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I chose his mother
If someone asked Eilin about her intimate activities with her husband and how much the incident of her fake labour stopped them or even slowed them down, she'd probably become even more crimson than Thorin's face had been under Loa's scrutiny. She'd admit though that Thorin never initiated anything anymore, unless she did, which was pretty often. When she gave him all the signals though he went in full force and blew her mind away with his unbridled passion and his ability to unravel her with amazing ease time and time again. Thankfully though they didn't have any repetitions of fake labours again. That allowed them to enjoy each other, but to also feel safe enough with the good progress of Eilin's pregnancy. A fortnight after learning that the future Queen was carrying twins, the news were officially released to Erebor and the common people erupted in heart warming exclamations of delight and satisfaction. The throne of the Mountain was not only secure under one of the most legendary Kings of their kin, but also it was going to remain safe in the hands of King Thorin's children.
Whilst several battle hardened warriors worried that the Necromancer would still try to find a way to wipe out the line of Durin with either an attack to the Mountain or by assassinating King Thorin and his children, the common people had no such worries. They felt safe and secure under the rule of their King and his heirs. They felt immense honour to belong to an era were the Seven had finally united once more under one great ruler.
No matter which Dwarven Kingdom was in danger in Middle Earth, the Seven would act under King Thorin to help it and their kin would prosper and persevere against all enemies. Still though, Thorin's commanders and lieutenants always kept a vigilant eye out for their King and his family. With prince Fili at the lead of the Royal guards and the immense army the Lonely Mountain owned under the united forces of Dain and Durar, there was no way an attack would happen either on the mountain or at the general area of Mirkwood and Rhovanion without Erebor unleashing all hell on the attackers.
One of the lieutenants that became a most loyal bodyguard to the King alongside Dwalin was Dongar, whose actions spoke to the heart of Dis. He was always vigilant around the King whenever he was out and about alone. Thorin's observant nature soon noticed and appreciated deeply Dongar's loyalty. It seemed that after Thorin decided to address Dongar as a brother in law and not as the King, the poor lieutenant decided to dedicate his life to protect his King.
Now another experienced warrior who had secretly sworn to protect the King and was always vigilant next to Dongar was against all odds, Nyrthrasir. When he recovered from his hard time in the dungeons he was led to his wife. Their reunion was as expected emotional and heart breaking. They were both hurt beyond repair and in pain, but being next to each other was the first step to healing.
Myrna begged her husband to explain why he looked so beaten up and why the King had placed him in isolation for so long, to which Nyrthrasir gave the same answers Myrna had heard the King give to her. Her husband explained with a rather embarrassed face that he would remain in the King's army, but he would have to work hard to attain his old status again. At that moment his wife knew that her husband's isolation was much more than simply a collaboration with the King about a treason. Why would they strip her husband of all his military titles again? She asked him straight away if he was involved personally in this treason against the state and after a long silence he admitted that he was. The disappointment was clear on his wife's face, but Nyrthrasir fell to her feet and grasped her knees pleadingly.
"I promise to work hard to attain my honours again! I'll do everything to please the King and offer you the life you deserve my love. Everything I did, I did it for you, but I failed...repeatedly. Give me one more chance to right my wrongs. The King allowed us to remain in Erebor in order to rebuild our lives. It was your dream remember? As is mine...and I will do nothing anymore to fail either you nor him!" He said with a sincerity that touched Myrna's heart.
Her fingers tightened around his. "Will we try to have anymore children?"
Nyrthrasir's eyes filled with tears. "If the great Mahal deems us worthy...yes! Of course!"
Myrna embraced him with tears in her eyes and promised that she'd do the best she could alongside of him to create the family they had always dreamed off. A family that was destroyed by her husband's old infidelity, something Myrna was never going to find out. Nyrthrasir was willing to break his back in order to prove himself worthy to his wife, but he also felt the same need to prove himself to the King. He was prepared to take on a mortal wound for the royal family in order to redeem himself in Thorin's eyes.
Even though Thorin's armies and guards were always alert for his safety, he didn't feel any danger at all. On the contrary from his point of view they were building their stronghold so well, that they were not in need of any protection. On the contrary they were the ones protecting all the lands around them without any difficulty. His unspoken allegiance to both Dale and the Elves of Mirkwood was obvious by the way his army was assisting both that city and the Elven realm in every occasion.
The circle of protection around Erebor opened up slowly to include all of Mirkwood, Dale, the Ironhills and to the west his influence reached the Great River of Wilderland. All these lands slowly came under the protection of the Seven and no one made any fuss about it, not even the Northmen who were located west of Mirkwood. They actually aspired to gain the allegiance of the King of the North too.
Towards the South the influence of Erebor reached almost midway into the Brown Lands and stopped short off the borders of Rohan. To the east he controlled every land up to the Hills of the Sea of Rhun. The more the influence of the Seven grew wider under Thorin the more the surrounding Kingdoms wanted to reach out to him. The more everyone was trying to see and talk to him, the more the common people and his Lords demanded for him to arrange his official coronation. The new dynamics that had taken over the northeast of Middle Earth needed to be properly addressed and soon, under Thorin's official rulership.
So after several days of close deliberation Thorin send out the ravens to the four corners of his rule to announce his inevitable coronation. He was slightly apprehensive about this announcement as it involved many people of importance and it was also getting uncomfortably close to Eilin's delivery date. Of course Loa said that the Queen needed at least one full moon to come to full term, but that didn't alleviate Thorin's worries, who expected his wife to deliver much sooner anyway. Knowing how small and delicate his wife's body was, he felt certain that Eilin would burst any minute, so deciding to announce his coronation to the whole world with that in tow, was a rather risky move. Nevertheless the pressure from the Lords and the common people was too intense for comfort and he decided to try and get this over with, as quickly as possible.
So now instead of concentrating on Eilin's ever growing bump and the rather hard time she had sleeping and moving about, he also had to organise his coronation and his impending wedding the same day to her. Something that she didn't know, but everybody else in his close environment did. Dis was trying to convince Eilin that a Queen shouldn't wear a crimson dress for such an official occasion, but instead a lovely shade of white. They paraded in front of her many dresses and Dis engaged the best seamstresses of Erebor to make it fit the Queen's every growing body. Eilin loved every single dress they showed her, but it was one that finally stole her heart. A white satin long airy dress that had a pale pink flower lace on the bosom and similar pink embroidery on it's hem and at it's long bell sleeves. It was too simple for Dis' taste, but when she saw how Eilin embraced the dress and tried it in front of the huge mirrors with a big smile on her face, she relented and commanded the seamstresses to start working on it. That is where this morning found Eilin. Surrounded by three ladies who were pulling, poking, pinching her with needles and not allowing her to sit down for lengthy periods of time.
-.-
Her husband on the other hand was totally isolated from the menagerie that was taking place in his rooms. He was stying peacefully in the grant library of the Elders. Eilin's refusal to learn anything about her heritage didn't go well with his instinctual need to control every single bit of knowledge he could for the benefit of his family.
Thorin debated long and hard if he should do this, but Thror's old saying: "knowledge was power", finally prevailed over Eilin's refusal to learn anything about her parents. He never revealed to her what he was up to and she never asked him why he was gone missing for so many hours each day. She blamed his absence at the impending coronation, the ruling of the seven Kingdoms, the new mithril vein and the large orders that kept arriving from every corner of Middle Earth. She knew Thorin was pulled all over the place, except from her arms. So the fact that he bid her goodbye in the morning and saw her again late in the evening didn't make an impression on her, even though she was pretty clear to point out that she was missing him dreadfully when they were laying in bed at night. He gently reassured her that after the coronation things would be more under control. Eilin wanted to feel reassured by his words, but one look at her belly made her cringe with uncertainty again.
It was close to noon when finally Thorin stood up and rounded the long desk deciding that he wanted to take a break. He sat on it and crossed his arms as his eyes got lost in the vast cavern with the tall and endless bookshelves. He remained bemusing like that, while behind him Eilin's baby belt was keeping a large scroll open. The same runes that were on the back of the baby belt were scribbled artistically on the scroll under it, next to a name. Thorin sighed deeply and closed his eyes, trying to rest them a little bit. The heavy doors opened up so quietly that the King was not alerted. Balin came over and placed a plate with some food and a cup of tea on the table.
Thorin opened his eyes and looked tiredly at his advisor. "What are you doing here?" he whispered, still feeling half buried in the history he had been studying, but above all at the unexpected information he had managed to gather.
Balin rounded the table and sat on it mimicking Thorin's posture. "Brought you lunch."
Thorin rubbed his forehead feeling traces of a headache. "Not hungry."
"It was made by your wife," Balin looked at his friend as if waiting for a change in his countenance.
Thorin turned at Balin and raised his brows. "Eilin cooked?"
Balin scrounged his lips and scratched his beard. "She said it's your favourite stew. She knew you'd be hungry. Made sure to finish it before your sister took her over to try the wedding dress and several new hair styles."
Thorin's lips parted and he smiled calmly.
Balin raised his hands. "So are you going to eat? Poor girl slaved the whole morning to make sure you would have something nice to eat."
Thorin felt his heart stirring and stood up. "She shouldn't be doing such things in her condition. She can barely stand without support." He came round the desk and sat down. He pulled the plate close to him and instantly the smell made his mouth water. He took the first bite and he had to refrain from moaning out loud. No one would be able to surpass Eilin's ability to cook, ever. The second, third and fourth spoonful followed and soon enough his plate was clean. He leaned back and closed his eyes wanting to enjoy the gratifying sense of fullness, but Balin's voice came once again to annoy him.
"Well apparently her discomfort means little to her when it comes to taking care of you." Balin smiled.
Thorin's lips curled up. "You sound dreadfully fond of her."
Balin tilted his head. "I might be, who knows."
"What caused this change of heart from you?" Thorin's eyes cracked open lazily.
"Her fierce, unyielding loyalty to you, and the strong love you share for each other. You are solemnly lucky to have met her Thorin," Balin said and looked wistfully at the scrolls.
"It took you awhile to come to that conclusion." Thorin said and stood up straight. He picked up the scrolls and observed the runes that had made him stop his research a few moments ago.
"I always have your best interest at heart. I've been next to you for so many years. I've gone through all your pain and torture with your family, with Erebor, with Siv. When I saw this unknown young girl approaching you and you seemingly so eager to pull her in, I got afraid. I didn't want to see you hurt again...that's all." Balin said quietly.
A ghostly smile appeared on Thorin's lips. "I know how loyal you are Balin and as I see you are part of my family, I feel happy you changed your mind about her in the end."
Balin tilted his head. "She's really beautiful."
"Only...?" Thorin raised his brow.
"And rather smart..." Balin added.
Thorin huffed.
"And loyal and kind hearted and charismatic...alright? You hit a Mithril vein with her my friend." Balin chuckled.
Thorin sighed. "That's not even coming close to how perfect she is."
Balin raised his finger. "Oh, and an amazing cook, a stunning dancer and a rather precise archer..."
Thorin snorted and then looked down at the runes again. "You are still not doing her justice...I assure you."
Balin crossed his arms. "I bet the children that will come out of her loins are going to be very special indeed."
Thorin looked up thoughtfully for a few moments and then caressed his beard that was beginning to get longer as he had stopped trimming it. "I've seen a dream Balin..." he lingered on that thought.
Balin frowned. "A dream?" He waited patiently for Thorin to elaborate.
"I saw my son in that dream. He told me his name...but one cannot be sure. Maybe what I saw was just wistful thinking," Thorin's brow wrinkled with deliberation.
Balin straightened and looked at him fixedly. "What was the name?"
Thorin looked at him long and hard before speaking again. "Durin." He said quietly.
Balin's face became deadly pale and he cupped his mouth. "Oh Mahal..." he whispered.
Thorin shook his head. "I've seen the same boy with the same name in the Mirror of the White Lady of the forest."
Balin felt his eyes tearing up. "Lady Galadriel confirmed it?"
Thorin hesitated. "Balin one cannot be sure..."
"Durin the Seventh. The final reincarnation of our forefather coming from your sacred blood!" Balin closed his eyes and spoke with reverence.
Thorin's brow clouded heavily. "We don't know yet. Let the child be born and let us see the signs first. Then we shall decide. That is that proper way."
Balin had to take several moments to gather himself in order to speak again. "Does Eilin know the possibility?"
Thorin shook his head. "No, it's too early yet. I don't want to overburden her. This is beside the point. Eilin will mother the child no matter who he is, as will I father it. It's this past legacy which might affect his future that is important, but all this is pointless for now."
Balin swallowed heavily and wiped the tears from his eyes. "If only Thrain was alive to see his son. How proud he would have been for you."
Thorin frowned deeply and lowered his eyes to the scrolls.
"You united not only our kin, but many races under you. Your legacy is unprecedented. Durin knew why he chose you as a father and I am sure he will grow this legacy of yours even more and add his own on top of it. You and him shall rewrite the books of history my friend." Balin said proudly.
Thorin raised his hand to stop him. "Let us be as wise as our age commands, let us not hurry through this."
Balin's lips pressed and he nodded. "Let us."
"Don't speak about this until we know for sure." Thorin said quietly.
"I will not." Balin pressed his fist above his heart.
"Just keep your eyes open," Thorin looked at him.
Balin smiled brightly. "It will be my pleasure and an honour!"
Thorin exhaled softly and closed his eyes. His hand fell above Eilin's baby belt and led Balin's eyes there. The old advisor took several moments of quiet debate in order to speak again to Thorin. "This is the famous baby belt that caused such a monumental destruction?"
Thorin nodded. "The same one."
Balin rounded the desk and leaned down to take a look at it. "You know, this baby belt has been quite controversial since the beginning."
Thorin frowned. "What do you mean?"
"We recently learned that Eilin lost in the tavern and Rhiannon found it, nevertheless when she first came to Erebor she told Bombur and Bofur that she had it with her when she was picked up by those vagabond dwarves. She insisted that she showed them the belt as proof that she belonged to our kin. This belt was the reason they took her along for their trip to the Ironhills." Balin said with a clever smile.
Thorin's brows furrowed with doubt. "Why did she lie about it?"
Balin flicked his shoulders. "Probably wanted to convince our comrades that she indeed belonged to us. Her different looks must have always felt like a bloody stigma both amidst Men that found her too short and amongst Dwarves that found her too hairless. She needed to belong and what a better way to convince someone that you are part of his kin, than speak about a lost family heirloom that bespoke of your long lost ancestry."
Thorin sighed deeply and pinched his nose. "You never betrayed that innocent lie of hers to me."
Balin shook his head.
"Why? That must have been the proof you needed at the beginning that she was out to deceive me." Thorin raised his brow.
"I didn't view that as deception, but as a desperation to belong." Balin rejoined modestly.
Thorin took his time. "You should confront her at some point with this."
Balin smirked. "Who knows, maybe I will. We need some kind of closure between us, maybe this will be it."
Thorin nodded gently and looked at the belt again. "She asked me to burn it." He said after a few moments.
Balin crossed his arms. "Cannot blame her. So why didn't you?"
Thorin tilted his head. "It was the only thing that could link me to her heritage."
"Did she ask you to do find it?"
"She asked me to do the exact opposite," Thorin rejoined.
"Damn it..." -Balin harked- "The everlasting control freak came out of you again, no matter your wife's wishes?"
Thorin pressed his lips annoyed.
Balin waved him off. "So did you find anything on the poor girl?"
Thorin's demeanour became heavy. "Actually I found exactly what I wanted."
Balin scowled. "You found her father?"
Thorin inclined his head and turned the scroll around. He pointed at a specific place and bade Balin to read silently.
Balin took the scroll and as he read his countenance changed slowly from indifferent to shocked. Then his eyes seared into Thorin's. "Oh, you cannot be serious."
Thorin sighed and gave him a curt nod. "That's him. He's the only descendant of Telchar. He never had a family and he died young. A dwarf who enjoyed to travel a lot and fraternised with women on a regular basis...in taverns...if my memory is not failing me. We tried several times to recruit him, but he always refused. "
Balin straightened and caressed his long beard thoughtfully. "Can you believe that I've known him for years, but I never knew he was of Telchar's bloodline?"
Thorin nodded. "I didn't know either."
Balin sat on the edge of the desk and crossed his arms. "Lord Óthin Firebeard?"
"Only son of Lady Naina, second cousin of Telchar." Thorin added quietly.
"Óthin? One of the butchers of Azanulbizar?" Balin added pensively.
Thorin leaned back and crossed his arms. "Do you understand that I fought next to her father?"
Balin looked at him sharply.
"I saw him die honourably. I found his body and brought it to burial." Thorin continued absorbed in his deeper thoughts.
Balin inhaled quietly and looked at his hands.
"I didn't know him very well." Thorin added.
"I did." Balin's voice was full of introspection.
"What can you tell me about him, apart that he was a fierce warrior?" Thorin searched Balin's eyes.
"Not a family man or so it seemed. He was a traveller, a free spirit. Much more accepting of other races than the rest of us. He had a vulgar sense of humour, he drank a lot, gambled without any regrets and had no home. He was truly a rolling stone, but he was loyal to the royal family and he could die to protect his kin. That's about it. None of us ever truly found camaraderie in him. He never stayed anywhere long enough to take on roots. I know nothing else about his history or about his family...well apart from learning now that he was a straight descendant of the legendary Telchar." Balin spoke attentively.
Thorin gave him a quiet nod. "Apparently Óthin fooled around a lot and with many different races."
"Well he was a free man, no one can blame him of infidelity at least," Balin said casually.
"One can blame him of abandoning his offspring though. Who knows how many other children he has planted all over Middle Earth..." Thorin said thoughtfully.
"Well, to our knowledge he carved his initials only on Eilin's baby belt. No one else came forth to claim Óthin's legacy." Balin stopped and looked carefully at Thorin for a few moments- "If you are sure the runes are indeed a match." He added.
Thorin pursed his lips. "The runes belong to Lord Óthin. The fierce warrior who fought next to my grandfather and died in order to protect him."
Balin exhaled and nodded.
"I still remember him standing next to Thror taking the deadly hit from Azog, placing his body between the pale orc and my grandfather, but I remember little after that." Thorin shook his head softly.
"He died honourably for our kin..." Balin rubbed his shoulders.
"I don't even remember his face so well..." -Thorin frowned disappointed at himself- "Those moments are hard to recall."
"He was a rather handsome Dwarf I must admit. Probably the reason he fooled around with several women outside our race. Our dwarrowdams were much more concentrated on finding their One. He wanted to play around and he had the physical appearance to do so." Balin smiled.
Thorin smirked.
"Red fiery hair and green eyes...an astounding face and a very strong body, but he was a little on the short side." Balin raised his brow.
Thorin's smirk became a bright smile and he raised his brow. "Whom does that remind me off?"
Balin titled his head. "She's probably the spitting image of her father if you exclude her hairless face and dainty body. That was a curse given to her by her mother whom we have no way of ever identifying."
Thorin looked at his friend incredulously. "Curse?"
"A true noble dwarrowdam without a beard?! That is unheard of." Balin seemed shocked.
Thorin's smile ended up in a heartfelt laugh. "Some of us appreciate that quality in women, just so you'd know."
Balin chuckled. "Everyone's figured that one out by now, my King."
Thorin looked with a sweet smile down at his scrolls.
After a few moments of silent deliberation Balin snorted. "Telchar...damn...Eilin has got Telchar's blood in her?"
Thorin raised his brow.
Balin shook his head. "Telchar of Nogrod who forged the Narsil, the heirloom of the heirs to the throne of Arnor of Númenor?"
Thorin pressed his lips appreciatively. "Daughter of the fierce Óthin, one of the butchers of the battle of Moria. A man who stood next to my grandfather and protected my family to his last breath. So much for the invisible tavern maiden..."
Balin felt the hair on his back standing on end. "Durin knew whom he chose as a mother also." He added with a bow of respect.
"I chose Durin's mother, not him." Thorin rejoined with a side smirk.
Balin laughed quietly and nodded. "Will you tell her?"
"Not unless she asks. This means little to me. I loved her before, I love her now and I will love her forever. Her heritage never played into my feelings. It's something that concerns her, only. If she wants the knowledge I shall give it to her, if not I will take it to the grave with me." -Thorin replied peacefully and after a moment he looked up at Balin with a gaze that became a tone darker- "So shall you."
Balin looked at his boots and nodded in understanding. "Of course..."
"Stand straight my Lady, just one more braid..." the girl said and pulled Eilin's hair hard.
Eilin tried to straighten her pained torso and felt her belly stretching too much for comfort. The muscles under the tight skin became hard as stone and she inhaled sharply in order to keep the uncomfortable feeling at bay. Both Loa and Dis had reassured her that this was something natural that happened so late in a pregnancy, but that didn't mean Eilin enjoyed it. Whenever it happened she felt like she was going to burst. She grabbed her belly and exhaled slowly trying to calm herself down. Dis looked up from the embroidery that was she was trying to embellish at Eilin's bosom. Valdis who was next to Eilin immediately understood that something was wrong and grabbed Eilin's elbow in order to offer her support.
"Are you alright my Lady?" she asked.
Eilin's eyes fell on the scars at Valdis' wrists and she instantly teared up in an unbidden guilt trip that had no apparent reason. Her pregnancy hormones were causing her emotions to run rampart all the time, something that she found overwhelming at times. She shook her head. "I am going to be okay..." she whispered.
Valdis turned to Lis who was hopscotching behind the bride and said. "Bring some water over to the Lady my girl."
Eilin wrapped her small hand around Valdis wrist. "Will you ever forgive me?" she opened up her burning eyes.
Valdis looked truly confused. "About what my Lady?"
The Queen's hand squeezed tight, wishing to feel that scar in the soft skin of her palm. "Call me Eilin...just do it!" she wanted to make it sound like a plead, but instead it sounded more like a command. She felt frustrated at herself and at how little control she had on all the thoughts that cascaded in her brain like an unstoppable waterfall at times.
Valdis seemed taken aback. "Alright Eilin" -she said and that is when Lis came with the cup of water- "Drink some, it will make you feel better."
Dis stood up and touched Eilin's belly. "It feels stiff again?"
"Yes..." Eilin grumbled and grabbed Valdis firmly in order to support herself. Valdis' arm came under Eilin's shoulders.
Dis felt Eilin's belly and gave her a curt nod. "You need to sit down, come on." -She pulled Eilin gently by the hand and led her to a chair. Then she turned to the girl who was making her braids- "Take a break for now, thank you."
The girl bowed to the ground and left Eilin with half the job done. Lis rounded Eilin and kneeled in front of her. "Do you want me to call the King my Lady?" she knew already what Eilin needed even before everyone else did.
Eilin opened her eyes and smiled at the young girl. She nodded softly. "Can you, please?"
Lis smiled brightly and dashed to the door. "I'll find him immediately my lady!" she cried and crashed the door behind her.
"That was a bit rush. You are really fine. What is happening to you is natural. We can take care of this, you needn't call my brother." Dis chastised with a careful tone.
Eilin closed her eyes and felt tears running down her cheeks. "I feel so tired, I am in pain and my emotions are all over the place. I am sorry my Lady. I know I am becoming too dependant on him and that he has so many things to do for Erebor, but ...but...I am sorry." She pressed her trembling lips, forcing herself not to cry.
Valdis was quick to pull Eilin on her bosom and Dis raised her brow at the protection this girl was showing towards the future Queen. It seemed so out of place when Valdis' sister tried hard to destroy both Eilin and Thorin. "You need more water?" Valdis asked.
Eilin shook her head and before Valdis had a chance to pull away in order to place the mug back at the table she grasped her hands again. She pulled her close and turned her wrists up in order to see the scars again. Her fingers mapped them. "I need to know that you have forgiven me..." she muttered.
Valdis understood what Eilin was saying and tears pooled in her eyes. "There is nothing to forgive my Lady...What happened to me was never your fault."
Eilin looked up sharply. "Use my name..."
Valdis smiled sadly. "Eilin my relationship with my sister had always been turbulent. She has bullied me since I was a child. I was living in hell most of the times under her influence. She knew what to say to push me off the edge. I don't even know what made me act so violently towards myself after our talk."
Eilin's hands tightened around Valdis' "If I hadn't taken you down there, this wouldn't have happened. Thorin was right."
Valdis closed her eyes. "I don't regret talking to her."
Dis tilted her head slightly, but decided not to intervene.
Eilin opened her mouth and wished to speak, but it felt as if a hand squeezed her throat, rendering her speechless and fresh tears sprang from her eyes.
"Even after what happened, I don't regret it. Sometimes one has to go through the fire in order to see the light." -Valdis opened her eyes and looked at Eilin- "I am given the chance to be in a better place now and yet I still mourn her loss. How can someone mourn the loss of their tormentor?" She asked herself.
Eilin felt the immensity of it all coming down to crush her.
"Can you please not linger in the past Eilin? Uncle Dain says we all have to move on." Valdis forced herself to smile.
"I never wanted to hurt you. I only wanted to help you and look what I did to you. Forgive me..." Eilin whispered.
Valdis collapsed next to her Queen and placed her forehead on Eilin's knees. "It should have been my sister telling me those words not you."
Eilin caressed Valdis braids and clenched her teeth. "I am sorry you had to go through such hell."
Valdis began weeping on Eilin's lap and Dis wrapped a hand protectively around Eilin's shoulder. "Very good my Queen..." she said proudly.
Eilin looked up at the princess with pained eyes.
"Maybe you are a bundle of bruised nerves, pain and wild emotions, but you are making me proud to have you as my Queen at this moment." Dis smiled.
Eilin's face filled up with tears and that is when the muscles on her belly tightened once more hard. She exhaled and doubled over Valdis who looked up worried. Dis came down to one knee next to her and clasped her hand. "Okay, take in a deep breath and try to calm down."
Eilin tried to do so, but her belly was not allowing her. "It's hard..." she panted.
Valdis looked at Dis with dread. "Is she okay?"
Dis nodded. "Just a few contractions. She needs to calm down. Breathe in now," she rubbed Eilin's back.
Eilin nodded and took a deep breath. When she felt her stomach becoming stiff again under the pressure and one of the babies kicking her ribs she squeezed Valdis' hand.
Dis frowned. "Breathe deep..."
Eilin did so.
Dis sighed. "Now let it all out...slowly."
Eilin exhaled as slowly as possible and felt her belly relaxing fractionally. All the ladies, hairdressers and seamstresses had stopped their work and were looking at the Queen worried.
"Now do it again," -Dis rubbed Eilin's hand. Then she turned to Valdis- "Take off her boots and rub her feet." She commanded.
Valdis did so immediately and Eilin tried to pull her feet away from them. "No, don't make her do such things to me!" she tensed almost instantly and this time the clenching of her muscles send a wave of pain down her back. She groaned and doubled over.
Dis gritted her teeth. "Fine she won't, now can you calm down? You are going to make the rigidness feel even worse!"
Valdis pulled back and took Eilin's free hand and began rubbing it gently. "Calm down my Lady...we are all here with you."
One of the hairdressers came over with a mug of fresh water. "Here my Lady, drink some." She offered.
Eilin took it and the coldness of the drink really soothed down her burning throat.
Dis pressed her hand and checked the firmness of her belly. "Now take another full breath in...and then release it."
Eilin repeated that several times before she felt the tension releasing slightly. That is when the door opened up and Thorin with Fili came in discussing. They seemed to be in a bright mood. The moment they entered Lis who was following, bypassed the King and came to Eilin.
"Found him for you!" she cried.
Eilin smiled and bit her lower lip. "Thank you my darling."
Thorin looked at his wife on the chair pallid with Dis and Valdis at her flanks and lost all his mirth from his conversation with Fili instantly. "What happened?" he asked.
Eilin reached out for him. "Thorin..."
He rushed up to her and clasped her hand. He brought it up and kissed it tenderly. Then he kneeled next to her. "Are you alright?" he looked worried at her face that was swimming in tears and at the sweat that was cascading down her temples.
"My belly feels so tight I cannot breathe properly," Eilin whispered and Thorin pulled her head under his chin protectively and kissed the top of her fiery curls.
Dis decided to intervene. "Just a few convulsions, absolutely normal for the progress of her pregnancy, but rather uncomfortable. Her belly is rather large for her slim frame and this is becoming too overwhelming for her."
Thorin frowned and caressed Eilin's temple. "Are you in pain?"
She nodded. "My back, my legs, my sides...my ribs...the babies kicked me on the ribs" -she touched the place- "I am too sweaty, my belly is too tight and I am in pain all over my body...moreover..." -she sniffled feeling fresh tears springing out- "I cannot stop crying!" she wailed and buried her head on his neck.
He exhaled patiently and slid his fingers through her wild hair to caress her head gently. He pulled her hand up to his mouth and offered it another kiss. "We are going to fix this, I promise."
Dis pursed her lips. "I don't want to undermine your knowledge wolf, but the woman needs a midwife to help her, not you. You have no idea what to do."
"I didn't see her particularly relieved by the presence of a midwife next to her," Thorin raised his brow at his sister.
Dis crossed her arms feeling piqued, but remained silent.
"What she needs is a bit of tender care and I can give her that." -Thorin added and then looked down at Eilin's pained face- "Right?"
The first smile broke on her lips. "Yes my love." She whispered.
Thorin turned to Dis. "Get her a nightgown from the cupboard and a quilt." -Then he stood up and held Eilin's hands- "Can you stand up?" he asked her.
She pressed her lips and nodded. "I'll try."
He pulled her up gently, but the moment she tried to straighten her body, her belly pulled her painfully and she doubled over. Her hands clutched Thorin's shoulders for support and he pulled her on him, taking most of the weight off of her. Then his wide palm skimmed down her shoulder blades and reached the small of her back. "Where is the pain?"
"On my back," her clawing nails related to him her anguish.
"Here?" his fingers began a firm massage on her spine.
"Lower please...lower...there Thorin!" she said and tensed on him as his fingers caught the bruised nerve and began pressing on it steadily, offering Eilin the first free breath as that pained part of her body started loosening up.
"Is that better?" he whispered close to her ear.
She nodded, out of breath.
"Can you walk?" he continued.
Eilin shook her head. "No...I want to lay down."
He pressed his lips and slowly turned her to the side.
"What are you doing?" her eyes cracked open, but he didn't give her the opportunity to speak.
"We are going to give you a warm bath, how does that sound?" he said and picked her up easily.
Her lips curled up in a faded smile. "It sounds heavenly." She murmured.
Dis brought over what Thorin had asked for. "You want me to come down with you?" she asked with a frown.
"No, I have her. Put the things on her lap." Thorin rejoined and Dis placed the nightgown and the quilt on Eilin's lap.
Eilin snuggled on Thorin's chest and her eyes instantly closed.
"Are you better now?" he leaned over and gave a soft kiss on his wife's forehead.
Eilin nodded fiercely and her fingers clutched the front of his tunic. "No pain on my legs and back like this, but my belly is still tight."
He turned to his sister. "Make sure the chambers are clean and empty when we return!" His voice held a tone of warning.
"We just wanted to prepare the gown for her and the hair dos. Calm down wolf," Dis frowned and looked at Fili and Valdis who had withdrawn towards the recliner and were engaged in deep conversation.
Thorin didn't answer. He went to the door and Fili opened it for him. The he got lost down the corridor. Dis exhaled through her nose and turned to look at the girls who were leaning close to each other, murmuring. Their cheeks were bright red.
She felt her jawline flexing. "Stop fanning yourselves over my brother and his wife!" -she chastised and the girls lost all their mirth instantly- "Gather everything and leave." She commanded them and the girls did so quickly. Then Dis turned to her son who was holding Valdis' hand gingerly. "Lady Valdis!" she grumbled.
Valdis pulled her hand out of Fili's and turned at the princess sheepishly. She was blushing hard. "Yes, my Lady."
"Help me clean the royal chambers before the couple comes back." Dis commanded and Valdis gave one loving look to Fili before doing Dis' bidding. What bothered Dis more though was that her son joined in the effort and tried to take most of the workload away from Valdis, but not from his mother.
Down at the hot springs, Thorin stripped Eilin down completely and led her into the warm waters. Then he pulled her close to the waterfall. First he washed her hair and body thoroughly, taking his time to massage her head, her nape and her shoulders before rinsing her off. Then he sat on a rocky ledge under the waterfall and drew her on him. He leaned her head on his torso and made her lay down on him. As she floated on the water with Thorin's body to support her all of her discomforts seemed to disappear. Eilin's aching joints felt an instant relief as he massaged her body gently and she allowed her eyes to close, delighting in the sound of the water cascading down the rocks that were behind him. The few stray drops that landed on her forehead had a very soothing affect on her. His hands left her arms and touched the side of her large belly gently.
"Do you still feel stiff?" he whispered and offered a warm kiss on her cool brow.
"No my love. I am much better." She exhaled with a smile.
"Why did they make so intricate braids on you when they know you can barely stand?" he frowned.
"Princess Dis insisted that we must find a proper hairdo for the coronation." Eilin rejoined quietly.
"I see. Probably she was trying to convince you to wear your hair in a complicated manner for your wedding day." he said casually.
Eilin felt her heart doing a somersault and turned around to look at him through eyes that ached from fatigue. "Wh-at?" she stuttered.
"I thought it would be a good idea to surprise you with our wedding on the day of the coronation." He smiled at her and his eyes glimmered.
She clutched the side of his neck excitedly. "Are you serious?"
"Yes." He tilted his head.
Eilin's mouth dropped open and she was unable to find the proper words to answer to that.
His thumb skimmed past her full red lips. "Silence. Should I take that as a good sign or a bad?"
Her eyes lifted up to him yearningly. "Oh, Thorin...you should have told me. I would have tried harder to be patient with all those tries to dress me up if I knew why they were doing it!"
Thorin chuckled. "Your wedding day is more important than my coronation?" he teased.
"Indubitably!" -she pulled herself up and a bright smile appeared on her lips- "I didn't expect this...I never expected."
He frowned and pulled her over for a soft kiss that muted her instantly. Then he pushed back and lingered delighting at her soft breath on his mouth. "You didn't expect what? Didn't I propose?"
She nodded and a loving giggle escaped her.
"Aren't you pregnant with my children...?" he looked appreciatively down at her naked body.
She blushed.
"With bloody twins?" He raised his brows.
She laughed fully and her beautiful voice danced around the cavern walls. "Yes!"
"Then what made you believe I wouldn't wed you soon, especially since I proposed officially?" his brows creased.
"I don't know, maybe you would have liked to wait until after the babies were born, after the coronation..." she tittered.
"After our children were of age to chose their Ones, or maybe after they gifted us with many grandchildren..." he drawled.
She thwarted his shoulder. "Don't tease!"
He looked hungrily at her parted lips. "I want to wed you before our children are born. Is that alright with you?"
She exclaimed happily and fell on him so fiercely that he lost his balance and they both landed hard into the water. She laughed and helped him up. Then she smoothed his wet hair away from his face and without warning she grasped his cheeks and kissed him fully on the mouth without holding anything back. A groan of pleasure escaped his chest and she hummed her appreciation as they kissed long and hard. When they broke apart they were both dazed, wet and had silly smiles on their faces.
"Does that mean you like the idea of marrying me during the coronation?" he whispered shyly.
"I adore it!" She giggled and gave him another firm kiss.
"Will you turn out to be the most awkward bride Middle Earth had ever seen?" he raised his brow.
She frowned. "Most certainly Sir!"
This time it was his turn to laugh out loud. "I was hoping on that."
A doting smile awoke on her lips and she caressed his earlobe. "I know."
"Are you going to allow them to make you all those braids?" he continued after a few silent moments were they gazed dotingly at each other's faces.
She averted her eyes. "Princess Dis said that a Queen must have a proper hairdo, especially at the coronation of her husband..."
He clasped her cheeks and jerked her gently. "What is it you want? That's what I want to hear."
She didn't hesitate. "To have my hair exactly like they were when you fell in love with me."
The look of adoration he gave her loosened her legs and she was lucky she was kneeling into the deep warm waters or else she would have fallen over. "Then have them free...for that is how I like them." He whispered.
She beamed up to him. The discomfort she felt in her bloated body was all but forgotten the moment she learned that within the next fortnight she would be married to the love of her life. "Like this?" she run her fingers through her wild mane and looked at him coyly.
He nodded and turned her gently around. "Yes...free like your soul."
She felt her eyes burning when his hands lowered hers gently to her sides and run through her mane with a gentleness that she would never get used to. Her pulled her back until they reached the waterfalls and there he took a seriously long time to care for her long red curls. The magical way his fingers worked through her scalp though was not enough to break her thoughts about their impeding marriage. How was she going to look like? How was he going to look like? How many people were going to attend?...she smiled at her own silly thoughts. It was Thorin's coronation so everybody was going to be there! Dwarves, Elves, Men and Wizards!
Would she be able to stand next to him as the proud Queen of Erebor or would she fold into herself embarrassed out of her mind and more awkward than she had ever even been? Would Rhiannon be allowed to be her maid in honour? Would Valdis? Would Lis? Would she be able to stand up for so long or would her puffed feet send her kneeling defeated to the floor? Would they allow her to take a seat or would that be tremendously rude? If she sat on the throne would everybody rebel against her? If she sat and stood up again would all the royal guards of Erebor salute them simultaneously and how big of an echo would that make in the deep chasms of this golden city?
Her thoughts ran rampant as he worked his slow magic on her head and after a point she didn't even feel the relaxation slipping down her tense extremities and warming them up. She didn't really understand how her neck loosened and how her head leaned back heavily to his shoulder. She allowed her forehead to press against the side of his neck in order to feel his steady pulse.
When finally after a rather long time her eyes fell closed, every single thought had silenced in her mind and there was only blessed peace and him supporting and caressing her. Then she was simply floating in heaven. It took her awhile to speak again. "Why did you decide to reveal to me your surprise Thorin? It seems that Princess Dis went through a lot of trouble to manage everything while keeping it a secret from me."
"Because I saw how tired and tensed you looked today. My intention was to surprise you, not to exhaust you. You are so big now..." He frowned at her feeling slightly worried about her meltdown today.
She snorted. "You don't have to remind me!"
"Our children are causing you constant discomfort. I don't want to see you crying from pain like I did today. I want to wed you before our children arrive, that is true, but not to make you suffer. If that means that we have to marry in our bedroom dressed in nothing more than our nightwear then so be it." He rejoined solemnly.
"You don't how much I appreciate what you are doing for me today...and everything that you are saying." She whispered.
He placed his hands behind her back and began mauling her spine with his fingers. "I love taking care of you..."
She smiled contently. "And I love taking care of you."
"Speaking of which, you also had to go and cook for me today, didn't you? Was that a clever idea?" he frowned feeling irritated.
She felt the knots on her nerves untying under the steady pressure of his fingers. "Did you like it? Did you eat it?" she asked eagerly.
"I hated it. Don't ever cook for me again." His voice turned dismissive.
Her eyes cracked open, but her peaceful state didn't allow her to truly glower at him. "I know you are trying to convince me not to do it again."
He huffed. "No I really hated it."
She nodded and reached behind her head for him. Her hand slid past his bicep and clutched his deltoid. "I wanted to please you."
"You did. I devoured the whole thing, but I will beg you to restraint yourself from cooking again, until you give birth. Do we have a deal?" His fingers massaged outwards towards her hips.
She moaned in pleasure and exhaled fully. "Keep this up...there...oh..." she whispered.
"Do we have a deal about the cooking?" his voice held a tone of warning and he stopped touching her.
"Hey, why did you stop?" She frowned in annoyance.
"I won't continue until you promise." His voice held a tone of warning.
She nodded softly. "I promise...you are right in reprimanding me. I am in constant pain."
His brow creased. "Even now?" He sounded troubled.
A ghostly smile cracked on her lips. "No, not now. Now I feel like I am in the undying lands!"
He smiled contently and pulled her on his body enfolding her warmly.
She floated between reality and dreams for several moments before she decided to betray her innermost thoughts to him. "Did you ever think that you'd have me naked in your arms and instead of making me lose my mind, you'd be taking care of my aching body?"
"Well, I did this to you. I have to make up for your suffering in some manner." He spoke in a hushed tone.
"Don't know if that sounded regretful or damned proud." She seemed genuinely amused.
He chuckled. "Both."
"You carried me through the whole of Erebor...you do realise that everyone was looking at us, right?" She stretched on him like a cat and when she didn't feel the uncomfortable tension in her belly she smiled and snuggled against the warm firmness of his body.
"What's the harm in seeing the King carrying his pregnant wife?"
"No harm of course, but I bet we instigated some wet dreams today..." she laughed.
"I love it when you think so rudely," he bit his lower lip and his finger skimmed gently around the swollen mounts of her breasts.
"Don't get any dirty ideas in your head handsome. I am too exhausted." she said and reached behind to hold his nape.
He distributed several soft kisses on her forehead and cheeks, before gifting her mouth with a tender peck that lingered. "Who would have thought that one day the tables would turn..."
Her lips curled up under his and her fingers grazed the back of his neck. "What do you mean?"
"That I would be in the mood for love and you wouldn't." He reciprocated her smile.
"I wish I could give you pleasure right now, but everything on me just feels nasty." She whispered regretfully.
"I am only teasing you..." he murmured and pecked her lips gently.
She reciprocated and closed her eyes. "Thank you for taking time from your work today to do this for me."
"Unless Erebor is coming into ruins, you come first...No, I am lying. You come first even when Erebor is in ruins..." he said in an afterthought.
She kissed him back gently and caressed the bridge of his nose. "Remember the first time we saw each other here?"
He raised both brows. "How can I forget? I was stark naked under the water and just looking at you made my heart beat faster. Honestly when you were facing that wall I got out bearing a half full erection." He sounded so dreadfully shy in revealing that embarrassing truth to her that her heart erupted with her love for him.
She giggled and nibbled her lower lip. "What a tempting image...I wish I had known that! During those early times I was too scared to even look you in the eyes, never mind imagining that I was causing such pleasurable discomforts to you."
"You are still causing them my beautiful Queen and I bet you my life, you will be causing them even when I am with one foot dangling above the chasm of death." He whispered.
She beamed up to him and then turned to her side, needing to cuddle on him and maybe even sleep. She closed her eyes and her fingers caressed his forearm. "I love you."
He leaned down and kissed her soft cheek. "I love you too."
She felt the world drifting slowly away from her and she wouldn't have minded sleeping right then and there on him, surrounded by the warm waters. Nevertheless he had other ideas. He picked her up and took care to dry her out thoroughly before he dressed her in her nightgown. Then he wrapped her with the warm quilt and just as she got ready to engage his elbow in order to walk back with him, he surprised her again by picking her up.
Eilin loved her husband to bits and didn't want to exhaust him, but she wasn't stupid to make a fuss today about that. If he wanted to parade them like this through the whole of Erebor, then she was fine with it. Especially since she didn't have to put any weight on her overworked legs.
He walked back to the royal chambers, which were in impeccable condition, thanks to Dis, Fili and Valdis. Then he placed her in bed and got ready to enjoy a mug of wine in front of the fireplace whilst she slept, but she couldn't find a place of comfort. She tossed, turned, moaned and groaned until he gave up on the idea of the wine and got up to assist her. He used every pillow on the bed and several from the cupboards to try and alleviate her discomfort. When he placed a pillow under her belly as she was laying on the side, she felt pain on her back. When she lay on her back with a pillow under her, her hips were suffering. When he turned her the other way and placed a pillow on her hips, her shoulder blades and her nape were in agony.
When he finally managed to find a combination of pillows and a proper position for her to feel painless, she was sprawled like a starfish, with eight pillows at different angles, snoring so hard that she could wake up the whole royal wing. Thorin placed his hands on his wide belt and cringed. There was not a single place left free for him to sleep on that bed. He remembered vaguely when a year ago, he had to stop himself from building gravestones out of her pillows. When he looked down now he saw life, hope and a bright future staring back at him in the form of this rad formation of pillows...not ghostly gravestones anymore.
He smiled and came to the conclusion that the bed was overtaken by Eilin and her pillows and he couldn't fit in it. He made sure she was well covered and then sat down to enjoy a couple of mugs of wine. He could have sought Dwalin to share a cup with him, but he didn't want to open the door and alert her. After a long time he decided to go to sleep also, which he did on the recliner. Morning found him half on and half off of it, as he was too big for that small piece of furniture. His sleep may have been rather uncomfortable, but Eilin's had been the best one she has had for many days and that is all that mattered to her husband.
As Thorin woke up to the first rays of the sun, he was blissfully unaware that all the pains and aches of his body from this almost sleepless night were just a small precursor of what was going to happen to both him and Eilin in the days, months and even years following the birth of their children.
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