Thorin groaned to himself as his nephews ran around his feet while he walked, the king finding himself having to catch his balance several times going through the market, before finally catching Kili around the middle and hoisting him up onto his shoulder.
"Uncle!" Kili whined loudly in Thorin's ear, tugging a little on the older dwarf's braids, "Let me down!"
"If you two keep running about, you're going to trip someone up. Most likely me," Thorin rumbled, grunting as Fili caught his free arm and swinging off it like a little blonde monkey.
"But there's nothing else to do while you're shopping," Fili piped up, giving a small jerk to his uncle's sleeve, "And Mother said we're to stay with you while we're in town!"
Thorin huffed quietly, cursing his sister in his mind for all but forcing him into taking his nephews for the day. He could easily see now, why she had wanted the day to herself. The boys were a mighty handful for one dwarf to handle.
"Tell you what," he said after growing tired of the boys crawling over his person, their tiny bodies immediately freezing, Kili nearly falling off his shoulders, "How about I give you each a gold coin to go buy sweets, or a toy, and meet me right back in front of the inn in no less than half an hour."
"But mother said-"
"I know what your mother said. But I think you're old enough to look out for each other, and this town isn't so large that you could get that easily lost. Just make sure to meet me back in front of the inn. And don't tell your mother. It'll be our secret," he said, the boys scrambling off his shoulders and arm, respectively and hurrying to stand in front of him, tiny hands outstretched. He rolled his eyes fondly, digging into his coin purse and tossing each dwarfling a gold coin. "Half an hour! No more!"
"Yes Uncle!" the boys chimed in unison, before running off in a cloud of kicked up road dust and a cacophony of childish, excited shouting.
~
"Fili? Kili?!" Thorin looked around, brow furrowed, glancing back towards the large clock tower that protruded from the front of town hall. The boys were late in returning to the spot their uncle had indicated to meet, which only served to worry the king. Certainly, the town was fairly small, and Thorin knew a good chunk of the merchants and vendors in the area, but that did not mean he knew all, and that there were no scoundrels to be found.
"Boys?!" Thorin shouted, doing a quick walk around the inn, his heart rate picking up a little when he caught no sight of his nephews. He swallowed thickly, cursing his own stupidity for letting two such younglings go off on their own. He quickly headed back towards the merchant booths, asking around if the vendors still open for business had seen the two children.
Thorin was just about at the end of his rope, when finally a vendor indicated a small wagon just down the road, not even a proper stall for selling wears, really. He said he'd seen the children climb up into the cart not too long ago, but hadn't seen them since. Thorin thanked the man, before making towards the cart, his heart in his throat with worry over what he might find.
"Uncle!"
Thorin let out a relieved sigh when he found the boys happily seated on the floor of the cart, wood chips and saw dust around their knees where the two were playing with tiny toy soldiers and a delicately carved wooden dragon. His relief was quickly replaced with anger and he reached into the cart and smacked both boys soundly around the ears, much to their protest.
"I told you to meet me outside the inn ten minutes ago!" he snapped, jerking when another voice spoke up from behind the boys. He hadn't even noticed the other dwarf in the cart with the children.
"Forgive me, sir. I'm 'fraid that may've been my fault."
Thorin stared at the rather jovial looking dwarf, wondering how he could have missed his presence in the tiny cart with the two boys. The way his mustache, braids and hat all curled upwards from his shoulders gave him a comical sort of appearance, though his kind smile and calm bearing made him quite approachable.
"What do you mean, your fault? I do not see restraints on their hands or feet keeping them tied to your cart," Thorin grumped, folding his arms over his chest, obviously intimidating the other, as he seemed to shrink a little back into the cart, flicking a paintbrush absently between his fingers.
"That may be so," the dwarf said, ducking his head with a tiny smile offered to the boys, who were clutching the toys they'd been playing with to their chests, "But when they said they needed to be off, I may have tempted 'em with a few toys I had yet to set out to sell. So, it's still my fault if they've been late to anything. My apologies."
Thorin frowned lightly at the apparent toy maker, letting his arms drop to his sides. "That may be so, but that doesn't change the fact that they should have met up with me some time ago."
"We're sorry, uncle," Kili murmured, looking contrite as he brushed his fingers over the dragon, biting his lip.
"You worried me," Thorin said in a hushed tone, reaching out to cuff Kili lightly in the shoulder, earning a tiny smile in return. "Now, I won't tell your mother you went off, since I was the one who suggested it in the first place. But, I am going to take away the coins I gave you earlier, as punishment. Put the toys back, and we're leaving."
The boys both put up a fuss, Kili particularly putting up a fight for the dragon he'd taken a liking to, scrambling further into the cart and curling around the carving like it was a precious stone.
"Oh, wait a moment, now," the toy maker called, setting a hand on Thorin's shoulder, offering the now irritated king a soft smile of apology. "If it's all the same to ye, I would like the boys to keep what they've chosen. Ye can keep the coins, but let 'em have the toys. They've taken quite the shining to 'em, and I would hate to see 'em just sit to gather dust."
Thorin scowled at the toy maker, who moved his hand and took a tiny step back, though his smile never faltered. "If you are trying to make me feel guilty for a sale, you are really barking up the wrong tree," he growled, causing the toy maker's eyes to widen exponentially.
The toy maker shook his head vehemently, a frown taking place of his smile. "O' course not! They are just wee lads, and I wouldn't use that to my advantage on the best o' days. No, I just-my cousin makes the toys, and nothing make him happier than when I get home with a couple less toys in the cart. I usually give 'em away to the kids about town anyway, gold coins or no. I'm a miner by trade, so the toy's're just an extra means. I'm sorry if I'm overstepping my bounds, but the lads don't deserve to be punished for my want to see a couple happy faces."
Thorin's frown fell away into a mild look of surprise at the dwarf's bold statement, forced to simply gather his wits for a moment.
"Please, uncle?" Fili asked quietly from the cart, kneeling next to his brother, who was still clutching the dragon to his chest, tiny fingers wrapped so tightly around the wood they were turning white.
The king couldn't help but let out a defeated sigh, finally nodding at the boys. "Fine. You can keep what you've picked."
The children let out twin whoops of cheer, scrambling out of the cart, Kili with his dragon, and Fili with a small soldier on a horse. The cart owner grinned at the two, before reaching into the cart and gathering a few of the small soldiers the two had been playing with and pressing them into their hands as well with a wink. The boys both protested politely to the extra gifts, the miner simply shaking his head and chuckling at the weak protests the children put up, even as they stowed their new treasures in their pockets.
"I can still pay you," Thorin offered, taking the coins he'd originally given the boys and offering them to the miner.
"Nah. I wasn't lying when I said I give 'em away for free most days. I like seeing happy children, and carving gives my cousin something to do with his hands. I'm just glad they like them," the miner said with a grin, pushing Thorin's outstretched hand away.
The king frowned lightly at the miner, giving his a small nod, before turning to walk away with his nephews.
"By, Bofur! Maybe we'll see you next time we're in town!" Kili shouted happily back towards the miner, waving enthusiastically.
Thorin glanced back to see the miner wave back easily, leaning on his cart with a smile.
~
"Mother took us into town today," Fili said, perched on his seat in the kitchen, swirling his spoon around in his porridge absently.
"Oh?" Thorin hummed absently, finishing up his own bowl of porridge.
"Yup! We went shopping with her. We wanted to thank Bofur for the toys again, but he wasn't there today," Kili supplied, making faces as he shoveled a spoonful of porridge into his mouth.
Thorin glanced up at his nephew, eyebrow arched. "He wasn't?"
"No," Fili sighed, pushing his half finished bowl away from his seat across the table, "One of the other vendors said that he only shows up once in a blue moon with toys to sell. He said something about how long it must take for them to be made in the first place, and that's why he doesn't come around very often."
Thorin frowned thoughtfully down at his now empty bowl of porridge.
~
"I've got a delivery of ore!"
Thorin looked up mid-strike on the sword he was in the middle of working on, startled to find the silly-hatted dwarf standing by the door to the black-smith hut.
"Ah! Good. Better quality than last time?"
Thorin tuned out the master blacksmith that began to chat with the miner, frowning lightly at the sight of the jovial toy merchant covered in soot and dirt, obviously from a long day of mining and deliveries.
He jerked out of his thoughts as Bofur shook hands with the blacksmith settling on a deal for the iron ore in his cart, and the miner's eyes settled on Thorin.
Bofur tipped his hat towards Thorin, a cheeky grin on his face as he turned with a flourish and moved to help unload his wears, before heading off with a call of well wishes.
~
"He's back!"
Thorin had been struggling to keep the boys occupied while he was doing his shopping for the day, once again having been roped into keeping watch over the boys while their mother cleaned up around the house and ran chores of her own. He sighed, somewhat relieved, at the sight of the toy cart settled neatly at the end of the road of vendors. He allowed the boys to lead him to the cart, offering the barest hint of a smile to the miner who was sat in the back, idly whittling away at a piece of wood.
"Well," Bofur announced with a large smile, tipping his hat back to get a better look at the three dwarves who approached his cart, "If it isn't my favorite customers. What can I do for ye laddies today?"
Fili and Kili almost immediately launched into tales about the toys they had been given on their last visit, Fili making wide gestures with his hands to emphasize, while Kili simply increased in volume as he spoke. Bofur offered Thorin an understanding smile over the boys heads as the king grimaced at the children's enthusiasm.
"I really hate to impose," Thorin murmured once the boys had been distracted by a set of nesting dolls that were fashioned into rather nasty looking goblins and orcs, "But I just need to make a few more stops-"
"And you'd like for the boys to be somewhere you know they'll be safe, but out of yer hair," Bofur finished for Thorin with a cheeking smirk.
The king sighed in exasperation at being seen through so easily, but nodded none-the-less. "Yes. If it wouldn't be too much trouble."
"Not at all!" Bofur said with an easy smile, patting the king on the shoulder. "But, hurry along. I fear they'll only put up a bigger fuss over leaving the longer you take."
Thorin snorted in amusement, nodding quickly, offering thanks once more, before heading off to finish his shopping, glad to know the boys would be safe, and out of his hair for the time being.
~
"And you just left them with some random miner come toy-maker?" Dwalin grunted in disapproval, arms folded across his chest while he and Thorin watching the boys in question go through their forms with small toy swords.
"His cousin, apparently, actually makes the toys," Thorin supplied, shrugging a little, "And the boys like him. Besides, any merchant I've asked about him seems to be unable to speak any ill of him."
"Doesn't mean he doesn't mean ill in the end," Dwalin grumbled, scowling as Kili let Fili through his defense and get 'stabbed' with the sword. Thorin suppressed a laugh at his nephews dramatic 'death', though Dwalin seemed less amused by the display. "What if he's just bidding his time, and getting into the boys good books until he can whisk them away?"
Thorin sighed heavily, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "If he wanted to do such a thing, he could've easily done it by now. He had the boys with him without my knowledge the first time, and the second, he could have easily made off with them while I was shopping."
Dwalin simply grumbled something about Thorin being soft, before trudging over to the boys to correct their footing.
~
"I think I'm going to have to go with you next time you go to the markets," Dis hummed, working on some needle-point while Thorin puffed on his pipe in front of the fire.
"Why's that?" the king asked, sending a questioning look towards his sister.
"Well," she began, setting her needle-work in her lap to give Thorin her full attention, "It would seem that you're the only one with enough luck to catch the illusive dwarven toy merchant. I went to see if I could find his cart to get something for Fili for his birthday, but he was not to be found. Thus, I'll have to go with you and the boys next time."
Thorin shook his head a little at his sister's flawed logic.
~
It took three more visits to the markets before Thorin came across Bofur and his cart again, Dis accompanying him, along with the boys. Though, they kept much better manners around their mother.
"Oh," Dis hummed with a smile as they stopped in front of the cart, Bofur perking up a little at the sight of the little family, "I can see why the boys like these so much."
Bofur beamed at her compliment, sliding from his position perched on the edge of his cart to offer her a bow. "I'll be thanking ye kindly for that," he said with a smile, righting himself, "Yer boys are my biggest fans, I think."
Dis laughed lightly, flashing Thorin a knowing smirk when Bofur turned to greet the boys, who were already clamoring up into his cart to look at the newest toys set out.
"You really do seem to have all the luck, don't you?" Dis teased, nudging Thorin with her hip as they watched Bofur interact with the children, making the young princes double over in peels of laughter as he pretended a rather macabre carving of a troll was attacking him.
"What do you mean?" Thorin asked, confusion evident on his features.
"Oh, come on now, Thorin," she scoffed, rolling her eyes, "Look at him. He's utterly charming. You can't tell me you don't find him at least a little bit appealing."
"I have no idea what you're on about," he replied grumpily, though he couldn't help but look at the merchant and miner in a slightly different light after Dis' words.
~
"Where are yer boys?" Bofur inquired the next time Thorin found his cart.
Thorin shook his head a little, idly picking up a rather detailed little carving of a bear. "They're not mine," he stated simply, "They're my nephews."
Bofur let out a tiny noise of understanding, settling himself on the edge of his cart, pipe in hand. "I see. So, then, what might I be able to do for ye today?"
"I was actually rather hoping you would be inclined to spend the afternoon with me. As, it is a rather nice one, and you appear to be having a slow day," Thorin stated simply, not realizing immediately that his words may be misconstrued as an insult until after they'd left his mouth.
Bofur simply laughed, however, puffing on his pipe merrily. "Aye, so it would seem. Haven't been as many tykes around lately, 'tis true. But, I'm afraid to point out, for as many times as we've met, I have yet to learn yer name, so I find it mighty awkward to be agreeing to spend an afternoon with ye."
Thorin blinked at the miner, blanching slightly at the realization that, no, he never had been properly introduced to the toy merchant. "Forgive me," he grumbled, giving a tiny bow, "Thorin Oakenshield, at your service."
It was Bofur's turn to stare now, his pipe nearly slipping out of his fingers at the other's name. "Thorin? As in, son of Thrain?" he asked, utterly flabbergasted.
Thorin shot the toy merchant an odd look, before nodding, and replying with a quiet, if confused, "Yes."
"I-oh," Bofur slide off the edge of his cart, bowing to Thorin deeply, though he somehow managed to keep his hat on his head. "Bofur Broadbeam, at yers," he quickly spat out, looking a bit flustered as he righted himself. "So yer a prince? And the wee ones, they're yer heirs? Wait 'till Bifur hears…His toys are being played with by royalty!" The toy merchant let out a somewhat hysterical, if still amused, laugh, shaking his head.
"We're not really all that royal at the moment," Thorin pointed out with a lopsided smile, causing Bofur to snort in amusement.
"Nah, I suppose yer not, are ye?" He chuckled, still shaking his head a little. "Sorry, s'just a bit of a shock. Never expected to actually ever meet ye, ye understand. Heard plenty of stories from the neighbors, 'bout Erebor and such, o' course, just…My."
Thorin rather awkwardly shuffled his feet while absently tucking one of his braids behind his ear. "In that case, do you decline my offer?"
Bofur gave a small start, staring at Thorin as if he'd grown a second head, before a soft smile fell across his lips. "If yer up for spending some time with a simple miner, I'd be more than inclined."
"I'm nothing more than a simple black smith," Thorin countered, smiling as Bofur closed up his cart, "So I think we're plenty even."
Bofur hummed thoughtfully, before turning a small grin in Thorin's direction, wrapping an arm around the king's shoulders. "Aye, I suppose yer right on that."
~
"Oin says the time is now."
Bofur sighed, picking idly at the hem of his tunic, before frowning lightly at Thorin. "Must ye go meet with Dain and that lot by yerself, though? Can't I come with ye?"
"Someone needs to make sure all those that are willing make to our meeting place with the wizard," Thorin pointed out, "And it won't be Fili or Kili, you know that. And Dwalin and Balin are both coming from their respective current jobs, so neither will be going the same way as the rest."
"Aye, I know. I just don't like the thought of ye with that lot all on yer own," Bofur grumbled, earning a peck on the forehead for his trouble.
"All will be well. Trust me."
"I do trust ye. It's the other's I don't trust."
"You're starting to sound like Dwalin."
Bofur rolled his eyes, smacking Thorin playfully in the arm as the king pulled his cloak around his shoulders. "Stay safe."
Thorin offered Bofur a soft smile, bumping their foreheads together lightly. "I will see you in a fortnight. Take care of the others. Make sure no one gets lost along the way."
"Try not to get lost yerself," Bofur countered playfully, "I know ye all too well."
Thorin chuckled, pulling the miner to his chest for a hug. "I love you."
"And I, ye," Bofur murmured into the fur of Thorin's cloak, before giving him a light shove. "Now, off with ye! Or I'll never let ye go."
Thorin shot Bofur one last smile, before heading off down the road.