Disclaimer: The Hobbit belongs to Professor Tolkien and Peter Jackson.

Author's Note: This story is set after "The Treasure of Dale" and "Gem of His Heart," but can be read as a stand alone. All you need to know is that Fili married Sigrid. She had two boys by her deceased husband, Arne and Soren.

Worth More Than Gold

Kili watched his brother with a ghost of a smile on his lips as he arranged the heavy swords in the armory. Fili was whistling and grinning; he was in a very cheerful mood for being in charge of organizing and cleaning the weapon stores.

"What is it, brother?" Kili asked the blonde dwarf, unable to ignore the way his brother's bright blue eyes were shining.

Fili grinned. "You mustn't tell Uncle." He pinned his brother with a warning look.

Kili shook his head. "I won't; I swear." He could tell this was important, so he pressed his lips together and forced himself to be quiet.

Fili grasped his brother's arm and pulled him down the hall to an empty supply room before dragging him inside.

Once the door was shut behind them, Kili quirked an eyebrow at his brother as he glanced around the dusty room that had barefly been touched since the dwarves had returned to Erebor. "What is your news that is such a secret, Fi?"

"Sigrid's with child; I'm going to be a father." Happy blue eyes met surprised brown.

Kili's mouth dropped open at his brother's news. "Truly, Fi?" He hadn't expected his brother to father a child so soon. Dwarrowdams often took years to become pregnant, and Fili and Sigird had only been married for two years.

"Truly," Fili grinned. "Oin confirmed it this morning. We are telling Uncle tomorrow night."

Kili surged forward and threw his arms enthusiastically around his brother. "You're going to be a father." He squeezed him tightly.

"I can't breathe, Ki," Fili finally wheezed.

"Sorry," Kili pulled back, his face still wreathed in a wide grin. "I'm going to be an uncle."

"Aye," Fili returned his brother's smile, "and I imagine one of his most favorite people."

Kili nodded enthusiastically. "You can bet on it. I can't wait to start teaching him things." His dark eyes shone with excitement, but then dimmed with worry.

"What is it?" Fili asked as he frowned at his brother in concern.

"What if I drop him, Fili?" the younger prince asked, suddenly pacing the floor.

Fili laughed out loud at his little brother. "You won't drop him, Kili. I promise that Sigrid will teach us both how to hold him." He slapped Kili fondly on the shoulder. "Maybe you and Tauriel will soon add a little one to our family and my son will have a cousin."

Kili frowned. "We would like nothing more than for that to happen," he admitted. "Elves and dwarves do not typically conceive as quickly as humans." He shrugged it off, but Fili was able to read between the lines.

"You're worried that you will not have a child," he murmured.

"I believe it will happen….in time, although I've never heard of an elf conceiving a child with a dwarf," Kili admitted, "but Tauriel, well, she longs for a babe of our own to fill her arms."

"Perhaps Sigrid and I should wait-"

"No, Fili; share your news. Tauriel and I will join you in your joy. I am so very happy for you, Fili, truly I am. I know that Tauriel will also rejoice with you." Kili reached out and threw an arm around his brother's shoulders. "I will teach your son archery and Tauriel can teach him the stealth of the elves."

"I look forward to it, Kili," Fili smiled. "Remember, not a word to Uncle."

"You have my promise," Kili swore as the brothers returned to the hallway.

The day was a long one, and Kili was tired by the time the last of the armor had been polished and stored. He bid his brother goodnight and walked to the suite he shared with his wife. Thought it was still early, the room was dark. Only the embers in the fireplace shed any light at all.

Kili frowned. He glanced toward the bed realized that he could see his wife's form outlined beneath the blankets. It was then he knew. Sigrid had told her about the babe she carried.

After stripping down to his underclothes, Kili slipped between the sheets and spooned behind his wife, slipping an arm around her slim body. He felt her tense against his touch and knew she was not asleep. Brushing her red hair to the side, he placed tender kisses down the bare skin of her shoulder as his finger tugged the slim strap of her nightgown aside. "What is it, love?" he murmured softly in the darkness of their suite beneath the mountain. "Has Sigrid shared her news with you?"

A choked sob was her answer. "I am happy for Sigrid and Fili, truly I am," she managed in a wobbly voice.

"But you are ready for it to be our turn," Kili finished for her, his arm tightening around her waist as he rested his face in the curve of her neck and nuzzled her cheek.

"Yes," she admitted sadly, her hand covering his where it rested over her empty womb.

"And one day it will be," Kili assured her gently, a smile curving his lips as he felt his wife twine her fingers with his.

"And what if it isn't?" she whispered into the darkness.

"Then we will be happy because we have each other," he murmured against her petal-soft skin, "and we will spend time with Fili's children. Bain and I will be vying for the position of favorite uncle."

Tauriel chuckled softly at his words. "Is that so?"

"Aye," Kili answered playfully. "And we will teach the lad archery." His lips moved to the skin of his wife's neck and she sucked in a breath as he pressed them to her pulse point.

Tauriel shifted and rolled over so that she faced her husband. The light of the fading embers in the fireplace reflected in his dark eyes. "I love you, Kili, ever so much." Lifting her slender hands, she framed his face and traced the outline of his beard with her thumbs.

Kili turned his head so that he could kiss her fingers. "And I love you, my sweet wife."

Tauriel sighed and leaned her forehead to rest against his. "I want to bear your child, Kili, to have a part of you growing inside of me."

Kili pressed forward, forcing Tauriel to roll onto her back. He pressed his lips to hers as his hands drifted to find the hem of her robe. "Nothing would please me more," he murmured as he proceeded to show her how much he loved her.

To Be Continued…