Chapter Text
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When she arrives, the first thing she hears is Thorin's laughter, followed by her sons', who break the informal welcome tableau to rush forward and pluck her off her pony. Eventually, they're able to let go of one another, Dís dries her eyes, and her boys lead her to greet the others.
Thorin is several steps ahead of everyone else, his wife with her hand in the crook of his arm, as if they’d walked several steps forward and decided to let her have a longer moment with the boys. He looks so well, so kingly, and so happy.
Billa is small but sturdy-looking, lovely in an exotic way, and she’s dressed as a proper married dwarrow, her hair in elaborate braids and their parents wedding beads. It makes her heart jump a little with gladness to see them in her tawny hair. Thorin has an arm wrapped around her shoulders and the smile on his face is still sadly startling. Billa looks...secure. Secure in herself, in where she is, in Thorin, and she has a shy smile for Dís.
Dís greets her brother, oh, the longest hug, choking back sobs. "You are so happy," comes out in a rush before she can think about it.
"Beyond my wildest hopes," he whispers back, his voice choked with emotion. “Welcome home, namad, welcome home.” She grins at him through her tears, wipes a few from his cheeks, and adds a smack to the back of his head for getting her sons injured, and turns to her new sister.
"Dís, may I present my wife, Belladonna of Erebor."
Billa puts out both her hands to grasp hers. "You are so very welcome, your highness. You've been greatly missed by your family, and I've so looked forward to meeting you. I'm afraid the boys have told me half the good stories already, but I'd love to hear them from your side!"
Thorin groans and kisses the side of Billa's head. "Please, please, no more horrible stories for at least a day."
Billa grins up at her. "I should probably tell you we were all so excited we didn't sleep much last night. Terrible, terrible stories were told. I did my best to defend you, as a fellow female, from boyish complaints."
Dís nods gravely. "You do me a great service, your majesty, for these lads, all three of them, have run wild, so wild, for so long. I’m not sure how you managed not to kill them, traveling with them for months."
"For a good bit of the trip, I had no idea how to use a sword,” Billa replies, equally sober. “And then, there’s Dwalin, I’d never make it past him.” She sighs. “At least they're relatively well groomed.”
"Oh no," Kili groans. "Oh no, what have we done? Uncle, separate them, quickly."
"Oh no you don't!" Billa replies in a steely voice "The last good chat I had with a female was a sheep," She looks back at Dís, ignoring her husband, who is now snickering into her scalp. "I would very much like for you to come have tea, when you're settled. A day or two?"
"Please, call me Dís. I'm afraid I'm going to have to take tea with you almost immediately to hear the story about the sheep.”
Billa's smile is radiant. "Even better, Dís. And do, please call be Billa. I will do my best not to flatten you with questions, but I have so looked forward to meeting you. Let's get you to your rooms, honestly, what are we doing standing here? We've restored them as best we could, and I hope...oh, Frar," she says, turning to one of the guards. "Could you please send word Bombur I'd like to come down and help with the baking? I should like to make something nice for my new namadul. I hear, like all sensible people, you’re partial to chocolate, but I wanted to ask you if you had a particular favorite before I got started. The lads had conflicting...."
Dís sucks in a sharp breath, her eyes prickling. “He’s teaching you…”
Billa’s face falls a bit, gets careful. “I hope you’re not too scandalized. It’s such a beautiful language. I have enjoyed learning about your culture so very much.”
She thinks of all the taunts and jeers and insults they’ve endured over the decades, all those that turned them away or turned them out. Her eyes fill with tears again, and she reaches out both hands for her Billa.
“Namadul,” is the best she can do to express her weary, relieved delight. “I have always wanted a sister.”
“I have, too.” Billa whispers, her own eyes shining with tears. “I have, too.”