This is an alternate ending to what I originally wrote. I tried to make this story, "The Boys of Ered Luin" work as if it could have really fit into the story of "The Hobbit" as a whole. To have had Thorin, Fili and Kili survive would have changed the core story and I did not want that. This version, I believe, can still fit into that core story, since we really don't know what happened to the dwarves of the Blue Mountains once Erebor was reclaimed. Of course, I claim nothing of The Hobbit to be mine. My stories and their mistakes are my own, but all characters belong to Mr. Tolkien and Mr. Peter Jackson. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this new way the story could have ended:

When Thora looked back, she didn't know how she had done it.

They had waited nine long months to hear word on Thorin's quest. With each day, each week, each month that passed, they grew more and more anxious.

It was Dwalin who came personally to deliver the news to Dis and Thora. His news was only tragedy to their ears. Erebor was in the hands of dwarves once again, but under the rule of Dain Ironfoot, because Thorin and his heirs had been felled. Dwalin explained the madness that had taken Thorin, but how in the end, he was freed of this madness and was able to make amends to all those he had hurt, except for Fili and Kili. The only way he could make amends to his nephews, who had protected him with shield and body, and to his sister, whose sons he had allowed to be stolen from this life, was to join them in death.

Dis fell to her knees and wept. Thora could not stop the river of tears that fell from her eyes. Such bitter, horrible news. How would they endure?

Dwalin offered his life to Dis, as penance, for he had sworn to protect Thorin and his heirs, and Dwalin had failed them all. He offered his own ax to Dis to do with his life as she saw fit. Dis took the ax from Dwalin, then she helped him stand. She gave the ax back to him and told him not to be a fool, for there was still one in the line of Durin who needed protecting.

She called to Thora, who stood from her chair and walked to Dwalin. His eyes widened to see the large roundness of her stomach. He fell to his knees in front of her.

"My Princess," he cried, "if you will, I will be your protector and the protector of your child until the day I die. My life is yours and his."

Thora leaned down to the great warrior and hugged him. "I accept your protection, for I know of no one else who I would rather protect and train the child of Fili and Thorin's heir, than you."

Dwalin carried with him Thorin, Fili and Kili's personal effects. Among Fili's things were the letter he had written to Thora. She laughed and cried over them. She hugged her stomach.

"Little one, your Adad said to let you know that he loves you very much. I have no doubt he will watch over you as you grow."

The remaining months of the pregnancy was so much more difficult, knowing she would never see Fili again and he would never know his child. While he had been away, there had been hope they would see each other again, and it had made the separation easier to endure. But now, he would never return and Thora didn't know how she could go on. But she had to go on, live and survive. For Fili's child. For her child.

The baby was delivered in the early summer months, just as the sun rose.

Exhausted by her labors, Thora fell back onto her pillows to the sounds of her newborn babe. What strong lungs it had as it wailed its greetings to the world.

Dis wrapped the child in a soft blanket and held it to its mother. "Thora, say hello to your son."

Thora cried in joy and sorrow. A son. A prince. An heir to the line of Durin. "Welcome to the world, my little one," Thora smiled through her tears. He was so beautiful. So absolutely perfect. Once he was properly washed and Thora had been given a stew to help build up her strength, she took her son to feed him his first meal.

She laughed to see the small amount of velvety golden fuzz on his head.

"What will you name him, Thora?" Dis asked.

"I don't know," Thora whispered. "How do I honor those that I love? How do I honor the dwarrow I was named after? How do I honor my husband? How do I honor my father? How do I do this and yet, offer my son a chance to make his own way in the world?"

Dis smiled kindly. "Dear, you were named after Thorin. He has been honored in that way. And if I know my brother, he would want you to name your son in your own way, not for his sake. Fili, I believe, would tell you to name him whatever you feel is right. As to your own father, you must make that choice."

"And what do you say, Dis?" Thora asked.

"He is your son, not mine. I have born and named my own sons. So, I say to you, name him what you want. You have picked out his secret dwarven name, yes?" Dis asked.

Thora nodded. She had indeed found his secret name and she would tell it to him when he was old enough to understand the responsibility of that name.

"Then choose for him what you feel and help him to grow into his own dwarrow. What you teach him in life is far more important than his name. Make him into a great dwarrow and his name will be worthy of him."

Thora smiled. "Then I will call him Abkund, after the bright dawn in which he was born. Dawn is the start of a new day, full of light and promise. Abkund will be that for the line of Durin. He is new, bright and full of promise."

"It is a good name," Dis said. "A very good name."

Dwalin was the first to see the new prince, beside Dis and the midwife. He took the small babe in his large arms and cradled him with the upmost care. "I have such stories to tell you," he spoke quietly, "about your father. What a right royal pain he was." A single tear escaped his eye.

"You will train him, of course, when he reaches that age?" Thora asked.

"Aye, lass. It would be my honor."

Abkund grew far too fast for Thora's liking into a strong little lad. He was almost a miniature Fili; golden hair, bright blue eyes, but his personality ran a mix between Fili and Kili's. He was an active lad with an imagination as large as the Blue Mountains, and he had Dwalin wrapped around his little fingers.

It was during Abkund's third year that a small trunk arrived with a letter addressed to Ladies Dis and Thora.

Dear Princess Dis and Lady Thora,

I do hope I got your titles correct. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Bilbo Baggins, companion to Thorin and Company during their quest for Erebor. I am so very sorry for your loss and I am so sorry this has taken such a long time to get to you. Mail between the Shire and Erebor is long and slow and it has taken this long for several letters to be exchanged between Balin and myself for me to learn the news of your whereabouts.

First of all, I want to tell you of my love and respect for Thorin, Fili and Kili. My life was made better for knowing them and it is sadder because they are no longer a part of this world.I will never forget them.

Secondly, I wish to send my congratulations to Lady Thora, wife of Fili, on the birth of your son. Balin told me about him.He must be several years old now.I send with this letter my best wishes for the lad and hope he grows happy and well and to be as strong, brave, and as loyal to his people as his father was.

I know, from Balin's letters that Dwalin is there with you in the Blue Mountains and I'm sure he has told you all about our adventures, so I am going to assume you know that Thorin and company were, for a short time, prisoners of the elven king, Thranduil. On my way home, from Erebor, back to the Shire, I was a guest at Thranduil's home for two nights.He was sorry for his treatment of Thorin and the other dwarves.He showed me a large trunk, filled with the belongings of the dwarves that had been taken from them when they were first cast into the dungeons.

I must admit, I took everything that belonged to Thorin, Fili and Kili. I didn't want their things left in Thranduil's possession.I have treasured these items and now, it pleases me to no end that I can return their things to the rightful owners – their family.

You will find in the trunk, all their hair beads, an odd assortment of tools, pocket treasures and all of Fili's knives. I can't tell you how much he missed them and lamented over having lost them all.I would have liked to deliver this trunk to you myself, as I was eager to meet both of the ladies that I heard Thorin, Fili and Kili speak so lovingly of, but I was recently made guardian of my own nephew after his parents died in an accident.Can you believe it?Me? An uncle?Well, he's actually a cousin, but our age difference gives us more an uncle/nephew relationship rather than distant cousins.His name is Frodo and he's a good little lad.I only hope I can be as fine an uncle to Frodo as I could tell Thorin was to Fili and Kili.They were so fond of him and followed him with unconditional love and loyalty.You should be so proud of them all.

I send with this letter all my best to you and the young prince. Blessings to you all.

Forever at your service,

Bilbo Baggins

Dis and Thora were shocked by the letter and overcome with joy and sadness at having Thorin, Fili and Kili's belongings returned to them. Thora immediately removed the small braid from Abkund's hair and redid the braid, securing it with one of Fili's beads. The rest of Fili's things would be saved for when Abkund was old enough for them. A beautiful letter of deep-felt thanks was sent to Bilbo, along with one of Thorin's beads, as a gift from Dis to Bilbo. They continued to correspond over the years and Dis took pleasure in hearing how Bilbo's young nephew was growing. And while they never met, they each considered the other a personal friend.

Dis remained Thorin's regent and under her care, the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains thrived and prospered. Thora was a wonderful princess, caring for her husband's people and seeing them through tough times. She was named Master Weaver and was renowned for her fine workmanship.

Abkund grew strong and wise, but had a smile as wide as Kili's and a laugh like Fili's. When the time came, he picked the long sword as his weapon of choice, but was quite talented in most all weapons. Like his great-uncle Thorin, he was capable of mastering any weapon his picked up. While in his fifties, he took the title that Thorin had refused, and became King of the Blue Mountains. They had excellent relations with all surrounding settlements including the Shire. There was very little contact with their kin in Erebor, until the call came to send aid to Erebor during the war of the ring. Abkund answered the call, personally going to the Lonely Mountain with his army and aiding Dain in the Battle for Erebor. While he was there, he was able to visit the tomb of his father, his uncle and the great-uncle, whom he had heard so much about, but when Erebor was secured and no longer threatened, Abkund returned home to the Blue Mountains and his family. And thus, the Line of Durin continued quietly and strongly, remaining in the Blue Mountains, generation after generation, until the time came for the rebuilding of the world.

Dear friends and readers, thank you so much for your support. I have appreciated every single comment. It always means so much to me when a review is left because it means you took the time to say hello and I thank you for that. Currently, I have no plans to write again, but that doesn't mean I never will, it's just for now, my mind has run dry of ideas.

I am also working to get a real novel that I have written (an original young adult fantasy) published, but I can get no one to read anything beyond a query letter and I am frustrated by the continued rejections. But, should that publishing miracle ever occur, I will be shouting it out to the world, so you will know. :) Until then, keep writing, reading and being great, dear friends. I'll see you around fanfic land. -Idrylla