Ah, the joys of childbirth or maybe not so much in this case. I hope this is action enough for you dearreader! Thanks for everyone's passionate reviews! I wasn't able to answer them all because I was hustling to get this chapter out. Please let me know what you think! This might be TMI.

Chapter 52

Husband, brother, father, and uncle rushed to the royal bed chambers while Fili and Kili ran for Oin, who they thought was detained by a dwarf with burns. Thorin and the others arrived to see Relianna hunched over and gripping the back of a chair. Oin was heating a large cauldron of water over a crackling fire while Plumma stripped the bed of its sumptuous fur, velvet, and satin coverings. Derlig stood by with a thick quilt to lay in their place. Thorin and Frain were surprised to see Oin there, but the maids were quicker and alerted Oin at the first sign of labor. He quickly turned the injured dwarf over to his longtime assistant and hurried to the chambers. Every lamp and sconce in the chamber glowed bright, and the fire made the room almost too warm. A sharp knife and linen wadding waited to be boiled.

"Now I know what it feels like," she said between gasps. Her face was bright pink, and sweat beaded on her upper lip. "Oh! Mahal!"

"My love!" Thorin said hastening to her side. He took her hands off the chair and held her through the contraction. "Let's get you to bed."

"No," Frain said, stepping in, "she needs to walk for as long as she can. It'll help the delivery."

Thorin's eyebrows rose, and he hesitated. That wasn't something he'd ever heard before, but one look at Frain's stern face convinced him, and he yielded to his superior knowledge.

"As you say. Can you walk, my love?"

"I can try." With Thorin holding her around her waist, she took a step and yelped. The expression on her face changed, and she felt down her belly. No one spoke while her hands pressed up and down, but her face tightened when she reached a certain spot. "Frain, I need you to examine me. The baby kicked me up on the side."

His expression darkened, and he moved to her side. "On the bed now." It took both him and Thorin to help her to the bed and sit her on the edge. "Lay her back slowly then swing her legs around. That's it." He turned to his brother-in-law, gripped his shoulder, and held his gaze. "I need to touch her, Thorin, and do whatever I must to see what's going on. Do I have your permission?"

Thorin instinctively turned to Oin who nodded quickly. He had delivered many babes, but he knew Frain's skills outmatched his own and that she would need her brother if what he suspected was true.

"Thorin, he's your best chance."

"Best chance for what? What has happened?"

Lord Kerba took one look at Dain's face and grabbed his arm. Dain leaned back and tried to yank it away, but Kerba held firm.

"Come, Dain, I'll keep you company in the corridor."

"But, but, she's in trouble. I can't leave now."

"Yes, you can, and you must. They'll let us know what's going on." From all his reading, Kerba suspected what was wrong, but there was no sense upsetting Dain further, so he tugged him still protesting out the heavy, oak door. It shut with a boom, and Frain took a deep breath. Dain and Kerba found Fili and Kili waiting for them outside.

"How's it going?" Fili asked. "We're hearing a lot of noise." Kerba and Dain eyed each other, and that said enough. "Oh, no." Patting them on their backs, Kerba bid them sit and tried to reassure them.

"Much happens in labor that seems frightening at first, but Frain and his sister are as good a pair of healers as can be found. She knows what to do, and he'll help her through."

"But they're going to make it, yes?" Kili asked, looking from Kerba to Dain. "They're going to make it?"

Kerba sorely wanted to answer in the positive, but he despised false cheer and answered honestly.

"She has a better chance than most who face possible complications because of her brother's knowledge and experience. If anyone can make things right, it will be Frain. She's in the best hands possible."

The brothers nodded and took places on the bench. Whatever they were thinking they didn't share, but since no one said anything inspirational, they knew matters might be serious. Meanwhile back in the room, Relianna panted through another contraction, and Frain had to wait until it passed.

"Where?" he asked once the pain subsided. She found the spot and pressed down. Silent communication passed between brother and sister, and she started crying.

"Oh, Frain."

"No, no, all will be well." He stroked her cheek and pushed damp hair away from her forehead. Thorin was ready with another cool, wet cloth Clea had handed him. "Be strong, sweetheart. Thorin I need to touch her."

Thorin was both flummoxed and frightened. "Of course, but tell me what's wrong." Frain didn't answer at first but instead lifted Relianna's nightgown, taking care to preserve her modesty as best he could. He felt on the side of her belly and pressed down. She winced but kept her eyes trained on his hands moving along one side of her abdomen.

"Is it?" she asked.

He nodded and turned to Thorin who stood by stiffly with his fists clenched.

"The baby's breech," Frain said, "lying sideways." Thorin went white, and Frain held out his hands to calm him. "She's not too far along in her labor, so we have time, but I need you to trust me and do whatever I tell you. Whatever I tell all of you." He lifted his head and marked everyone in the room. They nodded without hesitation.

"Thorin?"

"Yes, yes, whatever you need."

Frain turned at once to his sister. "You know what to do, sweetheart. Up on all fours. Thorin, Oin, help her up. Plumma, I need that stool there, the cushioned one. Bring it to the edge of the bed. Furla, steady the stool. Help her, Thorin, Oin. I need you both to help her get to the edge of the bed and put her elbows on the stool. Ladies, lend whatever support you can. Yes, she needs to hang over the bed, head lower than chest. We want the baby to move back toward her ribs to make room to turn."

With everyone helping her, Relianna leaned over the bed with her elbows on the stool like she was in prayer. Derlig put a pillow under her forehead. It was hard for her to stay in that position, and she stifled screams between each contraction, but with everyone helping her, she managed to hold it until Frain said to stop.

"Let's see where you are now," he said, and he and Thorin gently repositioned her on her back against freshly plumped pillows. "Thorin, I want you to feel with me," and he took Thorin's hand and had him feel along Relianna's belly.

"I think that's a foot," Thorin said, his expression intent, "but it's low. Is the baby turning?"

"Yes," Frain said after he felt around, "but the wrong way." He looked down at his sister and took her hand. "Reli, the baby's still breech, feet down. We can keep trying."

Relianna glanced over at Thorin who was chafing her other hand so hard it started to hurt. With a smile meant to reassure him, she squeezed his fingers and pulled away.

"I want to try for as long as I can. Oh!" Grabbing handfuls of the quilting, she grunted and cried out as a great wave of pain overtook her. A flood of liquid that smelled like vinegar poured out and made a spreading stain on the quilt. Frain gritted his teeth.

"We're out of time. Prepare yourself, sweetheart. You too, Thorin."

Abandoning his earlier promise, Frain positioned himself between her legs as labor began in earnest. Oin kept track of time between contractions while Thorin mopped Relianna's brow and chest. The maids kept quiet but moved around the room, preparing cool cloths from a bucket of ice water, and making sure the water was boiling to sterilize cloths that would clean the baby after delivery. When they were done taking care of what would be needed during and after the baby was born, Derlig huddled them together.

"We need to pray for her," she said, "get everyone to pray for her."

"We can't share what's going on without permission!" Clea whispered.

"So we'll ask," Plumma said, and they waited for a moment between contractions.

"My lords," Derlig said, "we're done here. May we pray for you all and tell others to pray too?"

Thorin and Frain turned to the waiting maids who stood nervously before them. Clea anxiously smoothed her skirt while Plumma looked off to the side, unable to bear their stares. Furla and Derlig faced them with eyes lowered respectfully.

"Please do," Thorin said with his first smile of the evening. "We need everyone's help, and please inform Lord Dain. He's waited without news long enough."

They curtsied hastily and all but Derlig scurried out the door to see Lord Dain bent over with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. With Relianna's every cry, his stomach seized until he felt nauseous.

"What news?" Lord Kerba asked. The maids curtsied again and looked to each other to see who would speak first. After a pause, Plumma answered.

"Labor has begun in earnest, my lords," she said calmly. "The baby is breech, but Lord Frain has everything under control. Nevertheless, King Thorin is allowing us to inform others, so we can pray for our mistress and the babe."

If those there expected Lord Dain to flood the floor, they were mistaken. He was grim but collected.

"Thank you very much for your loyalty to my children and your king," he said graciously as his stomach cramps allowed, "and do please tell everyone you think should know. You have my gratitude."

The maids bobbed again with wide eyes and rushed down the corridor, grabbing everyone they knew, who in turn told others. Within two hours, most of Erebor knew what was happening, and a wave of prayers for a safe delivery was heard in all the open spaces.

"I wasn't keen on the king's choice at first," one merchant said to another after the maids called out the news like town criers, "but I never wanted the lass to come to any harm. I hope Mahal sees fit to see them through."

"So do I," his companion said, and he gave a little chuckle. "The king's been as giddy as a lad with his first sword, and I'd hate to see that change. Besides, she's always about trying to help. Of course, she doesn't have the bearing of a full-blood, noble dwarrowdam, but there's something sweet about how she rolls up her sleeves when she's seeing to her duties. You've seen her do that, aye? Perhaps that's a leftover from her days as a healer. Damn fine healer too."

His friend nodded. Many if not most had been watching Relianna in and among the people and found nothing to complain of. It was a surprise to realize that the mixed-blood siblings weren't as low-brow and treacherous as they believed all mixed-bloods to be.

"It's not a queenly thing to do, but I must say it's rather—oh, I don't know—mmmm, endearing."

Meanwhile, back in their chambers, Thorin kept mopping his wife's face and chest. She writhed in pain, and those remaining encouraged her on.

"You're doing wonderfully, sweetheart, Frain said. "So far so good."

"It won't last forever, love," Thorin said, "and soon we'll be holding our baby."

She smiled a little at that before another contraction hit her, and she bore down hard. Thorin dropped the cloth and supported her back. Frain grinned as tiny toes made an appearance.

"I see beautiful little toes, dearest," he said. "They're perfect."

Relianna grinned between gasps.

"Push now, right now!"

She bore down again and held it. Veins in her neck and face appeared, and she flushed dark red as she pushed. More liquid rushed out, making the floor slippery, but Derlig mopped it up right away, so Frain had good footing. When she was done, she ran for more cloths. Oin finished sterilizing everything and laid out what Frain would need.

"Steady, sweetheart," Frain said. "Derlig, take over for Thorin. I want you here for your child's birth unless you're squeamish."

Thorin looked down at his wife. He was loath to leave her, but he didn't want to miss his first child coming into the world either.

"Do you want me here, love? I'll stay if you do."

"No, no, my love. Please welcome our baby. Derlig will help me, but come back soon. I'm so tired."

He kissed her on the forehead. The look of steadfast love he gave her brought tears to Derlig's eyes.

"I'll be back with our child, love. You are my heart and soul. Only a little longer now."

She smiled weakly, and he pressed her hand once more before joining Frain.

"Bear down hard on the next contraction, dearest, and I think we might be done. Oin do you have the knife?"

"I do, aye."

As the next contraction started, Relianna waited until Frain said to push.

"Now."

Pushing with all her remaining strength, she felt the baby slide almost out, but something caught, and she felt a jolt of dizziness.

"Oin! The knife! The knife!"

"Please no! Mahal, please no!" Thorin sounded desperate, and she fought not to give in to the growing fuzziness at the edges of her vision. She knew she was faint, but she wouldn't let go until she heard her baby cry.

"What's happening? What's happening," she whispered. "My baby? My baby?"

Nothing but silence answered her until a resounding slap and weak wail echoed in her ears.

"A beautiful boy," Frain said quietly. Relianna smiled, unable to hold back the ringing in her ears and weakness stealing over her, and she closed her eyes in peace, missing her brother's heavy sigh. "Do you want to tell her, Thorin, or shall I?"

Don't hurt me! Don't hurt me!