Chapter Seventeen
Six months later
The Shire
Neniel arrived in the Shire, tired as she had been riding non stop since the beginning of her journey. She dismounted as she approached Bilbo's door, and she knocked. "Lobelia, that better not be you again! The very next time you show up, it's not going to be a pleasant one!" Neniel could hear Bilbo call out. Neniel chuckled. "Bilbo, its me Neniel!" Neniel called out. Bilbo quickly opened the door. "Neniel! This is a pleasant surprise! What brings you this way?" asked Bilbo. "May we talk about this over tea, please?" asked Neniel, her eyes looking sad.
Bilbo could tell by the look in Neniel's eyes that something had happened. "What's going on, my dear? Has something happened to Thorin?" asked the hobbit as he helped Neniel remove her cloak, and she sat down in the dining room. "It's not what happened to Thorin, it what he had done." said Neniel, and she explained the situation to the hobbit.
"Well! The nerve of him! I wish I get a hold of him, I'll punch him in the nose! Do you think it may be the sickness returning to him?" asked the hobbit. "Bilbo, he hadn't been effected by the gold sickness in a long time. Not once he had set foot in the Treasury, so its not that." said Neniel. Bilbo placed his hand on Neniel's shoulder. "Nen, I'm sorry this has happened. He should have never treated you that way, and congratulations on your pregnancy, even if Thorin wishes not to be part of it." said Bilbo, feeling very disgusted at the dwarf of his actions on it. Bilbo took Neniel's hands.
"You shall stay with me, if you like." offered the hobbit. "Thank you so much, Bilbo! That is really kind of you!" said Neniel. And so Bilbo made up some tea and some small snacks for the two of them, and they ate. The hobbit and dark elf sat in silence for a while, and then Neniel told Bilbo of the news in Erebor, and how everything is going, and of her little mess from her dark past as well. "Wow! It sounds like you've been through a lot." said Bilbo. "Yes." Neniel replied. Later that night, Neniel laid in bed. She couldn't sleep, not used of having to sleep alone without having Thorin beside her. Deep down inside Neniel, she missed Thorin, although she felt very angry towards him, which caused her heart to ache even more.
Erebor
Thorin told everyone his plans of finding Neniel. "Thorin, she has went to Bilbo's. You would most likely find her there." said Balin. "And that is where I will be heading. Fili, you will take my place while I'm gone." said Thorin. Fili nodded. "I will hold down everything for you, Thorin." said Fili. "After all, this would be a good practice run for you, Fili!" said Thorin, smiling at the blonde dwarf. And so after Thorin packed his belongings, he departed from Erebor as he begin his journey to the Shire, accompanied by Dwalin and Kili who wanted to go with him.
"You're just coming with us knowing we're going to stop in Mirkwood, Kili." joked Dwalin. Kili's faced turned red. "He wants to meet his precious Tauriel!" said Thorin, grinning. "Uncle, not you too!" moaned Kili. Both dwarves laughed, as they got him good. "Maybe we should tell Tauriel the little story of his elf mix up in Rivendell!" chuckled Dwalin. "Don't you even, Mister Dwalin!" snapped Kili. Everyone was still heckling Kili about the little incident of his confusion with male and female elves. "That was long ago! Don't bring it up!" hissed Kili.
It was bad enough Kili felt embarrassed then, and still felt rather embarrassed about it now.
Six more weeks later..
Neniel had came along in her pregnancy rather well, as her belly began to show, and Bilbo hovering over her like a mother hen, making sure Neniel wouldn't over do it on any activities. Neniel wanted to help Bilbo in his garden. "No, Neniel! I don't want you to over do it!" said the hobbit. "But I'm bored!" moaned Neniel. "Well, take up some mending then if you're bored!" shot back Bilbo. "Fine!" grumbled Neniel as she began to start on mending some of Bilbo's clothes.
By early evening, Bilbo was about to start supper when the doorbell rang. "Must be Gandalf. He had written me a letter several weeks ago, he was going to pop in for a visit." said Bilbo. "Really?" said Neniel, her eyes lit up at the thought of possibly seeing the Grey Wizard again. Bilbo went to answer the door, and to his surprise, he saw Thorin, Dwalin and Kili standing outside. "Thorin, I didn't expect you to be here!" exclaimed Bilbo. "Is Neniel here?" asked Thorin. "Yes she is." scowled Bilbo, looking at Thorin angrily. "Before you enter this house, let me tell you this! If you say anything to hurt her, I will knock you in the head with my frying pan!" snapped Bilbo.
Thorin rolled his eyes, and wondered what Neniel had told Bilbo about the situation.
"I just need to talk to her, Bilbo! I feel bad enough already as it is for what I done, don't make it worse." said Thorin. Bilbo allowed the dwarves to enter, and they entered the dining room. Neniel stood up, and she was about to walk out of the dining room, when Thorin stopped her. "Neniel, may I have a word with you in the sitting room?" asked Thorin. "Sure." said Neniel quietly, as they walked out of the dining room, and they entered the sitting room, while Bilbo talked merrily with Kili and Dwalin.
Neniel and Thorin sat in the living room, as Thorin knelt before her. "Neniel, I truly, deeply apologize for my actions towards you and how I handled the news. I was out of line, and I should have never reacted the way I did." said Thorin. "Why did you react that way? You're not scared of becoming a parent, aren't you?" asked Neniel, placing her hands on her hips. "Me? Scared?! No!" said Thorin. "You're scared, admit it. The whole parenting thing is new to you, and you're scared." said Neniel. Thorin sighed. "Yes, I am-a little, because I'm worried of our child's future, Neniel. What happens if they get the same curse, the effected my grandfather, myself and Kili?" asked Thorin.
"Is that what you're worried about, Thorin? Thorin, there is no need to worry about them! Besides, you shouldn't be thinking that far away yet! The baby hasn't even been born yet!" said Neniel with a soft chuckle. Thorin laughed softly, and he took Neniel's hands. "You are right, love. Do you forgive me?" asked Thorin. "Yes, I forgive you!" said Neniel. Thorin smiled, as he pulled Neniel into his arms, holding her close to his chest.
"I'm going to become a father! A father!" beamed the Dwarf, as he pressed his lips onto Neniel's, embracing her in a deep and passionate kiss. At the same time, Bilbo entered, and he blushed. "Oops! I think I came in at a wrong time!" said the hobbit, and he could hear Dwalin and Kili chuckling in the background, as Bilbo went back into the dining room. Thorin decided they would stay for a couple more days, before they begin their journey back home. That same day, Gandalf made a visit, and he suggested that the Eagles should take them back to Erebor, since Neniel is carrying child, and journeying on horse back could be too dangerous for the Dark Elf.
Two days later, the Eagles arrived, and the dwarves and dark elf said their farewells to Bilbo and they departed from Bag End, beginning their journey back home to Erebor.
Erebor
Six months later..
The time was getting closer for the birth of Thorin and Neniel's child. Everyone made sure that Neniel had remained resting, which annoyed Neniel immensely. It was bad enough that Bilbo was hovering over her like a mother hen during her stay at Bilbo's home. Neniel felt frustrated because she was feeling quite bored being laid up in her bed. And so it was decided that all the dwarves, including Thorin himself, whenever he took time from his duties as King to entertain Neniel.
Bofur, and the rest of the original company members would come and visit Neniel, and they would play their instruments and sing for Neniel, and making her laugh as well. Balin would also come and the two of them will get involved in a nice long conversation, mostly about her stay at Bilbo's, and informing Balin how Bilbo is doing. "I always believed Lobelia had a crush on Bilbo." spoke up Kili, one day as they visited Neniel.
"Are you serious? Bilbo doesn't like her at all! And I don't either! She's very mouthy, greedy, and she always wanted one thing from him! His gold and his spoons." said Neniel.
"I should have given that woman a scare the day we showed up. I saw her trying to loiter around his home." said Thorin. "Why didn't you? You're not afraid of her, aren't you?" teased Neniel, and everyone laughed. "No, I am certainly not afraid of her!" said Thorin, sharply. After Thorin and Neniel are left alone, Thorin sat beside her on the bed, and he took out his harp, and began strumming on it gently. "Its my turn to sing for you and the child, love!" said Thorin softly, as he absentmindedly plucked the strings.
Suddenly, Thorin started to sing softly as he played, and the song he sang was about love and family. He made the song himself, and he sang with such emotion, it moved Neniel deeply, as she wiped a tear from her eyes, as she listened to him. Shortly, Thorin finished the song with a final sweep on the harp strings, and he placed the harp next to him, as he turned to Neniel. "Thorin, the song is beautiful!" Neniel said softly. "I made the song up for you and our child." said Thorin softly, as he held Neniel close to him, as she lay her head upon Thorin's broad chest.
Suddenly, Neniel winced, as she could feel the labor pains starting. "Thorin, the baby is coming! Send for Oin, please!" said Neniel.
Thorin nodded as he ran out of the chambers and sent for the healer. It didn't take long for Thorin returning with Oin, as the birthing began. Thorin stood beside Neniel, holding her hand, and Dis also is in the room as well, giving words of encouragement to Neniel. It seemed like hours as they waited and waited. There were times Thorin had left to go rest, while allowing Oin and Dis to take over. As hours went by, Thorin strolled the corridors, and he could hear Neniel's loud scream, and small cries following after. Not one small cry, but TWO! Thorin sprinted towards the chambers, and entered, with Oin and Dis holding two infants.
"A very rare sight to see, Your Majesty! You have twins!" beamed Oin, cheerfully. "A son, and a daughter!" grinned Dis. "Twins-son! Daughter!" choked Thorin, as he approached them. "Sit right here, Thorin!" said Neniel, pointing a chair next to the bed. Thorin sat down, while Dis and Oin gently handed the infants over to Thorin, as he held them. "I already have given them names. Thorin, meet Prince Frerin II, and Autumn Rose." said Neniel. Thorin smiled. Thorin felt delighted at the fact, the son is named after his late brother.
"Welcome to the family, Frerin and Autumn!" whispered Thorin looking at the infants, whom are smiling brightly and making sounds at him. Dis laughed softly. "They like you already!" said Dis.
"You should have seen them earlier, Thorin. Autumn kept pulling my hair!" laughed Neniel. Everyone laughed. Two days later, a big feast was held in the honor of the newborn prince and princess of Erebor. Fili and Kili loved them already, and enjoyed helping Thorin and Neniel to take care of them.