Happy New Year's Eve! Sorry it's been so long, life got a little more than crazy. I'll try to post every Friday once again. All rights belong to Tolkien, except for the characters I own.
~Chapter 27~
Donning the jade and ivory dress, I weave my hair into a simple braid and twist it into a bun, pinning it back with some bobby pins. Twirling in the mirror I nod at myself and hurry out of my room.
"Morning" I seat myself at the dinning table, filling my plate with a few sausages and a honey pastry.
"Gugh mornin'" Bilbo, mumbles through a mouthful of food. Swallowing, he wipes his face and fingers with a napkin. "Good morning" he clears his throat, "how did you sleep" he asks politely, delicately picking up a fork and knife.
"I've slept better" I admit, sinking my teeth into the sticky pastry. Flavor explodes across my mouth, the warm honey flavor mixing with the buttery taste of the light and fluffy roll.
"I do not mean to bring up uncomfortable memories but, are you…alright?" Bilbo looks at me with wide eyes and his mouth drawn into a thin line.
"I'm fine, thank you" I say, ignoring memories of the previous night's events.
"Good, right then" Bilbo clears his throat and returns to his platter of food.
We finish our meal in relative silence, the occasional click of silverware breaking the spell.
Bong, bong, bong, the city bell reverberates throughout the mountain, announcing the hour.
Kíli's POV
Eight tolls of the bell, not much longer before the tournament. Looking down at my half-finished platter I feel a tightness in my stomach, quenching any appetite I might have had.
"Kíli, I'm expecting that by this time next year we'll be looking to add another place setting to our table" mum smiles, a twinkle shining within her deep blue eyes.
"Yes I suspect that she will solidify our alliance with the race of men." Uncle says, looking up briefly from some papers he's reading over to give me a grin.
"Thorin" mum reaches over and smacks Uncle across the head. Crying out in pain, Uncle presses his hand to his head in mock pain. "You know that's hardly important. Kíli, marry whoever you want, human or dwarf, as long as its not an elf" she stresses the word elf. A warmth spreads across my face, my flirtation with Tauriel has gotten me into more than a little trouble with my mother.
"Especially, not an elf" Uncle growls.
"That was only one time" I protest.
"One time?" Fíli raises his eyebrow. "Have you forgotten that time in Rivendale?"
"How was I supposed to know that it was a male?" I defend myself. Fíli snickers.
"Regardless, Caelinn will be an advantageous addition to our family in more ways than one" Uncle says.
Mum sighs, looking at me and Fíli with knowing eyes. Uncle has changed since Smaug's death, since the war, since the madness, since Sarah left. Sarah leaving was probably the biggest blow of all. Barely days after the battle ended she had disappeared, not a single word or hint that she was leaving.
She was gone, and I didn't know if Fíli, Uncle or I would live. Uncle recovered slowly, gaining little strength everyday, soon burying himself in the restoration of Erebor and devoting himself to the preservation of our people, not speaking a word about her to anyone.
But we knew, we knew that he was hurt and that his pride would forever get in the way of the apology he owes her. The debt that he must one day pay. She had saved our lives countless times and had left without so much as a coin.
"Well what would you do with so much money?" Sarah asks.
"I'd buy lots of food and have a warm house for my family and get a nice, new dress for our mum" I grin.
"Now what do you suppose I'd do with so much money? I already have a cozy little apartment, plenty of food and clothes. So what do you think I'm lacking in?" Sarah tilts her head to the side, gazing at me with her piercing grey eyes.
"You could buy nice things for your family? An estate of some sort?" I suggest, not really sure what she's asking. Sarah smiles at the ground, letting the conversation be forgotten.
I've always wondered what she was asking, perhaps she wasn't asking me anything, perhaps she had been telling me that she hadn't needed anything.
"…Kíli, Kíli! Are you listening to me?"
"What?" I shake my head, clearing my thoughts.
"I said; are you ready for the tournament?" mum asks me.
A grin spreads across my face. "Did or did we not defeat Smaug?"
"Bard did all the work."
"Shut up Fíli!"
Caelinn's POV
Walking towards the training floors inside, crowds gather around the set up arena, surveying the participants and placing bets. I shake my head at Gloiron, who's discreetly placing a bet while Mother's not looking.
"Who'd you bet on?" I whisper towards him. Gloiron leans close to my ear, whiskers ticking my face and whispers in a voice unaccustomed to speaking quietly.
"Dwalin, he always wins these things"
"Not the prince you promised my hand to?" I sass, knowing very well that isn't what he did.
"I didn' promise yer hand, I'll be grantin' my permission to court you if he wins." Gloiron grumbles, fiddling with a strand of his beard, something he does when he's thinking. Deciding to leave him to his thoughts, I wander over to Mother, who's making small talk with some of the noble dwarrow dams.
"Caelinn, claimed daughter of Eideth, wife of Gloiron, cousin of Oin, distant relation of the King, who in turn, is also a relation of mine." A thick, gravely voice stops me in my tracks, it's Thorin III, Lord Dain's son. "You should learn how to lie better"
"And you should know not to follow women around, you might give yourself a bad reputation if you keep this up" I lick my lips, not daring to turn around and look into his coal black eyes.
"Perhaps, but what of you? Seducing my cousin like you have, what is your aim little girl, what can you possibly gain from wedding that weakling? You're just a human with no ties to us dwarves" he says, circling to face me "nothing to offer us in terms of wealth, knowledge. Perhaps that's why that pathetic excuse for a dwarf prince chose you, because you make the runt look mighty" he concludes, placing his hand atop the axe hanging at his belt.
"He's not weak" I say, clinching my fists. "And the only thing I gain from marrying him is a good man and faithful husband" I say, remembering Sarah's words. Finding the courage somewhere within myself, I look straight into his squinty black eyes, challenging him to push back me down. "Kíli doesn't need me to look mighty, he is great on his own, he's brave, loyal, he loves his family and his people. And he may not be perfect, but he's not weak, the only weakling here is you." I jab my finger at him. "Imagine you, a battle hardened dwarf, afraid of being outshone by your own kin. You push him down instead of pushing yourself to be of better character. You're nothing more than a bully." I cross my arms, starting to feel a bit shaky, my sudden burst of courage has run it's course. My knees begin to quake, threatening to give out at any moment.
Little Thorin narrows his eyes at me even further, knuckles of the hand covering his axe turning white. "I will not forget this insult girl, you'd better watch your back" brushing past me he disappears into the crowd, leaving me with a pounding heart, sweaty palms and legs like jelly.
Slowly turning, I look for a place to sit or lean against until I get myself back to normal. Trying not to stagger, I move myself towards a fallen pillar that is being used by some children as a balance beam.
Sitting down, I can't stop the shaking that follows. I've never done such a thing in my life, standing up for anyone, not even for myself. It felt awful!
The noon bell tolls, vibrating the city inside the mountain. It's time for the match to begin. Taking a deep breath, I try to calm myself, this is not how I was planning my day to go.
Stay tuned for the next chapter, hopefully I'll have it posted by Friday. Thank you everyone who's followed this story this far!
