Beta: crashlandthetardis.
Author's Note: Perhaps I've been away long enough to think differently but I've been having difficulty staying in one point of view. So this time we'll be testing if various POVs work for me. Let me know if anything turns confusing.
Thanks to: FallenDarkness666, FlyingHamsterofDoom, diversewithclass for their reviews!
WILD ROSE
Chapter 14
"Who's Fosco?" It was Kìli who asked, stealing the question from his lips. Fìli hadn't liked the implications of the Old Took but even less the protectiveness of Rose's tone. His brother, always attune to his emotions, was quick to interrogate Bilba.
"Fosco is Drogo's younger brother," Bilba murmured later when Rose finally snapped and left the room. "Apparently, he was elected major of Michel Delving last year." She was absently checking the papers her grandfather had left spread across the table for them to examine. The Old Took had no interest in ordering anything, but he already had a guideline planned for the moment everyone agreed in helping Erebor.
"Is that good for us?" Bofur questioned, his reasoning more related to their business transaction than Fìli's inner wish of knowing who Fosco was and what role he played in Primrose's life. He shook his thoughts away, trying to focus on the task his uncle had set upon him. Thorin would not be impressed if he was distracted by the flutter of flowery skirts. It would not matter how beautiful or witty the owner of those skirts was.
"Sure, Rose is right, he knows a good thing when he sees it," Fìli frowned, unsure if there was some double entendre between Bilba's words but refrained from adding questions of his own, especially since he could not make them sound work related. Bilba sighed loudly, unaware of his thoughts. She smiled at the company before resuming her explanation. "He's my cousin as well as one of Rose's dearest friends, so even if he disagrees he won't be publicly bashing," Bilba offered with a slight smile. "With Rose on your side, he wouldn't dare to make her upset."
"He seems to care a great deal for Miss Rose," Nori noted innocently – though the present company knew him too well to believe it- , his eyes on Fìli's blue narrowed ones. The crown prince glared. Bilba however didn't fall into the trap the smuggler was setting. She tsked with her tongue loudly.
"Those are rumors, nothing more" A quick pinch on the ear had Nori complaining loudly about aggressive hobbits.
Fìli didn't see Primrose that night nor the morning after. He woke early but she had already left under her grandfather's instructions to help the preparations for the festival. Bilba however, he found on the breakfast table nursing a cup of strong tea in both of her hands.
"Mistress Boggins!" He greeted, making her flinch. She gave him a look that reminded him of his uncle, prompting his chuckle.
"I thought the days of name confusion were long behind us, Kìli!" She retorted cheekily. He took another cup from the pantry, serving himself tea from the hot pot and prepared a quick toast.
"You wound me, auntie," he mocked, mouth half full.
"No talking with your mouth full," she chastised after rolling her eyes at his antics. It took them half of the morning to prepare for their rapidly approaching meeting with the rest of the family's heads. There were too many names, too many flowers and far too many relations for him to be completely confident he would succeed in remembering anything. He was grateful that Kìli had been sent away to help for his brother's natural knack for messing up names would rub off in the most unfortunate of times.
Bilba very much enjoyed becoming their general in what was to be expected, from the way to shake hands – apparently dwarven shakes were deemed aggressive – to never ever take the first serving of a dish no matter how many times it was offered but especially to never mistake one family name with another. Lesser family wars had started with a slip. Not wars that he could fight himself out of, mind you. Hobbit – wars of familial relations sided in the passive aggressive decline of invitations, or the impromptu visits of family members, and Mahal forbid the reduction of the biscuit rations in a tea party. Aunt Ollie would appear from time to time to tsk away his mistakes or give pointed glances to Bilba.
Primrose didn't appear until lunch, cheeks flushed and a pretty smile on her face with Frodo on her hip. Kìli came laughing behind her, making faces at Frodo when he turned. "Oh their faces, Bilba!" Kìli announced dramatically. Rose laughed openly while shaking her head, making her curls tremble merrily.
"What did you do?" Bilba asked narrowing her eyes, fighting a lost battle with her turned lips.
"Nothing of consequence, cousin," Primrose reassured, letting Frodo on the floor for him to run straight to Fìli's arms. "He just juggled with Aunt Flora's flower pots".
"Kìli!" Bilba reprimanded without her heart into it as she dissolved in giggles. "Did she faint?" Primrose nodded as she fought her own fit of giggles. Frodo was currently climbing on his shoulders, pulling braids as he went.
"Fiii! Fiii!" he squealed loudly in his ears making him wince between chuckles. Fìli was quick to capture him face down, hands away from his beads but feet inconveniently on his face.
"Aunt Flora Brandybuck, eldest daughter of …" he murmured picturing the tree, while twitching away from Frodo's shaking bare feet. Primrose gave him an encouraging smile. "The eldest of your aunts by your father's side?" She beamed, hand on his forearm for a second too long, before Kìli interrupted by taking Frodo from Fìli's hold. A small glance from his brother told Fìli he had been caught staring again. Bilba however made no comment, just started recovering the drawings she had made to help him.
"Brandybucks are tricky," Bilba conceded. "Names do tend to repeat more often than not".
"She's extremely proud of her flower pots," Primrose added with a smile. "She doesn't care much for plants but she's too fond of telling stories about how she became their owner to not participate in any flower competition". Her eyes suddenly widened impossibly, looking at Bilba. "You don't know!"
"I don't know what?" The eldest of the two asked confused.
"Oh Bilba!" She squealed grabbing hands within her own, eyes twinkling with undisputed happiness. "You will never guess what she brought last summer!"
"Oh, that's a tricky one," Bilba remarked with a ferocious grin on her lips. Primrose's enthusiasm was contagious and had everyone in the room sharing smirks and grins. "The year before she brought those mint leaves she cut out off of the road," she mused, pursing her lips, still smiling.
"Pure, unaltered dirt!" Primrose exclaimed, not being able to contain the answer further. Bilba laughed loudly, her eyes gathering tears and leaning towards her cousin for support. "You should have seen great granduncle Tim, he turned blue when he realized there weren't even seeds!"
"What was she thinking?"
"Apparently she had just repainted the poppies on the white flower pot and she couldn't resist bringing it!" Primrose gushed between giggles. "Not even a worm inside!"
"These hobbits do have a particular sense of humor, don't they brother?" Kìli whispered besides him, a battling Frodo in his grasp. He nodded, shaking his head a bit, avoiding getting caught staring again.
"Rose, darling girl, did I hear Augustus right?" Uncle Aldagrim called before entering the room. Primrose blushed before coyly nodding her uncle's way. Fìli turned to his brother for information, but the youngest of the Durin line just smirked knowingly.
"It's a surprise, darling brother," he whispered in his ear as he let Frodo go to the floor.
"What is it?" Bilba questioned curiously glancing between her uncle and cousin.
"Augustus made me swear secrecy dearest Bilba!" Aldagrim declared with raised hands, a mischievous glint in his eyes. When he left the room, Bilba was quick to question Primrose.
"It's a surprise?" The youngest of the Brandybuck's muttered before escaping her cousin's curiosity. Kìli snickered, obviously distracted with the small hobbit at his feet. Frodo decided to climb back onto dwarven shoulders.
Rose was very pleased with how the evening was developing. Grandfather's speech had been successful, a lovely introduction to their dwarven friends without giving away the whole reason behind their trip. Bilba had then proceeded to act as some sort of unofficial hostess, taking them to meet the most influential hobbits assisting, which were numerous.
Fìli acted like the prince he was, smiling courteously, repeating names as he was being introduced, dropping heart felt compliments and offering his assistance whenever the need arose. Kìli was being equally charming. Dwalin had remained aloof but Bilba had begun sharing stories of his bravery that had many hobbit lasses looking at him with eyes twinkling in idolization. Bofur was making friends easily as he gave away little trinkets for children, keeping a special eye on Frodo – which she would thank him for profusely – and Nori appeared and disappeared randomly.
At the very beginning Uncle Augustus had been pleased to announce her return to the music arrangement for the night. There were many who gave praises beforehand, which naturally made her nervous. A small family of fluttering butterflies was now residing in the pit of her belly. She took a deep breath before mounting on the stage, grabbing a violin and following cousin Poppy's lead.
All night she had stayed on her sanctuary, avoiding stopping if only to change her instrument. She brushed away dancing invitations due to her commitment to the musical ambiance. Rose was forced to close her eyes many times to keep her concentration on the instrument in her hands. It had been a long time since she played anything and she admitted with regret that her fingers were rusty and even if no one was willing to recognize it they had slipped a couple notes from time to time. It wasn't that she was distracted. No, not at all. She was most definitively not distracted by the occasional glimpses she would get from Fìli's untamed mane, nor how his metal beads would twinkle when the light hit them in the right way signaling his position.
Primrose was most definitively not annoyed at how her darling cousin Acacia was eyeing him while she fluttered her long eyelashes one too many times. And Rose could swear she had lowered the cleavage of her dress while Rose had had her eyes closed. Currently Rose was standing, which gave her the perfect position for seeing when Acacia stood from her end of the table, intent on dancing with the blond dwarf. Rose didn't know she had dropped the instrument into one of her relation's hands until she was passing through the crowds to collect Fìli.
She saw him standing and for a second she considered she was late, that perhaps Acacia had already snatched him away. But he was alone, for a little while at least. Her butterflies fluttered dangerously.
"Master Dwarf! You are not planning on leaving, are you?" She greeted from behind him, making him spin and grin silly, obvious happiness in his dimples. She was happy to be a pleasant surprise. "She took his hand and Fìli didn't resist being kidnapped if for a little while. She brought him to a personal hiding spot away from other couples, wishing for privacy.
"Are we being hunted?" He asked, his lips dangerously close to her ears. She took a step away for her own sanity's sake before biting her lower lip nervously.
"You owe me a dance!" She declared, hands on her hips to stablish her determination. His smirk grew wider.
"I thought dance floors were made for that very purpose," he teased, immediately making her blush. She could not admit that she wanted him off the dance floor to avoid her grabby cousins trying to make a claim on him. And Rose was most definitively ready to make such a public claim on Fìli in front of most of her family and relations.
"It's not proper to dance more than one piece with a male that's neither your husband nor kin," she recited, thinking herself smart for using Aunt Ollie's rules of proper courting in her own favor. Since she had been but a fauntling, Aunt Ollie had been delighted to sit her on her lap for hours while she repeated the propriety of relations. It took her perhaps a bit longer than a minute to realize her own comment would bite her back.
"Isn't presumptuous of you to assume we'll be dancing more than one piece?" He questioned, faking outrage and innocence. She could do nothing but shove him.
She could honestly say she hadn't meant to skip away from the festivities for snogging, but only realized the possibility once they were alone and he took her without hesitance into his arms yet again. Instead of rashness, he kissed her ever so slowly, his tongue caressing and tasting her as one would a cup of sweet wine. His hands were bolder than any of their previous trysts, traveling from the sides of her covered breasts to settle by her waist, pressing her further into him. More than once she heard herself whispering his name in pleasure and he would say sweet endearments dangerously close to her ears.
She bit his lower lip, making him groan and tighten his hold on her hips. She felt the silky fabric of her skirts gathering under his fingers. She gave a moan of her own when he left her mouth and went to suckle the tender skin beneath her jaw, lowering the motion until he was a few inches from her cleavage. Her hands had been scratching his neck at the join with his breast bone. Rose pressed herself fully to his touch, yearning to be able to feel him fully without so much fur, silk and leather between them. A whimper with his name escaped her when his tongue abandoned her collarbone completely.
"Would ear ticking be proper now, blushing Primrose?" His warm breath was killing her softly as it brushed her ears gently. She was tempted to accept. Her hands tangled into his beard, bringing his mouth close to her and far away from her pointy ears.
"No," Rose murmured kissing him softly on the lips. She felt him detract faintly from her hold, his eyes loosing part of the lust that had invaded them from their first kiss. "Not yet," she corrected pressing her lips to his own, pushing away any uncertainty from his stance. When he didn't complain, and she felt a smile curl at his lips she resumed the attack to his lower lip, suckling and embracing it with her own. His fingers were struggling with the laces on the front of her dress.
"Dancing," she finally muttered, pushing his fingers away from where she wanted them. "We came here for dancing," she elaborated with shortened breath when he opened his confused blue orbs.
"Dancing," he echoed slowly, a silly grin on his face. His hands then traveled slowly to her waist, collecting her and pulling her impossibly close to his chest. He leaned his head until his large nose was bumping into hers. "We've been dancing since I met you," he whispered softly, his whiskers tickling her lips. He had begun swaying them to the slowest rhythm that came from inside the barn. She closed the space between their lips, kissing him sweetly as he continued to lead in simple steps.
Then and there she was the happiest she had been in a long time. Not everything made sense but she felt herself fitting into something entirely hers for the very first time.
Another awkward cough interrupted them harshly. They both turned to the now opened door, still captured in each other's hold. "If it had been anyone but me…" Kìli said with fake reproachful tone in his voice, a hint of a smirk on the corner of his thin lips. Fìli chuckled over her neck, giving her a tiny fluttering kiss before letting her get away to recover from her embarrassment. No one needed to tell Rose she was blushing, for she felt the heat of her cheeks. "Some lad was looking for Rose," Kìli continued further, his eyes looking up to the clear sky to give them some privacy to recollect themselves. Fìli grunted at his brother's words. She smiled in spite herself, finding the jealousy endearing. She gave in to her urges and kissed him fully, taking him by surprise. His hands brushed her cheeks like they had done moments ago, murmuring her name softly with the same reverence. Kìli forced another cough, making her giggle and break away.
"Sorry," Rose offered bashfully, making the youngest of the brothers roll his eyes. Fìli helped brush back her hair to its original place, while she did the buttons she had undone from his own tunic. His warm thumb traced the hem of her cleavage as he pulled it up slightly, giving her a heated glance. Poor Kìli snapped.
"I'm serious! Bilba's also looking for you, but I sent her the other way. Stop and put it back in your pants!" He hissed from the door as he looked inside, making sure no one was coming. Rose sighed with frustration, looking at her dress to detect any other sign of impropriety. Fìli stepped back and mimicked her, fixing the disrupted braids of his whiskers. Suddenly the music inside changed rhythms to one she recognized well. With a full grin, she took Fìli's hand within her own and made a grab for Kìli's as well as she pulled them into the barn. She pushed between the hobbits surrounding the dance floor, her hold slipping from the dwarves as she reached her objective. Her cousins and friends had already begun thumping their bare feet on the ground to the music with the brothers learned to mimic easily.
It wasn't until the song was done that she remembered she was wanted by someone. With perfect timing she was found yet again.
"My sweetling!" A booming and surprisingly gravelly voice called from the crowds. Rose grinned widely in response, trying to locate the source as she glanced around the room.
"Fosco!" She greeted as she ran to meet him quickly if a bit childishly. Fosco took her quickly in his arms, spinning her around and gaining unapproving stares from those around. Whispers would begin soon enough, Fìli thought, displeased at the nearness of Rose to the male. Bilba had said there were no romantic notions but a childhood friendship behind the close contact. Yet he couldn't help but to think this Fosco held her a bit too long and his hands were too low on her waist. Kìli nudged him and it made him realize he was openly glaring at the intruder. "I was wondering when you'd grace us with your presence!" Rose chimed, taking the male's hand within hers and pulling him to the dwarves.
"Do not frown nor worry for me, lovely girl! Wrinkles don't settle well with beautiful maidens," Fosco took her hand to his lips giving it a sound kiss, which made Rose giggle in delight. Fìli regretted leaving his blade then. "Now, where is our nephew? Have you been taking good care of him?"
"He's being smothered by one of your sisters I believe," Rose answered wistfully, the smile that Fosco had summoned never leaving her face. There was no trace of that inevitable nostalgia that was frequent to see in her eyes.
"What a lucky little fellow, always surrounding by lovely girls!" Fosco exclaimed, his eyes jumping around perhaps to see a trace of his nephew and sisters. His eyes turned back and finally noticed Bilba. "My, my! Sweet cousin! Miss Bilba! I am sorry for taking so long to greet you," Finally the obnoxious hobbit let go of Rose's hand to take Bilba in a hug and kiss one her cheeks. "You were greatly missed, an even greater debt of untold stories has grown in your absence at remarkable speed!"
"I'll make sure to begin payment as soon as you are all accommodated," Bilba returned in good humor, her cheeks blushing at the attention. At this, Fìli noticed Dwalin had made a rare appearance and was not looking at the newcomer with kind eyes.
"Weren't you supposed to arrive tomorrow?" Rose asked worriedly.
"Yes, thank you! Now! The real reason in my quickness," a dramatic clap of hands that had Fìli urging himself not to roll his eyes and Fosco had Rose's hand back within his own. "I wanted you to be the witness of marvel, dearest!" He pulled from the bag at his shoulder a shiny, big, ruby red tomato. Kìli stifled a bark of laughter besides Fìli.
"Tomatoes!" Rose said with a sheepish grin and a faint blush. The Old Took's accusations were growing truer and truer by the second. "Fosco! You really shouldn't have! You must have paid a little fortune for one this size!" Fìli was beginning to go over to Old Took's side, feeling particularly scorned with the attention she was handing so easily and so publicly to her supposed friend. Not even an hour ago she had been safely tucked within his hold and now she was happily grabbing hands and gushing about enormous, silly tomatoes with another male.
"Taste! Taste and I'll explain its provenance," Fosco looked at Rose expectantly until she shrugged and took a bite from the tomato. When the juice dripped at the sides of her lips, it was yet again Fosco who jumped at the opportunity to hand her a neat handkerchief.
"Valar!" Rose moaned as she swallowed the last bit. Her pink tongue slipped out to clean the remains of the tomato on her lips. Kìli coughed and nudged him from staring as he followed her tongue around in spite of the anger simmering deep in his veins. Again.
"The name of the godly should be taken as a compliment, yes?" Fosco questioned with excitement. Rose hummed in approval as she took another juicy bite. "Would you believe me if I said it came from my green house?"
"Before you two begin comparing the recipes of the perfect manure, I think I should make the introductions," Bilba cut off and Fìli would have kissed her for stopping the scene from developing further. "First of all, Fosco! Congratulations are in order, darling boy!" The prick had the nerve to look all coy and modest, brushing away the compliments Bilba bestowed him under Rose's adoring eyes.
Fìli felt Kìli nudging him and it was then he realized Fosco had a politely extended hand in front of him. "Fìli, son of Bali and Dis, Crown Prince of Erebor, heir of the King under the mountain, of the noble line of Durin," Nori recited dramatically by his side, a well hidden smirk under his bushy whiskers. Fìli bowed ceremoniously forgoing Fosco's offered hand. Bilba gave him a murderous glance before smiling. Rose however was looking confused.
"That is an introduction if I ever heard one!" Fosco exclaimed with a chuckle. "Now Primrose, about the tomatoes…" They went deep into discussions of manure as Fosco pushed her away from Fìli with an arm surrounding her waist. Kìli nudged him once again, breaking his glare to the back of Fosco's head.
"What in the name of the Valar was that?" Bilba shrieked at his side.
"We assumed a more traditional approach would be beneficial," he answered dryly, his eyes still focusing on the pair who had gone to greet the Old Took.
"A more traditional approach?" Bilba echoed, annoyed, a glare in place. Bofur broke the preaching, taking Bilba's arm within his own – a shriek of complaint from Bilba included - , leading her back to the table they had been sitting at earlier.
"I wouldn't worry 'bout the lad," Nori slurred by his side, smirk in place as he gave a knowing glance to Primrose and Fosco laughing with mirth. Kìli gave him an encouraging pat in the back.
"Yeah, we can take him easily," Kìli agreed, nodding while taking offered tankards of ale for the three of them. "I doubt he can even hold a sword properly!"
"I could discreetly make him disappear," Nori continued, his whiskers accompanying the growing smirk. "If it pleased his highness of course". Tempting, but not feasible. Fìli was not yet as desperate as that.
"I appreciate the offer," Fìli murmured with a halfhearted grin. "Though I don't think we need to resort to a murder attempt just yet". Nori let out a loud bark of laughter, raising his tankard before disappearing within the crowd
"I think they're just friends," Kìli added with a lopsided smile. "The curly fellow might be aspiring for more but he's late, ain't he?" They walked up to the table, Kìli dropping by Bilba's side. Fìli was about to sit by his brother, but noticed another place opening in a much preferred position.
"He might not know it, so I'll inform him." Fìli told his little brother before taking the place Fosco had vacated seconds before by Primrose's side.
"Aren't you qui-," she turned to him surprised, her cheeks a lovely shade of pink due to the heat inside the barn. She smiled at him just the same but he failed to return it. "Fosco was just getting us drinks," she explained, brushing loose locks away from her eyes.
"If you're thirsty, you may have some from mine," he offered his own, pushing it closer to her remembering the lessons Bilba had drilled into him earlier. Primrose blushed, looking away.
"If you want to cause uproar," she whispered softly while smiling to one of her cousins. "I believe I heard Bilba telling you about sharing cutlery, drinks…"
"You don't mind sharing with Fosco," he murmured softly.
Fìli felt her hand at the side of his calling his attention, her fingers barely brushing against his. He found her looking at him discreetly concerned, while keeping a tight smile on her face to avoid questioning from those seating nearby. He might not have appeared as relaxed about Fosco as he wanted to be in front of her. He could not help it.
There might not have been a name to what they were or what they were doing but he could no longer deny there was something more than simple attraction. He cared not only for being the receiving end of her kisses but he also wished for every ounce of her attention. Dwarves were indeed greedy creatures, though as a racial characteristic it was difficult to deviate from it. Hadn't he criticized his own uncle for his possessiveness over Bilba?
"Fosco is Drogo's brother," she said softly, trying to look inconspicuous while reading his emotions clear in his face. "He's my oldest friend," she added as her other hand toyed with the fabric of her skirts nervously.
"He's very keen on you," he observed softly annoyed. She rolled her eyes at his tone.
"And I love him very much," Rose answered, strained, the smallest of her fingers touching his with more pressure. "If I'd had a brother, I'd wish for him to be like Fosco. He's the Kìli to my Fìli," she smiled hopefully at the comparison. It was his time to roll his eyes.
"I hope you are not trying to imply that I flirt with my brother," he hissed dryly, pushing her hand away.
"Hate to interrupt, but the fair lady asked for sweet wine!" The object of his torment appeared from behind, unfazed by his occupied chair. He gave Primrose a full cup with a smile. "You should try it too Master dwarf – err, prince Fìli -, … it's from my uncle's private stock. The best thing in Arda many rangers have claimed!" He added cheerfully, while offering the cup he had obviously brought for himself to Fìli. It was Primrose who took it, as Fìli made no movement whatsoever to do so. Fosco didn't seem to mind as he fluttered away easily while greeting other relatives.
"Fìli, stop being an idiot, we have always been like siblings," she hissed back, pushing her hand back to his lap with determination.
"He doesn't seem to need a sister," Fìli retorted feeling like the petulant child he had never been. "I seem to recall he has at least three".
"Yes, he and his wife have many sisters between them," Rose added casually while smiling, as if she had been hearing the joke at the end of the table that had most of its occupants barking with laughter. He grunted, placing his hand boldly over hers, not minding who saw it. To their advantage ale had been running high from early hours and most hobbits – and most dwarves, he loathed to admit – were far too far drunk to even consider the impropriety in holding hands. She gave him a small glare, eyebrow raised. He brushed his fingers over her pulse, giving her the hint of a smile.
"I'm sorry," he muttered approaching her ears. Rose sighed and hummed, pleased as she continued smiling with a bit of twinkle. She turned her hand beneath his, placing both of them on her lap while intertwining their fingers, away from the prying eyes of the sober.
This one came faster than expected. I just had my wisdom teeth pulled this week and I'm using my resting time for writing. Apparently pain killers do well as muses. Go figure.
Thanks again for the encouragements, reviews, follows and favorites... they most certainly put a smile on my face when I get them.