Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. Save for characters that are not in his works.

I decided that I might as well post another chapter, and I've tried to go through and get everything fixed in it. Like I said before, review or PM if you see anything that needs to be fixed (or if you like it).

"Family, means no one gets left behind or forgotten"

~David Ogden Stiers

CHAPTER TWO

T.A. 2766

Nuil grumbled as she tapped her foot against the stone beneath her feet. She did not like being left behind. She did not like watching her father and brother walk out the gates of Erebor without her. But she understood her fathers reasoning, and she did not want to leave Erebor so soon.

After spending several weeks in the dwarf kingdom, Nolen had decided that he and Noledhe needed to return home to bring back their family. When he had spoken with King Thror, he had been offered a place on the royal guard. Nolen accepted. When they had been given their handsome accommodations, Noledhe had finally voiced his opinion of his fathers choice. In the living area, the fire in the hearth blazing, Noledhe had spoken:

"I cannot live here, father. I do not love this place."

So it was decided that they would return to Arnor, Noledhe would stay, and whomever wanted to go would return to Erebor. But she would stay, until they returned. Nuil was nervous at being left by herself. The journey itself was long. It would be many months before she saw any of her family again.

When they had finally disappeared from her sight, Nuil turned and went back into the mountain. She was silently joined by a dwarven guard. She had been given one to watch over her; he would report to the king himself of what she was up to, where she had been, and if she was in good health. Nuil didn't want someone to take care of her, so this was what she got.

Nuil quietly opened the door to their home, nodding to the dwarf guard, and entered. It had been decorated slightly. A plush sofa by the fire, rug on the floor, table in the corner, chairs. She went to the kitchen, slicing bread for herself, before going to her room.

She passed several days within the walls of her home, in the same manner. After the fifth, there was a firm knock on the door. Nuil, paused, looked up from the book in her lap. Another knock came and slowly she rose to her feet. Biting her lip she open the door, coming face to face with a dwarf woman.

The dwarf woman had dark hair, her beard was finely groomed, and wore a gown of deep crimson red. Her brown eyes looked Nuil over, a frown forming.

"By Mahal, child, what on earth are you doing cooped up in there?" There was clear disapproval in her voice. Nuil swallowed.

"Reading."

The dwarf woman huffed with disbelief. "Reading?" Then her eyes narrowed. "You will come with me." Nuil opened her mouth to protest, but was stopped. "First, you must bathe." Without waiting, the dwarf woman pushed her way into her home, making her way to the bathing room. Nuil scrambled after her.

"I will draw you a bath."

"But I can do that-"

"Nonsense, do as I say." Nuil snapped her mouth shut and let the dwarf woman do what she pleased. There was a clear threat in her voice. Instead she sat on a bench and watched. Then the dwarf woman turned to her.

"Undress, and get in," she ordered.

Nuil shed her pants and tunic, the only clothes she had with her besides her spare set. She slipped off her underthings and lowered herself in the stone tub. Without warning the dwarf woman was suddenly scrubbing her down; there was no gentleness in the action. Nuil's skin was scrubbed until it was pink, her hair washed until her scalp hurt, and the water a murky color. And she had thought she was clean. A bucket of cold water was dumped on her, making her gasp.

When she was done, she was ushered into her bedroom, dried and presented with a new set of clothes. It was a dress, a warm earthy green, simple. It was nowhere near as fine as the dwarf womans. She dressed, allowing her hair to be handled and braided until she was being scrutinized with narrowed brown eyes.

"It will do," the dwarf woman said. "Come."

Nuil hurried after her, stumbling slightly with the skirt of her dress. They entered the hall, and continued on. She jogged to keep up. Only when they were outside a closed door did she get the chance to speak.

"Forgive me, but I never learned your name," Nuil said.

"I am Nan," the dwarf woman said, before opening the door. They entered a room, filled to the brim with shelves of books and scrolls. At one of the tables sat a small dwarf child, her head rising to look at the new comers with curious blue eyes. She wore a gold embellished blue gown, a small black hairs dusted her jaw line. Like all the dwarf women Nuil had met, she was very well groomed. Except this was the first dwarf child she had seen. "This is where you will come now. You are a guest of King Thror, and will learn Khuzdul."

"Khuzdul?"

"The language of the dwarves, young one," Nan replied with apparent annoyance. "Do not make me repeat myself. It is a great honor." Nuil was roughly led forward and seated in a chair. Nan sat before her and shoved a book in front of her. "Read."

Nuil looked down at the page, her eyes moving over the symbols but not comprehending them. She looked back up at Nan.

"I can't."

"No. You can," Nan growled. "The first word is, 'ningul'. Say it."

"Ningul," Nuil said. "What does it mean?"

"Gladden."

"Oh. Ningul."

"The next . ."

oOo

She learned Khuzdul from Nan for several weeks. It was slow progress, but that was to be expected from a language that was difficult to learn. Nan was very impatient with her, calling her 'slow' or 'stupid' among other things. Nuil did not like it, but it seemed like Nan was to be her caretaker until her family returned. Nan was always with her, cooking meals for her, bathing her, sitting with her. She was almost a mother to Nuil, save for there was no affection in the action. Or so she thought.

"She's not as bad as she seems," uttered a voice, breaking Nuil from her thoughts as she tried to read the book Nan had given her that day. Nuil looked up, meeting the blue eyes of the dwarf girl who was often in the library when she was. "Nan. She's awfully nice once you get to know her."

"You . . know her?" Nuil asked softly.

"Of course," said the girl with a smile. "She was one of my nannies, before she volunteered to watch over you."

"Nannies?" Nuil echoed. The girl nodded proudly.

"I have four. Well- three, now that Nan is with you."

"What about your mother?" Nuil asked frowning. The dwarf girl looked away, her eyes straying back to her own book. Somehow, Nuil knew she had said something wrong. Nannies were for children who didn't have parents right? Or at least if they were busy?

"Ma died when I was born," she said, slowly raising her eyes back to Nuil's. She bit her lip.

"I'm sorry," Nuil murmured. The girl only shrugged with some form of indifference.

"I have my father, Thorin and Frerin," she said lightly. "My name is Dis, by the way. Daughter of Thrain, son of Thror."

"Nuilweyil, daughter of Nolen," Nuil said. "I prefer Nuil, though."

They stared at each other for a long while, Dis sizing her up, and Nuil trying to think of what to say next. Slowly Dis returned to her book and Nuil did the same, trying to figure out what the words meant. But her mind slowly returned to her father and brother. Would they be over the Misty Mountains by now? Or still traveling around Mirkwood? It was around noon when Dis rose from her chair. Nuil kept her eyes on her book, but Dis had other plans.

"I like you." Nuil's eyes shot up to the young dwarf girl, surprised. "Join me?"

Nuil rose from her seat, silently following Dis out into the hall and trailing along behind her. She had no idea what Dis had in mind, but she certainly did not expect to find herself in a long dining hall, before the king and the rest of their family. The king saw her, lifting a brow at his granddaughter before Dis slipped her hand into Nuil's.

"This is Nuil, my friend," she stated confidently. Nuil was dragged into a chair beside Dis. She kept her head down, a sudden heat flooding her cheeks, embarrassed. Talk slowly built as the family returned to their normal conversations. Nuil soon learned that dwarves ate like hobbits, just without the usual politeness. Of course being royalty meant that they were more respectable in their table manners, but it didn't limit them from the occasional burp or excessive consumption of ale.

"How you find Erebor, little Nuilweyil?" King Thror suddenly asked, stilling everyone. Nuil raised her eyes timidly and glanced at the dwarves around her.

"I- I greatly enjoy it," she replied. There was a moment of silence, as all eyes rested on her and slowly the king smiled.

"Nith aktub alugab ghelekhul," King Thror said to Thrain. Nuil suddenly realized that she had responded to the king in Khuzdul. "Nan zokhosal sanghelekh." Nuil felt her hands tremble, surprise running through her. She could not read Khuzdul well, but she understood it as if she was speaking in her mother tongue. Nuil was receiving several curious looks, most of all from the king and his son. When she looked up she was shocked to find Thorin looking at her with a small smile, his brother seated on his right smiling widely.

After the meal, Nuil followed Dis down to her family home, a great mansion carved into the heart of the mountain, and not far from King Thror's hoard of gold . . . Nuil was led to a balcony overlooking the deeper parts of the mountain, where the two girls sat silently for a few short moments.

"From all the insults Nan was throwing at you, I thought you knew no Khuzdul whatsoever," Dis said. "You surprised me."

"I didn't know," Nuil breathed, "it just came to me."

Dis smiled and pulled her into a tight embrace. "We will be good friends, no?"

"I would like that," Nuil murmured with a smile. She had never really had friends back home. She was mostly teased for her appearance, picked fights, and caused the young hobbit children to run from her. This was new, and Nuil found she liked it. She liked Dis. Even if her grandfather was the King Under the Mountain.

"Does it make you sad that you do not have a beard?" Dis asked, her arms resting on the stone balcony railing. Her blue eyes were on Nuil. She shrugged and joined Dis, looking at the great stairs that went down into the mountain.

"Not particularly," Nuil told her. "Where I am from, no one other than my father and brothers have beards. It would be . . . odd, if I had one."

"How so?"

"I'm not sure," Nuil murmured, her brows pulling together. "Wouldn't it itch all the time, especially with our soft skin?"

Dis snorted. "Dwarves do not have soft skin."

"Oh."

"But dwarf women tend to have smoother skin," Dis added, seeing Nuil's expression. "How old are you?"

"Ten winters," Nuil replied with a smile.

"I myself am ten winters as well," said Dis. "I am the youngest as well."

"Really?" Nuil said, elated that they both shared this same characteristic. Someone to understand her, who also had older brothers.

"Yes. Frerin is five years my elder, and Thorin is ten years my elder."

"I don't even know how old my oldest brother is . . ." Nuil murmured with a frown. She had never asked, and birthdays had never been about age, with her as the exception.

"How many are you?"

"Seven brothers," Nuil said. "Noledhe, the eldest, and then Nedoheen, Nogoth, Nurgon, Nildar, Nurnedhe, and Nilwe. Nilwe is my favorite, we are closest in age."

"I saw your eldest brother, he looked older by the standards of men," Dis said. "Your father and mother must be very old by now."

Nuil tilted her head and thought. Dis seemed to be correct. Perhaps it was her young view of the world and the naive belief that they would always be a family. But she had seen her fathers graying hair, her mothers aging face. She had never bothered to ask their ages, nor her brothers. Nuil had always assumed that they would stay the way they were, as a family.

oOo

Nuil was sitting with Nan as Dis was fitted for another one of her many dresses. It was customary for the princess to receive a new, gold embroidered down every few weeks. Nuil could see that Dis loved the lush fabric, bought from the markets of Dale. Nuil loved it too, it was certainly very pretty.

Nan was reading a book while she watched. She had come to find that Nan was not so mean as she had thought her to be. Especially once the King had thanked her for teaching her Khuzdul so well. Their lessons had changed from reading the language to speaking it. Nan, however, still forced her to read Khuzdul, hoping that once she was ready, they would move onto learning how to write it. Nuil thought it looked easy enough, but Dis had told her otherwise.

"Nan?"

"Yes, young one?"

"Does Dis have any other friends? Any other dwarf children?"

Nan set her book down, looking her in the eye with pursed lips. Nuil feared she had spoken out of turn, but did not apologize when Nan spoke.

"Dwarf children are . . . not very common." She gave a sigh. "We are prospering greatly, but the number of dwarf women is very small. Births are rare, as are marriages."

Nuil was silent.

"You do know how children come to be, young one?" Nan asked, watching the young girls face. Nuil nodded quickly, heat flooding her cheeks. Nan gave her an approving nod.

"Well, then. Now you know." Nan glanced back at the princess. "It is also a matter of who her father allows her to make friends with. You are very lucky, young one, he was impressed by your Khuzdul. It is not often taught willingly to strangers."

Nuil would later learn that it was not taught at all to strangers. Khuzdul was a secret guarded jealously by dwarves. The fact that she had even been taught, held a very important meaning. The king liked her, and approved of her father. He trusted her family.

"It's your turn, Nuil!" Dis cried, jumping down from the stool she had been perched on. Nuil blinked at her, mouth popping open with surprise.

"Why?"

Dis rolled her eyes. "You get a dress too. Adad said so."

Nuil rose slowly, she got to have a dress too? But she was only a guest, surely she was not going to be given a fine dress fit for royalty? Would her father have to pay for it? She swallowed nervously.

"Come. Be fitted first, then we'll return tomorrow for a fitting."

Nuil shakily stood on top of the stool as the dwarf woman (she had thought to be a male dwarf upon first glance) measured her. Dis was smiling as Nan returned to her book.

"I don't really need a dress, Dis," Nuil said. "I already have three."

"Nonsense."

"What's nonsense?"

They turned to the door, Dis huffing with annoyance, Nuil looking from the dwarf to Dis. Nuil recognized him from dinner, five days ago. This was Frerin, Dis's older brother. He bore the same resemblance to Thorin, except his eyes were warmer and he seemed more carefree.

"Frerin, what are you doing here?" Dis asked.

"Come to see my lovely sister-"

"Or my fists."

Frerin held up his hands, grinning. "Easy little sister, I wanted to meet your friend. It is not often we see you so gentle towards anyone." Frerin looked towards Nuil, his smile widening.

"I am Frerin, son of Thrain, son of Thror. At your service," he bowed. Nuil blinked, a smile crossing her lips. He was certainly a charmer.

"Nuilweyil, daughter of Nolen," she replied. Dis rolled her eyes.

"Now can you go? We're busy," Dis growled.

"Come now, Dis," Frerin said. "I only want to spend my free time with you. Father has allowed me some leisure time away from training."

This peaked Nuil's interest. As the tailor turned away, finished with her work, she jumped down and rushed to Dis's side.

"Training?"

Frerin gave her an odd look. He noticed how her eyes lit up, the hazel depths gleaming with excitement. It was endearing. Slowly he nodded, amused.

"What kind? Bow? Sword? Ax? Mace?" she shot off quickly. Frerin held up his hands.

"Calm down mimel 'urs," Frerin said, making Nuil clamp her jaw shut. Her cheeks went pink and Dis rolled her eyes, again. Then Frerin puffed out his chest. "I happen to prefer the sword, but I'm not too bad with a battle ax."

Dis scoffed. "Thorin beats you every time."

"That's because he's older," Frerin snapped. Dis gave him a smug look.

"I like the sword too," Nuil said, causing both to raise their brows at her. "Noledhe has been teaching me, but my mother doesn't like it."

Frerin smiled at his sister, and surprisingly she smiled back.

"I think you should show us," Frerin said.

"Yes. Show us what you know," Dis added, and the two exchanged a look. Nuil suddenly felt like she had trapped herself, and Nan's chuckle only seemed to prove that to be correct. And that was how she found herself, not an hour later, sword in hand, facing Frerin in the training arena.

So I made Dis older here, because she is about ten when Erebor is taken, but I wanted to give Nuil a playmate. Also I changed the year she was born because Dis would really be six when she meets Nuil, and I wanted them to be a bit older. So the yeah, Dis and Nuil are born in T.A. 2756 in my story. Sorry I'm being so technical about this, but I'm pretty into this story. :)

Translations: (I suck at languages so I probably butchered it)

mimel -little (literally little of little)

'urs - fire

amad - mother

Nith aktub alugab ghelekhur- the girl knows the language well

Nan zokhosal sanghelekh- Nan is the perfect teacher

Read and Review!

~filimeala