A month had passed since Dwalin told Thorin of his intentions to marry Dwala, but he had still not asked her. There were several reasons for that, all of which he turned over in his mind on the walk back from Dale one evening after pulling security for some dwarf merchants that had traveled into the city that day to sell some wares. He was bringing up the rear of the group, his axes strapped across his back and his mind far away.
He was going over the laundry list of reasons why he had not yet asked Dwala to marry him. First, she was very busy. Ila had almost five more months to go before she delivered and she would need Dwala's care more and more as the royal birth grew closer.
He could of course propose now and then marry after the royal birth, but Ila would likely need Dwala's help a great deal with an infant prince around, so maybe they would have to wait even longer. Unless, he asked her to marry him now and they did so quickly. He didn't care for a big to do, he just wanted to be married. But Dwala was a female, she probably did want a big wedding with a dress that would have to be maid and so on and so forth and that would take time.
Still, if he was being honest with himself, he had to admit there were other reasons. She was so young, what if he left her much sooner than expected? And he would undoubtedly leave her while she had many years yet to live. What if he left her even sooner? And with little dwarves to care for? That thought frightened him and made him feel guilty. As much as he wanted to marry her and be happy, he feared that he was not the best match for her. A younger, and more attractive dwarf would be a better match for Dwala. Someone she could grow old with. But as Balin had pointed out when he went to him for advice, he had no idea what the future held. They could marry and she die in childbirth, he outliving her by many years. His fears, while understandable, were not in Balin's opinion good enough to deny himself happiness, if he believed that Dwala would make him truly happy. And he did.
Another reason, and the most insecure, was that he feared she may stop loving him. That was assuming that she loved him at all. They had not exchanged the fateful words, though he had found himself on the verge many times. He did not want to frighten her, and he also wanted to be sure that she felt as deeply as he did. She was very young, and had never been in a relationship before, this might just be a girlish crush for her. He felt he might die if that were the case.
Despite all of these reservations, he was still going to ask her. When you got to be a dwarf of his age, you didn't just let mrs. right walk away. Not without a fight.
He was going to ask her, but he had to do it just right. It had to be special. He would make sure of that. He just had to figure out how to do it. As the sun was setting low now and the stars were just making their appearances in the darkening sky, he looked up at them and got an idea.
Dwala was looking at the same stars just appearing in the sky. She was standing on the balcony in the royal chambers. Ila was sitting next to her, all bundled up in the cold winter air. Ila loved the crisp and cool air. She still missed the fresh air of the Iron Hills, that she could breathe in any time she wanted. Funny, the little things one missed, and that made a place home she thought. But she loved her new home immensely, and her new family.
She looked down at the little swell of her belly and rubbed it gently. Five more months. The last had been the longest of her life. All she wanted was for her little one to be born. The days waiting for him were like weeks and the weeks like months. She wished him to grow faster, but her thoughts were interrupted.
"Ila, we really must go inside. All of this cold air cannot be good for you. What if you catch cold? I will not tell the king that I let you sit out too long in the winter air," Dwala urged.
Ila smiled. "Yes, I suppose you are right. But I so love the stars. Don't you miss being able to look up at them whenever you want?"
"Yes, yes I do." Dwala said as she followed Ila back inside and pulled the doors shut behind them. Ila began to unbundle herself and sit before her vanity to ensure she was presentable before going down to supper. She had felt better in the evenings, her sickness being confined to the mornings now mostly. Also, and to her surprise, she felt the most beautiful she ever had these days. Everyone who saw her said the queen practically glowed, and despite her body expanding before her eyes Ila felt she glowed too. Her dark tresses shown like silk and her complexion was healthy despite rarely ever seeing sunlight.
Thorin found her to be irresistibly beautiful as well. Oin had assured him that as long as he was careful they could continue to couple for now, but when her pregnancy grew to the point that it was impractical they had best wait until after the birth to resume those activities. Thorin was being very gentle and careful, which was difficult at times as he wanted to unleash his inner animal on his wife (who enjoyed that as well), but he forced himself to be slow and very intentional with how he touched her. This had led to the discovery of Ila's new favorite sexual position.
It involved her lying on her back with her bottom on the edge of the bed and her legs around Thorin's waist, or laid straight against his chest with her feet on either side of his head, while he took her standing up. He had chastised her a little, saying she liked the position so much because it required essentially no effort on her part, which it didn't, but she insisted this was safest. Thorin had narrowed his eyes at her but proceeded to take her in that fashion night after night. They did enjoy other manners as well, such as she straddling him and she bent over with him plunging into her from behind. They were all effective, though the former one was most certainly her favorite.
Ila rose from her vanity and Dwala followed obediently as they made their way to the great hall. Ila's hand rested absentmindedly on her little bump as it had come to do very often now. All she passed smiled and nodded to her, happy to see a new Durin heir on the way. Ila was thinking only of seeing Thorin, whom being parted from for a day's time was all she could bear.
Ila entered the great hall and noticed him standing and talking to some of the miners. They caught sight of her first and bowed, she nodding and Thorin turning to see her. He smiled warmly and extended his hand to take hers and bring it to his lips.
"My queen," he said lowly and squeezed her hand that was now at his side. "Excuse me," he said to the dwarves and led his wife to their table. Fili and Kili were already there and they greeted Ila with warm smiles thanks to mouths full of food. Ila noted, as she knew Dwala did too, that Dwalin was not to be found. That was unusual, he was usually first at supper, or any other time to eat. She looked to Dwala who was scanning the room but in such a way that no one would notice if they didn't know.
Ila sat down as Thorin pulled her seat out for her. He sat and began to fill her plate before he fixed his own. He had begun to do that once she became pregnant. Ila thought it was sweet, but she also knew this was his way of being a worry wart and a control freak when it came to the baby. He wanted to make sure she was getting the right nutrients and nourishment, as he was telling her what to eat by simply making her plate for her. She still thought it was sweet, and that he cared so much touched her too. She find it funny however that he thought it was ok to still make love every night, but that standing while holding a bow was somehow too strenuous for her. She had brought that up and he had told her that no one would be as gentle with her as him, and that he knew best in the matter. Ila had just rolled her eyes and did as he said. She hadn't wanted to give up sex either.
Ila began to eat and so did Thorin, who made casual conversation with his nephews. Ila noticed very quickly that Dwala was not eating however. She leaned over to her friend and whispered,
"I'm sure he doesn't want you starving yourself just because he's not here," Ila said.
Dwala frowned. "I am not starving myself, I am just not hungry." She said but still frowned. She pushed a potato around on her plate and contemplated eating it, but had no appetite. She knew Dwalin had to go into Dale for the day with the merchants and his not being back yet was not unexpected. Still, she enjoyed dining with him, it was one of the few times they could be together in public.
Ila knew Dwala was disappointed by Dwalin's absence, but pestered her about it no more. She turned her attention back to the object of her own affections, who had laid a hand on her bump under the table. He continued eating and conversing, but his large hand remained on her belly. She could feel his warmth through her gown and she grew hot herself. When he finally looked at her, she batted her eyelashes suggestively at him and he squeezed her thigh under the table. He turned back to his nephews but Ila noticed he ate a little quicker. She smirked at him and focused on her own dinner. Suppertime was easiest for her to eat and keep food down so she made the most of the opportunity, every now and then looking to Dwala and then searching the room for any sign of Dwalin, who never came.
Soon Thorin was rising and pulling Ila by the arm to follow him.
"Excuse us boys, but I have to get your aunt to bed. It's past her bedtime these days,"
"It's still early!" Fili exclaimed.
"Yes, you see how he treats me like a little dwarf now?" Ila said.
"No, uncle didn't make us go to bed nearly this early when we were small." Kili said laughing. She playfully frowned at him and he gave her a bright smile back. She bid them all goodnight and Thorin told Dwala that she was dismissed for the evening, so she remained seated. Ila bid her goodnight and followed Thorin, her arm laid in his as he escorted her from the room.
He forced her to walk slowly through the halls and to their rooms, but she felt more like herself again, with a little more energy than she had at the onset of the pregnancy. Still, Thorin forced her to take things slow.
"I know you," she said.
"Hmm?"
"You want me to save all my energy for you." Ila said.
Thorin narrowed his eyes at her but did not deny it.
"What energy?" he said, closing their chamber doors behind them now.
"You just get to lay there while I do all the work." He said as he came up behind her to wrap his arms around her waist and dip his head to kiss her neck. Ila leaned back into him and held her head to the side, giving his greater access to kiss her neck and shoulder.
"All the work? I do quite a bit when I am on top of you," she replied.
"Yes," Thorin said, his voice muffled against her neck. "But that's not what you want tonight." He said.
Ila giggled and did not deny it. "How ever did you know?" she purred back at him.
Thorin huffed. "You always want it that way,"
"Not true," she said turning her head to capture his lips. When they parted again, she said,
"Sometimes I want to be on top of you, sometimes I want you to bend me over, and sometimes I want you plastered on top of me." She said very matter of fact.
Thorin growled at the visuals that produced and began to pull the laces free on the back of her dress.
"Why? What position did you have your heart set on tonight my king?" Ila asked.
Thorin had made quick work of her laces and pulled the back of her dress open with one great jerk. As she let it slide down her arms, off her body, and onto the floor, Thorin answered her,
"Any way I can have you."
His voice was dripping with lust and Ila was growing wet with anticipation. He pulled off his own clothes as Ila walked to the bed, turned and sat down to wait for him. She leisurely swung her legs while she waited, leaning back on her hands and giving him an exquisite view of her naked body, especially her little bump.
Thorin was quickly nude and closed the distance between them, bending over to grab her ankles and pull them up to lay her legs against his chest and she laid on her back to assume her favorite position.
Thorin paused for a moment to lovingly rub her belly as he gazed down at it sweetly. Ila scooted her butt closer to the edge and tried to bring herself in contact with Thorin's member, impatient to feel him inside of her.
The sweet expression on Thorin's face quickly turned to one of lust, and he brought his member to his wife's opening and parted her as he sunk deep within her. Ila sighed and tilted her head back into the bed, closing her eyes and savoring his sweet invasion of her body. Ila purred and whimpered as he took her, he making sure to control his thrusts instead of banging her wildly. He gripped her hip with one hand while the other laid against her belly while his thumb massaged her clit.
This elicited loud moans and panting from Ila, the double stimulation of his cock penetrating her core and the pad of his thumb stimulating her little bundle of nerves sent her over the edge. She had begun to notice that her orgasms were more intense now that she was pregnant and she felt her release coming fast.
Thorin increased the pace of both his cock and his thumb and Ila was practically screaming. Thorin felt his own release building and as always wanted to make sure she came first. A few more thrusts and Ila wailed in completion. She laid limp and happy on the bed as Thorin continued pumping into her vibrating channel. Ila's eyes were closed and a smile on her sated face, and Thorin burst inside of her from the sight of it.
He was panting himself as he slowly brought her legs down from his chest and pulled out of her. Ila summoned enough energy to scoot up to the headboard and crawl under the covers. She settled deep into the pillows and shut her eyes while Thorin wiped his cock and took a drink of water from the nearby table. He brought a glass to his wife and forced her to drink.
"I am sleepy…" she protested.
"You've been sweating, you need to drink." He said, but was covered in much more sweat than she.
Ila sat up long enough to take a sip and then laid back down to get comfortable again. Thorin took another drink and sat the glass down, making his way back to his wife.
"Come cuddle me," Ila whined with her eyes shut again.
Thorin climbed into bed and settled under the covers, pulling Ila into his arms. They spooned and Thorin placed a chaste kiss on her bare shoulder.
"I love you," he whispered into her ear.
"I love you, Thorin." She whispered back.
"Ila?"
"Yes?"
"There was something I meant to tell you at supper."
"What's that darling?" she asked,
"I have to take a short trip, I will be leaving day after tomorrow."
Ila's eyes snapped open, She had been sleepy, but not now. She turned over quickly to stare Thorin in the face.
"A trip? Where?"
"The Blue Mountains. Just a short, routine trip. To check on those who chose to stay behind. It will be not be gone long." He replied in a reassuring tone, knowing that she was not going to be pleased with the news.
Ila knew of the Blue Mountains of course. That is where the dwarves of Erebor had settled when Smaug forced them from the lonely mountain. Even after Thorin and his company had reclaimed Erebor, some of the dwarves stayed in the Blue Mountains and did not return to their homeland. Perhaps for some of them the memories of what they had suffered there were too great, and Erebor was filled with nothing but ghosts for them. Ila knew that is how Dis felt, but she went where her brother and sons went. They were all she had left, and she wanted to be near them, if even that meant living in Erebor.
Still, there were those who liked their home in the Blue Mountains well enough and for whatever reasons that they never left. Thorin had let them stay, and they were ruled by a council of dwarves that he had left in place but that answered to him. He had thought to let one of his nephews rule it in his stead, but they were not yet old enough or ready to bear the burden of ruling. It would be nice too, Thorin had thought, to give Fili something to rule, especially now that it was certain he would never inherit the throne of Erebor. That still left the question of what to do with Kili once he was of proper age, but he would deal with that when the time came.
"Can I come with you?" Ila asked.
"No, my love," he said soothing her. "It is not a short journey and you are with child. You must stay here and rest."
Ila frowned. "But how long will you be gone?" she asked. "And who will rule in your stead?"
"Fili, as he did during our honeymoon. And with Balin's close supervision and that of the other advisors. Dwalin will be coming with me, as always, and I am debating on whether or not to take Kili. It would be a good experience for him, and it would let the boys get used to operating without constantly leaning on each other."
"You are straying from the subject at hand husband," Ila said, steering him back towards her first question. "How long will you be gone?"
"It is almost a week's journey, and I shall need to be there a week, then a week to travel back-"
"Three weeks! You may as well be gone a whole month!" Ila said sitting up and being very distraught now.
"Darling, darling," Thorin said, taking her by the shoulders and pulling her back down to lay in his arms. "You must not excite yourself so, the baby feels everything that you do. Do not trouble him,"
"But I can be troubled?" she asked.
"Ila, you know that's now what I meant. And you know the last thing I want is to leave you, ever, but certainly not while you are so fragile. I postponed this trip because I didn't want to leave in the middle of courting you, time I considered very precious in getting to know you before we would be married. Please do not be cross with me wife, you knew you were marrying a king."
Ila pouted but knew arguing was futile. She sank back into the bed and lay in his arms, but with a long and sad face nonetheless.
"Darling," he said, stroking her face. "Do not be so sad, it pains me to see you so."
"I don't mean to, but I am pained by the mere thought of your absence." She said, tears threatening to well in her hazel eyes.
"Please, do not do that," he said and kissed her forehead, then pulling her close. "It is the same for me. But the time will pass quickly, and I will be home before you know it." he said.
Ila laid her forehead on his and nodded slightly to say she understood. Thorin stroked her hair and told her how much he loved her, how much he would miss her, and that it would be over before she knew it. Ila soon fell asleep, though her dreams were full of nightmares that their little dwarf was born while Thorin was away.
After Thorin had dismissed Dwala for the day at supper, she had not known what to do with herself. She had waited at the table for Dwalin to appear until supper was practically over and everyone was clearing out for the night. She then rose to go wait for him in one of their usual out of the way rendezvous spots in the palace, but time passed so slowly that Dwala felt it was far too late and she should retire to her chambers for the night.
Dwalin had always come. He was a creature of great routine and habit, and he had said nothing about being otherwise engaged for the night, not to mention he never missed supper. Dwala felt a little worried, but no one else had seemed alarmed by his absence so perhaps they all knew something she didn't.
Saddened and confused, Dwala began to walk back to her room. Perhaps he had simply forgotten about her tonight. Perhaps he had only a crush that was now fading, perhaps he was growing tired of her. It had been over a month now that they had been officially courting- granted it was in secret- but Ila knew which almost certainly meant that Thorin knew, as she told him everything.
Dwala tried not to feel so sad that he had not come, but she was upset. They had not missed a night together in over a month…was it six weeks now? She had lost count. But every night they had spent in each other's arms, and every night they had bid each other goodnight with a sweet and longing kiss. Last night had been no different, with no less fervor than any other night. She tried to reassure herself he was just busy, or had been delayed by some force beyond his will, and she would see him tomorrow with all being well.
Still, he should know it would upset her to be left waiting for him for hours. And she hated that she was so insecure, but this was all so new to her, and maybe it was only love for her and not him. She had never told him she loved him, she was afraid to, and Ila had insisted that he should tell her first. Ila said she had loved Thorin, but waited to say it until he said it first so she could be sure. Dwala understood now why Ila had done that, the feeling of vulnerability and having laid bare one's soul was terrifying without knowing if the gesture would be returned, so she was waiting until she knew his inner most feelings before she divulged her own. She hoped she was not being a fool. She hoped it wasn't just her feeling all these things.
Dwala finally crawled into her bed, sad but more tired, and after lying there for an hour or so trying to sort out her feelings, finally fell asleep. She of course never would have guessed where Dwalin had been and what he was having fashioned for her that night.