Thanks again to you all who leave me comments and reviews. I truly appreciate it. -Idyrlla

"Dear Fili,

Thanks for the letter and update. Everyone sends back their love. We all miss you. Me especially. Things here are about as normal as things can be. We are planning the annual spring festival. It won't be the same without you here to do a duet with me on our fiddles.

Torsten's doing a splendid job as Crown Prince, but he is really starting to feel the weight of responsibility it brings. The beacon project Hrafn devoted so much time and energy into was finally completed and dedicated. There was a touching memorial ceremony for Hrafn, Graig and the others who died.

Tauriel keeps busy. You know her. We hosted an embassy of Woodland elves recently and we will be travelling to Dale in about a month's time for a diplomatic dinner and meeting with King Bard. Iomhar continues to train the guard. Klin and Keil do what they do - lessons and training during the day, run their parents ragged in the evening.

So, as you can see, we are all doing well. I'm glad Hana is healthy. I know you are worried and you have every right to be so, but try to relax and enjoy your miracle. You are the best father. Mailis and little Fili are very lucky. Will you name him Fili if you have a son?

I wish I could see Mailis grow up this next year. I guess because of when baby Fili is due, in the fall, you probably won't leave until spring or summer to travel back to Erebor, at the earliest?

Miss you, Fee. Give Hana, Mailis and baby Fili a kiss from me.

Kili"

"Kili,

Your letter made me laugh. Baby Fili? No, I think not. I have many wonderful relatives I can name my son after, if it even is a son, so no, I won't name him Fili. For now, we refer to him (or her) has Gem.

Gem has started to make himself known. Hana has a beautiful small bump for a stomach. She says she can feel it move within her, but I have not yet felt it.

We are settled in Bag End and even in Hobbiton. After discovering we are friends of Sam and Rosie, we were welcomed into the community. A few have taken longer to warm up to us, but now we can call many of the local hobbits, friends.

The blacksmithing work is going well. Even better now that the weather is improving. Hobbits from all over the Shire are bringing me their work. I've even had a few men from Bree come to commission me to do some work. The work for the hobbits is mostly repairing pots and pans and sharpening much-used kitchen knives. But the men from Bree ask me for swords, knives and axes, things I enjoy creating very much. It makes me proud of our race and our reputation as fine craftsmen and I am especially thankful to Thorin for teaching me the art.

Mailis is six months old now. She can sit up well and is an expert at rolling. She can get from one end of the room to the other very quickly simply by rolling. She has a wonderful smile and looks a lot like Milly, only she has Graig's darker hair. Her eyes are dark, like Mailli's and yours. For the most part, she is a happy baby and I adore her.

Hana is a wonderful mother and is flourishing here in Bag End. She has become friends with several neighbor lasses. They keep an eye out for her while I'm at the forge and for that I'm grateful.

It's hard to believe we've been here for four months. Spring is on its way. Everything is turning green and bright yellow daffodils have bloomed. The hobbits here have a spring festival as well to welcome in the season. They gift flower seeds and bulbs to each other during the festival. Apparently in the summer, there is a festival of flowers. I think the hobbits just love any excuse to have a party with lots of food and ale.

Speaking of hobbits, how are ours? Has Rosie had her baby yet? Have they started planting the crops for this year?" Must go now. Give the family my love. Miss you, Kee.

Love, Fili."

Fili wiped the sweat from his brow. It was summer and very hot in the forge. He had finished the kettle he had been repairing and placed it among the finished projects. The hobbit to whom it belonged was due to come by tomorrow. Fili looked at the line of projects to work on and picked up the next one. He had finished all his current commissions from Bree and there was nothing for him to do except the normal repair work of pots, pans, knives, and nails for the hobbits.

Fili thought about Kili's last letter, which had come more than a month ago. Rosie had given birth to her eleventh child - another daughter and they had named her Ruby. Fili was very pleased they had chosen a gem name for the hobbit lass born in Erebor. Kili also informed Fili had they hobbits would be returning to the Shire in October, if all went well in their travels.

Fili and Hana had discussed it and they planned on staying in Hobbiton for one more year, with the plan to leave next spring. With Sam and his family returning to the Shire and Bag End, Fili needed to look for a new home for his family. Hana wanted to get moved in as soon as possible. Her rounded stomach was making daily activities more of a challenge and she wanted to the new house to be organized before she was too large to do much.

So Fili searched and talked with the Mayor and was able to find a small smial that the previous blacksmith had lived in. The Hobbit had been a widower and after getting to old to do anymore smithing work, he had moved in with his eldest child and her family, leaving his home vacant. It was much smaller than Bag End, but it would do well for their needs. The kitchen and pantry were of adequate size, of course. It was a hobbit home after all. The sitting room was pleasant and the two bedrooms were small, but they would make do. The home had most of the furniture they needed. All that was missing was a baby cot, so Fili commissioned the local carpenter for a cot. Such a different, simple life for the king of the greatest dwarven kingdom in Middle Earth. None of the hobbits knew of his status and he preferred to keep it that way.

Over the course of two weeks, they moved their few personal belongings to the new home. Hana and several of her neighbor friends worked together to scrub Bag End clean so Rosie could come home to a clean smial.

Mailis had many admirers among the hobbits. Several of the lasses, who ages Fili discovered to be in what hobbits called the tweens, were particularly fond of Mailis and would often come over just to play with the tiny dwarf princess. Hana was always grateful for them spending time with Mailis as she was finding it increasingly difficult to get down on the floor to play. To the local hobbits, Mailis was Fili and Hana's daughter. They didn't know her true parentage and it was better that way. Hobbits were a fertile race, too, so they thought nothing of a second child being born a year after the first, even though it was impossible for dwarves to have two children so close together. The hobbits didn't know this about dwarves, so their odd little family situation was easily accepted, no questions asked.

Fili returned from the forge to their new home in the early evening. It would be their first night in the new smial. He could hear Hana singing when he walked in. He went to the washroom and scrubbed his hands, face and neck. He found Hana and Mailis in the kitchen. The table had a variety of foods spread across it.

"Hello dearest," Hana kissed his cheek.

Mailis squealed at her Papa and held up her little arms. Fili swung her into the air and kissed her.

"How are my girls today?" he asked.

"We're fine. Tonight we celebrate our first night in our home." Hana sat at the table. Fili sat across from her and they tucked into their meal. Fili gave Mailis a soft roll to gnaw on. More of it ended up crumpled in her little fist and on the floor, but she worked at her roll with great enthusiasm.

"The house needs a name," Hana mused. "Like Little Erebor."

"I agree we need a name for the home, but not Little Erebor," Fili smiled.

"It was only an example. How about Blacksmith Abode?"

Fili grimaced. "The Rounded Door."

Hana laughed. "All homes in the Shire have round doors."

"Yes, but do any of them call their homes by that name?"

After several more minutes of coming up with ridiculous names, they settled on 'Katûb', the dwarven word for home.

Their meal was interrupted by a knock at the door. Fili went to answer it, his hand feeling for one of the knives he kept tucked and hidden upon his person. This was the Shire, but one could never be too careful, especially a king. He opened the door to see Tom and Prissy Boffins. Fili welcomed them in.

"Well, Master Boffins, what brings you here on this fine summer evening?" Fili inwardly cringed. He was starting to talk like a hobbit. Kili would be giving him so much grief if he could hear Fili now.

"Just wanted to bring you a house warming gift," Tom said.

Prissy held out a tin full of goodies, which Hana gratefully accepted. She, in turn, offered them tea and jam biscuits. The hobbits sat and chatted for several moments before leaving. They were just sitting back down to eat their supper when there was another knock at the door. More well wishers. Hana refilled the plate of biscuits and put another fresh kettle to heating. No less than twenty hobbits came visiting over the course of the evening. They all brought house warming gifts, most of them were flowers that could be planted in their sad weed-covered garden.

Hana mentioned she would have to get to work in the garden and get the flowers planted. Fili advised her not to do anything too strenuous since she had just entered her final quarter of pregnancy. He promised to leave the forge after lunch tomorrow and he would help her in the garden.

Once Mailis was tucked away into her new bed for the night, Fili found Hana in their bedroom. She had changed into her night dress and was brushing out her hair. Fili came up from behind her and pressed a kiss to her neck. He wrapped his arms around her, his hands rested on her stomach. He felt the babe move within her and he gently pressed a finger against her tight stomach. He was rewarded a moment later with a kick to his hand where he had just pressed.

"Greatest feeling in the world," Hana sighed, "feeling this little one move within me."

"It's remarkable," Fili smiled. "But is it truly the greatest feeling?" He kissed her neck again.

"Well, no, I guess not," Hana turned around to face her husband. She was grinning at him. "I do love those back rubs you give me."

"Do you want one tonight?" he asked.

She nodded. "After all those visitors tonight, I'm feeling a bit tense."

"Very well, let me finish brushing your hair and then I'll give you a back rub." He took the brush from her hand and started working it through her soft brown hair. He undid the marriage braid, brushed the hair until it was soft and shining, then he re-braided the marriage braid, clasping the end with the bead he had made for her.

He guided her to their bed and sat down behind her, placing his hands on her back and gently rubbing it, feeling where the tightest muscles were - her lower back, the muscles that worked so hard to support the growing size of their child. He dug his thumbs into the muscles and kneaded at them. Hana sighed and slumped her shoulders forward, her chin dropping into her chest. After a while, he felt the muscles loosen and Hana started to hum in contentment.

They spoke little and simply enjoyed being together. Fili's hands moved up her back and he rubbed at her shoulders.

"You're too good to me," Hana sighed.

"Nothing's too good for my wife." He kissed her neck and ears. "First night in our new home."

She turned to face him. "I know."

"Are you alright here? I know it's not as nice as our home in Erebor or Bag End, but," Fili started.

Hana stopped his mouth with a kiss. "It's a wonderful home and I am very happy here. As long as I'm with you, life is perfect."

"Perfect?"

"Absolutely perfect." She leaned in and kissed him again. This time she had nothing more to say, so her lips never left his.