I am so sorry about doing this to Thrain and Thorin. But I tend to keep my stories close to Tolkiens work and sadly, Tolkien lets us suffer with his The Hobbit ;( but as in real life, there are good and bad in my story and I sincerely hope that I have managed to make you smile and laugh despite all the sadness.

The Blue Mountains grieved for Thrain and the royal family held together in their grief. Dis cried over the loss of her father and Thorin and Brann tried to divert the four royal dwarflings from the pain and grief. Although all of them were still small, they understood that they would not see their grandfather again. Brann stayed at Thorins side whenever she could and offered him comfort, for she knew that her husband had been devastated at the loss of his father. It was thanks to her, that the king found the strength to rule during the hard time. He would only smile when he was with his family and he laughed for the first time in weeks when Brann came up to him and lay his hand onto her belly, as their dwarfling was experiencing its first hicups.

The mourning went on for weeks before everyone started to prepare for the birth of Thorins and Branns third dwarfling. Brann was eleven months pregnant and the dwarves of the Blue Mountains started placing bets on the gender of the dwarfling.

'I think its a boy! How high are the chances of another girl? Even you two could not be that blessed!' Dis stated and smiled for the first time since her father went missing.

'I think its another girl!' Fili exclaimed.

'How do you know?' Kili asked his big brother with big eyes.

'I know.' was all Fili said with a smug expression on his face. 'Zial and Gwen came three weeks early. I bet this little one will come right on time!'

Brann shook her head about all the bets that were thrown her way and took Thorins hand in hers. They had not talked about names, yet. If it was a boy, he would be named Thrain, there was no doubt at that. But if it would be another girl...Branns only hope was that the new dwarfling would return the light back into the mountain.

'The little one takes his time.' Oin stated and listened to the dwarflings heartbeat. 'The birth was due last week.'

'I know that!' Brann was moody beyond reason. Her back hurt, her feet were swollen and she had to go to the bathroom all day, for the dwarflings was kicking her bladder. 'Why is it taking so long?'

'Well, it seems to fell comfortable inside of its mother.' Oin smirked as Brann let out an unqueenly snort.

'I want it out, it is driving me crazy!' she exclaimed and looked at Oin. 'Do something.'

'You are a healer, my queen, you know that there is nothing I could do to trigger the contractions.' Oin grinned at Branns sigh. 'You may want to try a few things, like eating spicy food or walk alot. Or make...love...'

The old healer blushed as he saw Branns eyebrows go up her forehead. He was about to say something about it as Thorin came into the infirmary to look after his queen. But Brann only stood up and pulled him out again without a word, but with a determined look on her face. Oin stayed behind and tried not to use his imagination.

On the way to the royal chambers, Brann stopped by the kitchens and took some pepper with their dinner, making Bombur grin. The cook and his wife already had three dwarflings and Bombur knew what Brann was trying to do. As the royal couple walked out the door he blinked at his king and earned a confused look from Thorin. Back in their chambers, Thorin grabbed Brann and tried to calm her down.

'What is wrong?' he asked his wife and chuckled as she pulled him down to eat their meal. As he reached for a pepper, Brann slapped his hand. 'Mahal, woman, will you tell me what this is all about?'

'I need to get this dwarfling out fo me. It is driving me mad!' Brann told him and frowned at his smirk. 'I haven´t slept for days and I haven´t seen my feet in months! Oin told me to eat some spicy things, take a walk and sleep with you.'

'Excuse me?' Thorin stared at his wife and tried to figure out wether she was joking or not.

'Yes, indeed. Eat your food, you´ll need your strength today, dear husband.' Brann told him and smiled at her husband´s aghast expression. 'We haven´t slept together for months now, don´t tell me that you do not miss it.'

'I...I...this is...romantic.' Thorin was blown away by Branns forwardness. And a little bit turned on.

'You got that dwarfling into me, you are going to get it out.' Brann stated and bit into the pepper. She ate one pepper after the other and Thorin dared to snatch away the last one. As he bit into the pepper he felt as if his mouth was on fire. Gasping for air he reached for the mug of water and drank right out of it.

'No water, my king. Milk or white bread.' Brann told him and smirked as Thorin grabbed the entire bread and bit into it. 'They are not even spicy.'

'Not...spicy?' Thorin had problems breathing. 'Sweet Mahal...'

It took Thorin a few moments and two breads to breathe normaly again. Brann looked at her husband lovingly and smirked as he looked at her with an insecure expression.

'Are you sure? I mean, I do not want to hurt the little one.`he stammered and reached for Branns belly. He was not used to his wife being so forward and to be honest he was not sure how to make love to his wife without hurting her or the unborn little one.

Brann smiled at him and led Thorin to the bed. 'You could never hurt me.' she whispered and kissed him passionately. It was difficult to move close to her husband, due to the pregnancy belly, but Brann grabbed Thorin by his braids and pulled his lips onto hers. Thorins hands found her bottom and squeezed it, causing Brann to gasp into the kiss. Thorin rolled over and pinned his wife to the mattress, claiming her mouth in a wet kiss. It had been months and he longed for her touch and her body pressed against his. He was about to lift up her dress as Brann grabbed his wrist and grimaced.

'I think my water just broke.' she whispered and looked at Thorin with big eyes.

'Durin, I am good!' Thorin remarked and made her roll her eyes. The king helped his wife up and looked down at her. Indeed, her water broke. Brann pressed her hands against her belly as the first contractions rolled over her.

'Will you make it to the infirmary?' Thorins asked and winced as Brann gasped at the pain.

'I will.' she answered and took his hand. 'But we should hurry.'

'AHHH! Where is he?' Brann cried out as a strong contraction ripped through her body.

'I could not find him anywhere!' Dwana rushed to her queens side. Thorin held his wife´s hand and Oin was preparing everything for the birth.

'He has been present at every royal birth, he has to be here, when our third is born, too!' Brann grinded her teeth. 'Where in the name of Durin is your father, Dwana?!'

The young dwarf shrugged her shoulders and smirked at the thought of her father witnessing another birth. Maybe this time he would not faint, but she doubted it.

'I will get him.' she told the queen and rushed out of the infirmary.

'You are only dilated about two fingers wide, my queen.' Oin told Brann. 'This will take a while.'

Brann sighed and let her head fall back against Thorins shoulder. 'Zial and Gwen...where are they?'

'They are with Dis, Fili and Kili.' Thorin told her and stroked her hair.

'What do you wish it to be?' Brann asked Thorin and looked up at him. 'A boy or a girl?'

'I do not care, I really do not.' Thorin took Branns hand and kissed her palm. 'As long as our dwarfling is healthy. And you are, too.'

'You want an heir.' Brann stated, but Thorin silenced her with a kiss.

'I have an heir. You said yourself that Fili would be a great king one day.' Thorin kissed Branns forehead. 'I love you Brann and I will love every dwarfling of ours unconditionally.'

The king and queen kissed and forgot the world around them, but were torn apart as Dwalin came rushing into the infirmary with a big bang.

'I´m here, I´m here, where´s the little one?' he asked and looked around. 'Oh no, don´t tell me that I have to deliver it again!'

Thorin and Brann were about to smirk at the captain of the guard, but something was odd about his appearance. Thorin saw it first.

'By Durin´s beard! Where is your hair?!' Thorin exclaimed and made Brann jump. She looked at the captain of the guard and now she saw it, too. Dwalin was completely bald.

'I shaved my head.' Dwalin told them and looked to the ground. 'I have shaved it in shame due to the fact that Thrain was captured by orcs while I was supposed to protect him.'

'Dwalin, nothing of it was your fault!' Brann tried to comfort the guard, but another contraction made her wince. 'You tried to get him back! You and your brother hunted the orcs for weeks! You were nearly starved to death as our scouts found you.'

'Thrain was captured and delayed on my watch.' Dwailn insisted. 'And by the way...I was getting bald anyway...'

Thorin grinned at his friends remark and patted his shoulder. 'It looks good, old friend. But I will never hear a word about shame ever again, do you hear me?'

Dwalin frowned, but bowed in the end. 'Yes, my king.'

'Alright, lets get a dwarfling, shall we?' Oin arrived and rubbed his hands. He paused for a short while and looked at Dwalins baldness, but then he shrugged his shoulder and concentrated in his patient.

Oin looked down at Brann and nodded. 'It is time to start pushing, my queen.'

Brann took a deep breath and waited for the next contraction and started pushing. She had thought that the second birth would be less painful than the first, but she was mistaken. The twins had been smaller since they had to split the space inside of her, but this dwarfling was huge. Brann pushed and pushed, but she had the feeling that the dwarfling had not moved an inch.

'Oin, nothing is happening...' Brann groaned and paled. 'Is the dwarfling facing the right way? Did it turn, yet?'

Oin moved his hands over Branns belly and paled. 'It seems that it comes bottom first. Prepare yourself for a breech birth, my queen.'

Brann felt panic overcome her. A breech birth was hard and dangerous and suddenly she felt Thorins presence as a burden. He had to leave, she could not do this if he would watch her suffer.

'Thorin, please...would you go and stay with our daughters?' Brann asked her husband and winced as another contractioon ripped through her body.

'I will not leave you.' Thorin did not really understand was was going on, but he could see the panic in his wife's eyes. 'I can't leave you...'

'Please, Thorin, I need you to be with our daughters now. Bring them here, so that they can greet their new brother or sister.' Brann grinded her teeth. 'Please!'

Thorin looked at Oin for help. He did not want to leave, he wanted to suppprt his queen.

'Go, laddie. We'll manage.' Oin told his king. 'She won't have any peace when you watch her suffer through the birth...' he whispered into Thorins ear.

The king looked into his wife's face before he reluctantly stepped back. He kissed her sweaty forehead and sighed against her skin.

'My brave queen...' he whispered and made Brann smiled.

'My bear...' Brann leaned into her husband. She could feel her strength diminish quickly. 'I love you, don't ever forget that.'

'I love you, too.' Thorin made ready to leave. He could see that Brann needed him gone. 'Promise me, that you won't leave me.'

'I'll do my best.' Brann looked into her husbands blue eyes before she clenched her jaw because of the pain.

Thorin held his wife's hand until their fingers parted slowly and then left the room with a heavy heart, hoping that he would be able to take her in his arms again.

'Push, girl, push, you hear me?' Dwalin urged Brann who was panting eratically.

'I can't, I can't push anymore!' Brann cried out as she felt her inner walls tear and rip.

'I can already see the dwarfling, lass. As I thought it will come out bottom first, you have to push, or it will kill you both!'

Brann cried out in pain as she continued pushing. Her strength was fading and she was afraid that she might not make it this time. She put all her strength of will into the next push and felt the dwarfling move until she tore. The queen cried out in agony and fell back into the bed.

Oin and Dwalin exchanged worried glances. The birth took over half a day now and the queens strength would not last the night. Thorin was sitting outside of the infirmary. He had sent his daughters away again as Branns cries had sounded through the heavy doors. Now, the king had buried his face in his hands and winced at Branns cries. He was afraid, more afraid than he had been in a long time. He knew that he would lose his wife long before his own life would be spent, but he could not bear the thought of losing her in childbirth. It would be his fault, then. His wife would die carrying out his dwarflings. He would have killed her. The birth of Zial and Gwen had been easy and Brann had been on her feeth again the next day. It would not be the same this time. Thorin pressed his fists against his eyes and he heard Branns loud and pained cry and groaned. He wanted to storm in and hold her hand, but Dis had told him that Brann would try to focus on him instead of the birth if he would be there. All he could do was wait. And maybe pray.

'By Mahals beards, push, girl, push, push, push!' Dwalin began to panic. This took way too long.

'I AM PUSHING, you...AHHH!' Brann yelled and Oin smirked as he saw the dwarfling move out a tiny bit more. Branns fury about Dwalin gave her strength and she was not focused on her pain too much. As another contraction ripped through Branns body, the queen grabbed Dwalins beard and pulled.

'NOT the BEARD!' Dwalin exclaimed and tried to free his beard from his queen's iron grip. For a moment he pitied Dara who had been pulled out of the mountain by Brann by her hair. But only for a split moment. 'For goodness' sake, girl!'

Outside of the infirmary, Thorin frowned as he heard Dwalins pained cry, too. At least his old friend had not fainted yet, this time.

'Was that my father's cry?' Dwana arrived at the infirmary and frowned.

'He seems to not have fainted then.' Thorin Stonehelm stated dryly and sat down beside Thorin Oakenshield.

'Thorin?' Dwana asked and rolled her eyes as both dwarves on the bench answered with a yes. She wanted to ask wether Brann would be alright, but she could not. She was afraid fo the answer.

'One more time, lass. One more time and I'll be able to pull the little one out.' Oin promised Brann and winced as he saw Brann tear as she pushed for one last time. He was able to grab the dwarfling and pull it out the last bit and the queen fell back onto the bed after the last hard push.

Brann felt an unbelievable relief as she felt the dwarfling being pulled out of her. With a last look at Dwalin, who looked back at her worriedly, she closed her eyes and let the darkness take her.