A/N: Hey guys, sorry this took awhile. There has been a lot going on in my life lately -mostly in thanks to the holidays. But I've also been house-sitting for my friend and...well, I ended up having a bit of a horrible on Saturday, so I couldn't write for a few days. Hopefully things are going to change for the better soon, though! Here's to a new year, a new story, and a one-year anniversary of this story~!

Chapter Thirty-One

A quiet sigh left Baylee's mouth as she buried her face into the pillow. She shivered; part of her body had gotten uncovered during the night, and she awkwardly groped behind her for the blanket. Upon doing such, however, she came to the realization that she was not in her own bed, nor was she in the guest bed in Erebor. Eyes quickly widening, she found herself staring at a recently plastered wall. Cautiously peeking over her shoulder, she found the bed beside her empty.

'Did I dream that…?' she thought, rolling onto her back. Her cheeks turned bright red as she discovered her body lacking any form of clothing. Small, red marks along her thighs and breasts helped to further prove that the previous night had not been a figment of her imagination. '…I guess it wasn't a dream after all.'

She could hear Bofur whistling downstairs, though what he was doing, she couldn't tell. Leaning over, she grabbed her hose and pulled them on, along with her shift and dress. Before long, she was going down the stairs only to find Bofur flipping some pieces of bacon in a skillet with one hand while the other filled a teapot with steaming water. When he set the kettle down, she walked up behind him and draped her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek.

"Mornin', love," she smiled.

"Âzying!" he chirped, tilting his head back slightly so he could see her better. His hair, still unbraided, was an adorable, unkempt mess. "I didn't think you'd wake up so early, so I was goin' t' bring you breakfast in bed."

"I could go back up there if ya want," she teased, burying her face in his hair.

He grinned. "I think I prefer your company down here." Turning around, he pulled her flush against him and kissed her deeply. His hand brushed some of braids over her shoulder before cupping her cheeks, thumbs stroking her skin. Feeling Baylee snake her arms around his torso to hold him against her, his smile widened against her lips.

"Valar, how I love you," Baylee breathed as they finally parted.

Another grin came to his lips. "I think they found out last night just how much ya love me," he quietly teased. Her cheeks flushed red and he laughed heartily as she gave him a playful smack. "I'm just tellin' the truth, âzying!"

She gave him a second kiss to momentarily silence him. "You are worse than Nori –I hope you know that."

"Only because we're alone an' I can get away with it," he chuckled. He smirked as a third kiss ensued, but a loud pop from the sizzling bacon caught their attention. "Guess I should turn that," he murmured, almost disheartened as he turned around.

"Do you want me to start any eggs or somethin'?" she asked, once more hugging him from behind.

Bofur shook his head. "You're my guest; I get t' do the cookin' for once." After turning the bacon over, he led Baylee over to a chair and sat her down. "I may not be as good as Galiene, Gerdi, or Bombur, but I can still make a hearty breakfast."

"I don't doubt that," she smiled, watching as he began to fuss about setting the table. All the while, he kept stealing kisses from her cheeks and temples. "You're spoilin' me, I hope you know."

"Well, you deserved t' be spoiled," he told her, matter-of-factly. Grabbing a plate, he filled it up with the bacon before draining most of the bacon fat left in the pan into a small bowl. The rest he used to fry up some eggs and potates.

Baylee peeked into the teapot, wanting to see what sort of tea he had brewed. Instead, she found it full of plain, hot water. Her brow rising and a soft giggle leaving her mouth, she made sure Bofur wasn't looking. Then, she grabbed the jar of tea before scooping some of the dried leaves and petals into the teapot. When he was working hard to make sure she had a proper, hearty breakfast, she didn't want him to end up embarrassed by such a trivial mistake.

Lovisa yawned as she walked down the hall, heading for Baylee's room. After a long night of feasting, drinking, and talking amongst friends, she had slept in until well after the sun had risen and had the feeling that Baylee had done the same. As she walked, she noted how the halls weren't filled with their usual scents of fresh bread and roasting meats –Bombur and Gerdi must have stayed in bed as well.

Reaching Baylee's room, she knocked on the door while yawning once again. When no answer came from within, she rolled her eyes and simply opened the door. Stepping in, she found the room to be eerily quiet. She saw the green gown Baylee had worn the previous night haphazardly tossed across the foot of the untouched bed and the earthy brown cloak that had been hanging on the hook by the door was missing. Her brows furrowing, she spotted the sheet of paper that the human had left on her pillow.

'Lovisa and Gerdi-

I got a weird feeling, so I had to go home. I'll be back tomorrow or the next day, I promise. I'll explain when I get back.

-Baylee

PS. Sorry for taking your horse, Lovisa! I'll make it up to you!'

Lovisa's eyes shot open and her skin paled. Darting out of the room, she headed back to Bifur's room, where she had spent the night. When she burst into the room, Bifur was still fast asleep in his bed, his arm flung over the spot where she had been snuggled up beside him. Racing to the bedside, she began to shake him while making loud, panicked-sounding bird whistles in hopes of waking him up.

"What in Durin's name is goin' on?" he grunted as he woke up. Seeing the frightened look on his lover's face, he sat up. "Lovisa, what's wrong?"

She held the note to him. 'Read!' she frantically signed.

Doing as he was told, Bifur took the sheet of paper and read it over. It took him a bit longer, as his eyes were still blurred by sleep. "By my beard, that doesn't sound good…"

Nodding, Lovisa bit her lower lip. 'Need to go to Dale,' she signed. 'Need to see what's wrong! What if something happened? What if family hurt!?'

He gently took her hands; he could feel them shaking against his palms. "If something were wrong, we would have gotten news by now," he gently told her. "Your family isn't the sort to leave someone in the dark 'bout somethin'." Giving her a reassuring smile, he kissed her forehead. "Let me get dressed an' then we can go to Dale to see what's got Baylee in a tizzy then, alright?"

Again, Lovisa nodded, though she still looked worried. Before he got out of bed, Bifur gave her a second kiss, this time on the lips. It seemed to help ease her slightly; he could feel her relax against him. While Bifur got dressed, she tried to distract herself by making his bed, but it was a bit difficult, as it was still rather painful for her to lean over thanks to her wound. She was stopped halfway through tugging the blankets up by Bifur, now fully dressed, gently forcing her to stand upright.

"It's fine," he told her. "Meet me in the stables; I'm going to let Bombur and Gerdi know we're goin' to be gone for a bit."

'Thank you,' she signed, kissing the top of his head. She gave him a half-hearted smile before leaving the room.

Within the hour, they were riding through the northern gate of Dale, the midday crowds greeting them. They both rode in on Bifur's pony, Daisy, who seemed just as eager as Lovisa to reach their destination, for she made her way through the streets at a trot. Sitting behind Bifur, Lovisa shifted uneasily in the saddle; everyone they passed seemed calm enough, but that didn't mean something hadn't happened.

"Everything's goin' to be fine," Bifur quietly reassured her. He glanced up at her, giving her a smile. "Baylee's fine, Will's fine, Warren's fine…just you wait."

She nodded, though it was obvious she didn't believe him. 'And can get breakfast, too,' she signed, making a small effort at a joke.

"Breakfast would be good," he smiled.

When Daisy turned down the street that led to the Full Tankard, they could see the inn looked as normal as ever. Dismounting, Bifur ushered Lovisa inside while he went to stable Daisy for the day. Lovisa hurried into the inn; again, nothing looked unusual. That is, nothing looked unusual until she spotted Will and Adela sitting in the plush chairs near the fire, a little bundle being cradled in Will's arms. A rather hung-over Warren sat across from them wearing a large, silly grin as Baylee handed him a steam mug of tea.

It was Warren who first spotted Lovisa. "Lovisa! You're just in time; get over here an' meet your wee nephew!"

Two emotions rushed through her: First came the tidal wave of relief brought on by knowing all was well; second came the pure shock and amazement that Adela had given birth already. She, like everyone else, had been expecting the woman to give birth in a month or two. Her eyes widening and a grin spreading across her lips, she hurried over and peeked over Will's shoulder, having to stand on her tiptoes.

A tender expression came to her features as she beheld Folki for the first time. He was a bit bigger than average for a human child –more than likely in thanks to his father- and he had a full head of thick, red hair, just like his mother. Being that he was asleep at the moment, she was unable to see what color his eyes were, but that didn't matter to her. He was a beautiful, healthy, baby boy and that was all that mattered.

Will tiredly grinned up at her. "His name is Folki," he answered before she could even sign half the question.

"He came last night," Adela explained to the half-dwarf. "Surprised us all. We were sure I had a few weeks left, but I guess he had other plans."

"I keep tellin' ya," Baylee chirped, "he wanted t' meet his mommy an' daddy, so he surprised ya!"

Lovisa chuckled before raising her brow as Will stood up. He motioned for her to take his seat, to which she promptly refused. 'You have child, you sit!'

He shook his head. "Just sit. 'Lee told us all how you got hurt."

Her cheeks turned bright red as she sat down in his chair. She was about to protest and scold Baylee, but her arms were suddenly filled with the bundle that was Folki. Any and all thoughts about the words she had been about to sign to Baylee left her mind and were quickly replaced by her utter adoration of the small human child.

It was this sight that Bifur walked into the common room to see. His head cocked to the side as he saw Lovisa sitting there, making soft bird noises to the newborn as Warren told her about how he had missed the whole ordeal thanks to be passed out drunk. He paused in his steps, staring at her; he had seen her with children before –Zori, Edda, and Sanna instantly came to mind- but they hadn't been newborns like Folki.

There was something about the way she smiled as she looked down at the newest Braddock made him realize, quite suddenly, that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He didn't know why he hadn't realized it sooner; he had fancied her for a good while, after all. The way she gently rocked the newborn and quietly cooed to him along with the completely and utter adoration in her eyes only helped to further cement his resolve to make her his wife.

"Bifur? Bifur, you alright, lad?"

He blinked, somewhat coming out of his trance to see Baylee standing beside him, her hand waving in front of his face. "Huh?"

"Are you alright?" she repeated, looking concerned.

Slowly, Bifur nodded before running his hand through his hair. "Fine," he replied, speaking in Westron. "Nephew born?"

She smiled broadly. "Aye! Just last night. He's the cutest lil' thing. I think Lovisa's already offered t' watch over him should Adela an' Will need a night t' themselves when he's older."

"Not doubt!" he chuckled. "Lovisa care good." He looked back at his lover, a look of pure love softening his features.

Baylee recognized that look; she had seen many males wear it throughout her lifetime. Patting Bifur on the shoulder, she quietly laughed. "I'll get ya some breakfast. You go over there an' chat." She quietly giggled as he nodded and wandered off towards the family. Heading in the opposite direction, she went into the kitchen to find Demelza and Galiene bustling about, gossiping as they did most mornings.

"Isn't he just the cutest lil' thing?" Galiene was saying as she kneaded bread. "With his momma's hair an' his daddy's looks, he'll have the ladies o' Dale chasin' him when he's older!"

Demelza let out a theatric groan while she whisked up some gravy. "Don't go saying that, Galiene! He's so little –I don't want to think about how fast he'll be growin', especially with my own grandchildren so far away from me!"

"Well, he was just born yesterday, so it'll take a while for him t' start growing up at least," Baylee chimed in.

Galiene gave her a half scolding, half amused look. "Don't you sass us, young woman," she lightheartedly joked. "Before you know it, you'll be the one poppin' out a baby or two!"

Demelza glanced at the cook, a teasing grin on her lips. "Perhaps even a royal bairn or two."

"Oh, if that's the case, I hope it's more than two!"

Baylee froze. "Wh-what?" she stammered. "What do ya mean, royal bairns? How do you two even know 'bout that?"

The two women looked at one another. "Well, practically the whole town knows tha' Bard wants t' court you," Galiene told her. "Wenna overheard him askin' your da' about it sometime ago."

"And you know how fast things spread thanks to inns like ours," Demelza mused. She gave Baylee a teasing grin. "So, when will you be seein' Bard t' discuss a courtship?"

Rubbing the back of her neck, Baylee started to prepare a platter of food for Bifur and Lovisa. "Well, I had been thinkin' 'bout seein' him today, but it wasn't t' accept the courtship…"

Demelza frowned. "What do you mean, love? Last I knew, you were deep in love with him!"

Baylee didn't look at her aunt; instead, she kept her back to her. "That was a long time ago, auntie. I don't fancy him anymore." She grabbed a small pitcher of cream and set it beside a plate of biscuits and a bowl of roasted vegetables. "In fact, I'm courtin' someone else."

Letting the gravy slowly come to a boil, Demelza curiously looked at her niece. "Oh?" She sounded almost disappointed. "Who is it then?" she interrogated, leaning against the counter. "A soldier? One o' the merchant lads?" She plucked up a plate from the rinsing basin and started to dry it.

Unconsciously flicking a bowl and some dried berries in the air, Baylee caught the dish, the berries landing neatly in the bottom. "Not exactly," she murmured, filling the bowl with porridge and giving it a good stir to incorporate the berries.

Galiene blew a lock of hair from her face. "Well, out with it, lass! Who's your lover boy?"

She set the bowl down on the platter. "Bofur." She cringed as she heard the plate slip from Demelza's hands, shattering as it hit the stone floor.

"A dwarf?" she gaped, not even caring about the plate. "You're courting a dwarf?"

Risking a glance over her shoulder, Baylee bit her tongue; Demelza did not look happy whatsoever. "I love him," she answered, her voice a bit timid, "an' he loves me."

"But…Baylee, he's a dwarf!" argued her aunt. "Why court him when you could court Bard? You've certainly known Bard a lot longer –not to mention, he's done so much for our family. He's given us the prime property for our inn as well as constantly tells other nobles and what-have-you t' come stay and eat here…why, he even gave us first rights to the Dorwinion wine trading!"

"Aye, he did, but auntie…" She rubbed her arm, starting to get irritated. She had always known that her aunt was opinionated about the dwarves of Thorin's Company, but she hadn't know she was this opinionated. "If it weren't for Bofur, Will an' I probably wouldn't be alive right now. He was the one who found us after the battle."

"That may be so, but it was Bard who sent him an' the others after you lot! He was the one who got the information out of the captive raider and had preparations made for their quest –Not Bofur."

"But it was Bofur who went on the quest, not Bard!" Baylee retorted. "Auntie, I don't love Bard anymore! Why are you so against me courtin' Bofur?"

Demelza rubbed her forehead. "Baylee, you deserve better than him! Look at you! You're young, you're strong, you're from a good, rich family –you should marry someone within or above your status. Bard is a king –he could give ya everything you've ever wanted. Books, dresses, even lemons to make your favorite lemon cake!" She looked down at her niece, a look of disappointment on her features. "Baylee, Bofur's just a toymaker. You can do so much better than him, love."

Baylee looked up at her aunt as she plucked up the tray of food. "Auntie, I love ya dearly, but you're wrong. You are so wrong. There's no one better than Bofur. At least, not for me." Before Demelza could argue further, she left the kitchen.

Some hours later found Baylee walking through a crowded street that sloped upwards towards the heart of the city. Her stomach twisted and turned with nerves, though she outwardly appeared calm and collected –a hard feat, especially since half of the city seemed to be staring at her as she walked. Thanks to Galiene and Demelza, she knew that stared thanks to rumors of her courting Bard; and, since she was heading to Bard's home, she knew more fuel would be added to those fires.

'Wenna, if you weren't my friend, I would have skinned you alive by now,' she thought, pulling her cloak closer to her small form. She was thankful for the heavy dwarven fabric; it kept the cool, autumn air at bay quite well. 'Maybe I should buy some things for papa and Will's family…Keep them nice and toasty…'

Before she knew it, she was standing before the gates of the palace. Two guards barred her passage, though she could see into the courtyard where Bard's daughters, Sigrid and Tilda, were playing a game of tag.

"What business have you with Lord Bard?" one of the guards demanded.

Her brows furrowing slightly, Baylee cocked her head; his voice was very familiar. "Tyko?"

The guard tilted his head as well before lifting his visor. "What the…Baylee?" Despite the stern, disapproving look of his companion, Tyko grinned broadly. "Blimey, it is you, Baylee! I thought you was a dwarf, what with how you're clad an' all!"

A laugh left her mouth. "Oi, I'll have you know that I'm taller 'n Durin's folk and not so gorgeously bearded!" She grinned. "I'm glad t' see you're doin' so well."

"Ah, the same t' you, lass," he chuckled. "I'm a bit surprised to see you up an' walking though! I was told you couldn't walk anymore. Guess I heard wrong, eh?"

"Well, for a while I wasn't allowed t' walk. I've been in Erebor, restin' up. I'm nearly back t' bein' on my feet again, but I think my family will have my hide if I end up overworkin' myself too soon."

He nodded in understanding. "As right they should. So, what brings you here?"

"I need t' speak with Bard," she told him, "but if he's busy, I can come back another day."

"That won't be necessary."

Both guards and Baylee turned in time to see the king walking down the street towards them. "I'm glad t' see you back on your feet, Miss Baylee," he told her. He motioned to the older of the guards, who stepped aside and opened the iron-barred gate into the courtyard.

"It's good t' be on them again," she replied, her stomach oddly calming down. Following Bard into the walled area, she smiled as his two girls ran over to them. She raised her arms in surprise as Sigrid suddenly ducked behind her with a giggle, hiding under her cloak to keep Tilda from tagging her.

"Girls, what have I told you about using guests as your playthings?" Bard chuckled –a sound Baylee had so rarely heard from him in the past. Plucking up Tilda, he tucked her under his arm. "Come on, Sigrid. Let Miss Baylee have her cloak back."

"But it's soft!" the small girl argued. She held out a corner of it to her father. "Feel it, papa! It's soft like Mister Whiskers!"

Baylee's brow rose in amusement. "Mister Whiskers?"

"Their pet rabbit," Bard explained. Crouching down, he scooped up his oldest daughter as well. "If I remember correctly, the two of you are supposed t' be helping Miss Gwyneth make bread for the festival today. Why are you out here?"

Both girls looked up at him in shock. "That was today?" Tilda gasped. Her father nodded and the two wriggled out of his grip before darting away.

"They really must love baking," Baylee chuckled, readjusting her cloak.

He nodded. "Aye, they do," he replied. "Then again, the festival is in two days. I don't doubt they're just using the baking as a way to pass the time until then." Looking Baylee over, he could see that her hair style and her clothes appeared to be entirely in the dwarven fashion. "I see the culture of Erebor has rubbed off on you."

Her cheeks turned a bit red and she looked down at herself. "O-Oh…these were gifts," she stammered. "Gerdi thought I didn't have enough dresses –or warm ones, at least." She gave him a small smile.

Bard returned the look. "Still. I'm glad to see that you're not permanently hurt. When I saw your wound, I was afraid you'd never walk again."

"And that was after it had a few weeks to heal," she chuckled. "It's much better now. I can almost walk without limping, though I doubt that'll go away."

He nodded in understanding. "So long as you can walk again," he told her. "Oh, and congratulations on being an aunt."

"You heard?"

"Of course. Such a joyous event isn't something that's kept quiet in this town. Ya should know that by now."

She chuckled. "It was worse in Lake Town; back there, all ya had t' do was literally lean out o' the window if ya wanted t' talk to your neighbor. Now, I don't have neighbors…"

"No, but you've many guests who visit the inn; that's how you get your gossip." He gave her a teasing smile and she felt herself blush; he certainly smiled more often these days…

Bard led her into the palace, which was moderately decorated. Baylee had never been inside the building before and had always thought she would be intimidated by being in a royal home –it was quite the opposite, however. Thanks to his humble upbringing. Bard had the halls decorated in a simple, homely fashion. It was warm and sweet smells were coming from the direction of the kitchen. The tapestries that hung from the walls had all been made in Lake Town and, Baylee noticed, some of them bore scorch marks from the day of Smaug's attack.

"I hate t' say it, Bard, but you're palace feels more like a simple house," she admitted. "Not that it's a bad thing, though."

"I wasn't born a king," he mused, "so I don't quite know how they live. At least, how proper kings live."

"Aye, the Master wasn't much o' a ruler, was he?" She scrunched her nose up at the memory of the putrid man.

"He could hardly be called a Master, let alone a ruler," Bard agreed. He glanced down at her as they started to pass by a flight of a stairs, a servant coming down them. "Would you like anythin' to eat or drink, by the way?"

Feeling her hip starting to ache from all the running around she had done the previous day, she nodded. "Some tea would be nice, actually."

He caught the servant by the crook of his arm. "Some tea for Miss Baylee an' me, if you'd please, Baldric. We'll be in my study."

"Yes'm, milord," the short man replied before scuttling off towards the kitchens.

Bard opened a door just down the hall from the stairs, motioning for Baylee to enter. "I know you've come t' talk about my inquiry about courting you, but I figure some privacy would still be welcomed," he told her as she stepped into the room. Like the rest of the palace, it was moderately decorated, but there was a fine, maple desk and chair sitting near a pair of large, double windows. "I hope this isn't too formal, though…"

"Understandable," she replied. "Is tha' Will's handiwork on the desk there?"

"You've a good eye for your brother's work," he chuckled, pulling a chair out for her. "Aye, it was made by him, though someone else made the chairs. I believe it was Timothy Hardnell's son who did them." He offered to take her cloak before she sat down, moving to hang it on a rack by the door.

"Ah, good lad. Shame he lost his arm in that accident last year, though. Will was sayin' how he would have made a fine carpenter."

"Aye, he would have." Rather than sitting behind the desk, he sat down in the chair across from her. "Speaking of lost limbs, how are your hands?"

Holding up her hands, she showed Bard the healed marks where her ring fingers had once been. "Healed," she replied. "I wish I had them back, though. Some things are a lot easier t' do with them…like kneadin' bread an' braidin' hair…"

He nodded solemnly. "I would imagine. At least they were cut off cleanly; I don't think you'd like havin' just stumps or half o' a finger left."

She looked down at her hands. "Gerdi mentioned once that there's a possibility o' one o' the craftsmen in Erebor could make me a pair o' decorative false fingers, but, truthfully, I think they'd be more o' a hassle than a blessing. They'd only be good t' have if I wanted to poke someone in the eye." She looked up as Baldric came in, bearing a silver platter of tea and cake.

"Which reminds me…Why did your father send you t' Erebor rather than keep you here in the city?" Bard questioned. He took the platter from Baldric, who gave a small bow. "Thank you, Baldric; this will be all."

"He sent me there because he knew I couldn't get the proper amount o' care that I needed while here," she explained, watching as Bard poured her a cup of tea. She thanked him as he handed it to her. "So, he asked a favor o' Bofur an' Bifur an' next thing you know, Bob's your uncle –I'm in Erebor."

Bard took a drink of his own tea. "You could have stayed here," he quietly told her. "I would have made sure you got the care ya needed."

Her cheeks reddened. "I don't think he thought o' that at the time," she quietly admitted. "But I'm sure ya would have." She gave him a small smile before taking a sip of her tea. A shiver ran through her body as the warm liquid trailed down into her stomach, starting to heat her up.

"So…" He set his cup down, glancing at her. "About that question…"

Sighing, Baylee, too, set her cup aside. "I'm sorry, Bard, but…" She rubbed her upper arm guiltily. "I'm already courtin' someone." She swallowed hard as she watched his eyes fill with disappointment and heartbreak.

"You are?" She nodded and he glanced away, leaning his elbows on his thighs. "I guess it was my turn to be too late…Who's the lucky man?" He forced himself to smile, even though his tone betrayed his regret.

"Dwarf, actually."

He glanced up at her, brow raised slightly. "Dwarf?"

Again, she nodded. "Aye. I'm courtin' Bofur."

"Ahh…one of the kinder members of Thorin's Company. I had wondered why he seemed t' be unusually upset when he found out about you an' Ori gettin' kidnapped."

An awkward smile came to her lips. "Well, dwarves can be protective folk," she told him.

"Especially when it comes t' friends and family," he agreed. "Or the pretty daughter of an innkeeper."

Her cheeks flared red, earning a small grin from the king. "You shush," she teased. Taking up her tea again, she took a drink –whether because she was thirsty or to hide herself behind the cup, not even she knew. She was not used to being given compliments on her looks, even though Bofur called her beautiful on a daily basis.

"I only speak the truth," he told her, a bit of jest to his voice. "After all, it's not every day that ya hear about a dwarven toymaker winnin' the heart of someone like you."

"You make it sound like I'm some hoity-toity princess," she told him, "when I'm just an innkeeper's daughter. Nothin' special about me, Bard."

Bard leaned forward and dared to reach a hand out to cup her cheek. His thumb lightly traced over one of the scarred lines on her cheek and a small, pitying smile came to his features. "These scars say otherwise, Baylee," he softly retorted. "You may have been born an innkeeper's daughter, but you have the blood of warriors running through your veins. And I thank Manwë for that, because even though you may not be mine, I wouldn't want t' live in a world without ya."

Baylee smiled, feeling her eyes threatening to water. "Maybe in another life," she quietly suggested, "we will have a family, but until then, I thank the Valar that I have ya as a friend."

Kissing her forehead, Bard smiled and pulled back. "Bofur certainly is a lucky dwarf; I hope he realizes this."

"I'd like t' think that I'm the lucky one," she admitted. "When I'm with him, I finally feel safe again…"

Bard tilted his head. "You…don't feel safe?" he questioned, his brows furrowing. "Why is that?"

"It's hard t' feel safe after everything that's happened these last few years. You o' all people should know what I mean. The dragon, the razing o' Lake Town, the war…" Rubbing her hands together, she looked down at them as her thumbs ran over the scars between her middle and pinky fingers. "An' now I get t' dream about gettin' kidnapped." She gave Bard a small, tired smile. "I don't even know why I dream 'bout them or what makes me go into those nightmares, but I do know that when I'm around Bofur, he makes me forget that all o' that happened an' I feel safe."

He nodded in understanding and refilled their tea cups. "It's hard to be upset when one keeps company with a group o' jovial dwarves who like nothin' more than to eat, drink, and make bawdy jokes."

At that, she chuckled. "They do more than that, ya know…Ori likes t' paint an' draw, Bifur an' Bofur make toys, Dwalin is normally a sort o' city guard, an' Nori's now a father an' helpin' Dori…Bombur's happily raisin' his family…"

Bard couldn't help but be impressed. "You've made friends with almost the entirety of Thorin's company by the sounds o' it."

"Gerdi –Bombur's wife- thinks it's because I know how t' keep a dwarf well-fed," she joked.

"That could very well be why," he smiled. "Or it could be because you're short."

Baylee snorted into her tea, earning a laugh from the king.

Lovisa yawned as she set a large tray of food in front of Bifur and Bofur. The cousins were discussing, quite vigorously, what toys they needed to start making again and how much of their stock they had already sold. They had been talking about such matters for nearly an hour now, and there seemed to be no end in sight. The two males did, however, thank her for the food and Bifur stood up so he could kiss her cheek. She smiled and kissed the top of his head before going to check on Adela and Will to see if they needed anything.

Pushing the door open to the private quarters, she found the happy couple sitting near the hearth, a blanket draped over Adela's shoulder and chest as she fed Folki. Will glanced up as the half-dwarf entered, giving her a tired smile.

"Hello, Lovisa," he spoke, his voice soft so as to not disturb his son. "Finished feeding the masses?"

She rolled her eyes, smiling. 'Ha, ha,' she signed. 'Need anything?'

Will looked at Adela. "Are you hungry or thirsty, love?" he translated.

Adela shook her head. "Not right yet." She glanced up at Lovisa. "You, however," she suddenly spoke, her tone almost scolding, "should be resting. Especially since you're injured again."

Lovisa's cheeks flared red. 'I'm fine,' she argued, Will having to translate. 'Doesn't hurt much.'

The redhead's brow rose, not believing her. "If it doesn't hurt, then why are ya hunched forward?"

Unconsciously straightening herself, Lovisa put a hand on her hip. 'Assure you-'

"Nope, no arguments. I want ya t' go and plop your arse in that chair because as soon as this child finishes eatin' an' gets burped, you get t' be the one t' rock him t' sleep."

Her hand slowly lowered; Lovisa knew she couldn't argue against such an order –not that she would want to, as she loved children. Going and taking a seat in what was normally Warren's chair, she winced slightly and propped a pillow behind her for support. As she did so, she could see the triumphant smile on Adela's lips and the amused grin on Will's face.

Soon enough, Adela had finished feeding and burping Folki and she stood up, passing the infant over to Lovisa, who cradled him in her arms. Folki wriggled around a little bit before calming down, his eyes opening momentarily and allowing her to see that they were brown like Will's. He looked up at Lovisa, though wasn't quite yet able to focus on her. She knew from having helped raise Will, Baylee, and their cousins that it would be awhile before Folki would be able to properly look at things.

'Will grow up to be heartthrob,' she signed, though when she looked up, only Adela was left in the room. That made things a little awkward, since she knew Adela didn't know Iglishmêk.

Adela gave her a small smile. "I can understand a little of what ya sign," she told her, "so if you go slow, I can try t' read ya. I can't make any promises, though"

Lovisa cocked her head. 'Will teaching you?' she slowly asked.

She nodded. "He wants me an' Folki t' learn –not just so we can talk an' understand with you, but also because he's damned sure that Baylee an' Bofur are goin' t' end up married an' he wants Folki t' understand his cousins if any o' them end up mute. I doubt they will, but ya never know." She shrugged slightly.

'May need it if Bifur, me have children,' she replied. 'Strong chance.' She softly imitated a dove's cooing to Folki, whose eyes were beginning to droop.

Adela took a few seconds to figure out what she had signed, having to use her own hands to help her remember. "That I don't doubt," she finally admitted. "After all, the two o' you have been nearly inseparable since ya first met." Lovisa glanced up, her brow raised –a look that earned a giggle from Adela. "Oh, don't deny it. Will's told me all about how the two o' ya stuck together while ya went east."

Her cheeks turned a bit pink. 'Because Bifur, me, have similar problems. Similar lives.'

"Don't forget the two o' you are utterly adorable when you're together. Like two hens frettin' over a brood of chickens an' roosters tha' you think are still just wee chicks."

'Bifur not hen. Bifur is rooster. Even have crest.'

Adela quietly giggled. "That he does," she agreed. Both women looked at the door as it opened, revealing Will returning with a platter of food. Behind him followed Baylee, who toted a smaller tray of drinks. They set their trays down on the table between the chairs, making quick work of separating them out.

"Hello, Baylee," Adela greeted. "Did ya have a good talk with Bard?"

Nodding, Baylee gently plopped down in a cushioned chair. "Aye, I did. He wasn't terribly upset and understood perfectly well why I chose Bofur over him." Despite her pleasant answer, the other three could tell that she was irritated by something.

"So what's got you annoyed then?" Will asked, brows furrowed as he handed Lovisa a tankard of ale.

"Auntie," she admitted with a sigh. "She's unreasonably upset that I'm not goin' t' be courtin' Bard but am instead courtin' Bofur."

Will and Lovisa rolled their eyes and Adela groaned. "Really? Why in the world is she upset about that?" Adela demanded. "Bofur's a perfectly good lad; has a wonderful sense o' humor as well."

Baylee took a long drink from her mug of wine. "Apparently, Bofur's not worthy o' courtin' me. I deserve better than a dwarrow who makes toys." She shook her head and took another swig of wine. "After all, it's not like Bofur didn't save me life or anythin' important like that…"

"An' I'm guessin' she voiced her opinions t' ya when ya got back then?" Will questioned.

"Oh, she did. Wenna voiced some, too –but they were in favor o' our courtship, luckily- but I managed t' get some revenge on auntie." A small, victorious grin came to her lips as she set her tankard down.

'How?' asked Lovisa, Will having taken Folki from her so he could put him in his bassinet.

"I kissed Bofur in front o' her. Not just a peck on the cheek, either." Her proud, cheeky grin earned a laugh from Adela. "No, it was a full-blown kiss on the lips tha' surprised even Bofur."

"So that's why you went an' did that!" Will snorted. "I was wonderin' why the first thing you did was walk right up to him an' do that."

Baylee nodded and crossed her legs, adjusting her dress so that her calves remained (mostly) covered. "I love her t' pieces, but I'm not a little girl anymore. I love Bofur an' her poutin' isn't going to be changing that anytime soon."

Adela nodded in agreement. "You're a grown woman who can make her own decisions. Demelza needs t' accept that –especially now that you're courtin' someone." She sipped her tea before plucking up a bowl of soup.

Lovisa also nodded. 'Though, remember –Demelza just looking out for you. Sometimes, people get too happy when good things happen. That when bad things take place; all because happiness blinded people. Am not saying Bofur bad dwarf –he very much opposite- but am letting know that shouldn't put all blame on aunt.'

"I know," Baylee agreed, "an' I'm glad she's watchin' out for me. I just…can't really respect tha' she doesn't like the fact that I'm courtin' a dwarrow. Aye, he's short, hairy, an' a different race 'n me, but…" She shrugged. "Why should that matter? I'm sure she wouldn't have this complaint if I had started courtin' Prince Legolas o' all people."

At that, Adela and Lovisa looked thoughtful before shrugging. 'He may be handsome, but not sort would want marry,' Lovisa signed.

"Aye," Adela agreed. "He seems a bit…arrogant, wouldn't ya say? Sure, he's a prince 'n all, but really. Does he have t' be so hesitant t' drink our wine when it's the same stuff his father guzzles down in the halls o' Mirkwood?" She shook her head. "Handsome as the sun, but needs a bit o' a personality change." Lovisa vigorously nodded, earning a chuckle from Will.

"Most o' the elves are like that, though," he told the two females.

"Clearly, ya haven't met the same elves tha' we have," Baylee mused. "Aye, they're all a bit…airy sometimes, but most o' them are just as fun as the dwarrows." She finished her wine. "Though, I don't find Legolas as handsome as Lovisa an' Adela do."

"Obviously –you're into dwarves, not elves," Adela teased.

Baylee grinned. "I prefer t' stay a bit more grounded in my tastes. Speakin' o' which…" She finished her mug of wine and stood up. "I promised him I'd save him some pie an' if I don't get to the kitchen, it'll be gone."

"Got t' keep that dwarf well fed," Will smiled. "Go on; I think I can take care o' these three on me own."

"Good," she mused, ruffling his hair in a similar fashion that Warren would do. Tankard in hand, she left the room in search of a piece of pie for Bofur.

Later that evening found Lovisa relaxing in a hot bath. Being that it was so late at night, she was the only one in the bathing room, allowing for some peace and quiet. She yawned and sank further down into the warm water, feeling her muscles starting to ease up. Reaching over, she grabbed a large tankard and took a drink from it, feeling the lemon-ginger tea warm her stomach right up.

Setting the mug back on the table, she closed her eyes and tilted her head back. A few minutes later, she heard the faint sound of the door opening and her brow rose.

'Probably Baylee or Wenna,' she thought, pushing a damp lock of hair from her face. 'After all, this is the women's bathing room…'

Her eyes suddenly shot open as the person wrapped their arms around her from behind and kissed her cheek. Bifur's laugh echoed through the quiet room as she lurched forward in surprise, but upon hearing his voice, she calmed slightly. Turning around, she lightly smacked him.

'Scare me!' she scolded. 'Could have hurt you.'

"Would have hurt yourself more," he replied, kissing her forehead. "I was wondering where you had gotten to." He kissed her temple affectionately. "I'm sorry Bofur an' I were talking about boring things."

'Understand; stock is getting low in toyshop. Also…not supposed to be in here, you know.' She gave him a scolding look that had just a hint of playfulness to it. 'Women's bathing room.'

He grinned cheekily. "No one will know. I can be as silent as a cat, you know."

'Until have to leave. Then someone will see.' She turned around and once more relaxed against the back of the tub.

"Well, they'll have to live with it," he murmured, burying his face in the crook of her neck. "You smell nice…"

Reaching back, she stroked his cheek and sighed in content. 'You smell of stew, cider.' She grinned. 'Smell delicious.'

"At least I smell good." Taking her hand, he kissed her palm before entwining their fingers. He rested his chin on her shoulder and gazed up at her green eyes, a smile coming to his lips. "I love you so much, Lovisa," he whispered.

'Love you also,' she signed with her free hand. She smiled once more as he covered the back of her hand in soft kisses.

"Someday, I'll have you as my wife an' we'll have a family of our own," he softly told her. "As many children as you want."

Shifting in the tub, Lovisa cupped his face in her warm hands and gave him a soft kiss. Even though she wasn't signing, he knew that she approved of the idea. When she pulled back, he saw a tender smile on her features.

'Would like that,' she signed. 'But not know if am still young enough to bear children.'

"Well, even if you can't, we'll still have a family," he assured her. "We can always adopt." His hand rose up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. "I may not have a ring with me but…Will you be my wife?"

Lovisa nodded and kissed his nose. 'Not even need ask.'