Bedtime Stories
"Ah! Dru your hair is in my eye!" Kili cried out and Dru felt her hair being fluffed and shoved aside.
"Sorry," she offered apologetically as she shuddered, "I'm just trying to get closer. It's so cold, Mam."
"I know sweetheart," Dis tugged the blanket around her daughter a little tighter, trying her hardest to get her warm, "but there's not much I can do I'm afraid. I promise you lot, I'll chop more firewood tomorrow and make sure it's dried out."
Dis had unfortunately discovered earlier that day that the firewood that would have lit the fire and warmed the entire house that night, was wet and unable to get lit. Despite their best attempts, the fire just wouldn't light and since it was now too late to chop more wood and the children were getting tired, she had no choice but to bundle them up in their thickest pyjamas and cram them all in her bed.
So now, she had Dru pressed tightly against her in a blanket, Kili just behind her and Fili on the other side, though he had been a little reluctant to clamber in since he was 'too old', but the promise of a decent night's sleep and warm toes had won him over.
"Sorry Mam, I was going to do it earlier," Fili said, feeling guilt he had missed his chore, "I didn't get back from training in time. I'll do it tomorrow."
"That's my lamb," she reached her hand out and gently patted his cheek, "you're very good, though it's not your fault. Thorin's a bossy boot, that's all."
They all went quiet again as they tried to get to sleep, but a strange noise filled the room and for a moment, no one knew what it was.
Until Kili realised the source was actually his little sister.
"I can hear your teeth, Piglet."
"My-my feet are cold," her teeth continued to chatter and she attempted to tighten herself into a ball, though that didn't seem to be helping her at all.
Then Fili, ever the bright one, had an idea.
He began to wiggle about, shuffling his legs up and down and rubbing them on the bed below.
"Fili-" Dis went to question her son, but he suddenly let out a loud laugh and continued his movements.
"Everyone! It warms you up!" He encouraged his siblings and whilst Dru seemed a little bemused, she started wiggling also.
Soon, Dis's bed was filled with three wiggling little bodies and despite the cold, she felt a little cheerier as her kids began to giggle and laugh. And funnily enough, Fili was right, for, after two solid minutes of wiggling about continuously, they all stopped and laid down content.
"Brilliant Idea Fi'!" Kili actually reached up to his brow and wiped a little sweat off, "I'm toasty!"
"I can feel my toes again!" Dru proclaimed happily, wiggling her little piggies happily.
"Well, we best have a story to get to sleep before the cold sets in and you all start wiggling again," Dru snuggled down and decided to retell her one of her favourite stories, "do you remember the time I told you about the pony race I, Frerin and Thorin had?"
"Outside the mountain?! Yes, tell it again!" Her daughter snuggled against her mother, shutting her eyes so she could prepare herself for sleep.
Dis pulled her kids safe against her, recounting stories from her childhood. They all fell asleep, warm and happy and against the bitter cold, she had to score herself a point. Or at least, score Fili one.
Five years later...
"Mam, what was Thorin like when he was my age?"
"Stubborn as he always is. But quiet and hard-working," Dis smiled at her daughter and let out a small laugh, "except when it came to food. He'd steal food and pinch it from the kitchen when he thought no one was looking, but everyone knew. He had a particular fondest for our maid Matilda's pie."
"What kind of pie?" Dru snuggled into her mother's bed throw and tried to imagine what pie her Uncle favoured back then, "Berry? Or Apple? Or Chicken?!"
"Blueberry, of course," Dis's hand came out from under the covers and gently pushed back her daughter's curls, "just like now. He loved it so much, I learnt to bake it when we came here. So he could always have a little slice of home."
"That's lovely," her daughter sighed contently and shut her eyes, but more because she was so relaxed, "this is lovely as well. We get the bed ALL to ourselves!"
Dis couldn't help but smile at the alone time she had with her daughter. Since Fili and Kili were both adamant they were too 'grown-up' to share their mother's bed, it was now just down to Dru whenever she felt cold or sad or sometimes, just longed to be near her mother.
Tonight, she'd just wanted to crawl in and have another chat with her and Dis couldn't help but notice how quickly her daughter was growing up as well.
That did make her a little sad, but she also looked forward to the young woman she would become.
"It is nice to spend time with you," her fingers threaded into her daughter's hair and gently soothed away any worries she may have had, "but you're going to be a big girl too one day and soon, you won't want to sleep in my bed either."
"No, that won't EVER happen!" Dru opened her eyes and shook her head vehemently at her mother, "you're the bestest Mam EVER, I won't grow up!"
"We all have to grow up at some point," she laughed at her daughter's stubborn glare, "Fili and Kili just grew up a bit faster, that's all. You can take your time."
"Well, it doesn't matter how much I grow, I'll ALWAYS want to share a bed with you," to prove her words true, she wiggled herself closer to Dis and hugged her tightly, to which Dis could only hold her daughter back and sigh contently.
"Bless you, my little girl."
Six years later...
Of course, Dru HAD to grow up a little bit and didn't wish to burden her mother when she felt scared some nights. Especially during Thunderstorms.
But even as an elder girl, who others would call 'mature' she still looked after her mother when she needed her.
Unfortunately, Dis had caught a bad cold that had been going around for a while and whilst she's soldiered on the first few days, carrying on as though nothing was amiss, by the third day she could barely move about she was so ill.
Her children had taken run of the house as she attempted to rest, but by night, her coughing and fever were so bad, that Dru had to stay up with her, ensuring she drank plenty of water and was kept cool until her fever went down.
Even when she crept in beside her, she stayed awake until the early hours of the morning, using her cool hands to press against her mother's hot skin.
And when her mother began to stir, she would talk to her. She would tell her stories that she already knew, just to soothe and calm her.
Dru rarely slept in her mother's bed after that, but some nights she just wanted to check on her and catch up.
The sickness had shaken her and...he loved her mother. She loved the time she spent with her awake and asleep.
And it wouldn't be until many years later, that she understood how her mother felt.
Xx Erebor xX
A sharp crack of thunder broke out and sounded loudly through the mountain again, but whilst Dru did wake up slightly startled, she did not bolt straight up and out of bed.
She was no longer terrified or thunderstorms, especially when she felt the warmth and safety of her husband's embrace.
"Are you alright?" He whispered from above, obviously feeling her waken even though she barely moved.
"I'm fine. Back to sleep," she turned her head slightly to place a quick kiss against his bare chest, before shutting her eyes and urging herself back to sleep.
But sleep would not come straight away to either and for a few moments, they laid there in silence, content to just listen to one another's breathing.
And then the door to their chamber, that adjourned to their children's room, opened so suddenly that they did both turn and look at who had come running in.
Thora immediately sprang at the bed and leapt onto her mother's side.
"Thora, sweetheart?" Dru queried as her eldest tugged at the blankets and crawled quickly under.
"It's alright, I came to check on you!" Thora latched onto her mother's side and buried her head against her, "I know it's scary!"
Dru had been open with Thora about her fear for Thunder and Lightning, but as her arms came around her child's back, she could feel her shuddering beneath her.
She was scared.
"Thora," Dru said gently as she turned herself onto her side and hugged her daughter against her, "it's alright, I'm right here-"
"I know, I'm here to keep you safe!" Her daughter whimpered when another loud crack sounded overhead.
"I'll go check on Freyja and Bror," Fili scooted out of the bed, quickly tugging the blankets around Dru and Thora, "we might have to shove them in with us if they're awake."
As Fili went off, Dru did her best to hush and soothe her daughter.
"Thora, dearest, you don't have to worry. The Thunder and lightning don't scare me anymore," she pressed kisses to the top of her daughter's head since her face was now buried in her mother's chest, "but it's very kind of you to think of me."
Thora, feeling a surge of bravery coarse through her, looked up and jutted her chin out at Dru.
"I'll ALWAYS protect you, mummy! Even if you're not scared!"
Dru felt her own overwhelming surge of love towards her daughter at her brave words. Even if she was only there to keep herself safe, she did feel that Thora truly wanted to protect her as well.
And as she held her daughter tightly against her as another crack of thunder sounded around them, she kissed her head and sent out a quiet, personal prayer to her mother for all those times she'd kept her safe and happy and just talked with her.
"Bless you, my little girl."
XXXXXXX
A short ditty written for mother's day since it's in a few days in the UK. Also, my week quarantine starts today so yaaaaaaay, stay safe!
