Kili and Fili returned to Erebor around midnight. They knocked gently at the door of the royal chamber but got no response.

"I suppose they're asleep," Kili said and Fili replied, "We can't just keep her the entire night."

"Why not?"

"Because we promised to bring her back as soon as we returned."

"And what shall we do? Sneak in and place her in her bed?"

Fili shrugged and Kili added, "Im not the one going in there. I interrupted them once and I'm not eager to do it again!"

"Kili, they are sleeping. If they would be awake and do anything else am certain they would stop and open the door."

Kili sighed. "Alright, I'm going in."

He grabbed the handle of the door but found it locked. "Well, it seems that we have to keep her," he said and was quite happy about it.

"You will keep her," Fili said and added, "I need my beauty sleep." He grinned and patted his brother's shoulder.

They walked along the hallway until they reached their rooms. Fili whispered, "Sleep well, princess," he placed a goodnight-kiss on top of her head and entered his room.

Kili entered his own bedroom and placed the girl on the soft blanket on his bed. He lowered down next to her and she snuggled up against him. Soon they were both deeply asleep.

Mona woke up quite early in the morning. She cast a glance around and saw that Thorin was still asleep. She was aware that Kalea was not in her bed, but she was certain that either Kili or Fili would take care of her in their rooms. She slowly got up and dressed herself. Thorin turned around and opened his eyes.

"Good morning," he mumbled sleepily. She placed a kiss on his lips and whispered,

"Good morning. I will go and look for Kalea."

"What? They didn't bring her back?" he asked and was wide awake within a second. She pushed him gently down again and said,

"Our door was locked, remember? I'm certain she's with Kili. I'm going to look for her."

He nodded still a little uncertain and watched her leaving the room.

She gently knocked against Kili's door and could hear voices from inside. It was definitely a children's voice.

"Come in," Kili called and she entered the room. Both Kili and Kalea sat on his bed while he told her some funny stories. She giggled about the funny face he made as well.

Mona leaned against the doorframe and smiled.

"Hey!" Kili said as he looked up at her and added, "Look, there's your mommy!"

Kalea looked into the direction he was pointing at and lifted her arms up. "Mama!" she babbled and Mona approached the bed and lifted her up on her arms.

"Did you have any problems with her?" she asked but Kili shook his head.

"No, she behaved very well and everyone was amazed by her. Especially Eolyn's mother. And how was your night?" he asked.

"It was very lovely. I have to thank you."

"Ah, not for that. I take care of her whenever you need me to."

"That's good to know. And now I guess my little girl is hungry. Are you hungry?" she asked Kalea who reached for her mouth. "I take that as a yes," Mona laughed and left the room.

"See you later, Princess!" Kili called after them until Mona closed the door.

Mona entered the kitchen and prepared a bottle of warm milk. While she was waiting, Bombur approached them.

"Hey, Bombur! How are you? Haven't seen you in a while."

He smiled at her. "I was busy in the kitchen and I was in Dale for a while to help Bofur and Dori building up their tavern."

"That sounds great. I can't wait to have a drink there as well," she replied and Bombur stepped closer to take a look at Kalea.

"How is our little Princess doing?" he asked and stroked the girl's cheek.

"Oh she's healthy and I suppose very much in love with Kili," she replied with a laugh and Bombur grinned.

"As soon as she gets real food, I will create a wonderful meal for her, I promise," he said.

"I'm certain you will," she replied. The milk was cooled down a bit and Mona took the bottle. "It was nice to see you again. I will go outside and feed her now."

"Take care!" Bombur called and Mona left the kitchen and headed outside onto the balcony. She lowered down on the bench and gave Kalea the bottle. While the girl was drinking, Mona could see a bird heading towards her. She frowned as she saw that it was holding a little piece of parchment in its beak. It looked like a small note.

"Hey birdy, what do you have there?" she asked quietly and the bird placed the note onto her lap, whistled shortly and lifted up into the sky again.

Once Kalea was sated, Mona pushed the note in her pocket. She went to the bedroom and saw that Thorin wasn't there anymore. She lowered Kalea into her little child's bed and the girl immediately fell asleep.

Mona sank down on her bed and pulled the note out again. She unfolded it and read it with a frown on her face. There was just one sentence without a name or anything. She turned the paper to look for a sign of the owner.

Still there was just that one sentence: It suppose it was love.

Her first thought was that the note came from Thorin but that would make no sense, because he wouldn't say it was love. They were still in love. So, who was the writer of this note? She leaned her head against the headboard of the bed and closed her eyes.

What was going on? She was more than confused. Was that note really addressed to her? Maybe it was meant for someone else. She got up and entered Kili's room.

"Kili, would you take care of Kalea for a while? She's asleep in her bed."

"Aye, what's the matter?"

"I—I have to do something."

He nodded understandingly and went to the royal bedroom to look after Kalea while Mona was gone.

She went down to the throne hall and found Thorin together with Balin and Dwalin.

"Where's Kalea?" Thorin asked immediately.

"She's asleep. Kili is with her."

He smiled relieved and kissed her, but he sensed that something was wrong with her. "Are you alright?"

She wasn't certain if she should tell him. She didn't want to cause a mess and make him jealous.

"I'm looking for Barbas. Do you know where he is?" she asked instead.

"I've seen him in the forge a couple of moments ago,"Balin replied and she thanked him. She placed another soft kiss on Thorin's lips before she left them behind.

"Is something wrong with her?" Dwalin asked and cast a glance at Thorin. He shrugged and replied,

"I don't know."

He frowned and felt concerned a bit.

Mona went further down into the mountain to get to the forge. Once she reached the place, she spotted Barbas sitting next to a mid-aged dwarf who was creating a battle-ax.

"My Queen, it is a pleasure to see you down here," the dwarf bowed deeply and she smiled at him and examined the ax.

"It's a very beautiful ax," she said and a proud smile showed up on his face as he replied,

"Thank you, my Queen."

"Barbas, I have to talk with you."

They both left the forge and stepped outside of the mountain to lower down in the grass.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"I received a message this morning."

"What kind of message?"

She revealed the little piece of parchment and unfolded it again.

"I suppose it was love," Barbas read and watched her again. She looked at him quite uncertain.

"Who wrote this?" he asked.

"That's the problem. I have no idea. I was feeding Kalea up on the balcony and there was that bird. It dropped the note and flew away. There's no name anywhere on the parchment."

He examined the parchment again. "I can't recognize the handwriting."

"It's not Gandalf's and not Bilbo's. It would even make no sense that they write something like this."

"Maybe someone from Dale who's in love with you? Or from Laketown?"

She chuckled. "Who? I was with you all the time. Except for the blacksmith, but he was happily married."

"Marriage doesn't mean that you are unable to produce feelings for other people."

"But—"

"Listen, for dwarves love and marriage is a very serious thing. If they fall in love it is with that person they want to share their whole life together. It's for the eternity, but to the humans it is possible to love as often as they like."

"I know—Nords are not different from that and yet I know that Thorin is and will always be the love of my life. No one could get between us."

He watched her. "Whoever wrote this message said it was love. It signals that it's the past. So, I'm certain that one is just kind of a joke to confuse you. I wouldn't think too much about it. Maybe it's a joke from a young laddie. You know how young lads can be."

She sighed. "Maybe you're right."

Her gaze drifted into the distance and watched the skyline of Dale.

Later that day she went back to find Thorin. He was sitting on the throne with Kalea on his lap.

"Look who's there," he said and Mona approached them and lowered onto his other leg. "My two most precious women," he said and kissed Mona before he placed another kiss on Kalea's head. Mona stroked through his hair and watched her daughter with a motherly lovely smile.

Kalea was babbling and Mona laughed as she said, "She'll be a very talkative girl, that's for sure!"

"Like her mother," he added with a cheeky grin.

"The royal family sitting on the throne. I didn't expect to be welcomed like this," a stranger's voice suddenly spoke up.

They looked up and saw a tall, blonde young elf right in front of them. He wore green and brown clothes and light shoes. He was equipped with a bow and quiver, as well as a white knife at his belt.

"Who are you?" Thorin asked suspiciously though that elf's face was somewhat familiar to him.

"My name is Legolas Greenleaf and I'm a messenger from my father, King Thranduil of Northern Mirkwood—"

"We know very well who Thranduil is," Thorin replied a bit harsher. He remembered the time in his prison and their dangerous escape from it before he added, "Why are you here, Prince of Mirkwood?"

Legolas smiled as his gaze drifted to Kalea and Mona. "I came because a friend of our told me to do."

"What friend?" Thorin asked curiously.

"Gandalf the Grey," the elf replied with a soft smile on his handsome face.

Mona and Thorin exchanged a surprised but also quite concerned look.

"You met Gandalf?" she asked.

"Yes, and he told me to come here and have a talk with you. Something dark is going to happen."

"What are you talking about?" Thorin asked again.

Legolas stepped a bit closer without any sound before he replied, "The Eye of Sauron is focusing. It is just a matter of time until his army will raise and bring death and sorrow to Middle Earth."

"Why are you telling us this? We can't prevent this," Thorin growled.

The elf's gaze drifted to the little girl. Thorin was very well aware of that and pressed his daughter closer against his chest.

"She will not be put in danger," he growled.

Legolas watched him. "Not now, but soon she will be an important part of the rising war. I can't tell you anything more by now for this is the only information I have. You will hear from Gandalf again when the time has come."

The elf turned and left Erebor again. Mona was highly concerned about that news.

"That elf! That filthy son of Thranduil! How dare he comes here to tell such lies!" Thorn bellowed and Mona lifted Kalea up on her arms. The girl cried a bit and he immediately stopped growling and whispered,

"I'm sorry—don't cry, my love." He placed a kiss on her forehead and she calmed down a bit.

"What happened?" Kili and Fili approached them. They had seen the elf leaving the mountain.

"Who was that elf?" Kili asked.

"That was King Thranduil's son," Thorin replied still a bit angry.

"What did he want?" Fili asked.

"Telling lies!"

Mona added, "He said that a war is going to rise and that we will hear from Gandalf again when the time is right and—that Kalea will be an important part of the war."

"No!" the brothers called in unison.

They all stood silent for a while and the only sound that filled the air was Kalea's quiet sobbing.