#minasel

“Have we woken you up, Amrâlimê?” Kili turned to the unmoving shape on the bed. A grunt was the only response he received.

“Ba-ah!” decided Minasel.

“Yes, we have!” he explained to his daughter with a wide smile, rocking her in his arms. “We were very naughty, and we have woken up Mommy.”

His little daughter chuckled and reached out towards the blanket shaped like her mother. “Yes, there she is, your amad. But I am your adad. Will you say adad so that Mommy can see what a smart little pebble you are?”

The blanket emitted another grunt, but didn’t move.

“Zaaa!” Minasel stared at it, clearly puzzled, her whole chubby body stretching out towards it, her arm too short to reach it.

“Allright, we will see what’s hiding under the blanket. Is it Mommy or a dragon?”

“Or both,” the blanket grunted and Kili could have sworn that a barely audible chuckle accompanied these words.

As soon as he lifted the edge of the blanket, a pointy-eared creature lunged towards him, snatching his defenseless daughter from his arms and roaring triumphantly.

“I have you now!” Tauriel exclaimed, lifting Minasel into the air only to peck the tip of her round nose a moment after. Long strands of her hair intertwined with her daughter’s unruly curls of the same color, red as a summer coat of a squirrel.

Hearing their giggles, Kili felt warmth spreading in his chest and wanted to join their embrace, but he recalled his mission. He would not give up.

“Oh no! A dragon kidnapped my beloved daughter!” Kili lamented theatrically. “But if you call your adad, he will come to your rescue!” he addressed his daughter, putting the emphasis on the most important word. 

“Gaaaaa!” Minasel clapped her hands and squealed in joy.

“She clearly does not want to be rescued,” Tauriel replied with a mock frown with a mischievous glint in her eye and turned her attention back to her little treasure. “Minasel likes to be with her nana*, isn’t it right, my wildflower? We are having so much fun! You,” Tauriel put her finger on her daughter’s nose, “and me, your nana,” she spoke slowly, taking her daughter’s tiny hand into her and putting it on her own nose. 

This was enough to make Minasel enjoy the new game and she started exploring her mother’s face only to grab a braid at her temple. Kili chuckled. That was Tauriel’s dwarven marriage braid, similar to the one he wore in his hair. He still remembered the horror on Uncle Thorin’s and King Thranduil’s faces when he presented his bride to them during an official meeting of the two cantankerous rulers. 

His and Tauriel’s secret marriage was the cleverest thing he has ever done! When the gazes of both kings met, their brows furrowed, he understood what an impossible feat he’d achieved: they finally agreed on something! So what if it pertained to him marrying Tauriel, an union of an elf and a dwarf that no one had ever heard of. Besides, his lovely wife’s belly was already a bit on the round side. It was definitely something to be proud of, no matter if he had to withstand Fili’s pointed looks for a fortnight afterwards. The bottom line was, both Uncle Thorin and King Thranduil had to swallow that frog and acknowledge their marriage.

And now he had his beloved wife and daughter by his side, both of them enjoying their closeness, giggling together, while he… Well, he had a mission to accomplish.

“Ri! Ri! Ri!” Minasel informed her parents.

“Ori is going to visit you tomorrow, sweetling,” he sat closer to his wife, letting her rest against his shoulder. The young dwarf was a frequent visitor at their home, spoiling their daughter with new games, toys and treats since she arrived into the world. Kili looked at her happy face and admitted to himself that he couldn’t blame him. “Until then, you will have plenty of fun with your adad and amad,” he continued.

“Your daddy wanted to say: nana and ada,” Tauriel teased with a grin, using the elvish words instead of their Khuzdul equivalents.

Now on Tauriel’s lap, Minasel blinked, looked at her father, then at her mother, took a deep breath and opened her mouth.

No sound came out.

“I think she wanted to say adad,” Kili whispered to his wife.

“Nana. She was about to say nana,” Tauriel corrected him with a grin. “Isn’t it, cupcake?” She asked her baby daughter. There was no reply, only that intent stare.

“It was adad,” he was sure of it.

“Nana. It is easier to pronounce, you know,” Tauriel pecked him on his cheek and lovingly ruffled her daughter’s hair. “Or maybe you’d like to try something harder? How about: My daddy is the handsomest dwarf in the world?”

Kili couldn’t help himself and stole a quick kiss from his wife. “Or My mommy is the most beautiful Elf-maid under the starry skies of Arda?” Another peck followed.

Minasel tilted her head slightly. Clearly her parents were playing some unknown game. She decided it was time to try again. A deep breath, and she was ready. She could make it! She remembered the word! It was on the tip of her tongue!

“Zaaaa…. gaaa…. rî!” said Minasel and giggled proudly. She did it! She finally did it!

And then Kili started laughing. He laughed so much that he almost forgot to breathe, taking his little gem into his arms and kissing her forehead.

“My little warrior of a girl! Just like her Mommy!” he exclaimed with pride.

“Zagarî*?” Tauriel pronounced the Khuzdul word carefully. “What did she just say?”

“Sword, she sort of said... sword,” he laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. “Must have heard it from Uncle or Dwalin!”

“Perfect!” Tauriel beamed, “Now we know what we are going to give her when she comes of age!” she turned to her little one. Laughing, the girl wrapped her tiny fingers around her mother’s index finger. It was a good, strong grip. 

“Adad and nana will give you the best zagarî in Rhovanion!” Tauriel explained to her daughter with tenderness in her voice.

“A… a… a!” agreed Minasel, stretching her arms out to her parents.

In that moment, while embracing the two most important women in his life, Kili decided that his mission was accomplished.

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Adad - (Khuzdul) father Amad - (Khuzdul) - mother Ada - (Elvish) daddy Nana - (Elvish) mommy Amrâlimê - my love Zagarî - (Khuzdul) sword

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