MASQUERADE

Chapter 10

Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain, sat on his throne, drumming his fingers upon the arm. Beside him his advisors, of whom Balin was chief, hovered – all with serious expressions on their faces. Dwalin stood before Thorin, arms crossed and a black thundercloud of a glare pasted across his face. The scratching of quill on parchment affirmed that Ori too was close by.

"You are certain of your facts Dwalin?" Thorin asked heavily. "Dismissal without evidence is something we cannot afford; Dain would have my kingdom faster than Smaug"

"Aye, of course I am sure" Dwalin grunted, handing Thorin a small bag. "Nori found that little treasure trove under our guest's mattress"

Thorin peered inside, stiffened at what lay inside the cloth bag and then faced Dwalin once more. He nodded and Dwalin stalked away. The King sighed. He had rather hoped that the rumours running around about this particular dwarf were not to be true and yet, here in his hands, was the proof. This was going to put strain on relations between himself and his people, he could see it now.

Dwalin had returned, one large hand steering a stocky dwarf who Thorin now knew was called Huran, son of Furan. Thorin closed his eyes; this was going to be difficult to say the least.

"I do not need to be lead thank you!" Huran huffed at Dwalin. "Son of Fundin or no, you are not my guard dog!"

Dwalin looked like he would very much use the other dwarf for battle axe practice but a quick glare from his elder brother put to rest any ideas. Thorin cleared his throat. "Enough" he said softly. "Huran I am sure you are aware of the rumours that are circling about Erebor"

The dwarf chuckled. "Aye of course your majesty, one would have to be deaf not to hear and even then . . ." he trailed off. "Why is it that you have called me here?"

"Did you know that the Firebeard clan to the north sent threats by raven last week?" Thorin queried, steepling his fingers. "They warned us if they did not receive their reward for assisting in the quest they would blow up the lower most mines, thus signalling the destruction of our great city"

"I was not aware, no"

"But of course you are aware that it is forbidden to keep personal explosives without the knowledge of the King" Thorin continued, tossing the large leather bag to the floor between him and Huran. "Nori found some rather interesting trinkets beneath your bed whilst you were busy with the members of the band"

Huran's jaw twitched. "You had your henchmen paw through my things?" he asked tightly. "That is grounds for a vote of lack of confidence in your rule, sire" this last part was added rather sarcastically.

Thorin bit down on his tongue. The dwarf had a point. "Yet you do not deny that you had the explosives?" he asked finally. "Very well then . . ." he trailed off, turning to have a silent conversation with Balin who had his eyebrows raised. "Huran" he spoke, getting to his feet. "You have been a loyal dwarf since your arrival and yet I cannot allow the presence of illicit substances in my kingdom"

"I . . ."

"As such I strip you of your place amongst the miners and I will delegate you to being a part of the band and the archive assistant until further notice" Thorin said heavily. Huran paled, such an act would certainly make other's question his ability as a male dwarf. Most archivists were female, with the exception of Ori. This was a blow to his ego if there ever was one. "It is a lenient sentence my friend" Thorin explained. "My grandfather would have had you thrown from these walls"

-x-

Nori couldn't believe his ears, he wasn't sure he wanted to either. He can't have just heard Bofur, cheerful, happy Bofur agree to go with this crazy dwarf. He clearly didn't just hear his Bofur, his fun-loving and cheeky lover; agree to take his place as Huran's captive. Perhaps he ought to get an ear trumpet.

"Take me instead" Bofur repeated.

Alright so he wasn't going deaf. Nori gritted his teeth. He was going to kill Bofur when this was over. So help him if Nori had to resurrect him just to kill him then Bofur was in serious trouble. Putting himself in harm's way was not solving anything! Just wait until he was free . . . . oooh Bofur was going to get it. Nori winced. Great. Now he had that pleading look in his eyes and he could feel his anger subsiding away. He wanted to stay angry at him!

Stop making my life more difficult you stubborn excuse for a dwarf!, he raged silently.

The blade pressed against his throat and Nori swallowed the cry of fear that danced on the tip of his tongue. He was not afraid to die. He was afraid to die in front of those he loved, to have his life ebb slowly away whilst hearing their anguish was something he would not take. He had watched their grandfather do it. Nori refused to be the same.

"We're going to do this nice and easy okay Huran?" Bofur soothed, stepping forward. "You're going to let Nori go and he's going to run to your left alright, towards his brother okay? Then you can have me alright lad?"

The blade lowered but a fraction. Nori dared to let out a breath and then felt Huran's grip on his arm slacken before he was roughly shoved to the left. His feet caught in one of the cracks and he tumbled, falling spreadeagled on the hard floor. One look back into Bofur's face and the determined blaze in his eyes sent Nori scrabbling backwards until Dori's arms came around his shoulders and the frantic whispers in his ear.

Huran's arm shot out and gripped at Bofur's wrist, Nori could practically see the nails biting into his lover's flesh. Bofur, to his credit, did not wince. That painful feeling increased tenfold in his chest. This was what true fear felt like, Nori realised. Watching someone dear to you being threatened. The knife in Huran's hand shook and he held it in front of Bofur's face, waving it with deadly accuracy.

"There is no need for blades anymore" Bofur soothed, holding up a placating hand.

"Once we're out of here then we can talk about that"

"Brother please!" Bombur pleaded suddenly.

"You shut up!" Huran shrieked, yanking on Bofur's wrist.

When the miner winced a cold hand enclosed around Nori's insides. That was the arm that Bofur had nearly lost in the Battle of the Five Armies. It was still healing for Mahal's sake and the wrong movement could mean . . . Nori's heart began to thump in a panic. This was not good, not good at all! Dori's grip was tight about his shoulders and all Nori wanted to do was throw his brother off and charge at Huran. Except that Nori had only his small dagger upon his person, it would be useless against Huran's much larger blade. There was also no way any of them could reach the armoury, not without Huran seeing at least. They were officially stuck.

"Come, we are leaving" Huran said quietly. He gestured to Bofur. "You will go in front so the others will not be foolish enough to attack. One wrong move and I could gut you like a deer"

No! Nori's mind screamed. Bofur was complying and Nori wanted to scream aloud until his throat bled and his voice went hoarse. He had only just got Bofur; he couldn't watch him leave so soon! As the pair moved towards the large doors that would lead into the hall of the front gates Nori began to quietly struggle, murmuring Bofur's name under his breath. He could see Kili and Fili's posture, he could sense their desire to run and help the beloved miner.

That was when it happened. Nori saw movement out of the corner of his eye and he turned, seeing a masked dwarf flitting through the tightly packed crowd. He or she was headed towards the escaping Bofur and Huran. Nori's throat went dry; if Huran saw him then Bofur was as good as dead! It appeared it was worse though when he got a closer look at the masked dwarf. It was most certainly a male dwarf and they were wearing an otter mask. And he held in his hand two flaming matches.

"Get back!" Dori bellowed. "He's got a match, everyone get back!"

Nori saw Dwalin drag Ori away quickly and Bofur, who had heard the cry turned with wide eyes and then as soon as he and Nori locked eyes he reacted. He aimed a low kick to Huran's knee, flooring the other dwarf with ease and pounced at the otter masked dwarf with a yell. One of the matches flew into the air as Bofur tackled the dwarf to the ground and stamped the other out with his boot. The flaming match landed on a nearby table, bursting into deadly flames. Screams and shouts broke the air and Nori finally threw Dori off him, surging forward to where Bofur and the otter were fighting.

Nori let out a warning yell as Huran tried to lunge for Bofur, throwing himself forward and tackling the other dwarf to the ground. Huran struggled under his grip, the blade came up and nicked his forearm slightly. Nori hissed but before Huran could do much beside cut his arm Dori was upon them, bearing down like a great beast from the north. He pulled Nori from the dwarf and slammed his fist into Huran's face. Blood spurted everywhere as Huran's nose broke and a sickening crunch echoed.

"That's for threatening my little brother you scum!" Dori snarled, bending and lifting the dwarf. He slammed him into the stone wall, looking feral in his anger. It was though he had not aged a day. A knee came up and connected with Huran's groin, wrestling a shout of pain from the dwarf's lips. "And that's for threatening my little brother's partner!" Dori hissed. "And that!" He slammed another fist into Huran's chest. "Is for ruining a good party!"

Huran was groaning in pain, blood dripping off his face and Nori was sure he had a broken rib or two. Dori released him and turned just as Balin started calling for water to douse the spreading blaze. Nori turned just in time to see the otter masked dwarf throw Bofur off rather unceremoniously. Bofur let fly a horrendous yell of pain, hitting the floor hard just as his injured arm fell limply by his side and his lifeblood started to cascade down it. Nori felt his face drain of his own life blood and then he was stumbling towards his lover, sinking to his knees and pulling the dwarf's head into his lap.

"Bofur!" he pleaded. "Stay awake alright! Are you alright?!"

"Aye my sweet, I'm fine" Bofur said softly. He offered a weak smile. "That great git jabbed his knife into my healing wound, it's just a scratch"

Nori heard a scuffling noise and looked up to Dwalin apprehending the otter, a gleeful glare upon his features. The tattooed dwarf was getting way too much satisfaction out of this. Then again all interrogations were handed his way for a reason, the ginger haired dwarf reasoned. Dori was by his side once more and instructing Bofur to lift his arm as best he could.

Nori's face went pastier than parchment when his lover uttered; "I can't, my apologies Master Dori but I do believe I cannot feel my arm"

Dori's face twists into something his little brother cannot read and then there is a smoky haze amongst the room as the fires are extinguished. More cries break the air as Thorin returns, anger ablaze and a hobbit by his side. Dori is grumbling under his breath and Nori cannot say how grateful he is for some sense of normality, because his world is breaking into tiny pieces. His lover's injured arm is reinjured and now worse, Nori wished for the pain because that calm smile on his lover's face is more than he can stand.

"Things will be alright Nori, my sweet" Bofur said quietly, reaching his good arm around to interlace his fingers with Nori's. "Your brother's healing skills are profound"

"Just hush" Nori whispered, dropping his head to press his forehead against Bofur's. "Please, just . . ." he trailed off.

The silence was deafening but at least Bofur was in his arms. Silence meant that Nori could pretend it wasn't happening.

-x-

As soon as Dis had seen Thorin back amongst them she had felt her chest relax, a great weight lifted from her shoulders. She waited until he had finished uttering orders to Dwalin and Balin before heading quickly towards him. She had lost one brother, she wasn't about to lose Thorin too. He saw her coming and offered a weak smile and then he was hugging her, holding her close to his chest and whispering soothing words in her ear, just like when they were younger.

"Menu tessu Dis" Thorin whispered in her ear. "I will not leave you just yet"

"Good" Dis chuckled, drawing back and wiping away the stray tear that fell. "Because then I would have to rule Erebor and Aulë forbid that should happen"

"It's not like you don't half rule already Mother" Fili chimed in, appearing at her elbow, Kili in tow as always. He directed a cheeky grin at his uncle. "That's not allowed again okay Uncle? You had Kili here in a right state, panicking like a newborn he was"

"I was not!" Kili smarted indignantly, crossing his arms. "It was you who went whiter than Gandalf's beard oh brother"

"If we are talking of who was more scared little dwarfling I must say that you would take the cake"

"Was it not you who noticed Thorin was missing first and got all shrill when you ran to mother?"

"Enough!" Bilbo's voice broke in. He raised an eyebrow at the two brothers who both stared back at him sheepishly. "Both of you are to behave, I'm sure your mother and Thorin have plenty to be worrying about without you two adding to the mix" he warned, hands on hips.

"Act like the mature princes I know you can be please dears" Dis sighed, massaging her temple with one hand.

Thorin chuckled and wrapped an arm around Dis' shoulders, drawing her into his side for a friendly hug. "You lot are as crazy as Radagast and Gandalf with the way you all carry on" he said, chuckling deeply when Dis prodded him in the ribs. "But I would not trade you for the world"

"I must say though" Dis mused. "Bilbo has a very efficient way of reining you two in" she said, directing a fond smile at her sons. "The only other I can imagine doing so would perhaps be . . ." she trailed off.

"Frerin" Thorin finished softly. He smiled, reaching out a hand to grip Bilbo's tightly. "I couldn't agree with your more my dear sister"

Their private moment was interrupted however by Ori and Dwalin, the former bouncing on his heels with nerves and the latter wearing a grim faced expression. Thorin released his sister and partner, turning to face his head of guards and the royal scribe. Fili and Kili's stances changed in a split second, their backs straightening and expressions tightening. Bless their hearts; those two at least knew when it was time to be serious.

"Bifur brought the human assassin to the dungeons" Dwalin said gruffly, crossing his arms. "He has not spoken a word since then. As for that scum Huran he's got a few breaks in his body but nothing another beating won't fix"

Dis levelled Dwalin with a gaze. "That will be up to Bofur and Nori" she warned him. "Should they wish to press charges"

"He is in cahoots with the otter mask" Ori piped up. "The two were arguing in Khuzdul as they were taken away, I heard them"

"We'd be glad to offer an assistance we can to get to the bottom of this" Fili offered gravely. Kili could only nod, looking very tight lipped. Both were fond of Nori and Bofur, their temperaments were similar after all.

"I should rather like to know who wore that otter mask" Dis growled.

"That's where it gets interesting" Dwalin muttered mutinously. He gazed at Bilbo and then turned to Thorin. "What do you remember of Huran's kin?"

The king frowned, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "To the best of my knowledge I thought his father and yours were cousins of some description" he said slowly, nodding when Dwalin did. "However I did not think he had any other kin in these halls"

"Turns out that the otter mask is his kin"

"By Mahal . . . what sort of kin?"

Dwalin glowered. "They are brothers" he said softly. "Huran's brother is Lesur"

"As in . . .!?" Dis gasped.

"Yes the owner of the second seat on the Royal Council" Dwalin growled. "They've been planning this since they set foot in these halls"