10

Forty Years Later

Time had passed since dragon fire scorched the city of Dale and ruined the great kingdom of Erebor. Knowing they would have to lead their people to a new life, the sons of Durin had journeyed far and wide across Middle Earth, wandering aimlessly with their people in tow. No matter where the dwarves went, the screams of the dead and the roar of the beast would always follow them, seared into their minds as if the day was a part of their being. And it was, for the people of Dale and Erebor were forever changed ever since, a once great people brought low by the wrath of Smaug. Their leaders knew this, for they bore the same scars as all of the others. They knew of dragon fire, but what they didn't know was how they would move past it.

Finally, after traversing the unforgiving lands of Middle Earth, the dwarves reached the Blue Mountains, where they would again settle and try to rebuild their lives once more. The people were weary, tired, and close to death themselves, but still they worked tirelessly to construct new homes and settlements for themselves and those around them. The dwarves may have been defeated, but they were also resilient. After months of building, hunting, and scavenging, the dwarves had successfully settled in the Blue Mountains. Though it was not the abundance of wealth they once had, they had gained a newfound appreciation for every bit of food and coin that came their way. There was no denying that they had lost their riches, but they got by, and that was all they could ask for.

Thorin and Talia helped each other heal in the process. He comforted her for many long nights, holding her as she cried over the two people she had lost that day. She helped him process the weight of responsibility on his shoulders when he came to her, doubting himself as a leader without his mother's or grandmother's guidance. Though they were strong dwarves, and their moments of weakness were few and far between, they knew that the other would always be there to lean on. And with this knowledge, their wounds scabbed over and healed to scars. The memories and pain would never leave them, but they were distant in the midst of their new life together in the Blue Mountains.

So, the years passed. Though they were hard and long, forty years had granted the dwarves with homes, food, trade, children, and love. Thorin and Talia watched as Dis grew into her womanhood with Beldan, the dwarf she fancied, while Frerin embraced his destiny to be a warrior amongst the guard along the borders. Though they were not whole without their home, they still thrived.

The years had passed.

Talia sat alone at the shore of a babbling brook, her legs crossed out in front of her as she leaned against a log. Munching on her apple, she listened as the birds around her sang and the river's current crashed past her. She had allowed herself one day of leave from Head of the Guard for some inner peace, something that was rare to her with all of the commotion of the other dwarves. Though she loved them, sitting at this stream in her lonesome had been her refuge during her years in the Blue Mountains.

Leaning her head on the wood, she closed her eyes, bringing her back to her own thoughts. Talia thought of Dale, the markets bustling in her imagination as her mother led her through the streets. She remembered the overwhelming scent of lavender and ginger that had filled her home. She could taste the quality of the meat within Erebor's walls and would never forget the richness of their ales. She could still feel Thorin's lips on hers at the statue of Durin, the coolness of the starlight kissing their skin.

But all of that disappeared when Talia opened her eyes, the green irises refocusing on the stream and the forest around her. In reality, all of those comforts were lost to a distant land, one far to the east. Though that was home, her true home, it was behind her now. Still, she tried to bring herself back there every once in a while, for she vowed that she would remember something other than the dragon's descent despite the pain it caused.

Yet, it was not entirely lost to her. Talia reached down to her neck, feeling the coolness of the silver and bare bone on her chest. But her fingers were searching for the other charm on the chain, and when they wrapped around the simple, silver bar, she sighed at it's weight. She had found her mother's necklace at the bottom of her pack upon reaching the Blue Mountains; she hadn't even known she owned it, or that it was in the pack. Nevertheless, Talia joined it with her own chain and carried some form of her mother wherever she went. She refused to part with her, even after all of these years.

Holding these remnants of her past in her palm, Talia did feel at peace. Her gut was right; a day in the forest was all she had needed.

But before Talia could stand, she heard the crunch of a twig behind her, whipping around to see it's source. Her now silvery hair twirled about, her sword unsheathed and raised before her. Thorin stood a few paces away, his hands up in defense. She let go of her breath, dropping the sword to her side before walking towards him.

"How did you get away?"

"Finished with the envoys early." He said, taking a few steps toward her as she put her sword back in it's sheath. "My father said he would stay with Dis, in case anything happens."

"Pregnant women." Talia smiled at the thought of his sister. "Who knows when they'll take off running?"

Thorin chuckled slightly, looking down at her hands as she took them in his. "You know what I mean." He kissed her hard as his hands traveled to her waist, holding her close as her own gripped his shoulder and hair. They broke apart, Talia breathless as she leaned her forehead on his. "You taste like apples." He said, still holding her close as her eyes met his.

"What was that for?"

He laughed at her expression. "What?"

"You haven't kissed me like that in years."

He frowned at her, his pout making Talia giggle slightly. "Yes, I have."

Talia shook her head, still smiling softly. "That reminded me of a younger Thorin, from a distant land."

He grinned, releasing her and nicking her apple right out of her hand. "Maybe we need to refresh our memories more often." He raised his eyebrows, taking a bite as Talia laughed.

"Absolutely." She kissed his cheek as he chewed, grabbing her pack and slinging it over her shoulder. It was nearing late afternoon, and she knew he had come to collect her. "What if I forget, Thorin?" She grinned, feigning innocence.

"I can help with that." His voice was low, his hand taking hers as he spun her to face him. Sharing another impassioned kiss, Talia sighed, leaning into his arms yet again.

"That you did."

The prince laughed, bringing his lips to her ear. "We may be older, but I promise you, you will never forget what this feels like." His voice was so deep that Talia shuddered slightly as his whispers. "I swear on my life that I will love you more than any other on this earth, and deeper than the Mountain itself."

Talia turned his chin back to her, pressing her own kiss to his lips. Now, it was his turn to be speechless. "You better prove it tonight." She whispered, her smoky tone driving Thorin wild. Pulling away, she set off for home, him following close behind and gripping her hand tightly.

Finally, they reached the pub, meeting Balin and Dwalin the second they saw the door. Their friends were more wrinkled and grey, just as they were, but they were still fierce dwarves, ever the more reborn from dragon fire. Settling into a booth, the four of them placed their dinner orders, waiting patiently with their ales in hand.

"Just like old times, isn't it?" Balin said, smiling as he took a sip of his ale.

"Aye, only the young couple isn't as young and spry as they claim." Dwalin teased, setting his pint down. "Only sixty-four, and you two can't walk fast enough to arrive on time to dinner!"

Thorin shot a playful glare at his friend. "We were a bit preoccupied."

"Not to mention that you two were late as well!" Talia fired back at Dwalin, causing Balin to snort into his ale. "Seventy-four and sixty-nine my ass. More like two hundred."

"Yep. Definitely like old times." The eldest dwarf at their table chuckled to himself, placing his cup back on the table just as their food arrived.

But before the group could dig in, Beldan burst through the door, causing those within the pub to gasp and murmur at the disruption to the peace. He bounded across the room, knocking into a few women on his way and apologizing profusely as they shrieked.

"Mahal, lad, what's the matter?" Talia asked Dis' husband, who panted and held onto their table as he tried to catch his breath.

"Thorin... Dis... baby..."

"It's here?!" Dwalin roared, standing up so fast he nearly flipped the table over. Balin scowled at his brother, wiping the ale that had spilled from Dwalin's pint.

"Yes. She's in labor." Beldan paled at the thought of his wife. "She's gonna kill me for being gone this long."

"That she will." Thorin agreed, knowing his sister better than anyone. At this point, she was probably throwing things at the healers in order to ease her pain.

"We're right behind you." Talia nodded, patting Beldan's shoulder as she smiled. The quick dwarf, barely in his fifties, raced out without another word, causing the barkeep curse as the door slammed behind him. Sighing, she took a quick bite of her food as the dwarves stood, moaning at the taste. "It's such a shame I won't be able to finish this."

With that, the dwarves followed Beldan out the door, Talia tossing her coin pouch to the barkeep. He smiled at it's weight. "Keep the change!"

They raced up the hills of the Blue Mountains, panting as they tried to keep sight of Beldan ahead of them. Weaving around the houses and their inhabitants, they finally reached that of the royal family. They burst through the door without a moment to spare, rushing down the hall and to Dis' room. Balin, who was leading them on, nearly crashed into Beldan as he entered. He ducked immediately after the younger dwarf as Dis' jewelry box sailed through the air, which Talia caught from behind them.

"YOU!" Dis screeched, rearing her arm back as she prepared to throw yet another wooden object at him. Thror and Thrain were doing their best to calm her down on her left, while the healer sat at her right, preparing his salves for the stage to come. Little good they did, she felt; like her mother, Dis would only be comforted if a woman was alongside her. It could be a goat, for all she cared. As long as it had some experience with it's own body trying to rip it apart, Dis would be satisfied. Her father finally wrestled the soon-to-be weapon out of her hands, sighing from the effort.

"Where's Talia?" Thrain demanded, his patience growing thin with the long labor his daughter was going through. Dis sighed in relief upon hearing her name. "Someone with sense needs to handle this."

Talia pushed past Thorin and the brothers, taking Beldan's hand and rushing them over to Dis' bedside. Thror and Thrain sighed in relief, exiting the room and leaning against the halls outside. After Balin's beckoning, Thorin and Dwalin did the same, knowing too many people would only agitate the princess more.

"Oh, Talia. Thank Mahal." Dis gripped her hand, breathing heavily and cherishing her quick break from contractions. Then, the princess spared a glance back at her husband, furrowing her brow and muttering, "This better be worth it, Beldan."

"It will, my love. It will." He reassured her, laying his palm on top of hers and Talia's. "Just think. Soon, we'll have our very own baby to hold and love. We'll be beginning our family together."

Talia smiled at the sight. Beldan was a natural at calming his wife. They were truly meant to be, and she could just tell that their child would be so loved growing up in the halls of the Durin's folk.

"Yes." Dis smiled softly, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Yes, we wi—" She cut herself off with her own screams of pain as the contractions returned. Talia took Beldan's place quickly, kneeling beside Thorin's sister.

"Dis, remember to breathe. In and out, as if a gentle breeze ran through your being."

She softened at Talia's words, heeding them as Talia coached her through a proper breathing pattern. The princess had never felt safer, even in the healer's vicinity. She knew Talia had witnessed many births and had assisted her mother in her youth, learning many tricks about the process. Those outside sighed as they heard Talia's calm voice through the walls, murmuring to Dis all the while as the contractions sped up. A few hours later, the healer nodded at Talia, who was just wrapping up her story of when her mother had first taken her to gaze upon the stars.

"Alright, Dis, time to push." She said, taking her hand again. "Squeeze the living daylights out of me, if you must."

Dis nodded. "Thank you, Talia. I don't know what I would've done."

Talia only smiled in return as the healer positioned himself at Dis' feet.

Not but a few moments later, everyone waiting outside straightened up as they heard a baby's cry. Thorin rushed inside without a moment's hesitation, surveying the quietness of the room aside from the baby's wailing. While the healer cleaned and swaddled the babe, Talia had just finished helping Dis collect herself, pulling the sheets over her once more as Beldan sat at her side. Family and friends filed in after the prince, watching in awe as the healer smiled and handed the baby to it's mother. Thorin joined Talia's side as she leaned on the bedpost, smiling down at the happy family.

"What will you name him?" Talia whispered softly, causing Dis to look up to her just as the baby quieted.

"This is my little Fili." Dis grinned, turning her attention back to the babe and stroking his cheek. The infant let out a small gurgle at his mother's touch, something akin to a laugh. Everyone in the room exchanged a heartwarming glance at the action, knowing that this new member of the family would brighten their days eternally.

The baby was passed around the room as Dis watched with a smile, leaning her head on Beldan's chest. Thror and Thrain cooed back at Fili as they held him, and when it was Balin's turn, he could only smile at him, tears brimming his eyes. Even Dwalin took a turn, much to everyone's amusement. He furrowed his brow at this reaction, turning back to Fili and poking his nose ever so slightly. Eventually, the evening dwindled down and everyone said their goodnights, offering Dis and Beldan words of congratulations before welcoming the sleep that they longed for. After a while, only Thorin and Talia remained, with Thorin holding his nephew as he slept peacefully in his arms. Talia watched with a hand on his shoulder, smiling down at Fili.

"I'll get us some more water." Beldan kissed his wife's forehead, who smiled and whispered her thanks.

Thorin wordlessly sat down at his sister's side, leaning against the headboard and swinging his feet up next to hers, ever so cautious of his nephew. Talia did the same on Dis' right, watching Fili stir slightly, then fall back asleep in Thorin's arms.

"How does it feel to be an uncle?" Dis asked, nudging her brother lightly.

"There aren't words, Dis."

She smiled at her brother's response, turning to Talia. She looked at her expectantly, waiting for Dis to pose the question. "What?" She asked softly.

"And you? How is Aunt Talia faring?"

"I'm not his aunt."

Dis waved her away, scoffing. "Not officially, but you are. I don't care what you are to Thorin; you're a sister of mine." Talia laughed softly, leaning her temple on Dis' forehead. "Speaking of, you two are taking too damn long to sort your inevitable marriage out."

They locked eyes as Thorin laughed, Talia's smile mirroring his. She reached out, placing a hand on his knee.

"She's got a point."

And so Thorin smiled, passing the baby back to Dis. He reached into his pocket, fishing out none other than his grandmother's wedding band, the sliver inlaid with a single small sapphire. Holding his hand out to Talia, he looked her in the eyes, his blue orbs mixing with her green ones.

"Marry me, Talia."

She grinned back. "Okay."

Dis gasped at the ring in between them as Talia held her hand out, allowing Thorin to slide it onto her fourth finger. They smiled once more as Dis looked between them in disbelief, Talia proceeding to withdraw her hand from his and interlock it with Dis'.

"Done."

They chuckled softly at Dis' shock, her mouth agape as she held Fili close.

"Huh. I should really boss you two around more often."