The Fifteenth Member (Thorin Oakenshield/OFC)

Chapter 60

Ok, this is for all of my new readers.  Some of you may have noticed that I have more than one active story on my profile.  I am currently writing three other stories plus this one.  They all have very different storylines and very different characters as well as a loyal group of readers.  I don't want to disappoint anyone by giving priority to another story so they're all getting the same treatment.  It may be a long time between my updates but it gives me ample time to get back into the mindset of each story and write a thoughtful chapter.  The long time also ensures that I actually get something good written and you can always count on me updating every other Saturday (And for those of you in the Eastern Hemisphere, every other Sunday)  Also, since school has started, I don't have as much time to write and I don't want to be one of those writers that updates every day one week and then not once for the next month.  I have the two week gap so that if I get a lot written, I have a cushion to fall back on if for some reason I get very little time to write or can't write at all due to writer's block later on.  I'm really trying to not be mean and remember: all of my other stories are getting this same treatment.  Maybe once I finish one of them, the others will update faster, I don't know yet.

Mereniver's POV

The pain was all I could feel now, pain and drowsiness. I was weak, everything hurt, it was too hot in the room, and I could faintly hear someone telling me to push again. I couldn't take it anymore, I just wanted it all to end. I couldn't do this. My eyes were shut tight and I screamed one more time before my heart gave out and I spiralled into darkness.

Thorin's POV

As soon as the doors opened again, I was in the room. The blonde midwife was holding third baby and Mereniver was unmoving on the bed. The white sheets were stained with blood.

"Is she going to make it?"

"We don't know."

"Take the third to Tauriel, have my sister, Wani, and her take care of them until I am able. You are dismissed. Summon Eleanor. Is there anything I can do for her?"

"Don't move her for a couple hours, she may start to bleed again if you do but then give her a bath. If she hasn't woken up by tomorrow evening, she probably never will. The birth put a lot of strain on her body. I'm surprised she's still breathing. Make sure she does no walking whatsoever for at least three days after she wakes up." The midwives left, leaving me alone with my wife. So this is what she felt like when I was in coma. I was tired for some reason but I thought nothing of it. It was probably the stress of her being in labor and yet not being permitted to see her put on me. I laid down next to her, wrapping my arms around her limp upper body and closed my eyes.

When it was time, I lifted Mereniver up into my arms and took her into the bathroom. I ordered Eleanor to change the sheets while we were in there. I placed her in the tub before filling it with cold water as instructed. Then, I took a sponge and washed the sweat off her face and body. Her tail was a deep indigo, a color I had never seen before. When I was done, I carried her back to our bed. Eleanor had been quick, she was nowhere in sight and crisp dark blue sheets were on the bed as opposed to the white ones that had been there before. I laid Mereniver down and pulled the covers over her now-slim body. I had thought that she would have a post-baby body but it looked the same as it did when we first met. Mahal, that was not even a year ago but it felt like a lifetime ago when we had first started out and came across her in that pond.

Mereniver was still not awake the next morning and when I woke up, I didn't feel well-rested as I normally did. I had a servant bring me breakfast and was soon joined by Fili, Kili, and their Ones.

"She's still sleeping?" I nodded. Both of my nephews looked just as tired as I felt but neither of the girls seemed to be affected by whatever was ailing us. We stayed with her all day. Dis was taking care of the twins–triplets. I had to keep correcting myself. How could the third one have escaped not only Oin's but Lord Elrond's examination as well? It didn't matter. At least I knew what the boy would be named. Thrain, after my father. By evening, Mereniver showed no sign of waking up. She hadn't even twitched all day. Lady Galadriel came up at sunset.