Afternoon all! Just to let you know that Tyli and Nyli are identical twins and when their names are shortened they're pronounced Ty (Tie) and Ni (Nigh)

Chapter 35 – Days Under the Mountain

"KILI CAN YOU JUST TAKE TY WHILE I GO AND CLEAN THIS MESS?!"

"Alright alright Daisy calm down!"

Daisy looked at him. She had dark circles under her eyes and she glared as she passed him the wailing baby. Nyli was on the floor burbling to himself, and Daisy had to do well not to trip over him as she cleared up the kitchen. Kili bounced Tyli in his arms trying to hush his wailing. The dwarf prince had just come back from a meeting, with the Murkwood Elves, to a screaming a year old baby, one lying around eating his own foot and a highly stressed wife. Kili patted Ty's back, the dwarfling just screamed and waved his arms. Daisy threw the dishes back in the sink and stormed over.

"Just stop! Stop! Give him to me!"

She wrenched the babe from him and rocked him about.

"What do you want baby? Hmmm you hungry? Sleepy?"

She lifted him and smelt.

"No you don't need changing...what's wrong?"

Kili edged forward.

"Daisy I can..."

"Kili just leave it! I'm left here all day with these two! I haven't slept in a year! I feel grey hairs already and you're always out at meetings or seeing Fili and...JUST LEAVE THE DISHES!"

The dwarf edged away. Daisy bent down and scooped up the other twin. She carried them from the room and Kili trailed after her.

"Days I'll get up with them tonight..."

"No you won't because you never hear them! You can't exactly breast feed either!"

"You know you aren't exactly being fair..."

She whipped round and looked at him.

"Fair? Me not being fair?! Fair would be you being in most evenings or mornings to help me with them...Fair would be you actually getting off your arse and helping in the evenings...it would be me actually getting five minutes of peace or sleep!...Fair would be just doing the little things Kili, but no I have to nag and nag and...you know what jut get out! OUT!"

She ushered him, not listening to his protests, slammed the door on his face. Kili stared blankly at the door for around ten minutes.

"Great, just great!"

He stormed down the corridors of the mountain, in the direction of Anne and Fili's place. He lifted his head when he heard a door creak. Thorin was sneaking out of a room.

"Uncle?"

"Oh..uh hi there Kili..."

The younger dwarf stopped and smiled warmly. A frown nearly graced his features when he studied his uncle's face. Thorin's eyes looked sunk back and heavy shadows lingered round them. Also there was a hungry glint in them and his face looked grey. His shoulders were tense. Kili raised an eyebrow.

"Where have you been?"

"What does it matter?!"

Kili flinched at the harshness of his tone, Thorin's face relaxed a little.

"I've been in the treasury if you must know..."

"Uncle you know how dangerous it is..."

"Yes I know...I'm not a child unlike you pretend not to be! I am perfectly aware of what could happen..I do not need to be watched unlike your children!"

Thorin frowned again and then stalked off without saying another word. Kili blinked, and he thought Daisy had been in a bad mood. The dwarf carried on his route and then ended up in front of his brother's door. He knocked on it. Anne opened it and frowned.

"Kili? What are you doing out at this time?"

"Daisy threw me out."

"Really?"

He nodded, Fili walked by the door.

"Hey Kee, what's wrong?"

"Daisy threw him out again."

Fili frowned.

"That's three times now, Kee you've got to start listening to our advice and stop coming to the meetings!"

They let him in and closed the door. Kili plonked down into an armchair, Fili sat on a sofa and Anne snuggled into his arms. The blonde dwarf stroked Anne's cheek and lay another on her swollen stomach. Kili sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I know, but then I feel I'm not being useful enough..."

"You'd be helping Daisy...twins aren't easy you know!"

Fili looked sternly at him.

"Take a couple of years off."

"Years?!"

"Yes, show her you care and I'll keep you informed at what happens in the meetings..."

Kili started to protest, but Anne cut him off.

"Kee we know you want to help with everything. And we know that you also want to be there for Days. Right now she needs you more than the mountain does...and besides even Fili will have to start missing those meetings soon..."

Kili lifted his head. Anne was beaming and Fili looked at her lovingly.

"What do you mean? How long you got left?"

"About two weeks, well so says Oin anyway..."

"Ty and Ny will soon have a cousin to play with!"

Fili laughed and Kili smiled. Then he remembered Thorin.

"Guys..."

"Yes?"

"Have you noticed Thorin's been acting weird?"

Fili sat up and Anne looked down and frowned.

"What do you mean by odd?"

"Fee he's been going into the treasury again..."

"You've seen him too?"

Anne nodded.

"I think it's the sickness, but I don't want to say anything to him..."

Fili's face turned grim.

"Well we'll have to...otherwise we might lose him again."

Kili looked at them.

"I wasn't here when he first got it, and I don't really want to see it first hand. Especially after how you described it...he's becoming really sharp and doesn't look like he's slept in ages..."

"Sounds like someone else we know..."

"I'm going to ignore that comment about my wife...So when should we tell him?"

Anne shook her head.

"He needs to see it for himself, but if not we'll have to tell him soon, before we lose him..."

Fili nodded and then Anne yawned. The blonde kissed her gently.

"Sleepy?"

"Mhm..."

Kili chuckled as his brother scooped her up in his arms and held her bridal style. The girl snuggled her head into his chest. She looked at her friend.

"You wanna stay here tonight?"

"Yeah why not...I don't think Daisy is going to let me back in in any hurry..."

Fili chuckled and ruffled his hair. Anne smiled gently.

"Well goodnight Kili."

"Night Anne."

Fili and Anne left the room, talking quietly amongst themselves and Kili took their place on the sofa. He shrugged off his jacket and lay down. Fili returned with some blankets.

"Night Fee!"

"Night little brother."

…

"C'mon Kili rise and shine!"

"mmmbutidon'twanna!"

Anne patted his head and then bounced up.

"If you don't then you won't get any breakfast!"

Reluctantly the sleep dwarf rolled off the sofa. He sat with his brother at the table and began to sleep on the wood. The door slamming awoke him abruptly. Bofur ran into the room.

"He's gone mad! Crazy ballistic!"

Kili rubbed his eyes and looked at the panicky dwarf.

"Who has?"

"Thorin! He came charging into the mine shouting for gold and demanding things...We dinnae ken what tae do! Then 'e ran eff tae the treasury and has locked 'imself in there! He won't come oot. Balin even tried talkin' tae 'im, but it's useless!"

No one spoke and they all ran out of the room.

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