Ila woke late in the morning, taking a few moments to realize that Thorin's leaving had not been a dream. The realization made her sad anew, and she made no attempt to rise. She laid there wondering if it were possible to stay in bed for three weeks. Really, no one would miss her if she did. Her official functions were to accompany Thorin for important events and celebrations but that was about it.

Well, her most important and official function was carrying the king's children, which she was in the middle of doing, and which could easily be done from bed. Thorin would probably approve of her spending the three weeks in bed anyway, where she was safe and not exerting any effort of any kind. Speaking of which, she noticed that she didn't feel sick that morning, which was a good sign. Ila hoped she was exiting that phase of the pregnancy. The next three weeks would pass even slower if she were ill.

Ila heard the door open then and knew it must be Dwala. No one else would dare enter without warning and with Thorin gone it had to be her. Ila didn't even sit up, she just turned her head towards the door.

Dwala walked in, slowly and sulking. She took one look at Ila and walked to the bed and collapsed onto it next to her, frowning as she did.

"You too?" Ila asked knowingly.

Dwala groaned into the pillows, in which her face was currently buried.

Ila sighed deeply. "They've only been gone for mere hours." She whined.

"Yes, yes I know." Dwala said as she rolled onto her back.

Ila looked at her. "Did Dwalin give any further hint to what his surprise might be when he returns? Do you think he is bringing you something back from Ered Luin?" Ila asked.

"No, no he didn't. And I don't know. He just said he would have a surprise when he got back…..but I have no guesses as to what that is." She said.

"I do." Ila replied.

Dwala looked at her questioningly. "Oh? What?"

"I bet he's going to ask you to marry him!" Ila said, smiling for the first time that day.

Dwala blushed. "No….no I don't think so. It sounded like an object, not something like that."

"It could be a ring!" Ila said and Dwala smiled.

"Do you really think so?" she said.

"Yes! Why ever not?! You two have said that you love each other, and you said he told you long ago that if he were a much younger dwarf, he would petition Thorin for your hand!"

"Yes, but that was before he and I even talked, much less courted. He didn't know me then and he was trying to encourage me to get to know the princes….I think he was just being kind…."

"Males do not say things like that to be kind. I am sure he meant it. And now that he does know you I am sure he means it even more. Why should he not bend over backwards for your hand? You are young, and loyal, and beautiful, and strong, and everything a dwarf maiden should be."

Dwala was blushing from head to toe now.

"I hope he thinks so," she said innocently and full of hope.

"So you'll say yes?"

""If he asks—"

"—which he will."

"Do you hope to have babies?" Ila asked.

"I do….I actually dreamed a while ago that I did."

"Really?!" Ila asked.

"Well, yes. I mean I dreamed we had a little one and that I was carrying another."

"Oh Dwala! That is such a good sign! I am sure you will marry and have little dwarflings then. It's just a matter of time." Ila declared.

Dwala smiled broadly and looked up at the ceiling, trying to imagine Dwalin asking for her hand. How would he do it? She didn't want to get her hopes up, but it was fun to think on. The thought of carrying children though still frightened her a bit. She was glad that Ila was pregnant and that she could hopefully learning something about babies before she had one on her own, because at present she knew absolutely nothing about it. Dwarf births were few and far between, and in the royal family in the Iron Hills Ila had been the last birth. She had only ever waited on her, and had never assisted with the care of any dwarflings.

Speaking of which, Dwala was hungry and realized she should get Ila dressed and down to breakfast. It was getting late after all.

"You really should get down to breakfast. Come on, let me dress you." Dwala said as she got up.

Ila sighed. She just wanted to stay in bed all day and sulk.

"I'm really not hungry, I think I will just stay here," she said.

"You're not going to stay in bed and sulk all day. Besides, you may not be hungry but the Durin heir in your belly needs to eat." Dwala said.

Ila realized she was right. And she hadn't even thought about that. Ila felt momentarily very bad about herself, having been ready to neglect her baby because she was depressed.

"You are right." Ila said and rubbed her belly. "Are you hungry my little love?" she spoke to herself. "Of course you are, you're a dwarfling," she answered herself and rose to get up and walk over to her wardrobe. She picked an icy blue dress for the day and Dwala helped her into it and laced it up. They made their way downstairs then and to the great hall for a very late breakfast. Kili was there however, having waited there for some time for Ila to emerge for the day.

"There you are, my queen. I was beginning to think you had stowed away with uncle somehow," he said with a great smile.

Ila smiled back and laughed. "If I could have found a way, I would have. But it looks like you are stuck with me for the next three weeks, Kili." Ila said.

Kili gave her a smirk. She didn't believe he really minded, though she didn't know how right she was.

"I anticipate this will be one of the easiest duties I have ever been charged with, my lady." He said, pulling her chair out for her. She sat and he insisted on preparing her plate for her.

"Kili, I really can do that on my own." She said giggling.

"No no no. Uncle said you were not to lift a finger in his absence, and I will not have him come home to find the opposite is true."

He placed a full plate in front of her and Ila's eyes grew wide.

"Surely you do not think I can eat all of that?" she asked.

Kili looked at it like it was a snack. "The dwarf inside you can,"

Ila laughed. "He is still rather small yet!" she said placing her hand low on her stomach. Her belly was not very noticeable in her dresses yet, only just so. Kili looked at her bump for a second too long perhaps, but the made a point not to look at it again. He sat next to her and watched her eat, Dwala on the other side of Ila and helping herself.

For the first time, Dwala noticed the way that Kili looked at Ila. With some….strange glimmer in his eyes that was not there when he was looking anywhere else. Dwala dismissed it, thinking it only because of how beautiful Ila was, but still. She would not forget that she had made such a note to herself. Dwala was actually much more attentive and perceptive than anyone else, except for Ila and perhaps Dwalin, realized.

Ila was chewing, but quickly noticed Kili staring at her, and stopped.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Nothing," he replied.

"But you are staring at me. There must be something."

"I am simply obeying my duty of overseeing you. You are eating, and I am watching you." He said very of matter of fact. Ila nearly spit her food out but instead chewed quickly and swallowed.

"Kili….I do not think that is exactly what Thorin had in mind…" Ila said.

"I do," Dwala said under her breath.

"…that you should closely monitor my every, menial task…"

"That's exactly what he meant…." Dwala continued under her breath.

"I believe I know my uncle better than you, Ila. And he probably did mean for me to do as I am now." Kili replied.

"Well, stop. It is unnerving." Ila said.

"I cannot." Kili replied.

Ila made an incredulous face at him and continued to eat, or pretended to, but then threw a piece of food at him instead.

Kili laughed and dodged it.

"That is not very queenly of you, now is it? I will write to uncle—"

"I will tell him you started it." Ila said and Kili flicked the food back at her. Had there not been other dwarves still in the great hall Ila would have continued to do so, but she remembered herself. She went back to eating like a dignified dwarf, and Kili scratched his scruff while he asked,

"So what are we going to do today then? Something fun I hope if I must tag along, and I must."

Ila looked over her mug at him, raising her eyebrows as if to say she had no idea. When she sat it down she answered,

"I have nothing planned, but then I am not allowed to do much, per Thorin's orders. I am allowed to knit though," she said and Kili made a face.

"Knitting? Surely we can come up with something better than that," he said, and Dwala did not like the sound of that. She gave Ila a disapproving look but she was busy looking at Kili and did not meet her eyes.

"Such as?" Ila asked.

"Oh, I dunno. Has uncle ever showed you the treasure hall?" he asked.

Ila had never seen it, and Thorin had never even talked about it really. Ila just knew it existed.

"Well, no…"

"Really?! It's only super famous, legendary even, known throughout all Middle Earth," he replied enthusiastically. "I can't believe uncle has never showed you. Didn't he give you a tour of Erebor when you first arrived?"

"Well, he did…..but he did not take me there." Ila said, and for the first time wondered why that was. He had only mentioned it to her once or twice in passing, and he had never offered to show it to her. Ila wasn't sure why that was.

"Well then, we shall have to fix that. As soon as you are done eating." Kili said and Ila smiled.

She would like to see it. It was as Kili said legendary, for several reasons. Ila gave him a nod and went about finishing her breakfast, not noticing Dwala looking very apprehensive.

Dwala thought that perhaps Thorin had his reasons for not taking her there, though she wasn't sure what they might be. And Ila didn't need to be going on any sort of adventure, however minor it might be in her current state. She would tag along of course, as was her duty and to be a voice of reason in case one was needed. Not that anyone ever listened to her.

A/N: A short chapter I know, but kind of a transition from one to another.

As to whether I will kill people off or not, yes—in the sense that I will tell the story through to when the characters would have met natural ends if not having died already. I will cover the eventual fates of the characters, to put it that way.

And thanks to all my new followers and those that read and review every week! Thank you for sticking with my little story!