'You cannot go! This is suicide!' Thorin paced up and down in his chambers, talking to his father. 'Erebor is lost. Our entire army could not defeat Smaug! And you want to travel there all by yourself? You are mad!'

'Watch it, son!' Thrain growled. 'I am still your father, you should show some respect.'

'I do show respect! I show respect by telling you what others do not, this quest is futile!' Thorin was furious. 'You are throwing your life away! The other dwarves won´t follow you, because our line has lost the arkenstone and who will you take instead? The elves will not help us and neither will the men, they have their own problems!'

'I will only take a few of my loyal soldiers. Balin and Dwalin will accompany me when I ask them. And Dorn...' Thrain looked up as he heard Thorin gasp.

'Dorn?' Thorin looked at his father as if he had lost his mind. 'Dorn? Why him?'

'He has asked me to take him with me. He needs a new task in life, Thorin. He has lost everything.' Thrain tried to explain.

'Exactly! He has lost everything, thats why he wants to join your quest, a suicide mission!' Thorin could not understand his father. 'You want to retake Erebor with only four men and dwarves?'

'You do not understand me, son...' Thrain sighed.

'Of course I don´t understand!' Thorin started pacing again. 'Instead of settling down in our new home and with your family, you rush out into the wild on a suicide mission! I really don´t understand!'

Father and son both stopped to pace and speak and stared at each other across the room. There was a quiet knock at the door and then Brann entered the room silently.

'I hear the yelling stopped.' she remarked dryly and walked up to her husband. 'We should talk.'

'We were talking.' Thorin growled, but his wifes presence calmed him down.

'Thrain - father - do you really want to leave this mountain? Your family? Your people?' Brann asked Thrain who looked down at his feet.

'I do not want to leave any of you. But this is not my home, not my mountain. Erebor is my home, our home. You cannot understand this, Brann.' Thrain stated silently.

Thorin felt his anger rise as he saw the hurt look in his wifes eyes. But Brann took a deep breath and sat down in the armchair by the fire. It was getting harder by the day to stand longer periods of time. It was her eighth month of pregnancy and Brann already felt as if she would pop any moment. She hated to be pregnant, although she was lucky. She had no morning sickness, no mood swings, no craving for weird food, she was not tired, nor sick and she had only gained weight at her belly. She looked radiant and the pregnant woman aura made her even more beautiful than she already was. But the queen disliked it to be heavy and slow through her pregnancy belly. She felt weak and awkward while pushing the huge belly through the corridors of the Blue Mountains. Brann needed to move, she needed to work or busy herself with something. But everyone tried to keep any kind of work away from her and the queen felt as if she was made of glass at some point during the pregnancy. Leaning back in the armchair, stretching her back, Brann looked at Thrain intensely.

'I have lost a home, too.' she stated calmly. 'And I lost my entire family. My father, my mother, my brothers. Thorin gave me a new family and a new home and I will fight for this new life. You still have your family, Thrain. Why is it so hard for you to let go?'

Thrain frowned at his daughter in laws words. It would be easier to ignore her if she was not right. But the whispers in Thrains head grew louder the more he thought about it. He had to go.

'You will not only risk your life, but also the lives of Balin and Dwalin? Dwalins daughter has already lost a parent.' Brann told him softly. 'And don´t you want to see your grandchildren? Little Thror and little Thrain?'

Mentionning her unborn dwarflings was a cheap shot, but Brann had to try. She knew that the kings father was delighted to become a grandfather again and this time of twins. Twins were so rare in the dwarven culture that the birth of the twins - should it be successful - would be seen as a near miracle. Brann knew that the birth was risky. Dwarven pregnancies were hard and long and not few dwarven women died in childbirth. Brann figured that many dwarves tried to not get their wives pregnant too often to save them from this terrible fate, therefore the small amount of children in the dwarven race.

Thrain took a deep breath and sat down opposite of Brann. 'Of course I want to see my grandchildren. And I do not want to leave you all. But the Lonely Mountain calls out to me.' the former king to another deep breath. He was at a loss of words.

'At least stay until the our dwarflings are born.' Brann leaned forward and took his hand. She was sure that once their dwarflings were there, Thrain would forget about Erebor, at least for some time.

Thorin was relieved as he saw his father nod reluctantly. He would stay, even if it was only for his grandchildren. For now.

Brann cursed loudly as she turned around in her bed. She felt like an oliphant and could not find a position in which she felt comfortable. She had not slept in days and the twins were driving her mad even before they were born. Apparently they had started a dwarven tournament inside of her and it was feeling like they were already fighting against each other with all their limbs. Brann could have sworn that she had felt one of the dwarflings give the other a headbutt. Brann smiled as she remembered the first day she had felt the dwarflings move inside of her. She had rushed to the throne room where Thorin was in council. She waited patiently until the council was over and then almost raced round lord Mara on her way to Thorin to take his hand and put them over her belly. The kings face had brightened up in a smile which no member of the council had ever seen as he felt his dwarflings kick him through their mothers belly. All the way back to their chambers Thorin had not let go of Branns belly. Thorin was completely smitten with his pregnant wife and his unborn little ones. Some evenings he would just lay beside Brann and read to the dwarflings. Brann had slapped him playfully as Thorin had suggested that he could read to the dwarflings from between Branns legs for an accoustical advantage. The king did his best to make his queen feel comfortable during the pregnancy, but it was not easy. Since nobody could say wether Brann would be pregnant the dwarven or human way, Oin expected the dwarflings to be born either after nine or twelve months. Brann still had one month to go to pass the human pregnancy time.

'Oh, stop it!' she grumbled under her nightgown and let her head fall back into the pillows.

'Its a good thing they are kicking, this way we know that they are alright.' Thorin murmured half asleep.

'I tell you what - I will kick you evertime they kick me and then I´ll ask you again!' Brann growled and frowned at her husbands chuckle. 'Don´t make me come in there!'

'Are they kicking you hard?' Thorin nuzzled against his wifes hair.

'No! They are kicking each other! Hard.' Brann sighed. There was no way she could sleep like that.

Thorin looked at his wife through half closed eyes. During the seventh month of her pregnancy she had become grumpy, bad tempered and snarky, but Oin said that it was due to the lack of sleep. Dis had told him that Brann was behaving like Thorin usually behaved every day and grinned at her brother cheekily.

'Are you going to tell me that this is all my fault?' Thorin smirked at his wifes frown.

'Yes.' Brann looked back at Thorin, but her expression was loving. 'But its a good thing anyway.'

Thorin smiled and pulled his wife close into his arms. It was difficult to pull her close without squeezing her belly and making her uncomfortable, but Thorin tried anyway. He would not say a word about it, because Brann would probably hear him call her fat. He was no stupid dwarf and he was not tired of life.

'You want to take a walk?' he asked, since he knew that Brann would not be able to sleep any time soon.

'You have a council meeting tomorrow. You should get some sleep.' Brann smirked as she remembered how Balin had told her that Thorin had fallen asleep during the last meeting, where of course of all people lord Mara had spoken.

'Screw the meeting.' Thorin grumbled and earned a slap from Brann.

'Shhhh...the little ones!' Brann scolded him playfully.

'I am holding their ears close.' Thorin chuckled and held his hands to the side of Branns belly.

'Great Durin, I already have one dwarfling.' Brann sighed, but could not help but smile at her husbands grin. Thorin looked so happy. Brann wished to see her husband happy like this until the end of their days.

As Brann walked out of their chambers the next morning she ran into Thorin Stonehelm, who stood before their door with an insecure expression.

'My queen!' Thorin swallowed nervously. 'You look wonderful, very majestic and beautiful and your ...'

'Hold it right there!' Brann had to control herself to not burst into laughter. 'What do you want?'

'I...' Thorin was a fierce warrior and a proud dwarf, but right now he shuffled with his feet and was fighting with words. 'I need... your advice. About Dwana.'

Brann smiled at Dains son and walked back into the royal chambers, gesturing him to come in.

'I am not sure if this is appropriate, my queen.' Thorin remarked, but Brann only waved her hand dismissively.

'You are our godson, Thorin.' the queen pushed the young dwarf into a chair and sat down in another one. 'Now. Tell me what bothers you.'

'Well, as you know...Dwana and I are courting officially for six months now and...I have alread given her my first two courting gifts of three.' Thorin looked at Branns frown in surprise. 'You do know how dwarven courting works? I am sure that king Thorin has courted you properly.'

Brann bit her tongue. She was not sure if it was wise to tell Thorin Stonehelm about the way Thorin and her got married. Brann did not want young Thorin to judge her Thorin for not having courted her. But on the other hand she did not want to lie to her godson.

'Well, we...Thorin courted me the men's way.' Brann tried to save the situation.

'The men's way?' Thorin Stonehelm frowned. 'Men do not court at all. They fall in love with various others during their lifetime and only barely stay true to one. They do not take love seriously.'

'And you are an expert in men?' Brann smirked. 'I am one, too. Do you think that I will stray?'

'No! You never...' Thorin bit his lip. 'You are the first from the race of men who I met. But I heard stories about men. They do not put alot of thought in their courting. And they can love more than once. How sincere can a man be in his love to a woman when he is able to fall in love with someone else anytime?'

Brann nodded slowly. She understood why Thorin thought that way and men were indeed able to love more than once, unlike dwarves. There were a few dwarves who were able to love more than once in their lives, but most of them only had one partner and stayed true to him. Considering the fact that dwarves lived even longer than men, staying true to their partner meant staying true to him for a very long time, often longer than the whole lifespan of men. Brann was also sure that the dwarven stubborness had alot to do with the fact that married couples did not split. One dwarves were married they would simply stay married.

'My parents courted properly and they stayed true to each other...until the end.' Brann had tears in her eyes as she remembered her parents, but she tried to ignore the sting in her heart. 'It is true that men can love more than once in their lives, but that does not mean that their love is less pure. And they do court. They give their beloved ones flowers or little gifts. There is no specific timeframe for courting. The courting goes on for weeks, months or even years. Sometimes the courting goes even shorter. That depends on how sure the partners are in their love.'

'What if they feel as if they were in love, but after a while they realise that they aren't.' Thorin asked Brann in a quiet voice.

Brann looked at him with a frown, she did not like where this was going. 'Thorin, are you not sure about you and Dwana?'

The young dwarf looked at Brann as if she had gotten mad. 'What? No! What makes you think this? I love her, more than anything else! She is so...strong, beautiful and also a little bit crazy. And I love her hair!'

Brann let out a relieved sigh and sat back in her chair. 'Why do you want to know all of this?'

'I was curious. I have never been in love and I need to know if my feelings are normal.' Thorin looked down at his hands. 'I asked you because you and the king are so...you are meant to be together, although you come from two different worlds. Did the king court you with flowers, like men do?'

Brann smiled cheepishly and played with the flower necklace Thorin had made her. 'Thorin did not court me at all before the wedding. He gifted me with flowers and other wonderful things, but after we had gotten married.'

'Then why did you even marry him?' the young dwarf was completely stunned.

'Thorin gave me more than courting gifts. He gave me a home, a family.' Brann smiled as she thought about how she and Thorin had gotten together. 'He gave me hope when I had lost everything. This was more precious than everything else he could have given me.'

Her words made sense to young Thorin. But they also complicated his problem, for he had no idea what to give Dwana as his last courting gift before a wedding could be discussed.

'You have no idea what to give Dwana as your final gift, do you?' Brann grinned at Thorins blush.

Thorin sighed deeply. 'Is that so obvious? How can't I know what she likes? I claim to love her, yet I have no idea what to give her.'

Brann covered her mouth with her hands. Thorin Stonehelm was adorable in his love and Brann had to control herself for not hugging him silly.

'Think about it, but do not force yourself. You have all the time in the world. You two are so young and you have much time to get to know each other. You are pushing yourself too hard. Take your time and you will know what to get her.' Brann took his hand and squeezed it. 'And by the way...maybe you should give your parents some time before you chase them through half of Middle Earth again for your wedding. Poor Dain and Mya have spent more time on the road than at home lately.'

The young dwarf smiled at that and sat back in his own chair, more relaxed than before. 'Fili and Kili are right, you are a great aunt. Oh no...why are you crying? Don't cry, what did I do?'

Thorin was more confused than ever as his godmother and queen began crying and chuckling at the same time.

As Thorin Stonehelm had left for lunch, Brann walked down to have lunch with Dis. As she entered the chambers of the king's sister she paused. Dwana was with Dis and looked troubled.

'There you are, you need to help me!' Dwana exclaimed in despair. 'I have no idea what to give Thorin as my last courting gift!'

Both dwarves looked at their queen in surprise as Brann burst into laughter.

'You two are absolutely adorable!' Brann chuckled. But suddenly she felt a sting in her belly and hissed. It was just a short stinging and Brann felt relieved. At first. It begann to sting many more times after that, in shorter periods and for a longer time. Dis looked at her in worry.

'Brann, whats wrong?' she asked in worry.

'Nothing, I ...ah!' Brann moved her hands to her belly and sat down on one of Dis chairs. 'It just...it can´t be labor, its too soon.'

'I had contradictions during the whole pregnancy. I am sure that you know what Broin-Hís contractions are?' Dis smirked at her sister in law.

Brann remembered Oin telling her about the dwarven healer who had found out that some females had to live through painful contradictions during their pregnancies, but it was nothing dangerous.

'Thank Mahal! I totally forgot about that!' Brann frowned. 'I am a healer myself, why am I having such problems when my own body is concerned? I fell as if I am getting stupid as far as I am concerned myself.'

'You are just focussing differently, my dear.' Dis smirked at Branns irritation. 'It is always easy to see others with the eyes of a healer, but it is difficult to look at yourself without emotion involved. Emotion which can cloud your judgement.'

'Thank you, Dis.' Brann sighed. 'What would I do without you?'

'Oi! And what about me?' Dwana pushed her hands into her hips and cocked an eyebrow at her queen. 'I still have a problem.'

'Oh, be silent, you brat.' Dis slapped Dwana on the back of her head, but could not help but grin.

Braxton-Hicks-Contractions = Broin-Hís-Contractions (dwarvish)