Bad chapter title but oh well. Enjoy.

Chapter 8: Truth will exhume

If there was ever a moment in life where she had felt like kissing Dwalin it was now. The brilliant warrior stood in her doorway, a frown etched upon his harsh and foreboding face, a small blonde at his feet and an even smaller brunette in his arms. The tall dwarf opened his mouth to speak.

"Fili and Kili ran to mine and Balin's house last night," he informed her, his tone gruff, but anger contained for now, "The younger one scared out of his mind and in tears, his brother trying to comfort him without much success."

Dis knew where this was going and knew that she deserved no less from Dwalin, especially since he had been disturbed from his sleep because of her actions. She simply clasped her hands in front of her and waited to hear more, her remorseful and relieved expression drawing no sympathy from the angry dwarf.

"Took me ages to calm them down and get them to tell me what happened," he growled, "And what was worse was the fact that Balin was not there to wield his power over your children." Dis went to say something, but he cut her off. "Now I think it would be best if I got them to bed. Neither slept a wink last night. Which way is their room?"

"This way," Fili said from below him. Dwalin shot a smile in his direction.

"Here, take your brother and then get some sleep. I need to talk to your mother about a few…things."

Fili nodded at the warrior's words and took the reluctant, sleepy lad from Dwalin's arms and led him away without a backwards glance, Kili stumbling along behind his brother.

"Now," Dwalin said as he straightened, his voice still calm, but seething with anger, "Where is Thorin?"

"I do not know. He went searching for Kili and Fili," Dis replied, still standing as if waiting for an invitation to sit down in her own house. Dwalin looked at her and sighed.

"Might as well sit," he said, his tone and face weary from the long night. There was an awkward pause between the two as Dwalin's fury battled with him just wanting to get out of there, and Dis not knowing what to say. Eventually, though, she decided upon something.

"Thank you for looking after my boys," she said timidly. Dwalin just sighed again and continued to twiddle with one of his knives.

The pair sat there for a time with no communication as they waited for Dis' brother to return from what would be a futile waste of his energy.

At least he is having the day off from work, Dis mused. He needed to take more days off more often. She could help with the paperwork if it was required of her.

Eyes flitting around the place, Dis caught sight of a stack of untidy papers. Discontent with just sitting there, Dwalin picking at his fingernails with his knife, she stood and moved over to sort them. They were the same ones from several nights ago and as she stared at them, Dis felt curiosity pike her heart.

The dwarfish woman began to tidy up the stack, sorting each sheet of parchment into piles. There were legal documents, lists of marriages and deaths, and other such things one would find on the desk of a king. But there were also drawings; sketches both completed and obviously discarded. Dis sifted through each one, in awe of her brother's skill.

There were outlines of hazy figures smudged beyond recognition, and trees that looked both gnarled and twisted. There were flowers shaded all colours of grey, singing birds and buzzing bees, and even one of the old dwarf opposite them sitting back in a chair, eyes closed and snoring. And then there were dozens of her boys. Playing, wrestling, beaming, crying; Thorin had caught all sides of their personality. One of Kili trailing behind his brother on unsteady legs made her crinkle her eyes in amusement of the memory. The youngster had just learnt to walk and had taken to following Fili everywhere. This particular drawing drew her attention to a sly gleam in Fili's eyes and she crinkled her eyes again, remembering how, on the day Thorin had gotten the idea to draw this, Fili had informed his brother that Thorin was even more fun to follow around. He had made a game out of it, causing both of them to be underfoot and Thorin to face-plant into the floorboards as he opened the door to greet both Balin and Dwalin. She caught her breath as she gazed at the one underneath.

It was obviously the newest sketch, only half done but still beautiful to behold. It was of a dwarfish woman, regal and proud, staring off into the distance as though something had grabbed her attention. Her hair was impeccably braided and, if she had guessed right, would have probably been jet black. Her eyes were filled with an out-of-place sorrow in a beautiful, regal face lined with the same misery that masked the woman's eyes. With a jolt, Dis realised she was looking at herself.

Placing the half-finished drawing back down, she glanced up to find Dwalin staring at her. He then looked towards the door through which they could see Thorin trudging despondently up the trail to the house. Dwalin stood to receive him and received an almost desperate look in return.

"Have you seen-" he began, his worry clearly evident on his face. Dwalin nodded.

"Safe and in bed." He gestured towards their room. "Came to me last night in a right state." Thorin looked almost thunderous at this.

"You said you hadn't seen them!" he said. Dwalin held up his hands to hold back the storm that was his leader's anger.

"It was true at the time," he explained, "And they turned up a short while after you left. I was going to go after you," he said, seeing the look that now graced both adult's faces, "But the young one was crying and his brother was not far from it. I thought it was best if they had told me what happened." His tone grew dark again. "Fili explained your fight, and when I offered to take him and Kili back here, said he didn't want to see you. Kili was too scared to say anything." He glowered at them from his taller height.

"We did not know they were there," Dis said softly, knowing that it was a weak argument in any case.

"Did not know?" Dwalin asked coolly, his voice never raising above its normal volume, "Didn't know that a shouting match would attract little children?" Both siblings winced at this. "All I can tell you," Dwalin breathed, "Was that after Fili said he did not want to come back, I was in agreement with him. That is why I let them stay the night without telling you. Had you been any other dwarves, I would have also left them in Balin's care until you sorted out your differences or I knocked some sense into you both. Next time I will."

He nodded curtly to both dwarves after a moment's pause and retreated back to the door, ready to leave. Thorin ambled away to put up his cloak and as he done so, Dis saw Dwalin hesitate, then beckon to her. She pulled up close, wondering what he might say.

"Yes?" she asked tentatively. Dwalin looked in the direction that Thorin had gone and then back at her.

"It's about Thorin," he said softly.

"Yes?" she asked again with more apprehension.

"I would keep an eye on him."

"Why?" Dis questioned, bewildered. Dwalin frowned slightly, as if he were thinking hard.

"Balin is worried about him, and so am I. We know you are too."

That much was true, Dis reflected, though she hadn't known that both Balin and Dwalin were equally concerned.

"Why?" she asked, fear washing through her, "What's wrong?" Dwalin grimaced, not seeming comfortable about the topic.

"Just keep an eye on him. You never know what might happen."

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