A Child's Heart

-2947-

-Several Months Later-

"Are you sure you can handle him?" Coruwen asked with uneasiness in her voice. Fili gave his aunt a sure nod, having full confidence in his capabilities in watching his young cousin. Coruwen gave him a smile, passing a hand across his blonde hair. She was returning to her position as queen, and she now wore a dress of white with the diadem Thranduil had given her resting upon her head. "If you are sure about this, then I leave Odin in your care, my lion."

"How bad can he be? He can't be worse than Kili," Fili laughed. Coruwen let out a small merry laugh before turning to grab the Dragon Blade that lay against the side of the door. She passed out of sight making him glance over his shoulder at Odin, who was curled up asleep with a fur blanket over him. Thorin had brought Odin out of his room and placed him within Fili's line of sight earlier before he left to a meeting. He did not know how sensitive Odin's hearing was, so in an attempt to be quiet he sat in a chair far enough away to see Odin, but not disturb him.

Fili smiled at his sleeping cousin, who had grown in the short span of eleven months. His hair was thicker and ever so slightly wavy and his bright blue eyes alert, just as they were the day he was born. He had started speaking bit by bit, picking up people's names that were close to him. He was also walking, though still preferred to be picked up. Fili leaned on the heel of his hand with his fingers tapping his temple. Odin was different from most children; maybe it was the elf in him.

The heir felt eyes on him making his gaze flick over to Odin, whose blue eyes stared up at him curiously. He blinked in shock at first, and then rose to greet Odin. Upon kneeling before him, his cousin covered his head with the blanket.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Fili asked with a small smirk. He heard a groan, to which he couldn't help but laugh. "Do not make me come and get you." He sat on the edge of the sofa, gently hooking his fingers around the top of the blanket, prying from Odin's grip. Odin had a grin on his face and he leapt at Fili, slightly making him bob back as Odin giggled.

"Fili," Odin laughed as he pulled back with his little hands resting on Fili's shoulders. Fili gave him a smile before the child hugged his neck tightly. "I miss you."

"I don't wander very far," Fili replied. "Where do you think I go?"

Odin sat in his lap, playing with Fili's coat in thought. His eyes were narrowed and his lips pursed as his mind pieced together thoughts. His passed a hand across Odin's black hair, feeling as if he had given his cousin a question far too large for him to take on.

"Odin," Fili started.

"No," Odin grumbled underneath his breath. He let out a breath, "I don't know…"

Fili picked him up and he let out a squeak of surprise. "Come on, your aunt is looking for you and I." Odin's eyes brightened up at the sound of Dís. The two left the corridor in search of Dís. On their way, Odin randomly flailed in Fili's grip like he was holding onto the head of an anxious horse. Fili underestimated his cousin's strength as one little hand pushed against his face. "Hey, stop it!"

"Down," Odin demanded as if he turned one blue eye back at Fili. His eyes were dark and full of a stubborn fire. The look Fili was receiving was oddly identical to Thorin when he was irritated. It made Fili get shivers down his spine. "Fili…"

"Try nicely, Odin," Fili said in a gentle voice.

"Down, please," Odin reiterated, and with those words the little one was on the ground standing shakily on his legs in search of something in the far corner of the hallway. In his mind, he was telling himself what he had told his aunt: how bad could he be? He answered himself by saying that he was the son of the two most stubborn people in the whole kingdom. The child had stubborn down from the moment he was able to decide and speak. What had he gotten himself into?

Coruwen watched the light flicker off of the grey stone as she listened to the sound of Ori flip through old pages of a tome that depicted pictures of Dwarrowdelf when it was in its prime. Balin had left the subject alone for many months, but she was still intrigued by it. She looked down at Ori, who was hurriedly flipping through the pages of the same book. His face was etched with stress and it was clear in his brown eyes when he glanced up at her. She could feel her husband nearby along with Balin and Dís, all of whom were discussing something she could not hear.

"You know, I'm surprised you even care about the old settlement. Most forgot about it when our race fled from it," Ori stated tucking a piece of hair behind his ear. "Dwarrowdelf was one of the worst and greatest accomplishments that ever happened to us."

"Hadhodrond was from what you and Balin have told me," Coruwen agreed with a faint smile. Ori gave her a puzzled look to which she received often from the dwarves when she said a name in elven, "Hadhodrond in another name for Dwarrowdelf."

"Oh," Ori muttered shutting the book. He gathered the books into a knapsack neatly before slinging the strap over his shoulder. "Does the king know about this?" Coruwen heard a slight nervousness in his voice as if he did not wish Thorin's anger upon him. The queen patted his head softly and he blushed a bit. "Our secret then…"

"Yes," Coruwen assured him. He walked down the steps, disappearing into a corridor that obscured her view of the young chronicler. She shut her eyes listening to the sound of the wind pass through the halls of her home and it mingled with the songs of a small thrush that fluttered along in the wind. Her eyes snapped open to reveal a small thrush, singing merrily into the wind as it approached her. "Little bird, what is it?"

The thrush landed before the steps of her throne, flapping its little wings and chirping after she spoke. It shook its head and ruffled its wings. Coruwen smiled gesturing for him to come up to her hand. With one little leap, it leapt to her finger and sang a little song for her.

"You don't say?" Coruwen laughed stroking the thrush with two fingers. "The Elvenking has been spotted on his way to our kingdom. That will anger Thorin a bit, but," She stood with the thrush leaping into the air once more. "He will have to work around that."

Coruwen and the thrush walked up the steps to the meeting hall where she slid through the small opening in the door, and then caught the attention of Thorin, who gave her an incline of his head in acknowledgment. Balin and Dís looked to her as well, both curious to why she had wandered in here.

"Is something wrong?" Dís asked.

Coruwen let the thrush land on her finger, and she spoke, "Thranduil has been spotted coming towards Erebor." She heard a chuckle come from her husband making her arch one eyebrow to him. "Thorin… What have you done?"

The king walked around the table coming to his wife's side, where he placed his hand over hers that rested upon the pommel of the Dragon Blade. She saw a mischievous glint in his eye as he passed her towards the main gate. Coruwen whirled around, following after him to find Grimbolt, still head of the Guards in his old age, standing in the gate's doorway with a scowl marring his wrinkled face.

"Grimbolt, let him through," Thorin ordered as the old guard stepped away. Before the gates stood a white horse tacked in light brown with Thranduil sitting astride the animal. The Elvenking had pride radiating from him like a great star. When Coruwen met his eyes, he gave her a warm smile before dismounting the white horse. The Elvenking had some courtesy and greeted Thorin before her, which she pleased her greatly for she did not desire to see her beloved angered at the actions of one of her kindred. When Thorin stepped away, Thranduil came forward to embrace her tightly. She admitted that she missed the company of the Elvenking.

"Well met, my dear," Thranduil whispered in her ear. He pulled away, but still gripped her shoulders in his lean hands. Coruwen smiled up at Thranduil placing one her hands upon his, and then he removed his hands.

"It is most good to see you, my king," Coruwen laughed. She felt a hand rest upon her low back, and her gaze flicked down to Thorin, who was starting to become protective. She reached back, placing her hand upon his in a slight gesture of comfort. "What brings you to Erebor?"

"A request," Thranduil replied smoothly, his green eyes falling upon Thorin. "A rather odd request, one I have not seen in all my years of ruling over the Greenwood. Your husband called for me."

Coruwen blinked in shock, glancing down at Thorin. Her king's face was passive showing no emotion before the ellon. It was typical of him to do this around Thranduil. He had his own pride to keep intact when in the presence of the Elvenking, and she sadly knew that the bond between elves and dwarves was still looming overhead. It was a never ending cycle of events all over a necklace that held great power. "I am surprised by that; why ever did he call for you?"

"Nazgûl," Thorin interjected. "They have been attacking Esgaroth, and I need to report back to Bard." He met her eyes, she saw that he was indeed serious about the matter; in fact it was bothering him. Khamûl had gotten underneath her beloved's skin and was continuing to bother him. "However with the recent events, I have been unable to contact either Thranduil or Bard."

"I am terribly sorry for not coming any sooner," Thranduil apologized with his voice truly sympathetic. She looked to the ellon, still speechless. "My King and Queen, I will give you all of the reports that have been given to me by my generals and Radagast. I will follow you."

"Right," Thorin agreed with a curt nod. Coruwen watched as Thorin departed her side and Thranduil exchanged a curious look with her. The king climbed a series of steps back towards the meeting hall and passed Dís. "Dís, could you find Fili and bring him to me."

"Oh no," Coruwen muttered under her breath as she felt an arm link with hers. Her blue eyes met the dark green ones of Thranduil. "I am surprised my husband is letting you enter these halls, Thranduil."

"All warriors have an Achilles Heel, my dearest," Thranduil replied in the same hushed tone. His voice was so foreign to her; she had once known the melodic voices of her people so well that it was almost nauseating. Now, she had gotten so used to the deep voices of the dwarves that hearing the tenor voice of Thranduil was like having a wave wash over your soul. She missed him, she missed this ellon. "Sadly, your husband's is either you or his people."

"Me?"

Thranduil chuckled. "Every man's bane is their heart, and when in love that heart walks outside of their body in physical form. You are the King under the Mountain's heart, and the same would have gone for my wife."

"Do not become gloomy on me, my lord." Coruwen gave him a stern glance and he smiled. "I missed you…"

"And I you, my dearest lady."

"You and my husband enjoy flattery, don't you?" The Elvenking and Coruwen climbed the steps, and behind them she heard footsteps that could have belonged to no dwarf. Behind them carrying a knapsack was a familiar face, but not as she had left him. It was Calenfaire, out of his Majority and a young warrior from his raiment. She halted in her steps, dragging Thranduil back a few steps. "Calenfaire?"

At the sound of his name, the ellon glanced up. His face was more chiseled and his cerulean eyes alert. He gave her a faint smile before hurrying up to the step she stood on. "Lady Queen," Calenfaire greeted with a bow of his head.

"I do not deserve such titles from you, my friend." She breathed stroking his face with one gentle hand. His voice had deepened to that of a gentle tenor, though not as deep as Thranduil's or Legolas'. "Come, we will exchange stories later. No doubt my husband grows impatient."

The three elves climbed the rest of the steps to the meeting hall where Coruwen saw something cradled against Thorin's chest. The king's gaze flicked up to hers and then motioned to Fili, who was standing at his uncle's side like a sentinel. The light blue eyes of her nephew were stern, border-line fierce. The dim sunlight that touched Fili's hair made it appear as if it were cast from the sun's very rays like a brilliant aura of golden and light blonde. She stepped into the room touching Fili's shoulder to calm him down, and then she leaned forward to observe Odin, who was asleep in his father's lap. Her little prince had his face buried into the wolf fur on his father's coat and had one hand balled into a fist in his slumber. Thorin had one hand wrapped around his son's hips holding him closer.

"Was he like this when you brought him?" Coruwen asked quietly. Fili glanced up at her, giving her a nod. As she looked at him, she saw he was tired. "You and your famous last words, my little lion."

"Be quiet," Fili quipped as he looked to Thranduil and Calenfaire. He started toward Calenfaire, helping the ellon with some of the maps and documents he carried. Coruwen tapped Thorin's shoulder drawing his attention upward to her. She motioned with her eyes if she needed to take him, and he shook his head.

"He will wake up," Coruwen said in a slightly taunting manner. The king growled and she smiled at his protectiveness. "Thorin, I know he will wake up when you start talking; he almost always does."

"Coruwen," Thorin replied in a slightly edgy voice, a sign she was supposed to be backing away. "Odin is fine, let it be."

"Alright," Coruwen agreed as she came to sit at his right hand and Thranduil across from her. The Elvenking started by tapping a small dot that stood in the southern regions of Mirkwood.

"Several Dunedain have spotted fell beasts flying in and out of Dol Guldur along with vicious screams. The few select scouts that do return are mortified, and typically run off into the night. Several of my kindred have gone off to protect the borders, and patrol them regularly for intruders." Thranduil sighed heavily as if in regret for some of his actions. "My people are wearing thin because of the rise of the spiders once more. They come in the night and strike with their poisoned fangs, dragging off many without a scream."

"I thought Bilbo destroyed the spiders when he went to Mirkwood with us," Coruwen thought aloud, rotating the jeweled pommel of the Dragon Blade beneath her hand. Thranduil covered his eyes with one slender hand, leaning back into the chair. "Am I wrong?"

"No, you are not, Lady Queen. The perian did in fact kill off most of the spiders, but not all. Melkor's servant can just breed more." Thranduil said with mild irritation. Coruwen sighed under her breath.

"Thranduil, has there been any sighting of any Nazgûl outside of Mirkwood?" Thorin interrupted, he shifted the sleeping child in his arms. "Besides Khamûl, of course."

"The Witch-King's screams have been heard in the night," Thranduil returned as his voice became less and less irritated. "Khamûl is the right hand of Sauron while the Witch-King is the left. The Black Easterling knows these lands well, and his knowledge is a double edged sword. He plans on striking those who are weak and the ones who are weak are…" His sentence faded away as his features became solemn.

"Men," Coruwen finished. "Men are cursed with a strong desire for power, and if Khamûl can cripple enough of the cities of Men here in the East, then he will be able to strike here when we are weakest. Granted, Dain will come to our aid along with any others that deem fit. If Khamûl were to get his paws on the race of Lake-Men, we would be crippled."

"Lake-Men are descendants of the North-Men, who are different from Dunedain. The North-Men were fierce, almost barbaric." Calenfaire stated gravely. "Hence their strange language, or the language of the North."

"Exactly, kill off the veins that feed to the heart," Fili snorted. "That's great."

"Little Lion," Coruwen soothed touching her nephew's hand as he gripped the pommel of his sword in frustration. She could feel the muscles in his hand were taut with anger, so strong with anger that his knuckles were white. She heard him let out a frustrated breath before releasing his grip. "I have heard rumors that have come from the West, the Nazgûl are searching for something."

"The Ring," Thranduil replied, his tone dark. Coruwen's heart skipped in her chest at the sound of that. The One Ring of Sauron forged in secret in the earlier Ages. It clearly peaked the curiosity of Thorin, for his dark blue eyes were narrowed at Thranduil. "I know it seems impossible for Isildur lost it in the Anduin, but we believe it was found by something…Darker."

"A creature by the name of Gollum," Calenfaire stated, "Better known as Sméagol."

"I have heard of the creature," The queen muttered, silently piecing together memories from the past. When she saw Thranduil gesture to the Misty Mountains to the High Pass her heart about stopped in her chest once more. Her eyes narrowed as her nails dug into the thick fabric of her dress. It was not the Goblin King she had sensed all those years ago… No it was the Ring… "Damn it."

"What's wrong?" Thorin inquired looking up at her. He was trying to read the expression of his wife's face as she bit her lower lips in worry. "Coruwen…"

"It was not the goblins I sensed when we went through the High Pass, Thorin," She felt the breath escape her lungs and her throat tighten. "It was the Ring; I sensed that made me uneasy."

"I thought that was an elf's fear of mountains," He muttered. Coruwen shot him a dark look and he gave her a look of slight pity. "Why did you not say anything?"

Coruwen blinked in shock, "I had no idea Gollum lived under there, and much less knew he possessed the ring," Her voice was slowly climbing in anger at her husband's accusation.

"Mell nîn," Thranduil soothed in a low voice. The Elvenking's presence greatly calmed her blooming anger. "Not need for harshness…"

The queen took a breath, covering her eyes with one hand and she heard Thorin whisper a sentence to her in his mother language when Calenfaire started speaking to Thranduil in quick Sindarin that only she could decipher. The bits and pieces of Khuzdul she knew were used in the sentence, for he had used them before. The language of dwarves was not smooth like that of the elves, it was rough language. She looked up at Thorin, and saw him stroking Odin's hair with his free hand and glanced up at her in a sort of apologetic manner like that of a dog. In the pit of her stomach, she felt guilty for starting to be harsh with him.

"Lady Queen," Thranduil started causing her attention to fall on him. "I do believe you were associated with Radagast, were you not?"

"Aye, I was," She replied. "What of it?"

The Elvenking set a parcel down of the table, gently pushing it toward her. "The Istar told me to give this to you," Coruwen slid the package toward her feeling a wax symbol pressed into the folds of the wooden box. She had felt this seal before; a leaf was what her fingertips told her. Her eyes went wide with shock when her eyes fell on the wax leaf of Lórien, and her heart dropped out of her chest in despair. She let out a small curse under her breath before standing, taking the box, and leaving the hall to a secluded corridor where the light was dim.

Her lean fingers pried open the lid of the box to see a tri-folded letter with something beneath it. After lifting the letter out of the box and setting it aside. She found a long necklace formed of crystalline beads that were translucent and opaque with varying shades of grey and white. It was something she had made for Orophin when she was but a young elleth. She looked to the letter, almost unable to look at it, for her mind told her that it possibly was a bad omen. Her fingers found the wax seal and pried it free. When she looked at the handwriting, she knew it Rumil's, for his handwriting was bold faced and rather immature for a Marchwarden.

Robin,

I know I have not written to you before since you were very, very little. And in all honesty, I should not even be writing this for Haldir is still rather apprehensive of you, but this needed to be told to you. Our family still loves you, even if you are in Erebor living with a king that is not of our kindred. I, for one, am happy for you and Orophin would be also…

Robin, don't be upset, but Orophin was traveling with General Gilion and Haldir… He was lost in battle, killed by an orc horde. We want you to be here for his funeral, but we understand if you can't make it; being queen and all. I've sent the necklace that you made for Orophin as a reminder that we love you, Robin. Haldir misses you, even if he does not want to admit it. I love you, my little robin, and Haldir misses his little nightingale.

-Rumil

Coruwen felt tears slide down her cheeks as she gripped the letter with enough force to crack stone if she deemed so. The uncle that had loved her so was gone… Her Orophin, the one that always supported her, the one that was there for her when Haldir could not have been, was dead. She set the letter down before she ripped it in half, and it was then she brought her knees close to her chest and buried her face in the crook of them to muffle her shaky sobs. She cursed Mandos for having a cruel sense of humor.

She heard little footsteps on the stone floor making her gaze rise to her son, who was padding towards her. She could not stop the tears that slid down her face when Odin approached her.

"Nana?" Odin asked as if testing to see if was her. Coruwen reached for Odin, and he walked up to her watching her with his light blue eyes. The eyes that were ever changing, they had changed ever since he was born. They now were light blue like her eyes with flecks of dark blue, and the colors swirled together to make a color deeper than the great sea of Valinor. "What's wrong?"

"Nana is just upset, little one," Coruwen replied trying to subdue her sadness. She felt a little hand rest on her cheek and it was spread wide in an attempt to cover her cheek like he had seen Thorin do hundreds of times. When she looked at Odin, she saw her husband when he was gentle. "Ever you are your father's son, my Odin."

"What is making Nana upset?" Odin inquired as he settled himself in her lap with his little hand still resting upon her cheek. "Did Adad do something?"

"No, no Odin. One of your great uncles has passed away," She replied stroking his dark hair. He removed his hand, cocking his head to the side. She smiled at his growing curiosity, he was always inquisitive, but if she mentioned Haldir or Rumil or Orophin then his curiosity was truly peaked. With one shaky breath, she spoke, "He was an honorable man, and would have loved you, just as much as he loved me, maybe even more." A tear slipped from her eye as she spoke of Orophin. "He…He was a good man."

"Mama, please don't cry," Odin pleaded as Coruwen bowed her head to hide her feelings. "You always tell me not to cry…" His little hands took her face gently and he placed his forehead against hers. "I love you, Mama."

Coruwen gave her son a watery smile, kissing his forehead. "I love you too, Odin." The way he spoke made her heart swell with love and break at the same time. "Mama loves you, oh so very much."

Odin giggled, "I know."

Coruwen looked up at him with a sly smile on her lips. "Oh do you now?"

Odin nodded. "Yes, you tell me every day, just as you tell Adad. Because you love us both..." He threw his arms around her neck. "You love us more than all of the stars in the sky, and it is brighter than the Star-Kindler."

"Elbereth, little one."

"That," Odin's little voice was muffled by her gold hair as he buried his face into her hair and she leaned back against the wall, cradling her son against her chest. She had remembered when he was so small, unable to speak and only able to cry or make small noises. The blessing of her people was strong in Odin… "Mama?"

"Hmm?" She hummed. Odin plopped himself back into her lap with his hands playing with the long sleeves of her dress.

"Could we go see the pony?"

"Faenaur?" Odin nodded overzealously. She scooped up her son into her arms along with the box and made her way down to the main gate before setting Odin down. She whistled for Faenaur and it rang against the stone sentinels that stood before the gates of Erebor; the ones she had sat and spoken to many times in her life. The slight rap of metal shod feet against rock made her gaze flick over to her stallion, whose head was held high in pride and his lean body graceful. "Faenaur, say hello, gently."

The stallion brought his head down for Odin, who hugged Faenaur's nose with all of his might. The horse whinnied softly and when Odin released his grip, the horse nudged him softly. The prince giggled, patting Faenaur's nose gently, well as gently as any child could.

"Foe-na," Odin tried as he patted Faenaur's snout. "Mama, how do you say his name?"

"Fo-eh-nar," Coruwen corrected stroking the palomino's mane. He was starting to get signs of age, for his mane was getting dark strands of grey and his once cream muzzle was turning light blonde almost white with age. When Faenaur looked at her with his almond eyes, they contained less of the great stubborn fire that they once held. He was getting old… For even age effects elven steeds, the only difference was that they were faster than the normal horses ridden by Men.

"Faenaur," Odin repeated as he stroked the horse's nose. "Will I be able to ride him, Mama?" Her son looked to her for an answer, but she did not know how to answer for she did not know if he would be tall enough. She shrugged, and Odin pouted but continued to stroke Faenaur's cream forelock. "How old is he?"

"If I remember correctly, he is ten; he was gift from my cousins." Coruwen knelt and picked Odin up and gently settled her son onto the back of the horse. Odin was uneasy when she placed him onto the back of the stallion, but she held onto him firmly making sure Faenaur would not toss him. "He is getting to be old, for a horse."

"Poor Faenaur, he might end up like Grimy," Odin said patting the horse's back. Coruwen smirked when he said Grimbolt. Surely, Faenaur would be stubborn enough for an old man, but he was lacking the white hair of the elderly aside from his nose and mane.

"All right Odin, I need to let Faenaur go back to his herd. Come on," Coruwen said, and Odin clung to her. "Faenaur, go on."

The stallion whirled around in one graceful movement before galloping down the rocky slopes of Erebor. Odin waved to the horse until he disappeared out of sight, and it was then that the two returned back inside to sit on the steps of the meeting hall, knowing Odin would be a hindrance to others if he was allowed in there. He sat in her lap for a good portion of the time playing with her ring as she told the story of Smaug to Odin. When she spoke of dragons, Odin narrowed his eyes at her ring, spying the engraved dragon opening its maw before the diamond set into the ring.

"Adad has the same," She told him. "Has he ever told you of what I call him?"

"No," Odin replied simply leaning into her chest. "What do you call him, Mama?"

Coruwen stroked his black hair once. "You can't repeat it to your father, all right?"

"Ok,"

"I call him My Dragon, though he does not like it." Odin giggled and leapt off of her lap onto the step and clapped his hands for something. Coruwen stood and descended the steps toward a moving shadow that darted around each time Odin clapped. "Odin, what are you-?"

From the shadows, came a small wheat blonde puppy with a second, smaller, fawn colored puppy. The one colored wheat blonde had silver tips, and its tail was half silver with a black flashlight on the tip. The one colored fawn was greatly smaller and had rose shaped ears with a black tail flashlight like its companion.

"Dogs?" Coruwen mouthed as she looked at the pups. Odin sat on the ground letting them lick him vigorously. Odin laugh made her smile and then she glanced back at the sound of Thorin's voice come echoing out of the meeting hall. In fact, he was laughing. She chuckled at the sound and then turned to Odin, who was petting the pups on their heads. She had thoughts that Thorin might object to dogs since dwarves didn't take kindly to most creatures aside from the occasional pony. She knelt before the pups allowing them to sniff her hand and lick it.

"Can we keep them, Mama?" Odin asked with his light blue eyes pleading for her to keep them. The wheat blonde puppy was quite fond of Odin; in fact he could lick the boy head to toe if he let him. "Please?"

"It is not my recognition you need, my little one. It is your father's," She replied as she saw Thorin out of the corner of her eye. He was walking beside Fili, who was stepping rather lively down the steps to reach her side before his uncle. Coruwen stood from her kneel greeting her husband and eldest nephew.

Fili looked around her to the pups that were playing with Odin on the ground. Fili looked at the pups and then Coruwen. "Pups?" How in Mahal's name did they get up here?"

"I have no clue," Coruwen laughed as Odin held the wheaten pup's face with two hands. "Odin seems to be rather taken with them."

Thorin let out a huff, "No," He said firmly.

Odin stood, walking up to Thorin, and tugged on his coat with a small pout on his face. "Please Adad?" His son asked with his voice sheepish. Coruwen saw Thorin meet his son's eyes, and his were still firm. In her mind, she knew that Odin was just as stubborn as Thorin was, maybe more given the subject. Fili slid toward the pups and ruffled their heads in play. Her gaze fell back on Odin was still looking up at Thorin for an answer.

"I will think about it," The king replied. Odin smiled and released his father's coat to go play with the dogs again. Coruwen walked over to him, placing her hands on his shoulders and he sighed in relief. Coruwen leaned down and kissed his cheek lightly. When Fili and Odin wandered off to play with the dogs she felt him slip away from her and sit on the steps. "Why does Odin want a dog?"

"It would keep him company," She stated sitting in front of him. "He loves animals; I would let him have the pups." Thorin growled and placed his hands around her waist. "I will let you think about it, love."

Coruwen watched Thorin out of her peripheral vision as she stitched gold thread into a tapestry that she had been working on for three months. When she took a breath, her lungs threatened her with a cough for Thorin was smoking his pipe. Something he had not done in a long time. She let out a small cough that she could not withhold, making him raise his gaze from the flickering flames of the fire to her. She cleared her throat to focus on her tapestry again.

"Are you all right?" Thorin asked blowing a smoke ring into the air. The two had not spoken since the run in with the two dogs since Coruwen wanted to leave him with his thoughts. He found it hard when she gave him cold looks and remained silent. Her little outburst earlier had also gotten to him when she had snapped a bit, but from there on she seemed rather… unsettled. The silence of the room was unbearable. "Coruwen, what did Thranduil give you?"

The elleth looked back at him with her eyes becoming sad. She turned away from him immediately as if she did not wish to tell him, but he knew her. The gift that Thranduil had given her was something concerning her people, or rather the people of Lothlórien. "It was nothing," She replied solemnly, "Nothing at all."

"I know more than you think, my heart," He said gently. He extinguished his pipe, letting the last bit of smoke escape his lips before walking over to her. Her hands had ceased stitching and rested in her lap. He took her hands in his, sitting beside her and kissed the back of her hands. "What did Thranduil give you?"

Coruwen hung her head and he heard a sob escape her. "My uncle… My Uncle Orophin was lost in a battle," She replied as tears fell from her cheeks and fell upon her dress. She shook her head a bit and her shoulders shook. "I cannot bring myself to face my father…"

"I am fairly certain he still loves you. What parent would turn their back on the child they love?" He tipped her face up to look at him and the glisten of the tears upon her cheeks caught the light of the room. He did not desire to ever see her cry, at least not in sadness. He hushed her, gently taking her face in his hands with his thumbs stroking her cheekbones. He removed his touch from her when the door creaked open to reveal Odin with one hand rubbing his eyes.

"Odin, what is wrong?" Coruwen asked when her voice was clear. Odin slinked into the room quietly and pulled himself into Thorin's lap. His son was unsettled by something for Odin buried his face into his father's neck. He held the boy close to him feeling his little body curl close to him.

"Odin," Thorin whispered stroking his back. He had never seen Odin unsettled like this before, for the child was relatively calm and composed for someone so young.

"I saw people… And a dragon," Odin mumbled. Thorin looked to Coruwen, whose brow was furrowed in thought as she listened to their son. "The people were running from the dragon." Odin pulled away from his father's shoulder with his light blue eyes dark with sadness. His little prince had seen something, and that something was the plight of Smaug the Golden. "People were getting burned and they screamed… They screamed so loud that it made my ears hurt."

Coruwen stroked his little head before returning to her stitching. Thorin held Odin close to him and stood softly humming a song to him to soothe the unsettled child. The song was one Dís had sung to the boys when they were very little. When away from her, he used to hum it to himself when everyone was asleep or he was alone. He had sung it with Coruwen once, but she ended up laughing half way through causing all attempts to be forfeit. In a very quiet voice, he sang to his son.

Land of bear and Land of eagle

Land that gave us birth and blessing

Land that called us ever homewards

We will go home across the mountains

We will go home, we will go home We will go home, across the mountains.

Hear our singing, Hear our longing, We will go home across the mountains…

He felt Odin go limp in his arms to where he looked Coruwen, who was humming the song to herself. It pleased him to hear her sing once more. In fact, he had not heard her sing in a long while; he missed her voice greatly. When he set Odin down to sleep upon their bed, he returned to Coruwen to find her singing low to herself as she stitched together gold and light blue fabric.

"Is he asleep?" Coruwen asked looking up at him. Thorin nodded, walking up to her side. He sat beside her, which led to her leaning back into him with her eyes shut in contentment. "He is blessed with foresight…"

"Blessed? More like cursed," He replied in slight mockery of her people's 'blessing'.

"Thorin, it is a double edged sword, but this explains why I was having visions when I was carrying him," She stated gently. "No gift is given without consequence. Even that of king, you know this…" Her blue eyes peered back at him with a bit of sternness in them. He mentally agreed with her, but rested his chin on her shoulder. "Odin will learn to control it and it most likely will strike and inopportune moments in his life. We will just have to deal with it."

"Do you know how to control foresight?"

Coruwen sighed, "No, sadly, I do not. There are but two people one Middle-Earth that can help others understand it." He felt that one of those people was Gandalf, for the wizard knew more about the world than one should. He felt his wife's hand rest on his knee to which he shut his eyes as she continued. "Those people are Lady Galadriel and Lord Elrond."

"And what good will they do us since you are shunned by your kindred?"

"My uncle's funeral is in a few weeks, if I were to speak to the Lady of Light, she might be able to help us."

"If you deem that speaking with her will help our son then do it," He internally was regretting all of those words, but this was his only son. Odin held a special place in his heart just as Coruwen did. "I do not wish to see him troubled any longer."

"Nor do I, my love. If I could fix everything in this world, I would have fixed the relations between our races and I would help foresight become more understandable." He watched her depart his side to their bedroom and he let out a heavy sigh for his heart was stressed and his mind frayed.

What do you do when you cannot help your child? He thought about how happy Odin was with those pups earlier and then thought of what Coruwen had said about Odin and animals. He was going to find those dogs sooner or later, because he felt that they could help his troubled son.

"Please let my assumption be correct," He whispered to himself before he followed Coruwen.

A/N: You guys didn't find my easter egg last chapter... Oh well, if you did and didn't post it, you still win a cookie. The pups that Odin found are two types of hounds, one is a Irish Wolfhound and the other is a Scottish Deerhound, both are wonderful dogs. I wrote Odin's foresight a bit earlier than expected, but I didn't have anything else to write.. Anyway, sorry for the lateness, I'm having minor idea forming issues right now

Translation to Mell Nin: My Dear

The mention of the song that Thorin sang to Odin is a throw-back to the last Chapter of A Marchwarden's Daughter and there are few more little hints of that story in here as well. The song is called Song of Exile, better known from the movie "King Arthur".

So, what do you guys wanna see?

Thank you to Angel of the Night Watchers and 3insteinComplex for your reviews! You two are simply awesome; in fact all of you are awesome and thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading and sticking with me through all this craziness.

Until Next Time, and Please Review!