Two days later Fili, Poppy and the little ones moved to the miners' settlement. Dis, Dwalin and Dwalis hugged them tight and told them once again that they would help as good as they could. Fili asked his mother not to do anything dangerous though since he hadn't forgotten Thorin's warning. Then Bofur and a few guards led the family to their new home deep down under the mountain.

Fili and his family were given a relatively small house with a kitchen, a small living room, a tiny bathroom, a small bedroom for Fili and Poppy and a bigger bedroom for Vili, Lili, Tulip and Ruby. Bofur explained that this was the best they could get; most of the houses had only one bedroom and some didn't even have their own bathroom.

Poppy and Fili thanked Bofur and entered their new home. It wasn't much but they would try to make the most of it. Poppy was relieved that she didn't have to use a communal bath to wash herself and her children. They found some food for the first few days as well as pillows, blankets and some firewood. Fili and Poppy decided that Ruby would sleep in their bed because there was no cradle for her and Poppy still fed her during the night. Vili, Lili and Tulip didn't want to sleep in separate beds and so Fili put two of the beds together to let them sleep cuddled up. Later that evening Poppy made dinner for them and then they sat together, talked and cuddled until the children fell asleep.

From that day onwards Fili had to work from early in the morning until late in the night. Normally he left before the little ones woke up and came back home when they were asleep again. At first Poppy had tried to stay awake but often he found her and Ruby asleep on the fur in front of the fireplace. Fili always kissed his older children careful not to wake them up. Then he carried Poppy and Ruby to bed and pulled his wife close against his chest with their daughter between them.

Fili had one day off each week. This was always the happiest day of the week. Of course he always spend it with his family. Vili, Lili and Tulip were happy to be with their father and clung to him. They played and cuddled with him the whole day. Poppy and Ruby normally joined them as well. Sometimes they had a little picnic on the fur in front of the fireplace or went to the small market in their settlement.

The young dwarf was relieved that the dwarves apparently had accepted his family. In the mine some dwarves didn't talk to him but most of these were from the Iron Hills. Those from Ered Luin were shocked about what had happened to him but still saw him as the dwarf he used to be in the Blue Mountains despite his shorn beard and his loss of braids. In their settlement many dwarves looked at Poppy and the children curiously; they didn't seem to hate or despise them though. That was all that mattered for Fili. He hoped that they would get used to them and that maybe they would even find a few friends.

After a few weeks Fili worried deeply about his wife because he noticed that Poppy had lost some weight. He guessed that the life under the mountain without any daylight had already taken a toll on her. He hoped that his children fared better and fell asleep with a few tears in his eyes.

One morning Lili and Vili came to the kitchen while Fili ate breakfast. They rubbed their eyes and stood in front of their father. "Papa! We miss you!" Vili said with a sad look in his eyes.

Fili smiled down at them and sat them in his lap. "I miss you, too. But I have to work because we need the money for food and firewood. Mama spends the days with you, doesn't she? Isn't that nice?"

Vili nodded and closed his fingers arounds his father's marriage braid and buried his face in his hair. Lili looked up at her father with tears in her eyes. "Mama is always sad. She cries when we take a nap. And Mama doesn't eat."

Fili sighed and then frowned. "What do you mean with Mama doesn't eat?"

"She makes food for us but says she eats with you but she doesn't." Vili and Lili both sobbed and then Lili continued to speak. "If she eats with us, she eats old food."

Fili stroked his children's hair. "I see. Thank you for telling me. I will make sure that Mama eats."

"Papa, we are frightened. We don't want to lose Mama." Vili murmured and sobbed.

Fili looked towards the clock and told his children that he had to go to work. They nodded and then he brought them back to bed. He kissed them and promised that he would talk to Poppy in the evening. Before leaving for work he went back to the kitchen though. There he found some old cheese and bread hidden in one of the cupboards. Fili tore his hair and sighed. He had to go to work now but he would talk to his wife later.

When Fili came back later that evening he found his dinner on the kitchen table but Poppy was already in bed. He went to the bedroom and woke her up.

Poppy smiled at him and kissed him. She noticed the frown on Fili's face and asked. "Is something wrong?"

Fili nodded. "Would you join me in the kitchen? I have to talk to you about something really important."

Poppy frowned but followed her husband nonetheless. There Fili put half of his dinner on a second plate and handed it to his wife. "Let's eat."

Poppy sat down and pushed the plate back to Fili. "This is yours. I have eaten with the children."

"Why do you lie, Poppy? I know that you do not eat with them." The dwarf stood up and walked to the cupboard. He grabbed the old bread and cheese and put it on the table. "And if you do, you eat this rubbish and not the fresh food you make for us. Why Poppy? What's wrong with you? Lili, Vili and Tulip are frightened that they might lose you."

Poppy looked at her husband with wide eyes and then buried her face in her hands. When she started crying desperately, Fili went to her and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Shh, my love, shh! I didn't mean to hurt you. But I don't understand you and I'm frightened as well. We need you."

The hobbit looked at her husband and buried her face in his hair. "I didn't want you to be frightened. But I can't buy enough food and I won't allow you, Lili, Vili or Tulip to be hungry." She sobbed.

"Why didn't you take a part of my servings?" Fili asked.

"You need the food to be strong enough for your work."

Fili softly stroked her curls and back. He put a kiss on her head and sighed. "Why didn't you talk to me? I know that I'm barely home but you should have told me."

"You have enough to worry about, love. I wanted to find a solution on my own and I had hoped that you wouldn't notice. But there will be another problem soon." Poppy explained and looked at her husband. "I don't know how much longer I will be able to breastfeed Ruby. She will need real food soon as well. I have no idea how we shall afford that."

Fili wiped Poppy's tears away and kissed her nose. "I promise that we will find a solution. But please promise me that you will eat properly from now on."

"Fili, I -" Poppy started but her husband silenced her with a kiss. "I will force you to have breakfast and dinner with me if I have to and I will make sure that Lili tells me of you don't eat with them."

Poppy sighed. "I promise."

Fili kissed her again and hugged her. Then he sat down with her in his lap and fed her half of his dinner. They stayed like that for a few more minutes and then went to bed. Poppy fed Ruby who had woken up and cried because her parents weren't there like usual.

Fili watched them sadly. Poppy suffered under the mountain and he had no idea how to bear the sad look in hers and the children's eyes and the knowledge that he couldn't help them. He was quite sure that this had been Thorin's plan for Fili's punishment all along. The dwarf pulled his wife close and sighed. He had to find a solution for their problem. The next morning he would try to talk to Bofur. Maybe he would be allowed to work every day to earn some additional money. It would be hard but he wouldn't let his family starve.