AN: Still don't own Lord of the Rings, or anything from The Hobbit.

I apologize for not updating sooner. I was recently laid off from my job, and feeling too depressed to write, much less post anything.

However, even though I'm slowly getting back into my writing, there will probably be much longer gaps between updates, as searching for employment will be my first priority. But I will try and post when I can.

Thanks for understanding, and please don't forget to review.

Chapter 44: Girls' Day Out:

The day after our walk in the magnificent garden, Thorin and I did our best to avoid one another. I think it was to spare the other's feelings, and prevent any awkwardness between us.

However, a feast was held the very next night, and I couldn't help but notice that Thorin was quite subdued. I felt terrible, as though I were robbing him of a pleasant evening, but it couldn't be helped.

To my surprise, Thorin had invited Bard and his family, as well as Dale's entire city council, including their wives.

Having fellow humans around was different, but since Bard and his family were seated at the high table, it was great fun. Bard took the opportunity to talk with Balin and Thorin about the newest additions to the trade agreements, with Gandalf and Glorfindel occasionally adding to the conversation.

Meanwhile, on my side of the table, Sigrid and Tilda happily chatted to me, Dis and Ethelwen about their dress shop.

"I hope you'll come see it, Allie," Tilda said. "There's some new fabric I want to show you, and I would like to know what sort of Elven styles can be adapted for wear in Dale."

Ethelwen looked as surprised as I felt. "Do the women of Dale enjoy wearing Elven fashions?" she asked, setting down her wine cup. "I thought they would consider us too grand to model their own gowns after."

Sigrid nodded. "They do, in a way. But if we change it enough, it will still be everything they want."

I gave a small smile of amusement. "And what do they want?"

Tilda smirked. "In their daily dress, they want something practical and hardy, of course! But for festivals and special occasions, they want subtle elegance. That's what we provide. We use the beautiful fabrics that come from Mirkwood and our own best weavers, and make the dresses women wear to dances, or parties like this one."

Bard's youngest waved a hand at the large room around us. "We even have some of the councilmen's wives asking for our dresses, either for themselves or their daughters. There are even rumors that one or two want us to do wedding gowns!"

Sigrid rolled her eyes. "Tilly is getting ahead of herself. It's only a rumor, nothing more. But we are rather busy, and we would love to have the both of you visit the shop."

Since there was nothing Ethelwen loved more than clothing, it wasn't hard to accept the invitation. Besides, it would get me away from the Mountain and Thorin for a day.

"We would love to come visit you," I said, genuinely thrilled at the idea.

The joyful smiles on Sigrid and Tilda's faces nearly outshone the sun.

Of course, the males of our group had no interest in going to a dress shop, so it was just us girls who went. I had also taken the liberty of inviting Dis and Tauriel, and both had gladly accepted. The look of excitement on poor Tauriel's face told me how much she needed a day away from the little ones.

Today, the sky around Dale and Erebor was clear, but I could see clouds on the horizon, dark and heavy with rain. I considered canceling the visit, but figured that if we ended up caught by a storm, there had to be an inn to stay at for the night.

"I brought our lighter cloaks, the ones made for rainfall," Ethelwen whispered to me in Elvish, green eyes twinkling as she looked at me. "Gwyn noticed the change in weather early this morning, and told me, so that I could prepare."

Today, we had dressed casually and comfortably, but of us all, Tauriel seemed the happiest, her face a mixture of excitement and quiet bliss. When I asked who was helping Kili with the children, her smile was only a little sly.

"Fili kindly offered to help, and Gwyn promised to check on them, to make sure everything was alright," Tauriel replied, smiling as Dis let out a chuckle.

The Dwarf princess gave her daughter-in-law a fond look. "It will make Kili appreciate you more," she replied, eyes dancing in good humor. "And Gwyn is a good lass; smart and dependable."

In spite of her words, I had the nagging feeling that Dis had an alternative motive at having Fili help with his niece and nephew. I highly suspected it was also to press upon him the importance of having a wife and family of his own, especially since he was heir to Thorin's throne.

'Trying to jump-start his paternal instincts, which might make him more protective and willing to work hard, for the sake of his people.'

It was rather sneaky of Dis, but there was a great deal of pressure on royals when it came to succession, so I really couldn't blame her. Especially since I had refused her brother's marriage offers.

The ride was pleasantly cool as we sat chattering and giggling in a way only a group of females could as we talked about 'girly' things. Tauriel wanted to know about the hairstyles we had seen in Mirkwood, a topic Ethelwen was more than happy to partake in.

I had Dis riding beside me, and she inquired at my relationship with Sigrid and Tilda. She seemed genuinely interested as I told her how we had met, and expressed her curiosity about the gowns the girls produced.

"For I've noticed the wives of councilmen wearing a new style I had never seen before, and wondered where they had come from," Dis said, grinning broadly at my surprised expression. "In spite of the animosity between Elves and Dwarves, I do admire the way those two young ladies are able to bring the styles of Elves and Men together."

"I'm sure they will be quite flattered at your praise," I said, returning her smile. "I think our opinions mean far more to them than anyone else's."

Much to my relief, the only one meeting us was Bain, who stood at the entry gates with a broad grin on his face. As soon as we halted, Bain offered Shan an apple, and asked us to follow him to the corral inside the walls. There, we let our horses loose, to their joy; they had seen the oats and carrots being offered by a few horse-lovers, and were more than happy to be spoiled.

"My sisters asked that I lead you to their shop," Bain said, offering me his arm. "I think they spend half the night pulling out their finest gowns and materials to show you."

In any other human city, I would have been worried about what part of town the shop was located in. Luckily, Dale had been built up quite well over the years, and everything was new, so there was no 'good' part or 'bad' part.

The girls' shop was in a section of town dedicated to the garment trade. There were weavers, thread makers, seamstresses, and other dressmaker shops, but only their store seemed to have a mob in front of it. I attributed the insanity to their skills, but as soon as I was spotted, the women began to make way, most of them dipping into curtsies as they moved. The doorway showed Sigrid trying to prevent the women from entering, though I couldn't understand why she wanted to keep customers out.

"There you are!" she greeted me, a strained smile on her face. "I'm afraid word spread of your arrival, and everyone has been wondering who might be accompanying you."

Sigrid caught sight of Dis, and dipped into a curtsey. "Princess, we are honored by your visit," she said. "Please, come in. We have a great deal to show you."

Dis and I exchanged a brief look before going inside, the rest of our group trailing close behind. The women gathered outside did not move past the doorstep, their eyes focused on every move we made.

"Goodness, what a crush," I whispered to Tilda when she came to greet me. "I had no idea you were so busy!"

She actually giggled. "They aren't here for us, Allie. They're here for you and your friends. After all, it's not every day the King's Sister comes into Dale, and you are well-known for helping create our town's cider businesses. Many people would still be without work if you hadn't gotten the Elf and Dwarf Kings to cooperate."

I didn't get the chance to respond, for at that moment, Sigrid asked us to sit in a set of carefully arranged chairs. The shop was not large, but it wasn't tiny either. There were no tables, leaving the floor wide open to accommodate us. Glancing upwards, I saw several wood rods set in the fairly tall ceiling, and fabric curtains hanging from hooks. It reminded me of fitting rooms back home, and I quickly realized that was what this was. The building wasn't large enough to designate permanent fitting spaces, so the girls had created temporary ones that could be made whenever necessary. It was brilliant, and I said so.

Sigrid blushed slightly as Tilda rushed into the back room. "It was Bain's idea, actually. Papa had said a larger space would cost a fortune, and our brother suggested temporary walls. I had thought about wooden screens, but they are heavy and clumsy. Bain said old drapes or fabrics would work much better, and the hooks make it easier to pull them down for the washerwomen to clean."

Then Tilda entered the room with a folding table, while Sigrid vanished into the back, returning with an armload of gowns. I smiled as the ladies of my group leaned forward, eager for the fun to begin.

"That was wonderful," Ethelwen said, smiling broadly as we headed out the door.

Dis, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement, matched her smile with one of her own. "I had not expected to enjoy myself so much, but I did."

It certainly helped that Tilda and Sigrid had just begun a line of Dwarf-human fashions, for those who wanted a more humble sense of style. The mingling of Elvish elegance and human fashions had thus far appealed to many of the women in Dale. However, the Dwarves currently had no interest in getting their clothing made by anyone outside, so the girls had kept to what they knew would sell.

However, now they wanted to appeal to a larger group, so they had taken to mixing human and Dwarf styles, for both sexes, to try and attract those of Erebor.

With Dis as part of my group, Tilda had joyfully displayed the outfits they had created in Dwarf sizes. There were a few dresses, but also breeches, shirts, vests, and a couple light cloaks in attractive, muted colors.

"Erebor gets shipments of Dale's materials, but our seamstresses usually craft in only Dwarf styles," Dis had told them. "I must admit, I like what you've done, and would be more than happy to buy some of my wardrobe from you."

Sigrid and Tilda were surprised, but more than willing to take her on as a customer. After all, only a fool would turn down a princess, particularly one who lived next door.

Tauriel also looked happy, probably because Dis had offered to pay for a new wardrobe for her. Ethelwen also offered to make a few things for her (speaking softly in Elvish, to avoid insulting our friends), which I'm sure Tauriel appreciated. She probably had very few things in the Elven styles, to avoid making her stand out in Erebor.

"I do not mean to be insulting," Ethelwen had whispered softly to her, while Dis was chatting with Tilda, "But the style of the Dwarves do not suit your size or your frame. I can modify some of your clothing before we leave Erebor for home, if you would like?"

Of course, Tauriel accepted, and was in a fine mood as we headed out to find a place for lunch. Although all of us were emptyhanded, it was not because we hadn't bought anything –it was because we had simply bought too much to carry. A couple delivery men would take everything over to the Mountain today, and it would all undoubtedly be in our rooms by the time we returned.

The women who had crowded outside the shop were now flooding the inside, loudly pressing my young friends to sell them exactly what my friends and I had bought. I had hoped that Tilda and Sigrid would join us for lunch, but that was clearly out of the question, at least for today.

Our stomachs growling, my companions and I headed for a large tavern that had outdoor seating, and sat down. The owner was thrilled to have such 'illustrious guests,' as he put it, and recited a rather impressive menu to us. I didn't think they had half of what he offered, so I kept my request small and ordered their lamb stew.

The others kept their meals simple as well. For all that the owner had offered things like fine cuts of beef and roasted wild birds, my friends had roasted ham, chicken and potatoes, or the lamb stew.

As we ate, Tauriel kept us entertained us with tales of her children. It seemed that Kili considered their son a genius, since the toddler was running around yelling words in both the Common Tongue and the Dwarf language.

"It takes everything I have to keep Kili from teaching little Thorin Dwarf curse words and insults," she said with a sigh. "I want to teach the children Elvish, but I'm hesitant, as it might make it more difficult for them to be accepted in Erebor."

The sadness and frustration on her face was a stab to the heart. She clearly loved her children, and wanted what was best for them, but with their mixed parentage, life was going to be very difficult for the entire family.

"You should teach them both cultures, while they are young and able to learn quickly," I advised, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "They deserve to know about where their father and their mother came from."

Tauriel only gave the tiniest of glances towards her mother-in-law, and I knew she was worried who she might offend. I don't think she was afraid of Dis –in all likelihood, Tauriel wanted to make Kili happy by getting along with his mother.

"She is right, my dear," Dis said, surprising everyone. "Both little Thorin and Amareth are very unique. Never before have there been half-Elven, half-Dwarf children, which makes theirs an unusual upbringing. The road will be long and difficult, but with you and my son as parents, I have no doubt they will grow up very well indeed."

It was the perfect thing to say. The smiles exchanged between the Dwarf Princess and Elf Maiden were that of two mothers sharing a special moment, and I felt honored to be there to see it.

After we finished lunch, we decided to take a walk through the town. Dis chose to walk next to me, while Tauriel and Ethelwen conversed happily in Elvish about everything and anything they could think of.

"Allie," Dis whispered, stepping a little closer. "I know this might be a sensitive topic, and probably best spoken of in private, but I wanted to apologize for my brother's behavior towards you. I also wanted to say that he told me why you will not be joining our family, and that I understand. But I also hope that we can still be friends, and that you will continue to visit us for many years into the future."

Yup, that was something best talked about in private, but I had a feeling Dis wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings between us.

"Of course we can be friends," I declared, patting her gently on the shoulder. "I like you and Thorin and your people very much. I would like to come back to visit, if only to see your adorable grandchildren."

She chuckled. "Thank you. You may not be wedding my brother, but I do consider you a sister of a sort. It is a joy having you here."

At that point, as though our conversation topic had guided us, we reached the area of town where toys and other children's items were crafted and sold, much to our delight. I was especially eager to get little Thorin and Amareth something to play with, and Tauriel was kind enough to let me.

"I would say they are already quite spoiled, but my son is rough with his toys, and often wears them out or breaks them," Tauriel said with a sigh. "Stuffed animals in particular don't last long. I don't know why."

I was more than happy to buy several stuffed animals for both children, as well as a few pieces of clothing. Dis was tempted to do the same, but admitted to having bought far too many gifts for her grandchildren already.

For me, buying baby toys and clothes as gifts was something I had enjoyed back home, if only because everything was so tiny and cute. In Middle Earth, it was harder to buy these things, since every piece was handmade and took a while to make.

'I would like to see baby and children's things made by Elves,' I thought to myself, as Tauriel struggled to decide between getting a stuffed horse or a stuffed bear for her son.

I had seen no babies or children in any of the Elven realms. Estel had been well out of toddler-hood when I arrived in Rivendell, and even though his outfits had been cute, they hadn't been 'baby cute.'

And I admit, I was still very unfamiliar with the way Elves bore children, and hadn't bothered to ask Lord Elrond or Ethelwen, out of sheer embarrassment. Sex education back on Earth was awkward enough to sit through –learning about another race's was bound to be as uncomfortable!

I was just switching my thoughts over to what sort of gift to buy Estel when Bain appeared with his sisters, all of them with shy smiles on their faces.

"Father was wondering if you would all like to come to supper at our home this evening," Tilda excitedly informed us. "But you have other plans, we would be happy to have you another night."

Tauriel shifted uncomfortably on her feet. "I must return home to my husband," she explained, her tone apologetic, as she looked around at us.

Dis sighed. "I'm afraid I must return as well. Fili was to have several important meetings today, and I wish to be informed as to what their outcomes were. Allie? What of you?"

Ethelwen and I exchanged glances. It was mid-afternoon, but I was rather tired. Somehow, with her unique observational skills, Ethelwen seemed to sense that, and declared that we should return to Erebor as well.

"But we will be happy to return in a few days," I assured them. "I will send a message when I know I have a free day."

The girls looked disappointed, but I think Bain was happy to not have to get dressed up in his finest clothing tonight, his sisters pestering him on what to wear and to clean himself up for visitors.

We all bid farewell to our friends of Dale, and Bain led us back to the corral where the horses were waiting, saddled and everything. "A lad in a delivery wagon left some time ago, with the purchases you made at my sisters' shop," Bain explained as I slid into Shan's saddle. "Everything should have arrived there by now."

"Thank you," I said, smiling as Shan reached back and lipped the young man's hair. "My mount thanks you, too."

Bain gave a laugh and patted Shan firmly on the shoulder. "I don't suppose you'd consider breeding him, my lady? He'd make some fine foals, this one would."

I honestly hadn't thought about it, but I didn't think Lord Elrond would approve of my doing so without his permission.

When I mentioned this, Bain blurt out, "Oh, please don't trouble his lordship with such a silly thing. I was just wondering aloud. Horses are a fancy of mine."

"Meluir, we must go," Ethelwen called in Elvish.

I smiled at the young man beside me. "It's no trouble, Bain. I'm more than happy to include it in my next letter home. If he replies before I leave Erebor, I will let you know his decision."

With a final wave, Shan and I trotted up the road to catch up with our companions.

AN: I thought a nice afternoon out with friends would be a fun chapter to have, especially after all that Allie has been through with Thorin.

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