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"Namad! Kili took my bow!"
I turned around from where I was whittling sticks to make arrows to see Kili holding Fili's bow with a smug look on his face. Fili was frowning and had his arms crossed.
"He said I could use it!" Kili defended himself, throwing his hands in the air.
"You already used it, now I need it back." Fili argued. I sighed heavily.
"Fili, you can use my bow. Kili, listen to your brother next time." I said, looking both of the boys in the eye.
Both boys groaned "Fiinnee." They said at the same time. Then proceeded to climb a tree near them, racing each other up the trunk.
It had been many years since our Adad's death. It had been very hard for all of us, especially Dis. But our Amad was one of the strongest dwarrowdams I had ever met, she had lived through most of her family's deaths. Adad's death brought my mother and I closer, as we supported each other through the years. Uncle Thorin worked hard to supply for us, and became the closest thing Kili had to a father. I often earned extra money by weaving blankets and clothes and such. This took up much of my spare time. I had recently turned fifty-nine, around seventeen in the years of men. Fili was thirty-nine and Kili was thirty-four, roughly eleven and nine in the reckoning of men.
The boys sometimes quarreled, but then they soon made up and became even closer friends than before. That is the way with siblings. I made up my mind to teach Kili archery since he has been begging me to teach him for a year now. Uncle Thorin had been training us in the way of weapons, even me. Since our cousins Balin and Dwalin moved to Ered Luin, the three of us have been receiving lessons from them. Balin taught us history, politics, diplomacy, and other such things heirs needed to know. Fili received more extensive training on these things than me and Kili, because he was the first in line to the throne of Erebor after Thorin. There had never been a dwarven queen, mainly for the reason that the position would put the dwarrowdam in danger of assassination like other kings. The dwarrows cherished their dwarrowdams too much to put one in that situation. I personally did not mind, I simply wanted to live out my days with my darling little brothers. Dwalin taught all three of us weapons training along with Thorin.
"Valdis, Emli was wondering of you could babysit Gimli tonight, she and Gloin have to meet some merchants for a while. She said you could bring Fili and Kili. It will be for around four hours she said. Can you do that?" My Amad called from inside the house.
"Alright Amad." I replied to her, then looked back to start fletching the arrows.
A few hours later I stood before my mother as she said goodbye to Fili and Kili for a few hours. After kissing their foreheads and telling them to listen to me, she turned to me.
"Now love, make sure those rascals don't get out of hand. They can be a handful when together as you know." She said to me with a wink. I let out a breathy laugh and nodded.
"Aye, I sure do know." I replied as I heard my little brothers protesting. Dis laughed and kissed me on my forehead in farewell. "Alright now, be safe." She told us as we walked out the door.
Later on that day I walked to Emli and Gloin's house with Fili and Kili by my side. We skipped along singing silly songs together. I enjoyed spending my time with my little brothers, they always made me laugh.
"Be on good behavior and be nice to your friend, Gimli." I instructed as we approached the door of our destination. They both nodded and flashed bright smiles at me. I laughed quietly under my breath as I knocked on the door. A dwarrowdam answered the door and gave me a smile. She was average height for dwarrowdams, and she had thick light brown hair with beautiful braids decorating it with beads in them.
"Ah Valdis and Fili and Kili, come in, come in." Emli said, ushering us in. Once my brothers spotted Gimli they ran off with him, probably to look at his new warrior figurine. Emli sighed to herself while I chuckled. She took my overcoat from my hands and hung it over a peg in the wall. I took off my hood and placed it on top of my coat.
The dwarrowdam led me further inside, straightening random items. "I am very happy you could come, I normally would not have had to go with my husband, but he insisted I was needed. Thank you so much. When we get back I will pay you two gold coins."
My eyes widened. "Oh no, gold is too much for a friend and relative to babysit. You don't need to."
Emli just shook her head, "After all your mother and uncle have done for everyone, I disagree. Please keep it as a thank you." She insisted.
"Are you sure?" I asked. Money was often tight in Ered Luin, most families were refugees from Smaug's attack on Erebor many, many years ago, before I was born.
"Positive." She nodded. "Your family deserves and needs the extra coin."
I relaxed. "Thank you Emli."
Money in our family was just as limited as that in other families, having royal blood did not exclude us from sharing in our people's poverty. Emli smiled and went to bid her son farewell. Gimli was a few years younger than Kili. He had red hair just like his father.
After saying goodbye to us and leaving a few directions for me, Emli left her house. Through the open door I spotted Gloin waiting outside for his wife. He must have just come. I closed the door and turned around to see the three children playing with wooden warrior figurines.
"Alright, what do you want to play?" I asked as the boys looked up.
"Hmm..." Fili and Gimli were thinking, but I saw Kili had an idea.
"How about we play rescue the princess! Valdis can be the princess and we will rescue her from the evil orc!"
Gimli nodded enthusiasticly while Fili groaned.
"That means I am the orc right?" He guessed with a dramatic sigh.
"Of course Fee, you do the best at that." Kili patting his older brother on the shoulder. Fili rolled his eyes and then smiled.
"Ok Val," a smug smile played on his lips, "I will keep you away from the terrible Kili and Gimli."
"Hey!" Kili punched Fili playfully while Gimli just rolled his eyes with an exasperated sigh at the brothers.
I laughed. "Alright, where do you want me Fili?" They were adorable.
"On the chair over there, come on!" He said while taking my hand and practically dragging me to a chair across the room. Fili sat me in the chair and stood stoically in front of me like a guard.
Meanwhile Kili and Gimli were arguing who got to be in charge. Gimli ended up being the leader since he was much more stubborn than Kili. I watched all this with amusement.
"Don't worry Namad, we will save you from the evil orc!" Kili cried as he ran forwards to confront his brother.
"Well I have an entire orc army here so you will have to fight them all." Fili replied with a smirk.
"That's not fair!" Kili whined. "Then I get an entire army of dwarves. We need our princess back, so surrender."
While Fili and Kili kept talking I saw Gimli sneaking around Fili from the sides of the room. He quietly got to me and grabbed my hand, pulling me out of my chair. Fili noticed and with a shout, engaged Gimli in an imaginary sword fight while staying in front of me to protect me. I was very amused at this point and watched as Kili tried to get past his brother.
In the end everyone was laughing because the three boys tripped on me and landed in my lap. I held them all tightly and refused to let them go. They laughingly said I won so I finally released them.
We decided to have a snack refore resuming our play. While chewing my food, I watched Kili and Gimli use wooden swords and pretend to sword fight. Gimli kept complaining about the sword as he loved axes much more. Kili finally let him use his wooden axe and then the two were off again. Fili and I sat side by side watching the two with amusement.
"I'm happy to have a big sister like you." He staTed. I looked at Fili curiously.
"And why would that be?"
"Because you are the nicest and you know how to fight so we can play fight. I've heard not many other girls know how to fight as well as you do." He replied. "And you simply are the best big sister I have ever heard of." He smiled at me.
I smiled back lovingly. "Thank you Fili. And I can tell you that you and Kili are the best little brothers I could have."
"Even though you two can be a handful sometimes." I added teasingly.
"You bet we are!" Kili declaimed, although he only was paying attention to the last part. He ran forward and sat in my lap heavily.
"Woah there, you are getting too big for my lap silly." I scolded as I hugged him close.
"Never ever will I get too big." Kili replied with a big grin on his face. Fili reached over and tickled Kili on his neck as Kili squirmed to get away.
Gimli huffed and flopped onto the ground in front of us. "Now can we do something fun?" He was obviously getting bored of our sibling talk. I smiled to myself and tried to think of something to do. I looked out the window and saw it was starting to get dark outside. I needed to think of something that would help them wind down as Emli and Gloin would be coming back within the next two hours.
"Do you want me to tell you stories?" I asked the boys. All three of them perked up and looked at me expectedly.
"I want to hear stories about Thorin Oakenshied." Gimli requested.
"Our uncle." Kili added proudly. Gimli huffed but still looked to me for the stories.
"Alright." I chuckled as I got more comfortable on the rug with Kili still in my lap. Fili and Gimli shifted closer to me with eager eyes.
I proceeded to tell them many stories of our dear uncle Thorin. I told the dwarflings of the battles he fought, and how he helped our people settle in Ered Luin. I retold some stories I had heard from Amad of her and Thorin's childhood. I could see all three dwarflings had a great amount of respect and admiration for Thorin. He was their hero. This knowledge warmed my heart.
It started to grow late and the boys began to get tired so I had them come with me to Gimli's bedroom. They huffed but did not argue too much. At their request I sang them songs of our homeland, Erebor. Fili and Kili managed to stay awake but little Gimli nearly fell asleep when I heard Emli and Gloin come through the door. With a quick look at my brothers, who were adorably sleepy, and Gimli who had started awake at the door, I went to greet his parents.
Soon Fili, Kili, and I were on our way back home. It was dark outside as we walked on the stone road that led to our house. Kili was getting very tired and was walking sluggishly. Fili was more awake than Kili even though he looked sleepy too. I smiled lovingly at my two little brothers.
"Come here Kee." I said, stopping and opening my arms for the sleepy dwarfling. He reached up and I easily picked him up. He snuggled into my chest and sighed in relief. Fili reached up and grabbed the belt of my dress and held on since I didn't have a spare arm to hold his hand. And so we walked close together. I treasured this moment when my brothers were still young and needed me. I dreaded the day when I couldn't pick either of them up and hold them close or when they would be independent and not need me so much. The thought almost made tears form in my eyes. Those two were my darling little brothers, and even if they got annoying from time to time I loved them and they were some of the last family I had. Even though I was almost of marrying age, I had decided not to get married. I always wanted to be there for my dear mother and little brothers. But what if they decided to marry when they were old enough? Fili and Kili might leave me one day, it would probably be one of the hardest things I might have to do, to let them go.
But I knew I needed to not dwell on those things. My little brothers were safe and sound, close to me where I could love and protect them. I looked down at Kili sleeping against my chest and gently kissed his head. Fili's hand found my arm and he gave it a squeeze. I smiled, Fili seemed to always know when I was troubled.
I was jolted out of sleep by someone shaking my shoulder. I turned to my side and peered through the darkness to see the outline of Fili.
"Hmm?" I murmred groggily.
"Sorry Valdis. Could I sleep here with you? Amad had a long day and I would hate to wake her up for something silly."
"It's not silly if you are this troubled." I replied and sat up in my bed. This was true, usually Fili did not have too much trouble after nightmares or other things that made it hard to sleep sometimes. "What's wrong love?"
"Just a nightmare, but I can't go back to sleep. Been up for a few hours I think." He whispered with a tone that sounded like he was miserable. How long had he laid awake in bed? I nodded and scooted over in my bed to let him cuddle up beside me.
"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked him as we got comfortable under the blankets.
"No, I just need a hug to relax again." He mumbled. I wrapped my arms around him as if I could keep the bad thoughts out of his mind.
We laid like this for a while but I could feel he was still tense.
"I'm gonna sing a song for you ok?" I whispered, breaking the silence.
"What about Kili?" He asked. He was always looking out for his younger brother. Kili often came into my room to sleep with me but Fili had been able to stay in the room he shared with Kili for a while. The three of us knew Amad needed her sleep so I usually dealt with the boys' sleeping problems.
"He shouldn't hear us from the other room, an if he does, I don't mind haven the three of us sleep in my bed." I assured him. I was tired but I would hate to have either brother be tired tomorrow.
I felt Fili nod and began to hum a song quietly.
Come stop your crying, it will be alright.
Just take my hand, hold it tight.
I will protect you from all around you.
I will be here don't you cry.
For one so small, you seem so strong.
My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm.
This bond between us cannot be broken,
I will be here don't you cry.
Cause you'll be in my heart.
Yes you'll be in my heart.
From this day on, now and forever more.
I continued singing this song that I reserved for times when my brothers really needed comfort. I meant every word and they knew it. Fili and Kili enjoyed it when I sang to them, though as they got older they asked for it less and less. In a little while I felt Fili fall asleep and I smiled to myself. My brothers would always be in my heart. Always.
The song is part of the Celtic Woman's version of You'll Be In My Heart. I love that song so much I could help it but to add it in. I definitely do not own it.
As for adding Gimli into the story... I couldn't help it, I imagined the him and the boys so cute playing together.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed!
Sincerely,
N.T. N.