"Ew."

Kili squeezed his eyes shut and scrunched his nose in disgust as he sat in his mother's arms.

"Oh, I am so sorry, love! Let me clean you up!"

Dis sat Kili on the kitchen counter and went to fetch a damp cloth. Upon returning to her youngest son, she set about wiping off the face she had sneezed on a few moments earlier. To her dismay, she'd been sneezing all morning and felt a little light-headed. She blamed it on the flowers that were just beginning to bloom. Just then, a newly awoken Fili stumbled into the kitchen, followed by his uncle. Thorin looked at the familiar sight of Kili being wiped down and shook his head.

"What has lad done now?" he asked tenderly. Dis shook her head as she turned to her brother.

"I'm afraid this was my doing. I – I…"

Dis paused mid-sentence, closing her eyes and scrunching her nose (in a similar fashion to Kili) before sneezing, this time into the crook of her arm instead of her son's face.

"Momma sick," Kili stated.

Thorin took in his sister's odd appearance. Her brow seemed damp, as if she was sweating with fever, her cheeks and nose were pinker than usual and dark circles clung under her tired eyes. He made his way over to the pair, taking a clean-faced Kili in his arms. When Dis met her brother's gaze, he gave her a worried look.

"I'm alright, Thorin. It's just this weather! " she asserted.

"Very well. You should still get some rest though."

"There's no time for that, brother. You must be off to work and I have to look after the boys. It'll go away soon enough."

Dwarves were known for their stubbornness, but Dis could top them all at times. Thorin sighed at her tenacity. He wouldn't let her get away with this. Being a single mother looking after two boys, Dis hardly had any time to herself. If she kept up her regular routine, this sickness would get far worse before going away for good. Thorin pitied his sister for a moment. Had their home not been taken, or her husband lost, she wouldn't have to face the many troubles she currently puts up with. He admired her, however, for not once had she complained. Thorin felt the urge to do something for her, to allow her to relax and take care of herself; it was just then that an idea popped into his head.

"Dis, listen. You're going to get some much deserved rest while I take off from the forge for the day and take the boys camping. That way, they'll be out of your hair and we won't risk them getting sick as well."

Dis stared at her brother uncertainly for a moment, "You…would do that for me?"

Thorin was shocked by the question. Of course he would do that for her. She was his sister and he loved her and his nephews more than anything.

"You know I'd do anything for you. Plus, I've never taken the boys on a trip before. It's about time they get to know the wilderness surrounding the area. It'll be nice for us to spend some time together while you spend some time alone."

Dis crossed her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow.

"You think you can handle the two of them by yourself?"

Thorin paused a moment and glanced between the mischievous faces of the sister-son in his arms and the other at the table.

"Guess I'll find out," he finally replied, a hint of dread dripping from his words.

Dis smirked and was about to decline Thorin's offer (for his own good, of course, not because she would miss her boys desperately if they went or anything) before her sons broke her off.

"Oh pwease, Momma! I wanna go with Fee and Uncle Thowin!"

"Yeah, Momma! We've never been before, let us go!"

Dis looked at the begging eyes of her children and had to stifle a laugh when she noticed Thorin matching their expressions.

"I don't know boys. You're still awful young…."

All three boys broke out in protest, causing Dis to concede.

"I suppose you can go. I would much love some time to relax without running after you lot," she huffed half-heartedly.

Fili and Kili cheered at her answer and gave her a hug in thanks before racing to their rooms to pack. Thorin smiled at his sister as she swatted his arm.

"Thorin Oakenshield, don't you dare let my babies out of your sight, understood?"

"I wouldn't dream of it, Dis," Thorin smirked.

"No you wouldn't! Now go get your things together and help the boys with theirs. I'll pack you some snacks before you go."

Thorin rolled his eyes at his sister's bossiness and went off to do as he was told.

When everything was packed and ready for the excursion, the boys headed to the door with eager smiles claiming their faces. Dis bent down and brought both her sons into a loving embrace, kissing the top of their heads.

"You boys be careful, ok? Listen to Uncle Thorin!"

"Yes Momma," they replied in unison.

Dis grinned and hugged her children one last time.

"Have fun. Momma loves you."

"Love you too, Momma!"

Dis stood back up, but perhaps a little too quickly. She felt dizzy and placed a hand on the door frame to steady herself. This didn't go unnoticed by Thorin who gently laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Go rest, Dis. If you start feeling worse don't hesitate to get Oin. We should be back tomorrow around noon."

After hugging his sister bye, Thorin and the boys left the house, waving back at Dis just as she was fading from view. When they reached the outskirts of the town, they set off into the forest. Although neither knew where they were headed, Fili and Kili decided they'd lead the way. Thorin walked behind them, never letting them out of his sight (as promised), and guiding them in the proper direction. Hand in hand, the boys darted about excitedly. This was the first trip they had ever gone on with their uncle and the first time they'd spend the night away from home. Thorin wasn't too sure how that'd turn out, but he guessed he'd find out soon enough. About twenty minutes into their trek, the little ones grew quiet, ogling their surroundings. Kili released his brother's hand and crouched down to a spot on the ground.

"Wha's that?"

Thorin looked to the ground to where Kili was pointing. Had he really not seen one of those before? Poor lad doesn't get out much.

"That's a pinecone, Kili," he answered.

"I can have it?" Kili picked up the pinecone gently and cradled it in his tiny hands. He stared at it in awe for a moment before gazing up at Thorin with pleading eyes.

"Kili, the pine trees are filled with those cones. It's hardly something worth keeping."

He hated to tell the boy no, but the last thing he wanted was to be carrying pinecones in addition to their supplies. Kili was hardly deterred, however. He placed the cone back on the ground, and then ran over to a nearby tree.

"Wha's that?"

Thorin sighed. Kili was now in the "question everything" phase and though he was glad the lad was curious, at times it could really try his patience. He and Fili walked over to the tree where Kili was standing and found a black and yellow worm inching its way up the trunk.

"That's a caterpillar. They grow into butterflies."

This news came as a shock to Kili. His little mouth gaped open and he glared at Thorin skeptically.

"Do they weally?"

Thorin chuckled at the doubtful glare his nephew threw him. "Indeed, they do."

"How?"

Thorin tried to think of a simple explanation that Kili would be able to understand, but he couldn't. Plus he didn't have time. They needed to keep walking if they wanted to make it to the spot Thorin had in mind by midday.

"Wait until you start lessons with Balin. He knows more about it than I."

Kili looked disappointed at his uncle's answer, but didn't push the issue further. Instead, he moved on to a different question.

"I can hold the catterpitter?"

"No, lad. We have to keep moving. Maybe another time."

"Okay…." Kili slouched his shoulders and trailed behind his brother and uncle as they proceeded their hike. Fili fell back in step with his younger sibling and joined their hands together once more.

"It's okay, Kee. I'm sure there'll be plenty of caterpillars where we're going."

Kili liked this prospect and quickened his pace. It wasn't too long, however, until something else caught his attention. He released Fili's hand again and sprinted over to a patch of purple wild flowers.

"Wha's that?"

Fili looked to where his brother was pointing and his eyes widened in alarm as Kili went to touch it.

"Kili! No!"

Unfortunately, his warning came too late and Kili reached his hand out to a bumblebee that had nestled on a flower. As his hand got closer to the insect, it flew from its petal and stung a naïve Kili on the finger. The dwarfling stared at his hand in confusion before he began to cry. He plopped down on the ground and held up his finger as his brother approached him.

"Kiss it make it better!" he whined.

Fili took his siblings finger and went to kiss it before Thorin stopped him.

"The stinger will still be in his finger. We must get it out."

He crouched down next to his nephews and drew Kili near. He took his injured hand in his own and gently plucked the bee's stinger out. Kili had stopped crying by that point, but still sniffled angrily.

"Owie. Why that hurt me?"

He looked up at his uncle with a pout, honestly puzzled as to why something he had never seen before would harm him. Grinning, Thorin wiped the tears from the boy's cheeks.

"That was a bumblebee, Kili. They sting something when they feel threatened by it. When you went to touch it, it got scared. So it stung you. That's why they must be left alone."

Kili stared at his stung finger and pouted, "I don't wike bumblebees."

Fili pulled his baby brother to his chest and gave him a reassuring squeeze.

"You'll be alright, Kee. The sting will go away before you know it."

Like with everything his brother told him, Kili believed it, and returned the hug before Thorin pulled them back to their feet.

"Now then, we need to keep going. Fili, take your brother's hand and lead the way. Kili, don't let go of your brother this time."

Fili grasped his brother's uninjured hand and drug him back into the clearing. Thorin shook his head as the two chatted away; Kili about his wound and how he was looking forward to swimming and Fili about how he hoped to catch some fish and make a fire on his own. They had been walking for about half an hour when Thorin noticed Kili was struggling to keep up with his brother. He wasn't too surprised considering this was about the time of day the youngster was usually put down for a nap. His short legs couldn't match his brother's strides and he seemed too exhausted to quicken his speed. He stumbled a couple of times, but Fili was there to keep him up right. It wasn't until he fumbled over a larger rock that he finally fell forward. Thorin swooped down and took the drowsy dwarfling in his arms before he could cry. He brushed the dirt of his clothes then settled him on his hip. Kili rested his head on his uncle's shoulder and was fast asleep within minutes. They walked in silence for a little while longer when Thorin noticed that Fili, too, was becoming restless without his brother to entertain him.

"Are we almost there?" Fili whined. Thorin could hear the agitation in his nephew's tone and was really hoping he wouldn't have to deal with a tantrum. That's why he was relieved when they made their way out of the thicket and found themselves near the bank of a creek.

"We're here."

Fili's face lit up instantly as he took in his surroundings. They stood in a clearing swathed in soft grass, moss and clover, enclosed by the forest wall behind them and the rippling creek just ahead. To their right, the creek broke off into a shallow stream littered with boulders and pebbles on either side. Across the stream, lay an open meadow strewn with various wild flowers of a variety of colors. It was private and peaceful. Perfect.

Fili turned to his uncle and bounced on his heels, "Can we get in the water? Can we, can we?"

Thorin grinned at his nephew's excitement, "We will, but first, we must set up camp. Help me scout out an ideal spot."

Fili cupped his hand and shielded his eyes, searching for a place fit enough to settle. On down the stream stood a large rock formation. The side facing the water was smooth due to a small flow of water washing over it from the mountain side and emptying into the stream. The side facing the dwarves was hollowed out; not nearly spacious enough to be called a cave, but covered just enough to provide protection from the elements. Having spied the space, Fili pointed and gazed up to Thorin,

"What about that rock over there?"

Thorin followed Fili's finger and nodded in approval before reaching down to ruffle the boy's hair.

"Well done. Let's head over there."

Fili grinned and raced ahead to his findings. Once Thorin caught up, he adjusted Kili in his arms so that he could remove the pack from his back.

"Fili, will you lay out a bedroll for Kili, please?"

"Aren't we gonna wake him?" Fili asked as he did what he was told.

"We'll let him rest a bit longer while we set up. You don't want him being cranky and ruining all the fun, do you?" Thorin teased.

Fili giggled as Thorin lay Kili down. Kili whined at the loss of contact before rolling over on his side and planting his thumb in his mouth. After making sure his youngest precious burden was content, Thorin went about unpacking their supplies. He took out the remaining two bedrolls and placed them in the hollow of the rock on either side of Kili. He removed the pans and cooking utensils for the fish they'd eat later, leaving the snacks Dis had made and their spare clothing in the pack. He and Fili gathered large stones to create a makeshift fire pit and ventured back into the forest to collect wood, never straying far enough to where they couldn't see Kili. Once everything was ready, Thorin told Fili he could play in the water. With a whoop of triumph, Fili removed all clothing but his trousers and made for the creek.

"Fili! Wait!" The blonde paused mid-sprint at his uncle's call and turned around.

"Let's wake your brother and we'll all go at once." Ashamed that he had momentarily forgot about his sleeping brother, Fili ran back and dropped to his side. He took Kili's hand in his own and shook it lightly.

"Get up, Kee! We're here! We can swim!"

Kili slowly blinked his eyes open, settling his gaze on his half-dressed brother before he sat up with delight.

"We go swimming?!"

"Yes!" Fili squealed, "Come on!"

Fili helped his brother strip and both ran to the creak, laughing with excitement. Thorin laughed as well, though it was more at his nephews than with them. Once the boys reached the water's edge, Fili sauntered in while Thorin grabbed Kili's hand before he could do the same. He knew Fili was tall enough for the shallow water, but it would be over little Kili's head. Fili took no time to begin splashing and Kili looked up at Thorin pouting, wondering why he was being denied the fun.

"The water is deep, Kili. You mustn't go in unless Fili or I has a hold on you, understand?"

Kili nodded and held his arms up to his uncle. Thorin picked the lad up and joined Fili in the water. Kili immediately began using his pudgy palms to smack the surface of the water, drenching Thorin within seconds. It wasn't long before the boys engaged in a splash battle. Thorin had bathed the boys too many times to know this would happen. At least this time, he wouldn't have to clean up. When the battle ceased, Fili took to diving under the water and swimming in circles around his uncle and brother. Occasionally, he'd grab at his sibling's toes beneath the water's surface causing Kili to shriek with amusement.

"I wanna swim like Fee!" Kili declared whilst tugging on strands of Thorin's damp hair.

Thorin gave him a skeptical look before Fili piped up,

"I can teach him, uncle!"

One glance at their eager faces and Thorin had no choice but to give in.

"Very well."

Fili swam over and took his brother in his arms. Kili clung onto his older sibling as Fili trudged his way to a spot about four feet away from Thorin.

"Ok, Kee. I'm gonna be right beside you and you're gonna swim to Unlce Thorin, alright? All you have to do is kick your legs and stroke your arms forward one at a time, got it?"

Kili nodded as Fili released his brother from his grasp. Kili sunk a little bit before popping right back up, kicking his little legs and pawing at the water. Thorin smiled at the sight, impressed at how quickly his youngest heir was catching on. Fili seemed impressed by his brother as well, for when Kili was about half way to Thorin, he stayed back, letting his brother go on his own. Thorin held out his arms as Kili drew near and scooped him to his chest. Kili was all smiles at his accomplishment.

"I did it Uncle Thowin!" he panted.

"Indeed you did," Thorin chuckled, "I dare say you're a natural."

Kili beamed at the praise and lept from his uncle's arms to swim to Fili. Thorin waded back to the bank and sat in the grass while watching his nephews play. After some moments, Thorin closed his eyes and leaned back onto the ground, relishing the feeling of the warm sun upon his wet skin. For the first time in a long time, he felt relaxed. He hoped Dis was feeling the same back home. At the soothing sounds of his nephews' laughter, Thorin was close to dozing off. Before sleep could claim him, however, a wet dwarfling sat upon his bare chest. Thorin cracked one eye open and found a drenched Kili giving him a toothy grin.

"Wake up, uncle! We wanna go to the wocks over there!"

Thorin glanced over to the boulders in the stream to where Kili was pointing. He grunted in response before closing his eyes again to feign sleep. He wrapped his arms around the young dwarf, snuggling him to his chest, and then proceeded to roll over on his side, false snores escaping his mouth. Kili giggled at the behavior and beat his hands on his uncle's chest, wriggling in his grasp.

"No, Thowin! It's play time, not sleepy time!" he declared.

Thorin opened both eyes this time and planted a kiss on Kili's wet forehead.

"I suppose you're right. Lead the way."

Kili bounded ahead to the stream while Thorin rose up to beckon Fili to them. His heart momentarily stopped when he skimmed the area and Fili was nowhere to be found. He let out a sigh of relief when no sooner had he begun to panic, Fili emerged from under the water.

"Come, Fili. We're headed to the stream."

Fili saw his little brother racing to the rocks and made his way out of the water so he could catch up. Thorin found a large flat boulder by the stream's edge and sat upon it, dipping his toes in the cool trickling water. Fili was amusing himself by bouncing from rock to rock while Kili was collecting pebbles and bringing them to a pile next to Thorin. Satisfied with his assortment, Kili separated the rocks and attempted to count them.

"One, two, five, seven, eight, ten! I have ten wocks, Uncle Thowin, look!"

"I think you may have miscounted, little one," Thorin laughed, "Let me help."

He took the rocks in his hands and sat them in front of Kili one at a time while he counted.

"One, two, three, four, five, six. You have six pebbles."

Kili stared intently at his gathering of pebbles and Thorin ruffled his hair. It was then that the pair heard a loud splash in the water. They both turned at the noise to find Fili a little ways up stream lying on his back.

"Stay here, Kili."

Thorin got up and sped to his eldest nephew who had now managed to sit up, cradling one hand to his chest. Thorin crouched down beside him and pulled him into his lap. Thorin had guessed that while Fili was jumping between rocks, he landed on one that was more slippery than he had accounted for. It appears he was right.

"Are you ok?" he asked gently.

Fili held up his hand to reveal a small gash from a rock that had got in the way when he tried to break his fall. Thorin ran some cool water over the hand to wash away the small amount of blood. Fili didn't say much, but Thorin could tell from the look on his face and the way he was biting his lower lip that the fall and injury had frightened Fili and he was trying not to cry. Thorin hugged him close and rubbed his back.

"What do you say we go prepare the nets and catch some dinner, hm?"

Fili nodded and Thorin stood up with Fili on his hip as he went to fetch Kili. Kili had a worried look on his face as his family approached and Thorin placed his brother down beside him. Kili grabbed onto Fili's arm and patted his back.

"Fee ok?" he inquired, bottom lip jutting out in sympathy.

"I'm ok, " Fili assured him, "I just fell."

Kili took Fili's injured palm and brought it to his lips.

"There. All better," he grinned.

"Thanks, Kee," Fili said as he embraced his baby brother, "Wanna help Uncle catch some fish?"

"Fishies!" Kili squealed while looking to Thorin for conformation.

"Come on then. The longer we wait, the longer until we get to eat."

After the boys grabbed the fishing net, they made their way back to the creek. Thorin draped the netting across the water, securing the ends of it to the creek bank with wooden stakes. All there was left to do was wait. Fili sat by net, peering into the clear liquid ever so often. Kili was occupied with the vegetation. He picked tall grass, strange leaves and colorful flowers, studying each of them with childish curiosity. He picked a dandelion and became instantly fascinated with its cloud-like texture. He ran over to where Thorin sat and held it up to him.

"Look what I found!" he announced.

Thorin smiled at the lad and took the dandelion from Kili's hands. He leaned over to his nephew until their faces were inches apart. He brought the dandelion up between them and gently blew on it, sending the seedlings flying onto an unsuspecting Kili's nose. Kili scrunched his eyes shut as he giggled and set off to pick more of the amusing plants. When he returned, he crawled into Thorin's lap, facing Thorin. He reached up to his uncle's face and tucked a purple flower behind Thorin's ear. Having lost interest in the fish, Fili turned to join his family when he caught sight of his uncle and began to laugh. Thorin looked up from Kili and raised his eyebrows to his eldest heir.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"It's just…you look like a girl!" Fili said between laughs.

Kili looked up at his uncle and placed his tiny hands over his mouth as he, too, began to giggle.

"Don't worry, Uncle Thowin. You a pretty girl," he said as he patted his uncle's cheek.

Thorin peered at his snickering nephews through squinted eyes before rising to his feet and picking two flowers of his own.

"I don't know," he stated, "I think you two would make far better looking lasses than myself."

Looking at the flowers in his hands and the smirk on his face, Fili and Kili knew what their uncle was going to do. So they started running. Thorin chased the squealing boys after giving them a head start. Naturally, Kili was the first he caught up to. He trapped the boy in his arms and flung him over his shoulder, ignoring his excited cries and as he went to capture the oldest offender. Though quicker than his younger sibling, he was no match for Thorin's longer strides. Soon both cackling boys were dangling from their uncle's shoulders, each with a flower in their hair. Thorin walked back over to the nets and sat his nephews back on their feet.

"What pretty nieces I have," he teased, causing the two dwarflings to tackle him to the ground.

Some playful pushing and hair tugging later, the trio retrieved their net from the water to discover that they had caught four trout. Thorin gathered the fish up and led the boys back to camp. The sun hung low in a purple sky. With night approaching and a meal to fix, Thorin sat the bundle of fish down to get a fire going. Eager to learn, Fili joined his uncle, watching intently as Thorin mustered together dried leaves and grass and began striking his flint.

Meanwhile, Kili's curiosity got the better of him and he studied the twitching scaly bodies of the trout. Obviously, he had to touch one. Feeling brave, he bent down next to a fish that had yet to move. He reached out a shaky hand and picked it up. He pulled it close to get a better look and the fish went wild. It flopped about in Kili's loose grip, whacking the youngster on the cheek with its tail fin before it was finally let go. Kili squealed in surprise and ran over to Thorin who was watching Fili add sticks to the growing flame.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked his dark-haired trouble-maker.

"The fishy hit me!" Kili scowled while clutching his cheek.

"Well you should've left it alone," Thorin fussed as he picked the boy up and went to collect the fish. He grabbed a pan from his pack along with a filleting knife then rejoined Fili by the fire. He sat Kili down next to his brother and went about preparing the fish.

By the time they cooked and ate the fish, along with some bread and fruits Dis had packed for them, stars began appearing in the sky. Thorin helped the boys change out of their damp outfits and into their night clothes. The three of them laid down on their bedrolls and gazed up at the stars. It wasn't long before a light snore graced Thorin's ear and he turned over to find Fili fast asleep. He was surprised how quickly he went out considering his fears of the dark. He would have figured his first time sleeping under the stars would be difficult for him. Apparently he was wrong, but he smiled despite himself.

Just then, a wolf howled in the distance. Its high-pitched wail echoed off the forest wall. Thorin heard a whimper and felt a warm presence at his side. Kili had buried his face in his uncle's shirt and held on tightly. Thorin lifted the boy onto his chest and wrapped his arms protectively around him.

"Don't be afraid, Kili. Nothing will hurt you as long as I'm here. I promise."

Kili nodded as he wound his fingers in Thorin's hair. He continued to fidget and Thorin could sense that something else was wrong.

"Uncle Thowin?"

"Hm?"

"I miss Momma. She's all awone!" he whined.

"Your mother is safe, little one. You shouldn't worry. She'll be waiting to see you when we get back tomorrow," he reassured the dwarfling as he stroked his soft curls.

Kili sniffled a few more times before drifting off to sleep at the sound of his uncle humming.

Thorin pulled Fili closer to his side and wrapped an arm around him as well. With his two nephews in his arms, Thorin smiled up at the stars. He was reflecting on the day they had when a shooting star whipped across the sky. Closing his own eyes, Thorin wished for many more days like this one. Days where he could forget about his troubles and focus on the two boys he held most dear.

Thorin rose with the sun and found a round pair of brown eye staring up at him from his chest.

"Morning, little one," he greeted.

Kili covered his eyes with the back of his hands and grinned shyly in response. Thorin chuckled at the reaction and kissed the boy on his cheek.

"What do you say we wake your brother and head home?"

"Ok!"

Kili crawled off his uncle and climbed onto a drooling Fili, patting his chest.

"Fee! Up! Up!"

Fili groaned and turned over onto his stomach, sending his little brother tumbling off.

"Hey!" Kili whined, "Uncle he won't get up!"

"Hhmm. We'll have to fix that," Thorin smirked.

Moments later, Fili woke with a start as water was poured on the back of his head.

"Kili!" he growled.

"It wasn't me!" Kili giggled, "Uncle did it!"

Fili turned to Thorin who simply shrugged as he gathered their belongings.

After a breakfast consisting of jam and bread, Thorin announced it was time to head back. The boys' smiles faltered as they glanced around their surroundings a final time.

"Will you bring us back, Uncle Thorin?" Fili inquired, "I had a lot of fun!"

"Yeah, Thowin! We come back?"

Thorin grinned at his sister-sons before taking one of their hands in each of his own.

"Of course, boys. We shall come back."

"Pwomise?"

"I promise."

Dis sat in the rocking chair in the sitting room, sipping on a hot glass of tea. She was unashamed to admit that she had done absolutely nothing yesterday besides soaking in the bath and sleeping. She truly was feeling loads better and was grateful that Thorin had gifted her with some precious alone time. As nice as yesterday had been, she missed her boys greatly. However, she hoped that they had had a good time with their uncle. As if sensing her thoughts, the two boys busted through the door and ran into the room.

"Momma!" they cried.

Dis opened her arms for her sons to join her, so they did. As they clambered into her lap, they talked nonstop about all the fun they had. Something about swimming, bee stings and Thorin looking like a girl. She'd have to ask about that last one later.

"I'm glad you boys had fun. I missed you terribly!"

Thorin strode into the room then. Smiling as he took in the sight of his family.

"You look like you're feeling better," he commented to Dis as he sat in a chair opposite of her.

"I am," Dis confirmed, her eyes meeting his, "Thank you, Thorin. For everything."

Her eyes shone with emotion and Thorin recognized her multiple meanings. He nodded in response as Dis turned her attention back to her sons. They sat there for a long while, giving Dis every detail of the trip until she let herself up to go fix some lunch. As they scrambled out of their mother's lap, Fili and Kili moved into Thorin's instead.

"Thank you, Uncle."

"Thanks Thowin."

Thorin couldn't help the love that swelled in his chest at that moment, so thrilled that he had made his sister-sons happy. Smiling, he hugged them greetily.

"Anytime, dear boys. Anytime."