A/N: As promised, a second chapter for the day. It's my Christmas present to you guys. Thank you so much for the love you've all shown to this story. I love hearing from you.

Date: TA 2841

Thorin: 95 years old

Lina: 92 years old

Thorin rested his arm on the mantelpiece and stood staring into the fire. His brow was knitted with concern. Lina sat quietly beside their bed, her hands clasped around the knee she'd drawn up to her chin. Her gaze was focused on her husband, but her mind was wandering.

It had been thirty-nine years since they had been secretly joined in a forest clearing. In that time so many things had happened as to be nearly innumerable. Within a week of the ritual, both dwarves had decided they could not stand to hide their marriage and had confessed it to Thrain. At first the king had been angry, then hurt, and finally resigned. His hopes for the continuation of his line now lay with his daughter.

Dis, in turn, had entered into a courtship with a dwarf who had joined the company on their trek from Dunland to Belegost. Only a few months earlier in 2841, Dis had been joined to the dwarf. Thrain had been overjoyed at the union, and waited impatiently for the first child to be produced.

Even though Dis had not yet produced a child, the population of the settlement had grown. Word of the movement north by Thrain and Thorin to recolonize the citadel of Belegost had attracted a number of wandering dwarves. Some of these had been driven from Erebor, but had neither stayed with Thrain's band nor had they settled in the Iron Hills. Some dwarves were not of Durin's Line, but of another of the Seven Fathers altogether. Yet they all came to join.

Belegost had indeed contained some useful mines. In short order, the dwarves had delved deep within. There was no gold to be had for it had long ago been removed by those who had built the citadel. Silver, iron, and other metals, however, existed in abundance. The dwarves were able, for the first time in over forty years, to begin growing. Their poverty began to abate. The city was restored, though not even close to its former glory. The population began to grow and multiply. Lina saw a newborn child for the first time in over twelve years. The sight and sound of the babe brought tears of joy to everyone who had followed Thrain. Thrain's people had a new life.

Some form of a society had begun to reform once the city was rebuilt. Thrain was the unquestionable leader, Thorin his heir. Much to Thrain's surprise, none of the dwarves had objected to Lina's presence among the royal family. The tales told of the Battle of Azanulbizar included stories—most of them exaggerated—of Lina Firehammer and the devastation she dealt to the dwarves' enemy.

The tales were embarrassing most of the time. The hero-worship Lina had once received from the young females before the battle had returned with a vengeance in a new generation of young dwarves. Had Lina so desired, she could have any number of apprentices under her as she worked in the forge. As it was, Lina had to assign the gawking young males and females various small tasks just to keep them out from under foot.

Thorin often teased her about the "army" she led. He and Dwalin had started giving the children positions. There youngest they called scouts. These went running to and fro with messages, reporting on anything and everything. Then came the archers. These were so called due to their single-mindedness when Lina gave them a task. Woe betide anyone who got in their way when they were on a mission! The foot soldiers came next. These were slightly older children who performed the most physical tasks Lina handed out including drawing water, working the bellows, and bringing her fresh materials. There was, however, one group Thorin did not think was amusing in the slightest.

All armies have camp followers, whether these are peddlers selling cheap wares or entire families. Lina had a large group of "camp followers." Had these merely been children, Thorin would have been as amused as Dwalin regarding their existence. However, these were not children. The group had a very transient population of young males, just old enough to begin courting. Most of these were new to Belegost, not yet acquainted with anyone in the city, and they would happen to catch sight of Lina in her forge. Being young and rather full of themselves, they often approached her and attempted to flirt. If Lina was feeling generous she simply informed them that she already had selected a husband. If she was not, as in the case of several particularly arrogant pups, she would have her army of children literally chase them from the forge. Dwalin found the whole thing hilarious and was more often than not on hand to watch events as they unfolded. He'd had occasion to toss one dwarf out of the forge for insulting Lina's husband though the young male had never met him.

Thorin was extremely jealous. Lina was forced more than once to intervene when Thorin caught sight of one of the young males trying to woo Thorin's mate. According to a number of the older dwarven women, such jealousy was common among the married males. Due to dwarven women being so scarce, the men who managed to wed were very protective of their wives. This did not make Thorin's jealousy any more amusing, except to Dwalin who found it to be the greatest entertainment in the world.

Lina continued running bouts with warriors in training as a way to work off steam, usually built up and then vented upon the same individuals. That Thorin did find amusing. Over-confident young males practically lined up to go a round against the legendary female line breaker. No matter how many males they watched getting knocked head over heels before them, they were still convinced they could and would defeat her. More than one of them had come limping away to be greeted by Thorin commenting on the skill his wife possessed. With that, another "camp follower" would be gone, only to be replaced by another idiot in short order.

Every now and again, Lina and Thorin would do battle. These were rare and far between, and both had agreed these should only be done when there were no hurt feelings between them. More often than not, Thorin would win these bouts. Lina won only one battle in six, and these only by the skin of her teeth. She was a masterful warrior with a hammer, but the heavy weapon still put her at a disadvantage to her husband. These bouts often drew large crowds, all interested in seeing two heroes of the Battle of Azanulbizar in action.

It was sometimes hard for Lina to believe how far her life had come. There were mornings she woke up wondering if it was all just a wonderful dream and at any moment her father would be bellowing. Or perhaps she was still lying unconscious after Smaug's attack on Erebor. Then she would roll onto her side and find herself gazing upon the sleeping form of her husband. No, she would decide then, it could not be a dream. For never had she ever pictured Thorin as he looked while he slept. The Thorin she had known in her youth was distant, hard, and frightening. This Thorin was the exact opposite. He was rarely distant. Often he was happiest to simply hold Lina in his arms. The tenderness with which he treated her always left her smiling. As for frightening, Lina had nothing to fear from her husband. He treated her with the utmost respect and honor. Even when tempers grew hot, neither was willing to disrespect the other.

Thorin shifted, bringing Lina's wandering mind back into the room. There was genuine worry is his eyes. The worry was tying every muscle in his body into a tight knot.

Lina rose and caught her husband's hand. He looked almost surprised to see her standing there. With a knowing look, she pulled Thorin over to the chair she had just vacated and made him sit down. Her hands went to work, massaging his neck and shoulders, trying to chase some of the tension away. Almost immediately she felt him relax.

"You are worried for you father," Lina commented. Her husband inclined his head to show she was correct.

"Dwalin and Balin are with him. They will do their utmost to ensure his safety," she pointed out. She moved her fingers up to massage his head.

"I know," he replied, "but I have a bad feeling about this venture of his."

"Why?"

"Something does not feel right. My father was far quieter about returning to Erebor when my grandfather was still alive. Now that we have some modicum of prosperity he decides to go wandering off on the most poorly planned expedition I have ever seen. If it had not been for Balin's level head, he may have very well run off without even a weapon." Thorin's voice stilled.

"There is nothing you can do for him now," Lina murmured, leaning over to kiss his head. "You must simply wait for his return. Working yourself into a knot will do your father no good. Besides, you aren't terrible comfortable to sleep with when you're tense."

"Is that so?" Thorin reached up and pulled his wife closer to him. His lips found the underside of her jaw.

Lina gave a startled laugh and playfully smacked Thorin's shoulder, pulling away before he could react. His arm shot out to capture her and missed. Thorin rose from the chair, spinning to face his wife. Moving the chair to one side, he made a grab for her. With a laugh Lina dodged his lunge and somersaulted across the bed, placing its bulk between them.

Thorin eyed her warily for a long moment. She simply wrinkled her nose at him and grinned. He lunged again and the chase was on. The bedroom furniture made convenient obstacles for Lina to hide behind. Thorin was much heavier and far less agile. He had to go around most furniture to grab at her. Lina could simply vault over it.

The room's smooth stone floor made the game more interesting. The animal skin rugs slide across the floor whenever one of them tried to stop suddenly. Lina used this to her advantage. If she wanted to reverse directions suddenly, she would wait until Thorin was just starting onto a rug. Then he would try to stop and turn suddenly. Usually he ended up on the floor and she ended up on the other side of the room laughing.

Sadly, it did not take long for him to catch on to her tricks. He may have been brawny, but he certainly was not stupid. When the attempt to use Lina's own tricks against her failed, Thorin resorted to herding. Lina suddenly found herself trapped on top of their bed. She stood at the center, her back to the stone wall at the head. Thorin paused at the foot of the bed. Both were breathing a bit hard, but both were smiling.

Thorin watched his wife closely. She was looking for an escape. In a desperate attempt, Lina leapt from the bed and hit the floor ready to run. This time, however, Thorin was too fast and caught her around the waist. With a tug he had pulled Lina back onto the bed. She blinked in surprise as she found herself pinned beneath him. His hands held her wrists tightly over her head.

"I win," Thorin informed her, smirking.

"Oh?" Lina's raised one eyebrow, trying with no success to hide her answering smirk. "And what make you think you've won?"

The look on his face made Lina's breath hitch in her chest and a shiver run down her spine. In response to her question, Thorin leaned down and kissed her deeply. His lips roamed from her lips to her jaw and down onto the exposed column of her throat. A small moan escaped his prisoner's mouth as he nipped and sucked at the sensitive flesh. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as he teased her. Thorin moved his mouth to kiss the skin just below her ear.

"I think I've won," he breathed into her ear. This time he did not allow her to respond, claiming her mouth with a searing kiss.

Lina smiled inwardly. No, she most definitely was the winner of this bout.