised in Ered Luin.

Though she didn't mind everyone knowing the embarrassing stories about Kili and the multiple girls he courted.

Once dinner was finished, they quickly headed back to their last destination: Dru's room.

She'd even invited them to spend the night sine 'the bed was big enough for four anyway!' But Thorin had kindly taken it upon himself to secure rooms along that level for the girls so they wouldn't have to wander far.

They'd dressed into their nightclothes and robes, all three marvelling at Eilonwy's 'simple dress' that looked very much as though she was ready to walk out to a ball, let alone go to bed.

The snacks were brought in and thanks to a very sneaky discussion between Dru and a kitchen hand, they'd also managed to get hold of two bottles of grape wine.

Sigrid HAD told Tilda she was only allowed one cup though, 'just as you have at Winter Solstice' and despite her protests that she could handle it, promptly fell asleep on her sister's lap and stayed there, even when the three began to talk and chatter above her.

"So, what do we talk about?" Dru queried with the other two, not have the correct 'etiquette' for sleepover chat.

"Mostly, we talk about our family and silly things they have done," Sigrid smoothed Tilda's hair out of the way and lowered her voice, "and I've got a few stories about Tilda you'll love, but you have to promise never to tell."

"Cross my heart, hope to die," Dru pointed to her eye and made a loud raspberry when she pretended to stick her finger in, "stick a sausage in my eye if I tell a lie."

"That's an interesting saying," Eilonwy tried to hide her smirk behind her sleeved hand but couldn't quite stop her giggle, "such peculiar sayings."

"What about you? What did you talk about with your friends?"

"The world," Eilonwy smiled and got a faraway look in her eye, "what was happening in other places...if there was something wild happening, just outside the mountain. And if we would ever get to see such interesting sights."

"Well, you saw a pretty sight when Fourteen dwarves, a Hobbit and a wizard came marching in, looking like they'd just tumbled down a hill," Dru chuckled and leant her chin on her hands as she gazed between the two, "what else?"

"Favourite foods," Sigrid ticked off a mental checklist as she went along, "favourite books...places we love the most...people we like...people we don't like...and...well, people we REALLY like."

Dru caught the knowing little glint in Sigrid's eye and just HAD to ask.

"Siggy...have you got a love in mind?"

Sigrid let out a small giggle and looked down at her little sister.

"You have not?!" Dru declared a little too loudly in her shock, which earned her a little 'shush!' from Sigrid as she continued to stroke her sister's head.

"Yes, alright!" Sigrid tried not to talk too loudly but seemed determined to get her point across, "but you can't let everyone know! Especially someone with ears and a mouth that never locks!"

Dru held up her hands in surrender and nodded vigorously, keeping herself silent until Sigrid spoke again.

"It's a little complicated," Sigrid looked back down at Tilda and almost seemed sad with having to explain the situation, "his name is Johan and we knew each other when we were little. Just before...well, everything happened in Lake-Town, he had to go away to visit his family. He promised he'd come back and see me and he arrived a month or so ago but...well, everything has changed."

"Is he different?" Dru prodded her when she fell silent, but the girl just shook her head.

"No, I am. And Dale. When he came back, he found work quickly and a home but," she bit her lip and worried it between her teeth before continuing, "now Da's in charge of everything. 'Lord and King of Dale' and we have to look after ourselves now. We have to watch the way we speak and act and dress and...how could Johan want that? He said the one thing he always loved about me was nothing was complicated."

"When did he say that to you?" Eilonwy enquired her concern plain on her face for the young girl whom she barely knew.

"A few years ago."

"Oh, Siggy," Dru scooted forward and gingerly laid her hand atop of hers, "that stuff doesn't matter now. So? Everything is complicated but if he loves you, then it will be alright. I promise it will work out, somehow."

"But how do you know?"

"Well, I have faith and," Dru decided to take a bold step since she knew everyone well enough to trust them with her secrets, "the boy I'm in love with is very complicated. But it'll work out. One way or another."

"You love someone?" Sigrid's eyes widened in surprise and Dru nodded, "who? Wait, don't tell me...it's Bofur?"

"What?!" Dru let out a snort and waved her hand, dismissing that idea quickly, "no way, he could never handle me."

"So, Lord Bofur is not currently attached?" Eilonwy asked politely and Dru nodded, not catching the interested look in her eye as she decided to let Sigrid know more.

"No, my love is...someone very close to me. We've been courting secretly for a few months but really," she took a deep breath out, losing herself in thoughts of Fili, "we've loved each other for so long. And...I'm telling you this because I know you won't blab. We want to keep it a secret between us, just for a bit. But...well, I know he loves me and I love him."

"Who?"

"Fili."

For a few moments, the room was silent as they waited for Sigrid's response. Apparently, Eilonwy had already fathomed they were together, without having to accidentally catch them snogging in Dru's room one night.

"Your-your brother?!" Sigrid went wide-eyed again, though Dru saw a familiar emotion creep in, one that she had to quickly calm down lest Sigrid started screamed and waking up the whole mountain.

"Yes, but REMEMBER, we're not related. Don't panic."

"Oh," Sigrid visibly relaxed but there was still a slight concern left over when she spoke, "that is a relief, but...even as step-siblings, it must be strange."

"It was, at first. We...we were dancing around one another for years, unaware of our own feelings. And then when we both realised we loved one another, we vowed to do nothing about it so our relationship wouldn't get destroyed. We were both worried the other would end up hating them for confessing. It's a bit silly, really. But, know can you see why I understand the complications?"

Sigrid nodded and smiled, knowing it wasn't right to judge Dru and Fili's relationship.

"Then I promise you, we'll get this sorted. If he's changed his feelings towards you, the only way to find out is to talk to him. Or you'll be dancing around one another until your sixty years old and can't do much except take your teeth out and snog him with your gums."

A small babble of laughter went out one that was apparently too loud for Tilda, who promptly woke up and told them all to keep it down.

Though she stayed awake long enough to help them finish off the snacks and sneak one more sip of wine before leaning heavily against her sister.

Once Sigrid saw how tired she was, she realised it was best to retire for the night.

Escorted out by Eilonwy, all three promised to see Dru in the morning and spend the morning with her until the others left for Dale.

Once Dru shut her door and strode back over to her bed, only one thought crossed her mind.

'Who knew Sleepovers could be so exhausting? But so much fun!'

Instead of clearing away all the mess, she pushed everything onto her table to deal with the next day and then jumped on top of her bed and fell asleep, without even bothering to pull the sheets over herself.

Of course, despite feeling heavy with exhaustion, she did stir slightly when a weight settled next to her and a pair of familiar arms wrapped around her.

"Goodnight," Fili whispered quietly, more to himself than to her, but she did manage to wake herself up enough to reply.

"Goodnight, my Fi'."

Xx The Toy Room xX

"Mummy, this is the BEST castle I've ever been to!" Thora squealed excitedly as she crouch-walked along the small area, exploring the vast 'halls' her mother had built.

"Fort, sweetheart and thank you," Dru looked up at the blankets above her head and felt a little smug, "I daresay, I did a bloody good job."

"Mummy, Nana says you're NOT allowed to say bloody!" Her daughter turned to her with a small pout but Dru looked down at Freyja and pretended to busy herself with adjusting her other child's' little frock.

"I am, as long as no one tells Nana," she chanced a glimpse at Thora and threw her a wink, "there are some gingerbread biscuits in it for you if you don't blab."

Thora just gave her a wide grin and nod and then proceeded to explore and add on to the little 'castle' her mother had created.

It had come to Dru's mind early in the night and whilst her children had been taken out for an hour for breakfast, she quickly got to work, grabbing all the blankets and sheets she could nab and tying them together.

Spreading them about the toy room and securing them with pegs, knots, chairs, books and anything she could find, she transformed the toy room into a blanket fort, that whilst made it a little darker, was still very cosy with all the pillows, toys and spare books she could grab.

She even made a small 'girls only' note on the entrance, which Thora and Freyja eagerly crawled in once their father had let them go, only holding back Bror until Thora deemed it ok 'since he was only small'.

Fili had left with the strict orders that he must NOT disturb them unless it was very important AND that he was too bring back a big bowl of fruit.

Specifically, strawberries and cream, though Thora insisted it was Freyja's idea and not her mother at all.

Dru loved the way her daughter eagerly went from place to place, testing out cushions and setting up her toys the way she liked, Freyja still being too young too fully appreciate it. But then, she was less than a year.

Bror, on the other hand, was trying his hardest to destroy everything when he kept running straight into the sheets and grabbing at them, but it was less destruction and more natural curiosity. Fortunately, as was always the case after breakfast and a short burst of energy, he merely threw himself down at his mother's side and fell asleep for his morning nap. He'd be out for an hour or two, but at least the fort would survive a little longer.

They weren't left alone too long, as Eilonwy came to find Dru.

And whilst it was a little small and cramped, she still managed to crawl elegantly inside at Thora's insistence and took a seat next to her friend.

"Your mother asked me to come and find you," she shared an amused little look with Dru before turning her attention to Thora, "apparently, someone was supposed to come straight back and show off the new dress her grandmother picked out for her."

When Dru turned to her daughter, Thora had pulled a long face and sat with her arms folded tightly.

"I don't want to wear that dress. It's grey and looks ugly!"

Eilonwy tilted her head and said sweetly, "but Thora, you did promise her you'd at least put it on to show her?"

Switching tactics, seeing that Eilonwy wasn't about to give her any sympathy, Thora pouted and pleaded with her mother.

"Mam, do I HAVE to wear the dress granny picked out? The sleeves are itchy and it's not a nice colour!"

"You don't have to wear that dress, but she'll try to get you in one anyway. Why not compromise and wear trousers underneath, like I used to?"

"You did?"

Dru realised that not only did her daughter not know about her strange dress habits, but the fact that she herself also hated dresses for a long time.

"Oh Aye'. I use to loathe dresses, I found them too fanciful and they got in the way a lot so I'd fight and fight your nana until I threatened to tear my hair out."

"It's very true," Eilonwy softly laughed as Bror rolled over and buried himself into her thigh, her hand moving tenderly over his hair, "the first time I met your mother, she too hated dresses. Wouldn't even let me get her a clean one when her clothes were torn."

"LOATHED THEM," Dru laughed as she remembered the meeting with Eilonwy, "sometimes still do with certain ones."

"What changed? You always wear dresses now, except when you go training," Thora played with the hem of her own dress, one of her favourites that she herself picked out.

Dru thought about this for a long time and could have easily blamed her mother's influence when she got back to Erebor but knew it was more than that.

"Well, truthfully, I did. I grew up quite a lot and though it took some getting used to, I added dresses to my day to day life and now, I wear them almost every day. I had to be a Princess and a big girl," Dru went a little serious with her daughter and asked her nicely, "so sometimes, I did wear dresses to make your granny happy. Do you think you could manage that for a short while? Just so she can see you in it?"

Thora's shoulders sagged and she let out a heavy sigh that sounded like she was carrying the weight of the kingdom on her.

"Fine. I'll wear an ugly dress. But...can I still wear my trousers underneath it to ride my pony later?"

Dru shifted Freyja in her lap and reached out to gently poke Thora in her nose.

"You may indeed, you little ember. As long as you remember to-"

"BRUSH Daisy before, yes I know!" Thora decided to get on with her task and scrambled on all fours to get out of the fort, "I'll be back later, can we play in the castle some more?"

"Of course," Dru laughed lightly as her daughter squeezed by Eilonwy and hurried out to placate her grandmother, "and we can even have bedtime in here if you lot are good!"

"I promise!" Was Thora's parting words as she left the fort and the room itself, leaving Dru and Eilonwy alone with the little ones.

"I always knew if you had a daughter she would dislike dresses as much as you," Eilonwy looked at her friend and grinned, "not only is she the spitting image of you, but Dis tells me she behaves exactly as you once did."

Dru felt a little proud at that. It was true, Thora took after her quite a lot, but she had Fili's eyes and his presence when she wanted to command a room. Of course, Fili only had to raise his voice slightly to do so, but Thora would scream her lungs out to make sure everyone heard her.

"She doesn't hate them as I did, now she has her own choices and no one would dare tease her," as Freyja demanded to sit herself up and crawl about the place, she couldn't help but lament, "I was so sensitive to everyone's teasing, even Fili and Kili's, I longed to do anything to avoid them. I should have given some of the dresses another chance, but at least I have something now that I didn't have then to help me."

"What is that?"

Dru turned to her friend with a soft smile and reached her hand out to rest on her arm.

"You. Tilda. Sigrid. My daughters. I have female friends now, when I only ever played with boys and funnily enough, that played a strong part in my decision making," she leant in closer to place her arm around her friend in a slightly awkward hug since her son was blocking her from scooting closer, "whether it was just walking around Erebor, going to the library, taking tea...I knew that I'd have to grow up a lot. A dress is just a dress and it doesn't make you who you are but it did help my confidence and...I don't know, I felt more-"

"Feminine?" Eilonwy offered when Dru paused and that seemed to fit perfectly.

"Exactly. I used to think girls who were always clean and prim and proper were no fun and had their heads too far up their backsides. But I was wrong. They're people also. And I'm glad to say," Dru craned her head up to look at her friend's face, "you were actually my first female friend. All those years ago, back in a room that wasn't mine-"

"With your clothes over my arm as I tried to get them washed-"

"And you saw me starkers!" Dru threw her hand over her eyes and laughed heartily, "and made a joke about my thighs!"

As the laughter rang around them, Bror continued to sleep and Freyja chuckled happily as she explored all the soft places she could tumble into.

Dru was sincere and truthful about her change.

And she was thankful for all her friends, but she was glad she had grown enough to form new friendships and now, even her own daughters were her close friends. Of course, she now understood how Dis felt all those years back and promised to keep on growing and keep on wearing 'silly little dresses' if it made her mother happy. It was the least she could do.