Milly was sitting at the table, her head in her hands. Her head ached. It was the third day in a row she had woken up with such a headache. She tried to think about her schedule for the day. Was there anything important going on? Thinking only made her head ache more. She quietly called to her lady-in-waiting.

"Tola? Would you check my schedule and try to reschedule everything today?" Milly asked.

"Are you well, my Lady?" Tola asked.

"Terrible headache. I think some more sleep would do me very well," Milly rubbed at her head.

"Don't worry about a thing, my Lady, I'll take care of your schedule. Would you like me to get you some tea?"

"No, thank you. I just want to go back to bed." Milly went back to her bedroom and shut the door. She removed her top layers of clothes and crawled into bed.

When she woke, she didn't feel much better. Her mouth was dry. She got up to get a drink of water, but was hit hard by a wave of nausea. She just made it to the toilet before losing the contents of her stomach. She rinsed her mouth and went back to bed.

This happened three more times before Graig came home in the mid-afternoon just as Milly was crawling on her hands and knees across the floor back to bed.

"Milly!" he ran to her and helped her stand. "What's wrong?"

"I feel terrible. I must have eaten something bad."

Graig helped Milly to lay down. "Have you seen a healer?"

"No. This morning I thought it was just a headache, but it's only gotten worse," Milly's eyes were closed.

"I'm going to go get a healer," Graig said.

"No need," Milly's hand grabbed onto her husband's wrist. "I just need sleep."

Graig sat down on the bed and rubbed at her forehead until she fell back asleep. Then he left for a healer.

When Milly woke next, she felt just as nauseous as earlier, but there was nothing left in her stomach to come back up. Graig heard her and went into the bedroom, followed closely by a healer.

"Milly, this is Healer Hana. Let her look over you," Graig said.

Milly wanted to protest, but she didn't have the energy.

"How long have you felt like this?" the healer asked.

"I started getting the headaches two or three days ago, but never as bad as today," Milly answered.

"Have you taken anything for it?" Hana asked.

"No."

"What have you eaten today?"

"Nothing," Milly chuckled. "I can't even keep any water down."

"Well, let me look at you." Hana pulled back Milly's blankets. She felt Milly's head and neck for fever. She felt the beat of her heart in her wrist. She poked at Milly's stomach and jostled her limbs. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She pressed down on Milly's poor upset stomach again. The muscles protested after the day's abuse of retching every hour. Then, the healer moved her hands down a little further.

"Hmm," Hana said as she poked, prodded and rubbed at Milly's lower abdomen. "Your last cycle, was it normal?"

"Yes, of course," Milly answered.

"How long ago was that?" Hana asked.

"Well," Milly tried to think. It make her head ache again. "I don't remember. A while, I think. Two months ago, maybe."

"Well, that could explain the swelling I can feel," Hana poked again at Milly.

"Ow," Milly cried out as Hana poked at one particular sensitive area. "Wait, do you mean?"

"I do believe you are with child," Hana smiled.

"Oh!" Milly smiled. She looked over to Graig, who was grinning like a loon.

"A baby," he said.

Hana stood up and collected her bag from the floor. "Well, that makes this easy." She began to dig about in her bag. "I was worried we had food poisoning or an epidemic on our hands, but no, it's a wonderful case of pregnancy. Complete with nausea." She pulled out a pouch from the bag. "Mint," she announced. "The mint helps soothe the stomach. You need to say hydrated. Make this into a strong tea and drink is as often as you can or need it. I will return to my workshop and I will mix some herbs just for you that will help with the nausea and headaches. I will get the mix to you this evening." She handed the pouch of mint to Graig.

"Thank you, Hana," Milly said.

"It's my joy and honor to have been the one to tell the Princess of Erebor she is expecting a babe. This is happy news."

"You won't tell anyone, will you?" Milly asked. She wanted to be the one to tell her family.

"Of course not, my Lady. You can have my promise as a healer, that I will tell no one."

"Thank you."

"Rest now. Drink your tea and I'll check on you again tonight." Hana smiled and left.

Graig hadn't moved. He still held the bag of mint and was still grinning. "A baby?"

Milly blushed. "I can't believe it," she said. "But dearest, I feel terribly woozy. Can you make the tea, please?"

Graig gave a little jump. "Yes, of course, right away."

Milly made another dash to the toilet while the tea was steeping. Graig helped her back into bed and then gave her a cup of the tea. She was so thirsty and her mouth tasted so terrible. The tea was good and felt good going down her throat, but unfortunately, it didn't stay in her stomach long before coming back up. She drank another cup. It stayed in her long enough to go back to sleep.

When she next woke, the room was mostly dark and Graig was sleeping next to her. She made a dash to the toilet.

Over the hearth, a kettle hung and cups were laid out. Milly poured herself a cup of tea. She wasn't tired any longer. She had slept all day. With her cup of tea in hand, Milly went out to the sitting room. She pulled out a book she had loved from her childhood. Her Adad use to read it to her. She sat down with the story book in her lap. One day she would read it to her child.

She rubbed her hand over her still flat stomach. "I'm going to read you a story about a little lost dwarfling who was found in the woods by seven fairies."

Graig answered the door and welcomed the king into his home.

"Graig, I heard Milly wasn't feeling well yesterday. Is she sick?" Fili asked.

"No, well, yes. I know she wants to see you. Let me make sure she's decent." Graig disappeared into the bedroom. Fili looked around the small apartment. It had been arranged differently when he had lived here. The bedroom door opened and Milly came out. She wore her night dress and robe. Her hair had been pulled back into one single plait. She looked white and ill.

"Milly," Fili went to his daughter, his hand going up to her forehead. "What's wrong?"

Milly sat down in a chair. She looked tired and pale, but she was smiling.

"Oh, Adad. I found out the most wonderful news yesterday. I'm with child. I'm going to have a baby, Adad!"

Fili blinked a few times, letting he words sink in. A baby. His dear little Milly was going to have a baby. She would be a mother. He was going to be a grandfather. He ran to Milly and pulled her into a hug.

"That is the most wonderful news. I am so happy for you," Fili kissed the top of Milly's head. "How far along are you?"

"Not very," Milly sighed. "Six, maybe seven weeks along. A long, long way to go."

"Do you have a midwife yet?" he asked.

"No. I just thought I was ill yesterday. The healer that came is the one who told me I'm expecting. I don't know if she is a midwife or not. She is coming back today to see if I'm doing any better, though."

"And are you?"

"Well, better than yesterday, that's for sure, but I'm still pretty sick to my stomach. it's hard to keep anything down," Milly rubbed at her empty, aching stomach. She had thrown up again just before her father arrived.

"When you choose a midwife, will you allow me to speak to her? I have some concerns," Fili said. He could only think of Milly's mother, Mailli, who had been so sick while carrying Milly and died giving birth to her. The midwife needed to know Milly's history.

"If you wish to, but I would like to know what you tell her," Milly said.

Fili nodded, "Of course."

Healer Hana arrived soon after. She went into a deep curtsy upon seeing Fili.

"Your majesty."

"Adad, this is Healer Hana, who came yesterday to tend to me," Milly said.

"Hello Hana," Fili took her hand in his. "Thank you for taking care of my Milly."

"Of course, your Majesty. It is my honor," Hana curtsied again.

"Hana?" Are you a midwife or can you recommend a good midwife?" Milly asked.

"Well, I am a midwife, but if you want someone else, I can recommend several," Hana blushed.

"I would like to ask you to be my midwife, Hana, if you're not too busy with others," Milly was blushing too. Fili was rather amused by the two lasses.

"It would be my great honor, my Lady. I have told no one and will keep your condition a secret until you say otherwise. I assume the King knows?" Hana asked, looking to Fili.

Fili nodded. "I do and I'm glad you are to be the one to attend my daughter. And, since you will be my daughter's midwife, I feel there are some things about Milly's history you need to know. About her mother. Hopefully Milly's will experience nothing more than some unpleasant nausea, but just in case, you need to be aware of what happened with my wife."

"I'm listening, my King," Hana said, all business.

"Let's sit down," Fili said. Graig sat beside Milly and pulled her close to his chest. Fili sat opposite Hana.

"Milly's mother, her name was Mailli, died immediately following Milly's birth. Apparently, she lived only long enough to find out she was a girl before passing on. I don't know everything, as I was not there while Mailli carried Milly. My mother told me Mailli was very sick, right front he start. She was bed-ridden the entire year. Simple tasks, like writing a letter, were exhausting." Fili sighed, remembering the letter Mailli had written him before she died. He still had that letter, tucked away in a locked box in his bedroom. "Mother told me she was surprised Mailli lived as long as she did, since she was so very sick. I guess Mailli was determined to give life to our child and lived long enough to do it. Anyway, I worry for Milly." Fili looked at his dear little girl.

Milly's eyes had tears and Graig seemed to look slightly pale. His grip on Milly's shoulders was firm, as if he was afraid she would disappear if he let go.

Hana smiled. "You're a good father to worry and I thank you for letting me know this. It is too early to say if Milly's nausea is the normal sickness for an expectant mother or if it is something more. I must admit, I've only seen a few cases of pregnancy sickness that were this bad, but that's not to say there is something to worry about just yet. I will keep a close watch over Milly."

At this moment, Milly's face whitened again. She jumped up and ran for the washroom. The sounds of her retching soon followed.

"I will try some various herbs and foods that have been known to help. The most important thing we need to do is keep her hydrated. Lots of water. Lots of tea."

Fili stayed in the sitting room with Graig while Hana checked over Milly again.

"I didn't know all of that, about Milly's mother," Graig said. She told me she died when Milly was born, but I guess I never really thought about it. I'm worried now."

"I didn't mean to worry you, or Milly, but I don't want anything to happen to Milly. My hope is, if the healer knows, we can help Milly more. I don't know what it was like for Mailli. I never knew how sick she was or what happened because I wasn't there. I was on the journey to reclaim Erebor with my uncle. If I had known, I wouldn't have left. I would have stayed with her, right to the end."

"If that is our fate, I will say with Milly, right to the end," Graig said, his own face looking pale.

"I know you would. I don't have to ask you to take good care of Milly, because I know you do, but, take care of Milly. Make sure she gets plenty to eat and drink and she does what the healer tells her to do." Fili laid his hand on his son-by-wed's shoulder.

"I will, Fili. I promise you that."

Hana came out from the bedroom. "She took some tea and is sleeping again."

"Thank you," both dwarves said together.

"Of course. I'll come back in a week, but if she needs me before then, don't hesitate to come for me. Day or night, I'm here for you," Hana told the father-to-be.

Graig nodded. Fili followed Hana out the door.

"Back to the infirmary?" Fili asked conversationally as they walked down the long corridor that led out of the royal living quarters.

"Not yet. I have a few others to check on before I go to the infirmary," she answered.

"Thank you for helping Milly. I am so happy for her. She will be such a wonderful mother, but I am also so scared for her," Fili admitted.

"It's only natural for you to be nervous, especially considering Milly's mother's history. May I ask, King Fili, the woman who was your wife and died thirty years ago. That wasn't Milly's mother was it?"

"No," Fili answered. "Well, yes, she was. Sigrid was Milly's mother in every way except her birth. Milly was born in Ered Luin to a dwarrowdam. I was here. We had just fought the Battle of the Five Armies, recovered from our wounds and were starting to clean out Erebor when my mother brought me Milly, a tiny babe of three months, and news about the fate of my wife. Sigrid came into our lives several months later and we were married not long before Milly's second birthday. Sigrid raised Milly."

"Prince Hrafn was born to Lady Sigrid?" Hana asked.

"Yes. Sigrid and I wanted more children, but her body could not carry a dwarf baby without great risk. We had Hrafn and Milly. That was blessing enough."

Fili and Hana had stopped walking long ago and stood together in the empty hall.

"Indeed it is. I came to Erebor when Milly was in her twenties. I remember seeing you with your family and I admired the way you showed love to your wife and children. You were a good example of a father to your people. You still are," Hana said. She suddenly blushed.

"That's kind of you to say," Fili was blushing too. "I had good examples myself. My mother and uncle were exceptional dwarves, giving all they had to their family."

"I remember when Lady Dis died. I was one of the healers called to help care for her at the end of her days. She was a lovely lady. Feisty to the end she was, and it was my privilege to have spent time with her."

Fili smiled sadly. He missed his mother and uncle. He missed Mailli and Sigrid. But, he loved his family and Kili's family. He was very lucky to have them. And now, there was a grandchild to look forward too.

"Thank you for making my mother's end comfortable," Fili smiled. "Wait, I remember you. We sat together one night, just before Mother died. You had only recently become a fully qualified healer. We talked about books because Mother enjoyed having book s read out loud to her."

Hana smiled. "Yes, that was me. I'm surprised you remember."

"You were good company and I liked how expressive you were when you read to Mother," Fili was blushing again, although he didn't understand why.

Hana laughed, making Fili laugh.

Kili walked around the corner at that moment. "Fili, there you are, oh, hello," he said to Hana.

"At your service, my Lord," she curtsied.

"Ah, Kili, this is Healer Hana. Hana, this is my brother, Kili," Fili made the introductions.

"It's very nice to meet you," Kili said. "Is all well, Fili?"

"Yes, it is. Milly's been under the weather and Hana has been seeing to her," Fili explained. Milly's news was not his to share, yet.

"I hope Milly gets better soon. Fili, have you forgotten? It's Citizen Day. The crowds are lining up to see you."

Fili wanted to give a great sigh and grumbled about the number of complaints he would be hearing that day, but he would never say that in front of one of his subjects. "Citizen Day. Yes, of course. I was just on my way," he said as cheerfully as he could manage.

"Hana, it was nice to meet you, again. Have a good day," Fili smiled at the healer.

"Thank you, my King," she bowed, "Prince Kili," she bowed again and left.

Kili grinned at his brother. "I'm sorry. If I had know you were standing in a darkened hallway, chatting with a pretty lass, I wouldn't have bothered you."

Fili blushed again. "Don't be ridiculous, Kili. We were both checking on Milly and both headed down the same hall, in the same direction, off to do our various duties for the day."

"Sure, Fili, sure," Kili laughed. "Truly though, you do have a long line of dwarves waiting for you, so you had better get to your study before they break down the door to see you."

"Let's go." Fili started to walk away. "And get someone to light more torches in this hall!" Fili called out as he left Kili's side.