Kings and Masters

Chapter 14

 The following days and weeks were a buzz of activity around the palace as the restoration of Erebor continued. The first wave of dwarf settlers would be arriving in a few months' time and the date for Thorin's coronation was set for late spring. There was much to do and prepare for.

Fili woke alone in bed one day a few weeks after their homecoming. The first thing he saw every morning was the metal bars and railings that hung from the ceiling over his bed. Thorin had installed these so that Fili could pull himself up every morning and roll himself into his wheelchair. As he did so this morning, he fought with the feelings of shame and despair that greeted him every morning when he woke and saw the rails, a reminder of what his life was now.

The iron railings extended throughout the large bed chambers he slept in and allowed Fili the dignity of being able to clothe himself every morning, which was much better than having to wait for Kili or Thorin to arrive and help him.

Fili dressed and wheeled himself to the door, moving out and slowly down the halls. Thorin and Kili had personally seen that many of Erebor's labyrinth of stairs were replaced with gradually descending or ascending paths so that Fili would have access to as much of the palace as possible. But as he rolled through the halls, he still felt the heat of embarrassment. He was glad that the palace was still empty save for the company and Dain's surviving army, but he dreaded the day the first of the people would begin to arrive to find their prince a cripple.

Fili made his way to the dining hall. When he arrived, he found Bilbo seated at the table with Asphodel beside him and Kili opposite him. The three of them all looked up at the blonde dwarf's entrance.

"Brother," Kili greeted brightly. "Join us, Bombur says breakfast will be up in a moment."

Fili said nothing at first, just rolled up to the table beside his brother, peering over the top. Bilbo had a long piece of parchment and a quill and ink jar. "What are you doing?" Fili asked.

"Master Baggins was teaching us about hobbit families," Kili explained.

"Ah yes," Bilbo said, turning to Asphodel. "Now what did you say your family name was again? I don't believe you ever mentioned it."

"Breestone," Asphodel responded as she watched Bilbo write some names down, working in perfect calligraphy. Fili and Kili watched curiously.

"Ah, I'm not too familiar with that one," Bilbo admitted. "What was your mother's name?"

"Azalea Bolger," Asphodel responded.

Bilbo's eyes lit up in recognition, "ah you are a bolger," he said. "And I believe there was an Azalea Bolger in my tree. She married an outsider from Bree."

"Yes, my father was from Bree," Asphodel confirmed, before looking at Bilbo with hope. "You mean you've met my parents?"

"It's possible," Bilbo said. "Let's see. My aunt married a Bolger and I think they had about six children."

"Mahal..." Kili murmured. "That's a lot."

"Ah yes, most hobbits have large families," Bilbo responded nonchalantly. "Now let me think here, lad. Ah now I remember. They moved out to the outskirts of the shire, near the old forest. And one of these six children was little Azalea. She was six years my junior, I think."

"My mother..." Asphodel said, smiling. "She talked about growing up near the old forest. She used to say that the forest was enchanted. I don't remember the shire at all, I'm afraid."

"Hold on a moment," Kili said as he watched Bilbo illustrate his family lineage. "So wouldn't Asphodel be your relation?"

"Why yes," Bilbo said, looking at the younger hobbit. "You are my neice."