It hadn't been Chalrim's idea to go to the fair, it'd been Hilda's, and he knew the welcome he'd get from his sister, if she was there. He'd already seen Fili and Kili at an instrument stall, examining some fiddles, and they hadn't seen him. He didn't whether or not to be relieved about that, because he wanted to know if Kili and Ovila were courting yet and he hadn't seen any braids in Kili's hair, courting or no. Hilda seemed to understand, silently sliding a hand into his, and his other hand gripped Caldin's hand as he hurried along. He looked remarkably like his father with the same blonde hair and hazel eyes, but he had Ovila's wicked grin and even Hilda had commented on that. There was little of Chalrim's wife in their son, only the height, but Hilda loved him all the same and it only hurt slightly when Chalrim saw his little sister instead of his son.

"I want braids like Papa," Caldin announced as they walked past Bofur and Bifur's toy stall and both blinked at the sight of Chalrim. Chalrim just flushed slightly and gave an awkward little wave as he hurried on and Hilda gave a small smile. "Can I have braids like Papa, Mama?" Caldin asked with a hint of a whine and Hilda looked over at her son.

"If Papa says so," was the simple reply and Chalrim had to laugh when tiny arms latched around his leg and echoing pleads rung through the air. "I'll check us into the inn," Hilda said airily and walked away.

"Thanks," Chalrim muttered and swung his son high into the air. "Braids, huh? Well, you have to earn braids with beads and clasps like these," Chalrim stated and Caldin grinned at him.

"What 'bout her?" he asked, pointing behind Chalrim, and Chalrim turned his head and stared at the sight that met him.

Ovila was stood calmly at a weapon's stall, examining a small dagger with careful fingers, and she occasionally spoke to the stallholder. Her hazel eyes were intent on the weapon, which she held with confident ease, and she was already armed to the teeth. Her twin axes hung from her back, as they always had done, and another two, smaller ones were at her hips. Numerous knives were strapped to her waist, thighs, and he was sure he spied some in her knee length, black, leather boots. Her hair, as Caldin had noticed, was mostly loose, but had numerous braids clasps, beads, and bells fastening braids and none, Chalrim noticed, were courting braids.

"Bravery," Chalrim said softly. "Strength and there are five in one braid to represent her fiftieth birthday."

"She doesn't look that old," the-four-year-old said dubiously, wrinkling his nose, and Chalrim grinned a little. "She looks a bit like you, Papa," Caldin stated and the grin faded slightly as Ovila paid for the knife, sheathed it, and slid it into her boot.

"Her name's Ovila," Chalrim murmured and Ovila walked in the opposite direction to them, not even seeing them. "She is my little sister."

"The Phantom!" Caldin cried excitedly, remembering the stories Chalrim whispered to him at bedtime, and Chalrim nodded. "I want to meet her!" Caldin begged and Chalrim hesitated. "Please, Papa, please," the child whined and pulled out the puppy dog eyes never failed to sway his father.

"Later," Chalrim relented and Caldin grinned widely. "When she's less armed and less likely to run me through," he added in a mutter that Caldin missed and the two carried on their way.

More Dwarves from Belegost were seen and Caldin was delighted to meet all these people from his father's tales. There was Ori and Nori, though Caldin had met the latter just the previous month, and there was Fili and Kili, who'd both warned them that Ovila was likely to kick Chalrim into the dirt. Caldin had liked Fili and his braided moustache and Kili hadn't had any braids, but he had had a bow that Caldin was fascinated with. They'd all soon had to move on, though, and Caldin was yawning widely when they entered The Prancing Pony late that afternoon.

The scene that met them was surprising, but not all that unexpected and Chalrim just stared at his wife and sister stood opposite one another with weapons drawn. Ori and Fili were stood between them and Kili had a hand on Ovila's shoulder. The females were arguing furiously, one with livid fire and the other with hard ice, and Caldin stared at the scene with intrigued surprise. Ovila spun her axe in her hand (one of the smaller ones, Chalrim was pleased to note, because it meant she wasn't that serious just yet) and Kili snatched her wrist before she could fling the weapon.

"Ovila! Hilda!" Chalrim snapped and all heads turned to him. "What happened?" he demanded and Ovila snapped her mouth shut stubbornly. "Ori," Chalrim shot at timid little Dwarf and Ori loyally stood by Ovila.

"It was a mutual misunderstanding, Chalrim," Hilda said coolly and livid eyes glared at her. "Nothing to worry about," she insisted and Ovila snorted, but gave a jerky nod and holstered her weapon as Hilda did. "Your sister and I were just catching up on old times."

"You're the Phantom!" Caldin cried, wriggling free from his father's hands, and he sprinted over to Ovila. "Papa says you killed three Wargs all on your own and got your Papa away too!" he grinned excitedly and she stared at him warily, as though he were a Warg himself.

"My Father injured one, so I didn't do it alone," Ovila answered cautiously and Caldin grinned wider at her. "You must be Caldin," she softened her tone slightly and he nodded rapidly. "I heard from a friend that you wanted braids," she stated, crouching down, and she glanced back at Bofur, who raised his tankard with a grin.

"Papa says I can't have beads like yours until I've earned them," Caldin pouted slightly and Ovila's lips tugged at the corners into a slight smile.

"Beads, clasps, and bells must be earned," she conceded and Caldin glared at the floor. "This one, however," she stated and unclasped the smaller fixture from her hair. "Was one my mother - your grandmother - put into the very first braid she put in my hair when I was just a wee child, much smaller than you," she explained and the clasp was a pretty, dainty thing of silver with intricate swirling and patterns pressed raised from the metal. "It was made for her great-great-great-grandmother in the great fires of Erebor-"

"The lost kingdom!" Caldin chirped and Ovila nodded.

"Exactly and it's a family heirloom," she continued and Caldin's eyes shone. "Now, I think you're big enough to take care of it until you have children," she said and he nodded eagerly, reaching for the clasp, but she curled her fingers around it. "It has to be put in by a family member, as tradition states."

"Will you do it, Auntie Ovila?" Caldin blinked innocently and Ovila looked at him for a long moment. "Please?" he added hopefully and she straightened and held out her free hand.

"Let's find a quiet corner to eat, drink, and braid," Ovila agreed quietly and Caldin grabbed her hand with a wide grin on his round face. "That means mead, brother," she shot over her shoulder and took Caldin to a table near Bofur and Bifur. "Caldin, this is Mister Bofur and this is Mister Bifur; the best toy makers around," she introduced and sat Caldin on the table in front of her as she sat in the booth and Caldin waved at Bofur and Bifur energetically.

"You look like your da did as a wee boy," Bofur stated, pointing at Caldin with his pipe, and Caldin straightened proudly. "Don't be too scared of her," he winked with a quick jerk of his thumb at Ovila and she made a face at him as she combed Caldin's hair.

"I'm not scared of anything," Caldin denied and Hilda smiled as she sat opposite Ovila and Ovila stubbornly ignored her. "Am I, Mama?"

"Fear is a good thing to have," Hilda replied calmly and Caldin frowned slightly. "Without fear, there is no caution and, with no caution, there is only stupidity."

"Auntie Ovila's not afraid of anything," Caldin argued and twisted his head to look at Ovila. "Are you, Auntie Ovila?"

"Wargs, I'm afraid of Wargs," Ovila said quietly and turned his head back to the front quickly.

"But you killed Wargs-"

"Yes, but afraid of them I am and I will never underestimate them again," Ovila interrupted sharply and Caldin shrunk slightly. "Fear is a wise thing to have," she added in a softer tone and began to separate a section of hair into three. "The first braid is always the simplest," she started and her fingers were deft and nimble as she braided. "Just three strands plaited together and Dwarf children are taught as soon as they have hair."

Ovila went on to explain the different braids and, when she was done with Caldin's, she allowed him to inspect hers. She unravelled a few to show him how to do the more complicated ones and she was surprisingly patient with the child. Usually quick to anger and snap, she didn't even flinch when he attempted to braid her long hair and just removed his fingers from her hair and showed him the braid again. By the end of the night, he was curled up in her lap asleep and she had numerous baubles and lumpy braids in her hair. Little Caldin's braid hung neatly beside his face with the small, silver clasp gleaming in the candlelight and she silently handed him over to Hilda, who went up the stairs to give the siblings some privacy.

Privacy, though, was a relative term with Fili, Kili, Ori, Nori, Bofur, and Bifur eavesdropping from the next table.

"I'm sorry, firecracker," Chalrim sighed and Ovila glared at him. "Caldin likes you-"

"Come to Belegost with us tomorrow; Mother, Father, and Calim will want to meet the newest addition to the family," Ovila interrupted and stood. "I suppose she can come too."

"She has a name."

"I know."

With that, Ovila walked away and Fili flashed Chalrim a thumbs up and a grin that was mimicked by Bofur. Kili just stared into his tankard of ale and gave Ori an odd look when the slightly younger Dwarf patted his shoulder. Ori flushed slightly and turned to speak to Chalrim, who joined the already rather full table. Chalrim's eyes narrowed a little on Kili, clearly looking for answers about the relationship issue, and Kili just left and muttered something about bed. It was left to the others to explain about the ten year waiting period, the anger, and the avoidance of each other. Chalrim just sighed and ordered another pint of ale.

Fimim and Druim were rather grateful for the extra hands that went with them back to Belegost and gave the six that accompanied them small gifts in gratitude with their wages. A ruby hair pin was given to Ovila, an emerald one to Hilda, and the males were all given heavy, silver bracelets. Caldin's didn't fit, so Hilda put it away until he was older and the gifts were thanked for reverently. The three recruits picked their wages up from Dwalin and it was almost painful to watch the emotionless farewells that Kili and Ovila exchanged.

Ovila led Chalrim, Hilda, and Caldin home with Caldin trotting at her side, eager to impress her, and she humoured him by listening to his tall tales about his own adventures. She let herself into the house and called for her mother and father. Calim would, no doubt, be working and she just smiled at Thondi when she bustled out of the kitchen and stopped at the sight of Chalrim, Caldin, and Hilda. Ovila simply went into the family room to wake her slumbering father and Caldin followed her.

"Father," Ovila urged and shook Baltil's shoulder. He awoke with a mumble and a groan, but spared a smile for his daughter and stared at Caldin with clear surprise. "Chalrim's home," she stated simply and Baltil sat up too quickly and stopped himself with a hiss when his back burned in protest. "This is Caldin," she introduced as she helped Baltil sit up and rested him comfortably in his chair. "Caldin, this is your Grandfather Baltil."

"Good morning, Grandfather," Caldin greeted politely and Ovila raised her eyebrows slightly, but stayed silent. "Auntie Ovila taught me lots of things on our way here," he said and Baltil looked at his daughter with surprise, but she was already on her way to her room and saying something about needing a bath.

"My little Ovila, huh? Well, what did she teach you, young one?" Baltil asked and Caldin sat Baltil's feet and began to recite everything Ovila had taught him.

Thondi, meanwhile, was glaring at Hilda and Chalrim was attempting to explain everything. Ovila just shot him that wicked grin as she disappeared into her bedroom and shut the door firmly. Clearly, no help was coming from her and she'd been so civil so as to leave them to Thondi to chew up and spit out. Chalrim always appreciated his sister's vengeful side before, until this moment when it was focused on him and Thondi was hissing at him and his wife about the shame they'd brought the family. She was trying not to upset little Caldin, who was still listing off everything Ovila had told him, word by word, on the two day journey to Belegost and Baltil just nodded with amusement.

Clearly, the child had some sort of hero worship for his aunt and, for her to actually tell him these things, meant that she was rather fond of him too. Ovila would never admit it out loud, of course, but, when the dust had settled and she was clean and in clean clothes, she sat with him on the ground and let him curl into her side. She didn't speak with him, instead talking with Calim about the journey, but she slid an arm around the child and rubbed his cold fingers soothingly.

Baltil had to smile at his family as they all crushed into his small home and he marvelled at how his three children had grown up. There was Calim that took care of the business and brought the money into their home. Chalrim had acted foolishly for love, but he had grown into a good man with a good wife and a lovely son. Finally, Ovila, his little firecracker, the troublemaker, had become strong, steady, and dependable and she still couldn't control her temper, but she would fight to her last breath for those she loved. They smiled and joked together as they always had and Baltil knew that, no matter where they went or what they did, his children would always come back together.

There wasn't a Calim without a Chalrim and there wasn't a Chalrim without an Ovila. Now, there wasn't a Chalrim without a Hilda and a Caldin. Their family had grown and, while Ovila and Hilda exchanged dark looks and rarely spoke to one another, there was a loyalty between them. Baltil could practically see the string that bound his family together, strong and glowing and unbreakable, and that string would lengthen and they could spread across Middle-Earth one day, but it'd never snap. Even Ovila's and Hilda's, though Baltil was certain that string in particular would be strained to capacity.

I loved Chalrim too much to leave him out forever, so they have reunited and all is forgiven…mostly. Ovila's far too stubborn to let go of her hate for someone that easily, just look at how long it took her to like Kili.

Anyways, I wanted to answer a question from the guest reviewer Odi, which was if I was going to go into the movie and/or book. The answer is that I was always planning on going up to the beginning of the book and I've got a plan of where Ovila will come in after that, but that's a long, long way away. She won't be a part of the quest, she may meet Bilbo (I haven't decided yet), but she won't be a part of Thorin's company.

Thanks, as ever, for the reading, the reviewing, the alerting, and the favouriting! Till next time folks!