Where she is right - The story of Dís, daughter of kings.

33

Several years later there was a vigorous knock at the front door of Dwalin's home. It was Sunday and very early in the morning. Everybody still slept, except Dwalin, who had just been to the bathroom.

He tore open the door angrily and just barely got a hold of the dwarfling who rushed past him, whirling towards the children's rooms. He pushed him ungently back outside into the corridor.

"Now listen to me! And if you are ten times the heir to the throne! You will not again come in here without greeting reasonably, lad! And you will never again wake up hard-working dwarves in the middle of the night on the only day of the week they can sleep in! Got that?", he barked scowling.

Fredrin nodded, swallowed hard and backed off two steps respectfully.

"Fredrin, Thorin's son. At your service", he said politely with a flawless bow.

Dwalin groaned.

"Come back later. Much later", he growled, pointing in direction of the stairs.

"Can I not wait, please? I could just lie down with Ema in her bed and...", he began, looking up completely innocent with his big, blue eyes at the giant dwarf in front of him.

It became immediately clear to the prince that this had not been a good idea for some reason for his counterpart suddenly looked really infuriated turning dark-red in a flush of anger. The warrior took a deep breath and reached for him but like lightening the prince was outside the reach of his paws and already out of sight, when Dwalin's roar set in after him. Fredrin ran back all the way he had come and reached the royal wing completely out of breath. Brit saw him coming.

"Still too early, huh?", she said with a warm smile.

Fredrin nodded, panting.

"Did Dwin send you home?", she asked.

"Dwalin", the prince replied, struggling for breath.

Brit sucked the air through her teeth and pinched her eyes.

"Oh, oh! Did he give you a wigging?", she asked and bit back a grin.

"No, I was faster", Fredrin answered proudly.

Brit laughed.

"Come on, sweetheart. I'll read something to you until it is time for breakfast", she said and tousled his raven black hair.

A few hours later there was a knock again at Dwalin's place. A little more hesitant this time. Dwalin, sitting at the breakfast table, threw Dwin an annoyed look, but she just smiled and went to open. Fredrin stood outside the door with a proper safety distance and was very relieved to see Dwin open the door. He greeted her neatly and asked if he could come in to visit Kái and Ema.

"Yes, sure. Dwalin calmed down, too. But do not upset him any more today, will you? Do you like to have breakfast with us?", she asked friendly.

Fredrin nodded and beamed at her. Dwin could not help but smile. He was such an exceptionally handsome child. He had Dís's and Thorin's penetrating, blue eyes, but still without the harshness of his father and without the arrogance of his aunt. Black, slightly wavy, shining hair framed his fine-cut face and his long, dark eyelashes were envied not only by the dwarrowdams. The entire Erebor loved him, adored him idolatrously.

Dwin took him by the hand and they went into the kitchen together. Fredrin greeted again a little bashful and got the stool he was always sitting on, when visiting here. He sat down between Kái and Ema as usual. Dwalin looked at him silent and stern, but Balin and Ori greeted him kindly and there was some joking about Fredrin's childish proposal from earlier this morning. The prince wished they would stop it because Dwalin was still not amused at all. But Balin and Dwin could hardly stop laughing. There were pancakes, jam and honey, eggs, bacon, cheese, bread and butter and the familiar kitchen was warm and cosy.