Balance
This is a big, big time alternate universe story. It eventually leads to the original quest the way it should so be patient and read if you want to. This will have no slash at all within the tale for those who are not fond of that genre. Please review and let me know what you think, good or bad.
I own nothing. Poop!
Chapter Twenty-One
"I am so angry right now," Bifur admitted fiercely, "That…bad dam still has no remorse for what she did to Bofur. Dismissed him completely and has decided that she wants my Bombie. I will never hand over my youngest to her."
"Balin and Thorin will not allow that," Lady Trunni advised as Dwalin nodded firmly, "You and your boys will not be torn apart."
"What if they are?" Dori voiced as everyone stared, "Hear me out. We need to have a plan set up if the council tries to take Bifur's boys. Bifur, you are going to have to be set up to run."
"That is unlawful," Dwalin spat before quelling at Dori's glare.
"Would you hand those children back to that dam?" Dori demanded as the warrior stilled before shaking his head quickly, "Dwalin, Bifur needs an escape route to disappear with Bofur and Bombur if all of this does not turn out the way it should."
"A contingency plan," Bifur gasped leaning back in thought, "That could work, but, Dori, I have no extra coin saved up. How would I support my children until I got them somewhere safe? I could hunt for food, but my lads would need shelter and I have no way to pay for that without opening a new shop."
"I have the coin," Dwalin declared as Bifur spluttered, "Hopefully this won't be necessary, but Dori's right. I could never hand those babes back to that dam. Bifur, you are to take my coins and get those boys to safety if all else fails."
Bifur leaned back thinking for a moment. The toymaker couldn't allow either of his babes to be returned to his kin. He'd run if it was needed to protect his boys. There were human villages he could hide his boys in that no dwarf would ever find them in, but there was the debt he still owed.
"Dori, would you run my shop until the toys are sold if I have to leave?" Bifur asked as the eldest Ri brother blinked, "The selling of those toys would pay back both Oin and Dwalin plus a tidy nest egg for you and your family."
"I could do that," Dori agreed looking sad, "Mahal, I hope it doesn't lead to that for my baby brother's sake. Nori will be so hurt to lose his Bo, but on the day of the hearing, we'll hide a pack if you need to run. At least Bombie is eating more solid food now and is not reliant on the nanny goat anymore."
"I know a path that no one else will find and can disguise my tracks," Bifur hummed to himself before sighing, "I would hate to tear Nori and his Bo apart. Dear Mahal, please let the hearing go smoothly."
"I think it will," Lady Trunni offered with a firm nod, "However, what we discussed doesn't leave this room. Do you hear me, Dwalin?"
"I give you my word of honor," Dwalin agreed shaking his head with resignation, "I too feel that these plans will not be necessary, but it is wiser to have a contingency plan. Bofur cannot be returned to that village. He won't survive what was being done to him. He'll die shortly after being returned to that dam."
"Mahal," Bifur breathed in shakily holding a hand to his heart, "Don't say that. I can't…the thought of my Sweetling dying hurts me terribly. The thought of either of my boys being hurt or dying is…is a horrible thought for me. Bofur and Bombur are my boys. I won't allow anything to hurt them. I won't."
A small whimper made Bifur's head snap up as he hurried to check on the sleeping dwarflings. He blinked when he realized what was going on.
"Dori, it's your brother. Looks like he's having a nightmare," Bifur called as Dori bolted up and into the bedroom.
Dori instantly gathered his whimpering, little brother into his arms before the child accidently woke Bofur. Nori's eyes opened and he instantly latched onto Dori with a quiet sob as the elder walked out of the bedroom. Bifur tucked his boy under the covers more as Bofur shifted at the loss of Nori being pressed against his side.
"Bif?" Bofur whispered opening sleepy eyes.
"I'm back, Sweetling," Bifur soothed as the babe smiled slightly and pulled his bunny closer in his arms, "Go back to sleep and we'll talk when you wake up."
"Kay," Bofur slurred as he rolled over and hummed happily as Bifur stroked his back until he fell asleep again.
Bifur walked back outside to see Dori rocking his weeping brother as Lady Trunni handed her youngest a tattered, baby blanket that he immediately hugged as his mother fretted over her child. The toymaker frowned at seeing Nori so upset.
"Dreamed that Bofur got taken away," Dori admitted looking troubled as the child wept and pulled Wags and his blanket closer to his chest, "It's okay, Scamp. Mister Bifur won't let your Bo go back to that village."
"Come to Mama, Love," Lady Trunni urged as Nori was handed to his mother, "There, there, Nori. It's okay, Baby."
"Don't let Bo get taken by that bad mama and daddy," Nori whimpered hugging his mother close, "He's my Bo, Mama."
"What a good boy you are to care so much for your friend," Bifur complimented as Nori's eyes flickered up to him from lying against his mother, "I'm so glad that my Sweetling has a best friend like you, Nori."
"Want Bo to stay here," Nori wailed, "Hurry up and dopt my Bo so he safe from his mean mama and daddy, Mister Bifur."
"I'll do my best for you and my boys. Don't fret, Nori," Bifur promised as Nori settled a little.
"Dori, rock?" Nori asked holding his arms out as Dori instantly lifted his brother and settled in the rocking chair once again to calm the child.
"Scamp is scared," Dori remarked once his brother fell back to sleep with the rocking and gentle back rub that Dori was doing to soothe the dwarfling, "Nori only asks to be rocked like this when he is frightened and needs comfort. Scamp's father used to do this for him when he was even younger and now this is my job now. I hate this for my brother. Bifur, you don't know how long Nori waited for a friend like Bofur."
"Which is why I will fight to remain here," Bifur assured stroking a hand through the dwarfling's coppery hair, "I want to set up a home here with your family near so Bofur and Nori can grow up together. I want to see Bombur eventually tagging along and being another playmate. I don't want to leave."
Dori nodded and accepted the blanket Dwalin offered to drape over his brother. Everyone sat in silence for nearly an hour enjoying the quiet and thinking their own thoughts before Bofur bursting from the room caused everyone to jump and Nori to snort awake.
"Bif!" Bo squealed running to his grinning parent as Dwalin slipped out before the child saw him, "I was good just like ye asked me ta be. Right, Dori?"
"Yes," Dori chuckled out as Nori sat up and beamed at Bofur, "Scamp was a very good boy too, Bifur. I think they deserve their surprise."
"I was good!" Nori chirped as he hopped down from his brother's lap, "My Bo was too, Mister Bifur."
"Then you two go wash your hands for your surprise," Bifur announced as the giggling dwarflings ran off to do just that, "I got them some fudge."
"Dori, get the face towels ready," Lady Trunni chuckled as her eldest snorted in amusement, "Nori and Bo are going to be quite sticky after fudge consumption."
The dam was surely correct. Bifur laughed loud as Bofur declared he loved fudge with chocolate smeared all over his lips and cheeks.
"Do you, Sweetling?" Bifur asked as the tot eagerly nodded while the toymaker used a wet cloth to wipe his face and hands up, "Is fudge your favorite treat?"
"Almost favorite," Bofur giggled fighting the cleaning as children do, "Like dried apples tha bestest and then hotcakes and then fudge!"
"I like rock candy, Dori's peanut butter biscuits, dried apples, and then fudge," Nori added as Lady Trunni wiped him down, "Mama, I'm clean."
"No, your not, Scamp," Dori snickered handing his mother another clean cloth, "How do dwarflings smear fudge all over the place?"
"Talent," Bifur snorted as Bofur leapt at him and he caught his happy boy before both heard Bombur's cry, "Down we go, Sweetling, so I can get Bombie."
"I help," Bofur chirped trotting after Bifur and grinned at the baby as Bombur squealed at seeing his caretaker and brother through the crib bars, "Hi, Bombie. One day ye can share fudge with me. I'll give ye tha biggest piece because ye are my baby brother."
"Good boy," Bifur encouraged lifting Bombur into his arms from his crib and holding Bofur's hand to lead him from Dori's room, "One day you'll be such a good, big brother just like Dori because you will be just as responsible for your Bombie as Dori is for his Nori."
"I be like ye are, Dori," Bofur blurted skipping along beside Bifur, "I take care of my Bombie like ye take care of Nori."
"Just don't pull Bombie's hair like Dori pulls mine," Nori groused before giggling as Dori mock chased him, "Can't catch me! Nah, nah!"
Bifur soon realized the issues with fudge and dwarflings. Nori and Bofur were practically bouncing off the walls and he and Dori took the children to the large meeting room to play and blow off some steam while Lady Trunni watched a much calmer Bombur back in their rooms.
"How long can they keep that up?" Bifur asked in amazement as Bofur and Nori continued to whirl around in circles as the two giggled happily, "They've been at that for at least ten minutes now."
"I have no idea," Dori stated frowning, "How much sugar did the sweet shop put in that fudge? Nori's never reacted so strongly to sweets before."
"Not sure," Bifur admitted, "Didn't eat any, but did lick a finger of mine while cleaning up my boy. That was some sweet fudge and…oops. Over we go."
Bofur rolled on the ground dizzily laughing as Nori plopped on the ground and giggled as he declared he won the "spin-off." A jig began to be played as everyone looked up to see Dwalin playing his viol. The dwarflings clapped along and soon began to skip and dance joyfully to the music.
"Didn't we just have two children?" Bifur chuckled watching the gaggle of dwarflings dance to Dwalin's playing a bit of time later.
"Eld showed up with Efie since they heard the music," Dori snorted, "Efie had a couple of friends with her which I agreed to watch while they joined the dancing and then Eld told some other parents about the dancing and here we are."
"An impromptu dwarfling party," Bifur grinned out watching as his boy interacted with the other children with a big smile, "They all look so happy."
"Children need very little to be happy," a voice said as Dori and Bifur looked up to see Oin, "Heard the music when I was coming from my healing wing. It is a joy to see so many happy dwarflings. It has been a long time since Erebor dwarves got to relax and have some fun. Even Dwalin looks happy for a change."
"Bif, come dance with me," Bofur begged coming to jerk on Bifur's hand excitedly, "Come on! Please?"
Bifur laughed and led his boy into the midst of the group of dwarflings and taught the children the proper steps to the jig playing. Bofur giggled happily as Bifur twirled him across the floor and then some other parents joined the jig. Nori dragged out Dori and Oin and soon not one dwarf was watching, but actually participating. Dwalin bowed when he finally stopped playing nearly an hour later and the children clapped wildly and thanked the warrior for the good time.
"Dori, Efie danced with me," Nori gushed after everyone started heading home.
"She did, Scamp?" Dori questioned with a grin as his brother excitedly nodded, "How fun!"
"I want ta play music with my flute so people can dance one day when I'm big," Bofur exclaimed as Bifur gave him a piggy back ride, "I want ta see everyone have fun like that ta music I play."
"You just keep practicing and you'll do just that," Bifur agreed as his boy hugged him tight in apparent glee at his words, "Nori, did you and Bo have a good time?"
"Yes!" both dwarfling insisted.
Bedtime was pretty easy that night since both boys fell asleep early in the middle of a game after dinner from all of their dancing and playing during the day. Bifur snuggled his eldest close that night and prayed sincerely to Mahal to allow the adoption to go through quickly so he wouldn't need to take Bofur out of an environment that was helping the boy develop and blossom.
"Um…hello?" Bifur said three days later as he answered a knock at his door with Bombur sleeping against his shoulder only to see Balin, Yandon, and two unknown dwarves.
"Bifur, this is Magistrate Yuli from Ered Luin and Magistrate Marfen from your kin's village," Balin introduced as the toymaker allowed the dwarves to enter, "They are here to inspect the living area of the boys."
"You came at naptime," Bifur admitted bowing slightly to the dwarves so not to disturb the sleeping baby on his shoulder, "Allow me to show you Bombur's room as I put him down for his nap. Sweetling, its okay. These dwarves aren't going to hurt you."
Bofur had hidden himself behind Dori with a whimper as Nori stared angrily at the strangers in his home.
"Don't be rude, Scamp," Dori fussed as his brother came to hide behind him too, "I am Dori of the House of Ri at your service and this is my baby brother Nori. He's not too happy that you are making his best friend nervous. I apologize for his behavior."
"I'm not sorry!" Nori hissed glaring around his brother's leg as most dwarves hid their smiles at the fierce sprite even as Dori began to lecture the boy about being rude.
"Come," Bifur encouraged walking into Dori's room, "Bombur sleeps in Dori's room since he eats at least once through the night."
"So you are shirking your responsibility for the baby?" Yandon asked as Bifur noticed Nori spying from the doorway.
"Not at all, Yandon," Bifur calmly stated placing Bombur into his crib and covering him up after he had tucked his teddy bear into his arms, "At the time we arrived here, Bofur's health was not the best due to the neglect and mistreatment he endured under my kin's care. Bofur will really only sleep through the night with me there beside him. Dori and I agreed that he would take care of the baby in here at night so that my Sweetling could get good sleep throughout the night and recover from what was done to him. Nori sleeps with Bofur and I."
"Makes complete sense to me when you are trying to help a child recover," Magistrate Yuli nodded out, "These are only temporary arrangements, aren't they?"
"They are," Bifur agreed, "Dori and I have already begun to scout Ered Luin for good sites for us to build homes for each of our families come late spring. He and I are doing this together since Bofur and Nori are best friends and we wish for them to be very close as they grow up, which is why I do believe that Nori is spying to try and protect his Bo."
Everyone turned to see Nori glaring up at them from the doorway.
"You're mean," Nori spat directly at Yandon, "I don't like you."
"Maybe I don't like you either," Yandon snapped back as Nori stuck his tongue out at the dwarf in retaliation.
"Nori!" Lady Trunni gasped picking her youngest up as the magistrates and representative bowed to the dam, "For shame. Apologize to Master Yandon."
"No, Mama," Nori denied hiding his face in his mother's beard.
"I am so sorry," Lady Trunni said bowing slightly, "I am Lady Trunni of the House of Ri and I am Dori's and Nori's mother. Please excuse my baby's behavior since he is not acting himself at the moment. My youngest is not usually so blunt."
"Well, we are strangers invading his home," Magistrate Marfen admitted as Nori was set down and he ran to hide behind his brother, "Makes sense that the child would be a bit on the defense. No harm was truly intended. Let's step out of here so we don't wake the baby."
"Want my Bif," Bofur whimpered running to his parent to be picked up so he could hide his face against Bifur's chest once everyone stepped outside Dori's room while the child hugged his bunny tight showing he was scared.
"This is Bofur. He's my Sweetling," Bifur introduced rubbing his boy's back, "He's very shy and nervous around new dwarves. He's frightened to be harmed by others due to being forced to live the life of a Balance. Its okay, Sweetling, none of these dwarves are here to hurt you."
"I won't let them," Nori huffed coming to hold onto Bifur's leg and glared up at Yandon again, "You're mean! Go away!"
"I'll do no such thing, Brat. You teach these children to talk so inappropriately?" Yandon questioned as Dori growled and even Lady Trunni looked outraged.
"Yandon, we are here to observe and not interfere," Magistrate Marfen frowned out stepping forward, "You have been rude from the minute you opened your mouth and that is what the boy is picking up on. Plus, how dare you call a child a 'brat' when he is obviously upset and so very young. Leave and I'll present a report of this visit to you later. Good day, Yandon."
The blonde dwarf stomped outside and made to slam the door, but Dwalin interfered and shut the door quietly behind him as an intimidated Yandon hurried away. Dori frowned angrily at the closed door as he lifted his upset brother to his hip.
"It's okay, Scamp," Dori soothed as his brother hugged him hard looking relieved now that Yandon was gone.
"Let me show you Bofur's and Nori's room," Bifur suggested as the magistrates followed.
"And my Bif's room," Bofur insisted sitting up a little, "My Bif's room too!"
"That's right," Bifur agreed, "Come on, Nori. Naptime."
"Aw," Nori whined as again smiles had to be hidden.
"This is Bofur's shelf," Bifur began pointing out all of his boy's little treasures, "The carvings were a way for my Sweetling to begin to speak more comfortably with me and learn new words. Bofur, can you name off your carvings for Mister Yuli and Mister Marfen for me?"
Bofur looked up unsure, but whispered out each word for "his Bif" as Bifur pointed to each carving. The child beamed when the dwarves clapped for him.
"I do good?" Bofur asked cuddling against Bifur.
"So good," Bifur praised as the tot grinned wider.
"I see the boy is wearing family braids and beads," Magistrate Marfen mentioned as Bofur allowed Bifur to change him into a nightshirt.
The two magistrates frowned when Bifur purposely allowed them to see the scars on his boy's back and legs.
"Bofur is of the House of Ur just as I am," Bifur voiced as the tot smiled at having his hat plopped back on his head, "He wears the braids and bead markings of our House."
"These my Bif's braids and I love them and my Bif braids them for me," Bofur chirped feeling more comfortable with the new dwarves now, "My Bif gave me pretty braids just like everyone else and I got my beads at my first Solstice. Aren't they pretty too? I not allowed ta have braids or beads before, but Bif say new rules for Bo."
"Can you tell me some of these new rules?" Magistrate Yuli asked as Dori helped Nori change into his sleepwear.
"I get ta be my Bombie's big brother cause he's my baby brother and I help care for him like Dori does for Nori. I can eat everyday now and as much as I want ta," Bofur listed and showed his bunny, "I can have toys too. This is Carrots. I'm allowed ta feed myself and not get whipped for touchin' food. I allowed ta wear my Bif's braids, family beads, and my Bif hat. I allowed ta be loved and cuddled. My Bif does that lots for me. My Bif said I allowed in my house instead of havin' ta stay outside all tha time so I don't get sick no more. I can sleep in a bed and take a bath inside and not in creek. I get ta wear boots and now my feets don't get cold or hurt no more. I allowed ta play with Nori and have friends. Nori's my bestest friend and we have matchin' necklaces. I can learn! I learnin' Khuzdul and Iglishmek and runes and how ta play my flute. I not get whipped when I make accidents and sat in corner once for breakin' plate, but Bif held me and said will love me always and rules are not meant ta hurt, but help me know right and wrong. I gets ta have a birthday party for first time and can't wait! I'll be this many. That's four. I'll be four years old. My Bif said most important rule is that he won't let anyone give me ows because he love, love, love, loves me."
"Those sound like really good rules," Magistrate Yuli offered before smiling as the babe yawned.
"I need to settle the boys for their nap," Bifur said lifting Bofur to his hip, "Dori, would you be so kind as to get Balin, Magistrate Yuli, and Magistrate Marfen some tea and I'll be out in a moment? Up in bed, Nori."
"Kay, Mister Bifur," Nori sighed climbing up onto the bed and taking Wag's from his brother, "Thank you, Dori."
Nori was not very happy about the invaders in his home and told Bifur that once they were alone.
"This is all part of the adoption process. The surprise visit was to see what our home life is really like," Bifur explained as the child huffed, "They won't be back after today."
"They make me your Bo?" Bofur asked as Bifur nodded and both children looked happier.
"It is going to be a little while, but I'm working on showing everyone that you are my Bofur," Bifur assured as his boy grinned, "Story or lullaby?"
Bifur stepped out a little later once both boys slept to see the magistrates and Balin sipping their tea.
"The children play here," Bifur explained showing the two the blanket near the fire as he walked over to the group, "This is Bombur's playpen. He's started crawling and is quite the terror to books and anything that can be torn. Giggles at the sound like a chipmunk. It's quite funny unless the thing being destroyed is yours."
"I can understand that," Magistrate Yuli chuckled, "I have a new grandson who is at the destructive age himself."
"I carve," Bifur continued opening a trunk with a key around his neck to show his carving tools, "I keep my carving tools locked up so curious dwarflings don't touch them. Bofur will carve like me one day. He's itching to try and that won't happen any time soon."
"You seem to know a lot about dwarflings," Magistrate Marfen mentioned.
"I'm a toymaker," Bifur grinned out, "I am surrounding by children most times on a daily basis. I adore dwarflings and, no offence meant, Magistrate Marfen, I abhor the Balance system. I do not believe that Mahal would ever ask us to sacrifice a tiny child to balance a home. Dwarflings are blessings. I adore my boys."
"Honestly, I hate that system too," Marfen agreed, "My council and I have been trying to figure out a way to end that practice in our village, but this discussion is not about my village. This is about whether you should be allowed to legally adopt Bofur and Bombur. Master Bifur, tell me about the scars on that boy's body."
"Those were made by Bofur's parents. From what he tells me, my Aunt Bartha did the physical punishment, but Uncle Bomfur did not stop her," Bifur gritted out, "I have been using a balm that a healer by the name of Oin gave me to try and get the scars to fade. Bofur enjoys having the balm rubbed into his skin and I have hopes that when he is older the scars will not be so prominent. I believe the use of the balm has helped Bofur not be so scared of touches. Sweetling was very skittish when I first took him in."
"Disgusting to leave marks on a babe that young," Magistrate Yuli hissed as Marfen looked thoughtful before nodding.
"I approve of these living arrangements," Magistrate Marfen decided, "I look forward to hearing your case at the hearing."
"I agree," Magistrate Yuli voiced, "Both boys seem healthy and happy. Good day, Master Bifur."
Bifur, Dori, and Lady Trunni bowed as Balin led the dwarves out of their home.
To be continued…