What trials are going to be thrown upon our starcrossed couple. Bilbo is gone back to The Shire. Now they have to deal with the repair of the kingdom and let's not forget The Great Council. Now on with the story.
Disclaimer I do not own any of The Hobbit Character's. They belong to Tolkein. I only own my O\Cs.
Chapter 49
Rebuilding
Bright and early the next morning Philicia woke to a soft knock on her door. "Good morning." Tillie said as she entered the room carrying a breakfast tray. "Where would you like this placed Lady Philicia?" She asked hiding a shy smile. "Oh just Philicia is fine .I'm not titled ." Tilli turned around after setting the tray on the table. "Oh my ,have you not heard!" Tillie said excitedly. "Heard what?" Philicia asked stretching her arm's high above her head as her feet dangled over the side of the bed. "The king has made it official this morning the title was bestowed upon you .You now are now The Lady Philicia Anderson of Woodland Hills. There is to be a ceremoney this evening to present you to the kingdom." Tilly went on telling Philicia all of the wispers surrounding the city as she tited up the room. "Would you like a bath My Lady?" "No I think I will just get dressed thank you." Tillie left and returned a short time later and in her hand's were several beautiful gown's. "Here these are for you, they were found while sorting out some rooms." Philicia stood in front of the bed and eyed the pile of dresses. She them walked over to the table and sat down. "Your breakfast my Lady better eat before it get's cold." Tillie removed the heavy towel covering the tray. Philicia gasped as her eyes stared at the ornate solid gold covered platter. There was also a silver pot filled with fresh coffee and a small pitcher of creme and a sugar bowl. Tillie removed the cover from the plate and Philicia was astounded. There was a hearty portion of scrambled eggs, a slice of ham and fried potatos prepared just the way she liked them."Would you like me to pour your coffee ,my Lady?" Tillie asked. "Only if you have a cup with me ." Philicia suggested. "Oh no My Lady twould not be proper." In the end Tillie did settle for having morning coffee with Philica and then she went about the rest of her duties. Philicia insisted on helping her but her mind was racing she had to go find Thorin. After insisting on wearing her jeans and tee shirt with a cartigen for modesties sake Philicia darted out the door in search of the king. Coming down the staircase she spotted Bofur talking with a few dwarves she didn't reconize. "Have you seen Thorin?" She asked giving the strange dwarves a warm smile."Aye I think he is in his study with Lord Balin and Gloin, Why? Do you need me to fetch him for you?" Bofur asked his hat sliding off his head."No I will go and speak with him. Thanks" With that she dashed off down the passiageway to the lower ground levels. After walking what seemed forever she finally came to Thorins study. She could make out Balin and Thorin's voice however the other one was unfamilier. She lifted her hand and gave a soft knock. The large oaken door was suddenly pulled open. "Ah and a good morning to you." Balin said smiling. "I am sorry to interrupt but I really need to talk to Thorin." Philicia asserted. "Philicia, can this not wait?" Thorin grumbled annoyed at her interruption."NO It can't. "She shot back. " I will return please bear with me a moment." Thorin followed her out . "What is the matter that you bardge into a private meeting like that." "I didn't know you were having a meeting. Sorry" She said sheepishly. "What is it? Are you alright?" His tone had changed from angry to concerned. "Why did you give me the title of Lady?" 'Is this what is bothering you?" "No." She wispered so only he could hear. "You didn't even ask me Thorin."I don't need a fancy title I just need you." She wrapped her arm's around his waist. "Philicia my love." He cupped her chin raising her eye's to his. "I have done this because every one of the company members has received reconition for their bravery and loyalty, however you have asked for not even a share of the treasure. You went along with us also, my heart." Thorin slowly planted a soft kiss upon her lip's. "But I never signed any contract." Philicia reminded him."No and it was not necessary for you to do so. You were bound only by your love for me and your word. Therefore that is as good as any written agreement." Thorin held her for a minute both basking in the warmpth the closeness provided. "Come Philicia, I must return I would like you to join us of you would." So Philicia walked back with Thorin's hand tightly clasped in hers. "Pardon the interruption, let us continue." Thorin said . "I mean no offence my king but why is the human girl here?" Lord Silus asked in however answered in the common tounge so Philicia could understand also. "She is here at my request." Thorin then turned to Philicia. "Lord Silus, may I present Lady Philicia Anderson of Woodland Hills." Thorin's face beamed as Philicia gave Lord Silus a graceful curtsey. "A honor to meet you sir." She said slowly rising. "Lady Philicia is the one that called my attention to the safety issue with the guardrails and broken step's." Thorin started. So for the next hour Philicia sat in on the meeting as they discussed how the finances would be redistributed back into the kingdom and what work still needed to be immmediatly done."Have you any suggestion's my Lady?" Thorin asked pulling her mind from her daydream. "Well what kind of system do you have in place for such thing's. Is there any kind of credit system?" She directed that question to Gloin. "Aye lass we are working on establishing something like that." Gloin answered her. "Well if there is one thing I have learned is that knowledge is power." Philicia said to all present. they went on to talk about finding way's to improve thing's and after most of the morning had passed they dismissed and called the meeting a sucess. "Lady Philicia I must admit I have been a bit skeptical of you ,however you seem to be of great intelligence and have an interest in only benefitting Erebor. Therefore I am honored to have met your aquatiance." With that the old dwarf left her and Thorin alone . "Come let us see what Bombur has prepared for lunch. I am about half starved." Thorin let out a laugh throwing his head back as he and Philicia made their way to the main hall . "So should I wear something nice for the ceremoney this evening?" She asked taking another bite of the stew Bombur had made. "Indeed." Thorin slowly gave her a nod of his head. "Ok great I will have Tillie help me get ready then. "Thorin gaving her a quick kiss left and went to see how the rebuilding of the guardrails was going. As she looked up she could already see that the ironworkers were already installing some of the resently made railings over the most used bridges. Down in the forges the grating where the dragon had forced his way through was being replaced also as were the broken step's and the cracks in the throne were also being filled and smoothed over. The throne was also being polished till it shined . All that was missing was The Arkenstone. Bard had returned it to Thorin some week's ago and Thorin had asked Balin to put it away ."I do not even want to look upon the thing." Thorin had shouted. When the time was right he would set the stone in it's proper place but not yet.
So for several day's the non stop work continued. Round the clock were the sound's of hammers and stone being moved. Homes were made liveable again The tapestries in The Gallery of the King's were washed and rehung and the arches rebuilt where the final confirentation with Smaug had taken place just before his attack on Laketown. Philicia was walking through the main corridor that was just after the step's that led to the immmediate guest area. She came upon the silver fountain. She fished a penny out of her pocket and making a wish tossed the coin into the fountain. "Excuse me." A redheaded dwarf woman said as she came up to her. "What is that you are throwing into the fountain?" The dwarrowdam asked her."Oh, hi I'm Philicia." She said extending her hand to the dwarven woman. The woman looked at Philicia for a second then reached for her hand. "I am Fauna." "That is a beautiful name." Philicia complimented the woman. "Your's is also I have never hea-"Amad,amad." Suddenly a little girl came running up to her holding a lolipop in her mouth yanking on her mother's skirt's. "Dawana,What have I told you about dripping that candy all over the newly polished floors." The woman scolded the child. The little girl then looked up at Philicia. "I have never seen a beardless dwarf before amad."The little girl looked at her mom then back to Philicia. Going down on her knees before the child Philicia spoke to her." That's because I am not a dwarf, I am a human woman."Philicia told the child. "Your pretty." She said touching Philicia's bare chin. 'Thank you ,and you are a very pretty little girl also."The dwarfling smiled at Philicia as she walked away with her mother. And up on the bridge that overlooked the main causeway Thorin was inspecting the new railing's that has just been set. "Thorin." Balin called before turning his head to what had caught his attention. They both watched the interaction between Philicia and the dwarfling girl. "Aye laddie, a fine mother she will make someday." Balin said patting Thorin on the back. "Indeed she will."
After the woman and child had left Philicia made her way up to her chamber .She knew Tillie would be waiting to help her get prepared for this evenings ceremony. "I have a bath already drawn for you my La-Philicia."Tillie said using her given name instead. "Do you require assistance?" Tillie asked . "No I think I have got it, thank you tho." Philicia answered from behind the scrubbed herself from head to toe and washed and conditioned her hair. She wondered what it would be like to take a bubble bath with Thorin."I'm just going to have to wait and see." She said aloud. She stepped into the room and Tillie sat her on a chair and began brushing out her long hair braided it in a dwarvish style leaving Philicia's courtship braid visible for all to see. "Is it true? Tillie gasped her fingertips examining the bead in her hair. "Are you and our king courting?" Philicia turned to Tillie a pleading look on her face. "Yes we are we have been since we were in the village of Bree."It was Tillie's turn to gasp then. "But you must not tell anyone, not yet please."Philicia entreated her. "I will say nothing may I ask you tho, do you love him, King Thorin?" Philicia met her eye's. 'More than life itself I love him." Philicia's eye's threatend to spill over." And does he return your felling's? Tillie asked a she twisted Philicia's braid onto a coronet atop her head. "Yes ,very much so." "Well that is wonderful perhaps some day then you might be queen." Tillie said a hint of excitement in her tone. "Perhaps someday." Philicia chose the Deep Purple dress for this evening's ceremony. Tillie was just tying the laces when a knock sounded on the door. "Ah good evening." Balin said holding a small box out to Philicia. "I am done here My Lady." Tillie said a she quickly left her alone with Balin. " This is for you my dear." Balin said handing her the box. "Can I open it now?" Philicia asked eying the box. "That would be most approperate my dear." Balin said with a smile. Philicia slowly untied the sapphire ribbon that had been wrapped around the blue velvet. She removed the cover and tears sprung to her eye's. "Oh ,there beautiful."She said wiping her eye's. I do believe there is a note also." Balin pointed out. "To match your breathtaking eye's. All my heart, Thorin. Philicia refolded the note and reached for the sparkling diamond and Deep Amythest necklace and matching earrings. "A worthy gift." Balin said as he helped her hook the back of the necklace. "Thorin will be most pleased to see you accepted his gift." Balin said hooking her arm in his. "Shall we my dear." Suddenly Kili andFili appeared behind her all garbed out in their ceremonial clothes. "You look stunning Philicia." Fili said as Kili agreed with him. So down to the throne room they went where the ceremony was to be held. With Balin leading Philicia and the Durin Prince's following they came to the huge double doors to the throne room. The two guards placed on both sides pulled the door's open for them. There was a hush that fell upon all the dwarves that had assembeled for the momuentious event. Never in all of Dwarven History had such a thing been done by a Dwarven King. Balin led Philicia across the bridge that led to the Deis. Despite all the crowd watching her eye's were focused on the king. Thorin was decked out in his suit of golden one he had worn for the battle for Erebor. "Philicia Anderson come forth." Came Thorin's booming voice. "Welcome one and all as we pay honor where honor is due. Philicia knelt in front of Thorin as he stood. "She who has followed us across a continent. She who has unselfeshley gave us her friendship and she who without her knowledge the line of Durin would be all but spent. So now I Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King under the Mountain do hereby grant you the title fully due unto you. Arise and be presented." Philicia with the gracefulness of royalty stood and faced the crowd watching. " People of Erebor may I present to you The Lady Philicia Anderson of Woodland Hills. Fili and Kili were the first to embrace her followed by the rest of the company. After the ceremony the king with Philicia on his arm ajurned to the Great Hall for the feast that followed the presentation. "I am so overwhelmed by all this." Philicia said as Thorin sat next to her. Little by little the citizens of Erebor were gathering in the great Hall. There was feasting and lot's of drinking as the evening progressed. Philicia had Thorin pour her a small goblet of elvish wine and she sipped it slowly heeding Thorin's warning that it could be quite potent. After a while the people started breaking up and there was only a few dwarves left Philicia excused herself to her room. Before she went up to the upper levels she turned toward the large balcony that overlooked Dale. Outside the snow had started falling softly .Philicia held out her hand catching a few snowflakes in her palm. She licked the moisture there then collapsed in tears. Through the numbing cold she felt two string arm's wrap around her waist.
Fili was just making his way to the outer ledge to speak with the guard when he heard the sound of weeping. Going to see what the matter was he from a distance saw Philicia with her knees beneath her hanging her head in tears. "Philicia, are you alright," Fili asked as she buried her face in her hand's. "Just stay here, please I am going to get Thorin." Fili ran back to The Great Hall . "Thorin I just found Philicia she is crying badly I do not know what happend." Fili wispered in Thorin's ear . "Thorin tore out of the hall leaving Kili, Balin, Dwalin and Dain without an explination. He took off at a full run in the direction Fili said she was.
"Philicia my givashel, my Kurdu, What is the matter?" Thorin wrapped his arm's around her and crushed her to his chest. He shucked off his cloak and flung it over her shaking shoulders. She turned to Thorin burying her face in his raven lock's. "It's, it's almost Christmas and I miss home so much right now." Thorin held her as she cried till there were no tears left. "I know you do and I am going to do my very best to make you have no regret's." So after Thorin carried her to a nearby bench she told him that it was going to be Christmas in a few day's and she missed the holiday and what it entailed. Thorin remembering that when they went to her world it was just after Christmas. So he deceided right then and there that if he couldn't take Philicia to her world for the special day he would bring Christmas to Erebor. "So what does one do to celebrate this day?" Thorin fished for information. "Well first thing my dad would go and find the biggest tree he could get and bring it back to the house then we would decorate it up with beautiful glass ornament;'s and light's and garland. Oh Thorin it was so beautiful. My mom would get gift's for was the fun part the shopping." She went on to tell him how her mom would make a fabulious dinner with all the trimming's and they would make Chocolate Fudge Brownie's ,Divinity Fudge ,Peanut Brittle and Christmas candy and the best of all Pumpkin Pie. So Thorin was going to get the company and whoever else could be spared to help with the biggest surprise Philicia would ever know. Christmas in Erebor.
Translations - Givashel -treasure of treasures
Kurdu- heart
