Chapter Text
“But Mama, I’m not tired!” The small dwarrowdam protested. She was dressed for bed, already in her little white nightgown. While her fluffy sideburns were still to short to do anything with, her blonde hair was braided in a single plait down her back so it wouldn’t get too mussed during the night. She clutched a stuffed doll in her arms, and shifted from foot to foot on the cold stone floor.
Her exclamation would have been more convincing had she not punctuated it with a large yawn.
Elenor smiled gently at her daughter from the doorway. The room was already dimly lit, the fire crackling lowly in the fireplace, and all lights extinguished except for a couple oil lamps. Her son was already in bed, though he was sitting up and playing with two wooden soldiers in his bed sheets. She had braided his dark hair for bed as well, though she noticed he had already made quick work of the ties and it was halfway loose again.
Elenor crossed the room to her little one, sweeping her into her arms. The pebble immediately took hold one of Elenor’s braids in a tiny hand, sticking it in her mouth.
“Is that so?” Elenor indulged, stooping to place the little one back into bed.
“Mhm!” the little one replied around a mouthful of braid. Elenor chuckled, gently pulling it back and flipping it over her shoulder and out of reach. She pulled the blankets and furs up to the child’s shoulders to ward off the chill-an unfortunate consequence of living under a mountain- and then sat on the edge of the small bed.
“Well, perhaps a story would help?” She suggested with a smile.
“Mama can I listen to Tïli’s story too?” Her son piped up, looking worried.
“Of course, Víli, it’s your bedtime story as well. Come here, my love.” She held an arm open, and he scampered off the bed, leaving one soldier abandoned amongst his crumpled bedding. She hefted him up and over her knees, placing him gently down next to his sister. This, of course, did not go smoothly.
“Ouch! Víli, that’s my hand!”
“Sorry! Sorry Tíli, sorry!”
“Off, off!”
“Children, children, settle- alright, under the covers, Víli, there’s a lad.” Elenor intervened before the squabble got out of hand, ushering her son under the covers so he was snug next to his sister.
“There we are. Comfy?” Twin nods. “Alright, so what story would you like?” She asked.
“The Prince and the Witch!” Víli cheered, narrowly avoiding smacking Tíli in the face when he threw his hands up.
“Nottawitch! She’s a- a- ‘prentish!” Tíli corrected indignantly, scowling at her brother. “Apprentice, dear-“ Elenor started, before Víli interrupted.
“Aye, to a wizard! So she’s a witch!”
“Is not!”
“Is to!”
“Would you like to hear the story, or argue about it instead?” Elenor cut in smoothly, with the practice of a mother who had done so many times before. The twins quieted immediately, looking at her with wide eyes.
“Sorry Mama.”
“Aye, sorry Mama.”
“Now, are you sure you’d like this one again? You’ve heard it so many times.” She asked, and they both nodded eagerly. She smiled at them, shaking her head slightly. It was their favourite, and she had no doubt that they would have the entirety of it memorized by the time they grew too old for bedtime tales.
“Alright. Well, then, let’s see...our story starts with-“ she began, only to be cut off once more. “What do we have here?” A smooth, deep voice interrupted, and she looked over her shoulder at the doorway. Her husband was there, grinning at the three of them, eyes sparkling with amusement.
Two delighted cries of “Adad!” rang out, and Kíli pushed off the doorframe to enter the room properly.
“I see two pebbles who should be asleep! What in Middle Earth are you two troublemakers still doing up?” He teased, dropping down to sit on the other side of the bed.
“Mama’s gonna tell us about the Prince and the Witch!” Víli said excitedly. Tíli huffed hotly. “Nottaw-“
“Is she? That’s very nice of her. Hello, amrâlimê.” Kíli interrupted the budding argument, leaning over to kiss Elenor.
“Eww!”
“Mama, Adad, gross!” Their children protested, and Kíli laughed heartily at their childish disgust. He swung his feet up and onto the bed, wiggling exaggeratedly to get comfortable before finally reclining on his elbow. In the small, dwarfling-sized bed, his feet hung off the end so he was just a couple feet away from the headboard, head beside Víli’s tummy.
“Well, Mama, start the story.” He teased Elenor, and she rolled her eyes playfully.
“So, as I was saying, our story starts in a forest. A very old, very large forest...”
“Radagast? Radagast, where are you?” Elenor’s voice rang as loud as she could raise it, as she ducked under low hanging branches and hopped over exposed roots. Her ears strained for any sign of her quirky mentor, but with her heartbeat echoing in her ears she wasn’t entirely sure she would hear a response- if there even was one. Radagast was not always able to respond, caught as often as he was in his own head.
Ducking yet again, she peered down at the little bundle of quills in her arm and winced sympathetically. Sebastian was writhing quietly, little muscles tense. She could feel the sharp pricks of his quills through her sleeve, but there was no time to stop and adjust the little fellow. She was distracted from her worry for a moment as a sharp pain tugged at her skull.
“Hey-! Oh, it’s you!” She gasped at the little bird who pulled firmly at her hair. It was one of Radagast’s winged... tenants. “I need to find him straight away, do you know where he is?” The bird chirped, and began tugging a little harder at her hair. Elenor allowed herself to be directed, only hoping she was going in the right direction. Bird-Speak was something of a complicated study, with so many dialects it made her head spin, and Radagast had never been able to get it to stick in her brain.
But it turned out that her trust had not been misplaced. A couple sharp turns and more than a few heartbeats later, she found her mentor hovering over a tree examining a thick, tar like substance.
Please don’t put that in your mouth.
The thought echoed faintly in the back of her mind as she rushed forward. Overhead, her guide trilled a welcome to its walking nest. Radagast turned at the sound, lifting his hat to let the small creature and its brethren return home, before looking over at Elenor.
“Radagast, thank goodness- it’s Sebastian, I found him by the woodpile- he isn’t well!” She panted, rushing over. Radagast’s face dropped as he looked down at the hedgehog in her arms.
“Oh, no. Sebastian! Good gracious,” he scooped said creature out of her arms to cradle him closely, “Come my dear!” he called over his shoulder, already rushing out of the clearing. Elenor slumped forward, planting her hands on her knees and breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth roughly. Her lungs burned, and her legs were tired, but she set off after the wizard a couple moments later. She had learned very quickly during her time with Radagast that if you don’t keep up, you were likely to be left behind. She pushed herself to close the distance, and with her hands now free she was able to pick her skirts up and out of the way.
Not for the first time, she was astounded at the old wizard’s athleticism; he wasn’t evening panting as he launched himself over fallen trees at a good pace. Also not for the first time, her lungs reminded her that she should have put more effort into gym class while she had been in school.
In the end, Radagast ended up reaching home scant seconds before she did, throwing open the door to their dilapidated tree-hut with a loud bang. She heard Delores’ surprised shriek, and sure enough when she made it over the threshold her sister was sprawled on the floor, rough stool on the ground beside the table where she had tumbled off of it.
“Elly, what on earth is going on?” Delores demanded, getting to her feet and brushing her leggings and tunic off, “Is the Sebastian?” she continued as Radagast set him down on the table gently.
Elenor swept passed to the far shelf, pulling all sorts of mixtures, tinctures, and liquids down from their rustic planks. Radagast was a flurry of motion, trying to tempt spoonfuls of what looked like Delores’ abandoned porridge into Sebastian’s mouth unsuccessfully.
“Yes, I found him by the woodpile- I think he’s been poisoned.” Elenor answered absentmindedly, trying to remember which of her infusions would be safe for hedgehogs. Delores gaped. “I hadn’t though the forest sickness had come so far yet!”
Elenor shrugged helplessly at her sister, just as baffled. She quickly turned her attention back to her current task: trying to stay one step ahead and anticipate Radagast’s needs as he danced about, looking for the next solution every time one failed.
Delores stayed well back and out of the way; any help she offered would only be a hindrance and they both knew it. Her sister wasn’t all that interested in this kind of teaching- she much preferred wandering the forest practicing with her quarterstaff. Sure, Delores could name all the plants she came across, but aside from knowing what was safely edible (taste notwithstanding)? That was firmly in Elenor’s court.
“Move back! Give him some air, for goodness sake!” Behind her, Delores popped into action at Radagast’s cry. She shushed and comforted the small group of hedgehogs, sweeping them off of the table and into her arms, and then took several steps backwards so they were all well out of the way. Radagast and Elenor sped around the room, circling Sebastian and occasionally humming to him. Elenor watched the wizard closely, waiting for the moments where he would pause and look around wildly. It wasn’t hard to figure out what he was looking for, if you knew his thought process. Admittedly, his thought process was a little... creative... but she had been with him for seven years now. She knew how he operated. So when he paused, she was there to step in quickly and press whatever it was he wanted into his hands without comment. She had learned how to be efficient, under Radagast’s slightly absentminded tutelage. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, nothing seemed to be working. Tears pricked, and then burned, her eyes as Elenor watched as Sebastian either refused to take (or could not take) treatments, and when he did they did nothing to ease his pain.
Elenor pressed the back of her hand to her mouth, swallowing thickly and blinking back tears. The lump in her throat didn’t fade whatsoever. She and her sister watched as Sebastian seemed to wilt into the tabletop, and Radagast’s voice rang with worried frustration.
“I don’t understand why it’s not working! It’s not as if it’s witchcraft!”
And then the entire room seemed to darken. Elenor’s eyes snapped to her sister, only to find Delores staring at her already. They shared a look of dread at their mentor’s words. Not poison, then.
“... A dark and powerful magic.” Radagast murmured. Elenor’s hand muffled her gasp as shadows began covering the windows. The hair on her arms and the back of her neck raised as she listened to the scratching and clawing against the sides of the hut, as something (or many somethings) climbed its way up to the roof. As dust fell from their rafters and the noises got louder, mice and other small woodland creatures emerged from every nook, cranny, and crack in their home. They flocked to Radagast, who was now slumped on the floor chanting to Sebastian.
Delores caught Elenor’s upper arm in a bruising grip as she tugged on her to sit next to Radagast, dumping the hedgehog family into her arms. Immediately she was swarmed by more shaking animals, and she tried to clutch as many as she could. She watched as Delores wedged a chair under the doorknob and snatched up her quarterstaff, planting her feet and facing the door in a defensive stance. The noise continued to grow, the room got darker, and the girls’ skin crawled until- it was quiet again. The shadows slid from the windows, and sunlight streamed through the glass as though they had never been covered. Radagast’s chanting stopped, and he chuckled fondly- Elenor looked down at his arms to see Sebastian seemingly back to health and squirmy. By the time the darkness had been plucked from the hedgehog, Elenor’s arms were full of mice, rats, squirrels, and all manner of other scared creatures; most of which were squeaking happily to Sebastian. She tried to set them down as gently as possible, but even the few that tumbled a little roughly didn’t seem to mind. Radagast plopped his patient down in the middle of their little herd, before rushing away.
“What the fuck was- Radagast, wait!” Delores called after him, reaching down to haul Elenor to her feet. Together the sisters chased after him, but he hadn’t gone far; they found him stock still behind the hut. The three watched, dumbfounded, as giant spiders lumbered away from their home lazily. As if they weren’t in any hurry at all, just enjoying a stroll.
Elenor tucked her hand into Radagast’s elbow and shared a concerned look with her sister as he mumbled to himself, and then to a bird. She wasn’t able to catch most of the conversation, as it was in Bird-Speak and spoken quite quickly, but she thought she may have heard something about an old fortress.
“Show me!” He demanded in the common tongue, and then began moving towards the rabbit hutch. Elenor made to follow him, but Delores caught her arm first.
“What was he saying?” She asked.
“I have no idea- something about a fortress? I don’t think he’s ever mentioned one before.” Elenor replied, and Delores shook her head. Together, they stepped into the overly large hutch. As per usual, Radagast was deep in his own thoughts and didn’t notice his charges until they were right under his nose. This time, ‘right under his nose’ meant ‘standing right behind him’ as he hooked up the rabbit team.
“Oh, girls! Excuse me, really must be off-“
“We’re coming with you, Radagast.” Elenor interrupted gently. Radagast’s face crumpled into a grimace.
“No, no, no, that is not a good idea. Stay here and-“
“If you’re going after giant spiders, Radagast, you’re going to need backup. And if you’re going to some fortress, it’s not a good idea to go alone either.” Delores said. Radagast opened his mouth again, and by the look on his face he wasn’t quite done protesting. Elenor grasped his wrist gently.
“Please, Radagast, let us come with you.” She implored, affectionately rubbing a thumb over his wrist. His eyes were unusually wide and alert, and bounced between the two of them for a moment. Vaguely, Elenor wondered what he was looking for; but whatever it was he must have found it because the next moment he was smiling and shaking his head fondly at them.
“Get on, then.”
And they were off.
The forest was beyond sickly around the dilapidated fortress. Elenor winced, taking in the diseased trees around them; it was worse than even the farthest reaches they had explored around Rhosgobel, and she had thought that was bad. Not that she had Radagast’s sixth sense when it came to nature, but it was evident even to a full blooded human not from this world that the forest was ill. Warped. This was not the Greenwood that Radagast had brought them home to years ago, which was lush and green and almost like a fairy tale.
She slumped down on the wicker branch sled and watched Delores pace back and forth in front of her, swearing under her breath about stubborn wizards and foolhardy plans. She had been less than pleased when Radagast had seen the state of the forest, and promptly demanded they stay with the rabbits. But the wizard had been unnaturally serious, irate even, when they had tried to protest and so the two women hadn’t been inclined to argue and that was the end of that. It hadn’t stopped her older sister from stomping about like the grass itself was to blame, though.
The fortress in the distance didn’t look all that healthy either. It was a crumbling ruin, and even from so far away she could see that. A pit formed in her gut and she tried her hardest not to worry too much about Radagast. He was, after all, practically ancient. Ancient, fast, and powerful when he wanted to be. Not to mention it was under his instruction that Delores trained with her staff- he would be fine. He had been fine for uncountable years before Elenor and Delores had shown up... it was silly for her to worry, she tried to convince herself.
In the end, however, it was scarcely a half hour since her mentor had disappeared into the forest that he was back again.
Sort of.
Elenor and Delores heard him before they saw him, as he crashed through the underbrush yelping “Quick! Quick! Quick!”.
Evidently the rabbits heard him too, and began moving forward even before their master was in proper sight. Elenor lurched sideways and landed painfully on her elbow as the sled jolted beneath her, and Delores scrambled after it. Elenor watched with mild panic as her sister stumbled over an exposed root, catching herself before she went ass over teakettle and lurching forward after the sled.
“Delly!” Elenor yelled, throwing out a hand as soon as she sat up to try and help her sister onto the vehicle. Delores jumped on roughly, swearing colourfully as the sled wobbled.
“Wait for me!” Radagast was yelling, and both women stretched over the handlebar to grab at his outstretched hands. He leapt, shaking the sled violently as the sisters grasped at his arms to keep him steady as the rabbits continued to speed up. Something large, black, and flapping caught the Elenor’s eye and she gaped incredulously.
“Radagast look out!” she shrieked, and Radagast had just enough time to knock the bat out of the air with the end of his staff.
“Get down, girls!” He exclaimed, ducking himself to avoid a dead tree trunk. Delores’ hand was rough as she forced Elenor’s head down. She followed her sister’s silent instruction, and squeezed her eyes shut, listening as one bat, and then two, and then a third fell victim to the end of her companions’ staffs. She almost felt bad for the creatures, but at their size it was either beat or be beaten and that was no choice at all. Radagast had never mentioned giant bats, but then he had never said anything about giant spiders either so maybe she shouldn’t have been so surprised.
Eventually, long minutes stretched by without any bat thumpings and the scent of decay wasn’t as strong. It didn’t smell like the earthy, healthy forest around her home, exactly, but not as diseased as they had been next to the fortress. She opened her eyes after a little while, when nausea threatened her, but kept her head down to avoid branches. She tried her hardest to pretend she was on some rollercoaster back home, and when the rabbits took them over what felt like a small cliff, she whooped in laughter even as her stomach dropped. She laughed harder as Delores clung to her tightly after the sudden drop, screaming all the while.
Tíli’s eyes had long drifted shut, lost to the world as she succumbed to her dreams, but Víli blinked sleepily at his mother when she finished talking.
“All done, Mama?” He asked quietly, mouthing on his wooden soldier. She smiled softly at him as Kíli tugged the toy gently from his hands, twisting to place it on the beside table.
“Just for tonight, sweetheart. We should be nice and wait for Tíli to hear the rest, shouldn’t we?” She asked quietly, and he nodded slowly at her. She and Kíli got off the bed, and she watched fondly as her husband stooped to tuck the little boy in a little snugger.
“Sweet dreams, my son.” He whispered, pressing a kiss to Víli’s forehead and pushing an errant strand of dark hair out of his face. Her heart swelled as Víli leaned into his father’s hand and mumbled something, presumably a ‘goodnight adad’ before snuggling deeper into one of Tíli’s pillows. Together they crept out of the room, taking the oil lamps with them. Once they were out, door clicking closed behind them, Elenor slumped against the wall and sighed. Kíli chuckled.
“Were they a handful this evening?” He asked, and she covered her eyes with her free hand. “I’m fairly certain we need to apologize to Bilbo quite extensively. They broke one of his bowls this evening. On accident, of course, but I doubt we’ll have the honour of using that particular set again until they’re married off.”
“Not his Westfarthing pottery?” Kíli winced, and she nodded. He offered her his hand and she accepted, twining their fingers together as they wandered back down the hall to their own bedroom.
“He said he wasn’t angry, and the twins did apologize right away, but... he turned a rather interesting shade of puce for a few minutes.” She admitted. Kíli shook his head. He was going to have to call in some favours to replace the bowl... perhaps he could ask the next caravan captain to make an extra stop?
Elenor smiled when he said as much, and replied “That may be a good idea. Bilbo loves the twins, but it’s probably a good thing he and Thorin aren’t planning on any little ones themselves... he enjoys being particular a little too much to have them around all of the time.” She said, opening the door to their own room.
The fire was still crackling high, so the servants must have added some more recently, she mused silently, draping her housecoat over one of their armchairs and setting the oil lamp down. Kíli’s hand ran over her hips, and he pressed a couple slow, careful kisses to her shoulder.
“Speaking of not having little ones around...” He murmured, and she laughed, letting him tug her to their bed.