Hello everyone I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Thank you for reading, reviewing and following!
This chapter contains a lot of explaining concerning the journey of Fili and company to Dale if anything is confusing please let me know.
Usual disclaimer and here is...
The Forty Thieves of Erebor Chapter 2
Seven days to the Courting Festival...
Inside the most secret room of the Dori Inn in Dale, gathered around a long table the complete and aptly named company of the forty thieves finished their gathering feast. Between Bilbo and Bofur they ate as Kings wanting for nothing, a vast difference from whence they all came. The only thing on short supply tonight is ale thanks to one Bilbo Baggins who had elected to make sure everyone understood the plan as it was. Not that it stopped Gloin from bringing in a little home-brew, courtesy of his lovely wife.
Looking to each member of their company Fili could scarcely believe the things they had pulled off and how far they had come to just be here. Being an orphan from the Blue Mountains with unusual, to many dwarven minds unnatural, blond hair the leader of their company had wandered from here to their as a child and finally found Bree, a town of men where a thief lord decided to give Fili a chance. Lacking a normal education and proper upbringing the blond still understood helping Slavers was not what he wanted to do with his life but had no choice.
Until he met Bilbo Baggins the carrier hobbit who became his very first true friend. Even in the company of Slavers the natural friendship between the two had drawn them together to plot their escape. Then the trolls brought back Ori, a young carrier dwarf who had been badly injured during his capture. Not waiting for Ori to heal fully, Fili and Bilbo escaped with Ori who still fought like a wild cat as they were pursued over the plain. Luckily for them Ori's elder brothers the vicious Nori and the ever polite but furious Dori had been tracking the Slavers intent on rescuing their little brother.
Nori and Fili had come to blows at the time, both believing the other to be the evil party. They fought nearly to the death and would have if Bilbo had not convinced Dori to actually listen to him. After that Dori led them to his small roadside inn on the Great Eastern road where he provided home comforts for weary travelers. Or at least he did until the Warg Packs came through. They made for the safety of Rivendell to find the valley surrounded by Orcs.
Unable to move forward and with more Warg packs prowling behind them they could not go back. It was then Mahal hit Fili with his hammer of inspiration and the young dwarf came up with his first dangerous plan. To even the odds pilfer everything they could to destroy the siege forces' morale. Everyone agreed and started poisoning the orc's food, stealing essentials like bow strings, orc medicine, nuts, bolts, rivets and creating such a demonic racket in the caves most of the orcs were jumping at shadows and fled when reinforcements from the returning Lord Elrond's cavalry swept in. If the elves realised what had happened they made no comment and welcomed their little brave group into their halls.
Once inside the safety of Rivendell Ori and Bilbo taught Fili to read and Elrond's sons helped him master his swords and study the dwarven craft of smithery which they grudgingly admitted at times could surpass their own. Bilbo learned more about plants and healing, Nori about spying and information gathering and Dori about business. When a caravan from the Blue Mountains came on it's way to Rohan Fili felt the need to move once more.
Their little band bade goodbye to their elven friends and kept going meeting up with several dwarf families who saw it as their sworn duty to teach the young dwarf about how to be a proper dwarf. Proper customs that Fili had previously been ignorant of and many other things he had never thought about before. Elves knew a lot but only what dwarves had allowed and if he was to become the great dwarf the hobbit and his friends claimed him to already be he needed to learn now whilst he was young enough to not be set in his ways. Bilbo then stated that all the dwarves he had met seemed to have been set in their ways since birth to which Gloin, a master smith replied "such a naïve wee thing."
In the Misty Mountains circumstances and a traitor at the head of the caravan left them falling foul of the Goblins that infested the wretched mountains. Before everything went to hell Gloin's pregnant wife had been hidden by Bilbo along with Dori, Ori and the children he had the chance to gather near an exit. He and Fili knew they would not get far on their own. Nori now with Gloin and the brothers Ur lead the escape whilst Fili stole the goblin king's crown.
The King bereft without his symbol, paid little attention to the fleeing remnants of the Caravan and set every goblin he could after Fili. He led them on a merry dance through the halls, chasms, over rickety bridges and out into the valley when he came to a precipice and had officially run out of luck until a wandering wizard, who just happened to be an old friend of Bilbo's, came upon him and his predicament. Together with the help of a couple of eagles escaped the goblins with the crown (that he still kept in a box hidden somewhere in the meddling wizard's cloak). The Goblin King swore bloody vengeance shaking his fist at the dwarf flying above his head. Fili's eagle, without any prompting what-so-ever from the blond, managed to drop a huge clot of droppings on the crown-less King's head.
Never having been fond of the Misty Mountains Fili and company now with the addition of a wizard (when the wizard feels like it) felt no need to go back there and neither did anyone else in the caravan. People stared calling him the Prince, thanks to the crown he had stolen and Fili did not deter the flattery becoming the unofficial leader of the caravan.
What he did not like was the reception many towns gave the caravan. They thought the caravan was cursed and would bring the wrath of the goblin horde with them. It brought back many bad memories for Fili and so either before the caravan arrived or after they left did the towns find their coffers significantly empty, necessary items like cloth and the such missing and some valuables they could easily be shod of a few towns over.
When they reached Rohan Gloin's wife gave birth a son they named Glimli and their little group stayed together for many adventures with Dori and Glion's wife being completely respectable leaving the other business to Fili and the boys. As Dori's business grew they found themselves defending each inn from those hired by the competition to get rid of it. They had gone as far as kidnapping Dori and trying to set him up as a criminal genius to take the fall for their master's dodgy dealings. That was how they first met Dwalin of the Erebor guard and earned the name the Forty thieves.
Bifur spoke in the rushed garble of khazadul tapping Fili's arm to get his attention.
"Sorry what Bifur?"
Bofur, cook and translator stepped in. "He says you've been lost in thought. What's up lad?"
"Nothing I was just thinking of how far we've come together."
Gloin laughed. "Aren't you a wee bit young to be having nostaligic thoughts?"
"You are probably right." Fili chuckled then drained his ale. "Now time for the family meeting. Is everyone sitting comfortably?"
"Aye." And other affirmitive noises filled the room.
"Now gentle-dwarves and most esteemed hobbit. We've been blessed with a lucky chance many in our business rarely get to even dream about." Fili unfolded a scroll charting the mountain of Erebor. "King Thrain is expecting company. Our company has recieved an invite thanks to Dori's illustrious Inns and well, we'd be fools to miss out on such a golden opportunity."
"We'd be free fools." Bombur shook his head. "Thrain is old, mad and greedy not stupid."
"Indeed which is why we will be helping ourselves to the wares coming into Erebor none that actually belong to Erebor herself."
Ori raised his hand. "But won't the guard be extra vigilant?"
"Good point. Now here is where it gets interesting, with so many going into Erebor they cannot possibly watch everyone. We will not be acting until the very last moment to use the exodus of nobles to our advantage. As long as we don't stand out too much, Nori you may want to change your hair style on the off-chance Dwalin of the guard catches sight of you."
Nori shrugged. "I'll wear a cape and nick a fancy hat. Who's going to be Dori's heir for this con to work?"
"Why me of course." Fili grinned. "It's not like we'll actually get invited to the meeting where the Prince will be presented for all to fawn over how beautiful he is. That will be for the royalty and ridiculously rich."
Bilbo glanced at the map again. "I'd still prefer to know more of Erebor's layout. A city like that cannot be this simple in its placement."
"Which is why we are arriving early to scout out the area, the valuables and anyone else who has the same idea we do."
"Gatherings like this are a honey pot for thieves." Dori sighed. "Are you sure we have to do this? We all live comfortably now and no one has dared to try to get rid of my inn here since we had the last chat with them. This could be our undoing Fili. They'll be expecting the forty thieves to show up and what happens if they figure out the number's wrong?"
"Dori has a point Fili." Bilbo frowned. "We've been lucky that Dwalin's mistake has stuck, we are protected by their assumption that there are so many of us. If something goes wrong, heck if anything goes wrong with all the Royals and such under one roof if even one of Erebor's doors close we will be trapped like rats in there."
"I can't explain it everyone. All I know is what my gut is telling me. And it's telling me to go to Erebor or I will regret it for as long as I live."
Bilbo smiled. "Well that gut feeling of yours hasn't really led us wrong has it."
"It'll work and on the off-chance things go wrong we leave and never look back not even if the Arkenstone rolls passed us. Now we have a week to gather our equipment and our treasure chest, then we go to see if Erebor is as magnificent as they say it is. Who's in?" Fili pointed his fist to the center of the table grateful for the small hobbit fist instantly beside his. Ori and Bofur joined quickly followed by the rest of the group. Fili smiled at his family. "Then we shall be the first to take Erebor by storm!"
(Scene Change)
Guams stretched his arms out careful to hold his form just in case some dwarf fool came into his lair. Thrain had done that on several unfortunate occasions, being King Under the Mountain of Erebor, the most powerful of the Dwarvish Kingdoms gave him divine right to wander as he pleased. When he could finally get rid of that fool he would feel better. Dwarf flambe is a popular dish among his kind. Though the Crown Prince is proving to be more difficult to keep tabs on. Ever since the King sent out the challenge invitations he had taken to guarding young Prince Kili to the point of stifling him.
Such a free and loving spirit the young carrier has, it was a crime that he had been born to the Durin line who were as close to dragons as creatures could be for their protective hording tendencies. Turning to the bowl of water surrounded by lit candles Guams distorted the surface with the golden tip of his nail. When the ripples reached the edge Kili could be seen fletching his arrows. He had no intention of sticking around for the ceremony, which meant someone would have to inform Thrain of Kili's preparations.
"Not yet though," Guams fingers hovered over Kili's face. "It'll be easier to break you when you know there is no escape and you will never learn that unless Thrain himself drags you back from Erebor's doorstep."
(Scene Change)
Kili finished fletching his arrows and placed them in his quiver. He remembered the first time he picked up a bow, a dwarf prince should never touch one and so he defiantly did and became the best archer the dwarves of Erebor has. Not that it mattered to anyone but himself. Not even his Uncle approved of his chosen weapon and made sure he kept up with his sword training.
'I suppose I'm being ungrateful to Uncle Thorin,' Kili thought at least one of his relatives had actually shown some concern for him even if it is the over-protective and over-bearing kind. Still what that strange old Man said this afternoon gave him some hope. 'Where there is a great will no cage however fortified will be able to contain it.'
A curt knock interrupted his thoughts. "Come in!"
Thorin opened the door wearing the slightest of smiles. "Nephew there are many who miss your presence in the Great Hall."
"I don't feel up to keeping false smiles Uncle." Kili replied picking through his quiver. "I can't stomach the pity from the ladies at court."
"They are concerned for you."
"A lot of good their concern will do me when some rich prat walks through Erebor's doors and buys me."
"Kili! That is not what is going to happen the King has not stated what the competitions are."
Kili blanched. "You truly do not know?"
Thorin's frown deepened. "Know what Kili?"
Kili delved through some papers lying on his desk. Passing a well crumpled parchment to his Uncle Kili whispered. "It was slipped under my door, near three weeks ago. I had thought it was you Uncle, I guess I was wrong."
Thorin's thumb bodged through the paper. "There is some mistake here, a vicious prank when I find who is responsible I'll-"
Kili took Thorin's hands in his only now aware of the tremble in his own limbs. "Uncle it is countersigned by the King's seal. It is real and there will be no competitions, only a presentation on the final day of the festivities."
"It could be a trick. It has to be!"
"Don't you think I want this whole Courting Festival business to be someone's idea of a bad joke?" Kili asked his voice stained with tears he refused to let fall from his eyes. "Every morning of my life since Grandfather explained my place in the world to me I have dreaded this coming birthday and what it will bring. It will be my last night in Erebor Uncle and no one knows where I will end up only that is my duty to be there and to love and adore someone I may find to be the most loathsome creature to ever walk Middle Earth. Carriers like me have never been the blessed creatures we are called Uncle. We are cursed Uncle and there is nothing that can be done about it."
"Kili I... I won't..."
Kili let go of his Uncle's hands and turned away he had to stop Thorin committing those words to the air. He had learned long ago that walls have exceptionally good hearing. "I'd rather be alone tonight Uncle. I have precious few days to myself left."
Thorin did not say a word he merely accepted the way things are and left with heavy steps. Only when the door clicked shut did Kili lock it and pull the maps he had created from his best hiding place. There had to be a way out. The main doors, as the old man said would be a mistake and an ambush waiting to happen, so there must be another way out and somewhere in these old maps would be his ticket out of here.
It hurt to push his beloved Uncle away. It hurt to see the shock on his face as he read the letter at least he spared Thorin the knowledge of where these letters had been sent. Kili knew he had made the right decision, he had to escape by himself with no help from anyone inside Erebor. Thrain's wrath is no laughing matter especially when it will be infront of the all royalty, nobility and wealthy of the entire of Middle Earth.
If anyone will bear Thrain's wrath it will be Kili himself and he alone. The old King could not afford to kill a carrier, only marry them off to the worst possible match Middle Earth had ever seen and if it came to that the young prince would rather jump off the battlements and stain Erebor's doorstep with his blood.
to be continued...
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