Chapter 4

Kili's shoulders slumped a bit. "You're sure there's nothing for me to do?" he asked. "No dignitaries that need greeted, no inspections to repair work that need looked over, no storerooms that need inventoried, nothing that needs guarded, no boring meetings?"

Balin looked up from his paperwork, his eyebrows climbing up his forehead a bit. "Really, Your Highness. There's nothing that I have for you to do. Go. Find Tauriel. Enjoy your free time now while you can. Once the snow finishes melting in the next month or so we'll all have far too much to do."

Smothering a sigh, Kili left Balin's office and started wandering the mountain. Where could he go where he could be useful? He made his way to the public areas and started looking for other members of the Company. He found Dwalin first.

"Sorry Lad," Dwalin said, "but I can't have you on guard duty anymore, not now that you're a prince."

"What are you talking about?" Kili asked with a grin even as the pit of his stomach dropped. "I've always been a prince."

Dwalin shook his head. "Not like you are now. Now the Line of Durin has a mountain again. I can send you out on the occasional patrol but general guard duty? It's not going to happen. The work's beneath your station."

Something told Kili he was going to learn to hate those words very quickly as he left the guardhouse and Dwalin's presence.

Bofur smiled when Kili found him. "I'd love to have you along but I'm afraid I can't. Not today. The area's too dangerous and, though you've strong stone sense, you're untrained for this kind of work. You work too much on instinct."

"Thanks anyway," Kili said. He looked towards where he knew the craftsman halls resided. A few of the smithies had been repaired so they had the resources to work on the mountain and other supplies but that was about all. The glaziers and glass blowers workshops hadn't been touched yet. He itched to see what materials lay in those abandoned tunnels but knew better than to venture that way by himself. As Bofur had said, he had good stone sense but he was untrained. Too many jobs guarding caravans and not enough time under a mountain.

He walked past the kitchens, pausing slightly before shaking his head. No. He'd better not go in there. Not after the last time. He had a feeling Bombur would kick him out without ceremony, prince or not.

"Prince Kili!"

He paused in his footsteps towards the infirmary, his thoughts of checking on Tauriel in her new capacity as one of Oin's assistants stopping as he turned. Bard's youngest daughter Tilda ran up to him, a huge grin on her face.

"If it isn't my favorite Bardling," he greeted as she jumped into his arms to give him a hug. "Don't tell your brother and sister I said that," he added as she leaned away from him.

"I heard that."

Kili looked up and saw Bain following his little sister at a much more sedate pace.

"Heard what?" Kili asked. "I didn't say anything except 'hello'."

Bain just shook his head, a small smile tugging at the corners of his unwilling mouth.

That age, Kili realized. Too old to find silly jokes funny but too young to really mean it.

Tilda giggled and hugged Kili again.

"Not that I'm not thrilled to see you," Kili said as he set her down, "but what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at lessons or helping your father with something?"

"Lessons are over for the day and Da's in a meeting with your uncle," Bain said.

Kili's eyebrows rose a bit. "Is he now?"

Tilda bounced a bit next to him. "Yes," she chirped happily. "The snow is starting to melt. Da's asking King Thorin for aid once the road is clear. He wants to send people out to Dale and see what can be rebuilt and if there's somewhere we can all stay while we work."

Work, Kili thought. Real work. Not sitting in pointless meetings. Not pretending he didn't know Bilbo was cleaning up rooms for his family. Not wandering Erebor in search of something, anything, he could do.

"Where are they?" he asked eagerly.

"One of the council rooms," Tilda said as her eyebrows came together and her lower lip stuck out a touch in a confused pout. Kili couldn't help but smile wider. Adorable little child. The mountain needed more her age running around.

"I think you two just helped me out a great deal," he said and started heading toward the council rooms. It wouldn't take too long to figure out where he needed to go. He'd find either Gloin or Bifur standing outside the right door. "I'll talk to you later. With any luck, I'll be tagging along to Dale."

Sure enough, Bifur nodded at him when he neared. "Am I allowed inside?" Kili asked.

Bifur shrugged. "No one told me to keep anyone from entering," he grunted. Kili grinned at him and patted Bifur's shoulder as he passed.

"Prince Kili?" Bard asked when he noticed Kili walk into the room. Luckily, only Bard and Thorin were present.

"Lord Bard," Kili greeted with a short bow. "I hear you're looking to return to Dale?"

Bard's grim expression grew grimmer. "And where do you hear that?"

"Your youngest daughter. She seemed excited with the prospect of getting out of the mountain."

Bard nodded. "Aye, she's been feeling a bit cooped up here, not that we aren't grateful for the generosity you've shown us in allowing us to shelter here for the winter." He inclined his head respectfully in Thorin's direction.

"We've just come to an agreement on the aid we will provide. We only need to decide who will represent Our people," Thorin said.

"If I may, Your Majesty, I'd like to volunteer my services in the matter."

Thorin's eyebrows rose infinitesimally. So small was the reaction, Kili doubted Bard even noticed it. "You understand the duties involved?"

"I have represented our people on more than one occasion," Kili said, reminding Thorin of the times he'd stood in for Thorin for small matters as part of his lessons under Balin. Granted, overseeing a project as large as repairing all of Dale was a bit larger than mediating a dispute between a miner and a coal merchant, but Kili was confident he could handle it. He needed this. If he didn't find something soon, he would find himself one ore vein short of a mine.

Thorin studied him. Trying to hide his desperation, Kili rubbed his chest in a small circle with one hand in the simple Igleshmik sign for "please."

Finally, Thorin nodded. "You may head the project," he said and looked to Bard, "as long as it is agreeable to you, Lord Bard."

Kili looked over at Bard, his eyebrows raised slightly in confident expectancy. They hadn't interacted much beyond Kili writhing in pain and sickness on his kitchen table.

It seemed Bard hadn't heard of Kili's reputation for shenanigans or chose to ignore any such rumors. "All right," he said. "I thank you for your aid and willingness to help."

"The road to Dale should be passable for a small party of experienced travelers," Thorin said and looked to Kili after accepting Bard's outstretched hand to seal their agreement. "Prince Kili will take the rest of today to pick those that he think would serve well as a scouting group. They will leave at first light."

"I'll accompany them, if I may," Bard said. "I'd like to take a look at the city when I'm not worried about a dragon, an army, or an impending winter with a town's worth of refugees to keep alive."

The quip of "It's your city" crossed Kili's mind but he squashed the impulse. Instead, he said "Of course. If there are any carpenters, masons, or structural engineers among your people, you might consider asking them to accompany us. Just let me know the numbers so I can make sure we have enough supplies for everyone."

"I'll do that now," Bard said and unfolded his considerable height from his human sized chair. Though not as tall as Thranduil, Bard still made man-sized furniture seem a bit on the short size.

"We will look for your return in a week's time," Thorin said as he came to stand beside Kili. Bard nodded and left the room. When the door was closed, Thorin went back to the table in the middle of the room and set one hand on the stone top. His fingers traced along a scar set into the surface.

"Are you sure you're up to this task?" he asked.

Kili stood his ground, refusing to fidget even though Thorin didn't watch him. "I am, Your Majesty."

Thorin looked up at that, a frown tugging at his lips. "Kili-"

"This is important, Uncle," Kili interrupted. "I understand that. Our relations with the Men aren't exactly friendly at the moment and we need to change that. You and Balin can't be spared. You're keeping Bilbo hidden away from any assassins. Dori's too busy working to keep repairs and inventories and everything else in order here in the mountain. Gloin's busy trying to catalogue the treasury and everyone else isn't qualified, from the Iron Hills, or unable to go." He swallowed at a sudden raspy feeling in his throat and clenched his fists, the only outward side of his frustration with his next words. "I know you'd normally send Fili for something like this-"

"I trust you as much as I trust Fili in such matters," Thorin interrupted. "Never doubt that. Even if his leg were better, I'd still consider sending you instead of him."

"He's the Crown Prince," Kili said and shrugged to hide the hurt. "You can't risk his life as easily as mine."

Thorin's head whipped up and he reached out to snag Kili's arm in a vice-like grip. "Never assume I would trade either of your lives for the other. If I felt the danger was great enough, I would go instead of either of you. I send you in Fili's stead not because of his injury, not because you aren't next in line for the throne, but because you are easier among those not our kind. Your One is an elf for Mahal's sake!"

Kili grasped Thorin's arm just above the elbow. "You always got irritated when I easily struck up conversations with Men we traded with or with those in the caravans we protected."

"I should have seen your ease with them for the advantage it was," Thorin said. "Your charisma may make you more valuable to Erebor than I could have imagined. But that does not mean I only see you as such. You are first and foremost my sister-son. Family. If I ever give you a task you feel unsuited for, speak to me of it and we will find a solution."

"This is one thing I think I can do," Kili said. "It's just recon, after all."

"Recon with Dwarrow and Men," Thorin said. "You will need to keep our people in check around them."

"I won't let you down, Uncle."

"I know," Thorin said and gave Kili's shoulder a squeeze before letting go.

"Now," Kili said and jumped up to sit on the table next to his uncle. "Speaking of Tauriel, there's something I wanted to talk to you about and I'm pretty sure you're not going to like it."

Thorin groaned and sank into a chair. "Is this something I'm going to need to mediate between you and your mother about?"

Kili laughed. "My One is an elf. We're all going to have fun trying to get Mum to understand. She hates them almost as much as you do. Did? I don't know. Do you even like Tauriel?"

"I haven't had the opportunity to come to any conclusions of her character," Thorin said. "She's saved your life on more than one occasion. Taking that into account, I feel I must at least accept her presence in the mountain."

"But you've never taken the time to talk to her," Kili said and his shoulders slumped a bit.

"Give me time," Thorin said and rubbed a hand down his face. "I'm fighting over a century's worth of anger on this. One step at a time."

Kili shook his head. "You're really not going to like what I'm about to ask then."

Thorin muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like a curse Kili's mother had told Thorin that if he ever used it in the presence of her sons she would personally drag him to the nearest bathing chamber and shove a bar of the most vile smelling soap into his mouth until he choked on it. "Just tell me what it is," Thorin said.

Kili reached into his pocket and pulled out the plain silver beads he'd made once he'd managed to find a time in the forges alone. "I know I can't court her officially until Fili either marries someone or declares he won't marry at all, but I'd still like to claim her as mine."

Thorin's eyebrows came together further. "Why? Do you think another has designs on her?"

The elven prince flashed through Kili's mind briefly. Would it help to mention him at this point? He wasn't sure. "I'd like to put my braids in her hair so she'll have some protection from our family. Less dwarrow will be willing to harm her if she has braids from Durin's Line in her hair."

Thorin nodded grudgingly. "Sensible of you," he said but didn't seem completely convinced to allow Kili permission to put his braids in Tauriel's hair and mark his eventual intentions with it.

In for a copper, in for a gold. Kili took a deep breath and added, "Thranduil's son may be in love with her. Tauriel told me Thranduil all but told her to stay away from him, that he'd never allow a match between them."

Thorin looked at him skeptically. "You're toeing a dangerous line, Kili," he warned even as his lips tipped up in amusement. "All right. Give her the beads. Braid her hair. Don't do anything that will make me regret my decision."

Kili whopped and jumped off the table. "Thank you Uncle!" he said and bashed their foreheads together quickly.

"I can't very well say 'no' now, can I? She is your One after all. Go on now. You have work to do before you leave in the morning. Should I expect to see those braids in her hair after you leave and have to explain to everyone why they're there without you here or will you wait until your return?"

"I'll ask her when I get back," Kili said. "I'll see you at dinner tonight." With that he left the council room and went to find Bofur. He'd come along to Dale, Kili was sure, and be able to recommend the best engineers currently in the mountain as well.

The war rams Kili and the other dwarrow rode handled snow well. His concern had been with the Men's horses. Surely such tall creatures would struggle through the snow or have to take their time breaking a trail through it, undoubtedly taking extra hours to traverse the distance.

Instead, the extra large, dark, shaggy horses the few Men rode followed the small trail the rams made without difficulty. Their long legs stepped high naturally and they cantered easily behind the bounding gait of the rams. Their long shaggy coats, longer mains and tails, and even the long fur that covered their hooves kept them warm, steam rising off their flanks as they pushed through the snow in the bright, early morning sunlight.

It only took a few hours more to reach Dale than it would have on a perfectly sunny summer day with no obstacles and an easy pace. They passed through the nonexistent city gates and searched for a suitable place to stable the horses and rams. It didn't take long to find a dilapidated building with an entry large enough for the animals to enter but also that provided significant cover for them from the elements. Once all the mounts were cared for, Kili and Bard led the way into the city.

"Where do we start?" Bard wondered softly and Kili looked up at him, a sudden realization struck him. This Man, who had smuggled them into Laketown for extra coin for his family, who kept them secreted away from the Master even when he was being watched and scrutinized, who had taken him in while he was ill even when he didn't want to or believe in their cause, had been thrown into a role he had no idea how to fill. His people looked to him for answers but he was only a simple bargeman doing what he could to make their lives better.

"Shelter for your people," Kili said, equally quiet. "We need to find a building large enough to house everyone in the beginning if you plan to leave Erebor at the first opportunity. If it were me, I would leave those unable to help with repairs in the mountain and bring only workers here until a suitable number of buildings were habitable."

Bard nodded. "There must be a city hall or something where they would have been able to hold large celebrations. The women and children sheltered there briefly during The Battle if I remember correctly." He looked around him, trying to gain his bearings. "Perhaps I should have let Sigrid come. She would remember the city's layout better than me."

"We'll find our way," Kili said and looked back at where the dwarrow and Men waited for instructions. "Pair up. I want a human and a dwarf together. Search the city for a large building, perhaps a city hall. Somewhere that the can house a large number of people while we begin repairs. Bofur? Any thoughts on where to start."

"City center of course," Bofur said and nodded up the street behind him.

"Of course," Kili said with a smile. "Who here is best at making maps? We'll need something drawn up as soon as possible so we can mark where things are. Report back here in three hours."

"Comry," Bard called and looked at a shorter man with dirty blond hair. "You and your partner stay here in case someone needs help. The rest of you, gather around and we'll send you in different directions where you hopefully won't end up backtracking on each other's paths."

The group gathered around and Kili and Bard started assigning them directions to go as well as other resources. Finally, everyone was ready to go.

"Stay sharp," Kili added grimly. "There may be orcs or wolves or other hazards lurking about. Everyone has their horn?" Nods all around and Bofur even lifted the short hunting horn he'd been supplied with. "Good. Sound them if you run into trouble. No heros today, all right?"

"Be safe, all of you," Bard added and then dismissed everyone to head in their different directions. Kili and Bard stayed together and headed up a small alley, checking in doorways and down all the streets they came across, always heading toward Dale's center.

"It's not as bad as I thought," Kili said as he slogged through another pile of snow and shoved a crumbling door open to another building. It appeared to have been some type of shop, shelves lining the room. Whatever had been sold here was no longer there, the entire place having been cleaned out by Dale's people before they fled or by brave looters that came into the city after the exodus. "Most of the buildings seem fairly intact. Couple crumbling walls and ceilings from decayed wood, but the stone is strong and well set." He thumped a wall for emphasis. "The bones are good."

"Everything that the blasted worm didn't touch," Bard grumbled.

"So all the short buildings," Kili said. "Don't worry Bard. We'll make this place the shining city it once was."

Bard glanced skeptically at the pile of rubble they passed, visible even through the few feet of snow that had been driven against it over the winter. "If you say so."

They worked through the day. By the time everyone gathered back where they'd stabled the animals, everyone was soaked through. They piled into another nearby building Bofur had found and declared structurally sound. After building a fire in the ancient fireplace and starting a pot of stew simmering, they gathered around to report what they'd discovered. The group that had been sent to map the city pulled out their incomplete rendering and started marking what everyone had found.

"Good work today," Kili said once they'd finished. "Tomorrow we'll expand into the areas we haven't searched yet but it looks like the city hall will probably be the best bet for housing the workers when we're ready to come out and start repairs. Bofur, I want you to start there tomorrow, make sure the building is structurally sound. If it's not, we'll need to start there unless there's another building in the city that will work."

"Get some rest," Bard added after Bofur nodded his agreement to Kili's request. "We'll start early tomorrow."

Everyone dispersed, intent on getting a bowl stew and a piece of the bread from their food stores.

"That went better than I expected it to," Bard remarked as he looked over the map that still lay on the rickety table they'd scrounged up from somewhere.

Kili nodded as he looked over the map as well. "We'll need to discuss priorities once we have the city mapped. Decide where we need to start repairs, what buildings should take precedence over others, when you want to start work on the city wall and such."

"Where would you start?" Bard asked.

Looking the map over, Kili frowned. "Probably with a makeshift infirmary and a public kitchen," he said after a while. "Then on housing and markets. The wall's mostly intact and you can set guards around the areas that aren't. I'll speak to King Thorin about stationing some of our troops out here as well as having regular patrols down the road between our cities as well as around yours."

"Do you think orcs will attack again so soon?"

"Not in force." Kili shook his head. "You'll probably have the occasional wandering pack, but it's nothing a contingent of dwarrow soldiers can't handle. Your own people are fierce enough in battle as well. I'd imagine they could defend your walls as long as you have enough men."

"Enough men," Bard murmured. "That will be the question for a long time, won't it?" He leaned on the table. It groaned beneath his weight and wobbled a bit under the pressure. He stood straight again, eyeing it distrustfully. "Nothing we can do about that now," he said. "Let's get our own dinners. We'll be working just as hard as others come morning."

Kili picked up the map and carefully rolled it and slid it into an oiled tube of hard leather, placing a cap at the end to keep it dry and safe. He returned it to those making the map before sitting down with his own dinner. Bard was right. There would be plenty of work to do the next day.