Chapter 36

Kíli drew back the string on his bow. The scar tissue on his chest burned with the strain as it stretched. He gritted his teeth and took careful aim at the target. He loosed the string and the arrow flew, much to his chagrin, crooked. It planted itself deep into the hay far below the target.

"Take a break, Lad!" Dwalin shouted. "Yer aim's gettin' worse."

Kíli growled as he grabbed another shaft.

"Amralûmê, perhaps if you try it left handed?"

Kíli turned to see his wife enter the practice arena. "How would that help?" He snapped.

Tauriel leveled her gaze at him in a way that made his stomach drop. "Continue as you were then. Pay no mind to the fact I was training archers long before any of you were born."

He sighed. "Forgive me."

"The advice has merit." Dwalin smacked him on the back of his head. There's too much damage on yer right, Kíli."

Kíli huffed as he switched the bow to his right hand. He nocked the arrow with his left and readied to draw.

"Change your stance, Kíli." Tauriel tapped her foot against his left that was leading out. "Mirror the stance you're used to."

He lowered the bow and repositioned himself. He leaned towards Tauriel and pecked her on the cheek before taking aim again. His right was much steadier holding the bow, than drawing the string. The string dug uncomfortably into his fingers as he took aim.

He let the arrow fly, this time sticking it in the outer ring of the target. "I'll need a left-handed archer's glove."

"Done for the day, Lad?"

"Aye, Dwalin. Thank you for sparing with me earlier." Kíli grinned.

"Fer fightin' we'll have ta' build up your skill with yer left." The larger warrior clapped him on the shoulder. "Yer, right be not fit fer fightin'. I need to inspect the new recruits to the Guard."

"Go." Kíli nodded. "I'll see you at Council this evening."

Dwalin took his leave. As the gruff old warrior left, Kíli turned to Tauriel. "Come here to find me or to practice your own archery?"

"Find? No, retrieve," she smiled, "A shipment arrived from Rohan."

"Has one?" He took her by the arm and steered her towards the door. "You could've sent a Paige."

"And miss a chance to see you before supper?" She narrowed her eyes at him. "You've been sneaking out of bed of late, before I'm up."

"I don't sneak out of bed. You've just become impossible to wake." He stopped, turning towards her, and placed a hand on her belly. "I've been assured it is normal."

"She makes me so tired." Tauriel sighed and leaned her forehead against Kíli's.

"Mmmmm." He pulled her close. "I would love to stay as we are, but I suppose we should see what supplies Rohan has sent us."

#

Balin patted Dís' hand as Kíli entered the Council Chamber. Their young King grinned as he took his seat. "Good afternoon. I realize this meeting was called in haste, and lunch should arrive soon."

"As urgent you made it sound, you seem in good cheer Laddy." Balin chuckled.

"I have met with the Emissary from Rohan; they are offering more than the grain I requested." Kíli leaned forward.

"How much they be askin' for?" Glóin scowled.

"For the grain? 700 gold coins." Kíli frowned.

Bombur perked up. "Bushels?"

"They say it's enough to feed us a year." Kíli nodded at Bombur. "I would like you to verify their estimate."

"And what else have they brought, Laddy?" Balin asked.

"Food wise, they've brought dried fruits for around six months. Salt from the south, about a year's worth. Honey and cheese, about three months' worth." Kíli frowned.

"In that time, we can have our own cheeses from the milch goats and cows brought from Ered Luin." Balin nodded. "Dale's apiaries are starting to produce, so might pass on the honey."

"Buying it from Rohan this shipment, would put less stain on their supply." Kíli shook his head.

"Providin' Bombur confirms the quality and quantity, how much they askin' for the full shipment?" Glóin glared at Kíli.

Balin watched Kíli's grin grow wider. "What else did they bring, Kíli?"

"Pipeweed, enough for the year. Not the quality we got out of the Shire. I don't know about the rest of you, but I could do with filling my pipe."

"Not with that lung of yours, Lad." Óin shook his head.

Balin chuckled. It amused him how well Óin could hear when something he deemed important was said.

Kíli snorted.

"What are they askin' fer the lot?" Glóin's tone grew more impatient.

"800 gold coins." Kíli scowled. "It's high; we didn't pay nearly this with our trade with the Shire or the Grey Havens for the equivalent."

"Truth to that. I know you brokered our trade with the Grey Havens, Laddy. I was not aware you knew our trade prices with the Shire." Balin looked bemusedly at his former student.

"I read them before I left to make our agreements with the Grey Havens." Kíli winked. "If the estimate is valid, I would like to counter offer fairly low, say 500?"

"They won't go fer that, Kíli." Glóin crossed his arms.

"Of course not, any more than we'd pay 800." Kíli laughed. "I did learn something about bartering trade values. Isn't that why I was Ambassador to Círdan? "

"More ye' bein' Thorin's second heir. Had to give yer royal arse some responsibility." Glóin grumped. "So, what price you hoppin' to pay?"

"600 to 650," Kíli stated.

"I don't like seeing our hard won gold leavin' the Mountain."

"My Great-grandfather was possessed of a sickness and it nearly consumed Thorin as well. We will not horde our wealth. We use it to help our people prosper." Kíli glared at Glóin. "We can't eat gold."

Kitchen staff arrived and started setting plates and mugs before the members of the Council. The plates bore evidence of how low their stores were, and it was only mid-August.

"Since lunch has arrived. I suppose we're holding the whole meeting now." Balin observed; it wasn't a question in his mind. Kíli wouldn't have called the whole Council to discuss food stores.

"Aye." Kíli nodded. "As I expect to be in negotiations and entertaining our guests this evening."

"What is the next order of business?" Balin asked as Kíli took a bite of food.

The young monarch started to say something, glanced at his mother and finished his bite first. "I promised Tauriel I would take her to Thranduil's Court for a visit. I would like to arrive there at least a week before Mereth Nuin Giliath."

"She will appreciate that greatly, my son." Dís smiled and nodded.

"So, ya'll be needin' a Guard to escort ye." Dwalin said after a deep draught of his ale.

"Aye. I'm sorry to have interrupted your inspection of its newest members."

"Kavil is capable of testin' 'em. I trust his reports."

"We'll also need a guard and as many archers as you can spare for a hunt. Our meat stores are getting low. We need the chickens for eggs, and the goats and cows for milk." Kíli glared over at Bombur. "I shouldn't have to hear this via the gossip of servants."

Bombur hung his head. "Sorry. Uhm, pigs?"

"We have few boars. The piglets were already slaughtered. No, we need to breed what livestock we have, not eat it." Kíli shook his head.

"Sheep?"

"Again, we need to breed them. Besides, sheep provide wool for clothing and bedding. That, and like the piglets, we've already slaughtered the lambs. What fresh meat we've gained and what sausages are being put away, will not feed us through autumn, let alone winter."

Balin chuckled watching Kíli navigate Bombur's sparse questions. His pride of place as part of Thorin's Company and his skill with food, the only reasons to include the rotund quiet dwarf.

"Dori, I need you to arrange rooms for our guests and co-ordinate with Bombur for a formal dinner. Both Councils and their wives, the Emissary and his second, as well as my household, including Grund, Ailís, and Idrís."

"I'll see to it when we've finished here."

"Does Braita's handmaid attend?" Thorin inquired.

"No. Ailís attends in honor that she was betrothed to Fíli. Idrís, I honor as well, for had things been different, she would've been my Aunt. Grund, well, I need his assistance at times still above and beyond what a servant does."

"Now that the business I wanted to address is done, what reports or concerns do you have?" Kíli sat back his mug in hand.

A/N: Hope everyone here in the US had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.

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Neni