Title: Princess
Summary: Thorin asks Fíli and Kíli to help explain to Karla, that she is a Princess and what that means. But somehow Fíli think she won't need to know what it means, she'll be just fine.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit.
A/N: NO FLAMES! Not accepted.
"Fíli, Kíli. I need you both to do something for me." Thorin said one morning, before he left for the forge.
"What is Uncle?" Fíli asked, always responsible. He would make a fine King, once Erebor was theirs again.
"We're not babysitting again are we?" Kíli added; shuddering at the thought of babysitting his baby cousin again…last time she'd nearly bitten his fingers off!
"I need you to look after her again, Kíli, yes. Karla is hardly a baby. But I need you to explain her role to her. She is a Princess and she needs to know that." Thorin said, the two boys looked at each other and smiled, they could do that.
"When I come back I expect her to know exactly what is expected of her. All right?" Both boys nodded. They could look after a little girl…as long as Kíli kept his fingers clear of her mouth they'd be fine.
Babysitting Karla was never going to be that hard. Karla loved them both. She may have been a girl and little outside Fíli's realm of expertise; he was still able to help take care of his cousin. She sat with Fíli outside in the sunshine, she wanted to make daisy chains and she'd conned Fíli into helping her. But Fíli had other ideas. He made his into a circle, just big enough for her head; he leant over and placed it on her head.
"There, a crown fit for a Princess." He said winking at Kíli who sat near them reclining in the sunshine. Kíli refused to make daisy chians so he sat with his face tipped back, eyes closed letting the sun warm his face.
"A Princess?" Karla repeated, "But I'm not a princess!"
"You are actually." Kíli said; Karla turned her gaze to the brunette.
"No I'm not." She said; her blonde curls bouncing as she shook her head.
"You are; you are Princess Karla Daughter of Frerin." Fíli told his cousin seriously. Karla frowned, she'd never met her father but she knew Fíli and Kíli were her cousins. Fíli decided against telling her what it meant to be a Princess as he was sure Thorin could think of a way to word it. She was a spitting image of her father. Her Uncle Thorin had helped bring her up so far and she loved him like a father. She'd made that mistake of calling him 'father' once and he tried ever so hard not to do it again. It caused him pain when she did. She frowned harder looking up at her cousins.
"Does that mean you are Princes?" She asked, they looked at each other and nodded. Karla didn't respond she set back to work on her daisy chains. Fíli mirrored Kíli's position until Karla tapped him on the shoulder. He looked at her and she got up on her knees before lifting her hands and placing something on his head, he knew what it was by the tickle the petals made on his forehead and he looked over to see her doing the same for Kíli. Fíli smiled at his brother.
"Now we all got crowns!" She said clapping her hands.
"What's all this?" Thorin's voice surprised them and what's more he was smiling.
"We've all got crowns Uncle, what's it look like?" Fíli supplied. Thorin's smile widened. Karla got to her feet and as she walked away from her cousins, Fíli nudged Kíli and indicated to what Karla was holding.
"I tried to make one for you too, Uncle but I don't know if it fits!" Karla said, as she reached the top of the stairs, Thorin – still smiling – dropped to one knee and let her put the daisy crown on his head. He took her's off her head and gently placed the brand new gold and silver circlet he'd made on her head, it was a little big but she'd grown into it. But as she looked up at him with a cheeky, toothy smile Thorin knew that Karla would make a very fine Princess. And he was reminded of a tiny child looking up at him with the same smile after his father had given him his first circlet.
Year 2941 Third Age
Erebor, Main Hall
"Princess?" Karla turned at her old tutor's voice. The old Dwarf hurried towards her, worry bright in his eyes and he grabbed her hand as he reached her.
"Balin? What is it?" She asked as she followed him – not that she had much of a choice – and was led to one of the healing tents, recognizing the insignia on the outside she stopped.
"I can't go in there." She said, shaking her head.
"You have to. They might not have long left." Balin said and gave her arm one more tug before she relented and what she saw made her heart break. Kíli and Fíli lay on beds so close they could join hands; Thorin was on the other side of the tent, asleep. She fell to her knees by the two princes. They looked up at her and smiled at her.
"Cousin." Fíli whispered.
"Oh you two are never apart are you? Even here in the midst of battle you stay close." Karla said as she kissed each of their hands.
"Never to leave the other's side. Isn't that they used to say Kí?" Fíli laughed.
"I think so Fí." Kíli replied.
"I don't know if we'll make it cousin." Fíli said finally after a pause.
"I know if one of you does he will not wish it." She said softly, "he will wish he too had perished with his brother by his side. I do not wish to lose one of both of my cousins. I wish to keep both by my side forevermore."
"We know but there is the chance we will not make it." Kíli said, she nodded, she knew. She knew that there was every chance they wouldn't make it. But she had to make sure they had every chance. She stood up and told the healers to do everything in their power to help the Princes' recover. She then knelt by her Uncle's bed, knowing there was utterly no chance of him surviving.
"Uncle?" He stirred and opened his eyes slowly.
"Karla…my Flower Princess."
"Always, your Princess, Uncle."
"I know. So beautiful. Will make a fine Queen."
"No Uncle. If Fíli survives he will be King."
"If he survives. If he does not, it is you that must ascend."
"I know. I love you Uncle."
"I love you, My Princess." Karla closed her eyes as she felt her Uncle take his last breath and as he exhaled his hand fell slack in hers and she gently placed it on his chest. He was finally at peace.
Both Princes survived but they were not the same. War changes you, but losing the last semblance of a Parent is hard. Balin was there to guide and Fíli took the Throne and the role of King seriously, he had Kíli at his right and Karla at his left and the support, belief and trust of the entire company that he could do this. Karla smiled at him the day his heir was born, her first child and it was a boy. To be named Thror. To start the cycle again. Thror became a big brother to Thrain and in turn a big brother to Dis and Thorin – twins, a rarity in Dwarves but not unheard of. Everything was falling into place. Everything was as Uncle Thorin would have wanted it.