Enjoy this short moment from Kili's early years. Translations for words in Khuzdul (the language of dwarves) are seen at the bottom of the page*.

There was feeble knock at the door, Thorin huffed, stood and went to twist the golden handle. He looked down and met the beaming face of his infant nephew, Kili. Thorin smiled and took the child into his arms. Kili giggled and babbled occasionally and roughly pronouncing few dwarfish words. "Vem (1) uncle thorin." Kili blabbed, and thorin replied "Vemu ai-menu, kili (2)" with a hearty laugh.

Thorin ruffled kili's hair; kili waved his tiny fists in the air. Thorin swung him around and held him high above his head before dropping him for a second, then catching him again, kili sat rigid, stunned and slightly scared, then burst into giggles. "Again, again!" he screamed, in a stream of excited chirping.

Thorin smiled and leaned in, face to face with Kili, "no more my lad, we must go to your Khagan (3)," Kili frowned, "No Khagan, no!" and furrowing his little brow, he grabbed Thorin's beard and pulled with all the strength his little body could muster. Thorin immediately went fierce, and Kili cowered, guilty as he new he had crossed the line. He set him down firmly with a scowl, "No Kili. Go to your Khagan now!"

Kili stuck out his lip and looked up at Thorin. He smiled, thinking it was a joke, and held his hands out to Thorin, a gesture to be picked up. Thorin crossed his arms and glowered down menacingly.

Kili knew he must go, turned and bumbled of down the corridor, hanging his tiny head. He did not understand why uncle Thorin had been so angry with him.

Thorin rubbed his beard, tenderly. Had he been too harsh on the boy? He was only young. Thorin looked round the door to see if his nephew was still lingering, so he could maybe comfort him, but Kili had already run to his Khagan. Thorin did not want the child to be scared at him.

It did not matter; he had much to prepare, and soon thorin had finished period of loving thought, his mind on matters of power and gold and worries.

* (1) Vem = hello

(2) Vemu ai-menu, Kili = Greetings to you, Kili

(3) Khagan = Mother