And now we go back in time. More stories, but in no particular chorological order.
Thorin sat alone in his home, a tankard of ale in one hand, his boots off and his feet stretched out before the fire. It had been a good day at the forge. Fili was learning the ropes quickly and producing fine work. He had Thorin's talent for blacksmithing and that made Thorin very proud. He relaxed and thought about his sister and her family. The boys were growing well and strong. They were good boys, who, despite their bouts of mischievousness, and youth, were hard working, capable, and quick to learn. He couldn't be more proud of his young heirs if they had been his own sons.
Yes, life was, at this moment in time, good. Thorin's mind wandered back to the days when he never could have relaxed like this. Back to a time when he never thought the luxury of relaxation and ale would be his again.
Back when Smaug had run them out of their home, his own grandmother and mother had been killed. He was devastated, but he had his grandfather, his father, his brother and small sister. As Dis grew, he saw the need she had for a mother, or at least an older female to teach her about being a dam. He knew there would be a time in her life when she would be old enough to bear children and he worried for her. It was cruel to expect her to have children while they were homeless. Of course, Dis was years away from being in that position, but it had made Thorin aware of the other dams whom were of child bearing age.
Two expectant mothers had made it out of Erebor alive. One of them died giving birth, but the babe survived. The other lived, but her babe had died. Thrain had taught him that their numbers as dwarves were dwindling, but without a home and a safe place for their women to live, they could hardly expect them to bear healthy dwarflings to raise their numbers.
It was one of the many reasons Thror fought for Moria. It was one of the many reasons Thorin followed his grandfather into battle. He needed to see Dis in a safe home so she could live a comfortable life and give birth to the next generation of Durin's.
The battle for Moria had gone spectacularly bad. So many died. The death toll wasn't just those slain in battle either. Many of those who had died, had mates; dams who found themselves widowed and when they learned of their spouses deaths, many had quickly faded and died of a broken heart. Thorin saw their numbers drop. Their race couldn't take another hit like that. With the death of his grandfather and the disappearance of his father, the care of his people fell on Thorin's young shoulders. Thorin, however, was blessed with a clever mind and a determination that was stronger than the very core stone of Erebor. He would see his people settled into a safe home. He would see his sweet sister eat properly again so she could grow strong.
He found them a temporary place to live. It wasn't the most ideal place, but it did provide some protection. He set up a strong guard to protect their people. He met with a venerable old dam by the name of Ulra to train his sister and all the young lasses on how to use weapons and defend themselves. He left his good friend Balin in charge as regent until he returned. Thorin promised that in one year, next Mid-Summer's day, he would return to take them to their new home.
With his sword-brother, Dwalin, and two more trusted, well-trained warriors, Thorin set out to seek his people a new home. He worked in the forges of men to keep him and his fellows fed. He also tried to build relations with the Lords of men, but found most of them to be very disagreeable, especially to a couple of homeless dwarves.
Thorin knew that in days of old, there had been a large settlement of dwarves in the Blue Mountains and he was aware that some pockets of dwarves were rumored to still live there. He sought them out. He finally came across a small settlement of dwarrow and was first met by a dwarf who looked to be his father's age and a younger dwarf. His name was Tola, son of Fila, and his son Joli. Tola was the sword-brother to the Lord of their settlement and after learning who Thorin was and hearing their plight, he took the four ragged, but proud dwarves to Lord Brern Stonehand.
Lord Brern told Thorin of an abandoned settlement two days journey away. It was a nice place, back in its day, but now was overrun by wild animals. Two days of rough roads and a village of men lay in front of them, but Tola and Joli led them to the long abandoned settlement. Thorin knew when he arrived that he had found the home for his people. There would be lots of hard work and the animal population would have to be dealt with, but he could see the potential. His people would work hard, especially if it was for a permanent home.
The place had an old series of caves that had been carved into the mountains long ago by their ancestors. The structure was still sound. It was dwarven made, after all. With renewed excitement, Thorin bid his new friends good bye and left to return to his people. He promised Tola that as soon as they had arrived, he would send them word.
The journey home was long, but Thorin was hopeful. In his mind, he planned out all that would need to be done. He returned to his people, before Mid-Summer's day, as promised, and all were happy to see him. He was pleased to find that in his absence, a dwarfling had been born and both he and the mother had survived. Thorin announced he had found them a home and they would leave immediately for it.
He did not mince words when it came to describing to his people the tremendous work that would need to be done, but he promised he would not rest until they were all safe in a home. The journey was long and difficult and a few were lost due to starvation and animal attacks, but he brought his people to their new home and named it Ered Luin. The first task was to rid the caves of the beasts that had taken over. It was quick work and those animals that made for good meat, were preserved for food and their hides tanned for clothing. The caves had a large hall and many small rooms connecting through its twisted halls.
Thorin refused to have a room within the cavern and made sure the two expectant mothers and the mothers of young dwarflings were given the first rooms. Their elderly were taken care of and provided for as well. The rest of them crammed themselves into the main hall. They lived in these cramped quarters as they built homes, workshops and two forges. His miners were set to work to seek out any potential ore and mining possibilities. They quickly found a good vein of iron and a small one of silver. Miners went to work, bringing up their first goods for possible trade.
During this time, dwarves from Lord Brern's settlement would come to give aid. Tola and Joli remained in Ered Luin for months at a time, helping to build. It was during this time, that Joli met Dis and their relationship began to blossom. Dis was entirely too young, in Thorin's opinion, to have a suitor but he liked Joli and so he asked Dis to promise and wait on courtship until they were a little more settled and he could build them a home to live in. But Thorin would not build them a home until everyone else had theirs. And Dis was agreeable to this. She admired her brother's care and concern for their people, so she lived in the great hall until Thorin could build them a home.
When he finally did, it was a small, but safe, place near the forge where he labored each day to create weapons and armor to defend their village as well as other goods to trade with the village of men nearby. Over the next decade, Ered Luin grew. Their population held steady during that time. Thorin had hoped it would grow, but they still dealt with a lot of hunger, wild animals and the occasional orc pack that were foolish enough to come near Thorin's village.
Of course, Thorin knew what was coming. Joli had been less than subtle about his admiration for a certain princess, and it was only a matter of time before Joli came to Thorin and asked he might court Dis. Thorin had no qualms about his sister marrying Joli. Joli was an honorable dwarf, a good warrior and talented carpenter. He could keep her safe and comfortable. He only worried that Joli would take Dis away, back to the settlement of his father's. But when Joli approached Thorin on the subject of courting Dis, he had also asked for permission to make Ered Luin his permanent home. Thorin was more than happy to give them his blessing.
His sister would marry, have dwarflings and be happy. Their home was relatively safe and Thorin would continue to work hard to make Ered Luin prosperous. He helped Joli build the home he and Dis would live in. It was a good home. A strong and safe home and Thorin was pleased with it. They married in Dis's ninetieth year and a celebration was had by all. The princess was married. It was several years later before she conceived and Thorin was almost as proud as Joli about the expectant babe.
With his sister expecting, Thorin built himself a home near her. He would make sure he was close by to protect her and her child. He made sure she had plenty of food so she could stay strong and grow a strong babe. And the day that Fili arrived in the world was the greatest day that Thorin had ever known. It meant he had somewhat succeeded in caring for his people. He had given them a home, food, trade and a life that was safe enough to welcome in the next son of Durin.
The years that followed were mostly good. They were good enough that Dis was able to conceive again soon after Fili was born. Such a miracle to have two dwarflings so close together. It meant Dis was strong and healthy. Several years after Kili's birth, there had been some very difficult winters with scarce amount of food and an accident in the mines that had taken the lives of several dwarrow as well as injuring a good number of others. But Thorin worked harder than ever. He wouldn't rest. Finally, early in the spring, when Kili was three, Thorin had collapsed while working in the forge. He was lucky nothing hot had fallen on him. Once he was found, he was taken to Dis's home. She cared for him, brought him back to health and scolded him for allowing himself to be worked to utter exhaustion. Thorin did not regret it, though. He would do it again if it meant a better life for his people. He would give his life if it was required of him, although he hoped it wouldn't come to that. He loved his nephews with all his heart and was determined to see them raised to be fine, strong dwarrow, fitting to be called Durin's sons.
The fire in Thorin's hearth had long since died down and his tankard sat empty on the floor next to his chair. His eyes were open as he looked into the fire, seeing the past so clearly. So many things had gone wrong, but because he was sitting here, in his home, completely relaxed, meant that many things had gone right. He hoped his grandfathers were proud of him. There was just one more thing that he knew he needed to do before he could face those grandfathers in the Halls of Waiting, reclaim Erebor. Yes, his people had a good life here in Ered Luin, but they were the dwarves of Erebor. One day, he would take his people home. They would be wealthy and never worry about food or shelter again. One day he would go home.