Nimera bumped the door to the terrace open with her hip, grateful she had no need to keep the door locked. No dwarves outside of Oin and Risti had any interest in the plants she had been growing. She did not mind, it was a nice turn from the crowds inside the mountain.

She set the large sack of dirt down by her feet, tearing open its seam. She paused as the old hinges on the door gave a quiet shudder.

"Ah what a lovely sight to behold so early in the morning!"

Nimera turned to see Bofur strolling onto the terrace. He paused to examine one of the plants potted by his foot. Crouching down to prod at the new blooms beginning to open on the vine. "I must say I am impressed! No dwarf has ever been accused of having a green thumb before."

"Good morning Bofur!" She smiled "What can I do for you?"

"Oh nothing for me thank you." He shook his head "Bilbo here was looking for you. I told him this would probably be the most likely hiding spot for you this early in the morning."

Bilbo stepped from beside Bofur

"Good morning Master Baggins!" Nimera greeted "It is good to see you again."

Bilbo waved a hand "Just Bilbo thank you. I have no illusion of grandeur."

Nimera laughed "There is not a dwarf in this mountain who does not know who Bilbo Baggins hero of Erebor is and yet you are concerned with an illusion of grandeur?"

Bilbo simply shrugged

"Well then Bilbo Baggins the unremarkable hobbit it is." She looked him over "What can I do for you this morning?"

"Oh well I heard talk that you were attempting to grow inside the mountain, and I must admit it piqued my curiosity." He said examining one of the small sprouts on the stone ledge. "I grew many a prize winner back in Hobbiton you know."

"With how well tilled the soil is in the shire I should not be surprised if every hobbit has grown prize winners." She teased

Bilbo looked at her in surprise "You have been to the shire?"

"Oh aye," Bofur cut in "Nimera here has been the width and breath of middle earth."

Nimera shook her head "I would not go that far. Though I have gone more than most." She turned back to Bilbo "If you have time while you are in the mountain I would love an experienced hand with some of these new seedlings," She pointed at a few small pots "I cannot seem to get them to take root."

Bilbo's eyes glinted "I would be delighted!"

"Well now we are out of my depth completely." Bofur shook his head "I will leave you to it."

Nimera waved goodbye as the miner slipped back through the passage.

...

"See, just make a small well in the soil like so," Bilbo tamped his finger around the base of the sapling "It should help keep the roots watered."

Nimera sighed wiping her hands down her apron "If only you had come sooner Bilbo. With your help I could have had many more successes early on."

"So this is where you both have been hiding all day!" Kili shouted eying the pair from the doorway

Nimera jumped, dropping the jar of dirt in her hands, sending it splattering across the front of her dress.

"Kili you absolute troll!" Nimera growled

"You always know how to make an entrance brother." Fili sighed following Kili into the room

"Here look, it's good as new!" Kili said attempting to brush some of the dirt off Nimera, succeeding only in smearing it further across.

Nimera narrowed her eyes at him, running her muddy hand down his shirt.

"This was my last good shirt!" Kili gawked

Nimera smiled "oops..."

"It is not wise to start fights you cannot finish." Kili grinned scooping a hand full of dirt off of the floor

"It's funny," Nimera scooped up her own handfull "I was going to say the same thing to you."

"Bilbo," Fili glanced down at the hobbit " I think it is wise if we retreated back a few steps. I am rather fond of this coat."

Bilbo nodded, stepping back just in time as the first volley was thrown.

Nimera gave a shriek as a was of dirt landed in her hair "Why you little!"

Fili sighed, relaxing back against the stone wall "This may take a bit."

Bilbo nodded taking a seat on the bench beside him

"Those two get on well." He noted watching as the pair devolved into a shoving match.

Fili glanced over as Nimera attempted to trip Kili. "Aye Nimera and Kili have always been close. You would not guess by looking at him now, but Kili was much more reserved and shy as a child, Nimera helped coax him out of his shell."

"I am surprised, I would not have imagined Kili as a shy child."

Fili sighed, his smile fading "Kili had a hard time making friends before Nimera came. He did not develop even a trace of a beard until he was well into his fifties which led to him becoming a target for ridicule. When Nimera came she looked out for him."

Bilbo looked over at Nimera then back to Fili "Is that why you care for her so much?"

Fili looked down at him in surprise

Bilbo gave him a knowing look as he shrugged "We hobbits are very attuned to the feelings of others. It was not hard to guess that you care for her deeply."

Fili shook his head "I admit I did not like Nimera very much when she first arrived at Erid Luein, I could not understand why Kili was so fond of her. I thought perhaps she was merely using him."

"What changed your mind?"

Fili turned away from the hobbit, his eyes drifting over to where Nimera sat on the floor gently scooping soil into the pots before passing them to Kili

"She did."

*Erid Luein 28 years prior*

"Fee!"

Fili looked up from his studies as Kili burst into his room.

"Kili what's wrong?" He frowned as his brother put his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath

Kili looked up at him wide eyed "It's Nim, I think she is in trouble!"

Fili rolled his eyes slightly wondering what trouble Balins ward had managed to find this time. "What happened?" He asked disinterestedly, picking the book back up off the desk.

"Burnik and his friends found me when I was coming back from hunting….. When I told Nim what had happened she said she was going to find them! …..I tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen!"

Fili deliberated for a moment before he set the book back down. "Stay here." He sighed "Where was she headed?"

"Towards the woods, But…" Kili started

He held a hand up. "I will find her, do not worry." Fili said, snatching up his coat off the back of the chair "Not even Nimera is foolish enough to take all of them on by herself."

Kili nodded watching as he left the house making his way down the crowded street. As soon as he was out of Kili's eyesight he picked up into a jog, despite his words he knew full well the she had a penchant for finding trouble. He abruptly turned off of the road and onto the dirt track that cut its way into the forest.

"Nimera?"

He pressed deeper into the woods. "Nimera are you out here?" He sighed, irritated at the prospect of wasting the rest of his afternoon searching for her. "Nimera, answer me. I know you are here!"

"Go away Fili."

He stopped as Nimera's quiet voice answered back

"Nimera where are you?" He scowled, trying to pin down where her voice had come from

"Did Kili send you?"

"Yes." He said taking a few steps towards where he thought she was "He was worried you were in trouble."

"I am fine Fili. Go home."

Her voice was clearer now as he stepped forward.

He shook his head "I am not leaving until you show yourself."

"Go home!"

Her command sounded from just in front of him.

"Nimera…" He frowned as he rounded the base of a large tree. Nimera sat against it, her knees drawn up to her chest. Her long hair was disheveled, stray pieces falling from her braid as she tilted her head up slightly to look at him.

"You found me, now go." She mumbled turning away from him, wiping her sleeve across her cheek.

Fili stooped down in front of her. He slowly reached a hand out, gently taking her chin in his fingers as he tilted her head towards him. He felt a sudden surge of anger wash over him.

"Who did this?" He asked looking at the crack in her lip, a small trickle of blood seeping from her nose.

"Its nothing." She said brushing his hand away

"It is not nothing Nimera!" Fili snapped "Who did this?" He paused "It was Burnik wasnt it? How could you be so stupid to confront him by yourself!"

"I had to do something!" Nimera shook her head "You did not hear what he told Kili… What he was saying when I found him!"

Fili's frown deepened "What did he say?"

She glanced up at him for a moment before looking away "He…. he said that your mother only keeps Kili around out of pity. And that your father was not Kili's father…. that Lady Dis she….laid with an elf."

He felt his blood beginning to boil as she spoke, deciding he would be paying the lords son a visit after he took Nimera back.

Nimera looked up at him. "He won't be bothering Kili anymore." She said as if sensing his thoughts "Not unless he wants the whole town to know he got knocked unconscious by a girl half his size."

Fili's eyebrows shot up "Unconscious?"

The corner of her mouth twitched up into a triumphant grin for a moment, splitting open the cut on her lip.

He shook his head "It was still a foolish thing to do. You could have been hurt even worse."

Nimeras smile dissipated, the intense look in her eyes catching him off guard. "I had to protect Kili. I won't sit back and let them hurt him!"

There was a brief silence before Fili spoke again "Why are you hiding out here?"

She looked away, "I am being a coward."

He looked at her in surprise "A coward?"

She shook her head "I am delaying my return so I do not have to face punishment from Lord Thorin."

His eyebrows rose "You fear my uncle will punish you?"

"I attacked a nobleman's son, I am sure He will not be pleased."

Fili snorted "Burnick got what he deserved."

"Justified or not there will still be consequences."

He looked down at her, a strange emotion beginning to brew inside him. She had not attacked Burnik out of temper but to protect Kili, all while knowing full well there would be consequences for it.

"You cannot stay out here forever." He sighed pulling out a small handkerchief as he began to gently blot the blood away from her nose. "And this will not be easily hid."

Nimera's face fell slightly

"How about this;" He said, pulling the cloth away to look at her "If you let me take you back home, I will explain to my uncle what has happened."

She thought for a moment "You would speak to him on my behalf?"

Fili smiled offering his hand as he stood "Of course. I am sure he will be greatly interested to hear of Burnick's thoughts on his family."

Nimera took his hand, a small smile spreading across her face.

He held onto her hand for a moment longer. "Thank you." He said quietly "For looking out for Kili."

"Your brother is very dear to me." She looked up at him shyly "I hope in time we can become friends as well."

"I… I would like that very much."