Work Text:
Verbena woke as soon as Nori walked through the door of their home. First thing she noticed was that Her mother's chair was still empty. Odd. She looked to Nori.
“Daddy? Where's mama?” Nori managed a smile, but Verbena could see his pained expression. She gripped the shoulder of his coat as he sat down heavily in his own chair which sat beside Bilba next to the cold hearth.
“Verbena, there is something I have to tell you. There was no actual shopping trip.” Verbena gave him a worried expression. She Had Bilba's blue eyes, but Nori's red brown hair. Her shoulder length hair had only one braid yet, it sported just her family bead. A simple carved wooden bead til she was old enough that it wouldn't be a risk of her losing it. She was still small enough he could hold her with one arm. Very little in terms of whiskers yet.
She wore a pair of small boots on her feet and dark brown trousers. Her sage green tunic had been embroidered with black thread by Bilba just last month and she had a dark grey coat trimmed in fox fur. It was tradition for little dwarven girls to only leave the hall dressed as little boys. Dwarves were paranoid and protective parents.
Nori wore all dark browns and beneath the layers of leather were enough knives and tools to supply a small army. He was always ready to jump into action if he needed to. With his hair styled in it's normal neat star shape. He had dark brown eyes that were unusually gentle when he was with his daughter or family. Sharp and clever otherwise.
“I know, mama doesn't usually go shopping.” He nodded.
“Do you know why mama didn't do the shopping?” Verbena hadn't actually known why her mother didn't shop once they'd left Shire. She'd used to though.
“Is it because we live in Erebor now?” Nori shook his head while locking his eyes on Verbena's gentle blue ones.
“Remember the stories of your mama and the dragon?” Verbena nodded.
“She was very brave to face Smaug alone.” He nodded.
“Well, mama got hurt while facing him. She breathed in some of the dragon's fire.” Verbena bit her knuckles. “Most do not survive it. She lived much longer than most would have for one reason my sweet little girl. You.” Verbena's eyes widened and she had a hurt expression.
“Mama was still hurt?” Her voice was a little shaky. Nori bit his lip.
“Aye mimzi. She carried the burn in her lungs. Where we can't see without help. Ten years beyond her time she lived for you, for us. She loved us so dearly it gave her strength where there would have been none. She was stronger woman than you may think my dear.”
“Ma-mama isn't coming home?” Nori stared at her for a moment, then shook his head. Tears were building up in his own eyes.
“No mimzi, no she's not.” Verbena sniffled and whimpered looking forlornly over at Bilba's chair. It was a beautiful carved wooden chair with cushions covered in a fine wargs pelt and crocheted blankets. A chair meant to hold a gentle soul with a soft smile, cheerful blue eyes, and a halo of coppery blond curls.
Verbena had loved that chair when they first came to live here. Her mother had sung her lullabies, told her stories, and cuddled her when when she was sick in that chair. Now Verbena didn't know what to think of it. It was an empty chair that should have been occupied, it wasn't though.
Verbena cried, she hadn't cried like this since an elven prince had held her captive under a table. Just Kili couldn't save her from this. No one could because Bilba was gone and you can't change death.
She just clung to her father burying her face in his should as she did so. Nori was shaking as he hugged his tiny daughter. In his heart he wished the dragon fire had taken his life instead of Bilba's. Verbena dearly needed her mother still, and Nori now had a very difficult decision to make and dire little time to make it.
Verbena had cried herself to sleep. Nori started a fire in the hearth and tossed a couple logs to burn through the night. He stayed in his chair with Verbena sleeping in his arms. He would normally be working, but just for today, just for this new day, this one day, he wanted to stay home with his young daughter.
Nori had contemplated retirement from his job as spymaster. The rewards from helping reclaim Erebor had been plenty enough to live in comfort for the rest of his days and still have enough for a ridiculous inheritance for Verbena and likely several generations into the future. He'd contemplated it more than he'd ever thought he would.
He loved his carefully crafted information network. Not a thing happened in Erebor without him knowing. Nori knew everything from who plotted, to the names and addresses of who sneezed while walking down the corridors. There was no one who could replace him for accuracy of information, or skill in the less savory aspect of the job. Dwalin was Thorin's right hand man, but Nori was his left.
Erebor depended on him, Nori couldn't leave until he had someone else trained and ready for the job. It would be a long time yet.
He normally would never have contemplated it. If it had been just him and Bilba, he wouldn't have bothered to contemplate it. But there was a third figure to that equation. Verbena, his sweet little girl. A sweet little girl he needed to protect now more than ever.
Ten years ago, he never dreamed that he'd have a child let alone a precious daughter. Something he valued over all the gold in the world. His fortune could rot in hell if would make his family whole again. Instead he had a hole in his heart, and little girl with tear stained cheeks asleep in his arms.
For the third time that night, Nori cried.