The Hen House

Fili - 17, Kili - 12

"Joli, it's perfect," Dis kissed her husband's cheek. "This is exactly what we need." She looked around at the small one room building Joli had built alongside their home.

"So, when are our new residents arriving?" Joli asked.

"Tomorrow," she answered. "There's still a few things I need to do to get ready."

The new arrivals came early the following afternoon.

"Afternoon, Lady Dis," the old dwarf said.

"Hello Dorn. Did you bring them?" Dis asked.

"Aye, got them in the back of the wagon, I do." Old Dorn gently lifted a large bag and followed Dis to the newly built room. They stepped inside and Dis closed the door, then Dorn untied the bag and opened the mouth. Ten reddish-brown hens ran out, clucking noisily. They began to explore their new home, quickly finding their food and water.

"They're all newly laying eggs," Dorn explained, "but don't be surprised if you don't see many these first few days. They're a little shocked from their journey and transfer, but three days, you'll be seeing lots of eggs."

"Thank you," Dis carefully opened the door and let Dorn and herself out. She paid the old dwarf the money for the hens and he left.

Dis kept an eye out for when her sons would arrive home. She knew they were excited about the hens, but she wanted to be with them the first time they saw the chickens. She needed to make sure they understood the rules.

Kili and Fili were walking up the path to the house, so she went out and met them at the gate.

"Hi, Amad," Kili said. "Are they here yet? Do we have chickens?"

"We do," Dis nodded. "Come along, I'll show you." She unlatched the door. "Careful when you open the door. Make sure there are no hens at the door that can run out." She let the boys in and then came in herself, closing the door behind her. "Always close the door immediately."

"Wow, look at them," Kili grinned.

Fili tried to pet one, but it ran off.

"Every day, boys, I want you to check on them. Make sure they have food and water and collect the eggs."

"Where will the eggs be?" Fili asked.

"Hopefully in those small boxes," Dis pointed out the little nesting boxes, "but I don't know what they will decide to do. We might see our first eggs tomorrow."

They stayed in there a while longer, watching then hens and talking about them.

"Please boys," Dis said as they left the hen house, "make sure you keep the door shut tight and latch it on the way out."

The boys nodded and made their promise to do all their mother had told them.

To Dis's surprise, the boys had taken right to their new job. They fed and filled the chicken's water dishes every day. They collected the eggs and had never dropped one. Every other week, they would muck out the old straw and put in fresh straw for their beds. Kili was especially good about taking care of the hens.

"Oh dear," Dis said to herself one morning.

"What is it Amad?" Fili asked.

"Your father forgot his lunch and it's market day. I don't have the time to take lunch to him," she sighed.

"I can take it to him, before lessons," Fili volunteered.

"But you haven't finished your morning chores."

"All we have left are the hens and Kili can do that. He practically does it by himself every morning anyway. It's his favorite chore."

Kili nodded. "I can do it, Amad."

"That would help me out a lot," Dis said. "I need to get going to the markets." Dis traded their fresh eggs for goods her family needed, but she did have to start out early to make it there, do her shopping and get home again before the boys came home from their lessons. "Alright," she said. "Fili, run along now so you can make it to Adad's shop and then to your lessons on time."

Fili nodded. "See you later, Kili." He took his books and his father's lunch and ran out the door.

Dis put on her cloak. "Kili, take care of the hens, then off with you."

"Yes, Amad," Kili nodded. He felt very grown up at being left to take care of this task on his own and then walk to his lessons on his own. He didn't understand why they didn't leave him to do things on his own more often. He was twelve years old, for goodness sake. He would prove to them he could do this.

He set his books and his lunch pail by the hen house door. He scooped up a bucket of feed and a bucket of water and carried them back to the hen house door. Carefully, he opened it up and placed the bucket of feed just inside the door. He had learned to do this very quickly after almost letting two hens escape the first time he had tried this

By placing the bucket of food in first, the hens would be too occupied by the food to try and get out, allowing him the time and room to get into the hen house with the water bucket. He closed the door behind him and poured the water into their dish.

The hens were familiar with Kili now and they let him pet their backs. He did for several moments, feeling their soft feathers. He poured the feed into their food dish and collected eight eggs. They were gently placed in the bucket and he went back to the door. He pushed to open it, but the door didn't budge.

"Oh no," Kili whispered. He put his shoulder into the door and pushed again, but it didn't move. The latch on the other side must have slipped. He was locked in.

"Amad!" Kili shouted before remembering she had already left for the market. Kili groaned. No one would be home for hours. A few tears formed in his eyes. He was all alone, locked in the hen house. His books and lunch were on the other side of the door, so he had no food. He looked helplessly around for any kind of hole or way out, but there was none. The house had been built by his Adad, a master carpenter, and it was as sturdy as could be. He had no choice but to wait. He carefully took the eggs out of the bucket and turned the bucket upside down so he could sit on it. Kili sighed. This was going to be a long, lonely day.

Fili was half way through his morning lessons before he realized Kili wasn't there. He mentally kicked himself. He had gotten so caught up in his history lesson that he had not noticed Kili had never come in.

"Master Telchar?"

"What is it Fili?"

"Have you seen Kili?"

"No. When he didn't come in with you, I assumed he was sick," Master Telchar said.

"No. He's not. I had to do an errand for my Amad this morning. Kili was left on his own to finish his chores and come here himself," Fili felt a panic rise in his chest.

"Hmph. Well, it seems he decided to play hooky today."

Fili shook his head. "Kili wouldn't do that. Please, may I go home to check on him?"

"No. You will sit down and do your work. Your education will not be interrupted by your careless brother who couldn't bother himself to come on his own today."

Fili was mad. Master Telchar had no right to say that about his brother. Kili was not careless or dumb enough to skip his lessons. They both feared their mother too much for that. If Kili didn't come, he had a very good reason.

"Please, I need to make sure he didn't get hurt along the way. I promise, I'll do twice the work tomorrow," Fili pleaded.

Master Telchar scowled at Fili for a few moments. "You'll both do twice the work tomorrow. Off with you now."

Fili ran out the door as fast as he could. He hoped Kili wasn't hurt. It was the only reason he could think of for why Kili didn't show up for lessons. He could have fallen. There could have been an animal attack, or what if bad men had snuck up and taken him. With every step Fili took, his mind came up with worse and worse scenarios. By the time he got home, he was quite worked up.

"Kili!" he called out as he opened the door to the house and ran in.

The hen house wasn't the most exciting place to be stuck in. The hens ignored him and went about their business of eating, drinking, pooping and pecking at each other.

Kili had found a small stick and occupied part of his time by drawing pictures into the dirt. He drew the Lonely Mountain and the dragon Smaug. He was in the middle of drawing himself, ready to take on the dragon with a great sword, when one of the chicken ran right through his picture.

"And Smaug is defeated by Henny!" Kili had laughed. He made up a few stories and told them out loud to the chickens. But the morning slowly passed and Kili grew cold in the darkened house. His stomach grumbled for food. He started to get anxious and panicky. "Fili. Oh, Fili! Come home and help me."

He forced himself to take a few deep breaths and calmed down. He sat back on his bucket and rested his head in his hands. Maybe he could sleep.

"Kili!" a voice woke him up. It was immediately followed by the sound of a door slamming shut.

It was Fili! Fili had come home to find him. "Fili! Fili!" Kili shouted, but Fili didn't answer. Kili wanted to cry again. His brother could not hear him.

Fili ran though the house, calling out to his brother, but he was not home. Where could he be? He made up a plan. He would go to Adad's shop. On second thought, maybe Thorin first. The forge was closer. He would tell Uncle and then father and they could organize a search party. Kili just had to be found.

He went back out the door, ready to take off running when he happened to glance at the hen house. Kili's lesson books and lunch pail were sitting by the door.

"Kili?" he called out, running to the hen house.

"Fili!" Kili's desperate, frightened voice came from the other side of the door. He pounded on the wall. "The latch fell. I'm locked in!"

Fili unlatched the lock and opened the door. Kili was out a second later. He threw himself around Fili while Fili shut the door again.

"Oh, Kili. Have you been in there all morning?" Fili asked.

Kili nodded.

"You're cold. Come inside. I'll get you some tea." Fili led Kili into the house. Kili sat at the table. Fili tossed a blanket over Kili's shoulders, then he made him a cup of hot tea. "Feel better?"

Kili nodded, again.

"I'm so sorry, Kili."

"Why? I'm the genius who let himself get locked in."

"I'm sorry for not noticing sooner. I got so caught up in my lessons that I didn't notice. I hope you'll forgive me."

Kili frowned. "Of course I forgive you. You rescued me. We better tell Adad about the latch. Maybe he can fix it so it doesn't do that again."

"Want some lunch?" Fili asked.

"You mean lunch hasn't passed yet?" Kili asked.

"No. It's only lunch time now."

"Blimey. It felt like I was in there all week."

Fili laughed. "Nope, just a few hours this morning. Listen, let's eat and go back to Master Telchar. I promised him I'd do extra work tomorrow if he let me go look for you. If we go back this afternoon, maybe we won't have to do so much to do tomorrow."

"I'm going to have to tell everyone I got locked in the hen house, aren't I?" Kili blushed.

"Afraid so," Fili heated up some food on the hearth. "So, tell me, what did you do in there all morning while you were trapped?"

Kili grinned. "I drew the greatest picture of me battling Smaug and saving all of Erebor! Until one of the chickens ran through my picture and destroyed it."

Fili laughed hard.

That night, Kili had everyone in stitches as he told about his morning locked in the hen house. Joli promised to fix the latch and Thorin promised to tell the story to Kili's intended when he started to court a lass one day.

Kili turned red with embarrassment.