Vegetables flew around the room, from side to side. Happy cries came from the toddlers. Desperate moans and growls were shared among the adults.

Short version; it was dinner time.

The elves didn't seem to understand that dwarves didn't eat vegetables. Not even when they were young. "Don't they need it to grow?" one of the elves asked disgusted when, once again, Nori spit out some broccoli.

"I think they will shrink from it before they will grow" Dwalin said. He was feeding Fili and Kili both a piece of meat, which was going better than the vegetables.

"Come on Thorin, I need you to eat some of the broccoli" you said nicely. You presented him with yet another spoonfull of the vegetable.

Thorin turned his head away.

"It is healthy for you" you tried to persuade him.

Before you could respond, he reached for the spoon and swapped it away with his hand.

"Now I have had enough" you said. You put the spoon down and got him out of his small chair. Everyone looked up at you as you held him in front of your face and glared. "Listen young man. You may be a king and all but you will eat your veggies. If you don't, you won't get desert."

First, his lower lip began to tremble.

"Don't. You. Even. Dare." you hissed.

Dwalin stood up from his place opposite of yours. "Lass, I can take him from you if you want" he offered.

The glaring contest was still going on. You were determined not to loose this one. "No, he heard me. And he understand every word I say. This time he will listen to me. Because if he doesn't -"

Thorin waited for your next words before he would start crying his eyes out.

"then he won't stay with me tonight."

The whole room fell silent, waiting for the response of the toddler king. Even the other toddlers held in their breath. Without a doubt, they would join him in his crying if it meant not having to eat veggies. He just needed to say the word.

Many things went through the king's head. Eventually he swallowed his tears and fiercely glared back at you.

"Good, now, you are going to finish your veggies without another complaint." You put your husband back in his seat, pushing a spoonful in his mouth. "It isn't so bad if you give it a try" you said with a grin.

Other dwarves were now eating veggies as well. Bombur, however, still refused and spit it back all over a male elves' clothing.

Dwalin sat down, happy that the crisis was averted. "That could have ended very differently lass. You didn't need to take that chance."

You raised an eyebrow. "You can say what you want but at least they are eating their vegetables now. They just needed their king to show them the right way. Didn't they?" you said, feeding Thorin a piece of his meat.

The king was happily munching on his meat.

"What kind of desert are we having?" Balin asked. "I could use some right about now."

You and Dwalin exchanged worried glances. "About that-" you started.

Thorin noticed, spit out his meat and began crying. The room was quickly filled with the cries of upset toddlers.

"BALIN!" everyone shouted over the babys' crying.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Thorin, I am going to put your jacket on you so that we can go outside" you said, rummaging through some of the toddler stuff that was given to you. His cloack hadn't shrunk with him so he couldn't use it while he was this size.

"The others are staying in today because of your little misadventure the other day. I still can't believe you walked off without notifying an adult." Thorin was patiently waiting on your bed as he watched you grabbing several things you would need outside.

"I mean, yes, you are a toddler now. But you are a grown-up. You should behave like your... your mental age." You sighed. "Well, I think we are almost ready to go outside."

"No."

You looked up to the child on your bed. "What?"

"No" he said with a smirk. His eyes were twinkling as he looked at you.

Slowly, you folded your arms. "How do you mean 'no'?"

Thorin slapped a hand on the bed. "No!" He was smiling brightly, sucking on one of his small fists.

"I didn't know you were in charge in this situation" you said, playing along. "You will have to forgive me for my mistake, my lord. I simply didn't know any better."

Giggles of joy erupted from the bed. "Play!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, my lord wants to play inside today?"

Thorin nodded excitedly. "Play! Play!" he shouted. He crawled towards the side of your bed where you kept your book. You carried it with you since the start of the journey. Thorin had given it to you as one of his weekly gifts.

"Do you want me to read it to you?" You gently sat down on the pillow behind him. Thorin leaned back against you. Opening the book he immediately set to search for the story he wanted to hear.

It took a little longer than usual with his smaller hands.

In the mean time you stroked his hair, finding some knots here and there. "After the story I should comb your hair. Possibly put in some braids" you said thoughtfully.

Thorin caught your attention by pointing at the book, almost stabbing a hole through the fragile paper.

"Be careful little one. It can break" you spoke gently. The soft paper feels great against your skin. "What story did you choose?"

"Luve! Ol one!"

You smiled. "I have not read that chapter yet. A good thing because otherwise I may spoil it all for you." You bend down so that your noses were touching. "Now, let's see what this story is about;"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As we have seen in the chapters before, love can come in various shapes and sizes. Not only is the love between two lovers true but also the love we feel for one another. This can be for a relative or a friend or a stranger.

Because, you see, there is no right to love. Not a wrong one either, for that matter.

Love is a feeling that can fill you up when you least expect it. And for others it may happen when they search for it. There is no telling when it will happen to you.

All we can say from this book, the silly opinion of a humble author, is this;

Spread love to those who need it the most. For one day you will receive all the love that you have given away.

For now, on with the story;

Many people have sought far and wide to find the truth that they couldn't find in their own home. But not young Duncan. He lived in a castle I tell you. Though he was no prince nor the king, he didn't even own the place really, he did live a happy and long life.

Or so it seemed until one morning...

Young Duncan looked after the dogs for his master. The dogs knew the boy from the day they were first able to see. And what a sight he was. A round head with bouncy blonde locks hang above them.

Who could blame them if they thought he was a toy at first?

In the years that followed, the boy and the dogs became inseparable. They followed him whenever he went.

Not that he minded. The dogs had become something close to an extra limb for the boy. And so the people laughed when they once again saw him playing around on the courtyard with his five playful companions.

One day the boy decided that it was getting too warm inside the castle itself. "We should go out for a change, maybe visit a lake" he had said.

His master gave him permission to leave the castle' grounds and off they went.

The boy was one of the most trusted servants of the kings' man. Never had he heard even one complaint uttered about the boy. That is why he became concerned when the boy didn't return the same day.

"Maybe he forgot about the time and they are simply running late" the king said with a smile.

Two more hours passed, the sun disappeared to it's usual hiding place.

"It could be that they ran into trouble. Soldiers, investigate!" the king ordered.

The next morning the soldiers returned. Without the boy or the dogs.

"Give me my horse! We shall look for them!" the king shouted.

His horse was brought rapidly and together with his soldiers the king went out to investigate. They traveled to the nearest town to ask whether they had seen the boy and the dogs.

Some townspeople had. One woman said; "I have seen them picking up food for the road!"

Another yelled; "No! I saw him running off with the farmers' daughter! He sold your dogs for naught but her hand!"

The farmer hit this man on the back of his head. "He has gone to the lake I tell you. The cursed lake where Shena the witch lures young boys and steals their souls!" People started laughing. "Ignore them, my king, for what I say is true. It is how I lost my son."

The king wasted no time. "Let's go to the cursed lake!" he announced. Some people stayed to watch the king leave for the place the fool had told him about.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Maybe this is not the right story for you" you said, kissing Thorin on top of his head.

He didn't respond.

You quietly put the book away. The book barely made a sound as it was placed on your nightstand. You leaned back against the pillow, pulling Thorin up so he was laying on your chest.

The king softly snored as his dreams had taken him to a new world.

One where you would soon follow him. Your eyes already began to close. "Tomorrow you will already be a child." You yawned. "Time sure passes fast."

The door to your room closed, unbeknownst to you. Your dreams had already claimed you for their own.