Chapter 62:
The newest weight-loss diet...giving birth
"Thorin, Thorin! Calm down and stop your running!" I hear from a nearby hallway, in the obvious tone of Dis. She has clearly done what I sent her to do: inform Thorin that I am in labor. And, as it would seem, the dwarf king is acting just as I expected, with panic and irritation.
"My wife's in labor and you expect me to take a leisurely stroll to my chambers?!" Thorin exclaims from the other side of the closed door where the majority of our friends await the baby. His rushed footsteps push through the door with a bang that highlights his frenzy. This is exactly why I postponed telling Thorin of the imminent delivery; I have been in labor for eight hours already, and the pain would have only been heightened by Thorin's attitude.
"Please Thorin, I could do without your panic right now," I plead with the dwarf king as his eyes land on me, resting on our bed. The look of panic previously conquering his face calms down at my sight as he moves towards Lyn who will deliver our child. To say I am uncomfortable with this arrangement would be an understatement, but apparently it's a dwarven tradition and I'd prefer not to have Oin helping with the birth.
"Hey! And don't look down there!" I yell at Thorin, taking his hand and pulling him back. The room is practically empty of all people as I desire a private birth, away from the eyes of the company members. As Thorin holds my right hand, Bilbo clutches my left with a permanent flushed look. Tauriel, Palo, and Dis are rushing about with preparations as the time ticks down until the baby's arrival.
"Not like--" Thorin begins before I cut him off, knowing exactly what he will say:
"Ya, ya. I know! 'Not like I haven't seen it before!' This is different and thoroughly disgusting. I want to vomit just witnessing the birth from up here," I exclaim in loud voice, having lost the ability to talk at a lower volume just hours ago. The contractions have steadily increased in proximity to one another, now just minutes in between. Speaking of the painful feeling, another one hits at this moment: "Gah! Get this child out of me!"
"Quiet Rue," Thorin coos me as he lays a kiss on my forehead. My mouth drops open at this statement, as the dwarf king has been shouting like this for days. Whenever I cringed at the pain in my lower back, Thorin would begin yelling that "the baby is coming" when, in fact, it was just discomfort. Obviously, the dwarf king is very jumpy when it comes to practical matters as are these.
"Ya, we can hear you from the hallway," Kili proclaims as he enters the room, brother in tow. I narrow my eyes at the nephews, seeing as even a historical moment as is this cannot hinder their cheekiness. With these pregnancy hormones, I'm honestly tempted to kill them.
"You're shushing me!?" I exclaim after turning to Thorin. "This is your fault to begin with, Kingy!" At my words, I gesture to my raised stomach from which a child is trying to escape. Around the time that Thorin's eyebrow faded in colour, my baby bump appeared in all its cuteness. I am now extremely bloated from the pregnancy, though I will gladly accept this in exchange for morning sickness.
"Is this a family reunion!? Get out, dwarflings!" I yell once catching the gazes of Fili and Kili. Not wanting to deal with my anger, deriving from the labor pain, the two nephews bolt out of the room to address other members of the company. Turning back to the matter at hand, another contraction hits. "Ow! This is surely your child, Oakenshield. Too stubborn to just get out of my womb! Digging its heels in and all!"
Thorin looks at me in compassion, grasping my hand tighter as the others attempt to hold back their laughter. It's true that I am usually volatile towards Thorin, but these last few minutes of aches and pains have heightened this inane attribute of our relationship. The King Under the Mountain seems prone to accept the blame and all the anger, knowing it's best to just comfort me in response.
"Okay, Erudian. It is time. Just give me a few strong pushes and you'll have your child in the blink of an eye," Lyn addresses me with a kind look that I could never muster in this moment. I give her a pointed glare over how easy and painless she infers this is to be, but I do as she says, nonetheless. Tauriel and Dis wait to Lyn's side, holding towels of acute fluffiness, as I follow the directions. Palo stands behind the older dwarrowdam, water in hand to clean the child.
And through the pain, and breaking of Thorin's hand within my grip, I hear the crying of a baby belonging to my own persona. It is not painless as Lyn supposed, but the child's voice makes the whole ordeal worthwhile. An inner instinct of mine awakens at the sound, tears forming in the corners of my eyes as the ladies clean my baby. All I can do is stare on in wonder, Thorin looking to do the same.
"Congratulations, brother...It's a boy," Dis addresses us, moving to hand the child to Thorin. However, the dwarf king gestures to hand me our child first, seeing as I am the one who underwent torture for its existence. But like I said, it's worth it as Dis presses the warm towels into my hand where a small child is bundled, fresh in the Mountain air.
Before I can look the boy over, he opens his eyes for the first time, taking in the light of his future kingdom home. Though it should not be a shock to me, I jump back at his crystal blue eyes that look upon me with innocence and love. Curly black hair coats the top of his head, his skin glowing pale in the new energy of the room. He is a captivating sight to be sure, strongly resembling his father.
"Oh Durin, he's another Thorin, blue eyes and stubborn," I address the whole group of them, never once taking my eyes off my child. It is a strange notion to be a mother, having never expected to even marry just two years ago. I had relinquished myself to a life of nunnery within Mordor, holding no hope in heart that I would even meet another man. Oh, what a wizard's visit can set into progression.
"Why are you so chatty? You just gave birth," Thorin asks, prompting me to move my eyes away from our child and to his father. The dwarf king looks at him in a state of wonder and awe, moving his fingers slowly to brush away a wet curl on the child's forehead.
"Well I did just miraculously lost ten pounds," I respond with a smirk that not even tremendous pain and joy can eradicate. With much regard to the child's frailty, I pass the bundled form into my husband's arms, who looks too astounded to even respond. Just as my inner motherly instincts took hold moments ago, Thorin looks changed within the presence of our child, a light of protection shining in his eyes. He holds the child close to his heart, cocooning him in his strong arms like how he holds me at night. I ask him the question that everyone must be thinking: "What should we call him?"
"Whatever you desire, my love," Thorin rakes his gaze away from our child and towards me, looking at me with a love unmatched to any before. "I am merely grateful to hold this child in my arms. My own child." I smile at him, pulling him by the forearm onto the bed and by my side, where I lean on his shoulder to look upon our child. He alternates his gaze between Thorin and myself, a small smile peeking at his lips as if he knows us to be his mother and father.
"Frerin, that will be his name. Frerin II Oakenshield, Prince of Erebor and son of Thorin," I answer my husband, looking to him and meeting his eyes. The dwarf king looks at me with an overwhelming sense of love and awe, as I remember and understand how much Thorin loved his brother. The King Under the Mountain shifts slightly to leave a lingering and soft kiss on my lips. I smile into the embrace, pulling away only as Frerin is placed into my arms.
Through the blankets, I can feel the squirming form of the new prince, just as the awaiting members of the company burst through the door and into our room. A struggle ensues as they try to get through, prompting me to laugh as both Thorin and Frerin look at me in tinkling wonder. At this sight, the other's pause in their struggle, looking to our happy family. Fili makes his way to Palo as Kili moves to Tauriel, both couples having been married within the eight months of my pregnancy.
"What's his name?" Balin asks as I tilt Frerin up to give the company a good view of the small child. A gasp radiates across the room as the new prince opens his bright blue eyes, blinking tiredly as I hold him up. Frerin is surely a sight to see, midnight brown hair, pale skin, and blue eyes that mark him as distinct.
"Frerin," Thorin responds, placing a hand on my bare thigh under the covers. The older dwarves, ones who knew the younger prince themselves, gape at the name of this child as he will have big shoes to fill in the coming years. The first Frerin died protecting his people, and I can only hope to foster that same selflessness within my own son.
"He's surely a Durin, just look at those eyes," Gloin comments, leaning forward as if trying to see the child better. Looking to Thorin, I gesture for him to rise, handing him our child once he is upright. Without words of my command, he leaves my bedside to give the others a closer look at Frerin.
Watching them gape and gaze in awe, I smile slightly, tugging on Bilbo's hand who sits next to me on the bed. This will be one of our final moments together for at least six months, seeing as he will leave tonight for his not-so-forgotten home. I made a promise to the hobbit to let him leave, a compromise for spending half his year in Erebor. And though it will hurt to be separated, I know it to be best for the sake of Middle Earth. And anyways, I can just fly to the Shire for weekends if need be.
After the company's introductions to the new member of the royal family, Oin takes the child to do a final check-up before letting us leave. And all goes as planned, Frerin being perfectly healthy and grinning with a look suspiciously like Kili's. I have an instinctual feeling that my child will be the next reckless prankster of this family. Valar have mercy on my soul.
All I truly desire is to sleep for hours on end, but Thorin will hear none of it, seeing as he has a surprise for me. This all seems to be a pattern, for at every major event, Thorin gifts me with some treasure to my heart. Not that I'm complaining or anything.
Off the corridor to the throne room, a hallway of new stone glows in light of the polished torches upon the walls. The marble floor beneath my bare feet causes shivers to rack my figure, Thorin's arm promptly winding around my waist to warm me. Frerin currently sits in my arms, asleep, and thus I move gracefully across the floors so as to keep him quiet.
A new door, carved and inlaid with silver, meets my eyes, opening up to give me a great sense of joy. It is a large room, practically a home, for our future years. Light blue paper covers the walls and airy, navy tapestries hang from the high ceiling. The main door opens upon a sitting room, hallways leading off to the left and the right.
My feet follow the marble path to the right, four doors bending off of the hallway, the first being a bathroom with rich adornments. The farthest two doorways lead to empty bedrooms, but the closest leads to a nursery. Toys rest in the far corners of the room and clothing piles out of the drawers, visible to the eye. A crib rests against the wall, deep blue comforter coating the sheets, and where I put Frerin to rest.
Looking to Thorin, I see his searching eyes, as if waiting for my response. I send him a smile of such joy and adoration that he cannot help but mirror it. Grabbing me around my waist, he leads me to the left hallway where a single door leads to our own bedroom. It is a lot like our previous room, blues highlighting all aspects, but with one enhancement. On the ceiling, above our bed, a skylight shines in radiance, which will give us a nightly view of the stars. If you haven't noticed, Thorin can be quite the romantic.
After a short kiss, only broken off by Frerin's crying, Thorin leaves to calm our child as I adorn myself in appropriate clothing. I am suddenly very grateful for my Phoenix blood, seeing as its healing capabilities have returned my stomach to its normal, fit form. And thus, I grab a sapphire tunic with gray leggings to fit my original size. After washing my face from today's pain, I return to Frerin's room where Thorin plays with the child. The new prince seems to be infatuated with the dwarf king's calloused fingers, grabbing at them with chubby, yet small hands and a smile.
Laughing at the scene, I place Frerin in my arms before returning to the previous hallways of Erebor. As the skylight in our room illuminated, it is now time to bid Bilbo a farewell for these six months, a sorrowing moment on such a happy day. Thorin follows my lead, grabbing my waist as we walk through the halls of Erebor. Many a people stop us in our tracks, cooing at Frerin and gushing over the beauty of our child. His birth has been a long awaited event, and to see him visibly in my arms is amazing.
Despite the interruptions, Thorin and I quickly come upon the departing Bilbo and Gandalf to his side. The Gray Wizard is to stay with us for a while, seeing as he has little adventure to go on at this moment. Of course, this brings me great joy as Gandalf is a great and old friend of mine, one of the very first.
"You're not coming with, Gandalf?" Bilbo asks his equally good friend, having been interrupted by our own arrival. Frerin rests quietly in my arms, not sleeping but resting in peace. I can only hope he will always be this quiet and disciplined.
"No, no. I see it unfit to fly you there when, surely, you've overcome greater obstacles," Gandalf replies with a large grin. It's the wizard's expression from before, when he would look proudly upon the hobbit's feats and bravery. This grin is a great reminder of our adventure.
"That's a shame. I quite liked having a wizard around. Seems they bring good luck," Bilbo admits, looking to Thorin as if in contrast. I don't need to hide my laughter at the expression, seeing as Thorin seems to have the worst of luck when coming to other leaders. Despite this, the dwarf king just looks at Bilbo with a smile of companionship.
"You don't really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by luck?" Gandalf remarks to Bilbo with raised eyebrow. That seems to wipe the smile off both our faces, looking to his pocket where the Ring sits idly by.
"Not by luck, but by fate," I respond to the Grey Wizard's words. Thorin looks confused by the conversation as it is one of the sole secrets I keep from him, seeing as it is Bilbo's secret rather than my own. At heart, I know Bilbo was meant to acquire the ring, though I wish for nothing less than to ease him from its possible possession.
"Magic rings should not be used lightly," Gandalf remarks looking to the infamous pocket of evil. Bilbo goes to protest these words, only for the wizard to cut him off: "Don't take us for fools--We know you found one in the Goblin tunnels...and we've kept an eye on you ever since."
Thorin looks shocked at me, having not noticed my continual gaze on the hobbit's actions, especially when pertaining to the pocket. The King Under the Mountain holds a confused look before finally paling in realization. I nod at him as I reason he knows of this "magic ring's" identity and what will ensue. Bilbo smiles at the recognition of the truth, but Thorin only looks worriedly upon our child and what we will face together in the future.
"Well, thank goodness," Bilbo remarks looking to Gandalf and me. "Farewell, Gandalf, Erudian, Thorin, and Frerin. I'll see you in six months time." At that, Bilbo shakes Gandalf's hand, looks exchanged in the process. The hobbit pulls Thorin, Frerin, and I into a gentle hug, brushing curly hairs off the new prince's face.
"Farewell," we all chorus back, minus the child who has months until speaking. The hobbit turns away, as if he will leave without bidding the rest of the company a temporary farewell. But then, Bilbo turns back at a thought's hesitation.
"You, uh...you needn't worry about that ring. It fell out of my pockets during the battle. I lost it," Bilbo tries to reason with us, though we do not believe it. We all send him a knowing smirk, though he does not try to, once again, deny our knowledge.
"You're a very fine person, Mister Baggins. And I'm very fond of you. But, you're only quite a little fellow in a wide world, after all," Gandalf addresses him, slyly inferring our knowledge of the Ring.
"A mere slug in the picture of eternity," I repeat my words from before the Battle of the Five Armies. And yet, I know our story to be one for the history books: the story of Bilbo Baggins, a small hobbit of the Shire, who reclaimed the kingdom of Erebor for the dwarven people. Thorin Oakenshield, the rightful King Under the Mountain who took on a quest to reclaim his home, overcoming his intended death by Azog's hand. Erudian Houdart, the last of the Phoenicians, who sacrificed her previous life so as to save Durin from the grasp of death. Oh yes, our stories will be long remembered, paired together for eternity.
At my words, Bilbo picks up his bag of belongings, looking back at us only to spot the entire company watching him. He intended to leave without their presence, that much is sure, so he blushes slightly as Frerin wiggles in my arms.
"There is to be a great feast tonight. Songs will be sung, tales will be told and Frerin II Oakenshield will welcome the world," Balin addresses the hobbit, all of us turning to look at the bundle now in Thorin's arms. I can only expect, if Thorin had fallen in battle, that tonight would be to honour his memory and send him into legend. I thank the Valar everyday that he stands by my side, now with our child in his arms.
"I know that's how you must honor him, but I take it to heart that we will have many years together," Bilbo responds, looking to the bundled figure of Frerin. It is true all the while, seeing as the hobbit will watch over the prince as he matures. He will be a father figure to Frerin, a godfather in human terms.
"If any of you are ever passing Bag End, tea is at four--there's plenty of it. You are welcome anytime," Bilbo addresses the whole group of smiling people. I laugh at his words, knowing them true, as the dwarves solely left the tea in his pantry on that night so long ago. The hobbit knows to expect me in the near future, as I have reminded him time-and-time again that I will be making weekend visits, Thorin included.
Bilbo moves to walk away, preparing his shift into a Phoenix, when he stops short of the gate. Turning around to look at us, no tears being shed as we will see him very soon, the hobbit smiles grandily and waves a large, but not permanent, goodbye.
"Eh, don't bother knocking," Bilbo remarks with a cute grin. We all laugh, waving at his flying figure which directs itself towards the west and with the wind. All too soon, the hobbit is gone from our view. And yet, he isn't for he leaves a lingering presence in our hearts. It is true that Master Baggins has crawled his way into even the toughest hearts of us all, and this will surely prompt a company journey to his abode for the weekend. Bilbo Baggins is, after all, just a few flaps away.
With that said, the entirety of the company turns away to our duties, smiles adorning our faces. This isn't goodbye, this is surely just the beginning of our adventure.
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One more narrative chapter left after this one...I'm going to start crying, guys. But anyway, if you didn't notice, I tried to make Bilbo's parting as painless as possible, a goal I hope I succeeded in.
Three more chapters to the complete ending of the story, but a Q&A will follow that. Just a reminder, you can post any questions to these author's notes, just make sure you mention that it is for the Q&A.
The next chapter should be taking place nine months after this one, just to set it up for you. The introductory scene is one that I wrote months ago, so be excited.
By the end of this week, "Saving Durin" will be completed and the sequel should be posted. I'm currently on the eighth chapter of the second book, and the whole plotline is working very well. Originally, it was meant to focus more around one of Erudian's children, but I have found that nearly every chapter has a large chunk centering around Rue herself. So yay for that!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please vote and comment!
xo
Patagonian
PS: the gif