Chapter 10: Asking Questions

Kili watched her eyes search the room, there was nowhere for her to sit, and she was looking in vain for a place. He had just plucked up the courage to suggest she sit beside him, when his brother cut in.

"Here my lady, take my seat!" He said, getting up and graciously giving her an over exaggerated bow. Kili noticed her cringe, 'too much brother!' He smirked.

"Thank you, Fili, but I'm fine over here!" she said, moving to the small gap between Kili and the wall.

He stopped breathing as she slipped into the spot beside him. Then when she moved up closer to him he grinned wildly at his brother. The look of Fili's face read, 'round 1 to you!'.

Fili resigned back to his seat and stared blankly at the fire in the centre of the room. There was then a much longer awkward silence than before. Nobody knew what to talk about.

Kili knew for a fact their heads were full of questions about who she was and other such things. They had been discussing them only moments before she had entered, and now nobody was brave enough to ask her.

She shuffled restlessly beside him. "Well!" She said loudly and in a sarcastic tone, " this is fun!"

This provoked a few bereft laughs from the dwarves before the silence took them again. Kili too laughed. He could sense her boredom; she fidgeted a few seconds before playing with her hair. Then she looked up to him, and smiled a confused and apprehensive smile. He suddenly noticed he had been staring at her the whole time and with a lot of effort pulled his eyes from her. He felt her cringe against his arm. 'I am so stupid sometimes!' He scolded himself.

'Speak you fool!' He commanded himself, 'SPEAK!' But his tongue refused to cooperate.

They all sat in silence for another long period, each gave the other confused and awkward glances. Then all of a sudden Fili burst out laughing, the other looked at him confused and bewildered by his outburst. Kili was bemused and a little scared, had his brother planned some mischief?

Braerka leaned forward placing her hands on her knees, "What on earth could be so funny?!" She exclaimed.

Fili attempted to stifle his laughter and managed to say a few words, "You two, just sitting there! You clearly want to talk! So talk! Don't stare blankly at the floor brother!"

Braerka looked to Kili's face not fully understanding Fili's meaning. His cheeks were red with embarrassment as the blood flowed close to his skin.

'Wow, I think he likes me, like, like likes me!' said her subconscious, she knew for a fact that Fili did, he had made that clear outside the troll cave, but Kili.

She glanced between them, their fingers dancing in every direction, 'they're signing to each other!' She had heard of the secret dwarf language, Iglishmêk, but had never actually seen it in action, it was discrete and almost unnoticeable at the speed they signed. From the looks they gave each other she deducted that they were arguing over something, 'typical brothers' she thought.

She looked back to Fili and sniped back at him for slandering his brother, "why don't you talk to me then?" she said. His laughter by now had dimmed and he was speaking normally, he wiped a joyful tear from his eye.

"Because I know I won't have to!" He said, "It is well known that women crave attention! The less attention the more..." He trailed off realising what he was going to say would sound uncouth. This was what she had expected, he wouldn't openly declare his feelings or go running to her and she knew it, he would wait until she came to him; which would never happen. 'Now to play with his head' she thought.

"Well ok then" She sighed relaxing, and leaning against Kili's arm. She felt him become tense at the unexpected cuddle.

Fili spat out the drink he had just swallowed, "what?!"

"Ok then!" She repeated, Fili's distress doubled, she had made him think he'd played the game wrong and now he was losing.

After a short while Kili relaxed, she felt his arm loop around her, 'wow!' She thought, for the first time in a long time she had butterflies in her stomach. "So, Shepard..." He began, rubbing it in Fili's face,"... if you don't mind me asking, who exactly are you?" The others stopped what they were doing and all ears were directed her way.

"Well I'm Shepard!" She said, she knew what he was getting at but she couldn't tell them, not now anyway.

"Yeah we know that, but where are ya from, who are your family, you know that kinda stuff!" said Oin from across the room, 'for an almost deaf dwarf you can hear me pretty well!' her mind retorted.

She sighed, there was no getting out of this, she could leave the room but that would arouse suspicion and that's the last thing she wanted. "Ok then, I'll tell you a few things, but on one condition!" She announced

"What would that be?" Questioned Bofur.

"You answer some of mine!"

"Fair enough!"

She unfurled herself from the arm of Kili and sat up on her knees. "So what d'ya want to know?" She asked, opening herself up. "I should warn you, you need to ask the right questions"

There was once more silence in the room. Each dwarf looked at the other, who was going to ask first, about to offer words of encouragement Braerka was stopped by a quiet voice in the corner of the room. "What do you do for living?" asked Ori.

She had been expecting more depth to the first question but she answered none-the-less. Thinking for a split second before answering, "Well I don't have any one particular field of work! I do pretty much anything I am able."

"Like what?" He persisted wanting more detail.

"Like smithing and… hunting, anything I can really!"

"Not the usual happenings in a woman's life!" Interjected Dwalin, his voice was harsh but his expression showed he was impressed. "Where are you from?" He continued.

"Well I've spent most of my life in the small town of Windermere, just before the outskirts of Greenwood, but I move about from place to place. I've been all over, Lake town, Bree, Rohan even Gondor!"

She became withdrawn at the thought of Windermere; it was a thriving town, ruled over by the Assassin's guild in the Silverkeep. It was where she had been taken to be trained; everything operated from the town and it was the seat of the Master Assassin. She hadn't been there in a very long time, and had no intention of getting close to it either.

Some of the dwarves then, chatted amongst themselves but aloud to the group. They marvelled at the fact that she, a woman, had ventured to lands far from her homeland and to add to that alone.

"I have a question for you!" said Bombur, fussily picking at a plate of vegetables he brought with him, "why are you so skinny?"

"Excuse me?! Why? Do you think I'm too skinny?!" She asked confused by this inquiry. He walked across the room and awkwardly placed himself on a wooden drawer. "Yes I do think you're too skinny! Didn't notice before but with that thing on ya, you look like skin and bones!"

She looked down at herself, she didn't think there was anything wrong with her build; in fact she was the right size for her small stature. But then Bombur wasn't the slimmest of dwarfs, she did, in few ways, understand his concern.

"Oh right!" She answered sounding a little downtrodden.

She sat back down on her bottom and stretched her legs out in front of her then pulled them up close to her chest. She felt self-conscious and exposed again, she had never thought of herself as underweight or unhealthy and knew herself not to be by human standards. Still she felt the comments sour sting, even if she knew it was false.

"Look what you've done now! Gone and hurt her feelings you have!" Exclaimed Dori, appalled at the blatant insult from Bombur.

"It's quite alright Dori I am used to it! Sort of"

"What do you mean?" Kili asked, shuffling forward from behind her. He leaned in close beside her and stared into her eyes she peered back into his.

Timed stopped, everything froze. Braerka gazed into the dark brown, almost jet black pools of his eyes. The emotion she could see was immense, his eyes blazed like the fire, with vehemence, tenacity and conviction. She stared deep into his soul, and felt loyalty, pride and a longing for acceptance. He was strong right down to his very core; his aura was captivating and enticing. For a fraction of a second she thought she might embrace him, but her mind whipped her back to reality.

"Well with all the travelling I've met my fair share of unkind men who always seem to want more than what they see, I get the odd coaxing comment. But then I say no or try to leave, then I get the exact opposite and then they end up hurt"

Suddenly there was a loud cracking on the other side of the room. Bombur, who had once sat on the drawers holding a cooked sausage Bofur had tossed him, was lying in a heap on the ground, the legs of the table splayed out under his weight. The whole room burst into fits of laughter at his misfortune. Though she found little amusement she laughed a little too. Bombur had bits of lettuce and other greens all over him, Nori went to his aid. 'Poor Bombur!' she thought.

Kili finished his outburst rather quickly and then turned back to her, "Seriously! You beat them up?" He said astonished.

"Like hell she does! She couldn't fend off a couple of wolves let alone knock out a man!" Spat Fili, annoyed at their extreme closeness in that moment.

"You would be surprised how many taverns I've been kicked out of because I have! And it was a pack of wolves actually!" She quipped at him, defending herself.

Kili sniggered, and Fili glowered at him, being the eldest he was obviously used to more attention, and now the tables were turned, all because of a woman. "Is that how it is then? Alright, I propose a test of strength; I challenge you to an arm wrestle!" Fili stood up and went right over to her. The other dwarves who had lost interest perked up a little at the stir.

Braerka stared blankly at him, unsure of what to make of the brother's sharp tongue and sudden change in mood. But she had never been one to back down from anything and she wasn't going to start.

"Challenge accepted!" She said.

"Go on lass!" Dwalin and several others encouraged, "show him your mettle!" They said.

'How in the world did this happen?!' She thought, so much for asking questions, she had shoved off all notions of their quest for now. This was too fun!

Fili sat beside her, Bifur had placed and small wooden stool between them to brace their elbows. He had elected himself the referee. He said something to her in dwarfish, unfortunately not knowing much dwarfish, she didn't have a clue what he had said.

"What?!" She asked him. Instead of repeating or getting someone to do interpreting he gave her a big thumbs up with both hands. She smiled. The group around her was now chatting and placing quick bets on who would win, Kili stood separate behind Bifur, looking slightly concerned but still bemused by the events, he egged her on. Braerka blocked him and everyone else out. For the next few seconds it was just her and Fili.

She focused her eyes to his piercing green blue orbs, and he to hers. He smirked, "No hard feelings if you lose!"

"Oh I won't!" She replied, intent on winning. They interlocked their right hands and prepared themselves. His warm hand pressed tightly against her palm, his fingertips pushed against her knuckles. He smirked and then everything else drowned out. Sound was muted and the edges if her sight were blurred. Then it began. Bifur yelled something in Khuzdul and they began their battle.

Fili was strong, she gave him that but she, having been around for so long, had more stamina. He pushed against her arm, she retaliated with equal force, theirs fists suspended in a pressured fray. She waited and waited, he was going to give any time soon, she could feel it, the grip waned and loosened. He could have beaten her if he'd been quicker but in the long run he didn't have the endurance. His hand began to shake and she pushed with twice as much force pounding it to the wooden surface.

The audience roared with appreciation, she raised her arms in victory and Fili buried his head in hands, he'd been beaten by a girl. "I'll never live this down!" He groaned into his hands.

"I don't think they'll ever let you forget it!" Came a voice from the door.

All went silent and heads turned to see Thorin with Balin and Bilbo, their faces alight with fire and amusement, they had seen the duel. Thorin's face was much more serious, he clearly didn't approve of such behaviour.

"I thought I told you all to get some rest!" He bellowed.

"Some of us got some" interjected Dwalin, being one of the more reliable men in the group he had been left in charge.

Thorin's face eased a bit at this, he turned to Braerka, "You should be in your own chambers! Please leave… Now!" His tone was serious and angered. She got up quickly and took a glance at Fili his pride was somewhat damaged.

Before leaving she quickly ran up to him, and a spare the moment action, hugged him, "you're still a warrior to me!" She whispered into this ear and then quickly left the room, giving Kili a quick wink. She would have hugged the all had she had the time but Thorin's patience was wearing thin she could see, he slammed shut the door behind her.

'Well that was very informative!' She screamed in her head, once again her attempt to get information on their quest had failed; she hadn't even got to ask a single question! She stood for a minute wiping her forehead, 'now what?!' She thought. Thorin clearly had no intention of bringing her now, he would have told her something at least by now if he did.

She started down the corridor back to her chambers; she replayed the night's events in her head. 'Why the hell did I hug Fili?!' She was beating herself up over it; she only did it to reassert his pride not to evoke any deeper feelings, but a dark feeling in the back of her mind told her it might have.

She was regretting it; the look on Kili's face was like a knife to the heart. 'Why am I so worked up over this?! I don't really even like him!' She told herself. She had only wanted information and if she had to pretend to love then she would. But the way she felt when Kili had stared into eyes, it was unlike anything she'd ever felt, she put it down to her mind playing tricks.

Soon after she came to her room, the door was still open a crack, she stalled her entry. She pushed it open and slowly stepped in. It was still dark and the candles that had once lit the room were out. The wind was blowing the pale curtains, they looked spectral in the moonlight. She noticed a tall figure standing by the balustrade of the balcony. She crept across the room silently, ready to defend herself if necessary. She slowed her breathing and focused her ears to the sounds around her, flowing water of the falls and her own breath were the only things perceptible.

She walked to the marble pillar, and slipped around its smooth curve and became relaxed at the figure in front of her. "Arwen! I Thought you would've been doing your own thing by now?" she said surprised that her friend had probably stayed since she left. She dropped her guard and approached her old friend.

Her pale blue silken dress billowed like the curtains in breeze, her long brown wavy hair draped over her shoulders, she was smiling. "But I am!" the elf exclaimed,

"Come out of the wind it's cold tonight!" Braerka beckoned to her.

Now in the protective walls of the room, Braerka lit some new candles and then turned to her.

"I imagine you're not staying long then?" Arwen began, smiling as she said it; Braerka saw a sneaky playfulness behind her smirk.

"What makes you think that?" She asked, anxious to learn the source of her mischievousness.

"This dwarfish company seems to require you, or so my father says. And you seem quite taken with the Ai' atar!" She answered setting herself down on the bed.

"Excuse me! What do you mean taken with the dwarf?!" she spat.

"You know of whom I speak... he is lucky to have won your affections!" She continued, still smirking. Braerka had no idea to who she was referring; as far as she was concerned no-one had won her affections. But she could have meant Thorin for all she knew.

"Hmm... I know not of what you speak Arwen; anyway what do you mean they require me? Do you know of their quest?" She asked

"As a matter of fact I do, they are headed to the Lonely Mountain in an attempt to reclaim Erebor, my father says they will need you before their journeys end."

'Erebor?! But Smaug...!' Her mind was flustered, how could 14 individuals reclaim the mountain from a beast that had destroyed 1000's of lives to take it?

Arwen sensed her confusion, "I overheard them in the main hall earlier tonight. Thorin seemed desperate to leave you behind, that you 'give off an aura of familiarity!' and that you were a bad omen; the wizard however; was intent on bringing you along."

"I have not been told anything thus far!" She snapped, angry that she seemed to be the last to know. She had thought it could have something to do with Erebor after seeing the sketch of Dale on Elrond's desk, but it was lunacy; no-one in their right might would attempt it. "I don't think I'll be leaving any time soon then" she finally said, falling into the soft covers on the bed.

Arwen sat beside her, looking down to her short friend, "You are not one for doing what you are told..." she began, worried in her fading tenacity, "Do what is right in here..." She said softly pointing to her head, indicating her mind, "and in here!" She finished pointing to where her heart lay.

Braerka loved this about Arwen; she could relax your mind with the simplest of words and leave you feeling strong again. "Thank you... But I really don't think I'll be leaving!"

"My father has foreseen your path, Braerka; you would be surprised as to where it leads! Until we meet again…" she made sure to make Braerka aware of the chest by the door as she walked out. She then left the room closing the door tight.

Braerka was left stunned and bemused, 'Fools they'd need several armies to reclaim the mountain if Smaug still lives! Which I'm betting he does!' She cursed.

She then turned her attention to the wooden chest; it was bore elven symbols and seals, and smelt of the smith's corner. She speedily opened the lid, and revealed a lightweight elven bow and several newly forged daggers and throwing knives among other things.

She smirked, as she examined them, she found a short note among the blades, 'use these in all your endeavours wherever life my take you, Arwen' this made her smile even more and she even giggled aloud. 'She knows me so well! I'd be lost without her!' "Diola lle!" 'Thank you' she whispered.

Still deep in thought she placed the gifts with the rest if her clothes and belongings. Among the items had been an old journal she had left in Rivendell the last she had been there. It was an old and battered looking journal, she opened it, the first few pages were littered with drawings of Dale and Erebor, and full of badly scrawled memories and notes. She had owned this for most of her life and never really used it. There had been no time or point to it, but seemed like a good time to write down what she was thinking.

She found the next blank page and wrote of her dilemma and finally came to a conclusion, she slammed the notebook closed and placed it under her pillow, rolled over and closed her eyes. She would try to get some rest and when morning came she would make her final decision and be all the better for it.

AN: Here we are yet another chapter :) as always, please R&R stay tuned for the next one