I do not own the Hobbit.
This is just a one shot of the relationship Dwalin has with the boys (or my interpretation). Character deaths. Written on an iPod which I'm not use to so forgive any blunders. This is also not my best writing but my excuse is that I am in a completely different times zone than usual.
Alright, this was really irking me as I made more mistakes than usual so I went back and fixed them (or most if I missed any) on my laptop.
It had happened all so fast. From the time when he had first laid eyes upon them to when he had last farewelled them, precious seconds that had all flowed through his fingers like grains of fine, fine sand. Balin no longer smiled and if he did, it was only small refusing to reach his eyes. Dwalin himself was finding the world to be a much darker and crueller world. There seemed to be so much more evil present and out in the open for all eyes to see, especially his. In truth, it had always been there but now that they were gone he was noticing it far more.
The first thing he remembered was the oldest being placed in his arms. The blonde haired dwarf had always been mellow, even as a newborn when he had gazed into the seasoned warrior's eyes with his own startling blue ones. The babe had been like a ray of brilliant sunlight, breaking through the gloom that had settled over the tattooed dwarf like a blanket sad the horrific memories from Moria had haunted his dreams for weeks on end. The boy had been a gift to them all, beautiful fresh innocent free breath of fresh air in the dwarves of Erebor's gloomy resolve. The look both Thorin and the lad's father had shot him he's he held the fragile being had asked him to protect the youngster. And Dwalin did not need to speak to show that he accepted the task.
The blonde grew rapidly and not five years later another was soon on the war, Dis' stomach bulging further outward every day. They had all been ecstatic but cautiously so for miscarriages were frequent in any dwarfish woman's attempt to bear a child. The months flew past and he and his brother often found themselves catering to the elder child's needs as it became clear Dis was unable to handle the bubbly five year old very well in her pregnancy. It was a task neither of the brothers objected to and it forged a stronger relationship between the three which would last until one broke the bond by passing from the world of the other two.
Dis fell into labour one of the mornings when he was collecting her firstborn to take with him on an errand. He had quickly for the village midwife all the while doing what he could to help his friend's younger sister. The five year old was deeply upset by the screaming he could hear for the birth of Dis' second son was a difficult one. For a while he was the only one who could provide comfort but that quickly faded as Thorin and his brother-in-law came crashing through the door. Soon enough they were all being called into the room and the warrior marvelled at the sight before him. The blonde child with them had immediately rushed to his mother's side who, while looking worn and tired, presented her son with his younger brother. The tattooed dwarf had not been able to help the smile that crossed his face as the blue eyed dwarfling held his brown eyed brother close.
If the blonde had grown fast it was nothing compared to the first five years of the brunette. Many millstones were reached; first teeth, first steps, and first words. Everyone knew what to expect from the first child but it did not take away from the miracle of the situation. The blue eyed lad of the inseparable pair began lessons with Balin for an hour every second day. The rest of his time was spent playing with his little brother who was in a state of mind to follow his sibling everywhere. Many a time they found trouble with either of their parents or their uncle, but always managed to worn their way out of it by expertly wielding puppy dog eyes. This look never failed to melt his own usually hard to reach heart.
It was a few years after that tragedy struck the line of Durin yet again. The boys' father had gone on through the forest to perform a trade with what could have been a very wealthy customer. The day that he had left he had not returned and Dis had come running to him and Thorin in a state of panic. The two dwarves had searched the path he had taken but their spirits had been low. It was not unheard of for a dwarf to abandon his family when things got too hard. This was what Dis came to accept though she asked for them all to keep this fact from her children. All involved did not have the heart to disobey her so the two boys were told their father had gone away. None of them had the heart to tell them their father had died either but the blonde was old enough to understand something was wrong. This belief went on for several months until on a hunting trip he found a tattered scrape of material and a small pile of bones, some with the flesh still attached. He had informed his brother and Thorin of this in that order and they, in turn, informed Dis. Thorin had been the one who had sat the boys down and told them what had occurred. The bald warrior was just glad he was not the one who had to have that conversation.
Weapon training was an interesting experience. Thorin had first approached him after a hard day at the forges and a small band of stray orcs had been sighted along one of the distant trading roads. It wasn't like he was the best fighter or one of the more patient teachers, in fact he had been surprised at the request. He was used to guarding dwarflings, not teaching them. Thorin however trusted him to handle both his nephews, even if the younger one did not join the mock fights for several more years. They started first with sticks and then wooden swords.
It soon became clear that while the blonde had inherited the usual dwarfish brawn of the race his brother had not. It may have been because the birth of the brunette had been much earlier than anyone had been expecting, but whatever the reason the dwarfling could not muster the same force and strength behind his blows as his brother did. He did have speed and agility behind him, his slight frame allowing him to out manoeuvre all those who went up against him. His endurance had to be built up but he was a smart child and able to find a different solution to problem that even his brother couldn't think of. But that wasn't to say the blonde was stupid, far from it. In ways he was even brighter than his brother, picking up on the smaller details and how they built the bigger picture. They each had their own strengths and weaknesses which led them to their choice in weapons.
When Dis' blonde son chose the duel swords no one was surprised. The boy had the right set of mind for it and the rare ability to use both hands equally well though he tended to favour his right. His defence was good and his offence even better. He could think fast on his feet. This was unlike his brown haired brother.
This particular youth had defied expectations. While not as good with a sword as his brother it had been expected that he would choose it if only for the fact that it required fast thinking. Instead, just to be different, the brunette had chosen the bow, something which required a lot more thought. This fact had not pleased the youth's uncle and for a while the warrior had seen little of the lad. This was until he finally confronted his old friend, telling Thorin that the boy had natural talent and exceptional vision. It also became clear that the young heir would not be changing his mind.
Soon enough Thorin relented due to the fact that the tattooed dwarf had pointed out to his exiled king that he knew how to wield a bow. There was one exception however that the boy's mentor had agreed to and that was that the lad continue to learn the skill of sword fighting was a fair deal and if it uncles the boy's uncle sleep at night then it was worth it. In fact it was worth it because it let them all sleep at night instead of worrying what would happen if he was caught in a sword fight in battle.
These were not the only lessons the two boys were subject to and their weapons mentor felt their pain as the lads were taken to learn history, arithmetic, politics and other boring topics with Balin. As a treat however, and on particularly bad days, the warrior would take them with him hunting or checking the traps. He taught them tracking skills and foraging for certain plants. When their uncle came along they went down to the stream and allowed the boys to splash around near the bank teaching them to swim slowly with every passing day. It was just the basics yet enough to ensure that they would not drown straight away if they fell into the stream or a small body of water unsupervised. As they grew older their swimming skills improved to match those of their mentors, which were still basic but endurance a lot more. They often had to be rescued from trees which they had climbed to high, the brunette especially. And they had to be just as often carried home after falling into an exhausted sleep.
But with the positives came problems, one of which was the teasing if other children. More than once the tall dwarf had had to rescue either one or both of his two precious quarries from the barbed tongues or flying fists of other dwarflings. And sometimes he had to rescue the other dwarflings from one of the brothers' rage. The smaller brunette usually bore the brunt of these incidents, but the blonde received his own share. From elf to weakling to bastard they had all been called, a few even going so far as to say that they weren't true heirs if Durin. He had been there for them along with their mother and uncle to pick up the broken pieces of a shattered ego or nose. He in particular usually went with Thorin or alone to have words to the bullies being sure to emphasis what they had done. Once he even made a really nasty child cry. He had smiled about it for days.
Another problem that had developed as Thorin's two nephews had gotten older was that of crushes and broken hearts. Dwarfish women weren't common and to be snubbed by one you really liked was like a slap in the face, a very hard slap in the face. More than once both boys had been rejected by female counter parts and both, at a loss of what to do, had retreated to him for help. He could only help them laugh off the experience for he was no expert in these situations and at times wished their uncle would deal with it. The brunette seemed to suffer from these passions more than his brother and sometimes the warrior found his patience tested but he never lost his temper in light if the downhearted faces that greeted him when he opened his door.
When Thorin had invited the boys on the quest the burly warrior had been in half a mind to agree with their mother in the fact that they should stay behind. But the two lads' instanced that they were ready and their hopeful faces as they begged him to plead their case with Dis caused him to revert to their side. In the end Dis was overruled by no less than four males even though she thought the opinions of three did not matter.
And that was the last he saw of them until they met up in the house of one mister Bilbo Baggins. He had been glad to see them for a few different reasons. They needed an archer and the younger was one of the most exceptional dwarfish ones he had seen. He was pleased the blonde came, if only to protect his brother, but the dwarf was a force to be reckoned with in his own right. The brothers were young and spry making them perfect scouts and, if he admitted the truth, they were not burdened with the same terrible burdens as the others. They had come out of pure loyalty and love for their uncle and the adventure it would present. The journey had needed their humour and antics no matter how much they had grated on everyone's nerves. In truth they had made the whole experience lighter which was why it was all the more heartbreaking at the end.
The journey had contained many dangers but all who had joined had known to expect that. From goblin kings to giants of stone they had faced it all. The spiders had been an intriguing experience as had the elves. He still grinned at the memory of escaping in the barrels. The memory of Azog sent shivers down his spine thorough he was more than glad that the monster had been slain. What had scared him the most however was the near drowning of the company's two youngest. He had nearly lost them, they all had.
The warrior had never seen anyone drown. He had heard of it but had never seen. And to see this occurrence almost happen right in front of him as two of the dwarves he cared for the most were s subjected to the mercy of the river had scarred him for pretty much the rest log his long life. Their pale, unconscious faces kept on floating back into his dreams which were now more like nightmares. One of them had not been breathing for a good while as Thorin had pumped furiously in his chest to expel the water caught there. And all because the stupid packhorse had been spooked and had then gotten its gear caught on one of the logs in the rocks in the heart of the river. He had managed to drag the two out with help from a few others but had, for a few moments, thought it had been too late. And then both the lads had coughed up all the water they had swallowed.
Fighting Smaug had been an interesting experience not to mention a gruelling one. In the end it had been the human Bard who slayed the beast with a bow and arrow. He had asked for the Arkenstone in return putting a damper on the high spirits of the company. Thorin, however, refused. And that was when the next piece of trouble began.
It soon became clear that their king was madly obsessed with the gold of Erebor. Each of the company keenly felt this change but his two nephews were affected the most. They had lost their father so many years before when they were very young. Thorin had not replaced the dwarf but had taken over his position in the boys' eyes as their father figure. To be rejected by him for weeks and quite possibly months would have been a devastating blow to them both. That coupled with the fact they were now princes and the blonde first in line to the throne it was not surprising the stress had built up on them both. So he had decided to take them hunting for a brief while after failing to get through to their uncle. That was when they had sighted the a combined army of orcs and goblins.
He remembered the fear of the two youths next to him. He remembered his own intense fear and the thrill that had run up his back at what the sight suggested. A bloodbath no less and he hadn't been sure the two next to him, blonde and brunette, were ready for that, that any of them were ready for that. The trio had run back to the halls of Erebor shouting at the top of their lungs and warning the others of what to expect. He had told the two brothers to go to Balin to receive instructions of what to do while he informed Thorin. He had not seen the pair until the dying moments of the battle.
It had been the soft sobs that had drawn him to the two brothers. Fili and Kili had laid next to each other, the elder embracing the younger as he mumbled a few short words that only his sibling could hear. Whatever they were they caused the youth to sob harder finally drawing him into the scene.
Dwalin could only stare at the wounds they had received.
Kili had three arrows that went in one side of his body and out the other, all missing vital organs. Fili had received a deep sword wound to his chest and another to his stomach. There was no question as to who was going first.
The brunette's sobs grew even louder and more hysteric as his brother's arms went limp around him. Dwalin let loose a shaking breath before kneeling to comfort the one who had been left behind even if it was only for a short time. He said a few sympathetic words but when he tried to move the injured prince away from his brother, Kili only clung harder to the rapidly cooling body. Dwalin could easily break through the archer's weak grip in order to fill a delusion and find him help, but he simply did not have the heart to separate the two brothers further.
"It's alright", he remembered saying, "you will be with him soon. Just wait a bit." And all the while he had cradled both in his lap. Eventually Kili's tears abated and he became as still as his brother. Dwalin had then shed his own tears, staying in the one position until his own older brother came to collect him.
And this was the reason that Thorin had rapidly deteriorated once he had woken and been informed by Dwalin of what had transgressed when he was taken from the field unconscious. The burly warrior could not face his lifelong friend after what he had witnessed. He had been unable to face Erebor and had soon left for other parts with his brother after the solemn funeral of the three heirs of Durin. And it had all made him wonder at night whether it had been worth it to lose ones so young all for the sake of a mountain full of gold.
Not a day went past when he regretted allowing himself to abandon the two brothers in what would have been the most crucial moment and battle of their lives. And not a moment went past when he didn't regret how fast the time had flown past.
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