I was walking home after a long day's duty of guarding the town. The sun was just setting and the village seemed quiet. I needed to stop on in at my sisters to get some herbs for my meals. I opened the gate to my sisters house. The house had a garden and a small barn in the back. My sister spent her time gardening if she wasn't taking care of her little boy, Fili. I knocked on the door.
"Dis," I called out.
The door opened. Filian, Dis's husband answered it.
"Good afternoon, Filian," I said.
"Good afternoon, Master Thorin. What can I do for you," he asked.
"I just needed to pick up some herbs that I needed for my meal tonight," I answered.
A scream came out the door and settled into my ears. It was the same scream that I had heard before coming from my sister when Smaug attacked our home.
"Dis," I said as I tried getting in.
"Oh no. No need to rescue her. She is in labor with our second child, "Filian told me.
"Do you need anything," I asked.
"Actually, can you watch over our son Fili," he asked.
"That would be a pleasure," I answered.
Filian left the door and went to the couch where Fili sat. He picked Fili up and walked over to the door again. I held out my arms ready to carry him. Fillian dropped him into my ready arms.
"Let me go get your herbs for you," Filian said.
He left the door once again. I looked down at the small little lad. He was all mine for the night. Filian came back to the door and gave me my bottle of herbs.
"Will that do, "Filian asked.
"Yes, good night. Wish Dis good luck for me," I told Filian.
"Will do. Thank you Thorin for watching over Fili for us," Filian replied.
I nodded my head in response and turned away from the house. I heard the door close. I opened the gate with my foot and walked out as it swung open. I got a better grip on my nephew.
"Mama," asked Fili.
"Mommy is having your sibling, Fili. By morning you will be an older brother," I replied.
"Big brother," Fili question.
"Yes, you will be a big brother," I answered.
Fili turned his eyes to the road. I looked up too. Balin a friend of mine was coming towards us.
"You have the little one tonight," asked Balin.
"Aye, Dis is in labor with her second," I answered.
"Well, if you need any help you know where I am," Balin told me.
"Why would I need help, "I asked Balin.
"I meant nothing by it, but you have never watched over Fili before. Just be careful," Balin answered.
He went his way and I went mine.
I had never really baby sat Fili before. He was so little. Could I take the challenge?
I opened the door of my small little house. I set the herbs down on the counter of my kitchen. I set Fili down on my stool. I watched him. I picked up the swords that I had been sharpening the night before that I forgot to put away. Fili soon found the knives that I had left on the table.
"Fili, no," I shouted as he picked one up.
I grabbed the knife from Fili.
Could I survive a night of this?
I searched every inch of my house for a knife or a sword. When I had collected all 36 of my swords and knives I stopped worrying. I put them all away in my barn. Although I did keep one armed with me just incase something bad happened.
"Ancle Wha we go to at," asked Fili in his little voice.
"We'll for me a piece if warm pork ,but for you some bread and cheese," I answered.
Fili nodded in response. With that I picked him up even though he was capable of walking himself. I carried him to the kitchen and set him down on the table. I ran around my kitchen collecting bread and cheese for him. I had a glass of goat milk left. I placed some bread and cheese and a glass of goat milk in from of him to eat.
"Tank ya," Fili said.
"Your welcome, Fili," I replied starting a fire in the stove.
The coals caught fire and I put my pork over them. I let it sit for five minutes on each side. Fili finished his meal before I got mine. When I sat down to eat at the table he sat across from me and watched me. His blue eyes were like mine. Fili had just turned five in the month of September. It was the beginning of spring. The nights were cold yet the days were warm. I finished eating my last bite of pork.
"Can ya teach me to read," asked Fili.
"Do you want to read regularly or dwarvish," I answered.
Fili thought for a moment.
"The easiest," he replied.
"Alright regular it is. Now come let's go sit by the fire and practice," I told him.
He sat down next to the fire place. I started up a fire and grabbed the easiest English book I could find. It was about a kitten. Dis had given it to me when Fili was born.
"Here, I have a book that you and I can read," I said.
I sat down next to Fili. He crawled into my lap. I opened the book up.
"Now read the first letter," I asked.
"Aye, it reads a," Fili answered.
"How about the whole entire sentence," I questioned.
"A kit-on sut on da floor baiting fur it's muther," Fili read to me in his toddle voice.
"Good job, Fili. You are making better progress then I did when I was little. Now read the next sentence," I told him.
"Da mama cut came hume finally. Da kit-on ran to her," Fili continued.
"My goodness you are a fast learner," I told him.
"The mother cat waz happy to see her kit-on. The mother and her kit-on went to the fud dizh to drink milk. After a nice full meal the kit-on and her mother went to sleep. Da the end," Fili read slowly.
I was amazed by his mind. He read the story all on his own with no help. He looked up at me.
"Let me braid your hair back and then I will put you to bed," I told him.
"Alright, he replied getting up from my lap.
I got up along with him. I went to the wash room and grabbed two beads to keep his braids in.
"Uncle, tonight is wash night," Fili told me.
Dis had a schedule and if it wasn't fulfilled I would hear the raft later after her recovery.
"Of course. Let's go warm the water up and get you all washed up," I replied.
I went to the well and filled two buckets of water to fill the tub with. I then went to the wash tub in the wash room. I dumped the two buckets of freezing water into the tub. I lit the fire that the water tub was on top of.
"Alright, get undressed and I will help you get into the big wash tub," I told Fili.
Fili undressed himself. When he was done I lifted him up into the tub. He soaked himself first. I wiped his body down with a rag filled with soapy oils. I scrubbed down his dirty body until I could see my face shine in it. Fili sang a song as I washed him. It was the same song I used to sing when I was little. When I finished I wrapped him up in a towel and cleaned him up.
"Uncle Thorin, I'm scared," Fili told me.
"What are you scared of," I asked.
"That I won't be the purfact big bruther," he answered.
I looked into his blue eyes which were partly blocked with his blonde wet hair.
"Fili, you are going to make a great big brother. Don't worry. You just have to teach them the right sort of things and keep them from danger," I told him.
"What if I fall into evil," he questioned.
"You promise you won't hurt your little sibling even if you fall into evil," I replied.
"I promise," he answered with a smile.
"Now that promise is between you and I. It must not be broken," I told him.
"It won't," Fili said.
I put him in his trousers. I brushed out his wye hair and put his bangs in braids so they would keep it out of his way. I let him sleep with me in my big sized bed.
"Can you tell me a story," he asked laying down in bed with me.
"Sure. Once upon a time there lived a hobbit. He was a very noble hobbit and knew his manners. He never let the worse of him show. He was known as True Truity. He was known all over for his honesty. Although one time he had a guest an evil guest arrive at his house. He was scared. When the evil man asked for some sugar he said he had none and that he was going to the store to go get some the next day. The evil man knew he was lying because True Truity had told his first lie. The evil man grabbed him by his throat and choked him to death. True Truity was found dead the next morning in his hobbit hole. The evil man took the sugar and left a note. It read 'all those who lie shall be punished'. So the lesson is do not lie," I told him.
I noticed that he was already asleep. I closed my eyes and soon fell asleep.
When I woke up the next morning. Fili was still asleep. I quietly got out of bed. I went to the kitchen. I was suppose to go to duty of guard this morning. I made some more bread and added some syrup to it. I put the bread over the stove to be heated up. I needed to go send word that I would not be able to attend my duties today. I stepped outside waiting for a trustworthy dwarf to pass by. Finally, Nori passed by. He was on his way to training.
"Nori, I need you to send word to Master Dwalin that I am babysitting my nephew and I am not capable of coming today," I told him.
"I would ,but I have training and Master Balin will kill me if I'm late again, " Nori replied.
"Tell master Balin that I had sent you with orders and to talk to me about it later," I told him.
"Alright. I will hurry," he replied back starting to run.
I went inside. Fili was sitting on the couch waiting for me.
"Good morning, uncle," he said when I went inside.
"Good morning, Fili," I replied looking down at the little figure.
He was so cute and cuddly.
"After breakfast how about we go and see your mother. Would you like that," I asked.
"Yes," he answered.
I smiled and went to the kitchen. The bread still laid on the stove. I grabbed it and put it on the table. Fili sat across from me. We stuffed our faces and ate the delicious bread with syrup until it was all gone. When we were done Fili put on his boots. We went up the road to Dis's house. When Dis was in labor with Fili she was in labor for twelve hours straight. She might have been in labor still. I opened the gate and Fili and I walked up steps to the house. I knocked on the door. Fillion opened it.
"Is she okay," I asked.
"Aye, she was in labor for only two hours this one popped out," Fillion told me.
"Can I meet the little thing," I asked.
"Aye, come on in. His name is Kili. Looks exactly like you ,but without the eyes," Fillion told me.
"I'm a brother pop," asked Fili.
"An older brother to Kili, your brother," Fillion told him picking him up.
"Oh boy," Fili shouted in excitement.
I walked in and went to Dis's room.
"Good morning Dis," I said.
Dis was lying on the bed exhausted yet happy.
"Shh, he's sleeping," she told me.
I smiled and walked over to her. I looked at the little bundle in her arms. Black hair popped out of the bundle.
"He is a beautiful, Dis. Good job," I told her.
Fili and Fillon walked in.
"Now be quiet, Fili," Fillion told him.
Fili walked over to Dis and sat next to her.
"Is that him," Fili asked.
"Yes. This is Kili. Do you want to hold him," Dis replied.
"Yes please," Fili answered.
Dis gave Kili over to Fili. All of a sudden I saw a light in Fili that I had never seen before. His eyes sparkled and he smiled.
"I'm going to protect you, Kili. I promised uncle and I promise to you," Fili told the baby.
Kili opened his eyes and looked straight at him.
"I promise, "Fili told Kili again
