Faith

by Luinwen-2013

AU where the heirs of Durin survive BoFA. Kíli rules the Blue Mountains, now only a shadow of what it was before the Retake of Erebor, where Thorin is king and Fíli is crown prince, both of whom he misses dearly, but someone has to take charge of the settlement. Things are bad enough, but get worse – Kíli is summoned to Erebor to perform his duty as a spare and marry a princess.

4. TA 2951 - Letters from Dale and Gondor

"Dear Sigrid,

May the Valar bless you and all around you, now and until the King returns.

Da and Bain send you their love and yearnings to see you as soon as possible.

How are you faring? Last time I had news you suspected to be with child; am I an aunt already?

I have good news for us both, if it is all right with your king (Da sent him a letter explaining things, I deem). We'll have will have a great festivity next autumn, to celebrate ten years of the demise of Smaug, along with our neighbours the dwarves. I've heard there'll be people from several places, and Rohan is invited!

I look forward to see you here again, Bain accompanies Da most of the time in the management of Dale and I feel so alone! And even if he weren't, there're lots of women's issues he would not understand. Sometimes I wish I were the simple daughter of the bargeman again, and that we all lived together, or at least close by.

Lots of love,

Tilda

-xxx-

"Dear Tilda,

We all here fare well and healthy with the blessings of the Valar, as we hope all of you fare also.

Full of joy is the day when news come from you, being the only Dale woman south of the Argonath can be hard sometimes. At least I can relate to Lady Morwen, she misses Lossarnach as much as I miss Dale – or should I say, as I miss Lake-Town, because it were so few years in Dale in comparison to my whole life in Lake-Town.

It is better now that I have little Sigwine, Lady Morwen is happy that her little Théoden has a playmate now – of course it will be some years until Sigwine is able to play anything more than 'who's mama's laddie?', to what he cooes and giggles. But anyway Sigwine is a Rohirrim too, so if they become friends they will not be parted when Lord Thengel goes back to Rohan. He says he doesn't want to, but everybody knows it will happen someday, he cannot skip his duty as heir of King Fengel, even if he doesn't like his father's gluttonous and avaricious nature.

Lady Morwen asked me to stay to help with little Théohilde's birthday commemoration, then we'll take Lord Thengel's leave and, more important, Steward Turgon's leave, and hit the road up to see you! I'll be so happy to be with you, Bain and Da, and to see everybody again!

Always yours,

Sigrid