This is just me passing the time with some Durin family cuteness! That includes Brynn, of course. Check out my story with her, Two Brothers and a Younger Sister, and my one shots, I Will Kill Him, Bullies Beware, The Trial, The Baby Girl, and possibly another that I'm forgetting. :) Oh, if you don't know who Brynn is, she's Fili and Kilis little sister! :) Read on.
(Brynn is 5, Fili 11, Kili 10.)
"Tell me a story, Kili. Pleeeaase?" Brynn asked with wide, pleading eyes.
Kili squinted at her. He sighed, ruffling her hair.
"A story?" He asked slowly.
"Yes! A story! About knights and ladies and fire breathing dragons!"
Brynn jumped from Kili's bed to Fili's, pretending to soar, like a dragon. Fili caught her small body easily and put her in his lap.
"C'mon, Kili, please!"
"Okay, okay. Mahal knows I can't say no to you." He muttered.
"Yay! Thank you!" Brynn said exuberantly, jumping up and down on the bed.
She giggled as Fili grabbed her and started tickling.
"Settle down, little one." He said. "Or Kili won't be able to tell you a story."
Brynn squirmed in his arms for awhile before finding the most comfortable spot. Fili pulled a blanket over them and settled back against the pillows. Kili started to tell his story slowly, picking up speed as he figured out what to say.
"Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful princess named... Brynn. Brynn had two handsome brothers, Fili and Kili. One day, a dragon named Smaug kidnapped the princess."
Brynn gasped. The fearful dragon Smaug was almost never used in made up stories.
"Smaug took Princess Brynn to a cave deep in the forest. There he threatened to eat her whole! But what Smaug didn't know, was that Brynns brothers had followed them out to the cave, and were planning an attack. Kili would distract the dragon, and Fili would slay it. Kili crept into the cave and kicked Smaugs tail-"
The familiar sound of boots stepping heavily into the house reached the ears of the children.
"Uncle Thorin! He's home!" Brynn cried, running out of the room to greet her uncle.
Just before she threw herself on him he put out a hand, stopping her. Though the gesture was unusual and slightly harsh, Brynn didn't seem to notice all that much. Ignoring the blood and grime that covered Thorin, she grabbed his hand and tried to pull him down the hall.
"Wait- Brynn wait, I have to take off my boots." He said tiredly.
"Hurry up, uncle! Kili is telling me a story! Come listen too. It's about a princess named Brynn and her two brothers, Fili and Kili! Then she's kidnapped by Smaug!"
Thorin stiffened at the name of the dragon.
"Did you say... Smaug?" He asked.
"Yes, uncle! It's a wonderful story, and Kili is just getting to the good part!" Brynn continued to pull on her uncle. "You'll love it, it's so very exciting and-"
"Brynn, enough!" Thorin snapped.
Brynn dropped his hand and closed her mouth, her eyes getting wide. She had only ever heard Thorin get mad at others, never at her.
"The dragon Smaug is not some fairy tale, he's not some game!" Thorin continued. "He is a plague on the earth, a monster. And he should not be used as some foolish villain in a children's story!"
By then Fili and Kili had come into the kitchen. They stood silently staring. Dis stood up from the table and placed a hand on each of their shoulders.
"Why don't you go finish the story for Brynn, hm? Go on." She said quietly.
Fili walked to Brynn and took her hand, guiding her back to his and Kilis room. Kili followed closely behind him. Dis waited for the door to close before turning to Thorin, hands on her hips.
"What, in Mahals name, was that about?"
Thorin sighed. "They should not treat Smaug as a play thing."
He got up and moved to the living room, falling into one of the soft couches.
"No, it was more than that. You have NEVER snapped at Brynn, and I want to know why you did it."
"We - we lost Falin today. We were ambushed by orcs on the hunting trip and..." Thorins voice cracked, something that never happened.
Dis sat beside him. She placed a hand on his knee.
"How are Dwalin and Balin holding up?"
"They took it better than I thought. The first hour was hard, but they handled it well."
"I'm so sorry, Thorin." Dis said gently, then hardened her tone. "But you did not need to take out your anger on Brynn. She is only five, brother. She is wise and old beyond her years but there is still a small part of her that is very much a child. She was so excited that you were coming home today. The story was passing the time until you got home."
"Dis, I didn't mean to snap at her, but the events from today, the mention of Smaug... I will wash up and then apologize."
"You better make it good. She is very hurt. She loves you so much, Thorin."
Thorin nodded, then stood up to go clean himself off.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Brynns earlier excitement about the story was now gone. Fili and Kili tried in vain to restore her joyfulness. Kili continued his story. Brynn sat on the floor. After Kili said 'the end' they sat in silence for a few seconds. Then he heard it. The quiet crying of a little girl who's heart had been broken. He glanced at Fili and knew he could hear her too. Kili took action first. He moved down to the floor beside Brynn and tucked his arm around her waist.
"Hey there, darling. What's the matter?" He asked, even though he knew full well what was wrong. Better to let her get it out then him try to fix it right away.
"Uncle Th-Thorin's mad at me." Brynn sobbed.
"No... No, he isn't Bree."
"Yes he is! He said 'enough Brynn' and said not to talk about Smaug."
"Bree, if Uncle Thorin is mad at anyone, it's me. I'M the one who made the story about Smaug. You just listened."
Fili joined in, sitting on the other side of her.
"Yeah! We can blame it all on Kili. It's always his fault."
Brynn giggled through her tears.
"Brynn, uncle loves you. Sometimes he has bad days and it looks like he doesn't, but he really does. Okay?"
Brynn nodded. "Okay."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Thorin took a deep breath and slowly opened the door to his nephews room. He spotted them on the floor, Kili with one arm around his sister and the other moving wildly about, depicting some exciting tale. Fili had his arms over his chest, smiling at his younger siblings. The eldest brother glanced up and caught sight of Thorin. Thorin thought he saw a flicker of anger in Fili's eyes, and he knew why. Fili was being protective of his sister. Thorin had hurt Brynn, and her big brother was mad . He had a right to be.
Kili paused as he too noticed Thorin.
"Would you give me a moment with Brynn?" Thorin asked.
Kilis grip on his sister tightened, but Fili touched his shoulder to make him get up. The boys left the room, leaving uncle and niece alone. Thorin went and sat next to Brynn. She fixed her eyes on the floor, pretending to look interested in a knot in the floor.
"Brynn- I don't know how to say I am sorry for what I said to you."
"It's alright, uncle." Brynn said, barely audible.
"No, it's not. I have had a horrible day today. But that is no excuse. I should not have gotten upset with you. You did nothing wrong."
"Kili told the story."
"It wasn't Kilis fault either. Smaug is dangerous, to be sure, but if you want to use him in a story, or while playing... It is fine."
Brynn looked at him for the first time. Her eyes were still tear filled, but there was hopefulness in them.
"Really?"
"Yes. And if you wish- and if I am not busy - I will even help you vanquish that filthy dragon."
"Oh uncle, thank you!" Brynn cried, jumping up and hugging him tight around the neck.
"Does this mean you forgive me?"
"Yes! Maybe we could go and play and fight Smaug now?"
"Aye, we can. But I'm afraid I won't be able to move as fast. I'm very tired from today's hunting trip."
"That's okay. I'll get Fili or Kili to help. Or maybe both!"
Thorin laughed - a rare sound indeed - as Brynn grabbed his hand and pulled at him once again. But this time was different. He allowed his niece to guide him to the living room, where they set out on a quest to kill Smaug, ending up making a rather large mess. After the children went to bed, Thorin worked on cleaning it up under the careful eye of Dis. Thorin would never get angry at Brynn again.
Thanks so much for reading! Please review! I want to know if this is good or not. And maybe check out my other story/one shots and review on those too. ;) Anyway, thanks again for reading- and hopefully reviewing!
