49

"Goodbye, Bear-Man." Talia stood taller while Beorn knelt to her height, embracing the larger fellow as best she could. "May your new life continue to be prosperous within your sanctuary." She released him, gesturing to the animals around them.

"I expect another visit when your child is born." The Skin-Changer grinned, leading one of his ponies out to the gates for Talia to use. "Though your few weeks in my company has been pleasant, I should like to meet another who is like you."

"Are you sure you're ready for that?"

"No. But if it is your child, I can bypass the stubbornness." Beorn chuckled softly, ignoring Talia's look of protest. Then, he gestured to the life encompassing his abode, allowing the buzzing bees and the beautiful birds to whizz past them. "He or she will take pleasure in exploring my gardens. While Erebor has many strengths, buried in hard-earned ore and ash, I don't believe tending to nature is one of them."

"Well, back in the day, the kingdom had plentiful gardens." Talia reminded him, allowing herself to drift into memory of a time that had long escaped her. "They were tended to, but no dwarf has an innate talent for such. You're right; your skill is unparalleled. Still, they were beautiful." She smiled, thinking of Tauriel's visits. "One day, I hope they will be so again."

Beorn nodded, helping her secure the last of her belongings to the pony. Then, she swung herself onto the steed, admiring his midnight black mane. The Skin-Changer pet his coat adoringly, giving Talia one last look of caution. "Ride safe, Rue."

"I will." She responded, winking recklessly. "I shall return him as soon as I reach the lake." She said, referring to her pony.

"Thank you." He nodded, backing away as the steed began to stamp. "Farewell."

But Talia shook her head, looking up at her old friend. "Not farewell. I'll still see you in a few months, will I not? How about... see you later?"

"Fine." Beorn agreed, though he wished she'd stop teasing him and begin her journey before nightfall. "See you later, Talia Rue."

With that, the Queen Under the Mountain was off, riding across the plains and back to her homeland. It took her a few days to cross the Greenwood, but under Thranduil's professional curtesy, she was protected; no harm came to her in the forest. As promised, she sent the pony back to Beorn, untying her barge from it's post on the Woodland Realm's docks. It didn't take her long to reach the other side of the lake, and before she knew it, she was home.

Nearly a year and a half ago, she had reached Erebor with no means to enter and was met with a sleeping, bloodthirsty dragon inside. This time, when Talia walked through Dale, people cleared the streets to let her pass. Although she wore the crown of the Queen Under the Mountain, it was not the diadem that the Lakemen respected; the chain holding the mark of the Lady of Dale commanded their attention. And this time, no dragon greeted her with the prospect of death. Instead, her kin met her at the gate to welcome her home.

"How are you, Auntie?" Kili asked, embracing Talia in the typical rough manner of the dwarves.

"Safe travels, dear? Mahal, if anyone tried to lay a hand on you—" Dis began, stepping forward to smooth her hair.

"Kili, not so hard." She whispered, feeling the tautness in her stomach. The weight had hardly begun to show; still, the change of her center was discombobulating. "And good grief, Dis, must our greetings always begin with threats?"

"Come now, they're never meant for you." The princess giggled, hugging Talia. But once she released her, the woman eyed her with a sixth sense that only mothers had. "Something's different about you."

"What?" Talia backed away, walking towards her husband standing behind her. "I am no more different than when I left."

"You're hiding something."

"Don't spoil the fun." She responded, just before gasping at the hands on her waist.

Thorin turned her around gently, brushing a hair behind her ear while scanning her for injuries. Then, once he was satisfied with her health, the King smiled, allowing something other than words to do the talking. Talia grinned against his lips, enjoying being in his arms once again.

Then, he pulled away, remembering his sister's comment. "You are hiding something, aren't you?"

Talia sighed, rolling her eyes. "I know why Dis knows—"

"You do?"

"But how do you know?" The Queen demanded, placing a hand on her hip.

"For starters, you walked up to us fidgeting with the loose threads on your pack. Then, you used your classic defense when you are interrogated..." Thorin gestured to her posture, a grin of amusement coming over his features when she straightened. "Assertion."

"Well, it's not like it's too big of a deal." Talia allowed the guards to collect some of her things, smirking to herself. "Being pregnant isn't unheard of."

Thorin and Kili froze in their tracks, exchanging a look. Then, swinging their heads back to Talia, they voiced their disbelief simultaneously. "What?"

"I knew it!" Dis screamed, bouncing around while she cheered. "I'm so happy for you! Goodness, another Durin in the family! What glorious news!" The princess embraced Talia, giving her cause to laugh with her incessant ramblings. "Us mothers are no stranger to it, Talia; you're practically glowing!"

Dis set Talia down, who still laughed all the while as the mother clapped her hands in delight. Kili grinned at his uncle's open jaw, nudging him towards her. Thorin approached Talia slowly, giving her time to grin and sway like a little kid. She had to bite her lip to silence herself by the time Thorin reached her, allowing him to place a hand on her belly. He felt the firmness there, one that was not from her long years of fighting.

"Is it true?"

Talia nodded happily, seeing the joy in his features. Dis clutched her son tightly, the tears welling in her eyes.

"You're going to be a father, Thorin. We're going to start our family."

He didn't need any more cause to rejoice. Thorin held her close to him, taking a care that made her heart beat faster, while their kin cheered around them. Talia giggled as he kissed her over and over again, burying his head in the crook of her neck as she stroked through the snow in his raven-black hair. Long had they dreamed of this moment, and finally, it had arrived. The next heir to the throne of Durin was here.

Month after month passed, causing the royal family to wait anxiously. But the time finally came during one of the final days of summer for the heir to be born. While walking through the gardens with Tauriel, Talia had felt a bit odd. At first, she blamed the heat, but then Tauriel made the excellent point that there was no heat. Then, when her trousers became a mixture of red and grey, they had their answer. The She-Elf rushed Talia to the medical wing after relaying the message to the guards. Thorin, Dwalin, Dis, and Kili were already there to greet her, along with Amada and a few additional healers.

Talia gripped Dis' hand, allowing her to dab at her sweat. "I know it's only been a few hours, but so help me Mahal, if I have to wait any longer—"

"Relax, dear." The princess chided. Normally, Talia was the one watching out for her like an older sister. But for once in her life, Dis had to be the calm one. Luckily, being a mother herself, she was quite familiar with the process. "The wait will soon be over. You'll know when."

Talia groaned, both from her discomfort and her knowledge of what was to come. "I know."

"What do you mean? How will we—"

Then, Talia's screams pierced the room and echoed through the hall, causing everyone but Dis and Amada to wince. "That's how, my prince. Her contractions have begun." The healer offered, turning her attention away from Kili and back to Talia. "It's alright, my Queen. Remember to breathe."

"Time to push." Dis added, forcing Talia to focus on her. "Squeeze the living daylights out of me, if you must."

She smiled at the princess, nodding and thanking her wordlessly. Then, the Queen pushed. Her screams seemed to echo to the deepest parts of the mountain, which made Kili and Thorin wince. Still, what concerned the latter was not what he heard, but what he saw. From his view beside Talia, he could see the healer throwing towel after towel aside, all stained a menacing red.

"Amada." Thorin's voice was firm and commanding, which made her look up. "Will she be alright?"

"She's crowning." The healer said, turning back to her work and tuning out the screams. "It'll all be over soon."

"That's not what I asked."

Amada offered him a look, urging him to her side to discuss the matter more privately. "I'm doing everything I can to stanch the bleeding. The baby will survive. But if it does not stop..." She warned, whispering low in his ear. "Then I cannot guarantee she will."

Thorin nodded in understanding, returning back to the bed. Talia was too busy screaming to notice the grave conversation, but Dis hadn't needed to hear it. Based on how pale Talia was, she already knew something was wrong. The Queen was clearly at risk of death. Still, she knew that if Talia did not push, both of them would die instead.

"Thorin." Dis hissed, jerking her head to Talia while gripping her hand. "Do something."

While Dis helped Talia push, Thorin ran soothing circles into the back of Talia's hand. His sister scowled, thinking he was doing absolutely nothing useful in the tense situation. Yet in between her screams, Talia watched his thumb on her skin, pulling her focus from the pain to him. She saw his eyes fall from her to her hand, tracing delicate patterns. All she had to do was focus on the feeling of his touch to hold on. And luckily, this was enough.

...

"What do you want to call her?" Thorin asked.

Talia looked up from her weary haze, smiling at the sight of her daughter in his arms. "Really? We've argued for months over the name."

"You did all the heavy lifting. I think it's fair that we settle on the name you want."

"Well, I've profited enough." She responded, watching Thorin sit next to her on the bed. "I already bet Dwalin that it'd be a girl."

Thorin snorted, shaking his head. Then, their daughter laughed at the sound, also ticked by her father's hair on her cheek. They exchanged a smile before Thorin looked back to the child, his grin never leaving him.

"I don't think my grandfather is the one to be credited with this kingdom's wealth. Based on the amount of betting you've done in your lifetime, I'm sure you've earned Erebor it's weight in riches."

"Maybe. I did help Thror with a lot of things." Talia winked at her husband before looking back to her daughter. "I don't know why Dwalin bothers anymore. I always win."

"That's why you're the one naming her." Thorin agreed, shifting to lie next to Talia. He passed their daughter to her, enjoying the cooing that filled the room. "What will it be?"

"I see the blue in her eyes, the blue from your eyes... I think of words relating to the sky."

"And?"

"Would you kill me if it's Sindarian?"

Thorin shook his head, smiling softly. Long had it been since such grievances bothered him. "No."

"Alleliss, then." Talia said, leaning her head on Thorin's. "Champion of the Skies."

He grinned, turning and kissing her temple. "Seems fitting."

And so their child had a name. The kingdom was overjoyed to welcome Alleliss as the heir to the throne of Durin, for Talia's rule had changed their opinions on the necessity of a son. People from all across the world came to the mountain to celebrate, offering the royal family their well wishes. Of all their guests, the King and Queen were the most overjoyed to see Balin and Gandalf once more. The only company that they missed was that of Beorn and Bilbo, for the sole reason that they wished their daughter to meet them in their own homes. Before they knew it, their feasting and festivities were over, and the time had come to raise their daughter into the woman she was meant to be.

Though the decades wore on, Alleliss had been nothing but a blessing on the kingdom. Like her father, she had taken an interest in politics and fighting. Much to his delight, she proved herself to be more than fit for the role of a warrior princess, both in her smarts and skills. But amidst her remarkable maturity and diplomacy, Alleliss still contained the rambunctious youth that her mother never lost. Like Talia, Alleliss enjoyed a pint—or five—after a long days' work, and was always eager to make a bet. She loved to wander the gardens and gained a green thumb from Tauriel, much to everyone's surprise. Still, all her traits and interests had their clear origins. Alleliss was a perfect melody of both her father and mother, exhibiting a strength that could only come from such noble parents.

Sixty years passed before anyone could keep track, and the princess was as grown as ever. So when an enormous butterfly flew through the window, carrying a small scrap of paper from a certain wizard, Thorin and Talia knew the time had come for their daughter to have her own adventure—and they had no doubt that she was prepared for such. The three royals journeyed to Rivendell upon Gandalf's command, accompanied by a few others nominated to represent the seven dwarf kingdoms. As soon as they entered the gates, Alleliss knew of her purpose. If every moment of her life had led to something, it was this; she was exactly where she was destined to be.

Before they knew it, Elrond was addressing the dwarves and the others in attendance. Alleliss' task would soon reveal itself, for the Elf-Lord was one of the few people in Middle Earth with concrete answers.

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction; none can escape it.  You will unite... or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom." Elrond motioned to a dark-curly haired fellow at the edge of the pavilion. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

Thorin and Talia exchanged a look while Alleliss watched the hobbit step forward. He placed the Ring on the stone plinth before the Elf-Lord, feeling immediate relief once it left him. As Frodo ventured back to his seat, the royals remembered where they had heard such a name.

Bilbo often wrote to the family to pass the time, when he wasn't writing other things. And just after Thorin and Talia had returned home from the Shire, having visited their friend upon Alleliss' birth, they had received a letter. Frodo was the young hobbit Bilbo had spoken of all those years ago, for the passing of the boy's parents—Bilbo's relatives—had brought him into Bilbo's charge. Looking at Frodo now, Thorin and Talia could see the connection. There was no mistaking the bravery in his eyes, for they had seen that same bravery in Bilbo all those years ago. Alleliss would soon learn it for herself, for she would become more acquainted with such hobbits on the upcoming adventure.

"So it is true!" One man stood, admiring Frodo's steal alongside everyone else.

"Sauron's Ring; the Ring of Power!"

Then, one of Thorin and Talia's own spoke. Gimli, son of Gloin, had heard the tales. "The doom of man!"

"In a dream, I saw the eastern sky grow dark." The man who had stood before stepped forward, entranced by the Ring. Talia immediately stiffened, which made Thorin all the more weary. "But in the West, a pale light lingered. A voice was crying; 'Your doom is near at hand. Isildur's Bane is found...'" He trailed off, reaching for the Ring. Gandalf and Elrond exchanged weary looks, but Talia was already standing when he spoke his next words. "Isildur's Bane."

"Boromir!"

"Ash nazg durbatulûk," Gandalf boomed, echoing the accursed tongue of Black Speech throughout Rivendell. "Ash nazg gimbatul," Talia unsheathed her blade in a single motion, holding it to Boromir's neck and forcing him back to his seat. "Ash nazg thrakatulûk," Alleliss gasped at the incoming clouds and thunder. All Thorin could do was keep her close as Gandalf concluded his command. "Agh burzum-ishi krimpatul."

The sky around them cleared as the black clouds left Rivendell, causing all to let out noiseless sounds of relief. Once the wizard's commotion was over, all eyes turned to Talia. She stood before Boromir, the tip of her sword against his throat, while he held his hands in surrender. The others watched with worry at her cold stare, but she saw the fear in his eyes. What caused her to drop her blade was the fact that she knew this fear was not for her.

"One Ring to rule them all, one Ring to find them." Talia translated, sheathing her blade and returning to her seat. Her strong voice carried in the pavilion, commanding everyone's attention without fail. "One Ring to bring them all... and in the Darkness bind them."

No other dared to speak against the wizard and Queen aside from Lord Elrond. "Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here, in Imladris."

"I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond, for the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West!" Gandalf rebuffed, ignoring his stern tone. "The Ring is altogether evil."

"He is right." Talia corroborated, nodding to Gandalf. "Soon, I will not be the only one to understand it's call."

"And how is it that you know Black Speech?" Boromir asked, challenging the Queen once more.

Clearly, he did not know who she was—but the others did. Legolas and a hooded figure bowed their heads in respect when Talia began to briefly recount the tale.

"Long before the Battle of the Five Armies, before this Ring even came into my knowledge, I was taken. The darkness that commanded the Orcs to attack Moria found me before I could find it. I remained in Dol Guldur for over a century as Azog the Defiler's prisoner, used for information that I could not give him in my tortured state. Much I learned there, much that I do not care to recount." Talia walked slowly around the pavilion, addressing more than Boromir. "But what is important to us is that I discovered Sauron, embedded in the shadows where we could not find him. And even then, he nearly destroyed the free folk in the war for the mountain. Recall that this was possible even when he did not have the Ring, when he was in a weakened state. He and the Ring are one. Should he find it once more, it will be Middle Earth's demise."

"Which is why it must be destroyed." Thorin stood, joining his wife's side. Then, he spared a knowing look at Boromir, seeing the proposition he begged to offer the council. "We cannot use it, for the risk alone of it falling into the wrong hands is too great. The only way to put an end to Sauron's heinous crimes is to deprive him of the Ring."

A great pause fell over the council before another spoke again. "Then what are we waiting for?" Gimli's gruff voice rang out. But before Talia could stop him, his axe shattered against metal, the pieces hailing down on the pavilion. Both Frodo and Talia winced, bringing their hands to their heads; the attack had summoned the Eye of Sauron. Once the dust settled, the council found the Ring still upon it's perch, unharmed.

"Gimli." Alleliss spoke, standing tall and venturing to the center of the pavilion. "Even your might against the Ring will not succeed. It was made in the fires of Mount Doom... only there can it be unmade."

"What would a girl know of this matter?" Boromir scoffed, provoking Talia to roll her eyes indiscreetly. Thorin too glared at the man, who had too many opinions for how little he knew of the Ring. But both parents knew their daughter could take care of herself—which was exactly what she would do.

"A girl that has done her research during her education." Alleliss began humbly, pacing towards Boromir. "But this girl is also Princess Alleliss of Erebor, Daughter of Thorin Oakenshield and Talia Rue Ashenstone. This girl is the rightful heir to both the titles of the Lady of Dale and the Queen Under the Mountain. She also owns that of which she has earned herself; the Breaker of Bondage."

"You freed thousands from the Goblin Tunnels." One councilmember stood, pointing a finger at her in astonishment. "You saved countless lives, and have done us all an innumerable debt. Like the Orcs in Dol Guldur, the goblins tortured their prisoners for their knowledge." He explained, bringing his gaze back to Alleliss. "But the princess freed them before he could gain it. Should you have failed that mission, Sauron would be that much stronger."

Thorin and Talia exchanged a look of pride, turning back to their daughter with unmistakable grins. They knew that Alleliss had earned her place in the world, just like they had. She was also a Durin; she would continue to do so, even if it meant death.

"Still, my debt is not paid." Alleliss argued, nodding in thanks. "If Sauron is not vanquished, all will suffer. Even the Breaker of Bondage will not be able to save the earth from submission."

Boromir caught her gaze, motivated to speak. "Then the Ring must be destroyed."

While the pair silently acknowledged their mutual respect, Elrond continued to inform the council of the exact mission. "It must be taken deep into Mordor, and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this."

That was when the argument erupted, consuming the pavilion. Thorin and Talia sighed, bringing their fingers to their temples while Alleliss watched on. This was what the Ring wanted; it was already beginning to destroy them from within. She knew that if no one else, she would be the one to volunteer.

But before she could speak, the strong and clear voice of a hobbit rang out. "I will take it!" The council paused, turning to Frodo in surprise. "I will take the Ring to Mordor... Though, I do not know the way."

Alleliss was the next to stand, walking to him and taking his hand. "I do, Master Frodo. We shall see it done together."

So one by one, the Fellowship of the Ring was formed, tasked with destroying the object that determined the fate of Middle Earth. An immense sense of purpose ran through Alleliss' veins when she stared at her father and mother, smiling while Elrond decreed their companionship.

Thorin and Talia grinned in response. They felt it, too, just like they had all those years ago. Finally, their journey had come to an end. Had their union never occurred, it was impossible to tell whether or not Middle Earth would have won, both in reclaiming Erebor and destroying the Ring. Still, there was a certain peace in not knowing. There were no more risks, no more dangers for them to consider.

All they had left to do was be.

_____

A/N: Just a quick heads up that Alleliss isn't actually Sindarian for Champion of the Skies. I literally found it off a random generator, and I liked the name and it's meaning so I used it (I have no idea what language it actually is). I am in no way equipped to study Tolkien's languages and push my luck with Khuzdul, Sindarian, or otherwise.

Also, thank you all for the support so far! As of this chapter, we've only got one more until the end. So thank you for sticking with me and enjoying the ride! Stay tuned for any upcoming works if you like what you see; I'm not just a Tolkienite; I love my musical and Marvel boys too ;) Much love!