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     It had been a few weeks now, and Fili and Kili's chickenpox were finally gone; but Thorin's strange behavior wasn't. Sometimes he didn't read them a story, and when he did he seemed to be in a hurry. Something (or someone) was always on his mind, and Kili and Fili were determined to find out what (or who) it was.

     "I say we just ask him." Kili said. "Forget being subtle!"

     Him, Fili, Ori, Gimli and Aiviel were sitting at a small table in the Dining Hall, eating lunch.

     "I don't know. I think being subtle would be better." Fili said. "What would you do, Gimli?"

     "I'd forget the whole subtle thing." Gimli replied. "If my father had a girlfriend and didn't tell me about her, I'd be too upset to be subtle."

     "What's so wrong with Master Thorin having a girlfriend?" Aiviel asked. "I mean, everyone needs love in their life. And besides, every king needs a queen."

     "Says who?" Fili asked. "He'd be fine without a queen."

     "Well yeah, no doubt he would." Aiviel said. "But he'd need someone to bear him children to carry on the royal blood line."

     "But he's got us!" Kili said, crossing his arms. "He doesn't need anyone else."

     "You know, I think you're just upset he doesn't spend as much time with you anymore." Aiviel said. "What are you two gonna do when he's King Under the Mountain in Erebor? He'll be too busy to spend a lot of time with you."

     "We're not upset." Kili muttered. "We just like to spend time with him."

     Thorin walked into the room right then and stopped at the table they were at. "I'm glad to see you and Fili feeling better." He said to Kili.

     "Yeah." Kili said, avoiding eye contact. "Us too."

     Fili avoided looking at Thorin as well and poked his food around. Thorin gave them a concerned look. "Are you two alright?"

     "Yeah." Kili said.

     "Perfectly fine."

     Aiviel rolled her eyes and looked up at Thorin. "They're upset because you've not been spending as much time with them."

     Aivi!" Fili hissed.

     "Girls." Kili rolled his eyes.

     "Is this true?" Thorin asked.

     Kili and Fili nodded.

     Thorin sighed. "I'm sorry, I've just been busy."

     "Busy with what?" Kili asked.

     Thorin glanced at Aiviel, Gimli and Ori before he looked back at Fili and Kili. "I'll tell you two later on tonight."

     "You're coming to our room tonight? To tell a story?" Fili asked.

     "Yes, I'll tell you a story tonight." Thorin assured. "Now, I've got to go. I'll see you two later."

     "Bye Uncle." The boys said as he walked off.

     "I wonder what he's been busy with." Aiviel said. "Not that it's any of my business though."

     Kili and Fili shrugged.

     "Just because he seems distracted or busy doesn't mean he has a girlfriend." Ori said.

     "I agree with Ori." Gimli said.

     "It could be anything." Aiviel said. "I guess they'll find out tonight."

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

     That evening Kili and Fili waited in their room for Thorin. They were kind of nervous about finding out what was going on. They eagerly looked up when their uncle finally entered the room.

     "So, what's been keeping you too busy to spend much time with us?" Kili asked.

     Fili gently elbowed him in the ribs. "Kili!"

     "No, he's right. I've not been spending as much time with you as I should be." Thorin said as he sat down beside the two boys. "I didn't want to say anything; but I've been searching for a book. It was in my room one day, then it just disappeared."

     Fili glanced knowingly at Kili, who squirmed uncomfortably.

     "It's... an Elvish book. History, songs, stories and poems. Eruraviel had given it to me before she left, and I had added a story of my own to it. Since you two seemed so fascinated by the story I had told you, I decided I'd read it to you since I was running out of stories. But I can't find it."

     "Um... Uncle?" Kili said nervously.

     Thorin looked down at him. "Yes, Kili?"

     "Well, uh... what if- what if I knew where your book was?"

     "You know where it is? Where is it?"

     Kili got up and dragged the book out from under his pillow. "I've been reading it. I took it from your room."

     "He was afraid he'd get in trouble for taking it so he kept it hidden under his pillow." Fili said. "It's as much my fault as it is his. I knew he had it the whole time."

     Kili put the book in Thorin's hands and sat down. "Am I in trouble?"

     Thorin put Kili on his lap. "No, you're not in trouble. Just don't take anything without my permission; or look through my things. And always be honest with me, okay?"

     Kili nodded. "Okay Uncle. I will."

     Thorin looked at the two boys curiously. "You two seemed to be upset about something else earlier; not just my not spending time with you."

     "Well... Kili and I may have jumped to the conclusion that you had..."

     "...A lady friend." Kili said shyly.

     Thorin laughed and hugged his nephews close. "I'm not ready for a girlfriend, and I don't know if I ever will be. You boys are all I need."

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