"Mum? Why are you crying?" Fili sat up from his bedroll, Kili breathing softly next to him. Dis was attempting not to wake her sleeping sons with her weeping. She was clutching something against her chest and heaving her shoulders. Fili gingerly folded back his wool blankets and peeled the top layer off. He crawled over to his mother, draping the blanket over her shoulders.
"Your uncle has returned from Moria." Dis wiped at her eyes in an attempt to compose herself.
"Then why are you crying?" Fili asked, still puzzled as to why his mother was weeping in the dark. Fili lit a small lantern that illuminated one side of the tent they'd been living in as they migrated across middle-earth, trying to find another place to call home. Fili and his mother and brother all lived in this small tent while his father was away with Thorin. Dis slowly pried her hands from her breast and cupped her shaking fingers. Fili looked into his mother's palms. The Runestone she'd given to his father was caked with a rust-colored layer.
"Da isn't coming back from Moria, is he?" Fili deduced, his little heart falling deep into his woolen socks.
"No, he's not Love." Dis pulled her son close and blew out the lamp that burned their precious fuel. Fili clutched tight to his mother and bit down on the inside of his lip. After what seemed like the stars had come and gone again, Dis had cried all of her tears and drifted off into a dreamless sleep. Fili tucked his mother in with his blanket and kissed her forehead. He nestled back into his bedroll next to his little brother.
"What's wrong?" Kili whispered.
"Everything." Fili replied, and rolled over, covering his face with his blankets.
"Kili, leave me alone, I'm trying to read." Fili pushed Kili away with the palm of his hand
"Fee, you're always reading, come outside with me."
"Kili, I'm busy."
"Fine, then I'll go greet Uncle Thorin alone then." The younger brother said. Fili dropped his book.
"Thorin is back?" Fili said, forgetting about the pages and words he'd just been so focused on.
"Yeah. I bet you I can get to him faster." Kili taunted, scurrying out the door of the half-built cottage they and their uncle had been building for Dis. Fili jumped up from his spot on the floor and dashed past his brother and running up to their pony.
"Come on Daisy!" Fili kicked at her sides. The small horse knickered and started trotting. Fili squeezed his legs a little harder, and the cream-colored pony picked up her speed.
"No fair!" Kili shouted, his voice getting lost in the wind. Fili turned Daisy around and galloped towards his brother, stopping the horse just in front of him.
"We'll greet him together, okay?" Fili reached down a hand for Kili to grab. The younger brother clutched his brother's wrist and Fili pulled him up onto the pony. "Hold on to me tight. Don't let go Kee."
"Mhm." Kili wrapped his arms as best he could around his brother's middle and Fili charged the horse up the valley side.
"Hi Ori!" Kili shouted at the younger dwarf, who sat on his porch, scribbling something in his notebook.
"Where are you going?" The bashful dwarfling shouted back.
"Thorin's back!" Kili replied, turning his face back into his brother's shirt.
"Mama! Thorin's back!" Ori shouted, running inside his cottage, his adult brothers sitting at the table, they jumped up and ran after Fili and Kili, Ori trying to keep up. The princes of Durin were already over the hill and dashing down the steep face away from the valley. They spotted Thorin Oakensheild's pony, Minty, from leagues away, her caramel color giving her away in the blooming spring. Another pony foal was tethered to the back of her saddle, trotting happily behind.
"Come on Daisy, a little faster." Fili coached, pushing the filly faster and faster until they were only a few yards away from their uncle. "Whoa!" Fili tugged on the rope halter tethered across Daisy's muzzle. "Uncle!" Fili shouted with delight, hopping off the saddle and catching Kili as he slid from Daisy's back. They dashed up to Minty, reaching for Thorin's coats and pelts and tugged at the hems of his clothing.
Thorin smiled and dismounted, dropping to his knees to embrace his nephews. "It's good to see you boys." He said.
"You were gone for so long!" Kili squealed, wanting to keep the smell of coal and pine that covered Thorin around him for as long as possible.
"I had to forge swords for Rohan's fourteen sons! Even I can't make that many in a day!" Thorin chuckled, picking up both of his nephews and tucking them underneath his arms, making them squeal and flail gleefully. "I got my pay and came straight home."
"Does that mean we can work on the house?" Fili giggled.
"Of course!" Thorin laughed, placing Kili on top of Daisy, and Fili just behind him.
"I found a tar pit so we can thatch the roof!" Kili burst, dying to say something.
"Did you now? We'll have to get on that before I have to go again."
The princes faces fell. "You're leaving again?" Fili said, looking over his shoulder as Thorin mounted Minty once again.
"Not now, but in a few months time. I must travel up the Blue Mountains and touch base with a few old friends."
"Oh, okay." Fili gave his uncle a small smile. He squeezed Daisy's sides and she started walking back up towards the valley, where the entire populace was gathered at the lip, to see if Thorin Oakenshield had really returned.
"Kili." Thorin said, drawing his nephews attention away from braiding Daisy's mane. "See the pony behind Minty? That's Bungle, he's yours. A gift from Rohan"
"Really?" Kili said, perking up, his baby teeth all bared.
"Yes, really, now let's go see your mother." They rode up the hill, and down into the valley, where the dwarves bowed in respect, their king had finally returned after months and months of waiting.
Dis ran out to meet them, throwing herself at Thorin and grinning from ear to ear. "I'm so happy you've returned Khâzash."
"I'm glad to be back."
"Did the King pay you well?"
"I can feed this valley for two winters." Thorin replied and Dis squeezed him tighter.
"I have tea on the kettle, the boys have been counting down the days until you came back. They've missed you."
"And I them." Thorin looked over his shoulder at his heirs talking avidly to young Ori, their cousin many times removed. "Boys! I have a few surprises for you, come in when you're done!" Thorin called, stepping into the unframed doorway.
"Your uncle is the greatest!" Ori said, clutching his book against his chest.
"We know." The princes of Erebor said together, and ran after their mother and uncle, itching to know what Thorin had brought them this time.
"Show us! Show us!" Fili and Kili chanted as Thorin opened his rucksack.
"Since I already gave Kili Bungle out there, I think Fili should get this first." Thorin leaned out the window and whistled. A ear-piercing shriek was heard and a falcon flew from the trees and landed on Thorin's forearm.
"A hunting falcon?" Fili said, his eyes wide.
"Here, hold out your arm like a plank of wood." Thorin said, lifting Fili's elbow. The falcon hopped from one arm to the other, turning its head to look at Fili. The dwarf prince raised a finger and the falcon ducked, letting him stroke the feather on the back of his head.
"Does he have a name?" Fili asked, in awe of the gift.
"Falah." Thorin said, pulling a carved branch from his pack and placing it on the table. Falah flapped his wings once and perched on the branch, and proceeded to clean under his wing.
"Thank you Uncle." Fili sat backwards in his chair, stroking the bird's feathers.
"What else?" Kili said, jumping up and down with excitement. Thorin gently unwrapped a pair of wooden horses. He handed them to Kili, who could barely get his fingers around their middles.
"And these were the greatest thing I ate in Rohan."
"Food, Thorin?" Dis smiled, knowing whatever it was wasn't going to last long in this house.
Thorin pulled a leather bag the size of his head out of his sack and untied the drawstring. The smell of oats and molasses filled the house. Even Fili looked away from his falcon to get a whiff of the treat inside. The bag was filled with numerous biscuits, each about the size of his thumb. "These are awfully sweet, but very tough. They should give you enough energy to keep you going for a whole day on just one. It's no elvish bread, it's better." Each of the dwarves took one and snapped their teeth into it, licking their lips for more.
Thorin helped Fili build a perch for Falah outside, one that was tall and sturdy, so the bird could come and go as it pleased, and gave his heir a whistle to tie around his neck so he could summon the bird whenever he needed it.
When the sun had dipped below the walls of the valley, Thorin and Fili built a fire while Kili played with his wooden horses in the rug by the hearth. "Dis." Thorin said, holding out a box.
"A gift for me?" She smiled, wiping her hands on her apron. She opened the box to a necklace made of delicate silver chains and wooden charms. "Oh Thorin."
"I thought you would like it." He helped her clasp it around her neck.
"It's beautiful."
"Just like you."
"You tease."
"Maybe." He planted a sneaky kiss in her cheek and lit his pipe, settling into his favorite arm chair. "Kili, if I tell you a story, will you please take your hands out of the cookies?" Thorin said, watching his nephew take half a dozen biscuits from his pocket and cram them back into the jar, running up to his uncle and planted onto his lap. Fili was a bit too big for his Uncle's lap, but sat on a small tuffet by his knees.
"So, when I was in Rohan, I came in by pony, of course. but Rohan is a land of horses, and a Rohan horse is much larger than a pony, so when I got there, everyone was so much taller than I…" And the fire crackled as Thorin Oakensheild told the tale of how the King had originally thought the dwarf was a midget, and wanted the dwarf king to entertain him. The boys laughed until they cried and eventually fell asleep. Dis lifted Kili off of Thorin's chest and the dwarf king carried Fili into the boys bedroom, where they were tucked in, and given kisses goodnight.
"Goodnight Khazush."
"Goodnight Khâzash."
"Anchor your hand at your mouth." Thorin said, crouching down by Kili's side, "Pull your muscles tight with your drawing arm, and keep your other arm completely straight." Kili raised his bow like he'd done it a million times, but he'd just been gifted the recurve bow today and was holding it for the first time. "Aim for the middle of the target, don't forget to breathe, and release with your fingers." Kili pulled his fingers from the eagle feather fletching, and the arrow sailed, straight and true, through the center of the piece of paper with the bullseye. The shaft pierced through the back of the hay bale the target was held in front of.
"Like that?" Kili said, smiling up at his uncle.
Thorin was a little more than speechless. "Do it again." He said, looking at the shaft sticking from the hay. Kili frowned and drew another arrow from the leather quiver on his back. His form was that of a seasoned veteran, and the second arrow hit the center of the target, just to the right of the first.
"Was that better?" Kili asked.
"That's very good Kili, keep shooting." Thorin patted Kili's shoulder and walked over to where Fili stood in the middle of a sea of lost arrows. He drew back with a half shot and the arrow arched into the dirt. Fili sighed and went about pulling the arrows from the grass and putting them back into his quiver.
"Do what I told Kili." Thorin said, knowing Fili had listened the entire time Thorin was tutoring his younger nephew. Fili pulled back his arm, his fingers resting on his lips. His aiming arm was straight and rigid, he released the arrow. It completely missed the target and hit a tree behind the stack of hay bales.
"Aim Fili."
"Yes Uncle." Fili shot his dozen arrows again, and each time, he missed the target. With every shot he grew more and more frustrated with himself and his cheeks turned red with embarrassment in front of his uncle. Thorin sensed that Fili was not one for archery.
"Fili, come here." Thorin called from behind. "Kili, keep shooting." Kili nodded and Fili turned on his heel and marched to Thorin Oakensheild with his head down.
"I can't seem to get the hang of this." He admitted, staring at the scuffs on his boots.
"I have something else for you," Thorin said, putting a hand on Fili's shoulder and leading him towards the pony he had ridden into the meadow with that morning, surprising his nephews with bows and arrows. He dug around in his saddle bag until his hand found the bottom and he pulled out a package wrapped in simple burlap and tied with twine. Thorin held them out to Fili and the boy-dwarf took the heavy gift graciously, sinking down into the grass and untying the knots around the wrapping. He gently folded back the corners and peered at the contents. Two ornate wooden handles stuck from sharply angled swords.
"Two?" Fili asked, unsheathing a new blade. It had good weight and balance.
"I thought we could work on training you to fight with two swords, twice the Orcs you take down."
"Thank you uncle" Fili swung the blade in his right hand, and picked up the other and skillfully twirled the one in his left.
"See? Go practice." Thorin said, nudging Fili lightly with the toe of his boot.
In the next few hours, Thorin quietly imagined the two teenagers fighting with him in battle, while Kili hit the target almost every time, and Fili took the head off of a dummy with his left sword.
"Come on Kili! You're leaving gaps in your defense! Watch your sides!" Thorin Oakensheild coached from the rocks above his sparring nephews.
"Yeah Little Brother, watch your sides!" Fili antagonized, pushing Kili away with his swords. Kili shifted his weight and made the exposed area of his soft sides smaller. He swung his sword around in his hand, rolled his wrist, and attacked, charging straight for his brother. At the last second, ducked underneath Fili's swinging sword, rolled behind him and kicked out, sending his older brother into the grass. Kili bounced back up, placed a heavy boot on Fili's chest, and leaned down.
"I win." he grinned
"Good one, Little Brother." Fili laughed, pushing Kili's foot off of his coat and sticking out his arm for Kili to grab. The unbearded brother hauled his hairier sibling up from the ground, and Thorin smirked at his nephews, and blew smoke rings into the air.
"Very good Kili, you're improving." Thorin said, wishing he could tell his nephew how brilliant his combat skills were. "But you've also got to watch your own back." He noted, "If you were in a hand to hand combat war scenario, you'd be surrounded and have little space to roll, so be considerate of that." Kili nodded, he'd learned that criticism was the best thing to receive from Thorin, especially negative criticism, because it meant that the King Under the Mountain was really watching. Thorin puffed a cloud of blue smoke, "Fili." He said, honing in on his heir, "I've told you a thousand times, don't drop your defense because it's your brother, no mercy, no matter what."
"Yes uncle" Fili nodded, taking the comment to heart.
"Do it once more and you can be done." Thorin concluded, leaning back into the rocks he'd perched himself into. The brothers readied their weapons and the spar commenced. Fili noticed that Kili was becoming less and less aggressive as the fight continued, he wanted this to be over quickly so he could run off and eat. This made Fili a tad angry, he was trying to practice, this was important to him. Fili pictured his brother as an orc, or an Uruk-hai, and came at him, full force, swords raised. He swung out and barrelled over Kili. He paused, mid-turn, in preparation for his second attempt, and dropped his swords to the ground. Fili ran over to his groaning brother and apologized profusely.
"You bastard, you cut my arm." Kili moaned, a defeated smirk on his stubbly face.
"Sorry Kee." Fili's mouth pulled up a bit at the corners. He cradled an arm under Kili's head and helped him up by grabbing his good arm. Fili got his brother to sit up and pulled his favorite blue bandana from his pocket and pressed it against Kili's bleeding arm.
Kili tried to shrug off the pressure Fili was applying to his arm, not to get blood on his brother's bandana.
"But it's your-"
"Bandanas can be replaced." Fili said, tearing a strip of cloth from his own tunic and binding Kili's arm with it. "You can't."
Hey Guys! This is my first real fanfic and I'd love to get some feedback on it! I'll be posting new chapters almost daily to every half day, so you won't have to wait too long before I completely run out of ideas!
