Concerning Hobbits

It had been 2 months to the day that Bilbo left Erebor, 15 months since the quest had begun. Pansy and Kili new fresh ruler had been working their hardest to restore the Lonely Mountain. Not without the aid of Balin and Dwalin who remembered well the days of old. Durin’s folk were slowly returning home and the dwarves were busy aiding Dale in rebuilding its life.

Kili walked the many stone halls in searched for Pansy but he could not find her. Passing Dis in the halls he stopped her “Mother” Kili asked troubled “have you come by Pansy? I cannot find her” He asked Dis smiled to her son “last we’ve seen of our Lady she had gone to the tombs” She said. Kili frowned but nodded and thanked his mother before heading that way. He was sure Pansy had coped with her losses.

Pansy in the dark of the tombs sat on her knees before Thorin’s grave, looking up at the elaborate stone and gold cased tomb. Her eyes wide and trembling hands in her lap. Pansy exhaled and hugged her stomach leaning forward her eyes to the floor in front of her. She took breaths, trying her best to calm herself down as she found it hard to breathe. “Pansy?” Kili called seeing here there on the floor, he rushed to her side, getting down on the ground with her. Resting his hand on the curve of her back he held her hair away from her so that he could see her face. Her wide shocked and terrified eyes, sent a jolt of worry through his body. “what's happened?” Kili asked quickly. When she did not answer him he shook her gently “Pansy?” He asked.

She closed her eyes slowly and bit her lip shaking her head. “come now Pansy tell me” Kili coaxed her softly rubbing her back. “is it the memories of the battle? Dwalin has been having a hard time as well, they have been haunting him, but they will pass they-” Pansy shook her head and turned to look at him slowly still leaning forward her eyes opened and were still very wide. “Kili” she breathed as if all the air had been pushed out of her. “I-” she started and stopped side glancing to the stone floor. Kili waited as patiently as he could but his pulse was racing.

“I haven’t my menses in two months and 4 nights” she said cautiously Kili squinted at her and tilted his head. She then looked to Thorin tomb with wide eyes. “I am not ready, what has he done to me” she whispered “you’re saying you are-” Kili stopped as she nodded hugging her stomach tighter. Kili exhaled a smile broke on his face and he started to laugh as he got to his feet. Pansy looked to him figuring that he had lost it. Kili saw her confused troubled face and shook his head, still carrying his smile he leant out his hand for her. “Pansy” he called to her. She took his hand and he pulled her to her feet. “Azog wanted to end the line of Durin. Yet I have survived, and You you know carry the blood of Thorin in your belly, Pansy Azog has lost!” He cheered. Pansy looked down at her stomach. “I cannot do this, I am not a mother, not yet.” Pansy said. Kili took her face in his hands and kissed the top of her head “you will be in time, and I shall treat it as my own and raise it with our own offspring when they come” He said softly. Pansy shook her head again and Kili chuckled a bit “you will be ready when it comes” He said. Pansy sighed heavily and nodded.

The months went by fairly quickly and Born from them was Thrair Son of Thorin. With Ore gray eyes and brown hair with golden highlights and raven lows, he grew to be an Image of his father. Bilbo smiled at the first portrait he received of the growing Dwarf child. And kept them of a long he had created of the Durin line.

Months turned to years, faster than anyone could have imagined. And the line of Durin grew. After Thrair came 5 sons from Kili. Thili, who was an image of his uncle before him, otherwise taking more after Pansy, in his eyes and face, Bilby the striking image of his mother and the youngest, Thor who took after his father and uncle, Furin who took after Kili, Thorne twin of Thor tho to took after many in his bloodline, and Bror who was all but Kili’s reflection.

Kili older now, his hair had started to turn with subtle streaks of fading brown or gray hair, his beard not much longer but his face slightly wiser and every bit as playful as it had always been. He stood at the Gates of Erebor looking down upon his sons, grown now, with Pansy by his side. She had not aged, or changed maybe she aged in her heart, became wiser, through the years as the fourth age started to fall upon them stronger. She now walked with bow on her back. Kili had indeed held his word to his Uncle, that she would be a master bowman before the end. And now she was. Her aim wasn’t quick but it was always accurate, her few fingers did not hold her back as much as they once had, and her hand which had suffered so much damage survived, though it’s movement now was stiff and limited.

Her control over rock and a stone faded away, as Aule’s presence with her left, she did not know why he had left her and not returned and it made her a little said. However unknown forces were working in the stars in a world far above Middle-Earth were the Valar resided as they prepared for the ever growing shadow seeping into the lands of Middle Earth.

On the Gates, Kili smiled as he watched his sons. “I wish now to tell you the story of the Fire-moon” Kili said turning his gaze to Pansy. Pansy giggled and turned to look up into his eyes “now? After all this time?” she asked. Kili nodded and his smile grew. “you do not have to share it with me, I know it was a special moment between you and Tauriel, keep it” Pansy offered, Kili shook his head and took her hand “no,this is a different story Little Baggins” He said and Pansy smiled every so often he returned to calling her that. “it is a story of the last full moon that ever graced the sky. About how a falling star fell from it as it rose high, and how it was never the same again. It was the last night of the full moon” as Kili spoke Pansy gazed at him in confusion. “what do you mean?” she asked. Kili smirked and arched a brow. “come with me” he said leading her down into the room of scrolls.

“Durin had long for told of a day when his line would be destined, bound to the Moon” Kili said rolling out a scroll. “Oin brought me here years ago” he said rubbing his hand across the parchment gently smoothing it out. It depicted a large flaming moon and a star falling out of the sky, a large Tree, and a dwarf king standing with a rather heavenly looking woman. Pansy looked over the scroll in wonder “she looks a bit like me” Pansy said pointing to the woman. “because she is” Kili said. “you see when Aule forged the 7 dwarf lords each had woke here on middle earth with a wife at their side. All but Durin, whom had risen alone. It was said he had fallen in love after witnessing Aule craft one of his two daughters. That he tried to take her unfinished because of his need of her. His punishment for this act was to be given life her on middle earth without love.” Pansy’s eyes wandered over the page, if it was truly her why could she still after so long not remember her life with the Valar.

“but he vowed a day when his line would take back the love he felt was his. It is said he saw in a dream a great fiery moon, and she the daughter of Aule fell from it, cradled in vast green lands, that she would be found and called to a Son of Durin’s and that they would wed and bring favor of Aule back upon Durin’s line.” He said before turning to Pansy. “Thorin, Balin and Dwalin all thought that it was him, that he was the one who was to claim Aule’s daughter and bring favor back into Durin’s house. They had known since Rivendell who you were” Kili said. “but they were wrong, and so was my dream. It says here that it must be the one who laid eyes upon the Fire-moon, my uncle did not look up that night, It was me, Pansy” He said a smile growing on his face. “I thought I was destined for you to be far from me, but it was in the very sky which you have came that we be together” Pansy smiled at him gently. “you fell from the stars for me Pansy, you saved my life and the Line of Durin.” he said. Pansy laughed “why now? Kili, why tell me now?” she asked. Kili said his hand down the back of her head. “because I want you to remember that I do not know why but I have an Ill feeling creeping in my chest, as if something is coming, and I want to give you strength, strength to know that we can face it together” He said. Pansy searched his eyes and her smile fell. “you feel the shadow too?” she asked. Kili nodded and the two turned back to gaze at the scroll. At the bottom was a large black smudge which looked as though the Ink had spilled there. “what is that?” Pansy asked carefully. “just a spot” Kili replied but he wasn’t so sure, as it shape, it’s shape looked like an eye.

“Mother” Thrair’s voice boomed as he entered the throne room. It was nightfall and Kili had gone down into the mines to oversee things there. Pansy stood up and greeted her eldest with a bow. He did so in return, his face frightfully serious. “you sent Balin and his army to reclaim Moria years ago, but the goblins, they are trying to return to the mountain” said Thrair. “then send forth your brother Bror, tell him to bring aid Lord Balin” Pansy said. Thrair bowed respectfully but frowned “Why not me Mother?” He asked “Bror is visiting Grey mountains, having helped Dain III in re-taming the cold-drakes, to take back Ered Mithrin, He will not have returned this way for days if not more” Thrair said standing back at full height. Pansy looked away from him. “He will make it in time, send for him a raven the message” she said to Thrair. “Mother, that does not answer my question!” Thrair shouted in frustration. “listen to what I say” Pansy replied still avoiding his gaze. Thrair sighed and turned to leave, brushing past Kili who came up the walkway. Kili stopped and watched his son pass him with angered and hurt eyes before looking up to Pansy who looked down shamefully. “you cannot continue to hinder him” Kili reasoned. “he is all of Thorin’s line” Pansy said, “I will not put him in unnecessary danger”.

Kili went to pansy wrapping his arms around her “he old enough know to decide what that is for himself.” he said. Pansy sighed and nodded. “alright, next time” she muttered causing Kili to laugh.

“I say we all march!” Thili called as he walked along with his brother. “the Goblins hoards could not withstand 6 sons of Durin!” he added. Thrair frowned “it is not what Mother wants, she trusted it to Bror” He sighed releasing the raven into the sky. “My Lady!” a now snowy-haired Nori called as he came sprinting into the Throne room. He bowed before King and Queen before standing back up panting. “what is it Nori?” Kili asked urgently. “The Elf Queen of Lorien has come to seek counsel with our Lady” Nori said. Kili and Pansy glanced at each other and Pansy quickly went to Nori who lead her away.

Pansy stood on the gates of Erebor with Galadriel. “milady?” Pansy questioned her “what troubles have brought you here?” Galadriel’s eyes looked to the Horizon. “a darkness looms over the lands and is growing. The world that we know will soon change, I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air.” Galadriel said slowly turning to Pansy “as one tied to the nature of the world I know that in your heart you feel it too” she added. Pansy nodded “aye, I do and it grows with each passing day. Our Kin and the lords of the other kingdoms are having more trouble with the forces of the dark. Mainly Goblins, but more than usual” Pansy said. “the Blue mountains have fallen” she sighed closing her eyes. “and though not much has changed out here I can still feel it” Pansy said gazing out to into the night sky. “a feeling I only ever felt once, before in the battle of the five armies...before he raced to Raven Tower. Only this feel is much heavier” Pansy said as Galadriel two cast her eyes up to the sky. “war is coming”

Bilbo old and gray, dusted off his mantle above the fireplace before sitting down to write his book “there and back again” as he turned a page a piece of paper fluttered out of its pages and near the doorway, landing softly before Frodo’s feet. Frodo picked the paper up carefully as it was very old and turned it over to see a portrait of a girl. “who is this?” Frodo asked walking to his uncle turning to show him the picture “that, my dear Frodo, is Pansy Baggins” said Bilbo a fond and slightly sad smile came onto his face. “you have a sister? How come you’ve never said?” Frodo asked. “because she is not really my sister through blood only by heart” Bilbo said. Frodo turned the picture to look at it “she was beautiful” Frodo said walking the picture to Bilbo’s mantle he propped it up next to Bilbo’s Prized ring. Bilbo’s eyes lingered on the mantle as Frodo did so. “whatever became of you?” Bilbo asked, frowning as a heavy feeling washed over his heart.

That night the world had changed. And Traveling across the lands with the Shire in his sights was a lonely gray rider, moving like a stormy crow across the lands like he had in an Age before.