Sam and Rosie arrived two days later with the supply caravan. They were accompanied by their three youngest. Rosie's stomach was just starting to swell with her pregnancy. Fili was worried that seeing Rosie like that would make him sad or angry, but once he saw her, he couldn't help but feel happy for her. She was a wonderful mother and it pleased him to see her family grow. Mahal knew Fili was a huge admirer of their family. Little Primrose, especially.

"King Beard!" Primrose called him out. She had snuck away from her parents again and had found him, in one of those boring council meetings he was so weary of. He turned to see her running to him. Her bare feet padded softly on stone floor and her blond curly hair bounced against her back and shoulders.

Several dwarves in the council were shocked and annoyed by the tiny hobbit interrupting their important meeting. Fili ignored them and scooped Primrose into his arms.

"Hello, little on," Fili hugged her.

"King Beard happy?"

"I'm always happy to see you, my dear," Fili smiled.

"Can I hold baby princess? Mama said there is a baby princess."

Fili heard the gasps from the council members behind him. They wouldn't dare speak of Princess Milly's death and that meant they avoided the topic of the new baby Princess Mailis. Now, to hear a hobbit child speak so freely about the princess, shocked the other dwarves in the room.

"Yes, there is a baby princess and you can hold her very soon. Where is your Mama?"

Sam and Rosie walked in. Rosie waddled slightly, holding onto Daisy's hand. "I'm here," she said and approached Fili. "Believe it or not, Mister Fili, King, sir, Primrose is very obedient and never runs away except when we come to see you. She takes off running to find you the moment we arrive."

Kili laughed.

"You know Primrose is always welcome to me," Fili kissed the hobbit matron's cheek.

Rosie noticed the table of dwarves, who sat staring at her. "Oh, King Fili, sir," Rosie stuttered. "I didn't know you were having an important meeting. Forgive us, sire."

"It's quite alright," Fili said.

"Yes it is," Kili came around to the hobbits and shook Sam's hand, "The diversion of little Primrose here is very welcomed. We all needed a break. Right?" He glanced over his shoulder at the other council members, who mumbled their agreement with some resentment. Kili chuckled at them.

"Why don't you go wait for me in my study? I'll finish up soon." Fili turned to find one of the guards in the room. "Would you bring Queen Hana and Princess Mailis to my study?" The guard nodded and left. Fili walked the hobbits to the study door and opened it for them. "I'll join you very soon."

He rejoined the other dwarves at the council table. "Fellow dwarves, I leave in three days. I thank you all for your support during this time to Prince Kili, Prince Torsten and myself. I have every confidence that Erebor is in good hands." Fili nodded his head to the assembly.

One of the council members stood and bowed. "Mahal bless you, Fili, King Under the Mountain." The others did similarly and they all left the room. Kili placed a hand on Fili's shoulder.

"Just think, my dear brother, you are done with those meetings for a while. Think of me, when you sit in the sunshine on top of one of the Shire's hills and remember your poor brother, forever stuck in council meetings."

Fili smiled and they joined the hobbits in the study. Hana and Mailis were already there and Rosie was cuddling Mailis in her arms. Primrose, Bilbo and Daisy were cooing over the baby and gently patting her tiny hands.

"Baby Princess," Primrose exclaimed when she saw Fili.

"She's beautiful," Rosie sighed. "you must be very proud of her."

"I am," Fili smiled. "So very proud."

"King Beard?" Primrose looked to him, "Can I hold baby princess?"

"Of course, with your Mama's help. Her name is Mailis. Can you say Mailis?"

"Mally Iss," Primrose tried hard to pronounce the dwarven name.

Fili chuckled. "Very good."

Rosie shifted the baby into Primrose's lap, while maintaining a firm hold on the baby, should her four year old loose her grip. Fili thought back to his daughter once again. Milly had been Primrose's age when Hrafn had been born. He blinked at the tears that were threatening to rise up. He had to stop thinking of Milly and Hrafn so often. Especially in front of guests.

"Sam," Kili said, sensing the need to changed the subject. "How goes the harvest?"

"Very well, my Lord. You can be right pleased with your people's first attempt at growing and harvesting crops. They have learned everything we've taught them. Next year, just you wait, will be better and you'll grow more."

"I have no doubt all of this harvest is due to you and your skills. I cannot thank you enough for making the journey here to help us," Kili said.

"It's our joy, Mister Prince, to come here and help old Bilbo's friends," Sam blushed.

"Now, it's our turn to hold up our end of the bargain," Fili said. "We had promised to send a blacksmith to work in the Shire for at least a year. I will be that blacksmith and I will be leaving for the Shire in a few days."

"You?" Sam looked shocked.

"Yes. I'm not bad as a blacksmith. Certainly not as good as my uncle, but he taught me and I'm decent at it," Fili smiled.

"Forgive me, King," Sam stuttered. "I'm sure you're the best, but really, we we're just a few simple hobbits and you, sir, are the king. The king doesn't need to personally go to the Shire."

"I do this for several reasons," Fili said. "First, you and Rose and Merry and Estella, and Pippin and Diamond are more than just simple hobbits. You are some of the best souls that have very graced Middle Earth. You have helped our people to learn to farm. You have taught a group of dwarves a new trade. Those reasons alone are enough for the King to personally repay the debt."

Sam looked away, his face pink with embarrassment, but Rosie was grinning.

"Secondly, I need to get away from Erebor for a while. I need to go somewhere where every turn, every room, every stone does not remind me of my children. I need some time away."

Rosie reached out and took Fili's hand and grasped it in hers. "Of course you do."

"We were all so terribly saddened when we heard about Princess Milly and Prince Hrafn," Sam said. "They were such kind folk and we all will miss them."

"I really liked Milly," Rosie said. "I'm am so very happy for the time I had to get to know her. Even though our time was short and she was so ill, I could tell she had a love for life and she would have been the best mother. It is a great tragedy."

"The others send their condolences and support. If there is anything any of us can do for you, King Fili, please don't hesitate to ask." Sam placed a gentle hand on Fili's shoulder.

Fili felt a familiar sting in his eyes. Tears threatened to make themselves known. Sam watched Fili and then pulled him into a gentle embrace.

"That's from Bilbo," Sam smiled when he pulled away.

Fili gave a small smile as he patted at his eyes with his sleeve. "Thank you my dear friends. Your condolences mean a great deal to me. I actually do have something to ask of you."

"Name it," Rosie said. "It is yours."

"Well, since I will be moving to the Shire for a while, I was wondering, if you might know where I can go or who I need to speak to about purchasing a home. Hana and Mailis will be coming with me."

"Purchase a home? That's not necessary. You must stay at Bag End," Rosie said.

"What? Oh no, I couldn't," Fili started.

"Why not?" Sam asked. "It's perfect. It sits empty right now, with us here. Bilbo gave Bag End to Mister Frodo and Frodo gave it to us before he and Bilbo sailed away. While we are here, Bag End sits empty. Please go there and use it. We would feel so much better knowing it was being cared for."

Fili looked to Rosie, who was nodding her head enthusiastically. Kili and Hana were grinning.

"I'll write a letter to the Boffins family, who is watching it for us. He can give you the key. You'll also need to talk to the Mayor about using or leasing the local forge. It's a small place and not as grand as I'm sure you are used to here, but it should be serviceable."

Sam and Rose talked on and one about people in the Shire who could help Fili. Hana and Fili asked many questions and Rosie told Hana about the market and who had the best shops. They were finally interrupted when Mailis started to cry.

"King Beard?" Primrose said. "Mally Iss is hungry. It's time for elevensies."

Fili laughed. He had not laughed like that since before Mailis's birth. Thank the creators for Hobbits.

"I believe you are right, my dear. Let's go see if we can find some milk for Mailis and some biscuits for you."

King Aragorn had arrived to escort his wife back to Gondor. He and Arwen expressed their condolences and Fili was thankful to them both. Arwen apologized again for not being able to save Milly.

Fili wanted to be angry at the elf for not saving his daughter, but he knew it was not her fault. It was no one's fault. Arwen had never promised the impossible and had been very upfront about Milly's health right from the start. She had provided relief and comfort to Milly, companionship for the long months Milly spent in bed and Arwen's skills had given Milly the best chance of giving birth to a healthy baby. And Milly had. Mailis was healthy and perfect despite her being born early.

So Fili thanked Arwen for all she had done and he thanked Aragorn, pledging once again that if Aragorn ever required the assistance of Erebor, Fili would answer his call.