Warnings: parenting, a small scald from a pot
Word count: 1663
Other: Inspired by a Baby blues comic.
Requested: no
After being stuck in the house with five kids for the full day, you just want to have a moment when you are not 'mom', but only yourself. Fili is happy to help.
You sighed as you glanced out the window. Fili should have been home by now. You were chopping up vegetables for the food, keeping your ears peeled for the slightest of inklings of the door opening. Daisy was cooing in your arms, her plump fists in her mouth as she babbled.
"I wonder when adar will be home." You cooed at her, and she let out an excited gurgle.
"Yes, I wonder when he will be home." You chirped at her with a bright tone as you pet her nose with your forefinger, tossing the carrots into the stew with the other.
"Mama, look what I drew!" Roset hurried to you, her hands holding up a drawing of a what looked like a blue bird.
"Oh that's beautiful, baby. Put it on the desk so you can show adar when he gets home, okay?" She beamed as she placed the paper onto the table and turned to spring out the room
"Would you go tell your brothers that the food is ready soon?" She nodded and skitted out of the room, yelling for her brothers as she went.
She returned soon with three of her brothers, except your eldest. You sighed, knowing that Roset hadn't been able to pry him out of his books.
"Dolmar isn't coming out of his room."
"I'll go get him. Roset, could you keep an eye on the stew for me? If it starts bubbling harder, just stir it. But be very very careful, the pot is piping hot, it'll burn your skin if you touch it." She nodded, giddy as she jumped onto the small stand you had had made for her so she could see what she was doing while cooking. As she had grown older, she had really started to develop an interest in cooking, much to your delight. All of your other children had a burning ambition for weapons, except for little Daisy, who was too young to voice hers.
You hoisted Daisy higher on your hip as you walked up the stairs to Dolmar's door.
"It's time for dinner."
"I don't want to come." A quiet voice sounded from inside, and you sighed.
"Delmar..." You sighed as you pushed the door open. He was sitting on his bed, a thick book open in his lap. As he glanced at you, you could see the tears brimming in his eyes.
"What's wrong?" You set Daisy down on the floor, leaving her wondering what was this new place as you took a seat next to your son on the edge of the bed.
"I'll never be as good as dad." He muttered, tracing his fingers across the page absentmindedly. A quick glance told you it was filled with different ways to deal and evade blows. Of course.
"You just started, no one has become a master swordsman in a day." You consoled him, running your hand trough his blond hair, exactly like his father's.
"But everyone is so much better than me." He muttered, and you sighed, pulling him against your chest for a hug.
"You can only give your best, baby." You assured him, kissing his cheek.
"You can continue reading later, now it's time for supper. You'll need the energy to block blows, I head that Dwalin is going to be teaching today." His eyes brightened at your words, and he nodded.
Before he could stand up, Daisy cooed as she stood up against his feet, slightly wobbly but staying upright. Delmar smiled, he and Daisy had always had a special kind of relationship. As he smiled down on his little sister, you couldn't have been prouder of him. Being the heir to the throne was not a easy burden to bear, you knew that. Fili had made it clear that he did not want it after Thorin would step down, so the title had fallen onto Delmar. You hadn't discussed it with him yet, he was so young, but he seemed interested in the history and customs he had been taught by Balin that there was hope.
"OW!" Your head shot up at the sound coming from the kitchen, and you gave Delmar a hurried smile before you raced down the stairs. Roset was holding her arm, a darkening red burn on it, tears seeping down her cheeks.
"Oh baby." You sighed, making your way to her.
"Let me see." She gave you her hand, the burnt area red and probably very tender. You blew on it gently, wiping her cheeks with your free hand.
"It'll be better in a few days. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let you stir it." You muttered, blaming yourself. She was too young to be in the kitchen, you shouldn't have-
"It's okay, mama. I just wasn't careful enough. Next time, I will be." Her voice interrupted the thoughts of blame you had been pouring over yourself, and you gave her a hug. Daisy giggled at this, clapping her small hands together and
Now all of the kids were in the kitchen and you had calmed the situation down, and the next thing to do was to get them sit around the table. If you could get your voice heard in the cacophony of noises.
"Is the food ready soon?"
"Is there bread?"
"I don't want to eat the green beans!"
"Mama, Fannir pushed me." You sighed as you guided the twins apart from each other giving them a stern look.
"Fannir, do not push you brother, apologize." The little dwarf muttered an apology and you ruffled his hair.
"Could you get the plates from the cabinets, please?" The kids hurried to fill your request, and you were thankful that you and Fili had invested in metal dishes as the kids started lifting them out of their places with fuss.
"Be careful!" You yelled over your shoulder as you smothered off the flames in the stove, leaving the food on the cooling plates so it would stay warm until you could wrangle the kids to the desk.
You heard the door opening, your eldest sprinting towards the sound, eager to be the first one to be in his father's arms. You set Daisy down in the crib that still remained in the kitchen to help you keep your hands free for even a portion of the day.
"Papa!" Fittch and Fannir squealed as they were hoisted up on Fili's arms and squeezed against his chest.
"I'm too big to be lifted up!" They in complained in unison, trying to squirm out of their father's hold. Dolmar had just started his first lessons the day before, and as a result, his younger brothers had deemed themselves to be too old to be picked up. The twins were always trying to copy their elder brother in everything, and him starting weapons training was the one thing they weren't able to copy directly, so it made them a little cranky.
"Nonsense, you two are so small that you fit right under each arm." Fili set them down and was immediately greeted by Roset, who had found her drawing again.
"Papa, look at this. Look-look-look-look-look." She waved it in the air, and Fili kneeled down on her level so she could show it to him.
"This is beautiful. Will there be room for it on your wall anymore?" He wondered, and she shook her head with vigor.
"No, it's from grandma, she said last time that the small blue birds are her favorite."
"That is so kind, sweetness, now go wash up for food, it seems it's almost ready." Fili glanced in your direction, and Roset hurried to wash her hands.
"You too." Fili gave a nudge to to the twins that were now squabbling over a toy, and they hurried to wash up as well. Dolmar dodged them as he stepped out of the room, Ramsor by his side.
"We already washed up." Ramsor declared, proud, and you gave them a smile as you started pile the food up onto the plates.
You finished setting the food onto the table just as the kids emerged from the washroom.
"Sit down, the food is getting cold." They hurried to their seats, and you sighed as the kitchen settled into a somewhat calm silence. You sighed deeply, running your eyes over the table to make sure you hadn't forgotten anything. It appeared that you didn't, and your eyes settled onto Fili.
With two large steps, you walked up to him, grasping his collar and pulling his lips onto yours. He gave a surprised grunt but didn't pull back, but wrapped his arms around your waist to bring you closer. You could hear the kids 'ewww'ing in the background, but neither of you really payed attention. The force of the kiss was dizzying, his tongue slipping into your mouth as you gasped. You could taste the ale he had probably been drinking in one of the meetings he had attended to, and he could taste the strawberries you and the kids had been picking from the woods with his mother. As your lips began to separate, Fili pressed a few hasty kisses before your lips separated. You stayed chest to chest, your breaths fanning together as you caught them, a smile spreading on each of your faces.
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to have a non-mother -moment." You explained, and Fili gave a laugh, pressing a short, passionate kiss onto your lips.
"Glad to be of assistance." You rolled your eyes at him as you walked to move Ramsor's glass further away from the edge of the table.
A lot of baby dwarf action here, it was so much fun to write!
Don't forget to vote and comment so I know what you like and perhaps want to see more of ;)