Fili critically surveyed the heap of items spread out on the bed before him. A whetstone, three pairs of socks, a few water skins… essentials, all of them. But the disturbingly large pile of knives and daggers next to his pack was quite another.
He picked up two of the smaller blades with a sigh and compared them. The one on the left was a simple enough weapon; a sturdy steel blade that tapered down into a deadly point, with a hilt that was functional but unadorned. His brother had made it for him in his first year in the forges.
The knife on the right however, was a beautiful object with an elegantly curved blade of superb craftsmanship and a carved silver haft to match. He had bought it himself on his first trip away from home with his uncle.
Fili sighed again and dropped both knives into a chest with other rejected items. He would be carrying too much weight as it was without the additional weapons. They had a long and perilous journey ahead of them, and here he was fussing about which of his numerous daggers to take.
Grabbing his pack, he began filling it with his chosen supplies. Clothing and other less-needed articles on the bottom, easily damaged items nestled in the centre, his bedroll fastened on top. Mother was packing food and other provisions in the kitchen downstairs. Fili frowned. He felt as though he was forgetting something…
His eyes alighted on the fine-bristled brush next to the mirror on his bedstand. For Durin's sake, how could he forget that? He quickly strode over to the table and snatched the brush up, shuddering inwardly as he imagined travelling for months with nothing but his fingers to comb his hair. His golden mane would be knotted into an unsalvageable mat before the first week was out.
Slipping the brush inside, he deftly fastened the pack shut. He pulled his heavy, fur-lined coat on with a sense of finality and began tucking the carefully chosen daggers into their sewn-in sheaths. The last one snugly slid into the back of his boot. Now, time to see how Kili was coming along.
As if in answer, rapid footsteps pounded up the stairs and the door to the brothers' shared room practically flew off its hinges. A large pack barreled through the air past Fili's head and landed on his bed, causing its joints to screech in protest.
"I'm ready!" Kili announced triumphantly. "Finished packing before you this time! And I even had to stop and run out to get more arrows!"
"I'm ready too!" Fili objected, "I was just coming to get- Kili! You can't be serious!"
Strapped to the sides of Kili's pack were three- no, four individual quivers of arrows. Not to mention his formidable unstrung bow bound to the front.
"You can't take all this with you. Your pony will keel over before we make it out of the Mountains!" Fili continued.
"And why not?" Kili protested indignantly. "I'll bet you've brought a dagger for every orc in Moria!"
Fili laughed despite himself. His little brother knew him too well. All the same, the excess arrows had to go.
"Two quivers, Kili. No more. Uncle Thorin said to travel light."
Kili grumbled to himself, but removed the extra arrows without further argument. While his back was turned, Fili went over to the chest and again pulled the knives he had been comparing. He really wanted-
"The pretty one, obviously." Kili said, his back still to his brother. Fili's brow creased with perplexity, until he noticed Kili smirking at him in the reflection of the bedstand mirror. He rolled his eyes and smiled to himself as he turned away, and tried to come to a blasted decision already.
"Pick the shiny dagger. You don't want to take other one just because I made it, do you? It'll probably snap if you use it to cut anything tougher than twine." Kili insisted.
"You're right." said Fili, suddenly making up his mind. He dropped the knife Kili had made back into the chest and tucked the silver dagger into his belt. Kili nodded approvingly and marched out of the room with his pack under his arm. As soon as he was through the door Fili hurriedly exchanged the knives and shoved the chest under his bed. He slung his pack over his shoulder and bounded down the stairs after Kili, his brother's knife firmly tucked in his belt, and feeling irrationally happy about it.
He strode purposefully into the kitchen, and promptly ground to an abrupt halt. His mother was standing by the fire, speaking intensely to Kili with her hand on his shoulder. She didn't look up when Fili entered but pressed a small object into her younger son's hand.
"Innikh dê." Dis murmured softly, tenderly kissing his brow.
"I promise, Mother." Kili said seriously, his voice not entirely steady. Fili had seen that look on his face before; an expression of eager determination, full of desperate anxiety to prove himself worthy of his family's name in the reclamation of their homeland. Fili was equally determined to be with his brother every step of the way.
"Right now," said Dis, straitening up and assuming command, every inch a Durin as her brother was. "I have the dried meat and bread packed in these bags on the table. The smallest one contains the herbs and salt, so take care not to get it wet. Here are some apples for the first few days. Don't bruise them before you're even out the door, Kili!" she finished as Kili staggered out of the room under the weight of the sacks. Fili quickly stepped in and carried the rest of the bags out before disaster struck.
It was the beginning of what looked to be a gorgeous day outside, rare enough in the Blue Mountains. The sun was just cresting over the closest peak, piercing rays of light enveloping the trees surrounding their little house on the outskirts of town. Fili stood smiling in the sunshine as Kili cheerfully lead the already-saddled ponies into the yard, chattering to Dis that this was a perfect day for his first proper adventure. That one during the thunderstorm looking for their missing third cousin once removed Gimli hadn't counted at all.
The boys confidently loaded the supplies on their ponies as if they had done this a hundred times before. They were dwarves, a race well accustomed to travel and life on the road. All too soon the packs were tied down and the saddle girths tightened. The ponies tossed their heads and stamped their hooves in turn, eager to be off.
Fili tightened the last strap and turned back to his mother. She stood tall and her voice did not waver, but her eyes glinted with unshed tears as she asked,
"Are you sure you've eaten enough? There's more porridge on the stove if you're hungry."
That was Dis, always remaining focused on the moment, rather than making a difficult parting harder with an emotional tear-filled goodbye. She'd raised her boys to be strong, but also to care. Family was all they had left.
"We've already had plenty, Mother," said Fili reassuringly, pulling her into a hug. "You shouldn't have a full stomach before setting out on a long ride in any case."
"Besides, my stomach has quite enough porridge in it as it is." Kili put in cheekily, coming to hug her from the other side.
Fili snorted while Dis playfully slapped her impertinent youngest. While their mother might be a noble woman of great beauty, more than capable of leading her people in Thorin's absence, her culinary skills were rather lacking.
They stood there in each other's arms for a moment more, staving off the inevitable moment of separation. But eventually Kili twitched in impatience, and Dis released her sons.
"Well, 'If you're to leave, let the parting be swift'," she said, reciting an old dwarvish proverb. "You're still quite sure you won't wait for the Ri brothers? They should be arriving any day now. You could travel with them until you join the rest of the company. "
Fili blanched at the idea of travelling under Dori's leadership for an entire week and the inevitable nagging and fussing that would ensue. Seeing her sons' obvious looks of horror, Dis laughed and relented.
"Calm down, if you're dead set against the idea I shan't force you. Now off you go."
Both boys eagerly mounted their ponies and seized the reigns.
"Wait!" cried Dis.
Fili stiffened. Just when they thought they could go…
"Are you sure you know where you're going?"
"Of course, Mother!" said Kili, visibly relaxing. "I've got the map right here. Uncle Thorin sent word we're to meet Gandalf and the rest of the company in a place called Hobbiton. He's arranged a meeting with a professional burglar named Bilbo Boggins!"
"Very well, then. Travel safely." said Dis, raising her hand in farewell.
"Farewell! We'll be back before you know it!" they chorused cheerfully, trotting out onto the road, sounding for all the world as if they were going on nothing more dangerous than a brief camping trip.
"We'll return as true princes of Erebor and take you back to the Lonely Mountain!" pledged Kili, turning in his saddle to wave back at her.
Dis returned the wave with a sad smile, as if she were remembering something from long ago. Fili briefly wondered if she thought of his own father, riding off with Thorin and Frerin to reclaim the kingdom of Moria. Of the three, only one had returned. The thought caused his own brow to darken, but Kili as always brought him back into the light.
"Cheer up, Fi!" he entreated, bring his pony alongside Fili's and heartily slapping his brother on the back. "We've got the whole adventure ahead of us! I can't wait to meet up with the others and finally set out on the quest. I'm so glad Thorin at least waited until we were old enough to go. Poor Gimli was furious last time I saw him about being left behind. Now, according to the map we follow this road all the way to the Shire…"
"Why Uncle gave you the map I have no idea,'' said Fili, still somewhat offended.
"He gave it to me because you, my dear brother, get lost on your way to the village market."
"Hey!" protested Fili indignantly. "That's not true!"
"All the same, I remember taking some awfully long detours when Mother used to send us for eggs and such. Eventually she just started sending me."
Fili was outraged beyond words. His mouth opened and shut several times before Kili smoothly cut in.
"-But your map-reading skills are of no consequence. You're much better than me at lots of things, like singing! Speaking of which, I heard a hilarious new song at the pub last night…"
His little brother continued on, singing a ridiculous song about blunting knives and smashing plates. Fili finally began to relax and enjoy himself. Kili was right, he thought as he began to hum along to the engaging tune. It was the perfect day to start their adventure. The road stretched out before them, leading out of the Blue Mountains and onwards to the land of the Shire, which was by all accounts a very pleasant place. He slipped his hand into an inner pocket and clasped his own runestone, given to him by his mother the first time he had left home. Innikh dê. Return to me. Fili had every intention of making sure he and his brother did.
Author's note: There you have it, my first fanfiction! I'd REALLY love to know what you think since it's my first! Constructive criticism appreciated.