I don't own The Hobbit, the book or the movie. This fic will be based on the movie, with some tidbits from the book. I do own Astrid and Nerys and their backgrounds, and Idhril, who makes an appearance for all of like, five minutes later on. Treasures is rated for violence mostly, and drinking and smoking. You know how dwarves are. This fic will be written in three parts, one for each of the movies. Please enjoy!
Treasures Lost and Found
—A Reminder
"How did I let you goad me into this?"
Astrid grinned, her eyes flaring with devious light as she backed away from Kili, the wooden practice swords clutched in her hands. She relaxed out of the fighting stance, flicked the stray strands of hair out of her eyes and adjusted the way her green shirt was sitting—it was sticking to her back and sides with sweat. They'd been at it for a while.
They'd stumbled upon some of the non-lethal weapons two days beforehand while looking for a shorter bow for Astrid to use and, elated at the chance to best the dwarf in a contest of weapons, she'd suggested she try and teach Kili how to wield two of the long knives that were her favoured weapons. Having been trained as a warrior his whole life, Kili had little trouble adjusting to the weight of having a blade in each hand, but Astrid was more familiar with the setup and she was quite a bit faster.
At first, she'd held back during the sparring matches, just enough to give Kili a chance to adjust to the different fighting style; it was the same way he'd held back when they'd first started competing to see who could land the most arrows in a target, though she hadn't known that was what he was doing until he'd stopped. But now they were attacking each other with everything they had short of deadly intent and it was fun. That Astrid kept winning might have been contributing to her enjoyment, but Kili was making her work for her victories and she was enjoying that far more.
"Perhaps you felt bad for always besting me at archery?" Astrid offered, taking up her starting stance again. She narrowed her eyes at her opponent, her mouth drawn up in a smirk. "Are you up for another round or are your surrendering?"
Kili gave an over-exaggerated sigh and took his stance as well. A smile took over his face as Astrid advanced, her dark braid swinging around her shoulders and beads of sweat sliding along her cheeks. The exertion was getting to Kili was well, who had shed his coat and vest in favour of increased movement and less heat; the heavy clothes sat in a pile off to the side with his bow, quiver, and sword. He caught Astrid's attack and retaliated using a move she'd taught him.
Even with the knowledge that she and Kili had met before reinstated in her mind, and that he would probably hate her if he remembered, Astrid found it a little unsettling how quickly the pair of them had taken to each other.
The dwarves had been in Rivendell for almost a week, though Astrid wasn't sure why they had remained so long, and she and Kili had spent much of the time together on the archery range or sparring in abandoned spaces. Dwalin was still keeping all information to himself about Astrid's past in the Blue Mountains, and though she'd joined the dwarves around their fires more than once, she had garnered no more information beyond that the company was on a quest—a very important quest, she'd surmised after spotting Thorin speaking to Lord Elrond one morning. If he was anything like she remembered him being, the dwarven prince would not have left the settlement in the Blue Mountains lightly.
Regardless of all the secrecy, Astrid enjoyed sparring and joking with Kili. When Astrid and Kili weren't fighting, they were exploring the elven house and talking and getting into things they probably shouldn't, often with Fili for company. Astrid had also taken to spending the evenings around the dwarves' fire, listening to Dwalin, Balin, and Bofur tell stories, and to Ori sharing what has transpired on their journey so far from the detailed notes in his journal—Astrid's favourite tale was of the trolls who'd tried to cook the dwarves for dinner the night before they arrived in Rivendell. She'd even managed a conversation with Bifur, which consisted mostly of her nodding and making vague noises of agreement while the dwarf spoke the ancient language of his people and gestured; this was something the others had found highly amusing, not that they had any idea what Bifur was saying either. Astrid had also met the hobbit Bilbo, who was accompanying the dwarves on their quest, though she hadn't had much opportunity to speak to him. Bilbo preferred to spend his time reading and exploring Rivendell, away from the rowdiness of his travelling companions.
The company of dwarves were entertaining and the wanderlust her first glimpse of the camp had instilled in Astrid was only growing stronger the longer she was around them, though the continuation of her journey was west, and Kili had let it slip they were headed east. Astrid had only dwelled on the thought of accompanying the dwarves for a brief moment, but it had been a good moment. It had been a long time since she'd seen anywhere east of the Misty Mountains, but she knew better than to interfere.
Still, she couldn't help but feel a little sad to know the dwarves would be leaving Rivendell soon—that Kili would be leaving.
"I win again!" Astrid exclaimed as the edge of one of her wooden blades bounced off Kili's neck and he groaned in defeat. She pointed the end of her wooden blade at him and narrowed her eyes, her mouth bunching. "You had better not be holding back, dwarf."
Kili's mouth dropped in mock offense. "I would never dream of such a thing."
"Then I am wearing you down? And I had heard such things about the stamina of dwarves…"
Kili's eyes flashed over the laughter he was trying to hold back and he lunged across the space between them. Astrid caught his attack with both her blades but was forced back several steps as Kili kept pushing, not giving her time or space to launch a counter attack; she may have been faster, but he was stronger and sturdier than her, and she'd learned early on it was nearly impossible to get him to move. Her foot hit the edge of the courtyard they'd chosen for sparring that day and she slipped on the wet rock, landing with a splash in the shallow river running alongside them. Kili looked alarmed until Astrid threw her head back and started laughing.
On a balcony not far from the courtyard, Thorin watched Astrid and Kili spar, his face carefully blank to hide the emotions warring inside.
Thorin was growing impatient and it was making him angry. The dwarves had been in Rivendell for far longer than he'd hoped they would be, and though he had admitted to himself the elves of the valley were not his enemy, his was uncomfortable staying among them when Erebor was waiting. But there had been little choice in the matter: the moon runes Lord Elrond had discovered hidden on Thror's map could only be read under the light of a moon the same shape and season as when they were written, and that moon had yet to rise. Lord Elrond had said it would be the proper moon in a week's time—and it would be a week since their arrival tomorrow. Thorin didn't begrudge the hospitality of the elves, or the time to rest—the quest had barely begun and already they had been through more than expected—but he was eager to continue on towards Erebor, to see his home and finally rid it of the dragon, to walk in the halls of Erebor once more and return it to its former glory.
As they had since the meeting with Dain, thoughts of Erebor brought thoughts of Nerys, regardless of how hard he tried to push them away, of how much he didn't want them. The images of her in his head brought only pain.
He scowled under the fresh influx of emotions and pushed away from the railing of the balcony, turning his back on the scene below—only to find Balin standing behind him, his arms crossed loosely over his chest and a smile on his face.
"It does an old dwarf good to see that," he said, gesturing in the direction of the courtyard. "Especially on a quest as dangerous as ours."
Thorin huffed and turned back around just in time to see Astrid fall into the river. She looked shocked for a moment, but then she started laughing and Kili, also laughing, went to her with his hand extended. Instead of pulling herself to her feet though, she yanked Kili down into the water beside her. Their laughter reached Thorin and Balin on the balcony and one corner of the dwarf prince's mouth lifted in response. The expression faded quickly under the sense of worry that had been brewing since he'd first realized how close Astrid and his nephew had become—worry of what would happen when it came time for the dwarves to leave, how Kili would take it, how Astrid would. Thorin knew his nephew and he remembered Astrid from her time in the Blue Mountains. She had not changed much: still stubborn and still willing to fight for what she wanted and who she wanted to be with.
She had, and still did, remind him of Nerys in that way.
As if sensing his thoughts, Balin said, "She is something like Nerys, that one." His tone was light, almost happy, but then Balin had always been the best at dealing with his memories of his younger sister.
Thorin pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and his forefinger and sighed, the thoughts of his betrothed coming back.
"What is it Thorin?"
When Thorin looked at the shorter dwarf, he could see something in his eyes, something saying Balin had known Thorin was hiding something. Thorin rolled his eyes. Apparently he could hide nothing from Balin or Dwalin. "Something Dain said when I was at the meeting has been bothering me, something… he said he… but it could not have been true. It does not matter."
"Thorin."
"He thought he saw her while in Lake Town," he said, the words coming out in a bit of a rush. Balin's eyes narrowed and he set his jaw; Thorin could see the change in his friend as he processed the concept of Nerys being alive. "He believes she is alive and living in Lake Town, but… that cannot be possible."
"No. No, it cannot," Balin agreed after a moment, his voice tense and a little regretful. "Have you spoken to Dwalin about this yet?"
Thorin shook his head. "I have been trying not to think of it at all. The quest to reclaim our home is far more important than one life," he whispered.
Balin huffed, though he didn't make any noises of agreement. "He should know."
Even though his voice was level and there was no sign of distress on his face, Thorin knew Balin was angry with him for keeping the information and scared to think Nerys might have been alive all this time, however small the chance was. Thorin knew because he felt the same.
Thorin sighed, his shoulders slumping in resignation. "You are right, of course. I will tell him."
Thorin's attention drifted down to the courtyard again, where Kili and Astrid were now hunting for one of the wooden practice knives in the river, though they were spending far more time splashing each other than actually looking. Astrid took a step forward and slipped on the stones, a yelp of surprise coming from her throat. Kili turned and caught her just in time. Thorin watched the look pass between them as Astrid righted herself but remained standing close, her hands on his chest, a look of tension and unsaid words.
The would-be king turned and started down the steps, his entire being tight with constrained anger. Balin pressed his lips together and followed.
"Dwalin? Are you all right?"
The big dwarf looked at Astrid as she appeared in front of him and gave her a small smile, one not likely to be very reassuring. "I'm fine." He could see she didn't believe him however, so he asked, "Do you remember when I told you of my younger sister?"
Not bothering to question the connection, Astrid dropped onto the bench beside Dwalin and ran the fingers of one hand back through her hair, pushing it back from her face. It was hanging loose around her shoulders, still slightly damp from her fall in the river earlier. Her brow furrowed as she tried to recall the memories from so long ago and he could glimpse the five year old she had been in the expression. "She died when Smaug attacked Erebor," she said after a moment. "Thorin did not like you telling me about her."
"Thorin and Nerys were to be married—he does not like thinking of her at all." Dwalin cleared his throat, rubbed at his face. He still wasn't sure what to do with the information Thorin had given him, but he could not talk to Thorin or Balin about it, he knew that much, and he trusted Astrid to keep the information to herself. He was not angry with Thorin for keeping Dain's news to himself, because Thorin was right when he said the quest was more important, even if it was Dwalin's younger sister they were talking about. "Someone told Thorin they saw Nerys in Lake Town, that she is still alive."
Astrid's face broke in a bright grin. "If it's true, that is wonderful news!"
"Aye, if it is true."
"Do you have reason to believe it is not possible for her to be alive?"
"Thorin saw her bathed in the dragon's fire and we were unable to go back into Erebor to look for her. She was not among the survivors and was not counted among those who wandered into the nearby villages afterwards. It has been many, many years. She would have tried to find us." Dwalin looked straight ahead, to where the firelight of the dwarf camp lit the night. He was not seeing the flames though, or hearing the noise from the rest of the company. His mind was in the past. "It would be… hard to know she had been alive this whole time and I was not with her, but I do not think it possible she survived. Besides, there are more… pressing things we need to be concerned with."
"Your quest."
Dwalin nodded. "Our quest."
Astrid fell silent for a moment, her eyes also on the golden-orange glow of the fire. "Are you going to take back Erebor from the dragon?" She met Dwalin's surprised expression and shrugged with the shoulder closest to him. "I have been thinking about what would be important enough to cause Thorin to leave the Blue Mountains, and I remember the stories you and Dis told me when I was little, stories of Smaug's attack and how Thorin fought to find a home for the dwarves of Erebor. I have read tales of Erebor while here at Rivendell as well, of the tragedy of it all. It was not too hard to put the pieces together."
A little stunned regardless of her assurance it had not been a difficult task, Dwalin shook his head and said, "You read too much, little one."
Astrid smiled, knowing she was correct. "I will say nothing to anyone else," she assured him, perhaps picking up on his slight panic. "I assume secrecy is important."
Dwalin nodded. "That would be best. It seems your presence was missed," he added, gesturing towards the camp.
Astrid found Kili in the dim light, walking towards them on the path, and her face broke in a smile, one Dwalin wasn't sure she was aware of. "Well I did just get up and walk out when I realized you had vanished."
He watched the silent exchange between them. "We are not going to be in Rivendell much longer, little one," Dwalin said with some warning in his voice.
She turned her smile on him, her head cocked slightly to one side. "That is no reason not to enjoy the time you are here. " Her expression fell, her face turning serious. "I am sorry you do not think there is hope for your sister to be alive, Dwalin. I would have liked the opportunity to meet her."
Dwalin reached over and gave her shoulder a squeeze, showing his thanks for her concern where he couldn't say it. Kili reached them then, a slightly crooked grin on his lips. Dwalin gestured for her to go when Astrid looked to him again. She leaned over and gave him a quick hug before getting to her feet and falling in line beside Kili as they headed back to the fire and food and ale. He heard Kili mention something about Astrid being familiar and she just shrugged it off, changing the subject to the plan for tomorrow. Dwalin smiled to himself because he could see what Balin had meant when he'd said Astrid reminded him of Nerys.
This is a reminder (har har very funny author lady coming through) that I extended the time in Rivendell quite a bit.
And apologies for the space between updates. I want to update faster, but I've been having some trouble focusing lately and I'm not sure why. I'm working on figuring it out and getting my writing back on track. Thanks for sticking with me!