Chapter Text
The five small ships that sailed under Katniss's command were stocked to the brim. It had been a pleasant journey so far, exactly how they planned. As they arrived during their season, sacks of golden coins were exchanged for much larger bags of barley, yeast, and some extra sacks of sweetcorn and plums.
While Katniss was slowly making Erebor her home, she still loved being outside the mountain. Erebor reminded her way too much of her time at District 13. Underground, with no sunlight, and everybody working like relentless cogs that made the engine of her husband’s Kingdom run.
Well, her Kingdom now, as he often had to remind her.
Some of the loose strands of her ebony hair that escaped her braid flew with the wind as she stood on the stern of the main ship of her small fleet. The sun had just risen, but because they were sailing against the current, she knew they would likely be at Erebor a few hours before midday. Even though she couldn’t wait to see Thorin again, she was already nostalgic about being outside, feeling the wind on her face and the fresh smell of rain.
It was then that she spotted a large settlement of dwarrow-folk camping at the margins of the river Running, or Aklah'ân, in Khuzdul. Katniss knew that had to be Dis and her caravan from the Blue Mountains. It was a much larger party than Katniss had expected, and it felt like their group was almost as large as the population of her entire district had once been.
They had a few tents still standing, while others were already packed. Dozens of wagons, goats, cows, sheep, chickens, horses and ponies. These people were not mere travellers going on an adventure; they were refugees returning home to their once-stolen homeland to build a new life. They were coming to stay.
Katniss didn’t even try suppressing her smile when she noticed four dwarflings running after a kite.
Without wasting any time, Katniss ordered the captains of her small fleet to dock their ships near the settlement, as she wanted to know if there was anything they could do to help before they carried on their journey to Erebor.
Multiple curious bearded faces turned their gaze towards them as they approached their settlement. Katniss was moving to be the first person to alight the ship, but a gentle hand on her shoulder made her turn around.
“Balin.”
“Allow me to go first, Lassie. You look mannish, and they don’t know who you are. I am certain Thorin sent word about you to his sister, but we don’t know how much of this news has spread. And Mahal forbid, Thorin would have my beard if someone lost their temper and decided you are not to be trusted.”
Katniss twisted her lips, but Balin calling her Lassie instead of addressing her by her formal title was enough for her to nod her head and do his bidding without argument. She followed him closely behind, and as she stepped onto the land, she immediately spotted a dwarrowdam with braided ebony hair with the familiar Durin beads that Katniss was now able to recognise. The Dam was wearing finer clothes than the others, and Katniss saw a shocking resemblance to her brother.
The dwarves in the settlement had positioned themselves behind Dis, mother of Fili and Kili. Katniss felt a pang in her heart thinking about the young prince’s lifeless body being buried underneath the mountain. She was beginning to regret her decision to stop at the settlement when Dis bowed at her, making several other dwarrows jerk into movement, and before she had time to consider what just happened, the entire settlement followed suit. Katniss felt her cheeks burn.
“Your Highness.”
“Please, don’t ever bow to me again… sister.” Katniss’ words were warm, despite her hesitancy over the endearment. Calling someone other than Prim a sister felt alien to her tongue, but she knew by now that was the dwarrow way of doing things. And she wanted to show respect for their culture. She needed to adapt. She wanted to adapt. She owed that to Thorin. To Fili. And especially, to Kili.
Dis smiled widely and walked in her direction to give her a strong hug, which made Katniss gasp. There was something in the air that was making Katniss’ stomach turn. She could feel the reflux coming, and Katniss was trying to suppress it, as she couldn’t bear making a fool of herself now. Not when she was meeting Thorin’s sister for the first time. Not when the entire population of the Blue Mountains scrutinised her every move. She couldn’t afford to look weak.
After Dis let her go, her eyes lingered on the bead Thorin had woven into her hair at Lake Town.
“It is true, then. My brother found his match.” Only then did Dis turn to face Katniss, whose face had gone ashen. The only answer she managed to assemble was a short nod. Dis frowned her eyebrows and exchanged a glance with Balin, who was throwing worried glances at the young woman.
“Lassie, are you…”
Katniss started throwing up her entire breakfast on the ground. With the expertise of someone who had done this before, Dis quickly got hold of the young woman to stabilise her body and moved her hair outside the firing line from her puke.
Katniss didn’t know what was worse, the woozy feeling on her entire body, or the many whispers that she would hear from the crowd. However, before she could make up her mind, somebody she didn’t know picked her up and carried her inside the biggest tent in the settlement, and she could hear Dis ordering people to stop breaking camp and for them to make way for their Queen.
Having lived two completely different realities, sometimes it felt like she was living in a dream. Katniss lost track of the number of times she had feared that her life in Erebor had been nothing but a dream. An induced dream. Something created by the evil Game Makers to torture her mind like they had with Peeta. Other times, however, it felt like it was her life in District 12 that had been the real dream.
Katniss still mourned the loss of Prim. Sometimes she felt there wouldn’t be a day she wouldn’t think about her little sister. Would she be born sometime in the future, or the changes Katniss had made were such that would no longer come past? Sometimes she wished she could go back to her own time, just to immediately regret ever having these thoughts. After all, how could she ever leave this new life she had fought so hard to build? How could she ever leave Thorin? And now…
Pregnant.
That was what the Dam that had examined her in front of Dis had concluded. Dis and the Dam wasted no time in congratulating her, both smiling from ear to ear. But Katniss didn’t smile at the news. Instead, her eyes were open wide, and she sucked her breath in.
She was terrified.
If either Dis or the Dam noticed how uncomfortable Katniss was, they decided to keep quiet about it.
The Dam presented Katniss with a long red ribbon, making Katniss look even more puzzled.
“What do I do with this?”
“Oh,” the dwarrowdam blushed. “Just give it to the King. He will know what to do.”
The Dam was quick to force some weird-looking tea on her hands, and they left her alone in the tent, as they said she needed to rest. Katniss was so baffled by everything that she didn’t even consider doing anything different but following their lead.
A few hours later, Thorin and Fili were having lunch with noblemen from all the other clans when Balin entered the banquet table in a rushed way that was uncharacteristic of the old dwarf. Thorin knew that could only mean that something was wrong. Unceremoniously, he stood up, making everyone else at the table follow suit, as etiquette required that nobody should be seated if the King was standing.
“Balin, what happened? Why such haste?”
“Your wife. She’s fallen ill during the journey back.”
Thorin immediately left the table, followed closely by Fili.
“Where is she?” Thorin was already halfway to leaving the room, not even bothering to excuse himself to the nobles from the other clans.
“In between Esgaroth and Dale, with your sister and the caravan from the Blue Mountains.”
“Prepare the ponies. Call the others. We shall depart immediately.”
The small party that left Erebor with Thorin had many members of the Company present, including Dwalin, Gloin, Oin, Bofur, Bifur and Fili, but also other new soldiers from the mountain. They were moving at an extremely fast pace. Thorin didn’t know much about Katniss’ condition, as Balin had made a point to depart as soon as she was attended by Dis and the female healer from the Blue Mountains. Balin knew that Thorin would likely want to be told about these new developments as soon as possible, and he trusted Dis to keep her sister-in-law safe.
The moon was starting to make an appearance in the light blue sky when Thorin and the others arrived at their settlement. The people hailed and cheered in admiration as they saw Thorin and the others quickly gallop by the large crowd. Thorin waved at them but didn’t slow down his pace as he made his way to the centre of the settlement.
He saw Dis talking to his friend Nora by the fire when he climbed down his pony. However, it was Fili the one who first hugged her, and Thorin felt a stabbing pain in his chest, a fleeting, but intense reminder of the loss of his other nephew. Dis shed a tear while looked directly at her brother from a distance while hugging her eldest son. A silent understanding passed between them. She tilted her head slightly to the left, pointing to the direction of one of the tents, and he promptly knew that was where Katniss was likely resting.
In front of the tent, there was a young dwarf, axe in his hand and ready to attack anyone who dared enter that tent. Thorin immediately recognised the young dwarf.
“Gimli, my wee lad!” Gloin ran to the young dwarf who seemed so taken back that he forgot his duties to hug his father.
Thorin threw one last look at his sister, who gave him a short nod amid her tears while she hugged Fili. Thorin nodded back and entered the tent.
Katniss was lying down in a large cot covered by pillows he recognised from his sister's home. He smiled at the sound of a low snore. He sat down next to her to better examine her features. They had provided her with a nightgown, he saw her armour lying on top of a chest in the corner of the tent. Thorin stroked her cheek and slid his hand to find hers when something caught his attention.
A red ribbon.
He gasped loud enough to make her turn and slowly open her eyes.
“Thorin?” she said, voice groggy, using her elbows to lift herself from the ground. “What are you doing here?”
“Shhh, amrâlimê,” he said, brushing a loose strand off of her face. He looked at a simple bedside table and noticed a comb and some hair oil that had been carefully placed on a tray with a small vase containing a single flower. His heart was trying to jump outside of his chest. He took a deep breath, preparing to hide any emotion from his voice. “You need to rest.”
“I have rested enough,” she said, sitting down. She was about to stand up when Thorin prevented her by gently holding her shoulders.
“We will not be going anywhere before sunrise. It will be at least a two-day track for our people. Maybe three. It takes time to move around with a large party such as this. Especially with the elderly, children and…” but instead of finishing his sentence, he squeezed her hand that was still holding the red ribbon.
Katniss shrugged. They shared one of their long staring contests, while Thorin carried on stroking the hand holding the red ribbon. She broke eye contact first, and looked down at her hand, feeling as uncomfortable as she had felt when that dwarrowdam had given her the news about her pregnancy.
“Is there anything you would like to share, Mizin?” he said, looking from her eyes to the ribbon she was still holding.
Katniss swallowed.
“Shall we… shall we go and see the others?” she said, standing up while avoiding looking him in the eyes.
“Katniss,” he said, also standing up, and making her face him as he held her by the waist. “Are you with child?”
She bit her lips and turned her face to avoid his gaze again while nodding her head.
Thorin felt like the air had been pulled out of his chest. He kneeled, resting his weight on his good leg while he immediately began kissing her belly, whispering words in Khuzdul, some of which she could understand with effort and translated as “Mahal’s blessing”.
It took him a few moments to look up at her and notice the tension in her demeanour. Slowly, he stood up again.
“What’s wrong, Mizin?”
Instead of saying anything, she burst into tears, hiding her head on his shoulders. Thorin was taken aback by her unexpected display of emotions that were so different from what he had imagined that moment would be. He knew that pregnant females were supposed to be emotive, but he had thought she would at least look happy at the news. Unsure of what to say, he just held her tightly, trying to make her feel his love.
She sobbed for a long moment, and he remained completely silent until she was calm enough to speak.
“I don’t know. I… I don’t think I am ready. I am… I am so scared, Thorin. What if… what if I am not a good mother? What if…” she thought about her mother being unable to do anything after her father died in the mines. She thought about Prim’s name coming out of the Reaping bowl. She thought about Kili’s dead body placed to rest forever underneath the mountain, and Dis, outside, already having lost a son.
“You will be a wonderful mother, Katniss.” he hugged her tighter. “And I am not inexperienced. Mahal knows I did more than my share with Fili and Kili. We will have help. Erebor is our home now, and I am the King. Any child we have will have anything they need. Dis will be thrilled to spoil any child of ours, as will Fili and the others. Trust me, Katniss, we will be just fine.”
Her breathing was settling and slowing down as her sobs died down. He wiped her tears with his thumbs before he took the red ribbon from her hand.
“Come, have a seat. Let me re-braid your hair.”
She obliged, crossing her legs in front of him. Slowly, he began unbraiding her hair and massaging her shoulders and scalp, bringing sighs of pleasure from her lips. He hummed in approval. As he began to gently comb her locks, she decided to let out something else that was on her mind.
“You will never allow me to go on the rounds around the mountain with the soldiers now, are you?” she sighed.
“You know they are not without risk, you have encountered orcs before during these expeditions.”
“Yes. Stray orcs…” She crossed her arms in annoyance.
“You are a prime target now, Katniss. You are bearing the future King of Erebor,”
“Or Queen.” She turned her head around to face him “It could be a girl…”
“Aye.” he gently forced her body back to return to the original position. “It might be a girl.”
He combed the ends of her hair whilst humming a song from his childhood.
“I’m not going to stay locked way inside that mountain.”
“I can organise monthly outings for us, Mizin. We will bring the royal guard and some extra soldiers to protect you.”
She sighed.
“I want daily outings.”
“Fortnightly.”
“Daily, Thorin…” she tried to turn but he held her in place.
It was his turn to sigh. His fingers were moving quickly, integrating the ribbon inside one of her small braids.
“Once a week, and this is already pushing our luck. We will need to take soldiers from their posts to accompany us, and even if I have the entire army force on their posts, the mountain will be left more vulnerable while we are out.”
“I need daylight. Once a week is not enough.”
“Twice a week is my final offer. Alternate days. We will not form a clear pattern.”
“You know, it’s not because that I am…” she swallowed “...pregnant, that I can’t bury an arrow in the middle of an orc’s skull.”
“Aye. But it’s not only you now.” he was fasting a bead at the end of her new braid. “If we were attacked, I would urge you to stay out of combat and let me take care of things. What you carry is way too precious.”
She grumbled but didn’t refute.
“Turn around. I want to see how you are looking.”
She did his bidding, and only then she noticed the red fabric on her braid.
“Another braid?”
“Everyone will know what you are carrying now.”
She snorted.
“Come. Do you want to change your clothes and be formally introduced to the others?”
He pointed at the chair that contained her armour. He slowly helped her out of her nightgown. At the sight of her bare belly, he couldn’t restrain his emotions.
“I can’t wait to see this little pebble growing inside you,” he garbled, voice laden, stroking her tummy.
She looked at him awkwardly.
“Thorin, I’m terrified.”
“And I will be alongside you all the way. If there is anything I can do to ease your fears, just name it.”
Katniss hesitated, her fingers curling around his. She could feel the warmth of his calloused hands, the steady strength that had carried him through battle, through fire and blood and loss. For a moment, that strength was the only thing keeping her grounded.
She bit her lip, then lifted his hands to her mouth and kissed his knuckles, a quiet plea wrapped in a gesture of love.
“When my time comes… will you stay with me?” she whispered, her voice trembling like a bowstring drawn too tight.
Thorin’s heart swelled painfully at the vulnerability in her words. He cupped her face, leaning down until their foreheads touched.
“Always,” he vowed, his voice low and unwavering. “No crown, no mountain, no kingdom will keep me from your side. Mahal himself would have to tear me away.”
A shuddering breath left her chest, and for the first time since she had learned the truth, the weight on her heart lifted, just a little. Thorin felt her relax in his arms, and he pressed a soft kiss to her temple, lingering there as if to seal his promise.
“Then… maybe I can do this,” she murmured, almost to herself.
“You can,” he said, his voice thick with pride. “And you will not do it alone. Our child will come into a world where they are surrounded by love and steel alike. No harm will touch them. Not while I draw breath.”
Her lips curved into a faint, wobbly smile, and he caught it like a spark in the darkness. He guided her to the cot and sat beside her as she began to dress in her armour. His hands, so skilled at wielding weapons, now moved with surprising gentleness. Every touch was reverent, protective.
When she was ready, Thorin stepped back to look at her, his gaze lingering on the new braid he had woven with the red ribbon.
“Beautiful,” he said softly, though the word seemed to hold far more meaning than appearance alone.
She snorted, trying to shake off the heaviness of the moment. “You just like that everyone will know I’m carrying the heir to your throne.”
“Aye,” he admitted without shame, his deep blue eyes warming with rare humor. “Let them see. Let them know that Erebor’s future begins with you.”
She reached out, brushing her fingers across his cheek. “Then let’s go meet them.”
He offered his arm, and she took it. Together they stepped out into the cool evening air, the camp buzzing softly with life. Conversations hushed, and all eyes turned toward their king and his new queen. The firelight flickered against her new braid, the red ribbon catching the glow like a living ember.
For the first time that day, Katniss felt the fear in her chest loosen its grip. Surrounded by the cheers of their people, by Thorin’s unwavering presence at her side, she began to believe that maybe she could face whatever awaited her.
And as Thorin lifted her hand to his lips for all to see, he silently vowed that whatever storms lay ahead, they would weather them together.