AN: Thanks to everyone for favourites, follows and especially reviews! Here's some more Fíli/Raven bonding and a bit on the revenge-front. Please let me know what you think, it would make the end of my summer vacation a little better ;) More to come soon, and feel free to let me know what you think should happen to the unfortunate hobbits! :)


eleven

Fíli


Buckland, by the Old Forest

late-October 2958

"We need to respond, now and in force!" Dwalin shouted across the gathering, to the loud agreement of many of the dwarrow.

Fíli listened without joining in. Since he had run back to the camp, there had been uproar. Raven was fine, sleeping after her ordeal. When she had first closed her eyes, however, Fíli had felt an overwhelming panic. Fear that, perhaps, she had been hurt. Though he could have sworn that she was unharmed, something still might have happened. Well, he amended, mostly unharmed. The memory of the bright red hand-print and Raven's split lip danced in Fíli's memory. It made him want to hurt the hobbits responsible all over again, but he knew that he couldn't. Fíli had sent guards to collect the unconscious bodies. Now that they had the culprits in their custody, they would be dealt with accordingly. Or, they would be once a decision was reached. The dwarrow were unanimous in their thirst for revenge. The manner of said revenge, however, and how it was to be delivered was still to be decided.

Of course the decision ultimately rested with Fíli and Dís, both as Raven's kin and as the leaders of the dwarrow. The trouble was, Dwalin also claimed kinship to Raven, and that gave him a say in the goings on. He was much more violent in terms of the punishment he pursued. That, and it lacked any political finesse. Not that Fíli or Dís wanted anything less horrible to happen, but they both had royal expectations to uphold. In terms of authority, Dwalin held sway because the dwarrow respected the warrior. In terms of actual power, however, he was both Fíli and Dís's inferior.

Thus far, Fíli had chosen to abstain from the decision-making process; or rather the argument. He did not like to be confrontational. At least, not with his family or friends in front of other dwarrow. Even in private, he preferred to wait until he was certain of a decision. Dís and Dwalin, however, were unfazed by their audience. Privately, Fíli thought that they were too caught up in their argument to pay any heed to their surroundings.

"And risk losing the Western dwarrow's greatest ally?" Dís returned.

"They have done nothing to help our kin, Dís. They shunned Bilba, and they've all but condemned her and Raven!" Dwalin roared back.

"Perhaps, but we cannot be ruled by our emotions either! The hobbits responsible will pay, and everyone will profit. We cannot afford to draw the ire of the hobbits as well as that of the Western dwarrow." Dís insisted.

"That makes us lenient!" Dwalin growled.

"No, it makes us political." Dís responded with equal vehemence.

"And is that all that Raven is? A political pawn?"

"Of course not! She's my niece, not a tool!"

"Oh really? Then why are you not out there demanding their blood? Taking it the way that your son has it staining his hands?" Fíli shivered slightly, looking down at the stained palms in question.

Upon his return to the camp, Fíli had ordered the healers to look after Raven. They in turn had declared that she was just tired, but he still could not shake the guilt. He had been there to protect Raven, yet in spite of all his promises, she'd been hurt. What kind of a cousin am I then? What good as a protector? Fíli silently cursed himself as he stared at the crimson stains on his palms. The blood had dried and, in spots it flaked away from his skin. He should wash it off, but he didn't. It was his reminder, a silent penance. He could still, however, remember the way that it had stuck to his fingers when it was fresh.

"And do what exactly? They're not our subjects! They're not even dwarrow! We have no right to punish them at all!" Fíli finally looked up, stepping forward into the conversation.

"Then, perhaps, we ought to seek the right to punish them. We can go through the proper channels and seek our revenge. We'll make a point to all those who might stand in our way and we'll avoid risking the wrath of the hobbits or our Western kin." Fíli said, causing Dwalin and Dís to both look at him.

"And finally, the little prince is growing up and thinking for himself." Dwalin turned on him and Fíli sent a glare in the direction of his mentor.

"You'd do well to remember that I am still your prince." Fíli threatened and Dwalin shot him a wry smile.

"Very well, your highness, we'll do things your way." Dwalin gave him a bow. Fíli frowned, but nodded, glancing to Dís for confirmation. To his mild surprise, he saw no resistance from his mother; only acceptance.

"Very well." he heard himself echoing.


If Fíli was offered one more pastry he was going hurl it right back in the face of the hobbit who delivered it. It had been a week since the attack on Raven and subsequent agreement. Since then, Fíli had reached out to the hobbit leaders. It hadn't been easy, hobbits were after all, wary of outsiders and, what made it worse, he'd had to hide it from Raven.

She had healed well. The bruise was fading, and Raven's high spirits had also apparently returned. Since waking up the day after the attack, Raven had been upbeat. She was also set on putting the past behind her. Or so she said. Fíli watched her carefully for signs of residual fear, but with no luck. Raven seemed genuinely to be over what had happened. It confused him because he was not at ease whatsoever after what had happened, yet Raven was moving on. At times he wanted to attribute it to her youth and the previous difficulties that she'd faced in her short life. She was strong, a Princess of Durin, but she was still only sixteen. With so many new changes in her life, and the only parent she'd ever known still absentee, Fíli wasn't sure what to think. Nor, what might be safe to assume.

In response to Raven's attack, several things around the smial had changed. Her birthday, the twenty-second of September, had long since come and gone. Celebrations had been put off until Bilba was strong enough to return home. In the aftermath, however, Dís had decided that they'd waited long enough. When Raven asked about Bilba, Dís had responded that they would have to celebrate twice. Fíli thought that she was looking for a way to spoil her young niece. Additionally, Dwalin had stepped up her training. Raven herself had become more dedicated, insisting that she needed to know how to fight. Fíli couldn't help but be proud of her determination. It was admirable the way that she wanted to learn. Previously, he and Dwalin had focused on Raven's endurance, strength, and shooting abilities. Primula had disapproved of fighting amongst hobbits, and they had respected that opinion. Now, she did not dare argue. Fíli thought she felt guilty for Raven's attack in the Shire and her inability to fight her assailants.

Fighting aside, Fíli was learning something new. Diplomacy, in the Shire, consisted of plying the offended party with edible delicacies. It seemed that the so-called negotiations continued until they were appeased. No matter how much food he was offered, however, Fíli wasn't backing down in his stance. He wanted blood. Or rather, more blood than he'd drawn when he had injured two of the offending hobbits. They had, after all, dared to attack his baby cousin and he was not in a forgiving mood.

"Well, you see, I'm sorry Prince Fíli, but that's just not how things are done here." the Thain leaned forward. The Master of Buckland continued to look nervously between the two parties. He had been mainly silent during negotiation. The so-called Mayor of Michel Delving crammed yet another piece of lemon poppyseed cake into his mouth. He had been the primary consumer. It was almost disgusting how much he'd eaten.

"Well, having it publicly written about is not going to appease my family. You should also be aware that includes Raven's father, the King of Erebor. Now, I believe we would all profit, hobbits and dwarrow alike, from an alliance. We are willing to overlook this atrocity if you but give us the lives of the hobbits responsible for the attack." Fíli replied, doing his best not to clench his fists and growl at the trio. None of the hobbits in front of him posed a particularly authoritative figure. In spite of that, however, his negotiations had fallen on deaf ears. Unluckily for them, Fíli was a descendant of the line of the Durin. He had the tenacity of that bloodline in great abundance, and he was not going to cave to a bunch of fat hobbits.

Since the attack, a small guard had been set to watch over the hobbit prisoners. After being assured that Raven was fine, Fíli had interrogated them to find out their intentions. He had not liked what he heard. It had been hard not to take out his anger then and there, but he was no savage. He had learned for years to control his temper. Therefore, instead, Fíli had sent a message to Brandyhall where the Master of Buckland lived. The closest figure of authority, Fíli had expected the hobbit to cave to his demands. Instead, he had in turn called on the Thain and the Mayor of Michel Delving. Apparently, they all had to convene to judge what was to happen to the hobbits. The accused were, after all, apparently, from across their jurisdictions. Fíli didn't believe much of it, but neither could her argue.

When he had finally set out for Brandyhall, Fíli had been hopeful that a quick resolution would be reached. Gathering the hobbits had taken painfully long days, but since then all they had done was feast. Fíli had forced himself at first to partake, only to find that the parade of food did not cease. As they were plying him with food, every once in a while a suggestion that he forget his anger surfaced. Fíli refused the notion of peace each time.

These hobbits, after all, had the audacity to attack Raven. For them to then have the audacity to believe that they would escape punishment was too much. It hadn't taken long under dwarrow interrogation to learn their ugly intentions. They had planned to have their fun with Raven then, to dispose of her. All too so that the one, Lotho Sackville-Baggins, could keep his inheritance. The mere memory of those confessions made Fíli's blood boil in anger.

"My family will not settle for anything short of the lives of our niece's attackers. She is royalty, a Princess of the line of Durin. Her station cannot be overlooked. Attacking our Princess is equivalent to attacking us." Fíli stood abruptly. "I brought said prisoners with me to see that justice was dealt swiftly. I will leave them in your care. If you wish to pursue a war with the dwarrow of Erebor and her allies then, you may continue to keep the prisoners. If you wish to pursue peaceful relations with us, which I would highly recommend, then return them to us. You have until the end of the week to give us your formal response." Fíli gave a shallow bow. It was required to bow in dwarrow culture, but he did not deign to give them any real respect. Without waiting for a response, he departed. He suspected that he left a trio of flabbergasted hobbits behind him, but he didn't care.

"My prince?" Ginnar, the captain that Fíli had brought with him, stepped forward.

"Leave the prisoners. We ride immediately for the smial where we will dispatch a missive to King Thorin. He'll need time to mobilize the army if we are to finish an invasion before winter." Fíli raised his voice, allowing the many listening hobbits to overhear.

"Of course, my prince." To his credit Ginnar did not question Fíli's orders, merely agreed and bowed. Then, Nói stepped forward, the reigns of Fíli's mount clutched in his fist. Fíli nodded to the dwarf and mounted in one fluid motion. Then, without looking back, he led his small company from the yard. They galloped along the smooth roads; the riding was easy and Fíli was eager to be back.


"Fíli!" he turned as he dismounted to see Raven headed towards him. "I missed you! Auntie Dís said that you were supposed to be back yesterday. We were worried about you." He accepted her embrace. She felt stronger now, her arms had real strength, muscles and more weight compared to when he had first seen her. As she drew back, smiling up at him, he realized that Raven's weight was not the only change. Fíli would never have called her shy per say, but she had lacked a certain self-confidence. Now, he could truly see how she was his kin. She had Kíli's optimism and Dís's determination.

"Well, I'm afraid that I had to engage in political niceties with your Master of Buckland, Thain, and Mayor. They have a certain way of conducting deliberations. Lots of food, very little work." Fíli said with careful ease, not wanting to scare Raven or to alert her to the gravity of his mission.

"They like food. All hobbits do. They think it's the way of communicating. Well, other than flowers that is." Raven shrugged, looking up innocently at him. "Do dwarrow not use food to apologize? Or to communicate at all?" Raven frowned.

"Well, we use different things. Money for one, and jewels for another. Dwarrow care more about titles as well. Positions in society through appointments on councils or marriages. Those are our way of apologizing and asking for favors." Fíli explained carefully.

"So then, what were you asking for?" Raven asked softly.

"Oh, just boring political things. What have you been doing?" Fíli struggled to change the conversation.

"Well, mostly training. The Els still haven't gotten back. But, I want to hear more about your meeting!" Raven insisted. Fíli tried not to grimace at the return of her attention to politics.

"Well, it really wasn't that interesting." he diverted as he walked Raven back towards the smial, where Dís and Dwalin had both emerged.

"You know you're a bad liar right?" Raven looked unflinchingly up at him and Fíli blinked in surprise.

"Oh really?" he chuckled.

"Uh-huh." she nodded.

"Am not." Fíli argued, pausing and crossing his arms over his chest as he looked down at his stubborn cousin.

"Well, at least you are when you lie to me." Raven returned, and Fíli felt his lips twisting. Kíli had told him the same thing and he rarely managed to deceive Dís, Thorin, or even Dwalin. The people who cared for him all seemed impossible to deceive. He supposed he should have expected Raven to fall into that category.

"Simply because Fíli returns, doesn't mean that you can abandon your studies." Dís scolded, sweeping up to them.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Dís." Raven dropped her gaze for a moment before sneaking a glance at the dwarrowdam. Dís continued to glare. Fíli knew that his amad was not truly upset, but she certainly did look stern.

"Next time, you'll know better." Dís said, causing Raven to drop her gaze again.

"I just wanted to see my cousin." Raven murmured.

"And why should that take precedence over your studies?"

"She can come and see me, family above all, isn't it?" Fíli interrupted Dís, who shot him a glare for giving away the answer to her question.

"You do say that, Aunt Dís." Raven interjected.

"Very well, this time, but now you've greeted him and seen him and you can catch up again after you've finished your studies." Dís insisted.

"Go finish up, I'll be here when you're done." Fíli promised with a wink. Shooting him a broad smile, Raven turned and headed back towards the table that she'd abandoned.

"She missed you." Dís commented, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I didn't expect negotiations," Fíli spat the word, "to take so long."

"And you have neither prisoners nor heads." Dís pointed out, causing Fíli to scowl further.

"They refused to give in to our demands." he crossed his arms over his chest. "I have told them that they can comply by the end of the week. Else wise, an attack on our princess will be considered an attack on our people."

"You did what?" Dís demanded as Dwalin stood straighter and took a step forward.

"I said that they could hand over the guilty or else we'd go to war with them." Fíli replied, meeting his Amad's gaze unflinchingly.

"That was-"

"Exactly what you demanded of me, what you expected. You might not like to admit it, but there was no other option." Fíli cut off Dís's protest. "They are fat fools of hobbits, they care not about what is happening. They would have fed me until I was lulled into compliancy. That is how they conduct their politics. I was not in the mood. When I failed to reason with them then, aye, I gave them an ultimatum. I refuse, however, to feel guilt for my actions. I am your Crown Prince, and though I value your advice as my amad, you answer to me. I made a decision and you will abide by it."

"You're growing more like him each and every day." Dwalin broke in and Fíli turned to glance at the warrior. "Thorin."

"I know." Fíli dismissed the warrior's clarification.

"Of course you do." Dwalin grunted. "Come, you're tense and in need of sparring. If you've just declared us to be war-ready then you'd best get in a few more hours at the training field."

"I have other business I should-"

"Train." Dís cut Fíli off. "I'll see to it that a raven is sent to inform Thorin. Those elves have already been away nearly a week, Bilba will already know the news about Raven. She should be on her way back already actually, they said they were going to fetch her after all. Still, Dwalin is right, you need to be training. You cannot afford to get weak now." Fíli glared at Dís and Dwalin, but neither budged. Grumbling, he pivoted on his heel, heading for the training field.


"Wherever your mind is, pause and focus." Fíli blinked back to the present and his sparring session with Dwalin.

"I'm not in the mood." he grumbled, moving to sheathe his twin swords. They had been dueling for nigh on two hours now. He was tired and still feeling over-fed from his meeting with the hobbit dignitaries.

"You think I care?" Dwalin fixed him with a hard glare before knocking one of his blades from his slack grasp. "I don't and neither will your enemies."

"I told you, I'm not in the mood." Fíli glared at the older dwarf.

"You need to keep training. If you don't, how do you expect to be able to fight any foe?" Dwalin demanded.

"I know how to fight." Fíli retorted.

"Perhaps, but you'll do no one any good if you let yourself get lax." Dwalin swung one of his axes at Fílis remaining sword. The prince leaped back, avoiding the blow and then stooped to pick up his other precious blade.

"We're done for the day, Dwalin." he insisted, only to feel the hard contact of the butt of a hammer with his backside.

"Never turn your back to an enemy." Dwalin growled.

"You're not. You're a guard." Fíli spat, but immediately wished he could take the words back. What, he demanded of himself, possessed me to say that to Dwalin of all people. Fíli had always wanted to be Thorin. Dwalin, however, had been a part of his life for nearly as long. There was no question either about how much he looked up to his mentor.

"Fíli!" he winced as Dís's sharp reprimand cut across the morning air. "Come." Dís stood behind him, glaring. Silently, Fíli sheathed his blades and stomped after her, as though he was still a dwarfling. She led him to the building that they now shared.

It was little more than four walls and a roof, but their tents fit inside to give them the illusion of privacy. When Thorin and Kíli arrived, there would be space for them as well. There were several other such buildings, though for now this one gave them privacy. He had barely spent more than a few nights in it before he'd left on his diplomatic mission, but already he hated it.

"You're still upset about Raven." Dís said, without preamble as soon as they were inside.

"She's fine." Fíli heard himself reply dully as he fought the urge to pace.

"She is worried about you." Fíli's head snapped up, his gaze meeting hers. They were dwarrow, even in the gloom, they had good eyesight and he could read the truth of it in her gaze.

"You said she was studying and she seems entirely recovered." Fíli thought back to his cousin's healed cheek and bright enthusiasm.

"Her wounds are, yes, but not her fears. The world, this world, was safe for her. Now, it is not. She is concerned for her Amad, for us and, especially for you. She hasn't had many loved ones before. Now, she has all of us and she prefers to worry about us rather than herself. She might be a child, but she's not naive. She wants to know why you left. She's scared that she disappointed you, that she's the reason you left, rather than me, Dwalin, or anyone else. She didn't just leave her studies to welcome you back. She did it because she's been scared that you were gone for good. She hasn't said it, but if you watch her you can tell. She thinks you were disappointed by her. She had to see that you came back, that you acknowledged her and treated her the same. She wouldn't believe it until she saw with her own eyes. She's still scared too, like she's waiting for an axe to fall." Dís tracked his movements.

"She's not scared." Fíli replied automatically, "she was the same as ever."

"Was she?" Dís challenged, and Fíli paused, frowning.

"Yes." he replied, though he hesitated a little longer. Had Raven seemed too enthusiastic? Perhaps more hesitant when it came to her responses? More careful? He couldn't remember now.

"She's good at hiding it, but you need to talk to her. You've been tip-toeing around her since the attack anyways and she's noticed." Dís said and then she turned to the exit of the hut. "Oh, and tell her also that the elves are expected to return with her Ma tomorrow. Also, we've just had word that Thorin has been spotted by Imladris. He should be here within the fortnight." Dís added over her shoulder, causing Fíli to freeze.

"I thought you didn't know anything." he protested.

"We had a raven, it's why I came to the training fields." She replied. He opened his mouth to demand why he was responsible for telling Raven, but she shook her head, stopping him. Fíli had always prided himself in understanding his family but, as Dís left, he felt disconnected. Not to mention I now have the task of informing Raven that she's about to have two parents back. He hoped that such news would be easy to give but, obviously, he thought, I need to start with just talking to Raven.


Once Fíli made up his mind he rarely wasted time. That was how he found himself waiting for Raven to emerge from the smial without any plan of what he was going to say. They needed talk, that much was obvious, but what he could say, he wasn't sure.

Fíli knew that she would be inside. Raven was, self-taught for all intents and purposes. Bilba had taught her daughter to read. So, using books from the Lord Elrond's library, Raven educated herself. Raven spent several hours reading every day. She also studied so that, when asked, she could recite the information to Bilba. That was currently what Raven was working on, that was easy to guess. How this conversation might transpire, however, was unknown. Usually, Fíli knew, or at least guessed.

The door opened, and Fíli straightened. Raven caught sight of him almost immediately. This time, however, he registered the moment of uncertainty before a smile broke across her features.

"Fíli!" she exclaimed.

"I was wondering if you might want to spend the afternoon with your favorite cousin?" he invited, aware of how she still seemed almost apprehensive of him.

"Of course." she nodded, and he held out an arm to her.

"Want to go for a walk?" he asked, "we don't have to go far." he added hastily, afraid that the suggestion would remind her of their last venture.

"I know I'm safe when I'm with you." Raven paused, turning to look at him.

"I'm glad you still feel that way." Fíli admitted.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Well, because last time, I let you down." Fíli began as they walked. Raven was indeed unsure around him. He hated it. He hated that she was afraid and he hated that Dís had known when he had not. He never wanted his cousin to be afraid, not when she was with him. It wasn't right.

"But you didn't. You saved me. You had to because I couldn't save myself." Raven looked down, and Fíli was glad that they had, at least, made it as far as the edge of the yard.

"Raven, look at me." he stopped them, and reached out, cupping her small face. "You don't have a responsibility to save yourself. You have a responsibility to be a child, and to grow up. I have the responsibility of keeping you safe. You haven't disappointed me or Dís or Dwalin or any other dwarrow. You fought your assailants. You were beating me at our race. You've trained hard. You've excelled at your studies. That's all exactly what we expect of you, to grow and to learn." Raven's eyes welled with tears, and without hesitating, Fíli drew her to him. Thin arms wrapped automatically around him, and for a long while they stood like that. Becoming a cousin, Fíli reflected, isn't easy. He could only imagine how much harder this was going to be for Thorin, who was becoming a father. Though, Fíli also acknowledged, it feels almost as though I've become a father to Raven as well.

"So, what will happen to the hobbits?" Raven drew back, and Fíli paused.

"Well, if they were dwarrow, then they would have paid for their crimes with their beards and their lives." Fíli decided to answer truthfully, watching as Raven's eyes widened in horror.

"But why?" she whispered.

"All dwarrow know, assaulting a dwarrowdam is one of the worst crimes that anyone can commit. You know that our womenfolk are few. Therefore, our society expects that they are treated with the utmost respect. Fighting or abusing any dwarf is responded to harshly. Doing so to dwarrowdams and children, however, are a particular crime." Fíli explained.

"But they're hobbits." Raven pointed out. "And," she whispered, "I don't want anyone to die because of me."

"Well, it's true, they aren't dwarrow so, we would not treat them quite the same. However, we would like them to be punished. We'd do it publicly too because you are not only a female and a child, you are our princess. You see, if we do not respond as your kin and because you are royalty then others will perceive us as weak. Do you understand?" Raven bit her lip as she thought about what he said.

"I think so."

"Well then, there's something else I need to talk to you about." Raven looked up at him with wide eyes. Before he could say anything else, however, they heard another voice shouting her name.

"Raven!" Her head whipped in the direction of the voice. Fíli followed, and they both fixed their gazes on where a hobbit, with long dirty blonde hair, raced towards them.

"Ma!" Raven exclaimed, then she took off towards Bilba. Fíli smiled as the two met, clinging tightly to each other. Slowly, he began walking back. He had been so focused on how to tell Raven that Bilba was coming that he hadn't prepared himself to face her yet.

"Did you warn her?" Dís asked, appearing almost magically at Fíli's side.

"No." he glanced in her direction, "did you warn Dwalin?" Dís looked up at him with a would-be innocent expression.

"Oops." she said, without conviction.

"Fíli." he froze, turning to look at where Bilba had looked away from Raven and now stared directly at him. Swallowing, he stepped away from Dís.

"Bilba," his voice seemed to catch in his throat.

"We need to talk, and I would prefer to do so in private." Bilba declared.