Thank you to all the people reading this story, and its predecessor. Your follows, favorites, and reviews are all very much appreciated by me. More so today, due to the situation with my grandfather's declining health. While writing this chapter, I am sitting in his room at the "care facility" he has been placed in. Most of the nurses are weary of coming into the room while I am in here; but the nightshift CNA finds it sweet that I am here.
All the years are a rough approximate. I round up to the nearest ¼, ½, ¾ or year mark. Example: 1 year and two months gets rounded up to 1 ¼ years old.
Also, "high in the sky" means the noon hour.
55 ¾ years till LOTR events.
Aliena – 9 years old
Frerin & Durin – 4 ¼ years old
The Halls of Healing in Erebor...
Normally the Halls of Healing are steady with incoming patients, but today is one of the few slow days where not a soul has entered. There are over 20 individual rooms that are used for the most severe injured patients, which the doors line the walls of the two halls. Then there is two large open halls that have more than 25 cots in each. Kind of like what one would see during an epidemic episode on old TV show. By the main entrance, there is an alcove which is attended by a healer. Behind the alcove is two rooms. One that holds all medical records, and the other which houses all of the supplies. Finally at the far end, of the second hall is a door which leads to a bathing area. The bathing area holds a small pool for therapeutic reasons, and several toilets.
In the supply room, Inara is humming to herself as she folds the clean linens that are used for the cots that the patients lay on. If there is one thing that she has pounded into the heads of the dwarven healers, is that cleanliness is needed to keep infections from spreading.
Oin enters the room, and watches Inara finish folding a towel. He smiles to himself as he watches her. 'No one would suspect this woman to be the Queen of Erebor.' He thinks to himself as he moves towards one of the shelves that house a few medicinal herbs.
"Let no one say that our Queen is afraid of hard work." Oin says out loud to announce his presence.
Inara stops folding another white linen, and gives Oin a smile.
"Why shouldn't I work hard? I am an able bodied person." Inara responds in a happy tone as she continues folding the linen. She places the now folded linen into the proper storage drawer.
"Aye. There may be some who think that you work too hard." Oin says with a chuckle.
"You speak of Thorin. Well, he has learned that I am not one to sit around idle all day long. Besides, how many babes have I helped bring into this world? How many dwarrowdams have survived the birthing bed since I have been the head mid-wife?" Inara places her hands on her hips, forcing the bodice of her light brown dress to tighten around her middle.
Oin gives Inara a knowing smirk. "And how long are you going to wait before you tell your husband of your condition? You can't be that far into it?"
"How did you..." Inara starts to ask, but Oin cuts her off.
"You have a healthy glow about your skin, and a little more pudge than you usually do in the middle. Congratulations on yet another royal pregnancy."
Inara gives a small laugh, before giving Oin a hug.
"You are the first person to know, besides me." Inara says to him as she lets him go from the hug. "I have been wanting to tell Thorin since I discovered it. With him being busy with the council, and me with my mid wife work there never seems to be time. We have been trying for almost two years now, and I could see the sadness in his eyes when my cycle would come."
Oin takes one of Inara's hands in his, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You know our race has a difficult time getting pregnant. Our people live long, yet conception is hard for us. I thought it a miracle when we found out that you were pregnant. Especially after the battle. However, these things take time."
"Unless you are going at it like bunnies." Both Inara and Oin laugh at her statement. For they know that Inara was referencing Kili and Tauriel, and the multiple times someone has walked in on those two in the act.
Neither one heard the sound of the entrance door open as they laugh.
Dis can hear Inara's laughter coming from the supply room, and makes her way over to the doorway of the room.
"Ahem." Dis says loud enough to make her presence known.
"Dis, what brings you here?" Oin says as he steps away from Inara.
"I am here at the request of my brother to retrieve his wife."
"What does he need Dis?" Inara asks as she wipes a stray tear from the corner of her eye.
"He needs you to come to the main gates, so that you are there to receive our guests." Dis says with a smile on her face. Oh yes, Dis can see the signs of pregnancy as well. Especially since she is also one of the mid-wives here in Erebor.
"I will be right there." Inara turns and bids Oin a good afternoon before leaving the Halls of Healing with Dis.
"Do you think that perhaps you should change before going to the gates?" Dis asks Inara as they walk arm in arm down the hallway.
"If it was a matter of the state then yes I would. But I don't want to be so formal with Bilbo and Gandalf. They are our friends, and I am sure that they will not care about what I am wearing." Inara replies, and the two begin to walk even faster through the hallways.
Main Gates of Erebor...
"Where is your brother?" Thorin asks Fili while pacing back and forth just inside the main gates. He knows that Bilbo and Gandalf should be arriving any time now, and with Inara not beside him he is a bit agitated.
Fili, who is leaning up against one of the pillars, looks back towards the entrance hall before letting out a sign.
"Possibly with his yâsith. Mahal knows, that she could go into labor any time now. Or at least that is what Inara has been telling Kili. I wouldn't worry about him not coming. Bilbo and Gandalf will most likely understand the situation."
Thorin stops his pacing and lets out a loud sigh. Since finding out about his nephew expecting a child, he has become frustrated. He is happy with his two sons and Aliena, but there is a part of him that wishes that it was Inara that was with child. Thorin loves his family, but a small part of him wants his family to get bigger if possible.
"Still no sign of Gandalf and Bilbo?" Balin says as he approaches where Thorin and Fili are. His red robes billowing out due to the breeze coming through the open gates.
"Not yet." Fili replies, and watches his uncle step outside the gates.
"How is he laddie?" Balin asks Fili while nodding his head towards their king.
"Uncle is brooding again thanks to the impending birth of Kili and Tauriel's child. It would be a lot better if Inara was here. She has always been able to pull uncle out of his brooding mood. Has anyone been able to find her?"
Balin gives a slight shake of his head. "None of the servants have seen her since this morning. However, I sent Dwalin to see if Dis can find our wayward queen."
Fili looks back to where is uncle is now standing before speaking. "Have you noticed Inara behaving rather peculiar lately?"
"When hasn't she?" Balin places a hand on Fili's shoulder. "She is of the race of men. They are an interesting race to be sure. Yet our Queen does not behave or act like most of her race. She is a one of a kind."
"You two talking about me behind my back, again?" Inara's voice echoes in the hall.
Both turn to see Inara and Dis walking towards them. Dis is dressed in a deep green dress, while Inara is still in her plain looking, light brown dress.
"Shouldn't you be dressed more accordingly?" Thorin's voice echoes from just outside of the gates.
Inara walks to her husband, and gives him a kiss before responding. "This will be fine for now. I can always change into a fancier dress before dinner."
So the small group waits by the gates of Erebor for their hobbit and wizard to arrive.
On the road between Dale and the Gates of Erebor...
The plains that lay between Dale and Erebor are green with life. Spring has been kind this year, and soon summer will be arriving. The sun is shining high in the sky, and there is a nice breeze that has a slight chill to it coming across the plains.
A large, grey stallion trudges up the winding path with a rider upon his back. His rider is none other than Gandalf the Grey. Alongside the stallion is a short, cream colored pony whose rider is looking very unsure of himself.
"I do believe this trip to the lonely mountain was shorter than my first one." Bilbo says as he tries to keep his pony from straying off the dirt road.
"That is because we didn't have any encounters with trolls, goblins, or orcs. As for going through Mirkwood, this time you weren't being held captive." Gandalf says with a chuckle.
"I can't wait to see everyone. Do you think I did the right thing by asking the Gamgees to keep an eye on my home? Mind you, I have known their family for a long time but still. I don't wish to come home, and find my things being auctioned off again."
Gandalf chuckles as he notices Bilbo's face get a sour look upon it. Bilbo had mentioned, several times, just how long it took him to reclaim many of the items that had been sold off.
They keep traveling up the dirt road till finally, the Gates of Erebor appear a few miles ahead of them. In front of the gates, both the hobbit and the wizard can see many figures standing outside. As they approach closer, Bilbo can make out Inara from the rest of the small crowd. Especially with the sun turning her hair a shade of brown with some red tint to it.
It only takes about an hour before the two finally get close enough to climb down from their steads.
"Welcome back to Erebor, Bilbo." Inara says as she moves to give the hobbit a hug after he climbs down from his pony.
"Hello again, Inara." Bilbo says before breaking the hug. "Where is Aliena and your twins? I thought that they would be out here with you."
"Alas, the twins are currently with Ori in the library for their lessons. Aliena is with Dwalin in the training grounds. But I am sure that once their lessons are done for the day, that you will see them." Thorin says as he greets his friend with a quick "man" hug.
"It is good to see you are well, Thorin." Bilbo says cheerfully. "Fili. Balin. Nice to see you two again."
"I agree, Bilbo." Balin says before giving Thorin a look.
"Where are my manners? Bilbo, I would like you to meet my sister. The lady Dis." Thorin says as he gently leads Bilbo towards where Dis is standing.
"Hello." Bilbo says to her. He is a bit shocked to see that she looks similar to Thorin.
"It is an honor to meet the hobbit who had enough courage to stand against my brother during his complication." Dis says to Bilbo, and watches her brothers' face fall into a frown at the mention of his "complication" during the siege of Erebor.
"Where is Kili?" Gandalf asks Inara while the two watch the verbal exchange between Thorin, Dis, and Bilbo.
"With Tauriel. I know nothing on how elves carry or birth babes, but by the look of her belly she could go into labor at any time." Inara says softly to the wizard.
"Well, we stopped by Rivendell on our journey here. Elrond was kind enough to have Lindir transpose one of their texts to Westron." Gandalf pulls out the medium size, not too thick book from his robes. He hands it to Inara. "This is a book that explains what you need to know about elves to help Tauriel. Elrond is looking forward to hearing about the child once it is born."
"I'm sure he is." Inara says with a smile on her face. As she is about to open the book, the sound of hurrying footsteps draws everyone's attention to the gate entrance.
Mari, one of the servants, appears at the gate looking disheveled. She looks at Inara, before speaking.
"You must come quickly my queen."
"What is it?" Thorin says with the even tone he uses to mask his worry.
"Prince Kili says it's time." Mari says quickly. "He is still in his chambers with his yâsith."
Inara and Dis move quickly to get inside. Dis darts away heading for the Halls of Healing to gather supplies. While Inara runs at a very fast pace towards their family halls. Not far behind Inara, Fili is running as well. He wants to be there to help support his brother.
Thorin, meanwhile, has Mari run off to help Dis bring supplies and Oin. Balin volunteers to notify Dwalin and Ori of what is occurring. Bilbo, Thorin, and Gandalf make their way towards the Royal Family Halls leaving the horse, pony, and luggage with two of the sentry guards.
"Wait up!" Fili shouts as he watches Inara open the main doors to their halls.
"Hurry up then." Inara says in an agitated voice as she tosses the book so that it lands on one of the lounge chairs sitting just inside.
Upon entering the shared living space, both of them see Kili pacing by the hallway that leads to his apartment.
"It took you long enough." Kili shouts at Inara as she comes up the stairs.
"How far apart are the contractions?" Inara asks as Kili leads her and Fili down the hallway.
"I don't know. She was mentioned last night that her back hurt. Then this morning she just stayed curled up in bed letting out a few moans." Kili says in a panicked voice as they come to the door that leads into his apartment.
Inara rushes past Kili, and heads into his bedroom. Laying in the middle of the bed, which is to the far right wall, is a curled up Tauriel. Inara approaches the bed, and places a hand on Tauriels' shoulder.
"Tauriel? I need you to speak to me please. How long have your contractions been lasting?" Inara says softly while glancing over the bed towards where Fili and Kili are standing. Both dwarves are in the doorway of the bedroom. Kili has a fearful expression on his face, while Fili is looking a bit pale.
"I am use to pain, but this hurts more than any wound I have ever had." Tauriel says with a groan.
"I am going to need to check you. Is that alright?" Inara asks.
Seeing Tauriel nod her head, Inara gestures for Kili to come towards the bed.
"I'll be in the hallway." Fili says as he rushes out of the room.
Both Inara and Kili chuckle at Fili.
"You know for the dwarf who has killed many orcs, he becomes very squeamish when it comes to childbirth." Inara says to Kili. "Kili, I am going to need you to help hold her up from behind her back. She can stay on the bed, but I need to be able to check down below."
"Okay. You are the head mid-wife, and what you say goes." Kili replies to Inara. "Come on, Amrâlimê. Inara needs to check you." He says softly to his wife as he moves her into position.
Tauriel lets out a loud, pain filled groan at the new position. Inara quickly checks on Tauriel's progress.
"Only another centimeter, and I would say that she will be ready to begin pushing." Inara says to Kili, but notices how Tauriel's face has gone a bit grey looking. "Tauriel? You okay?"
"It hurts to be in this position." Tauriel says and lets out another pain filled groan.
"Kili, you can let her go now. She needs to find a position that is comfortable for her." Inara says softly.
Kili does as Inara says, but stays on the bed. "What can I do to help her?" he asks with a shaky voice.
"Be there for her. Just having your presence is enough to keep her calm and comfortable." Inara stated.
There is a light knock on the main apartment door before it opens. A few seconds later, Dis appears in the doorway along with Oin.
"How is she holding up?" Oin says as Inara moves towards the pair.
"Rather well." Inara replies to the old dwarf.
"And Kili?" Dis asks as she looks past Inara towards the bed. Her son is running a hand through Tauriels' hair.
"He is a bit shaken up, which is surprising. When he was present at the twin's birth, he was all calm and collected. How's Fili?"
"He is fine. Out of my boys, I would have thought that Fili would be the one to be calm about all this." Dis says as she moves past Inara. She sets the basket of linens down by the foot of the bed, and speaks calmly to her youngest son.
"I think this might be a hard birth." Inara whispers into Oin's hearing horn.
"What makes you think that?" he asks quietly.
"She is curled up in a fetal position, and she says it hurts when she is placed in a seated position. We will need to be ready for any position she chooses to give birth in." Inara says as she reaches out to give the old dwarf's shoulder a squeeze.
"I will let the others know." Oin says as he walks back towards the apartment's door.
Another pain filled groan cuts into the air, and Tauriel's breathing is starting to become more pronounced. Inara makes her way towards the bed, and has Dis hold up Tauriel's right leg. Once the check is complete, Inara gives both Kili and Dis a look.
"Tauriel, your body is ready to give birth. Are you getting the sensation to push?" Inara says in a calm voice.
Dis moves off the bed, and begins to sift through the supplies. She pulls out a large, thick towel, and folds in in half.
Tauriel lets out a whimper followed by a quick intake of breath. "It hurts to move." She pants out.
"It's okay, Tauriel. I have an idea on how to help you get more comfortable." Inara says softly. "Kili, I am going to have you help her move onto her hands and knees. It might help her feel better. I don't want to put any strain on her back, and laying on her side might be also straining her. Can you do this?"
Kili gives Inara a nod, and begins to help Tauriel get onto her hands and knees. He whispers words of encouragement and love to her as he moves to be kneeling in front of her. After getting up, Inara has Tauriel back up towards the end of the bed.
"Remember, push in time with the contractions." Inara says as she moves the lower half of Tauriel's long shift up and out of the way.
Once Tauriel is in place, Dis places the thick towel between her knees to help catch fluids during labor. Then Dis moves towards the bathroom to fill a pitcher with water.
Tauriel begins to push with the contractions, but by the fifth one her arms holding her up give way. Kili catches her, and he moves so that they are kneeling together. He leans his forehead against hers, and keeps whispering encouragements.
Inara checks on the progress, and seeing that there isn't much she speaks to the couple.
"Tauriel, you're going to have to push harder. Breath while you push, the contractions are going to be almost never ending now. Kili if you have to, keep her focused on her breathing."
"I can do that." Kili says as he doubles his efforts to try and help Tauriel.
Dis comes back into the room with the pitcher filled with water. She pours some of it into a small bowl and sets it near where Kili is kneeling. He gives his mother a questioning look.
"It is for you to wipe her forehead. Trust me, she will be sweating up a storm." Dis says as Inara tosses a smaller cloth towards the small bowl.
Dis sets the pitcher down on a small end table near the bed. She walks over to Inara, and sees that her sister-in-law's face looks a little grim.
"I need you to bring Oin in here. Tauriel is going to tear, but I don't know how badly. She will be needing stiches once the child is born." Inara whispers to Dis before turning back to Tauriel. "Alright, you are going to push with this next contraction, Tauriel."
Dis leaves to go get Oin, leaving just the three in the bedroom.
Tauriel lets out a growl as she begins to push yet again with a contraction. Once the contraction is done, she pants a bit before another arrives.
"Keep it up Tauriel. Only a few more to go, and you will have a babe in your arms." Inara says as she moves to grab a few soft towels, and a white, crochet blanket.
Dis and Oin enter the bedroom and Oin begins to prep his stitching tools.
Tauriel pushes hard, and Inara sees the top of the head. "Alright I am going to need you to push hard, then stop. The head is crowning so only a few more pushes till you're done." Inara says.
Kili grabs the damp cloth from the small bowl, squeezing out the water with one hand. Dabbing at Tauriels' face, he gives her words of endearment along with encouragement.
"Alright push." Inara says, and Tauriel lets out a small scream as the head comes out. "I have to turn the babe for the shoulders, so push hard again."
Tauriel pushes hard, and a half scream, half moan leaves her. She feels like something large has slithered out of her, and she collapses fully into Kili.
A loud wail breaks into the air, and Dis moves quickly to Inara's side. Oin joins the two, but is focusing more on Tauriel than the little wailing creature. Dis takes a small bundle from Inara and moves towards Kili and Tauriel.
"Your daughter." Dis says with tears running down her face.
"A girl." Kili says with amazement as he looks towards the bundle in his mothers' arms.
Tauriel lets out a whimper of pain all of a sudden.
"It's okay. Oin just has to stitch up some tearing." Inara says as she steps back with a medium size bowl in her hands.
Kili keeps holding Tauriel till Oin finishes the stitches. Once he is done with his task, Oin tells Kili to allow Tauriel to rest. Inara hands the medium sized bowl to Oin as he prepares to leave. She then comes to the bed and helps Kili with moving Tauriel into a more comfortable position.
Once Tauriel lays back into the pillows at the head of the bed, she promptly falls asleep. Dis hands Kili his daughter before packing up the dirty linens.
Kili looks down at his daughter, and sees that she has a small coat of dark red hair. He lets out a soft chuckle as he inspects this new little person. She definitely takes after Tauriel in the nose, cheeks, and chin. But her ears are a blend of dwarf and elf, favoring more towards the dwarf side. His little girl gives a soft yawn and opens her eyes to reveal that they are brown like his.
"We will leave you three alone for a while." Inara says softly before picking up the left over, unused materials from the basket Dis had brought in.
Kili watches them leave before looking back down at his daughter. "Hello nathith. You are so beautiful." He whispers to his daughter. Her eyes lock on to his, and she tries to wiggle her little limbs inside the blanket she is wrapped in.
"Kelda." Tauriel says softly as she looks up at Kili.
"I thought you would be asleep for longer than a few minutes." Kili says to his wife.
Tauriel lets out a hum, before giving him a sleepy smile. "You should show her to our family. They are all probably waiting to meet their newest member."
"I will. I just wanted you to see her before I take her to them." Kili shifts over and places their daughter on the bed for Tauriel to see. "She looks just like her mother."
"She has your eyes and possibly even your ears." Tauriel says before yawning. "Go ahead and take her to meet her family. I need to rest."
Kili leans over and kisses Tauriel on the top of her head. He then picks up his daughter very carefully before leaving Tauriel to rest. Wandering down the hallway towards the stairs. He can hear the members of the former company, and his family talking from the dining room area. Slowly making his way down the stairs, he is careful not to miss a step. Once at the base of the stairs, he walks towards the dining area.
"Hello everyone." Kili says as he steps into the room.
Everyone is seated at the large wooden table eating. Thorin is sitting closest to where Kili is, so he gets up. Fili follows after Thorin, and both dwarves are looking at the bundle in Kili's arms.
"Congratulations." Thorin says and places a hand on Kili's shoulder.
"Yes congratulations, nadadith." Fili says as moves to get a closer look at the bundle.
"What is her name?" Bilbo asks as he comes over towards Kili.
"Kelda. That is my daughters' name." Kili replies.
Thorin and Fili back away to allow Bilbo to take a look at the baby. Soon there is a line of dwarves waiting to see the little baby. Each dwarf gives Kili a congratulations before returning to their seats. Aliena, her brothers, and Gandalf are the last to see the baby. The twins don't really know what to make of it, but Aliena gives Kili and the baby a kiss.
Once Gandalf sees the baby, he asks a question. "Would it be alright is I inform Lord Elrond of young Kelda?"
Thorin gives Kili a scowl from his seat at the table.
"I am sure Tauriel would find that most agreeable." Kili says to Gandalf before excusing himself from the room.
"I'll bring up some food for you and Tauriel in a little while." Dori says from his seat.
"Thank you." Kili says as he leaves the room. He makes his way back to where his family's apartment is with a big grin on his face. "Your Amad and I will help teach you how to cause so much mischief when you get older, miz kurdu."
Kelda gives a little sniffle before Kili leans down and places a kiss to his daughters' head.
So there is this chapter. Hopefully you all will like it. So now it is time for me to leave for the night, and try to get some sleep once I get home.
Selene
The next chapter we will be seeing Fili and Sigrid's Wedding, and something bad happens.