Chapter 8
The plans had been made for the trading party to visit the Iron Hills within a week of Thorin sending their draft. Along with Thorin and Kaleria, Dwalin, Balin, and fifty men were traveling with them and pulling twenty carts to carry the trade goods into Dain's castle.
It was decided Fili, Kili, and Dis would be left in charge of the mountain until Thorin and Kaleria returned. The boys were looking forward to another stint at playing king, and Kaleria had to remind them that taking charge of the mountain was a serious responsibility. She reminded them this was an opportunity to prove themselves capable to their uncle, and that she had all the faith in them to do their jobs well.
Kaleria chose to visit Hedina the day before they left, so she could see her godchild one more time. Dinvale, who had recently taken his first steps, had grown so much in the past few months. He measured just above Kaleria's knee and had taken after his father with beefy arms and legs.
"How he's grown," observed Kaleria.
Hedina held Dinvale's hands as he tottered over to Kaleria. "He's getting faster each day. Soon I won't be able to keep up with him."
"Valdrus must be excited that he's walking. I'm sure he will love chasing Dinvale around." Kaleria lifted Dinvale to sit beside her on the settee as Hedina fetched some water for them.
"He's ready for another babe. Dinvale is nearly a year old and he believes our son needs a playmate. I told him if he wanted a playmate for our son then he should find a dog."
"It would be nice for Dinvale to have siblings, or at least someone to play with." Kaleria explained, her hand instinctively fell to her stomach.
Hedina noticed the gesture and studied her friend. Kaleria looked radiant as if her skin was created by the sun itself. Hedina sat on the other side of Dinvale and immediately smelled the fragrant aroma of peppermint, a trick she had used to abade her nausea when she was pregnant with Dinvale.
"Kaleria?" Hedina waited for her friend to look up at her. "Are you with child?"
Kaleria shifted in her seat, avoiding her friend's gaze. "What are you talking about?"
"A woman who wasn't pregnant would deny quickly, but you deflected. Are you going to have a child?" Hedina asked again.
Kaleria stared at the floor, unable to look her friend in the eye. She didn't know what she should say. "I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"Besides you, I don't have experience with knowing when a woman is with child. How did you know?"
Hedina thought back to the moment she realized she was with child. "I looked in the mirror one day and felt more beautiful than I ever had. As I was studying myself, I felt a flutter deep in my stomach. When I checked in at the infirmary, one of the older nurses asked when my last course was. I realized I had gone a month or two without it, and the thought had never crossed my mind that I could be with child."
Kaleria mentally tried to pinpoint her last course, but couldn't settle on a date. "I think I might be with child."
Hedina leaned across her son and gathered Kaleria into a tight hug. "I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!"
Kaleria hugged her friend equally as tight as tears escaped the corners of her eyes. "We don't know anything yet. I need to see Master Oin."
"Master Oin? Are you sick again?" Valdrus said as he strode into the room.
Both women looked at him white as a sheet.
"No, not sick." Kaleria lied. "I promised Master Oin I would help him pack before we set out for the Iron Hills."
"Good luck to ya." Valdrus cheered. "I hope Thorin can talk his cousin into aligning with us. The men say it will be great for both our kingdoms."
"I hope it will be," said Kaleria, getting to her feet.
"Safe travels on your journey." Hedina stood and captured Kaleria in another hug. "And tell me what you find out." She whispered.
Kaleria nodded, bid Valdrus and Dinvale goodbye, then left to find Master Oin in the infirmary. While she walked her hand kept gravitating toward her stomach, waiting for a flutter or a bubble, or anything that might suggest she held a child within herself. Nothing happened. Instead she was left with her thoughts as she tried to calculate when her last course could have been. She remembered having one during a week where Thorin made her go to many functions and she hated every minute of it. But was that the last one?
She found Master Oin in his study, packing a bag of clean cloth for their journey to the Iron Hills.
"Master Oin? May I have a word?"
He stopped and looked at her. "Yes, my queen. What may I help you with?"
Kaleria cleared her throat. "I have spoken to a few friends and I have developed a theory that I would like you to test."
"Of course," said Oin excitedly.
"I think–I believe–I believe I might be with child." Kaleria finally blurted.
Oin flinched at her sudden admission. "Oh, dear. Well, let's examine you, shall we? Please take a seat on the table."
Kaleria stepped up to the table and took a seat as she watched Oin gather supplies. He joined her at the table.
"Can you lay down for me?" He asked.
Kaleria swung her legs up onto the table and laid flat. She tried to find a comfortable place to put her hands, until Oin took her hand and placed it at her side. He began poking on her stomach in different places, not enough to hurt, but enough to make her feel it. When he reached a certain point, he stopped and poked again. His face scrunched up in a way that made Kaleria question everything.
Oin turned and grabbed a miniature horn that he pressed to her stomach and then pressed his ear to the top. He closed his eyes and listened to one spot for an eternity, or at least it felt like that to Kaleria. When he raised up, he put the horn to the side and motioned for Kaleria to sit up. He took her hand gently in both of his.
Kaleria's heart pounded in her chest so hard she thought it might explode.
"Congratulations. You're going to be a mother." Oin said, softly.
Kaleria's heart stopped as she stared at the head healer as if he had told her a flower had popped out of the top of her head.
"My queen, it is alright to feel nervous, but don't worry, I will be there for you every step of the way." He patted her hand in reassurance.
Kaleria found her words. "I'm going to have a baby?"
"Yes."
Her moment of disbelief ended and Kaleria reached out to hug Oin. "Thank you so much, Master Oin!"
"You're welcome, milady," he laughed.
She released him, then regained her self control. "Please don't tell anyone. I need to tell Thorin myself."
"Your secret is safe with me." He promised.
Kaleria left the infirmary in a better mood than she had entered it. Not only had her notions been proven true, but she couldn't wait to share the good news with Thorin. She had to find the right moment. She wanted Thorin to be as happy as she was.
