Title: Being Just Fíli
Summary: Sometimes being who you are is more important than being who you are meant to be.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit.
A/N: NO FLAMES! Not accepted.
2nd A/N: I got this idea from another story I read, now there are some parallels, if the Author of said inspiration reads and feels it's too similar let me know and I'll take this down and try out some different for the parts that are reminiscent or the same as your fic. I do apologise.
Thorin and Kíli – stupid stupid Kíli – had both been injured in the Orc attack near Rivendell and Fíli was sitting vigil at their bedsides. Lord Elrond had asked his youngest daughter, Elanor, to stay in the healing room with the three Royals. Gandalf spoke to Fíli out on the balcony after getting the rightful King of Erebor breathing again. The conversation – Elanor tried not to eavesdrop but it was hard being an elf and all – didn't go well. Ending in the Crown Prince storming back inside the room and sinking down next to his brother. Gandalf simply gave Elanor the key he had taken from Thorin's neck earlier that day and had just tried to have Fíli take. The Wizard then left the pair alone with their charges. Elanor moved to stand beside Fíli. He looked up at her when her hand rested on his shoulder.
"You are right Little Prince." She said, her voice was soothing and Fíli almost broke into tears at her words, "but you should not take your role in this so lightly. You may have been asked by your mother to look after your brother and not make your Uncle's life harder than it already was – and yet it is who you are that counts. Not what you are or what you're supposed to be." She said.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that who you are is a brother, a nephew, and a friend. You may be a Crown Prince and meant to be a leader – but those things are second to being a brother, nephew and friend." Elanor said as she reached out holding the key in her hand.
"I don't want it." The Prince said softly, shaking his head and gently pushing her hand away.
"You don't have to keep it, maybe hold onto it for safe keeping. Like the weapons your brother and uncle had," Fíli suddenly sat bolt upright.
"Where are they?" He asked, Elanor laughed softly.
"My brothers, Elladan and Elrohir are looking after them. Elladan is cleaning and sharpening Thorin's sword and Kíli's arrows and bow are being looked after by Elrohir. Elrohir is our very own archer and Elladan is our swordsman, so they are looking after craft. Kíli may even have some new arrows." Elanor said, Fíli reluctantly saw her reason and as she offered him the key again with the promise of 'just for sake-keeping' he took it and slipped it around his neck. It felt heavy and hot against his skin but soon enough it seemed to settle as if it recognized the person holding it was an heir of Durin. Fíli allowed him to smile at the brunette elf.
The recovery was not going well. Kíli had been up and about for a few days when Thorin made a decision that made Fíli and Kíli both as angry as their mother on a good day and even then you didn't cross Dis. He decided that bringing them on this quest wasn't the best idea. Fíli argued and snapped harshly at Thorin arguing the point that why would he bring them this far and then decide he should send them home?
"I am your heir, Uncle," Fíli argued.
"And I am your King, Fíli, would you disobey your King?" Thorin asked.
"No. But I'd disobey my Uncle." He snapped, "you are my Uncle before you are my King. Remember that who you are is much more important that what you are or what you're meant to be." Thorin looked as though Fíli had slapped him.
"You're talking nonsense Fíli! The elves are getting into your head, boy." Thorin snarled when he regained his composure.
"No. The Elves are speaking sense! You are talking nonsense!" at that Fíli left. Ignoring Kíli calling his name. He just ran until he ran into something tall and soft. That gasped and grabbed his arms to steady him.
"Little Prince? Are you well?" Elanor's voice surprised him. Fíli looked up and he froze, he'd run full pelt into a woman and he'd let his anger get the better of him. He'd yelled at his Uncle. He needed to talk to someone. That someone just happened to be his newest friend. Taking Elanor's hand he led her outside and she followed willingly to the forest and followed him up into the tree.
"Anyone would think you're an Elf, Little Prince. I'd never have thought to look for you in a tree." Elanor said as she balanced herself back against the trunk.
"Why do you do that?" He asked suddenly.
"Why do I do what?" Elanor replied frowning.
"Call me 'Little Prince'?" He said.
"Well you are a Prince aren't you?" She said with a smile.
"I'm meant to be a Prince. My name is Fíli." He told her, she nodded.
"Well you see, now you had not told me what your name was." Elanor pointed out. Fíli frowned – how had she known Kíli and Thorin's then?
"I supposed you knew it. You knew Kíli and Thorin's." He reminded her.
She nodded, "Well I had heard my father speak of them. He had not said your name, simply referring to you as 'the crown prince'. I assumed you would tell me." Fíli smiled, she was clever. They stayed there silent for a while – just being there with her, someone Fíli knew would listen and not judge, was fine with him. He didn't want to fight with his Uncle or his company but for Thorin to say he was going to send them back to Ered Luin and not let them continue when they'd come this far? It was ridiculous. As the sun began to sink low in the sky, Elanor still sat waiting for Fíli to speak. She wasn't going to push him into a discussion. One of her more endearing traits was the way she let you tell her. She never asked.
"He wants to send us home." Fíli said suddenly.
"Your Uncle?" Elanor said quietly. Fíli nodded.
"Yeah, he wants us to go home to Ered Luin. Me and Kíli, and Ori. He says it was a mistake bringing us on this quest. He can't send us back now. We've come too far." Fíli said.
Elanor moved on her branch to face him, "Listen to me Fíli. Your Uncle loves you and Kíli. He will do everything he can to protect you. That is why he wants to send you home. What you have to do is try to convince him that you and Kíli and Ori deserve to be on this quest. Am I to believe this quest you are on – is to reclaim your mountain home yes?" Fíli nodded, "then why don't you explain to your Uncle that it is as much your home as it is his and you have as much right to fight for it as he does, Ori too." The way Elanor said it – it sounded so simple and reasonable, that if she said it to Thorin he'd believe it. But Thorin didn't know her. He'd never agree to it if she suggested it, he'd try to shoot Fíli down…he had to step up. And he was going to make sure he and Kíli went on this quest. It was their destiny.
Erebor
Fíli stood next to Kíli as Thorin was crowned in front of them. They'd won back Erebor and they had survived the battle that followed. Fíli looked around the hall, surveying who had come to see the King finally get his crown. He spotted, with some surprise, that two elves had come. He looked at them for a long while trying to determine who they were. One was female he could tell, the other it was hard to tell but the way they stood said Royal and the only royal he could remember of elves was Thranduil and his son…wait…that's it, Thranduil and Thorin still hated each other so the blonde elf had to be the Prince, Legolas. So the brunette – Elanor. Lady Elanor of Rivendell. Fíli smiled he'd know her anywhere. She spotted him watching from across the hall and she winked at him, she waited for his responding smile before turning back to the front.
It wasn't long after the Ceremony that Fíli was able to speak to Elanor again. He headed towards the side of the hall where she had been standing out of the commotion letting Legolas do all the talking. Elanor saw Fíli coming with Kíli in tow and she crouched down to their level so they didn't feel so short.
"My Lady," both Dwarves said bowing to her.
"Greetings to you, Little Princes." Fíli rolled his eyes.
"I thought I asked you not to do that." He said, ignoring Kíli's nudge in his ribs for not referring to her as politely as they had been taught to do.
"My Apologies, Fíli and Kíli, Sons of Dis." She smiled, with a small tilt of her head in apology. Kíli's jaw fell slack.
"Kíli this is Lady Elanor of Rivendell, the elf that talked all that sense about being who you are not who you're meant to be." Kíli nodded, he remembered hearing Fíli shout at their Uncle.
"Pleasure to meet you, My Lady." Kíli said quietly, but Elanor heard it and she smiled.
"As it is mine to meet you, Little Prince." Kíli blushed.
"I think the title suits him better as he's younger than me." Fíli laughed. Kíli reddened even further. Elanor just laughed and soon enough they fell into easy chatter.
"El?" The trio looked up, Legolas had joined them.
"I believe you've all met before." Elanor said standing up. Fíli nodded.
"Wished it had been under better term but then, my father can be a little – overzealous." Legolas said, Elanor smiled.
"Fíli and Kíli, Legolas and I are betrothed so I know the tyranny of his father. I do apologise for any harm caused."
"As do I."
"We're all fine as you can see. I did not expect you to be here." Thorin's voice made Fíli cringe.
"Uncle, they came here to wish you well." He said turning, Thorin fixed him with a glare that made him fall silent.
"Which one of you filled his head with the folly that he should be who he is not who he is meant to be or some trash?"
"That would've been me, Your Majesty. I believe in Fíli being, just Fíli. Not a Crown Prince or a leader as you expect him to be. When he was ready he will be the Crown Prince and the Leader you expect. But for the time being he should be just Fíli. A brother, a friend, a son and a nephew." Thorin had never heard it explained like that…but now he did, it made perfect sense. All Fíli had to be was just Fíli, he only had to be himself until the Crown Prince or the Leader was needed.