Chapter 1: A Very Important Visitor

Dain Ironfoot sat in his room, waiting. He was to receive a very important visitor, who seemed to be a bit late. He twiddled his thumbs some more and paced. Hopefully he'd made it through all right. If he had, it meant that he had said exactly what he was supposed to say.

A guard opened the door, and Dain stood up. "Falki of Erebor to see you, Sire."

A hooded figure walked in quickly, and Dain waved the guard away.

A few tense moments passed. Finally, the figure lifted his hood. Dain breathed a sigh of relief.

"So they believed your story, didn't they, Fili?" said Dain, clapping his cousin on the back. Fili smiled, eyebrows raised, and whispered, "Not so loud. They could be listening."

Dain chuckled and motioned to Fili to sit down.

"Now, as it wasn't terribly clear from Thorin's messenger, what are you coming for?"

Fili licked his lips and grabbed at his cloak, pulling it tighter around him. Dain recognized this as a gesture of embarrassment.

"Um," Fili blushed, "Uncle says it's necessary, to, um..."

Dain raised his eyebrows. What could possibly be so embarrassing that a seasoned warrior like Fili, who survived the Battle of the Five Armies, balked so intensely at saying it? Dain noticed now that Fili had brought up his shoulders and his chin, and seemed to try to look determined and dignified.

"Uncle says it's necessary," he began again in a shakily composed voice, "to search for a wife."

Dain's eyes widened. He whooped rather loudly and began to laugh hysterically. Fili blushed, all his resolve gone.

"Oho, so that's what it is? That's what all this mysterious 'Fili's coming in disguise as a jeweler, don't let anyone know who he is' stuff was!" Dain snickered cheerfully while clapping Fili on the back rather violently. Regaining his composure, Dain breathed deeply and tried to be reasonable. "Well. Why are you doing this? Why didn't you just come and proclaim who you are? Any lass would leap at the chance."

"No!" shouted Fili, who immediately blushed. "You—you see, that's the point! I don't want anyone to, er, marry me because of my title or inheritance or anything. I want one to choose me for who I am, not because they'll become the Queen Under the Mountain. And I chose here because no one knows me by sight here. You see?"

Dain shook with suppressed laughter. "That's so cute."

Fili's eyebrows drew together in his attempt at a displeased look which never seemed to inspire fear in anyone. "It wasn't Thorin's idea, it was mine. He wanted me to show up with an entourage and trumpeters heralding my arrival and just snatch up the first lass that fluttered her eyelashes at me. Clearly he's never had to be in this sort of situation, courtesy of my mother," said Fili, ironically.

"Clearly," coughed Dain. "Now, I'm going to put you in our usual guest quarters, nothing special, as you requested."

Fili stood up and lowered his hood. "Thank you," said Fili, polite as ever, "I'll start tomorrow." He turned to Dain and looked up into his eyes. "Please don't say who I am."

"I won't," promised Dain, and directed Fili where to go.