Well, you all more than eared your bonus chapter...so here it is.
Hope you like what I did with Dwalin.
And thank you so much for ALL your wonderful advice on how long the gestation period is for dwarves and hobbits. I will take all your thoughts, compile them into a chart, and pick the one that works best with my story line. You all rock.
.
.
Chapter 63
~X~
By the time Fili, Sier and Flinn entered the banquet room, just about everyone else was already there. A table had been set up with food and drink, and most of the males were congregated around the large keg of ale that had just been tapped. Dis scurried in behind her eldest son and quickly spotted Thorin, the two of them exchanging knowing looks and wide smiles. These were the days that the Durins lived for, good days, with happy announcements. For in their family, these days were few and far between.
Fili quickly scanned the room, taking note that a few important guests had yet to arrive – specifically, Bilbo and Marigold. That was fine though, for he wanted to pull Kili aside and tell him the news in private before they informed the whole room. Unfortunately, Flinn, having spotted Frodo standing beside his father at the food table, had other ideas.
"Frodo! Guess what!" the dwarfling prince shouted across the room, his exuberant call causing everyone to turn and look at the excited little lad with amused curiosity. "I'm going to be a big brother!"
Fili closed his eyes and gave a sigh of exasperation, although he couldn't help but chuckle a bit as well. He looked over at Sier, only to see her give him a helpless shrug of her shoulders while a smile teased at her lips. Kids…what were you going to do?
For about five seconds the room had gone completely silent, with jaws dropping open and eyes growing wide. Then pandemonium reigned on high as everyone began to speak at once.
"Congratulations," was the word most used, along with hearty handshakes, warm hugs and so many slaps on the back that Fili was beginning to cringe from the sting. In the middle of it all, Fili placed a hand on his son's shoulder and leaned down to whisper in his ear.
"Flinn," Fili said, getting his lad's attention. "I thought we talked about keeping this a secret until your mother and I had a chance to tell everyone."
"Oops, sorry, Adad," Flinn whispered, covering his mouth with both hands, as if that could magically retract his words. His little brow furrowed in worry and regret over spoiling his parent's surprise. "I…I didn't mean to…I forgot!"
"That's all right, Flinn," Fili laughed, reaching out to ruffle his hair affectionately. "What's done is done. And I have to say, you did a fine job with your announcement. Now go have fun with Frodo."
"Thanks, Adad!" Flinn grinned, running off to join his hobbit friend.
Felicitations from the company and hobbits continued on for several more minutes, but soon they began to die down, and that was when Fili was at last confronted by his brother. Kili stood before him, only a few feet away, with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. At first, Fili didn't know what to say…he had every intention of telling his brother personally, yet there had not been time.
"Kili," the blond prince began, clearing his throat as he took a tentative step closer. "I meant to tell you…really I did." Yet before he could get any further apologies out, Kili lunged forward and engulfed Fili in an enormous bear hug.
"I couldn't be more pleased!" Kili assured him, pulling back as he held his brother at arm's length. "And if you think about it, you two might have me to thank for all this!"
"Pardon?" Fili asked, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "Care to explain yourself, little brother?"
"Oh, Mahal!" Kili gasped, suddenly realizing just how that had sounded. "Not like that! I only meant that by taking care of Flinn for you on occasion, you two could be alone…so that you could…I mean…"
"I understand, Nadadith," Fili laughed, throwing his arm around Kili's shoulders. "And we thank you very much for your…assistance."
Everyone who had heard Kili's little blunder were now roaring with laughter, causing the dark haired prince to turn even a darker shade of red. But nothing could wipe the grin off both princes' faces…no, they were both far too happy.
.
.
Meanwhile, Sier, having spotted Bergie, headed over to her, accepting the obligatory congratulations from her hobbit friend…even if this was not her first time hearing the news. With a slight raise of an eyebrow, Sier silently inquired if Bergie had informed Dwalin of their impending bundle of joy. The barely noticed shake of her head told the dam all she needed to know.
"Later," was all Bergie said, giving her friend a nervous smile as she quickly changed the subject. "It would appear that Fili was pleased with your news."
"Very," Sier smiled. "What dwarrow wouldn't be over the moon to hear he is to be a father?" That last bit was said more as an encouragement for the worried hobbit, and realizing it, Bergie gave Sier's hand a grateful squeeze. "Where are Bilbo and Marigold? I thought they would be here."
"Marigold needed to speak with King Bard about the planting project this afternoon, and Bilbo agreed to accompany her," Bergie explained. "They should be back soon, and I am certain they will be informed to meet us all here. Perhaps this time you and Fili can announce the good news to them yourselves," she laughed.
"Yes, Flinn did kind of steal Fili's thunder, didn't he?" Sier giggled, the look on her husband's face having been priceless.
.
.
Over in the corner of the room, Flinn and Frodo sat on the floor, each with a handful of sweets, talking quietly.
"So…you're getting a brother?" Frodo asked, his voice a little hesitant.
"Or a sister," Flinn shrugged. "My adad says he don't know what it will be, and if my ama knows, she's not telling."
"Does that mean I can't be your sword-brother anymore?" This time there was a catch in his voice, causing Flinn to look over in surprise.
"Why would you say that?" he insisted. "You will always be my sword-brother, Frodo. No one could ever take your place!"
"But if you have a brother of your own…wouldn't he get the job?" the little hobbit reasoned.
"No!" Flinn told him emphatically. "Uncle Thorin used to have a brother of his own, but that didn't stop him from naming Dwalin as his sword-brother. And what if I get a sister? She could never take your place…not in a million years!"
"Then…then you will still be my friend, even if you do get a brother?" Frodo asked, hope growing in his eyes.
"You will still be my friend even if I get a hundred brothers," Flinn assured him, throwing his arms around the hobbit and giving him a big hug. "We will be sword brothers forever and ever!"
"I am glad," Frodo grinned, looking very much relieved. "And I promise to write to you all the time after I go back to the Shire."
"But…I still can't read very good," Flinn protested in a forlorn voice.
"That's all right…I can't write very good yet either," Frodo laughed. "We can just draw pictures until we both learn."
"I can do that!" Flinn nodded, happily taking another bite of the cream filled sweet in his hand.
.
.
Sier and Bergie were still deep in conversation when Dwalin and Bofur came over, plates filled to the brim with food from the buffet table.
"Congratulations, Sier," Dwalin told her, draping his arm over her shoulder and giving her a friendly squeeze. He still felt a special connection to the little dam, having stood up for Sier as her champion and all. "Everyone is excited about the news of a new little Durin."
"Although I am not sure that Erebor is ready for another little prince running around," Bofur laughed. "I mean we are all still getting used to Flinn and Frodo throwing everyone in a tizzy with their adorableness. You having another one just might be too much."
"Well, you still have several long months to go in order to get used to the idea," Sier laughed, enjoying the hatted miner's humor. "As do Fili and I. Flinn, on the other hand, is ready for the baby to arrive now."
"Here, my peach," Dwalin offered, holding up his plate of food to Bergie. "I got an extra helping of that cheese you like so well. Take a piece."
Unfortunately, the moment Bergie caught a whiff of the aged dairy product, her stomach chose to revolt – causing her to quickly turn away and seek out the first vacant container she found. Grabbing a brass vase on a nearby table, she loudly emptied the contents of her stomach into the vessel, causing everyone in the room to stop what they were doing and turn in her direction.
"Ewwww!" Flinn cried, putting his hand over his own mouth, so as not to upchuck as well.
"Cousin Bergie just vomited!" Frodo announced, causing Prim and Drogo to give him a stern look for his tactless behavior.
"Bergie!" Dwalin yelled, breaking out of his shock and racing forward, placing his hands on her shoulders to steady her while she finished her business. When she was done, she placed the vase back down, feeling much better, yet highly mortified by her very public display. Dwalin maneuvered her to a chair, squatting down in front of her as he stroked her cheek reassuringly. "Are you all right? Would you like a drink?"
"That would be nice," she nodded, keeping her eyes on him and not daring to raise her eyes to anyone else.
"Balin!" Dwalin called, spying his brother over by the refreshment table. "Get Bergie a glass of wine to settle her stomach!"
"NO!" both Sier and Oin replied in unison, causing Dwalin to stare at them in confusion.
"I…I mean, perhaps some chamomile tea would be better," Sier said, trying to cover her outburst.
"Or some air," Oin offered. "She might just need a moment to rest and breathe."
"What is with you two?" Dwalin asked in a grumbling tone. "With the way you two are fussing, you would think that Bergie is the one who is pregnant, not you, Sier."
When both Sier and Oin visibly paled, and looked away, Dwalin felt a cold sweat coat his body, followed by the feeling that he might suddenly lose his lunch as well. When he turned and stared at Bergie, she gave him a slight cringe and shrugged her shoulders helplessly.
"You…you are going to have…a baby?" Dwalin gasped, losing his footing beneath him and falling to the floor on his backside. "We…we are going to be…parents?"
"That's what Oin tells me," Bergie informed him, still looking as if she were about to faint.
"Mahal's balls, wife! And just when were you planning on telling me?" he asked, his voice rising in shock and disbelief.
"I wanted to earlier…but…well, we were not alone," she explained, and though his tone held no anger, she still couldn't help flinching at his volume. "I did not think this was something that you needed to hear in mixed company," yet as Bergie looked around, taking note of the dozens of shocked faces, she couldn't help but add, "However, as you can see, that didn't quite work out as I planned."
"Dwalin," Sier quickly cut in, keenly aware of all the eyes and ears trained on the two of them. "Perhaps you and Bergie would like to step into the hall, or better yet, return to your quarters and continue this conversation in private?"
All the bald warrior could do was silently nod his head, pushing himself back up onto his feet as he stepped forward. With amazing gentleness, he scooped Bergie into his arms and walked towards the door without another word. Everyone instantly parted for them, making a clear path as the two disappeared out of the room.
For the longest time no one said a word, though Dori did step forward and place a damp towel over the vase Bergie had used, before removing it from the room. No one knew what to say…or do. Most had been utterly surprised by Dwalin and Bergie's sudden marriage – but this…well, this had left them speechless.
"I…I am going to be an uncle!" Balin suddenly blurted out, causing everyone in the room to turn their eyes on him. "An UNCLE!" And then, with the biggest smile plastered on his face, Balin promptly fainted dead away, hitting the floor with a loud thud.
"I think he took that rather well," Bofur commented wryly, removing his hat as he began to wave it in front of his friends face.
Just then the side door opened and in walked Bilbo and Marigold, apparently having finally returned from Dale. Yet as they took note of the stunned faces of their friends and family, as well as the passed out Balin, their smiles were replaced by looks of confusion.
"What did we miss?" Bilbo asked.
.
.
Dwalin kicked open their door and strode inside, using his foot once again to make sure it shut tightly behind them. Without missing a beat, he crossed the room and carefully placed Bergie on the sofa, taking a seat beside her.
"Now…tell me everything," he insisted, his tone soft, yet firm.
"What is there to tell…you pretty much know it all now," Bergie assured him, gesturing down towards her stomach area. "I went to see Oin today…and he said…he said I am about a month along."
"A month…we have hardly been married for longer than that," he gasped, doing the mental calculating in his head.
"I know…but apparently we are very good at…at…well, you know," she said, her face turning a bit red at her words. "Are…are you upset?"
"Upset?" Dwalin repeated, tearing his eyes off her midsection to stare up at her face. "Why on earth would I be upset? Well, other than the fact that half the mountain found out at the same time that I did, I couldn't be happier! Do you know what this means, Bergie?"
"I have a few ideas…but maybe you should tell me what it means to you," she suggested, needing to hear his thoughts on the matter.
"I told you once that I never believed I would ever get married…never find my one, or had the desire to be a husband," he began, taking her hands in his as he stared at her with a goofy grin on his face. "And then I saw you across the battlefield, wielding that staff of yours, and I just knew…you were it. But now…this proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that we were made for each other. We're going to have a little bairn! I'm going to be a father! And you, my sweet sugar plum, are going to be a mother!"
"I know!" Bergie all but wailed, leaning forward and burying her head in his chest. "And I don't know what to do!"
"Bergie?" Dwalin was stunned, he had never witnessed his wife cry before…other than tears of joy. Suddenly that inborn desire to comfort and protect his mate from all forms of danger, including mental distress, flared inside him. "Oh, my little jewel, what is this all about? There is no need for tears. Tell me, what has you so upset?"
"Motherhood," she explained, her voice muffled in his shirt and her words coming out between sniffles. "I worry that I am not cut out for such things. I too never thought to marry, or have children, and now…oh, Dwalin, what if I fail? What if I am a terrible mother?"
"What foolishness is this?" he asked, a sympathetic smile coming to his face. Pulling her away from him, he smoothed down her disheveled hair and wiped at her tears with his thumb. "There is no possible way that you could be terrible at anything. As for your worry about failing…that will never happen."
"How do you know?" she asked, digging into her pocket for a handkerchief to blow her nose.
"Because when you and I put our minds to something…such as getting married at a moment's notice, we are an unstoppable team," he assured her. "I am just as new at being a father as you are at being a mother…but I know that if we tackle it together, we will be great at it."
"You…you really think so?" she asked, her voice showing the first hint of confidence since she had received the news.
"I know so!" he nodded, giving her a little wink. "Just think…a son!"
"Or a daughter," Bergie was quick to point out.
"Dwarves usually beget sons, not daughters," Dwalin reminded her. "Odds are it will be a lad."
"But I'm not a dwarf…I'm a hobbit, and we normally beget an equal amount of both," she told him, not wanting him to get his hopes up too much for one sex over the other.
"True, true," he mused, his thoughtful expression turning to one of joy. "But I do believe that I would be just as happy with a little lass."
"What do you think it will look like?" Bergie asked, a bit of excitement creeping into her tone. "I mean, will it resemble a dwarf, or a hobbit? Or a mixture of both?"
"I don't know, but I definitely hope it inherits a bit of fur on its feet," Dwalin laughed, unable to keep his eyes from drifting to the fuzzy curls above his wife's toes.
"I hope it has your eyes," Bergie admitted.
"It is bound to have my strength," he assured her, looking a bit proud. "But it will need to have your quick mind and force of will."
"What shall we call it…it won't be a dwarf, and it won't be a hobbit, after all," she pointed out. "What will it be?"
"It will be…loved," Dwalin said, matter of factly. "Just like you are, my precious jewel. You have made me the happiest dwarf in the world today."
"Even happier than Fili?" she giggled, recalling that Dwalin was not the only one who received this news today.
"He already has a son…so no, he can't be any happier than me right now. I won't allow it," he laughed, pulling her into a warm hug. "We are going to have a little one, Bergie…a little bairn of our very own."
"Yes…yes we are," she smiled. "And do you know what?"
"What?" he asked.
"I…I don't think I'm quite as scared anymore," she announced, sounding as if she could hardly believe her own words.
"And why should you be?" Dwalin asked. "It is just one little babe…what on earth is there to be afraid of?"
OH the famous last words of a fool...right?
So did you enjoy Dwalin...and Balin's...reaction? ha ha. I think our fine war chief is very happy with the news.
And wow, Kili...way to put your foot in it there, ha ha. Gotta love him though.
No way, Frodo...Flinn would never replace you as his shield brother! Never!
And even though dwarves probably drank all the way through a pregnancy with no issues to the baby - having a much different constitution and all - I just couldn't bring myself to write a dam having a drink while carrying, so you will just have to go with me on that point.
Ok...now lets get Thorin and Marigold's situation figured out...and FAST! ha ha.
Guest Reviews:
dojoson41: ha ha, well I can't tell you what they each will have, but I already have it all planned out. I hope you like what I do. Thanks.
Emrfangirl: Sorry you did not see your review right away, but guest reviews sit in my 'in box' until I hit publish and then they go public. If a person has an account the review is delivered up automatically, but I think if you are a guest the FF site wants me to be able to look at them first before they go up. Just in case someone says something nasty I suppose? But I got them both, thank you. I did enjoy your guesses on what Dwalin would do though...and your thoughts on the gestation period. And look...your 'pretty please' worked!
darkone7142: Oh, I think Flinn COULD get cuter...but, Middle Earth might implode then. ha ha. Marigold is hung up on the "I love you" words because...because...um...I want her to? ha ha. But things are not going to go on like that much longer...in fact things will be moving in the love department rather quickly. ha ha. You have the condolences of myself, and all the dwarves of Erebor, over your loss. We are sorry.
Guest Babies: Yep, papa Dwalin will be as cute as they come! Well, papa Thorin should be quite adorable too. Well, didn't the weather turn colder nine months ago? Could explain the baby boom, ha ha. And thanks for your thoughts on the gestation period of the dwarves/hobbits.
Obsessed reader: YIKES...four years? Yah, not going to go THAT direction, ha ha. I have to make it fit with my story line, ha ha. And I never did say how long Sier carried Flinn, but I kind of hinted that it was less than a year. So, I have to stick with something close to that as well. Thanks!
dojoson41: I have no idea what "oowwch" meant, but thanks for the review!
Guest: Ha ha, well, Balin IS rather astute, ha ha. But no, he did not...as you already read. Thanks for your suggestion about how long before birth. I enjoyed everyone's .02 cents.
Guest: Well, your hopes came true...he got told and he did not faint...BALIN did. ha ha.
Aranel Mereneth: as you see, Dis did not punch Thorin...but she won't let it drop completely. ha ha. And she did catch on pretty fast when they were telling Flinn, but she didn't want to spoil the moment with her squeals of joy. ha ha. And as you also saw, Kili did not find out exactly the way Fili wanted, but he handled it just fine. They are awesome brothers. And yes, Uncle Thorin IS the best. ha ha.