Chapter 7

Oriel and Kili continued their lessons for nearly two hours. Even though Kili didn't like to study much, he enjoyed every moment he spent teaching and studying with Oriel. Both of them were cracking jokes with each other, telling tales of their mischiefs.

As they grew hungry, Oriel offered to get them something to eat. She managed to get them a tray of snacks from the kitchen, apple scones and wine—her favorite snack combination.

"Kili, I've got scones and—" She stopped and stared as she neared their table. She laughed at the sight before her. Kili's head was slumped on the table, his hair strewn around his face. He was already asleep and snoring loudly, and she hadn't even been gone for long. Oriel smiled and brushed his hair away from his face. She felt the coarseness of his beard—rather, stubble, and noticed the chubbiness of his cheeks. "I've been gone for a few minutes and then you fall asleep. How charmingly childlike you are. Sleep for a while and rest your mind."

Oriel continued to read about dwarves. She learned of their origin, of Aüle, of their talents in crafting. She had spent an hour and a half reading non-stop. She gazed at the sleeping dwarf beside her. He was smiling and it seemed that he was having a pleasant dream.

She picked up another book, but this time, it was of healing. Lord Elrond had been teaching her the art of healing for the longest of years and she had greatly appreciated the art itself because with it, she was able to help others. At such a young age, Lord Elrond had taught her all that he knew, and now, his efforts hadn't been wasted. Oriel could make elixirs and herbal salves of her own. It even surprised Elrond when she made Miruvor with such ease.

As she read through the book, she took careful notes of the herbs found in the west. One had piqued her interest. Lissuin. It was a sweet-smelling flower from Tol Eressëa which brings ease to the heart. She wondered if Lord Elrond kept a plant like it. She wondered if she could turn it into an elixir, one that she could use for travel and healing.

"Kili!" Fili's voice thundered through the library as he entered. Oriel looked up in surprise to see the fair-headed dwarf looking around. When Fili saw Kili slumped in the table, he smiled, knowing that his brother was probably asleep since books always had a drowsy of effect on him.

"Hello, Fili." Oriel greeted him with a smile. "Your brother fell asleep. I didn't have the heart to wake him up."

Fili nodded, a sign of acknowledging her, as he stood beside his brother. "He falls asleep whenever he's in a library or near a book…it's the smell."

"He falls asleep with the smell of books?" She softly laughed.

Fili gave a smile when she began to laugh. She seemed so pleasant. Maybe he was being too prejudiced, he thought. Only now did he realize that she looked lovely, especially her eyes. They were the most ethereal shade of the bluest of the blue, and when light hit her eyes, he could've sworn to see a glimmer of green in them.

Once she lifted her gaze to him, Fili looked away, searching for something else to look at. His eyes fell onto the tray of scones. It looked absolutely scrumptious. The golden brown color, the hidden flavor inside, and the cream on top…he wondered what flavor it was. Scones were his favorite. Back home, there was a small bakery owned by an elder woman. She made the most wonderful pastries, especially peach scones. She always gave him a free scone whenever he passed her shop.

"I see," Oriel said. She noticed his gaze and offered him. "Would you like some scones and wine? They are really delicious."

"No thanks." He wanted one. But his pride and mistrust of elves—and Oriel, apparently—wouldn't let him. But he really, really, really wanted one…or two.

Oriel tried not to laugh, seeing the internal battle he was waging with himself, perhaps thinking it was poisoned. "It's not poisoned or anything, Fili. Believe me, if I wanted to kill you, you would've been dead days ago."

Before Fili could make a retort, a voice called out. It was the elf who greeted them when they arrived, Fili remembered.

"My lady," He said. Taking notice of the dwarves in the room, he proceeded to speak in their elven tongue. Oriel nodded and replied back. It seemed urgent to Fili, seeing her expression harden. Oriel said something before the elf hurriedly left.

"Is everything all right?" Fili asked.

"Yes." She smiled and stood instantly. "I have to go. It seems that I am needed elsewhere. Please give my thanks to Kili for helping me today."

With that said, she left.

Night was almost falling. Fili and Kili spent the rest of their afternoon in their chambers. On the divan, Fili sat contentedly, cleaning his weapons ceremoniously. His brother, meanwhile, was standing over the bed, haphazardly taking off his tunic. Recently, Kili discovered the complex water system of Rivendell and now he wondered how the water in their bathroom fell like rain from the ceiling to the wooden tub. He would definitely ask Oriel if he sees her at dinner. And so, despite not being a fan of baths, there he was, preparing for another soak in the tub—the second one today.

"I learned she likes to ride, like you." Kili said as he took off his trousers and threw it with the pile of his clothes on the bed. "She even invited us to join her tomorrow. She said she will be riding in the afternoon in the valley. Oh, and she likes to shoot too, and she—"

"Enough about the girl, Kee. Take a bath already." Fili picked up the towel by his feet and threw it to his brother.

"Fine." Kili caught the towel and wrapped it around his waist. "Really, brother, stop treating her like an elf."

As his brother disappeared, Fili leaned back onto the divan and thought about what Kili said. Maybe he ought to reconsider Oriel. She was no elf—she just acted like one. She was of their kin, and he would be king someday. What he was doing to her—judging her for being raised by their enemies, it was not very kingly.

Suddenly, the door loudly opened and closed immediately. Fili held his sword tightly, looking surprised at the figure that came bursting in. "Oriel?"

She wore a dress shirt topped off with a jerkin, and trousers. She was dressed for travelling-like a man. Her hair was slightly tangled and messy. And she was filthy. There was mud on her face and dried blood. There was a large cut above her eye that trailed down to the side of her face. She held her cloak in a bundle in her arms. She seemed relieved. Fili placed his sword on the divan and approached her.

"Fili! Oh, I am sorry. I didn't think this was your room." She sounded surprised to see Fili. She had picked the nearest unlocked door and entered. "Sorry if I'm intruding. I had to hide."

"It's fine." Fili shook his head and smiled at her. "Who are you hiding from?"

It was the first time he ever truly did smile at her and mean it but, Oriel did not notice it. "Lord Elrond. He was coming my way and I couldn't let him see me."

"Your lip is cut. And your face…what happened to you?" Fili asked.

"I was out on a hunt. Orcs near our borders." She shrugged as if the blood on her face did not bother her. Perhaps she hadn't seen the state of herself yet. "I guess I cut my lip during the fight."

"I never knew you could fight. You're a bit out of breath. Here." He walked over to the table beside the divan and poured a glass of water. He offered it to Oriel who accepted it graciously.

It was at that moment that Kili decided to grace them with his presence—stark-naked. Using the towel to dry his hair, Kili did not see the young maiden and spoke, "Fee, I swear to Durin's beard that thing is magical. Who are you—"

"Kee, Oriel's here." Fili groaned.

"Oriel?" Kili lifted the towel from his eyes and gasped. "Oriel!"

"Oh, Iluvatar." Oriel's eyes widened in surprise. Immediately, she turned away from Kili. Kili was mortified. He was fiercely blushing a shade of red as he hurriedly wrapped the towel around his waist.

"You could have said something, Fili!" He shouted as he grabbed his clothes from the bed before he retreated into the bathroom.

"Get dressed, Kee." Fili laughed before he apologized. "Sorry."

"I saw nothing, at all." Oriel shouted after Kili. To Fili, she said, "You really should have mentioned the naked dwarf."

"Sorry. I—" A ferocious growl stopped Fili's words. He looked at Oriel incredulously, thinking that it was her who growled. But the growl came again. It wasn't her. It was the thing in her arms. "Are my ears deceiving me or is that thing in your arms growling?"

Oriel looked embarrassed. She looked away. "No."

Fili knew she was lying. The cloak or thing in her arms started thrashing around. " Ow! Huin!"

"Huin?" Fili asked. The cloak fell a little and revealed what it hid. It was a pup. It had pointy ears, slivery-white fur, and blue eyes, and really sharp teeth. It wasn't just a pup, it was a wolf pup! But Fili have not seen such a wolf before. Even in Ered Luin, there was no such color. "Oriel, is that a wolf pup?"

"Why is there a wolf pup in our room?" Kili emerged—now fully-clothed.

"I couldn't leave it!" Oriel pouted. "His parents were killed and I just felt…so bad for it."

"Do elves usually take orphaned wolf pups as they like?" Kili asked, his question directed more to his brother than Oriel.

"No." Oriel shook her head. "Lord Elrond would have him out of Rivendell as soon as he sees Huin. Most think that wolves are evil and servants of Sauron."

"Yet you still bring one here?" Fili grinned. "We have a troublemaker, brother."

"But Huin is not evil. I feel it." Oriel brushed the pup's fur. It didn't bite her or scratch her. It simply purred and closed its eyes.

"You even already named it." Fili noted.

"He's kind of cute." Kili said. As he tried to reach for the pup, it snarled at him. Kili withdrew back his hand immediately and held it to him. "I take it back."

"I need to ask you a favor." Oriel said. "Could you please keep an eye on him for a while? I need to report to Lord Elrond and he's expecting me. I can't bring Huin with me."

"We're not really good at looking after wolf pups." Fili confessed.

"Or looking after anything at all." Kili added, remembering the incident with the ponies in the Trollshaws.

Oriel pleaded, looking at both of them like a puppy kicked on his side. That trick was always used by Kili in the past and now, it was being used against him. "Please. I don't want to see Huin thrown out. I will only be a moment."

"All right. Just hurry." Fili gave up. "But first, clean up a little." He turned to his brother and spoke as he ushered Oriel to sit on the divan. "Get some ointment."

" You needn't do that. I could do it later." She placed the pup down onto the floor. She was expecting him to run off, but Huin remained by her feet, watching her carefully with his attentive blue eyes.

"You're already here anyway." Kili smiled before he closed the door behind him. "I'll be a minute."

Oriel was left alone with Fili. She knew that he didn't like her much and it was a little uncomfortable being alone with him. She watched him disappear into the bathroom and come back again holding a basin and a cloth.

"Hold this." He sat beside her and passed the basin to her to hold. He dipped the cloth in it and wrung it. He tilted her head towards him and, to Oriel's surprise, he patted the cloth unto her face gently. He was helping her clean her face!

"I though you didn't like me." Oriel muttered. "Why are you doing this?"

"I didn't." Fili replied as he wiped her forehead carefully. "I was raised to believe that elves can't be trusted. And since you were raised in their midst, what difference did it make?"

"You should not be so quick to judge someone."

Surprisingly, Fili was gentle and careful while he cleaned her up. As he finished cleaning her face, he showed her the cloth and smiled. "Really dirty and bloody."

Again, he stood up and disappeared into the bathroom. When he came out again, he was holding a new cloth. As he sat down, he gently took Oriel's face and pulled it closer to him. "Let me see."

"You are right. I shouldn't be quick to judge." He patted the cloth on her forehead carefully as he cleaned the cut above her eye. "That's why I'm giving us a chance…to start anew."

"Really now? What made you change your mind? Ouch!"

"Sorry." He laughed a little.

"Was it the scones?" Oriel joked and gave him a small smile.

"No. They were delicious by the way. I didn't think you would send some to our room." Fili smiled. The scones did play a part, When he and his brother came back to their room, there was a platter of scones waiting for them. Oriel must've noticed that he wanted some.

Seeing him smiling, Oriel thought that he looked younger. He should always smile, she thought. Fili turned the cloth, looking for a clean corner before he moved onto her bruised lip. He patted it gently with the cloth, cleaning it meticulously as he did with the other. "It's just that you seem to be good friends with Mister Balin and Mister Dwalin, and now, you're friends with my brother. And since you've done nothing but show kindness to us…and I'm not dead yet so…maybe we could be too. Let's start again if you don't mind."

"I mind not at all." She smiled at him.

"Fili, at your service."

"Oriel, ever at yours."

"Here's the ointment." Kili entered the room holding a vial in his hand. Oriel noticed that it contained a green liquid in it, more of a paste since it did not flow as any liquid would. Fili took it and unscrewed the cork.

"Ointment, huh? It is the first time I ever heard of such medicine." Oriel remarked.

"It was of Oin's making." Fili said before he went again to the bathroom to clean the cloth.

Meanwhile, Kili sat on the chair near the fireplace, just a few inches away from Huin. "Is it safe for that thing to be with no leash?"

"I actually do not know. But, he had stayed there since Fili started cleaning up my wounds."

Seemingly knowing that Kili was paying attention to him, Huin stood up and strutted to him. The pup sniffed Kili and looked up to him. Kili looked back at the pup. To both Oriel and Kili's surprise, Huin clawed at his trousers until he could climb onto Kili's lap.

"I think Huin likes you." Oriel chuckled.

Fili came out of the bathroom again and sat beside Oriel. "It would sting a bit."

Fili took the cloth and dabbed some ointment on it. Then, as same as before he applied the ointment onto her wounds.

"Ow!" She exclaimed. "'A bit' is an understatement!"

"At least a thank you would be appreciated." Fili said as he moved onto her lips. She winced as he dabbed the cloth on her lips. "There. Done."

"Thank you very much, Fili, Kili." Oriel said as she stood up. "I must get going. See you at dinner."

Fili walked Oriel to the door. It was a surprise to Kili that he seemed nicer to Oriel. And so, as Oriel was gone, he asked his brother. "You seem nicer to her. Was it the scones?"

"I'm just giving her a chance just as you wanted…I still have reservations about her." Fili shrugged.

"That's great! Then we could all be friends now." Kili beamed. "We could go riding tomorrow! All three of us!"

"I guess." Fili smiled.

A/N: I updated again for this week in any case that I can't next week! I have exams next week so yeah.

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