Kili's eyes narrowed to slits. He couldn't believe that his brother had left Erebor to marry the barmaid from the Green Dragon Inn and apparently had four children with her. "So, it's true! You arrived here with the refugees from the Shire. I wasn't sure if you dared to come here."
Fili swallowed and pulled his family even closer. "Kili, it's good to see you. Of course I'm here with my family. I have nowhere else to go. Please, you mustn't tell Thorin. I worry that he'll kill me or my children."
Kili snorted once again. Suddenly he wondered if these truly were Fili's children. "You're children? Do you really believe that these bastards are yours? You can't be serous."
Fili looked at his brother with wide eyes. "Of course they are my children! Lili, Vili and Ruby look like me and Tulip looks like a dwarf as well. Who do you think might be their father?"
Kili cocked an eyebrow at his older brother. "How am I supposed to know who the little tavern wench spends her time with. I've heard she's close to Mister Baggins and he's probably not the only one she-"
The younger dwarf's insults were interrupted by Fili's shout. "How dare you say such terrible things?! You of all people should know that's it's possible for dwarves to have children with females of another race. Amad told me that Tauriel was with child. How is my niece or nephew?"
Suddenly Kili was even more furious than before. "Do you enjoy torturing me? I'm sure Amad told you, that Tauriel lost the child during the pregnancy. The elves say it happened because of the dwarvish blood."
Poppy, who had stayed silent the whole time, whispered with tears in her eyes. "That's terrible. I'm so sorry for you. We didn't mean to cause you any harm. But please don't tell your uncle."
Fili nodded. "Kili, I'm sorry! Amad never told me. I thought you had a child."
"Well, actually we have a son called Ronon. But he's an elfling. His father died in the Battle of the Five Armis and his mother sailed west shortly after his birth." Tauriel announced arrogantly. Then she looked down at her husband. "Thanks to Kili and his child I will never be able to be with child again."
Kili sighed sadly and then looked down at his feet. "You know that this was an accident. I've never meant to hurt you." He mumbled.
Poppy watched her brother-in-law closely. She felt sorry for the young dwarf. She was sure that the elf blamed him for what had happened. But of course this wasn't Kili's fault. The hobbit remembered the first few months of her marriage to Fili. She had blamed herself for their lack of a child but she would have said that it was Fili's fault. Poppy couldn't understand how any female who loved her husband could do such terrible things. She wanted to help Kili but she also knew that there was nothing she could do.
Fili seemed to know what she thought and squeezed his wife's hand slightly. Then he noticed that his little ones trembled in fear. Ruby whimpered in her mother's arms. He cleared his throat. "Kili, I'm really sorry! I beg you once again. Please don't tell uncle. And-" he but his lip "could you tell us where we can sleep? We need some rest."
Kili nodded since he didn't want to argue with Tauriel in front of them. His brother and his perfect family didn't have to know about his problems. "The guard will bring you to your room. As far as Thorin is concerned. I won't inform him immediately but soon. King Thranduil has to decide about if but uncle will find out sooner or later anyways and I won't let him punish me. I'm an ambassador here and it is my duty to inform him about what happens here."
"Thank you, Kili." Fili said and Poppy tried to smile at him.
Moments later the family were escorted to their room. When the door closed Fili screamed in anger. He couldn't understand what had became of his brother. This wasn't the Kili he used to know for 77 years. He wondered if the elf had really enchanted him back in Lake Town. He was pulled out of his dark thoughts be the cries of his children.
Poppy kneeled in front of them and tried to comfort them but this was difficult with the crying Ruby in her arms.
Fili kneeled down next to them and stroked their hair. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you. But Papa can't understand why your uncle behaves like that."
Lili, Vili and Tulip wrapped their arms tightly around their father and cried.
"Who is uncle?" Lili asked after a while.
"Kili, the other dwarf we talked to is your uncle. But unfortunately he doesn't like us." Fili explained sadly.
The dwobbit frowned but then smiled. "We have uncle Bilbo. That's enough."
Fili and Poppy chuckled. "Aye, he's the best uncle ever."
They stayed like that for a few more minutes. Then Fili put his three older children in one of the beds and sang for them until they fell asleep. Poppy fed Ruby and then put her in a basket that had been provided as a cot.
She stood behind her husband, who still sat on the edge of the bed, and rubbed his shoulders.
Fili sighed and let his head fall back against her chest. "I should do that for you and not the other way around."
Poppy shook her head and kissed him. "Just relax. This has been a difficult day for all of us but especially for you, my love." She kissed him again and pulled of his tunic. She trailed her fingers along the many scars on his upper body and kissed them. Then she put an ointment on them. Beorn had given it to her since Fili's injuries still hurt sometimes.
Fili closed his eyes and sometimes moaned quietly. He had missed his wife's soft fingers on his skin and the ointment felt wonderful, too.
When Poppy was finished he pulled her onto his lap. He cupped her face and kissed her passionately. "I love you so much, my flower."
"I love you even more." Poppy said with a smile and caressed his beard.
Fili kissed her again and carried her to the second bed. He laid down with Poppy in his arms and pulled her close against his body. They talked about Kili for some time. Fili still couldn't understand why he behaved like that and told his wife more about him. Poppy felt sorry for the younger dwarf. She was sure that her brother-in-law's behaviour was caused by his wife. So far all elves she had met had been nice but she didn't like her at all. Also she didn't undestand why the elf seemed to hate her and her little ones. They had done nothing wrong. She liked the term dwobbits for them but 'mixed blooded' sounded like a terrible insult.
I'm sorry for the late update and the short chapter. I don't have much time to write at the moment but I wanted to give you at least something. I will try to update sooner the next time.
Thanks again for the reviews, follows and favourites. You make me really happy.
