Kili's surgery. This is a rather long chapter where we learn a great deal more about Ade and Tomtom. We begin the set up for the trouble that our favorite dwarf brothers will find themselves in. This story is a slow build to the action, so I hope that you bear with me. I promise the next will have more of our dear dwarfs and a certain hobbit's adventures. I thank all those who have reviewed and continue to stick with my story.

Ade and Tomtom jumped and started to look around the room. "Is there a bee or a wasp? We once got one bigger than a cat. It flew in here and bumbled around making a huge mess! It destroyed my jar of strawberry jam!"

Tomtom set down his tray and the two began to run around the room looking for the imagined pest.

"No, NO. There's no bug!" Kili shook his head in disbelief.

The two stopped in their tracks. "Then why did ya yell then? I haven't even started operating yet. You can yell all you want, we won't mind. Why the last time.."

"Stop! I was complaining about my, my," now Kili was trying to look for a proper word to handle his embarrassing situation, but gave up. These two know nothing of propriety so we should he? "My nakedness! It's not proper to look at a person's privates."

"But I'm your doctor. Tomtom's your nurse. We even made outfits. Just like in the book. And we are being sepsis and we'll nestize ya too. SO don't worry NotWhat, we are on the job."

Kili looked at the two strangers now back beside his bed. His leg throbbed almost as hard as his head. However, his "physicians" were right. The wood had to come out. Sigh, "Fine, just don't remove my sheet again. And could I get some clothes?"

Even behind the netting of her weird hat, Kili could make out the smile. "Yea! Tomtom would you let Notwhat"

"Kili."

"Kili, borrow a shirt? I think it would fit him."

Tomtom nodded and left the room.

"What book are you talking about? Where is this place? What does sepsis mean or nestisize? I'm not sure I like that word." Kili added with a pout. He figured he could pout at this stage, he earned the right.

Just like he figured, Ade was too happy to explain. She reached over and held out a very old, but well preserved book in front of the dwarf's face. The book had diagrams and figures of a couple of minor wounds. The words however, made no sense to the dwarf. They reminded him of something he'd see in Riverdale.

Ade leaned in and whispered. "This book is ancient. Older than the trees it is. Written in the First Age by an elvish healer. She was genius. Absolutely brilliant."

"You're using an elf book on a dwarf? Where did you get such a thing?" Kili wasn't too sure about this.

"Why not? Used it on myself and Tomtom. All the same basically with a few minor details. Got that from another book. That was the Comparative Anatomy and Physiology of Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits and Humans by Peri Merryweather. Great book, lots of pictures. Anyhow, we will be very clean. We will clean your wound and use clean tools. That is sepsis. Nestize means you won't feel it."

Kili furrowed his brow. That didn't sound bad at all. In fact it made a good deal of sense. Tomtom returned with a large beige shirt and handed it to Kili. Kili shrugged it on. It was huge and it hung off of the dwarf in huge folds of fabric. He schouched it down over his hip. "Thanks." He told the giant who gave him a grin.

"See perfect fit." Ade replied. Obviously the female didn't have a lick of fashion sense. "Okay, now to the surgery. Since you're awake, this is going to be trickier. I'm going to have to add an extra step."

Kili watched with curiosity as the female turned and grabbed a clear glass bottle containing a dark brown liquid. "This will do it. Couple mugs of this and you'll be nesitized." She poured the liquid into the ceramic mug on his bed stand. She handed it to the very cautious dwarf.

He sniffed. His eyes grew wide from the smell of alcohol. "I'm not sure." He didn't think the two would try to poison him outright.

Ade turned to Tomtom and grunted frustrated. "Are all male dwarfs such cautious nellies?"

Kili was insulted. "I am a warrior!"He declared with a fire in his eye.

Ade didn't seem impressed. "Really, then warrior's are kind of wimps. I thought they'd be tougher than that. They are in the books. They never worry about their clothes, worrying about their nethers, worrying about a little bit of "

Kili cut her off. "I am not a wimp. I've faced orcs, goblins and giant talking spiders and, and, elves." He sputtered.

"Now that does sound interesting. You can tell us about it later after you've had surgery. Drink up mighty warrior." Ade replied while Tomtom smirked.

Kili glared at the woman. He knew when he was being mocked. Tomtom sighed grabbed the mug from Ade's hand and drank. When he was done he licked his lips and smiled. He handed the now empty cup back to Kili.

Kili's eyebrows shot up. That was a drink worthy of any dwarf. " Fine. Fill me up."

Ade gave Tomtom a nod of approval. She filled the mug with the rich brown liquid.

Kili took it. He hesitated for only a second, then reminding himself he was Durin, he swallowed. For all the smell of alcohol, it went down much smoother than he expected. This was no ale, nor any of the fruity wines that Bilbo or Gandalf favored. This was something else entirely. The dwarf felt a burn begin in his throat but he was determined to drain the entire thing. He was not going to be outdone by some childish giant. When he stopped, Kili's eye's bulged out. He coughed and gasped.

"Water, here, drink this." Ade gave him another cup containing water and the dwarf downed it all.

He lay there panting and immediately, a warm rather pleasant glow began to emanate from his stomach which had held precious little in the last few hours. Ade and Tomtom both encroached his personal space, examining his face. This time though, Kili just smiled.

"What is that stuff? It's wonderful" He held the cup out again. Ade looked at Tomtom who nodded. She refilled it. This time Kili drank slower and savored the flavor. However, soon the cup was empty. Ade gave him another cup of water.

Kili flopped back in his bed. Despite everything, his head, his chest and his leg, he actually felt pretty damn good. If this was nestitizing, he was all for it.

Ade leaned over to Tomtom. "He isn't out yet, but he's happy. What do ya think?" Tomtom nodded negatively. Ade seemed lost in thought.

"Is called whizzkey. We use it occasionally. We have a barrel of the stuff left over from the old days. Can you feel this?" She poked his wounded leg gently.

"Yes, but I don't give a rat's ass. Just fill my mug up." Kili laughed and then waved the cup toward his surgeon.

"Hmm. Close enough, I guess. Okay, here is steps 3 through 9.

"I want my whizzkey." Kili whined and reached out for the glass bottle.

She slapped his hand away. "In a moment Tomtom is gonna hold your leg down when I cut your skin, I'll get the wood out, clean it and do stitches. Then your hurts are done."

Kili gave her a smoldering look that had worked on many a barmaid back in the Blue Mountains. Ade rolled her eyes. However, even she wasn't totally immune to Kili's charms. She poured more into his cup then took a big swill out of the bottle herself.

Kili laughed and belched. Tomtom set down the tray and Ade went to work, talking the whole way through steps 3 through 9 while referring to the book once more.

Kili giggled at everything. He watched with fascination as she cleaned the wound, then began digging the wood out of his leg. It hurt, but it was like a far away distant sort of thing. However, he began to grow very, very tired. While Ade was stitching his leg back together the very drunk dwarf finally fell into unconsciousness.

It was very dark when Kili awoke. His head pounded. In fact it felt as if it would split in two. His head swirled with the strangest of dreams. His brother, his uncle looking for him, large trolls trying to eat him and him running around unclothed in the halls of Greenwood being chased by a beautiful female elf. When she had caught him, his dreams became really interesting. Kili tried to sit up and moaned. A warm hairy something had curled around his side and laid on the excess of his shirt.

Slowly his dark eyes opened and he was instantly glad that only a few candles lit the room. He grunted and shifted his gaze slightly. His bedside companion was a rather large gingered cat who seemed rather displeased with his movement. Its green eyes peered into his with a kind of feline superiority. Sort of like, you move, you die kind of thing.

However, the young hung over dwarf decided he'd risk the feline wrath. Kili felt nauseous, needing to pee and needed more water. He glanced about the room to see Ade asleep in a rocking chair pulled next to his bedside. She leaned back in the chair with her legs balanced on his mattress. A very soft snore came from behind the hat. In her lap was yet another cat, this one smaller with white and black markings. Tomtom was not in the room at all.

Kili shifted. He saw there was a cup of water near his bed stand and quickly drank it all. Then the urge to urinate hit him again. Despite everything, he had to obey his body's urge. As he shifted he began to look for a chamber pot or a hint of a bathroom. Nothing.

Ade continued to snore, not the least aroused by his stirrings. Kili threw back the bed sheets and the cat gave a meow unhappily.

Kili tested his sore leg. He found he could place some weight on it so he began to limp gingerly to what he hoped was the front door. Perhaps these two simple folk had an outhouse.

Kili grimaced as he limped out of the house and out of the front door. He barely took in his surroundings, but the house seemed to be decorated in much the same fashion as the bedroom.

He didn't make it far when he spotted a tree in the yard. That was close enough.

A few moments later, Kili turned and one hand leaned against the tree for stability. A goat wandered nearby, chewing on some grass and staring at him cautiously. A few feet beyond that was two fat milk cows. A rooster began to crow as the light hit.

It was predawn, but his vision adjusted. This place reminded him of shire at first, if it was surrounded by tall mountainous cliffs on either side. Animals wandered around freely. There was a huge vegetable garden fenced off. Another fenced garden almost the same size contained herbs and various flowers. The place was overflowing with greenery in pots and buckets. When he turned toward the home of Ade and Tomtom, his opinion changed again. Their home was built into the side of a mountain cliff about two stories high. It showed more characteristics of dwarven architecture than hobbit. However, the second floor had arches and a patio that distinctly made him think of Riverdale. It was a confusing mash of several techniques but somehow they all worked to make a very pleasant home.

In the distance he could hear flowing water. That damn river. He mentally growled. Kili's thoughts turned toward his brother and his fellow companions. Did they think him dead? How did he get here? Why hadn't Fili found him yet? All these thoughts and more flashed through his brain. He felt guilt at the last though. It wasn't Fili's fault that he was here. Nope. He'd managed that all on his own, thank you.

Kili's vision was still not a 100 percent, but he caught a glimpse of something more, just beyond the hedges when his solitary excursion was interrupted.

"There you are. Got worried about you. How do you feel?" Ade's voice was soft. Kili was grateful that she didn't have her usual intensity.

"Leg's better, but my head.."

She nodded. "Let's get you inside. I've got something for that."

A few minutes later, Kili found himself at a large wooden table in the kitchen. She had his leg propped up in another chair and covered him in a soft quilt. Kili watched quietly while she stoked a fire and began to prepare a meal. He said little even though his had so many questions. He wasn't certain he could handle the noise of his own voice.

Kili found himself gently stirred. He'd fallen asleep once more. "Drink this slowly. It will help with all your hurts."

Kili sniffed again. He wasn't sure he wanted to be nesitized this soon again. But this smelt like hobbit tea and herbs. He drank it and was surprised to find it a little sweet, not bitter.

Ade surprisingly, said nothing else and continued about her morning routine of fixing breakfast. Tomtom came into the room and stretched. Ade walked up to him and the two shared a huge hug. Tomtom nodded towards the door and left with a bucket in his hand.

Kili had finished the drink and continued to sit quietly. Ade refilled it and placed a dark bread in front on him with butter on it. "This won't upset your stomach."

Kili managed to mutter thanks. Ade was no longer wearing her white apron or mitts, but she kept that ridiculous hat on.

The smell of breakfast wafted across the room. Eggs and some oatmeal were cooked. She sat out a jar of jam. Tomtom returned with a bucket of fresh milk.

Kili found himself feeling much more normal. His hosts piled a plate full of food and more tea in front of him.

"Let's eat." Ade said and she and Tomtom joined Kili in the simple but filling breakfast.

"Thank you for everything. You have been most gracious hosts." Kili broke the silence. Despite their comedic appearance and weirdness, these two shown nothing but kindness to him. He was in their debt.

"Your welcome Kili Notwhat. We hope that we have treated you as good hosts would. But honestly, we are a little uncertain about the whole concept." Ade replied. She handed the jam to Tomtom without the giant even hinting that he needed it.

Time for some answers to the questions rolling around in his head. "My lady would you mind telling me where I am. I have no clue to my whereabouts."

Ade looked at Tomtom and the two seemed to have a silent conversation. Tomtom pointed to something outside and shook his head. Ade frowned, but sighed. She also pointed. Kili watched the two have this silent communication. It reminded him of Fili whom he missed desperately.

Ade sighed and folded her hands in her lap. "We will tell you, if you promise on what you hold most sacred, never to reveal us to the outside world."

"Ade, I swear I mean you and Tomtom no harm."

"Please." She begged.

"I, Kili, son of Dis, swear by the Arkenstone of the Erebor that I will tell no one of this place."

That made the two of them happy. "Well, then, you are at the great library of the secret valley of Everpeace. Tomtom and I are its last keepers."

"What? I have never heard of such a place." Kili was bewildered.

Ade shrugged. "I don't imagine you would. Hopefully no one of the outside world does." She took a bite out of her eggs.

"Why?"

"Because, the knowledge here is too great, too dangerous to be in wicked hands. And that is all that is out there now. Its dark. Dangerous. Full of murderers, thieves and brigands. Shadows." Ade said very loudly and with her usual energy.

Kili shrank back a little at the outburst. "I assure you that I am none of those."

"I know. You have a good heart. Tomtom can tell. But others do not."

Kili had to know now, "Is there a way out of this place? I must return to my brother and my friends."

"Yes, but not until tomorrow may you leave this place." Ade replied soothing his sudden fear.

Kili was anxious to return to his comrades. "Why? Is it my wounds, I assure you I have travelled with worse."

"No. Because the gate won't open. You need a full moon to leave. The gate won't work until then. That's tomorrow. Then you may leave as long as you never tell about us to others."

Tomtom growled but not at them.

"Tomtom would like to remind you that you promised. No one, especially bad guys Ever."

Kili nodded. "I swear."

"We will get your clothes later, but they'll need a good washing before you can put them back on. Still don't understand why you wouldn't let Tomtom carry you on his shoulders." Ade said.

Kili grumbled, "Because I have no pants!"

"Oh, that again. Honestly, do all warriors worry about clothes?"

"Only when we don't have them on." Kili replied in a huff.

Tomtom lead the way and Kili limped behind them. Ade had handed him a walking stick to aid him in his short journey. Kili had wound his sheet around him like a kilt. Stuffed inside that was his overly large shirt.

The two were still squabbling about what actually warriors should be like, when Tomtom stepped out of the way and Kili could get his first good view of the library.

Kili stopped and just stared with his mouth open. This location was unlike anything he'd ever seen or even imagined before.

To say that it was beautiful would not do this place justice. In front of him stood a huge sculpture of white marble, stone and precious metals. The four figures, a female elf, a female human, a male dwarf and a male hobbit so lovingly created that they seemed lifelike stood on a winding dais of increasing height. The effect was all the figures stood at eye level to one another. Each hand one hand reaching up toward a lantern which glowed with crystal colors of the rainbow. It was magnificent.

Beyond this impressive visual there stood a huge tree. It was easily as tall as the five storied building behind it. But this tree was no ordinary one. For all four of the seasons were represented at once. The right side of the tree closest to the ground was empty of leaves or fruit. A few feet above that barren limbs sprang white buds with pink and yellow centers. These buds drifted slowly through the air gently failing like snowflakes. These buds rose high to the center of the magical tree. Here the leaves became their normal size. Large red fruit, resembling apples dotted the greenery. This was tree at its most mature. Then followed huge leaves of gold, red and orange. These too rained down on the green carpet of grass. Never before had Kili seen something so magical. The tree lent an air of serenity and for the first time in months Kili found a sense of peace.

"Durin's beard. This place is " words failed the dwarf. They could never do this place justice. For the first time, Kili realized why two people might never want to leave this area. He finally tore his eyes away from this heavenly sight to the building that stood behind it. Like Ade and Tomtom's home, this building was a mix of architecture from all the races of Middle Earth. Yet the other was functional, homely. This was incredible. This was the perfect balance of the styles. White marble, smooth granite, inlaid stones and precious metals, supple arches, incredible sculptures and more rose up to the edges of the cliff itself.

"Majestic." Ade filled in. "I have not seen the outside word. However, I have little doubt that anything out there can compete with what we see before our eyes."

"My friends. I must agree. I do not think even the hallowed halls of Erebor could match this." Kili replied.

Tomtom smiled to Ade. He began the walk forward. "Come see the inside."

Tomtom went up the door. Kili knew in his heart this was the work of master dwarfs. The engineers and architects of this had to be geniuses. The metal that flowed in the curved designs seemed to glow as if still on fire from the forges. Yet as his hand brushed the metal, is was cool to the touch. He followed the giant in.

He stepped into something of dreams. The entry way was semicircular. Huge wooden desks and rows after rows of tables, small bookcases and desks greeted him. The floor was white marble inlaid with mosaics of how the world came into being. What surrounded the assembled furniture was wall upon walls of bookshelves. They flowed into each other like the limbs of a tree. The books nearer the first level were thicker and darker. As the shelves rose the books grew smaller and lighter colored. Up and up the shelves went. Some behind, some looking as if to topple on their heads. A few though held very little. These books seemed dark and dusty, full of dread. A carefully built lattice of wooden ladders and stone staircases rose up to follow the books as they reached toward the sky. Incredible artwork of paintings, sculpture and more decorated its nooks and crannies.

Kili's large eyes were wide with wonder. Oh, how he wished his brother was here to see this. And the hobbit! Why Bilbo would think he was in the undying lands. Ori would have wept with joy! "This is unbelievable. Truly a grand and noble place as there could be on this earth."

Tomtom smiled in pleasure and slapped Kili on the back with agreement. This startled the young dwarf. Some of the spell broken he hopped to a chair and sat down.

Ade's voice was respectful here. "This is the library. All the knowledge of the ages was sent here for thousands of years. What you see before you is the wisdom of all the free peoples."

"How can we not have heard of such a place? Why is this not surrounded by scholars?" Kili asked puzzled. He was no reader. Kili was a dwarf of action, but in this place, even he wanted to read and learn.

"Sauron." Ade said simply. She sat down beside Kili and stared up at the shelves. The stained glass windows cast such a warm light that was perfect for reading.

Kili bit his lip. Of course, the ancient dread that had cursed this world. The evil scourge that had caused so many hurts, so much evil.

Ade took Tomtom's hand and he held for a moment. He nodded at her in encouragement. This story was not an easy one. It was also one not told for more than four decades.

"This place was first realized long ago when all the world had hopes for peace and good. Before the deep dark wounds and distrust of the great races against one another. The most skilled artisans came to this secret valley to create a home for knowledge, for wisdom. It was meant to honor Eru. Here would be a place where the most brilliant of minds would exchange their findings, their songs with joy. It was glorious in those days. The library was full of beings devoted only to art or wisdom, all freely shared."

Ade moved to sit beside Kili. " For thousands of years scholars and artists meet in brotherhood. Then evil rose. The first builders of this place wisely feared that this sacred meeting area would be turned to one of evil. The elders wondered if they should put this building to flame rather than risk the information within. Yet, when the elders voted, not a one had the heart to destroy such beauty, such wisdom. Instead, a secret order was organized. Books, scrolls, maps would still be sent here. A special group would watch over them. They would make certain that the knowledge here would never fall to the wrong, greedy hands. However, the war with Sauron took a mighty toll. The organization of scholars dwindled to only a handful. The bitterness of the races, the mistrust led to this place being forgotten as the elders of our order wished it. Carefully, the elders removed all references to this sacred valley. They hushed the stories, the legends and the songs. Where they did exist, they said the great library was destroyed by evil. Over the centuries not even the first born remembered the glory of Everpeace. We had fallen out of myth into obscurity. The wealth and knowledge that the elders could not destroy was hidden from the world."

Kili rubbed his faced and glanced at the books. He was still sore and hurting from his imprisonment by the hands of the elves. However beautiful, he did not trust them. Thranduil did not trust dwarfs. Hobbits kept only to themselves. Humans, had little want to learn of any other race. They just bred like rabbits and yearned to spread out over the vastness of Middle Earth. There was no agreement between the races. Evil still thrived. The orcs, goblins, and the dragon all testament to that fact.

"I think I understand a little. But how do you and Tomtom come to be here? Are you members of this long ago order." Kili responded with great regret. Everpeace was a treasure built on sharing not hiding.

The sadness in Ade's voice was unmistakable. "We are. The very last too. We were both born here. Our parents kept this place as did their parents before them. We have not had any outsiders since the fall of Erebor when the last elder in the outside order came here."

"The scholars of Erebor knew of this place? That's impossible!" If uncle only knew of this place! What was lost to the dragon, some of that knowledge surely lay on the shelves here. Kili wondered.

"Well, at least one did. He was my father." Ade said with a sad smile. "My mother said he showed up with a long golden beard covered in soot. He was overburdened with three bags of books he'd rescued from Smaug's flames. Didn't even carry a weapon but parchment and no food. "

Kili could not resist the urge. Ade was now one of them. One of the lost dwarfs of Erebor.

"We mean to retake it." Kili admitted. What harm would it do to tell this she dwarf of the quest.?

"Retake it?" Ade was puzzled.

"Erebor, our home. My uncle Thorin seeks to take it back from Smaug. He will see that the dwarfs of the Lonely Mountain have their homes, their halls and their gold once more." Kili said with great conviction.

Ade looked up at Tomtom not sure she understood what she was hearing.

"Tom." He said. Tomtom moved toward a row of books. He had no need of the ladder that the others would have needed. Instead, he pulled out a beautiful book of rich brown leather. He untied its binding and handed it to Ade.

Ade thumbed through the pages until she found the page she was seeking. It bore a few fingerprints. Kili recognized it immediately in his own schoolings. It was a picture of the Lonely Mountain. On the opposite side was the name of his great grandfather, grandfather and uncle.

"Thorin son of Thrain returns to Erebor? The fire drake will still be there and its wrath is truly terrible." Ade asked with wonder. "Yet the longing to return, it must be incredible."

"Yes, he does. The lost dwarfs will have their home restored."

"Wait, you said Thorin was your uncle?"

"I did". Kili smiled. It was something to see his uncle in a history book.

"So that makes you a " Ade's voice rose in pitch.

"a nephew". Kili finished. "Not else. It is my elder brother Fili that is the heir. He makes a great prince. He is smart and fierce. The bravest dwarf a person could ask for. He doesn't have my failings of quick temper or impulsive actions. He is like Uncle Thorin. I am lucky enough to be his brother and his friend. My uncle has never forgotten our home, nor has he ever shirked his responsibility to our people. "

Ade laughed and Tomtom nodded. "Your brother sounds like quite a wonderful person. Your uncle must be very brave. I wish I could meet them too. But still this makes you royalty we reckon. Hey, this means we can add to the genealogy." Suddenly Ade's blue eyes grew in abrupt realization. "Oh my stars. We get to add to the knowledge of this hall. Why didn't I think of it before?"

She stood up and began to run around. So did Tomtom. They began pulling out parchment and inks, blank books and quills.

"We're idiots! We should be asking you a hundred questions. There is so much you could update! Ack, quickly Tomtom let's start with current events, new recipes, no wait, uh, political events, no, no time for bull, we can look up how to kill a dragon, oh yes!"

That got Kili's attention. "You have a book on how to kill a dragon?" He squeaked out in excitement.

Ade however continued on her rant, "gardening, healing, painting, no, yes. All of it. Wait, Let's start with genealogy." She grabbed her inked quill slid next to Kili and looked eagerly in his eyes.

"So, whose your daddy?"

Thanks for sticking with me. Next chapter deals with Bilbo and Fili, plus just how does a certain dwarf handle '"his" hobbit disappearing?