Updated January 17th, 2022

Original Authors Note: Remember, this ones a bit on the cliffy side, so hang tight for a few hours and I will post the next chapter in a bit. :)

Chapter Seven

Toki eyed the guards at the bottom of the staircase. He had been watching them for nearly half an hour now and they have not once moved. He wondered if they had the power of stone from the great Mahal and could turn to a living statue at will. His bright green eyes scanned the area. If he came out from where he was hidden, they would immediately send him back down to his clan and it had taken over an hour to get Regar to fall asleep and another hour to sneak out without his da noticing. Although his da does not notice much anymore. Not with his mama being ill.

Eyeing the golden floor, Toki considered chiseling a piece away then going back down to his family, but his curiosity of what was so well guarded up those steps the elves had disappeared up earlier had him trying to work a way around them. Was it a prison for the elves? Were they up there creating spells? Regar said their used to be a dragon in this mountain, maybe they didn't kill it and the elves keep it up that staircase.

Toki huffed at the unmoving guards. Whatever was up there, must be exciting, but don't these guards ever take a break? It had to be well past the middle of the night by now, do they not need sleep at all? Or rest for that matter? The young dwarflings eyes widened. Maybe the elves enchanted them to never need sleep so they can guard whatever they are doing up there forever. Now he HAD to get up there.

Toki let his eyes wander as he slipped around yet another stone statue. This one holding a mighty axe whose blade alone was three times the size of the dwarfling himself. He looked up and eyed the second level tier above him. He looked around and found a side stairwell leading up just beside a statue, making for it as he quietly toed up the stairs. He was not sure if there were guards here too so he was being cautious as he peaked around the banister corner. It was silent and empty, so Toki followed it up and around to try and get a better view of the guards below.

From this angle through the gaps in the banister, Toki could see where the stairs ascended to and saw a towering floor to ceiling double door with gold moldings cast all around its boarders. His heartbeat sped up. That was promising, something spectacular must be behind such a door. His heart fell, however, when he noticed the second set of guards posted at the top of the stairs just before the door itself. "Now I really gotta get in there." He muttered to himself.

Toki was not a troublemaker by trade, he really tried to be good and responsible, but he was only ten years old and when there came something he really wanted to know…mahal himself could not stop him from finding it out. Looking around again, he noticed a column that rose just beside the entryway behind where the guards were standing. If he was quiet, he could easily climb that and sneak in, those two stone still dwarves of Erebor being none the wiser.

Silently making his way back down, Toki snuck around the golden room to the column rising high. For a normal being, it looked like a daunting climb, but Toki was excited and eager to take on the challenge. He began his slow assent, hands finding the carved grooves in the stone and pulling himself up inch by inch. It was no different than climbing trees and Toki was a good climber. He only lost his footing once, but was able to catch himself with practiced ease.

When he made it to the entryway, Toki silently wiggled his way around the column and onto a protruding ledge before silently climbing over the short banister and into the dark corner just beside the massive door. Success, the guards did not move even as he quietly pushed down the massive door handle and slipped into the room.

This was not what he was expecting at all. The dimly lit sitting room was both warm and inviting but quiet and still all at the same time. He had honestly thought he would be walking into a treasure room or an armory with how many guards they had at the entrances, or some sort of cell block. He thought back to the elves walking up there. Maybe this is just where they keep the non dwarven beings. It did not look like a prison though. Or, what if the dwarves of Erebor did not know elves were here? Could they have snuck in too? He thought back once again then shook his head. No. The guards had let them up. So that could not be it either.

Toki had to run and duck under a table when the unmistakable sound of footsteps approaching filled the silent room. Another guard. He could just make out the legs and boots as the guard patrolled the room then disappeared down another hallway. Not wanting to be caught just yet, Toki crawled out from under the table and swiftly went into the opposite corridor as the guard. He peaked into the first set of doors to find… "A kitchen?" he stepped in and glanced around, searching for signs of life inside, but it was empty. Although, there was a very tempting plate of raisin cookies on the counter he could not resist.

With pockets filled with the treat, and one in his mouth, Toki continued his explorations. With each door opened, all he found were dark and boring sitting rooms, but it was the last one he peaked into that had his greatest attention. Stepping inside, he went to the massive window that looked out over the city of men. Toki could not quite remember the name of it, he knew someone had mentioned the name as they passed but he was too busy trying to help his da to notice. Toki staired out the window at the city beyond. The beacons lining the out wall were lit with flames that danced in the night. He watched mesmerized by the view before he noticed a set of ornate double doors which drew him away from the window.

Toki carefully opened one of the doors and looked inside to see a massive four posted bed. He moved to go in but immediately stepped back out of the room when he noticed the bed was occupied. He will certainly not risk going in that room only to be caught by elves. Regar said elves eat dwarfling hearts, that is why there were so few dwarflings and how elves live forever. He wanted to keep his heart, thank you.

Instead, he went to the next door down the small hall and looked in. This one was much more interesting to a ten-year-old explorer, as it was a very large room filled with what appeared to be toys of all shapes and sizes. A lantern dimly lit cast shadows of crescent moons and stars around the room as it slowly spun giving the space a soft, inviting glow. A small fireplace with a warm fire gated off was in the far corner and beside that, a tall cabinet which was closed, so Toki could only guess what lay in there.

What really caught his attention was the cradle that sat against the wall. "A babe?" It had been a while since Toki had seen a babe and he was brought back to the memory of his infant brother born not two weeks ago. He did not get much of a chance to see the tiny being before he was placed in a shroud and carried from the tent, and his screaming mother. What he did see was a tuft of dark hair protruding from the death shroud as he and da passed by him and Regar.

As if in a trance, Toki slid into the room and went straight to the crib. His green eyes lit up when he saw the mass of dark hair protruding from a blanket. "Yeh are a babe." The small being was turned away so he could not make out the features, but the thick black hair made him only think of the brother he lost.

Toki pulled a stool towards the crib and climbed up and looked down over the bars. He scrunched his nose in thought, taking in the babe before him. He could not be that old, he was so small. Certainly, older than a few months. But what does he know of how to age babes though? A babe is a babe right? Some of the elders still called him a babe. He hated that. The little being let out a sigh and turned towards him causing Toki to start. It was probably time to go before he woke up and others came in. He did not want his heart to be eaten by any of the elves that may be up here, should they catch him.

Stepping down Toki made for the door but paused. His mother was sick, and some of the elders believe she will enter the halls of Mandos soon. They said it was because she lost her babe. If she had a babe, maybe she won't leave him. Toki loves his mama, she always pulls him close when things go wrong and sings him a song. He let his eyes slide to the cradle and without a thought, stepped up on the stool and leaned into the crib carefully extracting the sleeping child within.

He was sure it would wake, but it just leaned its head against Toki's shoulder and sighed in his sleep once more. "I'm Toki." Toki whispered, "And I am goin' teh be yer new big brother."

Toki silently slid out of the room, listening for feet or shuffling but the night remained still. It was awkward trying to carry the babe in his arms. He was small himself, and the babe was much larger than he anticipated. Toki kept having to adjust his grip as he carefully opened the chamber door and exited out into the lit hallway. Now he just had to get his new sibling down to his mam. This proved a daunting task on multiple fronts. Especially since the guard who was patrolling the sitting room was now back. However, luck was with Toki as he watched the guard look at the clock and make for the door, leaving it slightly ajar as he stepped out.

"Kaffa, shift change. Doryk will take yer place lad."

Toki ignored everything and slipped out the now open door and into the shadowed corner. He eyed the column and paused. There was no way he could get the babe down the same way he got up. Peaking around the ledge, he noticed a protrusion wide enough for him to slide across if he kept his back to the wall. It met where the top tier of the throne room ended. Eyeing the guards who were having some sort of meeting at the stairs, he stepped up onto the banister and slid onto the ledge.

He was lucky he was gifted with balance from the maker as he looked down at the great distance he would fall with one misstep. When he finally made it to the end, he sent a prayer to Mahal just as his mother taught him and quickly made work of the stairs down to the golden floor. He kept one eye on the babe, wondering how it was able to sleep through their ordeal. "Regar, 'e will be yer oldest brother, 'e sleeps like a stone giant 'e does jus' like you. Yeh already have somfin in common."

The being hummed and squirmed for the first time but still did not awaken. Even as Toki went through the halls and down the many stairwells, the babe remained still. Finally, Toki could hear the quiet singing of his clan. It was always a comfort. Despite the hour, there was always someone awake who would sing or play through the hours of darkness.

It was easy to bypass the guard at the entrance, him being as small as he was, and most of the company was asleep, making the path between tents and structures empty of congestion and adults who would likely stop the young dwarfling. Still, Toki kept his head low and used the darker paths skirting the group, afraid if anyone stopped him before he reached his mother, then all would be for not.

He needed to get the babe to his mother, that was what he kept saying over and over in his head as his heart began to race the closer he got to his family's own tent.

At last, it came into view. Wide and sunshine yellow with purple patches he had helped his mama sew on just last year after a severe storm made several small tears inside. Toki smiled at the memory and stepped in. His brother was still knowingly asleep as was his da who slept sitting up against the cot his mother restlessly slept on.

Toki eased forward to his mama, her pail face had drops of sweat beading down the sides of her gaunt cheeks. Her dark beard was matted and the braids that typically hung at the base of her cheek were frayed and coming loose. His da had wrapped a scarf around her head to keep her hair from her face and allowed them to put compresses on her forehead. She wheezed as she breathed, and it was often difficult to tell when she was awake and when she was lost in her dreams.

"Mama?"

"Toki? Toki why are yeh awake?" Toki froze and glanced over his shoulder at his brother who was lifting himself up, leaning against his arm as he tried to get a better look at his brother while using his free hand to wipe sleep from his eyes. Regar did get a peek of a bundle in Toki's arms though and frowned as he tried to focus on what it could be. "Toki, wha' 'ave yeh got?"

"Mind yer own hammer!" He shot back and turned back to his mother.

"Mama, I 'ave somfin' fer yeh. Look mama, a babe. Yeh can get better now mama."

Regar jumped up. "TOKI!" He hushed out, trying not to wake his da as he watched Toki place the babe on his mother's chest. "Wha' have yeh done!?"

"I won' let mama die! Yeh and da won' do nuffin for 'er so I will!"

"This isn't the way Toki!" Regar argued.

"Enough lads!" The voice of another filled the tent. "Wha' is goin' on yer goin' teh wake yer mam and she needs 'er rest."

Toki and Regar looked at their da who was giving them a stern look. He pointed to the bedrolls and waited for them both to obey, but neither budged. He sighed, it has been a difficult few months for all of them. It was not until he heard shifting beside him that he noticed movement. "Tooka? Beloved?"

His first thought was she was moving, but then he noticed it was a bundle under the blankets, blankets he did not recognize that is, which were squirming.

"Da? Mama?"

The quiet voice had all turning as the bundle shifted on top of Toki's mother. It nearly toppled off her if it was not for their da who jumped into action and caught the small being before it fell the few feet to the stone floor beneath the cot. "What in Mahal's name!?"

"Da, a babe, for mama so she can get better." Toki beamed with pride. His smile fell, however, when his fathers panicked look landed on him. "Toki, son, yeh can no, this isn't... Oh sweet Mahal….Where…." His thoughts, however, were halted when the babe opened his eyes and Gronti, son of Gorho stared into quickly panicking brown eyes.

Finli lifted his little fists and rubbed his eyes then looked around again. Gronti could read the fear in his face as he slowly came too and realized he was not in familiar surroundings. The dwarf looked at his youngest earnestly. "Where did yeh get 'im son!"

The breaths coming from the babe went from calm to panicked as Finli attempted to lean away from the stranger and eagerly search around the room for any face he knew. When he realized none were in the area, he did what any babe would do. He whimpered, then he began to wail. This they all heard and Gronti jumped into action trying to sooth the babe who was doing all he could to try and escape his grasp. What they did not hear was the fear and panic he sent to both his parents. Things were going to go from bad to worse for the family and sooner than they knew.

Original Authors Note: Kili and Tauriel are gonna be PISSED! Just you wait, because we got more to come…in like two hours. XD.