"Let me go! Let go!"

Kili tried to shake off the rough grip on his collar, only to have it relocate to his left ear, a sound box landing on his other one.

"Ow! Let go, please, please let go, I didn't do anything bad!"

"Trust a dwarf pup to be up to no good," spoke the first man, Bill, quickening his pace even further so that Kili staggered trying to keep up with the stride of someone with much longer legs. "Don't think spying on your betters is wrong, eh?"

"No sir…ah…I mean, I wasn't spying, sir!"

"Lying too, the little brat," Bill's friend Sed spoke, a ridiculous self-righteous tone in his words. "Don't dig a pit for yourself, kid."

Kili shut up. They didn't believe him, whatever he said. The two men marched him through the little village, right up to his own front door. Fili was sitting on the doorstep, whittling in the pale sunshine, but disappeared inside when he saw them. A moment later Dis came flying out, wiping her hands on her apron. Kili wanted very much to run to her, but the hold, unfortunately, hadn't relinquished on his ear.

"What is the meaning of this?" Dis questioned, sharply, "why do you handle my son?"

"You should keep better track of your whelps, ma'am. Caught him hiding in a tree and spying on business that's not his. The kid needs a good thrashin', I think." Bill grinned, nastily.

"Thank you for bringing him home," Dis said, in a cold, measured tone, "I believe I can handle the decision-making when it comes to the discipline of my children."

Bill and Sed's faces fell, slightly.

"Begging your pardon and with all due respect," Sed whined, in a voice reflecting anything but respect, "but you're not planning on letting him off the hook, are you? That little bugger needs a stiff whippin', I say!"

"Noted," Dis replied, the word fairly dripping with sarcasm. "Rest assured, gentlemen, he will answer for his actions, but the severity and extent of his punishment, -if, indeed, we decide he deserves any- will be our affair, not yours."

Bill let go of Kili, who wasted no time in hurrying to his mother's side. She put a protective hand on his shoulder.

"Good day, sirs."

Dis gently steered Kili inside, and closed the door, greatly to the disappointment of Bill and Sed, who doubtless would have preferred to see Kili get his hiding in front of them.

"Ki!" Fili was at his little brother's side as soon as he was properly in the door. "Are you alright? Did Bill hurt you? Your ear's red."

"M' okay," Kili said, grinning reassuringly at Fili. He reached a hand up to rub his ear. An exclamation of anger exploded from the older sibling.

"Mother, his hand's bruised! Ki, what did they do?"

Dis turned from the window, from whence she watched Bill and Sed meandering away.

"Kili, you must tell me now everything that happened. I want to hear it from my own lad."

Dis was firm, but kind. The boys followed her into the living room, where she sat, and taking her youngest's hand, drew him to stand by her. His big brown eyes looked earnestly at her from his little face…so little. He didn't look his age. Her moonchild…her baby.

"Tell mamma everything that happened, now," she said. "Bill Ferny and Sedwick Gin said you were spying, but I know you will tell me the truth. Start from the beginning."

Kili nodded.

"There was a nice breeze today, and Fili wanted to whittle. I dunno how yet, so I went outside. I like the wind. I saw the big tree by Bill's house; the biggest one in the village, you know, mamma?" He paused, and waited for her to nod. "The wind was stronger at the top, it looked like. I wanted to be up there, and see far, and feel the wind…like the falcons Mister Dwalin has." He stopped, apparently reluctant to go on.

"Yes?" Dis asked, gently, patiently.

"I climbed it."

"Ah."

"I forgot Uncle told me not to go there until I was already up in it, and then I thought that maybe it would be okay if I was high enough…I'm sorry, mamma."

"Go on, Kili."

"Bill and Sed saw me up there; they said I was sneaking around and listening to their talk. I don't know what they were talking about at all; they were whispering. I was just in the tree to look out and feel the wind, mamma, I wasn't spying."

"I believe you. How did you come by this?" she asked, rubbing a thumb over the dark bruise on his hand.

"Sed threw rocks at me to get me to come down."

Fili jumped to his feet.

"Stupid, ugly, n!" That was apparently the worst insult he could think of. There was no love lost between the humans and dwarves in the little village. Unfortunately the village officials were all human, which normally resulted in the dwarves being oppressed and the humans getting away with anything.

"Fili, hush," the mother said, sternly. "Kili, you've done wrong. Do you know this?"

"Yes, mamma," he said, quietly. "Shouldn't ha' climbed the tree."

She sighed, and pushed the dark hair back from his face.

"Are you gonna spank me, mamma?" Kili asked, soberly. Fili grimaced, but looked toward Dis for the answer. Dis hesitated. Kili had disobeyed. Bill and Sedwick could cause trouble in town for the Durin family if they were discontent with the way Kili was handled. But Kili's serious little face was too much for her. She forced a smile.

"Not right now. Play with your brother; I'll talk to your Uncle when he gets home from the forges."

Kili didn't look satisfied.

"Is Uncle gonna be mad?"

"I can't say, dear."

"You're not mad at me, mamma?" he asked, anxiously.

"No, Kili. No, child." She squeezed him, and the bright smile returned to his face again. "I think it's best that you stay inside for the rest of the day."

"Yes, Mamma." He gave her another dazzling smile.

"Come here, Ki; I'll show you how to whittle," Fili offered, laying out his knives on the hearth.

Dis returned to the kitchen and her work, but she often glanced through the doorway at her boys. It was times like these when she most missed their father. And with thoughts of her husband, came thoughts of Erebor. Erebor, where the dwarves could live without bullying, without harassment, their own home and nobody else's. Dis sighed.

Kili was soon delved deep into the art of whittling with his big brother; learning the names of different kinds of knives and their purposes, how to hold each one, how to hold the wood, and then Fili even started to teach him to carve a little wooden owl. It was the easiest project for learners, but Kili was thrilled.

The front door opened and closed, and Uncle Thorin's heavy boots were heard on the kitchen floorboards. Kili paused, a knife in one hand and a plug in the other. He could hear mamma and Uncle talking, quietly, and he turned back to Fili.

"Show me that cut again, Fi," he asked, though Fili noticed how distracted he seemed. A few minutes later, Uncle Thorin came into the living-room, looking grave.

"Kili. Come with me," he said, and went down the hall to his own room. Kili didn't meet Fili's eyes, but he put the whittling things down and followed meekly. Thorin shut the door behind them before sitting on the bed. He looked at his nephew for a long moment, and then sighed.

"Come here, Kili."

Kili hesitantly moved across the room to him. He hung his head, and Thorin lifted him to sit on his lap. Kili's dark hair obscured his face as he gazed at the floor.

"Nephew. Look at me."

Kili met Thorin's serious gaze, no defiance marring his expression.

"Your mother said you disobeyed me, today."

Kili nodded, and took one of Thorin's braids in his hands.

"Climbed a tree," he confessed.

Thorin sighed again.

"It's not the tree I'm worried about. You should be allowed to climb trees all you want. But you disobeyed me to do it. Do you understand why I told you not to?"

"Because you knew that Bill and Sed would get angry?"

"Yes. They could have harmed you, Kili. Sedwick threw rocks at you; one of them could have hit your head, or he could have knocked you out of the tree. Bill could've thrashed you, and I couldn't have done anything about it. I wish we lived somewhere you could climb all the trees you wanted, and we wouldn't have to worry about anything. But we don't. I give you orders to protect you, Kili. To protect you from Men."

"Yes, Uncle. Are you mad at me?" He sounded very small and sad. Thorin held him close.

"No. I'm not angry with you."

"Are you…dissa-ppointed?" Kili whispered, trying to remember the word that he dreaded so. If Thorin was disappointed in him, he thought he would just burst into tears. Thorin hesitated, and felt tiny arms creep around his neck.

"No, Kili."

Kili sighed with relief. He was quiet for a moment, and then squeezed his arms tighter around Thorin's neck.

"You're gonna spank me?"

"Yes, Kili. I must."

There was a pause, and then Kili's small voice said, "Okay." He pulled back to look at Thorin and let out a shaky sigh.

"It's gonna hurt a lot." His lip trembled a little.

"Yes." Thorin pulled him close again, his hands on Kili's back moved briskly up and down, comfortingly, "But it will be over and done with soon. Over my knee, now. Hands on the bed," Thorin instructed. Very gently, he helped Kili slide down from his seat, adjusting his own position to accommodate his nephew. Tenderly, he helped Kili bend over his knee. Kili's little hands clutched the bed cover.

"I'm not angry at you. I'm not disappointed. I do this out of love, Kili," Thorin said, one more time. Kili nodded, biting his bottom lip. His eyes were already brimming.

Thorin undid his belt, and laid it on the bed beside him, taking a moment to rub Kili's back, soothing the tense tremors. Then he folded the belt in two, and started spanking his youngest sister-son, feeling his heart sink when Kili's little body went rigid at the first blow. He hated Bill Ferny. He hated Sed Gin. He hated Men.

Kili was crying softly by the second stroke. His hand flew back at the fourth, but he stopped short of his goal and instead gripped Thorin's leg. Thorin felt a little shudder run through his own chest, both of pride at Kili's restraint and of loathing at what he was having to do. He forced himself to administer several more strokes; the message had to be driven home.

Kili's sobs grew more earnest, though not louder. He didn't want his mother and brother to hear and be upset; dear boy. Thorin was so proud of him. The lad didn't beg or struggle. Finally though, a sad, forlorn cry of "Uncle!" was voiced through the sobs of pain. Thorin dropped the belt immediately, and gathered Kili up.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Thorin. I'm sorry I disobeyed you," Kili sobbed, clutching at him and choking as he tried to cry and breathe at the same time. Thorin rubbed his back as he tried to even his breathing out; it was calming and good to be making up.

"Hush. You were so very brave, Kili. All is well. You're forgiven."

"Love you," Kili whispered into Thorin's shoulder.

"I love you, too."

Fili waited nervously in the living-room. He hated feeling this way. His little brother was getting a spanking, and he wasn't. Somehow made him feel guilty. He sat tensely on the hearth, knife and wood forgotten in his hands, listening and yet trying not to listen at the same time. It was impossible not to hear the smacks ringing through the house, though. Fili cringed at every one, keeping count without meaning to. Twelve licks. That was bad, but not as bad as it sometimes got. Poor Kili. At least he hadn't been licked by Bill and Sed. It would've been much, much worse. Fili shuddered.

The smacks stopped, and Fili couldn't hear anything. He sat up straighter, expecting them to emerge at any minute. They didn't come out. Fili waited. And waited. He got fidgety.

Dis looked into the living-room from the kitchen, pity on her face for her elder son and sorrow for her younger.

"They've been in there a long time, Mum," Fili said, seriously, "Is he going to whip Ki twice?"

"No, child. I think not." She offered him a watery smile. "Your Uncle is probably just having a long talk with Kili."

"Uh-huh," Fili said, not looking much reassured. Dis went back into the kitchen. And Fili waited. He waited for over an hour. Finally he couldn't stand it anymore. Slowly he stood, and tiptoed to his Uncle's door. He couldn't hear anything on the other side.

Fili hesitated. Both he and his brother had been warned never to interrupt a reprimand, be it spanking or lecture, on pain of risking the comfort of their own bottoms. But Fili had waited a long time. He hadn't heard anything. He was going in, and if he got spanked, so be it. It was no more than his brother got, anyway. He opened the door, carefully, and stepped inside, closing it behind him. The room was dimmed with curtains closed; Thorin always kept it that way.

Fili almost let out a sigh of relief. His Uncle was lying on the bed, Kili curled up, fast asleep, against his side with Thorin's arm around him. Kili's sweet little tear-stained face was in a tiny, peaceful smile as he slept. Fili jumped when he realized Thorin was awake and looking at him. Thorin gave Fili a rare smile.

"Hello, Fili," he said, quietly.

"I just wanted to make sure Ki was alright. I mean, I know you would never hurt him, of course you wouldn't," Fili quickly amended, "I just wanted to…see if he was alright," he finished weakly.

"You're a good brother, Fili," he said, still smiling softly. He held his free arm out. "Come see for yourself."

Fili climbed up on the bed by Thorin, leaning over his little brother and wiping a lingering tear from his sleeping face with his thumb. He smiled, gently, and then climbed to the other side of Thorin and snuggled up to him.

Dis slid a cake over the hot coals to bake. Kili wasn't having the best day ever, poor child; and the strain was wearing on all of them. They deserved something pleasant tonight. She wiped her hands and moved into the living-room, hopefully with the aim of distracting her older son from the wait, and herself. Fili wasn't there. Slowly, anxiously, she went down the hall and stood outside Thorin's door. It was closed. No sound came from behind it. She knocked gently, and receiving no answer, cracked the door a notch and looked inside. Her heart melted warmly at what she saw.

Thorin was lying on the bed, fast asleep, with Fili on one side of him and Kili lying half on top of him. One of Kili's hands held one of Thorin's braids, the other was in his brother's grasp. Thorin's arms encircled both boys, and all three breathed slow and deep.

She closed the door, and went back to the kitchen, her heart much lighter. All was right. And if Bill or Sed came to pester them later, she would tell them that Thorin was busy with Kili, and could not be interrupted. That was the absolute truth, and Bill and Sed, misunderstanding, would be pleased and none the wiser.