~ Okay, so thanks much to those who read my first story and liked it! and to anyone new...well hopefully my writing doesn't scare ya off! well here's to a new one and may you all enjoy!~
Fili fiddled with the hem of his new tunic which was itchy and rough against his skin and was bothering him to no end, in fact the entirety of what he was wearing was bothering him. He couldn't get comfortable whilst in these new cloths. His mother had spent months having him and Kili stand to do measurements, she'd bought rich fabrics, spent days and nights pulling, prodding, pinning and sewing until he and Kili were "presentable heirs". Now here he was, outside his and Kili's room waiting for the younger who was throwing a fit about said cloths.
Fili's were for all intense and purpose, more princely because their momma loved to dress him up (an event Fili had come to just grin and bear because there was no fighting her on it). She'd chosen reds, deep, rich reds that off set his gold hair and blue eyes. "They made him glow" as she had said about a million times. The outer coat was a blood toned color, dashing and luxurious to touch, printed with his mark and set with a black fur trim. His under shirt was a silk, white and soft against his skin. His trousers a lighter red and also set with his mark, his boots where fine leather trimmed in the black wolf fur, his hair held his familiar braids but new adornments were weaved in, rubies and garnets, his fingers adorned with heavy rings and he really wanted these gone, they were foreign and made his movements slow and unbalanced. He had his swords strapped on him and his boots held his throwing axes, his entire being had hidden knives ...at least the ones he could sneak with out momma noticing.
He sighed, causing the braids of his mustache to sway, Kili was taking to long. However just as he thought this Kili left the room And Fili couldn't help but be in awe of the moment.
Kili looked so grown up. Gone were his weather beaten clothes. The outer jacket was a saphire blue velvet and lined with a soft white rabbits fur, his under shirt was white and not unlike Fili's, his trousers, where a green blue and had his mark on them and his boots a dark leather, Fili noticed his hair was adorned with new things too. No braids, Kili didn't tolerate braids, but he did notice the clasp he'd made for Kili was replaced with a peal carved one and he instantly knew that Kili hated it. His arrows were strapped to his back and his bow, but Fili noticed the rings on his hands too. Irritated brown eyes met equally irritated blue and they both laughed deeply. this was dumb.
All of this to impress Dain Ironfoot. The Iron hills lord was to arrive at any time now and their mother and uncle were drilling them into perfect princes and all of this to make sure the iron hills dwarf was satiated through the negotiations for this years coming winter.
Kili had begun pulling off his rings and Fili had too, no need for such things, the rings were shoved into their pockets, they'd pawn them off later for some coin.
Fili reached over to ruffle Kili's hair affectionately one last time before Dain arrived because they were not allowed to do that when he was in their home/presence. Fili couldn't understand why his uncle was bowing to the whim of a lesser dwarf but he let it go (for the moment).
"looking good little brother." he smiled. Kili chuckled and affectionately batted his hand away and met his eyes, Kili's stubbled face broke into a grin as he looked Fili over. "not my thing...not like you fee. You always look so pretty when your dressed up. I mean Really; a lass such as yourself ought not be out unescorted!" he joked and Fili punched him in the arm none to gently.
"quiet whelp!" Fili said and Kili softened a bit, Fili did too. "lets try and get through this in one piece okay."
He said and drew Kili into a light hug, Thorin had told them to get it out of their systems, that they were going to be in separate rooms and that any displays of affection were not okay (at least not their brand of affection) as thorin put it whilst trying to not smirk because the idea was ridiculous at best, his nephews were attached at the hip. No hugging no hanging off of each other (which both fii and kili scoffed at...they didn't "hang" off one another). Which meant they had to become the opposite of themselves.
Kili sunk into the embrace and held onto his brother tight, he was going to miss hanging out with his brother for a while..well properly at least he had no doubt that they would be sneaking into each others rooms to catch up. But this wasn't just any meeting between the clans..it was also a meeting to find Fili a potential wife and Kili detested this as did Fili, so Kili made it his priority to decide to sabotage this. Fili would not be getting married or start courting yet..he'd decided to spy on the potential mate. Fili knew none of this...yet.
Dis resisted the urge to feel to badly for her boys but she failed, one would think they would have gotten tired of each other after 70 some odd years of being close, but the years seemed to draw them closer instead of further apart and it was like a slap to the face to suddenly be cut off like this. She saw how stressed out Fili already was and how rigid he looked as he clung on to his brother, and how broken Kili looked as he clung back. Neither wanted Fili married off, in truth neither did Dis, Fili was still a boy, barley even 65. still a child.
She noticed both of them had taken off their rings and resisted an eye roll, she knew they would be gone in a matter of moments. She cleared her throat and they broke apart slowly ;knowing it was her, Kili clinging on a moment longer as she approached. Her long black hair not unlike Thorin and Kili's, but longer and held back in braids and a silver clasp, her short beard cropped and neat, her fierce blue eyes lingering on them , but a soft smile adorned her lips. She wore a purple dress of velvet and silk, silver embroidery on it and her boots clipped the stone floors of Thorin's halls.
"give me the rings boys."
They sighed in unison and handed her the rings, how'd she know? She pocketed them and looked at them evenly. "now, I know we are asking a lot of you two and I don't like the idea of separating you," she watched them slip suspiciously happy looks to each other, as if they had made a bet on this. "and if you slip off to see each other in the middle of the night it'll be our little secret..however during the day I expect absolute decorum. Understood?"
They nodded, both solemn and upset and she sighed, pressing kisses to both of their brows and smiled when they looked up at her. "my handsome lads." she said quietly before turning back into the princess of erebor and the boys frowned deeper. "okay, remember what we discussed" she asked and quirked a fine eyebrow at them and watched as they moved further apart, slowly, and almost instantaneously Kili began to nervously fidget and Fili seemed to be struggling with some internal demon. However, Thorin had said they were to keep a respectful distance and were to be absolutly perfect. She would be damned if Dain Ironfoot won any type of battle here and the princess in her was proud of her sons, but the mother was dieing a slow slow death at how her boys looked. It wasn't their fault they were so close,it wasn't their fault they were best friends, or that Mahal had condemned their family to tortures like this, but here they were and they would take this in stride...or at least till she broke and yelled at Thorin for putting them through this. She didn't quite understand why thorin allowed Dain Ironfoot to come in and take comtroll of his house , her house like this.
Fili was suddenly not her son any more, but a prince, the change had been quick as he fought his inner turmoil and decided to get things over with; 'that would be the Thorin in him' Dis thought as he began leading the way to the inner annex of the home, he had prefected this strut that often had her comparing him to a lion. And the title had stuck, 'Fili the lion prince' 'the lion of Durin'
and she wouldn't change it, he was proud and loyal and loving, always happy and helpful and he was a perfect prince already and that was why she didn't like the mask he put on to try and make thorin proud. It wasn't Fili.
It was a gold version of Thorin.
Her eyes flicked to Kili who was now brooding and stalking quietly behind his arms length behind and two away. Right now he looked like a large bird of pray, and she couldn't say she liked it wasn't Kili, he was supposed to be a little whirlwind, running around laughing and causeing chaos like he always did. Laughing and playing pranks woth his was supposed to be right there next to Fili, like his shadow. Not away. This wasn't her little wolf...this was a darker being.
She fumed inside. She wasn't going to let this go , no mother would. They'd been drilling the boys non stop for a week to prepare them, to teach them how to behave and how to act and they had taken it in stride...well pretended too. Fili had gone with it like he was tend to do, he bore with long lectures, classes, lessons and all with the grace he was given to make sure he made them proud. Kili had not tacken any of this well. He slept during Balins classes, ignored his mothers lessons, tried to listen to thorin but got destracted and then begged Fili to help him later because he didnt want to mess up and Dis knew all of this because she was also by then making their cloths. Both were weighed down by the gravity of the situation and she would fix it.
Because she'd be damned if all of this was just to marry off her eldest boy.
As they made their way through the annex and into the entry hall, to greet the party undoubtably waiting outside Kili wished to just then and there ruin everything. He could do it, he had the means, but; he didn't wish to humiliate fili, mama or uncle Thorin. Not like that. No he would plan this out and then sabatoge everything when he knew dain couldnt back out. Thorin was waiting for them. Tall,dark and intimidating, however that was a facade. Thorin wasn't intimidating around them, only when company came 'round. He wanted to wave but he couldnt break right now and ruin everything so he settled for scuffing his boot on the floor and looking at the ground, uncle only really needed Fili to be there any way.
He was the secound prince, a back up incase Fili, Mahal save him, wasn't upset about that, he wasn't jealous; because Fili had to learn and do a lot of boring things that Kili didnt. Kili just hated being dragged into said boring things.
Thorin offered them a small approving smile before joining them and pushing open the heavy doors, revealing Dain Ironfoot and his company.