Chapter Ten

Days later, the Company arrived at Beorn's home (a skin changer, and an old friend of Gandalf's). Beorn had taken them in, although he wasn't quite fond of dwarves. But when he saw Lalina and her injuries, he immediately had taken them in. After supper Beorn and Oin examined Lalina. "What's the news?" asked Thorin. "She says she is still unable to move or walk. I'm afraid, she cannot continue this quest until she is healed." said Beorn. "He's right, lad." said Oin. This had made Thorin upset, and now he felt like he was stuck between a rock and hard place.

"I cannot leave her behind. She is my wife!" snapped Thorin, angrily. "I understand that, Master Thorin, but there is something else that is also stopping her." Beorn continued. "What?" said Thorin. "She's carrying child, Thorin." piped in Oin. Thorin's eyes widened in shock when he heard this. "How can this be possible?! The last time we done anything was back in.." shouted Thorin, and he quickly fell silent, as he realized all eyes were upon them. "Beorn and Oin are right, laddie. She cannot go, not like this." said Balin.

Gandalf stepped in.

"However, I have a plan in mind to ease your worries, Thorin. Once I return from what I need to do, I will escort her myself and return her to Erebor." said Gandalf. "No, its fine Gandalf really! Once I'm healed up and our child is born, I will go to Erebor myself." said Lalina. Lalina felt terrible, and guilty. She could tell in Thorin's eyes, he is terribly angry, and she knew he is angry with her for with holding the news of her being pregnant.

"I wish to see her." said Thorin. "No, if you're angry, its best you leave her alone." said Gandalf. "Its fine Gandalf, he can come in!" Lalina called back from inside the room. Lalina was used of Thorin's wrath, and she embraced herself for what he is going to say to her. Thorin entered the room and closed the door, as he glared her. "Why didn't you tell me this before? How long have you known of the pregnancy?" Thorin asked Lalina, sharply. "Since we first made camp after the Carrock when Gandalf and Oin examined me! Thorin, I'm so sorry-I should have told you this sooner-I was afraid to tell you." said Lalina.

Thorin remained quiet. "Not only you got a fractured back, you're pregnant! I knew the moment you arrive in the Shire, I should have sent you back home!" bellowed Thorin.

"You're not saying that I'm a burden, and I'm slowing you down, are you?!" shouted Lalina. "YES! You should have told me of the pregnancy before, Lalina! It is wrong for you to hold something like that back!" shot back Thorin. "Thorin, I said I am sorry, I am really truly sorry!" said Lalina, tears running down her face. "Well it's a good thing you're staying here! Good night, Silverfire!" hissed Thorin darkly, as he stormed out of her room, slamming the door behind her. It broken Lalina's heart when he addressed her by her maiden name, and she broke down into uncontrollable sobs.

Balin took notice of this, and he approached Thorin. "Balin, don't eve start!" growled Thorin, and he walked away. "You let me handle this, brother!" said Dwalin. Dwalin too, didn't like the idea of Thorin shouting at Lalina, especially in her condition. And he definitely didn't want to see Thorin leave on bad terms with his wife. "Thorin, lets go outside." said Dwalin. Thorin nodded, he felt the need for fresh air, anyway. The two sat down on a couple wooden benches.

"You have no right to get all hostile with your wife, in the condition she is in, Thorin. Yes, I understand you are angry she had with held the news of her pregnancy from you. And from what I seen, I wouldn't blame the lass for doing so!" began Dwalin.

Thorin remained silent. "Thorin, you and Lalina cannot spend the rest of your lives bickering, and I'm not going to sit here and watch it either. For the sake of your marriage, and for the baby's health, please go and make amends with Lalina. She loves you very much." said Dwalin. "But, how can a marriage work without trust and honesty? She wasn't being very honest, holding back the information, Dwalin!" said Thorin. "Yes, I understand that Thorin, but you have a child to raise too. Just please try and work things out with Lalin." said Dwalin.

Thorin sat in deep thought, as he remembered before following Dwalin outside, he could hear her sobs. Thorin stood up and walked back inside Beorn's home, and approached the room where Lalina is staying in, and he still could hear the sobbing, and the sobbing stung at him. He's right, we cannot go on like this. If she is to stay behind, I cannot depart on her on bad terms, thought Thorin. Thorin knocked on the door. "Who is it?" called out Lalina's husky voice from behind the door.

"Its Thorin, love! May I come in?" Thorin called back. "No." came the reply. "Please Lalina, we need to talk about this like adults. I promise there won't be anymore yelling!" said Thorin. "Come in!" Lalina replied. Thorin turned the door knob and entered the room. He closed the door behind him, and sat next to Lalina on the bed.

"Lalina, I don't know what possessed me to get angry with you like I had done, and I never meant to-its just I felt so upset when you never told me of the pregnancy, and I wished you told me." said Thorin gently. "I understand that, Thorin-but I didn't know how to tell you, I felt scared-I'm already feel guilty enough for slowing you down." said Lalina. Thorin took Lalina's hands. "Don't worry, everything is going to work out in the end. We're going to have a family once Erebor is reclaimed, with you and our child at my side." said Thorin, as he placed his hand gently on Lalina's face.

"Forgive me, love!" whispered Thorin. "You have my forgiveness, Thorin." said Lalina. Thorin pulled Lalina into his arms. "I didn't miss anything while I was in here, did I?" asked Lalina. "You missed a good sing a long! Bofur took out his flute, and I picked up a lute nearby, and we started singing around the fire pit in Beorn's Great Hall." said Thorin. "OH!" moaned Lalina. "Don't worry, I can go get the lute and give you a private concert!" grinned Thorin. Lalina smiled back at Thorin. "I would like that very much!" said Lalina.

Thorin left the room, and soon returned with lute in hand, as he sat beside her on the bed. Soon as he began to strum the lute, the dwarf started to sing:

The wind was on the withered heath

But in the forest stirred no leaf;

There shadows lay, by night and day

And dark things silent crept beneath.

The wind came down from mountains cold

And like a tide it roared and rolled;

The branches groaned, the forest moaned

And leaves were laid upon the mould.

With a final strum on the lute, the song ended, and now Lalina felt very relaxed, after hearing her husband's beautiful, rich deep velvety voice. After placing the instrument down, Thorin climbed into the bed with her, and pulled her gently into his arms, holding her close to his chest. Lalina could feel sleep quickly taking over her, as she laid her head upon Thorin's chest, and dozed off into Thorin's arms. Thorin decided to spend the next couple days during their stay at Beorn's with Lalina. Thorin hated the fact having to be separated from Lalina again, but he knew it was for the best.

Two days had passed, the day came for the bittersweet departure.

It was Beorn who assisted Lalina out of bed, and helped her walk outside on the front porch to watch her beloved and her kin folk, and Bilbo depart. "I promise you, love, I will return! It will be only a matter of time, I will come home to you!" said Lalina. "And I will hold your word on that!" said Thorin, smiling at Lalina, as he pulled her into his arms, and they kissed, passionately. After they broke their kiss, Thorin took his wife's hands. "Farewell, love! Until we meet again!" said Thorin. "Farwell!" said Lalina softly, as she watched Thorin mount his pony that Beorn had loaned him.

Lalina stood for a while, until the Company had departed. After they had left, Beorn had carried Lalina back inside his home. And it was that very night Beorn and Lalina had a long discuss that Beorn will help her walk again, since she is still early in her pregnancy. "You need to be with your family when the baby is born. And its time now, to bring strength back in your spine again!" said Beorn. So every day, morning and night, Lalina (with Beorn's help) moved around. She even helped Beorn with the house work and cooking as well.

Lalina called Beorn her 'personal trainer', because had one back in her world when she lived with her Great Aunt. She loved working out, and she wouldn't let anything stop her from doing so.

Several more days passed with great improvement, now Lalina is walking with as much strength she had before the Goblin Caves, and before her fight with Azog. Now she felt ready to journey to Erebor. "Will you able to do this on your own? Going through Mirkwood is dangerous, Lalina." said Beorn. "Well there is however a short cut I can take. Besides that, there is one stop I have to make anyway." said Lalina. Lalina explained to Beorn of her home, now lost because of orcs. Lalina had planned visiting the grave sites of her best friend Torche, and her father, Lord Narin.

After packing her belongings, Beorn supplied her with food and other supplies she needed for the journey. Afterwards, she thanked Beorn for his hospitality and assistance, and she embarked on her journey.

Lalina's POV:

It had been several days since I left Beorn's, and I recognized the land I was about to enter. My old home-my lost home, and the many whom had died there, alongside with my father and Torche. No soon as I entered the dwarven ruins, a dwarf with a light brown hair, beard and blue eyes approached me. "Who are you, and why are you trespassing?" demanded the dwarf. "I am not meaning to trespass, my good sir, because all of this was once my home too, Lalina at yours service!" I said.

I bowed to him afterwards. Suddenly the dwarf's eyes widened in surprise. "SISTER? Is that really you?!" cried out the dwarf. "Breg! NO! It cannot be!" I cried out. There standing in front of me, my brother, whom I never got to see, even when Ered Mithrin was still standing. "Lalin!" cried out Breg as he pulled me in a full embrace. "I can imagine you came here, the same reason as I!" said Breg, after pulling the embrace. "Actually, I'm heading to Erebor to reunite with my husband, but I decided to stop here to pay my visit with father and Torche's grave." I said sadly.

"Lalin-I'm sorry, I should have returned sooner to help you. I was needed in the Iron Hills, as Lord Dain's guards. And I'm still working as one of his guards. I left the Iron Hills, so I can visit our home, but when I came, I arrived too late, seeing the graves of our father and Torche." said Breg. Lalina, nodded. "You have my forgiveness, brother." I said, taking his hands. "Married? When did you get married? And to whom, I may ask?" said Breg, with a grin. "Thorin Oakenshield!" I replied.

Breg's eyes lit up with excitement. "That's wonderful, sister! You two were meant to be married anyway! I'm so happy for you!" chirped Breg. "And I'm pregnant as well. Uncle Breg!" grinned Lalina.

"This is the best news I've heard all day! My sister getting married to soon to be King Under the Mountain, and becoming an Uncle as well!" said Breg. "That's why I'm heading to Erebor now to meet up with them!" I said. "Lalina, you're not going alone are you?" asked Breg. "Well, it all depends on a certain brother of mine, who wishes to come along!" I said with a smile. "Count me in! Besides, I cannot wait to reunite with the In Laws!" said Breg. "Let me pay a visit with father and Torche first!" I said. Breg nodded, as he followed me to the graves of my father and Torche.