Bilbo wanted to visit his friends but stopped in his tracks when he heard Fili's sobs in the smithy. He went in and found Fili on the floor.

"What happened Fili? Is something wrong with the girls?" Bilbo asked in panic.

Fili shook his head and showed the letter to Bilbo. The hobbit gasped and suggested to go home to read the letter.

When Fili nodded, he helped him up and together they went to Fili's home. Poppy sat in the living room with her children. She saw the sad look in Fili's eyes and looked at Bilbo who lowered his head.

Poppy brought the girls to Camelia and joined her husband and friend in the living room. She sat down next to Fili and took his hands. "What happened? Any news of Vili?"

Fili looked at his wife with tears streaming down his cheeks. "This is all my fault. None of this would have happened to you without me."

Poppy caressed his beard. "I don't understand! What happened to him? Please tell me the truth!"

Fili took the letter but his voice broke when he started to read.

"Do you want me to read or, Fili?" Bilbo asked.

Fili took a deep breath and wrapped his arms around his wife. "Yes, please!"

My dearest Fili and Poppy!

I'm so sorry for what has happened to you! It tore my heart apart to find out what had happened to your son. The disappearance of your own child has to be the worst thing that can happen to parents. I tried to imagine how you are feeling but that's impossible. I can't express my feelings in a letter properly. So I will try to explain what happened.

Worst of all, this is all my fault. Vili would be happy in the Shire if it weren't for my stupidity.

Let's start with the positive thing: I can assure you that Vili is alive and well. He is here in Erebor.

Well, while I was gone Thorin searched my rooms and found your letters. He didn't talk to anybody, not even Balin, about them. Otherwise Balin would have warned us immediately. He said that suddenly Thorin was furious but he didn't know why.

Thorin found out that you were still alive and that you were married to a lass from Hobbiton. In your last letters you wrote about Poppy's pregnancy and so he also knew that you're a father. Since most dwarflings are lads, he hoped to find an heir in your son.

He sent a young dwarf to the Shire. He was supposed to find you and to bring your son to Erebor if he looked like a dwarf. And that's exactly what happened.

The young dwarf hoped for a higher rank amongst the guards and didn't dare to refuse his king. So he went to the Shire. None of the hobbits seemed to question his presence there since we visited you just a few weeks prior. He even met a male hobbit in Bywater who was willing to help him to kidnap Vili. It looks like this hobbit hates you and would do everything to destroy your marriage.

Soon the dwarf found out that Vili looked like a dwarf except for his curlier hair and his slightly bigger feet. But he decided that these could be hidden in boots easily.

They watched you for some time. When you left for Bree, they saw their chance and took the little lad when he was playing next to the Frog Pond. The hobbit took him and gave him a strong sleeping draught to silence him. Apparently none of the hobbits noticed him and so he could bring Vili to the borders of Hobbiton without any trace of him. There he met the dwarf who brought Vili to Erebor. During the whole trip he didn't even realise that Vili was blind.

A few days ago they arrived in Erebor. The King called me, Dwalin and Balin to meet him in the throne room. We stood next to him without any idea of what had happened. Then he called for the dwarf with an evil smile.

I nearly collapsed when I saw the guard with Vili. He put him on the ground and Thorin wanted him to walk towards the throne. Of course Vili had no idea where he was and nearly fell down the walkway. Luckily Dwalin caught him in the last second.

Then the King told us that he knew your secret and that he wanted Vili as his heir. Then he blamed me. He said if I had given birth to a male non of this would have happened. When he found your letter he saw his chance to finally have a heir. He said that a half breed heir, who at least looks like a dwarf is still better than giving the throne to Dain or his son one day.

Of course I'm still supposed to conceive a child again as soon as possible to have a true son of Durin on the throne. But Vili would stay here nonetheless to punish you for your treason. First he wanted the dwarf to kill you or Poppy but than he was kind enough to temper justice with mercy.

The King also warned me that should you or one of your hobbit friends ever come to close to Erebor, you will pay for your deeds with your life.

So I beg you Fili! Please don't come to Erebor to get your son back. It would make everything only worse.

Yesterday Thorin found out that Vili is blind. He was furious and wanted to kill the guard since he didn't notice that the entire time. Of course he can't use a blind dwobbit as his heir. I suggested to send Vili back to the Shire but he won't do that.

He granted me my second wish to raise Vili though. So he will live with me, Dwalin and Dwalis now. He cries all the time and yells for Mama, Papa and Lili in his nightmares. But at least he knows and trusts us a bit.

I'm so sorry for everything that has happened. This is my fault! But I swear that I will make sure that Vili has the best life possible. Maybe I can find a way to bring him back to you one day.

But please, please don't come here to get him home! I'm completely sure that Thorin would kill you and I can't bear the thought of loosing any of you!

There is so much more I'd love to tell you but I don't know how to express me feelings.

With love,

Dis

Poppy sobbed and collapsed in her husbands arms. Later she took the letter; she had to make sure that she understood everything correctly. She read the letter again and noticed loads of dried tears on the paper. She felt sorry for Dis. This wasn't her fault.

Then she buried her face in Fili's hair and clutched his tunic. "Please promise me that you won't go to Erebor to bring Vili back home! I can't loose you! Please Fili, stay here with me, Lili and Tulip."

Fili put a kiss on his wife's hair and pulled her close. "I won't leave you! We'll find a way to deal with the situation."