Thanks for reading folks and for your reviews which all said that Thorin was gonna get it, and you bet he will! If anyone has any good ideas for me to add in, let me know.

Chapter 2: Rough Start

Thorin rounded the corner to see his nephews engaged in a slight disagreement out in the yard.

"Give it back!" Kili shouted as Fili held up his brother's favorite wooden soldier. Fili grinned and wagged his brows as he held the soldier in the tips of his fingers, waving it over his brother's dark head.

"Nuh, uh," Fili taunted, "not until you say I'm smarter than you and that I won."

Kili put his little fists on his hips and squinted his eyes.

"You didn't win the battle!" he cried, his face red and sweaty with anger. "You CHEATED! Now give it back!"

Fili hummed a little triumphant tune while he danced the figurine in the air.

"Not until you say I'm smarter."

Kili stomped his foot and scrunched his mouth.

"I won't! I hate you!"

Thorin's eyes widened, and he stepped into the fray, deciding that now would be a good time to make his presence known. Dis clearly needed help with the boys. Why, they were completely ill-mannered and out of control! What happened since he last saw them? Thorin clucked his tongue. When his sister recovered, they'd need to talk. This behavior was completely unacceptable for heirs of Durin, completely unacceptable, but Thorin was sure that all they needed was a firm, male hand to set them straight.

Lowering his brows, he fixed a stern look on his face. A fierce male scowl that would set them quaking in their boots. The brothers looked over and blanched when they saw their uncle standing there with his much larger fists on his hips. Fili quickly slipped his brother the toy while both straightened up and tried to look as innocent as possible—a feat that they achieved with surprising speed and, no doubt, much practice.

"Uh, Unca Thorin!" Fili began, and he put his arm around his brother in a show of filial affection. "Have you, um, come to visit?"

Kili knew he needed to be on his best behavior but, still, he was not ready to let his brother off the hook so easily, so he shrugged off his arm and ground the heel of his small boot into Fili's toes as he ran to his uncle.

"Unca Thorin!" he cried, hoping that his excitement would make up for what his uncle just saw.

Thorin softened and crouched down with his arms open to catch Kili. Then he looked at Fili still standing and waved him over. Fili grinned exuberantly and ran for his own hug. Thorin picked both of them up and growled on their necks like a bear while they squealed and laughed.

"Now I don't want to see behavior like that again, nephews," he said firmly after they stopped giggling. "It's unbecoming. You are brothers, and you need to take care of each other."

"Yes, Uncle Thorin," Fili said quietly. He glanced over at Kili and rolled his eyes at him to agree as well, but Kili just scowled and stuck his tongue out when Thorin wasn't looking.

"Uh, yes, Uncle Thorin," Kili said softly after Thorin squeezed him gently for an answer, but he glared at his brother under his uncle's chin.

There now, Thorin thought, nothing to it. Dis must be too soft on them.

Putting them down and holding each of their hands, he walked with the boys back to the house. Along the way, he told them that their mother needed rest and that he would take care of them in the meantime.

"You're gonna be watching us, Uncle Thorin?" Fili asked with a horrified glance at his brother. "The whole time?

They really miss me. Thorin thought. I must spend more time with them. Perhaps we can make this an annual event.

For how long?"

"About three days," he answered breezily.

"Are we gonna eat while mama's gone?" Kili asked wide-eyed. Thorin looked confused. What kind of question was that?

"Of course, Kili," he said, "and I'm sure that we will have a wonderful time. We'll keep a tight schedule, of course, and do battle drills and other activities perfect for young princes. I'll ask Balin to send over the books."

"Books?" Kili mouthed at Fili, all his anger gone in view of their joint misery to come.

"Reading?" Fili mouthed back aghast.

Both her sons looked uncharacteristically solemn as they trudged back to the house. Dis met them at the door with a leather bag slung over her shoulder and a knowing smile on her face.

"Do you want me to walk you there, sister?" Thorin asked with concern. "Are you well enough to go on your own?"

Dis wiped the sheen off her forehead, but she nodded and smiled through her exhaustion.

"Sliva stopped by to visit, and I told her your plan," she said recalling Sliva's belly laugh when she told her who was watching the boys. "She's waiting for me even now and will help you while I'm gone."

Thorin reared his head proudly

"I need no help, Dis, to take care of myself and my nephews for three days, surely," he said. "Right boys?"

Far be it for them to disagree with their lordly uncle in front of their mother, but Sliva made the best treats and was mother to their best friends, and a visit, they were sure, would be most welcome if not a necessity.

"Well," Fili began carefully. "I'm sure that you wouldn't want to watch us all the time, so maybe Auntie Sliva can bring Modrin and Lifir to play with us one day."

Thorin frowned at this alteration of his now carefully structured program for his nephews' improvement.

"Perhaps," he grumbled. "We'll see if we can spare some time in the schedule."

Dis looked down at the floor and held back a laugh.

It would almost be worth it to stay here and see this, she thought. Almost.

Sliva came to the door, curtsied to Thorin, and then threw a bursting look of amusement at Dis. The two dwarrowdams tittered slightly before Thorin drew himself up to his full height at their mutual impertinence.

"Don't you ladies have somewhere to go?" he grumbled disapprovingly as he tapped his fingers on his belt.

"Oh, aye, my lord," Sliva replied, her eyes bright and merry. Thorin frowned. Her words were correct, yet her tone was anything but. Mahal! It could not be that hard to watch dwarflings? Especially ones that could use the latrines for themselves. Thorin began to think that dwarf women deliberately exaggerated the trials of motherhood just to be appreciated.

Must be something they get together on.

Then Dis held out her arms and hugged her brother hard.

"I do thank you, Thorin, truly," she said seriously. "You are the best brother anyone could have. I don't know any other dwarf who would do this so willingly, and I'm grateful."

Thorin flashed a rare, heartfelt grin, and Sliva tilted her head, suddenly noticing how handsome he was. He always looked so serious and burdened, but now he seemed much younger and more approachable. Fili and Kili saw the spark in her eye and nodded to each other. A new game! They would make their own plans—and schedule—later.

Please review!