.

.

Chapter 8

~X~

The following night, Sier sought out the company of Bofur, for his fun loving attitude made the miner easy to talk to. Thorin's comment on how he appreciated the way she often mentioned Flinn's father to him, caused her to realize that none of the stories she had ever told him, were truly about Fili. She had related many tales and adventures about his sire, but they had all been made up from her own imagination. For, other than knowing that the prince had been among the company who journeyed to reclaim Erebor from the dragon, Smaug, Sier knew next to nothing about the father of her child. So, as Flinn ran around in circles at the edge of camp, doing his best to capture fireflies, she went to sit next to the scruffy, hatted dwarf who was happily engaged in whittling a piece of wood.

"What are you making?" she asked, doing her best to strike up a friendly conversation.

"It is a pony for the lad," Bofur announced proudly, holding up the half-finished project for her to inspect.

"That is very kind of you, and I know he will love it," she smiled, thinking that perhaps Balin's comment about her son soon becoming spoiled was truer than she thought. "You do beautiful work."

"It is nothing too fancy," Bofur shrugged modestly. "My cousin Bifur is the true toy maker. I am a miner by trade, but no one can spend even a small amount of time around Bifur without picking up a thing or two about toys. My brother, Bombur, has three little ones of his own, and you would not believe the fine collection of toys his children possess! Bombur is in charge of the royal kitchens, a master chef if I ever saw one. He is the one that did all the cooking on our journey, making sure we never starved." He then leaned over and whispered in a conspiratorial manner. "Could have used him on this journey as well, Balin and Dwalin's cooking is only marginal, and Thorin is completely helpless. Good thing I picked up a few tricks from my brother or we would all be in a world of hurt."

By now Sier was giggling, doing her best not to laugh too loudly and draw attention to herself. She liked Bofur, and she was grateful for his jovial manner. Checking to make sure that Flinn was still out of earshot, and remained distracted by the elusive lightning bugs, Sier plied the kind dwarf with her question.

"Do you happen to know of any stories about Prince Fili that I might tell Flinn? Nothing directly related to your quest though," she quickly interjected, "for all those tales are very well known, and would easily identify him as one of the famous company. Something else…perhaps from before? I wish for Flinn to know of his father, without him actually knowing who he is…at least not just yet."

"Hmmm," Bofur muttered, stroking his beard in thought. His eyes then lit up as if something came to him. "I have just the tale! It's a good one too."

Sier, leaned forward, eager to hear every word as the hatted miner spun his tale. Bofur was an excellent storyteller and she knew she would have no trouble committing it to memory so that she could share it with her son before putting him down to sleep. By the time he was finished, Sier had yet another reason to be impressed with Prince Fili, having now learned firsthand of one of his heroic acts on behalf of others. She sent a silent word of thanks to Mahal over the fact that the father of her child was apparently an honorable dwarf, one her son could be proud of.

"Ama, Ama!" Flinn cried, rushing towards her with his little hands cupped before him. "Look, Ama! I caught one!" he brought his finger-cage up to his eye, opening them just enough so he could peek inside, the tiny glow reflecting in his animated eyes. He then held it out to her, urging her to take a look. Sier made the appropriate gasps and hums of approval, showing her delight and amazement at his accomplishment, causing the lad to beam with pride. He next rushed over to show Thorin and Dwalin, who were sitting together near the fire, and they too were more than happy to commend the lad on his fine hunting skills.

Yet, soon his hands grew tired and Flinn released the little bug back into the air, watching it fly away with a huge grin on his face. By this time, the tiny tot was quite tuckered out, so he grabbed his blanket and snuggled in between Thorin and Dwalin, looking up at them in awe as they continued to speak about the inner workings of Erebor and what would need to be dealt with once they returned. It was all quite over the youngster's head, but he enjoyed it nonetheless, for it was grownup talk, and they were allowing him to be a part of it – even if he was only listening. Soon though, his eyes began to droop, his thumb found its way into his mouth, and he leaned his head against Thorin's side, fighting a losing battle as sleep finally overtook him.

"Looks like the story I told you will have to wait for another time," Bofur laughed, watching as Thorin reached over and guided the sleeping child's head down onto his lap, gently toying with his hair for a moment before returning to his conversation with Dwalin.

"Yes," Sier nodded, a slight lump forming in her throat at the gentleness the king was showing with her son. She only hoped that Prince Fili would respond to him the same way…with love.

.

.

As the lonely mountain grew larger on the horizon, announcing just how close to their destination they were, there was talk about stopping in Esgaroth, formerly Lake Town, but Thorin wished to press on. His presence would undoubtedly require an audience with the master of the city, followed by an obligatory state dinner, and the dwarf king was far too eager to reach Erebor, and Fili, to risk any delays. Instead he opted to camp along the river at a small inlet that would offer them a chance to bathe before presenting themselves at the mountain kingdom the following day. This pleased Sier greatly, for while she had worked hard to keep both herself and her son clean on their journey, there was only so much a washrag and a small pot of warm water could do. The idea of a true soak, and a chance to wash her hair, would be most appreciated.

After they had made camp, Sier informed Flinn it was bath time, indicating that he would join her upstream where she could assist him. This was something that did not please the little dwarfling at all. Yet when Thorin and the others revealed that they intended to make use of the cleansing water as well, he changed his tune rather quickly - but only willing to comply on one condition.

"I'll only take a bath if it's with King Thorin and the others!" he announced, crossing his arms and stamping his feet stubbornly on the ground.

Sier raised her eyebrow at her son, wondering if she should be amused or upset by his sudden willfulness. She could see that he wished to appear grown up, and she was certain the others would be willing to take him along, but Flinn was still her responsibility. Besides, she was not sure if the others realized just how much work scrubbing a wiggly little dwarf could be.

"Flinn," Thorin broke in, his voice deep and commanding. "Even my two grown nephews know better than to argue with their amad," he warned. "You might be a big, strong lad, but you will always be your mother's son…so you must listen to her in all things."

While it wasn't exactly a scolding, Flinn's face fell and his lip stuck out as if it had been, and he looked up at his mother apologetically.

"Sorry, Ama," he told her, sniffling slightly as he glanced over at Thorin out of the corner of his eye. "I didn't mean to be bad."

"Thank you, my lamb," Sier accepted, reaching down and hefting him up on her hip as he wrapped his arms around her neck and buried his head in her shoulder. "Apology accepted. However," she added, giving Thorin a warm smile, "perhaps if King Thorin agrees to see that you do a good job and scrub behind your ears, I will allow you to bathe with the other dwarrow, this time."

"Really?" he asked, pulling back as a hopeful grin spread over his previously despondent face.

"As long as you promise to behave, and not stray too far from the shore," she added sternly. She then turned back to Thorin, her face showing her concern. "He has not yet learned to swim, so you will need to watch him carefully. And don't let him convince you that simply splashing a few drops of water on his head is good enough…I expect him to veritably squeak with cleanliness when he is done. Understand?"

"I will take on the assignment and treat it with the utmost seriousness," Thorin assured her, giving her a knowing wink in return.

Flinn looked from one adult to the other, his brows furrowing in concern…perhaps he had made a mistake in all this. He knew how thorough his ama was in seeing that he got clean, but he had no idea about the king. Suddenly visions of how the washer women in Himros rubbed their clothes against a rugged washboard sprang to his mind…would he too be plunged and scrubbed the same way until his skin was raw? He sure hoped not!

.

.

In the end, the dwarrow decided it was best to split their bathing time, allowing Balin, Dwalin and Bofur to go first while Thorin, Ori and Flinn stood guard. They might be in friendly territory, but one never knew when a band of orcs might stray too far west and they did not wish to be caught off guard.

Sier found a nice little spot upstream, perfectly hidden from all eyes by an outcropping of bushes and overhanging tree limbs. Thorin assured her that her privacy would be respected, yet he would be within shouting distance if she came upon any trouble. The river was a bit brisk, but near the edge where the water flowed a bit slower, the temperature was manageable. Still, Sier made quick work of the task and did not delay any longer than necessary.

When she went to wash her hair, a true pleasure after so many days of travel, her fingers made contact with the small clasp at the end of her braid. Sier realized that such a ruse was no longer needed and quickly unwound it, wondering if she would ever wear such a thing again. She knew that the chances of finding one's other half was slim, made more so by the sheer number of the dwarves and the way they were spread out over Middle Earth. But as a child she had always dreamed of finding her one and having a family to call her own. Well, at least I have half of that, she thought to herself. For even if she found her one at last, Sier was not sure how he would take to the idea that she already had a son, by means of another dwarrow. She knew there were some dwarrowdams who chose not to marry, who remained single all their lives, happily devoting themselves to a craft and not a husband…but would she now be required to do so as well, even if her heart yearned for love? It would be a lonely existence indeed, and yet she would endure it gladly just to keep her little Flinn in her life.

Once she and the other three were finished with their bathing, she went to sit beside the campfire, brushing her hair as it dried, knowing that Thorin was now looking after her son and his washing. Bofur and Balin stood at the edge of the camp, keeping an eye on both those in the river and a lookout for danger. She could hear Flinn's laughter as he splashed in the water nearby, apparently enjoying his time with the adult dwarrow and not his overly protective mother.

Sier was lost in thought, staring into the fire when she noticed Dwalin approach, shocking her to the core when he sat down beside her. The two had not spoken to each other once during the entire trip, with the gruff warrior seeming to have no interest in doing so, and she being far too timid to try. Sier continued with her task of brushing her hair, only sneaking a glance beneath hooded eyes to see if she might ascertain the dwarf's intentions. Finally, after several minutes of uncomfortable silence, she mustered up her courage.

"M-m-might I help you with something…Mister Dwalin?" she asked, having to stop and clear her throat midsentence just to get the words out.

"Aye, lass, you can," he replied, his voice sounding gruff and almost irritated. "Just give me a few more seconds to work up the courage to ask it of you," he finished, still staring straight ahead, not daring to look in her direction.

Heeding his strange request, Sier held her tongue and waited, having no idea what his reasoning might be. At last he gave a low growl and turned to face her, drawing her eyes to him with morbid curiosity.

"What I have come to say ain't easy for me, Miss Sier," he began at last, acting as if the words pained him to speak them. "I'm a warrior, born and bred to wield an ax and not given to fancy speech, like my brother. Yet I am also an honest dwarf and I am willing to admit when I'm in the wrong. I have misjudged you, lass, and I would ask that you accept my apology over my harsh words, both at the mountain and in Himros." With that said, he proudly sat there and waited for her reply.

"I…I am very touched, Mister Dwalin," Sier was finally able to get out. This was probably the last thing she had expected. "Yet as the official shield of your king and his kin…I do understand your hesitancy to trust anyone, especially when the evidence points to the possibility of them conspiring against those you are sworn to protect. I realize that you were only acting out of concern, and because of your kind words now, I do indeed forgive you." When the fearsome tattooed warrior flashed her an unexpected grin, she dared to press on. "Might I inquire what it was that changed your opinion of me?"

"The lad," he answered, jerking his head towards where Flinn's voice could still be heard, emitting gleeful cries and laughter. When it seemed that his simple response did not fulfill her curiosity, he continued. "I ain't never had any bairns of my own, and I don't plan on begetten' any in the future neither. Yet Fili and Kili were the closest I ever come, and I'm mighty protective of those two. Yes, I was quick to jump to conclusions when the young prince's reputation was attacked, and I make no apologies for looking to protect him…but I should not have done so at the cost of your fine character. That was badly done of me. And after watching you with the little mite, how you care for him, comfort and love him, like a true mother should, I see that you ain't got a mean spirited bone in your body. No, you would never have tried to harm Fili like I first assumed. So it's with a shameful heart that I admit just how wrong I was, and hope that you and me might start fresh. For if you would accept it, I would hereby swear to protect you and little Flinn with my dying breath and blood, the same as I would his father."

"Mister Dwalin…I don't know what to say," Sier gasped, realizing just what a monumental thing he was offering. A warrior's blood oath was not to be taken lightly.

"Say you accept," Balin instructed, having come up beside them without Sier having noticed. "You could never ask for a more diligent protector than my brother. And might I too add in my offer of friendship and counsel, for while I am still a bit of a scrapper in a pinch, I fear my fighting days are behind me. I know where my true strengths lie, lassie."

"I am both touched and deeply honored," Sier assured them, almost close to tears at the moment. After being alone for so long, with only Omer and Maywen on her side, it felt good to be accepted by her own kind once again. "I gladly accept, and offer you the only thing I have to give in return…that of my gratitude and friendship."

"And a finer gift no dwarrow could ask for," Balin said with a warm grandfatherly smile.

Before more could be said, Sier saw her son running up the path towards her, dressed only in his britches and wearing a wide grin on his face. Racing past Bofur, and with what appeared to be Thorin and Ori hot on his heels, Flinn held his hands out towards her, both cupped together as if hiding an amazing treasure.

"Ama, Ama! I found something really pretty!" he gasped, trying to catch his breath as he all but stumbled forward. Dropping her brush she reached out to catch him, steadying him as she prepared to ask what he had discovered. "Hold out your hands and close your eyes! Pleeeeeease!" he begged, a huge grin plastered on his face.

Sier gave a sigh and did as she was told, thinking it was nothing more than a pretty flower or a shiny stone he had found by the river. Yet when the item was placed in her hand, not only did it feel a bit slimy…but it moved as well! Her eyes immediately flew open.

"Surprise!" Flinn yelled as the tiny green tree frog sat there for only a split second, before jumping straight at her!

Now, Sier was not the squeamish type, and had often been the recipient of many insects, reptiles and aquatic gifts from her son in the past. Yet when the frightened frog landed on her chest, well, the startled dwarrowdam couldn't help but let out a very loud scream. Then, to add insult to injury, the frightened little creature decided to slip underneath her neckline in an attempt to hide himself from what he perceived as mortal danger. This unwanted action caused a lot of commotion, as several loud gasps were made, and six willing, yet highly unsure dwarrows stumbled around attempting to offer some kind of assistance. Thankfully, Sier, having at last managed to gather her scattered wits, reached in and personally extricated the unwanted occupant from her cleavage, causing all the males to breathe a sigh of relief.

After turning and gently tossing the little frog towards the bushes, and watching it happily hop away to safety, she turned her eyes back on the perpetrator of all the commotion. Sier's eyes narrowed as she saw a sly little grin blossom upon her son's face, as the others were either staring in stunned shock or desperately trying not to laugh.

"He…he was a pretty cute little frog, wasn't he, Ama?" Flinn asked, trying to sound much more innocent than he looked, but Sier was not fooled for a moment.

"Come here, you little goblin!" she growled, reaching out and snatching the lad off his feet, wrapping him up in her arms as she began to tickle him mercilessly. "I should send you to bed without any sweets for a month for that little stunt," she threatened, her tone making it clear she didn't mean a word of it.

"No! No!" Flinn squealed, doing his best to wiggle out of her grasp as he laughed and sputtered, enjoying every moment of his mother's torture. "Put me down!"

"Not until you say you are sorry," she told him, adding in several wet sloppy kisses as extra punishment. Well, tickling was one thing, but knowing that the king was now witness to his mother's tokens of affection was too much for the proud little dwarfling, and he quickly obeyed in order to curtail her actions.

"I sorry, I sorry!" he giggled, at last being released from his mother's embrace. "But it was very funny!"

"I don't know, Flinn," she chuckled, grabbing the still damp towel she had used to dry her hair and doing her best to wipe away the slime left behind by the frightened little frog. "Your idea of what is funny, and mine, are a bit different I believe."

"I am very sorry, Miss Sier," Ori was quick to add, his young face still rather pale after all the excitement. "I had no idea this would happen when he found the little creature and said he wished to show it to you. Had I known, I never would have allowed him to take it from the river."

"That is quite all right, Mister Ori," Sier laughed, all signs of irritation gone from her eyes. "No harm done. However, now that he has soiled his hands by packing around a frog, I believe another good scrubbing is in order…for those parts at least. Would you mind seeing to it for me, while I rid myself of all amphibian residue?"

"Of course, Miss Sier, it is the least I can do," Ori nodded, steering the now grumbling little dwarrow back towards the river, all the while explaining to him just how wrong it is to play tricks like that on one's mother.

"I swear, that little one lives to see me in a state of constant panic," Sier laughed, once he was out of earshot. "I have no idea where he gets his affinity for such pranks!"

"I do," Thorin chuckled, looking after the child with a great deal of affection shining in his blue eyes.

"Aye, lass," Dwalin agreed, unable to hold back any longer and let loose a deep bellied laugh. "I could have sworn I was looking at Fili himself when I saw that sly little grin cross his face!"

"The spitting image, if I ever saw it," Bofur chuckled.

"A look we have all seen many times before, and lived in fear of," Balin nodded in amazement.

"Fili and Kili were both master pranksters at his age…and far beyond," Thorin informed Sier, who was looking at them all with a questioning eye. "No one was safe from their numerous and inventive tricks, though I fear that my sister, Dis, and myself were their favorite targets. If Flinn inherited this trait from his sire and uncle, then I pity you greatly, my lady!"

"I have managed to survive thus far," she told them in an amused voice. "It's probably just a phase he is going through, and he will soon grow out of it. I am sure you are all simply exaggerating."

"Has Flinn ever filled your boots with worms?" Thorin offered, his eyebrows raised skeptically. "Or put fish in your bathwater?"

"How about sewed all your pant legs shut at the bottom, making it impossible to get dressed…or even stand upright, for that matter?" Bofur added, still practically doubled over with laughter.

"Remember the time the lads made me think I was off my rocker by switching out all my split firewood for uncut logs?" Dwalin was next to relate. "Thought for sure I had misplaced all my senses and gone daft!"

"Yet, if I recall, nothing bought them more trouble than when those two young scamps placed little piles of dead bugs all over the house for the lady Dis to discover. Even daring to put them between her bedsheets…as well as yours too, Thorin, if I am not mistaken," Balin finished, sending the others off into another round of laughter.

"Oh, my!" Sier said, gasping for air as she wiped the merry tears from her eyes. "What am I in for?"

"I would say a lot of excitement over the next half a dozen decades, if little Flinn plans on following in his father's footsteps," Thorin assured her, still grinning from ear to ear. "And a lot of laughter as well."

Like father, like son! Ha ha.

Now if you would like to read ALL about those particular pranks, and many more that will tickle your funny-bone, go check out the story called "Pranks of Durins" By: WeirdyMcWeirderton. She was kind enough to let me use her shenanigans that Fili and Kili pulled, since I could not think of anything better than the ones she dreamed up in her one-shots. Go read them, they are hilarious!

Next chapter...to Erebor! And FILI!

Guest Reviews:

Aranel Mereneth: Thorin is really being on his best behavior...but then again, there is no one nearby who is threatening his loved ones or ticking him off...so there is that. ha ha.

mjean: I do love me some good fluff. And thank you for liking my dialog. I HATE long paragraphs of just thinking - I know it is important to have now and again, but I thrive on dialog. ha ha. And I am glad you enjoyed my other story too! And while I knew that little tid bit about human pregnancies, I was not sure what Dwaves did in situations like that. (espeicaly since I wrote my first story without knowing much about the line of Durin at all! I was winging it) Soooo, things might be going a bit different in this new one on that front. ha ha.