After the ceremony everyone gathered in the Great Hall to celebrate their new king. Fili and his family sat at the head table and looked surprised when Thorin brought Fjola and asked if she were allowed to sit with them. Poppy looked at the dwarrodam with a smile and shrieked happily when she saw the courting braid and bead in her hair. Fjola gasped when her queen suddenly hugged her but then smiled. Everyone else looked surprised as well and so Thorin explained that he couldn't wait any longer and had asked Fjola immediately after the coronation if she'd allowed him to court her.

Dwalin slapped Thorin on the shoulder. "I can't believe it! Do you need a chaperone or will you be able to behave?"

Thorin laughed. "I think I'll manage. Or do you want to play that part?"

"Mahal, no!" Dwalin exclaimed and emptied his whole tankard of ale in one gulp; he definitely didn't want to watch his best friend reading poems and making sure that he wouldn't kiss his love too passionately.

Everyone laughed about the two dwarves. They were all happy to see Thorin like that. It seemed like, together with the crown, a huge rock had been lifted from his mind and heart.

After the wonderful dinner Bombur and his fellow cooks had provided, the dwarves of Erebor and their guests drank and danced. Many people wanted to congratulate and talk to Fili. Occasionally Fili danced with Poppy, but most of the time the latter danced with her oldest son.

One of the dwarf lords from the Grey Mountains watched Vili with interest. During dinner he had seen several of the adults help him with his food as well as to walk around afterwards. The Lord soon realised that the boy was blind and smiled sadly. It made him happy to see how everyone treated him kindly despite his blindness. He was sad that his own daughter was always treated oddly back home because of her disability though. He wondered if she'd be accepted in Erebor.

Thorin first danced with Ruby but later only had eyes for Fjola. They danced most of the evening and later even shared a few kisses in a secluded area. Fjola had fancied Thorin already back in Ered Luin and didn't mind him being a bit more straight forward then normal. During the last weeks she had realised that she loved him and was happy about his proposal. She already dreamed about their future, a marriage and maybe even a dwarfling or two with a bright smile. Thorin smiled back at her and put another kiss or her forehead. He hoped that they'd be able to marry very soon.

In a different corner of the hall, Lady Liz from Orocarni watched the dwarf, she had been supposed to marry once, angrily. She should have been queen and not this ugly hobbit. When she came to Erebor for the coronation, she had hoped that her father might at least be able to make a deal to marry her to the new king's younger brother. She hoped that the council might rebel about a half blood becoming king and that in the end she might at least be the mother of the future king. But soon she saw Prince Kili with another hobbit, who was apparently with child. Even though they danced and even kissed in public, Liz couldn't see a marriage braid in the hair.

She talked to several people about the prince and his whore but everyone told her that she was his wife and that they had married three months ago. Liz grinned and started talking about how the child had to be sired out of wedlock and wondered if Kili even was the father. Then she also started talking badly about Poppy. She also called her a whore and suggested that the hobbit who had come to Erebor with them was the father of some of the children and not Fili.

After a while her words became more and more disgusting and Liz more and more angry because no one believed her rumours. Suddenly Dwalin and a few guards asked her and her father to come to the entrance hall.

There an angry looking King Fili waited for them. Behind him Liz and her father saw their luggage and servants and frowned.

Fili cleared his throat. "Lady Liz, several people have reported to me, that you have called my wife and sister-in-law whores and that you suggested that me and my brother aren't the fathers of their children."

Liz looked upset. "My King, that's not true! I don't understand who might spread such rumours. Yes, I've been wondering about the hobbit Prince Kili danced with because they have no braids but I never suggested such terrible things." She lied.

"Don't lie to me!" Fili yelled. "They have marriage rings if you want to know. The reason for this is no concern of yours. Please leave Erebor now! You are allowed to come back anytime once you've learned not to talk badly about people who are are superior to you. My guards will escort you to the stables and away from my land." He explained calmer and then went back to the hall with Dwalin.

Liz followed the guards angrily but swore to herself that she'd return one day to get what she wanted.

In the hall Fili went to Kili and Daisy to check on them. He was happy that they hadn't heard anything about Lady Liz' rumours and decided to keep it like that. They were still too worried about their whole situation anyways. Fili worried that even more trouble might harm the baby and prayed that they would never find out.

Poppy went to her husband and asked him what was wrong. He told her everything while they danced. Poppy was sad and had tears in her eyes; she worried that such things might happen more often. But Fili assured her that he wouldn't allow anyone to hurt her or Daisy.

A few hours later Fili, Poppy and their children wet back to their rooms. While Poppy nursed Thorin, Fili helped their older children to put on their nightclothes. Suddenly Lili and Vili asked sadly why Runor and Runa hadn't been there all evening. Fili swallowed and worried that his mother's worries might be true. He didn't know how to explain to his children but promised that they would be there the next morning.

After the children had fallen asleep, Fili went to his and Poppy's bedroom and put his crown on the table next to his wife's crown and jewellery. He smiled at Poppy who had just left the bathroom. "My Queen!"

Poppy went towards her husband and burried her face in his hair. "My King!" She whispered. "You really surprised me with this crown."

"I hadn't planned it like that, my flower. But I wanted to show everyone that I love you and that I will accept no other female at my side." Fili explained and kissed her deeply. He ran his hands down her body and slowly started pushing up her nightgown. He kissed her belly and breasts. "I wonder when I will have those just for myself again." He whispered in between kisses.

Poppy first giggled but then looked a bit upset. "Don't you want anymore children? It's ok but you should have told me. I could have asked Fjola for the herbs for the contraceptive tea."

Fili put another kiss on her belly and stood up to look at his wife. "Poppy, I didn't mean it like that. I want many more children with you. Seeing you with a child in your belly and being surrounded by our children is the most beautiful thing for me. I will never get tired of seeing that." He kissed her again. "But sometimes I'm a bit jealous of them. They can be so close to you all day."

Poppy giggled and caressed Fili's cheek. "Oh love, you can be close to me all night." She pulled off her husband's tunic and trousers and pulled him towards their bed. "Even closer then they can be." She whispered and kissed him again.

Fili chuckled and sucked on the tips of Poppy's ears since he loved to hear her soft moans. They made love until they fell asleep in each other's arms.

The next morning Poppy and Fili ate breakfast with their children but Runa and Runor still weren't there although they usually ate with them every morning. Then Poppy sat down on a blanket with her children to play with them. Suddenly Vili burst into tears because he missed his best friend. Poppy wrapped her arms around him and looked at Fili sadly.

"I will fetch them, Vili. You don't have to worry." Fili promised and left for the miners' settlement with Dwalin and three guards.

They knocked and soon Runa opened the door. She bowed deeply when she saw Fili. "My King, how can I be of your service?"

"Runa, may I come in?" Fili asked with a frown. When Runa nodded he asked the guards to wait outside and went to their small living room where Runor stood with tears in his eyes. When he saw Fili, he bowed and wiped his tears away.

"Runa, Runor, you don't have to bow when we are alone. Why are you here? We missed you at breakfast. Vili even burst into tears because he misses you." Fili explained.

"My King, I'm just a cleaner. I know that we can't be friends anymore." Runa said with tears in her eyes.

Fili shook his head. "Please call me Fili, Runa! I'm still the same person I was yesterday morning. This crown has changed nothing between us. I don't know why, but Amad expected something like that and talked to me about it. I understand why you worry and I have to admit that it might indeed be difficult to explain why you are around my family all the time. I don't care if you are a poor cleaner or rich and I'd fight for our friendship but Amad suggested a much simpler way to keep you close." Fili took a deep breath and smiled. "Runa, would you like to be Poppy's handmaiden?"

Runa looked at Fili with wide eyes, so he continued. "I know that Poppy would never want a servant, and especially not you as her servant, but apparently a queen has to have a handmaiden and you'd be perfect for that job. You would get rooms directly linked to ours, so you could be together all the time just like you used to. In public you'd have to tend to her but-"

Runor suddenly threw his arms around Fili. "Really, we can still be friends?"

Fili nodded. "Of course, if your Amad agrees."

Both dwarf looked at Runa who started to smile. "I'd love to be Poppy's handmaiden."

Fili smiled happily and put his hands on Runor's shoulders. "Let's go to your new home. They all miss you. You can pack your belongings later and the guards will bring them to the royal wing."

Runa nodded. "Thank you!"

They left their small house and followed Fili back to his home. There they immediately went to the living room where Poppy and the children still played. The hobbit smiled at them and the girls cheered.

Poppy still held Vili in her arms and wiped the tears off of his puffy eyes. "Runor is here." She whispered into his hears.

Vili's face lit up and he ran towards the door. "Runor!"

Runor caught the smaller dwobit and pulled his into his arms. Vili buried his face in Runor's hair and wrapped his arms around him. "I missed you so much, Runor! Don't leave me again. You're my best friend!"

"I couldn't sleep all night because I thought that we can't be friends anymore because your Papa is king now. But he said we can be." Runor said with a smile.

Lili, Tulip and Ruby cheered again. They ran towards the boys and threw their arms around them.

Poppy, Fili and Runa smiled at the children. The dwarf explained the whole situation to his wife who wasn't too happy about Runa being her handmaiden. But she understood why she had to have one and was happy that Runa would fulfil that task. She made Runa swear that she would treat her like she used to while they were in their rooms and hugged her though.

Fili smiled at the females and his children who ran around the rooms happily. "I'm glad that you accepted my offer, Runa. We really need some help with the children, especially now that I'll have to be in council a lot and Poppy is with child again."

Runa looked at Poppy with wide eyes. "What?"

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