.
I don't want to be one of those writers who is constantly apologizing for being late in posting. When really, I'm not 'late' exactly, but I did have plans to post this yesterday. However, I just kept going back over it again and again, reworking a thing or two. I hope you like the results.
.
.
Chapter 169
~X~
As it turned out, everyone indeed was happy about the news of Kili and Tauriel having another child. Even Fili had not been the least bit upset, having been awoken from sleep by his brother, pounding on his door, anxious to deliver the good news. And just as Kili predicted, Ithil too was overjoyed at the idea of having a sibling. The only one who appeared to be upset with the news…was Lili.
"You're not happy I get a brother or a sister?" Ithil asked, having followed his favorite playmate out into the hallway when she stormed off after hearing the news.
"No!" she sniffled, wiping at her eyes and turning away, as if the idea of tears embarrassed her.
"Why?" the lad was confused, for he thought this was a grand idea, and had been elated by the news.
"Because when the baby comes…you won't have any more time for me!" she wailed, sinking to the floor and pulling up her knees as she buried her face in her arms. "I may still be little, but I've seen the bond brothers have. Fili and Kili are like that…and so are Flinn and Frerin. Everyone else has a brother or a sister …everyone but me and you. But now, if you get your own, then where does that leave me?"
"But you have two brothers already," Ithil pointed out.
"They're all growd up!" she insisted, sniffling. "I love them, and they love me…but it's not the same. I don't want to lose you."
"You won't lose me, Lili," he assured her, sitting down beside her and putting a slender arm around her shoulders. "You're my best friend…even if you really are my aunt." He got a goofy grin on his face, one very reminiscent of his father, but apparently his ploy did not work.
"Don't try and make me laugh when I'm sad," she huffed, turning her head and laying her cheek on her arms, doing her best not to look at him.
"But that's what friends do," he explained, leaning forward in hopes of seeing her face. "And I promise that no matter what, I'll never stop paying attention to you. Who else will run around with me, or play games that only we like, or even laugh at my jokes?"
"Your jokes are really bad," she told him after a few seconds of silence. "If I didn't laugh at them…no one would."
"Then we have to stay friends!" Ithil concluded. "And to prove it…I'm going to officially name you as my sword-sister."
This got Lili to turn back and stare at him in shock.
"Your sword-sister?" she repeated.
"Yah…it's like a sword-brother, but since you're a dam…I changed it to sister," Ithil explained.
"But I don't know how to use a sword, and I want to be a gem cutter when I grow up…not a warrior," Lili wined.
"Well…no one says a sword-sister has to really have a sword," he mused, looking thoughtful. "It can be in name only. Kind of like I'm a prince, but I'll never have to rule anything."
"Do…do you think we're allowed to be sword brother and sister?" she looked hopeful. "And what would I have to do if I took the job?"
"Just be my best friend and don't get jealous when the baby is born," he told her, reaching out with his free hand and wiping away a few of the little blonde's tears. "And who knows…the baby might turn out to be a lass, and then I will have to worry about you and her being such good friends that you'd forget all about me!"
"No! Never!" Lili told him firmly. "You'll always be my best friend, Ithil…always."
"And you'll be mine too!" Ithil grinned. "Now, do you want to go get some cake?"
"Oh, yes!" she giggled, scrambling to her feet and taking him by the hand. "Last one in has to take a smaller piece!"
And though Ithil had much longer legs, and could have outrun the dwarfling with ease, it was Lili who claimed the larger piece…and he didn't mind a bit.
.
.
While Ithil had taken nearly a full year to arrive, this time Tauriel and Kili were blessed with the coming of their second son at only ten months. And having known it would be a lad for quite some time, they had talked about names, even choosing one or two. However, they quickly changed their minds once they saw their child in person. For this one turned out to be the exact opposite of Ithil, taking after Kili's father's side of the family it seemed. He had Flinn's blond hair, Tauriel's green eyes, and this time resembled a dwarf in stature, but with elven ears.
"Well, if the names we were deciding on don't appear to fit him anymore…what do you think we should call him?" Kili asked, walking around the bed with his son in his arms, bouncing him gently as he gazed at him in amazement.
"Well…since Ithil is our little moon, how about this one be our sun?" she suggested, gesturing to the tuft of sunny blond hair.
"Our son is our sun?" Kili laughed, finding his joke rather humorous.
"Well, we wouldn't call him that exactly," she said with a roll of her eyes. "The Sindarin word for sun is Anor."
"Ithil and Anor," Kili repeated, liking the sound of that very much. "Our Sun and Moon. What's next…stars?"
"If we are ever blessed with a lass, we could indeed call her Elenath," Tauriel agreed.
"What's that mean?" Kili questioned.
"Stars!" Tauriel laughed, rolling her eyes at her husband for not keeping up with the train of thought.
"Oh…yes, that sounds pretty," he nodded. "But for now, I like the name Anor. It sounds like a good strong name, and I can tell that this little one will inherit the strength of a dwarf. After all, he seems to favor my father and Fili in coloring."
"Or he could have got his blond hair from my father," she reasoned, reaching out her arms in a request for her son. "He had golden locks as well, you know."
"Oh, really?" She had never told him that before. "Well…if you don't mind, how about we not mention that to my adad. It will tickle him to think our newest son got his sunny hair from him."
"Fine," she giggled, knowing how much Kili adored his father. "So my little piece of sunshine, would you like for your adad to bring in your brother so that you two can say hello?"
When Anor gave a wide yawn and continued to sleep away, his intuitive mother interpreted that as a yes.
.
.
That year, not only were Kili and Tauriel blessed with a fine new son, but news came from Rohan that Sigrid also gave birth to a daughter, naming her Théodwyn. This of course had Bard strutting around like the proud grandfather he was, and even planning a trip down to see Sigrid and his new granddaughter the following year. Thorin, having wanted to make another visit to the Shire so that Marigold could visit her parents, thought that would be the perfect time to do so, allowing them to join forces for a good part of the journey. Bilbo had promised to come back to Erebor, but it seemed that the time was never quite right for the hobbit to make the trip. Things were becoming more and more dangerous on the roads, and Thorin worried about a group of hobbits making such a trek unprotected. So, in the end, it was decided that the next trip would be by them once again, much to Bilbo's delight.
This time, however, Kili offered to remain in the mountain, allowing Fili the chance to take Sier and his children to see the rolling green fields of the Shire. At first Thorin was a bit unsure about leaving his youngest nephew in charge…but upon further reflection, he realized just how much Kili had matured over the past five years. Marriage and parenthood had certainly grounded the otherwise erratic youth, and even if he was still prone to pranks and unexpected bouts of silliness, Kili was still a prince that Thorin was proud of.
Dis and Flinn asked if they could tag along this time as well, bringing Lili with them of course. Thorin agreed, but only after making Flinn swear that he would not kill Bilbo for the unforgivable sin of once looking at Dis as a perspective mate. Flinn agreed there would be no dismembering of hobbits…but he never promised not to glare at the hobbit or make him feel slightly uncomfortable.
Lili was not as happy about the plans, however, seeing as how Ithil would be remaining behind in Erebor with his parents.
"I don't wanna to go if you aren't!" she whined, hating to leave her friend for the whole summer.
"I know, but I can't go," he told her, also sad to be parted. "I have to stay behind and help my adad rule the mountain. Ama will be busy with little Anor, so he'll need me."
"I know," she said with an unhappy sigh. "But I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too," Ithil assured her. "And don't you go making friends with all those hobbits and forget about me, do you hear?"
"I won't, I promise!" Lili told him adamantly. "You and I are sword-brothers."
"Sword-sister," he laughed, giving her a big hug. "Please be safe, Lili…and don't have too much fun without me."
"Never!" she swore.
.
.
So, in the early spring, the dwarves and hobbits set out on their second journey for Marigold and Bergie's former home, accompanied by Bard and Tilda for at least part of the way.
This time, the journey took a bit longer, for a late storm blew in over the tail end of the Misty Mountains, blocking the Gap of Rohan with snow. Thorin and his group were forced to take shelter in Edoras for three weeks, before the weather improved and they could journey on. They were hosted well by Thengel and Sigrid, and the dams were only too happy to dote on little Théodwyn, with Theoden standing vigil, always the protective big brother. They were sad to hear that Thorongil was no longer residing in Rohan, the young man having moved on to Gondor and was now serving Lord Denethor, the current steward.
Yet once the snow melted and the pass was open, their journey continued smoothly, with just a few run-ins with bandits and goblins – for which the vermin were very sorry when they realized exactly whom they were up against. Thorin, Dwalin, Fili, and Flinn, along with the regiment of guards, made short work of them all, sustaining hardly a scratch to boast about later.
This time, instead of heading directly to the Shire, Thorin made for Ered Luin, having wished to inspect how things were continuing in his absence. With many of the former residents of Erebor having wished to remain in the Blue Mountains, Thorin was still considered their king. Yet he had appointed a number of stewards to serve in his place, with them sending reports to Erebor at regular intervals. Still…it was good to make personal appearances now and then, just to make sure his people were being well cared for and prospering.
Everyone in Ered Luin was happy to see their king once more, as well as their new queen and princesses. Fili too was welcomed with great fanfare, having grown up among the people and being very much loved. Many of the warriors and guards were excited to see their former captain back as well, eager to show Dwalin all they had accomplished in his absence. Yet it was the return of Flinn that brought the most stares and looks of awe, for to see one they long thought dead and gone, well that was a true boost for morale.
On the second day there, Dis left Lili with Sier and took Flinn out to the mound covered with pink carnations, the place she had once believed he was buried.
"This is the Nukshelhindîn," she explained, holding on to his arm tightly as they approached. "This is where I would come to morn you, my husband."
"The Hill of All Sorrow," he muttered, translating the Khuzdul word for what lay before him.
"The orcs had burned the bodies of the fallen so we had no way of knowing who was who…so we laid all the slain together, and all the wives and families mourned as one," she told him, her eyes suddenly moist. "We would come here, think of our loved ones who were gone. It is said that the flowers here grow so well, because they were watered by the tears that the wives have shed."
"It breaks my heart to know that you were one of them, my precious diamond," Flinn moaned, pulling Dis to his side in regret.
"Yet all my tears of sorrow are gone, for you are with me now, and I am whole once more," she told him, smiling up at him with love shining in her eyes. "While this place will always hold sad memories for me, I now only grieve for the wives who still come here…for I never shall again." And turning, she took hold of Flinn's hand and led him away…away from the pain, away from the past.
.
.
Fili, on the other hand, was having a fun time showing Sier and his children around his former childhood home. While the dwarves now resided inside Ered Luin, when he and Kili had first been born, the exiles had still been living in wooden houses scattered at the base of the mountains. It had taken many years before they had tunneled deep enough into the rock to carve out homes and a full underground city, forcing the dwarves to live outdoors like men. Still, Fili and Kili had not known anything different, so they were content to run and play in the open, never realizing the dangers this caused. They had always felt safe with their amad and Thorin around to protect them, not to mention Balin and Dwalin and many of their other distant relatives.
Dwarflings were always precious to the Khuzad, but never more so than those first decades following Smaug's attack, for each child born was a promise of hope. When Fili, and then Kili had been born, two strong princes in the line of Durin, there had been even more cause for celebration, thus the two lads had been blessed with many protectors, as if everyone had somehow adopted them as their own. Yet that did not stop many from rolling their eyes or shaking their fists at the lads when they got into trouble or played some prank on an unsuspecting victim. They might have been symbols of hope, and from the royal line, but they were still children…and many times very naughty ones.
"And this is where we grew up," Fili announced, approaching an old, weather beaten shack that looked as if it was about to collapse at any moment.
"Here?" Flinn asked, looking up at his father as if he thought he was teasing him.
"Yes, indeed," Fili grinned, looking at the structure through different eyes. "Though…it seems to have shrunk just a bit since I last saw it."
"Shrunk?" Frerin questioned, his eyes growing wide. "Like by magic?"
"No…by time," Fili laughed, patting his son on the back reassuringly. "Things always look bigger when you are smaller, and while it appears that I have grown…my memories have not."
"Can we go inside?" Freya asked, having become more adventurous ever since her little journey to find her brothers all those years ago. The lass was now nearly as eager to go and do as her brothers, and Fili was not sure he should be happy about her wild spirit…or afraid. She was after all, still his little lass, even if she was growing up.
"Well…let me go in first and see if it is safe," Fili suggested, taking a few cautious steps as he crossed the threshold of the rickety shack. In a few moments he returned, pronouncing it safe to enter. It didn't take long to show them around, for there were only five rooms total. "And this is where Kili and I slept," he announced, pushing open the door and showing them a room that was more the size of a closet than a bed chamber. "At first we had separate rooms, but Kili didn't like sleeping alone…and to tell you the truth, neither did I," Fili chuckled. "So Amad let us bunk together and that left the other bedroom open for Thorin when he moved in."
"How did you and Uncle Kili fit?" Flinn asked, having difficulty imagining his father and uncle crammed into the tiny space.
"Well, we were much smaller back then as well," Fili told him, lifting his hand to ruffle his son's hair…but then he stopped. Flinn was now fifteen summers old, and though in dwarf terms, that was still very young, the lad was now taking on the features of a growing dwarrow. Soon Fili would no longer recognize the adorable lad who had captured his heart that rainy night in Erebor…the child who had climbed up into his lap and called him Adad for the first time. Where had the time gone?
"Where's the privy, Adad?" Frerin questioned, breaking Fili from his memories. The young dwarf appeared to be hopping up and down a bit, and not solely from excitement.
"We didn't have one inside, like we do in Erebor," he told his son. "We had to dig a hole out back and put a little house around it to do our business."
"Eeewww!" Freya squealed, scrunching up her nose in disgust. "Even Gandalf has his own little box to use inside the mountain!" Which was true, for there had been no way for the tiny kitten, who had since grown into a fine, sleek mouser, to have made its way outside every time it needed to relieve itself. Fili had charged one of the pages with the duty of emptying it daily, paying the lad handsomely for the rather objectionable job.
"These were lean times for your father and those chased out of Erebor by the dragon," Sier explained. "There was not much of anything, and what they had they shared with others. Having an outdoor privy was probably considered a luxury, when the alternative was…well to go out behind a tree." At this she couldn't help but place her hands over her lips to stop a giggle, apparently picturing her dignified husband having to make use of such facilities.
"On the quest there were times when even a tree was considered a welcome treat," Fili laughed. "And none of us were too proud to make use of it." He then looked down at his rather uncomfortable looking son. "And lucky for you, there's a whole forest of them outback…have at it, son."
And in a flash the lad was gone, leaving the rest to snicker at his hasty retreat.
.
.
"It is good to have you back, King Thorin," Khorád, one of the aged councilors stated as he and several others gave him a tour of the new mine they had just opened up. "We do our best to govern the people, but it is not the same as having Durin's heir here to guide us. The residents of Ered Luin would greatly benefit by having a king once again…or perhaps a prince?"
"Fili is to rule after me in Erebor," Thorin stated with a shake of his head, dismissing the idea immediately. "And Kili would not stand to be separated from his brother."
"What of your children then," Khorád suggested.
"Rose and Raina?" Thorin halted, giving the white haired dwarf a look of shock. "You would have a queen sit on the throne of Ered Luin?"
"Well…no, that would not sit well with those who adhere to the old ways," he admitted, looking somewhat embarrassed by the misunderstanding. "But should you and the queen produce a male heir…" Here he let his unspoken words hang in the air.
"So, you would not bend the laws enough for my daughter to rule the mountain, but you would allow a male who is half hobbit?" This shocked Thorin quite a bit, not having expected this at all.
"Things are a bit different here in west," Garluf, another councilor spoke up. "We have lived near the land of the hobbits long enough to have accepted their worth. And while they are gentle and peaceful folk, tales of your Bilbo Baggins, and how he helped reclaim our ancient home, have done much to raise our appreciation for the Shire folk."
"Not to mention that you and Captain Dwalin have taken them as wives," Khorád added. "We would be foolish indeed not to desire the son of Thorin Oakenshield, and his Queen Marigold, as our sovereign. With your blessing, of course."
Thorin adored his daughters to distraction, but he could not deny that he had long desired a son. However, to imagine that should they have one, he might one day be able to rule Ered Luin…well, that was a completely new thought. Still, it would have to be his choice, and not something the lad would feel corned into accepting. Having Marigold as his wife had afforded his children the right to choose their path in life, and he would not so cruelly take that from them now. And of course this was all a moot point at the moment, since no son existed. Still...the idea did intrigue him.
"There is no pressure, of course," Garluf quickly stated, misreading Thorin's silence. "We will continue to govern in your stead, just as we always have. Yet…it is something to consider, Your Majesty."
"Yes…indeed it is," Thorin muttered, gesturing for them to continue the tour, though now his mind was on other things besides the mines.
.
.
Tor and Tal were also impressed by Ered Luin, especially when they were shown the training rings that their father himself had constructed. Tal couldn't get enough of the many weapons and tools that hung on the walls, her little fingers itching to try them all out. A few of the dwarves noticed her fascination, and elbowed Dwalin with a knowing wink.
"Got a real battle-lass on your hands there," one of them said, nodding towards Talin as she ran her hand over a particularly ornate ax.
"She's got a good eye for weapons too," another commented. "That was always one of your favorites as well, was it not?"
"Aye," Dwalin grinned, ever proud of his daughter. "She is a brave lass."
"And so is your wife, it would seem," a third soldier chuckled. "She would have to be to take you on as a husband."
"Braver than you, Tolbar," Dwalin growled, causing the dwarf step back in fear. Yet when Dwalin broke out in laughter, everyone joined in…even Tolbar, though the nervous sweat on his brow betrayed his continued concern.
.
.
Torin, on the other hand, was often lost in his own thoughts…that of the Shire. He was anxious to get back there, mostly to see a certain little hobbit lass who had never been far from his mind. He and Holly had kept in touch, exchanging letters and drawings every chance they could, and even though he knew this delay in their journey was necessary…Tor still couldn't wait to be on the road again.
So, when the two weeks were up, and they mounted their ponies once again, the young dwarfling was overjoyed, eager to get to the Shire. The journey was not a long one, and the weather was pleasant, but everyone gave a contented sigh of pleasure as they crested the final hill and stood overlooking the rolling green hills beyond. It was almost like coming home…and to some it truly was.
Their stay in the Shire was as pleasant as last time, with the added bonus of there being no wolves to deal with. Flinn and Frodo picked up right where they had left off, falling back into their fast friendship the moment the group arrived. Torin was more than tickled to see Holly again, who seemed to have gotten even prettier over the last five years. And throughout the summer, the two of them were quite inseparable, causing many of the adults to smile and twitter whenever they spotted the two running around, hand in hand.
Even though he had fully intended to play the stern dwarf with Bilbo, Flinn ended up admiring the hobbit quite a lot, and in no time, the two were good friends - all thoughts of jealousy quickly forgotten. Dis even agreed with Marigold and Bergie that their famed burglar could not have chosen a better wife if he had searched a hundred years. Daisy had won the hearts of all, and it wasn't simply due to her fine cooking either.
.
.
While there, Thorin took Bilbo aside and spoke about his plan of retiring in the Shire when he at last passed the crown to Fili.
"I was wondering if you could keep an eye out for a nice hobbit hole that might suit me and Marigold," Thorin asked. "Nothing too fancy, and with maybe two or three bedrooms, just in case we have company."
"Thorin, you know that you two are always welcome to stay with us at Bag End," Bilbo insisted.
"And we thank you for your kind hospitality," the dwarf smiled. "But if we are to stay long term, we would want our own place, and not be an imposition on you."
"While you would never be an imposition, I do understand your desire to have a place of your own," Bilbo nodded. "When do you imagine you might be ready to come?"
"I'm not sure," he mused. "Things have been troubling of late, and rumor is that Mordor is stirring once again, sending out its dark forces across the land. No one is sure what is driving it, but the word is that they are encroaching on Gondor, having already overrun the lands of Ithilian. It is said that the men are holding them at bay, unwilling to forfeit their hold on Osgilliath. The days are growing darker my friend, and I fear before we see the sun again, it will grow darker still."
"Then I best plan my trip to Erebor soon," Bilbo stated, doing his best to lighten the mood. "I made a promise, and I fully intend to keep it!"
"Just do not put yourself in too much danger in an attempt to do so," Thorin warned. "You are a very brave hobbit, but even you are no match for a hoard of orcs."
"What?" he said in mock outraged. "You are speaking to the one who tricked trolls, outran orcs, battled with goblins, outwitted giant spiders, and slipped past elves. Not to mention outsmarted a fire breathing dragon. After that, what is one little trip across country?"
"Unfortunately, more dangerous than it used to be," Thorin warned. "But I do not doubt your skill or your ingenuity. If anyone can make it…you can, old friend."
.
.
When the summer was over, and everyone was forced to say farewell once again, they left the Shire with a firm promise from Bilbo and Daisy that they would see them soon in Erebor.
"The Shire was all you said it would be and more," Sier told Fili as they rode over the last of the green hills and out of the land of the hobbits. "I can see why Thorin and Marigold wish to return here when the burdens of kingship become too great."
"It is strange to think of Thorin not being king," Fili said in a sad tone. "I know we talk about it from time to time, about how he wants me to carry on after him, but to know he is asking Bilbo to look around for homes for him…well, it makes it almost too real."
"He deserves some peace, after all he has been through in his life, Fili," Sier insisted.
"Yes, he does. And Kili and I know that better than anyone, thus I don't begrudge him his desires one bit," Fili was quick to assure his wife, reaching over and taking her hand in his as their ponies trotted side by side. "I…I'll just miss him. He has always been there for me - someone to look up to, or someone to go to when I'm in doubt."
"And he will always be there for you Fili, never doubt that," she smiled, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "But he has taught you well, and he would never hand over the crown if he didn't think you were ready."
"Well…let's just hope that doesn't happen for a very long time," Fili laughed. "And speaking of the crown…how do you think Kili has handled bring king in Thorin's absence?"
"Well, knowing Kili, he dismissed all the councilors, canceled all scheduled meetings, and declared an extended holiday from all work until our return," Sier laughed. "We will come home to find all the dwarves in Erebor out picking flowers and lounging in the sun."
"Oh, wouldn't Thorin have a fit!" Fili laughed, easily imagining his brother actually doing something very much like that. "However, I think my uncle will be just a bit too distracted by the news Marigold has to give him the moment we all set foot back in Erebor, to even give Kili's antics a second thought."
"I know…I can't wait to see his face when he hears that he is going to be a father once more!" Sier said in an excited whisper. "I understand why Marigold does not wish to burden him with this news until we are all safely back home, but I swear that keeping this a secret will be my undoing."
"I know," he nodded with a roll of his eyes. "Every time I look at Thorin I get this silly grin on my face and I just know he's eventually going to figure it out…that or think I've lost my mind."
"You better hope he assumes you are crazy, because if you spill Marigold's news before she can, you will be one dead dwarf!" Sier warned, giving him a stern look.
"Don't I know it!" Fili said with a visible shudder. He had learned long ago not to cross his aunt. "Still, I am glad she told a few of us, this way we can all be extra protective of her on the way home."
"As if Marigold needs protecting," Sier laughed. "For a hobbit, she has become very handy with a weapon. She saved your life once, remember?"
"Oh, how could I forget," Fili smiled, thinking back to the first time they had laid eyes on Marigold and Bergie. "A lot has happened since then," he mused, reaching over and taking his wife by the hand as they rode side by side.
"And all of it for the better," she agreed, giving him a wink.
Soooooo, looks like Thorin is in for a shocker when he gets home. ha ha. I think Marigold is taking a page from Tauriel's book and keeping things a secret for the trip - in hopes of containing the over-protective husband and father Thorin can be.
I hope things are not moving too fast, but I really need to cover a lot of time before the epilogue can be posted.
And no, Kili got another son. Do you like the name? Anor? That they now have their little Sun and Moon?
Lili and Ithil are best buddies! And that will never change.
Guest Reviews:
Sutumi: Sí, a Ithil le encantará ser un hermano ... y estoy seguro de que será un gran. Lo siento, resultó ser un niño, no una niña, pero tengo planes para eso. Me alegra que disfrutes de todo el amor y los nacimientos. Gracias
abc: Dwalin deserved it after he had teased Kili and wouldn't let HIM hold his kids. ha ha. I think I answered two of your questions in this chapter. One was No. and the other was Maybe. ha ha. Don't worry, for that kind of news, Fili would happily forgo some sleep. ha ha. Thanks.
dojoson41: Ohhhh, RIGHT, I totally missed that! Then again, I didn't know it was wolf fur on Fili's coat in the movie either. ha ha. Thanks for the clarification.
Feu d'Argent: Sier and Tauriel are not tickled by them wagering on babies, and will keep out of the betting pool. ha ha. Don't worry about the whole 'outliving' thing. I got it covered. Well...sort of. Maybe not the 'perfect' fix, but good enough I hope. Good call to keep the babies away if you are sick. Though elves don't usually get the ailments humans do. Still, better to be safe than sorry. Get well soon. Thanks.
Emrfangirl: Thorin is a great baby sitter...but he gets worn out pretty fast. ha ha. Nope, Kili and Tauriel got a lad...their little Sun. ha ha. Yes, things are a bit more sporadic lately with the posting. But this one WAS 11 pages long. ha ha. My husband said we should start from the beginning too and read a bit ever night to keep him busy until I am done and he does not have to wait for chapters. ha ha. I am glad you like the "sur-bus" line...that was one of my favorites too. Thanks.