Longest A/N I've ever written... bear with me. Please.
Culture for this story: Erebor was never lost, yadda yadda yadda. Relationships between two men are saccepted, as the male-female ratio... well... kind of means they have to. However, those of the line of Durin are expected to reproduce, so none of that for them. Incestuous relationships are frowned on and usually not spoken of, but not regarded as especially sinful. Oh yes, and dwarves sense their One within a certain radius, but only after both are of age. If one is of age but another is not, there's only a subtle, unnoticeable pull between the two.
Every ten years in the mountain of Erebor, a month-long festival is held: creatively named the Ten-Years Celebration. The dwarves of Middle-Earth gather to renew alliances and catch up. Most of all, however, the celebration honors the line of Durin (specifically, deceased monarchs, the current king, and the crown prince; anyone farther than one step from the throne is not considered royal for the festival's purposes) and their long rule.
Some customs that revolve around the ruling family include an epic poem recited about each of the past monarchs. Then the living members of the line read a few sentences describing the most important (personal) event of the year for every year they have been alive. These are later used to compose their postmortem epic.
The most complex ceremonies have to do with the One of the King and Crown Prince. Every ten-year, the monarch makes a public show of his stable relationship with his mate, and his One shows off how much they trust their king. This is supposed to symbolize the King's strong, loving relationship with his kingdom.
It's slightly different when a Prince finds his One for the first time. They are free to consummate as soon as they want, but cannot tell anyone until the beginning of the Ten-Year Ceremony. Any physical relationship is also begun on the understanding that their bond may be broken during the festival.
On the third day of the Ten-Year Festival, the Crown Prince is supposed to announce he has found his One. This is always a huge event, accompanied by even more celebration.
The people elect a council of five respected dwarves, whose job it is to test whether or not the Prince and his One have or can have an unbreakable relationship.
The eight councilmen then summon the Prince on the fifth day to a public questioning, where each council member asks one question of the heir that must be answered truthfully. The one restriction on these questions is that the heir is not allowed to utter the name of his prospective mate, in order to prevent bias on the judges' part. The council writes down one question each for the One of the prince, who responds via notes that are returned to the council by the heir on the sixth day of the festival. Through all this, only the Prince can look on his One's face, and his One is hidden away to help keep her identity secret.
On the seventh day, every council member privately creates one test for each half of the partnership, basing them off of what they know of the heir and what they have learned of the One. These are designed to target weaknesses in the relationship, on the theory that either the bond will break or the relationship will grow unbreakably strong. They are usually fairly insignificant tests, more amusement and reassurance for the people than actual test for the monarchs, but if the council feels the bond is unfit, they can be intense, humiliating, or very, very, sexual. In fact, there are only three rules- the prince can't be injured, his mate cannot be permanently injured, and the test must either be symbolic to the prince's reign or test the character flaws of his mate.
On the ninth day, every council member gives over his list of tests to the king, who will hold them and see that they are not changed. Then, the first two tests are announced and the Prince reveals his One to the people.
That night, the Prince and his One are given a night to consummate their union (usually only symbolically, as in most cases this has been done). In the morning, they say goodbye, as they will not see each other, except for during the tests, until all the tests are complete ten days later. The One will be kept in the lowest level of the mines, among the poorest visitors to Erebor, and the Prince will stay in the top of the mountain.
All tests but the most sexual are held publicly. I think you see where I'm going with this, and thanks for sticking with me.
Four years ago to the day, Fili had come of age. He had fully expected to sense his One within the day. He had even found the most likely candidate; a handsome dwarf woman he had grown up with. She had a long, silky beard with elaborate braids, and he liked her well enough. When he was a child, he sometimes played in the Mountain with her, and he always had fun, if not so much as when Kili was with him. So he had been somewhat surprised when he sensed nothing with her for a full month after they were both of age. When they were together, he squinched his eyes shut and looked hard for the connection. He felt nothing but an elbow in his side as Kili signaled him that somebody had asked a question.
Two months after his coming-of-age, Fili's childhood friend introduced Fili to her One.
The next three years flew by with no feelings stirring for Fili. Only the same old urge to protect his little brother from everything. He began to be worried- it was rare for a One to be this much younger than her counterpart. And he had visited with all the dwarf women in Erebor within five years of his age, feeling nothing. Perhaps this mysterious dwarf woman lived far away, too far to be sensed. Maybe- he shuddered- he had no One, like Thrain's brother who only reproduced by lying with prostitutes who had lost their One.
All of his friends had found their Ones within a month of their coming-of-age, which only served to make him feel even more the odd one out. And as the years passed, they began to tease him. Good-naturedly at first, but then with more and more malice. Fili didn't mind at first, but as time went by one eventually came up with the thought that had worried him most, phrased almost exactly as it mocked him in his mind.
"Well, my friend, it looks like no dwarrowdam would be with you for all the gold in Erebor. You must have no One, and any who lies with you now must be the worst of the whores." It was not meant to hurt, and yet Fili's eyes welled with tears. He was horrified- he hadn't cried in years- and had just managed to cover it up when Kili's voice joined in.
"I suppose you could not pay a Man to lie with you, my brother." Everything about the jibe was joking, but the water in Fili's eyes overflowed, and he turned and left before anyone could see.
All too soon, it was only a week until Kili's coming-of-age. There was a small celebration planned, and the festivities were supposed to continue a month later when the Ten-Year Celebration occurred for the fourth time in Fili's life.
Fili planned to leave right after the Celebration. If there was no dwarf at the Ten-Year Celebration right for him, then the dwarf must live over a month's journey away or farther. He would travel to the ends of Middle-Earth to find his other half, and then he would return triumphant and take his place as King after Thorin.
Then Kili broke the news.
"I think I've found my One, brother."
It was late the night before Kili came of age, and the brothers were lying in their shared room under the Mountain.
"What's she like?" Fili did not trust himself to say any more.
"Beautiful." Kili's voice grew dreamy. "Long brown beard like nothing you've ever seen, uses an axe. She's a miner."
"Well, I suppose her beard should make up for your lack of one." Fili hadn't meant to spit the words, but they came out venomous and cold.
Kili's eyes widened as he realized his mistake. "I'm sorry. I really am. But you shouldn't worry about it. You're a great dwarf, and handsome too. Someone will arrive, probably at the Celebration. Then she can go through the tests and be your mate."
"You're lucky, Kili." Fili spoke without emotion. "This dwarrowdam of yours won't have to go through tests to be with you, because you're not royal. And you won't be marrying in to the line of Durin, because you're already in. You can forget the tests, but my One will be facing humiliation and pain."
"And they'll go through them, for you."
"Good luck with your One, tomorrow." Fili smiled.
"She'll be watching as Thorin announces my majority."
The brothers rolled over as one and went to sleep.
Kili smiled down at the beautiful miner as he took the stage next to Thorin. Most of the city was watching as he reached his majority, and many were waiting just to see if he'd find his One. Many more were half-hoping they'd be it. The woman he was sure was his One probably wasn't hoping this. To her, he was nothing but another dwarf she'd known growing up, albeit a high-born one. All that, he was confident, would change in three... two... one...
"-and I declare you an adult dwarf of Erebor, prince, archer, and warrior, free to find his One. Kili of the line of Durin, younger prince of Erebor!" Thorin raised Kili from his knees.
Feeling hit Kili like an arrow. It was like all Gandalf's best fireworks at once going off in his head. It was also somehow like all the good food he'd ever tasted. This had to be the feeling of his One. He opened his eyes and scanned the faces of the crowd. None of the faces, he could tell, was simply right. Nor was his miner. Kili wilted. He could sense his other half so near... so familiar... but not in the crowd. Now whoever-it-was was moving away, faster and faster.
"I take it you haven't found your One." Thorin had seen Kili's slump.
Kili opened his mouth to say something, but Thorin had moved on to addressing the crowd.
"My nephew is an adult! Celebrations will continue in the banquet hall. We have food for all." The crowd began to trickle away towards the promise of sustenance.
All the while, Kili could feel his One getting away, heading towards the bowels of the Mountain. He wrenched away from Thorin's hand, muttering an excuse, and dashed away after the elusive feeling.
Thorin had missed nothing. He watched Kili go with a faint smile. The boy had obviously felt something. Now if only Fili would be so lucky...
Fili was hiding out in a corner of a grain storeroom. He knew it would be no help. Kili was coming closer... closer... Thoughts raced through Fili's mind.
This is all a mistake, this has to be, he thought. I am the crown prince-my One is female! She will help me carry on Durin's line! What's more, my One shouldn't be my brother! Nobody, not even elves, has a relationship like-like that, with their family! Can I just... have a One and not do anything about it, and just use the bond as one of brothers?
Then Kili opened the door and all that went out the window. When had he gotten so... attractive? Just seeing his little brother made Fili mad with desire. Fili pulled his little brother in and moved in for a long, lingering kiss, only to be repulsed. Kili's eyes were wide with shock.
"It's... it's you." Kili couldn't seem to form words.
"Well, yes. Who were you expecting, an orc? Of course it's me." Fili honestly couldn't understand why Kili was putting off what all this was so obviously building up to- their first joining.
"You're my One."
"It would seem so."
"And... and this doesn't bother you? We're brothers!"
Fili blinked slowly. "Yes... yes it does. I can't think how I forgot. But it doesn't matter now. If you don't want it, then I certainly shan't take you against your will."
It was Kili's turn to backtrack, although, later, he couldn't remember what made him change his mind. "Nononononononono, who said anything about me not wanting something of you. I do, I want you here and now and hard. Make me remember this moment for the rest of my life."
"I rather think you won't forget this, anyway..." mumbled Fili. "But now I think of it, if we are to join now, it had better not be here. At least we should do it in bed."
Kili grumbled but eventually allowed Fili to carry him to their rooms, sneaking through shadows and dodging through archways, making every effort to remain unseen by those celebrating Kili's coming of age.
Fili laid Kili down carefully on the bed. "Are you sure, Kee?" he asked softly.
Kili's eyes were half-lidded with lust. "Of course I'm sure! I was sure... I can't think how long ago. Probably at least twenty minutes. Come on!"
Fili pounced on his brother with an almost-feral growl.
As their mouths were about to meet in a heated kiss, Kili spoke. "Have you... have you ever..."
Fili knew automatically what he was getting at. "No." It was not uncommon for underage dwarves to experiment with others, but Fili never had. He had simply not been desired by the dwarf women, and had not wanted to try for the men. "Have- have-"
Kili reddened and pulled away from Fili. "I, yes, yes once. But it was many years ago, and he-"
"He?" Fili's entire mood darkened with rage. "Did you allow him inside of you?"
"I don't-"
Fili couldn't explain why, but an anger unlike anything he had ever felt overtook him. He threw back his head and screamed.
Leaning down, he silenced his brother's mouth with his own and brutally ripped off Kili's pants. He shoved a finger up inside him and began to cursorily stretch his One as he dashed oil over himself, needing to get inside and erase the stain that Kili's onetime lover had left.
Kili shook against his brother. "Take me, please, please, now, fast!" He dissolved into an incoherent tirade of words, every syllable slurred into the next. "Fuck me, please, now! I can't wait any more..." He bucked his hips up into Fili's hands.
His older brother's senses returned, the lust brought on by this first time with his One gone. He rolled off his brother, turning to face the wall. "I don't think I can, now. I believe you remember the day someone told me any who would lie with me would be nothing but a whore. I also think you may have just validated it." As soon as he said it, he regretted the words, but also didn't trust himself to speak. No matter who Kili had been with in the past, Fili could sense how innocent he still was, and didn't want to lose control to the overwhelming lust he knew would hit him every time he saw Kili until their bond was consummated.
Kili lay there shocked for a moment. His worst fears had been confirmed, all in one moment. Fili hated him... thought he was nothing but a common slut, and all from one mistake he didn't even remember.
The dwarven warrior towered over Kili, who had never seen anything like him. In fact, looking around, there were many things here he had never before seen. It was his first time in a pub, and his friends had abandoned him to go chase the lasses, leaving Kili alone with the warriors staying in the nearby inn.
The warrior-Mahal, he was huge- leaned down to stroke Kili's head, then whispered something to his companions, who guffawed.
"Pretty little thing, isn't he," said a muscled, tattooed dwarf. "I bet he'll be sweet."
Kili smiled agreeably up from his mug of beer. Everything was kind of mushy and blurry, and he felt soft, like being cradled in a cloud. He stepped forward and hugged the tough warrior. "I'm ver' ver' sweet," he slurred. "And you're very very big and scary." Kili giggled. "Hey, that rhymed!"
A smallish dwarf joined the group around Kili. "Don't do it, Vor," he warned. "He's too drunk. And underage, and I'll bet he hasn't done anything before."
Vor looked down contemplatively at Kili. "I could almost leave him alone, but he's just too beautiful- it's the chance of a lifetime to have one as pretty as this in my bed. I can bet there'll be dwarves lined up to be with him soon, so I had better take my chance while I've got it."
Kili hadn't caught all of the words, but couldn't mistake the suddenly predatory tone. He pulled away and started to weave over to his friend, who he saw over by the beer.
Vor reached out and caught his wrist. "Come with me, pretty thing. I'll take good care of you."
Kili waved drunkenly as he was forcibly dragged out of the bar, smiling agreeably up at his captor as they entered a stand of trees. "It's nice in here, isn't it? I like this tree. And this tree, and this one..." He trailed off as Vor held his hands above his head and began to undress him like a child. "What're you doing now?"
"You may be off-your-head-drunk, but you're not naive. What do you think I'm doing?" Kili found himself shoved up against a tree. He realized, with a shock, what the warrior meant to do.
"NO! No, please, no, no, no, I don't want to, please, Vor! You can't just do this!" Kili began to struggle.
"Oh, young one..." he heard Vor say, then remembered nothing else from that night.
Kili crawled over to Fili. "I'm so sorry, Fili. I never meant to, I really didn't. I just didn't know what was happening, and Vor, he was so much bigger, and I don't know." He laid a chaste kiss on his brother's brow, and lay down to go to sleep.
Just to clarify (as if I didn't have enough author notes here) every time Fili and Kili engage in anything sexual, they will feel uncontrollable lust, until they have consummated. Sorry about the crappy writing... but hey! Half-asleep here! And hopefully the ceremonies will begin in a chapter or so.