Chapter Five
When three weeks had passed and Bilbo had felt no sign of life stirring within him, he had to assume that he was not in fact pregnant and really just making up for lost time with the food he ate. It was now a month and a half since Bilbo had discovered that Thorin was his one. He still attended the council meetings three days a week with Thorin and was with Balin for the other two. He had held off on having Balin teach him weaponry, making excuses about wishing to learn dwarven politics and Khudzul before learning how to defend himself. Thorin and Bilbo hadn't slept together since that first night, Thorin's dreams were driving Bilbo to the near breaking point, but he didn't know how Thorin would react to finding him in his bed, he might be Thorin's one but he was only really a hobbit and what did he have to offer the king. Thorin on the other hand, was afraid of being rejected by his hobbit, so he was surprised when Bilbo plucked up his courage and spoke to him soon after waking one morning.
"I don't want to be your manservant anymore, I'm ready if you are, to have our bond known to the people."
"Nothing would make me happier Bilbo, you had to only ask."
"That's the problem, I had to ask Thorin, why didn't you ask me if I wanted our bond recognized?" Bilbo asked.
"I was afraid of being rejected by you." Thorin admitted and smiled.
"I see is that why you didn't invite me to your bed? Or ask me to braid your hair?"
"After the first night, when I found you asleep in your bed, I assumed that you wanted a slow courtship." Thorin said.
"I was tired and I didn't want to be presumptuous by going to your bed. After that first night, I was afraid that you would react negatively to my being in your bed and you gave no inclination that you wanted me to sleep beside you."
"As I told you before, I was giving you time, but I see now that I will need to be more direct with my relationship with you."
"That would be appreciated." Bilbo said and smiled at Thorin, while Thorin was a busy dwarf and a king, he still took time out of his day to spend with Bilbo. They walked through his mother's old garden together, which Bilbo had replanted with hearty mountain flowers. They sometimes enjoyed picnics together, or simply spend evenings where Thorin would create elaborate jewelry and Bilbo would read the tombs on dwarvish customs Balin had given to him.
"Very well then, how long of a courtship do you want Bilbo?" He asked.
"Doesn't that matter to you, as well?" Bilbo asked.
"Not in the slightest, dwarven countships generally take place over the course of several days, if the one you are binding yourself to is your One. You are after all two matched souls and to wait would seem pointless in an ordinary dwarven courtship. However I will wait until you are ready to be bound together"
"I have always enjoyed winter and it is almost upon us, it would be nice to be married in the snow." Bilbo said and Thorin stared at the hobbit.
"You want to be married in winter, only you Bilbo would want that. The mountain gets very cold in winter."
"We could wear fur cloaks, I love the snow, its so pretty." Bilbo said and smiled at Thorin. "Though if you would rather we wait till spring or summer, I'd understand."
"No winter is lovely." Thorin agreed hastily and Bilbo smiled, climbing over his bed and into Thorin's. He shivered slightly as the cold touched his skin, his night shirt wasn't very warm and the covers were about the only thing keeping the chill out. Bilbo got into bed besides Thorin and smiled at the dwarf.
"Hobbits have a few courtship rituals, mostly its about planting a tree, or a garden with your chosen partner the first spring you are together and caring for it together. Trees are the most traditional, especially fruit trees."
"Then we shall plant a tree together this spring, is there anything else?"
"Just dancing, there's two traditional dances for hobbits, one is done before the marriage vows and the other is done in private, it can be very alluring." Bilbo said and licked his lips at the thought of Thorin performing that particular dance.
"I always considered you hobbits to be such a modest and prudish race, are all your kind so..."
"Don't finish that sentence and no we aren't, I think the newness of our bond makes me more lusty then usual." He said and smiled at Thorin.
"It can work that way for newly bonded couples sometimes, I don't mind admitting that my blood races when I think of you." Thorin said and Bilbo smiled, running his hand through Thorin's ear and smiling at Thorin's reaction. Bilbo then bent and whispered in Thorin's ear.
"If only we didn't have to go to that council today, the things I would have you do to me and I would do to you." Bilbo said.
"Bilbo..."Thorin said and Bilbo smiled.
"Unfortunately, if we don't leave now, we'll be late for breakfast and I need to help you with those pointless robes." He said and Thorin frowned.
"The robes are a proud dwarven tradition."
"I'm sure they are, but I don't see why having thirty buttons up and down your back would be considered practical every day wear." Bilbo said and got out another set of Thorin's robes. He realized then that he liked getting Thorin all hot and bothered. He smiled and Thorin shrugged into his robes, like he did everyday. This time however, Bilbo deliberately took his time, starting in the middle, trailing his fingers up and down Thorin's back and leaning particularly close to button the buttons that were by his collar.
"Bilbo, stop teas..."Thorin trailed off as Bilbo nibbled his neck and stroked his hair. Thorin's hair was thick and much thicker then Bilbo's. It bristled around his hands, as though it had a mind of its own. "Braid my hair, I want your courtship braids in my hair."
"And I want yours in mine, but we haven't made the beads yet." Bilbo said.
"I don't care, I want everyone to know that your my one." Thorin said and Bilbo nodded, he braided Thorin's hair gently, caressing his fingers over it and taking his time. Thorin then braided Bilbo's hair and Bilbo wore only his waistcoat unbuttoned waistcoat and trousers. He smiled at Thorin and the king returned the smile. Bilbo then slapped the marks on his chest, above his stomach, making the area seem red and raw. He felt something stirring within him, a slight fluttering sensation and his eyes widened. "Bilbo what's wrong?"
"Nothing, I just can't believe how lucky I am." Bilbo replied and Thorin smiled, wrapping his arms around the hobbit.
"We should take a jacket with us, just in case you get cold." Thorin said and Bilbo nodded, he would have to read about dwarven pregnancies so he might know what to expect going forward. Even though the babe was half hobbit, dwarves seemed to have a longer period of growth then hobbits and he didn't want his little one coming to any harm. On the other hand, he saw how overprotective dwarves were with their children, little Gimli being a prime example of that. He thought that it was probable that that protectiveness also carried to the unborn and their bearers.
"Alright." Bilbo agreed and packed a jacket in his bag that he always took with him to the council. The other manservants had never warmed to him and he decided that he would be glad once he no longer had to pretend to be one of them. He didn't mind taking care of Thorin, not in the least, but he didn't like the way other dwarves outside the company looked at him, as a manservant. He smiled at Gimli and a stunned Gloin when he walked to the table and sat down. "Good morning." He said brightly, as the dwarf gaped at him.
"Gloin...kindly... stop ... one?" Bilbo heard Thorin ask in Khudzul.
"I can't understand Khudzul completely yet Thorin." Bilbo said and pouted. "If you are going to address our friends, kindly do it in common." Bilbo said and Gloin laughed, as Gimli looked confused from Bilbo to Thorin.
"Dad...going...?"
"Gimli hasn't been taught Westron yet, we decided to teach him Khudzul first." Gloin said and smiled at the hobbit and Thorin. "I am happy for you my friends, we should celebrate."
"With you dwarves, its any excuse for a party." Bilbo said and shook his head, as the baby fluttered inside of him again. He sat down and was served a large plate of bacon, eggs and toast. He picked up the bacon and tried a bite of it, loving the taste of the meat. He devoured it and the other pieces too, when his was gone and he eyed Thorin's, Thorin wordlessly passed his portion of bacon to the hobbit, sticking to the toast and eggs.
"I remember how my wife needed bacon, after we joined for the first time." Gloin said and smiled at the memory.
"Mmmph, it was a memorable night." Bilbo agreed and Thorin eyed him, as he spread honey on his toast. What he really wanted to do was coat the bacon in the sweet confection, but he stopped himself. He then ate his eggs, trying to do so quickly as they were already late. He rose with Thorin and they hurried to the lift together, Bilbo being slightly out of breath.
"Are you alright, let Oin check you over, he might have missed something." Thorin said.
"I'm fine Thorin." Bilbo said and smiled at Thorin. "I'm more then fine, I've never been happier." He said and kissed Thorin gently, tomorrow was soon enough to tell Thorin of the new life growing inside of him Bilbo decided, he wanted to spend this day feeling connected to his little one. He wanted to enjoy this day at least, without worrying about explaining to Thorin the details of hobbit pregnancy and having Thorin worry over him. He knew that Thorin would be worried once he found out, Bilbo wanted to save this day to celebrate their bond, before his life and Thorin's would forever be dedicated to his child. He resisted the urge to stroke his belly, smiling as Thorin took two chairs from beside the elevator. They sat together and Thorin worked on linking some chain together, in what Bilbo supposed could be thought of as the dwarven version of knitting. Bilbo pulled out a book and continued reading about dwarven customs. Balin had switched the covers on his books, so others wouldn't know what he was being given to read. Balin had asked Bilbo and Bilbo decided to learn Khudzul in one go, being given the written words, as he was given the spoken.
The elevator door opened and Bilbo arched his back and stuck out his chin, his arms at his sides, fingers straight, as a sign of nobility. Thorin smiled at him, as they walked to the hall together. For the first time since Bilbo had seen the hall, it fell into complete silence. "I have found my One." Thorin said proudly. "He is no longer my manservant and we are courting." He added and Fili and Kili cheered.
"Welcome to the family Uncle Bilbo!" Kili said and Bilbo grinned at him.
"Thank you both boys." Bilbo said and smiled.
"As my One, Bilbo will be given a council seat, as is customary and he will be given the choice to come to council and choose from among you which seat he will take." Thorin said, there were grumblings from the council hall and Bilbo stared surprised at Thorin.
"Thorin, shouldn't we wait until after I know Khudzul at least?" Bilbo asked softly.
"No my heart, this is your right as my future Consort." Thorin replied and Bilbo stared at him.
"I don't want to take anyone's seat in the council Thorin, not only would it be unfair to them, but I don't know dwarven politics and there are some things I can never learn about your people." Bilbo said.
"Bilbo, you are my Consort, but as long as you dwell within Erebor, you are also my subject. You will not question my decisions." Thorin's voice had that steely timbre that would have warned Bilbo to tread carefully, had not those same words filled him with anger.
"Even when they affect me, or the people I care about, even when you are wrong."
"I am never wrong." Thorin said and Bilbo glared at him
"Very well then, have your pride, may it keep you warm at night." Then before anyone could do anything he stormed off towards the elevators.
"Bilbo come back!" Thorin said and Bilbo ignored him, the anger was coiled in his gut and all he could feel was this fury. So Thorin never wanted Bilbo to question him, did he, well Bilbo would never question Thorin again. Curse stupid dwarves and their prideful stupidity, Bilbo didn't belong in Erebor, nor would he belong anywhere else once his child was born. He couldn't go back to the Shire, not with a child that was half another race. Thorin caught up to him and held the hobbit to him, Bilbo struggled angrily.
"Let me go." Bilbo demanded.
"Bilbo what's gotten into you?" Thorin demanded.
"You tell me that I'm not to question your decisions, yet how we have a relationship, if I cannot make my own views known."
"There is a difference between our life in private and our life when I am in public. I wanted you to have a voice on the council, no one that is not a dwarf has ever served on the council before."
"I do not know your laws, I have just begun to learn your customs and you want me to serve on the council for a people I don't understand?"
"The council exists so different voices throughout the kingdom can be heard, Bilbo. Still the king's decisions are absolute, when you question my choices, you question me and my rule. You make me look like a weak king to my people, a people that have suffered greatly." Thorin said and Bilbo stared at him.
"You aren't a weak king Thorin, I've never thought that." Bilbo said. "I just believe strongly that our marriage should not be a dictatorship, I know you are stronger than me, that much is obvious, but I won't submit to you in every given situation. Hobbits believe in a partnership of equals, perhaps dwarven partnerships aren't the same, but I won't let you make all the decisons for me in my own life. I won't be some sort of kept pet, that does whatever you ask. I might be too caring for others, more then is common for dwarves, but that doesn't mean I'll let you have complete control my life or the lif-lives of...Fili and Kili." He said nearly mentioning the baby
"THEY ARE MY NEPHEWS BILBO!" Thorin raged and Bilbo glared at him.
"They are at that, but they are no longer children and they should be allowed a choice of what their lives are to be." Bilbo said and Thorin stared at him, it was clear that Thorin was giving a visible effort not to shout at Bilbo.
"Why, do you think my grandfather had a choice, or my father, or me? Erebor needs them to rule after I'm gone, or do you believe that Dain would make a good king?"
"I've never met Dain Thorin, but forcing someone to do something just because of blood is wrong. I come from a long line of Thrains, which are something like dwarven kings, we all receive training from childhood, but once every seventy years the adults are given a choice. We are allowed to choose to be Thrain or not and who from among us is worthy and will serve the people well after the old Thrain dies. I know you see it differently, that to you the right to rule is determined by some system that I don't entirely understand. Still isn't it better to have a king that wants the throne and wants to serve the people, then a reluctant monarch."
"Fili is not reluctant, he knows his duty." Thorin said.
"Fili is little more then a child, by your people's lifespans, he needs to know himself more. He can't discover that being shouted at by forty dwarves day after day. Anyway how did we start talking about the boys in the first place."
"Your the one that brought it up Bilbo." Thorin replied and rubbed his head. "I really do need to go back to the council and I can't take back my decison about giving you a seat on the council."
"I can have any seat?" Bilbo asked and Thorin nodded.
"That is what I said, isn't it?" Thorin demanded and Bilbo nodded.
"Then the only safe thing to do is to take Kili off the council."
"No, you cannot take my nephew off the council, choose someone else and I will make them swear vows that they and their kin will not seek retribution."
"You said anyone Thorin, everyone heard you and who am I to question my king?" Bilbo asked and Thorin glared at him.
"Do not try my patience."
"Who's trying anything, I am just taking my right."
"It can never be returned to him Bilbo, once taken." Thorin burst out and Bilbo stared at him.
"So you want to forever bar someone from the council?" Bilbo demanded. "This is a part of their lives, you said I had to take a seat right?" Bilbo asked and Thorin nodded glaring at Bilbo. "What if I don't want to sit on the council, what if there are other way that I might spend my time?" Bilbo asked. "Could I choose a proxy?"
"You could, but that rule is only used in regards to either the rearing of children, or sickness." Thorin said and Bilbo smiled.
"Then I qualify, your to going to be a father." Bilbo said and Thorin stared at Bilbo.
"What did you say?" Thorin asked finally after staring at him for several moments.
"Male hobbits can get pregnant, if they love the one that seeds them. We have a much more flowery phrase for it, but that's the basics." Bilbo said..
"How is this possible?" He asked, Bilbo noticed that his face was white, but he seemed to be coming to terms with it
"I'm sure there are certain gifts that Mahal gave his children, Yavanna gave her own gifts to her children and there's another reason entirely that she is called the giver of fruits." He said and smiled at Thorin. "I'm not a healer, I don't know the technical matters, save that when the time comes we'll need someone skilled with a knife." He said and Thorin's eyes widened for a moment, before they rolled back in his head and he fainted, Bilbo moving to the side just in time to ensure he wasn't taken to the ground with him. He hit heavily and Bilbo quickly kneeled to make sure he was alright. He shook him, trying to wake him, but he seemed to be out cold. He couldn't just leave Thorin in the hallway and they couldn't be seen from the council chamber. Bilbo needed someone to make sure Thorin was alright, Bilbo thought it was just the shock getting to him, but he wasn't a medical professional and he couldn't know that for certain and he was worried. Finally he decided to stay beside Thorin and yell for help.
"HELP ME, SOMEONE HELP ME!" He called and got fifteen dwarves who ran to his call and stared at him and the passed out king, the baby by that time decided to play with his emotions and Bilbo started to cry.
"What happened here?" Someone asked the sobbing hobbit.
"The hobbit couldn't have taken down our king." Another dwarf said and Bilbo continued to sob, knowing that he had to explain, but right now he couldn't get the words out.
"Its alright Bilbo, stop staring at him all of you."Fili commanded and laid a gentle arm on the hobbit. "Now we'll get a healer for uncle, but for them to examine him, you have to step back from him alright?" Fili asked and Bilbo nodded, Fili lead him away and to the dining room, where he gave Bilbo a pastry, Bilbo covered it in a pile of honey before eating it. The food helped somewhat and it got him calmed down enough, though he wanted to get back to Thorin. "There, that's better isn't it, can you tell me what happened?" Fili asked and Kili smiled reassuringly at Bilbo.
"I'm pregnant and Thorin was surprised that I was, I think it was the bit about having to have the baby surgically removed that got to him though." Bilbo said and Fili and Kili looked wide eyed from the hobbit to each other.
"P-pregnant, but males can't get pregnant." Kili said and Bilbo laughed.
"Dwarven males can't, but hobbits can, its not exactly secret, but we tend to stick with our own race." Bilbo said and smiled at the boys. "I didn't even know it was possible and the baby is growing more slowly then it should. I thought I wasn't pregnant after all, but then I realized this morning that I definitely am. "If the surgery is done in the right place and when it comes to be time, the right place will turn bright red, we call it the budding." Bilbo said. "After the baby is ready, the area is numbed to pain, so we won't feel our insides being opened. The cut itself will heal within a few days and any competent healer should be able to perform the surgery." He said and smiled at the boys. "I'll be fine, hobbit pregnancies rarely miscarry, though I'm not sure about dwarven..." He trailed off at the boy's pale faces, then their eyes rolled back in their heads and they passed out, luckily falling forward onto the table. Bilbo groaned, what was it with dwarves, give them a war and they charge into battle without so much as a by your leave, tell them that you are pregnant and they go into shock. A white faced serving girl smiled at him. "Please don't faint on me as well." Bilbo said and she laughed nervously.
"Congratulations sir." She said and Bilbo smiled.
"I suppose I'd better call for a healer, I really hope that someone doesn't take it into their heads that I'm somehow knocking the heirs of Durin unconscious deliberately." He said. "I suppose I should get back to my intended." Bilbo said and stood slowly, as to not harm Fili or Kili. He took the pastries from the girl and headed back to the council seat. "Where's Thorin?"
"Where are our princes?" Another dwarf demanded.
"I'm pregnant." Bilbo said. "They passed out." Bilbo said and smiled at the shocked dwarves. "Where's my husband."
"How is that possible." Someone finally asked and and Bilbo sighed.
"I won't go into details, I'll keep it simple and use the analogy we tell our younglings. Love is the soil, a seed is planted, it is cared for and grows into a beautiful flower. Now can you lot not faint on me?" Bilbo demanded and they stared at him wide eyed.
"How difficult are hobbit pregnancies?" A dwarf asked.
"Compared to what, I'm not a healer, I've never studied the pregnancies of other races and really do I have to answer that?" Bilbo demanded. "No offense but I don't know you, you won't be my healer during the course of this pregnancy and I fail to see how its any of your business."
"Its my business, because its our king who's life you risk." The dwarf said and Bilbo remembered how Thorin had said that a dwarf lived as long as his One.
"Miscarriage is almost non existant and hobbit pregnancies are safe. I can assume by your faces that dwarves don't share this blessing."
"Roughly, one half pregnancies come to full term with a healthy babe and mother," The healer said and Bilbo felt sick to his stomach he managed not to fall, by sheer will, instead going over to an empty council seat and sitting down.
"I see and what are the full statistics?" Bilbo asked and the healer didn't meet his eye. "I need to know this."
"Very well, there is a twenty percent chance that a dwarven mother and her child will die, a ten percent chance that the mother will die and a twenty percent chance that the babe will die."
"So forty percent of your children..."
"Are never born." The healer said and Bilbo nodded.
"Thank you, I want to be with my husband now."
"Is there something you can take to rid yourself of the babe, our king has heirs, this isn't necessary."
"It may not be necessary, but I can't kill off my child, not without giving it a chance at life." Bilbo said, its too late anyway, trying to terminate now would endanger my life more than going through with it. Hobbits were told another in their teens, if you wish to stop the seed once sowed, do not wait to feel it grow. Bilbo could feel his child now and he couldn't terminate even if he wanted to, which he in no way did. "Its my child, even if its a child of two races, even if things are uncertain, its my baby." Bilbo said and put a protective arm around his stomach. "Whatever the future might, or might not hold, I could never live with myself, if I killed my baby without giving it a chance at life. I know that there is more at stake here, than a pregnant hobbit, my son would be of the line of Durin and I don't know how you feel about that. If however any of you threaten the baby, Thorin, or my boys, let me just inform you that hobbits have ways of going unseen, ways which you might not want turned against you." Bilbo knew he must look a picture, but he saw respect in the dwarves' eyes for the first time, apparently it took threats of bodily harm, or saving another's life to get dwarves to respect you, who knew?
"I'll take you to see Thorin, my college would have informed me if he had wakened."
"The boys passed out too, can you see to them?" Bilbo asked and the healer nodded.
"But what is so bad that you keep knocking others out."
"Its something to do with my pregnancy, certain aspects of it are apparently worrisome to those that care for me. There is in fact very little risk to the bearer if done correctly and that's all I can say on the subject, you understand."
"I do, sorry about that question, but I'm a healer and I had to ask."
"What are typical dwarven gestation periods?" Bilbo asked and the healer paused a moment.
"Twelve months." He said and Bilbo eyes widened, his jaw dropped slightly and he put an instinctive hand to his stomach. "Why do you ask?"
"Because I expect this little one to be born somewhere between the gestational period for my race and that of yours, most probably quicker, as first pregnancies are the easiest for hobbits." Bilbo said. "I can't be sure when I'll have the baby, not when its so new." He added glad that he hadn't really ever eaten his full at the council hall, put off by the stares of the dwarves around him.
"I see, will you be learning Khudzul?" The healer asked.
"I don't see what that has to do with the health of my babe." Bilbo said. "Not that the health of my babe is your business."
"It is if something happens to you, while we're in council, I'm the most experienced healer our race has." He said it with the typical dwarven arrogance.
"No offense, I just don't know you and I don't trust people as easily as I once did."
"That is good, hobbits are a very trusting folk in nature and it isn't that dwarves aren't, its just that you have to earn our trust." He said and smiled at the hobbit. "It must be very odd for you living here."
"It is to some extent and it isn't, I was always too adventurous for people's liking back home. Here among my friends I find I can be myself and I'm closer to them then I ever was to some of my kin back home." Bilbo shrugged. "I suppose there is at least some truth to your beliefs, I never truly belonged at the Shire, if it wasn't Thorin, something else most likely would have lured me away sooner or later."
"Well I'm glad you are here, you make life interesting and I'm sure it will be even more interesting once you learn Khudzul."
"I won't be at council often, I'll have a new babe to care for, but I'll come when I can." Bilbo added.
"Who's seat will you take?"
"I'm not sure, some council members seem to care little for the suffering of others." Bilbo said and the healer stared at him. "I know manservants are part of your tradition, but that's no reason to abuse anyone and I don't say that just because of what happened to me. Its entirely unfair of me to mess about with a culture I don't understand, I get that, that doesn't mean I'm happy about it, or that I think the things you dwarves do make sense to me. Then again Thorin's been surprised a time or two..."
"WHERE'S BILBO."
"Speak of Mandos." Bilbo said cheerfully. "I'LL BE BESIDE YOU SOON, THORIN." He yelled cheerfully back and as he entered the room, Thorin jumped up from the bed and raced over to him, wrapping his arms around him. "Its alright Thorin, I'll be fine."
"You can't say that for certain." Thorin muttered into Bilbo's ear.
"Nothing in life is certain, but its too late to terminate the baby, if I was going to do that, I shouldn't have ignored the signs, when it passed the three week mark and there was no sign of life, I thought my body is making up for lost time." Bilbo whispered into Thorin's ear.
"How can you endanger yourself like this?" Thorin demanded and Bilbo sighed.
"Its my child Thorin, it deserves a chance at life." Bilbo said "Aren't you happy to be a father?"
"I am Bilbo, or I will be, after you are safe and I hold our babe in my arms, until then I'll be worried for you." Thorin said and Bilbo nodded.
"I understand that Thorin, but I will most probably be fine." Bilbo said.
"Probably be fine?" Thorin demanded and crushed Bilbo to him. "How can you be so calm about this?"
"Because I trust that Yavanna wouldn't give me her blessing and take it away. Our mother is not like that and I know that dwarven pregnancies are hard, but I don't care because I know it will be worth it in the end to hold it in my arms. Though I'm most likely having a little boy, male pregnancies are more commonly male." Bilbo said and moved his arms to Thorin's back. "It will all work out Thorin, everything will be fine and you will make a wonderful father." He reassured. "Now I want Oin to check me over, I think that we should spend this day together and return to the council tomorrow. I know you couldn't keep your mind on the council anyway." Bilbo said and leaned back to smile at Thorin. "Everything will be alright." Bilbo said and took Thorin's hand in his own. Thorin didn't want to let go of him, Bilbo had never seen Thorin like this before, he was clearly worried and terrified at some deep level. Bilbo got him to get moving, holding onto his hand, as they walked to the elevator. Bilbo picked up one of the chairs and pressed the button. The lift door opened and they stepped through. He set up the chair and turned to Thorin. "Sit, you can hold me, but I can't stand here and the ground is hard." Bilbo said and Thorin sat down, Bilbo then sat on his lap, surprised at how well he fit. He sighed and snuggled against Thorin as the lift rose. He closed his eyes and slept briefly until the lift doors opened, he had been tired lately. He opened his eyes to see Thorin gazing down at him, with a worried expression on his face. Bilbo yawned, a hand coming up and gently touching the side of Thorin's face.
"You fell asleep, are you alright?" Thorin asked and Bilbo nodded.
"The baby just tires me, I've been ignoring it for the most part, but I have been more tired then usual for the last week or so."
"If you are tired you should rest, not be in council every day for hours on end, I'll stay with you."
"As much as I appreciate you being here for me and the babe, you have a kingdom to run Thorin." Bilbo said gently. "My pregnancy can't get in the way of that and sitting on council chairs all day most likely isn't good for the baby."
"I care more for your well being then I do that of the unborn, I don't want you to risk yourself to have a baby, my mother did and she..." Thorin stopped abruptly and Bilbo stared at him.
"She perished?" Bilbo asked and Thorin nodded. "I'm so sorry Thorin, how old were you?"
"I was twenty four at the time and she wasn't father's One, but loosing her changed him." Thorin said and tears filled his eyes.
"You won't loose me Thorin."
"You can't know that!" Thorin said and Bilbo took Thorin's hand.
"Nothing in life is guaranteed, but if I survived being captured, I will Mandos well survive being pregnant!" He said and Thorin stared at him, his eyes full of tears.
"You swore! This is just a dream! A strange realistic dream." He said and Bilbo sighed.
"If you want to believe that Thorin, I'm not stopping you, but we still need to see Oin." Bilbo said and they walked to the healing room together. Oin stared at the white faced Thorin and Bilbo, who had Thorin clinging to him slightly, Oin then stumbled slightly before righting himself looking slightly ill.
"What's occurred?" He asked and handed a bottle to Bilbo. "He looks like he's in shock, have him drink this." He said and Bilbo held out the potion to Thorin.
"Love you need to be calm, while I talk to Oin alright?" Bilbo said and Thorin nodded, draining the bottle and relaxing slightly, though his grip on Bilbo didn't faulter. "Love if I'm to be examined, you need to let go for a minute." He told Thorin gently and Thorin reluctantly released him, he had a spacey look about the eyes and swayed slightly. "What did you give him?
"A calming tonic, he's in shock, now what's wrong with you Bilbo?" Oin asked and Bilbo watched as Thorin smiled drowsily, he looked worriedly at Thorin."He'll just be a bit spacy, so what brought this on?"
"I'm pregnant." Bilbo said and Oin stared at him for a moment in shock.
"How."
"Male hobbits can get pregnant, our pregnancies usually last four months or so, but this one is taking longer." Bilbo replied and smiled. "I just felt him move for the first time this morning, I couldn't be sure that I was pregnant until then and now its too late to terminate."
"I see, how do you give birth?"
"When it comes to be time, a red mark should appear over where the baby is. You will need to make a shallow cut, reach inside and pull the baby out. There's a sack that runs through my body, containing the baby and the placenta. The sack allows for the food the baby needs to travel to it."
"How shallow does the cut need to be?"
"Deep enough to open me and take the baby out, it should run across the longest part of the mark, leaving a space of about half an inch to either side." Bilbo said and Oin nodded. "After you make the cut and deliver the baby and placenta, you need to stitch up the wound. It won't be painful, as our bodies naturally are numbed around the area of our sacks, but you will need to be quick about the entire operation. Like any open wound it bleeds, but the bleeding will stop once you stitch the skin back together and the wound will heal within a few days."
"If the baby dies in your...stomach?" At that moment, Bilbo thought Oin to be merely surprised at the information he had given it.
"That rarely happens, but when it does, a black mark will appear on my skin and you will need to cut it out of me." Bilbo said and Oin nodded. "If that happens I might not be in the best mindset, hobbits tend to not take loosing their children well and I could go into a depression, in fact it would be likely if I lost the child, for I love it already." He said.
"I see, I will get ready the tonics you will need." He said his voice sounding slightly disturbed and Bilbo nodded.
"I'll get some pastries and go to bed for a few hours." He said and Oin nodded.
"I'll see you when you wake, I could do with some rest myself." Oin said and Bilbo nodded, he stood and Thorin followed him up swaying slightly.
"Come on Thorin, lets go to the dining hall." Bilbo said gently and walked with Thorin to the dining hall, which was a bit difficult as Thorin swayed as though he were drunk. Bilbo thought he seemed more then slightly spacy, but he trusted Oin's judgement. Bilbo sat down at a table and a server brought them some food, giving Bilbo a large plate of sandwiches and Thorin two as well. "Eat love." Bilbo said gently, and Thorin ate slowly, he wondered what Oin had given Thorin to make him this relaxed. He ate his own lunch and watched Thorin finish his food as well. He stood up from the table and Thorin followed him, Bilbo taking his hand and walking back with Thorin to their room. He then started to lay down on the bed, taking Thorin with him, before remembering Thorin's robes, imagining how uncomfortable they would be lying down and unbuttoning them.
"no' slee'y." Thorin slurred and Bilbo wondered if Oin alway overestimated the potency of his tonics, or if he'd given Thorin a larger then normal dose.
"Alright love, but I'm tired and I'd like you to hold me." Bilbo said and Thorin nodded, he got into bed beside Bilbo and wrapped his arms around the hobbit. Bilbo smiled when he heard Thorin start to snore a few minutes later and fell asleep himself.
He awoke several hours later and smiled yawning slightly and tried to get up without waking Thorin. Thorin's arms were heavy with sleep and he tried to move them off of him. He managed it and smiled at Thorin, before checking the clock. He was surprised when he saw that it was past lunch and getting well onto afternoon tea, Bilbo was sick and Oin had given Thorin something. Still he doubted that Oin intended Thorin to sleep this long. He shook Thorin's shoulder gently and then harder when he got no response. "Thorin? THORIN?" Bilbo demanded, but Thorin just continued to sleep, why wasn't he waking? Bilbo shook Thorin harder, pulled at his hair and slapped his face as a last resort, he hit him between the legs, as he continued to yell his name. Nothing worked and he wondered why no one had come running, then he realized that the other dwarves were most likely working at the moment and not in their quarters. Oin was far enough away not to hear him, so as much as it bothered Bilbo to leave Thorin while he wasn't responding to any attempts to wake him, he needed to get medical aid.
He ran to the healers quarters and found Oin collapsed, the vial shattered into thousands of pieces around him. The dwarf was as pale as death, in fact Bilbo thought that he was dead for a moment, before he saw the slow rise and fall of his chest. Oin needed help just as despritely as Thorin and he wondered why Oin had thought to treat Thorin, while he was so ill himself. He ran from the room, the kitchen staff saw him pass by and stared after him.
"Bilbo, what's wrong?" Bomber asked from the kitchen.
"Not now Bomber, I've got to get a healer." Bilbo said.
"What about Oin? Can't you go to him?"
"He's the one that needs the healer." Bilbo said and frantically hit the button on the elevator door. He stepped inside of it and the elevator descended. He spent the next forty five minutes pacing the floor of the elevator and ran out as soon as the door opened, the council had closed for the day, with the news of Bilbo's pregnancy and that felt like such a long time ago to Bilbo now. He ran to the kitchens, hoping they knew where the healer council members rooms were located. One of the kitchen boy took one look at his pale face and ran off.
"What's wrong?" Someone asked gently, apparently the news had spread.
"One of my friends is sick. That boy that ran off, he's going to fetch a healer right?"
"And why didn't let the King send for someone else to come, you shouldn't be running about in your condition."
"My condition has nothing to do with it!" Bilbo snapped. "If my friends are in danger, I'll come to their aid." Bilbo added, as the boy returned with the healer that had asked Bilbo all those questions before.
"Has something gone wrong with the pregnancy?" The healer demanded.
"We'll talk in the elevator." Bilbo said. "Not before." He added and the healer nodded, they went back to the elevator together and as soon as the door closed the healer turned to Bilbo.
"Now tell me what's wrong?"
"Thorin won't wake up, Oin gave him something, only Oin is unconscious too and he's so pale, so I ran to get aid." He said.
"Slow down and sit down, you should be more careful of the baby, I know your only a day pregnant, but you should still be careful." The healer told him and Bilbo nodded, sitting down. "Now speak more slowly and tell me what exactly your healer gave Thorin."
"It was some sort of tonic, it made his eyes all glassy and his speech slurred. Oin said it was a calming tonic, to help with the shock. Thorin won't wake up, I tried everything to get him to wake, I even hit him between the legs and pulled on his hair and beard, he still didn't respond."
"What color was this potion?"
"It was blue." Bilbo replied.
"How much of it did he drink?"
"Just a vial."
"Your healer was clearly sick when he saw you and Thorin, I cannot say for certain what ails him without seeing him, or know what he gave Thorin for certain until I see the flask he drank from and examine him as well. You need to stay calm, so I will give you something to calm your nerves, it won't hurt the baby."
"Thorin was given something to calm his nerves and he could be..."Bilbo trailed off before bursting into tears.
"I am within my right mind Bilbo, I am not sick, like I suspect Oin was, when you came to him."
"I...I...Can't..."
"As a healer its my duty to ensure that those in my care are healthy. You are going to make yourself sick with worry Bilbo."
Bilbo made a visible effort to calm down, it took a while, with the healer demanding that he drink the potion. "I can't drink that, its undiluted." Bilbo finally managed to say and the healer looked at him interested.
"You can only drink diluted potions, do you know how diluted they have to be?" He asked and Bilbo shook his head.
"Oin always made them." He replied and the healer nodded.
"I see, well how did Oin determine how much to give you?"
"I don't know, he just knew he had to, when he gave me a sleeping tonic and I slept for two days." Bilbo replied and the healer nodded.
"Will you consent to taking just a drop of this tonic, if its mixed with water?" He asked and Bilbo considered a moment before nodding, he knew that dwarven healers took an oath to protect and care for their patients and not to harm them and dwarves took oaths seriously.
"I suppose."
"Good, we can see how it affects you and adjust the dosage accordingly later. Just in case your nowhere near the healer you trust more, or don't trust him as much now that he's messed up a dosage." The healer said.
"What's your chosen name?" Bilbo asked suddenly.
"Borvin son of Korvin at your service."
"At yours and your families." Bilbo replied, Borvin mixed together the tonic with a flask full of water. Bilbo drained it and felt a bit better, though he didn't feel completely calm.
"It worked slightly." Bilbo admitted and Borvin nodded.
"Well next time we'll try you with two drops, instead of just the one." Borvin said.
"I suppose that's alright." Bilbo told him and then the rest of the ride was spent in silence. As soon as the door opened, it was all Bilbo could do not to jump to his feet. Instead he stood slowly and he led the healer to the healing quarters first. Bomber was in the healing quarters and he was crying holding Oin in his arms and rocking back and forth with the dwarf. The healer took one look at Oin, before sitting Bilbo on a bed and handing him some more of the potion.
"Drink this."
"I don't want it."
"Well drink it all the same." The healer said and Bilbo took the potion from him and downed it. "There is nothing I can do for Oin, he's lost his One. Do you know what that means Bilbo?"
"I do, I read about it." Bilbo said. "Once a dwarf looses their One they...They don't live long after the loss." Bilbo said and the healer nodded.
"Even when they have never met their One, the passing of their One causes them to die."
"But that must mean..."
"That a dwarf can die at any moment, yes that is true. That is a fact of our lives, why do you think that dwarves live their lives to the fullest? It is because any day could be their last." He said.
"Is there truly nothing that can be done for him?" Bilbo asked.
"Nothing, take comfort in knowing that he is not in any pain, he should pass over to Durin's halls soon." He said and Bilbo's eyes filled with tears. "There is nothing I can do for him, but I need you to be strong for Thorin, can you remember what he was given?"
"I'll try." Bilbo said and stood going over to Oin's healing bag. He looked through the variety of bottles, until he saw one that looked like the one Oin had given Thorin. He went back over to the healer and handed it to him.
"Are you certain this was it?" The healer asked.
"It looked the most like what Thorin was given." Bilbo replied.
"I see, show me to his rooms, he should not be in immidate danger."
"Thorin is ill too?" Bomber asked.
"Oin gave him something, apparently I'm always in the wrong place at the wrong time." Bilbo said wryly. "Though I am glad that I got to speak with him one last time. Looking back on it now, he did seems a bit distracted."
"That is the first sign of the withering, a dwarf will become confused and distracted, often they don't know what has happened, up until they slip into sleep. After they are asleep, it takes anywhere from a few hours to several days for them to die. Their friends gather around and attend vigil over them, until their passing." He told the hobbit. "There is nothing we can do for your friend, we need to go to Thorin now." He said and Bilbo nodded, showing him to Thorin's rooms.
The dwarf was as Bilbo had left him, snoring loudly on the bed and Bovin went to him. "I believe that he was given a tonic by Oin, that is used in dwarven surgeries. It cuts off feeling in the nerves and puts the dwarf into a deep sleep. Very rarely is a full vial given, but he should waken within several days, a week at most and he might be disoriented for several more days after that."
"He might be out for a week."
"Yes and he needs to be cared for during that time, I will care for him."
"I will care for him, I'm his One, I should be the one that cares for him." Bilbo said fiercely.
"Bilbo, you are pregnant, you do not need the added stress of caring for Thorin."
"The baby will be fine, what will I have to do?" Bilbo asked and Bovin sighed.
"Are you set in this course, it would be better for all, if you allowed me to care for my king."
"I am, I cared for my mother before her passing, are there any tonics he should take."
"No, the best thing is to allow the tonic to take its course, right now. Though he will need fluids, do you know how to feed someone that is unconscious?" He asked and Bilbo shook his head.
"She was never unconscious, near the end she was bed ridden and I had to change her, but she could always feed herself.
"You need to dribble it into his mouth slowly, sometimes a rag or cloth is used. Don't give him a large swallow of it all at once or he might choke." He said and Bilbo nodded. "I'll get you some broth from the kitchens and watch as you feed him the first time, he should be fed broth at least four or five times a day, I'll also get some soiling cloths from the healer's chambers." He said and Bilbo nodded. "I'll help you lift him, so you can feed him more easily, as I doubt you could take his full weight on yourself." He added.
"Thank you." Bilbo said and Bovin nodded, before leaving. Bilbo settled onto the bed and gently stroked back Thorin's hair, there was a slight bruise developing on his face, from when Bilbo had slapped him. "I'm sorry Thorin, I just was so afraid." He told Thorin. "I wish you would wake up, but the healer says you will sleep for a few more days at least, I miss you already. I don't know how I'm going to cope without you, even though we've only been together a month. So you'd better wake up soon, do you hear me?" Bilbo asked and got no response, he felt tears fill his eyes, as he gently stroked Thorin's hair. There was a knock at the door and Bilbo sat up, before going over to it and opening the door. The healer was there, with a pot of broth, which he placed on the stove and a plate of food.
"You should eat something, you've got a baby inside of you, that needs you to stay strong." The healer said and Bilbo nodded, eating the food he was given.
"I am going to tell you something and I want you to swear by the healer's oath not to reveal it to anyone else."
"I swear to do so, by the oath I made." He said.
"I'm a month and a half pregnant, instead of only a day." He told the healer and Bovin stared at him. "When I was...traveling, my companions weren't exactly kind to me, they took advantage of me. Thorin managed to get to tell them who made me suck them off, it was only two, I suppose for some reason I thought I was helping Thorin in my addled state. We awoke the next morning to find that we were bound together, neither one of us remembers much of it." Bilbo paused,glad at the healer's neutral expression before continuing. "I started to eat more than I usually do, it wasn't until about the third week I suspected something, but I couldn't know for certain, until the babe stirred in my belly today. Its too late to abort it and I wouldn't want to, even if I could. Its our babe, a little person that will be a blend of Thorin and I, I can't kill it." Bilbo said and the healer nodded.
"I will need to know how you give birth and move to your quarters, I suppose this means that you have decided to trust me."
"You said you were one of the best healers in the kingdom and I don't have much choice." Bilbo said and Bovin nodded.
"That is true, now I will need you to tell me about how your pregnancy will progress and how the babe is to be born. Though that can wait until after you eat and I make sure that you can feed Thorin properly." He said and Bilbo nodded. "You should eat first, then we can tend to Thorin, do not put his care above your own, otherwise I will not allow you to continue to care for him, while he sleeps off the effects of the potion." The healer said and Bilbo frowned, before starting to eat the food the healer had brought.
"How did you find broth so soon?" Bilbo asked.
"The kitchen workers always keep a pot of broth handy, its used to add to soups, stews and sauces, not to mention broth is just good on its own and some people prefer to eat just broth and bread after a long day, as its easier to drink then to have to deal with cutlary and chewing." He said and smiled at the hobbit, as he finished his meal. "Now you do know how to use the soiling cloths, correct?" He asked and Bilbo nodded. "Good I brought a fair amount with me and they should last for the next several days, as should the broth. I'll be coming to check up on you and the king periodically. Now tell me what to expect for your pregnancy." The healer said.
"Well hobbits rarely miscarry, if I do, a black mark will appear on my stomach and I'll be in pain. You need to cut the babe out of me, regardless, as the child won't just dissolve after it can be felt. Still the chances of that happening are slim. We're pregnant for generally around four months or so, but this babe is developing slower then a hobbit babe, so I expect I'll be pregnant for longer."
"How much longer do you believe that you will be pregnant for?"
"I can't be certain, but perhaps twice that long." He said and the healer frowned.
"Still that's only eight months, dwarven pregnancies usually last twelve months."
"This child won't just be a dwarf, it will be of my race as well." Bilbo pointed out and the healer nodded.
"All the same, I would like to check up on you regularly and I don't feel entirely comfortable allowing you to take care of Thorin by yourself. It is your right to do so, as his One, but are you certain?"
"I am, I will take care of Thorin." Bilbo said and Bovin nodded.
"Very well, if that is what you wish."
"It is." Bilbo said and Bovin nodded.
"I am going to lift Thorin now, since his head is back against the pillows." Bovin said and Bilbo propped pillows behind Thorin's head, as Bovin lifted him, so he was supported in a sitting positon. His head lulled to his chest and Bovin gently pushed it back against the pillows. "Now you take one of the rags and dip it into the broth, you need to be careful with how you bring it to his mouth, you don't want to smother him." Bovin said and watched as Bilbo took a rag and brought it to Thorin's lips, squeezing it out slowly. "Very good, exactly like that, I'll leave you now. I think that your friends might do well to have a calming tonic, to dull the pain of loosing Oin." He said and Bilbo nodded, continuing to feed Thorin the broth. "I'll leave some with you as well, you can't afford to give into your grief completely Bilbo, you have to care for Thorin and the baby."
"Thank you." Bilbo said and heard the door close a few moments later, not really paying attention, as his focus was centered on Thorin. He finished feeding him the broth and hesitated a moment, before removing Thorin's trousers, Bilbo had seen Thorin naked a handful of times, since they had first gone on their quest. Still it felt wrong to see him for the first time, that he knew he would be spending the rest of his life with Thorin, like this. Still he would rather do it, then have someone else take care of Thorin when he was vulnrable. Bilbo took a steadying breath before yanking Thorin's trousers and undergarments down. He then positioned one of the soiling clothes under him and wrapped it securly around Thorin, glad that Thorin had yet to void himself, as he doubted cleaning the bed would be easy or pleasent.
Bilbo read for several hours, holding Thorin's hand and listening to his steady snoring. He fed him again, before lying down, with his head on Thorin's chest, wrapping one of Thorin's arms around him and falling asleep.