The Spare

Still enjoying writing some dwarven tales.

This is an AU story. Centers around Thorin and his family. Still adore Thorin, but he is a bit of an ass both in the book and movie. Sorry, Thorin fans, but the dwarf has flaws like us all. This is a tale of mistakes and misunderstandings. A person is never too old to learn from mistakes and we see that not only in Thorin, but also Dis by the end of this tale.

Please enjoy and let me know what you think.

I own nothing.

Chapter Two

Kili blinked once again as Lud stomped away. He looked at the boots in his hands and felt ashamed that Lud was giving him something like he was a charity case. He also felt very warm that someone…anyone cared enough to do this for him. Kili looked at his boots on his feet and finally pulled the things off and tried on the new ones.

"They fit," Kili sighed as his feet felt warm and his toes weren't cramped anymore, "I hope nobody notices at home."

However, Thorin did notice right away and demanded to know where Kili had gotten the boots from. The teen was silent for a few minutes reveling in the feel of boots that didn't hurt for just a few more seconds, but his mother wasn't having it.

"Answer your uncle right now, Kili," Dis ordered as her son sighed internally, "Spit it out, Young Man. Tell us the truth."

Kili glanced between his mother and uncle and noted the twin looks of anger. Tell the truth? Why would he ever lie? When had he ever become a liar to begin with? The teen had no idea why everything always seemed to blow up in his face no matter what.

"A kind of friend gave them to me," Kili truthfully admitted, "My boots just…they finally wore through and Lud had a pair that he grew out of and gave them to me this afternoon because he was irritated that I was holding the weapons class back with my limping."

Dis and Thorin both hissed in angry breathes as Kili groaned to himself softly. He should have known nothing would ever go easy for him.

"I cannot believe a son of mine would allow himself to take charity," Dis moaned as Kili's heart sank, "How could you?"

"How am I going to show my face around here anymore with what you did?" Thorin snapped as Kili hung his head for a moment.

This was…it was just all too much. What in the world did his mother and uncle expect out of him? He couldn't make his boots grow. Grow? Grow.

"I…I don't understand," Kili blurted as Dis and Thorin glared at him, "I know that I'm just…just the youngest, but…aren't I a person too? I can barely fit my feet in my old boots anymore. I am growing just like Fili and when he needs bigger boots then he gets bigger boots. Why is it wrong for me to grow?"

Dis straightened as Thorin looked away uncomfortably. The teen sighed and finally gave up trying to understand this confusing situation. He would just have to make do somehow. Maybe Fili would have a growth spurt soon so he would get the boots his brother wore now. That would solve everything.

"I'll return the boots to Lud. My apologies for bringing dishonor on our family's name," Kili offered as he pulled off the shoes and pulled his old boots back on and limped away before either his mother or uncle could say anything else.

"You can do this," Kili reminded himself pulling his cloak tighter about himself, "Dwarves marched into battle and fought wars in worse conditions than you live in. Be a warrior, Kili. Suck it up. You're not a complainer."

However, now that he had worn proper fitting boots for a little the young dwarf could not deny that his old boots hurt terribly to walk in. Kili grimaced before pushing the discomfort away and limped to Lud's home finding his frenemy sitting on his porch watching the rain.

"Um…excuse me. Lud?" Kili called catching the other teen's attention.

"What are you doing here?" Lud questioned irritably.

"Thank you for the boots," Kili offered as Lud leaned forward to listen, "I can't take them, but I really appreciate the thought. I know that we aren't really friends so this means a lot that you would go through the trouble for me."

"I wouldn't go through trouble for you," Lud grumbled crossing his arms, "Just sick of seeing you limp about like the Pauper Prince. You are feistier when your feet don't hurt all the time. It's taking the fight out of you."

"I guess it is," Kili sighed looking at the boots in his hands, "I'll get newer boots soon enough and can make do until then. I still appreciate the thought behind your offer. Thank you for thinking of me even if it meant just to have a good scrap between us."

Lud threw his hands up in what looked like irritated exasperation. Kili had often wanted to mime that very move within the privacy of his own home when he just…just didn't understand his place within his family. Or more like, he understood his place, but it was not a role he wanted to play. The pet or the…the spare. Not really needed to be about unless for emergencies.

"You can't wear those things much longer," Lud snorted as he pointed at Kili's boots interrupting the silent teen's thoughts, "The boots I gave you really are too small for me and there is no other family member that can wear them. I am the youngest just like you are in your family. Why not keep the ones I gave you?"

"Because the Durin line can stand on their own feet," Thorin said as he walked up behind Kili as the teens jumped in surprise that the older dwarf had snuck up on them so silently, "I thank you for thinking of my nephew, but we do not need the boots from you. You have made me proud to call you a dwarf of my people. You are an honorable lad."

Lud puffed up proudly as Thorin handed the child the boots back.

"You should take these to Master Oin," Thorin continued, "He often comes across families that are in need of some help during rough periods when he treats his patients. These boots would be a great benefit to someone who has none."

"Tell me about it," Kili hissed within his own mind before mentally shaking himself, "Durin line. You are Durin line so no complaints. You can do this."

"I will do that, Lord Thorin," Lud agreed still looking proud at the praise he had received, "I will take the boots to Master Oin and any other clothes that are good enough to pass along."

"Good boy, Lud," Thorin praised, "Kili, let us go now. This weather is getting worse. Bid farewell to your friend."

"Bye, Lud," Kili called, "Thanks again for the thought. See you tomorrow at school."

"See ya," Lud offered seeming to be using good manners with Thorin present before scuttling inside due to a call from his mother.

Thorin led the way as Kili followed silently. He tried to ignore the discomfort of his boots, but the teen's feet were just rubbed raw from wearing the too tight footwear all day long. Kili again pushed down the discomfort while walking beside his uncle as the two made their way beside the market once reaching the main square of Ered Luin.

"Come this way," Thorin instructed turning suddenly which left Kili quite frankly confused, "Hurry up. The clouds are about to pour again."

"Where are we going?" Kili asked in confusion as his uncle led him in a different direction than home, "Uncle?"

"You will need boots," Thorin stated as Kili froze and stopped in the middle of the path, "Nephew?"

"I don't need boots. I'm fine," Kili urged as he shook his head, "I just need to get some more leather and then…."

"No," Thorin interrupted making Kili blink up at him, "I can hear the water sloshing in your boots with each step and you have been limping for a bit of time. I should have gotten you new boots sooner. Let's go to the cobbler's shop now."

"Yes, Sir," Kili agreed.

The teen eagerly followed his uncle. Kili had never really been allowed to go to the market before. Fili had been many times, but not Kili. New things were for the heir and not for the spare. What reason was there to go and look at things that he would never get to have or would inherit second-hand? There was no reason to do so; therefore, Kili hadn't tempted fate by yearning for what he couldn't have. The younger dwarf looked around excitedly and saw vendors selling everything the heart could desire. Seeing dwarven crafts always made Kili proud of being a part of the dwarrow race. He itched to try his hand at some of the trades and be a warrior befitting the Durin line.

"In here," Thorin ordered as Kili hurried over after realizing he had gotten lost within his thoughts again, "Remove your cloak and hand it to me."

Kili was sat on a bench and the shoe cobbler measured his feet and then hissed at the old boots. Thorin saw the state of the soles and shook his head before leaving with a last remark for Kili to listen to the cobbler and remain within the shop.

"Let's warm these feet a bit," Master Padeg decided using a leather cloth to wrap around the teens feet, "I will re-measure your feet once your toes don't look like raisons anymore."

"I forgot to get a fresh pair of socks," Kili lied knowing that he had stopped wearing socks when his boots had gotten too snug ages ago, "I guess I just had a growth spurt, huh?"

"Sure did," the cobbler chuckled, "That is what boys your age do. I do believe that you might actually be taller than your older brother one day."

Kili chatted with the kind dwarf a little more before Padeg got a better measurement of the teen's feet.

"Wow," Kili breathed later as he was fitted for a pair of boots that were warm and gave enough room for him to grow, "These feel so good and look so nice. You make the best boots. Thank you, Mister Padeg."

"You are quite welcome, Lad," the kind cobbler remarked as he threw Kili's old boots into the fire, "I remember making those for your brother. Those were way too small for your feet. Couldn't have been comfortable to wear them."

"I made do," Kili assured as he marveled at having a new pair of boots that nobody else had worn before jumping as Thorin hurried in since the rain was pouring now.

It took all Kili's willpower not to giggle at his uncle. Thorin looked like a wet cat with his braids pouring water.

"Damn, weather," Thorin groused as he took his hood down from his cloak and helped Kili back into his own, worn cloak, "Put this on. Remind me to re-oil this for you. It shouldn't be holding so much dampness."

"Yes, Sir," Kili agreed feeling thrilled that maybe he might not be as wet going to school on rainy days, "Thank you, Uncle."

Kili lavished in the feel of the new boots as Thorin paid Master Padeg. He didn't remember when the last time he had gotten anything from his uncle besides harsh words.

"Thank you so much for my boots," Kili offered as Thorin led him home.

"Welcome," Thorin answered, "Try not to let others see you as a charity case, Kili, you are still a prince of our people."

"Yes, Sir," Kili murmured too happy to have dry feet then to feel rubbed wrong at the accusation of allowing anything since it was not he who got to choose when he was allowed to get anything, "I swear I did not ask Lud to offer those boots."

"I know you didn't," Thorin assured, "Lud…is not a bad child, but you and he are not exactly friends, are you?"

"Not really," Kili snorted, "He was just irritated that I was holding our group back in weapons training with stumbling over my feet. Lud meant well though."

"That he did," Thorin murmured, "Come. I've had enough of this deluge."

Kili felt happier than he had for a long time and had a great evening of playing a board game with Fili until Thorin ordered the older to go study. Kili went to go to his room and heard his mother and uncle start talking softly once they thought they were completely alone. The teen listened in since he was curious.

"The damn boots cost the rest of the coins I earned, Sister," Thorin grumbled as Kili's happiness fled, "I'll have to leave and seek some more work down in the human village. There is simply no other choice."

"I don't like when you do that, Thorin," Dis fretted, "You come back each evening exhausted since they work you like a horse."

"Matters not," Thorin sighed, "If only Kili could have held out a little more, then the spring would be here and with it the garden's vegetables so we would need less monies for food. Lad is growing like a weed."

"I do hope that Lud will not share what he offered to Kili with others," Dis groaned, "I am so shamed right now."

"I don't think he will," Thorin soothed, "Lud is a bit of a bully, but he's not truly evil at heart. He'll straighten out soon enough with maturity, I believe. Kili did not try to be seen as a charity case. I just wished he'd slow that growing of his down a bit."

"Agreed," Dis snorted.

Kili pulled away as he walked back to his room. He just didn't know what to do anymore. He never asked for extra firewood to keep a fire lit in his room like Fili got. He never asked for anything to be bought for him even if he desperately needed something. He didn't go to the market and look at what he couldn't have. He never asked for sweets or special foods. He didn't complain when he was left out of special trainings for Fili. Now his growing up was a problem?

"What to do? What to do?" Kili questioned himself as he paced.

He stopped and gazed into the mirror that had once belonged to Fili. How does one slow growing up? Was there anything that could…oh! Of course.

"I…I'll just eat less," Kili finally decided, "Less food means I won't grow so fast and that means saving monies. I can do that. I can forage in the forest and treat this like a training to be a good soldier. Okay. This is doable. Alright. We'll make do. We always make do."

Kili put his plan into action and started dipping himself his own plates at meals telling his mother that he was old enough to serve himself and help out more in the kitchen. Dis was pleased and Kili used words and actions to disguise how little he was really eating. There were times that his stomach hurt terribly and the teen suffered in silence. He had read that a stomach would eventually shrink and Kili waited for that to happen so he wouldn't ache so much. Eventually, he grew use to the constant feeling of hunger. His mother asked about a month later when she finally noticed that Kili wasn't coming home for lunch anymore.

"You also don't seem to be eating as much supper as you usually do," Dis pointed out looking concerned, "Do you not like my cooking anymore, Kili?"

"I've been packing my own lunches so I don't bother you during the day," Kili lied as his stomach protested from within him, "The lads and I all share our lunches at school these days and I'm so stuffed that I don't need as much dinner at night. That's all it is. Your food is the best, Mother."

Dis looked happier, but Kili missed that Fili looked unconvinced. Fili had been watching his brother for weeks and something seemed off about the whole situation. This was his little brother that could usually eat an entire meal and then eat another meal an hour later. Something wasn't ringing true about Kili's words. Something wasn't ringing true at all.

To be continued…