4
The official Royal Council was waiting for King Thorin to arrive. Without him, they could not start their session, as per the protocol.
Thorin was late, again. It was harder and harder to get him away from his treasure. The Personal Royal Council tried to leave him out of the long process of making decisions, but Thorin had the final say. Balin was responsible for the items of agenda, and he organized the decision-making for one day a week, thus they could skip waiting for the King and continue with more pressing matters on the other days, with or without King.
Still, one day per week, they needed Thorin to make an appearance, and it took longer each week.
"Should I go look for them?" The Lady Dís whispered to Balin for the umpteenth time.
"No. Dwalin is his closest friend, his most trusted companion. If someone can bring him, it's him."
"What if he can't?"
"As I said, Dwalin is his closest friend, we should put our trust in him, and he has not failed us yet."
"Closest friend, my… What good it does to him?" Dís did not clarify which 'him' she was talking about, and Balin wasn't sure. Dís was a dwarrowdam, and this fact always confused Balin when he had to deal with her. In his opinion, she was prone to make bad decisions regardless of the consequences, and she rarely gave an explanation. Dís was a force of nature, wild and unpolished. In this precarious situation around the King, Balin wasn't sure who she cared about the most. He had been against accepting her into the Personal Royal Council, but she was Thorin's sister, the Lady of the Mountain (often called Queen, erroneously), and his argument that Kíli was kin too, and yet he was left out, had fallen on deaf ears.
"The King!" announced the guard. Everyone stood and bowed to him, but Balin was watching him discreetly. Thorin was covered in gold and jewels. His stride slowed since the last time he walked into the Council Room. Balin wondered if it was caused by the added weight of gold he carried on his person. He lost weight, again, and the dark circles under his eyes were more prominent. He was losing the battle.
King Thorin took his place in his seat without acknowledging anyone in the room. Balin sighed; it was to be a very long meeting, and since Thorin ignored him so far, he had to come up with an idea to at least get the contracts signed.
.
"Dwalin!" Dís cried out, when the Captain of the Guard (also the King's Unofficial Personal Guard) arrived behind her brother. Thorin looked horrible, but Dwalin looked worse, Fíli had to admit. He grabbed his mother's wrist to keep her from running thoughtlessly away.
"Curtsey!" he hissed. She was annoyed, but did what her son said. "Don't get his attention on you."
"He looks like he did not sleep at all tonight," she whispered to Fíli, and contrary to Balin, Fíli knew too well who she spoke about.
"He probably did not."
"I hate that he has to do so much for him! What did he ever do for him in return?"
"This is just how kings are," Fíli answered stoically.
"You must not be like this, ever!"
"I won't, because my ass will be kicked either by you, or the dwarrowdam you will choose and train to kick my ass," he recited the old threat by heart. Thorin was sitting now, so he let her mother go. She did not belong in the official Royal Council, and he watched with a smile how she led the burly Captain out of the room like she would a small child.
Balin cleared his throat and the session began.
.
Fíli tried to think about his mother, since it was the only safe topic he could think of. Still, every time Balin cleared his throat to get Thorin's attention, he had to hold back a snort. Thorin was a goner, his sanity at least, and his hatred for his uncle grew every day.
Fíli did not have to pay attention. He read all of it last night, since he was the one who prepared the final versions. He did all the brainwork; still, it was all nothing without Thorin's name.
He tried to turn his thoughts back to his mother; she was one for the sake of variety who he could trust unconditionally. He wished for her presence now. Or rather, he wished for his non-presence. Mother was probably fussing around Dwalin right now. Mother liked to fuss around Dwalin, which sometimes made him jealous, but Dwalin was a good dwarf and he deserved it. Fíli did not understand completely what was Mother playing at, but they both seemed happy enough. He thought maybe he should leave them to themselves today, he had something else to do, after all. Or to be exact, someone.
.
Alys went to the market with Mother and her brothers, two of their maids accompanying them, since Cronn and Dronn needed a lot of attention. The maids were chasing the dwarflings restlessly, which left her and her mother to look around unbothered. They ordered the goods to be delivered to their home to spare them the trouble of carrying packages with the dwarflings on their arms, too.
It was an unusually quiet afternoon.
They planned to order some quality material for a dress Alys drew up herself, but before they got to it, one of the maids rushed to them, and stuttered nervously about Dronn and a wooden axe. Her mother rushed to her dwarflings, and decided to go home. It was too much excitement for them for one day. Alys, however, was not yet finished.
"Please, Mother, I really would like to get those fabrics! I promise that I won't wander, I will only go to Master Leif, and I will choose and order and pay and go home, nothing more!" she pleaded. She loved her brothers, but they took their mothers' attention all the time. Alys did not need attention now, only those fabrics.
Her mother was considering the possibilities. She could spare neither maid if she wanted to get her sons home alright, and they would cry after their mother if she stayed with her daughter.
"Are you truly going to be safe?" she asked for her promise. Inside the mountain, Erebor was safe. Dwarves stuck together, and the chances of a dwarrowdam getting hurt were none. Except for accidents of course… or the dwarrowdam in question got into trouble by her fault. She did not worried about the last one though. Alys was such a good girl, and she rarely asked for anything. She was always so understanding when it came to the boys, too; she accepted that at their age, they demanded more time, and she never complained. In addition, Master Leif was an old family friend – they were his long-time customers even back in the Iron Hills. He will not let harm come to her.
"Yes, Mother, I will be."
"Then go, and choose something beautiful," she smiled and let her go. "Do not wander for too long! Be safe!"
"Thank you, Mother, good luck with the boys!" she said, but they were already lost for her eyes.
She started toward the drapery shop, when someone bumped into her. She had only seen a flash of golden hair, but she knew who he was. Her body was aflame.
Abruptly, she turned on her heels. He was easy to follow, and he noticed her, so he slowed.
"What a wonderful day we have, My Lady," he greeted her.
"My Prince, it is good to see you again."
"Where were you going?" he asked. She explained him, as she would in a polite conversation, but she suspected that he was not interested in polite conversation – which was fine by her, since neither was she. His smirk confirmed it.
"Drapery shop, right?"
"Exactly."
"Actually, how familiar are you with the shopkeeper?"
.
"Good day, Master Leif!"
"Good day, Lady Alys!" the shopkeeper greeted her enthusiastically. "Are you here by yourself today?" he asked, noticing her lack of companion.
"Yes, I am. Mother and I took the boys to the market, but they tire easily in new surroundings."
"Are they all well?"
"Yes, they are."
"And how can I help you?" he asked. Alys smiled sweetly.
"I designed a new dress for myself, and I am looking for some fabric for it. I think I will take my time, if I may."
"Do that, little Lady."
Alys started to inspect every single piece of fabric meticulously. She watched the Master from the corner of her eyes, he didn't look busy. Alys made a few small sigh to express her desperation. Master Leif jumped to his feet immediately.
"Can I help you?"
"I don't think so. By looking at these fabrics, I am getting new ideas, which makes the search even more desperate."
Master Leif chuckled. He had three daughters, two of them barely past her age, neither married. He knew her dilemma well, even if she overplayed it a bit. Her ideas were from another territory.
"Take your time, My Lady. When are you supposed to be home?"
"I promised Mother that I will hurry. We await our orders just before dinner, and I'm supposed to be home before that. I am afraid I will not finish by the time you close up for the day," she sighed.
"Don't be too troubled, Alys, I will not throw you out," he laughed.
During the time she passed there, customers arrived and left. She looked up for all of them. Then, a familiar figure entered.
"Good day, Master!" Master Leif did not recognize him.
"Good day to you, too! How can I help you?"
"I am here on an errand," he announced. Their eyes met over the fabrics, and he continued: "My mother has need of some purple material."
"For what?"
"For dress, I guess," he answered, playing the dumb and uninterested son a little too well. "For what else could she need it?"
"Oh, if you knew…" Master Leif sighed, as if he wished he had no idea either. "Come, this way. There are several shades, of course. Don't be afraid to ask, and if I am busy, this little Lady here can surely help you, won't you, Alys?"
"I will, Master Leif!" she smiled.
"Do you practice these sweet shy smiles, or does it come naturally to you?" Fíli asked when the shopkeeper left them. The smile immediately left her face.
"I don't practice them."
"You use them well."
They stood in silence. Alys was looking through the fabrics, while Fíli was watching her.
"Could you arrange something?" Fíli asked her.
"He will not throw me out after closing up the shop," she whispered, like she was afraid to be caught doing something nasty.
"Not much," he grumbled. "Closing hour is close. Ask him to let you stay, while he brings word to your family."
"Alright, I will," she nodded.
"Now."
"What? I can't just ask these things from him outright!"
"He is a trusted friend. Yours, not mine. You can ask him. I can't, but Mahal knows how much easier it would make things!" Fíli seemed to be in a gruff mood today.
"Alright."
"So?"
"Master Leif!"
"A moment, please!" he said, then he came over. "How can I help you, Alys?"
"I was wondering if I could really stay here after closing hour."
"But of course you can!" he laughed, and Fíli smirked at her from behind him.
"Oh, thank you very much, Master Leif!" Fíli rolled his eyes. He did not care about politeness, but she did.
"You're welcome, anytime. Is there anything else?"
"Yes, Master Leif, I promised Mother…"
"…to be home before dinner. Look, what if I send word to Lady Vylis? Or if you are not afraid to stay here alone, I can tell her myself." Master Leif was fond of her brothers, himself having no son. He was probably not against visiting them...
Fíli nodded, hesitantly. He said they should know a time range when he surely would not be back.
"I… don't want to keep you from your dinner or your family."
"Oh, Alys, my family is quite alright without me and I would not be ashamed to accept a dinner at your home, maybe I shall deliver your orders myself. Will it be alright with you? Are your conscience clear from heavily abusing my goodwill toward you?"
Alys blushed brightly. How could he know? Then Master Leif laughed loudly, and she realized he was joking.
"You are such a sweet little lady, my Flower, don't worry. I will close up early, collect your orders and visit your mother. You just take your time. I will leave a key with you in case, but I prefer if you accepted me to escort you when I return."
Alys nodded, her eyes still firmly turned to the ground. She did not see Master Leif good-natured headshakes, nor Fíli's smug smirk.
"After closing hour, then," Fíli told her, and went to tell Master Leif that he could not decide.
.
He was back after closing hour, as promised. Actually, he was back earlier – he was knocking only moments after Master Leif left, and frightened Alys.
"Mahal, what are you doing here so early?" she chided him.
"I had to come now. No one suspects a dwarf entering a shop now. After closing hours, though… How long we have?" he asked hurriedly.
"An hour at least, more, if Mother keeps him for dinner."
"Good."
"Will we be able to keep track of the time?"
"I will. Take off your dress," he changed the topic. "You really should wear something simpler the next time we meet."
His statement was wrong on so many level that she could not even start to count. By the time she could be appalled, his lips were trying to get to her neck, his hand brushing her beard aside, and it felt…
She was hopeful that now she would get her release. Maybe he would be a bit more attentive, or she would be more adaptive, or… Mahal knew what they missed, but it made her miserable, and only his touches eased her ache.
"When will we meet again?" she asked, but he just shrugged.
"Dunno. Anytime. I love your teats." She loved them too, mostly, when they filled his hands.
This time, he was faster. His cock entered her forcefully, and if he did not use the trick of her pain-chasing earlobe, she would have cried out. She did not like it, and she struggled against him until he noticed.
"What?"
"It hurts!"
"Oh, come on!" he hissed, but eased back. "He called you Flower. Maybe you are one."
"Am not!" she protested. Calling a dwarf 'flower' meant insult; flowers were weak and vulnerable, while dwarves were of stone. She accepted it from Master Leif since he meant well and she knew him since her childhood, but Fíli was different.
"Then let me do my thing."
He did not care for more argument. He had of those quite enough for a day – for a life even. Thorin was difficult, and his feelings on the matter were entirely chaotic and improper.
Exactly like this relationship.
"I will take it easy. Lay down."
"On the fabrics?" Alys asked incredulously.
"Yes. They are soft. You will like it," he answered.
"But… they are not ours…"
"So? You are already heavily abusing the goodwill of an old family friend, why stop here?"
He was a demon of the darkness and used some magic on her. That was the only possible explanation.
.
Her body still craved contentment, but she was alone again. Master Leif was nowhere in sight, and she was alone in the place where Fíli took his pleasures again and did not give her the same. He stole it. Maybe she should try to steal it for herself, too.
If only she weren't such a good girl.
Actually, she wasn't. Only no one knew that.
Master Leif arrived and escorted her home, with the promise that the chosen materials will be at their home, prepared, tomorrow morning.
She would be her first priority in the morning. And she just fucked on his products, in his shop, after closing hours, the doors locked with the key he gave her personally.
How could no one know that she was not a good girl anymore?