More Than Meets the Eye

Chapter Forty-Five

Thorin stood outside the closed door to his apartments and took a deep breath before going inside. It was quiet. Peacefully quiet. He carefully tiptoed his way toward the bedchamber, and in the doorway, paused, a smile creeping across his face at the sight.

Arielle had built a wall of pillows on the far side of the bed and within that wall of pillows, Tiriana slept soundly, her hands on either side of her head in tiny fists, her shock of dark hair a striking contrast the linens. Arielle lay curled with her, a hand on Tiriana's belly, also sound asleep.

As he came around to draw a quilt up over them both, Tiriana's eyes opened. He froze, hoping she didn't see him and wouldn't start crying. Then, she let out a soft coo. With a sigh, he moved around to carefully scoop her up from the pen Arielle created.

"Shhh... raklûn," he murmured, moving over to the low chest, where they changed her when she needed it, and he made quick work of getting her into dry swaddling and redressed. Then, with her still cooing away, he brought her out to the living room, closing the bedchamber door behind him.

"We will let Momma sleep, won't we?" he murmured, sinking onto the sofa, holding his breath to see if she'd cry.

"You won't fuss, will you, mimûna." He carefully propped her against his drawn up thighs, so she almost sat against him. "You need let your mother rest, uzbadnâtha. You are wearing her out, you know."

She didn't fuss, but just watched him as if utterly fascinated by him, her blue eyes sparkling as they took in everything around her.

Well, she wasn't the only one utterly fascinated, as he felt he could study her until the sun set on time itself. With the exceptions of Fili and Kili, he had precious little experience even being around babies. But with Tiriana, he felt almost entirely comfortable. In the four short weeks since her birth, he'd fallen hopelessly in love with her and with everything about her. Of course, she was the most beautiful baby in all of Erebor and while Arielle insisted she looked like him, he thought she looked more like Arielle, only with his black hair. And even that, Narnerra said, might fall out and be replaced by Arielle's lighter hair.

"You are as beautiful as your momma, you know," he murmured, tracing his fingertip along her little nose, chuckling as her eyes crossed in an attempt to follow it. "Sorry, raklûn, I did not mean to make you do that.

Tiriana just stared at him, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Narnerra insisted those smiles were but gas, but he didn't believe her. At least, he chose not to, anyway. "Would you like to see your kingdom, uzbadnâtha? I don't think Momma will mind if I let her sleep a bit longer."

With that, he carefully rose, and without a sound, slipped from the apartment to make his way up to the Great Hall. It wasn't quite super time yet, so the Hall was busy with the servants setting everything up, and Brynne, Erika, and Lono all turned almost at the same time when he stepped into the room.

"You Highness, is everything all right?" Brynne asked, setting down the flatware she held to come over to them.

"Everything is fine. I just wanted to bring the princess out for a change of scenery while Arielle gets some rest."

"Oh, she is so precious," Brynne said as she smiled up at Tiriana, who watched her with the same wide-eyed wonder as she watched everything else. Lifting her gaze to him, she said, "How has Her Highness been doing? We miss seeing her on a daily basis."

"She is doing just fine." He shifted Tiriana slightly so she could look about the entire room if she wished. "She's tired, of course, but taking everything in her stride."

"Well, this little one is too beautiful for words." Brynne turned her attention back to Tiriana. "And you look just like your papa, raklûn. Erika, don't you think she looks just like him? Lono?"