Hi All: Welcome to the first story in my post-LOTR!AU...when I first drafted this story a few months back, it was kind of a lark...I was just dipping my toe in the pool of fanfiction and sort of dashed out a story off the cuff. As this series has grown and sort of taken off, the later stories have become more strongly plotted. But this first one's still here!
I'm still interested in feedback on this story, so don't be shy. I do know that it has some shortcomings... But I hope you enjoy! And I invite you to the next stories after this one, where the world and the characters go a little further.
Chapter One
Fili, King Under the Mountain, cornered his brother at the mid-morning break. They stood just inside the King's study while his councilors mingled in the chamber beyond. The Great Hall outside held a milling crowd—the largest enclave of the seven families since before the dragon years, gathered for the purpose of ratifying a treaty for the new King in Gondor.
Predictably, a hundred other side issues were also proposed for discussion.
"You need to know they're on the hunt again," Fili said to his brother.
"For what…?"
"A suitable match for Erebor's bachelor prince. The Grey Mountains placed it on the docket for discussion."
He saw Kili bite back a curse. "Mahal…you'd think they'd give up. You know I'm not interested."
"I know why you're not interested." They regarded each other for a moment. Fili knew his brother wasn't against relations with the lasses...but he bore a curse that they'd carefully kept secret for over eighty years. That sort of thing put a serious damper on long term romance. "It's getting harder to deflect the offers. The easiest solution is for you to find somebody you can live with, get her to Choose you, and then all this fuss is over."
Kili stared at him.
"I'm trying to help you," Fili murmured.
"I don't need it," Kili looked at his brother with a level stare. "Thank you."
"What—you'd rather let the council decide this for you?" Fili said. "They're perfectly capable of arranging this and saddling you with someone impossible."
Kili's shoulders fell.
"I'm sorry," Fili said. "But I'm only one vote when it comes down to it." He let that sink in. "Everyone with a marriageable daughter is after a political match and the pressure is getting hot. They've delayed discussion of the treaty and we're overdue with sending an envoy with an answer. You're become the bargaining chip whether you like it or not."
Kili's face went red. "How's that got anything to do with…?"
"It doesn't. They're just being difficult. But this would all be easier if you were off the table, so to speak. Yngvi's getting their attention, brother. He's offering trade agreements in exchange for votes. The only choice there is which of his high-flying daughters is the lesser evil."
Kili raised his eyebrows.
"I never said that." Fili looked over his shoulder as if making sure no one else had heard the unflattering remark.
"Yngvi? The merchant?"
"The rich merchant."
Kili shrugged. "We're rich."
"Yes. And it's attracting both him and his insufferable daughters. Not even An can stand them, and we all know she has the patience of a saint."
"Well, thank Mahal for that."
Fili knew what a political marriage was about, having been matched with a lass from the Iron Hills some sixty-odd years ago. Lucky for him, Balin had been here to engineer the arrangements, but he understood the pressure and the trepidation. He had come to deeply love his own Lady Wife for herself, not to mention her deft ability to manage both the court social matters and four active young dwarrows while never losing her cool. During the last war, she had managed the city under siege like a seasoned warrior.
If four bairns wasn't proof enough (twice the usual number), it was apparent any time Fili looked at her that she loved him in return with a fierce pride.
"You are very lucky to have her," Kili murmured.
"Yes," Fili's voice was firm. "And I'd much rather see you be lucky too, rather than unlucky. Just…help me out here. I can't steer attention away from Yngvi's petition without some alternative in place."
"But it's not even necessary. You've got three boys and an amazing little daughter…"
Fili looked away. "You and I both know that's no guarantee." Protecting his children while they grew was a constant worry. There were still remnants of forces in this world, even with the dark lord gone, who would rather see any child of Durin's line dead and gone.
"I'm sorry," Kili said, rubbing his forehead. "I know that."
"Look, there's a huge banquet tonight," Fili said, hand on his brother's shoulder. "The halls will be full of people—ours and all the visitors from the other Kingdoms. Do me a favor and dance. At least mingle with the maidens and…who knows. Maybe one of them will finally catch your attention."
Kili said nothing. When he looked up, he saw his brother's eyes, full of concern.
"How's your knee?" Fili asked.
"It's fine," Kili waved a hand. "Hasn't bothered me at all so far."
Fili's face was still. "I know you still grieve, Kili, but the elf lady is many years gone. Don't you think she would tell you to get on with your life?" He pulled his brother into a quick embrace, held him briefly in a tight hug, then stepped back. "Tell me you will try."
He said it as a direct order from the King, not just a request from a brother.
"All right. Yes. I will try."
"Thank you." And then he was walking back to the open Hall, intercepted by two pages and the assistant clerk who seemed to follow him everywhere these days.
Kili sighed. Count on a brother to know exactly how to punch a guy in the gut. Fact was, he could admit to himself that he was lonely. Fili was more and more tied to the schedule of the Court, and Mahal knew that the security of Erebor took his own time and attention to its fullest.
It was true that things were quieter now with a King again in Gondor.
And because of it, Kili could feel his loneliness. It was like an aching war wound in the early morning hours when he woke in the dark. It was hollow regret late at night when he returned from long patrols to his empty chamber alone.
And the high born lassies…Mahal. The over-primped gossips held no interest for him. In his heart, he was just a lad from Ered Luin, happier hunting out on the Mountain's western slope than mingling with the political crowd. And he just couldn't believe that any society lass would really understand what happened to him every year…
What would happen in just a few days, in fact. Because it had happened every Durin's Day for the last eighty one years: the recurring fever from a morgul wound. Nightmares, voices in his head, visions of wreck and ruin…
And the curse drew wraiths. Only the Mountain protected him. He was tied to Erebor and remained safe as long as he never left its lands.
What lassie would put up with all that? What family would accept him if the truth were known? Not to mention the part about the elf lady...what lass would ever understand that?
Maybe he should just make a deal with one of the archer lasses. They didn't have to actually share a bed or produce an heir, after all. At a least he might take her hunting or spend an enjoyable evening fletching arrows.
But that didn't sit right, either. He was a commander. Relations with the rank and file weren't his style, and he would never expect a warrior lass to resign her post just for him.
He sighed. Honestly, he'd rather fight a pack of orcs than dance with highborns tonight.
But he didn't like his prospects at the hands of the council, either.
Dejected, Kili strode for the guard quarters, finding solace the way he always did: in his duty to Erebor's people. That, at least, he could understand.
Author's Footnote about OCs: Yes, I'm writing a romance of sorts...prominently labeled as such. So a note on "Mary Sues." Really, 80 years after the story of the Hobbit, I don't see how any writer moves these characters down the road of their lives without introducing OCs, especially for a love interest. In the case of Fili and Kili...there aren't any female dwarf canon characters who can act as potential mates, so if I'm going to speculate about their lives if they'd survived BOTFA, then I either have to leave them as bachelors (which isn't very realistic...Sons of Durin would certainly be pressured to marry and make heirs...) or introduce romantic interests. If it's any consolation, I did run my OCs through UNC's online MarySue test...and they score low "non-MarySue" in the ranking. Some readers think ANY non-canon romantic interest is an automatic Mary Sue...but no, sorry. There's an actual definition...google it.
Hoping that the lassies presented in the story would be the sort believably partnered to these guys, had their characters lived. I looked at Eowyn and Arwen as canon characters who find partners, and did honestly work on developing the dwarven equivalents. That said, I can certainly respect alternate opinions!
It's an AU! I invite you to roll with it... ;D