Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit.


A/N: Hi everyone!

I'm back with the third installment of King of Erebor. Although it's a part of the series, give it a chance if you haven't read the prequels! I'll give every information needed, but you can find a short summary of what happened so far below. I hope you'll like it!

SV


King of Erebor – Poison

Sick

Fíli said goodbye to Nori with a smirk. The other dwarf took a turn that was leading away from his own home, and Fíli had no doubt where he went in such a hurry.

Nori was lucky enough to find love thanks to the old tradition that was revived this year in Erebor. A long time ago every spring, interested dwarrowdams went on a journey to find their One. Based on this idea, Dís, Fíli's mother, decided to organize an event, called the Spring Tour of Love with the help of Dáin's wife, Vera. They invited a group of dwarrowdams from the Iron Hills to settle down and look for a husband in Erebor. Dís' idea was to create a safe and comfortable environment, where everyone can focus on their heart's desire, but Nori managed to circumvent the system and had a secret affair for months. Many would wonder how he tricked young and pretty Alin into seeing him, but he was just as smitten as the lass, despite having difficulties with recognizing his feelings.

In the end, their secret relationship got revealed in front of a few people. Nori, in a misguided attempt to protect her from his unsavory contacts and shady past, tried to break up with her, but with a little intervention, they made up and were now on the way to 'slowly let their friends know about their acquaintance'.

Fíli suspected that Nori also had commitment issues, since he'd rarely stayed in one place for a long time before the Quest. Nori wasn't alone with this problem: taking back the Lonely Mountain was a dream come true, but this new life was very different from their old one. Living constantly underground made Fíli restless, and as King under the Mountain, he had to face new challenges daily. He'd just said goodbye to the elves of Lórien, and managed to imprison a couple of dangerous criminals, so he decided to take a few days off, and went on a hunting trip.

His first choice for company would have been his little brother, but Kíli was still missing. Fortunately, Nori proved to be a great companion, just as reckless as Kíli, but more adept at getting himself out of trouble. Fíli could fully relax and rewind, and they talked a lot. He found these conversations trying at first, because Nori had a roundabout way to bring up serious topics, disguised as merely theoretical or meaningless, but after a while, he learned to read between the lines and he realized that Nori was always saying a lot. Perhaps he was even more of an asset for a king than Fíli had previously thought.

Before returning to his own chambers, he knocked on his mother's door first. She greeted him with a smothering hug, and a less enthusiastic comment:

"Mahal, Fee, were you on a hunting trip or on a boozing trip?"

Fíli grinned. "We spent the night in Dale," he answered happily, not willing to share the details. "But I'm back now. Is your spellstone finished?"

"Yes," she said. "I'll get it for you, but first, take a bath, then come over."

After the small detour, Fíli finally arrived at his study. He nodded to Ronen, his daytime bodyguard, who was guarding the royal quarters in his absence. His stony face revealed no emotion now. They had an argument before Fíli left: Ronen was very dutiful and loyal, and he didn't approve of Fíli going out without protection. Fortunately, he wouldn't deny explicit orders, so Fíli could get away, and no one entered his rooms in the last few days.

Half an hour later, he was soaking in the bathtub, trying to untangle his messy hair – he wasn't surprised that the good folks of Dale didn't recognize him in this state!

After that, he checked his correspondence to see if there was any news of Kíli.

His little brother had left months ago, and Fíli promised his worrying mother to go and take a protective spellstone after him, if he didn't come back until the Lórien elves' departure. He offered to leave immediately, but Dís was aware of her son's need for some free time, so they agreed to wait until after the hunting trip.

With a few unkind Khuzdul words, he went to his wardrobe to pack up a new bag, before unpacking what he brought home from the hunting trip. Dwalin used to say that a sensible dwarf always had one fully packed bag, in case he had to leave without delay.

His mind was already planning a route for the upcoming search.

Kíli went off on a quest of his own, to find out if his budding romance with that she-elf was more than a mere crush. Fíli was torn: he truly wanted his little brother to find happiness, and he would support him, whoever he chooses, yet… it would be easier for everyone if his quest failed.

Fortunately, Kíli had no idea where to find her. After the battle, Tauriel returned to Mirkwood, Fíli knew that much. Kíli didn't, since he was delirious with fever at that time, but the obvious choice would be to start there. Earlier, Fíli had a fleeting thought to write to Thranduil about this matter in their monthly correspondence, but he decided against it. The Elvenking made no mention of his brother, and Fíli didn't want to complicate the tentative balance between the two realms. A quick personal visit without notification would reveal more. If no one heard of either Kíli or Tauriel, then he had no idea where to go next.

He stuffed a bag with clothes and he was hiding weapons in the fabric, when someone tore open the door to his study.

"Fíli!" he heard a female voice. "King!"

He was intrigued – he wasn't used to having dwarrowdams break into his room in such a hurry. He especially wouldn't assume such a thing about this particular dwarrowdam: his mother's cartographer, who was clever enough to find a passable way across Middle Earth during the winter to bring Dís here, thus earning her trust. She was staying in Erebor since then, quickly impressing Fíli with both her knowledge and her level-headed personality lately. She also had a talent to unsettle him without causing harm. He wondered what could upset her so.

"Yes?"

He walked out to meet her. They were sort-of-friends, but Fíli found himself in a really awkward situation, because he still didn't know her name, but asking now would be rather embarrassing.

The dwarrowdam was out of breath, her face stricken with panic.

"You mother is sick!"

Fíli shook his head.

"I've just talked to her, and she was fine."

"She isn't fine now!" the dwarrowdam growled. "We were talking and drinking tea one moment, and in the next, whoops! She started coughing and choking, and I didn't know what to do! She didn't want to call for a healer, so I tried patting her back, and giving her tea, but she was still heaving, and I gave her a bowl and came to fetch you!"

This didn't make sense.

His mother had never been sick.

The worry struck him as a lightning, and he forgot about his newly-packed bag, the unpacked one, his plans, his brother… All he knew was that he couldn't allow his mother to come to harm.

They were closer than the average mother and son – his father died a long time ago and Thorin and their cousins were always traveling for work, so he had to help out a lot. With his mother, they always found a way to put food on the table for one more day, to keep their little cottage tidy, and to lead the small community in Thorin's absence that remained loyal to the heirs of Durin. Kíli was there too – he was his best friend, his brother, his partner in crime – but since Fíli was the older, most of the responsibilities fell on him. Many would say that his childhood wasn't ideal, that he had to grow up too quickly, but he didn't regret one moment of it.

His mother was the strongest woman he'd known, and they supported each other unconditionally, and there was nothing he wouldn't do for her.

He rushed to her rooms, his heart breaking at the sight.

"Amad!" he cried out, crouching down next to Dís. She was sitting on the ground, swaying as she tried to bend over the bowl. "Get water!" he snapped at the cartographer.

She quickly returned with a full cup of crystal clear water. Fíli gently eased his mother back from the bowl, holding her steadily. He managed to get a few drops of water between her lips, but she spat it out immediately.

"Burns!" she squeezed the word out between two gulps of air, clutching her throat. "It burns!"

Fíli, confused, checked the temperature of the water in the cup, but it was pleasantly cold.

"It's cold," he said, trying to keep his voice soothing and convincing. "I'm going to help you," he promised.

His presence seemed to calm Dís, and when she relaxed, he touched the cup to her mouth again. With quick reflexes, he managed to get her to swallow some, but the effect was immediate: she pushed him away just in time, as she threw up on the floor.

This scared Fíli.

He spotted Ronen standing near the doorway.

"Get Óin now!" he ordered, and his guard left him with the dwarrowdams.

The cartographer was standing from one foot to the other nervously, which annoyed Fíli. Why can't she keep her usual indifferent countenance?

"Tell me what happened!" he asked her a little too forcefully, ignoring his mother's protestations against needing a healer.

"I told you!" she answered on a shaky voice.

"That's not enough. Try to remember more details!"

"We were chatting, she complained about an upset stomach, so she made herself another cup of chamomile tea, which was supposed to help, but she was only halfway through her cup when she cried out in pain. Then I went for you. Maybe she's eaten something wrong?" she finished, seemingly at a loss.

"She didn't throw up any food," Fíli said, helping up his mother from the floor. She sat down on a chair, resting her head on the edge of the table. She was breathing heavily and clutching her stomach, clearly still in pain. Fíli tried soothing her by rubbing her back, but her eyes were shut tightly, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. Fíli checked her temperature, but she wasn't feverish – yet.

Where was Óin when he was needed?!

The cartographer was too restless to stay still, and the clanging of the plates alerted Fíli.

"What are you doing?"

"Cleaning up," she replied on a small voice.

"Stop it," he said harshly. "It might tell Óin what's wrong."

They continued to wait in silence: Fíli completely focusing on his mother, who made a few weak attempts to regain her dignity and shrug off his fussing, but it took too much energy and she gave up.

Finally, Óin arrived. He went through the same questions as Fíli, and checked the contents of the table.

"Dís wouldn't accidentally poison herself," he mumbled. "Does anyone know what she ate today?"

The door opened again, and Dwalin walked in. He hid his worry better than Fíli, but he crouched down beside Dís too, gently rubbing her cheek. She let out a strangled sob, in pain or in relief, no one knew.

Dwalin immediately took charge of the situation.

"Let's get her on the bed," he said, lifting her. Fíli went ahead to make her bed, while the cartographer helped to navigate through the rooms and doors. Óin followed them.

"When did she start having symptoms?" the healer asked.

Everyone turned to the cartographer for an answer.

"About half an hour ago. I immediately went to get him," she pointed at Fíli.

"She was fine when I came back from my trip an hour before that," Fíli added.

"Actually, no," the cartographer corrected him. "She was already complaining about her stomach by then, but she didn't want to worry you. She thought it might pass, but…"

This felt like a slap on his face. Amad always tried to hide her pain, be it physical or emotional. He was usually very sensitive to catch the smallest signs of her distress, how could he miss it now?

"Then it's probably the food," Óin declared. "We have to keep her under inspection, but I wouldn't worry yet. Considering that we're talking about her, I won't suggest any treatment. Water or a calming tea usually helps, but sometimes, a little rest is what does the trick." Óin paused, scratching his beard. "Something is going around, maybe we should check the food stores. Many came in with complaints of abdominal discomfort. She should be fine by the morning, but if she isn't, I'll come back."

Óin left. Dís was lying in her bed, and the three others were staring at her, mortified. Dwalin was the first to snap to action.

"You two, get out."

The cartographer only protested by dragging her feet as slowly as she could, but Fíli wasn't so meek.

"I won't leave her alone!" he growled. His worry was too great to keep his temper in check anymore, but Dwalin could take it in stride and won't hold it against him. "I can't leave her! She's sick, for Mahal's sake, she needs me!"

Dwalin grabbed his shoulders, and forcibly removed the young king from the room.

"She needs you to do what I say, and I'm saying that you and the lass should go back to the sitting room and wait for me!"

"No!"

"Stop this whining!" Dwalin growled back. "Allow her some modesty, she needs to get out of these clothes. You can come back after that."

Fíli was too upset to listen to reason, but Dwalin knew that and simply shut the door in his face. Fíli had a few unkind thoughts, but the cartographer touched his shoulder, and quietly led him back to the sitting room and pushed him into an armchair.

"Do you want a cup of tea?" she asked timidly.

"No!" he growled, sinking into the pillows to sulk. She still put an empty cup in front of him. He shot her an accusing glare. "I told you I don't want anything!"

She placed an unopened bottle of Best Friend next to the cup.

"Dís says this is your favorite drink, although she calls it 'foul brandy'."

Fíli acknowledged her words with a grunt. He didn't like that his mother was giving out such sensitive information about him. It was indeed his favorite drink, but he said he didn't want anything because he felt he had no right to feel better while his mother was suffering. He eyed the bottle, longing for the comforting burning taste, but didn't reach for it. Meanwhile, the dwarrowdam sat down on the other side of the table, fussing with what was probably the remains of her tea.

The familiar clatter of spoon and cup lulled Fíli into a relaxed state. He looked at the strange dwarrowdam opposite him: he wondered how she became his mother's closest friend and confidant. The cartographer tried her best to regain her usual indifference, going through the motions with particular focus, but there was a small crease between her eyebrows which belied her calmness. She stood and went to the cupboard, where Amad kept the alcoholic beverages. She chose a bottle of Starling's Plum: a sweet, but strong fruity liquor from the Dunlands. He watched curiously as she poured a small amount into her cup: he was surprised that his mother was having tea with someone who drank such a 'disgusting concoction'. Amad liked the natural taste of the herbs, and often scolded her sons for ruining it with sugar.

He finally relented and reached for the Best Friend, when the dwarrowdam across him gasped, and jumped up from her seat.

"The tea!" she squealed. "Something's wrong with my tea!"


A/N: Thanks for reading! Next chapter is coming on Monday. Now, drop me a few words in the box below! Or just follow/favorite, if you like it so far!

Here are the promised summaries:

King of Erebor – A New Home: A year after the Battle of Five Armies, Dís invites a group of dwarrowdams from the Iron Hills. She hopes to marry off the bachelors of the Company, but the guys are a little reluctant. Kíli is still thinking about Tauriel, and after a little flirting, he decides to go and find out what happened to her. Fíli, who got his heart broken years ago, is not interested, so he sulks and avoids the dwarrowdams. He's also struggling a bit with his role as King under the Mountain, since he feels Thorin is constantly meddling. The dwarrowdams try to fit in, but one of them, Raya goes missing, and Fíli finds out that her conservative parents are behind her disappearance. On the chase, he is joined by a dwarrowdam, the cartographer who brought Dís to Erebor as soon as possible, and she proves to be a valuable ally. In the end, he starts to realize that being king is about a lot more than parading around in a crown and that his private wishes and desires can't stand in the way of his responsibility.

King of Erebor – Justice: The trial of Raya's parents turns into a tragedy, but there isn't much time to process their feelings, since Fíli apparently invited the Lórien elves to Erebor without the approval of his council. Fíli was working with Bard on this alliance: the elves are going to heal their desolate lands, so they can grow their own food. Still, most dwarves aren't as open-minded as Fíli, and he has a few altercations with Thorin on the matter. When the elves' work is coming close to its end, Fíli has to deal with another problem: a dwarf, Varni, uses the Spring Tour to harass dwarrowdams into being his wife. His first attempt fails, as he accidentally chooses Nori's secret lover, Alin, as his victim. Alin's friends trick Varni into another attempt, leading Fíli to catch him in the act. Varni turns out to be a skilled criminal, trading stolen merchandise. His accomplices escape, stealing what belongs to the elves, and Fíli and the others chase them. Throughout these adventures, he also tries to console Kasia, the dwarrowdam whom Kíli flirted with and left behind, which turns into an easy friendship, and the cartographer keeps putting him into awkward situations while helping him all the way. Meanwhile, Kíli is trapped in Mirkwood by Legolas: he has to nurse a sick Tauriel.