I'm back...sorry it has been so long. Life has just been so busy and I keep trying to get this story updated on the weekends and never have the time. As someone mentioned in a review, Thrain...yes, he is around during this time and will have more of a role in the story soon.
Hope you all enjoy this update. I will try to get the next one up a lot sooner than this one was.
Mels xoxo
Adaira's POV
Thorin was determined to craft the wheelchair for Fili as soon as possible and after he was certain that Fili was going to be alright he had left him with me, no doubt to get started on it. Later when Fili was awake once more, Dwalin had carried him into Kili's room so he could see his brother and while it was hard for Fili to see his brother like that, at least now he could assure himself that he was indeed alive.
Over the following days I began to conduct physical therapy with Fili, determining how bad the paralysis was first. He was completely paralysed from the waist down and had no sensation, pain or otherwise from the waist down either. Fili was dealing with a lot of depression and he lashed out sometimes at me or at Oin and Rînor, but I stayed by his side and kept working with him. He always apologized to me later and I could never hold it against him knowing that it was really hard for him to go through all of this.
He had always been able bodied and he was worried, knowing that he would never fight once more. He didn't really want to talk about it, to me or anyone else, but my presence seemed to help him even if I really didn't understand exactly what he was feeling or going through. Fili was excited to be an Uncle and he was just as bad as everyone else in worrying over me. I had cleared my schedule completely so that I could devote my time to him, not wanting him to be alone and I read to him or included him in my work, still having much to do as life continued in the mountain.
Thorin did indeed craft his wheelchair for him with the help of Bofur and Bifur. Dori had also helped, crafting the pad for the seat which was covered in a brocade fabric he had found and stuffed so the seat would not be hard wood and uncomfortable. The chair was made partially of metal and partially of wood and was slightly different than my initial design, but not by much. I watched in anticipation when Fili tried it out for the first time, insisting that he get himself into the chair by himself.
The grin on his face as he was finally able to get out of bed on his own and wheel around his room without having to be carried by Dwalin or Thorin or another member of the Company brought tears to my eyes. Thorin had already spoken to the architects and they were designing more handicap friendly walkways not just for Fili, but also for other war heros who had injuries from the battle. My wheelchair design took off, more being made for those who had been injured in the battle and those who had lost legs were finally able to get around on their own as well.
Sigrid, who had indeed become Oin's apprentice, began to spend a lot of time with Fili and I was not blind to the fact that my brother seemed awfully tongue tied around her and bashful which was very unlike him. She would read with him and take walks with him around the royal wing and areas of the mountain that were easy to get around in a wheelchair and I had a feeling that she might be Fili's One. Fili seemed to be less depressed as he was able to get around on his own finally and I was glad that I was able to do something for him that would improve his life and others as well.
Three months into my pregnancy and my bump was far larger than it had been at two months. Now more apparent than before, I had taken to wearing more bulky clothing to hide it as Dwalin and I had yet to make an announcement yet to the entire mountain, wanting to keep it our secret for now. We thought it was better to hide it for now as it was safer at least for me as tensions were rising in the mountain, several fights breaking out between the Dwarves and Men that had to be broken up. It was the unfortunate happenstance of two very different races living closely together, each with different cultures and views on how to live.
I had received word back from my Aunt Dis as well. I hadn't expected to hear back from her, but a raven had arrived for me with a long letter from her and Dis had thanked me for my letter informing her of what had happened to her kin and what had occurred during the battle. She wrote to me then of what was going on in the Blue Mountains and she told me that she wished to correspond with me and get to know her niece. I had written her another letter and received one back in turn before the snows got worse and the ravens took more time between each letter.
Snow now covered the ground completely and more fell every day. Seven weeks after the battle Rînor finally approached me to talk about waking Kili. Thorin insisted on being in the room this time when we woke Kili and I had agreed so long as Tauriel was also in the room. After all, she was Kili's One and I knew that he would be frantic to see her when he woke up. Fili also was in the room sitting beside me in his wheelchair and we held hands as Rînor woke him. Like Fili he woke up gradually, Tauriel sitting beside him on the bed, holding his hand.
"Kili," Tauriel said as Kili began to come to and Kili's head lolled towards her, his eyes opening and closing, slightly out of focus as he looked at her. "I'm here," She told him in a calm voice as she squeezed his hand.
"Tauriel," Kili breathed out, finding his voice and I looked at Fili, tears in my eyes and squeezed his hand in relief. Kili groaned then in pain and Tauriel frowned deeply and looked back at Rînor who walked quickly over to his side, ready with a second pain relieving drought which was a bit stronger which he passed to Tauriel.
"Drink this," Tauriel told Kili, raising the cup to his lips and Kili opened his mouth and let Tauriel help him drink it slowly. He made a face of disgust once he had finished it and she set the cup to the side as he sighed and settled back against his pillows.
"You're here," Kili breathed out as he opened his eyes which were more in focus this time and he smiled slightly as he looked at Tauriel and I watched as she smiled back at him in return.
"Yes, we all are," Tauriel said and she looked then at my Uncle and Kili turned his head and looked at Thorin.
"Uncle," Kili said, and Thorin reached over and grasped his other hand.
"It's good to see you awake," Thorin said to Kili and Kili frowned slightly in confusion.
"How long have I been asleep?" Kili asked Thorin and Tauriel squeezed his hand again.
"It has been several weeks now," She answered his question and Kili frowned more deeply.
"Weeks?" Kili asked and Tauriel nodded.
"You needed to heal," She told him and she turned to look over her shoulder and nodded to me and I approached the end of Kili's bed, Fili wheeling up to it as well.
"Nadad," I said, drawing Kili's attention and his face lit up as he saw me and Fili. He looked confused when he saw Fili in his wheelchair and I knew that there was a lot that had to be explained.
"What happened? What did I miss?" Kili asked then and I bit my lip wondering where to start.
"We won the battle," I told him and he brightened at that.
"Azog is he…?" Kili asked and Fili grinned at that.
"Dead?" Fili asked his brother, no doubt thinking back to when he himself awoke and Kili nodded. "Slayed and burned," Fili answered Kili and Kili sighed.
"Good," Kili said before he looked at our Uncle. "At least you got him this time Uncle," Kili said and Thorin grinned too.
"Not me, your namad," Thorin said, looking towards me and Kili's eyes widened in surprise.
"You?!" Kili asked me in shock and I rolled my eyes at the antics of my kin.
"I really wish you would stop doing that," I grumbled before I nodded. "Yes, I killed Azog. It wasn't some grand battle though," I told Kili and he shook his head.
"You really killed him though?" He asked me for confirmation and I nodded.
"Yes," I answered his question and he whistled out a breath.
"Still impressive," He told me, a grin on his face.
"We keep telling her that, but she refuses to take credit for her accomplishments," Fili told his brother who rolled his eyes.
"The orc who attacked Tauriel and me…?" Kili asked then, growing sober and Tauriel looked down at him.
"He is dead. Lyssaria slew him," Tauriel answered him and Kili, whose jaw was clenched, nodded.
"Good. You're not...you weren't injured were you?" Kili asked Tauriel and she shook her head quickly.
"No, I was not," She answered him and Kili smiled at her.
"I'm glad," He told her before he looked down towards his bandaged shoulder of his right arm. "What else did I miss?" Kili asked us then and Thorin spoke up, beginning to fill Kili in on how we had negotiated peaceful terms with Thranduil and Bard, moved into Erebor, and now lived with Bard and his people.
The touchy subject of injuries was brought up then. I left the room along with Thorin, Tauriel staying behind along with Fili as Oin and Rînor explained to Kili the injuries he had sustained. We listened from the other room as Kili learnt that he might have limited use of his right arm and what had happened to Fili. It was heartbreaking to consider all that had happened, especially when I heard Kili ask if he would ever be able to use a bow again and Oin told him that it wasn't likely.
The only comfort I felt was that Tauriel was with him. Fili left along with Oin and Rînor, giving them some time alone and as I went to close the door to his room to give them some privacy I heard Kili's voice breaking as he spoke to Tauriel. Fili and my eyes met and we shared a look and I could only hope that with time and maybe some physical therapy, Kili might get some more use of his right arm back.
Kili fell into a depression too, but Tauriel never left his side able to pull him out of it most days. Now that Kili was awake I had relieved her of her guard duties for now so that she could be with him and I saw her come back to her old self. Rînor said this confirmed that her and Kili's Faes had partially or completely joined and due to Kili being close to death, Tauriel had gone into shock. She laughed more now, spoke more often, and smiled without restraint.
Kili was just as excited as his brother when I shared the news with him that he was going to be an Uncle. He was also just as bad as the others with babying me and I started to tell everyone off, telling them that I was pregnant, not an invalid. Everyday I worked with Kili trying to help him build some strength back up in his arm. He could barely move the fingers in his right hand and as he was right handed, this left him frustrated most of the time because he constantly needed help with daily tasks that he used to do himself. Fili tried to brighten his spirits, the boys racing up and down the halls of the royal wing, Fili in his chair and Kili on foot.
In the rest of the mountain, repairs had begun to take place, those who had died being laid to rest in a grand ceremony along with all those who had died in the firestorm the day Erebor had been taken by Smaug. It was really Thorin's first act as King and mine as his heir. My grandfather, who still was not fully back to himself yet, insisted on attending if not for himself then to offer his support to me and to watch our people laid to rest.
There were not enough empty tombs carved into the mountain for our people so instead they were returned to stone in a mass tomb. Several recesses were cut into the mountain and Dwalin and Gloin along with Thorin and Bomburmoved a tombstone away from one of the recesses down in the tombs, behind which was a tunnel that led down into the mountain.
One by one the bodies of our people were lowered down into the mountain before the tombstone was replaced over the hole. When our people were done being returned to stone, Thorin faced those who had come to attend the ceremony to say a few words.
"This day we return our people to stone. They were heroes, warriors each. Without their sacrifices, Erebor would have fallen to Azog's forces. We will never forget their sacrifice, but honor them," Thorin intone before he took a mug of mead from Dwalin and splashed it upon the face of the tomb. "Hail! May Mahal bless you and may we one day greet you in his halls!" Thorin said and the dwarves attending all raised a mug of mead in return.
"Hail!" They intoned before drinking and Dwalin drank for me as I looked to my grandfather to see how he was doing. He looked somber but relatively well. Thorin looked to me, expecting me to say a few words and I took a deep breath.
"I have no words to say to ease your sorrows," I began, looking to Dain's men who had lost their comrades. "There are no words that can ease such pain, but know that your comrades did not die in vain. They died as they lived. As warriors, as heroes. As sons and daughters of Mahal," I told Dain's men before I took a mug of mead and splashed it as Thorin had done on the face of the tomb. "Until we meet again!" I said loudly.
"Until we meet again!" The dwarves repeated after me and Thorin nodded his head in approval but I felt as if I hadn't done enough to honor the fallen who had helped saved my family, who had given their lives for our cause.
"I saw the light fade from the sky," I began to sing and Thorin looked a bit surprised at my impromptu song. "On the wind I heard a sigh, as the snowflakes cover my fallen brothers, I will say this last goodbye," I continued singing, raising my voice higher so that it echoed around the cavernous tombs so that everyone could hear me.
"Night is now falling, so ends this day, the road is now calling and I must away, over hill and under tree through lands where never light has shone, by silver streams that run down to the Sea," I sang lifting my voice as the Dwarves watched me with curious looks at first as if they weren't sure of me. Thrain took a few steps towards me and offered me his hand and I slipped mine into his and we stood in solidarity.
"Under cloud, beneath the stars, over snow and winter's morn, I turn at last to paths that lead home, and though where the road then takes me, I cannot tell, we came all this way, but now comes the day, to bid you farewell," I sang and I saw a few of the Dwarves nodding and looking amongst one another as if they were coming around. Not everyone had warmed up to me at first, but more and more were starting to both believe that I was Thorin's heir and warm up to me.
"Many places I have been, many sorrows I have seen, but I don't regret, nor will I forget, all who took that road with me," I sang, closing my eyes and I felt Thrain squeeze my hand slightly.
"Night is now falling, so ends this day, the road is now calling, and I must away, over hill and under tree, through lands where never light has shone, by silver streams that run down to the Sea," I sang, Thorin and Dwalin picking up the song, their baritone voices supporting my higher soprano as I sang above them.
"To these memories I will hold, with your blessing I will go, to turn at last to paths that, lead home, and though where the road then takes me, I cannot tell, we came all this way, but now comes the day, to bid you farewell," I sang, the Company now joining me and I opened my eyes and looked around and them each in turn, thanking Mahal we had each survived and praying to Mahal for those who had not.
"I bid you all a very fond farewell," I sang very softly after our voices had stopped echoing around the cavern. The room was silent for a moment and then the Dwarves from Dain's army began stomping their feet on the ground in unison and they raised their mugs and drank to the dead once more. Thorin spoke one last time before the ceremony ended and once it was over, Thrain and Dwalin escorted me out of the tombs first.
I spent the rest of the day with my family and the Company, thanking Mahal once more as I did several times a day that we all had survived the battle. Many had lost fathers, brothers, sisters, uncles, or cousins, while I had been lucky. I felt both honored and questioned why I hadn't lost anyone while others had, but to do so was maddening and unhelpful. While I had not lost anyone, Fili and Kili had still lost much so perhaps, I reminded myself, while I had saved my kin, they still had to suffer a loss of their own.
Life in the mountain started to move on, the Dwarves of Dain's army who choose to start a new life in Erebor rather than returning to the Iron Hills attempting to start new lives for themselves. Likewise, the people of Laketown began pulling their own weight, setting up stalls in the marketplace to sell wares and those who wanted to learn were able to apprentice with the Dwarves to learn Crafts so that they could support themselves once Dale was rebuilt. Several Men had taken advantage of this to learn how to become blacksmiths as it was not a craft they had been permitted to learn in Laketown under the Master's rule.
The mountain began to flourish once more, Dain sending more Dwarves to us who were able to help us rebuild the mountain and help with the work of the upkeep one. Bilbo, a master of maps and books had begun to help Ori in the library and if it wasn't for Dori and Nori and the rest of the Company dragging them out to eat or sleep they probably would have spent their every waking moment there.
At four months along Oin was conducting his usual checks when he discovered something rather unusual. I was bigger than he would have expected at four months and he thought at first that I could have been further along and he had given me a sidelong look, obviously wondering if Dwalin and I had done the deed before we were married, but I had adamantly told him that was not the case. Given that it was wasn't possible, Oin could only assume that I was bigger for one of two reasons, the baby was going to be big or there was more than one baby. He said it was rare for a darrowdam to give birth to more than one bairn at a time, but he had seen it happen before.
Dwalin who had been with me during this check up had just looked at me, his expression dumbfounded. I had just laughed and leaned over to kiss his cheek. After that he was even more insufferable, following me around and not letting me lift anything myself and he had roped the others into doing it as well. I took it in stride, knowing that as a first time father he was just worried and on top of that if you added the fact that darrowdams were protected and cared for he was going to be even more insufferable about it.
Gandalf was a conundrum over this time, the wizard taking to disappearing often and then reappearing only to ask me many questions about what Mahal had spoken to me about and what I had found in the Misty Mountains. I had told him everything I had remembered and seen several times, but he continued to ask me as if he expected a different answer. I wasn't exactly sure what he was up too and he wasn't forthcoming with any answers either. Wizards were mysterious and maddening.
To liven the spirits of everyone I planned a big mountain wide Christmas party, everyone having the day of the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth of the month of December off from any work save for the cooks who were on rotation so they themselves could spend time with friends or family. Gifts were exchanged and I taught everyone about Christmas traditions from back home and taught them Christmas carols as well which while some were butchered, filled the mountain. Spending Christmas in the royal wing with the Company and Gandalf, all of us having a merry Christmas dinner cooked by Bombur who insisted on cooking was one of the best Christmases of my life. If somehow in the years to come afterwards the legend of Santa Claus was replaced with a certain grey wizard who had a knack for showing up at Erebor with a red sack filled with fireworks and gifts for all the dwarven children, I would never admit to starting the legend.
I had my husband and my family with me and my little one as the center of attention. Dori had presented me with baby clothes and Ori with a knitted baby blanket, a hat, and little socks and I tried not to cry, my emotions getting the better of me. Nori had gifted me with more lessons in slight of hand and in eavesdropping as you never knew when you might need to use such skills, especially around people like the Dwarven Lords apparently.
Bilbo had presented me with a book of stories I had told him from Hegg which he had illustrated and bound in leather with the help of Ori, Bifur had carved a rattle for our baby and other little toys and Bofur gifted me with a hat like his own, saying that it was better than a crown any day followed by a wink. Bombur gifted me with several recipes to not only my favourite dishes, but Dwalin's as well knowing that I liked to cook and wanted to do so for my husband.
Gloin had presented me with a book he had filled with things he had wished he and his wife would have known the answers to before they had had their own son Gimli with the hopes that it would assist Dwalin and I. Oin gifted me with a book in which all of the herbs of Middle Earth and their uses were recorded to further my knowledge in the art of healing .
Thorin's gift had been a necklace which once belonged to his mother and now he wished for it to belong to me. It was simple, the chain made of mithril and on it only a sapphire the color of which was a brilliant Durin blue. Fili had gifted me with copies of his favourite books about the histories and myths of Middle Earth and Kili, being ever funny, gifted me with a plush sheep doll for our baby.
Dwalin's gift of course was my favourite. He gifted me with two gifts. A hand carved wooded cradle and a mobile for the baby's cradle to go with it made with moons and stars and giant eagles and bears, things he said reminded him of how we made it to Beorn's house where we spent our honeymoon and where we had married. Truthfully Dwalin needn't have gotten me anything for he already had given me the best gift of all, our child. I loved our little one more than anything in the world just as I love him more than anything and I couldn't wait to hold our bairn and see him get to be the great father I knew he was going to be.
Thrain benefited from the holiday, having his family with him and having some time to reconnect with everyone improving his confidence and after Christmas he got more involved with everyone, spending more time with Fili and Kili and getting to know them and taking it upon himself to try and help Thorin more where he could. He said he wanted to help and be useful and while his mind still suffered he needed something to occupy his time. Thorin listened to him and had his father working to try and eesearch and figure out the laws that Thror had passed before his death that might need repealing. Thrain had the best of luck going through his father's old notes and records, able to read his writing better than even Thorin or Balin and with Thrain's help they were able to start making headway through the records of Thror's last days.
As the months continued to fly by, Kili began to show some signs of improvement, gaining some use of his fingers again. He still was unable to use a bow, but his injury was almost completely healed. His shoulder was mottled with scar tissue and I saw him often looking at it as we worked on physical therapy. He returned to the ring, holding a sword with his left hand and practicing against Tauriel. He got frustrated often as he was used to fighting with both hands, but he continued to practice, trying to at least learn a new way of fighting.
Fili on the other hand was a different story. He watched his brother fight often with longing in his eyes, but he never once picked up his sword again. He continued to spend a lot of time with Sigrid and I saw a change in their relationship as the weeks advanced. I hoped that Fili would do things right and speak with Bard about any intentions he had towards Sigrid so that Bard would not think Fili was taking advantage of his daughter, but I was staying out of it.
As I entered my fifth month of pregnancy I started to grow even more tired, especially as I began to put on quite a bit of weight. It was hard to hide the fact that I was pregnant now so Dwalin and I made an announcement that we were expecting our first child. We were met with many congratulations and the guards took even more care with me, Dwalin training them no doubt to look out for me. Dwalin was officially my guard now and he followed me from meeting to meeting all day.
My Aunt was the only one who did not know about my pregnancy. Thorin was the one who had told me that I should not write to her about it in case our correspondence should fall into the hands of the other Dwarven Lords. We still were unsure how they would take the news of Dwalin's and my marriage, but at this point there was little they could do about it. We had been married for five months and had a child or two on the way and to be honest they could kiss my ass.
"Amrâlimê?" Dwalin asked as I sat up in bed, a hand over my bump as I read a report from a meeting that Thorin had recently had.
"Hmm?" I hummed and I looked up from what I was reading as Dwalin slid into bed beside me, lifting the furs.
"Yah need to rest," He told me and I sighed, knowing he was right. I was tired. I had an early morning meeting and the baby made me even more tired these days.
"I just have one more page," I told him and Dwalin took the papers from me and I rolled my eyes as he put them down on his bedside table.
"Yah can read it in the morning," He told me and I sighed and rolled towards my husband as he rolled back towards me in the bed.
"Alright, alright," I told him and I put my head on his bare chest and kissed the junction between his neck and shoulder as I put my cold nose on his warm skin and he swore, making me chuckle. I made a sound of surprise then when I felt as if something had moved in my stomach. I sat up quickly and I put both hands over my bump.
"What is it?" Dwalin asked me worriedly at my expression and my mouth fell open as I felt that odd sensation again.
"I think the baby just kicked," I answered his question in amazement and I reached over and grabbed one of his hands and put it over my bump, holding it under my hand, wanting him to feel it too. I waited and Dwalin sat up and scooted closer to me, dragging me a bit closer to him until I was flush against his side and then after he stilled we waited. It was only a few moments more before that odd sensation came again. "Did you feel that?" I asked my husband, looking up at him and when I did, his mouth was parted and his eyes were wide and I smiled at him brightly. "That's our baby," I told my husband as he looked down at my bump in amazement.
"Our bairn," Dwalin said and he leaned down then pressed his lips to mine before maneuvering himself lower and pressing a kiss over my bump. "Or bairns," He said and I laughed at that.
"Do you think you can handle two babies?" I asked my husband as he straightened back up and held me, his hand still over my bump, mine over his.
"I'll have to, won't I?" He asked me and I rolled my eyes.
"Not what I meant," I told him and he chuckled.
"Aye, it'll be interesting, but if I could handle yer cousins," Dwalin told me and I chuckled at that.
"Ah yes, they were a handful themselves," I said and our baby kicked again and I smiled down at my bump. "Well hello there," I said, speaking to our baby. "Mummy and daddy are right here," I said as I rubbed my hand over my bump. "We can't wait to meet you," I told our baby.
"Seven months," Dwalin grunted out and I groaned slightly as I threw my head back onto his shoulder.
"Ugh, don't remind me," I told my husband and he chuckled. "If it's twins they might come early," I told him, brightening a little at that fact.
"Early?" He asked me, sounding worried and I nodded in confirmation.
"Yes, but that's normal," I told him and he hummed slightly and our baby kicked again. "Well, you just really want to be active now. You really want to let us know you're here," I said and I smiled happily as I sighed in contentment.
Dwalin and I fell asleep in each other's arms and after that night our baby never really stopped letting me know that he or she was there. Seeing Thorin and Thrain's face or Fili's and Kili's for that matter the first time they felt the baby kick was brilliant. The Company began taking bets on the sex of the baby or if it was twins or not. Most of the Company bet it was going to be a boy and only a few like Oin, Ori, and Bombur bet it was going to be twins. Oin because of how I was presenting, Ori because he had read about it, and Bombur because his own wife had had twins.
I wasn't sure how I felt about it. Of course I was elated that I was going to be a mother as the one thing that I had always wanted was a family of my own, especially when I lived on Hegg and had been so lonely, but twins? I wasn't sure how I was going to handle one baby let alone two. Oin tried to assure me that taking care of a baby was easy, but I still worried if I could do this. Dwalin's constant support helped and the fact that he had helped raise Fili and Kili since they were babies made me feel a little more in control of the situation.
Thorin too offered his help, having helped to raise Fili and Kili and while I wasn't sure if I would leave my baby alone with my cousins, Fili and Kili were excited to be Uncles and care for my little one. In fact every member of the Company was including Bilbo. The prospect of twins was the only thing that still gave me pause as I entered my sixth month. I had already blamed Dwalin and his strong swimmers, my husband having the nerve to smirk at me proudly when I had grumbled this to him one night when I was being kept awake by the kicking.
I had smacked him repeatedly until he had caught my hands in one of his own, pinning them above my head and trapping them there before he had kissed me fiercely, a smile on his lips. I had just rolled my eyes and kissed him back before cuddling up against him, Dwalin rubbing a hand over my bump and then he began humming lowly in the back of his throat. He began singing then of the Lonely Mountain, the same song we had sung in Bilbo's house so many months ago now and as he sang the baby settled down as if enchanted by his voice.
"To dungeons deep and caverns old, we must away ere break of day to find our long forgotten gold," Dwalin sang in his deep baritone, the baby no longer kicking and I sighed in relief as he rubbed his hand over my bump which was very pronounced now and I hummed along with the tune he was singing.
"The pines were roaring on the heights. The winds were moaning in the night. The fire was red, it flaming spread, the trees like torches, blazed with light," He and I sang together and we looked at one another, our eyes meeting and then I leaned in and kissed him and Dwalin sucked my lower lip into his mouth and I groaned.
"Don't be a tease," I whispered to my husband against his lips and Dwalin's eyes which were very dark seemed to glow in the light of the dying embers of the fire.
"I don't tease," He told me and he leaned in and pressed a kiss to the column of my throat and I sighed and moaned, giving in to his touch.
The next morning we stayed tangled up together in bed and I would have stayed there all morning if it wasn't for the fact that I had work that needed to be done and Dwalin had guard duty to attend to. I waddled about our room getting myself ready before meeting with Tauriel who was back to being my personal guard and then we joined Fili and Kili who were out in the hallway racing. Tauriel managed to pull me out of the way before Fili slammed into me with his wheelchair, my cousin not paying attention and I rolled my eyes and shook my head, smiling at his joy and laughter before following the two of them down to breakfast where we met Thorin.
Every day I met with him and went over what there was that I could do. Of course this was less and less, both him and the Company letting me do less than before now that I was halfway through my pregnancy. I sighed during my meeting as my baby decided to keep kicking the same spot repeatedly as Thorin talked to Bard about repairs in the mountain that were taking part as I acted as scribe taking notes. The only person who seemed to be able to calm down the baby was Dwalin, when we broke for lunch I sought him out, finding him running his soldiers through drills.
He didn't look my way at first as I came to stand off to the side of his battalion, watching them as he pushed them harder and harder. He finally let them breath for a moment and Dwalin turned to take a drink of water and he saw me and he smiled widely as he walked towards me, sweat pouring down his face, his sword at his side.
"Amrâlimê," Dwalin said as he walked up to me and I picked up his waterskin and handed it to him and he accepted it from me gratefully and downed the the water within it in long swings before lowering it and lifting the shirt he was wearing over his head with one arm, using it to wipe his face. I stared at his bare chest appreciatively, biting my lip and Dwalin growled lowly under his breath, caging me in slightly where I was standing up against a wall.
"If yah keep lookin' at me like that my men are bound tah see more than they're meant tah," Dwalin told me in a husky voice and I shivered slightly and blinked up at him through my lashes before pressing myself up on my toes and firmly pressing my lips to his, sighing into the kiss when he wrapped a hand around my hip and drew me closer to him, bending lower so I wouldn't have to stretch so far.
"I missed you," I told him when we broke apart a few moments later and I drew one of his hands over to my bump, settling it over it. "She wouldn't settle down all morning," I told Dwalin who splayed his fingers over my bump and rubbed soothing circles over it, my baby doing little flips inside me under his hand.
"She?" He asked me, raising one eyebrow and I nodded, biting my lip again.
"Every time I talk to her, I just think it's a girl. I could be wrong, but I'm carrying rather high up and according to old wives' tales that would mean I'm carrying a girl," I told Dwalin and he hummed slightly under his breath.
"Unless it's twins," He pointed out and I nodded at that.
"Unless it's twins," I agreed with a smile on my face. "I'm seeing Oin later this afternoon, will you be able to make it?" I asked him and Dwalin nodded as he looked down at my bump, his hands still all over it.
"Aye, I've already got someone to take over for me this afternoon," Dwalin informed me as he looked back up at me. "I wouldn't miss it for the world," He added before he leaned in and kissed me.
"Two o'clock then," I told Dwalin with a smile and he nodded.
"Aye, I'll be there," He told me and I kissed him once more before sending him on his way back to his men. I continued on my own way, heading to the library to help Ori and Bilbo with some of the books and maps before I headed to see Oin for my weekly check up.
I made it just in time, meeting Dwalin in the corridor, the two of us heading into the healing wing together. Oin was inside, making up salves and politics, resupplying his ward. He stopped upon seeing me and directed me to one of the cots that was set up behind a set of screens and I did as directed, Dwalin following me. Oin joined us shortly after and he lifted my dress, feeling around my belly and judging the baby's reactions.
"Yer definitely still bigger than I would expect you to be at this stage," Oin told me after I sat back up and smoothed out my skirts and he raised a hand to his beard and stroked it as he contemplated my situation. "Do yah ever feel more than one kick at the same time?" Oin asked me and I nodded in agreement.
"Sometimes I think. It's hard to tell. She's so active," I told him and he hummed curiously.
"Well nothing appears to be wrong, lass. Yer healthy and so is the bairn or bairns. In the next few months yah might find yah get tired more easily if yah are carrying more than one bairn. I suggest yah take it easy. Don't lift anything and don't overdo it. This is for the bairn as much as it is for you. I know yer strong lass, but having the lads help yah is not a bad thing," Oin told me and I sighed heavily at his words, closing my eyes for a moment before opening them, knowing that he was right. I could barely bend over and touch my toes and it was getting harder for me to do many daily tasks as I was either too tired or my growing belly simply got in the way.
I had had to ask Tauriel to do things for me more than once and while it seemed easier to ask her for help because she was a woman I knew that Oin was right and I needed to swallow my pride and admit that I needed help now and let the others care for me. They were doing it out of love, not because they thought I was weak, caring for me so that way both I and the baby were taken care of and because of that I could relent a bit and let them help me.
"Alright," I told Oin who looked unconvinced. "Alright," I told him again, holding up my hands in defeat. "You're right. I get it now. Before I was more upset because I could actually touch my toes and get around on my own and I didn't need everyone rushing to help me, but now I could actually use some help," I admitted as I laid a hand over my large bump.
"Good we didn't have to force yer hand," Oin said with a smile and I rolled my eyes at the insinuation he was making.
"I'm not that difficult," I told him and Dwalin chuckled at that.
"Aye, but yer a real spitfire amrâlimê," My husband told me, bending down to press a kiss to the top of my head. "We thought you'd put up more of a fight than that," He added and I shot him a look as I shifted all of my weight to my left hip which popped my right hip out.
"I put up just as much fight as I need. I also know when to argue and when not to. Rationally it makes sense that I need some help now. Have you seen me? I look like a whale," I told my husband as I gestured to my stomach and he raised a brow at me. "I thought I was going to start waddling in the later months, but no, it starts now when I still have six more to go," I said and Oin chuckled at that.
"That would be because of yer small stature, lass," Oin told me and I huffed at that.
"Right, I'm short now. Short, squat, and fat," I grumbled and Dwalin chuckled and kissed the side of my head.
"Yer not fat, amrâlimê. Yer glowing. Yer more beautiful now than ever," Dwalin told me as he placed both hands on my hips and looked down at me, and I looked up at him, still feeling a bit self conscious about my appearance. Dwalin moved one hand and put it over my bump, his fingers splaying over it. "Growing large with my child," He said, his voice taking on a husky undertone and I saw the look in his eyes he was giving me.
"Oh really?" I asked him, raising a brow and Dwalin leaned down and placed his mouth near my ear.
"I could show yah how much I love yer body later amrâlimê," Dwalin told me in a whisper and I shivered slightly as his breath tickled my ear and I turned to look at him, kissing his cheek as I reached up and slipped my hand into his beard, pulling him closer to me.
"Don't tease," I whispered back to him and I heard Dwalin chuckle lowly in his chest.
"I never tease," He shot back and I heard Oin clear his throat then and Dwalin and I broke apart quickly and I looked over at Oin blushing deeply the older Dwarf giving us a very pointed look.
"Sorry," I told Oin before looking up at my husband who was smirking, looking very self assured and proud of himself and I slapped him on the arm. "Is there anything else I should know about?" I asked Oin and he shook his head as we returned to professionalism.
"Continue to eat enough and get enough sleep and you should be fine, other than that, I think you are doing everything right," Oin told me and I nodded, relieved to hear that. I had been especially nervous about going through pregnancy without modern day prenatal care, but then I remembered that women had been having babies since the dawn of time and they had been able to do it just fine without all of the modern marvels so I should be just fine as well.
"Thank you, Oin," I told the older healer and he nodded and Dwalin and I said our goodbyes before departing. When we got into the hallway I burst into laughter and Dwalin looked at me strangely and I shook my head. "Everyone is going to think we are sex crazed fiends," I told my husband as we walked back to our quarters and he smirked at me, leaning in closer as we passed by Dwarves and Men.
"And who is to say we're not?" He asked me and I smiled up at him and rolled my eyes before swotting him on the arm.
"I know you are," I quipped back and Dwalin chuckled and he looked down at me leaning in once more.
"I didn't see yah complainin'" He said and I opened and closed my mouth as I looked over at him.
"Well," I said finally after a moment, shrugging my shoulders. "I can't help it if I find my husband terribly sexy," I said as we finally entered the royal wing of the mountain, away from prying eyes.
"Sexy, eh?" Dwalin asked me as we entered our rooms and I smiled up at him, blinking at him from under my lashes.
"Mmm hmmm," I hummed back as he closed the door and I smiled at him, standing next to the chaise lounge chair, trailing my fingers over the back of it as he stood near the door. "Must be the hormones," I said and he frowned in confusion at my words. "Pregnancy thing," I explained and he hummed as he walked up to me and caged me in with his arms, the back of the lounge chair behind me.
"Oh is that what it is?" He asked me and I nodded.
"Must be," I told him and he was smirking at me the entire time.
"Is that the only reason?" He asked me then and I knew he was fishing around and I tilted my head to the side, acting like I was thinking.
"Well...I think the first time it really hit me was seeing you fighting Thorin with your shirt off," I said as I put my hands on Dwalin's clothed chest and ran them up his abdomen and over his shoulders before linking them behind his neck. "According to Nori I couldn't keep my eyes off you," I told my husband and he raised an eyebrow as he looked down at me.
"Saw something yah liked?" He asked me and I hummed and nodded as I took a hand and skimmed it back down over his broad shoulders and down his clothed abdomen before hooking it under the hemline of his shirt and pulling it up, exposing his chest.
I began pulling Dwalin's shirt up and he just looked down at me, his eyes dark and full of promise, his hands still caging me in and he lowered one to my hip, drawing me in closer to him and I could feel his hard length press against me as I was pressed against him, but he was still besides that, letting me explore him. I very lovingly pulled up his shirt and Dwalin took his other hand and helped me pull it over his head until he was standing bare chest in front of me.
"I always see something I like," I told my husband in a low sultry voice as I slowly slid my hand along his bare chest and I leaned in and pressed a kiss to his chest and I heard Dwalin sigh above me.
"Amrâlimê," Dwalin said, his voice low and husky and I looked up at him before pressing myself up, our lips meeting. I sighed into the kiss, and Dwalin took advantage of that, his tongue tangling with mine and his hands slid down until one was on my left hip and the other was on my right butt cheek. He squeezed my butt cheek and groaned and I could tell how much he was restraining himself.
Dwalin was always so gentle with me. He never was rough when we were together, never was demanding and almost always let me take the lead now. More often than not it was me initiating our sexual encounters and I think that had to do with the fact that I was pregnant and Dwalin didn't want to seem like he was over arduous and forcing himself upon me.
"Mo chridhe," I said as we broke apart for air and my hand tangled into his beard. "Neach-gaoil," I added and Dwalin looked down at me with hunger in his eyes. "Take me to bed," I told Dwalin and he groaned and nodded and he gently picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. Dwalin easily carrying me despite the extra added weight and he took me to our room and we made love to one another for several long hours.
Once we had finished we laid together in our bed, the fire burning bright in the fireplace warming the room and the furs slung low over our hips. Dwalin was running his hand along my bump as I laid with my head in the crook of his arm and he kissed the top of my head and I had never before felt so loved and safe in all my life. I had a family and a home and a place where I belonged and a child, my own child and a husband.
"We still need to think of names," I said as I reached down and put my hand over Dwalin's and his hand stilled as we threaded our fingers together over my bump. "Adad never taught me about any naming traditions," I added, knowing that there obviously were ones seeing as brothers were named after fathers and so on and so forth.
"Usually a son will take the name of the father and a daughter will take the name of the mother," Dwalin explained to me and I nodded in understanding.
"So our son would have a name ending in -in and our daughter something ending in -a?" I asked for clarification and Dwalin nodded beside me.
"Aye," He told me and I hummed as I began to think of names.
"Have you ever had a name in mind if you had a son?" I asked my husband, wondering if he had put any thought into this before. "Perhaps your father's name?" I asked and Dwalin shook his head.
"No, I've not put much thought into this. Never thought I would get married to be honest with yah," Dwalin told me and I looked up at him and placed a kiss on his chin, knowing he had thought he would never find his One before we met. "I'd not want to name our son after my father, I love my father but our son should have his own name, forge his own destiny," Dwalin said and I nodded in understanding.
"I guess we're going to have some thinking to do," I said and Dwalin chuckled at that.
"Aye," He agreed and we settled in to pulling me in close to him and curling around me, protecting me with his body as if expecting someone to come in and attack us. I knew that especially now he was on a heightened sense of guard with me so heavily pregnant and I just snuggled in closer to him and tried to set him at ease any way I could.
Over the next few weeks any time we were together or I saw him during the day I would suggest names to him that I had come up with for either a girl or a boy. Names such as Aydin, Kellin, Darin, or Oaklin for a boy and Kalyna, Ilaria, Marilla, and Briella, for a girl all of which had gotten shot down. Dwalin had come up with his own names too such as Torin which I had said no to on principle that I loved my Uncle but didn't need to name my son after him even if he was king, and Risa for a girl which I thought was pretty but too close to my Aunt's name.
We were at an impasse on that topic and as I moved into my seventh month we still didn't have a name for our baby whether it was a boy or a girl so I still took to calling our baby our little bean. Thorin informed us one day in mid March that he had received a letter from Dis that the first caravans from the Blue Mountains were being assembled and that as soon as the snow began to melt they would set out for Erebor. Fili and Kili whooped with joy, many of the other Company members also glad as this would mean that their family would soon be on their way to us. The snows were beginning to melt in some places around Erebor, no longer so hard packed and I was glad our people would soon be joining us, but I was also saddened as I knew that when Spring came Bilbo would be leaving us to return to the Shire.
He and I were good friends and had remained so, often speaking daily and having tea in the afternoons with one another. I enjoyed his company and would be sad to see him go, but I knew that he must miss his own home. He had bravely fought to help us reclaim our homeland and while I would miss him, the time was soon to come for him to return to his own home. Even if that meant he would have to deal with the Sackville Bagginses once more. I told him he would always have Sting to fend them off now should they try and steal his spoons. He seemed scandalized by the suggestion but I had seen the smile on his face that he had tried to hide.
Trade had begun to flourish once more in Erebor, those with the skill to mine shoring up the old tunnels and delving once more into the mountain and some Dwarves taking on apprentices from the race of Men, teaching them a new trade so that when their city was rebuilt they could stand on their own two feet. Bard and Thorin worked side by side every day and I could tell that a long lasting relationship had been built between our people. Thranduil had returned our weapons before the snows got too deep, but we had had no further dealings with him this winter.
The Elven King was staying away for now, but come Spring, I had suggested that Thorin try and send Tauriel to his kingdom to speak with him about having guides help the caravans through the Greenwood as we had barely made it through ourselves. Thorin was not keen on the idea, but had caved in the end, seeing reason behind my words. He had not liked my idea of having Tauriel as ambassador to the Greenwood as he did not know her, but having spent the winter with her he had come to know her better.
He tolerated her for Kili's sake at first but after seeing her fight with my husband and seeing her protect me he had come to respect her as an individual which I was exceedingly happy about. Tauriel seemed back to her old self now that Kili was well and could stand on his own two feet. Not that I really knew what she was like before. She laughed freely though and smiled often and that was good enough for me. Both she and Kili would leave the mountain sometimes and walk out in the open air close to the gates, the threat of Orcs ever looming, and this seemed to be enough for her. At least, she never complained about living inside the mountain to anyone.
She rarely spoke about her old life and seemed instead to be concentrating on her new life with Kili. Kili had, after I pointed out to him that he shouldn't keep Tauriel waiting, asked Tauriel to court him and she had accepted his proposal. Thorin had welcomed Tauriel to the family, accepting her as kin which was a big step forward for him and I think he had done so as he could see how much Tauriel was helping Kili to become himself again.
Fili had one day at the end of March gotten up the courage and had gone to Bard and asked to speak to him. I didn't know what they had spoken about or what was said, but I knew that soon after Sigrid had a courting braid in her hair as well as Thorin had welcomed her into the family as he had Tauriel. I got to know Sigrid much better, both she and Tilda coming to visit with me more often and I began to teach Sigrid what I knew of healing as well from back home so that someone else would know modern healing techniques besides me.
Sigrid was a delightful girl and I admired her strength to help her father raise her younger sister and keep house while so much was going on in Laketown. Tilda was an insightful little girl who despite seeing all the horrors of war had bounced back rather quickly. She asked me questions about the baby and was amazed at feeling the baby kick and asked if she could meet the baby once she or he was born.
Bofur doted on her, both him and Bifur making toys for Tilda whose smiles and cheerful attitude brightened up the mood, even Thorin taking to her and answering her questions. Bard was embarrassed at first, trying to quell Tilda's questions and curiosity, but I had assured him many times that she was more than alright and children should be able to be children.
Bain had convinced his father at last and was now undertaking sword lessons from Tauriel who delighted in having a student to teach. I knew it was very much like how she spent her time in the Greenwood, going on patrols and as Captain of the Guard, conducting drills with her fellow soldiers. Now she acted as my personal guard, a duty she took very seriously and trained Bain along with spending time sparring with Kili to work with him in retraining his left arm to hold a sword properly.
Tauriel was fierce when she was on guard duty, not allowing anyone close to me except a member of the Company or my husband unless they were one of the guards who had been sent to get me. I had heard many comments aimed at her made in the marketplace, Dwarves calling her all matter of slurs, but Tauriel never seemed to let it get to her. On one of our outings when Bilbo, Ori, and I had gone to the marketplace together, Tauriel had gotten between myself and a Dwarf who had raised his voice to me taking offense over something I still was unclear about.
There was some descent in the mountain, apparently some Dwarves feeling that Thorin should not be King as he was not in possession of the Arkenstone. Thorin feared that when the Dwarven Lords arrived in the mountain they would begin to cause trouble if there already were some decenters, but we wouldn't know until they arrived. Thrain stood behind Thorin as did I and the rest of the Company. As long as we supported Thorin's claim to the throne there wasn't much the decenters could do, but Nori was extremely busy keeping an ear out for any news of any plots of overthrow or riots. Thankfully there was no talk of any such plots, but Thorin was careful not to fall into a false sense of security. At the beginning of April I was now almost eight months pregnant and Thorin had released me from official duties until I gave birth as I had had a scare where we thought I was going to lose the baby at the end of March.
I had woken up one morning to find blood on the sheets and Oin had been called. I had some cramping and I had been scareder than ever before in my life. Oin had put me on bed rest for a week and the bleeding and cramps had cleared up and Oin associated it with the fact that I was doing too much work, too much running around, too much everything and my body had had enough. I had been pushing myself far too much and possibly had been lifting more weight than I should and doing other things I shouldn't have when no one was looking, not wanting to bug someone every two minutes and my body was responding to all this.
I was on my feet once more but with strict instructions to sit down as soon as I felt tired, rest as often as I felt the need to and take it easy for the rest of my pregnancy. Oin was fixing to put me on bed rest for the rest of my pregnancy if he had to and I was determined to let that not happen. I followed Oin's instructions to the letter and I had a feeling that everyone was watching me as Bilbo came and had tea with me every day, probably just to get me to sit and rest, Sigrid came and sat with me, bringing Tilda with her, and the Company all came to visit me during the day as well. I spent most of my days either in my receiving room, or out in the stone garden that looked out at the sky that was a special feature of the royal wing. In the middle of winter nothing was growing out there, but come Spring I had plans to plant a garden out there, conferring with Bilbo about the best flowers to grow in such a little space.
The snow melted more and more as April came to an end, the slopes of Erebor and the surrounding land turning to mush and Bard and Thorin traveled from Erebor to scope out where Dale would be built. I carefully climbed up to the ramparts and looked out at the dreary landscape that promised to be beautiful once Spring arrived and the grass began to flourish along with wildflowers.
May came all too quickly and with it came even more drama when Kili announced that he and Tauriel had wed. Thorin was furious when the news was announced as Kili and Tauriel had apparently married in the "Elven" way and Kili refused to marry Tauriel in a Dawrven ceremony stating that their marriage was no less valid because they married the way her people do. Thorin argued that as Kili was a prince of Erebor he was expected to marry, regardless of whom he was marrying, in the traditional way, to insure that the marriage was considered to be valid and that the Dwarven Lord could have their say if he did not.
Still Kili refused stating that regardless if he was a prince of Erebor or not, he was third in line for the throne and the Dwarven Lords could basically kiss his ass. The argument went on for weeks until finally I convinced Kili to simply have a very small ceremony, just the family and Tauriel with a witness so that Thorin would leave him alone and no one could dispute his marriage either way. I arranged the entire thing with the help of Sigrid and Balin and on the day of the ceremony I helped Tauriel to dress in a gown I had asked Dori to make her that was more Elven in design than Dwarven and I helped her to do her hair, Tauriel requesting that I braid her hair more traditionally Dwarven rather than Elven.
The ceremony, whilst small, was beautiful, Thorin marrying Kili and Tauriel as he had married Dwalin and I and no one could deny how in love Tauriel and Kili were. I wished them both many happy years together and hoped that they would find just as much joy as Dwalin and I had. Thrain who I thought would have the most to say about their union given that his father had been very prejudice about Elves, actually adored Tauriel and as it turned out, he was on my side when it came to everything and was just happy for his grandson and his new granddaughter who he adored. We received a letter from Dis about a week after the wedding letting us know that the caravan had set out from Ered Luin and was now on the way to Erebor. They planned to stop in Bree for no more than a few days before continuing, Dis saying that she was going to push the caravan to journey as quickly as possible towards Erebor and I believed her when she said this.
Three more months and I would be a mother, Erebor was flourishing and plans for Dale were being sketched out. Though we had faced many challenges we had braved them all and had persevered and had come out the other side and now we were well on our way to expanding our horizons. Dis would soon arrive with the first of our people and then a whole new set of challenges would present itself to us as the Dwarven Lords arrived and Thorin had to face them. The next few months were going to really make or break us, but together we could face anything.
Khuzdul:
Amrâlimê- My love
Gaelic-
Mo chridhe- My heart
Neach-gaoil- Beloved