I love your portrayal of Dis - I've always imagined her as strongly opposed to the quest. I think she'd be more concerned about keeping Thorin and her sons alive, protecting what she has left, than reclaiming something lost ages ago. I don't think she would consider the sacrifice worth it, and they'd definitely butt heads over that... I like the way you've written her.

Oh, this is beautiful! How I just chanced upon it, after enjoying many of your stories, I do not know-but thank you for such a wonderful piece! One great line among many-"Such smiles always accompany the thought of heroism." *chills*
Great characterization of all of them, and a lovely Dis-who is one of my favorite characters, though unseen in book or film. Kudos to you!

Beautiful and stunning and terrible and glorious - thank you so very sincerely for this!

Very well written.

Beautiful character studies all round. Would love to see more.

a wonderful balance between sweet and serious, lighthearted and tear-jerking. i loved thorin telling the story to his nephews, as well as the conversation he had with dis, and how both really show the different facets to his character, as king and leader, brother and uncle. plus, young kili and fili are always a joy to read. i really enjoyed this. :)

my fave lines: "Besides," Kíli said, excitement thick in his voice, "We know full well that we are capable of holding a sword. Just yesterday -"

Fíli reached over to elbow his brother in the ribs, smiling sweetly up at his uncle. "Quiet," he hissed at his brother. "You dullard -" he started.

"And when," Thorin interrupted amicably, "Have you had occasion to hold a sword?" - because those two are JUST TOO FUNNY. and their shenanigans make me laugh. :)

very powerful story, though i can understand dis pov better than thorins. knowing that he cant keep the pronise to his sister and bring them and himself back safely makes it even more heart-breaking.

There are so few stories in this section that manage to balance a healthy regard for the book canon with the movie-verse, and I am so glad I found this, because your merging of the two is seamless - down to the mention of one of the Seven Rings (which I didn't know, until I looked it up, had been in the possession of Thrain. Learn something every day, I do. ) The other thing I love about this story is the inclusion of Dis, whom you have portrayed so well here. She's a nice counterpart to Thorin, and they play off each other well here as brother and sister - you write them with a very deep, abiding love that I wish I had with my siblings. Both of them also desire very deeply for things, but very different things, which also makes them seem like a unit whole. She has a depth and a wisdom about her that I like very, very much.

Your little Fili and Kili are pretty pitch-perfect, as far as little boys with big dreams go. And Thorin's grown-up, big person dreams read beautifully, too.

The way that you describe the dwarves' relationship with the earth, as a place that succors them, feeds them and nurtures them was really interesting - I'd never thought about that before, but after reading, it makes perfect sense.

Enough rhapsodizing. It was a beautiful piece, and I hope you write more in future!

Very poetic:-)

As if Kili and Fili weren't adorable enough already, now I'm nearly dying because of their adorableness when I try to imagine them as childs. How is Thorin able to deal with them, haha..? No wonder he can't really say No to them.
And I think you got them perfectly, of course. Fili and Kili would want to know the really interesting parts of a story they probably heard very often and somehow I can imagine Thorin being wonderful with children, I don't know.. ;)
I can understand it must be sad for Thorin to be always reminded of what they lost back then but at the same time the children are so sweet and curious. (And they're admiring him so much, they probably dream already of fighting toegther with him to get their home back. It's even sweeter to know that one day they actually will do exactly that.)

"He tells it better -" Kíli agreed, chirping as he bounced in his spot on Thorin's lap." - but he does not tell it like you," Fíli finished for his brother."
God, did I tell you already how perfect you're writing them? I can imagine them to be exactly like this. :) Haha, and it's so adorable to read about Thorin when he is dealing with them! How he knows what to say, how he jokes around.. That's a side of him we're probably not going to see in the movies but I love to imagine it. ;)
"His ears still rang with the sound of the wyrm's wrath, so vengeful was it as it echoed in the halls of his forefathers. How there had been nothing but screaming . . ."
God, this must have been horrible. :( Really something you will probably never forget. I loved it how Fili reminded him of everything again, of his hope to get his mountain back one day and even though no one really believes in him, he still has this hope inside of him and he can't forget it.

"That, at least, Thorin could understand. Whether it be a vein of ore in the rock, or molten liquid in their forge, or an axe in their grip, steel was made for their hands, and their hands were made for steel. It was a fundamental truth of their race, of their very creation"
I just love this idea, it's fitting perfectly. It's interesting Dis sees everything.. well, more in a way I can understand, in a way that is quite different from Thorin's view on everything. I know he was a prince and everything was supposed to be his, but... Well, it's kind of hard for me to understand this greed or where it comes from. Maybe it runs in the family or what loosing so much can do to you.

"It was ours," he said, his voice a low hiss in his mouth. As if that should have explained everything, meant everything . . ."Are you truly so unhappy here, Thorin?" she asked next, nothing unkind in her voice."
I really liked this, because she is right and she is asking the right questions.
"But would they too feel the longing that gnawed at his heart when they were old enough to understand such things? Or would their hands be content with nothing but iron to shape for the rest of their lives? Would that be enough, existing where they could instead thrive?"
And this.. Wow! While I still can't really understand Thorin, I.. well, I try to and I think you did a wonderful job by capturing him like that. He sounds so.. so much like him! He really believes in what he says and that's why he needs to go.

"I will guard them with my life, if and when that time should come," Thorin promised, the vow on his tongue deeper than when he had sworn to the desire of his heart. He did not say that he would keep them from joining him when the time came, but he promised, that if there was a way, he would send them home safe and sound – no matter the cost.“
God, and to know that they’re all not going to survive.. D: I don’t even want to imagine the last movie… But Dis seems to try to understand, too, and she won’t stop him or her sons if they want to follow him.

The end.. oh my.. I mean.. I don’t know how you’re doing it, but when you’re writing it like this, how much he misses his home and how much he wants to have it back.. Then I can actually understand him. I loved it! :)

Another great oneshot. Really powerful, you got into Thorin's head perfectly.