Chapter Text
There stood two great warriors blank faced, not knowing what to do with it.
“Where did you find it?” Balin asked his brother.
“Well I didn't, Thorin asked me to go to a town half way between the Shire and Erebor, near Moria. I had to check the bloody map 3 or 4 times, to be sure. You know what Thorin's like with directions. Poor Kili's the same. I don't know what to do with it, it won't stop making that noise!” Dwalin replied, desperate and concerned.
“Oh really? Come on, you both know what a child looks like. For goodness sakes, you both helped me raise my boys!” said Dis amazed.
“But Princess, they are boys, and dwarves! We know nothing of human children, a girl-child!” Dwalin pleas.
“Well, you're just gonna have to learn!” The Princess responds. “When did she last eat, sleep, was changed?”
Balin looks at his brother with concern and amusement. Dwalin shrugs in bewilderment. “I’ve fed the child best I can, she slept most of the way here, and I've changed her not 20 minutes ago.” Dwalin had agreed to collect this child as a favour to his friend. You were the great-grandchild of a dear friend of Thorin's.
Dis sighed, “Poor child, never to know her parents. They died trying to get to safety. They were attacked by orcs!” The lady left you with the warriors while she went for supplies.
Dwalin looks at his brother, “why didn't he go and collect this girl child himself?”
Balin thinks, “Well I know that, the child is, WAS, the granddaughter or some such thing of a good friend of Thorin's! This must be the child!”
Dwalin still unsure, “so this is the child Thorin asked me to collect from her neighbours! But that still doesn't explain why he asked me to go get her!”
Balin tells his brother, “don't let on that I've told you this. The friend of Thorin's, the one whose great grandchild this is, was human, Thorin had introduced her to a dwarrow friend of his, they found love, and married privately. Sadly there was an accident or an attack. The dwarrow father was injured or killed, so she came to Thorin when she found that she was with child, asking for advice and help if possible. Thorin said to say nothing of the child, he introduced her again to another whom Thorin believed loved her too, a human, they did find love, and raised the child, who grew and appeared human. That child, a girl, grew, married and had sons, and a daughter. That girl, also grew and married, and had a daughter herself. This must be that daughter, the last in her female line, that I know of. Thorin loved his friend, especially after Smaug. Thorin's friend was one of the few, if only humans that showed Thorin any kindness.”
Dwalin knowing nothing of this, “I didn't know any of this, but surely knowing Thorin and his loyalty, would have gone to the child?!”
Balin answers with, “I think he wanted to, but was so heartbroken. He watched someone he cared for marry a human, watched her daughter, granddaughter all grow and marry into a race that mostly treated us poorly. He was always a part of their family, but still apart. I think he wanted to go, but he was so devastated when her mother was killed. He only learnt of her parents deaths a few weeks before he got the letter informing him of the child's birth, and they'd asked him to be her godfather.”
Dwalin asks curious, “godfather, what's a godfather?”
Balin unsure of the answer, “I think it's a male friend or family member that helps raise a child in the belief of Mahal, and steps in as parent in this type of case. If he had the chance to accept, and then the child was orphaned, Thorin would pretty much become her father. I'm not sure he has the heart or enough love left for it!”
Dwalin sad for his friend, “poor child, and just as sad for Thorin. I hope that he can stand to look at her, let alone be near her. She'll need all the help she can get.”
Thankfully Dwalin was a quick student, as were those whom came to help. Pretty soon you were at the centre of a group increasingly efficient child rearing group of male dwarves and dwarrowdams. You and your dwarves were in a human town, looking for work. The Broadbeams were in the next town over, toy makers. Oin and Gloin was the medic and financier for the area. Balin was a teacher, and Dis was a local dressmaker. Thorin was the town's blacksmith, with his young nephews. Dori was clucking at Ori to keep at his studies, worried about Nori getting into trouble. Gloin's wife Simli, as well as Bombur's wife Ebba was a great help. You even had Uncle Bilbo and Gandalf. Dwalin adopted you, for Thorin was still heartbroken and couldn't bear to adopt you himself. However you had other plans, you would slowly mend Thorin's heart.
Thorin and the dwarves would have laughed at the brick wall dwarf that was Dwalin for being such a devoted surrogate parent, but they loved you just as well.
One day, when Dwalin was off training Fili and Kili, you were with Thorin in the forge. He had gone outside to fetch water for a moment, when he heard your cries. When he ran to your side, you stopped crying. Thorin wiped the sweat from his eyes, you cried again.
“Oh sweetie, don't cry, I'm right here!” Thorin cooed at you to calm you. You giggled, and he looks confused. You mimic it, you covered your eyes with your hands, and back off, and giggled. Thorin leans in, mimics and you giggle even louder. Thorin chuckles heartily.
“Ok, I think it's time for lunch! Let's go see your adad, and the lads! I've made my favourite food. I taught it to your great-grandma, you're gonna love it too!”
Male dwarves as it turns out are generally fond of children. Thorin's sister Dis, often remarked that the guys should start their own company called the ‘Line of Durin child care services Ltd’.