Hey Guys! Sooo sorry for the delay on the chapters. School and work got insane and I couldn't even find time to breath. However, things have greatly slowed down and I am anxious to get back to this story. Especially after seeing Battle of the Five Armies and got re-inspired, so I will be a lot more consistent in updating I promise! Hope you enjoy :-)
Fili could not remember a time when he had been so angry… He could feel his limbs shaking, his wet clothes clinging to him, and the cold seeping into his bones. He threw his bedroll against the tree and pulled off his boots, "That little elf," He muttered, as the water came rushing out of his boot.
Fili's heavy braids were dripping and he threw up his hands in disgust when he couldn't even remove his cloak because it was clinging so badly to his skin. Fili looked up to see his smiling brother gazing down at him, "Don't," He warned sharply.
Kili noticed that Fili's face looked as close to purple as he had ever seen it, shaking his head but not losing the smile, he knelt down beside his seething older brother, "turn around," he said grabbing his shoulders. Fili gave him a disgusted look but complied. Feeling the soaked fur, Kili had to choke back another laugh. It was heavy with water and would take days before it was completely dry again. Luckily the nights were still warm with lingering days of summer, so Fili would not freeze as long as he slept by the fire. It took a couple of great pulls before Kili was able to remove it from his shoulders. He hung it up on a nearby branch and sat down behind Fili undoing his braids.
"Rukhsul manu," Fili muttered darkly under his breath, giving a fierce growl across the meadow where Amaranth sat, her arms folded stubbornly during what looked like a lecture from Bilbo.
"Nah," Kili replied casually, "She's smells too good to be from an orc."
"Don't star-Ow!" Fili yelled grabbing his head after Kili had about ripped his braid off, "Watch it, Kili!"
"Oh, stop being such dwarfling," Kili snapped forcing his head back around, "Besides, you'll be lucky if I get this fixed by sunrise."
"What? Why?" Fili quickly reached up to feel his hair. A dwarf's braids was a part of their honor and dignity, to have it damaged or removed brought great shame to them. Kili slapped his hands away, "Because it's a mess that's why…" Kili couldn't help the chuckle that slipped out from his lips but hastily turned into a cough as Fili's elbow made contact with his gut, "Sorry."
He worked in silence for a few moments, ignoring his brother's hiss of outrages at the tugs in his thick blonde mane when he felt a tap on his shoulder. They turned around to see Thorin standing behind him, "It's time for your watch."
Kili nodded but Fili gave a low groan as he felt his hair sticking out all over the place and his damp clothes. Thorin gave a sigh and gestured to Kili, "Go on. Fili will join you in a few minutes."
Kili gave Thorin a grin and nudged his brother, "See you later."
Fili nodded and watched him grab his bow, trying to avoid his uncle's gaze. "Don't worry, I just need a second."
Thorin did not reply and Fili was surprised when he sat down beside him, "Turn back," He said with the same exasperated voice he used when they were children and came home with twelve pounds of mud on their clothes.
Fili turned and could barely believe it when he felt Thorin starting to braid his hair. His uncle was not known to be overly affection.
In dwarf culture braiding someone's hair and beard was the highest act of intimacy. Usually reserved for couples, although sometimes family members could braid one another's hair. The latter usually only happened when the dwarf was ill or in extreme need of comfort. Besides Kili, Fili had not let another person braid his hair since he was young dwarfling. Even then it had mainly been his mother, Dis. For Thorin to do this, he was showing that he recognized Fili was upset and needed something besides his brothers innocent heckling. He relaxed slightly as his uncle's familiar hands began working their way through his hair.
"Kili never could do a decent braid," Thorin said with a rare chuckle.
Fili smiled but did not reply. Thorin worked quickly and efficiently, Fili could feel his hair slowly returning to normal, no longer dripping into his face.
"So," Thorin asked quietly not pausing from his work, "Are you going to tell me what that was all about?"
Fili snorted bitterly, "Besides the fact that we allowed a little imp disguised as a hobbit to join us on our quest?"
Thorin tilted his head, his eyebrow raised up, "I meant your comment beforehand."
Fili looked down at the ground before shrugging his shoulders, "I was just stating an observation. She is the one who responded like a brat dwarfling… or whatever a baby hobbit is called."
Thorin rolled his eyes as he tied off the end of his nephews braid, "Fili, you know that if you had said something like that to your mother about her cooking, she would have done a lot more than just dump a bucket of water over your head."
Fili squirmed uncomfortably. He knew Thorin was right, his mother would have knocked him upside the head with her best skillet if he had dared to insult her cooking. In truth, he did not know why he had made the comment. The stew Amaranth had made for them had actually been quite good… Well as good as someone could make in the wild.
Fili however, would have sold his swords to an elf though before he admitted that to her or anyone else. He reached up feeling his hair, "Thanks. I better go join Kili," He said, standing up not answering his uncle's question.
Thorin shook his head but didn't press him, "I have an extra cloak you can use until yours is dry."
Fili nodded, grabbing his swords. As he knelt down, he felt his body stiffen as he heard his name being called. He turned slowly to see Amaranth standing before him, her face a mixture of annoyance and guilt. Bilbo was standing slightly behind her, his arms folded across his chest, "Go on," He told her.
"All-right, all-right," She answered before taking a deep breath, "Iamsorryidumpedwateroveryourhead," Amaranth said in one quick jumble, the words barely distinguishable.
Fili snorted and opened to his mouth to tell her what he thought of her apology but Thorin lightly swatted him across the head, "Fili," he warned.
"Amaranth," Bilbo added with a slight nudge.
"Fine," she hissed at her brother, "Fili, I am sorry I dumped water over your head."
Fili sighed, "Apology acc-"
"Even though you deserved it."
Fili's mouth dropped open while Thorin gave a low groan before walking back towards camp, muttering under his breath. He paused before turning to grab Bilbo's arm and dragging him back with him. The burglar looking relieved to flee the scene.
"I deserved it?" Fili said, his voice low with warning.
Amaranth paid no heed to the danger laced in his tone, "Yes. For being a rude, insufferable git since we met." She paused crossing her arms tightly around her, "and for insulting my cooking."
Fili was really beginning to regret not locking her in the pantry, "I am not the one who is acting like a Grobi Silall." He spat out angrily.
"I don't know what that means."
He stepped in close to her, smirking when she backed up slightly, "It wasn't nice."
Amaranth could feel her teeth grinding, there was a part of her that just wanted to smack him until his blue eyes fell out of his head, "At least I wouldn't have to keep looking at them," she murmured under her breath.
He took another step closer, "What?"
"Uh nothing," Amaranth answered quickly, taking another step backwards and hating herself the minute she did, knowing he viewed it as point in his favor. She didn't like him being so close, despite still being damp, Fili seemed to radiate heat, and his whole body sent it out like waves, causing her to feel flush. She forced herself to remain still as he stepped in, his head slightly above hers. Maybe she had not handled this apology well, she mused, but still… "Can't you just admit that you liked the stew?" Amaranth demanded, wondering why this such a big deal for her. Everyone else had praised her meal. Why did she care if one stubborn dwarf did not like it?
"Why can't you admit you were wrong," Fili shot back.
"About what?!"
"Wrong about coming with us, wrong about being a help," he held up his hands ticking them off as went down his list, "and oh yeah, throwing water on me," He practically roared.
"Ooh," Amaranth cried, pushing his chest so he fell a few steps away, "you arrogant, lion looking stick-bug!"
"Stick-bug?"
"I have been here one day!" Amaranth shot out hotly, this time stepping into him, "and I-"
The rest of company couldn't help but watch the weird spectacle which was taking place a little distance away. While they could not hear everything the two were saying- a few words did carry. More than one dwarf had winced when Fili had called her a Grobi Silall, and Bofur had whispered, "What is an ignoramus?" to Bomber who just shrugged. Standing back by the camp, it was almost comical to watch Fili, who was almost a whole head taller than Amaranth being pushed back by her.
They had never really seen their young prince quite like this before. Kili and Thorin had always been the hotheads of the family and more than once had went head-to-head but Fili was the calm, level-headed one. This was a different side to him and they were not quite sure why; though Thorin had an inkling of what was wrong with his young nephew. Although he hoped he was mistaken, it was add some unnecessary complications to their quest. As another Khuzdul epithet floated back to them causing Dori (the more dignified one of their company,) to gasp, Thorin consented that it might be too late for that, if Fili was using that kind of language.
"Five on Fili," Nori called out as the said dwarf swiftly dodged a kick from Amaranth.
"Ten on Aerie," Gandalf said with a laugh. They all turned to stare at their wizard who had not moved, he was still laying against the tree smoking his pipe. "What say you, Bilbo?"
"Uh well," Bilbo smiled, "I wouldn't bet against her." At the dwarves confused looks, he rushed to explain, "Aerie is not exactly a proper hobbit. She is tends to have," He paused as a war-like cry filled the air, causing them all to whip back around to see Fili with a face full of mud, and Aerie stalking away, her face red as tomato but a triumph smile on her lips, "anger problems," Bilbo finished with a soft chuckle.
Thorin sighed deeply, "I almost wish he would just kiss her and get it over with," He muttered under his breath.
"Aye," Balin agreed with a smile, "But this is more fun to watch."
Fili stalked into the clearing to meet up with Kili. He had been able to wipe most of the mud away but he was still burning with rage and he couldn't help muttering angrily under his breath. Yet despite his anger, deep underneath his rage was something else. Something he could not identify but it was like a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach.
During their argument, despite his rage, Fili had also been keenly aware of her body pressed up against his and the way her green eyes flashed dangerously. As they had continued to fight, he had felt his irritation melting slightly. Fili had almost started to laugh once she started stomping her foot and kept trying to kick him. In fact he had been about to smile, and call a truce when she had suddenly grabbed a handful of mud and thrown it into his face, wiping away any humor.
Fili was still seething and oddly confused. He could not remember a time when someone made him feel so off-balanced. Amaranth seemed to bring out the worst of him… By nature he was a very easy-going dwarf who got along with almost anyone. But there was something about this young hobbit girl who just made him want to pick her up and throw her into the nearest lake.
As Fili cleared the trees and saw his brother standing by the ponies, he almost wished they would run across something tonight. He desperately needed to hit something. At the noise, Kili turned swiftly, his bow slightly raised.
"Just me," Fili called out gruffly.
"Oh," Kili called a little too cheerfully, causing Fili to frown and hasten his steps. Kili was wearing his six year old grin when he had been caught trying to play Thorin's swords at the forgery.
"Kili-"He began but was interrupted by his brother who frowned as he came closer into view, "Why are you covered in mud?"
Fili growled, "It was someone's idea of apologizing for the water."
"Huh, that is a weird hobbit custom," Kili said, "You would think that would be the opposite of apolo-"
"You're babbling," Fili interjected, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." He quickly replied.
"Kili, I am not in the mood for this."
His brothers shoulders sagged in defeat, "How many did ponies did we start off with?"
Fili frowned at the odd question, "sixteen. Why?"
"Are you sure it wasn't fourteen?"
Fili felt his stomach tighten, "Kili, we had sixteen ponies."
"Yeah, about that…"
"You've got to be kidding," Fili muttered darkly before pushing past his brother to go count their rides. Yep, sure enough there was only fourteen ponies, "Thorin is going to kill us," He mumbled to Kili, rubbing his head which suddenly felt like it had been hit with a stick…repeatedly.
"Maybe he won't notice," Kili asked hopefully.
Fili shot his brother a dark look, who shrugged sheepishly, "I guess we should find them before the morning then."
Fili nodded and both quickly turned as they heard thundering behind them. It was Bilbo bringing them a few supplies for the night. He stopped at the anxious looks on the two young dwarves, "What?"
Fili sighed, "We've encountered a slight problem."
I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I love reviews and seeing what you guys think. Again sorry for such long delay in between chapters!
