A/N: Hello lovely readers! This one took just a tad bit longer than expected to finish up, but that's because I've been pretty busy lately, what with Thanksgiving having been last week and me rewriting the end of this chapter three or four times. I just couldn't decide what sounded good, heh. So, I hope you all enjoy this chapter :)

Chapter Thirty

Chamomile to bring calmness to mind and to body. Lavender to promote healing and to soothe the soul. Basil to renew strength and courage. Combined with the warm air of the room and the sound of wood tapping on wood, the scents worked quite well to lull Baylee into an almost meditative state. Every once in a while, she would feel a few seconds of pain when Dwalin had to switch combs or when Ori had to readjust his hand, but it was quickly forgotten as she watched the smoke of the incense sticks dance before her.

She was lying face-down on a flat pallet in the middle of a small room with Dwalin on her left, Ori on her right, and nothing but a length of black silk covering her bum and thighs. Dwalin was hunched over, his eyes focused on where the minute teeth of the ink-dipped comb pierced her skin. With each thwack of the mallet on the comb, the needles left a line of golden ink behind. Ori, too, was doubled over, though his job was to hold the skin of Baylee's shoulder blade taunt, making Dwalin's job easier.

Two days ago, when the delicate process was started, Baylee had almost regretted agreeing to a tattoo. Many tears of pain had been shed on the first day, but with Dwalin reassuring her that it was fine to cry and that the pain would soon fade, she had managed to endure. Now, on the third day, most of the pinpricks she felt were only a mild nuisance.

"How're yeh holdin' up, lass?" Dwalin asked as he dipped the comb into the bowl of gold ink.

"Fine,' she replied, her eyes shut as she rested her head on her arm. "How're youlads holdin' up?" Her brow rose slightly as Dwalin began tapping away again.

"Well enough," Ori replied, shifting slightly. He brushed some hair out of his face with his injured arm. "We'll feel it tomorrow, though, that's for sure."

Dwalin chuckled. "Ah, lad, we'll get a decent meal in us an' then we'll forget all 'bout the pain," he told him. "It's Baylee here who's goin' t' be sore for a while."

She groaned. "I know. I tried t' sleep on my back last night…needless t' say, it didn't work out well."

"I told yeh it would be at least a week before yer sleepin' on yer back again," he mused. He set his current tool down in favor of a smaller comb. "I'm on the small one now, so yeh may want t' grip somethin'," he warned.

Gripping the edge of the pallet, she started to breathe deeply in anticipation for the pain the smallest comb brought. "Why does that one have t' hurt more than the big ones, eh? After all, it's got less needles."

"That's why it hurts," Ori explained. "The less needles means that it takes Dwalin twice as many hits t' cover the same amount of skin as the bigger sticks."

"It also feels like it's goin' in deeper," she mumbled. She allowed a tear to slide down her face, but didn't allow herself to whimper.

"Probably because I'm usin' the same force, too," Dwalin suggested. Soon, he grabbed a clean cloth and wiped away the mixture of blood and excess ink. "There. Just one petal left now. Then we can clean up, put some ointment on it, an' then get yeh dressed again."

At that, Baylee giggled. "Just wait 'til Bofur hears that you two saw me in the flesh. He'll be madder 'n a goat!"

Dwalin and Ori both snorted. "Well, at least he'll know that neither o' us let our eyes stray," Ori laughed. "Anyway, even if I was into females, I don't think I could make myself look at another set o' breasts after Rhûn." He shuddered at the thought and stuck his tongue out.

"Some are nice," Dwalin admitted, "but only because they can add shape t' someone. I don't really see why so many males are so fascinated with 'em."

"Me neither," Baylee agreed. "Then again, it's not like I have much room t' speak…"

Dwalin shrugged as he dipped the com into some crimson ink. "Eh, yer breasts are bigger 'n they were a few months ago." Ori shot him a small pout and Baylee's brow rose. "What? She's gained weight; parts o' her are gettin' plumper than they were when we first met."

Ori begrudgingly nodded. "That is true," he admitted. "And it is good see that you're gettin' plump," he told Baylee. "You were rather…skinny before."

Baylee rolled her eyes, but chuckled. "Trust me, I know," she replied.

A cheeky grin came to Dwalin's lips and he glanced up at Ori. "Anyway, Ori, yeh don't have t' worry 'bout my eyes strayin'," he reassured him. "Yeh've got the best bum I've ever laid eyes on –dressed an' not."

Ori's cheeks turned dark red and his jaw fell slack; Baylee smacked her hands over her mouth in her best attempts to stifle her fit of giggles. He was lucky Dwalin was refilling his ink, because he reached over and smacked him across the shoulder. "You cad!" he gasped.

In the midst of their laughter, the door to the room opened and Gerdi poked her head in. "What's got you all in a silly fit now?" she asked, stepping into the room. Tucked under her arm was a neatly folded pile of clothes.

"N-nothin'!" Ori stammered. "Just somethin' Dwalin said is all."

Gerdi's brow rose; she was unconvinced, but decided to not press the matter. "Baylee, dear, I've brought ya a fresh change of clothes." She walked over and set them down beside the pallet.

As she looked up, Baylee found that the clothing was not anything she had worn before. "Um…Gerdi, these aren't mine," she told her, unfolding part of the garment to find a sleeve made of velvet. She flinched as Dwalin began working on the tattoo again.

At that, Gerdi grinned. "Of course it is!" she chirped, leaning over to inspect Dwalin's work. "I had some clothing made for ya, dear. I'm afraid the items ya brought with you had gotten a bit too…well, threadbare an' shabby."

Baylee stared up at her in shock. "Gerdi, ya didn't have t'!" she gaped. "I mean, I've got more back in Dale-"

Gerdi wiggled her finger in an almost scolding manner at her. "They're a gift –an' not just from me, but from Bofur as well." She watched as the human's cheeks flared red and chuckled. "Also, we've having a highly important person over for dinner tonight and it's imperative that ya look your best."

Dwalin glanced up at the mention of this person. "Has she arrived yet?" he questioned, wiping away blood and ink for the final time.

"Not yet," she replied. She leaned over, getting a better look at the tattoo. In the center of Baylee's back, reaching from her hairline to just past her shoulder blades, Dwalin had given her an emerald-green spearhead, runes of strength and protection lining its outer edges. On either side of it was a flower with petals of red and gold, the center petals of each having a protective rune in them. "That's a beautiful job, Dwalin."

He began to rub a thin paste over the tattoos, a proud grin on his face. "Thank yeh, Lady Gerdi," he told her. "I'm quite proud o' it myself."

Baylee tilted her head back, trying to peek over her shoulder –though it was a useless effort. "Can't wait until I can see it," she mused. A disturbed look came to her face as Ori sat upright, his back cracking and popping many times. "Er…ya alright there, Ori?"

Ori let out a sigh of relief. "Perfectly fine," he grinned. "In fact, I feel better than I did five minutes ago, even though my arms are a wee bit tingly now…"

At that, Gerdi frowned. "That's a sign o' sitting far too long, Ori," she lightly scolded. "Maybe I should have Buruz an' Grid chase you around the garden a bit before Dis and Balin get here, hmm?" Helping the younger dwarf to his feet, she shook her head. "It'll keep 'em out of the kitchen, that's for sure…" She started to help Baylee up.

"Ah, are the wee ones provin' difficult for Lovisa an' Bombur then?" Dwalin chuckled.

Gerdi sighed. "More so than normal. They know how rarely we get boar, let alone boar that's been prepared by Bombur! Not only that, but the venison stew an' roasted pheasants are also bein' prepared." She stood in front of the human, shielding her front half from the males.

Baylee's eyes widened. "That's a flat out feast right there! Will we be abled t' eat all o' that?"

Dwalin let out a hearty laugh. "Lass, we'll be able t' not only eat that, but also be wantin' thirds!" He gathered up the tattooing items and set them in a tray. "D'yeh want any help clearin' out the incense an' pallet, Lady Gerdi?"

She shook her head. "No, I think I can manage," she smiled, "so long as you didn't spill any o' that ink, that is."

"Not a drop spilled," Dwalin assured her. Hooking his arm around Ori's shoulders, he led the younger dwarf out of the room. He also managed to steal a kiss from him, earning a small giggle from his lover as they left.

Gerdi smiled fondly and lightly shook her head. "Those two," she mused. Turning back to Baylee, she realized that the young woman was admiring her tattoos in the mirror. "Well, how do you like them?" she inquired.

"I think papa is going to skin me alive," she replied, wearing a large grin, "but I love 'em! Look at all the detail Dwalin put into the spearhead! No wonder it took all day t' do it. An' the flowers! I wouldn't have thought that red an' yellow would show up thanks t' all these freckles, but he proved me wrong."

"And it'd be a right shame to cover up Dwalin's hard work," she plucked up the clothing from the floor, "which is why I had a few o' your dresses an' tunics made with low-cut backs. Now, let's get you dressed, shall we?"

Baylee soon found out that wearing dwarvish clothing meant wearing layers –something humans normally did only in the winter. First, she put on a pair of brown hose. An underdress was next, this being white in color and quite plain, save for the lacings up the front. The dress came third; it was grass green in color (to match her eyes, Gerdi told her) with the edges being heavily brocaded with reddish-purple thread that had a metallic sheen to it. Throughout the velvet, the same shade of purple formed thin, geometric patterns –patterns that could really only be seen when the light caught the fabric just right. Over the dress went a sort of narrow, brown apron that was tied around her waist, also with brocaded hem work. Finally, she donned her boots.

"There we go," Gerdi chirped, adjusting the tie around Baylee's waist. "Now all that's left is your hair and then we'll have ya lookin' like a proper dwarrow!"

Baylee laughed. "But I'm not a dwarf," she reminded her.

Gerdi gave her a fond smile and lightly clasped her arms. "Maybe not in body, but I'll tell you somethin' lass: You're definitely well on your way t' being one in mind an' spirit. How else could ya manage t' win over my brother-in-law, hmm?" She gave her a playful wink.

"I always thought it was because I brought him food," Baylee joked as Gerdi started to lead her out of the room. As they walked, the dwarf woman toyed with her hair, trying to think of the best way to pin it up. With the passing of another week, Baylee was now able to walk without the crutches, though she still had a bit of a limp –a limp that she was sure she'd take to the grave.

"I'm sure that helped, dear. After all, the Broadbeam clan certainly loves their food. But it takes somethin' a bit more…special t' make Bofur fall as hard an' fast as he did for you. Especially after what happened last time…" She lightly shook her head.

Baylee glanced over her shoulder. "What do ya mean?"

Gerdi cocked her brow. "He hasn't told ya?" Baylee shook her head. "Well, then, it's not my place t' tell you. I suppose when he's ready, he'll tell you. But for now, pretend I didn't mention it…An' don't bring up that I mentioned anythin' to him, either. Like I said, when he's ready, he can be the one to tell you."

Will let out a heavy, discouraged sigh as he flopped down on the bed he now shared with Adela. It was only mid-afternoon, but he felt like going to bed and not waking up for three days. He had spent that amount of time trying to find a home for him and Adela that was near to the inn, yet big enough for them to start a family in, and still yet cheap enough for him to buy with what money he had saved up over the last couple of years.

It had been a fruitless search.

Well, almost fruitless.

There was one building, just three doors down –it had, at one point, been a nice family home. Now, however, it had no roof and the second floor was rotted through. The walls were sound enough, as were the beams supporting the upper story; those had been made from cedar, thankfully. In fact, most of the city's skeleton seemed to be cedar, yew, and chestnut –all woods that were quite rot resistant. If he hadn't been so discouraged by his hunt, he would have been quite impressed by the people's ingenuity…

"Will, you alright in there, lad?" His aunt's voice drifted through the door. "You looked pretty down when ya came back."

"'M fine," he called back, though his voice was muffled by a pillow. It calmed him slightly, having his face buried in the cushion –it smelled like Adela.

Demelza knew by his tone that he was lying. Rolling her eyes, she opened the door and stepped into the room. As she saw him sprawled on the bed, she lightly shook her head. "House huntin' not go well again?"

He turned his head so he could look at her. "Is it that obvious?"

She quietly chuckled. "Lad, you passed by your fiancée, who was holdin' a large slice of cake for you. If that's not obvious, then I don't know what is."

Will frowned. "Adela had cake for me?" Demelza nodded and he cursed under his breath.

She sat down on the edge of the bed and lightly patted his back. "Reminds you o' when we had t' find a place t' build an inn, doesn't it?" she quietly chuckled. "Searching all through the city for something big enough, but in good enough condition t' not have to rebuild much…We were lucky when you found this gem. An' I'm sure you'll get lucky again and find somewhere that'll need minimal work done t' it."

"I've searched all over the city," he groaned. "Outside o' what's already been rebuilt is…almost scary. Aye, the foundations are sturdy an' most o' the weight bearin' beams are in surprisingly good condition, but they need a lot o' work. Not t' mention, money. All new wood, stone, an' glass needs t' be purchased. Not t' mention the costs o' nails, roof tiles, an' whitewash." He rubbed his face with his free hand. "I suppose I could cut some o' the costs by forgoing the nails an' usin' joinery an' pegs," he mumbled.

Wearing a pitying smile, Demelza lightly rubbed his back. "Lad, you know you can stay here as long as ya like –there's no need t' rush into a house, especially with winter so close at hand."

Turning over and sitting up, Will shook his head. "That's the thing, though, Auntie: I know if I don't find us a place, then we'll end up not leavin' the inn."

"And that's a bad thing?" she asked, pale brow rising.

"Yes…and no." He rubbed his face again. "There's only so much space here in the inn for us. When we moved here, we built rooms for you an' Uncle Richard, da', Baylee, an' me. That was fine until now. Adela an' I are sure we want more than one child an'…an' there just isn't room for us t' have a family here." He looked at his aunt, a small, sad smile on his lips. "I guess ya can say I'm growin' up."

At that, she let out a laugh. "Lad, you've been grown up for quite a while," she told him, "but we older folk haven't really wanted t' admit it just yet." She reached over and gave his shoulder a slight, playful shove. "But look at you…almost a father an' almost a husband. Seems like it was just yesterday tha' I was having to wrangle you two an' your cousins up for dinner or for bath time."

He laughed. "An' how during the summer, you'd catch us an' throw us in the lake?" he grinned.

She shrugged. "Why heat up water when your mother an' I knew the lake would do the same job?" she joked. Her features softened a bit as she recalled the times she and her late-sister had spent scrubbing four, gangly children who very much did not want a bath. "She'd be proud o' you, you know. Your mother."

"I would hope so," he replied. "It's hard sometimes, not havin' her around anymore. The two o' us could always ask her for advice on things…I mean, we love dad dearly, but sometimes the advice he gives…Well…" He scrunched his nose up slightly.

"If you're referring to the time tha' you an' your sister came home with matching black eyes and bumps on your noggins, then aye, I know what you mean," Demelza chuckled. "Éolynna always had a knack for that sort of thing. Back in Langhold, people were always asking for her advice. It drove mother insane because people were always coming to call and not a one was a suitor for either of us!"

"Well, that turned out to be a good thing, didn't it?" Will smiled. "Otherwise, the two o' you wouldn't have come north an' found dad an' Uncle Richard, now would you?"

Demelza grinned. "That is definitely true. Can't say our mother was too happy about it, but…Well, I love your uncle with all me heart an' your mother certainly loved your father somethin' fierce."

He chuckled and shoved some loose hair from his face. "I can only hope that Adela an' I have a love like theirs."

"Oh, I think the two o' you already do," she mused. "After all, there is a baby in her tummy and you're not quite married." She cracked up as she watched Will's cheeks turn bright red. "Ah, don't worry. It seems to be a bit o' a family tradition –though, I can't say that it's one I want Baylee to uphold…"

At that, Will snorted. "Baylee's a wee bit more responsible than me in that respect."

"Well, from the rumors I've heard, I certainly hope it stays that way."

Will cocked his brow. "What rumors?"

"Oh, surely ya know –the ones about how Bard wants to court your sister? Almost the whole city knows by now thanks t' Galiene."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh. Those rumors."

She tilted her head. "You don't seem very excited 'bout the idea," she commented. "Even though I recall ya bein' the one who had tried t' bring them together when you were younger."

"It's not that, really. They would still be a good match," he admitted, "but I just don't think Baylee's interested in him anymore. I mean, she's done a lot of growing up the last couple o' years –few months, even. Her tastes in men may have changed."

"Maybe," she chuckled as she stood, "but let's face it –Who wouldn't want t' marry a king?"

Will watched as she left the room and he let out a sigh, though he wore a small grin; for some reason, he suddenly felt quite happy and oddly pleased. Why he felt that way, he couldn't guess. "Baylee, that's who," he murmured.

"Ahhh…ganuh…aboo!"

"Oh, is that so?"

"Egha guh!"

"You poor, wee thing. Havin' t' take a bath like that."

Zori giggled and grunted as he chewed on his favorite wooden horse. Baylee smiled before lifting him up and blowing a raspberry on his stomach, earning another, louder laugh. One of his hands let go of his precious toy, making to grab at the human's nose, but she pulled back just in time. Having missed his target, he now reached out with both hands, the horse falling into Baylee's lap. His small hands managed to grab hold of a few braids on the side of her head.

"Uh-oh, I'm in trouble now," she chuckled as he started to tug on her hair. "Ow, ow –Zori, no. No pulling my hair. No, Zori." She did her best to pry his fingers off her locks, but it was useless; his fingers were too slimy from his drool.

Luckily for her, help soon entered the room. Seeing his nephew tugging on her hair, Dori lightly shook his head and went over, taking Zori by surprise when he started to tickle his sides. The child's eyes shot open and he squirmed as he began to laugh. Her hair now free from his grip, Baylee leaned back and chuckled.

"Thank ya, Dori," she told him. Plucking the horse from her lap, she handed it back to Zori before he was scooped up.

As Zori began babbling at him, Dori nestled him in the crook of his arm. "We've been tryin' to get him off of the hair-pulling habit," he replied, sitting down in a chair across from her, "but he's been chewing on Nori's beard for so long, it's hard to break him of it."

"Well, I would imagine' chewin' on fine silver beard clasps must be utterly delicious for the wee lad," she chuckled. "An' if not delicious, at least it'd feel nice when he's teethin'." Leaning forward, she grabbed Zori's toes bare feet and began to tickle his toes. He giggled and kicked his legs, all the while trying to wiggle his toes away from her.

"Oh, most certainly," Dori agreed with a small laugh. "Only the finest of teething toys for Nori's child." He looked up as Gerdi came into the room, Edda in her arms.

"Baylee, would ya mind looking after Edda for a few minutes?" she asked, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "Bombur needs my help in the kitchen and I don't want this little one grabbing anything she shouldn't."

Baylee grinned. "Aye, that'll be fine," she replied. "Don't think she can get herself in much trouble, after all."

"Oh, you'd be surprised," Gerdi smiled. She laid a blanket out on the floor before laying Edda on her stomach, as well as setting her dolly beside her. "I'll be back in a tick."

When Gerdi left the room, Dori grinned and set Zori on the blanket as well. "Do you want to play with cousin Edda?" he cooed. Both he and Baylee cracked up as the two infants looked at one another, their eyes wide in surprise.

Zori grunted and wiggled his legs behind him.

Edda grunted as well, though her whole body wobbled slightly.

Zori smacked the floor while beginning to babble.

Edda cooed, and managed to shove herself upright…only to roll onto her back. The two babies giggled at her fumble, though Edda quickly went quiet as Zori pushed himself onto his knees. He awkwardly started to crawl towards her.

"Aw! When did he start crawlin'?" Baylee asked, her eyes wide in pleasant surprise.

Dori grinned. "Just a few days ago," he answered. "I had t' show him how to pull himself along, but he's a fast learner." He ruffled Zori's hair, which was pulled back in a two-inch braid –tiny compared to the six inches of hair Edda already had. "He's a good lad, even if he can be much more odoriferous than most children."

Baylee found it a bit hard to picture Dori, who she had learned was a very prim and proper dwarf, getting on the ground to show a baby how to properly crawl. "Odoriferous?" she asked, amused by the word. "Is that a real word or did ya make it up because o' how stinky Zori's toots are?"

"It's a real word, I assure you," he smiled. "Though, I've never heard the term 'toots' used in place o' gassiness before. Is it a human term?"

"Sort o'," she explained, giggling. "When Will an' I were younger, mum an' papa didn't want us saying 'farts' because they thought it was a bit crude. So they told us they were called toots because they sounded like a horn."

She looked down at the children in time to see Zori flop beside Edda and begin cooing at her. He reached over and lightly patted her hair, going 'Ooh'. He continued to pet her hair, a smile on his face. Edda partially hid her face behind her dolly, giggling at the other baby.

"Oh, you cheeky lil' flirt!" Baylee laughed.

"Just like his father," Dori mused, his brow rising. "Only, Nori was a bit cheekier than that…I just hope he doesn't pass it along t' Zori."

Baylee smiled. "I don't think Nori needs t' teach him anything –he's cute enough t' get attention all on his own."

"Oh, he certainly is. I can't take Nori with me to the market anymore because all the dwarrow dames have to stop and coo at him. I suppose that's the elf blood in him, though…" He lightly shook his head before reaching down and rolling his nephew onto his back, beginning to tickle Zori's feet. Zori burst out giggling, which startled Edda. She was just about to start crying when Dori chuckled and started to tickle her as well. "I'm sorry, did I pay attention t' him and not to you, lassie?"

It was then that Zori let out a loud 'Da!' and stretched his arms out. Dori and Baylee looked up, seeing Nori tamping a bit of tobacco into the bowl of his pipe. Seeing his son wanting to be picked up, however, he chuckled and crouched down, holding his pipe between his teeth.

"What?" he mused, grabbing Zori's feet and wiggling his legs. "You can't possibly want me t' pick you up when I held you all morning."

"Da!" Zori cooed, trying to grab Nori's hands.

"Aye, I'm your da'," he smiled. He pointed at Dori. "Who's that, then?"

"Do!" he chirped, waving his arm at his uncle.

"An' this?" He pointed at Baylee.

"Ba." A wide, cheeky smile came to his chubby face and he started to chew on his wooden horse again.

Nori grinned. "An' her?" He pointed at Edda, who slowly reached a hand out, intending to grab his finger.

Zori's reply was a grunt as he wrestled with the toy horse.

"Close enough." He was going to pick up his son, but Edda grabbed his finger and tugged his arm towards her. "Whoa, you're a strong one, Edda," he chuckled. He frowned slightly as she began gumming on his finger. "Ew…"

Baylee giggled. "Too used t' havin' Zori chew on your beard?" she asked, seeing his mild look of disgust. She was about to scoop up Edda as she started to fuss, but Dori beat her to it.

"I think she's just a bit jealous that there's another child around t' steal some o' her attention," Dori chuckled, sitting Edda up on his lap. Taking her hands, he started to 'dance' with her, which quickly worked to cheer her up.

Buruz and Grid suddenly ran into the room, giggling like mischievous schoolchildren (which is exactly what they were). Nori's brow rose in amusement as he watched Grid duck behind the chair Baylee was sitting on and Buruz hide himself behind a curtain.

"I take it that Balin and Lady Dís are here then," Nori chuckled, standing upright. His brother copied his action, propping Edda up on his hip. "Why are you two dwarrowlings hidin', hmm?"

"Because Mister Dwalin here," Buruz grinned.

"Want take him by surprise!" Grid added with a giggle.

The three adults didn't have the heart to tell them that it was obvious where they were hiding. Instead, Nori changed the subject. "Have ya met Lady Dís yet, Baylee?"

She shook her head, rising to her feet. "No, though I've heard about her a number o' times. She's a princess, aye? Being that she is Thorin's sister…"

"Technically, yes," Dori told her as they moved towards the hall, "though due to various circumstances…" He rubbed the back of his neck, not quite knowing how to explain Dís' situation to her.

"She would have inherited the throne had she challenged Dain's rule," Nori better explained, "but after the loss of her family and the fact that Ered Luin still needed a ruler, she chose not to. Dain is only partially related t' Durin –our most famous king- whereas she's a direct descendant. The last direct descendant, unless –on the entirely off chance- she has another child. So, for now, she's Lady Dís."

Baylee nodded in understanding. "Understood." She had been told that Dís was of noble blood, but she hadn't been told how noble Dís' blood was. Now knowing that she was about to meet this woman left Baylee feeling quite intimidated. She didn't know why she was so intimidated; after all, Bard was a king and she was good friends with him…

As they came into the hall, Baylee could just barely see Gerdi being tightly hugged by another female dwarf. She couldn't see much of Dís, aside from the hood of her sky-blue cloak. Off to one side, she could also make out the snow-white hair of Balin as he wandered off to find his brother. Nori stepped aside, allowing her a better view. Straight away, Baylee could tell that this woman was of immense importance amongst the dwarves –and not just because of her rich clothing. The way Dís held herself was one of pride and of noble lineage. As she lowered her hood, Baylee could see that her hair was as black as night with streaks of silver like moonlight as a natural crown. Adding to the effect were dozens of silver and gold stars clasped throughout her thick locks.

As she handed her cloak to Gerdi, she caught sight of Baylee out of the corner of her eye. She turned to her and began to look her over. "So this is the human," she spoke. "I expected you to be taller." Her voice, Baylee noticed, was as rich as the earth. She began to circle around the human, taking in her entire appearance. The corner of her mouth rose slightly as she saw the tattoos on her back. "I see your weapon of choice is the spear. Are you proficient with any others?"

Baylee swallowed hard. "S-swords an' axes, my lady," she replied, "but I prefer avoidin' battle at all costs."

"That, Miss Baylee, is a good answer," she smiled. Even though she did her best to hide it, Dís noticed that the human let out a sigh of relief. She turned towards Gerdi to spare Baylee the knowledge that she had seen. "Is the huntress still here as well?"

"Aye," replied Gerdi. "She's in the kitchen with Bombur an' Bifur. Shall I get her?"

"I do not want to interrupt if she is busy. Dwalin had told me that you had had another child, but he failed to mention that she was such a pretty little girl!" She began cooing at Edda, who basked in the attention. "Three daughters in a row, Gerdi! Mahal certainly has blessed you, hasn't he?" she smiled.

Gerdi grinned widely. "That he did, but I'm afraid she's going to be our last one. Eight children is more than enough t' keep an eye on these days, especially since Bifur an' Bofur all but live in Dale now." She looked to Baylee, Nori, and Dori. "Would you three please set the table while I get Dís something t' drink?"

Nodding, the three of them walked off into the dining hall. Gerdi offered Edda to Dís, who eagerly took her. "How long are you in Erebor for?" she asked, her speech going into Khuzdul. She led her friend off to a different part of the mansion by the elbow.

"Until it is my time to return to the earth," she replied, lightly poking Edda's nose. "So we have plenty of time to catch up, I assure you. What is this adorable little one's name?"

Gerdi smiled. "Her name is Edda, though she's quickly turning into a Cousin Bifur's girl," she laughed.

"Ahh, so while Grid may be an Uncle Bofur's girl, this little one has taken a shine to Bifur? Well, that's good," she chuckled. "And what of Sanna? Who has she taken a shine to?"

"Baylee, believe it or not. She hardly leaves the poor dear alone!" Gerdi grabbed a fine, pewter tankard from a shelf before filling it with golden ale from a large, oak barrel. "She's also quite fond of Lovisa –mostly because she brings flutterflies from outside the Mountain for her."

At that, Dís chuckled. "Is that so?" She took the mug of ale as Gerdi offered it to her.

Nodding, Gerdi began to fill another mug for herself. "She absolutely adores flutterflies. You should have seen her face when Baylee told her that humans call them 'butterflies' though –so confused! She thought the humans used them like butter on toast!"

"In her defense, I thought the very same thing," she smiled. "To this day, I cannot fathom why humans call them such things. They clearly are not made of butter, so it is a strange name to give them." She took a small drink of the ale and let out a sigh of content. "It's been a long time since I last had the ale of Dale."

Gerdi smiled. "Lake Town ale, actually," she corrected, "but it's still good nonetheless. I would imagine the breweries in Dale have good product as well, but I'd imagine they haven't had the chance to age long enough yet." She took a long drink from her ale. "How has your stay with Balin and Dwalin been?"

"Pleasant. Balin has been a most gracious host," she answered. "Of course, I have done my best to not be a nuisance; I've taken to making the meals and doing a bit of laundry here and there."

Waving her hand dismissively, Gerdi frowned slightly. "Dís, you most certainly are not a nuisance. You are more than welcomed here, whether you are staying with Balin or visiting our humble home." She shifted Edda slightly, smiling down at the cooing baby.

"There…is one who does not entirely appreciate my presence in Erebor," Dís admitted, "but I care not for his opinion."

Gerdi glanced at her. "You are speaking of Dain?"

She nodded. "Yes. My cousin finds my return to my childhood home a bit –in his words- 'unsettling'." Taking another drink from the ale, she lightly shook her head. "I cannot blame him, however; after all, it would quite easy for me to challenge his rule."

"And why don't you?"

Dís looked at her, wearing a sad smile. "It had always been Thorin or Frerin who had been born to rule. Remember how they had mustered our people's courage at Azanulbizar?" Gerdi nodded slowly. "If anyone in our family should have ruled under the Mountain, it should have been them."

Nodding slowly in understanding, she wrapped her arm around Dís in a tight hug. "You are among friends now, Dís. We may not be related by blood, but we are certainly family through friendship."

Letting out a small laugh, Dís patted Gerdi on the back. "We most certainly are, my dear friend. And for that, I am beyond thankful to Mahal." As she pulled back, she reached down and lightly nuzzled her finger against Edda's cheek, chuckling as she toothlessly grinned at her. "This little one certainly has her mother's smile."

"Aye, that she does," Gerdi agreed. She was glad that Dís seemed to be doing so well, even though she knew it must be breaking Dís' heart to be home and without her family. "Bombur reckons she'll be a little heartbreaker with she's older, though Baraz is willing to bet money that she'll grow up to be obsessed with some form of craft that isn't cooking or toy-making."

At that, Dís outright laughed. "Is he hoping she'll follow him and Biriz in the art of jewel craft?"

"Actually, I hope she takes after Cousin Bifur."

Dís grinned when she saw the oldest of Gerdi's children standing in the doorway and she approached him, giving him a tight squeeze. "The last time I saw you, your beard was scarcely past your chin! Now it is almost past your neck!"

He chuckled. "It's not very impressive either way," he told her. "Biriz's beard is nearly twice as long as mine and he's almost fifteen years younger than me."

She gave him a reassuring smile. "Ah, all the best beards take a while to grow. Why, I remember it took your father nearly fifty years to start growing his beard our properly."

Baraz's brow rose. "Really?" She nodded. "He told me he had it nearly three feet long by the time he was thirty…"

"Of course he would tell you that," Gerdi laughed. "Dís is telling the truth, though –he barely had stubble when I first met him. Oh, you should have seen your Uncle Bofur, too." She started to gently lead the three of them towards the dining room.

At that, Dís giggled. "Ah, yes –his mustache refused to grow!" she remembered. "He had the jawline growing –and it had been quite long at the time- but he was positive he would never get a mustache."

Baraz snorted; it was nearly impossible for him to picture his uncle without his long mustache. Bofur had had it ever since he was an infant. "I can hardly believe that."

They stepped into the dining room, watching as Dori, Nori, and Baylee were finishing up the table. Dori delicately tossed a plate towards Nori, who bounced it off his elbow, much to Zori's disappointment –he had wanted to play with it. Baylee caught it and set it down atop a placemat only to end up catching a bowl as well.

"The only thing you need is a beard," Baraz grinned, lightly patting Baylee on the shoulder. He had been about to clap her on the back, but he quickly remembered about her fresh tattoos. "We've already got ya actin' and dressin' like a proper dwarrow dame, after all."

Baylee laughed. "Oddly enough, you're not the first one t' say that."

Her attention was suddenly turned elsewhere as Bombur and Lovisa came into the room, each bearing large trays filled with small mountains of roasted boar and vegetables. Behind them came Berez and Biriz, who also carried platters of food that included mashed potatoes, freshly baked rolls, various types of cheeses, and dried fruits. Bifur and Boroz came last, each one toting a cauldron of venison stew. Dwalin, Balin, and Ori soon came in, Dwalin toting Buruz, Grid, and Sanna under his arms.

"I thought I smelled dinner finishing up," Dwalin smirked.

"We've been smelling dinner all day," Ori chuckled. "You've just got a huge appetite."

"As he should!" Bombur grinned, setting his platter down. "All good dwarrows have large appetites; and with good reason. We know how to cook well."

Baylee wove her way through the growing crowd of dwarves. "Who wants what for drinks?" she called.

"Beer!" answered Dwalin, Baraz, and Nori.

"Ale," replied Bombur, Biriz, Boroz, Ori, Lovisa, and Bifur.

"Wine," said Balin, Berez, Dori, Gerdi, and Dís.

"An' then juice for the wee ones," Baylee murmured as she began filling mugs and goblets. She made quick work of filling the vessels up; it was second nature for her, after all. While filling them, she almost felt as if she were back at the Full Tankard, only instead of serving demanding strangers, she had a crowd of goodhearted friends. Once they were filled, she arranged them all on two platters before moving around the room and setting the drinks beside their owners.

Dís thanked her and took up her goblet of wine. "You have a good memory, Miss Baylee," she commented before taking a sip.

Baylee shyly smiled. "Comes from growin' up in an inn, milady," she replied, setting a foamy mug beside Dwalin, who was reaching for a large boar steak. As she set another mug beside Ori, Dwalin set the steak on his plate and she quietly giggled; Ori's cheeks turned a bit pink as he heard her laughter, but thanked both her and Dwalin.

When she finally got to sit down, she found that Lovisa had already piled food on her plate. She looked over at the half dwarf, who gave her a small wink. With the room filled with various (somewhat loud, so people could hear one another) conversations taking place, Baylee began to eat. Throughout the day, she hadn't eaten much –mostly thanks to getting her final tattoo- so she hadn't realized just how hungry she was. Now, however, her stomach was demanding to be filled with Bombur, Berez, and Lovisa's good cooking.

'Slow down,' Lovisa lightly scolded, noticing how fast she was scoffing the food down.

'Sorry,' Baylee replied, her mouth full of roasted turnip. 'Not eat all day. Am starving!'

Lovisa raised her brow. 'Slow down still. Not want you get sick.' She ate a spoonful of stew, wincing slightly as she was forced to lean forward.

'How wound doing?' Baylee asked. She knew that Lovisa had gotten injured when she and Bifur had gone hunting; the boar had managed to gore her breast with one tusk while the other left a nice gash in her side. She had also managed to get some light bruises on her neck as well as some scratches on her hips, but Baylee had been too worried about the aforementioned wounds to really notice them.

'Still sting,' she admitted, 'but nothing can't handle.' She gave her a reassuring smile. 'Have had worse and you know it.'

'That true,' Baylee agreed. 'Still. Wounds are bad. Are now one that should be on bed rest!' She cheekily grinned, catching a roll as Lovisa threw one at her. She then ducked, for Dwalin was passing a roll to Nori, who sat beside Baylee and four seats away from Dwalin. 'Dwarven table manners are far more fun than human manners,' she thought, taking a bite out of the roll she had caught. 'Too bad papa, Aunt Demelza, and Galiene would tan my hide if I acted like this back home.'

Within two hours, the small feast had been consumed and the dishes from it washed and put away. Having felt a bit crowded with so many dwarves in so close of quarters, Baylee had snuck her way out into the garden. Even though the air didn't move much (there were slight breezes from time to time), it felt more open than the stone rooms of the mansion.

She had tucked herself away in a part of the garden that wasn't visited very often, for she had borrowed Nori's pipe and was currently enjoying some cherry tobacco. Breathing deeply, she filled her lungs with the scented smoke before slowly letting it out through her nose. A shiver ran down her spine and she closed her eyes; the last time she had had a good smoke was when she stole Bofur's pipe in Dorwinion. She smiled at the memory.

Gravel crunched under the weight of someone and she opened her eyes, able to see Dís coming towards her. Whether Dís saw her or not, she did not know. Just in case she didn't, Baylee remained quiet, not wanting to startle her. However, she soon realized that Dís knew perfectly well that she was there.

"I saw at dinner that you have grown accustomed to the ways of dwarrow-kind," she commented, standing a few feet away from Baylee.

Her cheeks flushing, Baylee found herself sitting up straighter and setting the pipe aside. "Not entirely, milady." She smiled shyly and tucked a braid behind her ear. "Though, I have picked up a fair few habits."

A smile came to Dís' lips. "I will admit that our ways can seem uncouth to humans and elves, but I am glad you do not seem to mind them."

"Oh, not at all, milady! If anything, I much prefer 'em t' the boring way us humans do things," she quickly told her. "Not t' mention, quicker. Why, if me an' the other lasses tossed dishes around back at the inn, we'd have the common room cleaned up in a tick!" She felt her cheeks grow darker when she realized she had rambled slightly.

Dís didn't seem to mind; in fact, she seemed genuinely interested. "Dwalin had mentioned to me that your family owns one of the better inns of Dale. The Full Tankard, I believe he said the name was?"

She nodded as she shifted on the moss, bringing her legs under her. "Aye, the Full Tankard," she answered, "an' it's a high praise t' hear that Dwalin thinks so highly o' our inn."

Fanning out her skirts, Dís sat herself down upon the moss as well, folding her hands in her lap. "He has told me much about you and your family; admittedly, I could hardly believe that he had grown fond of a family of humans. Dwalin is quite…particular when it comes to those who are not of dwarrow blood."

Baylee smiled. "Aye, Ori's told me the same thing," she chuckled. "Truthfully, I'm still a bit shocked that we've come t' be such good friends with a group o' dwarves. Not that it's a bad thing! I've only known 'em half a year an' I consider them some o' the best friends I could get." She frowned slightly when the braid slipped loose from behind her ear again. Tucking it behind her ear again, she realized the problem: It was her bitten-off ear.

"Do not take this as an insult, but I believe your small stature helps to make them feel more at ease when in Dale," Dís supposed. "I will admit that us dwarrows are left feeling somewhat daunted when around humans due to the differences in our sizes."

She nodded in understanding. "That's what I figured," she agreed, "since some o' them still seem t' be intimidated by my brother an' father. They're over six feet tall." Out of nowhere, a wave of worry and excitement swept over her. Closing her eyes, she frowned and slowly let out a breath.

Dís frowned. "Is everything alright, Miss Baylee?" she questioned.

"I-I think so. I just felt a bit…off for some reason." She was about to give Dís a reassuring smile, but another bout of worry started to twist her stomach around. "Maybe I ate a bit too much…" she murmured, her cheeks flushing red.

"Perhaps it would be best if you lay down for a little while?" Dís suggested. "It was a large meal, full of rich foods that we had tonight."

Baylee nodded, giving her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, milady. Maybe we can speak more at another time…?"

"I am certain of it," Dís smiled. "I hope you feel better after a bit of rest."

"Thank you, milady." Excusing herself, she got up and went inside. Before going to her room, she returned Nori's pipe, having emptied it of the remnants of half-smoked tobacco. By the time she reached her room, the feeling of uneasiness was overwhelming.

'What in the world is wrong with me?' she thought, changing into a simpler dress. The green dress was pretty, but it was heavier than what she was used to. 'I have no reason to be worried! This has been a pleasant evening and I'm surrounded by friends.' Shaking her head as she pulled on a simple, yellow gown, she went over to her window. 'It can't be nerves about meeting Dís. She's a pleasant dwarrow dame to be around and seems kind enough.'

Her nose scrunched up as her tattoo itched slightly. Knowing better to scratch it, she lightly smacked the back of her neck. The scratchy feeling left and she sighed in slight relief.

Rubbing her forehead, she leaned her elbows on the windowsill. 'This weird feeling didn't start until I mentioned Will and papa…' Her eyes shot open in sudden realization. "Something's goin' on at the inn," she muttered.

Within ten minutes, she had quickly scrawled a note to Lovisa and Gerdi, apologizing for her sudden absence, and had raced down to the family's stables, where she mounted Lovisa's horse. Leaving the stable at a trot, she did her best to avoid being a nuisance as she rode through the market. More than once, however, she heard a dwarf utter something in Khuzdul that she was positive was not pleasant.

'Valar, please let my family be safe,' she thought, increasing the mare's pace to a canter once she was outside of the city. From what she could see in the distance, nothing was amiss in Dale –then again, nothing had seemed to be amiss when she and the others had been coming back from Lake Town…'Please, please let them be safe.'

Will had his arms crossed as he paced back and forth near the common room's fireplace. For nearly two hours he had been pacing, unable to bring himself to sit down. He badly wanted to go into the family area, but he knew he'd be nothing but a nuisance if he allowed himself to be even somewhat near the room where Adela, Galiene, Demelza, and Richard were. Once in a while, someone would come by and clap him on the shoulder, congratulating him on his imminent fatherhood.

Somehow, he would manage a nervous smile as he thanked them.

He knew he wouldn't have been so nervous if he had someone there with him, but it was just his luck that his father was across town for the night, having a night out with some of his friends. And having Baylee there was totally out of the question –Adela would probably give birth by the time he could get news to just the gates of Erebor. At least, he thought that Adela would give birth by then; when she had first gone into labor, he had been absolutely positive that he'd be holding his son or daughter within an hour.

'That's what I get for not really knowing a damned thing about child birth,' he thought, scrunching his nose up. 'And who would have thought that Adela was that far along! Even the midwife thought she still had another month!' He rubbed his face in frustration as he leaned against the wall. 'Nothing's ready for the baby yet…I thought I had more time…'

"Will!"

He looked up and was more than a little startled to see Baylee quickly limping towards him. "Baylee! What in the world-!?"

She let go of her skirts and grabbed his arms. "Will, what's goin' on? Is everythin' alright? Is everyone safe?"

Still stunned by his sister's sudden appearance, he nodded jerkily. "F-Fine…Adela's givin' birth."

Her eyes shot open and her frown turned into a wide smile. "Really?" He nodded again and received a tight hug in return. "That's wonderful! I had been scared somethin' bad was goin' on, so I came here as soon as I-" Will pushed her back slightly, frowning in confusion.

"How did ya know something was happening?" he demanded.

She looked up at him, her head tilted to the side. "I had a feelin'," she admitted, "'bout an hour-hour an' a half ago now. Just this big ol' wave o' worry came over me an' I knew somethin' had to be up."

Will sighed in relief and pulled his sister to him in a tight hug; admittedly, she winced, thanks to her tattoos, but she didn't pull away. "Sorry I'm so…blunt right now, but I'm so on edge because o' this. I'm glad you're here though –dad's across town for the night and everyone else is either with Adela or doin' their best to keep the customers happy."

He looked out across the common room, seeing everyone wearing smiles as they ate, drank, and talked amongst each other. "I'm glad everyone's content right now, though. We've had t' pull in Peter t' cook an' Gawen t' help Wenna with serving. Thank the Valar that Peter has Galiene's talent with food! An' thank the Valar that, even though we're at maximum capacity, everyone here seems t' be totally understandin' that Adela's in labor."

Baylee gave him a comforting smile. "People tend t' be quite understandin' when babies are involved." Standing on tiptoe, she poked her brother's nose. "Now you, mister…ya need t' sit and have yourself a drink o' some tea." She took his arm and started to lead him towards the kitchen, having to weave a path through the crowd.

"Where are your crutches?" he asked, seeing her walking unaided.

"Don't need them anymore," she smiled. Cautiously, she pushed open the kitchen door in time to see Wenna dashing out of the pantry. She cringed slightly, seeing the semi-disastrous state that the kitchen was left in. "Did a horde o' goblins come runnin' through here or somethin'?"

Wenna, Peter, and Gawen spun around, looking at her in shock. Before Baylee could take another step, Wenna had lunged forward, giving her a large bear hug. Will couldn't help but laugh as Baylee cursed in surprise.

"Alright, alright –I know it's been awhile since ya lot saw me last," Baylee chuckled as she lightly pushed Wenna back, "but there's a full house out there needin' tendin' to an' a soon-t'-be da' needin' a cup o' tea."

"It's crazy without Galiene, Demelza, an' Adela," Wenna told her, wearing a small frown. "Gawen an' I are havin' a hard time keepin' up on orders an' Peter's almost gone through the food Galiene made."

She nodded in understanding. "Keep doin' your best, alright? I'll help Peter out; I don't think I'm quite ready t' be runnin' around a busy inn just yet." She lightly patted her on the back before shooing her off. Going to counter, she grabbed a kettle and poured some fresh water into it. "Peter, what orders d'ya have right now?" she questioned, setting the kettle over the fire.

Peter glanced over his shoulder at her as he pulled some bread from the oven. "Four stews, two fish, eight roast chickens –two o' which have a side o' salad, three with roasted vegetables, an' the other three with baked potatoes-, an' five orders o' plain steak," he breathlessly replied. She could see that his forehead was glistening with sweat and she found herself silently praying that he wasn't letting it drip into the food.

"An' which ones d'ya have cookin'?" She inspected the steaks that were currently sizzling away in the iron skillets.

"Three o' the steaks, four chickens, an' the vegetables," he answered.

Shaking her head, Baylee grabbed an apron and tied it around herself before pushing her sleeves up to her elbows. 'This is going to be a long night,' she thought, flipping the steaks and while adding some tea leaves to Will's mug.

Luckily, things died down within the hour. Baylee had arrived at the tail-end of the dinner rush, after all, and most people were beginning to retire to their rooms. She was thankful, however, that she had arrived when she did –she was certain that there would be patrons still waiting for food if she hadn't. When the lull had lasted long enough to let them know that no more large orders would be made, she dished up three large bowls of stew and set Wenna, Peter, and Gawen out into the common room to eat, a large platter of oven-fresh rolls to share between them.

Despite the calmness she had showed during the rush, Will could tell that something was worrying her as she sat down across from him. "What's wrong?" he questioned, pouring her a mug of tea.

"I was expectin' someone t' come runnin' in with news on Adela," she admitted. "I know she's in good hands an' all, but…"

Will smiled. "I know, I know. It's how I've been feelin' ever since Galiene an' auntie rushed her to your room." He sighed and handed the tea to her. "I know she's in good hands; after all, Uncle Richard is a bit o' a miracle worker, but…I would like some news."

"You're the daddy! Go back there an' ask for some!" she laughed before moving to take a drink of the tea. Just before she took a large gulp, however, she realized that it was, in fact, scalding hot tea and not the cool ale or cider she had grown used to over the last two months.

His brow rising, Will took the mug from her and set it on the counter. "One, it's already crowded enough back there without me bein' in the way –they are in your room after all. Two, ya don't gulp hot tea, 'Lee."

"I've gotten too used t' drinking ale," she chuckled. "As for bein' in my room…why not your room? It's larger! An'…y'know, your room?"

He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced away. "We didn't think you'd be back so soon, so ah…we were goin' t' replace your bed. We just weren't quite ready yet." He smiled apologetically, though it quickly turned into a look of guilt and disappointment. "Baylee, nothin' was ready for the baby –includin' me an' Adela. Everyone was sayin' that we'd have another month at least until she'd give birth. We don't have a house, we don't have slings for carryin' the baby with us, I haven't finished its cradle –damn it all, Baylee, we don't even have a name for the baby yet!"

Baylee's heart sank as she watched Will slouch forward and bury his face in his hands. Getting up, she walked over to him and gave her brother a hug. "It's goin' t' be alright, Will," she gently told him. "It's goin' t' be alright. You may not be ready, but at least you've got family an' friends here t' help you."

"I just feel so useless," he mumbled. "I wanted so badly t' do right by Adela, t' get everythin' nice an' ready so we wouldn't have t' worry when the time came for her t' give birth." He shook his head; Baylee could see that he was crying. "I couldn't even get a rotten cradle made!"

"Don't you go talkin' like that," she lightly scolded. She used the hem of her sleeve to dry his tears. "You were doin' your best an' that's all anyone could ever ask o' you. As for that wee baby o' yours bein' born? Well, your son or daughter clearly has your impatience –why else would they surprise us with their arrival?" She smiled at her brother as he looked confused. "They couldn't wait t' meet their mommy an' daddy. Who, may I add, are goin' t' be excellent parents."

That worked to bring a small laugh from his throat. "I hope I'm an alright dad," he told her. "I know Adela's goin' t' be fantastic but…"

"Ah-ah. No buts, William Braddock. You're the son o' Warren Braddock, who is a wonderful father himself," she told him, her tone matter-of-fact. "It's in your blood t' be a good dad." She gave his shoulder a light shove. "Look at how well ya took care o' me when we were younger. Ya made everyone think you were my older brother by at least five years."

"An' instead, I'm your younger brother by an hour," he chuckled. "People still think I'm the older one."

She grinned cheekily. "The perks o' being tall," she told him. Both siblings looked up as Wenna suddenly burst into the kitchen.

"Will! The baby's comin' an' Adela's need ya!" she cried, eyes wide.

He stared at her in shock. It took Baylee yanking him to his feet and dragging him out of the kitchen to get him moving. By the time Baylee reached the family quarters, however, Will had darted into the area and disappeared down the hall.

Bofur let out a quiet sigh as he relaxed in a tub full of hot water. It had been a long day for him; the shop was packed from opening to closing and he had somehow managed to carve a few wooden animals despite the rush. The only bad thing about the day was that he hadn't eaten since morning and had to come back to eat his meager cooking. He would have gone to the Tankard, but knew full well that it would be busy for the next couple of days –weeks, even, with how many people were coming for the harvest festival.

Soon, he let himself sink under the water so he could start scrubbing his hair. Upon surfacing, he grabbed a cloth and began to properly wash himself. It wasn't a terribly hard task, though he did find some wood shavings stuck to the back of his neck.

'Not the first time that's happened,' he thought, amused. He flicked the bits of wood out of the tub, watching as they landed with a sizzle on the warm hearth. 'Tomorrow should be a bit easier of a day at the shop; things tend to slow down at the end of the week. That'll give Will some time to work on that cradle of his.'

A small frown came to his lips as he found some dried blood on one of his knuckles. Shrugged, his scrubbed it off his skin.

'I'll need to go to Erebor soon, though…Bifur and I need to get working on adding more toys to our inventory buffer. Closing during the winter should give us enough time to restock. I'm surprised we've managed to keep sales this good after us two being gone for so long rescuing Baylee and Ori…'

Grabbing a large bottle, he opened it and poured a decent quantity of its contents onto the top of his head. He started to scrub his scalp for a second time, this time making sure to thoroughly comb through every lock to ensure total cleanliness. Bofur wasn't overly fond of the smell of the stuff –it was lavender scented- but he had to admit that it did the job.

He was just getting out of the tub and wringing out his hair when a knock came to the kitchen door. His brow rose as he twisted the last handful of hair, water spilling into the tub.

"Who is it?" he called.

"Baylee."

His eyes shot open. "Blimey, lass!" he cried, darting for his towel. He quickly tied it around his waist, having to double check that it was tied correctly before going to the door and throwing it open. "You're supposed t' be in Erebor!" he exclaimed. "What're you doin' here?!"

She wore an apologetic smile. "Well, somethin' told me—" Then, she paused, her cheeks turning a deep share of red as she found him in naught but a towel. "I'm not…ah…interrupting your bath or anythin', am I?" she cautiously asked.

He looked down at himself before grinning cheekily up at her. "Just finished, actually." He shivered as a small gust of cold wind blew past them; Baylee pulled her cloak closer to her frame. "Lass, get in here; it's freezin' out there." Ushering her in, he closed the door behind her. "Sorry it's a bit messy…" He noticed that she still had a bit of a limp, though she seemed to be walking well enough.

"It's not nearly as bad as the inn's kitchen t'night," she told him as she went to stand beside the fire. "Oh Mahal, that place was a wreck…" She shook her head, not noticing the amused smile on her lover's lips. "No. I actually came here," she pointed at the floor for emphasis, "for purely selfish reasons."

"Oh?" His brow rose, watching as she warmed her hands by the flames. "An' what would that reason be?"

She shyly glanced away and into the flames. "Well…I was wonderin' if I could stay the night here?"

Bofur looked more than a little surprised. "What? I mean, well, o' course ya can, âzying, but…what's wrong with your home?" He couldn't help but let his eyes linger on her face and hair; if she had just a touch of a beard, she'd look very much like a half dwarf with how her hair was braided.

She let out a small laugh and rubbed her arm; Bofur was able to glimpse some gold fabric under her cloak as she did so. "Well, the thing is, the inn's full an' my bed…needs replaced." She bit her lower lip in giddiness. "Adela had her baby in it."

"Well, that's a right shame 'bout your bed needin'—wait, what?" He stared at her, his head tilted to the side.

"Adela gave birth tonight," she told him, grinning broadly. "A wee lil' baby boy! I'm an auntie!"

"Congratulations!" he laughed, his eyes widening in delight. He laughed again as Baylee hugged him tightly. "How are Will an' Adela doin'?"

She pulled back, having remembered that he was still mostly naked. "They're doin' well. Uncle Richard said that Adela should be back on her feet tomorrow, but she's not allowed t' do a lot o' work lest he'll put her on bed rest." She let out a small sigh. "Will wasn't doin' too goo before Folki was born, though."

"That's a good name for a lad," he commented. "Why wasn't Will doin' well?"

"Isn't it? I think it sounds cute, too," she chuckled. "An'…well, he was just depressed since they thought they had another month t' get things ready for him an' all. I think I managed t' cheer him up a bit, but he was sobbin' tears o' joy when he held his son for the first time." A warm smile came to her lips. "He's goin' t' be a good daddy."

"Aye, that he is," agreed Bofur. He then realized that he had forgotten the most basic of manners: To offer his guest some food and drink. "Are ya hungry or anything? I've got some soup left from dinner…Or I could put on a kettle for tea. Or I've got a bit of seed cake in the pantry."

She shook her head, smiling. "No thanks; I'm still full from the feast I had back in Erebor." She walked over to the cloak rack and unpinned her cloak.

"Feast?" Bofur questioned. His head tilted to the side once more as he saw that she was clad in a yellow dwarven dress. 'She may not be a dwarrow, but by Mahal's anvil, she looks just as pretty in a dwarrow dame's dress…'

"Aye. Dori, Nori, Ori, Zori, Balin, Dwalin, an' Lady Dís were over," she explained. She winced as Bofur nearly dropped a bowl he was going to fill for himself. "Is somethin' wrong?"

Bofur stared at her. "L-Lady Dís is here?" he stammered. "As in Lady Dís, last direct descendant o' Durin?"

She nodded, her brow rising. "The very one."

"When did she get here!?"

"She arrived in Erebor sometime last week, I believe," she answered.

Bofur rubbed the back of his head. "Well by Mahal's beard. I wouldn't have thought that she'd ever come back here…" He filled his bowl with the still-warm soup and sat down at the table.

"From what I understand, she took everyone by surprise." Baylee moved to sit down on a stool, her hip thanking her for the relief. Grabbing a spoon, she tossed it over to Bofur, who caught it.

"Thanks, âzying," he smiled. "So, ya got t' meet Lady Dís then?" She nodded. "Did ya two get along?"

Baylee smiled bashfully. "It was a bit intimidatin' at first, t' be honest. Gerdi made sure t' stress t' me how important o' a woman Dís is to your people an' how I needed t' make a good impression an' whatnot."

Bofur dismissively waved his spoon at her. "Bollocks. Dís may be of noble blood, but she's a dwarrow like you an' me. Well, like me. You're not so much a dwarrow…" His smile was a mixture of apologetic and cheeky. "Though, you'd make a good one."

Laughing, Baylee rolled her eyes. "So I've heard," she chuckled. "But, no. Dís was very nice. I would have liked t' talk t' her more, but…Well, somethin' told me t' go home."

He nodded in understanding as he chewed a bit of fish and carrot. His fish soup was not nearly as good as Galiene's or Bombur's, which left him feeling like his dinner had been lacking. "It's a bit odd, though, how you were nervous t' meet Dís when you're friends with the king o' Dale."

"Oh, don't even try comparin' Bard t' Dís!" she laughed. "When I met Bard, he was a commoner like me. By Varda's grace, I knew him way back when he had spots!" She chuckled and shook her head. "It's a totally different situation."

He smiled. "I know what ya mean, âzying; I've known Dís for quite a while, so she doesn't intimidate me as much as others. Like Bard! Mahal's hammer, he can be a scary sight sometimes…"

Baylee let out a laugh. "Oh, I'll agree with that." She glanced over at Bofur, her cheeks a bit pink when she caught herself staring at his bare torso. Most women, she knew, wouldn't have found a chubby, hair dwarf all that attractive whether he was dressed or not, but she couldn't help but bite back a silly grin. To her, he was handsome.

Luck was in her favor; Bofur was too absorbed in his soup to notice her staring. "Anythin' else o' interest happen while I've been gone?" he questioned.

"Bifur an' Lovisa are courtin'," she told him. "From what the two o' them told me, there was an incident that involved Bifur nearly gettin' trampled by a boar and Lovisa savin' him?" She shrugged, feeling her skin sting slightly as it was dragged against her tattoos. "Not entirely sure, but I do know tha' Lovisa got gored in two spots." She scrunched her nose up at the memory of seeing the injuries.

"That's not good," he frowned. "Is she alright?"

"For the most part. She's goin' to ache somethin' awful in the chest for a long while, but ya know her. She's goin' to keep going on about daily life like she's not hurt."

His brow rose. "I'm afraid t' ask, but…where did she get hurt?"

"Well…One o' the tusks got her breast while the other sliced her side."

Bofur grimaced and rubbed his chest at the painful thought. "That…that's not pleasant at all."

She nodded in agreement. "I know. When they got back, it was me doin' the scoldin' for once. Told her she should have come back as soon as Bifur bandaged her up, but no. The silly woman went an' hunted three deer an' four pheasants over the next three days!" She shook her head.

"An' Bifur didn't stop her?" he frowned. "What was he thinkin'?" He had a feeling he knew perfectly well what Bifur had been thinking –and what Lovisa had been thinking- and that meant their brains had no part in the decision making.

Truthfully, Baylee had the same feeling, though she wasn't about to admit it. "I have no idea. Maybe he just liked bein' alone with her or maybe Lovisa out stubborned him, but…" She shook her head. "They both got a hearty scoldin' an' not just from me, but from Gerdi an' Bombur as well. I've never seen Lovisa turn so red."

"Good! They should have known better," he sighed. 'Guess it's time to be on the lookout for Bifur being a dad soon,' he thought, trying to tempt Baylee with a little cake.

Giggling, Baylee took the cake from him. "You're not goin' t' let me stay here without makin' me eat, are ya?" she asked, tearing off a small piece and popping it into her mouth.

He grinned. "O' course not. You're in the house o' a dwarf; you should expect this."

"I guess it's fair, since whenever you're at the inn, I'm makin' you eat," she chuckled. She broke off a piece and offered it to him.

Bofur leaned forward and teasingly nipped it out of her fingers. He laughed as she turned red and giggled, giving him a lightly smack on the shoulder. Standing up, he leaned over and stole a kiss from her cheek, earning another laugh as he then nuzzled her, his beard and mustache brushing against her skin.

"Tha' tickles, you git!" She lightly pushed him away, though she was still in a fight of laughter.

Hooking an arm around her waist, he pulled her against him while teasingly nuzzling her, continuing to tickle her. She tried to squirm out of his grip, but he held fast, the nuzzles soon turning into kisses. Baylee's wriggling ceased and she let out a quiet sigh, tilting her head to the side as he stroked her back. When he caressed her upper back, however, she let out a small hiss of pain.

Bofur leaned back, frowning. "I didn't hurt ya, did I?" he asked, worried.

She shook her head. "It's alright. I just forgot t' warn ya about my tattoos."

His eyes lit up. "You got 'em?"

"Aye!" she grinned. "Augh, Dwalin did such a good job on 'em, too. They're gorgeous!"

"Can I see?"

At that, she paused. "I'd…have t' take my dress off," she told him, blushing yet again.

Bofur nodded in understanding. "Then ya don't have t' show me," he told her. "Not if it'll mean ya being uncomfortable."

She gave him a small smile. "I think I felt more embarrassed when ya saw me in that concubine outfit than I would feel if ya just saw me bare back," she confessed. "It's not like you'd try t' peep or anythin'."

"An' even if I did see something, I wouldn't stare like some lonely teenaged boy," he chuckled. "It's up t' you, though, âzying."

Baylee kissed his chin. "I'll show ya," she told him, "since I have t' take the dress off t' sleep, anyway. Don't worry," she told him, seeing his eyes widen, "I've got an under dress on."

"Oh. An' here I was goin' t' loan you one o' my shirts so ya wouldn't have t' be cold," he teased, finally releasing her. "Before I see them, though, I suggest goin' upstairs." He motioned at the windows, which had a severe lack of curtains. "Just in case, we don't need anyone t' be spying in and get the wrong idea."

She nodded. "Good point," she chuckled.

"How 'bout you head up now? I'm going t' wash this bowl an' then I'll be up."

"Sounds good." As he handed her a candle, she used the fire to light its wick before going upstairs.

Admittedly, Baylee was a bit nervous about revealing so much skin to Bofur; after all, they weren't exactly married and if someone found out, some nasty rumors could start. On the other hand, she trusted Bofur and knew he wouldn't try anything she didn't want. If anything, she just wanted him to hold her throughout the night like he had in Erebor. Whether he wore a shirt or not, she didn't care…

Biting her tongue, she set the candle down on the nightstand. 'Don't go thinking those kinds of thoughts,' she scolded herself. 'Even if he does have nice, strong arms…and those shoulders…Baylee, stop that line of thought!'

Shaking her head, she sighed and unlaced the front of her dress. Sliding it off her body, she shivered from the loss of warm and began to fold it up. She almost regretted deciding to show Bofur her tattoos, but knew that if she didn't show him now, it'd be a long while before she got another chance.

By the time she heard the floorboards creak under Bofur's weight, she had removed her clothing and had wrapped her lower half with a sheet. Walking into the room, he paused for a moment as he saw her bare back, decorated with a mixture of freckles, scars, and now tattoos. He did his best to focus on the tattoos, which he had to admit, were beautifully done, but he admittedly let his eyes wander a bit.

"Dwalin did outdo himself," he told her, walking over for a closer inspection. "I don't think I've seen better in my lifetime."

She turned as he sat beside her, wearing a grin. "I really like that he didn't make them just black an' blue like his tattoos. "Especially the spear."

"Well, it'd be a shame t' leave it so bland for ya," he told her. Reaching over, he lightly brushed a few of her braids out of the way so he could get a better look at the runes on the spear tip. He also noticed how she lightly shivered when his fingers brushed against her skin. "You're such a colorful person, after all. Always wearin' yellow or green or sky blue…"

Glancing over her shoulder, she gave him a small smile. "What can I say? Black is too dull an' white's too plain."

Leaning forward, he gave her a light kiss on the lips. "Can't have my âzying being dull or plain," he murmured with a smile.

She grinned against his lips and reached back, stroking his cheek. "Not when there's so many pretty colors t' wear," she chuckled, nuzzling him.

He smiled and plucked up the far corner of the sheet. "But you look beautiful even in the drab grey o' this sheet," he told her.

"You flatterer," she snickered.

"Only for you." He kissed her bare shoulder and unconsciously wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him.

Baylee didn't protest the action; instead, she leaned against him, feeling his bare chest against the skin of her back. Bofur started to trail soft kisses along her shoulder and up her neck, causing her to tilt her head to the side. A soft moan left her lips as she felt his hands start to slowly trail circles along her stomach. Her hand slid back, her fingers slipping into his hair and holding him in place. Bofur lightly nipped the skin just under her ear, earning a quiet gasp.

Suddenly realizing what he was doing, Bofur stopped. "S-sorry," he murmured, cheeks beet red. "Guess I got-" He was taken by surprise as Baylee silenced him with a kiss.

Doing her best to not break the kiss, she turned around so that she was sitting over his lap. No longer caring whether the sheet covered her or not, she cupped his face in her hands and pressed herself against him. He grunted, his hands rising up and resting on her waist, unsure of what to do at the moment. It was then that Baylee took his hands in hers and slid them further down her body, bringing them down to her thighs as she whispered one, small phrase:

"Don't you dare stop."

A/N2: What's this, another set of notes? Normally, I don't leave little comments at the end of a chapter like this, but I figure this is better suited for an end-of-chapter note. I've actually got a little announcement to make: I'll be starting a second Hobbit fanfiction soon, titled 'Out of Their Elements'. It's going to be an everyone-lives AU thanks to the Durin family feels I've been getting whenever I write Dis. It will feature a whole new cast of characters, as well as a more serious tone to it. I hope to get the first chapter up sometime in late December-early January, as I'm currently planning out the first five chapters. So, with that head's up over and done with, I hope you all have a good day/night! :)