The Commoner and the King

Chapter Twelve

Summer, 2752

 It was early summer, and everyone in Thorin's household had been busy. Annetta had been busy working in her forge (alongside with Thorin at times), Thorin had been busy as ruler of Ered Luin, and also helping Annetta out in the forge. That night, when everyone gathered around the dining room table for supper, Dis made a very exciting announcement. She announced to everyone she is carrying child, and it was very exciting news to everyone, especially for Thorin. "I'm going to become an Uncle!" said Thorin grinning. And already Thorin had ideas in his mind for the unborn child. He wanted to go to the forge and start making the child's first weapon! Annetta laughed. "What are you doing Thorin?" asked Annetta, as she noticed Thorin taking out some parchment and quill. "I'm going to design the lad's first weapon!" Thorin replied. Dis laughed hard, feeling amused with her brother's gesture. "Thorin, what happens if I have a girl? Will you still make her a weapon?" asked Dis, with a sheepish grin.

"Yes." Thorin replied. Dis and Annetta exchanged looks and laughed. "Dis, you have just made your brother's day!" said Dis. As Vili and Dis had been discussing baby names, Annetta watched as she felt envious of the Princess. Annetta wished she too could start a family of her own. However, Thorin had not yet proposed to her. And she began to wonder why Thorin had not asked her yet. Later that evening, as Annetta retired for the night to her room, Thorin, Balin and Dwalin sat in the parlor room and talked. And that is when Balin spoke up, bringing up the subject of marriage. But no soon as Balin brought it up, Thorin quickly changed the subject. Dwalin and Balin exchanged looks. "Thorin, stop changing the subject on me please--this is important! You and Annetta have been together in courtship for a long time! Isn't it time for you and Annetta to settle down?" asked Balin. "Marriage is the least thing on my mind right now, Balin--I have a kingdom to run." grumbled Thorin. 

"Oh really! You have forgotten you have a lady who loves you very deeply and would do everything for you! You could at least take some time out with her! Yes,you are loyal to our people, but your loyalty should always remain with Annetta as well." said Balin. "Let's drop it Balin! I don't wish to discuss this no more! Goodnight!" boomed Thorin, as he stood up and walked to his room, and slammed the door. "What am I going to do with him?" said Balin with a sigh. Dwalin shrugged.

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Five years later

Five years after the birth of Fili, Dis had discovered she is pregnant again. And everyone celebrated the occasion. One night, as everyone gathered around the table, everyone seemed to be talking at once with excitement. "What is every one so excited about?" asked Fili, as he was scooting in his chairi. "Fili, my dear lad-- you're going to have a baby brother!" said Dis, smiling at her son. "A brother?" said Fili, questionly. "Yes. And you're going to make a great big brother for young Kili!" said Dis. Fili snorted. He wasn't sure about this brother thing. As time went by, Dis gave birth to brown haired, brown eyed dwarfling,and Dis had asked for Fili to meet young Kili first."Meet your baby brother, Fili!" said Dis. "He looks like a troll!" snorts Fili. "Fili, that's not very nice! How could you say that about your brother!" said Dis, firmly and sharply. But Fili ignored his mother's remark as he walked out of his mother's bed chambers. 

 For the past several weeks, Fili had been acting very strangely. Normally he would be very cheerful and wanted to sword play with Dwalin or his Uncle, but this time--Fili had been either acting out, or isolating himself from everyone. It was Annetta whom first noticed the signs. One day, it was the final straw when Fili and Thorin got into an argument. "Did you or did you not broken your mother's vase?!" snapped Thorin, angrily. "I broke it! And I wanted to break it! It was in my way, just like I'm in everybody's way!!" shot back Fili. "Fili, go to your room and stay in there! You remain in your room until dinner! You got that clear?" said Thorin, sternly. "Why don't you bloody make me, Uncle?!" snapped Fili. That really had done it, when it came to Thorin's patience. Thorin suddenly grabbed Fili by the arm, bending him over his knee as he began spanking him. After that he shoved the dwarfling into his room, and slamming the door.

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE ALL OF YOU!!" screamed Fili. Annetta watched the heartbreaking scene, and she saw Thorin turning away from the door, tears running down his face. "Thorin!" said Annetta. "I need to be alone, Annetta." said Thorin, quietly as he stepped out of their home. Thorin sat cross legged on the ground, as he took out his pipe and lit it. Thorin sat out there for a while, when suddenly he heard quiet foot steps behind him. Thorin looked up and he saw Annetta approaching Thorin. "Thorin, we need to talk about this. I just got done talking to Fili, and there is something you and your sister should know why Fili has been acting out here lately." began Annetta, as she sat down next to Thorin. "Well?" said Thorin impatiently. "He's jealous of Kili. From what Fili told me, Kili's getting all the attention. It's just that Fili felt like nobody's paying any attention to him, and he feels like no one cares about him." said Annetta. 

Thorin sighed. "That's what I just feared. Maybe I better go and talk to the lad! We do love Fili, it's just we've been busy with Kili, that we had forgotten! I feel terrible about this, Ann." said Thorin quietly. "Then why don't you go and tell the lad your self? Maybe Fili will understand better now." said Annetta. "You are right! I'm going to talk to Fili right away!" said Thorin, standing up. And so Thorin and Annetta walked back inside the house, as Thorin head towards Fili's room. Thorin knocked on the door. "Go away!" Fili shouted from behind the door. "Fili, please let me in, so we can talk about this!" pleaded Thorin. "Come in." grumbled Fili. Thorin turned the door knob as he entered the dwarfling's room. "Fili, Annetta told me everything, on how you felt about how you really feel. Fili, we do love you. Just because we've been busy with Kili lately, it doesn't mean we haven't stopped loving you! And I'm speaking on behalf of myself and your mother, Fili--because we love you! Listen to me, Fili--Kili is your younger brother! And he needs you, and it would be nice if you help out your mother with Kili--you need to spend time with him." said Thorin gently.

Fili sighed. "Do you think Kili would like Mr. Beary?" asked Fili, holding up his teddy bear. Thorin laughed. "Kili would love Mister Beary, lad!" said Thorin, as he hugged the dwarfling. "Can I see Kili now? Is he awake?" asked Fili. "Actually, Kili is napping right now,but you can see him later if you like! How about you and I have some sword practice until your bedtime?" said Thorin. Fili grinned in delight. "I love that, Uncle!" beamed Fili with excitement, and the two of them left Fili's bed chambers.