The Birthday Goose

"Oh, Bloody-Fili!" Dwalin turned and barked at the eldest boy he was supposed to be watching and sighed in frustration, "where's your sister gone?!"

Fili rather innocently looked down at his left side as though he expected Dru to still be standing where he'd last seen her.

But alas, he'd taken his eyes off of her for more than ten seconds and she'd snuck away.

Again.

"Oh, bloody balls," his shoulders slumped and he looked up appealingly at Dwalin, "she's slipped away-"

"Again! Bloody Dru!" Kili stopped picking his nose long enough to chime in and Dwalin could only shake his head.

"Just because your mother's not here doesn't mean you get to swear. Not until you learn how to bloody do it," he folded his arms and looked around, "alright, spread out and find the food stalls. She'll be around where there are pastries."

"I did see Cinnamon rolls over that way earlier," the eldest boy turned from him and made to walk away, but stuck around long enough when Dwalin called after him.

"Remember, if you find her or get lost, just-"

"Come back to the stall with the fish chimes!" He nodded and gave a thumbs-up, "gotcha'!"

Kili, whilst wanting to go with his elder brother, stayed by Dwalin's side and looked up at him.

"I bet she's going to be covered in chocolate again. It happened last time when Mum brought us out," he switched from his nose to his ear and began to dig around as he looked about, "all the ladies said she was the 'sweetest thing they'd ever seen'. She also got chocolates for us in her pockets, but it was all melted by the time she got home."

Kili continued to ramble on and Dwalin had to ask himself: why had he offered to care for the children today?

Ah, yes.

Because when he said he was going to get smithing supplies and asked Dis if there was anything she needed, she'd shoved the children out of the door, told him to entertain them for the day and then, shut and locked the door in his face.

He could have left them outside their house, but each was giving him an eager little look and Kili HAD held up his money pouch and said, 'I can buy us all jellied eels!' which had won Dwalin over.

But now, he'd gone from three children to two and he was starting to panic. Had Dru really gone off on her own again? What if she'd run into trouble? Or someone had taken her?! Or-

"Found her!"

He turned about with a sigh of relief and saw Fili coming straight back over. But surprisingly, whilst he said he had found her, she was actually nowhere in sight.

"Where is she?"

Fili pointed over his shoulder with his thumb and rolled his eyes.

"She won't come. I tried to pick her up, but she did that limp thing and when I tried to drag her away, she stuck her fingers up my nose," he rubbed at his sore nose and grimaced, "said she wanted to watch the pretty flute glow."

Dwalin furrowed his brow, but since they weren't getting anywhere just standing about, he just grunted and strode on by Fili.

It wasn't that Dru intended to cause trouble, but it followed her around and usually, that meant dragging someone else into it.

And if Dwalin returned home with a sticky/dirty/bedraggled daughter for Dis...well, she'd have his bollocks.

"Over there," Fili quickly sped up to point out to him the shop front where Dru was.

Lo and behold, the little dwarf child in her dirty tunic, tatty skirt (and trousers underneath) was sucking on her thumb and staring at something that Dwalin could not see.

As he came to stand by her, she turned and looked up at him, but did not apologise or even look sorry.

"Look!" She pointed and turned back, her voice full of awe, "that flute is glowing at the end!"

Dwalin, not taking any chances that she might suddenly runoff, easily picked her up and held her up so she could still see what was happening.

When he looked inside at the 'glowing flute' he recognised the shopkeeper, Magda, as a dear old friend and knew instantly what it was Dru was watching.

"That's no flute, lass. They're making," he squinted at the end of the pipe as it began to take a large, orb shape, "perhaps a vase."

"They make vases with flutes?!" She sounded a little disbelieving and Dwalin could only chuckle.

"That's a pipe. They heat it up and create different items with it. It's called glassblowing."

"Like what?" She absently began to play with a thick braid in his hair as she watched the female Dwarf in the shop turn and shape the end of the 'flute' with tongs.

"Vases."

Dru rolled her eyes and scowled at Fili's simple, smartarse comment.

"I mean WHAT ELSE can they make?"

"Allsorts," Dwalin thought carefully of everything she knew or would recognise as glass, "those special type of windows with colours painted on them. Cups. Lantern parts. Sculptures-"

"You know that little flower that mam has in her room?" Kili interjected and Dru nodded.

"The pretty red one!"

"A friend made that for her years ago because she said she liked roses," Fili began to stare absently at the work being done, the light reflecting in his baby blue eyes.

"Soooooo," Dru bit her lip as she thought about what she wanted to say, "if someone likes something...ANYTHING can be made into a glass scul-sculpchair?"

Everybody let out a quiet chuckle at her little slip, but nobody corrected her.

"Almost anything," he heard the hustle and bustle behind him and remembered the reason he had come to market today, "come on, let's get the parts and head off-"

"Uncle Dwa'," Dru asked with eyes wide as he turned away, "when you next come out to market, can I come with you again?"

"We'll see."

Of course, Dwalin couldn't refuse her when, the very next day, she turned up at his door with a packed lunch for herself AND for him.

Dis knew his weakness of Strawberry jam and Marmalade sandwiches and the little girl sealed the deal by saying she would share hers with him, 'since you're taking me out.'

He actually did not need anything, but he knew where Dru wanted to go as soon as she gave his hand a tug towards Magda's shop.

Magda had originally been a soldier of Erebor, but like the others had fled when the dragon attacked.

Once her father had passed away, she took up his old trade and whilst people did not come from other towns or regions to get her stuff, she was still popular that those that knew her would always come to get gifts for their friends and family.

On the first day they visited, Magda was not especially busy, but since she had visitors, she lit up her kiln and got to work making some cups for an order.

Dru was so well behaved, sitting quietly and observing, that Dwalin thought she'd fallen asleep at one point.

But she just watched the glass glow beautifully.

And so, a small routine was formed.

Dru would go to Dwalin and he would take her into town to watch Magda create something she deemed 'magical.'

After a few days, she offered her help and would obediently fetch little things whilst Dwalin and Magda talked.

After another few days, when they walked straight into her shop, Dru walked straight up to where Magda was seated and deposited a tiny pouch on the table in front of her.

"I'd like to buy your services, please."

Dwalin and Magda watched, amused as Dru carefully emptied each item that was in the pouch.

There were two small copper coins, one old faded silver, a button and a gleaming, brand new gold one.

"Where did you get that?" He asked curiously and Dru picked it up with her small, podgy fingers.

"I told Mam I wanted to get someone a gift and she said that if I was REALLY good and went out and dug up a patch of weeds then the fairies would leave me something under my pillow. And when I woke up, it was there!"

Dwalin loved the way she spoke with such awe.

"Aye'. I see. And who is this gift for? Your Mam?"

She held out the coin to Magda and shook her head.

"Mm-mm. It's Uncle Thorin's birthday soon! And I would very much like you to make him something! Please."

Magda chewed on the liquorice root and smiled pleasantly.

"Very well," she held out her hand and allowed the little girl to place the gold coin onto her palm, "what would you like? Bear in mind, it will be very small."

"How small?"

"You'll be able to hold it in both of your hands."

As Dru pulled her hands back, she scratched her chin thoughtfully, playing with the little wisps and curls that grew there.

"He likes a lot of stuff, but I don't know what he likes BEST," she pouted and looked up at Dwalin, "would he like a wolf? Or a BIG troll?"

Dwalin smiled down at her and shrugged his shoulders.

"I think maybe you should start with a smaller creature, maybe. Simple."

"I CAN make a wolf, but usually, people give animal gifts to what they would see in their friends or family," she gave Dwalin a little wink and added, "like Dwalin here would be a big bear. Or a kitten, depending on his mood."

Dru looked up at Dwalin and squinted.

"You DO look like a big hairy bear-HUH!" She spun around and jiggled excitedly up and down, "I KNOW, I KNOW! Can you make a goose?!"

Magda and Dwalin both shared the same bemused look, though when she looked at him for an answer, he could only shrug.

"Aye'...but why a goose, if I may ask?"

Dru suddenly began to giggle ecstatically.

"Because Mam says Thorin is a silly goose!"

Dwalin tried to cover his mouth and turn away as he snorted in amusement, but Magda distracted Dru by holding out her hand.

"If you're sure, a goose it is!"

Dru placed her tiny hand in hers and shook it happily.

"Are you going to make it today?"

"Hmmm," Magda dropped her hand and thought for a moment, "I have a few more orders to see to, but I can start yours...Tuesday morning at the earliest."

"Can I come and watch?" Dru fiddled with her lighter pouch, scooping her coins and button back inside.

"Of course. You can even help."

Dru's eyes went wide for a moment.

"I can blow the flute thingy?"

Dwalin, having regained his composure, turned around and rubbed Dru's frazzled curls.

"Maybe," he didn't promise because he knew, if she blabbed about 'playing with fire' to Dis, he'd be in a lot of trouble.

A LOT of trouble.

Xx Home xX

Dru pulled up the little woollen cap her mother had knitted for her and gazed and marvelled at the tiny ornament she had hidden away.

She couldn't believe that this little goose had been created in front of her and SHE'D had a hand in helping make it!

She'd gone with Dwalin to Magda again and helped pick the light blue glass that was going to be used.

AND, since she'd asked so nicely and SWORE not to tell her Mam, Magda even let her have a 'big blow' on the pipe, though Dru had made sure to keep going, even when they told her to stop.

It did make her feel a little dizzy after that and Dwalin had picked her up and deposited her on the bench at the side so she 'didn't pass out' or anything that would make her mother get mad at him.

As Magda began to form and cool the glass, Dwalin and Dru munched away on the sweet, cream-filled bread her mother had made.

They even saved a slither at Magda's request, though Dru had promised she'd definitely bring her mother's famous fruit cake for her to try.

As soon as the goose had been cooled, prepared and cleaned, Magda had placed the finished product in Dru's little hands.

She'd never held something so small and magical before. If she hadn't seen it created, she would have sworn Magda was a witch of some kind.

"Wow," she'd said in awe, "you made this!"

"I did. And you helped," the elder woman had replied and Dru could only think of one word to say.

"Wow."

She'd held it so carefully in her hands all the way home and walked slowly, but apparently, Dwalin had lost patience and he'd picked her up and carried her all the back to her house.

Once inside, she eagerly showed it off to Fili, Kili and her Mam, but refused to relinquish it.

"Uncle Thorin has to hold it first!"

Her brothers had tried to point out that SHE was technically holding it first, but their mother had just scolded them and made them continue with chores.

She'd placed it on her bedside table and hoping her Uncle would not come into her room to find his present, hidden it under her hat.

But today, it was finally time to give it to him.

Today was his birthday and she was shaking with excitement.

She just knew he'd find it funny and cute and maybe he'd stop being so scary looking at her all the time.

She'd excused herself from his birthday dinner (especially made by Dis) and picked up the goose.

"Come on, let's go!" She whispered to it and slowly made her way back through the house, holding the goose close to her chest.

Kili and Thorin were still seated at the table, Kili telling him about an exciting new book he'd read, whilst Dis and Fili were up and moving plates to and from the table, getting ready for dessert.

Dru went slowly and quietly over to her Uncle and since his back was to her, she held up the goose so he could see it when he looked down.

"Uncle Thorin!"

As he turned slowly towards her, she felt a swell of pride and excitement inside her.

She was so happy with herself, she didn't realise she was standing too close.

He turned and his arm came out to grab the back of his chair, unfortunately knocking her open hand.

Dru let out a small gasp as the goose practically flew out of her hands and fell to the side.

"No!" She watched in horror as the small figure sailed downwards and connected with the floor.

Its neck separated from the body, but its torso remained intact. It lay in two broken pieces on the floor and for a moment, silence descended in the small house.

"No," Dru let out a little whine and took one step toward it, but Fili suddenly looped his arm around her waist and hoisted her up.

"Piglet, you've got no shoes on, you'll cut yourself-"

"Druili, what did you break now?!" Thorin suddenly stood up and walked over to the item, not noticing Dru's (or anyone else's) shocked expressions at his harsh tone.

He knelt down and scooped up the two pieces.

He couldn't quite fathom what the creature was meant to be and turned them about in his hands.

"Well, it's small at least, but not that important," he turned around and held them out so she could see the damage, "child, you need to be more careful."

Another silence descended over the house and Thorin suddenly felt very awkward as he looked at everyone's faces.

His sister had turned ashen white and it looked as though she were about to break into a freak rage.

Kili bit his lip nervously and Fili was actually glaring at him.

And Dru...she looked utterly heartbroken.

She suddenly tore her gaze from his and wiggled free from her big brother's grasp.

"Dru, sweetheart-" Dis had barely taken a step forward before her daughter threw her head back and let out a loud wail.

Wanting to hide her tears, she ran out of the room as fast as she could.

She wasn't fast enough because the last thing she heard before she slammed her door shut just made her cry harder.

"What is this anyway?"

A short while later...

Dis had finally managed to calm and soothe her daughter to the point she was no longer crying. She'd hushed her worries and told her that 'silly Uncle Thorin didn't mean it', but it was no good.

The only goose in the house was Dru.

That's how she felt.

A very silly goose.

Even after Dis had picked her up and took her back into the kitchen, where Thorin was very polite and apologetic about his reaction to his birthday present, Dru had just shrugged her shoulders and stuck her thumb into her mouth.

She didn't know who cleared the mess away, but by the time the cake was cut, it was gone.

She'd made a vow to herself that day and whilst she was only seven years old, she kept it.

She'd never made him anything 'so silly' again.

Xx Erebor xX

"So, what are you getting the old goat?"

Dru snorted into her cup and gave her mother a sharp look.

"You waited until I was taking a sip to call him that."

"Don't change the subject," her mother took her eyes off of her to glance down at Thora in her arms, "have you thought of what to get him?"

Dru took her time as she lost herself in thought, staring at the image of her mother doting over her first grandchild.

"He's got everything he wants right now. And nothing he really needs," she took a sip of her water and thought some more, "you usually end up getting him something good. Any ideas?"

"Why don't you make him something?" Her mother talked to her as she smoothed out Thora's small tuft of red-gold hair, "he always liked your handmade gifts when you were little."

"Pfft," Dru scoffed and shook her head, "he only pretended to. And anyway, you know I stopped after that sodding goose incident."

Dru still felt flush with embarrassment at the way she had worked so hard on it, but Thorin had dismissed it so easily.

Her mother was silent for a long time before a smile crept over her face.

Looking down at her granddaughter, she addressed Dru.

"Sweetheart, go over to my vanity. Third drawer down, tucked at the back in the red and green fabric. Have a look."

Dru was curious as to what her mother was up to but she knew she wouldn't get her to look away from Thora.

And who could blame her?

'She's bloody gorgeous,' she thought proudly and stood up and strode up to the vanity.

She followed her mother's instructions and when she pulled out the small bundle of red and green fabric, she wondered if this was meant as a gift for Thorin.

She made her way back over to her mother as she unwrapped the fabric, but stopped short at the contents inside.

Laying there, still in two broken pieces, was the goose.

Dru couldn't believe it.

"Mam, you kept this?" She said, touched that her mother still held such a thing with great sentimental value.

"No, actually," she finally looked back up at her with a small, honest smile, "your Uncle did."

'What?!'

'"What?!" Dru squawked out but slapped her hand over her mouth when her daughter stirred.

"Your Uncle Thorin kept it. He was truly sorry for what he had done, but he surprised me when I found that," she nodded her head at the bundle, "apparently, he'd fished it out of the rubbish and hidden it with his stuff. He must have intended to get it fixed and just forgotten."

Dru was listening but she was also staring at the small goose that for so many years, had haunted her.

"He-he kept this?" She said, shocked and stupefied that he'd done such a thing.

"He can still surprise us after all these years. So, you see, you should make him something. I think he'll appreciate it greatly. And speaking of great appreciation, I'm sure YOU young lady, will be happy once I clean and change you!"

Dru blinked a few times and realised her mother was talking to Thora.

"I can take her-"

"No," Dis shook her head and stood up, "I've done this twice with Kili and Fili. You...you go off where you need to go."

Dru knew her mother was giving her a pass and watched as she walked away.

Thora would be fine, she knew that.

But SHE needed to attend to something now.

She glanced down at the goose and licked her lips nervously.

"Ok. Let's go see him."

Xx The King's study xX

The frantic knocking on Thorin's door actually startled him, but before he even had a chance to call them in, it swung open and his niece entered hurriedly.

"Dru?" He sensed something was wrong as she quickly shut the door behind her without even so much as a 'hello' or 'we need to talk', "Is everything alright?"

When she turned back to him, all her words fled.

She'd been trying to frantically think of all the things she wanted and wanted to ask.

But as she stared at him, his face full of concern and worry, they stuck swift in her throat.

She walked closer to him, quietly.

And he gently reached out, his hands on her shoulders.

"Is it-"

"You goose!"

Her arms were suddenly about him, holding him closer and Thorin almost fell clean over with her on top of him.

"Goose?" He asked her, perplexed as to why she was suddenly declaring him poultry (rather than a farm animal).

"Yes! You! Goose!"

She pulled away and held out her hands.

Thorin gazed down at the pieces and let out a small gasp.

"Where did you-"

"You kept them. Mam found them in your room...back in Ered Luin," Dru was still stumped, "you kept it after all this time?! THIS silly bloody thing?!"

Thorin shook his head and places his hands underneath her own.

"It's not silly. I-I didn't appreciate it when you gave it to me. And I never said thank you for it," he smirked at her and revealed something she had never known before, "Dwalin gave me quite a beating at our training for what I did to you. He told me everything and whilst I was still a stubborn old goat at the time, I knew this was important. And it became important to me."

Gently, he took the two pieces off of her and placed the broken ends together.

"I wanted to get it fixed but kept putting it off. And I think I know why," he licked his lips nervously and gazed into her eyes, "it was because I was scared that if you found out, it would mean something I wasn't ready for. It took all those years and my head clearing to finally figure out that I was ready and I wanted it."

Dru knew what he meant.

And suddenly, she had a bright idea.

She reached back and plucked the two pieces of out his grasp with a secretive smile.

"I'll see you later," just before she left, she tiptoed up and kissed him on the cheek, "and don't worry about it. It'll be all fixed now."

Thorin did see Dru later, but she said no more on the subject.

It all made sense when, the next day, on his birthday, he was presented with the usual wide variety of presents.

And amongst them, in a tiny box which his niece presented to him, was a small, glass goose.

Whole.

She quietly explained how it was easy to get it repaired, but that he didn't have to be so careful with it.

"Somehow, I don't think this will be so easy to break," she'd nodded her head towards Gandalf, who had come to Erebor for the first time in years, but Thorin was not paying attention.

A strange shimmer seemed to swim through the glass, but then...it was gone.

And the King of Erebor, in front of his kingdom, his family and dearest friends, grabbed his niece and swung her about the place as though she were a child again.

The small, slightly cracked goose, took a spot and sat proudly on the king's desk in his study. And would never be moved or broken.