Chapter 13: Hold on.

I sighed and shifted again, uncomfortable, Oin watched as usual, his eyes focused on me and flickering back to his conversation with Kili after a few minutes.

"What's that noise?" Fili said suddenly, leaping from his seat to see what the rustling noise was. As we stood at the edge of the ledge, I saw Smaug flying off towards Lake Town, his wings snapping out to carry him through the air as silently as possible.

"Poor souls." Oin whispered, Kili's eyes turned to the ground, welling with unshed tears. I wrapped an arm around him and drew him close, the young Dwarf cuddled in close and wrapped both arms around me, shoulders shaking, although he wasn't quite crying yet.

"They didn't deserve this." Bofur agreed, slumped in on himself.

"Neither did the Dwarves, sixty years ago." Fili muttered, I wondered at his hostility, knowing he was going through something I couldn't comprehend. I looked over my shoulder as a grinding sound reached my ears, Bombur and Dwalin had come back and pushed the door open again. I ran and hugged Dwalin, turning to squeeze Bombur tight, a smile on my face. "Is everyone alright?" Fili asked, the pair nodded.

"Aye, we're alright. Takes more than a wee dragon to take out these Dwarves." Dwalin responded, I nodded and glanced at my newlywed.

"Hate to say I told you so." I snapped, following Dwalin into the Mountain, I admired the Ancient architecture, wondering how in heaven they managed to do all these designs. "I'll bet you're loving the thought of rebuilding this Kingdom, aren't you Bombur?" I called to the Dwarf, he grinned and shrugged.

"Won't be as hard as rebuilding from scratch Lass." He replied, I grinned and turned back forwards, dust and ash and cobwebs thick in the air.

"I wonder, would you mind giving me a hand in the Healing ward Lassie? Might be some supplies we can salvage." Oin said, I nodded and gave Kili's hand a squeeze.

"Look after your brother for me won't you Kee?" He nodded, Fili gave me a frown and a sorry look. "Love you both." I added, hurrying to join Oin, who moved quickly for an older gentle-Dwarf. "You didn't really need me did you?"

"I need the privacy to explain Dwarven birth and pregnancy to you. "He explained firmly, his eyes forwards as we walked through the dimly lit corridors. "Hold onto me Girl, I may be old but my eyes are just fine."

"I've noticed, you don't really need your trumpet do you?" I observed, he grinned and then shrugged.

"I get to avoid listening to Gloin talking about his itchy bottom, trust me, it's worth it." He shuddered. "But that's not the point. Dams carry their bairns for at least twelve months, now I know from experience with human females that you only carry for nine at most." He began, I nodded in affirmation. "I've estimated that you'll carry for anywhere between nine and twelve months, which is vague and unhelpful. I expect you know how a birth works?"

"Yeah I do, I was a midwifery student in my day, I know the risks." I nodded, he took this well.

"That's good, as we possibly won't have another woman with us. Now, Gloin has some experience with delivery, he helped with our Gimli and I know that Dori is good at child care." He continued, I stopped.

"So we should be set right?" I asked nervously as we stopped outside a set of double doors, one of them off it's hinges. Oin didn't answer as he went straight in, beginning to comb for useful resources. "That's reassuring." I added to myself, wandering over to the book on the desk, it was virtually undamaged. I started to read some of the recent entries... Well, recent for six decades ago anyway. There was cases of stitches being needed for a training wound, reports of severe concussion in a few but the ones that interested me were the women. About three had been new mothers, one of them being down as a still not due to complications. I felt tears dripping down my cheeks as I read the entries, Oin came back when he heard me sniff, I wiped my eyes and tried and failed to get it together.

"What's the matter Lass?" He asks gently, hand on my shoulder.

"Some of these patients were new mothers... They wouldn't have been able to be moved would they? These women died never seeing their children, they'll never see their children grow up and have their own families." I whispered weakly, he nodded and patted my back.

"I remember that day clear as the sky Miss Reynolds. I remember the noise of the Dragon, babes screaming from their mothers arms, reacting to their mothers distress. I remember nurses being handed the newborns, getting them safety while the mothers sobbed in each others arms. The guards told us to leave, that they would get the women out alive... Only one survived." Oin replied softly, I sobbed and slowly dropped to the floor, crouching as I covered my mouth. "The children survived Lassie, if they hadn't, we wouldn't have our fine Scribe here with us." I looked up in horror.

"Ori?" I gasped, he nodded and sighed, sitting beside me.

"Dori's wife... Ora... We tried desperately to help her but... It wasn't in vain, Master Dori never told anyone and we documented the tragedy as stillborn due to difficulties with the delivery. Broke all of our hearts, she was a good Healer Ora was." Oin answered heavily, I noted the broken look on his face as I nodded and took his hand, his eyes meeting my watery, mismatched ones.

"You did everything you could and for that we were given the beautiful young Dwarf we know and love today. As a woman, I can honestly tell you that Ora would've given anything for her son, including her life..." I took a deep breath. "Oin, if things go wrong... This child must not die."

"Are things going to go wrong Lass?" He asked, I bit my lip before shrugging. "You said this was a story you knew well... How does this end?"

"I don't know how long we have left, a man of the Lake comes to ask Thorin for money to rebuild for his people, Thorin refuses and seals up the front gate using debris, he collapsed the bridge as well. A day after this, Thranduil turns up to help the Lake Town survivors, he and the Lake man come back here with armies, Thorin declares war and Dain turns up." I said, Oin nodded and stayed silent, prompting me to continue. "Orcs turn up and the Men, Elves and Dwarves work together for once. The outcome looks bleak until Thorin wakes from his gold sickness and sees reason, leading the company out into the battle. He takes Fili, Kili and Dwalin to Ravenhill, they're looking for the Defiler, Thorin send the boys to investigate, Fili and Kili split up. Azog finds Fee first, holds him above a drop and stabs him through the chest in full view of Thorin and Dwalin, drops him down to where he lands in front of Kili... Dead." I whispered, Oin looked shocked and horrified as he waited for me to go on. "Kili gets angry and runs into the tower, he comes into contact with a second army of Orcs led by Bolg, spawn of the Defiler, an elf woman comes to his aid and gets him killed as he tries to protect her out of love. Thorin fights for his life against Azog but they end up killing each other. Thus ends the line of Durin and the war is over, Dain becomes the King under the Mountain and Thorin Oakenshield passes into memory and story."

"Durin's beard." Oin whispered, his eyes on the ground.

"I dreamt that I was there when Fee died, that Kee pulled me away, told me to get to safety, keep myself and my child alive. I went to help Thorin but he was already dead... The war had ended but in the favour of the Orcs. My pregnancy must have been advanced as when the knife went through me, I saw a rather large bulge instead of a flat surface." I added bitterly, the Dwarf looked devastated, looking from hand to hand as he tried to make sense of what I'd told him.

I swear, You'll be safe.