AN: This is probably my favorite chapter and was honestly the inspiration for writing the whole story; Beorn's reaction when he hears that he will be a father. Its just adorable to think of this huge, hairy, muscular man that talks like a neanderthal suddenly gushing over a baby. I hope you guys like it as much as I do. And thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited, more specifically: vdelic211, angel897, and lillisa34. Please continue to review, follow, and favorite, it really makes my day when you do!
The sun rose over the hills first, then over the treetops, before shining above the stone wall encircling the cottage and through the house's windows. It would certainly be a bright and warm day, one to bask and relax in.
Acaelia, as usual, was the first one awake. She sat up from the bed and stretched languidly with an enormous smile on her face, her joints popping, her body sighing blissfully as it remembered last night's adventure.
Due to the errands she was appointed to, Acaelia got up before Beorn to start breakfast and feed and clean up after the livestock.
She was in charge of cooking the meals, cleaning, and caring for the animals while Beorn managed the crops, firewood, and fixing any broken furniture. On some days, when one was feeling more tired or sore than the other, jobs would be switched or chores would be put off to the next day.
The first thing Acaelia did this morning though, rather than starting up the oven or gathering some eggs for breakfast, was run straight to the chamber pot to relieve herself. Never before had she felt such a sudden and almost violent urge to pee, and once the deed was done, she was almost concerned with the fact that she'd nearly wet her pants on the way to the wash closet.
After relieving herself and getting dressed—she didn't bother with pushing her hair to one side or brushing it, figuring that it didn't matter much—she went to the horse's stalls and looked down at the hay-covered ground where all of her guests, except for Gandalf, slept soundly. The wizard was still resting in the rocking chair with hat tipped to the side and a pipe hanging lazily from his lips, the ambers long since gone out.
Acaelia stared at the fourteen lying on the floor, each one of them in a different position and snoring loudly, and smiled with an odd fondness in her heart. Some of the brothers were huddled close together, others outright cuddling one another, and Acaelia marveled at the relationship between close siblings. Never had she and her sister been so friendly to one another, even though they did love each other; was it common for dwarf families to be tied so closely together?
Watching the company as they slept, she recalled the wonderful stories they'd told her. They were each rather funny, in their own way, and had been caring towards her when she'd been sick. She considered these people to be her friends now, and was slightly sad that they had to leave.
Maybe, she suddenly hoped, they would all visit her again—or better yet, her and Beorn could pay them a visit! In the mountains of Erebor or not, she would happily travel for the sake of seeing the company once more. It was suddenly decided, then, that this would not be the last meeting between her and the company.
With a content grin, Acaelia went to the kitchen and began cooking.
She was feeling much better, for some reason. There were no headaches, no vomiting, no trouble breathing or feeling tired; Acaelia could even say that she felt elated or energized. She suspected that it had something to do with last night's activities, however obnoxious that sounded. Something in her belly, in her heart and mind, told her that today would be a very nice day.
Suddenly, just as she plated another omelet, Beorn's thick pair of nude arms wrapped around Acaelia's middle just under her breasts. His body pressed entirely against hers and his nose nestled into her hair to take a deep breath of her scent. Surprised, Acaelia jumped and nearly flicked the spatula out of her hand, but calmed when she recognized the feeling of her bear. Grinning with a feeling of deep and endless content in her heart, she leaned back into him and rested her forearms against Beorn's.
"Good morning, my bear." She whispered, not wanting to wake any of her guests up.
"Good morning, my girl." Beorn muttered back. He began slowly rocking them back and forth, not willing to let his hold on her loosen. They enjoyed the embrace in a soothing silence.
Meanwhile, neither Beorn nor Acaelia had noticed the sound of hay being rustled as the dwarfs began to stir from their slumber. Some members of the company had awoken as soon as Acaelia came out from her bedroom—Bilbo, Gandalf, Dwalin, and Thorin. They had all been listening closely since then, had even wondered what the Skin Changer had been thinking of when she gazed upon their supposedly sleeping forms.
The moment that Beorn walked into the room as well, though, Thorin and Dwalin were battle ready while Bilbo and Gandalf were ready to wake the others and flee if required. They all knew the potential danger of Beorn and were unwilling to risk anyone's life if he were to suddenly make the change and become the bear they'd been introduced to.
Thorin listened carefully to Acaelia and Beorn as they spoke, Gandalf watched from his chair through slit eyes, Bilbo bit his lip and blushed for intruding on a romantic situation, and Dwalin silently seethed in slight jealousy.
"Come back to bed with me." Beorn suggested, tightening his grip just a bit. Acaelia giggled, a sound that was not common to hear from her, and shook her head.
"I cannot, I am in the middle of making eggs." She gave the spatula a little wave as proof. "They are already getting cold."
Beorn grunted and moved his face around in her hair in protest.
"Put the stove's fire out and leave breakfast for later. I need your warmth beside me on this morning."
The hot feeling that spread through Acaelia's chest was not born out of lust, but purely from knowing that she was loved. To be needed by someone, to be wanted and cared for; it was all she had dreamed of in her life before Beorn. And her bear, her kind, protective, loving bear brought that dream to life every day that they were together. Tears sprung to her eyes and, tossing the spatula onto the counter, she spun quickly and wrapped her tiny scarred arms around Beorn and hid her face in his hairy chest.
It was Beorn's turn to be startled as his girl suddenly seemed to try and merge herself into his chest with a harsh hug. He hesitated only a second before quickly hugging her back and stroking her messy hair, frowning in confusion and worry.
"My girl, what has upset you?" Beorn hastily asked.
Acaelia sniffed and shook her head in embarrassment.
At the sound of her distraught hiccups the eavesdropping guests all shuffled where they were with a few sitting up and cast each other weary glances. Some were just as confused as Beorn, but others were simply angry that he'd upset Acaelia. Thorin already was sitting up straight and had his hand at the hilt of his weapon, Dwalin eagerly following his league.
"Tell me Acaelia." Beorn grumbled, still sounding concerned.
Acaelia took a few deep, stuttering breaths, but did not move her face away from his warm chest. She simply felt too foolish to show her face.
"I just…I love you so much!"
The quiet which overtook the house was heavy and long lasting when, nearly all at once, the men let out a slight sigh of relief. Beorn's release of breath was loud enough that he and Acaelia didn't hear the others.
"Oh, Acaelia," Beorn sighed. Never would he understand the complex thoughts of women, Beorn admitted to himself. He simply knew that they tended to torture themselves more often than not.
"I love you and everything you do for me and I fear that I—I cannot repay you well enough." She rambled. "I fear that I cannot make you feel the way you make me feel."
Pulling back from her, his hands caressed the sides of Acaelia's face and tilted her head until she was looking him in the eye. Her cheeks were red and her eyes puffy. She reached up and held onto Beorn's wrists, trying to find comfort there since he wouldn't let her hide away shamefully.
"My girl, love is not something to weep about. You must not cry for anything, not a single thing…for I cannot stand to see your tears." He wiped her tears away and held her cheek fondly in the palm of his hand.
"Our homes and our hearts have been filled with sorrow and doubt all too often, my girl. We have survived our hardships, however difficult, and now we must continue in life with joy. Your smile, your laughter and happiness; that is what our home must be filled with, Acaelia, for when I witness all of these things, I know that I will fight to live as long as possible if only to see you grin and be glad yet again."
He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes.
"You fear that I do not love and respect you as you love and respect me, but I swear to you my girl, never have I been more grateful for surviving everything—the battles and the wars and the torture—than the moment you decided to stay with me. To watch you live happily because of the things that I do; that is what makes me happy.
"I do not say it enough, Acaelia, I know this, but my next words are a truth to be worshipped throughout Middle Earth until the end of time."
Beorn's bright brown eyes opened and looked deeply into Acaelia's as he spoke slowly and clearly.
"I love you."
Acaelia let out a strangled whimper before she threw her arms around his neck and crashed her lips against his.
Thorin's company had listened with keen ears the whole time, unwilling to miss a single word spoken. Thorin had an air of being unimpressed, but deep in his heart he was truly moved by Beorn's emotional speech. Far too long had it been since he'd witnessed one proclaim their affection to another, and it was a kind reminder that the world wasn't all evil dragons and poor miners.
He clearly wasn't the only one who had been hit rather hard by the Skin Changer's words of love and happiness, for Kili, Dori, Oin, Gloin, and Bofur were trying to hide their red and teary eyes. And the sight of big old Bombur, sitting against the wall with no expression other than his bottom lip jutting out in a pout, having large tears silently slide down his chubby cheeks and into his beard was almost amusing.
Thorin wondered if he should scold them all for being so horribly sentimental on such an important journey, but one look over his shoulder at the couple embraced in an intense kiss made him think otherwise. Perhaps he wasn't the only one in need of a kind reminder; perhaps his men needed hope just as he did.
Beorn was thrown off once more by Acaelia's rapid change in mood and action. A minute ago she'd been sad and somber, slightly embarrassed even, and now she was grasping at him with a desperation all too similar to last night.
Something was wrong with her, Beorn was positive, and Acaelia had to know what was going on.
He had half a mind to back away instantly and question her, but knowing that her emotions were so unstable at the moment, he didn't want to risk her thinking that she was undesirable. For the love of Middle Earth, that was anything other than what he wanted her to think. So he kissed her back, fondled the skin of her hips and held her close, nibbled and licked at her neck until she started to tug at her own clothes eagerly.
"Acaelia," Beorn muttered into her neck in hopes of gaining her attention. His attempts proved to be of no avail, though, when she thought that her name had been sighed in pleasure and she started to pull her vest off.
"Acaelia, wait." Setting his large hands carefully onto hers, he tried to move back, but his girl only followed after him excitedly. She stood on her toes and planted kisses all over his jaw and throat, clumsily pressing her body against his.
With an exasperated sigh, Beorn's hands fell to her waste once more, this time to pluck her off of the floor and set her on the counter. When he gathered up her hands and held them between their bodies, Acaelia finally paid attention to what Beorn was trying to say.
"Hm? Yes, what is it my bear?" She asked in a daze, her hooded eyes seeing only Beorn's lips.
"You have been acting very strange lately."
"Strange you say; strange in what way?" Acaelia asked as she sneakily—or so she thought—curled her legs around her bear's hips and pulling him in closer.
More words came to Beorn's mind that he was aware he knew: unorthodox, unreasonable, uncontrollable, unpredictable, and most of all, confusing. He knew that these were not the right words to say though, that she might find them offensive in one way or another, so instead he said the kindest yet most honest thing that he could think of.
"In a way that is not your usual self. I would very much like it if you told me what is going on."
Acaelia's brow creased and she squirmed in his hold, her hands finding his abdomen and playing with the skin there.
"What makes you think that I know what is going on?"
Beorn chuckled then, a baritone sound that was loud and deep and could carry across rivers and echo off of mountains. Unconsciously he stepped closer, enjoying the tickling feeling of her small hands on his stomach.
"We play chess too often for me not to know when you are hiding something, my girl."
Acaelia mumbled wordlessly, looking displeased or uncomfortable. She would happily tell him about the child, but when there were less people around. Even if the dwarfs were asleep she did not want her private manners to become someone else's.
Beorn tilted his head to the side as he appraised her, feeling slightly humorous.
"Headaches, nausea, fatigue, odd emotions…if you will not tell me what is going on," her bear said with mock seriousness, "then I suppose I will have a healer from Rivendell tell me."
Acaelia scoffed and yanked her hands back, but Beorn still held fast to her wrists.
"No! No healers in our home, I'll have nothing to do with them."
"But, Acaelia, you are clearly ill." Beorn said teasingly.
"I am not, and even if I were, I would manage on my own just fine. I don't need some robed scholar telling me what to eat or what labor to avoid. The snobby bastards…" she muttered more to herself than Beorn.
"Anyone can chew up some weeds and rub it on a cut, but it doesn't make them some almighty source of intelligence." Her bear chuckled at the malice in her tone.
Dwalin, and a few other dwarfs, nodded his head in agreement as he heard this. None of them were too fond of healers, scholars, or alchemists—or anyone with a knowledge that was above average, really. Pompous asses that like to flaunt their higher education in everyone's faces were hardly liked by anyone.
Poor Bilbo, Ori and Dori were still blushing as red as the sunrise. Hearing Acaelia's heady breaths and eager kisses, the sound of her being pressed against Beorn and touching him with greedy hands, was simply too much for the more innocent minds in the company. None of the others seemed to even pay attention at the couple's kisses, though, which was something that Bilbo would never understand.
"If you want to avoid healers then I suggest that you explain what is going on, my girl."
Acaelia looked her bear in the eye, her breath stuck in her throat and her mind in a nervous haze. Her wrists easily slipped out of Beorn's grasp to clutch and the counter's edge anxiously.
Would he be happy to hear the news? They'd agreed to raise the child if there ever were to be one, but would her bear honestly love and care for the child? And would starting a family be as simple as Acaelia hoped—would they be able to handle a screaming bundle of responsibility? Acaelia knew that she would try her best, but would it matter if Beorn turned out to be no help at all?
No, Acaelia had to have more faith in her bear. He'd had a family and friends before, certainly he had the heart to help with a babe. And did he not just say that her happiness was his happiness? If raising a child would make her happy, then Beorn should be happy as well, right?
Beorn lifted Acaelia's chin with a light finger, searching her eyes for some clue as to what was making her so nervous. Having to wait for her answer had made Beorn just as anxious as Acaelia was. Was she really ill? Was whatever ailed her so serious that she wouldn't tell him about it, that she was ashamed or even scared? She couldn't be deathly ill, she simply could not be. Beorn wouldn't stand for it.
"Quit worrying so much and just tell me." He said softly.
Acaelia took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and just spat it out.
"I am pregnant."
A quiet sort of stillness fell over the house after Acaelia's revelation, and nobody dared move or breathe or make any kind of sound. The air was thick with bewilderment and everyone could almost hear Beorn's heart beat begin to pick up speed along with his thoughts. He didn't move away from Acaelia, nor did he move any closer. He didn't smile or frown, he just stared at his girl with the same expression he'd adorned earlier.
The news of a pregnancy can be shocking and emotional and usually took a minute or two for the person or persons being told to process the information. Acaelia expected this and tried not to make anything out of Beorn's silence; she told herself that he was just thinking, just trying to understand what she'd said and what it meant.
The fifteen members of Thorin's company, including the dwarf king himself, all suddenly realized just how intrusive they were being. At first they'd listened because there was nothing else to do and it seemed like it'd be an interesting thing. Then when Acaelia had started crying, they'd listened even closer to see if she was hurt or in danger. After that, though, when the kissing and caressing had started, they really didn't have any good reason to keep paying attention, and were now just being obnoxiously rude in their eavesdropping.
Thorin caught the eyes of his men and glared to silently tell them that they had been wrong to listen in thus far and that enough was enough. They all understood and agreed with Thorin, most rolling over and trying to fall back to sleep, others staying awake yet finding ways to distract themselves from Acaelia and Beorn's conversation.
Despite his words, the dwarf king selfishly continued to watch the couple closely over his shoulder, just in case Beorn was strongly displeased at the prospect of being a father. Thorin would not stand letting the Skin Changer hurt the kind Acaelia, especially now that he knew she was carrying a child. Beorn's next move made him tense and grip the hilt of his sword, nearly pushing himself to his feet and charging him.
Beorn's large hands wrapped around Acaelia's waist and picked her up, holding her in the air before him like she weighed nothing more than a bag of potatoes.
She gasped and her eyes flew open, her hands flying to his shoulders to try and steady herself, and felt a wave of panic ascend upon her. Never had Beorn ever harmed her, nor had he done anything that would risk her safety. They argued every now and then about trivial things that were forgotten in a day or two, but their fights didn't ever turn into something physical.
She had once seen him in battle both as the bear and as the man, seen him rip his opponents to shreds within seconds. She had been witness to his fury and irreversible anger and, now that she was thinking about it, this seemed nothing like that.
Beorn gazed up into her eyes with an expression that Acaelia didn't understand as he held her high enough that her belly button was aligned with his nose. He just held her there for a few seconds, doing nothing more than looking deeply into her eyes, before moving his gaze downwards.
His light brown orbs stared at Acaelia's fabric-covered stomach as if he could see something there that others didn't and slowly, as if he were a hunter not wanting to startle his prey, began to lean his head towards his girl. His ear pressed against his girl's abdomen as his listened closely for some sign of life.
Finally understanding what her bear was doing, Acaelia instantly calmed down and let out a sigh. Had Acaelia really though he would try to hurt her? How foolish, how utterly stupid of her!
Thorin relaxed once he realized that Acaelia and her child were in no danger, but kept his hand on the hilt of his sword just in case.
"Beorn," she mumbled, "the child is barely there, you will not hear any—"
"But I do, my girl." Beorn whispered as tears dripped from his eyes and down his face. Acaelia's expression was one of amazement.
There was a sound? Her child was making a sound?
"What? My bear, tell me what you hear, I must know." Her hands flitted around his shoulders excitedly, moving first to his strong hands then to his hair before settling back onto his shoulders.
"A heartbeat;" Beorn said with a quiet and disbelieving laugh, "it is but a small flutter, like the wings of a hummingbird."
Acaelia covered her mouth and began to cry once more, shocked and happy that there was evidence, true and positive evidence that she was pregnant. She had still been doubtful that she really was pregnant rather than ill even as she had told Beorn. Now, though, it was all too real, simply too real for her to reel in her emotions.
"We have a child, Acaelia. We will be parents." Beorn said in a dazed voice, still cuddling against his girl's stomach. Neither of them seemed to pay much mind to the fact that Acaelia was still hovering there with his tight grasp on her waist.
"Are you…is this…" Acaelia said hesitantly, "Does this make you happy?"
"More than you could ever know!"
He pressed the rest of his body against hers and wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her and their child frantically. Acaelia laughed then, her fist pressed against her teeth, and she couldn't stop the alleviated elation she was filled with.
She wrapped her arms around Beorn's head and bent so she could awkwardly hug him back, saying "My bear, my man, my everything." as she smiled and laughed gleefully into his mane.
"Oh, my girl, my love, my life!" Beorn exclaimed against her stomach.
Thorin couldn't help the little smile which overtook his expression as he laid back down on his designated section of hay. Yes, it had been all too long since he'd witnessed love, and even longer since he'd been a part of it. The dwarf decided right then and there that when everything with Erebor was finished, he would find a wife. He would love and cherish her, have children with her, and care for her until the end of their days. He didn't bother with listening to whatever Acaelia and her bear said after that, for he was too busy with dreaming of whatever happy life he might live in the future.
Beorn wanted to say so much to Acaelia, he needed to tell her how good it felt to know he would be a father, to know that she was carrying his child, to know that they would have one more thing that brought them that much closer together. He felt whole and complete knowing that he would be a part of a family once again, like he had yet one more reason to fight for his life until he was old and gray.
Then all at once he was realizing and planning and dreaming and hoping. Beorn pulled back from the hug and carefully set Acaelia back onto the ground, but held her close all the same.
"There is much to do Acaelia, and we must be ready for when the child comes." He said with a serious and dedicated expression. "We must make a room for the child, and a bed and changing table and a feeding chair, we must have clothes and toys and—and we only have nine months!"
"Well I suppose we ought to get started on that then, yes?" She asked with a laugh. Her face beamed with absolute joy and her smile was nearly blinding.
"No, I must get started and you must sit down." He led her by the hand to the dinner table and gently ushered her into a chair. "No more work for you my girl, no more cooking or cleaning or tending to the horse's; no more anything until the child is born. I'll not risk you or the baby's health, not for anything in the world."
"But, my bear, you couldn't cook a strip of bacon if the pig itself looked you in the eye and told you how it was done!" She laughed as she held his hands in hers. "And already your work load is too heavy, plus the things that you will have to make for the baby, you simply cannot take over my chores as well."
"Nonsense, Acaelia. There was a time before you lived with me, you know, and I did all of the work around here. I survived then and I will survive now. Though, I do daresay that having you help me has made me fat and lazy." Beorn joked. Acaelia scoffed and playfully slapped his large bicep, knowing that it couldn't have felt like more than a feather tickling his skin.
"Oh hush, you are fit as a stallion and you know it. And I simply refuse to laze about like a useless housecat. If I cannot do the chores previously assigned to me, then find me something helpful to do that will not make you worry and fret like a mother hen."
Beorn chuckled and knelt down so he would be at eye-level with her as he spoke.
"Alright then. You may cook, if you think the food I make is truly horrible—"
"It really is, my bear." Acaelia reassured with a sad smile.
"And you may feed and brush the livestock, so long as it isn't too taxing. And I suppose that you could make some of the child's clothes and blankets if you'd like."
"I suppose that it would be nice to know I helped in some way. You build the room and furniture and every other thing our child needs; I'll knit him a blanket." She laughed.
"He?" Beorn asked, noticing Acaelia's use of the word. "You think it will be a boy?"
"Maybe, but I'm not betting on it. You know I'm terrible when it comes to guessing things."
"Almost as bad as I am when it comes to baking." Beorn joked dryly.
Acaelia laughed and squeezed his hands lovingly, unable to tear her eyes away from his.
"You're going to be a father, Beorn." She whispered.
"And you're going to be a mother." Beorn said back, bringing their hands to his lips so he could kiss his girl's knuckles. "Probably the best mother there ever was."
"No pressure." Acaelia chuckled, trying to push down whatever self-conscious worry that wanted to rear its ugly head. This was a moment of joy and celebration, not dark cynicism.
Beorn stood to his full height and let their hands fall apart with a reassuring smile.
"You will be amazing, I know it. Now, you go think of baby names while finishing breakfast and I'll chop some lumber for a crib. Good?"
Acaelia nodded.
"Very good. And Beorn?"
"Yes?"
"I will take you to be mine, if only you would let me be yours."
Beorn smiled wider at her words and walked back towards her, pulling her up into his arms so he could kiss her deeply and press a loving hand against her abdomen. Against her lips, he whispered:
"I will be yours, so long as you swear to be mine."