"Thorin? Frerin? Your father and I are leaving now."
Both boys looked up at their mother's voice, abandoning their training weapons to embrace their mother.
"Do we HAVE to look after Dis?" Thorin whined, looking up at his mother imploringly, hands fisted in her skirt. "Couldn't you take her with you?"
Frerin nodded vigorously on his mother's other side.
"Yes couldn't you take her with you?" He implored, wanting whatever his brother wanted in typical little brother fashion.
The queen smiled down at her boys and caressed their dark hair lovingly.
"Of course not." She replied, kneeling down so she could look up at her sons. "Your father and I are going to a grown up party, we cannot take Dis with us. But can you be my big boys and take care of your sister for me while we're gone?"
Thorin and Frerin looked at the floor, mumbling under their breath. The queen kissed their foreheads before taking Thrain, her husband's, arm.
"Now you be good while we're gone." She reminded Thorin and Frerin. "If you need anything, Balin will be just outside the door, if he dozes off, be sure to wake him." The mother of the young boys fixed them both with a steady gaze before shutting the door behind her and Thrain.
Thorin and Frerin looked at each other, then behind them at the small baby girl who sat up in her cradle, gurgling happily at the toy she had just thrown on the ground and looking very pleased with herself. The two princes looked at each other again, their forlorn faces mirroring each other perfectly.
"Why did WE have to get stuck with Dis?" Frerin whined, small shoulders slumped in defeat. Thorin could only nod as he stared glumly at his baby sister.
This was NOT what he planned to do this evening.