I decided that since I am finished writing this now, I would post the final two chapters as soon as I get them back from my Beta readers (can't have any spelling mistakes slipping by, now can we?) Still waiting on the last one to be corrected.

~X~

Almara Elf: Awww, that makes sense then...the hearts did not translate to the FF site, ha ha. I am glad you enjoy them happy and in love. They are quite tickled to be there as well. And thank you for your kind words about my writing style!

~X~

~X~

Chapter 17

Sure enough, not two days later Daeloness went into labor. The entire royal family was in an uproar, each one scurrying here and there, trying to be of any service, yet most were kept outside the room and left to pace the hall. Tauriel allowed Dis to remain, as well as Ori, yet she barred entrance to everyone else, even Fili - who was fit to be tied.

"Let the women do their work," Thorin ordered, grabbing hold of his nephew's arm and dragging him away from the door. "You will just be in the way and cause more turmoil than assistance."

"But…she is my wife!" Fili argued, his eyes full of pain and fear. "I should be with her."

"It is not our way," Thorin reminded him. "You will wait outside like every dwarf father before you and not interfere."

This did not sit well with the golden prince, yet after giving a huff of displeasure he threw himself down in one of the nearby chairs and continued to sulk. This was not right! Why was he to be kept away from Daeloness when she needed him the most? They had begun this journey together, he now felt it only right that they finish it the same way…together.

"So…what do you hope it to be, brother?" Kili asked, sitting down beside him as he did his best to distract his despondent sibling. "Do you and Daeloness want a son or a daughter?"

"We do not care," Fili told him, giving a heavy sigh as he did his best to relax. "We only want it born healthy. We couldn't care less what sex it is…or if it looks more like a dwarf or a water child. Only that it be born fit and strong."

"Well…I hope it is a boy," Kili announced, as if his preference mattered one bit. "I have great plans to teach him to use a bow, and pass on my skills as an archer to my little nephew."

"Oh…and who is to say that a daughter of mine would not be equally adept at such a talent?" Fili inquired, arching an eyebrow. "Would you deny your niece the same offer?"

"Of course not, I would be proud to teach any from Durin's line all the things I know," Kili huffed.

"That should not take long," Fili answered back, a slight tug at the corner of his lips revealing to his brother that he meant no harm in the jest. "And what about you, brother? Has any of the many ladies who have come to court tempted you in the slightest? I would advise you to look to your liberty, Kili, for it is in serious jeopardy. Could any of them be your one and we will soon be sitting outside this door awaiting the birth of your first child?"

"You mock me, brother!" Kili shot back, yet the twinkle in his eye betrayed his true mood. "When and if my one presents herself, I will know. And as of yet, not any of the lovely dwarrowdams who have been paraded before me has even turned my head."

"Oh?" Fili asked, his eyes opening wide in disbelief.

"Well…perhaps a few have deserved a second look," he admitted, turning a big red at the confession. "Yet none of them have turned out to be my one…at least not that I have noted so far."

"Perhaps if you spent more time among them, and less time with the she-elf, you might be in a better position to know for sure," Fili admonished with a teasing smile. "For even though I will admit that Tauriel is lovely to behold…do you honestly think Uncle will allow you to form an attachment to one from the race of elves?"

"No more than I ever expected him to sanction your marriage to a girl from the water clan," Kili shot back, a bit more huffy this time.

"Ahhhhh, I see how it is," Fili muttered, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in the chair as he eyed Kili suspiciously. "You let me do all the dirty work, blazing the trail for a mixed race marriage and then you just swoop down and ride in on my shirttails?"

"Isn't that what big brothers are for?" Kili laughed, his good humor returning. "Yet, I am not saying that I am looking at Tauriel in that manner…nor does she see me in that light either. I just….well, we enjoy each other's company is all. She is fascinated by our culture and I am equally fascinated by her. However, we are just friends."

"For now," Fili added. "I too only felt 'fascinated' by Daeloness when we first met. Yet look at us now. I just urge you to use more restraint than I did, especially if you are unsure of your feelings…your true feelings." When Kili gave his brother a sour look, Fili held up his hands in defeat. "I will say no more. I only wish for your happiness, brother, you know that."

"I do, and I am touched by your concern," Kili smiled. "Yet I think right now we should be thinking more about your wife, than any potential one of mine."

"I just wish they would allow me in there!" Fili fumed, eyeing the large wooden door as if it had offended him personally.

Just then a group of nine dwarves came around the corner, once again looking for the princes and their king.

"Any word, laddie?" Dwalin asked, a touch of concern showing in his gruff tone.

"Has the new prince or princess been born yet?" Bofur questioned.

"No. And there has been no word from inside for over an hour!" Fili fumed. "How long could this possibly take?"

The young prince received a round of laughter from several of the dwarves, most coming from those who had young ones of their own.

"It could be in the next five minutes or the next five days," Gloin chuckled. "My Gimli was a stubborn cuss, and he took a full two days to be birthed. To this day I still can't get that lad to be on time for anything…except dinner."

"DAYS?" Oh, this was going to kill Fili for sure.

"You yourself took quite a long time to make your appearance, Fili," Thorin informed his nephew. "Causing great inconvenience to my sister, as well as much distress to your sire. And Kili took even longer. Babes are not to be rushed - they will arrive exactly on time and not a moment sooner."

"I am not sure I can take this," he moaned, burying his face in his hands as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Since Daeloness is the one doing all the work, I think you will somehow survive," Thorin laughed, as the rest of the dwarves all joined in.

~X~

Inside the birthing room, Oin stayed out of the way, doing his best to remain helpful while not getting too close to the actual birth. His being there just seemed wrong, this job usually left to the midwives and womenfolk, yet Thorin had insisted that he remain to offer assistance should it be required. He knew his king was still a bit leery about the elf maid, yet from what he had witnessed thus far, she knew far more than he did on the subject and he trusted her advice. Dis was being of great help, mopping the girl's brow and letting her squeeze her hand when the pains were upon her.

"You are doing wonderfully, little princess," Tauriel told her, coming over and handing her yet another cup to drink from. "The herbs are working well, and your body is relaxing enough to allow this birth to take place in relative safety. From the size of your stomach, this will indeed be a robust child, so we need to make sure you can handle the strain it will put on you to expel it from your body. Can you remain brave and strong, Daeloness?"

"For my child, I could do anything," she assured her, drinking down the concoction without a word of complaint, despite the bitter taste.

"Fili has chosen well," Dis complimented her, seeing the amount of pain her new daughter-in-law was in, yet knowing that she was willing to fight to the end.

"Where is he?" she asked, her partially glazed-over eyes searching the room for his reassuring smile. "Why is he not here?"

"Dwarf men do not enter into a birthing room, my dear," Dis explained, thinking that Fili should have already discussed this with her. Foolish boy.

"But I need him," she whined, showing a bit of weakness in her plaintive cry. "I want him here when our babe is born."

"He is right outside, and he will come in when the deed is done," Dis assured her, feeling Daeloness grip her hand tightly as another spasm of pain overtook her. She began to wonder how much longer the poor girl could remain conscious with as much discomfort as she was currently in. Tauriel's potions were helping, but if things did not speed up, Dis did not know what might happen.

"Daeloness, I think it is time that you begin to push," the elf maid informed her with a warm and reassuring smile. "It would appear your child is anxious to meet you, and I believe that you are more than prepared."

"Oh, thank Mahal," Dis breathed, anxious for this all to be over with so she could put her son's fears to rest.

And so it began, with the little water princess pushing as hard as she could, and resting between the pains. Dis could not help but admire her stamina, yet she had known all along that Daeloness was a remarkable woman, having faced great adversity in order to find happiness with her son. Fili had long since given his mother a detailed description of their time together in the woods, telling of all the heroic acts and humorous times…kindly leaving out any of the more intimate details she certainly did not wish to hear. It did not take long to understand just why Fili was so enamored with his little princess, for even if she had not been his one, the young dwarf would still have been hard pressed not to have become charmed by her enchanting ways.

"I can see the head," Tauriel announced, looking up at Daeloness with a wide grin. "It would appear that your child will take after the line of Durin, princess, for it already has a very thick patch of dark hair."

"Well, this will go a long way in the child's acceptance," Dis mused, knowing that even though Fili took after his father, if the babe resembled the dark kings of old, there would be no denying its lineage and possible right to rule. Still, she had often thought a little golden child, like her own firstborn, would have been nice.

"Just a little bit more and then you can relax," Tauriel continued in encouragement, taking hold of a soft cloth in which to receive the child. And with a few more pushes, Daeloness felt a sudden relief as her little one made his appearance into the world.

"It is a boy!" the elf announced with joy, holding the little red faced child up as it began to give off a lusty cry, thoroughly displeased at being so rudely evicted from its happy home. "He appears to be healthy, if his cries are any indication, with no abnormalities I am able to detect. It would also seem that he will take after the dwarf side of his parentage…yet I do see a bit of the water people in him. He will be a pleasant mix of both his mother and father."

"May I see him…please?" Daeloness begged, reaching out her hands as she watched Tauriel clean his face off and wrap him up in a warm blanket. When he was appropriately swaddled, the still smiling elf leaned down and allowed the young mother to meet her child for the first time. "He is…just…perfect!" she began to sob, having had no idea just how emotional she would become when the moment arrived. "Can Fili come in now…please…I want him to share in this joy?"

"I see no harm in it," Tauriel assured her, feeling very much relieved that things had turned out as well as they had. Yet while the baby boy was of decent size, she had originally thought he would be much larger. Still, he was of mixed race, so nothing was a certainty. "Yet only for a few minutes, for I will need to see to the mother as quickly as possible."

"Yes, of course," Dis nodded, her eyes filled with tears as she looked down at her very first grandchild. "I will go fetch him now." And away she went, eager to deliver the news.

~X~

Fili was just about at his wit's end, for the thoughtless dwarves had been sharing horror stories about length of birth, trouble with teething and all the ways a baby would disturb the day to day life of the young couple. When Thorin took note of the pale complexion on his nephew's face, he decided it was time to silence their wagging tongues. Yet before he could bark one order, the door flew open and out came Dis, a wide smile on her face and happy tears in her eyes.

"You have a son…my son," she blurted out, watching as Fili slowly rose to his feet, his eyes wide and his jaw hanging open.

"Congratulations!" Thorin roared, slapping the prince on the back, his words quickly joined by many more of a similar nature as Kili and the rest of the company offered their compliments.

"Is Daeloness well?" Fili asked, finally able to form words. "Are they both in no danger?"

"It would appear that they are both whole and hale," Dis reported with a smile, noting the relief on her son's face.

The king then turned to his sister, his wide grin matching hers. "And what does the little mite look like? Is he to follow in his parents' footsteps with his coloring to rival the gold of Erebor?"

"No…it would appear that the line of Durin flows strong in his veins, for we are to have yet another dark prince," she laughed, seeing how this news pleased her brother considerably. "Daeloness is asking for you, Fili, would you care to go in?" Dis asked, stepping aside as she gestured for him to enter.

Needing no further invitation, Fili burst into the room, his eyes immediately searching out his wife, a sigh of relief exiting his lungs as he saw her there on the bed, alive and well.

"Come here and meet your son, Fili, for he is altogether extraordinary," Daeloness informed him, reaching out her hand to her husband. He quickly obeyed and was sitting at her side within seconds, leaning forward as he took in the most beautiful sight he had ever seen…his wife and child together. With gentle movements, Daeloness transferred the sleeping infant over to Fili's eager arms, watching as his large warrior hands cradled him as if he would shatter at any moment. The look of adoration in her husband's eyes brought tears to her own, and she wished she could capture this moment for all time. They had worried so much, and yet now their family was complete…their child was here.

"Come now, let's have a look at my grand-nephew," Thorin's voice was heard from the doorway of the room. He and Kili were anxious to see the little prince as well, yet unwilling to enter any further, while nine pairs of eyes peeked in as best they could right behind them.

Fili got up from the bed and slowly walked over, never taking his gaze off the perfect little bundle in his arms. When he turned so that the men could see him, you would have thought the dwarves had just struck a vein of pure mithril, with as much as they gasped, cooed and sighed. Brave warriors, every one, and more than half were reduced to tears at the sight of the sleeping little warf.

"See, I knew it would be a boy," Kili spoke up, reaching out and brushing his finger over the tiny hand that had fought its way out of the blanket. When the infant unconsciously grasped onto his uncle's finger, Kili drew in a breath. "You should feel the grip on this one," he laughed. "I had planned to teach him the bow, but I think a sword will be his weapon of choice."

"And yet I would wish my son peace, and never have to know the horrors of war and feel a need to raise such a weapon," Fili whispered, leaning in to kiss his tiny little forehead. "Still…it would not hurt for him to know how to use a blade, just in case."

"Precisely my point," Kili laughed.

Yet all mirth was stolen away by a sudden cry of pain from behind, causing Fili to turn around and stare at his now writhing wife with dread.

"Daeloness!" he yelled, whirling back to Thorin as he quickly, but carefully, placed his newborn son in his king's strong arms. He then ran back to his wife's side, grabbing hold of her hand as she sat up, almost doubled over in agony. "What is wrong…what is happening?"

"I…I do not know," Tauriel replied, confusion and panic written across her lovely face. "She came through the birth well, there were no complications!" Then suddenly her eyes grew wide and she placed her hand over the still extended stomach of the thrashing girl. "Could it be?" she muttered, more to herself than to Fili. "If I am not mistaken, young prince…you will become a father twice over tonight!"

"What?" Fili gasped. "You…you can't be serious! Two babies…at the same time?" This was quite unheard of for his people, for children were so scarce that it was often decades between births, should a dwarrowdam even chance to have more than one.

"It would appear so," Tauriel assured him, doing all she could to ease the exhausted girl's discomfort and prepare for the arrival of a second babe.

"But…she is already past exhaustion," Dis spoke up, the concern in her eyes making Fili begin to panic. "Will she be able to endure this a second time?"

"She must," was all the elf maid gave in reply.

"Fili, you must leave now," his mother ordered, taking his hand in an attempt to usher him towards the door where Thorin, Kili and the other dwarves stood with horror filled eyes.

"NO! I will not leave her a second time tonight! We will do this together!" he insisted, ripping from her grasp and taking his wife in his arms, laying her back against his chest as he steadied her, all the while whispering comforting words in her ear.

"Daeloness, you will need to stay strong once more, can you do this?" Tauriel asked, preparing to receive the next heir of Durin as it was born.

"I…I don't know," she muttered between spasms of pain, already completely drained. "I am…so tired."

"I know you are, my love, but I am here, let me be your strength," Fili told her, kissing her temple as he stroked her damp hair. "We can do this together…just one more time…for me, my love?"

"I…I will try," she nodded, rallying somewhat at his words.

"Well, now is the time," the elf instructed. "Your wee one is coming."

And so Daeloness did all she could to aid her child, pushing when instructed, resting when she could, all the while Fili held her close and spoke encouragingly.

Dis had never been more proud of her firstborn son, watching as he infused his love and strength into his overly weary wife, doing all he could to help her. She turned her head towards the door and noted that not one of the dwarves had left their place, thankfully far enough out of the room to retain the little princess' dignity. Thorin looked so right, standing there with a babe in his arms, and she found herself momentarily wondering if he might ever find his own mate and start a family. Yet thoughts such as these were quickly stolen away by the last and final cry of agony from Daeloness. The next sound heard was the wails of another newborn child, one that Tauriel now held in her arms.

"Your brave wife has given you a daughter as well, young princeling," she informed the stunned father as she once more wiped the child down and bundled her up. This time it was no surprise to see a tuft of blond hair peeking out of the blanket, the golden locks mimicking her sire and dam. Tauriel laid the child in Fili's arms, seeing as how Daeloness was far too weak to even think of holding anything, and he cradled the little bundle close to his wife so that she could see her.

"Look, Daeloness…she is the spitting image of you, so very beautiful," Fili told her, not caring that the tears in his eyes now flowed freely down his cheeks.

"A…girl," she muttered, reaching up with a shaky hand to caress her little cheek. "We have…a boy…and a…girl."

"Yes, my love," he said, leaning down to kiss her gently. Yet as he stared at her, Fili began to note that something was not right, for she seemed far too pale and incoherent than one should be for simply being exhausted. "Tauriel….what is wrong….is she all right?"

Quickly the elf was at her side, touching her hand to her forehead with a look of concern.

"The births were very hard on her…perhaps too hard," she said, not liking the way the girl appeared to be fading, unable to even keep her head up any longer. "Master Ori, please bring me that cup of tonic, quickly!"

"What is going on?" Fili cried as he felt his wife slip out of his grasp. "Mother! Here, take her," he called, handing over his daughter to her waiting arms, freeing him up to gather Daeloness back against him. "Hang on, my love…please, don't leave me," Fili begged, laying his cheek against her head as he rocked her back and forth.

Both Tauriel and Oin worked quickly, doing all they could to revive the girl, each one looking at the other with panic written across their faces.

"Fili…" Daeloness whispered, turning to look at him beneath hooded eyes. "Take care of them for me…raise them to be strong and brave…just like their father."

"We will raise them together!" he sobbed, pulling her to him as he held her gently. "Do not even think such things…you will be all right…you will see."

"Tell them I love them…just as I love you," she continued, as if she had not heard a word he had said. "I know…that you will be…a wonderful father."

"But they need their mother, Daeloness…they need you!" The young prince was now inconsolable, watching helplessly as the elf and dwarf worked frantically to pull her back from the brink. "I need you as well, for what will I do without my one? Please fight, my love…I know you are tired, but fight for them…fight for me!"

"I…I will…try," she whispered, her eyes closing as darkness overtook her, never hearing the cry of utter grief that emanated from Fili as he crumbled in upon himself.

OH, NO!...ummm...sorry.

Feel free to rant and rave all you want in a review! (wink, wink)