Kili hurried through the halls of Erebor. There was so much work to be done since they had reclaimed their home. Today, there would be dignitaries from Mirkwood and Rohan. His uncle, mother and brother would be busy dealing with diplomatic matters; treaties and trade agreements, all important for Erebor's future. Kili knew he was never allowed to sit in on those meetings but he hoped that there was something he could do to contribute.

"Kili, Good morning, darling." Dis smiled at her youngest. He was still fastening his clothes on, hopping on one leg while trying to pull on his left boot and his hair looked just as messy and unruly as it had when he was a dwarfling. How she loved her sweet, uncomplicated Kili.

"Morning Mum." Kili dropped into his usual place at the table beside his brother Fili, who was neatly dressed and his hair as always was intricately braided. He looked over at his baby brother with a smile.

"Kili, let me braid you hair it looks like a rat's nest." Fili laughed.

"Num...izz juvst fin."

"Kili don't talk with your mouth stuffed full." Dis admonished her youngest. But secretly she found it endearing that he just hadn't quite grown up in so many, so very many ways.

"Sorry, Mum. Fili, my hair is just fine. It looks like it always does."

"That's the problem." His mother and brother said in unison

Just as Kili was attacking a large piece of ham, his uncle walked in. Thorin had been up since before dawn going over the arrangements for today's meeting.

"Breakfast, brother?"

"Good morning, Uncle Thorin."Fili said brightly

"Morning Uncle." Kili managed to get out between mouthfuls.

Thorin looked tired already but this was what he had been born to do. Trained for years before the blasted dragon came and now at last he could fulfill his destiny. He looked over his little family group. Dis, his sister more than anyone had kept them going. She never gave up, she always saw them as a family and she never let him sink into the depression that had haunted and hunted him after Erebor fall. Then there was Fili, his heir. He had grown into a fine young dwarf and Thorin was proud to present him as the crown prince of Erebor. Glancing to the side he saw Kili, yawning and trying to steal a biscuit off Fili's plate as his brother talked with their mother. Kili was still such a child; a loving soul that had reached through the burden surrounding Thorin at times and allowed him to smile, laugh or just feel hope. He watched as Fili caught his younger brother sliding the biscuit off his plate and even though there was a basket filled with biscuits and bread on the table, still the inevitable ensued.

"Hey, pig that's mine."

"You weren't eating it."

"It was on my plate."

"I thought you had finished."

"Did not.

"Did too.

"Did not.

"Did too.

Dis looked at Thorin and rolled her eyes, then with a smile took two biscuits out of the basket and handled them to her sons.

"Thanks Mum."

Fili will need that one day Thorin thought. When the weight of the crown is heavy and he is surrounded by gloom, he will need his baby brother to lighten his burden.

"Dis, I need you with me when I meet with the delegation from Mirkwoord. Don't let me kill them. Fili, I need you to go with Balin to discuss trade with representatives from Rohan. Kili, you get to look around Erebor and come to know the city better."

Everyone nodded and if Thorin saw the slight hurt in Kili's eyes he didn't say anything.

Kili was a warrior he had fought alongside Fili and Thorin in the Battle of the Five Armies. While he may not have the diplomatic training that the three of them did, still he wasn't a child and sending him off basically to play, stung a little. But Kili grinned and made a joke about Fili being stuck in trade talks. Fili rolled his eyes and everyone laughed.

It's not so bad you know, Kili thought as his family hurried off to their duties, being the one that makes everyone laugh. No real expectations, no real responsibility. He managed to almost convince himself.

The morning drug by as Kili tried to keep himself busy and relatively out of trouble. Finally he gave up and just settled for sitting on a staircase watching the activity. He wished he could help the workers restore Erebor but uncle had forbidden it, saying he was third in line for the throne and couldn't be risked around the dangerous construction work. Kili thought it was odd Thorin had had no trouble risking him around a dragon and a major battle. But he didn't say anything; somewhere in the back of his mind he suspected Thorin thought he would be more of a problem than an asset to the construction workers.

At dinner Dis came in excited; telling the family that the workers had uncovered an ancient chamber connected to the library. Inside there was only one book, a great dust covered tome in ancient dwarvish. Thorin, Fili and Kili all looked at each other with a 'there she goes again, all worked up over some artifact or painting or dusty old book' expression. Which Dis pointedly ignored. "It is hundreds of years old and speaks of the heart of the mountain."

"You mean the Arkenstone?"

"Well, yes but it was written before the stone was found so it just refers to the mountain having a heart. Ori and Bilbo are going through it now but they say we may need Lord Elrond's help. They have run into several particularly old passages that are giving them trouble."

"I've got an idea," Kili beaned with his usual enthusiasm, "I could help them."

Thorin and Dis just stared at him while File nearly fell over laughing.

"Kili you're no scholar. You hated lessons; Balin had to just about tie you down to make you stay still long enough to listen." Fili laughed.

"Well I didn't mean I'd translate it," He threw a small potato at his brother.

"Boys that's quite enough." Dis scolded. "Kili what did you have in mind dear?"

"I mean I could get then the books they need off the taller shelves and …and…make sure they have ...paper and ink... or bring them food...or...just sit and look interested...just anything to help and be of use."

Dis and Thorin exchanged glances. "Certainly, Kili, fine idea." Thorin smiled at his nephew. Kili puffed up with pride, he could finally, finally do something. Fili rolled his eyes and hit Kili with a green bean.

"Ewww green food...Mum." Kili whined.

There he is, Dis thought my little Kili; whining about the dinner. For a second I thought perhaps he was really growing up. Then she laughed and put green beans on all their plates which made Kili, Fili and Thorin all whine.

_
The next day in the library at Erebor, Bilbo and Ori were hard at work.

"Bilbo look, does this passage really say that the mountain's heart shall beat with blood."Ori held the large book and waited for Bilbo to read it.

"I believe it does. But what does it mean. A war, or maybe when Smaug came...I just don't know."

"It talks about protection; but I can't translate this part at all. We need Lord Elrond." Ori sighed.

"Bilbo, Ori, I've come to help. Kili smiled as he entered the library.

Bilbo and Ori stared at Kili for a beat and then welcomed him. While neither could understand how he would be of help, it was always fun to have Kili around.

They spent that morning pouring over translations and piecing together the passage about the mountain's heart. Well, Bilbo and Ori did. Kili spent the morning thumbing through dusty books until they made him have a sneezing fit. Dropping one especially heavy volume on his foot and hopping around yelping for several minutes. Cleaning up Ori's ink that he knocked over; at which point Ori and Bilbo were just about ready to kick him out of the library. Then they decided that he would be perfect to carry their several volumes and paper and ink to the throne room where they could actually study the Arkenstone itself in light of the little they had been able to translate.

After barely making it without a major accident several times, Kili proudly sit the items down near the throne. They only had a little time each day when the throne room wasn't occupied. Bilbo looked over when he heard the noise from Kili setting everything he had carried down; just in time to see the Arkenstone flash and grow brighter for a second. By the time he nudged Ori to look it had stopped.

Throughout the next four days Kili helped Bilbo and Ori in the throne room whenever there was a break in diplomatic proceedings and they could get in. Bilbo and Ori begin to notice that whenever Kili was near the Arkenstone it seemed to grow brighter. Kili himself seemed oblivious to the stone. Late on the fourth day Kili finally noticed the Arkenstone glowing brighter.

"Hey, you two see this? It's getting brighter, we should tell uncle."

"Kili", Bilbo started, "it only seems to glow brighter when you are close to it."

"What…..nah, why would it do that?"

"Test it?" Ori suggested.

So Kili walked close to the stone and it began to glow brighter the closer he got. Then as he backed away it began to dim.

"Here Ori you try it." Kili suggested, with a little worry in his voice.

As Ori approached the Arkenstone there was no change in brightness. Next Bilbo tried, again no chance, then Kili walked towards it and it virtually light up the whole room.

"Maybe it's being a Durin?" Ori suggested.

"Right, makes sense in a way. Wait here." Kili said as he started out of the throne room. In a few minutes Kili came back dragging a very disgruntled Fili.

"Kili, let go of me. I told you I have a meeting." Fili was not happy.

"This won't take a moment. Stand here." Kili pushed his somewhat irritated older brother close to the Arkenstone. Nothing. The he walked close to it himself and again it brightened until the entire room was filled with its light.

"Why's it doing that?" Fili asked, but the other three just stared at the stone. "Alright I'll get Uncle." Fili stammered. "He'll know what's going on."

Then he stopped and turned to his brother, "Kili, I'm about to interrupt our uncle who is in the middle of important negotiations. Tell me that this is not a joke, trick, game or anything else that is going to get me killed."

"It's not Fili, I promise. We all do right." he gestured to Ori and Bilbo; who nodded.

"Alright, here I go but if I get in trouble you are all going to be in it with me." Fili paused to see if anyone wanted to change their story but no one did, so he left to find Thorin.

About twenty minutes later a very irritated Thorin appeared.

"Kili, this better not be a joke."

"No, uncle I swear."

"Alright show me, now."

Kili walked away from the Arkenstone, turned and walked back. The closer he got the brighter it glowed until Ori and Bilbo actually shielded their eyes. Kili repeated the process but this time the Arkenstone started to vibrate and hum. Kili tried to back away but found he could not. Light flowed from the stone in bands that wove in and out of each other encircling Kili in light. Fili and Thorin tried to reach him but the light felt solid and it simple pushed them back. Then Kili was floating above the floor and slowly spinning. There was a flash of incredibly bright light and he was gone.