It didn't take Gimli long to reach his friend Bard who worked in one of the biggest Miami's newspapers. After telling bard what they needed to get done, the journalist told them he would only write a professional economical article, but assured that he knew just the right man to handle the gossip they needed. Alfrid was a known paparazzi and tabloid journalist and Bard had a great idea how to set it all up.
When the photos of Tranduil arriving by ambulance to a psychiatric clinic hit the press with Alfrid style headlines it was chaos. Aurelia almost died seeing headlines like "Old Mirkwood attempts to commit suicide after his daughter's wedding!" "The end of the Mirkwoods!" "Tragic end of Romeo and Juliet's story!" and other more crazy headlines. As soon as Alfrid published his first article the news spread all over the states likes wildfire.
The next day as soon as the stock market opened, Mirkwood International stocks opened with a dreadful cheap price. Fili just smiled and kept buying out any stocks coming onto the market. By the evening he had almost 20% of stocks of the company in his hands.
When Kili got a message confirming that Fili managed to get over 20% of shares, he decided it was time for the next step. He called in his uncle and invited him to meet him in Miami.
Thorin watched the moves on the stock market with amazement. As soon as the news hit the press, he was hoping to finalize his buyout of MI. But after the opening of the stock market all the loose shares were immediately bought out before he even got the chance to click his mouse. Someone was playing with him, and he hated being played with. Especially when someone was playing the same game.
He got the call from Kili, and it immediately hit him that his nephew was somehow involved with this. So he replied he'd arrive to meet him the next day. To his surprise there were many people in the conference room sitting around a big round table. He recognized Thranduil, his son and the lawyer representing MI, both his nephews were in the room, so he sat right next to Fili. There was another very short man with curly auburn hair, dressed as lawyer, and yet one more officially looking lawyer type of person with vibrant red hair. It seemed only one person was absent, Thranduil's daughter.
The small cute lawyer stood up and began talking; it seemed he was going to manage the meeting.
"We have gathered here to mediate on the business and family situation of all three involved parties. My name is William Baggins, and I am representing the absent Mrs. Oakenshield, and I've also agreed to take on the role of mediator for this meeting." The small man explained to Thorin his position. Somehow he had a feeling the cute small lawyer was talking only to him, which made the man feel uncomfortable.
"The first issue we have to discuss is the current legal situation of Mirkwood International. In fact holding the current management board list, we might consider this the first meeting of the management board in its new form." The small man continued and Thorin crossed his brows, it seems his buyout would be ineffective after all. "Kili as the president of the company will you take the floor?" Thorin shook his head in shock hearing those words.
Kili stood up straight and locked his eyes with his uncle. "As the CEO of Mirkwood International and representing Thranduil Mirkwood, I want to address the current financial situation of the company and my future plans. To make things clear as a representative of Mr. Mirkwood, I am representing 30% of MI, If my understanding of the shock list is correct you uncle are presenting almost 30% of MI as well." He glanced at Thorin holding his eyes firmly. "And nearly 20% of Mirkwood International is currently represented by my brother Fili." Thorin looked surprised at his older nephew.
"So that means we own over 50% of MI." Thorin smiled widely to Fili, only to be met with a cold gaze.
"My place is with my brother." Fili told him coldly. "So in fact he is representing over 50% of MI, not you uncle."
"You would betray me for him?" His uncle growled deeply.
"He is my brother." Fili replied coldly. "My loyalty lies with him."
"So that means I've lost not only one nephew but two." Thorin stood to get out and leave the meeting, but the small lawyer stood in his way.
"This is a mediatory meeting, so please Mr. Durin don't let anger and pride make you leave now. For the sake of what family you have left." Bilbo gently told the bigger man.
"I have no family left." Thorin told him bitterly.
"Only because of your choosing." Kili finally told him. "We never rejected you, it's you who rejected us, for the choices we made."
"Sit down please." The small lawyer asked him again with pleasing eyes, and Thorin found he could not refuse those kind blue eyes, so he sat down.
"Not only you lost something." Thranduil decided to speak. "I've nearly lost a daughter and a granddaughter for the sake of pride and false loyalty to old family prejudice."
"A granddaughter?" Thorin asked quietly.
"Tauriel gave birth to a beautiful girl ten days ago." Kili told his uncle.
"It was nearly three weeks too early, because of all the stress and problems." Fili gently told his uncle.
"Coming back to the company situation, Kili is current CEO, and according to an agreement with Mr. Mirkwood he will remain as CEO until Mrs. Oakenshield will be able to take over. Fili has also signed a contract to give his brother control of the stocks he owns, and so Kili will remain on the management board of MI even after Tauriel returns to her post." Bilbo explained all the agreements the people in the room came to. "Having 30% of shares also give you the right to take post in the management board Mr. Durin, and actually that is what were hoping you will do."
Thorin looked at the lawyer completely surprised. "The company is not managing well due to the last difficulties, your presence will strengthen the opinion of the company and give it credibility." Kili slowly explained their position.
"You want me to enter the management board of Mirkwood International officially?" Thorin asked completely surprised.
"I'm entering the management board of Erebor inc." Thranduil told him coldly. "I own over 15% of shares."
"You were a quiet shareholder of my main company?" Thorin asked with a deadly glare.
"I'm a quiet shareholder in over ten of your companies." Thranduil replied. "I've been playing the same game my father was playing, buying all the stocks possible."
"The same game you were playing." Kili told his uncle.
"So if I had pulled MI down, I would in fact damage many of my companies." Thorin noticed in horror.
"After analyzing the situation of the Mirkwood companies it surprised me that the Durin family companies and the Mirkwood family companies were living in symbiosis. The ties between the companies are strong, and considering that both families were quiet shareholders in all the ventures, the fall of one element could bring down both empires." Kili told his uncle coldly.
"That is one of the main reasons of this meeting." Bilbo stood up again. "I hope that both parties now understand the importance of reaching a consensus."
"Just because our business ventures are intertwined, doesn't mean I have to trust them." Thorin replied coldly.
"Quite the contrary uncle, I was hoping you would decide to come forward with the investments you made in the Mirkwood companies, and actually take an active critical part in their management." Kili informed his uncle.
"And I would do the same, to keep balance." Thranduil replied.
"After the mess with your suicide I'm surprised you want to do business now." Thorin said coldly.
"That was just a play uncle." Kili told him with a smile. "Mr. Mirkwood was having family problems so he withdrew from the business for a short time, which was immediately used to your advantage, and attracted interests of tabloid. Most of the information published were false information orchestrated by myself to allow Fili to acquire the loose 20% of shares."
"Where in Mahal's name did you find enough money to do a move like that?" Thorin turned to his nephew.
"I've been playing with the trust fund money on the stock market." Fili replied calmly.
"With fantastic results I might add." Kili smiled to his brother.
"Can we please come to the main topic of today's meeting?" Bilbo drew everyone's attention to him. "Mr. Durin in the name of my client, I want to ask you to make peace with the young Oakenshield marriage. Both my client and her husband wish to have your support as a family member. My client after discussing many issues with her father, decided to guarantee to you that she will not make any threatening moves towards your business ventures, nor will the Mirkwood family." Thorin kept a firm gaze and glanced at the clenched first of his younger nephew. "She wishes to declare never to touch any of the Durin family money, and Kili is willing to make a similar commitment towards the Mirkwood family." Kili nodded under the soft gaze of the small lawyer. "However both my client and her husband decided not to sign any marital agreement, and all their private financed will equally belong to both of them."
"That is very unwise Kili." Thorin gazed at his nephew.
"I don't care about being wise." Kili replied. "But I do care about my family. It was difficult to agree to help Mirkwood in our situation, but the Mirkwood family showed us enough acceptance for us to mend some of our professional and private relations, I was hoping you would be wise enough uncle to do the same."
All the men in the room looked at Thorin, Thorin could clearly see the agitation of Fili, the soft but firm gaze of the small lawyer which drilled in his head, and the pleading gently eyes of Kili.
"If we are going to discuss such issues I believe we should talk about inheritance as the guarantee of such a deal." Thorin replied sternly, he saw surprised in the small lawyer's eyes.
"That was one topic I was hoping you would not want to discuss uncle." Fili whispered to him.
"From my understanding the family situation is quite clear." Bilbo softly told Thorin. "You have two nephews out of which only one is planning to have a family, meaning Kili. And the same goes to the Mirkwood family, only Tauriel is the one who chose to start a family."
"What about Legolas and Fili? They are still young and might decide to start families later in the future." Thorin noticed coldly, and he could swear Fili blushed.
"Uncle, we will never have children for the same reason you don't have any children of your own." Fili gently told Thorin trying not to be explicit. Suddenly the meaning of what was said hit Thorin.
"You're gay?" Thorin asked Fili with surprise, and Fili just blushed madly and nodded.
"Actually from what I understand, Legolas and Fili have been in a relationship for some time now. And I have no other choice but to consent." Thranduil spoke with clenched teeth, and Thorin just looked at him with shock trying to process all the information thrown at him in one meeting.
"And I have no right to criticize either." Thorin replied quietly after a while. "So that means Kili's little girl is the heir of both our families?"
"For now." Kili replied with a smile. "We're actually planning a big family. And there will be enough room for both grandfathers in it. So will you please be a part of our family?"
"I would love to." Thorin replied gently.
