People have been asking about Smaug, and all I can say to you is, don't worry, everything will be explained! Thank you all for your support :)


They did include Oin in Belladonna's situation in the end. The fact was, it wasn't just Belladonna's life in danger, it was the baby still growing inside her that they had to be concerned for, too.
He was undoubtedly the best healer in Erebor, having delivered just about every baby born in the kingdom (including his own younger brother, according to various rumours) and had played a vital part in bringing Dis out of her Fading. He'd healed injuries the princes had sustained from their many ventures and whipped up tonics and balms to help with any illness of any Dwarrow. Truly gifted with a vast knowledge of medicine, and a good friend to boot, they knew he was the Dwarrow for the job of taking care of the young Hobbit they found themselves with.

"Your bairn will be born soon." Oin remarked, a gentle hand on her stomach. "Seems healthy enough, kicking about, good size from what I can tell."

"Mmm."

"Now," the healer said, looking down at her. "What have you been hiding?"

"Nothing."

Oin snorted. "I've been a healer for a good hundred years, don't bother lying to me."

"I'm simply tired."

"If you continue to avoid accepting and asking for help, you won't just be damaging yourself." Oin told her severely. "You're running low on time before the baby comes , and when he does, just how easy do you think it will be to give birth with your 'tiredness'?"

"I am not ill."

"You're not healthy. Miss, you are part Dwarrow. Dwarf blood runs through your veins and that is why you are Fading."

"How can you tell if I'm Fading, anyway?"

"I've been in the medical profession longer than you've been alive. And you won't be alive much longer if you go on untreated, I can tell you."

Belladonna drew her knees to her abdomen as best she could and hugged them. "What do you suggest then?"

Pleased they were making some progress, Oin dropped to his knees, now looking up at her. "You have to fight your demons on this one, my girl. Aye, it'll be hard to do, but you've got to remember that you've got his bairn to think of."

"I don't... I don't know if I can. It feels as though there's no warmth, no joy in life. I was telling the truth, Mr. Oin. I do feel tired."

Brushing a limp curl back from her face, Oin sincerely hoped they would be able to save her. "We will help you. Just keep on fighting, lass."


She could no longer eat meat, finding the idea of chewing on what had once been a living thing too vile to bear. Instead, she attempted to eat fruits, vegetable soups, bread even though she found them tasteless now. Even though she tried, sometimes having to force her meals down, it often felt diffcult to swallow even foods that didn't require chewing to begin with. Often she thought she would like to give up on the idea of eating, but a voice that sounded much like Oin's reminded her of her unborn child, and this motivated her to keep going, even though she didn't wish for it.
The weight she'd lost refused to return and this puzzled her, though she decided that it would eventually.

She wasn't actually eating as much as she should have been, though she didn't notice this and neither did anyone else. If Bungo had been alive, he would have pointed this out to her and made sure she ate plenty for herself and her child. But he wasn't alive, he had crossed over to Yavanna's Fields and he was unable to help his grieving wife.
Her body was working too hard with limited energy and this caused her feelings of exhaustion to remain, feelings that she decided had to do with her pregnancy. She knew she was eating more, and sincerely thought it would aid in her recovery.

She was wrong.


It was the eighth month of pregnancy and she couldn't go anywhere without having a random Dwarf stopping her and asking when she would give birth, had she thought of a name for the little one, and was she hoping for a boy or a girl? She often found she had a guard stuck to her side, usually Dwalin or Balin, but occasionally she'd have Dis or Frerin with her.
She liked to walk outside of Erebor's gates and stand in the sudden brightness of the sun, watch the glistening of Lake Town in the foreground. Below the Mountain stood Dale and sometimes she watched the town, remembering vaguely the markets of Hobbiton. These visits ended with being taken back to her cousin's home and being asked if she'd felt the warmth of the sun yet, if she could feel the stones underneath her feet. Always she answered 'no' and always the person who had asked had looked distressed by this lack of change.

"If I can't feel anything, won't that make the birth easier?" she asked Oin one evening.

"No, lass. In truth, you will feel something during the birth. It won't be completely painless, but you won't feel as much as most mothers do."

"How long will it be until my feelings come back to me?" Belladonna asked Dis as the Dwarrowdam led her around Erebor.

"It varies. For some the feelings come back, and for others they take longer."

The only feeling Belladonna had was of great exhaustion. Right now, it felt as though there were heavy weights strapped to her legs and around her back. She staggered, managed to regain her balance and then asked her companion, "Did you feel so tired?"

Tired was an understatement. Belladonna didn't know how she was still walking. She put another foot forward only for her leg to crumple and she fell onto her knees, a light gasp escaping at the sudden drop. Hands gripped her shoulders and she caught sight of worried sky-coloured eyes before allowing her exhaustion to dominate her, lowering her head to her chest and falling against Dis.

"Hey, you! Find Master Oin. Thank you. Alright. Come on, love, we'll get you home."

Belladonna didn't know who Dis was talking to. She didn't really care either. Instead, she closed her eyes and was surrounded by the dark blackness of sleep.


"What can we do?" Frerin asked, glancing to the unconcious Hobbit to his younger sister.

"I didn't sleep, did I?"

"No, you didn't."

"Shush," Oin demanded. "This is the most critical point of Fading, as you should well know. It will help her if she has the voices of loved ones to listen to."

"But the only loved one she has is in there," Frerin protested, gesturing to her bump.

"And what about us?"

"Well-"

"Don't argue, it won't help matters! Frerin, go and find Balin and Dwalin. Dis, do you think you could bring your lads here?"

Dis blinked at him. "My lads?"

"Aye. You said they made her smile before she lost her emotions."

Dis nodded. "That they did. They could help her?"

"I think so. Hurry, now."


"I am going to be the best uncle in Erebor." Dwalin said, swinging his sword at Thorin.

"I doubt you will, because I am."

"You? The Dwarf who lost his eldest nephew in the mines?"

Blocking Dwalin's attack and slashing upwards at him with his own weapon, Thorin retorted, "You got Frerin and I lost in the dungeons twice, so don't you start acting like you're a perfect uncle!"

"Wasn't an uncle to you, was I?" Dwalin said, giving Thorin a rather self-pleased look.

"No, you were a mother." Thorin answered, grinning proudly at his reply.

Dwalin furrowed his eyebrows and launched into a more violent attack, not showing his younger cousin any mercy. Mother indeed! Still, he was impressed at how well Thorin fought with him, blocking his hits, even getting a lot of hits of his own in. He would, he decided, have to teach Belladonna's little one how to fight. Maybe he would be as good a fighter as he was.
He'd certainly ensure he was better than Thorin.

"Dwalin, Dwalin!"

The hinted panic in Frerin's voice brought the fight to a stop, both warriors exhanging a concerned look as Frerin came running over to them.

"Brother, what is it?"

"She's... She's unconcious, won't wake up. Come on!"


By the time the trio returned, Belladonna was thrashing around, narrowly missing hitting the two Dwarrow by her side. Her eyes were now open, but their colour was... unnatural. So pale were they, they appeared white, her irises widened so that it seemed her normal eye colour was a very deep black instead of the vibrant green-blue they really were.

"What happened?" Dwalin asked, hurrying to stand by her.

To Oin's disappointment, she barely reacted to the warrior's voice. "She collapsed in the street. We're trying to rouse her."

"She's so close to giving birth. Will her baby be alright?"

Oin was silent for a moment, simply looking down at her, a crease wrinkling his forehead. Finally he answered, "I hope he will."


She could feel now. She could feel that wherever she was, it was cold and damp. There was darkness everywhere she looked, up, down, behind.. it was so dark, it reminded her of the Goblin tunnel she'd dragged her dead husband through. Far away she could see a faint pinprick of light, white and fierce. As though commanded to, she began walking to the faraway beam.