Runa and Poppy both had the day off and spent it cleaning their small houses and playing with their children. Also Runa wanted to visit her husband's grave together with her son in the afternoon because it was the second anniversary of Anor's death. While the dwarrowdam was washing the dishes Runor played with a toy soldier and dragon and watched the dwarves walking by outside their window. Suddenly he noticed guards and healers running towards to mines and asked his mother if something had happened there. Runa dropped the plate she was washing and looked at her son in shock. Exactly the same thing had happened at about the same time two years ago and two hours later on of the miners had told her that her husband had died. She worried about Fili's safety and Poppy and her children. So she told her son to pull on his boots because that would go to visit Vili and his sisters now.

Runor did as he was told and soon they walked over to Poppy. One their way there the dwarfling started crying. He was still young but not stupid and was quite sure that they went to Fili's family now because his mother worried that something might have happened to him. "Amad, are we going to Vili and his Mama and sisters because Mister Fili has died like Adad?" He asked and sobbed.

Runa kneeled down in front of him and hugged him. "Oh, my dear, don't cry! I don't know if something has happened to Fili but I want to be there just in case."

Runor looked at her with red puffy eyes. "I hope he's alright. Mister Fili is so nice and I don't want him to be dead. Vili, Lili, Tulip and Ruby have lost their home and I don't want them to know what it feels like to not have an Adad anymore."

"I don't want them to know what this feels like either but only Mahal can decide which dwarves live and which he takes to the Halls of Waiting. If something happened we will help them as good as we can. They will still hurt but they want be alone." Runa explained and wiped her son's tears away. "I don't want to scare them, so we won't say anything about what you've seen, alright? We simply say that yiu wanted to play."

Runor nodded and they continued walking to Vili's and Poppy's home.

Poppy was a bit surprised when she opened the door but didn't question Runor's explanation. The children were inseparable and spent nearly every day together. For a short moment she thought about telling Runa about Fili's quite odd behaviour this morning but then decided not to. The dwarrowdam was probably feeling sad enough and she didn't want to bring back even more memories of her husband. So she tried to act normally and quickly finished her cores to join Runa and the little ones to play in the living room.

Two hours later there was a knock on the door. Poppy frowned and went to open it. Runa gave Runor a worried look and quickly followed the hobbit. Poppy opened the door and saw a sadly looking Dis standing there. She paled, whispered "He's dead, isn't he." and collapsed on the floor.

Runa looked a Dis with wide eyes and both dwarrowdams rushed to Poppy. They kneeled down in front of her and Dis embraced her tightly. "There has been an accident in the mines and Fili has been injured but he's nor dead. I will bring you to him. Would you watch the children, Runa?"

"Of course, my Lady." Runa answered and sighed in relief. Luckily the children hadn't heard their mother and continued playing happily together with Runor.

Dis helped Poppy to stand up and led her towards the infirmary. There Fili laid in one of the beds in a more private area. He had a bandage around his head and arm and scratches everywhere. Oin informed them that Fili had a deep gash on the forehead and a broken arm. He was asleep at the moment but should be able to leave the infirmary soon.

Poppy thanked the healer and sat down on the edge of Fili's bed. She took his uninjured hand in her much smaller ones and kissed his nose. "I'm so glad that you are alive." She whispered.

When Fili heard his wife's voice, he woke up and opened his eyes. "Poppy, my love! You're here."

"Of course I am. Your mother said there was an accident. What happened?" Poppy said and stoked the back of her husband's hand while Dis sat down on a chair next to the bed and smiled at her son in relief.

Fili closed his eyes. "Would you send someone to fetch Runa? I think she deserves to know what has happened as well."

Dis nodded and sent one of the guards to fetch Runa and to ask Ori if he looked after the children. About half an hours later Runa arrived and sat down next to Fili's bed as well. "I'm glad that your not too badly injured, Fili. But why am I here?"

Fili smiled at her sadly. "I want to explain a few things and you deserve to know as well." He took a deep breath. "This hasn't been an accident but an assassination attempt. Several of the dwarves from the Iron Hills are unhappy with Thorin being their king and waned to kill him. They think Dain deserves to be king more than Thorin. I heard about their plan but wasn't able to get help. So I tried to save him on my own. Is he well?"

Dis nodded. "Aye, just a few scratches. When the healers arrived he mumbled something like 'He saved my life.' But we didn't know what he was talking about. But he's in his private rooms now. Just in case."

Fili was relieved. "That's good to know. I worry that they might try to kill him again since this hasn't been the first assassination attempt on him. Exactly two years ago they had tried the same. I had already heard rumours a while ago but now I'm completely sure that they are true." He took a deep breath and looked at Runa before he continued to explain. "Runa, Anor hasn't died in an accident. From what I've heard when I listened to the miners from the Iron Hills he died because he tried to save Thorin's life just like I did today. They didn't mean to kill him, still it was no accident but murder."

Runa put her hand in front of her mouth and tears welled up in her eyes. She sobbed and Poppy and Dis wrapped her arms around her. But then she started smiling. "It's good to know that he died to save his King's life and not in a stupid accident. I will tell Runor so that will be able to remember him as the kind, loyal and brave dwarf he was."

Dis nodded. "Aye, he was a hero."

Suddenly Balin appeared behind them. "Good evening. I'm sorry for eavesdropping. This is very interesting and important to know though. We should inform the King about this." He swallowed. "The guards found proof that this was an attack and now the miners from the Iron Hills as well as the councillors from there want to blame Fili. They say he wanted to get rid of his uncle who has destroyed his life."

Fili and Poppy looked at the old dwarf in shock and gasped. So Balin quickly continued. "Luckily Thorin has noticed who led him into the tunnel and that Fili pushed him away to save him. His mind seems to be quite clear at the moment but no one knows how long it will be like that. So we should inform him as soon as possible."

Fili agreed. In the same moment the door opened and Ori stood there with Vili, Lili, Tulip, Ruby and Runor. "I'm sorry. But they wanted to see you."

The blond dwarf smiled and asked his children to come to him. They jumped onto the bed and hugged him. Fili held them tight and ruffled their hair but asked them to be careful with his broken arm.

Runor stood next to his mother with tears in his eyes. "I'm glad that you're not dead, Mister Fili! I've been so scared and I didn't want my friends to know what it feels like to loose their father."

Fili pulled Runor close and hugged him as well. "Oh Runor, you're such a wonderful boy. No dwarfling deserves to know what this feels like but I know it is well. I will always be there for you when you need help, alright?"

The dwarfling nodded and buried his face in Fili's hair. "Thank you, Mister Fili!"

The others smiled at them and hoped that Fili's bravery would have any terrible consequences for the young dwarf.

In the Royal Chambers Thorin paced in his room. He had noticed an evil smile on the face of the miner from the Iron Hills who had led him into the tunnel when the the ceiling started to fall down. But seconds later he had been pushed into safely by no other then Fili. He looked into his face and saw the stubble and his lack of braids and realised how terrible he had treated him. But still the lad had saved his life. He wanted to apologise but then there was the voice in his head again. "Who says that Fili hasn't been plotting together with the Iron Hills' miners to make it look like he saved him? The lad hadn't been injured badly and was certainly hoping for some gratitude now. He only did this to become King and to get the gold."

Thorin tore his hair and tried to fight the voices in his head. But they were stronger. He left his room and went to the treasury to make sure that no one received a single coin of his treasure for as long as he lived.